South Georgia February 2016 Edition

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Questions with:

Facts & Figures:

Middle School Athlete:

Amanda Allen The Helping Hand Tydreke Thomas

Hahira Middle School of Dylan Jarvis Four Young Runners Who Could Change the Sport for South Georgia

Buford High School

Tift County gymnast makes immediate

U.S. Navy veteran coaches Lee

impact: Khloe Parker County rifle team to top three in the state: Al Shuette

Worth County senior is headed to

AUBURN

February 2016

Anfernee McLemore

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IN THIS ISSUE

11 Fast Breaks:

Anthony Robles, Mesa High School 10 Questions with Amanda Allen, Buford High School

22 Worth County senior is

headed to Auburn Anfernee McLemore

28 Middle School Athlete Tydreke Thomas Hahira Middle School

31 The Helping Hand of

Dylan Jarvis

Lowndes High School

36 Coaching is indeed a family affair

for the Weirs Mell and Patti Weir

40 Equestrian programs showing

new possibilities for high school athletics Brookstone School

44 U.S. Navy veteran coaches Lee

County rifle team to top three in the state Al Shuette Lee County High School

48 Four Young Runners Who Could

Change the Sport for South Georgia Pine Grove Middle School

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Tift County gymnast makes immediate impact Khloe Parker Tift County High School

52 The Herndon Twins

Jasmine and Jessica Herndon Northside High School

56 After runner-up finish last sea-

son, Fitzgerald sophomore has eyes on a state title Ethan McKie Fitzgerald High School

FROM THE PUBLISHER

44 cross country, wrestling, and even riflery. We feature two inspirational young men – Hahira Middle’s Tydreke Thomas, who excels in football despite a serious medical condition; and Anthony Robles, a former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion who won his sport’s highest award even though he was born with just one leg.

Basketball figures prominently with features on Worth County’s Anfernee McLemore and Lowndes High’s Dylan Jarvis. We also have three features related to gymnastics – a story on Tift County’s Khloe Parker, 10 questions with Buford High School’s head gymnastics coach Amanda Allen, and a feature on Mell and Patti Weir, who together coach a total of 10 sports in Colquitt County, one of which is gymnastics.

While the weather hasn’t been brutally cold yet, the leaves are still off the trees, the wind is picking up, and we will have some cold, gray days ahead of us. But spring is right around the corner, and we’ll be back in the sunshine on green grass shortly. And In the Game will be right there with our teams and athletes all along the way.

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 Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

Contributors:

Publisher Mark Dykes Editors Mark Dykes Sarah Turner Graphics Ashlyn Peek Cover Photography Marque Milla Reese Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Lindsi Jones Lindsi Jones Photography Marque Milla Reese Milla Creationz Photography Jerry Christenson Feature Writers Robert Preston Jr. James Washington Beth Welch Copy Editor James Washington Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes

mark@inthegamemagazine.com

Cole Parker

cole@inthegamemagazine.com

Website Manager Cole Parker

Tell us what you thought about the January issue of In The Game! info@inthegamemagazine.com BARNES, MANAC TO IN THE GAME LIFE OF A COACH’S STAY WITH GEORGIA REBRANDING WIFE: MELISSA HOLLAND IN THE GAME’S SOUTH GEORGIA FOOTBALL AWARDS BANQUET

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STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: VALWOOD, COLQUITT, CLINCH

PLAYING IN MEMORY: DEANDRE PIERCE

KCAB2BACK January 2016

As I sit at my computer to write this month’s letter, I can’t help but think back to how far we’ve come in terms of high school athletics here in South Georgia. It’s mind-boggling when you consider where we are today as compared to where we were a decade ago. At one time, our teams were much more region-oriented. The primary goal was to defeat the teams in our area in order to win bragging rights for the next year over the nearby communities.

Now, however, many of our teams are thinking on a much bigger scale. Winning region is important – vitally important, especially when it comes to playoff seeding – but we now have teams that start the seasons with a state championship in mind. Let’s face it – in any given sport any year, there are only a handful of teams that have a legitimate shot at winning a state championship.

In the past, that balance was

tipped in the favor of the metro area schools.

But not anymore.

Several of our South Georgia teams are state title contenders each year in multiple sports. The flagship spot remains football, and this year, between GHSA and GISA competition, we had four state football champions from South Georgia: Clinch, Colquitt, Valwood, and Savannah’s Memorial Day School. We have had schools win basketball championships, tennis championships, wrestling titles, and many of our teams make deep playoff runs in other sports as well.

In the past, the metro schools could dismiss their rural competitors in the later rounds of the state playoffs. Not anymore. Each year, the gap narrows a little bit more.

South Georgia programs are realizing what it takes to compete at the state level. We’ve always had the talent to compete, but we just didn’t have the focus. It takes year-round training, quality coaching, community involvement, and maybe most of all, high expectations. Kids and coaches need to know they can compete with anybody and come out on top.

We still have a long way to go but, year by year, we make significant improvements.

I think you will see that in this month’s edition of In the Game Magazine. We have features on gymnastics, basketball, track,

Anthony Robles

Fast Break

“Regardless of adversity, you can be unstoppable” written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography courtesy of bloodyelbow.com “During my career, I had to learn to use my disability to my advantage. I had to focus on what I could do. I had to turn a disability into an advantage. I also had to get tough mentally. It all worked out in the end,” says Anthony Robles, a motivational speaker, 2011 Division I national champion wrestler, and member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

In 1988, Robles was born to 16-yearold Judy Robles. When he was born, doctors discovered that Robles did not have a right leg. He had no other medical condition, and doctors couldn’t explain the absence of his leg. He was otherwise healthy, happy, and, for lack of a better term, normal. As a toddler, doctors fitted Robles with a prosthetic leg, but he found it to be uncomfortable, heavy, and more of a hindrance than getting around on just one leg. “It pinched me. My mom tried to get me to wear it, but it didn’t make me happy. My mom left it up to me to wear it or not. Even back then, as a youngster, my mom supported my decisions,” he recalls.

Growing up wasn’t easy for Robles. As you might expect, he had self-confidence issues. He wasn’t thrilled when he had to go to school. “The first day of school is exciting for most kids. Not for me – it was the worst day of my life,” he says. As Robles grew older, he adapted well to his disability. He never used a prosthetic, instead opting to get around on crutches.

Then, when he was 14 years old, Anthony Robles discovered wrestling. Robles had moved from California to Arizona, and an older cousin took him to a few wrestling practices. The coach asked Robles if he would like to give the sport a try. His cousin encouraged him to join the team.

So Robles started wrestling and immediately fell in love with the sport.

But that doesn’t mean that success came easy. Early on, Robles lost. A lot.

Wrestling is an archaic sport that still remarkably resembles wrestling of centuries ago. The sport discourages innovation and change. To be competitive, Robles would have to change the sport. Only having one leg gave him a couple of advantages – namely he could carry more upper body weight than wrestlers in his weight class, he didn’t have to cut as much weight, and he only had one leg for opponents to attack. At the same time, though, he couldn’t balance as well as two-legged wrestlers, and there are times in wrestling when standing is mandatory. Robles took his lumps as he honed his style. His high school coaches were patient with him and coaxed him along slowly. The first two years at Mesa High School, Robles lost most of his matches. Then something clicked. He finished his junior and senior years with a 96-0 record, two state championships, and two national titles. Just a few years prior, Robles had been the lastranked wrestler in the city.

After high school, he wanted to wrestle in college, but he had few offers. “Iowa was my number-one choice,” he says. “But no one thought I could wrestle at the Division I level, much less at a school like Iowa.

