MJCA Athletic News

November, 2009

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

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You may notice a couple of new murals around the campus of MJCA. Although these look like professional renderings, they were actually done by Mrs. York and the MJCA Art Department.

One of these pieces is located above the door entering the gym near the band room (this is where the Saints enter the gym for basketball games). It is a number 31 with angel wings attached. It is designed to honor the late and beloved Dustan Gammon, who was a very important member of the Saints basketball team. The basketball team wanted something to honor and remember him by. They asked the Art Department if they would be interested in helping with this, and they accepted. Now, before every home game, the Saints will have a visible reminder of the lessons taught by Dustan.

The other mural is located in the weight room. The art students have paints a great picture of a barbell loaded down with weights surrounded by the words "MJCA Saint Pride". This picture dresses up the weight room and serves as a motivator for the student-athletes who are working out.

Paul Christensen and the MJCA Athletic Department would like to say a special thanks to Brenda York and the MJCA Art Department for supporting the Athletic Department in this very meaningful way.

Most student-athletes run to get ready for their sport, but for one MJCA team, running is their sport. The MJCA cross country team is currently small but has continued to build on the cross country reputation that MJCA has worked for several year to establish.

If you look at the banners that hang from the rafters in the MJCA gymansium, you will notice several banners representing the cross country team. MJCA has sent two different men's teams to the TSSAA state meet, and numerous individuals to the state. MJCA has also had four athletes move on to the college level in the sport of cross country.

This year, the cross country numbers are small. There are only four current high school runners. However, they are running with the same pride in our school as the teams with many more members did. Coached by Joel Walsh, this team has continued to improve and watched their times drop to a level that almost sent a couple of them to this year's state meet.

MJCA is proud of all cross country (past and present) for competing for the Saints in one of our school's hardest sports.

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Mt. Juliet Christian Academy Athletic Director, Paul Christensen, announced this week that MJCA will be starting 5th and 6th grade football next fall.

Christensen says, "This will be more of a MJCA sponsored team, than a MJCA team, because we will be allowing kids from the community to play on it." With MJCA's upper elementary enrollment, it would be very difficult to consistantly support the program with only MJCA students. However, this will give MJCA kids a chance to play for a team that is age appropriate.

"Another good reason for starting this program is to build a better foundation for MJCA players, before they move up to the middle school and high school levels," said Christensen. "We will be able to market our school in a better way by inviting these community kids to be a part of what we are doing here at the school."

MJCA has already named the new head coach for this program, Mike Kitrell. Coach Kitrell has expressed great excitement for the school, the program, and the players for which he will be coaching.

This new team will be playing a combination of other schools and community teams next season. Following the regular season, MJCA plans to host an invitational tournament.

If you are interested in being a part of this program, please contact Paul Christensen at 758-2427 ext. 336.

For some time now, MJCA's new sports complex has been discussed. Well, now it is within sight. It is easy to see the wheels turning as several steps are being taken to advance this project.

Mt. Juliet Christian Academy has put together a couple of committees that will help get things moving forward. Tina Pressley (Development Director) and Greg Scheck (Headmaster) have been visiting with donors and have already collected money toward the early stages of the project.

A seven person building committee has also been formed to lead this project from now to completion. Last week this committee interviewed five architectural firms, and they narrowed their selection down to two firms. This seems to be positive and encouraging movement toward this badly needed addition.

God has truly blessed MJCA with the facilities that we have, and we look forward to see Him work as we expand the facilities and provide more opportunities for our students.

MJCA sophomore, Sam Mummert, has excelled in sports at MJCA for the past several years. In middle school he was a stand-out basketball and soccer player, receiving honors in both sports.

However, until now, Mummert's high school career has been mostly about soccer. In soccer he has been named to the All-District 8 A-AA team. He has been a key player on the Saints high school soccer team, while playing for the Cobra Select soccer club in the off-season.

This year Sam has returned to the sport of basketball, in addition to his soccer efforts. His natural athleticism and basketball skill has made him an instant impact player for the MJCA high school basektball team. After the first two basketball games, Sam is averaging three points per game as well as contributing in several other statistical areas.

With this busy schedule, Mummert has managed to maintain a solid GPA and has been an active citizen of the MJCA student body.

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