Good choice, Hoggard.  Today, recent Hoggard grad and football star Ian Shankland was presented with the CFSR Reader’s Choice Award for High School Athlete of the Year at Francesco’s Cafe.

About ten minutes before we were set to begin, in came several of Ian’s coaches.  Scott Braswell saw Ian on the cover of this week’s Cape Fear Sports Report, read that the presentation was at 4:00 and made it over to Francesco’s.  He found out about it today.  He didn’t have time to plan for it, but made it a priority.  That kind of support should be on a Mastercard commercial … it’s priceless.

I didn’t email Coach Braswell to let him know of the presentation out of my own stupidity.  I certainly should have, but didn’t even think about it until he came in.  Maybe it wasn’t stupidity on my behalf.  After all, most coaches give a lot of time and effort.  Asking them to do more isn’t really fair.  But no one had to ask Braswell, and that is the point.

But Braswell took the initiative to show his support for his former player.  This isn’t a kid he is trying to build a relationship with, but an ex-Viking.  In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it was refreshing to see Ian’s former coaches showing the love.  

Ian’s mom congratulated Coach Braswell on being named Sheila Boles’ successor at Hoggard and while he has big shoes to fill, Hoggard has done themselves a favor by choosing Scott Braswell.  They have a guy who will stand up for his kids and go the extra mile.

Coach Braswell will be aided by Brett Queen, the boys’ basketball coach, who was named assistant A.D. by Hoggard principal Dave Spencer.  Good choice, yet again.  Just watching Coach Queen’s team play, you learn that he appreciates the values we try to instill in our young people.  Fundamentals and hard work pay off.

While it will be difficult to replace Sheila Boles, Hoggard has taken a good step forward by promoting Braswell and Queen.

Make sure you check out our next issue of the Cape Fear Sports Report for our indepth interview with Coach Boles.  What a lady!

-Jesse Jones