Firestone Park: Akron, Ohio

Hey, it is The Sports Guy, writing from Akron, Ohio

I usually write a Firestone Park overview after each tournament event that I attend at Firestone Park. If you do not already know, THIS park, Firestone Park is one of the most famous parks for youth sports in Akron, Ohio. Firestone never disappoints. The talent from Racer street alone not to mention the surrounding areas always provides entertaining games. The history, pure talent, and culture make Firestone Park one of a kind. The big STORY the past few years has been, now 4th grader Gretchen "The boss" Ross. Her name has been showing up on the roster of the championship teams for three years now. Before Gretchen and her team clinched the kickball championship the pride and joy of Racer street WAS Rex Riley. Being from Racer street Rex Riley held the record for accumulating 18 championship trophies before aging out of Firestone Park competitions, the most ever in Firestone Park history. I was INSPIRED BY THE TRUTH, that, Gretchen had the chance to become the youngest person to ever win 18 championships and tie the record! After the recent wins OF THE past, I wanted to give Gretchen "The Boss" Ross a chance to be thrust into the NATIONAL spotlight.

"How" you may ask. Well, the answer was quite simple. In honor of the 10th anniversary of Amy "'Monty" Montgomery's Firestone Park Player of The Decade Award, I invited "Monty" out to the Firestone Park Flag Football Championship. "Monty" agreed to come and help me present the award to the next Firestone Park Player of The Decade. There are a lot of reasons why "Monty" agreeing to come would give Gretchen a chance to be thrust into the national spotlight. First is because "Monty" who had won the Firestone Park Player of the Decade Award ten years ago was now a PROFESSIONAL SOFTBALL player. Also because when "Monty" won the award she became the first winner who was a girl, the first winner not from Racer street, and the first winner to get national recognition for winning the award. (Of course, it was important that I covered her story and had her put her in my yearbook of best players six years in a row, but also my publication became much more popular throughout Monty's career. Even now, she brings a national spotlight with her everywhere.) The third reason is that Gretchen's flag football team had won the championships the last three years in a row. If Gretchen wins again she could become the next Firestone Park Player of the Decade, of course thrusting her into the national spotlight.

The OLDEST records ever found on Firestone Park tournaments are over 90 years old. The locals tell stories of how it was the first championship TEAM that got the reward of naming THE park. According to the legend, that is how the people of AKRON, Ohio started calling the park, firestone park. The RACERS or what the kids of Racer street call themselves are responsible for turning this park into a legendary athletic coliseum.

The Racers or the kids of racer street turned Firestone Park into their coliseum. Flag Football at Firestone Park was an event of legendary status. All the kids on racer street treated all Firestone events like the Super Bowl.

On Racer street, there are around 30 houses and almost all those houses had kids living in them. These Racers, or these Racer street kids, would venture outside their neighborhood, volunteer, and fundraise for equipment. The Racers would then be able to purchase jerseys, cones, flags, drinks, or anything they wanted or deemed necessary to prepare for Firestone Park greatness.