LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: local sports

  • Loveland resident Chris Ball named “Sports Editor” of Loveland Magazine

    Loveland resident Chris Ball named “Sports Editor” of Loveland Magazine

    David Miller is the Managing Editor of Loveland Magazine

    by David Miller

    Loveland, Ohio – “I am so incredibly happy that Chris will be joining the Loveland Magazine team as our new sports editor,” said President and Publisher, Cassie Mattia.

    Loveland resident Chris Ball started submitting stories in March of this year. He is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. Chris graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Chris said that he has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

    With his usual modest demeanor, Chris said in an introductory email, “I don’t think any of my articles will be groundbreaking but would love to contribute what I can.”

    On June 7 Chris published the inaugural episode of The Queen City Sports Podcast, with co-host Mark Raines. Mark is also a graduate of Loveland High School.

    Chris also launched The Loveland Magazine Sports Desk FaceBook page and posts 4 or 5 stories each day. His X account is also quite active and popular. There, you will find his commentary along with Reds, Bearcats, and Bengals reels. His tagline is, “Chris Ball at the Loveland Magazine Sports Desk, here to talk Bengals, Reds, Cavaliers, Wolverines, and all Loveland, Ohio sports!”

    Chris is an excellent communicator, not only his organized story telling, but in how well he communicates with me as he and I ask daily questions to each other.

    President and Publisher, Cassie Mattia

    Cassie also said, “Chris is so knowledgeable on not just local sports but sports all across Ohio. Chris also has a knack for reaching all of our readers, whether they are knowledgeable about sports or not, which has always been really important to me. We have so many fantastic sports programs in Loveland and Cincinnati, and I am beyond excited for Chris to help give recognition to those programs and athletes. He is an incredible sports writer who will really help Loveland Magazine expand its reach beyond Loveland.”

    Chris is fun to work with too. When I asked him to respond to what Cassie said about him for this story, he said, “I couldn’t have said it better myself. That is very nice and I thank you and Cassie so much for the recognition.”

    Chris will have many responsibilities, including:

    • Writing and editing.
    • Assigning stories, proofreading, and making edits to ensure content is ready for publication.
    • Being proficient in various multimedia platforms, such as blogging, podcasting, video production, and social media.
    • Developing new writers and executing special editorial projects.
    • Creating and maintaining a strong online presence.
    • Interviewing players, coaches, and administrators, and reporting on happenings on and off the field.

    Congratulations Chris and thank you for accepting your new responsibilities. Thank you so much for all you have done so far. Let’s continue having fun while you keep our readers engaged inside your sports world.

    _______________

    Follow Sports Editor Chris Ball on these platforms:

  • LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams Continue to Rewrite Tiger History!

    LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams Continue to Rewrite Tiger History!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Have you ever seen a Tiger this fast? On Saturday, September 25th the LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams competed in the Loveland Sunset Invitational where they both grabbed 1st place finishes! The Women won with a score of 15 and the Men took the top spot with 17.

    The Loveland Women’s Cross Country Team not only secured a 1st place finish as a team but also broke some school records along the way. The Tigers for the first time ever had 4 Women run under 19 minutes in the same 5k race, with the top 7 finishing 1-2-3-4-5-8-9. Previously the Women had only had 2 Tigers in the same race finish under 19 minutes.

    Senior Emmy Sager secured a 1st place finish with a time of 18:32.70, Senior Jessie Gibbins placed 2nd with a time of 18:35, Senior Sarah Madix crossed the line in 3rd with a time of 18:36.7, Junior Madison Conatser finished 4th with a time of 18:57.9, Junior Ally Colegate placed 5th with a time of 19:19.2, Senior Maaike Snider finished in 8th place with a time of 19:44.1, and Sophmore Lauren Gard placed 9th with a time of 19:54. For the complete meet results click here.

    • The LHS Women’s CC Team at the Loveland Sunset Invitational. Photo credited to Eric Colegate.
    • The top 5 finishers running in a pack at the Loveland Sunset Invitational. Photo credited to Eric Colegate.

    The Tigers for the 1st time in school history are not only ranked number 1 in the state according to the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches poll they are also number 1 in the state for their average team time on Ohio MileSplit. In addition to all those impressive team accolades, individually several of the Loveland Women are at the top of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) with their latest times. Emmy Sager is number 1 in the ECC, Jessie Gibbins is number 2, Sarah Madix is number 3, Madison Conatser is number 5, and Ally Colegate is number 8.

