Rockdale Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

The Salem High School baseball staff is getting involved in some free instruction at the end of the month.

Loganville High School, in partnership with the Georgia Dugout Club, is hosting a free youth baseball coaches clinic Jan. 29, and coaches from three different counties will be participating.

Salem's staff will run the infield drills from 9:45 to 10:25 a.m., with the staffs from Georgia Select, Brookwood, South Gwinnett, Parkview and Loganville following with instruction on a defensive practice plan, pitching, catching, hitting and an offensive practice plan.

Lunch will be provided by Rivals.com. Coaches wishing to attend can register at www.georgiadugoutclub.com.

RYSA tryouts upcoming

The Rockdale Youth Soccer Association will hold its tryouts for the spring season later this month. Supplemental try-outs for academy and select travel soccer programs will take place Jan. 18 and 20, with the 9-under through 11-under age groups taking place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and the 12-under through 14-under age groups from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The RYSA has also announced its Spring Kickoff Classic will take place Feb. 26-27. Three age groups will compete in three divisions -- most competitive, competitive and intermediate -- and each team is guaranteed three games.

For more information, or to register a team, contact tournament director Rafe Mauran.

Former Seminole contributing at Harding University

Zach Roddenberry is helping Harding University to one of the best starts in the program's history.

Roddenberry scored seven points and added five rebounds in Harding's victory over North Alabama in the final non-conference game of the year last month. The Bisons opened Gulf South Conference play with a 59-55 win over Ouachita Baptist on Jan. 8.

It's the program's second-best stretch over the first 13 games of the season -- the 1995-96 team started 12-1. Roddenberry, a 6-foot-7 sophomore center, is averaging 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent (19-for-31) from the field.