A Classical Look At Trinity's Varsity Soccer Team During The Tercentenary Poem by Mark J. Schulte

Trinity School in New York City is celebrating its 300th year and has commissioned Billy Collins to compose a masterful, soaring poem.
But I am a ninth grade parent, working on a smaller canvas - and the girls' varsity soccer team is having their best year - so here goes:


Virtute et Labore -
a simple Latin phrase,
that elevates our daughters' lives -
inspires them on throughout the days.

But once they leave the classroom,
and march out on that pitch supreme,
don't they need some stronger 'stuff' -
of which poets and ath'letes dream?

They have an Amazonic speed,
They have the strength of Hera's will.
They have Odyssean cleverness.
They have Olympic touch and skill

But do they have the psyche
to conquer Riverdale?
To overcome the Hordes of Mann -
to joust with Hackley and prevail?

Do they have that substance -
transforming 'I' to 'we'?
A real hypostasis
that defines a Trinity?

What they need is simple;
It's not found near the ball.
A semi-quincentennial trait -
E Pluribus Unum... and one for all!


Mark J. Schulte
October 5,2008