Franklin sports fans have a new set of teams to root for.
When Macon Early College students were barred from playing for Franklin High School last year, some wondered whether MEC athletes would ever suit up again. More than a year later, they now represent their school in competition.
“We’re approved and we’re within the NCHSAA, so we are an independent entity, I guess you could say,” said MEC principal Caleb Parham recently. “It’s where we don’t belong to any conference, but we’re playing 1A schools that are about our size.”
After receiving approval from the Macon County Board of Education last year, MEC set about creating its first-ever in-house athletic program, joining the N.C. High School Athletic Association as an independent member. Over the past month the school’s athletes have taken part in their first-ever contests representing the Foxes, competing in swim and dive, basketball and track and field. Still in a two-year probationary period before they can join a conference, the Foxes have battled other small schools from across the region.
“Even if we did get in a conference for other team sports in a couple years, our independent players could still run and swim in events that they’re in now,” said Parham. “It might make it a little easier, but it just depends on what we do moving forward and how the landscape changes. … When they’re running by themselves they can still qualify for regionals and state, but while we’re independent we don’t do playoffs for team sports. So once the tournaments all start, we’re done at that point.”
While ‘olympic’ sport athletes like swimmers and runners can qualify as individuals, the NCHSAA requires independent schools to field at least one boys and girls sport in each of the fall, winter and spring seasons before joining an existing conference. While MEC did not compete in sports this fall, Parham said they plan to offer women’s volleyball next year, and eventually hope to join the Smoky Mountain Conference along with Highlands, Nantahala and 11 other small far-western schools. In the meantime, they’re doing yeoman’s work to get the program off the ground.
“Unfortunately, because we don’t have a gym and we’re fighting for gym space around the county with all the other county and school practices and games that go on, currently this season we’re only doing away games,” said Parham. “So, we’re traveling to all of our games, but we’re hoping maybe next year to get into Macon Middle School and use their facility for a home game or two. We’ll see how that goes, and hopefully one day we’ll have our own gym, but we’ll see. … Our girls team has been able to get a couple days at Trimont Christian Academy, and we’ve been utilizing the community building down here across from Ingles on the Georgia Road and then Macon Middle School in the afternoons, but there are some times depending on games and other things where our teams have definitely had to juggle from practice facility to practice facility.”
While MEC’s track and swim athletes have practiced and competed alongside their FHS counterparts, the basketball program has had to clear its own path. Under girls head coach Courtney Barrington, boys head coach Daryl Oberley and athletic director Katie Crawford, the program has already played games at Nantahala, Summit Charter and Hiwassee Dam, with contests at Murphy, Andrews, Swain and Blue Ridge Early College still on the docket.
“Going to Nantahala is a good little ways on a windy road … but it was kind of cool that most of our parents for every player came,” said Parham. “We had other students, staff members and teachers that made the drive on their own just to come support, so we went up there and had a good little cheering crowd. The parents have been very thankful that their kids get an opportunity that wasn’t afforded to them before now.”
While both basketball teams are still searching for their first wins, Parham said his athletes are just glad to be able to compete. Between the camaraderie and instilling values like work ethic and humility, athletics have given the academics-focused school a new dimension.
“They were excited just to be out there – there’s been a different light in some of their eyes just being a part of something that sports are able to give you,” he said. “They’re not just a part of our school, they’re part of a team now, and they’re working for something that’s not academic-focused. We’re such a big school on the academic side where they’re worried so much about their future and taking care of that, and now to be able to give them that component along with the sports side of things – to be able to swim and compete and to be together on the court and to run beside each other, it just gives them that extra motivation.”
“If we fail and it doesn’t work out, OK, we gave it a shot, and we did it for the kids. But if it’s a success, then let’s keep making it better. Last Friday was a big testament to that – both teams lost, but they played hard, and they had fun doing it. They’re all about trying to do better, and you can see it in their eyes and [hear them] say, ‘OK, that wasn’t the best, we need to get better,’ … We had kids that stayed late after practice this past week working at it, and just to see that drive has been really cool.”