Charge, Fair Maid!

It’s the stuff of family lore, seen on a faded clipping taped in a scrapbook. Years ago, my teenage aunt was crowned Queen of the Jousting Tournament. It was a big deal in that largely rural farm community near Laurel in the 40's, because the jousters were local heroes and the annual festival was the highlight of the summer.

The joust was staged by the Aicheson family. One of my aunt’s contemporaries, Joe Aicheson, became a champion steeplechase jockey. He still exercises horses in Laurel. Another dashing jouster, Bunk Athey, aka Sir Willifican, Black Knight of Burtonsville, served for many years in the Maryland General Assembly.

Jousting, even before being designated Maryland’s state sport, was an occasion of great merriment. I barely remember most of the tournament festivities. But like most little girls, I never forgot the horses.

Our local jousting field, Willis Hall, was lost when I-95 went through, and my grandfather’s farm is now a housing development. But jousting is still a cherished community activity in other parts of the state, where tournaments celebrate Maryland heritage, pageantry and horsemanship. This weekend I saw the Maryland tradition is still very much alive.

The journey to Prince Frederick and 350+ year old Christ Church was a nostalgic memory of those long ago jousting matches I attended. With a twist. Now, instead of wearing a wreath of flowers and hoping to be crowned Queen of the Tournament, the energetic young ladies I saw were mounted on their own faithful steeds, lances at their sides, awaiting their cue.

“The rings are hung. The field is clear. Charge Fair Maid!”

With that, the aspiring lords and ladies take their tilt at tradition.

Unlike the contact sport associated with Camelot and the RenFest, modern jousting is a demonstration of horsemanship, hand eye coordination and balance. No shish kabobing the opposition in this state. Like target practice or skeet shooting, jousting is a test of marksmanship. Add the mount and motion and you see what a singular skill it is.

The 80 yard flat track has overhead arches similar to giant croquet wickets. Suspended from the top is a device holding a ring no larger than a crochet doily. The object is to skewer the ring with a lance that looks something like a pool cue as your horse passes through the arches.

Sound too easy? Imagine focusing the tip of a long spear on a small object while galloping past. I can’t snare a brass ring from a carousel without falling off the horse. (Yes, it happened.) No way I’d trying anything like this.

The ritual pageantry of the joust is part of the tradition. Contestants are identified by their ancestral estates. I can’t imagine “Lady Michaela Patrick, Maid of Autumn Wind,” introduced at the roller derby. But here it was perfectly poetic.

There is great skill required of horse and rider. Horses are trained to run a steady course and not be distracted by the crowds or the arches they must pass through. They also need to respond to the most subtle commands while their rider focuses on the rings. Since they are a major part of the action, the equine partner needs to be well versed in the sport. Like other equestrian activities, proficiency comes after considerable practice.

The rules are simple – complete the course in the requisite time and snare all three rings. Riders get three attempts. In the case of ties, there are ride-offs with rings of increasingly smaller diameter (they eventually look like Peppermint lifesavers) until a winner emerges.

What I enjoyed most was seeing families participate together, and the response they received from friends and neighbors who look forward to this end of summer ritual every year.

No, our state sport will never fill stadiums or garner million dollar endorsements. It will probably never make ESPN. I doubt it will ever drive tourism or reap tremendous economic benefits.

What it does is remind us of Maryland’s pastoral heritage, where our love of horses endures and our sense of community continues to be celebrated with delightful traditions like this.

Nice Ice!

Terry likes to remind Tweety and Blogue, the Sports Marketeers, that attracting mega events to Maryland begins with hosting successful regional tournaments. That’s how you establish a good track record in the community and reputation within the industry.

When the office of Sports Marketing was established a little over a year ago, its mission was to identify and bring events and activities to Maryland, help existing ones grow, and eventually develop new ones. It is the second part of that mission that took Team Terry to Cabin John Ice Rink in Montgomery County to learn more about the 2010 South Atlantic Regionals, taking place this October 9-13.

The name is a bit of a misnomer. The regional event is part of a longer qualifying circuit. More than 700 top skaters from all along the East Coast (from southern Pennsylvania to Florida) will skate in the 2010 South Atlantic Regionals, and compete for a spot at the U.S. Championships which leads to a place in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The Washington Figure Skating Club and the host Cabin John Ice rink are eager to show support and enthusiasm for these aspiring Olympians during their visit here. We’d like to see more competitions on Maryland ice.

