Two Livingston Academy fishing teams are competing in the Junior World Championship for the Tennessee Bass Federation this week in Russellville, Arkansas.
Livingston Academy fishing program representative Betha Crabtree said the two teams qualified for the national event through different paths during the regular season. Crabtree said Corbin and Cason Crabtree earned their spot by winning the state tournament on Old Hickory Lake, while Gunner Robbins and Drew Smith qualified by earning the most points across all TBF tournaments for the season.
“I told them all, it’s such an accomplishment to get to this part and to do that,” Crabtree said. “There was only 79 boats across the United States that made it this far and we were lucky enough to have two teams from Livingston Academy and I’m so very proud of them.”
Crabtree said the anglers arrived at the competition site on Sunday to begin their preparations. Crabtree said the teams were permitted to pre-fish on the lake throughout Monday and Tuesday to learn the water before the tournament officially began Wednesday morning.
“It just teaches them so much about perseverance when times are hard, they kick in and they keep going,” Crabtree said. “There’s a sportsmanship in the fishing world that you don’t see in the other sports. It’s a big family. You’re competing against each other but you’re still helping the others and wanting them to do just as good as you are or better. And so it’s hard to explain but it’s phenomenal to see.”
Crabtree said the sport of fishing is comprised of approximately 85 to 90 percent life skills. Crabtree said the program teaches students how to work through confrontations, solve problems, and manage the emotions that come with winning and losing.
“It teaches them to work through all those emotions and it’s hard when you’ve got a big fish on the line and it breaks right at the boat and it could make the difference between winning and losing a tournament sometimes and so that’s hard for them but they do really well with it,” Crabtree said.
Crabtree said the program is preparing for upcoming sign-ups for the next school year and is looking for new teams to join. Crabtree said interested students only need a partner, a boat, and a boat captain to participate in the sport.
“I think it’ll help grow the team,” Crabtree said. “I think seeing what we did, and what we’re continuously doing, making it to the world finals. We had high school teams that made it to the world finals this year. We had one high school team that made it to the world finals. They fished in Kentucky on Lake Cumberland and I think seeing that and seeing what kind of program that we have that our program will continue to build and grow, or we hope it does anyway.”
Crabtree said the local community provides essential support through sponsorships that help families cover the costs of boat fuel and hotel stays. Crabtree said all funds brought into the program go directly back to the anglers and their families to offset the expenses of the sport.
“The physical challenges are great,” Crabtree said. “Like we’ve they fished the last two days or three days in 100 plus degrees and humidity so hot you can hardly breathe. And then it’s an all year sport so we start again our new season’ll start in August and we’ll go and through through May. And then the world championships and stuff start back up. And so we fish in all kinds of weather. They fish when it’s bitterly cold 20 degrees sleet. They’re out on the lake in awful conditions.”
Crabtree said the mental aspect of the competition is equally challenging because the anglers must remain tough enough to keep working through harsh conditions. Crabtree said while boat captains can offer coaching and advice, the responsibility for performance rests entirely on the two-person student teams once they are on the water.
“I’d just say that I’m super proud of all of them whether they made it to the world or that they just showed up and fished at all of our local tournaments,” Crabtree said. “It takes a lot. Thanks to the families that come out to support our teams. Thanks to all of our sponsors who support our teams, help support us through Facebook liking our posts commenting on it. Our boys read those and it makes them feel good when they know that the community’s behind them and support them.”
