Scoot Henderson, a former basketball standout at Kell High School who will soon begin his NBA career, is sponsoring a back-to-school event with his family in the East Cobb area this weekend.
The event is called O.D.D-CON, which stands for “Overly Determined to Dominate,” and includes sports, technology, entertainment and empowerment segments for youth.
It’s being held Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Next Play 360 basketball training facility (2910 Canton Road), which is run by his parents. The event will also provide school supplies for students in need.
There is no charge to attend O.D.D.-Con, which will feature speakers and panelists who will discuss entrepreneurship, wellness, STEM education, and personal development, along with friendly competition in basketball, volleyball and pickleball, as well as yoga and meditation sessions.
Also on tap are live musical and artistic performances, interactive art installations, workshops led by local artists and musicians and a curated fashion show with local designers and models.
“Overly Determined to Dominate, is a mindset coined by Scoot, a way of thinking, doing, living and attaching your path to the life you want to achieve,” according to a press release announcing the event.
Henderson led the Kell Longhorns to the 2021 Georgia High School Association Class 6A title game, where they lost to Wheeler.
For the last two years he played in the G-League, a developmental basketball circuit, and was recently the third pick in the NBA draft, chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers.
His sister, Crystal Henderson, led the Kell girls team to the 2023 GHSA Class 5A state title and is a freshman at Georgia State University.
There are five other Henderson siblings, all of whom played college basketball.
For information about O.D.D.-Con and to sign up for school supplies, click here.
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Cobb PARKS is accepting entries in its 18th annual Fun in the Park Photo Contest. (The photos in this post are what we’ve taken in the past on our visits to parks in the East Cobb area; we’ve never submitted them for the contest.)
Participants can submit up to 10 of their favorite photos taken at county and city parks until Nov. 2. Entries are not accepted for photos taken at national parks or those outside Cobb County.
The categories include nature and wildlife, sports and action and general, and there is no charge to enter the contest.
Here’s some very specific information on photo files and how to label and submit them:
Photos should be in full-size jpeg format with no watermarks or signatures on the image. Name the files with your name, category and photo # – (example: John Doe_NW_01). This would represent your file as John Doe > Nature and Wildlife > photo #1. Digital photos must be accompanied by an entry form. Entries that are submitted by email will need entry information in the email with the category for each picture and number indicated. Cobb PARKS reserves the right to not accept photos deemed inappropriate.
Submit entries to Mark.Chandler@cobbcounty.org.
Plaques will be awarded for first, second, third and honorable mention for each category.
Judges will be provided by the Cobb Photographic Society and Cobb County PARKS. Winners will be notified by email by the first week in December.
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The sponsor is the Atlanta Braves, and the spring competitions will include league and all-star play at the local, state and national levels, leading to championship rounds in June.
In a message to member families on Thursday, East Side Baseball president Majd Saboura said that “joining the new Braves Country Baseball League is the right path forward for our program and children. We believe that this league will provide all of East Side children and member organizations with a lot more opportunity and offer a lot more opportunity for our all star, hybrid and rec teams a chance to play competitive baseball and in our own backyard!”
East Side Baseball, based at Fullers Park, is one of 16 youth baseball/softball organizations that’s becoming part of the Braves County circuit in metro Atlanta.
Those include Oregon Park in West Cobb, Acworth Baseball and Powder Springs Youth Baseball.
The change doesn’t affect the fall season, which begins in September.
East Side Baseball, which formed in 1970, offers a variety of baseball options for youths ages 4-18.
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Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC), the official Friends Group and Primary Philanthropic Partner of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) announces Brittany Jones as the first Executive Director in the organization’s history. Hiring an executive director signifies a major milestone in CNPC’s development and growth. Jones began her new role on July 10.
Before joining CNPC, Jones served as Chief Experience Officer at San Francisco’s Filoli, a National Trust for Historic Preservation site. She most recently was Executive Director of Smith-Gilbert Gardens in Kennesaw, Ga. In 2021, Jones completed her Master’s in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco. Through her final capstone project, “DEAI in Nonprofits: Through the Lens of Museums and Gardens,” she explored practices and barriers around Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion. Jones received her Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies at Florida International University.
