FROM THE TOP
LELAND ACKER chreporter@mediactr.com
This truly is one of my favorite times of year. Football season starts Friday. In my family, football is not just a sport to watch, it's family time.

During the Rusk Eagle broadcasts this year, I plan to have my wife help keep stats. My daughter hopes to be able to sneak into a press box or two.

(My daughter is a more enthusiastic fan than I am. She actually cried at Meet the Eagles because they didn't play a game.)

However, it never fails that someone will try to steal my joy by writing and complaining that we allot too much space to football. To that end, I am unapologetic. Here's why.

In Alto, the valedictorian and salutatorian are both leaders on the state championship football team.

Clayton Scott is not only ranked first in the class, but he has also been nominated to participate in a high school program with NASA.

Lance Low is a brilliant student who also excels in the agriculture program.

I'd recognize more, but these are the two I am most familiar with.

In Rusk, I am impressed with the work ethic of the student athletes there, both on and off the field. One player who I have yet to write about is Cody Daniel.

Cody not only makes the play as an Eagle wide receiver, but is also active in agriculture.

In Jacksonville, Joe Villivacincio is an offensive lineman who has already committed to play at Texas A&M. Did I mention he is ranked in the top 10 of a class of over 200 students?

All of the student athletes I come into contact with are very respectful to me and seem genuinely happy to be where they are.

They work hard to succeed both on the field and in the classroom. It gives me great pleasure to interact with them and publish their accomplishments in this newspaper.

The stereotypical thuggish athlete who doesn't go to class and lives for football is vanishing from Cherokee County. That is a good thing.

Some complain that too much attention is paid to athletics. I complain that the efforts of students who arrive at school early, stay late and work hard all day are not adequately appreciated.

What I am trying to say is this: win or lose, I am proud of our area athletes.

My advice to the athletes of the 2007-08 school year comes from Colossians 3:17, "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."