They said I was too small, that I was too light. I thought they were wrong. I thought I could beat anybody they put in front of me,” he says.

With no scholarship offers on the table, Robles decided to stay close to home and walk on at Arizona State. He made the team, but once again, things didn’t come easy for him. After going undefeated his last two years of high school, he started losing in college. He lost a lot of matches for three years. “I tried to learn something

from each loss. It was still discouraging.

But I felt like if I quit, I would be proving the doubters, the ones who didn’t expect very much out of me, right,” he says.

Robles refused to give up. His senior year, he started winning again. He steamrolled his competition en route to a perfect 36-0 record and a Division I national title in the 125-pound weight class. To make things even sweeter, his opponent in the finals was defending national champion Matt McDonough, an Iowa Hawkeye who would win a second national title a year later. “I had never wrestled him before. I just wanted to catch him early on, score some points, then force him to make mistakes at the end,” says Robles. The strategy worked; Robles won the match 7-1 and claimed a national championship.

“It was an amazing feeling. It took nine years of training. It was my only dream, my only goal. Once I had gotten to the top, I could take a breath again.”

Once Robles had won college wrestling’s highest award, what would he do next? He briefly considered wrestling at the next level but ultimately decided to go in another direction. He had a story to tell, one that could inspire countless others to pursue their dreams and overcome all obstacles. “I wanted to build a career in wrestling commentary and speaking,” he says. And that’s exactly what he did. Now, Anthony Robles is a sought-after motivational speaker, and he shares his story with millions of people each year. “I want audiences to leave the auditoriums knowing that they are unstoppable. No matter what they’re wrestling with or what kind of adversity they’re facing, they can be unstoppable. Just never, ever quit.”

IN THE GAME

11

Fast Break

10Allen Questions With

Amanda written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography courtesy of Buford High School

Four years ago, Buford High School, one of the premier high schools in Georgia academically and athletically, began a gymnastics program. Usually, a new team takes a little while to reach its stride. Not so with Buford gymnastics – in its first year of competition, the Wolves finished fourth in the state. The next two years, Buford won state gymnastics championships. Now, the Wolves are about to start their fourth year in competition and are looking for their third consecutive state championship. Led by Amanda Allen, a former Level 10 gymnast, coach, and gymnastics judge (and currently an 11th grade physics teacher at Buford), the program has flourished. Coach Allen wasn’t hired to coach gymnastics; she was just in the right place at the right time, and now leads one of the state’s best programs. Coach Allen spent a few minutes with In the Game to share a little about Buford High School, the Wolves’ gymnastics program, and the future of gymnastics as a high school sport in Georgia.

Tell us a little about the Buford High School gymnastics program. This is my fifth year at Buford, but it’s the fourth year of our gymnastics program. This will be our fourth year competing. A group of parents started the program before I got there. I was not hired to be the gymnastics coach at Buford. It was just a good fit once I was there. The end of my first teaching year, someone who knew I was into gymnastics came to me and said that I fit the position. So my second year at Buford, we started the gymnastics program. There are about 50 or 60 schools in the state that compete. We finished fourth in the state.

I had a group of about eight girls. Years two and three, we placed first at state. So we’ve had some pretty good success in our three years of having a program.

What is your background in gymnas-

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tics? When I was in high school, I was a very competitive gymnast myself. Through college I coached gymnastics. After college, I taught for a little while. Then I judged gymnastics for about six years.

I judged on the Junior Olympic circuit.

When my oldest child went to school, I stopped doing that. When I came back to work in the school building, it fit the bill for being at the right place at the right time.

Buford was looking for a coach, and I had a lot of experience from all three aspects – as a gymnast, as a coach, and as a judge.

What level did you get to as a gymnast yourself? I competed at Level 10, which is the highest club level. After that, you get to elite level. I wasn’t that good, though. Girls usually start competing about Level 4 all the way up to Level 10. We don’t rank them that way in the high school world. Everybody

competes together. There are certain requirements that all girls have to meet, and they are judged based on their ability to meet their requirements for each routine.

Tell me a little about Buford High School. We have a motto at Buford: Triple A Excellence. That’s excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts. It’s a real focus that we support kids in each of those three areas. In athletics, there’s a big push for younger programs in our area that will build up and develop those kids at younger ages so they’re ready and prepared to be highly competitive by the time they reach the end of middle school and high school. We also have a big focus within the athletic department of focusing on the intangibles – building up the kids’ character and integrity. We do community service each semester to build that team rapport

Fast Break

and build their character. Academically, we are always driving bell-to-bell instruction and to challenge the kids in all areas.

We have high expectations for our students. The administration wants them to achieve to the best of their ability and so they try to offer all the support possible. A couple of mornings a week, teachers have tutoring hours, kind of like office hours, for a 30-minute period of time in the morning so the kids can come in for extra help.

We also have that same schedule two afternoons a week. So for four days each week, we have a segment of time where the teachers are available for kids to come in for extra help. There is also a great focus on the arts, and we’re constantly trying to find new things to offer the kids. We try to continually evolve and not accept what’s good. We want to make better what we have achieved.

To what do you attribute the success of the gymnastics program? The kids who started the program are now seniors. Really, those parents were adamant about getting a program started, and those girls were club level gymnasts. Now we’re about half and half – about half are competitive outside of gymnastics, and the other half aren’t competitive at the club level. We’re trying to keep girls who are interested in gymnastics in the sport by doing high school gymnastics. There is lots of support from the athletic director for a sport that is usually turned down. The health of our sport at Buford is really that we have parents that are pushing for it and we have a fantastic club gym right down

the street – Gymnastics Training Center – that’s been very supportive.

What is the experience level of your gymnasts? All of my girls at some point in time have been highly competitive but not Level 10. All of my girls have been Level 8 or 9. I have a few Level 10s. Level 10 is really a great achievement. I have two Level 10s this year, one Level 9, and the rest of my girls have previously competed at Level 8 or 9. Three of my seven girls this year are competing at the club level. The other four have competed at Level 8 or Level 9.

What does it take to be a good individual gymnast? From a non-athletic standpoint, it takes a lot of determination, effort, and discipline. The girls who are competitive outside of high school go straight to the gym after school. They’re there for four hours or more. They go home, they do their homework, they eat something, then they go to bed. The next day, they start over. It’s a pretty grueling schedule.

From an athletic standpoint, gymnastics isn’t an easy sport. You need a little bit of talent. A little talent and a lot of hard work goes a long way. Those girls who are really gifted are the 9s, 10s, and elites are such a pleasure to watch.

Describe your practices. Do you get involved with hands-on coaching? I do because I know how and I can. The girls who are competitive outside of high school know what they can do. The high school routine is less complex than club routines. My biggest job is to figure out

which skills the girls can do and which are the best ones to do in the high school arena. I need to find the skills they are most confident in and put those skills together into routines that meet all the requirements. I do occasionally do some spotting.

I can help them with some dance skills and even tumbling skills because I have a background in gymnastics. But yes, I do coach my girls. It’s a good way for me to connect with them and it helps them.

What opportunities are there for your gymnasts after high school? Many of them do aspire to compete in college, but most of those responsibilities fall on their club coach. I haven’t had any responsibility with that thus far. What is developing are club teams where the girls compete for their schools but not as scholarship athletes. It’s more of a fun thing for them to do, and a lot of my girls are interested in that.

What is the future of gymnastics in the high school level moving forward? It’s growing. We have a few more teams every year. Quite honestly, if you don’t have a local gym then it’s almost an impossibility because the equipment is so expensive.

