Who said middle school was tough?

Whenever I tell someone I taught middle school before joining the Sports Commission, they look at me almost as if they're offering condolences saying, "That's a tough age group. It takes a special kind of person to teach those kids." A special kind of person? What, you have to become a Jedi Knight to teach 7th grade math?  I will admit...I do look good in all black. But I digress, middle school kids are like any other group of kids. Some are nice. Some have challenges. Either way, they're all good and just need someone to recognize the good in them. Cue the Sportsmanship Brigade!

Our Worldwide Sportsmanship Tour Bus pulled into St. Ferdinand Park in North St. Louis County on Wednesday night for a 6th grade baseball game between St. Norbert and St. Rose. The Brigade was taken early on with Blake Terry of St. Rose. Young Blake flashed some impressive leather - making two impressive defensive stops for his team. His leadership and encouragement of his teammates was even more impressive, though. Blake made sure his team was in the right defensive positions during each inning. He also played the role of motivator for his pitcher. He never yelled. Yet, his consistent hand claps and even-toned "C'mon." and "Let's Go!" were plenty. Blake's the kind of kid we'd hoped to find when the Brigade formed. His selection validates us more than it rewards him.

Geommy Brock of St. Norbert responded directly to a tough situation. St. Norbert's catcher had a tough inning where there were several passed balls that allowed base runners to advance. St. Rose even stole home a couple of times. When the tortuous inning ended, the young catcher plopped down at the end of the bench and dropped his face into his hands. Geommy jogged to the end of the bench and put his arm around his dejected teammate. He talked to his teammate for most of the inning and even got the kid to smile. When St. Norbert went back on defense, their catcher showed no visible effects of the previous inning. Geommy showed everyone in the ballpark what being a real team player is all about. Since Geommy chose to hold a man up, the Brigade chose to hold Geommy up.

From L-R: Blake, Big Sol and Geommy

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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T.O. - First owner to ever be fired?

The title of this post poses a question because I'm not sure if it's ever been done. We know the only constant in professional sports is change. Coaches are hired and fired. Players get drafted, called up, traded, signed and cut. Teams switch uniforms, arenas and sometimes cities. However, the one constant is the owner. There are usually only two ways a team can change ownership. The owner dies or he sells the team. You can't fire the owner. Scratch that. You couldn't fire the owner until now.

Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens signed with the Allen (Texas) Wranglers of the Indoor Football League (IFL) in February. His deal included a six-figure salary and a minority ownership stake in the team. Unfortunately, the business relationship between the Wranglers and Owens came to an end on Tuesday when the team released him as a player and terminated his ownership status. Watch the ESPN.com video below on how this all unfolded (email subscribers click here).


Owens' record as a player speaks for itself. He is truly one of the most gifted and accomplished athletes to ever play in the NFL. Owens is fourth all-time in touchdowns, second in receiving yards and sixth in catches. There has never been any real argument against his ability. The argument has centered on the debate as to whether or not Owens' talent is worth his attitude. Every team he played for either showed him the door or didn't chase after him as he left. The last straw for the Wranglers came when Owens refused to play in two upcoming road games and did not show for a scheduled appearance at a local children's hospital.

When asked about the Owens release, Wranglers majority owner Jon Frankel said, "It's disappointing and unfortunate, but [he] could no longer be tolerated by the Wrangler organization." Those are very powerful words. In sports, we often overlook character weaknesses because a person's athletic ability is so strong. This is a poor approach and never works over the long run. You can certainly win a few games with poor character on your team, but team chemistry, respect and camaraderie are destroyed in the process.

Don't let this happen to you. Don't let your welcome wear out before your skills do. Our character is the only thing we have as human beings that can get stronger as we get older. Eventually, we can't run as fast, lift as much, and we may start to forget a few things. On the other hand, we can always treat others with greater respect and dignity. Owens once said, "I love me some me." Well, good luck with that. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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"I don't care what the score was...it was still fun."

