Flooded With Victory
by Hannah Liss • photography by Billy Massey

Members of the Columbus High School swim team dove into a season full of hard work, dedication and determination.  The team began practicing in late October, more than a month before their first meet.  Having a team comprised of swimmers from all grade levels, the athletes worked together during practice and supported each other during meets.  With a wonderful coach, a great sense of camaraderie and a city championship under their belt, this team has what it takes to make Columbus High proud at the state championship.

Columbus High swim coach Kazue Schmitz is given most of the credit for such an amazing season.  Junior Payden Evans, who specializes in the 50-yard freestyle, says, “Our coach, Mrs. Schmitz, has been one of the best coaches I could ever ask for.  She is encouraging and knows how to get the best out of us.  Our team has made it so far under her, and I am so appreciative of everything she has done on our behalf.”  

Sophomore Jennifer Landry, who swims the 200 backstroke, says, “I love Mrs. Schmitz so much. She is really good about letting you compete in the events that you favor, and she is always supportive after you swim, no matter what your time happens to be.  She is funny with her expressions [and] she always lightens the mood.  It is great to have her as a coach.”  

Senior Rylleigh Harstad, who swims the 500-yard freestyle, the 200-yard freestyle, the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200 medley relay, echoes her teammates’ sentiments: “I have been swimming under Coach Schmitz for three years: my freshman, junior and senior seasons.  She is absolutely incredible and pushes us to work our hardest at practice and at meets.  She doesn’t play around with those who aren’t serious and dedicated, but she also knows how to have a blast with her team, pretty much becoming a teammate herself.  She’s flexible and listens to the requests of each and every swimmer but ultimately decides what she knows is best for the team.  The Columbus High swim team would not be where it is today without her.”

Aside from coaching, the Blue Devils could not have advanced to the state championship without camaraderie, a rare commodity for sports that emphasize individual achievements.   “The main thing that helped us get to where we are has been the amount of support that everyone on the team gives each other,” says sophomore Alex Rehak. “Yeah, it is one thing to know they support you, but to hear them scream your name from the block just helps you to give that extra push you need to get through it.  Our team did well this year, and it was a great experience.”  

Similarly, senior Mary-Ann Ionascu says, “Honestly, we have a lot of natural talent, but we do have one of the closest-knit teams I've ever been a part of.  I think our good sportsmanship and support for each other is what really brought us this far.  My swim team has been like my family for the past three years.  I have never groaned about having to go to a meet or having to go to practice because I knew that no matter what my time was in my events or how hard practice might be, my team would be right there next to me, feeling my pain or experiencing my successes.  I will definitely miss it.”

Senior Melina McSwiggen say, “I am so thankful that our teammates sit at the edge of each other's lanes when competing to cheer the swimmers on.  If I can hear them shout when I come up for air, it makes me swim harder.”

The team bond is due to the leadership of team captains.  Girls team captain Catherine Massey says, “I always try to cheer everyone on and keep others pumped up and ready to swim fast.”

It is through all of the team’s hard work and support that they became the 2010-2011 City Champion.  Payden Evans explains, “It was surreal to win city. Northside was such a fierce competitor, and our rivalry is intense but outside the pool we get along quite well.  This was the second year the boys have won city,  and it’s just an incredible experience.”  

The swimmers not only want to win for themselves, but they want to win for their coach, their teammates and their school. Most important, they want to leave a legacy behind that hopefully will inspire future Columbus High swim teams to give their all and earn yet another city championship title.

When asked to recap her entire season, Harstad says, “My time with the Columbus High swim team has shaped me into who I am today.  My team is my second family, my support and my inspiration.  Through all of the laughs, tears, disappointments, smiles and achievements, my team has shown me what it truly means to be a leader.  Being captain has shown me what really matters when it comes to being a part of a team and how sacrificing personal gain on behalf of the team is crucial.  I have gained lifelong friends and have learned more about myself as an individual.  I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for the four years I spent with the Columbus High swim team and I will always see it as a defining time period in my life.  I love my team with all my heart and I will truly miss being a part of it all after I graduate."