It’s great that the local gym clubs are willing to let a high school team come in and work out. High school gymnastics is great for the athletes who don’t want to train for 30 or 40 hours per week but love the sport. They can put on their school colors and go out there and hear the fans cheering for them. Everybody loves that. The sport will continue to grow. We’re not at capacity yet.

IN THE GAME

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“...She posted some of the highest scores at the competition. A 10 is perfect; she has lots of scores in the 9.8 range.”

Tift Gymnastics is one of those incredibly interesting sports.

It has a small but dedicated following in South Georgia, and despite its relative obscurity, it just might be the most difficult sport to master. Considered a minor sport by many, there’s nothing minor about it.

Just ask Khloe Parker, a Level 10 gymnast who is about to begin her second year with the Blue Devils’ gymnastics program. Khloe enrolled in Tift County High School in 2014 – her freshman year – and made an immediate impact on the Tift County High program. Already an elite-level gymnast when she joined the team, she instantly became one of the Blue Devils’ leaders.

Khloe started gymnastics when she was 6 years old.

She followed in the footsteps of her mother and her older sisters. Khloe, however, has gone much farther in the sport than her mother or siblings ever dreamed. “I’m the only one who stuck with it,” says Khloe. Her mother, Sara Padgett, readily admits that Khloe has done much more with the sport than anyone else in the family. “Yeah, she’s a lot better than the rest of us. She excelled really fast and moved up the ranks. She’s won a lot of state and national titles during her career – more than I can count,” says Sara. Khloe was homeschooled until the ninth grade.

That’s when she decided to enroll at Tift County High.

When she did, the Tift gymnastics sponsors knew exactly what they were getting. Khloe, whose career with USA

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County

gymnast makes an immediate impact for the Blue Devils written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Micki K Photography

Gymnastics has taken her to the Eastern Nationals in 2013 and 2014, knew many of the girls who competed for Tift County High. They trained at the same gym and were very familiar with each other.

Though Khloe was already an accomplished gymnast, competing for a high school team was something very new to her. In USA Gymnastics, everything is individual.

You’re out there by yourself competing for yourself. With a high school team, there is much more going on. You’re part of a team, and you want your teammates to do well. If they do well, everyone succeeds. It’s a different dynamic, and it involves a different approach to the sport.

Last year, Khloe steamrolled her way through the regular season. She was the only Blue Devil to qualify for the state meet, which took place at Westminster on April 24. “The school was great. They sent the entire team to cheer for Khloe,” says Sara. At state, Khloe did what she had been doing all year. She was in first place until the last event – the beam.

The only way she could lose was if she fell. The unthinkable happened – she suffered an injury on the beam and tumbled to the mat. The mishap cost her a state championship.

“Khloe got second in the state,” says Sara. “She missed a state title by just a couple of tenths of a point. She posted some of the highest scores at the competition. A 10 is perfect; she has lots of scores in the 9.8 range.”

This year, Khloe would like to build on the foundation she set last year and win Tift County High a state championship. When asked about her goals, Khloe doesn’t hesitate. “It would be to get first at state. I want to redeem myself. I need to do the same thing I did last year, but I need to be more consistent. I need to hit everything perfectly and cleanly,” she says.

So what does it take to be a good gymnast? More than anything else, it takes time. For Khloe Parker and other elite-level gymnasts, gymnastics isn’t a sport as much as it is a part-time job. You could even argue it’s a full-time job. “It’s very demanding. It takes lots of hours, sacrifice, and dedication. You can’t do anything else except train,” says Sara. She estimates that since Khloe was 6 years old, she’s logged more than 10,000 hours in the gym. Khloe spends 20 to 30 hours per week in a sport that’s very demanding physically. “It’s really tough on their bodies. Very few advance past college,” states Sara.

“The coaches made a big impression on me. I fell in love with the atmosphere on campus when I visited.

I felt like it was a place I could stay for four years. I had 17 or 18 offers, but Auburn just felt right.�

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Worth County senior is headed to

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

A little over four years ago, Worth County’s Anfernee McLemore quietly showed up in Sylvester. He moved to town to live with his grandmother. McLemore’s mother was in the Army, and as such, the family had moved around quite a bit. Facing another move with his mother, McLemore came to Sylvester from Virginia to provide some stability.

He didn’t know very many people in Worth County; neither did anybody know him. So when he showed up on campus, the basketball coaches had no idea that one of the best players in the state was about to join their program.

It didn’t take them long to find out.

McLemore, who had only been playing organized basketball for about a year and a half when he moved to Sylvester, made quite an impression on his coaches. He moved in about halfway through his eighth-grade year.

When McLemore went out for basketball the next year, he managed to work his way into the lineup off the bench early in his freshman year. By Christmas, however, he was starting, and he hasn’t looked back since. Now 6’8” and 210 pounds, he’s one of Georgia’s premier players. McLemore, who has committed to Auburn, has already had a tremendous career at Worth County. This year, he’s hoping to cap things off with a trip to Macon.

McLemore, a power forward, is a complete player who can control a game from both ends of the floor. Everyone likes to look at his offense – and with good reason. According to maxpreps.com, he is averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds a game this season. However, McLemore says it’s IN THE GAME

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“I’m a 4.0 student. I’ve never made a ‘B’ in high school. It’s all about believing in a dream you have.

I knew that grades were going to help me get into college as much as basketball would.” Because of McLemore’s attention to academics, one of his 18 scholarship offers came from Yale.

his defense that really sets him apart. “I’ve always been pretty good on offense, but I’ve been really working on defense. I take a lot of pride in stopping my opponents from scoring,” he says. The attention to defense has worked well for McLemore; he was second in the state last year in blocked shots, and this year, he’s averaging over six blocked shots per game.

After his freshman year, McLemore realized he was good enough to play Division I basketball. He says he began paying attention to the best players in the country, mainly seniors, and he saw he could match up well with them. “If they could do it, so could I,” he says.

McLemore began playing AAU basketball(his current AAU team is the Atlanta Celtics) and saw that he could play with those kids who had been tagged as some of the country’s top prospects. “In AAU, it’s pretty tough,” he says. “You have to play your hardest every day. The whole other team has Division I offers. I feel like I adapt-

ed well and played well. I got a lot of scholarship offers from those AAU tournaments.”

Neither AAU tournaments that he played across the country nor all the attention he started receiving as more and more college coaches and media organizations could distract him from his first love, which is representing the Worth County Rams on the court. If there’s one thing McLemore is missing in his high school career, it’s a deep playoff run. The Rams have made the state playoffs once during his career; his sophomore season, Worth County advanced to the Sweet 16. Last year, the Rams lost in the region tournament to Cairo, which eventually made it to the Final Four. “I definitely want to compete for a region championship this year.

After that, I want to make a deep playoff run. I’d like to get to Macon this year. We have the talent and the drive to get there,” he says.

On the future: “I dream of playing professionally, either in the NBA or overseas. I’d also like to get a master’s degree. I keep God on my side, a clear head, and I pray about the future. At the end of the day, I’m here to play basketball. I don’t entertain any negative thoughts.”

Hahira Middle School eighthgrader: ‘I never thought about quitting’ written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Micki K Photography

Football is a cruel mistress. It often leaves those who love it tired, sore, bleeding, injured. But there was something different about the kind of fatigue Tydreke Thomas experienced during his first year of playing tackle football.

The 7-year-old was unusually sore and tired after practices and games, to the point that his parents, Gary and Rossett Thomas, took him to the doctor. Something was wrong, that much they knew.

They just couldn’t find out what it was.

