A sea of striding diversity on the running scene

Kaleidoscope of colors and kilometers - Sports photographers, like the athletes they cover, have good days and bad days. Last weekend, I worked the Seashore Striders Dam Mill 5K race in Millsboro on Saturday and the Dewey Beach Patrol 5K and 10K in Dewey Beach on Sunday morning. A grand total of 600 finishers produced 2,000 photos counting “shooting through” the start. Each race takes me about eight hours, from traveling to hanging out then processing photos and writing a story. I learned that there is a difference between self motivation and selfish motivation, perhaps I’m a combination of both, thankful to leave the house at 6 a.m with someplace to go and something to do and being able to still make a difference in the world of sports. Saturday in Millsboro, runner Andy Gorlich, 31, of Milton, who ran 19:52, 40 minutes ahead of the last runner, looked at me snapping away in Margaritaville, and said “I don’t know what you did to get so many hours of community service but I hope you don’t ever work them off.” The diversity inside the Dewey race on Sunday was inspiring to me, nothing captures the soul like a still photo, I just felt better about America more than I do when watching the pundits on cable news. “We get us.” I’m not sure the experts get us at all.  

Pat Knight softball - Lewes beat Nanticoke 14-2 in four innings July 29, led by 9-year-old pitcher Eden Frederick, who struck out 10 and walked only two batters. Lewes lost to Millsboro 4-1 July 30, a game characterized as a pitchers’ duel. Lewes will play Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights followed by the championship game Thursday, Aug. 4, in Roxana.

Plaque Dedication - Monday night, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. at the Rehoboth lifeguard shack on Baltimore Avenue, a plaque will be unveiled and dedicated to Tommy “TC” Coveleski. Tommy’s plaque will be placed next to his father Frank’s plaque. The junior lifeguard competition, a program that began with the inspiration of Tommy, will begin at 6 p.m. Tying the Tommy plaque together with the Pat Knight tournament, Tommy received the Pat Knight Award as presented by the Lower Delaware Gridiron Club years ago for his dedication to youth sports. The late Pat Knight was a Dover guy who, much like Tommy, was always out there helping kids in the community. 

World Series - The Senior League and Big League Softball World Series games are underway this week having begun July 31 in Roxana. District 3 Sussex County gets an automatic entry for hosting the tournament. Laurel in the senior league is an amalgam including several Cape players. The entire roster is Shannon Lord, Jenna Calloway, Victoria Henry, Paige Lynch, Jessica Evans, Maria Solis, Briana Allen, Logan Walls, Rachel Calloway, Corrin Farris, Morgan Cooper, Raegan Jackson, Sydney Tyndall, Jordyn Virden, Hannah Jones and Nancy Harris. Duane Calloway is the manager. The website is seniorsoftballws.org. This is pool play leading to championship elimination games beginning Friday, Aug. 5. The big league website is bigleaguesoftballws.org. 

Eastern Regionals - The Milton Little League 11-12 state championship all-star team will be leaving Friday, Aug. 5, for Bristol, Conn., and returning Aug. 13. Players on the team are Carter Breasure, Hunter Rauch, Nick Cox, Chase Boyle, Andrew Criswell, Luke Crouch, Austin Rhue, Brian Sponaugle, Timothy Hitchcock, Tyler Husbands, Paris Mitchell and Malikye Wells. Manager is Rusty Rauch. Coaches are Zac Crouch, Danny Sponaugle and Mike Rhue. Donations for the journey are tax-deductible and can be mailed to Milton Little League, P.O. Box 175, Milton, DE 19968. The 9-10 Milton state championship team also leaves Aug. 5 for Cranston, R.I., and returns Aug. 12. Players are Nolan Barry, Connor Coulbourne, Brice Dominick, Trey Hitchcock, Jackson Isaacs, Tyler Jacona, Finley Jones IV, Gage Joseph, Mitchell Joseph, Luke Mccarthy, Jase Mitchell and Jaceon White. Both teams will be appearing in the park on Milton’s Night Out Wednesday, Aug. 3. Show up and hand over a check and I’ll take your picture ... or not, if you prefer. 

Snippets - Flipping between golf and baseball on television is like a digital sleeping pill. Playing may be fun but you have to admit watching is slower than a turtle turning around. And why would a turtle turn around unless something was biting its tail? NFL full-contact camps have started. If you get a chance, go watch, you will be amazed at the low level of coaching, but at least 40 guys on the field will end up getting cut. Go on now, git!