Florida Spring 2021

SHE’S THE GOAL: LEXI DRUMM St John's Country Day

Confidence is Key for Episcopal Swimmer Julian Smith

Myth Busted: Cheer is a Sport

She Can Do It All SPRING 2021

Kindree Sullivan Fletcher

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We are Jacksonville’s Orthopaedic Institute Sports medicine provider for:

Episcopal School of Jacksonville

Atlantic Coast High School

Bishop Kenny High School

Bishop John J. Snyder High School

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The Bolles School

Paxon School for Advanced Studies

Fernandina Beach High School

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Where Children Come First wolfsonchildrens.com 800 Prudential Drive Jacksonville, FL 32207

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While so much in our world has changed, kids haven’t.

They still want to get outside and play hard. So they may need care for a broken bone — or an illness, like severe stomach pain.

Wolfson Children’s Hospital is ready with expert emergency and specialty care, along with precautions to keep your child safe.

Don’t put their health on hold.

For wait times and a Wolfson Children’s ER near you, visit wolfsonchildrens.com/ER.

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Outfitting Teams Since 1997

WE ARE YOUR TEAM SPORTS EXPERTS

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She Can Do It All Kindree Sullivan Fletcher

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More:

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The 4-Peat Champion

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Nothing But Net: Bennie McDuffie Mandarin

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Confidence is Key for Episcopal Swimmer Julian Smith She’s the Goal: Lexi Drumm St John's Country Day

Myth Busted: Cheer is a Sport First Coast

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30 From New York to Florida

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Jonathan Greco, Ponte Vedra

It’s Called Wrestling, Not Boys Wrestling: Brielle Bibla Proves Wrestling is for Everyone Nease

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Every Move Matters

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Team Leader: Se’lah Reddick

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A Sting Worth Talking About

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Tough Love and Respect Creates a Perfect Season for Ponte Vedra Volleyball

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Our Goal? Stopping Yours!

Bartholmew Rodriquez, Ridgeview

Raines

Gabrielle Rourke, Atlantic Coast

Jason Cooley, Mandarin

Player Profiles 12

Jeremiah Johnson | Trinity Christian

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Morgan Pratt | Ponte Vedra

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Caroline Hughes | Ponte Vedra

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Larry Smith | Oakleaf

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Jasmyne Roberts | Bishop Kenny

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Caleb Williams | Ribault

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Claire Brodeur | Ponte Vedra

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Xia Martin | University Christian

Caitlin Gregory | Ponte Vedra ITG Next | 9

Our Team

Mark Dykes

Mandy Douthit

aNNA Limoges

Tyrah Walker

Chief Executive Officer

Creative Director

director of operations

Broadcaster/Writer

Founder Mark Dykes is the entrepreneur and mastermind behind the ITG Next vision. Back in 2007, Mark set out to create a company that captured the passion, intensity, and unrivaled commitment toward high school athletics in the South Georgia area. Today, that vision has become a reality, and he continues to be the leading influence in what lies ahead for ITG Next, despite his annual prediction that UGA will win the national championship.

As a Pine Mountain, Georgia, native, Mandy’s move to Valdosta has brought enhanced artistry and intricacy to the ITG Next design team. The University of West Georgia alum graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art with a concentration in graphic design. She has won national and international design competitions, all of which are meant to serve as diversions and coping mechanisms for Alabama’s loss in the national championship.

Anna became a member of the ITG Next team in 2016, serving as an intern for three semesters. After graduating from Valdosta State University in 2017, she remained with the team as an editor, devoting her editorial eye to the company for two years before becoming the Director of Operations. In her free time, Anna enjoys reading and writing. More importantly, although she claims to be a fan of the New Orleans Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Tyrah Walker is excited to join the ITG Next family as one of the on-air hosts. A graduate of the preeminent University of South Florida, she received her bachelor's degree in mass communications with an emphasis in broadcast news (Go Bulls).

Tyrah is also an author. She is looking forward to sharing sports stories with the community. When she's not hosting or blogging, Tyrah enjoys reading, photography, and spending time with family.

Contributors Publisher Mark Dykes

Drew Pipkin Account Executive

Heather Benzal

Born and raised in South Georgia, Andrew attended Valdosta State University where he obtained a degree in marketing and business. He is passionate about sports, especially high school football (Go Cats!). Andrew’s focus is to develop and cultivate relationships with businesses all around South Georgia. Like so many other Georgia Bulldogs fans, his hopes of a national championship increase every year, but in the end they are just long lost dreams.

Heather is a Yankee transplant who has been a Jacksonville Beach resident since the summer of 2017. With a long professional work history of hospitality, connecting with people is her passion.

In Fall 2019 she became part of the ITG Next team as the Florida Account Executive. Focused on cultivate strong business relationships to create the community of supporters for high school and youth athletes; teaching them today, to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Cover Photography Kaitlyne Piper

Account Executive

Max Steel

Phil Jones

Videographer

Broadcaster/Writer

Originally from Decatur, Georgia, Max attended Valdosta State University and graduated with a degree in mass media.

A former college cross country runner, Max now works at ITG Next as a videographer and currently resides in Thomasville, Georgia. When not at ITG Next, Max enjoys working out and creating short films.

Phil Jones is a native of South Georgia and calls Valdosta home. He is a 19-year veteran of the newspaper business, during which time he served as chairman of the Georgia Press Association’s Sales and Marketing Committee. He was also recognized as the state’s top newspaper circulation and sales director in 2002. Phil has worked in the radio industry for the last 12 years as host of The Afternoon Sports Drive, a daily sports show devoted mostly to high school football and other local sports.

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Graphics Mandy Douthit

Player Profile Photography Allen Allnoch

Tell us what you thought about the Winter 2020-21 issue of ITG Next. Email us at info@itgnext.com If you’re in search of great stories, we have the answer. itgnext.com features apparel, stories from the magazine, and much more all at your finger tips. There is even a spot to submit your story ideas to us.

