Oktoberfest 5K Trail Run- October 16 @ St. Bernard Prep

St. Bernard Prep School will host an Oktoberfest 5k trail run on Saturday, October 16at 7:30 a.m. The school invites all to celebrate autumn with a morning run through the beautiful St. Bernard Abbey Treasure Forest. The event will precede the Oktoberfest High School Cross Country Meet beginning at 9 a.m.

An entry fee of $15 will entitle participants to receive an Oktoberfest 5K t-shirt while supplies last. Pre-registration is highly encouraged. Awards will be presented to the top 15 finishers; top three male and females, and the top male and female master winners. No duplication of awards will be granted.

Awards are being provided by First Place Athletics.

Download the waiver at http://www.stbernardprep.com/files/content/Oktoberfest_5K_Trail_Run.pdf and mail payment to:

William Calvert
St. Bernard Prep School
1600 St. Bernard Drive, SE
Cullman, AL 35055

All checks should be made payable to St. Bernard Cross Country.

Cross Country Results from Trail of Champions

Scottsboro Invitational Cross Country Meet
September 18, 2010
Scottsboro High School Cross Country “Trail of Champions”

St. Bernard Prep Varsity Boys Results - The boys finished 3rd in the 1A-3A Division behind (2A)Pleasant Valley and defending state 3A champions Randolph. They had the 12th best score in the 28 team field consisting of mainly 4A, 5A and 6A schools including perennial powers like Scottsboro, Lawrence Co., Cullman, Grissom and Bob Jones. Team scores in 1A-3A 1. Randolph 15 (perfect score) 2. Pleasant Valley 62 3. SBP 91 4. Westminster Christian 99 5. Madison Academy 117 6. Pisgah 160 7. Faith Christian 196

Individual Results – Will Faulk 6th place runner in 1A-3A with at time of 18:40 lead the Saints. John Russell was 2nd for the team at 18th place and a personal record of 20:20. Other scorers were Levi Schaefers 20th place, Giovanni Cortes 23rd and Michael Justin Varquez 24th.

Varsity Girls - SBP had only three runners competing in the varsity girls race but 8th grader Ayleana Mami really had a great performance finishing 2nd in the 1A-3A division. Her time of 21:31 was a personal record by 40 seconds.

Junior varsity boys- SBP finished 8th out of 12 teams in the JV division. Freshman Oscar Perez was first for the JV team finishing in 8th place over the 2.1 mile course with a time of 12:55. 7th grader Steven Mami was 2nd for the team in 50th place with a time of 15:01. Also scoring for the team were Jacob Grey , Gavin Harris and Hayden Harris (all 7th graders.)

Coach Calvert’s comments“ We were able to see how we stacked up against some tough competition in a big meet. We had lots of personal records over the course on a hot day. The kids are training hard and its beginning to show up in the races. The boys’ average time of 20:20 is a big improvement from our first two meets and that was without Oscar Perez who had a great race in the JV division. Ayleana’s 40 second PR was really amazing considering how hard we worked last week and the hot day. I am looking forward to seeing what they can do down the road in October and hopefully at the state meet on November 13th.

Next meet for the Saints is the Kudzu Hills Invite on the Campus of Cold Springs High School this Saturday.

Don Laney publishes “Charley’s Boys – St. Bernard College in the Sixties”

Many stories have circulated about Coach Charles Richard during the many decades when he was the mentor of athletics at St. Bernard. Don Laney, a member of the basketball team who played for Coach Richard in the late 1960s, has recently published a book entitled “Charley’s Boys – St. Bernard College in the Sixties.” In it Laney tells the story of the four years he was enrolled in St. Bernard College with a special emphasis on the basketball program and the guidance provided by Coach Richard for the players under his charge.

“I decided to write this book,” said Laney, “when I told someone that I graduated from St. Bernard College. They had never heard of the place. It was then that I decided to write down my memories of the years I spent there and how important they were to me and others. I wanted to share my experience of this great place and tell others what an inspiration it continues to be for me.”

Laney said, “When writing the book, I was in contact with several of my teammates. Every time we talked, we always came back to particular memories about Coach Charlie. The stories were so good, I felt the need to write them down and publish them for others to read.”

