(Photo: Lotatoa – Our Warrior/Facebook)
It was a fun-filled April with our top stories ranging from some incredible runners to Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari making one of the best recruitment decisions of his career. Also back in the mix was our exclusive with Jordan Spieth’s mom, Chris. Everyone wanted to know how to raise a sports prodigy, who is also a good person.
Our top five from April:
5. Lotatoa Ward Becomes Ultra Runner At 8 Years Old, Despite Brain Tumor
Telling his wife that he would run next to Lota the entire way, Keith got Rowena to cave and let Lota race. Keith told her, “He’ll see what it’s like, and he won’t want to run again.”
“He showed up at the finish line, and he was just smiling from ear-to-ear, and he lifted up his medal when he got it, and said, ‘Mom, I’m going to cover my walls with these,’” Rowena said.
4. Woman Completes Boston Marathon 34 Weeks Pregnant
After a successful 20-mile run in the weeks leading up to the race, and gaining 30 healthy pounds to date, Keil’s doctor gave her the final green light.
Toeing the line last week with a pink shirt that read, “Coming in 6 weeks!” Keil finished the historic race in 4:19:14 — a great time for someone who isn’t even supposed to be flying.
3. How Do You Raise a Sports Prodigy Who is Also a Great Person? Consult with Jordan Spieth’s Mom
There are a lot of 20-something gifted athletes; phenoms who play their sport with a precision that defies logic. We’re drawn to them. We, as fans, elevate them. And, sometimes, we watch them plummet from a catapult to greatness into a “Darn, why the heck did you have to do that?” moment. The proverbial fall from grace. A crash and burn. Proof positive that the attention and the limelight can bring the best and brightest to their knees.
And then, there’s Jordan Spieth—the undisputed golf phenomenon whose candor off the course is as consistent as his swing. At the age of 21, he is the good guy, the nice guy; one of the fortunate few who remain authentic despite the continual spotlight.
2. At 71, Runner Completes L.A. Marathon Four Months After Open-Heart Surgery
No, his heart is not literally made of steel, but his will to persevere might be stronger than any fortified metal, even when his ticker wanted to give up.
At 71 years old, Richard Ringwald, a proud L.A. Marathon Legacy Runner, completed his 30th marathon on March 15th, 2015. It’s an amazing achievement in itself, but one thing that should be mentioned is he completed this race four months after having open-heart surgery.
1. John Calipari Quite Possibly Saved Student Manager’s Life With Kentucky Basketball Offer
Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari is one of the best recruiters in the business, but the recruitment of one student in particular stands out among the rest.
In February of 2010, then high school three-sport star Kevin Massey woke up unable to move his body. The 16-year-old from Indiana was quickly diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, and after suffering a brain hemorrhage, doctors gave him just 24 hours to live.
