Welcome to How the Ball Bounces with Bekka. If you have made it this far let’s start with thanks for giving this article a shot…see what I did there? Second, let’s address the elephant in the room.
What does this chick possibly know about sports?
Well, to be honest, quite a lot. I have had the privilege of competing as an athlete at almost every level, I have been a coach and a coach’s wife, I have been retired, come out of retirement and went back in. I’ve raised kids who played sports and then started over again helping my grandson start the process (that’s right…I said grandson…and for the record there are two of them). Not to mention, about a year a half ago I took a job with a nonprofit that helps kids stay involved with sports and other extracurricular activities.
But enough about me, already!
Let’s talk about what you can expect out of this article. Saline County folk seem to love athletic activities, no matter what they are. In our fair shire you can participate in widely popular sports like basketball, football, baseball/softball, and soccer and even dabble in the less familiar sports of Lacrosse and Rugby if you know where to find them.
This column will help you know what’s happening around our area and where you can participate. Also, we will broach some of the hot topics in sports as a whole like the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), Transfer Portal, and all the other weird or wonderful things that happen in the sports world.
So, that’s pretty much what you can expect from my end. I would also love to have feedback from you, the reader, about what you would like to see, know, and discuss. If there is an event we aren’t covering…shoot us a message and we will check it out. Is there something interesting happening in the wild world of sports you want to discuss…drop me a line and let me know.
Here’s a little teaser for my next article…let’s talk about T-Ball. I told you I’m a grandma – as crazy as that still is to say, and our oldest is 5. He has played “Blastball” in the past and it’s super cute; even if it’s more like herding cats and bouncing on a squeaky base than actual baseball. But, let’s get real for a second, the world of Teenie League Baseball has become a little more cut throat than I remember! Maybe it’s just me, so I would love your feedback!
Until then, that’s How the Ball Bounces!
Read more from How the Ball Bounces with Bekka in the archives at www.mysaline.com/bounces.
About the author: Bekka Wilkerson is a lifelong lover of all things sports. Raised in a super athletic household it was no surprise when she too began to love sports at a young age. It seems like from the time she could walk she had a softball bat in her hands, but her true athletic passion came from all things Basketball. That love served her well as a Bryant High School Lady Hornet and ultimately earned her a full scholarship to play at the University of Central Arkansas – among many other adventures.
These days Bekka can be found running around Saline County with her husband, Speedy, or chasing one of her grandsons. She is also the Executive Director of The EMpact One Foundation, a Saline County Nonprofit Organization that helps young people stay connected to extracurricular activities through tuition assistance and equipment provisions.
Reach out to Bekka with questions and/or ideas about things you want to see in this column at [email protected] and learn more about The EMpact One Foundation at www.empactone.org.