Sporting an opinion

Sled Hockey clinic announced.

2011-08-05T02:55:04Z

From Todd and Christie Jenkins of the Southern California Sled Hockey Association:

The Southern California Sled Hockey Association, in partnership with PossAbilities, will present our third annual free Sled Hockey Clinic on Sunday, Sept. 4th, 2011 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. Because of a scheduling conflict with the Ontario rink, this year's clinic will be held at IceTown, 10540 Magnolia Avenue in Riverside.

We are still putting together the roster of clinicians, but our special guest this year will be Shin Kyungmoon, a member of the South Korean national sled hockey team. Remember to dress warmly and come prepared to have fun! We will provide the sleds, sticks and safety gear. PossAbilities will provide dinner for the participants following the clinic. For more information, contact Todd S. Jenkins, program coordinator, at (909) 863-1000 or IESledHockey@aol.com. See you there!

Sled hockey team grant competition update.

2010-11-19T21:15:07Z

SoCal Sled Hockey is up to #17 in the Pepsi Refresh rankings. The top 10 in the voting receive a $25,000 grant. You can continue to vote this project up in the rankings here: http://www.refresheverything.com/sledhockey or text "102873" to 73774.

More sled hockey news.

2010-10-07T19:33:56Z

The sled hockey team has posted a printable flier for convenient distribution.

Also, The Inland Empire Disabilities Resource Expo will be at the Riverside Convention Center on October 23. SoCal Sled Hockey will be there, spreading the word about our program.

Amgen Tour of California won't stop in Big Bear.

2010-10-07T18:40:40Z

Organizers for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California have selected Claremont and Mt. Baldy as new stops for the annual bicycle race.

Tour organizers passed over Big Bear Lake, due to what the city described as "logistical planning." Big Bear Lake hosted the Tour's penultimate stage last year.

The official stage start and finish locations that have been selected for the sixth annual Amgen Tour of California cycling race include: South Lake Tahoe (new for 2011), North Lake Tahoe-Northstar at Tahoe Resort (new for 2011), North Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley USA (new for 2011), Sacramento, Auburn (new for 2011), Modesto, Livermore (new for 2011), San Jose, Seaside, Paso Robles, Solvang, Claremont (new for 2011), Mt. Baldy (new for 2011), Santa Clarita and Thousand Oaks.

Sled hockey team in running for $25,000 grant.

2010-10-06T07:35:54Z

Todd and Christie Jenkins, founders of the Inland Empire's first sled hockey program, are hoping to receive a major financial boost. In an e-mail, they relayed the following:

The Southern California Sled Hockey Association is currently in the running for a Pepsi Refresh grant in the amount of $25,000. If we get the grant, it will provide enough funds to purchase new sleds, sticks, safety gear and ice time for the whole program for a full season. In order to get the funding we have to be in the top ten by October 31st.
What we need people to do is vote via the Pepsi Refresh website. There are three ways to vote:

1) Log on to http://www.refresheverything.com/sledhockey and click "Vote for this idea". The first time someone votes, they will be asked to fill out a quick form for a free account, just to verify that this is a real person and not a "robot" making proxy votes. Pepsi does not send spam, and there is a box to check to opt out of future mailings. After that, we just need people to log on and vote once per day.

2) Instead (or in addition), people can send votes via text message. Text 102873 to 73774 (Pepsi) once per day. There is no sign-up here, and again no spam.

3) On Facebook, go to http://apps.facebook.com/pepsirefresh and do a search for "sled hockey" (we are the only program that will come up). This, too, is no-sign-up and no-spam.

Sled hockey, an epilogue.

2010-08-19T02:32:56Z

Todd and Christie Jenkins, who coordinated a sled hockey clinic in Ontario in May, announced today via e-mail that the Inland Empire's new sled hockey team has a name: The Arctic Wildcats.

The Wildcats are having their first practice this Sunday evening from 5:30-7:30 at Center Ice Arena in Ontario (map below). Sleds and equipment are available for players to borrow, "but if you have your own equipment you are welcome to bring that. Adults, kids, and beginners are welcome to come and try the sport out."

View Larger Map

Looking for the Reign?

2010-07-20T02:36:10Z

If you're looking for the Reign blog, it's moved.

If you are a San Bernardino Sun subscriber, bookmark blogs.sbsun.com/reign

If you are an Inland Valley Daily Bulletin subscriber, bookmark blogs.dailybulletin.com/reign

Or, if neither works, try this: www.insidesocal.com/reign

The new blog likes comments, go check it out.

Yucaipa's Walker drafted by Mariners.

2010-06-08T03:06:28Z

Yucaipa High school senior Taijuan Walker was on a bus bound for his Grad Night party when he got the news: The Seattle Mariners were making him the 43rd overall pick of the 2010 draft.

The multi-talented Walker, a star basketball player who also played in the Thunderbirds' infield and outfield, becomes the second straight supplemental-round pick out of Yucaipa High. Matt Davidson was selected 35th last June by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The only other local player taken Monday, which included the first round and the 20-pick supplemental round, was Barstow High pitcher Aaron Sanchez (34th overall to Toronto).

