Four Corners Sports April 2014

3Four Corners SPORTSApril 2014

content| 4 | Fun and colorfulNicole Walters and Esther Schreffler, both of

Farmington, were new to 5K runs when they

donned grass skirts and white T-shirts with

the labels “First-Timers” on them, to

participate in the March 29 Run or Dye event

at McGee Park.

| 18 | Another Birdie CupThe Purgatory Alpine Ski Team just finished its

season the weekend of March 8 with a big win.

The team, made up of boys and girls ages 6

and up, compete in the Southern Series of the

Rocky Mountain Division against teams from

Taos, Flagstaff, Santa Fe and Los Alamos.

| 8 | C.A.S.T. for KidsThe program is called C.A.S.T. for Kids and it

stands for Catch A Special Thrill, which is

what many of the nearly 80 participants will

be doing on May 10 at Navajo State Park.

| 17 | Fishing Report

| 10 | High School BasketballWith the biggest sporting event in New Mexico

in the books, it’s time to take a look back at

the 2014 state basketball championships.

| 12 | Baseball SeasonBaseball season is underway in Farmington

with more than 1,100 children and teenagers

signed up to participate in the Farmington

Amateur Baseball Congress, or FABC.

| 14 | Redistricting the countyEvery two years the New Mexico Activities

Association looks at the enrollment of the

schools in the state and begins the process

of reclassification, hoping to bring balance

to state athletics by having schools of

similar size compete agaisnt each other in

district play.

| 20 | The First TeeThe four golf seasons in the Four Corners

region are winter, wind, hot and perfect. As

we enter the early part of wind season, the

temperatures have officially let us know

that it is springtime.

| 21 | Shootin’ hoopsThe Farmington Police Department School Re-

source Officers hosted the second annual 3-on-

3 Basketball Tournament on March 8 at

Farmington High School.

| 26 | The Next GenerationTraditionally new coaches in basketball come

from the ranks of the assistants in the program

but where do those assistants come from?

| 28 | Gymnastics meetThe Farmington Gymnastics Academy had a

strong showing at the March 1 state gym-

nastics meet at Albuquerque Gymnastics

School in Albuquerque.

| 22 | Wholistic fitness coach

| 31 | Editorial Column

Don Vaughan

PUBLISHER

Cindy Cowan Thiele

EDITOR

Debra Mayeux

Rick Hoerner

Tom Yost

Ben Brashear

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Josh Bishop

Curtis Benally

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Suzanne Thurman

DESIGNER

Shelly Acosta

DeYan Valdez

Aimee Velasquez

SALES STAFF

For advertising information

Call 505.516.1230

www.fourcornerssports.com

Four Corners Sports magazine is published once amonth by Majestic Media. Material herein may not bereprinted without expressed written consent of the pub-lisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writersare not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or FourCorners Sports magazine. Every effort has been madeto ensure the accuracy of this publication. However thepublisher cannot assume responsibility for errors orommissions. © 2014 Four Corners Sports magazine.

Majestic Media

100 W. Apache Street

Farmington, NM 87401

505.516.1230

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STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS

covercredit

Please send to

[email protected]

We’ve got more photos

than we can use.

Check out the photo gallery

for each issue at

www.fourcornerssports.com

Josh Bishop

Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness® and the

race director of the fourth annual Winter War-

rior 10k snowshoe race held at the Durango

Nordic Center, kneels on one knee at the finish

line.

with Rick Hoerner

| 35 | 10 Questionswith Larry and Jeremy Dugger

| 32 | Desert Bighorn SheepIt took Glen Fuller one day and four shots to

accomplish something for which he has waited

his entire life. On Oct. 1, 2013, Fuller brought

down a world record desert bighorn sheep in

Unit 26 in New Mexico.

3

4 Four Corners SPoRTS April 2014

Nicole Walters and Esther Schreffler, both of

Farmington, were new to 5K runs when they

donned grass skirts and white T-shirts with the

labels “First-Timers” on them, to participate in

the March 29 Run or Dye event at McGee Park.

Schreffler put the team together as a way to

develop a new fitness routine of running races.

Her sister, Kathi Briones, of Albuquerque, also

joined. “We wanted to participate in the energy,

and we were especially happy it was for Big

Brothers Big Sisters,” Briones said.

There were 1,300 people who turned out for

the fun run, which touts itself as being the

“most colorful” 5K run in the United States.

Teams and individuals come out and run while

being sprayed with a powdery type dye that

stains their clothing and adds rainbow colors

to their hair and skin.

Run or Dye 5K run raises $7,500 for Big Brothers, Big SistersStory by Debra Mayeux | Photos by Josh Bishop

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The dye was the “best part” of the race for Lauren Tomko of Bloomfield. “It was soft

and cool. It felt like someone was throwing flour on you,” she said.

Tomko began participating in 5K runs to get into shape. “I’m trying to improve my

time,” she said, adding that this race was perfect for her, because it was not a timed

run. “It was so much more relaxed.”

Because of the relaxed party atmosphere, there were people of all ages and abilities

participating in the Run or Dye. The event was put on much like a rock concert with

speakers blasting music, and a stage, where the race coordinators hyped up the crowd

and threw prizes into the audience. It even was exciting to Aaron Montoya of Bloom-

field, whom Tomko forced to participate in the event.


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“I was sleeping, and when I woke up

she had my credit card in her hand and

said ‘You are doing this,’” Montoya said,

looking at the dye covering his body. “I’m

very bright. It was fun.”

This was Montoya’s first run and he

said “it probably won’t be my last.”

Run or Dye has become somewhat of an

introductory race that encourages people

to come out for the experience and fun of

the event. People of all abilities are en-

couraged to participate, and they can even

finish the 5k by walking it.

“It’s a non-timed event, so anybody

could enjoy it,” said Danielle Todacheene,

development specialist with Big Brothers

Big Sisters of San Juan County. After Run

or Dye coordinators contacted the local

Big Brothers Big Sisters office. Offering to

bring the event here as a fundraising op-

portunity for the non-profit organization,

Todacheene organized the race.

“They partner with other Big Brothers

Big Sisters across the country,” To-

dacheene said, adding she began working

on pulling the race together in September

2013.

In its first year out, the event raised

more than $7,500 for Big Brothers Big Sis-

ters of San Juan County.

The Run or Dye event was the only one

in the Four Corners region, so Todacheene

was able to pull together more than 100

volunteers from San Juan County, Gallup

and Southwest Colorado. “This was really

exciting,” she said. “If you want to run

something like this, you usually have to go

to Albuquerque or Phoenix.”