Feature Photography Kaitlyne Piper Allen Allnoch Feature Writers Kaitlyne Piper Tyrah Walker Jessica May Advertising/Marketing Heather Mark Dykes mark@itgnext.com Website Manager Mandy Douthit

ITG Next is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. M&S makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2021 M&S. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458

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Confidence is Key for Episcopal Swimmer Julian Smith Written by: Jessica May Photography: Allen Allnoch

Hard work, determination and confidence is what got breaststroke and freestyle swimmer Julian Smith of Episcopal School of Jacksonville where he is today. He holds two state championship titles, is the team MVP, and a four-time school record holder.

Smith started swimming around the age of 6. He watched his older brother swim at meets from an early age and realized he didn’t want to be on the sideline. His par-

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ents made it a priority for him to learn how to swim so that he and his brother could participate in the same sport.

“Believe it or not, I actually hated the water and had to be thrown in the water, and I immediately assumed that I wasn’t gonna be a swimmer,” said Smith. “ But ever since age six, I have been swimming competitively”.

Not only is his family the reason he got in the pool, but they’re also the reason he pushes him-

self to be a better swimmer -- and a better man.

“I’ve always seen myself as a highly motivated person, but if it weren’t for my brother I do not think I would be,” he said. “ My brother is someone who inspires me the most. I have always looked up to him and to be like him, if not better, and he always pushes me to be my best.”

Along with his brother, Smith’s parents have also inspired him through their hard work,

sacrifice and support throughout the years.

Without them, some things would be impossible to accomplish.

Despite being a part of an individual sport like swim, he still relies on his team for help.

“To be a part of a team in a sport like swimming is very unique,” he said. “To

me, I feel as if the pressure is on me to help put my team in the best position to reach our goals and try to control what I can control for our team.

Being a part of a team means a lot to me, because it shows how it is bigger than just me, and every day in practice we all have goals bigger than just our own that we are trying to achieve.”

“Going into this year’s season, my teammates and fellow senior captains Mary Kate Kelly and Scott Haney knew that we were going to have to step up and be leaders to our young team this season in order to reach our team’s full potential,” he added. “All

“Believe it or not, I actually hated the water and had to be thrown in the water, and I immediately assumed that I wasn’t gonna be a swimmer.

But ever since age six, I have been swimming competitively”.

— Julian Smith

three of us being a part of Episcopal’s historic past two seasons, we were excited for this season and ready to finally be the top leaders of our team. On the boy’s side, after morning practice on Fridays, Scott and I would go to breakfast with a few of the swimmers who came to practice and I believe that helped our team feel even more like a team, being that we have such a young team.”

He also looks up to athletes like Cullen Jones and Michael Phelps. His biggest athletic inspiration is Olympic Gold Medalist, Cullen Jones, because he was the first African-American Gold Medalist in the sport of swimming.

He also looks up to Michael Phelps because according to him he is the “greatest of all time”.

According to Smith, his confidence and willingness to try his best is what sets him apart from other swimmers. “I try to be the best at everything I do and continue to trust the process,” he said.

Competition fuels and motivates Smith.

Whenever he goes against The Bolles School, it motivates him to bring out his best because in the state of Florida, Bolles is traditionally known to have one of the best swimming programs.

Smith also stated that his self-confidence is what sets him apart from other competitors in the pool. Confidence can be bolstered at times by others' belief in us; but, ultimately, we have to believe in our own abilities to go out there and perform our best.

Every sports coach talks about two things: winning training programs and developing self-confidence in their athletes. They are like

time and gravity: they are the two constants throughout the coaching universe.

But his success didn’t come with confidence and jumping in the pool -- it started with practice and a lot of it.

“Hard work and practice. Monday through Friday in the afternoons from 3:45 to 6 along with Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning practices from 5:30 to 7 before school, and a Saturday morning practice from 6:30-9,” he said.

According to Smith, he wasn’t able to meet his goal this season: qualifying for Junior Nationals. But that didn’t stop him.

“I remember watching and cheering on my friends at the meet, but also feeling like I let them down by not qualifying for the meet and sharing the experience with them,” he said. “This challenge taught me to keep working hard despite the bumps in the road you may encounter because you can do anything with hard work and to continue to trust the process as this high school season I was able to qualify for an even bigger meet in both of my events.”

Smith’s goals for the next season? Compete at the collegiate level, which seems like he’s already achieved considering the offers he has.

Smith has offers coming in from the University of Georgia, the University of Florida, Florida State University, Emory University, and Howard University. He hasn’t made a decision quite yet but will keep us informed.

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The 4-Peat Champion Written by: Kaitlyne Piper | Photography: Allen Allnoch

Jonathan Greco is one of the Ponte Vedra High School golf team members who just became a golf state champion. Not only did the team win this year, but they’ve won the 2A Florida State Championship title four years in a row, an achievement not many teams can say they’ve achieved.

“We always have had our eyes set on the prize,” said Greco.

Greco mentions that the success of Ponte Vedra’s golf program is because of the team environment. Whether it’s practicing, playing, or traveling, the team is always together. Although they sometimes compete against each other, they have created a special bond. Competing against each other gets them ready for big events. He considers his teammates his brothers.

“We always say, “competition breeds success.”

This year’s latest competition is one of Greco’s favorite memories. When reminiscing about the recent championship win, he mentions the team was standing arm-in-arm on the eighteenth hole waiting for the final playoff group to finish. This was stressful for the team because it was a close competition. In the past years the team has usually had a lead over the other schools. The team pulled the win and set a record for Ponte Vedra, winning state championships for the fourth time. It is the unimaginable memories that become the best ones, but for Greco this one was a team effort making it even better.

“The mentality of always wanting to win another title is a recipe for how to do it,” he said.

The next step for the team is to pick out their championship rings. Greco is grateful to be part of history for Ponte Vedra, especially considering that he is one of two who have been able to be part of the winnings all four years. He says that each new win feels more special than the previous year and is something that he will never forget.

“I feel blessed to be part of the shark family.”

Although golf season has ended, Greco’s time as a Ponte Vedra Shark is coming to an end as well.

Currently he is an International Marketing Academy student but is nearing the end of his senior year.

Life for Greco is not slowing down anytime soon after graduating high school. Education is top priority for him while golf is a close second. He uses his free time to be part of his school’s athletic leadership council and student government. He also volunteers with organizations such as HUGS across the county, Beaches Go Green and Best Buddies. Greco believes that his contributions to his community include the recognition he has helped bring towards Ponte Vedra with winning the golf state championships.

