Some of the lessons that are taught in sports are becoming clichés.
Some really don’t apply and we have professional sports to thank for that.
“Try your hardest.” “Do your best.” “Never give up.” “If you work hard good things will happen.”
![DSC03122[1].WEB.Feature](http://www.ramonasentinel.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/12/files/2012/07/DSC031221.WEB_.Feature-90x65.jpg "DSC03122[1].WEB.Feature")
If you missed Opening Day at Del Mar yesterday, July 18, then you are OK. I held off on this column so that no rookie would make the mistake of going to Opening Day.
Opening Day is an experience and a happening, but it is not a typical day at Del Mar. Too many hats. Women in California don’t wear hats. Men in California don’t wear those kind of hats. Too many people. Not enough seats. Too difficult to place a bet.
It is summer and when I take one of my daily hikes or take a drive in my less than luxury automobile I find one perplexing problem in our fair town. Ramona does not have a recreation department like one in cities that I grew up in, but it does have plenty of athletic fields at schools and in parks.
I will not go into one of my fairy shrimp diatribes (for the time being). What I find perplexing is that most of the time most of the fields and courts are empty. For the most part, the only
With the Major League Baseball All Star Game coming up it appears to me that of the four major professional team sports, baseball is the only one that actually plays the game the way it is supposed to be played.
In the baseball All Star Game the players actually try to play baseball. The pitchers throw their best pitches. The fielders try to make plays and the hitters go to the plate trying to get hits.
Recent events, both tragic and joyous, have reaffirmed my opinion of the community of Ramona, the students and student/athletes of Ramona High School, and the importance of athletic competition and athletic teams.
The exploits and character of Ryan Morgan have been well documented in the Sentinel, on television and in the daily papers. The support that this community and Ramona High School has given the Morgan family and the outpouring of pure love that has been displayed is truly awe-inspiring.
While attending the Celebration of Life and the funeral services for Ryan, I was truly inspired by the number and caliber of individuals who attended both. I remember talking to a former player at the celebration and he said, “There are a lot of good people here.”
That was an understatement. There were thousands of very good people there. Students, teammates, fellow athletes, parents of students and student/athletes, grandparents and great grandparents, cadets, active members of the military, retired military, veterans and veterans of foreign wars, young and old, can all be lumped under the same title “The good people of Ramona.”
They paid their respect the way that they felt comfortable about paying respect. However, to pay respect for somebody else, one has to have self- respect and the community of Ramona is a self-respecting community.
I attended the Awards Ceremony 2012 and Scholarship Night 2012 at Ramona High School and the caliber of individuals who received awards and scholarships was awesome. Awards were given for every academic discipline. Scholarship money was given for every aspect of student accomplishment and from every segment of our community. Everything from auto to zoology was recognized and awarded.
There were very good students who did not receive awards and scholarships. There are thousands of very good students and people in this community.
I had dinner with the male and female Athletes of the Year, the male and female Bulldogs of the Year and the male and female Scholar Athletes of the Year. Their athletic ability was overshadowed by their class and character.
The valedictorians at Ramona High School were involved in RHS athletics. Kia Turner competed in golf. Katie Cobian sustained an injury but was the statistician for the boys soccer team.
“Katie is the second valedictorian that has been my stat girl. The smart girls know who to hang out around,” joked Coach Michael Jordan II.
Students at Mountain Valley Academy compete in athletics for Ramona High School. Student/athletes were well represented on Mountain Valley’s scholarship list along with several other outstanding young adults.
Taylor Uekert was the valedictorian. RaeAnne VanTol was the salutatorian and played some hoops for the Lady Dawgs. Alexis Hogan, Sammy Schmidt and Christian Rajcic are names that have been fixtures in the sports section and they did okay on scholarship night.
Through good times and bad, Ramona is a good place to be. There is community pride, respect and support. One does not have to attend an awards night or a scholarship night or a celebration of life. Ramona celebrates life every day.
I truly believe that God has blessed America and I also believe that God has blessed Ramona and the GOOD PEOPLE OF RAMONA.
Jessica Failla is 14 but she recently won the under 16 Esme Pearson Memorial Junior Open Tennis Tournament at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego. There was a 14 and under division.
The tournament was a two-weekend event. On May 19-20 Jessica opened play with a victory over Madison Ross in straight sets 6-0 and 6-1. All of Jessica’s wins were in straight sets. In the round of 32 Jessica beat Drew Spinosa 6-1 and 6-1. She beat Anna Ustinova 6-1 and 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals on May 22-28.
I have been spending a lot of time attending youth sporting events and I have been observing a plethora of youth coaches and coaching styles.
My current job allows me to sit back and observe high school coaches from many sports. I get to see several sports that I didn’t get to see while I was coaching and I get to observe coaches from those sports and the sports in which I was involved.
The Mr. Ramona Handsome Pageant as it was called in its initial year was meant to be a parody of the Miss Ramona Beauty Pageant. I know because it was my idea to raise money for Ramona High School baseball.
The original winner was Saul Villagomez. Yes, that Saul Villagomez — the fire chief.
With the formation of a new youth football league, will there be a civil war in Ramona? Are there enough youth football players to field two leagues?
To answer these questions, other questions have to be answered. Let it be known from the beginning that I am not taking sides. I am merely acting as a “devil’s advocate.” Before you go and call me a Satanist, research the term, devil’s advocate.
Coach Damon Baldwin’s teams are known for their ability to run the football. Baldwin finds a gifted back or two and has them run behind a bruising offensive line.
On Sunday, April 15, Baldwin’s team will be walking or running or biking, but not to win a football game. They have a friend they want to honor. On April 15, the Bulldog football team will be Team Curran for one day.
Curran Valverde is a 4-year-old Ramona resident who was born with epilepsy. His family has supported him all the way.
Recent Comments