Community Assessment Team Visits “Village” of Niwot

Written by KIM GLASSCOCK

Niwot should expand its web presence, work to develop a town “triangle” at the intersection of Second Avenue and Niwot Road, reach out to the Boulder Tech Center businesses along Highway 52 and consider branding itself as a “village” as ways to market itself and boost retail and tourism business in the town, according to some of the draft recommendations from an assessment team from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

An OEDIT team visited Niwot Jan. 25 to evaluate the town’s business environment and economic vitality. The team toured Niwot by car and on foot, held an open forum for community members and then presented a draft report and economic development recommendations to the community.

“This is an outside vision, looking in,” said Darlene Scott, OEDIT Eastern Colorado business development representative. “We work to move your community forward, help you develop an action plan and access resources, and check back with you to see how you are doing.”

The team will have its final report and recommendations completed and sent to Niwot attendees in two weeks, and then will come back to Niwot in two months to help develop priorities and an action plan. The team checks back twice, at six months and at a year, to see what progress is being made on implementing the action plan.

About 65 community members listed both Niwot assets and needs at the community forum. Unique businesses and historic buildings, free parking and accessibility for both pedestrians and drivers, lower sales taxes and a “personal touch” from retailers and businesses were cited as positive features of Niwot. Excellent schools, low crime, a “sense of community” fostered by community events and a local newspaper, and the unique character and aesthetics of Niwot also were mentioned.

But those in attendance agreed that Niwot also has some weaknesses. Not having its own postal zip code outside of the post office doors ties Niwot to Longmont, instead of allowing the town to have its own identity. Niwot businesses often show up in web searches as being located in Longmont, making it hard for customers to find the businesses, according to participants.

Niwot also lacks gateway signage, sufficient parking for events, family-friendly and youth-oriented activities and dining, and much of a night life. The town also needs to develop some way to connect the downtown business area to the Cottonwood Square business area, community members said.

But Niwot also has some opportunities, Scott said.

Niwot should expand its website to include links to as many local businesses, services, events and community groups as possible, said Laura Grey of OEDIT’s Colorado Film, Television and Media office. The Web site also could include the Niwot Business Association’s newsletter, which could link to a “resources” page with information about special sales and discounts. That information also could be communicated through Twitter and a Facebook page to customers, she added, and photos of Niwot locations could be included through Flickr or Photobucket. The website also could be used to conduct surveys to find out what website users and residents would like to find in Niwot.

“The more vibrant you make your website, the more traffic it will attract and the better web search optimization you will have,” Grey said. She added that the OEDIT office has services available to help customize websites and set up social networking.

Businesses also should work with each other to package their services together and with events, said Jonita LeRoy, OEDIT business development representative. A “buy local” program can be started with discounts or specials offered by retailers and restaurants. The town can also reach out to attract businesses that will expand the services available in Niwot, such as a hardware store or pharmacy, or that will complement existing businesses in areas such as holistic and non-traditional health care.

The idea of becoming a “village” could help market the town and convey its small-town charm, character and aesthetics, Scott said. “Being a ‘village’ is unusual in Colorado, and can make you stand out from others,” she said.

The OEDIT draft recommendations also include adding gateway and highway signage so that visitors to Niwot can find their way to retail areas; working with Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad to plant native flowers on the land along the tracks in order to create a beautiful entrance to Niwot; creating a visitor’s center, museum and/or historic center in the downtown historic area; and working with the Cottonwood Park West Homeowners Association to develop the “town triangle” area with sculptures and public art, benches and picnic tables, making it a connecting point to the Cottonwood Square business area.

Photo by Kim Glasscock

Darlene Scott (standing) of the State of Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade presents the team’s first draft of recommendations while team members Laura Grey (left) and JoNita LeRoy listen.

Economy Slows Development in Gunbarrel

Written by DeborahK@lhvc.com

All the approvals are in place to begin construction on Gunbarrel Gateway, located at 63rd and Lookout Road. Unfortunately, the banks aren’t cooperating. On the positive side, Boulder Hospitality, headed by Bill McDermid of Niwot, is hoping to attract “blue chip” tenants.

McDermid explained that “blue chip tenants are tenants that banks feel good about. We’d like to pre-lease with companies with solid history, someone the bank is comfortable with.”

He is unclear as to when construction will get underway on Gunbarrel Gateway. “It depends on the state of the economy. However, once we break ground it will be approximately 12 to 13 months.” That would bring the construction into 2011.

Once the financing is in place, construction on the property is expected to begin quickly. McDermid said the property has three lots, including a hotel. He also said the other lots would be ideal for a free-standing restaurant, a multi-use retail building or an office, such as a medical facility.

There also will be a shuttle available for guests of the hotel, though he expects most people to rent cars. However, he said, “If FasTracks gets built there could be quite a few hotel guests who won’t rent cars.”

The construction that recently began on 63rd and Lookout is expected to help control traffic in the area, and it will add a continuous turn lane up to the Diagonal, as well as a bike lane.

The Gunbarrel Town Center is another property that remains vacant. Vicki O’Connor, owner of the O’Connor Group, said, “It’s not a great time for development.”

Construction on the land was also halted because of the death of her husband, Terry O’Connor, four years ago. She said, “There are no immediate plans, but it’s a great property. We are holding onto it, but we are not putting a shovel in the dirt yet.”

One other property that had been planned for development is Market Square at Williams Corner. Developer Petur Williams said, “The economy is such that there is very little activity in commercial development. We are hoping that when it gets warmer people will get interested.”

Left Hand Laurels: Bill and Jill Whitener

written by LIZ EMMETT-MATTOX

In the 22 years since Bill and Jill Whitener moved into their home in Country Creek, they have been active members of the Niwot community.

These days, you might see them behind the bar at the Rhythm on the Rails concerts, or mingling with the crowd at Omosis Gallery’s First Friday events. You might see Jill while she is working out at Curves, or you might give Bill a call if you need some help around the house.

They are the kind of folks who don’t wait for an official invitation to contribute. They help make the community better just by being part of it.

To say that Jill is friendly may be the height of understatement. Her gregarious nature might be partly attributed to growing up in the hospitality industry. She described her childhood as “a wonderful Disney life” in Aspen where her family owned and operated a ski lodge.

Jill’s father came to Aspen as part of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, and then became the director of the Aspen Ski School. Of course, Jill was a skier, and her skill earned her a spot on the Junior National team.

Aspen has long been the playground of the rich and famous (Walt Disney owned the house just below theirs) and Jill grew up rubbing elbows with the likes of the Coors family, the Pabst family and, “of course, the Kennedys.” Her dad gave ski lessons to Lee Marvin, and dinner often found them entertaining the box office stars of the time: Rock Hudson, John Wayne, Jimmy and Gloria Stewart and the like.

Jill said that at the time she had no idea that it was a big deal to have these big names around. It’s just what she was used to. She gave her parents credit for keeping her well grounded in that environment. “Looking back on my high-school friends, I can see that I had something that a lot of them were missing. My family really kept me solid.”

Like his wife, Bill also grew up in a small town. But instead of movie stars, Bill grew up with farmers. Hamet, Cal. was largely an agricultural town when Bill was young. His family owned a chicken ranch, which was where he learned to fix things. “Living on a ranch, if something broke, you fixed it. There was no buying a new one.”

Until about four years ago, Bill worked in the high-tech industry. When the bubble burst, he was one of the casualties, and began to consider other career choices. His experience on the ranch taught him useful skills, so he worked as a superintendent for a couple of homebuilders before launching his own business, Some Assembly Required, handling everything from minor home repairs to major remodeling jobs.

While he misses the challenge of keeping up with the constant changes in the computer industry, he doesn’t miss working in a cubicle or having his schedule dictated by someone else. “If I want to take tomorrow off, I take tomorrow off.”

Jill said, “That’s true in theory, but really he works more like six days a week. He’s always there when people need him.”

Jill is still working, too. Although she retired from a 25-year career teaching special education for the Boulder Valley School District, it’s impossible to imagine Jill sitting still. And she doesn’t. She keeps herself busy working at Curves and making jewelry which she sells at Curves and at home shows.

Both the Whiteners said that growing up in small towns made them appreciate that Niwot is such a great community, and also made them aware of what it takes to sustain a small town. So volunteering at Rhythm on the Rails or on their neighborhood boards is just part of what they do.

Beyond the local scene, the Whiteners support other causes that they believe in, especially research on ovarian cancer. Jill lost her mother to the disease, and is herself a survivor. Every year, she hosts an open-house jewelry and craft show to raise money for this cause and this year she donated just over $1,000.

The Whiteners’ generosity extends internationally as well. Since the 1980s, when an exchange program brought
students who had been impacted by the accident at the
Chernobyl nuclear power plant to the United States to do musical performances, the Whiteners have played host to many foreign exchange students. One boy from the Russian program spent six summers with the Whiteners and their most recent guest left just a few weeks ago.

What makes the Whiteners special according to those who know them, is not so much what they do, but how they do it. Happy Shaffner, owner of Curves, described Jill as having, “boundless energy and contagious enthusiasm.” At Curves, Jill “truly cares about our ladies. She’s really concerned about their health and well-being.”

Bill is also well known in the Curves crowd, having done work for many of the clients there. “He takes good care of a lot of the ladies, especially the ones whose husbands are gone or not able to do that kind of stuff anymore.”

You might not even know all the ways that Bill Whitener has made a difference, because he’s the kind who quietly shows up where he’s needed, does what needs to be done and then moves on to the next job without waiting around for rewards or recognition.

Shaffner summed up the Whiteners this way: “There’s nothing they’ve been asked to do that they haven’t done.”

