My Dodger season preview

I've only been at it for less than a week, but I feel damn comfortable pulling this stuff out and creating an article for Rant Sports.

I will make it with this one!!

Dodgers' season preview

Status Update on your favorite sports blogger

Greetings, Nutshell Nation!

In an attempt to increase the numbers of my dedicated fan base, I may have recently been neglecting you. This has not been intentional and I certainly apologize for any bruised feelings. Besides, I'm sure you've had better things to do than wait on me. Like scrubbing the grout between your entryway tiles.

As my first, and still number one, set of sports readers, I am pleased to inform you that I've added a couple of gigs to my duties. During my never-ending job searches online, I discovered opportunities to write for other sports blogs where traffic is generated by much larger entities than myself. Duh!
I know, right? What took me so long?

After getting a taste of the "big-time" with the Deseret News prep sports online site, I will ramp that up by contributing to a world-wide sports based website called Rant Sports. The editors at Rant found my writing compelling enough to give me the opportunity to post as a regular feature writer on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This will be a lot of work if I want to get paid--which I will, with your help. I must meet a quota of 30 articles per month plus one slide-show a month in order to receive compensation based on advertising revenues. In other words... I will have to write everyday about the Dodgers to get a few bucks. But hey! I am super excited about the opportunity to be read by a much, much larger audience.

I'm pretty sure, Nutshell Nation, that you guys will be the first to attest that I have no problem writing about sports, especially if based on my own opinions.

Here are the links to the Rant Sports sites where you can find my work on the Dodgers.

Rant Sports MLB Home

Rant Sports L.A. Dodgers Page

Rant Sports Kenny Bristow Author Page

I would sincerely appreciate all of you visiting these pages, if for no other reason than to let the editors at Rant think that I might have a few friends. And in the process, you may learn something about the Dodgers. I have always been a fan of the team and they hold a dear place in my heart from my years living in Los Angeles. My son Jesse and I would go to Chavez Ravine many times a season while he was a pup and those are memories I will cherish forever.

The other sports blogging endeavor I am about to embark on is called Sidelines. This is strictly a sports social site. An online sports bar, if you will, where educated and intelligent sports fans can go to chat, comment or just read opinions about the hottest topics from the sporting landscape.

I am excited about Sidelines for a couple of reasons. The first, it is a start-up. It's a brand new site with a fresh concept I truly believe in. The young fellows who have gotten Sidelines off the ground are pretty inspiring individuals and the fact that they're college educated with backgrounds at Microsoft and Google, bring some respectability to it. It would be cool to look back in a few years and say, hey... I was with them when they got themselves started.

Secondly, it is another golden opportunity to advance my career in online sports journalism. The format is fresh and it is a completely different style of writing, but still requires supreme knowledge of sports and the ability to start and continue conversation using that knowledge.

I find it exciting to have been brought in as an MVP--its called--to contribute in the MLB community.
MVP are writers who start conversations with respectable posts. Again, I will be working for the MLB community. I know! More baseball! But its in my wheeel house, kids.

I urge everyone who would like to discuss their favorite sports team or league to join Sidelines.
It's free and hopefully we can build in into something very mainstream.  Here is the link to that site:

Sidelines

Before closing, I would like to say thanks to everyone who has supported this blog. I will continue to post here. It has been a place for me to write about Wasatch prep sports outside of the other publications I'm working for and a place to throw some other thoughts about sports out there... in a more random and personal way.

Thanks everybody!

Kenny

I'm baa-aaack!

This week marked my return to the editorial department of my one-man department.  I didn't even have to move to a different desk.
I had taken a few weeks off from writing anything for my In A Nutshell column because I've been a little busy.  I decided that was no longer going to be an excuse because I'm always busy.  So I found a little time to whip something up.
Hopefully I'll shake off the rust and get back into a nice cynical groove before you know it.
Anyway... this is how the column turned out in yesterday's Wasatch Wave.
In A Nutshell

Wasps Keep Rolling

The Wasatch soccer team continued its domination on the early season with a rugged victory in Vernal.  I wanted to make it out for the game, as I want to make it to all of Wasatch's games, but my other duties at the Wave prevented that.  I suppose my gasoline card will be a little less dinged up though.

Technology is a wonderful tool nowadays as we all now, and I was able to speak with Coach Wheatley minutes after the game from the sideline and then a little later with Ben Powell.  They gave me tremendous insight on the game and it makes me feel as if I were there.  Well... sort of.

Anyhow, sports lovers... here is my report published this morning on the Deseret News.

And for loyal followers of the Wasatch Wave website, the report can be there as well.

Wasatch basketball reeling in post-season accolades

BY KENNY BRISTOW

Wave Sports Writer

Several weeks after the scoreboard lights in The Nest have been off, the boys and girls basketball teams from Wasatch high school are still receiving applause.

Rebecca MaWhinney, who had a standout season as the lady Wasp’s top player, was selected to play in the Utah Valley All-Star Basketball Classic on Wednesday night at Provo high school.  The senior guard, who has signed to play basketball for Utah Valley University, scored 17 points for the North side in a losing effort.  Read the game report in the Daily Herald Prep Rally.