The racers, walkers, strollers – and

even dogs – enjoyed the Run or Dye.

“It was good to finish the race,” Walters

said.

“It was awesome,” Schreffler added.

8 Four Corners SPorTS April 2014

The program is called C.A.S.T. for Kids and it stands for Catch A Special Thrill, which is

what many of the nearly 80 participants will be doing on May 10 at Navajo State Park. The

premise is to introduce youth to the sport of fishing.

The event is sponsored by the State of New Mexico Fish and Game Department, and many

avid fishermen and women will devote their boats, equipment, knowledge and time to help

underprivileged and special needs kids of all ages and backgrounds catch fish.

Kellie Campbell, a volunteer for C.A.S.T. for Kids and an employee at Energen, expects an-

other great event this year.

C.A.S.T.

for KidsAvid fishermen introduce

kids to the sport of fishingStory by Tom Yost | Courtesy photos

9Four Corners SPorTSApril 2014

“We are anticipating 80 participants to at-

tend the event,” explains Campbell. “All of the

participants are special needs and underprivi-

leged. This is often either the first time they

have ever been fishing or the one-day a year

they get to go fishing. The estimated volunteer

ratio is 3:1, which leaves us with approximately

300+ people attending the event in one form or

another.”

And while all who participate enjoys the

event, many different things are accomplished

by bringing the participants out to Navajo

State Park.

“The goals of the event are to expose chil-

dren, who may not otherwise get the opportu-

nity, to the sport of fishing and the enjoyment

of the outdoors,” says Campbell.

“The event also encourages continued par-

ticipation in fishing by developing skills in the

children, along with their parents. And finally,

the event provides education and understand-

ing to children about fish as a natural re-

source.”

In the midst of all the fun to be had by the

participants, many times the volunteers learn

just as much, if not more, as the participants

during the event.

“C.A.S.T. for Kids increases the awareness of

all participants – parents, sportsmen, and vol-

unteers – to the capabilities of children with

disabilities, in effect strengthening our local

communities,” explains Campbell.

May 10 is expected to be another wonderful

community event. Anyone who wants to get

their child involved in C.A.S.T. for Kids is en-

couraged to contact Cheryl Moline at

505.632.2278. Those who would like to volun-

teer as a boat captain should contact Kellie

Campbell at 505.793.7611.

10 Four Corners SPOrTS April 2014

With the biggest sporting event in New Mex-

ico in the books, it’s time to take a look back at

the 2014 state basketball championships.

Disappointment may be the word for San

Juan County basketball this season at the state

tournament.

In 4A girls’ basketball, neither Piedra Vista

at No. 8 nor Kirtland Central at No. 16 could get

out of the first round. Piedra Vista, hosting a

state playoff game for only the second time in

school history, couldn’t hold serve against

Miyamura. Kirtland Central had the near im-

possible task of taking on Los Lunas, the de-

fending state champion and No. 1 seed.

The 4A boys were only slightly better, with

Kirtland Central taking down Artesia in the

opening round before falling to Centennial in

the quarterfinals at The Pit putting an end to

the spectacular career of Christian Mackey,

perhaps the best post player in years in San

Juan County.

Piedra Vista and Farmington had near car-

bon copies of the previous year. Farmington

traveled to Albuquerque Academy for the sec-

ond straight year with an identical result – a

close loss to the Chargers. After losing in the

first round of the district tournament, the Pan-

thers had to play the waiting game to see

where they would fall in the seeding commit-

tee. Again the Panthers hit the road for a long

road trip, falling to Centennial.

In 2A, the Navajo Prep Lady Eagles found

themselves with a solid No. 4 seed and a first

round game at home. Prep handled Mesa Vista

HigH scHool basketball HigHligHts

Kirtland Central Bronco Joseph Willie drives past Centennial Hawk Omar Baez for a layup during the State Quarterfinal

game at the UNM Pit on March 12, 2014.

Powerhouse

Lady Chieftains

lose championship

62-59 in overtimeStory by Rick Hoerner

Photos by Curtis Benally

with ease, looking toward a potential matchup with perennial 2A power-

house and No. 1 seeded texico, but the Eagles lost a one-point heart-

breaker to No. 5 Laguna-Acoma.

Class 3A is where the hopes of the county were best with the

Shiprock Chieftains. the Shiprock boys came out of the seeding meeting

with a No. 10 seed and a road matchup with a traditionally strong San-

dia Prep, who came in at No. 7.

the Chieftains then pulled off what was perhaps the only true upset

of the tournament, with a win over the Sundevils and a matchup with

Coach Ron Geyer’s St. Michaels Horsemen. the Horsemen showed why

they have been a long-standing Final Four caliber team, taking down the

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Shiprock's Ashley John devastated after the Lady Chieftains lost to Portales 62-59 during the 3A Girls Championship on March 14, 2014, at the UNM Pit. (Curtis Ray Benally)

* State Basketball 31


Baseball season is underway in Farm-

ington with more than 1,100 children and

teenagers signed up to participate in the

Farmington Amateur Baseball Congress,

or FABC.

The congress oversees seven separate

baseball divisions for children and

teenagers in the community. Those divi-

sions are Rod Carew for children ages 5 to

6; Roberto Clemente for children ages 7 to

8; Willie Mays for children 10 and under;

Pee Wee Reese for children 12 and under;

Sandy Koufax for teenagers 14 and under;

Mickey Mantle for 16 and under; and

Connie Mack for ages 18 and under.

Different communities have different di-

visions and different baseball congresses,

but Farmington has long been involved

with the American Amateur Baseball Con-

gress, because “… it has the ability to

lead off,” said Nick Chavez, president of

the FABC. “It replicates major league base-

ball.”

The FABC is set up to offer area youth

multiple baseball opportunities. There is

recreational baseball for children who

want to play and just have fun, but there

also are opportunities for more competi-

tive ball, which is made up of players that

are drafted.

Drafting of players begins in the Sandy

Koufax division and goes up in age groups

from there. “If kids are not selected, we let

them register and form teams,” Chavez

said.

Because Farmington has hosted the

Connie Mack World Series for the past 50

More than 1,100 kids sign up; FABC adds Nolan Ryan World Series

2013KNOTHOLEDAY

Story by Debra Mayeux | File Photos

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years, Chavez believes it is decidedly a base-

ball community. This year the community also

will play host to the Nolan Ryan World Series,

which features players ages 13 and under.

“We have the facility, and Farmington is a

nice community with a really good ball

field,” Chavez said. “We were fortunate

to get the Nolan Ryan World Series.”