That quote came from Megan Neaf of St. Catherine Laboure's 4th grade softball team. The diminutive shortstop said it while sprinting back to her team's bench at the conclusion of their game against Assumption on Wednesday night. Megan's teammate had expressed disappointment over the game's outcome. Megan, however, chose not to let the scoreboard determine the quality of her experience. She played the entire game with plenty of heart and determination.

She caught the Sportsmanship Brigade's attention by encouraging every teammate who pitched. Megan clapped, yelled, stomped and openly cheered from the shortstop position. She was also the first player to pat that teammate on the back whenever her coach made a pitching change. This is especially important in baseball and softball as confidence is everything for a pitcher. Even on the pro level, how many pitchers' careers have we seen end because they lost confidence?

Well, Megan made sure every pitcher on her team knew she was confident in them. Her quote at the end just confirmed what we already suspected. Megan Neaf is a good sport. She know she participates in softball to have fun and won't miss an opportunity to have a little more. Megan was an easy award selection for the Brigade. As if that weren't enough, a parent stopped to talk to us as we were leaving the ballpark. "That was a nice thing you guys did tonight. Megan's a great kid and she always acts like that. She's not even mine, but I'm proud of her." We're proud of her, too.

Megan flanked by dad and Big Sol

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Bounty scandal hits youth sports

Many sports fans, former players, and commentators were very upset when the NFL exposed a bounty program run by the New Orleans Saints. I'm going to be very blunt here. Some of the smartest sports people I know said some of the most irresponsible things when the story broke. "Goodell's ruining the game!" "Football's going soft!" "Football is about big hits!" Any of those ring a bell? Anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars were reportedly put up by players and coaches for delivering hits that would injure opposing players.

Again, the peanut gallery found very little wrong with this. Fine. What if bounties were placed on kids? How does that suit you? Instead of hundreds or thousands of dollars, what i a coach paid a kid $20 or $30 to hurt your child? Is that part of the game too? This post is not a sermon from the mountaintop about a hypothetical situation. No, bounties are really being placed on kids. Have a look at the KGO-TV story below (email subscribers click here).

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Wow! That $20 or $30 these coaches were paying the kids won't even cover the co-pay of your child's specialist. It won't cover the X-Ray or the MRI your son will need on his ankle or knee. It won't cover the worry you feel when your child is up all night in pain because of the concussion-related headaches he keeps getting. Everything we do as adults trickles down to our children. While we may not care if a professional player suffers a concussion after a big hit, it becomes all too real on Saturday morning if our 14-year-old can't move after a tackle. Then, we find out the opposing coach paid another kid $20 to do it.

How would you feel if there was a bounty on your kid's head? How would you feel if your kids got paid for hurting another kid? We have to do better by our kids. It's our responsibility to be better examples. Their futures literally depend on it. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Weekends were made for the Brigade

At 6 p.m. most Friday nights and noon on most Saturdays this spring and summer, you'll catch the Sportsmanship Brigade at a ball field near you. Friday night's tilt was a return engagement to Incarnate Word for a 3rd grade baseball game between the home squad and Kirkwood Day School. It was a tremendous evening of sportsmanship - so much so that we almost ran out of prizes. We recognized the umpires for their control of the game and the respectful attitudes they displayed toward both teams.

Two Kirkwood Day players were rewarded for the encouragement they showed toward teammates and opponents throughout the seven inning game. The Incarnate Word player was recognized for encouraging his pitcher when he was struggling as well as cheering for other teammates as they came up to bat. I almost forgot, Kirkwood Day's coach was rewarded for his outstanding leadership and encouragement of the entire team. He showed the same enthusiasm for the kids whether they hit a double down the line or struck out. This game gave the Brigade a lot to chew on, but we like being busy.

Brigade members with our cast of winners

Saturday took us to nearby St. Charles County for a 7th grade baseball game between St. Elizabeth/St. Roberts (SESR) and St. Joseph. One young man from SESR stood out immediately and prominently to the Brigade. Sean Simmons played catcher the entire game. Catcher may be the toughest position to play in baseball. They have to put on almost a suit of armor to even play the position. They get hit in the face by foul tips. Sometimes, the batter overswings and they get hit with bats. Catchers chase balls in the dirt and are responsible for pop-ups behind the plate. All this, and they still have to keep an eye on the guy at first in case he tries to rip-off a base.

