Pioneer Playbook

[00:00:53] We have Special Olympics, we have the Warren County Middle School basketball team, we have the Pioneerettes, and of course we have our Boyd High School girls basketball as well. So stay tuned for a jam-packed show. We're so excited. But first, we're here with Special Olympics, the Pioneers. How are y'all feeling today? Pretty good.

[00:01:10] Pretty good. We have Coach Rory D'Armond, Coach Rico, and then we have player Evan. It's just going good. I got to go to their practice last week, a couple of days ago, and they are working hard. Tell us what we have coming up. Ev, what do we have coming up next week, Friday and Saturday? Going down to a pay tournament next week. The state tournament.

[00:01:39] So we're really excited for the state tournament for these guys. Just tell me how you guys have prepared, how you've been practicing, and just what it means to go to the state tournament. So we've been practicing since November, about like every other basketball team, and then we played in the Area 9 basketball tournament. We actually hosted that at the high school here in town.

[00:01:59] And our area is composed of 13 counties of the Upper Cumberland. And so, and we actually play unified. So we have people of all ability levels on our team. And when we go to state tournament, the same as at our high school, we play against other equally skilled teams so that it's just good competition. Enrico, you work them hard at practice. You were running them up and down. We were blowing the whistle.

[00:02:26] So tell me what it means to work these athletes hard and to push them every day at practice. It's always a joy to be able to teach them something and see them, you know, go out there and they can't even do it. And working hard and never complaining. They just go out there and they do it. And we really appreciate all that for they give us when we're out there. Evan, he is high energy. If you see him, he's running up and down the court. He is a big hot man. Evan, how does it feel to be worked at practice too? What does practice feel?

[00:02:56] It's pretty good. I like a little coffee. It's not Franklin tonight. It's been when the night. You're going to Franklin with high school, but we're talking about our practices right now. He's doing really good. It's so me. Do you get tired from Enrico? Does he wear you out? Yeah. Yeah. You were doing push-ups the other day. Why were you doing push-ups? It feels good. I don't know. Push-ups feel good? It feels good. Yes. Yes. So y'all got to go to Washington. That is something major.

[00:03:25] That's the big one there. That is the big one. We are so proud of you guys. So tell us what you did in Washington. So when we went to Washington, D.C., we actually went to Capitol Hill Day to advocate for our government to continue to fund Special Olympics through Unified Champion Schools and the Healthy Athletes Program. So in Tennessee, we have 200 Unified Champion Schools. And these are schools that have made a commitment to be fully inclusive.

[00:03:53] Just like at our high school, we host tournaments at our school for Special Olympics. We have pep rallies and lots of events where we include everyone, which is how we got that. And the Department of Ed actually puts quite a bit of money into that because, you know, inclusive is just best.

[00:04:18] And then on the Healthy Athletes side, that is a program that starts at age two and doesn't stop. So it's a lifelong thing. It's a lifelong thing. And it is a lot about and it's actually funded through CDC. But there's a lot of initiative with that to provide preventative care for our athletes, because a lot of times my athletes don't they don't have the same services, the same quality of care.

[00:04:44] Just being able to move their body, just being able to get active every day like anybody needs to. Right. Love that. And so we were talking about you saw Evan develop through Washington. Tell me about how you've seen him develop as an athlete, as a person, as a person, just everything. You are kind of the hype guy. So when Evan came to us as a freshman, Evan was super shy, didn't want to talk to anybody. And through him being included and being on the basketball team as a manager and things

[00:05:13] like that, it's given him confidence. And through Special Olympics, going to state events, spending the night away from home, all of that. And when we went to Washington, D.C., Evan wrote a speech that he gave to lawmakers when we met with them. We met with we had 11 meetings over the course of two days where Evan shared his story. Yeah. And part of that is, Evan, what do you want to do? What has Special Olympics helped you do?

[00:05:42] Be smart. It has helped you be smart. But what do you want to do next year? You're going to be a senior and what do you want to do? So, we're on the senior. You want to? Okay. Do you want to graduate? Go on. And then what do you want to do? Go on this morning. Not big. Take over here. Go on. After you graduate, what do you want to do? Live on your own. Live on your own. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's crazy.

[00:06:16] He, you know, and before he wasn't talking about long-term goals. Yeah. But going and making him aware that people set those long-term goals and people work and things like that. And it's got a great support system at home. Yes. And so, just that's kind of what that was in a nutshell. Yeah. Rico, how have you seen these players develop throughout just even the short amount of time from November? Well, starting in the beginning, you can see a lot of nervousness. Yeah.

[00:06:44] And as we've gone along, you can see the confidence building. Yeah. And they're asking me, can we have more practices? Wow. And wanting to be out there more and more. And we just appreciate it and everything they accomplish out there. Yeah. So, I got to do interviews with them. And a lot of them were nervous for the state tournament, but they were more excited than nervous, which is typical. Tell me how y'all guys are feeling to go out and do it. Pretty excited. I love to go watch.

[00:07:14] We love to go see our friends because when we go to various state tournaments, we kind of see the same people. Yeah. And tell me about that commitment. We were talking off camera, but tell everyone about the commitment that these guys have made. What can come next after the state tournament? So, this year is a qualifying year for the National Special Olympics. Yeah. So, if we place first or second in state tournament next weekend, then we could possibly get to

[00:07:41] go play and represent Tennessee as Team Tennessee in June of 2026 in Twin Cities, Minnesota. Wow. Yeah. Evan, how does that feel to do that? It feels good. It's a good thing to do that. Pretty good. Feels good. Pretty cool. So, would you be excited to play for Team Tennessee? It'd be bigger than the Pioneers. Yes. The Pioneers. Yep. I felt that. It's a big part that I am boss off today.

[00:08:11] And it's just, I don't know why. Hey. Stay on topic. Stay on topic. Now, I'm in high school. You know that. It's just, it's a good book. So, don't forget you're defending your state championship. Yeah. We're friends right now. Friends right now. We are because last year at state, we got first place, didn't we? Oh, wow. We got second place. No, we got first place last year. The year before that, we got fourth. Fourth place. Fourth place. So, you worked your way up. We have. We're working. Play hard at night. So, actually. Working, working.

[00:08:40] We're going to play. We're going to play hard next weekend, right? Next weekend. Play hard next weekend. Yes. So, we're so excited for you guys. Now, Evan, I want to talk about you getting to play with the high school team. You are going out tonight. How does it feel to play? Feels good. Feels good. Feels good. Feels good. Feels good. Feels good. Like Franklin County. Franklin. Yep. It's Franklin. With us. What do we got to do? Defense, defense. Yes. Y'all have to play defense.

[00:09:08] How has Special Olympics helped play with the Pioneers? It shows. And Coach Fish. Coach Fish is my coach. You know, you know that. Yeah. It's good. Boys play good last Friday. Boys play good last Friday? Last Friday. Okay, yeah. So, it just kind of helps me a bit better. Yeah. I'm going to get them. I'm going to beat, so. It's not going to be hard. Right. Has Special Olympics helped you be a better teammate for the Pioneers and for those guys? Yeah.

[00:09:38] Yeah. I was doing good. I don't know about that. This is just how you get me started. So, I'll both win. I'll both win. Lose games. We win games, so. Yes. All right. Let's go hard tomorrow. I'm going to night. But you're going to be state champs for Special Olympics. Yeah. Yeah. Because we win. You got to run it in a little bit? I'll get beans tonight and see what's going on. See what's going on. So, anything else you want to add? Tell Warren County, tell us. I know we're talking about opening ceremonies. Tell everyone where we can watch you, where at, what time.