With our temperate climate, Maryland doesn't immediately come to mind when you think of ice activities. But there are a number of facilities -- indoor and out -- which accommodate figure skaters, hockey teams, and curlers.

(That’s right – the athletes who slide and sweep granite stones are known as “curlers.” We have them -- and their bonspiels -- here in Maryland.)

When the Capitals left Largo for their new pond in DC, they also left their practice facility in Piney Orchard. Their departure opened the ice for recreational, prep and college hockey teams as well as figure skating classes. Multi-use facilities in Frederick and Laurel also accommodate team and individual sports. A beautiful new facility on the banks of the Severn was completed a few years ago for the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy. Their annual Crab Pot Tournament is now held at McMullen Hall every February.

So Maryland is poised for more action on the ice, whether it be triple axels or hat tricks. We just need to show we have the support to make these events a success. Stay tuned for more on the upcoming competition in Cabin John.

Nine Months

As a gestation period, it seems like an eternity (especially that last trimester.) For organizing and promoting a major three day event, nine months is nothing.

A quick look at the calendar this week told me that a) my water bill is due, and b) the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship will be facing off in Baltimore in just nine months, after an absence of two years.

An event of this magnitude does not consist of intense labor pains on the last day (but you can count on that, too.) It's an ongoing engagement of community stakeholders committed to making the event a success. Nine months flies by as one detail after another is addressed. Logistics, marketing, outreach, volunteer recruitment, accommodations, media relations all need careful planning and lead time.

However, the rules of engagement first have to be blessed by the NCAA. It is, after all, their event and they have very specific regulations that must be followed to the letter. So while the host city and state are raring to begin, they take the lead from the NCAA governing body.

I called Terry to check the status and learned he was meeting with NCAA officials this week. He referred me to their site:

Much of the marketing and outreach will handled by Inside Lacrosse Magazine.

The 2010 Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship will take place at Towson’s Johnny Unitas Stadium on May 28 and 30. This will mark the first time the men’s and women’s championships will be in the same city the same weekend.

There will also be, for the first time, an NCAA Youth Lax Day - Saturday, May 29th -to celebrate local and national youth lacrosse. There will be a special Youth Lax section in the stadium, featuring discounted tickets.

Youth Lax Day will have a pre-game gathering area for participating programs wearing team jerseys, with a parade to the stadium and around the field . When you consider all the lax programs in this area alone, you can imagine what a delegation that could be. They might have muster at Camden Yards and march in like the brigade of Midshipmen before the Notre Dame game.

There is more on the line than producing a well-organized event that provides a wonderful fan experience and generates lots of loot for the locals. It’s no secret that Team Terry and the Maryland lacrosse community have been lobbying the NCAA decision makers to designate Baltimore on Memorial Day weekend a lacrosse tradition.

“Permanent” is actually the word they have in mind, but with the continued growth in the popularity of lacrosse, it behooves the NCAA to stage their marquee event in emerging markets. So an occasional visit to the hinderlands is appropriate and healthy for the sport. But you can’t top Maryland as the holy grail of lacrosse action, or Baltimore as a venue people want to visit and celebrate the sport. The NCAA Championship should be held here regularly.

Anyway, the clock is ticking. Nine months. Let the stomach churning begin. Nothing a few Saltines can’t handle. . .

Rollicking Rollers

Imagine stepping into a Coen Brothers movie, with John Waters characters and Christopher Guest commentators. A spectacle where the crowd is part of the action (and major part of the attraction.) Where side shows consist of a rock band, two flying gyroscopes that bounce to the music, and theme dressing uber fans who rouse the rabble by waving signs made from pizza lids.

Welcome to Charm City Roller Derby at the Du Burns arena.

It was the proverbial dark and stormy night, but that was no deterrent to the loyal followers of the Charm City Roller Girls. Did not take long to understand why. Roller Derby is a sensory experience, beginning with the aromas wafting from the concession stand. Hotdogs, hamburgers and curried fish. PBR, and Flying Dog. From the time you enter the arena, your senses are on overload, stimulated by the unknown and unexpected.

