Like so many others, I grew up reading The Times Leader and Wheeling Intelligencer Newspapers each day.

One of the things I looked forward to the most around the holidays was the annual Christmas Wish List column that OVAC Hall of Fame scribe Nick Bedway penned each year.

Actually, one year, I remember I made the cut and was listed in the column. I honestly thought I had won the lottery.

With Nick retired many years ago, the column hasn’t been around. I was in the office one morning earlier this month and started reminiscing about years past along with possible story ideas for the holidays.

I kept coming back to Nick’s Christmas column. I approached Executive Sports Editor Bubba Kapral and a few others about their overall thoughts on the column and it was met with a resounding “do it.”

So, with all due respect to Nick and his idea, I am resuming the Christmas Wish List column.

Here’s my Christmas list for area sports figures, coaches and athletes:

COLTON McKIVITZ, WVU/UL Alum — A strong pre-draft workout period and Senior Bowl to improve his stock for April’s NFL Draft.

DR. GREGORY MERRICK, CRC Director — Good weather and no issues for the upcoming Cancer Research Classic.

ELIJAH BELL, North Carolina A&T/Wheeling Park Alum — Impressive pro day workouts to enhance his resume and chance at being drafted in April.

J.R. BATTISTA, Bellaire Basketball Coach — Continued impressive and entertaining post-game quotes for the remainder of the season.

SAM JONES, Buckeye Local A.D. — A smooth transition into his retirement from his current position and additional OHSAA Tournament football and baseball games as an official.

RICK THORP, Times Leader — A Cowboys division title, a deep Celtics post-season run and keeping the core players of the Indians together for another run in the American League.

DIRK DECOY, OVAC Executive Director — Smooth winter and spring sports championships as well as a productive first full calendar year in his role with the OVAC.

RICK DELUCA, OVAC Basketball Director — Accurate and quickly reported scores for OVAC basketball games, allowing a smooth completion of the standings for the basketball championships.

JOHN TRIVERI, Shadyside A.D. — A quick solution to filling the remaining openings on the Tigers 2020 football schedule.

KIM NORTH, Times Leader — Many OVAC wrestlers — on both sides of the river — to cover at the respective state wrestling tournaments.

ADAM STEWART, Ohio State Football Physical Therapist — A stress-free College Football Playoff and a national championship ring.

LUKAS ISALY, Marietta College — An even deeper run in the NCAA Division III basketball tournament.

BOB GABEL, Official — A pay raise for all of the Arbiter help he provides to area athletic directors and officials.

AL GLITCH, Voice of the OVAC — No vocal cord issues for the two weekends of the OVAC Basketball Championships in February.

SERGE GENTILE, Shadyside Girls Basketball — Another extended run in the Ohio Division IV basketball tournament.

JERRY AMES, WKKX — A lengthy Wheeling Central playoff run in every sport the school competes in and the stamina to hold up during the upcoming broadcasts of the CRC.

KIM CLIFFORD, St. Clairsville — More time in the evening, so he can get to all of the basketball games his sons are coaching.

KELLY RINE, Retired St. Clairsville A.D. — More rounds of golf and time to condition to serve as the chief of the hurdle crew at the OVAC Track and Field Championshp.

MIKE COX, Baseball Umpire — A deep umpire pool from which to assign games for this spring and several tournament game assignments.

DAN MONTEROSO, St. Clairsville alum and professional basketball player — A quick rehab from knee surgery and another opportunity to play the sport he loves overseas.

MARK HINERMAN, WKKX — Better success in the ‘Friday Afternoon Walkthrough’ pick contest next season.

ZAC BRUNEY, Wheeling University — A talented and deep recruiting class to continue to help build the foundation for Cardinals football success.

DR. DAN DOYLE, OVAC Wrestling Commissioner — No snow or precipitation during the week of the Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament next month.

TODD SMITH, Edison — Plenty of Penguins playoff tickets and opportunities to take your dogs to Pup Nights at PNC Park.

