About The Forest-blade. (Swainsboro, Ga.) 1996-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 2021)
The Forest-Blade • ummiEmaniielConntyLive.com • Swainsboro, Georgia • February 24, 2021 5C wins and 62 "lessons" - not losses. Our sea son record for this year is 10 and 9." Current Assistant Coach/Head Coach JV " Coach Alex is such an amazing coach. She knows the game of basketball very well. Throughout my years of playing basketball, she's the best coach I've ever had. Not only was she like a coach to me, she was like a second mother to me also. She helped me with a lot through high school. I appreciate and love her so much. Swainsboro High School basketball program is very lucky to have her as a coach! She has also made the basketball program so much better in many ways. I'm so proud of her when it comes to being a coach." Former SHS Lady Tigers Play er "Coach A is a loving, caring woman who these young ladies need as their leader. She's not only a coach, to me she's someone who cares about the young ladies making it fur ther in life. She keeps them uplifted and on top of everything from the sports to the work in the classroom. The players sometimes might not like it but it's nothing but love from Coach A. You don't find too many coaches who care about your child's schooling but Coach A does and I love it about her. One thing I can say about Coach A, she gets it from her mom and grandparents, they had hearts just like that too. So Coach A, from me to you, keep on caring, sharing, and loving, God has so much more in store for you." Cur rent SHS Lady Tigers Parent "Coach Alex is a good coach, she has her team best interest in the game on and off the court. I admire her how she not only cares about them playing basketball, she cares most about their education and that's a plus for me!" Current SHS Lady Tigers Par ent "To the coach who loves the game of bas ketball and the compet itive spirit that comes with it. During games she isn't the one to sit on the sidelines quiet ly. No, she is on her feet giving her players her all just like she is expect ing her players to do. I salute you Coach A for breaking barriers and knocking down walls!! Keep doing your thing my girl!!" Current SHS Lady Tigers Parent "Coach Alex is defi nitely one-of-a-kind Coach for me. I played JV for 2 years with her and it was the best. She was not only a coach who showed me how to be the best player I could be but an amaz ing mentor, who I can look to randomly call about anything to this day and give me advice that I can take in all as pects of my life!" For mer Lady Blue Devils Player 2011-2015 "She's a great coach, I love her like a mother. She's very caring, very motivational, and very influential. She made us better not only as a team but as a people too. She still checks up on me even though I've graduated. She's just an amazing and loving person." Former SHS Lady Tigers player "As a sister to Coach A, I have always ad mired and looked up to her and the role she plays as a sister, mother, wife, educator, influenc- er, and coach. If I could describe her in one word it would be "Un breakable." No matter what obstacles she fac es, she always finds a way to be strong, keep her head up, and give it her all. Coach Alex is more than coach, she strives to mold and build young ladies up to not only reach their athletic potential, but she teaches them the importance of educa tion, family, giving back to the community, and putting God first. I am beyond proud of how much she has accom plished as Swainsboro High School's FIRST African American Girl's Varsity Basketball Head Coach. Not only does she speak and teach the change we all hope to see in our community, she is the CHANGE! Thank you for being who you are Coach A." Little Sister "Coach Alex was al ways a great mentor on the court and off the court She always kept it real with me and kept me laughing! She was one of the few that took me under their wing at such a young age. I admire her for always showing me and my family so much love and support during times when needed it the most." Former Lady Blue Devils Player 2011-2015 "It would be the way she is engaged in our life's on and off the court. The first thing she asks about when we talk is how my grades are. She's more engaged into your academics because that can take you a long way. Coach A has always been a huge role model in my life and a big mother figure. She taught me a lot about being dis ciplined and respect ful because someone is always watching. We bumped heads at times but it was all out of the love she had for me and the potential she seen in me. I'll never forget my senior year because it made me a much better person in today's world. I got taught many les sons that year but it was only to encourage me to do better." Former SHS Lady Tigers Player "She was always passionate about ev erything she did and pushed everybody to be the best they could be." Former Lady Blue Dev ils Player 2009-2013 "I think she is a great coach and an excellent role model for young people! That's from Day!! Nothing but re spect from me! I love Coach Alex no matter where she coaches, they will be blessed to have her!!" Former Lady Blue Devils Parent "Growing up, sports were my go-to, and of ten, my spare time was spent shooting hoops and pretending that I was an all-star college athlete. I would count down and shoot buzzer beaters to win the game. These small things be came my main source of happiness. I always practiced hard because I wanted to be better, and there was always an im provement that I could make. I was involved in recreation basket ball and ATAP basket ball during my middle school years, and I con tinued these sports into high school. Instead of being cursed with bad a coach, I was blessed with inspiring African American coach by the name of Coach A. My Coach A loved the game of basketball and the competitive spirit that came with it. During games she wasn't just one to sit on the sideline quietly. No, she was on her feet giving us her all just like she expect ed us to give our all. I will always remem ber our game against Toombs County when we were