“52 Years of Education Excellence”

Reader Jennifer Kersey asked me to post this on a celebratory football game that will happen this Friday.

Smyrna High School is celebrating “52 Years of Education Excellence” by inviting the public to attend our first home football game of the season in honor of our recently retired principal, Mr. Robert L. Raikes. On Friday, August 19 at 7:30pm, we will play against Battle Ground Academy at the Robert L. Raikes Stadium at Smyrna High School. Admission to the game costs $6 per person. Please attend the game in support of Mr. Raikes and his service as an educator and administrator for the past 52 years. Shirts for the event ($10), as well as other school spirit items, will be available for sale at the game. For more information, please view the school web site: www.shs.rcs.k12.tn.us.

Local school auction

The Smyrna High school sports program could use some of your support.

Smyrna High's Football Team is holding their 2nd Annual Spaghetti Supper and Auction, Saturday, May 1st @ 5pm tickets $5. We had a blast last year with Paul Johns and Ray Lee as guest auctioneers. Donations are needed for the auction. Contact Coach Morton at mortonj@rcschools.net or Coach Williams at williamsma@rcschools.net.

I pulled this off of facebook, so if you have more details just leave them in comments.

Smyrna car dealership

Smyrna is lacking in car dealerships. Not car lots as we have them. I'm talking corporate dealers and now we will soon be one short.

The only local dealer to acknowledge getting a letter, though, was Team Chevrolet of Smyrna, which is operating under control of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. It's waiting for permission from GM to transfer its franchise to a new owner, Smyrna Mayor Bob Spivey

Isn't Team Chevrolet the only dealership in town. We do have used car lots but this is the dealership.

Happily they are not rolling over and dying.

Team Chevrolet of Smyrna, Tenn., got GM's notice and will switch to used-vehicle sales only. The closure letter was "kind of what we expected," general manager Chuck Hanes said. The company already was operating in its own bankruptcy reorganization, and was waiting for permission from GM to transfer its franchise to a new owner, Smyrna Mayor Bob Spivey.

"Our plans are to move forward with the pre-owned operation and keep as many of our 35 employees in place as we can," Hanes said.

I'm glad they plan on staying open. Team Chevrolet is a well established company in town and right now any closings hurt.

Titans

A Titans player will be making a visit to Smyrna High School this week.

Titan defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch will visit Smyrna High School Wednesday, Feb. 25 for a ‘Titans of Taste’ pep rally.

Smyrna High is a grand prizewinner in the third-annual ‘Titans of Taste’ milk cap contest, which challenges Middle Tennessee students to collect Purity milk caps and emphasizes the importance of a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

The visit is part of a prize that includes $5,000 in health and fitness gear for the school.

A helping hand

Robin Garner, another of the Smyrna AM columnists, emailed this to me. A fire displaced 10 people and one of them is a SHS student.

The 16 year old listed in the story is a member of the SHS Football team. SHS is collecting donations for this family, and the Quarter Back Club is joining in their effort.

The QB Club will also be collecting donations during our last home game this Friday night against Wilson Central.

If you would like to donate, please contact me (Robin Garner) or SHS.

Her email address is bnshopn (AT) hotmail (dot) com.Time to help a local family in need.

One more time

Looks like the Smyrna High School football team is going to go for two in a row this year for the state championship.

The reigning 5A champions staved off a late comeback bid by Bearden Friday night.

Now they'll have the opportunity to reign again.

Smyrna will take on Independence next Saturday in its second straight trip to the BlueCross Bowl after defeating Bearden 17-14 in a 5A state semifinal at Robert L. Raikes Stadium.

We wish them luck

DNJ reporter Roger Garfield was sure excited about the game last night. He has two stories online about it. [1] [2]

If any reader wants to do a write-up on the final game for "This is Smyrna, TN." drop me a line.

YMCA tailgate party tomorrow

The YMCA is hosting a tailgate party tomorrow for LaVergne and Smyrna, and all are invited.

The North Rutherford YMCA will host a tailgating party from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in its parking lot before the game. It is the second year the YMCA has hosted the event. Last year, more than 1,000 people showed up.

"It will be a good time for fellowship before they go out and start hollering at each other," said Mack Barrett, a YMCA board member. "The Y is doing their part to be a good neighbor. It's just one of the many things the Y does to bring the community together."

The event will feature a DJ, food from Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q and inflatable games for kids. While Jim 'N Nick's is offering the food for free, donations will be taken for both schools.

Looks like it will be fun.

While on the subject of High school football. Is there anyone out there who would like to do some basic posts on the school scene, and school sports in Smyrna? You could do it as individual submitted articles, or become a regular poster here at This is Smyrna, TN.

School Sports.

Looks like the Smyrna High School Volleyball team has a chance to advance to the state tournament this year.

The volleyball team has gone deep into the season in large part because of its height.

With Alex Adams, Dymon Raynor, Breanna Poore, Ashley Helms and Caitie Paul, the Lady Bulldogs have no shortage of tall players to patrol the net.
.............
Thursday, the team will see how it sizes up against some of the top competition Middle Tennessee has to offer when it plays in the sectional round. With a victory, Smyrna will advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2003.

Looks like the signs going up to recognize the SHS football champions may have company.

Good luck!

SHS band yard sale tomorrow

The band's yardsale is tomorrow and as my brother was a member for most of his time at SHS I hope you go to show them support with your cash.

Smyrna High School Band Yard Sale
7 a.m.-4 p.m., Yard Sale for the Smyrna High School Band, Location" Parking lot beside Taco Bell, Lowry Street, Smyrna.
Help support the Smyrna High School Band!

Thanks

New coach at Smyrna high school.

Looks like there is going to be a new coach for the boys and girls soccer teams at Smyrna High.

Smyrna High School principal Bud Raikes has announced the hiring of William McCloskey to coach both boys and girls soccer, replacing Mark Gonyea and Maggie Morrow, respectively.

McCloskey has spent the last 14 seasons at Kingsport-Dobyns Bennett High School, turning the Tribe and Lady Tribe into perennial contenders in ultra-tough East Tennessee.

"He has plenty of experience and has an excellent background in soccer," said Raikes. "Everything we found out about him was a positive in helping get our programs moving forward."

Good luck

Local Basketball player makes good

A Smyrna high basketball player has already signed for Tennessee Tech,.

The Tennessee Tech's women's basketball 2007-08 roster added two new faces this week as head coach Amy Brown concluded her inaugural singing class by announcing the signing of 5-foot-11 forward Rachel Whittle and 6-foot-3 center Vivian Nwosu, both of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas.

Nwosu and Whittle join Amanda Mendenhall from Harpeth High in Kingston Springs, and Jasmine White, a senior at Smyrna High in LaVergne. Mendenhall and White were added in late November as the early signing class.

Congratulations to Jasmine White.

Smyrna High in LaVergne? Misprint, or did they move the school without us knowing?