He plans to attend college to earn a degree in finance. Greco does mention that although he may not be playing golf in college or professionally, he will still be playing recreationally.

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MORGAN PRATT WEIGHTLIFTING

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She’s the Goal: Lexi Drumm Written by: Tyrah Walker Photography: Andy Varnes

From a young age, sports have always been a part of Lexi Drumm’s life. With her father being a collegiate swimmer, she grew up always involving herself in a sport. She participated in golf, tennis, volleyball and swimming, but it was one sport that stood out the most: Soccer.

Lexi attends St. Johns Country Day School (SJCD) located in Orange Park, Florida. There, the school has an outstanding soccer program, having won nine consecutive state championship titles. With such an impressive record the school’s soccer program has, one may automatically assume that the team is filled with outstanding players which would be correct. Drumm has dedicated her life into being one of the best soccer players she can be.

In fact when she was little she’d have dreams of going to play for college.

“I really just stuck with soccer,” said Drumm. “It was something that I thought was just fun and I played it with a bunch of friends and I just continued to like it. I continued to follow in that path and started out playing rec with my friends and I realized it was something I wanted to pursue.”

After playing recreational soccer and eventually playing club soccer, Drumm kept getting better at her sport and started playing for great teams such as SJCD. Being a student at the school since pre-kindergarten helped Drumm get to the next level in her soccer journey. “I knew being at that school helped develop me as a player,” said Drumm.

Since Drumm has always attended SJCD, she’s had some major influences to look up to. In her middle school years being on the middle school team, Drumm would look at the varsity team and learn from them. Watching them kept her excited to one day be in their position. It was hard work to follow in their footsteps, but her hard work and determination paid off.

“All the young girls idolized them [and] we all wanted to be them,” said Drumm. “After practice I would stay after just so I could watch them play or learn from them. From sixth grade being on the middle school team, then to seventh grade going and actually training with the varsity team, to play on varsity was an amazing experience.”

What is the hardest thing about playing soccer? For Drumm, it’s consis20 | itgnext.com

tency. There are times where she has games that are perfectly played, while others (in her opinion) could have been a lot better. It’s in those times where she has to motivate herself to do and be better not just for herself, but also for her teammates. “You don’t want to let down your team,” she said.

This year the team is aiming to win its tenth consecutive state championship - an achievement not many teams (regardless of sport) can say. It hasn’t always been easy, but it is clear that they are obviously doing something right. To motivate the girls, the team’s motto this year is, “Decade of Excellence'', rightfully so. As a senior, Drumm is making sure she gives it her all so that she can end her high school career with a bang.

“We want to go out on a good note,” she said. “We don’t want to be known as the team to lose it in the tenth year, so that's why it's an extra motivator. We know we have to secure this.”

What makes Drumm and her team so different from other teams? Drumm says it’s the culture. Soccer just isn't on the field for them but it's a part of everyday life, including extra practices in the mornings, hanging out with each other and embracing each member as family.

Recently, Drumm made her decision to continue her soccer journey playing on the collegiate level at the College of Charleston, located in Charleston, South Carolina. The program is a part of NCAA Division 1, something that Drumm is excited about. Coming from a small school, having a connection with future teammates was a big part of her decision, and she felt that being a Cougar was the best choice for her. The college is also big on community involvement, which attracted Drumm as well.

“The first time I stepped on campus, I absolutely loved the city of Charleston,” said Drumm. “After meeting the players there and knowing the coaching staff…[they] really made it feel like family, like I was wanted there and that I was accepted there.” The Cougars also welcome six other amazing athletes to their 2021 recruiting class.

Besides athletics, Drumm is excited to be a college freshman and venturing out of Jacksonville to meet new people and open up her horizons.

Drumm knows that attending college is a huge step, especially if you’ve been at a small high school where a large class has only 10 other students. It will

be different for her, but Drumm says she is ready for a transition. “I will have the comfort of my soccer team,” she said. Drumm is also prepared to major in business with hopes to work as a sports agent.

“For right now, I’m really just focused on playing in college then after going to pursue becoming a sports agent,” said Drumm. “If my college career takes me somewhere else and I have the opportunity to go pro then who knows, maybe.”

Before Drumm goes off to college she leaves advice to all young players ready to leave their mark on the field: Ask as many questions as you can.

“My advice to younger girls is always ask questions,” she said. “You first have to develop your mental side to the game and understand the game first off before you start playing.”

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CAROLINE HUGHES WEIGHTLIFTING

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She Can Do it All Written by: Tyrah Walker Photography: Kaitlyne Piper

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High School is some of the best years for an athlete. It’s the time where they can develop their athletic training and represent their school to the best of their abilities.

It’s also the time where colleges begin to take interest in the possibility of continuing their athletic careers. While many student athletes take interest in only focusing on one sport, there are those multi-talented athletes that prove that they can excel in two or three sports. For senior Kindree Sullivan, she has proven that she can do almost any sport that’s provided in high school.

She is what one would call a unicorn - an individual that shines from the majority.

18-year-old Kindree Sullivan currently plays a plethora of sports. If she isn’t playing a particular sport now, she has tried it at some point in her life. Sullivan plays soccer, basketball, lacrosse, flag football, golf, and even....football. Yes football. Sullivan is the only woman to play football for Duncan U. Fletcher High School as their kicker. In the past, Sullivan has also participated in cheerleading, track and field and softball.

With all the sports Sullivan has done, her first love will always be soccer. Soccer has played a tremendous role in her life and with senior year coming to an end, her dream is to play soccer on a collegiate level. She has not made a college commitment yet, but her decision will be made soon.

So how did Sullivan get started into a journey of athletics? Her parents can receive a lot of the credit. Both of her parents played basketball in high school.

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“I got started into sports at a really young age,” said Sullivan. “ I was just always very active and I liked running around, having a good time with my friends playing football, soccer literally anything I could do outside, because I didn’t like being inside.”

