If you’re a true southerner, then you know just how serious football can be to us Alabamians. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Dallas County residents are pumped about watching our Dallas County area school football teams play their hearts out in hot pursuit of the title.

I hope residents are just as, if not more, excited to watch the one of our high school teams accomplish a more precious victory of showcasing their best behavior.

Acting Selma Superintendent of Education Larry DiChiara is highlighting the players’ best efforts, while encouraging those with behavioral problems to do better with a weekly Training Table event.

Every game day, the team members are to wear a black blazer, tie, white dress shirt and khaki pants to school meant to encourage them to act like gentlemen at all times.

While I’m sure the Selma High football team executes great performances during its game practices, it is the character training I witnessed Thursday night that was especially impressing.

The moment I walked in the door Friday night I was pleased with the men’s gentlemen-like behavior. They all greeted each guest with a stern handshake and self-introduction dressed in black blazers,

Now that Selma High football coach Leroy Miles has recently received the gold blazers, a select few can sport the outstanding blazer at later Training Tables and gamedays. Only players Miles consider deserving of it based on their overall character or performance through practice.

After some mingling, the Training Table guests learned a little bit about every athlete, as they all shared a little bit about themselves to the crowd. They continued to shed some light on who they are as individuals when they enjoyed a dinner and chat with fellow attendees, who included Selma City Schools athletic director Patrick Evans, Selma City School Board member Frank Chestnut Jr., and Thursday night guest speaker and District Judge Bob Armstrong and others.

When we get in the spirit of the football season, it is easy to be more concerned about the boy’s performance off the field and overlook their performance off the field.

The intent of the weekly event is noble, but the benefits go beyond encouraging an upstanding character.

We get to learn about whom they ate as an individual, which can

Many of us don’t know enough about our local athletes other than what we see when they hit the field game night.