First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / Freelance
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceWillie Reagan, who began his professional arm wrestling career in 1983, is now passing along his championship tradition to his 19-year-old son Boomer. At age 14, Boomer began competing in youth divisions at tournaments. After a year of winning every youth tournament he entered, Boomer moved up and began competing against adults. The transition did not happen smoothly, and Boomer ended up losing most of his early matches to adults before finally winning his first adult tournament at age 16. Together, Willie and Boomer have become one of the most successful and well-respected father-son teams in professional arm wrestling.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceIn Reno for the arm wrestling World Championship in October, Boomer (right) and his father Willie relax in their hotel room the day before competition, trying to ignore the hunger pangs in their stomachs and not eat anything before the official weigh-ins that evening.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceBoomer watches as his father Willie weighs himself in, hoping to make weight for the 154-pound division he wanted to enter at the arm wrestling World Championship. In his first weigh-in, Willie came in at 156 pounds. Needing to lose two more pounds, he returned to the hotel room to sweat off the extra weight.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceAfter an initial weigh-in found Willie two pounds over the weight limit for the 154-pound division he wanted to enter at the arm wrestling World Championship, Willie returns to the hotel room and stands in a makeshift sauna--the shower with the hot water turned all the way up--for 45 minutes to sweat off the extra pounds. "That's where champs are made, in steam rooms like that--this is what seperates us," he said before returning to the weigh-in room for the second time and making the successful weight.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceWillie tries to get Boomer psyched up, as the son's matches came up first. "This is it Boomer, it all comes down to this day," Willie says. "You're one year smarter and one year stronger." Boomer would compete to defend the world championship gold medal he won in 2004 in the amateur division of the 154-pound right-hand class.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceBoomer in action as he tries to defend his world championship gold medal in the 154-pound right-hand class. He would get off to a promising start with a win in his first match of the double-elimination format.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceBoomer registers his disappointment after failing to defend his gold medal at the World Championship. He made it to the finals again, but this year took home a silver medal after losing in a rematch with last year's gold medal opponent. Boomer would also later win a bronze medal in the left-hand division, which was little consolation. "I'm really homesick right now, I miss (girlfriend) Kayla," he would say soon after. "I wanted that gold medal."
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceWillie chalks up his hands before a match. Arm wrestlers use the chalk to improve grip while pulling; if a competitor's hand slips during the match, the referee will stop the match and bind the competitors' hands together with a tight velcro strap before restarting.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceWillie in action, going for gold medals in the Masters division 154-pound right and left-handed classes. Willie, a veteran arm wrestler who has competed professionally for over 20 years, is now passing on the winning tradition to his son Boomer. Together, they are among the most successful father-son arm wrestling teams.
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceWillie (left) celebrates after winning a World Championship gold medal in the Masters division 154-pound left-hand class. His son Boomer is at right. "Nobody went through what I did (mentally)," he said. "I wanted it (the gold medal) the most, and it was all worth it." But the win would be bittersweet for Willie because Boomer came up short in defending his own gold medal from last year. "I love my boy, I know he's disappointed," Willie would later say. "Its anybody's day on that (arm wrestling) table."
