To the sports editor — The boys basketball event May 4-6 was so well planned. The refs were good and the order perfect.

The timing of events was perfect. The results were posted shortly after each event. If you want to know how to run a perfect tourney, come to Yakima.

KIETH MILLER

Sunnyside

To the sports editor — Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link — so too is a track meet only as successful as the volunteers who make it happen. The participants are the main focus of the competition, but the competition among athletes is without order if not for the many volunteers involved with running the meet.

We would like to thank these tireless volunteers for making the Naches/Riverside Invitational track meet on May 4 at Naches such a success. Typically it takes over 40 volunteers to run a track meet — clerks, starters, timers, measurers, pit crews , announcers, computer input, concessions, gate collection and the list goes on. Hats off to these hardy volunteers who we desire to convey a sincere note of appreciation.

It is your support of track and field at Naches and Riverside Christian high schools that allow us to host a meet that all involved are honored to attend. There were many coaches from the 19 attending schools who congratulated both schools for hosting the meet and asked if they could be invited to next year’s meet. Well done and thanks to all who volunteered.

LONNIE BLANCHARD

Track and field coach
Naches Valley High School

To the sports editor — I remember the late San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau vividly as a true gentlemen on and off the field. Seau visited the now-decommissioned USS Kitty Hawk in San Diego at the North Island Naval Air Station several years ago, before the aircraft carrier was deployed to Japan.

Junior Seau arrived and charged aboard the carrier exhibiting friendship and goodwill to everyone he came in contact with. The NFL icon encouraged everyone and signed autographs and was very affable with people. He also took the time to sign autographs at Marine Corp Recruit Depot and Marine Corp Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif. Seau was never arrogant, conceited or condensending; he was a friendly person to everyone.

Seau committed suicide probably because of hopelessness and helplessness and that is a tragedy for everyone. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem and everyone needs to be vigilant to prevent this ongoing tragedy. Suicide prevention is another form of restoring hope that has been lost. It’s a tragedy that such a colorful and animated man like Seau took his own life.

The Greek philosopher Democritus said: “Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold; feeling of happiness resides in the soul.”

ROBERT ALLEN WRIGHT
Yakima

To the sports editor — On April 21st and 22nd, the NWAACC Crossover Softball Tournament was held at Gateway Sports Complex at Kiwanis Park. There were 21 women’s college fastpitch teams in the tournament, which consisted of 42 games.

The tournament was very well received by the teams, and the spectators. Many people contributed to the success of the tournament. Trudy Bray, who was the tournament manager, did a wonderful job of coordinating many aspects of the tournament; volunteer scorekeepers, apples for the teams, recycling containers, handing out team packets, and many other ongoing tournament issues. Carol Finney, Louise Adams, Becky Turner, Terri Lamb and Sharon and Homer Applegate all volunteered to run scoreboards.

Kelsie Owen, the YVCC athletic trainer, was there the entire time, providing care to the athletes. She was assisted by YVCC’s student trainer, Danielle Whitworth, and a student trainer from CWU, Francesca Leyland. Noel Cisneros also helped by providing five water coolers to provide water in the dugouts.

Bill Wells and Tami Andringa, of the Yakima Parks and Recreation Department, did a wonderful job of coordinating the set-up of the park and the maintenance of the fields. The maintenance crews did a super job of prepping the fields before each game.

Rich Austin, and Mike Carey, of the Yakima Sports Commission, and Dale Hefflinger of the Best Western Ahtanum Inn, were very helpful with the coordination of motels for the teams and officials.

Jim Adrian, the assigning official for the umpires, did a wonderful job of scheduling the umpires along with evaluating the umpires during the tournament.

The Tournament had the theme, “Swinging for a Cure: Breast Cancer Awareness”. Wellness House from Yakima was there both days, providing information and merchandise about breast cancer. I want to thank Margarette Filkins, Eunice Koeppe, and Amy Zook for their time and involvement with the tournament.

Brianna Bischof, the YVCC Athletic Secretary, was extremely helpful. She put together the tournament programs and the team packets.

