A Powerhouse of an 8-Year-Old Gia Griffith
Taxslayer Gator Bowl Takeover Buccaneer Cheer! Hanna Heflin First Coast
NCAA Passes Pay to Play
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FEBRUARY 2020
Profiles
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ITG Next “There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” – Derek Jeter Get In the Game. Stay In the Game.
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A Powerhouse
27
of an 8-Year-Old
Gia Griffith
18
Baseball for Women
Bartram Trail Tennis Teams Keep Winning
Aja Acala | Mandarin
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Buccaneer Cheer!
Ridgeview Softball Reaches Milestone Under First-Year Head Coach + Top 5 Sports Movies
Hanna Heflin | First Coast
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40 Aiming for Records Leiya Green | Raines
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TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Takeover
Building a Culture and Growing a Team Flagler College | Soccer
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Did You Know? WNBA Edition
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Common Lacrosse Injuries
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Oklahoma and Their Transferring Heisman Candidates
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Hoop Dreams
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Dual Threats
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Jeff Sims and Tate Rodemaker Switch Spots
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Women Can Ref
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NCAA Passes Pay to Play
Ivan Gandia-Rosa | UNF
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Extreme Sports
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Player Profiles
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Chloe Blocker | Providence
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Kate Hogan | Bolles
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Rose Dolmovich | Bishop Kenny
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Reagan Rawls | Episcopal
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Mackenzie Valenic | Nease
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Laylah O’Neal | Special Olympics
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Claire Evans | Bishop Kenny
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Laurel Coppedge | Bolles
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In an emergency, minutes count. That’s why it’s good to know there’s a Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center close to you. Learn more at wolfsonchildrens.org/ER.
4 locations: 1 Main Hospital 800 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 904.202.2000
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Our Team
Mark Dykes
Mandy Douthit
aNNA Limoges
Kyle Grondin
Chief Executive Officer
Creative Director
director of operations
Sports Editor
Founder Mark Dykes is the entrepreneur and mastermind behind the ITG Next vision. Back in 2007, Mark set out to create a company that captured the passion, intensity, and unrivaled commitment toward high school athletics in the South Georgia area. Today, that vision has become a reality, and he continues to be the leading influence in what lies ahead for ITG Next, despite his annual prediction that UGA will win the national championship.
As a Pine Mountain, Georgia, native, Mandy’s move to Valdosta has brought enhanced artistry and intricacy to the ITG Next design team. The University of West Georgia alum graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art with a concentration in graphic design. She has won national and international design competitions, all of which are meant to serve as diversions and coping mechanisms for Alabama’s loss in the national championship.
Anna became a member of the ITG Next team in 2016, serving as an intern for three semesters. After graduating from Valdosta State University in 2017, she remained with the team as an editor, devoting her editorial eye to the company for two years before becoming the Director of Operations. In her free time, Anna enjoys reading and writing. More importantly, although she claims to be a fan of the New Orleans Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.
Kyle is a senior at Valdosta State University working toward a Bachelor of Arts in English with a track in journalism. He transferred to Valdosta with his wife from UCF and hopes to become a world class sports journalist. Most days, Kyle is taking his dog Stella for walks or playing sports at the local gym. Kyle is a bigtime UCF Knight fan, so you know he’s willing to claim himself the national champion of everything with little evidence supporting his cause.
Tyrah Walker
Shelby Williams
Broadcaster
Broadcaster
Drew Pipkin Account Executive
Jack Thompson Journalism Intern
Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Tyrah Walker is excited to join the ITG Next family as one of the on-air hosts. A graduate of the preeminent University of South Florida, she received her bachelor's degree in mass communications with an emphasis in broadcast news (Go Bulls). Tyrah is also an author. She is looking forward to sharing sports stories with the community. When she's not hosting or blogging, Tyrah enjoys reading, photography, and spending time with family.
Shelby is a graduate of the University of Florida's telecommunications program. Before working with ITG Next, she was a news reporter in south Georgia and covered crime and politics. While she was at UF, she covered Florida Gators softball, football and gymnastics. She enjoys running, surfing, hiking and traveling when she's not covering a game. She has traveled to 13 countries and plans to visit Ireland for her next big trip. She has been surfing since she was 4 and considers that to be her favorite sport.
Born and raised in South Georgia, Andrew attended Valdosta State University where he obtained a degree in marketing and business. He is passionate about sports, especially high school football (Go Cats!). Andrew’s focus is to develop and cultivate relationships with businesses all around South Georgia. Like so many other Georgia Bulldogs fans, his hopes of a national championship increase every year, but in the end they are just long lost dreams.
Jack is a Florida State University alumnus and die hard Seminole fan. He majored in English with a focus on media and graduated in 2016. He grew up playing almost every sport he could and developed an incredible passion for competition. He loved playing sports and now loves talking about it, watching it, and writing about it. He has a 4-year-old pup named Ozzie and is a Jacksonville native, which means, unfortunately for him, he's a Jags fan.
Phil Jones
Jessica May
Allen Allnoch
Annabelle Scott
Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
Contributing Photographer
Graphic Design Intern
Phil Jones began lending his voice to ITG Next in 2017. He serves as a radio station manager and host of two daily radio shows: “The Phil Jones Show” on WJHC Talk 107.4 and “The Afternoon Sports Drive” on WJEM AM-FM and on WJHC FM. Phil is a 20-year veteran of the newspaper business, serving as manager of marketing and distribution for newspapers in Tifton, Albany, and Atlanta. He was recognized by the Georgia Press Association as “Georgia’s Top Newspaper Circulator” in 2003.
New Smyrna Beach native and Jacksonville transplant Jessica May was born and raised in sunny Florida, where her love for sports began. She is a recent graduate from the University of North Florida, where she earned a degree in multimedia journalism and production. For Jessica, nothing is more exciting than advocating for and highlighting student-athletes, and to be able to integrate her love for journalism and production makes it even better.
Allen Allnoch has spent his career as a storyteller, first as a newspaper and magazine journalist, and later as a resort and real estate marketing specialist. Now he tells stories through the camera lens, having moved to Jacksonville in 2018 to launch a small business, AHA! Photography, Inc. A native of Waycross, Georgia, Allen is a University of Georgia journalism graduate and a lifelong Bulldogs fan – and he’s confident this is the season the Dawgs finally return the national championship to Athens.
Annabelle Scott is senior public relations major at Valdosta State University. She is originally from Live Oak, Florida, and is currently pursuing her passion for strategic design as an intern at ITG Next. She is a competitor at heart and is always working to set and exceed her life goals. A Georgia fan by marriage, Annabelle can be found on any given Saturday in the fall quietly reading a book while her husband, Aaron, cheers on them Dawgs.
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Contributors Publisher Mark Dykes
Cover Photography Allen Allnoch Player Profile Photography Allen Allnoch Feature Photography Allen Allnoch Tyrah Walker Feature Writers Phil Jones Kyle Grondin Shelby WIlliams Tyrah Walker Jack Thompson Jessica May Copy Editor Malia Thomas Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@itgnext.com
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ITG Next is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. M&S makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2020 M&S. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458
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BE IN THE GAME
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ITG Next | 15
Chloe Blocker Providence School Cheerleading
What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far? My most memorable moments are going to camp with my teammates and getting closer. I also love Friday night football games and leading my school. Who has helped you the most in your sports career? How have they helped? My coach, Coach Lorie has helped me the most in my sports career. She pushes me to be my best self and always encourage me. How do you live In the Game? I get very involved in Friday night games and cheer loud and do my best to help my team win the game.
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ITG Next | 17
A Powerhouse of an 8-Year-Old Written By: Phil Jones Photography by: Allen Allnoch
Most parents want their kids to take part in some sport. There’s more attention being paid to diversify kids in several sports, rather than specialize in just one sport. Gia Griffith and her family know a little something about tackling multiple sports. Gia is the 8-year-old daughter of Johnathon Griffith and Monique Griffith. The family lives in Orlando, Florida. Jonathan Griffith is an Army veteran, and Monique Griffith is a CrossFit trainer. With both mom and dad having come from backgrounds centered on physical fitness, they wanted to get Gia involved in some type of youth sports right away. “We wanted Gia to be active, but we wanted to be sure to match her up with something in line with her natural abilities,” Jonathan Griffith said. With both parents’ current and past careers are heavy in the area of discipline, they took a somewhat different approach in deciding what fit their daughter the best. Rather than go with the traditional sports that involve bouncing, kicking, or throwing a ball, Jonathan Griffith thought that martial arts as well as gymnastics would be a perfect fit. Gia began karate lessons and gymnastics classes simultaneously at the age of three. “It was tough at first,” Jonothan Griffith said about the karate side. “The martial arts takes focus, and you can imagine the challenge of trying to get a 3-year-old to focus on anything, much less karate.” While everything seemed a little less demanding with the gymnastics, he admits that after two months, he and his wife were ready to accept they had made a mistake with the karate and would try some other sport or activity. However, they decided to stay with it, and sure enough the focus and commitment came through. 18 | itgnext.com
“I believe that her watching me doing CrossFit encouraged her to take her current level of fitness to a higher level. Gia digs deeper and now is more intense and powerful. But, most importantly, CrossFit has strengthened our bond as mother and daughter.” — Monique Griffin
“It became clear to martial arts side, building us, as well as her coach- up her skills in the discies, that Gia was starting plines of karate, jiu-jitsu, to get it,” Griffith said. and judo. She worked “Something clicked after toward achieving the difabout four to six months. ferent belts until she ultiShe started coming mately earned her black home and practicing the belt at a meet in Orlando moves that the coaches at the beginning of 2019. had taught her.” At the age of eight, Gia On the gymnastics was truly beginning to side, Gia was beginning blossom as an all-around to show the same drive athlete, and the remainand focus that she was der of 2019 continued to displaying in karate. Gia’s showcase her abilities in coaches were convinced a big way. that she was ready for With her mother’s inthe pre-teen level at the volvement and natural age of three. influence of CrossFit, Gia Gia would continue became involved in that to grasp the technique sport, integrating some of karate while moving of her current sports, at light speed with her as well as learning new gymnastics over the next ones. CrossFit is a cross couple of years. She be- section of gymnastics, gan traveling and com- endurance, and strength peting with the Level 1 training. As her father exgymnastics team at the plains, CrossFit was a natage of four. ural next choice for Gia. On Nov. 19, 2016, as “Gia started to mimic a 5-year-old, Gia won the Florida State All- what her mother was doAround Championship ing and wanted to do more for the United States of what she was involved American Gymnastics Level 1 meet in Palmet- with,” he said. “I believe that her to, Florida. She placed first in each of the four watching me doing events: floor, bars, vault, CrossFit encouraged her and beam. Her father to take her current levrecalls one day in the el of fitness to a higher gym when Gia and her level,” her mother said. gym mates were doing “Gia digs deeper and pushups to build their now is more intense and upper-body strength, powerful. But, most imand Gia once again just portantly, CrossFit has strengthened our bond astounded everyone. “Pushups are very as mother and daughter.” Crosshard for any Fit saw Gia y o u n g s t e r “Pushups are very become inthat young, and it hard for any young- volved with w e i g h t l i ft showed with ster that young, and ing, with an almost all of the girls,” he it showed with al- e m p h a s i s on powerliftsaid. “But, Gia was able most all of the girls. ing. She also to do 70 But, Gia was able to began competing in 5K pushups.” road races. do 70 pushups.” She conAlmost three tinued to — Jonathan Griffith months aftrain in gymter securing nastics up to her black Level 3 bebelt in karate, Gia ran fore moving on to and her first 5K race on April focusing on other sports. Gia focused on the 11, 2019. That began a ITG Next | 19
“We wanted Gia to be active, but we wanted to be sure to match her up with something in line with her natural abilities.” — Jonathan Griffith
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string of races she not only entered, but won in her age division. Gia took first place in the April race, another on May 5, and yet another in Oct.2019. She not only won in her 8-under girls group, but also in the 9-under and 10-under girls groups. In the middle of Gia’s road race accomplishments, she found time to participate in the FitCity CrossFit School of WOD Competition in Tampa in August of this past year. Gia claimed first place.
Reminder: Gia is just eight years old. With CrossFit involving weight lifting, Gia focused on powerlifting. She began weight training with USA Powerlifting to enter the United States Power Lifting Association meet in Orlando in September of 2019. Gia not only entered the meet, but also over-powered her competition. She broke an incredible 18 Florida State Records in her very first meet. Then, less than a month later,
Gia broke her previous winter quarter on the state records set in the Accelerated Pace. Gia’s September meet; addi- favorite core subject is tionally, she also holds Mathematics. the highest weight in the If you think that Gia state of Floreats some ida for an 8- Gia will try to make exotic diet to 9-year-old because of female in it official when she her training, the 30 kiloagain. competes in her first think“My gram weight fadivision. Gia national meet in vorite foods macalso bench March of 2020 at the are pressed an aroni and u n o f f i c i a l Miami Convention cheese and American french fries,” record at 32 Center. There, she Gia said. kilograms. She does will attempt to break Gia will try to eat a try to make the current official lot of proit official bench press record tein with rice when she and vegetacompetes in of 26 kilograms. Ac- bles along her first naway. cording to her father, theSo, tional meet what’s in March Gia should break the next for Gia? of 2020 at “Apparrecord easily. the Miami ently, when Convention Gia was atCenter. There, she will tending Vista Lakes Eleattempt to break the cur- mentary School before rent official bench press being homeschooled), record of 26 kilograms. the P.E. program had the According to her father, students involved in socGia should break the re- cer,” her father said. cord easily. That seems to have Gia picked up anoth- had an impact on Gia, er first when she earned and now she’s asking first place in her first about playing soccer. weightlifting meet in a What does Gia like USA Weightlifting (sep- the most about being arate from USA Power involved in so many difLifting) meet in Novem- ferent sports? ber of 2019. She also “I love learning new qualified for the Youth things and meeting new Nationals in 2020. Gia is currently train- friends,” Gia said. ing for and attending Learning new things? CrossFit competitions Could there be another and has even begun new sport in Gia’s future? wrestling. She is now ac- Don’t bet against this littive in jiu-jitsu, where she tle powerhouse. holds a grey belt, and is working toward a second-degree black belt in karate. Her father said Gia has also started judo. She, of course, continues to do powerlifting and weight lifting, preparing for the 2020 meets. As far as her academics, Gia is currently being homeschooled through Florida Virtual School as a third-grader. She just completed her
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ITG Next | 21
Kate Hogan Bolles School Cheerleading What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far? Making new relationships with people on the team. Traveling to games and cheering on our team makes us so much closer! What makes you different from every other athlete out there? I am very involved with community service in Jacksonville. After practice on Tuesday nights I go to volunteer at the North Florida School of Special Education. Who has helped you the most in your sports career? When I started Cheerleading I did competitive cheerleading at Infinity Allstars. My coaches there helped boost my confidence performing and helped me grow as an athlete. Their coaching prepared me for cheering in high school.
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ITG Next | 23
Baseball for Women Written by: Tyrah Walker Photography by: Allen Allnoch
Breaking gender roles have been on the rise in the past decade and will continue to rise as time goes on. Traditionally, baseball has been known to be more of a male sport, while softball is considered a female sport. However, 15-year-old Aja Acala has never allowed her gender to stop her from playing the sport she loves. Baseball has been a part of Acala’s life since she was five. Now, she plays for the junior varsity fall baseball team at Mandarin High School. She first realized her passion at age 10 when she was playing for the Pirates – a 12u team for the Murray Hill Athletic Association. Her coaches, as well as her family, have helped her become the athlete she is today.
“I am so thankful for my grandparents getting me started with baseball,” Acala said. “They told me, ‘Aja, you’re going to make it. We know you are.’”
It wasn’t easy getting on the team. She had to try out just like any other member, but she never gave up. Being the first woman on the baseball team in the school’s history is a big deal. She has learned so much from her teammates, and they treat her with the utmost respect. Over the past three months, her bond with the team has grown stronger, and she truly sees them as family. In addition to being the first female to play on the baseball team, some of her athletic accomplishments include making the Lakeshore Middle baseball team and being on the Yankees 5u T-ball team. Playing for the Yankees was one of her greatest memories. “I cranked a home run over the fence into the trees, and it snapped a branch,” she said. “It was awesome! Everyone stood up and was cheering like crazy.” Acala has a passion for helping children with special needs. Along with playing baseball in college, she hopes to one day help her community and be more involved with special needs programs. She also has the desire to give back to the homeless.
lowest ERA in MLB history for starting pitchers
1880
1914
Tim Keefe 0.857
Dutch Leonard 0.961
1913
1907
Walter Johnson 1.145
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“I want to influence people around the world to always remain humble and to chase your dreams regardless of what society thinks you should do.” — Aja Acala
Jack Pfiester 1.154
1906
1968
1909
Mordecai Brown 1.038
Bob Gibson 1.123
Christy Mathewson 1.144
1908
1907
1882
Carl Lundgren 1.174
Denny Driscoll 1.209
Addie Joss 1.163
Most College National Championships
USC
12 LSU
6
Texas
6
Arizona State
5
Arizona
4
Cal State Fullerton
4 Miami (FL)
4
Minnesota
3
Oregon State
3
Her family and friends describe her as caring, loving, and giving. Making history, Acala knows that many eyes are watching and looking up to her, especially young female athletes. Her message is to let young girls know that they can do whatever they put their minds to. She encourages them to keep working toward their dreams and never let anyone tear them down. “I want to influence people around the world to always remain humble and to chase your dreams regardless of what society thinks you should do,” Acala said. “I do consider myself a role model because I am doing something that is uncommon in regards to females playing sports.” Acala inspires others who are watching, but who does she look up to? Her biggest athletic inspirations are Jackie Robinson and Serena Williams. “Jackie broke the color barrier in baseball, and I think that is so cool,” she said. “Serena is a beast. She just motivates me to go harder.” Both Acala’s mother and grandmother have supported her throughout the years of her sports journey. Ever since she was a young girl, the women in her life have been motivating and encouraging her to never quit despite obstacles that may come her way. Her mother played softball, and her father played football. The athletic ability didn’t fall too far from the tree. Having faith in God is how Acala stays motivated in life. Before each game, she prays that God will give her the strength to get through the game successfully and unharmed. She then enjoys listening to music and getting hyped with her friends and teammates. Acala will be a junior next year and is working hard during the offseason so that she’ll be prepared for the varsity team.
