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South Charlotte Sports Report“HOMETOWN TEAMS ... HOMETOWN KIDS”

Volume 6, Issue 23 March 15, 2012 - FREEwww.southcharlottesports.com

@TrippRoakes

UPCOMING CAMPS & EVENTSwww.southcharlottesportscamps.com

April 4-6 Spring Break Basketball CampApril 4-6 Spring Break Baseball CampMay 21-24 After School Basketball CampJune 10-14 4th Annual Battle of the Border All Star Baseball ShowcaseJune 11-14 Multi-Sport Camp of Champions June 18-21 Volleyball Summer CampJune 25-26 4th Annual Battle of the Border All Star Softball ShowcaseJune 25-28 Basketball Summer Camp

MULTI-SPORT CAMP OF CHAMPIONS

“Our # 1 Camp, Is Back, Secure Your Spot Today!”

The South Charlotte Sports Report and Dynamic Performance Sports are excited to present the # 1 camp in Charlotte for chil-dren that enjoy all sports! This incredibly fun camp will offer instruction and competi-tions in basketball, soccer, flag football, golf, lacrosse, indoor soccer, tennis, track and field, obstacle courses, kickball and more! Campers will receive daily professional in-struction and then be given the opportunity to compete in games for each sport.

Ask your child what his favorite class in school is and chances are PE will be the an-

swer! The Multi-Sport Camp of Champions is an extension of PE Class with professional instruction and a wider variety of sports and games! The Multi-Sport Camp of Champions will help your son or daughter to develop the needed skills to succeed in each sport and introduce the campers to new and exciting opportunities to compete and have fun.

“Every year, without question, the number one camp for pure fun is the Multi-Sport Camp of Champions,” said Tripp Roakes, Owner of the South Charlotte Sports Report. “We put a lot of effort into letting the campers experi-ence new sports and helping them to learn the skills needed to succeed. When we begin to play games, the kids really become excited! From the opening of camp, the number one question we will hear is “When do we get to play games? I am very excited to partner with Dynamic Performance Sports to offer this super-exciting camp and we can’t wait to open camp on June 11th.” See MULTI-SPORT CAMP, Page 2

If one were given the task of coming up with the best definition of a true student-athlete, it would be a great idea to start with Charlotte Latin School se-nior Amma Okwara. The dynamic soccer, volleyball and scholastic star is nearing the end of what could be called a near perfect high school career. Amma has combined three state soccer championships with two volleyball state titles and induction into the Cum Laude Society to wrap up a wonderful experi-ence at Charlotte Latin. The 18 year old daughter of Ben and Chiege Okwara will continue both her soccer and academic career at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the fall. The admission letter from MIT served as the icing on the cake for Amma and her high school career.

“When I found out I was admitted, I shrieked. I found out December 17, and it was an early Christ-mas present. As much as I love Charlotte, I am ready for the new atmosphere that MIT will provide. The added bonus of playing soccer there makes me re-ally happy. I have been up there a couple times, and I can’t wait to be a part of the team and the school community.”

As mentioned, Amma will also play soccer at MIT, banking on many years of hard work on the soccer fields of Charlotte. With three soccer state titles and a chance at a fourth later this spring, Amma is a very talented player for the Hawks. Last season she was

named All-Conference and All-Region. In her soph-omore season, her team was ranked number one in the country. Amma plays the forward position and she is a vital part of the Hawks offense.

Amma also played a key role for the Latin vol-leyball state championship team. She looks back on her times on the court with many great memories.

“The volleyball season is one of those things that I will cherish. I am so happy that I got to be a part of such an amazing team. As much as I loved the sport, I think the best part was getting to know other girls with the interest in volleyball. There was so much team bonding throughout the season. One weekend, we went to Charleston and all learned to salsa dance! It was so much fun!”

Her memories of the state volleyball champion-ships will always be held high.

“The dynasty of Charlotte Latin volleyball puts a lot of pressure on the team, and it feels amazing to relieve it. Moreover, the state title is representative of all of our hard work throughout the season, start-ing with workouts in June.”

Maybe the most amazing part of Amma’s story is her ability to play for two state championship level teams and maintain a high level of academic suc-cess. How did she do it? See AMMA OKWARA, 3

AMMA OKWARA CHOOSES MIT TO CONTINUE HER SUCCESSFUL RISE TO THE TOP

Volume 6, Issue 23SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORTCovering the Active Children and Families of Our Community

The South Charlotte Sports Report is published twice a month by The South Charlotte Sports Report. The South Charlotte Sports Report is distributed free throughout our cover-age area in neighborhoods and local businesses. If you would like copies delivered to your business for distribution to customers, call 704-906-5466.

