South Georgia April 2016 Edition

VHS SENIOR SPENDS SEMESTER TRAINING, PLAYING SOCCER IN SPAIN TIMOTHY HUFF | VALDOSTA HIGH SCHOOL

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

CONNOR THOMAS

10 KEITH SEIFERT QUESTIONS WITH

ENDURANCE PAYS OFF FOR STATE WRESTLING CHAMP TONY MORALES | CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

VALWOOD’S NEW TAKING IT TO TRAINING FACILITY THE NEXT LEVEL D1 SIGNEES

Remembering Colton Shaw

Signing Day Love Game

april 2016

Davis Stewart | Lowndes High School

THE

HUGHSTON DIFFERENCE YESTERDAY.

•

Providing you, for over 60 years, with research, education, and treatment

•

Organizing preparticipation physicals since 1976

•

Covering over 1,500 local sporting events each year

•

Saturday morning injury clinic

•

Researching and implementing concussion management software for local athletes

LOCATIONS Albany Auburn Columbus Dothan LaGrange

Moultrie Phenix City Thomaston Thomasville Valdosta

Hughston Clinic 706-324-6661 6262 Veterans Parkway, GA 31909 1-800-331-2910 / www.hughston.com

TODAY. TOMORROW.

In This Issue 11 Fast Breaks:

Just Did It: Valdosta Flag Football Champs

Transfer Turmoil South Georgians Seek A Future In The NFL

18 VHS Senior Spends Semester Training,

Playing Soccer In Spain Timothy Huff Valdosta High School

23 10 Questions With Keith Seifert Muscogee County School District

27 Valwood’s New Training Facility 28 Signing Day Love Game Davis Stewart Lowndes High School

32 Remembering Colton Shaw 37 Endurance Pays Off For State

Wrestling Champ Tony Morales Central High School

40 Student, Athlete, Survivor Kemma Paulk Coffee High School

43 Core Exercise Janna Hilton

48 Football Star Builds

44 CONNOR THOMAS

Championship Resume ON The Track Tray Eafford Lee County High School

56 Taking It To The Next Level D1 Signees

FROM THE PUBLISHER

48 soccer, golf, and tennis, and this month’s edition reflects the diversity of sports in which our student-athletes are participating.

We spent a few minutes with Davis Stewart, a tennis player from Lowndes High; Connor Thomas, the lefty ace of Tift County’s pitching staff; Valdosta High’s Timothy Huff, a soccer player who checked in with us from Spain, where he’s playing and training with one of the country’s best professional teams; and Tray Eafford, Lee County’s sprint specialist who’s also going to play football for Troy University this fall. We also looked at the draft status of several of our area football players who are finished with their college careers. Will we see more of our players get selected in the NFL Draft? A few have a real shot at hearing their names called.

We’ve had a blast putting this edition together, and we know you’ll have an equally good time reading through its pages. Thanks again for allowing us this opportunity.

In the Game is published 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, Inc. makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2016 Dykes Media Group, LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

Contributors:

Publisher Mark Dykes Editors Mark Dykes Cole Parker Graphics Ashlyn Peek Cover Photography Micki Krzynski Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Lindsi Jones Lindsi Jones Photography Marque Milla Reese Milla Creationz Photography Jerry Christenson Christenson Studio Feature Writers Robert Preston Jr. James Washington Beth Welch Ed Hooper Copy Editors James Washington Beth Welch Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@itgsportsnetwork.com Cole Parker cole@itgsportsnetwork.com Julie Michaud julie@itgsportsnetwork.com Website Manager Cole Parker

Tell us what you thought about the March issue of In the Game! info@itgsportsnetwork.com Making Waves

Michael Weatherby Lowndes High School

Third Generation Athlete Alexis Burns | Carver High School

Bearcats Senior Commits to The Bulldogs

tyree Crump | Bainbridge High School A Mountain To Climb

Jake Parker | Valwood School

Viking Duo

Tiberius Drocea and Gary Osby Pine Grove Middle School

The Wildcat Tradition:

It’s All About The Black and Gold

NEWEST MEMBER OF THE LOS ANGELES ANGELS Kaleb Cowart

March 2016

I was hoping against hope that this year, we would have another one of our area public school teams win a state basketball championship. Each year, there is always a debate regarding how teams in southern Georgia will fare against those from the metro areas.

The discussion usually centers around football but, in all honesty, it could cover any sport.

The balance has always been tipped to the big-city schools in the minor sports – basically anything besides football, basketball and baseball. It seems as though the kids from the metro areas – and by that I mean Columbus and Augusta as well as those from the Atlanta area – have always taken those sports more seriously than we have down here. Soccer, swimming, golf, tennis, cross country, and the like are almost always dominated by the big-city programs. They have more of a talent pool

from which to choose and they seem to understand the importance of year-round training and competing a little better than we have down here.

That’s been changing in recent years but historically, the minor sports have been the domain of the metropolitan programs.

In basketball, football, and baseball, however, we have generally been able to hold our own. While we didn’t always get to the championship games, the metro schools couldn’t ignore us. And every once in a while, we turned out a champion.

Recently, we’ve had state champions from South Georgia in all three of the major sports.

This year, we had two basketball teams with legitimate shots at winning a state title. Both Thomasville High School and Tift County High School had great regular seasons and were poised to make deep playoff runs. As I sit here and type this, the Georgia High School Association is about to host championship weekend. Will Thomasville and Tift be in the mix? Take a look inside this edition for a recap of their seasons.

We are now in the absolute middle of the spring sports season. I know this wasn’t a particularly cold winter but there moments when the weather was brutally cold. It’s nice to have some sunshine, warm weather, green grass for a change. It’s the time for baseball, track and field,

FAST BREAK

Just Did It:

Valdosta State’s Flag Football Team Repeats as National Champions

written by: James Washington | photography courtesy of the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association

The final buzzer sounded, the celebration began, and, no matter the scale, another championship was brought to Titletown, USA. On January 4, 2016, the Valdosta State University Nikes defeated the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley Hoosier Daddy by a score of 26-12 to claim their second National Intramural Recreational Sports Association Men’s Flag Football Championship in as many years. The win culminated an impressive streak started last season by the Nikes, led by 2015-16 title game MVP D’Angelo “D-Lo” Smith.

“I always tried to lead the team by exemplifying a positive attitude, on and off the field,” Smith said. “I was the main quarterback, but I also wanted to be each one of my teammates’ main supporter and always ensure that, at the end of the game, everything will always work out.”

In 2015, the Nikes took home their first title after a 32-21 victory over the Angelo State Wolfpac (San Angelo, Texas). Last year’s team was dominant in its own right, but the most recent championship team was able to show that experience and unity can power a team through anything.

While the team’s most recent accomplishment adds to an extensive list of

championship-caliber groups (VSU has claimed numerous awards through the flag football program since 2011-12), the Nikes came onto the national stage as a virtual unknown last year. “(This season) after our pool play games, there was a drawing for teams to select their bracket spots,” Smith said. “We noticed the respect other teams had for us; they were all trying to select spots as far away from us a possible. It was a humbling experience and made us feel really good about our progress throughout the last few years, when teams had no idea who we were.”

After an unforgettable title run, the team was finally able to bask in the glory. The team was headlined by four All-American Award recipients, but according to Smith, the whole team played a big role in the win, as well as the rest of the season.

“I most definitely have to credit our entire defense,” Smith said. “Romaz Jones reached the quarterback pretty quickly, causing him to rush passes. Due to our tight coverage skills by players like Tedrian “Tripp” Thompson, Justin “JB” Brown, and Eric Johnson, we were able to earn a lot of turnovers.”

Defense certainly played a major part

Also competing in their respective championship game was P-Rex, Valdosta State’s co-rec flag football team, who was in pursuit of a second consecutive title after claiming one in 2015. Unfortunately, the team fell short, losing in the final contest to Angelo State University.

in the Nikes’ championship run. Prior to holding the final opponent to only 12 points, the team Southern Mississippi, Tarleton State, and Michigan State to seven, 12, and 14 points respectively. To add to the domination, VSU’s offense torched opposing defenses with totals of 35, 20, and 47 in each round before their matchup against UT-Rio Grande Valley.

“Other than myself, Lance Jarriel and Wes Carter had tremendous impacts on our offensive success,” Smith said. “A major difference this year was our experience,” Smith said. “We learned how to take what our opponents gave us and how to always play our game at all times.”

Many of the players from the Nikes will be moving on after this season. Given the fact that the team, if continued, would have a new look in the future, this accomplishment leaves the entire roster with a feeling of success and an unforgettable triumph.

“This year’s team was special because this was the last opportunity for a few of our guys to play together,” Smith said.

“A few key players will be earning their degrees and pursuing careers following the season. We wanted to ensure that we finished our career with a bang and ‘went out on top’, so to speak.”

For their outstanding efforts, five of Valdosta State’s student-athletes received All-America recognition at the conclusion of the NIRSA Flag Football Championships. Lance Jarriel, Eric Johnson, Romaz Jones, D’Angelo Smith, and Rachel Swilley were among 22 student-athletes that earned top honors.

Southern Miss 35-7 Tarleton State 20-12 Michigan State 47-14

In The Game | 11

FAST BREAK

“No doubt it’s a huge problem...“

TRANSFER

TURMOIL

“...there are just not enough people policing out there to stop it.“

written by: Ed Hooper After his sophomore guard scored a teamhigh 28 points to lead his team to a 2011 win over the Lowndes Vikettes, Mill Creek girls basketball coach Ashley Phillips could only wonder what the future of his program could be in the coming years. While it looked promising, he feared he wouldn’t be able to keep his rising star at his school, saying he knew she would be somewhere else next year, at a school with a more established girls’ basketball tradition.

As it turns out, Phillips' fear of losing his star player was right. Jasmine Carter eventually transferred to Atlanta-area private school St. Pius X, where she became one of the nation’s top-rated players, leading her new team to back-to-back state championships and earning a full scholarship to the University of Georgia.

Phillips’ experience of losing a star player to a transfer is something that many high school coaches throughout the state experience every year.

“No doubt it’s a huge problem,” said newly appointed Valdosta football coach Alan Rodemaker.

One component of student-athlete transfers is high school coaches seeking to gain competitive advantages wherever they can get them, even if that means luring a talented student-athlete to transfer from a rival school district.

It may seem far-fetched that a high school coach would blatantly break the rules and would take the risk of getting caught recruiting, facing possible fines, suspensions, postseason bans and forfeiture of wins, but Rodemaker said he believes it’s more prevalent than people think.

Rodemaker said he believes more than 50 percent of all high school coaches throughout the state, across all sports, actively recruit players to transfer from other schools. “It’s a huge problem, though. For us, we get transfers but I’ve never been a part of (recruiting).”

Others agreed that there is a major problem in the state when it comes to players flipping schools.

“In my area, in Quitman, it isn’t an issue,” Brooks County football coach Maurice Freeman said. “But I have a lot of coaching friends in the Atlanta area, in Macon, Columbus, and the Augusta area, and that’s all they complain about. The athletes are here one day, and the next day they’re gone and eligible to play at a new school the very next season.”

Currently, the GHSA by-laws state that a student-athlete may transfer from one member institution and be eligible the following athletic year only if he or she moves out of the former school’s zone and into the new school’s zone

12 | itgsportsnetwork.com

by the time he or she enrolls at the new school.

For coaches like Colquitt County’s Rush Propst, who has won back-to-back state football championships, those transfers can’t be stopped, and students who make legitimate qualified moves shouldn’t be punished.

