Written by: Charlie Narmi. 

Spring has sprung! That means it’s time for new events, new sports, and new history!

With thoughts of new history in mind and football season never being too far away - without further adieu the 2006 St. Albert Falcon Football schedule…

Week 1 - Lewis Central - Home - 4A vs. 1A intra-city rivalry - gotta love it!

Week 2 - Glenwood - Away - 3A vs. 1A - this will be an intriguing new match-up.

Week 3 - Logan Magnolia - Away - will the District 8 title be decided the 1^st District game of the year?

Week 4 - Griswold - Homecoming - will the Falcons be 4-0, 3-1, or 2-2 when they take their sweetheart to the dance?

Week 5 - Audubon - Away - pack up the kids for the 1^st real “roadie” of the year!

Week 6 - Riverside - Away - We don’t like them, they don’t like us - should make for good football.

Week 7 - Underwood - Home - Need I say more?

Week 8 - Panora Panorama - Home - It’ll be good to see them again, at home.

Week 9 - Corning - Away - seriously - An hour and a half drive serious.

Playoffs - This is where the history comes in - If the Falcons can make the playoffs it will be their 10^th straight year! This would put them in the Top 7 for all classes in Iowa history!!!

A little more history for you: The St. Albert Auction on April 29^th - Celebrating 25 years of “The Auction”. There are now a ton of great groups doing fundraisers and auctions around the area, but this was one of the 1^st and is still one of the best! A lot of terrific families have been very generous to St. Albert over the years, including the following St. Albert Auction Chairs:

1982 - Jerry & Jan Hughes & Bill Gress & Sarah Foxley

1983 - Bill Gress & Sarah Foxley

1984 - Joe & Mary Lou McGinn

1985 - Tom & Mary Kay Quigley

1986 - Jon & Candy Narmi

1987 - Steve O’Neill & Ann Ekholm

1988 - Chuck & Jonette Smith

1989 - Jim & Maxine Marshall

1990 - Matt Walsh & Mini Walsh

1991 - Wally & Sue Willms

1992 - Jim & Sonja Mortensen

1993 - Wendell & Lyn Stuntz

1994 - Brad & Patti Higginbotham

1995 - Tom & Annette Respeliers

1996 - Joe & Deb Kennebeck

1997 - Brian & Stephani Moon

1998 - Ted & Shelly Wickersham

1999 - Roger & Marina Sawatzke & Tom Crowley

2000 - Dan & Jane Gradoville

2001 - Larry & M.E. Ward

2002 - Wendell & Lyn Stuntz, Brian & Stephani Moon, & Dennis & Jean Coughlin

2003 - Greg & Kathy Gentile in partnership with Steve & Kelli Parker, Dana & Sue Kruse, & Tom & Jacque Liston

2004 - Dan & Natalie Burkey

2005 - Andy & Michelle Biller & Greg & Brenda Moran

Congrats to Sean McNitt for a solid showing at the state wrestling tourney at the new Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. This kid could win just the 2^nd title in St. Albert history and be the 1^st to win multiple titles. How’s that for pressure Seanny boy???

Ms. Melissa, my lovely expecting bride (gentlemen call anytime for notes) is now on bed rest. She is feeling fine, but the little woman inside of her wants to come on down. It’s almost like Bob Barker is calling her name and she doesn’t want to miss out on the action. Did I mention I have done more work around the house in the last week than I have the last 5 years?

Happy St. Patty’s day early! But this whole dispensation thing around the country is really getting to me. Call me old school, but either you abstain from meat on Friday’s or you don’t. Either the Eucharist is the body of Christ or it isn’t. I think you get my point. Have your corn beef on Thursday or Saturday, but stay away Friday & have a beverage instead.

The new renovations at Wolever Field (Baseball) are really starting to take shape and they look great! Because of these renovations - stalbertsportsfan will be able to VIDEO games this summer!

Speaking of video - did you see where all March Madness games through the Elite 8 will be on ncaasports.com? Looks to me like the big boys are following the stalbertsportsfan lead! However, they are offering a feature we can’t quite figure out yet - they’re going to have a “Boss Button” where you click the spacebar and a spreadsheet pops up to make it look like you are really working. You’ve got to love technology!

The Masters is in 1 month and the Player’s Championship is in 2 weeks. Alright, I’m a little nutty about golf, but you have to admit, everyone watches the Masters & the Par 3 17^th at the TPC is one of the most famous holes in golf (it’s the one totally surrounded by water). I’ll take Davis Love III for the Masters & Vijay Singh at the TPC.  By the way, if you haven’t seen John Daly’s new reality show on the Golf Channel, you should. 9:30 on Wednesday’s.

As long as we’re talking about golf - my reads this time are golf books.  Golf Nuts - I Call the Shots by Johnny Miller - A great tell it like it is golf book.  Normal People - Who’s Your Caddy? by Rick Reilly - The Sports Illustrated back page writer caddies for all sorts of people and it’s quite entertaining.

My music thoughts this time around are simple: Sirius Satellite Radio - 180 channels of commercial free radio that can go in your home, car, or office. No, they didn’t pay me to write that.

Got Scrip? I’ve got to admit I don’t. But I will soon. Promise. Natalie Burkey has done such a wonderful job with this program and it’s sooo good for the school (and your tuition). Here is an idea though: Could you deposit a certain amount of money in your own Scrip account and then get a card to charge against it at the various participating businesses - much like a bank or credit card?

Barry Bonds should do the unthinkable for him - be graceful and walk away - now.

The St. Albert Alumni Association is going to have 4 events this year: No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, Sand Volleyball, Golf, & Bowling. 1 event for each season of the year - makes sense doesn’t it?

The Saintes & Falcons Equipment (SAFE) Exotic Tailgate was outstanding! The food was great, the crowd was great, the signed pennants were great, the people who put the event on are great, and the speakers (Mike Stuntz & Darin Heideman) were great! A couple of class acts took the mike after Dan McGinn did another fine job emceeing, and boy Darin & Mike didn’t disappoint. Here were their talks in a nutshell - They loved & still love St. Albert. They were grateful for everything they received at St. Albert, including the family atmosphere, the education, the faith, the friends, the sports, the teachers and coaches, and the discipline. High school football was more physically grinding than college, you become a much better athlete by playing as many sports as possible, and you have to work hard in school (kids ask Mike Stuntz what he scored on the ACT & ask Darin what he plans on doing the rest of his life). As you folks all know, you can’t put a price tag on any of this and you can’t put a price tag on St. Albert.

Having said that: let’s try and put a price tag on a new primary wing at the high school.  $5-$6 million dollars. Yes, that is a lot of money, especially when you see it in writing - but this project must be done. The current primary school is getting structurally unsafe as well as now being in a high traffic industrial area. Did you know that 80% of St. Albert students are now in the 51503 zip code? Did you know that by putting the primary up at the high school, St. Albert will save hundreds of thousands a year in operating costs. That’s real money and that’s real tuition savings. Much like 45 years ago when the high school was being built, this will take EVERYONE’S help. Whether it be financially, by volunteering on the campaign, or by recruiting new families to St. Albert - the school needs everyone to help. Call the school’s President - Mr. Brian Osborne at 712-329-9000 to see how your family can help.

Until next time & God Bless St. Albert…