“We couldn’t be more proud that our volunteer-led organization has reached a point where our size, complexity, and strategic goals necessitate the appointment of a dedicated leader to manage and oversee its operations,” says Graham Dorian, CPNC President and Board Chair. “Brittany is inclusive, collaborative, and strategic and has the skills and experience to continue to develop CNPC. We are confident her commitment, fresh perspectives, energy, and expertise will allow us to continue to be an impactful partner for the national park.”
“What CNPC has accomplished in just 10 years is astounding, and I am thrilled to be joining such an active, growing, and engaged organization!” says Jones. “I have a deep passion for parks and the volunteers who care for them and look forward to enhancing CNPC’s ability to achieve our mission and create a meaningful impact.”
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One of the largest community fundraisers in East Cobb—the Dog Days Run—is just around the corner.
It’s the 18th edition of the event staged by the Rotary Club of East Cobb, and takes place Aug. 5 at the McCleskey Family-East Cobb YMCA (1055 E. Piedmont Road). The run/walk is a 5K format that starts at 7:30 a.m.
Last year, the event generated nearly $100,000, with proceeds going to more than 20 charities in East Cobb. After the run, awards will be given out to top finishers in various categories and sponsors and community groups will have tables in a mini-festival setting.
Butch Carter, current president of the Rotary Club, said runner registrations “typically more than cover the race expense, so that combined with the business sponsorships are what allow us to give back to the community.”
Sponsorships range from $250 for a “Friend of Rotary” sponsorship that includes a race entry and t-shirt to a $15,000 presenting sponsor designation. They’re designed to appeal to all sizes of businesses and community organizations.
Other sponsorship levels include silver ($1,250), lazy dog ($2,500), gold ($3,000) and platinum ($5,000), and include a variety of verbal and logo recognitions, Rotary Club breakfast invitations, race entries, t-shirts and festival booths.
Higher-level sponsorships also receive tickets to the Rotary’s “Give Back” dinners during which charities receive their donations from the run.
This year’s sponsors include Honest-1 Auto Care, Indian Hills Country Club, Dentistry at East Piedmont, the YMCA, The Hanna Family and Malon D. Mimms Company.
Race beneficiaries include the following:
MDE School; American Cancer Society Relay for Life; Boy Scouts of America; Brumby Elementary School; Camp Kudzu; Center for Children and Young Adults; Cobb Library Foundation; Cobb County Public Safety; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; East Cobb Park; Family Promise of Cobb County; Laws of Life School Essay Contest; Kidz2Leaders; Project Mail Call; Rally Foundation; Rotary Youth Exchange Program; “Service Above Self” Heroes; Walton/East Cobb Robotics; WellStar Foundation (Hospice); Wheeler High School AVID Program; YMCA NE/East Cobb
The registration fee is $30 through July 31 and is $35 after that and for phantom runners.
Prize Money includes $200 each for the overall male and female winners, $200 for the master (age 40-49) male winner, $150 for the master female winner; $150 for the grandmaster (50+) male and female winners; $100 each for the senior (60+) male winner; $50 for the senior female winner.
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LM Frame and Gallery of East Cobb will be the venue for an upcoming exhibit displaying the work of a notable sports artist.
An opening event for the exhibit will take place on Thursday, July 20, from 5:30-8 p.m. at its location at 1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 150.
The exhibit features the work of Jace McTier, based in Augusta, and will continue through Aug. 15.
He’s part of a family of artists that specializes in Impressionist, figurative and sports painting (Lucy and Jace McTier). His mother, Lucy McTier, has been among his influences, along with William Turner, Vincent Van Gogh, and the sports art of George Bellows and LeRoy Nieman.
Jace McTier’s sports art portraits include Tom Brady, Muhammad Ali, Serena Williams and Rory McIlroy.
A portion of sales from the exhibit at LM Frame and Gallery will be donated to the Tim Luke Hope for Minds charity, helping children with brain injuries.
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The National Park Service has extended the closure area further downstream. Here’s the release from Monday afternoon:
“The partial closure of the Chattahoochee River from Chattahoochee Nature Center to all downstream sections of the park remains in effect due to elevated E. Coli contamination and the associated risk to health.