“Parents want their kids to be on successful teams, and I don’t think we should punish that,” said Propst, who admitted he does get calls from people interested in making legitimate moves to Colquitt County for athletic reasons.

“If their kid wants to make a qualified move, then don’t punish them.”

Rodemaker’s mindset is similar to Propst, stating successful programs tend to recruit themselves with parents interested in making legitimate moves for athletic gain.

“Success does recruit itself. Parents are more apt to pick up and move their whole family for these kids, which, to me, is just insane,” Rodemaker said. “But with the cost of these college scholarships and the way the professionals are being paid these days, parents are willing to take a chance and move their families.”

The GHSA by-laws on transfers and enrollment does not account for private schools and city schools, however, which can accept any student regardless of where he or she may reside, as long as that student is paying tuition.

Many believe that has added to a competitive advantage for those schools, considering any student can attend for a certain cost and be immediately athletically eligible, even if they don’t relocate.

“There is no question that recruiting goes on,” Propst said. “The private schools have been able to do it forever. In the public sector, we have stiffer rules….Kids have options more now than they have ever before. Coaches in the public sector, they don’t have to recruit.

Their program stands alone. It recruits itself.”

The results of city and private schools winning state championships are hard to ignore, too. From 2011-15, GHSA-member private schools won an alarming 198 state championships, or 45 percent of state titles, across 11 different sports.

“I am positive they have an unfair advantage,” said Freeman, who called for private and public schools to be completely separated on athletic platforms, especially after his football team has lost in the state playoffs to private schools each of the past three seasons. “Complete separation because we can’t recruit.”

To help alleviate some of the competitive

advantage city and private schools are having on the field in regards to transfers, the GHSA implemented a new 3.0 rule for the upcoming 2016-17 athletic season. The 3.0 rule states that a school must move up a classification if over three percent of its student population comes from outside of the county in which the school is located.

That new rule affected multiple schools, many of which are private and city schools. Among those affected was Gwinnett County football power Buford, which has claimed seven of the past nine state championships in its respective classifications.

“I think the 3.0 rule is fair,” Propst said. “For me, that’s pretty liberal. If you have x number of kids outside of your district, then yes you should play ahead in the classification.”

People like Freeman believe the 3.0 rule is a wasted measure by the GHSA, and more has to be done to even the playing the field.

“I think the 3.0 rule was a complete waste of a time,” Freeman said. “All those schools appealed. They got to go back down. All the private schools in Class AA appealed and are back in AA.” A lack of administration and staff at the GHSA makes it nearly impossible to monitor student-athlete transfers and recruiting. Rodemaker said, “Coaches out there know that there are not enough people with the Georgia High School Association that can police that stuff. There are just not enough people policing out there to stop it.”

When schools do get caught with infractions, the penalties can be stiff, which is why Propst believes the recruiting that goes on is more from private schools, because public schools fear getting caught and facing the penalties handed down.

In February, Dougherty High School’s boys basketball team, a public high school located in Albany, Georgia, was hit with its second major infraction in two seasons for playing what is a considered a migrant athlete, or a student who lives outside of the school’s zone. As a result, the school was handed down four fines, ranging from $300 to $1250, forced to forfeit all wins in which that athlete participated, and was banned from postseason play this season.

Even with some schools getting caught with infractions, many believe their needs to be more monitoring than what is currently going on.

“There is not enough,” Freeman said. “Look at how many schools you have in the GHSA. You don’t have enough people policing it.”

FAST BREAK

South Georgians seek a future in

the NFL written by: Robert Preston Jr.

The National Football League. It’s every high school player’s dream. For most, however, it’s an impossibility. According to thepostgame.com, there are over 310,000 high school seniors playing football on any given year. Just over 70,000 of those seniors will play college football. The NFL will scout less than half of the 15,588 college seniors, and only 350 will be invited to the NFL Combine.

Teams will select 256 players in the draft and several others will be signed after the draft as free agents. Overall, only 1.6 percent of college football players will make it to the NFL. In spite of the seemingly insurmountable odds, several South Georgia football players have a shot at hearing their names called during the NFL Draft. Though the odds are still against them, at least they have a chance.

And that’s closer than most players get.

Probably the most likely South Georgian to play in the NFL is Georgia wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell. At one time, he appeared to be a lock for the league, a sure-fire first round pick. According to ESPN, Mitchell has caught 174 passes for 2,350 yards and 16 touchdowns. He missed the 2013 season due to injury, something that will likely hurt his draft status. Still, Mitchell has the size and speed to play at the next level. He’s two years removed from his knee surgery, and it didn’t seem to bother him any during his senior season. Mitchell won’t be a first-rounder, but an NFL team will likely call his name in the middle rounds.

Mitchell’s high school and UGA teammate Jay Rome is another area alum with a chance to play at the next level. Rome, a tight end, has also been plagued by injuries. He has 38 receptions for 398 yards and three touchdowns; however, it’s his potential that has piqued the interest of NFL scouts. At 6’6” and 250 pounds, he has an NFL-ready frame and has shown he can make plays. He could be a late-round pick or sign after the draft as a free agent – if teams don’t have lingering questions about his ability to stay healthy.

Youngstown State’s Kenneth Durden, a former Lowndes High Viking, spent three years with the University of South Florida as a cor14 | itgsportsnetwork.com

nerback before transferring to Youngstown State after getting into a little trouble in January 2014. In his final season with the Bulls, he started 11 games, posting 32 tackles and an interception. Last year with Youngstown State, Durden played in 11 games and recorded 22 tackles and intercepted one pass.

Despite the setbacks he’s experienced, Durden has enjoyed a solid college football career. NFLdraftscout.com has Durden listed as the #80 cornerback out of 278 and doesn’t project him to be drafted.

Florida State strong safety Tyler Hunter, another former Viking, is one more area athlete who has seen his career interrupted by injuries. Hunter is a ball-hawking, hard-hitting playmaker who can play multiple positions in the defensive backfield. He also made a name for himself as an explosive kick returner who looked destined for an NFL roster spot early in his career. Hunter suffered a season-ending neck injury in 2013 but made a full recovery after surgery. He finished the 2015 season with 26 tackles and an interception. Throughout his career, he has shown that he has the talent to play in the NFL. However, like Durden, NFLdraftscout.com doesn’t project Hunter to be a draft pick. It seems likely, though, that a team will take a chance on Hunter in the late rounds or sign him to a free-agent contract after the draft.

There is one more player of interest in this year’s draft. Georgia’s Jordan Jenkins, who we covered for In the Game’s Columbus Valley edition when Jenkins was a senior at Harris County. An outside linebacker, Jenkins, who at 6’3” and 257 pounds, is one of the nation’s top linebackers. He totaled 59 tackles this season, according to ESPN, and NFLdraftscout.com has Jenkins projected to be a third round pick.

It’s always tricky to try to predict what will happen on draft day. It seems safe to say that Malcolm Mitchell and Jordan Jenkins will be selected. Rome, Durden, and Hunter are less likely to be drafted, but do have a chance. And that’s all anyone could ever ask for – just one more chance.

R

Bradley, Shuman follow former coach to Georgia Southern written by: Robert Preston Jr.

When I wrote the preseason football roundups late last summer, I had a feeling I was writing about the Rance Gillespie-led Valdosta Wildcats for the last time. I just had this feeling that 2015 would be Coach Gillespie’s last season with the school. I didn’t like the feeling I had; I always enjoyed talking to Coach Gillespie, even if he was hard to track down. But he was a good coach, and I didn’t want to see him go.

So, several months ago, when I heard the announcement that he was leaving Valdosta, I wasn’t surprised at all. I was, however, surprised that he was leaving the Wildcats for the college ranks. Gillespie returned to Georgia Southern, where he had previously served as offensive coordinator from 2007-2009, to fill the position of co-offensive coordinator (a job he will share with David Dean, Valdosta State University’s former head coach).

Gillespie is familiar enough with Statesboro and the Georgia Southern community. And he’s going to have a few more familiar faces around him – both his quarterback and middle linebacker, Seth Shuman and Todd Bradley, will be joining him.

Shuman and Bradley are players with elite-level talent, and both represented Valdosta High School in the GACA NorthSouth All-Star Classic. Shuman is the most prolific quarterback in Valdosta history; under Gillespie’s tutelage, Shuman completed 227 passes in 399 attempts, threw 25 touchdowns to just three interceptions, and totaled 3,194 passing yards – a Valdosta High single season record. As a junior, Bradley finished with 142 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, and three interceptions. He missed nearly half of his senior campaign due to injury, but over the final seven games of the Wildcats’ season, he demonstrated the dominant level of play that put him on the recruiting radar the previous year.

Shuman and Bradley are two of 27 players the Eagles signed in this year’s recruiting class, believed by many to be the best class in the Sun Belt Conference.

Georgia Southern signed a total of two quarterbacks and four linebackers.

Valdostadailytimes.com and gseagles.com contributed to this story.

STAY IN THE GAME

BY FOLLOWING US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA

CHECK US OUT ON THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

SHOP SMART. SHOP LOCAL. 2980 JAMES CIRCLE | VALDOSTA, GA.

229-247-1920

Test Your Knowledge!

1. What is the minimum number of players that can play on one soccer team?

2. In what country did the name “soccer� instead of football originate?

3.

A _______ card cautions a player and marks a foul.

4. How many players are on a soccer team?

5.

A _______ card dismisses a player from the game.

6.

What is the circumference of an official soccer ball?

7. Which college wrote early fundamental and influental rules for soccer?

8.

What is the main protective gear worn by soccer players?

9.

Which is the only position where a player can use their hands?

10.

True or False. Kicker is a position on the soccer field.

11.

What is the major world soccer competition that takes place every four years?

12.

How long is a half of a soccer game?

FLIP TO SEE HOW YOU SCORED! 1. Seven 2. England 3. Yellow 4. 11 5. Red 6. 28 inches 7. Cambridge 8. Shin Guards 9. Goalkeeper 10. False 11. FIFA World Cup 12. Forty Five Minutes

This information is courtesy of legendsofthespiral.com

18 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Check Out These Soccer Tactics When we talk of tactics, we are referring to three categories: Individual tactics, in which two players confront each other in a 1 v. 1 duel.

VHS senior spends semester training, playing soccer in Spain written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Micki K Photography

Group tactics, involving two or more players within a 15yard radius around the ball.

Team tactics, which refers to the style of soccer a team plays. Team tactics involves systems of play, high- and low-pressure defending, playing directly and indirectly.

Coaching Tactics As mentioned previously in the section on the Laws of the Game, soccer is a game with limited coaching interference.

There are no timeouts and coaches do not send in plays.

The players make the decisions on the field, making soccer the ultimate “players game."

One of the chief instructional tasks of the coach is to help players make correct decisions. To do this, the coach needs a basic understanding of soccer tactics. Tactics are important, but they cannot be executed without a mastery of technique.

“I’ve had to grow up a lot. I’m on my own. I’ve had to be responsible, stay healthy, and keep up my grades. I’ve also had to make sure my priorities were in the right place,” says Timothy Huff, a senior at Valdosta High School who is currently training and playing soccer in Spain with the Spanish first division team RDC Espanyol. Huff is on his second stint to Spain, having already been across the pond one other time, from August to November.

How Huff ended up playing with a professional team in Spain is an interesting story in its own right. Last summer, he went to Portland, Oregon, to visit family. While he was out there, he contacted a semi-professional soccer team to see if he could train with them. He worked out with the team in Portland and got himself invited to a camp while he was out there. Huff played well at the camp and actually considered moving to Portland to keep playing out there. Then his

phone rang with an invitation to play in Spain. “It wasn’t a hard sell on my parents,” he says. “They knew soccer was my passion, and they knew what a good opportunity this was for me. They raised me to be independent, and they thought I was mature enough to handle it. They were excited for me.”