[00:10:07] So, next Friday, we will have opening ceremonies at 2 p.m. at Allen Arena on the David Lipscomb Campus. And then this year, I actually got an email after I talked to you the other day. They are doing away with screening games. And so, our tournament will actually start at 4 p.m. on Friday. I don't know what time we will play, Friday or Saturday. But there's no cost. If anybody wants to make that short trip to Lipscomb, come find us and watch and support these guys. I know that they would appreciate it. I'm going to be a part of that, too.

[00:10:37] Yep. You're going to be a part of that. Yeah. I don't like my coach was saying about that. And he just gets on my radio with them boys. I don't know. I don't know. These boys are going to have that. Yeah. We have a guest tonight. Rico, how are you feeling about it? What do you want the Warren County community to know? What do you want the Sparta community to know? If they get the opportunity to come out and support, we're excited about going up there and having the opportunity to play.

[00:11:05] We would love to see familiar faces up there. We have a lot of friends that we've met up there. Honestly, it's an experience that you would have to actually go up there because it's something that the energy is just something you can't even imagine. I can only imagine. Just with Evan himself and C coming to practice, it made me want to go. So I'm excited for you guys. It's fine. It's just going to be dope. Come jump in. I'll haul you, too. Yes. We can go.

[00:11:34] So anything else? We're so glad to learn here. The only thing we've got. The next thing for Special Olympics. We have publicly announced our bid for the 2030. Nashville is one of the two finalist cities for the 2030 National Special Olympics. Big committees been in Nashville this last week looking at facilities and all of that. So we should find out in April if Tennessee gets to host that. So we get to host that.

[00:12:04] We might be reaching out for some volunteers. Of course. Volunteers always need it. So let's break it down, Evan. All right, Evan. Special Olympics. One, two, three. Special Olympics. Thank you, guys. We have come together, my traditional athletes, with my peer buddies.

[00:12:33] We've come together to be one team. It's not anybody helping anybody else. We are one team when we get on this court. This court has helped build relationships in my building. This court has helped build relationships in the classrooms, in the cafeteria, in the hallways, and all of those things. And you know as well as anyone else, relationships are what this life is about. Warren County Special Olympics is truly a unified team on and off the court.

[00:12:59] Being able to play the game of basketball is not only about getting the highest score and winning, but about creating opportunities and learning lifelong lessons. I need to support my teammates. Yep. And, yeah. And when you cheer your teammates a lot. It feels fun. Yeah. Fun like you want to do. The high school. I do. We are learning lots of teamwork. We are learning lots about commitment. Okay.

[00:13:28] We are learning a lot about social behaviors. Okay. How to behave in public. How to be a good teammate. How we don't make fun of others. Just so many things being an inclusive group. So these events give my students opportunities that they just don't have. Yeah. People don't think about spending the night away from home, spending the night with a friend. But a lot of my students don't have that opportunity.

[00:13:57] But through Special Olympics, through Unified Sports and State Games, we get to do that. We stay in hotels when we go to Gatlinburg. We stay in dorms when we go to summer games. So cool. And it's just, it's the sleepover that they didn't get to have. Yeah. Back home sometimes and things like that. And it also gives them a chance to be equal with others. Yep. One opportunity that this Warren County team is getting to experience is the Special Olympics

[00:14:26] Basketball State Tournament next week. Players Preston, Jake and Evan, along with Coach Lori DeArmond, give their feelings for this experience. A little bit nervous. Yeah. But are you excited? Yeah. You think there's going to be some hard competition? Yeah. But how do you feel getting to go out there with your teammates and getting to compete for the Pioneers? Happy. Happy? Very happy. What is it? I'm excited for a state tournament. So you have the state tournament coming up next week. Are you nervous?

[00:14:56] Are you excited? Excited for that. It's good. It's very good. And this week I'm going to a national. I'm feeling excited for that one. A little nervous. Yes. More excited than nervous. Yeah. So we have a great group. We competed well in our area games a couple weeks ago. Yeah. So which got us, you know, to where we can go to state tournament next weekend. Friday, March the 7th. Thanks.

[00:15:24] Opening ceremonies are at 2 p.m. at Allen Arena, which is on the David Lipscomb University campus. Yeah. And that's open to the public. There's no charge to come to that. They will, everybody comes in. They call every group in. Really like the Olympics. Absolutely. Love that. Absolutely. And on that, during that opening games, there's, will be like Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem. There's an athlete oath. Wow. And that athlete oath says, let me win.

[00:15:52] But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. And that's things that my kids just kind of live by at this point. Yeah. They know what that means. They understand that. It helps them to build sportsmanship and just be good kids. Pioneers on three. One, two, three. Pioneers. Thank you. One, two, three. Brotherhood. One, two, three. Family. Thank you. You're welcome. Purr.

[00:16:24] Ready to hit a grand slam for your business? Wanting to hit the buzzer beater for your company? Being a sponsor for the Pioneer Playbook for Warn First can allow you to be the real MVP of the game. Showcase your commitment and allow all of Warren County's sports fans to see what your business has to offer to the community. Join the Pioneer Playbook team today to make your dreams a reality. Put us in, coach. Give us a call at 931-369-3050. This is David Moore with Supreme Building Products.

[00:16:54] We've been your one-stop shopping center for lumber and build supplies since 1963. We're a family-owned business and operated and proudly served Warren County for over 50 years. At Supreme, it's not just about great prices, but it's about exceptional service. Our customers are what's always supreme. From lumber to roofing to plumbing and paint, we have everything you need to build your dream home from the ground up. Whether you're a contractor or a homeowner or a weekend warrior, our knowledgeable staff

[00:17:24] is ready to assist you at our state-of-the-art drive-thru lumberyard. Visit us, please, at the corner of Highway 70 and North Spring Street. There's something for everyone at Supreme Building Products where quality and customers come first, and the coffee's always free. And always be sure to shop local. Call us, please, at 473-9564. Don't know what to eat?

[00:17:51] Have you tried Cumberland Biscuit Company or Topps Frozen Yogurt at Metro Deli? Down on Main, you can enjoy pizzas and sandwiches, weekly combo specials, soups, salads, and finish it up with Topps Frozen treats. On the weekends, check out Cumberland Biscuit Company's unique dishes like the Twisted Goat Burger or the Bambooshka Burger for lunch or dinner. Get the experience of going out of town right here in McMinnville down on Main. Follow Topps and Cumberland Biscuit Company on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

[00:18:17] Community Network Productions takes you inside each community with local interest stories, local music artists, and information. With each show, the focus is the people and our beautiful community. With our creative team, we customize unique show ideas with our friends in the community. Our focus is you. See each of our shows on all social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and at our website at www.communitytvtn.com.

[00:18:46] Welcome back to Pioneer Playbook, everyone. We're here at Smooth Rapids. Come and grab a bike to eat. We still have a whole day ahead of us. We're so excited. We're with the middle school basketball team. How are you doing? Good. So y'all finished your season. Tell me, kind of give me a wrap up about your season.

