Effingham August September 2012

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Sixteen Year Old Sharpshooter

Brianna Edwards

August/September 2012

SPORTS ISSUE

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in this issue

Effingham’s Athletes and Competitors August/September 2012

Brianna Edwards

Michael Holton

Lamar Hall

Brandon Yawn

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16

20

26

Robert Scott

Haley Cook

Caroline Brennan

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34

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Mallory Ferguson

Kellie Badger

Cal Baker

42 departments

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50

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Publisher’s Thoughts Worship Directory Effingham Weddings Real Estate Guide

CONTRIBUTORS

August/September 2012

Clark Byron

Clark Byron is a freelance writer and author in Savannah and Beaufort whose services are much in demand. He also enjoys cooking, making music and is an avid reader. In addition to writing books with other client/ authors, Clark is in the process if finishing his own novel. He is proud to be writing for Independence Day Publishing and all three of its fine community publications.

Julie Hales owner/publisher julie@idpmagazines.com Lane Gallegos layout/graphic design lane@idpmagazines.com Victoria Patterson office manager victoria@idpmagazines.com

Barbara Russell

Victoria Patterson

Barbara Russell is a freelance writer and photographer, and in the past she was a high school English teacher and a flight attendant. Always an avid horse person and riding instructor, she enjoys writing for equine publications and she is writing a young adult novel about horses. For several years she wrote feature stories and a history column for Effingham CloseUp, and she has been published in a variety of magazines. Currently she enjoys writing for Independence Day Publishing. Interviewing local people and having the opportunity to retell their unique stories is her passion.

Victoria Patterson has been a professional artist for 15 years plus, and her love for photography has led her further each year into an exploration of timelessness. She can bring out a creative side in people they didn’t even know existed! Victoria’s portraiture stands out from others with originality.

Her style is photojournalist, a little traditional, liberally sprinkled with artzy flair. Portraits and weddings for friends and relatives gradually led to a more formal occupation and a clarification of what it is that she looks for through the lens of a camera. Her photography is a constant search for beauty, character and depth, for that place where time stands still.

Katie is a freelance writer and Effingham County native who enjoys meeting new and interesting people. She earned her English degree at Georgia Southern University, and caught the travel bug while studying abroad in Costa Rica, where she received a minor in Spanish. After college, she worked briefly in Yellowstone National Park, where she enjoyed hiking and photographing the scenery and the wildlife. She is always up for visiting new places, but she loves the south and is proud to call Effingham her Kathryn Vandenhouten home.

Lea Allen administrative assistant/circulation lea@idpmagazines.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe to Effingham Magazine by submitting a check and subscription information form found in every issue. You may also subscribe by calling (912)826-2760.

LETTERS TO THE PUBLISHER Write to us and tell us what you think. Effingham Magazine welcomes all letters to the publisher.

Please send all letters via email to Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com Letters to the publisher must have a phone number and name of contact.

Phone numbers will not be published.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Effingham Magazine welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea, or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com All articles and photos will be reviewed by the publisher, and if the articles and accompanying photos meet the criteria of Independence Day Publishing, Inc., the person submitting the material will be contacted. Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Effingham County will be considered.

CALENDAR SECTION We’re looking for your information about clubs, organizations, events and meetings. For events in October/November 2012, copy must be submitted by September 24, 2012.

Please email all copy to julie@idpmagazines.com.

Effingham Magazine is published bimonthly by Independence Day Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Effingham Magazine 108 International Drive Rincon, GA 31326 (912) 826-2760

www.effinghammagazine.com

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PUBLISHER’S Thoughts

On the Cover

Sharpshooter Brianna Edwards Photo by Victoria Patterson

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God had a different plan...

Here we are, at the end of another full year of publishing Effingham Magazine....six full years to be exact. Every year is just as exciting as the first. I am still like a little kid in a candy store when the truck pulls up in our parking lot to deliver each issue. Of course I know what it looks like when we send it to press, but it’s that feeling of holding it...turning each page... looking at each picture...

Oh well, guess you’d have to be there.

Last year, we had our very first Sports Issue. Well, we certainly hit a home run with that one! So, we decided to play ball again....and here you go....our 2nd Annual Sports Issue!

We had a lot of fun with this one.... and a little heart ache too.

We had loads of fun with the high school athletes on their photo shoots. I personally got to attend a few of these and was very impressed with each of the kids I met. Not only are they great athletes, they are exceptional students and leaders. It made me feel proud of our school system and of our community to know we are still producing talented kids, but even more important, quality young adults.

We also have a race car driver that has been winning championships since a very young age. We have a marathon running duo.....a father, daughter pair who share a love for running. And, we have a young man that attends South Effingham High who is a gold medal champion in the Special Olympics.

Well, if that is not enough, we have one more. Unfortunately, this is where the heartache of this issue comes into play. Several weeks ago, this bubbly, bouncy 16 year old came into my office to meet with one of our writers for her Julie Hales, Publisher interview. Her name is Brianna Edwards.

Brianna came in....almost quiet...met with the writer and did her thing. On her way out is when I got the chance to meet her. I think her smile was the first thing I saw when she stuck her head in my office to say hello.

She was bubbling over with excitement, and shared with me her passion.....passion for what she loves to do....shoot guns. This 16 year old is a sharp shooter. Who would have thought it? Not me!

As we parted that evening, plans were made for her photo shoot. On the day of her shoot, my photographer, Victoria Patterson, got a call from Brianna’s mother cancelling the shoot.....Brianna had been bitten by a rattlesnake and was in ICU in the hospital.

Word quickly got through our office and each of us were in shock...this young, vibrant girl we had just met was fighting for her life!

Days went by and her recovery was painful. Victoria went to the hospital to visit with her and was able to give us reports on her condition. Prayers and concern went out to Brianna in a huge way. We knew we were going to have to pull her amazing story for this issue and find something to replace it with.

But, God had a different plan. Thanks to Him, Brianna’s recovery was quicker than the doctors thought and she was able to come home from the hospital....and we were able to do a photo shoot and get her in this issue before going to press. This young girl is amazing....her talent in her field is unbelievable at her age. Read her story, you will be surprised.

We hope you enjoy this issue!

Publisher’s Note: At press time, Brianna’s condition had worsened. Please keep her and her family in your prayers as she continues to fight this infection

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Straight Shooting...

n Target For Success

• Story by KATIE VANDENHOUTEN Photos by VICTORIA PATTERSON •

“Aim at a high mark and you will hit it. No, not the first time, not the second time and maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting, for only practice will make you perfect. Finally you’ll hit the bull’s eye of success.”

–Annie Oakley

B

rianna Edwards has her sights set on success in the world of competitive shooting. At just sixteen years of age, this Effingham County native has received attention throughout the south for her uncanny ability to hit a target with pinpoint accuracy.

Her family is well known in the community for owning The Clyo Trading Post, and that is how Edwards’ adventure with sharp shooting began.

It all started when Jimmy Bell, a sharpshooter and family friend, came into the store talking about another young girl who was an outstanding shooter. Bell asked Edwards if she would be interested in learning, and she thought she’d give it a try.

Bell, who is sponsored by Dean Forest Guns, probably thought he would have to work with Edwards for a long time before she would be comfortable and get the hang of it, but he could not have been more wrong.

“We just went to his house one day,

and I picked up the gun,” she recalls. “I had never shot a pistol in my life before.”

But as soon as Edwards fired that gun for the first time, something just clicked.

Both she and Bell were surprised by how well she could shoot.

Wherever Bell told her to shoot, she shot—and with remarkable accuracy. “I picked it up, and he was so amazed with how well I shot that he wanted me to do a competition,” Edwards says. And that’s exactly what she did.

In fact, she won her first competition, and she is yet to know defeat at a shooting range. “Every competition I’ve done, I’ve won,” says Edwards. She has been shooting for less than a year, which makes her success even more amazing.

“I didn’t think I would win,” Edwards says of her first shooting competition.

“I freaked out because I had the highest scores. I beat one of the best shooters there,” she says with a grin. “I was so excited.”

When she talks about shooting, Edwards lights up with enthusiasm. The

mere mention of a Glock brings joy to her eyes, and it is easy to see how passionate she is about her newfound talent.

