youth sports today of denton county - december issue

Denton CountyDecember 2012Denton County

December 2012

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Team member of the GLASA U14 Girls works her way over to the opponent to steal the ball.

Having a rootin’ tootin’ good time at Excite! Gym, Cheer and Dance Mom’s Day Out!

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Macie Flenar of Flower Mound and AXE teammate take time out to smile for the camera while waiting for their next game.

Denton eighth grader of the ICCS Knights focuses on getting down the court to score 2 points.

A Flower Mound Lacrosse player looks for action on the field.

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December Issue, Our 16th Year!

Publisher’s Note:Enjoy the Founder’s Gameplan from December 1999; an ALL TIME FAVORITE. Happy Holidays from all of us to all of you.

KRINGLE ROMPS; SETS RUSHING, PASSING MARKSBy Rick Selah

North Pole – In near-whiteout conditions, North pole University’s Kris Kringle set single game records for rushing and passing against cross-town rival Elfin State. “We nearly had to call the whole thing off,” shouted NPU Coach Alice Claus with glee in the postgame lockerroom. “But now we’ll go down in history!”

NPU’s All-American line, led by center Marty Cupid, tackles Bubba Donner & Jim Dasher, and guards Peter Prancer & Stu Vixen, dominated the undersized Elves at the line of scrimmage, paving the way for Kringle to rush at will throughout the night, amassing 63,583,970 yards. “They gored us pretty good,” allowed Elfin noseguard Sleepy O’Neill, “but we really weren’t getting any calls from the refs. Cupid should have been flagged for ‘illegal

use of the Hooves’ on nearly every play.”The blizzard conditions did not seem to

affect Kringle, as he set the benchmark for passing as well with 920,488,525 completions. Leading the receiver corps was Kringle’s favorite target, Ron Rudolph. “I was just in a zone…every time I looked up, “Red Nose” was wide open,” stated Kringle. “It was like his helmet was a beacon, or something.”

On defense, NPU’s Buck “Blitz ‘Em” Blitzen emerged as the frontrunner for the Butkis Award, given annually to the nation’s best linebacker. His 9 sacks and 23 tackles shut down the Elfin offensive magic of year’s past, and clearly moved him ahead of Ohio State’s Andy Katzenmoyer and Texas A & M’s Dat Nguyen for the coveted award.

After the game, Kringle was retrospective. “Through this rivalry some years we’ve been bad and some years we’ve been good,” he said with twinkling eyes, “but tonight, we truly played good, for goodness sake.”

NPU will now accept a bid to play in the Fiesta Bowl vs. UCLA, or the Sugar Bowl against Nebraska. They are expected to be a crowd favorite in either case. “After the bowl game, I’m looking forward to a long winter’s sleep,” stated the exhausted Kringle.

The Titans are ready for their Championship game against the Ravens.

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COVER STORYBY TRESHA GLOWACKIEduardo Najera..........14-15

STORIESWinter Games of Texas.........................................7

REGULAR FEATURESPossitive Coaching Alliance...................................5The Game Plan......................................................6Chalk Talk.................................................................7Tip Off.......................................................................8Sports Calendar & Directory..............................10-11Kids Korner.............................................................13Coach Spotlight.......................................................16Student of the Month...............................................18

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The 3/4 Titan Cheer Team of the Lewisville Football Association are ready to compete at the annual Cheer Off.

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A parent complained to a coach after a baseball tournament game that his son had spent too many innings on the bench. The coach turned to the father and stated his son requested to sit on the bench and he wasn’t going to send in players that didn’t want to play.

From a coaching perspective, when children don’t want to play, they will often not pay attention and/or do their part on the field. In a game that is competitive, a coach is going to be more concerned about players being in the position they will be most productive in and less concerned about players receiving equal playing time.

Even in a league that is recreational, at the end of the season tournament, the players have to recognize there is something on the line. They will have to do their part

on the team to help win the game or the coach will put a player in their position that will. That is a life lesson learned. If you don’t do your job, then chances are your boss will find someone that can.

When this situation occurs, the parent needs to address it with their child...not the coach. The coach is merely doing his job. If your child decides he doesn’t want to do his part, then you should use that example to discuss what it means to be a committed and dependable player on a team. If they no longer wish to play, they still need to learn to take responsibility and do their part until the season is over.

