It is 2007, and Jason Beneventi sits in his bedroom in suburban Chicago pondering his future without hockey. He can’t. Hockey is all he’s known since he was six years old, and the thought of having to stop playing hasn’t set in yet.
Beneventi plans on attending Lewis University in the fall and they don’t have an ice hockey team. Jason, a star and team captain at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Ill. quickly realizes that the extent of his hockey career will probably be relegated to sniping middle-aged goaltenders in a beer league somewhere. That is, of course, until he found roller hockey.
Flash forward four years. Now, Jason Beneventi is a professional roller hockey player for the Chicago Sting in the PIHA. Thankfully for Jason Beneventi, he has stumbled upon a world and a culture that he never had known existed. The concealed world of roller hockey has allowed Beneventi to carry on his hockey dreams in a way he never thought possible.
“Before playing roller hockey, I always kind of looked down upon it being an ice player,” Beneventi said. “Looking back on it now it’s probably the most fun I have ever had playing hockey. It’s been great making so many connections and playing against other professionals.”
Founder Charles Yoder and his two sons, C.J. and Jami, organized the Professional Inline Hockey Association (PIHA) in 2002 in Middletown, Pa. It started with eight teams, but has since expanded to 16 active franchises.
C.J. Yoder, PIHA league president and member of Team USA Inline, said that PIHA is working very hard with its team owners to establish longevity in the United States.
“As a league we are definitely learning each and every year and will continue to do so,” C.J. Yoder said. “We are making a big effort this season to be more attentive to our owners. These guys do a tremendous amount of work so the league can grow and as a league we need to be aware of that.
“The owners are the ones that deal with the players and all of the day-to-day operations and they should be counted on and trusted with decisions to better PIHA.”
Beneventi agrees that while the league is bigger than he expected, a lack of exposure makes it difficult to attract a wider fan base.
“I never knew there were roller hockey tournaments and professional leagues like [PIHA] when I was younger,” Beneventi said. “Roller hockey as a sport is a lot bigger than most sports fans realize.”
Beneventi was enamored with ice hockey since the age of six. After playing in house leagues, he joined his first travel team, the Orland Park Vikings, when he was 10 years old.
Beneventi played for the Vikings all the way until his sophomore year of high school at Carl Sandburg where he quickly became a force and favorite of the coaching staff.
In just his first year playing for Carl Sandburg, Beneventi earned the respect of his teammates for his disciplined play and uncanny skill. He was named Most Valuable Player and subsequently named team captain for his senior season.
Former high school and roller hockey teammate, Mike Parello, said there was never a doubt in his mind that Beneventi would succeed in becoming a pro when the opportunity arose.
“[Beneventi] was the first to tell me about the tryout with the Sting,” Parello said. “I knew I personally couldn’t make a pro team, but I knew he would give 110 percent. There was no doubt in my mind that with his work ethic he would not be denied."
Still, Beneventi never envisioned himself playing roller hockey, especially as a professional. If it were up to him, four years ago he would have landed on a Division 1 ice hockey team and he’d probably have just finished tearing up the Frozen Four.
But with his career and education as his top priority, Beneventi decided to pursue a career in sports journalism from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. The school was close enough to commute and had everything he looked for in a university. Except hockey.
But, after only playing roller hockey for four years, Beneventi still carried the same quiet confidence that helped him earn the respect of his high school teammates. It was that confidence that made him truly believe that he had the skills to turn pro.
“When you play with some of these professionals it’s almost surreal,” Beneventi said. “They travel around the world to play hockey, and you almost become a spectator because you’re amazed at the skills they have. At the same time, you know you have the same skills that they do and it’s such a great opportunity.”
Parello always had confidence in Beneventi and said that he always knew his skills were right up there with the best.
“[Beneventi] is such a great two-way player,” Parello said. “He has a great shot, and his toe-drag is honestly one of the best I’ve ever seen. He can really skate, too. I mean he backchecks and forechecks like his hair is on fire.”
Let’s be clear, too. Beneventi does play with some of the top talent in all of roller hockey. Sting teammates include Pat Lee, who has been a fixture for the USA Hockey Inline National Team since 2004 and has represented the United States at several IIHF World Championships.
Beneventi also plays with the likes of Peter Messina, the Sting team captain, who is widely considered to be one of the top roller hockey players in the world.
“One of my teammates, Peter Messina, will be going to Roccaraso, Italy to play in the FIRS World Championships,” Beneventi said. “It’s pretty crazy to think about that. He’s that good, where he gets to go to Italy to play in these tournaments.”
This is a prime example of the international presence that roller hockey possesses.
Sabatino Aracu, president of the Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS), has begun a campaign to advocate the inclusion of roller hockey and other roller sports in the Olympics. In a release on the FIRS website, Aracu believes the time is now to take this step.