More details in tomorrow's Sun.

Jordan Romero media tour is announced.

2010-06-02T21:00:34Z

Jordan Romero, the 13-year-old from Big Bear Lake who became the youngest person ever to summit Mt. Everest on May 22, is back in New York and doing the media rounds. Courtesy of his blog, here's a preliminary list of Jordan's TV appearances Friday:

4:00 AM Today Show (NBC National) *Live*
5:45 AM Fox & (Fox National) *Live*
7:25 AM MSNBC (MSNBC National) *Live*
11:35 a.m. CNN Newsroom (CNN National) *Live*
7 p.m. 20-20 Interview (ABC National)

Look-alikes.

2010-05-28T22:53:32Z

I'm sure I'm not the first person to stumble upon this coincidence, but after spotting the mug shot of Minnesota Twins outfielder/DH Jason Kubel (below) in today's San Bernardino Sun, I couldn't resist.

The resemblance to actor Jerry Ferrara (AKA "Turtle" from Entourage) is uncanny:

Jordan Romero is on top of the world.

2010-05-22T05:23:15Z

Here's the historic blog post, confirming Big Bear Lake 13-year-old Jordan Romero as the youngest person ever to summit Mt. Everest.

Leave a comment on his blog, or on his Facebook page for a historic job well done (to put it mildly).

Peter Sagan wins Stage 6; Rogers retains yellow jersey.

2010-05-21T23:17:27Z

Peter Sagan of the Liquigas-Doimo team has won Stage 6 of the Tour of California, sprinting to the finish line in Big Bear Lake ahead of Rory Sutherland. Overall leader Mick Rogers of HTC-Columbia finished third.

David Zabriskie of the Garmin-Transitions team trails Rogers by 4 seconds for the leader's jersey. Sagan got a 10-second bonus for winning the stage, and three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) is 14 seconds behind in fourth place.

More details in tomorrow's editions of the Sun and Daily Bulletin.

As Everest summit approaches, updating the Jordan Romero story.

2010-05-19T19:13:50Z

Jordan Romero, a 13-year-old from Big Bear Lake, has begun his final climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. If everything goes according to plan, he will reach the top of the world's tallest mountain Saturday.

Whether Jordan makes it or not, this is the biggest local sports story of the year. It's also the biggest local sports story that is impossible for me to cover in person. Fortunately Jordan is doing a great job updating his blog, his Twitter (@TeamJordanR), and his Facebook account, and if you haven't bookmarked them yet you should.

The New York Times just jumped on the Is-13-Too-Young? question. Two years ago, I asked the "Is-11-too-young?" question in an article that ran in The Sun. Click below for the full text.

]]> BIG BEAR LAKE - Somewhere in Jordan Romero's bedroom is a list, three doublesided pages long, of all the animals he wants someday in his wildlife refuge. The 11-year-old also has a list of the exotic cars he plans to collect, starting with a Dodge Viper on down to a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640.

He's also made a list of the tallest mountains by continent, and wants to climb all seven. All of this is fairly normal 11-year-old stuff, except that Jordan already has crossed three mountains off his list.

In July 2006 he scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, a 19,340- foot peak in Tanzania, in what is believed to be a record five days after his 10th birthday. In April of this year he reached the top of Australia' s Mt. Kosciuszko (7,310 ft.) and in July climbed Mt.Elbrus (18,510 ft.), the highest peak in the Russian Caucasus Mountains.

Along with his adventure-racing father and stepmother, Jordan will depart Dec. 18 for Argentina's 22,841-foot Mt. Aconcagua. The plan calls for Jordan to scale the remaining peaks over the next five years, ending with Mt. Everest, to become the youngest person ever to scale the seven summits.

"Aconcagua is going to be a big deal because it's the highest peak outside Asia. It could be a big deal," Jordan said, then paused to think. "OK," he decided, "it's gonna be a big deal."

Outside observers often react to Jordan's attempt with skepticism. Paul Romero and Karen Lundgren, the father and stepmother who have accompanied Jordan up and down every mountain, insist they haven' t goaded him past his limits.

"If he changes his mind and doesn't want to do (mountain climbing) anymore," Lundgren said, "Paul and I are OK with that. He'll find something else."

"Is he being pushed beyond his limits? I don't think so," said Jordan's mother, Leigh Ann Drake, a teacher in nearby Big Bear Lake. "He knows his limits. He knows what he can and can't do. If Jordan thought it was too much, Jordan has no problem saying it's too much.

"Besides, he's going to have capable people with him."

For the past 10 years Romero, 38, and Lundgren, 42, have crossed the globe with their fourperson adventure racing team and averaged about 10 races a year with several trophies to show for it.

Adventure racing frequently involves mountain climbing but also can incorporate other disciplines - canoeing, bicycling, running, swimming - and rewards speed as much as endurance.

For them, mountaineering is too plodding, with too much preparation required to acclimatize to high altitudes. For Jordan, the feeling is mutual.

