Slam dunk! Ridge View football adds a twist to touchdown, turnover celebrations
Ridge View coach Perry Parks has put his own spin to celebrate big plays by his football team.
Parks and his squad have come with the Touchdown/Turnover Hoop to celebrate on the sideline following a big play.
“Anything to get the guys hyped up and want them to get in the end zone and get a turnover, I’m all for it,” Parks said. “You’ve got to try and do something no one else is doing. We’ve got a great bunch of kids and want it to be an honor or privilege to reward those guys for the hard work.”
The Blazers’ dunking celebration follows a trend started in the college ranks last year. Miami was known for its turnover chain. Other schools followed. Kennesaw State had a turnover plank and Tennessee had a turnover trash can.
A basketball-type celebration is fitting for the Blazers, who have several hoops players on the football team. Ridge View defeated Wilson for its first state basketball championship in March.
The Blazers’ hoop dunk celebrates more than just defensive plays. It is used for any touchdowns or turnovers created by the defense during a game. The idea was started in the spring with players dunking into a trash can.
When Ridge View basketball player Javon Benson broke a rim during a dunk in gym glass, the football team decided to use the old rim as the prop.
After the big play, one player is responsible for holding up the rim while the person scoring a TD or coming up with a turnover can throw it down when he gets back to the sideline.
“I want to tie something in that the guys relate to. Football has to be fun,” Parks said. “The moment it becomes a routine and not fun, they don’t play. I am trying to make it fun. If you score a touchdown or make a turnover, you can show us what you’ve got.”
Parks encourages creativity on the dunks, yelling out “Windmill! windmill!” to Senika McKee when he came to sidelines following a touchdown and two-point conversion in a recent scrimmage against Crestwood.
Receiver Walyn Napper, starting point guard on the basketball team, also had his opportunity for a big dunk but kept it basic.
“In a real game, I will do something spectacular but I am going to keep it simple in scrimmages,” Napper said.
As for Parks, the former Coastal Carolina receiver hasn’t tried it out the hoop himself but might at some point during the season after a big victory.
“I’m going to save mine for a big game and break out a dunk or something. I will wait till season to do something on the sideline,” Parks said.
About Ridge View
Coach: Perry Parks (4th year)
Last year’s record: 7-4
Number of starters returning: 15
Key returning players: QB JaVon Anderson, ATH Walyn Napper, OL Jayln Dunbar, OL Chad Muller, DL Patrick Jenkins, DL DeAundre Brown, LB Terry Carson, DB Isaiah Porter, K/P Nick Lawyer
Newcomers to watch: RB Cori Davis, WR Senika McKie, DB Dwight Jacobs, DB Tyson Player
2018 schedule
Aug. 17: vs. Blythewood
Aug. 24: at Providence Day
Sept. 6: at Northwestern
Sept. 14: vs. Daniel
Sept. 21: at Keenan
Sept. 28: vs York
Oct 5: at Richland Northeast
Oct. 12: vs. Westwood
Oct. 19: at South Pointe
Oct. 26: vs. Lancaster
This story was originally published August 14, 2018 at 9:00 AM.