Photo by Liz Emmett-Mattox

Left Hand Laurels Bill and Jill Whitener

The NBA And The Evolution Of A Community

Written by KathyR@lhvc.com

When Niwot was first platted in 1875, the rural residents relied on the few local businesses to provide goods and services necessary for daily life on the farm in the somewhat isolated railroad community.

People gathered for special events and celebrations, helped one another wherever help was needed, and contributed to causes for the benefit of their neighbors. Such was small town life in the old west.

Today, few Niwot residents farm for a living and most work away from their homes and outside of Niwot. The majority of families in the area have multiple vehicles for transportation, and can go to other towns to satisfy their cravings. Yet, for many, Niwot retains that small town community feel.

The town’s merchants provide a myriad of services, products, and the finer things of life for both man and beast. There’s fine dining, elegant lodging for out of town guests, a top-of-the-line car dealership, and a feed store to supply the still semi-rural sections of town.

The two main retail districts are linked by well-lit walkways. Parades march along these well-maintained routes several times a year, and local festivals abound.

A vintage railroad caboose and an old-fashioned bandstand pay tribute to the town’s antique heritage and anchor a park along the tracks that plays host to a free weekly summer concert series. Trees along Niwot Road are carved into artful forms commemorating the area’s Native American heritage.

Dozens of other efforts are put forth on behalf of the community by local volunteer organizations, helping to make Niwot a place that people want to call home. One such organization is the Niwot Business Association.

Although the NBA’s activities have changed considerably since its inception, the behind-the-scenes efforts to promote Niwot as a welcoming, unified, historic town began almost 20 years ago as a neighborhood mission to address flooding along Second Avenue.

Back in the 1980s, the few businesses and residents along Second Avenue took comfort in the fact that Boulder County didn’t get much rain. When it did, people would have to wear galoshes, sometimes waders, just to access their front doors.

At the time, gravity was the only drainage system on the downtown streets, with neither curbs nor gutters to regulate the flow of the occasional but relentless torrents. Large pools of water would collect and stagnate for days.

By September 1990, several business owners along the strip had had enough and gathered to discuss the problem and draft a letter to the Boulder County Commissioners requesting aid for some improvements.

They found that the county was planning a drainage and road improvement project along Niwot Road within the next two years, and Commissioner Ron Stewart suggested that they try to tie the Second Avenue project onto that one. He also recommended that the town apply for Economic Development Funds to develop a long-range improvement plan so the project would be done right the first time.

The funds were obtained, and the $2000 was used to hire an intern from the Colorado Center for Community Development (CCCD) to work with Niwot business owners on the project.

Together, they came up with a well-thought-out plan and a prioritized wishlist for the downtown improvements. The list included street paving and drainage, parking, sidewalks, a link to Cottonwood Square, lighting, benches, amenities, and signage.

In July 1992, with the CCCD’s work completed, a steering committee was appointed to work with the county. The steering committee consisted of Chris Finger, Helen and Euvaldo Valdez, Peggy King, Fred Simmons, Jim Knoch, and Anne Dyni.

Over the next year, the group created and circulated questionnaires in the proposed construction district regarding the suggested improvements, as well as the costs and the neighborhood interest in pursuing such measures.

They looked into options for how to finance the projects and submitted them to the community and to the county. In the end, the county agreed to fund one third of the $757,778 project, that portion comprising the streets, curbs and gutters. The rest was up to the town of Niwot to finance.

The residents overwhelmingly objected to an increase in property taxes to fund the construction, but a self-imposed .5 percent sales tax within the affected business district was widely approved. With that, a Local Improvement District (LID) was formed, and bonds were issued to pay for the construction project with the promise of repayment through the sales tax revenue collected, beginning in 1993.

Niwot’s portion, with interest, totaled $739,478.80, and that debt should be settled by the end of 2010, depending on retail sales.

From that, Niwot got streets and sidewalks that are navigable by car, bike, or foot; street signage that makes the town navigable by visitors; a pedestrian connection between Old Town and Cottonwood Square; and street lighting throughout the business district.

The town also got decent parking in retail areas and an Old Town district that attracts new businesses and serves as a community center.

The Niwot Historic District was also created, as required by the county when it committed to the street project. It was the county’s first county-designated historic district, and paid for the plaques which have been placed on the historically significant buildings within the district.

But a major development went largely unnoticed by the local populace. It was the formation of the Niwot Business Association.

The NBA was created on June 3, 1992, just as the steering committee was due to be disbanded. The NBA officially created the LID and got the new sales tax implemented.

The NBA oversaw the entire construction project throughout the winter and spring of ’92 and ’93, and worked to represent business and property owners, provide a liaison with governmental agencies, provide a forum for townsfolk, coordinate special events, unify the town, preserve the historic environment of downtown Niwot, and create a positive direction for the future of Niwot.

Among the many early town events sponsored by the NBA was the original “Great Pumpkin Party” organized by Niwot realtor Pat Murphy, which invited families into town for trick-or-treating at area merchants at 10 a.m. on Halloween rather than having them have to go out after dark to ring doorbells for candy. Parental feedback was great and the tradition continues today.