For two years, doctors told the Thomases to simply give their son Tylenol to treat the symptoms of whatever it was that was bothering him.

Then a light went off.

“His mother asked the doctors to test Tydreke’s CK levels. I had been diagnosed with elevated CK levels when I was in the Army. Doctors did the test, and Tydreke’s CK levels came back as too high. I had passed it on to him,” says Gary Thomas.

Creatine kinase, or CK is it’s commonly called, is an enzyme found in muscle tissue, the heart, and the brain. An elevated 28

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CK level is one of the signals of a heart attack, among other serious medical conditions. In an otherwise healthy person, high CK levels cause chronic pain and fatigue. If the condition isn’t managed, it can lead to chest pains, kidney failure, and other major organ problems. Gary Thomas was diagnosed with elevated CK levels in 2000 while in the Army. The condition cut his career short. It also threatened to end his son’s football career prematurely.

According to Gary, there is no cure for elevated CK levels. One simply has to manage the symptoms and make sure the condition doesn’t cause any further problems. The primary treatment is to stay hydrated and never get too fatigued. Which is easier said than done when dealing with an overactive middle school football player. “He gets really sore and stiff. It’s like arthritis. Tydreke has to stay hydrated, and he drinks a lot of water and Gatorade. Tydreke doesn’t drink very many sodas and very little caffeine. It’s mainly water and Gatorade,” says Gary.

When doctors diagnosed Tydreke, Gary

and Rossett discussed whether or not they should let him keep playing football. They were skeptical that he could manage his condition and keep playing. Of course, Tydreke wanted to play, but his parents wanted to make sure they were doing what was best for his long-term health, not his short-term football goals. At the end of the day, they decided to let him keep playing. “The contact of football isn’t a problem. Tackling and getting tackled won’t do anything to accelerate his condition. He’s just got to stay hydrated,” says Gary.

His coaches are well aware of his condition and take every precaution to make

sure he stays healthy. That includes extra water breaks and rest during practices and games. “When he starts getting tired, they let him take a break. In games, sometimes he’ll come out for a few plays to rest,” says Gary. Tydreke is a running back and linebacker/defensive back for Hahira’s sixthgrade team. There aren’t many plays that take place without him on the field. Tydreke is an important part of Hahira Middle’s team and a big reason why the Hahira sixth-grade team’s 2015 season was one of the best in recent memory.

Tydreke plans to keep playing football.

His goal is to one day play for the Lown-

des High Vikings and quite possibly the University of Georgia. He also wants to play basketball, but his parents drew a line there. “That’s just too much. He can’t be engaged in too many sports. Right now, we’ll just focus on football and stick with that,” says Gary.

For Tydreke, stepping away from the sport he loves has never been a consideration. He’ll do whatever he can to keep playing and become the best football player he can be, no matter what his bloodwork says. “I love football. I never want to quit. It never hurts too bad to play,” he says.

The Helping Hand of

Dylan

Jarvis written by: James Washington | photography by: Lindsi Jones Photography

Lowndes High School head basketball coach Donnie Holland is quite fond of senior guard Dylan Jarvis. In his second season working with him, Coach Holland both admires and appreciates Dylan’s contributions to the Vikings’ program. He is currently posting a team-high 13.9 points per game, including shooting 41 percent from long range and 91 percent from the free-throw line.

“He’s such a strong shooter,” Coach Holland says. “When the ball is in his hands, I know that we’re in good shape.”

Having played for the Vikings for his entire high school career, it is safe to say that Dylan has had the ball in his hands in many crucial moments.

When asked, one of the first memories that come to mind is a matchup from his junior season.

“I remember when we played Madison County (Fla.),” Dylan says. “We were down late. I was in the corner and my teammate, Tyson Harris,

found me. I got the pass from him and took the three (pointer). I actually fell; I got knocked over by the defender as I took the shot. I was able to sit up just in time to watch it fall through the net. That shot won us the game at the buzzer.”

Basketball is one of Dylan’s passions; he’s played all four years while attending Lowndes High, and during his interview, even comments that he received his first basketball when he was “still in (his) crib”. As with many young ball players, he does get excitement out of adding to the scoreboard. But, more than scoring, his elation and satisfaction come from a different place.

“Passing is definitely my favorite part of the game,” Dylan says. “I love to feed the post, find the open man.

Scoring is cool, but I’d rather help.”

Currently holding the second-highest assist total for the Vikings this year (15), Dylan has no hesitation when it comes to putting his generosity on

full display. It is his openhanded and helping nature that makes him stand out, no matter where he goes. His good-natured ways are noticed by his teammates, coaches, and others around the Lowndes community.

“Dylan is the type of kid that will go out of his way to be a help to others,” Coach Holland says. “There have been times in practice when Dylan saw a teammate that was tired or struggling to keep up, and he offered to run for him. That’s just the kind of person that he is.”

To Dylan, providing assistance is just a way of life. He doesn’t like to see others down and will go out of his way to help, whether it is on the court, in the classroom, or anywhere else.

“I’ll always appreciate Dylan’s character,” Coach Holland says. “His morals, the way he treats people; it’s the kind of thing you never forget. He’s respectful, and he’s always looking to make someone else’s day better.”

Wanting to better the lives of othIN THE GAME

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“When the ball is in his hands, I know that we’re in good shape.” ers is a feeling that comes naturally to Dylan.

Keeping that in mind, it is only fitting that his career choice follows the same ideal. After high school, he says he would like to attend Oklahoma Christian University (Edmond, Okla.) to study biology (pre-med) and eventually become an emergency room physician.

“I might minor in something cool, like psychology,” he says. “I haven’t decided yet. But I definitely want to work somewhere in the emergency room.”

It won’t be long before his run on the court comes to an end. As of this writing, the Vikings are 5-4 on the year and have yet to enter region competition. But, according to him, the athletic road ends with graduation.

“This is it for basketball,” he says. “I love to play, but I don’t plan on playing in college. I want to focus on academics once I get there.”

A young man that stands for his beliefs, Dylan exemplifies the persona of a “people person”.

He doesn’t meet a stranger, and he attributes that to his outgoing and friendly nature.

“Get to know people,” he says. “That’s one of the biggest things that I’ll always take with me. Social status doesn’t matter; people are people. If you take the time to get to know someone, you might surprise yourself with who you meet.”

Whether in athletics or elsewhere, there can never be enough of the Dylan Jarvis mentality.

And if others can follow his lead, it goes without saying that the world will be in safe hands.

Dylan Jarvis Birthdate: 11/18/1997 Birthplace: Weatherford, Oklahoma (grew up in Chickasha, Oklahoma) Age: 18 Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 lbs Parents: Bryan and Shauna Jarvis Siblings: None Years Spent in the Vikings’ Basketball Program: 4 Jersey Number: 2 Preferred Position: Shooting Guard (“I feel like I’m more effective coming off of screens.”)

Career High: 32 points (5-5 FT, 9-11 3FG) in an FCA tournament

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Coaching

The family that coaches together stays together.

OK, so that’s a little corny. But at the Weir household in Colquitt County, it rings true. Mell and Patti Weir, both teachers in the Colquitt County system (Mell teaches PE at Funston Elementary while Patti teaches seventh-grade social studies at Williams Middle School), coach a variety of sports, the seasons of which span the entire school year.

There aren’t many days or nights when one or both of the Weirs are not at a game, a meet, or a practice of some kind. It’s a hectic schedule, but one to which the Weirs have adapted well.

