South Georgia April/May 2018 Edition

From Hindered to a

CONTENDER Quin McGlamery, Valdosta High School

VAULTING VALEDICTORIAN

Katelin Stecz, Lowndes High School

COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL GOLFERS COACHED BY THEIR DADS Mary Catherine McDaniel & Jonathon Parker

Rackley Speeding His Way to a Successful Ryan Rackley, Valwood School

IN THE

GAME

APR/MAY 2018

Racing Career

THE

HUGHSTON DIFFERENCE YESTERDAY.

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Providing you, for over 60 years, with research, education, and treatment

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Organizing preparticipation physicals since 1976

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Covering over 1,500 local sporting events each year

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LOCATIONS Albany Auburn Columbus Dothan LaGrange

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In The Game | 3

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ARE YOU In?

South Georgia

In the Game Be fearless.

Take chances. Push boundaries.

Do what’s never been done.

Get In the Game. Stay In the Game. Live In the Game.

In The Game | 5

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In The Game | 7

HONORING THE ELITE 4 North Carter Street Lakeland, Georgia 31635 (229) 482-3585

978 Valdosta Highway Homerville, Georgia 31634 (912) 487-1200

202 W. Washington Ave. Nashville, Georgia 31639 (229) 686-9451

1201 S. Patterson Street Valdosta, Georgia 31603 (229) 244-3585

3303 Inner Perimeter Road Valdosta, Georgia 31605 (229) 244-3585

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Member FDIC

OF SOUTH GEORGIA

18

Player Profiles

32

Rackley Speeding His Way to a Successful Racing Career

37

Vaulting Valedictorian

38 39 40

South Georgia’s Top Athletes

Ryan Rackley, Valwood School Katelin Stecz, Lowndes High School

Long Jumper Looking for State Title Repeat Alonie Sutton, Smiths Station High School

Griffin Ready to Make History

Shooting for Greatness Nizarre Thompson, Colquitt Co. High School

43

Scholastic Baseballers

44

Columbus High School Golfers Coached by Their Dads

46 49 50 54 55

Riley Jones, Jackson NeSmith, & Tyler Carter Thomas Co. Central High School Mary Catherine McDaniel & Jonathon Parker

All in for 3rd State Championship Gracie Hemmings, Brookstone School

A-Town Alive and Kicking

From Hindered to a Contender Quin McGlamery, Valdosta High School

Two Brothers, Two Tumors, One Battle Aaron & Andrew Eunice, Cook Co.

What’s Wrong With Kentucky?

56

The Story Behind Storey

57

How Early Is Too Early?

58 60 61 62

Tre’ Storey, Bainbridge High School

Above and Beyond Her Calling Cristi Griffin, Lee Co. High School

Overlooking Mayfield

10 Questions With David Kovalik Spencer High School

Baseball Athlete Looking for Back-to-Back-to-Back State Titles Nick Adams, Glenwood School

In The Game | 9

From the Publisher While many see spring as a time for new beginnings, we see it as a time for growth. The transition between winter and summer is the perfect time to invest in yourself and your passions.

Give yourself the space to learn and advance.

Disturb the balance and get creative. Allow yourself to make mistakes and try new ways of doing things.

Dive into projects and endeavors with enthusiasm and gusto. Ask questions and question the answers. Challenge yourself. Push yourself past the limits of what you though was possible.

In the spirit of growth and pushing ourselves, In the Game is evolving. We’re still celebrating the successes of high school athletes, and we’re still inspiring your inner athlete. But, we’re ready to take that a step further; we’re ready to take our game to the next level. ITG Next, our new apparel line, can be found in our downtown retail store or on our brand new website, www.itgnext.com.

Speaking of taking things to the next level, the subject of our cover story is doing just that this year. For many of us, the thought of a 13-year-old driving anything at break neck speed is frightening. But, for Valwood School seventh-grade student Ryan Rackley, it’s what he does and does very well.

Rackley made the transition from a karts to a Legends car in the winter of 2016, and he’ll transition to full sized stock cars this year.

In this issue, we take a look at the trend of colleges beginning the recruiting process while athletes are still in middle school. We also celebrate the success of Shaquem Griffin, the UCF linebacker with one hand who’s looking to make it big in the NFL, and dive deep into what’s wrong with the Kentucky basketball program.

Our Academic Athletes in this issue are three baseball players from Thomas County Central High School: outfielder Riley Jones, short stop Jackson NeSmith, and center fielder Tyler Carter. Each member of this Yellow Jackets trio has over a 4.0 GPA, and we spoke with them about their motivations and the benefits of succeeding both on and off the field.

We also got the chance to talk to the GHSA 6A 126-pound wrestling state champion, Quin McGlamery from Valdosta High School. McGlamery, a senior and team captain, fell in love with sports during middle school, but struggled because his autism didn’t allow him to understand the social cues required for team sports. A coach suggested he try wrestling, and McGlamery used his autism to his advantage.

These stories and more pack the pages of this magazine. However, it isn’t just about the athletic abilities and achievements of these teams and players; while their talents may bring them to the center of conversation, it is their character, work ethic, support systems, and drive that will make them successful in life. On the field, in the classroom, around the community, being In the Game isn’t being in our magazine. It’s about living In the Game.

We are looking for people who understand what it means to passionately persevere, inspire, and strive for greatness in all areas of life. In short, we are looking for people who understand what it means to BE In the Game.

So the question is: ARE YOU IN? Our mission is simple: to inspire your inner athlete toward the passionate pursuit of excellence, on and off the field. So, if you know of a player, coach, or fan deserving of recognition, head to www.itgnext.com and officially nominate that story!

We thank you for your continued support of your local athletic programs and In the Game. Follow us on social media @itgnext and visit us at www.itgnext.com in order to #StayInTheGame!

In the Game Apparel @ITGNext

South Georgia Team Publisher Mark Dykes Editor Anna Limoges Magazine Director Anna Limoges Graphics Mandy Douthit Jarius Bailey Cover Photography Marque Milla Reese Milla Creationz Photography Player Profiles Photography Eric Vinson Eric Vinson Photography Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Eric Vinson Eric Vinson Photography George McDuffie Feature Writers Beth Welch Phil Jones Joshua Miller Gerald Thomas III Copy Editors Anna Limoges Beth Welch Alex Dunn Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@itgsportsnetwork.com Brittany K. Wyche brittany@itgsportsnetwork.com Digital Manager Mandy Douthit

Tell us what you thought about the February/March issue of In the Game! info@itgnext.com

Train Insane Tee

Love to Live In the Game Tank

Go to

#23-James Eunice Tee

www.itgnext.com to Get In the Game today!

In the Game is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Media Group LLC makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2018 Dykes Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

In The Game | 11

Contributors

Mark Dykes

Brittany k. Wyche

Mandy Douthit

aNNA Limoges

Chief Executive Officer

Director of Sales

Creative Director

editor

Founder Mark Dykes is the entrepreneur and mastermind behind the In the Game 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 In the Game, despite his annual prediction that UGA will win the national championship.

Whether it’s creating relationships with clients or designing pages in the magazine, Brittany’s multiple talents bring value and personality to the In the Game team. Upon recognizing her natural ability to sell, combined with her insatiable drive to succeed, her original role as a graphic designer evolved into primarily client relations. Unfortunately, she and her husband, who looks like Shaun Livingston, are big Golden State Warrior (bandwagon) fans.

As a Pine Mountain, Georgia, native, Mandy’s move to Valdosta has brought enhanced artistry and intricacy to the ITG design team. The University of West Georgia alum graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in art with a concentration in graphic design. Her artistic nature has allowed her to use graphic design to win national and international design competitions, all of which are meant to serve as diversions and coping mechanisms for Alabama’s loss to Auburn.

After four years as an interdisciplinary studies major at Valdosta State University and nearly two years as an ITG intern, Anna has remained a member of the team as an editor. Since her start in early 2016, she has devoted her editorial eye toward serving as one of the first and last lines of defense against errors within these pages. More importantly, while her Facebook page says that she likes the Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.

Beth WElch

Susannah Parmenter

Phil Jones

Gerald Thomas III

Columbus Area Editor

Area Coordinator

Contributing Writer

Journalist Intern

Beth has been a part of the ITG Team since 2009 when she began writing for the Columbus Valley edition of In the Game. Now, she heads up all of the Chattahoochee Valley content as Area Editor. Having children who participated in sports in local high schools and later were collegiate athletes, Beth has been involved in athletics in the area for many years, making her the perfect fit for her current role.

Susannah Parmenter is a Florida transplant originally from California. After graduating from California State University, Fullerton with a broadcast journalism degree, she continued her education with a meteorology degree from Florida State. Now as part of In the Game, she combines her journalism and broadcast skills to highlight the athletes who inspire and motivate us to release our inner champions.

Phil Jones began lending his voice to In the Game 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. Jones is a 20year 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.

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Gerald is now a mass media major at Valdosta State University. He started working for In the Game in the Spring of 2018 to offer his writing flair and to generate exciting sports content. Gerald enjoys the writing aspect of mass media, whether it be journalism or screenwriting. He is always looking to grow and improve his craft.

Gerald has grown to rely on the future, as his favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, disappoints him every season.

Micki Krzynski

Marque Milla Reese

George McDuffie

Eric Vinson

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

When it comes to loyalty to In the Game, it is hard to top Micki. Since the very beginning of In the Game, Micki has provided strong, creative, and highly professional photos. Consequently, Micki and her son/assistant, Jake, have become our go-to photo duo. With enough talent, equipment, and experience to make her dangerous, she continues to push ITG’s photography forward.