The park and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper continue to monitor and test water quality as Fulton County Public Works begins treatment. An issue at Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility has been reported to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Fulton County is diverting the maximum quantity of wastewater to a plant in Cobb County, and the Army Corps of Engineers generated an additional release to help with dissipation.
Water quality tests received on July 3 reveal bacteria levels that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency recommended limits for recreation. The partial river closure will remain in effect until the water quality is safe for visitors.
“While this closure impacts some of the most popular units of the park, over 30 miles of river remain open. The Chattahoochee River is accessible from Buford Dam to Azalea Park in Roswell. All hiking trails, picnic areas and the Hewlett Lodge are open. Current information about the closure status will be available at www.nps.gov/CHAT.”
ORIGINAL REPORT:
A stretch of the Chattahoochee River that includes most of East Cobb is closed for the time being due to high E. coli bacteria levels in the water.
The National Park Service said water access to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area was closed on Saturday between the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell and the East Palisades-Whitewater Creek Unit, close to where the Interstate 75 crosses the river.
The NPS said that “dangerously elevated E. coli levels” were caused by “conditions consistent with an ongoing sewage spill near Willeo Creek Park.”
The agency said it received water quality tests “that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency recommended limits for recreation. The river’s current E. coli levels pose an elevated risk to human health, especially in vulnerable populations.”
All park trails are open, as well as the Hewlett Lodge visitor center.
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The Town Center Community Improvement District announced this week that it is replacing its 45-bike fleet in its Bikeshare program.
The changes include a new design to increase durability and accessibility for all kinds of riders, including those of daily commuters, exercise routines, summer activities and more.
today announced the replacement of the bike fleet for its bikeshare program. Upgraded with a new design to increase the bikes’ longevity and accessibility for all types of riders, the bicycles are optimized to aid residents’ and visitors’ daily commutes, exercise routines, summer activities, and more.
“We are thrilled to enhance this amenity, which is proving to be a fun option for recreation, exercise, and mobility within our district,” Jennifer Hogan, director of community for the Town Center CID, said in a release. “Our bikeshare program is an investment in the health and well-being of our community.”
The bikeshare program offers 24/7 rental access to 45 bikes across six stations in the Town Center area including Founders Park, Aviation Park, Town Center at Cobb Mall, Avonlea Creekside Apartments, Bells Ferry Trailhead, and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.
Rentals are free for the first hour with every 30 minutes following priced at $1.50. During that time, bikers are permitted to lock and unlock their chosen bike as many times as needed.
Town Center Community is Georgia’s first CID-sponsored bikeshare program. Tandem Mobility provides the operation, equipment, and maintenance for the bikes, while the rentals are managed by the Movatic smartphone app.
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Have a splashing good time at Cobb PARKS’ two outdoor pools. Sewell Park Pool and Seven Springs Water Park make for great summer days for the entire family.
Sewell Park Pool, 2051 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta, will be open seven days a week from 1 – 6 p.m. through July 31, except holidays when it is open from 1 – 5 p.m. From Aug.1 – Sept. 4, when most schools start, the pool will be open from 1 – 6 p.m. on weekends only. Holiday hours are in effect for Juneteenth, Independence Day and Labor Day. Fees are $3.50 for youth, $4.50 for adults and $3 for seniors (age 55 and older). More information on Sewell Pool can be found on our website here.
Seven Springs Water Park will offer two separate sessions, noon – 3 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m., seven days a week through Aug. 1, then weekends through Labor Day. Fees are $6 for adults, $4 for children and $3 for seniors (age 55 and older). Passes are available. Please see our website for more details.
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The Friends for the East Cobb Park, an all-volunteer organization that supports activities at Cobb PARKS facility (3322 Roswell Road), is organizing a garden club.
An organizational meeting has been scheduled for next Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. at the gazebo overlooking the park, next to the maintenance shed, and accessible at the back of the upper parking lot.
They’re looking for volunteers to get the effort started with an eye toward a number of a variety of projects, including creating garden areas, pollinator gardens, trail beautification, community gardens, removing invasive plant species and other related activities.
The Friends for the East Cobb Park sponsors concerts, the Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park celebration and purchases playground equipment. The group also held a cleanup day at the park recently along the banks of Sewell Mill Creek.