As mentioned before, both of Sullivan’s parents played basketball in high school. Not only that,but both her paternal and maternal grandparents played basketball as well, so safe to say that basketball runs in her veins.

With the family basketball background, Sullivan wanted to continue the tradition and picked up the sport while she was in second grade. After realizing she was good at the sport, she continued to play to represent her high school.

With golf, Sullivan started the sport last year.

She was inspired to try out for the team after speaking with her physical therapist, who told her a story about another girl that started playing her junior year and was offered a full scholarship. “I remember thinking, ‘holy cow!’,” she said.” “I said, ‘Why not?

Let’s try it!”

With football being a male-dominated sport, one may have suggested that Sullivan didn’t try out for the team. Realistically, it is uncommon to see a woman on a football team. In fact, there are none in the National Football League (NFL), but as time progresses, women are breaking barriers. Just recently, Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller became the first woman to score in a Power Five football conference game as their kicker. Fuller also just so happens to be one of Sullivan’s 26 | itgnext.com

inspirations.

Sullivan started on the football team this year at first just joking around with her male friends and them telling her she could be the team’s kicker.

“I was working out one day and one of the boys said, ‘why don’t you give it a shot?’,” she said. “I was a little ify [sic word ] at first, but a few months later I decided it was my senior year - I wanted to try it out just because I could say I was on a football team, which is very exciting as a girl.”

Sullivan stated at first she was nervous to be the only girl on the team, but her teammates (especially the other kickers on the team), made her feel welcomed by helping her along the way.

She described being on the team as a “life changing experience”.

Being on an all boys team wasn’t her first experience. She had the experience being on an all boys flag football team at her previous school, Beaches Chapel.

“It was so much fun! I fell in love with flag football at my old school,” said Sullivan. “Playing with the boys made me more aggressive in my sports like soccer and basketball. Playing on the boys team at my old school, I was like, ‘This is super cool’ and now being at Fletcher being with the girls, we just have a lot of fun.”

Lacrosse was another sport that Sullivan wanted to try early in 2020 after some of her friends on the team suggested she try out. At the time, she was also playing flag football so she had to ask permission from the athletic director. Once approved, she had to learn all there was to

JOI: Proud team physicians keeping the Jaguars and you on your game.

know about the sport but loved playing. Unfortunately, the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak that forced all schools and activities to be shut down. If all goes well and sports doesn’t have to shut down again, Sullivan says she will try out again this year.

Although Sullivan has had her fair share of sports (add volleyball and weightlifting as well), soccer is what she is most passionate about and wants to continue after high school because she fell in love with the sport at a young age.

She started playing with her friends at the age of four and over the years, playing soccer has shaped her into the person she is today.

“Playing with them for so long has made me grow and love the sport more,” said Sullivan. “It’s really my family - every soccer team I’ve been so close with the girls and it’s not like any other sport I’ve ever played. I love it so much.”

Not only does she play for Fletcher, Sullivan also plays club soccer for Jacksonville First Coast (JFC), which is year round. One can imagine how much time is wrapped up with playing soccer year round as well as the other sports during the different athletic seasons.

“It’s definitely more competitive playing club soccer, but then again, it’s sometimes just as competitive because all the club girls that you play with are on the high school teams,” said Sullivan. It’s fun to play against them because there hasn’t been a game where I haven’t played against someone that I haven’t played with at club.”

Currently, Sullivan is still waiting to hear back from her dream school, Georgia Southern University, because she’s always dreamt of attending there ever since she was a little girl. Her goal is to major in sports broadcasting to one day work for ESPN. Safe to say she will know what

she’s talking about with all her experience with sports.

“I love Statesboro [Georgia],” said Sullivan.

“My brother goes there now and I’m just obsessed with the campus. I love the small town in Georgia, just going around being able to ride the fourwheelers...I’m a country girl!”

Sullivan will keep ITG Next up-to-date with her commitment decision.

With so many sports under her belt, Sullivan should be burnt out, but sports keeps her motivated. She recently just won the senior superlative for most athletic.

“That’s what I wanted with all these sports was to at least say, ‘Hey I did that!

I tried that!”

She can definitely say that.

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

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ITG Next | 29

MYTH BUSTED: Cheer is a Sport

Writer: Jessica May | Photographer: Allen Allnoch

Cheer is a sport.

Cheerleaders are athletes. No, even better: they are superheroes.

Cheerleaders fly, flip through the air, have superhuman strength, unbelievable endurance, they catch people when they fall and keep going when most people would give up.

It’s unfortunate that so many people think what cheerleaders do isn’t considered athletic.

This stems from a stereotype perpetuated by social media and television 30 | itgnext.com

of seeing cheerleaders standing on the sideline shouting at the audience and smiling -- which is just a small element of cheer. Some shows often portray cheerleaders as bullies or being vain.

Looking at cheer as a whole they boast spirits, dance, tumble, jump, toss, fly, throw, flip, and basically defy laws of gravity and do what seems impossible.

In order to bust this myth, we must first ask, what is an athlete? An athlete, according to the

dictionary, is “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” It’s safe to say then that to be an athlete you have to be physically fit and you have to train and practice specific skill sets required by the game, exercise, or sport in which you’re participating.

So, what do cheerleaders do?

Cheerleaders practice -- constantly. Morning practices, evening

practices, they are always working on improving their own skills as well as the team’s skills as a whole. They work with coaches to learn new skills, stunts and routines.

They constantly work out to build their stamina and strength.

Cheerleaders are always learning. They are memorizing new routines and learning new skills for upcoming games and competitions.

Cheerleaders are strong. There aren’t many people who can

throw another individual above their head to the beat of a song all while smiling. The stunts they’re doing are dangerous -- and they look good doing it. In order to do all of that without suffering sprains and broken bones, they need to be athletic.

Cheerleaders have to workout, eat healthily, and practice all the time -- as do all athletes.

Replace “routine” with “play,” and “stunt” with “move” and there’s no difference between

cheerleading and any other sport. The only difference is cheerleaders can fly in the air, catch people instead of balls, and wear cuter uniforms -- but don’t be mistaken, under all the glitter, hairbows, and high ponytails is sweat.