Milla was born a humble, ambitious child on the south side of Tifton, Georgia. He has always had a vision to see things differently than others as he drew out his imagination, and he went through numerous potential career choices before finding “the one”: the dream of becoming a photographer.

With the helpful hand of his wife, Rebekka, Milla is living out that dream as a key member of ITG. With that said, the cries of “War Eagle” from them both have fallen strangely silent since 2010.

George may have retired from the Muscogee County School system in 2013, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t staying busy. With a background in business management, a love for the Auburn Tigers, and knack for photography, George has been able to capture amazing sports shots for our Columbus Valley schools. We are always excited to have George’s photos featured in our magazines!

Eric Vinson is a native of Lowndes County and a graduate of Valdosta High School. He recently got his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Valdosta State University in mass media. Eric loves taking photos, watching sports, and producing music.

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What to look forward to:

Vince Jupiter

Moving from Atlanta, Garrison is now a member of our growing video department in Jacksonville. As a graduate of Thomas County Central and Valdosta State University, this filmmaker has been filming and working in a variety of sports since high school all the way up to working for CBS Sports. He always strives to add creative pizazz in all of his work and in his own personal hobbies such as drawing graphic novels.

The Lee County and Valdosta State mass media alumnus joined our intern team back in the summer of 2016, but Vince separated himself from the crowd and proved to be a talented and trustworthy videographer. He easily transitioned into a more active role within the ITG operation and culture thanks to his passion, drive, and creativity, but it took significant individual and group therapy for our staff to finally forgive him for being an LSU and New Orleans Saints fan.

Joshua Miller

Alex Dunn

Journalist Intern

Copy Editing Intern

Joshua was born and raised in Gwinnet County and joined ITG in the fall of 2017.

Currently a junior mass media major at Valdosta State, Joshua is aiming toward a career as a sports television personality. Although he’s still learning new techniques in sports journalism, his admiration and knowledge of a variety of sports is easily recognized. As a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan, he has learned to remain optimistic towards his goals despite the inevitable obstacles in the way.

Alex is a senior English-journalism major at Valdosta State University. She started working for ITG in the summer of 2017 to lend her editorial eye to the many articles that filter through her before heading on to print. Although her main job is devoted to copy editing, she contributes her own journalistic talents for our print and digital platforms as well. Her youthful enthusiasm can only be dampened by yet another crushing disappointment from her Atlanta Falcons.

Videographer

2017-18 High School Sports Awards Banquet After each school year we come together to recognize the top athletes from across South Georgia.

It is a night to honor all players no matter the sport.

2017-18 Championship Issue In this issue we recognize all the champions from South Georgia.

Jarius Bailey Graphic Design Intern Jarius is a junior mass media major at Valdosta State University. There he began to develop creative skills which led him to the ITG family. He began interning for In the Game in the spring of 2018 as a graphic designer. He enjoys the artistic journey and works hard every day to develop as a content creator. He has plans to own his own media company one day, as long as he doesn’t follow the Portland Trailblazers’ marketing strategy.

Football Preseason In this issue we tell you all you need to know to get ready for those Friday night lights.

BE IN THE GAME

Garrison Muelhausen Lead Videographer

In The Game | 13

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In The Game | 15

ITG Next Ambassadors 2017-18 Join ITG Next

Ambassadors Bret Bernard

Carson Bryan

Lillian Fagan

Tiftarea - Senior Baseball

Tiftarea - Senior Basketball, Softball, Track, & Soccer

Colquitt CO. - Junior Diving & Cross Country

Haley Hogan

Marlee Marlowe

Valdosta - Senior Cheerleading & Soccer

Riley Mims

Tiftarea - Senior Track & Cheerleading

Tiftarea - Senior Basketball

In 2017, In the Game launched its inaugural Ambassador Program.

In the Game Ambassadors exhibit academic excellence, a passion for athletics, outstanding character, and a strong commitment to their schools and communities.

As role models, Ambassadors are encouraged to inspire their peers to explore and create new initiatives within their high schools and communities by being a part of In the Game’s mission, which is inspiring your inner athlete toward the passionate pursuit of excellence, on and off the field.

Be a part of In the Game’s 2018-19 Ambassador Program!

For more information, email us at info@itgnext.com.

Auburne Mobley TCC - Sophomore Swimming & Soccer

William Tolbert Lowndes - Senior Football 16 | itgnext.com

Jasmine Moses

Bailey Pieplow

Colquitt Co. - Senior Cheerleading

Lowndes - Senior Volleyball

Mary Logan Tostenson Colquitt Co. - Senior Softball

Julia Tucker Colquitt Co. - Junior Cheerleading

A Portion of the proceeds of the James Eunice Tee, pictured on several In the Game Ambassadors, will go to the James Eunice Charity Fund.

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In The Game | 17

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I plan on attending college and pursuing a degree to become a physical therapist.

Who has helped you the most in your sports career?

My dad. For the first couple years of my high school tennis career, he was my coach. He still coaches me as a parent. He has helped me with both my mental and physical game. He has been tough on me but encouraging as well.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I am very encouraging to all of my teammates. I always try to make everyone feel important and be a positive asset to the team.

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Beylee Roberts Colquitt Co. High School Tennis — No. 1 Doubles

WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF YOUR SPORTS CAREER TO DATE? Being voted by my teammates as

MVP.

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What makes you different from everyone else?

I am willing to do whatever I have to do to become better and to help my team win. I am dedicated and determined to be great.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

My biggest sports inspiration is Gabby Douglas. No matter what she faces and goes through, she always has a positive attitude and smile on her face.

If you could play any other sport, what would it be? Why? I play three sports, but if I could play another sport, I would like to play soccer. I have the endurance and passion just for any sport I do now.

Rylee Watson Tift Co. High School

Gymnastics

AFTER YOUR SPORTS CAREER IS OVER, WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING? I would like to attend UGA to pursue a career in the medical field. I would like to be a

PEDIATRIC SURGEON if that is God’s plan for me.

In The Game | 21

Bryanne Mathis Valdosta High School Golf

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST SPORTS INSPIRATION?

LEXI THOMPSON is my inspiration because she made it into the LPGA before she was 18.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I see myself being a hospital administrator.

Who has helped you the most in your sports career?

My parents have really helped me with my golf career throughout the years.

They have supported me by taking me to golf lessons, clinics in the summer, and attending golf tournaments.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I enjoy getting to know the other players who I’m paired up with in tournaments and making new friendships in other communities.

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Caden Williams Lowndes High School Soccer — Goalie

IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY OTHER SPORT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

SNOWBOARDING. That has also always been a dream of mine.

Coming from Washington state, snow was not an issue, and everyone loved to snowboard.”

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

It would definitely have to be winning regions last year and being able to be a part of this program.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I love to push myself and others to the max. I also always help my teammates push themselves to become the best team we can.

Who has helped you the most in your sports career?

My dad. He’s always pushed me to my limit and helped me every way to become better.

In The Game | 25

Curtis Thomas Valdosta High School

Soccer Center Attacking-mid

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST SPORTS INSPIRATION?

MY MOM

Who has helped you the most in your sports career?

Coach Michael Petrella has helped me the most in my sports career. He has been my coach since middle school.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I take everything seriously, even in practice. Even when down, I’m giving my best.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I want to coach soccer at the high school level.

26 | itgnext.com

because she is a hard worker and she always finishes what she starts.

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In The Game | 27

May 31, 2018 28 | itgnext.com

Emma Lewis Northside High School Golf

What is the most memorable moment of your sports career to date?

My most memorable moment is when my sister and I got to play in a tournament in Jekyll Island.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

After my sports career is over, I see myself becoming a teacher and working with underprivileged children.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

My biggest sports inspiration is Jordan Spieth because he is a Christian golfer and has accomplished many things at a young age.

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE? What makes me different from everyone else is that I put

CHRIST first in everything I do, and it gives me the talent and ability to play golf and lead my teammates.

In The Game | 29

Breanna Priest

Brooks Co. High School

Basketball — Shooting Guard, Point Guard, Small Forward Golf, Softball

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Freshman year when we beat McIntosh Academy in the first round of the state playoffs.

We were down double-digits at halftime but came back to win the game.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

Kobe Bryant. He is very serious while playing, much like myself.

His work ethic and mental strength are what I strive to have.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

Majoring in exercise science and getting accepted to physical therapy school. I plan on becoming a physical therapist.

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WHO HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST IN YOUR SPORTS CAREER?

MY DAD. He was my first coach and has always been with me every step of the way.

18

TOP 3

Prospects

Marvin Bagley III Duke University

Luka doncic real madrid

DeAndre Ayton

Arizona State University

Bagley has been one of college basketball’s most productive players, utilizing his athletic mismatch to score in the paint and manufacturing easy baskets on the offensive glass at an elite clip. https://www.si.com/nba

Elite physical tools, soft touch at the rim, and a promising jump shot make Ayton a tantalizing prospect.

Doncic’s continued mastery of the Euroleague and Spanish ACB leave little question as to his readiness for the next level, and it’s possible we never see another teenage prospect quite like him.

