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>> March 2012 FREE UPSTATE >> >> ATHLETES IN ACTION >> CLIPBOARD >> FCA SPOTLIGHT >> GOLF TIPS >> YOUTH FITNESS SOUTH BOUND LACROSSE FINDING A NEW HOME DOWN HOME UPSTATE TYGER RIVER PARK OPENS SUMMER SPORTS CAMPS INSIDE Dorman’s Lexi Cathcart, 8, fights for position in a recent match against Clin- ton. The Lady Cavs won, 15-6. ED OVERSTREET PHOTO >>

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Magazine covering youth sports in Upstate South Carolina.

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Page 1: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

>>

March 2012FREE

UPSTATE >> >>

ATHLETES IN ACTION >> CLIPBOARD >> FCA SPOTLIGHT >> GOLF TIPS >> YOUTH FITNESS

SOUTHBOUND

LACROSSE FINDING A NEW HOME DOWN HOME

UPSTATE TYGER RIVER PARK OPENSSUMMER SPORTS CAMPSINSIDE

Dorman’s Lexi Cathcart,

8, fights for position in a recent match against Clin-ton. The Lady

Cavs won, 15-6.

ED OVERSTREET PHOTO

>>

Page 2: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

When moving around gets difficult due to an

injury or bone and joint problems, every day

can be a struggle. At Village Orthopaedic

Surgery, we have the experience and tech-

nology to help you get back your mobility and

lifestyle.

With diagnosis, treatment and recovery all

under one roof, patients can rest assured

knowing they are getting the best care in one

easily accessible location. Our physicians at

Village Orthopaedic Surgery have practiced

for many years in the fields of sports

medicine, joint and hip replacement, spine

surgery and general orthopaedic surgery.

For more information about Village Orthopaedic

Surgery, please call 864-530-BONE (2663) or

visit villageorthopaedics.com.

Get back in motion

2755 S. Highway 14 Greer, SC 29650

villageorthopaedics.com

SPRPG32A

Our physicians Frank M. Armocida, M.D. Thomas B. Eison, M.D. Sanjitpal “Sonny” Gill, M.D. Steven B. Singleton, M.D. Charles B. Thomas, Jr., M.D.

Page 3: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

Large Groups Welcome

1509 John B. White Sr. Blvd / Spartanburgmyfuddruckers.com864.576.8329

Call us or visit us at myfuddruckers.com to order your cookie tray and

we’ll have it ready when you pick it up!

FUDDRUCKERS COOKIE TRAYSFuddruckers cookies are

baked-from-scratch daily.They’re perfect to bring to any party

or family gathering! Choose from our small

(25 cookies & 1 brownie) or large cookie tray

(50 cookies & 2 brownies)

When moving around gets difficult due to an

injury or bone and joint problems, every day

can be a struggle. At Village Orthopaedic

Surgery, we have the experience and tech-

nology to help you get back your mobility and

lifestyle.

With diagnosis, treatment and recovery all

under one roof, patients can rest assured

knowing they are getting the best care in one

easily accessible location. Our physicians at

Village Orthopaedic Surgery have practiced

for many years in the fields of sports

medicine, joint and hip replacement, spine

surgery and general orthopaedic surgery.

For more information about Village Orthopaedic

Surgery, please call 864-530-BONE (2663) or

visit villageorthopaedics.com.

Get back in motion

2755 S. Highway 14 Greer, SC 29650

villageorthopaedics.com

SPRPG32A

Our physicians Frank M. Armocida, M.D. Thomas B. Eison, M.D. Sanjitpal “Sonny” Gill, M.D. Steven B. Singleton, M.D. Charles B. Thomas, Jr., M.D.

Looking for an extra copy?Upstate GameDay is located in more than 250

high-traffic Spartanburg County locations. Copies can be picked up inside many restaurants, including Bojangles, Fuddruckers, Pizza Inn, The Clock, Chick-Fil-A (eastside), bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, sporting goods stores, medical offices, gyms/fitness centers, schools, hair salons, and many more locations.

Leading OffThe sport of Lacrosse finding a new home

in South> 16

Guide to Summer Sports Camps in

the Upstate

> 12

Tyger River Park complex a home run

for area, players

> 20

Boiling Springs grads Horton, Dickson excel

at Next Level

> 26

Page 4: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY Youth Sports Magazine

EDITOR & PUBLISHERLes Timms III

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR / SENIOR WRITER

John [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Karen L. PuckettMary CaldwellEd OverstreetTim Lambka

Pamela DunlapKyle OwingsKen Finley

TO ADvERTISE [email protected]

864-804-0068

WEBSITEwww.upstategameday.com

CONTACT GAME DAY864-804-0068

Upstate Game Day Youth Sports Maga-zine is not responsible for the return

of submitted photography, artwork, or manuscripts and will not be responsible

for holding fees or similar charges.

© Upstate Game Day Youth Sports Magazine 2012

Upstate Game Day Youth Sports Maga-zine is published 12 times a year. All con-tents are copyrighted by Upstate Game Day Youth Sports Magazine. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine, including publisher-designed advertise-

ments, may be copied, scanned, or repro-duced in any manner without prior consent from the publisher. Unauthorized user will

be billed appropriately for such use.

4 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Relax.Keep reaching for the sky.

1-800-845-1614www.foundersfcu.com

Federally insured by NCUA.

Easter Egg

www.upstategameday.com

Have a story idea? Want to submit a photo?

Or, need

advertising info?

contact

Les Timms III

les.timms@upstategameday864-804-0068

www.facebook.com/upstategameday

March 2012FREE

UPSTATE

Youth Sports Magazine

>>>>

ATHLETES IN ACTION >> SPORTS INJURIES 101 >> FCA SPOTLIGHT >> GOLF TIPS >> YOUTH FITNESS

SOUTHBOUND

LACROSSE FINDING A NEW HOME DOWN HOME

TYGER RIVER PARK OPENS

SUMMER SPORTS CAMPS

Page 5: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

ScrambleEaster Egg

10 a.m. - Noon

saturday, april 7, 2012

• Egg Hunt and Prizes• Pictures with the Easter Bunny

• Entertainment for all ages• Visit us on Facebook

$2 admission for everyone

Concessions Available!

NEW LOCATION!

TICKET INFO: 864-595-5356 or log onto www.spartanburgparks.org

Fan Us On Follow us on

Upcoming Tournamentsat TYGER RIVER PARK

March 10 GRAND OPENINGMarch 10-16 Spartanburg County Pre-season ChampionshipsMarch 17-18 USSSA Tyger River Spring KickoffMarch 24-25 Spring State ChampionshipsMarch 30-April 1 ASA Girls Fastpitch Softball Season OpenerApril 13-15 USSSA UnderArmour East Coast Global Championships

Page 6: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

ClipboardNEWS & NOTES FROM THE LOCAL YOUTH SPORTS SCENE

SEND YOUR NEWS AND PHOTOS TO [email protected]

6 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Oakbrook Prep defeated Greater Atlanta 79-73 to win the National Association of Christian Athletes Division II championship in Dayton, Tenn. on March 3. Oakbrook, the SCISA Region III-2A champion, defeated defending NACA D-II national champion Lancaster (Tenn.) 85-84 in overtime to advance to the finals.

Oakbrook senior Larry Wideman, who has already committed to Furman, earned tournament MVP honors.

Game DayQ&A

Game Day caught up with some of Spartanburg’s young athletes at a recent high school cross coun-

try and asked them to list their FAVORITES. Here are their responses.

CAiTLiN CHeekSoph., Chapman High

Sport-Pos.: Softball-CF/P

Favorite sport: SoftballFavorite athlete:

Jenny FinchFavorite entertainer:

Elvis Presley

TORi eDwARDSSr., Chapman High

Sport-Pos: Softball-2BFavorite sport: Softball

Favorite athlete: Derek Jeter

Favorite entertainer: Clint Eastwood

kARSyN STewARTFr., Chapman High

Sport-Pos.: Softball-OFFavorite sport: Cheerleading

Favorite athlete: Jenny Finch

Favorite entertainer: Li’l Wayne

COURTNey wiLLiAMSON

Fr., Chesnee HighSport-Pos:

Softball-3B/PFavorite sport: Softball

Favorite athlete: Jenny Finch

Favorite entertainer: Jason Aldean

The Upstate Lady Eagles basketball team won its second straight S.C. State Homeschooled Championship with a 44-32 win over the Easley Gladiators at Bob Jones University.

OakbrOOk: NATiONAL CHAMPS

UPSTATE EAGLES CELEBRATE STATE HOMESCHOOLED TITLE

Page 7: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 7

Conveniently located in the Upstate area

INTRODUCING

Mild Tenderloin Filets

CAVS, CARDS FALL iN STATe SeMiFiNALS

ED OvERSTREET PHOTO

Three local basketball teams made it to the Upper State finals before bowing out of the state playoffs, including both the Dorman boys and girls basketball teams in Class 4A and the Landrum boys in Class A.

Landrum fell to Great Falls 49-44 at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville.

The Lady Cavaliers fell to Dutch

Fork 53-46. The Dorman boys team fell to eventual state champion and rival Gaffney 55-47. Gaffney went on to defeat Lexington 58-55 in overtime in the Class 4A state finals in Columbia.

Spartanburg Christian also made it to the SCISA 2A state finals, falling to First Baptist of Charleston 75-66 in the title game.

LOREN BROWNING PHOTO

Page 8: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

8 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

60 South Church Street Spartanburg, SC 29306-3242

(864) 583-6427

NautilusFitness Center

2 lines of Nautilus machines

Free weights

Zumba Classes

Get in shape in time for summer

So You Want to be.... an UMPIRE

Q&A w/ DAVE BROWN

FIRST OF A SERIES

Dave Brown calls a USC player “SAFEEE” in an SEC game.

eDiTOR’S NOTe: Spartanburg’s Dave Brown has been an umpire since the age of 14. Now 50, he calls SEC, ACC, and other major conference college baseball games. He shares knowledge about the profession here.

Q: How did you get your start?It all started when I was age 14 and my next door neighbor

wanted someone to umpire some Little League ball. I didn’t know anything about it, and I agreed to help him. They paid about $3 to $6 a game, so at 14 you’re making $18 bucks a day. It wasn’t a bad gig.

Q: How can someone break into umpiring, that is, if they want to make that a career?

First, you need to decide what you want to do. Do you want to go the pro route or do you want to become a high school or college umpire. If you want to become a pro umpire, early on you need a mentor who can guide you in the right direction, and you need to go to pro school.

Q: What makes a good umpire? Well, you have to have an A personality. You have to like people.

Have to feel good about what you’re doing and who you are because the confidence level you can’t buy that. You either got it or you don’t. Good ones have it. You have to study, have to stay in shape, have to understand what you’re doing.

With all that said, if you’re a B or C personality who doesn’t like to offend people you’re not going to be very successful. People are going to yell at you. The old adage of 50 percent of people are going to like you and 50 percent won’t is true. But the quicker you under-stand that, the better off you’ll be. And the quicker you get to where you really don’t care.

Q. Additional advice?Number 1, get a mentor, somebody who is where you want to

be. It’s not hard to find an umpire doing the level of ball you aspire to. Number 2, listen to him and set goals. It’s always a series of goals. There’s no reason why anyone who wants to be an umpire cannot do it. Make a commitment.

The First Tee of Spartanburg will host a “Feet First” Family Fun Run/Walk on Sunday, March 25 at Wofford College.

The event is a fundraiser for the First Tee. It includes a 5K race and 1-mile walk, which begin at 3:30 p.m.

Pre-registration pricing is $15 for adults, $10 youth, $40 family of four, age 4 and under free.

Register online at www.thefirstteespartanburg.org.For more information, call (864) 583-7084, ext. 7.

First Tee of Spartanburg to host ‘Feet First’ Family Fun Run/Walk

CLIPBOARD

Page 9: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 9

Coker College head women’s volleyball coach Todd Caughlin recently announced that Dorman High School’s Hannah Cabaniss has agreed to play volleyball for the Cobras in the fall of 2012.

The 5-6 defensive specialist and libero will join the Cobra women’s team after three very successful seasons with the Cavaliers of Dorman. While at Dorman,

Cabaniss was a three-time letter winner and a member of the 2009 South Carolina 4A State Champion volleyball team. During her senior season she had a team leading 201 digs with a 94 percent serve accuracy rating and a 90 percent serve-receive efficiency rating.

In addition to being a standout player for Dorman, Cabaniss has been a

member of Club South’s National Team as a defensive specialist and libero for eight years. An exceptionally gifted student, as well as an athlete, Cabaniss is a member of the Beta Club, the National Honor Society and the Medical Society. While at Coker she plans on majoring in Physical Education with a focus on Exercise Science.

Dorman’s Cabiness signs volleyball letter of intent with Coker

Hillcrest, Dorman players clash on

court, but team up to compete for CLUB SOUTH

By JOHN CLAYTON

Dorman’s tarryn angermeier and

Hillcrest’s Kylie Haun turned out to be the best of rivals.

and the best of friends.the two seniors led

their respective high-school volleyball teams to state titles — angermeier winning one with the Cavaliers as a sophomore and Haun as a senior — while also excelling together on their Club south travel teams.

“Me and tarryn have been playing together since eighth grade,” Haun said. “so, we were friends before there was ever a rivalry.”

