The First Post
Hello to those of you who have chosen to read this blog; welcome.
I feel like many of my new friends don't really know much about me, and my best friends far away know very little of who I am becoming. So, I've decided to blog and share parts of my life I may never have shared with you.
To those who don't know, I grew up in Yankton, South Dakota (not North Dakota). I honestly do not understand why Washingtonians automatically consolidate any Dakota reference to North Dakota. I bet I have told 100 people I am from SD and 95 of them have asked me how North Dakota is the next time I saw them.....ugg. At least they don't think I'm from Mitchell!
Yankton is quite a bit different from Seattle, or Washington in general. It is a "big city," by South Dakota standards, with a population of about 15,000 people. However small it now seems, I loved growing up in Yankton. I feel the best way to describe my hometown is to explain the role of the high school football team in my life. My family would always go to Friday night home games. I can remember walking down the side streets toward the stadium at the age of 7 or 8 and hearing the pep band playing "Iron Man," and thinking how great it would be to play for the mighty Yankton Bucks someday; it was my dream.
It really was every young boy who grew up in Yankton's dream. We played football at recess year-round; picking our favorite players from the varsity team and playing our hearts out in their honor. One might think that the realized dream wouldn't be all we imagined as a kids, but it was. The pride and excitement that follows every football season in Yankton is unmatched. I remember men in our church congregation that would tap me on the shoulders during the service and say, "Great game Friday night, you guys looked like a state championship team." Being a member of our team was like being a celebrity. Young boys with star-struck eyes lined up to give us high-fives out of the locker room, and the "flag boy" would sprint for several blocks alongside our bus hoisting a victory flag high above is head. As a player; you didn't play for personal honor or glory. Rather, you played for your hometown, you played to sing the fight song with your teammates on the way home, and you played to put another championship banner in the gym. You did this because you felt like you were a part of something special, something much bigger than you were alone. And you were.
This is what I miss most about home. The small-town pride and support Yankton has for it's school and students makes it a great place to live and gives the town a strong sense of community. Although I now live in a large metropolitan area (and really enjoy it), I will always look back fondly on my days growing up in the "River City."
I feel like many of my new friends don't really know much about me, and my best friends far away know very little of who I am becoming. So, I've decided to blog and share parts of my life I may never have shared with you.
To those who don't know, I grew up in Yankton, South Dakota (not North Dakota). I honestly do not understand why Washingtonians automatically consolidate any Dakota reference to North Dakota. I bet I have told 100 people I am from SD and 95 of them have asked me how North Dakota is the next time I saw them.....ugg. At least they don't think I'm from Mitchell!
Yankton is quite a bit different from Seattle, or Washington in general. It is a "big city," by South Dakota standards, with a population of about 15,000 people. However small it now seems, I loved growing up in Yankton. I feel the best way to describe my hometown is to explain the role of the high school football team in my life. My family would always go to Friday night home games. I can remember walking down the side streets toward the stadium at the age of 7 or 8 and hearing the pep band playing "Iron Man," and thinking how great it would be to play for the mighty Yankton Bucks someday; it was my dream.
It really was every young boy who grew up in Yankton's dream. We played football at recess year-round; picking our favorite players from the varsity team and playing our hearts out in their honor. One might think that the realized dream wouldn't be all we imagined as a kids, but it was. The pride and excitement that follows every football season in Yankton is unmatched. I remember men in our church congregation that would tap me on the shoulders during the service and say, "Great game Friday night, you guys looked like a state championship team." Being a member of our team was like being a celebrity. Young boys with star-struck eyes lined up to give us high-fives out of the locker room, and the "flag boy" would sprint for several blocks alongside our bus hoisting a victory flag high above is head. As a player; you didn't play for personal honor or glory. Rather, you played for your hometown, you played to sing the fight song with your teammates on the way home, and you played to put another championship banner in the gym. You did this because you felt like you were a part of something special, something much bigger than you were alone. And you were.
This is what I miss most about home. The small-town pride and support Yankton has for it's school and students makes it a great place to live and gives the town a strong sense of community. Although I now live in a large metropolitan area (and really enjoy it), I will always look back fondly on my days growing up in the "River City."
Labels: south dakota, yankton, yankton bucks
posted by Trey at
10:37 PM
3 Comments:
You should take it as a compliment that people thought you were from ND. I would...
Some of the best moments in my life were watching you and your sister grow. You would ride your Fisher Price trike with an empty icecream bucket on your head for a helmet. Remember when you wanted to run away and I helped you pack. I made you take some toilet paper along just in case.... Your sister would mispronounce words. I came in the room on time and your sister was telling you that you were "abnoxious!"
Sometimes I run across a daycare mom with her children and they are really having a bad time. No one is cooperating, and the mother is really frustrated. I tell her that whele your children are little you are so busy and so tired but... in a little minute they will be gone and you will never get that time back. I try to help her get the kids out to the car and in their car seats. I know how she is feeling and I know how she will feel when they are gone. I love you. MOM
I too was a yanktonian! You're right on the Money! I really liked it and it has alot of true to what you say!
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