Former Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phillip Fulmer and best-selling author David Epstein will speak at Normal Park school’s gym-raising fundraiser at 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Tivoli Theater, and tickets are on sale. Purchase possibilities at raisethegym.brownpapertickets.com include some VIP tickets that provide meet-and-greets with both speakers, and tax-deductible sponsorships range from $1,000 to $10,000. Epstein wrote “The Sports Gene,” an award-winning book about the effects of genetics and sports training on athletic achievement.
Basketball
* Bryan College senior Brandon Cole from Crossville, Tenn., was chosen the Tennessee Sports Writers Association men’s college basketball player of the week for his three double-doubles in three games last week. The Appalachian Athletic Conference’s leading scorer and rebounder averaged 27 points and 13.7 rebounds, with 30 points against Point and 31 against Montreat. He also had four assists in each of those two games. He leads all of NCAA Division II with 495 points and is second nationally with 29.1 points per game and 192 rebounds.
Golf
* Dalton State men’s golf coach Ben Rickett, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga player and assistant, will try to continue a DSC tradition in this year’s Dancing Stars of Dalton fundraiser set for April 30 at the Dalton Convention Center. Athletic director Derek Waugh won the mirrorball trophy in 2014, and volleyball coach Bruna Langner was last year’s winner. “It’s something I’m very nervous about,” Rickett said in a school release. “It’s been a long time since I have started something from scratch and dancing is not one of my strengths, but it’s for a great cause (the Alzheimer’s Association) and it will be a fun evening.” Rickett’s partner is professional dancer Leticia Deal.