“I just keep that ‘go hard’ mentality,” she said. “I want to inspire women and young females to accomplish their dreams and to never give up.” As if all of that wasn’t enough, she’ll be getting her second-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do this year.
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The Bartram Trail tennis teams are beginning to be the team everybody loves to hate and for good reason. That’s what happens when you win multiple championships, as each of the boys and girls teams have done over recent years. For Michele Jordan, who coaches the girl's team, and Scott Miller, who coaches the boys, that’s perfectly fine with them. The Bears boys and girls tennis teams just finished another successful season that saw both teams win the St. Johns River Athletic Conference Championship. Each team defeated their counterparts from Fleming Island High School in the conference title matches, with the boys winning 4-0 and the girls winning 4-2. Next came the district tournament, and the boys bears tennis team won their fourth straight district championship in Class 3A District 4, defeating the Creekside boys. The girls finished in third place. For Miller and his boys team, winning the district title meant another trip to the state tournament for the third year in a row. Miller arrived at Bartram Trail in 2016. His first year as head coach of the Bears tennis team saw Bartram Trail win the first of several district tournaments, but they fell in the region final. In 2017, Bartram Trail advanced to the state semifinals, where they fell 4-3. Things finally came together for the team as they claimed the state championship behind the play of team leaders Martin Gutierrez, Brandon Pharm, and Brian Pharm. But, according to Miller, losing four of his top singles players to graduation after the 2018 championship season, plus injuries to top players, proved to be too much to overcome in 2019. Bartram Trail fell to Venice in the quarterfinal; however, Miller knew the road would be tough, so he set realistic goals. “I thought with everything we were facing, it would be good to take a waitand-see attitude,” Miller said. “I thought we would be good, but then injuries really took a toll on us.” That included the Bears’ No.1 and No. 2 singles players. “Our top player, No.1 Chris Jarout, developed forearm issues,” Miller said. “Then, our second-best player, Sam Seratkin, suffered a high ankle sprain injury.” Miller then broke it down by the numbers. “Basically, we lost 60% of our team over the course of 75% of the season,” Miller said. He was quick to praise the other singles players for stepping up. “Our No. 3 and No. 4 guys suddenly had to play like our top two guys, like our No. 1 and No. 2 players, and they did a good job,” he said. That was Michael Guyot at No. 3 and Blake Genter at No. 4. Miller also praised No. 5 Landon Williams. “Landon played really well for us last year,” Miller said. Looking ahead to 2020, Miller really likes his squad. “We only lose our No. 4 player for certain,” he said, explaining that another player could possibly concentrate on academics only. “I feel like a lot of freshman will push the older guys for playing time, and that’s a good thing.”
Bartram Trail Tennis Teams Keep Winning Written by: Phil Jones
Load up before contact. Your two hands should be straight back, but not so far to where you lose control.
Keep your weight on your front foot and pivot your back foot.
Aim your shoulder to the oncoming ball.
Four Tips to a Better Backhand Shot
Follow through longer than a forehand shot. Hit through the ball and hold it an extra second, allowing you to get clean contact and not rush your shot.
ITG Next | 27
Rose Dolmovich Bishop Kenny Basketball ● What makes you different from every other athlete out there? I don’t let my emotions determine What is the most memorable how I’m going to play. It doesn’t matmoment of your sports career, ter who we are playing; I’m always so far? (going to) play my part and do what needs to be done.
Making it to the state championship game last season. After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing? I see myself going into criminal justice work or physical therapy. What makes you different from every other athlete out there?
I don’t let my emotions determine how I’m going to play. It doesn’t matter who we are playing; I’m always (going to) play my part and do what needs to be done.
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Did You Know? Edition Written by: Tyrah Walker
As some of you may know, I’m not athletic, but I do enjoy learning about sports and athletes. I always find new interesting topics to write about, and I gain so much wisdom that I never knew before. For the next few weeks, I’ll be coming with a new segment called “Did You Know?” that gives some historical facts about athletes, organizations, sports, and leagues. Since basketball season is in full swing for high schools and colleges, what better way to start than present some facts about the Women’s National Basketball Association?
JOI: Proud team physicians keeping the Jaguars and you on your game.
Things you may already know: • • • •
The WNBA was founded in 1996 and is composed of 12 teams. The fanbase is not as big as the NBA, but popularity has grown over the decade. WNBA athletes are not making nearly as much as the men who play in the NBA. Lisa Leslie, Penny Toler, and Sylvia Fowles are some of the most recognized names in the league. • The WNBA regular season starts in May. Kevin M. Kaplan, MD - Head Team Physician
Things you may not know: • Lisa Leslie made the first slam dunk in the league for the Los Angeles Sparks on July 30, 2002. • DeWanna Bonner, who plays for Phoenix, earned $127,500 in 2019, making her the highest paid earner in the WNBA. • Rookies in the NBA make more than seasoned WNBA athletes. • Six WNBA teams are associated with NBA teams, known as “sister teams.” • Sheryl Swoopes was the first woman signed and sent to the Houston Comets.
WNBA Assists Per Game Leaders 2019
Brittany Boyd 5.8 NY
Courtney Vandersloot 8.0 CHI
Erica Wheeler 5.9 IND
Natasha Cloud 5.8 WSH
Kristi Toliver 5.5 WSH
Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute and Baptist Health are pleased to offer area athletes and weekend warriors unmatched sports medicine expertise and complete orthopaedic care. As team physicians for the Jaguars, area high schools, colleges, and universities, you’ll find us on the field and at convenient office locations across Northeast Florida. That’s good for the team — and good for you.
To learn more or to set an appointment, call JOI-2000 or visit joi.net
Buccaneer Cheer! Written by: Tyrah Walker | Photography by: Allen Allnoch
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Hanna Heflin is a freshman at First Coast High School and a varsity cheerleader. Being only 15 years old, Heflin already has a large following on social media, having almost 6,000 followers on Instagram. Not only that, but Heflin is a leader with a positive attitude and mindset that will carry her for a long time. Heflin was first interested in cheerleading when she was watching cheerleaders from the sidelines at the age of 4. It was then when she knew cheerleading would forever be her passion. She made her first cheer debut as an OSA Pop Warner cheerleader and hasn’t put her pompoms down since. There has been an argument for years
about whether or not cheerleading is considered a sport. But for Heflin, the answer is a no-brainer. She says cheerleading is definitely a sport and should be taken seriously. It is more than just getting the crowd hyped or yelling from the track. Cheerleading also includes showing off your gymnastics skills and having upper body strength. “Cheer can be one of the most dangerous (sports) if you are not careful, and it contains some of the hardest things to do,” Heflin said. “If I tell people to try something cheerleaders have to do in almost every routine, most of them can’t do it.” Most athletes would agree that the balance
“Cheer can be one of the most dangerous (sports) if you are not careful, and it contains some of the hardest things to do." — Hanna Heflin
between participating in sports and being a full time student can be hard. Between classes, practices and homework, it takes focus to do what they do, but Heflin wouldn’t trade it for anything else. For her, First Coast High School is a special place. As a whole, the school is one big family, and the cheer squad, under the leadership of coach Andrew Williams, has created a sisterhood. “The best part of cheering with First Coast is the amazing bonds everyone creates with each other no matter the age or race,” Heflin said. “Everyone is treated like family.” Everyone on the team brings something new to the table, from crazy stunts and contributing new cheers to great attitudes. Heflin brings her positivity and crazy dance moves to the table. Her confidence shines brightly whenever she steps out to do what she loves. Being in the front of the squad’s formation comes with having all eyes on you, so Heflin doesn’t take that lightly. She knows she has to be on her best game at all times. Heflin is hard-working, loving, and reliable on and off the floor. She loves helping out her squad with anything they may need help with. For her, the most important thing for a team to have is communication skills. Being a big team, it can be easy for people to clash or disagree on things, but the Buccaneers aim to always have positive attitudes and uplift one another.
“My team makes it so much easier to cheer,” Heflin said. “They motivate me to have fun and try my hardest.”
“The best part of cheering with First Coast is the amazing bonds everyone creates with each other no matter the age or race. Everyone is treated like family.” — Hanna Heflin Academically, she also strives to put her best foot forward. Heflin wants to attend Florida State University after high school. She is mostly inspired by their cheer team and hopes to cheer as far as her senior year of college. Coach Williams also inspires her. With his bubbly personality, drive, and stage presence, one can see why He inspires Heflin. “My coach has helped me the most,” she said. “He has helped me push through fears that I’ve had.” The most memorable moment in Heflin’s sports career was when the team finally hit their back tuck basket. Like the movie, “Bring it On,” Heflin is always inspired
to learn new stunts. “My favorite ‘Bring it On’ movie would have to be the original,” she said. “It uncovered so many challenges that the cheerleaders faced, and they conquered every one of them while still being satisfied.” Since she’s only a freshman, you can expect for Heflin to continue to grow as a cheerleader. Being on the varsity team so early on is already a huge accomplishment. As the cheer season comes close to an end, during the offseason, Heflin and the squad will prepare to come back next year even stronger.
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Reagan Rawls Episcopal Cheerleading
What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far?
Winning UCA camp with our stunt sequence. After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?
After my sports career is over, I see myself becoming an entrepreneur or taking over my mom’s gym, Rockstar. Who is your biggest sports inspiration? Why? My biggest sports inspiration is Angel Rice because even though she is the best, she continues to push herself.
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Ridgeview Softball Reaches Milestone Under First-Year Head Coach
Written By: Phil Jones | Photography by: Casey Thompson
In the brief history of Ridgeview High School, titles and championships have not come easy. The Clay County School became a high school in 1998, and the school is still seeking its first state championship in any varsity sport. If last year is any indicator, success could be right around the corner. Under first year head coach Casey Thompson, the Panthers would achieve several firsts. The Panthers finished with a 22-9 overall record, the best record in school history. They would also capture the district championship; then three games later
would win the regional championship. That was the first region championship in school history for any sport. Riding the momentum of their sudden, newfound success, the Panthers would find themselves in the state Class 6A semifinals, one of just four teams remaining. They would face off against Sebring High School in an exciting back and forth game that went to extra innings tied 3-3. Ridgeview would take the lead 4-3 in the top half of the eighth inning. That was the score headed to the bottom half of the inning, with
5 Popular Softball Pitches Fastball Change-Up Drop Pitch Curveball Rise Ball
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Ridgeview needing just three outs to get the win and advance to their first-ever state championship appearance. Ridgeview pitcher Brittany Michael faced Layla Taylor - a player she had struck out in each of her previous at bats. At the bottom of the eighth, Taylor hit a two-run home run to give Sebring the win. Despite the loss, Thompson and the Lady Panthers had given the school something it had never experienced: the school’s first trip to the final four.
“Our season was an incredible run,” Thompson said. “It came with hard work. I know I was not the easiest coach to play for last year. We would
have long, fourhour practices, but I knew we had what it took.” His team never complained.
“Our girls embraced the hard work,” he said. “They made it fun for themselves, all the while they were getting better along the way.” Leading Ridgeview this past year to their record season were four seniors: third baseman Hanna Foster, an Honorable Mention All-County selection, who is now attending Lees McRae College and playing softball there; outfielders Gabby Lucas and Tati Illas; and starting left fielder Reggie Boyd.
Returning to lead the Lady Panthers is starting first baseman Raven Little, an Honorable Mention All-County selection, who has committed to Tallahassee Community College, and shortstop Alyssa Adams, who has committed to College of Central Florida. Adams was named First Team All-County and Second Team All-State. They will be joined by teammates Sarah Anderson, who was named Second Team All-County, and Erika Ankeny. Twins Brittany Michael and Brooke Michael will be back. Brittany was the team’s starting pitcher and finished with over 200 strikeouts last season. Brooke was the team’s catcher last year. Both have already committed to The University of
Top 5 Sports Movies Written by: Tyrah Walker
1.
My absolute favorite sports movie is “Remember the Titans.” If you haven’t seen the film, then you’re missing out. Denzel Washington stars as the football coach of a school that has been forced to integrate. Emotions and football traditions are tested for these teams in 1971. Who can forget the most memorable scene of the teammates singing “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough” in the locker room?
Auburn at Montgomery. Both were named First Team All-State selections. Starting center fielder Ashlyn Alford was named Honorable Mention All-County and will return, as will right fielder Natalie Foret. Others back this season include outfielder Nicole Anderson, pitcher Dani Rios, and catcher Gianna Michel. Thompson will try to show everyone that last season’s accomplishment was not a fluke and that he is the coach to keep Ridgeview competing for championships. While last year may have been Thompson’s first season as a head coach, he’s no newcomer to the games of baseball or softball.
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He comes from a baseball family that includes championship coaches. Thompson grew up playing baseball and started at Clay High School from 2009 to 2011, where his father, Rob Thompson, served as the head coach for 27 years. He retired from Clay after leading the Blue Devils to a state championship in 2014. Thompson’s sister, Christina Thompson, is the head coach of Oakleaf High School’s softball team, where she has coached the team every season since the school opened in 2010. She has led the Knights to the playoffs every year, including 2017, when she led them to a state championship. Rob Thompson
Division 2 South Softball Rankings Alabama Huntsville Florida Tech West Florida 43-8
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now assists his daughter at Oakleaf.
Looking ahead, Thompson says he’ll continue to work his team hard while keeping it fun and never losing sight of what lies in front of his team: that elusive state championship. It looks like Ridgeview has found the coach to eventually get them there. The Ridgeview softball team and their fans certainly hope so.
Tampa Valdosta State 33-14
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2.
Coming in at No. 2 is an emotional film, “The Blind Side.” Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron did a remarkable job portraying Leigh Anne Tuohy and Michael Oher. When Leigh Anne and her husband take in homeless teen Michael, they discover his protective instincts on the football field. With their help and dedication, Michael begins to excel as a student and football player.
3.
I couldn’t possibly have a top sports movies list without mentioning “The Sandlot.” This is an all-time favorite! This baseball film is a great movie about childhood friendships. When Scottie Smalls, played by Thomas Guiry, moves to a new neighborhood, he becomes friends with a group of boys who play baseball. The boys get into some trouble when a treasured baseball is accidentally thrown over a forbidden fence. “You’re killing me, Smalls!”
4.
At No. 4, I have “Cool Runnings.” Proving everyone wrong is the message I received from watching this as a child. This film is about how four Jamaican bobsleighers have big dreams to compete in the winter Olympics, but there’s just one problem: They’ve never seen snow. However, they don’t allow that to stop them. With the help of their coach, they strive to make their dream a reality.
5.
Coming in at No. 5 is “Bend it Like Beckham.” What I love most about this film is the women empowerment. This film focuses on Jess Bhamra, played by Parminder Nagra. Jess is a beast when it comes to soccer, even though she’s not permitted to play. Her skills capture the eye of a semi-pro team, and from there, the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat as Jess balances soccer and keeping it a secret from her family.
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Aiming for Records Written by: Shelby Williams | Photography by: Shelby Williams
Leiya Green walks over to the track at Raines High School on a cold foggy day in November. She reflected on her four years at the school and how quickly they’ve gone by. Green has one goal her senior season. “I don’t have a school record yet but I’m aiming for it this year,” Green said. Green won the Class 3A state title when she was just a sophomore in the long jump with 19 feet and two inches. She realized then that maybe she should pursue track and see where it takes her. "We are so blessed to have Leiya Green as a member of Raines High School,” coach Steve Bellamy said. “Since arriving here, she has been a model student and athlete. Nothing seems to shake her. She and her teammate Kai'lyn Kirkland have been the rock for the Raines track team this year. Her calm demeanor (and) work habits in the weight room, on the track, and in the classroom have been a great example to her male and female teammates.” Green’s passion for her team and for running has always been important. Now that she’s a senior, she cherishes it more than ever. Green spoke about how she really got started with track. “When I was younger, my parents tried to keep me active in a lot of sports, so you know we tried cheerleading, basketball, T-ball, soccer, and track. Eventually, track just stuck with me, and really I just had a love for track more than all the other sports I did,” Green said. If you think her GPA suffers because of it, you’d be wrong. She has a 4.3 and excellent SAT scores to match. She hopes to receive Florida Bright Futures Scholarship upon graduation. According to Bellamy, Raines track has not seen an athlete like Green in a while and probably won’t see one again. Green plans on going to college and hopes to work in physical therapy. Green said after her injury, she learned about the process of healing. Her recovery center helped her get back on top, and that stuck with her ever since. She enjoys helping others and hopes to one day make a difference. But for now, Green has her senior season ahead of her and is nothing but ecstatic to get back in the sand. ITG Next | 37
Mackenzie Valenic Nease High School Tennis
What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far? My most memorable moment was my sophomore year when we beat Creekside for the first time in 8 years. It was an amazing feeling. After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing? After my sports career is over, I see myself studying to become a physical therapist and continuing to play tennis for fun. Who is your biggest sports inspiration? Why? My biggest sports inspiration is Madison Keys because of her style of play and all of the extra things she does off the court.
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Common Lacrosse Injuries Although lacrosse may not receive the same attention as other sports, the game involves running and body contact that can easily lead to injury. It’s important that lacrosse players know the risks so they can better protect themselves and properly treat injuries when they occur.
COMMON LACROSSE INJURIES
• Ankle sprains • Knee sprains (ACL or MCL) • Head and face contusions or bruising • Concussions • Wrist fractures • Hip flexor strains • Lower back pain • Shin splints • Abrasions • Foot blisters
TREATMENT
When injured, athletes should stop playing immediately to prevent the injury from worsening and see a medical professional such as an Athletic Trainer or doctor to evaluate the injury and discuss a treatment plan. Minor injuries, such as strains, sprains, bruising, minor pain, and blisters, can typically be treated at home. Athletes can manage the pain and help the healing process by applying ice or heat, taking pain relievers, and resting. More severe injuries may require a long rest period and possibly Physical Therapy. Some cases may even require surgery. Always contact a doctor when in doubt about an injury.
PREVENTION
It’s important for athletes to stay active during the offseason to keep their bodies in shape. An extended break from sports can cause stress later in the season and lead to injury. Offseason conditioning and pre-season drills – such as exercises like interval distance sprinting strength training, agility drills and sport specific activities like wall ball – can help keep lacrosse players in shape. However, it’s also important to take a break, even if it’s just one day every week, to prevent burnout and injuries due to over use. Foam rolling and stretching daily will also reduce the chance of injury. To prevent injuries during the season, players should wear the proper equipment, follow the rules of the game, and have a plan for when injuries do occur. While the rules of girls and boys lacrosse differ, unnecessary and unprotected contact should be avoided when possible. Athletes and their organizations should have an emergency medical plan. While everyone hopes for the best, it’s important to always expect the worst and, most importantly, be prepared.
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Written by: Kyle Grondin | Photography by: Allen Allnoch
The Hughston Clinic TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Takeover, presented by Vereen Rehabilitation Center, was a resounding success. ITG Next partnered with sponsors to send 1,700 athletes from schools in South Georgia and North Florida to TIAA Bank Field for free to witness the thrilling game between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Indiana University Hoosiers. The players arrived with their teams and were given a t-shirt provided by ITG Next and Baker Sports, as well as a free lunch provided by Chickfil-A. Athletes then enjoyed activities at the Jaguars Flex Field, including live music and contests. Kaleb Johnson of Terry Parker High School won a pair of AirPods, and Ryan Piersza of Bartram Trail won an iPad. Two students from Westside High School also won gift cards. Terry Parker High School and Brooks County High School also received $1,000 scholarship checks courtesy of the Vereen Rehabilitation Center and the Hughston Clinic. The game lived up to the bowl hype, as Tennessee came back down 22-9 in the fourth quarter to win the game 23-22. The comeback was the first time this season that a team came back from down 13 points or more with less than five minutes to go in the game. Teams were previously 0-471 in similar situations. Volunteers running back Eric Gray was the catalyst behind the comeback, accounting for 120 total yards and the game-winning touchdown. He also had the key onside kick recovery with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Photography by: Shelby Williams
Terry Parker High School received a $1,000 scholarship check, courtesy of the Hughston Clinic.
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Derrick Johnson Paxon Basketball
After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing? I want to be a software engineer when I am done playing basketball. Who has helped you the most in your sports career? How have they helped? My father and my brother; they have trained me since I was 4. They tell me to keep working hard. Who is your biggest sports inspiration? My brother; he played basketball at Paxon but got injured and couldn’t play anymore. So, I want to play in college for him.
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Coach of the Year
Who Will Be this Year's?
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Building a Culture and Growing a Team Written by: Jessica May | photography by: Shelby WIlliams
Flagler Women’s soccer had a breakthrough season as they progressed through the brackets to the NCAA Division II final four this past December, just before falling to Western Washington University. The only other Flagler team to go this far in the postseason in the NCAA Division II era was the volleyball team in 2009. Flagler College women’s soccer head coach Ashley Martin, along with his coaching staff, earned the United Soccer Coaches’ Southeast Region Staff of the Year award — and rightfully so. The staff and team have a bond like no other, and that is a culture built by Martin.
“I think the biggest thing is getting the right people here, people that have the same values, people that have the same moral compass that I try to run the program by, really,” Martin said.
“I think we have some fantastic individuals that helped establish the culture here,” Martin said. “The main thing is to be a good person, someone you can bump into and talk with and think, ‘Hey, that was a nice guy,’ or, ‘She was a nice woman.’ That’s what makes me proud. The winning and losing is one thing, but for someone to run into you on the street and have a nice conversation, leaves a lasting memory.” Martin finds it important to have a team filled with players who are simply good people. He works to build and grow a team with genuine people and good players.
“We spend a lot of time together,” Martin said. “I think it’s really important to have people you want to be around in the program. When you’re on a bus for 10 hours, you need to make sure you have the right people on the bus.” Martin started his time at Flagler as a student in 2003 after coaching soccer camps during the summer. He graduated in 2007 and then started his collegiate coaching career. Since being a student and athlete at Flagler in 2003, Martin notes the changes the school has made. “When you look, the investment in the facilities here has come a long way,” Martin said. Saints field started getting improvements in 2010 with new widescreens, seating, and a sound system. The field was expanded again in 2014 with a capacity of almost 700 people. The team made it far into the season this year, but when it comes to preparing for the season, Martin said that he takes things one game at a time.
“I love to plan — but I’m not planning ahead of the next game,” he said. “I really do try to take it one game at a time.”
Most Women’s NCAA Soccer Championships University of North Carolina
Notre Dame
University of Portland
USC
Stanford
Florida State University
University of Florida
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5
Players to Watch this Season
CW Cassius Winston Michigan State Player of the Year favorite. Will look to bring Michigan State back to the Final Four.
JW James Wiseman Memphis
No. 1 recruit in 2019. He’s long, skilled and has the potential to be special next year for Memphis.
MH Markus Howard Marquette
Howard gets buckets. He’s a must watch player any time he has the ball.
KW Kaleb Wesson Ohio State
One of the best big men in the country returns, giving Ohio State hope for a big season.
CA Cole Anthony North Carolina
Son of former NBA player Greg Anthony, Cole is the best guard in the 2019 class. He could be a breakout star and potential first pick in the draft.
HOOP DREAMS Written by: Jack Thomson Photography by: Tyrah Walker
Ivan Gandia-Rosa grew up playing volleyball in Puerto Rico. He realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t the sport he was built for. The 6-foot1 point guard isn’t just a leader on the court; he’s a leader in the locker room. He takes his academics very seriously. In fact, he was a recipient of the ASUN All-Academic Honor Roll in 2018 and says his education means a lot to him. His court vision stands out as he led his conference in assists, and assist to turnover ratio. The numbers speak for themselves in terms of making the guys around him better players. “I utilize my court vision and make sure to take advantage of the best opportunity in that possession,” Gandia-Rosa said. Gandia-Rosa left his native country of Puerto Rico in high school to pursue his basketball career by playing AAU. He ended up at Hunting Prep in West Virginia. Huntington Prep is well known for its basketball prowess, producing NBA stars such as Andrew Wiggins, Miles Bridges, and Thomas Bryant. Gandia-Rosa didn’t receive much attention out of high school and decided his best choice would be to go the JUCO route. He ended up at the College of Central Florida,
where he dominated, setting a JUCO state record in single game assists with 21. After one season at CCF, Gandia-Rosa got a phone call from UNF head basketball coach, Matt Driscoll. Gandia-Rosa was adamant about the fact that no coach had treated him like Driscoll had. “The way he spoke to me stood out, and I could tell he wasn’t only a good basketball coach; he was a good person,” Gandia-Rosa said. Now, a few years later, Gandia-Rosa is Driscoll’s starting point guard and the court general of his team. Athletes tend to model their game after someone who has done it before and has success while doing so. Gandia-Rosa says that Steve Nash was a huge role model in his game. “Nash’s ability to create offense through his teammates and make the best possible play is what I try to reflect,” Gandia-Rosa said. He also referenced Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker, two Spurs known for their unselfishness and court vision. Gandia-Rosa takes great pride in his ability to get the most out of his teammates. His coach realized it as well and is trying to grow his game on and off the court.
“I am grateful for the way Coach has tried to help my game and take it to another level,” Gandia-Rosa said. “When I was eligible to transfer from junior college, Coach Driscoll was one of the main reasons I chose UNF.” Gandia-Rosa’s leadership speaks for itself. Most basketball players have a pregame playlist they enjoy to get their minds right. There is a broad diversity in musical selection amongst players. Ivan’s music choice speaks to his culture and his background. He listens to a lot of DJ Tego Calderon, a hip-hop artist from Puerto Rico. Gandia-Rosa has a passion for the game of basketball and all that it has done for him. He has sacrificed so much to come to the states to pursue a career and hopes to continue to play at the next level. His life changing move to the US to turn his dreams into a reality , leaving his family in Puerto Rico, proves the ultimate sacrifice. Gandia-Rosa shows the
mental make-up and disposition of an incredible young man. He takes his studies as seriously as he does his game. The Ospreys will continue to compete for another A-Sun Championship with Gandia-Rosa leading the charge. “The thing about our team is we’re all well distributed in our strengths,” Gandia-Rosa said. “There is no best player. We all have our own skill sets and complement each other to our best ability.” Ivan Gandia-Rosa is leading the charge in eliminating the common cancer of individuality on the court and making sure the team prospers as one cohesive unit.
APRIL 2020
PRESENTED BY: BAPSTIST HEALTH • JACKSONVILLE ORTHOPAEDIC INSTITUTE WOLFSON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL • FIRST COAST YMCA • WELLS FARGO SOUTH GEORGIA STATE COLLEGE • BAKER’S SPORTING GOODS ITG Next | 49
Image courtesy of milehighreport.com
Tony Carter Back in Jacksonville Written by: Jack Thompson
THIS OR THAT
With Jeff Sims
Tony Carter was a superstar at Mandarin High School, where he received a number of Division 1 offers and was listed as the 32nd best recruit in the nation, according to Rivals.com. Carter went on to play for Florida State under legendary coach Bobby Bowden. He was a standout on a rather lackluster team but ultimately went undrafted. Carter was signed as a UDFA by the Denver Broncos; he then bounced around the league a little bit before landing back in Denver for a three-year stint. He totaled eight seasons in the NFL before hanging up the cleats in 2016. He's now back home in Jacksonville where he recently took a job as the secondary coach for the JU Dolphins. Carter continues to give back to the community by running charity basketball events among other philanthropic activities.
Written by: Tyrah Walkers Photography by: Allen Alloch
A once Florida State commit, Jeff Sims of Sandalwood High School decided to attend Georgia Tech. We decided to put the serious questions to the side and get to know him. Sims joined us for a game of This or That.
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi Steak or Lobster? Steak Talking or Texting? Talking Invisibility or Super Strength? Invisibility Waffles or Pancakes? Waffles Popeyes Chicken Sandwich or Chik-fil-a? Popeyes Marvel or DC? Marvel Rihanna or Beyonce? Rihanna Netflix or Hulu? Netflix Comedy or Mystery? Comedy Ferrari or Lambo? Ferrari Kanye or Jay-Z? Kanye Michael Jordan or Lebron? Michael Jordan The Blindside or Remember the Titans? The Blindside Gardner Minshew or Nick Foles? Minshew Sims had one serious thing to say, and that’s whom he would thank for helping him along the way.
“Definitely my parents. First and foremost, God helped me along they way. My parents, my uncles, my aunties, my whole family really.” 50 | itgnext.com
Written by: Jack Thompson
Over the past four years in college football, we've seen a few constants: Clemson's perennial success, Alabama's perennial success, and Oklahoma's ability to spit out Heisman candidates every year. Saturday marked the fourth season in a row that OU has had a finalist. In 2016 they had two, Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook. In 2017, it was Baker again. 2018 was Kyler Murray, and this year it was Jalen Hurts. What's the common trend between those four players? All of them are transfers from other colleges. Westbrook came from Blinn College, Mayfield from Texas Tech, Kyler from Texas A&M, and Hurts from Bama. OU is proving that if you are a player who hasn't found the right fit and you have the potential, you should take your talents to Norman, Oklahoma. The transfer portal will continue to be loaded with high caliber recruits trying to relocate to work with coach Lincoln Riley and raise their stock. The body of work speaks for itself.
Caleb Cohill Bolles Soccer
What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far? Winning state runner-up during sophomore year, especially since nobody expected that team to make it deep into the playoffs . Who has helped you the most in your sports career? My trainer, Daryl Sattler, has helped me the most. He is the one that helped me to continue playing soccer when I was unsure about playing and making me into the goalie I am today. How do you live In the Game? I live in the game by working to make a name for myself every time I put on my uniform to play and by never stopping in my training to be the best player in the city. ITG Next | 51
Taking Advantage of Your Advantage Written by: Jessica May | Photography by: Kendra Ehrenberg
A tennis camp known ters the core values of as MaliVai Washington leadership, sportsmanstarted 22 years ago in ship, self-esteem, cona Durkeeville neighbor- fidence, discipline, and hood has now morphed accountability. It instills into something much the belief of hard work, bigger: one of the great- teamwork, and individuest lifesavers in Jackson- al effort. ville's urban core. Since its inception in Washington's initial 1996, there have been vision was to give back 754 non-replicated stuto the community by dents in the program. teaching them tennis, In 22 years, over 20,000 a sport that they might children and their famihave never considered. lies have been impacted "Early on, it wasn't by the MaliVai Washingmore than a tennis pro- ton Youth Foundation gram," Washington said. and its programs. "We were going into Inside the MaliVai inner-cities where there Washington Youth Found a t i o n wasn't tennis. Foot- "Early on it wasn't more b u i l d i n g , ball and there are basketball than a tennis program. e n d l e s s were king, We were going into in- opportuniand are still for stuner-cities where there ties king. We dents. went into wasn't tennis. Football T h e y those comoffer varand basketball were ious promunities and started king, and are still king. grams for introducing We went into those com- all ages. tennis." Tennis and T h e munities and started in- Tutoring is p r o g r a m troducing tennis." offered for has now students — MaliVai Washington in kindermorphed well beg a r t e n yond a tennis camp. through fifth grade. StuThe MaliVai Wash- dents in this program ington Youth Foundation receive daily academic is an after-school youth support through daily development program homework assistance, in Jacksonville's Urban small group tutoring Core promoting ac- sessions, and mentors. ademic achievement A leadership program and positive life skills is offered for students through the sport of ten- who completed the TnT nis for students in kin- program and are in sixth dergarten through high through 12th grades. school. The idea is to These students are able correlate success on the to get hands-on expericourt with success in life. ences engaging in the The MaliVai Washington curriculum, tour colleges, Youth Foundation fos- explore careers and work 52 | itgnext.com
on homework. Students have the opportunity to participate in clubs such as cooking, technology, art, and sports. They have the ability to get community service hours, participate in educational and social projects throughout the year. Additional programs include daily camps, competitive tennis, an outreach program, and family services. "(The foundation) has impacted me to do good things, go to college, and do great in life," Mauricia Brown, 17, said. Brown says having Washington as a mentor has encouraged her to try harder and chase dreams that she did not think were possible.
"He has influenced me by being able to look up to him, him being ranked 11th in the world,” Brown said. “It makes me want to try harder.”
Brown has been involved in the program since she was 5 years old. "I want to go to Florida State University, and I want to go into sports broadcasting," she said. Brown is thankful for the opportunities that she was given within the program. It has put her into a position that she never imagined: going to college and playing tennis. She encourages anyone to take part in the sport because success on the court will reflect success in real life. "Try it,” she said. “There’s no point in be-
ing afraid. I had no clue that I was going to grow up playing tennis." The MaliVai Washington Foundation has been spoken highly of for all the programs they offer. The results show just how much it has made an impact on the community. According to the website, only five participants have had involvement with the Juvenile Justice System while in the program, which is
located in a zip code that has the highest incidence of juvenile crime in the city of Jacksonville. 100 percent of the high school students have graduated and have done so on time. No MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation student has become a teen parent while active in its program, yet the Foundation's zip code has the highest rates of teen pregnancies and STDs in the city.
Washington doesn't believe that the location that these students live in should be a disadvantage. He encourages the students in the program to soak in everything the program has to offer. "The students we have here in the foundation, I don't look at them as at-risk kids, disadvantaged kids, or underprivileged kids,” he said. “This foundation, this is your privilege, this is your advantage. Take advantage of your advantage. The guns, the violence, the dropping out of school, the teen pregnancies – certainly that is not going to help you on your way to success. We have created a system and process here at the program that if students can engage, they are going to be better off in this program than not in this program because we are going to put so many opportunities in front of them."
Washington truly believes that the children are the future of our humanity, which is why he created the foundation in the first place. "We realize the students behind us right now," Washington said, with children running and screaming behind him. "These students have all the potential in the world." The foundation was started in 1996 after Washington and his dad decided to give back to some youth organizations by donating some tennis gear, and it has taken off since. Washington said that tennis was a huge part of his life growing up. "We ate, we slept, we played tennis, went to church, and went to school,” he said. “Those are the only five things we did growing up.” In the family, four out of five of the siblings played professional ten-
nis from the ‘80s to the early 2000s. "I knew at some point in middle school that I wanted to play professional tennis,” he said. “I realized to do that I would have to go through college. When you have the opportunity to go to a college like Michigan on a full scholarship, you take it." For Mal, playing on the tennis tour was a dream come true. However, helping to make a difference in children's lives is even better.
"When you can do what you love to do and travel the world, and you're good at it, and you can impact people who love the sport of tennis and in a greater way impact young people, that helped spur what we're doing here at my foundation," he said. ITG Next | 53
NORTHEAST FLORIDA NEWSLETTER SIGN UP TODAY! ITGNEXT.COM/NEWSLETTER INTERVIEWS • GAME HIGHLIGHTS • RANKINGS • INSPIRATIONAL STORIES
Claire Evans Bishop Kenny Cross Country What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far?
Running a PR of 12:03 in the 2 mile at districts this year to qualify for regionals.
. What makes you different from every other athlete out there? My teammates make me different. We trust each other and work as a family to get the job done. I would not be where I am without them. Who is your biggest sports inspiration? Why? My grandpa; he ran cross country and track for UF where he won the Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships in 1967. He was one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met and pushed himself and others to be the best they could be. ITG Next | 55
Dual Threats Written by: Kyle Grondin
Bo Jackson is largely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. A Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn University, he went on to be one of the most dominant running backs in all of the NFL… and one of the best baseball players in all of the MLB. That’s right: Bo Jackson was a star football and baseball player. If there’s one thing we’ve developed during the 21st century, it’s the specialization of youth sports. Many of the top athletes in high schools at a young age have chosen to focus on their strongest sport, with the hopes of college scholarships and becoming elite in one sport. But studies are now contradicting that philosophy. Unless you’re Ivan Drago in “Rocky IV,” the desire to be great in sports comes from the love of the game and a desire to be the best. The Montreal Expos drafted Tom Brady, as he played baseball and football. Michael Jordan played baseball and basketball. LeBron James was a star high school basketball and football player before playing in the NBA. Here are some of the athletes today who played two professional sports.
1. Lolo Jones
Jones was a star track athlete, as she won gold in two World Championship 100-meter contests in 2008 and 2010. She searched for the elusive gold medal in the Olympics but came up just short in her prime. That is when she changed directions. Jones became a bobsled runner after the 2008 Olympics. To join, she practiced and had to put on weight. In just four years, she was able to qualify for the U.S. professional bobsled team. She competed in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and her team finished seventh. Image courtesy of nytimes.com
2. Tim Tebow
Tebow won a Heisman Trophy, and was a three-time All-American and twotime National Champion at the University of Florida. While many discounted his future ability to play quarterback in the NFL, Tebow tried anyway and even won a playoff game in his short NFL career. After it seemed like his athletic career had flamed out, Tebow switched course and signed with the New York Mets in 2016. While he’s made to the AAA level for the Mets, it remains to be seen if he can develop enough to crack the MLB. Still, he’s proven himself as a great two-sport talent. Image courtesy of cbssports.com
3. Jimmy Graham
Graham is known as one of the first premier pass catching tight ends in the NFL, as he led the league in touchdown receptions in 2013 with 16. Before that, Graham was on the hardwood at the University of Miami as one of the premier defensive players on the Hurricanes roster. He continues to play in the NFL today, and his leaping ability in basketball easily translated to his football prowess. Image courtesy of cheeseheadtv.com
The number of players who play multiple sports is constantly growing. Kyler Murray, the top pick in the NFL Draft, had a professional baseball contract to play for the Oakland Athletics. Many skills utilized in one particular sport are directly translatable to developing skills in another sport. Throwing a baseball teaches arm mechanics similar to that of throwing a football. Rebounding a basketball requires skills like those needed to catch a pass in football. Each sport develops different muscles and shows a method of how a player can increase hand-eye coordination and be a better all-around athlete. So before you consider specializing in a specific sport, think about how other sports may help you to get better and what may be the best way to not only develop a skill but develop as an all-around athlete. 56 | itgnext.com
Top 10
Boys Basketball Teams State of Florida 1. Montverde Academy 2. IMG Academy 3. Santa Fe Catholic 4. Seminole 5. East Lake 6. Impact Christian Academy 7. Bartow
Jeff Sims and Tate Rodemaker Switch Spots
Written by: Jack Thompson
Sandalwood High School's Jeff Sims had been committed to Florida State since February. His duel-threat skillset fit in the fast-paced, high octane offense that Willie Taggart and Kendall Briles wanted to execute. At least, that's what Sims and the Florida State coaching staff had in mind until the recent regime change. After last week, the Seminoles have taken on an entirely new coaching staff, mentality, and approach. That left the likes of Sims to be the not-soperfect fit. It is believed that the team and QB mutually parted ways. After losing the only QB they had in their recruiting class, FSU had to make a move. They reached out to Tate Rodemaker from Valdosta High School, our ITG Next Offensive Player of the Year. Rodemaker had been committed to the University of South Florida, but after an offer and an official visit, decided to opt for Tallahassee. While Sims decided on Georgia Tech.
8. Miramar 9. Andrew Jackson 10. Orlando Christian Prep
Bolles Alumnus takes over Memphis Written by: Jack Thompson
With former Memphis head coach Mike Norvell expanding his resume and taking the position at Florida State, that means former Bolles High School football player Ryan Silverfield will take over head coaching duties in the interim. Silverfield was a part of two Bolles state championships ('95 and '98). He is now making his alma mater proud as he gains national attention for the job he’s done with the offensive line and running backs he’s coached.
Tennessee Comeback FBS Teams were 0-471 this season when trailing by 13+ in the final five minutes of a game in the 2019 season. After Tennessee came back to beat Indiana 23-22, FBS teams are now 1-471. ITG Next | 57
Against All Odds
Written by: Tyrah Walker Photography courtesy of Lola Williams
21-year-old Laylah O’Neal has been involved with Special Olympics since 2012. She is a well-rounded athlete that has played a plethora of sports during her time with the program. She first started playing basketball which then led to soccer, softball and track and field. When O’Neal was two, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and told that she would never be able to play with “normal” kids. However, by the grace of God, she is doing beyond what was expected of her. Her perseverance, despite her obstacles, is extremely admirable. Being involved in Special Olympics, O’Neal has had the honor of receiving several ribbons and medals for her performances and she doesn’t plan to end her sports career anytime soon. Out of all the sports O’Neal has played, she enjoys track and field the most because she enjoys working as a team and the competition it brings. She also enjoys racing against her siblings at the park or trying to keep up with her mom, who was also an athlete in her younger years as a cheerleader and volleyball player. Both her mother and stepfather have helped in her athletic career, pushing her to be the best she can be.
“I encourage proper diet and exercise, and sometimes I practice running with Laylah,” said her mother, Lola Williams. “Her stepdad throws the football around or shoots hoops with Laylah and her younger brother.” Besides her family, her coaches Bob Graver and John Berger have also helped with her athletic endeavors. Coach Graver does an excellent job keeping all the athletes and their families informed about Special Olympics events and sees that O’Neal is rewarded for her accomplishments. Coach Berger encourages her and cares about the physical and mental health of all the athletes and their families.
“[Berger] is patient and pleasant,” said Williams. “Laylah follows the directions of both coaches very well. She loves them both and looks for them first when arriving at practices and sporting events. She smiles at the comfort of their presence.” When she’s not playing sports, you can catch O’Neal watching anime cartoons or drawing, because she loves the arts. She attends Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center where she is in the school’s transitional program as a post-graduate. One day O’Neal would like to become a nurse just like her mother. How does Laylah stay focused? She stays focused by working with people and having her family in her corner for support. She also stays focused by looking up to her favorite athlete and tennis champion, Serena Williams. She admires Williams’ strength and speed. She identifies with her being they both have the same skin complexion and hair texture. “Don’t be afraid. You can do it.” That’s the best advice O’Neal says she gives anyone who wants to be active in sports but afraid to try.
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Written by: Tyrah Walker
Talk of Disney Plus is spreading like wildfire. The new streaming service has some of my favorite movies I watched as a kid. What better way to celebrate the launch (that also provides Hulu and ESPN Plus), than to share my top five Disney sports movies!
1.
Coming in as my favorite Disney sports movie is “Motocrossed.” Would you do anything for your twin? What about pretending to be them? Andrew is a big motocross rider, but when he breaks his leg during a race, he asks his twin sister to impersonate him so he won’t ruin his chance at a corporate sponsorship. The entire movie centers around the two trying to successfully get through all the races without getting caught.
2.
Another great Disney sports film is “Double Teamed,” which is based on real-life WNBA twins Heidi and Heather Burge. This movie shares how the Burge sisters went from playing volleyball to playing basketball while accepting each other’s differences.
3.
At No. 3 is the popular hockey movie “Miracle.” When a new college coach is hired for the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, he does so in a unique way. The team is full of hot-headed college all-stars who must face the Soviet team – a foe and crowd favorite.
4.
If you think double-dutch isn’t a sport, think again! At No. 4 I have “Jump In.” What would you do if you had to fill in one day for a friend to do something out of the ordinary, but then realized you actually enjoyed it? That’s the problem Izzy Daniels face when he must decide if he will keep the family tradition of winning a boxing championship or join his friend’s skipping team.
5.
Coming in at No. 5, I have “Johnny Tsunami.” This movie is about a young Hawaiian surfer who has to suddenly move with his family to Vermont – a state totally lacking in the warmth department. Johnny then meets a friend who introduces him to snowboarding, and he begins to like the sport. The climax of the film begins when Johnny must settle a rivalry with a skier named Brett.
Laurel Coppedge Bolles Swimming/Diving What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far? Winning my first high school meet as a 6th grader. . After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing? After high school, I hope to continue my diving career in college. Right now, I'm interested in studying design. How do you live In the Game? When I'm competing, I listen to upbeat music. This keeps me energized and helps to eliminate distractions.
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Women Can Ref Written by: Tyrah Walker
What would sports be without referees? Their job is to watch the game closely to ensure that the rules are adhered to and to make judgement calls in case there’s any confusion. When you think of referees, would you consider it to be more of a “male job” or a “female job”? Well, one thing for sure is there aren’t as many women referees in professional sports as there are men. This week, I’ve decided to highlight some female referees who have broken barriers in professional sports! Violet Palmer was the first woman to be hired by the NBA as a referee in 1997. Before she started working for the NBA, Palmer was working for high-profile high school and collegiate teams. Her officiating debut game was between the Dallas Mavericks and the Vancouver Grizzlies. In total, Palmer officiated
919 NBA games. Now, she is the coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officials for the Pac 12, West Coast, and Western Athletic conferences. Sarah Thomas was hired by the NFL as its first female officiate in 2015. Her career started when she attended a football officials meeting with her brother. In 2006, officiating a game in Mississippi, Thomas was noticed by an official scout who connected her with Gerald Austin, the Conference USA’s officiating coordinator of the NFL. When officiating, Thomas puts her hair up in a cap and barely wears makeup. Heather McDaniel had been the only female to referee professional hockey games in 1995 for the CHL and WCHL. She was well on her way to possibly even work for the NHL, but she quit in 1999 when she became pregnant.
