content Don Vaughan PuBlISHER
Cindy Cowan Thiele EDITOR
Rick Hoerner Tom Yost Dorothy Nobis CONTRIBuTING WRITERS
Josh Bishop Curtis Ray Benally
| 4 | HARDROCK HUNDRED 5:30 a.m.— runners gather at the starting line for the 22nd annual Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run as the rising sun burns off a heavy fog that has settled over the town of Silverton. Several competitors stare intently at the Ram’s head painted Hardrock, a rock that marks the completion of the 100.5 mile race as though doing so will lead them back home as does the North Star lead a wayward mariner.
| 8 | CONNIE MACK
CONTRIBuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Suzanne Thurman DESIGNER
Clint Alexander
Every year in early August Farmington becomes THE baseball town, the home of the Connie Mack World Series and a community that becomes obsessed with its signature event. 2015 was no exception to the rule.
SAlES STAFF
lacey Waite ADMINISTRATION For advertising information Call 505.516.1230
www.fourcornerssports.com
STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS Please send to editor@tricitytribuneusa.com
Majestic Media 100 W. Apache Street Farmington, NM 87401 505.516.1230 www.majesticmediausa.com Four Corners Sports magazine is published once a month by Majestic Media. Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writers are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or Four Corners Sports magazine. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or ommissions. © 2015 Four Corners Sports magazine.
| 12 | Ricketts Park Original Jim Clay, at 91 years old, still comes to every Connie Mack game and is extremely involved in the baseball community.
| 14 | Getting their skate on They go by Homicidoll Honey, Shi Rydz and Blonde Fatality. They’ve had the piss knocked out of them, launched a snot rocket out of their nose, put their helmets on backwards, endured wardrobe malfunctions and have had skates almost up their rearends.
| 18 | YAFL takes the field The Four Corners Young American Football league is in full swing, as young athletes, coaches and referees learn football basics for the season.
| 22 | The First Tee by Tom Yost
| 24 | San Juan River The San Juan River is world-renowned and considered one of the best fly-fishing spots in the nation.
| 26 | 10 Questions with Alysha Shipley
| 28 | Editorial Columnist by Rick Hoerner
| 30 | NASCAR Nellie | 32 | Bloomfield family aquatic center It was triple-digit numbers recently, when Diego Burnham, Jude Santos and Aaliya Greeslin found what was likely the coolest spot in Bloomfield – the Bloomfield Family Aquatic Center.
covercredit Curtis Ray Benally
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Hardrock Hundred Racers break records in dynamic endurance run Story and Photos Ben Brashear SilveRton, Colo. 5:30 a.m.— runners gather at the starting line for the 22nd annual Hardrock Hundred endurance Run as the rising sun burns off a heavy fog that has settled over the town of Silverton. Several competitors stare intently at the Ram’s head painted Hardrock, a rock that marks the completion of the 100.5 mile race as
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though doing so will lead them back home as does the north Star lead a wayward mariner. Multiple-time finishers chat among themselves about how snowy the course will be as several runners crowd around for a photo with Kilian Jornet, (team Salomon and 2014 course record holder with a 22:41:43 finish) arguably the most recognized and successful name in ultra-running.
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the Hardrock Hundred boasts some of the most difficult terrain in the nation, attracting elite national and international runners to cast their lot among the 1,200 applicants for a chance to be one of the 152 participants each year. this year the favored contenders are Kilian Jornet Burgada of Spain, Adam Campbell of Alberta and Mike Foote of Montana for the men’s race and Anna Frost of new Zealand and
The Hardrock Hundred boasts some of the most difficult terrain in the nation Darcy Piceu of Colorado for the women’s race. It is already assumed that Jornet will take the win for the men’s race. The real race this year will be between first-time Hardrocker Frost and multiple-time finisher Piceu. The race traverses the rugged San Juan Mountains and maintains an average elevation of 11,000 feet above sea level, testing a
runner’s true mettle with a cumulative elevation gain of 33,992 feet. The course begins and ends in Silverton taking runners over several 13,000-foot passes, 14,000-foot Handies Peak, and then winds its way through the towns of Ouray and Telluride, all with a 48-hour cut-off time. It takes most runners, on average, a grueling 41 hours to complete the race. That means most participants will see the sunrise
and set twice; now, that’s mental tenacity. Despite the difficulty of the course, Killian Jonet commented in his finish-line interview, after setting the course record in 2014, that running the Hardrock fulfilled a childhood dream of his, yet it was not simply competing that made it so. It was the sense of community, the energy of the mountains and the amazing
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people involved with the race that makes the Hardrock so unique. 6 a.m.— the entire group of runners sways in unison with anticipation of the race’s start. At race director Dale Garland’s countdown the entire mass suddenly yields into a sprint that mirrors marathon pace in spite of the incredible distance that lay ahead. It takes but a moment for the runners to disappear around the block heading toward 12,592-foot Stony pass. It is for a moment silent and then at once the crowd of spectators seems to exhale in wild speculation as to how Jornet will set a new course record, whether the rain and snow will alter the outcome drastically, and who will win the brawl between piceu and Frost. Jornet took an early lead by Engineer pass, and with it he took the time to chat among the aid station crew, acting as though he were on an afternoon jog even with Mike Foote close on his heels. Chris price, Adam Campbell, Anna Frost and Darcy piceu rounded out the remaining top spots.
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It was then, around midnight, as the leaders were making their way over oscar’s pass from telluride, that the snowfields began to take a toll. According to Foote, navigating the snowfield through heavy fog and rain was nearly impossible. the top ten were delayed for nearly an hour as they post-holed through snow that was chest deep in spots. Frost, nearly defeated by the task and losing her lead to piceu, begged pacer Eric Skaggs of Durango to allow her to lie down and sleep. Skaggs replied that it would mean hypothermia, "that would kill you," he said to Frost. piceu gained an 18-minute lead over Frost by Chapman aid station. By
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5:28 a.m. Jornet crossed the finish line in first place overall, setting a new counter-clockwise record with a time of 23:28:10. It would be over two hours before second place Foote crossed the line, followed by Campbell. As the sunrise warmed Frost, so did her pace as she gained on Piceu and went on to finish first for the women, setting a new course record with a time of 28:22, followed by Piceu with a time of 28:57. According to Campbell it was the most dynamic racing at Hardrock he has ever seen.
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CONNIE MACK WORLD SERIES 2015 More steam, unique championship game highlight tourney Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Ray Benally Every year in early August Farmington becomes THE baseball town, the home of the Connie Mack World Series and a community, with its signature event. 2015 was no exception to the rule. Connie Mack Week, which recently has had the luxury of exceptional baseball weather, gave Farmington residents a quick reminder that the tournament is also the best time to fertilize the lawn and was the factor in the most bizarre ending, one would believe, in recent Connie Mack Tournament history. The tournament had some obvious changes for Connie Mack fans. The tournament extended from 10 teams to 12 and for the first time since 2010 a team besides the Strikezone Cardinals entered the bracket as the host team. This year’s entry, the Four Corners Club Sox, rode in on a strong city tournament run, including knocking off the Cardinals, then took down the 14ers in the City Tournament final. For the Club Sox that’s where the peak of their Connie Mack season
ended. After a nearly three-week layoff, the Club Sox couldn’t get there bats started for the Series, falling in two games without scoring a run. The season ended for the host squad during a rain-shortened five inning matchup with the Louisiana Elite. After the traditional opening ceremonies the host team faced a tough opening round opponent in Prairie Gravel from Chicago who finished runner-ups this year in the bizarre ending of the Series, 15-0. The 51st championship bracket set up with the usual suspects arriving in their summer vacation homes in Farmington including the East Cobb Yankees, the Dallas Mustangs, the D-Bat Elite, the Texas Frozen Ropes, the Southern California Renegades and of course the Midland Redskins. While the 50th Anniversary ceremony introduced the opening class of the Connie Mack Hall of Fame, this year’s fanfare was replaced by a much more somber event as Farmington took time to remember longtime Midland manager and Connie Mack Hall of Famer Joe Hayden, who we lost this past winter.
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The early rounds yielded the results that most teams expected with the traditional powerhouses moving on – the lone exception being the Prairie Gravel team from Chicago. Days one through six were predominately close ball games as teams fought to survive through the elimination rounds. The Frozen Ropes and Puerto Rico joined the host team in losing their first two and heading home. The Bayside Yankees, Service League of New York and the Dallas Mustangs followed right behind leaving the final six in the new 12-team format with Midland and the Renegades advancing undefeated. Prairie Gravel eliminated D-Bat Elite while East Cobb took out Louisiana Elite and Midland moved the Renegades to the one lost side of the final four only leaving Midland as the lone undefeated team in the tournament. But it was not meant to be this time for the perennial favorites as they lost in back-to-back nights against the Prairie Gravel squad. In the
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Game #1 - East Cobb 4 Ropes 17u 2 Game #2 - DBat Elite 7 Bayside Yankees 5 Game #3 - Prairie Gravel 15 4C Clubsox 0 Game #4 - So Cal Renegades 9 Louisiana Elite 2 Game #5 - Midland 3 Youth Service League 2 Game #6 - Dallas Mustangs 2 Puerto Rico 1 Game #7 - Bayside Yankees 5 Ropes 17 1 Game #8 - Youth Service League 9 Puerto Rico 1 Game #9 - Louisiana Elite 5 4C Ckubsox 1 Game #10 - Midland Redskins 8 Dallas Mustangs 4 Game #11 - So Cal Renegades 7 Prairie Gravel 1 Game #12 - DBaT Elite 3 East Cobb 1 Game #13 - Louisiana Elite 2 Bayside Yankees 1 Game #14 - Prairie Gravel 4 Youth Service League 1 Game #15 - East Cobb 7 Dallas Mustangs 1 Game #16 - So Cal Renegades 3 DBat Elite 1 Game #17 - Prairie Gravel 14 DBaT Elite 1 Game #18 - East Cobb 14 Louisiana Elite 5 Game #19 - Midland 4 So Cal Renegades 1 Game #20 - East Cobb 12 So Cal Renegades 6 Game #21 - Prairie Gravel 7 Midland 1 Game #22 - Prairie gravel 13 Midland 7 Game #23 - East Cobb 7 Prairie Gravel 5
other semi final matchup East Cobb eliminated Southern California leaving three teams ready for Friday night's finals with East Cobb winning the coin flip for the bye into the finals. Prairie Gravel knocked off Midland again in a rain delayed early game leaving a late night for the finals. And here is where the mayhem began. Unbeknownst to the crowd sitting through extensive rain delays, the East Cobb Yankees had a travel problem. Their flight for Albuquerque left early Saturday morning and they had to be on the road by 1:30 meaning that finishing the game was very unlikely. The managers made an agreement that any inning beginning after 1 a.m. would be the last. If they were in the 4th inning or less, each team would claim a co-championship. If after the 5th inning, the team leading would be declared the champion.
ally to forfeit their outs and move the game to the fifth. The obvious move of the Yankees to get the game to the fifth, left players, coaches and fans in the dark as to what was going on and they did not take well to the play for a championship.
East Cobb jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead and by the time it became apparent that the game would likely not reach the targeted 5th inning in time, East Cobb took the gamble that Prairie Gravel couldn’t score enough to catch them in a couple of at bats.
When the dust settled the Yankees claimed the 2015 title. For the Yankees it was their 6th Connie Mack World Series and put them back on their (once San Francisco Giants every year) roll when they won titles in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005 to go with their 2008 title.
The Yankees began swinging away intention-
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So another year of Farmington’s signature
event comes to an end with all the fanfare, great baseball, and Ricketts Park ground crew miracles. But this year may have left a bitter pill to swallow watching one team manipulate itself out of sharing a title while the other, that could have easily done the same by trying not to get outs defensively or making numerous pitching changes, worked to get back in the game and have a chance. Changes have been swift at Ricketts over the past years and after the 51st series, more are sure to come.
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RICKETTS PARK ORIGINAL Jim Clay throws out the first pitch at CMWS game Story by Tom Yost Jim Clay, at 91 years old, still comes to every Connie Mack game and is extremely involved in the baseball community. This year he was asked to throw out the first pitch at one of the Connie Mack games in recognition of his involvement in building the original Ricketts Park.
grandfather and father had formed his love for baseball.
Clay supplied the welders from his company and, along with Doc Jones and El Paso Natural Gas, built the bleachers at Ricketts Park.
“Jimmy was instrumental in making Ricketts Park what it was back then,” said May. “And under the bleachers in the Hall of Fame area at Ricketts is one of the original bridges from pole to pole that was built by Jimmy’s welders.”
“His employees welded the oil stem pipe that made up the bleachers at Ricketts for free,” explained Connie Mack World Series Vice Chairman, Carol May. “In 2001 they were torn down and replaced with a professional aluminum stadium system.” Clay came to Farmington from Breckenridge, Texas, where his
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“The oilfield is what brought me to Farmington,” said Clay. “And I have been involved with Connie Mack since I have been here.”
