PETERSON: Why Creston remains ‘home’

“So how’s retirement going?”

That seems to be a part of many conversations I’ve been involved in lately, so here’s a short response.

I’m plenty busy.

Just six days after my full retirement from the CNA staff — and five years after “semi-retiring” to a 20-hour week and part-time status — I dove head first into my other passion: coaching basketball.

I returned to Creston Community Middle School this year after a two-year stint at Orient-Macksburg. Now that I’m no longer on the News Advertiser staff, being busy coaching in mid-February in Creston’s split-season format is no longer is a conflict at work. If I miss a big district game or even part of the state tournament because of our game schedule, it only affects me as a fan now, not as a staff writer.

I enjoy teaching the sport and being around the kids. As longtime track and cross country coach Gary O’Daniels once told me, “They keep you young!”

Indeed, they probably think ‘ol gramps is a grouch on some days, but for the most part we have a good time together while we’re working to be the best that we can be. So, until Feb. 18, I have enough on my plate to stay occupied. And, TWICE next month Deb and I will welcome a new grandchild into the world! We’re getting pretty excited about that.

And, just as my season draws to a close, it’s getting close to weather suitable for breaking out the golf clubs and bicycle. So, yeah, everything seems just fine a few weeks into retirement. It’s nice to have some of the attendance restrictions lifted so I can watch my former players perform in varsity games now.

I do miss some parts of the job, naturally. This is the week that I often prepared a John J Harris Invitational wrestling tournament preview in the paper and then spent many hours at the two-day event in Corning. In fact, it was my first sports assignment when I began the career in January 1980 for the Atlantic News Telegraph.

During the same month I was retiring I saw reports that WHO Radio icon Van Harden was ending his 50-year career in radio work in Iowa, which began in Perry. I used to listen to Van and Connie and then Van and Bonnie on WHO along with KSIB in the mornings before work, when I had the traditional day shift at the CNA. (A decade ago we switched to a night shift for sports.)

Based on interviews I heard with Harden on KXnO on his retirement day, something we both won’t miss is the stress when things don’t go right at work. For example, I felt bad for the wonderful job of writing that Keri Anderson did on my retirement, but there was a layout snafu that day that made it hard to follow in the actual paper.

Hopefully, if anyone was interested, they found it online because it was correct there. I appreciate the care that Keri put into the story.

Editor Sarah Scull is looking to fill a newsroom opening, but she has been blessed with good writers in having Regina Smith and Keri Anderson on board recently. The sports guys are no longer newbie imports. They have figured out the local sports scene and I feel comfortable being able to break the tie, although I haven’t ruled out helping at the busy tournament time as a freelancer.

One reason Deb and I plan to stay in Creston is the comfort in having so many local relationships here. One of those was Chuck Lang, who recently passed. His obituary was in Wednesday’s paper.

His daughter Linnea played on the only Creston state tournament volleyball team I covered, and I stood by him on the sidelines many times over the years as he was a 40-year member of the “chain gang” measuring first downs. He was also an outstanding bowler and member of the Creston Elks Clowns.

Chuck was the man standing next to me at the top of the football bleachers in Jefferson, watching his stepson play alongside our son Brett in a freshman game in 2000, when I was called to the press box to meet a deputy waiting to give me a message. Chuck heard the deputy tell me that my father had died, and that my family was trying to reach me (pre-cell phone).

Chuck put his arm around me and asked what he could do to help. He was a friend in a tough moment.

I walked down to tell Brett about his grandpa after his freshman game, and stayed to cover the varsity game for the paper. I know dad wouldn’t have wanted me to bail on my duty to serve the interests of the fans of the Panthers.

On that day, Chuck Lang helped me with his sincere friendship and words of comfort.

That’s just one example of the many ways we’ve been rewarded in making our life here in Creston. We’re grateful, and in no rush to leave that, even if I’m no longer the guy in the corner with a camera strapped to my shoulder.

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Contact the writer:

Email: malachy.lp@gmail.com

Twitter: @larrypeterson