Story ideas and photo submissions are welcome for use on our website and in our newspa-per, email to [email protected]. Advertising rates are available upon request.

PUBLISHERTripp Roakes

GRAPHIC DESIGNERFrances Flowers

WEBMASTERScott Page

SALES REPRESENTATIVE Kristy Maher

Michelle Blackwell

PHOTOGRAPHERS Greg ArthurGerry WallChip Auger

The SCSR Team!

Play It Again SportsCommunity House Middle SchoolDick’s Sporting Goods – Matthews

MathnasiumSoutheastern Gymnastics

Steps N’ Motion – The FountainsOn Deck Baseball

Tokyo One ExpressExtreme Ice Center

Dr. Sellers Orthodontics Weddington Activity Center

Baskin Robbins (Highway 521)Nothing But Noodles

Carolinas Baseball CenterInternational Sports Center

Try SportsPet Essentials

Jesse Brown’s AdventureJersey Mike’s (Stonecrest)

CrossFit CharlotteLaxer, Long and Savage

Grand Slam USATebby Sports Medicine

Meridian Medical GroupQuimby and Collins Orthodontics

Charlotte All-StarsOmega Sports

Four Seasons Barber and SalonDunkin Donuts (Highway 521)

Fitness For WomenPalone’s Pizza

Sports Connection BallantyneSports and Fitness- Ballantyne

Sports Perf. Ctr. @ OrthoCarolinaPresbyterian Urgent Care – Blakeney

Premier SoccerCharlotte Running Company

Sports Clips (Promenede)Marvin Ridge High School

Marvin Ridge Middle SchoolCharlotte Catholic High School

Bird DentistryDr. Garden Dentistry

Robek’s Juice

Run For Your Life Sports Orthopedic

SCRA Baseball ComplexSam & Carlies Deli

Tutoring Club of CharlotteHoly Trinity Catholic Middle School

The Q ShackThe Bagel Bin

Charlotte AquaticsWaxhaw Family Physicians

Architech Sports & Physical Therapy Winning Awards

Ardrey Kell High SchoolAmeritrust Mortgage

Dynamic Sports PerformanceSouth Library (Rea & 51)

Matthews Motor CompanyNew Point Learning

Grace AcademySwimMac

Gateway TravelPark Sharon Athletic Association

Kinetic Spine SportsSalsaritas (Blakeney)

Showcase Baseball AcademyCiarla Fitness

Switchin KitchensJewish Community CenterWaxhaw Family Physicians

Covenant Day SchoolBeurlein Pro Fitness

Carolina CourtsNational Amateur Sports

Velocity Sports PerformanceGoddard School (Waxhaw)Subway (Camfield Corners)

Karate CharlotteFlip’n Chicken

Providence Day SchoolCharlotte Latin School

K & W CafeteriaPerformance Unlimited

HQ4 BaseballWeddington Middle School

P I C K U P Y O U R C O P Y O F T H E S O U T H C H A R L O T T E S P O R T S R E P O R T

A T T H E S E L O C A T I O N S

The Carolina Juniors Volleyball Club won the Capitol Hill Classic Volleyball Tournament, in Washington, DC, over President’s Day weekend. The team is coached by Zoe Bell and Bethany Johansen.

Front Row: (L-R) Elisabeth Stedman, Rachel Eppley, Eve Davis, Haley DennyBack Row: (L-R) Caitlin Watkins, Emma Price, Shelby Nassar, Caylee Antilley, Bethany Laden and Jade Boone

The Multi-Sport Camp of Champions will be held at Providence Presbyterian Church, located at 10140 Providence Church Lane here in South Charlotte. We will gather each day inside the gymnasium before beginning activi-ties!

The Multi-Sport Camp of Champions is the perfect camp for your child this summer. We invite you to take advantage of our sibling dis-counts and send all your children to camp with us June 11-14. With daily lunch provided and a 4.5 hour camp, it’s the perfect camp for a little peace and quiet around the house!