And even though the “modernized” Ricketts Park looks nothing like the original, without guys like Jim Clay, Ricketts Park and the Connie Mack World Series might not be located in Farmington, New Mexico.
Gettin’their skate on Animas Roller Girls want to introduce community to modern roller derby Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop They go by Homicidoll Honey, Shi Rydz and Blonde Fatality. They’ve had the piss knocked out of them, launched a snot rocket out of their nose, put their helmets on backwards, endured wardrobe malfunctions and have had skates almost up their rearends.
Monte Vista, Colo. Alysha Shipley and Mary Jones are the co-captains of the Animas Roller Girls and both love the sport.
They’re nurses, machine operators, supervisors, baristas, mothers, wives, sisters and daughters. They’re spunky, adventurous, athletic and strong. They are the Animas Roller Girls, or ARG, Farmington’s very own roller derby team.
“Roller derby is for everybody,” Shipley said. “I wish our team had more skaters and more community support and interest. I think if you have ever wanted to try it (roller derby), you probably should. Even if you don’t want to compete, you can be a referee or even help do things, like keep score or time penalties. Skates are not a requirement to be part of the derby community.”
The Animas Roller Girls were victorious over the SLV Scarlett Rollers on July 11 in
“When I joined roller derby, I was a shell of my former self,” Shipley added. “This sport,
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and the people I’ve met, has given me so much. I finally feel like a ‘whole’ person again. I have confidence, motivation and can do things I never thought I would be able to do. This sport and my team mean the world to me.” Shipley is a volunteer supervisor for the San Juan County Court Appointed Special Advocate Volunteer Program, which is a program of Childhaven. “I’ve always been interested in the sport,” she said. “I lived in Flagstaff (Ariz.) for two years and always wanted to join the team there, but never had time. When I moved back to Farmington in 2013, I saw the sport had re-emerged in our community and I just went for it.”
ANIMAS ROLLER GIRLS ROSTER Jennifer Lucero, 31, “Pin-U-Up #88” Taylor Jones, 19, “Devilz Rejekt” Crystal Roberts, 31, “Dixlexya” Erin Lash, 29, “Blonde Fatality” Charlene Rvso, 48, “Shi Rydz” Karen DiGiacomo, 49, “LBCAKE” Sommer Gurule, 32, “Homicidoll Honey” Mary Jones, 35, “Vishous” Alysha Shipley, 27, no name selected yet Chantel Willems, 31, “Blood, Bath and Beyond” just the desire to skate, Lucero explained. “It takes having compassion and wanting your sisters to be the best,” she said. “We are a family – a team. We strive to build each other up, to encourage each other to try that move, and we love our team.”
Mary Jones was in the oil and gas industry for 16 years and is hoping to be accepted into nursing school to start her second career. “I was never good at sports when I was a kid,” Jones said. “I heard about roller derby through a friend. I thought to myself, ‘Hey, I’m good at roller skating – why not?’”
Chantel Willems is a nurse at Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico. Chantel doesn’t yet have an official derby name because she is still “fresh meat,” a status she will have until she passes the next skills test, scheduled for Sept. 24. “But I have already chosen ‘Blood Bath and Beyond,’” she said.
“I think the most exciting aspect (of the sport) is being able to transform into my pseudo character,” Jones added. “When I’m not on skates, I’m ‘Mary.’ On skates, I’m Vishous.”
Willems had toyed with the idea of joining the Animas Roller Girls team, but thought she was too much of a “sissy” to be part of it. When a truck with Derby Girl stickers on its window passed her on her way to a party, Willems decided to do it.
“Homicidoll Honey (Sommer Gurule) and a couple of other women started this team four and a half years ago,” Jones said. “We have put our blood, sweat and tears into this amazing team of ladies. Roller derby is one of the things I have where I can be myself. I love being a leader and teacher of roller derby.” “I remember how frustrated I was when I first started roller derby and I can see fresh meat (newcomers) going through the same struggles,” Jones continued. “Seeing them frustrated allows me to tell them my story and inspire them so they can regain faith in themselves that they can do it.” Sommer Gurule – aka Homicidoll Honey—is a stay-at-home wife and mother. “I chose Homicidoll Honey as my alter ego because being a stay-at-home mother and wife, I have a soft, nurturing side,” Gurule said. “However, I feel like I have this strong, powerful – and sometimes crazy – side that gets to come out while I’m on the track.” “The most exciting aspect of roller derby for me is that it is a full contact sport,”
Gurule added. “The best part is that it appeals to players from all walks of life, profession, size and age.” “I couldn’t be happier that I took the leap and joined (the Animas Roller Girls) four and a half years ago,” she said. “These people are like my extended family. I would like to tell anyone who has thought about joining to go ahead and take the leap. It will be an activity that you will definitely enjoy.” Pin-U-Up #88, known also known as Jennifer Lucero, is 31, the mother of four and a cosmetology student. “My family thinks (roller derby) is great for me, but some friends think I’m crazy,” Lucero said. “But it is cool when your grandma tells you about the dates she went on, going to watch Roller Derby.” Being part of the team takes more than
“It was a sign,” Willems said. “I owed it to myself to at least check it (the team) out. I went to my first practice the next day and haven’t looked back.” “There is a rush, excitement and confidence that comes from such an experience,” Willems added. “Every day I am able to do something new or something better. My physical abilities are shooting through the roof, my mental confidence is sky high and every day I see improvement in my ability to help my team.” Karen DiGiacomo manages a four-generation household and admits to being an “odd ball.” She loves the culture of the sport and the sisterhood it provides. When asked who the “tough girl” is on the team, DiGiacomo said there isn’t one. “They are all tough girls,” she said. “They spend their days and lives taking care of their
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families. Every moment is about being there and nurturing someone else. When they lace up (their skates), it’s about taking care of themselves and being vulnerable to the sport – physically and mentally – and that takes courage.” Charlene rvso is a machine operator and a production assistant. She’s also the mother of four and has two grandchildren. rvso said people think she’s crazy to be involved in roller derby. “Some people my age (48) say the ‘attire’ is what would hold them back from playing the sport. But others, especially my mom, say I am an example of ‘doing anything possible.’ It just means my bones and body will be stronger.” As far as the “attire,” rvso said she is also a seamstress assistant and adds trims and detail to the clothes she wears. DiGiacomo admits a love of fishnets and a good pair of Army boots; Chantel Willems can’t resist unicorn tights; and Mary Jones uses face paint . Erin Lash, a keyholder at Applebee’s and mother of two, enjoys the relationship the team shares. “We all have our strengths and, when we put them together, we are unstoppable. Each person has weaknesses and some of us use our weaknesses as our strengths,” she said. “When we are together, that is our family. Derby brings a totally random bunch of girls together and lets us get things out of our system. All we need is a few good hits and we’re feeling great!” “We all throw in our two cents (on issues) and if we need to work on something, we point it out and give each other ideas on how to improve our skills,” she added. Crystal roberts, a mother and a barista, looked to roller derby to expand her horizons. “It was something out of the norm and I needed to get out of my shell,” she said. “the sport keeps growing and changing and you can be any shape and size (to participate).” “I would really like our community to get more involved with us and come watch our games,” robert said. taylor Jones’ stepmother, Mary Jones, encouraged her to join the team. “I played on a junior team in Fort Collins (Colo.) and I’ve been on this team since I moved here in September,” she said. “I love, love, love hitting girls and breaking through the pack when I’m jamming.” the Animas roller Girls practice from 5:30 to 8 p.m. every Monday and thursday at Skate Away USA, 2101 Bloomfield Highway. the practices are open to the public and, for those who want to experience the sport first hand, loaner gear is available. the ArG will participate in its fifth annual mix-up scrimmage, “Slam for Cans,” in November. Derby players from throughout the
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area, are asked to bring canned food donations, which are donated to the ECHo Food Bank, Alysha Shipley said. ArG coaches are Karen DiGiacomo, taffeta troutner, Sommer Gurule and Mary Jones, who founded the group more than four years ago. “people should come out and support Animas roller Girls to learn more about modern derby,” Shipley said. “We want people to see our team and understand that roller derby is growing and is actually very different from what we’ve seen in the past. It’s a sport with players who put their hearts and souls into a sport they love.” “We want to share that love and passion with our wonderful community. It’s a fast paced, fun sport to learn, play and watch,” she added. “You’ll learn something new while having a great time.” For more information about Animas roller Girls, visit www.animasrollergirls.com or attend a practice.