[00:19:15] So this is Tyra and I's first season coaching together. I coached sixth grade last year, so I moved up this year. And just kind of getting to know all the girls was the start of our season, getting to know how everybody played together. And then we grew as the season progressed. Started the season, like I said, it was a little rocky. That's normal. But then you grow as the season goes on. So Tyra, how did it feel to play and be a coach and just come back and play with these girls? It was great.

[00:19:42] I mean, getting back on the middle school court after I used to play there was very exciting and getting to coach these girls. I had them in AAU the summer before because I didn't know I was going to coach at the middle school. So I kind of already knew all of them. Nice. So how did it feel for y'all to come back together, old teammates coming back together and coaching? It was fun. I mean, we've talked for our whole life pretty much. So as soon as I got the job, I was like, I know who I'm going to call. Yeah. So as soon as Betsy was like, okay, you're hired. And I'm like, okay, I'll take Tyra real quick. Yeah. She's on it. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:20:12] There's no brainer. Just immediately. Yes. So how did it feel for you girls? Like, how did your season feel? Like, did you set goals for yourself? How did you feel about that? Yeah. So I think we did. Like, we all really got to grow as a team. And I feel like that was a really good, like, moment for us. And I know we had set some goals together. But I feel like the main goal for me was just to improve and get to know my team better for next year. Yeah. So that I can be prepared and be ready for next year. To have a growing season. Yeah.

[00:21:09] Yeah. Probably one of my goals was just to enjoy the last year playing at the middle school. Yeah. With my team. So what goals did y'all set as a team together? As a team, we set, like, the basic. We grow together, play hard every game. And then we would set smaller goals for each game, like 10 offensive rebounds, less than 11 turnovers. Small stuff like that. Percentage free throw wise, stuff like that. At least 50% make free throws.

[00:21:38] So what did you think your strengths were as a team? I think these girls have played together so long. They've had a rough road with coaches and stuff. Yeah. Which it's hard to adapt to new people. And I think we took into consideration that. And so just having them grow together and then learn our coaching style, we kind of helped them out a lot with learning on them. So how do you feel teammate-wise? Y'all played together a while, like, especially the eighth graders, how does it feel leaving these girls?

[00:22:06] It's sad leaving them because we've played with them for so long. Yeah. We still have AAU though, so we get to play with them, most of them. But it's just sad because we had such a close one with all of them. So, yeah. How do you feel as a seventh grader? How do you feel these eighth graders leaving? Were they good mentors for you? Were they role models? How did you feel about them? Yes. I think they were really good role models and stuff. And they really helped me through my problems or my mistakes. I feel like they were always there to correct me or just give me advice.

[00:22:34] And I feel like it's going to be a big bummer losing these eighth graders because we've always been so close with them. But at least, like she said, we have AAU. What do you think you'll carry on from these eighth graders going into the next season? I feel like I would carry on their advice and stuff and just how they helped us and their ideas going through to help us. I feel like I would just carry that on. So, you're going to be an eighth grader next year, right? Yes. So, how do you feel about leading your team next year?

[00:23:01] I'm really excited about it, but I'm also nervous because I just want our team next year to just have a good season and just all be friends and stuff so that we can just grow through to have maybe even a better season this year. Now, how have you seen these girls develop and what are you most excited for next season and with these girls hopefully going to play? So, I coached Anna last year, sixth grade. So, seeing her from sixth grade to now, she has grown a lot. She's still the same funny.

[00:23:31] She's always been. But Izzy and Harper have grown tons this season. Confidentialized, they both came in struggling with confidence a little bit. This season, each game, it was hit or miss. They're both three-point shooters. Hit or miss, either way, they come in after the game and be like, I didn't make as many shots as I wanted to, but you just got to talk to them, say this. It's okay. You'll get it next time. It'll be fine. We'll practice more. There's a practice and then we'll go on from there. Now, going off with AAU, how do you feel like you've helped these girls develop? How have you seen them develop?

[00:24:01] So, Anna, from summer to now, she's grown a lot. And she's always the one that we go to. If there's a tough moment and we're all upset, Anna's the one to go to. Hype girl. Yeah. And Harper and Izzy, they're just really coachable. All three of them. And if they miss a shot, Izzy'll look over, like, what did I do wrong? And she'll immediately fix it. Harper's the same way. So, they're just really coachable and they're fun to watch. Yeah. So, what does it mean to play for the pioneers, the lady pioneers? Like, why do you like playing in middle school?

[00:24:31] It's just, I feel like it's different coming from an elementary school and then becoming a pioneer. Higher standard? How do you feel? I feel like, yeah, it's like a big title, but it's also like, you feel like you've accomplished something by becoming a pioneer and being able to, like, play for them. So, I feel like carrying that title to, like, high school and stuff is going to be, like, a really good, like, achievement. What are y'all looking forward to going to the high school? Are y'all nervous for tryouts? Are you excited? Do you feel ready? I'm nervous.

[00:25:00] But I'm also excited. Yeah. Do y'all know anyone on the high school team that you're ready? Like, old teammates you're excited to play for? Yeah. Some of the last year's eighth graders, I'm excited to play with them again. Yeah. And our eighth graders from sixth grade, play with them again. And it's going to be fun playing with, like, the other county teams, like the girls from Yale. Yeah. So, y'all both were on the high school team. We played together. You played college. So, how are you preparing these girls to play at the next level, high school level? So, before our season started, we actually, me and Tyra and I went and talked to

[00:25:27] Coach Turnham and asked him, what do these girls need to know when they get to you? He pretty much said footwork. Fundamentals. Basic fundamentals. Yeah. Okay. Because it's not. It's a different level. And it's. And it's. Sixth grade is kind of. Sixth through eighth is kind of a bridge between elementary. Yeah. Because it's kind of. Elementary is more of having fun and learning the sport. Yeah. And then sixth through eighth, we kind of have to push those fundamentals a little harder so that when they get to high school, they're completely ready. You don't have to reteach them.

[00:25:56] And so, we kind of focused a lot on those fundamentals so that they weren't ready. What was your favorite thing about this team this year? They're just always. They're always funny. Like, it's. We're coming to. Yes. Their personality. Every single one of them are great. They're always there to give us a laugh. If we had a bad day at school, I remember I came in one day after school and I was. It was awful. They all just gave me a laugh. And I'll be okay. Forget what just happened. I'm having fun with them. Yeah. What was y'all's favorite thing about this season?

[00:26:24] I feel like, yeah, definitely how we all just, like, all had, like, our moments on the team and, like, we all just laughed together. Also, like, our growth. Not just, like, on the court, but also off the court. We had, like, really good growth. And, like, team bonding was, like, really effective. I like how we can goof around, but when we need to get something done, we get it done. And we're all just really close. So, it's just fun playing with just people you know and are close to them.

[00:26:51] We just have, like, a special bond, like, as a team. And, like, we just have a good bond that, like, I'll never forget. And we played a long time with each other and stuff. So, last thing. Tell me, y'all made a run in the sectionals. How did that go? Like, y'all saw, I guess, a different level of competition than your regular. How did that feel? It was great going from playing in district to play each team twice.

[00:27:20] So, you have time to get back to winter or anything like that. But when you get to sectionals, you play those harder schools from Marksboro and Nashville and stuff. And so, it was a different level of competition. Girls were bigger than us. We are a smaller team. So, facing those bigger girls was a big challenge. The sectional game, it was really close. And they played as hard as they could. Yeah. Potentially their last game. So, they wanted to give it all they had. Yeah. And we just got going. How did you feel, like, measuring up?