The Nolan Ryan World Series will be

played July 26 to Aug. 2, the week before

the Connie Mack World Series, and there

will be some overlap, so the 13-year-old

players will have an opportunity to meet

the 18-year-old players.

The United States’ Little League CEO

Stephen D. Keener also will be in Farm-

ington for the Nolan Ryan World Series.

Keener joined the executive staff of Little

League Baseball Incorporated in 1980

and was elected president in 1994. He

was named CEO in 1996 and, under his leader-

ship, “Little League has expanded its reach

around the world, improved its service to vol-

unteers, responded to changes in technology

and society, and expanded its leadership role

in youth sports safety,” according to the orga-

nization’s website, littleleague.org.

Little League has more than 2 million play-

ers in 80 countries and the organization is al-

ways on the lookout for talented youth

baseball players.

Chavez said Keener will be watching the

youth in the Nolan Ryan World Series, as will

colleges, which begin scouting for potential

ball players when they are 13, 14 and 15 years

old. “Certainly colleges will be coming to look

at these kids,” Chavez said.

It will be similar to the major league ball

scouts, who will arrive the week of Aug. 4 to

watch the Connie Mack players.

Farmington residents, however, will have

a few months of locally played baseball to

whet their appetite for the playoffs, be-

cause recreational baseball began April 1.

Opening ceremonies will begin May 3 at

Ricketts Park with Knothole Day. This will

be the day Farmington High School and

Piedra Vista High School go head-to-head

in a baseball game, and all of the little kids

in the FABC divisions will be introduced on

the field during that game. “The kids run

through the field and shake hands with the

high school players,” Chavez said.

The recreational season continues

through June 1, and is followed by two

weeks of the competitive baseball season, as

the teams compete to see which will represent

Farmington in the Connie Mack World Series.

So get ready, Farmington. It’s time to play

ball.


Every two years the New Mexico Activities

Association looks at the enrollment of the

schools in the state and begins the process

of reclassification, hoping to bring balance to

state athletics by having schools of similar

size compete agaisnt each other in district

play.

Most years this doesn’t affect San Juan

County, with the exception of the constant

yo-yoing of Bloomfield or Shiprock going up

to 4A or down to 3A.

This year’s changes, however, will have a

big impact. First of all there will be changes

In the new district 1AAAAA, this PV-Miyamura playoff game is now a district matchup

RedistRictingthe county

Winter prep sports will see dramatic changes Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Benally

15Four Corners SPOrTSApril 2014

in classification by adding a 6A to what is al-

ready a crowded field.

Actually, the change is predominantly in

name only, with the Class B tag being elimi-

nated in favor of Class A. Everyone else

moves up a classs from where they were, ex-

cept this time some teams will not be moving

up and it makes for some interesting

matchups and renewals of old rivals. In

essence, this will make the 5A schools 6A,

and so on, but this will also leave some

schools behind that have had droping atten-

dance.

The new District 1AAAAA, for most sports,

will consist of old District One rivals Farming-

ton, Piedra Vista and Aztec and will add the

Gallup schools Gallup High and Miyamura.

District 1AAAA will have Bloomfield, Shiprock,

Wingate, Zuni and Thoreau joining the lone

holdout in Kirtland Central.

The new district alignment will not change

the overall game structure of most teams’

schedules. Most of the old district 1AAAA was

already playing non-district games, with the

Gallup schools and most of the new 1AAAA

playing each other as well.

Travel budgets may be the only real

change of significance, with the addition of

extra district miles being traveled for sports

that play a home and home series.

There will be some interesting games and

matchups with the new alignment. In the new

District 1AAAAA, fall sports won’t change too

dramatically. With only single game

matchups, football will remain about the

same, competition wise, with Kirtland out

and the Gallup schools in. Volleyball and soc-

cer should be much the same as well.

The real change in the fall will be in cross

country. Adding Gallup and Miyamura will

make a much tougher district and perhaps

the most competitive in the state. While

Piedra Vista has been dominant on the

course, Gallup is strong as well, and has

been a state powerhouse for decades.

In the new District 1AAAA Bloomfield will

finally have some competition on the football

field with the addition of Kirtland Central. KC

was also the dominant team in volleyball

back in the ’90s when this district was in ex-

istence, and should have the dominant girls’

soccer team as well. Just like in 5A District 1,

the cross country matchups should be in-

credibly close.

Winter sports should see dramatic

changes, especially when it comes to girls’

basketball. While Kirtland Central leaves the

new district, 1AAAAA Gallup and Miyamura

come from the toughest district in the state,

making it much more difficult for the

holdovers. For the boys, Gallup and Kirtland

are a virtual swap, but it should make for a

very tough district as well. In district 1AAAA

the legendary Kirtland-Shiprock rivalry

games return to meaningful district games

harking back to the packed gyms in Kirtland

and Shiprock for some classic games.

It is doubtful wrestling will change much.

Piedra Vista and Bloomfield will remain

strong, with defending state champions in

both classes as the teams to beat.

Actually, the change is

predominantly in name only,

with the Class B tag being

eliminated in favor of Class A.

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In the spring, softball is going to be in-

credibly competitive for the new class

1AAAAA. Looking back at the 2013 softball

state championships, all five of the new

district’s teams were in the final eight. For

the male counterparts, the new districts

should change little for the PV-Farmington

baseball rivalry and should give Kirtland

baseball a change to revive. Track should

change little as these teams constantly

compete against each other as it is.

The new district should mean a chance

for Kirtland to reestablish itself athleti-

cally, as a declining student population has

made it difficult for the Broncos except on

the basketball court. It should also be ben-

eficial to Bloomfield to have some district

competition in football. For the new district

1AAAAA, it should be more competitive in

certain sports while a necessary change in

others.

If it’s true that change is inevitable and

change is good, 2014-2015 should be a

great one.

Left, the new District 1AAAA returns Kirtland

Central and Bloomfield to district foes

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17Four Corners SpORTSApril 2014

Current flows on the San Juan River below Navajo Lake are

250cfs(cubic feet per second). Visibility is roughly 2 feet. With the

longer days and warmer temperatures the hatches continue to get

stronger daily.

Fishing in the Quality Waters section has been very good lately.

Some of the better action is taking place between the hours of 10 a.m.

and 3 p.m. With visibility at 2 feet, most of the fish are being caught on

nymph rigs. Some of the better rigs to try:

Size 18 yellow egg followed by a size 22 red larvae.

Size 20 gray Big Mac Midge followed by a size 22 chocolate midge

emerged.