On Tuesday, the Deseret News announced their boy’s 3A All-State honorees, with a pair of Wasps getting a nod.  Junior point guard, Jeff Murdock was named to the 2^nd Team while senior forward Chris Johnson received an Honorable Mention.

Murdock and Johnson were also both selected to the 1^st team 3A Region 10 team last week.  Senior guard Cooper Ballstaedt was chosen for 2^nd Team in the region. 

Congratulations to all four Wasatch student athletes on their outstanding seasons.

WARM WEATHER WASPS

Wasatch baseball team taking advantage

of early signs of spring

BY KENNY BRISTOW

Wave Sports Writer

It’s Monday afternoon and Wasatch head baseball coach, Mike Shoell is hitting infield to his team.  The boys are energetic and the coach is in good spirits, chirping out instructions to the sounds of popping leather.

This may look and sound like any other early season practice except for one thing – its March 11!

“Never.  Never in my time here have we been on the field this early,” answered Shoell when asked about the nice weather.  “After being in the gym for two months and in the parking lot at the Events Center, this is a great thing for us,” he added.  “Its great for the boys to get out here on their home diamond.”

Head baseball coach, Mike Shoell, barks out instructions to his players as he hits infield.

The Wasps are preparing for Tuesday night’s game at Timpview and Thursday night’s contest against Juab in Nephi.  The team seems pretty excited about the season ahead even after a long weekend in St. George where they played in the Pizza Hut Classic.

Shoell likes to take his teams to St. George every spring to open up their season and get in some good weather baseball.  This year they may have done better staying in Heber.  One of their games was cancelled and the schedule for the entire tournament was shifted around due to rain.

Coach Shoell is confident in his defense as two Wasps work at turning a double play in practice.

Saturday night, however, after rains cancelled their afternoon match, they were blanked by Dixie 7-0 closing out their tournament with a third place overall finish.  “We did some good things, but have many things to work on too,” said Shoell.  “It’s good to get the first ones out of the way.  I know the guys are looking forward to getting the season rolling.”

Casey Peterson, shown here taking ground balls at 3rd base, will also pitch for the Wasps .

Wasatch will rely heavily this season on a deep pitching staff.  According to Shoell, who is entering his 11^th season with Wasatch, this year’s squad has five or six guys who can start on the hill.  In addition to Kelley, Mason Holmes, Casey Peterson, Tagg Baxter, Jackson Hermanson along with a few others will be counted on to pitch.  Colton Post made a strong bid for a closer’s role as he finished both games down in St. George.

“We’ve got some good athletes on this team,” Shoell pointed out.  “We’ll be really good in the field and hopefully make some big plays on the bases,” he added.  “Our hitting wasn’t quite there in St. George, but it’ll come.  Once we get guys like Todd Ogilvie healthy and producing big with the bats, we’ll be in good shape.”

Todd Ogilvie, who catches and plays right field will be counted on to swing a big bat this season for Wasatch.

Wasatch opens its home schedule on March 19^th against Orem and on the 20^th against Payson in a tournament that will earn them at least one game at Brent Brown Park at UVU on the 23^rd.

Hop, skip and jump

Earlier this week I had the privilege of hanging out in Wright-Tree Stadium on the Wasatch high school campus to get some coverage of the Wasp track and field team.  It was a beautiful Monday afternoon. The temperature was warm and the sun was shining.  The mounds of snow that had covered the landscape for the past few months were now tiny piles hiding in the shaded corners.  It was, in essence, a perfect day for the kids who compete on the Wasatch track team to get out and stretch their legs.

No other sport is like track and field.  It is a team sport, but it comprised of individual performance...  much like wrestling.  Only in wrestling, all the players are doing the same thing, just at different weights.  In t & f, everybody's got their own thing going on.  Groups, small and large, gathered in different areas discussing technique with coaches and amongst themselves.  Individuals racing around the track accompanied by only their thoughts and internal stop watches.  Separately, they are all working towards the same goal:  recording the fastest time or the farthest distance in order to earn a chance to compete for the team.

Taking in this environment, of course, reminded me of my track and field days.  There were only a few of those days, but I do remember them.  It was in elementary school.  I was in the 7th grade at Perry Heights and now eligible to participate on the 7th and 8th grade track team.  I was not fast, as in sprinter fast... and I was definitely not a distance runner.  This made me a perfect candidate for events like the 660 and 880.  Now before I go on, and this will sting a little bit to say, but this was so long ago that track events were still measured in yards.

The problem was, as it always was with me and sports, I didn't like to run.  I was never fast enough to win races against friends and I always seemed to let that pain in my side shut me down when it came to running a long way.  We didn't have shot put or discus or javelin.  Our field events, back in these roman times, were pole vault, high jump, long jump and triple jump.  Triple jump?