[00:27:47] Did you feel like you could, like, help develop this for next year? For sure. We will be even smaller next year. Wow. So, getting them in shape so we can run up now for outrun teams. And I think that will be where we'll achieve next year. And you were a smaller player. I mean, you were going up against Tyra. And so, you kind of helped them probably with that. What did it feel to be a smaller team? Like, how did you help them? Especially if it's a confidence thing. Yeah. We do have, like I said, we are a smaller team.

[00:28:13] So, me being a smaller post whenever I played, I was able to help those girls that we were having to make post. Yeah. Because they're the tallest. Like, Izzy. She's tall, but she's tiny. Yeah. So, she was having to play the four, sometimes five positions. So, me also having to do that, I tried to help her as best I could. And then Tyra would help her with her trying to get her some post moves and stuff like that. What was your go-to move? Like, down low? Yeah.

[00:28:41] I don't really like down low. Down low? She's more of a three-point. Yeah. You're a shooting guard. Do you do any up and unders? Do you drive the basket any? I'm mainly just shooting. Yeah. So, yeah. What's your go-to? Are you a point guard? Yeah. Yeah? Most of the time. How do you feel leading your team and, like, calling out the plays and helping regroup the team together? I feel like it's a really big, like, part. But I feel like you, like, you kind of have control of the game.

[00:29:11] So, you kind of have to, like, control yourself so you can control your team. So, I feel like it was just, like, hard and easy at the same time. But I feel like you just have to get under control and help your teammates. Yeah. So, last thing, what's coming next? What's tryouts? When are you getting ready to start the season? And what are you looking forward to? So, tryouts. We don't have a set day. Normally, it's in school. So, sometime in May. So, these girls will be playing AAU up until then, trying to keep their bodies in shape to get ready for tryouts.

[00:29:40] So, we have a big group of 7th graders coming in and, I think, a big group of 6th graders coming in. So, yeah, I think they'll be ready. Yeah. What are you looking forward to? What are you excited for? Just to do it again. Yeah. We grew so much, especially the 6th and 7th graders we had this year. So, I'm excited to see what it will look like when they're 7th and 8th graders now. Yeah. And what are you looking forward to? I'm looking forward to just being with my coaches again, but also getting to know, like, our new teammates and just getting to grow even more. Well, thank you guys for coming.

[00:30:09] We're going to break it down and do it with everyone. What do you all want to say on 3? Lady Pioneers. Lady Pioneers. Ready? Lady Pioneers on 3. 1, 2, 3. Lady Pioneers. Thank you all for coming. Thank you. Ready to hit a grand slam for your business? Wanting to hit the buzzer beater for your company? Being a sponsor for the Pioneer Playbook for Warren First can allow you to be the real MVP of the game. Showcase your commitment and allow all of Warren County's sports fans to see what your business, has to offer to the community.

[00:30:39] Join the Pioneer Playbook team today to make your dreams a reality. Put us in, Coach, and give us a call at 931-369-3050. This is David Moore with Supreme Building Products. We've been your one-stop shopping center for lumber and build supplies since 1963. We're a family-owned business and operated and proudly served Warren County for over 50 years. At Supreme, it's not just about great prices, but it's about exceptional service. Our customers are what's always supreme.

[00:31:09] From lumber to roofing to plumbing and paint, we have everything you need to build your dream home from the ground up. Whether you're a contractor or a homeowner or a weekend warrior, our knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you at our state-of-the-art drive-thru lumber yard. Visit us, please, at the corner of Highway 70 and North Spring Street. There's something for everyone at Supreme Building Products where quality and customers come first, and the coffee's always free. And always be sure to shop local.

[00:31:37] Call us, please, at 473-9564. Don't know what to eat? Have you tried Cumberland Biscuit Company or Top's Frozen Yogurt at Metro Deli? Down on Main, you can enjoy pizzas and sandwiches, weekly combo specials, soups, salads, and finish it up with Top's Frozen Treats. On the weekends, check out Cumberland Biscuit Company's unique dishes like the Twisted Goat Burger or the Bambooshka Burger for lunch or dinner.

[00:32:05] Get the experience of going out of town right here in McMinnville down on Main. Follow Top's and Cumberland Biscuit Company on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Community Network Productions takes you inside each community with local interest stories, local music artists, and information. With each show, the focus is the people and our beautiful community. With our creative team, we customize unique show ideas with our friends in the community. Our focus is you.

[00:32:33] See each of our shows on all social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and at our website at www.communitytvtn.com. Welcome back to Smooth Rapids 2 Pioneer Playbook. It's been a great day. We're so excited for more coming your way. So I'm here with Coach Page. How are you feeling? Like, just seeing this. Very good.

[00:33:03] I mean, season's wrapping up. We got our national athletic, Christian athletic national tournament this weekend. Yeah. So we'll start next week on Wednesday. We'll play Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. So it's in Dayton, Tennessee. Wow, exciting. So y'all had a great season. Tell me about your season. Ups and downs. We were able to go back to Tampa this year for Tampa Christmas Invitational. Played a lot of public schools, too. So trying to challenge the team.

[00:33:34] We seem to always be the smallest school that we ever play. So we're trying to get out and get them out of their comfort zone a little bit and challenge them. So tell me, did y'all set goals for yourself coming into the season, and how did you accomplish that? The goals are always the same. Win a district championship, check. Win a state championship. Almost. Almost. And then win a national championship in our division. So we'll see how that works out this week.

[00:34:03] So when you set your goals, do you do it by game? I know you also do seasons, but do you set game by game goals? We do. We set the – you know, it's kind of based off of how the season's going, how the last game went. Yeah. There's things that we didn't do as well last game. We'll kind of set those and expectations for the next game, make sure that we're progressing towards those main goals, those season goals. Yeah. Katie, how do you feel about the season? Like, what were some highlights for you as a player and as a team? This season I really growed a lot.

[00:34:31] Tim and Jeff were always there helping us, coaching us very well to the best of our ability. And I feel like we really growed as a team, getting to know each other and played to our best as we could. Yeah. Did you set goals as a player going into the season? Yes. I set goals to get more confident because I lacked a lot, to get better than I was the year before, and to continue working as hard as I could. Yeah. How do you feel like you've accomplished them throughout the season? I've accomplished them pretty good. Was it the help through your teammates, through these coaches?

[00:35:00] How did you set that? Like, how did you achieve that? I achieved it by helping from my coaches, them opening the gym when I asked, and them always being there telling me, hey, you need to work on this. Team really helped gaining my confidence by doing the same things as well. So what were some highlights for this season through this team? How did you watch them grow? They grew a lot based on just our depth this year. We didn't have as much depth due to injury.

[00:35:28] We had one of our seniors go down the first game of the season with an ACL injury. Yeah. So she was out for the rest of the season. Then we had a girl go down right near the tournament time for district tournaments. So we ended up playing, for instance, the state tournament. We ended up playing with six players. Oh, wow. We had two injuries. We also had one out for sickness. One that was actually there was sick.

[00:35:54] And we also depend on some of our eighth graders to step into. With us being K-12, we play seven through 12. He's eligible to play high school. So we depend on some eighth graders to step in and step in on the varsity. They were in the county tournament here. Oh, wow. So we were without them as well. So, yeah. So we went, you know, we were shorthanded going into the state tournament. But they played in the district championship, right? Yes. Yes, they did. They did. They played in the district championship.

