7 minute read
SPORTS .........................................PGS
Sisters Jinnae and Kennedy Williams have played basketball since 2nd and 1st grade, respectively. Their love of the game stems from bonding with their dad through the sport. What started as a hobby at the Campo YMCA courts for the girls, has now morphed into a player/ coach relationship that has forged a rapport beyond the game.
Jinnae, 16, is currently a junior at Newsome High School and a three-year player for the varsity Lady Wolves basketball team. She is a superb student, maintaining a 4.0+ GPA, while taking a heavy load of honors courses and participating in AVID and Rho Kappa clubs. She averages 5.7 points per game for the Lady Wolves.
Her younger sister, Kennedy, 12, has played basketball for two seasons at Barrington Middle School. The 7th-grader is an honors student as well. Both sisters play for The Compound travel ball organization in diferent age groups.
The two have always bonded over basketball, but an opportunity came about for Jinnae that would evolve the relationship to another level, as player and coach. Jinnae was appointed by administration as head girls basketball coach of her alma mater, Barrington Middle School, where she played basketball for three seasons. She was also an assistant coach for the middle school for three years before she took over head coaching responsibilities.
“I am grateful that Ms. Clayton and Ms. Rappleyea of Barrington believed in me and gave me the opportunity to coach the team,” said Jinnae. “This was a wonderful opportunity to be able to enjoy the game I love from a diferent perspective.”
Kennedy asked her sister to consider taking the job when it became available because she felt like she would be a great fit to lead the team. Jinnae found the time to help her sister and her teammates become better while honoring her commitments to her high school team and taking honors courses. Jinnae has been coaching Kennedy her whole life, and admits that she is hard on her because she knows the potential that her sister has.
“One of the first things she taught me was to dribble between my legs and behind my back,” said Kennedy. “When I was younger she made me sit on the front of a power wheel and practice dribbling back and forth behind my legs and now I can do it naturally.”
On some days Jinnae would practice with the Lady Wolves in the morning before school, and after school, go right to the middle school to help the team practice. If she had a high school game on the same night that Barrington played, she would leave instructions with a starting lineup and a game-plan with plays on it for the AP filling in for her. Barrington finished with a better record this season than the previous one. “I liked that she was hard on us, but still patient and understanding that we are still learning the game,” said Kennedy. “The dynamic was diferent because I never thought she would be my coach. She always helps me at home, but coaching made her my boss which was weird at first.”
Jinnae and Kennedy continue to work together to achieve their goals. Kennedy looks to take on more of a leadership role as an 8th grader next season, while being more confident in her abilities. She would like to average at least eight points per game and play great defense. Now that the middle school season is over, Jinnae can focus her eforts on helping her high school team finish the season strong.
“My ultimate goal for the high school season is to win a district championship and to be ranked for assists and/or three-pointers,” said Jinnae. “My goal for coaching next year is to win the Cluster Championship.”
Jinnae has been coaching Kennedy her whole life, and admits that she is hard on her because she knows the potential that her sister has. (Photo credit: Keona Williams) Jinnae averages 5.7 points per game for the Lady Wolves. (Photo credit: Keona Williams)
Photos courtesy of the JRFFCCR
JUNE ROGERS MEMORIAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT HELPS RAISE FUNDS FOR MOFFITT
June Rogers was an inspiration to so many people throughout her life, and especially during her bout with stage four colon cancer. She was diagnosed with the disease four years ago and underwent chemotherapy throughout the rest of her life.
While Rogers lost her battle with colon cancer in September, her legacy will live on through the June Rogers Foundation for Colon Cancer Research (JRFFCCR), which was started by seven of her friends in her honor. The JRFFCCR is partnering with Moffitt Cancer Center to be the recipient of the proceeds from the inaugural June Rogers Memorial Tennis Tournament that will take place from Saturday to Sunday, April 23-24. The goal is to raise a minimum of $100,000 to start the fund. All proceeds from the annual tournament will be directed entirely to this fund in support of colorectal cancer research projects selected by the JRFFCCR.
In 1974, 9-year-old Rogers emigrated with her family from Thailand to the United States, where she taught herself English. She graduated from East Bay High School, where she played on the tennis team. She later graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Business Administration.
Rogers was a pillar of her community. She was a manager with the Outback Restaurant Group in both Florida and Georgia. Many people knew her from her restaurant, Simply Thai, in Brandon that she and her husband, Brian Smith, started in 1998 and owned for 11 years. The restaurant flourished until it was sold in 2010.
Rogers was an excellent tennis player who played at tennis clubs all across the Tampa area but called River Hills Country Club home. She battled on the court while she battled for her life, winning matches while she received chemotherapy treatment. She helped lead her team to United States Tennis Association (USTA) Nationals, but sadly passed away before she was able to achieve her dream of playing at the event. Her friends Melanie Skinner and Allison Townsend remarked that Rogers never complained about her situation and always had a smile on her face, even while not feeling well. She had a great sense of humor and insisted that they go out to lunch after her matches.
“She was a true friend,” said Townsend. “There are not a lot of people that you can call your true friend. You could count on her to be honest, straightforward—if you needed anything, she was there for you. She made me realize that you can be on this earth and be graceful and true and hardworking and determined, even with the odds that she faced. She fought until the end.”
Rogers never gave up, even when doctors told her that there was nothing further that they could do to help her. She wanted to do everything possible to keep fighting, receiving chemo until her body could not handle it anymore. She even wanted to pursue any experimental treatment that was available during her final months. “I miss her every single day,” said Skinner. “She was one of the most generous people that I’ve ever met. She was the kind of person that everybody should strive to be like.” The fund will be established to solely support the gastrointestinal oncology program at Moftt, with oversight provided by Program Chair Dr. Jason Fleming. The current project selected by the JRFFCCR is “Harnessing the Immune System in the Fight Against Colorectal Cancer.”
Registration for the women’s tournament begins on February 1. Sponsorships are still available. It takes place from April 23-24 at the River Hills Country Club in Valrico. The event is open to the public, with food and drink available. Several items will be auctioned of, including a five-day trip to Scotland to stay in a castle and play golf, and two vintage Napa Valley wines.
To register or for tournament sponsorship opportunities and donations, visit https://tinyurl.com/jrfccr.
June Rogers was an inspiration to so many people throughout her life and especially during her bout with stage four colon cancer. June Rogers with her River Hills tennis teammates at lunch.
