Wondering or maybe pondering

June 25, 2020

I don’t even know where to begin anymore. Things are getting better it appears in the sports world, at least when it comes to them making a return. The eternal optimist has high hopes for the summer months ahead and beyond, but are we fooling ourselves? More than three months into the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created untold havoc along with widely vast death tolls throughout various countries in the world, issues still seem to keep popping up. Take for instance No. 1 world ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic, who has been added to the COVID-19 positive test list but is ...

BENNETT: Moving on but never forgotten

June 18, 2020

Influential people are often remembered for a myriad of reasons. Someone doesn’t have to be a sports figure to be a leader of people. I know when I was younger I had a lot of great teachers who probably never got enough credit for shaping the lives of so many students. On Sunday, I received a text message asking me if I had heard Larry Allen had passed away from our associate sports editor Joe Albright. It was tough news to hear despite the fact I wasn’t exactly a close friend of his. However, through the years I had countless interactions with Larry and whenever granddaughter ...

Fist bump or elbow?

June 11, 2020

It’s good to see at least a little progress when it comes to the slow return of sports. What has now turned into nearly a three month long ordeal hopefully will be a thing of the past in the not too distant future. The three-week summer period for coaches is underway and at least that gives student-athletes a chance to get together with their teammates. However, the limitations on what actually can be done and accomplished aren’t the same as before. Along with students having to be in “pods” of 10 or less, there are a plethora of other guidelines and recommendations. I ...

Now’s the time for youth golf

June 4, 2020

When it comes to the game of golf, everyone has to start somewhere. For area parents who are trying to get their child involved in a lifelong sport, there’s no better time than the present. The West Virginia Golf Association’s Callaway Junior Tour Rookie League kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Elizabeth at Mingo Bottom Golf Club. Deadline to enter is by midnight this evening, which can be done through wvga.org and going to the tournaments menu. “If someone wants in Friday morning we’ll let them in, but they’ll have to call us,” said Chris Slack, tournament director ...

Working overtime

May 28, 2020

Prep coaches in the Mid-Ohio Valley aren’t leading their respective teams for the paycheck. Rather, they often coach for the love of the game, their players and the program. Nowhere was that more evident than with now ex-Parkersburg Catholic head boys basketball coach Rob Strcula. Aside from the rare occasion when he went home after an evening practice dog tired, fell asleep and didn’t return a phone call, whenever I needed something from coach Strcula he always was there to help. His impact on countless youth was large, not to mention how he was respected by his ...

The then and now of Jett

May 21, 2020

The first thing which comes to my mind when I think about the last name Jett is pure Olympic gold medal speed. For the younger crowd perhaps checking in, that would be Mr. James Jett of West Virginia fame. He’s a former Jefferson High Cougar, Los Angeles/Oakland Raider, top of the Olympic podium legend. However, I’ve never had a conversation with James Jett. Rather, through the years one Mr. Jett I’ve had some interaction with is Brad Jett, the once retired South Harrison High School head man turned current second year Alderson Broaddus gridiron sprint football guru. Although ...