Mell Weir coaches cross country, swimming, and track. He serves as head coach for cross country and swimming; he’s an assistant with the track team. How did he end up coaching so many sports? “I have a background in cross country and track,” he says. “With swimming, there was just a need there. I knew a little about swimming, and the team was in a bind.

I was able to step in and help out.”

Mell says he enjoys the endurance 36

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is indeed a

family affair for the Weirs wirtten by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Micki K Photography

sports because there aren’t as many coaching decisions to make as far who competes and who doesn’t. “If you go out and beat the other person, you’re better,” he says. At the same time, however, there is still a lot of strategy, tactics, and technique involved in his sports. Like with any high school sport, you have to coach the kids you have. And some are better at certain aspects of the sport than others. For example, some are better at pacing themselves over longer distances, while others are stronger and more suited to short, fast efforts.

Coaches must evaluate the kinds of runners they have, and then tailor their training and race strategies to their athletes. “It’s more than just going out and running,” says Mell. “You also have to know your runners and train their strengths.”

Swimming is the most technical of Mell’s sports. To be a good swimmer, an athlete must be in shape. But he or she must also be very technically sound; conditioning won’t make up for bad technique in the pool.

That also makes coaching swimming more challenging. Mell was familiar with swimming and had spent some time in the water as an adult racing triathlons. However, training for a triathlon and training high school kids

for swimming-specific events are two different things. Mell researched swimming techniques extensively when he became Colquitt County’s swim coach. He also talked to other coaches at all levels in order to learn as much as possible about the sport.

“This is just my second year of coaching swimming. We’ve improved tremendously. We’ve already had a girl who qualified for state this season and a couple of other swimmers are close to qualifying,” he says.

Mell’s coaching philosophy is the same, no matter which sport he happens to be coaching at the time. He wants them to give their best and enjoy the sport in which they participate.

“I want a good, honest effort so they can develop and do things they’ve never done before. I want them to run faster than they’ve ever run or swim faster than they’ve ever swam before.

And I want them to have fun doing it,” he says.

Patti, a former Valdosta State University cheerleader, coaches cheerleading and gymnastics. She has a background in both sports, though she has more experience cheering. Patti is the head eighth- and ninth-grade cheerleading coach for football and basketball, an assistant with varsity football cheerleading, and the head gymnas-

tics coach. In addition, she helps Mell with cross country from time to time.

Growing up, Patti cheered and took gymnastics. Cheering was her first love; she took gymnastics to supplement her cheerleading skills. “When I was in the ninth grade, I decided to focus on cheerleading. I was in gymnastics because I knew I wanted to cheer in college, and I needed the tumbling background. Leaving gymnastics to focus on cheering was an easy decision to make,” she says.

Coming from a very athletic family, coaching was something very natural to her. When Patti was a student at VSU, she was coaching gymnastics at the Valdosta YMCA. At the same time, she was cheering for the Blazers.

Coaching was always on her mind, and she knew that, one way or the other, she would likely end up coaching as an adult.

And now it’s something she spends most of her non-teaching time doing.

With young cheerleaders, it’s about teaching them the technique they’ll need as high school cheerleaders. It’s also about teaching them to accept the role they play during a football or basketball game. “I want them to realize that they play a role during the game. It has to be a positive role as well. I want them to feel like they’re

important,” she says. That’s particularly difficult during basketball season. Football gets all the attention at Colquitt County; basketball doesn’t grab the headlines, and most girls would rather cheer for football anyway. But while football may be what people tend to focus on, cheering for basketball is a much more challenging sport. The game is faster, the fans are closer, and everything changes in an instant. “You have to switch your offense and defense cheers in a matter of seconds. It takes time to teach the girls how to switch cheers so fast.

I can call a cheer, but often the game changes before they can even get the new cheer started. It takes time to teach them how to switch,” says Patti.

While gymnastics, Patti’s other sport, shares some common skills with cheerleading, the two sports are very different and require different approaches to coaching. The problem Colquitt faces with gymnastics is the same problem many small communities face – numbers. “When your top gymnasts are club gymnasts and you’re a one-county school, gymnastics can be difficult. You can’t pull from 100 top gymnasts like you can with cheerleading. It’s a tougher sport, and it requires

at least 20 hours per week in the gym every week of the year,” she says. Patti’s team may have just 10 girls, and out of those 10, maybe half are serious gymnasts. She rounds out her team with cheerleaders who have skills that translate well into certain routines.

Injuries also wreak havoc on gymnasts. It’s one of the sports with the highest rate of injury per number of participants. While the injuries aren’t typically head injuries (though they can be), the injuries are often very debilitating. For example this year, Patti’s top gymnast, Timia Fowler, a Level 9 gymnast, is coming off two knee surgeries. Several years ago, Patti’s daughter, Megan Crosby, a Level 10, battled injuries to both ankles. To this day, Megan still has trouble with her ankles and can barely run on them.

“Injuries are always a problem for us. But for the challenges we have, we typically do pretty well. Last year, we were fifth in the state. That was a major accomplishment. We had a whole team at the state meet, and that helped tremendously,” she says.

Overall, the entire athletic program at Colquitt County has improved as the football team has ascended to the top of the gridiron heap in Geor-

gia. The same expectations that drive the football team also fuel the other sports. “Our administration expects us to win just like they expect the football team to win,” says Mell. “We have access to the same resources the football team has. We have a full-time athletic trainer and a great therapy program. We have all the resources we need to be successful, and we’ve raised our expectations. That’s a big difference over the last few years,” says Mell.

But having resources and high expectations doesn’t lessen the strain of coaching 10 different sports from August to May. How do the Weirs do it? “This is what we do. We also have five kids so this can be very difficult. It can also be hard to find time to spend with Patti. But I’ll follow the basketball team, and she helps me with my sports if need her to. So we find the time,” says Mell.

“We love what we do, or we wouldn’t do it. We’re able to work together and help each other out. We’re fortunate to be able to do that. If we couldn’t help each other, we wouldn’t be able to coach all these sports,” says Patti.

EQUESTRIAN programs showing new possibilities for high school athletics written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Jerry Christenson

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The interests of high school athletes have become more varied in recent times. Traditional sports programs still reign at the top of the participation charts and in spectator attendance, but many high schools have begun to offer more options for today athletes.

In Columbus, two high schools have embraced the idea that athletics can and should involve opportunities for athletes to pursue interests outside the norm. Brookstone School and Columbus High School recognized students at their respective schools were already actively involved in equestrian sports away from school and offer programs for their student body.

Some schools in other parts of the state actually have boarding facilities for horses. Locally, the Brookstone and Columbus High riders board their horses at area riding facilities or barns, although a few athletes have stables at their homes.

Dradyn Hinson teaches at the lower school at Brookstone and is also the sponsor for the school’s equestrian team.

Hinson, who is a lifelong rider and competed in equestrian sports at The University of Georgia, had a vision to bring the sport to Brookstone mainly to recognize a couple of students who had achieved great success as riders.

“I knew these two students had done so much and accomplished so much outside of the school and I felt like they were every bit as much athletes as any other team had to offer. Many girls at Brookstone are involved in equestrian sports on their own, so it was an opportunity to call attention to the sport and give these athletes a chance to have a place at their school,” says Hinson.

Beginning in the fall of 2013, Brookstone placed equestrian sports on its roster of team sports in the athletic department. Although the school’s equestrian team is not part of the high school athletic association which governs Brookstone’s other sports and the riders do not compete against other schools, it does follow the guidelines of the Varsity program of the United States Equestrian Federation.

Seven students made up the first team in 2013. Today, there are 10 athletes. Some are very accomplished riders who have been participating in competitions, or eventing, for several years. Others are relatively new to the sport and are learning their way around the course.