“I proudly claim the right of Roller Sports to join the Olympic cycle: we have the numbers, we have the potentiality, we have the sporting spirit and the athletic value,” he said. “If the Olympic movement wants really to regain a better relationship with the young people, it must involve fresh, young and dynamic disciplines as the Roller Sports.”
While Aracu may be right that roller hockey has potential to become even bigger than it already is, a distinction must be made between roller and ice hockey. The two games simply aren’t the same. Adding a household name would also be a huge bonus for roller hockey, a sport where even the biggest stars are only known to those within the roller hockey circle.
It’s interesting to note that some NHL stars also grew up playing roller hockey. Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan, St. Louis Blues forward T.J. Oshie, and Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar all have an extensive roller hockey background.
Ryan, who grew up playing in the North American Roller Hockey Championships (NARCh) across the United States, finished the 2010-11 NHL season with 34 goals and 37 assists in 82 games. Ryan has topped 30 goals in each of his first three full seasons in the NHL and was also a part of the United States Olympic ice hockey team that took the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.
After asking Ryan what he thought separated roller hockey from ice hockey, he said the biggest differences lie in the “pace, open ice, and creativity.”
Beneventi echoed those same sentiments, stressing that roller hockey and ice hockey, while fundamentally similar, are still two very different games.
“Roller hockey is a lot of puck movement,” he said. “There’s more time and space being 4-on-4. You have more of an opportunity to showcase your skills and creativity, but at the same time it’s a much slower pace.
“You see a lot of things in roller hockey that you wouldn’t normally see in ice hockey.”
Team names like the Lunatics, Flying Monkeys, Rollin’ Robins, and the Mudcats, along with ridiculously excessive jerseys that look like they were designed by Pablo Picasso are a few things you definitely don’t see in ice hockey.
Beneventi and Ryan are right though. Aside from uniform aesthetics and wild team names, the two games are also much different strategically.
Another obvious difference between ice hockey and roller hockey is that roller hockey doesn’t come close in terms of a fan base and loyal following. Beneventi believes a lot of this has to do with exposure and the way the sport markets itself.
“I think PIHA and the other professional leagues in the U.S. need to do more with marketing and merchandise,” Beneventi said. “They have announcers that broadcast games, too, but it’s horrible quality. I’d like to see them improve that, too.”
PIHA streams live games on justin.tv, a website where users broadcast a wide variety of user-generated live video content, called "broadcasts." The broadcasts, however, are fuzzy and choppy. Not to mention, very few people even know the streams exist.
Major League Roller Hockey (MLRH), another professional league, also broadcasts games on rollerhockeytv.net, but the same critiques apply.
While roller hockey has come a long way since the days of Roller Hockey International (RHI) in the ‘90s, it has been treading water as far as development in the United States. A lot of this has to do with the loss of RHI’s ESPN television contract in 1996.
So what lies ahead for the world of roller hockey?
A start, according to some professional players, lies in a payment plan. Players realize that nothing can be done as extensive as the NHL, but a little financial compensation would be welcomed.
“We raised money for travel expenses at our home games in Palatine [Illinois],” Beneventi said. “Tickets were five dollars. I think it would be great to have travel expenses paid for in the future in addition to the money that we earn from ticket sales.”
While many of the top players earn sponsorships, the real money is overseas, where many of the top American players have been seeking refuge.
In an article in February by the New York Times, roller hockey superstar Itan Chavira said he earned $35,000 last year playing in Spain. Fans recognize the Reebok-sponsored YouTube sensation for his incredible hands and creative dekes.
According to the article, he said he played about 100 games last year and often had meals and flights paid for. Still, Chavira said it would be a dream come true if leagues in the United States had benefits such as those overseas.
“I believe the sport needs to pull together for that to happen,” Yoder said. “Right now there are so many different options for the players and fans that we are spread very thin. It’s great to see the players that have stuck with the sport and are strictly ‘roller hockey players’ do well and have options, but to get the sponsorship dollars that the European organizations thrive on, the sport would have to come together.”
Where roller hockey goes from here, nobody really knows, but Jason Beneventi plans to roll with the punches. For Beneventi, playing roller hockey is less about the money and fame and more about simply playing the game he loves.
“Sure, he has more confidence now, but he is still the same kid,” Parello said.
Beneventi has sacrificed so much blood, sweat, and tears into this sport that the joy of playing, and at a high level, is enough for him.
“When I started playing roller hockey, it was just a way for me to keep playing hockey, stay in shape, and have fun with my friends,” he said. “I never thought that I would ever reach the level that I’m at now. It’s so rewarding.”
