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

Volume 6, Issue 13 October 20, 2011 - FREEwww.southcharlottesports.com

Oct 22-23 4th Annual Basketball Boot Camp

Nov 8-9 After School Basketball Prep Camp

Nov 12 3rd Annual Carolinas Gridiron Classic Pop Warner Football Bowl Games

Nov 19-20 2nd Annual Pre-Season Basketball Tournament

Dec 3 3rd Annual Baseball Arm Care Clinic

Dec 10 1st Annual Greater Charlotte Youth Football Awards

Dec 21 & 22 6th Annual Christmas Break Basketball Camp Dec 21 & 22 3rd Annual Christmas Break Volleyball Camp

Jan 11 - Feb 29 3rd Annual Winter Training Academy for Baseball and Softball (every Wednesday night at CBC Baseball)

February 11 5th Annual Greater Charlotte Hot Stove League Dinner March 10-11 4th Annual South Charlotte Sports Report All Star Basketball Tournament

For more information www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

Upcoming Events

FAST BREAK COUPONChristmas

Basketball Camp

December 21-22

Fast Break Price: $55 (before November 15th)

Enroll at: www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

Life can change without warning, no one knows this better than Kath-erine Stefan. The mother of Char-lotte Latin sophomore Madeline Ste-fan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. There was no warning, just a few words from a doctor’s mouth. It placed her life and the life of Mad-eline into a whole different world.

“I was at a routine physical with my primary physician when I was 42,” said Katherine. “He reminded me that I should be getting annual mammograms. It was the summer of 2007 and I was in fantastic health, ate well, and I was religious about ex-ercising. I didn’t think of myself as in my forties and I was too busy run-ning a business and raising children to make time for mammograms.”

“I had an aunt and a great aunt that had breast cancer, both were post-menopausal, but that’s not con-sidered a genetic connection, so I didn’t consider myself at risk. Mine was discovered as a result of my first routine mammogram and I was actu-ally in the process of editing a story

on breast cancer for my magazine at the time. It was a surreal experience to be putting the finishing touches on a story called “The Girl Next Door” because of the fact that one out of every eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer and one out of every four of those will die from the dis-ease.”

Needless to say, Madeline was very surprised by the diagnosis and like most her age, she wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen.

“At first it was a little tough to un-derstand. My mother did an amaz-ing job at shielding my brother and I from unnecessary worry. I didn’t know a whole lot about what was going on but one thought I remem-ber having is “well she doesn’t need chemo so it can’t be that bad” As time went on and my mom began her radiation treatments, I began to realize our situation. My mom was battling cancer, but I knew one thing she might have been hesitant to ac-knowledge herself, She couldn’t lose. My mom doesn’t lose.”

Katherine began her fight and it wasn’t easy for anyone in her family.

“During diagnosis I was a single mom and an entrepreneur. I didn’t have much time to consider giving in to the disease or allowing it to impact my life. There were several parents in my daughter’s grade that were los-ing their battle to cancer while I was going through treatment. I didn’t want my son or daughter to worry so I was very stoic and protective both as a coping mechanism and to pro-tect my children from worry. At one point during the process I had been told the cancer may have spread to my lymph nodes and they found ab-normal tissue in my first post treat-ment mammogram which made my own mortality painfully real.”

“I think this was hard on my daughter to have a mom go through this when she was in junior high and entering her teen years. It’s natural that a daughter pulls away from her mother in her teens and I think it was also hard for her to see classmates losing their parents while her mom seemed to be fine on the outside. We struggled for a few years as a natu-ral part of the grieving and growing process, a lot of life changes were forced upon us as a small family as a result of my illness, but I believe my daughters life has been enriched by this experience too. I lost my job and had to take a job in another state but I think we are closer now and value our relationship and time together

more than ever. Her sense of what has real value in this world is ex-tremely mature. Although this was not an easy experience for us, both of us have grown in wisdom and grace and there is no richer gift.”

Madeline also lived the highs and lows with her mom’s fight.

“For some reason, in the begin-ning of my mom’s battle I was em-barrassed about my situation and kept it very secretive. I felt that by sharing my struggles and stresses with my friends that I was in some way searching for pity. On Christmas day I remember going off to my Dad’s to open presents while my mom got in her car to go to her radiation ses-sion and I thought “nobody should have to spend Christmas doing that” It was tough for me to see my mom in that situation but it makes me proud to know how well she handled it.”

Katherine is now four years can-cer free and she considers the breast cancer to be the biggest blessing in her life. It forced her to take a step back and see the true side of human kindness in life from friends, family and strangers.

The fight also changed life for Madeline in many ways.