Nothing gives Edwards a thrill as much as a 9mm Glock 17. No puny .22 for this girl. No, thank you! She can hardly hold back her excitement when she talks about her weapon of choice. “I love that gun,” she says while trying not to bounce out of her seat. “People don’t really like the Glocks, but to me, I can’t shoot any other gun.”

It is hard to imagine such a petite young girl wielding a 9mm Glock 17 with such accuracy and finesse, but Edwards does it as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “I like Glocks because they are accurate to me, and they fit,” she explains. “The grip is closer to the trigger than most, and my hands are so little, I can’t reach anything else.”

She shoots with the IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association), and is now a member of the club in Oliver, Georgia. She is labeled a “sharpshooter,” which is the third out of five ranked skill

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levels—pretty impressive for a sixteen year old who just picked up a hand gun a year ago.

And her talents have not gone unnoticed. From professional snipers to secret service agents, various shooting experts are interested in her almost savant-like talent for sharp shooting.

Damingo Ruiz is one of these professionals who is extremely interested in Edwards’ aptitude for shooting. “He is a hero in my eyes for what he does,” she says of Ruiz. He is an agent in charge of High Threat Diplomatic Protection, and he has taken an interest in Edwards and encourages her to hone her skill.

Ruiz has been an inspiration to Edwards and has given her confidence to keep pushing herself towards greatness: “I am a wonderful shooter and can go many places with that,” she says. “He wants me to become what he is—to show that not only men can do it, but girls can. It makes me want to take everything to the next level with shooting and become more,” says Edwards.

She is proactive when it comes to her future in shooting. She has been doing her research into the best programs for college shooting scholarships, and she is exploring her career options as well. Sadly, she

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cannot be a sniper in the military because she is a girl, but she is also interested in the CIA, the Secret Service, or any job that would allow her to use her talent.

“They said I’d be a good narc, too,” Edwards says of her future career opportunities. She is definitely the last person you would suspect of being an expert with a firearm. But don’t let her good looks fool you; she is a deadly weapon when she wants to be.

At just five feet, two inches tall, Edwards is literally shooting guns that are taller than she is. Her most challenging event, the “three man,” requires her to use a pistol, a shot gun and a rifle. “You have to shoot the shot gun first, put it down, load your pistol, shoot that, and then shoot the AR15,” she explains. The “three man” is her most difficult shooting event, but she enjoys the challenge.

Next summer Edwards will attend one of the best camps in America for shooting. MGM Targets hosts the camp in Oregon, and she already has a place at the prestigious camp. “They’re trying to get me scholarships,” says Edwards. She will attend the camp in Oregon for three days, and she is optimistic about the knowledge she will gain from the experience.

Edwards’ main goal now is to make sure

she takes her shooting to the next level in college. “I really want a scholarship,” she says. “I really want to go to Alabama. They have one of the best shoot teams in the United States.”

And while she likes the novelty of usually being the only girl competing at her level, Edwards is an advocate for women shooters. “I really want to show other girls you can do it if you put your mind to something,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a ‘boy sport’ or whatever. If they can do it, why not you?” She would love to see more women role models in the sport.

“Shooting is a thrill,” Edwards beams. “I absolutely love it.” And she wants to share that enthusiasm with everyone she meets.

If you ask her about her right to bear arms, she will not mince words about her second amendment rights. On the heels of the movie theater massacre in Colorado, Edwards simply says, “If you didn’t have a gun, how would you protect yourself against somebody like that?”

Admittedly, Brianna Edwards is “stuck on guns.” The petite 16-year old has an immense talent for sharp shooting, and will no doubt continue to excel with time. She has set her sights on success, and just like every other target, she plans to make her mark.

• To see Brianna Edwards in action, visit the police shooting range in Springfield every second Saturday of every month for the IDPA competitions. • For more information about joining the IDPA, visit their website at www.idpa.org

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Bringing Home

The Gold • Story by BARBARA RUSSELL Photos by VICTORIA PATTERSON •

M

ichel Holton is a typical teenager. This South Effingham senior loves music, dancing, going to the movies, video games and girls, but - he also likes a challenge. Michael has Down Syndrome, which makes it more difficult for him to learn things, but he doesn’t let that stand in his way of accomplishing whatever he wants to do.

“I’m a good athlete,” he says, and the fact that he has won at least one gold medal in the Equestrian Special Olympics every year for the past five years is proof of that. He also has earned his second degree blue belt in Ta Kwon Do, and he completed and passed a weight training class in school. His interests are varied, but horseback riding is his favorite.

Michael’s parents, Amy and Mike Holton, have always made an effort to expose Michael to many things. He played T-Ball, took golf lessons, and bowled with his family. And when he was eight years old, his mother took him to watch a horse show in Bloomingdale. That’s where Michael’s love for horses and riding began. “He definitely had an interest in horses,” his mother said, “and riding lessons were his idea.” At the horse show an information table was set up for Heroes on Horseback, a therapeutic riding center in Bluffton. Amy took home a brochure, and soon Michael began riding with them.

Michael set goals. He progressed. He dreamed of competing in the Special Olympics.

Equestrian sports are an official and popular sport in the North American Special Olympics. Every year riders from Heroes on Horseback participate in the South Carolina Special Olympics, but much to his disappointment, Michael could not participate because he was not a SC resident. Michael’s dreams became a reality when he met Bonnie Gentry.

Bonnie’s dream was to open a therapeutic riding center in Effingham County, and she was well on her way to obtaining her goal. As part of her training to become certified, she received training and experience by helping out at Heroes On Horseback, and of course, that’s when she met Michael and

his family. When Bonnie opened her facility, Faith Equestrian Center, Michael was her second student. That was six years ago.

In 2006, Bonnie began teaching Michael, and his instruction has always been hands on. He has learned how to get his horse and bring it in from the field, groom it, saddle it up and ride. He also cares for his horse after riding, which sometimes includes giving it a bath.

“He’s got a lot of ability,” says Bonnie. “It just needs to be brought out. He’s a very athletic looking young man. He looks good on a horse.” She says that Michael sits on a horse quite naturally, but taking control while riding proves to be challenging. “I have to think of different ways of communicating until I find something that works,” says Bonnie. “For me it’s been a journey of becoming even a better instructor.”

Equestrian sports in the Special Olympics follow the same regulations as horse shows on a national level, and the riders are judged by the same criteria. There are no ‘participation trophies’. Riders earn what they win.

Bonnie continually challenges Michael to reach higher goals with his horsemanship skills, and he’s come a long way. When Michael began riding he had a horse leader and a side walker in the ring with him, and competing in the Special Olympics was just a dream, but with Bonnie’s excellent instruction and a lot of hard work, he has become a competent, independent rider. Competing in the Special Olympics became a reality.

Each year since 2007 Michael has competed in the Special Olympics of Georgia State Horse Show in Perry. Each year he has come home with a gold medal.

“I’m a perfectionist,” says Bonnie, and she makes sure Michael has a secure foundation at each level before she allows him to move up in the next level of difficulty in his riding skills.

Last year Bonnie’s challenge to Michael was for him to learn to ride a dressage test. This was a challenge to Bonnie too because her knowledge of dressage is limited, but quite

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“I’m a good athlete,” he says, and the fact that he has won at least one gold medal in the Equestrian Special Olympics every year for the past five years is proof of that. unexpectedly she was given a helper. Rhegan White, a world class dressage trainer was visiting Bonnie’s facility and she offered to teach Michael dressage. Rhegan’s words: “I would love to teach dressage to Michael,” were music to Bonnie’s ears.

Rhegan donated her time, coming out to teach Michael two to three times a month. “And she taught me how to teach Michael,” said Bonnie, who continues Michael’s dressage lessons when Rhegan cannot be there.

The Special Olympics uses the same dressage tests that are the official tests developed by The United States Dressage Federation.

At the Introductory Level, riders are required to ride a series of figures in a prescribed pattern at the walk and the trot, and riders can choose to either ride the test from memory or to have someone call out directions to them.

Michael and his favorite horse, Slick, spent hours of hard work practicing to prepare for their first dressage test in last year’s Special Olympics. Riding the dressage test would be a challenge in itself, but Michael chose to give himself one more challenge – Michael chose to memorize his test. All went well. The judges were impressed, and Michael came home with a gold medal – again.

“Michael is very smart,” said his father, “and shows make him focus….and he likes to have an audience!”

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Winning a gold medal is never easy. Even when horse and rider are perfectly prepared for competition, the unexpected can happen, and it has happened with Michael and Slick.

