Kindness 101: A lesson in sportsmanship

We're not a sports show, but we are going to stick with hoops and sometimes a hoop court is a great way to send a message. We begin this hour with a life-changing act of compassion on a basketball court. It's part of our Kindness 101 series with Steve Hartman, where we share stories that are built around kindness and character. Today's lesson is sportsmanship. Steve and his kids show how sometimes letting someone else live out their hoop dreams can be more rewarding than taking the shot yourself. Good morning. I'm here with my daughter, Meryl, to discuss the importance of sportsmanship. Across the way, let's toss it over to my brother, Emmitt, at the dictionary desk. Good morning, Meryl. Sportsmanship is treating people with respect and generosity in a game or contest. Right. It's basically everything we teach in this class, just in the form of a sport. That's a good way to put it, because I think a lot of kids get in a game and they think, oh, now I don't have to be honest or caring or empathetic. All I have to do is win. But you should be the same person in a game as you are in real life. Over the years, I've met a lot of good sports who subscribe to this belief, including this one. The best example I have of really great sportsmanship. And I know you guys get tired of me. It's little things. Coach Peter Morales of the Coronado High School Thunderbirds in El Paso, Texas, makes no qualms about it. He has a favorite on this team. Mitchell, I need you. I need you to help me out with my coaching tips, Mitchell. Team manager Mitchell Marcus has a developmental disability. One, two, three. But he far surpasses everyone here when it comes to love of the game. He's this amazing person that our basketball team loves being around. And because basketball is that important to him, on the last game of the regular season, the coach told Mitchell to suit up. Just wearing a jersey was enough for Mitchell. But what he didn't know was that the coach planned to play him. And so it was. With a minute and a half left, Coach Morales put in his manager. And just started hearing Mitchell, Mitchell. But here's where the fairy tale fell apart. Although his teammates did everything they could to get Mitchell a basket, each time they passed him the ball, he either missed the shot, or like on their last possession, booted it out of bounds, turning the ball over to the other team with just seconds left. Did you ever imagine what happened next? No, I did. I could not. Not at all. What happened next happened on the inbound. The guy with the ball there was a senior at Franklin High School, number 22, Jonathan Montanez. I was raised to treat others how you want to be treated. What Jonathan did was yell out Mitchell's name, then threw the ball right to him. One of the most memorable turnovers of all time. It wasn't the game-winning shot. When the buzzer sounded, Coronado had 15 more points than Franklin. But Jonathan's assist and Mitchell's basket did change the outcome decidedly. Play any game with this much sportsmanship. Both teams win. Nine years have come and gone. And the story has only gotten better. Jonathan Montanez joins us now. Hello, Jonathan. Hi there. How are you guys doing? We're doing great. Safe to say that turnover changed your life? Definitely for the better good. What happened after? So after the whole ordeal happened, next thing I know, I'm getting texts and emails and fan mail, and Mitchell's also getting texts, emails, fan mail. But the biggest call came from the chancellor of Texas Tech University. The chancellor of Texas Tech got a hold of the video that you guys broadcasted out, offered me a scholarship, and I gladly accepted it. And this was a full-ride scholarship? Yes. You wouldn't think just being someone, at least being kind, would get a scholarship, in a sense. Maybe there should be more of that. I mean, kudos to that guy for recognizing that this is the kind of school we want to be, a school that rewards kindness. Definitely. What did you study, and what do you do now? I actually studied kinesiology, and right now I am a coach and a teacher here in Lubbock. So you're a coach now? Yes, sir. I take it this is probably one of the lessons that you teach. Definitely. Just following the golden rule can actually just lead you to new heights, honestly. All right. Well, thank you so much for your time, and we really appreciate you talking with us. Bye. That's my kind of sports hero. And to be like him, just remember, when you win, don't gloat. When you lose, don't pout. And when you play, don't ever leave your compassion on the bench. We'll see you next time. Until then, stay kind. Steve, you and Marilyn. Pretty good at a closing line, right? Don't ever leave your compassion on the bench. Right. But don't you like the message that president of that university sent? Texas Tech, yeah. Just off of one clip. Yeah. Offered that kid a scholarship. Yes. Now we have to call Steve and find out what happened to Mitchell. How is Mitchell doing? I want to know. I don't know what it is about those videos. They always make me want to cry. As soon as he hit that shot, I got goosebumps. Started welling up. Because those are all the people we're trying to be, honestly. That's why when I see a story like Deshaun Watson, I look at that message that that sends, and I look at the message that that sends, and it really does make me think, who are we? Who do we want to be? It's a great day for that whole high school community. They rush to school, he's on their shoulders. It's beautiful. Yeah. Yes.