After graduating from Lewis University earlier this month with a degree in journalism, don’t think Beneventi is quick to hang up the skates just yet.
“As far as to what the future holds, I’d definitely like to keep playing in the PIHA,” Beneventi said. “I want to keep playing because I’m competitive and I have fun doing it.”
Forget about the money, kid. Do what makes you happy.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
City Council adopts domestic partnership ordinance
Athens City Council adopted an ordinance last night that will allow citizens to apply for a domestic partnership, which signifies that a non-married couple shares a common residence and responsibility for each other’s common welfare.
To establish a domestic partnership, both individuals must file a declaration with the city affirming that they meet certain qualifications.
Aside from sharing a common residence and taking responsibility for each other’s common welfare, individuals must also not be married to any other individual. Neither party can be in another domestic partnership with another individual as well.
Another stipulation is that applicants must be 18 years old or over and may not be related.
One thing that council stressed, however, is that a domestic partnership is not the same as a civil union, in the sense that individuals involved in a domestic partnership do not receive benefits.
“There are no benefits, it’s more of a symbolic thing,” Councilman Jim Sands said. “It’s possible in the future that the state legislature will create some legal benefits for it, but not at the moment.”
The issue of whether or not benefits for domestic partners may be included in the future begs another issue. Is it possible that individuals could establish fraudulent domestic partnerships in the future just to receive legal benefits?
“If benefits did eventually come down the pipeline, we would have to look into this again,” Sands said.
To declare a domestic partnership, applicants must pay a 25-dollar administrative fee that will go to Paula Horan-Moseley, the Service Safety Director. The responsibility of the Service Safety Director is to coordinate activities of city departments, developers, and city engineering consultants; respond to citizen concerns and issues; and assist the Mayor and department heads in accomplishing objectives.
According to Sands, the administrative fee will allow the Service Safety Director to carry out daily activities.
By allowing same-sex couples to be symbolically recognized as domestic partners, council also stressed that this is not a marriage or legal status. Still, the LGBT community in Athens would like to see progress in the form of partners of city employees receiving partnership benefits.
“There are cities where partners of employees get partnership benefits that usually have to do with insurance,” Sands said. “The LGBT community is asking us to employ this, but at this point we don’t have the language to do this. We have not decided to take that step yet.”
To establish a domestic partnership, both individuals must file a declaration with the city affirming that they meet certain qualifications.
Aside from sharing a common residence and taking responsibility for each other’s common welfare, individuals must also not be married to any other individual. Neither party can be in another domestic partnership with another individual as well.
Another stipulation is that applicants must be 18 years old or over and may not be related.
One thing that council stressed, however, is that a domestic partnership is not the same as a civil union, in the sense that individuals involved in a domestic partnership do not receive benefits.
“There are no benefits, it’s more of a symbolic thing,” Councilman Jim Sands said. “It’s possible in the future that the state legislature will create some legal benefits for it, but not at the moment.”
The issue of whether or not benefits for domestic partners may be included in the future begs another issue. Is it possible that individuals could establish fraudulent domestic partnerships in the future just to receive legal benefits?
“If benefits did eventually come down the pipeline, we would have to look into this again,” Sands said.
To declare a domestic partnership, applicants must pay a 25-dollar administrative fee that will go to Paula Horan-Moseley, the Service Safety Director. The responsibility of the Service Safety Director is to coordinate activities of city departments, developers, and city engineering consultants; respond to citizen concerns and issues; and assist the Mayor and department heads in accomplishing objectives.
According to Sands, the administrative fee will allow the Service Safety Director to carry out daily activities.
By allowing same-sex couples to be symbolically recognized as domestic partners, council also stressed that this is not a marriage or legal status. Still, the LGBT community in Athens would like to see progress in the form of partners of city employees receiving partnership benefits.
“There are cities where partners of employees get partnership benefits that usually have to do with insurance,” Sands said. “The LGBT community is asking us to employ this, but at this point we don’t have the language to do this. We have not decided to take that step yet.”
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Streich tosses complete game shutout, leads Ohio to victory over Akron
The Ohio University Bobcats (23-26, 8-15 MAC) overcame a slew of missed opportunities to claw out a 1-0 victory over the University of Akron Zips (14-34, 6-17 MAC) behind an enduring pitching performance from sophomore Seth Streich on Sunday afternoon at Bob Wren Stadium.
Streich (2-6, 4.81 ERA) left everything on the mound and threw a complete game shutout on 121 pitches to pick up his second victory of the season. After throwing 155 pitches in his previous start on May 6 at Buffalo, Streich said there was still no doubt that he’d be coming out for the ninth inning.
“It was the eighth inning and Coach C. came up to me and he said, ‘Do you want it?’ And I just looked at him and I just said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it,’ and that was about it,” Streich said.