Make sure you take advantage of the many opportunities playing sports gives you to teach life lessons! They will benefit your child for years to come!

Committed to the endCommentary By: Ruthi Elliott

Last month we discussed positive coaching philosophies. Here’s what our readers had to say!

Donny B. of Lewisville - “Parents should not leave it up to others like coaches to raise their kids. Why become a parent?”Gina M. of Highland Village - “I utilize what the coach teaches my child as reinforcement for what I teach at home. It’s advantageous to have a coach with the same parenting/coaching philosophies as my own.”Sarah C. of Denton - “My son doesn’t have a dad at home. So coaches should understand how much influence they have on kids in that situation.”

Smiles all around at Excite! Gym Cheer and Dance!

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The ideal hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint matching a spherical ball with a spherical socket.

Up until recent years, any deviations from a perfectly spherical ball in a hip joint were thought to be changes brought about by arthritic condi-tions within that hip joint. These alterations in bone contour were often labeled as bone spurs, much like the ones that are frequently seen in almost all joints that undergo arthritic change.

It has now been discovered that these changes in bone shape may actually be the cause of

arthritis in many (but not all) hips that develop arthritis. The way the abnor-mal process works is as follows. If a non-spherical ball is matched within a spherical socket, there will be points within the range of motion where a part of the ball will have too large a diameter to roll into the socket. This part of the ball will then impinge with the edge of the socket.

After many years of this type of impingement (Femoral-Acetabular Impingement or FAI), the cartilage at the edge of the socket is damaged. This damage to the cartilage as it progresses brings about the onset of arthritis. Once arthritis has set up within the hip, it cannot be fully eradicated, and will progress over time. often times, this leads to the need for a hip replacement.

If this impingement can be detected early enough, Hip Preservation Surgery can be performed in which the cartilage is repaired and the ball is contoured into a spherical shape. This would eliminate further impingement and often preserve the joint from an arthritic fate.

The real challenge with FAI is to diagnose it before arthritic damage has occurred. This is not always possible because many people will not have any painful symptoms until after arthritic damage has occurred. Many of these patients will, in retrospect, note that they have never been as “flexible” around their hips as other people; that is, they could never do the splits or sit “Indian style” like their peers. They may have had difficulty crossing their legs to tie their shoes, or other limitations of hip motion.

Pain in the hip area (typically the groin) may be the first sign of FAI, and should be investigated if it persists. Trauma to a hip that is “out of round” may produce a sudden cartilage injury as well.

Hip Preservation Surgery is an arthroscopic surgical technique where through two 1cm incisions the hip joint can be accessed, labral (cartilage) tears are repaired or removed, and the ball is reshaped into a spherical ball which allows the hip to enjoy a full range of motion without further impinge-ment against the edge of the socket.

Dr. Graehl performs Hip Preservation Surgery for those patients with appropriate indications. He is happy to evaluate your hip problem to determine if you would benefit from Hip Preservation Surgery, and possibly prevent a serious arthritic condition from developing in your hip.

OrthoTexas Physicians & Surgeons

855-OrthoTX (855-678-4689) � orthotexas.comOrthoTexas Physicians & Surgeons

5-OrthoTX (855-678-4689) � orthotexas co

Phillip Graehl, M.D.

Hip Preservation Surgery

OrthoTexas offers greater accessibility at one of our seven locations across North Texas. Our talented staff of orthopedic surgeons, spine surgeons and physiatrists, as well as physical and occupational therapists, offers the most advanced treatment options with office hours to fit your busy lifestyle. Our physicians pride themselves on bringing the highest quality of care to the communities where they live and work. Phillip Graehl, MD practices at our Carrollton and Flower Mound clinics.

Sydney Senter of Flower Mound practices for a concert to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis.

