Sport unifies powerfully. Hustle and effort are admired and revered. Cheating is abhorred. The rules apply the same to everyone. We don’t care where our teammates came from, what they believe, or what they stand for because we stand together. Jerseys make skin color invisible. We stand united against attack. We cheer. We applaud. We pick up the fallen. We encourage the mistaken. We all feel the sting of defeat.

Life should be like that off the court. We should cheer each other a little more; revere hustle and reward effort; pick up the fallen and empathize with the defeated. Victory demands unity in sport…and in life.

“Together We Ball” is a Community Basketball game between Police, Pastors and some elected officials created by Senior Pastor Richie Butler of St. Paul United Methodist Church. Launched a year to the day after Michael Brown was killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, Pastor Butler said, “We want to use the significance of the day as an opportunity to move towards healing and collectively build bridges between communities and law enforcement in Dallas and across the Country.”

Thank you to Pastor Butler for 5 great years of showcasing the unifying power of sports.