Let's give track and field its due now

Track and field is generating significant headlines for MACA. That's nice because of all the attention that softball has received. I have strong admiration for track/field athletes who often test themselves purely as individuals. 

The state meet is the goal for all. I personally attended this in my days with the Morris newspaper - always a very exciting spectacle. Fans are present in much larger numbers than in the steps leading up to state. I smile as I remember the P.A. announcers who would sometimes announce a school's name by reciting a string of towns! Sometimes this brought a smattering of laughter among the fans. 

So then I wondered: instead of these cumbersome names with hyphens, maybe arrive at a nice compact name, perhaps just the name of the town where the high school is located. 

Our wrestling Tigers are identified as "Morris Area-Hancock-Chokio-Alberta" and it's a bit much, awkward to handle, and what the heck is "MAHACA," pronounced as such? I have wondered when or if the day will come when we can go back to the simple "Morris." Everyone knows we take in students from a wide area. 

I don't think small town identity issues are as pressing as they once were, not like in the days of mom-and-pop businesses up and down main street. The businesses are less likely to have local owners, rather they have managers who answer to higher-ups located elsewhere. The managers are not as invested in local pride issues. I like the new way: less emotions, less assertiveness, more pragmatism. 

Clearly we in Tiger country are "MACA." But the Willmar newspaper apparently does not like that. They have overruled that, not that they have a basis for doing so, by calling us "Morris/Chokio-Alberta." And they don't stop, in spite of my blog posts pointing this out over time. How many readers do I have? I cannot be certain. 

You know what's strange? How I still feel pressure when writing Tiger sports reviews. I feel nervous about trying to get everything right, when there's really no cause for me to feel this way. Two things to note: 1) I am not directly accountable to anyone any more, and 2) I can always go back in to correct or adjust a blog post, something I could never do when my writing was "on paper" (the analog way). 

Call it an "old habit" for me to feel pressure reporting. There was an old stereotype of newspaper writers chain-smoking and pounding out articles on manual typewriters while dealing with "deadline pressure." Really, it was always a stupid way to do things. I conformed to the stereotype once but stopped smoking in 1984. I never smoked heavily. Speaking of stupid, that habit qualified in spades. 

The state track and field meet P.A. guy will be intoning "Morris Area Chokio Alberta" at this year's big event. We are well-represented. Nice to see track/field get its due now after the tremendous hype for softball all spring: the new facilities and the coach's career milestone. 

The softball Tigers failed to make it out of sub-section. So much for the new facilities being a boost. More on that later. 

Let's acknowledge the high-flying Tigers who excelled at Fergus Falls for the Section 6A meet. On to state go four individuals and two relay teams. Ethan Lebrija will be in state for the 100m and 200m runs. Kenny Soderberg has hurdled his way to state in the 110m and 300m. Then we see Kaylie Raths making the grade in the 300m hurdles. Lydia Fynboh had what it took in the 100m. The boys 4x100m relay unit will vie in state, composed of Lebrija, Soderberg, Trey Hunt and Derek Waldbeser. The girls 4x100m team made the grade, its members Fynboh, Olivia Lebrija, Crystal Nohl and Ruby Swenson. 

State competition will be at St. Michael-Albertville High School, June 17-19.

Softball in summer?

The new softball facility in Morris, what I hesitate to call a "complex," was sold to us as a place for "summer leagues and camps." We are in the heart of summer now as I write this. Summer sports activity such as this usually wraps up by the end of the first week of August. Maybe that's to accommodate the Stevens County Fair, and people also prioritize getting ready for school. 

I remember the days when the high school pep band couldn't get organized for the football opener on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. I'm remembering the old football field. I asked around and learned that the musicians were "going to be gone" with family at the time. Strange, considering how people seem to push everything else aside for "getting ready for school" starting in the middle of August. 

Well, I have never been a parent. 

I took my typical walks on Saturday and Sunday past the new softball facilities. There was no one there. You would think that all the league and camp activity would be going by now. We were told that new facilities were needed for that. Maybe next weekend? Is there still a chance? 

I am wondering if local officials would like things to stay idle out there until the parking lot is constructed. Is there a timeline for getting the lot constructed? Is the money set aside for that? We've been told all along that the complex is a $1.4 million project. Unless otherwise stated, I'd like to assume the money is in hand, that it exists. 

I wonder if our local public officials have said "no" to cars continuing to be parked on the shoulders of Prairie Lane. I wrote recently that this would be hazardous at nighttime, and the funeral home has given money for the new field to be lighted. 

If and when the new parking lot becomes reality, will it be considered a UMM lot? Isn't that a good question? Would it have permit requirements? I assume it would have to be lit at night. If it's free parking, what's to keep UMM students/staff from simply parking there and walking onto campus, bypassing the permit lots? I have heard that some students will park at Willie's and leave their cars there for an extended time. 

I stick with my opinion that the softball project should never have gotten started. It's not needed. And with the City of Morris so pressed on fixing streets around town, like East 6th which is a horror, why did the city disgorge $150,000 for what amounts to a new high school sports venue? Well I'm sure the school district is thrilled about this, being able to "sucker" the city into doing this. We can always elect new city council members.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com