Four Corners Sports February 2014
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Transcript of Four Corners Sports February 2014
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3Four Corners SPORTSFebruary 2014
content| 4 | Gotta run upto get downHESPERuS – It is minute 45 of 60 as I press into
my third lap and third mile of the Ski Hesperus
Vertical Hour ski mountaineering race set by
Miles Venzara and Scott Simmons of the newly
established Pine Needle Mountaineering uphill
Ski Club.
| 24 | San Juan Countyloses a great oneOn Jan. 22 the sporting world of San Juan
County lost one of its biggest supporters in
Kevin Holman. Coach Holman was the current
head coach of the lady Broncos in Kirtland
and had previously coached in Wingate,
Farmington and Shiprock.
| 8 | Pucker Up!DuRANGO – Many of you know that Chapman
Hill in Durango is a wonderful venue for
winter enthusiasts. The ski hill provides a
great and inexpensive opportunity for those
learning how to ski and snowboard.
| 12 | Polar PlungeBaby, it was cold outside on Jan. 18, but
that didn’t stop Farmington Police officers
and members of the Four Corners law
Enforcement Torch Run from taking a dip
in freezing water to benefit Special
Olympics.
| 14 | Team PlayersCome wind, snow, rain or shine they are
ready to serve in their big canary yellow
machines.
| 18 | Living with a concussionIn eighth grade, lucas Maestas was a phe-
nomenal athlete. He was the quarterback for
the Bloomfield eighth grade team, he was an
accomplished wrestler and he participated
in track and field – until a series of events
resulted in three concussions.
| 19 | Traumatic Brain InjuryDr. James Wright loves to visit his daughter,
son-in-law and three grandchildren in
Farmington. Residing in Butte, Mont.,
Dr. Wright is a retired Colonel from the Air
Force specializing in general surgery, plastic
surgery, and flight medicine while
serving our country.
| 22 | Supporting, teachingskiersWhen people go skiing or snowboarding,
many do not realize the time and effort it
takes to keep them safe on the mountain.
| 26 | Winter SportsAs February kicks off, so does the tourna-
ment season for the Winter Sports teams.
Basketball is in its second round of district
play with the district tournament and state
right around the corner.
| 28 | Dancing across the pondFarmington High School senior Bliss Camp-
bell is making her mark in the high school
world of dance.
| 31 | Heights Color GuardEight pre-teen girls hold purple flags on
poles taller than themselves, standing in the
Heights Middle School Commons and await-
ing directions from their coach.
| 30 | 10 Questions
| 34 | Fantasy Football
Don Vaughan
PuBlISHER
Cindy Cowan Thiele
EDITOR
Tom Yost
Debra Mayeux
lauren Seip
Ben Brashear
CONTRIBuTING WRITERS
Ben Brashear
Josh Bishop
CONTRIBuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Suzanne Thurman
DESIGNER
Shelly Acosta
DeYan Valdez
Aimee Velasquez
SAlES STAFF
For advertising information
Call 505.516.1230
www.fourcornerssports.com
Four Corners Sports magazine is published once amonth by Majestic Media. Material herein may not bereprinted without expressed written consent of the pub-lisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writersare not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or FourCorners Sports magazine. Every effort has been madeto ensure the accuracy of this publication. However thepublisher cannot assume responsibility for errors orommissions. © 2014 Four Corners Sports magazine.
Majestic Media
100 W. Apache Street
Farmington, NM 87401
505.516.1230
www.majesticmediausa.com
STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS
covercredit
Please send to
We’ve got more photos
than we can use.
Check out the photo gallery
for each issue at
www.fourcornerssports.com
Tim Thomas skates toward the descent and the gateson his third lap. — Ben Brashear
with Anthony Romero.
with Rick Hoerner.
4 Four Corners SpoRTS February 2014
HeSpeRUS – It is minute 45 of 60 as I
press into my third lap and third mile of the
Ski Hesperus Vertical Hour ski mountaineer-
ing race set by Miles Venzara and Scott Sim-
mons of the newly established pine Needle
Mountaineering Uphill Ski Club.
I shoulder my Dynafit race skis and kick
my boots into the icy steps winding up the
last 150 feet of the black diamond ski run,
Why Not, toward the summit of Hesperus.
With each step I take, my legs burn against
the single-digit temperatures. The metallic
taste on my tongue and the black and white
motes dancing before my eyes are telltale
signs that in spite of my heart humming at
180 beats per minute I cannot get enough
oxygen to carry on this pace for much
longer. My chest heaves white vapors to-
ward the morning sun only to have them
freeze in my beard and on my cheeks. even
my breath cannot rise against this 35-de-
gree pitch and I drop my head longing for
the oak brush vista of the summit.
It is the first randonèe or ski
mountaineering race in a monthly
uphill race series sponsored by pine Nee-
dle Mountaineering Uphill Ski Club and Ski
Hesperus ski resort. It is also my first expe-
rience with uphill ski racing and, I believe
the saying goes, curiosity killed the ran-
donèe novice.
Story and photos by Ben Brashear
Scott Simmons is literally flying toward the gates and his second lap.
Uphill Ski Club, Ski Hesperus host Uphill Race Series
5Four Corners SPORTSFebruary 2014
Thirteen racers have gathered on light-
weight racing skis and are clad in brilliant
neon colored Lycra head to toe. Four partici-
pants have chosen to brave the racecourse
equipped only with snowshoes strapped on to
tennis shoes.
The event consists of a 60-minute time limit,
one to one-and-a-half miles per lap, and
roughly 650 vertical feet gained from the base
lodge to the top of the mountain.
“It’s a way to bring attention to the partner-
ship between Pine Needle Mountaineering Up-
hill Ski Club and Ski Hesperus, and to the sport
of uphill ski racing,” said Miles Venzara
founder of the ski club and part owner of Pine
Needle Mountaineering in Durango, Colo.
This is a niche sport appealing to cyclists,
Nordic skiers, and runners. According to
SnowSports Industries America, the sport has
seen an increase of more than 50 percent in
participation numbers since 2010.
“Pine Needle has doubled its
sale of randonèe race gear just in the last
year,” said Venzara.
With the public interest piqued, bear in mind
that this is a sport of adventure or, as the
French word randonèe translates, “excursion.”
It is a sport of inherent risk that combines the
disciplines of mountaineering and skinning re-
quiring the use of specialty equipment that can
carry a hefty price tag. A full race package can
range from $1,000 to $3,000. Nylon climbing
skins adhere to the bottom of skis with special
glue affording the skier uphill traction, light-
weight race skis combined with titanium tech
bindings allow the foot to pivot when skinning,
and a personal locator beacon, probe, and
Pine Needle Uphill Ski Club Membership Cost: $50 Annual Fee
Benefits include access to practice clinics
hosted every Tuesday and Thursday
7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at Ski Hesperus.
Members will also receive
discounted entry fees to races.
Race dates are tentative.
For Info. and Membership: Call Miles Venzara at Pine
Needle Mountaineering 970.247.8728
Upcoming Events:February 15 Vertical Hour
Where: Ski Hesperus Ski Resort
Open to the Public
$10 non-member participation fee
$5 member participation fee
Racer Categories:
Racer
Recreational
Snowshoe
Randonée gear and snowshoes available for rent at
Pine Needle Mountaineering, Durango, Colorado
Leah Fein descends with good form from her first lap up the
Hesperus race course.
