Less Than Mainstream 09-29-11

This is the first of what I hope to be a recurring post here at Spokane Sports Scene.  I would like to highlight sporting activities in the Spokane area that aren't quite what you'd find on ESPN.  These are the sports that the NCAA is not really ready to start handing out scholarships to athletes over.  This is where you'll look to learn about Disc Golfing, Geocaching, and other sports that are "Less Than Mainstream."

Discgolf is a sport that started decades ago, and has been slowly growing in popularity.  It has somewhat of a cult following, but is seeing more and more participants every year.  The rules are simple, it can be challenging and rewarding, and is ALWAYS fun.  Currently there are two disc golf courses on public land in Spokane, plus several other courses in the outlying areas and a few on private land.  The cost is agreeable, Spokane's two courses are free to play, and little is needed in the way of equipment.  You can play an entire round with one disc, that can be picked up at locations around Spokane for about ten bucks.

The rules are very similar to golf, affectionately distinguished by participants of this sport as "ball golf," but without all the formalities.  Just like ball golf, disc golf has a tee box, a fairway and a hole.  Disc golfers throw their disc from the tee box, then throw it again towards the hole from where it landed.  The goal is to toss the disc into the hole in the fewest throws possible.

Techniques to throw the disc vary.  It can be thrown back-handed, a traditional "Frisbee" throw.  It can be thrown side-arm, known as fore-handed.  Tomahawks and Thumbers are both types of over-hand throws also used.  The styles of throwing the disc varies for drives, approaches and putts as well.  Youtube is great for tutorials, I highly recommend the posts put up by disc manufacturer, Discraft, they are highly informative.

The courses in Spokane, Downriver and Highbridge, are laid out in public parks.  There is an occassional hiker or jogger in the area, so be cautious of where you are throwing your disc, but the areas are predominantly used by fellow disc golfers.  The layouts can be somewhat confusing on your first trip, but recently improved signage has certainly helped.  The vast majority of local players know that finding your way around on your first time can be daunting, and are more than willing to help point you in the right direction.  Maps can be found here and I suggest you at least take a look, if not printing one and having it in your pocket.

Higbridge Teebox, Hole #3

                                                                       
If you are a seasoned disc golfer, and want to give some input, please leave a comment!  I am hoping to keep you readers abreast of upcoming events in disc golf, so please keep checking back, and post comments to keep me informed.  Get out there and do some chukin'!

Prep Page 09-28-11

Wednesdays are a pretty good day for me to start this particular post, and I hope to run it weekly.  I plan on including a wrap up of the previous weeks football games, plus provide the standings for football and volleyball.  This week will focus on the GSL, but I hope to be able to include other leagues as well as time goes on.

Week four in football saw the following action:

•       Defending state champs Ferris defeated Rogers in a one-sided affair, 61-0.  Ferris standout, Kile Heidinger ran for 221 yards and found the end zone 3 times.
•      Central Valley doubled up University, 28-14.  Running back Gaven Deyarmin scored twice for the bears.
•      Mead beat North-side rival Mt. Spokane, 48-24.  Panther Davian Barlow scored twice on 186 yards rushing.
•      Lewis and Clark traveled to Gonzaga Prep, and were unkind to their hosts, beating them 31-21.  Prep was given a steady diet of Tiger Ammar Johnson, who rushed for 216 yards on 44 carries, crossing the goal line twice.
•      What looks to be a long season shaping up for my alma matter, Shadle Park suffered their fourth defeat of the season at the hands of their rival, North Central, 17-10.  The Indians were lead by Jake Hoffman who rushed for 174 yards and a score, while also throwing for a touchdown.
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Week five match ups:

    Thursday:

• Gonzaga Prep vs Rogers at Joe Albi, 4:45
• University vs Mt. Spokane at Joe Albi, 7:15

      Friday:

• Shadle Park vs Mead at Joe Albi, 5:30
• Ferris at Central Valley, 7:00
• North Central vs Lewis and Clark at Joe Albi, 8:00

