New Year's Fanfillment
Fans celebrate after the Tokay High girls water polo team scored a goal in a playoff victory over Vintage last year. (News-Sentinel file photo)
Posted: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 12:00 am
|
Updated: 9:48 am, Fri Jul 9, 2010.
New Year's Fanfillment
When Tokay beat Lodi 48-47 in the Flames' brand new gymnasium
last Jan. 9, it was the largest crowd for a prep basketball game I
had ever seen in this city.
The atmosphere at The Inferno II was electric. Tokay Bleacher
Creatures filled one whole side and Flame Fanatics filled the
other. And just about everyone in town who had anything to do with
high school sports was there.
An online service is needed to view this article in its entirety.
You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.
Login
Or, use your
linked account:
Current print subscribers
Need an account? Create one now.
Or, use your
linked account:
kAm%96 DA:C:E D9@H? 3J E96 72?D H2D E6CC:7:4 2?5 E96 3F:=5:?8 D9@@<
H:E9 DA:C:E65 D4C62>D @? 6G6CJ A@DD6DD:@?] xE 5:5?VE >2EE6C E92E
3@E9 E62>D H6C6 92G:?8 36=@H\2G6C286 D62D@?D FA E@ E92E A@:?E]k^Am
kAm!6@A=6 DE:== 4966C65 2?5 3=65 6:E96C C65 2?5 H9:E6 @C AFCA=6 2?5
8@=5] xE H2D E96 F=E:>2E6 D>2==\E@H? C:G2=CJ] %96 A=2J6CD =@G65 E96
6?6C8J 2?5 765 @77 @7 :E] tG6? E96 9625 4@2496D 925 2 DAC:?8 :?
E96:C DE6A @? E96 D:56=:?6D]k^Am
kAm(96? :E H2D @G6C[ 6G6CJ@?6 :? %96 x?76C?@ H2D 5C2:?65 2?5 92AAJ]
xE H2D 2 8C62E 82>6] xE 2=D@ AFE 2 ?:46 49F?< @7 492?86 :?E@ {@5:VD
2E9=6E:4 56A2CE>6?E 4@776CD H:E9 E96 A2:5 2EE6?52?46 2E E96
82E6]k^Am
kAm$25=J[ x 92G6 ?@E D66? 2 42A24:EJ 4C@H5 7@C 2?J DA@CE:?8 6G6?E
D:?46] tG6CJ 82>6 x 2EE6?5[ E96C6 2C6 9F?5C65D[ :7 ?@E E9@FD2?5D[
@7 6>AEJ D62ED] tG6? 2EE6?52?46 2E D@>6 @7 E96 3:886DE >2E49FAD
?F>36C :? ;FDE E96 =@H 9F?5C65D[ :7 6G6? E92E]k^Am
kAm$@[ :?DE625 @7 E96 FDF2= C6D@=FE:@?D E92E 6G6CJ@?6 >2<6D W2?5
>@DE=J 3C62<DX :? E96 4@>:?8 }6H *62C[ 96C6 :D 2 492==6?86 E@ E96
=@42= 4@>>F?:EJ E@ 96=A 36?67:E E96 AC6A 2E9=6E:4 AC@8C2>D 7@C
a_`_]k^Am
kAm{6EVD 7:== E96 DE25:F>D[ 8J>?2D:F>D[ 7:6=5D[ A@@=D 2?5 5:2>@?5D
7@C 6G6CJ AC6A DA@CE:?8 6G6?E E92E :D 96=5 :? E9:D 4:EJ] xE 42? 36
2?J 82>6 :? 2?J DA@CE 282:?DE 2?J E62>] p?5 >2<6 DFC6 J@F 3C:?8
J@FC 42D9 7@C E96 25>:DD:@? 766 2?5 :7 E96C6 :D ?@?6[ 4@?D:56C
5@?2E:?8 2 76H 46?ED 2E E96 82E6]k^Am
kAmw:89 D49@@= DA@CED 2C6 :? A6C:=] pE9=6E:4 56A2CE>6?E 3F586ED 2C6