Yafl takes the field More than 1,500 kids and 58 teams suit up for the new season Story and photos by Debra Mayeux The Four Corners Young American Football League is in full swing, as young athletes, coaches and referees learn football basics for the season. There are 58 teams and 1,500 boys and girls ages 7 to 13, who participate on football teams and cheerleading squads in the local branch of the Young American Football League, or YAFL, which began as a non-profit in the Four Corners more than 35 years ago. Since that time, it has been one of the largest groups of
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youth football players in the region with teams competing throughout San Juan County and Southwestern Colorado. Children can start in YAFL in the Mighty Mite division beginning in second grade, and the players continue moving up the ranks to the varsity teams, which begin in seventh grade, according to Coach Russ Benson, a coordinator for YAFL. Benson began coaching for YAFL some 18 years ago. He also coaches the Mesa View
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Middle School Football team and works as the C-Team coach at Piedra Vista High School. “I love football. I love it with a passion,” Benson said. YAFL has helped him to learn new techniques and pass those onto his referees and players. “We are a teaching league. We teach coaches. We teach referees and we teach players,” he said. “Boys like football and we’re here to teach them the basics.”
The boys begin their season with conditioning camps. They learn a variety of exercises to increase their endurance and prepare them for safe contact on the football field. “We do six hours or three days of conditioning before putting on pads,” Benson explained, and the players possess all different levels of skills and abilities. “We have kids that have never played football before or who have played with my team since the second grade.” Some of the children decide to stick with football, while other use YAFL to rule out football as a sport of choice. Macen Alley, 11, of Mosaic Academy in Aztec, has been playing with YAFL for eight years. “It teaches me how to be a man. You have to earn respect from your teammates and coaches,” he said. “It’s an all-around good time.” Alley’s father, Tim Alley is the assistant coach of Benson’s Ducks team. He became involved in YAFL, when Macen wanted to join up. He later began coaching with Benson. “I love all of the kids. It’s great to see them happy and successful,” Alley said. “I don’t have just one kid on the team, they’re all my kids.”
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Alley added that the boys learn to work with each other and offer support to those players with less athletic abilities. “You’ve got to have good teamwork. It’s not an individual sport,” he said. It was the team aspect that led 13-year-old Adrian Archibeque to join YAFL for the first time this year, as an eighth-grade student at Mesa View Middle School. He saw his cousins playing and decided it might be a new sport for him. This wrestler and baseball player said he was looking for a change and a challenge. “In football you take harder hits,” Archibeque said, adding that he likes that “it’s a little rougher.” The practices tire him out more than wrestling and baseball, he said. “YAFL keeps me outside of the house.” Providing boys with an outdoor activity is one of the main goals of YAFL and the youths on Benson’s team are all about getting out and playing hard. Jalen Junes, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Heights Middle School has been active in YAFL for five years and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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“It’s fun. It’s a good activity,” Junes said. “Instead of playing video games, you get out and play sports.” You also make friends, build relationships and learn the latest in football techniques, such as Heads Up Football, which is promoted by the NFL, Benson said. “It’s a new way to tackle. We’re teaching – keep your head up and out of the way; tackle with your shoulder, not your head.” YAFL, according to Benson, is doing what it can to keep kids safe while providing them an outlet to have fun and get some exercise while they’re at it. He loves the game and YAFL. “I haven’t coached a child of my own in years, but through coaching the Ducks, I have 20 sons,” Benson said. For more information about YAFL log onto www.fourcornersyafl.com.