In 2002, the NBA worked with Rep. Alice Madden to amend the LID statute to allow LID funds to be used for the “production and distribution of informational products and materials … to promote the general development of business within a district,” as long as the funds are not used to promote any single store or company.

With that as an objective, the Niwot merchants voted to increase the LID sales tax by another .5 percent in 2009. These new funds have helped the NBA to continue to promote the town of Niwot in ways that benefit the community as a whole and enhance the hometown feeling.

Some of the recent benchmarks of the NBA’s work include the new Niwot brand. The NBA worked with a professional town image designer to create a new marketing plan, website, and logo with the tag “Vintage Niwot” that has been very well received.

It also helped to establish a new non-profit organization to promote the arts in town, the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, which recently purchased Whistle Stop Park.

The NBA helped contribute to the renovation of the historic Grange Hall in Old Town Niwot and worked to secure LID funds to pave the parking lot in front of Colterra. And it participated in and/or hosted many of the 25 community events held in the past year in Niwot.

That’s just part of the story. To really understand all the NBA does, it helps to become a member. Home-based businesses and services are now eligible for membership, along with the more traditional retail businesses in town.

For more information about the NBA, see www.niwot.com.

Photo courtesy of the Niwot Historical Society photo collection

Niwot, 1957, after a rain storm that left the streets flooded and muddy.

Origin Martial Arts Donates $5,000 To St. Vrain Valley Education Foundation

Written by LIZ EMMETT-MATTOX

A few years ago, Scott Ramsaur, owner of Origin Martial Arts Studio in Longmont, was talking with a mom who said that her son’s school “needed a little extra help” in the financial sense. Ramsaur said it didn’t take much to realize that it wasn’t just this one school; the whole district needed a little extra help.

Ramsaur decided he could do something, and for the last three years, Origin Martial Arts has partnered with the school district to offer a summer camp program. This year, the program raised $10,000 for the school district, and Origin donated $5,000 from registration fees to the Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley.

Ramsaur has been studying martial arts since he was four years old, though he never imagined that his lifelong hobby would turn into a career. But since its beginnings six years ago, Origin has enjoyed steady growth and now serves approximately 550 students in dozens of classes throughout the week.

Of course the martial arts aren’t just about learning to throw a punch or block a kick. The students at Origin are exposed to the philosophical aspect of the tradition.

For Ramsaur, community service is a big part of what he wants his students to learn, building in a community service requirement to the black belt degree. The Leadership Squad, an elite group of approximately 25 middle school and high school students, plays a key role as the students volunteer with the summer camp.

Said Ramsaur, “One of the things I try to impart to the kids is that when things get tough, that’s the time to reach out. That’s when we need to give more, not less.”

With this donation, Ramsaur and Origin are supporting an organization that has been supplementing the funding for St. Vrain Valley schools for 25 years. According to Kathy Hall, Executive Director, the Education Foundation makes about $30,000 each year in classroom grants. These grants go directly to teachers for classroom enhancements such as supporting basic literacy programs, inviting guest speakers, and providing opportunities for hands-on science projects.

Hall said, “Many of our students come to class with limited experiences. These grants go to fund things like field trips and interactive, hands-on activities as well as technology that supports the teachers.”

DigitalGlobe Donates $50,000 To EFAA

Written byLIZ EMMETT-MATTOX

Maybe it’s not getting worse, but the economy isn’t getting much better, and no one sees the impact of economic hardship more directly than the staff and volunteers of the Emergency Family Assistance Program.

Development Director Karla Rikansrud said the EFAA was started 91 years ago during a downturn in the silver mining industry. Churches and community groups got together to ensure that none of their neighbors were at risk of going hungry, or losing their homes.

Today, the EFAA still functions as a community safety net for families and individuals who are unable to meet their basic needs. The EFAA provides assistance with food, shelter, rent assistance, utilities, minor medical expenses, transportation, furniture and resource referrals.

According to Rikansrud, when people think of the EFAA, they think mostly of the food bank. What people may not realize is that one of the EFAA’s biggest expenses is the shelter program.

The EFAA maintains 42 housing units, mostly two-bedroom apartments, divided between Longmont, Boulder and Lafayette. Some of these are set aside for emergency housing, places for families to live for two to three months before they are re-established into affordable permanent housing. The rest are part of EFAA’s transitional housing program, which supports individuals and families while they move towards self-sufficiency.

DigitalGlobe’s $50,000 donation comes at a critical time for EFAA. “We are seeing more people coming to us for assistance. Our numbers have increased dramatically in the last six months,” Rikansrud said. In October 2009, the EFAA had 78 percent more food visits than October 2008, and there was a similar increase in the number of people seeking assistance with rent or utilities.

From the very beginning, the EFAA has always been a local effort. Its service area encompasses the original borders of Boulder County, which now includes Boulder and Broomfield Counties. Rikansrud said that this emphasis on the local community really resonated with DigitalGlobe. “They are locally owned and operated and so are we, so it’s a good fit.”