Pin It to Win It
by Hannah Liss • photography by Alex Pugh

With such spectacular past seasons, including three consecutive city championships and Ian Walker’s state champion title last year, the 2011 Columbus High School wrestling team certainty has big shoes to fill.  However, the Blue Devils are not going to be pinned without a fight.  They are extremely dedicated, have a great admiration for their coach and possess a burning desire to reach the top.

Throughout the 2010-2011 regular season, the Blue Devils gained strength, skill and discipline in every match and tournament.  Their efforts were rewarded at the Harris Country Invitational and the Area Championships with two beautiful trophies.

However, their success would not have been possible without their grueling, mandatory practices held every day after school. At the beginning of each practice, the team moves all of the tables and chairs in the cafeteria to make room for their heavy mats.  Then they complete warm-up drills that consist of running, flipping and stretching.

The seniors are in charge of drills.  It is extremely important that they are responsible and helpful to the underclassmen, which promotes team bonding.  "These attributes are the key to success," says senior Chris Strickland, who has recorded wins in 26-of-32 matches.  “Being nice to the underclassmen can make or break the cohesiveness of our team.  If there is any tension between wrestlers, we will not perform as well and that will inevitability make us lose the title of City Champion."

Commenting on his leadership role, Strickland says, “Being a senior adds a tremendous amount of responsibility on my shoulders.  My behavior and my actions are aspects of myself that will give the lower classmen on my team a template to base themselves on. As a senior, I must provide a positive template and offer wise guidance in order for the team as a whole to prosper.”

Even though wrestling is mostly an individual sport, there are aspects that require teamwork.

Although the team trained extensively this season, they continue to credit coach Larry Morgan for their success.   Senior Jamie Starke, currently 27-2, says, “It is a privilege being coached by [Coach Morgan].  He has taught me a lot throughout my high school career. I remember the first match I lost against Tracy Jewett [AAAA State Champion from Hardaway High, 215-lbs. class].  I fought so hard but lost the match; he was a grade ahead of me. I walked over to Coach. He stuck his hand out and as I shook it, he said to me, 'He was a tough kid. Keep practicing and I am sure you will be that good, too.'"

Starke recalls another instance when Morgan had a great impact on him. “At state one year, we were wrestling Gilmer High School and I had chosen top position, but he had specifically told me, ‘Neutral.’  I ended up losing that match because of my mistake, and he was furious with me.  I don't think he has ever gotten that mad at anyone before.  However, I knew that he expected better of me because he believed that I had potential to be great.  This event triggered my new goal … I am hoping to win state at 215.”  Starke has dedicated his wrestling career to his coach, saying that Morgan saw his potential early on and always believed in him.

Strickland adds, “Having Coach Morgan as not only a coach but a mentor through my four years of high school has been nothing but beneficial.  He not only strengthens the physique of his wrestlers but expounds upon our mental abilities.  I have great respect for Coach Morgan.”

Even with a coach who fosters self-confidence and the team's hard work and dedication, it will be difficult to for the Blue Devils to become number one without having a burning desire to win. “We all have tremendous potential and a drive that helps us reign victorious, even in the most unlikely of scenarios,” says Strickland. “We must simply make this potential kinetic.”

This year, the Columbus High wrestling team has practiced harder, overcome more obstacles and garnered more wins than in previous years.  They are looking forward to both the city and state championships ahead.  Strickland says, “My hopes for this year include winning the city championship trophy once more, continuing the growth of myself and my team for the best, and accomplishing all that my team and I put our hearts into.”

Lady Blue Devils Bring Home the Bacon
by Hannah Liss

The story of the “Three Little Pigs” seems to describe the Columbus High School girls cross country track team. Although their team does not “huff” or “puff,” they do blow the competition away. The Lady Blue Devils’ hard work, agility and gritty determination enabled them to “bring home the bacon” and become the 2010 AAA State Champion. A combination of motivated runners, a smart coach and a bit of luck made this team as dangerous as the “Big Bad Wolf” but a whole lot faster.