In The Game | 31

Rackley Speeding His Way to a Successful

Racing Career Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Milla Creationz Photography

For many of us, the thought of a 13-year-old driving anything at break neck speed is frightening. But, for Valwood School seventh-grade student Ryan Rackley, it’s what he does and does very well. The son of Darren and Paula Rackley, Rackley has actually been racing since he was 7 years old, when he started racing go-karts. Since then, he has made a dizzying rise through the various levels of racing and the different style cars that represent each classification, having mastered each one. That includes his start in go-karts (known in racing circles as simply the kart series), up to legends cars, where he races now. His next step, believe it or not, will be to graduate to a stock car, similar to what you see in the NASCAR series. Pretty unbelievable, you say? Not when you dig deeper into the Rackley family and see that racing is a family affair.

Darren, Rackley’s father, was a racer himself. He only recently decided to retire and concentrate his efforts on his son’s budding career. Rackley actually first showed a glimpse of his racing chops at one of Darren’s races back in 2012.

“I was competing at a race at the Carolina Motorsports Park, and instead of loading up the golf cart for Ryan to drive around in like I usually do, I loaded up a kart that I had just purchased for him and decided I’d let him go out on the track to just try it out,” Darren said. “So, I had a break between my races, put him in the kart, and was talking to him about checking his brake pedal pressure, making sure his brakes were good, that kind of thing.

Well, before I could finish talking to him, he dropped his visor down, hit the gas, and took off. I watched him get up speed down the backstretch, then spin out as he went into turn one. He came back, started over, did it again, and spun out again. Finally, after one or two more tries, he got the hang of it, and the rest is history.”

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In The Game | 33

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Darren added that after track offikart series. In his first race in a Legends cials had noticed his son over the rest car, on an oval course, Rackley qualified of the weekend, they were asking about for the lead (pole) position. his age and how long he had been acAs if that wasn’t incredible enough, tively racing.

Rackley won the That same race at Atlanta Moyear, Rackley betor Speedway. It’s gan competing in also at this point in various kart races his young career throughout the that he ran his fastSouth and quickly est speed yet. showed that he was “I think I’ve going to be a racgot the car up to ing tour-de-force, 103 mph at a road earning North Florcourse race,” he ida Kart Club Rooksaid. ie of the Year. That Rackley rebegan a three-year mained at AMS through 2017 and run through three different series of continued to maskart racing for Rackter the art of drivley. ing a Legends car As the type by embarking on — Ryan Rackley of kart racing got a 10 week/10 race tougher, Rackley schedule, known just got better. His highlights during as the “Thursday Thunder” series. He that three-year span included winning captured one win, two top fives, and six the Ocala Grand Prix Series, the Rok top 10s. Even though Rackley was faced Cup USA Series, and the Rok-Junior with so many changes, one constant reClass. According to Darren, this was the mained – winning. springboard for his son’s racing career.

It’s worth noting that racing isn’t It was time to take it to the next level. the only sport Rackley participates in.

According to Rackley, his interest in He swims competitively for Valdosta racing at such a young age always felt Aquatics and participates in the Amerinatural. can Taekwondo program, where he re“I think you just have it or you don’t ceived his black belt in 2014. have it,” Rackley said. “I think going to The next step in Rackley’s racing camy Dad’s races and being around the reer will be to drive stock cars, starting sport just kinda rubbed off on me. It in Pro Late Models, then on to Super definitely had an influence on me.”

Late Models. After that, the goal is the In the winter of 2016, Rackley K&N or ARCA Series, either of which is graduated to a Legends car. This was the earliest NASCAR-sanctioned event that any driver can enter. After that, a substantial change for several reasons, bringing many firsts for Rackley. things get really serious: The CampIt marked the first time he raced a car ing World Truck Series would be next, with a roof over his head and his first then Xfinity, then the ultimate prize – encounter with changing gears instead NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series. of racing with an automatic transmisThat’s the one with the names many sion. Driving a Legends car meant dealracing and even non-racing fans know: ing with substantially more horsepower, Jimmy Johnson (who, by the way, is and Rackley was also racing among and Rackley’s favorite driver), Chase Elliot, against adults instead of just competing Kyle Busch, Danica Patrick, and many against children his age. Racing Legmore marquee names. ends cars meant Rackley was racing on With the pace this 13-year-old Valan oval course for the first time in his wood honor student is on right now, young career. don’t be surprised if the name Ryan Surely the awkwardness of his new Rackley is added to that list of big car and race surroundings would take name drivers you’ll be hearing about. some getting used to. Not for Rackley.

He picked up where he left off in the

“I think I’ve got the car up to 103 mph at a road course race.”

In The Game | 35

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“It’s just a really cool feeling when you’re in the air even though it happens really fast.”

— Katelin Stecz

VAULTING

Valedictorian Written by: Joshua Miller | Photography by: Eric Vinson

Katelin Stecz is used to setting the bar high and clearing it with ease. Stecz is an 18-year-old pole vaulting valedictorian, now in her senior year at Lowndes High School. Stecz made history at Lowndes by becoming the school’s first female pole vaulter, bringing the sport back to her school.

When Stecz entered her sophomore year, she decided to pick up the sport.

Although Stecz is the first female pole vaulter at her school, she’s not the first in the Stecz family to participate in the sport. Her father was a former pole vaulter while he was in high school too.

At school, Stecz was already a distance runner for the track and field team, so she thought she’d just try it out. Since her father was fa-

miliar with the sport, he began coaching and training Stecz on her pole vaulting.

In both of her seasons pole vaulting, Stecz won regional championships, and she qualified for state just last year. Being that she was the first female pole vaulter, Stecz holds the school’s girls record for highest pole vault at nine feet. However, her personal highest is nine feet and six inches.

“The best part is getting over the bar you’ve been trying to clear for a while,” Stecz said when asked what she enjoyed about pole vaulting.

“It’s just a really cool feeling when you’re in the air even though it happens really fast.”

But that’s not all. Although she puts a lot of hard work into

sports, she works just as hard in school. Stecz vaulted herself to the top of her graduation class and is the valedictorian with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Her resume speaks for itself; Stecz is a member of her school’s student council, Beta Club, National English Honor Society, class cabinet, and math team.

Stecz is also an ACT and SAT tutor for younger students as she loves learning and helping kids learn.

Stecz is undecided on colleges right now, but she is looking at Brown University, Georgetown, and Stanford.

Stecz would love to be a walk-on for the pole vaulting program at Brown University;

she’s already been accepted to Georgetown, but there’s no pole vaulting program.

“Right now, I’m set to major in linguistics,” Stecz said.

“Then I’ll probably double major with a language like Russian or Arabic. If I end up going to Georgetown I’ll probably end up doing something with the government. But if I go to Brown or Stanford, I’ll probably do the more research side of linguistics like neurocognitive functions, how your brain processes language.”

Some may think that competing in track and field, being valedictorian, tutoring kids, and participating in various school clubs is a lot, but Stecz does even more. She is a true outdoors-woman and isn’t just outside for pole vaulting. No matter if it’s rock

climbing, paddle boarding, or just going to the beach, Stecz is more than happy to join in.

“I’m really into rock climbing,” she said. “There’s a rock in Tallahassee I go to when I get the chance. I also like to paddleboard and kayak at the beach. I’m pretty outdoorsy.”

As Stecz has stayed around the sport of pole vaulting, she started to idolize an athlete at a higher level. Her idol is Olympic pole vaulter Sandi Morris. Morris placed in the 2016 Olympics in Rio and won the silver medal in pole vaulting. Maybe one day we’ll see Stecz representing team USA. In The Game | 37

Winter Olympics Rankings:

Long Jumper Looking for State Title Repeat

Norway

Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

“I like a challenge.”

Those are the words of Alonie Sutton, the track and field athlete at Smiths Station High School who added two more state titles to her credit last spring. The state titles in the long jump and triple jump gave the 18-year-old a total of four, two in each event. Now a senior, Sutton is looking to cap her senior year and career at the Alabama high school by adding a couple more state titles.

An avid basketball athlete, Sutton didn’t start participating in track and field until she was in the seventh grade at the middle school in Smiths. She thought she would be running track, but at the tryouts she showed promise as a jumper.

“I do both the long jump and the triple jump, but the triple jump is my favorite,” she said, smiling. “The excitement comes with it because the crowds get all into it. You can tell when you start the triple jump people get all happy.”

The articulate and energetic athlete radiates confidence in her skillset. Unlike some stellar athletes, Sutton doesn’t appear arrogant or brash. It’s apparent she is passionate about her sport and is always looking to improve.

With each successive year she has been a participant in the Panthers’ track and field program, Sutton has done just that. After taking state titles in the long jump and triple as a sophomore, the 5’6” athlete trained practically around the clock for her junior season. Her hard work paid off with not only a state title for both events, but a state record in the triple jump at 41 feet.

“I had the expectations I could have good jumps, but going in I didn’t think it was going to be a state record,” Sutton said.

Germany

Her outstanding performance at the state competition in May caught the eye of a coach from the University of Tennessee. Sutton said the coach is a native of Mobile and was there for the state event. She had garnered attention of several Division I schools, but in the end the senior committed to UT in November.

“I had visited several schools,” she said of her senior season. “I am the kind of person who wants to just make a decision and get on with it. After I visited Tennessee, it just felt like the right place for me. It has been a relief to have it done so I can enjoy this.”

Speaking of her senior season, Sutton’s goals include extending her personal best in the triple jump from 42.2 feet to 44 feet and making her long jump surpass 19 feet to 20 feet. She also wants to be a contributing member of the Panthers team with the idea of returning to state.

One other plan of Sutton’s is one every serious athlete hopes to achieve. She wants to stay healthy throughout the season, but for one long-term goal.