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Cheerleading

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Baseball

Flower Mound Youth Sports Associationwww.fmysa.com972-955-7328

Basketball

Cross Timbers YMCAwww.lewisvilleymca.org972-539-9622

Football

Denton All-Star Youth Football

Highland VillageBaseball & Softball Association

Gymnastics

[email protected]

Dance

WinKidswww.winkids.net972.355-9988

Lewisville FootballAssociationwww.lewisvillepeeweefootball.com972-219-1269

www.dayfl.org940-349-8276

Denton Boys Baseballwww.dbbi.org

Denton CountyRaiders Org.www.dcraiders.org

Excite! Gym, Cheer and Dancewww.excitegym.com972-874-8500

Lewisville BaseballAssociationwww.lbasports.net972-420-7841

i9 Sports(Denton County, Coppell, Southlake)www.i9sports.com817-400-4525

Coco Sports YouthBasketballwww.lcs-ballsandbooks.com972-464-6580

Denton YouthBasketballdentonyouthbasketball.com940-320-9392


Driven Youth Footballwww.drivenfootball.com972-746-5697

Flower Mound Youth Football [email protected]



Attack Basketball Clubwww.attackbball.com214-223-7865

Football

i9 Sports

Flower Mound Youth Football Association

(Denton County, Coppell, Southlake)www.i9sports.com817-400-4525

[email protected]

www.dcraiders.org

Denton CountyRaiders Org.

Driven Youth Footballwww.drivenfootball.com972-746-5697

Lewisville Football Associationwww.lewisvillepeeweefootball.com972-219-1269

Upward SportsClick Here for Upward Website972-530-8547, ext 216

For more information, visit www.Flower-Mound.com/SpecialEvents

Friday, December 147:00pm-9:00pm

FREE

Flashlight candy cane hunt

Gerault Park, 1200 Gerault Road

Reindeer

GamesCrafts Holiday music

and more!

Grinch Scramb e



Cheerleading

www.winkids.net972.355-9988

WinKids


www.lewisvilleymca.org972-539-9622

Cross Timbers YMCA

Cheerleading

Denton All-StarYouth Footballwww.dayfl.org940-349-8276

Premier Prospects Softball and Baseball Academywww.ppsba.com - 214-499-6240

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Hockey

Lacrosse

Flower MoundLacrosse Assoc.www.flowermoundlacrosse.org

Volleyball

Swimming

Lakeside Aquatic Clubwww.swimlac.org

Softball

StarCenterDirector of Hockey ProgramsKeith Anderson214-GO-SKATE or972-831-2425www.dallasstars.com

Attack VolleyballClub

Greater Lewisville Soccer Association

Soccer

MartialArts

WinKids

Highland VillageBaseball & SoftballAssociationwww.hvabsa.com

Hebron HawksLacrossewww.hebronlax.com

www.winkids.net972.355-9988

www.glasasoccer.org972-221-4623

i9 Sports

Lewisville BaseballAssociationwww.lbasports.net

WinKidswww.winkids.net972-355-9988

www.attackvball.com972-315-9500AquaKids

www.aquakids.com972-724-1528



Click Here for Upward Website972-530-8547, ext 216

Upward Sports

SoftballFlower MoundYouth [email protected]

Track

Lake Cities Track Club214-244-3271

Tennis

Play For Sportwww.playforsport.com 972-965-0458


Multi Sports Groups

Cross Timbers YMCA

Multi Sports Groups

i9 Sports





your Super Star's sports photos here!

Please submit [email protected]

WANTED


Cross Timbers YMCA

Gymnastics


Premier Prospects Softball and Baseball Academywww.ppsba.com214-499-6240

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Caroline Tuggle and friends from Donald Elementary enjoy movie night in the gym.

8th grader from the ICCS Knights Boys’ Basketball Team aims for the backboard.

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U.S. Gold Team Gymnast, Lexie Dunn performs on the beam at the North State Meet.

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2012 Cross Timbers YMCA Girls Volleyball Competitive Champions, The Volley Dolls. Coached by Holly Hunt.

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8th Grader from the ICCS Knights Girls’ Basketball team takes the ball away from her opponent.

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When did you first begin coaching?I first coached in gymnastics while I was

in college, but started coaching my own kids about 6 years ago.

Do you have a favorite sport to coach?It’s not really about the sport as much as the

development of the child, but if I had to choose it would be Girls Fastpitch Softball.

What is your favorite coaching moment or memory thus far?

I don’t really have just one. I try to teach the athlete that making mistakes is ok. So I love it when you have been teaching the child why and when they do something, such as stealing home, and the next thing you know they are doing it on their own without coaching.

Do you have a favorite age to work with?No. Not really. Every age has its challenges

and each child is different. Coaching is always a mental game and that is the fun of coaching.

Have you learned any valuable lessons that have shaped the way you coach?

