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Huddle Up! Season 1, Episode 10 · Huddle Up!

• Paul Durham: Hello and welcome to this week's edition of Huddle Up the Wilson Times Sports Podcast. I am Paul Durham, the Wilson Times Sports editor and podcast host, and I'm going to be taking a back seat to these two gentlemen today. I have athletic directors Brent Pearson from Elm City Middle and Travis Johnson from Springfield. And these guys are on top of their game and every facet that you can think of. Travis Johnson: I'm really, really happy to hold home to the business of the war, the war's economy, the economy of the United And I'm excited I'm to be here. I'm to be here. I'm Paul Durham: Middle school sports are booming again and we're gonna talk about that a little bit, but let's get right down to business. First of all, you guys have your schools had their annual or bi-annual or biseasonal meeting at Elm City yesterday. Elm City won volleyball, Springfield won boys soccer. and that's sort of the way it went earlier in the year. And just wanted to get the thoughts from y'all on the likelihood of a third meeting because that's kind of what's happened the last couple of years, kinda updating me a little bit. Travis, you can start out by telling me a little bit about the soccer, because I think Springfield has been the soccer dominant soccer team for the last few years, right? Travis Johnson: Yeah, I appreciate you let me have the start of this. I really kind of thought you'd go with age over beauty, but you chose to go with beauty over age and I appreciate that. Yeah, man, our soccer team's done an excellent job over the last few years. We really have some talented players and so does Elm City, but thankfully we have gotten the best of them the last two years, at least in soccer. We've got just a very talented young men on the team. They're coachable. They love the game. They're fun to be around. Really everything that you would hope, you know, I'm not their coach, but... Like I spend a lot of time with them and see them around. a good group of guys, they work hard. They don't take it too seriously. It's really everything that you would hope to see in youth sports. I think that they do a great job of showing, so. Paul Durham: Well, and you guys have done that for a number of years, but Elm City's not far behind in soccer and has often been ahead in soccer just like Springfield has been ahead in volleyball, but Coach Pearson it seems like now is Elm City's turn with volleyball, at least by the results from yesterday. Brent: Yeah, they got us twice last year in the regular season and then we ended up meeting in the Tri Counties Championship after both teams had a stellar playoff run and in in the third meeting we got the best of and we took the tri counties home. And Springfield's very young in volleyball. I actually talked to Coach Alphin today a little bit before school about the game yesterday and she had left her book and but We talked a little bit about that. And you know, it goes in cycles. She's she doesn't have many eighth graders this year, and we're we're eighth grade strong. And we we hope to keep building on what we've got and finish up this season really strong. I think we got a we got a good shot at the Tri County again, but you gotta take it one game at a time. and and Springfield's probably gonna be right there in the playoff mix when it when it comes down to it. Paul Durham: Well, and you guys have been there like the the excitement that is building for or has been in place all year for Wilson County volleyball with Fike and Hunt having great years. You guys have already gone through it. because the players that are doing it now for Hunt and Fike were playing at Springfield in Elm City just a year or two or three ago. so it's no real it's no real surprise to you guys, I think, having seen it at the middle school level. Well tell me this, you guys have dominated the Travis Johnson: See. Paul Durham: The Ferrell Cup, which is named after the late Gilbert Ferrell, longtime Fike and Wilson County School's athletic director. And correct me if I'm wrong, Springfield won the first two and Elm City won the last one. All right. So right now, it Travis Johnson: You're not wrong. Paul Durham: seems like the Ferrell Cup is sort of lately and probably for the foreseeable future, is going to be going back and forth between What I mean I mean, I know Toisnot has gone out and that's sort of being a big thing, but Springfield and Elm City has become the big middle school rivalry. It's sort of the the Hunt-Fike rivalry, but whereas I think years ago it might have been Forest Travis Johnson: I'm doing my duties. Paul Durham: Hills Toisnot. Now it's Springfield Elm City. I just wanna get both of your thoughts on that. This time, Brent, you can start and tell me what you think about what has fed into this Travis Johnson: Ha. Paul Durham: rivalry that has been nothing but positive, it seems like. Brent: Yeah, I'm gonna go back real quick. I just and Travis and I talked about this. Last year's championship volleyball game between Springfield and Elm City Travis Johnson: You know. Brent: over at Springfield was as exciting