“My mom’s fight has affected me in more ways than I would have initially thought. First off, the color pink took on a new meaning. To me, it’s not so much the dainty fairy-princess color everyone imagines, it’s pure strength and perseverance. And on the day of Serve For The Cure (a Charlotte Latin volleyball fundraiser) the first thing I do when I get there is grab my friend and run to the dedication board where I write my moms name in big, pink letters. Cancer has become real to me and so has the driving force behind find-ing a cure, for more than just breast cancer. It makes me proud to see that sea of pink on the day of the tourna-ment and the only thing I can think is “strength in numbers.” Because of my mom’s fight, I have decided that I WILL make time to find a cure and I CAN make a difference in the lives of people affected by breast cancer.”

Strong and powerful words for this special young lady, Madeline Stefan. Madeline brings the lessons of life to the volleyball court and la-crosse fields where she enjoys com-peting for the Hawks. She started playing volleyball in the 7th grade for two reasons. See MADELINE STEFAN, Page 8

LEARNING ON AND OFF THE VOLLEYBALL COURT

... Madeline Stefan learns from her mother’s battle with breast cancer.

Page 2 Volume 6, Issue 13

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)PCAA Baseball Complex

Nothing But NoodlesCarolinas Baseball Center

International Sports CenterTry Sports

Pet Essentials Jesse Brown’s Adventure

Jersey Mike’s (Stonecrest)CrossFit Charlotte

Laxer, Long and SavageGrand Slam USA

Tebby Sports MedicineMeridian Medical Group

Quimby and Collins OrthodonticsCharlotte All-Stars

Omega SportsFour 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 Dentistry

Dr. Garden DentistryRobek’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 Cafeteria

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

SOUTH 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 Tripp@southcharlottesportsreport.com. Advertising rates are available upon request.

PUBLISHERTripp Roakes

GRAPHIC DESIGNERFrances Flowers

WEBMASTERScott Page

PHOTOGRAPHERS Greg ArthurGerry Wall

SALES REPRESENTATIVE Kristy Maher

The SCSR Team!

Tune up your racquet for Queen City and USTA Leagues

Free pick up and delivery

in South Charlotte!

Rich Rushakoff - 704-821-0168(former stringer for Players Loft)

GRADES + DESIRE + TALENT = OPPORTUNITY

It’s a simple formula that I preach about all the time. If a high school stu-

dent athlete can combine a solid grade point average with desire and talent, they will have every opportunity to play their chosen sport on the next level. Without the first part of that combination, the ability to complete the formula is much harder. Sure, there are opportunities in the higher profile sports to earn scholarships with extremely low grades, but those opportunities are hard to come by. The opportunities to compete on the college level for a student-ath-lete with a grade point average above 3.0 is far greater. For a student-athlete with a 4.0 or higher and a little talent and desire, the chance for that opportu-nity is extremely high.

As a student-athlete, you must first decide how bad do you want to keep playing your sport? Would you attend a “smaller” school for a chance at schol-arship money and a position on the team? If so, you can find that opportunity somewhere. Colleges and coaches want student-athletes that have proven aca-demic resumes. Whether you are looking Division 1, 2 or 3,, the opportunity to continue your athletic career can be found if you did your job in high school.

The South Charlotte Sports Report has always advocated the term student-athlete and done our best to promote success in the classroom and on the field. We are not shy to admit that the first consideration we give in featuring area athletes is their academic resume. We want to honor those kids that work hard in the classroom.

We also want to share the academic success stories with our readers. To do that, we need your help, please email Tripp@southcharlottesports.com when-ever your son or daughter makes a commitment to continue their academic and athletic careers in college.

Going back to math class, Grades + Desire + Talent = Opportunity

Tripp RoakesPublisherSouth Charlotte Sports ReportTripp@southcharlottesports.com704-906-5466

BASEBALL PLAYERS DO THE DARNEDEST THINGS

As many of you know, I

enjoy coaching baseball and this year, I have formed an 8U club team, the South Charlotte Thunder. In our most recent tournament, a ground ball was hit to one of our outfielders, Dylan Schaefer. With runners on base, it was important for Dylan to pick the ball up and throw it back in as quick as possible to limit the damage. Instead of using his quick re-flexes, Dylan stalled and from my vantage point it appeared as if he was picking the wet grass off of the baseball before he picked it up. He literally took 2-3 seconds before final-ly picking the baseball up. I was bewildered by the move and shook my head, hoping we would soon record the final

out and return to the dugout. Luckily out number three came on the next batter. Dylan returned to the dugout and before I could ask him what was going on out there, Dylan replied, “Coach Tripp, look, I lost my tooth!”

Dylan’s front tooth had somehow fallen out on the play and he wanted to make sure he didn’t lose it so he would get a visit from the Tooth Fairy that night. If only I could have recorded the move on video, we could have been on America’s Funniest Home Videos!

You’ve gotta love coaching youth sports!

