December 6, 2025 Issue, Page 9 of 12

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2025 • 9 GIANTS STARTED SMALL TOO! (Kudos to the City’s Recreation Dept. and Kids Inc. for promoting kids sports so well) You walk into the Arrowhead 3-Pointer, which Sophie follows well tion, only determination to succeed. sport, I have another “take”. I was enough in the arms to swing that THEY WERE HAVING A BLAST! Center on Thanksgiving week to and makes a few 3-Point baskets. And no “mulligans”, they try once, a golf-pro for 49-years and taught club around you, you instinctively There was some competition, they see if anyone is using the courts on Nothing but net! Happy birthday and whether it went in or not, they thousands of kids over my lifetime, begin using your body to help your wanted to do better than the oth- a week where there aren’t any sched- young lady! go to the back of the line to wait for still do from time to time. As a golf arms to go around, and by the time er. You can’t learn to do something uled games. There are a few people. The loudest noise comes from their next turn. Think of this, let’s pro I learned that style and a “good you are stronger, NO ONE HAS if you are bored and un-attentive. I On Court #1, there is the unmis- Court #3, where 6-8 year old girls say a 5’9” player tries to make bas- swing” do not mean long shots or TO SHOW YOU HOW TO USE literally went to bed with the sweet takable sound of balls bouncing on are shooting baskets at a regula- kets to a 15-foot hoop off the floor good scores, but determination and YOUR BODY, YOU ALREADY sound of their cheers. the hardwood maple floor. A few tion 10-foot hoop. An adult lady is with a 40-ounce ball. That would be the knowledge of how to use your LEARNED IT AND INSTINC- Kudos to that lady that was orga- boys are playing; they do not seem helping and organizing the practice the comparison. Except that the 5’9” arms and body in unison, is much TIVELY DEVELOP CENTRIFU- nizing those five girls. I can almost to be playing a game against each and directing the “traffic”: Gaby, player would probably give up: “no more effective than style. Basical- GAL SPEED. hear the enthusiasm and conver- other or having actual practice. The L.J., Gracey, Ruby and Zaidec cheer fun!” Instead, these young girls, keep ly, a good swing is one that repeats The same with these girls on the sations among them going home: same on court #2 on one end, but, each try and if successful, they cheer getting better and are successful 50% and repeats with success, no matter hardwood floor: you could see them “Ruby, you made a lot of baskets, on the far end, you can see an adult louder. This goes on over and over, of their shots, which is great! how it looks. I believe same with bending their knees, bending at the tomorrow I will make more!”. Or to young woman teaching something after a few tries, the girls begin to be A question arises: Is it good for any sport. I see 3-pointer where the hips, folding their shooting arm un- L.J., who seemed to be the shortest to a young teenage girl. more and more successful, and the kids that short in height to play to a ball makes a nice tall arc and some der the ball and springing up with in height, “Wow girl, I can’t believe The two females on the other end cheers get louder and louder. None regulation basket? Most “experts” say that the ball never seems to go much the whole body to send that heavy how strong you are, making several of Court #2 happen to be mom and of them are taller than 42”, with L.J. “no”, claiming that it leads to “frustra- higher than the hoop. ball to the hoop above. The better baskets!” daughter, Ashley and Sophie, who I probably being the shortest. Despite tion” and bad style on shooting a bas- I also learned that kids who used they coordinated the body, arms I believe if they continue practice found out, will be 15 the next day. their height, and their lack of full ket. Well, no frustration was evident, cut-off adult clubs that were heavi- and hands in unison, the better they to a regulation hoop, a shorter hoop Ashley, obviously a good player, is developed strength, they keep try- only determination that they were er than junior clubs, became better could reach the hoop. None of them during “official” games, will become showing a couple of moves to So- ing to send that 22-ounce ball up to going to learn to be successful. players in the end, and I developed were trying to send the ball only with easier. And remember: Giants were phie in order to get free to shoot a the hoop, no complaints, no frustra- But as a former coach in other this theory: if you are not strong their arms. But just as important, once short kids too! TENNIS tion rise to the top.” Agree! ables? was going on in his head going win!”, we’ll take it over a “good TIDBITS Martina Navratilova knows a thing or two about tennis. And OTHER Legendary boxing trainer Eddie Futch once said that the best fight- into the last quarter of the game versus LSU: “Everything that I game loss!” Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for Continued from page 3 she says “it is impossible to define Oklahoma State University has er he ever trained was “Smokin’ worked for, from January and LSU right before the playoffs that who is the greatest tennis player a new coach: former North Texas Joe” (Frazier), who, Futch said, my whole life, was these 15 min- Ole Miss qualified for. Not very 114.5 sacks. The Watt family will ever. She summed up like this: If coach Eric Morris. He was 21-15 had the biggest fighting heart of utes right here. Not all has been professional! have a mantel trophy for that! Roger Federer played in the ‘50’s, with the Scrapy Eagles, and 11-1 all he ever saw. Futch trained 21 good, but we’re still here, we’re Sources: ESPN, Wikipedia, Per- Ryan Clark said on “First Take” he would have been the best play- this season. Good luck OSU! world champions, but did anyone still fighting and thanks to this sonal Library, MSN Sports, On- that the Cowboys are a real threat er then, if Rod Laver played now, Oklahoma Sooners qualify for ask Angelo Dundee who is the defense, we’re still alive. We need Line media. to win the NFC. Are they? he would be the best player now. the first playoff berth since 2019! best fighter he ever trained? to keep fighting.” And fight they The best players in each genera- Anyone wants to fire coach Ven- John Mateer described what did! Someone said, it was “an ugly NEWS GIVEAWAY ABOUT UPROMISE Upromise is a division of Prodege, LLC, which operates a portfolio of longer be eligible for this offer. If you receive this promotion and earn Up- romise cash back rewards between PUBLIC RELEASE STATEMENT Continued from page 7 digital rewards and cash back pro- 11/1/25 – 12/19/25 (the “Promotion- “The holidays are when many grams. 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