It’s always been more than wins and losses

With two weeks to go, a sportswriter looks back

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In most professional circles, it’s appropriate to give two weeks’ notice before departing.

So, here goes.

is ride of almost 35 years of covering prep sports, the chance to see other areas of the state — all while chronicling sports adventures of young athletes - sadly has to come to an end.

Come March 16, it’ll be time to follow Snagglepuss’ lead and exit stage left.

ere are so many things to remember — not necessarily game scores.

e 200-point Golden High School basketball game in which dad bested his son.

en-Fort Lupton High School freshman Saul Guerrero. He was scared to death. He smiled as broadly as his 14-year-old face would allow the next night when he won third place at the state wrestling tournament. e next year, he asked his coach if it was OK to talk.

e third year, he was all ears -and more smiles -- and needed no introduction or permissions. Guerrero also won three straight state titles; his son was on the Fort Lupton football team this past fall. (Someone in this paragraph is clearly old).

Mikhail Sands, born without use of one hand, yet still wrestled, played football, rugby, was a state decathlon champ and ran track at Prairie View High School.

Anyone who signed a college letter of intent to continue their athletic endeavors somewhere.

e kids who tried new sports, new ventures in their post-school lives. To watch them grow as young men and women, to see them gain con dence they didn’t know they had and become contributing members of society leads to a lot of smiles.

e same applies to former co-workers, friends who passed through life for a short amount of time, yet stay in touch and are doing good things in their chosen professions.

e athletes who called me “Mr. Smith,” even though the real Mr. Smith (my father) died in 2013. Attempts to take on the name “Old Steve” didn’t work too often. And that’s OK; it’s a sign of respect, something that says those kids’ parents did a real good job raising them.

e smiles on the faces of kids/ coaches/parents who were so genuinely appreciative of the e orts of the local paper to come and watch. e players who’d walk halfway across the eld, climb out of the stands or stroll across a basketball court to strike up a conversation with someone they saw just at games and events. ey acted as though we’d been classmates for years. ose are some of the things that come o the desk, out of the wadded-up lunch wrappers and stained co ee cups and into whatever the new chapter brings. ere was so much to see in the nastiest of weather, the warmest of weather, the smelliest of air masses and in the nastiest of public health crises through live streaming. Nothing need be changed. It was a grand and glorious ride through two areas of Denver that were as di erent as left and right.

Another memory? e Frederick High School basketball team that walked over to press row in appreciation of the interest in the then-Warriors as they advanced to the nal four in 2022 .. a rst for the program since 1956.

One of Golden High School’s senior classes took some of their extra money and bought a coaches’ jacket, complete with school colors and some dude’s name on the right breast pocket. at was 28 years ago, and the coat still ts.

Bradley Weinmaster of Riverdale Ridge High School, who wasn’t expecting to be in a playo for a golf championship, then learned he was in, then won the state title on the rst playo hole, then broke down in joy as he recounted his e orts. e pleasure of meeting so many people who did and are doing something on behalf of young men and women.

All shared a little part of their lives, an enriching part of this career. All are friends, including other reporters. (If you think people in the press don’t get to know one another, think again). eir collective knowledge was something they were only too happy to pass along to an old-timer. e numbers and names are too many and too frequent to name and recall. But thank you for your kindness and for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

And you know what? It’s OK to say goodbye.

Really.

My older brother and I reached a point where it’s time to clean out our family home. It’s a process involving a lot of stu - 66 years’ worth, plus things that belonged to our late younger brother — and a lot of time. Mom’s knitting machines (she had three), Dad’s handwritten tax forms and professional magazines (pictures of the tax forms!) and silverware and emergency evacuation packs that belonged to my late younger brother, Brian, need new homes. (His Wile E. Coyote co ee cup made the trip back to Denver after the holidays.)

As a rule, a nal house cleaning and a Zoom call aren’t compatible. It requires hands-on attention.

Nothing finer e job for 35 years has been to chronicle events. e kids did the work - they competed, sank the baskets, scored the touchdowns, made the saves, ran circles around their opponents on the track, pinned their wrestling opponents. Credit to all their coaches, friends and families, too, for their collective encouragement. e “job” (it really wasn’t one .. honest) was to watch and tell you what they did, how well they did and what they learned about their sport and themselves. For an ardent sports dude, there has been nothing ner.

Fort Lupton’s Scotty Sanders, a former wrestler and football player with eyes on major-league baseball, said how sorry he was that the end of the professional line was near for someone who really enjoyed what he was doing. What came to mind was a thought from the late Vin Scully upon his retirement as the announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a paraphrase at the time, but the quote reads, “Don’t be sad that it’s over. Smile because it happened.” at concept is worth a lot of repeats these days and in the future — even with what a 64-year-old, soon-to-be-saggier and wrinklier face will allow — because it happened. force e Ravens opened the half on a nine-point run with Leopold leading the way. e senior hit a trey and then made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 40-38 with four minutes left in the quarter.

Mom and Dad always said to nd that perfect job so you never think you work a day in your life. And you know what? ey were right. As usual. ese last 30-some years have been pretty close to perfect.

We had a lot of fun together for a long time and became friends along the way. For that - and so many other memories and kindnesses -- thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart. It’s been a joy to participate in and learn something from a profession I truly love.

And that’s -30-.

CJ Seifert ended the drought with a basket, and Hill scored three baskets in a row to push the lead to 48-40 going into the fourth.

Torres hit a dagger late in the fourth to push the lead to double digits and seal the victory.

“We have a great senior class,” Powell said. “From our point guard to our bigs, they play hard and play well together. ey are starting to play to their strength.”

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