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Bolingbrook Bandits 12U manager Thomas Page returns for the 10th week of his journal for The Brook Blog. Page is attempting to lost 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009 to improve his health and raise money for his youth baseball team.

Well we are feeling better and now back from the Great White North, the UP of Michigan. Unsuccessful hunt but wonderful trip to say the least.

I have been very successful in my weigh loss goal so far, 25 pounds, and it is definitely getting easier to work out. It was easier to keep up this year with my friends while walking in deep snow and forest.

I am now going to increase my work outs with Angel about 3 times per week. I have 2 months left on my trek and its going to go by very quickly.

Second-year Bolingbrook Raiders boys basketball coach Rob Brost offers up his first post for The Brook Blog. His Raiders will open the season on Nov. 25.

When Sean asked me to write a blog about our team and the upcoming season, of course I said I would. I anticipated that I would simply summarize our collection of talent, give a brief description of their individual strengths and write about where I think our team fits into the conference, etc: a preview similar to the ones that every other paper wants.

Then Sean said, "There are a lot of high expectations for this team from the media, parents, fans and other coaches, could you write about what your expectations are for this team." This was no longer a fact finding article were I simply could list our strengths and weakness, player profiles, etc.

Simply said, I would hope that "my" expectations of this team would become "our" expectations. In other words, I hope that my expectations would become those of the players, assistant coaches and even our managers and OUR expectations would be one in the same.

Bolingbrook wrestling coach Rob Kichka gives us a preview of his team with his first guest blog appearance at The Brook Blog.

The 2008-2009 wrestling season actually started last spring with many new changes. First, there was a coaching change. The new coaching staff right away set goals and began to develop an off-season wrestling program that many other local schools do.

We began weight lifting and conditioning. This was a great start for our program and the turnout was great.

During this time Assistant Coach Dan Bullivant and I traveled with many kids over the spring weekends to various tournaments around the area so that the wrestlers could get matches in at open tournaments. Second, we set up and planned a summer wrestling schedule.

This is the eighth week of the journal Thomas Page is writing for The Brook Blog about his attempt to lose 50 pounds before Jan. 22, 2009. Page is losing weight to improve his health and raise money for his Bolingbrook Bandits 12U team.

Well, we have been sick this week. I was able to work out once with Angel but only twice for cardio. We have the flu. I am trying to encourage my oldest son to work with me and continue his work out that he was doing for cross country. I find it has been a challenge all in its own. He too seems to have hit a rut.

I will be leaving next week for my annual trek up north to the UP of Michigan. I was enjoying fitting into my hunting clothes. I will even have to go shopping when I come home. My pants are just too loose which is a problem I actually enjoy having I must say.

Bolingbrook assistant football coach Todd Howard is the fourth member of the Raiders coaching staff to write for The Brook Blog. Here is what is on his mind as Bolingbrook gets ready for the second round of the IHSA Class 8A playoffs.

As we finish up this week of preparation and begin to wind down before the big game Friday night, I find myself in a familiar place. This is my third year of being a part of the coaching staff at Bolingbrook High School, and all three years we have qualified for the playoffs.

The first two years we lost to the eventual state champs (Lincoln-Way East and Naperville North). It's a feeling that you never quite get over. Remembering the looks on the seniors' faces, some flooded with tears, and others whose eyes are glazed over in disbelief. Hoping that the underclassmen remember this scene so that they'll work that much harder to not suffer the same fate the next year.

Looming in the back of your head are thoughts of what could've been or what we, as coaches, could've done differently to have prevented Bolingbrook from another premature playoff exit and another championship-less season. Highly anticipating the next season, so that you can try to make your weaknesses your strengths, and turn your strengths to habits.

However, this season is different, which ironically makes it all too familiar.

Bolingbrook student Nick Ficarrotta is keeping an eye on the IHSA football playoffs for us. This is his second post for The Brook Blog.

How to start the playoffs? Thatʼs the question that could have been on everyoneʼs mind heading into this weekend. Little did we all know that it would end up being this wild. With Bolingbrook eliminating Chicago Curie on Friday night 62-13, the Raiders hit the ground running for that first state title.

The game could have ended halftime when the Raiders lit up the scoreboard with a 34-7 lead. The Raider Defense only allowed 90 total yards from Curie in the first half which only had 122 total yards by the end of the game. The Offense of Bolingbrook had 309 rushing yards for the entire game. Talk about a mismatch.

Next up is Hinsdale Central which was one of the shockers this weekend. Central made its game look far too easy against a Downers Grove South team that came back from starting the year 0-2. Bolingbrook fans as well as players where shocked to hear the announcement that Hinsdale Central was leading DGS 46-0 with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. That final score was 46-12.

So what else happened in other parts of the bracket? Well why donʼt we talk about the all the upsets. And that doesnʼt just mean 8A either.

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.