St. Johns Country Day Trinity Christian’s A.J. Labas Running From No One Pitches at Major League Camp
Track Star Qualifies for Junior Olympics
Player Profiles
Local Olympic Star Recounts His Rio Experience
BOLLES SWIMMING: GAME NORTHEAST FLORIDA
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October 2016
Jon Sakovich Leads Team Towards Continued Greatness
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Episcopal School of Jacksonville
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Bishop Kenny High School
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Fast Breaks: The More Things Change... Are Super Teams Good or Bad For Sports? A New Ballgame Student-Athletes or Athletes?
9
Track Star Qualifies for 32 Junior Olympics Leiya Green James Weldon Johnson Middle School
St. Johns Country Day Running From No One
34
Chase Rivera: The Fastest Freshman in America
35
Bolles Swimming: Jon Sakovich Leads Team Towards Continued Greatness
38
Loggerhead Swim Coach Passes Away
50
Teams begin playoff push for elusive state titles
55
Coaches Corner: Tommy Balom
62
Chase Rivera Bolles School
Shawn Delifus
20
Player Profiles
Terry Parker High School
Local Olympic Star 64 Recounts His Rio Experience Trinity Christian’s A.J. Labas Pitches at Major League Camp
68
A.J. Labas Trinity Christian
In The Game | 5
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
38 Contributors:
Football season is in full swing! We hope your favorite team, whether it’s at the high school, college, or professional level, is having a fantastic season, and best of luck to all of our Jacksonville athletes at every level! However, as exciting as football season is (and as much as we missed it), we would be remiss if we didn’t cover all the other sports that high schoolers in the Greater Jacksonville Area compete in, including swimming, cross country, and volleyball. Inside, you’ll find a district volleyball preview that includes some player profiles of Middleburg High School senior varsity players. Middleburg is a program that performs at a historically high level, so we thought we’d recognize some of their athletes. Also for volleyball, we’ve got a story about the St. John’s Country Day volleyball program and how they’re not backing down even though they got re-classified. Very few people in the world can say they’re the fastest person in the country, but local cross country athlete Chase Rivera can certainly claim that title. He’s the fastest freshman in the United States, and through
all his success, he’s managed to keep his ego in check. Be sure to read all about him and how he grew to love running. We also have an inside scoop about a local athlete who qualified for the Junior Olympics: Check out Leiya Green’s story. Being a coastal city, swimming is a big part of the culture of Jacksonville, and we’re reflecting that in this issue. We have the inside story about the newest Olympic Gold medalist, Caeleb Dressel, from Clay High School. Be sure to check out our story about The Bolles School’s head age group coach, Jon Sakovich, and how he prepares his swimmers for success in and out of the pool. Bolles has a history of churning out talented swimmers, and we profile four of them who have already added some hardware to their trophy case. Last, we honor a local swim coach who passed away unexpectedly and left a mark on his athletes that will never be forgotten. Of course, it wouldn’t be fall without a little football, would it? We profiled ten local high school football players. Trust us: You’re going to want to read up on them and remember their names because you’ll definitely be seeing them play on Saturdays soon. We also wanted to give you a look inside the mind of head coach Tommy Balom of Terry
Parker High School. He’s making strides in turning around not only the football program at Terry Parker, but the culture as well. You may be surprised at who their valedictorian is, so be sure to read what he has to say. Leading a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone, from the elite athletes to the once-in-awhile gym goers, and we made sure you have some advice on how to maintain that. We hear from a JOI athletic trainer on what it’s like day-to-day in his career and from a culinary master who got his start in fast food but now strives to make delicious, healthy on-the-go meals. You may learn a thing or two about healthy living from these two professionals. As always, if you have an idea for a story or a player you’d like to nominate for a special feature, please let us know at northflorida@itgsportsnetwork. com. We also love feedback, so tell us your thoughts through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @InTheGameMagFL. We are so proud to bring you another great edition of In The Game Magazine, and we hope you enjoy it!
In the Game is published bi-monthly (excluding July). The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Media Group LLC makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2015 Dykes Media Group LLC. All rights reserverd. ISSN 1945-1458
Publisher Mark Dykes Editors Kim Hoy Cole Parker Graphics Mandy Douthit Cover Photography Aaron Musgrove Feature Photography Marque Milla Resse Milla Creationsz Photography Aaron Musgrove Kim Hoy Corey Davis Cindy Bolling Brent Beaird Feature Writers Jon Nelson Brent Beaird Raymond Bureau Corey Davis Kim Hoy Shane Thomas Zachary T. Pine Ryan Hutchins Copy Editor Anna Limoges Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@itgsportsnetwork.com
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In The Game | 7
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The More Things Change… Written by Jon Nelson
FAST BREAK
Photography by: Marque Milla Reese
Show of hands…
How many of you know where Eidsvoll is? Norway is the answer. I know what you’re thinking: “Jon, what in the wide world of sports does Norway have to do with Florida high school football?” The new head coach at Fernandina Beach, John Pate, was a head coach over there with his son about two years ago. Last year, Pate was the Defensive Coordinator over at Yulee, and now he’s trying to get the Fighting Pirates back on line in Nassau County.
Ivory Durham has one of the cooler nicknames around: “HJ” – short for “Hungry Jack.” I wonder if he just likes to eat or if, in fact, he likes pancakes? Let me know.
So dear Reader, it’s that time. I have some questions, and I would like to make this a two-way conversation for 2016.
1) What do you think about the new idea put
forth by the FHSAA? 2) What’s the biggest change you have seen in this topsy-turvy off-season? Let us know here at “In the Game Sports Network” on Facebook (on the In the Game Magazine page), Twitter (My handle is @OSGNelson for those of you who haven’t followed me yet.), and whichever way is your favorite if I haven’t mentioned it yet. The answers will be a part of our conversation next month! Strap in, folks. This season should be a blast! Play it safe, everyone. I’ll see you at the stadium.
Last year at quarterback he led his Cedar Creek Christian Soldiers squad to a 7-3 regular season in Region 2-AA. Their second-place finish in the region behind University Christian led to a playoff berth before losing to North Florida Christian out of Tallahassee in the first round. This season, HJ has made his way over to Raines High as the Vikings try to make their way back to the state title game for the second year in a row. The 12-2 season in 2015 ended with a loss to Booker T. Washington (Miami, Florida) in the last game of the year, and they’re looking to flip the script in Game 14 this time around. The one knock on Durham is his 5-foot-8 size, but something tells me it won’t be much of a knock anymore. Trivia time: When was the last time Raines was in the last game of the year before 2015? Answer: 1997. Don’t overlook head coach Deran Wiley’s bunch on defense, though. They had seven shutouts last season and only gave up more than 20 points twice – 30 in the shootout win over Bolles and 43 in the title game loss to Booker T. Washington. It looks like there’s also a proposal on the books from the FHSAA involving a lot of mathematics and statistics this season regarding the post-season: who gets in, who gets left out, and who gets seeded where when it comes to power rankings.
How cool of a nickname is “Fighting Pirates?”
In The Game | 9
FAST BREAK Teams such as the 1992 “Dream Team,” the dominant Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, the 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers, the 2008 Boston Celtics, the 2010-14 Miami Heat, and now the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors have all been labeled "Super Teams." On a smaller scale, super teams have been fostered quietly in the AAU basketball ranks and most recently with high-level football players transferring to Grayson High School to play for championships. Strong opinions have been bandied about on both sides regarding the fairness of so many talented players joining forces. The 1992 Dream Team is the template by which these teams are formed. 1992 was significant because the Barcelona Games was the first time active NBA players represented the United States. Take a Hall of Fame coach in Chuck Daly, give him Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Patrick Ewing, among others, and you have a team built for absolute dominance. The 1992 Dream Team went 8-0, winning by an average of 44 points per game.
Pundits believe the super teams are hurtful to the game. Detractors argue the competitive balance is affected by having loaded teams take aim at lesser teams. The fair rebuttal should be one simple question: Are players being obtained legally? The teams mentioned at the opening of this piece were largely brought together through free agency and trades. Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, and Emmett Smith are all considered greats at their respective positions and won three Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys in the 1990s. Scottie Pippen was originally drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the fifth overall pick in 1987. Pippen never donned the green and gold of the Emerald City. Instead, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls where he and Michael Jordan led a carefully constructed cast of role players to six NBA championships. The culture of vilifying super teams came to consciousness in 2010 when LeBron James decided to take his talents to South Beach and join Dwyane Wade's Miami Heat. All-Star forward Chris Bosh followed suit, forming the "Big Three." LeBron infamously told the Miami crowd they would win “not one, not two, not three, not four...” NBA titles.
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ARE SUPER TEAMS
GOOD OR BAD FOR SPORTS? Written by: Shane Thomas
The new-look Heat started 9-8, prompting many to wonder if the super team was a failure. Following their loss to the underdog Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, the Heat were written off. The big picture saw the Heat making it to four consecutive NBA Finals and winning two NBA titles. Survey says, the super team was a success.
This past NBA season saw the Golden State Warriors nearly cap off their historic 73-win regular season with an NBA title. Stephen Curry turned the hoops world on its ear with a back-toback run as Most Valuable Player. The Warriors shattered records left and right before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Feeling as if something were missing, the almost-perfect team went out and added former league MVP and scoring champion
Photography Courtesy of thebitbag.com Kevin Durant in free agency. Durant had spent his entire nine-year career with the Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly the Seattle Supersonics). A recent computer simulation revealed that adding Durant essentially broke the system; the Warriors were projected to win 83 games next season (the NBA has an 82-game regular season). As sports fans, super teams can either fire us up for next season or anger us into lobbying for change. Teams compiling talent has never been illegal. NBA teams routinely had multiple stars and future Hall of Fame players throughout the 1970s and 1980s. They simply drafted and signed good players. Of course with fewer teams and less money thrown about, players were not jumping from team to team. With more money generating athletics, teams have shrewdly adapted to the changing financial climate. Look no further than the bottomless pockets of the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball. In a sport without a salary cap, the Yankees essentially told the world, "We have the money to spend, so we will spend it however we see fit to make our team better." How could anyone fault them for that if they are not breaking any rules to get better? Refocusing, the case of top-level recruits transferring to Grayson is certainly not illegal, but there may be cases where rules are being bent. The GHSA requires that players move with a guardian into a new residence in the school district and relinquish former residency. From the outside looking in, there are perhaps ways to fleece the system and facilitate the transfers
(listing addresses in other areas, naming “guardians” in surrounding areas, etc.). It is hard to penalize these athletes for wanting to team up, unless rules are being broken to make it happen. AAU basketball has also come under fire in recent years. The AAU system allows amateurs to play on stacked teams, sometimes on multiple teams in various tournaments during the year. Current Warriors head coach and former member of the 1995-96 Bulls Steve Kerr pointed out flaws he noticed in AAU basketball.