Both have excelled as outside hitters. Haun was named the Class 4a Player of the Year this past season and angermeier earned Player of the Year honors from the

Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Both will be playing at NCaa Division ii colleges in the fall.

angermeier said she and Haun, who both admit to a bit of friendly trash talk during their high-school matches, have and will remain close despite the rivalry that had Dorman and Hillcrest vying for the same region and state titles.

“if we weren’t going

to win state, i was happy that they did,” she said.

angermeier also would have liked

to have played on the same frontline as Haun in high school to see what the pair could have accomplished together at the Class 4a level.

“Oh, that would have been great,” she said. “i think we could’ve won more (championships).”

the pair will continue to play together with Club south through June and then be off to college in august.

Haun has committed to accept a full scholarship

toDivision ii Metropolitan state of Denver (Colo.), while angermeier was to take an official visit to lander — where she was expected to commit — in early March.

“i loved it out there,” said Haun, who first caught Metro coaches’ attention at a tournament in Colorado. “My parents wanted to make sure that was what i wanted, and they’re letting me go.”

angermeier said the Greenwood campus is just far enough away for her.

“it’s far enough away, but not too far,” she said. “i can still come home when i want.”

Hillcrest and Dorman players are fierce rivals on the court, but share friendships off. Hillcrest defeated the Lady Cavs in the 4A

state semifinals last season and went on to capture the state title. They were paced by SC Player of year kylie Haun, photo inset, in playoff match against Dorman. From left, above, are Club South

teammates Ashton Lowder , Sam Del Toro, and kylie Haun of Hill-crest, and Tarryn Angermeier and Hannah Cabiness of Dorman.

Best of FRIENDS ... Worst of FOESCLIPBOARD

Page 10: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

Nobody who ever gave their best

regretted it.

Athletes in ActionWE WANT YOUR SPORTS PICS

please email to: [email protected]

photos by: John Clayton • Ed Overstreet • Les Timms III • Lorin Browning

10 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Page 11: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

Winners never quit;

quitters never win

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 11

Page 12: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

10 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Compiled By

MARY CALDWELL

Breaks from school offer kids the perfect chance to attend one of the area’s many sports

camps. Many schools offer a variety of camps for kids of varying ages, giving them the chance to sharpen their skills under the tutelage of experienced coaches and instructors.

BASeBALL:University of South Carolina-

Upstate Baseball Camp June 18 - 21 at Cleveland Harley

Baseball Park, USC Upstate Campus.For more information, contact Matt

Fincher at 864-503-5135 or [email protected].

Ron Smith Baseball Camp - Fur-man University

Emphasis is for every camper to be taught with individual drills from Coach Smith’s specialized team concept teaching. Call 864-294-2146 for information.

University of South Carolina youth Day Baseball Camps

Session 1: June 11-15Session 2: June 18-22

Session 3: June 25-29Session 4: July 9-13

For more information, visit http://www.gamecocksonline.com/camps/scar-camps.html.

BASkeTBALL:elite Men’s Basketball Camp Aug. 4, Hodge Gym, USC Upstate

Campus. For information, contact Kente

Hart at 864-503-5297 or [email protected].

Team Basketball Camp (Kente Hart)

June 11-14, Hodge Gym, USC Upstate Campus.

For information, contact Kente Hart at 864-503-5297 or [email protected].

FCA Girls Basketball Camp June 18-20, USC Upstate Campus. For more information, contact

Stacey Turner at 864-578-5464. Date(s): June 18 - 20, 2012 Location: USC Upstate Campus

Basketball Camp (kente Hart) June 21-24 and June 25-28, USC

Upstate Campus.For information, contact Kente Hart

at 864-503-5297 or [email protected].

Girls Basketball Camps at Fur-man University

Conducted by Coach Jackie Carson.

Individual Camp: June 4-7, age 4 through grade 12

Team Camp: June 15-17, middle school, high school and AAU Teams

Elite Camp: June 8-10, grades 9-12 For more information, contact

LaCheryl Smith at 864-294-3429 or [email protected].

SUMMER

CAMPSSPORTS

CAMPS / Pt. 2 COMING IN APRIL

TO LIST OR ADVERTISE YOUR CAMP, EMAIL [email protected]

12 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Page 13: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 13

Jeff Jackson Basketball CampVarious camps available, for kids

in 1st grade through high school. Designed to give kids a fun and excit-ing experience with the fundamentals of basketball, including: ball handling, dribbling, passing, shooting, rebound-ing, 3 on 3 games, 5 on 5 games, basketball drills through contests, etc.

For more information, contact Jennifer Arends at 864-294-2170.

Brad Brownell Boys Basketball Camp:

Directed by Clemson University Head Coach Brad Brownell.

Individual Camp: June 17-20.Team Camp: June 22-24.Boarding Camper - $440; Com-

muter Camper: $300; Day Camper: $200.

For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Lady Tiger Basketball Camp:Directed by Clemson University

Head Coach Itoro ColemanJune 15-17. Middle school, junior

varsity, varsity and AAU level teams. Each team will compete in five on five games, special game situation stations and team building exercises. Each team is guaranteed a minimum of six games during this three-day camp. Minimum of eight players required to register one team. Schools bringing more than one team must have seven or more per team.

E-mail [email protected] or call the camp hotline at 864- 656-1964 to request your Team Camp Packet, which includes all the neces-sary forms and paperwork.

FOOTBALL:The Mike Ayers Football Camp

at wofford College For more information, con-

tact camp director Shiel Wood at [email protected]

or 864-597-4148. All Offensive Camps are

designed for athletes entering the 9th-12th grades. The deadline for reg-istration is one week prior to the start of camp. Any individual who registers after the deadline will be charged a $30 late registration fee.

All Top Prospect One Day Senior Camps are designed for rising 12th graders. The price of the camp will be announced in the future.

Option Offense : Sunday, June 17 to Tuesday, June 19

Offense/Defense Team and Indi-

vidual: Sunday, June 24 to Wednes-day, June 27

Resident camper: to be an-nounced

Day camper: to be announced

Top Prospect One Day Senior Camps

Camp 1- Thursday, June 14Camp 2- Saturday, June 23fee to be announced

Nate woody youth Football Camp at wofford College

June 4-7. Learn fundamentals through team competition, group instruction and individual attention.

This is non-contact day camp open to children ages 6-12. Cost: $140 if pre-registered and $150 on the first day of camp. Included in the camp tuition is five sessions of indi-vidual instruction, at least two games each day and a camp T-shirt.

TO LIST OR ADVERTISE YOUR CAMP, EMAIL [email protected]

Page 14: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

14 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Bobby Bentley QB-wR Camp June 28-July 1 and July 19-21

at the USC Upstate Campus. For information, call Bobby

Bentley at 864-809-1316.

FCA Football Camp July 5-7 and July 16-18, USC

Upstate Campus. For information, call Stacey

Turner at 864-878-5464.

