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Transcript of Four Corners Sports April 2014
3Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
content| 4 | Fun and colorfulNicole Walters and Esther Schreffler, both of
Farmington, were new to 5K runs when they
donned grass skirts and white T-shirts with
the labels “First-Timers” on them, to
participate in the March 29 Run or Dye event
at McGee Park.
| 18 | Another Birdie CupThe Purgatory Alpine Ski Team just finished its
season the weekend of March 8 with a big win.
The team, made up of boys and girls ages 6
and up, compete in the Southern Series of the
Rocky Mountain Division against teams from
Taos, Flagstaff, Santa Fe and Los Alamos.
| 8 | C.A.S.T. for KidsThe program is called C.A.S.T. for Kids and it
stands for Catch A Special Thrill, which is
what many of the nearly 80 participants will
be doing on May 10 at Navajo State Park.
| 17 | Fishing Report
| 10 | High School BasketballWith the biggest sporting event in New Mexico
in the books, it’s time to take a look back at
the 2014 state basketball championships.
| 12 | Baseball SeasonBaseball season is underway in Farmington
with more than 1,100 children and teenagers
signed up to participate in the Farmington
Amateur Baseball Congress, or FABC.
| 14 | Redistricting the countyEvery two years the New Mexico Activities
Association looks at the enrollment of the
schools in the state and begins the process
of reclassification, hoping to bring balance
to state athletics by having schools of
similar size compete agaisnt each other in
district play.
| 20 | The First TeeThe four golf seasons in the Four Corners
region are winter, wind, hot and perfect. As
we enter the early part of wind season, the
temperatures have officially let us know
that it is springtime.
| 21 | Shootin’ hoopsThe Farmington Police Department School Re-
source Officers hosted the second annual 3-on-
3 Basketball Tournament on March 8 at
Farmington High School.
| 26 | The Next GenerationTraditionally new coaches in basketball come
from the ranks of the assistants in the program
but where do those assistants come from?
| 28 | Gymnastics meetThe Farmington Gymnastics Academy had a
strong showing at the March 1 state gym-
nastics meet at Albuquerque Gymnastics
School in Albuquerque.
| 22 | Wholistic fitness coach
| 31 | Editorial Column
Don Vaughan
PUBLISHER
Cindy Cowan Thiele
EDITOR
Debra Mayeux
Rick Hoerner
Tom Yost
Ben Brashear
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Josh Bishop
Curtis Benally
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Suzanne Thurman
DESIGNER
Shelly Acosta
DeYan Valdez
Aimee Velasquez
SALES STAFF
For advertising information
Call 505.516.1230
www.fourcornerssports.com
Four Corners Sports magazine is published once amonth by Majestic Media. Material herein may not bereprinted without expressed written consent of the pub-lisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writersare not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or FourCorners Sports magazine. Every effort has been madeto ensure the accuracy of this publication. However thepublisher cannot assume responsibility for errors orommissions. © 2014 Four Corners Sports magazine.
Majestic Media
100 W. Apache Street
Farmington, NM 87401
505.516.1230
www.majesticmediausa.com
STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS
covercredit
Please send to
We’ve got more photos
than we can use.
Check out the photo gallery
for each issue at
www.fourcornerssports.com
Josh Bishop
Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness® and the
race director of the fourth annual Winter War-
rior 10k snowshoe race held at the Durango
Nordic Center, kneels on one knee at the finish
line.
with Rick Hoerner
| 35 | 10 Questionswith Larry and Jeremy Dugger
| 32 | Desert Bighorn SheepIt took Glen Fuller one day and four shots to
accomplish something for which he has waited
his entire life. On Oct. 1, 2013, Fuller brought
down a world record desert bighorn sheep in
Unit 26 in New Mexico.
3
4 Four Corners SPoRTS April 2014
Nicole Walters and Esther Schreffler, both of
Farmington, were new to 5K runs when they
donned grass skirts and white T-shirts with the
labels “First-Timers” on them, to participate in
the March 29 Run or Dye event at McGee Park.
Schreffler put the team together as a way to
develop a new fitness routine of running races.
Her sister, Kathi Briones, of Albuquerque, also
joined. “We wanted to participate in the energy,
and we were especially happy it was for Big
Brothers Big Sisters,” Briones said.
There were 1,300 people who turned out for
the fun run, which touts itself as being the
“most colorful” 5K run in the United States.
Teams and individuals come out and run while
being sprayed with a powdery type dye that
stains their clothing and adds rainbow colors
to their hair and skin.
Run or Dye 5K run raises $7,500 for Big Brothers, Big SistersStory by Debra Mayeux | Photos by Josh Bishop
Fun colorful&
5Four Corners SportSApril 2014
6 Four Corners SpoRTS April 2014
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The dye was the “best part” of the race for Lauren Tomko of Bloomfield. “It was soft
and cool. It felt like someone was throwing flour on you,” she said.
Tomko began participating in 5K runs to get into shape. “I’m trying to improve my
time,” she said, adding that this race was perfect for her, because it was not a timed
run. “It was so much more relaxed.”
Because of the relaxed party atmosphere, there were people of all ages and abilities
participating in the Run or Dye. The event was put on much like a rock concert with
speakers blasting music, and a stage, where the race coordinators hyped up the crowd
and threw prizes into the audience. It even was exciting to Aaron Montoya of Bloom-
field, whom Tomko forced to participate in the event.
7Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
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“I was sleeping, and when I woke up
she had my credit card in her hand and
said ‘You are doing this,’” Montoya said,
looking at the dye covering his body. “I’m
very bright. It was fun.”
This was Montoya’s first run and he
said “it probably won’t be my last.”
Run or Dye has become somewhat of an
introductory race that encourages people
to come out for the experience and fun of
the event. People of all abilities are en-
couraged to participate, and they can even
finish the 5k by walking it.
“It’s a non-timed event, so anybody
could enjoy it,” said Danielle Todacheene,
development specialist with Big Brothers
Big Sisters of San Juan County. After Run
or Dye coordinators contacted the local
Big Brothers Big Sisters office. Offering to
bring the event here as a fundraising op-
portunity for the non-profit organization,
Todacheene organized the race.
“They partner with other Big Brothers
Big Sisters across the country,” To-
dacheene said, adding she began working
on pulling the race together in September
2013.
In its first year out, the event raised
more than $7,500 for Big Brothers Big Sis-
ters of San Juan County.
The Run or Dye event was the only one
in the Four Corners region, so Todacheene
was able to pull together more than 100
volunteers from San Juan County, Gallup
and Southwest Colorado. “This was really
exciting,” she said. “If you want to run
something like this, you usually have to go
to Albuquerque or Phoenix.”
