Team Mom #3, Nina Robinson Buoys St. Augustine's "Falcon Boosters"

As printed in the Hampton, Newport News and York Co./Poquoson Town Square sections of the DAILY PRESS on November 14, 2013.

Last Saturday, some of the members of the St. Augustine University athletic family threw a party to thank one of their own.

For Nina Robinson, the celebration made for a day she’ll never forget.

An example of one of the causes which the Falcon Boosters support. As noted on their Facebook page -- "Here are 60 reasons to give $60 to the SAU 60 Day Movement. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by December 31, 2013 to help students bridge the financial gap that many are facing. Falcons, we CAN do this! Donate today! Tell your family and friends to donate! Make your online donation at http://bit.ly/SAU6060. #SAU6060"

Robinson lives a double life. By day, she is a senior logistics analyst for a military support contractor in Newport News. But for the past four years, she has been spending her autumn weekends making the drive from Hampton to Raleigh and other points due south, while dressing up in the blue and white of the Falcons as a 757 parent booster.

She’s not the only one.

“We (St. Augustine’s football) have a total of 18 players from Virginia, and eleven from the 757,” says Robinson, whose son Chaz, a former Phoebus standout, recently broke the school’s career tackle record. “I started a group called the 757 Falcons Parent Boosters, and we wear matching shirts.”

Their involvement goes beyond simply donning blue and white and cheering in the stands.

“We have become surrogate moms and dads to other players who are not as fortunate as our sons. And we make sure they have their necessities, such as toiletries, etc.”

Over the past several years, the booster club has turned into a bona fide support network, gaining parents from other states, and encompassing other Falcon sports. They host a Facebook site, 

“Saint Augustine's University - 757Parents Booster Club,” which boasts 57 members. While the posts may offer best wishes to a football player, such as Michael Oliver, who recently had shoulder surgery, there are also posts noting the school’s cross-country team winning the CIAA title and volleyball coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass winning the conference Coach of the Week award for the second straight week.

All of which led to last Saturday’s party.

The occasion was Senior Day, and the St. Augustine’s family pulled out all the stops. For Chaz, this included not only a visit from Mom and brother Anthony, but also three of his high school basketball and AAU coaches.

But the biggest surprise was waiting for Nina.

“Oh my God! The school president (Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber), Coach (Michael) Costa, and the football team and parents surprised me with an appreciation dinner after the game for starting the 757 Parent Boosters. It was beautiful. I cried the whole time because of all the comments people made. I did not know they loved me like that!”

One look at the plaque presented to Robinson shows that indeed, they do love her like that.

“Nina Robinson – Thank You for being TEAM MOM #3 (Chaz’s number)”

“Your heart, your cheers, and most of all, your presence and support made a difference to the 2010 to 2013 football program.” Presented by St. Augustine’s University, Falcon Football Program, November 2, 2013.

Many of the pictures from the dinner made it on to the Facebook page, drawing comments from other parents, such as, “That was sweet, no doubting your support,”  “You deserve it SUPER DUPER MOM,” and “Stop crying you big baby!”

Says Robinson in a parting thought, “We really have become one big family.”

Robinson Breaks St. Augustine Career Tackle Record

As published in the Hampton and Newport News Town Square editions of the November 7th DAILY PRESS. Robinson needs 13 tackles today to also break the single season record at St. Aug's.

Capping what has already been a stellar season, Hampton’s Chaz Robinson recently broke the career tackle record at St. Augustine’s College.

While at Phoebus HS, Robinson was a start linebacker,
but also scored numerous touchdowns as a fullback

Robinson, who won three state titles as a standout fullback and linebacker at Phoebus, set the record on October 19, in a game against Winston-Salem State. Entering the game needing three tackles, Robinson crushed the record with a 13 tackle effort, albeit in a losing cause for the 3-5 Falcons. After last Saturday’s contest against Fayetteville State, Robinson has 384 career tackles, and is now only 23 short of the Falcon single-season record with two games left..