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JUNIOR GOLF: Bigger and better each year in San Juan County The world of junior golf in San Juan County not only continues to get bigger, but the quality keeps improving on a weekly basis; and participants from The First Tee are starting to make a big impact not only on their community, but also on the competitive front in golf as well. PGA JUNIoR LEAGUE The Four Corners area pod for the PGA Junior League completed its regular season on Aug. 1. With eight teams competing locally and
TomYOST The First Tee
in southwestern Colorado, the league increased its participation by 60 percent in only the second year of play. Three teams each
formed at Riverview Golf Course in Kirtland and at Civitan Golf Course in Farmington. Additional squads came from the Aztec municipal Golf Course at Hidden Valley and from Conquistador Golf Course in Cortez, Colo. Teams played against each other in a two-person scramble match play format and got to travel across the region to play various golf courses. The PGA Junior League is a wonderful opportunity to take youth participants ages 6 through 13 from the world of recreational (fun) golf to the competitive side of golf. The only difference is that the atmosphere is still fun and laid back, while the players love the competitive aspect. Players participating in the PGA Junior League are starting to make their mark on the world of competitive golf. DIEHL TWINS ComPETE IN LAS VEGAS Trey and Tyler Diehl from Farmington recently returned home from a week-long trip to play a prestigious golf tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Tournament Players Club of Las Vegas (TPC Las Vegas). The International Junior Golf Association World Stars of Junior Golf touts itself as the premier junior golf tournament in the world. The tournament is nationally ranked by National Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek, Scratch Player World Ranking, Royal & Ancient, and is recognized by the American Junior Golf Association with performance stars. Trey Diehl finished 21st in the 13-14 age group with scores of 75-77-80, while his brother Tyler finished 29th with scores of 77-84-83. Brett Sodetz of Las Vegas was the winner of the 13-14 age division with rounds of 69-63-69. The tournament was played from a distance of 6,300 yards at the TPC of Las Vegas. It was quite an accomplishment for the Diehl brothers to get into the event and is a glimpse into the bright futures for the soon-tobe Piedra Vista High School freshmen. DRIVE, CHIP and PUTT DomINANCE The 2015 Drive, Chip and Putt Qualifier just took place at the University of New mexico South Course in Albuquerque. Hundreds of youth ages 7 through 15 participated in the skills contest to try to qualify for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Championship held in the spring of 2016 at Augusta National Golf
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Course the Sunday before The Masters. Each player gets three golf shots in the disciplines of driving, chipping and putting and is given points based on the quality of the shot. In putting and chipping, 25 points are given to shots that are holed and other points are awarded based on proximity to the hole. In driving, the players must hit drives that come to rest inside a 40-yard-wide grid and are given points based on total distance the golf ball traveled. With boys and girls competing separately in their own age divisions, participants from Farmington won four out of the eight divisions and now get to travel to the sub-regional in Denver, Colo., in August. Twelve participants made the trip from the northwest corner of the state to compete, with four of the 12 winning their respective age group and two more designated as alternates in case one of the qualiďŹ ers cannot make it. The winners and alternates are as follows: Girls 12-13 Winner: Shandiin Harper Boys 10-11 Winner: Sebastian Massey Boys 12-13 Winner: Quinn Yost Boys 12-13 Alternate: Eli House Boys 14-15 Winner: Tyler Diehl Boys 14-15 Alternate: River Smalley
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SAN JUAN RIVER Fishing tournaments raise money for great causes San Juan RiveR invitational Fly FiShing touRnament the San Juan River is world-renowned and considered one of the best fly-fishing spots in the nation. the river’s reputation and the popularity of the sport have led to local fly fishing tournaments, but few combine the competitive aspect with a large charitable component as does the San Juan River invitational Fly Fishing tournament that took place July 23 through 25. this event is put on every year by the texas hole Charities, a new mexico nonprofit corporation that makes charitable donations as a way to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a nationwide program offering support to injured service members. this year’s event raised more than $57,000, which will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project and the
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Cancer Foundation of new mexico, out of Santa Fe. “the event went pretty well,” said Jeff holcomb, one of the organizers for the event. “We changed some of the formatting around this year and had a great time. a team out of Denver finished first guided by Jeremy nolan, and a team out of texas finished second guided by Jeff massey.” holcomb said the money was raised this year during the thursday night benefit before the weekend tournament began. each of the 11 teams competing this year was able to bid and buy professional fishing guides as a diverting way to raise money for the cause. more importantly, though, a great time was had by all of the participants in the 2015 event. “Chris taylor at Fisheads does such a
marvelous job of putting this event on,” said Holcomb. “The food was phenomenal, camaraderie was good, and we chuckled for three days.”
San Juan RiveR Bi-Fly TouRnamenT The 21st annual San Juan River Bi-Fly Tournament will be on aug. 21 and 22 on the San Juan River. all proceeds of this event will benefit the Four Corners Home for Children at navajo ministries. last year there were more than 50 anglers who competed and over 25 fishing guides who helped lead the way, raising more than $60,000 for the event. “We will have anywhere from 60 to 64 anglers and 30 guides,” said Bob Fitz. “The reason the tournament is called the bi-fly is that you give your guide two flies of your choice in the morning and any fish that are caught with those flies earn premium points on the fish you catch.” The entire fly fishing community gets behind this event from the guides to the fly shops along with volunteers and many local businesses like Citizen’s Bank, San Juan Rotary, San Juan Regional medical Center and outback Steakhouse that have supported the cause for years.
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“We provide breakfast and lunch each day, with an evening meal on the first night with an awards banquet on Saturday night at the Civic Center catered by outback Steakhouse.” The 2014 team of Bo Herrera and Herman martinez, guided by Brad eaves and Jerry Richards, won tye San Juan River Bi-Fly Tournament. The real winners, though, are the
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youth who benefit from the Four Corners Home for Children. “if we net over $70,000 this tournament we will have reached the $1 million dollar mark in our 21 years,” explained Fitz. Cost per participant is $500. For more information on how you can get involved, please contact Bob Fitz at 505.402.6995.
ALYShA SHIPLEY 1
What is the biggest misconception about roller derby? The biggest misconception about roller derby today is being compared to roller derby from the ’70s. We play under the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, or WFTDA; WFTDA’s rule book is 79 pages. No longer are the days of close lines and purposeful flying elbows. Today’s roller derby is a real competitive athletic sport.
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What kind of injury is most common in roller derby? I would say most common injuries might be ankle sprains or ankle injuries in general.
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What are the rules? We play under WFTDA – Women’s Flat Track Derby Association – rules. This video explains it very well, at least the basics. https://youtu.be/fbMFy2r-Mb0 The rules of roller derby are complex and multi-faceted, just as with many other sports. http://www.wftda.com/rules The following is from http://rollerderbyresource.com/info/how-to-play-rollerderby/ roller derby is a full contact sport and an exciting game to watch. The basic rules are fairly simple – once you pick up the lingo! The object of the game is to score the most points by lapping opposing team members on the track. One roller derby game is called a Bout. Each Bout consists of multiple Jams. A Jam is a two-minute period in which teams attempt to score points. TEAMS There are five players on each team: 1 Jammer – the point scorer 3 Blockers – playing defense 1 Pivot - plays defense, but is the leadership position in the pack, calling the shots. In order to tell the skaters apart, the jammers wear a helmet cover with a star, and the pivot wears a striped helmet cover. The pivot and the blockers make up the pack. Their job is
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to stop the opposing team’s jammer from breaking though the pack and scoring, all the while helping their own jammer advance. GAME PLAY Derby is played on an oval track with two competing teams. The pivots and blockers from both teams skate together on the track to form a single pack. Once the last pack member skates 30 feet from the starting line, a whistle is blown and the jammers begin to skate. The jammers must skate and muscle their way through the pack and completely exit it to gain the ability to score points. Once the jammer fights her way out of the pack, she then races around the track in order to lap the pack. At this point, each time the jammer passes a member of the other team, she scores one point for her team. The jammer who legally passes first through the pack wins the status of lead jammer. A jam ends when the two-minute time period is over or the lead jammer calls off the jam. BLOCKS and PENALTIES Modern day roller derby isn’t a no-mercy knockdown drag out event – there are official rules and limitations that are enforced. For example, skaters receive penalties for all of the following: blocking with any part of the arm below the elbow, tripping, charging from behind, making a block above the shoulders, or blocking when a player who is out of bounds (i.e. off the track). This is a very abbreviated list of fouls.