Coach Andrew Williams from First Coast High School in Jacksonville has been coaching cheer for about seven years and has heard his fair share about the stigmas surrounding cheer, whether it be surrounding his gender or the sport as a whole. “‘Cheer isn’t a sport’ has been floating around for quite some time,” said Williams. “Cheer has experienced decades of building a culture that respects the type of athleticism it takes to perform.”

And, according to Coach Williams, he still hears it.

“Whenever I hear folks say cheer isn’t a sport I always invite them out to one of my conditioning practices, they can determine hands-on if cheer is a sport or not.”

Just like any sport, cheerleading has competitions, but some school teams don’t get enough funding or don’t qualify to compete. “Cheer is like any sport, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Sometimes it’s difficult to argue that cheer is indeed a sport when teams aren’t competing.

Most schools don’t recognize cheer as a sport.

Some schools only acknowledge it as a club.

Mostly because they don’t want to support cheer financially. That may ruffle a few feathers, but it’s the facts,” Coach Williams said.

“This is my third season coaching at First Coast and we were fi-

nally allowed to compete. No other sport has to deal with that,” Coach Williams said.

“If we want our cheerleaders to earn respect as athletes, we need to get people out of the ‘cheerleading is just for the sideline’ mindset.

We have to compete on the blue mat.”

Times are changing -- the media has started showing people how exciting cheer can be. Social media like Instagram and TikTok has given cheer a platform where people can watch how incredible these athletes truly are.

“At one point spectators became obsessed with watching tumbling videos, Allstar Competitions, and ‘cheerlebrities’ on Instagram. The cheer community has stood strong and made their presence known.”

that my girls know I care about them. I go from coach right into Dad mode. I’m there when they’re happy, excited, or sad from a breakup.

I’m also there when they have attitudes and any other 16-year-old girl issues.”

“Being a male coach in a female-dominated sport has made me a better man,” Coach Williams said. “In the world of co-ed cheer, the men are killing it. I want to see more teams with an equal amount of male and female athletes, especially in high school cheer. And on the coaching side as well.”

“‘Cheer isn’t a sport’ has been floating around for quite some time. Cheer has experienced decades of building a culture that respects the type of athleticism it takes to perform.”

— Coach Andrew Williams

A major streaming platform, Netflix, is even in on it. With the release of the docuseries “Cheer” in 2020, Netflix gave many people an inside look on the sport and showed how strenuous it can be. Television hasn’t always been kind to cheerleaders, portraying them as bullies, vain, and intelligent -which is simply not true.

“Cheer” is the docuseries that many hard-working cheerleaders deserved and it’s long overdue.

Coach Williams says that being recognized as athletes isn’t the only issue cheerleaders are facing. As a male cheerleader and coach, Williams has faced a lot of criticism in his athletic and coaching career.

“I get a lot of push back from the athletes because ‘he’s too tough’ or I hear ‘take it easy on them, they’re girls’,” he said. “A daily battle that I face is making sure ITG Next | 31

Nothing But Net: Bennie McDuffie Written by: Tyrah Walker | Photography: Allen Allnoch

17-year-old basketball player Bennie McDuffie has been playing basketball since the age of four and is now making a name for himself as a junior at Mandarin High School. As a child he was first interested in football, but after seeing his father and uncles play on the court, he fell in love with the game.

Throughout his athletic career, his father and coaches have helped him to be the athlete he is today. One of the many things they’ve helped him with is his strength for the game. Being a “good” basketball player wasn’t enough. McDuffie had to train his body and work on his weak points to elevate to the next level. “I was always a little bit weaker than others,” he said. “That’s one key thing they’ve helped me on a lot.”

32 | itgnext.com

Another key thing his mentors have had to help him with is “reading the court” - a phrase used to understand when to score or to pass and how to be a good defensive player, all skills necessary to become dominant on the court.

Right now McDuffie has college offers from Regent University, Saint Leo, Edward Waters College, South Georgia State College and Lynn University. He has not made a commitment to any of the schools just yet, but he is very interested in attending Lynn University located in Boca Raton, Florida. The basketball program is a part of NCAA Division II. McDuffie was planned to tour the campus in the summer but due to COVID-19 those plans had to be put on hold.

Despite not seeing the campus in person, McDuffie is still interested in attending there.

“When I looked it up online, it was a nice, well campus,” said McDuffie. “It was a good review on their teaching skills. That’s what I was looking at the most, was their teaching skills. They have what I want to major in, so really I was looking at that first.”

Speaking of majors, McDuffie is interested in studying either physical therapy or becoming a chiropractor. His inspiration of becoming a chiropractor was introduced after watching videos of Dr. Joseph Cipriano - a well-known chiropractor on Youtube known for his “chiropractor back cracking”.

“First I would just always watch his videos,” said McDuffie. “Then I would do some research on the salary and how much they make and then I started going deep into it, watching more videos, looking at the exercises that they do,..so now really I have to choose between physical therapy and [being a] chiropractor.”

McDuffie is in high hopes of playing basketball professionally overseas but knows the importance of having a backup plan and exceeding in education.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for teams to follow procedures to ensure the safety of their athletes, and Mandarin is doing just that. McDuffie says that the team is doing a great job with making sure everyone is following social distancing guidelines when not playing or practicing. The pandemic has allowed the team to get closer, being that majority of the team are on the same summer travel team.

With McDuffie being five-foot-5-inches, you can imagine how many opponents may look at him as being “too short” to play basketball but he doesn’t let the negativity get to him. He may face “giants” during games but that pushes him to keep going. His athletic inspiration is Darius Garland because he too is an undersized guard.

“When people would say that I was too small, it would make me work harder,” he said. “That’s when I really started working real hard with my dad. We’ll go to the park almost every night and just work.”

With senior year approaching, McDuffie is excited to see where the Mandarin Mustangs will go this season. His goal is to help his team make it to state championships. So far he has improved on his weaknesses such as strength, speed and shooting.

As always there is always room for improvement with every athlete which he will continue throughout the season with upper and lower body strength.

His advice to his younger self: “No matter how much you get told you are too small, always prove them wrong.”

