SPORTS FEEVER – August 11, 2022 – kroxam.com
Wait…..where did summer go?? Believe it or not, Minnesota State High School League Falls sports practices start on Monday!!!! While I am saddened by this news because summer is sooooooo nice, it is an exciting time because fall sports are fun, especially football on Friday nights.
All of us at KROX wish all teams the best of luck this season and we hope it is a healthy and fun season win, lose, or tie. Remember, it is just a game, and enjoy the experience while it lasts.
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Brodie Ziemer, a five-star recruit who had 217 points over the past two seasons for Shattuck-St. Mary’s Under-15 and Under-14 teams, announced that he has committed to play for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. He’s the fourth highly ranked player since August 1 to commit to coach Bob Motzko’s program.
it looks like the Gophers are back baby!!!
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The Crookston School District held a referendum vote on Tuesday for $3,195,000 for a multi-use outdoor activities facility (football, soccer, track, etc.) It failed by nine votes.
The turnout was solid for a Primary Election in Crookston because of this, but the result was tough to take. Here is why it is so tough to take –
I have lived in Crookston my entire life, except for a summer in the Twin Cities and while in college at Bemidji State. I have seen Crookston go from an economically and financially strong community to a high rate of poverty, with over 50 percent of the families at Highland Elementary School being considered poverty and getting free and reduced meals. With this being said, the vote in town was heavy yes voting where the houses are worth more and where houses are valued at or below average for Crookston, the vote was overwhelming no. That isn’t a big surprise because people vote with their pocketbooks. And as somebody that was using food stamps over 20 years ago with two kids, I completely understand why you wouldn’t vote yes, especially in a time of the worst inflation we have ever seen. When you don’t have any money and wondering how you are going to pay for back-to-school supplies with the rise in groceries, gas, and everything else, I get it. I have been there and it is tough to swallow when you’re in that predicament.
The one troubling result was the township residents’ lack of support. I will just leave it at that.
The problem we have in Crookston is that we ARE NOT a progressive community. We have a lot of residents that don’t want Crookston to be a better place to live, and get stronger if it means we have to spend money. We have seen it with our City Council for over 30 years and even with the current council. Crookston hates to spend money because we have people that want Crookston to continue to die a slow death. For those of us that want Crookston to grow, to have a reason for families to move here, we are as frustrated as ever. People aren’t flocking to Crookston so we need to spend money and do things that will bring people to town. And by bringing new jobs, new residents, and god-willing UMC figures out how to increase on-campus enrollment we can expand our tax base, which will help lower taxes for everybody. We need nicer houses, more houses, and commercial to expand the base. That doesn’t happen without spending money. Just like you can’t make big money farming sugarbeets if you don’t spend money on seed, fertilizer, fungicide, etc.
What does a no vote for a NEED, not WANT mean?
It means we have a lot of uninformed residents.
It means we have residents that don’t want to invest in our community.
It means we have residents that don’t want Crookston to do the right thing to help build this community.
We have people that don’t care about the future of Crookston and want to bitch about everything that is bad and their taxes going up because we vote things like this down and wonder why businesses and people don’t come to Crookston.
We have people that seriously can’t afford any more tax increases as the School Districts, County, and City continue to jack our property taxes up every year while they pay more in salary and insurance for their employees and retirees. It is unfortunate that something can’t be figured out by all entities to cut taxes.
How do we get taxes to go down? Invest in getting new families to move to town and build a nice house. Also, bring new businesses to town that have good paying jobs, like Epitome Energy and anybody else we can.
Questions I have heard from residents in town –
-Where was the Crookston Chamber of Commerce during the weeks and months leading up to the election? They should have been telling people to vote for this because it would help businesses.
-Where was the Crookston Convention and Visitors Bureau during the weeks and months leading up to the election? They should have been telling people to vote for it because it would help Crookston and the businesses.
-Where was the City of Crookston? They haven’t done anything to expand our tax base in the last few years. Several members of the old council and current council were openly against giving a huge company that could bring up to 80 jobs to town any money to help them get started. We have incompetent leadership in this regards. The same company could also get up to 20 cents more per bushel of soybeans to area farmers, which would be a huge boom for the economy too.
None of those three entities spoke up to promote something that would have made Crookston a better place, and most importantly brought people to town and helped businesses. Crookston can’t work together on anything and we prove that over and over.
