Sports Spotlight Volume 1 Issue11

The LegendConTinues

A DiAmonD in The Roughdarrah

ProhiBiTed

WINNER TAKES ALL5a

Girls Softball

CoACh niemeyeR

2 - A - DAys

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10 HUNTING HISTORYScarlets seek first city school title in 15 years.

13 2-A-DAYS NO MOREIHSAA cites health, safety for ban.

16 HONORING A lEGENDLooking back on career of Larry Niemeyer.

18 HIDDEN GEMDarrah’s ride from rural Iowa to Big Ten.

28 GIVING BACKZach Johnson remembers roots.

Editor’s Note:Baseball and softball are in full swing, and the state tournaments are coming up. In this issue, we take a look at the wide open race for the crown in 5A softball, as well as Des

Moines East’s bid to become the first 4A state baseball champ since 1998. We also look upon the legendary career of former Cedar Rapids Jefferson softball coach Larry Niemeyer. In the college ranks, we highlight Ariel Kirk, who recovered from a potentially life-threatening heart condition to return to action; Cassandra Darrah, who came from humble beginnings to take the Big Ten by storm; and Jacqui Kalin, who concluded her illustrious UNI career this year and will now play professionally overseas. And don’t forget to check out the Siouxland Sharks, who have used swimming to create a new family for their athletes.

We thank you for your continued support of our magazine and mission. If you have any story tips or submissions, please send them to us at [email protected]! Co

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Ten years old is an important age. Not quite a teenager, but not quite a little kid; starting to hit growth spurts and starting to mature.

The 10-year-olds on the West Des Moines Tigers 10A USSSA competitive baseball team have grown and matured as kids, as players and as a team in the last couple years.

For the last two years, the group of around 11 boys has played together throughout the Des Moines metro area, competing in about 30 to 40 games each season. The team started practicing in December, hitting once a week and then increasing to twice a week during the spring.

“The trick for any youth sports is finding the perfect balance – when to push and when not to push,” head coach Mike Swanger said. “You don’t want to burn them out, but you also have a lot to teach in a short amount of space so you want to make the best use of your time as possible.”

Swanger, who helped coach the team last year, has seen the boys grow and improve in the last two years alone. Last year, the WDSM Tigers’ highest tournament finish was fourth place. But this season, the boys have stepped up their game and have come out on top, placing second at their

first tournament, third at their second tournament and finally winning their first championship at the Diamond Classic at Walnut Creek Little League in Waukee on Father’s Day.

The boys’ friendship, both on and off the field, is a big part of the team’s success.

“I guess for me it’s the hits out to the fence or if someone makes a good play we all get excited and commu-nicate with each other and we all get along,” Tigers player Thomas King said. “If someone makes an error or

drops the ball, then that’s ok because we’re all friends.”

Other factors that have contrib-uted to the team’s success have been the boys’ maturity, comfort and confidence. After one year under their belts, the boys have become more used to playing competitive ball and have a better idea of what to expect and what is expected of them when they take the field.

But at the same time, the boys are still young and are still continuously working on developing their skills

and perfecting the basics. Positive reinforcement and a positive attitude are what the coaches say motivates their players and helps the team grow together.

“If they do something positive I tell them to remember that feeling, remember what they did, hold onto that and carry that forward,” Swanger said. “Baseball is a lot like life in that everything is self induced, so if you think positive, positive things are going to happen.”

As the season progresses, the boys will continue to grow and improve both as a team and individually. Colin King, Thomas’ father and Tigers’ assistant coach, has found working with the team and coaching his son to be a rewarding experience. Watching the team develop and succeed, he says, has been great.

“They went from making piles of sand in the field to being cognizant of the game and the plays,” he said. “To be able to see the boys progress as a team from where they were, as a coach it’s gratifying to see them mature as players and as a parent, to see that joy in their eyes when they hit the ball or make a play, that’s also great. It’s gratifying on both sides.”

4 Volume 1 Issue 11 SportsSpotlight.com

Youth

WDSM TIGERS TEAM IMPROVES TOGETHER

The West Des Moines Tigers 10A USSSA competitive baseball team won its first championship title at the Diamond Classic NIT Tournament in Waukee on Father’s Day.

Photo courtesy of Mike SwangerSports Connection3.5 x 4.75

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spotlightin the

Youth

All youth photos were collected from around the state and include events from baseball and softball. Each month we publish youth action photos from around the state. We would love to get yours! Send us your photos at [email protected]

Each month we publish youth action photos from around the state. We would love to get yours! Send us your photos at [email protected]

This page presented to you by:

Swimming is one of the best ways to exercise, and the members of the Siouxland Sharks have more than realized this — they have created a whole family out of the sport. Not only do their 130 participants compete in races, but they also bond and support each other both in and out of season. The family element is very important to the way that Laura Cvrk, the Sharks’ president, runs the team.

“It’s neat to have that camaraderie not just within our local group, but also with the entire swimming community,” she said.

Cvrk encourages the swimmers to do other activities together and spend time with each other outside of practice or meets. They are a community truly focused on supporting each other.

“We had a girl who swam at a high school state meet and other swimmers got together and were able to watch her compete online,” Cvrk said.

Swimmers from all over the country practice with the Sharks, and many of them even build lasting friendships.

The team is also available for those with disorders, who would not be able to participate in other sports.

“We have several kids on our team who have ADHD or sensory disorders, and we have found that it’s very therapeutic for the kids, and parents have found that kids’ grades improved and it helps them to focus,” Cvrk said.

The team competes in two seasons, a winter season and a summer season. The participants range from ages four to adulthood, and all members are welcome to either compete or use swimming to stay active.

In the winter, there are meets three or four times a month; the summer schedule is much shorter. The 8-week summer season only has three meets total. Both seasons have the equivalent of a state meet. The Midwestern Championships are open to any of the Sharks’ swimmers that have times that qualify.

To join, the kids have to be capable of swimming the pool length in at least two strokes. Siouxland Aquatics usually feeds its recent swimming lesson graduates into the Sharks’ program. The kids get to try out the program for free for two weeks to discover if it’s right for them.

“We have very few who try it and don’t stay, and we have a good retention rate with swimmers from year to year,” Cvrk said.

Seven capable coaches help improve their swimmers and their strokes.

Head Coach Heather Ferris tries to give her kids great experiences in the water.

“I just love being in the water; I love being able to teach the kids the experience I had growing up as a swimmer,” she said. “I love seeing kids swim their best times and do well. And I love to see kids grow up and keep swimming in their life through college and after college. It’s just been a very satisfying experience for me.”

Ferris has been coaching for the last 20 years from Texas to South Dakota, but has spent the last ten years with the Sharks and fellow coach, her husband. Her goal for the team is to continue to have fun and continue to grow as a team.

“When I started with the Sharks ten years ago, we had 20 kids on the team, and last year our numbers were at 130,” Ferris said. “I’m just really blessed that I’ve been able to be with this team for ten years. It’s been a journey over the last ten

years, growing. I’ve got a wonderful board; I’ve got wonderful parents that work very hard and volunteer. We’ve got a nice little team up here that’s been doing really well, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

All seven coaches are certified by USA Swimming, which the Sharks are affiliated with. This affiliation makes it easy for members of its team and other teams to be able to swim with any other affiliated squad in the country.

Although it is a single team, there are different practices for different ability levels, especially in the winter when the space is more limited.

The Siouxland Sharks also make it one of their priorities to support the Hy-Vee IronKids Triathlon, and many of their swimmers participate in that event.

high School


Youth

SHARkS SWIMMInG AS A fAMIly

The Siouxland Sharks is a USA Swimming affiliated swim team that is comprised of swimmers ages four and above who swim competitively as well as recreationally.

Photo courtesy of Laura Cvrk

The Siouxland Sharks have built their program around a family philosophy

NUTRITION

HEALTH

WELLNESS

The Sharks travel and compete together throughout the year and have become like family.

Photo courtesy of Laura Cvrk

spotlightin the

High school

This page presented to you by:

High school photos were shot at various baseball and softball games in central and eastern Iowa. Images were provided by in-house photographers and JScott Images.

Each month we publish high school action photos from around the state. We would love to get yours! Send us your photos at [email protected]

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5A SOfTbAll A WIDE OPEn AffAIRhigh Schoolhigh School

Ankeny and Des Moines East have controlled the state’s biggest class in softball for the past few seasons, with both teams squaring off in the title game and each claiming a championship. This season has a completely new outlook, with a large number of teams just looking to advance out of the regionals, let alone have the opportunity to be a part of the state championship field in Fort Dodge in late July.