Robinson broke the previous mark of 363 set by Kevin Jones, a former All-American linebacker and current St. Augustine’s safeties coach. The Falcon single season record of 125 tackles is held by Tyrone Pettaway, a linebacker who was named CIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and set the record in 2004.

His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. He has been selected CIAA linebacker of the week four times in seven weeks, while his 12.8 tackle per game average ranks fourth in Division II.

And the best may be yet to come.

Says Robinson, “(My goal) is to pursue my football opportunities at the next level and the chances of being an NFL player.”

At 5’11” and 225, Robinson is considered smallish at the linebacker position. But his ambition is not unprecedented. By comparison, Sam Mills, who started at linebacker for 12 years in the NFL, played his college ball at Division III Montclair State in New Jersey, and stood a mere 5’9”. The Redskins London Fletcher, who has made the past four All-Pro teams, is 5’10” and also came from a Division III background, starring at Ohio’s John Carroll University.

Assessing his own style, however, Robinson doesn’t necessarily stick to linebackers as his influences, citing “the aggression of Ray Lewis and ball pursuit of (Steelers safety) Troy Polamalu” as the player he aims to become.

While the future is bright, Robinson’s past is even more miraculous. In fact, miracle is part of his existence. Literally.

Almost twenty-one years ago (birthday on November 8^th), mother Nina Robinson, pregnant with her second child (older brother Anthony also won two state championships as a Phoebus lineman in the early 2000’s), was diagnosed with uterine fibroid tumors, which put her painful pregnancy in jeopardy. To ease the pain, her doctors prescribed morphine, which alleviated the pain, but put her newborn in danger of addiction and other harmful side effects.

Amazingly, when Robinson was born, he was eight pounds, 22 inches and suffered no unusual side effects.

So he was formally given his name – Chaz Miracle Allen Robinson.

Robinson’s college recruitment process was also rugged. Initially, a few BCS schools, such as Marshall and East Carolina showed interest. Several FCS schools were also involved in the process.

But as the time to make a decision wound down, so did the number of offers.

“At the end of my recruitment, St Aug was the only school that still wanted to give me an opportunity to play college football. (Accepting) wasn’t appealing over any larger school; it was the only appeal I had left to hold on to.”

In spite of his professional playing aspirations, Robinson is prepared for life after Saint Augustine’s football. Next June, he will earn his Bachelors of Science degree in Sports Management. Graduate school, and the pursuit of a Masters in Sports Management, is also part of his larger plan. There will be a successful life ahead, whether it includes football or not.

If Robinson pursues his next degree with the ferocity that he pursues opposing ball carriers, the only certainty is that some team will be calling for him in the near future, either as a linebacker, or a member of the front office.

And that would not be a miracle.

From TrackSide Magazine - Issue 3 - "Time Stands Still" - Johnny Gray 800 Meter American Record Holder

For most of the 1980’s and early 90’s, Johnny Gray was the best middle distance runner in America. The California native made four Olympic teams (1984-1996), and won a bronze medal in his signature event, the 800, at the Barcelona Games of 1992. Years earlier, in 1985, Gray set the U.S. record in the 800 with a time of 1:42.60, a standard of excellence that has now held up for twenty-eight years.

(Right video) Johnny Gray
setting the American standard
of 1:42.60 back in 1985. No one
has broken the mark in 28 years.

Since retiring from competition soon after the turn of the 21st century, Gray has made his mark as a coach, first at UCLA, and now Central Florida where he is working with the distance runners and assisting head coach Jeanette Bolden. Now 53, he first earned his coaching stripes as the mentor for Santa Monica Track Club teammate Khadevis Robinson, who won five U.S. championships under the tutelage of Gray, who won seven of his own. This year, he has been instrumental in guiding the careers of 800-meter runners Maz Okoro and Duane Solomon, both of whom were seeded among the favorites at the recent World Championships in Moscow.

His working relationship with Solomon, 28, is especially noteworthy, mainly because the mentee has an excellent chance of breaking Gray’s AR, having already clocked a 1:42.82 last year.