“I want to be a great add-on for Tennessee,” she said with confidence.

Alonie Sutton admitted she has had her share of troubles when trying to focus during her jumps at competitions. Recently, she took up a new habit that seems to help her focus and keep the distractions of other track and field events from being a problem.

“I started chewing gum,” she said, laughing.

“Don’t know why it works, but I can focus better when I am chewing gum.”

38 | itgnext.com

Canada

USA

Jason Garrett’s

HOT SEAT

Jason Garret just finished his eighth season as Cowboys head coach since taking over in Week 10 of the 2010 season following the dismissal of Wade Phillips.

Setting aside Tom Landry’s 29 years as a Cowboys head coach, Garrett is the longest tenured Cowboys head coach and hasn’t even came close to a Super Bowl.

The other two playoff appearances were losses in the NFC Divisional rounds.

Is his resume strong enough to be head coach for much longer?

Courtesy ofdailydolphin.blog.palmbeachpost.com

Courtesy of www.5pointsblue.com

• • • •

67-53 record (.558) 3 playoff appearances 1 playoff win (Wildcard round) Finished first in division twice

Information courtesy of www.pro-football-reference.com

www.MillaCreationszPhotography.com Contact us at: 229-339-9439 or 229-392-9664 MillaCreationszPhotos@yahoo.com

Griffin Ready to Make History Written by: Gerald Thomas III

University of Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin is ready to make history in the NFL as he prepares for the 2018 draft. Griffin only has one hand, but that has not stopped him from pursuing his goals and excelling on the football field.

Shaquem Griffin was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, with amniotic band syndrome, which caused the fingers on his left hand to not fully develop. At a young age, his mother caught him trying to self-amputate his finger because of the pain it caused him. To ease his pain, she then scheduled an amputation of the hand. He still competed in sports along with his twin brother, Shaquill. They were tri-athletes, competing in football, track and field, and baseball. They both received scholarship offers from UCF to play football, which they signed.

Shaquem excelled at linebacker for the Knights. According to Sports Reference, he recorded 195 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and three interceptions. Griffin was named the 2016 AAC Defensive Player of the Year, where he got 92 tackles and 11.5 sacks.

He also was the 2018 Peach Bowl Defensive MVP, where he totaled 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Griffin led the Knights to an undefeated 13-0 record and won the Chickfil-A Peach Bowl. The Knights deemed this game as the National Championship, as they felt they were snubbed from the College Football Playoff.

Griffin is a role model to all people with disabilities who want to play sports. Hands are so important in football, but Griffin is still shining on the field. He will not be deterred. His story and success could cause children to not let a disadvantage take away their love for their respective sports. Griffin was one of the best defensive players in college football with only one hand.

Now he is about to walk across the stage and shake NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand.

Griffin is a projected third-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Everyone is rooting for him to have a long, successful NFL career. Hopefully he will have the same impact on whichever team drafts him that he had for UCF. In The Game | 39

Shooting for Greatness Written by: Joshua Miller | Photography by: Micki K Photography

“My dad died when I was 7 years old. He played at Pittsburgh State University. His death really showed me that someone in the family had to make it, so I’ve never doubted myself. My goal has been to make it big on the court.”

This is what drives Colquitt County’s 6’2” shooting guard, Nizarre Thompson. Thompson is a soon-to-be-graduate and has been playing basketball ever since his grandmother bought him a goal when he was 9 years old.

Thompson left an impression on the court during his senior year. He put up 14.6 points, 4.3 boards, and 3.1 assists and earned All-Region First Team honors after not being mentioned at all last year.

Prior to his senior year, Thompson spent his first three years on the Colquitt roster as a role player with upside. He made the most of his limited time by showing off his lethal shooting ability by being able to knock down big shots.

Thompson prides himself on his lengthy frame and his ability to shoot the basketball. He likes to model his game after current NBA star Kevin Durant, and it’s easy to see why. They both use their length to their advantage, shoot exceptionally well, and can go get a bucket just when you need it.

Thompson’s shot consists of a pretty form and quick release that make it hard to close out on him. But if that wasn’t hard enough, combine it with his ability to

shoot right over defend- hustle and willingness to ers five feet away from the play good defense. three-point line. It could Thompson’s next step look almost impossible is taking his talents to the to stop at times. collegiate level. UnforImagine a player tunately, for the scouts catching the ball on the that missed out, not too wing a couple feet from many colleges had a tab the three. He squares up on Thompson early on and shoots straight over in his high school career. the outstretched arms He finally started drawing of a defender. While the attention from colleges in ball is in air, the player his senior year. starts a mild back pedal.

Thompson has his When the ball snaps the sights set on attending net, the defender drops Morton College located his shoulders while in Illinois. While at colshaking his head in dis- lege, Thompson plans to may. pursue a major in sports That’s how it is medicine. watching Thompson play.

“I still want to be inThompson showed off volved in sports and stuff,” that he isn’t just a shoot- Thompson said. er either. He proved he It’s almost a sure thing can take defenders off Thompson will continue the dribble too. He has to improve and light up a good handle and likes the court when he arrives to mimic Stephen Curry’s at Morton College. Look dribble moves. If he gets out for this kid because into the paint, Thompson his skillset could allow also has the body con- him to translate into an trol and touch to finish instant impact on the next around the rim despite level. traffic.

On the defensive end, his length grants him yet another advantage on the court.

Thompson shows good hustle and reaction time, but he feels that his defensive ability doesn’t get enough recognition.

— Nizarre Thompson “I’ve guarded a lot of top prospects and have shown to have great defense,” Thompson said.

Another aspect of Thompson’s game that is vouched for often is that he’s the teammate you want to play with. He’s unselfish and is competitive enough to do whatever it takes to win. That competitiveness shows in his

“My goal has been to make it big on the court.”

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scholastic baseballers Written by: Gerald Thomas III | Photography by: Eric Vinson

The Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets hold their student-athletes to a high standard. The balance of sports and school can get difficult as schedules fill up. Outfielder Riley Jones, short stop Jackson NeSmith, and center fielder Tyler Carter play baseball for the Yellow Jackets and have all maintained over a 4.0 GPA throughout their high school careers. The trio understands the importance of education, which has helped them on and off the baseball diamond.

“It takes a lot of time management and sacrifices; you can’t do all things you want after school,” Jones, a senior, said about balancing baseball with his education.

Jones explained that you must be committed to balance for your teachers and coaches. He wants to be a leader and set a good example for the younger Yellow Jacket players.

NeSmith, a senior, said that focusing on baseball and books is a process, but said his future after high school keeps him focused.

Entering high school, NeSmith knew immediately that he had to maintain his academic excellence for four years because he wanted to attend college after high school.

“I want to have options as far as colleges, so, academically, to focus on the main

goal is a process,” he said.

NeSmith said that school has helped him as a player and built his social and leadership skills.

Carter, a junior, said that school and baseball have helped him make quick decisions and be a leader. He said balancing school and baseball become second-nature for him.

“There’s been a lot of late nights, but it’s just managing your time more than anything,” he said.

Tyler still has one more year to build his already flourishing GPA and improve on the baseball diamond.

Yellow Jackets head coach Ryan Strickland said that the rigorous AP and Honors courses that Carter, Jones, and NeSmith take set them apart from everyone when it comes to balancing academics with baseball.

“They do an excellent job in terms of being able to take care of their work and managing their time,” Strickland said.

He also said that he is impressed that they have the discipline at such a young age to do their work before coming out to practice and not putting it off until the last minute.

Balancing will be a skill that the three can carry for the rest of their lives. Their excellence in school will set them up to attend big universities and possibly play college ball.

In The Game | 43

Columbus High School Golfers COACHED BY THEIR DADS Written by: Beth Welch | Photography by: George McDuffie

The 2017 GHSA 4A Girls and Boys State Golf Tournaments were held in Columbus and were hosted by Columbus High School. Girls 4A teams took to the links at Maple Ridge Golf Course, while Boys 4A teams met at Columbus Country Club.

Winners of the 4A state championships were the Columbus High School Girls and Boys teams. It was an exciting and unique ending for the teams to be hosts for the tournament and also come away as state champs. Adding to the exceptional situation was that both of the winning coaches, Lady Blue Devils coach Joe McDaniel and Blue Devils boys coach Chris Parker, had a daughter and a son, respectively, playing on the teams.

This golf season McDaniel and Parker will once again experience coaching their children. Mary Catherine McDaniel and Jonathon Parker are both juniors and returning for another season of play. It’s not all that uncommon for coaches to have their own children on their teams, but to have two teams of the same sport from the same school both be state champs last year, well, that is definitely a story worth telling. In the Game takes a look into the lives of these stellar athletes and their fathers who are coaching them this spring.

Dad Coaching Team Is Right on Par for Mary Catherine When Mary Catherine McDaniel and her teammates learned they were the Class 4A state champions in golf last May, their coach was as excited as the girls.

The Columbus High School Lady Blue Devils golf team is a close-knit unit, and the young women have bonded like family. In reality, there is a family connection on the team because McDaniel is the daughter of head coach Joe McDaniel.

Last year, McDaniel and her teammates were practically youngsters with two sophomores and two fresh-

44 | itgnext.com

men making up the team.

Then sophomore McDaniel turned in a low score of 76 to help bring her team the state title. Even more amazing, perhaps, is that the 16-year-old didn’t even start playing the game until the sixth grade.

“I began playing at St. Anne that year so my friend wouldn’t be alone,” she said with a smile.