Going from summer vacation to playing soccer in Europe may seem like a rather sudden development but that’s the way his entire soccer

The most uncomplicated and basic soccer tactic is the 1 versus 1 duel. Players are introduced to tactical training by either attacking an individual opponent or defending against an individual attacker.

This simplifies the game into two main moments: When the player is in possession.

When an opponent is in possession.

The primary player in possession of the ball is called the first attacker. The primary player closest to the ball is the first defender. Both players have responsibilities called roles.

Keep Reading Keep Reading Keep Reading

Soccer Tactics Continued Roles of the First Attacker and First Defender The role of the first attacker is to penetrate the opponents with a dribble, pass or shot. The role of the first defender is to prevent penetration by pressuring the first attacker by either winning the ball or forcing the attacker sideways or backwards.

Soccer is a series of 1 v.

1 duels all over the field.

Since the team that wins the majority of these duels is likely to win the game, it is important to practice 1 v.

1 duels on a regular basis.

The First Attacker Coaches can set up a number of 1 v. 1 duels, including playing to two small goals, dribbling over the line to score goals, playing to one central goal or scoring on multiple goals.

Key factors include: First attacker turns and faces the defender.

Attack the defender with the ball. If the defender is in a staggered stance, attack the lead foot.

Make a fake just outside the defender’s tackling range to beat the defender.

Accelerate past the de- fender into space.

The First Defender The role of the first defender is the exact opposite of the first attacker. The key elements include: Close attacker down quickly to prevent penetration. As the defender gets closer to the attacker, adopt a low center of gravity, get sideways on and take small steps.

The last three or four steps may be angled to force the opponent to the left or right.

Retreat backwards if the attacker is dribbling at you.

Drop step with a shuffle to avoid crossing the legs.

Tackle if the attacker mis-touches the ball or loses control.

This information is courtesy of nscaa.com

career has been. Huff didn’t start playing soccer until he was in the eighth grade. Then at Hahira Middle School, Huff tried out for what was then known as the South Georgia United and, surprisingly, made the team. He kept training and getting better and eventually went from the worst player on the team to an average South Georgia soccer player in one year. “That motivated me to keep playing and working,” he says. As a freshman, Huff made Valdosta High’s varsity squad. A year later, he was a starter. Then, last year, Huff was named team captain. And now he’s playing with a pro team in Spain.

Huff, a center mid in the States but an outside back with Espanyol, was in Spain from the beginning of August until November. He’s dual enrolled at Valdosta High and Georgia Military College. He had to balance the demands of playing with a top Spanish soccer club, staying on top of his

school work, and learning a brand new culture, all on his own. Things went well for him in the fall, and, after spending the holidays back home, he returned to Spain in February.

Huff played the first three games of the year with Valdosta High, then he headed back across the pond.

Europeans and Americans obviously play a different style of soccer, and it’s taken some getting used to.

Of course at the level at which Huff is playing, everyone is good – really, really good. The players are faster and more precise. But he says the European game is more team-focused, fluid, and in control. The ball is always exactly where it needs to be, and everyone plays as one unit. Team success is always the primary objective; no one player ever attempts to outshine the team. “The players over here are just phenomenal,” he says.

When Huff is done in Europe, he plans to return home, where he will play soccer at Oglethorpe University

“That motivated me to keep playing and working.” in Atlanta. He began 2016 behind on recruiting; because he spent the fall in Europe, few colleges knew much about him. Huff went to several camps before he returned to Spain and performed well at each camp. Representatives from Oglethorpe were at one camp and liked what they saw. Not long after, Huff received a call asking if he would like to play for Oglethorpe. “I loved the campus and knew immediately I wanted to go to school there,” he says.

Playing in Europe doesn’t hurt Huff’s amateur status.

Though RDC Espanyol is a professional team, Huff cannot legally get paid to play even

though he’s participating in games with the club. His eligibility for collegiate soccer in America remains intact, and he should have no problem adjusting to the college game this fall.

Would he like to return to Europe in the future? Absolutely.

“I would love to play professionally over here. That’s why I came back. I have a guardian over here who’s trying to get me on a team. Espanyol is a good team and very well known. This is a great opportunity for me,” he says.

Did You Know?

There are 32 panels on a traditional soccer ball, one for each country in Europe.

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento. He took the nickname Pelé, a Brazilian Portuguese word meaning “six feet,” due to being born with six toes on each foot.

Soccer developed in London’s famed Newgate Prison in the early 1800s.

Prisoners who had their hands cut off for crimes of theft came up with a sport that used only the feet. The game spread from there.

Soccer was illegal in Mississippi until 1991.

This information is courtesy of medium.com

Doug Henderson

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

Wellness and Prevention

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Many risk factors for heart disease can be controlled with lifestyle modifications. You should consult your physician about what your risk factors are and what you can do to help overcome these risk factors.

SGMC Offers Help With Some Risk Factors Including:

Free Smoking Cessation Classes offered, call Community Health Promotions 229.259.1074 SGMC offers cardiac rehabilitation services that are certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Persons often helped by a program of medically supervised exercise are individuals who have had chronic chest pain, atherosclerotic heart disease, heart attack, bypass surgery or angioplasty.

For more information, contact SGMC’s Cardiac Rehab at 229245-6211.

SGMC Offers a FREE Speakers’ Bureau Program allowing the community to tap into the vast expertise of many affiliated physicians and professional staff members. Call Community Relations at 229.259.1074 This information is courtesy of sgmc.com

D

espite living an active lifestyle, heart disease sidelined Doug Henderson. This past September, Doug Henderson was scheduled to have an outpatient procedure at South Georgia Medical Center. A few days prior to the scheduled procedure, he came in for a pre-operative workup. The work-up identified an irregular heartbeat.

An electrocardiogram (EKG) and stress test were ordered.

The EKG and stress test came back normal, but SGMC affiliated Interventional Cardiologist William “Doug” Luke, MD wanted to check one suspicious area. A heart cath was scheduled.

On Thursday, December 3, 2015, Mr. Henderson had the heart cath performed and received some sobering news. Dr. Luke explained that Henderson needed to stay in the hospital because he needed open heart surgery—he had serious blockages.

Dr. Luke explained the results of the cath and drew pictures of the blockages to show what was going to happen surgically.

“I was able to go to the waiting room to visit my grandchildren. I am my grandson, Charlie’s, nanny so it was important for me to see my little partner,” said Henderson. “It was

a total shock to both myself & my wife because I did not have the symptoms you normally have when you have blockages in the main vessels surrounding your heart.”

Henderson had recently traveled extensively because his sons, Ashley and Justin, who are Valwood Valiant Football Coaches, were involved in football championship finals.

“Those last three games were won by less than 3 points. I am really surprised, I did not fall out and have a heart attack at a game because I tend to get hyped-up,” said Henderson.

On Monday, December 7, 2015, SGMC CardioVascular Institute Cardiothoracic Surgeon Joe Johnson, MD performed open heart surgery on Henderson.

“Before hand, Dr. Johnson was very reassuring and I knew exactly what was going to happen. He’s an excellent physician,” said Henderson.

During surgery, team members from the Dasher Memorial Heart Center explained in detail to the Henderson family what was going to happen in the OR. They explained all of the tubes he would have and that his family would be able to see him right after he was settled back in his room.

Surgery went well and Doug was discharged from South Georgia Medical Center on Friday, December 11, 2015.

“The nurses and staff were amazing. They never stopped, most were working twelve hour shifts.

The care I received was amazing, I don’t see how anybody could have better care anywhere else. Everyone was so professional,” said Henderson.

Now well on the road to recovery, Henderson is back to being nanny to grandson Charlie and enjoying all of his grandchildren. Henderson concluded by saying, “The experience I had at SGMC was very positive, I would recommend the Dasher Heart Center to everyone!”

The SGMC Dasher Memorial Heart Center touches and saves lives every day. For more information, visit; http://www.sgmc.org/heart

TRAIN LIKE A PRO ATHLETE Do you want to be more like the guys you’ll be watching every Sunday during the NFL season? Well then you need to train like one. Trust me, no NFL players pump up their muscles by spending hours on a treadmill, elliptical or a stationary bike.

So ditch the steady-state cardio workouts and start a more structured strength, power and anaerobic fitness routine.

START LIFTING HEAVY

In order to gain maximum strength and muscle, you need to move heavy weight, and increase the load and intensity of the workouts. Lift heavy and work out hard for short bursts of time - pushing your body harder, but for short durations. Cardio is necessary, but upgrade slow steady-state cardio for intensive cardio that gets the heart rate high and keeps it there for a short time, followed by an equal amount of recovery time.

I’m not saying that you should go out and try to bench press 275 lbs. like professional football players, but I would suggest using the heaviest weight that you could manage to lift (with correct form) for a total of 5 repetitions. Focus on the large muscle groups that function as prime movers, such as quadriceps, hamstrings, chest, and back. Pay less attention to smaller muscles such as biceps, triceps and calves. Alternate cardio days with sprint intervals at 85% of you max heart rate (220 – your age), and use a heart rate monitor to ensure you’re working at the correct intensity.

STRENGTH WORKOUT: Power cleans – 5 sets x 3 reps Squats – 5 sets x 5 reps Bench press – 5 sets x 5 reps DB rows – 5 sets x 5 reps Dead lifts – 5 sets x 5 reps DB overhead press – 5 sets x 5 reps Pull-ups – 5 sets x 5 reps Burpees 5 sets x 10 reps with 30 seconds between sets Core plank for 1 minute Crunches on SB using band for resistance Plate twists This information is coutesy of muscleandfitness.com

10 Keith Seifert

Questions With

written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Jerry Christenson

Keith Seifert shares highlights of his sports career and the value he places on being among the few who had the chance to pursue such a dream.

High school athletics often provide the opportunity for student-athletes to attend college. A small percentage of fortunate collegiate athletes carry their athletic talent to the professional level of play. The lessons and life experiences gained from playing a sport beyond high school and college are priceless.

After those days end, former athletes transition into lives in which they carry the memories and hopefully the lessons that sports afford. Since it is baseball season, it’s fitting to feature a local Columbus resident who knows what it is to live the life of an athlete at three different levels of play.

Keith Seifert, Chief Academic Officer with the Muscogee County School District, played baseball in high school and at Columbus College (now Columbus State University). He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians organization and played three seasons of professional baseball before becoming an employee of the MCSD. Seifert was inducted into the CSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. In this feature, he shares highlights of his sports career and the value he places on being among the few who had the chance to pursue such a dream.

In the Game: Where did you attend high school?

Keith Seifert: Newnan High School.

ITG: What sports did you play?

KS: Just baseball.

ITG: What position(s) did you play?

KS: Mainly pitcher and catcher in high school.

ITG: You attended Columbus College (now Columbus State University) and played baseball for the Cougars. Did you receive an athletic scholarship?

KS: I initially walked on as a pitcher at Dekalb Community College—South Campus (Junior College) in 1981. I was redshirted my first year due to injury. Next year, our coach changed my position to catcher; I became starting catcher for the next two years. I was then put on scholarship during the rest of my years there; I signed to a full baseball scholarship by Charlie Ragsdale at Columbus College.

ITG: You played professional baseball with the Cleveland Indians organization. Were you drafted

out of college?