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ITG Nextsponsored | 33

It’s Called Wrestling, Not Boys Wrestling BRIELLE BIBLA PROVES WRESTLING IS FOR EVERYONE Written By: Jessica May | Photos Submitted by: Brielle Bibla

Brielle Bibla. Learn the name, memorize it, write it down -- it’s one to look out for.

Bibla is an up and coming female wrestler in the Jacksonville area. Last season she came in fifth place at the Girls Wrestling State Championship and she has no plans of slowing down.

“It felt amazing to be recognized for all the hard work I put into this sport. Yes, I

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placed, but I don’t consider myself a great wrestler yet,” she said.

Bibla started training in martial arts at the age of eight. She started out in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and once she hit high school, she moved into wrestling.

“Before wrestling, I always wanted to go to the UFC, so all of the big title fighters: Connor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and Khabib Nurmagomedov,” she said. “Now with wres-

tling, I have people that inspire me more like Jordan Burroughs and Ben Askren.”

She has been wrestling for one year and competes with Nease High School.

Despite being involved in Jiu-Jitsu since she was eight, she still faces many challenges in wrestling, one being going against boys.

Boys are bigger and stronger, but technique is by far the most important,”

she said. “I have to go out there and

wrestle my match and not think about their strength or experience. While I began wrestling guys, it is now being perfected by girls.”

“Competing in a male-dominated sport is humbling. It takes a good work ethic to get yourself where you have to be. Males were the ones that started this sport,” she said. “Girls have to work hard, if not harder to compete against the boys to prove they deserve to be on the mat with them. Hard work is essential to dominate, to win, to be extraordinary.”

Competing in a male-dominated sport only motivates Bibla to work harder. When critics say she shouldn’t be wrestling, she says, “They are just wrong! That’s like say-

ing girls can’t do soccer or basketball.

It’s called wrestling, not boys wrestling. If anyone says that, they must not know anything about women or wrestling. Not to mention next year, Florida will officially be sanctioned for women’s wrestling, so there is no stopping it now. It’s only growing.”

Bibla tells young women who are afraid to do something courageous and out of the norm -- like competing in a male-dominated sport -- is to face those fears head-on.

“Fear is something we all face. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I was always taught to face my fears head-on.

Overcoming a fear shows confidence.

If you overcome something that took a lot of courage, then what other things can you accomplish fearfree? If you can face your fears head-on and believe in yourself, you will overcome it, no matter what it is. Having the courage to do something is an accomplishment in itself.”

Getting motivated and preparing for a match is something Bibla takes seriously. She’s so dedicated that she prepares for her matches a week before. She also makes sure she eats right to keep her energy, strength and endurance levels up.

“Every day my meals consist of 20 grams of protein or more. That helps me build muscle and energy,” said Bibla. “The morning of a match, I eat an egg sandwich, which has protein, carbs, and fiber.

When it comes to two to three hours before a match, I eat nothing. One, because I already have the energy to wrestle from the morning and week. Two, a hungry lion fights better than a full lion.”

She also listens to the band, “Sabaton” before her matches.

Although wrestling is very much an individual sport, Bibla says she still relies on her team.

“We all look out for each other and correct one another on things,” she said. “We all rely on each other to grow with each other.”

Bibla keeps humble through the unknown. You never know what you’ll face and overconfidence and underconfidence is not an option. “You have to have faith in yourself that you will perform your best.”

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JASMYNE ROBERTS BASKETBALL G

COMMITTED

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ITG Next | 37

Coach of the Year

Who Will Be this Year's?

38 | itgnext.com

Bartholomew (Bart) Rodriquez was not originally a wrestling coach but rather a football, track and tennis coach for almost 25 years. He would coach his daughter and nephews in their sports. It was not until his son began wrestling at the age of eight that began his interest in wrestling.

“I figured that if he was going to be successful in the sport, I could probably help him by learning as much as I can and train with him,” said Rodriquez.

Coach Rodriquez is a family man who treats all his students as his own. He helps them with more than just wrestling, he teaches life lessons that will help them as young adults. The memories they make while in high school and wrestling will stick with them.

“If I can help them understand some of the challenges that they will face, at least they will have some idea on how to deal with them ahead of time.”

These life lessons are brought out through Rodriquez’s coaching techniques.

He does teach them wrestling skills, endurance training and help them with nutrition management, but wrestling teaches more than many know. Several times a week Coach Rodriquez goes over lessons on how to deal with bullies, peer pressure, academics and other great topics that young adults need to know.

“As a coach, we have to prepare them physically and have their mental state ready,” he said.

Coach Rodriquez considers wrestling the toughest sport in high school. Wrestling is a one on one sport, where nobody else but the wrestler is held responsible. It is physical and at times can be bloody. These men and women work hard to prepare their bodies for a match. They must push themselves harder than other athletes because they must eat right, make weight and still that sometimes is not enough.

“Everyone is different, and you can’t coach each athlete the same,” said Coach Rodriquez.

Coach Rodriquez believes that North Florida wrestlers are not getting the same recognition as wrestlers in South Florida. The credit they deserve is not equal because they must work harder in order to be recognized. North Florida wrestlers are not usually seen in newspapers as often as other sport players like football. In his opinion, wrestlers deserve more appreciation.

Coach Rodriquez works his students hard for them to be recognized the way they deserve because they all have potential. He just wants them to do their best.

The results may not be what was expected as he said, “we can build from there.”

Every Move Matters Written by: Kaitlyne Piper Photography by: Kaitlyne Piper

ITG Next | 39

CALEB WILLIAMS BASKETBALL PG

Team Leader:

Se’lah Reddick Written by: Tyrah Walker Photography Submitted by Se’lah Reddick

The William M. Raines High School girl’s basketball team is the team to watch this season. Last year, the team made it all the way to the Final Four during the state championship semi-finals and this year they plan to win it all. With heavy hitters on their team such as Se’lah Reddick, they are sure to have a great chance at making that dream come true.

Reddick has been playing basketball since the age of seven.

Taught by her father, Reddick first started showing interest in the sport by playing around the house and on different courts. From there she would go on to play for Forest View, being the only girl on the team. During her years playing with all the guys, she developed her love for basketball more than ever and is now playing for one of the top teams in Florida during her senior year.