The tournament was successful, and it will be back again next year. Thanks to all of the people who helped run a successful tournament.

CHUCK BODEEN

Fastpitch Coach

Yakima Valley Community College

To the sports editor — I wish to express my appreciation to the Yakima Valley Sports Commission for once again putting on four terrific state basketball tournaments this past week.

Yakima and the Yakima Valley SunDome continue to be the best venue to hold these tournaments. The volunteers, floor personnel, local businesses, SunDome staff and the various team sponsors do an outstanding job.

The tournament experience for students, parents, fans and coaches is a positive one due to the countless hours you put into making the tournament run smoothly. To Mel Moore and all of his volunteers — Thank you!

I would also like to thank the East Valley community for their incredible support throughout the season and especially last week at the State Tournament. Your attendance helped make this a memorable week for the young people currently in our program. We appreciate your efforts.

Finally, thank you to our team for the exciting season. As a group of young people, you went about your business the right way. On and off the floor, in and out of the classroom, you have been successful. Your 3.8 team GPA & your second place finish at state show the type of people you have become. I am honored to have been your coach.

ROBI RAAB

East Valley High School girls basketball coach

The world was watching Pirates ||

To the sports editor — Though I would have liked to see the state championship capped off with a high-flying dunk (I’m looking at you, David Trimble) I cannot express how proud I am today to call myself a Davis Pirate. For all the guys on the team: Celebrate. With first-hand knowledge of what goes into Coach Juarez’s grueling practices I can say with confidence that you’ve earned it.

While you celebrate, realize that you won a championship not just for yourselves, or your coaches, or even the city of Yakima. On March 3 you won the championship for every person around the country who calls themselves a Davis Pirate. I am positive that, like myself, there were countless others around the country watching you play, yelling at their computer screens and getting more nervous with every passing minute. Whether you know it or not, thousands of us who did not have the privilege of watching you play in person are now scattered around the country doing the Davis Rumble and grinning from ear to ear.

To the 2012 Washington state champions, their coaches, families and fans: congratulations from all Davis Pirates, wherever we may be.

ANDREW CLAUSON

San Francisco

Whole Davis team deserves praise ||

To the sports editor — Thank you, Scott Spruill, sports writer for the Yakima Herald-Republic, for the outstanding coverage of the A.C. Davis High School 2011-12 basketball state Class 4A championship. In past basketball seasons, there have been comments that Davis basketball did not get equal press coverage compared to their cross-town rival.

Also, thank you to the 2011-12 A.C. Davis basketball team as a whole team. The whole team is the state Class 4A basketball champions. To the starting five players, thank you. A very special thank you to the seven remaining players who came to practice all season and may not have been played in the games as much as they would have liked. It took all of you young men to get to the playoffs and become the championship team that you are. No one can take that away from you. Thank you Davis basketball.

GILBERT B. CHANDLER

Yakima

To the sports editor — On behalf of Wapato High School and the Wapato community, I welcome West Valley High School to the Central Washington Athletic Conference.

We look forward to renewing our spirited rivalry we shared as members of the former Mid-Valley League.

The inclusion of West Valley to the CWAC will have a positive impact to our league. West Valley offers state of the art facilities, full squads in all programs, a highly competitive spirit, quality coaches and solid administration. Joe Coscarart, West Valley Athletic Director, is as fine as they come. His experience, enthusiasm and passion for high school athletics will be a great addition to our already successful and cooperative league membership.

Again, welcome West Valley to the CWAC!

DON L. ERICKSON

District Athletic Director

Wapato Public Schools

West Valley should stay 3A || 

To The sports editor — I’m writing to let you know I feel the West Valley Rams have absolutely no business in the CWAC.

These are smaller schools the Rams will be competing against. It’s not fair for some schools. Most people I talk to about this feel the same way.

Keep West Valley where it belongs: 3A.

