TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

No Gym? No Problem For Charter School

ADVERTISEMENT

By NICK WILLIAMS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 22, 2008

TAMPA - In June, the Florida High School Athletic Association granted Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School acceptance as a temporary member school.

The charter school opened in 2007, founded by Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks and the DeBartolos, a family of local business leaders who previously owned the San Francisco 49ers.

The school's athletic programs would have to play an independent schedule until it was moved into a district, but athletic director and volleyball coach Josh Melton was adamant about getting the athletic program going this season.

"I wanted to get a sport off the ground," he said.

With a little more than a month to prepare for the season, Melton pushed for a volleyball team.

But because the school does not have a gym, the team practiced in a parking lot, without a net. Their uniforms didn't arrive until hours before their first match.

"They've gone through some adversity," Melton said.

Despite a rough start, the Phoenix are 1-3 and use the Central City YMCA in Tampa as its practice and home court. On Sept. 4, the team won the first sports contest in school history, 3-1 against Manatee HEAT.

"The girls were excited, but we couldn't celebrate long because we had to start taking down the net and packing up because it wasn't our gym," Melton said.

Melton said because the school did not field a team last year, students were allowed to play for public school teams. Sophomore outside hitter Santannah Manning played junior varsity for Hillsborough High last year while senior defensive specialist Brittany English played for an outside club. The two are captains for the Phoenix this year.

"I think we've gotten over not having a home court," English said. "You have to adapt to what you have."

"I think it makes us better," Manning said. "Volleyball is about communication. When you're going through what we've gone through, it makes us talk more."

Melton said in two years, Brooks-DeBartolo could be placed in Class 2A-District 9, the same district as powerhouse Tampa Prep.

"Hopefully, we'll grow into a good team," he said.

TOURNAMENTS: The Berkeley Premier Tournament, one of the top tournaments in the southeast, will be held this Friday and Saturday at Berkeley Prep. Nationally ranked Plant and Berkeley will participate, along with Tampa Prep. Academy of the Holy Names also is hosting a tournament Friday and Saturday. Some of the teams scheduled to participate include Sickles, Chamberlain and Wesley Chapel.

RANKINGS: The two-time defending state champion Plant volleyball team is ranked No. 2 in the latest ESPN FAB 50 national poll.

The Panthers (3-0) also are ranked No. 4 in the Century Club National Top 100 poll. Berkeley Prep (10-0) is ranked No. 42 in the same poll.

Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 865-4848 or nwilliams@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT