Their friendship was more important than the game's outcome

Last Wednesday night, two Minnesota high school baseball teams met in an important game. The winner would move on to the state championship. 

What spectators and fans may not have known is that a few boys on the opposing teams knew one another. Such was the case with Mounds View's pitcher Ty Koehn and Totino-Grace's Jack Kocon. The boys had been friends since Little League, keeping in touch even though they attend different schools and now play on different teams. 

As fate would have it, Koehn was on the mound when Kocon struck out in the game's last inning. While the Mounds View dugout cleared to begin their celebration, Koehn went straight to his friend, still standing stunned at home plate. The friends hugged. Koehn reassured Kocon that he's a great player, and their friendship will last longer than the game and its outcome. After a few moments together, Koehn moved to his teammates and joined the celebration. 

Kocon will never forget his friend's act of compassion. He told a local news station, "I was just thinking in 20 years I'm not gonna remember the score of that game. But I'm gonna remember him coming up to me after that and just kind of being there for me when I needed someone."

Good sportsmanship, and a total class act.

100,000 Koreans cheer for other countries' Olympic teams

As athletes from countries all around the world arrived in PyeongChang this week, they were taken by surprise. Hundreds of yellow-vested fans cheered arrivals at PyeongChang's airport, waving flags both of South Korea and the athletes' home nations.

The cohort is part of a larger group, 100,000 strong, calling themselves Korean Supporters. According to Korean Supporters Head of Communications Ki Yang Cho, “Everyone else in Korea is going to support Korea. We’re trying to focus on other countries.”

The group's hospitality doesn't stop at the airport. At their own expense, members of Korean Supporters will attend events throughout the Olympic games. Their bright yellow vests will make it easy to spot them in the crowd, between 100-120 assigned to each event. They will wave flags of Russia, Japan, Canada, and other countries, and recite encouraging chants and phrases in athlete's native languages.

What a way to spread international goodwill.

Meanwhile, at the Little League World Series...

Because of the way players are encouraged to become high-paid demigods, I'm not a fan of professional sports. But kids playing a sport, learning to win and lose with grace, trying their best and pursuing a dream - that I can get behind.
This summer's Little League World Series showcased a number of such instances in the players, coaches, and spectators alike. Here are a few:

This image may look like kids tied up in their own texts. In fact, the boys come from different countries and were talking to one another using Google Translate.

After a heartbreaking loss to the team from the Dominican Republic, the Venezuelan pitcher collapsed into sobs on the mound. Here he is comforted by coaches from the Dominican team, even before his own teammates and coaches can reach him.

And then this - spectators cheering for kids they don't know, kids who may play against their own kids in upcoming games.

Only 1 kid on the Dominican team has his parents here so the Mexican team parents are stepping in and going crazy for the DR. Awesome. #LLWS pic.twitter.com/V4FKH6cGiE

— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) August 20, 2017

Sports at their best, supporting and encouraging fairness and good faith effort.

Helping this collapsed runner across the finish line came naturally

I'm not a runner, never was, but I understand there's a culture of support among runners. They stick together, encouraging each other during training and races so each individual meets their goals.

Sunday's Philadelphia Love Half-Marathon was a challenging 13+ mile run. Within 100 yards of the finish line, a runner later identified as Haley Klinger, a Messiah College student, started to struggle. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed, nearly hitting the ground.

Three other runners, Joseph McGinty and Bryan Crnkovic of the Philadelphia area, and an unidentified runner in blue, slowed their own run to help the young woman. Crnkovic and the other man supported under her arms and continued with her several paces. McGinty, running alongside, realized they weren't able to keep her on her feet. He lifted Klinger, telling her, "We're going to finish this race together." He ran with her in his arms, carrying her right up to the finish line. There, he placed her on her feet and he and Crnkovic supported her so she could cross the finish line on her own two feet. Medical attention was waiting.

The men didn't know their kindness was caught on camera until later that evening. They claim they were just doing what came naturally.

Empathy for the loser - a lesson from kids' sports

Celebrating after a win is easy and natural. The team crowds together for group hugs, pats one another on the back, all high energy and enthusiasm. The losers each stand alone, individuals feeling their individual defeat.

Typically the opposing teams then line up and walk past each other for the 'good game' hand slap. That's considered good sportsmanship.

But when we're celebrating, it's not easy to put ourself in the shoes of the loser. Showing empathy for the losers and offering them comfort is, well, unusual.

Empathy was clearly on display at the conclusion of this international Youth Soccer tournament. 

The winning team from Barcelona went above and beyond the expected line of polite hand slaps. These kids showed true empathy for the defeated Japanese team through genuine hugs and obviously encouraging words. Even through the language barrier, I bet the Japanese players knew exactly what was being expressed.

We adults have a lot to learn.