So, you may not expect to find a catcher with a stellar attitude. Well, kids often exceed our expectations. Sean is a very good catcher and an even better teammate. He tried his best to settle every pitcher down and motivate them to do their best. When Sean made one or two errant throws, he took responsibility and helped his team maintain its composure. Sean Simmons' play and attitude may be the best kept secret in St. Charles County....well maybe not anymore.

Sean and his coach with the Brigade

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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The Sportsmanship Scholarship tour continues. I'll be on with Demetrious Johnson on 104.1 FM at 8 a.m.

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I'll be on the Sunday Morning Live radio program at 7 a.m.CDT today talking about the Sportsmanship Scholarship. If you're in St. Louis, turn your dial to 104.9 FM. If you're online, go to kmjm.com. You can also catch me on 1600 AM or hallelujah1600.com at 7:30 a.m. Go to sportsmanship.org to download the scholarship application. This is about getting kids to the next level - not necessarily in sports, but in education. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Scholarship Winners: Where Are They Now? - Zasmine Johnson

Sometimes, other people can say it better than I can. Click on the following link about the Sportsmanship Scholarship and 2011 winner Zasmine Johnson. Remember, the deadline is June 15.St. Louis Sports Commission SPORTMANSHIP SCHOLARSHIP ZASMINE JOHNSON - 2011 | Let's Get It! Together: Let's Get It! Together's blog postings. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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America SCORES St. Louis visits The White House

Serena Muhammad is my friend. She's also a friend to kids in the St. Louis area. As the Executive Director of America SCORES St. Louis, Serena runs a program that focuses on literacy and athletics. The children who participate in the SCORES program are called "poet-athletes." They play soccer and write poetry.  It's really a great combination when you think about it. Soccer is the world's most popular game and can be played anywhere you have a ball. There's almost no wrong way to write a poem. If you know any words at all, you can write one.

America SCORES St. Louis was invited to The White House earlier this week as guests of First Lady Michelle Obama and her Let's Move campaign to fight childhood obesity. Newschannel 5 in St. Louis sent a crew with them. Watch the story below (email subscribers click here).



In a fitting tribute to the SCORES program, I have composed a Haiku. Please be nice. I'm a rookie at this.

Poet Athlete

I am a poet

Dribbling, striking on the pitch.

My goal will be scored.

Congratulations to the staff and students at SCORES. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Team forfeits championship rather than play against a girl

Paige Sultzbach plays second base for the Mesa (Ariz.) Preparatory Academy baseball team. Her school does not have a softball team. So, she tried out for and made the baseball team. Mesa made it to the Arizona Charter Athletic Association championship earlier this month. They were scheduled to play Our Lady of Sorrows of Phoenix. The game never materialized. Our Lady of Sorrows decided to forfeit the championship to Mesa. Why? Well, check out the ABC 15 story below - unbelievable (email subscribers click here).


That's right. Our Lady of Sorrows forfeited the state championship because they didn't want to play a team with a girl on the field. Now, the two teams played each other twice during the regular season. In those games, Mesa agreed to sit Sultzbach out of respect for Our Lady of Sorrows' beliefs. However, Mesa would not deny her the opportunity to play for the state title. They really should have never held her out of the other two contests.

How blatantly sexist is such a rule? It's fine for Our Lady of Sorrows to have whatever policies its school community is comfortable with, but those policies should not be inflicted on others. Just because your team won't allow girls to play doesn't mean you can kick the girls off my team. Besides, Paige Sultzbach is good enough to play. Her team made it to the championship with an undefeated record. And while the national conversation has focused on Sultzbach, it should also be noted the kids at Our Lady of Sorrows were denied an opportunity as well.

Those boys missed out on a third shot at an undefeated team. As an athlete, you can live with a defeat on the field. You win some and you lose some, but Our Lady of Sorrows' school officials just handed over the trophy. It's the ultimate show of disrespect to your opponent, your players and the game. A refusal to take the field is bush league and has no place under reasonable conditions. Maybe Our Lady of Sorrows was scared of losing to a team with a girl playing.