The racers, walkers, strollers – and
even dogs – enjoyed the Run or Dye.
“It was good to finish the race,” Walters
said.
“It was awesome,” Schreffler added.
8 Four Corners SPorTS April 2014
The program is called C.A.S.T. for Kids and it stands for Catch A Special Thrill, which is
what many of the nearly 80 participants will be doing on May 10 at Navajo State Park. The
premise is to introduce youth to the sport of fishing.
The event is sponsored by the State of New Mexico Fish and Game Department, and many
avid fishermen and women will devote their boats, equipment, knowledge and time to help
underprivileged and special needs kids of all ages and backgrounds catch fish.
Kellie Campbell, a volunteer for C.A.S.T. for Kids and an employee at Energen, expects an-
other great event this year.
C.A.S.T.
for KidsAvid fishermen introduce
kids to the sport of fishingStory by Tom Yost | Courtesy photos
9Four Corners SPorTSApril 2014
“We are anticipating 80 participants to at-
tend the event,” explains Campbell. “All of the
participants are special needs and underprivi-
leged. This is often either the first time they
have ever been fishing or the one-day a year
they get to go fishing. The estimated volunteer
ratio is 3:1, which leaves us with approximately
300+ people attending the event in one form or
another.”
And while all who participate enjoys the
event, many different things are accomplished
by bringing the participants out to Navajo
State Park.
“The goals of the event are to expose chil-
dren, who may not otherwise get the opportu-
nity, to the sport of fishing and the enjoyment
of the outdoors,” says Campbell.
“The event also encourages continued par-
ticipation in fishing by developing skills in the
children, along with their parents. And finally,
the event provides education and understand-
ing to children about fish as a natural re-
source.”
In the midst of all the fun to be had by the
participants, many times the volunteers learn
just as much, if not more, as the participants
during the event.
“C.A.S.T. for Kids increases the awareness of
all participants – parents, sportsmen, and vol-
unteers – to the capabilities of children with
disabilities, in effect strengthening our local
communities,” explains Campbell.
May 10 is expected to be another wonderful
community event. Anyone who wants to get
their child involved in C.A.S.T. for Kids is en-
couraged to contact Cheryl Moline at
505.632.2278. Those who would like to volun-
teer as a boat captain should contact Kellie
Campbell at 505.793.7611.
10 Four Corners SPOrTS April 2014
With the biggest sporting event in New Mex-
ico in the books, it’s time to take a look back at
the 2014 state basketball championships.
Disappointment may be the word for San
Juan County basketball this season at the state
tournament.
In 4A girls’ basketball, neither Piedra Vista
at No. 8 nor Kirtland Central at No. 16 could get
out of the first round. Piedra Vista, hosting a
state playoff game for only the second time in
school history, couldn’t hold serve against
Miyamura. Kirtland Central had the near im-
possible task of taking on Los Lunas, the de-
fending state champion and No. 1 seed.
The 4A boys were only slightly better, with
Kirtland Central taking down Artesia in the
opening round before falling to Centennial in
the quarterfinals at The Pit putting an end to
the spectacular career of Christian Mackey,
perhaps the best post player in years in San
Juan County.
Piedra Vista and Farmington had near car-
bon copies of the previous year. Farmington
traveled to Albuquerque Academy for the sec-
ond straight year with an identical result – a
close loss to the Chargers. After losing in the
first round of the district tournament, the Pan-
thers had to play the waiting game to see
where they would fall in the seeding commit-
tee. Again the Panthers hit the road for a long
road trip, falling to Centennial.
In 2A, the Navajo Prep Lady Eagles found
themselves with a solid No. 4 seed and a first
round game at home. Prep handled Mesa Vista
HigH scHool basketball HigHligHts
Kirtland Central Bronco Joseph Willie drives past Centennial Hawk Omar Baez for a layup during the State Quarterfinal
game at the UNM Pit on March 12, 2014.
Powerhouse
Lady Chieftains
lose championship
62-59 in overtimeStory by Rick Hoerner
Photos by Curtis Benally
with ease, looking toward a potential matchup with perennial 2A power-
house and No. 1 seeded texico, but the Eagles lost a one-point heart-
breaker to No. 5 Laguna-Acoma.
Class 3A is where the hopes of the county were best with the
Shiprock Chieftains. the Shiprock boys came out of the seeding meeting
with a No. 10 seed and a road matchup with a traditionally strong San-
dia Prep, who came in at No. 7.
the Chieftains then pulled off what was perhaps the only true upset
of the tournament, with a win over the Sundevils and a matchup with
Coach Ron Geyer’s St. Michaels Horsemen. the Horsemen showed why
they have been a long-standing Final Four caliber team, taking down the
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11Four Corners SPoRtSApril 2014
Shiprock's Ashley John devastated after the Lady Chieftains lost to Portales 62-59 during the 3A Girls Championship on March 14, 2014, at the UNM Pit. (Curtis Ray Benally)
* State Basketball 31
12 Four Corners SPoRTS April 2014
Baseball season is underway in Farm-
ington with more than 1,100 children and
teenagers signed up to participate in the
Farmington Amateur Baseball Congress,
or FABC.
The congress oversees seven separate
baseball divisions for children and
teenagers in the community. Those divi-
sions are Rod Carew for children ages 5 to
6; Roberto Clemente for children ages 7 to
8; Willie Mays for children 10 and under;
Pee Wee Reese for children 12 and under;
Sandy Koufax for teenagers 14 and under;
Mickey Mantle for 16 and under; and
Connie Mack for ages 18 and under.
Different communities have different di-
visions and different baseball congresses,
but Farmington has long been involved
with the American Amateur Baseball Con-
gress, because “… it has the ability to
lead off,” said Nick Chavez, president of
the FABC. “It replicates major league base-
ball.”
The FABC is set up to offer area youth
multiple baseball opportunities. There is
recreational baseball for children who
want to play and just have fun, but there
also are opportunities for more competi-
tive ball, which is made up of players that
are drafted.
Drafting of players begins in the Sandy
Koufax division and goes up in age groups
from there. “If kids are not selected, we let
them register and form teams,” Chavez
said.
Because Farmington has hosted the
Connie Mack World Series for the past 50
More than 1,100 kids sign up; FABC adds Nolan Ryan World Series
2013KNOTHOLEDAY
Story by Debra Mayeux | File Photos
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13Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
years, Chavez believes it is decidedly a base-
ball community. This year the community also
will play host to the Nolan Ryan World Series,
which features players ages 13 and under.
