Admiral’s area tidbits
Many are of good cheer as holidays beckon
As the holiday season approaches, let us be of good cheer.
Better yet, let us celebrate those of good cheer before the holiday season, going back a few weeks, a few months — or decades.
You always feel at home when covering Hardin Valley Academy football after meeting the big photographer on the HVA sideline.
Jeremy Wiggs always carries a big smile and extends his hand in greeting. He shares the fruits of his talents freely.
Taking their cheer on the road a couple of weeks ago, Concord Christian School’s cheering section — led by its students — was especially enthusiastic and energetic cheering on their CCS Lady Lions during the volleyball state tournament in Murfreesboro.
Perhaps Carmen Hochevar’s girls were positively affected, making history as the school’s first high school team to finish as high as state runner-ups in a TSSAA sport (Division II-A).
Even when things weren’t going so well in the championship match against neighborhood rival Webb School of Knoxville, the Concord section remained loud chanting “C-C-S.”
And speaking of Webb, six cheers to head coach Chris Hames and her Spartans for winning a sixth consecutive state championship.
Another avid sports booster who deserves recognition, and who had reason to cheer after his favorite football team won a region championship last week, is Navy veteran Clyde Floyd.
A key player on Farragut High School’s teams in the early 1950s, Class of 1952, Clyde is perhaps unmatched for the sheer volume of his volunteer work — spanning more than a half-century — helping the FHS football program.
That included documenting its year-by-year success in his book, “Farragut Football, A Retrospective: 1947-2007.”
Erik Gerhardt, “Voice of the Admirals” in football and basketball on WFIV-FM i105.3, is the next generation of those putting in extensive time on behalf of Farragut athletics (FHS Class of 1988 and former Admirals baseball player).
It would be hard to find anyone more meticulous when it comes to compiling statistics — game-by-game, seasonal and program history wise for individual players and teams.
Between his play-by-play voice, stats and other information, Erik gives others reason to cheer.
The most important form of cheer, however, can be found in those who cheerfully give to help the less fortunate.
In the true Christian spirit of service about self, and without need for special recognition, one Farragut area businessman annually joins forces with a man who heads a growing organization helping Appalachian poor.
That help goes well beyond supplies — it opens the door for young people to eventually earn a college degree, when such accomplishments otherwise would only have been a dream.
When a reference was made to Jesus and His emphasis on being a servant, and how God through His Holy Spirit is really doing all the work, both men perked up and, in effect, said “bingo.”
Cheerful givers indeed.
—farragutpress staff
