By Chris McCarthy/Editor
Sally Tinker’s final high school basketball game turned out to be a grand affair.
The Glencoe High senior scored her 1,000th career point during the the Northeast Regional Tournament semifinals on Feb. 16 at Jacksonville State.
Tinker, who this past season averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, finished her prep career with 1,004 points.
“I had 35 points to go at Senior Night, so to get it in the regionals is definitely something that I’ll remember,” said Tinker. “It was my first time ever to go Jacksonville, because the last time a Glencoe girls team went was when I was in the 8th grade. So it was really special.”
GHS girls head basketball coach Yvette Sparks determined early in the 2014-15 season that Tinker needed to score 400 points in approximately 30 games to reach the milestone. It took Tinker 33 contests.
“It really meant a lot that Sally was able to get there,” said Sparks. “She would not have done it if our season ended earlier than it did. She’s a great player who had a great season, and I’m very proud of her. Sally’s a remarkable young lady who has a dynamic personality. She’s very intellectual and mature and makes good decisions on and off the basketball court.”
A three-sport athlete for her entire varsity career, Tinker was named All-Etowah County in volleyball, basketball and softball and All-Area in volleyball and basketball. Her extracurricular activities also include being a Girls State Representative, the 2014 GHS Homecoming Queen and Junior Civitan Club President.
“Sally’s one of those people that kids from the middle school up recognize and admire and make her their role model,” said Sparks. “It’s a beautiful thing to see. The way that she presents herself is true and genuine. Sally’s not a tremendous extrovert, so what she does, she does wholeheartedly.”
Sparks also pointed out that Tinker is the only female GHS student who was a three-sport athlete on the varsity level for the 2014-15 school year.
“It’s very impressive that Sally is able to put in the time and energy into one sport after the next. She sacrifices time from her study periods, her weekends and her vacations. But I think that’s because she’s learned to manage her time and activities so well, she’ll be very successful in life.”
Tinker plans on attending Jacksonville State University for two years on an academic scholarship and later study pre-veterinary medicine at Auburn University.
“Sally excels at whatever she does,” said GHS head football coach and athletic director Lee Ozmint. “She is a top student at our school, and her athletic achievements speak for themselves. Sally is also a dependable and trustworthy person who represents herself, her family, her team, her school and her community well. I’m proud to say that I know her.”