First place, Sports Picture Story - Greg Ruffing / FreelanceBack in their hotel room and away from the crowds, Willie (wearing his gold medal and a bronze medal he earned in right-hand competition) consoles his son Boomer after he came up short in defending his World Championship gold medal from last year. "No matter what happened today Boomer, I'm proud of you," he said.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio University
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityJessica McCoy is training to become a pro boxer. After discovering boxing and Sam’s Gym when she came to Athens as a student at Ohio University five years ago, the sport has become her life. During her training nights, she is most often the only female in the gym, leaving her no choice but to spar with the men. Jessica rests on the ropes after sparring with a man in Sam’s Gym. Two times a week, she makes the commute from London, Ohio, to Glouster, where she trains by sparring, hitting the punching bag, and doing strength training.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityThe men at the gym respect Jessica and usually treat her like one of them, allowing no mercy during a training fight; and new boxers, as well as veterans, will heed her advice on improving a technique.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityAs Sam, her coach as well as the gym’s owner, discusses her next organized fight with another trainer, Jessica receives a helping hand putting on her headgear before taking the ring.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityJessica goes in for the head punch as she fights a man during training.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityAs tough as she is, Jessica is still concerned with how she looks and fixes her hair in the gym’s mirror after leaving the ring.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityWith a bag set up below the staircase in the one-room gym, Jessica practices alone; she often resorts to this type of training when she has trouble finding a man who will fight her.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityDuring fights, Jessica is forced to use the men’s locker room, since she and her opponent are usually the only women competing. Though she changes in the women’s bathroom, she must keep her belongings and warm up before the fight in the locker room with the men.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityAs Jessica gets assistance with her gloves before taking the ring at Trimble Middle School, a young girl looks up admiringly.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityDuring the Trimble Middle School “Boxing for Books” Fight Night, Jessica and her opponent, Valerie, were the only females to fight all night; the rest were males ranging from young boys to retired pro men boxers.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Katie Falkenberg / Ohio UniversityAfter the fight, Jessica and Valerie compare their medals in the entryway of the men’s locker room. They are long-time opponents at fights, but good friends outside of boxing. Whenever there are fights in areas near the towns where they live, they always end up fighting each other because of the lack of other women boxers in the area.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky Register
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin Muirhead, a sophomore at Port Clinton High School, lost his big toe and the majority of his knee cap after being run over by a riding lawn mower when he was four years old. Then last year after years of reconstructive surgery with modest results, he decided to amputate the foot. Armed with a sense of humor and an optimistic outlook, he joined the high school swim team. In just a year he's shaved a minute off his 500-yard freestyle. He'd like to eventually go to set a school record and participate in the Special OlympicsDustin (with the goggles on his forehead) and his teammates hold up his prosthetic leg and do a team cheer before a meet in January. He later said about the cheer, "I felt like I wanted to do something funny. Bring some laughter."
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin Muirhead (fourth from the left) stretches with the Port Clinton High School swim team before practice. Dustin says his coach Danny Diaz "doesn't look at me differently. He doesn't give me a workout that's less."
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin and Kelsey Fisher play around in the pool after a practice.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin dangles his goggles on his stump while sitting with his teammates during a meet.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin swims a lap of freestyle during a practice.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin hops to the starting blocks to race at the Ken Gipe Relays at Port Clinton High School.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin swims a lap underwater as part of the practice. He wears a fin on his good foot during practice for strengthening and conditioning.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin, wearing his prosthetic leg, walks past the pool after practice.
Third Place, Sports Picture Story - Abogail Bobrow / Sandusky RegisterDustin jokes around with his relay team before their race at a meet in Oak Harbor.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon Journal
