Krista Tschetter

In the long and sordid history of the world, there has never been a more unlikely sports editor than myself.

A black sheep in a family of sports fanatics, my childhood was a blur of riding the football bus to games my dad was coaching, falling asleep to the “Sportscenter” theme song and losing nightly bouts of family arm wrestling or living room three on three.

Without a hint of coordination or natural athleticism, I tried to keep up with my rambunctious throng of siblings.

Just last summer I watched a home video where we were all playing “500” (it’s the game where someone throws a football while calling out a certain number of points. If you catch it you get the points and first one to 500 wins).

I painfully watched my little tow-headed self flop around among my siblings and cousins as they erected complicated defensive strategies and fought tooth-and-nail for that ball.

Finally my dad took pity on me, faked a pass and tossed the ball right to me for the win.

Thanks Pops.

I tried sports in school, too. I played just about everything at one point or another ? soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, golf, baton twirling ? you name it, I tried it.

But I lacked edge. I didn’t like that feeling of hand-to-hand combat, of seething competition. I would have rather been in my room making collages out of teen magazines and singing along to C+C Music Factory ? all puppies and rainbows and Bum Equipment.

So as I got older, my exciting athletic career began to ebb. I lingered in golf and softball into

high school, and eventually even that was replaced with choirs and school plays and yearbook staff.

So imagine my surprise when I landed the job as sports editor. Ironic, eh?

Even more surprising is that I’m starting to like it. I get excited when the volleyball team wins (again).

I would go to a football game and have a blast, even if the Pride wasn’t playing.

I love watching my sister play basketball and my brother play football.

I’m proud of my dad when one of his teams wins the state title.

And I’m learning a lot. I’ll probably never know all those football penalties, but I’m trying.

After all isn’t that sort of what this whole competition thing is about? Rising to a higher level, trying things you haven’t before?

Maybe I did have some athletic spirit instilled in me. Maybe I’m not totally a lost cause.

After all, I play a mean game of computer golf.

So bring it on.

Krista Tschetter is the Collegian’s sports editor. Write to her at [email protected].