I am not sure where the ad came from on the left-hand side of the column Thursday morning. I think it was a copy and paste issue on one of the jokes. I figured it out and now it is gone.
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There has been a coaching change for Crookston Pirate Football and as you would expect it hasn’t been easy for everyone involved.
It sucks because there isn’t a better guy out there than Scot Butt. He is a great person and genuinely cares about the kids and my oldest son, Blake, is one of his biggest fans. Scott has been nothing but great to Blake before he played for him, while he played for him, and after he played for him. He looks up to him as a father figure and friend. I have nothing but good things to say about Coach Butt as a person. He is a everything you would want in a friend.
I am friends with most of the coaches and Scott is no different. Coaches are all good people. They try to do the best they can for little pay. It is a thankless job. One thing we all know is if the coaches could coach at an orphanage life would be perfect for them. I wish Scott well and understand why he is bummed.
He isn’t the only one bummed. I have heard that some of the seniors might not come out for football this year. First of all, let me tell you a personal story. I wasn’t going to play football my freshman year. I was skinny, not very tough, and had a friend talk me into not going out. I went home and told my dad and he said they hell you are. You get your ass back out there and play. I went back with my tale in between my legs, starting lifting a little, worked hard and I am thankful my dad made me go back out. I hated practices (none of the equipment fit me, the helmet was super tight), but there was NOTHING better than Friday nights!!! It was the greatest experience of my high school career. We played in some packed gymnasiums in the basketball playoffs, including UMC, and that was a close second, but football Friday Night lights was still the best.
For those seniors (and their parents) thinking of not going out, don’t do something you will regret the rest of your life. Unfortunately, people come and go, coaches, friends, co-workers, etc. So, put on your big boy pants, grow up, and use it as fuel to kick some ass and win some games in honor of Coach Butt.
Also, the new coach is another great person with Nate Lubarski taking over. He is going to hold the players accountable, and he is helping the program out in a time of need. Even if it isn’t the ideal situation for anybody.
Give it a chance and besides the Barnesville game, you won’t regret it!!!
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Crookston High School‘s online registration for fall sports isn’t up and running yet. The school will send out an instant alert and let KROX know when it is ready to take registrations.
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Nate Lubarski has been named the new Crookston Pirate Football coach pending Crookston School Board approval.
Lubarski has been instrumental in reviving the weight room numbers and selecting certain equipment for interval training in the recently redone Crookston High School weight room. Lubarski has also been a football coach on several levels from youth, junior high, and assistant varsity coach. He also owns and operates Crookston United Insurance.
Lubarski told KROX that they want as many kids as possible to come out for football and they will likely play. Everybody has a role on the team and they have a goal to platoon as many players as possible to keep them fresh. He said they want to form a strong team mentality and have team goals, not individual goals.
Lubarski is a 1993 graduate of Argyle High School and played on the Argyle state runner-up football team his sophomore season where they lost to Hills Beaver Creek. Lubarski’s high school coach was Jim Guetter.
After high school, Lubarski played at the University of North Dakota from 1993 to 1997. He started as quarterback, was moved to tight end until a player named Jim Kleinsasser joined the Fighting Sioux program and Lubarski was moved to fullback.
Coaching is in the blood as Lubarski is the son of Conrad “Connie” Lubarski who coached in Argyle for seven years (1977-1983). Nate’s brother, Nevin, is the boy’s basketball coach for Stephen-Argyle Central.
The Crookston Pirate football coaching staff will have a smooth transition with everybody staying on staff under Lubarski.
Defensive Coordinator – Darin Zimmerman
Offensive Coordinator – David Hennings
Assistant coaches – Brett Brenden, Dan Rooney (Strength and conditioning), Bryan Boll (volunteer).
The first day of practice for 9-12th graders will be Monday, August 16 from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.
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The Minnesota State High School League is in wait-and-see mode as far as facemasks and COVID. Board President Troy Stein said the board is closely monitoring the number of mask mandates. The Board of Directors talked about the application of medical information and guidance to member schools in the event that participants or communities are affected by COVID. League staff and the Board will continue to monitor changing guidance and recommendations from the CDC, MDH, MDE and other sources.