“I didn’t know how to play when I was little,” said Reddick. “But it was good to see how girls and boys play differently.”

Currently, Reddick has not yet committed to play for a college but is keeping her options open to secure a spot soon. Right now her focus is on her team to represent their city by winning a state championship title. Last year being in Lakeland was a memorable moment for her and she would love to experience it again. It was her first time attending.

“Me and my teammates were nervous, but he [coach] told us don’t think about it, just get up there and have fun,” she said. “Play how you are supposed to play. Play like you’re at home.”

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In order to get back to Lakeland, Riddick says there are some things that her team should work on as a whole. Getting in shape is one of the main goals the team has as well as continuously listening to their coaches and coming to practice with a winning mindset.

Advice to her younger self: “Never give up and keep trying, even when times get harder.” Riddick herself is inspired by some athletic greats such as LeBron James and Candace Parker. The two basketball players have helped inspire her work ethic and the way they help out their teammates. Other inspirational people in her life include her coaches and her family.

As she prepares for graduation this year, Reddick will mostly miss how strong of a bond her and teammates have. She describes her teammates as being more like sisters.

“The team this year is different from when I first got here,” said Reddick. “It was fun but this group that we have now is better than the first group I was with.”

One fun fact that many may not know is that Reddick enjoys dancing on TikTok and following the latest dance challenges. She is a fun young lady waiting to see what’s next for her in life.

SHOP ITGNext.com

ITG Next | 43

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A Sting Worth Talking About Written by: Kaitlyne Piper Photography by: Kaitlyne Piper

Gabrielle Rourke is one Atlantic Coast Stingray to be on the lookout for. She is a high school freshman that has been playing several different sports since a young age. However, Atlantic Coast soccer has won her heart.

“My favorite thing about playing at Atlantic Coast is the coaching staff,” said Rourke. “They really push you to get better.”

Speaking of being pushed to be better, Rourke has always had her family pushing her to be the best she can be. She mentions that her family is big into sports, having played sports such as baseball, volleyball and softball. Both of her brothers play college baseball which pushes her to become more like them. It also helps that they all know how to train her in different ways to help keep her in shape.

“My parents are my biggest supporters,” she said.

Rourke has always been supported by her family, but her role model is her Atlantic Coast coach, Coach Kenny Mukasa. Coach Mukasa has coached soccer players all over Northeast Florida making him very knowledgeable in handling athletes of all ages.

Rourke also plays soccer at Jacksonville United FC (JFC), where she originally met Coach Mukasa.

“He truly cares about the players future and treats his kids as if they were his own.”

Having your team feel like your family is important to Rourke. The memories she’s made with her teams over the years have already begun to stick with her. Her favorite memory comes from her own skill as a soccer player.

“I was in a club soccer championship game,” said Rourke. “We were winning 1-0 and I stopped a penalty kick.”

Penalty kicks for goalies are terrifying. It is the goalie’s sole duty to do everything they can in order to stop the ball.

The entire team looks up to the goalie and although Rourke is a freshman, she starts in almost every game. Being a goalie is not as easy as being a field player, but Rourke does both.

Though she does prefer to be in the goal.

“I just feel more comfortable and confident there,” she said when asked about why being in goal is her preferred position.

Rourke is clearly a versatile athlete. There is much in store for this future athlete as her family, team and coach continue to mold her into an incredible athlete. It will be exciting to see where her sports career goes.

Graduation is a few years away for Rourke, but she already has been working on plans to continue playing sports in college. She wants to also work to obtain a degree in physical therapy.

Wherever she ends up, anyone would be lucky to have her.

ITG Next | 45

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ITG Next | 47

Tough Love and Respect Creates a Perfect Season for Ponte Vedra Volleyball Written: Jessica May | Photo courtesy of Ponte Vedra High School

Through what could be considered the toughest season for any student-athlete, the Ponte Vedra Sharks Volleyball team finished with a perfect season: 27-0 and back-to-back state titles.

The team completed the most dominant run in area history, sweeping Jensen Beach to win the Class 5A State Championship in Fort Myers and achieving a back-to-back quest that is unprecedented in area volleyball history.

The pandemic caused a lot of stress for student-athletes across the world, but the Sharks did not let COVID-19 get in the way of their passion for the sport.

“The biggest challenge this season was COVID, obviously, right? But at the same time it brought a new appreciation for every day that we were able to keep playing,” The Ponte Vedra Volleyball Coach, Robin Mignerey said.

Coach Mignerey has been involved in volleyball for roughly 30 years, playing in high school, playing at Clemson, coaching at Jacksonville University, and now, finishing her twelfth season coaching at Ponte Vedra High School.

She has been able to watch 12 seasons worth of teams grow together and compete. In those 12 seasons, she has looked to tough love in order to coach the girls.

“I love seeing them get better at volleyball. I love the silliness and laughter. I love seeing them work for each other; the unselfish acts that surprise you coming from teenage girls who struggle with confidence and peer pressures,” she said.

Coach Mignerey is all about respect. Being respectful on and off the court is important and it’s a skill she looks for in players.

“I am looking for team players. I try hard to teach these girls to be grateful for what they have and to be respectful on the court,” she said. “I’m looking for girls who are respectful to everyone.”

Creating a team this successful doesn’t happen overnight. It takes players like Amy Burkhardt, Lizzy Klein, and Kendall Mignerey.

It also takes a team that genuinely likes each other. Coach Mignerey said the team’s greatest strength this year was, “They genuinely 48 | itgnext.com

‘liked’ each other. I try to instill that you don’t have to ‘like’ each other to play well together, but when they do like each other it makes it easy.”

Amy Burkhardt is a hitter committed to the University of North Florida. She transferred from the Washington D.C. metro area and has called this season her redemption season -- rightfully so.

Lizzy Klein committed to Santa Fe State College as a middle blocker and Kendall Mignerey committed to Florida Atlantic University for beach volleyball.

The work also takes place in practice. Coach Mignerey works on building players that can play all around the court -- not just in the front or back row.

Mignerey is putting pressure on herself for the upcoming season.

She said living up to this season’s success next year will be hard.