During the Special Olympics, horse and rider are allowed a practice time in the arena before they are judged, and once during Michael’s practice performance, an incident happened that could have unnerved Michael. He and his father were practicing for their unified drill ride, and they were in costumes, dressed as knights. At one point they improvised jousting, and Michael’s heavy costume shifted dramatically, causing Slick to spook - Michael came close to falling off. The officials wanted to make sure that he was not hurt, so they made him get off Slick to check him out. When they were sure Michael was okay, he got back on and completed the practice ride. Practice makes perfect – the actual performance went smoothly, and once again Michael was the winner.

Traveling to and from the competition can also have its difficulties. To get to the Special Olympics, Michael’s horse must travel in a horse trailer for over 100 miles, and on their trip home from one of the Olympics, they had a big problem – a flat tire on the horse trailer. This would not normally pose a big problem, except - they did not have a lug wrench. Everyone tried to remain

calm as Michael’s father struggled to somehow loosen the lugs. He finally managed to remove four of the five lug nuts, but he could not get the last one off. Before he could decide on the next plan of action, Michael stood beside him and said in a very calm voice, “Can we panic now?!”

“Michael has a very good sense of humor,” said his father. Michael’s remark broke the tension and caused them all to laugh. A friend came to their rescue, and they arrived home safely.

Bonnie’s next goal for Michael is for him to compete in Intermediate 4 classes, and that will be his greatest challenge so far. “It’s tough!” said Bonnie.

“He’ll be a totally independent rider at the canter. He will have to compete at the walk, trot and canter in a group, keep his horse safely spaced from the other horses in the ring, and ride on the correct diagonal at the trot….It’s tough,” Bonnie repeated.

The challenges Michael faces to obtain his goals in horseback riding have been tough. He knows the joy of riding and he’s won competitions, but he’s gained much more. “It’s a life lesson above and beyond his riding,” says his father. “It’s setting a goal and meeting it. It’s perseverance….and when he’s at a show he’s a whole different kid – he’s focused.”

Michael continues to challenge himself, and he has taken on another challenge this summer – he’s taking surfing lessons, and he has yet another goal that he shared with me – he wants to be an actor. This fine young man is outgoing, self-confident, focused and funny – he may accomplish that too.

There’s no doubt that he’ll continue to challenge himself throughout his lifetime, but regardless of what he achieves in life, he is a great example for anyone who is working towards a goal.

Michael with Bonnie Gentry of Faith Equestrian Center.

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It’s All In The Family father/daughter mar athon r unner s

• Story by CLARK BYRON Photos by VICTORIA PATTERSON •

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L

amar Hall’s life was changed one day by a piece of birthday cake.

Hall, 43, is an engineer at Gulfstream. It all started with a lunch buddy from work. “About six years ago I had a friend that I’d went out and ate lunch with everyday,” explained Hall. “I saw that my weight was going up, my fitness was going down; I did not feel right.” Sadly, his 57 year-old friend passed away from a liver ailment. That loss had a profound effect on Hall regarding his own health. About eight months later, Hall was at a birthday party of one of his daughter’s friends and was given a slice of birthday cake. He looked down at it and realized it was his moment to change.

Hall changed his diet with the help of friend and began running. “I have been running on and off all my life,” said Hall.

“I made a firm commitment to it six years ago and I’ve been running about every other day ever since.” Hall was a football and soccer player in high school but never ran competitively at any level. He chose running because it’s something he’s always enjoyed.

Hall liked the progress he’d seen in his ability to run further and further. He saw his weight go down and his fitness level go up. He began running in local 5K races like the March of Dimes 5K Shamrock Run and a few others. Then, he moved up to 10K races. He participated in the Enmark Savannah River Bridge Run 10K that took runners over the Talmadge Bridge downtown. “I would not consider myself anywhere near being a competitive runner,” he said. “I like to race against myself but cannot keep up with really competitive runners.”

Then, Hall took it to the next level. He decided to run a local half marathon, an event that was way beyond what he had ever attempted before, either in practice or an event. “Before my first half-marathon in 2008 at Tybee, I hadn’t ever covered a distance of more than six miles,” he said.

He decided to try and see what is was like to run 10 miles on his own. He ran the half-marathon to see if he could run the 13-plus miles of a half marathon. He did. “I found out what I was made of,” said Hall.

After that, he was no longer intimidated by the sheer distance of a full marathon and decided to train for that. “It was a natural progression to see if I could run a full marathon,” said Hall.

He had always admired marathoners. “When I was young I used to watch the New York City Marathon,” he said.

He wondered how anyone could run 26 miles 385 yards without tearing himself apart. “There is no way on God’s green

earth that I would ever be able to run 26.2 miles at one time,” he thought. Last year, as the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in Savannah approached, Hall found himself training in the heat and humidity for this classic distance event. He ran his first marathon with a time of 3:21:07–a great start for a first time marathoner.

He plans to run the Rock-n-Roll Marathon again this November here in Savannah. After that, he has set his sights on a more ambitious goal. “My goal is to eventually get a time that will qualify me for the Boston Marathon.” Runners in the Boston

Marathon must qualify according to age group. “It gives me something to run for,” said Hall. The age group he’ll be running in when he goes, 45-49, requires a time of 3:25:00 to qualify. Qualify he will.

The love of running has created more than one avid runner in Hall’s family. His only daughter, 11-year-old Catherine, is a running story unto herself. Catherine has been running since she was six. Dad was running the March of Dimes 5K Shamrock Run in Savannah and he knew she couldn’t keep up so he had a friend that ran it with her at her pace. Catherine did this two

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Lamar with daughter Caroline, running in downtown Guyton. years in a row. She and her father’s friend ran together in a few other events as well but that soon ended. “I didn’t run with Dad’s friend anymore because he couldn’t keep up with me. I started running on my own at age eight,” said Catherine.

Amazingly, Catherine has now achieved a level where she can run half-marathons herself. She and her father ran three half marathons on Tybee and the Colonial HalfMarathon in Williamsburg, Virginia. Catherine is laying down some very impressive times. Her 5K best is a sleek 21:09. Her fastest 10K so far is 48:05 on the Bridge Run, and her half-marathon, a jaw-dropping 1:51:00. She was nine when she ran her first half-marathon. Now at 11-yearsold, young Catherine has already run four half-marathons.

Even though she’s just 11, Catherine has been unofficially training with the Effingham County High School Cross Country team. She says she has been since fourth grade. “I’ve been tied with the number one runner. We both had the same times,” she said. She described the grueling training as 60-minutes of non-stop running. “If

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you keep going in the end you’ll feel like a better person,” said Catherine. “That’s the thing that has kept me going.”

Hall and his wife, Sheri, have five children. Catherine is the oldest and the only daughter. The boys are William, 9, Christopher, 7, (who is on the Autism Spectrum), Steven, 5, (who also likes to run), and Edward, 3.

Hall offers this advice to aspiring runners of any age: “You start out with lesser distances and keep building on them until you can get there. But you also have to listen to your body.” He typically runs around Guyton and on the country roads of Effingham County. Hall says the key to running is not how fast you run, it’s that you don’t stop. “Slow down if you must, but don’t stop,” he said. “Push yourself and you can achieve your goal.” For Hall it was from turning down that piece of birthday cake to running his first marathon in only six years.

In addition to working, raising a family with Sheri, and running, Hall is very active in his church, Guyton Christian. He’s also involved with a ministry called GAP, which

stands for God’s Apostles Providing. GAP builds wheelchair ramps to assist people with disabilities access their homes easier.

It’s difficult to say where he’ll find the time to train for Boston. “You have to make certain sacrifices to be able to train for a marathon,” he said.

Anyone who runs or knows a runner knows they are a breed of their own. “Most people think runners are nuts,” said Hall.

“Either you get it or you don’t. It’s not about finishing. It’s about learning about yourself and what you’re capable of.”

Hall says running is his chance to clear his mind of stress. It’s a chance for solitude. Of course, for Hall, running has a spiritual component. “It is my belief that God wants us to take care of ourselves,” he said. “He wants us to set the example for others. I’ll do a long training run and I wonder how in the world can I get through this. There’s one particular verse that keeps me going: Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

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Drive It Like You

Stole It...

