IR softball batting dynamos returning with youthful core
Coastal Point • File Photo: The Indians crowd the plate to welcome in Braydee Whitman after Kathryn Collins tallied the winning run-rule RBI during a game last year.There is an air of confidence permeating from the dugout of the Indian River High...
Thursday, March 15, 2018 - 7:48am
That troublesome pickleball backhand
Hopefully, during your forehand session you learned that footwork, pre-positioning yourself, before you hit the ball, is the real key to any successful shot. I have seen some terrible strokes over the years by players who won significant...
Thursday, March 15, 2018 - 7:36am
IR track team looks to improve with new blood and veterans
The Henlopen Conference is generally very competitive, year in and year out, and this year should be no exception.
The Indian River High School track-and-field team is hoping to improve upon last year’s performances. Head coach Bob Hahn is...
Thursday, March 15, 2018 - 7:32am
IR girls aim to continue success on the soccer field
Coastal Point • File Photo : Graduated senior Maddie Hogsten, takes a mid-field header during a win over Sussex Tech last year.The five-time defending Henlopen Conference Southern Division champs are back and ready to add on to their recent...
Thursday, March 15, 2018 - 7:20am
Team Surfgimp started nine years ago as a call for a few volunteers to help Jay Liesener realize his dream of surfing. At the time, Liesener had been paralyzed for almost 20 years. But the team has ended up to being so much more.
Liesener’...
Thursday, October 19, 2017 - 5:42am
It was Friday the 13th. A steady rain pelted players and the hardy spectators who huddled to watch Indian River High School’s football team lose this year’s Homecoming game to Seaford’s Blue Jays 32-20.
Seaford freshman FB/LB Brandon Gibbs...
Thursday, October 19, 2017 - 4:55am
Without the knees, you can’t bring home the cheese
The Eastern Shore was fairly remote up to the 1950s, and the only major connections, before they built the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, were a ferry crossing or a couple two-lane roads from Wilmington.
Because of our geographic isolation, many a...
Thursday, October 19, 2017 - 4:45am
Public voices support for Sussex sports complex
A slew of individuals attended the Sussex County Council meeting on Oct. 10 to voice their support for a proposed sports complex in Georgetown.
Last month, the Sussex Sports Center Foundation requested that Sussex County financially...
Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 8:31am
IR boys’ soccer nets another win
Indian River High School’s boys’ soccer team improved their conference season record to 5-2 with a dominant 4-2 win over Seaford High School last Thursday, Oct. 5.
IR was first on the scoreboard, as senior Oscar Cruz Osorio hit the game’s...
Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 7:00am
Smyrna stops IRHS volleyball win streak
By Bruce C. Walls
Special to the Coastal Point
Indian River High School’s varsity volleyball team suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday night at home, at the hands of the Smyrna Eagles, ending the Indians’ win streak at...
Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 6:50am
IR football suffers fourth straight loss
By Bruce C. Walls
Special to the Coastal Point
Saturday, Oct. 7, may have been a happy homecoming football game for the Lake Forest Spartans, but on the Spartans’ home turf, it was also the Indian River High School football team’s...
Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 6:31am
By Vaughn Baker
Special to the Coastal Point
Before there was unequal prize money in tennis, there was no prize money in tennis. The various national tennis associations paid the player’s expenses and then pocketed the proceeds from...
Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 6:26am
Special to the Coastal Point • Bruce Walls : Julia Bomhardt lays into the volleyball with a spike in Tuesday night’s win over Delmarva Christian High School.On Tuesday night, Indian River High School’s varsity volleyball team entered their home...
Thursday, October 5, 2017 - 6:24am
IR field hockey ends week with wins
Special to the Coastal Point photos • Bruce Walls: Sammi Whelen advances the balls upfield during IR’s 10-3 win over Worcester Prep on Friday, Sept. 29.After defeating Caesar Rodney High School’s varsity field hockey team 3-0 last Tuesday, Sept....
Thursday, October 5, 2017 - 6:18am
IR football drops 41-6 loss to Delmar at home
Special to the Coastal Point • Susan Walls: An IR runner tries to get through the pile against Delmar on Friday, Sept. 29.Last Friday, Sept. 29, third-ranked Delmar High School’s Wildcats (2-1) handed Indian River’s Indians a humbling 41-6...
Thursday, October 5, 2017 - 6:12am
Indian River hosts cross-country trip-meet
Special to the Coastal Point • Bruce Walls: Indian River High School’s cross-country course begins behind their football stadium’s visitor’s side, quickly heading into the woods behind the school along grassy paths, leading to an opening by the...
Thursday, October 5, 2017 - 6:04am
Pickleball points — Picking pickles and the pickleball tour
This week, I became enamored with the title “Picking Paddles,” but I am a little shaky on the rest of the story. Well, here goes…
Recently, the weather was absolutely perfect, and my wife and I decided to go picking pickles in a pretty...
Thursday, October 5, 2017 - 5:58am
Muscle cars will be on display at Selbyville luau
A luau in October? Why not?
