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Trooper Tim Wolansky totally locked in for the national anthem

Coach Lou Nicoletti steps off from teaching and coaching
February 16, 2018

The Great Wolansky - Master Cpl. Tim Wolansky, dressed in full state trooper uniform, was working the Dover at Cape boys’ basketball game Feb. 13 at the Cape Big House. The national anthem was being played, so I panned the crowd to make sure Cape Athletic Director Bob Cilento didn’t lock himself in the closet with the balls again. I looked across the gym and saw a young father sitting along with his young son, who was old enough to stand on his own. There is protest and there is message; I didn’t know what either was all about, but I was curious. Then I spotted Trooper Tim totally locked in. I snapped a photo, knew it would be a good one, and later placed it on Facebook. I know Trooper Tim like, “Hey, how ya doin’?” And he knows me back, “How you doin’?” But I am the 5,000 friends on social media guy, and comments came in quickly: “Awesome guy. Great man. Nice guy. Great trooper. And favorite coworker.” I call those referendum moments, and it was pretty obvious that Cape’s resource officer whose job is to “defuse the distressful” manages to do it and still be liked by everybody. That is the right stuff, and that is good stuff.

Coach Nic - Teacher/Coach Lou Nicoletti retired from the business at semester break at Sussex Tech. The last time he rode off into the sunset, he spent three years in California. I joked that Lou was in witness protection, but a few readers interpreted that as a politically incorrect Italian joke. Is Coach Nicoletti Italian? Who knew? Nic coached cross country and track and field at Glasgow 1976-80, Delcastle 1980-92 and two stints at Sussex Tech 1992-99 and 2002-17. Students in the classroom and athletes in uniform didn’t just like Coach Nic, they absolutely loved the guy because he is an authentic, straight-up character. We are all unique people, but they broke molds, templates, baselines and guidelines when Lou Nicoletti climbed free from his crib.

Throwback to the future - Cape senior Ben Ashby signed with Salisbury University and will play football for the Gulls in fall 2018. Ben tore his ACL during the latter part of the football season, which puts him on the shelf for spring track where he was a sprinter and jumper. I always likened Ben to a throwback SEC baller from the ’60s, a two-way player who can carry the mail on offense or light up a runner, bringing the special-delivery heavy package on defense. Ben also returns punts and kickoffs. He is the coordinated fast and fearless guy. “I’m thinking I’m better on defense,” Ben said. “I plan on being ready when camp opens in August.”

Standards of fitness - Gyms from CrossFit to Pilates are filled with fit people who spend lots of time and energy being low-body-fat, fit people. It’s all good, but it doesn’t mean they can play a sport. I always argued if you take a football player off a team for failing English, then take the fat kid out of honors trigonometry until he can find an angle on his own body. Bad grammar is preferable to bad health - “Let me have two of them there chocolate donuts.” Wayne Gretzky once suggested he was the weakest player in the NHL and could only bench 135 pounds. I once joked to Cape point guard Brandon Leggins, “You need to get your bony self in the weight room.” Brandon smiled and said, “They don’t play the game in the weight room, Fredman.” Coaches are still setting distance running standards as criteria for making a team. But most sports players run like house cats and use their hands. Let me get off of this subject and get some peanut butter toast, but I’ll weigh in again as soon as I figure how to program the digital scale that has been in a box the last two years. 

Snippets - Leigh Lingo and Molly Soulé, both from Worcester Prep, saw action for Virginia Tech lacrosse in a 16-11 loss at James Madison. Taylor Gooch, a Temple defender, saw playing time as the Owls beat Monmouth University 18-7. Lizzie Frederick, a Temple sophomore, is rehabbing and coming back from a hip injury. Florida lacrosse with Cape’s Eddy Shoop on the roster will host No. 1 Maryland at 1 p.m., Saturday. You can watch livestream from the Gators’ website. Tiara Duffy, now a senior on the South Carolina softball team, has been sidelined this early season with an inflamed UCL tendon on her throwing arm. She is beginning to rehab the injury and is expected back quicker than you can say, “Aunt Binky don’t play!” Go on now, git!

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