(Enlarge) Ellicott City Patriots football coach Leon Thornton talks with Alex Florenzo about a play. The Patriots are one of five Howard County Recreation and Parks teams that are a division of the Mid-Maryland Youth Football and Cheer league. Although the teams are comprised of mainly of Howard County students, membership is open to all players ages 5-14. (Photo by Dave Lepson)

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet the folks who run the new Ellicott City Patriots Football and Cheer program. What an impressive and dedicated group of parent volunteers. It's no wonder the Patriots are one of our areas fastest growing sports clubs. Now in its third year, the Patriots have grown to almost 400 players and 60 cheerleaders.

Ken Clark, the Patriots' board president, has a long history with the sport. He played high school football and later coached the same league he once played on. Under his leadership, the program operates like a big family with the motto that kids come first.

Ken believes that football is more than a sport -- it provides essential life lessons for the players.

"We provide a good family experience where players learn teamwork, perseverance and how to win and lose graciously," he said.

The Patriots' cheer team director Linda Lagala-Spano echoed Clark's philosophy. "We treat our football players and cheerleaders like family members," she said.

The organization prides itself on having a high retention rate for both coaches and players.

Football player Brian Ouellette, 12, has played with the team since its inception.

"There is a lot of excitement being with a new league. The people are great and the coaches haven't been overly focused on having to win each game. They want to develop skills to help us become better football players down the road," Brian said. "I have gotten a lot of playing time and I have learned so much about football being with the Patriots."

The Patriots' coaches go through a vigorous selection process and training. Every year, a committee consisting of board members, parents and coaches evaluates potential and returning coaches. They select coaches based on their knowledge of the sport, coupled with their ability to teach the players in a kid-first atmosphere. In fact, some coaches don't even have children in the program -- they coach for the love of the sport.

In their first year, the Patriots' 11- 13 year old team won their American Mid-Maryland division championship. No small feat for a new league! And since that time, at least one team in each of the divisions that the Patriots have represented has made it to the playoffs.

Although the football and cheer teams are comprised of mainly of Howard County students, membership is open to all players ages 5-14. Practice starts July 29 at Hollifield Station Elementary School and the last day to register without a late penalty is July 16. Please note that scholarships are available.

The Patriots are one of five Howard County Recreation and Parks teams that are a division of the Mid-Maryland Youth Football and Cheer league. For more information or to register, go to the program's Web site at www.ecpatriots.com.

Howard County Public Schools has a long history of having outstanding and award winning music programs. My children, like many others, have benefited from the talented and devoted music teachers who run these programs.

Recently the Music & Arts store in Chatham Station shopping center on Route 40, invited Frank Owen, Centennial Lane Elementary School band director, and a few of his students to perform in the store. The Music & Arts store manager Darrell Cook allowed each student the option of borrowing instruments for the performance from the store's vast collection. It was a terrific situation for the kids - they were able to practice playing in public and had the rare opportunity to "test drive" different instrument models during a performance.

"It was so nice to see the young musicians so pumped up and excited to try out different instruments. They were like kids in a candy store. My son still talks about it," said Sam Akhtar, mom of Centennial Lane Elementary fifth-grader Shazabe Akhtar, who performed in the quartet.

Andrew Tsai, Centennial Lane student and quartet member, had a similar opinion. "Playing a new instrument in a new place with my friends was a fun experience," he said.

The Centennial Lane quartet members -- Andrew Frommer, Jacob Riina, Tsai and Akhtar -- had such a good time performing at Music & Arts that they decided to perform as a Quartet for their school's fifth grade talent show.

Music & Arts is a great community partner. Their good will also extends to the summer band and jazz camps they sponsor at Marriott's Ridge High School in July and to the money saving offers that help students take lessons or rent their instruments during the summer months.

Just a side note about one of the Music & Arts percussion teachers Chuck Ferrell - he just produced a new jazz album with his band, The Potomac Jazz Project. The group delivers straight-ahead jazz and bop with influences ranging from Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane to Herbie Hancock. The band will celebrate the release of its new CD, "Bop, Ballads & Blues," in Washington Thursday, June 18 at The Smithsonian's American Art Museum.

Ferrell has been playing drums for more than 30 years and it's evident in his teaching and performances. If you are a jazz fan, check out a few of the band's new songs at www.potomacjazz.com.

A few years ago, a woodpecker decided he wanted to have lunch at our house -- literally on our wood siding. We had to act quickly because we knew the type of damage this bird could cause. I remembered that the University of Maryland has a Home and Garden Information Center, in Ellicott City, which is part of its Extension program. The Center offers free phone and internet advice. I called and spoke immediately to an expert who walked me through how to protect our home from our uninvited lunch guest.

I've always thought that my desperate phone call that day to the Home and Garden Center -- which took place on my cordless phone in our front yard as the bird was pecking at my home - probably ranked as one of their funniest phone calls. But Jon Traunfeld, the center's director, assured me that they receive calls from desperate homeowners daily and they are happy to help out.

The center is staffed by certified professional Horticulturists and Master Gardeners, most whom live in Howard County. They will answer any question related to gardening inside and outside your home. Which means questions about animals, plants, trees, lawn, soil, insects - the list is quite long.

They specialize in integrated pest management solutions which is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment."

Traunfeld tells me that the University of Maryland has been a leader in IPM research for a long time. The Center's mission is to reduce unnecessary pesticide use.

What I value most about the Center's free advice is that it is non-bias. The Center's experts do not support any particular product or service. They give me their honest advice with only my best interest at stake.

Based on several of my phone calls over the years, no question is too silly. As a new gardener and home owner, they have been patient and kind as I've stumbled to find the right words to describe problems. Their advice has guided me to purchase the correct products and materials I needed which ultimately has saved me money.

The Center is open for phone inquiries Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 410-531-1757 or toll free at 800-342-2507. Don't forget to ask them to send you a free refrigerator magnet listing their phone number and Web site site information.

You can also go to their website at hgic.umd.edu where hundreds of publications -- including pictures to help you diagnose problems -- can be obtained 24 hours a day.

If you want to talk in person to an expert, the Miller Branch Library hosts a member of the Masters Gardeners for free consultations every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and Monday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. at the branch.

Congratulations to the following parent volunteers who have generously offered their time and energy to serve as PTA Executive Officers for the 2009-2010 school year:

At Northfield Elementary School: President Patty Wise, First Vice President Sheryl Gostomski, Second Vice President Carey Sheaghan, Treasurer Brian McAllister, Secretary Carolyn Cleary, PTA Council Delegates Diane Demes and Mary Swentzel and CAC Representatives Miriam Killoran and Karen Sarno.

And at Bonnie Branch Middle School: President Tiffany Wendt, Second Vice President Gail Miller-Myers, Secretary Beth Webster and PTA Council Delegate Trina Thames.

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