Sports on the beach are postcard perfect

Postcard perfect - Cape’s lacrosse girls hosted a Holy Thursday Easter Egg Hunt and skills session at Champions Stadium for the young girls of Atlantic Lacrosse followed by five full days off. They returned for double sessions April 20 in a lead-up to Saturday's home contest against powerhouse Broadneck. Wednesday afternoon, it was a workout at Lewes Beach directed by Adam Howard of the Rehoboth Body Shop. Adam is a longtime friend and consultant to the program. Lewes Beach in April is a hit-or-miss (mostly miss) proposition, as there is either too much wind or too many people. But Wednesday, the tourons were gone, the early morning wind had dropped out and  a dead low tide lengthened the beach. As locals say, “The bay was calm as a dish.” Sesame Street by the Sea – the lax muppets were crab-walking and duck-walking, the air was relaxing, and the beach is always Tranquility Base.

Banning Belarusians - The Boston Marathon banned Russians and Belarusians from this year's race. Wimbledon just announced no R&Bs at this year's tournament. Maybe it is time to apprehend The Great 8 Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals hockey team and exchange him for Brittney Griner, a U.S. citizen being held captive in Russia. Alex seems like a great guy, but, man, watching the daily beatdowns of Ukrainians orchestrated by Pound Dog Putin is only bearable because the threat of nuclear contamination is real talk about climate change. Sports and Society is not a college elective, but a real course we all live every day. 

Cat scratch fever - Speaking of sports, I have joked, “I have my ear to the track in a town where the train don’t run,” or “I’m inside more loops than the night watchman at a hula hoop factory,” or my latest: “When the sports cat is let out of the bag, he comes scratching at my screen door.” In modern times, everyone seems to be under some self-imposed HIPAA gag order. All this is laid down as a backdrop or drop cloth to the upcoming April 28 school board meeting at LCE (whatever that means) as the recommendation for Cape’s new head football coach is laid down on the table in executive session, where all agendas are hidden. 

Happy hours - Catch Cape boys’ volleyball Friday, April 22, as the Vikings host Salesianum. Cape’s unbeaten JV plays at 4 p.m. followed by the varsity at 5:30. The Sallies team is 9-0, while Cape is 8-1. Cape coach Tyler Coupe was a Sallies hitter back in his “flew the Coupe” playing days.

Snippets - Chloe Schaeffer scored four goals with four assists as the Mercer Bears won their seventh consecutive Big South game 21-8 over Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.C. Isea Cryne played the entire game in goal, stopping four shots. Mikey Frederick is heading to Mercer in Macon, Ga., next year to play lacrosse, keeping the Cape connection going. I watch the Boston Marathon on television, but once the leaders cross the finish line I alight from the thrift shop couch, jump in my 18-year-old 4Runner and drive to a beach to look at the water. There was a time when I ran and a time when I got wet. I honestly don’t see the appeal of qualifying and “running Boston” with 28,000 other people. If I run the Rehoboth Marathon in 4 hours and 35 minutes, I will qualify for Boston in 2023. The entry fee is $205. Boston collects close to $6 million in entry fees alone. The Guardians are leading the American League Central Division. Where was I when the Cleveland Indians became the Guardians? I guess the same “dead zone'' when most of the USA learned the electric slide. The Phillies have dropped eight of their first 13 games and are already four games behind the Mets. The NBA playoffs are insane – bang the boards and kick it out for the three-point shot. I like the Sixers and Celtics, and will be glad when the Brooklyn Nets are gone and coach Steve Nash can go get something to eat. Penn Relays are always the last weekend in April. Vincent Glover set a state record in the triple jump at Penn in 1983, jumping 48-feet-6-inches after taking off a foot behind the board. Kai Maull won the Championship of America at Penn, jumping 24-feet-9-inches, and had his picture taken with Bill Cosby. I know because I took it. “Cuzzie” aka Vaughn Trammell called me at 8 a.m., Thursday: “Just want to thank you and your wife for supporting me at the [Afro American Sports Hall of Fame] banquet and being with me throughout my life every step of the way. I love you guys, you hear me now, make sure you tell your wife.” Go on now, git!