It happens. I coached a girl in wrestling named Michelle some years ago and there was a big tournament in town. She wrestled six times in one day. Her last match was against a kid who beat her in an earlier round, but it was a brutal match. Both Michelle and the boy she wrestled had huge welts and bruises on them. When she stepped on the mat, he turned and walked away. Michelle started to cry, She thought he was snubbing her for being a girl. His mom walked over to us an said, "My son doesn't want to wrestle her again. He said she's too tough." I'm just saying. Maybe Mesa's too tough. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Join the discussion on The Sportsmanship Network.

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Great sportsmanship highlights birthday weekend

Before I tell you whose birthday it is, let's recap a great weekend of sportsmanship. The Brigade paid a Friday night visit to Holy Spirit where the home team took on St. Elizabeth/St. Roberts in a 3rd grade girls softball game. Whether it's softball or baseball, one of the hardest things for kids to do is find the plate when pitching. Walks come in bunches and frustration often sets in on the young athlete. Ava Gaynor and Kaylynn Jones of Holy Spirit didn't allow this to happen on their team. Kalynn would not let her teammate get down on herself after a series of walks. She could be heard cheering, "Let's go!" and "You can do it!" from the bench.

Ava and Kaylynn in front holding their awards, but are flanked by the whole team

After the inning, the same teammate came back to the bench in tears. That's when Ava stepped in. She slid down to the end of the bench where the young lady was sitting and put her arm around her. Ava whispered words of encouragement and never left her teammate's side. The Brigade recognized Ava and Kaylynn for their tag-team acts of sportsmanship. Saturday's visit was little more than a stone's throw from Holy Spirit when the Brigade descended upon nearby St. Richard for a 2nd grade baseball game between the home squad and St. John Bosco. Sometimes it takes an entire game to see character stand-outs - not so much in this contest.

Ty Williams of St. John Bosco and Amari Twyman of St. Richard set themselves apart early on. Amari is St. Richard's universal soldier. While all the players on the youth level switch defensive positions from inning to inning, Amari did it without complaint. He followed is coach's instructions to the letter. Amari encouraged his teammates on the field and was the unquestioned leader when it came to hustle and effort. Ty is an entirely different character, though. During one inning, his coach told him to play shortstop. He sprinted onto the field and yelled, "I've been training to play shortstop my whole life! I love this!" It's funny what 8-year-olds say. His uniform looks much dirtier than Amari's - not because he necessarily played harder - but because he played...harder.

He slid into every base no matter what. Ty slid on slow grounders, doubles down the line and triples in the corner. None of that made him dirty enough, though. He even rubbed dirt on his pant legs before pitches while playing defense. Ty played with the type of reckless abandon we all remember as kids. He was having a blast and encouraged the kids on both teams to have the same kind of fun. Ty and Amari were easy award selections for the Sportsmanship Brigade.

From L-R: Brigade member Sherry Gusman, Ty, Big Sol and Amari

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Oh, I almost forgot. Somebody special turned three over the weekend. On Tuesday, May 13, 2009, the Sportsmanship Blog was born. I don't know if anyone actually read the original post, but I'm thankful so many are reading now. Head over to The Sportsmanship Network and celebrate with us.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Three's better than a crowd

Wednesday night saw the Brigade venture to South St. Louis County for a 3rd grade baseball game between St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and St. Joseph - Imperial. The coaches for both squads showed tremendous patience and a willingness to teach the game. They could be seen correcting pitching form or giving pointers on defensive strategy. Youth sports are about fun and it was clear by the laughter on each bench that the score was being kept for administrative purposes only. Just as the Brigade prepared to recognize the head coaches, something amazing happened.

The St. Margaret Mary field has a unique design. Concessions are served underneath a canopy-style structure with very nice benches for fans to sit. It's positioned between the two baseball diamonds and spectators can usually enjoy two games simultaneously. On one side, the St. Margaret Mary boys were playing baseball while the St. Margaret Mary girls played softball on the other. Back to that amazing thing - the ping of an aluminum bat could be heard in the distance and several parents erupted in loud cheers and hand-clapping. Three boys hopped up from the St. Margaret Mary baseball bench to run over and cheer for the girls who were in the midst of a big inning.