36:?8 D=2D965 =67E 2?5 C:89E] %96 >@C6 E96 A6@A=6 :? @FC 4:EJ 8@ E@
E96 4@?E6DED[ E96 >@C6 >@?6J E92E :D 4@==64E65 2E E96 E:4<6E 82E6]
%9:D 96=AD DFAA@CE E96 DA@CED AC@8C2>D 2E {@5:[ %@<2J[ v2=E[
{:36CEJ #2?49 2?5 t==:@E r9C:DE:2? 9:89 D49@@=D 2D H6== 2D {@5:
p4256>J]k^Am
kAm*6D[ H6 2C6 :? 2? 64@?@>:4 5@H?EFC?] (6 42?VE C62==J 277@C5
E9:?8D =:<6 H6 FD65 E@] qFE :7 H6 >2<6 2? 677@CE E@ 6?DFC6 2== 9:89
D49@@= 82>6D 2C6 6:E96C D@=5 @FE @C 2D >F49 E@ 42A24:EJ 2D
A@DD:3=6[ H6 42? 96=A 3F:=5 36EE6C E62>D 2?5 724:=:E:6D H:E9 E96
C6G6?F6 86?6C2E65 7C@> E96 72? DFAA@CE]k^Am
kAm%96? >2J36 H6 42? DE@A E96 6I@5FD @7 @FC 4:EJVD 36DE 2E9=6E6D[
>2=6 @C 76>2=6[ E@ >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 AC:G2E6 9:89 D49@@=D H:E9 36EE6C
7F?565 2E9=6E:4 AC@8C2>D 2?5 9F86 72? 32D6D] z66A:?8 E96 =@42=
E2=6?E 2E 9@>6 H@F=5 96=A E96 9:89 D49@@=D :? {@5: 2?5 v2=E 7:6=5
>@C6 492>A:@?D9:A 42=:36C E62>D :? >2?J DA@CED] %92E H@F=5 :?4C62D6
2EE6?52?46 6G6? >@C6]k^Am
kAm|2J36 :E :D 2 ?2:G6 :562 E@ :DDF6 DF49 2 492==6?86] xE 4@F=5 36
?@E9:?8 >@C6 E92? 2 A:A6 5C62> :? E9:D 4J36C\E649?@=@8J 286 @7 DF49
5:DEC24E:@?D 2D E96 x?E6C?6E[ xA@5D[ 46== A9@?6D[ )q@I 2?5 (::] qFE
@?6 E9:?8 x 92G6 4@?D:DE6?E=J D66? :? {@5: @G6C E96 J62CD :D E92E
E9:D 4:EJ 92D 8C62E A2C6?ED H9@ DFAA@CE E96:C DEF56?ED 2?5
2E9=6E6D]k^Am
kAmx 36=:6G6 :? E9:D 4:EJ 2?5 E96 A6@A=6 H9@ =:G6 96C6] x 36=:6G6
{@5: 92D E96 A@E6?E:2= 72? 32D6 E@ =625 2 ?6H EC6?5 E92E H:== AFE
>@C6 A6@A=6 :? E96 D62ED 2?5 C6D4F6 @FC AC6A 2E9=6E:4 AC@8C2>D 7C@>
7:?2?4:2= 5:D2DE6C :? E96 AC@46DD]k^Am
kAm$@ E96 ?6IE E:>6 D@>6@?6 564:56D E96J H2?E E@ DA6?5 2 76H 3F4<D
2E 2? 6IA6?D:G6 C6DE2FC2?E[ E2<6 :? E96 =2E6DE >@G:6 2E E96
4:?6A=6I @C 6G6? >2<6 2 5@?2E:@? E@ 2 492C:EJ @7 E96:C 49@:46[ H9J
?@E 8@ E@ 2 9:89 D49@@= 82>6 :?DE625nk^Am
kAm%92EVD E96 492==6?86 7@C @FC 4@>>F?:EJ :? a_`_]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 2==[ H92E 36EE6C :?G6DE>6?E 42? H6 >2<6 E92? E92E @7 E96
7FEFC6D @7 @FC 49:=5C6?nk^Am
Thank you for reading 20 free articles on our site. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 20 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription at this time and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information. If you need help, please contact our office at 209-369-2761.
You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.
