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New coaches bring excitement to seasonsPeople sometimes associate change as being a

bad thing, but with the school’s changes in coaching in football and basketball, the opposite is true.

In Roger Haynes’ ninth year, the team allowed a school-record 397 points and only managed to get one win the entire season. Including the jamboree against North Jackson, coach Tim Gillespie has already won two games out of seven and was nearly able to earn a third in an overtime shoot-out against Grissom on Friday, Sept. 28.

Last season, the football team only averaged 13.6 points per game while allowing 39.7 points. Gillespie has dramatically changed the offense, which now averages 24.2 points per game. The defense still allows a high 38.2 points to be scored per game, but if Gillespie can smooth the defense over, in a year or two the team might get their first winning record since the 2006 season when they were 6A region 8 champions.

After the recent departure of 10-year coach Luther Tiggs, the school stayed in the system and hired coach Jamie Coggins for the varsity boys basketball team. Coggins has been an assistant coach for the Senators for the previous five seasons under Tiggs and has 17 years of experience.

The basketball team has had recent successes, becoming area champions and reaching the Elite Eight in both the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. The team returns many primary players of last season, who narrowly missed becoming area champions. With these returning players and the tenacity Coggins brings, the team is geared for success this season.

The varsity girls basketball team also got a new coach, after the school promoted coach Patrick Delay from assistant to head coach after the retirement of coach June Seals. The players already have experience with Delay, so the transition to a new head coach should be easy. With key starters returning, the team is equipped with the firepower to return to the state Final Four.

With these new leaders, the football and basketball programs return to prominence will be immediate and quickly noticeable.

As long as the students stay involved and active with school sports, the sky is the limit for how great each team, whether it be football, basketball, baseball or softball can become. For basketball, the season starts Nov. 9 for both the girls and the boys, and the students need to be as excited for these games as they are for the football games.

It is the final seconds of the game, and the football team is down by a touchdown to Grissom.

Junior Danny Johnson rolls out of a collapsing pocket and throws a Hail Mary strike for the end zone. A few receivers barely make it there, but the football is deflected. As the ball floats through the air and the hope of winning slowly slips out of the hearts of the team and its fans, senior Blake Chapman comes out of nowhere to snag the deflected ball in the end zone. The impossible happened. With sophmore Miller Matzek making the extra point, the team was all tied up against the Grissom Tigers and headed into overtime. The crowd, the team and the coaches were in disbelief.

“Holy crap, he caught that ball,” Coach Tim Gillespie said.

Unfortunately, the team lost in overtime due to an encroachment penalty and a two-point conversion. The loss was bittersweet, but that play of glory is just one of many Chapman has created for the football programs over the years. The week before, Chapman produced three touchdowns against the highly-ranked Austin Black Bears. That game, too, was a loss, but the appearance of offense production was greatly appreciated.

“[Chapman has affected the team] very positively, not only with his athletic ability, but also with his determination at practice day in and day out,” Gillespie said.

Chapman has scored touchdowns on both special teams and offense. In his first varsity game as a sophomore, he scored his first touchdown on a kickoff against Cullman. Later that year, he scored a touchdown against Grissom on a kickoff to help clinch a win. In his junior year, Chapman returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Buckhorn to clinch

the team’s only on-field win of the season. He may not be one of the biggest players, but he finds ways around that obstacle.

“I would say that I am a finesse player. I rely more on my quickness than I do power,” Chapman said.

His play style mixes well with the team’s fast-paced offensivee style of play. Even with the offense meshing well, the team still suffers from countless losses, and they hear about it frequently.

“I just remember that I go out every day, working my tail off. I remember that every person that talks down to me about my teammates is another person that’s not out there working hard each and every day with us,” Chapman said.

In spite of their record, the team has had an i m p r o v e m e n t -

filled year and has won the football p r o g r a m ’ s first home game in three years. This win against James Clemens was also the first win of the season. According to Gillespie, the team takes things one day

at a time and is getting better every day.

