Something to be thankful for

It’s been a little more than 16 years since I began my current career as Sports Editor of the Walker County Messenger.

About a month and half after I was hired at the paper, I was sitting at home watching the GHSA high school football state semifinals on television, which at the time were played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

I remember how exciting it all looked at the time. The big stadium. The lights. The TV cameras. I turned to my wife and told her that I hoped I was at the Messenger long enough to see just one team from Walker County play for and win a state championship.

It didn’t even have to be football. I would have settled for a state title in any sport. I wanted the thrill of getting to cover a state championship game. Getting to take pictures of the post-game celebration. Seeing athletes and coaches celebrate. Getting to put the words “STATE CHAMPIONS!” in big, bold letters on the front page.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure if that was exactly a realistic dream.

Around the time I started at the paper, most all high school sports teams in Walker County were mired in a bit of a dry spell. Wins were getting tough to come by in virtually every sport, boys and girls’, and I figured I might just have to settle for seeing one of my teams win a region championship.

But the following year, things began to happen.

Ridgeland’s softball team won their first region fastpitch championship in 2001 and LaFayette’s volleyball team went to the Class 4A Final Four that same season. The following year, Gordon Lee’s football team made a run to the Class A state quarterfinals and in 2003, the Ridgeland girls’ basketball team turned in a magical season to make the state Final Four at Georgia Tech.

Then, finally, we rolled into 2004 and the Gordon Lee softball team captured their first fastpitch title and I was there in Columbus that historic day. The LaFayette wrestling team won its first state duals title in Augusta that the winter (which I also got to cover in person) and the Gordon Lee girls’ golf team

followed up later that spring with the school’s first state championship in that sport. And off we went. In the 12 years that have followed that banner 2004 year, Walker County teams have steadily become contenders in numerous sports on the regional and state levels, and our county athletes and teams have won their share of region and state titles in everything from golf to basketball to softball to wrestling to track and several other sports.

Some years have been better than others, but what has taken place so far in 2016 has been something that’s frankly been unprecedented in our little corner of the state.

Of the five fall sports (football, softball, volleyball, cross county and cheerleading), Walker County’s four high schools have racked up a plethora

of region titles and have already seen the county represented in 11 different state tournaments with two teams emerging as state champions.

In Chickamauga, the Lady Trojans continued to add to their softball legacy with their 14th straight region title and their sixth state crown (and their seventh since 2004) in the last seven seasons. The volleyball team finished as the area runnerup and advanced to the Sweet 16. Both cross country teams won their respective area meets and both placed third at state, while the competition cheerleading squad not only won their sectional meet, but came back the next day and shined again in the finals to win the program’s first state title.

On a side note, Gordon Lee’s cheerleading title gave the school state championships in 10 different boys’ and/ or girls’ sports in its history.

Down the road at

Ridgeland, the softball, volleyball and football teams all won Region 6-4A titles and all were state-ranked for most, if not all of the regular season. The softball and volleyball teams each advanced to the Elite Eight, while the football team got into the Sweet 16. In cross country, Gabe Ashley was an AllRegion performer and was the first Panther to run at the state meet in over 15 years.

In the south end of the county, LaFayette’s softball team earned its first state tournament bid in nearly a decade. The volleyball team also played its way into the state tournament field and the Ramblers cheer squad made a trip to Columbus for the Class 4A state sectionals.

And we can’t forget about Oakwood Christian. The Eagles aren’t a member of the GHSA, but the Lady Eagles’ volleyball team won the Southern Christian Athletic Association’s South Region title and advanced in the

playoffs to their sixth consecutive conference championship game. Oakwood finished as the conference runner-up.

No. Walker County may not have the resources that other schools in the state do, (although our schools’ facilities are some of the best in the state, period) but we do have the athletes, coaches, feeder programs, community support and fan bases to compete (and beat) the best of them.

I’m seeing more and more of our studentathletes signing scholarships to go on and play in college at all levels and I’m seeing some of those kids earn All-Conference and even All-American honors. I watched a Thursday Night Football game the other night and took a bit of pride in knowing that New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell was a graduate of Ridgeland High School.

But just as importantly, I enjoy going to games, seeing and catching up with

former Walker County high school athletes that I covered over the years. Some of them are now coaches that I deal with on a weekly basis and other are now parents of the next generation of kids I’m already covering on the youth levels.

Yes, it makes me feel old to see it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Because while the region and state championship banners are pleasant reminders of the past, it’s nice to know that the vast majority of our high school athletes have grown up to become outstanding citizens, spouses, parents or members of the work force.

Someone asked me the other day what was it that has made me stick around at the Messenger all these years. Obviously, I love sports and I basically get paid to watch sports, so that’s a plus.

But in all honestly, it’s just the fact that I feel like Walker County is where I

belong. Yes, there are bigger jobs out there, and who knows what the future will hold, but I’m content in my belief that my purpose in life is to cover these athletes and write these stories.

And if I can write something that makes a kid feel good about themselves and encourages them to keep going, then I’ve done my job.

And when a former athlete stops me in the gym or at the ball field, shakes my hand or hugs my neck and thanks me for writing about them all those years ago, I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing and doing it for the right reasons.

You see, it’s not about the money. It’s not about any newspaper awards. It’s about these kids. I take pride in their accomplishments and I revel in their successes and I hope I get to do it for many, many years to come.