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content Don Vaughan PuBlISHER

Cindy Cowan Thiele EDITOR

Rick Hoerner Tom Yost Dorothy Nobis CONTRIBuTING WRITERS

Curtis Benally Josh Bishop CONTRIBuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Suzanne Thurman

|4| Snaggin’ salmon They’ll arrive with camping gear, ﬁshing gear, and lots of determination. They’ll come from Texas, Oklahoma, utah, Colorado and Arizona. And they’ll all come for the same reason — it’s salmon snagging season.

|8| Road Apple Rally When Patricia Cummins Siegel got on her bike to participate in the 2014 Road Apple Rally mountain bike race on October 4, the event was more than just another race.

DESIGNER

Shelly Acosta Clint Alexander Aimee Velasquez SAlES STAFF For advertising information Call 505.516.1230

www.fourcornerssports.com

STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS Please send to editor@tricitytribuneusa.com We’ve got more photos than we can use. Check out the photo gallery for each issue at www.fourcornerssports.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. © 2014 Four Corners Sports magazine.

| 12 | Taking the reins

| 22 | The Breakfast Club in the truest form of Americana, retired men and women sit around their local McDonalds drinking coffee and solving the world’s problems. This is far from the case for Jim Bateman and Mark McFarland, affectionately known by the Civitan Golf Course clubhouse golf attendants as the Breakfast Club.

As the fall season begins it’s time to look at the continuing carousel that is high school coaching.

| 14 | Mastering the board At the age of 34, Daniel Diswood is living his dream. Doing ollies and kickﬂips, and occasionally suffering the consequences of them. Diswood and his skateboard are all but inseparable.

| 24 | Big game maps The Bureau of land Management has partnered with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to offer mobile maps of New Mexico’s big game hunting units through the CarryMap Application.

| 18 | On a tear Riley Rahm, a 17-year-old senior at Piedra Vista High School, is on a tear to begin the 2014-2015 golf season.

| 25 | Hike, bike free in 2015 | 26 | Editorial column | 29 | Fishing report

| 24 | Color Dash New Beginnings at The Navajo united Methodish Center is hosting The Color Dash at Berg Park on Saturday, Oct. 25.

| 30 | Nascar Nellie | 32 | First Tee covercredit Josh Bishop

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you, you know you have to do it. Most people will look at you like you’re an idiot but, something inside tells you, you just have to do it.” Diswood stresses the importance of safety equipment for those “have to do it” times and for every time a skater gets on the board. “Most injuries are with the ankles and knees,” he said. “I pad up completely – elbows and knees, gloves and a helmet. Road rash is not fun. It burns you, tears you up and takes forever to heal.” Kevin Werito has been skateboarding since he was 14 years old. Now 25 and with a wife and son, Werito continues to skate, but for a slightly different reason than when he was a teen.

“We (the early skateboarders) did it because it was the anti-sport. We didn’t have a coach telling us what to do. It’s an activity you own and there’s no crowd cheering for you” — Daniel Diswood

* Skateboarding 34

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heavy-duty fishing rod and reel and snagging hooks. “Patience and a first aid kit are also helpful,” Wethington added with a laugh. Accidents can – and usually do – happen when people gather for snagging season. “And use common sense and restraint,” Wethington encouraged snaggers. “Often, when people start snagging, they get lost in the moment and don’t think about what they’re doing.” It is those times, he added, when accidents can occur. The snagging hooks can get lodged in the skin and are difficult to remove. In addition, because much of the shoreline where anglers snag is rugged, Wethington said people need to be careful when walking to and from their favorite fishing spot.

got up and went back up to his spot and kept on snagging. People are pretty serious about getting their limit. I’ve seen hooks get snagged in people, and they’ll remove the hooks from each other and continue snagging.”

The best time to snag is early in the morning and early evening, “From dusk to dawn is good and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. is really good,” Wethington said. “Salmon are light sensitive, so days that are overcast, rainy or snowy are good days to snag.”

Those favorite ﬁshing spots include the southern corner of the docks. The area adjacent to the spillway and north of the boating ramps at Navajo are “quite good” Wethington said, adding that snagging in the Saint Francis Canyon is also a good place to snag the salmon. Snagging is not allowed from the boat dock or from the boat deck.

The season peaks from the second week in October to the ﬁrst week in November, he said. “Heron Reservoir typically draws huge crowds for opening day. The ﬁsh seem to concentrate there.”

“We still have a lot of boat trafﬁc (during the snagging season) and there have been minor conﬂicts between the boaters and the snaggers in the past,” Wethington explained.

While Wethington has friends who enjoy snagging salmon, it isn’t something he participates in. “It’s too intense for me,” he said with a laugh.

The biologist recalled a couple of accidents in recent years. “A guy was snagging from the spillway and fell from 15 to18 feet into the water. He

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“I’ll visit with my friends when they’re snagging, but I don’t join them.” Wethington is a fly fisherman, he explained. “I fish the Quality Waters and I enjoy that. I deal with fishing every single day and I live at Navajo Dam, so usually I choose not to think about fishing (on my day off). The campgrounds at Navajo Lake State Park are busy year ’round, and the salmon snagging season brings campers to the park in droves. “October (the beginning of the snagging season) is extremely busy,” said Cheryl Moline, Navajo State Park Administrator. “People come from everywhere (to snag).” With 78 campsites in the main campground, more than 20 sites at the Sims Mesa campground, which is on the opposite side of the lake, and 47 sites at the Cottonwood site (on the San Juan River), Moline said salmon snaggers and anglers fishing for trout keep the park busy all through October. “Salmon snagging usually ends by the end of October, when the weather is colder and the salmon die off,” Moline said. “And October is also a great month for trout fishing, which increases activity at the park.” The park staff is prepared for the influx of those seeking salmon and trout in the fall, Moline added. “It’s a continuation of our summer, so we’re always ready for it.” The Four Corners Region Geotourism web site states that, “World class fishing is experienced all along the San Juan River in New Mexico, but the 4.25 miles of river just below Navajo Dam, known as the Quality Waters, holds over 80,000 trout. The Quality Waters teem with rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Fabulous year-round fishing exists in the Quality Waters as well as along the 12 additional miles of open water along the San Juan River.”