Size 22 brown Big Mac Midge followed by a size 22 Thread Body

Baetis.

Also consider stripping some size 12 black and brown Wooly Bug-

gers.

Dry fly fishing has been very slow lately. The off-color water limits

the fish’s ability to see the surface, resulting in only a few fish rising.

Things should start to clear up in the next couple of weeks.

Fishing in the Catch and Keep area has been steady, using worms,

salmon eggs, and small rooster tail lures.

FishingFishingREPORTREPORT

FishingREPORT

T.J. Massey

San Juan River Outfitters

www.sanjuanriveroutfitters.com

505.486.5347


The Purgatory Alpine Ski Team just finished

its season the weekend of March 8 with a big

win.

The team, made up of boys and girls ages 6

and up, compete in the Southern Series of the

Rocky Mountain Division against teams from

Taos, Flagstaff, Santa Fe and Los Alamos.

After the final competition in Taos, the team

was awarded its third consecutive “Birdie

Cup,” which is given to the team with the

highest overall point total for the season.

The Purgatory Ski Team and the Durango

Nordic Ski Club operate at Durango Mountain

Resort and work to foster a “lifelong passion

for winter sports through programs that in-

still the values of goal setting, discipline,

Purgatory Alpine Ski

Team has another

winning season

Story by Debra MayeuxCourtesy photos


sportsmanship, work ethic, determination, and

commitment,” according to the groups’ web-

site, teamunify.com. “These skills support

young athletes to achieve their individual ath-

letic, academic, and personal goals.”

Ivan Unkovskoy is assistant coach for the

alpine team, which has 90 kids ages 7 to col-

lege-age.

Programs for youth include Alpine, Nordic,

Freeride, Freestyle and Snowboard programs.

These programs “inspire fun, fitness, sports-

manship and personal achievement,” by provid-

ing opportunities to more than 200 local

athletes, including children with developing

skills, to high-level athletes.

The team starts "dry-land" training in Octo-

ber and then trains at purgatory on the week-

ends and at Chapman Hill during the week.

“On the ski team we have coached some kids

since they were 7 or 8 and now they are 13 or 14.

Other kids have seen them and wanted to get in-

volved, so the club has grown,” Unkovskoy said.

Paige Thompson, 15, of Farmington, is a

team member. “She elected skiing over soccer

and track,” said John Thompson, her father.

The Thompson family has enjoyed skiing for

many years. John was in skis as a toddler and

his love of the sport carried over to his chil-

dren. “We ski a bunch,” John said, adding Paige

had been watching other youth on the Purga-

tory Alpine team before mentioning her interest

to her parents.

“It’s been fun for her,” John said. The team

trains during the week at Chapman Hill in Du-

rango, Colo., and Paige is there once or twice a

week. “You can do as much or as little as you

want.”

Sometimes the Thompsons carpool with

other ski families including the Ledbetters and

Schwabs, also from Farmington.

“The coaches do an excellent job with all of

the kids and their skill levels,” John added.

The Alpine head coach is Leah Lesage, a reg-

istered nurse in the cardiac unit at San Juan

Regional Medical Center. She is a New Hamp-

shire native and has coached at Purgatory for

seven years. She is a United States Ski Associa-

tion Level 300 certified alpine coach, which is a

national certification.

Lesage represents the Southern Series on

the Rocky Mountain Division Alpine Competition

Committee and co-chairs the coaches’ educa-

tion committee with Olympic Gold Medalist Deb

Armstrong.

Through the alpine program Lesage wants to

focus on “strong athletes and personal devel-

opment, provide support to allow each athlete

to reach his or her full potential and instill a

lifelong love and stewardship of the sport,” the

website stated.

The club can be costly so scholarships are

available through the Durango Winter Sports

Association. "We never turn anybody away. If a

kid is into it, we try to make it work," Un-

kovskoy said.

Kids can raise money by selling tickets to

Warren Miller movies or to the gala.

Unkovskoy is the owner of the Steaming

Bean in Durango

“On the ski team we have coached some kids

since they were 7 or 8 and now they are 13 or

14. Other kids have seen them and wanted to get

involved, so the club has grown.”

— Ivan UnkovskoyAssistant Coach

the four golf seasons in the Four Corners

region are winter, wind, hot and perfect. As

we enter the early part of wind season, the

temperatures have officially let us know that

it is springtime – and with it comes the chal-

lenge of watching your golf ball being blown

all over the golf course by 40 mph gusts.

most players have played in the vicious

New mexico winds, only to walk away defeated and vowing never to

go through that experience ever again. And while playing golf in the

wind is challenging, learning how to do it well is not impossible.

Besides, wouldn’t you much rather learn to play in the wind then

have to skip the next few months of golf?

the most important aspect in dealing with windy conditions is your

attitude. taking into any challenging situation a positive frame of

mind is going to make the obstacle easier to overcome. the golfer

needs to temper expectations for what they are going to shoot that

day much as they would if they were playing an extremely difficult

course for the very first time.

No matter what your handicap is, set a realistic goal for what you

would like to shoot that day that is nowhere near where you would

shoot on a perfectly calm day. With tempered expectations, convince

yourself that this is a challenge, and be excited for the challenge. this

will put you in a mental state of acknowledging the task at hand while

limiting the unrealistic expectations of shooting your personal best.

once the mental state is controlled, actually controlling your golf

ball is easier than you might think and can be practiced in any condi-

tions on the driving range.

Ball position is the key element to keeping the golf ball lower and

less affected by a powerful wind gust. move the golf ball toward the

back of your stance, between the middle and the back foot, which

forces the club to strike the ball on the downward swing with less

loft. In effect, you are trying to turn your 8-iron into a 6-iron to hit the

ball lower.

With the ball back in your stance you

will attempt to hit (what profes-

sionals call) a punch shot. this

occurs when you abbreviate

both your backswing

length and your follow-

through length. Swing

the club back about

three-quarters of your

regular backswing

length, and then swing

through the hitting area

and to the follow-through so your arms and

hands stop when they are chest high (and

parallel to the ground).

By abbreviating the follow through and

keeping your arms and hands lower, you will

keep the ball on a lower trajectory and less

affected by the wind.

Finally, swing easy when it is breezy.

Swinging harder to make the ball go farther while in the wind only

puts more backspin and sidespin on the golf ball. A golf ball that has

a lot of spin will get tossed in the wind like a helium balloon. the eas-

ier your swing, the less spin you put on the golf ball and the less

likely you will be to have to look for your ball out in the desert.