Jog For Jenny Raises Over $5000

Written by Tina Eden
TinaE@lhvc.com

The Niwot High School Student Council held a “Walk/Jog Fundraiser” in December at the school in remembrance of Jenny Anne Martinez, a 2008 Niwot High School graduate who died in a car accident in 2008.

Over 400 people wearing blue and white tee shirts ran a 2.2 mile circuit. The shirts commemorating Martinez bore the words “Live, Love, Laugh,” a quote Jenny’s friends remember her using during her short life.

Proceeds of over $5,000 from the event were donated to Children’s Miracle Network. Jenny’s sister, Emily, suggested this charity because, “If Jenny could help anyone up in heaven it would be little kids that needed help and support.”

“We wanted to remember Jenny in a way representative of her,” said Marianne Martinez, Jenny’s mother. She and Jenny’s sister, Emily, contacted Leah Saraceni, NHS Student Body President, and Jenny’s friend Kristy Grubb about the event. Jenny loved to jog, and jogged in fundraisers for others, so the family thought this type of event fit Jenny’s spirit.

After the jog, Martinez’s parents, Marianne and Mike, spoke to the audience who filled the school’s cafeteria. Her mother thanked the community for all its support, and said, “Jenny’s death was not meaningless.”

She quoted a letter written by one of Jenny’s friends. The writer told the family how he was a troubled person who was changed for the better after Jenny’s death.

Her brother, Gabe, and sister, Emily, wrote and performed a song in Jenny’s honor. As Gabe played the piano, the two of them sang, “Though we trust in your plan, God, we can’t understand why her life you took…Jenny, oh Jenny, we know that you’re happy wherever you are.” The family’s words moved the audience, and some could not hold back tears.

The community came together in a variety of ways. Niwot High School Senior Alex Oliver made a slide show using pictures from Jenny’s Facebook page and CDs of pictures Jenny’s friends emailed to her.

Fellow senior Devon Roush baked a chocolate cake decorated with a tree and joggers. Student Council members sold tee shirts and bracelets, and organized and advertised the event.

Several businesses donated to the event: Niwot Market and Noodles and Company donated food, Winot Coffee donated coffee, and Niwot Florist donated flowers.

Photo by Tina Eden

Emily Martinez and Gabe Martinez, brother and sister of the late Jenny Martinez, wrote and performed a song in their sister’s honor at Niwot High School’s “Jog for Jenny” which raised funds for Children’s Miracle Network.

Out In Leftfield

Written by Bruce Warren

If you have news of local athletes, please contact sports@lhvc.com or call 303-652-2433.

BASEBALL

Niwot High players have started winter workouts under new coach Craig McBride in preparation for the upcoming season. The first official day of practice is Feb. 22. The Cougars will travel to Las Vegas over spring break for a tournament.

BASKETBALL

Meghan Heimstra(Silver Creek) was the high scorer for Colorado State with 19 points in a 67-58 loss to BYU. Heimstra led the CSU squad in rebounds for the previous three games, posting a season-high 14 in a 64-61 loss to Wyoming. She leads the team with 141 rebounds and averages 9.1 points per game.

Audrey George (Niwot) has started all 19 games for Fort Lewis this season, averaging 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, third and second on the team, respectively. George tied for high scorer with 14 points in a 65-48 win over Colorado Christian. Earlier she led the team in rebounds with eight in a 70-53 win over Eastern New Mexico. Fort Lewis is 17-2 on the season.

The Broomfield and Longmont girls, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Class 4A, respectively, faced off Jan. 19 with Broomfield prevailing, 42-37. One of Broomfield’s key players, Katie Nehf, was back on the court just 11 days after her father, Greg Nehf, had passed away due to complications from a battle with leukemia. Long-time fans will remember Greg Nehf from his days as a star basketball player at Niwot High in the late 1970’s. His daughter did not score in the game, but provided strong defense against Longmont’s Jamie Katuna, one of the top scorers in the state. Nehf blocked a shot by Katuna in the last minute to help preserve a 3-point lead, and the victory. Longmont coach Jay Darien, a friend of the Nehf family, brought his team out after the game to join the Broomfield team in a moving show of support for the family.

Niwot High’s Katie Piletic suffered a dislocated ankle in the first half of the Niwot Girls’ 50-33 loss to Roosevelt. Piletic’s injury likely ended her season. The Cougars trailed by six at the half, and closed the gap to three points early in the second half, but too many turnovers cost the Cougars.

The Niwot Youth Sports Boys 8th Grade Competitive Team won its second consecutive Niwot Roundball Tournament Championship In December. Niwot defeated Fairview Black in the Semifinals 45-16. In the championship, Niwot beat Fairview Red 45-40 in a thriller to the finish. The team closed out the tournament with an outstanding performance down low out of Alex Kinnison, Clarke Cowell, Madison Bounds, and Damien O’Hare, great shooting from the wings by Tanner Kirkpatrick and Kyle Kolakowski, and temendous defense and ball handling by guards Sam Wegleitner, Eli Negrelli, Jessie Slepicka, and Grant Webster. The team is coached by Chuck Negrelli and Jim Webster.

