Vintage Colorado On Display At Nostalgia Day
Liz Emmett-Mattox
LizEM@lhvc.com
For a
town whose tag line is “Vintage Colorado” it’s only fitting that one of the
signature events is Nostalgia Day. September 12 this year will see the return
of most of the traditional elements of this annual celebration as well as a few
special events that showcase the history of Niwot.
You can
start your morning with a pancake breakfast in the parking lot of Niwot Market
before lining up for the parade down Second Avenue. This year the honor of
being named Grand Marshalls will go to the members of Left Hand Grange.
After the
parade, Second Avenue will be lined with various food and vendor booths. Be
sure to stop by the Left
Hand Valley Courier booth
and sponsor a duck in the third annual Duck Race.
The first
duck across the line wins its sponsor a duck dinner for four catered by Chef
Dale Lamb. Second prize is a wildlife themed condiment set courtesy of Cayenne
Kitchen, and third prize is a set of duck-shaped ear buds. All proceeds will be
donated to the NCAA for the purchase of Whistle Stop Park.
One of
the special events this year is the grand re-opening of the Left Hand Grange.
Although repairs are still underway, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be part of
the Nostalgia Day festivities. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see
a play in the Grange after the ceremony.
Of
course, the day wouldn’t be complete without a concert in Cottonwood Square.
This year, Bassline, a band made up of Niwot High
students, will open for the Nacho Men. Bassline was
one of the favorite bands at the “Take Off the Chill
with Chili in Niwot” even in Niwot last February.
Although
Nostalgia Day is organized by the Niwot Community Association and other
volunteers, it requires cold, hard cash to make it happen. In years past,
sponsorships and donations have been adequate to cover the costs of the day. It
will likely come as no surprise to anyone that fundraising has been more
difficult this year. For this reason, concert-goers will be asked to pay a
small admission fee of $3 for the evening’s entertainment.
If you
are interested in being part of this year’s Nostalgia Day, there are many ways
to get involved.
To
reserve a booth, contact Renae Dahiya
at renae.d@niwot.org.
For more
information, contact Neal Anderson, Nostalgia Day Coordinator, at neal.a@niwot.org.
New
Children’s Proposed for Niwot
If you have been down First Avenue on your way to the Post Office or Whistle Stop Park lately, you may have noticed that the house that used to be at 101 First Ave. is no longer standing. The reason is that the new owners of the property, Jeff and Cynthia Lambert, have filed a proposal with Boulder County to make the site into a park.
The Lamberts, who have young children, were eating dinner at Treppeda’s one night and thought how nice it would be to have a park near the Old Town area for their children to play in. So they started imagining what would make a great neighborhood park.
The proposal calls for swing sets, a play structure suitable for 3- to 6-year-olds, and another for 7- to 12-year-olds and a sand play area. One thing that could make this park special is the water sprinkler that is included in the proposal. The park would also have restrooms, benches and space for a community garden.
Although it would be privately owned, the Lamberts intend for this to be a community park in the fullest sense. Jeff Lambert suggested that they might have a contest to name the park, as well as asking kids what they would like to see in the park.
Lambert is open to suggestions about the kind of play structures that will be installed and would like to see the Niwot business community support the park in some visible way. He said, “It makes people feel safe when they realize that the community supports this kind of thing. It’s part of the circle of life, when the community comes together to support the children and families.”
In the Site Plan Review application filed with the County Land Use Department, the Lamberts are applying for a “change of use” permit. Because the property is zoned “rural residential,” the switch from residential use to park use does not require a zoning change.
Although daytime use of rural residential property for a park is a use permitted by right under the Land Use Code, the fact that the type of allowed use is changing requires the Site Plan Review process.
The application has been reviewed by various county departments, and approved with only minor changes. Letters in support of the park have also been sent by the Niwot Business Association, the Niwot Community Association, Left Hand Grange, and many others.
Besides filling the need for a local park, supporters mentioned the positive impact they expect the park to have on local businesses.
Not everyone is in favor of the park. The county has received a letter from the Midyette family which lives across the street from the proposed park. Their grounds for concern include “the idea that a public park is a ‘use by right’ on privately owned residentially zoned land,” and they suggest that the application is incomplete because the drawings of the park and proposed restroom building are sketches and subject to change.
But the major reason for opposition is their view that the proposed park is too closely connected with the adjacent Whistle Stop Park. The conclusion of the letter reads in part:
“Niwot Central Park, as proposed, is an attempt to add to Whistlestop Park without any review or regulation. At a minimum, the Site Plan Review Application should be rejected and the proposal subject to a full Special Use Review along with the appropriate rezoning process. Said Special Use Review must incorporate the present Whistlestop Park and the concert series held there and work to mitigate the impacts of the combined projects as one is merely an extension of the other. The project must be recognized for what it is, an attempt to incrementally convert the subject property and the adjacent parcel into a commercially viable festival ground at the expense of and detriment to the surrounding property owners.”
There is also a petition attached requesting a full Special Use Review that would take into account the cumulative impact of the proposed park with Whistle Stop Park. Of the 31 signatures on the petition, at least 15 were from residents of cities other than Niwot. The addresses listed include Boulder and Longmont, as well as Erie, Nederland and Lafayette.
The county has solicited input from property owners within 1500 feet of the property. The county commissioners will then decide whether to grant the change of use or perhaps hold a public hearing prior to making a final decision.
