Sports competition offers something nearly for everyone. Fans seek the thrill of competition, dramatic finishes, and sterling champions.
Participants’ mode is wide ranging, depending on the level of skill and accomplishment. Glory, gold, and gratitude may be equal of thrill competition, perfection, and advancement.
We enter into a phase as fans to the start of the Fall seasons from football to cross country and from high school through professional sophistication. The phase is time with the climax and photo finishes of Summer sports. Will the White Sox make it to postseason play? Will the U.S. Open tennis offer satisfaction and accomplishment? Will golf increase enthusiasm as a prelude to next Spring?
Each of us has questions and looks for answers.
When new sports evolve and additional tournaments, challenges, gigs, are developed we fans may take hold. The list in the Sports Lineup, below, certainly should offer intrigue and interest in some form.
• The Voice has included two college football schedules in each of these three weeks. Yes, schedules float in pocket-size folders, on line, in daily newspapers, and in our devices. Nonetheless, we provide a pair of college schedules each week and will continue each week, when there will be scores to include. The University of Illinois and Northwestern University were our first listings both because they are Big Ten teams and they will be the first of our teams, large and small, to play. They will have games Saturday, Aug. 27, Illinois at home against Wyoming and Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland against Nebraska, the latter a Big Ten Conference game. The Bears? Hopes spring eternal and expectations are not exceptional. However….?
• High school football will begin Friday, Aug. 26 for our teams with a plethora of non-conference games. Loyal fans and interested parents, friends, and relatives, make Summer, Fall, and frigid air filled with interest.
• High school sports for the Fall will include football, boys soccer, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls golf, girls tennis, girls volleyball, and girls swimming and diving. High school sports is an integral part of community involvement, learning aspects for the student participants, and offer growth, even to fans who understand both determination and accmplishments..
• Little League Baseball recently was a teachable moment at a high level and captured on television during Little League a national tournament game.
“Isaiah Jarvis was at bat in a Little League championship game when he was hit in the head by a pitch. He fell to the ground and adults raced to attend him. Luckily, he was not hurt and, after a couple minutes, got up and trotted to first base. The pitcher, Kaiden Shelton, was still visibly shaken and that’s when Isaiah walked to the mound and wrapped his arms around Kaiden. ‘I wanted to go to him and spread God’s love and tell him I was okay,’ Isaiah Jarvis said.” –Daily Reflection.