Almost time for new YMCA seasons

There a lot of topics to cover today so we might as well as just get started....

Several registration deadlines take place next week.

The YMCA/Valmont Coed Youth Soccer League deadline is Monday.

Games will start Saturday, March 11 for the K-4th graders, while the 5th-8th grade division will play on Thursdays, beginning March 16 all at Barnett Park.

Also mark down those dates because those will be our best bets for our first big snowfalls of the season. You can thank me later.

With the start of soccer, the YMCA/Parker youth basketball league is down to its final week. Thanks to the officials, parents and players, and especially the volunteer coaches and assistant coaches who give of their time for more than two months.

Without the dedication of volunteer coaches, we could not have youth sports.

And along with the numerous assistant coaches, we thank the 2017 youth basketball coaches: Shane Hilker, Eileen and Darren Pollman, Steve and Darla Thompson, Sarah Mohr and Kelly May, Lindsey Foster, Nathan Minnick, Jill Truska, Nate Schneider, Jon and Carrie Johnson, Paul Younger, Michael Hinson, Andy Long, Jon Graff, Geoff Gillen, Tom Lentz, Tracy Kaps and Katie Snyder, Drew Wilson, Brad Lauder, William Patterson, Lance Frazier, Rob Hinze, Danny Gullion, Aric Riggins, Tyler Schmick, Loren Wagner, Michael Hinson, Tracy Mai, Sarah Risenhoover and Brad Sedlacek.

And there is a good bet that many of these same coaches will be out there on the soccer fields next month. No rest for the weary.

The coed and women's volleyball leagues are also accepting registrations through Monday

The coed league will play on Tuesdays with the women's league on Thursdays.

The annual Spikefest Volleyball Tournament will take over the YMCA gym at the end of February.

Coed teams will play on Saturday, Feb. 25 with the women's tourney on Sunday, Feb. 26.

With the masters (18 and over) swim class on Mondays, pick-up basketball on Wednesday nights and pickle ball games on Fridays, adults cannot complain of nothing to do.

Throw in the new racquetball league and the word "boredom" becomes a four-letter word...only it's seven letters.

***

Congratulations to the McCook High School Swim and Dive team, which wrapped up the home season Friday at the YMCA.

A third MCHS diver qualified for the state tournament with Victoria Norgaard crossing the 300-point threshold required to make it to Lincoln. She will join Taylor Ford and Syd Wier at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 23.

The swimmers also had a very successful evening. The 200 freestyle relay team of Shayne Coleman, Candace Coleman, Becca Tietz and Laurel Schmidt improved their time -- and lowered the school record -- to 1:46.6.

Along with the 200 free relay, the 400 freestyle relay and the medley relay all have "secondary" qualifying times for state, which means they have not automatically qualified for state with a required time but have a decent chance to head to Lincoln as one of the 32 spots in the relays.

And Shayne Coleman broke the MCHS record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 55.5 -- one-one hundredths of a second better than the previous time set by Whitney Korgan.

It takes longer to say "one-one-hundreth" than it took to actually happen.

It's been a fun season to watch and we hope all of the swimmers and divers improve on their best times and scores this weekend at GNAC in Kearney and in two weeks at the state meet in Lincoln.