By Donna Currie
DonnaC@lhvc.com
RTD has released preliminary concept plans for its commuter rail
stations, including the local Gunbarrel station in the Northwest Rail Corridor.
These plans will be used to guide the final designs for the individual
stations, and show the proposed platform locations, parking lots, and
pedestrian, bus and vehicle access to the stations.
Using the proposed plans, the project team for Northwest Rail will
identify the impacts associated with the stations and find ways to mitigate
those impacts.
RTD has released plans for several stations that are not currently
funded, but could be built if funds become available. These plans have been
drawn up so that environmental impacts can be studied. Among those is the Twin
Peaks station in Longmont.
Also in Longmont, two sets of plans are included for the downtown
station. The second plan includes extra parking, which might be required to
accommodate the demand as ridership increases.
The station names are preliminary, based on the location of the station,
and names could change before final approval.
There will be public workshops this summer to discuss project impacts.
In the fall, another series of meetings will be held to collect comments on the
draft of the environmental evaluations before those documents are submitted to
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for approval.
For a full list of station plans, see www.rtd-fastracks.com/nw_61.
Historic Niwot Takes Center Stage
By Kathy Raczkowski
KathyR@lhvc.com
“I’m
ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille,” said the small
village of Niwot, and we at Teen Theatre on the Green focused our collective
lens.
After 10
years of working with campers to produce original plays for the community, this
year Teen Theatre was approached with a special request. Dorinda
Dembroski, representing the local Grange, asked if
our camp might create a play about historic Niwot and/or the Grange Hall that
could be presented at the grand re-opening of the Grange during Nostalgia Day.
As much
as the idea appealed to me on a community service and artistic level, as
creator and director of this grassroots camp, I had to dissuade her hopes that
we might oblige.
“You see,”
I explained to Dembroski, “I can’t dictate what any
of the camps’ shows will be about. The ideas must come from the kids
themselves.”
It’s
true. We teach the campers about all the various aspects of the art and craft
of theatre through games and exercises. Then we use the vehicle of creating a
play together -- from inspiration to execution -- to drive the message home by
putting the newfound lessons into action with their ideas onstage in an open
air setting.
“To tell
them what to write about, to box them in like that, would be incongruous with
the entire premise of the camp,” I told Dembroski.
But I assured her that I would broach the subject with the campers and see what
they thought.
We missed
working in the Grange this summer, as the hall was scheduled for renovation
during the time we would normally rent it for rehearsals. Fortunately Keith and
Cotton Burden opened one of their vacant storefronts for the regular Grange
Hall renters to use. As a camp, we appreciated their offer of temporary
shelter.
In true
“pay it forward” fashion, the kids decided to reward the community with a show
dedicated to Niwotians both old and new.
“The
Grange Stranger” speaks to the current generation who inhabit this small burg,
as it recalls the original homesteaders who platted and populated this once
wild terrain. The show both teaches and entertains as it provides a glimpse
into the life of a new family in town and their encounters with more
established townsfolk.
We
presented the play for the first time, as usual, on the last day of that camp
in the park. About 70 people attended the free show, including Dembroski and Anne Dyni of the
Niwot Historical Society. They had come to see whether or not the show would be
suitable for Nostalgia Day. We were a little nervous, as ours was a work of
historical fiction, so not all of the “historical facts” we included were
necessarily true. We awaited the verdict.
“It was
just delightful,” said Dyni. “I wouldn’t change a
word.”
We hope
that everyone will attend this special encore presentation of a true Niwot
original. With kids’ busy schedules these days, show times may fluctuate, so
keep a close lookout for postings on Nostalgia Day. We hope it will be at noon,
but whenever it plays, be sure to come and see “The
Grange Stranger,” presented by Teen Theatre on the Green on Sept. 12 at the
Grange Hall.
Admission
is free, but donations of $5 each to the Grange renovation project are strongly
encouraged.
For more information on Teen Theatre on the
Green and/or The Grange Stranger, contact Kathy Raczkowski at 303-652-6523.
Photo by Brian Mille
The president of the Historical Society (Pippa Bailey) looks concerned as young Meeka (Jaiden Cruger) is questioned by her mother (Allie Wise) under the careful watch of historical portraits (Kyrie Newby and Mika Hawley-Bowes) in Teen Theatre on the Green’s June performance of “The Grange Stranger.”
By Donna Currie
DonnaC@lhvc.com
Buying
and eating locally-grown food is becoming more and more popular, as people try
to support local businesses, including local farms and farmers. What better way
to get a taste of the farm than to eat right on the farm?
You can
do that at Ollin Farms in Longmont. New this year is
a series of dinners – one Friday and Sunday evening each month from June
through September –
with farm-grown foods supplemented by goods from other local purveyors, all
deliciously orchestrated by Chef Dale Lamb.
Sunday
dinners are family oriented with discounted meals for kids, while Friday night
dinners are geared towards adults – kids are welcome, but no discounted
pricing. Guests can bring their own wine or choose from the nonalcoholic
beverages, like fresh-squeezed lemonade or brewed ice tea, available at the
farm.
On a
recent Friday, the meal included a selection of appetizers including fresh
radishes and turnips on baguettes with butter and salt, a feta and spinach
frittata, and roasted zucchini.
Two
salads were served family style – a cabbage slaw with plums, apricots and
cherries, and garden salads.
The
entrée was a steamship roast of bison that was carved by Dale Lamb, along with
a homey chicken-and-noodle dish and a side including an interesting gratin of
potatoes, turnips and fennel.
