Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12G
i FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, March 28,1999
SPORTS, LEISURE & ENTERTAINMENT ~
Otwell Middle continuing strong tradition of excellence
By Alton Bridges and Stephen
Underwood
Sports Staff
The Otwell Middle School has a
long and established athletic pro
gram. The school is located close
to Forsyth Central High School
and has access to some of the
facilities of the high school.
Most of the students who gradu
ate from Otwell will attend
Forsyth Central, which has an old
tradition of excellence in acade
mia and athletics. Many of the
students who play basketball,
football and track practice on the
same field throughout their days
in junior high and high school.
As rivals North Forsyth and
South Forsyth have each opened
new middle schools in the last
couple years - not to mention the
opening of Vickery Creek -
Otwell has waited patiently for
their turn. In the next couple of
years, they too will get a new
school, gym, etc. For now they
can enjoy the facilities and tradi
tion they have built in the space
they have occupied for a number
of years.
That doesn’t mean Bullpup ath
letics is merely standing pat. One
of the major improvements this
season has been the renovation of
the gymnasium. The floor was
replaced and the inside of the
building was remodeled.
“The gym is very attractive,”
said girls basketball coach Nancy
Carter. “We are proud of the
improvement and we would like
for everyone to come and see it. It
is different.”
Carter certainly knows about
improvement - witness the suc
cess of her girls basketball team,
one of the big stories of this past
winter. Both Lady Bullpups bas
ketball teams started slow and
finished strong. Carter’s 7th
grade team won five of its last six
games and won the 1999 7th
grade North Georgia tournament.
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Coach Scott McFarland’s Bth
grade team placed third in its
tournament. After a 4-6 season,
the Lady Bullpups won the first
two games in the event.
Coach Robbie Mathis coached
the 7th-grade boys basketball
team at Otwell. The team lost
eight games by four points or
less, which means it could com
pete with any team they played
and will be ready to play as Bth
graders next year. Coach Brad
Johnson’s Bth-grade team did not
have an impressive won-loss
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It was an exciting year, especially at the end, for the Otwell Lady
Bullpups on the basketball floor.
record, but the team worked hard
and toward the end of the season
played well together.
The Otwell football season pro
duced some good student-ath
letes, who are looking forward to
participating on the high school
teams next season. Under veteran
head coach Phil Westray, the
team won three of six games, but
were in every contest.
When spring practice starts later
this spring, coach Westray and
the Bullpups will begin teaching
the basics of football to a group
of young kids who will be play
ing against other junior high
schools in the county and in the
surrounding counties.
Meanwhile, the always-strong
track and field program has con
tinued to flourish under the guid
ance of Elaine Taylor and Cheryl
NFMS from 11G
classes in competition with
each other. This gives the stu
dent body an opportunity to
observe competitive team
wrestling.
This program has been suc
cessful in part due to Coach
Richie Taylor’s expertise in
wrestling officiating. Also new
to the physical education pro-
VCIVISfrom 11G
field that should be ready by fall.
“They are doing a lot of bulldoz
ing and working,” said Williams,
“but it seems that every time
they get started the weather will
not cooperate. We were hoping
to be able to use the field in the
spring, but I don’t think we
will.”
The students and faculty moved
into the school over the
Christmas Holidays last year and
played their first basketball game
in the new gym on Jan. 6. “We
finished second in the eighth
grade girls tournament,” said
Williams. “That made us proud
because the girls had not played
together as a team until the fall.
Coach Kris Adams had to work
long and hard to get them to play
together, but it was worth it. The
boys team also did well, but they
were young. We have a lot of
kids returning and we have a
Brown. The squads are in the
process of wrapping up their sea
sons.
Otwell Middle School athletes
have gone on to become success
ful high school and college ath
letes, as well as becoming good
students and citizens in the com-
gram is a course known as
Project Ropes. This class works
in conjunction with the counsel
ing department to help the stu
dents build self-esteem and self
confidence, as well as teamwork
and cooperation.
Students are randomly selected
to participate in the program.
Coach Richie Taylor has piloted
gym where we can practice with
out having a lot of problems.”
The new gym is being used for
physical education classes and
an intramural program that
begins at 7:10 until 8 a.m. on
Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday morning.
In these classes, the students
play wiffle ball, 3-on-3 basket
ball, bowling, Frisbee golf,
indoor soccer, badminton, flag
football and softball.
“We want our students to learn
the basics of these games,”
Williams said. “If a Student
learns how to play and score in
these sports and how to work
with other students, these pro
grams will be worthwhile.”
VCMS is just starting a track
program, but there is no track.
The school is starting a weight
training program, but without a
weight room. “We practice in the
munity. The goal of the depart*
ment is to continue producing, npj
only good athletes and studeiits,
but people who will be successful
because of the things they learned
in middle school - teamwork
character and the ability to accept
new ideas.
this program through his train
ing in the outdoor education
program. It has also beep
through his efforts that the
ropes course has been construct
ed.
The NFMS PTSO has helped
provide the funding for
building materials used in creat
ing the course.
gym and in the parking lot," said
Williams. “We have to make use
of what we have and we don’t, _
have a track. I think we will have
one before too long. Also,
are trying to get a weight roopv'
The football booster club is try
ing to raise money to help
Williams and the other coaches
are learning a lot about starting
an athletic program. “It has real
ly been a learning experience,”
said Williams. *
"It is going to take us a whCk >
to get everything we wantpis
then other challenges wil£<ef>- '
front us. We are going to dp jht
best we can to make the athleffc .•
program the finest
lot of things are happening anda >
lot of improvements wili’fc
made in the next few months. &
far it has been fun being a part cif
a new school and a new pro
gram.”