Bruce Fowler Football Camps at Furman University

Quarterback and Wide Receiver Camp

Session I: June 10-13; Session II: June 17-20

An intensive, four day residential camp for rising 8th-12th graders fo-cused on improving the fundamentals of each player.

Offensive Line CampSession I: June 10-13; Session II:

June 17-20 An intensive, four day residential

camp for rising 8th-12th graders fo-cused on improving the fundamentals of each player.

Future Stars youth CampsJune 4-7 A half-day camp running from

Monday through Thursday for ages

8-13 focused on exposing young football players to the fundamentals of the game.

For more information on Fur-man’s football camps, contact Jordan Sorrells, Football Operations Director, at 864-294-2772 or [email protected].

Dabo Swinney Football Camp:Directed by Clemson University

Head Coach Dabo Swinney.Youth Camp I: June 2-3, 2012

(Grades 2-7 for the fall of 2012)Youth Camp II: June 9-10, 2012

(Grades 2-7 for the fall of 2012)High School Camp I: June 12-14,

2012 (Grades 8-12 for the fall of 2012)

High School Camp II: June 15-17, 2012 (Grades 8-12 for the fall of 2012)

For more information, visit http://www.daboswinneyfootballcamp.com/ or e-mail [email protected].

GeNeRAL:2012 Strength and Conditioning

Camp at Wofford College June 18-July 26. Monday

through Thursday 9-10 a.m. $80 a week or $20.00 a session.

USC Upstate youth Fitness Program

June 4-8. 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. HEC Gym at USC Upstate. Ages 6-14. Ac-tivities such as swimming, soccer, flag football, team handball, basketball, cooperative games, floor hockey and health education class. Cost: $175.00

For more information, contact Jim Kamla at 864-503-5851 or [email protected].

GOLF:Champions Junior Golf at wof-

ford CollegeJune 11-14 (Day Camp, boys and

girls age 5-17, 9 a.m.-noon). June 3-7 (Resident Camp, boys and girls age 10-18).

JT Golf Camps at Furman University

Day Camp - Session 1: June 11-15 for ages 8-17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

June 11-15 for ages 5-7, 9 a.m. - noon.

Residential CampJune 16-20 for ages 10-17

Day Camp - Session 2July 23-27 for ages 8-17, 9

a.m.-1 p.m.

July 23-27 for ages 5-7, 9 a.m.-noon.

For more information, call Jen Hanna or Todd Satterfield at 864-294-6283.

Clemson Tiger Golf Academy:Week 1: June 9-13.Week 2: June 16-20. Ages: 10-17. For more information, call Larry

Penley at 864-654-5718.

LACROSSe:Lacrosse - Girls - GameBreakerJune 11-14 Developed for ages 8-18, this

camp will provide young athletes the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in lacrosse today. Over 50,000 campers have attended GameBreaker camps. Individual and team registrations are available.

For more information, call 1-800-944-7112.

Lacrosse - Boys - empireJuly 10-13 Residential/commuter camp

open to rising 6th through rising 12th grade boys, Empire Lacrosse Camp offers a comprehensive lacrosse experience on and off the field of play.

Page 15: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 15

July 10-13 Residential/commuter middle

school camp.

RUGBy:Furman Rugby CampJuly 11-15. Mission is to foster

youth rugby development, good sports-manship and camaraderie.

SOFTBALL:Upstate Fastpitch Softball Camp June 25-28, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at

Cyrill Stadium at USC Upstate. Girls ages 8-18. Extensive fastpitch softball instruction for players of all skill levels.Cost: $300 Resident, $190 Commuter.

For more information, contact Chris Hawkins at 864-503-5171 or at [email protected].

Dana Jenkins Softball Camp For all ages and skill levels.

Instructed by the Furman University softball coaches and players along with other college coaches and players from around the southeast. For all players interested in developing their softball skills. It is designed to teach the total game of fastpitch softball.

The camp offers many options from being a commuter to staying in

dorms overnight. For more information, contact

Dana Jenkins, Head Coach of the Fur-man Paladins softball team, at 864-356-7649 or [email protected].

TeNNiS:Rod Ray Tennis Camp 2012 at

wofford College:May 28 -31: Day Camp June 1-3: Adult Camp. Commute or

stay on campus.June 4-7: Day CampJune 10-14 Junior Overnight CampJune 17 -21 Junior Overnight Camp June 24-June 28 Junior Overnight

CampJuly 25-27: Junior Professional

Camp

USC Upstate Tennis CampJune 4-July 6 at the tennis courts at

USC Upstate.For more information, contact Oliver

Trittenwein at 864-503-5131or [email protected] .

Furman University Tennis Camp Boys and girls of all levels ages

9-16. 4 indoor and 14 outdoor tennis courts. Extensive individual insstruction. Full-day and half-day camp sessions are available. For more information, call 864-294-3428.

SOCCeR:Ralph Lundy Soccer Academy at

wofford CollegeJune 17-21 (Ages 9-13, Boys and

Girls - Regular only)June 24-28 (Ages 14-18, Boys and

Girls - Regular and Elite)

Greg Hooks’ Soccer Camp at USC Upstate

Day Camp: June 11-14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Ages 5-18 (boys and girls). Day camp at the soccer fields. Offering comprehensive soccer instruction. Cost: $190 Late-Stay, $180 Full-Day, $120 Half-Day, $95 Mini-Camp.

Resident Camp: June 15-17 at the soccer fields. For boys in grades 7-12. Offers comprehensive soccer instruction. Cost: $240 resident, $195 commuters.

For more information, contact Greg Hooks at 864-503-5117 or at [email protected].

Doug Allison’s Soccer Academy at Furman University

Boys & Girls Team Academy : June 21 - June 25

Boys & Girls Senior Elite Academy:

June 28 - July 1Boys & Girls Residential Academy:

June 28 - July 2Boys & Girls Full Day Academy: July

16 - 20Boys & Girls Half Day Academy: July

16 - 20

VOLLeyBALL:FCA Volleyball Camp July 19-21, USC Upstate Campus. For more information, contact

Stacey Turner at 864-878-5464.

Clemson Tiger Volleyball Camp: Directed by Clemson University

Head Coach Jolene Hoover.Training Camp: July 12-15.Team Camp: July 18-21. For more information, contact

Kelsey Murphy at 864-656-1932.

Corey Helle wofford Volleyball Camp: Directed by Wofford Head Coach

Corey Helle.July 6-9, July 11-14, July 16-18,

July 20-22, July 23-25. For more information, contact

Corey Helle at 864-597-4152 or send email to [email protected].

