With her family, teammates and coaches in attendance, West Bladen’s Patience Parker signed Friday to continue her athletic career as a dual sport athlete at St. Andrews in Laurinburg.
Parker who played volleyball, basketball and ran track at West Bladen will play basketball and run track at St. Andrews.
“Patience brings great enthusiasm and is very coachable,” said St. Andrews basketball Coach Yvette Sparks who was at Friday’s signing. “I love the energy that she would bring on a daily basis. When she came to visit, she hit it off right away with our team. They had really good chemistry.”
Parker who plans to major in athletic training in college said, “They are going to give me the opportunity to play sports and get a great education. It felt like home there.”
Parker was named to the 2018 All-Three Rivers Conference basketball team and scored in double-figures six times including a 15-point performance in a 64-48 win over South Columbus.
Brian McCleney, the West Bladen girls basketball coach, talked about what Patience had been through. “She’s had three coaches in four years, and this year we put in a unique new system and had a ton of injuries. She never let it get her down. She puts team above self. She is a tremendous young lady.”
In track and field, Parker has qualified to run in four events at Saturday’s Class 2A MidEast Regionals at UNC-Pembroke. She was a member of West Bladen’s 4×200 meter relay team that won the Three Rivers Conference championship Thursday.
Taurius Baker, the West Bladen track coach, said, “Patience is a wonderful young lady – the hardest worker, great character, an active leader. She will do well at St. Andrews.”
Gary Parker, Patience’s father, was very happy with her decision, “Everything went well with her trip there. She was happy with everything about it. “
Tonya Parker, Patience’s mother, said, “She really wanted to go there. She loved the coaches and the facilities, so we prayed, her father and me, and it worked out. She is getting an academic and athletic scholarship.”
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