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Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 3

2011 CHRISTMAS BREAK BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL CAMPS

December 21 & 22Ardrey Kell High School

Basketball 10:00am - 1:00pmVolleyball 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Featuring the top coaches in the area:

Mike Craft, Ardrey Kell High School Basketball CoachKaren Bradbury, Providence High School Volleyball Coach

Zoe Bell, Ardrey Kell High School Volleyball Coach

Enjoy a few hours of Christmas shopping while we provide professional instruction to your children

Both of these camps sell out every year, so act fast to guarantee your space

Sibling discounts are available

www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

2nd ANNUAL PRE-SEASON BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

NOVEMBER 19 & 20

AGES 8-15

“Start your season off on the right foot!”

Limited spots available

www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

DON’T RISK AN ARM INJURY!Baseball Arm Care

and Velocity Development Clinic

Led by one of the top baseball arm specialists in the Southeast, Alan Tyson.

December 3rd 8:30am-12:30pm

Ages 9-18Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Training Center inside Morrison Y

Special Guests: Current and Former Major League Pitchers and Pitching Coaches

There will NOT be any live pitching at this clinic

Parents attend free with their sonCoaches attend free with three or more of your players!

Enroll now at www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

Page 4 Volume 6, Issue 13SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

DEVIN JOHNSON IS FOCUSED ON SUCCESS

For some high school

athletes, the term student-athlete is a useless term. Their concern is merely suc-ceeding on the field of play and letting their abilities hopefully carry them to the next level. Fortunately many students in South Charlotte realize that without the aca-demic success, the chance for success in life can dimin-ish. At Cuthbertson High School, eleventh grader, Devin Johnson, understands the value of success in the classroom and he maintains a direct focus on the future. The bright football player is the son of Doyle (DJ) and Jean Tamala Johnson.

Devin has worked hard to find a way to combine foot-ball, wrestling and track and field with a 4.25 grade point average. He has learned the art of time management and now he applies it in his pursuit to be the best pos-

sible student-athlete that he can be.In football this season, Devin is playing the positions of cornerback, running

back and also helping out on special teams as a kick returner. Football is his favorite sport among the three and he began playing as a six year old in a flag football league. He enjoys the team aspect of the game along with the big, hard hits during the game.

Devin has built up a few favorite sports memories the last couple of seasons.“My top sports memories are just setting goals. Every sport I set goals and

work really hard to achieve them. In football it was starting on varsity and get-ting my first interception. In wrestling, it was being the first Rocky River Confer-ence wrestling champion in school history and in track and field it was qualifying for the 2A regional’s in the pole vault.”

As Devin moves into his junior year at Cuthbertson the awards are also start-ing to pile up. As a freshman Devin was the 112lb champion at the Rocky River Conference Wrestling Championship and he was named to the all conference team, He also has been awarded the Cuthbertson Pride Award which is given to the athlete who contributes the most to the team in every facet of the sport.

Devin also discovered the unique talents required to be a pole vaulter. His hard work allowed him to place second in the conference meet last spring. Back to football, Devin was voted to the 2010-2011 Cuthbertson Football Leadership Council by his peers and he was given the 2011 Coastal Carolina University Foot-ball Camp Coaches Cornerback Award.

His honors and hard work have been noticed on the campus of Cuthbertson High School.

“Devin Johnson is a gifted athlete and an amazing student. He is currently maintaining a 4.25 GPA while taking Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Devin has a ready smile for all around him and has worked hard to help our new school develop a positive reputation for academics and athletics.,” said Rob Jackson, Principal at Cuthbertson High School.

Inside the classroom, Devin has not only built the impressive grade point average, he has been inducted into the Beta Club and he is a member of the Fam-ily, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc. Devin was also awarded the Cuthbertson Order of the Chevalier Award. The “Order of the Chevalier” is a legion of honor, for a chevalier is a French word equivalent of the English knight. Each semester, all nominations are reviewed, and each department selects one nominee for induction. The Social Studies Department selected Devin.

Devin has set his focus on majoring in Chemical Engineering and astrophys-ics. He would like to attend one of these prestigious universities; Massachu-setts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Duke, Princeton University, Ohio State or North Carolina State.

The South Charlotte Sports Report salutes Devin Johnson for giving the extra time needed to find a higher level of success on the field and in the classroom.