FOOTBALL

Matt McChesney (Niwot) has re-signed with the Denver Broncos for the 2010 season. McChesney, an offensive lineman, signed with Denver as a free agent for the 2009 season, but an ankle injury during the exhibition season ended his tenure with the Broncos. He received an injury settlement from the Broncos and was released, but hoped to come back later in the season. While working out during the recovery period, McChesney suffered another injury which prevented him from playing at all in 2009. Now fully recovered, McChesney hopes to land a spot on the Bronco’s roster next fall.

Niwot senior Matt LaBorde has committed to play football at Colorado School of Mines next fall, and expects to sign a Letter of Intent Feb. 3. LaBorde plans to study engineering at Mines. He earned All-Conference and All-Area honors as an offensive lineman for the Cougars last fall.

HOCKEY

Michael Sdao of Niwot gave Princeton an early lead with an unassisted goal eight minutes into the game, but Princeton fell to Union, 7-3. Sdao has two goals and two assists on the season for Princeton, which is 6-10-2 on the year.

VOLLEYBALL

Carisa Janzen(Niwot) played volleyball for two years at Colorado School of Mines, but her 2009 season was cut short due to an appendectomy. Janzen plans to join the staff at Mines for the 2010 fall season as a student assistant.

TRACK

Griffin Matthew (Niwot) finished second in the 60-meter dash for Stanford in 7.56 seconds at the UW Indoor Preview. Her career best is 7.45 seconds.

Dillon Manzanares, 16-year-old Niwot student-athlete, participated in the Trahan Youth Foundation Indoor Track Meet at the Colorado School of Mines Jan. 9. Manzanares took first in the Triple Jump with a leap of 40’2” in the Young Boy’s Division. He also placed third in the 60M dash (7.47), third in the Long Jump (19’4”) and fourth in the Pole Vault (11’).

EQUESTRIAN

Samantha Winsett, a senior at Niwot High, is an accomplished rider. Winsett has won the High Point Award with her Morgan Horse “Rookie” at the Continental Divide show for the past five years, qualifying for Nationals in Oklahoma City. Winsett, who has finished as high as fourth at Nationals, hopes to return next October.

Susan Jaroe of Niwot won a world championship title at the 2009 Fall World Championship Paint Horse Show in Fort Worth, Tex. Juroe won the championship in Masters Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle, showing Must Be A Dream, a 3-year-old gelding she owns. Masters amateur classes are reserved for exhibitors ages 45 and above. Her horse went on to win another championship in the 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Challenge with Shannon Gillespie riding. In both classes, horses are evaluated by a panel of judges on smoothness of gait and response to the rider at a flat-footed walk, brisk trot, and smooth canter under traditional English tack.

GOLF

Niwot High golfer Gina Larson won the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tournament of Champions at McCorn in Scottsdale, Ariz. Larson, a NHS junior who golfs for the St. Vrain Valley School District team at Skyline, shot an 8-over 152 (77-75) to win by seven strokes, notching six birdies on the weekend. Golfweek named her Player of the Week for her performance. She won six RMJGT eventsin 2009 and was named 2009 Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour Player of the Year. Larson has committed to play golf at Colorado State University following graduation.

NHS Coaches Corner

Written by Bruce Warren

Girls Swimming

“We’ve had a really good January,” Coach Sarah Heller said heading into the BOCO Meet. “Everyone is getting close to or has beaten their best times. We won the All-City Meet, which is a huge accomplishment. I don’t know if Niwot has ever lost it, but the other schools have improved so much.”

Heller was also pleased with Senior Night, which was held at the last home dual against Mountain View. “We let the seniors pick two individual events and filled in the gaps,” Heller said. “Lilly Yie won the 200 IM and the 100 Breaststroke. Carly Kempf came in third in the 100 Fly and Alex Martin finished third in the 500 Free.” The Cougars and their 14 seniors won the meet.

Heller was also pleased with the squad’s performance at the Keith Weideman Invite in Greeley. “We finished fifth as a team overall against teams from both 4A and 5A.

As the regular season comes to a close, Niwot swimmers are still improving their times. “In the 100 Breaststroke, Maggie Fitzgibbons had a PR [Personal Record] by two seconds against Greeley Central. Laura Farrar has qualified for state in every individual event except diving. She picked up the last one in the 100 Backstroke against Mountain View. “

Others who have qualified for state include Yie in the 100 Breaststroke, Kayley Wheless in the 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly, and Alexis Sander in the 100 Freestyle. All three relays have also qualified for state, with Melissa McCaddon (Backstroke), Farrar (Breaststroke), Wheless (Butterfly) and Sander (Freestyle) in the 200 Medley Relay, and Sander, Wheless, Farrar and either Zoie Jordan or Kylie Fischer in both the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays.