“We need people,” Friends president Kurt von Borries said in reference to the garden club. “The goal is to beautify the park even more than it already is.”
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Cobb commissioners on Tuesday approved a design contract for Ebenezer Downs Park.
By a 5-0 vote, they approved spending $238,450 for Pond & Company, an architectural and engineering firm in Peachtree Corners, to do the work.
“Long time coming, we’re all excited,” commissioner JoAnn Birrell said in making the motion to approve the contract. “Let’s get started.”
Pond & Company recreational projects include the Mableton Town Square, the West End BeltLine Trail in Atlanta and Atlanta BeltLine Corridor design.
Ebenezer Downs Park sits on 18 acres on Ebenezer Road near Canton Road and includes a lake, which has been used for recreational fishing, including Cobb PARKS fishing rodeos.
The park’s master plan for a passive park also include a lakeside pavilion, walking trails, a playground and a 30-space parking lot. One of the former homes on the site would be used for small events, including wedding receptions and private parties, and public restroom facilities would be built.
Included in the design contract are cost estimating, bidding assistance and construction administration services.
The county purchased the property in 2018 with proceeds from the 2008 Cobb Parks Bond referendum.
Funding for the design and construction comes from the 2022 Cobb SPLOST (Special Local-Option Sales Tax), with a cap of $3 million.
A construction timeline hasn’t been announced; a contract for construction will require separate approval by commissioners.
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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy will hold its inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony next Friday, May 12.
The first inductee is Roger Kaiser, who helped establish the school’s athletics program in 2003 and served as its first boys basketball coach.
The event takes place at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, May 12, following MBCA’s Baccalaureate ceremony in the library of the Lower and Middle Schools campus (4385 Lower Roswell Road).
The creation of the Athletics Hall of Fame comes as Mt. Bethel Christian marks its 25th anniversary.
Kaiser served in his dual roles at Mt. Bethel until his retirement in 2018.
Mt. Bethel Christian began its sports programs with the middle school grades, then expanded when the academy began high school classes in 2014.
The Upper Campus is located at 2509 Post Oak Tritt Road, where a new athletics complex is being built. After competing in a private Christian athletic association, Mt. Bethel’s varsity high school teams now participate in the Georgia High School Association.
Football teams were added at Mt. Bethel two years ago for fifth and sixth grade students, and in the current year two teams were formed with fourth-through-eighth grade students.
Kaiser is a former basketball star at Georgia Tech who also served as athletics director at Life University.
He is a member of the Georgia Tech, Life and West Georgia sports halls of fame and the Georgia and Indiana basketball halls of fame.
Those interested in attending the hall of fame ceremony are asked to RSVP@mtbethelchristian.org.
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The Terrell Mill Tennis Center, located at Terrell Mill Park (480 Terrell Mill Road), is taking part in National Tennis Month events in May.
Cobb PARKS has scheduled a number of special activities across the county, including free clinics at the Terrell Mill Tennis Center.
The first is next Saturday, May 6, and its for kids ages 5-8. Kids Tennis in the Park will be broken into two age groups: ages 4-5 from 9-10 a.m. and ages 6-8 from 10-11 a.m.
There will be court games, raffles and refreshments and no experience is necessary. Registration is required and the deadline to sign up is May 4 by calling the Terrell Mill Tennis Center at 770-644-2771.
On May 18, the Terrell Mill Tennis Center’s Serve Fest takes place from 7—8:30 p.m and is open to all adults. The staff will conduct serving contests and challenges, and participants can enjoy refreshments, music and raffles.
Advance registration is required by calling 770-644-2771 by May 15, and space is limited.
Summer tennis and pickleball lessons at Terrell Mill Tennis Center and other county facilities is continuing, and you can browse through the schedule by clicking here.
To learn more about National Tennis Month, click here.
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A reader saw our post last week about Lassiter High School senior Luke O’Malley being accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy and alerted us to another East Cobb student who’s going to the same institution.
He’s Kenneth Namango of Sprayberry High School, where he played varsity soccer, served as team captain and was named the Georgia High School Association’s Region 7-6A player of the year.