July 6-9

JV Team / Young Ones Camp

July 11-14

Varsity Team CampJuly 16-18

Individual Camp IIJuly 20-22

Individual Camp IIIJuly 23-25

Individual Camp IV

COREY HELLE VOLLEYBALL CAMP

CORey HeLLeHead Volleyball CoachWOFFORD COLLEGE

FOR mORE InFORmATIOnsend email to

[email protected] or call (864) 597-4152

DOWnLOAD CAmp BROChuRE at www.wofford.edu/athletics

Camps are open to any and all participants

Page 16: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

lacrosse story starts here

By JOHN CLAYTON

Despite the fact that lacrosse as a game is older than Shakespeare’s checker board, it has only found its way to the Upstate at the high school level over

the past decade.

But the sport’s passionate supporters say it’s here to stay.

“Lacrosse is growing so much,” said Andrew Daniel, a former Limestone College player who is helping coach Spartanburg District 7 area’s first-year youth program. “It’s the fastest-growing sport in America and I think this is going to be a hotbed. I think the South will be the hotbed in the next 10 years because of the athletes and the weather.”

Daniel is a native of Chesapeake, Md., which has been something of a lacrosse hotbed along the Mid-Atlantic coast for decades, and he was on some of the Limestone teams that first introduced the sport to

16 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Upstate becoming hotbed for ‘fastest-growing sport in America’

SOUTHBOUND

Page 17: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 17

the Upstate. The Saints took on the sport at the NCAA Division II men’s varsity level in 1990 and boast a pair of national titles (2000, 2002) among its accolades.

Over the last decade, other colleges and universities, including Presbyterian College, and high schools have added men’s and women’s programs. High schools have followed suit, starting with around 15 schools offering the sport in the early 2000s -- a number that has grown to 30 schools this season.

The thing that has been missing so far in the Upstate has been the type of youth feeder programs that fuel local powerhouse football, basketball and baseball programs.

That is also changing this year with youth lacrosse programs being offered in Spartanburg School Districts 5, 6 and 7. In District 7 (Spartanburg High) and District 6 (Dorman) more than 100 youth -- about 50 in each district -- signed up for youth lacrosse.

Volunteer coach Tim Fields said he saw the need during a summer camp attended by his son at Spartanburg High School.

“When you look at teams like Greenville, Greenvile has had programs for four years or more,” Fields said. “Schools around Fort Mill, Rock Hill and the Charlotte area have had youth programs for years. If you look around and see where the best lacrosse is, it’s in those areas with youth programs operating for a number of years. It does pay off, it really does.

So, Fields and other dads/volunteers got together to form a youth league, which started with basic skills drills with elementary- and middle-school aged boys and girls on a Sunday afternoon in February at Spartanburg High School.

Daniel and a couple of former college players are helping out, but Fields admittedly had to educate himself by reading and watching Internet footage.

“I didn’t even know how many people were on the field back in August,” Fields said. “But I’ve been learning, watching and reading about it.

“I knew my son liked coming to the camp this summer. A lot of kids had sticks and were always throwing around, but there was no opportunity

“if you look around and see where the best

lacrosse is, it’s in those areas with youth programs operating for a

number of years. it does pay off, it

really does.”

PLAYERS GO THROUGH DRILLS AT SPARTANBURG HIGH SCHOOL RECENTLY. YOUTH LACROSSE PROGRAMS ARE BEING OFFERED IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS 5, 6, AND 7.

TiM FieLDSVolunteer Youth League

Lacrosse Coach

JOHN CLAYTON PHOTOS

Page 18: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

until the ninth grade to play organized lacrosse here in Spartanburg, and I said, ‘there has to be something we can do about it.’”

Dorman coach Matt Lindner said the beginning of youth programs is just what the area’s lacrosse scene needed. If lacrosse sticks find young hands, half the battle is won.

“If a kid falls in love with the game, it’s not hard to teach them because they’ll have that stick in their hands from morning until night,” Lindner said.

Another goalThe final seconds had just

wound down on an impressive victory over a visiting Hilton Head squad at Cavalier Field in late February.

Dorman’s four-year-old program was testing itself against one of the Seahawks, which was among the first high schools in the state to offer lacrosse as a varsity sport.

If preseason rankings are to be believed -- and Lindner said he puts little stock in them -- the Seahawks and Cavaliers, both ranked in the top-four in the state, could meet again in the state finals.

The sheer number of athletes at the populous Dorman campus has helped the Cavaliers neophyte program rise quickly as has the school’s first-rate athletic facilities

“South Carolina has great athletes and they want to play things that are new,” Lindner said. “This is a great sport to showcase the athleticism in South Carolina.”

Dorman had athletes, but it just didn’t always have lacrosse players.

“The first year we played, nobody knew what was going on,” said senior midfielder Eric McKinney. “Now, every game, every team we play can win a state championship, and that’s

what we want to do. From where I started, I had just heard about lacrosse and said, ‘hey, I’ll go try it.’

“Now, we’re just going out, giving our best and playing the best competition in the state.”

Senior defenseman Andre Monitto had tried the other stick-and-ball sports, but finally found a home on the lacrosse field.

“In ninth grade, I was intrigued and needed something to do, and I kept sticking with it and getting better and better,” Monitto said. “I watched college teams and the better high school teams.

“The thing about lacrosse, is you have to play all day every day for years to get good at it. You have to love it to be out there almost every day playing the game.”

That fact that the number of teams playing in the area -- Byrnes, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Greenville, Riverside to name a few -- has helped all the players raise their game.

“Better competition makes everybody better,” said Dorman senior attacker Ethan Jarrett. “First and foremost this season, we want to win a state championship. Then, we want to go on to college and keep winning there.”

The story is much the same across town at Spartanburg High School, where Vikings Robert Grier, William Valainis and Beck Leonard were helping out with youth drills on a Sunday.

Leonard broke down what he and other players see in the sport.

“It’s fun to hit people and shoot,” he said. “Stuff like that.”

Net gainsThe roots of lacrosse

are traced back centuries to American and Canadian Indians who played the sport

-- sometimes for days over fields that stretched for miles -- as both sport and training for warriors.

Lindner said those roots are now taking hold in South Carolina.

“It’s growing. We’re very patient,” Lindner said. “We’ve been patient for a real long time. We are just going to keep working.”

Lindner said he believes that work will result in not only more children joining youth leagues such as the ones just formed in Spartanburg, but also with more fan

support among people who discover the game.

“I’ve seen South Carolina grow in the right direction from the coast to the mountains,” he said. “What’s needed is education and exposure. The more exposure, the more people will come out and watch it.

“It’s very similar to other sports, so people can relate to it. It’s very easy to learn. It’s not as daunting as some may think. All the coaches in South Carolina are there to help people and to educate people and so are the officials. The more the merrier. “ GD

JOHN CLAYTON PHOTOSenior defenseman Andre Monitto (19) and Jay Lester team up

for Dorman in a recent match.

18 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Page 19: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 19

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18 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

By JOHN CLAYTON

REIDVILLE – A quartet of Byrnes High School softball players – Malibu Gaston, Carley Brummett, Casey Owen and Brooke Beidler -- took a wide-eyed look around the newly unveiled Tyger River Park for the first time.