Sample Daily Schedule

8:30am Opening Instruction8:45am Sport # 1 Instruction by Group9:30am Competitions10:30am Break time and free play10:45am Sport # 2 Instruction by Group11:30am Competitions12:30pm Lunch Provided by Camp1:00pm Special Events & Contests1:30pm Close of Camp

Take advantage of our special Early Bird Pricing Plan before May 10th! To guarantee your spot in the Multi-Sport Camp of Champions, please visit www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

MULTI-CAMPContinued from front page

Volume 6, Issue 23

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Wired for Excellence Award Recognizing Academic and Athletic Excellence

Sarah Post

8125 Ardrey Kell Road Charlotte NC 28277704-443-0006

www.quimbyandcollins.com

Winning Smiles

LOGAN YOUNGMarvin Ridge Middle School seventh grader Logan Young has been named the Quimby and Collins “Wired for Excellence” Award Winner. Logan, 13, is the son of John and Thomasina Young and he plays ice hockey for the Pineville Falcons and inline hockey for the Jr. Charlotte Checkers. He plays center in ice and forward in inline. Logan and his family moved to Charlotte from Northern Virginia in June of 2011 due to his father’s job transfer. Logan comes from a hockey family and began playing hockey strictly as a full-time inline hockey player for three years. He was a high scoring forward for the Mad Dogs Inline Travel program based out of Northern Virginia. He made the transition to ice hockey several months prior to the move to Charlotte.

Logan was selected for the Pineville Falcons Pee Wee “A” team soon after tryouts began and was excited to start his first sea-son as a travel ice hockey player. Soon after the roster was set, Logan was named an “Assistant Captain” and wore an “A” on his jersey. Logan was selected to this leadership position on his team once his dedication and hard work on the ice became evident during early games and practices. It was an honor given to him by his coaches and teammates and it is one that he took very seriously.

Logan’s top moments from this season include a four goal performance against the Winston-Salem Pee Wee Team, being given the “Offensive Player of the Year” Award for the Falcons, and the CrabTown Showdown Pee Wee “A” Championship banner earned by the team in Laurel, Maryland in December. Logan led the team in goals (33) and points (52) and played in all 48 of the Falcon’s games this season.

Inside the classroom Logan is an Honor Roll student at Marvin Ridge Middle School and scores high grades in all of his classes. Congratulations to Logan Young, the winner of the Quimby and Collins “Wired for Excellence” Award.”

Would you like to nominate an elementary or middle school student for The Quimby and Collins Orthodontics Wired For Excellence Award? Send your nominations to [email protected]

SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

American Legion Baseball Signups

American Legion, Post 208, Waxhaw, is currently accepting registrations for their 2012 spring/summer season. This season we will be fielding 2 teams, a junior (15-17 year olds), and a senior (17-19 year olds). All interested players, including those that played last year, need to com-plete an ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM on our website:

www.leaguelineup.com/waxhawbaseball208

We will be conducting tryouts in early May for both teams. We will not be issuing waivers to our senior players to play for another post. All inquires need to be addressed to: [email protected]

Tune up your racquet for Queen City and USTA Leagues

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Rich Rushakoff - 704-488-2147(former stringer for Players Loft)

Volume 6, Issue 23SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

Are you looking for a soccer training system that can get youfaster, quicker, and stronger on and off the ball?

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Info and Registration for Spring Break clinics, Try-out specific sessions, Summer Camps, Goalkeeper Training, as well as College Off-Season

programs are available at thePerformanceU.com.

The 12U South Charlotte Recreation Association Bulls captured the regular sea-son and tournament championship.

Front Row: (L-R) Drew Gardner, Adam Hackett, Caswell Wyatt, Rupen SingerBack Row: (L-R) Coach Gary Wyatt, Hunter Huckaby, Matthew Mardjanov, Connor Fioretti, Hayden Schwartz, Coach Mike Huckaby

The Blue Waves captured a basketball championship at the Morrison YMCA this winter.

(L-R) Cade Canafax, Matthew Hart, Damon Ottavianelli, Parker Anderson, Joshua Tichauer, Thomas Tucker, Gabriella McCarthy, Lucy Vanderbeck, Lauren Maloney

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

The South Charlotte Sports Report is now hiring for a Summer Internship Position.

High school rising seniors and college students with an interest in journalism, event

management and marketing may apply at [email protected]

Volume 6, Issue 23 SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

Proudly Sponsored By

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www.JoelandGwen.comThese Charlotte Country Day School seniors will continue their academic andathletic careers next year in college.

Kelly Bach- Soccer- Dartmouth College, Hayden Bumgardner- Swimming-Villanova University, Esty Byrd- Field Hockey- College of William and Mary,Brian Duncan- Football- Bucknell University, Bryan Erb- Football- CaseWestern Reserve University, James Howe- Football- Williams College, RainaJohnson- Soccer- University of South Carolina, John Kendall- Soccer-Princeton University, Caroline Plyler- Field Hockey- University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill, and Courtney Stutts- Soccer- Virginia PolytechnicInstitute and State University (Scott Benson photo)

SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT ALL STAR BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Zach Demopolus captured the 3 Point Shootout Championship. Zach hit six 3 pointers in 24 seconds for the win. Jake Cunningham also hit 6 three pointers. The duo participated in a tie-breaker round to determine the champion. Congratulations to Zach and Jake.

