MJCA Athletic News

September, 2009

An On-Line Publication of the Athletic Department of Mount Juliet Christian Academy

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Mt. Juliet Christian Academy athletics can now be heard world wide and LIVE! This year the athletic department added this new feature, with the help of David Roberts who executed the plan. So far we have had two Friday night football games on the web.

Response to this new program has been overwhelming. The very first night, MJCA almost maxed out its limitation on listenership. Bringing these games to you are two of our talented alumni, Matt Swallows (play-by-play) and Brandon Keeton (color commentator). The games have been produced by Dave Roberts.

Several sponsors have already been contacted to advertise (through commericials), but more are still needed. Some commercials are currently running during the broadcast, but there is still room left. If you know of anyone who would be interested in advertising through this media, please contact the athletic department.

Matt Swallows has added a few new special features to the broadcast since it began. He will typically do a halftime interview with MJCA athletic director, Paul Christensen, to discuss current events in the department. He has also added a halftime interview with the MJCA Alumni of the Week. The first week was former MJCA star athlete, Brent Lane. And finally, he concludes the night with an interview of the MJCA player of the game. The first honor went to junior wide receiver, Daniel Harden.

This is just the beginning. So many more exciting features are on the way. The best way that you can support this broadcast is by tuning in when you cannot make the game.

The 2009-2010 school year started off well, with the exception of one thing. Flu season visited many states early this year, including Tennessee. The end of August and the beginning of September had an unseasonal outbreak of bronchitis, strep throat, the flu, and H1N1 virus.

As these illnesses found their way to MJCA, it had a tremendous impact on the MJCA athletic department. In football, there have been practices where as many as 25%-60% of the team missed due to sickness. One middle school football was canceled for the same reason.

The other MJCA teams did not seemed to be as effected as football, but each had some sort of illness impact.

We will never know what kind of effect that this year's illness had on the wins and losses of the football program, but we do know that it played a huge role in MJCA's ability to prepare in practice and its performance on the field on Friday nights.

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It is an exciting time of the year for MJCA athletics. Football, golf, cross country, girls soccer, and volleyball are in full swing, and basketball season is just around the corner.

The Saints have a very exciting schedule this year that includes more schools than ever before. The home schedule is also very exciting and includes Watertown High School, Davidson Academy, University School of Nashville, Donelson Christian Academy, Riverside Christian, Pleasant View Christian School, Zion Christian Academy, Lighthouse Christian School, Christian Community High School, St. Cecilia, and the Tennessee Heat. The high school teams will also be participating in the Wilson County Christmas Classic this December.

Notable road games include Ezell Harding Christian School, Kings Academy, Knox Webb, St. Andrews School, Franklin Road Academy, and Webb School of Bell Buckle.

Although very young, the Saints and Lady Saints expect to have promising seasons. Help us create an atmosphere of fun, excitement, and school spirit by regularly attending action packed MJCA basketball games.

After several season as the MJCA girls basketball coach, David Kitchen Jr. resigned his position last spring. It was thought that the very successful middle school coach, Richard Presley, would take over the position that Kitchen left void. As a matter of fact, the girls worked out with Coach Presley last summer in preparation for this season. However, this fall much has changed.

As the athletic department continued its search for a new middle school girls coach, it became obvious that they were not going to be able to get the coach that they wanted to fill that spot. So, Coach Presley expressed an interest in moving back to the middle school level. Coach Presley felt that he was more comfortable coaching at the middle school level and that his skill set was built for that age group.

Paul Christensen (athletic director) agreed to moving Presley back to his previous position as the head coach of the middle school girls basketball team. However, the high school girls did not have to wait long or look far for their new coach.

Casey Colter was asked by Paul Christensen to become the new head girls basketball coach starting this season. After talking to his wife and praying about it, Coach Colter enthusiastically accepted.

Coach Colter brings a great deal of coaching experience to the table. He has served as a college women's assistant coach at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tn. Since then he has been the athletic director and head men's basketball coach at Lighthouse Christian School in Antioch, Tn. Last year Colter served as the assistant basketball coach to Paul Christensen with the high school boys basketball team.

Coach Colter will have 2 returning seniors and 3 returning starters off of last year's 10 win team.

Tyler Sumner has become a key part of the Mt. Juliet Christian Academy athletic department. The 5'11" junior is a three sport athlete. Sumner is the starting quarterback for the Saints football team, he plays forward for the high school basketball team and is on defense on the soccer team.

This may seem like a lot of activity, but Tyler is also involved in his First Baptist Church youth group. He is also a very capable and good student in the classroom. In the midst of all this, Sumner has found a way to hold down a job at the YMCA. This type of a balanced life is what makes him the kind of athlete that deserves the spotlight.

As a freshman, Tyler received the soccer team's Most Improved Player award. Since then, he has not received many individual recognitions (in sports). However, he has been a solid and stable force on and off the field for MJCA.

MJCA is proud to recognize Mr. Tyler Sumner as September's Student Athlete of the Month.

The 2009 golf season started out with a bang! TJ Roberts lead his teammates into the season with high expectations of success in their first run at Division 2.

So far this season, MJCA has compiled an incredible record of 8 wins and only 2 losses. Previous to this year, the best MJCA golf team records were 7-5 in 2007 and 9-8-1 in 2005. So with just 3 matches left, this team seems to be a lock to hold the best team golf record in school history.

The Saints will travel to play Ezell Harding on September 17 and then will play St. Andrews School at Willowbrook Golf Course on September 22. After that, the Saints will move on to the Division 2 Region Tournament, also at Willowbrook Golf Course.

Congratulations to Coach Brent Turner and the MJCA golf team on this outstanding year.

Mount Juliet Christian Academy | 735 North Mount Juliet Road | Mount Juliet, Tennessee 37122 | 615-758-2427 (v) | 615-758-3662 (f)