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THE SALINE COURIER

EDITOR’S LETTER

To say the past five plus months have been abnormal would be an understatement. COVID-19’s devastating global outbreak has thrown nearly every single routine or daily norm out the window.

During some of America’s worst times, sports have been there to help restore some sense of normalcy. In this country, where we celebrate how athletic competition can reveal the human spirit, it takes a lot to get people to cancel a sporting event. Mother Nature, war, and terrorism are some of the most notorious villains to attack sports over the years. And in some circumstances, they’ve won.

The Olympic games occur every two years, alternating summer and winter sports. Some athletes prepare for their entire lives to represent their countries in this international sporting event promoting unity and competition. The Olympics have been canceled three times, and paused only once over the past 124 years. All three cancelations related to World Wars I and II, respectively.

One of my favorite sports is basketball. The NBA has had to suspend competition several times because of national tragedies, player strikes, and in very few instances, weather. But a full season, or even just NBA Finals, has never been cancelled outright. Don’t even get me started on the NCAA March Madness. It is the most lucrative sports tournament in America and has never been canceled since its inception in 1939. Never once! But for the first time in 81 years, March Madness became March Sadness, as there were no brackets, no upsets, and no Cinderella stories.

Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, has taken place in London for the past 143 years and has only been canceled once during World War II. According to ESPN, 2020 marks the first time the tournament has been canceled during a time of peace.

From what I could find via my limited Google searches, the only other highprofile sports cancelation because of a disease outbreak was the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals, when a flu epidemic meant a champion was never crowned.

It is undeniable that we are currently experiencing something historic.

Sports cancelations of this magnitude have never—let me repeat— never been seen before. We can’t control them; the best we can do is figure out how to adapt. As I write this Editor’s Note, it is still unknown if the 21st Annual Salt Bowl game will play in its usual fashion. Who knows; it might be played with no fans, or canceled altogether.

Sporting events may get canceled, but we can still exemplify our human courage, community strength and unity during this uncertain time by supporting our local schools, programs, students, and athletes. Maybe it’s especially in times like these that we have the opportunity to truly show that nothing can cancel our spirit. Your town. Your life. Your magazine.

2020 Volume 13, Issue 4

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Josh Elrod

jelrod@ignite-mediagroup.com

ART DIRECTOR Krystal Neuhofel krystal@salinecountylifestyles.com

CONTRIBUTORS Contributing Writers Carrie Amox Carolyn Buckner Ed Buckner Charles Crowson Brent Davis Justin Elrod Jillian Jacuzzi Ashley Leopoulos Marietta McClure Nate Olson Josiah Onyenekwe, MD Doug Pruitt Contributing Photographers Lela & Lyla Photography Rick Nation Photography

IDEAS/COMMENTS If you have a story idea or comment, please email us at: feedback@salinecountylifestyles.com

ADVERTISING If you are interested in advertising in Saline County Lifestyles please email us at: info@ignite-mediagroup.com Saline County Lifestyles is published by:

JOSH ELROD Publisher & Editor

Ignite Media Group P.O. Box 861 Bryant, AR 72089 www.salinecountylifestyles.com Articles should not be considered specific advice as circumstances vary per individual. Advertised products and/or services are not necessarily endorsed by Ignite Media Group.

2 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

CONTENTS SOUL OF THE SALT BOWL

WEATHER UPDATE

04 08 10 14 18 22 28 30 33

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

STRENGTH THROUGH CONFLICT

ON AND OFF THE FIELD

FAITH FOCUS

WHAT’S YOUR SCORE?

BRYANT TEAM PREVIEW

BRYANT TEAM SCHEDULE

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 3

For almost 46 years, the Benton vs.

Bryant game, now known as The Salt Bowl, has been a tradition in Saline County. To this day, organizers continue to innovate to make the event bigger and better each year. In these uncertain times and as we learn our new normal, Salt Bowl organizers press on with their main purpose of creating a memorable experience and continuing in the tradition of giving back to the community.

What started in the 1970s evolved into something much larger by the late ‘90s. Mayor Tom Farmer, then Athletic Director for the Bryant School District, recalls the moment he realized this game had the potential to become a countywide celebration. “We

both in attendance and community involvement. “Gary said we would eventually get to 30,000 people at the Salt Bowl and everyone thought he was crazy as a June bug, but here we are,” recalls Shane Broadway, who has been dubbed the “Unofficial, Unbiased and Unpaid Assistant Athletic Director” for both schools during Salt Bowl time.

Most attendees, whether maroon or blue, leave the Salt Bowl with memories of exciting plays or excitement for the team that gets to hold the trophy for the next year, but few of them know how much planning and preparation go into the game. The Salt Bowl committee meets year-round, sometimes as early as November. Planning kicks

FROM FOOTBALL PLAYERS TO DRILL TEAM, ROTC, CHEERLEADERS AND BAND MEMBERS, THE EXPERIENCE IS OVERWHELMING AND ONE THEY WILL NEVER FORGET. decided to move to War Memorial in 1999. Before we’d made that decision, I went to the superintendent and said, ‘Here’s the deal. We had 11,000 people at the last game. People were sitting on top of school buses and standing on top of buildings and the fire marshal is having a fit. We have got to move the game.’ The superintendent looked at me and said, ‘Well, if it doesn’t work, we’ll miss you.’”

