January 3, 2026 Issue, Page 7 of 10

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2026 • 7 THE HEART OF A CHAMPION By Alex Alvarez that more than wanting to win, I so, when I watched the best athletes champion’s heart in him wanted to his experience and strong heart to guys who were 100% healthy! He didn’t like the other team beating in all sports competing, I could see show the world, and himself, that he help him avoid defeat, a defeat that is right-handed and his bad leg is As a person who loves competi- us. I hated it. If we lost, in my mind the pain of those who lost. I lived in still had enough grit not to lose to would stop him from chasing a the left, so with his forward thrust tion and therefore sports, I’ve come I blamed everyone else on the team, Mexico during the 1968 Olympics the younger guys. Novak Djokov- 25th major. It wasn’t to be. But, you into the left side, it is an even bigger to learn that some people hate to “I gave my heart out but some of and the 1970 FIFA World Cup and ic, winner of 24 individual major could sense and literally see, his de- handicap. That’s some accomplish- lose, more than they love winning. my teammates didn’t and we lost”. in both instances, I saw some of the titles (and he was not allowed to termination to avoid defeat. ment! One time I spoke to him And no, it is not the same. When I didn’t say, “we didn’t win”, I said, greatest athletes competing in their compete in some of them because You also saw how alpine ski- about it and about Bobby Richards, we compete, we would like to win “we lost”. And it hurt. sport. Live. Right there in front his personal beliefs about Covid er Lindsey Vonn, age 41, recently who wrote a great book, The Heart every time, at least I do. But it is Then, I found golf. A game or of me. I remember going to the when he was still very strong four won a World Cup downhill race. of a Champion, and he told me, “I not always possible. In golf, tennis, sport that you could not blame Olympic Stadium to watch some years ago), was seeded #7 in the The “old” woman, with a titanium just hated to lose. There was no way bowling as individual sports, or in anyone else when you lost. And I races, and other sports. I didn’t U.S. Tennis Open this year, when knee after she broke her knee in I was going to allow anyone to beat team sports, we would always like did a lot of it. A lot of losing. And think I would like it, but I did. I he faced #4 seed, American Taylor an alpine accident 3-4 years ago, me, so I practiced a lot. But it was to win. I got better because I didn’t want to “rubbed shoulders” with some of Fritz. As an American, I was root- has been practicing and wanted as much physical ability as mental As a youth, I played a lot of soc- lose to my brothers, or friends. And the best who didn’t win, and with ing for Fritz, but I could see that to make the U.S. Team, she did a toughness. No room for second cer. Good, organized soccer com- when we played, I gave it 100%, a couple who did. And I saw that Novak wasn’t going to “lay down” week later accumulating enough place in a two-man match!” I’d hate petitions in Mexico. One season, I 150%, 200% if possible. I did not they all dug deep to keep the other to a younger, stronger and resilient points with a second and a third in to play him in tennis or even golf, made a team that competed with like the feeling that someone else ones from beating them. They had star: “I’m not going to lose to this this sport dominated by 20-some- he is pretty good at that too. He, of kids from other nations, and we beat me. I never made it to the “big something to prove. guy!” And he didn’t. He overcame things. course, is teaching his young son won one game out of three. I gave leagues” playing, but I was able to This year, I witnessed an “aging” several break points that could have In Elk City, we are proud to have that he must try his best every time. my heart out in every game. One meet some of the great players of champion of old, compete with turned the match around. And he a young man Chris Coy, who de- In short: PLAY TO WIN! game I played with an injury in my the game. today’s younger greats. He wanted allowed his heart of a champion be spite missing the bottom part of non kicking foot, but it was hard That said, I began to understand not only to beat the younger guys, stronger than the youth of Fritz, a his left leg where he has a pros- Sources: ESPN, TV Sports, Wiki- to walk, let alone run, but I was the concept of “not giving up” and but he didn’t want age to defeat and won with experience. Sorry, it thesis, was ranked as high as #2 pedia, Golf Channel, CBS Sports, there, giving 100%. And I realized trying to avoid losing at all costs, him. Yes, he wanted to win, but the is not that he “won”, but he allowed in the USA in racket ball with the Personal Golf Library, MSN Sports homa City Thunder (27-5), San Detroit Red Wings 49-points Dallas Stars 57-points (25-7-7), TEAM Antonio Spurs (23-8), Denver Nuggets (22-9), Los Angeles Lak- (23-14-3), Tampa Bay Lightning 47-points (22-13-3), Montreal Minnesota Wild 52-points (23- 10-6), Vegas Golden Knights TIDBITS World Champion Anthony Josh- ua, jake Paul says he will concen- Continued from page 3 Continued from page 3 trate of helping his fiancé Olym- ers (20-10), Houston Rockets (19- Canadiens 46-points (20-12-6), 45-points (17-8-11), Anaheim pic speed skater Jutta Leerdam 10), Minnesota Timberwolves New York Islanders 46-points Ducks 44-points (21-15-2), Ed- get ready for February’s Winter Pistons (24-8), New York Knicks medal in 1936 was not a Come- (20-12). (21-14-4), Philadelphia Flyers monton Oilers 44-points (19-14- Olympics. He really doesn’t have (22-9), Boston Celtics (19-12), back of the Decade, it was a RE- 45-points (19-11-7), Washing- 6), Los Angeles Kings 41-points any other option! Toronto Raptors (19-14), Orlan- SURECTION due to a heart larg- NH- STANDINGS AS OF LAST ton Capitals 45-points (20-13- (16-12-9). do Magic (18-14), Philadelphia er than an expert opinion. MONDAY 5). Sources: ESPN, Wikipedia, Per- 76ers (16-14). After suffering a broken jaw Eastern Conference: Carolina Western Conference: Colora- Sources: ESPN, MSN Sports, sonal Library, MSN Sports, On- Western Conference: Okla- in his last fight against former Hurricanes 49-points (23-11-3), do Avalanche 63-points (28-2-7), On-Line media sports. Line media. Weekly Oklahoma Oil and Gas Proudly Brought to you by: Oil & Gas Report for the State of Oklahoma for December 23 - 29, 2025 PASS TIME IN LINE. READ THE NEWSPAPER. In Print. Online. In Touch.