Sports gear, athletic equipments

HYDERABAD: The seminar of technical officials of athletics was formally inaugurated by Pullela Gopi Chand, former All England badminton champion, at Gachibowli Stadium here on Sunday.

Maurice Nicholas, secretary-general of Asian Athletics Association, Kripal Singh, chairman, Technical Committee (exams) and C.K. Valson, chairman of technical committee (conduct) were among those present on the occasion.

About 200 AFI technical officials are participating in the five-day semiar-cum-workshop. These officials would be graded once again according to their efficiency and performance.

Gopi lauded the initiative of the organising committee of 2010 Commonwealth Games in conducting the seminar which should only help India showcase its organisational skills for the 2010 Games in a big way.

“These seminars help to fine tune our skills on the organisational front and we hope that the Games would be the best-ever sporting event in India,” he said.

Dr. Singh in his welcome address said that the seminar aimed at enlightening the delegates about the various aspects of organising the athletics events in a professional manner.

SOURCE : http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/15/stories/2009061556271600.htm

Steve Paustian wants to know what’s ideal when it comes to the so-called Veterans Home Athletic Complex.

The Grand Island parks and recreation director posed the question to a group of about a dozen softball, baseball and soccer association representatives during an open house discussion Wednesday night at City Hall.

Paustian was looking for input on the design drawing of the city-owned softball, baseball and soccer fields that will be relocated from Fonner Park to land near the Grand Island Veterans Home to make way for State Fair parking.

“We aren’t going to be able to be all things to all people. We realize that,” he told the group.

There were questions and comments about the restrooms, concession stands, the size of the fields and the use of moveable fences, among other things. Several minutes of the hourlong discussion centered on who uses what fields for what reasons.

Jason Meister of the Grand Island Sluggers said he has traveled to a number of fields in Nebraska with a traveling team and having the ability to host tournaments would be an economic boon to the community.

Grand Island Senior High softball coach K.C. Hehnke, who also assists with the Grand Island Scorpions softball club, said there will be a fight for the fields once they’re built, and that’s a good thing for the city.

Both Meister and Hehnke said their teams are playing a number of out-of-town games because there’s no room in Grand Island.

Ben Arrants, who is with the Grand Island Softball Association’s adult league, said it is hard to get weekend tournaments here because the Fonner Park complex is always busy. The new facility could be built to compete for tournaments, some of which he thinks Hastings would give up because it is having a hard time keeping up with demand.

He also said he had heard talk about the playground space at Fonner Park and asked if there would be similar areas at the new location. Paustian pointed out two areas that have the potential for playground equipment.

In addition to the actual games, Meister said practice space is a big issue. At times, nearly every available space with a backstop is being used by some group, he said.

“There’s no way this is going to solve all our needs,” Paustian said of the new facility.

There were several questions about the completion date. Paustian said the Fonner Park fields will be available until August 2010. He hopes to have the softball fields near the Veterans Home finished by the following summer, with the other sports to follow. He said he understands that some of the associations might have to cancel activities for the fall or spring as a result, but he added that Ryder Park would still be available, as would the soccer fields on Webb Road.

Jason Allen of the Grand Island Soccer Club asked about moving sod from Fonner Park to the new location. Paustian said that isn’t necessarily an option because the sod won’t take. Planting seed will result in better grass in the long run, he said.

Greg Bostleman, Grand Island park maintenance supervisor, suggested sending out a survey to the various associations in order to get feedback on what they want and need, what they would use and when they would use it, and their growth projections.

“We need to know our user base so we can help design this,” he said. “What do we expect out of this field?”

The meeting attendees agreed and Paustian said he would look into sending out such a survey.

SOURCE : http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2009/05/27/news/local/doc4a1e033c09974691429338.txt

Steve Paustian wants to know what’s ideal when it comes to the so-called Veterans Home Athletic Complex.

The Grand Island parks and recreation director posed the question to a group of about a dozen softball, baseball and soccer association representatives during an open house discussion Wednesday night at City Hall.

Paustian was looking for input on the design drawing of the city-owned softball, baseball and soccer fields that will be relocated from Fonner Park to land near the Grand Island Veterans Home to make way for State Fair parking.

“We aren’t going to be able to be all things to all people. We realize that,” he told the group.

There were questions and comments about the restrooms, concession stands, the size of the fields and the use of moveable fences, among other things. Several minutes of the hourlong discussion centered on who uses what fields for what reasons.

Jason Meister of the Grand Island Sluggers said he has traveled to a number of fields in Nebraska with a traveling team and having the ability to host tournaments would be an economic boon to the community.

Grand Island Senior High softball coach K.C. Hehnke, who also assists with the Grand Island Scorpions softball club, said there will be a fight for the fields once they’re built, and that’s a good thing for the city.

Both Meister and Hehnke said their teams are playing a number of out-of-town games because there’s no room in Grand Island.

Ben Arrants, who is with the Grand Island Softball Association’s adult league, said it is hard to get weekend tournaments here because the Fonner Park complex is always busy. The new facility could be built to compete for tournaments, some of which he thinks Hastings would give up because it is having a hard time keeping up with demand.

