Each one did his part.

Each one did his part.                               



“Give it all you’ve got,” were the words of Coach Heather just before her boy’s relay team walked to the starting block mounted above the pool. She didn’t tell them that the results of their race could push their school’s team into the number one spot for the championship—or that it could keep them in second place. The boys were unaware of the updated point calculation.


The outcome of the Boys Class Two VHSL (Virginia High School League) State Championship is about points—not so much about the number of 1^st place metals. The Radford Boys Swimming and Diving team had won only one first place metal during the entire meet. But along the way their swimmers and divers had individually accrued points—32 points here, 9 points there, 1 point yonder, and so on. Competitors are awarded points according to where they finish in the top spots in each race of the finals. The points add up and EVERY POINT COUNTS. 


Naturally, everyone wants to win their race but only one person gets that first-place metal. Coach Wohlford, known as “Major” by his swimmers and students, is a numbers man. Throughout the season he emphasized, “You may not win your race but swim your best every time. You may still win points for the team.”

The definition of team is “a group of individuals working together to achieve their goal. Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.” *

It was the final race of the day. The four Radford Bobcats on the relay team approached the starting block not knowing the point count showed them trailing their main competitor by three points. 


The blast sounded and eight swimmers, one from each team, dove into the water. Back and forth across the pool—each of the four boys from each team swam his assigned stroke—for a total of eight laps, fifty yards apiece. 


In the last twenty-five yards of the very last lap an amazing thing happened. Seemingly from nowhere, in the far lane, a swimmer raced past the one from the school sitting in the number one spot. 


Our boys did not win the race but landed in second place. Our top competitor landed in fifth place. Points were awarded and the overall top two teams switched places, putting our team at the top. The Radford Bobcat boys won the Class Two State Championship by one point!


Every point counts! Every effort by every team member is important and each one did his part!


In life, every time we do the right thing counts. Every time we obey God and honor Him with our thoughts, words, and actions counts. We don’t always come in first place. Some may never come in first place. But our efforts and accomplishments for the Kingdom of God are cumulative. Some till the soil, some plant seeds; some water; and some reap the harvest. It is God who makes it grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6-8)  

Photo from Unsplash, by Elizabeth Lies

Let’s each do our part every time. Every right decision, good deed, kind remark, smile, holding of the tongue, and positive witness, counts in the economy of God. He is ultimately responsible for the results. Besides that, He is the rewarder of prizes. (Hebrews 11:6) 

Radford Bobcat Swimming & Diving Boys Team - Class 2 State Champs 

When we attempt to share the Gospel with someone but are shut down, we shouldn’t be discouraged. Sure, it’s disappointing. We want others, especially those we love, to be the recipients of God’s abundant life and most of all, His gift of Eternal Life. We can continue to pray for them and trust the Holy Spirit to soften their hearts. 
Also, we can trust God to send another person to water the seed we’ve sown. It might need to be watered several times, as well as its soil tilled, and Sonshine radiated on it. 


Let’s each one do our part. 

And PS: I must tell you that Coach Wohlford is our son and two of the swimmers are our grandsons. (I need to clarify that our grandsons were not in that specific relay foursome in this story, but in another one.)

*Wikipedia online dictionary

©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford