It was a day of loss and mourning for the Leavitt field hockey team and its community Saturday . But it was still a bit of victory for the Hornets.

Leavitt not only suffered a disappointing loss in their Western B semifinal but also mourned the loss of a classmate killed tragically Friday night in a car accident.

Saturday’s game was nearly called off after school officials learned of the death of 17-year old Madison Daigle. His sister, Amber LeDuc, is a junior on the field hockey team. With a noon game time and a regional final scheduled for Tuesday, there wasn’t much room or opportunity for rescheduling, especially with Greely ready to head for Turner.

So, the Hornets played on. They dealt with the shock, the grief and the mourning and put all their efforts into playing a game that meant a whole season to them up until the tragic news put it all into perspective.

LeDuc herself was there to support her teammates while her friends supported her. As Principal Eben Shaw made an announcement prior to the game and asked for a moment of silence, teammates gathered around LeDuc and offered her solace and care.

Then the team grabbed their sticks, took the field and played their hearts out. The game ended in a disappointing 1-0 loss but by their efforts, Leavitt displayed a winning attitude and resolve. They deserve our admiration as well as our condolences.

Sports are often considered an opportunity for life lessons. It’s a vehicle for students to learn and develop skills outside the classroom. Saturday’s game was the kind of lesson no coach or team wants to endure, but the Hornets took on the challenge and braved it best they could.

Sometimes life gets in the way of things. Sometimes it isn’t fair. Sometimes it all just doesn’t make sense. And sometimes, you just have to dig deep and overcome it as best you can.

My father died the morning before Christmas a few years ago. He had been diagnosed with leukemia that fall. We were told he might live a few weeks or a few months. Though he had been diagnosed with pneumonia that very week, he had been cleared to leave the hospital to return home for his final Christmas with his family. He never made it home. The morning he was to be released, he died in his sleep.

Our Christmas celebration went on, but it included planning his memorial service. I spent Christmas Eve writing his obituary. I thought there was no way I could stand up a few days later and deliver part of the eulogy at his service, but on that day, I felt a power and determination I’d never felt before. Knowing I could do that made me feel like I could do anything remotely difficult in the future.

I knew how hard it was for the the Hornets to take the field Saturday and play on when their hearts were mourning. I also knew that it very well could have been the best thing for them. Amidst the sense of loss and tragedy, there was a team community of love and support. They learned to cope and deal with adversity by rallying and working together. Maybe it was simply a distraction for them. Maybe it was a way to find comfort in numbers. Either way, the Hornets showed character and heart they probably never thought they could.

Even the Greely team displayed similar fortitude. One Ranger I interview nearly came to tears as her voice wavered in discussing how they felt for the Leavitt community but still knew they had to focus and give it their best effort.

It’s an experience that I wish they all could have done without. The loss of life and the tragic impact that follows is a steep price to pay for the lessons that come from it.  Life is all about lessons, from good experiences and bad ones. But our lives are not measured by what knocks us down but by how we get back up.

  The Leavitt team showed what it takes to overcome and face grief but not be debilitated by it. They showed how to rally around each other. They proved that there’s strength in the love and support of others. They displayed tremendous resolve and an unrelenting attitude in the face of sadness. They persevered and deserve tremendous credit for doing so. They were shining examples, for themselves and for all of us, in how strong the human spirit can be in the hardest of times.

The scoreboard and the tournament brackets showed a Leavitt loss Saturday, but the display of courage by the Hornet coaches, staff and community showed that there can be some triumph even  in such tragedy.