FCA to honor Lookout Mountain, Georgia Christian Athletes of Year

Friday, January 1, 1904

Seven nominees for Christian Athlete of the Year from the Lookout Mountain/Northwest Georgia chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be honored at a dessert reception at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring on Sunday.

The Christian Athlete of the Year will receive a $1,000 Dicky Clark Leadership Award scholarship from the 11-year-old chapter, while the runner-up will get a $500 William "Fireball" Kinsey scholarship. The Nate Schuster Courage Award also will be presented.

Covenant College head men's basketball coach Kyle Taylor will present the "Champion's Challenge" message to the honorees. Taylor is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, where he played basketball. Prior to coming to Covenant in 2009, he was an assistant coach at Pepperdine University, California State-Northridge, William Jewell College and Minnesota State-Moorhead.

The event also will honor the Christian Athlete of the Year from each of nine Georgia middle schools. The honorees are Katherine Carden of Chattanooga Valley, Taylor Cox of Dade, Grace Sims of Gordon Lee, Katelyn Thompson of Heritage, Montana Aldridge of LaFayette, Sydni Eaves of Lakeview, Michael Adams of Menlo School, Sydney Smith of Summerville and Tanner Purcell of Trion.

The 2:30 p.m. dessert reception is free to the public, but reservations are requested by today at noon. For reservations, call 423-322-2158.

CHRISTIAN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES

* Dade County High School -- Sammi Morgan: Wrestling, Drama Club, choir, Dade County Honor member, church worship leader.

* Gordon Lee High School -- Kassidy Blevins: Basketball, cross country, track, National Honor Society, FCA president, Sage Club, community service.

* Heritage High School -- Levi Coker: Football, Beta Club, Do the Right Thing Award, Drama Team, youth group leader.

* LaFayette High School -- Tori Hunter: Softball, basketball, tennis, National Honor Society, student government, Georgia Certificate of Merit, Pep Club.

* Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School -- Megan Sircy: Volleyball, track and field, basketball, National Honor Society, Beta Club, student government, DECA president.

* Ridgeland High School -- Taylor Hodges: Softball, basketball, National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America president, voted Most Likely To Succeed.

* Ringgold High School -- Joshua Brubaker: Cross- country, soccer, swimming, National Honor Society, Beta Club, Freedoms Foundation national award winner.