According to Hinson, the riders are basically involved as individuals. Following USEF guidelines, riders must attend a minimum of three shows a year. Unlike most sports, equestrian athletes have a year-long competition season.

From June 1 to May 31, riders can compete in various categories encompassing all riding disciplines.

The equestrian team members at Brookstone have found a bond like athletes in more traditional sports. Because most of the girls have been riding since childhood, they find common ground in their love of horses and riding.

“These girls are so involved with the sport, they often do not have time to participate in other school activities.

The team gives them a chance to share their passion of the sport and have friends who have the same interests,” says Hinson.

The current riders at Brookstone compete in three-day eventing, hunter/jumpers and dressage. Also unlike other sports, there are actually two athletes involved—the rider and her horse. It carries a lot of responsibility, physical labor, time, and expense.

“It’s a lifestyle. These girls have their own trainers and routines which include daily riding, lessons, practicing, clinics, and training sessions. It’s a lot of work and some of it is hard, dirty work. And, it goes on regardless of the weather or the time of year,” she says.

At Columbus High School, there is both a club and a team in the equestrian program under the direction of their sponsor, Mary Beth Hood. The school began its program in the fall of 2010 and currently has about 30 members in the combined organizations. Hood, who teaches Latin at CHS, is also a former UGA equestrian athlete. She continues to ride and is pleased there is an opportunity to promote the sport.

“I want to help Equestrian Student athletes earn the same recognition and support that other student athletes receive.

Equestrian athletes devote so much time to their sport and it is great that the USEF has the Varsity program to help recognize their efforts and commitment.�

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“I want to help equestrian student-athletes earn the same recognition and support that other student athletes receive. Equestrian athletes devote so much time to their sport and it is great that the USEF has the Varsity program to help recognize their efforts and commitment,” says Hood.

Olivia Oney and Haley Culpepper are two of the CHS equestrian athletes. Oney, 17, has been riding horses for over 13 years while Culpepper, 14, has been riding for about nine.

They have found the program provides a unique opportunity for them.

“I would spend all my time riding if I could, and having the program here has helped me find other people who feel the same way,” says Culpepper.

Nodding, Oney agrees.

“It is kind of the reason I came here.

Not many schools offer this, and it has given me a chance to have a place to fit in here,” says Oney.

A junior at Columbus High School, Oney says she knows the stigma attached to equestrian sports is that it doesn’t match up with other traditional athletic teams.

“It’s kind of like what they say about cheerleading, that it isn’t really a sport.

But it is. Actually, it is a combination of a lot of sports in that you have to judge distances, you need to be physically fit, have discipline, and you have to work together as a team, but the other member of your team is a horse,” Oney explains with a smile.

The two equestrian athletes participate in three-day eventing which includes dressage, cross country, and stadium or arena jumping.

Other sports at Columbus High fall under the authority of the Georgia High School Association, but like Brookstone, the CHS equestrian team participates in the varsity program of the United States Equestrian Federation. At both schools,

the athletes may letter in the sport if they meet the criteria set forth by the USEF’s lettering program.

Because of her background as a collegiate athlete in equestrian sports, Hood feels one of her responsibilities as sponsor is to help the athletes understand the options available should they have a desire to continue to compete at the next level. In addition, she feels the CHS program advances other ideals.

“Through our Equestrian Program, students are able to volunteer and gain positive extracurricular experiences that fall into their particular area of interest. It is important for our school community to provide opportunities for growth, learning and recognition of student achievement,” she says.

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U.S. Navy veteran coaches Lee County rifle team to

top three in

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

It’s been a long and arduous – yet quite rewarding – journey for Capt.

Al Shuette, Lee County High’s senior naval science instructor with the Navy JROTC program and air rifle team coach. When he arrived in Leesburg after 25 years in the Navy 14 years ago, he began coaching the rifle team. His predecessor had started the team, and it was struggling. “For the first two years, we didn’t win a match.

Then we started improving,” he states.

Air rifle is a GHSA-sanctioned sport.

Most rifle teams are associated with a JROTC program, but not all of them are.

At Lee County, all team members are NJROTC cadets. In addition to GHSA matches, JROTC teams can practice and compete all year long. Non-JROTC teams are confined to GHSA guidelines 44

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and competitions. (For example, the Tift County air rifle team, which In the Game profiled last year, is not connected to a JROTC program.)

The GHSA season starts in January and ends in mid-March. For those teams lucky enough to qualify for the post-season, the state match takes place the second weekend in April at Fort Benning in Columbus. Lee County is one of those teams. The GHSA divides the state into eight areas for air rifle. The teams are placed in their particular areas by geographic location, not school size. Single-A teams can be in the same area as 6A teams and compete alongside each other.

Lee County is in Area 2, and Capt.

Shuette is the chairman for the area.

It takes four shooters to make up a

team. Lee County has 12 team members this year; the top four scores count in each competition. The competitions require shooting from three positions – prone, standing, and kneeling. Shooters fire 10 shots in each position. A perfect score is 100 in each round. To record a perfect score for all four shooters in each round, the team would post 1,200 points. Targets are set at 10 meters and the bull’s eye is a ½ centimeter white dot. Shooters must do that with others on the range around them. While air rifles aren’t that loud, there are plenty of distractions while shooting. Getting the kids to block out the distractions around them, control their nerves, and focus on making each shot count are but a few of the tasks Capt. Shuette must

A big part of competitive shooting is practice. Another component is equipment. To be competitive, a team must have the best equipment. The equipment Lee County uses is property of the team; however, members can bring their own equipment if it meets competition guidelines. But it is expensive. “To properly outfit one shooter takes between $3,500 and $6,000 if you’re going to use the best equipment. Shooters in college and the Olympics have their own equipment. The equipment our team uses belongs to the team,” says Capt. Shuette.

teach his kids to master. “We stress extreme precision. Don’t settle for close.

Equipment is also a factor; you’ve got to have good equipment, and you’ve got to practice as much as possible,” says Capt. Shuette. “When you’re on the firing line, you’re out there for 1015 minutes. You have to focus and concentrate. You have to isolate everything while you’re out there.” The key is to establish a pattern and then repeat that pattern over and over again.

To qualify for state, teams need

to shoot around 1,140 or better. So there’s not much room for error. “We tell our kids to aim small, miss small,” says Capt. Shuette. Last year, Lee County finished third in the state. In JROTC competition, the team has qualified twice for the Junior Olympic Trials, which is a steppingstone to international competition. Though they qualified twice, the team only went to the Junior Trials once. “It was an eye-opening experience for the kids,” laughs Capt. Shuette.

For the 2016 team, Capt. Shuette is very matter-of-fact about their goals.

He speaks with the kind of confidence and to-the-point bluntness that makes anyone within earshot sit up and take notice – exactly what you would expect from a former soldier. “Last year we were third in the state. We’ve got four returning shooters from that team. Our goal is to win state,” he says.

The beauty of high school sports written by: Robert Preston Jr.

Travel ball. I have mixed emotions regarding travel teams. On the one hand, they provide extra opportunities for kids, particularly younger athletes, to learn a sport and gain valuable playing experience. Busy kids stay out of trouble and sports is a great way to keep kids occupied and involved in a healthy activity.

At the same time, there is money in travel and club sports. Anytime money creeps into an activity or event, that activity or event gets corrupted. You don’t have to go very far to see how profitable travel ball can be. There is a lot of money tied up in these teams – tournament entry fees, uniforms, equipment, participation fees, and the like all generate thousands and thousands of dollars. Many older kids play travel sports as a way to earn college scholarships.