So, where do we go from here? The school board can ask for a recount. The board would have to meet and decide if they want to do that, at a cost to the district.
If they choose not to do the recount or do it and it still doesn’t pass, the next time they could run a referendum would be in February. Again this is a need, not a want so you can expect to see this back up for a referendum vote until it passes. Each time it doesn’t pass it will cost the taxpayers more money. So the voters that voted no, will just continue to cost themselves more money each time they vote no. Great work Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne. Now we need to wait for Sea Bass to come and do some motivating. (If you don’t get that reference, look it up).
When my wife and I retire we have preliminary plans to leave Crookston (depending on where the kids end up) for the Cities in the summer and Florida in winter (if we can). People (before the vote) would say “you wouldn’t be able to leave Crookston.” I responded with “we will have no problem leaving unless Crookston changes in the next 10 to 15 years. If it stays the same, we are out of here with no qualms about leaving, like many other successful retired business professionals before us.”
Stay tuned. Another referendum will come and if it doesn’t pass, there will be another. Hopefully, we only have to try one more time. The good news, now that they have to go back to redo a new referendum, the District will get a better deal because they will be able to put inflation prices in and will be able to ask for more money to make sure the facility can be built correctly. So once again, the NO voters will have to pony up more money down the road because of their un-informed voting.
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The first week of Minnesota High School fall sports practice will be Monday, August 15. Check with your local school for practice times.
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Crookston High School Athletics will conduct the first week of Fall Sports practices starting Monday, August 15. We have the first week schedules below –
Volleyball: (7-12)
Aug. 15 – Weights 6-7:30am, Practice 5-7:00pm (at UMC)
Aug. 16 – Weights 6-7:30am, Practice 4-6:00pm (at UMC)
Aug. 17 – Weights & Practice 6-9:00am
Aug. 18 – Weights 6-7:30am, Practice 4-6:00pm (at UMC)
Aug. 19 – Weights & Practice 6-9:00am
Boys Soccer: (7 – 12)
Aug. 15 – Practice 7:15-9:15 am
Aug. 16 – Practice 7:15-9:15am
Aug. 17 – Practice 7:15-9:15am
Aug. 18 – Practice 7:15-9:15am
Aug. 19 – Practice 7:15-9:15 am (Intra-Squad Scrimmage)
Girls Soccer: (7 – 12)
Aug. 15 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am & 4:30-6:30 pm
Aug. 16 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am & 4:30-6:30 pm
Aug. 17 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am @ Castle Park
Aug. 17 – GK Practice 3-3:45 pm, Practice 3:30-5:30pm
Aug. 18 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am @ Veterans Memorial Walkway
Aug. 18 – Practice 3:30-5:30pm
Aug. 19 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am
Football: (9-12)
Aug. 15 – Practice 6:30-8:30am, Breakfast/Chalk 8:30-9:30am, Practice 9:30-10:30am
Aug. 16 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am
SR/JR Weights – SO/FR Breakfast 8:30-9:30 am
SO/FR Weights – SR/JR Breakfast 9:30-10:30 am
Aug. 17 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am, Breakfast/Chalk 8:30-9:30am, Practice 9:30-10:30am
Aug. 18 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am
SR/JR Weights – SO/FR Breakfast 8:30-9:30 am
SO/FR Weights – SR/JR Breakfast 9:30-10:30 am
Aug. 19 – Practice 6:30-8:30am, Breakfast/Chalk 8:30-9:30am, Practice 9:30-10:30am
Girls Tennis: (7th-12th) at CHS Courts
Aug. 15 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 16 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 17 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 18 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 19 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Swimming: (7 -12) TBD
Crookston swimming will co-op with the Fosston/Bagley Seals and the schedule and everything with the co-op will be hammered out soon.
BEGINNING: AUGUST 22
Football: (7th and 8th grades)
Aug. 22 – Equipment Handout 5-6:00 pm, Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 23 – Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 24 – Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 25 – Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 26 – No Practice
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There has already been a change to the Crookston Pirate Football schedule. Frazee is working on their field and won’t be able to play on it this year, so the game with Crookston has been moved to Crookston. The Pirates will have five home games and three road games this year. But, that means next year, they will have five road games if Frazee stays on the schedule.
FOR ALL THE PIRATE FALL SPORTS SCHEDULES – CLICK HERE
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Crookston Park and Rec fall and winter activity registration are now open. To see what the city has to offer, click here.