“Some programs will fly in top players from out of state for a weekend to join their team," Kerr said. "Certain players play for one team in the morning and another in the afternoon.” No high school, college, or professional team would be able to get away with anything close to what Kerr has witnessed.
The 1992 Dream Team's success as the greatest basketball team ever assembled has helped shape this growing culture in sports. On the societal level, basketball, football, baseball, soccer, and other sports all begin with friends in the street, at the park, on an empty patch of grass. These sports are all ways for people to unify, befriend each other, and enjoy themselves. As children, we are encouraged to go out and play. Our parents and guardians often encourage us to make friends. Every sport and game we play has rules. If playing with other good players is done within the rules, then quite frankly, let the best team win.
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A New
FAST BREAK
Ballgame
It’s safe to say that September was interesting when it comes to life in the FHSAA.
And I’ll just go ahead and ask: What do you think about the new playoffs proposal that was up for a vote late in the month? A lot of it goes back to teams making it into the playoffs with losing records – last year a 1-9 side made it into the playoffs as a district runner-up – which was how the system worked. The district champ and runner-up have been playoff eligible since 2003. Districts would stay from 5A to 8A but go away in the lower four A’s. Districts would go away, and the top four squads would get in on a points system. The only change from proposals in the past is that the idea of getting bonus points for “playing up” would go off the board.
As a level of comparison, in Georgia there’s a points system for playing up. In recent years, teams in the smallest classification have backed away from playing up since they’re penalized when they lose to a higher-class side. Teams that used to do it don’t anymore.
The other topic that has, somewhat, been at the forefront of high school football conversations is IMG Academy, who they are, and what they’re doing.
No, they’re not playing for a title. They’re a dues-paying member of the FHSAA, and they’re more a barnstorming side than anything else. And I get it. Just look at
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their schedule: Grayson (Loganville, Georgia), Centennial (Corona, California), Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Oklahoma), St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), Long Beach Polytechnic (Long Beach, California), St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland), and Bishop Sullivan Catholic (Virginia Beach, Virginia). But when Georgia and Texas decide that they don’t want you around anymore, that’s big. When the all-star team of all-star teams wants to come to town, my only thought is that they’re there to take your allstars back home with them and nothing more. Do I understand that there are those busi-
Written by: Jon Nelson Photography by Cindy Bolling
nesses (And do not misunderstand: IMG Academy is a business, a BIG business as part of a beautifully integrated vertical model) that act in one way – as a “for-profit, sports boarding school” as the New York Times called them in 2015 – and one way only? You bet, but my view is that the Academy wants to take their business model and expand it horizontally as well as vertically, going to more sports and reaching younger athletes for their later years. And that’s the beauty of this republic. Build a business, have a plan, and be more successful than the other guy. Knock out the corner grocer if you’re the big chain and solidify your flanks in the marketplace. I get it.
But taking a for-profit model and going headto-head with individual schools?
I don’t see all 50 states locking out IMG for opponents over time, but it might me more difficult for them to knock out the corner grocer if things continue the way they are.
Let me know what you think about everything going on these days by following me on Twitter (@OSGNelson) and on Instagram. Also, be a part of the conversation by telling us here at In The Game what you think on our Facebook page and 140 characters at a time as well (@inthegame_ mag). Play it safe, everyone! I’ll talk to you soon.
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KNOWING
Sickle Cell Trait Status
Should Be Part Of An Athlete’s Playbook Devaughn Darling was a strapping, 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker with a promising college football career ahead of him. Devard Darling, his identical twin, was a fleet-footed receiver and a future NFL draft pick. In 2001, the Bahamian-born brothers were rising sophomores at Florida State University (FSU) battling for playing time. Going all out in practice was one way promising players like the Darlings caught the eye of their position coaches. And there was no better place to impress the FSU coaches than at mat drills, a take-no-prisoners off-season conditioning ritual conceived by the legendary Bobby Bowden.
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The Darlings were no slackers when it came to staying in shape. What they didn’t know when they came to FSU was that they both carried the sickle cell trait (SCT), which is not to be confused with sickle cell anemia, a serious disorder which typically causes severe medical problems. SCT, on the other hand, is not a disease but a condition where red blood cells can “sickle” under extreme physical stress or in high altitude. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA), “the vast majority of athletes with SCT compete at the high school, college, and professional levels without complications. However, there is always the possibility that a sickling collapse,” also known as exertional sickling, “can occur with intense exertion, potentially resulting in death,” the NFSHSA adds. That’s what happened to 19-year-old Devaughn Darling. The former all-state linebacker collapsed and died following the first day of mat drills at FSU. His twin brother went on to play seven seasons in the NFL with no SCT complications. Researchers at the University of South Florida are studying why some college football players with the SCT are more susceptible to a sickling collapse than others. Jim Mackie, LAT, ATC, a certified athletic trainer and a consultant with the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program, said “Kids are living with it [in our area], and there needs to be diligence and continued education so parents, athletes, and coaches are prepared to work within its parameters.” In 2014, Cynthia Gauger, MD, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist with Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, and
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COACHES AND ATHLETIC TRAINERS TO IMPROVE ATHLETE SAFETY: Allowing longer periods of rest and recovery Encouraging the athlete to report any symptoms without fear of punishment Adjusting the workout in conditions of extreme heat or high altitude Emphasizing hydration
Wolfson Children’s Hospital, spoke about the difference between SCT and sickle cell anemia and discussed the benefits of screening for SCT in pre-participation physicals during a lecture at the fourth annual First Coast Sports Injury Symposium at EverBank Field. Her slide presentation, “The Student Athlete with Sickle Cell Disease/Trait,” can be downloaded at www.jsmp.us. SCT is not limited to football players. A 21-yearold female college basketball player died from SCT complications in 2015. In Florida, newborns have been screened for SCT since 1988. The Florida High School Athletic Association requires all parents of student-athletes to fill out a three-page physical evaluation, also known as an EL2 form, before their child is allowed to compete in a sanctioned sport. Two of the questions on the form ask a student-athlete if he or she has ever been diagnosed with either SCT or sickle cell anemia. “Over the past few years, due to the cases that have made the news, this is something that we are on alert to identify,” said Kelly Blount, the athletic director at Atlantic Coast High and formerly the head football coach at Stanton Preparatory School. “Fortunately, we have not had any cases; however, my athletic trainer does spot check the athletes' sports physical forms to see if anyone has been identified in their paperwork as having the sickle cell trait.” Fletcher High football coach Kevin Brown said he could only remember one case of a player with SCT at the Beaches. “It came up on his physical that he had the trait,” Brown said. “We’ve had more players with heart conditions.” Mackie, a longtime certified athletic trainer, has in
his history worked with those with SCT and helps to educate, monitor, and modify exercise programs accordingly. The National Collegiate Athletic Association advises that all coaches and trainers learn the symptoms of potential trouble for someone with the trait.
Dr. Gauger
To learn more about the condition and to view an educational video produced by FSU which explains SCT, visit www.jsmp.us. In The Game | 15
FAST BREAK
STUDENT-ATHLETES OR ATHLETES? Written by: Zachary T. Pine Photography courtesy of thescore.com and sportingnews.com
Are college football players student-athletes or are they simply athletes of the university they attend? At first glance this question may seem rhetorical, but if you look at the state of top tier Division I football today, you may come to a different conclusion. In 2012, former Ohio State quarterback and current Buffalo Bill Cardale Jones tweeted “Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain’t come here to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS.” This poorly thought out choice of words became highly scrutinized by many saying that he should be thankful that he is getting a “free” education from one of the nation’s premier universities. This is in part true; Cardale should have been a little more appreciative of the education that he was receiving from Ohio State University, and he should have known that he was receiving a scholarship designed to give football players an opportunity to earn an education in exchange for their athletic ability.