XXX

Chip Jenkins, is a gold medal winning member of the 1600-meter relay team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Although Jenkins didn’t race directly against Gray (“Johnny didn’t dip into the 500 and 600 too often”), his accomplishments bridge the careers of both Gray, the runner and Gray, the coach. Now an intellectual property attorney in Washington, D.C., Jenkins was one of Gray’s contemporaries, and now at 49, watched earlier this summer as Solomon broke his American record of 1:15.80 in the 600 meters, a mark that stood for 26 years.

Jenkins recalls watching Gray race in the 80’s. “What strikes me about Johnny Gray was that he always ran within himself. It's great that he imparted upon Duane the same knowledge and habits to win consistently indoors and out.”

Even though it meant losing his American record.

XXX

To read the rest of this article, please go to page 34 at trackside3.tracknation.com

The Karate Kids of Yorktown - Meet the Park's

For the four Park children of Yorktown, taekwondo is more than a family affair. In fact, based on their recent performances at state and national level meets, the kicking quartet, who range in age from five through 11 and train at World Martial Arts gym, have become a familial force to be reckoned with.

(Right) Grand Master Ko
demonstrating his ability
to break hard objects in
1988 video

Calera, the oldest, is a student at Tabb Middle school, and probably the most accomplished right now, having scored her first national title last July at the U.S. National Taekwondo Federation championships in Chicago.

“She was the first to start,” says Johnathon Renner, WMA manager and coach. “It must have been tough for her, being the oldest and having younger brothers following.”

Fortunately, Renner is not alone in the dojo, as four other coaches, and until recently, two interns, are also available at World Martial Arts to oversee each athlete’s progress. All teaching is conducted under the watchful eye of Grand Master Pyong Tuk Ko, himself an eighth degree black belt with over 30 years of teaching experience on the Peninsula. Grand Master Ko, a former president of the Virginia State Taekwondo Association, was honored by then-President George H.W. Bush in 1992 for his work as the tournament director of the 18^th National Championships, which served as the Olympic qualifying match and was held at Hampton Coliseum.

The three young Park men – Edmond, 8, Andrew, 7, and Benjamin, 5 are bunched closer in age, but also perform at a high level. Like their sister, both Edmund and Andrew have earned their black belts, while Benjamin is in probationary status.

Yet the youngest Park sibling is making a lot of noise, having placed third at the Chicago tournament.

“(Benjamin) is probably the youngest guy I’ve ever seen do this. What he can do at that age is unbelievable,” says Renner.

Expanding on the thought, Grand Master Ko added, “You can see the hard work that the students put in. To see the skill and precision that the young people display is admirable.”

Three other World Martial Arts students – Connor Marsell, Kirsten Marsell, and Ben Bashore, also qualified for Nationals.

But there’s more to WMA than the activity which occurs on the mats. One of the staples of the gym is its after school program. Renner feels the program helps the students to prioritize.

“We’re making sure their focus is on self-control. They know that school comes first and this comes after.”

Four vans make their way around York County, stopping at numerous schools to pick up most of the 70 students who participate each day. The afternoon sessions consist of a one-hour class, followed by thirty minutes of mandatory homework and reading.

Other classes offered at World Martial Arts include a variety of options such as hapkido,  weapons training, tai-chi, yoga, personal training for weight management and performance enhancement for elite athletics.

World Martial Arts & Fitness is located at 2115 George Washington Memorial Highway (Rte. 17) in Yorktown, VA (just south of Wal-Mart). For more information, please call the gym at 757-867-5085 or visit their website at www.kostkd.com.

More About Manteo

Congratulations to Manteo Mitchell, who was last week's feature on the "Wall." He was recently selected to the Western Carolina Hall of Fame. To my surprise, he contacted me and asked for help with his biography, which I assume would be used in the ceremony and program. I pulled some stuff together. Turns out I had assumed the bio was supposed to be brief, and thankfully, he made some additions which truly pulled everything together. For the record, here's what I had.

