Sports talk Thursday with Lauren Hunter-Back in season
Sports August 9, 2019If any of you are under the age of 18 and reading this article, then I imagine this week was probably a tough week for you. I say that because the majority of schools in the state of Georgia started back this week.
I can remember being in high school and having a knot of dread in my stomach the night before the first day of school. I’ve never been a morning person, so having to get up early was my first problem. Add in all of the homework and having to spend my days in one building…it was easy to tell I wasn’t a school person.
The good news is there was always one bright spot in all of this gloom, and that was football season. I know I’ve said it before on our sports show, Instant Replay, and probably in this column as well, but in high school I lived for football season. I never missed a game, home or away. Granted I was in the colorguard with the marching band, so most of the time I HAD to go. But I can still remember a handful of games where we weren’t required to go, and some of my friends got together and still went anyway.
Those were good times, but I dare to say that these are even better. I’m thankful to have a job that pays me to follow a sport that I love. But on the other hand, it’s a job that’s helping me to get an inside look on other sports that are sometimes forgotten, especially in the South where football is a religion.
I covered my first softball game on Tuesday. I have watched and worked softball games in the past, so in my defense I knew what to expect, but it was my first time reporting on a game. It was the Lumpkin County Lady Indians against the Pickens Dragonettes in the Lady Indians home opener. One thing I loved about this game was that it wasn’t just smooth sailing, if you will. Just to give a brief recap, the Nettes put three runs on the board first. By the fifth inning, it was looking as though the Lady Indians might lose their home opener. But as with all great teams, the Lady Indians weren’t going down without a fight and ended up coming back to win 4-3. Ironically, I went to the next game where they played each other tonight and the Nettes ended up winning 9-4.
Softball is just one of several high school sports that is played in the fall. There’s also volleyball and cross country. While I haven’t gotten the chance to go cover either of these events yet, I know that I probably will be in the near future.
I’ve never personally played volleyball competitively, but I know several people who have. And from what I do know about it, there’s more technique to setting and hitting the ball than there seems. Whenever I play for fun at the beach I just feel lucky to get it over the net. But there are certain ways to prepare before you serve the ball and where to place your feet when you’re in an official match. I don’t see how players keep up with everything, other than that they practice. I know it’s got to feel great whenever you take all of your frustration out by smacking the ball.
Now I enjoy running, but I could never run cross country. I’ve seen the joke that says “my sport is your sport’s punishment” and to be honest, that’s how I feel because I don’t know how they do it. I can remember talking to cross country runners in high school, and them telling me that they would get up at 6 a.m. to run. And for some of them, the distances they would run blew my mind. But the other incredible thing to me about cross country is how much of a mental sport it is. Not only do runners have to be trained physically to maintain a certain time, they also have to be trained physically to encourage themselves to keep going.
The point I’m trying to make is that even though I’m still learning about other sports, I respect them because I do know how hard they work. I see the social media posts, I know people that play, and I see the teams out practicing well before their season starts. And even though the summer is ending and we’re back to school, the exciting thing is we’re past the days of camps and well on our way to the actual competition. I can’t wait to see what all of these young athletes accomplish.
Mariners Shipwrecked by Lady Knights
Team FYN Sports October 5, 2011The North Georgia Christian Academy Mariners volleyball team hosted the Lady Knights of Crossroads Christian. Despite a valiant Mariners effort, the Lady Knights emerged victorious, in both the middle school/junior varsity matches, and the junior varsity matches, sweeping both series. (more…)
Mariners Sink Staff and Parents
Team FYN Sports September 9, 2011The North Georgia Christian Academy Mariners volleyball team held a scrimmage against the parents and staff, in a game described by head coach, Tina Mabry, as, “Just for fun.” Despite being expected to administer a beat down of Biblical proportions, the heavily favored youngsters were taken to the wire by their more mature, but less experienced opponents. The Mariners emerged victorious, winning the best of five series 3-2 with a thrilling extra points match 28-26. (more…)
Gilmer Goes 2-0: Feasts on Fannin Drags, Dragonettes
Team FYN Sports September 1, 2011The Gilmer Lady Bobcats junior varsity volleyball team traveled to Pickens High School to take on the Fannin County Lady Rebels and the home team Dragonettes. Gilmer swept both teams sweeping Fannin 2-0 and winning 2-1 in the best of three series against Pickens. (more…)
Gilmer Picks Pickens Apart
Team FYN Sports August 29, 2011The Gilmer Lady Bobcats varsity volleyball team hosted the Dragonettes of Pickens High school. The home team swept the first three out of five games, winning 25-18, 25-16, and 25-16. (more…)
North Georgia Christian Academy Volley Ball Highlight Video
Team FYN Sports July 6, 2011Mabry’s Mariners are looking to get a jump on the competition with summer practices. The girls will be attending a camp with the Bobcats of Gilmer County, at Gilmer High School, July 25-27, from 9am-3pm.
North Georgia Christian Academy Summer Volley Ball Highlight Video from Fetch on Vimeo.
North Georgia Christian Academy Volley Ball Team Report
Team FYN Sports June 30, 2011The North Georgia Christian Academy Mariners’ volleyball team will take to the court under the tutelage of head coach, Tina Mabry. Mabry has been the coach for the last two years. The Mariners posted a winning record, of 10-6, last year. Mabry recently consented to an exclusive interview with FYN. (more…)