D'ville's Gibson shines as three-time Academic All-Stater

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D'ville's Gibson shines as three-time Academic All-Stater

Van Wade

The Orange Leader

DEWEYVILLE — For recent Deweyville graduate Tera Gibson, she never had the opportunity to play hockey or soccer for Deweyville High School.

After all, the Lady Pirate athletic program does not have those sports on its agenda.

However, Miss Gibson certainly notched a “hat trick†this past school year in what was a tremendous four-year run in volleyball, basketball, softball and track.

Gibson, an All-Leader Team selection in volleyball, basketball and softball her senior year, pulled off an either greater feat and it wasn’t on any athletic surface.

Gibson recently made the Class 2A Texas High Girls Coaches Association Academic All-State Softball Team for a prowess in the classroom. To go a step further, she was also Academic All-State in both volleyball and basketball.

“It’s really a great feeling to be honored like that,†Gibson said. “It’s a tough achievement when you think about it. It’s really stressful to try to juggle your academics with extracurricular events but it was so much fun looking back on it.â€

A student certainly has to be dedicated to do both well.

“I can’t tell you how many binders I’ve toted on a bus going back and forth to games,†Gibson said. “I take a lot of pride in my study habits. Really, all of my teammates did the same thing. Deweyville is a wonderful place to good a good, solid education. You just have to have a lot of heart and energy. Sports, to me, helped me get away from studying all the time and gave me a break. As soon as a game or practice was over, I was right back to it.â€

Long-time Lady Pirate softball coach Thomas Bridges watched Gibson with tremendous admiration as a four-year letter winner.

“Tera Gibson, what a very special kid,†said Bridges. “She had such great confidence in her athletic endeavors and even more confidence in the classroom. She was a tremendous athlete. When you looked for a leader, Tera was always there. We’ve had some young teams the last couple years and Tera kinda led the way, even though we didn’t win as much as we did when she was a sophomore and freshman. She took that in stride and just really enjoyed watching the younger kids get better and better. When you think of a ‘team player’, Tera Gibson’s name will always come to mind.â€

Gibson has already dove into college life. She is majoring in radiology at Lamar University. She’s currently taking an anatomy class at Lamar-Orange to get that tough class out of the way.

“Anatomy, wow, it sure isn’t easy,†Gibson said. “I’m getting my first taste of college and I know it won’t be easy. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication. This course, it might be the toughest one I take so I’m diving right into it. Radiology is something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile now. It’s an excellent profession, and it’s one where it’s doing service for people and I really like that.â€

Bridges knows Gibson has a great chance to excel.

“That’s one kid nobody has to worry about,†Bridges said. “She comes from such a terrific background and a wonderful family. She’s a kid you hate to see leave your program because she was so instrumental in everything that went on there. She’ll make a great contribution in what ever she wants to accomplish in life.â€

Another local athlete made the Academic All-State Softball Team as Little Cypress-Mauriceville’s Alison Clary was on the elite Class 4A unit.

The Orangefield Lady Bobcat athletic program has had a lot to be proud of over the course of the school year. Seven Lady Bobcats made the Class 3A Academic All-State squad in both volleyball and basketball and that includes Alyssa DeRamus, Meaghan Granger, Nicole Judice, Paige Roy, Kristy Sanders, Jessica Shores and Kayla Stone. Lady Bobcat Brittany Noel also made the elite volleyball unit.

In volleyball, the LC-M Lady Bears placed three strong contributors that helped them reach the Class 4A playoffs in seniors Tiara Lexie, Kandice Prescott and Anslee Teal. The Vidor Lady Pirates also placed two players on the 4A team in Brooke Bostwick and Kayla Williamson.

Also in Class 2A, Buna’s Amanda Seaman made both the Academic softball and volleyball teams and teammate Ashlie Arthur was a volleyball selection.

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Congrats "T" We are very proud of you.