SAMUEL GARCIA

Prosser

To the editor — It’s so disappointing to pick up the sports page and see absolutely nothing about the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas which ran from Dec. 1 through Dec. 10. Yakima and the Lower Valley are well represented by rodeo enthusiasts, not to mention our own Washingtonians who qualified and are participating in this great event. The TV/radio info does not even list the NFR on GAC daily (three showings actually), which is available to Charter, Dish and Direct TV subscribers. Come on Yakima Herald-Republic, get with the program!

KRIS BROWN

Selah

To the sports editor — On Sept. 28 the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum inducted its class of 2011 and I and the rest of my 1984 national champion football teammates from Linfield College were enshrined.

Reflecting back to the 1974-78 football years at Highland High in which we were everyone else’s homecoming game, and those long bus rides home, I cannot help but feel blessed and thankful that even during a losing drought, the coaches still made the game fun enough for me to want to continue playing.

I would like to thank all the people who made this moment happen and to my father, who couldn’t be there this time.

ROB CALHOON
Yakima

To the sports editor — On behalf of the Parker Youth & Sports Foundation, I wish to express our gratitude to the Yakima Seniors Golf Tournament committee for designating the foundation as the beneficiary of their fourth annual tournament, held in May. Committee chairman Rich Hilfiker along with Jim Gosney, Ross Arbuckle, Dave Desmarais and Jeff Shaw have organized an annual event for Valley senior golfers that is growing year by year as evidenced by this year’s 120 players, and we thank the players as well.

The PY&SF is dedicated to the support of youth sports programs and the preservation of parks and sports facilities in the Yakima Valley. In the six years since the formation of the foundation, 13 youth programs have received grants; scholarships have been created at Yakima Valley Community College; funds have been donated to the Yakima Rotary Trust in support of playing fields for youth activities; and an endowment fund of over $150,000 has been created in honor of coaches Chuck “Bobo” Brayton and Bill Faller. The foundation crossed the $100,000 mark this year in giving back to the community. None of this would be possible without the donations from our loyal supporters, such as the Yakima Senior Golfers. Their $2,000 donation will be well invested in the youth sports programs of Yakima,

The PY&SF just completed its own major fundraising golf tournament and Legends Reunion at which over $20,000 was raised. Contributors and sponsors are too numerous to acknowledge here, but our thank you notes are going out to over 70 contributors and sponsors of the tournament.

Thank you to all and if not a Parker Partner, consider our invitation to become involved with the Parker Youth and Sports Foundation. Kids are a very good investment.

JERRY WARD
President, Parker Youth and Sports Foundation

Knights say thanks for breakfast ||

To the sports editor — On behalf of the Sunnyside Christian boys basketball team, I would like to express a sincere thank you to the gentleman (whose name we did not discover) from Selah (who was headed to the Grass Valley, Ore., raceway to practice some driving with his Corvette) who unknown to us at that moment, paid for our team breakfast at a main street cafe in Moro, Ore., while we were attending a tournament at Sherman County High School.

Thank you again, sir, for your act of kindness; the boys were truly grateful for the meal and thankful for your generosity.

DEAN WAGENNAR
Sunnyside Christian boys basketball coach

To the sports editor — May 6 marked the first Naches Valley/Riverside Christian Invitational track meet at Highland High School in Cowiche.

A total of 11 teams participated (including the host teams). Thank you to the more than 50 volunteers who made this meet a success. From the gatekeepers to the starters, field-event recordkeepers, event judges, finish-line timers and concessions to name a few.

Track is a volunteer-intensive sport in which parent and guardians are often requested to make a commitment beyond just showing up to cheer on their athletes.

Special thanks to the Highland School District, athletic director Chad Seely, coaches and track volunteer parents who graciously have allowed Naches Valley to host and co-host track events at their awesome facility for the past three-plus years. Next season, Naches’ track and field facility will be in full operation.

Thank you also to those who brave the weather to cheer on these dedicated student athletes. It is an honor and joy to serve and interact with the volunteers, coaches, athletes, parents and fans.

