THE COMPETITIVE EDGEALL AREA SPORTS MAGAZINE ISSUE #5 When it comes to Heart Care in Texarkana 2 WE ARE THE MAGAZINE CHAMPIONS MY FRIENDS CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System COMPETITIVE EDGE COMPETITIVE is the regional leader in heart care. THE Affiliated with Cleveland Clinic, the No. 1 heart program in the nation for 20 years*, we provide innovative treatments for cardiovascular disease to our patients. So if you’ve called too many Hogs, hooked too many Horns, been Geaux’n too hard or your Sooner isn’t Booming... we’ve got the home eld advantage if your heart needs help. *US News and World Report To learn more about what this affiliation means to our community’s heart care, visit christusstmichael.org 333 THE COMPETITIVE EDGE MAGAZINE THE COMPETITIVE FROM THE EDGE Sports Magic Publishing LLC. 8523 South Lake Drive, Texarkana, TX 75501 FIELD HOUSE All Rights Reserved A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR EAST TEXAS MARKET DIRECTOR Roger Sheppard 4 Well it’s hard to Starting in the next issue we will begin believe that we to cover the winter sports and to unearth EAST TEXAS EDITOR are already print- former players that contributed to the Roger Sheppard ing play-off shirts Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkan- ADVERTISING & MARKETING here at Sports sas sports scene. I have some pretty Robert Rankin Magic. The pig interesting people to bring to you. It is Roger Sheppard skin season has very interesting to look up those that Debbie Sheppard MAGAZINE blown by so fast were very successful in the world of CONTRIBUTING WRITERS I can now under- sports. I was surprised to have a per- Lindsey Pilgreen stand why my son that lives three blocks from me that Kristin Spencer joints are aching played in a World Series back in 1971, the Matt Graves so much. I think it’s because I am old!! year I graduated high school. I will not DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL I can remember when I was coaching mention his name for I have yet to con- Roger Sheppard football, it seemed like the season lasted tact him about an interview. I also have a for ever. As a matter of fact the two a day person that was a world class boxer that CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jonathan Bryant workouts seemed to last as long as the graduated from Texas High School. He seasons are now. had an invitation to join the Olympics as GRAPHIC DESIGNERS COMPETITIVE EDGE COMPETITIVE a Canadian resident but was unable to Gregg Pilgreen It was awesome to see all of our big four because of his position with the compa- Roger Sheppard THE Jonathan Bryant teams make the play-offs this year. At ny he was working for at that time. this time Arkansas High, Texas High and STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Pleasant Grove have bowed out leaving I am very pleased to have the feedback Erin Treadway only Liberty-Eylau. Talking to Coach and the request from area residents to Lindsey Pilgreen Steve Wells one night he was showing include athletes that have set high stan- SUBSCRIPTIONS some confidence that his Leopards were dards and are contributing in a large way Sports Magic LLC. 8523 South Lake going to be successful this year. He was to the field of sports. Thank you for your Drive very high on the prospects of winning support of the Competitive Edge Maga- Texarkana, TX 75501 (903) 832-1975 district. Observing some of his presea- zine and please take the time to visit with WEBSITE: son practices I saw a very enthusiastic the sponsors of our project and let them www.thecompetitiveedgemagazine.com group of young men going through the know that you appreciate their sponsor- drills and battling the heat. You could ship. I hope you enjoy reading the sto- EDITOR roger@thecompetitiveedgemagazine. tell that they were confident in what they ries as much a I enjoy writing them. Hap- com were doing and the results this season py Turkey Day and enjoy your time off. indicate that. ADVERTISING Roger Sheppard [email protected] Another welcomed success came in the SUBSCRIPTIONS town of Atlanta. The Rabbits have im- The Competitive Edge Magazine proved each week and the troops lead 8523 South Lake Drive by Coach Matt McClure are working their Texarkana, TX 75501 903-832-1975 way through the play-off maze. It was a big season for big four volleyball also. All the big four schools made it to The Competitive Edge Magazine (TCEM) is post season play but ran into stiff com- published monthly by Sports Magic Pub- lishing LLC. Reproductions in whole or petition early in the progression. After all in part without permission are prohibited. was said and done I think the region was TCEM is not responsible for the return of very successful. Many teams worked ON THE COVER unsolicited art work, photography or man- Trinity Christian Wins State in the girls uscripts and will not be responsible for through changes in coaching staffs and track and field and runner up in the holding fees or other similar charges. All graduations without missing a beat. digital submissions or correspondences boys track and field! will become property of The Competitive Edge Magazine. 6 MAGAZINE COMPETITIVE EDGE COMPETITIVE THE TRINITYCROSS COUNTRY By Roger Sheppard letes goals which establishes a benchmark of where they are and where they would like to be at the conclusion of the sea- son. He also said, “I teach my athletes how to be competitive by teaching them the sport. I am an avid runner my self and I lead by example by getting out on the road and putting in the miles. I got to tell you that being consistent in developing your runners is still helpful for them to become competitive. And I show them how that can be.” Jeff also works with the mental aspects of being a cross country runner by designing mottoes that give lasting results. The team motto this season was “Extraordinary efforts for extraordinary results.” Along with statements like this you find in-depth training from a physical standpoint. Coach Haynes is 7 also a skilled professional sports trainer. He has studied phi- lology and how the body works as far as nutrition and energy THE relate. He also has developed what he called “micro cycle and macro cycle training programs” and claims that the kids have COMPETITIVE EDGE COMPETITIVE been a model season for him. With this known I think the key component to Coach Haynes is structure. He has structured a program taken from his own competitiveness and adapted it to the Trinity Warrior program. Coach Haynes creates an atmosphere that helps establish a scene of purpose. He said, “It is useless to get into a race with- Competitiveness is the most powerful weapon you can have out any goal at all. Moreover, it is very much boring to come in your team’s arsenal. A big part of a coaches responsibility into a race just for the sake of running. The purpose of com- is to teach the athletes what it means to compete and to help petitiveness is not to just be able to win races, but also to be a bring out the Competitor inside them. As the most important better runner and a better person. You must have the heart to MAGAZINE things in life, of course, this is much easier said then done. It is inspire your athletes to do their job. At times, it needs a great hard enough to get athletes to fully comprehend what exactly deal of inspiration and motivation for a runner to keep a high it means to compete, let alone teach them to do it consistently. level of energy in a competition. Energy is self-confidence, and The Competitive Edge Magazine would like to share with you a self-confidence is competitiveness. One way or the other, they coach that has lived up to the consistency of building winning significantly influence each other. teams by winning the state championship title twelve times in the last seven and one half years, with six runner-ups in the Another thing Coach Haynes has created is a selective training same time frame. In a very up front interview I pressed coach menu. He designates each practice with a certain technique. Jeff Haynes to give me the secrets that has lead to the most He divides his practices into aerobic runs, a tempo run, pro- successful championship record anywhere. His commits gressive run, speed work, or a recovery day run. With these were riveting as he took us through what he considered his different techniques he can train his team to understand the success plan. Jeff’s first statement was that he gives the ath- importance of the type of training they are attempting on that TRINITYCROSS COUNTRY By Roger Sheppard day. With this understanding the athletes can become more structured in an overall training program. For example if they are instructed to do a four mile recovery run all the members know exactly what needs to be accomplished on that day. It is important for observing to understand what training technique is being utilized because during the recovery day runners may be laughing and telling jokes as they jog through the distanc- es. If you didn’t know what was going on you might think they were just goofing off. The recovery days are for flushing out the byproducts that are formed during vigorous training. This means that the athletes know what is going on and have a better understanding of what is happening on a day by day basis.