After her interest in the sport grew, golf became a way for McDaniel and her father to spend time together.

When the teen started high school at Columbus, where her father is a coach and educator, the two adjusted to the role of coach and athlete while still maintaining a close father/daughter relationship.

“We don’t agree on much, but it has been a great experience,” coach McDaniel said, laughing.

Golf wasn’t McDaniel’s first love when it comes to sports, but it certainly has moved to first place now.

Before she took to swinging a golf club, McDaniel played softball and soccer. She credited her strong swing on the golf course to years of swinging a bat. She also said both

prior sports were beneficial in helping her learn to be a team player.

“Golf is an individual sport, and I love that,” she said. “But it is also a team sport, and I love that too. We are really close on this team.

It’s fun to be a part of the team, especially when you win as a team.”

Coaching his daughter has brought coach McDaniel great pleasure. He continuously praises her as a “good kid” and then, true to his sense of humor, teases her about something.

The relationship has grown stronger due to the shared experience, and both father and daughter are respectful of the other’s role on the golf course. Both have a strong desire to win, too.

“My dad is a positive guy,” McDaniel said. “He always gives us motivational talks and helps us believe it can be done. As my coach, he sees what he needs to see to help me be better.”

Listening to his daughter, coach McDaniel turned serious for a moment.

“Ultimately, the club is in her hand, and she takes the shot she is going to take,” he said.

McDaniel’s list of awards and accomplishments is impressive for any high school golfer, much less a junior.

She and her dad are looking forward to this season because the same team will be

together and hopefully the Lady Blue Devils will produce another state championship team.

No matter how it turns out, the young golfer is a winner in her mind because her coach is her dad.

“It’s been the best thing ever,” she said.

Father and Son Golf Duo Hope to Take Another Swing at State Championship

5

Tips for Hitting Straight 1. Keep your hands low.

2. Give your spine the forearm.

3. Use your body for power.

4. Hinge for power.

5. Thumbs up, thumbs down.

Information courtesy of www.golftipsmag.com

Last May the Columbus High School boys golf team won the 4A golf state championship. One of the top three scorers for the event was sophomore Jonathon Parker, who shot a 68 in the first round. A rainout the second day gave the Blue Devils the winning title, letting them take the lead position by 15 strokes. No one was prouder of the team’s accomplishment than CHS coach Chris Parker, who is also Jonathon Parker’s father.

“It was a great team last year,” coach Parker said. “It really was a college team in some respects. Three of the players from last year play college golf (now). It almost wasn’t fair to the teams we played.”

According to Jonathon Parker, the 2017 Columbus High boys golf team was “our best team we’ve ever had.” The talent on the team was the kind coaches dream about, but it wasn’t just the stellar ability of the athletes that carried the team all the way to state.

“We bonded all the time,” Parker said. “We played basketball together when we were not playing golf. We were always somewhere together.”

To make the 2017 state championship even more special for the father and son, it was the second championship title for the pair since younger Parker began attending Columbus as a freshman. He has been playing golf since about the age of 6. His father said there is a family video of the golfer swinging a club in the back yard when he was 2 years old. It wasn’t until a little later, however, that golf became a serious endeavor for the athlete.

“There were days when I would ask Jonathon if he wanted to go play and he wasn’t interested, but one day after his fifth-grade year, that morning he was on the couch with his shoes on and ready to go. He asked me if I would take him to the golf course, and he’s been asking me that ever since,” coach Parker said with a smile.

his short game.

Coach Parker is in his 25th year coaching golf to young men. His son has never taken lessons from anyone other than him. A strong relationship has developed over time, but both coach and athlete, father and son, see the day coming when coach Parker will be more of an observer than coach.

“We don’t spend as much time together anymore,” coach Parker said. “He will call me if he hits a slump, but 19 out of 20 times, he fixes the problem himself. He is prepared for what comes next.”

Before then, however, the Parker men have the opportunity to go for a third ring in their career together when the state championships are held May 21-22.

The list of Parker’s accomplishment on the golf course is as lengthy as it is impressive. The 17-year-old golfer is a junior this season and is looking to improve over last year’s performance.

He said he has improved each year under the direction of his father, most notably in

5 Exercises to Do Before Going Out on the Course 1. Seated Rotations

2. Handwalks

3. Physioball Pushup

4. Dumbbell Bench Press 5. 90/90 Stretch

Sit straddling a bench or squeeze a pad or towel between your knees.

Hold a club behind your back with your arms so it sits in the crooks of your elbows. Set your palms flat on your stomach and maintain your posture.

Without moving your hips, rotate your torso to the right and hold for two seconds. Return to the starting position, then continue to the left and hold for two seconds. Alternate sides, 10 to a side.

Start standing up. Bend forward at the waist and set your hands on the ground so you're on all fours. Slowly walk your hands out into a pushup position. Then, making sure to keep your knees straight, walk your toes toward your hands. Once you're starting to feel a stretch, walk your hands back out and repeat for a total of 10 reps.

Start in a pushup position with your hands on a physioball and feet on the floor. Lower yourself so your chest barely touches the ball. Control the ball as you push up, pushing your chest as far away from the ball as possible.

Do a set of 10.

Lie down on a bench with your left glute and left shoulder blade on the bench and right glute and right shoulder blade off the bench. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and hold on to the bench above your head with your left hand. Slowly lower the weight until your elbow is horizontally level with your shoulder.

Return to the starting position. Complete 10 reps and switch sides.

Information courtesy of www.mensfitness.com

Lie on one side with the bottom leg straight and the top leg bent with the inside of the knee on the ground. Rotate your trunk back, attempting to put the top shoulder blade on the ground. Hold two seconds, return to start position, and repeat for 10 reps. Switch sides.

In The Game | 45

All in for 3rd State Championship

Written by: Beth Welch | Photography by: George McDuffie

Sometimes a student athlete has to make a decision about focusing more on the student than the athlete. It’s a tough call, but Gracie Hemmings came to a realization last year that her academics were not getting the best of her attentions.

“I have been playing tennis for a long time, and that included travel with a lot of tournaments,” Hem-

46 | itgnext.com

mings said. “My grades began to slip, and I just decided I was going to have to take a break.”

While Hemmings, a junior at Brookstone School, did indeed cut back on her tennis competitions outside of school, she remained a member of the Brookstone girls tennis team. Last year, she and her fellow teammates brought home their second state championship in a row. Hemmings hopes to repeat the feat this spring.

“We could win,” she said.

“I think there is definitely the opportunity for us to win another state championship.”

Tennis wasn’t always the 5’3” athlete’s passion.

She got started with gymnastics at an early age.

Because “all of my friends were playing tennis,”

Hemmings picked up a racket during her middle school years. Gymnastics began to take too much of her time, so she dropped it and focused her sole attention on tennis by adding more lessons to her schedule.

When Hemmings was a freshman at the Columbus school, her sister Rachel was a senior and a member of the Lady Cougars tennis team. That spring the girls experienced winning a state championship together. The following year, Brookstone girls captured their second title in a row and 12th under the coaching of Mary Lynne Cumiskey.

It was also the year Brookstone unveiled its new tennis complex named in honor of Cumiskey. Hemmings said that year was special because of the new facility (which features ten courts) and a second state championship.

Hemmings really enjoys playing in the No. 1

spot, and it shows. Until last season, she had never lost a match, but she said she didn’t really stress over it because it came during a battle against her best friend.

“Yeah, it was tough but really not so bad,” she said. “We were playing Columbus High, and I lost to Mary Weston. We have been friends forever, so it was OK.”

Part of Hemmings’ success on the court is due to her endurance. The junior said she has the ability to last long in matches and is able to get through the tough ones. While reluctant to talk about her skills, Hemmings said she has been told her biggest strength is her forehand.

When it appeared she needed to cut back on tennis, Hemmings said she took a hard look at her future and asked herself one question.

“I am going to college, and I had to decide: Was I going to the school I wanted with grades or with tennis?” she said. “I chose to go with my grades.”

Her days of playing tennis are not over by a long shot, and Hemmings said she enjoys the team aspect at Brookstone. Traveling, practices, and tournaments every weekend and more often during the summer caused her to be a little lonely. Now, she can be a team player and be coached by one of the most respected tennis coaches in the area.

“There is not a lot of pressure now,” Hemmings said. “My grades have improved, and I love playing singles here. It’s not about being perfect, but about playing tennis for fun and helping my team go for another winning season.”

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In The Game | 47

A-Town Alive and Kicking

Atlanta Professional Sports Legends

Michael Vick Atlanta Falcons (2001-08) 4-time Pro-Bowler Deion Sanders Atlanta Falcons (1989-2003) 8-time First-Team All-Pro

Written by: Gerald Thomas III

Dominique Wilkins Atlanta Hawks (1982-94) 9-time NBA All Star Joe Johnson Atlanta Hawks (2005-12) 7-time NBA All Star Pete Maravich Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) 5-time NBA All Star

Hank Aaron Atlanta Braves (1955-75) 1957 NL MVP Chipper Jones Atlanta Braves (1993-2012) 1999 NL MVP John Smoltz Atlanta Braves (1988-2008) NCLS MVP Greg Maddux

Atlanta Braves (1993-2003) 4-time NL Cy Young Award Winner

Tom Glavine Atlanta Braves (1987-2002) 1995 World Series MVP

first season with Atlanta.

He led the defense to be top five in the league last season.

“Instead of being in the top five like last year, we want to be the top three or the best in the league as far as goals allowed,” Pirez said in an interview with Ryan Catanese. “We’re a very ambitious team, and we’re going to give our all and go for everything.”