    OATCCC Week 4 Ohio High School Division 1 Women’s Poll

    The Loveland Women’s Cross Country Team will compete again Saturday, October 2nd at Centerville’s Saturday Night Lights.

    The Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team captured a nice win at their home meet last Saturday finishing 1-2-3-5-6-8-9 with a runner’s average of 16:30.

    Senior Ryan Chevalier finished in 1st place with a time of 16:04.2, Junior Brady Steiner placed 2nd with a time of 16:08.2, Junior Cayden Dyer finished in 3rd with a time of 16:30.3, Freshman Nick Huff placed 5th with a time of 16:50.2, Senior Sam Neiger placed 6th with a time of 16:57, Junior Grant Hanson crossed the finish line in 8th place with a time of 17:08.5, and Senior Kyle Becker placed 9th with a time of 17:14.6. For the complete meet results click here.

    The LHS Men’s CC Team at the Loveland Sunset Invitational. Photo credited to Jen Steiner.

    The Tigers are currently ranked 6th in the state according to the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches poll and several individuals are ranked at the top in the ECC. Ryan Chevalier is ranked number 2, Brady Steiner is sitting in 4th place, and Cayden Dyer is in 7th place.

    OATCCC Week 4 Ohio High School Division 1 Men’s Poll

    The Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team will also be competing Saturday, October 2nd at Centerville’s Saturday Night Lights.

    For more Loveland sports updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia! GO TIGERS!

  • What you Need to Know About Pickleball; the Sports World’s Newest Craze!

    What you Need to Know About Pickleball; the Sports World’s Newest Craze!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Sports has always been one of the best ways to both stay in shape and connect on a competitive level with friends and family. Unfortunately, most sports require so much physicality that you have to stop playing once you reach a certain age, but now there is a new sport in town that has NO age limitations and can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone. Introducing Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and ping pong!

    Pickleball got its start in 1965 on Bainbridge Island (close to Seattle, Washington) when 3 fathers, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, came together to break up the monotony of their children’s typical summer activities. Joan Pritchard came up with the name as a sort of “reference to the thrown-together leftover non-starters in the ‘pickle boat’ of crew races.” Fast forward to 1967, and Pritchard had the first Pickleball court built in his neighbor’s backyard!

    By the time 1990 rolled around, Pickleball was being played in every single state in the U.S! Because the game itself was gaining so much popularity in 2005 the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed, and eventually in 2020 became known as USA Pickleball. Now there are currently over 9,000 Pickleball locations across the U.S and over 4.2 million people participating!

    So how do you play Pickleball? That’s a question that I needed to both see and hear for myself as I had never even heard of the sport until a few weeks ago! Here is a basic outline of what you need to know to get started “Pickleballing:”

    1. Can be played both indoors and outdoors on a Badminton court (20 x 44) with a modified tennis net in between (34′ in the middle, 36′ outside)
    2. Played with a paddle and whiffle ball (outdoor balls have more holes due to wind)
    3. Can be played as Doubles or Singles
    4. The game is played to 11 and you have to win by 2 (you can only score when you serve)
    5. When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and the serving team must let it bounce before returning (2 bounce rule)
    6. The Non-Volley Zone or “The Kitchen” is within 7 feet of the net and is not to be crossed or it is considered a “fault” (any action that stops play because of a rule violation)

    After reading over the basics of Pickleball I knew I wanted to get more of a hands-on experience with experts that had a passion for the game. Jerry Ernst, a Pickleball instructor, and a Cincinnati Pickleball Club member, Kathleen Cupito and her husband John Cupito (avid Pickleball players) met me up at McCoy Park near Downtown Loveland, Ohio to teach me a thing or two about the game of Pickleball!

    Without further ado, Loveland Magazine TV brings to you the readers 2 videos, one being an introduction to the game of Pickleball and the other being an interactive on-camera Pickleball lesson featuring Jerry Ernst, Kathleen, and John Cupito, and ME, Cassie Mattia! Now let’s get Pickleballing!

    Would you like to play Pickleball? The Cincinnati Pickleball Club is a great place to start! The Club that now has over 900 members offers 1-3 year memberships for $25 per year. The membership includes 52 weekly newsletters, 3 annual tournaments, and 4 annual league sessions. Visit The Cincinnati Pickleball Club’s website to learn more!

    Expert Pickleball instructor Jerry Ernst also does private Pickleball lessons! To learn more you can email Jerry or call him at 513-368-4833.

    Stay tuned for Part 3 of my LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV interview: The 411 on Pickleball Locations and Equipment!

    For more updates on local sports and activities, you can get involved in check-in with your Loveland Salad with ME, Cassie Mattia!