Bits & Pieces

By Kim J. Harmon

 

I’m really glad that volleyball official threw me off the floor during the Newtown-Lauralton Hall match in Milford last Friday. I never realized what a menace I – a somewhat humble photographer/writer – was to the life and limb of the players on the court.

Okay, sure, I was in a position next to the official’s ladder that would have made it near impossible for anyone – even the most agile player – to come into contact with me, thereby rupturing a knee ligament or shattering a pelvis or breaking an ankle or whatever.

But I realize now that any risk, however infinitesimal, is simply too much to bear. I certainly did not want to place any Newtown player in peril – heck, I like those girls; I definitely don’t want to trip someone if they are pursuing a ball that would have been that far out of bounds.

And, God forbid, I would never want the official to “feel terrible” should an unlikely accident occur. Never mind that not once, in my 21 years in this business, have I ever come into contact with an athlete during the course of play I realize now I am far too dangerous a person to even allow in the gymnasium.

Or on the pool deck, for that matter. I’m glad there is one – and only one – swim official out there who is courageous enough to tell me what a menace I am to the swimmers when I am using a flash to take photographs. I endanger the swimmers because the flash “snowblinds” them and renders them, I suppose, unable to see the wall so they end up bonking their heads and, I guess, drowning.

I’m such a dangerous guy. I never realized.

Maybe I should find another line of work.

“You have to be respectful when arguing with an official. I usually say, ‘Sir, are we watching the same game?’ ” – Homer Smith, former football coach at West Point

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After watching the Newtown-Weston field hockey game on Monday, I realize this is game that must be played on turf. It is faster and far more exciting than it could ever be on an uneven, pockmarked grass field.

“If a horse can’t eat it, then I don’t like it.” – Former baseball player Dick Allen on turf

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Sometimes you just have to feel for the plight of the average athletic director.

Last week, in deference to Rosh Hashanah, Newtown High School A.D. only scheduled one contest from Monday, October 3, through Wednesday, October 5. It was a swim meet against Lauralton Hall and the only reason it remained on the schedule was because the Catholic high school agreed to swim the meet in Newtown.

As it turned out, those three days were sunny and pleasant.

Since then, the weather has been generally miserable, forcing several contests to be postponed and several others to be switched to other venues (i.e., turf fields). And it looks like it won’t be sunny again until next week.

Just think, only a couple more months (maybe less) before the snow.

“When a guy name Noah talks about rain, you listen.” – A tennis fan upon hearing Yannick Noah tell someone it wasn’t going to rain during a tournament.