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June 18, 2008 Section b The Banks County News Sports Editor: Chris Bridges Contact: 706-367-2745 www.mainstreetnews.com First & Ten ★ ★ ★ chris@mainstreetnews.com BY CHRIS BRIDGES Some 'fans' need mid-year resolution A nother school year of athletics is now behind us. Much was accomplished by our local student-athletes during the 2007-08 season. Each one can, and should be, proud of the impact he or she made while com peting. It can easily be argued that a high school athlete wins simply because he or she competes. Afterall, athletes at this level do not get paid. There is no signing bonus for joining the team. There is no luxury car purchased when a contract is signed. Yet, to hear some so-called “fans” at games, you would think the world begins and ends with high school athletics. Banks County is no different than any other place. I’ve covered several schools during my time as a sports journalist and these “fans” always seem to crawl out of the fringes and make their presence known. The truly unfortunate part of all of this is that most of these “fans” are parents and they direct most of their abuse at the coaches. These “coaches in the stands” think they experts at whatever sport they happen to be attending and some don’t mind letting everyone, espe cially the coach, know it. We’ve all seen them. Heck, I’ve covered high school sports for 15 years, but there have been many times I’ve seen Bobby Cox in the crowd at a baseball game. Many times John Wooden has been in the bleachers at the local gym. Bear Bryant has been in the stands at many local gridiron contests. It would be one thing of these “coaches in the stands” simply yelled and made fools of them selves at ballgames. Most of the time the advice of these “coaches” is simply ignored. When they become dangerous, however, is when they take it beyond giving advice from the stands. In many instances, these coach ing experts decide it is their duty to get the real coach fired. Their strategy is simple. They get the ear of a local school board mem ber and begin making threats or tell the board member some half truth about the coach in an attempt to get the change com pleted. In many cases outright falsehoods are used. It’s happened everywhere I’ve been. I’m sad to say it’s happened here in Banks County and I’ve only been on the scene for three years. It’s a disgusting part of high school athletics that should not be tolerated by school officials but yet it continues. See First and Ten on page 3B High School Football Coach pleased with attendance during summer work WORKING FOR NEW SEASON BCHS football coach Blair Armstrong has seen strong turnout at sum mer conditioning as preparation for the upcoming season continues. Photo by Randy Crump BY CHRIS BRIDGES There is a definite sense of determi nation among the Banks County High School football players. It can be seen on the faces as they arrive for summer workouts in the weight room located in the BCHS gym. Weights are being lifted and conditioning drills are being completed. For with each passing day the 2008 season draws closer. Blair Armstrong, who is now in his second year directing the Leopard program, likes the commitment that is being shown by his returning players. “I have been real Countdown pleased,” the coach to kickoff: said earlier this week. “We are averaging 50 72 DAYS players per day for workouts which is up from 29 last year.” This Saturday will see 20 BCHS play ers compete at the Lineman Challenge at Gilmer High School. The event is similar to a strongman competition which can be seen on ESPN as players taken part in several unique events which tests strength. BCHS will take two 10-man teams. “We should be pretty competitive at it,” Armstrong said. Off the football field, work continues on the remodeling of the BCHS field- house. Parents are donating time and labor to reshape the fieldhouse to better take advantage of the space. Armstrong said the project should be complete within approximately a month. The plan is to have each coach a separate office and to have a film room for players to watch games and film of upcoming opponents. See Summer on page 3B Summer Learning: Helmet Club Mentor Program LEADERS ON AND OFF THE FIELD The Banks County High School varsity football players have been putting their best foot forward to be positive role models in the community. It is something Leopard head coach Blair Armstrong and his coaching staff stress. This sum mer a new program has been developed which allows the BCHS senior players, as well as the underclassmen, a chance to put their role model skills to good use. A mentoring program called the Helmet Club has been formed which allowed var sity players to team up with a younger player from the school system. The play ers are matched based on personality and the younger gridiron players are given a jersey to match that of their older role model. Organizers of the program say both the older and younger players hold each other accountable for their actions on and off the football field. Varsity football players Clint Caudell and Lyn Hester(above) met with their young counterparts last week. Players took part in numerous activities during the initial gathering including a few non-football related ones such a water balloon fight, as Thomas Baker (right) and his younger partner show. Photos by Lyn Sengupta Cross Country Coach seeks assistance with course BY CHRIS BRIDGES In recent years, Kelly McDuffie has worked countless hours to build the Banks County High School cross country program into a winner. With both the boys and girls pro grams qualifying for the state meets in recent seasons, McDuffie has done just that. Now, the veteran Leopard and Lady Leopard coach is looking for some assistance in completing the cross country course behind the high school. McDuffie spoke to the Banks County Board of Education during its June meeting Monday night asking for that assistance before the new season begins in a few weeks. “Our old course was taken away with the athletic complex construc tion,” McDuffie said. “We are in the need of some manual labor to help clear our course.” The number of participants in the cross country program at BCHS has grown steadily in recent years under McDuffie’s guidance. “By the end of July we need help with our cross country course,” the coach said. “We have some great athletic facilities at the high school now. Let’s finish this out and have something for our cross country ath letes. We can’t do this alone.” BOE chairman Ron Gardiner said the board would take McDuffie’s comments under consideration. • •• McDuffie also presented those at Monday’s meeting with copies of the 2008 cross country schedule. BCHS will open the new season Sept. 9 at East Jackson and will also compete at the Eagle Run Sept. 20 at EJCHS. The first home meet of the new season is scheduled for Sept. 23. The Leopards and Lady Leopards will compete at several invitation- als this fall including the Mountain Invitational at Unicoi State Park (Oct. 7) and the Mainstreet Invitational (Oct. 21). BCHS will continue to compete in Region 8-AA in the upcoming sea son as both teams will look to return to the AA state meet in Carrollton.