“We have lots of swimmers on the bubble,” Heller said. Among the swimmers who are “super close” are McCaddon (500 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke), Jordan (50 and 100 Freestyle), Fischer (50 and 100 Freestyle) and Jamie Saunders (50 and 100 Freestyle).

Swimmers can swim a maximum of four events at state, and a maximum of two individual events. “The composition of the state relays will be a matter of who’s doing well at the time,” Heller said.

Cougar swimmers aren’t the only ones doing well. “Our divers are phenomenal,” Heller said. “They only do six dives at duals, but they do 11 dives at the invites,” she explained. “Patty Anderson finished 16th and Ellie Daw finished 17th at the Keith Weidman Invitational. Patty and Ariel Mosier may get to state; they’re very close to the state cut.” Susan Welsh is the Dive Coach and works with divers at each of the SVVSD high schools. “She’s very good,” Heller said. “The kids love her.”

“We’re still training hard and they’re still improving, so we must be doing something right,” Heller said.

Boys Basketball

The Cougars are 4-8, but haven’t gotten discouraged. “We’re probably under 30 points difference on the season,” Coach David Ross said. “We’re hanging in there.”

“We’re still young,” Ross noted, with only two seniors out of the top seven players. “We’re playing much better as a team, and showing some maturity. We’ve been able to stay in most games for three quarters.”

One of the Cougars’ better games came against Roosevelt, where Niwot hung on to win a close game on the road. “We hit some free throws when we needed to, and we were able to stay composed,” Ross said. “We executed some half-court plays and Michael Ogez had a couple of nice steals.” Ogez, a sophomore, has been a bright spot for the Cougars. “Veric Nichols has done very well, especially rebounding. He’s shot the ball well too.” Ryan Strufing has led the team in scoring most games. He didn’t score against Roosevelt, but Ross wasn’t concerned. “Ryan has drawn a couple of good defenders lately, and he’s gotten in foul trouble early.”

Andy Wegleitner, a junior, has rebounded well for the Cougars. “He’s shooting the ball better, he’s progressing,” Ross said. Junior Alex Kicera also drew praise from Ross. “He’s really physical, and he’s been dominant in the post lately.”

“Our psyche’s good,” Ross said. “It’s a process, and the kids realize that. We just have to learn how to close out games.”

Girls Basketball

A loss to Roosevelt was costly to the Cougars, with senior Katie Piletic likely lost for the season with a dislocated ankle. “She went to make a pass, decided not to, and just came down wrong,” Coach Terri Ward said. Piletic was taken to the hospital that night. With six games left in the regular season, her return was doubtful. Piletic also plays soccer for Niwot.

“We have six games left, and we could go 5-1, or 1-5,” Ward said, conceding that the Cougars are probably not going to upset No. 1 ranked Broomfield. “There are one or two games we should have won, but overall we’re doing well.”

“Rachel Haisfield is doing a good job being the point guard and running our offense,” Ward said. “Our defense is working well.” She noted that three different players had been high scorers in the last three games, including Janae Larsen, Amy Keschl and Calle Hammers. “They can’t stop just one player,” Ward said. Consistency has been the only problem.

The Cougars are looking forward to their Breast Cancer Awareness game on Feb. 5 against Fossil Ridge. Niwot players will wear pink jerseys and raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Yow was the coach at North Carolina State when Niwot assistant coach Summer Erb played. This is the second year the Cougars have raised money for the fund.

Ward hopes to have a corporate sponsor in place which would match all money donated the night of the game. One dollar of each gate admission for anyone wearing pink will be donated. In addition, the team plans to hold contests to raise additional funds.

Wrestling

Coach Scott Sanchez and his wrestlers are gearing up for the final weeks before regionals. The Cougars fared well at the Fairview Invite where they finished 2-3 in a series of dual meets against both 4A and 5A competition. “Palisade ran away with the tournament,” Sanchez said, “but we scored the most points against them.”

Colin Frank was the top wrestler at the meet for Niwot, finishing 5-0 at 103 pounds. Paco Retana, Jake Arellano and Zach Heard each finished 4-1. Arellano is ranked first at 215 pounds in Class 4A by On the Mat, while Retana is ranked third at 189 pounds. Nick Stager at 130 pounds and Landon Nolting at 285 pounds are ranked 11th while Rob Lopez is ranked 12th.

Sanchez has several other wrestlers who have shown improvement. “Luke Nelson, a senior, came back after Christmas Break and is finally in his groove at 171 pounds,” Sanchez said. “Sophomore Marcus Montoya at 135 has been improving, and his brother, Lucas Montoya, a senior at 145, is trying to get over some injuries. Jimmy Pentz at 140 has been improving.”

Christensen Celebrates Yankees’ Title

Written by Bruce Warren
Tyson Christensen wasn’t a huge baseball fan growing up, concentrating instead on soccer and track. But he did attend the second Rockies game ever played, back in 1993 at Mile High Stadium.