6/7 DivisionAyden DrakeAshley CarrowayEvan SawyerJakeman PendletonNicholas Cashion

8/9 DivisionCollin BakerJacob GermanJake CunninghamMason O’NealCameron Pressley

11/12 DivisionJake MorrowTJ CusickAustin SwettJason ShealyPorter Ridge Defense

13/14 DivisionChase DixonJackson FarrChristian VanDeVeldeAlex CheekChris Ingram

High School DivisionTripp CaldwellDemitrich CurryJack WohlfertJimmy WebsterQuentin Shelton

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAMS

Evan Hirsh drives to the basket in the 7U Division

Jacob German leads the way for the South Charlotte 8U All Stars

in the 9U Division

@TrippRoakes

Volume 6, Issue 23

STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

ARCHITECH SPORTS AND PHYSICAL THERAPY Blakeney Office: 8918 Blakeney Professional Drive Suite 120 | Charlotte, NC 28277 | Ph. 704-900-8960

Indian Trail Office: 1001 Van Buren Avenue Suite 3 | Indian Trail, NC 28079 | Ph. 704-628-6053www.architechsports.com

Physical Therapy for Athletes and Weekend Warriors * Sports Performance * Soccer Speed and AgilityBaseball Pitching Arm Care Evaluations * Female Jumpmetrics Training * Coaches Care Programs

All programs in conjunction with Morrison Family YMCA

MADISON ROWANCovenant Day School junior Madison Rowan has been named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week. Madison is the daughter of Mike and Debbie Rowan and she is an All-Conference and top-ten state ranked swimmer in the 100 free and 200 fly. Madison captured first place in all her events during the recent conference championship meet. She has also made the cut times for the US Southeast Regional Senior Sectional Meet. Madison competes year round for the Stingray Aquatics organization.

Madison’s personal records include: 200 Fly- 2:09.09, 100 Fly- 1:00.46, 500 Free- 5:09.45 and 200 Free- 1:57.32. Madison hopes to swim in college and she will spend the next year looking for a college in which she can make a valued contribution to the swim team and one that also meets her academic interest. As of now, Madison plans a course of study in either pre-medical or pre-dental in college

Madison is a consistent A/B student and she is currently taking AP Environmental Science, Honors British Literature, Honors Anatomy, Honors Government and Economics, and Algebra III/Trigonometry. She is also involved in the Beta Club and the Environmental Club at school. She also enjoys spending volunteer time with Samaritan’s Purse, Toys for Tots and Matthews Alive. Congratulations to Madison Rowan for being named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week.

PATRICK WALLACE

Myers Park High School senior Patrick Wallace has been named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week. Patrick, an all-conference basketball player, is the son of Alex and Laura Wallace. He led the Mustangs in scoring this season with 17 points per game. Patrick plays basketball year round and will attend Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire in the Fall.

Among Patrick’s many accomplishments are being named Best Shooter at the Bob Gibbons Clinic, Camp MVP of the Five Star Basketball Camp and earning a spot on the all-tournament team in the East Lincoln Winter Jam this past December. Over the past two seasons Patrick has worked extremely hard on his game with Accelerate Basketball Training. He has become a complete player by spending countless hours in their intense training program. Patrick is also recognized as a complete team player with good court vision, outstanding outside shooting and excellent ball-handling abilities.

Inside the classroom, Patrick is also an All-Star with a 4.1 grade point average and he is a member of the DECA Club. Patrick is an outstanding citizen who enjoys working with younger basketball players. Congratulations to Patrick Wallace for being named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week.

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The South Charlotte Recreation Association Nets captured the 7U Basketball Championship.

Front Row: (L-R) Miles Motsinger, Davis Hull, Jake Hanvey, Jack Danemann, Connor Walsh, Jonathan DiPrete, Michael Keretsis, Ryan McGinnBack Row: (L-R) Rob DiPrete, Kevin McGinn

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(L-R) Alex Odle, Rachel Schliecher, Shianne Williams, Alanna Rosario, Grace Guller, Kelsey Lynch

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The South Charlotte Recreation Association Suns captured the 9U Basketball Championship.