Standings

Football

Team	League	Overall
Central Valley	4-0	4-0
Ferris	4-0	4-0
Lewis and Clark	3-1	3-1
Mead	3-1	3-1
Gonzaga Prep	2-2	2-2
North Central	2-2	2-2
Mt Spokane	1-3	1-3
University	1-3	1-3
Rogers	0-4	0-4
Shadle Park	0-4	0-4

                                                                               Volleyball

Team	League	Overall
Mead	4-0	5-0
Gonzaga Prep	3-1	5-1
Central Valley	3-1	4-1
Mt Spokane	3-1	4-1
North Central	2-2	5-2
University	2-2	3-3
Shadle Park	2-2	3-4
Rogers	1-3	2-6
Lewis and Clark	0-4	1-5
Ferris	0-4	0-7

Rink Round Up 09-26-11

Hello all,

This is the first of what I hope to be a weekly wrap-up of action on the ice around the area.  Hockey in Spokane goes much further than just the Chiefs, so if I am forgetting to include someone, please let me know in the comments section!

Chiefs - WHL

The Chiefs boarded the bus to open their season on the road at the Toyota Center against their rivals, the Tri-Cities Americans on September 24th.  Returning veterans Anthony Bardaro and Brendan Kichton got on the score sheet first, as Bardaro scored a power play goal 14:44 into the 1st period.  The Chiefs saw that lead evaporate in the second period as Tri-Cities scored two power play goals.  They added cushion goals in the third, a power play tally and an empty-netter, to secure the win 4-1.

The Chiefs will look to avenge their loss against Tri-Cities, and will get the opportunity quickly.  Tri-Cities visits Spokane for the Veterans Arena home opener on October 1st.  Spokane then hits the road for two games north of the border, at Vancouver on the 5th, and then to Kamploops on the 7th.

Braves - KIJHL

The Braves have had a rough go of things so far, they are 1-5 six games into the season.  The first win came on September 16th, as they traveled to Kelowna and defeated the Chiefs 6-4.  The first star was awarded to Spokane's #20 Sean Collins, who lit the lamp twice unassisted, and also added a helper.  Picking up the win in the net was goalie Branden Amatto, who secured 39 saves.

The Braves begin October with two games away from Eagle's Ice-A-Rena, traveling to Fernie and to Castelgar.  They then return home for four games over the next two weekends.  If you are looking for some inexpensive but exciting entertainment, head to the Eagle's and support the boys!

Junior Chiefs - U18

Spokane's Rep team, the Junior Chiefs, spent the weekend in the Tri-Cities for the opening round of Washington State's tiering tournament.  Spokane split their two games.  They lost to the tournament host Tri-Cities in the opener.  The boys rebounded in the second game, defeating Wenatchee 4-1.

Spokane returns to the Tri-Cities this weekend, and will be playing three games over two days.  I'll be making that trip, so expect a much more thorough wrap-up next week!



Junior Chiefs - U16

Unfortunately, I do not have anything to report on the U16 team at this time.  If you know anyone with information on this team, please let me know.  I would like to include them in this weekly hockey feature!

Spokane House Leagues

Rate skate for House players is October 8th and 9th.  Please see the SAYHA website for details.

The Show -- Steve Gleason

Today I am starting what I hope to be a regular feature on Spokane Sports Scene, "The Show."  I hope to highlight athletes from Spokane that have gone on to compete at the highest levels of their respective sport.  As I woke this morning, I had a short list of athletes I was hoping to research some and come up with a mildly entertaining story for you all to read.  As I was perusing ESPN's website, little did I know the inspiration for today's post would be in their headlines.

Steve Gleason is a former Gonzaga Prep Bullpup, Washington State Cougar and New Orleans Saint.  He played as a Safety, and made a name for himself in New Orleans as a special teams specialist.  Steve has been named honorary Captain for today's Saints game versus the Houston Texans.  Steve is an inspiration to his former team, and led their traditional "Who Dat?" pregame cheer.  On September 23rd, Steve told the world he has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or "Lou Gehrig's Disease."  ALS is a disease that causes the degeneration of neurons in the spinal cord.  Researchers are still unsure about much of the disease, including its cause and potential treatments.  Currently there is no known cure for ALS.

