GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FIRST FOOTBALL FRIDAY!
Graham Steer/Lady Blues Tennis- Saturday Graham won our match against Lake Worth 11-8. Our girls did a great job winning most of their matches (8-1). Wyatt Westerman and Ashley Villalva have had a great start in singles going 3-0 in our last 3 matches. Also, Adrianna Arrendondo and Aimee McShan are 3-0 in our last 3 matches in doubles. The tennis kids have gotten off to a fantastic start and we start district play next Thursday in Burkburnett.
Lady Blues Cross-Country- The Lady Blues captured 1st Place at the Perkins Jamboree in Burkburnett on Thursday. Results: Kendra Williams 8th, Evie Griffin 10th, Edith Branch 11th, Khloe Morris 12th, Michelle Delong 18th, Maria Hernandez 19th and Olivia Isom 34th. The JV finished 6th out of 10 teams. Great job Lady Blues Cross-Country!
Graham Steer Cross-Country- The Steers were in action on Thursday in Perkins Jamboree in Burkburnett. Sam Perkins finished 8th and Lawson Winegar finished 18th in the 5A/6A division. The JV finished 2nd.
Lady Blues Volleyball- Congrats on wins this past Friday and Tuesday vs Brownwood and Mineral Wells. Good luck and safe travel for the Whitney Tournament this weekend.
Graham Steer Football- First gridiron action of the season tonight at Newton Field vs Hirschi. Hope to see you all there! GO STEERS!!!
Employee Entrance for Sporting Events- Just a reminder that your Employee Pass gains each employee and their immediate family general admission access to all home games.
Prayer/Concern and Praise/Celebration Messages- As you know we send out information via email. Please do not assume that I am aware of all things that need to be shared. You can communicate these items to me via email or by completing the Life Events Acknowledgement Form.
Teacher of the Month- We will honoring one of our teachers as the Teacher of the Month. Benchmark Business Solutions is partnering with the district on this award and will be providing the Teacher of the Month with a $100.00 gift card. Please nominate teachers using this FORM.
Graham Area United Way- The Graham Area United Way has been serving our community since 1956. This years “Stronger Together” campaign has a goal of raising $115,000.00 to benefit the Graham agencies listed below. Please turn in your donation forms by TODAY.
Your United Way benefits:
● Bethel Children’s Day Care - Provides quality childcare with special rates for those families whose income falls below the guidelines set by the USDA child care food program. This care is designed to meet the needs of both the child and the parents while emphasizing a safe and caring environment for the children to grow and learn.
● Graham Girls Softball - Provides a fun, wholesome experience for the whole family while promoting good sportsmanship and fair play with positive reinforcements for girls ages 7-14.
● Meals-On-Wheels - Provides hot meals to elderly shut-ins in the community. The majority of these meals are provided free of charge and those with the financial ability pay for their meals. The main objective of this program is to make sure these shut-ins receive a nutritious meal when one would not be otherwise possible.
● Salvation Army Graham Unit – P.O. Box 1028, Graham, TX 76450, (940-452-2910)
● Senior Citizens Center – Serves as a community focal point for services to seniors age 60 and over. We provide a nutritious meal to both the homebound and to those who come to the center in a congregate setting. We provide transportation as needed for independent living. We make daily contact with the more frail elderly. The special objective is to help seniors remain active and aware of their community while remaining productive citizens as long as possible.
● Young County Child Welfare – Offers financial and emotional help to children from Young County who are living in foster care due to abuse and neglect.
● Young County 4-H Clubs – Teaches life skills and provides useful and practical information relating to agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and other basic skills through each of its many project areas. 4-H offers participants opportunities to develop leadership, perform community service and strengthen the family unit by encouraging youth and adults to work together.
Be a Texas Voter- To register and find additional how-to information go to VOTETEXAS.GOV.
Round the Bases
“ONE MAN PRACTICING SPORTSMANSHIP IS FAR BETTER THAN A HUNDRED TEACHING IT.” Knute Rockne
In 2008 the Central Washington University softball team and the Western Oregon University softball team were in the game of the year for both teams. Win the game, go to the playoffs; lose the game, go home. Let’s just say, it was a pressure-packed day. A day made for creating heroes and goats!
In the second inning, the game was tied. Western Oregon’s light-hitting right fielder Sara Tucholsky was at the bat. While there were two runners on base, no one was prepared for the drama that was about to unfold. Sara, a former walk-on player, had earned a scholarship by her senior year. The girl said herself that she had no confidence as a hitter. And, why should she? She had never hit a home run in a game; not in high school, not in college, not in youth league. Since her team had two runners on base, Sara was hoping for a nice single. Drive in one run, take the lead in this important game, and keep the inning alive.
First pitch to Sara was a called strike. As the second pitch was delivered, she uncorked a streaking line drive that cleared the center field fence! Sara had hit her first homerun! Standing in amazement, she could not believe her eyes. With her heart pounding a hundred miles an hour, Sara started her home run “trot”. Her mind was abuzz as she rounded first base and headed to second. A shout from her first base coach, “Hey, you missed the bag!” brought her head out of the clouds. With a quick pivot to touch the base, Sara crumpled to the ground. Her right knee was completely “blown”!
“Don’t touch her, don’t touch her,” her coach pleaded as the Western Oregon team rushed to help Sara. You see, if any teammate entered the field to help Sara, she would be called out. As Sara lay in pain clutching first base, the umpires huddled about the options available to the Western Oregon team. Since Sara could not put any weight on her leg, there was really one option available – a pinch runner. That will allow a run to score, Sara will be credited with a single, and Western Oregon will take the lead in the game.
That is, it was the only option until the Central Washington first baseman and star player Mallory Holtman asked the umpire if she could carry Sara around the bases. After another huddle, the umpires decided that there was no rule against it as long as Sara’s foot touched each base. So Mallory and the Central Washington shortstop Liz Wallace scooped Sara up and headed around the bases, stopping to dip at each base so that Sara’s left foot could touch it.
Sara got her homerun, Western Oregon University won the game 4-2, and they advanced to the playoffs. Did Mallory and her teammates have any regrets for their act of sportsmanship? Apparently not. Mallory was later quoted as saying, “It was the right thing to do. She hit it over the fence. She deserved the home run! We just wanted to help her.”
Have you ever heard a story as touching as that? You know what? With the new school year just starting in every school district in Texas we will see it replayed every day in our schools’ classrooms. What Mallory and Liz did for Sara is repeated by teachers hundreds of times each day! Good teaching is simply scooping up students whose learning is hindered and carrying them with tutoring, reteaching, or whatever is needed until they can “round the basis” by themselves.
I am thankful for the “sportsmanship” that abounds in our schools! I hope each of you has a great school year. I also hope each of you has an enjoyable Labor Day weekend… in case you forgot… NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY!
CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY
What kind of school do you go to if you’re an ice cream man? (Scroll down for the answer.)
Sundae school!