KS: Yes, I was drafted in the 24th round in the June 1986 draft. I was also drafted by the Montreal Expos in the January 1984 winter draft, but decided to remain in school. Derek Mann was namedas new head coach beginning the fall of 1984.

ITG: For the seasons you were with Cleveland, where did you play, and were those seasons memorable?

KS: I can say every year was a memorable one.

Just having the opportunity to play with and against major league prospects at that level was something you can never forget. Being named the Midwest League Player of the Week during the 1987 season and winning the Carolina League Championship during the 1988 season were tremendous experiences. However, meeting my wife was definitely the most memorable. *Summer of 1986-Played the short season in the New York-Penn League with Batavia Trojans. *1987-Spring training in Tucson, Arizona; was assigned to Waterloo Indians of the Midwest League.

In The Game | 23

*1988-Spring training in Tucson, Arizona; was assigned back to Waterloo Indians of the Midwest League. In July, I moved up to the Kinston Indians of the Carolina League.

ITG: Is Kinston, North Carolina, where you met your wife, Dana?

KS: Yes. ITG: When you retired from professional baseball, what led you back to Columbus and eventually to the job you now have with the Muscogee County School District?

KS: After leaving the game, I began working construction with Dana’s father in Kinston. Really appreciated the opportunity.

He took me under his wing and taught me skills I still use today. While this occupation was very rewarding, I had the chance to return to Columbus College and continue my education and get back into the game — I missed it. Coach Mann offered me a graduate assistant position: coaching college baseball and teaching in the Health and Physical Education Department while earning my M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision. Couldn’t pass that opportunity up. After completing my two-year graduate assistantship, I began applying for small college coaching positions; that did not materialize. A teaching and coaching position opened at Hardaway High School.

Charlie Ragsdale called Roger Hatcher about the position, and I was offered the job (This was after I just completed my administrative internship at HHS as part of my master’s degree requirements.). Began my tenure at Hardaway in August of 1991.

During my first year, David Jackson, assistant principal, was hired in the MCSD HR department. Mr. Hatcher recommended me to fill the position on an interim basis.

In 1993, Mr. Hatcher recommended me for an assistant principal position, for which I served six years before becoming principal of Hardaway in 1999. Served as principal of Hardaway until August of 2005, when I became the MCSD Director of Secondary Education. In July 2015, I was recommended by Dr. Lewis and named the Chief Academic Officer for the district. I am extremely proud to be a part of the MCSD for the last 25 years. Awesome experience.

ITG: As a former high school, college, and professional athlete, what are some of the things you have learned from participating in sports that helped prepare you for your life as an educator and administrator?

KS: Self-motivation, discipline, goal-setting, emotional control, mental focus, pos-

itive attitude, and dealing effectively with people are skills I have used every day throughout my career as an educator. Probably the most important skill is effectively managing people. It’s all about relationship building. Coaching is about relationships.

I know this is something I do on a daily basis. I’m a firm believer in promoting “we” instead of “me”.

ITG: What advice would you give a high school athlete who is considering playing sports at the next level?

KS: Don’t think your talent alone will carry you to the next level. There is no shortcut in playing or competing at the collegiate or professional level. This applies to both athletics and your potential career. You have to perfect your skills as a player. Study and know every aspect of your position and the sport you compete in, understand how your attitude and work ethic impacts the team, and ensure you are physically and emotionally prepared to perform at an optimum level. Above all, believe and have confidence in yourself.

Self-motivation

discipline goal-setting mental focus emotional control

positive attitude

Personal Bio: Name: Keith M. Seifert Job title: Chief Academic Officer, Muscogee County School District Hometown: Born in Springfield, Mass.; lived in Miami, Fla., and Newnan, Ga. Education (high school, colleges, and degrees): Ed. S. School Administration and Supervision, 1997 Troy State University, Phoenix City, Ala. M. Ed. School Administration and Supervision, 1991 Columbus State University, Columbus, Ga. B.S. Ed. Health and Physical Education, 1988 Columbus State University, Columbus, Ga. Dekalb Community College—South Campus, Decatur, Ga. 19811984 High School Diploma, 1981 Newnan High School, Newnan, Ga. Family: Wife, Dana; two daughters, Haley and Devyn Athletic Accomplishments: Named to Who’s Who among American Junior Colleges MVP —Dekalb Community College Baseball (1983, ’84) MVP—Columbus College Baseball (1985,’86) Named Division II First Team All-American Catcher –1986 Columbus College Division II World Series Runner-Up—1986 Columbus College Athlete of the Year—1986 WRCG Athlete of the Year—1986 Midwest league Player of the week—Waterloo Indians 1987 Carolina League Champions—1988 Named to Columbus State University’s Athletic Hall of Fame 2003 Professional accomplishments: Health and Physical Education Teacher, 1991-94 Assistant Principal, Hardaway High School, 1994-1999 Principal, Hardaway High School, 1999-2005 Director, Secondary Education, MCSD, 2005-2014 Executive Director, k-12 Curriculum and Instruction, MCSD, 2014-July 2015 Chief Academic Officer, MCSD, July 2015-Present Hobbies or favorite pastimes: Handyman projects; golfing and fishing when I have time.

MORE TRAIN LIKE A PRO! CARDIO WORKOUT: Endurance Sprints: Two 150-meter sprints with 30 seconds rest between each run. Finish each run in less than 20 seconds.

Person you most admire: Historically, I would say Abraham Lincoln – a man who stood tall during a time of so much turmoil.

I would also say throughout my life, my father, Louis “Cy” Seifert, has been someone I admired. He is a humble, hardworking man who served his country for 20-plus years in the Army and Air Force.

Rest three minutes.

Best thing about your current job/position: Working with dedicated educators who truly believe they can make a difference in students’ lives. Ultimately, I take pride in knowing I’m part of an organization that strives to successfully impact students’ lives.

Stadium Stairs: Sprint up stairs and walk down. Do 10 repetitions with 10 seconds rest between each rep.

Three 200-meter sprints with 30 seconds rest between each run. Finish each run in less than 30 seconds.

Rest three minutes.

One 300-meter sprint. Run in less than 50 seconds.

Rest five minutes.

Rest five minutes.

Sled Drag: Load a drag sled with 90 lbs. Sprint with the sled for 30 yards, then rest for 30 seconds. That’s one repetition. Do 8 reps.

This information is coutesy of muscleandfitness.com

SERVING SOUTH GEORGIA FAMILIES FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS

Prince of Albany 2701 Ledo Road

Prince Automotive 1410 Hwy 82 W.

Prince Ford 109 Westgreen Hwy

Prince Automovite 4550 N. Valdosta Rd

(229) 432-6271

(229) 382-2525

(912) 384-2600

(229) 242-3311

Albany

Tifton

Douglas

www.PrinceAuto.com

Valdosta

Valwood Preps New Training Facility written by: James A. Washington

As sports progress, one thing remains constant throughout every competition. Athletes are going to be big, they are going to be strong, and they pride themselves on being in the best shape possible when taking their respective realms of competition.

In 2006, Valwood School in Hahira, Georgia dedicated the Justin Taylor Hobdy Weight Room on its campus. With notable assistance from the (Chris) Manwell family, James Warren, Dr. Gee, Brooks Akins, and John Lastinger, the weight room proved to be a tremendous asset, as the facility has helped shape champions both on and off the field.

However, as time passes and numbers increase, there is a need for a larger facility as well. And in October 2015, that is exactly what happened.

Ground broke on construction of a new training facility on the Valiants’ campus, and the staff is eager regarding the new addition.

“We had outgrown the original weight room,” said Valwood head football coach Ashley Henderson.

“You couldn’t comfortably lift 16 kids in there. We can now lift almost triple that amount in the new facility.”

Located behind the Valwood campus between the gymnasium and the practice field, the 2500-square-foot facility will include state-of-the-art weight room equipment as well as a large open space with indoor turf. It is expected to be put to use as soon as the flooring is completed and equipment is installed.

Heading the development of Valwood’s student athletes within the new facility will be Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Austin Grant. He takes over this position after two years as the Training Director Kinetix Sports Performance in Valdosta.

“Anyone that knows Austin knows how passionate he is about athletic development and all of his athletes,” Coach Henderson said. “We are blessed to have his contagious energy and thorough knowledge he brings to the table. He’s been involved in the football team’s strength and conditioning program as a consultant for two years now, and the results speak for themselves. He’ll be a tremendous asset to all of our sport programs now.”

Grant’s familiarity with the football team should help to provide a seamless transition into working with athletes from all of Valwood’s athletic teams.

And with a bigger workspace, the opportunity should prove to be fruitful.

“The facility is a much larger training space with brand new equipment,” Grant said. “The athletic programming, the approach to training, and the push to get all sports involved will be the biggest change to the school.”

As previously stated, perhaps the biggest change that will come from the implementation of the new facility will be the push to make it accessible for every student-athlete in the school. Not only that, use will be extended beyond just the students themselves.

“All athletic teams will use the training facility,” Grant said. “It will also be available to the faculty, parents and families through designated fitness class times.”

With the new facility’s opening, the school will quickly take advantage of the new opportunity to build and train their student-athletes. Also, although there is a new venue for training on the campus, that will not eliminate use of the former weight room.

“The current weight room will still be utilized,” Coach Henderson said. “It will be used as the practice space for cheerleaders, wrestling team, or any other sport that may need the room at that time.”

It will be exciting to witness the growth of Valwood’s campus and athletic programs in the years to come. And if the quality produced within the confines of the previous weight room is any indication, Valiant faithful should prepare for pleasing results for years to come.

Defensive Football Strategy

Quick Tip

Football defenses today run numerous plays and formations throughout a game. The number of defensive linemen can vary from three to five. The number of linebacker can vary as well. Also, many teams will use 5 defensive backs in passing situations call the nickel defense.

One of the main strategies of football defenses against the pass is the blitz. This is when a player that would normally not rush the passer, rushes the passer. This may be a defensive back or a line backer.

Many teams change up who is blitzing and how many players are blitzing nearly every play.

Some teams blitz more than others. The advantage of the blitz is that a football team is more likely to get a sack or to give the quarterback less time to throw the football. The disadvantage is that there are less players downfield to tackle a runner or to cover receivers.

A defensive football strategy that is used late in games is the prevent defense. This usually means the defense has an extra defensive back and that the defenders are all staying behind the receivers. They will allow the offense to make a short pass or run in order to prevent a long pass from being successful.

This information is courtesy of ducksters.com

In The Game | 27

28 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Signing Day Love Game written by: James A. Washington | photography by: Micki K Photography

“

It was most likely the last moment I will have with them in the same room at the same time. It was bittersweet. My parents divorced at the end of my sophomore year of high school; I was 16 years old.

”

Surrounded by family and friends, as well as Lowndes High coaches, faculty, and staff, senior Viking Davis Stewart put ink to paper and solidified the next four years of his future. It took little deliberation; he knew almost immediately where he was going to go to college after graduating high school. With a swift flick of the pen, it became official: the Viking tennis star is headed to Georgia Southern University in the fall of 2016.

“Georgia Southern was the first offer I received, and I already had my mind set on going there,” Davis said. “The campus, the coaches, the team, and especially the dining hall all felt like the right fit. Navy offered to give me a full ride, and other schools I had interest in along the way were Texas Tech, FSU, Auburn, Valdosta State, and Kennesaw State.”

Signing Day was special for many reasons; Lowndes was able to send another stellar student-athlete to the collegiate ranks, something that has become routine with the Vikings’ athletic programs. But for this particular student-athlete, the day took on a more special meaning. As he made his declaration to the Eagles official, he had the blessing of being flanked on either side by his mother Leigh Little Bennett, his father, Clay Stewart, his stepfather, Scott Bennett, and his grandmother, Ann Sumner, all of whom played tennis as well.