Josef Martinez feels that there is unfinished business in Atlanta after falling short and will do whatever it takes to reach their goal. The 20-yearold Venezuelan sensation scored 19 goals, according to atlutd.com, and challenged for the Golden Boot Award.

The National Premier Soccer League season be-

gins in August. The Atlanta Silverbacks will begin their NPSL play on August 1 at the CFA Correcaminos.

The Silverbacks call the Atlanta Silverbacks Park their home. The team went 6-42 in 2017, where they lost in the NPSL Conference Semifinals and lost in the second round of the Open Cup. This team wants to return to the prominence of 2013, when they won the championship. The Silverbacks have a new coach in town – Roberto Neves who was appointed in December. Neves was an assistant coach for the Silverbacks in 2013, their championship season. This will make the season interesting. Neves could be the ingredient to getting the Silverbacks back to the championship with his championship history.

Soccer Trivia

A

tlanta pro soccer teams are preparing for the next season. The Atlanta United preseason began in February, and regular season MLS play begins March 3 against the Houston Dynamo. They will be on the road for the season opener at the BBVA Compass Center. This will be the team’s fourth season. They share the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

They will be coached by Gerardo Martino, who is in his second year as the team’s coach. The team was granted a berth to the playoffs a season ago, where they were eliminated in the first round because of penalties. Centre back Leandro Gonzalez Pirez is looking to capitalize on an impressive

1. Which team has the most MLS cup losses?

2. Who is the MLS all-time leading scorer?

3. How many times have U.S. women appeared in the world cup?

4. When did the USA win its first World Cup Title?

5.Who won the first MLS Cup?

1. New England Revolution 2. Landon Donovan 3. Three 4. 1991 5. DC United

Courtesy of mercedesbenzstadium.com

States with the most fourand five-star recruits in 2018 Florida

California

Georgia

In The Game | 49

From Hindered to a Written by: Gerald Thomas III | Photography by: Eric Vinson

50 | itgnext.com

Quin McGlamery is a senior wrestler and former cross-country runner at Valdosta High School. As a junior, which was his last season running, he helped the Wildcats win the region and finish 16th at state, the best finish in school history for Valdosta’s cross-country team. In wrestling, he was elected team captain and helped the team win region duals and place fourth at state duals. Individually, he won the 120-pound division region championship and came in third place in the state tournament.

McGlamery said that his love for sports came in middle school, where he tried out for football and basketball. He felt that he was a decent player, but struggled because his autism didn’t allow him to understand the social cues that are required for team sports. He said that he was advised by one of his coaches to wrestle.

When asked how he didn’t let his autism deter him, McGlamery said: “I feel like it was the way I was raised. I didn’t know I was autistic until I was 15 years old, which helped me because my parents didn’t use it as an excuse, and now I look at it as a super power in a weird way because I’m able to hyper-focus on my sport and do what I love.”

Most of his time outside of school is spent in

the gym, what he calls his laboratory. McGlamery’s father said that at one point he and McGlamery’s mother were terrified that he would get hurt on the football field or the wrestling mat. His father felt more comfortable when McGlamery started winning matches and competing against wrestlers his size and decided to let him run with it. McGlamery credited his parents as being the greatest help in his wrestling career because they have traveled across the country to take him to camps and tournaments.

McGlamery explained his reasoning behind discontinuing his cross-country career.

“I wanted to take time to focus on college trips, preseason national tournaments, to start garner-

Recovery Shake

5

Ways to Get Points in Wrestling Takedown (2 points)

– Take control of your opponent and take them to the ground.

Escape (1 point)

– Get away or get to a neutral position while your opponent has you on the mat.

Reversal (2 points)

– Gain control of your opponent while they have you down on the mat.

Ingredients

- 2 scoops protein powder - 1 handful ice - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - 1/2 banana - 2 to 3 frozen strawberries

Directions

- Add all ingredients to blender.

- Blend and enjoy.

Serving size: 1 shake Recipe yields 1 serving

Near Fall (2 or 3 points)

– Nearly pin your opponent by having both of their shoulders held for two seconds. (2 seconds – 2 points) (5 seconds – 3 points)

Penalty Points (1 or 2 points)

– Awarded to opponent when you are penalized for: illegal holds, technical violations, unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct, flagrant misconduct (ejection/end of match), stalling, false start In The Game | 51

Monday- Thursday 4-10 p.m.

Friday 4-11 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.

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How Much Do You Know About Wrestling?

1. Who was the first person to go undefeated in NCAA wrestling?

2. What are the two main types of wrestling in the Olympics?

3. What are wrestling uniforms called?

4. What is a spladle?

“Quin’s pace sets him apart from other wrestlers who can match his technique and talent, as he has a knack for grinding and wearing down his opponents.”

5. What is a dual meet?

— John Robbins

itching for extra mat time, something his teammates marveled at.

“Quin's pace sets him apart from other wrestlers who can match his technique and talent, as he has a knack for grinding and wearing down his opponents,” Robbins said.

With his dominance in wrestling despite having autism, McGlamery said that he feels like he could be a role model for younger athletes who face the same problems.

He felt that there are a lot of undiagnosed people,

as he was until 15. He said the rush that a sport gives you should cause you to do things other athletes won’t, adding that he runs nine miles in the mornings. He said that parents should not limit their children to what they can do and should enable them to be the best they can.

McGlamery fulfilled his expectations for the season. He won the state championship in his division, and everyone looks forward to seeing how far McGlamery can take his wrestling career.

Sports Coaching Tips 1. Plan 2. develop communication skills and trying to improve them.

3. Learn to effectively utilize the Internet, social media, and email.

4. Never stop learning. Learning is life.

5. Be open minded. Never say never.

6. What you may lack in knowledge, make up for with enthusiasm, desire, and passion.

7. Be a role model for your athletes.

8. Accept constructive criticism as a positive.

Learn from mistakes, take steps to improve from the experience, and move on.

9. Allocate time every day for personal health and fitness.

10. Keep a detailed diary and record work actually done by athletes.

Answers 1. Cael Sanderson (159-0) 2. Freestyle, Greco-Roman 3. Singlet 4. Split leg cradle 5. Team vs. Team

ing some offers from colleges,” he said.

With McGlamery placing third in the state tournament a season ago, he kept it short and simple when asked about his expectations for this season: “Coming out with gold.”

McGlamery’s coach, John Robbins, said making McGlamery a team captain was an easy choice. Robbins said McGlamery’s work ethic and competitiveness were off the charts, adding that he did not miss a lift all summer and was always

In The Game | 53

Two Brothers, Two Tumors,

ONE BATTLE Written by: Joshua Miller | Photography by: Eric Vinson

The Eunice family lives by the Bible verse Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Aaron and Andrew Eunice are two brothers from Cook County. They both are Christians, play sports, love the Georgia Bulldogs, and are both diagnosed with rare brain tumors.

Aaron is the elder brother and currently in sixth grade at Cook Middle School. He loves playing baseball and football and to bass fish. Aaron was diagnosed when he was 10 and showed no signs or symptoms beforehand.

“God’s got this,” Aaron said when he first learned about his diagnosis.

That response has been the entire family’s motto throughout the whole experience.

“Aaron has been very strong through every-

thing,” Katie Eunice, their mother, said. “He did not complain one time when he was recovering from surgery or enduring proton radiation.”

Aaron aspires to become a pediatric neurosurgeon, someone qualified to treat children with head, spine, and nervous system problems.

His younger brother, Andrew, is in fourth grade and attends Cook Elementary School. His favorite sport is soccer, and he loves to practice his trick shots. Andrew seems to love explosions too and wants to grow up to be a bomb tester or demolitionist.

Andrew was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor just three weeks after Aaron’s diagnosis.

Andrew didn’t take the

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news as well as Aaron.

Andrew was quiet, worried, and scared at first, and Aaron understood his little brother needed him.

“Aaron was there to comfort him in ways his father and I could not,” Katie Eunice said. “Aaron knew exactly how he was feeling and told him, ‘God’s got this, just as he’s got me.’ In that moment, they formed a bond like no other.”

Both are fighting their own battles, as well as each other’s. Their family travels to Jacksonville once a month for numerous doctor appointments.

The boys are followed closely by neurologists, endocrinologists, otolar-

yngologists, ophthalmologists, and more.

“The biggest change in our family’s everyday life is medicine,” Katie Eunice said. “Aaron and Andrew both take morning and night medicine. Andrew also has one to two shots daily. Aaron takes thyroid medicine and a whole regimen of vitamins. Andrew is on total hormone replacements.

Since Andrew’s pituitary gland is nonexistent, he has a rescue shot if his body is ever under too much stress.”

Aaron and Andrew continue to be strong through the process and know they aren’t alone in this battle. They have tremendous support from their family, God, and most importantly, each other.

What’s Wrong With Kentucky?

Written by: Joshua Miller

This basketball season has been a bumpy road for the Kentucky Wildcats so far, and they only have four more regular season games left.

The Wildcats were projected as the No. 5 seed in the AP preseason rankings, but are now sitting outside of the top 25 with an underwhelming 18-9 record.

Last season they only lost five games and reached the Elite Eight, but they’re now on the edge of missing the NCAA tournament this year.

The last time Kentucky was humbled by missing the NCAA tournament was in 2013. Coach John Calipari lead the Wildcats to a 21-12 record, with a 12-6 record in their conference (SEC) in 2013.