Most young athletes who secure scholarships will go to smaller schools. The scholarships won’t be very much money, a couple of thousand dollars per year on average. By the time a kid finishes travel ball, his or her parent will have spent much, much more than that on equipment, entry fees, uniforms, travel, etc.

Yet for many sports, like soccer, gymnastics, golf, tennis, swimming, and to a degree basketball, travel and club teams are more important than high school teams when it comes to college scholarships. College coaches prowl the soccer pitches, the gyms, the golf courses, tennis courts, and swimming pool decks of club and travel tournaments and meets searching for the athletes who can contribute at the next level.

I get that. I understand it. I know it’s necessary. But it’s no substitute for high school athletics.

High school sports have at least two things going for them that club/travel teams don’t: Opportunity and community. Travel/club teams can be very selective, both in terms of money and talent. Many travel coaches only want the best of the best on their teams. And while there are programs with different levels of teams, which affords even those kids who might not have elite-level talent to play, there are lot of kids who don’t get to play because coaches don’t think they have the talent. At the high school level, there is room for kids of all skill levels.

Obviously, not everyone who goes out for a sport makes the team or even gets the chance to play much, but there are more opportunities for kids of average or slightly above average talent to make a team.

And the kids who do make the team get the opportunity to represent their communities.

We see this more in our area, where many of our communities have just one public high school. When athletes suit up for their high schools, they have the opportunity to represent their peers, their families, and their friends in a unique and challenging setting. Football, basketball, baseball, and other games and contests are for bragging rights and pride. Nothing unifies communities like sports. Kids can make a name for themselves in a positive way for decades to come by how they play. We remember and celebrate our wins and our greatest athletes for a long, long time.

If a team or an athlete is lucky enough to win a state championship, that’s the icing on the cake. There is nothing like being named the best in the state at your given activity. It’s the pinnacle of achievement for a high school athlete. With travel and club teams, there may be a half dozen or more opportunities to win state titles or even world series-type rings and tournaments. While winning any championship is something to be celebrated, nothing compares to winning a title for your school and hanging that banner in the gym. Only a select few win state titles for their schools, and it’s something very, very special.

Playing high school sports has a number of benefits. But to me, the real beauty of high school athletics can be found in the sense of community such sports offer. It transcends the field of play and spreads throughout cities and counties like nothing else.

Yes, travel and club teams are important. But they will never be more important than the local high school programs.

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Pine Grove Middle home to four of the

top middle school

distance runners in

GEORGIA written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Micki K Photography

“As good as they are now, they will dominate,” says Coach Roe. “They will have no problem transitioning to the high school team.”

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“All four of these runners are determined, they have heart, and they are leaders on our team. They push themselves every day, and they never give up. They always encourage other runners and cheer them on at races.

They excel in athletics and academics and are very focused kids,” says Melissa Roe, head coach of the Viking Runners’ Club and at Pine Grove Middle School, of Andrew Caruana, Eryn Wilkey, and Jessica and Carson Locke. All are seventh graders except for Carson; he’s in the eighth grade.

These four young runners have made the list of the top 50 middle school runners in Georgia. Carson made the list at #3, Eryn was #9, Andrew came in at #15, and Jessica was #50. These student-athletes all want to be the best they can be, and

they see the big picture. They understand that what they’re doing could very well pave the way to a college education. Coupled with an intense love of running, that goal drives them to work hard every day, run tons of miles, and make sure they take care of business in the classroom.

Running can be as complicated as you want it to be. You can simply lace up your shoes and head out the door.

Or you can analyze your gait, learn the technical side of the running, and obsess over complex racing strategies.

No matter which approach you take, usually the runner who puts in the most miles is going to be the fastest.

And these four are putting in the miles.

At the middle school level, races are typically three kilometers (about 1.8 miles). In high school, cross country

races are five kilometers (3.1 miles). Instead of simply focusing on the shorter distances, these runners all race longer events, up to half-marathons (13.1 miles) for a few of them. The extra training and the extra racing experience help these young runners during their cross country season tremendously.

Carson has posted an 11:14 twomile and a 10:34 3K. Andrew has personal bests of 12:18 (two-mile) and 11:53 (3K), while Eryn’s bests are 12:43 (two-mile) and 12:20 (3K). Jessica has run a 14:04 (two-mile) and 13:35 (3K). All four have run local 5K road races. Carson ran a 19:14 at the Honey Bee 5K. Andrew ran a 21:32 at the Color Me Viking 5K. Jessica posted a 22:45 at the Honey Bee 5K while Eryn ran a 23:27 at the St. John’s Road Race 5K. All of these are excel-

lent times and are better than those of many high school runners.

Running, both cross country and track, are sports that often fly under the radar. They don’t grab the headlines and they aren’t very spectator friendly. But they are difficult sports that require patience, strategy, year‘round work ethic, and a high threshold for pain. These kids have those qualities in abundance and can be the foundation for a dominant Viking program at the high school level in a few years. All want to run for the Vikings in the future, and Carson and Eryn would like to play soccer for Lowndes as well. Both are as dominant on the pitch as they are on the trails and the track. “As good as they are now, they will dominate,” says Coach Roe. “They will have no problem transitioning to

the high school team.”

The key for all four is to keep enjoying the sport and remain injury-free.

They already understand the opportunities that running can afford them in the future, and that keeps them motivated to train and race every day.

“I tell them to keep getting stronger and faster so they can run their way to college,” says Coach Roe. “They all want to go to college; they want to be seen. They will all get college scholarships, probably in academics as well as athletics. They are all in Honors classes and are great students.

This is their passion, and they’re great ambassadors for the sport. They are leaders in everything they do.”

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FEATURED SUBMISSION

Welcome to Edge Performance As this is our first of many articles to be featured with In the Game Sports Network, let’s begin with some background. Founded by Austin Grant, CSCS, EP-C and Daniel Bayman, MS, CSCS Edge Performance was created to provide a service to the Valdosta community and surrounding areas. This service, and our mission, is to bring a professional and educated approach to strength and conditioning, as well as health and wellness, in both the sports performance realm and life in general. To help reach this goal, we have developed our own unique Adult Fitness, Sports Performance, and Education Programs.

Daniel heads our Adult Fitness Programs and designs them with the individual in mind. Programmed to provide a safe and effective workout, day in and day out, members will be introduced to strength, conditioning, mobility, and flexibility training, as well as other aspects of training that produce healthy functional individuals.

Austin heads our Sports Performance Programs and designs them with the athlete in mind. Programmed to provide a complete, well-balanced approach to strength and conditioning, as well as speed and agility training, athletes of all ages will learn how to perform their best in the weight room and carry this performance directly onto their individual field of competition.

Together, these programs will help to provide our current and future members with comprehensive strength and conditioning, as well as health and wellness training, in everyday life. However, we know that not everyone will be able to participate in person, and we want to reach those who cannot to help better educate our surrounding community. To do this we will be working with In the Game Sports Network to provide weekly training tips for their newsletter, as well as a monthly editorial for their magazine. These educational articles will include tips on

different aspects of training, nutritional, and recovery advice, as well as other learning opportunities.

These educational articles, as well as the services we offer, will be based on sound scientific principles and research, while also expressing our own training philosophies towards both adult and youth training. These philosophies being that every person and athlete is unique, in life and in sport, but together they must all move well in order to perform well. This means bringing everyone to the raw basics of human movement and building a firm foundation before focusing on increasing the amount of weight moved and the complexity of the movements.