He was recently named a Senior Elite at Sprayberry (video here), and was involved in many academic and extracurricular activities, including the Computer Science Club, Shop With a Yellow Jacket, PTSA Craft Show and the Black Student Union.
Namango also was selected as Prom King and with having the Best Smile and being part of the Best Couple in the senior class.
His soccer awards also include being named to the Region 7-6A Academic All-Region team. Kenny sent us the above photo and the information below about how he came to be offered a chance to continue his educational and athletic careers at the U.S. Naval Academy:
I had been recruited by the Naval Academy’s Men’s Soccer staff at an ECNL Orlando showcase just before my high school season. They became interested in my leadership and soccer skills that I was able to show as I am the Captain of NASA TopHat’s Boys 2005/2004 ECNL team. The staff and I were able to get in contact and they expressed their interest in me and invited me on a visit. I went to the campus in Annapolis and absolutely loved it. I got to wake up early, go to classes and watch soccer practice almost as if I was a student athlete there. They also gave me a tour around campus and a little walk through Annapolis.
The Naval Academy likes people who can balance being a leader, being involved in their community, and having good academics. At Sprayberry I became captain of the Varsity team since my freshman year, did over 100+ hours of community service within the last two years, worked at Mcdonald’s on Barrett Parkway and Wing City on Windy Hill, and was able to maintain a 4.3 GPA taking all honors and AP classes.
With the combination of my recruitment by the Naval Academy’s Men’s soccer staff and my resume, I received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Along with being on the soccer team I seek to study computer science and am interested in choosing to be a Cyber Warfare Engineer as my career following my studies at the academy.
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The Walton High School baseball team was to have opened the first round of the Georgia High School Association Class 7A state tournament Saturday at its temporary home field at the East Cobb Baseball facility near Kell High School.
But due to a full schedule of East Cobb Baseball games there this weekend, the Raiders will be playing at Marietta High School instead.
They’ll still be the home team against South Forsyth in a Saturday doubleheader with games at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
A third and decisive game in the series, if necessary, will take place at East Cobb Baseball on Monday at a time to be determined.
Walton, which is 19-11 this season, has been playing the last two years at East Cobb Baseball while a new facility is under construction near campus.
Cobb County School District officials had hoped it would be ready for the 2023 season, but the facility was reconfigured due to neighborhood concerns about noise and lighting.
They also will be constructing a pedestrian path and bridgefrom the main campus to the new sports complex—which includes courts for the Walton tennis teams—for safety reasons.
The former Walton baseball field on campus was converted for the Walton softball team, which along with the tennis teams played home competitions at Terrell Mill Park when the school’s new classroom building was being built.
Grading has been completed at the new Walton baseball facility, and foundational construction supplies have been delivered to the site.
Also on Saturday, the Pope High School baseball team will be opening its defense of the Class 6A state championship at home against Apalachee. The doubleheader starts at 2 p.m.
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The series is presented by Wellstar Health System.
There will be three concerts in April and another in May, starting off next Sunday, April 2, with The Woodys, a local duo that performs classic rock favorites, including Fleetwood Mac.
On April 16, the performer will be Jeannie Caryn, who’s released an album of her own music and has an extensive cover repertoire.
A longtime East Cobb live music favorite, the LooSe ShoEs Band, returns on April 30, specializing in rock n’ roll and the blues.
On May 21, the Dark Star Brothers will be in concert, with a mix of rock and blues, soul, funk, oldies and country tunes.
The concerts are all at the back pavilion and last from 4-6 p.m. They’re free and open to the public, and you’re invited to bring food, chairs, and a blanket.
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Shaw Park pickleball enthusiasts pose with Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell (in red skirt).
A packed community center at Piedmont Church Thursday included legions of girls softball teams and a bevy of feisty pickleball enthusiasts.
Including one dressed in a pickle costume.
For nearly two hours, they and other citizens of Northeast Cobb told Cobb PARKS officials what they wanted to see in the proposed redevelopment of Shaw Park.
At a community input meeting organized by Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, quite a few people got emotional in response to concerns about what might come next.
Initially described by county officials as a “repurposing” of the park, the project was earmarked $4 million in SPLOST (Special Local-Option Sales Tax) revenues.
