Calm before the recruiting storm

Big-time recruit in Springfield. Published: Aug. 8, 2010.

Major-college football prospects often spend their summers flying around the country meeting with coaches and working out at university football camps to boost their stock on the recruiting trail.

But Dorial Green-Beckham, a potential five-star football recruit following a monster sophomore year at Hillcrest High School -- All-Ozarks in football and basketball, state champion in basketball and gold medalist in the 100 meters and triple jump at the state track meet -- had what John Beckham, his adoptive father and coach, called "a fairly boring summer."

Save for a high school football team camp, a travel-team basketball tournament in Arkansas and a trip to Florida with the family, Green-Beckham stayed primarily in southwest Missouri.

"I ran and all that; hung out and went up to school to catch a couple balls," Green-Beckham said last week. "I was working on my hands and catching the ball.

"But I mostly just stayed here and worked on all the things here."

Who's coaching your kids?

Published May 15, 2010.

Watching her 5-year-old son participate in a Tot Ball practice last week, Brandi Cline said she feels her boys are safe playing sports for the Republic Parks and Recreation Department.

But the Republic resident expressed concern about the organization's lack of background checks for volunteer coaches.

Cline watched her son and 11 others play tee-ball with 11 adults on the field helping the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds with guidance.

"I'm surprised about that," Cline said after learning the city does not check its prospective coaches. "I just assumed they all did that."

A year after his death, Patrick Clegg on minds of friends, family

Photo by Nathan Papes / News-Leader; Published April 18, 2010.

One year after tragedy struck in the mid-Missouri Army town, Waynesville has returned to normal.

Even in Mary Clegg's lively house in nearby St. Robert, there still are people of all ages buzzing around most days.

Most of her grieving over the death of her 16-year-old son, Patrick, is done alone.

Several times a week, Mary Clegg spends time at Patrick's grave in Sunset Memorial Estates Cemetery to feel close to him.

Prep golfers missing too much school

This is one of my first columns published in the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader. Published on April 12, 2010.

Everyone has regrets about high school.

But one I hear often is not taking advantage of the prep golf scam.

Think about it: If you can make the team, there are many rounds of daily free golf to be had in the spring during the offseasons of football and basketball.

What could be better, I've heard many wise wistful men ask.

Boy, would they really regret not teeing it up in this area.

Combing through the spring schedules, I noticed an extra perk for our young golfers.
They very nearly become part-time students.