Mid-American Junior Golf Tour

As a child growing up my mom always believed that during the summer I needed to be doing something active at all times. Whether I was signed up at a month long girls camp (Camp Agawak) in northern WI, going to College for Kids and UW-Milwaukee or taking various sports camps, there was always some activity for me to participate in. Summer is about being outside and enjoying youth before it slips out from under our feet. I spent many summers playing various sports and going to various sports camps. Sports, among other activities, provide many kids stability in their lives and allow them to focus on something they enjoy. This summer was truly a new experience for me watching the juniors play on the Mid-American Junior Golf Tour (MAJGT).

Golf is a different sport, some people will often say it's not a sport at all, but rather a game. It may not be deemed as athletically challenging as football or wrestling or even baseball, but it indeed takes a lot of physical strength to play the game. To hit a ball 250+ yds (and in many cases further) it takes a lot of strength. It's true than anyone can hit the ball, maybe not as far, but they can hit it. What it comes down is the strength and accuracy that these kids can really hit the ball. They want it to go 300 yds from the tee to the middle of the fairway and when their swing goes right or they get the right bounce of a hill, the ball will land right where they want it. Depending on the hole they might have to try and hit it further or choke up on their club and hit it softer but then do it 18 times with hopes of either hitting the green (on the par 3's) or in the fairway everytime. It's challenging anyway you look at it. Not only does a player need the strength to swing the club, but hell walking 18 holes and carrying that ungodly awkward and heavy golf bag, you've gotta be at least somewhat athletic to do so. On average a golf course is between 6500-7000 yds which equates to approximately 3.75 miles. For anyone to walk that distance and then again the day after is impressive.

What is most impressive however is these kids' mental game. We see kids from the ages of 10-18 playing a sport that most people would say is better suited for an older generation. While like any other sport, the kids get frustrated and angry when they hit a bad shot or miss a 2 ft putt for birdie. We do on occasion have to give them warnings about their actions because like I said it's a respectful game. Our players need to keep in good form with the sport by respecting the rest of the field and not lashing out. However, it is good for them to grunt, slam a club or throw a towel to let out a little frustration. In watching the 20+ tournaments this summer I came to realize truly how awesome these kids are at what they do. At one tournament in Indiana, there was a 13 year old kid who was leading after the 1st round of the tournament. On the 2nd day he wasn't doing that well, mentally he was intimated by the other older players. He finished the 11th hole w/ an 11 (it was a par 4) and when we saw him on the 12th tee he had already re focused his mind and forgot about the 11th hole. He came out and birdied 12. I'll remind you, he's 13. A lot of kids his age aren't mentally able to keep that kind of focus in a sport. Not all of the players have that ability, we do see a lot of tears and lot of frustration. But still in the end, they come back for more because they love the game.

More kids in todays society are getting stuck in an environment where playing video games all day long is okay. That sitting around doing nothing but play on computers is what's best for them. It's not. Kids, at any age, need activity, they need to be out in the world creating experiences and memories. Socially it's better for our younger generations to be able to create social experiences and develop. The more they can experience the better they are able to figure out exactly who they are. For me, in swimming I found out that while I'm very determined and hard working to achieve my goals, I need to be able to have fun while doing it or else it's going to make it that much harder to achieve my goals. I goofed around a lot when at practice and at meets, but that's because it helped me to stay unfocused and loose rather than overthink what I was doing. Parents, grandparents, brothers/sisters, whoever you are, make sure we don't lose our younger generations to computers and video games. Get out in the world and give them the activities that you got when you were a child. Hell even throwing a football around can make all the difference.

NCAA Football season is upon us once again

It's that time of the year. For sports fans it's the start of 2 of the best seasons in sports: the NFL and NCAA Football. It's the perfect way to spend a weekend. Thursday through Sunday there is something to watch. Even for those who are still invested in baseball season, the playoff race is beginning to get tighter.

I grew up in a family that completely immerses itself into sports. Saying that we like football would be a complete understatement. We grew up in Wisconsin therefore of course making us Green Bay Packer fans. Not just fans, diehards but that's for another post. In addition to being Packer fans my family grew up watching the Big Ten Wisconsin Badgers. My family loves this team so much that my aunt when she turned 60 got the Bucky Badger tattooed on her ankle. Now that's dedication.

This week is one of the most highly anticipated weeks of the sports year. Each team, whether they're a conference powerhouse or they are just a small division III school, this is the start of a new season, a new chance to win. Every year is a clean slate, anything that happened since the previous season is behind them, if you dwell on bad games, it's going to effect the way you approach the upcoming season. Even schools like Lane Kiffan's USC team this year who is under probation from illegal recruiting in the past have a chance to prove to the sports world that they have what it takes to win. We look at some of the programs who get the constant media attention: Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and the likes, yes they are powerhouses who dominate season after season and they make for great football but some of the truest players and teams are found in the smaller programs.

We start this season with Alabama and Ohio State atop the AP polls, but then the Broncos from Boise State sneak into the AP poll and #3. A lot of sports fans alike have already put their money on Boise State to win the BCS championship. For years the Broncos have been rising amongst the top dawgs of college football. Building a program like they have has finally shown the critics that not every year is going to belong to the standard SEC or Big XII powerhouse. Boise State stands apart from many other teams. First they play on a blue field, something that you can't ignore. Other teams watch Boise State play and when it's their turn to play on that turf, it's almost surreal to them, and it's as if they forget how to play the game. But when traveling to the blue turf that's the least of their worries. This team, who by the way for those who don't know went undefeated last year and STILL didn't make it to the BCS championship game, wants to win more than almost any other team out there. They aren't a flashy team, they don't recruit players who showboat their talents. They want players who simply want to go out there play the best football they can and win.

Those who are most excited about the season to start aren't just the college football fans, but the students themselves. Now I can say that I'm a college football fan because I am, I love all parts of the game. But when you're a current student and whatever college you're attending, nothing is better than spending a Saturday at the football stadium. Some school's have such history with their football programs that without the students it wouldn't be the same. I went to a basketball school (UConn) where everything revolves around basketball season but since the early 2000's UConn has started to develop themselves into more of a football school. While our traditions may not be as timely as schools like Ohio State or Notre Dame, we're creating our own traditions that we can call our own. Each school has something that they are known for. Ohio State's marching band has their infamous "dotting of the I" in Ohio as well as the O-H-I-O cheer. Wisconsin at the end of the 3rd quarter will play "House of Pain-Jump Around" where the entire student section will jump causing nearly the entire stadium to shake. It's because of the fans that some teams shake with fear when entering the domain of teams like Texas, Ohio State and Michigan.

My Alma Mater is traveling to Ann Arbor this weekend for what might be the biggest game of their season. Last year UConn beat Notre Dame in amazing fashion after tragedy struck the team when a friend and teammate Jasper Howard was killed. For our still developing program that was a huge win. This Saturday has a chance to top that. If we're able to overcome the intensity that the Michigan stadium brings and pull out a win there, we can win anywhere. Every team goes into a game no matter who they are up against with the mindset that they can win. And when they walk off that field all they need to know is that they played their hearts out and left it on the field.

This season is already shaping up to be pretty amazing and I look forward to sitting in front of a tv on consecutive Saturdays to watch more football games than one can count. Expect more posts during the season. I'm already planning one about rival schools. College football season is here, I hope you're ready.