This is only the second season of the five-class tournament, but it may be one of the most balanced classes in the state this season. There will not be an unbeaten, one- or two-loss team in the field, as the top three teams — Muscatine, Ottumwa, and Dubuque Senior — each had three losses as of June 25.

I have always stated that rank-ings are conversation pieces as we attempt to recognize the best teams in the state in each class, but this season you could place the names of teams in a hat, draw them out and maybe be close to having your top-ten look good to some and a head scratcher to others.

Defending champion Ankeny

has a new coach and many new faces, but returns freshman Ken-dyl Lindaman who can change a game with one swing of the bat. Also back are outfielder Cathlin Bingham and second baseman Emilee Dorpinghaus who are the senior leaders looking to lead the team back to defend its state title. Des Moines East lost a ton at the plate and will rely on April Brown in the circle and defense to get back.

There are a number of other CIML teams that are a big part of the post-season picture, in-cluding Ottumwa. The Ottumwa Bulldogs have returned some high-caliber players in Katie Sammons, Olivia Roark and Sammy Garrett, and have a team that can run and hit for power and will count on Mandi Moore in the circle. Dowling Catholic had hoped to have more arms to throw this season, but has Clau-dia Farrell, who has been solid this season and is among the class leaders in E.R.A and strikeouts this season. Kaitlyn Mauk and Jessica Bastian also add power to Dowling’s lineup.

Fort Dodge has a trio of play-ers led by second baseman Lexi

Astor, with her speed causing havoc on the bases. Mallory Kilian and Maddie Egli lead the team in doubles and runs batted in, with Kilian adding some home run power and with her arm in the circle.

Waukee, Johnston, Mason City, Southeast Polk and West Des Moines Valley are also capable of producing victories and will not be overlooked come regionals. The Southeast Polk Rams have two quality pitchers with Hannah Parker and Cassady Knudsen, but will need to man-ufacture more runs to get to the next level.

Moving away from central Iowa, the list of teams grows with Muscatine, Dubuque Senior, Dubuque Hempstead, Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf and Cedar Rapids Jefferson at the top of the list out east, while Council Bluffs Abe Lincoln may stand as the only hope in the west.

The Muscatine Muskies can hit and have a ton of talent returning from last season. With their veterans players, the Muskies can outscore most in the state, led by center fielder Katie Shoultz who is among the best in the state in batting average, hits, triples and stolen bases. Adding to the potent bats are Megan Butler, Rachel Beatty, Emily Clemens and Leti Lerma.

Pleasant Valley can hit, but will need to play solid defense behind pitchers who throw to contact. However, the opposing pitchers will be very aware of the batting order led by Haley Duwa, Chloe Miller, Sydney Dwyer and base stealer and table setter Maddie Reynolds.

Dubuque Senior will count on the twin sister combo of Katie and Kristie Sommer and the arm of A.J. Medinger. Hempstead may be under the radar to some but is one of the grinding teams that has found a way to win the close games this season. Hope Koerperich is the leader of the Mustangs’ hopes.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson under-stands the tradition of softball under former Hall of Fame coach

Dowling Catholic’s Claudia Farrell pitches against Ankeny on June 19. The Hawks swept the Maroons in a double-header, but Farrell’s pitching has been a key factor in Dowling’s success this season.

Only one thing is certain for 5A softball: It’s going to be a wild ride


9Volume 1 Issue 11SportsSpotlight.com

high School

Larry Niemeyer’s leadership, and the J-Hawks have continued that heri-tage this season. Alyssa Olson and Brooke Stauffer are a solid duo in the circle backed by a balanced group of kids at the plate.

Bettendorf, Iowa City West, Iowa City High and Cedar Rapids Prairie can be considered sleepers out of the teams from eastern Iowa.

All things considered, this wide open season will make it much easier for coaches to ensure that they ap-proach every game without taking a break. Each team reaches to be at its best come post season, knowing they can have an opportunity to play in Fort Dodge for a state championship.

Courtney Clayberg’s pitching for Ankeny has been helpful for the Hawks as they play under a new coach this season.

Ottumwa’s Sydney Strunk looks to field a grounder against Des Moines Roosevelt on June 19, which helped lead to an Ottumwa victory.

5AClASS

• Muscatine

• Ottumwa

• Dubuque Senior

• Dowling Catholic

• Pleasant Valley

• Waukee

• Ankeny

• Dubuque Hempstead

• CR Jefferson

• Johnston

• Fort Dodge

TOP 10 TEAMS

*Sports Spotlight stats as of June 30.

TEAMS TO WATCH• Bettendorf

• CR Prairie

• Council Bluffs Abe Lincoln

• Mason City

• Southeast Polk

• West DSM Valley


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high School

SCARlETS TRyInG TO MAkE HISTORy

of t

he

When it comes to the history of Iowa high school baseball, the Des Moines area city schools have been lacking state titles — the ultimate goal of all that play the game of summer. Des Moines North has three state titles in its school’s history but all came back in the 1930s with championships in 1931, 1934 and 1936. Des Moines Lincoln was the last to capture a state title back in 1998 to go along with its 1955 title.

This season’s Des Moines East team has the very capable look of adding its name to the short list. The Scarlets won their only title back in the final season of two classes in 1980 and finished as the runner-up in 1982 and 1991.

There are a number of reasons why this Scarlet team will be a factor, and they start on the bump. Colby Carmichael is one of the top pitchers in the state as a junior. Last season Carmichael was 8-2 with a solid 2.69

ERA with 84 strikeouts in 67 innings of work. One of the highlights of his pitching career to date was snapping the 88-game winning streak of Mar-tensdale-St. Marys last season. Car-michael is off to another great start this season, which includes a victory over defending state champions and preseason favorite Ankeny.

Carmichael is not the only arm that makes DM East a viable state tournament candidate, though. Dillon Glass is unique in his pitching technique. It’s not very often that you will face a soft-tossing, sidearm knuckleball pitcher, and that is ex-actly what you get with Glass. Robert Hansen, another key player, can play any position, as long as he is in the lineup, and has added to the pitching depth.

The scary part of the team this season is that its mid-season success has been achieved without one of its top players and number two starter,

Xavier James, who is nursing a ham-string injury. When he comes back healthy it becomes an even tougher proposition for opponents. The list of arms continues with Connor Enochs, Tyler Aswegan, Austin Byr-kett and Chino Alcala who through their first 26 games have posted a team ERA of just 2.13.

Carmichael and Hansen lead at the plate as well, combining for 56 hits, 10 home runs and 52 runs bat-ted in, in 148 at bats. The top of the batting order with Malique Ziegler and Connor Enochs causes havoc when they reach base. The duo has combined for 48 stolen bases in 53 attempts.

Patience is another impressive factor at the plate as Ziegler, Alcala and Aswegan have all posted double figures in drawing the base on balls. The Scarlets have collected 101 free passes as a team this season.

Always overlooked is how teams

play defensively. Coach Brian Luft said he feels blessed to have players that can play well at not only one position on the field, but at multiple spots.

“This is the best team I have coached and feel we have all facets to the game with pitching, speed, hitting and defense,” Luft said.

The Scarlets have committed only 29 errors in 26 games this season, which has taken a ton of pressure off of whoever takes the mound. Dillon Hernandez has been nearly perfect behind the plate with the tools of ig-norance along with Austin Robbins.

There is no doubt that the Class 4A field is deep with talent. Ankeny will more than likely remain the team to beat as the defending champions and the return of an experienced group, but if there could be some sort of Cinderella story this season, it may just be the 2013 Des Moines East Scarlets.

Des Moines East’s Malique Ziegler belts one of his four homers in a double-header against Indianola on June 19. Prior to this game, Ziegler had not hit a home run.

The Scarlets have had one of their most successful seasons in recent years this season. Versatile players who have demonstrated their talents in the field and at bat have led the Scarlets to be a contender for the state tournament.

11Volume 1 Issue10SportsSpotlight.com

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MONTHStudent

Presented by the Governor’s Traffic Safet y Bureau- IowaGTSB.org

Athleteof

the

Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY AND WHY?A: My favorite sport is softball because I love the in-tensity of the game and have had so much fun playing since I was in 2nd grade. I also love how supportive my softball family and community has been. Another thing I love is that my teammates become as close as sisters in the summer.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS MEMORY?A: My favorite sports memories would be making it to state in basketball this year for the first time since 1951, playing in the state softball tournament two years in a row and pitching in the 2011 state champi-onship.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY FUN PRE-GAME RITUALS THAT PREPARE YOU FOR AN EVENT?A: I don’t do anything too crazy, but listening to music always gets me pumped up and ready to play. Another ritual I have before each game is I visualize myself throwing each of my different pitches correctly.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL AND WHY?A: My favorite subject in school is math, because I love finding solutions to difficult problems and am always up for a challenge.