The Park Sharon Athletic Association U8 Girls Orange Crush is having an enjoyable season this fall. Coach Alan Hartman has worked hard with the young players to develop their soccer skills. L-R: Erin Hartman, Isabella Lowe, Lanie Kupreanik, Lilly Hollowell, Evie Beverley

The Charlotte Soccer Academy Earthquakes are enjoying a fun fall season of soccer. Coach Animikh Sen leads the young players in their quest to improve as soccer players. “I have a very energetic group that is coming together for the first time and re-ally forming a great team. Courageous and spirited on the field, and respectful of each other. It’s a pleasure to be on the field with them.” Front Row: (L-R) Keylin Hernandez, Julia Gleason, Bailee Duncan, Sarah Margaret SandlinSecond Row: (L-R) Isabel Chiseck, Caroline Alba, Quinn PipitoneMissing: Sarah Brodin, Emma Hartpence, Anna Lee, Brooke Meginley, Gia Mendez, Sydney Rusgo

Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 5

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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

GABBY DUNCANMarvin Ridge Middle School eighth grader Gabby Duncan has been named the Quimby and Collins “Wired for Excellence” Award Winner. The 13 year old daughter of Ed and Monica Duncan plays volleyball for the Mavericks and she enjoyed a very successful season. Gabby plays volleyball year round and she says she “loves the game.” She enjoys being with her teammates and playing for Coach Aten. Gabby says the teammates and coach made every game one to remember this season. Inside the classroom, Gabby enjoys Science and Math as they are her best subjects. She has been named Student of the Month and she participates in the Beta Club at Marvin Ridge Middle School. Gabby also is active in her church where she is in the Core Club that does volunteer and charity work in the community. Congratulations to Gabby Duncan for being named the Quimby and Collins “Wired for Excellence” Award Winner. 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 Tripp@southcharlottesports.com

www.cbcbaseball.netREGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN:

The 2012 Season

Begins Now!

Tryout For The Top Development Academy

in the South East!

Page 6 Volume 6, Issue 13SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

Pinevillebucadibeppo.com

They Can PreTTy MuCh eaT Like horses.Okay, so maybe they have more than one thing in common—like a drive for excellence, to deliver their best, all the time. Hey, looks like we have a lot in common with them! And we understand that

appeasing big appetites should be done with big, family style portions made with delicious recipes, served up in a place that can

accommodate and entertain just about any group or function.

Athletes All hAve One thing

in COmmOn

teAm Of the Week

Bottom Row (L-R): Collin Quinlan, Jackson Meckes, Ryan Cort, Sam McLean, Julian Stevens, Kyle ThefaineTop Row (L-R ): Assistant Coach Adam Cort, Daniel Willis, Jeffrey Janson, Griffin Cotter, Sean Hines, Lucas Lyman, Head Coach Scott Meckes

SOUTH CHARLOTTE SLUGGERSBASEBALL TEAM

The South Charlotte Recreation Association Sluggers have been named the Buca Di Beppo Team of the Week. Head Coach Scott Meckes and his baseball players have worked hard all fall to improve in the league’s minors division. Coach Meckes enjoys working with the Sluggers. “I am fortunate to have a bunch of great kids and families. These kids play hard and compete. I hope the kids and parents are enjoying this season as much as I am!”

Congratulations to the South Charlotte Recreation Association Sluggers for being named the Buca Di Beppo Team of the Week.

Joseph Starr is a 3rd grader at Rea View Elementary. The son of Mark and Amy Starr has been racing BMX bikes competitively for about a year and has won his first National #1 Title in the eight year old age group. Joseph won the Redline Cup Championship this past weekend in South Carolina against kids in his age group from all over the country including Canada, Florida, Califor-nia, Louisiana, Texas and Ohio. Later this month Joseph will be competing in an Invitational race at Disney World named the “Disney Cup” and will be competing in the National Championships in Tulsa over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Let’s go Beyond the Track with Joseph Starr.

When did you start competing in BMX and why? “I started competing one year ago, I wanted to get more exercise and not just play video games.”

Where do you practice at? “I practice at Hornet’s Nest BMX track in Charlotte and I do sprint training in my neighborhood.”

What is the biggest thrill in the races for you? “Getting ready at the starting gate, listening to the announcer and watching the starting light.”

What is the next step for you? “Winning the Race of Champions & the “Grands” ( the ABA National Cham-pionship) and eventually try for the junior development team that trains for the Olympics.”

How often do you compete in a year? “Every week locally and six to ten National races per year.”

What is your favorite subject in school and why? “Math, because I am good at it and it is fun figuring out the problems.”

BEYOND THE TRACK WITH JOSEPH STARR

Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 7 SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

With a strong backhand on the tennis court and a 4.9 grade point average, Brianna Norris is the perfect example of a true student-athlete. The Covenant Day School senior has worked hard to shine brightly on the tennis court and inside the classroom. The daughter of Jim and Kimberly Nor-ris has played varsity tennis for Covenant Day since the seventh grade. Let’s go Beyond the Game with Brianna to learn more.

When did you begin to play tennis and why?“I began playing tennis at the age of six and began tournaments at ten. My parents decided to put me in tennis because they wanted me to be able to enjoy a life-long sport, and once I got on the court I really loved it.”