“My mom and dad actually met on the tennis courts in college,” Davis said. “My grandma coached tennis for years at Cook High School, where my stepdad and my mom played.”

“It was special to have both of my parents there,” he said. “It was most likely the last moment I will have with them in the same room at the same time. It was bittersweet; my parents divorced just before my 16th birthday, and it was a

really stressful time. After my sophomore year, Mom and I moved to South Georgia, where her side of the family lives. My dad eventually moved to the St. Louis area to live with his brother.”

Collegiate interest in Davis comes as no surprise to anyone; he has been regularly ranked statewide in Texas and Georgia throughout his high school career. In his junior year alone, he went 22-2, helping to lead Lowndes High to the state semifinals for just the fourth time in the school’s history.

“I have been ranked as high as sixth in the state of Georgia, and reached 16th in Texas,” he said.

“At this level, I constantly feel pressure to win and be a leader for my team. Receiving the scholarship just added to the expectations of others, and created new expectations for myself. I feed off of the pressure, and it motivates me to train harder and smarter. I sacrifice a lot to train to be an elite athlete, yet I enjoy the attention and success that it brings.

And being dominant on the court comes with its obvious perks for the young star.

“I like knowing that other players fear me and know who I am,” Davis said with a grin.

Davis first found his love for tennis as a youngster in Amarillo, Texas. A close family friend, Dr. Mark Sherrod (affectionately known as “Uncle Mark”), gave him his first racket at the age of 8, and, along with his mom and dad, took Davis to the courts frequently to play. Davis attended a tennis camp the following summer and hasn’t looked back; he began playing competitively in the USTA circuit at the age of 9, winning the very first tournament he entered.

By that time, Dr. Sherrod was very ill with colon cancer, and Davis took his winning trophy In The Game | 29

“I would like to thank everyone who has helped me get this far, including all of my high school and private coaches from Texas and Georgia. I would like to give a very special thanks to my mom and grandma for being my number-one supporters and financially making it possible for me to chase my dreams.” straight to the hospital to show him. Unfortunately, Dr. Sherrod died a short time later at the age of 51, and Davis was an honorary pall bearer at the funeral. Uncle Mark’s death fueled the drive of the young and newly-crowned champion to excel. His growth and maturity on the court speak volumes to his dedication and hard work. His journey has bounced him back and forth between Texas and Georgia; he moved to Hahira for a few months in middle school, and finished the second half of eighth grade there. That year, he helped lead the HMS Vikings to a district title. After that brief stay, Davis and his mom moved back to Amarillo, though his parents’ marriage remained strained. Upon his return to Georgia at 16, he felt anxious, yet ready for upcoming challenges.

“My initial transition back to Georgia was smooth in some ways, and rocky in others,” he said. “I had lots of friends in Georgia since I was there in eighth grade, but some of them had changed a lot. They had gone in different directions. I still had a handful of friends that I was close to, and that helped a lot. I played tennis every chance I got, because that was my escape from all of the chaos that was going on in my life. I never let people see that I was struggling”.

Moving back to Georgia did not happen without its fair share of obstacles, however.

As a result of their divorce, Davis’ parents ended up in different states, and his dad was only able to watch Davis play occasionally. His mom continued to accompany Davis to USTA tournaments, with his grandmother helping out as well.

“Tennis helped with the transitions and kept me self-motivated, and it allowed me to meet new people,” Davis said. “It will continue to help me in the future, motivating me to keep up my GPA so that I can play for the team”.

Now, his grandmother plays a new and vital role in his life on and off the court. After his mom remarried in November, her work and Warner Robins-based husband required lots of time away from South Georgia. Davis wanted to remain at Lowndes High School to finish out his senior year. He spends most weeknights with his grandma, and the transition has been a smooth one. He enjoys the teamwork that exists between the two. “My grandma has helped me mature in many ways,” he says.

“With the way things are now, I have more

responsibilities, and having my grandma around is a win-win situation.”

Tennis has opened many doors for Davis; aside from education opportunity, it has provided him with an invaluable base of support. He has close friends from all over the country and has developed strong bonds with his teammates that help to carry him through his final year of high school.

“My teammates and I have a very tight relationship because we hang out outside of tennis as well,” he said. “My ranking has no impact on our relations away from the court.

During practice I do have a sense of leadership and can set the tone for attitude and play for practice or matches. I feel respected by my teammates on the court. My experience nationwide and growth in the game has allowed me to help my teammates in many ways, whether it’s helping them stay calm and cool on the court or giving them tips on strategy and hitting the ball.”

In dealing with his fair share of obstacles on his road to National Signing Day, Davis has built a strong sense of determination and drive. Just as those that support him on a daily basis, he expects that his focus will seamlessly translate into success at the collegiate level.

“All of the recent changes in my family life have actually helped me become more focused on my goals”, he said. “I feel like it has helped me mature and become more responsible in getting things done on my own. It’s helped me to be mentally stronger on and off the court. It has made me believe in myself and reminds me that no matter how hard things get, I can still keep my eye on my goals.”

Tennis has played a major role in Davis’ development and maturation, and Georgia Southern has definitely found a true gem.

But deep down, he is just your typical high school student-athlete trying to enjoy all aspects of his experience before joining the Eagles.

“I have always been in love with the game, and there are many factors that keep me interested,” he said. “The mindset of always wanting to improve keeps my interest as well as the opportunity to be part of a team.”

“Also, I enjoy being able to impress spectators, especially girls, with my dominance and physicality on the court”, he added through a broad smile.

His plan is simple: earn a conference title in Statesboro, be named an All-American,

and earn a degree from Georgia Southern.

While he has not quite honed in on a particular field of study, he has noted that he takes an interest in psychology.

Davis is a tremendous talent on the court and has come to be a prized possession of the Lowndes tennis program. Undoubtedly, his skill and experience will prove to be of similar importance and magnitude come next season in Statesboro. However, unless there is a drastic upside, he has already made the decision that his collegiate career will be the final step of his athletic legacy.

“I will not pursue a professional career in tennis after college”, he said. The pro tour is so internationally competitive that it’s nearly impossible to break through to the top. You have to be in the top 200 to make a living off your wins.”

The athletic career of Davis Stewart may be approaching twilight. One thing, however, is certain. A student-athlete of this caliber is hard to come by. The drive, the determination, and the never-say-die attitude that he possesses has become infectious.

His winning ways and motivated spirit will surely ring through the halls of the Lowndes High School for years to come.

And no matter their location, his parents can certainly be proud of their son’s accomplishments.

Major Accomplishments • Ranked as high as #6 in Georgia and #16 in Texas • Final Four appearance with Lowndes High School (2015) • Four-star college recruit • Gator Bowl Nation Showcase Champion (2014) • Georgia Southern scholarship • Ranked as high as #173 in the nation • Texas State tournament quarter final appearance as a sophomore

32 | itgsportsnetwork.com

REMEMBERING COLTON SHAW written by: Robert Preston Jr. | Photo courtesy of www.wctv.tv

March 26, 2015. It was a day that changed so many lives in one, fleeting instant. A junior varsity baseball game. An errant throw. An indescribable, unexplainable tragedy.

It was the day the Valdosta-Lowndes County community lost Colton Shaw, a freshman member of the Valdosta Wildcats’ JV baseball team. The ‘Cats were in Moultrie playing Colquitt County’s JV team. In between the fifth and sixth innings, the Packers were warming up, taking grounders and throwing them to first base. A throw got away and sailed into the first base dugout – the one the Wildcats occupied. The ball struck Colton, an infielder, in the head. Balls fly into dugouts all the time during baseball games. It’s not all that uncommon for players to get hit.

But this time it was different.

Upon impact, Colton fell up against the bench then immediately fell to the floor.

Valdosta’s coaches rushed to Colton’s side. Colquitt’s athletic training staff also ran to the dugout. Two parents of Valdosta players who were medical professionals recognized the seriousness of Colton’s injury and also assisted. Colton was rushed

to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where doctors placed him on life support. He never regained consciousness. On March 27, Colton passed away quietly.

The tragedy shook the entire South Georgia region. Kids play sports. The rivalries get heated, and sometimes kids suffer injuries. But players don’t lose their lives during games. No amount of training, no handbook, no coaching clinic can prepare anyone for such a tragedy. “Colton was a very quiet and reserved young man around the coaches,” Bart Shuman, VHS head baseball coach, said. “But he was a hard worker and he was all about baseball. He was the most liked kid in our 40-man group of players. He didn’t say much, but once we got to the field, he was all about business.”

Colton’s father, Clay Shaw, had coached his son for nearly four years. He remembers a selfless player and friend who always encouraged his teammates. “Every

daddy has their opinion of their children.

But Colton was always different than most kids. He was never a selfish player or friend. For example, once he and a friend were in a fishing competition with two or three others at a birthday party. Colton hooked a fish and then handed the rod to a friend. Colton said he had time to catch another fish. That’s just the way he was,” Clay said.

The Wildcats soldiered on after Colton’s passing. It was what he would have wanted.

However, the sense of loss didn’t easily go away. “The team was just devastated,” Shuman said. “Colton was so close to his teammates. Off the field and in the locker room, he was one of our most likeable kids. The ‘Cats struggled for a while after the tragedy.

They played, but baseball wasn’t their top priority. “They had lost a good teammate and a friend,” Shuman said. “Baseball is way down the ladder when you’re talking about life and death. It took us awhile proIn The Game | 33

gram-wide to get over it.”

Colton was projected to be a second baseman at the varsity level. He had the work ethic, the character, and the love of the game to be a tremendous player. “He could really play anywhere on the field.

He was a solid middle infielder. His speed kind of kept him from playing much outfield. But if you needed him at any position, he could play. He even caught and pitched a little,” says Clay. Colton was an observant player, a true student of the game. He often studied opposing coaches, and on several occasions, Colton deciphered the other team’s signs. “Colton could figure out things like that. Baseball was everything to him. He could tell you everything that went on during a game,” Clay said.

This year, though, the Wildcats will begin their season without one of their best and brightest. Colton may not be on the field physically, but he will be there in spirit – watching, cheering, pulling for his teammates. “Colton’s locker is still there,” Shuman said. “There’s a vinyl picture of him in uniform behind the press box. I have a hat on my desk with his name on it. His teammates see those reminders of him every day. Time heals a lot of things

but none of us will ever forget Colton and the incredible young man that he was,” Coach Shuman said. The Shaw family attends many of Valdosta’s home games. It’s a way to heal, both for the family and for the Wildcat fans. “He wouldn’t want us to stop,” Clay said. “He impacted a lot of his friends. I think it’s healing for others to see us out there. The Wildcat family couldn’t have been better to us.”

Talking about Colton isn’t easy for those who knew him. For Clay, everything is covered by a shadow. Baseball season isn’t easy. Hunting season isn’t easy. Nothing is easy. But everyone smiles when they remember Colton. He was a great teammate, a positive influence on those around him, a young man who could always be counted on. And those memories provide Clay Shaw with a glimmer of hope. “If God wanted someone to play baseball the way it was meant to be played, Colton would be the player,” Clay said. “He really would.”

“Every daddy has their opinion of their children. But Colton was always different than most kids. He was never a selfish player or friend. For example, once he and a friend were in a fishing competition with two or three others at a birthday party. Colton hooked a fish and then handed the rod to a friend. Colton said he had time to catch another fish. That’s just the way he was.”

