COLUMN: A few Christmas shoutouts

I was thinking about putting together a Christmas gift list for all the folks in this area who are involved in or like sports.

However, as country legend Roy Clark once said, “my lifestyle keeps me so broke if right today they were selling steamboats for a dime apiece all I could do is run up and down the bank hollerin ain’t that cheap”.

So, the much cheaper alternative, a shout out, will have to do.

First, I would like to extend a hearty Christmas shout-out to the men and women who don the striped shirts and travel the highways and by-ways of this great state to ref, officiate and/or umpire local sporting events.

They represent order amid chaos. There are rules to govern sports events and that is generally a good thing.

We all get frustrated with what we think are bogus calls, but as one who tried briefly to become a football referee in the Seattle area, I can tell you it is not easy in the black-and-white world.

They have to make snap decisions, endure the boos and taunts and carry on. I was at a Hot Springs at Plains game a couple years ago covering the contest for these newspapers. In came a couple cowboy looking guys, Hot Springs fans, who sat down beside me in the front row. They started giving the refs a pretty bad time, to the point where the official blew his whistle, stopped the game and came over to where I and my two new BFFs were sitting.

Looking right at me, the ref said. “I’ve had it with you guys and you (me)! One more word and I will throw you out of the gym!”

I should have won an award for the struggle I went through suppressing my obvious reply but instead settled for “I’ve been sitting here quietly, haven’t said anything”.

The two Savage Heat fans backed up my story.

I then thought briefly, but resisted the urge to say “that’s another call you’ve gotten wrong ref”.

Digression was the better part of valor on this night.

This year, I heard a fan say, softly, “hey ref, I found your cell phone, looks like you’ve missed a few more calls”.

Need I say more?

A second shout-out should go to the coaches and school administrators and employees who go above and beyond the call of duty to help sporting events and so many other events take place.

An example, and by no means the only one in this area, would be St. Regis’ man of many hats Jesse Allan.

Allan is coach of the boys basketball team, the football team and the track and field team. He is also the activities director. And he often drives the team bus too and from games. I’ve seen him behind the dust mops that are used to clean the gym floor, AND he is a PE teacher. He also serves time as the public address announcer for basketball and volleyball events.

Rumor has it Allan is practicing to take a shot at singing the national anthem. Not really, I don’t think.

But Allan and so many others like Jeff Schultz in Superior, Noxon’s Matt Havens, Jake Mikelson of Thompson Falls and all the rest deserve a pat on the back, a shout out, and as I like to tell them, “put yourself down for a big raise and tell them I said it was okay”.

And no list of shout outs to sports folks would be complete without a special tip of the hat to all the parents who get their kids to and from practice and travel lots of miles to attend their games.

Superior sports Mom Kami Milender is a prime example of the good people who put in so many hours to help their kids be part of the positive world of sports.

Milender, often submits photos to these newspapers in her unofficial role as sports Mom photographer (volunteer since she’s there with a camera anyway).

She has had a squad of children participate in Superior sports programs from football to wrestling to basketball to volleyball. And it is not unusual for her and the many other sports Moms and Dads to attend multiple games in a week, including two events on a single day.

If it weren’t for these dedicated parents and family members, sports wouldn’t happen.

There are many others who deserve shout outs: all the volunteers who staff the concession and ticket stands; the folks who print and put together the really good game programs; booster club members who help with fund raisers and many other activities to support local sports; and the grounds crews and maintenance folks who keep it all safe, clean and running.

Thank you are just two words but hopefully say it all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!