The real question: Are the football players STUDENT-athletes, or are they simply athletes who go to school on the side? During Super Bowl XLIX Media Day, current Seattle Seahawk Richard Sherman was asked, “Do you feel college student-athletes are given the time needed to take advantage of their free education?” To which Sherman replied “No,” citing schedule constraints that the athletic schedule places on athletes, football players particularly. Sherman stated that a football player has weight training in the morning and then goes to class. After class, they go to meetings; after meetings, they go to practice; and finally, after practice, which ends around 7:30 p.m., they finally have their own time. That “free” time, Sherman stated, is usually spent studying for the classes the athlete had throughout the day. Sherman also noted that a lot of class schedules conflict with practice times, so it forces the athlete to choose between football and academics, to which Sherman said, “The coaches tell you you’re on scholarship for football, not school.” The culture of major college football promotes the idea that athletics come before academics. Former Florida State defensive back Myron Rolle is a perfect example of how this culture affects the student-athlete. Rolle 16 | itgsportsnetwork.com
was a standout player at the high school level, where he became the No. 1 rated recruit by ESPN. After his senior year, he graduated with a 4.0 GPA and accepted an athletic scholarship to Florida State University. Rolle exceled on the football field at Florida State, earning Freshman All-America in 2006 and AP All-America in 2008. While Rolle exceled on the field, he also exceled off of the field. Rolle graduated from Florida State in just 2.5 years with a B.S. in exercise science while maintaining a 3.75 GPA. Before his graduation in the fall of 2008, Rolle was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship, which is one of the world’s most prestigious academic honors (the list of Rhodes Scholars includes people like Bill Clinton, Sec. of Labor Robert Reich, and Astronomer Edwin Hubble). Rolle’s decision to accept the scholarship marked the beginning of the end of his career. Rolle missed the entire 2009 season in order to study on scholarship at Oxford University. In his official NFL Draft scouting report, Rolle’s only actual “weakness” was his decision to study at Oxford in 2009. This made NFL teams question Rolle’s long-term desire to play football and effectively ended his career before it even began. Had Rolle not accepted the scholarship and declared for the 2009 draft, he would have been a first-round pick and signed a multiyear, multi-million dollar contract that every college football player dreams of. Instead, in 2010 Rolle was drafted with the 207th pick in the sixth round and signed a four year contract worth the league minimum of $320,000 per year. Rolle retired in 2013 having never played in a regular season game. Rolle’s NFL career was a far cry from what it would have been had he not accepted the Rhodes Scholarship. Had he chosen the NFL over academics, he would have been a superstar athlete with lucrative contracts and endorsement deals. Rolle’s decision to choose academics over athletics penalized his dream of being an NFL player, and this is an absolute tragedy.
Popular culture also values athletic accomplishments over academic accomplishments. Student-athletes are continually praised by media figures for their on-field performances and are rarely, if ever, praised for their academic performances.
I’ll just ask this question: Can you name last year’s academic Heisman winner off of the top of your head? The answer is Ty Darlington of the University of Oklahoma. I do not think the average person will be able to answer that question without a quick Google search. Now I will ask this question: Who won the actual Heisman trophy last year? I am willing to bet that a majority of people reading this article will instantly be able to identify that person as Derrick Henry of the University of Alabama. This is exactly why football players choose to value their athletic ability over their academic ability. Simply stated, being a productive football player is a more popular choice than being a productive student. This is reflected in the money spent between the two in the university budget. In 2008, Ohio State University spent $13,184,957 in tuition costs. In that same year, Ohio State spent $14,108,419 in coach’s salaries alone. In fact, in 2008 only four of the top 40 schools in terms of expenditure spent more on tuition than coach’s salaries. In short, football revenue basically pays the bills for major universities. The pressure put on football programs to generate revenue for these universities is growing more and more by the year. Coaches are now being hired and fired at a much greater rate than at any point in the past. The pressure put on coaches to perform is then transferred to the players to perform athletically. The players
then have to make a choice: Either study for their classes or study game film for next week’s opponent. A majority of times, student-athletes choose the game film because they are on athletic scholarships; if they do not perform well, their pressured coaches will revoke their scholarships in favor of new recruits or more “deserving” players. The academics of players have to suffer because of the endless money being thrown at college football programs for positive on-field performance. The disregard for academics is also traced to the athletes desire to play professionally. NFL caliber players have to maintain a lifestyle that is based around football. They have to make sure they maintain a certain weight, height, 40yard dash time, scheme knowledge, concept knowledge, and a variety of other things all while maintaining the certain grade requirements to be eligible to play. Few athletes are able to maintain high levels in all of these categories. Those who cannot perform all at a high level will have to choose between football and academics. With an NFL contract being far more lucrative than the salary of a job that a bachelor degree warrants, it is easy to see which option the athlete picks. At the end of every major problem in college football, the main culprit is usually money. The cash cow that is known as college football has significantly hindered the academic progress of the athletes that participate in this sport.
In The Game | 17
HERE TO
Wellington Hawkins 2801 Saint Johns Bluff Rd S. Ste 3 Jacksonville, FL 32246-3743 904-646-0107
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Ron McCann 1700 Wells Road Suite 30 Orange Park, FL 32073-2343 904-269-1313
Katherine Baustert 2219 County Road 220 Suite 301 Middleburg, FL 32068 904-276-2112
LIFE GO
O HELP Michael Nickas 10920 Baymeadows Rd Suite 7 Jacksonville, FL 32256-4571 904-777-6888
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In The Game | 19
Ahman Ross THE BOLLES SCHOOL SENIOR #12 SAFETY 5’11” 195lb UNCOMMITTED Favorite athlete: TIM TEBOW Major in college: ENGINEERING Favorite team: JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Favorite car: LAMBORGHINI If I could live anywhere: CALIFORNIA Theme song: “LAST BREATH” BY FUTURE
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Logan Wright SANDALWOOD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR #32 RUNNING BACK 6’1” 215LB UNCOMMITTED
WHO INSPIRES ME: LARRY WRIGHT, MY OLDER BROTHER MAJOR IN COLLEGE: BUSINESS FAVORITE TEAM: JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FAVORITE CAR: LAMBORGHINI IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: PARIS FAVORITE ATHLETE: DERRICK HENRY & ADRIAN PETERSON
In The Game | 21
Ivory Durham IV WILLIAM M. RAINES HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR #2 QUARTERBACK 5’8” 150LB UNCOMMITTED FAVORITE ATHLETE: DREW BREES MAJOR IN COLLEGE: TECHNOLOGY 40 YARD DASH TIME: 4.70 FIRST GAME STATS: 17/31, 336 YARDS, 3 TDS, 79 RUSH YARDS
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SANDALWOOD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR #9 CORNERBACK 6’3” 193LB UNCOMMITTED FAVORITE ATHLETE: DEVIN HESTER WHO INSPIRES ME: MY MOM AND MY GRANDPA MAJOR IN COLLEGE: ENGINEERING FAVORITE CAR: CAMARO IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: MIAMI FAVORITE TEAM: CHICAGO BEARS
Ameer Speed In The Game | 23
Louis Dorsey JEAN RIBAULT HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR #15 WIDE RECEIVER 6’6” 220LB UNCOMMITTED FAVORITE ATHLETE: BRANDON MARSHALL FAVORITE TEAM: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA FAVORITE CAR: RANGE ROVER IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: TOKYO FAVORITE FOOD: FRIED CHICKEN
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Isaac Ricks TERRY PARKER HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR #9 RUNNING BACK 5’9” 205LB UNCOMMITTED FAVORITE ATHLETE: ADRIAN PETERSON GPA: 4.4 FAVORITE CAR: MERCEDES IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: AFRICA, WHERE I’M FROM FAVORITE FOOD: EVERYTHING FAVORITE ACTIVITY: SLEEP
In The Game | 25
UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN SENIOR #54 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 5’11” 280LB COMMITTED TO WOFFORD WHO INSPIRES ME: GOD AND MY MOTHER MAJOR IN COLLEGE: SPORTS MANAGEMENT FAVORITE TEAM: GREEN BAY PACKERS FAVORITE CAR: IMPALA IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: ORLANDO FAVORITE ATHLETE: TIMMY JERNINGAN
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Andrew Wilcox UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN SENIOR #51 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 5’11” 285LB COMMITTED TO WOFFORD WHO INSPIRES ME: MY MOTHER MAJOR IN COLLEGE: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FAVORITE TEAM: MIAMI HURRICANES AND DALLAS COWBOYS FAVORITE CAR: HUMMER IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: ATLANTA FAVORITE ATHLETE: VINCE WILFORK
In The Game | 27
Cordavien Suggs DUNCAN U. FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR #77 LEFT TACKLE 6’6” 288LB COMMITTED TO MISSISSIPPI STATE FAVORITE ATHLETE: LEBRON JAMES FAVORITE TEAM: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, MISSISSIPPI STATE FAVORITE CAR: BENTLEY IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: LOS ANGELES FAVORITE FOOD: CHICKEN FAVORITE MOVIE: “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS”
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Willie Wright WILLIAM M. RAINES HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR #1 WIDE RECEIVER 5’7” 160LB COMMITTED TO MEMPHIS GOALS: LEAD THE TEAM BACK TO STATE MAJOR IN COLLEGE: BUSINESS FAVORITE TEAM: OREGON DUCKS FAVORITE ATHLETE: TAVON AUSTIN IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE: CALIFORNIA FAVORITE CAR: FERRARI
In The Game | 29
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Not Your Everyday While each day brings new experiences for me as an Athletic Trainer, there are a few I would consider the highlights of my career, thus far. Those experiences have taken me from football fields to racetracks. A few of my diverse experiences include working with football teams in a high school, college, and professional setting, as well as working with The Acton Sports Medicine Foundation. This foundation supports athletes at various "action sports" events, including motocross, BMX, skateboarding, wakeboarding, and surfing. Football and action sports are very different in culture, setting, and community, yet very similar in injuries and passion of the sport. As an athletic trainer for a football team, you become part of the team just as if you were playing a specific position such as wide receiver or left guard. You have a specific role within the team, and you share a common goal, which is to succeed at the highest level and win games. It is hard work, but memorable, rewarding, and a lot of fun! Of course, working with a team also comes with many challenges. Double day practices during extreme weather are tough; however, the camaraderie and friendships I made along the way help make up for it. As an athletic trainer for an action sport event, you are part of a larger community of individuals
who compete individually. They are competing in a sport that is not considered "mainstream" or as popular as some of the more common "stick and ball sports" that you see in schools around the country. The culture is somewhat "cultlike," but in a good way. Someone who has never attended or participated in an event might develop some misconceived notions about what it's really like, which may create a feeling of being "outcasts" of the sports world. The athletic trainer for an action sport is more like the community's "medicine man.� We are there to offer assistance if needed, whether it be to prevent injuries by giving advice on training, conditioning, bracing or taping, diet, etc., or by responding to immediate injuries or accidents that occur. The major differences between football and action sports, in my opinion, are that in football you are more team centered, where in the non-traditional individual action sports, you are more of a community asset. Both are fun, interesting, challenging, and rewarding in their own way. As far as the injuries seen, both environments offer the full spectrum, from minor aches and pains to life-threatening injuries. Some injuries may be a little more prevalent in certain sports. For example, in motocross we see a lot of collar bone fractures
Athletic
Trainer
due to flipping over the handlebars and landing on the shoulder. Of course, in both football and motocross we see an inordinate amount of concussions. Fortunately, there has been a great deal of research and advanced technology that has helped in the understanding and prevention of concussions. If asked to decide which setting I most prefer, I'm not sure which I'd choose. Nothing beats the excitement of being on the sideline of a football game, whether it is in a high school or professional setting. But nothing beats seeing the amazing skill, grace, and extreme acrobatics of motocross, BMX, skateboarding, and surfing. Despite being so different, both cultures have similar values: passion for the sport and respect for your teammates and competitors. This creates a positive and fun atmosphere in which everyone benefits and enjoys.