Front Row: (L-R) Dylan Estrada, Tate Ellis, Sam Ryan, Jake Cunningham, Blake Violette, Cameron Seery, Carter Whitten, Andy ChenBack Row: (L-R) Coach Doug Ellis, Coach Scott Cunningham


Cuthbertson High School senior Kelly Belue is one of the top lacrosse players in the area. After an out-standing high school career, the daughter of Dave and Ann Belue will attend Liberty University to play lacrosse for the Flames. Let’s go Beyond the Game to learn more about Kelly Belue.

When did you first begin to play lacrosse and why?“I started playing lacrosse when I was 8 in An-

napolis, Maryland where the sport is very popular and competitive. While trying out different sports and seeing my friends play lacrosse, I decided to join the team and give it a try. My second year, I was the high scorer for my team and fell in love with the sport.”

What are your top three athletic accom-plishments?“My top three athletic accomplishments would be starting on the Marvin Ridge Varsity team as a freshman and the team finishing third in the state, earning All-Conference my sophomore and junior year, and leading the Cuthbertson Varsity team since it started in 2010.”

What are your goals for this season?“This season I really want us to focus on work-ing more as a team. This is our third year play-ing together and we have developed so much, so I want us to prove that. We had a winning record of 8-7 last year and we want to step it up even more this year. Go Cavs! Personally, my goal is to have more assists and to exceed 100 goals this season for my high school career. Also, I want to focus on simply getting better and preparing to compete at the college level.”

What are your goals beyond high school?“I plan to attend Liberty University for the next four years, majoring in pre-med, and earning a master’s degree to further my education. Compet-ing at the Division 1 level will be a lot of time com-mitment, so my goal is to stay focused, manage

my time, and prioritize on and off the field. For lacrosse, my goal is to work hard, stay injury-free, and play strong each year. “

Can you share more about your college com-mitment and how you were able to earn the opportunity?“Ever since I was young, I’ve always had the dream of playing lacrosse in college at the Divi-sion 1 level. For the past four years, I have been playing year-round, traveling to showcase tour-naments, viewed by scouts, in order to further the recruiting process. I was coached by amazing coaches of Cyclones, Queen City Stars, and Mid-western Force/Southern Storm and had the op-portunity to play with top-ranked players. At first the process was overwhelming with the pressure to commit early, however with the guidance of Lisa Mitchelides, the head of Midwestern Force/Southern Storm Lacrosse Club, it all started to fall into place. When I visited Liberty University, met the coaches and team, I had “that feeling” that everyone talks about when you know it’s right. The team is a family and the coaches couldn’t have been nicer. I received the best offer from Liberty and have the amazing opportunity to a part of the Liberty Flames! Go LU!”

How well do you perform in the classroom?“I am a solid, well-rounded student with a 4.5 GPA in honors and AP classes. I am involved in many clubs including Spanish Club, Spanish Honors Society and National Honors Society.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH KELLY BELUE


Charlotte Christian captured the 5th grade regular season and tournament championship in the Inter-Faith Basketball League.

(L-R) Kyle Habluetzel, Efosa U-Edosomwan, JT Killen, Makel Bennett, Jere Drummond, William Seaborn, Chris Carpenter, Rob Burrus

The Chelsea 01 3v3 boys team just wrapped up a very successful year in which they won 8 tournaments, a national championship and finished 5th in another nationals. After dominating the NC 3v3 World Tour regular season, the team won the NC State 3v3 Cup in Winston Salem before traveling to Atlanta to defend their World Tour World Cup title from the prior year. The boys went undefeated in Atlanta in becoming the only defending champions to repeat as World Cup champions.

Chelsea also successfully defended their Kickit3v3 Carolinas Regional Cham-pionship before recently traveling to Disney’s Wide World of Sports along with 53 other qualifying teams from around the country in their age group for the Kickit National Championships. For the first time ever, this year’s Kickit Champion-ships were divided into 3 levels, a top Elite Invitational Division (EID), a Gold Division and a Silver Division. Chelsea played in the EID against only the top 16 qualifying teams in the tournament. This year’s EID championships have been widely recognized as the toughest 3v3 championships ever held and this certainly held true for Chelsea as they suffered their first losses all year when playing with their full core team against a team their true age. Despite the losses, Chelsea fin-ished 5th in the nationals after losing their final game on penalty kicks.

Chelsea normally plays with only their core 4 boy roster of William Cardona, Julian Evans, Tucker Lepley and Luke Thomas. However, several other players, Edward Dellinger, Luc Denner & Casey Lepley, occasionally played with the team when one of the core players was unavailable. The team is now playing on several different outdoor club teams but looks forward to starting a new 3v3 season in June.


