By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The efforts to establish a local FCA office are continuing.
Tuesday morning, during a breakfast held at Denny's, local coaches and Fellowship of Christian Athlete board members were updated on the progress to establish such an office.
Approximately 40 people attended the breakfast, including most of the Forrest City coaches and East Arkansas FCA Chapter board members Dr. Dale Morris, Don Perkins, Sue Jayroe, Rausch Hodges and Tom Machen.
Other board members include Gay Schwartz, Cecil Twillie and Don Campbell.
Morris, who serves as board chairman, opened the program by bringing everyone up-to-date about the on-going fund raising process for establishing the office and hiring a staff person to serve the nine-county East Arkansas FCA -- St. Francis, Cross, Arkansas, Crittenden, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie and Woodruff.
David Parker, director of development for the North Central and East Arkansas FCA, was also on hand and spoke directly to the coaches during the breakfast.
In April, the East Arkansas FCA sponsored the Evening of Challenge banquet, which drew about 300 to the Forrest City Civic Center to meet and hear NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, the featured speaker for the evening.
All nine counties were represented at the banquet.
Tuesday morning, Morris encouraged the coaches and others working with FCA to "continue their efforts in earnest."
Morris said about $35,000 has been raised for the office.
"We are still searching for a staff person," Morris said.
Parker said the goal is to have about $80,000 before hiring a staff person for this area.
"I firmly believe in FCA and I believe that God has a plan for this area," Parker said. "It is vitally important for the coaches and other volunteers in this area to work together to help establish "huddle groups" within the Forrest City school system and to continue to encourage and make a different in the lives of the young people and athletes."
A huddle group is an on-campus meeting between FCA leaders and students and usually take place once a month.
Huddle groups were in place last year at the high school and this year, chapter members hope to establish huddle groups at the Forrest City Middle School campus and at the junior high campus.
Nationally, there are 400,000 athletes involved in weekly FCA-led Bible studies with 1.2 million volunteers.
Forrest City businessman Bill Baxter said there are more than 35,000 students in more than 30 schools in the nine counties who can be served by FCA volunteers and an FCA office in this area.
Baxter also said plans to begin an FCA Booster Club is in the works as well as creating adult huddle groups.
Forrest City Athletic Director Mike Bender appealed to each of the coaches to continued support of the FCA program.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
A year ago, Layne McGuirt spent the summer learning the game of fast pitch softball.
This summer, she took that knowledge and her softball game to another level.
McGuirt, the 13-year-old daughter of Woody and Karen McGuirt of Forrest City, pitched and played first base for the Germantown Lady Red Devils 14-under fast-pitch softball team.
The team finished seventh at the AFA (American Fast Pitch Association)Nationals held recently in Lawrence, Kan.
Last summer, McGuirt played for the 12-under Lady Red Devil team which finished 2-2 at nationals in Montgomery, Ala. This time around, the Lady Red Devils finished with a 5-3 record out of 42 teams competing for the national title.
The Germantown-based Lady Red Devils were the lone Tennessee representative in the tournament which included teams from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas and Ohio.
During the summer, the Lady Devils competed in tournaments held in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas and placed second in four while winning the Bomber Invitational, held in Marion, which served as an AFA World Qualifier.
McGuirt pitched in all but two of the national tournament games and was the starting pitcher in two of the eight games.
Layne''s younger sister, Meg, was also along for the ride with the14-under team, after being called up from the Germantown 10-under team.
Meg was used as a pinch-runner in one game and was given an at-bat in another.
Casey Baxter fired a 144 total to win the Forrest City Country Club Stroke Play Club Championship over the weekend.
David Baldwin and Bill Carter tied for second with a 146 while Kirk Billingsley finished third with a 148.
Harry Wilson won the handicap flight/low Net score championship with a 131 total. Jim Murry was second at 132 and Cleo Perry finished third with a 133.
Terry Vienna won the senior division championship with a round of 176.