Written by: Daniel Dongo, MS, ATC, CSCS
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology w/ an emphasis in Athletic Training (Cal State University, Northridge 2002) Masters of Science in Kinesiology w/ an emphasis in Athletic Training (Cal State University, Chico 2006) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
In The Game | 31
5 Things You Didn't Know About the Olympic 200 Meter Dash
1 2 3 4 5
At the 1904, 1932, 1952, 1956, 1984, and 2004 games U.S. men took home not just the gold but swept up silver and bronze, too.
So who goes where? In the first round, lane assignments are drawn, but after that it depends on performance. The best guys and gals hit the center lanes, which have the least amount of curve to them. Usain Bolt broke the 200m world record at the very same games that he broke the 100m dash record. In fact, he became the first man to break the world record in both events at the same Olympics.
Bolt ran the 200m in 19.19 seconds at the 2009 World Championships, setting a new world record.
Florence Griffith-Joyner holds current 200m sprint race world record. On Sept. 29,1988, during the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea Flo-Jo run the distance in 21.34s.
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Track Star Qualifies for Junior Olympics Written by: Ryan Hutchins
Photography submitted from meet
As the Summer Olympics come to an end in Rio de Janeiro, many of the athletes decide to take a break from their respective sports. Some enroll in college and begin taking classes again. But for younger athletes trying to accomplish their goals of making it to the Olympics one day, one thing is certain: There are no off days. Leiya Green has an athletic resume that is in the 99 percent for people her age. As a freshman at Paxon School for Advanced Studies in Jacksonville, she has already run multiple events as a track and field athlete at the Junior Olympics. Leiya has competed in the 4x100 meter relay, 100m, 200m, and long jump. Her 4x100 meter relay team last year at James Weldon Johnson Middle School not only had the fastest time in the state for her age group, but at one point the team had the fastest time in the country. Her father, Otis Green, said her two best events are in the long jump and the 200m. She placed nationally in both events, finishing as high as winning a silver medal in the 200m. Most young student-athletes dread long practices or working out. However in Leiya’s case, that’s quite the opposite according to her dad.
“She definitely has that drive to go the extra mile and be the best she can be,” Otis said. “Whenever I’m ready to leave after we go workout, she’s begging me to stay a little longer so she can get better.” Her drive isn’t only on the track. Paxon is one of three International Baccalaureate senior high schools in Duval County, putting an extra emphasis on academics. Leiya is the definition of a student-athlete. While she’s breaking records on the track with her team, she’s also a star in the classroom. Leiya is a straight A student and the proud owner of a 4.0 GPA. In middle school, she was a part of the National Junior Honors Society. As a freshman now, she’ll join the National Honors Society. Even after her goals of reaching the Olympics, she has her goal of going to school to become a Pediatrician. “She’s such a gifted student,” Otis said. “She’s always striving for excellence in the classroom and studying when she’s not out on the track.” While a gifted track athlete, Leiya also excels at basketball. She was a guard on her middle school team and averaged 20 points per game. She’s attended the Why Not Me summer camp here
“She’s always striving for excellence in the classroom and studying when she’s not out on the track.”
in Jacksonville. The camp focuses on telling girls that they can play basketball and other sports while excelling in the classroom. Leiya also has an excellent family background in athletics. Her uncle is Rey Robinson. A former Olympian and current track coach at Florida A&M University, Robinson was at one point the co-holder of the fastest time in the world in the 100 meters. It doesn’t stop there with the genetics either. She has three cousins that have played football at the University of Miami and went on to play in the NFL. After everything she has accomplished at such a young age, her father just stresses how proud he really is of all the things his daughter has accomplished. “It’s immeasurable how proud I am of her,” Otis said. “She’s already accomplished so many things people in her family haven’t. I’m just excited to see her live out her dreams and hopefully accomplish them.” There’s no doubt about a bright future for one of Northeast Florida’s finest athletes. Whether she’s breaking records on the track or setting personal bests in the classroom, Leiya Green is out of the blocks quickly on her way to success.
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ST. JOHNS COUNTRY DAY RUNNING FROM NO ONE Written by: Corey Davis
Photography by: Corey Davis
8A programs. ORANGE PARK-When the new 2016 vol“We always play bigger schools,” Livingleyball districts came out, longtime St. Johns ston said. “We play Bolles twice, Episcopal, Country Day volleyball coach Traci LivingOakleaf, and Orange Park.” ston had every right to be mad and even For years the Spartans dominated district frustrated. Funny thing is, she wasn’t at all. play over Providence, University Christian, The Florida High School Athletic AssoSt. Joseph’s, and other small private schools. ciation did St. Johns no favors by placing Since 1990 the Spartans made the playthe Spartans in District 2-3A with St. Francis, offs 18 of 21 years up Lake Mary Prep, Deltona until 2011. The Spartans Trinity, and Warner Chrismissed the playoffs that tian. year and the next, but The wild and crazy dismade it back to postseatrict stretches out from son play in 2013. They Orange Park to as far as haven’t returned since. Daytona and Orlando. Having to face Oak You would think LivHall, PK Yonge, and ingston might be a little Providence in district bothered by the lengthy play over the years has road trips to Gainesville, brought the Spartans Daytona, or the Orlando down to earth a bit as well. area. “We never lost a district game for years, St. Johns could have easily stayed in 4A and I kept telling my team there will be a and play with nearby teams Bishop Snyder, time it happens,” Livingston said. “Before we Florida Deaf, Providence, St. Joseph, Trinity knew it, Oak Hall, St. Francis, and PK Yonge Christian, and University Christian. were dominating the district.” “When they initially released the new disWith those programs out of the way now, tricts, I think they put us in a district in 4A Livingston and her squad turn their attention that made more geographical sense,” Livto a rejuvenated program, one with high exingston said. “I told them to put us where pectations. we need to be as our numbers were closer “This will be a good, fresh start for us,” to 3A. We have been on the cusp of the 3ALivingston said. “A new 2A for a while, so I think district, new teams, new they just put us where LIVINGSTON HAS excitement, and nobody we should be.” NEVER RUN FROM knows about us except Livingston doesn’t St. Francis.” mind at all being in a A CHALLENGE The District 2-3A tourdistrict with new teams AND NEVER WILL. nament will take place or long road trips. THROUGHOUT THE Oct. 17-20 at Warner “It’s not terrible at all,” Livingston said. “We YEARS, THE SPARTANS Christian in South Daytona and feature St. John’s were in a district with all Gainesville teams the HAVE PLAYED MUCH Country Day, Lake Mary Deltona Trinity, last few years, so we’re BIGGER PROGRAMS Prep, St. Francis, and Warner not upset at all by this. Christian. THAN THEM, And really, you only have Livingston will look to to travel a few times be- INCLUDING SOME 7A bring the Spartans back cause we only play each AND 8A PROGRAMS. into the state title mix, district opponent one something the Spartans time.” haven’t done since going back-to-back in Livingston has never run from a challenge 2001 and 2002, including a state runner-up and never will. Throughout the years, the finish in 2001. Spartans have played much bigger programs than them, including some 7A and
“WE NEVER LOST A DISTRICT GAME FOR YEARS, AND I KEPT TELLING MY TEAM THERE WILL BE A TIME IT HAPPENS.”
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District 2-3A at Warner Christian Teams: St. Francis, Warner Christian, Lake Mary Prep, Deltona Trinity, St. Johns Country Day
Format: Top seed gets a bye and automatically
earns a spot in semi-finals. The tourney opens with the 4 v 5 game, 1 then playing the 4/5 winner in the semi-finals and 2 v 3 in the other semi-final game.
Check this out!
Written by: Kim Hoy
FOR CHASE RIVERA, HAVING A STELLAR CAREER IN RUNNING WAS NEVER REALLY A CHOICE HE HAD TO MAKE. “My family has kind of been a running family since the start,” Rivera says. “We would run little road races around the city, like the Jacksonville Symphony Mile.” It's evident that running isn’t just a pastime for the Rivera’s, as their children’s names are Chase, Layne, and Miles. “My dad became the track coach at Nease High School when we moved to Florida, and I would go out to practice with him as a kid and watch what they were doing and try to participate as much as I could, and that was really like the birth of my running life,” Rivera said. His father, Mike Rivera, now the boys’ head cross country coach at The Bolles School, instilled a passion for running in
Photography by: Kim Hoy
his son by leading by example. “My dad made me want to run because I would look back to when he was in high school and he was a runner, and he always performed well,” Rivera said. “He also almost coached a team to nationals. Then he started coaching here in Florida, and all the people in running were so nice, just such a great group of people. And running just seemed fun. It’s like a lifestyle. It’s more than just a hobby to me and to the other people who do it as well.” CHASE ALWAYS KNEW HE HAD POTENTIAL, BUT IT WAS AT THE NEW BALANCE INDOOR NATIONALS MEET WHERE HE SHATTERED EXPECTATIONS. “My fastest mile that I’ve run was at the New Balance National Indoor Meet, and that was one of my favorite experiences ever because I got to get national exposure, and it was a re-
ally fun trip in general,” Rivera said. “My mile time was 4:19.94 for a full mile, and then for cross country I PRed with 16:12, and that was the first time I had gone below 16:30.” His time of 4:19.94 was the fastest time for any class of 2019 runner in the indoor season. He was then dubbed “The Nation’s Fastest Freshman.” But, how is he handling the fame? “Being the fastest freshman in the country feels kind of awesome,” Rivera said. “People will come up to me and now they know me, and I’ll get a lot of comments like ‘awesome job.’ I think the best part about that was that people who aspired to be great would come up to me and tell me how many times they watched the video of my run and how cool it was, and it made me feel like I made their lives better, maybe? I don’t know. I hope so. Other than that, it’s pretty normal. I practice like normal, and I haven’t let my ego get too big.”
