The Front Row with MARK NELKE Aug. 18, 2011

Mary Fisher didn't want a little thing like an asthma attack to keep her out of a basketball game.

Jerry Bittner, her basketball coach at North Idaho Christian School in Hayden, recalled a game last year at Lakeside High in Plummer where he twice had to take Fisher, a 5-foot-3 guard, out of the game because of asthma attacks. She layed on the floor and used her inhaler so she could breathe properly.

"She still wanted back in the game after the second attack," Bittner said. "This kid is a very special kid who wouldn't give up because she didn't have the perfect athletic body, and she had parents who loved their child enough to let her be a normal teenage girl."

Fisher, who would have been a junior this fall, died Sunday from heart issues she had dealt with the past nine years. She was 16.

Bittner remembered her as a "special girl," an A student, and "pound for pound, my best defensive player."

BECAUSE NORTH Idaho Christian does not offer a tennis program, Fisher was able to play tennis for Coeur d'Alene High the past two seasons.

Laura Taylor, the Vikings' girls tennis coach, had to fight back tears when remembering Fisher.

"To be honest with you, one of the sweetest, smiley-est kids I've ever been around," Taylor said. "She lost gracefully, and won gracefully."

Taylor said she was unaware of Fisher's heart problems until being told recently, noting Mary and her family probably didn't want her to be treated any differently because of her ailment.

"She worked hard, practiced hard and you would never know it was even happening," Taylor said.

Taylor said Fisher played singles the majority of the time at Coeur d'Alene, usually No. 2 or No. 3 singles.

Bittner said Mary had told him recently she was looking forward to competing for the No. 1 singles position next spring.

“She was a great girl, and it’s a tragedy to lose her,” Taylor said. “She will definitely be missed.”

A Celebration of Life ceremony is scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m. at the Lake City Community Church in Coeur d’Alene.

IT’S STILL mid-August, but the high school fall sports season begins on Friday.

In boys soccer, Lakeland plays host to Bonners Ferry and in girls soccer, Post Falls visits Sandpoint and Lakeland travels to Timberlake.

On Saturday in boys soccer, Sandpoint travels to Coeur d’Alene, and Lewiston visits St. Maries. Lakeland’s girls play at Coeur d’Alene, and St. Maries’ girls host Lewiston JV.

The first volleyball match is next Thursday.

High school football starts next Friday with six games involving local teams — Coeur d’Alene at Rocky Mountain of Meridian, Lakeland at Lake City, Lewiston at Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene JV at St. Maries, Wallace at Kootenai and Lakeside at Clark Fork.

The first cross country meets are next Saturday, with the first swim meet scheduled for Sept. 10.

And off we go.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected].