The cost of playing a sport for Spring Lake High School students took a jump earlier this week. At Monday's school board meeting, a measure was approved which would require all student-athletes to pay a one-time fee of $75 to play sports for the Lakers. Previously, student-athletes paid $30 for each season they participated in a sport. Three-sport athletes would have paid $90 a year under the old system.

Amid the sorrow that lingers throughout Japan, perhaps a little joy - courtesy of the determined women on its World Cup team. They beat the Americans for the title in a riveting final Sunday night, 3-1, on penalty kicks, after coming from behind twice in a 2-all tie. The star of the shootout was feisty goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori, who made two brilliant saves in the shootout. All tournament long, the teammates poignantly reminded the world they were playing for their battered country, still reeling from the devastation of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Looking back at it now, Kevin Patterson admits that the first Grand Haven Beach Vault was a nightmare. Complete with a John Deere Gator, a Bobcat leveling skid and a few shovels, Patterson and some coaching friends who shared his vision of an outdoor pole vaulting competition worked on trying to level off the sand at the Grand Haven City Beach until 1:30 a.m. When their challenge still wasn't completed the next day - the morning of the event - the crew were fortunate enough to track down a local worker on the beach with a front-end loader.

The fifth annual Brainy Day 5K Trail Run is set for Saturday. The race is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. and will lead participants through the wooded areas and fields at 12718 Cleveland St. in Nunica. Awards for the top three finishers in each age group will be awarded and door prizes will be raffled after the run.

In 2008, Lowell High School started a refreshing trend when it hosted its first Pink Arrow Project game. With an effort led by varsity football coach Noel Dean, the Red Arrows wore pink jerseys in its game against Holland, sold pink T-shirts and used the money to support local cancer patients, create scholarships for Lowell students and support cancer education.

Grand Haven's Nate Rose and Jake Vanderlaan will again have the opportunity to play for a national championship with their travel soccer team. The U-17 Grand Rapids Crew Juniors were victorious during the U.S. Youth Soccer National League Region II Championship on June 29 in Appleton, Wis. The tournament featured teams from 14 different states. In the championship game, Rose, a forward, scored a goal in the second minute, then assisted on the second score in the 2-1 final. Solid play by Vanderlaan on defense helped secure the tight victory.

Grand Haven's Norm Boeve completed his lunge across the finish line, greeted some well-wishers waiting near-by and eagerly reached into a wheel barrel stocked with iced towels - a perfect remedy after completing a duathlon during a mid-80 degree morning in Sunday's Grand Haven Triathlon, presented by Grand Haven Bone and Joint.

The past 12 months have seen the continued tremendous growth of the Folds of Honor foundation, highlighted by a very profitable partnership with Budweiser. Through it all, Maj. Dan Rooney remembers where the whole thing started. "The fact that it all started right here in Grand Haven, with a small band of brothers coming out to celebrate God and country, and to do it without apology, it's certainly a special time for me to come back here where it all started,' said Rooney, who along with his father John Rooney owns Grand Haven Golf Club.