Spring signing day - Ten Cape athletes signed letters of intent May 6. Each athlete has photos taken with immediate family, coaches, and ending with teammates and friends. Players signing included Quardell Richards, football, Shepherd University; Braydon Redd, cross country/track, Widener University; Will DiPaolo, track, Dickinson College; Norah Block, field hockey, Haverford College; Kaylenn Sockriter, volleyball, Chesapeake College; Braxton Figgs, basketball, Catholic University; Tremaine Batson, football, Shippensburg University; Eric Uffelman, lacrosse, SUNY Maritime College; Mason Trench, lacrosse SUNY Maritime College; and Rylee Ockels, volleyball, Delaware Tech.    

Written reprimand - During my life as a teacher, I received formal, by certified mail, letters of reprimand and informal ones stuck in my school mailbox. An informal critique handwritten on the envelope, “Please return. I recycle.” I’ve also received a few unsatisfactory lesson analyses and the dreaded needs improvement in a professional observation. And yet I am the Cape record holder in emceeing major events, from banquets to proms to variety shows, in addition to speaking at graduation. Back in October 2024, Indian River High School received a letter of reprimand from DIAA for having student-athletes appear in a 30-second TV commercial for Hershey Exteriors. And now, starting in 2025, I noticed athletes wear bling after a game in which they were chosen, let's say, “The Stanley Steamer Player the Game.” Everyone seems OK with it, but as an old-school media person, I don’t interview Athletes of the Game wearing bling belts advertising other platforms. I interviewed the late football coach Al Levan when he was at Delaware State. Afterwards, I gave him a Cape Gazette hat to wear. I used the photo with my story, but that’s different, but not by much. 

The Pit - I knew a family named Pitts that lived down Old Landing Road – they were the Old Landing Pitts. Back at Cape, a wiry raggitty fox lives in the pole vault pit and Cape has the best collection of vaulters in the state. It could be a coincidence, but the sly fox is a calculator, not a coincidenter – I call him Mondo – maybe not a male, but who is going to check? Coach Ellis Gaulden posted a photo of girls by the pit. They were cautious yet acted like the fox rocked cuteness. But the fox isn’t trusting teenaged boys with 15-foot poles. Years ago at a St. Andrew's girls' lacrosse game – like 2010 – an orange cat showed up on the Cape sidelines. Several Cape girls ran like it was an ocelot.  Mondo was trapped by Jared Hill on Wednesday and taken to a more eco friendly location.

Rising tide - “A rising tide lifts all boats.” It's an aphorism, a statement of general truths first cited about 300 years ago. I invaded Sussex Academy May 4, to watch two lacrosse games. I thought, "Tthis is a nice place with a good vibe and beautiful facilities." Cape Henlopen looks like a small college campus you can’t afford to attend. And the new Sussex Central High School is top of the line and user friendly, but I never get past the gym. And look out, here comes Sussex Tech with a new school ready to join the party. A student-athlete can’t go wrong matriculating at any of these places.     

Oppositional defiance - I watched the unbeaten the Fred Thomas boys' lacrosse team beat winless Milford May 5 18-0. I have admiration for coaches like Milford's Tim Millman for taking a roster of 17 athletes and teaching them the game of lacrosse that has a steep learning curve. Goalie Eston Hill, a sixth-grader, caught my attention staying in there against an onslaught of shots. Fred Thomas has a roster of 29 along with seven coaches led by coach Jacob Kee. The challenge for the Freds was to share the ball and get all aspiring players time to get better. 

Snippets - It's hard to know what to make of the Phillies after they’ve won eighth of nine games, but at least they are watchable. John Kruk and Dr. Phil are the latest celebrities to hawk CarShield. I watch mostly sports on television and I fear I’m part of a target demographic of people who make purchases on the advice of millionaires. Go on now, git!