A few days back, a Washington Post story on my laptop told of young fans roaming the mean streets of Albany, N.Y., after the NCAA women’s basketball semifinals. The Post quoted a smug fan lamenting to her pals that “everyone’s jumping on our … bandwagon.” A thought balloon popped over my head that Alexander the Great started out in Macedonia …
When our twins, Ashley and Patrick, were born over 30 years ago, my wife and I often got curious looks as our double stroller rolled through the neighborhood. “Are they identical?” some would ask. That is, until they noticed the pink and blue pajamas and were told their names. This year’s version of the Minnesota Twins would appear to be …
The best vendors at the ballpark snapped out quips and nonsense, thick as mustard on a hot dog. They poured a beer, handed over a soft pretzel and spun out a story about a mother-in-law they didn’t have or a fish they never caught. Those nearby leaned in to listen. Vendors made fans part of the game, like foul balls …
You know the world holds boundless possibilities when you live near the only golf course in the nation with the front nine in one state and the back nine in another. So when I was 6, I announced that everyone should reach age 12, then start over. There were a helluva lot of big thinkers through history. None of them …
In the end, I was thankful for what seemed like the thankless task of coaching a first-year women’s softball team in Jamestown, N.D., in 1985. Early on, I realized I had just one very good ballplayer, a third-baseman named Margo, who carried herself like Geena Davis in “A League of Our Own.” We had an OK shortstop, one outfielder who …
“He makes hitting a ball look so easy.” “Her golf stroke seems effortless.” Is it just natural ability or are there other forces at work that separate successful athletes from others? It depends on the level of competition. In youth sports, natural ability alone can play a huge role. But to successfully compete with or against someone who has already …
Ever since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 24, and the subsequent national eruption of protest against police brutality, police shootings and systemic racism in the United States, we have all wondered what ultimately would come of this moment in our long, troubled history of race relations. Would this be another round of temporary protest followed …
New Year’s resolutions are easy to make. Promising to lose weight, give up fast food or exercise every day always feels doable when you’re working with a clean slate. Talk to us by the end of the month, and our convictions often are already waning. The same would seem true when it comes to faith in our Minnesota sports teams. …
I think I’m experiencing a different kind of March madness this year. Instead of going crazy about hoops, I feel like I’ve been jumping through too many of them. At the start of the month, I was constantly getting plowed and it had nothing to do with alcohol. Everything in sight was white. Shoveling mountains of snow was a daily …
It’s a sunny afternoon at a local ball field. A bunch of kids have shown up to play baseball for hours, perhaps until dark or a mother’s voice is heard calling. Kids arrive with ball gloves hanging from handlebars and the sound of baseball cards in spokes. Some will have to leave early but usually others show up to take their …
Grand Forks photographer attended the University of North Dakota Athletics Night of Champions awards banquet Tuesday night in the Empire Arts Center in downtown Grand Forks. Among the winners were University of North Dakota junior thrower Molli Detloff and junior defenseman Christian Wolanin. Detloff was named the Grace Rhonemus Female Athlete of the Year, and Wolanin was named UND’s Glenn …
“I want to be a Major League Baseball player.” “I want to play in the NBA.” “I want to make it to the NFL.” — Anonymous kids When one of my young students tells me his goal is to be a professional baseball player, my response is always the same: “Let’s get to work.” Instead of squashing a kid’s dream, …
Curling has been in the forefront lately, with the U.S. men’s team reaching the gold-medal match with Sweden on Saturday in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games taking place in PyeongChang, South Korea. On Wednesday, photographer Russ Hons made a trip to the newly rebuilt Grand Forks Curling Club, which was founded in 1960, and here is what he saw. (Check out …
I’m gaga over the Winter Olympics. My family and friends know this. I have been for decades. I like the Summer Olympics, too, but the Winter Olympics, for me, are the pinnacle. Perhaps it is because I live in the north country and have dabbled in many of the sports, downhill and cross-country skiing as well as ice skating and …
The 2017 World Series was balanced. The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers were neck and neck in every game, making for a very exciting series to watch and learn from. But if one team had totally outmatched the other, we wouldn’t be calling it one of the best World Series ever. It was as if both teams made each …