When the baseball coach noticed half his bench had left, he smiled briefly but still reminded them, "Boys, we're still playing." That was a display of sportsmanship not often seen from boys. They stopped what they were doing to cheer on the girls. The Brigade changed its call and saw fit to recognize Connor, Devin and Logan of St. Margaret Mary. As a bonus, we called out the boys by number before we learned their names. None of the kids knew their jersey numbers. Each kid had a teammate look on his back to see who we were talking about. This is what youth sports are all about - kids having fun and playing more for the name on the front than the number on the back.

Connor, Devin and Logan pictured with Brigade member Erica Clark

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Join the discussion on The Sportsmanship Network.

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Scholarship Winners: Where Are They Now? - Jason Grant

This week marks the second of our six-part series profiling former Sportsmanship Scholarship winners. Just in-case you didn't catch last week's post on Katie Kennedy, the "Where Are They Now?" posts will feature former Sportsmanship Scholarship winners and look at how each of them is doing in college. For our second installment, we present to you, Jason Grant.

#16 Jason Grant leading the way for WMU

A first-team All-State selection, Jason Grant was the captain of the Vianney (St. Louis, Mo.) varsity soccer team. According to his coaches, there were multiple times when referees would tell them how much they respected Jason and how well he carried himself on the field. In fact, the coaching staff received a letter from the Missouri State High School Activities Association indicating that a referee had written to the organization to acknowledge Jason's professionalism, leadership and sportsmanship qualities. His respect for the game and the referees was contagious. His positive attitude made the players around him better. In his scholarship nomination letter, Jason wrote: "Although winning is very important, the way that you win is even more important. I was always taught by my parents and coaches to hold my head up after a loss, and to properly respect my opponent after a win."

Jason continued his education at Western Michigan University where he has become a major contributor on the school's soccer team. He played in 20 games as freshman - where he was fourth on the team in goals and tied for third in points. There's no doubt the Broncos have landed themselves a stud in Jason Grant. Do you know a young person who could benefit from the Sportsmanship Scholarship? Sure, you do. Just click here for an application packet. The deadline is June 15. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 314-345-5130 or email salexander@stlsports.org. You can also post a question on The Sportsmanship Network. I will answer all inquiries personally. Young people can do great things when we support them. Do your part and nominate a deserving high school senior today. Until next time...


Be a Good Sport!


-Sol

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Teri Johnson is a Gold-Medal Mom

Teri Johnson knows her role. She gets it. Teri is Olympic gold-medalist Shawn Johnson's mom. We talk all the time about our kids needing positive role models. Well, we should have a few too and Teri Johnson represents a pretty good start.. Watch the video below on Teri and her relationship with Shawn. She shows how to be your child's biggest fan without becoming a fanatic (email subscribers click here).

Many of us have moms like Teri and their stories should be shared as well. Click on the link below to participate in the discussion on our Facebook page. Tell us why your mom is a gold-medalist in her own right. And don't forget to come and see Olympic hopefuls like Shawn Johnson compete in the Visa Championships, June 7-10 at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. Tickets are still available. Just click on the appropriate link in the right sidebar of this blog's homepage. As we celebrate mom this week with dinners, cards and gifts - don't forget the little things. Give the young lady a kiss and tell her you love her. You can thank me later. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Join the discussion on The Sportsmanship Network.

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Youth coach arrested for assault on 12-year-old

Ionatana Alualu, 45, was charged with assault after he allegedly attacked a 12-year-old player on the opposing team during a youth football game. Alualu served as an assistant coach for the Rock Solid Crusaders of the Hawaii State Junior Prep Sports Association. Watch the Hawaii News Now story below on how this unfortunate incident took place (email subscribers click here).


