| Roosevelt backers look to raise renovation money at R Party
Sixty-one years ago Roger Stetson pulled up a stool and sat down at a long lab table in Mr. Koch's science lab, across from beakers, Bunsen burners and that beautiful girl on the other side of the table.
The two Roosevelt High School 10th-graders quickly formed a friendship, sitting across from each other every home room, chatting about the latest school gossip, the upcoming dance and tennis. Yes, tennis.
Roger was "hooked" on tennis. Shirley would watch from the bleachers, which she continued to do even as the two headed to Iowa State University. They'd later wed and Roger would be called up to the Navy.
After discharge, Roger returned home and the two raised a family of four, all of whom would follow dad onto the court.
They've since picked up whistles and clipboards, focusing now on coaching.
England's McClaren given boot
England has the wealthiest soccer league in the world, with matches screened across the globe and business tycoons from the United States, Russia and Asia lining up to own the clubs. So why can't England put 11 Englishmen on the field to succeed on the international level? Steve McClaren became the latest coach to pay the price Thursday, getting fired after England's 3-2 loss Wednesday at home to Croatia meant the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. While the likes of World Cup champion Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal will be out to try to take the title away from Greece, England's stars — including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen — will have to watch the games on TV. The Football Association now has plenty of time to search for a coach who can lift the nation credited with establishing the modern game to the same level.
Published November 29, 2007 Hooping it up: Over 400 kids sign up for recreation league basketball but high numbers ...
As a record-breaking soccer season winds down for the Pickens Recreation Department, another season gets ready to hit high gear with 440 boys and girls ready to play basketball this winter.
With soccer leagues ending in early November for all but All-Star players, basketball players and coaches are already in full swing with practices at area schools.
Recreation Department Director Greg Walker said the county had 300 soccer players this year, comprising 27 teams ranging in age from four to 14.
"We’ve had success at the (soccer) playoffs," Walker said. "We sent five All-star teams, and our Under-12 girls were in the finals and the Under-10 kids in the semi-finals. For being so late starting a soccer program, we’re really starting to make some noise at the district level.
Rivermen weekly
THIRD ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR TOSS NIGHT! The Rivermen invite everyone to bring a new or gently-used teddy bear to the game on Friday night and throw it on the ice when the Rivermen score so that less-fortunate children in the Peoria area can have a brighter Christmas. Firefighters Local 50 will be spearheading the bear collection this year and distributing the toys in time for the Holidays. Wrap your toy in a plastic bag to keep the moisture off its fur! Pucks 'N' Purses Night will take place on Friday as well, with local businesses setting up a female-oriented expo in the Civic Center halls just in time for holiday gift ideas and shopping tips - right guys? **nudge, nudge, wink, wink** If your business is interesting in having a table at the game, call Katie Kerr at (309) 680-3791 for more information.
Bend It Like?Blanco
The Chicago Fire striker, like Beckham, has amped up pro soccer's star power. Plus, he's pulling in Latino fans
It was David Beckham, the fair-haired English midfielder, who garnered all the headlines early this year when he came to the U.S. to ply his trade for some $250 million over five years, including endorsements. But as American pro soccer has come of age this season--at least financially--the player most responsible isn't Beckham. Instead, it's Cuauhtemoc Blanco, a fiery striker who grew up in a barrio outside Mexico City. With an explosive season, Blanco has helped boost attendance across Major League Soccer (MLS), with the draw for his own Chicago Fire rising 60%, to 16,000 people a game. .
Blues' stingy defense makes up for quiet offense
As of Tuesday morning, only one NHL team had scored fewer goals this season than the 53 generated by the St. Louis Blues. Their shot total ranks near the bottom of the league. But three other telling statistics show why the Blues are 13-8, fourth overall in the Western Conference and winners of six of their last seven games. They began Tuesday with the fewest goals against (46), the league's top penalty-killing unit (91 percent) and third-best goals-against average thanks to goalies Manny Legace and Hannu Toivonen (a combined 2.18). "We would like to be higher than what we are on offense, but we don't want to compensate anything defensively to try to do that," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "I think when you play good defense, it usually contributes to good offense.
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