“We weren’t expecting to see something

like this,” Brummett said. “This is really, really nice.”

None of the four, who travel frequently to tournaments with their club teams, said they have played in a facility that compares in size and scope with Tyger River Park.

The $17 million facility, which features 12 ball fields and a championship stadium, a 1.92-mile walking trail around the

Play Ball!After months of preparation at

Tyger River Park, it’s now time to ...

Complex to be recognized as a ‘crown jewel’ in youth sports along East Coast

Page 21: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 21

perimeter of the park, a picnic pavilion, four picnic shelters, an observation tower, shaded bleachers, a playground and a community meeting room, was introduced as a crown jewel in Upstate South Carolina recreation at a late-February press conference.

Tyger River Park was to officially open March 10 with countywide youth baseball and softball championship tournaments. It will host some 65 events over the final 40 weeks of 2012 and Spartanburg County Parks Department officials expect millions of dollars in local economic impact this year alone.

The largest event scheduled this year – the National Softball Association’s Class A and Class B Eastern Girls Fast Pitch World Series – is expected to bring more than 7,000 visitors to the area with an estimated economic impact of $2.5 million.

“Spartanburg has become a major player in (the recreation sports) industry,” said Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Chris Jennings. “And it’s going to be more so with (the NSA) event coming to Tyger River.”

Spartanburg officials and residents are hoping the investment in Tyger River Park, which was initially scheduled

to open this past fall but did not due to concerns over safety during ongoing construction, will pay off in the same way as the investments neighboring Greenville County has made in its recreation facilities in recent years.

“Tyger River Park was built with hospitality tax dollars, just like Greenville’s sports tourism venues,” said Gene Smith, executive director of Greenville Parks and Recreation, noting an estimated $16 million economic impact to the county since 2006. “Over the next five years, Greenville projects an impact of another $33 million, essentially paying back the community $40 million in investments through the hospitality tax.’

Spartanburg and Greenville recreation departments are partnering together to put on the NSA event, and Smith said he is hopeful of other such partnerships in the future.

So far, the arrival of Tyger River Park has been a win-win for local hoteliers, despite the fact that the first pitch has yet to be thrown.

“For 2012, the impact of Tyger River Park on hoteliers is that there are 19 events booked between February and December that did not exist before,” said Patti Wetherford, general manager of Hampton In

Play Ball!

at Summit Pointe and chair of the Spartanburg CVB advisory board for hoteliers. “These events have already started impacting the hotel industry and will also impact local restaurants, retailers and attractions as well.”

Local residents and sports organizations, including District 5 Schools and the Westside Booster Association will feel an impact that goes beyond dollars.

The Westside Booster Association will finally have a home for its baseball and

softball programs after a long wait and it will serve the growing community in its home school district.

“We are very excited about the opening of Tyger River Park,” said District 5 Athletics Director Bobby Bentley. “The impact of the new complex will last for generations and ignite unprecedented success for local athletic programs. Spartanburg County will have one of the crown jewels in youth sports along the East Coast and District 5 will be proud to call it home.” GD

“Spartanburg has become a major player (in the recreation sports) industry. And it’s going to be more

so with the NSA event coming to Tyger River.”

CHrIS JENNINGSExecutive Director, Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau

LES TIMMS III PHOTOSFlanked by softball players from Byrnes, Jonathan Evatt, director of the Westside Athletic Booster Association, relates how much

the positive impact the complex will have for local teams.

Spartanburg CVB director Chris Jennings, left, and his counterpart from Greenville, Chris Stone, attend a press

conference at Tyger River Park in February.

Page 22: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

22 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Tyger River Park gives Upstate a new shining star

Take that, Epcot. In your face, Pluto.The National Softball Association is bringing its Class A and Class B Eastern Girls Fast Pitch World Series

to the brand new Tyger River Park and with the tournament some 300 teams and 7,000 visi-tors.

That tourna-ment is the linchpin in a busy 2012 schedule for the park, which was set to open March 10 with a county youth

championship tour-nament.

“Normally, we go to destination cities for these events,” said NSA Eastern Zone Vice President David Butler. “We go to places like Orlando and help sell more tickets to see Mickey Mouse. . . . When we decided to come here, we said let’s make the event the destination. It will be all about the event.”

Tyger River Park is a $17 million proj-

ect that local leaders are convinced will pay dividends soon enough by filling hotel rooms and restaurants. Chattanooga, Tenn., which hosted the event in 2011, estimated the tour-nament’s economic impact at $2.5 million.

The Tyger River complex lives up to its price tag with a dozen ball fields and a sta-dium diamond. It’s a shining star on the way to Sugar Tit if not Orlando.

So what if Mickey Mouse is hours away in Neverland.

We built it, and they’re coming.According to Greenville County officials,

their recent investments in their recreation complexes are expected to result in about $40 million in economic impact over the span of 10 years.

The fact is, youth sports is big business and the Upstate, which is still struggling to reinvent itself from its textile-dominated past, anted up with Tyger River Park to get in the game.

Strangely, that past is also connected to recreational sports of decades past.

In every mill town in Spartanburg there was at least one ballfield. “Travel ball” for me meant heading from Holly Springs to Arca-dia, Inman or Startex.

After he retired from Lyman Mills, my grandfather would drive my best childhood friend and cohort, Mike Sellars, and I to

games. On the trips to Arcadia, we could earn a trip to Holmes Lunch for the best hot dogs in the world (sorry, Chicago) if we played well enough.

Somehow, we always played well enough, though the fields were often too dusty or too muddy, and at home, in Holly Springs, the right fielder had to jump a barbed-wire fence to chase down a home run while hoping the bull was on the other side of the pasture.

There were no bright lights, but the folks here were friendly and kind. The people who come to Tyger River Park will find that even now.

Southern hospitality is still alive and well. It is our most prized invention.

For the NSA, the Spartanburg Conven-tion & Visitors Bureau is planning a down-town festival to showcase the city. Westgate and Haywood malls should consider extend-ed Christmas hours with so many teenagers potentially invading.

If they’re lucky, they will find The Beacon and learn of the ambrosia that is sweet tea.

Hopefully, they will take a look around at the Upstate’s newest crown jewel in Tyger River Park and realize how cool it is to be the event and it’s OK to be Disney free.

