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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 2018)
8 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018 Tip for coaching kids’ basketball: Bring jelly donuts Ned Hickson As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not very athletic. I made this real- ization in the third-grade, when I was knocked unconscious 32 times playing dodge ball. After that first game, I remember waking up in the nurse’s office and being told of a special program for “gifted” athletes who were so spe- cial they got to wear a football hel- met during recess. Of course, I eventually figured out there was no “special athletes program,” and openly expressed my feelings of betrayal when I slammed my helmet on the desk of my high school counselor. After which I was taken to the March from 1A According to many partici- pants, the main reason for the march was the ongoing belief that U.S. President Donald Trump does not represent their values and may indeed be act- ing against women’s interests and those of the country. The primary organizers of the 2018 march are a group of people affiliated with the Florence ORganizes (FOR), an action group formed last year in response to the elec- tion of Trump. FOR was instrumental in the 2017 Women’s March. According to some mem- bers of FOR, many of the president’s policies are divi- sive and fundamentally at odds with American values. Stephanie Spradling, Internal Communication Coordinator for FOR, spoke to the motivation for this year’s march. “We are very concerned with what is taking place in our democracy. The Trump administration is taking a more authoritarian position on issues that are fundamental to our democracy and he is undermining institutions like the Department of Justice, the CIA and the FBI,” she said. “We are also extremely con- cerned that Trump lies con- stantly, seemingly about any- thing, and we believe he is try- ing to muddy the waters sur- rounding the FBI investigation Remodel from 1A One of the needs the stu- dents voiced was for a gather- ing place during breaks. Currently, the students mainly congregate in the halls during lunch and before and after school. “That was the one thing they really wanted because they didn’t have their own space,” said O’Mara. “So, the architects helped us design a new student area that’s about the size of a classroom that will be student friendly. It actually will exit out on the courtyard.” Another problem the high school students faced was with food service. Currently, students have to trek across campus to get lunch on the upper campus where the ele- mentary is located. “We’ll be delivering lunch (at the high school) and have an area that we serve food out of. That area is also across from the gym, so it can serve a dual purpose as a conces- sion stand for volleyball and basketball games,” O’Mara said. Along with upgrades inside the building, the outside of the high school will have a very different look. Visit the Siuslaw News online at WWW.THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM hospital with a broken finger. I live with the memory of being an unathletic child on a daily basis. Particularly when I look in the mir- ror and see a man whose head still fits into a third-grade football hel- met. For this reason, many years ago when my daughter asked me to coach her fourth-grade basketball team, I smiled, took her hand and began faking a seizure. I panicked at the thought of providing guid- ance to a team of fourth-grade girls, any one of whom could take me to the hole. Of course, that didn’t matter to my daughter; she just wanted Dad to coach her team. Knowing this attitude would eventually change (possibly by the end of our first practice), I made the decision to put aside my own petty fears and be her team’s coach. In addition, I also put aside some petty cash for psychological treat- ment later. To prepare myself as coach, I read books about fundamental bas- ketball skills. I talked with other coaches. I installed a tiny basketball hoop over the trashcan in my office. Before long, I had gained confi- dence knowing that with hard work and determination, someone would be able to undo the damage I was doing. For our first practice, we worked on free throws and lay-ups. I chose these areas because, as everyone knows, they are the most common — and easiest ways — of scoring a basket. Unless you are me. As it turns out, repeatedly send- ing a wad of paper through a six- inch hoop over your trashcan does- n’t mean you’ll be able to sink a regulation basketball from the free throw line. Particularly if your entire team and most of its parents are watching, in some cases using their iPhones to send live images to friends while laughing hysterically. Confident that I had taught my team an important lesson in deter- mination, humility and the value of having a “shared minutes” plan, we moved on to lay-ups. It was at this point I asked parents to please put their phones away. In addition to the distraction it was causing, there were also safety issues to consider since many par- ents had now moved under the backboard to get a better angle. When practice ended a week later (okay, but it felt like a week) we joined hands and reached an impor- tant understanding as a team: The coach has no “game.” Apparently, my players didn’t see this as a problem. What mattered to them most was whether I could be trusted, as their coach, to coordinate the snack rotation. I assured them I could, and things went pretty well; they brought “game,” and I brought jelly donuts. This year, my wife is joining me in coaching first- and second-graders at our local Boys and Girls Club. Hopefully between the two of us — and given the fact that the rim is at eye level — we can bring “game.” But I’m bringing jelly donuts anyway, just in case. (Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation. Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St., Florence, Ore. 97439) into his ties with Russia. We believe this is a danger to our democracy.” Saturday morning started out gray and chilly, but by the time the march began at 11 a.m., there was just a slight curtain of precipitation drift- ing down. Patches of blue were visible in the sky as the upbeat group began the short walk up to Highway 101 and back down Rhododendron Street. The age of the participants ranged from infants to octoge- narians, with many marchers wearing pink and purple. There were about half the peo- ple from the inaugural year. One thing that became clear during this year’s march was a more pointed concern about the president and the policies he supports. This is opposed to last year, when organizer Nin Bebeau said, “He is there to give us a wake up call, but this is not about Trump. This is about women. This is the time for us to make our voices heard and for us to be responsible for our own ideas, goals and what we think is best for the country. We are not against Donald Trump, we are for women’s empowerment.” Spradling said that this year, millions of people across the country, across the world and across the political spec- trum were protesting the poli- cies and behavior of the presi- dent. One of the major issues ing people in power account- able — the press.” Another marcher, Bonnie Costa, carried a sign that supported freedom of the press. “I went to the Women’s March because I had recently seen the movie ‘The Post.’ It reminded me that our free- doms can be lost if we do not act to protect them,” Costa said. FOR member Eileen Angilletta gave a speech at the beginning of the march to “remind everyone of the progress women made during 2017.” MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS “We have encouraged peo- “We had women, men, children and even dogs marching,” said FOR member Eileen ple here in town to get involved locally by attending Angilletta about Saturday’s Women’s March in Florence. town halls and other events,” concerning the marchers was rights. One of these was a retired Angilletta said. “Smaller the current standoff surround- “I felt it important to attend school administrator who has groups have come out of the ing DACA (Deferred Action the march to show solidarity been the recipient of hostility larger group of FOR to for Childhood Arrivals) legis- with women in their struggle and threats while peacefully address local issues such as lation and the need to resolve for equal rights,” Preisler said. holding signs of protest on plastic recycling, beach clean the issue with respect for other “This includes choice, health- local street corners. ups and much more. I believe cultures and the people care, pay equity and the recent This man expressed concern that our community is more impacted by the controversy. publicity about how work- that the current president is informed now in 2018 due to “We are marching after place sexual abuse is prevalent eroding the freedoms inherent people getting involved.” being in consultation with in our society. By my partici- in the U.S. democracy and When asked what broader women’s groups from across pation, I wanted to show that debasing the office he holds. message march organizers the country and across the many men are aware of their “America used to be the wanted to share with the com- world,” Spradling said. “There struggle and stand in full sup- shining city on a hill,” the pro- munity, the answer from are sisters across this nation port of their issues.” tester said. “In addition, much Spradling was clear. that are very concerned with Another topic that con- of that allure had to do with “When we start dividing what is taking place in our cerned marchers was the pres- the First Amendment, freedom people into groups and turn- democracy and they want their ident’s continuing actions of speech and the independent ing them against each other voices to be heard.” against the press and the First nature of our press. This pres- for political reasons, that is Florence City Councilor Amendment to the U.S. ident does not seem to recog- wrong and it is un-American,” Ron Preisler attended the Constitution. nize this essential component she said. “That is why we march not to protest the presi- When asked to elaborate on of our democracy and continu- marched in Florence and why dent, but to support the more these issues, several marchers ally denigrates one or our millions of us marched across overarching issue of women’s asked to remain anonymous. most important means of hold- the country.” “The glass blocks will be gone,” O’Mara said. “New siding, new windows. The front will look different because the classrooms com- ing out of the library will have an exit. There will be more exits out.” A vestibule at the entrance will be installed, allowing an extra level of security for the students. The entry door will be unlocked, but visitors will need to check in with the front office before they can access the rest of the building. Work is also being done to make the school seismically safe. Despite all the changes, O’Mara and the designers worked hard to ensure the charm of the original building will not be lost. “The characteristics that make Mapleton ‘Mapleton’ will remain,” O’Mara said. “The anchor will be staying. The senior bench is still going to still be the senior bench, it’s just going to be more cen- trally located near the student commons. The characteristics that make this the Mapleton school will remain.” Ultimately, O’Mara hopes that the changes to the school will not only benefit the stu- dents, but the community as a whole. The little-used junior high school will be converted to a community center, where the public can come in, use high-speed internet and hold meetings. Other plans are in the work for the building, including a space for mental health services for students, with the eventual goal of cre- ating a community healthcare space. “The school in Mapleton, and I think in any community, is the heart of the communi- ty,” O’Mara said. The project is scheduled to be completed by graduation of this year, which will mark the end of the construction bond. Brand New to the Market!! Call to see today! SANDPINES 2ND FAIRWAY $439,500 NORTH FORK ACREAGE $469,000 W. OLD TOWN BUNGALOW $214,900 1889 CLASSIC COUNTRY HOME $190,000 TENMILE LAKEFRONT $198,000 EXECUTIVE HOME W/APT & SHOP $849,000 “We’re next to the Bridge” 100 Hwy. 101 See all Florence Listings at COAST REAL ESTATE cbcoast.com 541-997-7777 APPROXIMATELY 1 OUT OF EVERY 3 HOMES SOLD IN 2017 WAS A COLDWELL BANKER COAST LISTING! CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.