“We have the facility, and Farmington is a
nice community with a really good ball
field,” Chavez said. “We were fortunate
to get the Nolan Ryan World Series.”
The Nolan Ryan World Series will be
played July 26 to Aug. 2, the week before
the Connie Mack World Series, and there
will be some overlap, so the 13-year-old
players will have an opportunity to meet
the 18-year-old players.
The United States’ Little League CEO
Stephen D. Keener also will be in Farm-
ington for the Nolan Ryan World Series.
Keener joined the executive staff of Little
League Baseball Incorporated in 1980
and was elected president in 1994. He
was named CEO in 1996 and, under his leader-
ship, “Little League has expanded its reach
around the world, improved its service to vol-
unteers, responded to changes in technology
and society, and expanded its leadership role
in youth sports safety,” according to the orga-
nization’s website, littleleague.org.
Little League has more than 2 million play-
ers in 80 countries and the organization is al-
ways on the lookout for talented youth
baseball players.
Chavez said Keener will be watching the
youth in the Nolan Ryan World Series, as will
colleges, which begin scouting for potential
ball players when they are 13, 14 and 15 years
old. “Certainly colleges will be coming to look
at these kids,” Chavez said.
It will be similar to the major league ball
scouts, who will arrive the week of Aug. 4 to
watch the Connie Mack players.
Farmington residents, however, will have
a few months of locally played baseball to
whet their appetite for the playoffs, be-
cause recreational baseball began April 1.
Opening ceremonies will begin May 3 at
Ricketts Park with Knothole Day. This will
be the day Farmington High School and
Piedra Vista High School go head-to-head
in a baseball game, and all of the little kids
in the FABC divisions will be introduced on
the field during that game. “The kids run
through the field and shake hands with the
high school players,” Chavez said.
The recreational season continues
through June 1, and is followed by two
weeks of the competitive baseball season, as
the teams compete to see which will represent
Farmington in the Connie Mack World Series.
So get ready, Farmington. It’s time to play
ball.
14 Four Corners SPorTS April 2014
Every two years the New Mexico Activities
Association looks at the enrollment of the
schools in the state and begins the process
of reclassification, hoping to bring balance to
state athletics by having schools of similar
size compete agaisnt each other in district
play.
Most years this doesn’t affect San Juan
County, with the exception of the constant
yo-yoing of Bloomfield or Shiprock going up
to 4A or down to 3A.
This year’s changes, however, will have a
big impact. First of all there will be changes
In the new district 1AAAAA, this PV-Miyamura playoff game is now a district matchup
RedistRictingthe county
Winter prep sports will see dramatic changes Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Benally
15Four Corners SPOrTSApril 2014
in classification by adding a 6A to what is al-
ready a crowded field.
Actually, the change is predominantly in
name only, with the Class B tag being elimi-
nated in favor of Class A. Everyone else
moves up a classs from where they were, ex-
cept this time some teams will not be moving
up and it makes for some interesting
matchups and renewals of old rivals. In
essence, this will make the 5A schools 6A,
and so on, but this will also leave some
schools behind that have had droping atten-
dance.
The new District 1AAAAA, for most sports,
will consist of old District One rivals Farming-
ton, Piedra Vista and Aztec and will add the
Gallup schools Gallup High and Miyamura.
District 1AAAA will have Bloomfield, Shiprock,
Wingate, Zuni and Thoreau joining the lone
holdout in Kirtland Central.
The new district alignment will not change
the overall game structure of most teams’
schedules. Most of the old district 1AAAA was
already playing non-district games, with the
Gallup schools and most of the new 1AAAA
playing each other as well.
Travel budgets may be the only real
change of significance, with the addition of
extra district miles being traveled for sports
that play a home and home series.
There will be some interesting games and
matchups with the new alignment. In the new
District 1AAAAA, fall sports won’t change too
dramatically. With only single game
matchups, football will remain about the
same, competition wise, with Kirtland out
and the Gallup schools in. Volleyball and soc-
cer should be much the same as well.
The real change in the fall will be in cross
country. Adding Gallup and Miyamura will
make a much tougher district and perhaps
the most competitive in the state. While
Piedra Vista has been dominant on the
course, Gallup is strong as well, and has
been a state powerhouse for decades.
In the new District 1AAAA Bloomfield will
finally have some competition on the football
field with the addition of Kirtland Central. KC
was also the dominant team in volleyball
back in the ’90s when this district was in ex-
istence, and should have the dominant girls’
soccer team as well. Just like in 5A District 1,
the cross country matchups should be in-
credibly close.
Winter sports should see dramatic
changes, especially when it comes to girls’
basketball. While Kirtland Central leaves the
new district, 1AAAAA Gallup and Miyamura
come from the toughest district in the state,
making it much more difficult for the
holdovers. For the boys, Gallup and Kirtland
are a virtual swap, but it should make for a
very tough district as well. In district 1AAAA
the legendary Kirtland-Shiprock rivalry
games return to meaningful district games
harking back to the packed gyms in Kirtland
and Shiprock for some classic games.
It is doubtful wrestling will change much.
Piedra Vista and Bloomfield will remain
strong, with defending state champions in
both classes as the teams to beat.
Actually, the change is
predominantly in name only,
with the Class B tag being
eliminated in favor of Class A.
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16 Four Corners SPorTS April 2014
In the spring, softball is going to be in-
credibly competitive for the new class
1AAAAA. Looking back at the 2013 softball
state championships, all five of the new
district’s teams were in the final eight. For
the male counterparts, the new districts
should change little for the PV-Farmington
baseball rivalry and should give Kirtland
baseball a change to revive. Track should
change little as these teams constantly
compete against each other as it is.
The new district should mean a chance
for Kirtland to reestablish itself athleti-
cally, as a declining student population has
made it difficult for the Broncos except on
the basketball court. It should also be ben-
eficial to Bloomfield to have some district
competition in football. For the new district
1AAAAA, it should be more competitive in
certain sports while a necessary change in
others.
If it’s true that change is inevitable and
change is good, 2014-2015 should be a
great one.
Left, the new District 1AAAA returns Kirtland
Central and Bloomfield to district foes
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17Four Corners SpORTSApril 2014
Current flows on the San Juan River below Navajo Lake are
250cfs(cubic feet per second). Visibility is roughly 2 feet. With the
longer days and warmer temperatures the hatches continue to get
stronger daily.
Fishing in the Quality Waters section has been very good lately.
Some of the better action is taking place between the hours of 10 a.m.
and 3 p.m. With visibility at 2 feet, most of the fish are being caught on
nymph rigs. Some of the better rigs to try:
Size 18 yellow egg followed by a size 22 red larvae.