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Marc Wethington said Navajo Lake State Park offers great gishing and improvements to ehnance the anglers enjoyment of the area are always ongoing. As the ﬁshing biologist, Wethington said he is involved in most of the New Mexico Game and Fish projects in the area. “We just completed a project on the San Juan River in June,” he said, “that increased the parking lot and boat ramp at the Hammond Tract area.” That project, according to the Outdoors NM web site, included a new concrete boat takeout ramp, an improved parking lot and a new outhouse. “We also cleared 50 acres of land and removed the Russian olive andsaltxedar trees to provide more access to the river,” Wethington said. The estimated 4625,000 project was funded by grants from the State Forestry and the San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District, federal wildlife and sport ﬁsh excise taxes on the sale of sporting goods, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish funds and contributions from ConocoPhillips, WPX Energy and the New Mexico Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, according to the Fisheries Management of the NMDGF.

The Hammond Tract is located on an unmarked dirt road of NM 511, near the intersection of US 64. Wethington said the project began in 2006/2007. New projects are in discussion stages, Wethington added, between the New Mexico Tourism and Travel Department and the New Mexico State Parks Division. Wethington said he enjoys the projects he’s

been able to work on during his 19 years and two months (as of September) he’s been a ﬁshing biologist. “It’s been a good job and a good career,” he said of his position. “I’ve been allowed to be part of bigger projects that people get to see and enjoy. Getting feedback from sportsmen and the people who enjoy those projects is the best part of the job.”

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A beautiful day on a

More than 200 mountain bikers race in the Road Apple Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop When Patricia Cummins Siegel got on her bike to participate in the 2014 Road Apple Rally mountain bike race on Oct. 4, the event was more than just another race. “My parents and my brother owned Pedal Sports in Farmington years ago and they took part in the ﬁrst Road Apple Rally,” Siegel said proudly. “I did the rally for the ﬁrst time last year and I’m here again this year.” Siegel lives in Albuquerque and was one of many from the Duke City who enjoyed the race. Siegel’s friend, Deborah Kearney, also participated in this year’s race. “It looked like a fun race,” Kearney said. “It’s a beautiful

Four Corners SPORTS

day and a wonderful course. I loved every bit of it.” Wiley Corra, 11, and Nicholas Unkovskoy, 12, are from Durango and crossed the finish line less than a minute apart, taking first and second in the 15-mile loop. Neither of the boys was winded or tired, and congratulated each other on a good race. The boys are part of Durango DEVO, a notfor-profit organization that encourages kids to become life-long cyclists. The group brought several young cyclists to the rally. Corra and Unkovskoy said they practice two days a week as part of DEVO.

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“We got out front,” Corra said of the rally, “and we pushed each other to the max all the way.” Corra finished the race in 57 minutes and 52 seconds, while Unkovskoy claimed a time of 58 minutes, 7 seconds. Sadie Schafer, 13, is also a member of DEVO and was the first girl to cross the finish line with a time of one minute, six seconds, in spite of the fact that she was a little under the weather. “I think I got a little sick with a stuffy nose

great course

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and a cough,” Schafer said. When asked what part of the race was the best, she did not hesitate when she said, “The best part was the start and the ﬁnish.” One Farmington resident took part in the rally – an event he supervised for years as the race director. Shawn Lyle worked for the City of Farmington’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and retired last year. “I retired, but I still wanted to be part of it,” Lyle said of the race. “It’s a fun race. The course is in good shape and I wiped out a couple of times.” “One little kid kicked my butt,” Lyle said with a laugh. “I couldn’t catch him to save my life.” Lyle was with several members of Crossroads Community Church, on of the sponsor of the race. Dave West, pastor of the church, said his congregation enjoys getting involved in community events. “This is one of the best activities in Farmington,” West said. “We wanted to expose our congregation to the event.”

Racer Ryan Szabo of Albuquerque.

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Ken Weisheit is the assistant pastor at Crossroads and said just finishing the race was an accomplishment for him. “I had a great time and it was fun seeing all the people.” Lyle finished with a time of one hour, 19 minutes and 32 seconds; West came in with a time of one hour, 19 minutes and 52 seconds; and Weisheit managed a time of one hour, 17 minutes. “Shawn is never going to let me live it down that he beat me by 30 seconds,” West said with a laugh. Two former law enforcement buddies also competed in the race. Robert Grona, from Bloomfield, and Manny Gutierrez, from Allbuquerque. The two were stationed together in the Farmington office of the New Mexico State Police and enjoy doing the race together every year. “We enjoy it,” Grona said of the rally “It’s a good race with nice trails.” For Shana Reeves, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs superintendent, the race is fun, but requires alot of work from the 25 staff members and more than 60 volunteers who help with the event. “It’s a beautiful and fast course,” Reeves said. “It’s also unique because it’s unpaved with a lot of open areas that are dirt trails. It’s a different kind of challenge from other mountain bike races.”

* Road Apple 28

Racer Brent Winebarger of Durango

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MICHAELBEJAR WRESTLING

TAKING

Piedra Vista welcomes new coaches nizable faces to their coaching fraternity.

Rick Hoerner Photos Curtis Benally As the fall season begins it’s time to look at the continuing carousel that is high school coaching. Miraculously, Farmington High will begin the 2014-2015 season with the same coaching staff with which it ﬁnished last season, while Piedra Vista welcomes some recog-

Four Corners SPoRTS

Adam Huff - Girls Soccer Familiarity begins with the Panthers looking internally for their new girls soccer coach, which over the years has been quite the revolving door since Errol Baade. Enter Piedra Vista boys basketball coach Adam Huff. Coach Huff will add the responsibility of bringing

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consistency to the program while juggling his responsibilities as the head basketball coach and assisting in the PV track program. Huff will be assisted by former Panther boys coach Wayne Leupold. The Panthers enter the season behind district foes Farmington and Aztec, who have been in the ﬁnal four of the state championships over the past couple of seasons.