After a long, hard road to get to the top, the Northside cross country team finally saw the finish line at the 2010 state championship. The much-anticipated November meet in Carrollton, Georgia, had the Lady Blue Devils nervous but excited about the possibility of bringing home their second state trophy in less than four years.  With their coach’s dedication to proper training and a healthy focus on the task at hand, the team launched itself from the starting line with a purpose that awed other runners.

Junior Kristina Delpesche placed second individually among 300 runners. Crossing the finish line, she was clocked at 19:26, only one second after the first-place runner. “We have been working hard all season long,” says Delpesche. “To be awarded this honor is a dream come true. I would like to thank Coach Korcha and the rest of the team for all of their dedication support.”

Delpesche and her teammates Rio Watson, Cynthia Walpole, Stephanie Miller, Emily Menendez, Meg Williams and Jessica Smith placed high enough individually to allow this outstanding team to win first place in the state AAA competition.  

“We have come so far this year,” Korcha says. “Not only are these runners devoted but they are also extremely talented, and I believe that they truly deserved to become the 2010 State Champion.”

Columbus High School is extremely proud of the outstanding accomplishments of the 2010 girls cross country team.  Expected to return their top seven runners next year, the talented and experienced Lady Blue Devils have high hopes for 2010 and have set their goal of a repeat performance. Should they “bring home the bacon” for the third time in five years, their fairy tale will become truth.

Two-Time AAA State Champions
by Brittney Cain and Victoria Ross

Reaching the GHSA state championship is a goal that all high school competition cheerleaders work toward each year.  When the competition season begins, cheer teams across the state begin their journey to the event that will decide their fate.  As their countdown begins, practices become more intense, nervous tension builds and each team questions what it will take to win.  In the weeks before region and state competitions, the members of the 2010 Columbus High School competition cheerleading squad were building character, developing team chemistry and learning what it would take to be considered the best.  After being crowned 2008 State Champion and 2009 State Runner-Up, the girls were ready to compete for the title one more time.  

In January 2010, the Lady Blue Devils cheerleaders prepared for the upcoming season.  After the team was finalized, summer practices and workouts began.  The coaches and seniors soon realized that the team was the youngest that they could remember. They held numerous team-bonding events.  Official practices began when the school year began, which later developed into early-morning practices followed by another practice after school. The pressure of school and sport began to build in each Columbus High cheerleader.

The team began its competitive season in September.  Keeping their full routine out of the limelight, the CHS cheerleaders performed a lower-level routine week after week as they brought their skill set to its full potential.  Practices increased from twice a week to six days a week, and improvement became evident.  The Columbus High cheerleaders received five first-place wins at six competitions during the regular season and one grand championship title.

In the week before region competition, the team began every practice with a new quote for the day and motivated each other throughout, ending with “circle time” to discuss the good and bad of each practice and how each cheerleader could improve.  When the competition finally arrived, the team was more confident than ever to perform for a hometown audience but unfortunately, their routine was flawed. When the time came for awards, the Columbus High cheerleaders were worried that they would not advance to the next level.  As each place was called in the AAA division, the Lady Blue Devils became more nervous.  But despite a flawed performance, Columbus High came out on top and was crowned the 2010 Region 6 AAA Champion.

The CHS cheerleaders continued working hard and not letting a single practice go to waste in the hope of becoming the state champion.  When November 13 arrived, the squad believed it would be “their day.”  When the time came to perform in front of judges and the crowd in the coliseum, the girls were extremely confident but they knew that something could go wrong at any time.  After the routine was over, each cheerleader walked off the floor with no regrets and hoped that their routine had won over the judges.

The anxious CHS cheerleaders sat in the stands with family and friends, waiting for the top six teams to be announced.  When they heard “Columbus High,” the girls rushed down to the floor knowing that they were one step closer to being crowned.  The announcer began with fourth place, counting up to the second-place team, and each cheerleader’s heart was beating wildly.  Finally, the moment arrived when the crowd heard, “…and the 2010 AAA State Cheerleading Champion is … Columbus High School!”  There was not a dry eye in the room as the CHS competition cheerleaders claimed the victory they had been working toward all year.

After losing seven seniors, the CHS cheerleaders are ready to begin practice for next season and hope to win a third title.

