FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME: PREP SPORTS CONTAIN THE `WRITE' MIX FOR THIS FAN

To me, Rick Hummel has the best job in the world.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch veteran writer follows the St. Louis Cardinals' every hit, error and blown save.

Last year, he covered Big Mac's home run bear hugs.

He was there to see all of Ozzie's dazzling diving stops and all of Willie McGee's leaping snags.

Night after balmy night, he writes about one of the Grand Game's most historical teams in the best baseball town in America.

To only be in Rick Hummel's shoes.

But I can't complain.

I've been covering sports for almost three years now, mostly high school events.

I've never followed a team which has lost a player to arbitration. I've never had to write about a player choking his coach. I've never had to deal with a player holding out. I've never been kicked in the groin (covering a game) and I've never had to ask if a few more million dollars gives a player extra motivation to play.

The phrase "for the love of the game" has been used so loosely by greedy and overpaid professional athletes lately that the expression has been diluted into a cliche that is impossible to believe.

That's why it's so much fun watching high school athletics.

These high school basketball players, wrestlers and swimmers are out there working their butts off for what?

To win. To compete. To be part of a team. To earn a scholarship. To impress the cheerleaders, perhaps.

Whatever it is these kids play for, it's refreshing to see them dive on the floor, give high fives to each other and even bury their heads in disappointment after losing their last game of the year. They do it all because they care.

Considering the absurd labor squabbles professional sports fans have seen over the past five years, it's nice to know that I will have some sort of team to cover all year.

The only negotiation tool a high school player has is his or her own ability and work ethic. The only union he belongs to is the fraternity of his teammates. His coach's whistle is his labor stoppage.

In high school, the game is still a game (not a business) and that is why I decided to name this column "For the love of the game."

I cover athletes who can still legitimately make that claim and the phrase also accurately reflects my passion for my job and for sports in general.

Speaking of passion, I have now completed my first full sports season here at the Southeast Missourian and I have been impressed by the grit, determination and overall Old School qualities displayed by the area's athletes.

It was a joy to watch Scott City sensation Jon Beck dominate basketball games, but it was just as heartbreaking to see him end his brilliant high school career limping through the district final against Kelly with an ankle injury.

It was heartbreaking to see Kelly standout Jim Hulshof sit out and limp through the middle of the season with a foot injury, but it was just as joyful to see him fight back and cap his brilliant high school career with a district title over Scott City.

It was uplifting to see Cape Central's boys team improve as a unit throughout the year.

It was art in motion when Jackson's Doug Cary softly and skillfully stroked 3-pointer after 3-pointer in his record-breaking season.

It was exhilarating when Central's Donnie McClinton hit that 75-foot shot at Sikeston, and breathtaking when Jackson's Cherish Tillman sent the Lady Indians into overtime with a layup at the buzzer in their sectional loss.

It was impressive how Cape Central's Jason Owen and Eric Yount completed undefeated regular seasons in swimming and it was disappointing that Owen missed a state crown by a mere seven-hundredths of a second.

It was frustrating that Jackson's four-year all-state wrestler Lance Schlick suffered just three losses all year, all of them to the state champ.

All in all, it was simply a fun winter sports season.

That said, I would just like to thank everyone involved in high school athletics -- the coaches, the athletic directors and administrators, and the parents -- for giving these young athletes the opportunity to play "for the love of the game."

And for allowing me to enjoy the second-best job in the world.

Bob Miller is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.