A Seventh-day Adventist Academy girls’ volleyball team in the United States was given the top trophy from a tournament’s winning team because of their commitment not to participate in the final match on a Friday night, which Adventists observe as Sabbath.
Forest Lake Academy, from Apopka, Florida, was gifted the National Association of Christian Athletes volleyball tournament’s trophy on October 31 from Victory Christian Academy (VCA), a non-denominational school in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Forest Lake forfeited playing in the final match of the tournament—held in Dayton, Tennessee—because it would have been held after sundown.
Adventists observe the Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown.
Both teams faced an elimination final match on Friday afternoon, but after receiving word of Forest Lake’s intent to forfeit, VCA team members and coaches noticed Forest Lake players looking down, and a few were wiping away tears. VCA was given the champion’s trophy and banner at the awards ceremony. VCA team members then realized the reason for the forfeit, and all 13 players agreed to give Forest Lake the trophy.
Forest Lake responded by giving VCA the tournament’s sportsmanship trophy. The Times of Northwest Indiana called VCA’s move a “selfless display of sportsmanship.”
“We didn’t want to win that way,” Victory Christian Volleyball coach Megan Huber told ANN. “We were just glad we had the opportunity to show God’s love for them in that way.”
Nestor Osorio, athletic director for Forest Lake Academy, said the exchange was the “biggest and greatest sports-related spiritual moment” of his life.
“I've seen God's blessings in many ways in the past for our young people through sports, that's why I'm a minister in this area, but this has been probably the biggest witnessing opportunity I've personally been a part of,” Osorio said.
NACA responded by declaring both schools co-champions, the Times reported.
"It was the best way to end our season, our last game," Victory Christian senior Gabby Carlson told The Times. "It was even better than being able to win."