What do you consider as your top three athletic accomplishments?“At age 14, achieving a USTA ranking in the top 5 in North Carolina and in the top 25 in the South. Competing in the National Junior Clay Court Championships, National Junior Hard Court Championships, Zone team championships, and the Southern Junior Tennis cup. Being named all-conference each year since I began playing on the Varsity team in seventh grade.”

How has your season gone so far for Covenant Day School?“So far I have only lost one match from which I was forced to withdraw due to injury. My team as a whole has also done well, and we have yet to lose a conference match.”

What are your personal tennis goals for the future?“I want to finish out my season without losing any matches and then help my team go far in the state tournament. I also plan to play club tennis in col-lege.”

Do you prefer singles or doubles and why?“I prefer doubles because of the team aspect. It is more fun and also less pressure.”

What is your biggest strength and weakness on the court?“My biggest strength, and also my weakness, is my size. Because I am petite, I am very quick and can play defense well. However, my size also puts me at a disadvantage when serving and when playing against girls who hit with a lot of pace.”

Do you play any other sports? “No, in order to focus on tennis I gave up playing other sports.”

Have you put any thought into a college future?“I would have liked to play tennis in college, how-ever, due to a back injury my sophomore year I was forced to quit tournaments. That ended my hopes of playing in college.”

How well do you perform in the classroom? “I have a 4.97 weighted gpa and straight A’s. I have taken seven AP classes, and I am secretary of the National Honors Society and president of French Club.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH BRIANNA NORRIS

Page 8 Volume 6, Issue 13SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

EXPERIENCE MATTERS! INTEGRITY MATTERS! “Because Lacrosse is Not a Business... It’s a Tradition”

For more Info on CSL Programs or to Register for 2012 TROUTS please visit:

www.cslax.com Email: info@cslax.com

SELECT TRAVEL TEAMS / FALL CLINICS / INDOOR “BOX-LAX” / SPRING RECREATIONAL

CSL SELECT TEAMS - 2012 TRYOUTS Registering Now for our Open Tryouts

Boys u11 & u13 — Sat. NOV 5 (Cuthbertson Middle School) Boys u15 & HS — Sat. DEC 10 (Cuthbertson Middle School) Girls u15 & HS— JAN 2012 (Details Coming Soon)

CSL Travel teams compete in the off-season as a complement to the traditional MS, HS and youth programs. The travel season typically runs from May through early July. Some teams also compete in Fall events.

These are not recreational teams, they are designed for experienced laxers who want to take the sport to the next level. All tryouts are open and our goal is to identify players that display the best mix of teamwork, coachability, advanced skills, and work-ethic. We do not simply look for "All-Stars" and we are not the organization for players that do not believe in the "TEAM" concept.

CSL INDOOR LAX SIGNUPS

Register Online for South Charlotte’s Only Indoor Lacrosse League!

Sundays Dec 4th—Feb 5th Boys Grades 3-HS Games Only Indoor Turf Field (I-77 & I-485)

Why FREEZE on the Field… When you can PLAY in the CAVE!

The South Charlotte Recreation Association Purple Power 10U softball team is enjoying an exciting fall season. Coach Wendy McGuire expressed her excitement for this year’s team. “The Purple Power are doing great this season. They are having fun as they learn the game of fastpitch softball. They are a great group of girls and their coaches and parents are very proud of them.” Front Row: (L-R) Holly Wade, Emily Lang, Allison Tyler, Dylan LeClair Middle Row: (L-R) Sierra LaFrenier, Sydney Yoder, Katrina McGuire, Bennita Bailey, Erin GabrielBack Row: (L-R) Coach Wendy McGuire, Coach Matt Yoder, Coach Mark GabrielNot pictured: Kate Hader

“One was to be with my friends and the other is a little more complex. Going into middle school after my three older brothers (two step brothers and one real brother) I had seen how most athletes had a specific sport that they put their heart and soul into, attending every practice and being fully dedicated during the season while training in the off season. I looked at all the fall sports and decided that I was not meant to be a runner on cross country, and field hockey was not my thing. So volleyball it was.”

Volleyball has allowed Madeline to grow and develop over the last few years. Vol-leyball was the time of day when Madeline could leave her day behind. When she walked through the doors of the gym nothing else mattered but the net, the ball, and her teammates.

“One of my favorite memories may seem small but to me it represents why I put my heart and soul out on the court. It was my freshman year and because of the large amount of sophomores on our jv team, I didn’t get much playing time. We had a gen-erous lead against a school outside of our conference so my coach put me in. I remem-ber my heart pounding and my fingers shaking as I waited for my teammate to serve the ball. The entire rally was pretty much a blur until I realized that the ball had landed on the other side of the court deep in the corner, and I was the one who put it there. It was my first high school point.”