Size 20 gray Big Mac Midge followed by a size 22 chocolate midge
emerged.
Size 22 brown Big Mac Midge followed by a size 22 Thread Body
Baetis.
Also consider stripping some size 12 black and brown Wooly Bug-
gers.
Dry fly fishing has been very slow lately. The off-color water limits
the fish’s ability to see the surface, resulting in only a few fish rising.
Things should start to clear up in the next couple of weeks.
Fishing in the Catch and Keep area has been steady, using worms,
salmon eggs, and small rooster tail lures.
FishingFishingREPORTREPORT
FishingREPORT
T.J. Massey
San Juan River Outfitters
www.sanjuanriveroutfitters.com
505.486.5347
18 Four Corners SPoRTS April 2014
The Purgatory Alpine Ski Team just finished
its season the weekend of March 8 with a big
win.
The team, made up of boys and girls ages 6
and up, compete in the Southern Series of the
Rocky Mountain Division against teams from
Taos, Flagstaff, Santa Fe and Los Alamos.
After the final competition in Taos, the team
was awarded its third consecutive “Birdie
Cup,” which is given to the team with the
highest overall point total for the season.
The Purgatory Ski Team and the Durango
Nordic Ski Club operate at Durango Mountain
Resort and work to foster a “lifelong passion
for winter sports through programs that in-
still the values of goal setting, discipline,
Purgatory Alpine Ski
Team has another
winning season
Story by Debra MayeuxCourtesy photos
19Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
sportsmanship, work ethic, determination, and
commitment,” according to the groups’ web-
site, teamunify.com. “These skills support
young athletes to achieve their individual ath-
letic, academic, and personal goals.”
Ivan Unkovskoy is assistant coach for the
alpine team, which has 90 kids ages 7 to col-
lege-age.
Programs for youth include Alpine, Nordic,
Freeride, Freestyle and Snowboard programs.
These programs “inspire fun, fitness, sports-
manship and personal achievement,” by provid-
ing opportunities to more than 200 local
athletes, including children with developing
skills, to high-level athletes.
The team starts "dry-land" training in Octo-
ber and then trains at purgatory on the week-
ends and at Chapman Hill during the week.
“On the ski team we have coached some kids
since they were 7 or 8 and now they are 13 or 14.
Other kids have seen them and wanted to get in-
volved, so the club has grown,” Unkovskoy said.
Paige Thompson, 15, of Farmington, is a
team member. “She elected skiing over soccer
and track,” said John Thompson, her father.
The Thompson family has enjoyed skiing for
many years. John was in skis as a toddler and
his love of the sport carried over to his chil-
dren. “We ski a bunch,” John said, adding Paige
had been watching other youth on the Purga-
tory Alpine team before mentioning her interest
to her parents.
“It’s been fun for her,” John said. The team
trains during the week at Chapman Hill in Du-
rango, Colo., and Paige is there once or twice a
week. “You can do as much or as little as you
want.”
Sometimes the Thompsons carpool with
other ski families including the Ledbetters and
Schwabs, also from Farmington.
“The coaches do an excellent job with all of
the kids and their skill levels,” John added.
The Alpine head coach is Leah Lesage, a reg-
istered nurse in the cardiac unit at San Juan
Regional Medical Center. She is a New Hamp-
shire native and has coached at Purgatory for
seven years. She is a United States Ski Associa-
tion Level 300 certified alpine coach, which is a
national certification.
Lesage represents the Southern Series on
the Rocky Mountain Division Alpine Competition
Committee and co-chairs the coaches’ educa-
tion committee with Olympic Gold Medalist Deb
Armstrong.
Through the alpine program Lesage wants to
focus on “strong athletes and personal devel-
opment, provide support to allow each athlete
to reach his or her full potential and instill a
lifelong love and stewardship of the sport,” the
website stated.
The club can be costly so scholarships are
available through the Durango Winter Sports
Association. "We never turn anybody away. If a
kid is into it, we try to make it work," Un-
kovskoy said.
Kids can raise money by selling tickets to
Warren Miller movies or to the gala.
Unkovskoy is the owner of the Steaming
Bean in Durango
“On the ski team we have coached some kids
since they were 7 or 8 and now they are 13 or
14. Other kids have seen them and wanted to get
involved, so the club has grown.”
— Ivan UnkovskoyAssistant Coach
the four golf seasons in the Four Corners
region are winter, wind, hot and perfect. As
we enter the early part of wind season, the
temperatures have officially let us know that
it is springtime – and with it comes the chal-
lenge of watching your golf ball being blown
all over the golf course by 40 mph gusts.
most players have played in the vicious
New mexico winds, only to walk away defeated and vowing never to
go through that experience ever again. And while playing golf in the
wind is challenging, learning how to do it well is not impossible.
Besides, wouldn’t you much rather learn to play in the wind then
have to skip the next few months of golf?
the most important aspect in dealing with windy conditions is your
attitude. taking into any challenging situation a positive frame of
mind is going to make the obstacle easier to overcome. the golfer
needs to temper expectations for what they are going to shoot that
day much as they would if they were playing an extremely difficult
course for the very first time.
No matter what your handicap is, set a realistic goal for what you
would like to shoot that day that is nowhere near where you would
shoot on a perfectly calm day. With tempered expectations, convince
yourself that this is a challenge, and be excited for the challenge. this
will put you in a mental state of acknowledging the task at hand while
limiting the unrealistic expectations of shooting your personal best.
once the mental state is controlled, actually controlling your golf
ball is easier than you might think and can be practiced in any condi-
tions on the driving range.
Ball position is the key element to keeping the golf ball lower and
less affected by a powerful wind gust. move the golf ball toward the
back of your stance, between the middle and the back foot, which
forces the club to strike the ball on the downward swing with less
loft. In effect, you are trying to turn your 8-iron into a 6-iron to hit the
ball lower.
With the ball back in your stance you
will attempt to hit (what profes-
sionals call) a punch shot. this
occurs when you abbreviate
both your backswing
length and your follow-
through length. Swing
the club back about
three-quarters of your
regular backswing
length, and then swing
through the hitting area
and to the follow-through so your arms and
hands stop when they are chest high (and
parallel to the ground).
By abbreviating the follow through and
keeping your arms and hands lower, you will
keep the ball on a lower trajectory and less
affected by the wind.
Finally, swing easy when it is breezy.
Swinging harder to make the ball go farther while in the wind only
puts more backspin and sidespin on the golf ball. A golf ball that has
a lot of spin will get tossed in the wind like a helium balloon. the eas-
ier your swing, the less spin you put on the golf ball and the less
likely you will be to have to look for your ball out in the desert.