That figure is likely to be closer to $2 million, after Cobb commissioners last week voted to redirect $1.2 million to relocate the Northeast Cobb Community Center in Shaw Park and have it become part of new Gritters Library branch.
More than 50 years after its opening, the multi-purpose park located next to the Gritters Library is wearing down. The second park to be built in the Cobb park system in the late 1960s, Shaw Park is heavily utilized, but needs an overhaul, county officials said emphatically to the citizens in attendance.
There are five softball fields, nine pickleball courts, two tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic pavilions and the community center.
Underground infrastructure that hasn’t been replaced in all those years is decaying, according to Cobb PARKS director Michael Brantley, and ball fields, courts and bathroom facilities need to be replaced.
“We’ve had a lot of suggestions for what people want from the community,” Brantley said.
“We don’t have a lot of money left but we want to year your ideas.”
What he, Birrell and other county parks officials heard were pleas to provide new facilities for existing activities, and a few more.
Softball parents have been fearful that removal of the softball fields at Shaw Park were a possibility.
The Sandy Plains Softball organization uses fields at Shaw Park, and they turned out in droves to plead that they not be reduced or taken away.
Shaw Park softball players urge the county to preserve their fields.
“Our constituents cannot speak for themselves,” said softball parent Darren Ross, referring to the 450 girls who signed up for Sandy Plains Softball this spring.
“We are here to protect those girls who cannot speak for themselves. Words like ‘repurpose’ scare us.”
Brantley and Birrell said several times at the meeting that removing softball fields at Shaw Park “was never on the table.”
A number of softball players did speak, echoing Woods’ comments.
They cited aging restrooms that smell bad and that “don’t work.
“It’s just horrible,” said a Sandy Plains softball player. “It’s really bad when you’re ready to play a game and you have to go to QT to go to the bathroom.”
Bret Benson, a pickleball player who grew up playing baseball at Shaw Park and later at Sprayberry High School, said he was at the park when that happened.
He said female players in his league are discouraged from walking by themselves in the evenings.
“The lighting is bad at night,” he said. “We don’t let our ladies walk to that [northern] parking lot. No one wants to show up if they don’t feel safe.”
Benson suggested that new restrooms at Shaw Park be built with safety in mind, and closer to the playing venues. Shaw Park has become one of the more popular venues in metro Atlanta for pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and is a fast-growing adult recreational sport.
Among his ideas for pickleball courts is to have some of them covered in the event of inclement weather.
“We’re not looking for anybody else’s space,” Benson said, in reference to the concerns of softball parents.
Pickleball player Bret Benson said safety has become a major issue at Shaw Park.
Longtime community leader Frank Wigington was a softball umpire when Shaw Park opened. The park initially had baseball fields, later converted for softball, and said repurposing is a part of the history of the park,
He’s advocating now for a special needs playground at Shaw Park.
“I hope you still have a love for this park when you reach my age,” Wigington said.
Birrell said the county will “go back to the drawing board” with the suggestions made Thursday, and future public meetings are likely when a proposal is developed.
Commissioners would have to approve a master plan before construction would begin.
“It’s just a matter of where everything is going to go and the funding we’re going to have,” she said.
Brantley said discussions have begun to explore having an all-volunteer group to work with Cobb PARKS–similar to groups at Mabry Park and East Cobb Park—and help run events.
“This is not going to be a quick process,” Brantley said of the redevelopment project, regardless of what the future plans will come to.
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Wheeler star Isaiah Collier is overcome by emotion embracing coach Larry Thompson after the Wildcats won the state basketball championship Saturday. (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Ranked No. 1 in Georgia for most of the season, the Wheeler Wildcats didn’t disappoint Saturday with a state championship on the line.
The Wildcats blew open a close game against Cherokee in the third quarter and roared to their third Georgia High School Association title in four years by a 78-58 score.
Wheeler was heavily favored to win the Class 7A crown, boasting Naismith national high school player of the year Isaiah Collier.
In his high school finale, Collier, a 6-foot-3 point guard who will play at the University of Southern California next season, scored 22 points, and was given the honor of running out the last seconds of the game dribbling the ball.
When the horn sounded at the Macon Coliseum, he fell to the floor, overcome with emotion. After his teammates piled on in jubilation, Collier was still in tears, embraced by coaches.