Streich only surrendered four hits and walked two while striking out seven Zips.
Akron starter Myles McVeigh (0-9, 4.52 ERA) allowed six hits through six innings of work, giving up only one run on a solo homer by Ohio third baseman Bryan Barnes in the sixth inning.
McVeigh was fortunate, however, to only give up one run as the Ohio base runners and the first base umpire didn’t do the Bobcats any favors.
In the second inning with shortstop Garrett Black at the plate, right fielder Adam Gecewich was caught stealing second base. The throw by Akron catcher Dan Burant was high and it appeared that Gecewich had slid under the tag, but the umpire did not agree.
After Ohio manager Joe Carbone argued to no avail, Black roped a double into the left-center gap that would have scored Gecewich easily.
Then, in the fourth inning, Barnes lined a shot down the right field line that would have assuredly gone for extra bases had it not hit the first base umpire. Akron first baseman Kurt Gamby was able to pick up the ball and beat Barnes to the base to record an out.
In the fifth inning, the Bobcats threatened again and had runners at the corners with nobody out. Catcher Trace Voshell then struck out swinging and second baseman Wes O’Neill grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The sixth inning came with more controversy from the first base umpire as Ohio center fielder Ethan Newton was picked off first base by Burant, the Akron catcher. Newton appeared to have slid around the tag, but was called out much to Carbone’s dismay.
Barnes hit his sole home run later in the inning with two outs to put the Bobcats ahead 1-0. With Streich’s strong performance, that was all the run insurance Ohio would need.
“I thought [Streich] was outstanding today,” Carbone said. “For him to gut it out and pitch like he pitched today, and give us a chance to win, and give us a complete game, and do the things he does.
“He’s an outstanding athlete. He hits, he fields very well, and he pitches very well. He did a great job for us today.”
The Bobcats failed to extend their lead in the seventh inning when Gecewich was thrown out trying to score on a passed ball with one out and runners on the corners. Voshell, who was batting, tried to give Gecewich the stop sign, but Gecewich ran anyway.
“It’s one of those do or die deals you know what I mean?” Carbone said. “I didn’t see the ball well and he didn’t either, but when it first got away from the catcher we didn’t see it because they were blocking ball. I didn’t have a problem with him going. He felt he could make it.”
Still, Ohio was able to persevere through its squandered opportunities and hang on for the win. Today’s victory also keeps the Bobcats alive for the MAC Tournament with one series left against Miami next week.
“My former coach, Coach [Bob] Wren used to say, ‘If you’re playing for something on the last weekend of the season, you did something right the whole season,’” Carbone said. “We have a chance to play for the tournament on the last weekend of the season and we’re looking forward to it. It’s exciting.”
Streich (2-6, 4.81 ERA) left everything on the mound and threw a complete game shutout on 121 pitches to pick up his second victory of the season. After throwing 155 pitches in his previous start on May 6 at Buffalo, Streich said there was still no doubt that he’d be coming out for the ninth inning.
“It was the eighth inning and Coach C. came up to me and he said, ‘Do you want it?’ And I just looked at him and I just said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it,’ and that was about it,” Streich said.
Streich only surrendered four hits and walked two while striking out seven Zips.
Akron starter Myles McVeigh (0-9, 4.52 ERA) allowed six hits through six innings of work, giving up only one run on a solo homer by Ohio third baseman Bryan Barnes in the sixth inning.
McVeigh was fortunate, however, to only give up one run as the Ohio base runners and the first base umpire didn’t do the Bobcats any favors.
In the second inning with shortstop Garrett Black at the plate, right fielder Adam Gecewich was caught stealing second base. The throw by Akron catcher Dan Burant was high and it appeared that Gecewich had slid under the tag, but the umpire did not agree.
After Ohio manager Joe Carbone argued to no avail, Black roped a double into the left-center gap that would have scored Gecewich easily.
Then, in the fourth inning, Barnes lined a shot down the right field line that would have assuredly gone for extra bases had it not hit the first base umpire. Akron first baseman Kurt Gamby was able to pick up the ball and beat Barnes to the base to record an out.
In the fifth inning, the Bobcats threatened again and had runners at the corners with nobody out. Catcher Trace Voshell then struck out swinging and second baseman Wes O’Neill grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The sixth inning came with more controversy from the first base umpire as Ohio center fielder Ethan Newton was picked off first base by Burant, the Akron catcher. Newton appeared to have slid around the tag, but was called out much to Carbone’s dismay.
Barnes hit his sole home run later in the inning with two outs to put the Bobcats ahead 1-0. With Streich’s strong performance, that was all the run insurance Ohio would need.
“I thought [Streich] was outstanding today,” Carbone said. “For him to gut it out and pitch like he pitched today, and give us a chance to win, and give us a complete game, and do the things he does.
