brownceluse
Senior Member
Staying on line
In spite of gridiron future, Cats big man still on court
By Drew Brantley
drewbrantley@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Mon Jan 10, 2011, 05:39 PM EST
Many high school football players who have made up their minds to play in college opt not to play other sports during their senior year.
Dalton’s Watts Dantzler has committed to join the Georgia Bulldogs on the offensive line next season, but he has also decided to squeeze the most out of his high school experience.
“All fall, I heard all the people say, ‘Watts is not going to play,’” Catamounts basketball coach Mike Duffie said. “I never gave it a second thought. He came out and spent the summers with us. He wouldn’t have done that if he wasn’t going to play.”
Said Dantzler, “It’s nice to stay busy. Going home after school is boring. And I like playing basketball.”
Duffie knows players in Dantzler’s position often don’t stick with other sports in their senior year.
“A lot of them don’t play,” Duffie said. “Even after they’ve played their whole careers. Watts has been through some experiences that have made him more mature. He knows this is it. You’ve only got one life to live.
“But on the other hand, he’s a good player. He’s a college prospect as a basketball player.”
Dantzler is averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per game for the Cats, and chips in close to three blocks per contest. And he’s making sure his schedule remains full even after basketball season ends. A member of the school’s tennis team for the first time last season, he plans to add turns at the discus and shot put for the track and field team this spring.
Having a full schedule all year long does mean having to catch up after he switches to the next sport, as with his shift from offensive line in football to post player on the hardcourt.
“Definitely. The hardest thing is there’s not enough time to shoot (during football season),” Dantzler said. “I think I got to shoot one Saturday during the football season. But for three months, I didn’t get to shoot much. But it comes back like riding a bike.”
Dantzler and Dalton have already entered the crucial part of their season, opening their Sub-region 7A-3A schedule with a 75-56 win at Ridgeland on Friday.
While the Cats (8-5) lost for the second time this season to rival Murray County on Saturday, 64-47 in a region crossover game, the 6-foot-7-inch, 315-pound Dantzler likes his team’s chances as they are scheduled to return to sub-region play tonight at Ringgold.
“We’re doing good,” Dantzler said. “We’ve lost some close games, but we’ve been able to bounce back. Coach Duffie is a good coach. We’re trying to do what he wants us to. And doing what we need to be successful.”
Dantzler did take a short respite from basketball after Christmas, playing in a high school all-star football game in Charleston, S.C, that featured seniors from across the country. A member of Team World in the National Underclassmen Combine’s All-World Gridiron Classic, Dantzler helped his side win the New Year’s Eve game over Team NUC, 20-17.
“It was good fun,” Dantzler said. “I got to meet a lot of good players.”
Offered a scholarship by every school in the Southeastern Conference, he narrowed his choices to Auburn and Georgia last summer before announcing he would attend the alma mater of his late father Danny, a former Dalton and Georgia lineman who died of ALS in February 2009. A disappointing 6-7 effort by Georgia this season, including a 10-6 loss to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl, has not altered Dantzler’s decision.
“Not at all,” Dantzler said. “I’m still 100 percent (committed to Georgia).”
He said he will move to Athens the Monday after Dalton’s graduation to begin preparations for the 2011 season.
“I already know who my roommates will be,” Dantzler said. “They’ll tell me more after spring practice is over. But I’ll spend the summer in Athens working on drills and getting into shape.”
Duffie said the Georgia football staff, including Dogs offensive line coach Stacy Searels, have no problem with Dantzler staying active in basketball.
“Coach Searels wants him to play,” Duffie said. “They want him to keep his weight down. And it will only help his footwork and hands.”
In spite of gridiron future, Cats big man still on court
By Drew Brantley
drewbrantley@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Mon Jan 10, 2011, 05:39 PM EST
Many high school football players who have made up their minds to play in college opt not to play other sports during their senior year.
Dalton’s Watts Dantzler has committed to join the Georgia Bulldogs on the offensive line next season, but he has also decided to squeeze the most out of his high school experience.
“All fall, I heard all the people say, ‘Watts is not going to play,’” Catamounts basketball coach Mike Duffie said. “I never gave it a second thought. He came out and spent the summers with us. He wouldn’t have done that if he wasn’t going to play.”
Said Dantzler, “It’s nice to stay busy. Going home after school is boring. And I like playing basketball.”
Duffie knows players in Dantzler’s position often don’t stick with other sports in their senior year.
“A lot of them don’t play,” Duffie said. “Even after they’ve played their whole careers. Watts has been through some experiences that have made him more mature. He knows this is it. You’ve only got one life to live.
“But on the other hand, he’s a good player. He’s a college prospect as a basketball player.”
Dantzler is averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per game for the Cats, and chips in close to three blocks per contest. And he’s making sure his schedule remains full even after basketball season ends. A member of the school’s tennis team for the first time last season, he plans to add turns at the discus and shot put for the track and field team this spring.
Having a full schedule all year long does mean having to catch up after he switches to the next sport, as with his shift from offensive line in football to post player on the hardcourt.
“Definitely. The hardest thing is there’s not enough time to shoot (during football season),” Dantzler said. “I think I got to shoot one Saturday during the football season. But for three months, I didn’t get to shoot much. But it comes back like riding a bike.”
Dantzler and Dalton have already entered the crucial part of their season, opening their Sub-region 7A-3A schedule with a 75-56 win at Ridgeland on Friday.
While the Cats (8-5) lost for the second time this season to rival Murray County on Saturday, 64-47 in a region crossover game, the 6-foot-7-inch, 315-pound Dantzler likes his team’s chances as they are scheduled to return to sub-region play tonight at Ringgold.
“We’re doing good,” Dantzler said. “We’ve lost some close games, but we’ve been able to bounce back. Coach Duffie is a good coach. We’re trying to do what he wants us to. And doing what we need to be successful.”
Dantzler did take a short respite from basketball after Christmas, playing in a high school all-star football game in Charleston, S.C, that featured seniors from across the country. A member of Team World in the National Underclassmen Combine’s All-World Gridiron Classic, Dantzler helped his side win the New Year’s Eve game over Team NUC, 20-17.
“It was good fun,” Dantzler said. “I got to meet a lot of good players.”
Offered a scholarship by every school in the Southeastern Conference, he narrowed his choices to Auburn and Georgia last summer before announcing he would attend the alma mater of his late father Danny, a former Dalton and Georgia lineman who died of ALS in February 2009. A disappointing 6-7 effort by Georgia this season, including a 10-6 loss to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl, has not altered Dantzler’s decision.
“Not at all,” Dantzler said. “I’m still 100 percent (committed to Georgia).”
He said he will move to Athens the Monday after Dalton’s graduation to begin preparations for the 2011 season.
“I already know who my roommates will be,” Dantzler said. “They’ll tell me more after spring practice is over. But I’ll spend the summer in Athens working on drills and getting into shape.”
Duffie said the Georgia football staff, including Dogs offensive line coach Stacy Searels, have no problem with Dantzler staying active in basketball.
“Coach Searels wants him to play,” Duffie said. “They want him to keep his weight down. And it will only help his footwork and hands.”