Gary James, Executive Director of the Benton Chamber and one of the original members of the Salt Bowl committee, remembers the uncertainty associated with hosting the game at War Memorial. “Can you imagine taking that risk of moving the game out of your county, and just having the foresight and vision for everyone to get behind it?” The vision started with a meeting between then Benton Athletic Director, the late Ronnie Kerr, and Mayor Farmer to determine if the game could draw 20,000 people to War Memorial in order to cover the cost of the renting the stadium. That was 21 years ago, and looking back we see that it was a tremendous success, Mayor Farmer got to keep his job, and the Salt Bowl has continued to grow 4 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

into high gear in the spring. The original committee started with just four ambitious people but has grown to over 25. “A lot of people ask me who is on the Salt Bowl committee and I tell them, ‘Anyone who comes to the meetings,’” Shane says.

Everybody has a key role in the event coming together smoothly. But in the end, the Athletic Directors for both schools call the shots, and according to Gary, “We all just support the two schools.” The AD’s handle many of the details no one really thinks about including ticket sales, booth announcers, referees, chain gangs, and pep rallies (and let’s not forget porta-potties), so they attend every Salt Bowl committee meeting to ensure everyone is informed and moving in the same direction.

Each year, the committee challenges itself to add something new. “One of the first big things was Gary’s idea of having the tailgate party on the west side parking lot. The idea was to get the banks and credit unions to partner to buy and cook hot dogs to give away at their own booths. That was the real game-changer; then, having a t-shirt

and a theme each year took it to the next level—but giving out free hot dogs was huge,” recalls Shane.

“It’s a unique sight, cooking 7,000 hot dogs in 100 degree weather. It’s amazing to see the grills from all the banks circled like chuck wagons and a sea of maroon and blue down the line of tailgate tents,” adds Gary.

Seeing families and friends together having fun at the tailgate party is what it’s all about, but according to Shane, it also gives Saline County businesses a chance to be seen. “For many businesses the Salt Bowl is the biggest event for them, as far as having eyes on their company. We created a venue for them to showcase their business.” The tailgate party, organized and directed by Diane Jester, has grown into over 90 vendors each year.

On Salt Bowl day the committee arrives at War Memorial at 8:30 a.m. to start setting up for the event.

“There are a lot of logistics that go into making this happen. Most years if you ask me who won the game, I couldn’t tell you. Organizers never see a play; we are heavy on the experience part of it all,” says Shane, who coordinates everything from booth announcements to flyovers, ensuring that everything goes off without a hitch.

Although many hours of planning go into execution of the event, some years have been more challenging than others. “The year of the hurricane, we were in the stadium offices and it was raining so hard you couldn’t even see the cars two feet in front of you and the hot dog truck pulls up with 7,000 hot dogs. We had forgotten to cancel the hot hogs,” remembers Mayor Farmer. “Two thousand tickets were sold at the gate, in a hurricane, with a flood coming down. That speaks volumes of the event, that people are willing to sit through a hurricane.

We all looked like drowned rats.”

The Salt Bowl committee has overcome many obstacles through the years but they always managed to “monitor and adjust.” “The lightning

IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES AND AS WE LEARN OUR NEW NORMAL, SALT BOWL ORGANIZERS PRESS ON WITH THEIR MAIN PURPOSE OF CREATING A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AND CONTINUING IN THE TRADITION OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. delay last year was challenging. The planes doing the flyover had to circle for over thirty minutes before it was safe to start, and then we had to coordinate the ROTC presentation of the flag and the national anthem with the flyover. That was also the first year with enhanced security,” Shane recalls. “There were eightynine security personnel operating from a central command center at the stadium.” These measures were taken after a fight in the stands at the 2018 Salt Bowl caused mass panic when someone produced a stun gun.

This year’s challenge with the Salt Bowl, as with all areas of our lives, is COVID-19. As of this writing, the future of extracurricular school activities is unclear, but the Salt Bowl committee is moving forward and planning for the game with a new normal. According to the committee, War Memorial management has been a great partner and Stadium Manager Justin Dorsey attends all the Salt Bowl meetings. The stadium will be in charge of executing any social guidelines Governor Hutchinson

should mandate for athletic events.

The committee is certain that there will not be hot dogs served outside the stadium this year, although they are moving forward in planning the tailgate party. “This event is for every resident of Saline County and we will monitor and adjust as needed,” says Mayor Farmer, and “We are going to rebound the next year and the next,” adds Gary. Whether it’s August, September or maybe even next spring, the Salt Bowl committee is determined to make it work.

Someone unfamiliar with the game may ask, “Why?” Why is this game such a big deal? Salt Bowl committee members understand that this event is much more than just a football game.

“What this is really all about is memories. Everyone who participates in some way will get to tell their kids and grandkids that they got to play in front of 30,000 people at War Memorial Stadium. That’s what makes it all worthwhile,” says Shane. The payoff for committee members is seeing how the students react when they walk out on the field for the first time.

From football players to drill team, ROTC, cheerleaders and band members, the experience is overwhelming and one they will never forget. “When you look at attendance, the Salt Bowl ranks right up there with bowl games. This is the largest crowd a lot of those kids will ever get to perform for,” states Gary. “It’s fun to see everyone who goes onto that field…they look around wide-eyed.

It’s a life-changing experience for

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 5

everyone there,” Farmer interjects.

In addition to creating lifelong memories for students, the Salt Bowl also gives back to the community through local charities. The committee included charities the very first year with a blood drive in honor of now Benton Athletic Director Scott Neathery, who battled leukemia.

