Monty Python: ‘Always look on the bright side of life’

Four days and seven athletic events and three thousand pictures taken inspired me to reflect upon my life, “What is this all about?” I was impressed watching young men instruct the youngest of men, sometimes called scoopers, how to line up and play an actual lacrosse game.

I told my own sons, “Always coach those with the least talent as hard as you coach those with the most.” And by the way, that was not me. I was best coaching the best people; I wasn’t good elevating those with a dropped ceiling of potential and didn’t have much patience teaching an aspiring lineman with a crooked stance who couldn’t bench 135 which by the way was Wayne Gretzky’s max and he was like the best and most quick eye-to-hand-coordinated guy ever.

Michael Sposato suddenly scoops a ball and breaks from the pack and begins his run towards future championships and headlines.

ROUNDING THE BASES - I snapped a casual sideways shot into the dugout of Cape’s baseball team last Thursday and there was the unrelentingly happy and playful Jake Dmiterchik smiling back at the camera and it was flashback for me and natural light for Jake. I coached Jake’s late uncle Mike Snell in football - Mike was also a catcher on the baseball team - and he was my son Dave’s best friend. Mike died in a motorcycle accident a year after high school in 1988 and a friendship award was established in his honor. Mike always got lost in the moment and was most happy and always showed it watching teammates do well. I realized Jake never knew Mike, but he is more like Mike than any athlete I cover on my beat. By the way, his uncle Steve, a big split end Golden Richards-type player back in 1986 catching long passes from Eddie Brown has that same personality. And yes, it comes from Mom’s side.

SPORTSMANSHIP - Andrea Wells was pressed into the 100-meter hurdle race with teammate Shellie Pearsall on the shelf at last Saturday’s Henlopen Conference championships. She looked good for second at the gun. By hurdle 10 she was half a foot behind favorite Kiara Brooks of Lake Forest. Brooks grabbed her right “hammy” and grimaced and “Fatty” outleaned her to the tape. Kiara, a prohibitive favorite, was emotionally crushed and physically injured and out of the meet. Andrea and Deborah Spruance, a Polytech sophomore who placed fourth in the 100-meter dash, lifted Brooks to carry her to the training table. There was empathy and sympathy in their faces, a true sisterhood of sportsmanship. It was a beautiful moment and not a surprising one if you go where kids go and actually watch what they do.

COACH CZAR - Milford track coach Czar Bloom used to write sports for the Delaware State News. He is the English teacher and adviser of Milford’s award-winning school newspaper and a bit of an aloof and some say annoying character with adults. I don’t know about any of that, but I can observe that he connects with kids and inspires his athletes so they come out and want to be a part of the program. Milford won the boys title at last week’s Henlopen Conference championship and is favored in this weekend’s Division Two state championships. Dawan Smith of Milford won the 200 and 400 and is quick to credit God and teammates, and he is genuine and means it and I don’t know what he thinks of Coach Czar; you look at the picture and tell me.

SNIPPETS - This is the Monty Python “Always look on the bright side of life” column.