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalChase Seams sleeps in the car as his father and Ohio Valley Bengal player, Scott Seams, prepares to practice with the semi-pro football team at Goodyear Middle School in Akron. The Ohio Valley Bengals team is a member of the semi-pro Ohio Valley Football League which was founded in 1966.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalBraving the cold temperatures and, like the majority of players on the team, woefully out of shape, Ohio Bengal player Dalvin Hill throws up during a team practice session.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalA group of players from another team in the league, a constant at practice and games during the season, laugh as members of the Ohio Valley Bengals have problems while running plays during a practice session at Goodyear Middle School in Akron. Despite trying hard, team ability was not high and this type of joking and ridicule was common during the season, especially from players on other teams.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalAn Ohio Valley Bengal player stretches on a field that has been crudely lined and numbered with a paintbrush by the team's owner Misty Brown and several volunteers before the game at the University of Akron's former practice field in Akron. With almost no team budget to speak of, all work and providing of the game-day necessities (such as lining the field, setting up a concession stand and arranging for officials) are done by team members or volunteers. Players, who are not paid, are responsible for buying their own equipment and uniforms.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalGame days always had a picnic atmosphere and a loyal group of families and fans took full advantage of the summertime activity. At right, Melissa Powers, acting trainer and wife of Ohio Valley Bengals head coach Ricky Powers, tapes the ankles of Dalvin Hill while Cathy Witt gives a drink to grandson Nathaniel King and two other team supporters put sun tan lotion on their kids before a game against the Mahoning Valley Panthers.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalOhioValley Bengal players Donnie Witt (left) and Jamar Holmes (right) try to kill time before a pre-season game while Nick Thompson (center) makes use of the bushes as a make-shift bathroom. Like many semi-pro teams, the Bengals were forced to play on a middle school field without any facilities because it was the only field available to practice on in the city that wasn't being used for other activities. More importantly, it was free.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalThe Ohio Valley Bengals run a play against the Buffalo Warriors on their home field, which was nothing more than an uneven, rutted expanse of grass next to the Joy Park Housing Complex in Akron. The team used to play games on high school fields until the city stopped that after crowd problems at other semi-pro games caused trouble in the neighborhoods in past years. The Bengals, with some aid from the city of Akron, hope to build a facility at Joy Park that they can use for years to come.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalOhio Valley Bengal player Donnie Witt dresses for the team's game against the Buffalo Warriors outside the visitor's locker room, a women's bathroom, at the Buffalo Bills training facility in Orchard Park, New York. It was just one of many reminders during the summer season just how far from the glamorous world of NFL football the players were.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalOhio Valley Bengal team member Jasper Trotter enjoys some time with his wife, Tara, before the start of the team's game against the Rochester Renegades. Family members and their support were an important part of the team's small, but loyal fan base and most attended as many games as possible, even road games.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalOhio Valley Bengals head coach Ricky Powers (third from left) tries to light a spark under the team by delivering a pep talk at halftime of their game against the Rochester Renegades. The talk failed as the team lost 14-6. The loss officially eliminated the team from the playoffs.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalSitting in a nearly empty stadium at Rayen High School (from left) Melissa Powers, owner Misty Brown, Amy Witt and her children, Eric, 1, and Ashley, 5, cheer on their team, the Ohio Valley Bengals, to a 44-7 victory over the Mahoning Valley Panthers in Youngstown. Crowds at the team's game were always small and mostly made up of the same small group of family and friends.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba, Jr. / Akron Beacon JournalDespite suffering a 19-6 loss to the Buffalo Warriors, Ohio Valley Bengal players (from right) Mike Miller and Kevin Bing congratulate each other for the team's effort after the game at the Buffalo Bills training facility in Orchard Park, New York. Despite a 4-6 season, a strong sense of team developed between the 10-15 players who made up the core of the Bengals roster, many who never missed a single practice or game.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily News
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsDespite being born without legs, Colonel White High School tenth grader Bobby Martin plays on the football team as a defensive lineman. Only half their size, his disability hasn't kept him from being an important inspiration to his team as well as his opponents and their fans. Colonel White's Bobby Martin keeps in perfect step with his teammates as they arrive at Welcome Stadium before a game with Dunbar.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsColonel White's Bobby Martin is in the midst of teammates as they chant a spirited response to a coaches' inspirational speech in the locker room before a game with Dunbar.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsColonel White's Bobby Martin waits with teammates at the lockerroom door before entering the playing field for a game vs. Dunbar.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsColonel White's Bobby Martin walks behind temmates as they line up on the field prior to a game vs. Dunbar.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsColonel White's Bobby Martin warms up with a passing drill on the sidelines before entering a game with Dunbar.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsSeeing limited playing time early inn the season, Colonel White's Bobby Martin lines up in defensive formation during a game with Dunbar.
Award of Excellence, Sports Picture Story - Jim Witmer / Dayton Daily NewsColonel White's Bobby Martin is congratulated after a game by an inspired fan who saw him play on the field. His mother is next to him.
