It’s Just My Opinion

The Hopewell Lady Titans have advanced to the NCHSAA West Sectional Finals, friday 2/26/10. While we are all disappointed that the boys team didn’t win wednesday night, we should all stand behind the Lady Titans friday night, and help them advance to the 2010 NC State Finals in Greensboro. This is a very talented team that plays hard every game and deserves your attendance.

I’ll be there and I hope you are too!!! GO LADY TITANS!!!

I have been asked for those of you that read this blog to step up and get involved either by making a donation, volunteering their time or asking their favorite restaurant, hair dresser or sporting club to donate something they can raffle. They will also take anyone who wants to roll up their sleeves and become a part of our planning group.

Angels of ‘97 began in 1997 to honor the lives of five students who graduated in spirit only from North Mecklenburg High School Class of 1997.  Angels of ‘97 has grown in the past years to provide over $400,000 in scholarships to local high school students (North Mecklenburg and Hopewell High) to assist with higher education.  They have grown to offer not only our dinner & auction but also a golf tournament and their newest which is a ministries group. They are a local non-profit 501c3 and all money raised goes back to North Meck & Hopewell High Schools in the way of scholarships (I am sure they will support the new Hough High too when they come on line).

The Angels Memorial group have grown to over forty angels; including several this year (Chris Bivins - Hopewell, Courtney Puckett  North Meck and 14 month old Ally Grace).  They want to remember and honor all the angels memories as they provide scholarships in their memory BUT they also want to spread awareness to Buckle Up, Don’t Drink and Drive, Don’t Speed, Know who you are riding with and just simply BE SAFE!

What they need donations and volunteers.  Donations can be money or it could be gift certificates to restaurants, Nascar items, golf items, etc  anything they can put in a silent or live auction the day of the event.  Volunteers can help for an hour or a whole day.

Anything you can do will help!!!

The EVENT will be March 20, 2010 from 11AM-7PM at North Meck, and tickets are only $5.00 for all the Spaghetti you can eat.

It amazes, to my surprise, how many people must read my blog because of the feedback I got about my  two deleted Bojangle’s posts. A few people I respect thought, that while they appreciate my frustration and disappointment of not being able to photograph any games, I wasn’t being fair in my criticisms. So after a day of thought I had to agree with them and deleted the posts.

While I’m disappointed about not being there for at least the finals, I am excited to see that both of Hopewell’s basketball teams went on to win the tournament. If that wasn’t enough DeMon Brooks and Hannah Early were also named tournament MOP’s.

With I-Meck Conference starting up again I’m sure by next monday I’ll be grumbling to myself while I’m editing game photos.

I also want to wish a HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone and happy to see it was a safe one too.

I have many things to be thankful for today, and one is,all of you that visit my web site and read this blog. Thank you to all the young athletes that I have photographed in my four plus years. I have enjoyed the effort you put into every game or match. I love sports and photography and you let me live my dream at every game.

I have never enjoyed a rivalry as much as I do with Hopewell and North. It’s serious with a side of fun, kind of like a thanksgiving side dish (sweet potatoes for me, with stuffing a close second). Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without family and friends, so let not forget the students (fans) and parents rooting in the stands along with the cheerleaders and band. It’s been fun adding a look into the stands photos to my site.

So THANK YOU ALL for making my Thanksgiving Day a little better.

Become a fan of fastpitchphotos.com on facebook. I will put important game photos on facebook first before I can edit the whole game for this web site. Today I put two photo albums from North’s loss at Providence friday night. These are two important drives (game changers) for North late in the game. Become a fan and see the key game photos first!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/fastpitchphotoscom/141067448351?ref=nf

Monday, June 29th a surprise thank you celebration was held for Coach Webster at the Hickory Tavern. There was a great turnout of former and present players, friends, family, coaches, and fans of Coach. There was so many Kleenex used that Waste Management had to make a second pickup tuesday morning.

Avis and Luanne did a great job putting the party together and I think Coach was really surprised when he got there, if not, I think there could be some acting jobs in his future. The outpouring of love for this man was impressive. His is one of the nicest people I have ever met and he will be missed by all that know him but I think he’ll make an occasional guest appearance at Hopewell, after all you are his family.