First thing I noticed inside was someone lettering a sign on a torn piece of cardboard. Not unusual for a Baltimore street corner, but a little out of place here. Particularly by someone scanning a Kurt Vonnegut novel for literary references. It seems waving signs at favorite roller girls is part of the fan experience. This particular one was a tribute to Tyrannosaurus Lex, with Female Trouble. I guess she’s a Slaughterhouse-Five fan, but pacifist sentiments seemed a bit ironic here.

Another support sign was attached to a cheerleader in leopard pajamas, spike heels and a white boa. This HonFest hottie waved from the rink perimeter as Female Trouble whizzed close enough to flutter her feathers.

The spirit squad included an assortment of mascots. They consisted of a spam sandwich and a hot dog (for the junior varsity bout) and a banana and tuxedoed crab for the main event. I really liked the baloney guy. He kept the crowd in a frenzy with frequent dashes through the stands. It reminded me of the streaking craze in the 70's.

Following the action was much easier with ongoing commentary by Dirty Marty and his sidekick Jim Meyer. Nattily attired in gold sequin and spandex lame ensembles, they were joined this particular evening by Eddie Spaghetti, a Philly announcer clad in skin tight leopard jeans. Their bantering reminded me of Howard, Frank and Dandy Don during the glory days of Monday Night Football.

Unlike most sports, the officials have personalities and fans of their own. I noticed particular appreciation for Albino Wookie and Grand Theft Autumn. Justice Feelgood Marshall appeared to be the ringmaster since he wasn’t on skates and seemed to have the last word. No dissenting opinions, either.

Roller derby is a hoot. To the uninitiated, it looked like a lot of pushing and shoving while circling counterclockwise at high speed. But there is real skill and true determination involved. And yes, it’s a contact sport. Despite all the drama on the sidelines, the action on the boards is very real and equally intense.

The athletes compete as much for hometown pride as love of the game. Auditions are open, and roller girls come from varied backgrounds and professions. One of the Female Trouble (I hesitate to say B-girl) presumably leaves her leopard tights at home while on duty as a hospital administrator at Hopkins. One of the varsity pivots is a nurse who has volunteered with AIDS patients in Africa. You really don’t know who might have a secret life as a jammer because their personas are carefully hidden behind a nom de guerre like Robin Drugstores or Creeping Myrtle.

I can’t describe the bouts without a lengthy explanation of the rules, which you can read here. But I can tell you there was great joy in Mobtown when the Charm City Girls rang the Liberty Belles in the “East Coast Grudge Match”

Take a look at the action yourself.

The bout was webstreamed live on Derby News Network.
It’s an amazing culture, with a strong sense of community. Read the program and note the Charm Girls sponsors and supporters. From Hampdon to Pigtown, Dundalk (even Nester Aparacio is a fan) to Highlandtown, the sport and personalities have a real following.

They also have a social conscience. On this particular night, the heart of gold jockettes raised about $2,000 from the capacity crowd to benefit James Privott, the elderly victim of a recent hate crime. “Eracism” was stenciled on many of the hometown uniforms.

Special thanks to City spokesman Ian Brennan, who scored a pass to the VIP section for me. Ian is a longtime roller derby fan, and he made me understand why the sport enjoys such loyalty. My only regret is that I couldn’t stay til the end of the bout and join the fans and roller girls for the apres skate across the street at Dellarosa’s. Instead of tailgating before the event, you party afterwards. I'm told the $5.00 buffet and dance jam are splendid.

So there has to be a “next time” for me. But I’m going in costume. Warn the leopards.

Iron Girls and Triumphant Torontans

Terry journeyed to Columbia early yesterday morning, taking his young daughter to see the 4th annual AFLAC Iron Girl Triathlon, The event was produced by Columbia Triathlon (also responsible for the Eagle Man and other Tris in and around the state) in conjunction with Howard County Recreation and Parks. There were a record setting 2,419 participants (The extra 19 came via the Ulman Fund, a cancer support foundation) which made it the largest such event in the country.

The Iron Girl consists of a .62-mile swim, a 17.5-mile bike ride and a 3.4-mile run. Terry arrived early enough to see the first wave in the lake and stayed long enough to see most of the transfers. He was very impressed with the beauty of the layout and the organization of the event. His daughter was very taken with all the pink displayed and the energy of the athletes themselves.

(Girl power is best learned early in life.)