On a positive note, the MSHSL is giving school districts a break on their bill this year. In their meeting on Tuesday, they decided the following. The Board of Directors approved a motion to reduce the projected 2021-2022 membership dues by $1.063 million!!
The Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors today approved a credit to the 2021-2022 invoices of member schools that total approximately $1.063 million. The approval was made during the board’s first meeting of the school year, which was held at the Little Crow Conference Center. The approval is effective immediately.
Based on the board policy formula for earmarking reserves, 60 percent of the $1.063 million will be used to reduce school’s activity registration fees from $225 to $160 for each registered activity. The remaining 40 percent will be used to reduce the MSHSL enrollment fee per participant from $6.35 to $4.60.
“The Board of Directors met and approved a 2021-2022 Budget Adjustment, and consequently, approved a reduction of membership dues for the 2021-2022 school year,” said board president Tom Jerome, the superintendent of schools in Roseau. “This is terrific news for our member schools and we look forward to an exciting year filled with opportunities and growth for our students, member schools and all others associated with the Minnesota State High School League.”
The surplus was created when revenue items during the 2020-2021 school year generated income higher than expected. Those sources included forgiveness on a Paycheck Protection Program loan, attendance at winter and spring tournaments, sponsorships, and events televised by the League’s broadcast and streaming partners. In addition, extensive cost-saving measures were implemented by League Staff throughout the year.
The board also approved a motion for the state meet/state tournament format for Boys and Girls Cross Country and Boys and Girls Soccer. Both activities are adding a class beginning in the fall of 2021. Cross country will have three classes and run six races on Saturday, Nov. 6. Soccer will have semifinals and championships in three classes at U.S. Bank Stadium. Third-place games will be played at a venue to be determined. Discussion will continue on a state tournament format for girls volleyball, which is adding a fourth class, and Nordic Skiing, which is adding a sprint race to its meet.
They also approved the following –
Approved the football state tournament quarterfinal and semifinal pairings from 2021 through 2026.
Approved a motion that directed League Staff to do more exploration and provide a recommendation on Transfer and Eligibility during COVID to the Executive Committee at the next Executive Committee Meeting next week.
Approved the final disbursement of $90,000 from the MSHSL Foundation transfer to the 16 Regions.
Approved the wide-reaching insurance coverage of $760,840 for the school year inclusive of Catastrophic Health Insurance and Concussion Insurance for all student participants.
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Crookston High School Activities Director Greg Garmen has released the 2021 fall sports schedules. As you know, the schedules are subject to changes because of weather, and once again because of COVID (hopefully not!!). The Crookston Pirate Varsity Fall sport schedules are listed below –
CROOKSTON PIRATE FOOTBALL – (The schedule has changed since the original release earlier this summer)
Thursday, September 2 – host Osakis 6:00 PM
Friday, September 10 – at Barnesville 7:00 PM
Friday, September 17 – host Hawley 7:00 PM
Friday, September 24 – host Frazee 6:00 PM (Homecoming)
Friday, October 1 – at West Central Area 6:00 PM
Friday, October 8 – at East Grand Forks 6:00 PM
Thursday, October 14 – host Pillager 6:00 PM
Wednesday, October 20 – at Staples-Motley 7:00 PM
CROOKSTON PIRATE BOYS SOCCER
Thursday, August 26 – host St. John’s Prep 4:00 PM
Saturday, August 28 – host Fergus Falls 11:00 AM
Thursday, September 2 – at Melrose 5:00 PM
Tuesday, September 7 – at Detroit Lakes 7:00 PM
