Guest Blog: October 2008 Archives

Thomas Page is the manager of the U12 Bolingbrook Bandits youth baseball team. He is attempting to lose 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009. This is the seventh week of his weekly journal for The Brook Blog.

Everything is going very well so far. Good thing too, holidays are approaching quickly. That's is a difficult time for anyone on a diet.

I have noticed since doing my work outs, my endurance has increased a whole lot over the past few weeks. I find that I am able to do more for longer periods of time! This is very exciting because I love to work out. It's very hard but the feeling you get when you are done is a euphoria that is very hard to describe. I am getting more and more fit every time I see Angel.

Bolingbrook student Nick Ficarrotta is a self-confessed high school football junkie, who in addition to attending every Bolingbrook Raiders football game has taken the time to check out some of the other powers in Class 8A. This post is his breakdown of the playoff pairings announced on Saturday.

It's the beginning of a whole new season for high school football fans. With the brackets being announced Saturday, Bolingbrook has clinched the number one seed in the lower bracket and is to face Chicago Curie in the first round at home.

However it wasn't just the Bolingbrook side of the bracket that caught my eye.

Last week, after Bolingbrook won at Sandburg to clinch the Southwest Suburban Blue title, I decided to take a road trip the next day to see two other undefeated teams face off in what was to be a very interesting day.

Thomas Page is the manager of the 12U Bolingbrook Bandits. He is trying to lose 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009 to improve his health and raise money for his travel baseball team. This is the sixth week of his journal for The Brook Blog.

Well, it has been difficult coming up with things to write about, but this one not so much, I'm naming this one mind over matter.

Have you ever noticed how many fast food restaurants we have around? Have you ever noticed how HARD it is to eat out healthy? We went out to dinner the other day and for a "healthy" choice, dinner was somewhere under 650 calories but they could not "promise" that. I have been trying to target my craving time (between 2 and 5) with something sweet like a piece of fruit or something of that nature but wow, it is so hard not to just pull in to grab a bite to eat.

I think that is one of the most difficult aspects of dieting is cutting the fast food. With the holidays fast approaching, well, it will be a challenge to say the least.

Thomas Page coaches the 12U Bolingbrook Bandits travel baseball team. He is trying to lose 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009 to both improve his health and raise money for his team. This is his weekly journal for The Brook Blog.

Hi Everyone--thanks again for taking the time to read the blog for Thomas Page. Well, we have stayed the same this week. I have currently lost 15 pounds but can't seem to budge past this.

I am trying to work out extra with my personal trainer. He hopefully will be able to get me over this small hurdle.

My main focus this week was our team. We are trying to complete the roster for the team and have 4 spots still available. We are also starting to work on our fundraisers, which is always a challenge for any team. It does add a small amount of stress to one and this could be another reason for my lack of losing this week.

I must say one thing though, I may not be losing weight, but I am definitely losing inches. I have lost at least six inches from my waist. I cannot tell you how nice it is to be able to move that belt notch back farther and farther.

Sargy Letuchy is the girls tennis coach at Bolingbrook. In this guest blog entry, he writes about his team's growth as the Raiders prepare for sectional play this weekend.

Coming into our sectional tournament, we just had our best result of the season. I think our players played with the confidence they worked so hard to develop the last 2 months. To go from 5th place last year, to 4th place this year and from 0 entries in the semifinals last year, to 5 entries in the semifinals this year is a great step forward for our program. The whole team deserves the credit for the improvement.

In sectionals, we have 2 sophomores playing singles-Tracy Brezina and Annie Rollins, and Celina Onyejiaka playing doubles with Ryann Woodfill and Danica Ujano playing doubles with Jessica Ventura.

Our sectional every year possess many tough schools, especially in singles. It has been many years since we have had an entry get through sectionals to the state tournament. However, since I took over the program, this is the best chance we have had. On Friday, our players will be prepared to show themselves and other area teams that they can compete for a spot in the state tournament.

I want to recognize and thank all the players for their time and effort this year. Hopefully, it continues throughout the offseason into next August.

Runnin' Bare is a Bolingbrook resident who will offer guest blogs about motorsports, giving his views on both the local tracks and the national circuits. This is his first post for The Brook Blog. He can be reached at richrunninbare@sbcglobal.net.

There was a time after Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s death when DEI had the most popular and highest revenue generator in USA Motorsports in Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Remember Budweiser paying $10 million to Mr. and Mrs. Earnhardt before Jr. ever raced a Winston Cup event?

Paul Menard is a Wisconsin boy and son of John Menard, owner of Menard's and hard core racer with a resume of race teams second to none at Indianapolis in the 1990's. He funded of the famous DEI engines. Which as you know now does not exist on its own any longer.

The brains are now at RCR or Richard Childress Racing.

Martin Truex Jr. was a young up and coming hard charger in the North East, whose father owns and operates commercial fishing boats on the Atlantic. Seems to me to be a perfect business to business fit for a long term deal and the key to the Museum vs. Motorsports Team question.

Thomas Page is the manager of the 12U Bolingbrook Bandits travel baseball team. He is raising money for the Bandits through losing weight. Page is trying to lose 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009. This is the fourth post of his weekly journal for The Brook Blog.

Well it's been 4 weeks since I started my little project here. Nearly 15 pounds down, 35 to go by January 22nd.

I must say that this is one of the most difficult things I have done in quite some time. I find it very hard because it seems like everywhere you go or anything you do revolves around food. It's hard to say "no thanks" but I am always happy to share my story why it's a "no thanks" instead of "thanks"!.

More and more people are approaching me asking me how I am doing or how's it going. The best part is that I can already tell I have lost weight by my belt.

Kyle Jakubek is the offensive line coach for the Bolingbrook Raiders varsity football team. Jakubek, who is the third Raiders football coach to write for The Brook Blog, used to coach at Lincoln-Way East.

It's almost Friday night in Bolingbrook and everybody is up for this game.
Where do I start talking about Friday night's football game with the Raiders of Bolingbrook High School (6-0), squaring off against the Griffins of Lincoln-Way East High School (6-0)?

When you look at this game on paper you would think this is a quarterfinal or semifinal round game, but it's not. It's only a week 7 game!

Even though this is only a regular season game there is still a lot that is at stake for both teams. For starters, the winner of this game controls their playoff fate. The winner will likely go undefeated and be the number one or two seeded team in the southern half of the I.H.S.A. playoffs bracket.

Thomas Page is the manager of the 12U Bolingbrook Bandits travel baseball team. He is raising money for the Bandits through losing weight. Page is trying to lose 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009. This is the third post of his weekly journal for The Brook Blog.

Welcome to the blog for Tomas Page. This is now week 3 and we are 10 pounds down and counting. We have had a very exciting development in the recent future. I have found a personal trainer who is helping me to achieve my goal quicker.

His name is Angel Santiago. He is a gentleman who I found completely by accident.

His resume is extensive including not only physical training and owning his own facility, but he was also a drill instructor from the Airborne Rangers and is also qualified in physical therapy. He has recently opened a new location, Body Impact on Harlem Avenue in Oak Park which I have been going to three times per week.