So accept the challenge of the windy season and you will learn to
hit shots that you can use anytime, anywhere. Your handicap might
go up a bit, but it will readjust itself when you start shooting great
scores in the hot season. With a better attitude and a few new shots
in the arsenal, you will enter June a better player.
Wind and Golf:Finding a happy medium on the course this spring
tomYOSTthe First tee
THE FIRST TEE
20 Four Corners SportS April 2014
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21Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
The Farmington Police Department School Resource Officers hosted the second
annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament on March 8 at Farmington High School.
There were 14 teams who played games on a half-size court. The teams were
made up of local residents and had to have at least one member who was a mem-
ber of law enforcement, the justice sys-
tem, emergency responders, a teacher
or an attorney. All players were over the
age of 18.
It was a double-elimination tourna-
ment with each team having an opportu-
nity to play at least two games.
The all-day event was a lively one for
the players, according to Farmington
School Resource Officer Andreas Akele,
who organized the event.
“People who were there had a lot of
fun and commented that they wish there were more tournaments like this one in
Farmington,” Akele said, adding there are plans to host the 3-on-3 tourneys at least
twice a year, if possible.
The tournament was designed for fundraising, and the School Resource Officers
raised $600 through the event. The money was given to the Farmington Municipal
School District to purchase lockdown kits for the classrooms, Akele said.
Shootin’ hoops3-on-3 tournament raises funds for Farmington schools
Story by Debra Mayeux | Photos by Josh Bishop
Teaching enlightenment
through athletics
Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness®
and the race director of the fourth an-
nual Winter Warrior 10k snowshoe race
held at the Durango Nordic Center,
kneels on one knee at the finish line.
With snowshoes strapped to his feet and
a microphone in hand he commentates
for each finishing racer as they sprint
across the line. His red and white Clif
Bar racing shirt stretched tight reveals
his body builder’s physique.
Ilg, at 51, is a modern day warrior. His
battlefield, though, is one of his own cre-
ation. It is a place of mental and physical
Story and photos by Ben Brashear
23Four Corners SPoRTSApril 2014
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competition, toeing start lines, and seeking en-
lightenment through what he calls, “sacred
sweat.”
It was on a tragic day in 1981, and the day that
Ilg will later call “a day of blessing,” that his life
path took a turn. He was a sponsored rock
climber attempting a winter ascent of D7 (IV
5.11c), a 900-foot climb up the north face of The
Diamond, on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain Na-
tional Park.
Ilg was moving confidently with over 25 feet
between him and his last piece of protection. A
fall from that high above his piece would equate
to a skull rattling 50-foot fall. Cranking through
his last move to a secure gear placement, he
reached to a thin hold and pulled down hard. His
handhold ripped free from the rock wall carrying
with it a massive desk-sized piece of rock sent
hurtling toward his belay partner. His belay part-
ner was able to avoid the granite missile but the
ensuing fall for Ilg resulted in a broken back and
an emergency bivouac hundreds of feet above
the trail.
D7 had turned toward the discordant as night
settled leaving the two climbers facing a daunt-
ing rappel and a seven-mile hike back to their car.
With thoughts racing, it was an impossible night
as Ilg and his partner endured whipping winds
that brought spindrift pouring down on top of
them. At some point before dawn, with legs numb
refusing to respond Ilg came to the conclusion
that he had somehow authored the events that
led to the fall and his broken back.
“I just knew in the flicker of an instant that I
had somehow, on some level, co-designed this sit-
uation,” Ilg recalled.
The following day the two climbers managed
to safely rappel the remainder of the climb and
with Ilg’s belay partner supporting him, the two
got back to the car safely.
After several doctor’s visits and X-rays later
confirming the damage to his spine, Ilg made the
bold decision to forgo surgery and to attempt to
heal his back on his own.
“I had a distinct feeling that surgery cuts more
than flesh, it cuts spiritual fortitude in some
cases, and I knew that this was part of my jour-
ney this time around,” Ilg said.
I keep this story in mind as I watch Ilg at the
finish line. How he eagerly hopes that each racer
has shared in the same self-revelation that he
has experienced while testing his own physical
limits.
Ilg’s arms rest on top of his thick cyclist’s
thigh bearing his weight as he beams a toothy
grin over one of his students, Lee Rosenthal, who
has collapsed to his back at the finish line of the
Winter Warrior.
Snow slowly accumulates on Lee’s fluorescent
green running jacket as he lay recounting his
race. His chest pulsing wildly, a bellows collaps-
ing, sinks then heaves upward as he tries to
catch his breath.
Rosenthal is a fitness student of Ilg’s and the
Winter Warrior was his test piece, a gauge of
sorts to reveal not only his fitness level but also
his spiritual and mental preparedness.
Rosenthal’s finishing time was a modest
1:23:54 and good for a second to last place finish
but he is smiling. The 6.1 miles of winding single-
track and steep 35-degree climbs, with names
like “Last Gasp Hill,” is one of the hardest snow-
shoe races around, according to Ilg.
“It’s a hilarious sport, I don’t think that in any
other sport have I seen my heart rate so high and
I move so slowly,” Ilg said.
It is Ilg’s belief and the main emphasis of his
training program that all three elements of mind,
body and soul, be treated as a whole.
ilg explained that a training regime that encourages the reliance upon
the body, mind, and spirit is not a new concept but one that has been prac-
ticed in the east for thousands of years.
but in the early eighties, when ilg spent his time as a professional rock
climber and fitness coach in california gyms – or, as he calls them, “iron
temples” – it was a radical new concept.
much of the training in the ’80s was focused solely on the physical body,
promoting the ego and ignoring the spirit, mind, and nutrition, said ilg.
troubled by the implicit neglect of the body as a whole, ilg developed a five-
part holistic training program in 1981 that he implements to this day.
his training focuses on honing the athlete’s weaknesses right down to
one’s non-dominant nostril while developing cardio fitness, an awareness
of healthy nutrition, and awakening the spirit and mind through yoga and
meditation.
ilg’s utilization of yoga and meditation in part stems back to his time
practicing the buddhist dharma under trungpa rinpoche, founder of the
shambala meditation centers nationwide.
much like rinpoche, ilg strives to challenge his athletes perception of
what is and what is possible by creating in them an ever-vigilant awareness
of their surroundings and their actions.
