Sports

Ben White never let himself look too far ahead.

White stayed in the moment. He seized the day.

And as each new morning arrived, he began the same process over.

Today, White still doesn’t look too far ahead. On Sunday, though, he will look back.

White, Middleton’s assistant athletic director, was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma on Sept. 13, 2019. Today, White is in remission.

To celebrate what White has overcome in the past year, he’ll run a half marathon Sunday — the one-year anniversary of his cancer diagnosis — through Middleton. The run will also serve as a fundraiser for Gilda’s Club Madison, which White said provided invaluable emotional support during his fight.

Alex Weiss, a 15-year-old from Middleton, started the fun several years ago.

Two years ago, his pal Brett Wieland of Milton who’s also 15, joined the party.

And this year, little brothers Luke Weiss (12) and Kade Wieland (11), came to the festivities.

In the end, the Wisconsin PGA Junior Foundation did the most celebrating.

This Fabulous Foursome teamed up on Aug. 24 and played more than 600 holes of golf on one day at Oak Ridge Golf Course in Milton. The quartet raised money for the Wisconsin PGA Junior Foundation, and that total currently at $4,642.

“The Wisconsin Junior PGA Foundation (holds) junior golf tournaments for kids of all ages and provide scholarships for kids that wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in these events,” Alex Weiss recently told Wisconsin.Golf. “We have played in the Wisconsin Junior PGA tournaments for many years and it’s been an incredible experience for us, especially during COVID-19.”

Rob Kleinschmidt was always a natural athlete.

Kleinschmidt competed in football, wrestling and track while at Orfordville-Parkview High School during the late-1980s.

When Kleinschmidt was a student at UW-Madison, though, he encountered the first sport that gave him fits.

Volleyball.

“My wife (Sue) introduced me to volleyball when I was 21 and I was just awful,” Kleinschmidt said. “I couldn’t believe I could be that bad at something. But I started playing, got a lot better and loved it.”

So much that Kleinschmidt has been playing — and coaching — for more than a quarter century. Now, the latest chapter in his volleyball journey takes him to Middleton High School, where he was recently named the Cardinals’ new head coach.

Kleinschmidt replaces longtime coach Ben White, who was named Middleton’s assistant athletic director in June, a position that precludes him from coaching.

Boys soccer teams from all across the state will begin their new seasons on Sept. 7. By the end of the week, those schools could be having their first game.

At Middleton High School, first-year varsity coach Kevin Pauls and the Cardinals will watch and wait.

Middleton recently voted to push fall sports to the spring due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. That means Middleton’s boys soccer season will now take place from March 22-May 10.

While waiting another six months for the season to begin isn't ideal, Pauls & Co. are trying to stay upbeat.

“I'm excited that we have a plan for the season,” Pauls said. “It's better late than never. I just hope things are better by then. I keep reminding myself and people around me, we are making a huge assumption that we as school, community, state, country will be in a better place by March, and I hope we are, but we just don't know.

Maddie Vogel couldn't wait for the girls volleyball season to arrive.

Vogel, Middleton’s first year coach, was thrilled to take over the Cardinals’ once-dominant program. She inherited a young and gifted squad.

And Vogel was hoping to lead Middleton back to greatness on 2020.

For now, she’ll have to wait.

Middleton recently voted to push fall sports to the spring due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. That means Middleton’s girls volleyball season will now take place from Feb. 22-April 12.

“While it would have been nice to have a normal season in the fall, I am just excited at the prospect of hopefully having a more ‘normal’ season in spring,” Vogel said. “This has been a crazy year to be taking the reigns of the program, but everyone has been understanding and supportive so I think we will be able to make the best of a tough situation.”

Vogel knows there will be challenges.

Middleton boys cross country coach Brian Finnel is a “glass half full guy.”

Then again, Finnel’s cup has runneth over in recent years, as his Cardinals have won two of the last three WIAA Division 1 state championships.

When it comes to the wild and wacky year that’s been 2020, though, Finnel is trying to look on the bright side.

Middleton High School recently elected to push fall sports to the spring of 2021 due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. That means the Cardinals’ alternate season will now run from March 15-May 3.

Cross country was labeled a “low risk” sport by the WIAA, and many schools across the state are finding a way to practice social distancing and still have a season this fall. While that would have obviously been ideal, Finnel is just happy his team will have a chance to compete.

Cross country teams all across the state began their new seasons last week.

Middleton girls coach Alexa Richardson, who guided the Cardinals to a fourth place at the WIAA Division 1 state meet last year, was anxiously awaiting the 2020 season. Middleton, which had just one senior in its lineup a year ago, was considered one of the frontrunners to win a state title this season.

For now, though, Richardson and her runners have hit a red light.

Middleton High School recently elected to push fall sports to the spring of 2021 due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. That means the Cardinals’ alternate season will now run from March 15-May 3.

While Richardson is happy to have a season, she’s not thrilled about waiting until March to gather with her team. Cross country was labeled a “low risk” sport by the WIAA, and many schools across the state are finding a way to practice social distancing and still have a season.

It would have been easy for first-year Middleton girls tennis coach Matt Given to be bummed last week.

Across the state, several schools started tennis practice. By the weekend, there were dual meets, triangulars and quadrangulars everywhere you looked.

At Middleton High School?
Crickets.

But Given wasn’t complaining.

Middleton recently elected not to play sports this fall due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, and instead will try having a season in the spring. The Cardinals’ alternate season is scheduled to run from March 8 until April 26.

While waiting is the hardest part, Given believes the wait will be worthwhile.

“Honestly, we would love to be starting practice, but unfortunately due to circumstances out of our control we will just have to wait,” Given said. “Like I have told my girls and their parents, the overall safety of my athletes is the No. 1 priority.

Editor's Note: This is a column by Sports Editor Rob Reischel

Jamie Sims has been Middleton’s athletic director for just six weeks.

Sims inherited a pair of size 19 shoes left behind by the late, great Bob Joers. He was quickly forced to deal with the fallout of a global pandemic and help make tough decisions regarding fall sports.

Sims still has a lengthy to-do list — most notably how to schedule three sports seasons into the winter and spring. When he comes up for air, though, it’s imperative for Sims — and assistant A.D. Ben White — to reclaim control of Middleton’s co-op girls hockey program.

Middleton’s co-op, also known as the Madison Metro Lynx, consists of players from Middleton, Madison West, Madison Memorial, Madison Edgewood and Verona. The Lynx was also one program Joers took immense pride in.

When we last saw Becky Halverson, she was hoisting a state championship trophy.

Halverson, Middleton’s girls golf coach, enjoyed a victory ride with her team on the back of a fire truck. And when she exhaled, Halverson took great pride in the fact she’s built one of the best programs in the state.

Last week, Halverson and the Cardinals got perhaps their best news since claiming the WIAA Division 1 state title last October.

The WIAA Board of Control approved several details for fall sports to also be played in the spring for the 2020-21 calendar year only. Middleton — which elected not to play sports this fall due to concerns surrounding COVID-19 — will now be able to play fall sports in the spring.

Girls golf will run from March 29 until the week of May 17. And if everything goes according to plan, Halverson’s team should get a chance to defend their title.