PATDENNEY

ADAMHUFF

BOYS SOCCER

GiRlS SOCCER

THE REINS

Pat Denney - Boys Soccer like his counterpart on the female side, Denney takes over a soccer program that will be under the leadership of their fourth coach in four years. While this will be Denney’s first year as a head high school coach, he does have soccer experience. Denney has been involved in youth soccer in Farmington for the past 18 years. Denney takes over a Panther squad that has played second fiddle to the Farmington Scorpions in district play and will have their hands full trying to overtake the two-time state champions. The Piedra Vista athletic director hopes that Denney will finally

bring some stability to the boys program and believes Denney will “bring a lot of energy” to the sidelines for the Panthers. in an ironic twist, former girls head coach Shawn Taylor will assist Denney just as the boy’s former coach is now assisting the girls.

Michael Bejar - Wrestling The most interesting coaching change in the district this year may be for new Panther wrestling coach Michael Bejar. Coach Bejar takes over one of the most dominating programs in the state in any sport following departed coach levi Stout. Bejar’s Panthers once

again will be an overwhelming favorite after four consecutive state champions. The Panthers return four-time state champion Anthony Juckes as well as defending state champions Zach Ahlgrim, Philip Archuleta, and Sam Sandoval. Bejar’s toughest challenge may be off the mats where he will have to rebuild a squad that adamantly defended former head coach levi Stout after his dismissal after the 2014 season for rules violations. Bejar has the luxury of being part of the Panther program over their championship run and will be assisted by former Panther head coach Greg Ruybalid.

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THE BOARD For Diswood skateboarding is about achievement not competition Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop At the age of 34, Daniel Diswood is living his dream. Doing ollies and kickﬂips, and occasionally suffering the consequences. Diswood and his skateboard are all but inseparable. Diswood is among an ever-increasing number of people who enjoy skateboarding. It was a yellow plastic “banana board” that was 27 inches long and 6 inches wide that hooked Diswood into what he calls an “activity.” “It’s not really a sport, but it is becoming more of a sport because of its popularity and the competition,” Diswood said. “It’s an activity that gets kids trying to be better skaters. We (the early skateboarders) did it because it was the anti-sport. We didn’t have a coach telling us what to do. It’s an activity you own and there’s no crowd cheering for you.” Organized sports offer participants the opportunity to win titles, get trophies and enjoy the recognition. Skateboarding, Diswood

said, can be a lonely activity. “You don’t get anything out of it but what you accomplish,” he said. “But you do get increased self-conﬁdence and self-esteem. A lot of skateboarders will work on the same trick for a month. Then you land it, but there’s no one there to cheer for you. You do it for the reward and for the effort you put into it.” In 1984, Diswood got that yellow banana board and learned how to ride it. With the bumps, bruises and a scar on his nose, Diswood perfected his boarding and, in 1994, it became his passion. The small banana board gave way to a bigger board – one that was 9 ½ inches wide and 33 inches long. By 1995, long boards became the activity trend, when the boarders had a “need for speed.” In addition to a longer board, the new skateboards had bigger, softer wheels. “The bigger the wheel, the faster you go,” Diswood said. “And the softer wheel will soften the vibration of asphalt, which gives a smoother ride.”

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Diswood’s personal best on his longboard is 59.1 miles an hour. “I did that at an undisclosed Colorado location,” he said with a laugh. “But I’m hoping to break that record on that same hill in a couple of weeks.” Diswood said he skates harder and more often at 34 than he did when he was a teen. He had worked for the Shredd Shed in the Animas Valley Mall, where he had the opportunity to visit with people about skateboarding and share tips and tricks. “It was a shop like we had never seen before,” Diswood said of the Shredd Shed. “If you were passionate about skateboarding, it was the place to be. I loved hearing about people, how they skated, what they’ve done, if they found a new spot and what was going on with their lives.” When the shop moved, then ultimately closed, Farmington was without a skateboarding shop. Four years later, Diswood decided he needed to open his own store, and SnS Skateboarding opened on Butler Avenue, just across the street from Brookside Park. “It’s a specialty shop,” Diswood said of his store. “If you’re a skateboarder, it’s where you come,

Four Corners SPORTS

where you ﬁt in and where you ﬁnd the stuff you want.” On a recent Friday afternoon, there was a steady stream of customers coming through the doors of his current location on Main Street in historic downtown Farmington. Most were there to purchase wheels, shirts, hats, or boards, but some stopped by just to talk about skateboarding. “They’ll come in to buy a new skateboard or just to look at everything,” Diswood said. “The best thing about this – and any – skate shop is the stickers. Stickers are the best thing skate shops brought about. I sell a ton of them. They put them on their skateboards or just collect them. I love stickers. I buy them and save them. Stickers – that’s why you own a skate shop!” While his customers are of all ages, Diswood is especially fond of the younger ones. For years, skateboarders were looked upon as troublemakers, he said. “We were looked at as street trash and troubled youth,” he said. “But we’ve become more mainstream and skateboarding has grown in popularity.” “Kids have a one-track mind,” Diswood said

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of the younger skateboarders. “They all want to be professional skateboarders. I tell them to stay in school and get some training. There’s more to skateboarding than the boarding. You can be a graphic designer and design skateboards, you can study business and own your own shop. You need to stay in school and ﬁnd a job that will pay you to skate.” Diswood doesn’t just emphasize the importance of an education to the kids who come into his shop to look, buy and listen. He also works hard at creating skateboarding events for them so they can compete and have fun. He offers competitions – one recently on Orchard Avenue in downtown Farmington. The Red Apple Rampage brought out skateboarders who skated down the hill. With the help of Elizabeth Isenberg Phillips, the downtown coordinator, the event was a great success. “We’ll do it again next year, but probably on Wall Street (Avenue), if we can,” Diswood said. “And it will be an all-day event.” “There’s a mental and physical challenge to skateboarding,” Diswood added. “You’re ollieing off something that’s 10 feet in the air. It’s high up there and you’re afraid. But inside of

* Skateboarding 34

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ON A TEAR Riley Rahm can’t wait for golf season to begin Story by Tom Yost | Photos by Josh Bishop Riley Rahm, a 17-year-old senior at Piedra Vista High School, is on a tear to begin the 2014-2015 golf season. Rahm has won a tournament at Hillcrest Golf Course in Durango with a score of 1under par, 70, and has also won his third tournament of the year at Riverview Golf Course in Kirtland with a score of 2-over par, 74. Rahm has earned two of the three legs for state and is preparing to improve on his prior ﬁnishes at the state golf championships.

