Cody Clark’s value to the North Oconee High School boys soccer team was especially evident in the Titans’ final – and most important – game of the season. Clark, a junior and the team’s best defender, was handed a straight red card with 27 minutes remaining in the state semifinal match at Greater Atlanta Christian School. Without Clark on the field, GAC scored two goals in an eventual 2-0 victory. “It's very, very difficult to lose our best defender,” North Oconee coach David Van Wyck said. It was Clark who spearheaded the Titans’ defensive efforts in a record and memorable season. They …

Athletes face the possibility of injuries every time they step onto the playing field. However, it is the true competitors with an unwavering love for the game that persevere and come back season after season, game after game, with the same competitive drive, regardless of the risk of injury. Katlin Stephens, a senior at Athens Academy, has experienced her fair share of injuries throughout her soccer career. Stephens’s coach, Steve Stewart, said that the athlete’s position as goalkeeper causes her to hit the ground a lot and creates collisions that attribute to her injuries. “She had a bad …

It is a testament not only to a player’s game, but also his character when a team votes anonymously for the player they believe should be nominated for recognition on the team. Jakob Sullins, a 13-year-old soccer standout at Clarke Middle School, was chosen by his peers as the star athlete nominee on his Oconee County Parks and Recreation U14 Knights soccer team. It is obvious that one of the main qualities considered when the team chose their star athlete was leadership.  “[Sullins] has had leadership qualities off the field. He doesn’t talk much, but when he does he always has positive …

Having a player that is dependable on both ends of the field is hard to come by. Simerjit Kaur (Simmy), a fourth grader at High Shoals Elementary, has the enviable ability to be a reliable force on both sides of the soccer field. In a recent game, Kaur assisted on two goals in the first half and played defense the second half without allowing the other team a shot on goal, according to coach Penn Hurst. Creating opportunities for the goals and limiting the opportunities for the opposing team, Kaur led her team to a 2-0 victory. “Simmy is an outstanding player. She honestly is one of the best …

When a first year player hits the field with the mentality of refusing defeat, it’s clear that the athlete is going to excel. Cheney Sibley, a fourth grade home-schooled student, has started her soccer career with this attitude and it’s paying off. Although she’s new to the sport, spectators would think she’s a veteran as Sibley has scored in every game this season except for one, according to her mother, Carla Sibley. “[Cheney] doesn’t like to be beat, which I think helps her excel,” Sibley’s mother said. As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect,” and it seems as though Cheney is well on …

Some athletes freeze in the face of a tough contender, while others thrive off of the competition and play their best. Keller Barks, a sixth-grade basketball star at Malcom Bridge Middle School, has this competitive drive. “Big time athletes have to play big in big time games, and I’ve seen that over and over with Keller. Her best games are on the biggest stages,” Michael Palmer, Barks' coach said. With this will to win, Barks, a point guard, always plays to the buzzer no matter what the scoreboard reads. “[In] this day and age you don’t find too many kids who play to the score of the …

It is a true testament to an athlete’s knowledge of the game and overall talent when he or she is able to pinpoint his or her opponent’s weakness and capitalize on it. Victoria Ondo, a senior tennis player at Oconee County High School, has developed this trade and utilized it to lead her to a season record of 21-0 as the #1 singles player on the team. Until now, Oconee County has never had a female tennis player at #1 with that kind of record, according to Dan Gruetter, Ondo’s high school tennis coach. “This year she has had a break through year,” Gruetter said. “She developed the ability to …

We’ve all heard the saying “age is just a number.” And when it comes to sports, as athletes get older and begin to compete at higher levels they tend to play opponents a few years older than themselves. However, there are very few young, middle school athletes that can say they have competed with college-aged kids and held their own. James Corasaniti, a seventh grader at Athens Christian School who just recently turned 13, is no stranger to the big leagues of soccer as he has always played up. “This year he is playing u16; he is the youngest player out there. He has played u19 and those …