• Story by CLARK BYRON Photos by VICTORIA PATTERSON •

F

or Branden Yawn, racing is about the sheer excitement of it. It’s about the thrill of the speed and the sweet taste of victory–something he knows a thing or two about. “Racing is the main sport I follow,” said Yawn. “My father, grandfather and uncle all raced. I really love the whole idea of the whole sport.”

The 23-year-old Yawn started racing Go-Karts in 1994. Running in the Gokarts class at Pineora Kartway in Pineora,

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Georgia, near Guyton. It’s one of the best dirt kart tracks in the southeastern United States. It was the beginning of what has turned into a winning career for the young man whose whole family is involved in racing at some level. Yawn’s racing motto is: “Roll it like it’s stolen.”

His first win came in his first year. He was named 1998 Rookie II Go-Kart Champion. Then, in 2000-2001 he earned the title of Stock lite Champion in Go-Kart and 2001-2002 Stock lite, and Stock Medium

Champion. He started racing cars at age 14. At 16, he moved to the Premier Dirt Track Division.

These days, Yawn is one of the most celebrated drivers on the local dirt track circuit and beyond. His home track is Savannah’s Oglethorpe Speedway, where he races about ten times a year. He also races at dirt dracks all over the south.

You can often catch him at Screven Motor Speedway or Augusta Motor Speedway in his sleek blue number 11, built on a Russell Brown chassis made in Valdosta. Brown named Yawn as one of the best two drivers of his chassis. Yawn said he races once a night but will often race Friday and Saturday nights in a row–twice a weekend. “We try to get 20-30 races in per year.” Yawn has competed in eight races this year with three wins.

The racing season lasts from early March to late September. After that, there are three special event races that Yawn calls the big money races. They happen after the regular racing season. The first is in October, the Showdown, at Oglethorpe Speedway. The second is in November at Screven and the third is a New Year’s Day race in Cochran. Prize money for the winners ranges from $5,000 to $10,000.

“After a couple of big money races we’ll regroup and use that money to get all the parts and everything needed to get working on the cars and get ready for the next year,” said Yawn.

Yawn has won a championship, a feat, which consists of accumulating the most points in placing in 20 races. Various traveling car clubs sponsor these contests.

Yawn earned his car championship in 2007, his senior year of high school, at Screven Motor Speedway. That year yawn also ranked 27 th in the nation among dirt track late model drivers in point accumulation.

There are many misconceptions about the sport of auto racing at any level. Yawn said one of the biggest ones is the level of athleticism it requires. “People relate it to driving down the highway, and that’s not it at all,” he said. Races are huge endurance tests. “A lot of my races are based on how many laps you can go, not the fastest car out there,” he explained. “It’s based on which driver can pace themselves to make 100 fast laps rather than just 50 fast laps, and not wear out your equipment like your tires and not to wear yourself out either.”

Yawn said he has started jogging to keep up his cardio endurance. “I want to make sure that I’m just as fresh at the end of the race as I was at the beginning.”

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Robert Scott Story by CLARK BYRON Photo by VICTORIA PATTERSON

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obert Scott has been playing football since he was seven years old. Now, at 17, he is the starting defensive tackle for the South Effingham High School Mustangs. The 6’1” 230-pound senior has been working to make himself the best he can be, both on and off the field.

The Mustangs went 4-6 in 2011, a big improvement over there 2-8 season in 2010, but still not where they want to be.

That’s all expected to change.

Scott has been playing high school ball since his freshman year where he started on junior varsity. In tenth grade, things suddenly changed. “I expected to play for a year but then I got put on defense and moved to varsity,” said Scott. “I got to experience that for my tenth grade year.” Now, in his senior year, wearing number 75, he’s at the forefront of the varsity squad’s defensive battles.

“I worked super hard during the off season,” said Scott. “Starting after Christmas I went out there almost every day, pulled sleds, ladders, ran bleachers, worked on footwork and speed. It paid off a lot.” Scott improved his 40-yard dash time from 5.1 seconds to 4.9.

He hits the weight room hard. “I’m fortunate to have the coach I have who teaches us the technique,” he said. “I focus the most on explosiveness, power clean (I work the hardest on that one), squat, and the bench.”

And it must be working as Scott benches 330.

Scott said the best part of playing his position is making the plays.

“Playing defensive line you don’t get a lot of attention like the skill players do,” he said, “but once you go out there on the field and make the plays, it shows how much your hard work has paid off.” Scott particularly likes making the stop on fourth down.

“That’s one of the best ones,” he said.

“Our coach gives us a play call when it’s fair release to the quarterback.”

In his position last year, he wasn’t supposed to make any plays. “You were just supposed to take up people (on the opposing front line), double team them to free up the linebacker so that he had that space to move around and make a play,” he said. It was surprising to me to make so many plays at that position. In a season Scott wishes had been better, he still made 25 tackles and 13 assists for a total performance of 38 tackles. “I don’t worry too much about my stats,” he said. “I try to focus on what’s going to help my team the best.” Scott decided that once the season

was over he was going to work as hard as he could to make himself better. He’s certain it’s going to pay off.

This year is going to be better, according to Scott. “We have way more talent than we had in the previous years. We have unselfish players. Everybody’s bonding together. Everybody works hard and pushes each other. Everybody wants it more this year.”

Scott says he likes practicing and scrimmaging. “Practice is sometimes long and it’s hot. “In tenth grade it wasn’t that fun,” he recalls. “In eleventh grade, I did a little better and now it’s pretty fun.” Naturally, practice gets harder and harder as the year

goes on. “Some say it’s bad but it’s really not that bad to me,” said Scott. “In practice, the running is tough but you have to get through that.”

He credits much of his improvement to great coaching. “I love Coach Revell,” he said. “He’s always yelling at us, trying to get us hyped, get us moving and hustling all the time.

Scott said he’s a much improved student as well. “I didn’t really take school too seriously until I found out in my junior year that I could actually go somewhere for football. I had to get my grades up and keep them right,” he said. “I look at football as the only way to get a college educa-

tion. That’s a free education with a scholarship.” Scott was a B and C student in his sophomore year. His junior year showed a marked improvement. He’s making As and Bs, carrying a 3.5 GPA and ending the year with all As. He plays the role of a quiet leader on the team. “I’ve not really been a verbal leader,” said Scott. “I like showing the younger players, the freshman who haven’t played before, what to do and try to lead by example.” Scott likes best the atmosphere of playing high school football. “It’s–the fans, the coaches, and the bond you make with your teammates.”

“We think he’s going to be one of our standout players on defense,” said Coach Donnie Revell. “He’s coming in as a return starter for us.” Coach Revell reports that Scott has worked extremely hard in the weight room during the off-season and made 100 percent of his workouts in the summer except for when he was attending two football camps. “He spends time on his own pulling sleds, working on bags and all of that during the off-season strictly on his own,” said Revell. “He’s making every effort to do the things not only to play at the next level but to make himself better, which is obviously going to make us better.”

The Coach said that Scott has really stepped up his effort to become better at everything he could in all aspects of the game. “We think he’s going to have a stellar season and that he’s going to be that kind of player for us,” he said.

The Mustangs are hoping for a strong season this year. “Obviously you can’t know until you get there but we’re hoping so,” said Coach Revell.

“We’ve got senior leadership coming back this year at quarterback. We got our whole backfield back, he have five or six offensive linemen back, so we feel pretty good about that.” The team also has several returning players on defense.

The team graduated 11 starters last year, many on defense. That’s Coach Revell’s biggest area of concern. Scott is certainly going to contribute to the defensive’s success.

Colleges, including Furman University, Coastal Carolina University, Georgia Southern, Charleston Southern, and Mercer University have shown interest in Scott’s playing ability. He’s hoping to go to college on a football scholarship and study physical therapy. “Maybe I’ll move into sports medicine of some kind,” he said.

“Maybe I’ll be a trainer for the schools.”

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Worship Directory

Gateway Community Church 107 Waterford Court Rincon, GA 31326 Andy Lamon, Pastor www.GatewayEffingham.com (912) 429-7403

Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) 303 N. Laurel Street Springfield, GA 31329 Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jim Cavanah 912-754-3353 holytrinityspringfield.org Savannah Christian ChurchEffingham Campus Lyle Wood; Campus Pastor 810 Fort Howard Road - Rincon, GA 31316 912-925-9657 www.savannahchristian.com Springfield United Methodist Church 210 Cleveland Street, Springfield (912) 754-6646 www.springfieldumc.com Zion Lutheran Church 121 Noel C. Conaway Road Guyton, GA 31312 (912) 728-3430 Pastor Barb Koch info@zionlutheranGA.com www.zionlutheranGA.com If you would like your church listed in our Worship Directory, please call Lea Allen at 826-2760 or email lea@idpmagazines for details.