[00:36:23] And so three out of the last four years, we've been able to win a district. And still, I don't think a lot of people don't realize that even in that, even in our conference, we're still the smallest school that we play. So most schools in our conference have 300, 250 to 500. And they're not having to play their eighth graders. And they're not having to play their eighth graders. Yeah. So for them to step in, you know, that's one of the things I saw this season that really helped us out was the ability to play some of those younger girls and get them ready for next year. How did you watch them develop their confidence-wise?

[00:36:51] I mean, that had to be a big change for them. Sometimes you throw them in the lines then, you know, and you see what happens. Some of them respond really well. And I think all of our eighth graders responded really well this year. They all got ample playing time and grew both as athletes, grew as young women. Yeah. So that's our main goal. That's my main goal is make sure, you know, number one, that they have a good experience playing high school basketball, but also grow into, you know, good, productive young women. Yeah.

[00:37:20] So how did you feel about the eighth graders coming? Like, how are you a role model and mentor for them? Because that's a big change for them. I feel like they're a very good group of girls. Like, being with them and teaching them how, like, to progress and how to handle a high school ball has really been a good thing. Yeah. And I feel like they're adapting very well to us and learning a lot from us from watching. So how is the team dynamic? How do you all feed off of each other? Like, are there any high women out there? Like, how do you feel? Go ahead. Okay.

[00:37:49] We feed off very well. One girl, she starts cheering. The whole line starts cheering. It just takes one. Yeah. And Katie, she's – the thing about her, she's a lead by example type of player. I don't think there's anybody that I've had in the gym, you know, over the course of the last two years that's been in the gym as much as Katie. So she's grown both as a player and she's – and the other team, the rest of the teammates are starting to realize that, you know, the work she's put in, you know, she's – Follow. Yep.

[00:38:19] So they're following her lead. So on the court, how is that dynamic? How do you all feed off each other? If one person scores a three, how does the next player come back? Do they go back on defense? Like, how is that dynamic there? They – I mean, they support each other. Yeah. That's the biggest thing. I think they're happy for each other. You know, when one person does something well, I think they're all genuinely happy for each other. And I think if one person's down, they kind of pick each other up. Yeah. And try to take up the slack if one of them is struggling.

[00:38:49] So I think that's how we've been able to be successful over not just this year but the last couple years. Now, a lot of your players earned district awards and state awards, if I'm not – just give us – tell us about that. Well, Katie this year, she got all tournament for state tournament. Congrats. Thank you. Yes. She was at one all-state tournament this year.

[00:39:14] And then we had two selected for district tournament all-term team. And then – and we've had – last year, we had Brooke Kesey end up with a national player, all-term player. Love that. So at the NACA tournament. So hopefully we'll get one of those again this year. How does it feel to see your hard work being recognized and to earn that award? Feels really good. Yeah. Feels great. Especially as a sophomore.

[00:39:42] Was that a goal you set for yourself? My thing is, the harder I work, the more it's going to pay off in the long run. Yeah. So what are some long-term goals go into your junior and senior year? Those are the most probably important years of basketball. Tell me what goals you set and what's next. The goal – the main goal I've had my whole life is to get a college scholarship and play basketball in college. Love that. But for my junior year, I want to continue to grow and get better. Can you pick up my team with me? And just have a great season.

[00:40:12] So tell me about next season. I mean, I know we have next week to look for, but just tell me about next season. What are you most looking forward to? Well, I mean, I'm looking forward to some more depth. Yeah. I think we're going to have some more depth. We have some girls coming up from middle school. So we'll have some depth there. We're really only losing one senior that played significant minutes this year. Like I said, one of our seniors got injured the first game of the season. Yeah. So from the ones that play this year, we're only losing one this year.

[00:40:41] So we'll have some experience coming back. And we'll have some girls that are coming up from the eighth grade that will be freshmen now. The more, you know, the experience they got from this past year will obviously help them going in the next year. So it's going to be exciting to see how they adapt, you know, being eighth graders playing in a high school game versus being, you know, actually high school girls playing. Now tell me about the AAU. How is that going to help you develop? What are you excited for for AAU? Yeah, well, it gives them an opportunity to continue playing. Yeah. And that's important for them.

[00:41:10] That's important for Katie. I know Katie's actually playing on a couple of teams. She's playing with FBC Ray out of Cookville. She's also playing on Revolution with us as well. So it gives them an opportunity to continue playing instead of playing video games or playing whatever. It gives them a chance to stay in shape, continue working on their skill set, and be more prepared for next year to, again, get back to that goal. District championships, state championships, national championships.

[00:41:39] So what are you looking forward to with AAU and with next season? I'm looking forward to just staying and playing. I love playing basketball. I love staying in the gym. I live and breathe it every day. Every day I'm in the gym constantly. And I'm just looking forward to getting better and learning outside what is with AAU. Yeah. Have you ever played AAU before? Yes. This is going on maybe my – I've been playing since middle school. So this – Okay. About seven, eight years now. So you're familiar with it and all that. So you have some multi-sport athletes. We were talking before we went live.

[00:42:09] What does it mean to be a multi-sport athlete for Boyd, and how has that helped you as basketball program? Well, you need multi-sport athletes. Yes. You know, we've got about 160, 170 students combined kindergarten through 12. So if you're going to have soccer, if you're going to have – you know, next year we're going to have black football, girls black football. So if you're going to have those sports – we had wrestling this year. Wow. So to be able to have those sports, you're going to have to have kids that play multiple sports. Otherwise, you're just not going to have enough kids that play. Yeah.

[00:42:38] So how has that helped you all as a basketball runner? Well, it's helped us because they come back in better shape. Shape, yeah. So that's all it helps. You know, you have to be able to maintain the pace of the game. And these girls do that just because, you know, they play volleyball in the fall. Yep. They'll play soccer in the spring. So for us, it's co-ed soccer. Okay. So they play – and that's kind of helped them as well. Yeah. The girls play with guys. More physically tough. Yeah, more physical. Yeah. So they learn, you know, they get to say, well, I can play with guys. You know, I can play with girls. Yeah.

[00:43:07] So going off, you are the athletic director of Boyd 2. So let's talk about just how you've seen the athletics of Boyd 2. Yeah. Where we started out – when I got there in 2020, we had volleyball. We had basketball from elementary on up to high school. Yeah. But that was our two primary sports. Yeah. And then we had a cross country. Right. So – but it was small. Yeah. I think we had middle school and high school at the time. We developed that into where we have elementary. Yeah.

[00:43:36] We have cross country all the way down to like first and second graders. Wow. And then we have volleyball. We have wrestling now. High school wrestling, middle school wrestling. Yeah. We have all the basketball teams still. Yeah. This spring we have co-ed soccer. We have tennis, middle school, high school tennis, boys, girls. Yeah. Next year we're looking at the possibility of having middle school baseball. Wow. We'll have high school flag football.

[00:44:04] And then, you know, on the horizon, you know, depending on enrollment and how that goes. You know, looking at the possibility of having football. In our conference, it's eight-person football. So – Great. That would be major. Yeah, that would be great. So how have you seen athletes, not just with the teams, but like how have you seen their success grow throughout your time there? Well, really one thing you can look back on is the elementary teams in the basketball because that's really what we can go back and look at historically because that's the sport we've had the longest. Yes.

