Popeye, Ally Cat and Coach Mohesky                     Sol, Socks, Kammi and Coach Mike

This week the St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Brigade went from South to North to take in two CYC softball games.  They awared some coaches and players Sportsmanship certificates.  We appreciate Big Sol and his Brigade for spotting Random Acts of Sportsmanship (RAS) at CYC games.  Below are Sol's write-ups of their observations.

You remember the old cartoon. "I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man." I don't know if Dick 'Popeye' Drury was ever a sailor or if he even likes spinach. I do know that he is an excellent softball coach and the parents and kids at Mary, Mother of the Church (MMOC) in South St. Louis County are fortunate to have him. The Sportsmanship Brigade was on-hand Friday evening for a 6th grade game between the aforementioned MMOC and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. We found seats next to an older couple who were very quick to let us know we had arrived in the right place for sportsmanship. They are the grandparents of one of the MMOC players.

Grandma said, "You have to look at our Popeye. He's an outstanding coach." When we asked who Popeye was, she told us to look for the guy wearing the Popeye t-shirt. Of course...why didn't we think of that? Popeye had on a green t-shirt with his namesake cartoon character on the front, jean shorts and socks with sandals. His gruff exterior is a mere facade. Popeye's a softy for his team. He taught, corrected and cheered on every play for seven innings. Some coaches say they're with you, but Popeye was with his girls every step of the way. During a particularly rough inning in which St. Margaret Mary scored quite a bit, Popeye made an interesting offer to his team. He yelled, "I've got a Tootsie Roll for whoever gets the third out."

Sure enough, MMOC recorded the third out on the very next play. The player who made the catch ran over to Popeye who greeted her with a hug and a Tootsie Roll. A simple nod between Brigade members confirmed that no matter what else we saw, one award had Popeye's name on it. Our attention then turned to Coach Doug Mohesky of St. Margaret Mary. His team is very well coached and his attitude sets a great example for any coach or parent. You would've thought St. Margaret Mary had won the league championship after every inning. Mohesky met his players at the edge of the dugout every time they came off the field and gave them hi-fives and words of encouragement. He is a tremendous coach and certainly worthy of recognition from the Brigade.

Just when we thought our night was done, an 'Ally Cat' ran across our path. No, not a real alley cat, but Alyssa from MMOC. Her batting helmet reads 'Ally Cat' across the front. It's often said that players take on the personality of their coaches. There's no doubt this young lady is a Popeye disciple. When she wasn't clapping and cheering from her post at first base, she lead group cheers for her teammates from the bench. You definitely want to run into this 'Ally Cat' on the field. The Brigade decided to go into the prize vault for the third time and give that award to Alyssa. Incidentally, Alyssa's grandparents are the people who directed our attention toward Popeye in the first place. Funny how things come full-circle...even on a diamond.

Laurel Park in St. Peters, Mo. was the setting for a 7th grade softball game between St. Joachim & Ann (SJA) and the visiting Holy Spirit parish on Wednesday night. The trip across the historic Blanchette Bridge proved to be worthwhile for the Sportsmanship Brigade. Skill levels increase with age along with the competitive juices. Both teams really wanted to win this game. Pitching, defense and timely hitting were staples for both squads. That being said, two players for SJA didn't miss an opportunity to have a little fun.

Kammi and Emily played shortstop and second base for SJA respectively. Emily's nickname is 'Socks' because of the loud and colorful socks she wears during games. Only Kammi and Socks' cheers for their teammates were louder. The two also skipped...yes, skipped to their positions in the field at the bottom of each inning. Now, the Brigade has seen players sprint, jog, walk and even flip to their defensive positions, but skipping? We'll take it as long as the kids are having fun.

Attitudes like these don't exist in a vacuum. It was evident that the SJA coaching staff creates an atmosphere that promotes hard work, learning and fun. Coach Mike gave sound instruction from the bench and highlighted the good things his girls did on the field. There were hi-fives and supportive words after every inning. On one particular play, the SJA third baseman missed a chance at a double play. She fielded the ball cleanly, but forgot to step on the base before throwing over to first.

Rather than yell at her for not getting the double play, Coach Mike applauded her for getting the sure out at first. She nodded to her coach in acknowledgement and got back in her stance for the next play. This was an example of excellent coaching. By recognizing what she did right instead of what she did wrong, Coach Mike helped his player maintain her focus and she remained in position to help the team. Wednesday's awards were an easy SJA trifecta for the Brigade.

You can be your own Sportsmanship Brigade.  If you see a Random Act of Sportsmanship at a CYC game by a player, coach, official or fan please contact Buzz at buzzswanston@archstl.org or call 353-8911 ext. 13.  Or if you would like to join Big Sol's brigade, contact him at sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.