Manteo Mitchell (’09) is easily one of the most famous athletes in Catamount history. While running for Western Carolina, Mitchell broke school records in the 200 and 400-meter runs, and also qualified for the NCAA championships seven times. Soon after graduating, Manteo became the first athlete in school history to become an Olympian, earning a spot as a 4x400 meter relay runner.

The relay finished with a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics, but it was Manteo’s gutsy effort in the qualifying race that made headline news around the world. Halfway through his 400-meter leg, Manteo heard a crack in his leg. In spite of the pain, he courageously finished his lap, learning later that he had broken his fibula midway through the race. His story reached hundreds of millions of worldwide Olympic viewers, and even drew a comment from President Barack Obama, who called it “one of my favorite stories from the Games,” while Manteo was an honored Olympian guest at the White House.

Mitchell has also earned a world championship, for his part on the gold medal winning 4x400 relay at the indoor World Championships in 2012.

For his career at Western Carolina, Manteo’s highlights also include being a four-time Southern Conference MVP, five conference team championships, seven NCAA-All region athlete honors, and winner of the Joe Hunt Award, for being the Outstanding College Male Athlete at Western Carolina.

However, it is his recent work that is drawing notice, as Manteo has become a well-respected motivational speaker, delivering his testimony of “FaithFocusFinish” to dozens of youth and civic groups. His inspirational story was recently featured in a cover story of TrackSide magazine (trackside3.tracknation.com).

Mitchell, who runs for Nike athletics, was also recently selected for sponsorship by BP, the former British Petroleum Company.

Excerpt from TrackSide Magazine - "Manteo Mitchell: FaithFocusFinish"

From the Fall 2013 issue of TrackSide magazine, available now at trackside3.tracknation.com.

Manteo Mitchell ran 200 meters of a relay on a broken leg
at the 2012 Olympics, but that's not what he wants to be
remembered for.

Manteo Mitchell is leading a paradoxical life. He is an American professional athlete, and Olympic silver medal winner. At track meets, he is known by sight and as an inspirational speaker; he has delivered more than 60 testimonies of faith and hope. He even has a mantra which he is happy to share – that being “Faith, Focus, Finish.”

The problem is, Mitchell’s road to celebrity came as the result of a tough break, more specifically, the one in his left fibula as he ran a leg on the U.S. 1600-meter relay. In a twist of irony, he was introduced to track as the result of another bone injury, this one a complete break in his left radius bone, which ended his senior high school year of football in the second game.

While Mitchell would have preferred to find fame in another manner, there is no question that his heroic act of not being “that guy” and finishing his leg on the track at London has helped him find an audience.

Now it’s time for the real work to begin.

“FaithFocusFinish”

The casual observer might be prone to believe that this trite, but meaningful, saying was added to the quarter miler’s vocal repertoire soon after the London Games, when his name was on the lips and typing fingers of many a reporter.

Nothing could be farther from the truth....

(Continued on page 16 at trackside3.tracknation.com.)

Manteo Mitchell’s website can be found at manteomitchellusa.com, and he is also on Twitter @manteomitchell and @OlympicFaith (FaithFocusFinish.)

Denbigh's Hollis Continues Football Life in Finland

From Daily Press Newport News Town Square edition of September 26, 2013. This is the original version before editing -- in other words, not adjusted to fit within a certain space .. laugh.

For Dwayne Hollis, perseverance has been his key to success.

(Right) On the video wall, Hollis
returns punt for a Rooster
record 93 yards

As a 5’8”, 125 pound sophomore at Denbigh High School in the mid 2000’s, Hollis was judged as too small to play football. A couple of his coaches tried to steer him toward cross-country, figuring that his slight build and natural speed would be better suited for trails, rather than pads. But the youngster refused to yield to adversity. Even while attending several distance running practices, he continued to mold himself into a football player, eventually tacking on 25 pounds and earning his way into the starting Patriot lineup as a senior cornerback.

