Red Devils’ gymnastics way of life with Morgans

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Joe Goddard

Updated: March 11, 2012 8:14AM

Gymnastics is all in the family at the home of George and Peggy Morgan, whose daughter Erin not only is one of an all-underclass team of six Hinsdale Central competitors returning next year, but is following the gym paths of brother Dan (Class of 2006) and sister Colleen (’09).

“The year before last we had four in the state meet, but didn’t get beyond fifth place,” coach Kim Estoque said. “These girls have the potential to improve on that.”

Junior Erin, sophomores Cayley Brenk and Emma Christoph, and freshman Maddie Sesemann advanced through regionals last week with juniors Annie Zircher and Hannah Kapelinski gaining valuable experience.

Colleen Morgan, studying event planning as a senior at the University of Illinois, helped Erin change her floor-exercise routine last summer.

“It was time,” Erin said. “The music now has a Latin tango to it. Colleen actually helped the whole team.”

Dan Morgan, who also attended Illinois after placing third on state pommel horse in ’06, is an executive with a Milwaukee spice company.

“It’s kind of funny how they all got interested in gymnastics since Peggy and I met coaching swimming in Park Ridge,” George Morgan said. “Oh, well. It turned out good for all of us.”

Wrestling rooters

Third-year Central wrestling coach Jason Hayes, pursuing the school’s first state team title, has the support of former Red Devil coaches Rex Whitlatch, Bob Stevens, Alan Hausner and Jim Zajicek. They all showed up last year at U of I to root heavyweight Jack Allen to the Red Devils’ first individual championship.

The team’s new singlets (uniforms) this year were designed by Allen’s sophomore brother Brian Allen, who is unbeaten at heavyweight.

Hold that line!

Central Hall of Fame coach Gene Strode, who had a 113-71 record in 21 Red Devil football years (1968-1988), posed a legitimate question after a high-scoring college season: “Whatever happened to tackling?”

Tackling and blocking were nonexistent in the farcical Pro Bowl game three weeks ago when linemen looked like they were dancing. The score was 59-41 with the teams combining for 1,142 offensive yards.

Who won? Who cares?

Healthy humor

Former Central swimming coach Don Watson uses e-mail from his Austin, Texas, home to update the progress of wife Jan, who is recovering nicely from recent five-hour surgical removal of a pituitary-gland tumor:

“She’s doing well and handling the tasks I ask her to do — wash clothes, cook meals, make beds, scrub the floors, do the shopping and wash our cars. What do I do all day? Sit here in my office and send e-mails. Life is tough for both of us.”

Peachy keen

Basketball was invented 100 years ago when players shot plump balls into a peach basket. The game was held up every time someone scored so an official could poke the ball out of a small hole in the bottom of the basket. Cutting the whole bottom out came later.

Quiet, please

Screeching by female tennis pros has been measured at more than 100 decibels, noise comparable to a jackhammer.

“It’s like receiving an ice pick in an air hole,” Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander wrote. “It’s stupid, repulsive and even unfair. That, or let the fans screech like idiots,” too.

Coughing? Coffin!

More than 443,000 Americans died of cancer from smoking last year, more than enough to fill Soldier Field seven times.