The Arkansas Food Bank is another organization that has benefited from the Salt Bowl through its enormously successful peanut butter drive.

Emily Gassman, Communications Director of the Arkansas Food Bank, (formerly rice depot), says the annual peanut butter drive goes a long way as a protein source and one of the top needed shelf items in local Saline County pantries and schools. “Thanks to the partnership of our local Big Red gas stations and our locally distributed Skippy peanut butter, we can rest assured our local schools and community pantries are stocked with the precious commodity.”

This year Goodwill Industries of Arkansas approached the Salt Bowl committee to be a part of this widereaching initiative. “There will be a donation drive at the Benton and Bryant stores. The district who donates the most will receive a financial award before kickoff to use in whatever way best serves a particular school or the district as a whole,” says Kerrie Nettles, Public Relations and Communications Manager at Goodwill Arkansas.

Salt Bowl committee members agree, “That’s what makes this work…we’re all family. Twenty years of the Salt Bowl have built a strong bond and unity among blue and maroon.” Carolyn Buckner

6 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

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Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 7

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8 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

URBAN

Lifestyle

WEATHER WATCH The Atmosphere: Our Bubble of Protection

By Ed Buckner, THV11 Chief Meteorologist

When I talk to young school children on my “WeatherEDucation” tours, I always start by teaching them about the atmosphere. The lowest part of the atmosphere is called the troposphere. This is where all weather happens, and is the air around us.

The Earth’s atmosphere is like a protective blanket. It protects us from large amounts of ultraviolet radiation from the sun, helps keep the Earth’s surface warm via the greenhouse effect, and reduces temperature extremes between day and night.

While we can’t always control the air around us, we can observe it by measuring its temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind direction and wind speed. These data, collected by weather balloons, satellites and aircraft, go into a supercomputer that puts out a forecast for hours and days into the future.

Our atmosphere is fragile. The Earth’s surface temperatures are rising rapidly.

Over the past 100 years, our average temperature has warmed almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the largest increase in the shortest amount of time that scientists know about. The industrial revolution of the past 120 years may be to blame for our climate change.

The burning of fossil fuels, such as natural gas, coal and oil has added large amounts of carbon dioxide to our atmosphere, causing increasing temperatures and ozone layer depletion.

Our quilt of protection is not as strong as it once was, and abnormal weather patterns seem to dominate the headlines

more frequently. For instance, in late June, Siberia, one of the coldest places on Earth, hit a recording breaking 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I would say that shatters our paradigm of “normal.”

The evolution of mankind revolves around what we do and the consequences of our choices and the effects of an imperfect world. This year of 2020 has been, for most of us, a game changer. The global pandemic has changed the things we do and are not allowed to do, forcing us to rethink what we all knew as normal.

As a result, we now must control our own 6 feet of atmosphere, or “air around us.” Public gatherings do not have the same “atmosphere” as they once did. Everything is different now.

Restaurants, banking, medical procedures and especially sporting events are just a few of changes the COVID-19 pandemic has altered, forcing us into change.

Whatever the new normal means to you, I think we should make the best of it. We still cheer, we still root, we still live and try to create fun memories and special times with those we love.

Even though the Panther maroon and the Hornet blue will be spread across the stands six feet apart, we still will support our teams, community, family and friends.

The global pandemic has changed the things we do and are not allowed to do, forcing us to rethink what we all knew as normal.

It’s up to all of us to do our part to be safe and help protect each other while we go through these strange times. The decision is ours to make.

Maybe we can all learn that our atmosphere—both as it pertains to weather, and to the “air around us”— is exactly what we make of it.

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 9

10 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

There’s an age-old saying in football: “Defense wins championships.”

It was true for the 1985 Chicago Bears (Super Bowl XX), the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (Super Bowl XXV) and for almost all of Alabama’s 17 national titles.

That same principle also applies to the back-to-back 7A state champion Bryant Hornets, with a lot of the credit going to third year defensive coordinator/ defensive backs coach Quad Sanders.

“Quad is everything I believed he could be,” Bryant Head Coach Buck James said.

“He came in behind Darrell Burnett, who had done a great job with our players and made a real impression on them.

(Burnett) went on to be the head coach in Hot Springs in 2018, and may be one of the best young coaches in Arkansas.”

Burnett’s departure in 2018 left James with a big hole to fill quickly, and if not for a chance meeting years earlier, he and Sanders may have missed one another altogether.

“I was coaching at UAM and recruiting a number of players at Camden-Fairview where Coach James was head coach,” Sanders said.

“Between meetings, we started talking about football. It wasn’t serious, but

afterward, I saved his phone number.”

James remembered that meeting, too, and when he began his search for a new coordinator, he was happy to see that Sanders applied for the position, which would be his first as a coordinator.

“I thought, ‘This may be too good to be true,’” James said.

“During his interview, he had all the answers,” James said.

“Speaking with the board, we threw every possible scenario at him, and he was able to provide us the answers we believed fit our program.

Our philosophies lined up perfectly, but I was most impressed by his demeanor. I thought he was the ideal fit for our staff, our community and, most importantly, our athletes.”

Like many coaches, Quad Sanders’s path to Bryant was far from a straight line. A native of Grenada, Mississippi, he played at UCA and remained on staff as a graduate assistant when his career ended.

