First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus Dispatch
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchCentral Ohio's newest professional sports team, The Columbus Flames, are determined to prove they're more than a novelty act. They want to be viewed primarily as a football team. That they are women should be of secondary relevance. The Flames are an expansion team in the National Women's Football Association. Esmeralda Taylor tries to get by Tiff Wheeler (left) during practice. Players had not yet received pads and helmets and practiced without them.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchTiff Wheeler, starting center for the Columbus Flames, hits the weights. She has gladly endured such workouts in pursuing her dream of playing football.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchShannon Beaudry gets suited up at practice in preparation for the Columbus Flames' inaugural game in the National Women's Football Association.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchLacking a practice facility, the brand new Columbus Flames practice on a large field behind the Powell, Ohio, city offices near railroad tracks.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchTiff Wheeler, (center) and the rest of the offensive line fire up on the sidelines against the Toledo Spitfire during the Flames' first scrimmage in Rossford, Ohio.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus Dispatch From left: Tanya Vanhoose, Sha'ronda Foster, and Sheila Wood, wait inside the locker room before the start of the first-ever game for their team.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchColumbus Flames fullback Jocelyn Robinson braids the hair of teammate Susan Nelson before the start of the Flames' first-ever game against the Pittsburgh Passion. Players had their hair braided to keep it out of the way. Robinson later put her uniform on.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Flames' Christine Boyd, looks for some running room against the Pittsburgh Passion.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchSidelined for the season because of a back injury, the Flames' Laura Kerr stands on the sidelines during a game against the D.C. Divas. She wears a firefighter's helmet which has her number and the Columbus Flames logo on it. She is a firefighter from Fairborn.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchGirls cheer the Flames as they return to the field after halftime.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Flames' Kelly Meyer takes a water break in the second half of a game against the Pittsburgh Passion.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Fred Squillante / The Columbus DispatchThe Flames' Susan Nelson gets a kiss from her daughter, Savannah, 3, following a game against the D.C. Divas.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon Journal
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalSt. Vincent-St. Mary senior LeBron James makes a flashy entrance to his senior season that was surrounded by a whirlwind of nation media attention.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalSt. Vincent-St. Mary senior LeBron James dominated his high school opponents in every facet of the game as the saying "man among boys" comes to light.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalFans crowd around the St. Vincent-St. Mary team bus trying to get an autograph from LeBron James who just appeared on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. James, a few weeks before, became the first high school athlete to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalLeBron James gets a hug from his mom Gloria James, a single parent wo gave birth to LeBron her senior year in high school. Gloria would be the center of controversy as she purchased a $50,000 Hummer for her son's 18th birthday.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalSt. Vincent-St. Mary senior LeBron James and the Irish had to deal with intense media scrutiny and an intense schedule. ESPN and Dick Vitale, Jay Billas, and Bill Walton were on hand for the team's nationally televised game against Oak Hill. The Irish won 65-45 at the Cleveland State Convo Center.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalNational media scrutiny of the $50,000 Hummer he received from his mother Gloria for his 18th birthday escolated and turned to an OSHAA suspension. James answered his critics by driving a toy hummer on the gym floor before the Irish's game against Mentor.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalJack Durkin of Cleveland, holds sign in support of LeBron James who was suspended by the OSHAA before the team's game against Canton McKinley at the James A. Rhodes Arena.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalLeBron James and the St. Vincent-St. Mary fighting Irish accomplished the team's ultimate goal of winning a state and national championship.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalSt. Vincent-St. Mary senior LeBron James ponders question from throng of reporters at press conference where he announced he is turning pro.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalOn the night of his pro debut, LeBron James was under intense in-your-face media scrutiny from the moment he took the floor.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalLeBron James held his own in his professional debut under the watchful eye of his mother Gloria, below and his agent Aaron Goodwin who were court-side for the event in Sacramento, California.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalLeBron James succumbs to the media attention in a press conference following his first professional game.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon Journal
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalHyre Middle School eight-grade students Sandro Hatibovic and Terrel Thomas have a unique bond. Both love the game of soccer and both are secluded from the hearing world due to being deaf. With interpreters inside the classroom and on the playing field both spend much of the day together communicating to each other and the outside world with sign language. Terrel, left, and Sandro compete for the ball during practice with the Hyre Middle School soccer team. Terrel plays forward and Sandro is a stopper.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalSign language interpreter Karline Caslow signs for Terrel, left, and Sandro as the team counts off while stretching at practice. An interpreter is on hand for practices and games to communicate between the two and the coach.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalDuring a break in practice Michael Charles, left, reacts to Sandro, who is signing the number ten. Michael took an after school class in sign language for hearing people last year and was able to understand the simple conversation the two were having over their shoe sizes.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalSandro, left, and Terrel walk down the hallway to class.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalTeammate Nichole Deltour, left, dumps water on Sandro during a break from practice.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalSandro, right, signs to his interpreter during class while Terrel watches for what he is communicating.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalSandro, left, and Terrel tie their shoes before taking the field for a home game against Goodrich Middle School.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalSandro scores his third goal during a 4-1 victory over Jennings Middle School.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - David Distelhorst / Akron Beacon JournalTerrel, left, and Sandro leave school after soccer practice.