We all know the siblings in sports like the William sisters in tennis, the Manning brothers in the NFL and more. But heres a list of a couple that no one really knows about.
STEPH CURRY
Yes, the reigning NBA MVP and best shooter in the league has a brother who plays in the pros. Despite not having the same NBA success, Seth Curry is also a pro basketball player. In fact, Seth played at a bigger school than Steph and put up some respectable numbers in college.
BLAKE GRIFFIN
Blake Griffin is a former first overall pick and is a multiple time all-star and All NBA award winner. He is one of the most exciting high flyers in the league. One thing that almost no one knows about Blake is that his brother, Taylor, is a former second round pick.
MICHAEL VICK
Michael Vick has been one of the more polarizing figures in the NFL for years and is one of the best mobile QBs of all time. He has also done terrible things off the field, but there is no denying his skill on the field. This is very similar to his brother, Marcus Vick.
CHAMP BAILEY
Champ Bailey is often regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history. He is a multiple Pro Bowl and All Pro award winner and a member of the All Decade team of the 2000s. What many people don’t know is that he is the brother of another former NFL player. Boss Bailey, best known for his time with the Detroit Lions, is the younger brother of Champ Bailey.
JASON GIAMBI
Jason Giambi was a big time slugger in the MLB and was a five time all star who won the 2000 AL MVP. He had one of the better careers in MLB history. What a lot of people don’t know about Jason is that he has a younger brother that also played in the MLB. Jeremy Giambi played in the MLB for six years and enjoyed moderate success, but wasn’t able to put up the numbers that his brother did.
Keeping You On The R Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback
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In The Game | 37
LEARN THE STROKES Breaststroke Breaststroke is the most popular swim stroke of all. In breaststroke, both arms execute half-circular arm movements at the same time under water in front of the swimmer. The arm recovery also occurs under water. The legs simultaneously execute a whip kick. The advantage of breaststroke is that beginners can keep their heads above the water. This avoids breathing and orientation issues. More experienced swimmers, however, submerge their heads during the stroke cycle to improve efficiency.
Butterfly Stroke The butterfly stroke stands out among the competitive strokes because of its unique and spectacular technique. It uses a symmetrical arm stroke with an above water recovery. It also uses a wave-like body undulation and a dolphin kick. Butterfly is the second fastest swim stroke after freestyle. It has a reputation of being hard to learn and is quickly exhausting. But once you have mastered it, swimming a few lengths of butterfly can be a lot of fun!
Backstroke As its name suggests, backstroke is swam on the back. It uses alternating circular arm movements and an above water recovery. The legs execute a flutter kick similar to the one used in freestyle. Backstroke is faster than breaststroke but slower than butterfly. Physicians often prescribe backstroke swimming to people experiencing back problems because it gives the back an excellent workout. This information is courtesy of www.enjoy-swimming.com
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BOLLES SWIMMING: Jon Sakovich Leads Team Towards Continued Greatness Written by: Kim Hoy Photography by: Aaron Musgrove
Every great team needs a great leader, and Bolles swimming is no exception. Jon Sakovich began his career at the Bolles School swim program in August of 2000. He is currently the head swim coach and Aquatics Director as well as the director of the internationally renowned Bolles School Swim Camp. Sakovich didn’t get his start swimming laps in a training pool. “My mom and dad started a swim team on this small island,” Sakovich said. “So when we did our training, it was either in a hotel pool or in the ocean.” The unconventional training yielded exceptional results as Sakovich went on to represent the Northern Marinas Islands at the South Pacific Games, Pan Pacific Games, and the FINA World Championships. His personal success also yielded an Olympic berth in 1988 when he represented Guam and came into contact with the head coach at the University of Florida.
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Sakovich then enrolled at UF, where he didn’t have to train in a hotel pool anymore. He does admit there were some times when he wanted to quit and times when he didn’t feel that he even liked swimming. However, he persevered, set high goals for himself, and was able to propel himself to a high level. Sakovich earned All-American honors by finishing in the top eight at NCAAs, won National titles both in the pool and open water, earned a bronze medal while representing the USA at the 1995 Pan American Games, and represented Team USA at the 1996 Pan Pacific Championships. He narrowly missed qualifying for the US Team for both the FINA World Championships and the Olympic Games. Whenever athletes express interest in quitting training or giving up swimming altogether, Sakovich, with his personal experience in this situation, knows exactly what to say to them. “There are normally two reasons why an athlete wants to quit,” Sakovich said. “Reason number one is that it’s the wrong sport for that particular athlete, but that’s really rare. Reason number two, and by far the biggest one, is that the athlete doesn’t feel that they have any longterm goals or sense of purpose in the sport. It’s the same thing when you’re in school; you don’t just want to do busy work. You need to have a
sense of purpose, and so if an athlete expresses that they want to quit, we try and set more goals for them and remind them that they are working towards a specific purpose.” Sakovich’s swimmers have achieved success at all levels of the sport. He has coached numerous NAG Top 16 athletes, High School All-Americans, Junior National and Senior National qualifiers, and Olympic Trials qualifiers. He began his coaching career at Gainesville’s Florida Aquatics before being named Clearwater Aquatics’ Head Age Group Coach, a post he held for 4 years prior to his move to Bolles. Being a freestyle distance swimmer, he said his favorite stroke to coach is freestyle, although he admitted he may be a little biased. How does a school like Bolles stay constantly dominant in the sport? Sakovich said the key to success is high expectations. “We have high expectations for our athletes, but we also teach them to have high expectations for themselves,” Sakovich said. “We don’t expect every kid to become an Olympic athlete, but we do expect everyone to push themselves, set challenging goals, and give everything they have to achieve those goals.” “I think one of the misconceptions about Bolles is that we only produce fast swimmers,” Sakovich said. “That isn’t true. We have athletes from all levels, from the Ryan Mur-
“It’s all about teaching kids about swimming and everyone sharing their passion for it. It takes all kinds to make a team.”
In The Game | 41
GET READY FOR
YOUR RACES A great swim set has to include three things:
1 2 3
It must be challenging and demand more of you physically, mentally, technically, and tactically than previous training sets.
It must be able to be progressed – i.e. you can make the set more challenging by changing variables such as speed and breathing It has to make you swim faster in competition. The set has to actually make a difference to your swimming performances. Here is a swim set that is challenging, can be progressed, and most, importantly, will make a big difference to your racing:
50 / 100 / 50 set This set is a killer, but it really sorts out the men and women from the mice. It is a great set for learning to sustain high-speed swimming with limited rest. It goes like this: Dive and swim 50 meters on a 1-minute time cycle at 100 meter pace. Swim 100 meters with a push start on a 2-minute time cycle at 200 meter pace. Dive and swim 50 meters on a 1-minute time cycle at 100 meter pace. Repeat the above 50 / 100 / 50 sequence four times through. Then add another 50 / 100 / 50 each week until you can complete six to ten of them in a single swim set.
This information is courtesy of www.swimmingworldmagazine.com
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phy’s to the kids you’ve never heard of. It’s all about teaching kids about swimming and everyone sharing their passion for it. It takes all kinds to make a team.” However, many of his athletes do end up becoming Olympic athletes. Since 1972, Bolles has sent over 50 athletes to the Olympics for swimming, and thirteen of those have medaled for a total of nineteen medals. Six of those medals were won this past Olympics in Rio. The biggest motivator for Sakovich isn’t the medals or the glory, however. “My favorite thing about coaching is getting to watch these kids grow up,” Sakovich said. “(With) high school kids, it’s so much fun to watch them improve and go off to college and then come back years later and hear about their successes, especially when they come back and they remember certain things we said or things we did. It’s definitely the most rewarding part.”
