One Goal Away
by Ashley King , Jamar Feggins and Marlette Wilber

Very few high school sports teams encounter a phenomenon in the form of a team player who is an extraordinary athlete with the desire to put his team first. Demetrius “Meet” Battle embodies these qualities and has the ability to take the Jordan High soccer team to new heights.

Battle is a four-year veteran for the boys soccer team, playing stopper and sweeper.  His interest in soccer developed in seventh grade, when his middle school technology teacher motivated him to become involved. “Playing this sport reminds me of football, which is my heart’s passion,” Battle says.  “It’s just as fun and serves as a positive outlet during the offseason.”

The keys to his success are his speed, agility, sports IQ and knowledge of pivotal soccer fundamentals, coupled with his drive and determination.

Battle also excels in the classroom. “Once he sees what needs to be done, he accomplishes it,” says Susan Wier, who teaches environmental science at Jordan. “Demetrius knows what he wants in life and with his easygoing demeanor and friendly persona, he’ll go far.” Wier adds that because of his fun-loving vibe, “Demetrius can get along with any and everybody. This quality carries over into sports.”

Battle performs on the field and inspires his teammates to do the same.  Coach Wes Wilson says, “Demetrius always gives 100 percent. He positively affects the team’s dynamic and motivates them. The work ethic, drive and leadership abilities that he demonstrates can only be described as amazing. He is the type of player you would want on any team.”

With the new season underway, Battle has a positive outlook. “This time around, we have some new players that are truly dedicated and committed. Our chances of winning and beating the odds are great, and we will make things happen. If we stay dedicated and practice, I know we can be a force to reckon with in our region.”

Battle’s number one tip for those interested in learning how to play soccer is to never give up. “Remember to work hard because ultimately, practice makes perfect,” he says.

Coach Wilson says it has been a blessing to coach Battle for the past four years. After high school, Battle plans to attend college and take his game to the next level.

The Dynamic Duo
by Ashley King, Marlette Wilbur and Jasmine Jones

It’s often said that two heads are better than one and the Lady Red Jackets basketball team sees that adage manifest itself every day. Eleventh-grade powerhouses Tiouana Griggs and Latannica Borders work together to get players going and flowing. With such drive, hard work and will to win, Griggs and Borders have been dubbed JVHS’s Dynamic Duo.

Griggs plays guard, forward and center for her team.  A third-year veteran for the Lady Red Jackets, her inspiration for playing comes from her mother and Candace Parker.  Griggs enjoys playing the game and being with her teammates. “My key to success is ultimately me just being me and doing what needs to be done,” she says. Coach Williams says Griggs is an “unselfish player” and a true academic athlete who steadily strives to learn more and improve her craft. When difficulties arise, Griggs perseveres by working diligently to overcome obstacles. “Don’t quit because it gets you nowhere” are her words of wisdom.

Borders plays point guard for JVHS. Also a third-year veteran on the team, Borders finds inspiration for playing through her loved ones and Coach Foster.  Borders has been playing basketball since fourth grade and says it’s a game she is still passionate about. When obstacles occur, she remains positive and pushes through. That’s Borders’s key to success. Head coach Anson Hundley sees her as a leader who dedicates her time to the team. “You’ve got to really want to play this game,” Borders advises anyone who wishes to learn the game. “You must never give up.”

Griggs and Borders positively affect the team dynamic. Coach Hundley says both girls work hard during practice and in the game. “Giving up is never an option,” Hundley says. “With these changes and upgrading to a more up-tempo style of basketball, Griggs and Borders are adjusting well. Both girls keep the team going whenever their spirits grow weary. Tiouana and Latannica motivate the girls to want more and excel.”

Griggs believes that staying on top of her game makes a difference. “If I don’t do my part, it affects the team,” she says. Therefore, Griggs makes sure to do her part and inspire her teammates to keep going and play their best.  Borders adds that leadership skills make a difference. Borders and Griggs both step in and get the girls in shape and ready for game time.

Griggs and Borders hope to finish the season with wins and become the team to beat. Hundley says, “With this new up-tempo approach, the Lady Red Jackets basketball team will become more competitive. In understanding and mastering how to play this way, the girls will be victorious.”

Next year, both young ladies will return to the team and exceed all expectations. Both girls have full-size game plans that include attending college on scholarships and being successful.

Short Leads the Way
by Amber Ludgood and Marqueis Pounds

“The only team that can beat us is Jordan High School,” says Harry Short about the upcoming basketball season. Short, the Jordan Red Jackets team captain, has worked hard to help his team succeed.

Short did not know he had the skills and potential for basketball until he started playing as an 11-year-old at the Boys and Girls Club under coach Antonio Pace. He continued to play after being motivated by his family and friends. Short is now able to help his teammates with their weaknesses, and he sometimes offers advice about how to improve on and off the court.  Motivating underclassmen is not something Short thought he would ever be in a position to do, but he is an inspiration to his teammates.

