Dave's Sports Gems

Winter sports are coming

The funny thing about high school sports is that the game is played at a much different level. The athletes are not trying to earn a paycheck like the professionals and they are not attempting to make the pros like the college athletes might.
For the most part the game is being played for the love of the game itself. Athletes practice and participate for their family, friends and fans. It is not like they are playing for life or death but rather just to have fun.
I think in that regard high school sports is just another classroom or venue for students. It teaches them things about life. They have ups and downs, good days and bad days and above all they persevere. They learn through practice and guidance that what happens in sports is often a lesson they can use later in life.
That is not to say that when a team is defeated very badly on the football field that they don’t feel bad. Take for example the Trenton High School football team who had the misfortune on Saturday to lose to the Inkster Vikings 52-0 in the second round of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s playoffs.
I talked to some parents on Saturday whose kids played for Trenton and some of them said it was almost like they were afraid of Inkster. I guess they turned the ball over four times and every time Inkster scored.
I guess with a 6-4 quarterback that weighs 215 pounds you might be afraid to tackle him too.
The Ypsilanti Phoenix had the misfortune of playing Inkster during the regular season and losing 49-7. The Vikings are a team on a mission. The only loss they have all season was a 16-14 loss to Highland Park and the word on the street was Inkster did not have all their players in that game.
Division 3 is pretty tough when it comes to the playoffs in football. Inkster will now host Chelsea on Saturday it what will be a classic battle. I hope the Bulldogs bring some extra mouth guards and maybe a few more pads because I think they will need them.
The playoffs and the fall sports are all but done in this area but now comes the fun sports. These sports are inside a gym or in an ice arena. I am talking about basketball, hockey, boys’ swimming and wrestling. These are the sports that we will be concentrate on for the next three months.
This is the first week that girls’ basketball can practice and on Monday boys’ hoop can start. Hockey will be coming up soon and wrestling is right around the corner.
High school bowling is another sport on the rise in the area and it is not just athletes who don’t play other sports. The MHSAA says that bowling is on the rise and more students are getting involved in it every season.
I really can’t wait for Ypsi Coach Steve Brooks and the Phoenix hoop team to get started. Girls’ hoop coach at Ypsilanti High this season will be Tony Morgan and I can’t wait to see what they bring to the table.
Look for Lincoln and Willow Run to also be pretty good this season. I can’t wait for my first Friday night game. It will be fast-paced, fun and above all inside and warm!
Dave Merchant is a staff writer for the View and Courier newspapers and can be reached at 734-697-8255 or dmerchant@heritage.com.