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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The Spring High School sport season seemed like a long one with the baseball championships running until the end of June. Players on all four teams in the state championship series made it worth the wait providing exciting baseball in front of big crowds. Thanks to the Cranston West, South Kingstown, Burrillville and Johnston High Schools' teams for supplying great post season baseball thrills. Special thanks to all of the wonderful student athletes who hit, dodged and caught the balls while striking the perfect pose when they saw me coming … now that takes talent! Speaking of thrills, as all sport photographers know, location is everything. During a regular season game at Cranston West, I stood behind the CW bull pen hoping to catch some outfield action. The ball popped off the catcher's mitt, smashed into my camera and sent it sailing through the air out of my hands into a dusty dirt pile. The catcher looked at me, with the same look I gave to my mom when a ball struck a family heirloom vase sending it flying through the air in our house…and well..., you can guess how that ended. All I can say is this story has a happy ending. Public school Cranston West won the Div I state championship for the 2nd year in a row (hadn't been done in 32 years), the catcher and pitcher in sincere heartfelt voices, in unison, said, "Sorry", the camera is fine, the lens has been in ICU for several months but will survive and thanks to Ebay, as you can see from this magazine, I didn't miss a beat by replacing my lens with a bigger and "badder" sport lens. It's all in how you look at that glass….. We all love sporting events for different reasons. As much as I love the games, the real entertainment can be found elsewhere. My favorite part of sporting events is listening and sitting with the fans in the bleachers and standing near the players in the dugouts. My favorite memories of Fenway Park are the Boston Red Sox fan hecklers. It is worth the price of the ticket to take this in -- why sit at home on a recliner and miss this type of entertainment? Some of my best pictures have been from the stands. My favorite pic to date is James Shoneye, Juanita Sanchez superstar basketball player, at the buzzer during the state championship win, turning and looking up toward his classmates high up in the stands, while raising his hands in the air as if to say, this is for you guys…..this is one of my favorite pics from 2006-2007. Many times I take my dad along to high school games. High school sports consist of the good, the bad, and the amazing. On the excitement meter, you can see nothing or the most incredible plays unfold before your eyes. The moral of this story is, if you are a fan sitting in the bleachers, don't turn away because almost always, you will miss the best play! (Just ask my dad Rudy. His favorite line, and mine, is, "What just happened?") Dugout conversations are also entertaining. Members of the Narragansett baseball team and coaches stood in the dugout engaged in a very in-depth conversation of their favorite bubble gum! It's amazing where you find inspiration for stories. This conversation led to the Tolman girl's softball team event, "Battle of the Bubbles Event" photographed in the issue. I showed up during a practice session with a bag filled with bubble gum. The competition was intense. Coach Giarrusso walked away with the gold and a sticky face for the state championship game! I attended two great civilized non-contact high school sporting events which made me wish I were back in high school. The Rhode Island high school Sailing State Championships held at Roger Williams University in Bristol and the Golf State Championships held at Cranston Country Club. Both events were held under crystal blue skies, 70 degree temps and light breezes. Any high school student passing up on the opportunity to be a member of the sailing or golf teams should reconsider. Rumor has it, from a reliable source (NK Coach Matt Largess) that anyone showing up for his signups has 99.99% chance of making the sailing team. La Salle Golf Coach Mouchon talks of the generous amounts of college scholarship money available to golfers, specifically female golfers thanks to Title IX. Remember this -- Ben Conway, state golf champ from Tiverton, started just 4 years ago with borrowed clubs from his neighbor's garage. GO FOR IT!!! Last bit of advice; wear your seatbelts and sunblock, stay in shape for August tryouts and enjoy a safe summer in the surf! See you in the fall! Warm regards, Gail Barbone Miller, Founder & Editor and mom of two teens |
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