“To be quite honest, my game isn’t where it needs to be right now,” said Rahm. “My short game has been saving me this fall, but my swing hasn’t been very good. So I am going to continue to work hard through the winter and the spring to make my swing better for the state tournament in May.” A relatively late bloomer, Rahm didn’t begin playing golf until his high school freshman year. Rahm’s older brother, Nick, was at the state golf championships when Riley was in 8th grade.

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“I learned that the ﬁrst day you can’t let the nerves get to you.” — Riley Rahm

“I went to watch Nick play at the state golf tournament, bought my first driver, started hitting golf balls, and just got hooked,” explained Rahm. Rahm joined his Piedra Vista High School team at state as a freshman, and by his sophomore year shot the lowest second round score at state and the second lowest round for the entire state tournament (a 1-under par, 71). That round vaulted him into the top 10 individually at the Class 4A State Championships in Las Cruces. His junior year, Rahm finished 15th individually at UNM South in Albuquerque – playing the second round in near freezing temperatures – not conducive to playing great golf. Heading to his senior year, Rahm is looking to use these experiences to vault him to the top in Roswell this year. “I learned that the first day you can’t let the nerves get to you,” said Rahm. “You can’t win the tournament the first day, but you can definitely lose it. I am a better golfer when I am aggressive, so I am going to continue to stay aggressive, which should allow me to reach my goals of winning state and earning a Division 1 golf scholarship.”

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New Beginnings hosts 5K at Berg Park Story by Tom Yost | Courtesy photos

New Beginnings at The Navajo United Methodist Center is hosting The Color Dash at Berg Park on Saturday, Oct. 25. The proceeds of the run will go to support New Beginnings, a nonprofit that provides direct services and transitional living shelter for women and their children who are survivors of domestic violence and/or homelessness throughout the Four Corners area and the Navajo Nation. Participants and those interested in getting more information can register online at thecolordash5k.com. Prices to participate are $40 for an individual and $85 for a family. This is a run for fun that will involve runners getting splashed with colors during the race. “The event comes with perfect timing,” said Navajo United Methodist Center’s Elaine La Van. “October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and this will give New Beginnings great exposure in addition to raising much needed funds.” The race at Berg Park is family friendly and will include live entertainment as well as food booths. Registration on Oct. 25 will be at 8:30 a.m. and the race will begin at 10:30 a.m. Join in the fun and help raise funds for a great cause by participating in The Color Dash 5k.

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Jim Bateman, at left, and Mark McFarland meet for golf every morning at the Civitan Golf Course. McFarland says his goal is to play at least 300 times a year.

Civitan a second home for Jim Bateman and Mark McFarland Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Josh Bishop In the truest form of Americana, retired men and women sit around their local McDonalds drinking coffee and solving the world’s problems. This is far from the case for Jim Bateman and Mark McFarland, affectionately known by the Civitan Golf Course clubhouse golf attendants as the Breakfast Club. On any given morning Bateman and McFarland, are joined most days by a host of other retired men like Richard Ruybalid, Bill Bush

Four Corners SpORTS

and Bill Gilliam, are waiting at the gate for Civitan to open looking to be the ﬁrst golfers on the freshly cut grass. For most of these golfers the game is as much obsession as sport. While The Breakfast Club is most certainly playing a minimum of 18 holes every morning the course is open, on certain days they will return for another round in the afternoon. “Seniors only pay $125 for annual pass, “ McFarland says, “My goal is to play

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300 times a year, so it’s less than $.50 a round.” Jim Batemen is a retired oil ﬁeld and construction worker and like many blue-collar workers, 40 years ago thought that golf was, in his words, “stupid.” Bateman began playing 19 years ago and plays for what he calls “the challenge of every single shot.” Bateman tries to play at least two times a day and says his game has gone from obsession to addiction.

McFarland and Bateman discuss a shot as they head to the next hole with Bill Giliam, another Civitan golfing buddy, laughs at their conversation.

Mark McFarland returned to playing the game back in 2004 after getting away from golf for nearly 20 years. After retiring from a career at Meridian oil he returned to what he calls “his unending addiction.” McFarland credits his golf addiction to his pursuit of the hole in one, a pursuit that he is still chasing even though he has nine over the past 11 years in his nearly 300 rounds a year. McFarland looks at Civitan as part of his own belongings and is consistently seen picking up around the course and maintaining ball marks on the greens and divots.

As McFarland says, “ they should just give me a set of keys. I’ll open up the clubhouse and even the bathrooms. I’ll be here anyway.” Fifteen minutes before ﬁrst tee the Breakfast Club waits with the exact clubs needed to complete their rounds. For Bateman, it’s a single 3-Wood that he uses from tee box to green using the ﬂatter edge of the wood as a putter. McFarland carries only three clubs a 9 iron along with a 3 wood for Hole No. 9, and a putter. they never keep score and they never

warm up or practice their putting and chipping before heading to the first tee box. they only count pars and birdies and of course they never gamble at a nickel a hole because that would be illegal. As the fall shortens the golf course hours at Civitan and the lush green grass fades to brown the Breakfast Club will continue to wait at the gate to be the first golfers on the course. If you want to be the first to tee off at Civitan get there early, try to beat them to the clubhouse, and you may want to bring donuts to bribe the attendant.