So accept the challenge of the windy season and you will learn to

hit shots that you can use anytime, anywhere. Your handicap might

go up a bit, but it will readjust itself when you start shooting great

scores in the hot season. With a better attitude and a few new shots

in the arsenal, you will enter June a better player.

Wind and Golf:Finding a happy medium on the course this spring

tomYOSTthe First tee

THE FIRST TEE

20 Four Corners SportS April 2014

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The Farmington Police Department School Resource Officers hosted the second

annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament on March 8 at Farmington High School.

There were 14 teams who played games on a half-size court. The teams were

made up of local residents and had to have at least one member who was a mem-

ber of law enforcement, the justice sys-

tem, emergency responders, a teacher

or an attorney. All players were over the

age of 18.

It was a double-elimination tourna-

ment with each team having an opportu-

nity to play at least two games.

The all-day event was a lively one for

the players, according to Farmington

School Resource Officer Andreas Akele,

who organized the event.

“People who were there had a lot of

fun and commented that they wish there were more tournaments like this one in

Farmington,” Akele said, adding there are plans to host the 3-on-3 tourneys at least

twice a year, if possible.

The tournament was designed for fundraising, and the School Resource Officers

raised $600 through the event. The money was given to the Farmington Municipal

School District to purchase lockdown kits for the classrooms, Akele said.

Shootin’ hoops3-on-3 tournament raises funds for Farmington schools

Story by Debra Mayeux | Photos by Josh Bishop

Teaching enlightenment

through athletics

Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness®

and the race director of the fourth an-

nual Winter Warrior 10k snowshoe race

held at the Durango Nordic Center,

kneels on one knee at the finish line.

With snowshoes strapped to his feet and

a microphone in hand he commentates

for each finishing racer as they sprint

across the line. His red and white Clif

Bar racing shirt stretched tight reveals

his body builder’s physique.

Ilg, at 51, is a modern day warrior. His

battlefield, though, is one of his own cre-

ation. It is a place of mental and physical

Story and photos by Ben Brashear

23Four Corners SPoRTSApril 2014

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competition, toeing start lines, and seeking en-

lightenment through what he calls, “sacred

sweat.”

It was on a tragic day in 1981, and the day that

Ilg will later call “a day of blessing,” that his life

path took a turn. He was a sponsored rock

climber attempting a winter ascent of D7 (IV

5.11c), a 900-foot climb up the north face of The

Diamond, on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain Na-

tional Park.

Ilg was moving confidently with over 25 feet

between him and his last piece of protection. A

fall from that high above his piece would equate

to a skull rattling 50-foot fall. Cranking through

his last move to a secure gear placement, he

reached to a thin hold and pulled down hard. His

handhold ripped free from the rock wall carrying

with it a massive desk-sized piece of rock sent

hurtling toward his belay partner. His belay part-

ner was able to avoid the granite missile but the

ensuing fall for Ilg resulted in a broken back and

an emergency bivouac hundreds of feet above

the trail.

D7 had turned toward the discordant as night

settled leaving the two climbers facing a daunt-

ing rappel and a seven-mile hike back to their car.

With thoughts racing, it was an impossible night

as Ilg and his partner endured whipping winds

that brought spindrift pouring down on top of

them. At some point before dawn, with legs numb

refusing to respond Ilg came to the conclusion

that he had somehow authored the events that

led to the fall and his broken back.

“I just knew in the flicker of an instant that I

had somehow, on some level, co-designed this sit-

uation,” Ilg recalled.

The following day the two climbers managed

to safely rappel the remainder of the climb and

with Ilg’s belay partner supporting him, the two

got back to the car safely.

After several doctor’s visits and X-rays later

confirming the damage to his spine, Ilg made the

bold decision to forgo surgery and to attempt to

heal his back on his own.

“I had a distinct feeling that surgery cuts more

than flesh, it cuts spiritual fortitude in some

cases, and I knew that this was part of my jour-

ney this time around,” Ilg said.

I keep this story in mind as I watch Ilg at the

finish line. How he eagerly hopes that each racer

has shared in the same self-revelation that he

has experienced while testing his own physical

limits.

Ilg’s arms rest on top of his thick cyclist’s

thigh bearing his weight as he beams a toothy

grin over one of his students, Lee Rosenthal, who

has collapsed to his back at the finish line of the

Winter Warrior.

Snow slowly accumulates on Lee’s fluorescent

green running jacket as he lay recounting his

race. His chest pulsing wildly, a bellows collaps-

ing, sinks then heaves upward as he tries to

catch his breath.

Rosenthal is a fitness student of Ilg’s and the

Winter Warrior was his test piece, a gauge of

sorts to reveal not only his fitness level but also

his spiritual and mental preparedness.

Rosenthal’s finishing time was a modest

1:23:54 and good for a second to last place finish

but he is smiling. The 6.1 miles of winding single-

track and steep 35-degree climbs, with names

like “Last Gasp Hill,” is one of the hardest snow-

shoe races around, according to Ilg.

“It’s a hilarious sport, I don’t think that in any

other sport have I seen my heart rate so high and

I move so slowly,” Ilg said.

It is Ilg’s belief and the main emphasis of his

training program that all three elements of mind,

body and soul, be treated as a whole.

ilg explained that a training regime that encourages the reliance upon

the body, mind, and spirit is not a new concept but one that has been prac-

ticed in the east for thousands of years.

but in the early eighties, when ilg spent his time as a professional rock

climber and fitness coach in california gyms – or, as he calls them, “iron

temples” – it was a radical new concept.

much of the training in the ’80s was focused solely on the physical body,

promoting the ego and ignoring the spirit, mind, and nutrition, said ilg.

troubled by the implicit neglect of the body as a whole, ilg developed a five-

part holistic training program in 1981 that he implements to this day.

his training focuses on honing the athlete’s weaknesses right down to

one’s non-dominant nostril while developing cardio fitness, an awareness

of healthy nutrition, and awakening the spirit and mind through yoga and

meditation.

ilg’s utilization of yoga and meditation in part stems back to his time

practicing the buddhist dharma under trungpa rinpoche, founder of the

shambala meditation centers nationwide.

much like rinpoche, ilg strives to challenge his athletes perception of

what is and what is possible by creating in them an ever-vigilant awareness

of their surroundings and their actions.

“this mindset allows you to instinctually react to changing circum-

stances. it can save your life, especially in the high mountains where mind-

fulness can prevent a dangerous situation,” ilg said.

developing mindfulness, however, is not an easy task. rinpoche intro-

duced the concept to his students through the repeated drawing of the

24 Four Corners sports April 2014

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1. Know your highest podium and train your weaKnesses

dare to challenge yourself beyond what you already know you are

good at in order to achieve your highest goals.

