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Colburn Comments: Beyond the contest

Sports reporter

This week I was poignantly reminded how sport reaches beyond the boundaries of competition to touch lives in so many positive ways.

Green Acres MX Track in Marion hosted the 2006 KORR Motocross Fall Championships Sunday, and this was the first time I've ever attended a motocross event.

The competition on the track was exhilarating. What I experienced on the sidelines, however, was truly heartwarming.

Kevin and Renae Anderson were there to mark the fourth time this race has been run in memory of their motocross-loving son, Justin, who lost his life in a car-motorcycle accident in 2003.

Those who live on the opposite side of Marion from Green Acres wouldn't likely use the word "peaceful" to describe the sound of zooming cycles that filter into their living rooms on race day.

Yet a measure of peace was what I found in the eyes of Kevin and Renae, as we talked about Justin amidst revving engines, pungent exhaust fumes, and choking clouds of dust.

I certainly caught glimpses of the lasting grief losing a child too soon, too young, etches forever on parents' hearts.

For the enormous challenge of finding joy and peace sufficient to balance that pain, the Andersons have found genuine solace in their extended family, the people of the KORR circuit.

Motocross has been a healing balm for the Andersons, as their son's legacy is continued through the friendships they've formed with parents, Justin's friends and competitors, and the kids Justin coached.

Sports has given a special gift to this couple that will endure and grow the rest of their lives. It's so much greater than the competition.

In a different vein, I had the pleasure Friday of sitting down with Nikki Case and her son Grif, to learn about their recent trip to Detroit for the first game of baseball's World Series.

It's clear mother and son had a wonderful time together, though neither swung a bat or tossed a pitch in competition.

Sports provided an opportunity for a son to learn more about family roots, for mother and child to grow closer, and for building memories both will cherish throughout their lives.

I've enjoyed competitive sports all of my life. I enjoy even more experiencing the things sports can add to the quality of our lives.

* * * * *

Last week, I noted that Marion High School runner Camille Christensen would need to find a new gear to challenge for a medal at Saturday's state cross country meet.

She found it.

Camille chopped nearly a full minute off her previous personal best time. That's an amazing accomplishment on a championship course at the end of a grueling season.

Her quest for a medal fell just sixth-tenths of a second short, but her inspired performance marks her as a winner in this sports writer's book.

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