Rochester 6th grader writes poem "Row the Boat Home" inspired by Fleck and MLK

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Rochester 6th grader writes poem "Row the Boat Home" inspired by Fleck and MLK

per the Rochester Post Bulletin:

Row the boat

Late this winter, St. Francis sixth-grader Mike Ruff was tasked with writing a poem for school. The assignment was part of the Rochester Diversity Council’s annual Martin Luther King Poetry Contest and the theme centered on King’s quote, “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

Ruff, who is a passionate Minnesota Gophers football fan, was inspired by Gophers Coach P.J. Fleck’s “Row the Boat” philosophy. Fleck says you need an oar (energy), a boat (the team’s sacrifice), and a compass (direction). Mike combined Fleck, MLK, and images of Jesus’ message all into a poem titled “Row the Boat Home.”

Mike’s teacher, Monica Steinmetz, read the poem to the class (without sharing the name of the poet). When she finished, Mike said, “Kids were clapping. It felt good.”

Word of Ruff’s poem found its way to the University of Minnesota, and the Big 10 Network News came to Rochester to interview Mike, his parents Mary and Pat Ruff (a Post Bulletin sports writer), and spend some time in Steinmetz’s classroom at St. Francis. As Steinmetz said, “I think we forget the impact we can all make on other people,” and Mike’s poem reminds us “we are never alone.”

Row the Boat Home

By Mike Ruff

When I think of Martin Luther King’s quote,

I hear Coach Fleck saying “row the boat.”

What Coach and King both share from the heart,

Is that we do better together than we do when apart.

Paddling together as we row upstream,

We can conquer anything, if we do it as a team.

By their words and actions these men are teaching me,

How God intends for us to be free.

Accepting differences and getting along,

Rowing together makes us strong.

Learning and sharing with each other,

We treat everyone like a sister or brother.

A teammate might come from a different place,

But we can see God in each other’s face.

And on a boat, sailing on the Sea of Galilee,

Jesus gathers friends very different from me.

But knowing that working together keeps us afloat,

Coach Fleck, Reverend King and I hop in that boat.

And as we each hold a paddle and row the boat home,

We know that no matter our differences we are never alone.

https://www.postbulletin.com/life/l...cle_cfaa5066-6042-11e9-9f94-b70ebfad9548.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Pretty nice effort from anyone, kind of unbelievable from a 6th grader.
 








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Great words to live by! Row the Boat can be used in more positive situations than people realize.
 

Really impressive. Very well done.

And I know some get sick of Fleck's mantras, his saying, his energy and whatever else...but he is making a positive impact on youth around the state. He is cool to them. They like him. His players love him. If thats what it takes to rebuild the empire, hand me a ****ing oar and point me to the nearest boat.
 

Just hope the kid isn't damaged when the usual clown calls him a "Fleckster."
 

Mad props to the boy with the written word.
A budding scribe with creative fandom is heard.
Impressive spirituality and allusion from this young writer
Creates a picture for our Gophers' future seem brighter.
Continue to spread the Gopher gospel, young Mike
For you write the truth we all like.

Beavcoon in the room with Mike Ruff and Dean Ween
 



Impressive 6th grader. Wish there were more.


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Just hope the kid isn't damaged when the usual clown calls him a "Fleckster."

The best advise is to "ignore list" him. If no one quotes him, you never see what he says. Brilliant.
 


I am thrilled that there are young kids who are really enthusiastic Gopher football fans. This program needs this type of name recognition with youngsters. We need to see more sixth graders asking their folks to go to games. Having a young, energetic coach selling the maroon and gold can't hurt in this area.
 

Memo to Mark Coyle & Coach PJ Fleck:

Mike Ruff and his entire 6th Grade classmates and teacher just earned free tickets to a Gophers non-conference game!

We need more inspirational stories like this in the world today. Mike Ruff - you are elite!
 



Almost got through a thread without the martyrdom crowd making an appearance. People can like PJ and still dislike certain aspects of him. I love my kids but I don’t love everything about them...I don’t “get” idol worship in sports, politics, or any other arena; never have and never will.

RTB is an inspirational motto, kid wrote a great piece, just leave it at that for the love of God.
 

The best advise is to "ignore list" him. If no one quotes him, you never see what he says. Brilliant.

If you paid any attention to Mully on this site you would realize that ignore listing posters he doesn’t like would give him nothing left to post about. Following a few select posters appears to be his crusade. Kinda like you talking about ignore lists and editing thread titles. Taxes and death.


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Great message from a young Gopher football fan. Happy Easter!!!
 




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