Thursday, September 9 – at Hillcrest Academy 4:00 PM
Tuesday, September 14 – host Pelican Rapids 4:00 PM
Saturday, September 18 – at Bemidji 1:00 PM
Tuesday, September 21 – host Detroit Lakes 4:00 PM
Thursday, September 23 – host East Grand Forks 3:30 PM
Monday, September 27 – at Grand Forks 4:15
Tuesday, September 28 – host Hillcrest Academy 3:30 PM
Friday, October 1 – at Hibbing 3:30 PM
Saturday, October 2 – at Mesabi East 11:00 AM
Tuesday, October 5 – at East Grand Forks 7:00 PM
GIRLS PIRATE SOCCER –
Friday, August 27 – at Fergus Falls 2:00 PM
Tuesday, August 31 – at Hillcrest Academy 4:00 PM
Thursday, September 2 – at St. John’s Prep 3:30 PM
Tuesday, September 7 – host Pelican Rapids 4:00 PM
Thursday, September 9 – at Detroit Lakes 7:00 PM
Saturday, September 11 – host Walker-H-A 11:00 AM
Tuesday, September 14 – at East Grand Forks 7:00 PM
Saturday, September 18 – at Melrose 10:00 AM
Tuesday, September 21 – at Bemidji 5:00 PM
Thursday, September 23 – Hillcrest Academy 3:30 PM
Monday, September 27 – at Pelican Rapids 3:30 PM
Tuesday, September 28 – at Walker-H-A 4:30 PM
Friday, October 1 – at Hibbing 3:30 PM
Saturday, October 2 – at Mesabi East 1:00 PM
Monday, October 4 – host East Grand Forks 3:30 PM
CROOKSTON PIRATE VOLLEYBALL
Thursday, August 26 – host Bagley 7:15 PM
Tuesday, August 31 – host Mahnomen 7:15 PM
Thursday, September 2 – at Ada-Borup 7:30 PM
Tuesday, September 7 – host Red Lake Falls 7:15 PM
Thursday, September 9 – at Sacred Heart 7:15 PM
Tuesday, September 14 – at Thief River Falls 7:15 PM
Thursday, September 16 – host Norman County East 7:15 PM
Saturday, September 18 – at Warren-A-O tourney 9:00 AM
Monday, September 20 – host Fertile-Beltrami 7:15 PM
Thursday, September 23 – host Red Lake County Central 7:15 PM
Saturday, September 25 – host Crookston tournament 9:00 AM
Tuesday, September 28 – at Hawley 7:15 PM
Thursday, October 7 – at East Grand Forks 7:15 PM
Tuesday, October 12 – host Warren-A-O 7:15 PM
Monday, October 18 – at Climax-Fisher 7:15 PM
Tuesday, October 19 – host Roseau 7:15 PM
CROOKSTON PIRATE GIRLS TENNIS
Friday, August 20 – at Roseau Quad 10:00 AM
Tuesday, August 24 – Crookston Triangular 10:00 AM (Roseau, EGF)
Saturday, August 28 – Crookston Invitational 9:00 AM (Moorhead, Wadena-DC, Perham, Detroit Lakes, EGF, Hibbing, New London-Spicer)
Tuesday, August 31 – at Park Rapids triangular (Pequot Lakes at 9AM, LPGE 10:30AM)
Thursday, September 2 – at Moorhead 10:00 AM
Tuesday, September 7 – at Thief River Falls 4:30 PM
Thursday, September 9 – at East Grand Forks 4:00 PM
Friday, September 10 – at Detroit Lakes triangular (vs DL 9AM, vs Wadena-DC 11AM)
Saturday, September 11 – at Alexandria Quad (vs Alexandria 9AM, vs Osakis 11AM, vs DL 1PM)
Tuesday, September 14 – Crookston triangular (vs Moorhead 2:00 PM, TRF 5PM)
Tuesday, September 21 – at Bemidji triangular (vs DL 3:30 PM, vs Bemidji 5PM)
Saturday, September 25 – at Litchfield tournament 10:00 AM
Tuesday, September 28 – Northwest Quad in Crookston 10:00 AM (TRF, EGF, Moorhead)
Saturday, October 2 – Crookston triangular (vs Park Rapids 10AM, vs Roseau 1:00 PM)
Tuesday, October 5 – Bemidji 4:30 PM at Choice Fitness in Grand Forks
CROOKSTON PIRATE GIRLS SWIMMING
Monday, August 30 – at Detroit Lakes invite 2:00 PM
Thursday, September 2 – at Thief River Falls triangular
Thursday, September 9 – at Fosston Triangular
Thursday, September 16 – Crookston Invitational (DL, TRF, Warroad/Roseau)
Tuesday, September 21 – host Park Rapids 5:30 PM
Tuesday, September 28 – at Warroad/Roseau in Warroad 5:30 PM
Thursday, September 30 – at Thief River Falls 5:30 PM
Saturday, October 2 – at Fosston Invitational NOON
Thursday, October 7 – at Fosston/Bagley in Fosston 5:30 PM
Tuesday, October 19 – at Grand Forks Triangular (TRF, GFC, Crox)
Friday, October 29 – Conference tournament at Fosston (Crox, TRF, Fosston/Bagley, Warroad/Roseau)
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Wow……The Olympics have been fantastic, especially the 400-meter men’s and women’s hurdles. They were the best and most exciting races/events I have watched so far.
