To celebrate a state championship in football and a very successful fall sports season – both on and off the field as the overall grade average of all fall sports teams was a 92, the Maine-Endwell School District put on a parade for the both the school and the overall communities.
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I have a guest post up at Shooting for the Show. It is a look at the traditions in the Cornell Hockey program. Totally different from my post here yesterday. Hope you go check it out.
If you are a hockey fan, you should bookmark Justin’s site.
Last week, my daughter and I picked up a former classmate of hers from university and made what seems to be our annual trek to Cornell University. We live about 40 miles from Ithaca, New York and Cornell is an easy drive for a game or event, providing weather cooperates.
The reason for the trip this time was the Niagara University men’s ice hockey team was going to be playing Cornell. The 7 pm start made it easy to get her friend from college and get to Lynah Rink with time to spare. I will say I have never before had to park in the garage for a hockey, soccer or basketball game at Cornell but, even with the Thanksgiving break beginning, the parking lots around the rink were full.
Lynah and Cornell have some great hockey traditions. The banners that hang from the rafters tell the story of a program that wins and produces championships. Games are very hard to get tickets for, between the student section – which was full last week despite the impending break – and the season ticket holders. While there were seats in the area of the season ticket holders that looked empty, those seats most likely belonged to someone who was out of town for the holiday.
We saw some great hockey played by both teams. Niagara, who is not having a great season as far as wins, played very well and almost took the game to overtime. Unfortunately, a goal went in for Cornell with approximately 8 minutes left in the third period.
Enjoy the slideshow of sights from the game. Please realize the red you will see is mostly on the fans as I was looking to get good shots of Niagara players. Also realize that all photos were taken through glass. While our seats were practically on the ice, section O – where Cornell puts visiting fans – is not conducive to great photos of the entire ice.
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My children go to a school that is known for its academics, a school that is known for its music program and a school that is known for its sports. When you consider the high school – where sports are played most – has approximately 800 students, it is a miracle that there is more than one program where students excel. In programs like Science Olympiad, it is hard as students are generally in everything, taking AP classes while playing in the band and participating in sports.
The state championship games are coming around this month for fall sports. In this school district of approximately 2,600 students, the following teams are into the semi-finals in the state championships: boys’ soccer, football, and field hockey. On top of that the cross country team placed seventh at the state meet and is going to the federation – which, if I remember correctly, is a combination of both public and private schools – meet this coming weekend.
Just seven short years ago, my second born was playing on the varsity football team. The team went undefeated and won the state championship game. I remember the work that the boys put in practicing. I remember the work the parents put in supporting the team. I remember some very good high school football. I also remember injuries, lots of injuries and some at not convenient times.
As the boys and girls at Maine-Endwell continue on their championship journey, I wish all the teams and their coaching staffs good luck.
I am heading out for a full day of high school homecoming activities today. Throw into that mix a re-dedication of our newly remodeled high school and it is going to be a busy Saturday. To keep you all up on what I am doing, I had a guest post yesterday at Shooting for the Show. Go visit my friend Justin’s blog about college and minor league hockey and read a piece I did on Binghamton finally getting a championship.
As a tribute to the 2011 Calder Cup champions – the hometown Binghamton Senators – I am posting some photos taken while waiting on the bus to return the players from their winning game. Tonight the banner goes up and these will all be in the past and a new season will being.
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The calendar has once again turned to October. Good news! My fall marathon is over. Better news!! The temperature is going to warm up a bit. Best news!!! October is the start of hockey season!!!
On my recent trip to Pittsburgh for my daughter’s college graduation, we had the chance to visit the Consol Energy Center and attend a preseason skate and inter-squad scrimmage for the Pittsburgh Penguins. While I was sad to think that the Igloo – directly across the street – would eventually be torn down, the Consol Energy Center is a beautiful arena. I can imagine there is not a seat in the house that is bad for hockey. On top of that, it was wonderful to be in a city that supported its teams. This particular Sunday was the home opener for the Steelers and yet, there were plenty of people at this skate.