The menus
will change depending on what is seasonal and available, and are posted on the
farm’s website about two weeks before the dinners.
At the
dinner we went to, everything was served buffet or family-style, except the
palate-cleansing sorbet and the dessert, which were brought by servers. Seating
is at long tables under a tent, so we ended up chatting with fellow diners
during and after the meal.
Mark Guttridge of Ollin farms said
that most of the dinners are already sold out, but that his goal wasn’t to
compete with local restaurants, but rather to introduce more people to his
farm, his farmstand, and the idea of buying and
eating fresh and locally grown foods.
Like many
of the farmers represented at the local farmer’s market, Guttridge
stressed how much better the locally-produced fresh produce is since it can be
picked ripe, handled carefully, and sold immediately. And since the produce
doesn’t have to withstand shipping, local producers can grow different
varieties of vegetables than you might find in the supermarket.
This
year, Guttridge is growing 140 different varieties of
vegetables, from artichokes to zucchini, which he sells at his farm and at the
farmer’s markets. At his farmstand, he also sells
western slope fruits, along with tamales, tortillas and salsas.
markets in Longmont and Niwot on Saturdays, Boulder on Wednesdays, and Lafayette on Thursdays.
Powderhorn Condominium
Balconies Go Smoke-Free
Liz Emmett-Mattox
LizEM@lhvc.com
In a
process that took just over a year and involved what board member Kimberly
Gibbs described as “many spirited discussions and debates,” the HOA of Powderhorn Condominiums in Gunbarrel recently passed a rule
that prohibits smoking within 20 feet of all residential buildings. This
includes common areas such as stairs, porches and balconies.
The rule was proposed because non-smoking residents were being subjected
to second-hand smoke when their neighbors stepped out into the stairwell or
onto their patio or balcony to smoke. Said resident and HOA member Trevor
Nelson, “Because of the way the buildings are designed, one smoker could affect
five or more units with second-hand smoke.”
The
problem of smokers lighting up in the stairways or on their balconies or
porches was especially troublesome in the summer months, because many of the
units do not have air conditioning. “It was really terrible,” said Nelson. “You
couldn’t open your windows without getting smoke inside, and without air
conditioning it could get really miserable.”
Interim
measures such as having air filtration devices on smokers’ balconies did not
resolve the problem, so more restrictive measures were considered.
When they
looked at their governing declarations, they concluded that the nuisance clause
as well as a clause prohibiting excessive odors seemed to apply to this
situation, even though no rule existed to restrict where residents could smoke.
Gibbs
said that although the board members had very different opinions about whether
or not they should pass the proposed rule, in the end they reached a consensus
and the vote was unanimous.
Among the
board’s concerns were questions about whether enough residents were affected to
justify passing such a rule. Others were concerned about stepping on residents’
rights, and the possibility of legal action against the board. The potential
impact on property values was a concern for the HOA board as well.
Supporters
of the proposed rule went to great lengths to address each of the concerns.
Because they were proposing a rule and not a change to the governing
declarations, the board did not need the explicit approval of the residents.
But
because this issue
directly affect the residents, the board sent a survey to all 448
units. Gibbs said they received an unprecedented number of responses, and they
were overwhelmingly in favor of the restriction. Given that response, she
suggested that the board would be remiss if it didn’t move forward with the restriction.
As far as
legal concerns, the board couldn’t find a case in which a similarly sized
complex had passed such a rule, but cited the case of Heritage Hills in
Jefferson County to indicate that they were on solid legal ground.
In that
case, the district court upheld the change to the bylaws of the condominium
owner’s association saying that “second-hand smoke constitutes a nuisance
similar to extremely loud noise.”
Gibbs
said that she was concerned that given the way attitudes and laws have shifted, not protecting residents from second-hand smoke
might expose the HOA to liability as well. “While second-hand smoke might be a
nuisance for healthy adults, it’s a real health risk for children and the
elderly.”
With
respect to property values, again board members could find no identical cases,
but Gibbs said that all the research she did indicated that property values
were certainly not decreased by smoking restrictions and could possibly be
increased.
Gibbs
said, “In individual residences, it is clear that smoking inside decreases the
sale price. Protecting property values is one of the main concerns of the
board, and especially in these hard economic times, we want to do everything
possible to increase the attractiveness of the property as a whole.”
unanimously.
NBA Joins NCA For
“Getting To Know Niwot” Campaign
By Shari Phiel
ShariP@lhvc.com
The Niwot Business Association and the Niwot Community Association are
working together to get more people out and about in Niwot. The joint effort
was confirmed during the NBA’s monthly meeting on July 14 with NCA president
Neal Anderson describing the event.
The NBA
and the NCA are co-hosting a “Getting to Know Niwot” evening on Aug. 7. The
purpose is to appeal to local residents who may not realize all that Niwot’s businesses have to offer.
The evening coincides with Osmosis Gallery’s First Friday art show.
Niwot Tavern will have coupons for a free beer or soft drink that evening, and
Niwot Jewelers will host a jewelry trunk show with wine and appetizers. Rockin’ Robin’s will also be open late with a jewelry show,
and other businesses may also have specials during the evening.
Information
about the “Getting to Know Niwot” campaign will be posted on the NCA’s Web
site, www.niwot.org, as it becomes available.