“I think that the losses over these past few years have really strengthened my work ethic. I, along with everyone else, want to win every game and have confidence that it is possible, but I go out every day trying to change the endless L’s into W’s,” Chapman said.

As the season comes to a close and the players hang up their pads for the offseason, the team will find pride in the improvements they have made and the challenges they have conquered.

“I hope that, maybe, I can play college football, and that this football program truly becomes a ‘program,’” Chapman said.

Sw i m m i n g has become

an underground phenomenon at school this year.

With a team made up of all ages, from seventh grade students to seniors, they swept their first two meets, taking second and then following up with first place. Facing off against formidable opponents like Lee High School and Hazel Green High School, they pulled out a win and set themselves up for victory.

“They were on fire,” coach Monica Davis said.

Dominating events like the men and women’s 100-yard freestyle, the men and women’s 50-yard butterfly and the men and women’s 200-yard freestyle, as well as others, the swim team has set themselves up for success. They try not to let the wins go to their heads, but winning in previous events definitely has an effect on the next meet.

“You want to win

Sierra FridelleOpinion Editor

because you’ve felt that feeling. You’ve had that experience,” senior Rachel Byrd said.

With powerhouses like sophomore Matthew Mayes, that experience will most likely be repeated in years to come. Mayes took first in both the 200-yard medley relay and the 50-yard breaststroke. His wins are commendable accomplishments on their own, but coupled with his scoliosis, they become feats of human perseverance.

“He swims hard every day. There are days I want to complain and cry, but then I think about Matthew,” Davis said.

Mayes does not let his spine condition deter him from racing, nor does he use it as a crutch. He tries to downplay his scoliosis, but even Mayes admits it has an effect on his swimming.

“I swim crooked, but I just focus on keeping my shoulders level,” Mayes said.

This team is not a one-hit-wonder, however. It consists of 21 dynamic

swimmers who train hard in an effort to make Sparkman a swimming school. With training assistance from health teacher John Turnbough, the team is working on increasing their speed and their strength in order to prepare for the state meet at Auburn University.

“I have some ninth graders who are really close to state times. I even have a young man who has qualified for state- with the girls’ time,” Davis said.

Any coach or team member knows that to have a truly wonderful team there is one

important ingredient: camaraderie. This team certainly has camaraderie in spades. They spend hours together training and even more time heading to meets. Win or lose, they support each other and try to work even harder. The seniors certainly will feel the loss of this tight companionship.

“It’s like a family. Leaving would be like telling me that I’m no longer going to be able to see my family, like I’m no longer here to help them,” Byrd said.

Swim team starts year with wins

Fathead! Senior Blake Chapman smiles as he stands beside a huge cut-out of his face. The fatheads appeared at the first football game, making Chapman a favorite player. Photo by Lauren Ratliff.

Cheer On. Sophomore Sierra Keylor and Senior Rachel Byrd lead the cheering at the recent swim meet held at Dublin Park. Photo by Jarvon Pope.

JV football shows improvment against BuckhornApril Oberman

Reporter

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Despite an impressive show

by the defense, the junior varsity football team has fought their battles. With a 0-4 record, the team has lost games by an average of 15 points each game.

Offensive coach Benjamin Stevenson believes the team has been doing well with pressuring the opposing team’s quarterback, as

well as sniffing out runs early.

“That’s a big thing [more improvement] that we could tell from this year. We are going to need to put more focus on that in years to come to make sure that the JV is more prepared possibly,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson believes players can always improve. He says that the sophomores and juniors especially have room for

improvement.“When they get their

opportunity to go out and do something on Monday night, they need to give it all they got and take that opportunity to show something,” Stevenson said.

The team is showing improvement. In the Oct. 8 game against Buckhorn, the team lost a close one 22-20. Two of Buckhorn’s scores were off of special team’s touchdowns. The

Senators’ defense only gave up one touchdown.

“We finally scored an offensive touchdown- we scored three of them against .We had a chance to tie at the end with a two-point conversion and we botched the snap. And that’s why we lost,” Stevenson said.

Oct. 22, 2012The Crimson Crier 6 Sports