The Rockies won that game, 9-5, over the Montreal Expos, with catcher Joe Girardi driving in the winning run with a triple. Little did Christensen dream that he and Girardi would be riding in a ticker-tape parade down Broadway, celebrating a Yankee’s World Series win, 16 years later.

Girardi, of course, is the Yankee manager. Christensen, who graduated from Niwot High School in 2000, is an account executive in the Yankee ticket office, in charge of managing 2,000 season ticket holder accounts.

When the Yankees won their first World Series in nine years, the entire organization enjoyed the fruits of the victory. Christensen, a former newspaper carrier for the Courier, talked about the experience from his home in New York.

“It was a very exciting year,” Christensen said. “The whole experience, top to bottom, was very unforgettable.”

Christensen joined the Yankee organization Jan. 3, 2009, just in time to help relocate 35,000 season ticket holder accounts to the new Yankee Stadium. “There was a large increase in premium seating areas,” Christensen said. “A lot of people who had been there 20 years or more got pushed into the upper deck. We had to deal with a lot of disgruntled fans.”

The road to New York started with an internship at Ticketmaster in Phoenix, Ariz. where Christensen attended college. There he worked with Executive Director of Ticketing Operations for the Yankees, Kevin Dart, who had gone to the University of Northern Colorado for a masters in sport management. When Christensen and his fiancé, Valerie Hemminger, moved to New York, he thought his connection might at least get his resume in the door.

“I probably sent 15 emails and made dozens of phone calls,” Christensen recalls. “I had finally given up. I got a job with a marketing firm, and four months later, I got a call – the Yankees had some open positions. It was a significant decrease in pay, and no benefits. But I was worried about being laid off from the marketing firm, so I went with the Yankees. I found out my job at the marketing firm was cut a month later, so in hindsight, it was a very good move.”

Compared with all other sports teams, the Yankees have far and away the most season-ticket accounts with over 30,000. Plans include full-season, half-season, and quarter-season, all the way down to 11-game plans. With the move to the new stadium, seating capacity declined slightly to around 50,000. Although 500 accounts per account executive is the industry norm, Christensen handles 2,000 accounts.

The playoffs were a special challenge because Major League Baseball takes approximately 15,000 seats for each game. “That caused a major problem for account holders,” Christensen said. “Accounts of less than half a season were limited to two tickets per game per series.”

Though he works in Yankee Stadium, his job provides little interaction with the players, and asking for an autograph is a “terminable offense.” Christensen said, “Sometimes you’ll see Nick Swisher or A.J. Burnett running in the corridors of the stadium as part of their workout. Yogi Berra, who is a special advisor, is around fairly regularly. He was at the holiday party with his wife and daughter and her husband.” Even there, Christensen did not feel comfortable talking with Berra, whom he describes as “a Yankee legend.” Other former Yankee greats such as David Cone, Paul O’Neill and Goose Gossage are also often around.

Christensen considers himself a Yankee fan as well, and credits the successful season to a change in attitude. “When Swisher and Burnett came, the feel of the team lightened up. There was more of a playful atmosphere. I had heard that before, the Yankee players always took separate cabs. This year there was more of a team atmosphere. Even A-Rod felt like a part of the team. You can feel it throughout the employees too.

“Early in the season, we lost eight games in a row to Boston. But as the year went on, just winning continually, beating the Red Sox eight out of the last nine, really changed things. It lifted the spirits of the employees in the offices too.”

When the World Series came around, Christensen was able to see every game, home and away. “We exchanged 300 tickets with the Phillies’ ticket office, so we got to go down to Philadelphia. You might have seen us – we were featured on Fox once a game. We sat near the leftfield foul pole and held up pinstriped signs, saying ‘How May I Help You?’ That’s the slogan we use in the office.”

Christensen watched the final out of the final game from the second deck, then went to his office, where eight bottles of Dom Perignon were waiting, along with cigars sent by an account holder the week before. “We were invited to a party in the Legends area lounge,” he said. “They had lobster, crab, sushi, everything you could want to eat. Former players like O’Neill and Cone were there, Hal Steinbrenner and all of upper management. We went down to the field about 3 a.m., and all the employees turned into 13-year-olds. We had races around the bases, with one guy heading to first and one guy heading to third to see who could get to home plate first.”

Chrisensen’s experience running the 400 and 800 meter events for Niwot High paid off as he won his race. “I had a suit on, but I slid into home anyway – I didn’t care at that time. It was very fun. We went into the dugout and everywhere. We finally left at 5 a.m.” Two days later, Christensen was riding in a “duck boat,” an amphibious vehicle from World War II that travels over land and water, used for tours around New York, as part of the Yankee celebration parade, with three million people watching.

His fiancé was there with him “every step of the way,” even though Christensen admitted that the Cleveland native grew up an Indians fan. But so was owner George Steinbrenner before he bought the Yankees.

Photo by Ariele Goldman

Niwot High grad Tyson Christensen with the New York Yankees’ 2009 World Series Trophy.