Work on
new gateway signs for Niwot continues to move forward. Bruce Warren from the
Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee noted the LID passed a
resolution, which now goes to the Boulder County Commissioners, to begin
working with the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The LID
is hoping to have the first sign placed inside CDOT right-of-way property along
Highway 119 somewhere between Niwot Road and Second Avenue. The group hopes to
eventually add other signs at 79th Street and Highway 52, U.S. Highway 287 and
Niwot Road and 83rd Street and Niwot Road.
Promotions
director Robin Abb noted that CDOT seems to be more
amenable to gateway sign requests. “When I first moved here and started asking
about signs, I was told that the queries had been made for years and it was
just not ever gonna happen,” said Abb.
She added, “All of a sudden it’s starting to shift. CDOT is starting to
show some flexibility,” citing Berthoud’s two new gateway signs on Highway 287
and CDOT’s recent approval for a gateway sign in Boulder.
A
fundraising effort to purchase Whistle Stop Park is well underway. The Niwot
Cultural Arts Association has already raised approximately $10,000 from area
residents. Warren noted that support for the project has been coming in from a
wide range of sources.
Also up
for discussion was the proposed Niwot Central Park. A request submitted to
Boulder County to create a children’s park on a privately held piece of land
east of Whistle Stop Park has been granted conditional approval by the Land Use
department.
Fourth of
July celebrations may be over, but there are still plenty of upcoming events.
Along with Nostalgia Day, the Niwot Criterium will be
returning this year. The race will be held on Sunday, Aug. 16 beginning at 7
a.m. with the last race group starting at 5 p.m. Event organizer Dawn Buckingham
said the race should attract both international and U.S. champions.
The next NBA meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11 beginning at 6
p.m. The meeting location has not been announced.
NCAA Needs Your Help To
Purchase Whistle Stop Park
By Noelle Abarelli
NoelleA@lhvc.com
The newly
formed Niwot Cultural Arts Association is inching closer to achieving its first
goal – raising the funds required to purchase Whistle Stop Park from its
current owner, Bank of the West.
Fundraising
has been underway for a little over a month, and over
$10,000 has been collected from Niwot area residents. The NCAA must raise a
total of $40,000 to complete the purchase, however.
According
to Bruce Warren, one of the NCAA’s directors, “Our organization is extremely
encouraged by the community’s response to supporting the purchase of the park
thus far, but we still have a way to go.”
If you
are interested in contributing, there a variety of ways for you to do so:
Make a
significant personal donation: All donations are tax deductible to the fullest
extent allowed by law, and every individual or organization donating $100 or
more will receive permanent recognition at the park site.
Donors
who contribute $100 will be considered Bronze Sponsors, donors who contribute
$250 will be considered Silver Sponsors, donors who contribute $500 will be
considered Gold Sponsors, and those who contribute $1000 or more will be
considered Platinum Sponsors.
Donate a
small amount at Rhythm on the Rails:
Collection jars will be out at all Rhythm on the Rails events this summer.
Participate
in local events that support the cause: Niwot Market and Burt Steele’s annual
Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast generated a donation of $1,500 toward the park
fund, and the Left
Hand Valley Courier’s annual
duck race during Nostalgia Day will donate proceeds to the fund as well.
For more
information about the NCAA and the purchase of Whistle Stop Park, contact one
of the NCAA directors: Bruce Warren at 303-652-2433 or bwarren@niwotlaw.com; Tim Wise at 303-652-2888 or wiseinniwot@msn.com, or Mike Anfinson
at 970-222-1441 or Mike.Anfinson@lasp.colorado.edu.
Donations can be mailed to: Niwot Cultural Arts Association, P.O. Box 610, Niwot, CO 80544.
St. Vrain Valley
School District Encore Awards
By Barbara Hey
BarbaraH@lhvc.com
Forty-seven
teachers — one from each school throughout the district — received an Encore
Award at May’s “Tribute for Teachers” event, sponsored by the Education
Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley School District.
Each winning teacher was nominated by an
appreciative parent, colleague or student for his or her outstanding teaching
skills, and dedication to the profession and the students. Local Encore
winners, in addition to those previously mentioned in the Courier, were Brian Huey from Burlington Elementary, Katie Koets from Indian Peaks Elementary, Jennifer Rabenhorst from Blue Mountain Elementary, Matthew Smedley from Silver Creek High School, and Tracy Smith from
Eagle Crest Elementary.
Brian
Huey, a fourth grade teacher at Burlington Elementary, “motivates learners
every day with an enthusiasm that contagiously spreads throughout his
classroom,” according to colleague Sarah Hightower,
who nominated him for this award.
He is
committed to nurturing the innate curiosity and natural desire for learning of
children, and takes an inventive and varied approach to keep kids engaged. Huey
also teaches his students to be respectful of one another and all members of
the school communicate in a positive and supportive manner.
Huey
himself is a commendable communicator. “He truly listens and provides
meaningful feedback,” wrote Hightower. “He does an outstanding job of making
sure each child knows what he or she excels at, as well as how they can strive
for further success.”
Katie Koets, fourth grade teacher at Indian Peaks Elementary, was
nominated by Gabriella Rishel, the mother of one of
her students. Rishel wrote that Koets
“welcomed my son with special needs as a full and productive member of the
classroom.”
Koets integrated Rischel’s son
into regular reading groups, and devoted herself to ensuring that he learned
how to read. “Her commitment to be the best teacher she can be is evident
through her enthusiasm for trying new programs with students to help them learn
to their maximum potential. She is always willing to talk with a parent, and so
things to make kids enjoy school more (like sharing in my son’s love of Star
Wars).”
