For middle-school-aged Dakotah Norton, riding his BMX bicycle was always an exhilarating experience. Whether tearing around his Davison backyard negotiating jumps he constructed, catching air at area skate parks or immersing himself in all that nearby Richfield Park BMX had to offer, the young Norton felt most at home, most free in the saddle of
When the Firebirds Hockey Club arrived in Flint in 2015, it was said time and time again: these players will be the next stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Following the NHL Draft last June, there’s a lot of evidence that it’s true … the players we are watching right here in Flint today
Any women’s basketball standout from Southeast Michigan, concluding an accomplished college career, should not be surprised if Dreyon Wynn reaches out to them. Wynn, President and General Manager of the Flint Monarchs bills himself as an “encyclopedia of women’s basketball.” That knowledge, combined with uncanny people skills, passion for the game and the ability to
Gabrielle Anzalone rounded the final turn of last December’s California International Marathon, anticipating the finish line coming into view, but unsure of what time the clock above it would read. “I was averaging about 5:54 minutes per mile before slowing down a little over the last six miles, but felt I used the right race
IN 1909, just eight years after the Detroit Tigers began playing at Michigan and Trumbull, the Flint City Baseball League was born. Some of the finest diamond talent the area has ever produced has been drawn to it ever since. Major Leaguers Jim Abbott, Scott Aldred, Scott Kamienicki and Ron Pruitt sharpened their skills in
A Youtube video posted after Flint Powers Catholic won its second girls soccer state championship in dominating fashion last June, perfectly captures the camaraderie, skills, team chemistry and resiliency that make the program one of the state’s finest. Uploaded by 2017 All-State Dream Team defender Rachel Phillpotts, the video begins with highlights from last year’s
Anything Guys Can Do … “Winning the Division 3 Championship is the ultimate goal because that would really be a positive thing for the city.” Louise Ogadinma, Team Owner With her trim, toned build, distinctive mohawk hairstyle and confident stare, Louise Ogadinma looks nothing like she did a decade ago. Back then, as she puts
The moment Joey Spencer had envisioned since he was in kindergarten was drawing near. Following an accomplished amateur boxing career which included a 90-10 record, nine national championships, and being ranked No. 1 in the nation in two weight classes at the same time, the 17-year-old Linden native was ready for his professional debut. It
During the past decade, Kearsley High School has earned a well-deserved reputation for being one of the state’s most fiercely competitive girls bowling programs. When the Hornets appear on the schedule, opposing teams and their coaches know they are in for a challenging day. Not many have found a way to conquer them in dual-matches.
St. Clair Shores Falcons hockey coach, Jeff Jackson, had watched team captain, Ron Rolston, mature and grow both on and off the ice during his two seasons with the team. The teenager’s affinity for the sport, along with the manner in which he conducted himself, impressed Jackson and in the early spring of 1986, he
As Steve Schmidt reflects on the remarkable men’s basketball program he has built at Mott Community College, evidence of that success adorns the wall behind him. From the trophies, including four national championships sitting just above his head, to encased jerseys worn by some of the Bears’ finest players lining the top of the wall,
Activity surrounding the first day of Grand Blanc’s eighth-grade football practice came to a virtual standstill when Alicia Woollcott entered the room. Was she just passing through? Had she become lost looking for cheerleader tryouts? Hardly. Woollcott drew attention because she was there to join the team. It was not a joke or some of