“He’s an outstanding athlete. He hits, he fields very well, and he pitches very well. He did a great job for us today.”
The Bobcats failed to extend their lead in the seventh inning when Gecewich was thrown out trying to score on a passed ball with one out and runners on the corners. Voshell, who was batting, tried to give Gecewich the stop sign, but Gecewich ran anyway.
“It’s one of those do or die deals you know what I mean?” Carbone said. “I didn’t see the ball well and he didn’t either, but when it first got away from the catcher we didn’t see it because they were blocking ball. I didn’t have a problem with him going. He felt he could make it.”
Still, Ohio was able to persevere through its squandered opportunities and hang on for the win. Today’s victory also keeps the Bobcats alive for the MAC Tournament with one series left against Miami next week.
“My former coach, Coach [Bob] Wren used to say, ‘If you’re playing for something on the last weekend of the season, you did something right the whole season,’” Carbone said. “We have a chance to play for the tournament on the last weekend of the season and we’re looking forward to it. It’s exciting.”
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Athens City Council supports OCC
Athens City Council passed a resolution last night indicating its support for the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) while also pledging to urge the Ohio Legislature to restore funds to the counsel's budget in an effort to keep utility prices down.
The OCC's current operating budget rests at $8.5 million per year, but that budget is expected to be cut by more than half to $4.1 million under the proposed biennial budget.
Councilman Elahu Gosney stressed the importance of this resolution and the city’s support for the OCC.
“We can’t tell Columbus what to do, but we want them to know that we stand behind the OCC,” he said. “Utility companies can put an immense amount of pressure on state legislatures, and the OCC acts as a balance on behalf of the citizens.”
Gosney said that the proposed cut would not affect state budget woes because the OCC is funded by assessments on utilities and not taxes.
“The OCC is not funded by tax dollars, but by the utility bills themselves,” he said. “A portion of the bills each month funds it.”
The Ohio General Assembly created the OCC in 1976 to represent the interests of Ohio’s residential utility customers. The counsel acts as a buffer between citizens and utility companies in matters relating to their public utility services such as electric, natural gas, water, and telephone.
The OCC’s staff includes attorneys, accountants, economists, engineers, investigators, and other highly skilled professionals. This staff participates in legal proceedings, analyzes utility issues, educates customers, and resolves informal complaints relating to utility services.
Gosney said there is no doubt in his mind that it would be much easier for utility companies to raise rates if the OCC’s budget cut goes through.
“Rates will certainly go up for the people of Athens,” he said. “It won’t be immediate and the changes will occur over time. It’s impossible to say how much, but they would definitely go up because you would not have that balance.”
In the current biennium, the OCC has saved customers $54.8 million directly through its advocacy, and an additional $1.9 billion in shared savings with other partners. Since its inception, the counsel has saved utility customers $10 billion in avoided costs.
Still, however, the chances for success in restoring funding to the OCC’s budget remains up in the air.
“The OCC is funded separately from the state budget,” Gosney said. “There is not a strong push on cuts, but I also know how strong the utility companies are.”
The OCC's current operating budget rests at $8.5 million per year, but that budget is expected to be cut by more than half to $4.1 million under the proposed biennial budget.
Councilman Elahu Gosney stressed the importance of this resolution and the city’s support for the OCC.
“We can’t tell Columbus what to do, but we want them to know that we stand behind the OCC,” he said. “Utility companies can put an immense amount of pressure on state legislatures, and the OCC acts as a balance on behalf of the citizens.”
Gosney said that the proposed cut would not affect state budget woes because the OCC is funded by assessments on utilities and not taxes.
“The OCC is not funded by tax dollars, but by the utility bills themselves,” he said. “A portion of the bills each month funds it.”
The Ohio General Assembly created the OCC in 1976 to represent the interests of Ohio’s residential utility customers. The counsel acts as a buffer between citizens and utility companies in matters relating to their public utility services such as electric, natural gas, water, and telephone.
The OCC’s staff includes attorneys, accountants, economists, engineers, investigators, and other highly skilled professionals. This staff participates in legal proceedings, analyzes utility issues, educates customers, and resolves informal complaints relating to utility services.
Gosney said there is no doubt in his mind that it would be much easier for utility companies to raise rates if the OCC’s budget cut goes through.
“Rates will certainly go up for the people of Athens,” he said. “It won’t be immediate and the changes will occur over time. It’s impossible to say how much, but they would definitely go up because you would not have that balance.”
In the current biennium, the OCC has saved customers $54.8 million directly through its advocacy, and an additional $1.9 billion in shared savings with other partners. Since its inception, the counsel has saved utility customers $10 billion in avoided costs.