Miles Venzara gives the pre-race briefing. Racers left to right: Tim Thomas, Paul Hamilton, Brendan Trimboli, Miles Ven-
zara, Ben Kneller, Chris Stewart, Brendan Curoick, Scott Simmons, Drew Gunn
6 Four Corners SPORTS February 2014
shovel lend an element of safety should an ava-
lanche occur.
“There is this revolution happening at ski
areas throughout the country, especially in
Colorado, with uphill skiing. Areas offer a con-
trolled environment to ski and exercise that is
safer than the backcountry,” said Venzara.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Infor-
mation Center, Colorado is the leading state in
avalanche related fatalities, with 259 reported
deaths since 1950.
The uphill ski club and Ski Hesperus not only
provide a safe place to ski and train, but Pine
Needle Mountaineering has also partnered to
establish the Peter Carver/ Joe Philpott Ava-
lanche School scholarship.
The scholarship will help to provide access
to courses in avalanche education to a
younger generation of backcountry skiers.
“The proceeds from race entry fees will go
to support the scholarship,” said Venzara.
It seems that part of the appeal to an en-
durance sport such as randonèe is the risk
and sense of adventure the sport provides. It is
the journey through sweeping vistas and un-
touched summits and, as many of the racers
quipped, it is also about the journey into the
mind and suffering a little.
Suffering was evident from the beginning as
racers toed the start line in near negative tem-
peratures with chattering teeth and arms
windmilling blood to numb fingers. Racers shot
back and forth the opinion that a little suffer-
ing is good for the body.
Farther into the race on laps three and four,
as the physical and mental demands became
greater on the racers and as parallel turns be-
came gyrating arcs on fatigued legs, I saw that
pushing through the suffering seemed to be
cathartic, as their smiles only seemed to get
bigger and bigger.
Now, a sport that requires one to endure
may not sound appealing. I have more than
likely turned most readers’ attention back to-
ward the comfort of the hot coffee in your
cups, but let me convince you otherwise.
The day before the race I asked nationally
ranked randonée racer, SkiTrab athlete, and
first place finisher of the Vertical Hour, Scott
Simmons about the nature of the sport of up-
hill ski racing. Simmons quickly grinned wide
beneath his faded green baseball cap and re-
layed to me a brief anecdote.
He spoke of a woman that had seen him
practicing skinning and skiing several morn-
ings in a row. The woman had asked him “So,
do you ever ski for, you know, fun?”
I looked to Simmons for his answer. He gave
a quick laugh that shook his 6- foot-4 frame.
Looking sidelong at me beneath the frayed bill
of his ball cap, he made sure that I understood
the irony of the woman’s question. Simmons
said that he told the woman, “Of course I ski to
have fun! It can be hard work, but if it wasn’t
fun do you think I’d be out here skiing every
day?”
I can tell you that these are not the words of
an exercise-crazed man attempting to justify
his addiction to an endurance sport. Simmons
has a true passion for randonée skiing. So
much so, that it has become a family affair. His
wife Holly Simmons and his oldest boy Quinn
Simmons have taken to the sport and often
train and race side by side with Simmons.
7Four Corners SPorTSFebruary 2014
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I keep Simmons’ words in my mind, chanting
them, this is fun, this is fun, as I settle into a
mid-pack pace. It is a pace that has me fighting
to keep my breakfast, a banana and coffee,
from inching its way from the top of my
Adam’s apple, where it now sits, and the wind-
blown snow at my feet. I try to push the
thoughts of the leaders out of my mind – Scott
Simmons, Miles Venzara, and Nick Gould. They
are battling in the front of the pack seemingly
without much effort, and skiing toward their
fourth lap. I command my focus on the current
battle for eighth, ninth, and tenth place.
I glance over my shoulder down the 35-de-
gree slope to Eric Dixon, who is currently in
tenth place. He is a mountaineer and climber
new to uphill racing and is quickly gaining on
me. The clack of his skis and labored breath
pushes me forward further into a sort of mad-
ness that seems to drive my steps upslope
even faster. I swallow down my breakfast for
the second, or maybe even the third time and
increase my pace. I try to close the gap be-
tween eighth place Nick Martin and me.
I lose sight of Nick Martin as he crests the
hill and I drop my head. Though my body
squirms under the heavy hand of gravity, I per-
sist. I am steps away from the top of the ski
slope and it is the clack of magnesium buckles
on plastic ski boots that demands my atten-
tion. I ignore the urge to turn around hoping
that, somehow by doing so, it will make who-
ever it is behind me disappear. I crest the
slope and drop my skis to the snow. My chest
is heaving and there is a short circuit that af-
fects my legs, hands, and brain, each unwilling
to cooperate with the other without my verbal
command.
In my mind I am yelling out the mantra fa-
miliar to most randonèe racers that keeps
the mind coherent and hands functional when
transitioning from uphill climbing to downhill
skiing – boot, binding, skin. I yell out “Boot!”
but the word simply dribbles out from be-
tween my numb lips. My hands, swollen with
blood, fumble to latch the buckles on my
boots. It may have been the endorphins ma-
nipulating me, but in that moment with the La
Plata Mountains rising and falling in stature
with each breath, the wind coaxing tears
from my eyes through my goggles as I de-
scended through the aspen glades, I was al-
lowed the joys and contentment I once knew
as a boy. And all it took was the challenge of
the Vertical Hour, embracing the suffering of
frigid cold and heart popping heart rates, and
the simple taunt we all remember from child-
hood – “I bet I can go farther and faster than
you!”
Steve Ilg charges headlong on his running snowshoes for
his first lap up Hesperus.
9Four Corners SPORTSFebruary 2014
Chapman Hill offers hockey leagues for all agesby Tom Yost l Photos by Josh Bishop
DURANGO – Many of you know that Chapman Hill in Du-
rango is a wonderful venue for winter enthusiasts. The
ski hill provides a great and inexpensive opportunity for
those learning how to ski and snowboard. At the same
time, the ice rink offers opportunities for ice skating les-
sons and, during “open skate” times, the great family ac-
tivity of ice skating.
What many of you probably don’t know is that Chap-
man Hill offers the hockey enthusiasts an opportunity to
play the sport in an adult competitive league format.
The Durango Adult Hockey League (www.durangoad-
ulthockeyleague.com) has been in existence since the
winter of 2000 and now boasts over 37 hockey teams
ranging in ability levels from never been ice skating
(Level 4) to the highest level of ex-high school and college
hockey players (Level 1), with various other levels in be-
tween.
Matt Morrisey, the league director and recreation su-
pervisor at Chapman Hill Ice Rink, explains, “The adult
hockey league offers competitive hockey for players of all
10 Four Corners SPOrTS February 2014
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ability levels. The games follow the USA Hockey
rules except for the fact that we are no-check
leagues. But that doesn’t mean that they are
non-contact leagues.”
For those that are not familiar with the
rules of hockey, checking involves skating into
another player who has possession of the puck
with the intention of separating them from the
puck. This is not allowed in these adult
leagues.