Is frustration dominating your child’s athletic experience? When young athletes can’t let go of frustration after failure, it’s a clear indication they have no clue how to make an adjustment, leaving them vulnerable to more of the same. And when adults get over-involved during the game, it usually makes things worse. A parent’s natural reaction is to come to the …
Grand Forks Red River defeated crosstown rival Grand Forks Central 25-16, 25-10, 25-18 in girls high school volleyball Tuesday night on the Knights’ home court. The Roughriders were led by Maggie Steffen, who had 15 kills. Korri Gust, Bailey Jaeger and Jaylin Perrault had four kills each to lead the Knights. Red River upped its record to 6-9 in Eastern …
A chilly Sunday morning gradually blossomed into a gorgeous, late summer afternoon. But being a golfer of marginal talent and fully aware that our local football team had an enticing matchup in Pittsburgh, I still wondered if I’d made the right choice. Our annual fraternity scramble was on tap at the University of Minnesota course, and I’d reluctantly agreed to …
I spent last week in Southern California learning how to be a better photographer. I attended the Sports Shooter Academy 14. First a little history. Fifteen plus years ago, several professional sports photographers got together and decided to put on a sports photography seminar called the Sports Shooter Academy. Famed USA Today sports photographer Robert Hanashiro set out on making this the best sports photography …
Congratulations to the Moorhead Spuds boys hockey team and to the Shanley High Deacons girls basketball team. Each team and their coaches represented their communities and schools extremely well. My nephew, Steve Jacobson, coach of the Deacons, overcame some serious heart and health issues, claiming that basketball provided the outlet he needed to heal. Only in the Jacobson family could sports …
For high drama, Wednesday-into-Thursday’s historic World Series Game 7 between the long-suffering Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians franchises made for worthwhile baseball viewing and listening. In my case, it was some of both. Thank goodness for car radios. A cleanly played game? Not really. You could question some of the unorthodox managerial decisions, too. Still, the contest featured enough some …
Last year, when I was getting ready for my 50-year class reunion of the 1965 graduating class from Hettinger (N.D.) High School, I dug through boxes of keepsakes downstairs and found my senior class yearbook. It was actually an expanded edition of the Hettinger Hi-Lites, our high school newspaper, but it was the same format as a yearbook, slick paper …
The world of golf lost a legend Sunday. Arnold Palmer, who was nicknamed “The King,” died in a Pittsburgh hospital while awaiting heart surgery. Palmer won seven major championships during his professional career, which spanned more than five decades. He won the Masters four times, The Open twice and the U.S. Open once. Here are some photos taken by Russ …
How long does it take to get a black belt in karate? Do you think my kid has a chance to play ball in high school or college? These are questions I’ve been asked numerous times throughout my teaching and coaching career, and the answer is always the same: It depends. As our kids take their journey in sports, there’s …
Did you hear the one about the four Minnesota sports fans who walk into a bar? The Minnesota Wild hockey fan is bragging to the others about his team’s good fortune. “We just hired one of the winningest coaches in NHL history!” he crows with glee. Unimpressed, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ fan is quick to respond. “Well, we just hired one …
As a college professor, every so often I would encounter a student who left me perplexed when it came time to determine their final grade. A strong score on the last test was encouraging, but their overall numbers were still barely good enough to pass the class. Were they struggling to comprehend the curriculum or simply putting in just enough work …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team stayed perfect in 2016, defeating the University of Alabama-Huntsville 4-1 on Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena to complete the New Year’s weekend sweep of its nonconference foe. Cam Johnson’s streak of shutout goaltending ended when a puck shot by Chargers’ defenseman Richard Buri went off the stick of a UND teammate and slid past …
Here are some photos of fans and players taken Friday night at the University of North Dakota’s women’s hockey game versus the University of Minnesota-Duluth in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
The No.3-ranked University of North Dakota men’s hockey team took care of No. 17 Miami of Ohio in National Intercollegiate Hockey Association play Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. UND took a three-goal lead after the first period en route to a 6-2 victory, upping its record to 8-1-2 overall and 3-0 in NCHC play. Nick Schmaltz and Brock Boeser …
Southern Utah University handed the University of North Dakota women’s softball team an 8-3 loss April 25 at Apollo Complex in Grand Forks, ND. All three of UND’s runs were scored on solo home runs, one each by Shelby Hard, Maria Dendingber and Jackie Lilek. Hard’s home run gave her sole possession of UND’s single-season home run record, as she hit her 14th …