Children try so hard to make adults happy that lots of times they are afraid to try something in fear that they may make me mad or sad. The very first thing I let them know is that its ok to make mistakes if you try. I am more interested in effort over results. If you get repeated effort the results will come.

What do you feel is the biggest reward you receive from coaching?

The hugs from players and them wanting to come back for the next season.

What advice would you give a parent who is considering a volunteer coach position?

Know the details of the sport and rely heavily on assistant coaches. If you know baseball and think softball is just a girls version of baseball you are doing your athletes a disservice. Other than a few fundamentals of catching and throwing, they are two completely different sports. Even the way you play your infielders and outfielders are different. if played well,

Fast Pitch Softball is just a faster paced game than baseball.

What sports did you play as a child and / or adult?

Like most kids growing up I played football, baseball and some wrestling, but Gymnastics was my real sport till about 20 or 21. As an Adult I play some softball and mountain biking, but I love racquetball. I have been playing racquetball for about 30+ years now.

Who was your sports role model as a child?

I had the typical likes for Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson, but the one I could relate to was an All-Around Gymnast named Kurt Thomas.

What change, if any, would you like to see in youth sports.

I would like to see fewer select teams and more middle level teams along with the existing recreational teams. As much as we all would like to think our kid is the superstar athlete we always dreamed of, very few are or have the desire to be one. We have so many select teams in DFW that we have no really good teams from a national perspective. It seems every time a dad thinks their daughter isn’t getting treated correctly, they go start their own select team. If we limited the number of teams to 6-8 per age group only the best would be playing at the select level, but we would accommodate different coaching styles. The rest should

be playing in what I call academy leagues or Recreational. Recreational would feed Academy and Academy would feed select. This would also eliminate most of the really good players from playing at a higher age level to get decent competition. If you look at Southern California, they have some of the strongest teams in the country and they play only their age group and there are only a few teams in each area. As far as handling Mommy and Daddy’s ego, practice more with your kid or realize, like in life, that not everyone is cut out to be President of the US or the CEO of a corporation.

Do you have a coaching philosophy?This may seem a little outdated and I

understand it is just a generalization, but it works for me.

Girls have to feel good to play well and boys have to play well to feel good.

What is the biggest benefit you see in your athletes from being a part of a team?

I love watching the players hold each other accountable. Some of them would not be friends off the field, but on the field they work together to accomplish great things. A great life skill!

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I am pretty open, so there is very little people don’t know about me if they ask or it has come up in a conversation.

If you were granted one coaching wish what would it be?

Every time a parent yelled at their athlete, the parent would be required to do the same task with the wrong hand. Parents have got to remember that the kids are just learning to control their muscles and by having the parent do it with the wrong hand, it reminds them how klutzy they were when they first started learning. Give your kids a break. Reward them for effort.

Coach SpotlightAll people have a defining moment in their lives. Some are fortunate to have a couple of defining moments. I have played sports and I have coached sports at a high level. But never, ever have I worked with an organization that is as focused on a common goal. “All kids deserve to have the opportunity to compete”. This is one of my defining moments.

Coach and Current Program: Don Preston, Flower Mound Youth Sports AssociationTeam: 12U Shockwave

They may be rivals in the stadium, but four southern Denton County high school athletes become family at the gym.

Hayley Joeris, Lexi Nicholson, Amanda Culver, Danielle Ruemenapp, Paulina Bracker and Nakota Raines are members of the Excite! Gym All-Star cheerleading program in Highland Village.

Although the girls cheer for rival high schools, they come together and work as a team under one roof at Excite! Not only do they shine when they perform together, they are role models at their schools and in their communities.

The young ladies, who are all captains of their school cheer teams, keep up with their studies, memorize routines, create cheers, direct their peers, and to top it all off most hold part-time jobs to ease the financial burden on their families.

“Competitive cheer has helped me in life because it has taught me to work hard and finish everything I start,” said Hayley Joreris, who is ranked 56 out of 791 in her class at Marcus High School. “I have stayed organized by prioritizing my time and using every spare minute to my advantage.”

Hailey Joeris Varsity cheer captain at Marcus High School, said that she has stepped up to the challenges of her demanding schedule

“Having to deal with high school cheer, competitive cheer, a job and school has definitely been a challenge, but I have gotten used to the time requirements and have adjusted my sleep and social schedule around them.”

The cheer captains exhibit leadership skills by assisting their coaches with mentoring to their peers.