“Players must be 18 years of age and have
the necessary equipment,” said Morrisey.
“Other than that, players can enter a level
that they feel comfortable with and can move
up or down at their discretion. Some players
start at Level 4 and stay there forever … while
others start at Level 4 and through hard work
and practice have moved up to Level 1 after 4
or 5 years.”
11Four Corners SporTSFebruary 2014
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The games are played every night of the week from the first
week of December until the end of April.
“The majority of the games are played on Saturday and Sun-
day,” stated Morrisey. “The games last one hour, with three 12-
minute periods. Each team is guaranteed 16 regular season
games and two playoff games, with teams that move further
along in the playoffs getting to play more games.”
The total fee for a team to enter the adult hockey league is
$2,300, but costs per individuals are nominal due to business
sponsorship.
“Most players don’t pay very much because they have a busi-
ness sponsor their team,” stated Morrisey. “So the major cost to
the individual is the equipment, which can vary based on buying
new or used equipment and the quality you choose to buy. In
hockey, though, you get what you pay for when it comes to equip-
ment.”
The Durango Adult Hockey League is a coed league, meaning
that they do not discriminate and allow women to play alongside
men. They also offer leagues for adults over the ages of 40 and
50 years.
“The leagues are very competitive at all levels,” said Morrisey,
“but our main focus is the safety of our players, because every-
one has to get up and go to work the next day.”
13Four Corners SPORTSFebruary 2014
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Baby, it was cold outside on Jan. 18, but
that didn’t stop Farmington Police officers
and members of the Four Corners Law En-
forcement Torch Run from taking a dip in
freezing water to benefit Special Olympics.
It was the third annual Polar Plunge and
four teams – including the “Team We ARE
Torch Run,” the Farmington Professional
Firefighters Association, The Farmington Li-
brary’s “Penguin Plungers” and eight individ-
uals – braved the cold water. They raised
$6,600 in pledges for Special Olympics.
The Polar Plunge is a nationwide trend
that caught on in Farmington as a Special
Olympics benefit, and the Farmington Police
Department is the only New Mexico agency to
sponsor a plunge.
During the event, the department also
showed off its new T3 Patroller, which is a
three-wheeled vehicle equipped with lights
and a siren to patrol city parks. The T3 can
reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and
can travel 25 miles on a single battery
charge.
by Debra Mayeux l Courtesy photos
Group jumps in to raise money for Special Olympics
15Four Corners SPoRTSFebruary 2014
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Come wind, snow, rain or shine they are
ready to serve in their big canary yellow ma-
chines.
They are carrying special packages from
one destination to another, and the packages
must be delivered safely to their destination.
Their job sounds simple, but what they provide
is so much more than a delivery service.
These people are school bus drivers. Their
packages are the children, and they are trans-
porting them to and from school.
Thomas Harper, Cheesa Cheebenally,
LaRaine Yazzie, Amanda Russell, Maggie
Mahan, Roger Nixon and Zsa Zsa have a special
busing assignment. They are the activity and
substitute bus drivers, who transport children
to special events of both academic and sport-
ing natures.
Farmington Municipal Schools’ policy allows
these drivers to transport teams within a 500-
mile radius of town. They travel with the stu-
dents. They make sure they eat well, are men-
tally and physically prepared for competition,
and they stay with them while the children are
away from home.
“You are kind of like mommy and daddy to
by Debra Mayeux l Photos by Josh Bishop
Activity bus drivers are MVPs for all of Farmington schools’ sports
The drivers eat meals with the teams, and even go out of their way
to take the kids and coaches to the out-of-town restaurants of their
choice. The students always thank the drivers for the extra effort,
and the drivers show their appreciation by decorating their buses
and making Christmas ornaments for the students.
16 Four Corners SPoRTS February 2014
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We carry
them – helping them to eat the right thing,”
Cheebenally said. She acts as both a caregiver
and a cheeerleader. “These are my kids.”
Cheebenally gets so excited when her kids
compete that she has been thrown out of
games for being too rowdy. This happened in
Roswell, during a Piedra Vista Panthers bas-
ketball game. Her cheering was so loud, secu-
rity tried to escort her out of the stadium.
She was not heckling the other team, but
her enthusiam was great enough it got her no-
ticed. Cheebenally laughed when she told
about how parents in the stands often mistake
her for a parent. She has been asked which
child is hers, and her response is: “They all
are.”
Each activity bus driver has their own way of
showing support to the teams they transport.
The Piedra Vista Panteras love Thomas
Harper, who became a bus driver after he re-
tired. “I like doing it, because you get back into
high school sports,” he said, adding he likes to
motivate the teams. “The best thing to do is to
tell them if they don’t win, they walk home.”
Much like Harper, Roger Nixon became
driver after retirement. “I blended right in,” he
said. “I’m enjoying it. We get pampered by the
coaches.”
The drivers eat meals with the teams, and
even go out of their way to take the kids and
17Four Corners SPoRTSFebruary 2014
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coaches to the out-of-town restaurants of their choice. The students always
thank the drivers for the extra effort, and the drivers show their apprecia-
tion by decorating their buses and making Christmas ornaments for the
students, according to Billy Huish, transportation director for Farmington
Municipal Schools.
LaRaine Yazzie, who named her bus Betsy and started driving last year,
refers to the drivers as the students’ No. 1 cheerleader.
Cheebenally agreed, saying she attempts to get the students mentally
ready for competition. “I tell them, ‘Get on the bus, if the intent is to win,’”
she said. “My motto is: Believe in yourself and together make it happen.”
Cheebenally’s bus is named Tatonka, the Great Buffalo, and she wields it
with expertise, wherever the destination. She has been to Denver, Colo., Salt
Lake City, Utah; Phoenix; Las Vegas, Nev., and everywhere in between.
The drivers love traveling with the teams, and they always are prepared
with tool kits, duct tape, a case of water, snacks, flashlights, blankets and
pillows. Amanda Russell even brings gum, which is a favorite for wrestlers,
who can’t drink or eat before competitions.
Russell started driving because she wanted a job that allowed here to
work on a school schedule and spend time with her children. “It’s grown
into way more than that,” she said.
Maggie Mahan started for reasons similar to Russell’s. She wanted to
spend time with her children, and even brings her youngest daughter Jew-
elianna on the bus. “She is the mascot,” Russell said. “We sit and watch all
the games. The kids are like family.”
And the drivers often take care of the students as they would their own
child. Sometimes students get sick to their stomachs or soil themselves on
trips. The drivers will keep the accidents quiet, and then clean up the bus
and student later. Some even take soiled clothing to the laundromat and
have it ready for the child after the event.
“We deal with driving issues, all kids of issues, and as a supervisor, you
couldn’t ask for a better team,” Huish said.
The job is about transportation and safety, but it also is about the stu-
dents.
“It’s a good feeling to get comments from paretns, who say, ‘Thanks for
bringing my kids home safely,’” Cheebenally said.
18 Four Corners SPorTS February 2014
In eighth grade, Lucas Maestas was a phenomenal athlete.
He was the quarterback for the Bloomfield eighth grade team,
he was an accomplished wrestler and he participated in track
and field – until a series of events resulted in three concus-
sions in a span of fewer than four months, causing it all to end.