"Jordan doesn't want to be an adventure racer," his father said. "He thinks we're dumb as heck. He's probably right."

Romero and Lundgren's equipment stash and experience abroad have been useful on Jordan's quest. One adventure-racing acquaintaince doubles as an Aconcagua guide and has advised Jordan on his next climb.

Another is loaning Jordan a mobile computer unit he will use to update his Web site, www. jordanromero.com, while he climbs the mountain. And since neither Romero nor Lundgren have scaled any of the seven summits themselves, they view Jordan's quest as an unusual bonding opportunity.

"It's a good family project," Lundgren said.

The project sometimes extends well beyond a mountain. This week, Lundgren will fly to Argentina early and hope to gain a court exemption that bans hikers under age 14 inside Aconcagua Provincial Park.

"They have to know my medical condition," Jordan said, "how I do at high altitude."

Lundgren said two hikers under age 14 have gained the exemption before, so she's optimistic that with a little legal help, Jordan will be able to climb Aconcagua, too. But international safeguards that limit young climbers will mount as Jordan continues his quest.

Nepal currently prohibits anyone under 16 from attempting to climb Everest. On May 22, 2003, Ming Kipa, a 15-year-old Sherpa, became the youngest to scale Everest after beginning her ascent from the Tibetan side of the mountain.

Aside from the obvious danger of falling from a sheer cliff or freezing in sub-zero temperatures, there are additional questions about the effects of altitude on youngsters. A 2001 study in the journal "High Altitude Medicine & Biology" stated there is "no data about safe absolute altitudes for ascent in children."

Warren Gold made headlines by accompanying his 8-year-old son, Aidan, to the top of Island Peak, a 20,300-foot mountain in the Himalayas, in November of 2005. Gold, an associate professor of environmental science at the University of Washington, said his family had months to acclimate to the high altitude while he conducted work-related research prior to Aidan's hike.

"Every person's going to be different, but I did come away from this feeling there's no inherent stronger danger for kids," Gold said, "but it's not based on empirical evidence."

Aidan Gold's journey to 20,000 feet at age 8 is believed to be a record, at least for a non- Himalayan native. Perhaps more impressive was the ascent of Aidan's 5-year-old brother, Janick, to the 17,700-foot base camp at Mt. Everest during the trip.

For reasons including time, money and negative reaction in his community, Warren Gold said his sons have scaled back their ambitions.

"We went up a 12,000-foot peak to celebrate their birthdays," he said. "For them, it's a playground. If you choose your route wisely and you're cautious and careful, it's just like a recreational thing for them."

As for the seven summits, the current recordholder is Samantha Larson of Long Beach, who completed her quest atop Everest at age 18 in May, 2007. Many more young climbers have had their record attempts thwarted because they didn't have enough time or money, both of which will work against climbers as the record gets younger.

If he stays on schedule, Romero will become the youngest ever to scale Everest sometime in early 2011. Multiple sources estimate the number of successful Everest attempts at more than 2,000, with about four times as many unsuccessful attempts. About 200 climbers are believed to have died on Everest.

"Jordan watches the documentaries. He knows you can die," Lundgren said. "He knows that when you climb Everest, there's dead people."

Romero's family is going to great lengths to save time and money for his quest. On most days this month, he has awakened in an oxygen deprivation tent that simulates an 18,000-foot altitude. It allows him to avoid extended acclimatization time in the Andes and also avoid missing school.

"The more you sleep in it, the more red blood cells you're growing, the more you get especially used to the altitude," he said.

They're also planning to save time once they reach Aconcagua by shortening the journey to 14,000 feet to seven hours in a single day. The financial challenge is even more imposing. Lundgren said each summit so far has cost at least $5,000 per person "and that's not even with much gear."

Hiking without guides on Elbrus saved money, not to mention equipment donations from various outdoor gear companies. Paul Romero said his son's primary funding comes through the Web site, where donors can contribute $20, $75 or $150 for autographed T-shirts and photos of Jordan.

"Selling T-shirts for this," he said, "was all Jordan's idea."

It's a concept Jordan's family can' t stress enough.

"In Lucerne Valley where we lived for a few years, one of the teachers was an artist and his students would paint murals all over the school," Drake said. "There was a simple color painting the kids did of each summit and their elevation. Jordan would walk by it every single day and he started talking about the seven summits. He started spouting off elevations ... that's how he came up with setting the goals.

"He said, `I want to climb the highest mountain on Earth."'

More sled hockey.

2010-05-19T06:10:38Z

Todd Jenkins, who helped coordinate Sunday's sled hockey clinic at Center Ice Arena in Ontario, passed along this YouTube montage of photos taken at the clinic ...

And here is the story about the clinic that ran in Wednesday's Daily Bulletin.

No home radio for Quakes. Update.

2010-05-16T20:55:55Z

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes' game against the Inland Empire 66ers will not be heard on "The Spa" today due to a technical malfunction ... involving bees. The game can be heard on KCAA (1050-AM) via the 66ers' home broadcast.

2:20 p.m. update: "We are bee-free," I have been told, and the broadcast is ready to begin.