Please join us in room 118 at 6pm on May 24th for the Firestone Boys and Girls Cross Country Interest Meeting. For new AND returning runners!

Attention all Male athletes!!!

We want YOU to be a part of the fastest growing men’s sport in Ohio!

Join the Firestone Volleyball Team!

Try-Outs:

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

4:30-6:30 @ Litchfield Gym

Enter @ Door 19 (near the track)

Requirements for Try-Out participation:

• Email Coach S. McMillan-Myers smyers3@apslearns.org with any questions.

• Arrive at least 10 minutes before tryouts start.

• You must wear a mask.

• Bring: a filled water bottle

• Check your temperature before leaving home.

• Enter at door #19. Check in with a coach upon entry to complete Covid symptom checklist.

CALLING ALL LADY FALCONS!!!

Interested in Track & Field? Stop by for the interest meeting on Thursday, November 18th at 3:30 PM @ The Firestone CLC Gym Balcony

The Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation's Sports Matter program will be awarding Akron Public Schools/Firestone Athletics a $10,000 grant. This is a combined contribution from the Montrose (Manager Nicole Lung) and Chapel Hill Plaza (Manager Adam Moyer) store locations. See the message below for details of this wonderful news!

"We are delighted that Akron Public Schools has been awarded a grant from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter program. Accordingly, please find a fully executed copy of the Grant Award Agreement below. You will be receiving a check in the amount of $10,000.00 made payable to Akron Public Schools, within the next 30-45 days, which represents your grant.

Congratulations on all of the important work that you are doing to provide youth sports opportunities to young athletes. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me."

- Aimee Watters, Executive Director of the Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation

We are excited to announce the hiring of Coach Jill Williams who will be leading the Softball team. Coach Williams is a retired teacher with 32 years of coaching experience. Coach Williams led Sandy Valley High School for 26 years and during her time there the Cardinals won 15 Sectional Championships, 9 District Championships and 1 Regional Championship with one State Final Four appearance. Williams was also an assistant coach for the University of Akron Softball program which earned NCAA National Runner-Up and coached for two travel ball clubs, with one winning the State ASA 18U State Champs. Williams is a member of the OHSAA Softball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Sandy Valley High School Coaches Hall of Fame and was selected into the Summit and Stark County Softball Hall of Fames as one of the most influential Persons in Women's Sports.

"My staff and I are looking forward to the 2022 season! I am excited for what is to come this year and I am really looking forward to being a part of the Falcon Nation. Go Stone!"

See both of the flyers for details

Attention:

Any boys interested in playing on the Firestone High School Golf team. There will be an informational meeting on Thursday, May 20^th at 3:30 p.m. at Firestone High School in Room #323. Take advantage of this opportunity to compete for your school, receive professional instruction, and learn a game you can play for the rest of your life. If you cannot make it, contact either Coach Westphal or Coach Homa at Firestone HS for more information. We hope to see you there.

Scott Westphal – swestpha@apslearns.org

Eric Homa – ehoma@apslearns.org

About Coach DeAndre Walker -

DeAndre Walker spent seven total years on the Skyhawk staff and five as a full-time assistant coach. Walker was promoted to his role after serving as the strength coach while also overseeing player development at UT Martin from 2014-16.

Since Walker arrived at UT Martin, the Skyhawks won 102 games (the most in any seven-year span in the program's Division I history) and became the only Ohio Valley Conference team to win at least one postseason game in each of the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. In that three-year span, UT Martin generated five postseason victories, won 20 games in each season for the first time in program history, won the first two OVC West division championships in school history and advanced to the first two OVC Tournament championship games in school history.

Last season, Walker helped oversee the development of All-OVC second teamer and OVC All-Newcomer selection Cameron Holden, who was the only NCAA Division I player to average at least 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game while sinking at least 100 free throws. The Skyhawks went 3-0 to start the season for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign and were one of the final 33 NCAA Division I teams to stay unbeaten, not suffering its first loss until Dec. 20.

