|
 Among
the many entries in the parade was one that made Lincoln Daily News
especially proud. This year the grand marshal for the event was
LDN’s own Teena Lowery.
While most all of Lincoln know Teena from her years as a delivery
person for the Lincoln Post Office, those who follow high school and
junior high sports know Teena as an enthusiastic sports fan, writer
and photographer. The staff at LDN know her as that gal who one day
decided to take a few pictures, and over the years has become the
star reporter of local sports.
The current owners wish that they could take credit for Lowery being
a part of the daily publications, but all they can really do is feel
gratitude that when the ownership of the paper changed one year ago
this coming October 1st, that Lowery graciously agreed to continue
on with them at the helm and her handling all the sports coverage in
Logan County.
So, how did it all begin? Lowery was a postal carrier who several
years ago delivered daily to the offices of CCAonline and Lincoln
Daily News on Keokuk Street in Lincoln.
One day when she stopped in to deliver mail, she saw
then owner Jim Youngquist and told him she had gone to a game at the
high school and had taken some pictures. She wondered if Jim might
want a few, just for fun, not for money.
Anyone in small business will tell you that when someone offers
something for nothing, one should take advantage of that. Lowery’s
pictures were stellar. The quality, the action, the expressions she
captured on the faces of young athletes got everyone’s attention.
Soon, Lowery was asked to make sports photography an ongoing gig,
exclusively for Lincoln Daily News.
Digging a little bit, LDN learned that Lowery had a passion for
sports, that she had initially tuned her education in that direction
but had taken a small turn. Now, she was turning back to her passion
on a part time basis that worked well for her and LDN.
At that time there was another sportswriter on staff, so Lowery
stuck to pictures for a while. Then circumstances shifted and there
came a need for someone to cover Railer basketball. Lowery was more
than happy to come on board as a stringer for LDN.
“Since that time, Teena has been completely invested in youth sports
in Logan County, and we are so grateful that she shares her love for
young people and sports with the readers of our publication,” says
managing editor Nila Smith. “She knows the kids by name, she knows
the parents of most of them, has built lasting relationships with
coaches and all in all has become the ‘go-to’ person for sports
stories.”
In 2022, Lowery saw early in the season that the Lady Railers
basketball team was going to go far, and she stuck to those girls
like glue. She covered every game, and she still covered sports at
Hartem, in Mt. Pulaski, junior high sports, volleyball on the junior
high and high school levels, and covered the Railer boys’ basketball
season as well.
She spent a lot of time with the Lady Railers. Her instincts were
right on the money and that team impressed not just Logan County but
the entire state, and Lowery was there, cheering them on, and
telling their story.
Her writing style is free and happy and energetic.
When readers click to her coverage, they are transported into the
gym with Lowery, but they are also transported into the
personalities of the young players. They learn that Taylor Swift
inspires them, and that Lowery knows almost as much about the
superstar singer as the girls do.
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Readers see the heart of the
players and they see the heart of Lowery. The Ladies are in it
to win it, and Lowery is right there with them.
Lowery also spent a great deal of time with the boy’s
team, and she touted their accomplishments last year as well. And
then there is Railer Nation. Lowery never let a game go by that she
didn’t comment on Railer Nation and their enthusiastic support of
the basketball teams.
When the ladies from basketball past got in the mix and started
chowing up in force to support the 2022-23 team, Lowery was on it,
drawing attention to them and to the superstars of Logan County
basketball from the past.
So, it stands to reason that with all the bonds she has created
within Lincoln sports, that when it came time to choose a grand
marshal for the 2023 Homecoming parade Lowery was the name that came
to mind.
When LDN heard that Lowery would have that honor, congratulations
were sent out quickly. Teena, in her usual humble yet funny way
quipped, “Well, they wanted Taylor Swift but she wasn’t available,
so they settled for me!”
Then she chuckled and said “those kids!”
It was a grand parade and Teena Lowery leading it as the grand
marshal just got it off to a great start. The floats this year were
amazing, the bands were well tuned, and candy was flying into the
large crowds of people gathered to watch and cheer.
The Logan County Fair Royalty was there along with
the high school freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior attendants
as well as this year’s homecoming king and queen.
Several clubs and organizations were represented including the
Lincoln Youth Football team, Lincoln Youth Cheerleaders, Lincoln
Futbol Club, high school sports including the Railer Football team
that is off to a really good start this year, LCHS Cross Country,
Golf, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball, the Railettes and the
LCHS Foundation. The LCHS FFA was represented, and Logan County 4-H.
The Lincoln Park District, Logan County Pride and Logan County
Animal Rescue also had entries in the parade. Junior High School
sports was represented and the schools’ bands, cheerleaders and more
were on hand. The city of Lincoln Third Friday Committee was in the
parade as were some of the local businesses such as UCB Bank and
Tremont Bank in Lincoln.
And, another big treat, team members from the 1973 Railer Big 12
Football Championship were driven through town in a Lincoln Fire
Department truck.
See The Boys of Fall – The 1973
Big 12 Champs return to Hamblin Field in today’s edition.
All in all, it was a great day, and by the way it came to a great
ending with the Railsplitters beating Peoria Manual with a score of
48-12!
[Nila Smith] |