From there, he almost gave up on football in pursuit of a different line of work. “Before my first coaching job, I was on my way to sign up for the police academy,” he said.

That trip was diverted after a call from McPherson College in Kansas and an offer to join the coaching staff. “The coach called and offered me $15,000 a year to join his staff, and I was thrilled to take it.”

Sanders was later hired at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, an area he remembers fondly as, “the third coldest place in the U.S.” From there, he was hired at UAM, where he coached the defensive line Photo by Rick Nation Photography

T E A M W O R K I S Better.

Hometown traditions bring us together. In Bryant, that means friends, family and fans coming together under Friday night lights to cheer on their favorite players. We’ll celebrate when they win. And when they don’t? We’ll support them even more – just like we do for each other. Here’s to team Arkansas.

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Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 11

for three years and would later have that chance meeting with James.

“I’ve been fortunate to be around a lot of coaches who do things the right way, but I have never worked around someone who runs his team and staff the way Coach James does,” Sanders said. “The discipline and commitment he puts into this program, his belief in doing things the right way and getting his players to do things the right way, that is the real difference. He puts the faith in his coaches to do what they do best, and he trusts us to get the job done.”

Upon joining the Hornets’ staff in 2018, one of the first things that caught Coach James’ eye regarding Sanders was how he connected with the players, something that’s not always easy to do.

“We had been playing seven-on-seven games all summer, and we were preparing for a tournament in North Carolina,” James said. “He really didn’t do much.

He mainly watched how our players interacted on and off the field and offered a few suggestions throughout the week.

“He wasn’t in a big hurry to tell us everything he knew and come in guns blazing. He was able to sit with the players and hang up the whistle. He was himself, and the group really came together as they just talked and laughed.

He really enjoyed that trip, serving as a coach, mentor and friend of those kids.”

The Hornets went 11-2 in 2018 and claimed the 7A Championship after a 27-7 win over North Little Rock. “What an exciting moment,” Sanders said. “To see that hard work pay off for those players in that first title run was something special.”

Bryant followed that season, going undefeated in 2019 and defending their state crown with another win over North Little Rock. For the year, the Bryant defense shut out three opponents, allowed only one touchdown against three (including in its 21-7 title win over NLR) and never allowed more than 21 points in a game.

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That’s a pretty good result for a coach in his very first defensive coordinator role, and Sanders says he’s still growing as a student of the game.

“I want to learn everything I can from Coach James before trying to move on to be a head coach,” he said.

“There are so many coaches here I can learn so much from, I just want to learn everything that I can. I’m living the dream.”  Charles Crowson 12 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 13

14 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Life during a global pandemic has taught many of us that patience and mental toughness are key factors to survival. At the same time, there is a certain strength and resolve required simply to turn on the news and process the latest health advice, social distancing regulations and the many questions about how long quarantine will last. While the Bryant Hornets prepare for the Salt Bowl in the midst of this unprecedented time, there are more questions than answers about the upcoming football season. Yet despite the multitude of unknowns, the Hornets are staying strong physically and mentally, thanks to their Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Jordan, a Saline County native with a rich football history.

While his career path has led him to the Hornets organization, Coach Jordan actually grew up in Benton, where he spent his high school years playing quarterback, wide receiver and on special teams returning kickoffs for the Panthers from 1995-1999.

It was during those years that he developed his deep love for strength training and overall conditioning, and unbeknownst to him at the time, was preparing for his future career with student athletes. Shares Coach Jordan, “When I was playing in high school, I tore my ACL, and at that time I had to make my comeback on my own.

This is where my love of training and sports performance was born.”

“Benton has always been a successful football team,” said Jordan. “So being a part of it was a huge honor. I feel like the lifelong relationships I developed have been a gift. I’m still close friends with many of my teammates today.”

“I was raised in Benton, and Saline County is home—my family is here,” Jordan said. “I’ve lived away, and while I was gone I always wanted to

be back home. I’m so grateful to live and work in a place where people are so great, and everyone feels welcome.

It’s incredibly hard to find a role like the one I have at Bryant, and I am so grateful to be a part of this program. Bryant is big-time football, and I enjoy watching the success.”

Despite his current role, there was a fair amount of grit and perseverance on his part to land his current job with

every single player has returned to be a part of the program, despite all the time off. I personally believe this indicates how much they respect the football program and want to succeed this year, despite the unknowns.”

Coach Jordan believes that Bryant is well positioned for success because they have been willing to train hard during the pandemic. “The athletes that have been on the team for several

“I WANT THEM TO EXPERIENCE GREAT SUCCESS AND REMAIN INJURY-FREE. WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PLAYERS ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM, AND THEY MUST REMAIN HEALTHY IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.” Bryant School District. Says Jordan, “I worked with the Hornets football team as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach, while working a full-time job at D-1 in Little Rock. I volunteered for quite some time before my role became a full-time position.

The role I have in the Bryant School District is so rare, and I feel so lucky, too, that Bryant made the decision to take care of their student athletes by focusing on strength and conditioning.

I believe every top-tier athletic program in Arkansas should follow their lead.”

It is the same attitude of grit and determination that yielded Coach Jordan his current role that he sees the Bryant Hornets displaying now, despite the many unknowns of the upcoming season. When the school year abruptly ended on March 13, he began providing student athletes home workout guides, asking them to be creative during this downtime.