Jennifer Rabenhorst is a kindergarten teacher at Blue Mountain
Elementary. She was nominated for her award by parent Cam D. Johnson who
described her as the epitome of what a kindergarten teacher should be: kind,
soft-spoken and caring.
Rabenhorst was commended for bringing balance to a classroom
filled with diverse abilities and personalities. “She is able to challenge
those who are advanced, while also helping to teach the basic concepts to those
who are struggling,” Johnson wrote.
Rabenhorst’s enthusiasm for teaching gets her students engaged and
excited about learning, and her “exceptional patience” creates a comfortable and
safe classroom.
Matthew Smedley, math teacher at
Silver Creek High School, was nominated by his student Hunter Storaci, who said
his AP calculus class was the “hardest I have ever taken, yet I have
never once felt overwhelmed…due to his teaching abilities.”
Smedley was lauded for his willingness to make himself
available outside of class to help out a struggling student, which contributed
to the students’ successful mastery of difficult material. “In a class like
mine there are so many kids who need help because the coursework is so hard.
You get the feeling that he really is genuinely concerned with you doing well,
and he really wants you to understand the material he is teaching.”
Tracy
Smith, a special education teacher at Eagle Crest Elementary was nominated by
Allison Fostveit, a mother of one of her students,
who credited Smith with easing her concerns as her son started kindergarten.
“She took the time to ask and learn about my son and how his diagnosis of
autism affects his world…She always has a smile on her face and exudes her
passion for teaching in her everyday encounters,” wrote Fostveit.
Fostveit applauded how Smith takes the long view, and
established goals not just for her son’s kindergarten year, but for his entire
school career. “Her nurturing respect and confidence have caused me to
reevaluate the future my son has and that is a precious gift I never expected
to receive…I was not even confident that my son could attend school and now he
is thriving.”
If you have news of local
athletes, please contact
sports@lhvc.comor call 303-652-2433.
BASEBALL
Pat Perry (Niwot) spoke up when he didn’t appreciate the lack of hustle by a teammate
which cost his team two runs. But the
manager, new this season, apparently didn’t appreciate Perry’s comments, and
Perry found himself released by the Traverse City Beach Bums a few days
later. Perry, however, was quickly
picked up by the Southern Illinois Miners and is having a blast with his new
team in the Frontier League as the third-place Miners are having a much better
season than the last place Beach Bums.
Perry is hitting .219 on the season with 11 runs and 14 RBI’s. He went
2-4 with a run scored in his second game for the Miners, an 8-2 loss to Washington. He also went 1-2 with two runs scored in a
5-2 win over Florence, followed by a two-run double in a 6-3 win over Florence.
Sean
Ratliff (Niwot) had a double, his 21st of the season, for the Savannah
Sand Gnats in a 7-6 win over West Virginia in the South Atlantic League.
Ratliff is hitting .271 on the season.
Ratliff, who usually plays centerfield, is playing for the New York Mets
Class A team this summer. Earlier, Ratliff
had two hits and a run scored in an 8-0 win over Lexington. The day before, Ratliff homered to drive in
two runs in a 5-2 win over Lexington.
The homerun was his ninth of the season, which leads the team, as do his
53 runs scored and 52 RBI’s.
Matt Brown
(Niwot) planned to return to
the independent Continental League team in McKinney, Texas, where he played
last season, but his team folded two days before spring training started when
the owner backed out. That left Brown
searching for a team at a late date. The CBL ended up merging with the United
League, which now has only six teams. Brown managed to catch on with a couple
of teams during spring training, but was ultimately released in spite of giving
up only one hit and one run in 10 innings.
Brown had an offer from his former manager, former major league
infielder Curtis
Wilkerson, to come
back next season as a pitcher, or a pitching coach, but is uncertain as to his
plans until then. Brown, who is back in Colorado for the time being, said, “I
want to look into coaching, but I really don’t know where to look because I’ve
been away for so long.”
The
Longmont McDonald’s Twins, a Legion A team based out of Niwot, coached by Niwot’s Mike
Owens, with Niwot’s Craig
McBride and
Skyline’s Dale Nehls as assistants, beat Sedalia at the Blue Springs (Mo.) Wood Bat
Tournament, 6-4, with NHS grad Forrest Carpenter leading the offense with two hits and an RBI. NHS grad Zach LaBorde added a double and an RBI. Niwot grad Ben Packard also had a hit for the Twins, as did NHS
seniors Matt Perry and Ryan Strufing.
NHS grad Parker Jones had two hits and a stolen base for the
Twins in a 4-2 win over Mountain Range. Carpenter picked up a win on the mound
in an 18-8 win over Pomona, and also added a homerun. Packard had two homers and four RBI’s at the plate,
and LaBorde also added a homer. LaBorde also
pitched a three hit shutout in an 8-0 win over the Denver Lightning.
Perry had
ten strikeouts in four and one-third innings of relief in a 10-6 loss to the
Western Slope Warriors in the first game of a doubleheader, while LaBorde and Strufing had two hits
each in the nightcap, a 12-8 win. Strufing started and picked up the win on the mound, with
NHS grad Cody Lahman closing out the game with a scoreless inning in relief.