and the crowd was as phenomenal as any high school volleyball game I've ever been to. It was it was amazing. Travis Johnson: It was, it was incredible. Yeah, I'm sorry to chime in, but it was incredible. was everything that you would ever hope to have in a middle school experience. Paul Durham: Is it true, Coach Pearson, that you bussed a a a load of supporters from Elm City from Elm City to the s to Springfield? Brent: That's that's kind of a a tradition that I have. I've done that all the way back. when I was coaching boys basketball, we made the playoffs and I think it was the first year we had playoffs and I bussed a load of kids behind us on another bus to CB Martin. So whenever our kids get excited about our teams and if we don't have a home game and and we can make arrangements, we we will put them on a bus Travis Johnson: You're welcome. Brent: and and get them to the game. And the other team doesn't usually complain because they get the gate. Travis Johnson: Just wait. Paul Durham: Yeah, well, I mean nobody's gonna complain about a big crowd, but that's the coolest thing ever, that you bring your own crowd. That harkens back to the old Fike cyclone state championship days when there would be loads of buses going to whatever town the cyclones were playing in. Well, Travis, what do you what do you think about this rivalry? You've done your part to to stir it up through your social media channels. Travis Johnson: Just wait. So you know the mail and the fax. Brent: Well Yeah. Travis Johnson: I just sent Brent a picture that I made on AI yesterday that I'm ready to post, but I'm choosing to show a little grace before I do that. Paul Durham: U and AI is s a scary combination. I'll just put that out there right now. Travis Johnson: It is, it is tough. Yeah, it's incredible. Like you said, like I'm a Wilson County kid and I remember growing up here, it was Forest Hills Toisnot That's what everybody showed up for, which is great. It has become a Springfield Elm City thing in several sports, soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, you know, we're historically pretty good in those four sports. If we're good in them, Elm City's typically good in them. However, Elm City football, wow. Let's talk about them for a second. Anyway, back to the, whoo, Brent: It's overdue, it's overdue. Travis Johnson: y'all are strong. Paul Durham: Well and that's that's the thing though. You guys have been dominant in soccer, both soccer, baseball, softball, and when I say you guys, I mean Elm City and Springfield. And Travis Johnson: Yeah. Paul Durham: and obviously volleyball, maybe not so much basketball and and football in recent years. Football's a little bit different this year. And that's to take nothing away from the other rivalries, but I mean, honestly, when Toisnot got taken out of the mix, that just created an imbalance. And I think the biggest thing for any rival is when you're both competing for the same thing, you guys are good in the same sports. And so Travis Johnson: That's right. Paul Durham: it's it's a natural rivalry. It's always gonna be a competitive game, when Springfield and Elm City plays. Travis Johnson: Well, you also got to think that these kids, play WYSA together, they have travel ball teams together. So like they're used to seeing each other on the weekends, even when they're not at school. And I think that carries over. And thankfully it's been. Paul Durham: Well and I always try to gauge Travis Johnson: I was gonna say, thankfully, it's been very, Paul Durham: Go ahead. Travis Johnson: like very respectful kind of rivalry, like. But I hear high school rivalries and I hear people talking about Hunt, Fike and the disgust that they talk about those schools with. And I hate that. We're all educators, first and foremost. And I love Brent, I love what he does, I love their administration and I love the kids at that school. Now, when we play him, I hate him for that two hours and I wanna beat him. Brent: And I went to Springfield here, but Travis Johnson: But like it's a healthy, respectful rivalry, which I love. But yeah. Paul Durham: Well, that's the way it should be, and it's fun. And I think you made a good point because I think the one thing about Wilson, I grew up here and I went to hunt and I played and I and I remember w back in those days well we all came together as eighth graders and went to Coon Middle School for a year and that's when you got to meet everybody that you didn't already know from playing at the rec. we didn't have WYSA stuff like that back then, little league, but still you kinda knew everybody. You were already playing against kids by the time you got to high school that you've been playing against since third grade. But here's the thing, Wilson's Travis Johnson: Right. Paul Durham: not that big. You know everybody. There's kids that you go to church with that go to another school. You're not gonna hate everybody from town. It's not like, you're in a big city where you don't really know the across town rival. You don't know anybody in that that school. Travis Johnson: Right. Paul Durham: and hate's kind of a strong word to use in that, but you know, from a sports fan