“this mindset allows you to instinctually react to changing circum-
stances. it can save your life, especially in the high mountains where mind-
fulness can prevent a dangerous situation,” ilg said.
developing mindfulness, however, is not an easy task. rinpoche intro-
duced the concept to his students through the repeated drawing of the
24 Four Corners sports April 2014
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1. Know your highest podium and train your weaKnesses
dare to challenge yourself beyond what you already know you are
good at in order to achieve your highest goals.
2. mind first, body second
train the mind first and the body will follow. understand that
exercise is not a chore but something that can lead toward
spiritual understanding.
3. train the core, trust the breath
the foundation is prana, or breath, for any athlete. get rid of
imbalances and weaknesses by training the core for success in
any fitness discipline.
4. embrace the spirit of repetition
whoever you are, whatever you do, or whichever sport you pursue
understand that true success takes time.
5. practice – your workout is everywhere
bring daily awareness to you posture, your breath. create new
neuron-pathways using your non-dominant hand, and work toward
a wholistic you.
25Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
Tibetan syllable “Ah,” which connotes those
first moments of perception. Drawing the sylla-
ble “Ah,” starts with a simple dot and then
swoops into completion.
Enlightenment for Rinpoche started when in-
tention took material form and it is the same for
Ilg, that precise moment when that first “dot” of
sweat beads up on your forehead.
“Training at higher intensities creates an envi-
ronment for self-knowledge. Intervals are like an
altar, it is a chance for spiritual revelation,” Ilg
said.
Sweat is the sacred revelation of awareness
and the condition of our spirit and mind, accord-
ing to Ilg, and Rosenthal is soaking wet.
With the flick of his gloved hand Rosenthal
wipes his forehead dry. Ilg marvels at Rosen-
thal’s efforts to persist through such a difficult
race and presses in close to ask Rosenthal how
his race went.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve done,”
Rosenthal said as he slowly sits up, regaining his
composure. Ilg helps him to his feet as Rosen-
thal’s body sways to the sudden drop in blood
pressure.
“It was the hills and the pace and I had no
idea how hard the hills would be,” Rosenthal
continued as he began to laugh as he and Ilg
bumped fists.
Did the Winter Warrior bring enlightenment or
an awakening for Rosenthal?
For Rinpoche his awakening came at wreck-
ing his car into a London gift shop; for Ilg it was
a back-breaking fall while climbing Long’s Peak.
How much better, then, is it for the athlete to
find the smaller shards of enlightenment
through spiking heart rates, miles of running
along snowy single-track, and the daily sacred
sweat.
“TRAINING AT HIGHER INTENSITIES CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT
FOR SELF-KNOWLEDGE. INTERVALS ARE LIKE AN ALTAR, IT IS A CHANGE
FOR SPIRTUAL REVELATION.”
— STEVE IIG
26 Four Corners sports April 2014
LukeNEIBLING
ADAmHUFF JoshRANKIN
DevonMANNING
27Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
The nexT generaTion
Traditionally new coaches in basketball come from the ranks of the
assistants in the program but where do those assistants come from?
They usually come from those that played and San Juan County has
produced its share for the next generation of coaches here in San Juan
County as well as nationwide.
Here in the county most people are familiar with Bloomfield’s Devon
Manning and Piedra Vista’s Adam Huff as coaches that came up through
the ranks as players at Kirtland Central under legendary coach Steve
Scott and both were major performers on Kirtland Central’s three con-
secutive state championships.
Manning went on to a stellar career at Fort Lewis College before join-
ing his mentor in Bloomfield. Huff gained his coaching chops under Roy
Sanchez at Eldorado in Albuquerque where he was on staff for a state
championship in 2012. Add to the mix Navajo Prep’s Dustin Moore, who
was in some classic battles with Scott’s Broncos as a member of Farm-
ington High, and half of the boy’s head coaches in the county are former
players continuing their basketball careers from the bench.
There are also three successful coaches from Marv Sanders’ 1998-
1999 Scorpion team, the last to compete at the highest class in New
Mexico.
Luke Neibling, Josh Rankin and Jay Collins were all members of that
squad 15 years ago and have taken the torch from Coach Sanders to
begin their own coaching careers.
Luke Neibling was an All-State guard for the Scorpions and, after
playing for Fort Lewis and Eastern New Mexico looked to begin work
with his BA in business. Neibling never thought he would get into
caoching, but soon he was back in the family business – public educa-
tion. Soon the lure of the court called Neibling to the sidelines as an as-
sistant coach at Arcadia High School in Scottsdale. Neibling was named
the head coach there in 2009 and led the Titans to the Division II semifi-
nals in 2012 before moving to Sandra Day O’Connor High School in 2013.
Up in the land of the frozen tundra, Farmington’s Josh Rankin just
completed his first season in the Packerland Conference in Brussels,
Wisc. at Southern Door High School after serving as the team’s JV
coach. Rankin is in his ninth year teaching including, a two-year stint in
China, and now serves as the coordinator of Southern Door’s SOAR, Stu-
dent Opportunities for an Alternative to Regular education program,
helping at-risk seniors to graduate.
Idaho State assistant coach and former Farmington Scorpion Jay
Collins has moved up the coaching ranks since his playing days ended.
Collins was a first team All-State point guard for Farmington and the
last Division I basketball player from the county. Collins went on to two
All-American seasons at Cochise Community College leading the
Apaches to consecutive appearances in the NJCAA National Finals. After-
wards, Collins moved on to Southern Utah where he was 14th in the na-
tion in assists his senior year.
After brief stints in the CBA, Collins gave up playing in Europe for the
coaching life. Like many trying to make it at the collegiate level, Collins
has jumped around looking for to move up the coaching ladder. He has
taken positions back at Cochise Junior College, Upper Iowa University,
University of Texas-Pan American and Northern Arizona before landing
at Idaho State in 2012.
The coaching fraternity in San Juan County is always welcoming new
additions and these former players are keeping a tradition alive of pass-
ing on the game to the next generation.
Former players keep county’s coaching fraternity alive Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Benally
28 Four Corners SpoRtS April 2014
Coach Frankie Reddy; Jenevae Fiske; Svea Robinson; Joslyn Smith; Brooklyn Calder and Coach Lynda Hayes
29Four Corners SpORTSApril 2014
The Farmington Gymnastics Academy had a
strong showing at the March 1 state gymnas-
tics meet at Albuquerque Gymnastics School in
Albuquerque.
Frankie Reddy, owner of the local school,
has been training a group of four Level-3 gym-
nasts, who began competing in meets Oct. 26,
2013. The girls are Svea Robinson, 7; Joslyn
Smith, 8; Brooklyn Calder, 8; and Jenevea Fiske,
10. They qualified for state after having strong
showings at all of their meets.
Reddy described the team as “committed
and applying themselves 100 percent.”