Simultaneously, he also grew into a standout track athlete, competing in the short sprints for a Denbigh team that finished the 2007 outdoor season with a fourth place state AAA finish. Part of that success came from Hollis’ ability in the pole vault, where his drive for excellence helped him to develop into a 13-foot vaulter.

Although he had speed, the size was still lacking. But the word quit never entered the vocabulary of the Newport News native. He found a spot on the Division III North Carolina Wesleyan football team. Little by little, his skills honed and his physique grew. But the speed always worked to his advantage. Hollis became a return man, and by his sophomore year, he had scored a touchdown by interception, punt and kickoff return.

Hollis' final two years served only to bolster his status as a one man human highlight reel for the Bishops.

The accolades piled up. He became the first NCWC player to earn All-American honors, as a defensive back. Hollis was also chosen as a Beyond Sports (BSN) All-American as a return specialist. For his senior year, Hollis, now 5’9“ and 165 (about the same size as Redskins Hall of Famer Darrell Green), recorded four interceptions (one returned for a TD), 46 tackles and a fumble recovery, while averaging over 13 yards per punt return and 24 for each kickoff return (with three more touchdowns). It was hard not to notice the speedster, and his accomplishments earned Hollis a spot in the Division III Senior Bowl.

It also earned Hollis a great connection. Wide receivers coach Kevin Burant had worked for a year with the Helsinki Roosters and received a call from his former colleagues asking if he knew any potential return specialists. The link was made and a flight was booked.

Hollis immediately noticed that professional football was lower key in Finland. Along with a 10-game season, there was a more laid back attitude.

“We practiced about three times a week and usually played on weekends. I enjoyed the nightlife sometimes.”

He also got introduced to coaching, working with the younger Roosters team.

Although Hollis didn’t arrive until the fourth game, he made an immediate impact, helping Helsinki maintain an undefeated record while defending their Maple Bowl title with a 52-31 win over the Helsinki Wolverines. Despite his late start, Hollis led the Roosters in all-purpose yards with 883, and scored six touchdowns in seven games – four as a wide receiver and two on returns. In the championship game, he caught five passes for 96 yards and a 50-yard touchdown.

The best may be yet to come.

“I’m about to get an agent,” says Hollis, ready to continue his professional aspirations, whether they be in the Arena Football League, or Canada. But, the ultimate goal remains the NFL.

For now, he is putting his newfound coaching skills to work, helping with the defensive squad at his high school alma mater, which got off to a surprising 2-1 start. For Hollis, it was a natural extension of his football experience.

“Every summer, I trained for college football at Denbigh H.S.. I was going to coach there before I left (for Finland).

Overall, Hollis is pleased with the opportunity to continue his football career.

“It was good to go to another country because not too many people go to Europe, let alone to play the sport they love.”

What was most surprising about Finland?

“It was different because a lot of people walk and ride bikes everywhere. One thing that I found shocking is that they don’t use traffic lights on Sunday. And they use kilometers, not miles.”

Christopher Newport U. Football Off to First 3-0 Start in School History; defeats Shenandoah 34-6

I had the opportunity to cover my first college football game the other night. Now I have written articles about a few college sporting events (really, the Virginia Duals wrestling tournament and a couple of cross-country meets) but this was the first shot at football. My initial reaction -- I could get used to this. At the high school games, the press boxes mirror the elements and are either too hot, too cold, too wet, whatever. Also, at the college games, there is food -- three sandwiches for me on Saturday night, thank you very much. And they bring the stats to you -- no compiling by oneself. The sports information folks also make the players available to you, which is much easier than chasing a high school kid halfway across a gridiron.

Deadline was sketchy at the Daily Press on Saturday night, so I don't know if my final version ever ran anywhere. Here's a link to the version on the Internet, which was widely, well..from the looks of the numbers, widely missed.

(http://www.dailypress.com/sports/colleges/dp-spt-shenandoah-cnu-0922-20130921,0,3660745.story)

Just in case, here's my final version, complete with quotes --

NEWPORT NEWS --- Looking to capitalize on its first 2-0 start in team history, Christopher Newport rediscovered an old weapon – the right arm of backup quarterback Lyndon Garner – to blast Shenandoah University 34-6 before a capacity Family Day crowd of 6,192 at Pomoco Stadium on Saturday night.

