Photo Provided

Please e-mail all content, including story ideas and photos, to jshelton@moultrienews.com

To submit game scores

Coaches, please e-mail results to jshelton@moultrienews.com, and be sure to include the final score, as well as top scorers for each team.

In many ways, sports are the heartbeat of a community.

Parents gather to watch proudly as their kids participate in recreation programs. Residents pack the stands at high school football and basketball games. And community members beam with pride when one of their own accomplishes something spectacular on the playing field.

Sports have always been my passion, aside from writing. I guess you could say I was born into a sports-minded family, as my parents were both athletes. They met at Furman University, where my dad was the quarterback of the football team and my mom played tennis.

Even though tennis ended up being my main sport, my parents made sure I tried them all. The recreation department in my hometown became my second home, and when I wasn’t at school, I was competing in a sporting event of some kind. I have fond memories of waiting out rain delays in the dugout with my teammates for the Tigers, a kid-pitch softball team. And I still remember the agony of a last-second defeat for the league title when I played for the Bulls, my recreation basketball team.

I would imagine many kids in the East Cooper area are currently creating the same memories. They love to compete, just as I did. And they deserve to be recognized.

Having recently joined the Moultrie News as a sports and municipal reporter, it is my goal to feature and spotlight as many area athletes as possible. This isn’t limited to high school sports or even recreation league sports. Do you know someone who made a hole-in-one? Call me. Hear of somebody who competed in a marathon or triathlon? Shoot me an e-mail. Nothing is off-limits.

But for me to provide the coverage you want, I need your help.

Send me story ideas. Send me photos. Send me game results. I want it all.

I look forward to putting a spotlight on our athletes. And I hope to see you all in the stands.