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The East Grand Forks Youth Hockey program was highlighted in a Minnesota Hockey article while looking at the success they have had, SHOCKER!!!!!, since practicing more and not traveling to play games!! What a novel idea and something we have been saying for years Less games and more practice and player development and that is what EGF is doing. The article link is below
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The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball and soccer teams have already had three practice days. It will be tough seasons for both of them, and the volleyball team was picked to finish 15th out of the 16 teams in the preseason coaches poll. The poll results are below –
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In Region 10C Amateur baseball tournament play, Bemidji has stamped a return trip to the state tournament when they hammered Ada 14-1 to advance to the championship. Ada will take on Dilworth for the rights to go to the championship and advance to the state tournament. The game will be played on August 13 at Bemidji at 1:00 p.m.
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Sign up now for the Ox Cart Days 5K, and Little tykes run/walk that will be held on Saturday, August 20.
You can register by clicking here.
Registration on August 20 will be at 7:45 a.m. The Little Tykes run will start at 8:30 a.m., and the 5K will take place at 9:00 a.m. Altru Clinic and Biermaier Chiropractic Clinic sponsor the event.
The 5K route will start on 2nd Street by the Grand Theatre. The race route is below –
1. West 2nd Street to Central Park Loop and back up the hill.
2. Central Park hill to North Ash Street by old Cathedral and Care and Share (Elm St) to Riverside.
3. Riverside to Summit Avenue (Past Villa)
4. Summit Avenue to Ray Ecklund Complex past splash park and on the sidewalk through softball fields to Central Avenue (by Highland School).
5. Central Ave sidewalk to North Broadway (by Gov Center)
6. North Broadway sidewalk (S on Hwy 2) to East Robert Street (towards Hwy 2 Bridge)
7. East Robert Street to North Ash Street
8. North Ash Street to West 2nd Street (Finish)
For a map of the route, click here.
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The Crookston Blue Line Club Golf Scramble fundraiser will be held on Friday, August 19th, at Minakwa Golf Course. The scramble will have five-person teams with a cost of $375 for a team or $75 for individuals. Registration will start at 8:00 a.m. with a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start. For more information and to register contact Kristy Swanson at 218-289-0576 or email Crookstonhockey@gmail.com.
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The University of Minnesota Crookston softball program is hosting a pair of camps this summer. The Golden Eagles will hold a youth camp for grades 2-7 August 13 and a prospect camp August 14 for grades 8-12. The cost of the camp is $50 per player.
The youth camp will commence with grades 2-4 participating from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. August 13 on the Minnesota Crookston softball field. Players are asked to bring a glove, cleats, helmet, and bat. The camp will commence for grades 5-7 at 1 p.m. and be completed at 3:30 p.m.
The prospect camp will cost $85 per player and will run from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. August 14, and then pick back up from 1-3 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a glove, cleats, helmet, bat, and softball pants. The camp will take place at the Minnesota Crookston softball field.
To register for the camp visit the University of Minnesota Crookston Softball Camps (umcsportscamps.com). If you have any questions you can contact Head Coach Nick Weinmeister at 970-203-5960 or Assistant Coach Ashton Sangster at 479-353-6094.
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JOKES
How To Tell If Your Dog Is Involved In A Sex Scandal
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A guy came into a bar one day and said to the barman, “Give me six double vodkas.”
The barman says, “Wow! You must have had one hell of a day.”
“Yes, I’ve just found out my older brother is gay.”
The next day the same guy came into the bar and asked for the same drinks. When the bartender asked what the problem was today, the answer came back, “I’ve just found out that my younger brother is gay too!”
On the third day the guy came into the bar and ordered another six double vodkas.
The bartender says, “Geez! Doesn’t anybody in your family like women?”.
“Yeah, my wife…”
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Brenda, pregnant with her first child, was paying a visit to her obstetrician’s office. When the exam was over, she shyly began,
“My husband wants me to ask you…”
“I know, I know,” the doctor said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “I get asked this all the time. Sex is fine until late in the pregnancy.”
“No, that’s not it at all,” Brenda confessed. “He wants to know if I can still mow the lawn.”
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A man boarded an airplane and took his seat. As he settled in, he glanced up and saw the most beautiful woman boarding the plane. He soon realized she was heading straight towards his seat… As fate would have it, she took the seat right beside his.
