Perhaps it wasn’t the most epic contest in sports history. It probably will not be retold as a soccer legend, except maybe in the family legends of those involved. The scene was the playing fields of the Baxter YMCA. Under a darken sky and cool temperatures, the members of the Thunder and Timber soccer teams took the field and played with great enthusiasm and energy. The Timber and the Thunder showed the fans what hard play and good sportsmanship is all about. The players are between the ages of 4 and 5 years old and they possess the youthful energy of their age. I was part of the group of parents and in my case, grandparents, and other extended family members who were on hand to watch the athletes compete and learn the game. The best way to learn is to play and I salute all the parents and adult volunteers who get the kids up, dressed, and then bring them to the game. They are amazing. The coaches and refs who work with the kids are the true heroes. Their patience and encouragement is essential to helping the kids learn and love the game.
This papaw was able to see his granddaughter run, kick and fall down on the playing field while being a part of the Thunder team. The Ladybug was painted with a spider on her face to frighten the opposition (and her teammates). The Boss was there to give her granddaughter words of encouragement and wipe the smudges from her face. It was a thrill packed morning for everyone as the fans wondered if they had the stamina to endure the chill and stay for the end of the game. Sneezing and runny noses were the order of the day for players and fans alike!
The final score was 4-2 but who won really didn’t matter. Everybody had a wonderful time. My heart swelled with pride as I watched my granddaughter play. It gave me great joy to see the smiles on all the kids faces after the game, knowing how well they played and how proud we all were of all of them. The contest will never be featured on ESPN or NBC Sports but it was a game that I will always remember and will be a part of our family’s happy history. Who knows — maybe 15 or 20 years from now, one or more of the players I watched and enjoyed will be a history maker in a future “game of the century.” Ya just never know!
Horse Racing is Dangerous
The death of 17-year-old apprentice jockey Juan Saez at the Indiana Grand Racing Track and Casino underscores the fact that horse racing can be a brutal and deadly sport. Saez, the young Panamanian rider who was a graduate of the Laffit Pincay Jr. Jockey Training Academy, had made a solid impression as an up-and-comer on the scene. Saez was riding 4-year-old thoroughbred Montezuma Express after two other jockeys passed on the ride. During the race Express clipped the heels of the horse in front of it, Paddy’s Notes. Express went down and Saez was trampled by several other horses. He was helicoptered to the IU-Methodist Trauma Center in Indianapolis, where he died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Juan Saez came from a horse racing family in Panama. His father, uncle, and brother are all jockeys. Saez had ridden to 21 victories on Indiana tracks and was considered a great talent. Two other horses were also injured in the accident, including Montezuma Express, and were euthanized because of injuries. The Indiana Horse Racing Commission viewed videos of the race and determined that no illegal activity was involved during the incident. It was a tragic accident that took the life of a promising young man.
Colts Manhandle the Bengals
Our Indianapolis Colts whopped the Cincinnati Bengals 27-0 last Sunday. It was the first shutout for the team since 2008. The Horseshoe defense came up with a bone-jarring and eye-popping game in which they dominated the Cincinnati offense. Offensively, runningback Ahmed Bradshaw added another receiving touchdown to his total and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season. Andrew Luck added another 300 yard passing game to his total for the season. Runningback Trent Richardson appeared to have pulled a hamstring muscle in the fourth quarter of the game. The muscle pull gave some Big Blue fans hope that No. 34 might be done for the season but no such luck. The injury is described as minor and fumblin’ Trent will be back in the backfield against the Steelers this coming Sunday.
snicewanger@yahoo.com
