This ever happen to you?

[bigpern23]

So I was at my local watering hole on Friday night, a place I started drinking at when I was 18 (got in a few times after eating in the restaurant portion of the building, got to know people, they never carded me after that), enjoying a few adult beverages and a new crop of 21-year-old college students.

I get a drink from the bar and turn around to bump into six-foot tall brunette who -- after I apologize for bumping into her -- I realize was the starting middle blocker for a high school volleyball team I covered the night before.

She looked mortified, realizing who I was and I probably looked mortified, realizing I was drinking in the same establishment as a high school player I cover. Anyway, I just said I was off duty and not to worry about it. I then stayed on the far side of the bar and we avoided each other the rest of the night.

I've run into underage athletes I've covered in the bars before, but it was always kids who were in college and whom I no longer covered. This situation was a bit different, obviously.

To me, it's not a story unless she gets caught and/or suspended from the team. After all, as I mentioned, I was a high school senior drinking in the same place at that age (although I think she's only 17).

I am, however, curious to know if this has happened to any of you and what, if anything, you did about it.

 

[HejiraHenry]

No. (The court records have since been sealed.)

It amazes me though, on reflection, how easy it was to get alcohol back in the day.

I can remember buying mixed drinks in a restaurant at 16. ID? Hah!

 

[Mayfly]

Did her mom cook you breakfast the next morning?

 

[bigpern23]

Did her mom cook you breakfast the next morning?

Gentlemen don't tell.

 

[The Last Boy Scout]

Her payment for my silence was ... nevermind.

 

[Mayfly]

If your paper has a sudden increase in volleyball coverage, we will know why.

 

[The Rules of Golf]

I often run in to athletes from Big State U. whilst I'm out surveying the nightlife of my happening, cosmopolitan corner of the Earth, but that's college.

High school, I'd have to laugh a lot about that.

 

[Armchair_QB]

So I was at my local watering hole on Friday night, a place I started drinking at when I was 18 (got in a few times after eating in the restaurant portion of the building, got to know people, they never carded me after that), enjoying a few adult beverages and a new crop of 21-year-old college students.

I get a drink from the bar and turn around to bump into six-foot tall brunette who -- after I apologize for bumping into her -- I realize was the starting middle blocker for a high school volleyball team I covered the night before.

She looked mortified, realizing who I was and I probably looked mortified, realizing I was drinking in the same establishment as a high school player I cover. Anyway, I just said I was off duty and not to worry about it. I then stayed on the far side of the bar and we avoided each other the rest of the night.

I've run into underage athletes I've covered in the bars before, but it was always kids who were in college and whom I no longer covered. This situation was a bit different, obviously.

To me, it's not a story unless she gets caught and/or suspended from the team. After all, as I mentioned, I was a high school senior drinking in the same place at that age (although I think she's only 17).

I am, however, curious to know if this has happened to any of you and what, if anything, you did about it.

I'm a sportswriter at a small midwestern paper. I never believed the stories in your magazine were true until one night...

 

[bigpern23]

So I was at my local watering hole on Friday night, a place I started drinking at when I was 18 (got in a few times after eating in the restaurant portion of the building, got to know people, they never carded me after that), enjoying a few adult beverages and a new crop of 21-year-old college students.

I get a drink from the bar and turn around to bump into six-foot tall brunette who -- after I apologize for bumping into her -- I realize was the starting middle blocker for a high school volleyball team I covered the night before.

She looked mortified, realizing who I was and I probably looked mortified, realizing I was drinking in the same establishment as a high school player I cover. Anyway, I just said I was off duty and not to worry about it. I then stayed on the far side of the bar and we avoided each other the rest of the night.

I've run into underage athletes I've covered in the bars before, but it was always kids who were in college and whom I no longer covered. This situation was a bit different, obviously.

To me, it's not a story unless she gets caught and/or suspended from the team. After all, as I mentioned, I was a high school senior drinking in the same place at that age (although I think she's only 17).

I am, however, curious to know if this has happened to any of you and what, if anything, you did about it.

I'm a sportswriter at a small midwestern paper. I never believed the stories in your magazine were true until one night...

I was waiting for someone to type that.

I love this site.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

If your paper has a sudden increase in volleyball coverage, we will know why.

;D

 

[Babs]

That exact thing hasn't happened to me, no, but similar, and I don't see it as a big deal. Like you said, you did the same at her age. Live and let live. Hopefully she won't fear you going forward.

 

[EStreetJoe]

Use it as a feature idea, keeping the names of all the kids annonymous -- how many high school athletes spend time drinking at the area's bars.

 

[BillyT]

Ya know, kids, some of us are old enough that it was legal for us to drink in bars when we were in high school.

My favorite story along these lines involves running into a former student (she was of legal age) in a fetish club on a back-to-school night. She was wearing appropriately placed duct tape, a plaid ski (too short to call a skirt) and boots. Now, this is a kid who used to babysit my kids (again, she was 24 or so at the time).

She hid behind her boyfriend the rest of the night.

 

[Dan Rydell]

I'd keep it quiet for now.

But I might tell her that it's easy to go out and drink, but it's better to discover how good you really can be at this age if you're up for the challenge.

Coupla drinks? Sure. See what it's like to be out and about.

But the big picture should be the big picture at that age. How high can you reach?

 

[KoM]

Sort of a funny story from a few weeks back...
a good friend of mine who is considerably younger - mid 20s - but works in the business invited my wife and I over for a cookout. I covered the host when he played high school golf, and we regularly joke about it. As more and more people started arriving, I started counting, and probably 8 out of 10 of them I covered playing various high school sports when they were in school. It started feeling a little odd with all of them saying "Hey, Mr. KOM." I told them Mr. wasn't necessary, and we went along with the evening.

My wife and I were sort of detached from the merriment, chilling with a beer, hanging away from the heavy drinking and the playing of corn hole (yes, it's a game). I just happened to be the one closest to the loud radio that was blasting some crap I was unfamiliar with. The host got my attention and made the turning motion with his hand.

I said, "You want me to turn the radio down?" He said, "No. Turn it up."

That's when I knew it was time for us leave.