2. mind first, body second

train the mind first and the body will follow. understand that

exercise is not a chore but something that can lead toward

spiritual understanding.

3. train the core, trust the breath

the foundation is prana, or breath, for any athlete. get rid of

imbalances and weaknesses by training the core for success in

any fitness discipline.

4. embrace the spirit of repetition

whoever you are, whatever you do, or whichever sport you pursue

understand that true success takes time.

5. practice – your workout is everywhere

bring daily awareness to you posture, your breath. create new

neuron-pathways using your non-dominant hand, and work toward

a wholistic you.


Tibetan syllable “Ah,” which connotes those

first moments of perception. Drawing the sylla-

ble “Ah,” starts with a simple dot and then

swoops into completion.

Enlightenment for Rinpoche started when in-

tention took material form and it is the same for

Ilg, that precise moment when that first “dot” of

sweat beads up on your forehead.

“Training at higher intensities creates an envi-

ronment for self-knowledge. Intervals are like an

altar, it is a chance for spiritual revelation,” Ilg

said.

Sweat is the sacred revelation of awareness

and the condition of our spirit and mind, accord-

ing to Ilg, and Rosenthal is soaking wet.

With the flick of his gloved hand Rosenthal

wipes his forehead dry. Ilg marvels at Rosen-

thal’s efforts to persist through such a difficult

race and presses in close to ask Rosenthal how

his race went.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve done,”

Rosenthal said as he slowly sits up, regaining his

composure. Ilg helps him to his feet as Rosen-

thal’s body sways to the sudden drop in blood

pressure.

“It was the hills and the pace and I had no

idea how hard the hills would be,” Rosenthal

continued as he began to laugh as he and Ilg

bumped fists.

Did the Winter Warrior bring enlightenment or

an awakening for Rosenthal?

For Rinpoche his awakening came at wreck-

ing his car into a London gift shop; for Ilg it was

a back-breaking fall while climbing Long’s Peak.

How much better, then, is it for the athlete to

find the smaller shards of enlightenment

through spiking heart rates, miles of running

along snowy single-track, and the daily sacred

sweat.

“TRAINING AT HIGHER INTENSITIES CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT

FOR SELF-KNOWLEDGE. INTERVALS ARE LIKE AN ALTAR, IT IS A CHANGE

FOR SPIRTUAL REVELATION.”

— STEVE IIG

26 Four Corners sports April 2014

LukeNEIBLING

ADAmHUFF JoshRANKIN

DevonMANNING


The nexT generaTion

Traditionally new coaches in basketball come from the ranks of the

assistants in the program but where do those assistants come from?

They usually come from those that played and San Juan County has

produced its share for the next generation of coaches here in San Juan

County as well as nationwide.

Here in the county most people are familiar with Bloomfield’s Devon

Manning and Piedra Vista’s Adam Huff as coaches that came up through

the ranks as players at Kirtland Central under legendary coach Steve

Scott and both were major performers on Kirtland Central’s three con-

secutive state championships.

Manning went on to a stellar career at Fort Lewis College before join-

ing his mentor in Bloomfield. Huff gained his coaching chops under Roy

Sanchez at Eldorado in Albuquerque where he was on staff for a state

championship in 2012. Add to the mix Navajo Prep’s Dustin Moore, who

was in some classic battles with Scott’s Broncos as a member of Farm-

ington High, and half of the boy’s head coaches in the county are former

players continuing their basketball careers from the bench.

There are also three successful coaches from Marv Sanders’ 1998-

1999 Scorpion team, the last to compete at the highest class in New

Mexico.

Luke Neibling, Josh Rankin and Jay Collins were all members of that

squad 15 years ago and have taken the torch from Coach Sanders to

begin their own coaching careers.

Luke Neibling was an All-State guard for the Scorpions and, after

playing for Fort Lewis and Eastern New Mexico looked to begin work

with his BA in business. Neibling never thought he would get into

caoching, but soon he was back in the family business – public educa-

tion. Soon the lure of the court called Neibling to the sidelines as an as-

sistant coach at Arcadia High School in Scottsdale. Neibling was named

the head coach there in 2009 and led the Titans to the Division II semifi-

nals in 2012 before moving to Sandra Day O’Connor High School in 2013.

Up in the land of the frozen tundra, Farmington’s Josh Rankin just

completed his first season in the Packerland Conference in Brussels,

Wisc. at Southern Door High School after serving as the team’s JV

coach. Rankin is in his ninth year teaching including, a two-year stint in

China, and now serves as the coordinator of Southern Door’s SOAR, Stu-

dent Opportunities for an Alternative to Regular education program,

helping at-risk seniors to graduate.

Idaho State assistant coach and former Farmington Scorpion Jay

Collins has moved up the coaching ranks since his playing days ended.

Collins was a first team All-State point guard for Farmington and the

last Division I basketball player from the county. Collins went on to two

All-American seasons at Cochise Community College leading the

Apaches to consecutive appearances in the NJCAA National Finals. After-

wards, Collins moved on to Southern Utah where he was 14th in the na-

tion in assists his senior year.

After brief stints in the CBA, Collins gave up playing in Europe for the

coaching life. Like many trying to make it at the collegiate level, Collins

has jumped around looking for to move up the coaching ladder. He has

taken positions back at Cochise Junior College, Upper Iowa University,

University of Texas-Pan American and Northern Arizona before landing

at Idaho State in 2012.

The coaching fraternity in San Juan County is always welcoming new

additions and these former players are keeping a tradition alive of pass-

ing on the game to the next generation.

Former players keep county’s coaching fraternity alive Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Benally

28 Four Corners SpoRtS April 2014

Coach Frankie Reddy; Jenevae Fiske; Svea Robinson; Joslyn Smith; Brooklyn Calder and Coach Lynda Hayes

29Four Corners SpORTSApril 2014

The Farmington Gymnastics Academy had a

strong showing at the March 1 state gymnas-

tics meet at Albuquerque Gymnastics School in

Albuquerque.

Frankie Reddy, owner of the local school,

has been training a group of four Level-3 gym-

nasts, who began competing in meets Oct. 26,

2013. The girls are Svea Robinson, 7; Joslyn

Smith, 8; Brooklyn Calder, 8; and Jenevea Fiske,

10. They qualified for state after having strong

showings at all of their meets.

Reddy described the team as “committed

and applying themselves 100 percent.”