The Captains entered the game ranked 25^th nationally, according to D3football.com, but had trouble hitting all cylinders on their first drive. Quarterback Marcus Morrast misfired on his first three passes. But Paul Dukes carried the early load, chugging out 36 yards on five carries as the Captains marched 63 yards down the field. However, their 13-play drive stalled on the three-yard line when Hornets defensive end Evan Griffin darted around the right end to level Morrast and force an incompletion on third-and-goal. Mason Studer’s 20-yard field goal gave CNU an early 3-0 advantage.

But Morrast suffered a shoulder injury on the final play and was relegated to the sideline, forcing Garner, the senior quarterback from Essex H.S. in Tappahannock, into the game.

Garner, who saw limited action as a junior after starting ten games as a sophomore, had not seen action this season until Saturday, but was ready when the call came.

“I just had to stay focused,” said Garner, who finished 9 of 11 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. “The biggest shift was getting back to game speed after working with the scout team all week.”

The new signal caller made an immediate impact on the first play of his second drive, as wide receiver Rudy Rudolph got behind the safeties and caught a strike from Garner, outracing the defense to the end zone for an 83-yard score.

The Garner-Rudolph combination struck again less than two minutes later, this time for a 53 yard score on the Captains next possession, giving CNU a 17-0 lead. Having found its rhythm, the Captains poured it on, with Strom Parker adding another score, this one on a 10-yard blast up the middle. In all, CNU tallied 347 yards in the opening half.

Having Rudolph as a target helped Garner in the early going.

“He’s our top target. A tall guy. I just throw the ball, and he’ll catch it every time.”

The Hornets (1-2)  lone scoring opportunity in the first half fizzled out on the Captain 12 with 2:26 left in the second quarter as a fourth-and-eight pass from Drew Ferguson to Charles McMillan sailed high into the end zone and was dropped.

A 26-yard field goal by Studer provided the only scoring for the third quarter as the Captains switched to a ball control offense.

The Hornets finally scored with 8:57 left, as Brandon Adams caught a flare pass from Ferguson and bounced into the end zone, with the assistance of several missed Captain tackles.

Daquan Davis added the Captains final score, bursting through the middle for a 18-yard touchdown.

Coach Matt Kelchner was pleased with his defense, which held the Hornets to 267 total yards, particularly after watching Shenandoah play Ferrum last week.

“They were down 21-7, and just came out and pounded them. With a new coach and a new system, I thought they had it going.”

Senior linebacker Evan Moog led the effort with 13 tackles.

“He’s playing as well as anybody in the country right now,” said Kelchner.

Kelchner also gave credit to the defensive line.

“Coach Kepa (defensive line coach) is doing a great job. The front four held up on the line, which freed up our linebackers.”

With the win, the Captains raised their record to 3-0, the fastest start in school history.

Shenandoah   0, 0, 0, 6   -- 6

CNU              3, 21, 3, 7 – 34

CNU – Studer 20 FG

CNU – Rudolph 83 pass from Garner (Studer kick)

CNU – Rudolph 53 pass from Garner (Studer kick)

CNU – Parker 10 run (Studer kick)

CNU – Studer 26 FG

Shen – Adams 19 pass from Ferguson (run failed)

CNU – Davis 18 run (Studer kick)

                         Shenandoah   CNU

First downs;      14, 21

Rushes-yards;   25-54, 44-239

Passing yards;   213, 232

Comp-att-int;   21-37-1, 10-16-0

Penalties-yards; 6-45, 9-85

Punts-avg;       6-28.5, 5-38.2

Fumbles-lost;   0-0, 2-0

New Job Update - Six Weeks in SoBo

Six weeks down in South Boston, VA.

The experience has been interesting. While I can’t discuss the specifics of the new job, I can report that things are going well. School has started again, and learning is taking place.

