If it's spring sports, it must be busiest time of the year

In the spirit of the first couple wacky weeks of spring sports - which for me has included everything from soccer to water polo to volleyball with lots of baseball and softball in-between - here's a look at an equally wide range of topics in the world of Tri-Cities area sports.

Bad break: I wrote about Geneva senior three-sport standout Sean Grady in our Sports Monthly section this past Friday.

Our deadline for that section is Wednesday, so I can't be blamed for any kind of Sports Illustrated curse. Because Thursday, Grady suffered a serious injury to his right hand diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt.

There's believed to be tendon damage in the hand, and it's not known when, or if, Grady will return.

"One of those freak things," Geneva coach Matt Hahn said Saturday. "Two inches either way and he's in the lineup today.

"I've heard two weeks, out for the year, everything in-between. I don't want to call a high school kid irreplaceable, but Sean does so many things that's going to be hard to replace. It's going to be awhile before he's back."

Throwback style: In that story on Grady, I didn't get a chance to raise a couple interesting points his football coach Rob Wicinski mentioned, so I thought I would here.

Wicinski mentioned that Grady has shown by playing three sports and still playing football well enough to be headed to Butler next year, he has exploited the myth you have to specialize in one sport to make it to college.

While there still might be more athletes headed to a college career by focusing on their best sport, at least Grady - and others - show it's not the only way.

"He gives club sports reasons to be concerned," Wicinski said. "You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to have a great high school career, or to play college athletics at another level."

Wicinski also echoed much of what Hahn said about the intangibles Grady provides, and what a shame it is to see Grady injured in the final season of his senior year.

"Sean Grady is a no-nonsense throwback athlete that was more common a decade or so ago," Wicinski said. "He is intense, competitive, with a great work ethic and a great sense of humor. He is high energy, fun to be around, and brings us (coaches) to the field everyday."

Perfect tribute: Once again, kudos to Kaneland baseball coach Brian Aversa.

When he took over the Knights in 2006, little did Aversa know the job entailed much more than teaching his team how to put down a sacrifice bunt or execute a double steal.

Instead, it has been one unusual challenge after another.

His first year Aversa was blessed with talented left-hander Casey Crosby. That might have been great for winning games but added countless hours letting the dozens and dozens of Major League scouts who wanted to know when Crosby was pitching. Aversa did all he could to make it easier for the scouts, and Crosby ended up getting a nice contract from the Detroit Tigers.

Last season Aversa was there for the emotional return of Joe Spitzerri, who was diagnosed with X-Linked lymphoproliferative disease during the winter and came back to see his teammates during the season.

Perhaps most impressively is how Aversa handled the Knights' season debut this season against Burlington Central. Aversa coordinated the moving ceremony on March 26 for Jeff Malewig and Blake Denton, two Kaneland students who passed away this winter in a car accident.

From playing the top of the first without a second baseman - that was Malewig's position - to putting their initials on the foul poles, to wearing Malewig's No. 41 on Kaneland's uniforms, Aversa arranged one moving tribute after another. All of them meant the world not just to his players but also the families of those who died tragically and to the entire Kaneland community.

The Knights also planted a red maple tree south of the home dugout in Malewig's honor. Red was fitting becasue Malewig was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and the tree will provide shade for future generations of families who often sit in their lawn chairs in that spot cheering for the Knights.

Burlington Central, the opponent, also handled the day with class, donating a $100 check and a signed baseball to Tom Malewig, Jeff's father.

Kaneland fans know how much Jeff Malewig loved baseball, just like his dad, which made the final scene from that day one of the most emotional.

Following their 6-0 win, Kaneland players were doing some sprints around the bases. On the last one Tom Malewig went out and stood at home plate and hugged each player after they crossed home plate.

"Everything the community has done has been excellent," said Tom Malewig that day.

Very true, and very impressive how everyone worked together to pay such a thoughtful tribute.

jlemon@dailyherald.com