Bowling taking off for Blaze
Elementary school bowling entered its second week and the community is supporting the Clinton Blaze’s newest sport.
While bowling has taken off for the student-athletes but parents are helping with the league and Clinton City Schools athletic director E.T. Stamey said that the parents are now taking up the sport.
“I talked to the guy who rents shoes [at the Clinton Community Center and he said that they’ve seen people come in and bowl that they’ve never seen before,” Stamey said. “The parents are coming to the meet and they’re willing to come and help.”
The Turkeys won last week’s meet with an average score of 89. The Pinheads took second (70), followed by The Walking Tacos (69); The Green Machine (51); Strike and Spare (44); Jack’s Hammers (36); Lightning Strikes (29); Blazing Strikes (27) and DOT (26).
Team leaders included: Emily Silcox (Lightning Strikes, 41); Shea Cooper (Strike and Spare, 69); Raymond Gray (The Pinheads, 109); Jackson McGhee (Blazing Strikes, 49); Callie Johnson (DOT, 60); Jackson Barrett (The Turkeys, 120); Jack Wilson (Jack’s Hammers, 63); Dallas Beets (The Walking Tacos, 88) and Fletcher Kitts (The Green Machine, 63).
Upcoming Schedule: The bowlers will be off this week as it is Spring Break. Competition will resume next week (March 27) at the Clinton Community Center.
Team Captains: Each of the nine bowling teams in the league has named a captain.
The captains are: Emily Silcox (Lightning Strikes); Shea Cooper (Strike and Spare); Jared Johnson (The Pinheads); Addison Toler (Blazing Strikes); Callie Johnson (DOT); Jackson Barrett (The Turkeys); Jack Wilson (Jack’s Hammers); Keaton Cook (The Walking Tacos) and Brock Green (The Green Machine).
Blaze bowling sponsors will include Bingham Tire, Melton Heating and Air, C &D Desktop Publishing and Clinton Drug Store.
Soccer Clinic: The Clinton City Schools Soccer Clinic is back for the spring semester.
After a successful fall clinic, Knoxville soccer pro Chris Carroll decided to come back for the spring.
The clinic has sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Clinton City Schools high school football stadium.
Players in grades 1-3 meet on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. The clinic for players in grades 4-6 is on Fridays at 3:30 p.m.
Players should wear athletic clothing with tennis shoes or soccer cleats and balls will be provided for players during the clinic sessions.
Sessions began earlier this month but new players, both boys and girls are still welcome to sign up.
The clinic will emphasize all areas of the game including rules, speed, agility, soccer skills and techniques, coordination, teamwork and sportsmanship.
The clinic provides players with the opportunity to improve upon their game and also serves as another way for young players to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
For more information about the clinic, contact Carroll at info@carrollsportsacademies.com.
Cross Country Tryouts: Stamey said that the Blaze will conduct cross country tryouts sometime in March.
Track clinic and meet set for April: Clinton High School will host a track clinic for the Blaze on April 18 at the Clinton High School track. The camp will be run and instructed by the Dragons track coaching staff and athletes and Stamey noted that the elementary school athletes would compete in a meet following the clinic.
The Blaze’s inaugural track season will begin in March. Teri Kerley will coach the team this spring. The track team is open to student athletes in grades 1-6. Practice sessions will be held at Clinton Elementary School and at the Clinton Community Football Stadium. Practices will be held Mondays and Thursdays from 3-4 p.m. The season will begin after Spring Break.
Clinton student-athletes can also participate in the Knoxville Youth Athletics summer program upon completion of the school year.
CCS intern Mary Kate Longmire will serve as Kerley’s assistant coach. Longmire is a former track athlete at Lincoln Memorial University.
Registration fee for the Blaze track team is $15. Those athletes wishing to compete in the summer program will have to register directly with Knoxville Youth Athletics. Fee is $45. If athletes register before April 1 will receive a $5 discount.
Blaze Basketball Camps: Stamey recently announced that the Blaze and Lady Blaze will host basketball camps in May at the Clinton Elementary School Gym.
The boys camp will be held May 6-8 and the girls camp will be May 20-22.
Camp is open to rising third, fourth and fifth graders. Cost is $60 and the camps will stress fundamentals.
The boys camp will be run by coaches Jeff Little and Garrett Little. New coaches Christin Webb and Lauren Murphy will run the girls camp.
Camp sessions will be from 3-5 p.m.
The Lady Blaze went 15-3 last year while the boys went 13-5.
