the rising

We called Mark on Good Friday to let him know that much of what was left of Lawrenceburg's gym was up for grabs. Mike & I assumed that the story would end there.  But the next day he toured the gym and consulted contractors on the feasibility of removing and transporting 1500 square feet of tongue & groove maple flooring.  On Easter Sunday a fortuitous breakfast with Kevin (who owns a semi) sealed the deal.  Working through the day & into the evening with family and friends, the Tiger home court began it's move west.  Last night Mark called to let me know the final part of the journey was about to begin.  CGS.

the coach

Coach (koCH), noun: an athletic instructor or trainer, a tutor who gives specialized training, verb: to train, instruct or teach.  Example - Stacey Meyer has coached the Greensburg Pirates for the past 8 seasons, leading them to two Sectional Titles, one Regional Crown and back to back State Championships. He is only the 13th Indiana high school coach to win back to back titles. 

Greensburg & Stacey Meyer had been on our radar since we started the project back in October - they were a short drive away and were following up a State Championship with a senior laden roster.  On a cold night in January we watched a determined Madison team defeat them in overtime for only their third loss in three years.  And ultimately, the only defeat of the season.  We caught up with them again when they dispensed Silver Creek and Evansville Memorial in the Washington Regional and then as they side stepped a determined Guerin Catholic at Richmond to move into the championship game. Unable to attend that game, I listened to the radio broadcast as the commentators worried that the Pirates were only "six players deep" and wouldn't be able to handle Bowman Academy's athleticism or game long full-court press. Never underestimate a good coach with a superior game plan.  In the end, to the amazement of the folks in the radio booth, Greensburg didn't try to dribble through Bowman's press, they simply passed the ball around it.  Over & over, with surgical precision, they moved down the court and scored points.  89-76 was the final tally, but it wasn't even that close. So the boys in blue came home with another trophy to an appreciative community. And their hometown coach?  Well, he's looking forward to the 2014-15 season.  You see he's already making plans for turning his JV squad's one loss into another victory.  CGS.  

sisters

To say that Sydney Keane & Brooklyn Ronsheim are friends would be an understatement.  They've grown up together, shared countless sleepovers, fought with each other, traded secrets and for the past 4 seasons have been teammates on the Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles - numbers 22 and 32 in your program.  The only seniors on this year's squad, they led the Lady Eagles to a 19-4 record, a sixth consecutive Sectional title, the Regional crown and a place in the Final Four. Not bad for a couple of small town girls. On the court they display intensity and leadership with attitude thrown in.  And did I mention that they were competitive?  Their basketball careers are over now - they will attend IU Southeast next year, simply as students (and roommates), but the mark they left at JCD is undeniable and the bar they set is high. Yet somewhere out there, high in the bleachers cheering on the Lady Eagles, are the next Sydney & Brooklyn. The beat goes on.  CGS.

the vette in the barn

Car guys know the story - the one about the '65 Corvette bought new before the soldier shipped out to Vietnam. After he was killed, his folks parked the car and never looked at it again.  So it sits, waiting for some lucky person to find it, offer the right amount of money and haul it away.  Or maybe it's a '59 Fender Stratocaster that's been hidden in a closet since Eric Clapton traded it during a respite from recording Layla in some small Florida town.  Now, it's our turn, our myth. Down a country road, around a small bend sits a barn with a basket on the second floor and enough maple flooring to fill a gym.  And soon, a home to players looking for a game.  CGS.