“It all started with the pool incident,” remembered Maestas.
“My sister’s high school friends were throwing me from the
shallow end of the pool into the deep end, when I slipped and
hit my head at the bottom of the four-foot deep part of the pool.
I was over my symptoms after a week and was cleared to start
football practice. Everything was going great until my first
game against Kirtland, when I got sacked multiple times. My
head started to hurt and I started to feel other symptoms – like
dizziness. I then sat out the rest of football season, but was
cleared to start wrestling a month later. That is when I was par-
ticipating in my PE class at school and got hit in the side of the
head by a basketball that was drop-kicked inside the gym by an-
other student.”
It has now been 26 months since his last concussion, and
Lucas has been battling the symptoms associated with trau-
matic brain injury, or TBI, ever since.
by Tom Yost l courtesy photos
Living with a
concussion
Lucas Maestas helping kids,
parents understand serious
results of brain injury
* Concussion 35
19Four Corners SPORTSFebruary 2014
Dr. James Wright loves to visit his daughter, son-in-law and
three grandchildren in Farmington. Residing in Butte, Mont.,
Dr. Wright is a retired Colonel from the Air Force specializing in
general surgery, plastic surgery, and flight medicine while
serving our country. His focus in the latter part of his career
became researching the effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment,
or HBOT, on service men and women returning from combat
suffering from traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
As a member of the Montana Governor’s Traumatic Brain
Injury Advisory Council, Dr. Wright has been a driving force in the
treatment of head injuries through the use of pure oxygen.
When it comes to concussions and injuries to the head,
Dr. Wright described a perfect storm of poor laws, a lack of
education for parents, and players and student athletes
becoming their own worst enemy in dealing with the concussion
pandemic today.
“To start with, the New Mexico Concussion Law is now
inadequate” explained Dr. Wright. “The New Mexico law was
groundbreaking in 2010 when it was passed, but advances in the
understanding of youth concussions since then have made it
obsolete. There is no standardized requirement for parent and
athlete education. The New Mexico law provides for coach
education, and coaches are fine with following concussion
protocol, but when athletes lie to them to get back into the game
there is no preventive measure to take.”
by Tom Yost l Photo by Josh Bishop
TraumaTic
Brain
injury
Dr. Wright: Poor laws,
lack of education spur
widespread concussions
20 Four Corners SPORTS February 2014
Parents and students are required to be
provided with educational materials, but the
educational requirement should be more
clearly spelled out and mandatory classes
for youth athletes required. This material is
provided free on the Center for Disease Con-
trol website.
www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/resources.html
Dr. Wright continued, “Because youth ath-
letes cannot be trusted or relied on to report
all concussions, the parents and teachers
need to be educated and involved. Often it is
a parent or teacher who recognizes that a
child may have suffered a head injury.”
The misconceptions or myths about con-
cussions are proving tough to overcome in a
nation that thinks you have to be knocked out
to sustain a concussion.
“Look at Muhammad Ali,” exclaimed Dr.
Wright. “To my knowledge he was never
knocked out but with all of the hits he took to
his head over the years – he is an absolute
mess right now. What people usually don’t
understand is that any hit in the head can
cause a brain injury – even the repetitive
bouncing of a soccer ball off of the head can
cause long-term problems.”
Dr. Wright professes that the education of
athletes, parents, teachers and coaches is
paramount to understanding the long term
effects of TBI.
“People don’t realize that the effects of
head injuries frequently aren’t noticeable
until later on in life,” stated Dr. Wright. “Look
at NFL players 20 years later – they get di-
vorced, can’t keep a job, make impulsive de-
cisions to go through money and become ad-
dicted to alcohol and drugs. Why is that? Do
they wake up one morning and want to do all
of this? No. They are suffering from a head
injury.”
Unfortunately, student athletes may have
no idea that they have sustained a brain in-
jury – when many of them have. Due to the
millions of nerve connections in the brain,
the effects of a hit to the head might not
show up until years later. These symptoms
include headaches, dizziness, migraines,
memory loss, irrational behavior, irritability,
anger, impulsive decision making and de-
pression.
“You only have one brain,” said Dr. Wright.
“And playing some of these contact sports is
like a student athlete playing Russian
roulette. Take, for example – a kid down the
street from me killed himself after talking
with his girlfriend. He was a star hockey
player, 17 years old and had suffered eight
concussions. That impulsive behavior was
due to the head injuries he had suffered. His
story helped us get the first concussion law
passed in Montana in 2013, even though
many lawmakers were against it.”
“Because youth athletes cannot
be trusted or relied on to report
all concussions, the parents and
teachers need to be educated
and involved. Often it is a parent
or teacher who recognizes that a
child may have suffered a
head injury.”
— Dr. James Wright
21Four Corners SpOrTSFebruary 2014
Through a research study, Dr. Wright has
been able to use treatments – only approved by
the FDA for wound healing and blood circula-
tion therapy – called hyperbaric oxygen to treat
patients with TBI. The results were nothing
short of astounding when it came to healing
the damaged brain and eliminating symptoms.
“The reason HBOT has been effective is that
the burst of 100 percent oxygen causes brain
cells which are disconnected and dysfunctional
to repair themselves and start making new
neural circuits,” explained Dr. Wright. “The
brain can grow new brain cells and make new
connections –although not enough to make us
rocket scientists.”
But even with the research that has been
done by Dr. Wright and others, the studies have
not been controlled enough to gain FDA ap-
proval.
“For FDA approval, a controlled study could
cost upward of $50 million,” said Dr. Wright.
“But just because it is not approved as a certi-
fied treatment doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. In
fact, everyone that participated in our study im-
proved – with some being completely healed.”
To explain better how FDA certified treat-
ments work, Dr. Wright explained that some
drugs such as aspirin are not FDA certified
treatments for headaches and only certified
for other uses.
“Are these drugs effective in the treatment
of headaches?” asked Dr. Wright. “You bet
they are, but nobody wants to spend millions
of dollars to get them approved by the FDA.
When you take these drugs for conditions
other than the FDA approved ones, even
though they may work, they are considered
“off label” treatments”
So what is being done today with the ma-
jority of suffering patients with traumatic
brain injuries?
“Most military members and veterans are
being given drugs for their TBI,” explained Dr.
Wright disgustedly. “Drugs mask the symp-
toms and can actually prevent the healing
from taking place.”
“So you are irrational, irritable, impulsive,
angry? Here is some medication – you will be
sedated and won’t be able to function nor-
mally, but you won’t have the symptoms and
the drugs may prevent you from screaming
at your loved one.”
Many hospitals around the country have
hyperbaric oxygen chambers, but most will
not participate in the research study neces-
sary to treat TBI because of a lack of funding.
There are many freestanding facilities that
are participating in these studies, sometimes
free of charge to the patient, and are avail-
able for head injuries, wound healing and
carbon monoxide poisoning.
“They offer treatments that last one hour
and are given five days per week,” said Dr.
Wright. “It might take 40 to 80 treatments
and cost upwards of $20,000 out of pocket,
but the cost is nominal when you can elimi-
nate headaches, trouble sleeping and irri-
tability in patients for the remainder of their
lives.”
