The Jena Giants football team did not get the win against Union Parish last Friday night during their semifinal game…or did they? When the final seconds ticked off the clock, the scoreboard clearly showed Union had more points (24-16), but what the scoreboard couldn’t register was the character of the two teams, their coaches and their fans. In that capacity, Jena was the overwhelming winner.

Let me begin by saying this is not an article to justify Jena’s loss. As Head Coach Jay Roark stated months ago, when you get to the playoffs, great teams play one another and the winner often comes down to the team who makes the fewest mistakes. Even though I will always believe we were the better team on that field that night, we didn’t play up to our standards and it cost us.

This editorial should also not be reflective on all the fans and supporters of Union. I have ministered in churches in Union Parish for many years and know many people from that area. Even though many don’t allow their children to attend UPHS, some do, and I know they don’t approve of all the things that are going on there and probably had issues with some of the things from Friday night.

I have heard from other news outlets during the past about Union’s head coach. He is definitely one of the most controversial coaches in the state. A quick search on the internet of his name will tell you much. Football teams will take on the persona of their head coach and with 17 years as their coach, their team certainly has taken on his personality. Make no mistake about it…he has proven to be able to win games and has created a winning tradition at UPHS. As I watched the game last Friday, my opinion is he has placed “winning” above all else.

Having the privilege to be on the sideline, I get to hear and experience much that the fans in the stands don’t hear or see. From the moment the Union players walked on the field for warmups, some of them began trash talking, directing their comments to anyone from Jena they saw, from adults to students to even small children. Not all of the players, but many of them.

Then you had the entrance of the Carroll High School Band and cheer squads. Many of Jena’s fans did not know that Union’s head coach hired the Carroll band to come and play for Union during the Jena game. Not only that, but Union’s principal didn’t even know the coach had hired them – until they showed up Friday night in Jena. If I were the principal, I would have been infuriated over the lack of respect for authority.

While the Carroll Band is wonderful to hear on any other occasion, they had definitely been told when to play their loudest…when Jena was on offense. I was actually standing on the Union sideline, right in front of the band, taking photos during that first Jena series and can testify that the band accomplished exactly what I believe the head coach envisioned. I could not hear someone right beside me talking so I can’t image trying to hear a signal from the quarterback.

The band drowned out the PA announcer and any music from the Jena band or even the music played on the loud speaker. They even played during the opening prayer.

I’m thankful that most of Jena’s fans could not see the vulgar dancing of the Carroll cheerleaders or pep squad members stationed in front of the band. I am telling you the truth when I say they were dancing in their tights with performances I can only imagine are performed during lap dances at strip clubs. I certainly don’t believe any of the Christian Union fans I know would approve of such obscenities.

Later that night, I saw on social media how some from Union and other places were commended the band for showing up and supporting the Farmers and how it was a great testament to sportsmanship among the district foes. But it’s hard to put this into the category of sportsmanship and support when they were paid to be there.

When our star play Zerrick Jones went down with an injury, neither the coaches, players or supporters on the Union sideline took the customary knee, as is typically done by opposing teams when an injury occurs. Instead, the band played on and the business of winning a football game took precedence.

As the final seconds were ticking off the clock, the band was rocking a great beat to which Union’s head coach danced away on his sideline. As the teams crossed the field to shake hands, the HC continued dancing as he went down the line greeting Jena’s players.

Not all of Union’s coaches fall into the same category as their head coach. I witnessed three take the time to embrace Jena players and comfort them during the pain of the loss. There was some genuine sportsmanship from some of Union’s coaches but by that time, their head coach had already demonstrated he cared more about winning than anything else.

As many of Union’s fans left the field, the unsportsmanlike activities continued. Shouting vulgarities and obscenities to Jena fans, including yelling the “F” word multiple times to fans in front of small children, as the lack of moral character was evident for all who witnessed the events.

Oh, I know, Union fans will only read this and think this is about Jena losing. But make no mistake about this editorial: Jena did not lose last Friday night. The Giants may not be playing for a state championship, but I’ll take character over a state championship any day.

What Head Coach Jay Roark and his staff is teaching these young men will have far greater reaches than any trophy that will one day fade away. They are teaching them how to play the game with dignity, with moral character and the fact that winning a game is not necessarily the most important thing in high school football.

They are training them to become valuable citizens in society. They are teaching them how to maintain a moral compass and how life will not always be kind to you, but living a life with integrity always produces positive results.

They are teaching them the most important things in life that will one day provide dividends with better employees, better businessmen, better husbands and fathers, better friends and better human beings altogether, with all of that helping to ensure our positive way of life in LaSalle Parish continues for future generations.

They are teaching them that love, humility, honor and other valuable traits are what makes real winners; not just on the football field but in the field of life.

They are teaching them that character means more than winning, that having “class” triumphs final scores and that integrity is the ultimate goal and is worthy of all its efforts.

When everything is examined from last Friday night, the Jena Giants, its fans and supporters, were without a doubt, the clear winners.