The start of the school year at Rocky Mount Academy not only means new faces around campus and new classes to take, but it also marks the start of athletics! Fall sports at RMA attract big crowds thanks to the talented athletes participating at each level of play. Here is a quick look into what we have to look forward to from our Varsity Eagles this autumn!

Cheerleading– The cheerleading squad at RMA is taking on another season by storm. From their pun filled posters and fun bus rides, the cheerleaders know how to add enthusiasm to any event. With the addition of several new teammates and cheers, pep rallies and football games are sure to be filled with excitement! Junior Averi Parker’s favorite thing about cheering is “seeing all the new girls’ faces when they finally learn their first complex cheer” and also stated that the “main goal of the cheerleading team is to get the crowd pumped for the game and spread that eagle pride among everyone.” The team this year is led by seniors Lauren Seale, Ann Margaret Taylor, and long-time cheerleader Malone Bondy alongside their new coach, Ashley Berry. Make sure to watch out for the cheerleaders at the next football game!

Cross Country– The cross country team at RMA has always brought great times and winning titles to the table. In years past, we have had an especially strong girls team and growing boys team. Even after losing several strong runners, such as Kaitlyn Vester and Will Pruden, the team still has their hopes set high for the 2017 season. Coach Winham, who doubles as the cross country coach and the swim coach, is going to train the RMA runners for a great season. Sophomore Vivian Rogers is going into her fourth year of running cross country for the Eagles. Vivian has said that her favorite thing about running cross country is “building up the new team members and cheering everybody on when a race comes… It doesn’t matter if you didn’t finish first for your team or you didn’t get in the top five. It matters that you ran your best. The main goal this year for the team is to make it to the state meet with a confident attitude… like we always do.” In past years, the cross country team has shined at the conference and state meets, and this year will be no different!

Football– On Friday nights, almost every RMA Eagle can be found cheering on the football team. Students and parents over the years have continued to enjoy the energy brought to the field by the football players. With two recent state championship titles, the boys of the football team are eager to add another ring to the collection. The team has a notably strong defensive line this year, as they only lost one starting defender. On the offensive side, Isaiah Thomas has successfully taken on the role of starting quarterback, and the team also has good running backs. Coach Terrell Hudgins, a favorite of students from lower school to high school, said the team’s “only goal is to win states. We’re good everywhere.” After last Friday’s defeat of Halifax Academy by a score of 68-18, we look forward to a strong 2017 football season at RMA!

Soccer– Since the start of conditioning early in the summer, the boys of the soccer team have been patiently waiting for the start of the 2017 season. So far, the hard work has paid off! The first game of the season against Arendell Parrott Academy ended with a score of 4-1! This game marked the first time in five years that the RMA varsity boys soccer team has defeated Parrott. This past Tuesday, the team defeated Faith Christian by a score of 8-4! What a great start to the new season. Junior Thomas Boyette, one of the strikers on the team, said that “the team’s goal is to win conference and make states,” while his personal goal is “putting balls in the back of the net.” Under the coaching of Larry Smith, the Eagles are sure to add more wins to their record! Smith has stated that one of the team’s greatest strengths is the friendly atmosphere, and that the team works together as a unit. Be sure to stop by the soccer field this fall to cheer on our varsity boys!

Tennis– After winning the title of Conference Champions last season, the varsity girls tennis team hopes for another strong season. A major goal of the team is to win conference and make states once again this year. Though they lost several seniors, including the past number one seed Julia High, the players are ready for the challenging matches coming this fall. They gained some confidence this week after winning their first conference match against Faith by a score of 8-1. With the leadership of Gayle High and two of Wesleyan’s best tennis players, Sebastian Sikh and David Chang, the team is sure to soar to victory. One of the newest members of the team is eighth grader Shelton Honey at the fourth seed. Shelton said her favorite thing about being on the varsity tennis team is “getting able to play more competitive tennis with people older than me.” With such young talent, the Lady Eagles are going to have great success in tennis this year and for years to come!

Volleyball– The volleyball team has been preparing for the 2017 season since late July. With a younger roster, this year is a great opportunity for the volleyball team to build strong players with an even stronger bond as a team. Captains Ashley Wright and Tiffany Chandler, some of the older team members, noted that one of their main goals for the season is to beat Faith Christian School. They also are looking forward to growing closer with their fellow teammates. The team will improve under a new coach this year, Coach Braswell. Braswell says the main goals for the varsity volleyball team this year are “to achieve a better record than last year and build more of a team atmosphere among the girls. We have strong hitters, and good JV and Middle School teams building up for strong years of volleyball to come.” Make sure to come out and support the Lady Eagles this fall season!