Dr. Wright also encourages hand-to-eye co-
ordination activities, graduated activity and
cognitive learning skills to help with the heal-
ing of head injuries.
23Four Corners SPORTSFebruary 2014
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When people go skiing or snowboarding,many do not realize the time and effort it takesto keep them safe on the mountain.
At Hesperus Ski Area near Durango, Colo.,there is a team of volunteers who have pa-trolled the mountain for nearly 50 years.
The Hesperus Ski Patrol is “a not for profitorganization with the goal to promote, encour-age, and support a positive skiing experience inthe community,” according to their website,hesperusskipatrol.com. It also is a member ofthe National Ski Patrol.
The group was started after Buz Branch,Hesperus ski patrol director, invited membersof the National Ski Patrol system at Purgatoryat Durango Mountain Resort to become part ofthe Hesperus ski patrol.
“The Hesperus ski patrol now is all volun-teers. There are about 40 of us on patrol,”Branch said.
To become a ski patroller, one must com-plete demanding training that involves an Out-door Emergency Care class, which is similar toan emergency medical technician’s training.
The Outdoor Emergency Care class involves
100 hours of training; however, people with amedical background may be able to take a“shortened ‘bridge’ class,” according to theHesperus ski patrol website.
The ski patrol candidates also completetraining with other organizations, such as withthe Colorado search and rescue teams, accord-ing to Branch. “We are part of the emergencymedical system.”
Other training requirements include partici-pating in the annual chairlift evacuation train-ing and practice and passing the ski andtoboggan training.
Once a potential candidates passes the train-ing, he or she then is required to complete cer-tain responsibilities during a patrol shift.
These responsibilities include making “surethe mountain is safe and if there are any barri-ers that need to be taken up or if there are anyhazardous obstacles,” Branch explained. Theski patrollers also are required to carry radiosto communicate with one another and learnabout any injuries that may have happened.
But aside from carrying out their daily re-sponsibilities, the ski patrollers are a tight-knit“family,” who are extremely involved at Hespe-rus Ski Area, Branch said.
The ski patrol organizes annual three-dayAvalanche Classes that “allow students to gaininsight into the danger of avalanches throughclass work and hands-on skills training,” ac-cording to the Hesperus Ski Patrol website.
The Avalanche Class was started 17 yearsago by Kathy and Don Fritch, who were long-time ski patrollers and had more than 100-years of ski patrolling experience, Branch said.“The Avalanche Class is a public service effortand offered in January.”
The patrollers also host the community skiswap at the La Plata Fairgrounds. The ski swapallows for people to exchange skiing and out-door equipment. “We had our 50th anniversarylast November,” Branch said.
So what is the most rewarding part aboutbeing a ski patroller?
Branch said it is “helping other people real-ize skiing is fun, but it is also challenging.There is a certain satisfaction knowing you canbe there to help, not just with medical care,but helping people with their ski techniques.”
If interested in joining the Hesperus Ski Pa-trol, visit hesperusskipatrol.com or contact As-sistant Patrol Director LT Meshew [email protected].
by Lauren Seip | courtesy photos
Hesperus Ski Patrol volunteers make sure the mountain is safe
24 Four Corners SpORTS February 2014
On Jan. 22nd the sporting world of San
Juan County lost one of its biggest support-
ers in Kevin Holman. Coach Holman was the
current head coach of the Lady Broncos in
Kirtland and had previously coached in
Wingate, Farmington and Shiprock.
Kevin was a three-time state champion, his
first winning a golf state championship at
Shiprock. Kevin was best known as a basket-
ball coach in the county, leading the Shiprock
boys to a Final Four before accepting a
position as the girls’ basketball coach in
Farmington. In 2002 Holman led the Lady
Scorpions to their first state championship
since 1979.
In 2004 Kevin moved back to the boys, tak-
ing over for legendary coach Marv Sanders
at Farmington High. Kevin’s teams were four-
time district champions in his seven seasons.
In 2011, his first year at Kirtland Central, he
led the Lady Broncos toward the state
championship, falling to the Gallup Bengals.
The Lady Broncos returned to the champi-
onship game the following year, Holman
winning his third state championship as the
Lady Broncos defeated Roswell in a one-point
thriller.
San Juan County
loSeS a great one
by Rick Hoerner l Courtesy photos
Coach Kevin Holman loved everything sports
25Four Corners SPoRTSFebruary 2014
Kevin’s sports legacy in the Four Corners is far from limited to his
coaching achievements. He was a big fan of high school sports and
attended multiple events even if his school wasn’t playing. Kevin
volunteered at the Connie Mack World Series, worked as a football
broadcaster for Fox Sports and was an avid golfer.
Kevin’s turn from sports fan to fanatic – when it came to his Chicago
Bears, Cubs and Bulls – was legendary. He was known on occasion to
stop during a road trip on a Saturday afternoon to make sure not to
miss a Fighting Irish game. His love for sports was a borderline
obsession. He was the master of the DVR and the prime marketing
example for the multi-Sportscenter viewer.
There are many who knew Kevin only by what they saw on the
sidelines, and so really didn’t know him. As a coach he was a very com-
petitive – even combatant – rival, but at the end of the 32 minutes, he
left it on the floor. He was friendly to opposing players and coaches, as
well as to the officials who were getting an earful just minutes earlier.
Kevin was well respected by his coaching brethren and former play-
ers, as well as those on other teams who got to know him through
basketball camps or as a fan watching them play.
He always had a story to tell, whether about the time he worked at
Wingate when one of his players attacked a football official or multiple
stories about his time coaching on the reservation or taking the L Train
across Chicago to see the Cubs while ditching grade school. This skill
made Kevin a natural in the broadcast booth where he started as a
color commentator for Piedra Vista football before taking on the
play-by-play duties for Farmington High.
Kevin leaves behind his son Griffin, who looks like a 1970’s version of
his father, a daughter Quinn, who was the light in his eye, three
brothers, and his mother Pat, who was as strong as anyone could
imagine over the past weeks. For Kevin’s many friends, he was the glue
that held a group together. Many of Kevin’s friends have reminisced over
their love of spending time together hanging out, talking sports and
having a good time, usually over a cold beer.
There is no doubt San Juan County sports lost its greatest supporter
and a coach who left his mark on his friends, the players and other
coaches. Anyone who truly knew Kevin Holman, liked Kevin Holman, and
he will be missed greatly by a thankful community.
26 Four Corners SPoRTS February 2014
As February kicks off, so does the
tournament season for the Winter
Sports teams. Basketball is in its sec-
ond round of district play with the
district tournament and state right
around the corner. For the wrestlers
and swimmers, the district and state
meets are coming up by the end of
the month. With the long winter
sports season heading toward the
end, it’s time to see how the district
stacks up for the tournament season.
Boys’ BasketballAs expected, Kirtland Central has
exemplified the class of the district.
Led by post man Christian Mackey,
the Broncos are the only team in the
district that has been consistently in
the top ten of the Max Preps power
ratings. The Broncos will remain the
district favorite as long as they con-
tinue to get improved guard play and
Mackey remains the dominant force
of the district. Should the Broncos
win the district, they could be a top
four seed come state playoff time.