As he hugged head coach Larry Thompson, they were locked together for a good while.
Thompson said later in an interview on Georgia Public Broadcasting that memories of Khalil Hardison–a former Wheeler player who was the coach’s son and Collier’s cousin—were on their minds.
Hardison drowned last August in the Chattahoochee River at the age of 21, and Wheeler dedicated the season in his memory. He was best friends with Collier, who said his death motivated him in his final season.
“It’s been the hardest season of my life,” Collier told GPB. “Winning this championship, it feels so good.”
He was asked what he would say to Hardison if he could have had a conversation with him.
“I’d tell him I love him,” Collier said, fighting back tears.
“It’s unreal the amount of emotion and the toll that it’s taken, not just for Isaiah and me but for the whole team,” Thompson said.
“You know how many people are in your corner. The love from so many people has been amazing. I want people to know we greatly appreciate it. . . I know [Hardison] is smiling down on us today.”
Wheeler went 26-6 in winning a ninth state championship in school history. The Wildcats had to defeat Cherokee, their region rivals, four times along the way, and routed the Warriors 94-41 in the region title game.
Wheeler was ranked No. 22 in an ESPN poll of high school basketball teams nationally, the only one in Georgia, and its only losses were to out-of-state teams.
Collier, the latest star to come from Wheeler, is the school’s first national high school player of the year and is third in ESPN‘s individual rankings. His Wheeler teammate, forward Arrinten Page, will be going to USC with him.
On Thursday, Kell High School accomplished a rare feat when both the boys and girls teams won the Class 5A championships, also in Macon.
Senior Crystal Henderson scored 29 points in her last high school game as the Lady Longhorns rolled over Warner Robins 57-36.
Kell reached the finals in her freshman season, but Buford pulled out a late victory.
After that game, the boys team defeated Eagles Landing 61-53.
They were the first basketball state titles for Kell, which was reassigned to Class 5A this season after being in Class 6A for the last year years.
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The Paper Mill Road bridge over Sope Creek is at the edge of the East Cobb portion of the Chattahoochee River NRA.
The National Park Service said this week that a record 3.5 million visitors used the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which includes several area trails and facilities in East Cobb.
Those figures were right behind the Cape Cod National Seashore in Massaschusetts and Yosemite National Park in California and in 21st place overall nationally.
The 3.5 million figure is nine percent higher than in 2021, according to park officials, who said that the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Marietta reported 1.5 million visitors last year.
The Chattahoochee River NRA, which was created in 1978, stretches for 48 miles between Forsyth, Gwinnett, Fulton and Cobb counties.
In East Cobb, there are the Gold Branch and Johnson Ferry units above Johnson Ferry Road, and the Sope Creek Unit trails located off Paper Mill Road.
The NPS figures didn’t break down park visits by those units. But in a social media posting Friday the Chattahoochee NRA staf said that “this many visitors each year mean parts of the park are always very crowded.
“If you crave solitude in nature, #PlanLikeAParkRanger and explore some of the northern units of the park, like Bowmans Island or the Jones Bridge.”
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An aerial view of softball fields at Shaw Park, which opened in 1970. Photo: Cobb County government.
Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell will hold a community input meeting in March to generate public feedback for proposals to redevelop Shaw Park.
The town hall has been scheduled for Thursday, March 16, from 6-8 p.m. at Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road) and will include Cobb PARKS staff.
A total of $4 million in the current 2022 Cobb SPLOST (Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax) has been budgeted for the project, but the specific redevelopment plans were left open-ended.
Shaw Park (990 Shaw Park Drive) opened in 1970 and features softball and baseball fields, batting cages, tennis and pickleball courts, playgrounds and the Northeast Cobb Community Center.
According to the 2022 SPLOST notebook, repurposing is necessary “to better meet the recreational needs and desires of the surrounding community.”
“Park design and amenities are now outdated, and the park no longer meets the recreational needs of the community.”
The 2022 SPLOST also calls for $3 million to be collected to develop Ebenezer Downs, a new passive park in the Northeast Cobb area, located on Ebenezer Road. Cobb commissioners approved a master plan in 2019.
For more information about the Shaw Park town hall e-mail jordan.wood@cobbcounty.org.
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