This past weekend I realized something happened all within 24 hours of each other that I don’t remember seeing before. There was a team-related fundraiser for football, volleyball and cross-country that all took place this past Friday and Saturday that involved the kids trying to earn some extra cash to help fill the gaps that budgets do not. Maybe it’s for some who might need a little help in terms of equipment or camp fees. Or helping with meals on a long road trip during the season. Or even helping to pay for national races that they may qualify for, it’s all part of the effort.

For the cross-country kids, that was the 21st running of El Vaquero Loco, a race right here in Star Valley with plenty of local Locos as well as those coming in from out of town. More than 220 runners participated in either the 30K or 50K events. Some cross-country kids ran, others helped as course volunteers with any proceeds helping the team race in high-level events such as the Bob Firman and others.

For the volleyball team, they had a car wash at the Afton fire station and they were busy. As I was waiting my turn in the last hour of their scheduled time, I was thinking to myself the kids would probably not ever care to wash their own car again. At least this fall. But now I have a bright shiny truck and a Lady Braves air freshener for their troubles.

Finally, the football players were coming off their annual fall camp and capping it with a scrimmage and autograph session. It seems of the three that the footballers got to ride the coattails of the national fervor of football by using a Sharpie rather than running mountains. But if you saw the faces of the coaching staff, you’d know that this was anything but an easy week.

The season starts for these sports in just a couple weeks. For golfers, it’s this upcoming Monday. The fall season is here and those summer efforts will help their in-season results very shortly.

Hats off to the coaches and parents and volunteers who help drive these types of events. One of many summertime  activities that pay dividends for us fans on the field, the court or out on the course.

It also helps us as a community be a little bit involved in seeing the local prep athletes put in their time in a public way. Those wins in September? They don’t happen without summer effort.  As a great coach once said, you can’t win a state championship in the summer, but you sure can lose one.” That is very true. Good luck to the kids, parents and coaches who have more than earned their annual Fair food binge. We’ll see you soon.