Farmington has shown the most
improvement throughout the season
and has been the best defensive
team in the district. The Scorpions
have a quality win against what was
then number one Academy, and have
already beat the Panthers at the
Roswell Poe Corn Tournament with a
close loss to the Broncos in the Marv
Sanders Invitational. Hovering around
the .500 mark may make it difficult
for the Scorps come selection Sun-
day, but if the committee considers
the end of their schedule they may
get in – with or without a district
title.
Piedra Vista, like Farmington, has
been playing just above the even clip
through a non-district season. The
one word that would best describe
the Panthers is “inconsistent,” beat-
ing the likes of Gallup one night, then
turning around the next night and
losing to Bayfield. The Panthers out-
side play has been strong, led by Troy
Dixon and Alonzo Araiza, so the Pan-
thers have lived and died by the out-
side shot. For the Panthers to get one
of the coveted 16 spots they will need
to finish at or near the top of the dis-
trict.
Like Farmington and Piedra Vista,
Aztec is right around the break-even
point going into the district season.
However, the strength of schedule
factor may be against the Tigers.
Going into district, Aztec has no wins
against 4A opponents and has seven
losses to teams in lower classifica-
tions. Undoubtedly the Tigers will
have to win the district to get a
chance to play in March.
by Rick Hoerner
WINTERSPORTS
District tournament season begins; leader board taking shape
Piedra VistaGirls’ Basketball
27Four Corners sPOrtsFebruary 2014
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Wrestlingthe fact of the matter is that every-
one is chasing the Panther Wrestling
team at Piedra Vista. the three-time de-
fending state champions appear to be
as strong as ever. Even without defend-
ing state champs anthony Juckes and
Jacob Palmgren – who have been out
due to injury – the Panthers have con-
tinued to roll along. ryan rino, Dillon
stunk, Wyatt Weaver and Zach ahlgrim
have continued to lead the Panthers in
tournaments and duals. Juckes re-
turned late in January and Palmgren is
hoping to be back by the district tourna-
ment, making the strong even stronger.
in reality, it’s not just the district that’s
chasing the Panthers, it’s the whole
state. Belen and Capital are the best
competition for the Panthers, but a
fourth title seems all but inevitable.
the rest of the teams in the district
are chasing PV, with aztec most likely
the best of the rest. the tigers are led
by isaiah Valdez at 145 lbs, but Valdez’s
task just got more difficult with PV’s anthony
Juckes, perhaps the best pound for pound
wrestler in the state, moving up to his weight.
Farmington’s tierney staley leads Farmington
high as they adjust to a new coach. Kirtland
Central will be at the bottom of the pack. the
Broncos just don’t have the numbers or depth
to compete with the rest of the district.
Girls’ Basketballthe District is a little down in girls’ basket-
ball this year. Only Piedra Vista has cracked
the Max Preps top ten. Kirtland Central may
be the sentimental favorite this season after
losing head coach Kevin holman to cancer in
January. this year the Broncos have strug-
gled, but never should be counted out. aztec
and Farmington have been steadily improving
under new head coaches.
Just like the boys, the Piedra Vista girls
could best be described as inconsistent. the
team has had a Jekyll and hyde story from
game to game and even quarter to quarter.
For example, the Panthers put up 69 one night
then only mustered 26 the next game out.
they have also put big numbers in one quar-
ter then disappeared in the next. if the Pan-
thers can find some consistent play and put
four quarters together, they should be the
district favorite.
the Broncos have struggled to find consis-
tent scoring and have played a very difficult
schedule. More than likely the only way the
Broncos get into the state tournament
is to win the district. that is not really
all that unlikely. they are still Kirtland
Central and purple and gold has ruled
the district.
Farmington is greatly improved and
at 10-10 entering the district season
has a chance to be a threat in district.
Farmington’s schedule is much softer
than PV’s or Kirtland’s meaning Farm-
ington will more than likely have to win
the district for any chance at the play-
offs.
Perhaps the most athletic team in
the district is aztec. the tigers look to
get up and down the floor and pressure
the basketball. this makes aztec dan-
gerous and they cannot be considered
a “gimme” in district play. they make a
few more shots and they will be in the
mix against any team.
the girls’ story of the year so far has
been shiprock. the Chieftains are unde-
feated entering district play and have taken
on all comers, including all the local 4a
squads as well as 3a defending champ hope
Christian and 4a defending state champ Los
Lunas. Coach henderson’s squad plays hard
and shares the ball better than any team
around. Look for the Chieftains to be the no. 1
or no. 2 come state tournament time.
swimming & Divingthe swimming and diving district and state
championships are coming up at the end of
the month and while the local teams will have
a difficult time taking down the likes of acad-
emy or Los alamos, Farmington’s nathan
isaacson and PV’s sheala Moffitt look to make
noise in individual races.
ChristianMACKEYKirtland Central
28 Four Corners SporTS February 2014
Farmington High School senior Bliss Campbell
is making her mark in the high school world of
dance.
Campbell, a captain of the Kelly Greens, was se-
lected by the Universal Dance Association to travel
to London, England, and perform in the New Year’s
Day parade, and she also was named the recipient
of the Wendy's High School Heisman for the state
of New Mexico.
The chance to perform in the New Year’s Day
parade came from Campbell’s participation in the
Universal Dance Association’s summer camp.
“At every camp you are selected to try out for
Young American,” Campbell said. She had to learn
a specific dance routine and perform it. Then she
was judged on her abilities.
She was selected with approximately 400 other
dancers for the honor of representing the U.S. in
the London parade. “It is very competitive,” Camp-
bell said.
The High School Heisman came after Campbell’s
high school guidance counselor encouraged her to
apply for the contest. She competed at the local level
and then was selected as a state finalist. She won
the state competition along with a Joshua Miller, a
Carlsbad High School student.
“State winners are exceptional examples of well-
rounded students who excel academically, lead and
serve others with the passion and persistence of a
Heisman winner,” said Archie Griffin, two-time colle-
giate Heisman Trophy winner. “While these students
are recognized as leaders in their communities, the
Wendy's High School Heisman award gives them the
national recognition their achievements have
earned.”
Campbell said the recent recognition comes from
her dedication to hard work in both academics and
dance. “The award has to do with involvement in the
community, dance, leadership and sports,” she said,
adding she had to write an essay as part of the com-
petition. It covered how leadership has played a role
in her life and what she has learned from being a
leader.
Bliss Campbell performs in London; wins state Heismanby Debra Mayeux l Courtesy photos
29Four Corners SPorTSFebruary 2014
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Campbell’s leadership skills and
passion for dance were built in the
Kelly Greens organization. While
still in 8th grade, she was included
in the first set of teenage girls to
join the team. She learned that
being a Kelly Green means many
things.
“We work hard in dance and in
our community,” Campbell said.
The team has the highest ranking
grade point average as a group at
Farmington High School. “It’s pretty
awesome. We support each other
and that’s what pushes us to be
better on the court and on the
field.”
Prior to joining the Kelly Greens,
Campbell said she didn’t know
what she wanted to do. Now she
can say, “Dance is my life. I have a
true passion for it,” and she works
at it with several practices a week.
