Season's Greetings!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the “Wall!!”

I did send this message via e-mail today. My apologies 1) if you did not receive one - just means I don't have your e-mail address and 2) if you received duplicates :)

I didn’t pull a Humpty Dumpty and fall off the wall; however, I haven’t sent a message out in quite a while. No reason for this, just staying busy with some other things.

Best news – Elizabeth is almost finished with her Master’s degree in Special Education and spent part of her summer as an Oxford scholar. Yes, the one in England!

There are some other great things on the horizon.

First of all, as noted in an earlier post, I am back in the coaching arena after a three-year layoff, now with girls’ cross-country and working with the younger track athletes (officially, I’m the throwing coach) on the Menchville HS team here in Newport News. It is much fun to be back and it looks like the saying is true that “you always go back to what you love.”

Still doing some writing with the DAILY PRESS. There have been ample opportunities to work on community sports features for the Thursday Town Square section, either with Newport News, Hampton, Gloucester, or York County/Poquoson. It has been interesting just because of the wide range of stories – karate, bowling, even covered the winner of a fishing tournament. This week, I’m working on a story about an up-and-coming youth wrestling team which just started in Newport News. Look for it soon, probably the first Thursday after the New Year.

Staying with track, there might be another big opportunity in the works here. There is a new movement called TrackNation. You can find it on Facebook, where over 64,000 people have already “liked” it. Part of their vision is going to include publishing a magazine, which will be called TRACKSIDE. There is already some major corporate sponsorship behind the effort. The good news is that I may be doing some writing for the magazine. Had a great (almost two hour) talk with the editor last Saturday and he showed me the business plan and magazine ideas. WOW!! This movement is surely going to blow up the track world, mainly because with an online presence, it will bring out the “worldwide community” feel for the sport, bringing everyone together. Listening to the names rattled off as magazine contributors and potential article features was like listening to a “Who’s Who” of track. In fact, here’s his quote,  “Ok. Well Greg Foster, John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Bob Beamon, Justin Gatlin, etc are all waiting on your call.” More to come.

Also, while in the middle of doctoral comps and having some time, I’m getting ready to collaborate with one of my professors from William and Mary on an article on creativity and at-risk students. Dr. Kyung-Hee Kim has already conducted some eye opening research on the topic, drawing worldwide attention from publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Metro World News (England). Superinteressante (Brazil), Periodista La Tercera (Chile), Korrespondent (Ukraine), the Globe and Mail (Canada). Her work was notably featured in a cover story for the June 19, 2011 issue of Newsweek.

Thank you for reading the Wall at http://jfmcgrath.blogspot.com. Many blessings to you and yours this holiday season.      ---  Jim