Still, however, the chances for success in restoring funding to the OCC’s budget remains up in the air.
“The OCC is funded separately from the state budget,” Gosney said. “There is not a strong push on cuts, but I also know how strong the utility companies are.”
Monday, May 2, 2011
Underclassmen power Athens past Warren on Senior Day
On Senior Day at Rannow Field in Athens, it was the underclassmen that stole the show and powered the Athens High School Bulldogs to a 3-2 victory over the Warren Local Warriors in game two of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
After losing game one 9-7 in extra innings, Athens was able to bounce back in game two behind the outstanding performances of sophomores Skylar Schwarzel and Alex Staron. Schwarzel made the difference at the plate while Staron was a force to be reckoned with on the mound.
As the leadoff man, Schwarzel proved to be a catalyst for the Athens offense. In the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at two, Schwarzel led off the inning with a walk. He then stole second base, and scored the game-winning run on the ensuing single by senior pinch hitter Trey Harris off of Warren reliever Austin Henthorne.
Schwarzel finished the day with three walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored.
“[Skylar] did a really nice job in the leadoff spot,” Athens manager Fred Gibson said. “We usually use him as a DH, but we knew he could hit and we knew he had a good eye. He saw a lot of pitches today. He kept battling and fouled balls off and I thought he did a phenomenal job.”
On the mound, Staron also proved that the future of Athens baseball looks bright. He earned the win by throwing a complete game and only giving up two runs on six hits with four strikeouts. The most encouraging part of Staron’s performance, however, was his ability to command all of his pitches.
Aside from an intentional walk in the seventh inning, Staron didn’t walk any of the Warren hitters.
“Alex now has two wins on the year,” Gibson said. “He picked up another win against Marietta, but what’s great about Alex is he really knows how to pitch. He gets ahead of batters and he has a really nice breaking ball and fastball.”
Staron can also thank his teammates, who provided solid defense all day. In the top of the third with a man on second and two outs, Warren second baseman Tyler Ward lined one into the left-center gap that assuredly would have gone for extra bases and scored a run, but left fielder Cody Mack sprawled out and made a diving catch to end the inning.
While Staron demonstrated precise control of his pitches, his counterpart Trip Griffin did not. Griffin had a hard time getting his breaking ball over the plate and walked five Athens batters over five innings of work. Griffin finished the day tossing five innings and giving up two runs while striking out four.
Junior Austin Howard went 2-2 with two singles and two RBIs for Athens. With two outs in the first inning, Howard dribbled a slow grounder to third that he legged out for an infield single, scoring Schwarzel.
Warren answered in the second when catcher Landon Kern hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Scotty Pettit. Athens fired right back in the third when Howard ripped a hard single down third baseline that scored second baseman Tyler Lutz.
Staron seemed to be on cruise control until surrendering a solo home run to Pettit to lead off the sixth inning, but he regained his composure to pitch a scoreless seventh and give his team a chance at victory.
Performances like those from Staron, Schwarzel, and Howard are what have Gibson excited about Athens baseball moving forward.
“Everybody who started game two will be back next year,” he said. “We thought we’d give the seniors a rest after game one and give some of the underclassmen an opportunity to play. They really stepped up and played well and I’m very excited about coaching this group of kids next year.”
After losing game one 9-7 in extra innings, Athens was able to bounce back in game two behind the outstanding performances of sophomores Skylar Schwarzel and Alex Staron. Schwarzel made the difference at the plate while Staron was a force to be reckoned with on the mound.
As the leadoff man, Schwarzel proved to be a catalyst for the Athens offense. In the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at two, Schwarzel led off the inning with a walk. He then stole second base, and scored the game-winning run on the ensuing single by senior pinch hitter Trey Harris off of Warren reliever Austin Henthorne.
Schwarzel finished the day with three walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored.
“[Skylar] did a really nice job in the leadoff spot,” Athens manager Fred Gibson said. “We usually use him as a DH, but we knew he could hit and we knew he had a good eye. He saw a lot of pitches today. He kept battling and fouled balls off and I thought he did a phenomenal job.”
On the mound, Staron also proved that the future of Athens baseball looks bright. He earned the win by throwing a complete game and only giving up two runs on six hits with four strikeouts. The most encouraging part of Staron’s performance, however, was his ability to command all of his pitches.
Aside from an intentional walk in the seventh inning, Staron didn’t walk any of the Warren hitters.
“Alex now has two wins on the year,” Gibson said. “He picked up another win against Marietta, but what’s great about Alex is he really knows how to pitch. He gets ahead of batters and he has a really nice breaking ball and fastball.”