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What kind of special equipment is necessary?
As with any contact sport, protective equipment is necessary – knee pads, wrist guards, elbow pads, helmet, mouth guard, and skates. Some players choose to wear shin guards and face shields (as are worn in hockey) on their helmets.
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Do you need special insurance to participate?
Yes. In order to play in bouts, separate insurance is necessary. This insurance is available through USArS (USA roller Sports) or WFTDA and is only about $65 for the year.
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Are there professional roller derby leagues? Not sure what you mean by “professional,” but there are teams that are nationally ranked who play under WFTDA or USARS. Then there are smaller leagues such as ours, which are not yet big enough to be on national rankings, but who still consider ourselves as professional representatives of roller derby and follow WFTDA rules. Generally, large cities leagues such as New York (Gotham Girls Roller Derby), Austin (Texas Roller Girls), and Denver (Denver Roller Derby) have teams that are ranked at the top. There are regional and national championships held in the United States for WFTDA ranked teams. Also there is a roller derby world cup. Gotham Girls Roller Derby took the Hydra (Trophy that goes to No. 1 in the WFTDA Rankings) in 2014 with a three-point margin against Rose City Rollers from Portland. That was a close and well-played game featuring some of the best athletes in the sport.
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A derby name is chosen by the skater when she passes her skills tests. Every derby player is different in the choosing of their name. For instance, one of the best skaters for Gotham goes by Bonnie Thunders when she plays for Gotham. But on Team USA, she uses her real name, Nicole Williams. Other players on Team USA – like Smarty Pants –use their chosen derby name for both their league and for Team USA. Sometimes names are a compilation of Hollywood star names – such as Foxy Ballboa. And sometimes it is word play, such as Scald Eagle. On our team we have such names as Pin-U-Up, Homicidoll Honey, and Blonde Fatality. Names can be our favorite character in a book or movie.
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What are the benefits of roller derby? The benefits of roller derby include being part of team where anybody from any walk of life or any body size can participate. Even if you are unable to skate, you can be part of the team. We have non-skating officials, referees, and coaches. Roller derby is excellent exercise and many of us consider roller derby has having saved our souls. We have made many improvements in our personal lives – mentally and physically –because of roller derby.
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How do you select your derby names?
Are there roller derby teams for men? Yes, men can play roller derby. There are strictly male as well as coed teams. MRDA (Men’s Roller Derby Association) governs the rules of men’s roller derby. There are also junior leagues for players under 18 years of age.
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Roller derby used to be a big thing – not so much now. Is it a growing sport? Roller derby is actually a pretty big sport, with teams worldwide. The sport is growing continually and is very much centered on rules, athleticism and competition. There are teams in Egypt, Africa, South America, Europe, and New Zealand. London Roller Girls and Victorian Roller Derby league are outside the USA, but pretty big competition for high ranked teams within the USA. If you have a chance, visit the WFTDA television website (http://wftda.tv) and watch some of the archived bouts. You can see that roller derby is now a true competitive sport, unlike how it was perceived in the ’70s. Things have changed so much!
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PARTICIPATION NATION When everyone gets a trophy no one wins Back when i first enrolled in the college of education, back when Bush 41 was President, there was a big movement in public education to remove competition from the classroom and move towards increasing an individual’s selfesteem. For the most part, this meant that there would be no more timing how fast students could do their times tables or posting the best grades, especially when it meant humiliation for the students who weren’t succeeding. Fundamentally, this makes perfect sense. Humiliation has never been an effective tool, in my experience, and while the whole concept of “let’s tear them down then build them back up” may have anecdotal stories of success. All in all, humiliation caused more students just to give up than those who had the “i’ll show you” turnaround. So states were spending millions of dollars retraining teachers to be sensitive and complimentary and using programs that don’t pass judgment on character or moral issues. But what it really did was promote an educational welfare state. Using warped senses of positive reinforcement, teachers began giving out stickers for trying or just showing up. Soon “participation” became a category of achievement. Sports soon followed right behind. Programs began of not keeping score at games. Everyone gets to bat. There are no substitutes or first and second string. There is an even plateau of all things being equal – talent or work ethic be damned. My first experience with the new Trophy Nation was way back in 1992 when i was persuaded to be the science fair sponsor for Mesa Verde Elementary. At the district fair my newbie job was to place hundreds of decent sized “participation” ribbons on every entry at the science fair. A simple question came to mind, “Why? They brought their board, so they know they participated.” We simply gave award ribbons for getting
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RickHOERNER Editorial columnist out of school, setting up a display board and going through a judging – or not – because some didn’t even show up for that. Seems innocent enough. Everyone that tries gets an award. They’ll feel better about science fair as younger students and keep on participating throughout their public school career. This was just one of many attempts to increase student selfesteem, hoping that increased confidence and self worth would lead to better, more engaged students. The self-esteem model was supposed to be good for schools. One thing for sure, it was good for the educational business. companies began pitching positive reinforcement programs and the school districts began gobbling them up. Books about positive reinforcement as a class behavior tool became the norm. Suddenly there were sticker charts, point programs and marbles in jars to encourage positive behavior. Today, that would be Pearson, making every product a test-taking nation needs profiting on educational stupidity. So quickly a generation of students was rewarded for simply doing what was expected in school years before. They were given rewards for doing something as noble as completing assigned homework and, even worse, rewarded for sitting quietly and doing nothing. After all, for some, classroom management meant no one was bothering you. So now doing nothing is rewarded and just showing up is, as well. Sports teams soon took the cue. coaches, who were known for, let’s say, abrasive tendencies were now expected to do the same.
