Playoffs Loom

Friday night was home coming at Rocky Mount High and as I sat there in the first half  I was rather disappointed in the crowd.  Yes there was a nice crowd there but this is home coming and this Gryphon team is heading to the playoffs for the first time in three years.  Halftime I found out there were a lot more fans there they just were not sitting down.  Once you get to the end of the bleacher the patio area between the concession stand and the bathrooms were wall to wall people. 

Evie Hunter was named homecoming with dad Sam as her escort.  Every game that the Hunter children have ever played in volleyball or soccer Sam has been there with a camera in hand filming his kids.  I sure hope mama Victoria was in the stands filming Friday.   J'Kyra Brown was the runner up.  Austin Warner was crowned home coming king at a pep rally Friday since he was in the locker room at the half with his football team mates.

Talk throughout the stands is about how amazed  everyone is in the attitude of the players this season.  There is no doubt that one of the strong points of Jason Battle is how well he relates with the kids just in the hallways.  If there was any question about whether he could transfer that to the football field has been answered. 

You can look at the players body language and this team simply hasn't drooped even when losing at Hunt.  Coaches job is to get everything a player has to give in order to win any game.  Jason Battle has gotten more from this team than any one expected.  You can see this team is having fun something that never happened last year.

Winning seems to do this to any team.  It is always more fun winning than not.  Winning doesn't just happen by luck.  Somebody had to put all the pieces in place and Jason Battle has done that.  It is customary that the coach that wins first place will win the Coach of the Year in the Big East.  There is no doubt that Jason Battle has brought pride back to the Gryphon nation and he should be COACH OF THE YEAR!