This year, four women were selected to officiate prospect games, making them the first women to do so in NHL history, 24 years after McDaniel stopped officiating. In its history, the MLB has had one female umpire, Bernice Gera. Gera attended the Florida Baseball School in 1967. Despite her training, she was still rejected by the National Association of Baseball Leagues. In 1972, she won a case that ended the discrimination, and she was able to umpire her first game. However, she ended up quitting because the other umpires gave her a hard time and questioned her calls. Pam Postema followed in Gera’s footsteps, becoming the first female to officiate an MLB spring training game in 1977.
Top Female Basketball Players in Florida JANIAH BARKER Tampa Bay Tech Senior High
TONIE MORGAN Florida High
AICHA COULIBALY IMG Academy
O’MARIAH MORGAN Braden River
NYLA HARRIS Lake Highland Prep
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PASSES
PAY TO
PLAY Written by: Kyle Grondin
The NCAA is trying to use its get-out-of-jail-free card. Over the years, the topic of pay to play has been one of the most controversial and often discussed stories that surround college sports. After bills were proposed in many states to put the practice in place legally, the NCAA has ruled that it will allow college athletes to profit off of their name and likeness “in a manner consistent of the collegiate model.” While it remains to be seen what the “collegiate model” entails (knowing the NCAA, we’ll all be unhappy with the response), it’s a step in the right direction. They are now following the actions pushed upon them by many states. California was the first state to pass such a law, The Fair Pay to Play Act, allowing athletes to profit off of their name. States such as Georgia and Florida have introduced bills that would follow suit. The NCAA has constantly been pushing back on the idea, citing reasons of competitive imbalance in the league and an unfair advantage to certain schools. The organization also cites the fear of players being taken advantage of by agents and boosters in unfair deals. What makes the situation laughable, and true to the NCAA form of the past, is their hypocrisy. NCAA President Mark Emmert called the California bill an “existential threat” to the collegiate model less than six weeks ago, and he was prepared to rule all California schools ineligible for NCAA championships. That seems to have been a bluff the entire time. But the tyranny of the majority has spoken, and the NCAA is now trying to get back ahead of the lawmakers and come up with a plan to turn the rules back to their advantage. This model allows the best 62 | itgnext.com
situation for the NCAA, as they don’t want to commit salaries to players, and definitely do not want student-athletes to unionize and negotiate under their own power. If the NCAA can create a fair process for student-athletes to profit, then there’s three major benefits to how players can prosper under NCAA legislation.
1. Players who deserve to be paid will get paid. The biggest debate on the fair pay arguments was the question of how the NCAA would balance the money. Would there be a salary cap, so teams such as Alabama can’t buy all of the best players? Who is deciding who makes money? Is income based on value to the school or value to the team? These factors made fair pay a slippery slope the NCAA carefully avoided for a long time. Now, the new ruling takes a lot of responsibility out of the committee’s hands. Players will now be their own entrepreneurs, making their own deals and being able to generate their own income fairly. The only stipulation the NCAA listed was that any profit must stay “consistent with the collegiate model.” The way this decision works out is if players become savvy business people, learning how to profit off of their own talents. The top players who drive substantial income to the universities (the best players and biggest names in their respective sports) will now be able to earn what they feel they deserve, and many of them will profit. Duke basketball star and NBA No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson would’ve been a seven-figure athlete while in college, for example, if he were able to profit off of his own image. The biggest task of the NCAA will be to keep the competitive balance, which is something the organization highlighted in its press release. New rules are constantly taken advantage of, and if players have a way to profit more off of going to the top five schools, they’re going to take advantage of that opportunity. The NCAA will have to ensure that other schools aren’t falling behind due to the ruling.
2. The NCAA no longer has to punish schools for minor monetary exchanges. In 2010, the University of Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green was suspended for four games for selling his game-worn jersey for $1,000. Later that year, star quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four teammates at Ohio State were suspended for five games for trading game memorabilia and championship rings for tattoos. These rulings would arise year after year, and the committee had to come up with decisions on situations that had nothing to do with performance on the field. Now, that job becomes a lot easier. Granted, the NCAA will still have its fair share of investigations to resolve, but they can now focus on monitoring the schools and not its players. Many collegiate athletes were making money anyway and doing it in secret. University athletic programs were derailed based on some of these rulings, and now, with less responsibility, we can all worry less about how players are secretly getting money.
3. All parties win. Once again, this is a situation where all parties feel like they can walk away with a victory. For the players, it is a great step toward what they feel is fair compensation for their worth on the field. Many players will rejoice at the opportunity to profit off of themselves, and it is a model that still promotes what college is all about: growing oneself. Teaching these athletes to grow their brand at 18 years old can go a long way to helping that down the line, especially when some of the student-athletes reach a professional level. They’ll have the ability to understand their self worth and can avoid being taken advantage of without the NCAA having their backs. It was a monumental decision for the NCAA to allow college athletes to profit off of their own likenesses. As more information unfolds on the rule changes and how it will be installed, we’ll see a plan in place that will protect the players, while still allowing them to feel as though it’s them, and not their universities, that reap the benefits of their hard work on the field.
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Josh Jacobs Nease High School Tennis What is the most memorable moment of your sports career, so far? When I played a match that split sets and went to a tiebreaker, at the end, I was so tired but still won. After the last point I collapsed on the court. . Who has helped you the most in your sports career? My coach, Coach Kypriss, has taught me how to organize everything in my life from school to sports. Who is your biggest sports inspiration? My biggest inspiration is Gael Monfils because he is known for pulling odd trickshots in tournaments. He shows how sports is all about having fun.
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Top Places to Watch the Jags NFL games are something to look forward to every week, especially when it’s getting closer to the playoffs. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a great fan base, so here are some of the best places to watch and hype up our team.
1.
Extreme Sports Written by: Tyrah Walker
If asked about the most popular sport in the country, which sport would you choose? Football? Basketball? Baseball? What about fencing or unicycle hockey? There are a plethora of sports that don’t get recognized as being popular. This week, I wanted to highlight some sports in the world that should get more attention.
1.
If you’re married, then you’ve probably heard the phrase, “a happy wife, a happy life.” Well, there’s an entire sport dedicated to that theory. Have you ever heard of wife carrying? The aim of this sport is for husbands to successfully get their wives to the finish line while completing an obstacle course. This sport originated in Finland, and the first event was held in 1992. A North American championship was started in 1999.
2.
If wife carrying wasn’t abnormal enough, then what about extreme ironing? I love a well pressed shirt, and apparently others do too – so much so that they’ve made a sport out of it. The aim of this sport is to combine the outdoors with the laundry. Each contestant takes an ironing board and travels to a remote and dangerous location just to iron. Sounds crazy, right? At least the contestants are able to travel. A man named Phil Shaw decided to turn his hobby into something bigger. In 2002, the first-ever Extreme Ironing World Championship made its debut.
3.
They say if you’re having trouble falling asleep, then try counting sheep. You can do just that as a sport. In 2006, the contest was held for the first time in Australia. The object of the game is to count as accurately as you can as 400 sheep dash past 10 competitors.
4.
Next on the list is chess boxing. It’s the best of both worlds. Invented by Dutch performance artist Lepe Rubingh, competitors fight in alternating rounds of chess and boxing. It truly requires the skills of both the mind and body. It’s popular in Germany, the United Kingdom, India, and Russia.
5.
Last on the list is ferret legging. Popular in Yorkshire, England, ferrets are trapped in trousers worn by the participants carrying them. The winner is the last person to release the animal. It has been considered a dying sport, but a national ferret-legging event was held in Richmond, Virginia, from 2003 to 2009.
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If you’re like me, you love attending football games in person, so of course, I have to put TIAA Bank Field on the list. I love to be surrounded by other fans, especially when the team is winning. You’ll meet people from all different backgrounds coming together to unite in hopes of leaving with a win. You may even get a chance to be shown on the jumbotron. Unfortunately, I have yet to be featured.
2.
If you don’t want to pay for tickets to attend the game but want to be around fans, then give Intuition Ale Works a try. This local brewery is located on East Bay Street, so it’s close to the stadium. The food is delicious, and there’s also a rooftop seating area if you want to enjoy the breeze.
3.
You can always find Jag fans hanging around local beach bars, so if you’re in that area, give Mellow Mushroom a try. They always have the game playing in their bar area. You can eat, drink, and yell as much as you want just like you were at the stadium.
4.
It may be hard to get to the game if you have kids or pets, so Wicked Barley makes it easier for families. This family friendly restaurant has an open backyard for children to run around and a pet-friendly waterfront beer garden. Want to sail for a day? You can also get to them by boat. The restaurant is located in the Mandarin area.
5.
Sometimes you just want to be by yourself or with friends during game day. What better way to watch the game than at home with a plate of food and a drink? There’s no traffic, no long concession lines, and no overpriced parking. It’s just you and some friends on the couch screaming at the television.
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