standpoint, the idea of hating your rival is is you know part of the rivalry. but at the same time, it's you know, it's never that serious or it shouldn't be. But it's good to see that the h at least for Elm City and Springfield and it seems like all the middle school rivalries, as well as should be, it's a light hearted rivalry. It's always you wanna Travis Johnson: Yeah. Paul Durham: you wanna get one over on your rival, but you I mean you have you're all friends at the end of the day. And I think that's the big key. Brent: Yeah. Travis Johnson: There's a mutual respect between both teams. And now did I feel great leaving Elm City yesterday, having our soccer team beat them? 100%. And I can't wait to do it again in the post season. But like, you know, I'm gonna love them and I love Brent. I love Brent: Well, how'd you call that Valdivine? Travis Johnson: everything. Like, what did you say Brent? Brent: How'd you feel about leaving after volleyball? Travis Johnson: Why you keep bringing up stuff we're not talking about? I tend to Paul Durham: Also Travis Johnson: focus on the things that I want to focus on. Paul Durham: Well Brent: Yeah. Paul Durham: tell me this. This is a good point to to say because five years ago middle school sports was just about killed by COVID, five or six years ago. Travis Johnson: Yeah. Paul Durham: It wiped especially in Brent: Happens up. Paul Durham: the spring. You got two you got two years, you got the entire middle school experience for two for a class of kids was completely wiped out. and so you guys have had to build that back up and and get it where it's going. Things look really good right now. Brent, starting with you, w what what kind of things did you have to do? What was that challenge like? How bad was it and how good is it now compared to where it was for two years Brent: Well Paul Durham: of really not doing any middle school sports? Brent: Right. Well, I I can tell you a few years back, we've always had a lot of soccer players, but I had to allow a couple of my soccer players to go over and on game days play softball so we could have enough for a team. so that was, you know, right after COVID that we we were struggling with numbers there. but we our numbers have grown just a ton over since COVID that We're having to make cuts again almost for all sports. Our football numbers are are are way up. One year I think we finished with thirteen after COVID and we're well over twenty right now. one thing I I try to do, that I feel like has helped is I try to get in touch in late spring with the fifth graders at Jones that are gonna be coming, New Hope and Frederick Douglass, and go ahead and get them information about Physicals, final forms, if we're doing summer workouts, they're eligible to start once the once the school year ends. So I try to get the fifth graders who are gonna be coming to us involved and that seems you know, they get excited about that. They get to play sports for a for a school and the the rule changing to allow sixth graders sports of it's probably been more than a few years now back, but that that's also helped our numbers. But just, you know, wanting kids to play. I know Jimmy Tillman delayed Jim Jimmy Tillman he was great. He always talked about kids involved in athletics do better in school. So we we just we push that. We push our kids to our athletes to be our leaders. And I know Travis does the same thing over at Springfield. Paul Durham: Well, Travis, how are the numbers going at Springfield? 'Cause they seem to be pretty strong as well, or at least you have Travis Johnson: Yeah. Paul Durham: kids dressing up as athletes for your Instagram reels. Travis Johnson: I think when we had volleyball tryouts and soccer, collectively, Brent asked us to take numbers, but I want to say volleyball or soccer, one of them had 60 kids at tryouts. And I tell our coach, I say, you can't keep any more than the uniforms that we have. So like you end up having to cut 40 kids. Like what a problem to have in middle school sports, to have to cut 40 kids, which is incredible. You know some of the stuff that I do you mentioned the reels and videos, you know when I took over Coach Alphin had just stepped down. Mr. Spell had just moved on but when mr. Spell was at Springfield His Facebook page would always highlight Kids that are you know doing anything at Springfield and I was like man. I got to come up with something fun to promote Springfield athletics And that's when I came with the Instagram account which has been just so much fun, way more fun for me than I thought it was gonna be. But I wanted a dedicated page that highlighted Springfield Athletics, where kids could see themselves on the internet, it's the world we live in today. They see themselves on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, yada yada. And just highlighting middle school kids and middle school athletics in a positive light. As a middle school teacher and you know, just having gone through middle school, I just know how tough those three years can be. A lot of change happens in those three years. Like if Brent and I were to go out in public and say, somebody says, what do you do? You're like, I'm