Local girls medal at state competitionStory by Debra Mayeux | Courtesy photos and Josh Bishop photos
Jenevea Fiske Brooklyn Calder Joslyn Smith Svea Robinson
30 Four Corners SpORTS April 2014
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The girls practice regularly at Farmington
Gymnastics Academy, 1601 N. Dustin Ave., Suite,
in Farmington, where there are programs for
children and adults of all levels.
“Our programs place an emphasis on devel-
oping coordination, balance, flexibility and fun-
damental gymnastics skills,” Reddy said.
The girls competed in vault, bars, beam and
floor exercises with all earning recognition for
their accomplishments. “They did really well.
They all took first in one or more events,” Reddy
said.
Jenevea Fiske, however, received the best
ranking, earning a first-place in all-around,
competing against 10 other 10-year-old gym-
nasts. Fiske earned a first-place ranking on
vault, beam and floor and a third-place on bars.
She also earned a New Mexico state leotard.
Brooklyn Calder, 8, competed against eight
other girls and earned a first-place ranking on
vault and beam and a third-place on her floor
exercise. Her favorite thing about gymnastics is
doing “all of these flips and tumbles,” she said.
Calder earned fifth-place in the all-around com-
petition.
Joslyn Smith, another 8-year-old, also com-
peted against eight other girls and earned a
sixth-place in all-around and first-place on the
vault.
Svea Robinson, 7, competed against six
other girls and earned a first on her floor ex-
ercise, a third on beam and a fourth-place in
all-around. “I like getting first place,” she
said of her experience in competitive gym-
nastics.
Reddy was proud of the accomplishments
made by the girls in a short period of time,
and she plans to continue working with them
so their skills can progress.
31Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014
The news of the month has to be the denial
of contract, let’s call it what it is, firing, of 4-
time state wrestling champion coach Levi Stout
of Piedra Vista.
As a disclaimer, I have known Coach Stout
since he took over at PV where I work, so this
will not be the space to debate whether the
contract should have been renewed or not.
Just let me ask however, if the word suspen-
sion or probation ever crosses anyone’s mind
especially with coaches that are not public
school teachers?
I do want to address, however, the pressure
of being a coach in today’s prep sports world.
The coaching life over the past 25 years that
I’ve been in public education has changed dras-
tically and in most realms not for the better.
Much like the education field, coaching has
changed from a position that was well re-
spected to a position that is now takes the
blame for every ill; every loss, every individual’s
playing time and every coaching decision that
influences every individual in the program.
The new pressure to coach is a merging of
two distinct burdens; keeping a clean moral
program and winning above all else. And the
burden alone is theirs. Over the past five years
there have been numerous parents that in all
honesty, lie about their child’s situation just to
get in a winning program. From that point is
the expectation on coaches to now become pri-
vate investigators?
This problem increases the pressure when
families move just for athletics. There will be
playing time expectations as well as the antici-
pation of success. So the boundary gets more
blurred. Add in the economic pressure of high
school sports. As play becomes year round
with clubs and AAU, the price of sport goes up
and a majority of parents feel that they should
get a return on that investment in playing time
and again on field success. In other words, if I
as a parent fork over a couple of hundred, or in
some cases much more, for three summers
and buy the team attire, there should be play-
ing time. After all, I just paid for it.
Long gone are the “I’m just glad to be on the
team” days.
Most likely the longtime head coach is also a
thing of the past. Many who are in the profes-
sion, particularly those that also teach, are
looking to get out.
I may not understand why Coach Stout was
not renewed and most likely none of us ever
will.
Personnel decisions are private and proba-
bly should be. I do however understand sitting
in that chair and being told what you do is not
enough, being told all be it the opposite of what
Stout heard, you just didn’t win enough.
Either way it’s very difficult to be told you
are no longer wanted, no matter the reason,
and the mind does question decisions and sac-
rifices made to keep a pretty low paying job
and wanders between that merging burden of
win at all cost or doing what you can with the
hand you’ve been dealt.
Prep sports coaches facing more
pressure, bigger expectations
RICkHOERNEREditorial Columnist
Chieftains on their way to a championship show-
down with Hope Christian.
The best option for the county was the unde-
feated Shiprock Lady Chieftains. The Lady Chief-
tains had a brilliant regular season campaign,
knocking off defending state 3A champs Hope
Christian, as well as 4A state titleholder Los Lunas.
The drama began for Shiprock in the seeding
meeting. Despite being undefeated, the Chieftains
were ranked beneath Portales and Lovington all
season by Max Preps, whose ratings are consid-
ered by the seeding committee. On the Sunday the
seedings were released, the Chieftains received
the No. 1 overall seed in 3A and a home game
against an overmatched Taos.
At The Pit, the Chieftains continued their run
with easy wins over Las Vegas Robertson and
Hope Christian, setting up a final matchup between
the committee’s No. 1 seed and Max Preps No. 1
seed.
In what ended up being a classic championship
game, it was not to be for the Lady Chieftains. Foul
trouble and uncharacteristic misses from the free
throw line pushed the game into overtime where
Portales dominated the four minutes on their way
to a 62-59 win.
Looking ahead to 2015, the changes in district
alignment will make for new rivalries and revive
old ones. While the Chieftains lost all their starting
five, they are young everywhere else and will again
be the dominant team in San Juan County
Shiprock Lady Chieftain Taylor Henderson shoots a three
pointer against Portales Lady Rams during the 3A Girls
Championship game at the UNM Pit on March 14.
Basketball continued from 11
32 Four Corners SportS April 2014
33Four Corners SPOrTSApril 2014
It took Glen Fuller one day and four shots to accomplish something for
which he has waited his entire life. On Oct. 1, 2013, Fuller brought down a
world record desert Big horn sheep in Unit 26 in New Mexico.
Fuller was one of three hunters lucky enough to draw a tag out of 2,400
applicants to hunt the elusive sheep. To say that he took the hunt seriously
was an understatement. For six months, Fuller learned everything there
was to learn about the desert bighorn sheep, from their movement pat-
terns to how he could tell a record ram from a non-record.
“We spent 11 days scouting the area,” said Fuller. “We were down there
for three days in June when the temperatures were 120 degrees and we
didn’t see anything. We were down for four days over Labor Day weekend
and we spotted the ram that I wanted to shoot. We then came back down
four days prior to the first hunting day and were able to glass in the same
ram.”
With a 15-day hunt ahead of him, Fuller told his friends in camp that he
wanted to shoot the ram the first day. “I told everyone that if we did our
homework the three days prior to the hunt that I was going to shoot him
on opening day,” explained Fuller. “Besides, I don’t think I could have
climbed that mountain for 15 straight days.”