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While I have been told that I am too trusting by many people, I find myself being a skeptic here in the last day or two of the 2011 Tour de France. As almost anyone knows – even those who do not follow the sport of cycling, doping allegations and proven cases have been rampant in the sport in the last ten years. While regulatory agencies are trying to clean cycling up as much as possible, it seems every major event brings about new accusations.
As the 2010 Tour de France wrapped up, news approximately a month later was that the winner, Alberto Contador of Spain, had a sample test positive. Contador defended himself saying the drugs in his system had come from meat treated with the drug. The final determination regarding this doping has not been made yet as the 2011 Tour is about to wrap up. My skeptism this year wraps around Contador.
Contador looked human in the Pyrenees. He didn’t have much on these mountains. He tried to take seconds away from his time that he was behind the leaders and did not do it. He, through my non-rosy glasses, looked like a man who suddenly did not have that extra that was necessary to win. In this case, he looked like a man who was trying to stay squeaky clean and that was making his riding less than effective in the mountains – an area where he had excelled in the past.
Then, there were rest days and some flatter stages prior to rolling into the Alps. Contador looked like the cyclist of old in the Alps. While he did not win a stage, or really take back time to draw himself closer to the leaders, he attacked and attacked again on these ascents. He did not look like the same cyclist that had ridden through the Pyrenees. Something – and the skeptic in me does not think it was pride – motivated him a bit more in the Alps.
While I know in my heart I should believe this man innocent until he is defnitely proven guilty (as if a positive blood test is not enough), I can’t for some reason. Maybe it is the persona that Contador has presented in previous years. Maybe it is the cockiness Contador always presents. Maybe it is just the skeptic in me.
Do you follow professional cycling? What do you think of the various riders in the 2011 Tour de France? What do you think of Contador?
Sitting on a school board in New York State, I know that concussions in youth sports are a hot topic at present. Legislation has been introduced into the legislature that will detail how a student will rehabilitate from a concussion, including believing a concussion to be present whether diagnosed or not. This legislation, which could take effect as early as July 1 of this year, would apply to all New York State public school students, regardless of how the concussion was incurred – sports, PE class, just goofing around.
Concussions are very difficult to diagnose. It is equally hard for those so diagnosed to realize that there is a need for little or no activity to heal the brain. Strangely, parents first think of sports such as football when thinking of concussions. While a possibility in football, I believe that some other sports may be more likely to be the cause – soccer and basketball come to mind.
While playing both competitive travel soccer and high school varsity soccer, my daughter suffered several concussions. These brain injuries ranged from minor to rather major. The cause was different each time: a ball to the head not properly taken, a header where contact made with another head. The biggest common part was that my daughter wanted to continue to play even though the head ache was almost debilitating.
Diagnosis is difficult, also. My daughter has had CT scans. Luckily, the doctor could convince our insurance company that these were necessary. This is not always the case. Concussions are becoming such an issue for children and teenagers that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has started a Heads Up campaign.
Parents need to recognize what a concussion is and what the warning signs of such are. Many coaches feel kids should just play through such issues so learn to be an advocate for your child, your athlete. Be sure to get your child to a doctor to be diagnosed and follow medical treatment to the letter. It is also important to be sure that your teenager does not self-medicate for a concussion. Many will not want to miss practice or games and so will keep you in the dark. Learn what the symptoms are for a concussion so that you can take the best care of your child, teenager.
The CDC has several different toolkits on concussions for different interest groups: parents, schools, school athletics, youth athletics. Check out the toolkits and be sure to let your school or coach know that these are available. Toughing out a brain injury – which is what a concussion is – is not an option! Educate yourself, your coach, your school and your child/teen.
I wrote this blog post while participating in a SocialMoms blogging program for which I may receive a thank you kit. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