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Four Corners SportS

Big game maps

BLM, Game and Fish partner to provide mobile hunting maps The Bureau of Land Management has partnered with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to offer mobile maps of New Mexico’s big-game hunting units through the CarryMap Application. This unique application allows users to store hunting unit maps on their mobile devices and access them regardless of cellular coverage. The free CarryMap Application for iOS and Android devices is available at the App Store and Google Play Market. The information also is available for download to computers. To download the big-game hunting unit information, please visit the BLM website www.blm.gov/nm/huntingmaps and accept the conditions. “This application is a great example how agency partners can use modern technology to improve customer service,” New Mexico Gover-

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nor Susana Martinez said. “I’m sure hunters throughout the state will appreciate the hard work that went into it.” “The BLM is pleased to partner with the Department of Game and Fish to provide this mobile application to the hunters of New Mexico,” said BLM State Director Jesse Juen. “This will provide better access to public lands, while also increasing hunter’s conﬁdence that they are in the correct locations for their hunt, regardless of cell phone reception.” “The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish believes in utilizing technology to provide our hunters and anglers with the best information in the ﬁeld,” Department Director Alexandra Sandoval said. “We are thankful for the effort BLM put into development of this free mobile application.”

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For more information, contact BLM Geographic Information Systems Specialist Jeremy Zimmerman at 575.838.1259 or New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Assistant Chief of Information Lance Cherry at 505.476.8003.

Four Corners SPOrTS

NOVEMBER 2014

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Hike, bike free in 2015

BLM announces fee-free days for 2015 The Bureau of Land Management, in conjunction with other agencies within the Department of the Interior, will waive recreation-related fees for visitors to the National System of Public Lands on four occasions in 2015 1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan. 19) 2. Presidents’ Day weekend (Feb. 14-16) 3. National Public Lands Day (Sept. 26) 4. Veterans Day (Nov. 11). One fee-free remains for 2014: Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11. “We want everyone to enjoy the incredible recreation opportunities available on BLMmanaged public lands,” said BLM Director Neil Kornze. “Waiving fees is also a way of reaching out to those of you who may not yet know that we offer more recreational opportunities than any other land management agency -- from hunting and ﬁshing to mountain biking and hiking -- and we look forward to welcoming you!”

ous opportunities for a wide range of recreational opportunities from hiking, ﬁshing and camping to riding off-highway vehicles and rock-climbing. About 61 million visits were made to BLM-managed lands and waters in 2013, supporting more than 42,000 jobs nationwide and contributing almost $5.5 billion to the nation’s economy.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public lands which provide numer-

Site-speciﬁc standard amenity and individual

day-use fees at BLM recreation sites and areas will be waived for the speciﬁed dates. Other fees, such as overnight camping, cabin rentals, and group day use, will remain in effect. More details about fee-free days and activities on BLM-managed public lands are available at: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/ Recreation/BLM_Fee_Free_Days.html.

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Spare the Rod it has not been a good summer to be an NFL running back. First, of course, there was Ray Rice and domestic violence being thrown to the forefront of TV media with the National Football League on the hot seat as though they are socially responsible (which they are of course) while the justice system has left the issue to plea bargains and the dreaded “entering treatment.” There were very few, outside the ridiculous ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, who sided with Rice. However, then came the Adrian Peterson child abuse allegations and what has been a continuing argument that has been going on since i entered college to major in education; does corporal punishment work ?

RickHOERNER

Even today this issue will split a room. There are those that would never spank their children under any circumstance and there are those who are of the “i got spanked and i turned out Ok” camp. My wife teaches Early childhood and Family Development at San Juan college and even there a class will be split on corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool. Enter Adrian Peterson who has been charged with child endangerment after admittedly spanking his 4-year-old child with the time-honored tradition of picking your own switch to deliver your own discipline. The NFL and Peterson’s team in Minnesota did what most corporations and politicians do, they drifted in the wind of public opinion ﬁrst deactivating Peterson, then taking him back, then using the catchphrase of the month, “we were wrong and are in the process of rectifying the situation,” before placing Peterson on the new commissioner’s Exemption List until the case has run itself through the justice system. immediately there were those that came out against Peterson’s suspension, claiming that Peterson has the right to discipline his child as he chooses, it is cultural for African Americans to spank their children, and of course the ever popular “it worked for me.” Among Peterson’s supporters was basketball Hall of Famer and TNT Analyst charles Barkley, who in an interview on cBS’s pre game coverage stated: “Listen,

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NOVEMBER 2014

Editorial columnist

we spank kids in the South. i think the question’s about whether Adrian Peterson went overboard. Every black parent in my neighborhood in the South would be in trouble or in jail under those circumstances… But i think we have to really be careful trying to teach other parents how to discipline their kids. That's a very ﬁne line."

These arguments have been made before. When Michael Vick was arrested and later convicted on dog fighting charges the same cultural argument was made that those removed from that specific culture simply do not understand it. However, consider who Vick and now Peterson are both presumably college educated men that should understand that while culture and tradition are naturally part of the human condition, so is social evolution. My Father was not a religious man by any definition, but believed in the old Biblical adage “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” My brothers and i all felt and were forced to watch each other suffer the wrath of what my dad called “Ol 3-fingers,” a barber strap cut in three strips and delivered with every syllable spoken while stating the biggest parental lie ever; this is hurting me more than it’s hurting you. Did it work? i would argue no. My older brothers eventually just accepted the beatings and really never changed. For me, it worked, but only through fear not respect.This was a trait i did not want to pass on to my children. While my oldest brother continued my father’s discipline plan, i have not, and, was fortunate enough to be married to a woman who shares that view. it has not been easy by any means. My natural response, especially when my children were younger, was to slap their hands when they reached for something they shouldn’t have or a quick swat on the butt for misbehaving. But i’ve evolved, and while i was swatted in school, i wouldn’t do it there either, even when i may have wanted to. The idea of corporal punishment is outdated. consider that what a parent may choose to do in the privacy of their home would not be acceptable behavior anywhere else. Solving any issue with violence in the public sphere would be considered inappropriate and perhaps even illegal, but at home it’s considered discipline. if it works, why wouldn’t we spank employees or hit them, for that matter, when they don’t do what is expected? Finally, let’s look at Peterson’s case as a perfect case of why disciplining your child through spanking is ridiculous. Peterson is a six-foot one 217 pound professional athlete matched up against a 4-year-old child. This is David vs Goliath with David not having a rock to sling at the person who is supposed to care for them the most. While the average person who swats a child is most likely not of the strength of Adrian Peterson, it is time we all evolve to a better parent-child relationship where the idea of right and wrong is based on moral imperative, not fear. it really comes back to what your kindergarten teacher told you on the playground – we don’t hit. Especially when you are three times the size and weight of your victim.