MONEY IQ provided by

PROTECT THE INFORMATION ON YOUR SMARTPHONE

O

Our smartphones are capable of many things: email, shopping, banking, apps and storing information.

These features are great for getting things done on the go, but can expose you to identity theft, unless you take some precautions.

HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP PREVENT HAVING YOUR IDENTITY STOLEN:

Always keep track of your phone, and don’t leave it out or carry it openly in crowded places.

Use your phone’s lock screen feature. It’s like a padlock for the information inside.

Don’t set up your phone to automatically log in to sensitive accounts, and be sure to log out immediately when you’re done using things like mobile banking or shopping online.

Don’t store sensitive information on your phone.

That means you shouldn’t have an easily accessible file listing your passwords. This includes information like; checking and savings account numbers and passwords, credit or debit card numbers, your Social Security number; or any data about you or people you know that

could be misused if your phone is lost or stolen.

Avoid banking or making purchases over free public Wi-Fi networks. It’s safer to use your 4G or 3G networks or, wait until you get home and use your own Internet connection.

Download apps from trusted sources such as the Apple Store or Google Play, and be sure to install updates when available because some fixes are made to improve security.

Use software such as ‘Find My iPhone’ for iPhones, and Android Device Manager or Lookout for Android phones in the event that it is lost or stolen.

Be sure to call your phone provider and let them know if your phone is lost or stolen. Don’t forget to mention if you did happen to store credit card, or other sensitive information. Contact your bank if that is the case.

MAKE THE RIGHT CALL... GUARD THE INFORMATION ON YOUR SMARTPHONE TO HELP PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT.

Endurance pays off for state wrestling champ written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Jerry Christenson

“On the mat, it’s just one-onone. You can’t blame anyone but yourself.”

A little time has passed since Tony Morales won the Alabama Class 7A State Wrestling Championship in February. The Central High School sophomore has been able to process his exemplary accomplishment and has discovered once is not enough.

“I want to be state champ the next two years,” Tony said.

The 16-year-old began participating in wrestling as a sport at the age of 8, primarily due to the fact that his dad was a wrestling coach. Morales continues under the tutelage of his father since Robert Morales is Central’s coach.

“Tony got started in wrestling because he was always with me when I was coaching,” Robert said. “He was practically in my hip pocket when he was younger. He tagged along when I was coaching soccer, and he tagged along when I began coaching wrestling.”

Although his son tried soccer, footIn The Game | 37

“...He’s just out there on his own. He thrives on it. There is no mediocrity in his game,”

ball, and baseball, none of the sports seemed to fit him. Robert Morales believes his son is better suited to participate in sports as an individual. The team concept was “social awkwardness” for the youngster, according to his dad.

“In wrestling, it’s just him,” Robert said. “You don’t have to count on anybody else’s block, and you don’t have to look for somebody else to do their job. He’s just out there on his own. He thrives on it. There is no mediocrity in his game.”

The 5’7” wrestler wholeheartedly agrees he is all about the individual aspect of wrestling.

“On the mat, it’s just one-on-one. You can’t blame anyone but yourself,” Tony said.

For his championship win, Tony, who wrestles in the 152-pound weight class, defeated Bowman Hill of Vestavia Hills in Birmingham. The Central wrestler had already faced Hill this season and won. Tony advanced last year to the state finals, and although he didn’t place, the experience gave him an up close and personal look at the process. Knowing he had beaten Hill before, combined with a previous appearance at the state tournament, gave Tony the edge to compete with confidence.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Tony said. “I had already been there and knew what to expect. I just knew I had to wrestle to the end.”

Tony won in a 9-7 decision. He was actually behind going into the third period but managed to tie up the match 7-7. Late in the match, with only seconds remaining, Tony made a move which gave him two points to take the lead.

For his part, Tony says he wasn’t worried even when he trailed behind Hill. His dad, well, that was another story.

“There are these anxiety issues,” Robert said with a laugh. “All the time. I mean, I knew he could do it. We knew Tony could go the entire match. That was the plan, and he just mowed through there. But, as his dad, a lot goes through your mind.”

It’s been quite a year for the Central wrestler. His record for the 2015-16 season is 63-4. He placed first at the Sweede Umbach in Auburn, Hardaway Invitational in Columbus, the Cleburne CO Invitational, the Bi-City Championship, and at the AHSAA Sectional Tournament. It was the first-place finish at Hardaway that gave Tony the insight he could be on the road to bringing home the state title.

“I think that was the first time, when I placed first at the Hardaway Invitational, that I knew I had the ability to not just go to state, but to place,” Tony said.” Last year, I had been learning and hadn’t had the opportunity to wrestle against some of the talent from up north, but this year was different.”

38 | itgsportsnetwork.com

The Red Devils wrestling team finished fifth at the ASHAA State Tournament. For six seasons, Robert Morales has been steadily building a successful wrestling program at Central, which includes another state title winner, Luke Wilson, in 2012.

Having his dad as his coach made the title win even more special for Tony. Father and son spend a lot of time together due to wrestling, and both find the arrangement to be hugely positive with only a little negative every now and then.

“It’s been both a blessing and a curse,” Tony jokes.

WEDDINGS. PORTRAITS. LIFE.

www.LINDSI.com

Did You

Know?

Cheerleading is over 100 years old. On November 2, 1898, Johnny Campbell became one of the first to cheer at the University of Minnesota.

97% of all cheerleaders are female, however, almost 50% of collegiate Cheerleaders are male.

In 2003, the Florida Marlins became the first MLB team to introduce a cheerleading squad, which other teams have since duplicated.

Most of the cheerleaders are gymnasts, and approximately 12 percent are also dancers.

In the 1920s, females at the University of Minnesota began to form female cheer squads and incorporate tumbling into their routines.

In the 1960s, NFL teams began to form cheer squads.

In the 1980s, cheerleaders began to add more stunts to their routines and participate in competitive cheerleading squads.

Several United States Presidents were cheerleaders, including Dwight Eisenhower, George W. Bush, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

This information is courtesy of livestrong.com and cheerleading.lovetoknow.com.

40 | itgsportsnetwork.com

STUDENT, ATHLETE,

SURVIVOR written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography courtesy of the Paulk Family

Kemma was born premature and was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome soon after birth.

She also suffered from a heart condition that could have taken her life, as well as other problems associated with the complications surrounding her birth.

Nineteen years ago, Kemma Paulk was fighting for her life as she battled a host of potentially lethal medical conditions.

She beat the odds and not only survived, but made the most of every opportunity she encountered. Kemma is a cheerleader and, at 19 years old, is about to graduate from Coffee High School. She is a wonderful young lady with a heart of gold and an infectious personality who touches everyone she meets. Kemma’s journey has been anything but easy. However, it’s been very rewarding, and neither she nor her family would change a thing.

Kemma was born premature and was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome soon after birth. She also suffered from a heart condition that could have taken her life, as well as other problems associated with the complications surrounding her birth.

Katoria Grady, Kemma’s mother, was single but in a relationship with Kemma’s father, who was in the Marine Corps, when she was born. Seven months later, Kemma’s father lost his life in a car accident. Katoria found herself raising a severely handicapped child all by herself.

“It wasn’t easy,” Katoria says. “My parents have been wonderful. They have been with me from the beginning. Sometimes it was so hard that I didn’t know where to turn. But we always made it through.”

Kemma’s life hung in the balance for quite a while after she was born. She weathered each storm and survived – literally and figuratively – each medical challenge she faced. Katoria and her family were uneasy when Kemma was old enough to attend school. Marilyn Lott was one of Kemma’s first teachers.

Katoria credits her with bringing out Kemma’s personality and molding her into the confident, outgoing young lady she is today. “Marilyn really brought out Kemma’s personality. She taught us to let go, to let Kemma do things on her own.

Kemma was having a hard time learning to walk. Marilyn encouraged us to let her try. If she fell down, it was okay. Let her

try, let her fall, help her up, and encourage her to keep going,” Katoria says.

Things weren’t easy for Kemma. She fell many times. But she always pulled herself up and continued fighting. As she grew, she became more independent. She had a tremendous disability, and she knew it. But Kemma refused to let her disability define who she was. When Kemma was 14 years old, doctors diagnosed her with diabetes, a common ailment that affects Down’s syndrome patients. “It was a setback for her, but even that didn’t keep her down very long,” Katoria says. “At one time, she was taking four insulin shots per day. She taught herself how to do the injections. She was giving herself four shots each day.” Now, Kemma and her family regulate her diabetes with her diet; she no longer takes insulin.

When Kemma reached high school, she attended Katy Johnson’s class. Kemma made an immediate and lasting impact on Katy. “When I first met her, she had such a strong personality.

You were drawn to her and couldn’t help but love her. There’s something about her. She’s very special. Over last four years, she’s matured and grown into an amazing young woman. I’m glad I could be a part of her life. She blesses everyone she’s around.

You can’t help but love every part of her,” Katy says.

One thing Kemma always wanted to do was cheer. All her life, she wanted to be a cheerleader. But because of her disabilities, no one really thought she would ever be able to cheer. “She was always talking about being a cheerleader when she was a freshman,” recalls Katy. Those around Kemma began thinking of a way to get her on the cheerleading squad, but they decided to wait a year. “We wanted her to get used to high school first,” Katy says.

Kemma’s sophomore year, Katy talked to Tiffany Anderson, one of the cheerleading coaches. She also talked to Randy Garrett, athletic director, and they agreed to let her cheer. Kemma would cheer during basketball season and only at the home games. For two years, she cheered with the team, but didn’t have a uniform.

This year, her senior year, she was given a uniform. It was one of the happiest days of her life.

As important as that uniform was to Kemma, nobody – Kemma included – wanted her to be a charity case. Yes, her conditions complicated her ability to cheer. Yes, there were some things she couldn’t do. But there were also a lot of things she could do, and everyone focused on those. Kemma practiced with the team twice a week. She learned all of the cheers. She kept time with the rest of the team. And her personality – that outgoing, infectious, and warm personality – shined on the basketball court. Kemma is a natural performer and never once shied away from the spotlight that comes with cheering. “She didn’t get nervous. She wasn’t worried one bit. She loved every minute of being out there with the rest of the team,” Katoria says.

And the rest of the team loved her. Kemma is very popular, and other cheerleaders took her under their wing. They were very protective of her and made sure Kemma had what she needed to be successful. They knew Kemma took the sport seriously and gave it everything she had each time she stepped on the court.

The other girls responded with love and encouragement. “They have been great with Kemma. We’ve never had any problems at all,” Katoria says.

Now that basketball season is over, Kemma is preparing for the next step of her journey – graduation. She is set to walk across the stage and receive her diploma in May. The last 19 years have been an incredible journey for Kemma and her family. The sick little girl born prematurely with a host of life-threatening conditions has achieved more than many able-bodied individuals. She is a cheerleader, about to be a high school graduate, and most of all, a survivor. “It hasn’t been easy. It’s been very difficult. But Kemma has been such a blessing to all of us. If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing about Kemma. I wouldn’t want to have her any other way than she is,” says Katoria proudly.

Core Exercise

written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Beth Welch

IT’S HARD TO KNOW WHICH TYPE OF GROUP FITNESS CLASSES ARE WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Some forms of exercise are trendy and fade with time, while others continue to garner captive audiences years after coming on the scene. One group exercise class gaining attention for producing results for participants is core training.

Exercise science has shown that the torso of the human body can be described as the center of power. While some fitness participants may work on abs during their exercise routine, many fail to recognize the importance of working not just the front muscles but also the muscles of the back and sides. These include the obliques and lower lats, as well as the transverse abdominis and erector spinae.

