Track twins from Kansas part of Cape athletic legacy
Track tradition - A small group of athletes - all are welcome - is showing up for track workouts three mornings a week at Legends Stadium with coach Jay Maull just to work on core body strength, quickness, proper running form and sustaining speed over distance. On Monday, I was introduced to fraternal twins and granddaughters of Ed Waples, who ran track on state championship teams for Tom Hickman back when Cape’s home track was the cinder oval behind Shields school. The girls live in Kansas, and when I joked, “Well, I guess you’re not in Kansas anymore," they responded smiling, ”Thank God.” When I asked if they would like to live here at the beach and go to Cape, they came back quickly: “Yes!” Erica and Alexia (their mom is Cape graduate Alexia Waples Hines) are going into ninth grade.
Scoreboard! Scoreboard! - I believe the Cape school board has heard several proposals and options from Athletic Director Bob Cilento for a new scoreboard for Legends Stadium. Legends Stadium is also in desperate need of a lighting upgrade over the technology of 35 years. Night games gave off the dim yellow hue of a police interrogation room.
Tuesday night hockey - I was kicked back Tuesday night watching full-field pickup field hockey at Champions Stadium because I was transporter reporter for granddaughter Lizzie, one of 13 varsity lacrosse players who were also on the state championship field hockey team. The up-and-down action impressed me, like, “Girls can play this sport at Cape,” and several returning players were not even there. I was particularly impressed with senior goalie Christina Gooding, poised to finally get her chance, who was all over hard shots with a “not tonight” attitude. "I’ve never seen a school like Cape where the girls just never stop moving and are always looking for an opportunity to play," said coach Debbie Windett.
Old dogs and devils - I am somehow out of the press loop on the 2014 Slam Dunk To The Beach, so when the field of out-of-state teams was published in the Wednesday New Journal I was busy being the bumper for four grandchildren careering off my carcass for reasons known only to them while I protected myself like a soccer defender on a direct kick. Then into my garage walking on a cane was an old friend I hadn’t spoken to in 12 years. We hugged; he plopped down on a telescopic patio chair and we took flight. Bobby Jacobs, the Tasmanian Devil of basketball tournament directors, took me time travelling to Slams past. We were deeply off the record but trust me, his uncanny talents to know the smallest details related to basketball are very much intact. An off-the-record press conference in my garage, old dogs and old friends - it doesn’t get any better.
Snippets - The Blue-Gold All-Star football game is Saturday, June 21, at the University of Delaware. The pregame ceremonies begin at 6 p.m. followed by the game at 7 p.m. The Hand in Hand Buddy Program where game buddies roar from both end zones to find their players while the music plays “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand” is the best 10 minutes of the year in Delaware sports. Justin Lopez and Thomas Ott will represent Cape in the game.
The Cape girls' lacrosse extended program from Atlantic to Eastern Shore, clinics, camps and Thursday night Lewes Lax, winter indoor Crown Center and team workouts at Body Shop in Rehoboth just never stops developing and improving players. And college coaches know Cape. Most of them have actually been on campus for the Beach Blast Tournament - three days, seven fields and 100 squads - that takes place the weekend of June 27.
Cape basketball coach Steve Re took 11 players to the Naval Academy basketball camp and played in the top bracket against teams Bullis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Yorktown, North Point and Quince Orchard. Re’s K-4 basketball camp June 23-26 has been moved to Beacon Middle School. It runs from 9 a.m to noon; any questions, call 410-430-7852.
The Cape Crusaders will be doing their barbecue chicken fundraiser Saturday, June 21, in front of Outlet Liquors.
There is a charity softball game and barbecue at 2 p.m., Sunday, June 22, at Sports at the Beach featuring the Phillies Ball Girls versus the Riders, a team of former softball stars assembled to represent the Therapeutic Riding School. Tom Peet asked me to emcee the event because the first nine people he asked said they were going to a World Cup party. Go on now, git!
