December 16, 2025

Our Country Needs More of This

I witnessed the Senior Day pep fest in Canadian, Texas in 2023. I was blown away. I wanted to see it again. I was blessed to see it on November 7, 2025. Once again, it was terrific. This is one example—a darn good example, of people uniting in support of each other.

In this video, you’ll see parents go far beyond their comfort zones to honor their kids, their school, and their community. They celebrate each other. The parents actually practiced several times before this gathering. They wore costumes with the faces of their graduating Seniors. They tried to synchronize their dance steps. It was far from perfect, but a glorious effort.

This is as good as it gets.

November 3, 2025

Moose, Elk, Trout & the Best High School Football Fields in America

When I walk onto those football fields, aside from taking in the view, I’m thinking “this is where fun has happened in this town.”  This is one place where countless people in International Falls, Minnesota have had fun. This is where people 1,700 miles south in Marfa, Texas have been having fun for decades.  Same thing goes for those who grew up 998 miles east of Marfa in Philadelphia, Mississippi. That’s what I’m thinking about while walking from one end zone to the next. 

October 14, 2020

The Road to the Barn: Story of the 1971 THHS Basketball Team

The house-lights inside Williams Arena were dimmed.  Long-time public address announcer Jules Perlt’s voice reverberated through the decades-old speakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the second game of the Class A afternoon session.  Representing Region 6, with a record of 21 and two, last year’s consolation winner, the Melrose Dutchmen.”

“And from Region 7, also with a record of 21 and two, the Two Harbors Agates.”

“First, let’s meet the Agates.”

September 10, 2023

Snowbanks and Rink Ranks

I spent my early years in Minnesota captivated by names of people I’d never likely meet and towns I’d rarely, if ever, visit. Recent changes in my life afforded the opportunity to travel to hockey rinks in northern Minnesota one more time—or, for several rinks, the long overdue first time. Minnesota had a handful of captivating lures in its tackle box. Hockey rinks. Hockey towns. Country roads not yet driven. The perfect series of mouse traps for a guy still trying to find the missing pieces to his childhood puzzle.

June 7, 2020

Trespassing at Cameron Indoor Stadium-Duke University

There may be some truth to the rumor that I’ve broken a few trespassing laws while previously accessing famous sports venues. Most notably, scaled fences and following a delivery truck through an open gate. I only do that as a last resort.The moment of truth had arrived. This final door was either going to provide easy entry or I’d have to slide through a rooftop air conditioning vent.I put my right hand on the door handle, started to turn away in frustrated resignation even before I pulled. With one leg stepping back towards the car and one arm attached to the door, something wonderful happened—the door opened. Bingo! Within minutes, I’d regret I stepped inside.

June 12, 2020

Emergence: Girls Sports at Two Harbors High School

“We also had GAA in Chisholm during my high school years—it had been going on for quite some time. We had a group of girls who would play basketball together—often just for fun—sometimes during gym class. We were only allowed to play half-court basketball. That was frustrating. I always felt like “we can run like the boys; why are you telling me that we can’t run full court?” We enjoyed playing kickball and touch football during gym class, but we’d occasionally organize some games ourselves.” — Clarine Northey

July 22, 2025

Remembering Mom: Carol Healy

She just needed to hear those words from him one more time. She had confirmation of a good life lived–that she was loved–that she made a difference here on Earth. Within seconds, she was sleeping peacefully. She was ready for the next chapter. It was time.

Mom died in Duluth at 1:10 am, shortly after smiling that one final time.

She lived a good, long life and gave me the ability to do the same. Tonight, for the first time in more than 64 years, I won’t be able to talk to her.

But I’ll ignore that reality for a bit longer and still keep trying. And I’ll start with this:

“I love you, Mom.”

January 29, 2022

48 Hours: Crimson Tide, Civil Rights and a Football Legend

The workweek was over. Plans for the weekend were floating in my head but nothing solidified. Within 48 hours, I would traverse four states and 1,400 miles of American roads. I’d visit one of the most somber of Civil Rights sites, attend the most dynamic live sporting event I’ve ever experienced, walk on the home field of one of the greatest high school football players of all time, and enjoy a short segment of one of this country’s most scenic byways.

Sometimes, the best-laid plans aren’t laid at all.

Just get up and go.

June 7, 2020

Divine Intervention – Crossing Paths With Jerry Kramer

I leaned towards him and sheepishly said, “are you Jerry?” He looked me in the eye and nodded affirmatively. Then he put a finger over his lips to keep it quiet—I’m sure he is often bothered by his many fans—especially the type that walk around all day with chunks of yellow rubber cheese on their heads. I just couldn’t resist telling him “you’re not going to believe this, but I’m on my way to Tampa to deliver a presentation and your experiences with Vince Lombardi are an integral part of the presentation.”