Core classes incorporate various moves and exercises to develop and strengthen these stabilizer muscles. The results can help prevent injuries to the back, improve athletic performance, and aid in performing everyday physical tasks.

It’s not big news that Americans are becoming more sedentary. Office jobs and other factors contribute to more sitting and less active lifestyles, which can lead to excess weight in the body’s midsection. Numerous problems result. Exercising the core muscles can combat a variety of issues.

One believer in core training is local fitness instructor Janna Hilton. The mother of three children, Hilton knew she needed to become involved in some form of exercise classes, but it wasn’t until she joined a gym did she learn the benefits of core training.

“I had begged my husband for a gym membership, and he finally gave me one as a Valentine’s Day Hilton, 39, said with laughter.

The gift proved to be a stepping stone

for Hilton. One year later, she moved from participant to certified instructor for core fitness classes. It was not an easy process to become trained as a fitness instructor, but Hilton succeeded. Three years into it, Hilton is still singing the praises of core training.

“Core works everything from your shoulders to your hips,” Hilton said. “The front and back. Your core affects every part of your life, from bending to sitting to standing, and core training develops and strengthens all those muscles.”

Hilton describes the exercises in the type of class she teaches as functional training.

She has learned that core training is basically a total body workout when arm and leg movements are incorporated into the workout. According to Hilton, many serious fitness participants and athletes will neglect the core when working out because they are focused on developing cardio endurance or leg strength for such activities as cycling, running, or weight lifting.

“It comes as a surprise to them when they take a core class for the first time and can’t finish a set of exercises. I’ve seen professional athletes struggle in this class, because they may do sit-ups, but that’s the extent of their core work,” says Hilton.

Does that mean only the most fit benefit from participating in core training?

“Definitely not,” Hilton said. “Core training is for all ages and levels of fitness. It helps people who are just starting out on an exercise program as well as those who are advanced fitness participants. I have a 12-year-old son who plays baseball who has taken the class, and one of the participants in my class is 87 years old.”

Other than strengthening the core muscles of the body and even developing more abdominal definition, Hilton says core training improves mobility and stability. She explains that as the human body ages, it loses flexibility and balance.

Strengthening the muscles in the core region of the body helps maintain balance and flexibility for simple tasks such as bending and reaching and also for movements associated with most sports.

Athletes have found core training benefits their overall performance. High school, college, and professional sports programs are using core fitness techniques to develop stronger, more productive athletes. Fitness trainers use core development when working one-on-one with clients to help bring about the same results.

Like most fitness programs, core training is available in various forms and in most gyms that offer group exercise classes.

The length of the class varies.

Hilton teaches a half-hour core fitness class that involves five tracks of exercises set to music. The routine changes every six weeks, with four releases per year.

She recommends getting approval from medical professionals before beginning any exercise program but core training is something Hilton believes is vital for an overall healthy body.

“I feel stronger since I began,” Hilton said. “I sleep better, my posture is better and it only takes 30 minutes. What could be better than that?”

In The Game | 43

THOMAS

Did you know??

BASEBALL Factoids

Think you know everything there is to know about baseball? Well check out these baseball factoids and find out what you might not know!

Pete Rose, who played for the Cincinnati Reds and then was banned from baseball for life for betting on games while managing the team, holds the all-time record for hits (4,256) and games played (3,562).

The first World Series was played between Pittsburgh and Boston in 1903 and was a nine-game series.

Boston won the series 5-3.

In 2001, San Francisco’s Barry Bonds broke the alltime single-season home run record when he hit 73.

He broke the mark of 70, set by St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire in 1998.

Pitcher Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons in major league baseball and struck out more batters in his career than any other pitcher.

Baseball stars from the National League and the American League played the first All-Star Game in 1933. The National League has won 41 of the 80 games. The game ended in a tie twice. In 1961 rain in Boston prevented extra innings and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. And in 2002, the game went 11 innings with the score knotted at seven before it was finally called off due to a lack of pitchers.

Former Yankees right fielder Mickey Mantle holds the record for most career home runs (18) and RBI (40) in World Series history.

This information is courtesy of factmonster.com

44 | itgsportsnetwork.com

CONNOR

Fourteen players have hit four home runs in one game: Bobby Lowe, Ed Delahanty, Lou Gehrig, Chuck Klein, Pat Seerey, Gil Hodges, Joe Adcock, Rocky Colavito, Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt, Bob Horner, Mark Whiten, Mike Cameron and Shawn Green.

SENIOR BLUE

DEVIL DEFENDS

THE DIAMOND written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Marque Milla Reese

Tift County’s Connor Thomas, last year’s Region 1-6A Pitcher of the Year and a future Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, never set out to be a pitcher. He just wanted to play baseball. He would have played anywhere on the field. But, as luck would have it, he found himself on the mound during rec league when he was about 10 years old. Thomas had already been playing baseball for about five years, but he’d never tried pitching. One day, he ended up with the ball in his hands. “I didn’t throw hard but I got a lot of outs.

People told me afterwards that I needed to pursue pitching. So I started working on it,” he recalls.

Now, he’s a senior for the defending region champion Blue Devils. He’s their top pitcher, and he had several Division I baseball programs seeking his services.

He certainly has come a long way since he was following his father around the local softball fields.

That’s where Thomas’s love for baseball developed. “My dad used to play a lot of church league softball. He was a good hitter, and I used to go with him to the fields.

I loved seeing him hit, and I loved being

around his teammates. I just loved being at the ball field,” he says.

Thomas started playing baseball and fell in love with the game immediately. As fun as it was hanging with his dad at the softball fields, being out there and playing was a million times better. It’s the only sport he ever wanted to play.

Thomas followed the usual path to the starting lineup of his high school team. He played in the various rec leagues and on travel ball teams. By the time he reached

high school, Thomas was already a seasoned competitor. He earned a starting spot on the Blue Devils’ roster as a freshman. It didn’t take long for the lefty to show the talent that would eventually help him become the best pitcher in the region.

He’s one of those kids who simply loves the game. There’s nowhere else he’d rather be, and he’s a true student of baseball.

“Connor constantly works on his craft and his mechanics. He’s also very smart about his between-game preparation and the

www.MillaCreationszPhotography.com Contact us at: 229-339-9439 or 229-392-9664 MillaCreationszPhotos@yahoo.com

You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!

When Connor Thomas was younger, he would wait for his dad, Calvin Thomas, to get home from work so they could practice baseball together.

He would do what he could by himself. Then, once Calvin got home, they would throw and hit for two or three hours. “We would spend several hours a day just throwing and working on different things. My dad has made me into the player I am today,” he says. offseason. Connor does a tremendous job of listening to his body and his arm.

He prepares accordingly and is always at his best,” says Kyle Kirk, Tift County’s head baseball coach.

Thomas isn’t an overpowering pitcher.

He has hit 90 mph on the radar gun but considers himself more of a finesse type of pitcher. He has the typical four pitches – fastball, curveball, change-up, and slider.

He knows how to use each of those pitches to his advantage, and he never loses his cool. Thomas can pitch in any count, and he trusts his teammates to take care of him if he gets into trouble. “Connor stays calm in pressure situations. He is a dream to coach, and I love him like my own son. He has tremendous work ethic and a great attitude each day,” states Coach Kirk.

His command of his craft resulted in an incredible stat line from last year. Thomas threw 72 1/3 innings and finished with an 8-1 record. He struck out 95, walked just

In 1963, Gaylord Perry’s MLB manager is said to have joked, “They’ll land a man on the moon before he hits a homerun.” Interestingly, one hour after Apollo 11 landed, he did in fact hit a home run.

US Army during WWII developed a grenade that was about the same size and shape as a regular baseball making it easy to use for the American soldiers who had grown up playing baseball Jim Abbott, who was born with just one hand, had 11year career as a pitcher in MLB. The highlight of his career was when he pitched a ‘no hitter’ in 1993.

eight, and posted a microscopic 0.667 earned run average. Opponents hit just .191 against him. At the time of this interview, the Blue Devils had already played two games and a preseason scrimmage.

Thomas pitched in the first game of the year against Ware County. He struck out four, walked one, and hit one batter in four innings. He surrendered three hits but didn’t give up a run.

Last season, Tift wasn’t picked to go very far. The Blue Devils came out of nowhere to win the region. They advanced to the Sweet 16 before Mountain View eliminated them. This year, Thomas would like to repeat as region champions and go farther in the state playoffs. “I’d love to win another Pitcher of the Year award. But I’d really like to win region again. That’s a team award, and I’d like to win another championship with my teammates,” he says.

The Yankees, Cubs, Angels and Dodgers are the only four MLB teams that lack a mascot. The Yankees used to have one, but he quit after being beaten up by fans, who didn’t want a mascot.

Many MLB players have refused to face softball pitcher, Jennie Finch, in her ‘This Week in Baseball’ TV segment, where she challenges the best hitters in MLB, because she strikes out so many of them.

Lefty slugger, Prince Fielder was born a natural right handed hitter, but his father forced him to bat lefty saying he’d thank him for it later

The Hanshin Tigers baseball team of Japan is believed to be cursed by KFC founder Colonel Sanders for throwing his storefront statue into the river

by Hanshin fans while celebrating their team’s victory in 1985.

Boston Red Sox slugger, Ted Williams (1918-2002) missed almost five full baseball seasons while serving as a fighter pilot in WWII and the Korean War and still managed to hit 521 home runs There is a version of baseball for the blind called “Beep Baseball.” It has its own World Series, Hall of Fame, and 27 teams.

This information is courtesy of kickassfacts.com

48 | itgsportsnetwork.com

football star

Lee County

BUILDS CHAMPIONSHIP RESUME ON THE TRACK AS WELL

written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Lindsi Jones Photography

“Right now, he’s training hard and focusing on his grades so he can get to Troy this summer. He’s very strong and explosive. Tray’s a phenomenal young man.

The sky is the limit for him,” -Coach Payne

Speed is lethal. It can’t be taught and, at the high school level, most often it can’t be defended. Elite speed provides a team with a tremendous advantage and an individual athlete with scores of opportunities.

Athletes like Lee County’s Tray Eafford.

Eafford is a lightning bolt of a player. As a freshman, when the Trojans were in 5A, he was one of the fastest players in the state. When Lee County made the move to 6A, he was one of the fastest players there as well. And when he gets to Troy, where he will play college football and likely run track as well, he’ll be one of the fastest over there.

“Tray is a true sprinter. He has God-given talent, but he works hard at his craft. He trains with a

purpose, and that makes him easy to coach. He’s really into it, just like he is with everything he does. He also took that speed from the track over to the football field, and he made things happen there as well,” says Condre Payne, Eafford’s track coach at Lee County.

When Eafford was a freshman, he won the 100-meters in Region 1-5A. After missing his sophomore track season, he bounced back last year in Region 1-6A with region championships in the 100-meters and 200-meters. “He showed he can run with the best last year,” Coach Payne says.

Eafford qualified for the state meet at Sectionals but, in the 100-meters, he stumbled out of the blocks and finished a disappointing seventh place.

In The Game | 49

Find out about early college credit programs offered at your school! Take college courses while in high school at little or no cost to you. Courses taken during high school do not count against your HOPE cap hours.