Staron can also thank his teammates, who provided solid defense all day. In the top of the third with a man on second and two outs, Warren second baseman Tyler Ward lined one into the left-center gap that assuredly would have gone for extra bases and scored a run, but left fielder Cody Mack sprawled out and made a diving catch to end the inning.
While Staron demonstrated precise control of his pitches, his counterpart Trip Griffin did not. Griffin had a hard time getting his breaking ball over the plate and walked five Athens batters over five innings of work. Griffin finished the day tossing five innings and giving up two runs while striking out four.
Junior Austin Howard went 2-2 with two singles and two RBIs for Athens. With two outs in the first inning, Howard dribbled a slow grounder to third that he legged out for an infield single, scoring Schwarzel.
Warren answered in the second when catcher Landon Kern hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Scotty Pettit. Athens fired right back in the third when Howard ripped a hard single down third baseline that scored second baseman Tyler Lutz.
Staron seemed to be on cruise control until surrendering a solo home run to Pettit to lead off the sixth inning, but he regained his composure to pitch a scoreless seventh and give his team a chance at victory.
Performances like those from Staron, Schwarzel, and Howard are what have Gibson excited about Athens baseball moving forward.
“Everybody who started game two will be back next year,” he said. “We thought we’d give the seniors a rest after game one and give some of the underclassmen an opportunity to play. They really stepped up and played well and I’m very excited about coaching this group of kids next year.”
OU commencement speaker donates land for wildlife preserve
Athens City Council accepted a donation from its scheduled undergraduate commencement speaker last night that will allow approximately five acres on Cardiff Lane to remain as undeveloped park land.
Atul Gawande, a medical staff member of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address on June 11 in two separate graduation ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.
Gawande, who is also a Harvard Medical School graduate, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but raised in Athens. He is thrilled to be coming home to deliver the undergraduate commencement address this year.
“It was completely flattering,” Gawande said in a press release. “There was nothing more gratifying than being asked to come home and give commencement at Ohio University.”
Gawande went one step further by donating the five acres of land on Cardiff Lane to be preserved as a woodland and wildlife preserve. While the area was intended to also act as recreation area for Athens residents with biking, hiking, and walking trails, Councilwoman Chris Fahl said that the area simply isn’t big enough to incorporate a trail.
“The five acres will remain an open area to the public, but it isn’t large enough for a trail or a playground or anything like that,” she said. “But we will be putting a bench there and it does have a beautiful view.”
The city also plans to plant trees in the park to prevent soil erosion. The park, which will be named the Gawande Family Park, will not pertain much to Ohio University students, as Cardiff Lane is located south of the Hocking River off of Richland Avenue and Coventry Lane in an area mostly occupied by Athens locals.
The park will also be subjected to a perpetual deed restriction, stating that the land shall be used for general recreation purposes.
Another way this land will benefit the city is that Athens will have the right to access the land for public utility improvements as long as it complies with the perpetual deed restriction. Picnic and rest areas will also be implemented within the park.
Councilman Jim Sands said that the city would begin paying taxes on the land this year. Despite that, City Council is very grateful for Gawande and his family’s donation.
“It’s very generous of Dr. Gawande to donate property,” Fahl said. “This is the start of a process to hopefully encourage further donations to make the city nicer.”
Atul Gawande, a medical staff member of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address on June 11 in two separate graduation ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.
Gawande, who is also a Harvard Medical School graduate, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but raised in Athens. He is thrilled to be coming home to deliver the undergraduate commencement address this year.
“It was completely flattering,” Gawande said in a press release. “There was nothing more gratifying than being asked to come home and give commencement at Ohio University.”
Gawande went one step further by donating the five acres of land on Cardiff Lane to be preserved as a woodland and wildlife preserve. While the area was intended to also act as recreation area for Athens residents with biking, hiking, and walking trails, Councilwoman Chris Fahl said that the area simply isn’t big enough to incorporate a trail.
“The five acres will remain an open area to the public, but it isn’t large enough for a trail or a playground or anything like that,” she said. “But we will be putting a bench there and it does have a beautiful view.”
The city also plans to plant trees in the park to prevent soil erosion. The park, which will be named the Gawande Family Park, will not pertain much to Ohio University students, as Cardiff Lane is located south of the Hocking River off of Richland Avenue and Coventry Lane in an area mostly occupied by Athens locals.
The park will also be subjected to a perpetual deed restriction, stating that the land shall be used for general recreation purposes.
Another way this land will benefit the city is that Athens will have the right to access the land for public utility improvements as long as it complies with the perpetual deed restriction. Picnic and rest areas will also be implemented within the park.
Councilman Jim Sands said that the city would begin paying taxes on the land this year. Despite that, City Council is very grateful for Gawande and his family’s donation.
“It’s very generous of Dr. Gawande to donate property,” Fahl said. “This is the start of a process to hopefully encourage further donations to make the city nicer.”
