Character is the essence of the athlete revealed in everyday moments

Championship connections - I took a photo of the Clampitts after graduation and didn’t drop one Beverly Hillbillies joke. I focused on Jaxon, the winning pitcher in last Sunday night's state championship at Frawley Stadium. “Let’s not talk baseball, let's talk Factory youth league basketball,” I told him. “That is where you showed me you were a character kid. You were asked to dominate the game versus a team of girls – mostly younger – who were like sugar on cotton candy, but you decided not to be that guy, preferring to pass to teammates.” And a bigger question, “What was I doing there?” The actual story follows: Feb 23, 2021: A girls’ team in a boys’ league brought a 9-1 record into the league championship game. Coached by former Cape boys’ basketball head coach Steve Re, the Hornets squad of eight players competed as a unit for four quarters, finally breaking open a close game versus the SAC Kings with deft passing and timely shooting to win 40-27. Jaxon was going off for most of the game for the Kings, as Re sent a variety of players at him to discombobulate his game and slow him down. “I think Jaxon may have gotten tired,” Re said. “But we played good, unselfish basketball in the final minutes when the game was still up for grabs.” The Hornets’ eight players all contributed to the win and were awarded medals and rings immediately afterward. Faith Re was the truth, running point, hitting shots and making key passes. “She will see time for us next year,” said Cape girls’ basketball coach Pat Woods of the then-eighth-grader from Beacon. Ally Diehl and Mairead Rishko excelled in focused moments handling the ball and playing defense. Hayden Hudson and Amalia Fruchtman pulled down major rebounds, and each hit a key midrange jumper with under three minutes to play. Maya Yngve, Amara Fruchtman and Claire Lopez all met key moments throughout the game. “It’s amazing that our team won the championship in a boys’ league,” said Faith Re and Amalia Fruchtman after the game. “It was really fun.” 

Electric Company - Steve Prestipino (Apple Electric) died May 30, after a 12-year battle with brain cancer. He was a great guy inside a great family. Steve first told me about his brain cancer in 2014 at the state championship lax game at Caravel where Cape beat Salesianum. Christian P was on that Cape team. Steve showed me the scar over his ear where they went into his head. Guys like Steve with a zest for everyday life can tell a story of brain surgery and make it sound no so bad, not so serious, so we don't worry. I started to see Steve and some family members at 5K races. He gave it what he had and was pretty good. Apple Electric gave back to the community, especially kids. We are all saddened by Steve’s passing, but our hearts are gladdened by his memory. I wrote this in July of 2014 after Steve completed a 5K race: “Steve Prestipino of Apple Electric had brain surgery just last spring to remove a tumor. Told me he was running 5K to test out his head. Afterwards said he had no pounding, no pressure, no headaches, still had a round of radiation to go, but basically in the clear. "I dodged a bullet," Steve said. Do I have to say it? How freaking tough are some people?

Showtime - I mostly show up an hour early for games. I'm covering maybe 90 minutes for a state championship contest. But for high school graduation at Cape, 75 minutes early is way too late. Legends Stadium was packed. An equal number of handicapped and VIPs had white chairs on the track opposite each other. I had two reserved chairs in handicapped – so I could get photos – but someone stole my name or it was an impractical joke. It was a Bob Uecker moment: “I must be in the front row.” Amy G, Cape’s super secretary told me, “No, you guys have reserved chairs in the VIP section.” Except we didn’t. And I was about to bust on three rows of people who did except most offered to give up their chairs. Then my friend of 50 years, Bill Collick, knew who wasn't showing so we sat next to him. Both bleachers filled with non-VIPs and none handicapped were packed. I wanted the podium, wanted to speak to Community 2025, wanted to tie in the histories and to tell graduates “Stay sober and you will be successful.” Do we muppets at Sesame Street by the Sea have a handle on who we are past and present? I think not.

Snippets - Summer tournaments in all sports, clinics and camps, along with open fields and gyms, and that’s just for school-aged athletes. I recently told my granddaughter Meredith, a rising freshman hockey and lacrosse player, “A place like Cape you show up in tip-top shape. It's rare to see an out-of-shape person on the field. Outside the lines there are plenty of us.” Go on now, git!