Being the player with the strongest foot that coaches and teammates alike depend on is every aspiring soccer star’s dream. Whether it is a strong foot as a striker scoring goals, having the power to get the ball out of the backfield as a defender, or the strength to punt it down the field as a goalie, all players long to have the special touch. For extraordinary athletes like Emma Richwine, an 8-year-old Rocky Branch Elementary student, her powerful leg is her best attribute, allowing her to be a versatile player by playing defense, center midfield, and goalie. Richwine’s talent has already …

Most tennis stars would agree that speed is a key part of a player’s game. Having the speed and agility to run down any shot separates the good players from the great players. When Spencer Powell, a senior at North Oconee High School, hits the court, his opponents have a tough time getting the ball past him as his speed drives his game. “There isn’t a ball he can’t get to,” his coach, Candace Vadeboncoer, said. Powell’s speed has made him quite the impressive tennis ace as Vadeboncoer adds that there isn’t a play that the athlete can’t make. This speed also translates to the basketball court …

It would only seem natural for the son of a collegiate men’s golf coach to grow up on the green with a set of clubs over his shoulder.  However, that was not the case for Charlie Haack, a junior at North Oconee High School and son of Chris Haack, the men’s golf coach at the University of Georgia. “I didn’t actually start playing until the day before tryouts of my freshman year,” Charlie said. “My father never pushed me to play. Now he’ll give me tips, but pretty much lets me do my own thing.”  The late start would come as a surprise to most spectators as Charlie has swung his way to playing …

The North Oconee High School varsity boys' soccer team has gotten off to a great start this season. The Titans are currently 6-1-2 overall and 3-0 in region play. Anthony DiFrancesco, a junior forward on the squad, has been a big reason for the team's success.   Born in Gibsonville, NC in 1993 to Art and Marie DiFrancesco, Anthony developed a love for soccer at a young age. "He chose soccer over ice hockey," Art DiFrancesco recalls. "Soccer is all he does." When the family moved to Georgia, Anthony began to hone his skills in the North Atlanta Soccer Association, where he currently plays club…

Having the right attitude and putting forth the right amount of effort are key components in achieving success. Drew Brady, an 11-year-old Oconee County Middle School student, is applauded by coaches for not only his tremendous athleticism, but also his dependable positive mentality and always giving 100 percent. “Besides his obvious talent, the things that I love about Drew are his attitude and work ethic,” his coach, Darron Britt said. “He is a quiet kid that shows up to practice with a positive attitude ready to go to work.” Drew has been playing baseball for seven years, four with the …

Coaches of early levels often rotate players through many different positions so they may gain experience at each and ultimately determine where they will be most effective. This exposure helps young athletes learn the game from each position, contributing to their overall understanding of the sport. Connor Hatch, an 11-year-old fifth grader at Athens Academy, had to adapt to a position change this year on his basketball team as he moved from point guard to small forward. Previously playing with a distributing-the-ball mentality, Connor had to switch his frame of mind to a put-it-in-the-…

Having your father as an Olympic basketball player can put added pressure on a young athlete to live up to the name. Alex Deltchev, an 11-year-old 5th grader at Athens Academy and son of Penio Delchev, an Olympic athlete, seems to be following in his father’s footsteps playing hoops; but the aforementioned pressures do not seem to be getting in the way of this superstar’s future. “Alex has taken tremendous strides in the last two years,” Chris Pittard, Alex’s coach, said. “There is no comparison to what he was in December of 2009 to the fantastic post player he has become today.” As the 5’5” …

Basketball coaches at the highest levels of competition often boast about finding a “complete player.” A rarity, this player has the ability to produce on offense and is just as capable of turning around and making big plays on defense, all while exhibiting good character and being a leader for their teammates. What’s even more unheard of is finding a young athlete who already encompasses these characteristics and has an innate ability to shine. Jace Bonds, an 11-year-old 5th grader at Oconee County Elementary, is already considered to be one of these quality athletes. A leader on his team …