Currently, the team is allowed to work out on campus in small groups, maintaining social distance, starting at 5:15 a.m. three days a week. Says Coach Jordan, “I’m so impressed that

years—especially the seniors—are expected to set an example for the younger classmen and teach them the ‘212 mentality.’ This is the point where water boils, and is a great example of how we stay focused on working hard for a winning season. Our seniors do a fantastic job of living this out day-to-day.”

While the Hornets gear up for what could be an incredibly special season, Coach Jordan remains focused on the student athletes. He says, “I want them to experience great success and remain injury-free. We have high expectations for the players on the football team, and they must remain healthy in order to be successful.”

Regardless of the outcome of the Salt Bowl, all will consider it a major victory to simply walk onto the field to play the game. Saline County can witness its student athletes’ choosing to grow their mental and physical strength in the midst of the COVID-19 conflict; confident in the grit, determination and perseverance they are developing. And that should make any community proud.  Carrie Amox

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 15

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Dear Friends Football season means fall is around the corner. School starts back.

And everyone settles into a routine.

This year, however; has been anything but routine.

In March, dental offices in the state of Arkansas were encouraged to close down for anything other than extreme urgent care.

For the most part, our office was out of work for nine weeks.

We were grateful to have safely returned in late May. The week prior to seeing patients, I held a team meeting.

I asked everyone to share some truths they learned during time away from patients.

My staff had excellent takeaways.

And I want to share three with you.

In those early days of quarantine, it rained. A lot.

I was inside with my wife and three boys.

We worked puzzles, we folded paper airplanes, we did yard work.

When the sun finally came out, I noticed all our spirits lifted.

We played basketball, we walked the neighborhood, we rode bikes.

It was then I realized the importance of always seeking pleasure in the small things.

In times of uncertainty, it seems our first response is to care for ourselves and worry about our wellbeing. We seem to turn inward when our future is uncertain. The threat of losing our income, our health, our employment is heavy. The trick, I think, is remembering and finding the sense of togetherness in this community.

In three words, love your neighbor, especially during challenging times.

And finally, maybe the most important point, make the most of each day.

Doing something big and grand daily isn’t necessary and probably not even possible. Fully living in each moment and taking nothing for granted is important.

The mundane moments of today will become the things 80 year old me will miss the most.

While 2020 has had its share of uncertainty, we all look forward to the return of normalcy. In the words of the late Warren Zevon, “Just enjoy every sandwich.”

And don’t forget to floss.

Dr. Clint Fulks, DDS

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 17

Heather Jolly is one of three athletic trainers for Bryant High School Athletics through a partnership with OrthoArkansas and the Bryant School District. More than 130 Bryant High School Hornet football players lovingly call her, “Mom.” Both on and off the field, it’s Heather’s job to keep her student athletes safe. From conditioning them through pre-season workouts to rehabilitating injured players,

18 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Heather explains, “My students all call me mom. I try to take care of every scrape, boo-boo and piece of broken equipment.”

For Heather, the ties she feels toward the students are mutual.

“I love working in an athletic environment,” explains Heather.

“Everyone is goal-oriented, focused and driven. To watch them achieve their goals and watch everybody celebrate together is awesome!”

Heather knows all too well the support an athletic trainer can provide. As a student athlete growing up in McCrory, she played basketball, softball and volleyball.

After tearing her ACL, the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee, she faced a hard road to recovery. “Back then, I didn’t know anything about athletic training,” says Heather. “I think I would have enjoyed having the guidance; I would have made the decision to become a trainer sooner.”

By the time Heather graduated, she knew she wanted a career in the medical field. “I went to college and

got my basics, and learned more about sports medicine—it was interesting to me,” said Heather. “I dove in and it wasn’t anything I expected.” But she was hooked. After receiving her MBA with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration, Heather received her certification and licensure to practice as an athletic trainer in 2015.

Before joining OrthoArkansas, Heather was a bit hesitant to train in a high school setting.

Following graduation, she and her husband moved out of state where Heather worked as an athletic trainer at a local university.

“It means everything to work with this group of kids,” says Heather. Bryant High School has celebrated winning the 7A State Championship the past two years. “I had a really good job working outof-state and I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy working at a high school.

But we have a great relationship with our coaches. They listen and work with me, and thankfully, they trust me to let me do my job!”

In March, life changed completely with the onset of the COVID-19. The pandemic forced everyone to shelter in place. As students stayed home and the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year was canceled, Heather faced the challenge of working with her students remotely while being pregnant with her first child.

“I was very pregnant and couldn’t do the exercises with them,” explains Heather. “I would send text messages to them with videos on how to do the rehabilitation exercise, and I would walk them through to see if they had any discomfort.”

Heather admits, at times, it’s hard to see just how much of an impact you are having on your students when you aren’t working face-to-face.

She explained she would guide her students through this process and encourage them to stay motivated to continue their exercises.

Becoming a new parent is a lifechanging adventure, but Heather and her husband welcomed their son into the world only two

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 19

months ago at Saline Memorial Hospital during a pandemic.

“Being a first-time mom, it’s a whole new job,” explains Heather. “Our nurses were great! Only my husband was allowed to be there. My mom stayed in the parking lot until our son was born. It’s been nice to bond with our child and I’m grateful my husband was able to be home for six weeks.”

BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD, IT’S HEATHER’S JOB TO KEEP HER STUDENT ATHLETES SAFE. For Heather, the Bryant Hornets Football team feels like family. “These coaches and students have taken me in,” said Heather. “They truly care about me. It was just—it was unexpected how much they care for a pregnant lady. As soon the students found out, I was not allowed to touch anything. The students asked, ‘Are you going to raise a two hundred twelvepound Hornet football player?’”

These days, pre-season workouts look different for the 2020-2021 team. “We are blessed to have an indoor facility and weight room,” Heather explains. “Everyone is in small groups twelve feet apart.

Once someone touches equipment it’s immediately wiped down. They are wearing masks as they enter the building, and outdoors, too.”

“Heather’s knowledge of her craft, coupled with her decision-making and communication style, allows for her to perform as a rising star in the athletic training world,” says Mike Lee, Athletic Director of the Bryant School District. “Heather has a heart for kids and she exhibits this quality everyday she is on the job here in Bryant.”

Heather and the athletic department are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

She continues to look out for her students on and off the field. Coaches, students and Hornet fans alike are cautiously optimistic they will safely play football this fall.  Ashley Leopoulos 20 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Feeling SALTY? SUPPORT OUR LOCALS AT THE SALT BOWL!

At Relyance Bank, we not only pass the salt, we shake it. Come shake it up with the locals and support our community. Relyance Bank looks to celebrate a win with Saline County at the 2020 Salt Bowl.

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Relybank.com Member FDIC Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 21

FAMILY

Lifestyle

FAITH FOCUS Come Together

By Doug Pruitt, Lead Pastor, Midtowne Church

Pandemic. Quarantine. National emergency. Things we never thought we would hear in our community.

Yet this has become our reality.

And then, add to that protests, riots, and unrest. So now we have problems on top of problems.

We are dealing with issues that have divided us not only politically and philosophically but literally, physically as well. It’s time for us to come together. And what better way to do that than with football? Football, like most team sports, is a beautiful picture of what our world needs.

Without togetherness, teams fail. If the individuals on the team decide to do their own thing, not only will the team fail, but the individual (while possibly enjoying a brief period of recognition) will ultimately fail as well.

Without togetherness, fans are not fulfilled. If you are in the stands alone, you not only have that awkwardness of being singled out, you also won’t be nearly as effective as hundreds, even thousands, of voices cheering for your team.

Without togetherness, the band is just noise. We have the best bands in the state here in Saline County.

But let’s face it: if each individual in

the band plays a different melody, you don’t have a tune, you have a tragedy. And even if each individual section plays together, the trumpets may be the loudest, but the band as a whole is just making a racket.

Togetherness is essential for teams and communities. I’m proud to be a member of this community. It took me a long time to get here, but I hope I never leave. Our community is growing fast, and one reason is that people want community. We all want and need togetherness. We were created for it. We are lost without it.

And we should work to preserve it.

In John 17, we read a prayer that Jesus prayed just hours before he was nailed to a cross and killed for the sins of the world. You would think in that moment, in those hours of agony, knowing what was coming, that He would have prayed for Himself. But He didn’t. He prayed for you and me. He prayed for all people who would ever put their faith in Him. And the thing that He prayed for is astounding. It’s as if He knew that 2020 was going to happen, and we would be divided like we are (And of course, He did know). Jesus prayed that His people would have unity, that we would come together.

22 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the World will believe you sent me.” John 17:21 NLT Why would Jesus pray that for us?

Because He knew that the only way we would get through the problems and pressures, the struggles and stressors of this crazy time in our lives, is if we all came together through Him. He gave an example of togetherness by living His life in unity with His Heavenly Father and by showing the first disciples how to come together in order to change the world.

Sounds pretty crazy, doesn’t it, twelve guys and a Rabbi trying to change the entire world? But it happened, and the churches in our community are proof and witnesses of the success of Jesus’ mission.

And now it’s up to us. Let’s come together. Let’s join forces to protect and preserve the community that exists in Saline County. Be kind and patient (even when people don’t use their turn signal). Love your neighbors. Support local businesses. And whether it’s on the field, in the stadium, or on your street, we can show the rest of the world the power of togetherness. 

WORSHIP WITH US PLEASE VISIT FBCBENTON.ORG FOR UPDATED SERVICE TIMES DURING THE COVID-19 RECOVERY

CONNECT WITH US Connect with us online for information about upcoming events and discipleship opportunities.

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Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 23

24 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

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FAMILY

Lifestyle

WHAT’S YOUR SCORE?

By: Justin S. Elrod, Certified Elder Law Attorney, The Elrod Firm So many families think they have things all figured out when it comes to estate planning. Many think they know what they need to know, have done what they need to do, and have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, that’s just not true.

If you were put to the test, what would be your estate planning score?

For these guys, the news is not good.

Take Blake for example. He has a beautiful wife, two great kids, an amazing house…but no estate plan. But he’s young! He thinks, what’s the worst that could happen? Estate planning is for old people. I’ll deal with it then.

Blake gets a zero. Nothing could be worse than an outright failure to plan! Some people put off estate planning, even though they know they shouldn’t, because they think it’s too complicated or too expensive.

But this guy is worse—he puts off planning because he thinks it’s unnecessary, and he’s putting his family at risk. Don’t be like Blake.

Consider Jenny. She is retired and

financially secure, but she’s blissfully ignorant. She thinks she has her legal affairs in order—but she’s wrong.

