Letter to the Editor: Reader disappointed at lack of state competition coverage

"Girls 4x100 Relay Sets New State Record!!"

Was this the headline we saw?

We have a track team that goes to state and places in the top 7 in all their events. We have a girls relay team that takes first in two events and breaks the state record for cryin-out-loud. We take 3rd in boys 100m & 200m (photo finishes on both by the way). A girls 100m and 200m dash that places 3rd and 4th (photo finish here too, I think), 5th on boys triple jump, 7th in girls long jump, 4th in girls triple jump. Sounds impressive, doesn't it?

What do they get??? -- 9 sentences, 9, and a headline that says the girls placed 6th at state. Come on! Jeez, Louise! No pictures either. Not one w/all thier medals or even of the record breaking team. Obviously not enough room. I am so disapointed and feel badly for the whole team.

But we get 2 weeks of FFA (which is all well and good in itself and the kids work hard there too), and practically a whole page of pictures to boot. But the really informative article that takes the cake, and basically a whole half page in the paper, is on "taking your dog to work". Give me a break!

Believe me, I am not a supporter of the over-hype that often goes to sports in our schools. We have done terrifically in FBLA, band, theater, and science, too. But they at least get some pictures.

I have always appreciated our local paper and am so glad we have one. I also realize that it is often a thankless job and we expect it to be in attendance of all our local events and they always get heck doing something not right. I truly appreciate the Odessa Record's contribution to our community, but can we have a whole page of picture recognition, too, for these particular young athletes who deserve just as much attention as football or baseball (if not more- afterall, they did win at state) and certainly a lot more than what they got?

Ellen Shafer

Odessa, WA