By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Football players at Ryle High School got together Monday morning to sort and pack clothing that will be sent to the Republic of Kosovo, a country in southeastern Europe that’s still recovering from a war that ended in 1999.
The clothing drive was conducted by Master Provisions, a Christian organization based in Florence that provides food and clothing to people in need locally, regionally and globally. Ryle football coach Mike Engler got his team involved as a service project and nearly all of the players showed up Monday to help.
“We couldn’t get the job done without massive volunteers,” said Roger Babik, president of Master Provisions. “There’s about 60,000 pieces of clothing and we figure about three pieces of clothing per person so this should help around 20,000 people.”
Jaret Pogliano was among the Ryle players gathered around a long line of tables to sort the clothing and place them in large plastic bags. The bags were then loaded into a trailer that will make its way to Kosovo.
“It’s crazy to think about what it means to be out here helping another country,” Pogliano said. “We were all willing to do it, especially as a team because it represents all of us.”
Babik is not on the Ryle football team’s coaching staff, but he has been involved with the program in other ways. He helped raise money to build Borland Stadium on the school campus and he has been called upon to give motivational speeches. He said the clothing drive is a way to help young people build character.
“We’re trying to teach the kids to do something bigger than what they are,” Babik said, “whether it’s being on a football team, where you’re one player but you’re part of something bigger, or in life by serving your community or serving others in the world.”
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Junior catchers Shelby Graybill of Highlands and Amanda Lloyd of Brossart were both named first-team all-state by members of the Kentucky Softball Coaches Association.
Even though softball is a non-classified sport in Kentucky, the coaches association selected all-state teams in three classes based on school enrollments that the Kentucky High School Athletic Association uses to classify track and field teams.
Graybill was named first-team all-state in Class 2A. The Bowling Green State University recruit had a .586 batting average (58 of 99) with 50 RBI and 12 home runs for the Highlands team that won the 36th District playoffs and made it to the 9th Region championship game this year.
Lloyd was named first-team all-state in Class 1A. She batted .535 with 60 RBI and 21 extra base hits for the Mustangs, who won the 10th Region All “A” Classic and 37th District championships with her in the lineup.
The local players named second-team, all-state were Haley Meyers of Newport Central Catholic in Class 1A and Haylee Smith of Notre Dame in Class 3A. The honorable mention selections included Kristen Schreiber of Newport Central Catholic in 1A and Elizabeth Simms of Conner in Class 3A.
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Ryle graduate Harper Hempel has been added to the University of Kentucky volleyball roster as a defensive specialist/setter, according to the team’s website.
“Harper came to Kentucky as a student (last year) and quickly realized she wanted more,” said UK coach Craig Skinner. “She called us and said she wanted a chance. She came in the gym and immediately earned all of our respect. She’s a fantastic addition to our backcourt. We’re lucky to have her in the program.”
Hempel was a four-year starter for Ryle and three-time all-state selection by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association. She also played on Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club teams while in high school. She’ll be joining a UK team that posted a 27-6 record last season and qualified for the NCAA Division I playoffs.