[00:44:32] So you can look – when I got there, I think it had been, I don't know, five years or so since our middle school team had even won a game. Yeah. Very, you know, boys or girls. So this year, you know, we were able to put some wins together in our elementary league. Our boys won our division this year and finished second in the countywide. So then our girls, I think the girls finished third, I think, in the season in the tournament.

[00:44:58] So starting to see some success at the younger age because we're looking at developing those kids at the younger age. I know I talked with the coach, the boys coach, this year, and he said he was looking at about 18 kids, trying out for elementary school basketball next year. That's great. So that's good for the future anyway. Yeah. So we like to talk about young athletes growing them into the high school level. Why do you think that's important?

[00:45:22] Well, you know, we want – at Boyd anyway, we want to get the same type of experience that you'd get anywhere else. Yeah. And being able to be competitive in high school is one of those things. You know, being able to give kids an option to play college basketball, college baseball, whatever that may be. Yeah. We want to be able to provide that beginning and that foundation for them to be able to do it. I know the girls, we've got one playing – she may be playing today, you know, Paige Sweet.

[00:45:51] She's playing from Otlo. Yeah. We just had – our sister. Yes, Leah. I used to play with her. Yep. Leah, you know, went on to Water State. Yeah. Went on to Water State. And so I've had – and then I had one girl play for Marable. Okay. So we've had three girls in the last three years that just went on and played college basketball. So we just want to make sure that they have the same opportunity to get anywhere else. How do you feel being a part of the Warren County, like, athletic community?

[00:46:19] Yeah, I think it's some things that sometimes don't get – don't get noticed. Or even that they think – we represent Warren County. If I'm not mistaken, our school address is 806 Morrison 3, McMillan, Tennessee. Yeah. So that's in Warren County. Yeah. So we like to know that we represent, you know, Warren County as well. Yeah. And when we go out of town, people ask us where we're from and we say, McMillan, Tennessee. Well, where's that? It's Warren County. Yeah. So no matter where we go, whether it be Tampa, Florida, or Nashville, Tennessee,

[00:46:48] most of the teams we play are in Nashville or Franklin, Marvinsboro. So they recognize now that, you know, we're part of Warren County as well. Yeah. What do you want the Warren County community to know? Anything you want to say to them about being involved with you guys? I mean, we've – the last few years, we've been involved with the – what's it called? It's the basketball – Spetschball. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so we've been involved with that.

[00:47:18] Yeah. We get out in the community and do things with the community. And that's been awesome. You know, I think that's kind of got us, you know, kind of involved with the local community. Yeah. And that's really what we want to do as well. We encourage our girls to get involved in the community, volunteer, do things outside of basketball and outside of sports. Well, we're so glad to have you on, Warren First. You are part of the Warren County community. We want to highlight you guys. Anything you want to say or add? That's about it. Yeah. Let's go for a great season.

[00:47:48] Yeah. Thank you so much for coming on. We're going to break it down and do it with everybody. What do you want to say on three? Lady Broncos. Yeah. Lady Broncos on three. One, two, three. Lady Broncos. Thank you, guys. Appreciate it. Stay tuned. Keep it smooth. Rackets, guys. We're going to have the Pioneer Rants on next. Stay tuned for our sponsors.

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[00:50:20] Don't know what to eat? Have you tried Cumberland Biscuit Company or Topps Frozen Yogurt at Metro Deli? Down on Main, you can enjoy pizzas and sandwiches, weekly combo specials, soups, salads, and finish it up with Topps Frozen treats. On the weekends, check out Cumberland Biscuit Company's unique dishes like the Twisted Goat Burger or the Bambooshka Burger for lunch or dinner. Get the experience of going out of town right here in McMinnville, down on Main. Follow Topps and Cumberland Biscuit Company on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

[00:50:46] Community Network Productions takes you inside each community with local interest stories, local music artists, and information. With each show, the focus is the people and our beautiful community. With our creative team, we customize unique show ideas with our friends in the community. Our focus is you. See each of our shows on all social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and at our website at www.communitytvtn.com.

[00:51:27] Welcome back to Pioneer Plane, but we're still live here at Smooth Rapids. We're so excited. We've had some great programs, but now we have an even better program here. We're here with the Pioneer Rats. How are y'all feeling? They're nervous. You would not think that they are, but they are. They tell me that it's different being on a, not a feel, being on like a mat and dancing versus talking. They say, we don't talk, but y'all dance. If y'all are lovely, y'all are beautiful, don't need to be nervous.

[00:51:56] Just block everybody out. We're not live. Just talk. So how did you do this season? Tell me, give me a little wrap up about nationals. This was a great season. We started back in April of last year working as two teams for the first time in a long time. We had a varsity and a JV. We went to camp in Gatlinburg, come home with first place wins on both teams for their home routine.

[00:52:23] And superior trophies for both teams for their memorization of the routines that they learned at camp. Then fast forward to August. They got a few extra weeks off this summer. Fast forward to August, started learning our competition routines. This year, our competition routines were all choreographed by one of your classmates, Kataya Chokley from Maury County. He's a former partner. And she's actually dancing at the men's basketball game today. So, hottie-tottie, go refs. Yeah. They're currently winning by one.

[00:52:52] But she choreographed all six of our routines for us. We learned four of the routines in August and started perfecting those. Our varsity went to TWSAA state competition in November. Brought home a state title in small varsity game day at state. And first place, or second place in Palm.

[00:53:12] And so that was a huge accomplishment because in the state of Tennessee, you know, winning state in Tennessee is such a massive compliment because a lot of really strong teams come from Tennessee. Yeah. We beat some defending champions and placed higher. It was barely behind some other national champions. So we were excited about that. But fast forward to on 30th of December, our JV started really focusing and honing in.

[00:53:38] They went to a competition in Alabaster, Alabama on January 25th, two weeks before we went. Brought home regional champions in JV game day and first runner up in JV Palm. So super excited about that. Got some great feedback from both competitions. In that span of time, our varsity learned their jazz and their hip hop routines. And so they had to fast forward getting those ready nationals was a month earlier this year than normal. So we had to fast forward getting those two routines learned. But, you know, they've done great.

[00:54:07] Two weeks ago, we spent the weekend together. Started on Friday, actually started on Thursday. These kids were absolute troopers. We met in the lobby of our hotel at eight o'clock on Thursday morning. Went to mat practice, practiced on the mat. We had 20 minutes on our practice mat for each team. Oh, wow. And so when you have six routines, that's really hard. Yeah. That's with varsity, that was five minutes per routine.

[00:54:36] And with JV, it was 10 minutes per routine. And actually, when we got there, they cut it to 15 minutes on the real practice mat. So it was really a scary task because we only had five minutes per routine. And I'm guessing the mat was the actual dance. The mat is the actual dance Marley mat. In McMinnville, we do not have any facility that has Marley. Yeah. And so when we compete in Florida, it's a Marley floor, which you ask these babies, some of them say that it's a lot easier to turn on. Some of them say it's a lot harder to turn on. So their first experience with Marley is at nationals.

[00:55:05] Oh, wow. So we're trying, we're getting some bids to try to get at least a couple of strips of Marley so we can lay it down the auditorium. And that takes that anxiety away from them because it is anxious to go on a floor that you've never performed on before. But they did the mat practice and then thank goodness we had all of our parents there. We drove about 30 minutes, I guess maybe 30 minutes, took them to a local dance studio and rented a dance studio for three hours and practiced on their Marley for another three hours.