Kids get into fights on the field and in school all the time. A 45-year-old man should be able to restrain a 12-year-old without injuring him - if Alualu's story has a shred of truth to it. The kid suffered a concussion and a shoulder injury. This is intolerable no matter how you look at it. League officials took the right first step in banning Alualu from games, but they didn't go far enough. The commissioner said it's the parent organization of each team's responsibility to conduct background checks and not the state association.

I'm sorry, but that's just passing the buck. Child safety is the collective responsibility of everyone who works with children in any capacity. The state association should mandate background checks for all coaches and the individual teams should make sure they get done. It's simply inexcusable that a man with a record of 22 prior charges is allowed to coach anyone. Background checks don't require an elaborate set-up. Most local police departments don't charge much more than $10 or so to run one. Just have your coaches go to a local precinct. It takes 5-10 minutes and you're done.

There are also companies that run more extensive checks. If you need some options, please feel free to contact me. I always talk about the need for sports to be fun. However, the environment must be safe before you can have fun. Losses are unacceptable when it comes to our kids. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Join the discussion on The Sportsmanship Network.

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Cancer-stricken teen grants wish to entire school

King hugs a classmate during the celebration.

Rayshawn King's leukemia is in remission. That's great news in and of itself. Yet, there's more - a lot more. King is a senior at Middle Creek (N.C.) High School where he has excelled in football and basketball. He made headlines earlier this school year because he chose to play football while undergoing chemotherapy. Many young people were inspired by his courage and will to maintain a normal life. His story caught the attention of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the organization contacted him and offered to grant a wish. Like any teenager, King jumped at the opportunity. He asked to meet and hang out with Miami Heat forward LeBron James during NBA All-Star Weekend last February.

Who could blame him for asking such a thing? If you're going to do it, you may as well do it big. King had a sudden change of heart, though. He told the News & Observer, "I had made a selfish wish. I had a chance to really touch people and I was missing it. Why not give back to the people who cared for me? They helped me. Why not say 'Thank you?'" King re-submitted his request to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Instead of hanging out with LeBron, he asked for lunch to be provided to the more than 1,900 students, faculty and staff at Middle Creek. The restaurant of choice was Chick-fil-A and the cafeteria was appropriately decorated for the school-wide celebration. Teachers dressed up in cow suits and everyone had a great time.

Middle Creek stood by King when times were tough. The football team organized a fundraiser for King and his family during a game in 2010. Countless cards, balloons and well-wishes adorned his room as he was recovering. A consistent stream of visitors also let King know he was not in this fight alone. He further commented on what the Middle Creek support did for him. "Some of these people say that I'm an inspiration, but they are my inspiration." King will continue giving to others as he plans to major in nursing when he begins his studies at North Carolina Central University this fall - on an academic scholarship no less. Our young people can do great things when we all stand with them. Remember, when you hold someone up, that means you're standing too. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Join the discussion on this and other topics at The Sportsmanship Network.

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A first time for everything

The Sportsmanship Brigade has officially been to every part of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Friday night marked its first time visiting beautiful South St. Louis County. St. Dominic Savio and St. Francis of Assisi went head-to head in a 5th grade baseball matchup. Kids on both squads are fundamentally sound. Fielding, hitting and base running were very good. Head coaches Chris Merris (St. Dominic) and Alex Hollemeyer (St. Francis) encouraged the kids consistently. They corrected mistakes without demeaning the kids and used nearly every play as an opportunity to teach just a little more about the game. The kids' attitudes were great as well. Their behavior showed that you can play against the other team without being against the other team. This was an easy selection for the Brigade as both coaches were recognized.

From L-R: Chris Merris, Big Sol, and Alex Hollemyer

Saturday presented a different kind of first. The Brigade visited a 3rd grade baseball game between St.Sabina and St. Ferdinand. Both teams played good games, but the young umpires caught the Brigade's attention. Antjuan Potts served as the home plate umpire and William Bagan patrolled the infield. Through seven innings of youth baseball in sweltering St. Louis heat, no one argued a call. No one had a terse word about balls and strikes - nothing. The game ran like a well-oiled machine and Potts and Bagan had a firm handle on the controls. These Hazelwood West freshmen showed tremendous competence and confidence. This caused the Brigade to ratify an instant policy change. Usually, only players, coaches and fans are recognized. This was done so it doesn't appear the group is trying to sway the officials. However, these young men put on an umpiring clinic and the Brigade had no choice but to recognize them.

