Tradition Never Graduates

Sue Honea

7 years ago

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Saturday night, June 24, 2017, Simpson Academy hosted a girl’s basketball alumni game! Players who played under Coach Linda Dear planned the event. Although all the participating players were not coached by Linda Deer, the girls fought hard to stay in the game! The first game involved present players and alumni. The second game pitted alumni against alumni! Brock Wallace announced the game assisted by Mara Johnson Hanson. Arnold Hederman, better known as Big A, coached the Alumni team. Big A was a volunteer coach to many of the alumni. He and his wife Gail, who did ever known job at SCA plus served as the Executive Director of the Magee Chamber of Commerce, attended the game along with their daughter Brandi who participated in the Alumni game.

Although the Players Vs Alumni game was not close on the scoreboard, I think the players came away from the game with a respect for the “old” girls!

When plans were formulated to host the event, the planning committee felt very strongly that money raised should be donated. After much discussion, the committee decided to raise money for the Jessie and Diane Mills family who lost their home in the January tornado in Simpson County. The Mills have three girls who attended SCA…all three girls participated in the alumni game. The Mills family was unaware of the decision to give their family the money…they just knew it was for tornado victims. The look on the faces of the Mills girls and Diane was priceless. Coach Linda Dear presented the money to Diane Mills.

I don’t think this will be the last Alumni game! As the team shirts stated, “Tradition Never Graduates,” I believe this bunch of alumni will be back with even more former SCA Cougars!

Love of friends knows no time line and giving and helping is something learned.