My soon to be home away from home in SoBo, VA

In the meantime, my own education is continuing.

It had not occurred to me until recently that I have never lived in a city with less than 100,000 residents. Alexandria, Newport News, even Staten Island (New York City), where I attended undergrad school at Wagner College are cities with all the trappings of a metropolis. Traffic is one. Suffice it to say, after 48 years of living in a metropolis, there are certain things that one takes for granted.

Like 7-11’s and cab or bus service.

While enjoying a steak sub at a local eatery last month, I was ready for a “nightcap,” and asked the teenage waitress where I could get a Slurpee.

Her look of befuddlement embarrassed me.

“A... what?”

From the next table, a woman who was educated in these sorts of things was kind enough to chime in. “We have Sheetz.”

Duly noted. No Slurpee’s in South Boston.

A couple of days later, the squealing from my brakes was too much to handle. I knew the pads had to be changed, so I followed some good advice and took my car to a place called Rice and Sons. It was close to my hotel, the South Boston Inn, so I walked home, figuring that I’d just catch a cab the next morning while the work was being done. (Point of note - brake pads, rotation and new inspection sticker - $160, less than half of what I would have paid in Newport News)

Imagine my surprise the next morning when I walked to the lobby and asked for a cab.

“There used to be one here, but I think it closed.”

I called work and someone had to pick me up. That doesn’t happen everywhere.

South Boston has a population of about 8,500 spread out over 12 square miles. It’s quaint, and it has seen better days. There are a lot of closed up businesses in the downtown area. Still, I’m optimistic enough to think the town will rebound. And, if a real estate speculator or two might be reading this, there are some foreclosed single family homes here that can be had for less than 50-60K. And by homes, I mean three bedroom colonials with a yard and the need for some TLC and elbow grease.

While the word “urgency” isn’t part of the SoBo lexicon, I am enjoying the friendliness of the town folks, and the quiet and lack of traffic is refreshing. Raj and Amil Gupta, who run the South Boston Inn, have been great innkeepers during my elongated stay there. If you’re in the region, I highly recommend it. Not the Ritz, but enough bang for the buck ($50 a night, in my case) to make the stay worthwhile. The room is clean, and there is Wi-Fi and cable. In simple terms – five weeks, no bedbugs.

Of course, I really miss being away from home. It’s hard to be away all week.

Ride and Tie???

When Toby Keith sang about wanting to be a working westerner in his classic melody “Should Have Been a Cowboy,” his yearning for living the lifestyle of one who wears a ten gallon hat came from the fact that he never learned how to “rope and ride.”

Toby Keith forgot about the running
part of being a cowboy. Running?

Perhaps he forgot the part about running.

Four local residents won’t have the same problem this weekend, as they will pair off and compete at the 43^rd Annual Ride and Tie World Championship in Ft. Bragg, California.

In fact, the teams of Mary Gibbs and Greg Brander, as well as Dave and Rhonda Venable, were the first two entries when the application process started on April 1^st. Gibbs is a Poquoson resident while Brander and the Venable’s hail from Yorktown.

Ride and Tie?

Before critiquing the roping and riding abilities of those involved, it helps to better understand the event.

As noted from its literature, the participants in Ride & Tie events race both on horses and under their own power, covering distances of 20 to 100 miles. The Championship in Ft. Bragg (located in upper California, four hours north of San Francisco by car) is a 35-mile race, noted for its ruggedness and breathtaking scenery.  The objective, as noted by the Ride & Tie Association, states:

"The goal is to get all three team members, two humans and one horse, across a cross-country course by alternating riding and running. The rider, being faster, rides ahead and ties the horse to a tree and then continues down the trail on foot. The team member who started out on foot gets to the horse, unties, mounts up, and rides past the runner, ties the horse...and this leapfrog continues over the entire course."

One unique aspect of the event comes from the strategy which each pair chooses to utilize. When, where, and how a team exchanges riding for running is almost entirely up to each duo, giving each team a signature characteristic.

