Get your Gordie Burger this summer
It’s near the end of the 2011-12 academic year. Here is a brief potpourri of summer activities and such for your entertainment.
Kings of the hill
West Aurora High School is the site of the ninth annual Hoop Mountain Midwest Summer Shootout, from June 15-17.
This is a big deal, and not just because the concession stand will offer the renowned “Gordie Burger” named after Hall of Fame West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman.
About 40 college scouts attended last year’s shootout, a dual-level blowout which last year crowned Warren as varsity champion and Hinsdale South on the sophomore level.
This year will see 41 varsity teams competing over June 15-16 and 32 soph squads going on June 16-17.
Along with the host Blackhawks, the Summer Shootout will bring in local teams Batavia, Aurora Central Catholic, Geneva, St. Charles East and St. Francis.
Don’t forget: The Gordie Burger.
Greetings from a broken-down catcher
Were it not for surgery to hopefully repair a rotator cuff torn through on the softball diamond, this aging writer would seriously contemplate getting behind the plate on June 16 for the fourth annual Wheaton Warrenville South alumni baseball game.
There’s many Wheaton transplants in Kane County, and Tigers coach Tim Brylka would love to enlist as many old ballplayers with working parts as possible. (That means Wheaton Central alumni, too, and Brylka wouldn’t mind raking in the $50-per-head fee from Wheaton Warrenville Wolverines, either.)
Batting practice starts at noon (kids welcome to shag balls) on June 16 at WW South, with the game at 1 p.m. Hot dogs are on at 3, families included. Any survivors are invited to head over to the Wheaton Park District’s fabulous Arrowhead clubhouse afterward for further refreshments (not included in the price, which does include a commemorative T-shirt).
To enter the lineup or notify Brylka of other old ball players to contact, email Brylka at tbrylka@cusd200.org.
In your spare time
Waubonsie Valley girls bowling coach Marty Miller, who in the off-season helped train several of the St. Charles East girls bowlers before the Saints enjoyed one of their most successful seasons, is hosting a bowling camp June 12-14 at the Bowling Green Sports Center in West Chicago.
The target audience is bowlers from seventh-grade through high school, at all skill levels. Miller, a former member of the Professional Bowlers Association, and his assistants will provide 18 games of instruction and tips for improvement, classroom instruction, individual evaluation and, of course, the Power Strike 300 camp T-shirt!
When Miller sent out this notice earlier in May he had representatives from 13 colleges lined up to attend the camp. Four of them, he noted, have open roster spots for 2012-13.
Miller had assigned a date of May 31 as a registration deadline. For costs and other information, contact Miller at (630) 660-1914 or at mmiller@powerstrike300.com.
Walk for Warriors
St. Charles Lacrosse club’s walk for the Wounded Warrior Project last Sunday, noted in this space last week, was a success.
The effort attracted 172 people, including nearly all of the St. Charles club plus some Geneva players.
Two suburban soldiers attended and spoke about the Wounded Warrior Project, which treats servicemen and women and helps them get reacclimated to civilian life. The soldiers’ presentation was strong enough that several members in the crowd went up to shake their hand.
Bottom line, the event was a fundraiser, and St. Charles Lacrosse succeeded in raising $5,415 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
This week in high school athletic websites
There’s always something interesting out there. On Geneva’s athletic website there’s a link to the “Vikings Sports Network” (vikingssportsnetwork.com), which offers game films, coach interviews (boys basketball coach Phil Ralston, girls track coach Pete Raak among them) and, most recently, the 2012 Viking Review, Geneva’s talent show. Enjoy.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
Mascot vs. Mascot
Kaneland Knight
(First round: defeated Marmion Cadet)
A mounted warrior well-versed in jousting
Historically associated with chivalry and service
Nowadays, knighthood bestowed upon meritorious civilians
West Aurora Blackhawk
(First round: bye; second round: defeated Geneva Viking)
Black Hawk (1767-1838) born in present-day Rock Island
Sauk leader and warrior
Fought with the British in War of 1812
Wrote an autobiography
Outcome:
Skilled both in hand-to-hand combat and on horseback, and utilizing knowledge of local terrain, the stealthy Blackhawk has an upper hand even when confronted with the less-mobile Knight’s longer-reaching weaponry.
Winner: West Aurora Blackhawk.
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