By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROCKINGHAM — That’s a wrap, Jack.
On Thursday, teachers and staff across Richmond County Schools gathered on the ballfields at Richmond Senior High School to celebrate the end of the 2013-14 academic year.
There were few children in sight, and even fewer bells by which to move from one subject to the next. Around a brief celebration to recognized retired personnel from the school year, the men and women tasked with educating Richmond County youth on Thursday enjoyed grilled foods, drinks, corn hole — and perhaps an impromptu water gun battle every now and then just to keep things interesting.
Under a hot sun and North Carolina-like humid conditions, representatives of Hamlet and Rockingham middle schools competed for the staff softball tournament championship. The rules were a bit different than what the Raiders boys and girls played by earlier this month in the state playoffs; on Thursday, players had only 15 minutes to complete the game, fouls, a swing-and-a-miss and home runs were outs and there was no official umpire. In related news, no one was ejected.
Players from both teams gathered in the middle of the infield before the top of the first inning. It almost seemed as if a brawl might break out instead of a softball game.
“I hope so,” said one Rocket player. “I like our chances in that.”
The chances for the Rockets of Rockingham were just as good once play started. RMS took advantage of a couple of miscues to deliver a 4-1 victory and take back to school the traveling trophy. It turned a bit ugly — in a friendly way — during the awards ceremony. As Dr. Cindy Goodman handed the trophy to RMS Principal Julian Carter, there were chants of cheating and trash talking on the sidelines.
“Jealousy is an ugly thing,” Goodman chided.
Board of Education member Jerry Ethridge said the summer picnic, which lasted from 9 a.m. to about 2 p.m., is a second-year event inspired by the board. It’s meant to foster camaraderie among education professionals and offer a casual setting in which teachers, administrators, janitors and cafeteria workers alike can network and meet their fellow teammates, some of which they might not see on a regular basis throughout the school year.
The lower field next to the softball field was established as a virtual tent city as each school set up decorative displays, proudly touting their places of work. The tents doubled as places to escape the worst of the heat.
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