Local girls medal at state competitionStory by Debra Mayeux | Courtesy photos and Josh Bishop photos

Jenevea Fiske Brooklyn Calder Joslyn Smith Svea Robinson

30 Four Corners SpORTS April 2014

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The girls practice regularly at Farmington

Gymnastics Academy, 1601 N. Dustin Ave., Suite,

in Farmington, where there are programs for

children and adults of all levels.

“Our programs place an emphasis on devel-

oping coordination, balance, flexibility and fun-

damental gymnastics skills,” Reddy said.

The girls competed in vault, bars, beam and

floor exercises with all earning recognition for

their accomplishments. “They did really well.

They all took first in one or more events,” Reddy

said.

Jenevea Fiske, however, received the best

ranking, earning a first-place in all-around,

competing against 10 other 10-year-old gym-

nasts. Fiske earned a first-place ranking on

vault, beam and floor and a third-place on bars.

She also earned a New Mexico state leotard.

Brooklyn Calder, 8, competed against eight

other girls and earned a first-place ranking on

vault and beam and a third-place on her floor

exercise. Her favorite thing about gymnastics is

doing “all of these flips and tumbles,” she said.

Calder earned fifth-place in the all-around com-

petition.

Joslyn Smith, another 8-year-old, also com-

peted against eight other girls and earned a

sixth-place in all-around and first-place on the

vault.

Svea Robinson, 7, competed against six

other girls and earned a first on her floor ex-

ercise, a third on beam and a fourth-place in

all-around. “I like getting first place,” she

said of her experience in competitive gym-

nastics.

Reddy was proud of the accomplishments

made by the girls in a short period of time,

and she plans to continue working with them

so their skills can progress.


The news of the month has to be the denial

of contract, let’s call it what it is, firing, of 4-

time state wrestling champion coach Levi Stout

of Piedra Vista.

As a disclaimer, I have known Coach Stout

since he took over at PV where I work, so this

will not be the space to debate whether the

contract should have been renewed or not.

Just let me ask however, if the word suspen-

sion or probation ever crosses anyone’s mind

especially with coaches that are not public

school teachers?

I do want to address, however, the pressure

of being a coach in today’s prep sports world.

The coaching life over the past 25 years that

I’ve been in public education has changed dras-

tically and in most realms not for the better.

Much like the education field, coaching has

changed from a position that was well re-

spected to a position that is now takes the

blame for every ill; every loss, every individual’s

playing time and every coaching decision that

influences every individual in the program.

The new pressure to coach is a merging of

two distinct burdens; keeping a clean moral

program and winning above all else. And the

burden alone is theirs. Over the past five years

there have been numerous parents that in all

honesty, lie about their child’s situation just to

get in a winning program. From that point is

the expectation on coaches to now become pri-

vate investigators?

This problem increases the pressure when

families move just for athletics. There will be

playing time expectations as well as the antici-

pation of success. So the boundary gets more

blurred. Add in the economic pressure of high

school sports. As play becomes year round

with clubs and AAU, the price of sport goes up

and a majority of parents feel that they should

get a return on that investment in playing time

and again on field success. In other words, if I

as a parent fork over a couple of hundred, or in

some cases much more, for three summers

and buy the team attire, there should be play-

ing time. After all, I just paid for it.

Long gone are the “I’m just glad to be on the

team” days.

Most likely the longtime head coach is also a

thing of the past. Many who are in the profes-

sion, particularly those that also teach, are

looking to get out.

I may not understand why Coach Stout was

not renewed and most likely none of us ever

will.

Personnel decisions are private and proba-

bly should be. I do however understand sitting

in that chair and being told what you do is not

enough, being told all be it the opposite of what

Stout heard, you just didn’t win enough.

Either way it’s very difficult to be told you

are no longer wanted, no matter the reason,

and the mind does question decisions and sac-

rifices made to keep a pretty low paying job

and wanders between that merging burden of

win at all cost or doing what you can with the

hand you’ve been dealt.

Prep sports coaches facing more

pressure, bigger expectations

RICkHOERNEREditorial Columnist

Chieftains on their way to a championship show-

down with Hope Christian.

The best option for the county was the unde-

feated Shiprock Lady Chieftains. The Lady Chief-

tains had a brilliant regular season campaign,

knocking off defending state 3A champs Hope

Christian, as well as 4A state titleholder Los Lunas.

The drama began for Shiprock in the seeding

meeting. Despite being undefeated, the Chieftains

were ranked beneath Portales and Lovington all

season by Max Preps, whose ratings are consid-

ered by the seeding committee. On the Sunday the

seedings were released, the Chieftains received

the No. 1 overall seed in 3A and a home game

against an overmatched Taos.

At The Pit, the Chieftains continued their run

with easy wins over Las Vegas Robertson and

Hope Christian, setting up a final matchup between

the committee’s No. 1 seed and Max Preps No. 1

seed.

In what ended up being a classic championship

game, it was not to be for the Lady Chieftains. Foul

trouble and uncharacteristic misses from the free

throw line pushed the game into overtime where

Portales dominated the four minutes on their way

to a 62-59 win.

Looking ahead to 2015, the changes in district

alignment will make for new rivalries and revive

old ones. While the Chieftains lost all their starting

five, they are young everywhere else and will again

be the dominant team in San Juan County

Shiprock Lady Chieftain Taylor Henderson shoots a three

pointer against Portales Lady Rams during the 3A Girls

Championship game at the UNM Pit on March 14.

Basketball continued from 11

32 Four Corners SportS April 2014


It took Glen Fuller one day and four shots to accomplish something for

which he has waited his entire life. On Oct. 1, 2013, Fuller brought down a

world record desert Big horn sheep in Unit 26 in New Mexico.

Fuller was one of three hunters lucky enough to draw a tag out of 2,400

applicants to hunt the elusive sheep. To say that he took the hunt seriously

was an understatement. For six months, Fuller learned everything there

was to learn about the desert bighorn sheep, from their movement pat-

terns to how he could tell a record ram from a non-record.

“We spent 11 days scouting the area,” said Fuller. “We were down there

for three days in June when the temperatures were 120 degrees and we

didn’t see anything. We were down for four days over Labor Day weekend

and we spotted the ram that I wanted to shoot. We then came back down

four days prior to the first hunting day and were able to glass in the same

ram.”

With a 15-day hunt ahead of him, Fuller told his friends in camp that he

wanted to shoot the ram the first day. “I told everyone that if we did our

homework the three days prior to the hunt that I was going to shoot him

on opening day,” explained Fuller. “Besides, I don’t think I could have

climbed that mountain for 15 straight days.”

