Coach Simmons retires

AD, coach Guy Simmons retires

After 12 years on Richland Campus, Guy Simmons, athletic director and head coach of the baseball team, has retired.

Simmons said the decision to step away from the Richland athletic department is due to family issues, but he also wants to find new paths in his life.

“From now until January, I’m just going to travel and see if I like it and then if I’m bored or at the end of those four, five months, then I will try to find something else to do,” Simmons said.

The first stop on Simmons’ traveling adventure is a seven-day cruise around Canada and then he is coming back to the U.S. to watch a Boston Red Sox game in Boston. After that he plans to visit his family-in-law in Louisiana.

Pensacola, Florida, will be Simmons stop Staff Photo Blanca Reyes in October. He will attend the National High School Baseball Coaches Associations ConvenAfter 12 years, Guy Simmons is retiring as athletic director and baseball head coach. tion in Fort Myers, Florida, in December.

Simmons said he will finish his traveling In 2012, Simmons became the athletic adventure attending the American Baseball director. Coaches Association January in Nashville, Baseball has been an important part of Tennessee. Simmons’ life since he was a child.

Then, he will decide what he wants to do. “What happened in my life was my dad However, Simmons is sure he does not want quit school in sixth grade and went to work a job where he needs to work an eight-hour in the fields. His job was tough and he was a shift or be in closed space. very, very tough man, so he never got to play

According to rlcsports.com, Simmons sports. I had a hard time pleasing him doing started as the Thunderducks baseball coach in other things. So, I found something that I 2010. could do that he never did,” Simmons said.

The next year he was named assistant Simmons said even though he tried other athletic director under Tony Summers. sports such as basketball and football, he was

All eyes were centered on tennis legend Serena Williams who at 40 years old previously announced her retirement from tennis following her final Grand Slam U.S. Open tournament at Flushing Meadows, New York.

Blanca Reyes a natural baseball player since he was 9 or 10 Staff Writer years old. “He was proud of me in sports. That was my niche. That’s why I got into it and once you’re in, you’re in,” Simmons said. Simmons holds a bachelor’s degree in social science education. Before he started his career coaching, he was a high school teacher for 14 years teaching history and government. When he wanted to become a coach, Simmons had to earn a master’s degree. “So, I got my master in education technology, which was a mistake because I should get it in P.E.,” Simmons said. “When I got the job here, I couldn’t teach. That’s why I became the [athletic director] because every coach has to do a second job and all of them were teachers. So to give a second job, they gave the AD job.” Although Simmons said that it was the main reason for him to get the athletic director job and not because he had more skills or was more prepared than the other coaches, during his tenure the men’s soccer team won seven championships, the men’s basketball team won one championship and the women’s soccer won one. That’s nine national championships during the 12 years Simmons served as Richland’s athletic director. Simmons said that although he will not be coming back to a coaching job at Richland, he will be coming to back to cheer the other sports teams on. For more information about the athletic department visit rlcsports.com or visit Guadalupe Hall.

Serena Williams wins first round of US Open

Photo Associated Press Serena Willams takes a break during the first round of the US Open tennins championships.

David Acosta

Staff Writer She clarified the word “retirement” as told by The Guardian newspaper as an “evolution” away from tennis. “I have never liked the word retirement. Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” she said.

On Aug. 29 Williams’ hopes remained alive with a first-round victory over Danka Dovinic in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in front of a sold-out crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Celebrities on hand included Queen Latifah, Spike Lee, former President Bill Clinton, Gladys Knight and Mike Tyson. Williams’s husband and 5-year-old daughter were also in attendance.

Williams was not at her best in the early going of the opening set. She got off to a great start with a 2-0 lead only for it to evaporate trailing 3-2 with several miscues that included double-faults and missed groundstrokes. Williams managed to keep her composure and take the next 4 games and the set 6-3.

Williams was more in control in the second set. Her serves and ball placement were spectacular.

Chris Evert, who announced the game, was baffled as she said, “Serena hasn’t played this well in five years. Her shots were so much better.” After Williams held serve for a 5-3 lead, her opponent struggled on her last game with a double-fault followed by netting the ball three times and that was all she wrote.

UPCOMING EVENTS

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Sept. 6

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

i Club Fair

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El Paso Hall Student Lounge

Sept. 7

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Club Fair

El Paso Hall Student Lounge

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12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Richland Women’s Basketball Open Tryouts Guadalupe Hall Gym

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Sept. 13

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Mix: Multicultural Student Mixer

El Paso Hall, Cafe Stage

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Sept. 14

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Applications 101

El Paso Hall, E089

Sept. 15

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. i Hispanic Cultural Celebration Hosted by Multicultural Affairs

El Paso Hall, E60-E70

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Sept. 20

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Constitution & Voter Registration Day Around Campus

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10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Carter BloodCare Blood Drive

Mobile Blood Drive Unit, East Circle Parking Lot RichlandStudentMedia.com

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