In The Game | 43
KATHERINE BAKER FAVORITE FOOD: LAMB FAVORITE RESTAURANT: RUTH’S CHRIS FAVORITE MOVIE: THE BLIND SIDE FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT: TURKS AND CAIWWCOS MOST MEMORABLE SWIM EVENT: WATCHING RYAN MURPHY WIN GOLD WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET: RICHARD SHERMAN FAVORITE SONG: “TAKE YOUR TIME”- SAM HUNT WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?: A PEDIATRICIAN IN JACKSONVILLE SPORT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY, BUT CAN’T: FOOTBALL
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MATT SERRA FAVORITE RESTAURANT: CHIPOTLE FAVORITE MOVIE: GOOD WILL HUNTING FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT: NORTH CAROLINA MOST MEMORABLE SWIM EVENT: WATCHING NATHAN ADRIAN WIN GOLD IN THE 100 FREE BY 0.01 SECS IN THE 2012 OLYMPICS WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET: FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT FAVORITE BAND: AC/DC, AEROSMITH WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?: IN THE PEAK OF MY SWIMMING CAREER AND FLYING AIRPLANES, EITHER CIVIL OR MILITARY SPORT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY, BUT CAN’T: BASEBALL FAVORITE CAR: ASTON MARTIN DB 5
In The Game | 45
GABRIEL GOMEZ
FAVORITE RESTAURANT: CHIPOTLE FAVORITE MOVIE: STAR WARS III FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT: CALIFORNIA MOST MEMORABLE SWIM EVENT: AT THE SPANISH JUNIOR NATIONALS WINNING BRONZE IN THE 400 FREE RELAY 4 YEARS AGO WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET: JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER FAVORITE SONG: “TILL I COLLAPSE”- EMINEM WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?: IN THE UNITED STATES SWIMMING SPORT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY, BUT CAN’T: FOOTBALL FAVORITE CAR: FERRARI
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STEFANIE MENDIZABAL FAVORITE FOOD: SUSHI FAVORITE RESTAURANT: SAKE HOUSE FAVORITE MOVIE: ELF FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT: MALDIVES MOST MEMORABLE SWIM EVENT: WINNING 4 GOLD, 1 SILVER AND 1 BRONZE WHEN I WAS 13 AT COSTA RICA WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET: PATRICK DEMPSEY FAVORITE SONG: “POWER”- KANYE WEST WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?: IN NEUROSCIENCE OR PSYCHOLOGY SPORT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY, BUT CAN’T: VOLLEYBALL FAVORITE CAR: G-WAGON
In The Game | 47
J. WILLIAM CULINARY: Providing Healthy Gourmet Meal Plans Nationwide
Jay Phelan, founder and executive chef at J. William Culinary, had quite a different start in the food industry from what he does now. “When I was 16, my first job was at Taco Bell,” Phelan said. “I’ve always worked in food, and even though it was fast food, I really got hooked on how kitchens work and the ergonomics of the whole thing.” He fell in love with cooking and ended up attending the French Culinary Institute in New York. After that, he realized that something was missing. “I was the executive chef at a local fine dining place called Matthew’s,” Phelan said. “I got to see how people in the fitness community ate, and it was really restricted. Things like boiled chicken and broccoli. And I just felt like there was such a contradiction; they’re doing fitness to enhance their lifestyle, but then they’re eating a diet that’s so restricted that it isn’t enriching their lives at all.”
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What void did Jay Phelan fill? “We provide gourmet cuisine that’s prepackaged, healthy, and more refined than things you’d typically find in normal healthy food,” Phelan said. “I knew I could make healthy food that had better technique and tasted better than that. So, I started cooking for a couple of friends, and word-of-mouth spread really quickly, and it turned into a company, and I had no idea it would actually turn into a company.” J. William Culinary has turned into much more than just “a company.” “When we started, it was a lot of gym rats, like myself, and fitness enthusiasts,” Phelan said. “As things quickly evolved, it turned into more working professionals who understood the benefits of healthy food and wanted a healthy lifestyle, but didn’t have the time to make it themselves. We also have professional athletes, but the far bigger core of our demographic is working professionals. And I’m proud of that. It’s a fun group to work with. They aren’t necessarily fitness-obsessed, but they definitely care about a healthy lifestyle.” Prepackaged meals sound like no big deal. However, the structure that the meals provide means that you don’t have to be tempted by the bag of chips in the break room or the Burger King on the way back to your house. “The structured part of the meal plans is the most important part,” Phelan said. “It’s easy to get off track with your diet if it’s not regimented well. People succeed if they remain consistent with the diet that they’re on, and what we do is help them stay consistent in a pretty inconsistent world. With all these things going on in our daily lives, and we’re hungry, the temptation is there to just go to the drive thru. It’s not really about counting every macro. It’s helping people stay out of the fast food line. Our company allows people to stay away from the temptation of convenient foods because most convenient foods are unhealthy.” Try out J. William Culinary whether you’re looking to shed a few pounds, ease your morning routine, or just simply lead a healthier lifestyle.
At Farah & Farah, the name of the game is never stop fighting for our clients. We are proud to provide you and your family with the expertise and dedication that your case deserves. Based right here in Jacksonville, we are perfectly positioned to faithfully serve Northeast Florida with care and determination.
904-396-5555 10 West Adams St. Jacksonville, Florida 32202
In The Game | 49
Loggerhead Swim Coach Passes Away Written by: Kim Hoy
Photography submitted
A good coach makes you proficient at However, based on what his colleagues out as gay, and how he would motivate his your sport. A great coach shapes your life and athletes say about him, his biggest con- athletes by any means necessary. and makes you a better person. tribution to their lives was outside the pool. “He would do anything to get his swimShawn Delifus was a great coach for many Loggerheads head coach Mark Corley mers to go fast,” she said. “Whether that of the area’s swimmers. said this in an email to his team: “Coach meant putting on a pink tutu, coaching in Shawn, Head Age Group Coach of the Shawn was an incredibly talented coach with a Santa suit, or using Star Wars logic in his Julington Creek Loggerheads, passed away a vision for our program and community that unique coaching style.” naturally but unexpectedly on April 22, made him one-of-a-kind in swimming. He is Another former swimmer and assistant 2016. He was just 30 years old. beloved by teams he’s touched all over the Loggerheads coach, Kyle Casias, emphaHis resume was stacked. After graduating country and by swimmers everywhere. We sized Shawn’s impact on the community he from William M. Raines served. “It was sometimes difficult High School, he went to “He would do anything to get his swimmers to go fast,” she said. UNF, where he graduated to see the big picture as he “Whether that meant putting on a pink tutu, coaching in a Santa with a degree in Sports saw it,” Casias said. “Faith in suit, or using Star Wars logic in his unique coaching style.” his commitment and drive Management in 2007. moved the community toWhile at UNF, he coached the NCAA women’s swim team and spent were fortunate to have him as part of our wards his vision. He sought to better his two years coaching at YMCA of Central Flor- program, and his enthusiasm and infec- community by simple actions that would ida and five years at YMCA of Florida’s First tious personality will live with his #logger- profoundly shape how people would inCoast here in Jacksonville. headarmy forever.” teract with each other. The community’s He had a promising career ahead of him, Lauren Neidigh, a former swimmer of belief in Shawn, as incredible as it was, and his list of accolades was destined to Shawn’s, published a memoriam website paled-in-comparison to Shawn’s belief in grow. His achievements include six top-10 on which she lovingly refers to him as the the community.” nationally ranked age-group swimmers, two “Stroke Doctor.” She wrote about how he Our thoughts are with Shawn’s family, state record holders, and four Olympic trial was there for her when nobody believed she friends, colleagues, and swimmers during qualifiers. He also coached the 2010 Florida could ever participate in athletics, how he this difficult time. Swimmer of the Year. made her feel comfortable when she came
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www.MillaCreationszPhotography.com Contact us at: 229-339-9439 or 229-392-9664 MillaCreationszPhotos@yahoo.com
In The Game | 51
Magazine
NEWSLETTER
SOCIAL MEDIA
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In The Game | 53
CALLIE SELLERS Stanton College Preparatory School Junior Swimming
100m Breast: 1:16.32 6 BEST in state of Florida th
200m Free: 2:29.59 200m IM: 2:40.36 400m Free: 5:20.94 Callie is deserving of this award because she gives 110% on each and every practice and each and every meet. She was recommended for this award by her athletic director and coaches. We wish her continued success and may she always inspire others to do their best every single day.
TEAMS BEGIN
PLAYOFF PUSH FOR ELUSIVE STATE TITLES Written by: Corey Davis Photography by: Corey Davis
Judging by the lack of trophies in cases around town, you wouldn’t think volleyball has been one of the most successful girls sports in the area. It’s definitely not for a lack of trying. It’s just that for over 30 years it’s been an extremely difficult hill to climb to get to the top of the mountain. In the higher classes, the sport has been dominated by state powers Tampa Plant (10 titles), Olympic Heights (8), Miami Sunset (6), (Bishop Moore (4), Spanish River (4), Winter Park (4), Venice (4), Gainesville (3), and St. Thomas Aquinas (2). While in the lower classes, the sport has been dominated by Tampa Berkeley Prep (15 state titles), Tampa Prep (15 titles), Lake Highland Prep (5), First Academy (5), Maclay (3), PK Yonge (2), Oak Hall (2), and Orangewood Christian (2). Locally, the sport has been dominated by arch-rivals Bolles and Bishop Kenny, who have won a combined 3 state titles since 1974. Under longtime coach Elise Bush, the Bulldogs have missed the playoffs just three times since Bush took over the program in 1986 and have a streak of 21 con-
secutive playoff appearances going dating back to 1995. Bush guided the Bulldogs to their only title in 1989, but has six state runner-up trophies to go along with it. Bishop Kenny, under Suzanne Winkler, has a streak of 20 consecutive playoff
appearances dating back to 1996. Winkler has been the coach at BK since 2003 and has kept the program in elite state power status. The Crusaders have won two state titles (1999, 2014), including one under Winkler, and are coming off a 2015 state runner-up finish. Yet as good as both have been, the two proud programs have three state title trophies to show for it, along with a combined 10 state runner-up trophies. At least those two programs can say they get to the Final Four consistently. The rest of
the area has three state titles combined with Sandalwood (1979), Fletcher (1981), and Nease (2008) being the only public school teams to bring home the hardware. Middleburg, coached by longtime coach Carrie Prewitt, has guided the Broncos to six Final Fours, including back-to-back state runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2004. The rest of the area has six state runner-up finishes since 1974, including Fernandina Beach (1976, 1977), Fletcher (1991), Orange Park (1992), St. Johns Country Day (2001), and St. Augustine (2012). As the playoffs begin this month, teams will have a hard time getting to the Final Four but won’t go down without a swing. Last season, Creekside advanced to the Elite Eight, while Ponte Vedra made the Final Four only to fall to BK in the state semi-finals. Who will be there this year? District tournaments begin the week of Oct. 17-20 at various locations in the area. The top two teams in each district advance to the playoffs. Here is a quick rundown of where teams will play, beginning their quest for a state title.
10 Spike! Set! Serve! Facts! Fact 1:
The game of volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan.
Fact 2:
The first World Championships were held in 1949 for men and 1952 for women.
Fact 3:
Volleyball was first introduced as an Olympic sport in 1964.
Fact 4:
Most volleyball players jump about 300 times a match.
Fact 5:
Volleyball took some of its characteristics from tennis and handball.
Fact 6:
The first two-man beach game was played in 1930.
Fact 7:
Volleyball was called mintonette at first, but it was later changed to volleyball.