Lahman also pitched a complete game 3-hitter in an 11-1 win
over Heritage, striking out ten batters while walking only two. Lahman also had two
hits, including a triple, while Packard had three doubles and four RBI’s. Strufing also added
a double for the Twins. The Twins,
consisting of players from Niwot, Skyline, Longmont and Silver Creek high
schools, are second in the league behind Greeley GoJo
with a 13-4 record after a split with Boulder.
The Twins lost the first game 2-1, but came back to win the second game
7-5 behind homers from Packard and Lahman.
Niwot’s Legion B team, under head coach Michael Perry and assistant coach Jose Soto, finished 2-2 in the district playoffs and was eliminated by a 5-4 loss
to Greeley West. Kelton Manzanares pitched six strong innings in the loss,
limiting GW to seven hits, but three Cougar errors hurt. Manzanares also
went 2-4 at the plate. Niwot had
advanced on a 14-12 win over Eaton, pounding out 18 hits, led by Ben Raynor’s five hits and four stolen bases. Sam Distefano connected for his first homerun of the
season.
Niwot’s Legion B team posted a 14-7 win over George
Washington earlier in the season with Andy Wegleitner picking up the victory on the mound. Raynor scored four
times and drove in six runs from the leadoff spot on two homers and two
doubles, while Brady Oleszczuk had two homers and four RBI’s for the Cougars. Manzanares also posted a triple to help the offense. According to NHS head coach Jason Lathrop, who oversees the summer program, the
Legion B team had a wide range of player experience this year, including a mix
of players with varsity, JV and C team experience.
NHS grad Dillon Boveri c
oached Niwot’s
Legion C team with help from Niwot grad and former Niwot Youth Sports coach Andy Freas.
The team struggled early, but came on strong at the end, winning four games
in the final weeks. The offense was led
by Ryan Tibbets, who led off and hit .500 for the season,
while playing third base, shortstop and the outfield. Jake Sirosi, who will be an incoming freshman, caught most of the
games and also pitched while hitting in the 4-hole. Kyle Ostrom came on strong at the plate as the season progressed,
hitting in the 3-hole or 5-hole. Most of the pitching chores were handled by Jake Hangge,
A.J. Lambert and Bryan Litchfield.
Lambert and Litchfield played for Alexander Dawson last spring. Marshall Lackey shared the catching duties with Sirosi, while
Lambert and David
Tailor handled
first base. Dylan Klomhaus and Juan Alcatar played second base, while Litchfield and Tibbets handled third.
Hangge played short, while Cameron Coupe, Ostrom, Tailor
and Klomhaus shared outfield duties. Greg Sowers and Joey Loris of Alexander Dawson played parts of the
season, with Sowers seeing action at second base, and Loris playing the
outfield. One of the highlights of the
season was an inside-the-park homerun by Coupe in the last game of the season,
which Niwot lost to Denver East by one run in the seventh inning.
NHS grad Jon Hangge coached the Niwot Legion D team,
consisting of incoming freshmen, with help from NHS grad Alex Hart.
The team finished with a record of 8-6 in the Metro League. One of the highlights of the season was a
victory over Holy Family in which Jesus Ramirez had two
inside-the-park homeruns, while Kyle Howe struck
out seven in five innings for the win.
Pitchers included Howe, Dale Hawley, Tucker Benson, Jake Christofferson,
Bryan Hawthorne and Tanner Morris.
Benson and Morris did most of the catching, while the regular infield
included Ramirez at first, Austin
Hart at
second, Howe at third, and Hawthorne at shortstop. Benson, Christofferson,
Jordan Keller and Sean Harrison manned the outfield with Billy Drake filling in where needed. Drake had a
tough summer, missing much of the season due to illness. Jake Sarosi came down from the Legion C team to fill
in on occasion, giving a big boost to the offense.
Ben Packard (Niwot)
is recovering nicely from Tommy John surgery that kept him on the sidelines for
nine months. Packard started playing
again this summer after redshirting last season at the University of Northern
Colorado. He can start pitching again in
the fall, and expects to pitch and play first base for the Bears next
spring.
Cody Lahman (Niwot) has now signed a letter of intent and accepted a baseball
scholarship to Mesa State College in Grand Junction. Lahman attended a tryout on June 15 with a
total of 20 participants, half of whom were from Junior College programs. Mesa
State chose only four players from this group. They told him he was chosen for
pitching, but he would have the opportunity to compete as a position player
also. Mesa State ended up fifth in the Nation for D-2 baseball last year
according to most national polls. Mesa State has also won four of the last five
RMAC conference titles.
Tucker
Tharp of
Gunbarrel had a double to drive in the tying run for Fairview Hisco in a 4-3 win over Cheyenne Mountain in the Connie
Mack state tournament. Tharp also had two hits in three trips in the
championship game, but to no avail as Hisco lost to
Rocky Mountain, 7-2. Earlier, Tharp had
two hits in a 5-0 win over Papillion (NE) and two hits including a homerun in a
5-4 win over Independence (MO) at the Blue Springs (MO) Wood Bat Tournament. He
also had four hits, including a homer and a double in a doubleheader split with
Centennial. Tharp, a third baseman, will be a senior at Fairview next
fall.
