Artesia bowling dedicates season to cancer fight

By Ken Clayton
Sports and real life often cross paths and in doing so can create bonds that last a lifetime. We have all seen the amazing compassion of many of our professional athletes through their making dreams come true via organizations like the Make a Wish Foundation and other such organizations.
Young people being delt a hand that we may say is unfair and that we don’t understand, yet they show a strength and a resilience that we may also not understand. We watch intensely and are moved by both the joy and excitement we see in a young person that we know has seen so many tough days. We are proud of the organizations and the athletes that make this special young person forget the rest of the world for the day.
I write this story to admit that I watch the stories I have described, am touched emotionally and then life goes on. Little did I know that one day, my own emotions were going to be moved in a way I had never felt before.
In speaking at the American Bankers Association, Government Relations meeting in Washington, D.C., I looked to the back of the room and saw Bobby Sutton Mork. Bobby’s Mom, Kirsten Sutton is the Executive Vice President (EVP) of Congressional Relations for the American Bankers Association (ABA), and I am fortunate to work with her in my involvement with the ABA.
Bobby is a 10-year-old young man who just recently completed the first year of his three-and-a-half-year treatment plan for T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. When the dinner ended, all I wanted to do was go talk to Bobby. I can’t explain the feeling I had talking to a young man I had never met before. Bobby captured my attention telling me about his video game that I am sure he could beat me at easily, but when he came over and shook my hand before leaving, he touched my heart.
So where do sports and real-life cross paths in my story. As many know, I have coached the Artesia, NM High School Bowling team for eighteen years. Some say we have a dynasty, in which the state trophies and banners may seem to support, however I say our dynasty is our reputation of respect, desire and compassion.
At bowling practice, I was telling Bobby’s story to some of my bowlers and that his mom Kirsten ends her emails with #TeamBobby #BeatCancer. My team was touched. This season we had decided to buy jackets for all team members which have our team logo, our State Champions designation and everyone’s name. Long story short, #TeamBobby has a new member in team #ArtesiaBulldogBowling. And Bobby is an honorary member of a team of thirty-eight kids and two coaches that will carry his #TeamBobby #BeatCancer proudly on our jackets.
Student athletes making a choice, turn orange thread into hashtags that say we stand with a 10-year-old boy in his battle. The logo and words State Champions on Bobby’s jacket will remind him that he is part of a team that wins and that together we will both win.
Ken Clayton is the head bowling coach at Artesia High School and chairman of Western Bank in Artesia.