Fact 8:
The first special designed ball for the sport was created in 1900.
Fact 9:
Volleyball is the second most popular sport in the world today, exceeded only by soccer.
Fact 10:
The longest recorded volleyball game was in Kingston, North Carolina. It took 75 hours and 30 minutes. In The Game | 55
JOI: Proud team physicians keeping the Jaguars and you on your game.
DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION District 1-9A
District 4-6A
Deland Palm Coast Mandarin Sandalwood Spruce Creek
Baker County Orange Park Ridgeview Wolfson
District 3-8A
District 5-6A
District 6-1A
Atlantic Coast Fletcher First Coast Lee
Clay Matanzas Palatka Menendez Ponte Vedra
Baldwin Fort White Hawthorne Hilliard Union County
District 4-8A
District 3-5A
PLAYOFFS
Bartram Trail Creekside Buchholz Fleming Island
Jackson Duval Charter Episcopal Fernandina Beach Bolles West Nassau Raines
District 3-7A
District 4-5A
Ed White Englewood Middleburg St. Augustine
Bradford Interlachen
First Round: Oct. 25-26 Second Round: Oct. 26, Oct. 28 Third Round: Oct. 29, Nov. 1 Final Four: Nov. 5 State Championship: Nov. 11-12
at Palm Coast
at Atlantic Coast
at Creekside
Kevin M. Kaplan, MD - Head Team Physician
Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute and Baptist Health are pleased to offer area athletes and weekend warriors unmatched sports medicine expertise and complete orthopaedic care. As team physicians for the Jaguars, area high schools, colleges and universities, you’ll find us on the field and at convenient office locations across Northeast Florida. That’s good for the team — and good for you.
To learn more or to set an appointment, call JOI-2000 or visit joi.net
Oakleaf
at Middleburg
Nease
District 3-6A at Paxon
Bishop Kenny Ribault Paxon Stanton Parker Yulee
at Ridgeview
District 2-2A
at Christ's Church Christ Church Eagles View
First Coast Christian
Westside
at Menendez
at Episcopal
at Keystone
Keystone Heights
District 2-4A at Trinity
Bishop Snyder Florida Deaf Providence St. Joseph Trinity University Christian
at Hilliard
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In The Game | 57
COURTNEY MADISON DEMAGGIO BRUGH #1 SENIOR MIDDLE 5’7”
PLAYING VOLLEYBALL: 6 YEARS FAVORITE ATHLETE: MICHAEL PHELPS FAVORITE FOOD: POTATOES FAVORITE PLACE TO LIVE: CALIFORNIA FAVORITE SONG: “BUBBLY” BY COLBIE CAILLAT
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#9 SENIOR MIDDLE 5’11”
PLAYING VOLLEYBALL: 4 YEARS FAVORITE FOOD: SPAGHETTI FAVORITE PLACE TO LIVE: IRELAND FAVORITE SONG: “RISE” BY SELENA GOMEZ
HOPE BELL
#2 SENIOR SETTER 5’5” PLAYING VOLLEYBALL: 10 YEARS FAVORITE ATHLETE: RYAN LOCHTE FAVORITE FOOD: CHICKEN FAVORITE PLACE TO LIVE: GREECE COLLEGE: USF
HANNAH RONEY #4 SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER/ LIBERO 5”7”
PLAYING VOLLEYBALL: 9 YEARS FAVORITE ATHLETE: MAYA MOORE FAVORITE SONG: “NOBODY’S PERFECT” BY HANNAH MONTANA FAVORITE PLACE TO LIVE: SOMEWHERE BY THE BEACH FAVORITE FOOD: PIZZA
In The Game | 59
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In The Game | 61
5 SPORTS Writers you
need to follow
.
on twitter
1 @AdamSchefter
Schefter on why he thinks he’s accumulated so many followers: “I think people value football information, and Twitter is an incredibly effective way to transmit information. People also give you a lot of food for thought on Twitter, so that’s helpful. And I love big stories outside of football and try to share with readers the ones I think are important. I’m also not naïve enough to ignore that fantasy football drives a lot of interest because people are so into that. So I try to keep them up-to-date with fantasy news too.”
.
2 @ErinAndrews
ESPN broadcaster Andrews has wide crossover appeal, and recently started sharing a wealth of behind-the-scenes interviews and tidbits via her Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.
.
3 @SI_PeterKing
Sports Illustrated‘s primary NFL writer, King tweets prolifically and responds to his followers’ comments and questions often.
.
4 @Buster_ESPN
A longtime baseball reporter, Buster Olney’s status as a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine makes him a go-to source for fans of America’s pastime — as evidenced by his 355,000 Twitter followers.
.
5 @jadande
“Consumers today expect information to come to them, rather than hunting for it themselves,” ESPN columnist J.A. Adande told Mashable in an email. “I use Twitter to send out links to my columns and promote my TV appearances. But to keep it from being just a P.R. stream I also seek out interaction with my followers and retweet the best responses.” This information is courtesy of www.mashable.com
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COACHES CORNER:
Tommy Balom, Terry Parker High School Written by: Kim Hoy | Photography submitted
Coach Tommy Balom is just beginning his second year as head coach at Terry Parker High School. Prior to this position, he served as Defensive Coordinator at Terry Parker under Head Coach Randy Glass. He attended Texas Southern University, where he played defensive lineman and earned second team All-SWAC honors. At Texas Southern, he also played basketball, playing in the forward position.
Q:
How has the offseason been?
Off-season’s been good. We’ve traveled a lot, hit a lot of different camps: Wake Forest, Tulsa, Georgia Southern. We went up to Temple last week and took a group of guys up there. So we just got a chance to travel and let Brave Nation see the world a little bit. We’ve worked very hard in between those times, and we’re excited about what’s going on, and we’re excited for the season. I think our guys are excited to beat up on some other people right now.
:A
Q: :A How are you trying to change the culture of Terry Parker and their community outreach?
We have so many different ways we’re trying to change. First is the community involvement that we’re doing. We put on a camp at Justina Park, which is one of the rough parts of the neighborhood, and we went out there, and we just wanted to show our kids how they can be impactful by the stage that they have and the abilities they have. You know, they’ve been presented with that stage, and they need to use that to be successful and be productive in the community.
How many SEC championships did Spurrier win at Florida? A) 6 B) 2 C) 8
Where did Paul “Bear” Bryant, Nick Saban, and Gene Stallings coach? A) Texas A&M B) Georgia Tech C) Universtiy of Alabama Which legendary coach once led Georgia Tech to a 222-0 win over Cumberland College? A) John Heisman B) Nick Saban C) Paul Johnson
What are the team goals for the season?
District champions. We don’t want to sound too boastful, but we think it’s achievable. We came up a little short last year, but we have the team and the men this year to break Terry Parker’s seventeen-year drought and get in the playoffs. We want to at least go .500, but we won’t be satisfied with that. You know if you’re playing on Thanksgiving weekend that you’re deep in the playoffs and you’re having a good season, so right now we’re planning on playing Thanksgiving weekend, and that’s really our goal.
:A
Who is the only college football coach to lose 200 games in his career? A) Pete Carroll B) Watson Brown C) Gus Malzahn Who is one of the three head coaches who have a Division I national championship and a Super Bowl title? A) Jimmy Johnson B) Watson Brown C) Clay Helton Answers: A, C, A, B, A
Q:
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES?
In The Game | 63
Local Olympic Star Recounts His Rio Experience Written by: Brent Beaird | Photography by: Brent Beaird
“I DON’T WANT IT TO CHANGE. I’M NOT CHANGING ANYTHING. I DON’T WANT TO BE SOME HOTSHOT. I’M NOT ABOUT THAT. MY FAVORITE PART OF THE OLYMPICS WAS THE FLAG RAISING AND SEEING MY FAMILY THERE.”
CAELEB DRESSEL AUGUST 16TH, 1996 GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL 6 FT 3 IN 190 LB UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2016 OLYMPICS GOLD 400 FREESTYLE RELAY GOLD 400 MEDLEY RELAY BEST TIMES 50 FREE 18.20 SEC 100 FREE 40.46 SEC 100 FLY 44.40 SEC
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Caeleb Dressel, who won two gold medals on 4x100 Olympic swimming in Rio de Janeiro, has not allowed his success to go to his head. Dressel, 20, is happy to credit his hometown and the high school he graduated from for his success. In a meet-andgreet at Clay High school on Aug. 20, Dressel told his fans and media that his hard work was a reward to the community that has supported him his entire life. “All I want to do is share with them, and I take no credit for it,”
Dressel said. “They’ve gotten me where I am. I’m trying to show that it doesn’t matter where you are from, even a little town like Green Cove. You can make it.” Dressel, a student and member of the swim team at the University of Florida, posed for pictures with children and adults who came to see him, gladly allowing them to wear his medals while savoring the moment. He said he wants to motivate children to pursue their own dreams like he did. American swimmer Michael Phelps provid-
ed some sage advice for Dressel before the medal ceremony.
“I WAS WATCHING THE FLAG GO UP, REALIZING I’M PART OF ONE OF THE GREATEST COUNTRIES ON EARTH,” DRESSEL SAID. “BEING ON A PODIUM WITH MICHAEL AND TAKING IN SOME OF HIS ADVICE, YOU CAN’T BEAT THAT.”
There was almost no time for site seeing in Rio because most of Dressel’s time was spent in the village or preparing at the pool. He said he was impressed with
I’M TRYING TO SHOW THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM, EVEN A LITTLE TOWN LIKE GREEN COVE. YOU CAN MAKE IT.” the diversity when he briefly mingled with athletes from various countries. He did meet athletes from one of the more well-known USA teams. Dressel told a humorous story pertaining to meeting the Olympic Men’s basketball team. “I was on the balcony shaving Cody Miller’s back because he had to swim the next day,” Dressel said. “So I’m shaving this guy’s back, and they (the USA basketball team) all walked out, and I thought, ‘This is not what I want them to see me doing.’
