Team Field Trip Gets More Baptismal Than Expected

You're a high school football player, on a team-building excursion. Your coach promised you steak, so you and your teammates are really looking forward to it. When suddenly — bam!! — surprise baptism.

I shouldn't have to tell you, but this little bait-and-switch-and-salvation went down in Kentucky. The coach at Breckenridge County High School piled his charges onto the school bus, and took them down to his church, where half were baptized.

Nobody should push their faith on anybody else," said Ammons, whose son, Robert Coffey, said Coach Scott Mooney told him and other players that the Aug. 26 outing would include only a motivational speaker and a free steak dinner.

"He said it would bring the team together," Robert, a sophomore, said in an interview.

Lest you think Mooney was on his own with this one, consider that the district superintendent attended the services, and is behind him 100 percent:

But Superintendent Janet Meeks, who is a member of the church and witnessed the baptisms, said she thinks the trip was proper because attendance was not required, and another coach paid for the gas.

Meeks said parents weren't given permission slips to sign but knew the event would include a church service, if not specifically a baptism. She said eight or nine players came forward and were baptized.

"None of the players were rewarded for going and none were punished for not going," Meeks said.

Sure, if you don't consider eternal life a reward. Mother Mad Coach Took Players To Church; School District Says Trip Was Voluntary [Louisville Courier-Journal]