DOBSON — In a year when almost everything has changed, one constant remains for Surry Community College’s baseball program – a desire to help the less fortunate.
For the 16th-consecutive year, the SCC baseball team volunteered to help with the Surry County Sheriff’s Food Drive on Saturday, Dec. 12. Members of the Knights baseball squad assisted with packing and distributing 356 boxes at the Surry County Schools’ maintenance department in Dobson.
“The Surry baseball team members were amazing as usual this year. We are so appreciative of this partnership and all of their many years of service,” said Surry County Sheriff Graham Atkinson. “I hope we can continue this effort together for many years to come.”
While Surry’s continued involvement in the food drive remains unwavering, the method in which the Knights were able to participate did require some alterations. Head coach Tim Collins said the team didn’t deliver packages as it has in years past.
The baseball team members worked in two shifts that day. Players helped carry food inside the building for packaging and then placed them in cars for people.
“First shift that morning helped get packaged,” Collins said. “They had masks and practiced social distancing. Second shift helped distribute it to people who picked it up.
“I think one of the things that helps us with getting the quality of young man we get is the parents look at the fact that we try to develop the whole student with community service, academics and baseball. We try to develop the whole person. This year especially, with everything going on, I think the guys appreciate being able to help.”
For Surry Athletic Director Mark Tucker, it’s another example of the athletic program’s commitment to community service.
“Our student-athletes are incredible with helping out in our community,” Tucker said. “From our softball team assisting with Operation Christmas Child, our volleyball team hosting their annual ‘Spike Out Hunger’ food drive campaign along with their ‘Dig Pink’ event for breast cancer awareness, to our Fellowships of Christian Athletes helping out our elderly community members with needed yard work, and certainly our baseball team assisting with the community food drive and distribution, we are truly blessed to have such outstanding student-athletes.”
Surry has been doing its best to navigate through these uncertain times on the field as well. The Knights were able to complete 13 games this fall. This is just two shy of the 15-game limit set by the NJCAA.
Collins said the team was able to practice and play for two-and-a-half months this fall. Doing so required welfare checks of each player and temperature checks before players could even be allowed in the stadium. Games were played in Dobson without fans, but were live-streamed.
The spring season, set to begin on Jan. 11, will require just as many precautions.
“We are losing a lot of games, but a lot of local teams like us, Rockingham, Caldwell, if we need we will just play as much as we can. We will play each other,” Collins said. “Weekend games will count in region play and middle of the week games won’t, but it will allow us to play games. Right now the college is really pushing for us to be able to play.
“My guys are real good with the protocols. We wear masks and social distance. We are planning on having a regular season, just a shortened season. The NJCAA is still planning on having the College World Series and tournaments.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
Be First to Comment