Athens postal worker pleads for immediate implementation of CO ordinance
An Athens postal worker expressed concern over the city’s natural gas safety and pleaded with Athens City Council to implement the carbon monoxide ordinance ahead of schedule last night at the City Council meeting.
The City Council passed the carbon monoxide ordinance in late 2010, but it is not expected to take effect until 2012. The ordinance requires that all Athens rental units have working carbon monoxide detectors to ensure student safety. According to Councilwoman Sherri Coon in November 2010, the compliance date was changed from September 2011 to January 2012 to allow landlords more time to purchase carbon monoxide detectors.
Charles Murray Rose explained how he smells gas leaks frequently on his mail routes and feels it his duty to protect not only himself but his customers as well.
In Rose’s fourth plea before council last night, Rose alerted City Council about a possible gas leak that he detected while delivering mail to Conrath Realty at 280 E. State St. on March 11. While it was not a gas leak, it turns out that a roofer inadvertently covered a ventilation pipe. Employees thanked Rose for raising this concern as it could have developed into a serious problem if left unnoticed.
The first time Rose realized there was a problem was in March 2008 while delivering mail to 20 and 21 N. Shannon Ave. Rose first brought the issue to council after smelling a gas leak at the home of Jane Lyons at 306 E. State St. in April 2009.
Lyons had told Rose that if he hadn’t noticed the problem that her house could have exploded. But after three years of being on public record, only baby steps have been taken to correct the issue.
The cost of the carbon monoxide detectors is another problem that is delaying the process and Rose fears that if the ordinance is not implemented early, the city could face a major lawsuit.
“Since when do we value the cost of some object over the cost of someone’s life?” Rose said as he stood before council. “I urge you not to wait until 2012 because God forbid a student is killed between now and then.”
The success of carbon monoxide detectors has been documented as well. Rose said that a carbon monoxide detector at 61 Elmwood Place alerted residents to evacuate. Rose also said that a carbon monoxide detector detected a problem at 11 Sunnyside Drive where a family and their baby were forced to evacuate safely.
Infrastructural problems that lead to faulty gas lines are not only a problem in Athens, but nationwide.
Rose noted that Columbia Gas of Ohio has recently agreed to move to a new building. Columbia will relocate less than a mile from its current location in Columbus in late 2014 in a move that will cost $50 million.
“Instead of getting their new digs in Columbus, why couldn’t they use some of that money to fix the gas lines?” Rose said. “It makes no sense.”
The City Council passed the carbon monoxide ordinance in late 2010, but it is not expected to take effect until 2012. The ordinance requires that all Athens rental units have working carbon monoxide detectors to ensure student safety. According to Councilwoman Sherri Coon in November 2010, the compliance date was changed from September 2011 to January 2012 to allow landlords more time to purchase carbon monoxide detectors.
Charles Murray Rose explained how he smells gas leaks frequently on his mail routes and feels it his duty to protect not only himself but his customers as well.
In Rose’s fourth plea before council last night, Rose alerted City Council about a possible gas leak that he detected while delivering mail to Conrath Realty at 280 E. State St. on March 11. While it was not a gas leak, it turns out that a roofer inadvertently covered a ventilation pipe. Employees thanked Rose for raising this concern as it could have developed into a serious problem if left unnoticed.
The first time Rose realized there was a problem was in March 2008 while delivering mail to 20 and 21 N. Shannon Ave. Rose first brought the issue to council after smelling a gas leak at the home of Jane Lyons at 306 E. State St. in April 2009.
Lyons had told Rose that if he hadn’t noticed the problem that her house could have exploded. But after three years of being on public record, only baby steps have been taken to correct the issue.
The cost of the carbon monoxide detectors is another problem that is delaying the process and Rose fears that if the ordinance is not implemented early, the city could face a major lawsuit.
“Since when do we value the cost of some object over the cost of someone’s life?” Rose said as he stood before council. “I urge you not to wait until 2012 because God forbid a student is killed between now and then.”
The success of carbon monoxide detectors has been documented as well. Rose said that a carbon monoxide detector at 61 Elmwood Place alerted residents to evacuate. Rose also said that a carbon monoxide detector detected a problem at 11 Sunnyside Drive where a family and their baby were forced to evacuate safely.
Infrastructural problems that lead to faulty gas lines are not only a problem in Athens, but nationwide.
Rose noted that Columbia Gas of Ohio has recently agreed to move to a new building. Columbia will relocate less than a mile from its current location in Columbus in late 2014 in a move that will cost $50 million.
“Instead of getting their new digs in Columbus, why couldn’t they use some of that money to fix the gas lines?” Rose said. “It makes no sense.”
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