Leave it to me to gravitate towards something I had never heard of.  The lone event that our track coach had to persuade kids to compete in.  But not me.  I actually asked, Mr. Givens, to teach me the finer techniques of the triple jump.  The memory of the expression on his face has since gotten fuzzier, but I remember the feeling of that moment.  "You?  Bristow?  The triple jump?," he asked.  Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I replied, "yes."  Fuzzy or not, one can never a forget a coaches eyes rolling back or the slumping of his shoulders, and especially not the mumbling of the words, "c'mon Bristow."

Over to the long jump pit we went where I was exposed to, looking back now, the weirdest field event probably ever created.  Way farther back from the sand pit, long before the long jump line, and I can't remember exactly how far back that was, was a line to launch from in the triple jump.  My first thought was that no human being could leap from this line and land in the sand pit.  I can't remember if I verbalized that or not, but if I did I'm sure it garnered another eye roll.

Mr. Givens called over an 8th grader who showed me just how to execute the triple jump.  From that line, a country mile from the pit, you were to hop... skip... then jump, launching yourself into the void.
It only looked awkward until you tried it.  Then it actually became as awkward as it looked.  But, with the unpopularity of the event and my lack of any other athletic gift to give to the Perry Heights 7th and 8th grade track team, it was my big chance to make the squad.

For the next two weeks, I stayed after school and mastered the triple jump.  I earned the third spot on the team behind two 8th graders and over a good friend who outdistanced me once, but didn't tell the coach.  He was already in every event, so the triple jump was not going to enhance his resume.

The city meet came and I took my turns and I was eliminated in the first round.  Even though there was some disappointment that day, I was satisfied to have made the short journey.  I've long since forgotten the exact technique on how to triple jump, so coaching or speaking about the event at banquets is out of the question.

Today, the track and field universe is much safer with Wasatch coach, Brad Foster leading the way and me just writing about it.  Here is the Wasp's season preview I wrote for the Wasatch Wave and of course contributed to the Deseret News online.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865575100/High-school-track-and-field-Wasatch-Wasps-hope-to-hit-the-ground-running-this-spring.html

  

More Teams Need a Little Yeti

I usually don't repost stuff.  My mouth is too big and I am too opinionated for that.

But... as you know my kid is playing ball at Nicholls State University - all the way down in Thibodeux, Louisiana.  Tonight he sent me a text with this link.

When I read the article, it hit me... I've been tweeting during the Colonel's games with Yeti!  Why... we practically old friends!

Enjoy this wacky repost!

http://www.collegebaseballlineup.com/interwebs/5th-inning-yet/

Wasatch Softball 2013 Preview

With a rebuilding year ahead, girls will focus 

on learning and having fun

BY KENNY BRISTOW

Last season the girl’s softball team from Wasatch high school was loaded with senior talent.  They were an experienced group who had been playing together for three school years and some of them on numerous summer teams.  That is why they went 16-6 in the regular season and won four games in the 3A tournament before being eliminated by state runner-up Spanish Fork.

This year will be different.  Eight players from last year’s team have graduated leaving the Wasps with only three seniors for this season.  Head coach Gary Roberts will rely on those three for some leadership and experience, but he will be looking towards the future by fielding a line-up of mostly juniors.  He will even be putting a few sophmores in key positions.

Head coach Gary Roberts hits deep fly balls to outfielders during the lady Wasps first day of practicing outdoors.

 

“We’re not mailing it in,” said Roberts, “but we’re also being realistic.  I can see us having a season like Magnusson’s (head coach of the boy’s varsity basketball team), having a tough preseason, but getting it figured out and putting together a run in region,” he added.  “I don’t know if we can win state, but we’d like to put ourselves in position to be competitive.  We’ve got a lot of work to do with this group, but it is

going to be fun,” the coach said.

Senior catcher Renee Fagg, coming off a stellar campaign in 2012 and already committing herself to play softball for Snow College, will be relied on by Roberts and assistant coach, Clint Kelson, to lead the younger group.  Ashlynn Davis and Katelyn Baird are the other two seniors who will start a lot of games for the lady Wasps and be expected to contribute.  

A Wasatch outfielder shows perfect form while bringing in a fly ball.

Tristen Bills, background, is one of many juniors who will have to fill multiple roles vacated by eight graduated seniors.

Juniors Hailey Hardman, in her first year at Wasatch, and Tristen Bills, who are coming off nice basketball seasons for Wasatch, will help shore-up a lineup that hopes to gain some cohesiveness defensively.  Six other juniors, led by Tianna Christensen, Breanna Meyer, Keasha Thompson and Shayla Weyerman will step up to fill holes left vacant by last year’s team.

Sophmores Jensen Baker and Marissa Childs are just a couple of the underclassmen who will see a lot of time on the diamond.

“I actually like our potential – I like our infield,” Kelson commented.  “If we can take it one out at a time, we’ll be fine.  Where we may lack some on defense this year, we can make up on offense,” he added.  “We’ve got some girls who can swing it.  Hopefully that will keep us in some games.”

Assistant coach Clint Kelson explains infield strategy to his young group of Wasps.

The young lady Wasps begin their season today at Stansbury, and pick it up next week with back to back games, Tuesday at Juab and Wednesday in their home opener against Provo.