More about my experiences with sports from 6th grade

Yes this is Aaron Craft - one of the  most amazing defensive players ever at OSU - His energy, passion, and tenacity was amazing!  He could not shoot to save his life most of the time!

One of our 6th grade teachers - Mr. Huth began an after school basketball program for our school.  I went once or twice.  I was cautioned about dribbling the ball almost as high as my head.  I was not a bad shooter because I had a net in my side yard and enjoyed shooting baskets.  What I soon discovered was that - in 6th grade I was still only about 4' something - those that were playing basketball were a wee bit taller.  Basketball was one sport I really did enjoy but curse the day I did not grow past 5'4" - or that may have been my sport.  It certainly is one of my favorite sports now.  Just read my Facebook posts from November to March to know I live for basketball.  

I also tried swimming getting on our club swim team when I was in 4th or 5th grade.  This happened because one of my friends from elementary band Joey Edleman was on the team.  I enjoyed the swim team and though I was not to great, I swam anyway.  I really enjoyed diving more.  I spent many hours at Chestmont Swim Club diving off the low board and the 12 ft high board working on various types of dives and trying to perfect them.  I even created a buzz one day when I was up on the high dive and looked like I was going to do some extraordinary back dive.  I had quite a group of on-lookers amassed.  I stretched out the suspense for as long as I could and then as I went to dive - I faced front and just dove in.  I rose out of the water to a tumultuous amount of boos and catcalls!!!  It was really funny.    Sadly our school did not and I guess still does not have a swimming pool.  I was jealous that my cousins, who attended Owen J. Roberts High School, had a pool in their middle school and created a high school team.  Swimming was another one of those sports where you were on your own - but still on a team.  I stayed on the Chestmont swim team until the summer I started high school.  Nine Oaks opened up and many of my friends, including Joey left Chestmont for Nine Oaks and then we did not have enough for a team.  

I just want to point out that the fella 4th from the left with the blonde hair was one of my students - his name is Andrew -  He has a twin brother who also attends Ship and is on the track team.  They are a pretty amazing duo.  His Relay team has had a lot of success!!!

I decided in 7th grade (which turned out to be probably the best school year I had through out my school career) to go out for the track team.  I believe it was at this time I developed my love for running.  It was a sport I could do alone but still be on a team.  One of my elementary teachers told me I could be pretty good, so I figured why not.  I missed being on sports teams with the friends I had made through elementary band and chorus as many of them were now playing sports.  Because I was also the jr. high bands feature baton twirler during marching season, I had also developed a certain amount of speed from running away from the bullies that harassed me and teased me on a regular basis.  

I started on the team and began practice and loved it!!!  We ran miles in awful weather, and I still loved it.  But slowly, as time and practice went on, my shins began to hurt.  The pain was really getting worse the more I ran.  I will never forget my mom, dad, and I were shopping at this discount store up near Pottsgrove High School.  I want to say Two Guys, but I am not sure that is correct.  We were walking around, and the pain in my shins become so severe that I could hardly walk at all.  My father, God Bless him, picked me up and carried me out to our car.  That was a Saturday and Monday afternoon with a heavy heart - I quit track.  I found out that I had shin splits in the worst way.  I also found out from my brother Bob's ex-girl friend Donna Coppenhaver, who was a track and tennis coach at Owen J. Robers, that i was running flat-footed and hence the reason I had shin splits.  

Once my shin splits healed, Donna, who got me through Mr. Miller's Geometry class, worked with me to develop the correct form for running.  It was really great of her, because she was no longer seeing my brother - though I suspect that she was hoping - hell we were all hoping back then.  We loved Donna - but i digress I need to locate the shiny object to regain my focus.  

As I stated earlier - the one sport I probably could have excelled in during the winter was wrestling - but until my brother Bob started teaching at Conestoga Valley and became an assistant wrestling coach, our family did not even know wrestling existed and by this time - it was really too late for me to wrestle in school.  

Sports the early years (Part 2) and why cars and baseball do not work well together

I also got involved in Little League when I was in elementary school.  All the guys were playing and my brother had been the captain of the high school team so it only seemed natural that I would play.  I played for the Indians.  One of my coaches was one of my friend’s father, Mr. White.  Bruce White was the friend.  Mr. White was really nice and encouraging as I recall.  I also recall I did not really understand the game.  What I did understand was that the pitcher tried to make you look like a failure by pitching in a matter that made is impossible to hit the ball.  I did not know why then but I do now - I had ADD and so keeping my eye on the ball was like next to impossible.  If a bird flew by - I was watching it.  So I always prayed for the walk.  I hated hearing “easy out” every time I was up to bat, though the reality is - it was true. 

In my baseball highlight reel I have two tapes.  The first I remember was the night my family was coming to watch me play.  This included my very athletic brother who had been captain now of both his high school and college baseball teams, my other brother, father, and of course my mother.  My mother drove me to the game early for our practice.  As she approached the fence that enclosed the field I thought she was going to pull straight up to the fence and stop - so I had my hand on the door handle of the car ready to jump out.  I believe at the last possible moment, my mother decided to not stop perpendicular to the fence, but rather parallel.  Missing that memo - I opened the car door as my mother swung around the fence stopping just parallel to it.  I flew out of the car - hit the ground and rolled into the fence - which was good because it stopped my forward progress.  Other teammates and coaches viewed my flight through the air and immediate stop at the fence.  My mom jumped out of the car to make sure she had not just accidentally killed her youngest child while my teammates and coaches came to make sure I was still breathing.  Once I was on my feet and still sort of shocked that my mother tried to kill me - the coaches said that if I were too hurt to play that night they would understand.  REALLY????  Was I just suffering from some kind of brain injury or did I just get a free “get out of jail “ card from the coaching staff.  Was this my chance to save face with my family and not have to listen to the ridicule I would undoubtedly face upon striking out every time I was up to bat and for either dropping or missing or both any and all baseballs that came into my vicinity?  

This - I believe was the beginning of my acting career - though unofficial as it was.  I went into immediate limp and shoulder pain - being the brave little boy I was I told my mom and the coaches, “I would give it my best shot to play tonight since my family was finally coming to see me play.”  I went through practice “struggling” and building my case for later in the evening when it was finally time for me to play.  

My mother told my family what had happened but was proud that her little trooper was not going down without a fight and that it was still on.  Everyone arrived and got their folding chairs out.  They kept looking at me to see how I was doing - and with my bravest face I tried to say I had not given up.  If you have read this far you know by now that when the moment of truth came, “So Bill are you able to play tonight?”  I swung my arm very carefully - grimaced my face - thought about it - and then with a sad look on my face said, “I just don’t think I should tonight.”  I was saved!  Completely from total humiliation!  When this was conveyed to my “cheering” section - they packed their belongings and left.  My brothers did not want to waste their valuable time watching a little league that they had no interest in except their brother - who was now sidelined with an unfortunate injury inflected on him by his very own mother!  

There was talk of them attending another game so I had a second chance at the ultimate humiliation - but thankfully it never happened!

The other moment on my highlight real was when I was playing in the field behind first base.  Someone hit a line drive straight to me. I stuck my glove up and the ball miraculously went in.  I was in shock - I stood there and kept repeating the phrase,  "I caught it."  This was happening while the other team was running the bases.  Someone kept yelling, "Throw it home," but I kept showing my glove with the ball in it  and announcing that I had caught it.  Two runs were scored before I finally came out of my "I caught it" trance and threw it home.  

Ok I know this guy is probably a pitcher - but it was difficult finding a picture of a little leaguer throwing from the outfield !!!!