Ardrey Kell High School senior Emory Orr will continue his soccer career at Dartmouth Univer-sity. The 17 year old son of Thomas and Teresa Orr worked very hard in both the classroom and on the soccer field to earn this outstanding opportunity. His scholastic soccer resume combined with his academic resume provided exactly what Dartmouth was looking for. Let’s go Beyond The Game with Emory Orr to learn more.

What do you consider as your top three ath-letic accomplishments?“My top three athletic accomplishments include being recruited by Division One soccer programs and eventually committing to Dartmouth College. Secondly, I have played and started in the US Soccer Development Academy for North Meck Soc-cer Academy over the past three years. Lastly, I would include playing for the NC Olympic Devel-opment Program on their State Team and Region Pool.”

Favorite memory on the field at Ardrey Kell?“My favorite memory was scoring against South Meck in the final minutes of the game during my junior year.”

What is your favorite memory in club soc-cer?“One significant highlight while playing for North Meck Academy was when I scored from 35 yards out against IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.”

You will attend Dartmouth next year, what led you to choose the school?“Early in the recruiting process, I was interested in attending schools in the Northeast. Dartmouth College offers not only an excellent education, but they have an equally impressive soccer program. After meeting several team members and attend-ing a class during my visit, Dartmouth became my

number one choice even though I had not received an offer at that point.”What were some of your other choices?“I had unofficial visits to Yale, Holy Cross, Furman and UNC-W.”

What are your soccer plans between now and the start of college?“Between now and the end of June, I will be play-ing for North Meck Soccer Academy. Our team practices three times a week and play games nearly every weekend. Once the season is

completed, I will begin training and preparing for college as practice begins in August.”

How well do you perform in the classroom?“I have taken mainly AP and Honors classes over the past three years. I currently have a 4.4 GPA and I am in the National Honor Society. I am also on the Captain’s Council at Ardrey Kell and have participated in Spanish and History clubs in the past as well.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH EMORY ORR


Q SHACK COACH OF THE WEEKCoach Jay McGarityStingray Aquatics

Stingray Aquatics head coach Jay McGarity has been named the Q Shack Coach of the Week. Coach McGarity has also been named a staff member for the North Carolina Swimming Zone Team. He was selected as two of only 6 assistant coaches for the team.

Coach Jay McGarity enters his fifth year with Stingray Aquatics with over ten years of competitive swim coaching experience. He brings a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm to the sport, hoping to make swimming both enjoyable and rewarding. His swimmers really ap-preciate his leadership, passion and joy for the sport of swimming.

Congratulations to Head Coach Jay McGarity for being named the Q Shack Coach of the Week.

To nominate your coach for this award, please visit The Q Shack or email [email protected].

Located in The Providence Promenade10822 Providence RoadCharlotte, NC 28277www.qshackclt.com704-542-5959

The Charlotte Warriors are a group of 8th graders that first met and played together at MARA years ago, some of them as young as 5 years old. Over the years they have played football, baseball (winning back to back state champion-ships as 11 and 12 year olds) and basketball together. As they aged out of MARA they have split up to play for different organizations and their middle schools. They wanted to play together one last time so they came together and decided to play in the highly competitive Carolina Courts Middle School Elite League. Since they were playing for their middle schools they were not able to practice together as a team but they still won the Elite NBA (highest division) beating the previously undefeated CC Flight in the finals 56-48

Front Row: (L-R) John Walton (Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School), Bishop Jones (Charlotte Christian), Andrew Brouse (Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School),Back Row: (L-R) Connor Maitland (Charlotte Christian), Henry Ryan (Community House Middle School), Tucker Jones (Robinson Middle School), Jack King (Robinson Middle School) Not pictured: Scott Edmonson (Crestdale Middle School)

The regular season South Park Sharon Basketball League Undefeated Champions were the Grizzlies, coached by Tony Funderburk.

The Grizzlies: (L-R) Baron Rupp, Noah Sellers (injured player, turned Grizzlie Bear mascot), Jackson Dean, Zach Demopolous, Marcus Chan, Alex Funderburk, Daniel Cline, Coach Tony Funderburk and Jared Patterson; missing- assistant coach, Russ Dean


SPRING BREAK BASEBALL CAMP

APRIL 2nd – 4th

Community House Middle School

www.southcharlottesportscamps.com @TrippRoakes


The MARA 8U All Stars finished second in the 9th Annual SCAT Basketball Tournament.