From L-R: Antjuan Potts, Big Sol and William Bagan

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...


Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Scholarship Winners: Where Are They Now? - Katie Kennedy

Over the next six Thursdays, I'm going to profile a previous winner of the St. Louis Sports Commission Associates' Sportsmanship Scholarship. What is the Sportsmanship Scholarship? In 2009, the Associates - the Sports Commission's young professionals group - decided to create a scholarship which would be presented annually to a graduating high school senior from the St. Louis metropolitan area who consistently demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition. Voila! The Sportsmanship Scholarship was born. Hopefully, these stories will motivate you to nominate a young person for this year's scholarship. Our first profile looks at a 2011 scholarship recipient - Katie Kennedy.

A graduate of Lindbergh High School, Katie Kennedy was a member of the school's track and field team and captain of the varsity cheerleading squad. During her senior year, she broke Lindbergh's pole vault record. But as proud as she is of that accomplishment, she says she takes even more pride in the kindness, integrity and class she exhibited in competition. That approach made her one of the most popular pole vaulters in the area. According to one of her coaches, Katie was always one of the first to congratulate anyone who beat her and was the first to console anyone who finished behind her.

The coach described how at the Kansas Relays Katie sat next to and comforted a competitor from Oklahoma who was distraught after missing her opening jump. Later, after Katie was eliminated from the competition, she helped calm a vaulter from Fort Zumwalt High School whose coach could not attend. At the State qualifying meet, Katie noticed a top rival vaulter was about to be commit a uniform infraction. She informed the competitor of the mistake - saving her from disqualification. Katie recognized the importance of sportsmanship on the sidelines as well. She said as a cheerleader she observed unsportsmanlike behavior. "It saddened me to see not only athletes behaving badly, but parents as well. I tried to use those times to point out to the younger cheerleaders that our job was to bring the schools together."

Katie continued her education at Maryville University in St. Louis and her efforts are paying big dividends for the Saints. As a sprinter and pole vaulter, Katie has placed in the top 10 seven times this season. She will be a big part of Maryville track and field in the future. Do you know a young person who could benefit from the Sportsmanship Scholarship? Sure, you do. Just click here for an application packet. The deadline is June 15. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 314-345-5130 or email salexander@stlsports.org. You can also post a question on The Sportsmanship Network. I will answer all inquiries personally. Young people can do great things when we support them. Do your part and nominate a deserving high school senior today. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Class move by Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 2010, Rutgers University defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered fractures of two vertebrae and a serious spinal cord injury in a game against Army. Doctors told the then 20-year-old young man that he would spend the rest of his life on a ventilator and be confined to a wheelchair. LeGrand had other plans. Five weeks after the injury, LeGrand was breathing on his own and used a metal frame to help himself stand up. He has since returned to school and will complete his degree from Rutgers this fall.

Meanwhile, his former college coach, Greg Schiano, has been hired as the new coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As a rookie head coach, Schiano has a ton on his plate relative to draft picks, workouts, interviews, etc. That being said, he has never forgotten about LeGrand. In what can only be described as an act of pure class, Tampa Bay signed LeGrand to a free-agent contract on Wednesday morning. Watch what Greenberg and Golic of ESPN's Mike and Mike In The Morning had to say about the story (email subscribers click here).


The signing won't mean a return to the field for LeGrand. The risks are just to great for him to probably ever resume a football career. However, the signing does mark a return to a normal life. It also shows that an athlete's worth goes far beyond his ability to make tackles or sack the quarterback. Greg Schiano didn't forget that about Eric LeGrand and thank goodness Eric LeGrand didn't forget that about himself. Join us for the discussion on The Sportsmanship Network. What did a coach do in your life to prove you are worth more than touchdowns or three-pointers? Your story could help someone else. Until next time...

 Be a Good Sport!

 -Sol

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