Christopher Farmer moved to Farmington in 2008 from Salem, oregon. He has been officiating basketball for 16 years. this will be his seventh year officiating in Farmington. He also officiated for six years in oregon and three in pennsylvania. He married Christa Mobley in 2013 and has three kids Cole age 7, Emery age four and Westyn five months.

this basketball season it's your job to recruit new ofﬁcials. What are the requirements to become a basketball ofﬁcial?

What do you think is the toughest thing for new ofﬁcials to learn?

What has become the hardest part of keeping ofﬁcials year after year?

9 What are the different levels of officiating and where do the new officials start? there are 3 levels of officiating. Jr high is where most start. C/JV games usually go to the 2nd or 3rd year guys first and then you have the Varsity level that is for most the veterans in the group. Some move up faster than others.

For you, what is the hardest part of the job? the hardest part of refﬁng for me is seeing an injury to a player. Most these kids play hard and it breaks my heart to see one of them go down.

What is the single most difﬁcult call to make? Bock/ Charge is always the most difﬁcult call to make. What is misunderstood by most is that a defensive player does not have to be standing still. once that player has established legal guarding position, a charge call would be made. It’s always a crowd pleaser!

I believe the hardest part is getting the experience. Being in such a small group sometimes really limits potential. We will try to do a better job moving forward with getting the younger ofﬁcials matched with a veteran ofﬁcial to help them get better.

As a warning to the average fan, what are some of the points of emphasis in ofﬁciating this season? the ﬁve-second count when a player is closely guarded, the hand check rule, which impedes a player’s direction to the basket, are big ones. Also, this year, you may try for a rebound on a free throw on the shot instead of the rim.

I think the toughest thing for a new ofﬁcial is patience. You have a lot of parents and coaches yelling at you and for most it is very intimidating. Be conﬁdent in your whistle and just be patient.

What is the best line you've ever heard from the bench or the crowd? Best line I’ve heard has still got to be a footlocker quote. It’s not very appropriate, but it was funny. I will always give a smile to someone who throws a good zinger at me. You have to have thick skin when it comes to the crowd.

requirements include attending weekly meetings on Mondays at FHS. Also you must take a test to do anything above junior high level. You must also register through the state.

CHrIStopHErFARMER

What would be one rule change you would like to see high school basketball adopt I would like to see a shot clock in high school. I think it would speed up the game and make it so you couldn’t use the stall strategy.

If anyone out there would like to become an official, how do they go about getting started? If you are interested in getting started, please contact me by email ay allstripes76@gmail.com or go to NMACt.com and click on the official’s link. We are always looking for officials so if you have a passion for the sport and would like to give back to your community and make a few bucks along the way come join us!

NOVEMBER 2014

Four Corners SportS

Road Apple Because of the length of the race and the sometimes difďŹ cult terrain, the safety of the more than 200 riders is a priority, Reeves said.

Long Course Overall Winners Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Name Todd Wells Travis Brown Ned Overend David Vaughn Erich McAlister Randy Flores Brent Winebarger Frank Mapel James Bodine Mike Wilk Ted Compton Ryan Szabo Ricky Willis Cody Stephenson Jason Quenzler Miles Venzara Neil Merrion Jacob Gonzales Quinn Simmons Jerome Moreau

City Durango CO Durango CO Durango CO Carlsbad NM Durango CO Santa Fe NM Durango CO Durango CO Durango COL Durango CO Durango CO Albuquerque NM Telluride CO Fort Collins CO Durango CO Durango CO Farmington NM Taos NM Durango CO Albuquerque NM

Number 269 263 266 268 265 271 293 284 277 270 279 289 292 267 287 290 358 281 288 285

Age 39 45 59 31 37 43 37 41 44 34 45 24 44 29 43 36 51 42 13 43

Short Cource Overall Winners Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Name Wiley Corra NICK Unkovskoy Garrett Farmer Daniel Percell Shawn Peed Dan Voecks Sadie Schafer Christopher Cathelyn Jeffrey Keller Randy Stouder Lloyd Percell Ken Newland Cecilia Compton Alma Wolf Joseph Owen Sheri Peterson Patrick Parks Michael Sanders Tim Harvey Manny Gutierrez

City Durango CO Durango CO Farmington NM Wichita Falls TX Lewis CO Farmington NM Hesperus CO Thornton CO Carbondale CO Grand Junction CO Farmington NM Farmington NM Durango CO Durango CO Farmington NM Farmington NM Aztec NM Aztec NM Farmington NM Albuquerque NM

Number 425 460 430 447 446 462 416 423 438 457 448 444 406 418 445 414 464 454 436 435

Age 11 12 16 34 39 55 14 41 53 60 44 13 14 40 53 40 41 46 51

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Totah Amateur Radio Club is vital to us,â&#x20AC;? Reeves said of the volunteers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We put them in the most remote areas of the course with their radios. The Farmington Police Department and Fire Department are also here to help.â&#x20AC;? Because riders come from all over the country, many of them have difďŹ culty adjusting to the altitude, Reeves said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And the riders canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have outside help, so if they blow a tire or a chain comes off they have to be able to ďŹ x it by themselves.â&#x20AC;? Since the Road Apple Rally is a sanctioned event by the USA Cycling, it is often used as a qualifying course for other races, Reeves added, and attracts professional cyclists as well. With more than 200 participates this year, many of them are returning riders and plan to come back again and again. For Patricia Cummins Siegel, taking part in the race is a personal commitment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to do it until I win it,â&#x20AC;? she said with a laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It may take me until Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m 80, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to win it.â&#x20AC;?

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NOVEMBER 2014

Four Corners SPoRTS

Fishing REPORT Current ﬂows on the San Juan River below Navajo Lake are 598cfs. Fishing remains good throughout most of the day. With the gin-clear water, try to present the ﬂy with a drag free drift.