The Wildcats are now at an even 7-7 record in the conference after snapping a four-game losing streak.

My take is that Kentucky’s woes are stem-

ming from their reliability on freshmen.

It’s safe to say coach Cal started the one-anddone trend that has taken over college basketball.

Every season his best players are usually freshmen, and as they go on to the NBA right after their freshman year, Cal must recruit brand new talent all over again.

Look back at their 2012-13 season where they missed the NCAA tournament and proceeded to get eliminated in the first round of the NIT tournament. The Wildcats had just won the national championship and were looking to repeat that season.

Instead, Kentucky lost six key players to the NBA draft and brought in a new young group of talent. Cal had a 13-player roster that year, and it consisted of nine underclassmen who just couldn’t win.

This season, Cal’s team is made up of eight

freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors, and no seniors.

Not only are they young players learning how to win at the college level, but Kentucky is without a dominant, NBAready big man like they’ve had through most of their success.

This may be a reach, but this Kentucky basketball squad doesn’t look like it has a single oneand-done player ready for the draft. Even their standout player, Kevin Knox, doesn’t look ready to move on to the NBA level.

This Kentucky roster has a hard time knocking down threes, rebounding the ball, and turning the ball over frequently. This Kentucky roster looks like they should stay together and gain more experience before trying to enter the NBA.

Courtesy of www.aseaofblue.com

PPG 6 1.

3 5.0

RPG

APG 1 9.

In The Game | 55

The Story Behind Storey

Written by: Gerald Thomas III Photography by: Micki K Photography

Tre’ Storey is a senior at Bainbridge High School, where he participates in wrestling, football, and track and field. He competes in the 195-pound division, where he placed fifth last season and won the region this season. With the arrest of his father, Storey stepped up to become the man of the house, picking up jobs while also juggling school and wrestling. Storey will not let his home troubles hinder him from what he wants to accomplish.

"Tre’ has a motor that never slows down,” Dan Klagas, football coach, said. “He wants to be in with first, second, and third string. We have to pull him off the field so that he isn't hurting people during practice."

Storey feels that his recent home troubles helped him become more dedicated to wrestling and raise his standards.

He came in third in 5A it past the 10th or 11th Smith said he didn’t sectionals, improving his grade due to dropping allow Storey to do so by record to 36-3 at the time. out or being in too telling him he wouldn’t let Storey’s eyes were set on much trouble,” he said. him wrestle. winning the state champiHe said that at first “He knows how onship this season, a year Storey was a work in removed from placing fifth. progress because he to flip the switch Storey said his personal life stayed in trouble and from aggressive to made him become more was a struggle to keep in humble,” Smith said. dedicated to the sport be- sports due to eligibility.

Smith said it wasn’t cause that’s what his father “As he entered ninth would want. Storey ex- grade, it was like a switch a surprise that Storey pressed that his home life flip,” Smith said. “He started qualified for state and helped him to work harder taking school more serious- knew he had it in him.

“He is that one peron the mat with the mind- ly and wrestling very seriset of taking it one move at ously, to the point where cent that made it, but a time. he wanted to quit all sports no one gave him a chance,” Smith said.

Coach Chad Smith, and focus on wrestling.” who has been Sto“Tre’ has a motor that rey’s wresnever slows down. He tling coach since midwants to be in with first, dle school, second, and third string. chimed in on his player.

We have to pull him off the “I felt that Tre’ would field so that he isn’t hurting be one of people during practice.” the players — Dan Klagas the excel in sports but never made

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Storey went 104-17 in his four years of wrestling, breaking the alltime win record set by his brother, Tyler Storey.

He also broke the single season win record, going 40-4 this season, en route to placing second in state. Storey is a soft-spoken, humble kid, and that is attributed to his background.

The 180 he made as a person propelled him to prominence on the wrestling mat.

How Early Is Too Early?

TRIVIA 1. Who has the oldest franchise in the NFL?

Written by: Gerald Thomas III

Do you see the trend? The two athletes I mentioned have family ties to these colleges. This is not always the case. If you can ball, you can ball. This is going to draw schools to you, no matter your age.

These children must have showed out in camps or on big stages to cause the schools to gravitate toward them.

With AAU sports becoming a big thing, especially basketball, it draws a lot of college scouts to scope talent. AAU features the best young players in the country. It is highly competitive with teams compiled of top amateur players in certain age groups. If athletes bring their A-game, they will get buzz. Let’s look at a player like Zion Williamson, who recently committed to Duke University. Zion wasn’t getting much attention because his school is so small and in a small town. Once Zion began shining on the AAU scene, he started going viral and getting offers.

Individual camps also can bring in offers. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go to team camps, but individual camps keep the focus on you. You can go to camps at any age. Division 1 coaches will likely be present. If parents fund their children to go to these camps, they know that they will come back with some mild interest or even a scholarship offer. It is never too early to get a scholarship offer, no matter the route you take.

Think about this: Your child has committed to a top university to compete in superior athletics and receive their higher learning at a top academic university. Next thing you know, they suffer a serious injury. If they stave off recruitment until high school, it could cause their recruitment value to deteriorate and end their career after high school.

It is never too early. This could help your child stay on track. If they know they have a chance to compete collegiately, it could positively affect their behavior and performance in the classroom and the sports field.

3. Which team had an undefeated season including the playoffs and Super-Bowl?

4. Which head coach has the most wins in the NFL?

5. Who was the most recent non-quarterback to win the MVP award?

Answers

Courtesy of www.flosoftball.com/

Courtesy of www.blufftontoday.com

1. Arizona Cardinals 2. Chuck Howley 3.

Miami Dolphins (1972) 4. Don Shula 5.

Adrian Peterson (2012)

The trend of colleges beginning the recruiting process while athletes are still in middle school has been running rampant over the past few years. The athletes are getting a head start on what some only experience in high school or never experience at all.

Some have posed the question: “How early is too early?” They argue that the children should have a chance to be kids.

In October 2017, class of 2023 softball player Mia Williams verbally committed to continue her career at the University of Florida. Can you blame her? If she’s showing up and showing out, why would she or her parents pass up a chance for free college and a chance for her to go pro? Because they want her to “be a kid”? Her dad is former NBA point guard and champion “White Chocolate” Jason Williams, who was a Florida Gator during his collegiate days.

I’m sure he experienced recruitment when he was younger. Maybe older than Mia, but he knows the game. I feel like this is a smart move to go ahead and commit. Let these children live their dreams.

Lamelo Ball, the younger brother of LA Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, committed to UCLA back in 2015. He was only 13 years old at the time. Lonzo attended UCLA, and his brothers LiAngelo and Lamelo planned on attending and playing basketball before LiAngelo was pulled from the school and Lamelo de-committed to go pro overseas and prep for the NBA. He could not go wrong with either option. UCLA has a history of producing good basketball players, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Love. Schools like UCLA also hold on to family ties. Lamelo was going to UCLA regardless before his family had a disagreement with UCLA over the treatment of LiAngelo.

2. Which players won Super Bowl MVP despite losing the game?

Top 5 Richest NFL Contracts Annually 1. QB Jimmy Garoppolo

49ers (2018) 5 years/137.5M (27.5M per-year)

2. QB Matthew Stafford

Lions (2017) 5 years/ 135M (27M per-year)

3. QB Andrew Luck

Colts (2016) 6 years/140M (23.3M per-year)

4. WR Calvin Johnson

Lions (2012) 8 years/132M (16M per-year)

5. QB Michael Vick

Falcons (2005) 10 years/130M (13M per-year)

Courtesy of Forbes.com

In The Game | 57

Above and Beyond

Her Calling Written by: Joshua Miller Photography by: Micki K Photography

Asking teachers why they became teachers is a pretty generic head coach of the girls varsity softball team for four years. She evenquestion, and their answers are typically just as generic. But there tually earned 2007 Region 1-5A Coach of the Year honors. aren’t many like Crisiti Griffin.

If that wasn’t enough on her plate, she Griffin is currently the physical educa“My favorite part of coaching golf realized there wasn’t a girls golf team at the tion teacher for Lee County Primary School is to see how much the girls improve school. So, she decided to take matters into and the girls golf coach for Lee County her own hands and became the girls golf from when they start in ninth grade coach.

High School. Griffin has been teaching for Since then, Griffin has been coaching to when they graduate. I like to see girls golf. fourteen years and has coached golf for 13 the girls enjoy and have fun playing of those years.

As a coach, Griffin has always made it a Growing up, Griffin was active and a great game, a game that they can goal for herself to be an example of Christ to played several sports. The main sports she play for a lifetime.” her team. She leads and encourages her team played were softball, basketball, and tento be kind, caring, responsible, respectful, and — Crisiti Griffin nis. Griffin loves sports, fitness, teaching, hard working. Griffin always tells her players and children, so she felt that God was callto think positive, to not worry about what they ing for her to become a physical education teacher. can’t control, to do their best, and to have fun.

However, becoming a coach for the girls golf team didn’t initially Her goal for the team is to advance to the state tournament, but seem like her calling the way teaching was. Despite Griffin playing tournaments and championships aren’t even what she enjoys most many sports, she never actually golfed growing up. Because of her about coaching. participating in college softball, she never had time for it and wasn’t “My favorite part of coaching golf is to see how much the girls all that interested in the sport either. improve from when they start in ninth grade to when they graduate,” “I thought it was too hard and boring,” Griffin said. “I actually did Griffin said. “I like to see the girls enjoy and have fun playing a great not start playing golf until I started teaching. I began to really like game, a game that they can play for a lifetime.” the sport when I started playing some and when I started coaching.”