[00:55:35] So Thursday was spent pretty much practice, practice, practice, and then got up Friday morning. It started early. We got up when it six o'clock. They were excited though. Six o'clock is late for us. Usually I'm making them get out of bed at about four. Six o'clock was late for us. Sleep in a little bit. And JV competed in their game day on Friday and varsity competed in their palm jazz and hip hop on Friday.

[00:56:02] So we competed four times on Friday and that was stressful. A lot of times the varsity coaches and the JV coaches aren't the same, but here we are. Ms. Jennifer, Gribble, Katana, and myself, we coach both teams because we're a family. You know, it doesn't matter. Varsity, JV, we're all still one. And they competed four times on Friday. So we were running around like crazy people.

[00:56:26] And then on Saturday, we advanced, my JV babies advanced straight to finals on Sunday in their game day. And so varsity advanced into the semifinals of the three that they competed in. Yeah. And so that meant we competed five times on Saturday. And we had a little bit of change, outfit change, everything. Yes. We had some, we had a little bit of conflict on Saturday. We had to run with like varsity had to do one of their routines and then we, that was Sunday.

[00:56:56] That was Sunday. We, like we were running, it was two different ballrooms going on. Like we were running around. We performed 13 times in three days. And so it was crazy, but they were flawless. And you know, I, in the paper yesterday, in the newspaper yesterday, I said there was, if there was one thing I hope they put in the paper, I hope that it was this, you know, I always ask them at the end of every dance, are you happy with yourself? Yeah. If you're happy with yourself, it doesn't matter to me.

[00:57:24] If you've left everything on that floor and then that's all that matters to me. And a trophy is a trophy. Nobody's going to remember that trophy. You know, I remember that, you know, when I won nationals, I remember when I coached a winning nationals team, I remember my state titles. Most people don't even remember how many state titles and national titles Pinerants have. Yeah. But the one thing that I do was so proud of was the lady who did the music. We were in the orange ballroom, I think eight times or Orlando ballroom, eight times in

[00:57:53] the other ballroom, like five times. So you get to know the people who are working and the music lady, when we come off the floor in finals for one of the things is on Sunday night. She brought me all three of my phones because I take all three of my phones and they're all sitting there with Bob sitting in the end of a ready for me to plug it in if something doesn't work. And I said, my number one thing was that woman said, y'all are one of my favorites. And I kind of looked funny. And she said, because you would never know who those kids are, that they weren't all on that same team.

[00:58:22] She said, they are locked in that whole time. And I started crying. I was so proud because that's what it's about. You know, at the end of the day, you can win so many things. But at the end of the day, it's about how you feel coming off that floor. And if you've done what you need to do, then that's all that matters. You know, those five people, that's their, not their opinion, but in a way it is. It's a score. And so they are miraculous young ladies. They are some of the most talented, humble and kind girls I've ever met.

[00:58:51] And I'm just blessed and honored to have a small part of their lives. How did y'all feel coming off of that mat? And how did y'all feel like when you competed? Do you feel like you gave it your all? I mean, yes. How did it feel to come off and go and do the next routine? Walk me through that. I was not a dancer. So walk me through preparing for the next, like shaking it off and going on and remembering the next dance. How does that feel? You just have to move on no matter what you did. You just have to move on and think about your next routine. Yeah.

[00:59:19] How do you memorize all of these dances? That's what I want to know. How do you memorize them? You watch videos? Like, tell me how you prepare for that. We just practice like every day. Yeah. And just walk it, run it through your head, all of that. How has Coach Shockley helped you remember, like just gave you the confidence to remember these dances? I think she always pushes us to do the best that we can. Yeah. So you have the middle school team helping cheer you on.

[00:59:48] How did that feel to have the middle school team? You're right. We did not get to go to all of theirs because unfortunately we did have a conflict on varsity and JV. So they did have to move us twice. And so one of the times before we even went, it was a conflict between our varsity game day and our junior varsity palm. So we had got that fixed before we left. But when we got down there and four of the six routines advanced to finals, we had JV Palm

[01:00:16] and varsity game day going within like three minutes of each other. Oh, wow. And when I first submitted the request for change of placement, they were like, do you have any crossover dancers? And I was like, no, but I have crossover coaches. And they were like, well, typically we don't change because of coach. And I was like, well, there's not going to be anybody there to play their music if not. Yeah. So it was nice to be able to be there as a unit. We got to go to, I think, two or three of theirs.

[01:00:44] And I think they got to come to two or three of ours. Yeah. But they were really varsity worked really well with us. And they moved varsity up in the lineup in the medium game day. So, and our JV babies were sitting there and when game day is so much different because it doesn't have the technical skills, the part that it's more interactive. It's more interactive. It's what we actually do at Nulli Stadium on Friday night. So, you know, we love game day, but so varsity was backstage warming up for game day.

[01:01:12] And so you get seven minutes, like on a turn mat and then seven minutes on like the full floor. Yeah. And so when we got back there, we were like, I was like, okay, babies, as soon as varsity comes off the floor, don't even stop. Y'all go right out that door. Katana and I will be right behind y'all. It's like, we were like mad, crazy people running. And then like, we had even told the people working the door, like, we're going to come through and they're like, we'll have this door open for y'all. Y'all just run right in because they were going to miss their turn that time. And so varsity was like, okay, so this is like game day. We do a double.

[01:01:42] If we can't do a double, we're okay. So varsity let JV have their seven minute turn time. Well, then when we got over to the other ball ring, as we were running through the crowd, like bad banshees and I was screaming. They literally had the door open for us. We ran through the door and they're like, we're a little bit ahead. So we saved your mat time. So we got a little extra time for Paul on the mat for JV, but we were excited about that. But it's great to just have that, you know, that family that you just, you didn't know

[01:02:10] that you needed, that you found through something like that. Being some of y'all are freshmen, how did it feel watching some of your old teammates compete and do so well and having the support from them? Go ahead. Or, I mean, were some of them your best friends? I mean, you were freshmen, you had to go from the middle school to the high school. How did it feel? Is it a different world going from middle school to high school? Yeah. Like skill level? Like what does it take to go from that level? Turn wise.

[01:02:40] A little bit. Trick wise. How does it feel to go at the next level? There are so many words here. I promise they're never this quiet. It is a major difference. You know, we go to middle school to JV to varsity. And this was our first time competing. In JV. JV, right? Yes. I've never coached JV. So Katana's never choreographed, which of course Katana only choreographed two routines last year. And I watched her have multiple panic attacks every time.

[01:03:07] Like, it's nice because they send you your score sheets like 20 minutes after you perform. Oh, wow. So you know what your score is, but you don't know where you rank yet. And so every time they would send those score sheets, like she would be in the hotel room and she'd be going, okay, if we make it to the next round, this is changing and this is changing and this is changing. And we found that hallway space and we would be out there and they would change so much and they took it like troopers. And that's the biggest thing about as you move up into just what you have to do on that floor.

[01:03:36] The things that you have to do, you don't have to do as a middle school. You have to do as a JV. The things you don't have to do as a JV, you have to do as a varsity. And it just, the technical level and the difficulty of it just changes dramatically from point A to point B to point C. So what are y'all most looking forward to with next season? I know we have camps and then you said tryouts in two weeks. Two weeks. What are you most looking forward to? Getting to compete again. Yeah. Getting to do it again.