Then I blew it.

I said: “And I’m a Vikings fan.”

October 30, 2025

Excerpt: “Sideline to Bedside”

On Friday nights, one trail of curiosity led to the football field.  There, we were presented with one of countless “You mean, I can grow up to do that someday?” lessons.  At halftime, I stood on the hill to watch them run in and out of the warming house of the outdoor skating rink, which also served as the football locker room. White pants with maroon-and-gold stripes.  Maroon jerseys with gold, embroidered numbers. Jersey numbers stickered on the sides of the helmets, just like that team down in Alabama. It looked like fun. Would I ever become big enough—good enough—to wear one of those uniforms? 

November 25, 2020

My Newspaper Route-Minnesota to Texas

A 10-year old with a pencil, a single piece of paper, and a lot of nerve walked down 6th street in Two Harbors, Minnesota towards Agate Bay. He nervously walked in the door of the local, small town newspaper, short story about a hockey game in hand. Glancing at the printing press in the back office he placed the story containing impressive penmanship on the counter. Fifty years later, I was writing about high school football games in Texas.

February 19, 2021

An “Up North” Treasure

Amid a half-century of athletics involvement in Two Harbors, Minnesota, he never scored a touchdown on the gridiron, a goal on the ice, or field goal on the court. Never won a diving competition, golf tournament, or 100-yard dash. He was never the head coach of a varsity athletic team. The Lake County Chronicle never touted his athletic exploits. Despite all of this, this sports and outdoors enthusiast has lived a sporting life as quintessential to northern Minnesota–unsurpassed by any Two Harbors citizen. An “Up North” Legacy – Fred Kallio.

July 16, 2023

Reunions Revisited

During our events on Friday and Saturday, I mentioned to a few people that I felt an inordinately strong emotional/sentimental attachment to Two Harbors and our classmates. I doubt that I’m alone. Whether it’s Two Harbors, the Twin Ports or the Twin Cities, home is home. North Pacific salmon swim upstream to return to their birthplace after four or five years. North Shore graduates return to Two Harbors every 10.

Nature mandates it.

I could write it all off with a two word explanation. “It’s home.”

It would be easy to stay in the shallow end of that pool but cross-country windshield time pulled me deeper.

April 25, 2021

When I Grow Up

During my pre-teen years—perhaps before my age reached double-digits, while my two brothers were off doing other things, I frequently accompanied my Mom, Carol Healy, on shopping trips to Duluth, Minnesota.

Groceries. Clothes. Supplies.

On one such trip, I had been watching the peculiar, repetitive interaction of rain with windshield wiper blades when she posed life’s most difficult question. Well, at least at that time, it was.

It wasn’t about school. It wasn’t about girls. It wasn’t about sports.

Just a simple question.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

November 4, 2021

One Dog’s Mission: Accomplished

In December of 2017, a small brown-and-white dog resisted entry into a pet adoption meet-and-greet at a large pet supplies store in the Dallas area.  Abandoned by her original owners, she’d found comfort with her foster mom. She wanted no part of gambling with yet another set of humans. She’d been abandoned because her first family “didn’t have time for her.”  Her forever family would someday lament they didn’t have enough time with her.

April 29, 2025

67 Seconds / It Persists

“The one thing I want to say is that in 30 years, I probably won’t remember all these memories we shared tonight, but I can say that I truly feel like you will never forget the way a person—or a group of people—made you feel at a certain time in your life. Even if I don’t remember getting pudding at St. Thomas in 30 years, I will always remember how my team treated me when I went through one of the hardest times in my life.”

“I just…I love you guys so much.”

March 15, 2025

EXCERPT: Every Day is Game Day / One More Call

I remember listening to a journalist who emphasized the importance of relentlessly making phone calls. Keep digging. Report, report, report. Exhaust all resources. Then, those friends and family encouraging me to take as long as needed.  Don’t rush it.  Get the entire story. It will be ready when it’s ready.  This was all good guidance backed by the best of intentions. But countered by a self-imposed yet undefinable deadline.  That deadline related to my mom’s declining health.

March 28, 2025

Every Day is Game Day: The Difference Maker

In the early years of implementing the FAMILY concept, Coach Nelson decided to rally his athletes around the nobility of helping families move from one home to another. What was the deep-seated motivation for choosing that option? Honestly, I never asked him. It didn’t seem like a big deal.

Fifteen months after writing my first sentence, I made one final phone call. During that call, the pathway for Dot A to connect with Dot B, then Dot C became clear. I didn’t know I was missing a piece of the FAMILY puzzle. I accidentally found it. Everything finally made sense.

You’ll understand later in this story.