COUNTY LIFE
Local athlete prepares to take on the world
Three years ago, Bowie’s Janaé Jones had never played rink hockey. Next month, she’ll represent her home country as part of Team U.S.A. at the 2014 Rink Hockey Ladies World Championship in Tourcoing, France.
The 15-year-old daughter of John and Dara Jones, Janaé was introduced to the sport by her friends. She was invited to go skating and grew to enjoy the activity. Eventually she was asked to play hockey with them.
“Janaé and her sister were rink kids,” said Dara, noting the family lives about a mile from Pop’s Skateland in Bowie. “They spent a lot of time there before it closed. She even worked there for a while.”
Janaé, Jasmine, 12, and their younger brother John, six, better known as Bubba, all took to the floor to learn the game. Janaé began to play for Pop’s in-house and travel team. As her skills grew, so did her affection for a sport few are familiar with in the U.S.
Rink hockey, also referred to as roller hockey and hardball hockey, is played with four floor players and one goalie. Aside from the goalie, minimal equipment is worn by players. The objective is to score by putting the ball into the opponent’s goal, using a stick.
In the U.S., the sport is governed by the United States Association of Roller Sports (USARS). Despite resembling ice hockey, contact between players is comparable to basketball. Those familiar with the game say it more closely resembles soccer than ice hockey.
Of the four players on the floor, two play offense, while two are on defense. Janaé is a defensive player.
“When I started, I focused on defense. I knew nothing of the sport and defense came most naturally,” she said. “My coach, Frank Tillery, taught me from the ground up and helped set the foundation for the player I am becoming today. He supported me and encouraged me every step of the way. If ever I needed anything, he was there. To this day, I still play with his old, well loved gloves, knee pads and stick that he handed down to me.”
Tillery still services, tweaks and builds all of the Jones family’s skates and he still supports the kids in anyway he is able.
“When’s Pop’s Skateland closed in October 2013, everyone was sad, skating as the Jones kids knew it, was over. The Bowie hockey players merged with the hockey club at Decatur Skate,” Dara recalled. “After the merge, we realized we were joining a very experienced club and would have the opportunity to learn from one of the best in the sport.”
Read the full story in the Sept. 6 edition of the Bowie News.
Spring storms have been creating dangerous conditions for the past two weeks, and Mother Nature continues to douse North Texas with rain this week.
For January through April the City of Bowie water plant staff recorded 14.56 inches of rain, including a whopping 11.76 inches in April alone. For the first six days of May the rain has totaled 1.55 inches.
Nocona received a bit more rain for this period, a total of 19.28 inches according to Texas Mesonet. In April it recorded 9.89 inches and in March 3.25 inches. For the first six days of May 4.36 inches was recorded.
Lake Amon G. Carter is still more than 100% full and threatening to go
over the emergency spillway when it reaches 927 msl. The lake is considered full at 920 msl and as of May 6 it was 924.47 msl.
Last week, the city sent out flood warnings for those downstream in the path of water that could flow out of the lake across this spillway. One month ago the lake was full at 920.06
City Emergency Management Coordinator Kirk Higgins said Monday as of now no water has come out of the spillway, but he does not expect that to continue if the rain does not stop. The lake continues to be closed due to flooding.
Lake Nocona was at 828.44 msl on May 6 and is considered full at 827.5 msl. Just one month ago the lake was 88.4% full at 825.60 msl. Its boat ramps were closed briefly last week due to flooding, but have since reopened.
Last week’s heavy rainfall continues to plague city streets and low-lying areas. While not unexpected the creek that flows in the Nelson Street area east toward Pillar was raging full of storm water last week topping the creek bed going into the streets and under nearby houses.
Public Works Director Stony Lowrance said a section of Rock near Pillar has been closed, although Pillar remains open. A section of the curb and road on the creekside has broken away and fallen into the ditch creating hazardous road conditions. A small part of the street had been coned off as a small section had caved in last month.
Lowrance said they are keeping a close eye on this area as rains continue, noting this is not an unexpected problem as the Rock and Pillar Street has been debated in the city council as being the next major capital project for the city. Nearby Nelson Street drainage was completed in late 2024 and while it alleviated flooding issues in that area, it also is sending more water down to an intersection where the culverts are in the same deteriorated and eroded conditions as those were under Nelson Street that were replaced.
Top photo: A section of the curb and street near Pillar and Rock has collapsed into the creek bed following last week’s rains. (Photo by Rosie Cole)
Nocona is saddling up for the 73rd annual Chisholm Trail Rodeo May 9-10 at the rodeo grounds in Nocona.
The rodeo will be nightly at 7:30 p.m. with a parade on Saturday at 3 p.m. Rodeo gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance.
Along with the traditional rodeo events including bareback riding, saddle bronc, ranch bronc, bulls, ladies barrels, tie-down roping, ladies breakaway roping, steer wrestlers and team roping, there will be a calf scramble nightly for ages 8 and under and 9-12. Winners receive buckles. Friday night there will be an FFA calf scramble benefiting participating FFA chapters.
Mutton bustin’ will be conducted for those age eight and under at 7 p.m. nightly. The top five are back to performance. Enter onsite by 6:30 p.m. each night. Entry fee is $20 with buckles to the winners.
Read the full story and meet the rodeo queen and princess candidates in the Thursday Bowie News.
The Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on May 12.
A brief agenda of business awaits the court in its regular session.
The court will consider approving the Law Enforcement Support Office application.
Consider applying to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for a scrap tire facility permit.
Discuss precinct one removing excess dirt and debris from bar ditches and giving it to Gary Brewer, Rickey Joyce and David Steadham.
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