Griffin has seen a couple of her players at Lee County continue Her golf coaching career started at Houston County High School their golf careers at the colligate level and hopes to see more. It’s a in Warner Robins, but she did way more than just coach golf while sure thing to say that Griffin has certainly gone above and beyond at Houston County. to answer her calling.

Griffin served as department head, coordinated the Special Olympics, served as the assistant girls basketball coach, and became the

GOLF TRIVIA

Who are the oldest and youngest players to win the Masters in 1963 and 1986?

58 | itgnext.com

2 What is the only grand slam event Lee Traviano won?

3

4

Who was the first golfer since Jack Nicklaus to win eight PGA events in their first six years on tour?

Which Japanese golfer is the only player to win events on the PGA, Senior, Japanese, European, and Australian tours?

5 Which golfer won nine tournaments during her 1978 rookie year on the LPGA Tour?

Answers: 1. Jack Nickalus 2. The Masters 3. Phil Mickelson 4. Isao Aoki 5. Nancy Lopez

1

In The Game | 59

Overlooking Mayfield

Super bowl LII MVP

Written by: Joshua Miller

9 #

Courtesy of dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachpost.com

60 | itgnext.com

No. 1 pick to the Cleveland Browns.

Although getting drafted to the Browns may be career suicide for most players, I’d like to see Mayfield try to revitalize that organization. The Browns might just need Mayfield’s charisma and attitude at their quarterback spot.

However, it’s likely that won’t happen, and Mayfield will inevitably be the third quarterback selected in the draft.

I see two teams out of the first 10 draft picks that need a quarterback like Mayfield: the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets.

Denver is only a quarterback away from changing back into playoff contenders. The New York Jets need a quarterback – and a lot more. But a quarterback is their priority, and adding a guy like Mayfield could pay off in the long haul.

Mayfield was a walk-on athlete who ended up earning himself a spot in history as a Heisman winner. That alone shows his work ethic and drive. Yet, the experts continue to short him, and if NFL teams follow suit, it may give Mayfield more to prove.

S E OL

F K IC

N

Foles Brady

Efficiency

There is no doubt that Heisman winner Baker Mayfield is a first round pick. The question is who is drafting Mayfield, and is he getting overlooked?

When it comes to the quarterbacks in this NFL draft, you’ll hear these two names: Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold. Then the debate on who should be drafted first ensues.

But nobody really mentions Mayfield over those two names. Is it because Rosen and Darnold are 6’4” and 220 pounds while Mayfield is just three inches shorter?

It must be because Rosen and Darnold threw for fewer yards than Mayfield. Or that Mayfield threw for 43 touchdowns, while Rosen and Darnold both threw for 26 touchdowns and threw more interceptions than Mayfield.

Note that talk of the two players being drafted over Mayfield doesn’t add up.

Mayfield wins in just about every statistical category compared to Rosen and Darnold. Plus, Rosen and Darnold are basically the same quarterback on paper.

There are four NFL analysts that put their mock drafts on the official NFL website, and all four of them have Sam Darnold as the

97.5% Passer Rating Game Time

3

Touchdown Passes

28 43 of

373

Pass Completions

Passing yards

10 Questions With

DAVID KOVALIK Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: Jerry Christenson

Warm weather has arrived, and spring sports have been going strong for weeks.

In fact, high school baseball state playoffs begin in a few weeks.

For some baseball programs in the Columbus Valley area, there has been some adjusting to new coaches and work done developing young teams.

Spencer High School’s head baseball coach David Kovalik is in his second year leading the Greenwave baseball program. His players are young but excited about the new enthusiasm surrounding the program.

In the Game had the opportunity to ask Kovalik 10 Questions about him and his program at Spencer. The following are his responses: In the Game: Where did you attend high school?

David Kovalik: I attended Mt. Pleasant Senior High School in Pennsylvania.

ITG: Did you play sports in high school?

DK: Yes, I played football, baseball, and wrestling.

ITG: After graduation from high school, where did you attend college?

DK: I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp. I earned my B.A. in history at the University of Hawaii. I earned my teaching license at Lock Haven University, Pennsylvania, where I played third base for the baseball team.

ITG: Can you take us down the road from college to how you eventually came to work at Spencer High School?

DK: I taught social studies in Virginia for 14 years; after our oldest son was accepted at Georgia Tech, we decided to move to Georgia. I accepted a teaching and coaching position at Spencer High School.

ITG: How long have you been at Spencer?

DK: This is my second year.

ITG: What are your responsibilities at the school?

DK: I teach ninth-grade American government/civics and 12th-grade economics. I am the head varsity baseball coach.

ITG: How long have you been the head baseball coach for the Greenwave?

DK: This will be my second season for the Green Wave Nation.

ITG: Can you tell us about your baseball program and your goals for this season?

DK: The baseball program at Spencer High School is growing. We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores this season, so I hope they stick with the program. Our goals are to learn the fundamentals of baseball and to play competitively.

ITG: Any athletes to watch?

DK: We have a catcher who might excel this year, Deuce Perryman.

Personal Bio Name: Dave Kovalik Job Title: Social Studies/ESOL Teacher Hometown: Mount Pleasant, PA Education: Mt. Pleasant Sr. High School, University of Hawaii, Lock Haven University Family: Married; two sons and a daughter Athletic career (high school and college): Varsity letterman in baseball, football, and wrestling (HS); varsity letterman in baseball at Lock Haven University, PA Coaching awards or career highlights: Coach of the Year (Wrestling), 2012, ISA Academy, VA Hobbies/leisure time activities: Scuba diving, hunting, fishing Person you most admire: My wife

Workout Break Push-Up/Knee Tuck With Gliders Start in the top of a plank position, with your arms straight and your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your toes on gliders (or hand towels). Perform one push-up.

Putting your weight onto the balls of your feet, pull your knees toward your chest, pausing when they are about three inches in front of your hips. Hold for one second and then slide your legs back out into the top of a plank. Do another push-up and repeat; keep going for 30-45 seconds.

ITG: What is the best thing about teaching/coaching at Spencer High School?

DK: Spencer High School has a great leadership team, and their enthusiasm is conveyed on a day-to-day basis. There is a tremendous amount of teamwork amongst the staff members.

In The Game | 61

Baseball Athlete Looking for Back-to-Back-to-Back State Titles Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

Glenwood School Adams said. in Smiths, Alabama, is a Adams hopes he will small school with a big get to experience the feat reputation for producing again in May. The Gators winning athletic teams. lost several key players Each season of the school and will only have a handyear is an opportunity to ful of seniors this season see at least one or more to step up in leadership sports go to the playoffs roles. and often come home According to the censtate champs. terfielder and pitcher, he is For the past two not a very vocal leader on springs, the Glenwood the field, but he is intensely competiGators baseball tive. A start“As a pitcher, you er since his team has taken the have control of the f r e s h m a n top spot game. You can make year, Adams in the Al- up for an error in the appears to abama Infield or someone’s be the type dependent of athlete School As- tough at-bat. I like the who consociation’s opportunity to back stantly sizes Class 3A. up my team’s playing up the situLast year’s when it’s good and ation during win over the game. helping out when He said he Pike Liberal Arts we need to stop the loves playing in the S c h o o l ’ s bleeding.”

— Nick Adams o u t f i e l d Patriots in Montgombecause of ery marked the school’s the fast action, but being 22nd state championship on the mound provides its title in baseball. own benefits.

Nick Adams has “As a pitcher, you been a member of have control of the the Gators team for game,” Adams said. “You four seasons. A senior, can make up for an error 18-year-old Adams par- in the field or someone’s ticipated in both of the tough at-bat. I like the most recent state title opportunity to back up games and said those my team’s playing when memories are some of it’s good and helping out the best of his young life. when we need to stop the “There’s just nothing bleeding.” like that final out, runThe 5’9” lefty is leadning out on the field and off batter this season, jumping on the dog pile,” which points to his ability 62 | itgnext.com

to be quick to get on bases and around them. His speed is one of the notable tools in his skillset, which has caused a few colleges to be interested in him. No decision has been made, and Adams doesn’t seem pressured to rush into a decision.

Instead, the steady and stable athlete is enjoying his last season playing for the Gators and looking for a big season for his team. If last season is any indication, Adams should have a big season personally. One of four Glenwood players named to the 2017 AISA All-Tournament Team, he batted .414, had a .555 OB percentage with 35 RBIs, 21 BB, and only six strikeouts in 165 plate appearances.

A two-sport athlete, Adams played basketball at Glenwood as a point guard. His time on the court has come to an end, and soon his days as a Gator baseball player will end. Hopefully, he will have one more championship title to grace his memories of these days.

Does he really think it’s possible?

“Oh yeah,” he said with confidence. “Every game can’t be good, and you can’t play every game good, but after our first game, I could see the potential.”

You know what you are going to get every day (with Nick): hard work, not a lot of words, and a lot of production. Nick symbolizes exactly what the Glenwood baseball program stands for.

— Tim Fanning, Gators head baseball coach

Workout Break Frog Jump Start in a plié-squat position, with your feet wider than hip-width apart, your toes turned out to a 45-degree angle, and your quads parallel to the floor. Bring your palms together in front of your chest.

Jump up, traveling forward a few inches, and land back in the plié-squat position. Jump again, this time moving back a few inches, and land in the plié-squat again. Continue jumping forward and backward for 30-45 seconds.

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