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The evidence is prevalent right here in Farmington. Once upon a time, the Boys & Girls club played tournaments at the end of the basketball season to claim a championship. Not now. Once upon a time there were only nine names in a batting lineup for youth baseball, not any more. Once upon a time trophies were earned, not given. it’s no wonder that at every youth sport there are now elite or travel teams that take directly from a league’s pool of players. competition is essential to sport – at least it was to their parents. This causes a great divide between those who do believe in competition and those who don’t. As the parent of a pair of student athletes and coach of hundreds, i have seen what this over-indulged self-esteem model has done to athletics. i once sat through a soccer game where i heard the following encouragements – hand to God. “Nice kick!” “Way to run!” Just a reminder, they were playing soccer. Running and kicking is a lot of the game. The problem with the self-esteem movement is that it just doesn’t work. False praise is worse than no praise at all, not to mention how dangerous false confidence is when it comes to participating in competition. When everybody is considered special, nobody really is. in a recent study of ivy League college level students, a majority of them thought of themselves as “special, gifted, or smarter than their peers,” even though there was no empirical evidence that this was remotely true. Athletes are in the same class. Nearly every athlete arrives on a high school campus believing they are the best and bound for glory. Everyone believes they deserve not only to play, but to start or at least play significant minutes. After all, that is what they have been told all their lives. Show up and you’ll get rewarded with playing time and praise. We paid for you to be on a team, so you get to play. High school has become a re-educational facility when it comes to sports. Hard work being its own reward, the importance of self-sacrifice for
the betterment of the team, earning your spot are all foreign concepts to most entering prep athletes. This makes the transition very difficult for student athletes and nearly impossible for their overbearing parents. This entitlement carries on to the classroom and beyond. Parents now believe that it is the teacher’s fault if the grades are bad, not their precious darling who, from the time of birth, has been told that everything is great, you’re special so it must be someone else’s fault when you fail. Ashley Merryman has become a leader in the movement to allow kids to fail. In her essay, Losing is Good for You, Merryman states that psychologists have found that while praise makes kids feel better, they collapse at the first sign of difficulty. In life, “You’re going to lose more often than you win, even if you’re good at something,” Merryman stated. “You have to get used to that to keep going.” In researching this article I found that there is actually an organization called the NASE, the National Association for Self-Esteem. That’s right, an organization that promotes whose
sole purpose is to, “fully integrate self-esteem into the fabric of American society so that every individual, no matter what their age or background, experiences personal worth and happiness.” Notice it doesn’t say “work toward” personal worth, just “experience” it. Once again given, not earned. Apparently this organization has completely succeeded in its mission. Consider the following pre-school song sung to the French children’s song Frere' Jacques:
I am special, I am special Look at me, Look at me If you look, you will see Someone very special, someone very special, It is me, it is me!! And that is exactly what we’re doing. Social media has not only become a place for information – and misinformation – but a place to show off your self-worth. Once upon a time people took pictures of scenic views and friends to keep as memories, and might even ask someone else to take a picture for them. Now the
selfie has taken over. After all, if you aren't in the picture it never happened. There is one bright ray of hope however. About four years ago when the schools began preaching that education was about customer service I decided that just as in customer service, the customer is always right. So, each time a parent would ask me about changing a grade I made a simple deal with them. If they would bring in their child and tell them right in front of me that the grade they are going to get was not earned but begged for by their parents, I would change the grade. Not one took me up on the offer. Even the almighty self-esteem apparently has its limits. In a box about the size of a case of Bud Lite bottles I keep some of my precious childhood memories, my first ball glove, my Sports Illustrated from The Miracle on Ice and, among other useless to the average person treasures, my first trophy for Punt Pass & Kick when I was 10. My kids have countless trophies, medals and ribbons, but my guess is not one of them would make their box. It’s just too common.
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KYLE BUSCH WINS THE BRICKYARD 500 NASCAR Nellie has an out-of-mind experience NN has had out-of-body experiences before, but those were usually after a long evening with friends and a little too much Sweet Cherry Pie wine. NN’s out-of-body experiences never involve drugs or illegal moonshine on accounta NN would never do drugs and gave up illegal moonshine after that one time when the people who make said illegal moonshine caught her helping herself and NN hadda outrun ’em, which wasn’t too hard. They had a little Yugo sedan and NN had a VW bus that went downhill really, really fast. NN was always selective in where she picked up her illegal moonshine, since she hadda make sure her getaway included a hill where a VW bus could run outta control, but little cars like Yugos and Ford Pintos couldn’t make it six feet without a tow. Just sayin’. . . NN’s out-of-mind experience has her pretty worried. She called her Swami, who usually makes house calls, but NN’s Swami Wommi was spending a few days with old “friends” on accounta the crystal ball she was using had been “given” to her by the bearded lady from the carnival who ended up not being a for reals bearded lady who could for reals read crystal balls, but an undercover agent hired by the carnival to catch crystal ball thieves, and they mistook Swami Wommi for one of those thieves and threatened to confiscate SW’s official Swami license that she paid 500 big ones for on the Swami Wommi website. Whatever. It all happened when Kyle Busch won the Brickyard 500. NN has never, ever been a Kyle Busch fan on accounta he was always arrogant and insufferable and took the M&M’s sponsorship away from NN’s Sweet Baboo Elliot Sadler years ago, and NN could no longer support the M&M company or buy its candy. NN is nothing if not loyal to her drivers. But Kyle had the big wreck at Daytona and broke his leg and his cute little wife was
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pregnant and it was kinda sad. And that cute little wife changed Kyle and he wasn’t quite so arrogant and insufferable. Then they had that cute little baby and Kyle was so cute with the cute little baby and the cute little wife, that NN started to kinda like ole Kyle. At first, she thought it was the flu or the 12 orders of super-duper nachos she’d enjoyed with several bottles of Sweet Cherry Pie wine that made her not quite so hateful about Kyle. She thought she was just too weak to boo him and throw things at him and use not-nice four letter words about him. But it went on for several weeks – and NN had given up the super duper nachos in favor of Papa John’s Pizza on accounta NN’s ’nother most favorite sports figure of all time, Peyton Manning, not only is a spokeshero for PJP, he has his very own little franchise in Colorado. NN doesn’t usually eat pizza, but when she does, it’s Papa John’s. NN is pretty sure Peyton Manning needs the extra money from his pizza place, but it is kind of expensive to have a large pepperoni delivered from Denver. Just sayin’. . . And when Kyle was in the lead at the Brickyard, NN actually found herself rooting