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2012

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HALEY COOK Story by CLARK BYRON Photo by VICTORIA PATTERSON

34 August/September 2012 | Effingham Magazine

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ize doesn’t matter,” - that’s what Haley Cook would like others to know about her, and there’s a lot of meaning in that seemingly simple phrase. This 5’3” senior varsity volleyball player at Effingham County High School is a talent on the court, even though people have always told her that she’s not tall enough to be a good volleyball player. She has taken those words to heart and proven them wrong - she is an asset to the team, and she plays ‘setter’ which is a key leadership position.

Setters have the task for orchestrating the offense of the team. They aim for second touch and their main responsibility is to place the ball in the air where the attackers can place the ball into the opponents’ court for a point. They have to be able to operate with the hitters, manage the tempo of their side of the court and choose the right attackers to set. Setters need to have swift and skillful appraisal – Wikipedia That sums up the importance of Haley’s position!

Although Haley is a talented volleyball player, she is naturally quiet and a bit shy, but ECHS’s volleyball coach, Joey Jandasek, has been an asset to developing Haley’s volleyball skills.

“The coach has asked Haley to assume more responsibility, and instead of being shy, Haley has to tell the team exactly what she wants,” says her mother, Sherry Cook.

“She (Coach J.) is really great,” says Haley. “She’s taught me a whole lot.

She’s helped me come out of my shell.

She taught me to make calls while playing and I’m not as shy on the court.”

Through volleyball, Haley has learned leadership skills which she puts into practice on and off the court. “All the new girls definitely respect me because I’m a senior this year, and it’s nice to have someone looking up to you,” she says. “I enjoy being a leader to them. A lot of my teammates ask me for advice, and I try to help them out as much as I can.”

Volleyball isn’t the only thing Haley excels in - she’s also an excellent student.

She’s been on Honor Roll every year, making all A’s, and she was on the National Honor Society at Osan American High School in South Korea. “To be on a team you have to keep up a certain grade average, and I think that motivates me to do better in my schoolwork and just everything,” she says.

“Being on an athletic team helps people socialize better and get along well. Just having a group of people – that’s helped me out a lot, and I’ve met a whole bunch

of new people this year through volleyball tryouts.” Haley’s father, CW5 James Cook, is in the Army. They’ve lived many different places, and being on a volleyball team has been a means for her to make new friends in a new place.

When Haley was in middle school they lived in El Paso, and that’s where she was first introduced to volleyball. “I had tried other sports and I wasn’t good at them,” she said, “but when we (she and her younger sister, Sarah), went to a practice, we found out that we loved it and that we’re really good at it. I was eleven years old and I found out volleyball is my thing!”

“The first day I took them to the tryouts,” said her mother, “they said that Haley and her sister were just naturally talented for

volleyball. They could tell right off the bat.”

When they left El Paso, her father was based in South Korea for two years, and Haley continued playing volleyball there.

Her skills continued to improve. When she was in the 9th grade, she was named junior varsity MVP, and in 10th grade she made the varsity team in South Korea. It was a talented team and they qualified to play in a tournament in Japan.

After two years in South Korea, the Army brought the Cook family back to America, and Effingham County is now their home.

One of the first things Haley’s mother did when they moved here was to find out about volleyball tryouts, and a funny thing happened.

“When we moved here last summer we didn’t know a soul in Effingham County”

she said, “and I had sent an email to the coach letting her know we were coming from South Korea, and that both our daughters were avid volleyball players, and that we were interested in summer practice or tryouts. So, she sent us an email back and told us when to show up. We showed up at the summer practices and what was so funny was that the team was expecting Korean girls, and these two showed up. But they were immediately accepted by the coach and all the girls who were on the team last year, and within a week they were friends with everybody. They were so nice to the girls. That kind of smoothed the transition of moving to a new place.”

Haley and her sister have been nicknamed ‘the Korean girls’. “It’s the school joke,” says Haley.

Haley’s sister, Sarah, is also on the varsity team, and evidently she’s quite a good player too. “My sister is a ‘hitter’ for our team, so we’re in sync with each other,” said Haley. “We’re very close.

We rarely ever fight.”

In fact, the whole Cook family is very close. Military life is tough, and a lifetime of having to live in many places and endure the separations while the father is deployed can take its toll, but “This family has stuck together,” says her father, “and I’m very proud that Haley has stayed committed and dedicated to school work and the sport, and she continues to excel.”

Since joining the ECHS volleyball team, Haley’s talent has been quickly recognized. Last year she won the Coach’s Award for Volleyball. “I’m hard working and I have a passion for the sport,” said Haley who helped the team go to regional playoffs last year. Their goal is to go again this year and hopefully win.

Volleyball is not the only thing that Haley is good at. She’s a very versatile young woman. She has played the piano since the age of eight, and she won first place at the El Paso Baroque Festival in 2008. She also loves cooking and plans on going to culinary school, but….Volleyball is her passion.

“Haley gives 100%. She doesn’t hold back. She listens to her coach. She wants to win,” says Haley’s mother. “She’s a hustler – she makes up for size with hustle.” “She’s dedicated and committed,” says her dad.

All those good qualities are what make Haley an outstanding athlete on the volleyball court, but she’s also humble. “She doesn’t like to brag or seem boastful about herself,” adds her mother.

That’s true, but Haley will say - “Size doesn’t matter!” –and she’s proof of that.

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CAROLINE BRENNAN

Story by BARBARA W. RUSSELL Photo by VICTORIA PATTERSON

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like being out there and getting that adrenalin rush,” says Caroline Brennan, a varsity cheerleader at South Effingham High School, and whether she’s cheering for her school’s football or basketball team, or cheering at a competition, it’s obvious that cheering is a source of much joy for her. She’s got the enthusiasm. She’s got the smile.

“People look up to you a lot when you’re a cheerleader, because they see you at the football games. You’re just out there and they see you smiling and happy, and they want to be like that. So we always have to have a smile on our faces and look happy,” she said. There’s nothing insincere about her smile – it just comes naturally - it’s part of her personality, and it’s a reflection of her positive attitude.

Her positive attitude doesn’t go unnoticed. She has a smile during the school day, and it’s a smile that has had a positive effect on other students.

“I’ve had students come up to me and tell me that I’ve been a role model,” she said. When she speaks, there is no pride in her voice - just sincerity.

The faculty at SEHS has also recognized Brennan’s positive personality. In fact, last year she got picked to be part of a new student leadership program called S.A.L.T. (Student Athlete Leadership Team).

“About two or three people from each team from the school got picked,” she said. “We have a meeting every Tuesday, and the director, Coach Dickey, taught us how to be a better leader and how to think positively.

“We’re continuing it this year, and this year we’re going to shadow a person younger than us,” she said. “Some more students will get picked to be part of S.A.L.T., and we’ll teach them how to become leaders.

“It’s a big responsibility to be a leader.

You have to know right from wrong in anything you do. It’s not just in school and at cheer leading – it’s your everyday life outside of school. It’s the decisions you make.

You never know when someone is looking at you and seeing what you are doing.”

“Caroline does always think about the things that she does and how others will perceive it,” said Caroline’s mother. “She tries to do the right thing. It’s part of her nature.”

Before high school, Caroline sidelined cheered with the Recreation Department, and then with Ebenezer Middle School.

Ebenezer cheerleading was her first experience with competitive cheering, and her mother described it as “quite rigorous!”

Brennan now cheers competitively with the

SEHS team, and she also cheers for Cheer Savannah, and she loves it.

Getting that “adrenalin rush” at the beginning of a competition is only part of why she loves competing. “The feeling after you compete is probably the best feeling you’ll ever get,” she says, “because after you hit a perfect routine, that just makes you feel very accomplished and proud of all the hard work you put into it, and the sweat and the tears. That all your hard work has paid off.”

Training is hard work and weight training is mandatory! When competing, Caroline’s position is usually the main base. “I like being the base because it’s trust. The flyer has to trust you, and I like gaining that,” she said.