ANTHONY REASBECK, Martins Ferry — A first Belmont Hills Country Club Golf Championship in August.

TOM RATAICZAK, OVAC — More time to enjoy his grandchildren in sporting events and continued opportunities to extend his impressive streak of games as the Bellaire scorekeeper.

MIKE YOUNG, Wheeling Central — An additional display case to continue to show off his growing collection of championship rings.

TOM SLIVA, St. Clairsville — A return the playoffs for his beloved Cleveland Indians.

MIKE FLANNERY, River — Several gas cards for him and his wife, Carolyn, to continue to make trips to Painesville to watch their daughter, Lauren, play basketball at Lake Erie College.

BRETT McLEAN, St. Clairsville Football — More time to relax this offseason since he doesn’t have to spend every day seeking to fill a schedule.

RYAN CLIFFORD, St. Clairsville Boys Basketball — Additional sport jackets to extend his wardrobe and a continued streak of no technical fouls in his head coaching career.

MARK COOK, Martins Ferry A.D. — No morning travel issues now that you have more than a three-block drive to work each day.

CODY TOMER, Intelligencer — A new GPS and tires for your car since you wore yours out during the Wheeling Central football playoff run.

ANDREW GRIMM, Herald Star — More success on the area road-race circuit and another strong showing in the Ogden Half Marathon Walk this spring.

JOANN STAGANI, Edison — Continued community and administrative support as the quest for new athletic facilities moves forward as well as growing numbers in the officiating classes you teach.

MARK ROMICK, River — An opportunity this spring to spend time with your grandchildren in Cincinnati and take in some of Ryne’s baseball games at Denison.

RAY HIBBS, Harrison Central — An opportunity to continue to showcase the Huskies’ gorgeous facilities by hosting additional tournament games in Cadiz.

BUBBA KAPRAL, Times Leader — Plenty of column ideas and a continued ascent up the basketball officiating ladder.

RENO SACCOCCIA, Steubenville — An offseason where his schedule for the upcoming season is completed before school lets for summer break in May.

ROGER HERBERT, Buckeye Local — Continued patience to stay the course on his quest to rebuild the Panthers football program.

CAITLYN KROLL, Bridgeport/Ohio University — A Mid-American Conference Sixth Person of the Year Award and NCAA Tournament berth.

MARK HOLENKA, Shadyside — New walking shoes to continue to pound laps at the Fleming Field track and another successful football season.

DAVE REASBECK, Martins Ferry Girls Basketball — A chance to watch WVU and Ohio State meet in the Final Four.

TY FLEMING, WKKX — His gift came early when Kent State won its first bowl game.

TOM BECHTEL, OVAC Softball — A dry spring to allow as many games as possible to be played at the I-470 Complex.

DON CASH, Basketball Official — Another full class for his basketball training class in the fall.

GREG HARKNESS, Bridgeport — A quick resolution to the impending football stadium issue, so the Bulldogs can play literal home games sooner than later and season tickets to the Ohio Valley Roughriders.

MICHAEL JEBBIA, Wheeling Park — A trip back to the West Virginia Class AAA state tournament.

DONNIE CASH, Bridgeport — A peaceful 2020 in terms of your buddies jacking you on social media.

MIKE BECK, Martins Ferry Golf — A new bag to keep all of the golf balls you find during Ohio Valley tournaments.

ZACH DELMAN, Union Local — A few more coaching jobs for the Jets. We’re not sure you’re busy enough.

JUSTIN CLIFFORD, Harrison Central — A stress-free summer vacation, which hasn’t always been the case.

JOSH STROPE, Intelligencer — A Nick Bosa jersey and an extended run in the playoffs for your long-suffering 49ers.

KYLE LUTZ, Intelligencer — A chance for your Giants to move up enough in the draft for a chance to nab Chase Young.

KRISTIN MAZGAJ, Bridgeport Volleyball — A few more smiling Griffons for the family.

ALL TIMES LEADER READERS — A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Staskey can be reached via email at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com or at twitter.com/TLSportsSeth