Photo courtesy of Linda Rummell.
Liberty Park Middle School Lance Court of Honor
Eighth-grade winners were Kanely Lemke, Alayna Priebe, Harrison Wood and John Marshall Williams. Seventh-grade winners were Nikki Coalburn, Megan Lawley, Jonathan Hand and Cameron Monistere. Sixth-grade winners were Grace McCarty, Arden Young, Clayton Rassmusen and Leondre Shaw.
Liberty Park Middle School recently held the 2013-2014 third nine weeks Lancer Court of Honor. Two boys and two girls are selected each nine weeks from each grade level based on leadership, citizenship and conduct.
Colter Bean, a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher, was the guest speaker. Bean attended Vestavia Hills High School and Auburn University. He played in the College World Series and was named All-SEC second team in 2000. Bean still holds the Auburn team record with 108 games pitched and 106 games relieved.
Bean made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2005. In 2006, Bean started the season on the Columbus Clippers. He tied the Clippers’ team record for career games pitched, when he made his 212th career appearance for Columbus as the starter in a 2-1 win. He signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves organization in 2008.
In his speech to the students, he explained what it takes to make it to the major league and how to be successful in life. He said his father told him that luck is hard work and preparation. He added that people can be physically gifted in a sport but if they don’t have drive they are not going to make it.
Two to three months into his career, Bean wondered if he would last. He explained that being around hardworking major league players helped him. He said when he stopped having doubts about himself he was able to have the drive and the mental strength to succeed. At the end of his speech, he said that when you are experiencing hardships in life you are building character and if you don’t like how things are going then you have to step up and change your life.
-Submitted by Linda Rummel