Taking It All in Stride
by Hannah Liss • photography by Scott Morgan

Coaching Columbus High School cross country and track is not without its challenges.  Fortunately, coach Lynda Korcha has a talent for overcoming hurdles, not only those she jumped over as a UCLA Bruin, but also the figurative obstacles that stood in the way of her goals.  Attending a high school where girls sports did not exist, Korcha made up her mind to get in the race.  As a charter member of the Palm Dale High School Falcons in California, Korcha organized and gathered athletic girls to start the first female track team in the school’s history. “I was tired of girls not being able to compete,” says Korcha. “I chose to create a track team not only because I came from a family of runners, but also because I figured that it would be a great way to get girls involved in a way that they otherwise could not.”

With speed, agility and a gritty determination to further her interest in sports, Korcha accepted a position on the University of California, Los Angeles track and field team as a hurdler.  Shortly after declaring a major in sports medicine research, Korcha realized her passion for coaching high school and changed her major to education.  “I chose coaching because I not only love the sport, but I also want to motivate kids to reach their dreams,” she explains. Following her own dream of mentoring young athletes, Korcha has been coaching for 27 years, including the last eight years at CHS.

Korcha’s path to Columbus High was unusual.  After living on Fort Benning for several years due to her husband’s employment in the military, she planned to go to Alaska.  However, the move was delayed because of her father’s death.  Korcha interviewed for a position as a science teacher and assistant cross country coach at Columbus High School.  The result might have involved a bit of fate: she would be a Blue Devil, which was also the mascot of the high school that her late father attended.

Throughout her eight years coaching at Columbus High School, Korcha’s fondest memories are leading the girls cross country team to victory in the 2008 state championship and winning the first men’s track and field region championship in more than 30 years.  Still, none of the glory is without sacrifice and hard work.  Between teaching human anatomy, geology and chemistry classes and coaching more than 40 runners by herself, Korcha works about 70 to 80 hour s a week. “I generally get to school before the janitors,” she says. “I even come on Sundays too, in order to plan for my classes.”

The 2010 cross country team consists of 13 girls and 30 boys. Speaking fondly of Korcha, senior Jacob Mapel says, “I like the way in which she talks to the runners. She has the ambition to win, but she is somewhat laid back and always tries to have fun.”  Another star runner, junior Jessica Smith, says, “Ms. Korcha is a wonderful coach.  She always motivates us to become great runners and do our best.”

The qualities observed by her student-athletes are Korcha’s guidelines for success.  “I use a personal, hands-on approach.  I like to think of myself as part of the team,” she says. “I am not a ‘yeller,’ and I like for everyone on the team to have fun and enjoy the sport as much as I do.  However, I do not like to lose, so I try to inspire these kids to want to win.”

Korcha’s techniques have been effective thus far.  Not only are her runners enjoying themselves, but both teams have been overwhelmingly successful – the boys team has currently lost only one local match, and the girls team is locally undefeated with both teams being in the elite division in all out-of-town meets.  Korcha has high hopes for the boys team to rank among the top 10 teams in the state, and she believes that the girls can bring home another state championship trophy.   Although the road to victory will contain challenges and unexpected obstacles, Korcha and the faithful members of the Columbus High School cross country team are taking it all in stride.

Ready, Set, Go
by Hannah Liss

Her mother got her ready, she can set with the best, and now Kristen Fleming is ready to go to the next level in her  volleyball career.

When Fleming became a starting player on the Columbus High volleyball team as a freshman, many thought it was a case of the coach choosing her daughter over more qualified players.  When Fleming helped the 2007 Columbus High School girls volleyball team win the state championship, it became apparent that Columbus High was home to a coach with an eye for talent.

Donna Fleming joined the Columbus High staff in 2003 as the girls volleyball head coach.  Four years later, her daughter began attending the school and became a Lady Blue Devil.  While the pair has achieved great success, the journey has not always been easy.

Coach Fleming laughs as she notes that during the inevitable mother-daughter arguments, they agree Fleming must attend a college at least three states away.  During better times, and perhaps after victories, the duo hopes to be closer geographically, which is why Fleming chose to attend a college only two states away.

