Georgia Magazine - September 2011 - (Page 26)

A spirit of cooperation Georgia’s EMCs and Georgia High School Association make a winning team By Jackie kennedy MOnica HeaTH Jim O’Bryan, right, with Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (GEMC), presents the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award to Mark Kelly, Athletic Director at Atlanta’s St. Pius X Catholic School. From left, Brenda Baugh, of Habersham EMC; Becky Killgo and Lindsay Graham, both of Tri-County EMC; and Toni Crane, of Habersham EMC, host the Coaches’ Corner at the Traditional Wrestling finals at the Gwinnett Arena. Mitchell EMC employee Tommy Floyd, left, poses with a girls basketball coach at the basketball finals at the Macon Centreplex. F or more than a decade, Georgia’s member-owned electric cooperatives have teamed up with the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) to support students in their quest to compete, building on GHSA’s century-long legacy. Organized in 1904, GHSA began sanctioning state championship competitions in several sports in 1926. Now headquartered in Thomaston and composed of 402 public and private high schools, GHSA promotes good sportsmanship while setting standards of eligibility for student participation in interschool contests. Schools are divided into classifications according to size, and the state is divided into regions. A member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, GHSA administers region and state events for boys’ baseball, bas26 ketball, cross-country, football, golf, lacrosse, riflery, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and wrestling; girls’ basketball, cheerleading (co-ed), crosscountry, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, riflery, fast-pitch softball, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball; and literary competitions of dramatic interpretation, essay, extemporaneous speaking, one-act plays, quartet, spelling, trio and vocal solo. Ralph Swearngin, GHSA executive director, calls the competitions “an extension of the classroom, offering lifelong learning experiences that cannot be learned as well in other places. “The GHSA gears all its programs toward that end,” explains Swearngin. “The lessons of teamwork, poise under pressure, positive work ethic and a disciplined lifestyle will serve our students well throughMore online at www.georgiamagazine.org out their lifetimes.” Swearngin served as GHSA’s commissioner of officials and associate director from 1992 to 2001, and has led the organization as executive director since then, on hand as more schools joined the organization, sports were added, and media coverage expanded. “The advent of Web-streaming has been huge,” says Swearngin. “We even have a presence on Facebook and Twitter. The public has an evergrowing thirst for information about high school sports and activities.” Georgia’s electric membership corporations (EMCs) help quench that thirst. Since 1999, Georgia EMC (GEMC) and member EMCs have partnered with GHSA, and today 29 co-ops team up as corporate sponsors of GPB Television’s football, basketball and wrestling state GEORGIA MAGAZINE MOnica HeaTH http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2011

Georgia Magazine - September 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
A Bountiful Harvest
The Coupon Mom
A Spirit of Cooperation
The 2011 Washington Youth Tour
Georgia’s Higher Learning
Higher education listings
Around Georgia
Ramble around Dahlonega continues
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Vince Dooley’s tips on growing hydrangeas, more on artist Steve Penley
Georgia Cooks
Second helping: More apple recipes and fall apple festivals
Snapshot
More Snapshot submissions
Money-saving websites
Gardens plant of the month; Liberty notes
Energy-efficiency tips

Georgia Magazine - September 2011