As the temps climbed into the 80's, Terry headed to Annapolis for the second event in his Sunday twin bill, the World Lacrosse League championship at Navy-Marine Corps stadium.

This isn’t a new event (its ninth year) but the championship is new to the area. Some of the players were very familiar with the stadium, since the Bayhawks now play there. Others played there against Navy. Denver goalie Jesse Schwartzman claimed it as one of his favorites during his Hopkins career.

A crowd of 7,000+ showed up for the Sunday match, more than attended the doubleheader on Saturday. All three games were thrillers, with Toronto’s winning goal (sorry, Jesse) coming in the last minute of play Sunday.

Major League Lacrosse is still evolving its product, but Navy-Marine Corps Stadium is contracted to host the championship series for the next two years. That means NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments will be held in Baltimore Memorial Day weekend and MML championship will be in Annapolis three months later.

What Matters Most

"I’m not trying to grow grass, I’m trying to grow kids."
– Amos Alonzo Stagg

The centerpiece of Ripken Baseball in Aberdeen, where thousands of youngsters come every year to celebrate the game and learn from one of its masters, is not named after the Iron Man himself. That distinction belongs to the minor league stadium just a few hundred yards away.

The focal point, where the Cal Ripken World Series games were played last week, is a scaled down stadium modeled after Camden Yards. It holds 5,000 spectators but even more important, it holds the dreams of the many young ballplayers from around the world whose love of the game brought them to play with the best in their age group.

That Field of Dreams is known as Cal Sr.’s Yard. Both name and purpose honor the man who understood that teaching the fundamentals of baseball provided valuable lessons not only in the sport, but in life. The Cal Sr. Foundation, which is responsible for the facility and many of the programs it supports, reflects the role baseball plays in building community and giving opportunity to those who may be otherwise disadvantaged in their lives.

There was a suspended delay between games due to a thunderstorm threat when Team Terry arrived, so I had the opportunity to wander the complex. The layout is amazing, with ballfields incorporating the elements of several of the classics (even a “Green Monster” for the faux Fenway) It must seem like a fantasy to those kids who love the sport and identify with its history. There’s also a Wrigley Field and a Memorial Stadium and, most recently, a Yankee Stadium. Outfitted with lights and regulation in size, the new field is used by the summer college league.

Picnic pavilions and tables located throughout the complex contribute to the family friendliness of the facility. But the most intriguing feature (at least to me) is right in the center of the activities.

Along the upper concourse, just beyond a concession stand, is a vegetable patch where peas, corn and squash were enjoying the light sprinkle. A small plaque by the gate shows Cal Sr. and his wife Val in their family vegetable garden many years ago. The message, from Cal, Jr. and Billy, relates their dad’s philosophy about the importance of nurturing children as they grow, just as you would a garden.

This same theme is carried throughout the complex with signs about the principles of Ripken baseball –keep practicing, ask if you don’t understand, work hard, and have fun.

Which brings me back to Amos Alonzo Stagg, the Grand Old Man of college football. His belief in the importance of sports in developing character made him a leader organizing baseball, basketball and football programs in the early 20th century. Towards the end of his life, he was watching a group of youngsters playing football on his front lawn. One of his neighbors mentioned that it would probably ruin the grass if they didn’t stop.

To which Mr. Stagg replied what was most important to him – growing kids.

That’s the message I took from my visit to Ripken Baseball . Cal Sr’s lessons are still being taught, and their value is seen in the success of that wonderful facility and the joy of the kids who learn there.

Facing off -- Annapolis in August

Terry should be in Annapolis now. Fortunately, the clouds have cleared and I'm willing to bet there's tailgating underway.

(Doesn't matter the season or reason -- if it takes place at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, there will be tailgating. They even tailgate before walkathons and the annual Rotary Crab Feast.)

At noon the Major League Lacrosse championship series begins with a faceoff between the Denver Outlaws and Boston Cannons in the first semifinal. At 3:00 PM, the Toronto Nationals will take on the Long Island Lizards for the second slot.

Championship will be at 1:00 PM tomorrow (Sunday, August 23rd.) The series will be televised live on ESPN2 in the states, and TSN2 in Canada.

Tune in and hopefully get a good look at beautiful Annapolis as well as some great lacrosse. No better place to play (or tailgate) than Maryland.