If only the sheep could talk. And, for the record: They seem to be the only ones who have nothing to say.

News out of Brewer High that longtime girls softball coach Kelly Cookson lost her job recently has parents, players, and supporters of the affable coach up in arms.

Seems like a new tradition in Brewer is to play with assistant softball coach Mike LaChance’s sheep, then go walking through the – for lack of a better term – sheep dip. Most parents viewed the whole episode as raucous, and, quite frankly, silly. Problem is, a couple of parents took issue with the thing, and now the well-respected head coach, who has served the Brewer School Department in numerous capacities, is out of a job.

This confuses me.

Let’s look at the big picture.

Any talk of Kelly Cookson must center around the type of teacher and coach that she is and has been.

I can speak first hand about coach Cookson’s ability as a coach because I had the privilege to work with her for two years in the basketball program at Brewer High School.

I served then-head coach Mark Savage’s boys varsity hoop program as a ninth grade basketball coach, while Kelly was a junior varsity coach in then-head coach Lauree Gott’s girls varsity system.

First and foremost, Kelly is a professional in every sense of the word. It would be a bit of an understatement to say coach Cookson is demanding, but in this day and age, demanding coaches are a necessary part of the overall athletic process.

Kelly is a knowledgeable, caring, efficient professional, who always put the welfare of her players first. If new uniforms were needed, her teams began to raise funds to get them. That act often included taking money from her own pocket to make up the difference between cost and attaining the new equipment.

Consider that, then consider what a slap in the face it is to face a termination of contract and the associated publicity that comes with it.

In my career, any list of top-notch coaches in the area I could make would have to include Kelly. Any list I would be asked to make about able coaches, who go the proverbial extra mile for her charges, would also have to include the talented woman.

You see, Kelly Cookson takes the field every day to teach values. Included among that list of personal characteristics is responsibility and loyalty to the team. Those who don’t meet up to those standards generally don’t last too long in her program.

I caught a recent late night talk show interview with retired football coach Lou Holtz of Notre Dame fame, who spoke succinctly and eloquently about the difference between today’s athlete – Holtz finished his storied career at South Carolina – and the athletes of yesteryear.

“It used to be,” he said, “that a kid would come into a program thinking it was a privilege to be on one of our teams.

“The uniform, heck, even the practice stuff, were treated like royal garments. Unfortunately, those days are gone in many circles.

“Sadly, today, kids feel that they have a right to be on any team. There’s no privilege. It’s their right.”

Parties in the Brewer High softball case need only to read the celebrated coach’s assessment of the change in athletic attitude and then apply it to the current situation.

Kelly Cookson deserves a better fate.

Her years of service have taught values first, athletics second. Having players tip-toeing through a field of sheep dip is an offense that, at best, deserves a slap on the wrist from school officials.

But a loss of job and professional status in the community is way too severe for such a dedicated professional.

Ask the sheep, if they could talk, they’d tell you: It was harmless and should be dealt with as such.

NEWS columnist Ron Brown, a retired high school basketball coach, can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net