“That’s hard and not going to lie, it stresses me out! It’s pressure I put on myself I guess,” she said. “The majority of these girls play year-round and that helps our success.”

Goals for next season include the following: a state-title threepeat and getting the girls to college.

“Obviously the state titles,” she said. “And the recognition by the press is always desired and is super nice to be rewarded with attention after all their hard work. Hopefully, sportsmanship is prevalent and people are happy from their successes because of the people we are.”

Getting a group of high school-aged girls can be difficult. “Every year’s girls are different, but for the most part keeping it fun as much as possible is the way to go for motivation. I’m a mother of two teenage daughters, so I see how hard and exhausting the school grind can be,” she said.

Mignerey has led Ponte Vedra to three championships, the most by a team in area history. This one was a blueprint in sheer dominance.

“A lot of the girls aspire to play in college and [I] would love to see these players bring their dreams to life,” she said.

XIA MARTIN VOLLEYBALL TOP INTEREST

Outside Hitter

ITG Next | 49

Our Goal? Stopping Yours!

Written by: Kaitlyne Piper | Photography by: Kaitlyne Piper Jason Cooley is celebrating twenty years as a Mandarin High School coach.

Cooley began coaching in 1990 at the Jacksonville Youth Soccer Club based out of Earl Johnson Park. About twenty years later, he began coaching u19 players for the Jacksonville Armada. Soon after that, he began coaching at Mandarin, where he has been ever since.

“[I was] primarily coaching u19 players from all over Jacksonville giving opportunities to players from low income areas to play,” said Cooley.

Calm and collected would be the best way to describe Cooley’s coaching methods.

The kids are keen in listening to the criticism he delivers. Each play or drill gets paused to work on how to achieve a better outcome.

Nobody gets upset or angry when critiqued.

Instead, they try again and again until they get it right. Then once they achieve the right technique, Coach Cooley is right there instantly giving positive affirmations.

50 | itgnext.com

“You get the opportunity to teach the concepts and then during the games you get to see the concepts applied,” said Cooley.

The efforts put in are making a difference as the team has been going on win streaks for years. These wins are often by multiple goals. At practice, the kids take shots almost any chance that they get. Some are not easy to obtain and not all games are easily won which brings us to Cooley’s most memorable coaching memory.

“We won a game to go to the state finals with 1.8 seconds left on the clock,” said Cooley. “Erin Han scored a wonder goal in front of a thousand plus fans. It was crazy.”

Seeing the concepts that he teaches be applied is what Cooley describes as being one of the best feelings in life. The kids feel confident to go for it because of how much he’s put his trust into them.

Coach Cooley describes his kids as a special mix of young talent and veterans

that make up the spine of the team. He pushes the kids to work as one to create no weak links. They work together and push each other to be better.

Even through the COVID-19 pandemic, the team reminds each other to socially distance and wear their masks. The coaches have taken extra precautions in socially distancing bus rides and at the games. The team has begun to use trash cans to be socially distant. Cooley mentioned that this has helped increase speed in their agility and footwork. This year may be different from previous ones, but it seems to have only increased effective training for the Mandarin Mustangs.

“I am excited every year,” said Cooley. “New kids. New challenges.

I love it.”

WATCH

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From New York to Florida Written by Tyrah Walker Photography: Allen Allnoch

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March 2020 changed our country and will forever go down in history. It was the early stages of the pandemic and all of America was on shutdown. Many were confused, felt hopeless, jobless and didn’t know when things would get better. High school athletes were devastated that sports were cancelled in the middle of their spring season and many seniors graduated without having the opportunity to get recognized by college recruiters.

All the confusion caused by COVID-19 left student athletes wondering if sports would come back. Up north, sports restrictions are a lot more strict than it is in Florida. Junior Caitlin Gregory decided with her family that it was time to leave New York and move to Florida so that she could continue swimming and receive quality training. It was not an easy decision but one that felt right for her future.

Gregory currently swims for Ponte Vedra High School after moving from Manhattan. The decision was made due to lockdowns throughout the New York area and pools remaining closed, making swim training difficult to resume. Her family had been looking at Florida since June 2020 and made Ponte Vedra their home after researching schools and family friendly communities. The Jacksonville area was already familiar to Gregory when she previously attend-

ed swim camp at The Bolles School. Originally swimming at The Bolles School and attending for education was her first option but there wasn’t an option not to board there. “[My parents] they took me to swim camp so I could improve on my strokes because I hadn’t swam in a long time. My mom started looking up the best school districts and St. Johns came up,” said Gregory. “When I was at the swim camps she started touring houses and found Ponte Vedra and we got in contact with the swim team I’m on now, Planet Swim, and they were building a new pool right by our house and it just seemed like a good opportunity and a really nice neighborhood.”

We're almost a year into the pandemic and Gregory says her friends back in New York still haven't been able to get the pool time they need in order to keep up their training. With Gregory now also a part of Planet Swim (the No.1 swim school in Northeast Florida that offers training and has its own swim team), she is able to become an even better swimmer and athlete. One would think that it’s been hard for Gregory to adjust to being in another state, but she’s been fitting in well. It was hard to leave her friends but she’s been able to make new friends and really feel like a Ponte Vedra Shark.

in New York it wasn’t the same and I knew that. Comparing here and there it’s just so much better here because I can swim and go to school everyday.” In New York, Gregory and her family were confined to a small apartment where she attended school online.

As far as the school’s swim team goes, it was easy for Gregory to fit in due to the team needing a strong back stroker.

With the help of her coach, she was able to get back at her swim times and improve on

her relays which landed her a spot on the medley relay team and the 400 freestyle relay.

“I ended up meshing with the team really well because a lot of the girls are on my club team, Planet Swim” said Gregory. “I knew them from that and we carpooled to swim practice. We got closer then.”

decision soon and has opened up her recruitment. One school she is looking at is the University of Florida due to their well-known swimming program.

For next season, her goal is to attend states and drop time in all of her events. She is well on her way.

With senior year coming up, we can expect Gregory to continue to thrive in the pool. She hasn’t committed to a college yet but is looking forward to making that

“Through the swim team I’ve met a lot of people that’s really helped me,” she said.

“Especially because

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