Your grandfather's grandmother - A press release from Special Olympics Delaware says, "Team Delaware made waves on the track at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games! Christian Partlow and DeLonte Hamilton didn’t just compete in the 50M, they rewrote the record books. The previous USA Games record of 7.62 seconds (set in 2014) didn’t stand a chance. Christian Partlow – gold – 6.86 seconds. DeLonte Hamilton – silver – 7.16 seconds. Both athletes broke the USA Games record in an unforgettable race, showcasing incredible speed, determination and heart on the national stage. This is what greatness looks like. This is Team Delaware." I not only coached Christian’s grandfather Jeff Partlow, but I knew his grandfather's grandmother Mabel Dunning. I also know his grandmother Debbie Rodgers ... and I’m just getting started. 

Schematic fanatics - I was defensive coordinator for Cape football under head coach Rob Schroeder from 1985 through 1987. Talent prevails over schemers, and simplicity wins out over complexity. I was a schemer of complex systems. During a game at Seaford, it was third and long for the Blue Jays of coach Ron Dickerson. I spread the defense and walked away the linebackers to cover the flats. I saw the weakness just before the snap of the football. Dickerson followed a pattern in all his years of successes running the Delaware Wing-T offense. A quick inside handoff to Wade Jones, a guard trap, the beastly fullback ran all the way to Pocomoke. Note: Captain Dick once got tossed from a game at Cape. He did the slow walk to the concession stand and bought a hot dog on his way to the team bus. 

Booster rockets - There have been many great sports booster club parents over the years who do so much to make the sport better for all the players. And most of those boosters move on to follow the journey of their kids to the next level. And that’s a good thing, a natural progression, because they need to step off and make way for the next posse of enthusiasts. But it gets tough if the first-team boosters are coaches of their team players. The better the team, the more people who want to coach it.      

A long way off - DIAA will realign the postseason structure of state championship tournaments for all sports except football beginning in 2027-28.  Information on classifications can now be found on the DIAA website. If you are unemployed this summer, that is a good place to land and start doing the mess-around to make this more fair, which makes no sense and is unattainable, as fair is fair – or not. Coach Scott Myers, head coach of girls' soccer at Milford, responded on a Facebook thread, “The website explains how everyone ended up where they did. It’s entirely based on math. It's 40% your win percentage over the previous two seasons, 40% your win percentage over the previous four seasons, 20% school enrollment. Every team ended up exactly where the math put them. They can appeal too. It also will change every two years based on new numbers. Some teams will move up and some teams will move down.” I don’t know what happens when you open up a pandora’s box and let the cats out of the bag at the same time. Chaos and conniptions. I’m glad I’m not in charge of anything.

Recruiting tournaments - College coaches rim the field, sitting in beach chairs as they watch weekend championship tournaments. They gather names then send out letters of interest. There is never talk of monies, because it’s more about roster spots and clearing admissions barriers. Motivated athletes backed by financially secure families know the game is about opportunities. After all, all any of us want is a chance. Seriously, it's pretty stressful out there right now, if not downright strange. 

My World Cups -  I have engraved Jefferson Cups from all 16 state championships of girls' lacrosse and also coach PJ Kesmodel's Delaware Lacrosse Hall of Fame Cup from 2018. I am the only person with a cup from all 16 championships. Coach PJ and coach Lindsey have each won eight state championships. Five Fred granddaughters were on a combined 13 state championship teams.  

Snippets - I cover mostly high school field hockey and girls' lacrosse. The girls run like whippets – so athletic and graceful with great flexibility in the hips and shoulders. Many of the next-level athletes enter college programs and the rigors of weight training. And their bodies respond and become more powerful and durable; it's harder to move them off the spot after they establish position. But turning a whippet into a bulldog is at least argumentative in the development of the athlete. Speaking of sport-specific body types, have you seen any World Cup athletes that look like NFL linemen? Sport-specific fitness based on scientific training programs is what’s happening right now. It's just a matter of what the athlete is willing to buy into. Protein shakes or carbo loading? It’s a choice. Go on now, git!