To celebrate the grand opening of their muscle-car showroom, the Speed Shop in Selbyville will host a luau-themed ribbon-cutting party on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“If you are into classic...
Thursday, October 5, 2017 - 5:54am
Sports center asks County for support
Members of the Sussex Sports Center Foundation this week requested that Sussex County financially support their endeavor at the Sussex County Council meeting on Sept. 26, giving a presentation on the project to the council.
The foundation...
Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 7:57am
IR blanks Caesar Rodney 3-0 in field hockey
Special to the Coastal Point photos • Bruce Walls: The Indian River girls’ lacrosse team took down Caesar Rodney 3-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 26.Indian River High School’s varsity field hockey team defeated Caesar Rodney’s Riders 3-0 on Tuesday, on the...
Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 6:03am
Pickleball Points — Bangers versus the third-shot soft game
Special to the Coastal Point • Vaughn Baker: Anti-banger Rick Bell takes position in the No-Volley Zone.In pickleball lexicon, bangers are players who have learned to hit the ball as hard as they can in hopes of forcing their opponents to make an...
Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 5:51am
Sussex Riptide athletes hold bike regatta ahead of Special Olympics race
Coastal Point photos • Shaun M. Lambert: Sussex Riptide, a group of Sepcial Olympics Delaware participants, and the Ocean View Police Department took part in a bicycle regatta, traveling through Bear Trap Dunes in Ocean View on Thursday, Sept. 21...
Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 5:41am
Saturday's Tour de Sussex offers a scenic county bike tour
Enough with the cars — try seeing Sussex County by bike.
The fourth annual Tour de Sussex returns on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 8 a.m., rain or shine. It’s sponsored by Delaware Technical Community College. Proceeds will provide scholarships...
Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 10:50am
Indians fall to Polytech, 39-21
Coastal Point • Susan Walls: An IR runner hits the gap to gain some yards in 39-21 loss to Polytech on Friday, Sept. 15.A week after their 21-20 surprise season opener victory over Caravel Academy in the Blue/Gold Kickoff Classic, Indian River’s...
Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 9:30am
6th annual first responders triathlon hits Bethany this weekend
Coastal Point • File Photo : Bethany Beach FIrst Responders Tri-Du-Aquabike partcipants learn to enter and exit the ocean during training for the event back in 2013.Athletes of all age and skill level will descend upon Bethany Beach this weekend...
Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 9:15am
There have been some — not many — folks who took pickleball lessons but later slowed down their participation. When I spoke with them, I mostly heard expected answers: a new grandchild, a pulled muscle, etc. But several told me that they didn’t...
Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 9:14am
IR surprises CR in varsity volleyball, 3-2
Special to the Coastal Point • Bruce Walls: Siera Johnson blocks a shot.A young Indian River High School girls’ volleyball team opened their 2017 season by surprising an older, more experienced Caesar Rodney team, 3-2, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, on...
Friday, September 15, 2017 - 7:37am
So when did it start and what’s with the pickle name?
Special to the Coastal Point • Vaughn Baker: The Ocean View Crew’s Steve Melofchik gets ready to hit a serve from behind the baseline.This year is the 50th anniversary of the first pickleball court, and the 2017 tournament in Ocean City, Md.,...
Friday, September 15, 2017 - 7:27am
Hitchens taking second-generation racing to the next level
Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Scott Hitchens shows off his car before racing in the Big Block Modified class for the first time on Wednesday, Aug. 30.Sometimes kids watch what their parents do and then go off and do something completely...
Thursday, September 7, 2017 - 9:55am
Adams earns $2,200 at Cody Hopkins Memorial Race
Special to the Coastal Point • Bruce C. Walls: Stephen Adams (far right, holding trophy) celebrates his winnings.Stephen Adams, of Four Oaks, N.C., made another profitable trip to U.S.-13 Kartway in Delmar, Del., on Friday, Aug. 25. This time, he...
Thursday, September 7, 2017 - 8:57am
Pickleball Points — Pickleball from Delmarva to Mars
Coastal Point • Submitted: Dom Travaglini hits a shot up the middle against Suss-exfactor.Whenever I teach a new student to play pickleball, I first ask then what sport they previously played, because it helps me explain pickleball to them in...
Thursday, September 7, 2017 - 8:51am
Pickleball Points — Performance at the championship level
Whenever I teach a new student to play pickleball, I first ask then what sport they previously played, because it helps me explain pickleball to them in terms they already understand. I also sometimes ask about their profession, because an artist...
Thursday, September 7, 2017 - 8:49am
The word ‘competition’ gets a bum rap
Coastal Point • Submitted : Multiple gold-medal winner Georgia Billger recently managed the successful Cucumbers & Pickles event for First State Pickleball Club, to help novices advance their game.Like each of you, I have my pet...
Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 7:53am
SODE athletes enjoy classic summer-camp experience
Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Special Olympics Delaware Summer Camp attendees try their hands at archery.Approximately 120 Special Olympics Delaware (SODE) athletes from across the state were able to enjoy a classic summer-camp experience...
Friday, August 25, 2017 - 9:04am
Film to document how action sports keep people sober
Get stoked: Sober athletes are working on a documentary about using action sports, arts and other outlets to have fun while staying sober.