Lonnie Blanchard
Naches Valley track and field coach

Scott Wells
Riverside Christian track and field coach

To the sports editor — The Yakima Tennis Club and local sponsors hosted the Wilander on Wheels exhibition on April 7.

The event, held at YVCC’s Sherar Gym, featured seven-time Grand Slam tennis champion Mats Wilander, former YVCC star and former world No. 31 Kelly Evernden, former world No. 64 women’s player Jana Nejedly Welt (who now lives in Yakima) and former Naval Academy standout Cameron Lickle.

Those who attended saw the highest level of tennis ever played in Yakima. This successful event was made possible with the help of Rich Austin and Mike Carey from the Yakima Valley Sports Commission, who had resources, ideas, and hands-on experience that was invaluable.

YVCC athletic director Ray Funk and assistant AD Cody Butler were outstanding hosts with the use of Sherar Gym.

Television coverage by Alan Sillence was par excellence. The professional and personalized news story by the Herald-Republic’s Jerrel Swenning captured the significance of this event for Yakima.

For the many sponsors, YTC members and others who helped put on this event, and the sports fans who attended, thank you.

KEN WAGAR
Yakima

To the sports editor — For the last 37 years, Eisenhower High School has hosted the Don Holder Relays and last Saturday was no exception. Weather during the Holder Relays has always been surprising. There has been sunshine, rain, hail, snow, high winds; sometimes all on the same day. This year, Mother Nature surprised us again; it rained all day. Yakima hasn’t had this much rain since before dirt was dirt (we do, after all, live in a desert).

Through all this, the athletes were not to be denied. They competed through the cold, rainy weather without complaining … they are all champions.

The Board of the Eisenhower Track Parent Club would like to acknowledge and gratefully thank all of the volunteers who came out to officiate the running and field events on the rainiest Saturday in Yakima history; the majority of the volunteers officiated for the entire day, without a single complaint. Many of the parents who volunteered on Saturday obviously have athletes on the Eisenhower team. However, many do not. Some of the volunteers were alumni, parents of alumni and even parents whose children did not even attend the Yakima School District. Our volunteers are the reason why we are able to put on such great track meets.

We are so honored to have such dedicated people willing to give up their Saturdays to help stage one of the best track meets in the Northwest. Additionally, the Board would like to congratulate each and every athlete who competed on Saturday. Every one of you is a winner! And, of course, we thank our phenomenal coaching staff who gives so much of their time and energy to our kids. It is because of them Eisenhower continues to have one of the best track and field team in the state.

The Board would also like to thank all of sponsors, contributors and donors for all of their support. We also thank all of the spectators who came out to watch the Holder Relays in the rain. You folks are amazing.

Nieves Negrete
Eisenhower Track Parent Club

To the editor — I am writing this letter to address the lack of sportsmanship by the Granger boys basketball team and coaches in our game vs. Cle Elum last Friday night. As the head coach I accept full responsibility for my team’s actions and I would like to sincerely apologize to the players, fans and community of Cle Elum.

My intent was not to run up the score but rather to play my two senior players the whole game. I did that and they played out of their minds, combining to score 79 points between them. I, as well as the other Granger coaches, failed to rein in our players and the game got out of hand.

We respect the Cle Elum coaches and players and we hope to continue our great relationship. Again, I accept full responsibility and wish to let all sports fans know this is not characteristic of our team, our high school or our town and a game like this will not happen again.

Miguel A. Bazaldua
Granger boys basketball coach

To the sports editor — I coach basketball for the Wapato School District and I would just like to say a big thanks to Jacoby Howe. Jacoby sets a great example for a lot of kids in the community of Wapato and is also my 3-year-old’s idol.

I enjoy watching the Wapato Wolfpack play basketball and the team, along with Jacoby’s leadership, is the hot ticket every weekend. It is a little sad to see his high school career coming to an end. I would like to say on behalf of the community of Wapato, thank you for being Mr. Wapato basketball, and thanks for being a positive role model for the program and town.

JAMES BOBB
Yakima