By Jeff Ireland
This past school year the Munford High School boys’ and girls’ soccer teams found plenty of success on the field.
The girls took second in the District 13-AAA Tournament and advanced to the Region 7-AAA Tournament. The boys finished second in the regular season district standings and played one of the toughest schedules around.
Kyle Selby, who coaches both teams, was certainly proud of how his teams, both in their first year of existence, played.
But what he was particularly proud of was how his players performed in the classroom.
Both teams were recently honored by the TSSAA. The Lady Cougars, thanks to a team GPA of 3.49, received the Outstanding Academic Award, the first ever at Munford High School. Thanks to a team GPA of 3.18, the boys became just the second MHS squad to receive the Excellent Academic Award.
Selby said coaches, administrators, teachers and athletes worked together to earn the recognition.
“Academics excellence is first at Munford High School … We work together as a team to make sure that everyone is excelling in the classroom,” said Selby. “Winning, of course, means a lot to everyone, but that will not overshadow the fact that if we do not work hard in the classroom, then everything we accomplish on the field goes for nothing.”
The word student-athlete is thrown around a lot these days by coaches and members of the media. Selby and his staff take the term seriously. He uses a spreadsheet to track the GPA of the team, as well as individuals, and keeps in constant contact with all of the players’ teachers.
He said he realizes the time constraints that are put on students who also play a sport.
“In today’s environment, athletes are being pushed to excel on the field for college scholarships,” Selby said. “They have to practice two to three hours per day and as much as 15 to 20 hours a week. If they have jobs to help their families with the costs involved in playing sports and just making it in today’s economy, then they struggle with finding the time to study.”
Last year both Munford soccer teams were able to find the balance between books, soccer and everything else that goes along with being a teenager.
At the college level, and even a few in high school, there have been numerous stories about the dilemma coaches face when a star player is not making it academically. Do you teach a life lesson, or put the best players on the field? Selby said that’s an easy decision for him.
“I really do not have an issue with this due to the fact that I know in my heart that for most of the athletes, these days of playing soccer will just be memories and will not be a part of their careers,” said Selby. “If they do not work hard in the classroom then it will affect their futures in life. I know that some people may be looking at the wins and loses, but they have to know all of the other things that are involved in raising young adults that will be proud of what they have worked hard to accomplish on and off the field.”
Ten Lady Cougars – Lauren Agcanas, Shelby Bampfield, Abby Drexler, Ruth Hull, Maggie Johnson, Brooke Joyce, Mai Nowlin, Alex Selby, Danielle Stagner and Leslie Serrano – were honored for having GPA’s of 3.5 or higher. Nine boys – Dalton Baker, Matt Billings, Jereme Gruber, Ruben Hall, Zach Kurtzman, Jessie Ocampo, Michael Ocampo, Hunter Robbins and Chaz Stoebner – received the honor.
Many of these players will be back next season.
“These student-athletes have worked very hard to do as well as they have with their GPA and on-the-field accomplishments in the first year of soccer at Munford High School,” Selby said. “We have very high goals for the upcoming season and I am sure with their commitment to excel we can reach these goals.”