In addition to the hard work, the
Kelly Greens are a team and they
are friends who help each other in
every aspect of high school. There
even is a large amount of support
from the parents, including Vickie
Campbell, the mother of Bliss.
Vickie became the Kelly Green’s
coach in 2010, when there was a
need for a coach.
Vickie, as coach, has first-hand
knowledge of how much each girl
dedicates to the team. “It’s a huge
commitment and is the only sport
that runs all year aside from cheer-
leading. They have dedicated their
lives to this,” she said, adding she
tries to instill life lessons in the
girls. “That’s why we do community
service, stress grades and incorpo-
rate other elements into dance so
they have these life skills.”
As for Bliss, she is busy trying to
decide which college she will at-
tend. She knows she wants to study
engineering, but she also would
like to remain involved in dance as
a member of the Universal Dance
Association, for which she plans to
teach and judge competitions.
ANTHONYROMERO
As a gym owner 20 years ago, I realized the need as well
as the potential for one-on-one training. At that time, the
field of personal training was just starting to grow.
Being a good motivator is a must! Success as a personal
trainer requires vast knowledge as well as experience in the
trade.
Working with a personal trainer enables clients to learn
how to lift weights safely and with correct form. Accounta-
bility of clients to their trainers is also very beneficial.
Each person's workout, cardio, and food plan varies, de-
pending on their particular needs and goals. The workout
for an athlete would be high in intensity. The diet plan would
also be different.
Whether a person's goal is to lose weight, build muscle,
or maintain their healthy weight, proper eating is essential
for success. Some clients are already on their own food pro-
grams. Others often ask for a diet plan, which I am happy to
provide.
I train competitors in all of these categories.
Kamryn Blackwood began training with me in May 2013.
Some clients are working to build more muscle, but Kam-
ryn already carries a lot of muscle. Her goal at this point is
to reduce and cut.
Kamryn is easy. She already is a highly determined and
motivated athlete, but she does need a kick in the rear occa-
sionally!
To work in this field you must enjoy working with people
and be genuinely concerned with helping them meet the
needs and goals for which they hired me.
Why did you decide to become a trainer and how long haveyou been working in this field?
1
What are some of the skills a person needs to have in orderto be a successful personal trainer?
2
What are some reasons for hiring a personal trainer? 3
How does the workout of an athlete differ from that of
someone who is training to lose weight or get healthy?
4
As a personal trainer, do you develop diets as well as work-
outs?
5
How is the training different for Kamryn
Blackwood than it would be for some of your
other clients?
8
How do you keep your clients, such as Black-
wood, motivated?
9
What advice would you give to someone who
is considering a career in fitness and/or as a
personal trainer?
10
You are the personal training for Miss New
Mexico U.S.A. How long have you been train-
ing her?
7
Do you train people who want to compete in bodybuilding,
figure and swimsuit competitions?
6
30 Four Corners SPOrTS February 2014
Owner of Complete Physique Gym in Farmington. He is a certified personal
trainer who was approved by Donald Trump’s Universal to train Miss New
Mexico U.S.A. Kamryn Blackwood.
Eight pre-teen girls hold purple flags on
poles taller than themselves, standing in the
Heights Middle School Commons and awaiting
directions from their coach.
the girls are part of a new program, funded
by the Connie Gotsch Foundation, to help de-
velop a middle school color guard drill team in
Farmington. the program began at the start of
the 2013-2014 school year, when Andrea Fear
agreed to be the coach to the young ladies.
“this gives them an opportunity to be in a
group that is athletic and creative – to be able
to perform to music,” she said.
During a typical routine the girls will go
from using their flags to using rifles to per-
forming a choreographed dance piece. “It
gives them opportunities to become familiar
with and use different types of equipment,”
said Fear, who used to participate in and coach
color guard, prior to setting up this team.
the girls became involved with the team for
various reasons. Some have a background in
dance or were searching for an outlet. rachel
Duran, 11, said she found what she was look-
ing for when Fear introduced the concept of a
color guard team.
“When we had our first meeting, Mrs. Fear
picked up a broom and started doing tricks
with it,” Duran said. “I wanted to learn to do
that, because it was different and looked
hard.”
rebecca Martinez, 13, had a different interest
in the team. “My mom was a flag coach at Piedra
Vista and she got me hooked on it,” she said.
Several of the other girls had dance experi-
ence.
“When I was little I did ballet, but I never knew
about the flag team. I got interested in it and it’s
good,” 12-year-old Darian Jarboe-Whiting said.
“We all wanted to do something new.”
Jarboe-Whiting got her friend Emily Miller, 13,
involved. “She wouldn’t leave me alone until I
signed up, and I like it,” Miller said.
Monique Urioste, 12, also had done ballet and
wanted to try something new.
31Four Corners SPortSFebruary 2013
New program gives middle school girls creative outlet
by Debra Mayeux l Photos by Josh Bishop
32 Four Corners SportS February 2014
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33Four Corners SPorTSFebruary 2014
Lainey Collins, 12, had tried all different
types of dance. “I take Hip Hop, tap, ballet, lyri-
cal and modern – a whole lot of dance,” she
said. “I saw others participating in flags and
figured I could do it because of my dance expe-
rience.”
Collins discovered that her favorite part is
learning how to control the flags.
The Color Guard team is the only sport or
activity in which sixth-grade girls can partici-
pate, and that is why Emmeri Tafoya, 12, joined.
Her friend, Amberly “Bug” Smith, an 11-year-old
sixth-grader, also was searching for an activity
to do with her friends.
“If each of these girls sticks with the pro-
gram, they will feed directly into the Piedra
Vista High School Color Guard, and they al-
ready will have the team experience from mid-
dle school.
“We have trouble recruiting at high school,”
said Tina Happel, Piedra Vista Color Guard
Coach and assistant coach at Heights. “It’s eas-
ier to get them interested in middle school and
teach them all of the basics.”
Fear agreed, saying that if they start early,
and get their hands on the flags in middle
school, their interest will continue, before they
“get wrapped up in high school life.”
Fear also hopes to expand this program by
sponsoring regional competitions at Heights.
The Four Corners Winter Guard and Percussion
Invitational will be March 15 at Heights Middle
School.
“We’ve invited guards from Southern Col-
orado, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and all over the
Four Corners,” Fear said.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. in the school’s
gymnasium. There will be a presentation of
solos and ensembles followed by the winter
guard presentations and percussion.
“Anyone can attend and experience some-
thing different,” Fear said.
The cost to view the competition is $3.
34 Four Corners sPoRTs February 2014
Fantasy football is done for another season
and it is time to go back and look at our All-
Fantasy Teams from the best of the best to the
wasted draft picks to the injured and the bril-
liant managerial roster moves. Here is this fan-
tasy season’s All-Geek Teams
All FAnTAsy PoinT TeAm
Broncos QB Peyton manning– 5,477 yards
and 55 TDs gives manning the season’s highest
point total
chiefs RB Jamal charles – 1980 Total yards,
70 catches, and 19 TDs propelled the chiefs
into the playoffs and charles to the top of the
running back list.
