More than 500 female athletes from Cherokee County’s high schools participated in the 7th Annual National Girls and Women Sports Day Celebration held at Woodstock HS on January 31.  Coordinated by Tonya Sebring, girls’ softball coach at Etowah HS, the program recognized the impact of Title IX, the federal law calling for gender equity in athletics in schools, and celebrated the successes of the various girls’ sports teams at all of the county high schools this year.   Roger Parham, two-time winner of Georgia’s Coach of the Year for fast-pitch softball and currently coach at Mill Creek HS in Gwinnett County, gave the keynote address, followed by an honored female athlete alumnus or coach from each high school.  Former Cherokee HS basketball coach Ron Ely was recognized as Cherokee County’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day Honorary Coach for his 13 seasons at the helm of the Cherokee HS girls’ basketball program (1969-1981), including state champion titles in 1973 and 1976, plus six region championships and 10 appearances in the final four.  This year’s school honorees were Thelma Rogers (Cherokee HS), Danielle Tidwell (Creekview HS), Jennifer Trammell Roper (Etowah HS), LaShonda Tucker (River Ridge HS), Syretha Marble (Sequoyah HS) and Ashlyn Bell (Woodstock HS).  Coach Sebring was assisted in coordinating this year’s event by students Kristian Graham and Madison Rice, as part of their Senior Project requirements.

Group photo from left:  Kristian Graham, Syretha Marble, LaShonda Tucker, Jennifer Roper, Ashlyn Bell, Danielle Tidwell, Thelma Rogers, Roger Parham, Madison Rice and Tonya Sebring.

 
Tonya Sebring presents Coach Ron Ely with the Honorary Coach award for his contributions to the girls’ basketball program at Cherokee High School from 1969-1981.