I met Kyrie Irving and Draymon Green. They talked to us for about 20 minutes. I missed meeting Kevin Durant, but the rest of the guys were awesome.” Dressel downplayed any affect that earning a gold medal has had on his life. “My life hadn’t changed at all,” Dressel said. “I don’t want it to change. I’m not changing anything. I don’t want to be some hotshot. I’m not about that. My favorite part of the Olympics was the flag raising and seeing my family there.” His parents and siblings were all able to gather in Rio to celebrate with him. He said having his family intact at Rio was special since it is difficult logistically for all of them to attend all his meets at Florida. Dressel said any anxiety during his first Olympics did not bother him. “If you are intimidated by the guy next to you, then you have lost the race already,” Dressel said. “I did my part and represented my country.” Unfortunately, there seemed to be more attention on his teammate Ryan Lochte for his antics than there was on Dressel and other USA swimmers. Dressel said Lochte
should be given more grace and forgiveness from the public. “It's disappointing,” Dressel said. “We have to forgive the guy. He messed up. We all mess up. His is on a bigger scale. He’s famous. Anytime he messes up, it stinks. He'll learn from this and be back. I hold nothing against him. He’ll be fine. He's a great guy.” There is more than one Dressel who might be earning a trip to the Olympics in the near future. Dressel’s sister, Sherridon, who is a freshman at Florida, has Olympic potential of her own. Sherridon said seeing her brother’s success pushes her to work even harder on her goal of making the Olympic team. For the moment, Sherridon is enjoying her brother’s success. “It was amazing to be there,” Sherridon said. “Everyone told Caeleb, ‘You’re going to be the next Micheal Phelps,’ so to see it happening is unreal.” Both brother and sister are excited about working together in the classroom and the pool in Gainesville. Former Clay High swim coach Justin Falkner, who is now an assistant principal at Orange Park High, should be credited with being a part of Dressel’s development. Falkner said he really appreciates Dressel’s humility. “He’s about everyone else
OLYMPIC WATERS Swimming was introduced to the Olympics in 1896. Women first swam competitively at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. Water polo was one of the first team sports introduced to the Games in 1900. Players simulated horseback riding by playing on painted wooden barrels. Diving was introduced to the Olympics in 1904. The United States has nearly four times as many gold medals in swimming events than its closest competitor, Australia. Synchronized swimming was demonstrated in the 1952 Olympic Games; however, it didn’t become an official Olympic competition until the 1984 Games. Diving off of the 10-meter diving board is equivalent to diving off of a three-story building!
In The Game | 65
10
WEIRD SWIMMING FACTS
The oldest swimming stroke is Breaststroke, which is also the slowest stroke swam at the Olympics.
Over half of the top swimmers in the world suffer from shoulder pain. Elephants can swim up to 20 miles a day using their trunks to breathe through. In Egypt, ancient drawings and paintings depicting humans swimming, dating back to 2500 A.D., have been found. So, humans have been swimming for at least 10,000 years. The first cruise ship with a swimming pool was the Titanic. The first man to swim the English Channel was Captain Matthew Webb in 1875. The average high school swimmer swims 1 million strokes per season. Swimmers can flex their toes to the ground. Benjamin Franklin invented swimming fins. The first swimming race recorded was in Japan. 66 | itgsportsnetwork.com
and not himself, and that’s why I’m a big fan,” Falkner said. “I’m so confident in him that I’ve started a money jar saving up for Tokyo (Olympics location in 2020). I’ve known him since he was 9 years old. When I met Caeleb, he was a small, scrawny kid, but he and his sister were the fastest kids in the pool then. I told people then that you will know the Dressel name soon.” Falkner said training at The Bolles School and going to school at Clay High was a comfortable combination for Dressel. Former Clay High principal Pete McCabe said Dressel is an example of what is good about the youth of today.
“He’s a representation of the good, not because he is an Olympic champion but because he’s a good kid,” McCabe said. “I think he’s a good role model for all of them.” Current Clay High principal Cary Dicks praised Dressel’s character. “He’s such a hard worker and dedicated to his walk and his faith,” Dicks said. “What he does as a person far outweighs what he has done in the pool. He goes over and beyond. He’ll stay here for hours taking pictures. Every picture he takes is like the first one.” Clay high athletic director Jay Stilianou said Dressel is one of Clay High’s most accomplished athletes. “I didn’t realize how athletic he was until I saw him in gym playing volleyball,” Stilianou said. “He could have played receiver, or he could have played shortstop. He could have done anything he wanted to if he wanted to pick it up. He and Sherridon are so humble and so driven.” Dressel’s future is bright due to his hard work and his service to his community. He is a rare athlete indeed.
TRINITY CHRISTIAN’S A.J. LABAS PITCHES AT MAJOR LEAGUE CAMP
A.J. LABAS Senior Class of 2017 Age: 17 Height: 6’3” Weight: 215 Throws & Bats Right Positions: Pitcher, First Base Parents: John & Janet Labas
Written by: Raymond Bureau | Photography courtesy of Trinity Christian
Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian Conquerors Baseball had two players drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 amateur draft. Pitcher/outfielder J.C. Flowers (18th round) and outfielder Todd Lott (20th round) both elected college this year after graduating this past spring, but they will likely have more opportunities to play professional baseball in the future. The Conquerors still have much more talent, and one of their top players has also garnered interest from Major League clubs. This past summer, senior pitcher A.J. Labas was invited to Major League Baseball’s East Coast Pro at the New York Yankees’ training complex in Tampa, Florida. The showcase featured representatives from six Major League teams east of the Mississippi River: Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers.
Approximately 150 of the top high school players in the country attended the five-day showcase. All are considered draft prospects in the upcoming 2017 MLB draft next June. Labas was selected by Major League scouts who attended Trinity Christian games last spring. They were so impressed with the righthander’s velocity, poise, and control that they invited him to a June tryout and gave him the choice of attending in either in Valdosta or Atlanta, both in Georgia. Labas chose the oneday tryout session in Valdosta. He then waited one month to hear that he had made the East Coast Pro team. Labas recalls getting the news: “I got my call after
68 | itgsportsnetwork.com
the Fourth of July that I made the team and would be representing the Baltimore Orioles, which consisted of players from North Orlando, North Florida, and all of Georgia.” When asked how he felt he compared with
he was the most consistent pitcher in throwing strikes and keeping the ball down in the zone. Labas’s fastball topped out at 94 mph during the spring season at Trinity. Labas shared his thoughts about participating in a Major League
the other pitchers in attendance, Labas told In the Game Magazine, “A few of the other pitchers may have thrown harder than me,” (Labas’s fastball averages in the low90’s) “but they lacked the control that the scouts looked for most.” He feels
camp, the look and feel of the experience, and the nuances of being a Major Leaguer. Said Labas, “East Coast Pro was a big eye opener for me as it simulated what professional baseball would be like, such as staying at a
team hotel where parents were not allowed to stay. We were chartered by bus every day to the stadium and back. We had our uniforms washed and hung in our lockers at the stadium every day. I appreciated the time the professional scouts took to get to know me as a player and a person.” After spending his freshman year at Eagles’ View Academy, Labas transferred to Trinity as a sophomore for the 20142015 school year, and he made an immediate impact on the field for his head coach, Mr. Gil Morales, and his pitching coach, Mr. Tim Brown. He has also made an impact in the classroom as an honor-roll student whom all his teachers welcome into their classes. A.J. loves both the team and his school,
“WORK in SILENCE and let SUCCESS be your NOISE.”
much in part due to the comradery of the student body, especially among his teammates. It is not only the varsity players that lend each other support. Coach Morales and his staff make the entire program feel like a family from the junior high team up through two J.V. teams and to the varsity team. Labas describes how he feels to be part of such a program at Trinity: “Playing here at Trinity has been everything I could have asked for and more. It has made me a better person and a better athlete. Everybody pushes each other to make sure we are all getting better each day we’re at the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom. It’s like one big family that cares about me and all the other players here.” The Conquerors won their first Florida state championship in 2015 as they took the Class 4A honor following a 22-6 regular-season record. Labas pitched the semi-
final game and cheered his team on in the final as hard as anyone else in attendance. Labas has played baseball for 13 years. He is part of an athletic family that includes his twin sister Elizabeth, who was a starter on Trinity’s varsity girls’ basketball team. During the same season in which A.J. and his team won a state championship in baseball, the Lady Conquerors won their first-ever basketball district title in school history. Elizabeth now attends and plays for Fleming Island High School. A.J. is a devout Christian with strong moral values. He respects authority and has only kind words for others. He leads by example and lets his actions and performance speak for him. In his own words, he lives by the motto “Work in silence and let success be your noise.” Labas gives all the glory to God: “Without him, everything I do is not possible.” His life verse
is Philippians 4:13, which states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When asked what advice he would give to younger players hoping to play high school, college, or professional baseball, A.J. responded, “Dream big, never give up, and don’t let anyone say you can’t play or aren’t good enough. The big schools are not always the best option; find somewhere you can make an impact as a freshman. Do the extra work; there is always someone wanting to take your spot.” Labas has received offers from several Division 1 colleges, but he has verbally committed to continue his education and playing career at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He has a chance, though, at playing professional baseball before long as his invitation to the East Coast Pro would indicate.
AROUND THE BASES QUICK FACTS the MLB is divided into the american and national leagues. the DESIGNATED HITTER is an american league position that only bats and does not play the field. william howard taft, the 27th president of the u.s., began the tradition of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch in 1910. the record number of world championships is 27, held by the new york yankees. the st. louis cardinals are second on the list with 11. the OLDEST professional baseball team, the cincinnati red stockings (now the reds), was founded in 1869. there are 108 stitches on each mlb ball. the distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate is 60 feet, 6 inches. the distance between each of the four bases is 90 feet. jimmy piersall celebrated his 100TH home run by running the bases backwards. don baylor played in three straight world series....for 3 different teams.
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