It’s great when young athletes from your neighborhood experience success in sports. That was the case when I saw the results of the Coastal Championship cross-country meet with Jason Wilder finishing first in the boys race.

It was not too surprising to learn that Jason finished first in the race, and that he is developing into one fine runner after completing three seasons of cross country at the Brewer Middle School.

In our South Brewer neighborhood, Jason’s house is at the top of a long hill. My house is at the bottom of the hill.

Over the years, I’ve seen Jason go up and down that hill – mostly up – with relative ease whether it was on foot or on a bike. The youngster just never seemed to run out of energy.

He channeled that energy in a fun and productive way by taking up the sport of cross country. The race was the final one of the season at the middle school, but I’m sure Jason won’t stop running.

Katie Snow, another promising young runner at Brewer Middle School, didn’t surprise many when she finished first in the girls race at the Coastal Championships. Katie is just a seventh-grader, but already has jumped out to a solid start in her running pursuits.

She has learned her running lessons well and has benefited from the guidance of her father, Bob Snow, who has set a good example for all sports parents. It’s obvious that his daughter not only puts forth her best effort, but also enjoys participating in running and other sports.

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The outcome of the American League Championship Series obviously was not an enjoyable one for those of us who support the Red Sox and detest the Yankees. However, one of the more enjoyable aspects of following the trials and tribulations of the Red Sox, through their divisional series with Oakland and then the ALCS, was talking baseball with my parents.

Now, it’s time for a little family history lesson. My parents never have been big sports fans, and they are late bloomers to the world of sports as they have found more time to follow the athletic endeavors of their grandchildren.

While we were growing up, they were very supportive of our involvement in sports, but didn’t have as much time to invest in actually sitting down and watching games on TV. Jobs and four children kept them a little on the busy side.

Now, however, they even watch golf on TV, and one of my mother’s favorite golfers is Phil Mickelson – mostly because he was committed to leaving a major golf tournament to be with his wife while she gave birth.

My parents especially enjoy watching the Red Sox on TV when they’re in the playoffs. This leads to some interesting questions and comments.

One that stood out came when my dad wanted to know what was wrong with “that fella who keeps fidgeting all the time.” He was referring, of course, to slumping Red Sox batter Nomar Garciaparra, who goes through an agonizing ritual of refastening and tapping his batting gloves between every pitch.

I tried to explain Nomar’s routine had to deal with getting comfortable at the plate and ready to swing, but my father still thinks the ritual is a waste of time. Given Nomar’s offensive struggles in the ALCS, maybe he should take a little advice from a retired papermaker who learned the value of hard work on Aroostook County potato fields.

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It still seems too early to be following hockey games, but given the fact that the Yankees were in the World Series again, I wasn’t too eager to watch their opening game Saturday night. Thus, I picked up a book, and turned on the radio to listen to WZON of Bangor’s broadcast of the college hockey game between the University of Maine and Holy Cross.

It wasn’t much of a game as Maine predictably won the preordained lopsided affair, 7-0, but it was much more enjoyable than watching pinstripes in October – again.

It also was enjoyable to later turn on ESPN’s SportsCenter and discover the Yankees had lost the first game of the World Series.

Sports editor Joe McLaughlin can be reached at 990-8229 or jmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net