The annual ‘dead period’ mandated by the Arkansas Activities Association, which prohibits athletic activities on school facilities by licensed coaches for a two-week period, usually begins with the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star games and is a highlight of the summer.
In October, though, the organization’s executive committee informed the AAA the all-star games were discontinued on a permanent basis due to dwindling participation among athletes and coaches.
The AHSCA will continue to name All-Star rosters for baseball, softball, football, soccer, volleyball and basketball with the coaches and players being recognized with a certificate who were selected as among the best in the state in their sport.
Tommy Tice, veteran coach at Harrison, Huntsville and presently at Farmington, was selected as the head coach of the West All-Star football team. It marks the 10th time for Tice to be selected as coach, which is a state record in the 69 years since the games were first held in the summer of 1956 for football and boys basketball. It marks the sixth time for Tice to be named head coach, the first coming in 1975.
“It’s very interesting for sure,” Tice said. “It does seem awfully strange that we won’t have the all-star game. It’s voted on by your peers, and that’s very gratifying. I always liked going and representing the West. It’s always been a big deal for me. I appreciate the recognition by my peers, it means a lot.”
Tice came out of retirement last summer to take over at Farmington and guided the Cardinals to a 12-2 record and to the Class 5A state championship game.
“It’s like I tell the players, if the team does good the coach gets a chance to do good,” said Tice, who has won 301 games, which moved him to a tie with Mike Malham as the second winningest coach of all-time in Arkansas behind only Barton’s Frank McClellan.
Lamar’s Brandon Schluterman was named as the head coach for the West girls basketball team for the second time in three years after leading the Lady Warriors to the state championship. Northside’s Rickey Smith was named as an assistant.
Josh Watson, who has taken over the football program at Ozark, was named the head coach of the East football team after guiding Salem to the Class 3A state title.
Brad Johnson of Ozark was named an assistant for the West boys basketball team. Former Van Buren standout Trent Loyd, who is the head coach at Bentonville West, was named the head coach of the West team.
Chris Young was named an assistant for the West football team after leading the Bulldogs to the past two Class 5A state championships.
Jeff Oxford and Bridget Freeman of Hackett were selected as coaches; Oxford for softball and Freeman as head coach of the West volleyball team.
Lavaca’s Hayden Headley was named to the West baseball coaching staff.
Hackett’s Makenzie Freeman and Lavaca’s Mayli Stockton were chosen as All-Stars for both softball and volleyball, which is a rarity.
ALL-STARSThe following players and coaches from the River Valley were selected as All-Stars by the Arkansas High School Coaches Association:BASEBALLHunter Smalling, LavacaSOFTBALLMakenzie Freeman, HackettMorgan Coryell, HackettNatalie Miller, ScrantonMayli Stockton, LavacaBOYS SOCCEREli Davis, Van BurenGIRLS SOCCERPaw Poe, ClarksvilleBOYS BASKETBALLBenjamin Noonan, LamarGIRLS BASKETBALLKori Sanders, LamarErianna Gooden, NorthsideHazley Grotjohn, NorthsideVOLLEYBALLMakenzie Freeman, HackettLilly Oxford, HackettMayli Stockton, LavacaGabriela Dupree, SouthsideJaynea Manning, NorthsideFOOTBALLAshton Chanhnouvong, AlmaDavid McKamie, CharlestonGrant Karnes, GreenwoodAshton Stein, GreenwoodDaniel Burton, MansfieldCameron Keller, Van BurenCOACHESBASEBALLHayden Headley, LavacaSOFTBALLJeff Oxford, HackettBOYS BASKETBALLBrad Johnson, OzarkGIRLS BASKETBALLBrandon Schluterman, Lamar*Rickey Smith, NorthsideFOOTBALLChris Young, GreenwoodVOLLEYBALLBridget Freeman, Hackett**selected as head coach of the West