Size 22 Grifﬁths Gnat Size 24 Parachute Adams Size 26 Brown Cdc Midge Fishing below the Quality Waters has been good. Worms, salmon eggs, and orange power bait have been the bait of choice.

Some of the best nymphs to try are: Size 22 Red Larvae Size 24 Gray Midge Pupae Size 24 Olive Midge Pupae Size 22 Gray Rs2 With very clear water conditions and a cloudy day, expect to see ﬁsh rising. Some of the best dry ﬂies to try are.

Four Corners SPORTS

T.J. Massey San Juan River Outﬁtters www.sanjuanriveroutﬁtters.com 505.486.5347

NOVEMBER 2014

Doing the robot Michael Waltrip should stick to his day job Nascar Nellie is a big fan of Dancing With the Stars and was surprised when the stars were announced for the fall season. Nascar Nellie used to like Mikey, but one time when he dissed Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sport’s most popular driver for the past 11 years, NN put him on her NELA (Never Ever Like Again) list. NN is nothing if not loyal to her favorite driver and to her NDEJD (Not Dale Earnhardt Jr. Drivers). NN watched the first episode of DWTS, and when Michael Waltrip took the floor, NN really thought he should take that floor outside of the dance studio. Not only was MW dancing like a robot, he almost

wasn’t “dancing” at all. It was more like moving kinda sorta clumsy-like around the floor. If NN liked MW better, she’da felt bad for him. But since he dissed Junior that one time, she raised her glass of Sweet Cherry Pie wine and said “Adios, Bubba.” Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The fans/judges (’K, so mostly the fans, whoever they are) have kept MW on the dance floor even though, bless his heart, he’s just not very good at dancing. In an effort to win back the hearts and votes of fans who didn’t appreciate that one time when he dissed Junior, MW challenged the sport’s most popular driver for 11 years in a row to, hisownself, join the DWTS cast. While all of Junior Nation would tune in and crash the DWTS voting site with votes, our General said he will never do DWTS. NN is pretty bummed about that, on accounta she’d like to see Junior in some of those cute-but-not-much-of outfits they put the guys in on DWTS. NN is old, but not blind and she has been known, on occasion, to drool over some of the dudes on DWTS. Just sayin. . . . And speaking of Nations, Nascar Nellie is just a tad upset that the NASCAR people have given all of the 16 drivers in this new chase race their very own nations. ’Scuse NN, but there is only ONE Nation and that belongs to Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sport’s most popular driver 11 years in a row (just in case you forgot). NN doesn’t mind those ’nother drivers having a small country or terri-

Four Corners SPORTS

NOVEMBER 2014

tory, but they can’t have Nations. It is the will of Junior Nation fans, of which there are a gazillion billion. Just so’s ya know. The 16 drivers will be whittled down to four, who will compete for the championship trophy, which is bigger and prob’ly worth more in dollars than the mirror ball trophy Junior (but prob’ly not MW) would win in DWTS. NN watches her NASCAR races religiously (and heaven only knows she prays a lot during those darned races, ’specially when Junior or one of her NDEJD isn’t doing well), and while NN doesn’t pretend to know (or care) about the engines or the tires or the horsepower or the wedges (although MW did say on DWTS that he had a wedgie, but NN is pretty sure it’s not the same thing. . . .), she does care about the drivers, their wives/signiﬁcant others and their sponsors. Just so’s ya know. Nascar Nellie is NOT a fan of Brad Keselowski or Joey Logano, although even NN will admit both drivers are really, really good. NN is also not a fan of Kyle (Boo-Hoo) Busch, although Boo-Hoo doesn’t boo-hoo so much anymore and is not quite as arrogant and insufferable as he usetabe, so NN is considering bringing her million dollar (that would be million dollars SPENT, not WORTH) of M&M collectibles back out of the banished-from-the-casita shed, but only a few at a time, in case Boo-h oo says something not nice about Junior, which is never ever good in NN’s NASCAR book. Just sayin’. . . .), or AJ Allmendiger, who one time took NN’s ’nother most favorite driver, her

race and NN can, sometimes, forgive, but she never ever forgets when one of her drivers is wronged. NN also useta not like Jimmie Johnson, but when Junior joined the Hendrick Motors Sports team with JJ and Jeff Gordon, she was forced to shop at Lowe’s and like JJ. It was a difﬁcult transition for NN on accounta she really, really didn’t like JJ, but JJ loves Junior and that matters most in NN’s NASCAR world. NN does believe this is Junior’s year to win the championship, but also knows the General might have some trouble with JJ, BK, JG and Happy Harvick, who has the unfortunate challenge of being a teammate of BK and JL. Whatever. NN doesn’t watch the Nationwide Series much, although since her Sweet Baboo got demoted to the minor league of NS, she does sometimes, and when she does she roots for her Sweet Baboo (even though he remains happily married to that woman who stole him from NN, even though NN promised the nowwife her entire collection of disgraced M&M collection if she’d back off and let NN have him) and Chase Elliott (whose dad, Bill, was the sport’s most popular driver until Junior came along) and for Kyle Larson.

NN always believes anything/everything Bradley and Joshua say (they are HUGE fans of Boo-hoo, which NN is pretty sure was caused when they fell on their heads at some time when they were younger. NN has offered to knock ’em up alongside their heads again, to bring their good judgment back, but Bradley has gotten to be bigger than NN and Joshua can run faster, so that hasn’t happened. Whatever.), but NN does like Kyle Larson and does root for him.

NN’s dirt track racin’ buddies, Bradley and Joshua Huish, have actually raced with Kyle Larson and they say he’s a good guy. Not that

NN will be glued to her television set and will have her IV of Sweet Cherry Pie wine hooked up for all the races for the rest of the season and for the reruns of the races Junior

won and did well (they would be almost all of ’em – just sayin’. . . .) And if you ever feel the ground shake on race day, you can be pretty certain it’s because Junior has either passed a car, taken the lead or – as he has done three times so far this year – won a race. NN and Junior Nation are nothing if not passionate about their driver. NN even bought one of those Fathead lifesize decals (’K, before NN gets calls and text messages, “lifesize” for NN is anything over three feet tall) of Junior and has a place of honor in her NASCAR shrine room, where everything is all about Junior. Just so’s ya know. Go 88.

