It can be running across open ground while people you don’t even know are shooting at you. It can be standing up to the neighborhood bully who has pushed you for the last time. It can be courage which says you aren’t giving up, you are going to beat this thing and be better in the process. And trembling in front of the class as you read your report, hoping no one notices the shake in your voice.

Sports are full of acts of courage. No, it doesn’t take courage to sign your name to a billion dollar contract or wear a “statement” on your sneakers.

The real courage, the best courage, is the kind that comes from the heart. Something out of the deep inner reaches of “you” that drives you onward and upward.

It’s why Mom and Dad put a light above the basketball hoop on the garage. Not the part where Dad’s knees are shaking as he struggles to stay on the ladder he is using to make sure the backboard rim is exactly 10 feet above the driveway.

It is the act in progress that is the Alberton High School girls basketball team.

To say they struggled out of the gate in this, their first varsity basketball season in some time is as big an understatement as it gets.

The scores are history, but let’s just say those first couple of games weren’t even close to being Lady Panther victories.

That would be like saying the Titanic darn near hit that iceberg, or the Pacific Ocean is a big pond.

But the losses don’t matter. It also doesn’t matter by how much, an L in the won-loss column is still an L no matter the score. And the same is true for W’s.

What matters is what you do next.

And that’s what makes this Lady Panther team special.

They faced the ugly, snarling breath of adversity and said “please sir, may I have another?”

Bring it on, swing that paddle hammer one more time. Is that all you’ve got?

So, after facing two straight, large-margin defeats, lesser people would have packed it in, said “track is coming this Spring” and hung up the Adidas for the year.

Apparently not this group.

This past weekend the Victor High Pirates rolled into the classic gym that is home to the Lady Panthers, no doubt having heard they were blasted one week earlier. Put this one in the W column, we will wear blindfolds while we beat these chumps.

But something strange and awesome happened.

The Lady Panthers came out swinging, diving for every loose ball. Scrapping and hustling all the way, they found themselves with a 6-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Imagine the kind of courage it took to lace up the basketball shoes, pull on the jersey and head out onto the floor in the first place.

Now, here they were, with a lead.

No one quit. And more importantly, no one quit trying.

In that magical first quarter, they jumped out to a 6-2 lead. And sure, in the end, Victor overcame the frantic Alberton defense and slowly pulled away for what would become a 34-21 victory over the Lady Panthers.

But in this hallowed hall of basketball, where the popcorn is fresh, a live school band plays their hearts out, and the fans who were there cheered as loud as fans anywhere, the Panthers took a stand.

By the fourth quarter, Alberton was still within striking distance to win. Victor was concerned enough about that possibility they employed a “full-court press” defense throughout the final period.

That is not just a sign of wanting to win, it is a sign of respect for the opponent.

This team is going to win some games. Courage and heart are two very strong adversaries. And they have both.

And the same things apply to the boys team, which has also had some big losses in this start-up year, but each week has shown improvement, putting more points on the board.

But these young ladies showed True Grit.

They travel to Lincoln this week for a game that suddenly seems winnable. Then they come back to that beautiful old gym and take on the Two Eagle River Lady Eagles Saturday night.

The losses are never easy to accept. But they make the wins so much sweeter when they come along.

Depending on your perspective, the sweet times have arrived at Alberton High.