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FOR Kyle Busch. That’s something she never ever did and swore she’d never ever do. But in an out-of-mind experience, there was NN standing up and cheering ole Kyle on during the last laps. (Just to clarify – NN never EVER EVER roots for anybody except Dale Earnhardt Junior to win any race, because NN is always certain Junior will win, even if he happens to be 24 laps down or in the garage. However, at the Brickyard, Junior, the sport’s most popular driver, didn’t have a chance to win and finished twenty-twoth, and NN just felt her motherly instincts kick in and was actually rooting for Kyle.) It was scary. NN called 5-1-1 to tell ’em she thought she needed , medical attention, but when NN ’splained her “symptoms” the dispatcher said she was told she couldn’t send the firefighters, the police, the EMTs or the animal control officers to help NN anymore on accounta all of ’em would quit if she did. NN has been ordered by a judge somewhere not to call 9-1-1 ever ever again unless it’s life threatening, so she signed up for 5-11 which, for a measly 600 bucks a month, will actually take NN’s calls and, occasionally, offer sympathy for an extra hundred.. And while NN believes an out-of-mind experience where she’s actually hoping Kyle Busch wins a race is a real emergency and she needed real, expert help, she knew better than to call 9-1-1 and the dispatcher at 5-1-1 said she could send someone, but it would after she had her mani/pedi. Whatever. Swami Wommi gets to leave her “friends” this next week and has promised to bring a crystal ball that isn’t missing from any evidence room in this country. (NN has no control over out-of-country evidence rooms, even though she has stayed at one or two of ’em when the Holiday Inn was full. Just sayin’. . .) NN thinks Kyle will make it into the final chase for the championship, although he won’t win because Junior, the sport’s most popular driver, will win. That’s just the way it
is and you three people who are not Junior fans just better get over it. So there. NN watched today’s race at Pocono, because she knew Junior, the sport’s most popular driver, would win. He didn’t win but he had a fifth place finish, which Junior Nation celebrated like it was a win. Junior Nation is nothing if not loyal to its general. Just so’s ya know. NN has always wanted to go to the Pocono race and stay at one of those Pocono resorts where the bathtubs are in the shape of a heart and the rooms are pink and the beds have little motors in ’em. And NN hears those resorts provide lots of pink champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. NN was all ready to reserve a room for a couple of weeks, using a credit card she got in the mail. It didn’t have NN’s name on it, but NN believes if it comes to her address it is meant to be hers – especially when it has a
credit limit that is more than NN makes in three years. When NN called, she asked if a cabana boy comes with the room and they got all offended and said they weren’t “that kind” of resort. Not sure what “kind” of “that” they were referring to, but they said they were booked for the rest of NN’s life, which NN thought was kinda odd because they didn’t even ask how much longer NN plans to live. Whatever. NN is still hoping Jeff Gordon will win a race in his last year as a race driver. Jeff will hang up his helmet, his firesuit, and his booster chair after this year to start a new career as an expert in “The Booth,” where he’ll make a gazillion more dollars and can wear a suit and tie and not have to use the porta potties in the garage area. Good things come to those who wait – unless you’re waiting to use the bathroom. Just sayin’ . . .
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BLOOMFIELD FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER Facility offers fun, exercise for the whole family Dorothy Nobis Story and photos It was triple-digit numbers recently, when Diego Burnham, Jude Santos and Aaliya Greeslin found what was likely the coolest spot in Bloomfield – the Bloomfield Family Aquatic Center. Diego, 2, was with his mother, Carly Burnham and four of his five siblings. The family, which is from Farmington, enjoys the short ride to Bloomfield to play in the pools. “We haven’t been here much this summer,” Burnham said, “because of the weather. But it’s a nice day and the kid area here is big.” Diego giggled as he slid through the mouth of the frog slide and into the pool. He splashed his mother, his sisters and himself as he cooled off on a hot Monday afternoon. Across the pool, but still in the kids pool, were Jude Santos, 2 ½, and Aaliya Greeslin, who is almost 2, her mother, Latasha, said. Jude and his mother, Naomi, are from Albuquerque. The Santos family is from Farmington and Jude likes the slide at the aquatic center. “He
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loves it,” Naomi Santos said of the pool. “Jude loves the slide and we love hanging out here.” With the pool full on a late summer afternoon, the aquatic center offers fun for kids of all ages, said Steve Gromack the center’s director. The center offers lap swimming, water exercise classes, swimming lessons and open swimming. On Fridays, kids who are home schooled get into the pool for just $2, and Wacky Wednesdays offer a $2 admission for everyone.
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“We average between 400 to 500 people a day during the summer,” Gromack said. “When school’s in session, that drops to about 100 people a day.” For eight years, Gromack has been welcoming people to the center. “This is a nice facility,” he said, adding that he worked for the Durango pool for three years. “I really lucked out with this position. The city and the community enjoys the center and they support it.
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I have the best job in the city because people come in every day and they’re always happy!” With 30 people on staff during the summer – most of them lifeguards – things run pretty smoothly at the aquatic c3enter. “The staff has done a really good job the last few years,” Gromack said of his employees. “They’re all teenagers and they’re all really good workers. Most of them live in Bloomfield, and these are good jobs for kids.” Some of the “kids” who take advantage of the pool are of senior citizen age. San Juan College’s Encore program brings seniors to the pool every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Gromack said, and Aztec brings seniors over on a regular basis as well. Seniors can enjoy the pool beginning at 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays for just $2, and the center offers aquacise for seniors as well. In addition to the outside pool, the center has a 25-yard lap pool, an indoor pool, an 18-foot climbing wall and a rope swing – all of which are hugely popular with the younger crowd. The center’s support group, Friends of the Pool, are hoping to raise $25,000 for a water slide, which
should be another big attraction, Gromack said. For Bloomfield Mayor Scott Eckstein, the Bloomfield Family Aquatic Center is another of the quality of life features the city provides to its residents and guests. “It brings people in from all over the area and neighboring cities,” Eckstein said. “The center not only gives them a
Bloomfield a family friendly community and we encourage families to spend time together. The aquatic center is the perfect place to do that.” A recent addition to the center is a 5,000square-foot party area, which includes a 400square-foot shelter. People may reserve the area for just $100 for two hours, which includes tickets for 10 people to swim in the pool. Food and drinks are allowed in the party area, which makes it a perfect place for families and friends to get together. With school beginning soon, the center will be less crowded with kids and Gromack encourages adults to take advantage of all the center has to offer. “We’d really like to get our adult visitor numbers up,” he said, adding that the pool is a perfect way to exercise, enjoy friends, and stay healthy.
chance to enjoy what we have to offer, but it provides them with the opportunity to see all we have going on in the city. Hopefully, they’ll shop or dine while they’re here, also.” Getting people out of the house and into an activity that is healthy and fun is another advantage of the center. “We’ve worked hard to make
The center is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The pool may be rented on Fridays and Saturdays after it closes to the public. For more information on the Bloomfield Family Aquatic Center, call 505.632.0313.
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