Q: WHO INSPIRES YOU? WHY?A: My parents, coaches and pitching coach have always been great, positive role models. They have inspired me by constantly pushing me to be the best I can and helping me to reach my goals. They have always been there with happy hugs and excitement when I succeed, but they have also been there to pick me up when I’ve been disappointed. They have always encouraged me to continue to work hard through those difficult times in sports.

Karly OlsonWinterset - Class of 2013 - 3.52 GPA

SPORTS: Softball & basketball (9th - 12th grade)Volleyball (9th - 11th grade)Track (9th grade)

ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS/HONORS:Senior Award - Army Scholar Athlete11-time varsity letter winner (Four softball, four basketball, two volleyball, one track)

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS/HONORS:honor Roll every quarter throughout high schoolAcademic All-Conference in track, volleyball, basketball and softball

COLLEGE OR POST-HIGH SCHOOL PLANS:will attend winona State University in Minnesota to play softball and major in elementary education or nursing.

Karly’s Q & A

Achievements

Photo courtesy of winterset Community Schools

bOyS

GIRlS

Appel was part of the 2A third place dou-bles team in 2012, and teamed up with Oetting this season to claim the title. The duo knocked off the defending state champ tandem of Alex Qin and Tommy Pitcher of Ames in three sets.

Martins and Baker combined to put up 75 points in the regular season for the Trojans and led west high to the 2013 3A state title in boys soccer. Martins led the team with 17 goals and a .567 shot on goal percentage. Baker finished second on the team in goals (13) and assists (9), and also posted a .565 shot on goal percentage.

On the mound, hansen is 6-0 with a 1.87 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 30 innings of work. At the plate, hansen is batting .378 and leads the team with seven home runs — a mark that is among the state leaders in 4A — and 29 runs batted in.

Renken is at or near the top in many pitching categories in Class 4A softball this season. After this past week’s action, Renken has a 23-0 record with an ERA of 0.35 and 228 strikeouts in 140-plus innings of work.

Jessie became the second Iowa high school girl’s golfer to win four individual state titles in her high school career. Jes-sie fired an 8-under 65 on May 28 to lead the Comets to their second state title in three years.

Cochrane won the 2A singles tennis title by rolling through the competition. After losing just one game in straight-set victories through the semifinals she beat Iowa City, City high’s Eve Small in a tight match, 6-4, 7-5, to bring home the championship.

Jessie Sindlinger Jaci Cochrane Molly Renken

kyle Appel & blake Oetting Paris Martins & Justin baker Robert Hansen

Senior/Junior | Iowa City W

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Seniors | Iowa City W

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Freshman | Fort D

odge

Junior | Des M

oines EastSenior | Le M

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Senior | Charles City

Photo courtesy of Iowa City west hS Photo courtesy of the Iowa City Press Citizen - David Scrivner Photo courtesy of Mike hansen

Photo courtesy of Julie Sindlinger Photo courtesy of Fort Dodge hS Photo courtesy of Molly Renken


high School

TWO-A-DAyS bAnnED fOR HEAlTH AnD SAfETyOver the years, football has

been known as one of the toughest, most grueling games – teaching the importance of teamwork, discipline and grit and turning boys into men. But as the game has grown in popularity and has increasingly become America’s sport, it has also recently been under the utmost scrutiny due to the risks it poses to the safety of players.

Last December, the Iowa High School Athletic Association took steps in an effort to make high school football a safer game for student athletes.

“The heat acclimatization and concussion issues have both been on the forefront for the last three to four years,” said Todd Tharp, assistant executive director and football administrator with the IHSAA. “A lot of the stuff we were doing was still some the stuff we were doing when I was in high school playing football twenty-some years ago, so we kind of implemented some things gradually over the last few years.”

The IHSAA’s new regulations, which will affect the state’s 342 programs and 21,200 athletes, focus primarily on the pre-season practice schedule for high school teams. The most notable changes include banning two-a-days and making the move from helmets to pads to full contact practices more gradual.

“We take a lot of pride in Iowa that we are in the forefront, cutting edge in decision-making and we felt we were lacking a little when it came to this,” Tharp said. “The research and data were showing that two-a-days are not the way to acclimatize to the heat and just because you keep them out longer does not mean they’re making more progress. Research shows that for our kids it’s better to gradually build up their practices.”

Eliminating two-a-days and prolonging full contact practices brings with it pros and cons which will affect the practice schedules and structures this season.

“Football is a tough sport and when you stress them early on like that it gives ownership to them throughout the season,” said Marv Cook, head coach at Iowa City Regina and former Iowa Hawkeye and NFL Pro-Bowler. “We’ll miss that a little bit and from our standpoint we thought we got some good solid reps with two-a-days, but ultimately I think it’s a move in the right direction and I think the state association made this decision about safety of athletes and I think that was a good thing.”

The new regulations state that there shall be no more than one practice a day and that a practice cannot exceed three hours in length. A practice is defined by the IHSAA as a period of time in which a student participates in physical activity. Helmets and mouth guards are allowed the first two days of practice, followed by pads but no player-to-player contact on days three through five. All protective equipment can be worn and full contact drills can begin on day six. The first two Sundays of practice must be days of complete rest.

As a result of the changes, teams will lose time spent practicing and conditioning with their teams, but Tharp hopes that this will encourage coaches to be more efficient with the time they have and take time to focus on the fundamentals.

“Before, they could’ve started

having contact on day four and now they can’t until day six, so I think there’s two more days where the coaches can do a better job of teaching fundamentals of blocking and tackling, especially regarding getting the head out of tackling,” he said. “They’re going to have to organize their practices better and they’re going to have to involve their coaches more and use that three hours a lot more wisely than they

have.”Cook and his coaching staff

understand the importance of efficiency and time management this year more than ever. New techniques, restructured practices and a more modern approach to coaching are elements that will be worked into this season.

“One thing I think kids learn well with is visual – filming drills, not just games, but technique, footwork and showing them that stuff and hopefully giving them a lot of mental reps that way,” he said. “I think ultimately there is going be a bit of a shift in the way coaches go about it. There is going to be a more efficient way to practice – you know the old Oklahoma drill where they just face off and hit each other, that’s kind of going by the wayside.”

While changes are being made and coaches and teams are being cooperative and supportive, there are still some questions that will go unanswered until the season is underway. Paul Patterson, head coach at Norwalk High School, is concerned that the loss in practice time could impact the players’ stamina and how quickly they are in playing shape.

“What will the fourth quarter look like the first few games of the season?” Patterson asked. “How tired will kids be without having those practices to get them game-shape ready?”

Even students recognize the pros and cons that the new changes pose for teams and athletes. Senior wide receiver Ben Morrett of Chariton

High School was aware of the health and safety risks that past practice schedules may have posed, but felt confident that his team had a handle on the situation. The new regulations, he said, are neither positive nor negative due to his team’s previous compliance and precautions.

“Our coaches do a pretty good job of giving us drink breaks and would give us popsicles during two-a-days. Especially at the beginning of the season we ice a lot, take ice baths and make sure we’re drinking plenty of water,” he said. “I think there’s ups and downs with not having two-a-days. The upside is definitely about the safety of players.”

Despite the differing viewpoints regarding the positive and negative aspects of the changes, there has been a largely positive response and support from coaches, players and programs across the state. It is widely agreed upon that safety is the prime concern for all involved, therefore most involved with football have been very accepting of the changes.

“If what we’re doing is for the safety of kids, then how can it be a bad thing for us?” Patterson asked. “If our goal really is to sit there and focus more on the fundamentals and get ourselves better prepared so that when we go and compete, we’re safer because we’re focusing on the fundamentals even more than we have in the past and that’ll be a good thing for us. Four years from now, the kids won’t know the difference – it’ll be the norm.”

Coaches and players adapt to a season without two-a-days by making minor and efficient changes

Chariton senior wide receiver Ben Morrett carries the ball during an optional 7-on-7 camp this summer. Camps are just one way teams are making up for the loss of two-a-days.

“There is going to be a more efficient way to

practice – you know the old Oklahoma drill...

that’s kind of going by the wayside.”

-Marv Cook, Iowa City Regina

“Just because you keep them out longer does

not mean they’re making more progress.”

