In Like a Lion

I think they're calling for 28"  of snow tomorrow.

Here's something to help warm you up as you sit in your living room gorging yourself on the bread and milk you've stocked up on.  I believe they call that green stuff "grass".

Photo thanks to Arch Cunningham

Law and Order

Sometimes the black and whites get a bad rap.  Their work brings them a lot of stress, a lot of being yelled at, and not a lot of glory, not a lot of reward, and certainly not a lot of thanks.  No we're not talking about the police, we're talking about the referees and officials that take on the difficult task of keeping our athletic events fair and even.  (Well, let's just say fair.  Is any team ever really in for an "even" competition with our Cowboys?)  Despite the rumors, they don't take their orders from the dark one, so don't be afraid to approach them to say "Thank You" every once in a while.

Photos (starting second from the top) thanks to Kim Boyd, Rod Apfelbeck, Arch Cunningham, and Deb Varland

Pass (on) The Cookies

With the Winter Holidays coming, I thought the following excerpt of a Boys Soccer team email from Coach Kamphaus might be appropriate for a wider audience.  Not really for you though, you've got it going on - a paragon of health.

"...I have noticed a promising trend over the last few weeks following the end of this years soccer season. I am seeing more and more smiling faces from the squad down in the weight room at the Wyoming Recreation Center and I know others are putting in work in other areas too.

I wanted to send out this email and say that it does a coaches heart good to see this kind of commitment to the future of this program, but I also want to make sure that all of our budding young gentlemen are doing the work properly so we can maximize the benefits from their hard work and minimize potential injuries.

Three things to keep in mind boys:

Number 1: You cannot out work a bad diet!
What I mean by this is that no matter how many days a week you go to the gym, no matter how hard you push yourself, more than half the battle is done in the kitchen. Making sure you have the proper nutrition will go a long way to ensuring that the effort put in on the streets and in the gym translates to better fitness all around. This means that you should make sure you're consuming enough protein throughout the day (~.75-1 gram of protein per pound bodyweight) and drinking enough water and fluids. Stay away from sodas and salty foods, eat lean protein when you can, such as chicken, fish, nuts and eggs.

Number 2: Have a routine!
I cannot stress enough how much of a difference having a routine makes when you are working out in the gym. It keeps you mentally focused, goal oriented and allows you to track your progress. A routine will also help keep you balanced as you work out, preventing injuries in the process. It keeps players from falling into the trap of building a triangular body, a large upper body and a small lower body. Work in cardio, balance exercises and focus on getting stronger, not necessarily larger. Work in body weight exercises that focus on endurance as well as strength, stay limber and flexible. You're soccer players, not powerlifters.

Number 3: Educate yourself!
For alot of you, the gym has been a foreign place until recently, and you're eager and energized to try to make gains as fast as possible. Unfortunately, this can lead to poor form when lifting which can lead to injuries. Make sure you have the form right when lifting, find videos on YouTube, read up on these things before you try them and don't be afraid to ask questions. That being said, start with light weight until you get your form down, then begin adding weight. Listen to your body!! Pushing yourself is one thing, but knowing when to rack up the weights and give yourself a little rest is a wonderful trait to have. Listen to yourself!"

Shoeless-ness in America

Sheryl Rajbhandari picked up a pair of Adidas Slides at the Indian Hill game (not sure which game).  If they are yours let her know, before her kids become successful in their vigorous Finders-Keepers Losers-Weepers campaign.

Thanks

I would like to thank all of the fall sports parents for the very generous gift that you gave me.  It was not necessary, but was very kind and is greatly appreciated.

One of my favorite things about Wyoming

I love the fact that at halftime of football games there are kids playing in the band in their football uniforms.

I love the fact that Clara Rodrigue and Joe Panos each played two varsity sports in the fall (cross country and volleyball, soccer and football).

I love the fact that Matt McCoy, an offensive lineman, sings the National Anthem at some athletic events.

One of my favorite things about Wyoming is that in a world where some athletes are told at 10 that they have to give up all but one sport, our high schoolers can be scholars, athletes and artists - all at the same time.  I can't imagine how much energy it takes, but kudos to those who do it.  Heck, kudos to those who can manage two of the three.

I was reminded of this over the weekend when I attended the Corral Show.  (By the way - if you don't go, start - the kids are amazing.  Spoiler alert - they will make fun of their teachers.  I know - shocking.)

I'm sure it's true of most of the kids in Corral - they're juggling all kinds of activities - but let me tell you about Jack Meier, Robert Gomez, Ryan Bundy, Joe Panos and Andy Dickson.  They are varsity baseball players and were in Corral.  Their schedule this weekend (for those two things alone): Friday - baseball at 5:30, Corral at 7:30; Saturday - baseball at 10 and 3:30, Corral at 7:30; Sunday - baseball at 4:30.

Also of note: their teammate, senior Nick Burns, not only went 4-6 with a double, two home runs and 8 RBI's in the Deer Park and Turpin baseball games, he threw the discuss 146-9 to take first place in the Dehart Hubbard Invitational Track Meet.

For kids like this, and we've got lots of them running around here, it's entirely possible that youth is, in fact, not wasted on the young.