Nado Natterings
A weekly column by David Axelson

1 July 2009 Issue #26

Last week the 10th Annual eponymously-named Axey Awards appeared on these pages. Although it pains me to admit it, the otherwise well-crafted column had three mistakes that need to be corrected. Paul Pedrotty and Cotter Stacy were both correctly listed as outstanding athletes, but in the wrong class. Both are members of the recently graduated senior class, not juniors as we noted. Also Will Funk competed in cross country and lacrosse, not track in the spring. However, CHS Head Track Coach George Green probably could have found several events for Will to compete in for the Islanders.
My apologies to the athletes involved. My intentions were honorable, however my execution was a shade off kilter. 
Coronado Middle School High Jumper In Over Her Head
One of the fun parts of this job is passing along news of when an exceptional athlete from Coronado does well in competition. We have a candidate for that designation in rising Coronado Middle School eighth grader Abigail Callahan. George Green (note seamless transition from previous item) provides the background information.
“Last weekend at the USA Track and Field Region-15 Track and Field Championships held at Cerritos College, Abigail Callahan, bested the rest of the youth high jump field by six inches.  Her leap of 1.63 meters (5 feet 4.17 inches) is one of the best, if not the best, marks in the country for her age group this year.
In fact if she were old enough to be enrolled in high school, her high jump would have been the best mark in the CIF San Diego Section and would have placed her eighth at the high school state meet. To top it off she won the pole vault competition held the next day, an event she's still learning, with a mark of 8 feet 1 inch.
The top three from each event qualify for the National Junior Olympic Championships to be held at Greensboro North Carolina during the last week of July. Callahan plans to compete in both events. It's also worthy of note that she's at the bottom of her age group, so she'll be able to compete in the same youth division again next year. She’ll also be taller than her current height of 5-3 so presumably she’ll jump even higher.
 On a different subject summer Cross Country training is underway. We have our entire CIF Champion varsity girls' team from last year returning, fortified with several new runners. However, we're still looking for more runners for the boys' team. If you're interesting in running cross country this fall please visit our website at Islandertrack.com.”
Boys Basketball Competes Over the Summer
Last weekend the Coronado High School Boys Varsity Basketball Team entered the UCSD Basketball Tournament at the RIMAC Center.  Teams from Southern California, Nevada and Arizona were entered in the event. 
The Islanders lost to a squad from Arizona in their tournament opener, but then won four straight games against teams from Redlands, Montebello from the Los Angeles area, Arizona,  and then earned a come-from-behind victory over Canyon Crest High School. 
The Islanders earned the right to play Poway High School in the championship game of the gold bracket and fell just short down the stretch to the Division I powerhouse.  Guards Justin Hebner and Danny Hebert led the scoring for the Islanders, which lost four seniors and two juniors from last season's CIF quarterfinals team.  
New Head Coach JD Laaperi has expanded the spring and summer playing schedule, which now includes participation in a Wednesday night league at Hoover High School, as well as a tournament at Point Loma Nazarene University July 10-11 (3:30 pm against Mira Mesa and 7:15 pm against Maranatha Christian).  An additional tournament has been scheduled for the last week in July at West Hills High School in Santee.
The Lighter Side of Baseball
As followers of this column may remember, Your Natterer is a third-generation Chicago Cub baseball fan, and as such, I spent a too large portion of last Saturday watching the latest installment of the cross town Cubs vs. White Sox rivalry. As an aside, if you ever meet anyone who claims to be both a Cubs and a White Sox fan, they are either yanking your chain or they aren’t really fans of either team.
In the middle of Saturday’s game, the White Sox leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik attempted to steal second base, beat the throw, but slid past the bag. The Cub shortstop alertly stayed with the play (which is a story in itself) and according to second base umpire Derryl Cousins, tagged Podsednik out for being off the base.
