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TIM CURRAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
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| Russell Academy of Achievement students, from left, Kristina Blashishina, Paige Fischer and Tiara Penney pose with thirty-year Parkrose School District Elementary Teacher John Evans who retired at the end of the school year in June. Evans started an annual and popular Four Square tournament seventeen years ago that continues after he retires. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
At the end of the 2005-2006 school year, Elementary Teacher John Evans, one of Parkrose School District's most popular and senior teachers, heard his last bell.
Now 60, Evans began his career in 1968 with the Parkrose School District at Prescott Elementary School as an enthusiastic, newly-minted, twenty-two-year-old educator. After twelve years of full time teaching in the district, also serving stints at Sacramento and Shaver elementary schools, Evans took a five-year hiatus to pursue different career options. Eight years after leaving, he returned to full-time teaching in Parkrose, following three years of substitute teaching at area schools.
Evans leaves the obvious legacy of having touched hundreds of lives over a thirty-three-year career as a frontline educator.
But he leaves another legacy, one of athleticism, grace, sportsmanship, spirited competition and fun at school in the form of a Four Square tournament. Annually involving the majority of the fourth- and fifth-grade classes and about a dozen staff members at Russell Academy of Academic Achievement, this tournament, based on the language of athletic competition, bridges the language and cultural barriers and differences that keep people apart. Centered on a children's game, it creates school spirit and pride, and fosters an appreciation for athleticism. And since Russell draws students from varied ethnic, social and economic backgrounds, this comes in handy.
Evans began the tournament seventeen years ago at Sumner Elementary in the northeast corner of the district when, in his second year back at full-time teaching, he and Sumner Principal Gary Dietderich saw that when it rained, students were forced off the field and onto cement, where covered space was scarce and choice of games was limited. Seeing a need for ways to keep kids occupied on the frequent rainy recess days, Evans and his principal started regularly playing and refereeing Four Square matches with students. Observing the kids taking to the game and enjoying it, Evans organized and officiated a Four Square tournament. In the beginning, it was just a few kids and a couple of adult staff members competing. Even with the adult school staff eligible to participate, it was five years before the first adult, Principal Dietderich, won a singles title.
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| Students from Mr. Evans's first year of teaching are, left to right, Cindy (Warndahl) Croslin, Liz (Garcia) Holmgren, Barbara Walker, Tim Cobb, and Dale Millett. |
| Submitted photo: Debbie Ebert |
As testament to this statement, at the recess before this year's doubles finals began, virtually every student was playing Four Square.
Seventeen years later, this annual spring battle has snowballed into something much bigger. Eighty percent to 90 percent of the fourth- and fifth-grade classes - 80 to 100 students - annually enter either the doubles or singles competitions, some entering both, with the entire Russell student body and staff watching the final matches. The spectators, most of them Four Square players themselves, react like educated spectators at a tennis match; they know what constitutes a good play and react accordingly, giving the graceful athletic "kill" shot or spirited volley the appropriate applause or the right amount of 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs.'
Evans scheduled all matches, seeded the brackets, then re-seeded them after each round, and refereed all games - requiring an enormous amount of time and energy - but he loved it.
Evans said he feels fortunate to have the best seat in the house for the event. He contended that at any professional sporting event, you see only a few, if any, truly athletic plays. But at the Four Square tourneys, Evans said he saw incredible and mesmerizing athletic plays, year in and year out.
Still, no matter how good the kids are, it seems unfair - adults competing against fourth and fifth graders in a competitive tournament setting. Evans said adult participation is limited to Russell staff members, and in the 17-year history of the tournament, only three singles titles have gone to adults. One of those wins came this year, when Russell Counselor Ian Martin captured the singles title.
In the doubles portion of the tourney, adults must partner with a student to compete. Jeff Rose, Russell principal, won the doubles title this year - the first time an adult was a member of the winning pair in tournament history - the kids are that good.
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