He also said he had heard talk about the playground space at Fonner Park and asked if there would be similar areas at the new location. Paustian pointed out two areas that have the potential for playground equipment.

In addition to the actual games, Meister said practice space is a big issue. At times, nearly every available space with a backstop is being used by some group, he said.

“There’s no way this is going to solve all our needs,” Paustian said of the new facility.

There were several questions about the completion date. Paustian said the Fonner Park fields will be available until August 2010. He hopes to have the softball fields near the Veterans Home finished by the following summer, with the other sports to follow. He said he understands that some of the associations might have to cancel activities for the fall or spring as a result, but he added that Ryder Park would still be available, as would the soccer fields on Webb Road.

Jason Allen of the Grand Island Soccer Club asked about moving sod from Fonner Park to the new location. Paustian said that isn’t necessarily an option because the sod won’t take. Planting seed will result in better grass in the long run, he said.

Greg Bostleman, Grand Island park maintenance supervisor, suggested sending out a survey to the various associations in order to get feedback on what they want and need, what they would use and when they would use it, and their growth projections.

“We need to know our user base so we can help design this,” he said. “What do we expect out of this field?”

The meeting attendees agreed and Paustian said he would look into sending out such a survey.

SOURCE : http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2009/05/27/news/local/doc4a1e033c09974691429338.txt

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri baseball team is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh straight year.

The Tigers (34-25) face Western Kentucky (39-18) Friday at a regional site in Oxford, Miss. Seven other Big 12 Conference teams will join Missouri in the postseason tournament.

Such athletic success is becoming routine at a school that until recently was known more for its high-profile heartbreaks than signature wins. Missouri is the first team in Big 12 history to send teams to the championship game in football, baseball and men’s basketball in the same academic year.

And the Missouri softball team (50-10) returns to the Women’s College World Series for the first time in 15 years after winning two of three games against 11-time champion UCLA in southern California.

SOURCE : http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/college/6441690.html

The unlikeliest gold medal winner from the Beijing Olympics, at least in track and field, returns to the College of San Mateo on Sunday for a little discus throwing in the USATF’s Pacific Association Championships.

Stephanie Brown Trafton of Galt (Sacramento County) was the surprise winner of the gold medal when her first throw of 212 feet, 5 inches held up for the win. She became the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in the discus since Lillian Copeland in 1932.

A year ago, Brown Trafton came to San Mateo for the Pacific Association meet and came away with a win in this low-key meet.

Brown Trafton will be opposed Sunday by American record-holder Suzy Powell Roos. A three-time Olympian, Modesto’s Powell Roos threw 222-0 in 2007 to break the American record. Brown Trafton’s personal best is 217-1.

Other Olympians in the Pacific Association meet are high jumper Amy Acuff of Isleton and triple jumper Erica McLain, a 2008 Stanford graduate.

Running events begin at 9 a.m. Sunday. Field events start at 10 a.m. Admission is free.

SOURCE : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/22/SPVA17OOJH.DTL

The Huntington Booster Club rarely rests. The group is pursuing a new initiative at J. Taylor Finley Middle School that it calls the “Devil’s Den.” It will provide athletes in need with the equipment and supplies they need to participate on one of the sports teams at the school.

Finley Principal John Amato provided the club with a 14 x 5 foot caged in area for use as the initiative’s base of operations. Club members recently cleaned the space and erected shelving, purchased from a store that was going out of business. Grant monies obtained through Assemb. James D. Conte (R-Huntington Station) were used to fund set-up materials and the shelves were put in place over a two day period. Finishing touches have included bins, hooks and posters.

“Hopefully, it will be stocked with gently used and new athletic equipment and clothing,” Booster Club President Barbara Cutrone said. “It will be a resource for coaches who recognize a child in need and can go there and outfit a kid for a sport. We are hoping to be able to give a kid a baseball glove, lacrosse equipment, cleats – you get the idea. The booster club has wanted to do this for awhile, but we needed space. Mr. Amato graciously gave us a cage.”

The “store” is available to help needy student-athletes participating in the spring season. “It looks great,” Cutrone said. “We are starting to collect gently used or new sporting equipment. We are going to give them to athletes that cannot afford to purchase the necessary items needed to compete. You could also donate new items like new socks, tee shirts and mouth pieces. Our goal is to have the cage look like a store and a coach can go and outfit a student.”

Cutrone and fellow Huntington Booster Club officers Christina Plant and Carol Scully put in the “elbow grease” to get the space ready. “The boosters started the idea of the ‘Devil’s Den’ because we saw such a great need for equipment of all kinds for the student athletes in need,” Plant said, adding that many people have approached club members at events over the past two years seeking to swap various types of equipment.

Donated equipment and supplies can be dropped off in the main office at Finley or the district’s athletic office at Huntington High School. The initiative is an effort to maximize participation, provide student-athletes with an improved experience and contribute to a strong foundation for the Blue Devil sports program and its ultimate success.

It’s hoped that eventually the Devil’s Den will be able to make available items such as gloves, helmets, sticks, shin guards, bats and racquets. “It is a new project and we are still working the kinks out, but I think it will be very successful,” Plant said.

SOURCE : http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/local/suffolk/huntington/blog/2009/03/huntington_boosters_stock_athl.html