a middle school teacher. Their first response is, God bless. know, there's a place in heaven special Brent: Yeah. Paul Durham: Ha ha. Travis Johnson: for you. And like, I just want to change that perspective. know, middle school's not all doom and gloom. Yes, there are some tough days, but in any job, there's tough days. And I believe the Instagram account has allowed us to show the kids in a positive light. Athletics, know, trickled into some school stuff. Kids love, they love seeing themselves online. A byproduct of this is parents love it. I think the parents love it maybe as much, if not more than the kids. Just because, again, it's three years, it's... Paul Durham: Well that that's something I was gonna ask. Travis Johnson: Yeah, go ahead. Paul Durham: I I'm sorry. I you guys are are right in the middle of the parental involvement in sports. I I don't think it's as strong in high school because you know, kids grow up, they get old, they don't need rides to practice anymore. parents Travis Johnson: That's right. Paul Durham: have to do everything for middle schoolers. Parents are the best thing about middle school sports. They can sometimes not be the best thing, but for the most part, I would say f always they are they are very involved. And I noticed that and and you know, like just at some middle school games I've been to this year. Parents are really super involved and that's gotta be a big plus for you guys as well. Travis Johnson: You can't do anything without them for sure. Brent: Yep. Yeah. I always tell ours, we we and Springfield's the same way. It's everybody's best gate when Elm City and Springfield come. We'll have more of our fans there than the home team at at at lots of games that we play. So we love we love our parents and and all the support that they give our kids. Paul Durham: Well, let me ask Batson. Travis Johnson: Yeah, I would say we're very blessed with the parents that we have in both districts for sure. Paul Durham: Well parents are showing up and going to games and going and not, you know, not being a big problem, but if they're just being there, that's that's you know, that's most of it right there. just showing up and being there. Travis Johnson: Yeah, and know, we start at weird times. Like we start at four o'clock. So these parents are taking time off of their jobs to get there to support these kids. You know, most of these parents are working till five and you know, it's amazing the sacrifices that they put in to make sure their kids are supported. Brent: True, very true. Paul Durham: Well, these days don't last long, so that I I think they're trying to maximize what they're getting out of it and I can understand that having been through that. Let me ask each of you this right now, what's the biggest challenge for a middle school athletic director these days? Brent: Not enough time in the day. Travis Johnson: Yeah. Brent: I mean we we teach six classes a day. and then of course we have some planning time but a lot of that's a lot of that's working on fields and cutting grass. I I'm I'm at Elm City Middle School most weekends and I'm there almost every day in the summer, just trying to keep things right, doing doing the fields and stuff like that. Travis Johnson: you Brent: going back to the parents, what one of the biggest challenges is and Travis talked about cuts earlier, is it it's kind of eye opening for parents because before they played rec and they just pay their money and the kid automatically on the team and the kid gets a jersey and the kid's gonna get to play. And then when they get to middle school, all of a sudden there's nobody to write a check to. It's up to the coach's discretion if if you put on the team and how much they play. So that that that's kind of eye opening for some parents. and and they kinda they they can question some things on that. But like I said, Springfield City I think for the most part we we have good parents who understand the challenges that we face. Paul Durham: All right, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This whole episode has led to this final question for both of you Who's gonna win the Ferrell Cup this year? Travis Johnson: I'll just say this, they got Paul Durham: Ha ha. Travis Johnson: a commanding lead. They got a commanding lead right now. Funny enough, I'll just say this. Part of my AD philosophy is like, I don't care about wins and losses. I want to develop kids. I want to develop young men, young women. And I just tell our coaches all the time that I believe the greatest gift that we can receive is seeing those kids continue to play in high school. With that said, do we like winning? Absolutely. But I don't want to make it about wins and losses. Elm City has a commanding lead so far and I've seen the athletes that they have and I believe they're going to be very good in a lot of the sports that we had to play twice in. With that said, you'll never hear me say Elm City is going to win it. Darden, the Forest Hills I don't know. Maybe Springfield, Brent: no Travis Johnson: we got a lot of work ahead of ourselves. Brent: Paul, that was a a team in second place's answer, is what Travis just gave you. Paul Durham: Are