Speaking of the 400-meter hurdles, Thief River Falls’ Meleah Biermaier competed in the 2015 New Balance National Track Championships and as you would expect there was some pretty good talent at the meet. Meleah ran against the future World Record holder and Gold Medalist Sydney Mclaughlin. In 2016 they met up again at the USATF Jr Championships. Sydney blew the competition away that included another Olympic finalist, Anna Cockrell. Below is a picture of Meleah and Mclaughlin.
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I am actually regretting UMC cutting football as we approach the first full year UMC hasn’t competed. I will miss the excitement of the Saturdays, especially the road games where they had big crowds, bands, and all the college feels. It will be missed, but to be honest having a full broadcast team for high school football on Friday nights will be nice too.
With that said, the Northern Sun Conference has released the pre-season football coaches poll. Surprise, surprise, Minnesota State Mankato is the top pick again!
Minnesota State Mankato was selected by the league coaches as the overall and south division preseason favorite in the NSIC for 2021. The Mavericks received 12 first-place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team) and amassed 168 points, 24 points ahead of Minnesota Duluth (144), which was the unanimous choice in the north division. Augustana was third with 140 points and a first-place vote while Sioux Falls was fourth at 135. Winona State was picked fifth overall with 126 points and the final first-place vote.
NSIC football will consist of 14 teams divided into two divisions (north/south). Concordia-St. Paul will move to the north division in 2021 as each team will play 11 conference games that will count towards the NSIC Overall Championship as well as six divisional games that will count towards the NSIC North/South Division Championships. In all, three league champions will be awarded (Overall Champion, North Division Champion, South Division Champion). Ties will not be broken for overall or division champions. The first four weeks will be cross-divisional contests, with the final cross divisional contest taking place randomly during the remainder of the season.
COACHES POLL OVERALL –
1. Minnesota State Mankato (12) – 168
2. Minnesota Duluth – 144
3. Augustana (1) – 140
4. Sioux Falls – 135
5. Winona State (1) – 126
6. Bemidji State – 117
7. Concordia-St. Paul – 96
8. Northern State – 75
9. Moorhead – 74
10. Wayne State – 60
11. Southwest Minnesota State – 46
12. Minot State – 38
13. Mary – 28
14. Upper Iowa – 27
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The Ox Cart Days 5K/Little Tykes race, sponsored by Biermaier Chiropractic Clinic and Altru will be held on August 21.
The cost is $25 for the 5K and free for the Little Tykes race.
The online registration link is https://www.raceentry.com/ox-cart-5k-and-little-tykes-race/race-information.
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The 17th Annual Crookston Blue Line Club Golf Scramble will be held on Friday, August 20 at Minakwa Golf Course in Crookston.
It will be a five-person scramble with registration at 8:00 a.m. and a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start.
Team sponsorship is $350 or $70 per person. There will be lunch, games, and prizes. For more information and to register, call Kristy Swanson at 218-289-0576, or email crookstonhockey@gmail.com, or visit the Crookston Blue Line Club website at www.crookstonbluelinehockey.com.
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JOKES
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Four old-timers were playing their weekly game of golf, and one remarked how for Christmas this year he’d love to wake up on Christmas morning, roll out of bed, and without an argument go directly to the golf course, meet his buddies and play a round.
His buddies all chimed in and said, “Let’s do it! We’ll make it a priority, figure out a way, and meet here early on Christmas morning.”
Months later, that special morning arrives, and there they are on the links. The first guy says, “Boy, this game cost me a fortune! I bought my wife such a diamond ring that she can’t take her eyes off it.”
Number 2 guy says, “I spent a ton too. My wife is at home planning the cruise I gave her. She was up to her eyeballs in brochures.”
Number 3 guy says ” Well, my wife is at home admiring her new car, reading the manual.”