This guiding philosophy helps to establish a level of safety not seen in other areas of performance and allows us at Edge to develop the novice competitor into an elite competitor in their field without increasing the risk of overtraining and injury. This also allows us to constantly move athletes, as they progress through a well thought out plan of action designed not only with them in mind, but also for the team they compete with. All of this helps to insure that you can choose Edge, knowing that we have your best interests in mind, and are prepared to go above what others can offer to see you succeed, again in life and on the field.

Of course this article only scratches the surface of what we want to do here at Edge Performance. To find out more about us, what we offer, and why we offer it, reach out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/edgevaldosta or through email at edgevaldosta@gmail.com. We encourage you to keep an eye out for Edge Performance’s Training Tips in the future, and to see if there is any way we can help you find your edge, both in life and on the field of competition.

IN THE GAME

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THE

Herndon

Twins written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Jerry Christenson

“We were a package deal.�

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written by: Beth Welch | photography by: Jerry Christenson

Their talent on the basketball court has been well-known in the Columbus area for many years. Prior to arriving at Northside High School as freshmen, 6-foot-tall twins Jasmine and Jessica Herndon had already made a name for themselves as outstanding middle school and travel ball athletes. The attention they generated early on put them on the radar of many coaches and athletic programs. In due time, offers were considered, locations discussed, and programs evaluated, but one thing was non-negotiable.

“We were a package deal,” says Jessica.

The sisters never thought of committing to a college which wasn’t interested in them attending together.

They narrowed down their choices and settled on Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. The NCAA Division I school participates in athletics in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The North Georgia college met many criteria on the seniors’ wish list, but most importantly, they would be together and continue to play together.

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“It was a big decision. It was close by, not too far away, and I get to play there with my sister,” says Jasmine, who is older by 17 minutes.

Her sister agrees, saying the basketball program felt like family to them and there was assurance the twins could fit into the future scheme of the Lady Owls team.

With that decision made, the athletes have felt a freedom to enjoy their last season of basketball at Northside. They have been playing the sport since the age of 5 when they kind of happened upon it by chance.

The sisters were participating in activities at Girls, Inc., when they first were introduced to the sport. Curious, they tried their hand at it and, well, the rest is history.

Since that time, basketball has been a passion for both of the Herndon twins. They have tried ballet, tap dancing, golf, chess, and numerous other activities and sports, but nothing has come close to basketball.

“Our parents kind of let us pick.

They were just really supportive. Kind of like, whatever you want to do, go for it,” says Jasmine.

Like most twins, the 18-year-old sisters have always been close. It would stand to reason that maybe one would be better at basketball and the other twin went along for the ride. However, the sisters are unique in that both are very talented athletes in the same sport. Just as they have different personalities, they bring different strengths to the game.

Jessica leads the Lady Patriots in rebounding this season. In one recent game, she racked up 15 rebounds.

She sees herself as a better defensive player, patient on the floor as she waits for opportunities. Her favorite position to play is center, but she is comfortable at other spots.

Jasmine suffered a knee injury in a game just before Christmas break.

She spent weeks in recovery and took that opportunity to work on her shooting skills. The more outspoken of the twins, Jasmine is very verbal on the

court, calling to her teammates at every opportunity, a leader on the floor.

She, too, likes the center position.

Last season, she averaged 13 points a game and says she works best with her back to the basket.

The past two seasons, the Lady Patriots have won back-to-back region championships. This year, they are under the direction Barbara Hester Lowe, the new Northside girls basketball coach and a former Columbus State University basketball player. It didn’t take Lowe long to gain appreciation for the twins.

“They work so well together. They look for each other out there and move so well together. It really is something to watch when they play,” Lowe says.

So far, the sisters have nothing but praise for their new coach. They are mature enough to recognize adapting to a different coach this year is a preview of sorts for moving in a few months to the college level which will involve more coaching changes.

Coach Lowe isn’t worried about the transition for the young women.

“They’re smart. Really smart. They work hard. They are such good athletes, and they work well with a team. I can’t see them having any problems,” says Lowe.

Both sisters feel their present team has a good shot at going further than securing another region championship. They would like to end their time at Northside with a state championship. Being the girls that they are, they haven’t missed the fact that such a deal comes complete with something bright and shiny. “(Region) is just not enough. We’re just pushing to get us a little ring.

Some jewelry,” says Jessica, smiling.

After all, a girl can’t have too many of those.

“Not at all. Especially when it’s that big,” Jasmine adds with a laugh.

The Herndon twins are also track and field athletes.

This spring they will participate in shot put and discus events for the Northside Patriots.

Both have enjoyed the experience and feel they may just reach their personal best this season in both events.

IN THE GAME

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After runner-up finish last season,

Fitzgerald sophomore has eyes on a state title written by: Robert Preston Jr. | photography by: Marque Milla Reese

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“Was it a surprise? I knew the whole year that I had a pretty decent chance at placing high. I wasn’t sure I could get first. But when I got to state, I started winning. In the semifinals, I was wrestling a junior who had been beating me the whole match. With eight seconds left, I didn’t think I was going to make it. But with six seconds remaining in the match, I got a takedown, won the match, and made it to the finals,” recalls Fitzgerald High School sophomore wrestler Ethan McKie. Wrestling in the 106-pound class last year, McKie rolled through the regular season, Area, and Sectionals en route to an appearance in the state finals. He ended up losing the championship match to Keegan Smith of Bremen – the same wrestler who defeated him in the finals at Sectionals.

IN THE GAME

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McKie started wrestling when he was about 9 years old. By the time he reached high school, he was already a seasoned competitor. The experience made up for his relative youth and is a big reason why he had such success at a young age. McKie admits that he isn’t the most technically sound wrestler on the team. Neither is he the strongest, nor fastest. But he may be the most competitive, and he absolutely refuses to lose. “I’ve always been athletic; at my first wrestling tournament, I finished second. But I’ve got a good mix of skills. I’m not really technical or aggressive, but I’ve got a lot of fight in me, and I don’t give up. Just like that semifinals match at state, a lot of people might have given up with time running out. I didn’t ,and I ended up winning the match,” he says.

After such a quick start to his high school wrestling career, all eyes are on him as the 2015-2016 season begins.

At the time of this writing, McKie was 13-4 in the 120-pound class. Finishing on the podium last year was great, but this year, he’d like to be the one standing in the middle. “I want to finish first this year. Second felt good for a while, but it didn’t last,” he laughs.

Ultimately, McKie would like to secure a wrestling scholarship. To help make that happen, he’s stacking the deck in his favor as much as possible. “I’ve been thinking about college since middle school. What kind of wrestler would a college want, one that just wrestles or one who is good at a lot of other activities? I figured the more I was involved in, the more attractive I’d be to colleges,” he says.

Adide from wrestling, McKie is also a member of FFA, show choir, drama club, one-act play, FCA, he shows hogs, and he runs cross country. He’s also an honor student to boot.

Being involved in so many different clubs and organizations has helped

build his college resume, but it’s also come with a bit of a price. McKie has taken a little good-natured ribbing from his wrestling friends, especially when it comes to drama and music.

“Yeah I’ve taken some heat for being involved in music and theater. But those are activities I enjoy. They’re fun, and you can be yourself. My theater friends and my sports friends are different. Athletes can be so serious.

My theater friends cut up more, and we’ll do anything to make each other laugh,” he says.

How does he balance the various activities? “A lot of the things I enjoy happen at different times of the year.

I usually get my schoolwork done during the school day, so I have very little homework. Nothing really interferes with anything else. In wrestling season, that’s all I do, so I can focus on it. It’s all its own,” says McKie.