Charmed life | Charm Carpenter
Once a person joins a sports team, the team becomes family. And the families of the members become….well, family.
That’s the great thing about joining a team. A person gets brothers, sisters, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, you get the point. There is always a person to turn to during happy times and wins and during bad times and losses.
What hurts is when the loss comes from somewhere other than the court, field, or track. It hurts when the loss is one of the family.
For instance, Logan Luft was a 15 year-old wrestler from Charles City, who was killed in an ATV accident over the fourth of July weekend last year. The wrestling community is devastated.
Kirk Korver of Pella died of an undisclosed illness last Tuesday. Korver was the youngest brother of Kyle Korver, a Cleveland Cavalier guard. The younger Korver was a basketball standout at Pella High School and went on to play for the University of Missouri-Kansas. The basketball community is hurting.
But perhaps the biggest hurt in Southwest Iowa is the loss of the Kevin Sharp family of Creston. The family, parents Kevin and Amy along with son Sterling (12) and daughter Adrianna (7) went on a vacation to Mexico for spring break. According to Mexican authorities, they succumbed to toxic gases. More than one family has been affected.
Kevin was a stock car driver at the Adams County Speedway in Corning. Known as “The Sharpshooter,” Kevin was a popular racer for years at the track, and his family was a constant in the stands. Sharp earned eight career wins at the speedway, ranking him 22nd all-time. He was also the track champion in 2015. The children were members of the junior speedster association.
Adams County Speedway is scheduled to start its racing season this Saturday, March 31, and a vigil was held Saturday to honor the family. Drivers are adding the number 2 to their cars this upcoming season. The racing family is in pain.
The Sharps were big Creston Spartan fans, and were planning a trip to Danville, Ill. upon returning to the states to cheer on their team. They were there when the Spartans won the national title last year, and were at many games throughout the season. Kevin and Amy both attended Southwestern Community College and welcomed basketball players into their home for holidays. The basketball community is mourning.
Sterling was a young athlete who played football and baseball, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He and Adrianna were members of the junior golf circuit, and Adrianna was involved in dance. All of those sport families are reeling from the shock.
And Mom was there to support all three of the members in their individual endeavors. Both parents were involved with the lives of their children and Dad helped coach Sterling’s teams.
The town of Creston is mourning the loss of an involved family, and many sport families are joining them.
The second vigil was held Sunday at the VFW baseball diamond in Cerston for family and friends to share memories of the family of four.
And that is what makes a family special. The Sharp family will be missed, but the sports families will be there to support each other. To remind one another of the memories shared, and to help each other in the grieving process.
On a happier note, I was honored to meet a member of my Ramily last night: Chuck Long.
Yes, he may be better known by his time with the Hawkeyes in college, or his professional career with the Detroit Lions, but Long was also a member of the 1990-91 Los Angeles Rams family. To me, that is the most important part of his career.
He kept the number 16 and played in four games. He is one of my favorite members of the Ramily.
So, whether it’s a Ramily or a family, teammates make a difference; an impact; a lifelong memory.
My deepest condolences to the Sharp family and friends, and to all those who have a void in their hearts from the loss of such an involved family.