-Todd Tharp, IHSAA

And dependability:

This season Nelson leads his team in doubles and is tied for the team lead in runs batted in with a .333 batting

average. It is on the bump that Nelson has been the most effective over his

career. This season he has posted a 6-0 record which includes seven

starts and two relief appearances, with an ERA of 1.52. Nelson has

61 strikeouts in 46 innings of work this season.

Dylan NelsonA-D-M (Adel) - Baseball

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Unmatched performance:

Nelson has been one of the best high school pitchers in the state in his career

and has helped lead the Tigers to the state tournament as a sophomore and a junior.

Each month, Sports Spotlight recognizes a Kinetico Pure Performance High School Athlete of the Month from a list based on

their performances.

Photo courtesy of Jeff and Teresa Grove

HY-VEE IRONKIDS FULL

His name has echoed around the state for over half a century. It now graces the Cedar Rapids Jefferson Softball Complex, as of June 12, 2013, and it will be remembered as a leg-end.

Larry Niemeyer, the winningest coach in Iowa and national history — he owns 2,089 career victories in softball — has spent 52 years of his life coaching athletes of all ability levels and bringing them success. That success is found, not just in the number of wins and losses, but also in the lives he has touched and the messages he has given his players. His main goal throughout all his coaching experi-ences has been asking kids to be the best they can be.

And although he acknowledged having the field he built bear his name is an honor, his coaching as always been about the kids.

“It’s a nice experience to have something like that, after you’ve coached for a long time. We had built the field from scratch; most high schools already had an existing field, but there wasn’t anything there when I got to Jefferson.”

“I’ve done it a long time, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it,” he said. “It’s never been a job for me. I would have coached for nothing, that’s how much I enjoy it.”

Niemeyer spent the last 52 years between two schools. His official career started at Adel, where he coached softball, basketball, track and field and cross-country, but Niemeyer has been coaching since he was sophomore in high school and president of Beardstown, Illinois’ Little League team. He spent 16 years at Adel, and was a main component in starting some of the women’s athletic teams. After that tenure, he coached at Cedar Rapids Jefferson for 34 years.

“There aren’t too many people like I was that coach two sports for such a long time,” he said. “You just don’t see that much anymore.”

When asked what his favorite sport to coach, he simply chuckled.

“The sport I’m coaching at the time,” he said.Niemeyer has always tried to be the very

best coach he can be, and he clearly accom-plished this through all the years he spend on the court, field or track. He worked hard, at-tending training sessions and coaching camps,

52 YearCoaching career

The Legend ContinuesCoach Larry Niemeyer

52 Yeartrying to gain knowledge to give his athletes.

“I’ve just enjoyed coaching all my life,” Niemeyer said. “Maybe I’m not good at a lot of things, but coaching has always been easy for me.”

Niemeyer thrives on all aspects of the game; that includes practices, as well as competition. But he said winning and losing isn’t what matters to him.

“I enjoy the fact that you try to teach kids the fundamen-tals and the right way to play,” he said. “And I think the most rewarding thing about coaching about it is when you go out and see them, and you have helped them be better players from what you’ve told them and how you’ve prac-ticed it.”

He has spent a lifetime helping kids reach their potential in their athletic endeavors. This includes his four children. His three daughters were members of his team, and his son has coached with him at Cedar Rapids Jefferson for the last

Nick Niemeyer would like to continue coaching and bring his dad on as assistant, if his health is stable.

“He still has a lot offer and knows the game very well,” Nick Niemeyer said.

Youngest daughter Natalie Niemeyer also coached for her dad and played for him. She grew up under his tutelage and said it was always obvious her dad would be her coach. He didn’t take it easy on her, but she said she wouldn’t change anything about her experiences.

And her best coaching lessons came once she started working with her father after her playing days were over.

“I just really learned to respect the game and respect the time and effort that goes into being good at something,” she said.

Natalie Niemeyer followed in her father’s footsteps and currently teaches and coaches at East High School in Des Moines. She was also present for the field naming.

ten years. Nick Niemeyer wanted to spend more time with his dad, as well as utilize the legendary coach’s knowledge.

“It was an opportunity to learn from one of the best coaches in the state and the nation,” the younger Niemey-er said. “I’ve always had a desire to coach, and when I was able to work with him, I couldn’t think of a better person to learn from.”

The most important thing Nick Niemeyer said he learned through coaching with his dad was what Larry Niemeyer al-ways preached to his staff: “‘Work hard and give it your all. Don’t do anything 50 percent, do everything 100 percent. And if you do that, you’ll come out on top.’” Nick Niemeyer was present for the recent field naming and said that the experience was emotional for him.

“There’s a lot of memories down there; I’ve been going to that diamond since I was a little kid,” he said. “Whether it be watching games, or going down and having a picnic, planting flowers, helping with the diamond. Once I was down there, and we were walking out on the field, all of that came back to me. And it was a very emotional night. A lot of hard work went into that place.”

“I think for me, it was probably the most emotional, more than anyone else,” she said. “My dad and I are really close; I’m a coach and a teacher, just like he was. And I kind of grew up at the field, because I’m quite a bit younger than my siblings. So, I had a specific attachment to that field…I have a lot of fond memories at that specific diamond.”

Larry Niemeyer hasn’t retired yet; he’s just taking a year off and will try to return to the coach’s box next year, if he can. He said he isn’t ready to give up the sensation that comes from seeing kids reach their goals.

“I don’t think there’s a greater thrill than working with somebody and seeing them achieve something. It doesn’t get any better than that,” he said. “So, right now I miss not coaching the kids, because I still think I have enough to offer kids that I can be an asset to them.”

Niemeyer said that he would miss the kids the most, if he can’t to return to his coaching duties.

“I just enjoy coaching; I enjoy being around kids. I could even be an assistant coach, as long as I could do what I would like to do.”

It’s never been a job for me. I would have coached for nothing,

that’s how much I enjoy it““

college

fROM OuT Of nOWHERECassandra Darrah wasn’t a heralded recruit, but she’s proven the doubters wrong

Cassandra Darrah let out more than her customary smile after watching the ball sail toward first base. She pumped her fist and raced into the embrace of her catcher, Whitney Massey, to celebrate the University of Wisconsin’s first Big Ten Softball Tournament championship in school history — and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005.

Darrah was selected as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after going a perfect 3-0 in the circle and allowing just six runs, capping a season in which the Corydon native was named first-team All-Big Ten. The senior-to-be holds the best winning percentage (.684) in Wisconsin history and is second in wins (65), ERA (2.17) and shutouts (19).

But Darrah couldn’t see herself in that situation five years ago.

“I never decided I wanted to [pitch at a Division-I school],” she said. “I never really thought that I could. I guess I didn’t really believe in myself all that much.”

Through hard work and family support, Darrah proved herself — and numerous college coaches — wrong.

breakingThrewDarrah was just in fourth grade

when Myndie Berka first met her, but it marked the beginning of a 12-year relationship — one that has paid big dividends for Darrah.

Berka owns BreakThrew Fastpitch, a private coaching business based out of Tennessee, where she now lives. Berka, a Colo-Nesco graduate, routinely travels back to Iowa to work with around 250 athletes in various locations across the state. She said Darrah’s internal drive stood out and pushed her to soaring heights as an athlete.

“One thing she’s always had, particularly once she hit eighth grade, is she’s had a really good work ethic,” Berka said. “She’s one that would come to lessons, listen to what we were teaching and put the time in between lessons.

“That’s where pitchers are made. It’s not just [getting instruction]; it’s about going home and having dad sit on a

bucket

[to catch] or finding a bucket of balls to throw against the wall.”

But Darrah said there were times when her commitments felt like too much. She threw fits when she’d have to leave for travel ball in Kansas City on the weekends, after pitching for the varsity at Wayne Community High all week, and just wanted a break. She said she was always glad she went once she got together with her teammates, though.

Darrah’s almost daily workouts between lessons with Berka were also taxing, and she sometimes had to force herself to just get out and do them.

“There were many [days when I didn’t want to do the workouts],” Darrah said. “I got to the point where I didn’t want to do it anymore; I didn’t want to work very hard. [Berka] definitely kept pushing me to suck it up.”

Berka said she told Darrah, sometime during middle school, that she needed to decide what she wanted out of her pitching career. She could settle for what

she already was and cruise through high school, or she could focus on honing her craft and becoming a great pitcher.

“I told her, ‘You have the potential to be very, very good at this. But potential is nothing without working at it,’” Berka said. “That’s when something clicked in her head. She realized, ‘If I practice at this, I could be pretty darn good at it.’”

finding a homeDarrah toiled in anonymity for

much of her high school career. She only reached the state tournament for the first time as a senior, which left her out of the limelight in the state. And so, despite 67 career victories and 1,278 strikeouts, Darrah wasn’t on the radar of many colleges after her junior year.