Front Row: (L-R) Holton Watson, Jackson Schoolcraft, Brady Tyler, Nicholas KriseSecond Row: (L-R) Alex Ruggiero, Embrey Morton, Adam Buckler, Jeremy Self, David Garfinkle, Luke HolmesThird Row: (L-R) Coaches; Asst Lemar Morton, Head – Patrick Tyler, Asst Tom Barnette

The South Charlotte Recreation Association 8U Grizzlies completed an undefeated season with a win in the tournament championship.

Front Row: (L-R) Charles Kennedy, Joey Ruller, Miles Creech, Owen BeckerSecond Row: (L-R) Luke Barbaryka, Knoah Carver, Tyler RoakesThird Row: Coach Tripp Roakes


SPRING BREAK BASKETBALL CAMP

April 2nd – 4th

Community House Middle School

www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

Volume 6, Issue 23

Holy Trinity CatholicMiddle School

& Fun Run

April 28, 2012 Charlotte, NC

“It was tough, but I got used to it. It has been like this since Middle School, so I have learned time-management skills that help me stay on task. I try my best not to pro-crastinate by starting my papers early and spreading out my homework. I make sure to take a couple breaks in be-tween. Also, naps are my friend; they are perfect for those late nights!”

As Amma entered her senior season, the focus turned to a college choice. Like any other assignment, Amma put a lot of research into what she wanted for her future.

“In my college, I wanted something up north with excel-lent academics, especially in the sciences, as I would like to become a Doctor, a Neurologist to be exact. I wanted a col-lege that was not too big, nor to small. MIT fulfilled every one of these requirements. And I liked how it was not part of the Ivy League, as my mom wanted all of her children to end up at an Ivy League. So, you can say that I “rebelled.” When I found out that I would be able to play soccer their on their collegiate team, there seemed to be no other choice than to go to MIT. Of course, I had other schools. Harvard, Columbia, and University of Chicago were at the top of my list as well. However, MIT was a definite first-choice.”

With her resume, MIT also made her a high choice. Amma is a member of the Spanish Honor Society, the Ser-vice Honor Society, and she has been on the Headmaster’s List every semester of high school. Amma also serves as one of five leaders in the Mosaic Club. This club discusses different social issues such as Ageism, Racism, Sexism, and the concept of “ability.” Moreover, they seek to promote diversity within the student body, especially through the annual event, Diversity Night, which celebrates the various cultures within the school.

Amma was also inducted recently into the Cum Laude Society.

“It means a lot to me to be inducted to the Cum Laude Society. It is a reward for the hard work I put in through the years. Ever since my siblings graduated and went on to Ivy League schools, I felt the pressure for success, as both of them had been part of the Cum Laude Society. So, being in-ducted helped me stop comparing myself to them and their achievements. Before the assembly, I tried to ask my mom if I was going to be inducted, for I thought that I deserved it. But she tricked me into thinking I was not! So when I got the assembly, I was even more surprised!”

Amma also enjoys the fine arts. She played one of four Narrators in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat production at Charlotte Latin.

Amma Okwara has truly lived the perfect student-athlete experience at Charlotte Latin School. The South Charlotte Sports Report congratulations Amma for her outstanding dedication on and off the field of play. She has been a real inspiration for future student-athletes to learn from. We wish Amma the very best as she goes forward in life, striv-ing to reach her goals!

AMMA OKWARAContinued from front page

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DAVIS BATEMAN CHARTS HIS COURSE

FOR UNC-CH GOLF TEAMWith a proven

track record in high school, Providence Day School junior Davis Bateman has laid the ground work for a position on the UNC-Chapel Hill Golf Team. The son of Rick and Maryann Bate-man recently gave a verbal commitment to the Tar Heels. After starting to play golf in 2003 when Davis won the Carmel Par-ent-Child Champion-ship with his father, he has worked hard to become the best golfer he can be. Unlimited time on the practice range and hundreds

of rounds have turned Davis into one of the top golfers in the state. Davis owns a low round of 65 in the 2011 Carmel Junior Club Championship and he has scored 67 in almost 20 different tournaments.

Davis says his top accomplishments are; “qualifying for the US Junior Amateur two years in a row, winning the North Carolina State Tournament as a team and individual last year and what I have done in the tournaments at Carmel Country Club. We have a lot of top ranked juniors at Carmel; so winning the Junior Club Championship four years in a row is special to me. Also, playing well in the Carmel Men’s Club Championship is something that meant a lot to me: finishing 3rd, tying for first (losing in a play-off), and after Carmel changed the format, winning the stroke play last year only to lose in the semi-finals match play.”

All of those honors led to the attention from UNC-Chapel Hill. Davis always loved the school and when it came time for a decision, he chose the Tar Heels.