Eager to strike up a conversation he blurted out, “Business trip or pleasure?” She turned, smiled and said, “Business. I’m going to the Annual Nymphomaniacs of America Convention in Boston”
He swallowed hard. Here was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen sitting next to him, and she was going to a meeting of nymphomaniacs.
Struggling to maintain his composure, he calmly asked, “What’s your business role at this convention?” “Lecturer,” she responded. “I use information that I have learned from my personal experiences to debunk some of the popular myths about sexuality.”
“Really?” he said. “And what kind of myths are there?”
“Well,” she explained, “one popular myth is that African-American men are the most well-endowed of all men, when in fact it is the Native American Indian who is most likely to possess that trait.
Another popular myth is that Frenchmen are the best lovers, when actually it is men of Jewish descent who are the best. I have also discovered that the lover with absolutely the best stamina is the Southern Redneck.”
Suddenly the woman became a little uncomfortable and blushed. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I shouldn’t really be discussing all of this with you. I don’t even know your name..”
“Tonto,” the man said, “Tonto Goldstein, but my friends call me Bubba.”
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How are former Crookston Pirates athletes doing in college or elsewhere?
****LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS TO ADD TO THE LIST email me at chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Elise Tangquist, is the Assistant Girls Volleyball and Assistant Girls Golf Coach this year at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.
Katherine Geist, a sophomore, is running track for Carleton College.
Emma Boll, a freshman, is playing softball at Northwestern University in St. Paul.
Emma Borowicz is a freshman running track at Minnesota State Mankato.
Ben Trostad is a senior playing Men’s Golf at UMC.
Kaleb Thingelstad is a freshman playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University. KWU is done for the fall season.
Joslynn Leach is a freshman playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brady Butt is a sophomore playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Rachel Hefta, is a junior playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Ty Hamre is playing football at Bemidji State University.
Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Germany, for Düsseldorf EG.
Gretchen Theis is a sophomore at NDSU on the Equestrian team.
Kate MacGregor is a senior swimming at Minnesota State Moorhead.
Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.
Nick Garmen is a junior playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hanson is the Junior High softball coach.
Jeremy Lubinski is a Pirate 8th Grade Football coach.
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Cody Brekken is the Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming coach
Brock Hanson is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Ben Halos is a Pirate Baseball assistant coach.
Alex LaFrance is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Jeff Perreault is the Pirate Girls Golf head coach
Wes Hanson is the Pirate Wrestling Head Coach and assistant boys golf coach
Kevin Weber is a Pirate Boys Basketball volunteer assistant coach
Connor Morgan is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Sam Melbye is the Pirate Boys J.V. Hockey coach
Chris Dufault is a youth wrestling Coach
Colton Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach
Non-Crookston High School coaching –
Collin Reynolds is the head baseball coach for the University of Colorado Buffalo Club Baseball team.
Trent Stahlecker is a School Security Specialist & he works for the Brevard Public Schools, Florida
Cody Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown
Josh Edlund is the head football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.
Allison Lindsey Axness is Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach in Champlin Park
Jeff Olson is Head Wrestling coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.
Jake Olson is an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.
Katy Westrom, is Head Girls Tennis Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Monticello High School.
Matt Harris, is an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Marty Bratrud is the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.
Gordie Haug is an assistant football coach at the University of Wyoming
Mike Hastings is the Minnesota State Mankato Men’s head Hockey coach
Mike Biermaier is the Athletic Director at Thief River Falls High School
Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreault works with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football and volleyball and basketball in the winter. Stephanie’s husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for the Bison media relations
Jason Bushie is the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College
Chris Myrold is the Director and Fitness at Mission Ranch and Fitness in Camel, California.
Kyle Buchmeier is a Tennis Pro at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis
Ben Andringa is serving our country with the Army and is been deployed to Iraq for nine months.
Jarrett Butenhoff is serving our country with the U.S. Navy
Joshua Butenhoff is serving our country on a Submarine with the Pacific Fleet with the US Navy.
Peter Cournia is a 2002 Crookston High School Graduate and also a grad of West Point and is currently is serving in the U.S. Army.
Erik Ellingson is serving our country with the U.S. Air Force at Minot.
Philip Kujawa class of 2004 from Crookston High School. He is an Army recruiter in Rochester.
Rob Sobolik is the General Manager of the Fargodome
That’s it for this week. Thanks for the comments and if you have anything to add or share, please e-mail chrisjfee@yahoo.com or call. Thanks for reading and listening to KROX RADIO and kroxam.com.