Madeline has continued to develop on the volleyball team and she has enjoyed a successful sophomore season. She has also found great success inside the class-room.

“I put forth all of my effort when it comes to school, but it’s important for me to have a social life too! I’m currently enrolled in one honors course which is death..and I am placed in the second highest math class recommended for my grade level. I excel in classes like English because of my early exposure to writing (from my mother) and I find Spanish easy as can be. I work hard to earn straight A’s and uphold a gpa of around 3.8. I have of course, learned to keep a strong work ethic from my mother. Her dedication to building an entire magazine from the ground up gives me high goals to shoot for.”

The South Charlotte Sports Reports salutes both Katherine and Madeline Stefan for taking a very challenging situation and making the best of it. Both mother and daughter have grown from the cancer fight. Their journey through the last four years will be something they always remember and we are thankful that it had a positive ending. The South Charlotte Sports Report also encourages every female to have their annual mammograms and stay on top of their health. We continue to wish Madeline the very best as she continues her journey through high school and beyond.

MADELINE STEFANContinued from front page

Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 9 SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

1st ANNUAL GREATER CHARLOTTE YOUTH FOOTBALL AWARDS

“The top night of youth football in Charlotte!”

DECEMBER 10TH

Nominations are now open for:

High School FootballOffensive Player of the YearDefensive Player of the Year

Special Teams Player of the YearTeam of the Year

Scholar-Athlete of the YearCoach of the Year

Comeback Player of the Year

Middle School and Youth FootballPlayers of the YearTeams of the Year

Coaches of the Year

Contributions to the Game of Football Award

Tickets are now on sale at www.charlottefootballawards.com

The South Charlotte Thunder 8U Club Baseball Team captured the Race Week-end Hardball Nations Baseball Championship this past weekend. The Thunder recorded four straight wins to bring home the championship at Hornets Nest Park. Front Row: (L-R) J.D. Williams, Dylan Rawson, Dylan Schaefer, Brock Rawson, Spencer Topiwala, Jakeman Pendleton, Emerson MonbarrenSecond Row: (L-R) Tyler Roakes, Charles Kennedy, Harrison Bouthillette, Jarrett Kaeppler, Luke Barbaryka, Kevin HabluetzelThird Row: (L-R) Tripp Roakes, Jody Pendleton, Fred Barbaryka, Jody Rawson

The South Charlotte Thunder Baseball Club is Growing!

Our plans for the spring and summer season include:

(2) 8U Baseball Club Teams & (1) 9U Baseball Club Team

Is your son ready for the next step in his baseball game?

If so, please emailTripp@southcharlottesports.com for more information.

Dedicated practice days!

Fun, Family Environment!

Nations Baseball Weekend Tournaments!

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Page 10 Volume 6, Issue 13

BASKETBALL REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Registration for the 2011-2012 South Charlotte Recreation Association basketball season

is now open. This is our 41st year of providing quality basketball to our youth in the South

Charlotte community, ages 4-17.

Register online at southcharlotterec.com

For more information, including important dates, please visit the basketball page at southcharlotterec.com

Q SHACK COACH OF THE WEEKCoach Mike Tanksley

South Charlotte Recreation AssociationCoach Mike Tanksley has been named the Q Shack Coach of the Week. Coach Tanksley leads the South Charlotte Recreation Associa-tion Knights in the minors baseball di-vision. Coach Tanksley has coached baseball for many years and enjoys working with the young baseball play-ers. The players have learned a great deal about the game from Coach Tanksley this year and they are hop-ing to close the season on a high note.

Congratulations to Coach Mike Tanksley for being named the Q Shack Coach of the Week.

To nominate your coach for this award, please visit The Q Shack or email tripp@southcharlottesports.com.

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

AFTER SCHOOL BASKETBALL CAMP

“Get ready for the Basketball Season!”

November 8th & 9th

3:30pm - 6:30pm

South Charlotte Middle School

Enroll today at www.southcharlottesportscamps.com

Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 11

WILL YOU HELP US SHARE THE STORIES OF THE OUTSTANDING YOUNG

ATHLETES IN SOUTH CHARLOTTE?

PLEASE ADVERTISE IN THE SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

CALL TRIPP ROAKES AT 704-906-5466

TAYLOR FISHER WILL PLAY BASEBALL

AT GARDNER-WEBB

Covenant Day School senior baseball player Taylor Fisher will become the first player from his school to sign an NCAA Division 1 National Letter of Intent for baseball according to head coach David Houseton. The 18 year old son of Dean and Lisa Fisher chose to com-mit to the Bulldogs where he will hit the baseball field following his graduation next spring. Taylor is an out-fielder for Covenant Day and he also plays for the SBA Canes on the showcase baseball circuit.