Someone once said that in order to have a great player, one needs an even greater coach.  Head coach Gerald Turner has played a big role in Short’s high school basketball career.  Short says that Turner pushes him in everything he does, regardless of his performance. Turner’s “run and gun” philosophy involves running his players extensively so that other teams will struggle in their efforts to keep pace.

Assisting Turner is Anson Hundley, whose approach to the game complements that of Turner. Short says Hundley has a slower pace and focuses on teaching the fundamentals of basketball to the players.

Short says the memories of his experience with Jordan’s basketball program include Turner’s passionate courtside coaching and how Turner doesn’t change his style or approach to the game for anyone. Turner, who has been working with Short since his freshman year, has helped Short to overcome many obstacles in basketball. Short says that if he had one wish, he would like to start over and begin his freshman year again because he wasn’t as focused then as he is now.

Short gets especially pumped every year for the competitive Carver and Kendrick games.   Short says those two teams are the biggest challenges that the Red Jackets face each year.  Short and his teammates step up their play for those games and enjoy the challenge.   This year, Short has his eye on another state championship.  Short was a freshman when Jordan won the 2007 state championship title.  “It was so much fun and so exciting to be a part of that!” he says.

Basketball is definitely in Short’s post high school plans.  He is interested in attending and playing for Troy State University.  Short is working toward his goal by maintaining good grades in his classes at Jordan.  His favorite teacher is Susan Wier, who teaches science courses and helps him focus on his studies.

Jordan Red Jackets Cross Country
by Kiara Hicks and Marqueis Pounds

Coaches often use the phrase “practice makes perfect” as part of their motivational speeches and athletes repeat it to themselves while they push their bodies to the limits. The Red Jackets cross country team seems to have embraced that philosophy.  Working hard, staying focused and giving their all are the principles that defined their 2010 season.  

Head coach Russell Scott has consistently been impressed by their overall work ethic.  They seemed to really have adopted Scott’s belief that hard work offers great reward.   Scott believes that just showing up for practice isn’t enough.  Real rewards are gained from real effort.

Scott puts as much hard work and determination into coaching as his team puts into running.  Scott breaks the season into stages. Light, easy runs early in the season are followed by a significant increase in miles as the season progresses. Finally, as the city, region, and state meets approach, the runners taper off in terms of distance, pay careful attention to their diets and focus on staying injury free.  Scott can empathize with his runners because he often runs with them, offering support during practices.

Junior Jeanicee Bruce particularly likes “buddy” running.  At practice, runners choose partners.  Partners are selected based on each runner’s time.  Runners with lower times are chosen by runners with faster times.  This pairing technique motivates slower runners to compete with faster runners.   It proved to be a successful strategy with almost all runners achieving their personal bests this season.

The Red Jackets weren’t without challenges this season, and their most formidable enemy was the weather.  The heat was unrelenting during the early part of the season.  Staying hydrated and avoiding cramps were priorities.  The best weather of the season was around the time of the city meet with cooler, more average temperatures.  By the state meet in November, it was downright cold.

Coach Scott’s top male runners are junior David Sobasky and sophomores Tony Palmer, Nigel Dixon, Arzayvian Smith, Javon Morris, Chan Chang and Delvante Riggins. Scott hopes that they will return later this year for track and again next year for another cross country season. The female top runners are freshman Kiara Davis and juniors Hannah Brewster and Jeanicee Bruce.

The region meet offered the most success for the Red Jackets.   The boys placed first and the girls followed in second place.  The girls achieved their personal bests of the season at the state meet in Carrollton and the boys finished in the top 20.

Scott’s goals for next year include region championships for both teams.

Horde Finds Success On and Off the Field
by A. Lewis, Ant Walton and Jeremy Lewis • photography by Ant Walton and Jeremy Lewis

Shifting from cheerleading to softball was an exciting transition for Jordan High School senior Adriana Horde.  “I actually got kind of bored with cheerleading so when I was seven years old, I started playing Little League softball,” Horde says.

Horde started playing third base and excelled at that position. One day at practice, coach Johnny Valero saw her pitch.  Valero worked with Horde and helped develop and perfect her pitching skill. It didn’t take long for Horde to know she had found her niche.

When asked about people in her life who have been inspirational, Horde gives her mother, Tychell Wisdom, much of the credit.  Horde is quick to say that her mother inspires her both on and off the field by coming to every game and by being tough when it comes to keeping good grades.  Wisdom, who played basketball for Central High School, believes that academics come first.   

Horde’s softball career at Jordan began in ninth grade, but it was during her sophomore and junior seasons under coach Wes Wilson when she found her groove. Horde led the 2009 team in batting with a .425 average.  She also led the team in RBIs.  

Horde was named team captain this year, a position she took seriously. “I feel the biggest responsibility a team captain has is to stay positive, even when it’s not going the way you would like for it to, and to always work hard,” Horde says. “I have always tried to be a good role model for my teammates, especially the younger players.  It’s not always easy but it’s the right thing to do.”  

Working hard and staying positive translates off the field and into the classroom. Horde maintains a 3.5 grade point average and loves math. She would like to attend a post-secondary school that has a good softball program.  

