Ursula Kirschner
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Stacey Darling 9th Annual Charity Classic
Men's 4.0
Thursday Night
The look on one woman's face is what this tournament is about. I had just finished talking with one of the tournament umpires who shared his story with me about how his brother was Stacey Darling's doubles partner 9 years ago. He explained how as a team they won the first round of mixed doubles and were to meet Saturday morning to play the second round. When he arrived and asked at the desk if Stacey had arrived yet he was told she had died the night before. Ever since the tournament has been named after her.
Moments after I was told the story I saw two players come out from under the tarp of the indoor courts. And I use my intuition as to whether or not to interview a person. And often times if a player loses they have a completely different disposition then if they had won. So in seeing this woman and man come out from the court I knew I was led to ask them a question, and as they answered, explaining that they had lost 1-6, 6-7 for mixed 4.0 doubles. I made the point that she had looked like she had won, and how that is a good thing, it means she is not carrying anything with her from the loss. She smiled and laughed exclaiming "I feel like I won" and then the man offered a very simple explanation, "She's happy she's playing with her son",..... "Yeah", she chimed in, "I am very happy." And the son mother team walked away. Erik and Ursula Kirschner.
I had told the umpire after he told me his story, how that is why you take nothing for granted. Each situation to speak up and do what you know is right is there for you to embrace, like it was your last opportunity.
There is a new award this year , the Ron Darling sportsmanship award, in the memory of another child of the Darlings who dies this year in a motorcycle accident. I do not know how it will be awarded or through what decision process, but seeing through my lens I see the attitudes and spirit in which these games are being played and with the mother son team of Erik and Ursula Kirschner along with the Father and son combination of Franklin Starnes, they have a number of good candidates to choose from.