From trips to camps and days spent enjoying the sunshine, summer is the best time of year for kids. We asked the third-graders at Reed Elementary in Ladue what they’re doing this summer, and here are some of their responses. Good times ahead!

Ryan Robertson arguably posted the best career stats of any high school player in our town's history. Now that he's returned home, Robertson is coaching his children's basketball teams.

Story: Ten-year-old Joe Shostak has a problem with anger management. His Little League baseball manager tells him so after seeing him get in a fight with a loud-mouthed player from another team. There are problems at home, too, as Joe’s parents have separated over money issues.

The date was July 10, 1999. The event was the final of the Women's World Cup between the United States and China. The audience of 40 million made it the most-watched soccer game ever on U.S. network television.

Well, it’s that time of year again. Cranky, 14, Whiny, 13, and Punch, 11, are back in school. But somehow, this year, things are a little bit different. It’s been brewing like a storm on the horizon, so I wasn’t shocked at the occurrence. I was, however, shocked by the enormity of it all. Suddenly, all three of them have cultivated a social life. A social life—I might add—that is much more time-consuming and entertaining than my own. There are limitless options for a tween/teen weekend: sports, movies, hanging out. Occasionally, a kid will have parents brave enough to host a party—I think brave is the word I’m looking for—but in the end, things are as they have always been: The nucleus of young-teen socializing continues to be ‘the dance.’

C.J. Jones is the top youth 800-meter runner in the nation. And he has the medals to prove it. Jones, a soon-to-be junior at Cardinal Ritter, spent his summer collecting national championships. He brought home four—count ‘em, four—national titles between the last week of July and the first week of August. He even set a new national record.

It happened almost every night: The family would have dinner, then Dad would load the kids into the car and drive to a grade school gym. There, they would play wall-to-wall basketball. The father, Rusty Lisch, was a former NFL quarterback. He drove the two boys and two girls hard. However, they didn’t seem to mind. They loved their dad, loved competition and loved becoming the best players on their teams. All four Lisch kids went to college on basketball scholarships, including Kevin Lisch, who became a star player at Saint Louis University.

Newly published author, 13- year-old MATTHEW PEARLMAN, is doing plenty of name-dropping in the pages of his first book, That’s Great Advice! Advice from Pro Athletes for Kids, Written by a Kid. Matthew, a soon-to-be freshman at Valley Park H.S., turns to marquee players like the St. Louis Rams’ STEVEN JACKSON, basketball’s KEVIN DURANT and baseball’s CHIPPER JONES for positive character lessons. The young author has a July 19 book-signing scheduled at Lester’s Sports Bar & Grill in Ladue, from 4 to 7 p.m. When he’s not hobnobbing with the pros, Matthew volunteers as a math and reading tutor at Valley Park Elementary School. Proud parents are DR. BRYAN and LENA PEARLMAN.

Erwin Claggett could do without the yips. An avid golfer, Claggett plays three or four times a week in the summer. His putter, though, hasn’t been good to him the last couple of times out.

Andy Kay wanted to keep things simple. In years past, the MICDS boys’ lacrosse coach and his staff would have the team set its goals at the start of the year, and a lot of times, those goals were large and lofty. It got to the point that Kay decided the grandiose goals and dreams weren’t cutting it. They were, in at least one instance, hurting the program.

Terry Cochran buys in bulk. Food is bought by the shopping cart, clothes by the pound. When you have five boys running around your house, there’s never a dull moment, enough space in the car or enough time in your day to spread yourself around.

Story: Poor Campbell Davis. Just when she’s set to captain her high school’s nationally renowned cheerleading squad, she learns that she’s been transferred to another school by unexpected gerrymandering of local public school districts. This move puts blonde, perky Campbell and her dorky classmate Bridget in a school where cheerleading has considerably less cachet than at her old alma mater.

Paul McRoberts dove onto Norm Stewart Court on the floor of Mizzou Arena and erupted into a cheering, screaming, hugging mess. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound McRoberts’ greatest wish had just been granted, and he was letting it out. He let out all his frustration of coming so close the last two years. He let out his anger at being doubted. But, mostly, he let out his joy of finally reaching the mountaintop.

The talk all weekend on the sidelines of Mizzou Arena was centered around one thing—What is wrong with St. Louis basketball? For the first time in a long time, maybe ever, St. Louis had a team playing in each of the girls’ and boys’ Class 4 and 5 state semifinals.

Anthony Virdure knows no fear on the court. Whether attacking the teeth of a defense or taking the last shot with the game on the line, Virdure, a junior guard for the Lutheran North boys’ basketball team, will do whatever it takes to win.

Shane Matzen stood surrounded by 300 of his closest friends. The Marquette boys’ basketball coach was inundated by hugs, handshakes, well wishes, thanks-yous and attaboys. Matzen’s back was raw from all the slaps it took. While he worked his way around the crowd, those who couldn’t be there shared their joy and appreciation by blowing up his phone with text messages, emails, Tweets and calls. His pocket was vibrating so much it looked like his hip had a twitch.

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

Travon Williams and his University City boys’ basketball team had practice last week. That, in and of itself, is a statement. If you were a Class 4 or 5 school and had practice last week, you did something special— you won a district championship.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

FRIDAY, FEB. 24