And Lord willing, they will play just well enough to earn a trip to Holmes Lunch for the best hot dog ever. GD

JOHNCLAyTON

As the sun goes down, baseball action at Tyger River Park heats up. LES TIMMS III PHOTO

COMMENTARY

Page 23: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 23

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GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 25

UPWARD TOURNEY PICSOR FCA COLUMN

FCA spotlight

‘Anagkaios’By Ryan GloeR

“If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…” [1 Corinthians 12:17-22]

Upon moving to Charlotte, I have had the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people. Among the most recent is the encounter I had with the TV repair man, Bryan. After spending nearly an hour on the phone with about five different people (you know the routine), they offered to send one of their contractors to our home to repair the malfunctioning unit free of charge. When he showed up at our door a few days later, I could tell that there was something different about this man. I invited him in and he humbly and diligently went to work on our busted television. It wasn’t long into the conversation that Bryan began to talk to me about the Lord.

In the above passage, Paul compares the body of Christ to a human body. The parts of the human body are different for a purpose in the same way that the people who make up the body of Christ are different for a purpose. Each part has a specific function that is necessary to the working of the body as a whole. As Bryan was working in our living room, I was reminded that no matter where we are or how insignificant a task may seem to us in our limited thinking, we have been

given the opportunity to bring glory to the Father. Fixing a television may seem like a minor job; however, Bryan sought it as an opportunity to carry the name of Jesus.

Paul tells us that the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. The word, “indispensable” derives from the Greek word, “anagkaios.” Anagkaios means that something is necessary; it is something that cannot be done without. Whether you are a TV repair man or the pastor of a mega church, you are anagkaios. Whether you are a professional athlete or a stay at home parent, you are anagkaios. Whether you are shattering school records or you have never played a single play, you are anagkaios. The book of Romans tells us that we have all different gifts; some prophesy, some serve, some teach, some encourage, some contribute to the needs of others, some have the gift of leadership, and some show mercy. Whatever your gifting, realize that God has arranged you just how He wanted you to be. Avoid thinking that you have nothing to offer to the body of believers and ask Him to reveal to you how you can use your gifts to build up His kingdom.

I am thankful for people like Bryan who live out Colossians 3:23, which says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” As members of the body of Jesus Christ, we may have different interests and gifts, but we do have the common goal of spreading the Good News of salvation. I pray that as you read this you recognize that you are anagkaios. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” [Ecclesiastes 4:12]

Page 26: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

By JOHN CLAYTON

Brian Horton’s path to NCAA Division I collegiate golf was anything but typical.

The Boiling Springs High School graduate — now a junior at USC Upstate — played neither the AJGA or the S.C. Junior Golf Association circuits.

There were no swing coaches or country clubs.

Horton simply found his way to a game that quickly became a passion. He taught himself the swing and picked up the nu-ances of course management and other things as he went.

“My junior and senior years of high school, I played pretty well,” Horton said. “I didn’t have any idea about scouting or anything like that, and I was pretty much limited to local tournaments around the Upper State.

“I started to take it seriously, but on a limited-resource basis.”

In 2007, Horton won the Spartanburg County Junior Amateur and started to get attention from colleges.

By the end of his senior year, Division II Newberry College had offered him a schol-arship, but he still had a dream of playing at a Division I university.

Gardner-Webb called with an offer that he jumped at, but a severe case of mononu-cleosis sidelined him as a freshman and he never quite found the fairways at GWU.

USC Upstate was in the process of transitioning from Division II to Division I status and joining the Atlantic Sun Confer-ence. Horton decided to return to Spartan-burg County and join Todd Lawton’s young Division I program.

This time, it fit and it’s been mostly fair-ways and greens for Horton ever since.

In February, Horton was named A-Sun Golfer of the Week after leading the Spar-tans to a surprising second-place finish at The Match Play at Reunion in Florida.

Horton went a perfect 4-0 in the match-

play event, notching wins over Notre Dame’s Trey Wingo and South Florida’s Tommy Riehle.

That tournament announced the arrival of USC Upstate in the pantheon of Division I golf, but also has given Horton, who has shaved a half-stroke off his collegiate scoring average to 75.3 this season, reason for pause.

The business major is considering graduate school for a master’s of business administration (MBA) degree, but is now also considering taking a swing at life as a professional golfer.

“That’s one think I’ve talked about with Coach,” Horton said. “We’ve talked about my goals but I’ve always, from the very beginning, had to manage my time, and it’s a struggle. I’d love to play professional golf, but Coach has asked me, ‘What are you willing to give up?’ To do that, I will have to concentrate only on golf for the first time.”

Horton was one of two Boiling Springs alumni playing for the Spartans. Nelson

Dickson, a Presbyterian College transfer, was one of the team leaders until a request for an extra year of eligibility due to his transfer was denied by the NCAA.

A former baseball and basketball player at Boiling Springs, Dick-son arrived at the game competitively a little late, finally taking up the game after he graduated from high school.

Dickson said he had dreamed of playing col-legiate golf, and worked toward that goal to prove naysayers he knew wrong.

“He’s just a freak-ish athlete — he can do anything,” Horton said

of Dickson. “And he’s a natural leader. He’s been one of the leaders of our team.”

Upstate is a team, Horton believes, that is ready to challenge for the A-Sun cham-pionship in its first year of eligibility for the title and NCAA postseason play.

“We’re going for it,” he said.And so has Horton, despite not always

having the easiest of lies in the game he loves, and he urges younger athletes to do the same.

“If you have a gift or a talent that sets you apart, then you chase it,” he said. “Give it a 100-percent chance.”

Dickson, who is due to graduate from Upstate in May with plans to pursue profes-sional business and amateur golf careers, offered up similar advice.

“Don’t worry about what other people think,” Dickson said. “Find a dream and go after it with everything you’ve got. GD

For anyone with the desire to play sports at the college or professional level, the road is long and hard. This regular feature is about local athletes, living their dream, competing at ...

Boiling Springs gradsHORTON, DICKSONmake dreams come true with Spartans

USC Upstate’s Brian Horton has excelled in college golf despite not being active on

the junior golf circuit.

26 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Nelson Dickson

Page 27: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

Knee injuries, and in particular ACL injuries, are on the rise despite greater

access to strength and conditioning programs. First, let’s answer why these injuries occur?

The ACL is a ligament between the bones of the knee. Its job is to prevent these bones from moving too far apart. When a ligament is pushed beyond its con-straints by enough force then the liga-ment may tear ei-ther partially or completely often requiring surgery to repair or at least time away from a sport for recovery.

When they think of an ACL injury most people believe it occurs as a result of someone running into an athlete’s leg bending it in an awkward way. Surprisingly though, about 70 percent of ACL tears occur in a non-contact situation dur-ing routine cutting, pivoting or landing from a jump.

In a non-contact situation these injuries should be prevent-able. Current research supports that the proper training meth-ods can significantly reduce the likelihood of these injuries.

There are several compo-nents that make a success-ful program both in terms of improving speed and agility and preventing injury:

1. Treat the soft tissues before and after training.

A pre-workout program should do the job of prepar-ing the athlete for the coming training and to some extent helping them recover from their prior training or practices. Foam rolling or other form of self-myofascial release (SMR) should be included and should be man-datory prior to beginning that day’s session. Many high school programs and other coaches are

doing SMR as an afterthought. Don’t neglect this important area of training and injury preven-tion.