[01:04:03] Do you already have goals set for yourself for the next competition season and going out there and competing as sophomores, as juniors? Not saying that. That can't be juniors. They're still my babies. It's going to happen. I know. It's going to happen. So how do y'all feel competing and doing possibly more routines? Because varsity does more routines. Varsity does. And you know, we... More dances to Maroon Rise. More dances to Maroon Rise. They do really good.

[01:04:31] And I think the one thing that I'm looking forward to is just seeing where the next year takes us. Yeah. We have stepped back, re-evaluated, watching all the finals dances. We... Katayan's already making notes about what routine she wants to do next year. We've already started talking about music selections and when they're going to learn their routines. And hopefully Katayan will be a little bit closer back home next year because she had to coach us through a cell phone sometimes. You know, we would just put my phone up in front of the speaker and there she was on FaceTime

[01:05:00] and she was cleaning stuff right and left. So maybe they'll have her in person a little bit more this year. So we kind of hope for that. But it's just been nice. And it was nice having her there to help us make those changes because Penny would have just been like, okay, the judges said we need to change this. So yeah. So it was nice to have her there. What do we do? So it was nice to have her there. But you know, they... I can't say enough good things about these babies. These are my babies. You know, mine are grown now.

[01:05:28] So I'm so glad that I get to share the time with these wonderful kids and their parents because they let me take a small part of their life. How does it feel being coached by Katayan, by a college dancer? I mean, a former pioneer. How does it feel to you guys? Do you look up to that? Do y'all want to do that one day? Like, how do you feel? Well, I would say that she can relate to us the most because she is closer to our age. So it really does help. And she understands a lot too. Yeah. Is that something y'all want to do?

[01:05:58] Do y'all want to dance at the next level? Like, does that give you hope that you can do that being a pioneer? Because pirates have success going way back before even Katayan. Oh, yes. How does it feel to be a pioneer being held at that standard? It's a lot of pressure. Yeah. For sure. I would say that. Yeah. Anything else you want to add, say to Warren County, to the fans, to anything about how you did this season or anything? Thank you. We want to thank everybody for your support.

[01:06:27] Getting to Florida is such a, it's a full effort. Yeah. And they all, they're all sitting here going. Warren, you know, I say this a lot. It's so, you can do all kinds of things, but until you wear Warren County or Pioneers across your chest, it's all about, you know, it's all about representing who we are. And, you know, these kids aren't just representing.

[01:06:53] I said this to one of them before, but they're all sitting here going, no, you say, when we go to a competition where we are Warren County High School, there's not another high school in our community. Well, Warren Connect. But like, as far as another public high school, there's not another public or you're in school. Yeah. The high school. So when they go to competition, they're not just representing their school. They're representing Warren County, everybody.

[01:07:19] And you all would be so amazed at how well these kids represented. They're just, like I said, I couldn't ask for a better set of people to go to Florida with and do everything that they did. So tell us about your camp. How can we see you guys shining? And how can you help younger athletes through your camp? Tell us about your camp. Well, camp is coming up next week after next, March 10th through the 13th. We'll be going to schools this week. We're visiting all but like two of the schools on Tuesday and Thursday of this coming week.

[01:07:46] And they're going to be giving out flyers and information. It's a Facebook page for it. It's at Warren County High School. It's Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 to 545 or 315 to 545. And then Thursday is 315 to 630. It's for grades pre-K through 11. And it's $25, all inclusive, t-shirt, the music, the instruction. We get to have some really good times. We're talking about let's dance and run the world because dance is a universal language. Everybody is welcome.

[01:08:15] And then we'll have tryouts Friday night, Saturday morning. We haven't decided yet. Depends on when we can get the gym and the girls don't have a panic attack. They really work hard. And it's hard when you get out there. You know, they are nervous because it's hard to sit in front. One of them was saying back here a minute ago, I'm going to say a funny. And she said, I didn't make it that far in the pageant. I bowed out first. Okay. It's hard to stand up here because you're up here by yourself or with just a few people.

[01:08:44] When you're out there on that stage, you're with 10, 11, 12 of your best friends. Yeah. And you know, they have your back and they know you have their back. And the coaches too. Yeah. Yeah. No, I made my Instagram debut and I'm still on the NDA webpage. So I'm like, oh no, I'm Instagram. Yeah. I made it to Instagram finally. But, you know, you're out there with the people that you spend the most time with. And so it's just wonderful to have that.

[01:09:14] But when you go to do tryouts, it's just one or two of you out there together. Yeah. And there's these three people sitting in front of you. Writing things down. Writing things down, looking at you. Sometimes they smile. Sometimes they don't. And then I'm behind them going. Cheering on. Cheering on and trying to get in a smile because they don't realize how nervous they are and how it projects. Is it worse than this right now? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. No. Like they get up and they look at me and I'm like, and they go, and I'm like, you know, and I'm like, don't communicate negativity.

[01:09:44] So they're great though. They just, we just have to smile. And like Bella said, Bella said it so well. You have to just go on. You might have messed up, but you have another job to do. Yeah. And so you just have to look forward. You can't look back. What's meant to happen on that floor is going to happen. Yeah. And there's nothing we can do to fix that. But if you just put your flounders on and keep moving forward, like Bella said, that's what you've got to do. I tell them all the time. It's not the mistake. It's the reaction to the mistake. Yeah.

[01:10:13] You know, we had mistakes on the nationals floor. You keep going like midway through. Don't laugh. I wasn't talking about you. You went to you three laughing. That's why she laughing. I mean, Harley had something happen to her that she's never had happened before on the floor. Never had happened before on the floor. So you've got to just keep pushing forward.

[01:10:42] And I hope that's a life lesson that they sometimes take from this is we just have to keep moving forward. We can't change the past, but we can learn from those mistakes and move forward. So going off with our middle school, because they were on last week, if you watched, how do you feel about some of those eighth graders coming onto the team? Are you excited? Always excited. I'm always excited about the new team coming in and the new people we're going to get to work with and the new family we get to mesh. You know, it's not fair. I do only get the set of kids together for 12 months. Yeah.

[01:11:11] And it makes me sad that I have to say goodbye to them. You know, and you get attached to them. And it's not just like in dance. Like, I'll come in my office and they kind of laugh at that. But I'll come in my office and there'll be a post-it note on my doorknob or a post-it note on my computer screen or a post-it note. We're mad because you weren't in here. Have a great day. You know, and it's just a relationship you build outside too. Like, like I'm their biggest fan. I'll be, I'll be telling my time. I'll step in front of a bus for them.

[01:11:41] You know, there's only two other people in the world I would do that for. And those are my own personal kids. So, you know, they're, I love them. They're my babies. They're my sunshine. Thank you guys for coming on. We're so proud of you guys. And look, as much as you just came up, we're looking forward to the next thing y'all got going on. So, we're so proud of you guys. And best of luck next season. Thank you for having us. We appreciate it. Do y'all want to break it down? I'll break it down with everybody. What we say, it's on three. All right, ready? It's on three.

[01:12:11] One, two, three. Thank you guys for joining us. But best of luck to our boys basketball team tonight as they go and compete at Franklin. Go Panthers. Yes, go Panthers. We're making their regional run. So, shout out to the guys. Best of luck to them. Stay tuned for our next show. It is March 1st. So, we have March Madness coming up. We're so excited for everything. But have a great day, Warren County. And as always, keep it first.