you telling me you're gonna leave the Ferrell cup at Elm City when you go to the coaches luncheon this year 'cause there's no need to turn it in? Travis Johnson: I'm tell you this, I'm not gonna tell you this right now. Brent: Yeah. Travis Johnson: We've won it twice, we won the inaugural one, that's probably the most important thing. know, Brent: Ha ha. Paul Durham: Yeah. Travis Johnson: whoever has the cup, they're gonna see Brent: The most important one is the Travis Johnson: Springfield one and two, and then it doesn't matter. After that, it don't matter. Brent: The the most important one, Paul, is the current one. Paul Durham: Well, you're you're right about that, but they're all part of history now. So the next one, I guess the one that you're working on now is probably the most important one. So we'll see how that Brent: Yeah. Paul Durham: goes. I have a feeling you guys are gonna be back on this podcast again before long. In fact, if Travis Johnson: I can't wait. Paul Durham: if we have another Springfield Elm City showdown for soccer or volleyball, maybe I'll go and do a live field podcast interview. Travis Johnson: Woo, if we both make it to the championship game, let's run it back at half field during halftime. Paul Durham: Yeah. There you go. All right guys. Well thanks so much for joining me and hopefully we will talk to you again soon and good luck to the Vikings and good luck to the Wildcats. Travis Johnson: All right, appreciate it, Paul. Thank you. Thank Brent: Thanks for having it. Travis Johnson: you for all you do and all the coverage that you give middle school sports. Brent: Yes, thank Paul Durham: Alright. Brent: you. Paul Durham: All right, we are back for part two, and I have got Hunt High Athletic Director and Varsity Baseball head coach Jon Smith here to talk about some things with Hunt. First and foremost, last year's news, but you guys just got the hardware for it the Wells Fargo Cup for the 5A6A Big East Conference, and just want to tell me a little bit about that. That's a big deal. You guys are Wells Fargo champions. For the first time, I don't know how many years, but tell me a little bit about the length of time it's been and how many conference championships y'all won, or exactly what won that for you guys this year, Coach. Jon Smith: Yeah, so this is our second one in the last three years. I think it's the ninth one overall for the school. and basically, you know, we won three conference championships, all of them in the spring. We had a strong finish in the spring. We won baseball. boys golf and men's track and field conference championships. But the biggest thing I would say, Paul, is no sport finished worse than fourth except wrestling and they finished fifth. So it's kind of a steady, it was kind of a steady run. It wasn't like we were dominating, winning a ton of conference championships. W you know, we didn't have any till the spring. felt like we had a chance if we had a strong spring and we did and hopefully just, you know, keep it going this year. Paul Durham: So the three conference championships were in you said in the spring, boys golf, ba baseball, which you won, and what was the other tracking? Jon Smith: Yeah. min sh man's tracking for you. Yeah. Paul Durham: And then quite a few you guys had quite a few runner ups as well, football. Runner ups. Jon Smith: Yeah, we were we were second in cross country for the boys football, tied for second in women's tennis and second in volleyball. And then in the winter we were s tied for second in boys basketball, second in men's indoor track, and tied for second in women's indoor track. So yeah, quite a few runner up finishes, and then of course then again in the spring with our girls' soccer program doing well. And then, you know, I gotta mention that it helps when we have men's and women's lacrosse. So we pick up some points for having those sports. you know, so that that definitely helps as well. We finished I think we finished with nine hundred total points and Northern Nash was in second with eight hundred and fifty seven and a half points. but that was with us scoring three hundred and forty in the spring, which was a huge comeback. Paul Durham: Now tell me about the lacrosse real quick because you guys are in different com you're not in the big east in lacrosse, right? Jon Smith: No, but the the state the High School Athletic Association awards you points for having teams. since we're not in that conference for lacrosse, you know, it's not like the Big East, those points go to us in the Big East conference for having those sports. And the reason, Paul, I think the reason is because, you know, you take if we didn't have men's and women's lacrosse, those those athletes would be playing other sports. And in a way you could argue that it takes away from some of your you know, our historically traditional sports that we've had for a while. you know, then like this year flag football will count. last year it did not. So, you know, the conference finish for flag football is gonna be huge this year because we do have a conference, minus Southern Wayne and CBA Cot who's not participating. Paul Durham: Yeah, well the overall state of