This is her first year with Cheer Savannah, and Brennan is enjoying working with the coach, Stephanie Britt. “She’s

really good,” said Brennan. “She’s probably one of the best cheer coaches I’ve ever had. She’s one of those coaches that you always want to do your best in front of, and you never try to slack off or anything.

She knows anything and everything about cheerleading.

“She pushes you very hard to become better. You may get yelled at, but that is just a good way of coaching. I like to be yelled at when I’m coached – it will make me strive to be better, and that stays in my mind because I’ll know that this is what I have to do. It’s just the way I like to be coached. I like to be yelled at because it makes it stick. It makes me try harder. I mean, sometimes it may hurt my feelings,” she says with a laugh, “but I just go on.

“My coach at South Effingham, Coach Kim ‘Fritts’ Smith, also cheered with Stephanie Britt when she was in high school,” said Brennan. “She (Coach Smith) gets Britt to choreograph our routine every year for the school cheer competition.

Coach Smith is also an amazing coach.

She cares so much for us and wants us to be the best we can be. She is always trying to figure out a way we can impress the judges more to add more points to our total score.

“Last year we did pretty well – we got to go to state and we placed 11th, and this year we have a lot more talent, so we’re hoping to maybe get in top at State – that’s our goal – and to be region champs.”

“Caroline thinks the world of her coaches,” said her mother, and the following quote from Coach Smith is a reflection that they think a lot of her too.

“Caroline is a very talented young lady, but what makes her stand out is her motivation and drive. She works hard until she gets the result that she wants, not only for herself but for her teammates as well. She is very supportive and encouraging with her other teammates and the girls look up to her. She loves the sport of cheerleading whether it is cheering on the sideline for our Mighty Mustang football team or showing off her skills for a panel of judges at a competition. She is an amazing example of what SEHS stands for: Strength, Enthusiasm, Honor, Success.”….SEHS Coach Kim Smith Beyond high school cheering, Brennan hopes to also cheer in college. She is already planning for a career as an elementary teacher, and she hopes to get a college scholarship for cheering. “I do want to cheer in college, hopefully for UGA.” she said. “That would be awesome.” She already has a lot of credentials that should help in getting a scholarship: She’s a member of National Honors Society and National Beta Club, she’s been nominated for Who’s Who of Academic Excellence, and she has been nominated and selected for Universal Cheerleaders Association all six years of cheering.

Hands-on experience in one’s chosen career field is an asset for students, and Brennan is already assisting with teaching the pre-k and kindergarten children at her church, and she also volunteers to help teach Vacation Bible School at Ebenezer Retreat Center. This summer, during her last few days of vacation, she spent some time in an elementary classroom by volunteering to help a kindergarten teacher prepare her room for the beginning of school.

She’s really looking forward to ‘shadowing’ an elementary teacher, when she becomes a senior.

Brennan is an excellent example of an outstanding athlete and student. She’s a friend and a role model. We should cheer for students like Caroline.

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s t u d e n t at h l e t e p r o f i l e Story by CLARK BYRON Photo by VICTORIA PATTERSON

42 August/September 2012 | Effingham Magazine

CAL BAKER

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t was the fifth game of the season for the Rebels football team of Effingham County High School. They were playing archrival South Effingham High School. Rebel’s quarterback, senior Chris Harrell, suffered an ankle injury just before half time. Replacing him at the beginning of the third quarter was the backup quarterback, number 7, junior Cal Baker.

Baker did a fine job in the pocket but South was just more than the Rebels could handle that day and the game ended with a 20-14 loss for Effingham County. Baker would remain the starting quarterback for the balance of the season.

“He’s a great leader, a wonderful leader,” said Effingham’s head coach Rick Tomberlin. “He’s like having a coach on the field.”

Tomberlin said Baker works hard in the weight room, at the Rebel-Maker sessions, and sets a great example for the other players. “He’s one of the best kids in terms of character that I have ever coached,” he said.

Effingham’s season was disappointing.

The Rebels won a decisive victory in their first game against Screven County 44-29.

They would go on to lose the next eight in a row, closing out the season with a 36-20 win over Liberty County. It was sweet revenge as Liberty beat the Rebels back in September by a score of 18-12.

Baker is a solid quarterback who engineered several strong comebacks during last year’s season but not always enough to win.

Winning is a team effort and when you lose, the whole team loses. Baker had demonstrated his skill and leadership many times. One of the most prolific was the second-to-last game of the season against Evans. Effingham was up 14-6 at halftime. Evans scored 15 points in the third quarter, which led to a 21-14 score. During the fourth quarter, Effingham tied it up 21-21. Evans scored again with 3:28 left in the game making it 28-21 their favor. Effingham’s offense worked its way down the field and Baker had a six-yard run into the end zone with 11 seconds left in the game to make the score 28-27, Evans’s favor. The extra point kick went left and Evans escaped overtime with a 28-27 win.

As Baker goes into his senior year, he will be the starting quarterback. He sees next year as a whole different picture. “I think we’re going to have a strong season,” said Baker.

“We’re looking good.”

Coach Tomberlin agrees. “I’m very encouraged,” he said. Coach Tomblerlin has an illustrious record of his own including 230 wins as a high school coach. “I think I know when teams are working hard and doing good things.” Tomblerlin said the team has a long way to go but he’s confident they’ll have a better season this year.

Both Tomberlin and Baker are especially encouraged by what they are seeing in practice. Baker said a recent scrimmage on just the second day of practice, with full-pads, the guys were making a lot of contact, playing aggressively, and with a lot of energy. “I think were going to be alright,” he said. “Everybody is expecting a better season. Receivers are

coming around, and the line is blocking well.”

Speaking of receivers, Baker said he will have three go-to guys: Ashton King, Kemuan Tillman, and Darrel David. Baker himself was a starting wide receiver doubling as a backup quarterback last season.

Baker began his varsity career in ninth grade. He played a small but essential role on special teams as a holder for the kicker.

“From a mom’s perspective, I loved it,” said Mrs. Dawn Baker, a teacher at Effingham High and Cal’s Mom. “Once that one play was done he was off the field. I didn’t have to worry about my ninth grader getting clobbered by those huge seniors.” That year, the combination of the long snapper, holder, and kicker was extremely successful.

Baker is also an excellent student, ranking in the top 25 in a class of over 400. “Sports takes a lot of his time but he works hard at

it,” said his mother. “He has to come home after practice and study. That’s challenging. He comes home and he’s tired a lot but he gets it all done. As long as he keeps his academics up, we’re good with it.” Being a teacher at the school, Mrs. Baker is always privy to her son’s academic performance.

“His teachers let me know what’s going on with him. I always get good reports.”

Like most student athletes, Baker is a multi-sport player. He says he loves football but his main sport is baseball. He has been playing baseball since he was a very young child.

“Baseball wasn’t stellar last year but my sophomore season we made it to the state Final Four. His freshman year he started at second base and then moved to his permanent position, short stop. “Baseball this year

is looking good,” said Baker. “There are a lot of returning seniors and juniors. It looks like we’ll have a good year.” In all, there will be eight seniors this year and some starting sophomores from last year retuning as more experienced juniors.

“He does work hard,” said Mom. During the summer, he goes to the weight room in the morning for football and then travels the state for baseball tournaments in his summer league. He takes batting practice every day and stays late after practice putting in the extra effort. “He’s just a really hard worker,” said Mom. “It’s a big part of his success.”

Monday football practices are long because the coaches watch the film from the last game to find areas for improvement.

Then, the team does “walk-throughs”–exercises based on what was seen in the films that the team needs to do better. Then conventional practice begins. It makes for a late practice.

Tuesdays are called “Bloody Tuesdays” because that’s when the guys are in full pads doing full contact. They do conditioning exercises after practice Monday–Wednesday.

“We were conditioning all last year when we’d practice,” he said. “In the last two minutes of a game we were just pounding the ball down people’s throats.”

On Wednesdays, they also take ice baths from the waist down for two minutes. “It kind of gets your legs back under you ready for the game on Friday,” said Baker.

Thursdays are a light practice, just helmets, shirts and shorts doing mostly walkthroughs. The team usually goes out to eat afterwards for the camaraderie. Then comes Friday and the all-important contest under the lights.

Baker credits his teammates with much of his inspiration to excel. “You have to give a lot of credit to your teammates,” he said.

