OUR VIEW: Summer is a ‘sporting’ time in Culpeper

Staff Editorial
Published: July 4, 2008

» SUMMARY: Little League all-star tournaments provide wholesome, exciting summer fun for local kids.

It seems as though summer in Culpeper doesn’t really begin until the local Little League baseball and softball all-star teams have been selected.

Each June and July, young athletes as young as nine and as old as their early teens get the opportunity to feel like big shots as they compete for spots in the state tournament — and, if all goes well, possibly the Little League World Series.

Watching the youngsters play ball, it becomes clear that the Little League organization in this and surrounding communities is thriving. The sport provides kids with valuable lessons about the spirit of competition, teamwork and friendship. The volunteers who make Little League possible are to be commended.

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Olympic Dreams: Little Leaguers aren’t the only local athletes competing for a spot in a prestigious event. Katherine McDonnell, a student-athlete at U.Va. and a native of Boston, Va., spent the past week in Omaha, Neb., with many of the world’s best swimmers at the U.S. Olympic trials. While stars such as Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin have dominated TV coverage, McDonnell’s efforts in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke have shown that local athletes can compete with the nation’s best.

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Lacrosse Fever: A down year for the CCHS boys lacrosse team hasn’t dulled interest in the sport among local kids. Dozens of campers have spent the week honing their skills at the Raging Bull Lacrosse Camp, put on by former CCHS star Dave Scott. Scott is just one of many local lacrosse enthusiasts who have helped turn Culpeper into a hotbed for the sport.