“There really wasn’t much recruiting going on,” said Dick Darrah, Cassandra’s father. “[Coming from] Corydon, she just

wasn’t attracting any attention at all.”

The Darrahs went to Berka to see what they could do to get

schools interested. Berka advised

them to send letters to schools and go to camps to get their daughter’s name out there.

Dick Darrah said he sent 12 letters to various schools around the Midwest. Only one responded: Missouri State. Cassandra went to a camp at the university, but the coaching staff never followed up with her.

Berka eventually reached out to former Wisconsin pitching coach, Roanna Brazier, who she had experience working with, and recommended she come to Iowa and give her student a look. Brazier caught a Thursday night varsity game and then a travel ball game in Kansas City that weekend. She set up a campus visit just a few days later, and the Badger coaching staff didn’t mince words when the Darrahs arrived.

“[Brazier had] seen Cassandra pitch just two games and the coaches threw the offer on the table within 15 minutes of us being there,” Dick Darrah said. “They didn’t even try to sell us on the whole idea. They just said, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do.’

“And before the weekend was over, Cassandra had made her decision.”

Cassandra Darrah didn’t waver in her decision when Brazier and the rest of the Wisconsin coaching staff was let go after the 2010 season. She instead chose to honor her commitment and hope for the best.

“Some people were obviously like, ‘Okay, do I still want to go to Wisconsin?’” Darrah said. “I never thought about that; I thought for sure I’d always be going there and I’d just see what I’d get for coaches.

“And I ended up with three of the best coaches I could ever ask for.”

Yvette Healy heads the current Badger staff after being brought in at the same time Darrah was competing in the 2010 2A state tournament. The high school senior had a coming out party with a perfect game in the first round and led the Lady Falcons to a second-place finish in their first state tournament appearance. She was also named 2A Player of the Year by the coaches association Photo courtesy of the Daily Cardinal/Mark Kauzlarich


college

fROM OuT Of nOWHEREand was a first team All-State selection.

Healy called up the freshman-to-be to gauge her interest in coming to Madison after the coaching change, and got the answer she was looking for.

“She was competing in the state playoffs when my staff had gotten hired and we reached out to her,” Healy said. “We were really happy that she wanted to stick with her commitment to the university. Her family has a lot of integrity and she’s the kind of kid that supports her decisions and follows through.”

All in the familyFamily support is important for

most people, but it’s especially vital for Darrah. And she hasn’t lacked encouragement.

Darrah’s parents, Dick and Sue, travel to see all of their daughter’s games, home and away. The pair has missed just one midweek double-header during Darrah’s three years in Madison, and Darrah said that’s had a major impact on her.

“If I didn’t have my parents, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. “To have that kind of support from my parents, it’s great to know that I’ll see them every weekend we’re playing.”

Dick Darrah can always be found sitting behind home plate, where he has sat for all of his daughter’s games, going all the way back to her youth. He charted her pitches throughout high school, and often arrived an hour early to ensure he’d have his seat.

He said making the trips to every game is made easier by the fact that both he and his wife are self-employed, but it’s challenging at times. They just want to savor the time they have left with a kid under their roof.

“It’s pretty crazy, but she’s our last child,” he said. “We’re not like a lot of families; with a lot of families, it’s their first child [going to college]. But for us, it’s our last child.”

Healy said it’s obvious how close the Darrah family is, and that’s part of what makes Wisconsin such a great fit for her ace. Healy, who has two daughters, said she prefers her program to have a family feel to it.

That atmosphere extends far beyond the dugout. Wisconsin players talk and give high fives to Cohen Darrah, Cassandra’s nephew, whenever he’s at their games. That’s just what Healy wants.

“Every program is run differently,” she said. “When we’re out at games,

[the players] will see my kids running around, and my assistant coach has three kids. So our program is run a lot more like a family atmosphere than you’ll see in a lot of places.

“And that style fits Cassandra and her family perfectly, because they are such a great family unit.”

Change in approachDarrah’s prowess in the circle is

well established now, but that wasn’t the case in an eye-opening freshman season, when hitters drove the ball more consistently than they did at the high school level. She needed to change her approach.

“I had a wake up call when I got to college and started throwing to batters, one through nine, who were better than anybody I faced in high school,” she said. “I realized that I couldn’t just blow it past them.”

Making the transition from power to craftiness required the help of her coaches, who directed Darrah to study film and decipher what she was doing wrong. Healy said players often don’t realize just how much time goes into studying film and scouting reports when they arrive on campus.

“It’s an old adage, ‘Are you a thrower or are you a pitcher?’” Healy said. “Well, we’re not just throwers at this level. There’s a whole pitching plan, and you’ve got to spot your pitches.”

Darrah’s film study made it painfully clear she wasn’t doing that effectively.

“I look at film from my freshman year and — I don’t even know how I won any games,” Darrah said. “The ball was thigh-high, everywhere.”

But despite her location issues as a freshman, Darrah posted a 16-10 record with a 2.51 ERA, largely because of her on-field demeanor. Healy said the presence Darrah has in the circle allows her teammates to play better behind her because of the confidence she exudes, even when something goes wrong.

That short memory is something Berka said Darrah has always had, so it doesn’t surprise her that Darrah has kept her cool under the bright lights of Big Ten softball.

“The thing she’s exceptional at, and really has been since she was a little girl, is she’s just emotionless out there,” Berka said. “Nothing rattles her; bases loaded, best hitter up who’s hit two bombs off her — she’s fine with that. You couldn’t tell she was freaked out by that at all.”

Darrah is now among the Big

Ten’s best hurlers and has helped lead a major rebuilding of the Wisconsin program. The Badgers are 108-55 in her three years on campus — a dramatic turnaround from the 50-111 mark set in the three years prior to her arrival.

She said the improvement is a testament to the coaching staff and the players’ willingness to keep an open mind after the coaching change.

“It’s pretty amazing to see how far the program has come,” Darrah said. “The coaches came in with a great attitude and just wanted us to work

hard and buy in. Once we all did, it helped the team chemistry and got us where we are this year.”

But don’t let her accomplishments thus far fool you into thinking she’ll coast through her final year in Madison. Berka said laziness just isn’t in Darrah’s DNA.

“Some kids have a little success, and they sit back and think, ‘Hey, I’m good already; I don’t need to keep working,’” Berka said. “But [Darrah] is just the opposite. The more success she has, the harder she works.”

Photo courtesy of the Daily Cardinal/Mark Kauzlarich

Photo courtesy of the Daily Iowan

Darrah’s determination and composure on the mound have been major contributions to her success as both a prep and collegiate athlete.


Thousands of miles separate Iowa and Israel, but there is no distance too great to keep Jacqui Kalin from a basketball court. The now-Panther legend will have the chance to ex-hibit her talents at the professional level starting this fall in Israel.

For the Sioux City North high alumnus, this is just the next move in a storied basketball career. The 5-foot-8 point guard guided her squad to a 4A state title in 2007 and was named to the Iowa All-State First Team. NCAA programs came calling and Kalin moved across the state to embark on a six-year odys-sey in Cedar Falls.


college

fORMER unI STAR TO PlAy bAll In ISRAElJacqui Kalin’s stand-out college career opened doors for her to continue to pursue her passionDarrin Cline | Contributor

www.agentkeithh.com

“I did not have a lot of teams re-cruiting me,” Kalin said. “I had a few looks, mainly from Missouri Valley schools. Northern Iowa was definite-ly the most interested. I took some visits, I really liked the team and the school. They were very interested in me and I really appreciated that.”

Kalin blazed through the opposi-tion out of the gate, thrust into the lineup as the starting point guard.

Her freshman campaign coincid-ed with the arrival of new head coach Tanya Warren. Warren had not been the head coach at UNI

during Kalin’s recruiting process, but the pair

easily meshed. “[A coaching change]

can be a scary thing, but I was very fortunate with coach Warren and she took me under her wing,” said Kalin, who

routinely points to her coaches and teammates as integral components of her success. “I was fortu-

nate to have a wonderful coach there right away.”

Even though the Panthers only managed a 13-18 record,

Kalin earned Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference

honors and was named conference Freshman of the Year.

“I never paid much attention to individual accolades,” she said. “I can look at them now and appreci-ate them, but when you’re a player you’re just competitive and want to get that conference championship.”