Taylor lists his top three accomplishments as verbal-ly committing to Gardner-Webb, being named MAC All -Conference player in 2011 and starting all four years for the Covenant Day School team. This past spring Taylor his .454 with 12 home runs and 33 rbi’s. He helped his team finish with a record of 21-10 and a second round playoff appearance.

Taylor began to hear from colleges over the last year. Gardner-Webb was among the first schools to make con-tact. Taylor liked what he heard from the school and he quickly made a decision.

“I first heard from Gardner-Webb in July of 2011 af-ter playing a showcase tournament at Gardner-Webb. I chose the Bulldogs because of the excellent coaching staff and their philosophy on baseball. Gardner-Webb as a whole is a great fit for everything I was looking for. Not just for baseball, but my college education.”

Taylor also spoke with Wingate University and The Citadel during his recruitment.

With this major decision now complete, Taylor can focus on the spring high school season.

“My goals for the upcoming baseball season are to help lead the Covenant Day Lions to another winning season which would include winning a first time state championship.”

Taylor knows it will take hard work on his end as well as his teammates this offseason.

Classroom work is also important for Taylor. He is an A/B Honor Roll student at Covenant Day School.

“I value my academics just as much as I do my athlet-ics.”

The South Charlotte Sports Report salutes Taylor Fisher for working hard to reach his goals. We wish him the very best during his senior season and beyond at Gardner-Webb University.

SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

Page 12 Volume 6, Issue 13

Sign up now for our 9 week training program de-signed to prepare your player for next spring. Each session lasts 1 hour, led by our great staff of coaches. Players are group by age, with the softball groups (8U, 10U, 12U & 14U) on Saturday mornings, and baseball groups (5&6, 7&8, 9&10, 11&12) on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Players will spend half their time on hitting drills and half their time on throwing and fielding each week. The program starts in December and runs through mid-February. Early Bird pricing special if you register by October 31st. Call us at 704 423-0030 or register online at www.hq4baseball.com.

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/hqforbaseball

Baseball & Softball Winter Training

Parth Shah is a very dedicated young man. As the captain of the Ardrey Kell High School Cross Country Team, Parth is called upon to serve as a leader for his teammates. He must help the coach keep the team focused on their goal and provide coach Brian Zelk with a voice among the runners. Parth is also a dedicated person when it comes to his idea to help someone in need. Parth has made friends with Dakota Price a twelve year old boy with Duchenne Mus-cular Dystrophy. As he has gotten to know Dakota, Parth has come to realize how tough things can be in Dakota’s life. Parth has decided to stand up and help Dakota live a better life. Dakota is in need of a wheelchair lift which will make it easier to be placed into his van. These lifts are expensive and Parth has elected to raise the money to help Dakota’s family. Along with several of his Ardrey Kell team-mates Parth is running in the Thunder Road Half Marathon to raise money. Simply by asking individuals and businesses to help, Parth has already raised over $1,700 before the race. He hopes to raise more so he can provide this much needed help to his friend Dakota. Let’s learn a little more about Parth and his efforts.

What led you to this cause?“Over this past summer, I volunteered at the Muscular Dystrophy Associa-tion summer camp, where I was a counselor for Dakota Price, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. At the camp, I saw many of the struggles that Dakota faced because of his disease and I decided that I wanted to help him in any way that I could. After I found out that Dakota was in need of a wheelchair lift, I made it my mission to help raise the money to get him his wheelchair lift, which I decided to do by running the Thunder Road Half Marathon.” How did the team get involved?“Several members of the Ardrey Kell Cross Country Team and other runners in the community expressed desire to help me raise the money for Dakota.Many of the runners participating this year met Dakota last year when we raised money for the research of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by running in the Thunder Road Half Marathon, and wanted to help Dakota out this year.” How have you raised over $1700?“I have raised over $1,700 so far by promoting awareness about what we are doing and asking for donations from people and businesses in the local community. Many members of our team have also raised money indepen-dently on their own by asking friends and relatives to make small donations to the cause.” What have you learned from leading this effort?“I have learned from this experience that people are always willing to help and support you if you make it easy for them to do so. To do this, I created the website runfordakota.org for people to learn more about what I am doing and to donate to our cause. I have also learned that one act of char-ity often causes the others around you to act in a similar manner. In other words, if you do something good, then the people around you are likely to do something good.” How can someone help your efforts? “People can help by donating to our cause. People can donate by going to runfordakota.org and clicking “donations” on the side of the screen. People can also donate by writing checks out to Victory Hill Baptist Church and writing Dakota Price in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to 10121 Para-dise Ridge Road, Charlotte, NC 28277.”

KNIGHTS RUN FOR DAKOTA

Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 13

ARE YOU JUST PLAYING SPORTS ...

OR ARE YOU TRAINING TO EARN A

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP ?