Nick Lanzoni and Jake
Kearney of
Gunbarrel were instrumental in leading North Boulder Little League 12-year-old
All-Stars to a District title. Lanzoni is a first
baseman and pitcher for the team while Kearney is a shortstop and pitcher. Lanzoni has been the starting first baseman and according
to the coaching staff, “has successfully scooped every errant throw that has
come his way.” Lanzoni
excels at making contact and currently leads the team with an on-base
percentage of .733. He led off for NBLL in the final game, a 12-1 win over Shaw
Heights, and picked up a double. He got his start in organized baseball playing
for Tom Moore in Niwot Youth Sports. Kearney was the
starting pitcher for Game One in the District tournament, and also pitched
seven scoreless innings against arch-rival South Boulder Little League, a game
which NBLL eventually won 1-0 in ten innings. According to the coaching staff,
Kearney “has a lively fastball and terrific off-speed stuff.” He also got his
start in organized baseball playing for Tom Moore in Niwot Youth Sports. Both Lanzoni and Kearney are 4-term All-Stars, meaning that they
made the 10 year old All-Star when they were 9, and then made the 10 year old
team again when they were 10, and then made the 11 year old team when they were
11 in addition to this year’s squad. Grant Dinkel, son of coach Kent Dinkel is the only other 4-term All-Star for
NBLL. Joe Lanzoni of Gunbarrel is co-coach of the team with
Dinkel.
HORSE JUDGING
Madison
McKenzie and Erin O’Kelley of Niwot and Jordan Kramlich of Longmont finished fourth, tenth and
thirteenth, respectively, in the Horse Judging Junior Contest at the 2009 Colorado 4-H
State Conference. The Juniors
are age 13 and under, with 22 individuals competing. McKenzie, who will be an eighth-grader at
Sunset Middle School, teamed up with Piper Zeier and Madison Zeier to finish first in Halter, first in
Performance and first in Reasons, earning the Champion Team Award. O’Kelley, a student
at Alexander Dawson, and Kramlich, a student at
Silver Creek High, teamed with Ashley Doolittle to finish third in Halter, second in Performance, and third in Reasons,
earning the Reserve Champion Team Award among the six teams competing.
In the
Senior Horse Judging Contest for ages 14-18, Jenny Lau of Niwot High School finished eleventh as an
individual among the 31 contestants. She
teamed with Katie
Richardson and Kelly Buchanan to earn the Champion Team 
Award by
finishing first in Halter, third in Performance, and second in Reasons. Boulder County’s Champion Senior Team, by
virtue of winning at the state contest, will be representing the State of
Colorado 4-H horse judging programby competing at the AQHA Congress judging
contest in October in Columbus (OH) and the National 4-H competition inJanuary
of 2010, in Denver, at the National Western Stock Show.
The Niwot
competitors are part of the Blazing Saddles 4-H Club. The teams, which begin working in January,
are coached by Jodi Zeier of Lafayette, assisted by Jordan Owen of
Arvada. Zeier
explained that the 4-H students are judged against the official placings at each competition. She said, “There are four
classes of halter horse and students have to be prepared to judge any breed.”
The qualities judged include Confirmation (balance), Structure (correctness of
bone structure), Muscling , and Breed qualities as
well as Gender qualities. Zeier said,
“After they learn to analyze the classes, eye
contact, fluidity, and make their reasons make sense, they can interview for a
job, or talk to a professor. All of
these kids have gone on to college and been very successful. They are good
students and articulate speakers when they get done.”
SPORTS PHOTOS
Courier sports photographer Ed Navarro and his crew of Lucky Navarro, Carlos Quinones and Victor Ramirez post thousands of photos online at a smugmug website, http://accionfotos.smugmug.com, where parents, players and fans can download photos
for free or purchase prints at a nominal cost.
Navarro reports that as of mid-July, the website had 2,110,768 “hits.”
SOCCER
Niwot’s Lauren
Shaner and Kaitlin Buck were
named to the Boulder Daily Camera’s All-Area First Team, along with Silver
Creek’s CC
Rinehart. Shaner, a
midfielder led the Cougar offense with 17 goals and 17 assists, while defender
Buck was the anchor to the Cougar defense.
Rinehart, a forward, led the Raptors in scoring with 13 goals and 14
assists. Dawson midfielder Olivia
Wagner was
named Player of the Year after scoring 30 goals on the season. The Second Team members included forward Alyssa Beck of Niwot (Dawson), forward Jacy Drobney (Silver Creek), and midfielder Katie Dulin of Niwot (Dawson).
Wagner
was also named Player of the Year by the Longmont Daily Times-Call, and
accepted an offer to play for Maryland next fall after being named the Gatorade
Colorado Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
Dulin, Rinehart, Shaner,
Buck and Beck joined Wagner on the First Team, which also included Niwot
forward Jelli Schira, who posted 15 goals and six assists, and
Niwot junior goalie Lexi Zumwalt, who allowed only seven goals in 18 games. Honorable Mention included Molly Dulin of Niwot (Dawson), Taylor Frankel (Silver Creek), Marissa Gradoz (Niwot), Lindsay Ostrom (Niwot), Gwen Rudy (Niwot), Kelsey Thompson (Niwot) and Lauren Wolfinger (Silver Creek).
HOCKEY
Jon Sdao of Niwot will be a senior at Culver Academy this fall. Sdao, who attended
Niwot High for two years, plays hockey on the Culver prep team, which is the
highest level in preparation for college hockey. Sdao’s older
brother, Michael Sdao, was recently drafted by Ottawa of the NHL (see page 16).