Scott French and Eugene Stiltner co-founded “Sober and Stoked,” “the movie, movement and mindset.”...
Thursday, August 17, 2017 - 9:42am
Maryland man takes home $1.6M in White Marlin Open
Coastal Point • File photo: The crew of the Rock Doc shows off some of their haul at last year’s White Marlin Open. Pictured are Matthew, Tyler and Tim Tribbitt, Jerry Mieklejohn, Cory Lednum, Ryan Savage and Captain Bob Wiggins.When an 86-pound...
Thursday, August 17, 2017 - 8:56am
Pickleballers practice hard ahead of three-team match
Coastal Point • Submitted: Team Captain Randy Redard of Suss-exfactor is second from left, standing, while team captain Bob O’Malley of Ocean Pines is in the last row on the right. The doubles pair that won most matches was Don Tome of Ocean...
Thursday, August 17, 2017 - 8:47am
Georgetown 5K to raise funds for Ballard Memorial Fund
This Sunday, the friends and family of late Delaware State Trooper Cpl. Stephen Ballard are sponsoring a 5K and “Kiddie K” in order to raise funds for the fallen trooper’s family.
“Being wives of state troopers and friends with Stephen...
Thursday, August 17, 2017 - 8:45am
Coastal Point photo • Tyler Valliant: Jakayla Sample runs in to homeplate after hitting a homerun, with her team gathered to celebrate.Players traveled from around the globe to compete for the right to call themselves “world champions” at the...
Thursday, August 10, 2017 - 6:39am
Poor Girls Open set to cast lines and raise funds
Coastal Point • File Photo: Poor Girls Open team from last year’s competition included Terri Shapter, Kathy Jo Robbins, Julie Kypreos, Rae Ann Kane, Tracy Cieslukowski and Ellen Currie. The team released two white marlin and caught a bunch of...
Thursday, August 10, 2017 - 6:23am
We need more pickleball courts
Statistica.com claims there are 27 million golfers who play at least once a year on 15,000 golf courses in the U.S. They also claim there are 11 million tennis players playing at least once a year on 500,000 tennis courts. I thought it might be...
Thursday, August 10, 2017 - 5:53am
Bethany 5K walk/run to benefit Alzheimer’s Association
Coastal Point • Submitted: Runners take off from the start line during last year’s Athletes Against Alzheimers Run/Walk 5K.Approximately 200,000 Americans younger than 65 have early-onset Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, and...
Thursday, August 3, 2017 - 6:28am
Pickleball in Lower Slower Delaware (LSD)
Sitting at courtside, waiting to take the next available court, someone is sure to make a negative comment about a workman who is, or was, scheduled to repair or install something in their home, and end the conversation with “but this is Lower...
Thursday, August 3, 2017 - 6:26am
White Marlin Open ready to set lines on Monday
Ocean City, Md.’s 44th annual White Marlin Open — one of the largest billfish tournaments in the world — kicks off Monday, Aug. 7, with fishing continuing through Friday, Aug. 11.
“Marlin fishing is slow. The No. 1 reason is that not many...
Thursday, August 3, 2017 - 6:19am
Softball stars descending on Roxana
Coastal Point • File Photo: A runner slides into first base during last year’s World Series event in Roxana.A runner slides into first base during last year’s World Series event in Roxana.The eyes of the softball world will soon be on Roxana, and...
Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 11:30am
Pickleball and tennis and raquetball and squash and basketball and lacrosse and golf, etc.
Interested in pickleball? There are two important things to know about pickleball. First, pickleball is easy to learn in the very first session. But the other thing about pickleball is that it is so hard to master that it becomes outright...
Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 11:27am
How do the pickleball boom and the tennis boom of the 1970s compare?
With Wimbledon just finishing, I found myself comparing the pickleball boom with the great tennis boom. I was in the catbird’s seat of the tennis boom in the early ’70s when Wilson Sporting Goods enjoyed incredible market share in both tennis...
Thursday, July 20, 2017 - 5:11am
Peninsula Oil donates $5,000 to Autism Delaware through running festival
The 3rd Annual Coastal Delaware Running Festival in April hosted more than 3,500 runners, thousands of fans, and dozens of volunteers. The Coastal Delaware Running Festival, a Focus Muiltisports event, has been designated a State of Delaware...
Thursday, July 20, 2017 - 5:09am
Ocean City Tuna Tournament marks 30th anniversary
There are several new rules and added entry-level calcuttas in place for the 30th annual Ocean City (Md.) Tuna Tournament, taking place July 14-16.
Tournament organizers met with a committee of past participants over the winter to...
Thursday, July 13, 2017 - 1:19pm
Tripple Overtime: Michael Phelps vs. Great White Shark vs. Vegas... vs. Tripple OT?
Whenever the last Olympics was, that’s when I wrote about the time I sort-of ate sushi with Michael Phelps.
He had just graduated and was already being touted as the next great American Olympian. I was heading into my senior...
Thursday, July 13, 2017 - 7:33am
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