“For me it was the combination of excellent academics, ath-letics and a beautiful campus. When I saw the great practice facilities and met Coach Sapp, I felt like Carolina would be a per-fect fit for me.”

With his college commitment in the rear view mirror, Davis is now focused on the Providence Day spring season. He and the Chargers have set many a few lofty goals for the year.

“As for the team, our goal is to win the State Tournament. We know we are capable of doing it; it comes down to us having confidence in our swings. As an individual, I would like to win the State Title again, but I would rather win as a team than win individually.”

Beyond high school, Davis would like to one day win the North Carolina Amateur, the Carolinas Amateur and also play in the US Amateur while still in high school. Once he reaches college, Davis has set the goal of playing in every match and then one day becoming a professional golfer.

With a very demanding practice and competition schedule, Davis has managed to stay ahead on his academics and become a member of the National Honor Society. He is also a member of five different clubs at Providence Day, including the Film and Media Club where he serves as president. Filmography has be-come a passion of his and he enjoys making short films with the club.

Congratulations to Davis Bateman for earning the chance to compete on the college level with UNC-Chapel Hill. Good luck this spring in your pursuit of a team and individual champion-ship.

Volume 6, Issue 23

JOIN US

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JOIN US

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$49.00/pre-registration fee*OR

$59.00/day-of-registration fee*price includes Elite Dri-Fit shirt& student profile

VISIT: www.elite-sport-camps.com

POBOX78881, CHARLOTTE,NC 28271 | P : 980-722-3510 | Email: [email protected]

*TAKE

YOUR

GAME

TO

THE

NEXT

LEVEL*

Get Accurate Evaluations and Tipson Improving YOUR GAME

Establish a Baseline Allowing Usto Monitor YOUR Developmentand Improvement

6th—12th Graders:

Football Combine and Skills Camp


Most of us are content with just stay-ing afloat in the water, not swimmer, Lane Bretschneider. Lane is a Junior at Marvin Ridge High School and he is currently enrolled in the IB pro-gram. The sixteen year old son of Bill and Holly Bretschneider has found balance between the pool and school so that he is successful in both. Lane must endure the work that a competi-tive swimmer and an IB student must

endure. Lane spends up to 5 hours on a school day of rigorous water and land training. He then comes home to 3 hours of homework provided by the IB program. Instead of falling to the pressure, Lane has swum his way to Junior Nationals as a swimmer, and a 4.69 GPA as a student. Both of these feats are stunning by them-selves, but put them together and that is something special. Let’s go Beyond The Game with Lane Bretschneider to learn how he finds success through such hard work.

When did you start to swim competitively?“About 10-11 years ago when I was five. My family moved to Chapel Hill where I joined a summer swimming league. I fell in love with the sport and it’s competitive environment. I have always been a good swimmer and my dad was also a swimmer too.”

What type of training do you specifically go through on a daily basis?“I train every day after school and also on Saturdays. On Mondays and Fridays I spend about two hours in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, I spend two hours of water training

and one hour of land training. On Saturdays, we spend about three and a half hours combined of water and land training. Water and land train-ing are both very tiring, but in the end they come together to make me a better swimmer.”

What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?“Right now, it is making Junior Nationals last summer. It was an outside shot, but I made an unex-pected eight second cut on my time. I finished the 200m breaststroke in 2:25.71. It was surprising because I hadn’t completed any long course training. I now have my sights set on the Olympic Trials cut in that event.”

What stroke and distance are you best at?“Probably breaststroke and the indi-vidual medley. My best distance for both is 200m.”

What goes through your mind when you see other swimmers out of the corner of your eye?“I just focus on getting to the wall before them. My coach gives us pre game speeches to motivate us to get to the wall first. He tells us that we need to win the close ones.”

How do you do in school?“Pretty well. I had straight A’s before I entered the IB program. Now I still consistently get A’s and B’s. So far, in high school, my GPA is 4.69.”

Besides swimming, what else do you do outside of school?“With the little time I have, I do lots of community service that is required for IB students. When I’m not doing community service, I like to hang out with friends to take my mind off of school.”

What about community service makes it so appealing to you?“Even if IB didn’t require community service, I would probably still be do-ing it. I consider myself very fortu-nate, so I like to give back to others.”

How do you find balance be-tween swimming, school, and community service?“It’s certainly not easy. I just stick to my daily routine. I used to procras-tinate, but I try to avoid that now because I don’t have as much time as I used to. I also try to get as much sleep as possible, but unfortunately, I don’t always get a ton.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH LANE BRETSCHNEIDERWritten by Ryan Scott, Marvin Ridge High School

Volume 6, Issue 23

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