 The reigning softball player of the year Jenny Reynolds will be back in 2012 to defend her corwn and will be a key piece to Benton.Did you know that there is only one day out of the year that doesn’t have any sporting event whatsoever?
Oh, sure, you can find some obscure sport, but there is one day SportsCenter doesn’t have game highlights from that day.
It is usually the day right after the MLB All Star break. This year that date is July 11.
Think about it for a minute. The NBA, NHL, NFL and every college sport is in its off season. The MLB isn’t playing that day because the players are traveling. Wimbledon ends on July 8. Golf tournaments don’t start until Thursdays and NASCAR doesn’t usually run a race on Wednesdays. The summer Olympics don’t get started until July 27.
No major sporting events whatsoever.
Why do I mention this two and a half weeks in advance of the actual date? To point out that, from a local Yazoo County standpoint, that day is coming. Once the Pony League plays its final games of the season Thursday night, there won’t be any little league teams playing (yet) nor any high schools (that too will soon change).
It’s a period of time where teams are practicing, such as the little league all star teams are doing right now. They’ll begin playing games the first week of July. Also at the beginning of July, MAIS schools can begin softball practice and the first games can be played at the end of the month.
So, it’s not going to be a long period of time without games of importance. I say that more for my benefit because this is the toughest part of the year for a sports section because, simply put, there isn’t much going on.
That will change here in the next week or so with the start of high school softball and the Dixie Youth all star tournaments. That also means there will be a lot more stories coming your way, especially with the month-long softball preview on the plan.
The month-long preview will focus on the Benton and Manchester softball teams and will include feature stories on players, coaches and a three-part focus on what to expect of the teams.
At the same time I’ll be putting on the finishing touches of the Little League section that will feature every little league team that played in Yazoo.
After that it’s everybody’s favorite time of the year - football season (which for means working on a preview magazine).
As for what to do about that one day after the All Star game where no major sports will be played? Well, there are plenty of things to do.
But that’s another column.
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 Fletcher Cox officially became a member of the Philadelphia Eagles when he signed his contract that will last for four years.By TAYLOR MITCHELL
Sports Editor
The Philadelphia Eagles are a month away from opening their training camp at Lehigh University and, like many other teams in the NFL, the Eagles are making final preparations for next month’s adventure. Those preparations include making sure all of the rookies are signed to contracts.
On Monday afternoon, Yazoo City native Fletcher Cox became the ninth and final rookie for the Eagles to sign their first professional contract. Cox’s deal makes him part of Philadelphia for the next four years.
The new collective bargaining agreement helped make the negotiations for Cox’s first contract a simpler process than in years past when rookies wouldn’t have contracts signed until after training camp.
“You don’t want to miss a few days of training camp because if you miss three days, then you’re three days behind and somebody else is ahead of you,” Cox said. “With the new CBA, it makes a lot of stuff easy and helps us get this out the way. I know my agent did a great job of negotiating. I think he did a good job in getting it out of the way so I can play football.”
Unlike many other rookies who choose to go on a spending spree when they sign that first contract, Cox is keeping his attention on football, for the most part.
“My biggest thing is just going in and playing,” Cox said. “I’ll do something really special for my mom and my siblings. Other than that, me playing football is the most important thing right now..”
On the practice field Cox has had a chance to play with the first-team defense because of some absences along the line. Cullen Jenkins missed a week to be with his wife, who was recovering from minor surgery, and because Mike Patterson still hadn't been cleared to return to practice after January brain surgery.
Even if Cox’s time with the first unit defense is short, he is fully expected to be a part of defensive line coach Jim Washburn’s four-man rotation. Cox may even see time at defensive end. However, Cox admits he still has plenty of things to get better at, which he has been doing.
“My biggest improvement was getting off the ball and just learning how to practice with the veterans,” Cox said.
From now until training camp starts Cox will be getting ready by working out at Mississippi State University, where he was an All-SEC defensive lineman.
With his contract signed, Cox will be able to report to Lehigh University July 22 for the Eagles’ training camp.
 Taylor Potter was one of 10 new soccer players welcomed to the East Central Community College men’s soccer team during a cookout and other activities held in early May in Decatur. Potter (standing, far right) is originally from Yazoo City and is a graduate of Mississippi School for Math and Science. He is transferring to ECCC from Delta State University. Potter was joined by fellow signees (seated, from left to right) Ryan Artman, Clint McGraw, Kennon Craft, Will Thompson, (standing) Garrett Blevins, Forest Muller, Jordan Walker, Jesse Vaughn and Russ Thompson.
 The Indians and Lady Indians finished 5-4 during the season, but gained valuable experience to make them even better next season. Members of the 2012 Yazoo City High School tennis team are, front row from left, Glinda Jones, Keisha Shelton, Marquita Powell, Tyasia Keith, Johnese Clark, Angela Hudson, Aliesha Hudson; back row from left, Kenneth Royal, James Bull, Calvin Smith, Tommy Irvine and Jalen Grayer. Not pictured were Jonquil Dent, Jaryd Price, Deon Gamble, Cornelius Battle, Brandon Purvis and Carl Tart.
 Calvin Griffin was the Yazoo City Athletic Department coach and played a big role in every sport. By TAYLOR MITCHELL
Sports Editor
No matter what sporting event you attended, if Yazoo City was involved, Calvin Griffin wouldn’t be too far behind. Since graduating from Yazoo City High School in 1987, Griffin was involved in nearly every sport at his alma mater.
“He is Yazoo City athletics,” Yazoo City Athletic Director Tony Woolfolk said. “He was full of energy at every game. He’s been around for the good and the bad times.”
“He has operated my game clock for nearly 21 years,” Yazoo City basketball coach Archie Carlyle said. “I needed someone to run my clock and I looked around the gym and asked him to do it. He’s done it for me ever since.”
Sadly, the Yazoo City athletic program lost one of its most iconic coaches when Griffin passed away this past Wednesday. He was 42 years old.
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