Academic degree level courses taken in high school through Wiregrass will also transfer to any University System of Georgia college and other technical colleges in Georgia.

wiregrass

g e o r g i a t e c h n i c a l c o l l e g e速

Follow us at: Equal Opportunity Institution A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia

wiregrass.edu

The Boston Marathon Current Records

Men’s Open Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) 2:03:01 (2011) Women’s Open Margaret Okayo (Kenya) 2:20:43 (2002) Men’s Masters (Ages 40-49) John Campbell (New Zealand) 2:11:04 (1990) Women’s Masters (Ages 40-49) Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (Russia) 2:27:58 (2002) Men’s Veterans (Ages 50-59) John Weston (Canada) 2:24:05 (1983)

He came in sixth in the state in the 200-meters. “He hadn’t stumbled all year. He carried a lot of things away from that experience. A lot of people have been talking to him, and he’s really ready to go out this year and do his thing,” Coach Payne says.

This year, Eafford would like to return to the state meet and walk away with a win. “I want to win this year. That’s my goal,” he says. As soon as football season ended, Eafford began training for track. At the time of this writing, it’s March 1, and Eafford already had three months of quality training under his belt. “I’ve been training hard. I started pretty early, right after football season was over. I think I get the times I need to place well at state.” Eafford believes a 10.4 will win the 100-meters. In the 200, he thinks a 21 flat

will get on the podium. His best 100 is a 10.5 and his best 200 is a 21.95. When he discusses his chances of reaching those times, you can hear the confidence in his voice: “I know I can run those times. But I can’t stumble again.”

On the football field, Eafford used his 4.38 speed to torch opposing defenses. A wide receiver, he caught 27 passes for 790 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was an ever-present deep threat, and it didn’t hurt that he had one of the best quarterbacks in the state under center throwing to him. “Garet [Morrell] made our job very easy. It was fun playing with him.

He’s a great quarterback. I knew he could get the ball to me. He threw a lot of deep balls and I ran a lot of deep routes. That was nothing for us,” he says.

Schools all over the country

were after Eafford. In the end, though, he chose Troy University. Troy is a Division I program close to home that runs a similar offense to what he’s grown accustomed to at Lee County. “The coaches made me feel at home.

They were great. I wanted to go big, but not too big. Troy felt really good,” he says.

Coach Payne believes Troy is a good fit for Eafford. He’s seen how well he performs on the track and the gridiron. And he knows his star sprinter will be successful at the next level.

“Right now, he’s training hard and focusing on his grades so he can get to Troy this summer. He’s very strong and explosive. Tray’s a phenomenal young man. The sky is the limit for him,” Coach Payne says.

Women’s Veterans (Ages 50-59) Joan Samuelson (Maine) 2:50:29 (2013) Men’s Seniors (Ages 60+) Clive Davies 2:43:20 (1981)

(Oregon)

Women’s Seniors (Ages 60+) Barbara Miller 3:11:57 (2000)

(Calif.)

Men’s Wheelchair Joshua Cassidy (Canada) 1:18:25 (2012) Women’s Wheelchair Wakaka Tsuchida (Japan) 1:34:06 (2011)

COMMUNITY HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

*

YOUR HAPPINESS IS A REFLECTION OF YOUR HEALTH

ARE YOU

IN THE GAME? FIND OUT MORE AT INTHEGAMESPORTSNETWORK.COM MAGAZINE

NEWSLETTER

TELEVISION

WEBSITE

EVENTS

FEATURED SUBMISSION

Speed Training 101 Part 1 You’ve heard it before. Speed Kills. It is the ultimate tool for sports teams, and the pinnacle achievement in athletic development. Even in the NFL combine, the 40-yard dash is the most hyped-up event. Just ask Keith Marshall, who was awarded $50,000 from Adidas for running a blistering time of 4.31 seconds. While it is true that some people are genetically faster than others, athletes can maximize their potential with these training tips.

In simple terms, we can split speed training into two categories. The first is linear speed, which is how fast an athlete can run in a straight line. The second is agility. Agility is the ability to change direction, which involves explosive deceleration and acceleration.

In sport, agility is usually reactive. Both are highly desirable in most sports, and they share some common training qualities.

1.

Run Fast, Recover Fully- This one seems like a no-brainer, but is extremely important as a coach or parent to emphasize.

Studies have shown that the neuromuscular pathways an athlete uses to run 95-100% top speed can be completely different than the pathways used to run 85-90%. That is to say, if an athlete does not train full speed, the athlete will not increase his/her top speed. In order to maintain maximal force development, it takes at least 2-3 minutes (depending on the drill) to recover between bouts. Remember, the goal is speed training, not conditioning.

Coaching Tip: while training a specific drill, record the time of each athlete’s first sprint. If their times start to decrease by 5% or more, stop immediately.

2.

Move Well- The simplest way to get faster is by learning proper running technique. Whether learning proper form with an upright sprint or the foot placement of a Pro agility shuttle, of is important to make sure it is done properly.

a.

Arm Drive- elbows should maintain a ~90-degree angle and movement is initiated at the shoulder. Keeping the arms close to the body, and tracking them forward and backward, the hands travel from the cheek (at the top) to the hip (at the bottom).

3.

Get Strong- Speed is the result of an athletes stride length and stride frequency. Increasing stride length and/or stride frequency (but not at the cost of the other) will make an athlete faster. While technique, mobility, and proper drills can help these, they are eventually mastered and will no longer have a positive training effect. Increased strength gives the athlete the ability to develop more force. When strength training, it is important to train the Stretch Shortening Cycle, that is, the muscle/tendon’s spring-like ability to explosively and immediately contract a lengthened and loaded muscle. Another bonus to strength training is that it “teaches” the athlete to recruit more Type II (fasttwitch) muscle fibers. Studies have shown that there are no muscle fiber differences in bodybuilders vs untrained individuals, but there is, however, an increased amount of Type II muscle fibers in strength and power athletes. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of proper strength training. More to come on that in next month’s issue. This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding strength training and how it correlates with a more explosive, faster athlete.

b.

Keep your eyes open next month for Speed Training 101, Part 2, where we will discuss the application of these methods, with some drills and techniques we use here at Edge Performance.

Edge Performance Speed and Agility classes are MWF 4:004:40 and T Th 5:30-6:10 and are open for all ages. To sign up, visit facebook.com/edgevaldosta or shoot us an email at edgevaldosta@gmail.com.

c.

-Austin Grant CSCS

Foot Placement- while planting, the ball of the foot drives into the ground directly under the athlete’s center of gravity and slightly extended. The heel should never touch the ground while sprinting. Feet and knees should both be tracking forward.

Relax- focus on relaxing the face muscles, shoulders, and fingers. Tensing up while sprinting tends to decrease stride length. *It is important to note that without proper mobility, it is impossible to perform many speed and agility drills. Poor range of motion affects foot placement, ground contact times, and braking forces. Full range of motion should be a top priority in any athletic programming.

TAKING IT TO

THE NEXT LEVEL written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Jerry Christenson

Their high school football seasons are in the rear view mirror, but several Columbus-area football players will be taking their game to the next level of play. Eighteen local athletes signed with Division I schools, extending their football careers and giving them an opportunity to become collegiate athletes. In the Game asked those Division I signees to gather as a group before heading off to their prospective colleges and universities. Eight athletes responded and are featured here.

TORON MORTEN Parents: Darren Morten and Kelinda Morten High school: Central High School Height: 6’1 ½” Weight: 227 Position: Linebacker High school coach: Jamey Dubose College: Tennessee Tech University How long have you been playing football? Since I was 5 years old.

Favorite food: BBQ boneless wings Favorite movie: Brotherly Love Favorite sports team (college or professional): Kansas City Chiefs Person you most admire: My father One reason you enjoy the sport of football: I like to hit people really hard.

Future goals: To graduate college and get my degree. I also want to win a championship at my college.

WALTER PRITCHETT II Parents: Yolanda Maddox and Walter Pritchett High school: Central High School Height: 6’2” Weight: 220 Position: Linebacker High school coach: Jamey Dubose College: Troy University How long have you been playing football? Since I was 4 (13 years).

Favorite food: Hot wings Favorite movie: Transporter Favorite sports team (college or professional): Kansas City Chiefs Person you most admire: My mom One reason you enjoy the sport of football: I love competition.

Future goals: Ben on the academic honor roll at Troy. Win the Sun Belt back-to-back-to-back. Win three bowl games.

56 | itgsportsnetwork.com

DYKES MEDIA GROUP LLC

BEN DAVIS Parents: Chuck and Julie Davis High school: Pacelli High School Height: 6’1” Weight: 220 Position: Linebacker/Athlete High school coach: Alan Griffin College: Davidson College How long have you been playing football? 13 years Favorite food: Pasta Favorite movie: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Favorite sports team (college or professional): Brooklyn Nets Person you most admire: Luke Kuechly and Bram Kohlhausen One reason you enjoy the sport of football: Being able to hit people so hard their mommas scream.

Future goals: To have a family/son

DEYON HICKS Parents: Shayla Jones High school: Hardaway High School Height: 6’2” Weight: 180 Position: Cornerback High school coach: Jeff Battles College: Troy University How long have you been playing football? Eight years Favorite food: Shrimp Favorite movie: The Wood Favorite sports team (college or professional): Carolina Panthers Person you most admire: My granddad One reason you enjoy the sport of football: I love the contact.

Future goals: I plan to be a business owner.

MEDIA DESIGN MARKETING

888.715.4263 115 N Patterson St. Valdosta, GA

MARKUS WRIGHT Parents: Tanema Willock and Stuart Willock High school: Jordan Vocational High School Height: 6’2�

Weight: 223 Position: Linebacker/Safety/Wide Receiver/Tight End High school coach: Jim Brown College: Army-West Point How long have you been playing football? Since sixth grade Favorite food: Mac & Cheese Favorite movie: Now You See Me Favorite sports team (college or professional): Seattle Seahawks Person you most admire: My mother One reason you enjoy the sport of football: Football challenges me to think and react quickly in critical situations.

Future goals: I plan to attend West Point and branch off into the military intelligence sector. Upon the completion of my military service, I hope to obtain a job with the CIA, which has always been my dream.

D1 SIGNEES

JACOB ROVIG Parents: Tim and Tracie Rovig High school: Harris County High School Height: 6’0” Weight: 205 Position: Linebacker/Running Back High school coach: Dwight Jones College: Stetson University How long have you been playing football? 14 years Favorite food: Prime Rib Favorite movie: Shooter Favorite team (college or professional): Georgia Bulldogs Person you most admire: Tim Tebow One reason you enjoy the sport of football: The intensity, and feelings you get while playing the game you love.

Future goals: Train hard and succeed at the Division I collegiate level

JUAN O’NEAL Parents: Ron and Leisa O’Neal High school: Harris County High School Height: 5’9” Weight: 170 Position: Cornerback/Wide Receiver High school coach: Dwight Jones College: Stetson University How long have you been playing football? 14 years Favorite food: Chicken Alfredo Favorite movie: Remember the Titans Favorite sports team (college or professional): Dallas Cowboys Person you most admire: Emmitt Smith One reason you enjoy the sport of football: The feeling you get before running onto the field; when you hit someone and when you make a big play.

Future goals: Become a dentist

DEANDRE’ BOWMAN II Parents: DeAndre’ and Chari Bowman High school: Pacelli High School Height: 5’10” Weight: 175 Position: Slot Receiver/Defensive Back High school coach: Alan Griffin College: Georgia State University How long have you been playing football? 13 years Favorite food: Chinese food Favorite movie: Boyz N the Hood Favorite sports team (college or professional): USC Trojans Person you most admire: My father and Reggie Bush One reason you enjoy the sport of football: The rush and action of the sport Future goals: Going to the NFL

In The Game | 59