Hunt Athletics and you brought up lacrosse and I was gonna mention that is because you guys have the fullest athletic program of any school, I think, in the Wilson Times readership area. probably because you do have lacrosse. You got both the golf teams. There's no team you don't have. You've got JV sports going in many or J V teams going in many sports. you could give me the exact numbers this year. I think no that's a little fluid. But just Really a a good time. You've been a hunt I think since two thousand seven, eight, if I'm not my math is correct. You've been there for a long Jon Smith: That was my yeah. That was my first year, it was two thousand seven, two thousand eight, yep. Paul Durham: Yeah, that's what I was thinking. You came as the baseball coach. You've been there for a long time. What are your thoughts on the on the state of hunt high athletics now? Jon Smith: Well, I mean, it's, you know, like you said, our our numbers are are back up where we want them to be following COVID, which which hit everybody pretty hard. and and I think our numbers are or it looks like they're gonna continue to grow. I'm I'm pleased with our participation. you know, as far as winning and losing goes, and a lot of that depends on the kids that you have playing the sports and obviously how much effort the coaches can put into that sport. with off season workouts and being organized and and just, you know, treating our student athletes, you know, the right way and and having that, you know, that reputation that wants to bring kids out. And I think we've done a good job of that in the last few years. And, you know, as far as wins and losses, most people I think in this profession would tell you that that is somewhat cyclical. it goes in cycles and, you know, you may have a good run in this sport and then, you know, another another run comes in another sport while this one kind of falls down a little bit. And it's just, you know, staying out of the valleys is kind of what we talk about. We want to stay out of the valleys and you do that with good numbers. And you also do it with having JV programs, because our JV programs are very important to us. And that experience is very, very vital for those kids. Paul Durham: Well, I think one thing Hunt's had for you know for a number of years, as long as I've been doing this over twenty years, is you've had a lot of consistency in the coaching staff and the athletic department, and you certainly have that now. You've been there for a long time. I mean, you've got, you know, Juan Jackson, my old classmate, class eighty-four, has been the football coach, and he's been there for a while now. one guy's been there forever, literally since the school opened, not the whole time, but Dwight Taylor was member of the first Hunt graduating class in nineteen seventy nine. long time coach. Dwight finally I guess he's retired a couple of times, but think this one's for real. that's a big hit for you guys to lose Dwight, obviously, but you know you knew he wasn't gonna be there forever. and just wanted to get your thoughts on on him stepping down 'cause that's that is kind of a big change for y'all. He's a Hall of Famer. Dwight's been there forever. Jon Smith: Yeah, Dwight is he's a staple with the school. A lot of a lot of folks around the state, when we see him at the coaches clinic, you they asked how you know, how's Coach Taylor doing? is well known across the state of North Carolina. Tremendous success. you know, a as the athlete director, I knew this time was coming, but you know, I I would kind of tease with him last couple of years is saying, Coach, I need you one more year, I need a one year contract. You give me one more year and You know, he did it and I think this year, just some things that went on was kind of frustrating to him. I think he he mentioned that in the newspaper article that happened and he said it was, you know, time to hang it up and it's it's a huge loss. I I like who we have stepping in, but following Coach Taylor is gonna be a tough task for anybody. Paul Durham: And is that that's I don't know if he's been approved yet. I guess I don't know if you can say it. Mark Kent, who's a longtime assistant, Mark's been there forever. So again, it's not like, you know, i it's all in the family hunt and that that family continues to grow, it seems like. Jon Smith: Yeah, well, you know, trying to have k a succession plan with Dwight was, you know, something that we had talked about and Coach Taylor kinda mentioned, you know, w we we got his you know, his point of view about it. 