Dan Stickradt, Neighbor
- Rochester-Rochester Hills, MI
It seems like only yesterday when my dad would pick my brother and I up and drive us to either a local high school or Oakland University on a Friday and Saturday night to catch a basketball game or prep football game. That was more than 30 years ago — and this ritual took place for several years. <br> <br> I have had a chance to see many great games and athletes of the day, including watching Clarkston's Tim McCormick suit up and lead the Wolves to Final Four in 1980 and Rochester's Paul Davis win Mr. Basketball in 2002. The thousands of all-state athletes that have laid out there blood, sweats and tears before my own eyes over the years are still fresh in my mind.
The Mr. Soccer winners and national cross-country champions; the undefeated No. 1 singles standout and the kicker who split the uprights from 50 yards out; the stars of the day, yesterday and tomorrow, and the unsung heroes — and everything in between. There's never a dull moment.
I have had a pleasure to see many different schools play back in the late 1970s up until today. Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy Athens, Lake Orion, Clarkston, and even small schools such as Auburn hills Oakland Christian, Rochester hills Christian and Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest — you name it. I sat in the bleachers at all of those schools and many more for a wide variety of athletics contests over many years.
A longtime resident of Oakland County and a graduate of both Rochester High School and Oakland University, the local sports scene is engraved into my soul. From suiting up on the T-ball diamond to playing in adult rec. leagues just last year; to covering my first game for a print publication in the early 90s; to compiling an enterprise piece of a touchy subject … there's no other place to be than home right here at home in Oakland County.
Today, I am Senior Editor/Publisher of the Stickradt Media Group and www.northoaklandsports.com, which is working with local media sources, including AOL-Patch, in delivering thorough and educated sports coverage on the local scene for all to enjoy, clip-n-save, forward to a friend and cherish for many years to come.
With 17 years of experience covering high school, club and college sports in the area in both the newspaper and new media forums, there's one thing to know about sports in this region: There's never a day without a story to be told.
<i>(Daniel Stickradt is senior editor and publisher of the Stickradt Media Group public relations sportswriting firm and </i><i>www.northoaklandsports.com who</i><i> is also a freelance writer for AOL-Patch media. He can be reached by e-mail at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com)</i>
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