On the day of the hunt, the group started up the base of the Big Hatchet

Peak (9,400 feet) one hour before sunrise. Fuller stayed out of sight of the

group of rams that he was targeting by staying behind a bluff the entire

way up. He first spotted the rams and bluffed in at 490 yards, but decided

that it was too far to get an accurate shot.

“I got bluffed in again at 352 yards,” said Fuller. “The ram I wanted was

lying down behind a cactus. I was planning on waiting as long as I had to

for him to stand up. After only 10 minutes, he stood up and got into a rugby

football huddle with the other rams and started pushing their heads to-

gether in some kind of ritual that I had never seen before.”

“He broke out of the pack and I shot him dead center but a little too far

back to drop him,” explained Fuller. “He started to climb the mountain as

the rest of the pack ran out of sight. The next shot I double lunged him and

he was probably dead at that point, but I was going to continue to shoot

until I either ran out of bullets or he dropped to the ground. The third shot I

heard the bullet ricochet off a rock and the fourth shot I hit bone and he

fell to the ground and started rolling down the mountain.”

The jubilation and excitement of seeing his dream realized turned to

fear as the ram continued to roll down the hill toward the edge of a bluff.

“I just kept yelling ‘Stop,’” said Fuller. “He was rolling so fast toward the

Glen Fuller’s ‘hunt

of a lifetime’ lands him

in the record booksStory By Tom Yost

Photos by Josh Bishop and Courtesy photos

34 Four Corners SPORTS April 2014

edge of the bluff, and if a tree on the hill hadn’t

stopped him he would have tumbled over the

edge – which would have ruined his cape and

busted up his horns.”

The ram measured in with a gross measure-

ment of 176 inches with a net of 174 and 3/8

inches, which was good enough to qualify it for

the Boone and Crockett World Book. The goal

that Glen Fuller had set out to accomplish when

he found out he qualified for the tag, had come

to fruition.

The hunt started at 5:30 a.m. the morning of

Oct. 1, and Fuller shot his prized ram at 10:30

a.m., the group quartered and skinned the ani-

mal by 12:30 and they made it back to the trucks

at 6:30 p.m.

With a taxidermist in camp, the ram was

caped out that evening and is currently being

stuffed and mounted for display in the Fuller

home.

“I went down there with the goal of shooting a

record ram,” stated Fuller, “because I will never

be able to put in for this hunt in New Mexico ever

again.”

With a lot of hard work and perseverance,

Fuller accomplished his goal with this once-in-a-

lifetime hunt – something some hunters will

never get a chance even to try.

“I WENT DOWN THERE WITH THE

GOAL OF SHOOTING A RECORD RAM,

BECAUSE I WILL NEVER BE ABLE

TO PUT IN FOR THIS HUNT IN

NEW MEXICO EVER AGAIN.”

— GLEN FULLER


LArrY AND JErEMYDUGGER

We officially became Xpert Archery in July of 2006. Priorto that we were a part of East Main Trade owned by Glen andBecky Fuller. We were given the opportunity to buy thearchery shop from them and we took it. We had both beenworking in this industry for many years so it was a perfectfit and opportunity for us.

We are a full service archery / bow hunting pro shop. Westock and sell top brand names of equipment to meet anyarcher’s needs. We also work on and service all types ofarchery equipment, i.e., bows and arrows. We have a com-bined 45 years’ experience.

Our indoor range offers 10 shooting lanes offering up to20 yards maximum distance. The range is open for use Mon-day through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The fee is $5 + taxper hour. We do have some equipment that we rent for anadditional $15 per hour. We offer private or group lessonsranging in price depending on the amount of time and level.Customers can call us for the different rates.

No reservations are required to use our range. It is avail-able on the first come, first served basis. Usually, the onlydays that sometimes can be crowded are Saturdays – espe-cially during winter months. Again, our fee is LOW! We dooffer a monthly pass for those who shoot a lot. It costs $35 +tax.

The outdoors is where most of our interests are. We lovehunting and fishing! When we were younger we loved play-ing sports, but we find that now that we are older we usu-ally just hurt ourselves trying to do that kind of stuff.

This area is awesome if you like the outdoors! We arevery fortunate to have all around us a lot of public land with

a lot of varying landscapes. We have many places tohunt/fish, backpack, mountain bike, hike, photograph – youname it. That’s one of the reasons we love it here so much.

We actually enjoy all types of hunting, but some of thethings that tend to keep us bow hunting more are: Longerseasons, nicer weather (sometimes), some of the bow hunt-ing tags are easier to obtain and we like the increase inchallenge that bow hunting offers.

We have both had many memorable hunting trips overour lifetimes. The best part of those trips has been spendingthem with family and friends. We love hunting Mule Deer.That’s our passion, and we both have taken some really niceones. We really like hunting anywhere in the Four Cornersstates where we can get tags.

There are actually several things that can be done. It allstarts with making sure that your equipment is properly fitto you and that it is set up correctly. The most importantthing, though, is practice, practice, practice! The most accu-rate archers / bow hunters are the ones who shoot theirbows all year long. Too many people spend only a few shortweeks practicing prior to season. That is not enough! Thelast thing – that couldn’t hurt – are lessons.

Hunting season isn’t that far off! Pull those bows and ar-rows out of their cases right now! If there is any maintenancethat needs to be done, start thinking about it and plan to get itdone soon. Start practicing! We have two archery clubs inFarmington. Join them and take advantage of what they haveto offer. Start exercising too! You have only a few months to getback in shape and shed those winter pounds. You’ll shoot andperform better when you are in better shape.

How long has Xpert Archery been in business and why didyou get into this particular business?

1

Tell me about Xpert Archery. What kind of services do youoffer?

2

With the indoor archery range, can a person sign up for les-sons, and how much do those cost per session?

3

Can a person also sign up for blocks of time to practicetheir craft, and how does someone go about doing this?Cost for how much time?

4

What other sporting interests do you have?5

Tell us about your most memorable bowhunting trip? What kind of animal? Where?What made it special?

8

If you would, offer one piece of advice, tell usone thing that the average bow hunter coulddo to improve his/her accuracy.

9

What should avid bow hunters be doing thistime of year to get ready for the upcominghunting season?

10

Why do you prefer bow hunting to rifle ormuzzle-loader hunting?

7

Why is Farmington such a great place for outdoor enthusi-asts?

6

Owners: Larry and Jeremy DuggerAge: 45 and 43How long a resident: Lifelong residents of Bloomfield

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36 Four Corners SPortS April 2014

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Four Corners Sports April 2014