Her entire estate plan is based on a last will and testament. She has no idea that a will is not going to keep her estate out of probate court. In her case, probate will be extremely expensive and will take forever. I’d give Jenny a two. She has a plan, but for her situation it is the wrong plan!

Then there’s Scott. He thinks he’s ahead of everyone. He is financially secure, like Jenny, and appears to be prepared for the future (at least on paper). He has an estate plan. He even has a trust. He knew enough to realize that a will does not keep an estate out of probate court, but a trust can.

What he doesn’t realize, though, is the importance of funding his trust.

He never did anything to title his assets correctly so that his trust would work for him and his family. Like Jenny, he is headed towards probate court, despite the fact that he has a trust. Scott beats Jenny; he gets a three, but without some work he still has a plan that is destined to fail!

We all have different priorities and

26 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Most of all, we strive to ensure that no one we come into contact with fails to plan, gets stuck with the wrong plan, or winds up with a plan that is destined to fail. different reasons for planning, but everyone needs a plan. We work with clients looking for very simple plans designed primarily to protect young children or to just steer clear of probate court. We also work with clients looking for more complex plans designed to protect qualified retirement money, look out for disabled heirs, or shelter assets against the rising costs of long-term care. Most of all, we strive to ensure that no one we come into contact with fails to plan, gets stuck with the wrong plan, or winds up with a plan that is destined to fail.

If you want to get a better

FAMILY

Lifestyles

planning score than Blake, Jenny, and Scott, your plan has to at least deal with these three things: 1. Your plan must allow someone to make important decisions for you (financial and healthcare) while you are living, in case you can’t handle those decisions yourself. This involves setting up power of attorney documents and healthcare directives.

2. Your plan must outline who gets what, and how, when you die, with particular attention to detail if you have minor children.

3. Your plan must use the right documents (often a trust) in the right way (with proper funding) to stay out of probate court.

Your specific circumstances might mean your plan needs to go far beyond these three key considerations— they are just starting points. But no plan will get a good score without addressing these three keys in a professional and thoughtful way. 

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 27

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We can even place them on hold for you.

We can also make lists for audiobooks.

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Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 29

BRYANT Bryant Coach Buck James knows he has an abundance of talent on his football team.

The problem is evaluating that talent and formulating a depth chart at each position.

Photo by Rick Nation Photography

The Hornets, who are riding an 18-game winning streak, are gunning for a third straight Class 7A State Championship.

Holes need to be filled from last year’s talented, undefeated team and James had planned on finding candidates to fill those spots during the spring and summer. COVID-19 put an end to that with an 11-week hiatus. The Hornets began individual summer workouts June 1, but per Governor Asa Hutchinson’s mandate still weren’t able to have contact drills into July.

“We haven’t run a football play since the State Championship game last December,” James said.

“It’s hard to evaluate kids when you can’t see them play.”

James and his staff have spent the summer running 155 players through conditioning workouts ensuring the players are in shape once the clearance for full contact comes. Several different groups begin showing up for workouts at 5:30 a.m. and rotate through to help with social distancing until 11 a.m.

“We gave them workouts to do during the 11 weeks, and some were able to do them and some weren’t,” James said. “When they came back, it was like the old days of two-a-days.

It was rough. Even for the guys who had done some things, it was tough.”

James is hopeful once full practice begins he can blend a group of 45 seniors, some of whom were starters and rotated in the lineup, with a sophomore class that went undefeated in junior high in 2019.

30 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

“We have a lot of very talented young guys who could be key contributors on Friday nights,” James said. “We are known for reloading instead of rebuilding, and that is what every coach wants to happen.

We have 50 sophomores who haven’t practiced at the high school level.”

Record-setting all-state senior quarterback Austin Ledbetter (6-2, 200), a University of Arkansas baseball commit, returns with an eye on playing in his third-straight state title game.

“He had the best year of any quarterback in school history,” James said. “He is a smart guy and could start at middle linebacker for us—he’s that type of hard-nosed leader. He has all of the intangibles and is a coach’s dream.”

Junior Carson Burnett (6-1, 175) was the junior varsity starter a year ago and will back up Ledbetter.

Sophomore Cory Nichols (5-10, 170) has already caught the attention of some college scouts as a dual-threat QB after dominating in junior high.

James said Nichols will most likely see the field this season as a slot receiver.

Last fall, senior running back Tanner Anderson (5-10, 205) shared carries with former Hornet running back Ahmad Adams, who signed with Arkansas State. In 2020, a faster Anderson will be the Hornets’ featured back.

“He is poised for a heck of a year,” James said. “He runs with an attitude, and he is one of the better running backs in the state. He can line up in the slot and runs well in space.

He’s got a great work ethic, and he is just set up for a good year.”

Classmate Xavier Foote (5-9, 205) showed his explosiveness last season even with limited touches. “When he ran the ball, he always ran tough with good vision, and he catches the ball well. He brings a lot to the backfield. He allows us to move Tanner to wide receiver if we want to.”

TEAM PREVIEW

Senior transfer Jamuarien Bracy (6-3, 220) only makes the Bryant backfield deeper. Bracy, the son of former Arkansas State star running back Shemar Bracy, has starred at Rison High School the past two seasons before transferring to Bryant. Bracy (4.6 speed) could also play linebacker, James added.

“All three could be as good as anyone we have had since I have been here, much less in school history, and that is saying a mouthful,” James said.

“All three could be the bell cow.”

The receiving corps boasts experience and talent.

