SPRINGFIELD — Hitting the books hard after hitting the court paid huge dividends for the girls on Rutherford High School’s basketball team as their academic achievements earned the team a recent financial windfall.
It was the accomplishments of the student athletes in the International Baccalaureate, or IB, program that lured in a substantial donation after the benefactor learned how hard students work in the honors program that fosters high academic performance through a rigorous curriculum and emphasis on intercultural thinking.
“You have a lot more responsibility with your work,” said T’ara Ceasar, 15, a sophomore and post player on the team. “They expect you to know more than the average student.”
Students and teachers in the program are subject to visits from IB inspectors, who show up on little notice to observe classes and ask students questions about material they’ve covered in the program.
Freshman Tia Sharpe said these visits can be unnerving, and the fast-paced program is a lot to digest.
“They go really fast. Either you have it or you don’t,” she said.
But academic spot checks from IB are the least of the players’ worries.
“I’m a big person on academics coming first,” said coach Janna Mount. “I go through and pull their grades up and make sure they’re in class.”
If she finds performance below a B average for one player when auditing grades, Mount said “they run for it.” The whole team pays when one player is not up to par.
Mount said it’s to live up to the team’s motto of “One family. One team. One Dream.”
“The girls on the team are a family unit themselves,” said Mount, 32, who coached for six years in Marianna before transferring to Rutherford last year. She feels holding the team accountable for one another will keep her ladies in top form on the court and in the classroom.
Busy schedules
Somehow, players in the IB program manage to make the grade in half a dozen honors classes while putting in two hours of practice each day after school and up to three hours of homework when they get home.
Point guard Kira Spani, 15, said all she wants to do is sleep when she finally gets home around 5:30 p.m., but has to go straight into homework and studying.
“I’m about ready to pass out after homework; I’m so tired,” Ceasar agreed.
Players have to be diligent about time management to keep their grades up. Many are involved in two sports and have to factor in friends, family time, chores and church-going into their weekly commitments.
The girls collectively agreed that, at times, they’d love to trade places with classmates who don’t have so much on their plates.
“But I wouldn’t do it, because I’m already getting stuff done,” Ceasar said. “By the time they go to college, I’ll be done with things they’re just getting started on.”
By graduation, the players anticipate being ahead of the game in the college admissions process.
Recognition
The Rutherford Rams also are looking forward to the first game of the season Thursday. Mount said she lost nine seniors, so she has a young team this year. The ladies had a 13-5 record last year and was recognized by the School Board as having the highest GPA in the county for girls basketball.
“It’s hard pushing academics with inner city youth,” Mount said, adding that she’s grateful someone took the time to hear her story when she approached former state Rep. Allan Bense, also a member of Rutherford’s Class of 1969, with the team’s needs.
Bense presented the team and Mount with a check for $5,000 on Oct. 24 to provide much needed financial support. He was happy to do it after learning Mount’s coaching philosophy and the fact that 11 of her players are in the rigorous IB program.
“Sports are fine; academics and what you accomplish after high school are much more important. Coach Janna gets it, and she and her players should be rewarded for that,” Bense said in a news release. “It is a true honor for me, my family and my business partners to help provide the fundamental needs for a team.
“Times are tough. I hope they win a lot of games. But the important thing is that they become good citizens and leaders of our community when they finish up high school.”
Mount said the girls knew a donation was coming, but not how much it would be. The funding will cover new uniforms, basketballs, a locking ball cage and help take care of transportation expenses.
“I’m only allotted a certain amount from the district, so it will offset those costs,” Mount said.
What touched Mount the most when the check arrived was the look on her players’ faces.
“That was really nice,” Sharpe said of Bense’s donation. “I’ve never seen that much money in my life besides maybe on a game show.”
Extracurriculars are not cheap for some families. Each player has to pony up $212 to play for the season to cover the cost of gear and student health insurance, if they are uninsured otherwise.
Mount said anything her girls need, they will have it.
“My world revolves around them,” she said. “They come first.”