The Oregonian Cup

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

This week in chapel, the entire Crosshill Christian school community was honored with a trophy for winning the 2016-2017 Oregonian Cup, outscoring all other 77 schools in the 1A division.

According to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA):
“The Oregonian Cup began in 1999 as a way to recognize overall excellence by schools in academics, activities and athletics. The award honors a school's students, teachers, coaches and the entire school community. Schools earn points based on their participation and finish in OSAA State Championships and for Top 10 finishes in the OSAA Academic All-State Program, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Oregon. A sportsmanship component, whereby schools are awarded points each season for having no ejections, is included as well.”
 
Students participating in Volleyball, Cross Country, Soccer, Basketball, Track & Field, Choir, and Band all contributed toward this cumulative recognition. Not only was performance on the playing field a factor, but achievement in the classroom by these student-athletes counted. The sportsmanship of the coaching staff, and the overall support from fans and parents also made a difference, making this accolade applicable to the entire school community.
 
A handful of Christian leaders (Lauren Cunningham, Bill Bright, Francis Schaeffer) agreed that there exists seven spheres in which disciples can influence the world.  In other words, there are seven categories in which Christians can know God, make God known, and bring glory to God. Those categories include:  Family, Church, Education, Media, Celebration (Arts, Sports, etc.), Economy, and Government. In Genesis 1:28, God instructed all of mankind to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
 
As followers of Jesus, God gives each one of us general opportunities to engage in each of these seven categories, and often more specific opportunities in one or more of these categories. These opportunities may also develop and exist at  different seasons throughout our lifetime. As these student-athletes practice knowing God, making Him known, and bringing glory to Him through sports and academics, they are developing an important lifestyle that can and should be mirrored in other spheres of their lives. Ultimately, they are practicing having dominion over God’s creation as He designed.
 
It is certainly pleasing to be a part of a community receiving such excellent recognition. It is definitely thrilling to be in the stands cheering on young men and women successfully demonstrating skills they have developed over hours of training. And I can’t help but check out my reflection in the shiny Oregonian Cup trophy as it sits in our overflowing trophy case. But the trophy and all the distinctions that go along with it are not an end in itself. Rather, they are indicators of families of disciples choosing to know God, make God known, and bring Him glory in the spheres of family, education, and through celebrations. This Friday and Saturday we continue to choose to celebrate as the varsity volleyball team competes at the State Tournament in Redmond. Go Lady Eagles!​
 
​
– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent