SPORTS a skeeTeR expeRience

By: Asia Williams

For decades, golf has been known to be one common sport that lacks diversity all over the world. A recent study shows that 1-18% of golfers are Black, and a little under 30% are women. Of course, that did not stop minorities from participating in the sport. When a Westfield Country Club was bought by a group of black investors in 1921, the first ever Black country club came to light, Shady Rest Golf and Country Club. Not long after, in 1937 the first all-women’s Black country club was formed, Wake Robin. Even famous boxer Joe Lewis fought for golf diversity all the way up until he died in 1981. To this day, Black country clubs are still being created and running just as smoothly as they have been for decades. Track on the other hand, is a sport that supports diversity globally, yet only about 3% of American runners are Black.

I recently spoke with my uncle, Lawson Smart, about his experiences being a track runner in high school and college. He started playing recreational golf in his early 20s as an outlet as he no longer wanted to play basketball or football at that age. “Golfing was something to do with the coworkers. I was 21 or 22. It was something I took up when I was young,” Smart said. “Golf, or any type of physical activity you need to start early.” To him, sports like golf and tennis are great forms of physical activity where you are less prone to injuries which he recommends to anyone. Smart would compete in golf tournaments and often win. The more he won, the more he considered playing professional golf, which he started when he hit his 50s.

However, golf didn’t hold a spot in his heart like hurdles did. He was widely known as Skeeter because of his incredibly hasty feet on the track. Going to high school at Booker T. Washington, Smart competed in various track competitions and set records.

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The 1st National ACT-SO Competition was held in 1978 as an opportunity for students of color to showcase their academic and artistic abilities in up to 33 different categories. These real-life potential career paths allow students to compete in areas such as STEM, Humanities, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Culinary. Each spring, the local ACT-SO branch holds a local competition.

Students compete to earn gold, silver, or bronze medals. Students earning a gold medal at the local level advance to the National ACTSO Competition to

Musician cont. represent their local branch. Ryan’s exceptional musical abilities have allowed him to perform in various competitions with his high school band and earned him well-deserved recognition. His instrument of choice, the marimba, has African and Latino origins. Marimbists use 2-4 mallets to strike wooden plates creating a melodic sound. Through countless hours of practice and dedicated commitment, Ryan has honed his skills to captivate audiences with his unique talent and inviting performance. Ryan expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “I am honored to be chosen as a final gold medal winner in the ACT-SO competition. This recognition motivates me to continue pushing the boundaries of my musical abilities. I am grateful to the NAACP Missouri City and Vicinity Branch for their support and to Paetow High School for fostering an environment that encourages creativity and excellence.” The 2024 ACTSO season will begin recruiting students in October 2023. If you would like to learn more about ACT-SO, please email actso@ naacpmissouricityvicinity.org or contact the ACT-SO Chair, Sharmia Jones.