After just five games as a sopho-more, Kalin suffered an ankle injury

and was granted a medical redshirt. She returned in the fall of 2009 seemingly without missing a step. The Panthers improved to a 17-16 record and stunned the MVC by winning the conference tournament, with Kalin leading in scoring and assists. It also marked the first of her three First Team All-MVC seasons.

“We weren’t picked to win it by any means, so to make that run was incredible and that buzzer going off in the championship is something I will never forget,” Kalin said.

2010-2011 was the banner season for the Panthers during Kalin’s tenure. A 27-6 regular season, con-ference championship and NCCA tournament bid came their way; Ka-lin was heralded as the Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.

“Sometimes I don’t think I grasp what we really did when we repeated as conference champions,” she said. “That’s a result of people before my time and gradual building of the program.”

The meteoric rise was then abruptly halted as Kalin took a redshirt year after sustaining an ACL injury and missing a season. She had the choice of just walking away, but she wanted to make the most of

her time and use her final year of eligibility.

“To pass up an opportunity to play basketball seems crazy to me,” Kalin said. “The dynamic changed, I got to go from being a freshman with great leaders to being that sixth year senior and taking a lot of younger players under my wing.”

The break paid off and the Panther leader used her final season — her sixth year at UNI — to shatter the Panther record book. Kalin collected her third First-Team MVC selection, second Jackie Stiles Award, and yet another scholar athlete honor.

Kalin etched her name in Panther lore, laying claim to a slew of re-cords: games started, games played, total minutes, free throws made, as-sists, three pointers and total points. On top of her on-court performance, Kalin earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree during her tenure.

She added another commendation to the trophy case following her se-nior season — the Martin Glickman Female Jewish Scholar Athlete of the Year. The honor is awarded to one college athlete annually across all sports.

“That award is something I take a lot of pride in,” Kalin said. “It meant a lot to me to be able to go out to New York and the Jewish Athlete Hall of Fame; to be part of that ceremony and meet the other Jewish athletes. I appreciated the chance to represent my faith and my sport.”

With accomplishments rolling in, professional programs began to take notice. Electra Ramat HaSharon, one of the premiere teams in Israel, took an interest in Kalin. As her college

“Once you hang up the shoes, you’re done for good, so I wanted to take advantage of the

opportunities if given the chance.”


college

fORMER unI STAR TO PlAy bAll In ISRAEl days drew to a close, Kalin hired an agent and they began exploring international basketball options. She took an open mind into the situation and worked with her agent to find the best match.

“The way I look at it is ‘Once you hang up the shoes, you’re done for good,’ so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunities if given the chance,” Kalin said. “I always had Israel in mind, but was open to any-where in Europe and I just wanted to see where the best situation was. And this was definitely the best for me.”

She signed a contract and is antic-ipated to start her career overseas in October.

While Kalin is elated for the opportunity awaiting her, she admits the international game has its own

quirks. She was part of a team that got to play in China this summer, and said there are differences to which players must adapt, from the actual game rules to the arenas and the fans.

Before heading overseas, Kalin will be representing the U.S. as a member of the 2013 Maccabiah World Games team. The tourna-ment in July will give her a taste of basketball in Israel, and allow her to represent her country. The Macca-biah Games are held in Israel every four years for Jewish athletes in all different sports.

Ramat HaSharon may be a world away, but Kalin is relying on the uni-versal language of basketball to unite the team and enable her to continue her passion.

“That’s something I look forward and something you can appreciate about sports in general,” she said. “People from all over can come together and play a common game and I look forward to learning new things and growing as a person.”

JACquI kAlIn | GuARD | SIOux CITy, IAfirst all-time at unI in:• scoring (2,081)

• 3-point field goals made (265)

• free throws made (484)

• free throw percentage (.920)

• assists (491)

• games started (136)

• games played (136)

• minutes (4,352)

Photos courtesy of UNI Athletics Communications

“To pass up an opportunity to play

basketball seems crazy to me.”

For most collegiate athletes, their sport is a huge part of their lives. They wouldn’t feel complete without it.

Graceland softball player, Ariel Kirk is no exception.

Both of Kirk’s parents played league ball, so the Albia, Iowa native has spent her entire life at the soft-ball field. She says watching her fa-ther inspired her to play as well. Kirk joined her first little league team at age four, and has cherished every second since.

Throughout her career, Kirk has played on so many softball teams, it is difficult to keep track of them all. Besides 13 years of league ball, Kirk played on American Softball Associ-ation (ASA) traveling teams, all-star teams and Albia Community junior high and high school teams.

In addition to softball, Kirk also played three years of volleyball and six years of basketball for Albia Community Schools. However, there is no competition; softball is by far her favorite. In fact, Kirk couldn’t single out any one component of the game as her favorite part.

“Anything,” she said. “Softball is my love.”

Although her primary position is pitcher, Kirk received First Team All-Conference honors as a first baseman for her high school team as a senior.

Throughout her career, Kirk’s league team won five district cham-pionships, sending them to five state tournaments. Four of those years, her team won the state champion-ship and continued onto regional play.

Kirk says the coolest thing she’s ever done throughout her career was her first district championship. When she was 12, Kirk’s league team won the district competition for the first time ever in her community. In fact, they went on to win the state competition and competed at the regional level that year.

Her team participated in several bonding activities with teams from other states at the regional tourna-ment, which resulted in Kirk having a softball pen pal from Nebraska for a year afterwards.

Kirk attributes her decision to pursue collegiate softball to an old

teammate that convinced her to con-sider Graceland, adding, “Of course, Coach [Jeff] Douglas is a pretty good persuader.”

She believes choosing GU was one of the best decisions she’s made, as it allowed her to meet who she terms “the best people ever.” Not coincidentally, these women are her current roommates.

As far as softball, Kirk says her coaches have been great, especially first year head coach Bryn Braddock. Kirk believes the transition between head coaches was made easier by the fact that Coach Braddock has been around Kirk’s entire career, and all the returning players were already familiar with, and respected, her before the season.

Circumstances, however, did not allow Kirk to participate in the tran-sition on the field.

Before the beginning of the sea-son, Kirk received terrifying news. After several visits to an allergist and multiple special tests to find out why she could no longer control her breathing, Kirk was told she had a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), which is a hole in her heart. Further test-

ing revealed that she had the rarest form of the deformity. Anytime she performed cardio-exercise, the hole would stretch, which would eventu-ally lead to enlargement. At age 21, Kirk needed heart surgery.

Kirk admits there was a huge fear that her softball career was over, but her mom went to every appointment and was always there to support her through good or bad.

Kirk had to spend a significant amount of time away from her team while she ran through a gauntlet of tests, but there was one special player that supported her throughout the entire process: junior, Bri Douglas.

“Bri is my catcher here at Graceland, and I put all my faith into her,” says Kirk. “Of course we bicker and fight, but if something were to happen like it did, she takes care of me.”

Kirk shared how Douglas made it a point to be at the hospital when she came out of surgery, and went back on the day Kirk was released as well. “It’s nice to know you have a team-mate that has your back through thick and thin,” Kirk finished.

Finally returning to softball was

a great feeling for Kirk. “Returning is definitely hard,” she admitted, but she was just grateful to return to the sport she loves.

Coach Braddock was glad to have Kirk back as well. “Ariel is a won-derful student athlete and a pleasure to coach,” she said. “She works hard both on and off the field. She is ded-icated to softball and it shows in her performance.”

According to Kirk, her teammates always come to practice excited and full of energy, which she said keeps practices relaxed and exciting to be at. While she acknowledged the youth and inexperience of her team this year, she saw amazing talent in the young players, and believed they would be very competitive in the years to come.

Freshman pitcher Olivia Tub-man commended Kirk for her work ethic and how she always strives to be the best she can be. “Seeing her overcome all of the obstacles she has had to has helped push me to work harder and challenge myself,” Tub-man said.

Tubman finished on a personal note by saying, “Not only is Ariel a


college

SOfTbAll SuCCESS AfTER HEART SuRGERyGraceland’s Ariel Kirk overcame a hole in her heart to continue her softball career

Ariel Kirk overcame a possibly life-threatening abnormality with a hole in her heart and came back to complete a successful senior season.

Graceland Athletics | Contributor

Photos courtesy of Graceland Athletics Communications

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great player and an inspiration, but she has also been a great friend these last couple months. I’ll definitely miss her next year.”

On top of overcoming such a huge obstacle in her ca-reer, Kirk was recently invited to play softball with Ath-letes International this summer. She will be traveling to Aruba to play on a team with athletes from colleges and universities all over the U.S. and will get to meet players from all over the world.