Coach, thanks for the memories!!!

Photos at… http://www.alexrosato.com/062909cweb/

For the second year I had the privilege to photograph the softball games. I get a chance to see most of the best players in the state play. It is truly an all-star event. “Pop” Rivers and the NCSCA ( http://www.ncfastpitch.org/ ) took over the softball part that didn’t exist and made it happen. It has been a big success with the help of most of the top coaches in the state of North Carolina.

This year the host school was UNC Charlotte. I don’t know if host is the correct word. Six games a day and only two at UNCC. Their summer camps were more important than the State Games. I realize UNCC makes much needed revenue from their camps, so maybe they shouldn’t have hosted the games too. Parking was a joke too. I’m not sure but I think the “Soup Nazi” from Seinfeld now works for UNCC parking police going around threatening to ticket and/or tow your car all day long. Maybe I was spoiled at UNC Greensboro last summer who hosted the games. Everyone involved there were so nice and helpful and the stadium was beautiful. I unfortunately can’t say the same about UNCC.

I would like to have the privilege, again, to photograph next years game, but alot of changes have to be made first for me to return to UNCC.

To see the 2009 and 2008 softball State Game photos go to http://www.ncfastpitch.org/ and you will directed to them. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did taking them.

An old friend of Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius sports is back. Justin Parker, along with the the others at the Lake Norman Citizen, will again report our local news that was lost when the new owners of the other newspaper took over. 

Welcome home Justin.

BUCKLE UP!!!

To borrow a phrase from an old movie (Network), ” I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more”. I’m talking about the senseless auto deaths that happen every year to our high school students and grads that just won’t buckle up their seat belts. It might be to much to ask, but I am, stop speeding, indulging or texting while your driving but at least buckle up.

Every year (13) Angles of ‘97 has been adding new names to their list. Let’s honor the names on this list by not adding any new ones. 

Enjoy your summer, wether your working, playing ball, or just hanging around enjoying the lake. I look forward to seeing you all next year, wether your playing or cheering in the stands. But, please, BUCKLE UP!!!

My niece (AB) put a little pressure on me to attend this end of year orchestra concert since I missed it last year photographing a softball game.  She said, trying to assure me, “I think you’ll like it.” Wrong, I LOVED IT!!!

I was blown away by how good it was. The worst part of the night was when it was time to go home. I was hoping they would bring food in and make this a marathon.

Hopewell and North Meck High School Orchestra’s joined together under the direction of Dr. Lynda M. Pickney, Conductor. While I love the athletic rivalry between the two schools, I loved the fact that they joined together for this event. This was as good as any athletic event I have covered in my three plus years of photographing Hopewell and North teams.

Dr. Pickney alone was worth going to the concert, she is a trip (an expression that goes along with the theme of the event). She shows her feelings with her facial expressions, and you can’t help but be happy and smile.  

But the students were the show. I could name everyone of them but I’ll just name a two.

Justin Le (Hopewell) composed and performed a piano solo, Shelby. It was beautiful.

Caitlan Banks (Hopewell), composed and conducted, Perfect Strangers, again beautiful. Not having a program in hand while she conducted, I wasn’t aware she had composed the piece. I am so impressed, after I looked at the program, to lean this.

Steppenwolf, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Gloria Estafan, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Carlos Santana, Metallica and the Beach Boys music were covered along with the two originals. It was very relaxed with the students dressing as they liked and that Dr. Pickney letting the students pick the music.

I love music and and in my collection I have a lot of classical CD’s. What I’m trying to say is, I enjoy classical music and this concert was as good as any CD in my collection. I started out taking a photo here and there, but as the night went on, I knew I wanted to record this concert an add it to my web site. It will be my first non sport subject, and hopefully not my last, that I am posting on my site.

If you were there, you were one of the lucky ones. Thank you to Dr. Pickney and the Hopewell and North students in the orchestra for a very enjoyable night. Please be patient with my posting of the photos. I want them to be right and that takes a little time to edit them correctly. Remember my photos are free, and you can down load them from my web site. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed your concert.

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