Walker mentored All-OVC and NABC All-District 18 honorees Quintin Dove and Parker Stewart in 2019-20. Dove was the only player in NCAA Division I to tally at least 20 points and seven rebounds per contest while shooting over 78 percent from the free throw line. Dove's 22.3 points per game in league play topped the OVC as he became the first UT Martin player to lead the conference in scoring since two-time All-American Lester Hudson in 2008-09. Meanwhile, Stewart was the lone NCAA Division I player to tally at least 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 three-point field goals made per outing. Stewart was named OVC Newcomer of the Week five times, joining Hudson as the only players in UT Martin history to win that award at least five times.

In 2018-19, the Skyhawks returned to the OVC Championship tournament once again, chalking up a first-round victory over Eastern Illinois. UT Martin won three OVC Tournament games since Walker joined the Skyhawk bench in 2014 after the program had won just three such games in the 22 previous seasons as a member of the league.

Walker oversaw the development of Dove and Craig Randall II in 2018-19, as the duo combined to win six OVC Newcomer of the Week accolades. Dove earned All-OVC second team status as UT Martin won six of nine games down the stretch to emerge as one of the league's hottest teams.

In 2016-17, the Skyhawks tied a school record with 22 victories, establishing new single-season program records for points, field goals, rebounds and assists. UT Martin was crowned as the outright OVC West division champion for the first time ever while tallying the most home wins (14) and nonconference victories (10) since the school joined the Division-I ranks in 1992.

Walker played a key role in the Skyhawks' second consecutive 20-plus win campaign in 2015-16, as UT Martin clinched a share of its first-ever OVC West division championship. The Skyhawks also made the first appearance in the OVC Tournament championship game in school history.

In 2014-15, Walker helped develop a UT Martin squad that finished just one win shy of the school record (21) and tallied the first three postseason victories in the program's Division-I history (since 1992). The Skyhawks advanced all the way to the Final Four of the 2015 CIT thanks in large part to 12 road victories, which led the nation.

Before joining the Skyhawks, Walker served as head coach at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio. He was the fifth head coach in the history of the program in 2013-14.

Before his head coaching appointment, Walker was an assistant coach at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio.

After a standout prep career at Firestone High School, Walker began his collegiate playing career at Columbus State, where he played for two seasons (2000-02). He helped the Cougars to a 20-9 record and a 9-5 mark in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference record during his freshman season.

Walker then transferred to Fairmont State University in Fairmont, W.Va. He guided the Falcons to a 37-21 record in his two seasons at the Division II school.

Walker played professionally from 2006-08. He began his career with the Columbus Cyclones of the International Basketball League, helping the team to a 20-3 record under head coach David Cecutti. He followed that with a stint with the Indiana Alleycats of the Continental Basketball Association, playing for head coach Carlos Knox. He also played with the Marysville Meteors of the International Basketball League (2007), Long Beach Summer Pro-Am League in Long Beach, Calif. (2007) and the Gary Steelheads of the International Basketball League (2008).

An Akron, Ohio native, Walker began his coaching career as a student assistant coach in 2004-05 at Fairmont State. He specialized in recruiting and player skill development. He also was tabbed as the president of Hidden Gems AAU Basketball program, with his best season coming in 2012 when the team posted a 33-19 overall record. He also served as an assistant coach with the King James AAU program.

Walker earned his Bachelor's degree in business management from Fairmont State in 2004. He earned his Master's degree in project management from Keller Graduate School of Management in 2016. He has one daughter, Arianna and one son, Dillon.

The first open gyms for our Reigning Champions GIRLS Volleyball Program will take place May 25 and May 27, 4:00-6:00 in the Firestone Main Gym. Please bring plenty of water and wear a mask. Email smyers3@apslearns.org with any questions.

For anyone interested in playing soccer (New and Returning) for Firestone please attend a mandatory coaches meeting. One parent is also expected to attend.

Date: Wednesday May 5th

Time: 6:00 P.M.

Where: Firestone Auditorium

Click on the "32 auctions photo or Click Here to participate in the Silent auction!