On the day of the hunt, the group started up the base of the Big Hatchet
Peak (9,400 feet) one hour before sunrise. Fuller stayed out of sight of the
group of rams that he was targeting by staying behind a bluff the entire
way up. He first spotted the rams and bluffed in at 490 yards, but decided
that it was too far to get an accurate shot.
“I got bluffed in again at 352 yards,” said Fuller. “The ram I wanted was
lying down behind a cactus. I was planning on waiting as long as I had to
for him to stand up. After only 10 minutes, he stood up and got into a rugby
football huddle with the other rams and started pushing their heads to-
gether in some kind of ritual that I had never seen before.”
“He broke out of the pack and I shot him dead center but a little too far
back to drop him,” explained Fuller. “He started to climb the mountain as
the rest of the pack ran out of sight. The next shot I double lunged him and
he was probably dead at that point, but I was going to continue to shoot
until I either ran out of bullets or he dropped to the ground. The third shot I
heard the bullet ricochet off a rock and the fourth shot I hit bone and he
fell to the ground and started rolling down the mountain.”
The jubilation and excitement of seeing his dream realized turned to
fear as the ram continued to roll down the hill toward the edge of a bluff.
“I just kept yelling ‘Stop,’” said Fuller. “He was rolling so fast toward the
Glen Fuller’s ‘hunt
of a lifetime’ lands him
in the record booksStory By Tom Yost
Photos by Josh Bishop and Courtesy photos
34 Four Corners SPORTS April 2014
edge of the bluff, and if a tree on the hill hadn’t
stopped him he would have tumbled over the
edge – which would have ruined his cape and
busted up his horns.”
The ram measured in with a gross measure-
ment of 176 inches with a net of 174 and 3/8
inches, which was good enough to qualify it for
the Boone and Crockett World Book. The goal
that Glen Fuller had set out to accomplish when
he found out he qualified for the tag, had come
to fruition.
The hunt started at 5:30 a.m. the morning of
Oct. 1, and Fuller shot his prized ram at 10:30
a.m., the group quartered and skinned the ani-
mal by 12:30 and they made it back to the trucks
at 6:30 p.m.
With a taxidermist in camp, the ram was
caped out that evening and is currently being
stuffed and mounted for display in the Fuller
home.
“I went down there with the goal of shooting a
record ram,” stated Fuller, “because I will never
be able to put in for this hunt in New Mexico ever
again.”
With a lot of hard work and perseverance,
Fuller accomplished his goal with this once-in-a-
lifetime hunt – something some hunters will
never get a chance even to try.
“I WENT DOWN THERE WITH THE
GOAL OF SHOOTING A RECORD RAM,
BECAUSE I WILL NEVER BE ABLE
TO PUT IN FOR THIS HUNT IN
NEW MEXICO EVER AGAIN.”
— GLEN FULLER
35Four Corners SPOrTSApril 2014
LArrY AND JErEMYDUGGER
We officially became Xpert Archery in July of 2006. Priorto that we were a part of East Main Trade owned by Glen andBecky Fuller. We were given the opportunity to buy thearchery shop from them and we took it. We had both beenworking in this industry for many years so it was a perfectfit and opportunity for us.
We are a full service archery / bow hunting pro shop. Westock and sell top brand names of equipment to meet anyarcher’s needs. We also work on and service all types ofarchery equipment, i.e., bows and arrows. We have a com-bined 45 years’ experience.
Our indoor range offers 10 shooting lanes offering up to20 yards maximum distance. The range is open for use Mon-day through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The fee is $5 + taxper hour. We do have some equipment that we rent for anadditional $15 per hour. We offer private or group lessonsranging in price depending on the amount of time and level.Customers can call us for the different rates.
No reservations are required to use our range. It is avail-able on the first come, first served basis. Usually, the onlydays that sometimes can be crowded are Saturdays – espe-cially during winter months. Again, our fee is LOW! We dooffer a monthly pass for those who shoot a lot. It costs $35 +tax.
The outdoors is where most of our interests are. We lovehunting and fishing! When we were younger we loved play-ing sports, but we find that now that we are older we usu-ally just hurt ourselves trying to do that kind of stuff.
This area is awesome if you like the outdoors! We arevery fortunate to have all around us a lot of public land with
a lot of varying landscapes. We have many places tohunt/fish, backpack, mountain bike, hike, photograph – youname it. That’s one of the reasons we love it here so much.
We actually enjoy all types of hunting, but some of thethings that tend to keep us bow hunting more are: Longerseasons, nicer weather (sometimes), some of the bow hunt-ing tags are easier to obtain and we like the increase inchallenge that bow hunting offers.
We have both had many memorable hunting trips overour lifetimes. The best part of those trips has been spendingthem with family and friends. We love hunting Mule Deer.That’s our passion, and we both have taken some really niceones. We really like hunting anywhere in the Four Cornersstates where we can get tags.
There are actually several things that can be done. It allstarts with making sure that your equipment is properly fitto you and that it is set up correctly. The most importantthing, though, is practice, practice, practice! The most accu-rate archers / bow hunters are the ones who shoot theirbows all year long. Too many people spend only a few shortweeks practicing prior to season. That is not enough! Thelast thing – that couldn’t hurt – are lessons.
Hunting season isn’t that far off! Pull those bows and ar-rows out of their cases right now! If there is any maintenancethat needs to be done, start thinking about it and plan to get itdone soon. Start practicing! We have two archery clubs inFarmington. Join them and take advantage of what they haveto offer. Start exercising too! You have only a few months to getback in shape and shed those winter pounds. You’ll shoot andperform better when you are in better shape.
How long has Xpert Archery been in business and why didyou get into this particular business?
1
Tell me about Xpert Archery. What kind of services do youoffer?
2
With the indoor archery range, can a person sign up for les-sons, and how much do those cost per session?
3
Can a person also sign up for blocks of time to practicetheir craft, and how does someone go about doing this?Cost for how much time?
4
What other sporting interests do you have?5
Tell us about your most memorable bowhunting trip? What kind of animal? Where?What made it special?
8
If you would, offer one piece of advice, tell usone thing that the average bow hunter coulddo to improve his/her accuracy.
9
What should avid bow hunters be doing thistime of year to get ready for the upcominghunting season?
10
Why do you prefer bow hunting to rifle ormuzzle-loader hunting?
7
Why is Farmington such a great place for outdoor enthusi-asts?
6
Owners: Larry and Jeremy DuggerAge: 45 and 43How long a resident: Lifelong residents of Bloomfield
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