Bears RB matt Forte –1933 Total yards, 12
TDs and 74 catches make Forte a top 10
prospect for next year
Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas – 92
catches, 1,430 yards and 14 TDs made Thomas
the no. 1 receiver on the no. 1 offense
steelers WR Antonio Brown –110 catches,
1,499 yards, 9 TDs gave the steelers a more
than adequate replacement for mike Wallace.
Also a bonus if your league gave return
yardage
saints Te Jimmy Graham – 86 catches 1,215
yards, 16 TDs put Graham nearly in a class by
himself
eagles RB lesean mccoy (Flex) – 52 catches,
2,146 yards, 11 TDs. mccoy was invaluable in
chip kelly’s offense and outside of manning
should be considered the offensive mVP
carolina DsT – 60 sacks, 20 ints, 4 TDs and
only 237 points allowed
All WAiVeR WiRe TeAm
eagles QB nick Foles – 2,891 yards, 31 TDs,
and only 2 interceptions made Foles a blessing
for anyone who lost a starting QB
Broncos RB knowshon moreno –1,576 Total
yards, 60 catches and 13 TDs – moreno took
over what was a mess of a backfield situation
in Denver and balanced their offensive attack
Rams RB Zach stacy – over 1,100 Total
yards, and 8 TDs made stacy a Godsend for
anyone with an underachieving or injured RB
Browns WR Josh Gordon – 87 catches, 1,737
yards and 9 TDs after missing the first four
games. Gordon will be high on most draft
boards next year
Bears WR Alshon Jeffery – 89 catches, 1,526
yards and 7 TDs were unexpected numbers, ex-
cept for the most diehard of Bears fans, from a
no. 2 receiver
Dolphins Te charles clay – 69 catches 759
yards, 6 TDs and he got rushing yardage as
well
Patriots WR Julian edelman (Flex) – With 105
catches, 1,067 yards and 6 TDs edelman may
not have replaced Wes Welker, but was pretty
close
Bills DsT – 57 sacks, and 27 ints. By the end
of the year, a top 10 DsT
All WAsTeD DRAFT Pick TeAm
Giants QB eli manning – The Giants under-
achieved offensively and manning threw more
picks than touchdowns
colts RB Trent Richardson – After what
Richardson did with woeful Browns, expecta-
tions were high after the trade, but he couldn’t
hold off Donald Brown
Ravens RB Ray Rice –The most reliable of-
fensive player for the super Bowl champs was
under a 1,000 yards of total offense for the
season
cowboys WR miles Austin – With only 24
catches, 244 yards, and no TDs, Austin disap-
pointed as a high powered offense’s no. 2
chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe – his 57 catches,
673 yards and 5 TDs were mostly late in the
season after everyone gave up on him
lions Te Brandon Pettigrew – 41 catches
416 yards, 2 TDs. Did not prosper from the ad-
dition of Reggie Bush and averaged only 29
yards per game
Bills RB cJ spiller (Flex) – After last year’s
breakout season, spiller was a highly sought
commodity who couldn’t keep Fred Jackson off
the field
lions DsT – There was a lot of preseason
hype on the lions DsT and how dominant they
would be, but they don’t crack the top 20
All inJuReD
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers – many teams
lost their way after losing Rodgers for the
whole second half of the fantasy season
Bucs RB Doug martin – martin was a first
tier running back in most draft formats and
didn’t make it through a quarter of the season
Giants RB Davis Wilson – Wilson seemed to
be the heir apparent to Ahmad Bradshaw, but
a poor start, fumblitis and then injury reserve
sunk the Giants running game
Falcons WR Julio Jones – Before the injury,
Jones was leading the league in receptions
and yardage. losing him was a killer for my
team
colts WR Reggie Wayne – Wayne was Andrew
luck’s most reliable target and was on the
verge of another big season
Patriots Te Rob Gronkowski – When Gronk
was there he was a big scoring threat, but just
not there enough
Texans RB Arian Foster (Flex) – A tough year
for the Texans and Foster, who never really
seemed in the form that made him a top two
pick in a lot of leagues
Just a few months down the road and we
will be getting draft prep ready to go. Here’s to
having a great fantasy football season and a
better one to come.
THE FANTASY GEEK
RickHOERNER
35Four Corners SPOrTSdate
410 W. Broadway • Bloomfield
Mon-Sat 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
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“I have headaches daily, dizziness and a dull
pain in my head that won’t go away,” explained
Maestas. “Doctors tell me that there is not any
medicine for my symptoms and only time will
heal.”
“Being a star athlete and then being told that
you are not allowed to play these sports that you
love is pretty devastating for a 14-year old boy,”
said Phyllis Maestas, Lucas’ mom. “Besides the
other symptoms, Lucas was going through de-
pression. What makes it tougher is that people
don’t realize he is suffering because he doesn’t
have a physical wound to show them.”
Enter Coach Frank DeHoyos, the head baseball
coach at Bloomfield High School and a family
friend. Coach DeHoyos encouraged Lucas to
start a website that would tell his story and up-
date it with information for fellow youth athletes,
their parents and coaches.
Taking the advice, Maestas started the web-
site www.livingwithaconcussion.com a little over
four months ago. The site tells Lucas’ story, video
links of other athletes that are dealing with trau-
matic brain injuries, a blog, a parents section,
coach section, symptoms, laws and other facts
related to TBI.
“I just want to help kids and parents under-
stand how serious concussions are,” explained
Maestas. “The goal is to prevent a second con-
cussion from happening or realizing what the
symptoms are after the first concussion. I want
to supply information and steps to take for par-
ents – and for coaches to see a real person with
a real story.
And while the website is telling Lucas’ story,
the concern the Maestas family has for future
player head injury is on the forefront.
“I think that kids are starting to play football
at too young of an age,” said Maestas. “Their
heads are developed but their bodies and necks
can’t support the helmet on their heads. They
look like bobble heads on the field.”
“But coaches have to teach better tackling
techniques so kids learn the right way to tackle,”
continued Maestas. “They need to have their
heads up and not using the helmet to hit another
player.”
“I coached youth football for over 18 years,”
said Eric Maestas, Lucas’ father. “I can tell you
personally it was different watching your own
son get hit – and not just in the head, but hit in
general. Knowing what I know now, I would not
have let Lucas play football after the pool inci-
dent, because it doesn’t have to be a big blow to
the head to cause an injury – every kid is differ-
ent.”
Lucas and his family are hoping that others
who deal with his kind of pain and suffering will
find his website helpful. Lucas also has plans to
talk to legislators and lawmakers to help get bet-
ter concussion laws passed. And he is in favor of
impact testing for all players before they play.
“Impact testing is a series of tests to develop
a baseline level for each individual player,”
stated Maestas. “Then if a player gets hit in the
head, coaches and medical staff can use these
same tests to determine whether or not a player
has suffered a concussion.”
For now, Lucas Maestas is concentrating on
his schoolwork and his website – which has re-
ceived over 2,300 visits in four months. With his
current symptoms he has been unable to partici-
pate in any sports, but hopes that with time his
symptoms will be tolerable enough to get in-
volved in non-contact sports.
“Parents and friends still ask me to this day
why I am not able to play.”
Only time will tell.
For more information on concussions, please
visit Lucas’ website at www.livingwithaconcus-
sion.com
Concussion continued from 35
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