They all turn to the last guy in the group and he is staring at them like they have lost their minds. “I can’t believe you all went to such expense for this golf game. I patted my wife on the butt and said, ‘Well babe, is it sex or golf?’ and she said, ‘Take your sweater, looks like it might be windy out there’.”
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A couple of drinking buddies who are airplane mechanics are in a hangar at JFK New York. It’s fogged in and they have nothing to do.
One of them says to the other, “Man, have you got anything to drink?”
The other one says, “Nah, but I hear you can drink jet fuel, and it will kinda give you a buzz.”
So they do drink it, get smashed and have a great time, like only drinking buddies can.
The following morning, one of the men wakes up and he just knows his head will explode if he gets up, but it doesn’t. He gets up and feels good. In fact, he feels great! No hangover!
The phone rings. It’s his buddy. The buddy says, “Hey, how do you feel?”
“Great”, he said! “Just great”! The buddy says, “Yeah, I feel great too, and no hangover. That jet fuel stuff is great. We should do this more often!
“Yeah, we could, but there’s just one thing . . . ”
“What’s that?”
“Did you fart yet?”
“No . . . ”
“Well, DON’T, ’cause I’m in Phoenix.”
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How are former Crookston Pirates athletes doing in college or elsewhere?
****LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS TO ADD TO THE LIST email me at chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Sweden. He will be returning to Sweden in the fall.
Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.
Ben Trostad is playing Club Hockey at UMC.
Ty Hamre is playing Club Hockey at UMC.
Brandon Boetcher is playing Club Hockey at UMC.
Brady Butt is a freshman playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Rachel Hefta, a Sophomore, is playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Nick Garmen is a sophomore playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Thea Oman, a sophomore, is swimming at St. Ben’s.
Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hanson is the Junior High softball coach.
Carrie Clauson is a Junior High girls tennis coach.
Jeremy Lubinski is a Pirate 8th Grade Football coach.
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach and assistant volleyball coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Cody Brekken is the Head Pirate Girls and Boys Tennis coach and Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming coach
Brock Hanson is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Ben Halos is a Pirate Baseball assistant coach.
Alex LaFrance is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Jeff Perreault is the Pirate Girls Golf head coach
Wes Hanson is the Pirate Wrestling Head Coach and assistant boys golf coach
Kevin Weber is a Pirate Boys Basketball volunteer assistant coach
Connor Morgan is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Sam Melbye is the Pirate Boys J.V. Hockey coach
Chris Dufault is a youth wrestling Coach
Colton Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach
Non-Crookston High School coaching –
Cody Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown
Kaylee Desrosier is a softball coach for Fargo Davies Middle School.
Josh Edlund is an assistant football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.
Allison Lindsey Axness is Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach in Champlin Park
Jeff Olson is Head Wrestling coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.
Jake Olson is an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.
Carmen (Kreibich) Johnson, is Head Volleyball coach at Little Falls High School.
Katy Westrom, is Head Girls Tennis Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Monticello High School.
Matt Harris, is an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Marty Bratrud is the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.
Gordie Haug is an assistant football coach at the University of Wyoming
Mike Hastings is the Minnesota State Mankato Men’s head Hockey coach
Mike Biermaier is the Athletic Director at Thief River Falls High School
Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreault works with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football and volleyball and basketball in the winter. Stephanie’s husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for the Bison media relations
Jason Bushie is the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College
Chris Myrold is a Tennis Pro on Nevis Island in the West Indies
Kyle Buchmeier is a Tennis Pro at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis
Jarrett Butenhoff is serving our country with the U.S. Navy
Joshua Butenhoff is serving our country on a Submarine with the Pacific Fleet with the US Navy.
Peter Cournia is a 2002 Crookston High School Graduate and also a grad of West Point and is currently is serving in the U.S. Army.
Erik Ellingson is serving our country with the U.S. Air Force at Minot.
Philip Kujawa class of 2004 from Crookston High School. He is an Army recruiter in Rochester.
Rob Sobolik is the General Manager of the Fargodome
That’s it for this week. Thanks for the comments and if you have anything to add or share, please e-mail chrisjfee@yahoo.com or call. Thanks for reading and listening to KROX RADIO and kroxam.com