SOFTBALL
Former
Niwot High assistant baseball coach Jack Taylor has
stepped down as Boulder High’s head coach in softball. Taylor posted a record of 18-21 in his two
years as head coach, leaving to spend more time with his family, which now
includes an adopted baby boy. Taylor
will continue to serve as an assistant baseball coach at Boulder High where he
teaches, and will assist with freshman football this fall. Taylor’s father, Jackson Taylor, spent several years as president of
Gunbarrel Lefthand Valley Recreation Association
(GLVRA), now known as Niwot Youth Sports, back when the younger Taylor played
youth baseball.
Former
Boulder High coach Pete Sprenkle, who coached a Gold Stars team for many years, is
coaching a 12 & under Boulder Stars team this summer, which won the Indian
Peaks Girls Softball Association championship this season. Sprenkle began his
softball coaching career many years ago with the GLVRA, now known as Niwot
Youth Sports.
Niwot
Softball, Inc., which has provided a competitive summer program for the past
several years primarily for Niwot and Silver Creek players under the direction
of NHS coach April
Martinez and SCHS
coach Ryan
Beavers, is
changing its identity to the Colorado Lynx to reflect a broader participation
at the competitive level in summer programs. The board of directors, including Kellie Hudson, Julie Breyer,
Edie Tesone, and Peggy Broyles, felt
the current Cougar nickname might have limited participation by top athletes
from other schools. The Lynx will
conduct tryouts for competitive teams in the 12 & under, 14 & under, 16
& under and 18 & under age groups for next summer. Contact Martinez at 303-588-7516 or Beavers at 303-589-9706 for dates and times.
Niwot
resident Jeff
Lambert is
hoping to start a Men’s Slow Pitch Softball League in Niwot this fall. Lambert, who coaches his son’s youth baseball
team, is hoping to get enough local players to play just for fun. The league will be a recreational league
which Lambert hopes will give local men a chance to get out of the house and
get to know each other. He’s already had significant interest from fellow youth
baseball and softball coaches. Lambert noted that as men get older and have
families, they often give up recreational activities. He would like to change that and hopes to get
enough interested players to have a game at Left Hand Valley Grange Park on
Niwot Nostalgia Day, Sept. 12. The cost is $85 to cover the cost of softballs and umpires. To sign up, see the ad on page 17 in the Courier.
VOLLEYBALL
NHS coach
Keri Graham McNutt’s mother, Kathy Graham, passed away June 25 after a courageous battle with
breast cancer. She was the inspiration
for the Cougar volleyball team’s pink uniform tops displayed at gamesin connection with a cancer awareness and fundraising
effort at Niwot High. She was an avid fan, supporting her children and
grandchildren in all their activities.
GOLF
Niwot
High golfer Gina Larson, who plays for the district team out of
Skyline in the spring, won the Girls Division of the Big I Junior Classic
Tournament. Larson had a two-round score
of 153, playing the first round at Highland Hills Golf Course, and the second
round at Boomerang Links. Larson
qualified to play in the Big I National Championship tournament at Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore (Ok.) which ends July
30.
NHS grad
and former assistant football coach Yuthea Hem didn’t take up golf until he was 18, and didn’t start
playing seriously until he was 30, but you wouldn’t know it from the 67 he
carded on the first round of the Mile High Banks Men’s City Championship at
Longmont’s Twin Peaks Golf Course. Hem,
who owns Daylight Donuts in Longmont, ended up tied for first in the First
Flight in the only organized tournament he’s ever played. The second round wasn’t as kind, as he shot
an 87 to fall 16 strokes off the lead, an finished the
final round well back of the victor. Hem
came to Longmont from Cambodia, by way of the Philippines and New York, where
he became a top-notch running back for the Cougars in high school.
Niwot’s
Michael Sdao Drafted By
Ottawa
By Bruce Warren
BWarren@lhvc.com
Michael Sdao, a 19-year-old hockey player from Niwot, became the
first athlete from Niwot ever drafted in the National Hockey League draft when
the Ottawa Senators drafted him in the seventh round with the 191st pick
overall.
Sdao, who was not drafted and had no college offers out of
high school, has played hockey for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL the past two
years. In spite of being drafted, he has accepted an offer to play hockey for
Princeton University next fall.
“Ten to
12 teams contacted him before the draft,” Sdao’s
father, Tony Sdao, said..
“He tells them he’s going to Princeton for all four years.” The professional hockey draft operates
differently than other pro sports drafts, however, with teams retaining rights
to players for 30 days after they’ve completed their college careers.
“If he’d
gone to a lesser school, he would have been drafted earlier,” Tony Sdao noted in discussing the highly regarded Princeton
program. “We were out on the deck, not
following the draft, and the phone rang,” the father said. “They told him,
‘We’re emailing your ticket, we expect you in Ottawa on Monday.’”
Sdao committed to Princeton last fall prior to his second
year with the Lincoln Stars. The 6’4” defenseman is noted for his physical
play, earning 393 career penalty minutes in two seasons for Lincoln. Sdao served as an
Assistant Captain and earned the team’s Hardest Worker Award.
The
Ottawa website described Sdao: ““Takes the body, plays hard and he’s
got enough sense to play his role ... Probably was the heavyweight of the
league in the USHL. He’s going to Princeton and they’ve had tough guys come out
of there ... We know he’s heavyweight tough and he can play the game a little
bit.” – Chief amateur scout Pierre Dorion.”
Princeton plays against Colorado College this fall, but the game is in
Florida. Sdao
played youth hockey for the Boulder Bison in the Boulder Valley Youth Hockey
Association.