As a Bullpup, Steve played with my brother, who was two years younger than Steve.  I remember Jeremy coming home after practice and telling about how hard the little guy, Gleason, had hit him in practice.  Steve graduated as a Bullpup in 1995, and was named the Greater Spokane League's Defensive Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons.  Steve then went to WSU and was again a standout on the defensive side of the ball.  In 1997, Steve earned Honorable Mention All Pac-10. Steve was then briefly signed as an un-drafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts.  After not surviving roster cuts prior to his rookie season, he found his true home by signing with the Saints the same season in 2000.

Steve played sparingly his first two seasons as a Saint, but saw action in double-digit games beginning in the 2002 season.  Steve was often involved in game-changing plays, including blocking a punt in a game each season between 2002-2004.  The 2005 season was a difficult one for the Saints.  The Saints had to play the entire season away from New Orleans due to damage to their stadium, the Superdome, inflicted by Hurricane Katrina.  Not only was the stadium damaged, the entire city was in disarray due to the damage and destruction caused by the storm.  The Saints organization's future in New Orleans was in doubt, there were more than a few rumors about them relocating to a new city.

Five years ago today, the Saints played their home-opener in front of an energized crowd on a national stage.  The game was the Monday Night game, one I vividly remember watching.  After the Saints forced the Falcons to a three-and-out on the first drive of the game, Steve lit the powder keg that was the Superdome.  Steve was able to hurl himself in front of the Falcons punter, blocking the punt, which was recovered by a teammate in the end zone for a touchdown.  Head coach Sean Payton later said "(the crowd was) probably the loudest I've ever heard any stadium -- ever."  New Orleans went on to win the game in convincing fashion, and have become a perennial powerhouse in the NFC.  Steve spent the 2007 season on Injured Reserve, and then went on to retire.

Steve has gone on to earn his Master's Degree from Tulane University.  He and his wife, Michel, are starting a family in the New Orleans area.  Steve was diagnosed with ALS in January 2011.  Steve has since began his foundation, Team Gleason, with a mission to Inspire, Learn and Act.  Team Gleason hopes to provide a better way of life for patients who are diagnosed with ALS.  Please follow me and show your support of our local athlete, and join Team Gleason!  You can email them here, or sign up here.

Steve Gleason truly is an inspiration.  He was an inspiration to teammates like my brother in High School and beyond.  He inspired the Saints Organization and the City of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  He certainly is still an inspiration to those afflicted by his disease.  Hopefully, this post has helped you to be inspired by him as well.

Hello All!

Not sure if anyone will read this, but here I go!

I decided to start this blog after a discussion with a very good friend of mine.  We were having a conversation about local sports, and his beloved Boise State Broncos, and he mentioned I should start a blog.  That got me to thinking, and it led me here.

I am hoping to blog on all things related to local sports.  I would like someday for this to be the "go to" resource for people wanting to catch up with the Spokane Sports scene.  Everything from the Pros, how the Mariners and Seahawks are doing (abysmal) to the College scene, Cougars, Eagles, Bulldogs and Pirates, the local semi-pro's, Chiefs and Indians,  and even down to prep and youth sports.

I have a 16 year old son, who is a talented young hockey player (I may brag about him from time to time) and plays for local travel hockey team.  I hope that other hockey moms and dads are able to provide insight and feedback about youth hockey in the Spokane area.  And, FYI, our Spokane Jr Chiefs are in Tri-Cities as we speak, kicking off their 2011-2012 season with a tiering tournament....good luck boys!

I would like to also run a blog on occasion highlighting local talent that has gone on and made it to the sports scene that is beyond Spokane.  We all know Stockton, Rypien, Sandberg and Roos...but there are others!

Tonight, the Major Junior Spokane Chiefs (the ones who play in the Veterans Arena) also begin their season.  Check back tomorrow for a review of their season opener, and hopefully some insight on projections for their season, and their quest to reach the Memorial Cup!

Here is a link to the Chiefs 2011-2012 schedule.




Please check back often, leave feedback, and tell your friends!