Chris McCoy made just the right pitch at the recent National DECA conference in Anaheim, Calif. But, unlike the pitches he throws for the Kelso High School baseball team, this fastball helped the 18-year-old land in the office of national DECA president.

My name is Bond: Kelso Bond." "My mission: Possible" That's the slogan Kelso High School leadership students are using to campaign for the district's $29.9 million bond. Following a talk from Kelso Superintendent Glenys Hill, members of the leadership class have held a register-to-vote campaign on campus, polled the senior class on the bond and door-belled Kelso neighborhoods to educate citizens.

McCoy's future includes three opportunities —- accepting a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Washington, signing a contract to play professional baseball, or becoming national president of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA).

A 1985 newspaper clipping from the Cowlitz County Advocate features a photograph of two young cousins, ages 3 and 2 1/2, modeling the tiny custom-made letterman's jackets they received for Christmas.‍ Oh, how they wanted to grow up so they, too, could play football for the beloved Rockets. Just like the big boys.

The No. 13 UCLA women's track and field team will travel to Provo, UT this weekend for the fourth annual NCAA West Region Championships. The meet, which is held on Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27, qualifies athletes for the NCAA Championships in Sacramento June 7-10.

The climate is ideal, the terrain rugged and challenging, and the interest keen. All signs point to dream conditions for long-distance runners in San Francisco. With that said, University High cross country coach Jim Tracy points out that the 2004 season for local high schools has been close to spectacular.

Two yellow buses will pull up to Alamo Creek Park in Dublin today and out should march 115 teens clad in College Park High purple, silver and white. This won't be botany field trip, ROTC training or a senior seminar. It's the new wave of cross country -- by the masses.

For the average high school cross country runner there is no such thing as strategy during a race. It's simply, turn your brain off, put your head down, grit your teeth and battle through the pain to the finish line.

Some coaches teach by example. Others scream instructions at their players from a distance. Then there's Kelso Babe Ruth baseball coach Steve McCoy.‍ If able, he would show the 14- and 15-year-old members of his Baker Lumber team the art of stealing home. He would toss pitches at them from the mound or swing the bat, peppering the field with pregame fly balls.