Senior Hayden Schrader (6-2, 195) racked up more than 60 catches and 1,000 yards in 2019. Schrader is versatile enough to line up at receiver or tight end.

“He is a hard worker and has changed his body since last year, getting faster,” James said. “He is a key cog in everything we do from the passing game to running with his blocking ability.”

Senior Braden Robinson (6-1, 190) will also see snaps at tight end and H-back after working at linebacker. James said Robinson is also a special teams standout.

James is looking for three-year starter River Gregory (5-8, 155) to break out this season. James said Gregory is capable of filling the role departed senior Jake Meaders filled as one of the team’s go-to options last year.

“He is a fearless guy with tremendous speed who can really run,” James said. “We need him to step up and be the player we know he can be.”

Senior Joe Young (6-0, 185) is one of the faster Hornets with 4.5 speed and owns big-play capability with a 23-yard per catch average in 2019.

Senior Clay Curtis (6-3, 170) brings versatility to the group with his height, which allows him to play tight end.

“He can play all four positions and catches the ball extremely well.”

Last year at this time, James was

trying to fill offensive line spots.

Two sophomores, Will Diggins (65, 270) and Brooks Edmonson (6-5, 275), stepped up as starting tackles.

After taking time to adjust to the 7A trenches, the duo became a force.

“They got their butts torn up, but by the end of the year they were wearing everyone out,” James said. “They passed the test and did a great job.

We expect a lot out of them this year as juniors.” James said both juniors are NCAA Division I prospects.

Senior center Jack Powell (6-1, 245) started three games last fall, including a playoff win against Fayetteville.

“He is a good leverage guy and has a knack for being between his guy and the ball carrier. He has really worked hard on getting bigger and stronger. He will really be a good player for us.”

Senior kicker Brock Funk (5-10, 170) has come a long way since he reported as a ninth grader weighing 110 pounds.

Funk broke a school record for extrapoints made last season and only missed two tries. James is confident in Funk’s range from 50 yards and in and is very pleased with his kickoffs that allowed a vicious cover team to smother opponents.

“He works as hard as any of our offensive or defensive linemen in the weight room and put on 60 pounds,” James said. “He is one of our MVPS with how he can put kickoffs where we need them and our confidence in him—we know anytime we pass the 40 we are in range.”

The defense set the tone for the team a season ago, but this year’s unit includes many unproved players.

Senior Rodricho Martin (6-3, 235) started every game at end last season and James expects him to be the leader of the unit. “He is a hard worker who played well for us last year,” James said.

Senior Brayden Godwin (6-2, 230) moved from linebacker to end last season and took to it “like a fish to water.”

Godwin gained weight in the offseason and James said he “has a chance to be an every-snap starter” opposite of Martin.

Senior Jimyle Harris (6-0, 290) saw significant snaps inside last season and could start in 2020. “He’s a big body and brings a lot of energy and ferocity.

He is one of our run stoppers.”

Senior Malachi Carey (6-1, 230) tore the ACL in his knee as a sophomore and spent his junior season attempting to recover. James is impressed with his athleticism.

Senior Myles Aldridge (6-2, 240) leads the linebacker corps. James said Aldridge (4.5 speed) “runs like a wideout” but is physical enough to play at either of the defensive line positions, and will fill the middle linebacker spot this season. Aldridge has several NCAA Division II scholarship offers but James is convinced he is “a bigtime Division I football player.”

Senior Kevin Taylor (5-9, 175) is a standout wrestler and his ability to fill in during passing situations is invaluable on the outside.

Senior Austin Schroeder (5-11, 170) moved from backup quarterback to the secondary and was a constant at free safety for the Hornets. “He is a good tackler, and he is always doing what he is supposed to do and being where he is supposed to be. He is a great leader.”

Senior Noah Davis (5-5, 150) started two games at defensive back before he broke his leg a year ago. James admires his toughness and said he can play linebacker but will be on the field somewhere.

Senior Kyle Knox (6-0, 182) has started on and off since he was a sophomore at safety and linebacker. He could find a home at cornerback this season. Knox has received several NCAA DII offers.

Laquav Brumfield (6-2, 175) impresses James with his “Division I ability,” but the coach would like to see the talented Brumfield bring more consistency to his cornerback reps.  Nate Olson

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 31

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Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 33

TALE OF THE TAPE 2019 (SB 20)

42

14

2018 (SB 19) 2017 (SB 18) 2016 (SB 17) 2015 (SB 16) 2014 (SB 15)

28 49 7 13 14

14 42 10 37 14

2013 (SB 14) 28 2012 (SB 13) 21 2011 (SB 12) 14 2010 (SB 11) 9 2009 (SB 10) 7

45 55 21 45 38

2008 (SB 9) 2007 (SB 8) 2006 (SB 7) 2005 (Playoffs) 2005 (SB 6)

34 • Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

12 7 7 35 14

36 25 20 28 7

2004 (SB 5) 2003 (SB 4) 2002 (SB 3) 2001 (SB 2) 2000 (SB 1)

2 34 13 23 17

10 34 16 28 44

1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

7 17 14 14 12

42 14 10 0 7

1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

35 48 32 10 36

12 14 7 0 0

1989 1988 1987 1986 1985

21 21 35 12 7

0 7 7 0 14

1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

17 29 30 17 28

32 20 10 0 7

1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974

21 0 42 28 10 28

0 3 0 7 0 0

Saline County Lifestyles • 13th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 35