“Being a cheer captain is a privilege that comes with great responsibility,” said JoAnna Kegans, Guyer High School Head Cheerleading Coach.

“Captains are expected to assist their coaches and act as a mentor to squad members. Our captains must lead their team on the sidelines but serve as the ultimate role model for other cheerleaders.

“Lexi Nicholson is an excellent example of what a captain should be. She has the respect of her teammates and stands out as a leader on her squad as well as our entire campus.”

These competitive cheerleaders from three different school districts have proven to be helpful to their teams by raising the bar on their high school squads.

“Competitive cheerleaders have experience putting the team first and understanding that every member of the team is an integral part of the squad’s success which helps create an environment that every member of the squad must always be present and perform their personal best,” said Nema House, Marcus High School Head Cheerleading Coach.

“Girls who compete generally push themselves to the next level and strive to accomplish personal perfection, and that gives others a benchmark example that raises the overall skill level and expectation of the entire squad.”

The hard work that has been accomplished by

the team at Excite! Will pay off now and in the future, according to Excite! owner Julie Hutchens and business partner Rischard Landers.

“First off, the pride we feel in these kids and their achievements and work ethic is beyond words,” said Hutchens. “Taking on competitive and high school cheer is definitely not easy but will make these kids stand out in their college and future job applications.

“They learn early on the ability to make choices, schedule their tasks to be done and achieve them without complaint. They learn balancing social “wants” to the responsibility of what they “need” to do for their team and community. These kids set their sights high on themselves and on others going the path with them.”

“The balance of learning to lead your peers in excitement; as in high school cheer is tough. As is leading your all star peers in discipline, drive and a physical push does make these two areas of cheer a perfect mix. Both forms of cheer are for those wanting more, doing more so to have more. Pat these kids on the back when you see them they are going after what they want and not asking anyone to hand it to them.”

Exciting Images taken by Debbie O’Donley

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Rivals in the stadium,Leaders in their community.

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STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

How old were you when you started playing sports?

I started playing sports when I was 3 years old and the sport I played was Blastball.

What sport did you start playing first?

I started playing baseball then moved on to soccer

Do you continue to play multiple sports, and if yes, which do you play?

No, I stopped playing soccer when I started playing select baseball.

Which sport is your favorite and why?

Baseball is my favorite sport because it’s challenging and fun

Who is your sports role model and why?

Yu Darvish, because he’s my favorite pitcher.

What do you like to do when you’re not playing sports?

I like to play outside with my dog. I also like to ride my bike, ride my ripstik, go snowboarding, play Asphalt 7 on my ipod, and go camping & fishing.

What is your favorite subject in school?

MathWhat would you like to do for

a profession when you graduate?Be a professional baseball player

in the major leaguesWhat is your favorite thing

about playing sports?BattingWhat has been your biggest

challenge while playing sports?Fielding is challenging for

me but I’m getting better with practice.

Who is your favorite sports team?

Texas RangersWho has been the biggest

influence in your life (could be a parent, coach, or teacher) and what have they taught you?

My dad taught me the basics of baseball. Coach Mark Lowry took me beyond the basics of baseball. My 4th grade teacher, Ms. Traci Inman, taught me how to do improper fractions and mixed numbers.

What is your favorite moment during a game so far?

Winning the 8U championship when I played on the Cardinals (HVABSA) for Coach Lowery was my favorite moment.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

My proudest moment is when I pitched 5 innings and had 8 strikeouts

If you were able to give a younger athlete advice, what would it be?

Never give up and stay focusedWhat’s one thing about you

that most people don’t know?I know how to throw 3 different

2-seam fastballs and 2 different cutters when pitching.

Do you know what college you would like to attend and what you would like to major in?

Stanford, and I would like to major in Architecture.

Ten year old Grant Badstebner attends fifth grade at Heritage Elementary in Highland Village, Texas. He currently plays select baseball.

What makes a Youth Sports Today athlete special? They know how to keep things in perspective and have fun on the field! Let’s get to know this month’s Student Athlete of the Month!

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Excite! Cheer Team, Team Joy, perfect their pyramid building skills.

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Flower Mound Lacrosse Association Team Member faces off with her opponent.

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youth sports today of denton county - december issue

Documents

stated kringle

bowl game

exhausted kringle

championship game

game plan

time favorite

kringle romps sets rushing

single game records