becoming ex tremely submissive—we were letting them walk all over us. She knew what it took to get our head in the game. She had been coaching us for years so she knew how we started most games kind of cold, and she had the knowledge to snap us out of it. She called a time out and screamed at us, and this is what pumped us up. We went out there and left it all on the court. We were no longer in timidated by Toombs County. We were play ing basketball, and we were playing basketball not to lose, but to win. The way she pushes me, lets me know that I can be in the WNBA. After saying all of this, I want her to know that she is the best thing that happened to me and Swainsboro High School. Period Coach A!!" Current SHS Lady Tigers Player "One of the best coaches I've ever worked with. She's not only a coach on the court but a mentor / big sister off the court. Sometimes things she says may come off harsh but I know she always wanted the best for me and my peers. Always supportive even after high school. Alex definitely cares about her girls and her passion for coaching showed through her genuine love for every one of her girls." For mer Lady Blue Devils Player 2009-2013 "Alex is a remarkable coach. She knows the game better than any one I've ever met. She truly cares about her players on and off the court. She gives 100% of herself to the game and to her girls." Current SHS Lady Tigers Assis tant Coach "What could I pos sibly say about Coach A? A good coach is positive, enthusiastic, supportive, trusting, focused, goal-oriented, knowledgeable, obser vant, respectful, patient and a clear commu nicator. A good coach should be able to instill confidence in the ath lete in their racing and training. A good coach should also be able to inspire athletes to be their best and work hard during all their work outs and races. Well guess what we found, a coach that makes you want to work hard. She always inspires the girls! She would al ways mention the hard est thing in coaching is seeing the disappoint ment of the girls whom you know has done all the right things and worked hard but did not reach their goal(s). Her main teachings are: Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Positive At titude, Respect. Now growing up together on the same street I would have never guessed she would be my daugh ter's coach. I am so proud of our Coach A! Not only does she help on the court but off the court as well! Her big gest thing is academics, if you don't get high standard grades she will most definitely call them out before she sits you down. I know in a million years she had no clue that she would make history as being the first African Amer ican female basketball Coach at Swainsboro High School. This his toric marking is well deserved to be held by our Coach A. We love you Coach A!" Current SHS Lady Tigers Par ent "Coach A was not only a coach, but so much more...a mentor, a mother on and off the court and a teacher. She taught us to strive for the best and go hard from the start to the finish. She always told us "When you are on the floor be a team be cause we are ALL we have right now." Yes, we were good athletes but she pushed us to be great STUDENT ath letes. I appreciate the love and care Coach A have for us all." Former SHS Lady Tigers Play er "Coach A genuinely cares about the student athlete's well-being. For her it is bigger than the game of basketball. She teaches these stu dent athletes life les sons. Lessons they can use after they are done playing the game bas ketball. She was hired during a time when the girl's program was on a down slide. Since her hire, the program has been playing at a successful level. The lady Tigers basketball is known across the states a fierce competitive team. She also shows and gives respect to all that she works with. That's what makes it such a pleasure to work with her. She makes the program feel like a fam ily. I know her mentor Coach Bobby Andrews would be proud of the work she has done." Current SHS Lady Ti gers Assistant Coach "As your sister and statistician, If I could say anything about you Coach A is how I am beyond proud of you! Your passion, your lead ership, facing adversity, building relationships, mentoring the youth, standing for something along with embracing the youth who are in need of supports, and being the CHANGE needed in this commu nity. Your patience and resilience as a coach, your dedication to the rebuilding of the bas ketball program to have a solid foundation of having a sisterhood / family throughout each season is the root of why you're such an amazing coach. Coach Alex is one of a kind, the love for the game of basket ball and the love she has for her players doesn't just come around once a year during the sea son, it's all year round, which she embraces her team as her family. You deserve your flow ers now Coach Alex as you have done such an amazing job with turn ing this basketball pro gram around for the better for SHS. Some don't see your vision for your basketball pro gram but knowing just how incredible you are as a sister, mother, wife, educator, and coach speaks for itself. Eman uel County is blessed to have such a strong Afri can American Woman to lead The SHS Lady Tigers basketball pro gram in the direction it needs to go in, for the better. " A good Coach can change the game, A great Coach can change a Life." Coach A, you have been changing lives since you start ed this journey and it's a blessing to witness history in the making. Your nephews and I salute you Coach Alex, know you are walking in your purpose!!" For mer SHS Lady Tigers Statistician and Sister Happy Black Histo ry Month and Salute, Coach Alex Walden. Hope this little token of appreciation from your basketball family and others around who have had the opportu nity to take part in your coaching career warms your heart in know ing what you mean to so many within your community along with your Statesboro Com munity. We love you, Coach Alex, and we are all happy to be a part of this Black History knowing that you are the first African Ameri can Female Lady Tigers Varsity Basketball Head Coach of SHS.