2. Warm-up and cool down the right way. Most pre-prac-tice/training routines involve jogging and stretching. This doesn’t begin to do a proper job of preparing an athlete for training and competition, and yes, even big-time college sports get this wrong. Your warm-up needs to be active, dynamic and include the whole body. Prolonged

stretching before training has been shown to dampen the muscle response leading to decrease in performance. This type of stretching is best suited for after competition and aids in the recovery process.

3. Improve general strength, hip and ankle mobil-ity and coordination.

Knees will basically go where the ankles and hips direct them. Exercises that improve hip and ankle mobil-ity are crucial for an athlete to improve their efficiency of movement. Improvement in total body strength leads to the ability to withstand the forces that the body absorbs when cutting, pivoting and landings. Improved strength also leads to faster running and higher jumping as well. Oh and single leg training such as lunges, step-ups and single leg squat-ting techniques with proper training are much better than machines because you improve your balance and muscle coor-dination much more when an athlete is allowed to move and not constrained by a machine.

4. Get good technical feedback. This is often an over-looked component of training. Being able to efficiently absorb forces when landing from a

jump and cutting can lower your ACL injury risk substantially. Don’t’ make the mistake of try-ing drill after drill hoping for improvement. Proper coaching of technique is needed because most athletes aren’t going to just figure out how to move well. In fact without proper training, athletes tend to get sloppy with their technique especially when they are tired.

Using this framework for how you approach the program-ming of your high school (and

even younger) athletes will help you get them more invested and excited to be a part of your pro-gram, and make them better.

I’ll finish with my favorite quote from legendary coach John Wooden. “When you improve a little each day, eventu-ally big things occur. When you improve conditioning a little each day, eventually you have a big improvement in condition-ing. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made.”

Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. See the small improvements one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens–and when it happens, it lasts. GD

Ken Finley is a physical thera-pist and certified youth speed and agility specialist. To learn more about his youth athletic develop-ment programs you can contact him at [email protected].

How to improve speed, agility, and reduce ACL injuries

keNFiNLey

GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 27

youTh fITness

Page 28: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

Stretching for the young athlete is very important and will help them to have many years of injury-free training for all sports. Since physical growth

is incomplete in young athletes, an injury at this time could result in long lasting or even permanent problems.

A young athlete is at greatest risk of injury during a growth spurt when large increases in weight and height take place. It is during this time that tight low back muscles and weak abdominal muscles can produce a sway back posture.

How many times growing up did you hear an adult say to you “stand up straight” or “keep those shoulders back! Don’t

slouch!” Flexibility becomes imperative during this critical developmental period. Stretching may seem to be a very simple and small thing to do but sometimes small

things can make a big difference. Two stretches that are a must are the

double knees to chest for the low back and the hamstring stretch for the muscles in the back of the leg.

Low back stretch/knees to the chest stretch:1. Lie on your back with your body extended2. Flex your knees and slide your feet toward your buttocks3. Grasp knees and thighs4. Exhale and pull your knees toward your chest5. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds then relax

6. Repeat twice

Hamstring stretch:1. Lie flat on your back with legs extended2. Raise one leg and grasp your thigh with both hands3. With leg extended and opposite leg flat slowly pull leg toward chest(keep back flat)4. Hold this position 10 seconds the slowly release and repeat with opposite leg5. Repeat each leg twice.

John Lankford is the owner of Nautilus Fitness Center in Spartanburg. He

has over 30 years experience as a trainer, bodybuilder and fitness expert.

Importance of stretching in young athletes

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28 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

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GAME DAY u MARCH 2012 29

Steps to gain yardage and alleviate your slice

Ever watch a PGA Tour telecast and wonder how these relatively small guys hit 8-irons 180

yards? The biggest reason is their swing path.

They simply hit the ball from in to out. All of the scientific test-ing has proven that if your downswing doesn’t come from inside the target line -- like nearly all touring professionals -- you’re giving up a lot of yards.

I’ll show you how to simply adjust your setup to create a more natural move from the inside. Many of you are so afraid of hitting it right that you swing way to the left. You’re trying to steer the ball, instead of swinging through it.

This creates a locked release, which seriously limits power and will only spin your ball more to the right, giving a weak slice as your shot pattern. You know that great sound you hear when a tour pro hits an iron compared to the swiping sounds you hear when you play with your amateur play-ing partners?

If you’re swinging over the top, your impact is more like a swipe. That’s because you’re not rotating your forearms toward the target, a key to creating speed and hitting the ball crisply.

A simple way to work on this is to aim to the target squarely.

Then simply adjust your shoul-ders, hips, and feet to where you are aimed slightly right of target.

Taylor White from Byrnes High School is demon-strating the proper set-up to hit a slight draw.(PicA)

This address position is ideal for hitting a draw. All

you need to do from this point is swing the line of your feet and release the club head. (Pic B) So essentially to get rid of a slice, you need to release the club to the right.

Try this, and I am sure you will gain yardage and alleviate your slice. GD

Reach the Kyle Owings Golf Academy at (864)205-4221

kyLeOwiNGS

A

Byrnes High School golfer Taylor White

demonstrates the proper

set-up to hit a slight draw.

BTaylor White releases the club to the right to alleviate a slice.

GoLf ACADeMy

Page 30: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

30 MARCH 2012 u GAME DAY

Better. Stronger. Faster.

Top L to R: Dr. Gerald Rollins, Dr. Stephen Harley, Dr. David Mitchell, Dr. Michael FunderburkBottom L to R: Dr. Michael Henderson, Dr. Michael Hoenig, Dr. Mary Joan Black, Dr. James Behr

HIGH5celebrating athletes

PeACHTRee CONFeReNCe CHAMPS

Dawkins Middle School defeated Gable Middle School for the girls basketball con-

ference championship in early February.

Club South 18-1, coached by wofford’s Corey Helle, was victorious in the Southern Classic, played in early March.

Dorman coach Dave Gutshall discusses players Parks wallington, left, and Raymond Smith during a sign-ing event in February. wallington will play for North

Greenville, Smith for wofford.

The Hub City Heat won the Gameday Classic baseball tourney at Lakeside Park in Greenville in early March.

Club South 16-1, coached by wofford assistant Tara Brooks, won the 16-year-old division of the Southern Classic, played in easley.

Send your team pics [email protected]

Page 31: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

Better. Stronger. Faster.

Top L to R: Dr. Gerald Rollins, Dr. Stephen Harley, Dr. David Mitchell, Dr. Michael FunderburkBottom L to R: Dr. Michael Henderson, Dr. Michael Hoenig, Dr. Mary Joan Black, Dr. James Behr

Page 32: Upstate Game Day_March 2012

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