WSSU uses classy
hat affair to celebrate
girls and women
in sports, raise funds
BYTEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
The Grand Pavilion
Ball Room of the Embassy
Suites Hotel in downtown
Winston-Salem was filled
with vibrant colored hats of
all shapes and sizes last
Saturday morning as more
than 300 women, and other
supporters gathered for
Winston-Salem State
University’s third annual
She’s Got It Covered
Classy Hat Affair.
Since 2014, WSSU has
invited women to don then
best Sunday hats and cele
brate National Girls &
Women in Sports Day with
the Lady Rams. NGWSD
is designed to shine a light
on the extraordinary
achievements by women in
sports and the signing of
the Title IX which, out
lawed exclusion from par
ticipation on the basis of
sex.
While fan favorites like
the parade of hats and pres
entation of awards for
largest, smallest, and most
unique hat were still
included, this year instead
of a keynote speaker
WSSU invited a panel of
speakers to share their sto
ries. To open the discus
sion, Valonda Calloway,
moderator and co-owner of
360 Elite Entertainment,
asked the panel of dynamic
women to discuss how
being an athlete helped
shape them into the people
they are today.
WSSU athletic director
Tonia Walker said she
learned the value of team- -
Photo by Tevin Stinson
Porsche Jones, right, and Vanity Oakes, left, took part in a panel discussion
how sports shape them into the people they'are today during the third annual
She’s Got It Covered Classy Hat Affair. )
work and how to become a
leader.
“I really believe play
ing softball and basketball
at Hampton University
really cultivated my leader
ship skills,” continued
Walker. “The whole aspect
of teamwork and learning
how to surround myself
with the right people really
helped me to become the
leader I am today.”
Vanity Oakes, a 2014
graduate of WSSU and
four-year letter winner in
cheerleading said, she
learned how to manage her
time and how be flexible.
Oakes, who now serves as
See Classy Hat on B2
Photo by Timothy Ramsey
Starting point guard Devin Ingram defends against the Mt. Tabor player in their game earlier this year.
Reynolds'
boys JV
basketball
team wins
conference
BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY
THE CHRONICLE__
After a long and grueling JV basketball season, the
R.J. Reynolds Demons were crowned conference
champions of the Central Piedmont Conference. With
the conference championship still up in the air, going
into the last game of the year, favor was on the side of
the Demons, who took home the title by just one game.
The Demons actually lost their final game of the
year and thought they had lost the conference lead in
the process. But following losses by the other teams at
the top of the conference, the Demons found out they
were the champs.
“At the end of the game on Friday, everyone was
mad,” said Devin Ingram, Demon starting point guard.
“After my friend sent a message in a group chat saying
we had won the conference everyone just totally forgot
we had just lost. It was probably the best thing that
happened to me that whole day.”
Reynolds guard John Powers added, “When I found
out we were champs, I was just really happy because
we worked really hard throughout the year. It's good to
finally be rewarded in the end with that.”
Head Coach Mike McCulloch said after his team
started the1 year at 4-3, he thought his team might just
have an average year. He said once he had all the kinks
See Wins on B2
Glenn Bobcats guards speak about season
Chance Carter is the sharpshooting freshman for
the Glenn JV basketball team.
s
i
BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY
THE CHRONICLE
The Glenn JV basketball team had somewhat of an up
and down season. With their final overall record at 9-15,
their record is not one that is impressive by the numbers,
but the Bobcats have had some memorable moments they
won’t soon forget.
For some reason this team seemed to play some of
their best basketball when they had their backs against
the wall or the deficit looked insurmountable. Their two
20-point comebacks dur
ing the Lash/Chronicle
tournament were two of
the most unforgettable
memories from the entire
three-week event.
“I think the whole
season was a learning
process for some because
we had a lot of freshmen
and only three sopho
mores,” said JV Head Coach Chris Geter. “We knew we
were going to go through those growing pains and we had
our ups and downs with the wins and losses but I think
our kids learned a lot throughout the whole season.”
Geter said that Benjamin Williams and Chance Carter
were two players that brought a lot to the team this sea
son. He says Benjamin provided much needed leadership
on the floor for his young team. Chance on the other
hand was a “standout scorer” for the Bobcats, says Geter.
■o
See Bobcats on B2
Photos by Timothy Ramsey
Sophomore Benjamin Williams was the floor gener
al for the Bobcats this season.
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