'Cause we're not there every day, but just, you know, we wanted somebody that that knew the program, knew the standards, but even more so would work, work really hard with the kids, you know, open the gym up on the week, you know, on Saturdays so they can get some shots up or You know, just be there for those kids, do summer workouts, winter workouts. I mean, you know, just do things with the kids who want to be good. And you know, there's a lot of good basketball in the area. And I think, you know, it's a sport where if you're not focused on developing the kids and working with them, you know, more than likely they're gonna find somewhere else to go play. And I think Coach Kent knows that very well and knows he knows Wilson. knows the game of basketball, had a trem had really good success with our JV program. But also, you know, a lot of JV coaches after practice will go home. and after their JV games, we'll we'll go home. Coach Kent was always one to stick around and help out with varsity practice. So he spent a lot of time in our gym and a lot of time with Coach Taylor. Not saying, you know, he he's told me he's not gonna do the same things as Coach Taylor as far as X's and O's. but at least the standards will be the same and that's that's kind of what we're after. Paul Durham: Yeah, that's really the key. You gotta you gotta have I mean that that's what makes a program, the culture, the standards. And you know, once those change, things can change quickly. let's talk about this. We talked a few years ago when during the speaking of COVID when and and right after COVID when everything was super expensive like it is now again in grocery stores, gas, everything that's cost more money. as a high school A D, I mean that was a big challenge five years ago. It's even more so now. You got even more kids, you got more teams like flag football started. I don't even know if we were doing I think lacrosse had just started then. You've got even more kids to worry about, probably more kids at the school too. what are some of the challenges now that you that may have gotten worse, I think maybe since that first go run or go around five years ago? Jon Smith: Yeah, well, you know, we want to have as many opportunities for our kids to participate in athletics as we can. sometimes it does put a strain on the on the financial budget. our district has has stepped in and helped with some things. And and speaking of like like flag football, we we were able, Coach Walston and our central office staff was able to secure a grant through the Carolina Panthers to help s offset some of those startup costs. with that sport which was huge. And so from my perspective, me and Mr. Doll we have to sit down and and and Miss Issette who's our bookkeeper, and we keep up with how much, you know, how much money we make at the gate per event and, you know, tie that with all our expenses and we kinda come up with a budget. And we try to stay within that budget throughout the entire school year. And sometimes it's tough. And then, you know, we have to rely on our booster club. And our booster club's been really strong the last probably 10 years, you know, to get it where it is now. And they've been very generous at doing projects and doing things. And some some things you see, some things you might not see, but they've really stepped in and helped us. And we're to a point now, Paul, where, you know, initially to offset some of the costs, we raised the ticket prices across the board to $10. And we've been talking for a couple of years. We don't think I don't feel like we're gonna be able to raise ticket prices for a good while. you know, but booking booking fees for officials keeps going up. Officials got raises from the board meeting in the spring. and and they're they're asking for more. And then, like you said, equipment's higher, fuel cost is higher, and security has gone up. so a lot of our expenses keep to go keep going up, and the only revenue sources we have are gate receipts and and concession stand. and then a little help from the booster club from sponsorships and what have you. But it's tough, but it it's a daily thing. I mean, I'll go in there tomorrow morning and talk with Miss Issette and Mr. Doll about, you know, our volleyball match today, which was a conference tournament game, so that money goes to the conference to help pay for conference awards and just see where we are, you know, at this point in the fall. We have two really big football games coming up with Northern Nash for homecoming and then Fike on senior night. Which we're, you know, expecting large crowds and hopefully we can you know, make enough money in those games to kinda help us with a winter, 'cause the winter is kind of our tough time. w w with with expenses with, you know, J V basketball, varsity girls, varsity boys, you gotta pay for those officials. Our attendance on Tuesday night home games isn't very good for basketball. wrestling is a very expensive sport, getting in wrestling tournaments. And so it's tough, but it's one thing that we just attack kinda daily once we get into it and try to stay within that budget. Paul Durham: Well man, there's a lot more to being an athletic director in high school than just making sure everybody's got a bus to get to and from the games and and then you know, who's working the gates. people don't realize that, but it really is. And I've seen it, you know, go from the time I was in high school a million years ago to now. it's really like what you're doing now is almost like a small college compared to the way it was back in the eighties. So Jon Smith: Yeah, it's it's a lot. I mean, you can ask my family, it's a lot. It's a twenty four seven, three hundred and sixty five hour, you know, a day day a year job for sure. Paul Durham: Yeah, and as