From the sidelines
Whenever I can't think of anything to write, I jot down some random thoughts from my head and call it a column.
This is one of those times.
— From the little I've seen, and the much I've heard, Marion summer baseball and softball teams have been fairing pretty well.
One baseball team has won games of 28-0 and 18-0, and an American Legion team out of Hillsboro featuring three Marion players is 11-1 and only yielded about 20 runs all season.
— It's only June, but does anyone else feel like the football season is right around the corner?
— I hadn't played ping-pong in a few years until my dad, uncle, and brother had a tournament a few weeks ago at the house we shared at Virginia Beach.
I took second behind my uncle, who I did beat one out of five games, and beat my dad two out of three.
I don't know what it is, but I always feel bad when I beat my dad in something. That is until he beats me and I realize he has a little too much fun doing so.
— The Cal Ripken Midwest regional baseball tournament is now only a month away.
Seven teams from seven states across the region will be coming to Marion.
I wonder if some people realize how big of a deal this is? Good thing the pool is open. Oh wait, baseball players are supposed to stay out of the pool on game days. We'll see how well that goes.
— Speaking of the pool. I will reserve final judgment for when it is completely done.
However, the slide is in, and is deceptively cool. From the outside, it looks kind of small, but once you see it from the inside you realize it will be a nice addition to the complex.
— One final thought related to the pool.
The swim team snagged a great coach in Marion Elementary School principal Rod Garman.
He won't toot his own horn , but he brings a lot of experience to this squad of 90-plus swimmers, and knows a lot of them from school.
When talking to him it's obvious he likes to win, but teaching proper technique, and developing good swimmers in and out of the pool is more important to him.
— I told Marion/USD 408 REC director Margo Yates I would help her out with umpiring duties this summer if she needed me.
So here's a disclaimer: I'm going to tell you right now, if I actually do hit the field in blue this summer, at some point I will mess up. I mean, there is a first time for everything.
— Just in case you didn't catch the hint of sarcasm in that last sentence, I'm letting you know now.
— I was asked to talk to a group of summer school students this past week.
All of them volunteered to take some classes and happened to be in the writing segment of the session.
I talked to them in small groups of four or five about what I do at the paper.
Most of them seemed at least somewhat interested, and all were at least polite even if they thought I was boring.
But one young man, you know who you are if you are reading this, was at my table with three other girls. He held his own pretty good, as they gave him a hard time for asking a lot of questions.
I just wanted to say thanks to him for at least making me feel like my job is important.
— On a closing note, I wanted to say thanks to my T-ball kids and parents. You guys have been great, and made the experience a lot of fun.
Let's go get 'em tonight boys!
Mike can be contacted at mnorris817@gmail.com, or (620) 382-2165.
