Don writes in…

We open up next Tuesday vs MLK. We return 22 players from last year’s team that advanced to the state semi-finals. We are looking to defend our Area A title and expect stiff competition from St. Pius and Marist again this year.

Schedule highlights include road trips to Florida and Tennessee to face out-of-state powerhouses Creekside (Jacksonville) and McCallie (Chattanooga). Our captains are seniors Simeon Johnson, Nathan Wilinski, Ben Rigger and Branford Frison.  Wes Hatfield returns as Head Coach.

More info including this year’s schedule HERE.

TeeRuss sends along this announcement…

The Atlanta Rough Riders fastpitch softball league, located at Glen G. Orth field (behind the First Baptist Church of Decatur on Clairmont), is open for registration for the Spring season.  The league has been growing in recent years into one of the most vibrant in and around Decatur, and now has 4 age divisions for girls between the ages of 5-18 years old.  The league also works closely with City of Decatur Youth Athletics and City Schools of Decatur softball programs, to help our girls gain skills, experience, and a love for the game.  We welcome participants of all skill and experience levels, and offer a full league schedule, skills clinics, and new this year, we will be organizing “select” teams for our upper age divisions.

Registration is open through January 25^th.  More information and online registration can be found at the league website, arrbc.com.

Douglas sends along this announcement…

The Decatur-Dekalb YMCA Soccer Club is holding spring tryouts for its soccer program this weekend. These tryouts are open to any Academy or Select age kids who are not currently playing academy or select soccer somewhere.

Saturday, Jan. 12 at Pattillo Park
U9/U10 boys & girls – 11:30 to 1 p.m.
U11/U12 & older boys & girls – 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 13 at Pattillo Park
U9/U10 boys & girls – 2:30 to 4 p.m.
U11/U12 & older boys & girls – 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Pattillo Park is located at 1500 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain, Ga. 30083, at the corner of Mountain Industrial Boulevard and East Ponce de Leon Avenue. For more information, please vist the DDYSC website at http://www.ddysoccer.org.

On The Same Page is running (pun intended) a two-part fundraiser to benefit Our House as well as On The Same Page, Decatur’s community-wide reading program.

This year’s book, Louis Sachar’s Holes, tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a kid who seems destined to the whims of a family curse when he is sentenced to a youth detention camp after being wrongly accused of stealing a baseball star’s shoes — shoes that had been donated to a charity auction. The fundraisers are based on this theme.

First, there is a shoe drive. Please bring new and gently used shoes to Little Shop before November 3rd. Those will all be given to families at Our House. This is already off to a great start. (Thanks, Fleet Feet!)

In addition, On The Same Page is auctioning off shoes worn by Atlanta Braves players Freddie Freeman, Tommy Hanson, Chipper Jones, and Kris Medlen. Click here for details and links to the ebay auction sites. The shoes are currently on display at Little Shop. The auction ends this Sunday, November 4th.

Feel free to tell everyone you know!

Did you know DeKalb had two Olympic medalists at this year’s Olympic Games in London? Did you know you can meet them both on the Square this evening at 6pm?

Both big winners in Track and Field, DeeDee Trotter won gold and bronze track-and-field medals in the 4x400m and 400m, respectively, while Angelo Taylor won a silver track-and-field medal in the 4x400m, according to a recent Champion Newspaper write-up.

DeeDee Trotter photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Angelo Taylor