In addition to softball, Horde loves hot wings, shopping and working at Wendy’s. She enjoys the music of Chris Brown and can’t name a favorite teacher.  “I really have liked all of my teachers here at Jordan,” she says.  

Summing up his experiences with Horde, current Jordan softball coach Robert Harris says, “She is a skill player.  She has the best attitude.  Any frustration she ever exhibits on the field is related to lack of effort by her teammates.  Give me ten of Adriana any day.”

Lady Red Jackets: Making It Happen On And Off The Court
by Jeanicee Bruce, Kiara Hicks, Meagan Whitehead

It’s a new year for the Jordan Lady Red Jackets, which means new faces and new attitudes. Last year, the girls had an excellent year due to key players coming through when they needed to.

Sharing her opinion of the team’s ability to repeat the success, head coach Tammie Barnes says: “There is excellent potential among the girls this year, but it’s almost like starting over from scratch having had several seniors graduate and move on.  This year the focus is going to be on creating a positive team attitude and taking our game to a whole new level. I’m positive that based on the good attitudes these girls have that we are going to make it.”

As the 2010 season began, the program faced some challenges. Early on, the girls doubted their skills and wondered what the season held for them. “The girls really believed that we weren’t going to make it happen this year because we started off on a bad note,” Barnes says.  Practice by practice and game by game that defeatist attitude has changed. The Lady Red Jackets rose to the top, ranking number one in their region.

Junior Shaunese Billups says, “I think Coach Barnes is serious when it comes to game time. She is like a coach and a mother all at the same time. We all love her.”

Team captains Kristina Snead and Donedra Williams believe that being a captain requires working hard, being active and alert, and having the heart to get things done when the going is tough. They agree they have learned much during the past three years of playing. Learning a sport is one thing, but refining skills takes time.

A player who knows about being tough and working hard is junior Latannica Borders. She has to work very hard because she’s small in stature, but she hasn’t let that stop her from becoming one of the team’s highest jumpers. Junior Tiounna Griggs is an amazing blocker and setter, proving herself as the team’s MVP. Freshman Teeda Soeun says, “Volleyball is fun, sweaty and competitive. I look up to the seniors and hope to improve over the next three years.”

While other teams in the area have larger teams with members playing only one position, the Lady Red Jackets are all over the court. Everyone has to come together and be willing to learn multiple positions when you are small in number, which is something the Lady Red Jackets have adapted to.  Being the best they can be and not making excuses is the mindset that Barnes instills in her team.

“This is more than a job,” says Barnes. “I love teaching and coaching.  I want to take it further than the volleyball court.  I want us to be the best we can possibly be, on and off the court.  I tell this team to believe in themselves and to realize that there is strength in numbers.  We win as a team and we lose as a team.  It’s not about any one of us – it’s about ALL of us. This team is a family. We argue and talk about each other, but we’re still a family and a team at the end of the day.”

Passion for Football
by Chelsey Crouch, Amber Ludgood, Victoria Pitts

To the average person, football is merely a competitive sport in which two teams try to get the most touchdowns. At Jordan High School, football takes on a whole new meaning. It is more than a sport – it is a passion.

Behind the passion at Jordan are head football coach Dave Nurnberg and assistant coaches Josh Neal, Wes Wilson and Ken Wojciechowski, also known as “Wojo.”

Student athletes are asked to juggle sports and academics. Making the grades during sports seasons can be difficult, but the expectations for Jordan football players are clear. When it comes to priorities, Coach Wilson says, “The players’ main priorities should be their grades, work ethic and winning, because if you have the grades you have a foundation to stand on and if you have the proper work ethic you will succeed."

It’s not only the players that have to set and achieve goals. The Red Jackets coaches also set expectations for themselves, beginning with an understanding of what they are trying to accomplish this season.

Coach Neal's coaching philosophy is to "practice like you plan to play!" In order to play successfully, one must practice successfully.  It’s all about being disciplined and attention to detail.

Jordan is striving for a program built on a standard of excellence, both on and off the field. The Red Jackets motto is: Never accept less than 100%. No excuses!

Having this tough, no-nonsense approach among coaches has influenced the attitude of the players. While some players admit it can be difficult, especially in the heat, they know their efforts will benefit them later in life.

Coach Nurnberg stresses the importance of positive character traits that football athletes learn.  Hard work, self-sacrifice and self-discipline on the field translate off the field.

Coach Wojo wholeheartedly agrees that a well-developed football program teaches how to achieve goals through hard work, lessons that can last a lifetime.

It really is a team effort – from coaches and players to administration and faculty – with everyone playing a significant role in the process of preparing athletes for football and for life after high school.  The positive effect of the Jordan Adopt-A-Player program is evident.  In its second year, the program allows teachers to “adopt” a football player and then have weekly meetings to monitor grades, offer encouragement and provide snacks for game days – the part the players enjoy the most!

Having parents, teachers and administrators attend games means a great deal to the players. It takes commitment from everyone within the school to develop a winning program.  With this kind of attitude, good things are expected from the Jordan Red Jackets.