... COACHES DEMONSTRATE HARD WORK PAYS

Does hard work pay off? Consider the three highly successful basketball coaches featured in last Sunday's edition of the Southeast Missourian.

In each case -- Scott City's Derek McCord, New Madrid County Central's Lennies McFerren and Scott County Central's Ronnie Cookson -- these coaches have seen their teams become winners by expecting far more than just above-average performance.

And consider the players for these winning teams. These are the athletes who work the hardest during practice and then hang around afterwards to hone their skills some more.

The work ethic that says extra effort pays off is certainly evident in the accomplishments of these three outstanding basketball coaches and their teams. They are an inspiration to all of us who seek to do something good while we have the opportunity.