Athletic antiphon

Guest blog from Jim Kramer

The following is a guest blog from our friend Jim Kramer. Jim is on the Alumni Board and is a color commentator for Ranger basketball. So, take it away Jim!:

Although Parkside has been in existence for only 40 years we have seen many great athletes come through the doors of this University in that short span of time. Take a walk through the SAC and allow yourself time to look at the plaques that adorn the walls in the hallway throughout the building.
 
  If you are an alum, it may bring back some great memories. Maybe remind you of classmates that you had or remember seasons of the past. 

Parkside has seen its share of good times and has also seen many seasons of disappointment. That comes with the territory when you enter the sports arena. Losing seasons make you appreciate the times when the teams perform well even more.  As fans it is difficult to watch teams that represent you struggle through tough times. However those struggles multiply for the athletes that are a part of them.

The commitment made by these young men and women goes  far beyond the athletics part of the equation. Practice, schedules, study, and travel, are all a part of the athletes life and they do this representing YOU, the current students, the alums, and the local communities. They need the support of these communities that they represent. 
Be a Ranger backer and support the teams that Parkside fields, whether it is Track, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Wrestling, Volleyball, or Soccer.

Fourty years has built some nice history. The UWP community is a small one. Help it to grow and flourish in the years to come. Be proud to be a Ranger and be proud to be represented by so many great young people who try their best in athletics.

I'm still alive

Something big is coming here...and coming soon...stay tuned.

Hey Ranger Bear!

Ranger Bear - I was reading your blog and you mention you hate Kentucky Wesleyan, yet, I didn't see you at the game Thursday night. You weren't wearing an elaborate disguise were you?

Volleyball buffet in Indy

Normally, I travel with the basketball team only and no other sports. That's because yours truly has a background in broadcasting. I'm the voice on WRJN during our basketball games, among other things (little-known secret).

This last weekend we had no home sporting events, so Matt Mountin (interim AD)and I hopped in a car and drove to Indianapolis for the GLVC-GLIAC cross-over women's volleyball tournament of which our Rangers were a part of. The event featured every team from the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. A total of 39 matches in all, on seven courts, in 2 days!

Matt and I worked as statisticians. An army of Sports Information Directors from rival schools and others helped out with the event. Even team members themselves worked in some capacity at the scorers' tables. Our head coach, Rob Wolter, pitched in as an official scorer after his team was done playing for the weekend. This is believed to be the largest collegiate volleyball tournament in the country.

This is one of the many reasons why NCAA Division II is tops. It was an event everyone could get involved with from the community to the players and the many, many people in between. All done without complaint.

It could have been an "off" weekend, of which we don't get many, but it was great being a part of that event. Next year, the event will be hosted by the GLIAC, which means it will likely be in Michigan. If we have nothing scheduled here, I'll be there.

This started off as an "idea," but evolved into something much greater than initially envisioned. It was great for the sport, great for each league, great for Division II...and memorable to all those who set foot in the building. As I read in another blog "the two leagues served it, the players dug it and the fans thought it was a killer."

Do we have a real "rival?"

With this academic year, UW-Parkside has been around 40 years, which includes 40 years of athletics. There's plenty to look back on and celebrate in all areas of UW-P.

This got me to thinking about a rival. Who is, or has been, UW-Parkside's biggest rival? But first, a history lesson: UW-Parkside and the now NCAA Division III UW schools, were part of the NAIA. Those schools went to NCAA Division III while we jumped to NCAA Division II in the early 90s. A few years later, UW-P because part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Carthage was always a big rival back in our NAIA days. It extended after the reclassification to NCAA II. Now, Carthage will no longer play us - in anything. There were some fun times. Basketball games were packed. I remember the last Parkside-Carthage event was a baseball game at Oberbruner Field. The seats were filled and hundreds lined the hill as a then mediocre Ranger club crushed always formidable Carthage, then ranked No. 1 in the country, in Division III.

UW-Milwaukee was and still is a decent rival. I remember a men's basketball game here when things got a bit out of control on the floor and the fans traded verbal jabs in the parking lot after. We still play them in men's hoops at the U.S. Cellular Arena on a yearly basis, although it's friendly.

Then there's Lewis (based in Romeoville, Illinois), which is the closest school to us geographically. I guess that makes us "rivals." Men's soccer and softball seems to have grude matches with them, but I don't know if they stick out among other GLVC opponents.

I put up a poll question on www.parksiderangers.com and asked the question: Who has been our biggest rival? After the first 100 votes, much to my surprise, Lewis is running away with it. This could mean the younger folks are voting and those who were here back then or remember the past aren't checking in. Maybe our biggest rival will turn out to be "other."

Random thoughts

I don't have one idea I want to mention here, so, I'll just hit a few spots briefly:

*Check out the October edition of Inside Wisconsin Sports, available on newsstands state-wide. There's a four-page spread on UW-Parkside men's soccer beginning on page 56.

*Congrats to our new women's volleyball head coach Rob Wolter, who picked up his first home win Sept. 13.

*Good luck to the issue room personnel in their attempt to wash the men's soccer uniforms after they played in Sunday's rainy mess. I didn't even play and I threw out a pair of shoes.

*Pretty interesting results from our current web poll: www.parksiderangers.com

*And, one last thing, I checked out the new Union. Wow! That place is going to be great! The food looks good too. Think I'll have lunch in there sometime this week.

Welcome back

Hey, there's people in the hallways! It's great to have the students back. A lot of buzz on campus. I guess this means getting here early to secure a good parking space.

Anyway, I hope everyone on campus had a chance to get over to the 40th birthday party. It was great seeing all the old athletic articles posted in Main Place, some from even before I was here as a student. It shows how far we have come not only as a department, but as a university. And, how 'bout that photo of Coach Koch, who was likely in his 20s at the time?

If you check out our website (www.parksiderangers.com) you'll see I use the 40th anniversary logo often. It's great to identify with that.

Speaking of logos, come on over and check out our re-done gym floor. It has the big UWP logo at half court and "The University of Wisconsin - Parkide" on each half. It reads "Rangers" on each baseline. Looks pretty cool!

See you at the games.

Ranger Bear: In answer to your question

Hey Ranger Bear, I got your comment on my post regarding Northwestern football. Yes, they have a mascot. It's a Wildcat. I appreciate your wanting to do the PR thing, but I have not seen anything of the cat. I think you have an intimidation factor working for you here - your fangs are much bigger. I'll stop in at a few of their practices this week and should I have an opportunity to shake his paw, I'll relay your best wishes. - Steve

Time to get started

Yes, life on campus is about to pick up, at least on the south end. Northwestern football will be here getting ready for the Big 10 season Aug. 9-18. They practice on our fields and stay in the dorms.

On Monday, Aug. 11, the UW-Parkside men's and women's soccer and volleyball team reports. They'll practice early in the morning and in the afternoon/evening. The first regular season events begin Thursday, Aug. 28.

We're in fall mode. Geez, where did the summer go?

Poll question

On all the athletic pages at www.parksiderangers.com, there is a poll question (on the right side of the page). Guess who comes up with them?

It's summer, and I'm having brain-lock and I can't think of a new one. Can you think of a potential poll question applicable to UW-Parkside athletics? If so, please send it to me at: kratochv@uwp.edu  Hey, I may offer a prize!

Thanks and have a great summer!