“Training athletes to reach

their God-given potential

on and off the field/court”

Who trains with Dynamic ….

PRO athletes (NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, etc..) COLLEGE athletes

VARSITY athletes FUTURE VARSITY athletes RISING STAR athletes

Why choose Dynamic….

Professional Coaches Convenient Locations Best Value Sport-specific Training

College Recruiting Connections Mentoring/Scholarship Programs Friendships

Start with Dynamic today….

Sport-Specific Academy Training Elite Summer Camps/Events Dynamic Teams

Private & Small Group Training Dynamic Scholarship Fund Awards

Register online at www.DynamicPS.net

Dynamic Performance Sports & Scholarship Fund – 704-737-7631

Page 14 Volume 6, Issue 13

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

Do you need a more intimate soccer environment, with expert coaching, to improve your technical skills?

Do you want training, specific for you, that includes every aspect of soccer performance?

Introducing the Soccer Performance University by Performance Unlimited. North Carolina’s first facility with programs designed

specifically for the game of soccer! Located in our 10,000 square foot soccer performance center on Carmel Rd, we offer a

one-of-a-kind program designed for every aspect of performance in the game (mental, physical and technical).

Registration for Winter Speed School, Academy Training, as well as our College Off-Season Program are available at

ThePerformanceU.com.

Volume 6, Issue 13 Page 15

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

KATIE PORTER Providence High School senior Katie Porter has been named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week. The 17 year old daughter of Ed and Kathy Porter plays the number one line for the Panthers tennis team. She has been a member of the varsity team since her freshman year and she was undefeated this year in singles and doubles confer-ence and non-conference play. Katie captured the Southwest-ern 4-A Conference Singles Championship. Katie overcame an ankle injury early in the season.

The talented tennis player is ranked # 3 in the state by USTA, # 35 in the Southern Region and # 154 Nationally by tennisre-cruiting.com. Katie was selected to play in both the USTA Clay

Court Nationals in Virginia Beach and USTA Hard Court Nationals in San Diego. She also played in two ITA college tournaments this past summer where she competed against college tennis players. Katie hopes to play collegiate tennis at a Division 1 school next year.

Katie has found a way to balance a rigorous travel schedule to earn a grade point aver-age above 4.0. Her schedule consists of many Honors and Advance Placement classes and she was inducted into the National Honor Society her junior year. Katie is also a member of the Senior Advisory Board at Providence High School. Congratulations to Katie Porter, the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week.

BRIAN MITTLCharlotte Latin School senior Brian Mittl has been named the Architech and Physical Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week. The 18 year old son of Bob and Val Mittl excels on the football and baseball fields at Charlotte Latin as well as inside the classroom. He plays running back and linebacker on the football team and centerfield on the baseball team. Brian has led the Hawks to a 6-2 start and provided excellent team leadership. He serves as team captain and he has also been selected to play in the All-Star Oasis Shrine Bowl Game this year. Brian also lists the 2009 state football championship among his top accomplishments. Brian is doing all he can to make his senior

year a special one. He also elected to grow his hair long to serve as a reminder of how bad he wants to win another state championship. He has pledged to not cut the hair until he is celebrating under the goal posts at the state championship game. Brian is among the top students at Charlotte Latin. He has been on the Headmaster’s List every year of school (all A’s and B’s) and he was inducted into the Cum-Laude Society his junior year, representing the top 10% of his class. Brian has served on the Student Council during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He has also been a member of the Latin Band since 5th grade as a percussionist. Brian is also involved with Teen Court, an alternative justice program that aids first-time offenders in the process of discipline and correction through a jury of their peers, for 4 years. Congratulations to Brian Mittl, the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week.

SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT

Leading the school spirit at Community House Middle School is the cheerleading team. This group of young ladies work hard each week to improve their skills and fire up the Cavalier fans. Front Row: (L-R) Madeline Ponitz, Jenn BaldridgeSecond Row: (L-R) Sumner Hinton, Ally Sapyta, Kassidy Barrier, Taylor Napier, Emme Halloran, Nicole BocciaThird Row: (L-R) Coach Tracy Parker, Sadie Guerena, Lexi Ortiz, Audrey Williams, Lauren Dwyer, Lauryn Tillman, Peyton Holland, Zaria Hodges (manager)

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The Park Sharon Athletic Association Bombers Majors team is busy at work this fall. The energetic baseball team is working hard to improve before the start of the playoffs. Front Row: (L-R) Grady Parks, Eric Gonzalez, Nick Reynosa, Aiden Healy, Cassius Ishmael Second Row: (L-R) Dominic Costantini, George Stevenson, Marshall Payne, Mike Galluci, Sam HuntCoaches: (L-R) Jay Reynosa, Renee Gonzalez, John Parks, Phil Costantini

Page 16 Volume 6, Issue 13

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