Brent Pearson, the Elm City Middle School A D, told me earlier tonight, it's like he spends almost every day out at Elm City Middle in the summer, which I'm sure you do quite a bit of as well. Jon Smith: Yeah, I think I think all athletic directors, you know, could could do well by by having a second home at the school for sure. Paul Durham: Well man, so you can go use their air conditioning, I guess, sometimes in the summer. Well, let's talk Jon Smith: Yeah. Paul Durham: about baseball. Let's move away from athletic director. You're the baseball coach first and foremost. That's what brought you to hunt. That's what you're still doing, and you're still doing it really well. man, you guys had a great first year, won the conference, and did pretty well and not as well as you wanted to, because you were a higher seed, but you got a good look at the new landscape in 5A. What do you think about your team this year? I know you lost some some key players, but you got a really big pitcher coming back. in Stone Massey who's gonna be one of the most talked about seniors around here, I guess, this spring. just wanna get your thoughts on the spring season coming up. I know it's a few months away, but hey, it'll be here before you know it. Jon Smith: Yeah, I'm I'm really excited about this year's team. you mentioned it we're we're we lost we lost some seniors that that were that were really big. Will Doll, Jake Harris, I mean two that really jump out, you know. You know, Will was just so clutch and came up in the big moments. We're gonna miss him for sure. having Stone Massey back is a big one. good players make coaches seem a lot better. You know, it's it's the Johnnies and Joes and not so much the X's and O's. I know you've heard that before, but when we give Stone Massey the ball to go pitch, we got a pretty good chance to win. and that's a good feeling to have. Haven't had that very often since I've been a hunt. but this is certainly a good feeling. and I like the pieces we have around him. We got some guys that had really good years last year's as juniors. We have sophomore that's you know Had a really good season. And then I think we got, you know, maybe got some young younger guys that can step in and help us in some in some spots. I think we had five all-region players. Stone was all state and and the 5-A pitcher year. So we got a lot of pieces coming back. and I you know, I didn't mention him, but Trevor Moore's gonna be a big loss. But we weren't able to get what we wanted to out Connor McIntosh last year. He battling an injury coming off of injury, but I think this year he's gonna step up and And kind of fill that void as maybe a number two or number three pitcher for us behind Stone, which is what we need. Stone, you know, he's good for one game, and then we got to find some depth. And but I do like, I like where we are. I like I like our mindset. I think I think there's a little little chip on the shoulder following last year's exit from the playoffs. And I think that we got a good shot to make a run at this thing later in the spring. one thing I did do, Paul, was I I beefed a schedule up. we got a really tough schedule. So that's gonna be our record may not be, may not show exactly who we are, which I'm fine with. Our RPI, our seed may not matter come that time of the year. we're gonna try to just continue to get better and peak at the end of the season. Paul Durham: Tough schedule should get you a good RPI and that'll really matter at the point. You mentioned your schedule, you guys are gonna be part of I don't know how many details you can share, but it's kinda been out there. the Wilson Warbirds are gonna put together a showcase that you guys are gonna be part of and get to play in Wilson ballpark before the Warbird season begins. I I guess that's in March. Jon Smith: Yeah, be March twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh. I think we're playing that Friday night, and then there's some more games on Saturday. really excited about that opportunity for our kids to be able to play here here in their home professional ballpark. should be exciting. the Warbirds, I think, you know, from all from all conversations I've had, they're going, you know, let us use the locker rooms, the indoor cages, take infield, outfield, you know, that the scoreboard's gonna be on. maybe even do walk up songs. They they want the kids to feel like a professional player during that game, which I think's gonna be a neat experience and hopefully it's something we can keep going year after year and get some more some more local teams involved. Paul Durham: That is awesome. And unlike the Golden Leaf Invitational, which you pioneered with former Fike coach Buck Edmundson, you won't have to do any of the work for this one. So that's also a plus. Jon Smith: No, that's a plus, yeah. Paul Durham: All right. Well Coach Smith, thank you for joining us and telling us what's going on with Hunt. Congratulations on the Wells Fargo Cup. That's a big deal. And I know you're already working on another one. And I'm sure we'll have you back on here again at some point. But thanks again for coming on. Jon Smith: All right, thanks, Paul. Thank you.