In order to fundraise the money for her trip, Kirk sent letters to all her family and friends asking for help, and most were more than willing to contribute what they could. “Now when I go home, I get stopped by a lot of people to tell me that they are very proud of me sticking with the game after my heart surgery,” shared Kirk.

After she returns from Aruba, Kirk plans to begin massage therapy school in August.

In the summers, she will continue to coach league softball, which she has been doing for the past four years, and has taken her team to regional play two years in a row. “It may not be actually playing, but I just love being involved with the sport,” she explained.

Wherever Kirk’s future takes her, one thing is for sure. Softball will definitely be part of it.

Arielkirk

Playing with heart.

Prior to her senior season, Ariel was told she had a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), which was a hole in her heart. Read on to get a brief glimpse into what Ariel was facing.

• Approximately 1 in 5 adults has the congeni-tal abnormality, but in most cases, it’s a harm-less defect that doesn’t require treatment.

The hole is in the barrier between the atria in the

heart. It’s present in everyone before birth,

but seals shut in most cases.

• The hole opens when pressure is built up

in the chest (e.g. coughing, sneezing). This al-

lows venous blood to bypass the lungs.

In rare cases, small blood clots are released into the body through the hole and can lodge in vital organs.

• It is often not diagnosed until a person suffers a transient ischemia attack or stroke.

*Information from www.clevelandclinic.org.


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RECORDS TuMblE AT uSA TRACk MEET

DAIly TIDbITS AnD RESulTSThursday, June 2089 Degrees. Paid Attendance - 6,567

BORMAN BECOMES U.S. LEAD IN JAVELIN ON LAST THROW

2012 Olympian Brittany Borman, a former four-time NCAA champ from Oklahoma, won the women’s javelin on her final attempt with a 2013 U.S. leading throw of 199-10, beating American record holder Kara Patterson who had held the lead entering the final round at 183-4. Ariana Ince finished second at 185-11 on her final attempt.

BIG KICK Stony Brook’s Christina Melian

outkicked Iowa high school star Anna Holdiman to the junior wom-en’s 3,000. Holidman, a state track

and cross country champion from Waverly-Shell Rock High School, led the entire race until Melian passed her on the first curve of the final lap and pulled away. Melian, the ECAC 3000 champion as a freshman this year, finished in 9:45.06. Holdiman ran 9:48.23.

Friday, June 2189 Degrees. Paid Attendance - 7,622

FAST TIME FOR SHELBYFormer Sioux City East star

Shelby Houlihan ran her fastest time ever in the semifinals of the women’s 800. But it still wasn’t fast enough to get her to the final. Houlihan, now at Arizona State, logged a time of 2:02.63, which bettered the 2:03.15 she ran in Thursday’s first round. Houlihan’s 2:02.63 is a new Arizona State record and the fastest 800 ever, for a former Iowa High School girl.

FORMER IOWA COLLEGIANS ON THE MOVE

Former Iowa college stars Tyler Mulder (Unity Christian HS/North-ern Iowa) and Erik Sowinski (Iowa) reached the final in the men’s 800. In a great semifinal race, Mulder and Sowinski ran shoulder to shoulder with Nick Symmonds and Michael Rutt as they charged to the finish. Symmonds won the heat in 1:45.22 and was followed by Mulder (1:45.24), Sowinski (1:45.29 PR) and Rutt (1:45.43). Mulder was an NCAA champion for Northern Iowa. Sowinski won the 800 at the 2013 U.S. Indoor, and set an American record in the indoor 600 earlier this year.

SWIFT IOWANSIowa state high school champion

Anna Holdiman of Waverly-Shell Rock ran the fastest time in the semifinals for the junior women’s

1500. Holidman, a five-time Class 3A state champion in track, won her heat in 4:35.13. She has signed with Iowa State. Griswold’s Rebekah To-pham, who’ll be a junior in the fall, finished second in her heat with the fourth fastest time overall -- 4:40.11. Topham is a five-time Class 1A state champion in track. Holdiman’s time will go down at No. 8 on Iowa’s all-time list.

Saturday, June 2288 degrees. Paid Attendance - 8638

THAT’S SOME HURDLINGThe women’s 100-meter hur-

dles have been running fast times throughout the meet and Brianna Rollins ran the fastest in the final to win her first USA title in her first meet as a professional. The former Clemson star broke Gail Devers’

The 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held June 19-23, were a big hit, not only for athletes, coaches and fans, but for the record books as well.

This year’s Championships served as the selection event for the coveted spots to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Championships August 10 - August 18 in Moscow, Russia. The USA Outdoor Track & Field Champi-onships were also the final stop of the 2013 Outdoor USATF Championship Series, following stops at the Drake Relays and Penn Relays in April, the adidas Grand Prix in May and the Prefontaine Classic in June.

The U.S. Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships were held in conjunction with the Seniors, as Des Moines hosted some of the top junior athletes in the country, ages 16-19, with the top two finishers representing the red, white and blue in Medellin, Colombia August 23 – August 25 at the Pan Am Junior Championships.

Iowa was well represented in both divisions. On the Senior side, we had athletes with seasons best performances and some who made the finals and came very close to making the World team.

In the Junior meet, a number of Iowa natives made the finals, highlighted by recent Waverly-Shell Rock graduate Anna Holdiman’s runner-up finish in the 3,000, which earns her a trip to Colombia.

Mike Jay | Contributor

Tyler Mulder (far right) took second place in the men’s 800-meter final. The former University of Northern Iowa runner was an NCAA champion with the Panthers.

Photo courtesy of James Kirby


ProS

13-year-old American record with a time of 12.26 that’s the fastest in the world this year and matches the third-best in the world all-time. Many of the races the past two days have been wind-aided, but the wom-en’s hurdles had a legal wind of 1.2 mps. Rollins also erased the Drake Stadium record that Lolo Jones had set on Friday. Devers set the previous American record of 12.33 at the 2000 Olympic Trials.

Queen Harrison, the Drake Re-lays winner this year, took second in 12.41 to punch her ticket to Moscow and Nia Ali was third in 12.48. But Jones, the Des Moines native and local favorite, failed to make the U.S. team. She finished fifth in 12.55.

Rollins’ sensational time caught the attention of Olympic gold med-alist Sally Pearson of Australia. Pear-son tweeted this afternoon: “Looks like I am bringing my A++ game to world this year with Brianna Rollins just running 12.26 at the USA trails (sic) today!

Meanwhile, Lolo Jones responded via twitter: “It’s the Hardest team in the world to make but the three that are going absolutely deserve to go. May they sweep it at World champi-onships.”

WHAT A THROW II!Amanda Bingson broke the

American record in the women’s hammer throw not once but twice. Bingson set a new mark on her second throw of the day, 245-9. Then she bettered that mark on her next attempt, throwing 248-5. The old record was 243-5 by Jessica Cosby in 2012. Cosby finished fourth in today’s competition.

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST REESE FOULS OUT IN WOMEN’S LONG JUMP

Olympic bronze medalist Janay Deloach Soukup made just two attempts in the long jump. As it

turned out, she only needed one. Deloach went 22-7 1/4 on her first jump of the day and that was enough to win her first USA Outdoor title. 2012 Olympic gold medalist Brittney Reese, winner of the past five USA Outdoor titles, fouled on all three of her attempts. But she’s the reigning world champion, so she had an automatic bye into this year’s cham-pionships.

Sunday, June 2381 degrees. Paid Attendance - 10,003

FAST START BRINGS RECORDAlysia Montano raced to a big

lead and had just enough to hold on against hard-charging Brenda Martinez to win the women’s 800. Montano finished in 1:58.67 to break the Drake Stadium record of 1:59.43 that Alysia Johnson set in the 2010 USA Championships. Martinez also ran under the old record, clocking 1:58.78. It’s the fourth straight USA outdoor title for Montano and fifth overall. She was fifth in the 2012 London Olympics.

A FIRST FOR KYNARD Eric Kynard, who was a two-

time NCAA champion at Kansas State, earned his first USA title in the high jump. The 2012 Olympic silver medalist cleared 7-5 3/4, a height matched by runner-up Dustin Jonas, Kynard got the title because he cleared the winning height on his first attempt. Jonas needed two tries after neither jumper missed before then. Both then missed three attempts at 7-7. Kynard is the Drake Stadium record holder at 7-8.

