Fall sports practices begin Aug. 15; it’s time to get real

Fall sports - The first practice for high school fall sports is Wednesday, Aug. 15. Middle school sports practices begin Saturday, Aug. 25. Sports offered are boys’ and girls’ cross country, field hockey, volleyball, football and boys’ soccer. And some schools offer Unified flag football, run in partnership with Special Olympics Delaware. Websites4Sports is the best place to track scores and schedules along with who is scoring or what times they are running. Numbered rosters should also be available.  

Commiseration - Defined as sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others. Here’s the thing for all those well-intentioned people looking for the right thing to say to a person with a serious illness or athlete shut down by catastrophic injury: Does well-intentioned commiseration have to be sharing similar stories by the teller who doesn’t have just one but tons of stories to share? Maybe those stories should be saved for a person in perfect health leading a perfect life. “Get ready, there’s a train coming, Skippy, to burst your idyllic life.” “No,” the happy person would say, “why don’t you go down to the ocean and play with a Portuguese man-of-war? I’m busy being happy here.” The Race for the Ribbon July 14 with 410 runners raised $25,000 for cancer research, and, man, I heard more sad stories than a little bit. I didn’t even get a chance to tell my own. Like all of us, I have plenty to share. 

Follow the ball - Putin gave Trump a soccer ball that was actually used in the World Cup final. Trump tossed the ball to Melania, but it was caught by Pompeo, who then handed to Melania who said she was giving it to Barron, who loves soccer. I’m chasing that story, ready to head that ball into the U.S. soccer net. I’m thinking Barron is not allowed to keep that ball, as it belongs to every citizen of the United States. And was it signed? If not, it’s just another dumb old ball for the dog to bite, except there is no White House dog. I know a lab will tear up a soccer ball. They hate soccer!

There was no collusion - No, I’m not quoting President Trump’s favorite short sentence regarding the Russian probe, but rather the NFL’s position on Colin Kaepernick and why no one will sign him to any sort of contract. Personally, when some sports fan says, “You know what’s going on, Fredman,” I have to respond, “Actually, I don’t.” Collusion by the NFL owners to keep Kaepernick in permanent kneel-down position is hard to prove, but I ain’t saying it’s not happening. Let the courts chase it down. Baseball player Curt Flood challenged Major League Baseball’s reserve clause in 1969 (free agency) and he lost a court battle and his job as a player. There was overwhelming evidence he was blackballed, but players organized thanks to his efforts, and free agency is now a reality we all live with. But it has ruined the game for fans – just look at this summer with all the baseball and basketball players changing teams. Speaking of standing on principle, and I’ve had a few I wanted to stand on, I always told my high school students, “Just because your position is right and just, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win. Let’s be real, right loses every day, so by all means, stand up for your beliefs, but don’t look for a soft place to land.” 

Snippets - The Vikings Basketball Camp at Cape Henlopen High School is set for July 30 to Aug. 1. It’s 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for boys and girls grades 5 to 8. Cost is $100 and campers should bring lunch. Contact coach Stephen Re at stephen.re@cape.k12.de.us or call 410-430-7852. Sussex Academy will play a full varsity schedule of field hockey this fall – 13 games – but only Laurel and Sussex Central from the Henlopen Conference. Zoe Scott from Beacon Middle, then Caesar Rodney High School where she was state champion in the high jump as a freshman, will attend Temple University in the fall. Katie Klabe has transferred to the University of Delaware after one year at Winthrop University and is looking forward to playing club lacrosse in the spring. Delaware offers 38 club sports teams – I’ll take their word without listing them – and there is an orientation night in the fall to find out how the entire system works. Club team athletes liberally use the words competitive and fun, but give up the satisfaction of saying “I play D1” to some anonymous Food Lion shopper. I’m off to the dog food aisle. Go on now, git!