There are other challenges, such as, the terrain. While the horses tend to maintain their balance and the humans are in above-average physical condition (Rhonda Venable is a former Peninsula Track Club president and Bethel High cross-country coach), there are plenty of opportunities for turned ankles and contact bumps. Straying off the beaten path can be nerve-wracking, especially after nightfall. During the Old Dominion Endurance Event, held last month in Orkney, VA, the evening race also included nighttime fog which Bradner said was "a little bit surreal. Distances got distorted and the trail was even more confusing." The athletes (and horses) had to rely on glow-sticks placed along the course by race planners.

While the Ride and Tie event is entrenched in its Western roots, the competition has become more popular in other parts of the world, mostly because of the attention given on social media, particularly Facebook, says Ride and Tie president Ben Volk. Volk adds that “we are still trying to get the word out via the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) and other worldwide equestrian websites.”

Additional information about Ride & Ties can be found at www.rideandtie.org.

Open Mike Night --- Remembering My Singing Days (Boy Could Garrick Play)

I woke up this morning in South Boston, VA (still staying at the SoBo Inn for a bit longer) and went right to my Facebook account, a common practice. Not sure why it's the first thing I check in the morning; perhaps it validates that nothing too crazy happened overnight and there is still a semblance of normalcy in the world. Back to South Boston and why I'm here -- the new job is still going very well and I'll be re-opening the school in a couple of weeks. Just waiting on some computer cable to be installed and my admissions/job placement process to be completed.

Back to the point. First thing I noticed on Facebook this morning were wedding reception pictures posted by a W&M classmate, specifically author Sean Heuvel. Live from the Officers Club at Fort Belvoir. I had to laugh and make a pithy comment -- "hey an old karaoke haunt from LONG ago!"

Probably about 18 years for anyone keeping time.

I have tried over the years to obtain footage (mostly by my sister Carrie) that was taken of me singing - anything - just to prove that I did it once upon a time. Any footage is on VHS and I only know that it's at my parents house somewhere.

The funniest thing is that my singing comrades during the 90's might be surprised to learn that it has become a thing of the past for me. Never found a great spot in Newport News, although Elizabeth and I liked Chadwick's at Point Plaza back when we lived a stone's throw away. Many of my fellow songsters, have gone on to sing in bands (Five by Five comes to mind..ahem..Vicki! Billy Clemens is also rocking along, keeping the spirit of Cash and Haggard alive.) Some of my singing buddies are no longer with us - actually, more than I can count on one hand, possibly two.

With time to think tonight, and every night here, I took a trip down Memory Lane and ended up on the wooden platform of GW's in Old Town Alexandria. Back in the day, GW's was the open mike spot for country and our place to go on Sunday nights. Sunny usually won or placed high in the contests. She passed away a few years ago. Tommy was the classic country singer, complete with a ten gallon hat and stage name. He has moved back to the Ohio side of the Ohio/West Virginia line. We lost GW, also known as Gary Wayne Miller, last year. Heck, GW's is now the Rockit Grill. Point being, we'll never be able to relive this time, but it was SO MUCH FUN. After singing with the various bands, karaoke suddenly lost its luster, and it's little surprise that I essentially gave it up within a couple of years.

Some favorite moments included singing an eight minute rendition of "Mustang Sally" with Benny Dean and Southern Rain one New Year's Eve (1998?), a version complete with extended solos. Other memorable times for me included sitting in with a few of the bands at various honky tonks up and down Route 1.

During that time, my favorite guitarist to sing with was a dude named Garrick Alden. He played with City Slicker, and a couple of other bands. Didn't matter if you brought your voice to the stage or not -- when Garrick was playing, you were always going to sound good cause he rocked the house.

I found a recent video of Garrick and it's posted on the right. Just a minute long jam that gives one an idea of how talented he is. And yes, he has been a session player in Nashville. There's no way he'd remember me, but his playing popped up in my head this morning so I went looking for him tonight. Just glad to see that the old boy is still grinding his axe -- well!! Rock On Garrick!