Tough to beat summers in the Panhandle

As far as places to fritter a summer away, you could do a whole lot worse than the Panhandle.

It’s no accident that you could form a pretty good All-Star squad with the former and current hockey players leaving divots on some of the area’s finer courses.

It’s no coincidence that the per capita ratio of citizens to current and former NFL quarterbacks is abnormally high, and some pretty good college and pro coaches have been known to frequent the area in the summer, what with some of the best lakes and rivers in the nation to play on.

Just this summer alone a lot of really cool sports stuff has taken place throughout North Idaho, up and above the normal triathlons, swims, marathons and assorted annual events.

ONE OF the more memorable moments, at least for the area high school kids, was the chance to work out with Coeur d’Alene native Brock Osweiler.

The amount of Cleveland Browns fans in the area no doubt spiked after Osweiler spent the better part of a week throwing to kids from throughout the region.

The 6-foot-8 gunslinger was engaging with both the prep QBs and receivers, giving them tips while he got his own work in, which evidently paid off, as he was recently named to start the Browns’ preseason opener.

Speaking of football, this old sportswriter was talked into playing in a flag football league in Sandpoint this summer, and as of press time, has managed not to blow out either 40-something hamstring.

Plus, is there any sport that makes you feel younger when you play it than football?

A surprise guest showed up for some action one Sunday afternoon recently when four-time U.S. Winter Olympian and Sandpoint native Nate Holland traded the snowboard for cleats and showed he’s still got game.

THE FORMER starting safety for the Bulldogs is better known as one of the best snowboardcross riders in the world for the past two decades, and the competitive edge showed when the seven-time X-Games SBX Gold Medalist played bump and run coverage against some much younger receivers and more than held his own.

And don’t look now prep sports fans, but the season kickoff is right around the corner. We up here in Sandpoint are busy preparing for the season opener at Post Falls, and them us. Did we mention the game is going to be carried live on SWX?

And that sound you hear? Those are pads popping, as area high schools from 1A Clark Fork and Kootenai to 5A Lake City and Coeur d’Alene are busy laying the groundwork for the upcoming season.

IT’S NOT often you see a true phenom in any sport, but one visited Sandpoint this summer when Gracie McGovern spent a week visiting four generations of families, including current Sandpoint volleyball coach Erin Roos.

The 11 year-old from Scottsdale, who has already hit golf balls with Ricky Fowler and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, among many others, took down a handful of the top male golfers in Sandpoint by shooting a sizzling one-over par 71 at the Elks Golf Course. Did we mention that was from the men’s tees?

McGovern already owns two world championships among her more than 80 tournament wins, and also had a chance to play the only Jack Nicklaus Design course in Idaho when The Idaho Club head pro Randi Fisher invited the prodigy out to play a complimentary round.

Those who have played the track know full well it’s a difficult to post low scores. So how did McGovern fare, from the men’s tees? She carded a 40, a number a lot of good sticks out there would love to post on The Golden Bear’s handiwork.

Who knows what the future holds for a kid still in grade school, but so far so good for a girl whose goal is to one day win a U.S. Open.

KUDOS TO Long Bridge Swim director Jim Zuberbuhler, who made the difficult decision to cancel the 24th annual event last weekend.

Considering the high winds and big waves that flipped one of the safety kayak volunteers who were out testing the waters before the race, organizers were forced to make a quick decision. Many a swimmer over the years has needed a safety kayak, and waves would make them far more difficult to access.

One of the allures of the Long Bridge Swim is it’s just that, a swim, and anything but a race. Sure, there are elite collegiate swimmers like defending winner Bryce Kananowicz, for whom the big waves would have been nothing to shred through.

But the spirit of the swim, started by race founder Eric Ridgway, is equally about the last of the 700 plus swimmers coming out of the water, folks for whom merely finishing the 1.76 mile swim is the goal.

Ultimately, Zuberbuhler made the prudent decision, erring on the side of swimmer safety.

Speaking of fast swimmers, Bulldog senior Payton Bokowy recently set a couple of personal bests at the USA Swimming Futures Meet in Santa Clara, Calif., but more importantly, qualified for the prestigious Junior Nationals in Iowa in December.

But first things first, as she’ll look to cap a stellar prep career by winning two more state titles in the 50 and 100 free, marquee sprint races she won as a freshman and sophomore.

Swimming in North Idaho is legit, and rest assured a bevy of state titles will again travel north from Boise.

Eric Plummer is the sports editor in Sandpoint, and can be reached at eplummer@bonnercountydailybee.com.