VERSATILE JENNYJenny Simpson continues to show

her versatility as a runner. Already a world championship gold medalist in the 1500 and a two-time USA

champion in the steeplechase, Simp-son added to her collection with the title in the 5000. Simpson, a native of Webster City, Iowa, ran 15:33.77 to beat Molly Huddle (15:34.45) and Shannon Rowbury (15:37.27). Simp-son did not run the 1500 in this meet because as the 2011 world champion, she has an automatic bye into this year championships in Moscow. In all, Simpson has won U.S. titles at five different distances.

TYSON DOUBLES UP

Tyson Gay now has the world’s best time of the year in the 100 and 200. He ran a world-leading 19.74 to win his third USA outdoor title

in the 200. That comes after he won the 100 on Friday night in 9.75. It’s the second time Gay has won the 100-200 double. He also did it in 2007. The top three all ran under 20 seconds, with Isiah Young clocking 19.86 and Curtis Mitchell, Gay’s training partner, coming in at 19.99 Three-time champion Wallace Spear-mon, the Olympic Trials winner last year, finished fourth and missed out on making the U.S. team for the World Championships. Gay’s time also is a Drake Stadium record.

Waverly-Shell Rock’s Anna Holdiman ran the fastest time in the junior women’s 1500 semifi-nals. She is a five-time class 3A state champion and will run for Iowa State.

Photo courtesy of James Kirby

Don’t forget where you came from. Those words of advice follow students, adults and professionals in many of life’s moments of success or moving on.

Zach Johnson sets a prime example of remembering his roots. The Cedar Rapids native PGA pro

has used his fame and success to give back to his hometown and to truly make a difference.

Johnson became a professional golfer in 1998 and joined the PGA tour in 2003. As Johnson’s name became more known and his game continued to improve, Johnson felt it was important to do something for the greater good.

“The idea started once Zach became a PGA Tour player and wanted to give back to his hometown of Cedar Rapids,” said Tracey Myers, administrator for the Zach Johnson Foundation. “He and Kim, his wife, and a few people in the community would choose a local grassroots type of organization that, without our money, couldn’t fulfill it’s mission to help children.”

In 2005 Johnson opted to create Birdies That Care, a program that donates money to Cedar Rapids organizations that serve children in need. For every birdie Johnson shoots, TransAmerica, Johnson’s title

sponsor, donates $50 and for every eagle, $100. Pledges and donations from Johnson’s supporters also help fund the program. In the last eight years the program has raised over $800,000 for programs such as the Community Free Health Clinic, which was the program’s first recipient as well as its most recent.

Just a taste of giving back to the community got Johnson hooked. After claiming the title at the 2007 Masters Tournament, Johnson was at the peak of his fame, and made the decision to continue with his contributions to the community.

“Birdies that Care was Zach’s first way to give back to Cedar Rapids and then he decided he wanted to do more,” Myers said. “He continued to be successful so he and his wife

wanted to do more, which is why they founded the foundation.”

The Zach Johnson Foundation, which was founded in March 2010, is a non-profit organization with the goal of helping Cedar Rapids children and their families live happy, healthy lives. Raising money was a prime concern for Johnson, his

wife and the ZJF board of directors, so the foundation’s premiere event, the Zach Johnson Foundation Classic, was created.

“It was the idea and dream of Zach and Kim to have the foundation developed and the tournament came together shortly after that to raise funds for the foundation’s purpose, which is really to benefit children,” said Larry Gladson, golf pro at Elmcrest


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PGA pro Zach Johnson uses his fame to give back to his home community

“The kids that are in our program are coming to school more and they’re getting requested to the

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Thursday, augusT 8 Casting Crowns with special guest Jeremy Camp,8 p.m., $30

Friday, augusT 9 Happy Together Tour 2013starring The TurTles FeaTuring Flo & eddie, gary puCkeTT & The union gap, ChuCk negron Formerly oF Three dog nighT, mark lindsay Former lead singer oF paul revere & The raiders and gary lewis & The playboys,8 p.m., $25

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Tuesday, augusT 13 Victoria Justicewith special guest penTaTonix, 8 p.m., $29

wednesday, augusT 14 Grand Outlaw National Tractor and Truck Pull sponsored by iowa Farmer Today,2 p.m., $20 adulTs,$10 Children ages 6-11free for ages 5 and under

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Friday, augusT 16Trainwith special guest maTT naThanson,8 p.m., $39

saTurday, augusT 17 Demolition Derby and Figure Eight11:30 a.m., $15 adulTs, $5 Children ages 6-11free for ages 5 and under

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augusT 8-18 Tickets for all concerts and events on sale now through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800.745.3000. All concert seats are reserved. All track events are general admission. Convenience charges apply to all tickets. The Iowa State Fair Ticket Office will open July 8. Grandstand tickets do not include admission to the Fair. Gate admission must be purchased separately.

The third annual Zach Johnson Foundation Classic will take place on July 29 at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids. The event includes several PGA pros and celebrities and is open to the public to watch and take part in activities throughout the day, such as a PGA golf clinic.

Country Club in Cedar Rapids and member of the ZJF board of directors.

The third annual ZJFC will take place later this month at Elmcrest Country Club, the club where Johnson grew up and first learned to golf, with Gladson as an instructor. The event consists of a gala, auction and dinner followed by a pro-am tournament the next day. Twenty-six playing groups include 26 PGA tour pros and celebrities, such as Kurt Warner, Rickie Fowler and former Ames star and NBA player Harrison Barnes, who have attended in the past. This year, attendees will include PGA pro Steve Stricker and former Iowa and NFL kicker Nate Kaeding.

“I think the really unique thing about this tournament is there are so many big names that come in that are local and national celebrities and it’s fun for the public to see them in a relaxed setting rather than deep in competitions which is what people are used to seeing,” Myers said.

All of the money raised from the event supports Kids on Course, a more recently developed program in conjunction with the Zach Johnson Foundation. Kids on Course is a program dedicated to providing enrichment opportunities for students and families from two Cedar Rapids elementary schools.

Since the program began two years ago, significant improvements have been seen.

“The kids that are in our program are coming to school more and they’re getting requested to the principal’s office less,” Myers said. ““We want to make it a holistic program where we have a touch point in many aspects of their lives. We will follow them through elementary school, and our dream, would be to follow them all the way through high school.”

Kids on Course is offering its first ever Summer Camp for students entering 3rd and 4th grades at Harrison and Van Buren Elementary Schools. This four week half-day program includes breakfast and lunch and more than two hours daily of academic instruction. As many as 70 students will focus on themes in their reading and math work, and then get a hands-on enrichment tied to that classroom learning.

This year’s ZJFC will take place Monday, July 29. The event is open to the public, with adult admittance selling for $20 a ticket and free child admittance with a ticketed adult. Johnson’s way of giving back to his community not only helps those in need, but also helps him connect with his hometown and allows them to share in this fun day of golf.

Photos courtesy of the Zach Johnson Foundation


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Downing a glass of chocolate milk following rigorous activity benefits the body by providing carbohydrate and protein content, replacing lost fluids and packing a boost of calcium, sugar and sodium. Athletes are able to regain energy, retain water and relieve tired muscles.

“If you’re doing a fairly intense workout where you’re spending a lot of energy and breaking down some of your muscles, a high intensity activity, chocolate milk has fluid, carbohydrates with chocolate and sugar and more importantly it also has some protein which helps repair damage that could be done with the intensity of a workout,” said Chris Wiedmann, an athletic trainer with UnityPoint Health – Des Moines.

According to a study conducted by The University of Texas at Austin in 2011, participants who drank

chocolate milk had more muscle and less fat, improved times while working out and were in better shape overall than those who drank sports drinks.

While many athletes strive to reduce fat and increase muscle, some fats are beneficial to the body. DHA Omega-3 is one of the fats that is considered healthy and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Despite all of its benefits, including contributions to brain, heart and eye health, most children and even some adults are not getting sufficient amounts of DHA.

Horizon® Organic Milk with DHA, which contains 32 milligrams of DHA per serving, is an easy way to refuel and get enough DHA following a workout or athletic event. Horizon uses plant-based DHA from a renewable algae resource, rather than DHA derived from fish oil, which is more common. Deriving DHA in this way provides a more sustainable type of DHA and ensures that the milk maintains a fresh, delicious taste. Horizon produces its milk without

added hormones, antibiotics, synthetic pesticides or cloning, and it is certified organic and non-GMO, therefore Horizon chocolate milk makes a great option for a post-workout beverage.

“Typically if you can get something that has about the same makeup as chocolate milk, with carbs, protein and fluid into you within 15-45 minutes after an activity, you’re well on your way to recovery,” Wiedmann said.

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Sports Spotlight Volume 1 Issue11

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