A story about a few friends

Throughout my 27-plus years at the Telegraph, I've met a lot of people; coaches, athletes and parents. I have maintained a low profile, however, as I'd just as soon people not know who I am. That's just my personality. I always keep things professional with the coaches I talk to and never attempt to really get too close to any of them. I talk strictly about business and then I'm on my way. Anyone who truly knows me knows that small talk is not my thing. I must say, for the most part, coaches treat me how I treat them. While I consider myself a friendly dude, I'm not trying to make friends with coaches and they aren't trying to make friends with me. We talk business and that's it and that's pretty much how it's been; even with the long-time coaches that I've gotten to know over the years. However, there are a few coaches and athletes and even parents that I've gotten to know a little more and I have enjoyed talking and even hanging out with them. Marty Benjamin, Vista del Lago's varsity girls' basketball coach, and Lynn Wolking, who holds the same position at Folsom High; these two gentlemen have become loyal buddies and the only two coaches who I hang out with. We can be found at local establishments in Folsom once or twice a month, chatting about basketball during basketball season or any other subject when it's not basketball season. Even when they complain to me about not being at their games or because I don't know what's happening at another school or that I don't know who the top lacrosse teams are in the area, I put up with these two because they keep asking me back. I enjoy listening to Benjamin talk about all the cruises he's been on and all the bands he's seen in concert, and Wolking; it's just fun to sit and listen to him talk about the Baltimore Orioles, the University of North Carolina basketball or whatever funny thing is happening in his life. I've gotten to know very few athletes personally over the years. I will say that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jake Browning, who's one of the more famous people to come out of Folsom, returns my text messages, and that's all I can ask of him. As a reporter, I greatly appreciate that and that's as good as him considering me a friend, as far as I'm concerned. There are a few athletes over the years who go out of their way to say hi to me. My son played football at Folsom High and he wasn't one of them; he avoided me like the plague, yet was the first to ask if I'd be at his game. However, Folsom High graduate Sydney Larocca, who played basketball, routinely said hi to me when I'd see her back at the high school after she graduated, which I always thought was nice. Two current Vista del Lago athletes also always say hi to me whenever they see me: Cael Rens, who plays football and Mason Lemm, who also plays football and baseball. I have to say their friendly nature has made me feel good. I certainly don't need recognition nor want attention, but I do appreciate the simple hellos. It makes me feel appreciated and not so much a stranger. Former Folsom High football coach and Vista del Lago football coach now back at Folsom High Mat Watson, who I covered when he played football at Folsom High, has always made me laugh every time I see him. Truly, he's always the happiest person to see me and I have no idea why, but I love it. When I ran into Rens a couple weeks ago at the Palladio, he asked to take a selfie with me so he could send it to Coach Watson, which I got a big kick out of. The one parent that comes to mind that I communicate with regularly is Theresa Andrews, whose son Alec is a former Folsom High basketball player. We became Facebook and Instagram friends and routinely send each other jokes, funny memes and videos or reels for the sole purpose of sharing laughs and that's been fun. Jason Reichard, a little league coach in El Dorado Hills, his wife whose name I don't even know, also says to me when she sees me, "you're the reporter who followed our team around all summer last year." That always makes me laugh. So I just wanted to give a shout-out to these people, because after 27 years, they are the few that have reached out and made me feel not like a stranger, but as a friend.