This image shows Atlanta Braves’ R.A. Dickey, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in Kissimmee, Fla. This photo represents the teams roster as of Feb. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux)R.A. Dickey, a former University of Tennessee standout who most recently pitched for the Atlanta Braves and won a Cy Young Award with the New York Mets in 2012, will be the special speaker for the area Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ annual Road to Victory Banquet. It is set for Jan. 30 at the Catoosa County Colonnade in Ringgold, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Individual tickets cost $50, and sponsorships with tables for 10 and special privileges cost $500, $1,000 and $5,000. Anyone interested can register online at www.chattanoogafca.org/banquet or call FCA area director Jay Fowler at 423-309-4255.
Dickey, 43, was a standard pitcher through his early professional years but enhanced and extended his career by becoming a knuckeball specialist. Besides the Mets and Braves, he has pitched for the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.
“We’re thrilled to have R.A.Dickey come to the Chattanooga area to speak,” Fowler said. “R.A. has overcome a lot of obstacles in his life and will be a great representative for our ministry. He has been active with FCA going back to middle school at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville.”
Said Dickey: “FCA was instrumental in my introduction to Christ. Not only was FCA the first time I truly remember learning about who Christ was , but also FCA played a vital role in my collegiate years as it allowed me to share my faith in a way that made it even more real.”
Tennis
-University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s tennis coach Chad Camper on Friday released his team’s schedule for the spring semester, beginning with a Jan. 15 match at Austin Peay. Camper’s Mocs, who return all six starters from the team that went 14-8 and 4-3 in the Southern Conference last spring, will host eight dual matches from Jan. 19 (Belmont) to April 8 (Mercer) and then will host the SoCon tournament April 19-22 at the Champions Club.
The 10 road nonconference foes include Memphis on Jan. 21, Alabama on Feb. 3, Clemson on Feb. 18, Middle Tennessee State on Feb. 23 and Tulane on Feb. 24, with USC Upstate, Presbyterian, Alabama A&M and Alabama State mixed in. Other nonconference visitors besides Belmont are Lipscomb on Jan. 27, UT-Martin on Feb. 11 and Alabama-Huntsville on March 4. The Mocs’ SoCon schedule starts March 3 and 4 at home against East Tennessee State and Wofford, the latter in a doubleheader with UAH. Western Carolina visits on April 7.
“We have a nice blend of levels to help us prepare for the SoCon tournament,” Camper said in a UTC release. “We still have a lot of improvement ahead, and I feel our best tennis lies in the late spring.”