Photo by Matthew Putney, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier: Fort Dodge senior Lexi Hanson competes at the state tournament in Waterloo.

Good character always shines through.

The Fort Dodge bowling team put theirs on display at the state tournament despite being stuck in an awkward scenario.

After the first round of tournament play, it was pointed out that the Dodgers had a cell phone in the playing area — technically against the rules, and ultimately, resulting in their disqualification.

Why is there a rule in the first place? The simplest answer I found was so that players couldn’t receive outside coaching.

After storming back from a 2-1 deficit in a best-of-five series, the Dodgers were bursting with emotion as they advanced to the next round.

Fort Dodge thought it had won and moved on.

The joy quickly turned to tears, though, when the team found out someone had turned it in for a rules violation.

Parents were in disbelief and anger that such a petty thing — which had no bearing on the result of the competition — would end up costing their kids a shot at a championship.

Has our society reached the point where wins come at all and any costs, and something gets taken away on a technicality despite being gained through effort?

Here’s the hard part for some, but what FDSH head coach Nick Vinson will continue to preach — ultimately, a rule is a rule. It didn’t have an effect on the outcome of the event, but as of this week, if this particular rule is broken, a disqualification will occur. End of story.

Vinson’s leadership surfaced in that tough moment.

He doesn’t want the story to go on any further than the simple explanation and the consequences which followed.

There is plenty of speculation about if the phone was here or there, on or off…but none of that matters at the end of the day. A rule was broken and the program had to accept the ramifications.

It seems like such an odd technicality at a bowling alley. Disqualification for a phone in the playing area — especially not being used — is confusing. Does the punishment truly fit the “crime” here?

Vinson is taking the high road and showing his team how to deal with adversity. That’s a big reason why the Dodgers were competing at state for the fourth straight year.

Coach Vinson knows that as the leader, he had to show what true character means and pass it down to his kids.

As onlookers, we can’t always fully understand the ins and outs of the situation or the magnitude of the decision.

I’m guessing the rule was put in place originally to avoid any issue with cell phones — ringing, taking pictures or gaining some sort of edge during competition — and nobody expected to have to enforce it in full force.

Maybe this is a learning point for everyone. Maybe the rule should be adjusted and amendments added to look at each situation individually and with open eyes.

These girls and this team, along with their coaching staff, poured everything they had into this season. This was an important event for all of them, so to minimize the disqualification isn’t right; it will have an impact on them, and probably for a while.

But with Vinson and coach Julie Ulrich by their side, the Dodger adults will turn this into a teachable moment and a lesson learned.

There is no reason to dwell on it now. So for Vinson, it’s the light at the end of what appears to be a very dark tunnel.

The two seniors, Lexi Hanson and Alexis Kenney, got one more time at the lanes as Dodgers on Wednesday at the individual competition. The rest of the team? They’ll be back next year.

Even after a tough situation, there is always something to look forward to. That’s what Vinson is focusing on today, because it’s reality and he has no choice.

The way that Vinson and the Dodgers handled the situation should make FDSH alumni and parents proud.

There were a million ways he could have acted in the aftermath of the situation, and many of us are thinking the same thing. He chose the high road, though, and as a result, taught his program a lesson that will extend far beyond any medal or trophy could.

Chris Johnson is Assistant Sports Editor of The Messenger. Contact him at (515) 573-2141, ext. 436, or via email at sports@messengernews.net