Runner’s Heroic Act of Sportsmanship

While running in a 5k cross-country race, Andover High School (MN) runner Josh Ripley heard Lakeville South runner Mark Paulauskas screams and knew something needed to be done. While other runners whisked by, Ripley stopped and asked Paulauskas if he could help.

Noticing that Paulauskas had been spiked by another runner and bleeding profusely, the 6’5″ Ripley picked up the wounded runner and ran back a half a mile to the race’s start to bring him to his coach and parents for aid.

“I didn’t think about my race — I knew I needed to stop and help him,” Josh said. “It was something I would expect my other teammates to do. I’m nothing special; I was just in the right place at the right time.”

“I was stunned and so proud of the sportsmanship and kindness he showed to our runner who was injured,” said Jessica Just, the Lakeville South team’s coach. “The family, our Lakeville South coaching staff and our whole team were so thankful and appreciative of Josh’s act of kindness and selflessness to a rival competitor.”

Paulauskas was immediately taken to a hospital where he received more than 20 stitches to close the wound and a walking cast.

As for Ripley, he opted to finish the race. Extending the 3.2 mile race another mile — 1/2 a mile to and fro — didn’t do much for his time, but most would agree that Ripley was undoubtedly a big winner for his heroic action. A great inspirational story!

CBS Video

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History of Volleyball and Amazing Volleyball Rallies

Can you name the inventor of basketball?  No problem for most sports fans:  James Naismith.  Now quick, name the inventor of volleyball.  Not many folks know that it was a gentleman by the name of William Morgan.

Combining elements of handball and tennis, he invented the game that he called, “Mintonette,” as an indoor past time.  Morgan was a physical education teacher in Holyoke, Massachusetts, for the YMCA.  At about the same time, just 10 miles down the road in Springfield, Massachusetts, the game of basketball was just taking off.

Morgan’s first rules established a net 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) high, a 25×50 ft (7.6×15.2 m) court, and any number of players.  A match was composed of nine innings with three serves for each team in each inning, and no limit to the number of ball contacts for each team before sending the ball across to the opponent.  Two serves were allowed if you missed the first.  Hitting the ball into the net was considered a foul (with loss of the point or a side-out)—except in the case of the first-try serve.

After noticing the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition in 1986, an observer named Alfred Halstead, suggested that it should be called “volley ball,” and the new name stuck.  It took until 1964 until volleyball became an official Olympic sport.

Perhaps nothing captures the essence of the sport as well as a long, well-played rally.  Check out these videos below of some amazing points.

Amazing Volleyball Rally Video

The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (white jerseys) took on the #1 ranked University of Alberta Golden Bears (green jerseys). British Columbia was up 1 set to 0, and 14-11 when this point took place. British Columbia upset Alberta 3-1 in this CIS Canada West conference match that took place on November 4, 2005.

A 43 second volleyball Rally

Another Long Volleyball Rally Video

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San Diego Chargers Fans Do The Right Thing

Fans shock waitress by returning her lost $1,000 — The Stir

A Touching Tribute for Lokomotiv Crash Victims

Dynamo Minsk’s hockey funeral for Lokomotiv crash victims — Yahoo! Sports Video

The Best College Football Tradition: “Picking Up Butch”

Middlebury College, in Vermont, is home of the best college football tradition.  Middlebury College student athletes have helped Butch Varno, who suffers from cerebral palsy, attend sporting events like football and basketball games for over 50 years.

Back in 1960, Middlebury College student Roger Ralph, saw Varno’s grandmother struggling to move Butch’s wheelchair through snow on the way home from a football game.  He assisted them that day and offered to drive for the next game.  Thus, the “Picking up Butch” tradition was born.  Middlebury athletes from various sports have been driving Butch to and from sporting events ever since.

During football season, basketball players (typically freshmen on the team), try to get Butch to every home game.  The football players take over during basketball season.  Butch quickly became Middlebury’s number one fan.  This feel good story expanded beyond sports.  In 2003, Butch earned his GED (high school equivalency) at the age of 56, with the help of junior Sara Smith, a member of the track-and-field team.

With a Rick Reilly story on Butch in his Sports Illustrated column in 2003, a Steve Hartman CBS News feature in 2007, and an ESPN feature that won an Emmy award; the “Picking Up Butch” story has received some of the coverage it deserves.  By helping Butch, students are learning some of the best life lessons outside of the classroom.

“Picking Up Butch” video from CBS Sports — Steve Hartman

ESPN’s story on “Picking Up Butch”

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College Football Players Save Toddler’s Life

Missouri Western Football Players Jack Long and Shane Simpson Save Toddler — ESPN

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