Issuu

THE BRIGHT SPOT Sydney Jaudon, Brunswick High School

QUIET STORM

Emily Thrift Pierce Co. High School

Trading in Her

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IN THE

June 2018

Sara Hitt, Ware Co. High School

In The Game | 1

Southeast Georgia’s ONLY Three-Time President’s Award Winner

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In tThis Issue

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Trading in Her Cleats

Sara Hitt, Ware Co. High School

The Bright Spot

Sydney Jaudon, Brunswick High School

Gator Guns Repeat

The Bird Dog Tennis Academy

26 34

Ware Co. High School

Also 25

Herons Stay on Top Brantley Co. High School

Michael “Buzzy” Thorp, Appling Co. Middle School

Coach Plus 1

Candice Boyette, Wayne Co. High School

Quiet Storm

Emily Thrift, Pierce Co. High School

In The Game | 5

Trading in Her

Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Jennifer Carter Johnson

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Sara Hitt is one of the best soccer players you’ll ever see take the pitch. But, you may never see Hitt attempt another shot on goal. Ever. Hitt, a senior at Ware County High School, has been playing soccer all of her life, beginning in the second grade when,

according to her mother, she played with an Upward program, then with the local YMCA. In the fifth grade, Hitt began playing with the Golden Isles Soccer Association and with a travel team. She also played on the Waycross Middle School soccer team and has just completed her final season as a four-year starter on the high school team under head coach Mi-

chael Cook. Hitt played one season in the ODP program in Tifton and has attended the Lundy camps as well as summer soccer camp at UGA. Along the way, there have been numerous awards and achievements, enough to show that Hitt has what it takes to keep playing soccer once her high school days are over. But, as great of a soccer player

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as Hitt is, she will likely never play the sport collegiately, except for maybe for an intramural or club team. That is because Hitt wants to pursue a career in the medical field, and with the goal of obtaining an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia with a double major in biology and French, while preparing to head to medical school after that, there’s not go-

“It is very unusual to start a ninthgrader on the varsity program.” — Michael Cook

ing to be much time for soccer…or much of anything else. Hitt began showing a love for soccer as a young child, playing around in the yard with her family. According to her mother, Hitt would push herself to outplay her brother. Even in the causal environment of loved ones, Hitt started to show the fiery, highly competitive spirit that pushed her to do

Bossaball (Volleyball, Soccer, And Gymnastics on a trampoline)

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Floorball (Lacrosse and Field Hockey) In The Game | 9

The Bright Spot Written by: Rob Asbell| Photography by: Michael Brinson

Sydney Jaudon steps up to the tee box at the first hole on Jekyll Island’s Indian Mound golf course – a par 4 straight shot 300 yards to the green. She scans the terrain to find the flag. Then she makes her plan of attack by visualizing the shot. “I make myself mentally see the ball in the air and landing where I want it,” Jaudon said. A solid student who makes A’s and B’s at Brunswick High School, Jaudon is able to concentrate on her game and block out other concerns. “Golf is a mental sport, so my grades are just one less thing I have on my mind,” she said. The senior has played golf for the Pirates since her freshman year. Back then, there were only three players on the girls team, and Brunswick barely had enough to qualify for matches. 12 | itgnext.com

Golf is a mental sport, so my grades are just one less thing I have on my mind.

— Sydney Jaudon

“I was really behind skill level-wise compared to the other girls, so I had to work harder to become better,” Jaudon said. She had to improve quickly because with only three players, Jaudon had to play in every match. The following year, as a sophomore, she hit her first big shot, landing a par 3 tee shot to within a foot of the pin, enabling her to birdie the hole. Her most memorable round came later and not because of great shots. In fact, just the opposite. It was a round of bad shots at the Okefenokee Country Club in Blackshear. “I played horrible the whole day,” she said. “I was 3 putting every hole, and I was feeling really frustrated. Then on the last hole, I putted it in on the first try.” Jaudon may never make it to the LPGA Tour or even play in college,

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In the Game with Sydney Jaudon What is your favorite course? “Indian Mound on Jekyll” What is your best club? “My best club is my 7 iron.” Why? “Even when I have bad days, I can always depend on my 7 iron to do exactly what I want it to do.” What kind of driver do you use? “Acuity Voltage”

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What clubs do you keep in your bag? “Driver, 5 6 7 8 and 9 iron, pitching wedge, hybrid 4 iron, putter, and 3 & 5 wood.”

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Quiet Storm Written by: John DuPont | Photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson

Over the past four seasons, Pierce player. She just gets her job done and expects others to do the same. As a County High School has been among the most improved girls soccer prodefender, it’s not as easy to put onto paper how great you are, grams in Class 3A. The Lady Bears have post- "She just gets her job but she is an asset to our ed respective season team, and she has played totals of 13, 14, 17, and done and expects others a part in every win we 18 wins, culminating this to do the same. As a de- have tallied.” Two other socseason with a region title fender, it’s not as easy and an Elite Eight berth. cer-playing siblings from to put onto paper how Mirroring that ascension the Thrift family compethas been the team’s great you are, but she ed for Pierce – brother right back, Emily Thrift. is an asset to our team, Aaron and sister Hannah The daughter of Rodney and she has played a – before Emily, who first and Renee Thrift, she was up the game in elpart in every win we took named Most Improved ementary school. From Player for the Lady Bears have tallied.” rec ball she advanced — Alvin Thrift through the middle as a junior and served as school ranks and also a leader during her senior season of 2018. competed for club teams. But when Pierce head coach Alvin Thrift said: high school rolled around, she sud“Emily is a kind and quiet person by denly found it tougher to break into nature. She will never bark at other the starting lineup.