So far, this is stuff you learn in Little League, or at least watching games with your father on television. Cousins was wearing a microphone on the Fox Sports national telecast, and Podsednik was taped asking, “Is that why you are here, to make that call?” The implication being that Cousins should overlook this seemingly minor infraction.
Podsednik has played in the Major Leagues for nine years and in more than 800 games and apparently thought umpires were sprinkled sporadically around the field to look good.
When I worked in the NBA, the running gag in the front office was that giving players a copy of the rule book at the beginning of each season was a waste of paper. Apparently the same concept applies in baseball.
2009 CHS Football Schedule Announced
Looking at the calendar it’s the beginning of July, so clearly it’s time for a little Islander Football news. The Islander Varsity begins their season with a scrimmage at San Ysidro High School, slated for Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 pm.
The first regular season game is played on the road against Kauai High School in Hawaii on Sept. 4. The following week there is a bye in the schedule.
Then the regular season picks up steam with a game Friday, Sept. 18 at Laguna Beach, followed by the first of only four home games this season, a Friday Sept. 25th tilt against Olympian. The annual grudge match against Central League foe Madison is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2. This year the Islanders will host this game, which had often determined the league champion.
Then Coronado goes on the road for three straight games, including Oct. 9 at San Diego; Saturday, Oct. 17 at Santa Fe Christian at 1 pm; and Friday, Oct. 23 at Crawford at 3 pm.
The Islanders return for back-to-back home games with Homecoming against Kearny on Oct. 30, followed by Clairemont Nov. 6. The regular season concludes at Morse Friday, Nov. 13 with a game at 2:30 pm.
Tomlinson Adds ‘Mad Hops’ to Repertoire
Over the weekend I was perusing the ‘USA Today’ website (alright, I was watching the Cubs lose to the White Sox again, while looking for story ideas) and I came across an Associated Press story out of Ft. Worth, Texas about Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The piece went into some detail about Tomlinson’s off-season workout regimen, I’m not old, I’ve still got it, there’s more to prove, etc.
At the midpoint of the piece was the following paragraph. “Tomlinson said his energy level is still high and that he works out as hard as he always has. He insists there are no lingering aches and pains and has even another reason to know that his legs are still good. ‘I can still jump pretty high, can still dunk the basketball,” the 5-10 Tomlinson said. “If I can’t dunk anymore, it’s going downhill.”
Forget the 11,760 career yards rushing and the 141 career touchdowns, a muscular 5-10 guy dunking a basketball is news.
July 4th  15K Run, 5K Run/Walk Race Less Than Two Weeks Away
Here’s your final reminder that the Independence Day 15K Run and 5K Run/Walk will be held Saturday, July 4. The 15K portion of the race starts at 7 am and the 5K usually goes off at 7:10 am. The start and finish lines for both races is in Tidelands Park.

This is the largest fundraising event annually for the Islander Sports Foundation, with the proceeds from the race inuring to the benefit of the sports teams at Coronado High School and Coronado Middle School.
Race registration is $35 on July 4. The event is sponsored by the Unified Port District of San Diego, with contributing sponsors including EDCO Disposal and Sports Authority.
Wednesday from 5-7 pm at the Sports Authority at 7725 Balboa Avenue in San Diego, former American mile record holder and Track and Field Hall of Famer Steve Scott will be on hand to sign autographs. This is also an opportunity for you to register for the race ahead of time, and pick up both your race T-shirt and bib number.
If you are interested in participating in either of the races, you may also register online at www.kathyloperevents.com or call 619-298-7400 for additional information.
Water Polo Alumni Games Set for Sunday, July 5th
Coming up July 5th are the Annual CHS Water Polo Alumni Games, which feature past stars from the program playing against next year’s high school varsity. This year, the two-time defending CIF Champion Girls Water Polo Team will play their game at 11 am and the CHS Boys Water Polo Team will play at noon.
The event will be played at the Brian Bent Memorial Aquatics Complex. There will also be an opportunity for children to splash around in the smaller, warmer instructional pool during this event. For additional information, please contact Coach Randy Burgess at rburgess@znet.com.