Login
Or, use your
linked account:
Current print subscribers
Need an account? Create one now.
Posted in
Richard banas
on
Wednesday, December 30, 2009 12:00 am.
Updated: 9:48 am.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thanks for visiting Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 free articles every 30 days. You will see 10 articles for free before being asked to register, and then you can view 10 additional articles by registering or logging in. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thanks for visiting Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 free articles every 30 days, and you currently have (%remaining%) free articles remaining ((%remaining_reg%) before being asked to register and (%remaining_sub%) before being asked to subscribe). Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thanks for visiting Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 free articles every 30 days, and you currently have (%remaining%) free articles remaining ((%remaining_reg%) before being asked to register and (%remaining_sub%) before being asked to subscribe). Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thanks for visiting Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 free articles every 30 days, and you currently have (%remaining%) total free articles remaining ((%remaining_reg%) before being asked to register and (%remaining_sub%) before being asked to subscribe). Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for reading Lodinews.com. You have viewed (%viewed%) of your 20 free pages in 30 days. Please login or register at this time and enjoy the next (%remaining%) articles free of charge. After your 20 free articles, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for reading Lodinews.com. Because you have already viewed this article, you may view it again as many times as you would like without subtracting from your remaining free article views.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for registering on Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 articles for free every 30 days, and you currently have (%remaining%) remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for reading Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 articles for free every 30 days, and you currently have (%remaining%) remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for reading Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 articles for free every 30 days, and you currently have (%remaining%) remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for reading Lodinews.com. You're entitled to view 20 articles for free every 30 days. This is your last free article this period. On your next article we'll ask you to purchase an affordable subscription.
(%remaining%) Remaining
Thank you for reading 20 free articles on our site. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 20 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription at this time and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information. If you need help, please contact our office at 209-369-2761.
posted at 10:44 am on Tue, Jan 5, 2010.
.I have an interesting observation.I've noticed that with "small team sports" such as basketball, less players are getting a chance to play. This is particularly evident at the Freshman and JV levels, where player development used to be the focus - and now winning is the only focus.This means less family members come out to games to see "little Johnny" sit on the bench.That can equate to dozens and dozens of empty seats when you consider that only 7 or 8 players on a team of 13 or 14 get a chance to play.If this is true, then the high school sports programs that follow this philosophy are getting what they deserve.. fewer fans, less revenue.
posted at 7:50 am on Thu, Dec 31, 2009.
That should read Flame Fanatics
posted at 7:49 am on Thu, Dec 31, 2009.
Great article. Being a past student of Lodi High, it really saddens me to see the poor fan participation at all the Flames events. The Fan Fanatics make a grand entrance and do not seem to carry on the spirit through the games. I have even heard the athletes say they wish Lodi would cheer more and root there teams on. I have been at more than 1 event in LODI and have witnessed more team spirit from the visiting team than our own. So LODI, lets bring the FLAME SPIRIT back!! Best of Luck to all the Flame teams in all sports.
posted at 4:25 am on Wed, Dec 30, 2009.
Great article, Richard. As a former athlete, I know how much it means when the community demonstrates its support by getting behind athletes and attending sporting events. You were spot on in your observation of what effect empty stands have on morale. I hope that your rallying cry is heard and taken to heart - the kids, the schools and the community deserve it. Peace...
posted at 2:29 am on Wed, Dec 30, 2009.
Great article Richard. Yes to observe packed stands for sporting events was a thing of the past, although the Lodi – Tokay games are usually have the most audience at games, local teams bring out the spectators – hope so see more games of Tokay and Lodi..Look forward to the community to rally behind your expressions and support the high school sporting events.
posted at 2:24 am on Wed, Dec 30, 2009.
Rich nice article, I would love to see more people in the stands also,for all the sports. The LNS could help out a little bit by doing more to promote some of the sporting events. In the 80's they would pick a player our two during the week and biuld up some hype before the game on Friday nights, all we see is the small printed scedule, and way to many articles off the wire. Dont get me wrong you write some of the best articles but i think the papaer could do more. Thanks, and keep up the good work!!
posted at 2:16 am on Wed, Dec 30, 2009.
Good article Richard. These extremely important programs are in real peril. We need to support them.