Fleming is a setter on the court. The setter listens for the coach’s calls and is responsible for setting the ball in position to execute the play.  Sometimes the set is purposefully high or low, but it is placed for teammates to spike or pass.  The mother-daughter team works especially well on the court.  Fleming says, “Like a quarterback, a volleyball setter must communicate well with her coach in order to execute plays successfully.  One major benefit of having someone as a coach who is also your mother is that communication and expectations are easily understood.”

When Fleming is not playing for the Lady Blue Devils, she attends practices and tournaments in Atlanta to further enhance her skills.  Rarely does a day go by when she is not honing her skills on the volleyball court.

The senior is looking back on her previous three years with great fondness and toward her future with great hope.  Having completed over 4,000 career assists, she has the ability to top her own state record with every new play.

Winning a state championship as a freshman was very special. The challenges, expectations and pressures of leadership will make each of this season’s victories even sweeter.  With a current record of 20-9 and a number three state ranking, there have been many sweet moments.  Even losses demonstrated team strength, having come against opponents in a higher division.

Fleming’s hard work and dedication are paying off, as she may be attending the University of Southern Mississippi on a volleyball scholarship.  She  has not signed with the school but is looking forward to soaring as a Golden Eagle.

“Champions” Has A Good Ring To It!
by Hannah Liss and Olivia Henderson

You are on deck to bat:  bases loaded.  The crowd roars as your teammates wish you "good luck" as you walk down the short path to the batter's box. As you plant your feet and ready your stance, your heart begins to pound as your grip tightens on the bat to take your first swing.  Yet, there is a problem, your hands seem heavy, the grip feels strange; then you realize that you forgot to take off your 2009 state championship ring!

Last year, the Columbus High Lady Blue Devils claimed the state championship trophy after an amazing series against their biggest rival, Northside High School of Columbus. With a team comprised of four outstanding seniors, eight returning starters and talented underclassmen, the Lady Devils had faith from the beginning that they could become State Champion.

With such an awe-inspiring 2009 season, many wonder if the team could win two consecutive state championships.  Is it possible? The answer is yes, this 2010 team has the chance to again become state champion.  This year's team consists of five returning seniors, four juniors, a large number of underclassmen, and three incredible leaders: head coach Ron DiQuattro, and assistant coaches Brad Jiles and Hope Boswell.

The 2010 team is off to a great start. Currently 6-1, the Lady Devils defeated Northside and placed second in the Jordan Invitational Tournament.  Coach Jiles says, "Coming off of the state championship, it is hard not to have high expectations.  However, so far, everyone has displayed humility, even while playing great softball."  Coach Jiles exemplifies the idea that the team is not solely dependent on previous accomplishments, but rather their love for the game and the willingness to work hard.

Although she has high hopes of becoming a state champion again, senior first baseman Joy Beth Williams says, “We don’t think about it.  We have great talent, but we need to take it step by step. This year is different for us because we have changed regions.  Unlike years past, we don’t know who we are up against and that is an adventure in itself.”

Superstitious like many other championship teams, the Lady Devils continue to carry on their pregame rituals.  Williams says, “Before every game, we stretch, put on eye-black, huddle around our catcher, grab a piece of her hair and recite the Lord’s Prayer.  Then, we spit over our right shoulders and chant ‘Blue Hell.’”  

Mercer University-bound starting pitcher Chandler Padgett knows the importance of senior leadership and team dedication. She says, “If we play our game, we can go as far as we want to go. Each and every member of our team is talented, but we could not do it without our sensational coaches.  They are always helpful and motivating.  We can always look to them for guidance.”

As you take your 2009 state championship ring off to start a brand-new season, you are reminded of the hard work and dedication it takes to win. However, you keep in mind that every team starts with the same record, and the months ahead will be filled with new challenges.  You realize this is another opportunity to prove to yourself that you can dig down deep and contribute to your teammates when others are ready to quit.  As the ball approaches, you eye it with intensity.  As you feel that beautiful sting of impact, the crack echoes the thoughts in your head. As you begin to run to first base, your feet take their first steps on the road to the state title.