William Cal Hardie of Breman, Ga.

BOAZ – Five Snead State Community College athletes were recognized for their academic success by the NJCAA.

 “Academics are such a critical aspect of the college experience at Snead, and our athletes are held to a high standard of academic excellence because of that. It’s important for our student-athletes to excel on the field or on the court, but it’s more important for them to excel in the classroom,” said Snead State President Dr. Robert Exley. “I congratulate these athletes for their hard work and dedication to their studies. I look forward to finding out just how far their Snead State education will take them in their endeavors.”

 “I was delighted to hear of the recognitions earned by this group of Snead State students. Many of our faculty has commented to me that this is an indication that our athletes are students first. I congratulate the students and applaud the efforts of their coaches to encourage academic achievement,” said Chief Academic Officer Dr. Larry Miller.

 The NJCAA recognized 1,470 student-athletes who met the requirements for Academic All- Americans. Five Snead State athletes were awarded this honor.

 Superior Academic Achievement (GPA 3.8 or higher)

• William Cal Hardie of Breman, Ga. William played on the baseball team. He is majoring in business and will continue his education at Shorter College in the fall.

 Exemplary Academic Achievement (GPA 3.6 or higher)

• Meagan Box of Addision. Meagan played volleyball. She is transferring to Athens State University majoring in secondary math education.
• James Alex Edwards of Marietta, Ga., He was a baseball player, and his major is engineering. He will transfer to Georgia Southern this fall.
• Kimberly McIntyre of Harvest. She was a Lady Parson Volleyball player and plans to play volleyball at Reinhardt University. She is a biology major.
• Travis Salyers of Woodstock, Ga. He played baseball and is majoring in engineering. He will continue his education in the fall at Georgia Southern.

 Head Baseball Coach Gerry Ledbetter and Head Volleyball Coach Lisa Bright praised their athletes for their academic achievements.

 “When Dr. Exley first came to Snead as the President, he encouraged us to recruit athletes who showed excellence on the field and in the classroom. These three student athletes are examples of making his encouragement a reality. I consider it a privilege and pleasure to have these young men as a part of our team, our community, and the Snead State family,” said Coach Ledbetter.

 “I am very proud of both Meagan and Kim. They both worked extremely hard day in and day out to achieve this award, and they have a very bright future ahead of them. I look forward to seeing what all they can achieve at the next level both in the classroom and on the court for Kim,” said Coach Bright.

 The 2010-2011 season marks the 28^th year the NJCAA has recognized the success of its student-athletes in the classroom. With minimal changes, the NJCAA academic awards program has been in place since 1983. 

Alaska to Alabama

By Charlie Potter

Snead State Community College

            The distance from Eagle Creek, Alaska, to Boaz, Ala., is over 3,500 miles. That is the distance that Alicia Poole traveled to reach the campus of Snead State Community College, where she currently plays for the Lady Parsons’ basketball team. Being that far away from home, Alicia came face-to-face with several cultural changes.

            Obviously, the two states are very different in many aspects, and Alicia was quick to point that out. The climates of Alabama and Alaska each have their own powerful season; Alabama possesses overwhelming summers and Alaska has cruel winters. Alicia experienced a complete turnaround from the weather that she was used to.

Then, in regard to sports, the South is known worldwide for “worshipping” on two days of the week - football on Saturday and Jesus on Sunday. Football is king here in Alabama, and no other sport comes close. On the other hand, Alaska – being so close to Canada – is a hockey paradise; the climate does not allow for many other sports. Frozen ponds make a great location for local pickup games, and every town has an ice rink instead of a recreational center.

With Alaska’s weather being so harsh and cold, there is not much business for fast food restaurants. Alabama is quite the opposite. Alicia is taking advantage of a main road laden with restaurant after restaurant. Having an endless array of meal choices at her fingertips is something that Alicia was not used to in Alaska, but it is something that a newcomer to Sand Mountain can easily become accustomed to.

One common ground that Alabamians and Alaskans stand on is the pastime of fishing. Alicia said that people “fish a lot in Alaska, and people like to fish here too.”

It is always great to find something similar to your home state in an unfamiliar place, but homesickness is inevitable with over 3,500 miles between yourself and your home. Alicia has faced homesickness a lot during her tenure at Snead State.

“I miss the mountains that I was surrounded by every day. They are so beautiful,” Alicia said.

New friends and acquaintances have eased the process for her, but the absence of her Alaskan friends and family make the journey difficult. Nonetheless, Alicia Poole has weathered the storm to continue her athletic career at the collegiate level, and officials at Snead State Community College could not be happier to have her on its team and campus.