Laney, a 1970 graduate of St. Bernard College, played for Coach Charlie and was a member of the 1968 team that won the ACC basketball championship over Jacksonville State College. “We played high scoring games,” he said. “It was nothing to run a score up in the triple digits. We ran plays designed by Coach Charlie who had a lot of talented players who could play the game and score.”

Along with the basketball narrative, Laney’s book tells the story of St. Bernard in the late 1960s. He speaks of campus activities, the professors and priests who formed the faculty as well as the students who were enrolled in the college. “Coach Richard was a part of it all,” said Laney, “and his influence could be seen not only in the athletic program but across the campus.”

Laney is a retired school teacher from the Marshall County School System where he served as a coach and instructor for more than 30 years.

St. Bernard College closed in 1979. In 1984 St. Bernard reopened its Prep School program and today serves students in grades 7-12. In 2011 St. Bernard will celebrate its 120th year of providing an education for the students who have enrolled in its schools.

“Charley’s Boys: St. Bernard College in the Sixties” can be purchased online at Authorhouse.com, or from the Ave Maria Grotto bookstore (256-734-4110) or from the author at dlaney1948@gmail.com.

A book signing will be held at Ave Maria Grotto on Saturday, November 6 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Knight named Athletic Director at St. Bernard Prep

Fr. Joel Martin, OSB, Headmaster at St. Bernard Prep recently named Wade Knight as the new Athletic Director at St. Bernard Prep replacing James Tolbert who ended his reign at the school two weeks ago. Knight, a 38 year veteran teacher and coach, has been employed by the school for the past two years as a physical education instructor. In addition to his classroom duties and Athletic Director duties, he will serve as varsity basketball and baseball coach.

“This is what I love to do,” Knight said smiling. “I have spent the majority of my life in the classroom and coaching. I have tried other things – I sold used cars, and I sold new cars, and I even drove Bluebird buses all over the country, but I am happy to be back in the school setting.”

Father Joel comments, “God takes care of St. Bernard, and Coach Knight’s presence here at this time is proof of that. We’re fortunate to have him because of his fine reputation, dedication to students, positive approach, and long-standing family connection to St. Bernard.”

Knight has worked a number of years in the County system – Fairview and Harmony, but spent the majority of his time at Good Hope High School. His number one goal for St. Bernard is to work on the fundamentals of each sport. “We will work on the fundamentals of the game, and form a habit of playing hard all the time,” Knight added.

Knight said he is looking forward to working with the Saints. “These are some of the best kids in the world. Once we teach the fundamentals, they will learn to play with character and class. Our number one goal is to get better every day we practice, and to get better every game we play – then eventually we will win a few games,” chuckled Knight.

St. Bernard offers girls volleyball, basketball, softball, tennis, cross country/track, and soccer. Boys are offered cross country/track, basketball, soccer, tennis, baseball, and wrestling.

Knight continues a family tradition at St. Bernard Prep. He is the son-in-law of the renowned Coach Charlie Richards whose name is honored in Alabama athletics. He is married to Ruth Anne Knight, who instructs at St. Bernard; and has two sons, Kurt (Tanya) Knight and Kevin; and one grandson, Jake.

Dyron's Lowcountry sponsors dinner for St. Bernard

Birmingham, AL SBP Board Member, Dyron Powell (SBP '91) is sponsoring a benefit dinner for St. Bernard Prep School on Monday, September 20, at his Birmingham restaurant, Dyron's Lowcountry. Happy hour begins at 6 p.m. with the buffet dinner beginning at 7 p.m. One hundred tickets are available for $50 per person.

The menu consists of a mixed green salad; herb crusted pork roast, southern fried catfish, and wood grilled chicken served with hoppin john (low country black-eyed peas and rice), creamed corn, roasted potatoes, green bean casserole, cornbread and rolls with white chocolate bread pudding. Wine and drinks included.

For reservations call (205)834-8257. Ask for the St. Bernard Benefit... - Sept. 20. All proceeds benefit Saint Bernard Preparatory School.