“You want to work hard because you don’t want to let your teammates, your coaches, your family, your fans, or anyone down.”

He also gives big kudos to his coaches, from his father, who coached him in baseball and football as a child, to Coach Tomberlin, and his high school baseball coach, Coach Griffin. There’s also the summer baseball coach, Andy Burress, of the Chain Baseball Academy out of Warner Robbins, Georgia.

Burress is a former major leaguer drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 1995. He started an academy just to give back to the game that gave him so much.

Career plans for Baker are uncertain right now except that he does plan to go on to college and to play sports while he’s there. “I’m committed to Georgia Southern for baseball.”

Coach Tomberlin is convinced that Baker can do anything he wants to do in life. “He’s the whole package,” said the coach. “I always talk to him about coming back and helping me coach but I think he’s got bigger and better things in mind. He’ll probably be a lawyer or something very special. He might come back and be the Governor of Georgia one day.”

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MALLORY FERGUSON

Story by KATIE VANDENHOUTEN Photo by VICTORIA PATTERSON

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he South Effingham Lady Mustang Softball Team will be the team to watch this year, according to Mallory Ferguson. The 17-year-old senior is the captain of the SEHS Lady Mustangs softball team, and she plans to lead her team to success.

She has been playing softball since she was just five years old, and she has been playing in the super-competitive world of travel ball since she was in sixth grade.

Starting out with the renowned Southern Explosion traveling softball team, Ferguson honed her skills as a catcher, and she now plays for the South Georgia Lady Sharks as well as the Lady Mustangs.

Ferguson has won First Team All State with SEHS, First Team All Region, and she won the Best Defensive Player award when she was just a freshman. Her travel softball team made it to Nationals last year, where they placed 40th out of 170 teams, and she also has the best hitting average for the past two years at SEHS. Under the direction of Coach Mary Morris, Ferguson has been perfecting her skills not only as a catcher, but as an overall athlete for the South Georgia Lady Sharks. “I have had the privilege of coaching Mallory for the last two years,” says Coach Morris. “Mallory is one of those rare kids who love to work.”

Because she loves to work, Ferguson appreciates coaches who push her to her limit. She is not the type of athlete to accept “good enough,” which is why she thrives on a challenge. Ferguson says Mary Morris has been one of her favorite coaches because she was so tough: “Even though she’s hard on me, she’s gotten the best out of me. I don’t think I would be where I am if it weren’t for her.”

Ferguson admits that it did not come easily at first, but her work ethic and her hustle have brought her a long way. “When I first started out, I could not catch a ball at all,” she recalls.

She credits her hard work and can-do attitude for her uncanny drive and ability to keep pushing herself. “I’ve always been the smallest one on the team, but I always do what I’m supposed to do,” she says. “I have a very good work ethic, and I think the biggest thing for me that caught coaches’ attention was my hustle and my attitude.

She couldn’t be more right about that.

Of all the coaches who commented on Ferguson, every one of them mentioned how intensely she works to improve her game and what a privilege it is to coach someone with such a strong work ethic.

That is what makes Ferguson a star athlete: “I give everything I’ve got all the time,” she says when asked what sets her apart from other players.

SEHS Lady Mustangs Coach, Randi Cox, feels that Ferguson’s drive will help lead SEHS to victory this year. “She is a natural leader and loves a challenge,” says Cox. “She thrives on pressure and always comes out shining… I’m honored to spend her senior year with her and push her towards improvement in hopes of bringing home our first state championship to South Effingham,” Cox adds.

Coach Jona Downs is another coach who has influenced Ferguson along the way. “She has pushed me and wouldn’t take anything less than one hundred per cent,” says Ferguson. She credits Downs as being one of her biggest mentors through the years.

Downs still recalls when Ferguson first tried out for her softball team when she entered the sixth grade. “She had raw athletic ability, but not a great softball background,” says Downs. “She made the team based on her heart, hustle, and attitude.”

SEHS Coach, Chuck Smith, agrees that Ferguson’s drive is beyond exceptional.

“Mal is an extremely focused and hard worker. Her work ethic is definitely a step above most athletes,” says Smith. “She has molded herself into a team leader and a positive influence over the younger players.”

Ferguson’s influence on the younger players will be extremely important for the Lady Mustangs. There are only six seniors on the team this year. But under the direction of Chuck Smith and Randi Cox, Ferguson feels that her team will excel despite their youth.

“They are great,” Ferguson says of Smith and Cox. ‘We have a very young team this year, and I think we’ll go far.”

She credits her coaches with pushing them to their limits, but says she responds best to that type of coaching: “They push us hard, but they’ve never given up on us,” says Ferguson. “I think we have the best high school coaches.”

As if her athletic abilities were not impressive enough, Ferguson also brings the same hustle to academics as well as athletics. She has a 3.64 GPA, and she consistently makes honor roll. “Playing sports makes me keep my grades up,” she says.

It is hard to see how she handles her school work, SEHS softball, and competing on a travel ball team, but Ferguson is not fazed by the pressure.

While many of her classmates are still figuring out which colleges they are considering, Ferguson knows exactly what she wants. “I will be playing college ball for Augusta State University,” she says confidently. She has her future career mapped out in great detail as well.

“I know that I want to play all four years of college ball,” she asserts. From there, she plans to get a business degree and then complete her nursing degree. Ferguson seems to have mapped out the future she wants, and she has knows exactly what she needs to do to make it happen.

She hopes to eventually be a nurse floor manager at a hospital, and she is well on her way to doing so. Ferguson has been taking nursing classes since she was in ninth grade. By the time she graduates next year, she will be a certified nursing assistant.

Her biggest achievement so far is earning a softball scholarship at Augusta State University. “I made a verbal agreement two weeks ago, and I’ll be signing with them in November,” she beams. Ferguson is relieved that the money her parents have spent on her passion is finally paying off.

Augusta State University has made her a great offer to play for their team, The Jaguars, and she and her family couldn’t be more thrilled. Ferguson says her parents are her biggest supporters, and she couldn’t be more grateful for the time and money they have invested in her over the years.

She has overcome the odds, and she could not be happier about it. “I was one of those that people thought would never play college ball,” she says. “But it feels good to prove people wrong.” She will never be the biggest or strongest player on the team, but her heart and her hustle give her all the advantage she will ever need.

The best advice she could give? “Never give up. Anything can happen if you just put in the work.”

She has proven herself to her coaches, teachers, teammates, and family, and she is finally achieving a goal that took nearly a lifetime to achieve. Mallory Ferguson is a star athlete who has worked her way to the top of her game, and she has the drive and determination to keep succeeding in every endeavor.

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s t u d e n t at h l e t e p r o f i l e

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KELLIE BADGER

Story by BARBARA W. RUSSELL Photo by VICTORIA PATTERSON

W

hen Kellie Badger was only five years old, she knew she wanted to be a cheerleader.

Her parents, Loretta and Dennis Badger, had signed her up for cheerleading at the Recreation Department, and she was loving it. She enjoyed it so much that when someone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she immediately answered, “A cheerleader!”

Her mother referred to five year old Kellie as ‘one of the little Rebel people,’ and after years of hard work, Kellie has become a Rebel cheerleader.

Her ECHS coach, Katie Ward, says that Kellie, “-is an incredible cheerleader and an even more amazing student and individual.”

While cheering with the Recreation Department for two years, Kellie’s continuing joy for the sport did not go unnoticed by her parents, and they were advised that if Kellie wanted to be a competitive cheerleader, that learning tumbling skills would be an asset.

They enrolled her in tumbling classes at Deenos Gym in Rincon, and her interest grew from tumbling to gymnastics. She enjoyed this new aspect of her sport, and her favorite area was working on the uneven bars. “I liked the flips and turns we had to do on them,” she said.

Deenos recognized Kellie’s gymnastic talent. When she was in the 3rd grade, she was invited to be on Deenos gymnastics traveling team, and she trained with them until she started middle school. “Her interest is more in cheerleading than in gymnastics,” said her mother, “and I think Deenos gave her a really good foundation for cheering. She developed her upper body strength, and she learned all the tumbling talents she needed.”

Beginning Effingham County Middle School was especially exciting for Kellie.

Her dream of becoming a cheerleader for her school could soon be a reality if she did well at tryouts. “I did not really think I would make it because there were so many girls trying out,” she said, “and they were good girls who had tumbling.”

Waiting to see who made the team made everybody jittery. Results of the tryouts were posted after school at 6:00 PM on the fence at the entrance to the school, and Kellie’s father drove her to the school to check the results. “I was waiting in the truck for her – so I could see her expression,” he said, “and she had an expression of joy. When I saw her jumping up and down, and hugging the other girls, I called her mom and told her she made it.”

“I was screaming for joy,” Kellie said.

Making the team was an accomplish-

ment, but Kellie soon learned that being a cheerleader would take more than just enthusiasm and physical training - in the sixth grade she learned an important lesson when her coach sidelined her for having a bad progress report in her English class.

“When I went to pick Kelli up after a practice, I noticed that Kellie didn’t come out right away,” said her mother. “When she came out she said, ‘Mom, I’ve got to sit-out this one half of a game,’ and she was pushing it over like it was nothing.”

But Kellie knew it was a big deal.

“When I got my progress report I had to show it to my coach, and I knew she would be mad, and I had to tell my parents,” she said. “Being sidelined is embarrassing. You have to dress out and everybody is staring at you and asking what happened. I was very embarrassed to sit there.”

The incident made a tremendous difference in Kellie’s attitude. “I think that was the best thing the coach could have done,” said her mother, “because ever since then,

Kellie realized the importance of not just being on the team, but making sure that she excelled in the classroom, and since then she has made all A’s.”

Kellie also excelled in conditioning. “In middle school I was the strongest in my weights class,” she said. “I could squat 205 pounds!” Her strength is especially important, as her position on the team is on the base. “It really made a difference in her – it made her realize that ‘I can’t just show up and go out there and cheer,’ and from that day on it made a difference in how she responded to making sure she got her homework done. A lot of times she’ll be up late doing homework after practicing until 6:00, so I think it made a major impact on her, and as-a-matter-of-fact, she has encouraged others to be well-rounded, to study, to be a people person. Kellie has become a better leader.”

That inspirational and wise coach is ECHS’s Coach Katie Ward. “Kellie has

cheered for me since the 6th grade and has never had another cheer coach,” said Coach Katie. “In addition, I’ve had the pleasure of having her in my Honors English and Advanced Placement English classes for three years, so we have quite a lot of history together!”

When Kellie was in the 10th grade the competition cheer team had a great year.

“We won every competition,” said Kellie, “and we went to state.” But the next year, last year, they struggled. “We were hurt last year when we did not advance to State,” she said. “It was shocking and sad at the same time.”

This year they’re rebuilding, and Kellie has taken a leadership position with the team. “I realized how much I’ve grown up,” she said. “I felt like I needed to be more in charge and stand up to be a positive example for the upcoming freshmen, and I think if we work together, and if we work hard, that we will win again.”

Kellie has the utmost respect for her Coach Katie. “She’s tough at times,” says Kellie, who has obviously benefited from that ‘toughness,’ “and she’s a very inspirational person.

She’s always concerned about the girls.”

“You can see the bond she has with the girls,” said Kellie’s mother.

“She has watched Kellie grow and become more responsible.” Kellie’s parents are proud of all the hard work that she has put into obtaining her goals, and she is a wellrounded young woman. In addition to being a gymnast and a cheerleader, she also played the saxophone in the band from 6th through 10th grades, and “She’s quite a good tennis player,” says her mother.

But although Kellie is good at many things, her mother chuckled when she talked about some of Kellie’s early athletic experiences: “She played basketball for the Recreation Department for one year when she was seven or eight, and one time she got the basketball and trotted down the court – the wrong way – and shot the ball! She also played T-ball, but when she’d hit the ball she wouldn’t run!” It just proves that you can’t be good at everything.

When she graduates, Kellie plans on attending Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, and she wants to become a paralegal. She isn’t planning on cheering while in college. No doubt she realizes how hard she wants to work to obtain her new goal, and hard work is something she knows a lot about.

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COUNTDOWN TO OKTOBERFEST Hard to believe but it’s only two months to this year’s Effingham Oktoberfest. This marks the third year for this hugely popular event, which will again be held in Rincon’s McCall Plaza on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29.

The first two events turned out to be larger than anyone expected and saw crowds of up to 3500 for the two days. Chamber officials said this year with more people aware of the festival and with the great entertainment line-up, they expect to see between 3500 and 5000 visitors.

Chamber Director, Rick Lott, said, “we are now taking applications for arts and crafts vendors, non-profit organizations and companies or individuals that would like to be sponsors of this year’s event. Call or email us at the Effingham Chamber for more information. This is a great way to be part of a popular local event.”

Chamber President, Talbert Edenfield, said he also expects great crowds this year. “With the expanded children’s area sponsored by Effingham Hospital, an exciting Battle of the Bands on Friday night, and the great country entertainer, Chuck Courtenay performing on Saturday night we expect great crowds and lots of fun for the whole family.”

One new aspect of this year’s event will be added comfort. Two large tents will encompass the music stage, the beer garden, and all the food and entertainment seating. Come rain or shine, our festival-goers will be able to sit and eat in comfort this year. Another change this year is what used to be a homemade streudel contest is now simply a home baking contest. Homemade baked treats can compete for cash prizes. The “Best Whiskers’ contest will be held again so get those beards and mustaches growing! World award winner, Bill Mitchell, will be on hand again this year. PAWS will also once again host their “Best Dressed Pet’ contest.

The Children’s Area will feature inflatables, a rock climbing wall, an airbrush tattoo artist, pony rides and more.

There will also be vendors doing face painting and other children’s activities. Among the other vendors participating this year will be painting, photography, fine jewelry, soaps, candles, honey and more. Chamber Director, Rick Lott, said he was especially excited to have fine art painters in this year’s show. “We have even more very talented artists and craftsmen in this year’s show, making this a great opportunity to start your Christmas shopping a little early.” He said there will also be booths by many of the community’s non-profit organizations and festival sponsors. Madrac Farms will also be on hand with a children’s hay-play area, fresh produce and pumpkins.

The Effingham Chamber said as of this writing, there are still a few daytime entertainment slots open and vendor spaces available. The food court is almost full and not accepting any other full service food vendors. In addition to the Schnitzel Shack’s tasty German fare, there will be barbecue, funnel cakes, Italian Ice, kettle korn, boiled peanuts, American foods, and one additional German food vendor. Festival parking will again be available at the county ballfields just west of the festival site on McCall Road, and also just to the south of McCall Plaza in the former Landscape Depot site. Free golf cart shuttles will be running to and from the parking lot throughout the event. Boy Scouts will assist with parking at the ballfields again this year.

Anyone interested in a space or in volunteering for the event should call the Effingham Chamber at 912-754-3301.

Effingham Oktoberfest is hosted by the Effingham Chamber of Commerce and sponsored in part by: Comcast, Georgia Power, Savannah Technical College, Coca Cola, Fuller Chevrolet, Effingham Health System, Harold’s Body Shop, GeoVista Credit Union, Wells Fargo Insurance Services, City of Rincon, City of Guyton, The Coastal Bank, Rice Creek Apartments, and more.

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The Effingham Chamber Presents The Third Annual

September 28th & 29th

Friday Noon-11:00PM Saturday 9:00AM-11:00PM • McCall Plaza

The Effingham Chamber will host the third annual Effingham Oktoberfest Sept. 28th and 29th at Rincon’s McCall Plaza. Make plans now to come out and enjoy the Channelheimer’s Oompah Band, german and festival food, arts and crafts booths, children’s area, fun contests and non-stop musical entertainment.

Friday Night - “Battle of the Bands” 7-11PM

(Any interested bands please send CD to Effingham Chamber)

Saturday Night Concert - Chuck Courteney 8:30-11PM Admission is Free

For more information call Rick Lott - (912) 754-3301 ricklott@effinghamcounty.com

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EFFINGHAM WEDDINGS

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Photographer: Tina helmly photography Groom: Dana Helmly Bride: Holly Cundy Venue: Meldrim Woods Plantation DJ: DJ Rex Hair: Brook Langford

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52 October/November 2009 | Effingham Magazine

Holly & Dana

Helmly

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Effingham Magazine | October/November 2009 53

www.EffinghamMagazine.com 58 August/September 2012 | Effingham Magazine

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Effingham Magazine |

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(912) 826-2760 62 August/September 2012 | Effingham Magazine