NMAA host annual board meeting The New Mexico Activities Association’s Board of Directors met in regular session on Sept. 24 in the NMAA Hall of Pride and Honor. Sally Marquez gave her Director’s Report that included information on the NMAA’s newest staff member, Sports Information Director Tyler Dunkel, and the NFHS Section 6 Meetings that were held in Oklahoma City in mid September. Business Manager Shari Kessler-Schwaner presented the NMAA Financial Report that included information on the ﬁnalized reports for the 2013-2014 ﬁscal year and annual audit. Deputy Director Dana Pappas presented the NMAA Activities Report which included information on the September Activities Council Meeting, non-NMAA member schools participating in sanctioned activities, the 2015 national student

council meeting which will be held in Rio Rancho, N.M., and the future includes plans to improve track statewide participation numbers in all activities. Deputy Director Dana Pappas presented the New Mexico Officials Association report which included information on the 2014 NASO Summit that was held in Albuquerque, the numerous basketball camps held across the state, the creation of a baseball umpires educational forum (similar to the current basketball REF), the success of the current feedback/film training process for football officials, and the crisis we face today regarding officials’ numbers in all sports across the state. Sally Marquez went over several discussion/informational items with the Board that included the possibility of holding the State Spirit Championships in December, potential

legislative issues pertaining to non-member private school student participation and charter school participation, the new Compete with Class Sportsmanship Initiative, and the upcoming Commission and Board elections. The board of Directors took action on the following items: • Voted to table a proposal that would eliminate non-travel assessments for various member schools within the Albuquerque metro area • Voted to table a proposal to increase ofﬁcials’ fees • Voted in favor of a proposal to change the district tie-breaking procedure in the sport of softball • Voted in favor of a proposal to change the Class A/4A golf districts for the 2014/2016 block The next NMAA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2014.

NOVEMBER 2014

Four Corners SPORTS

Aztecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Raymond Torres plays in Nature Valley First Tee Open Courtesy photos raymond torres had the week of his life from Sept, 24th to Sept. 28th in Monterey, Calif. the senior from Aztec was selected as one of 81 participants from all of the chapters of the First tee to play in the Nature Valley First tee open. the festivities came fast and furious as soon as he and Hidden Valley Golf Course Head Golf professional and the First tee Level II Coach, tom McClurg, arrived. raymond played a practice round at poppy Hills Golf Course on Wednesday and was joined by Champions tour player Stephen Ames. on Wednesday night, the entire group met Colbie Caillat and was entertained by a private concert near the 18th green at pebble Beach Golf Links. that evening torres also found out he was playing with

Four Corners SportS

NOVEMBER 2014

TomYOST The First Tee

Champions Tour Veteran, mark mcNulty in the proJunior competition. Thursday brought the opportunity to play a practice round at pebble Beach Golf Links and another banquet that evening. on Friday morning Torres and mcNulty teed off at poppy Hills at 7:41 a.m. They shot a best ball score of even par. on Saturday, the pair also shot even par when they played pebble Beach. Even though Torres failed to make it into the top 23 pro-Junior teams for Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nal round, The First Tee still treated them to a round at Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses on Sunday. The time was a memorable one for Torres, as he kept a journal and will describe it to you the reader in his own words in the next issue of Four Corners Sports magazine.

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Skateboarding “Skateboarding takes me out of reality for a while and it’s so much fun,” he said. “When I’m down at the (Brookside) park skating, with my music on, it’s just perfect.” “Rolling away from a trick is a great thing,” Werito said, adding that he usually skates four hours a week. His 5year-old son, Carter, is also learning to board, but Werito is cautious about his son’s activity. “I’ll wait for him to mature a little more before we go skateboarding together.” Werito shares his love of skateboarding with the younger people who skate at Brookside Park. “The younger kids want to talk to me about skateboarding and ask for tips,” he said. “And these younger kids are getting pretty good!” Scott Hunter has been skateboarding for half of his life. “I started when I was 12 years old and the boys across the

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street were skateboarding,” Hunter said. “I had done scootering, but it doesn’t hold a candle to skateboarding.” Hunter appreciates the history of skateboarding as well. “It’s got a history other extreme sports don’t have. And once you step on a skateboard, you can’t stay off one.” A graduate of San Juan College and Fort Lewis College in Durango, Hunter is the shipping and receiving manager for Maria’s Bookstore in Durango. While he often skateboards to work and around Durango, he misses the camaraderie of skateboarding with his friends. “I enjoy Brookside (Park),” Hunter said. “It’s not the best, but that’s where my family core group of skateboarders is. They don’t care how much money you make or where you live. They just think if you’re a skateboarder, you’re a cool dude.”

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NOVEMBER 2014

Hunter credits Diswood and SnS Skateshop for fueling his passion and encouraging him. “I was against (skateboarding) competition because it seemed so fake,” he said. “But Daniel is good about competition and he makes sure everyone has fun and everyone participates.” Hunter has another take on skateboarders as a genre, and believes it to be an intellectual activity as well. “I tend to look at skateboarding as an intellectual exercise,” he said. “Skateboarders look at a (skateboarding) bank and see more than just a bank. They see the architecture of it and they see the ledges. Skateboarders have a way of looking at things that other people don’t see.” For Diswood, the popularity skateboarding has enjoyed brings a cause for pause. “I’m anti turning it into a sport,” he said. “If it’s a sport, you have tournaments and tours of different cities and it turns into basketball or football. Skateboarding is now marketable and it can generate money. Turning it into a sport means corporate logos like on race cars. But money makes the world go ‘round.” For now, at least, Diswood and the legion of skateboarders across the country take their boards, ﬁnd a hill, learn new tricks and they skate. There are no fans in the stands, no referees on the slope and no money to be made. But the thrill of mastering a new trick doesn’t need cheering fans. It’s the satisfaction of achieving a goal and knowing you did it – alone.

NOVEMBER 2014

Four Corners SporTS

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