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Al Lesar, Shopper News
Motivation in the life of a young professional baseball player comes from within.
In his short time in that realm, Logan Poteet has learned those who want to succeed will make the sacrifice.
“Everyone knows the game day aspect of baseball,” the 21-year-old Powell High graduate said. “But, behind the scenes, there’s not a lot of structure. You just show up and do your thing.
“I know what I need to do to get better. I have to be a better athlete. I need to lose some weight (he’s 6-foot-2, 220 pounds). I want to get down to 205 or 210. Then, I have to get a swing adjustment.”
He has been living this life since mid-July when Poteet, a catcher who spent two seasons at Vanderbilt and one at North Carolina Charlotte, was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 17th round of the major league baseball draft (511th overall). The Cubs are the parent organization of the Double-A Knoxville Smokies.
He first reported to the Cubs training facility in Arizona with all the other rookies. In late August, just before the minor league season ended, he reported for a couple weeks of work in High Class A South Bend (Indiana).
Once the season was completed, he’s back in Arizona in Performance Camp for young players. He’ll return home in late November and have some time to rest before starting all over again in late January.
Loving the grind of baseball
A shortstop in his freshman season at Powell, Poteet was moved to catcher because both varsity catchers were seniors. It was the move that launched his career.
By junior year, his love for baseball was starting to gain traction.
“I love the grind of the game,” Poteet said. “There’s always another game. I learned a lot watching the guys ahead of me.”
He also learned from his father, Gary, who was a shortstop at Cleveland State.
“My dad taught me about the basics: Be a good guy and make a lot of connections,” Poteet said. “Those are important things in life.”
Two years as a part-time player at Vandy made for a positive experience, but Poteet knew if he wanted to attract the attention of scouts, he’d have to play every day.
What he didn’t count on was being able to do nothing but bunt for a month when he transferred to Charlotte.
He sustained an injury at the connection of his left hand and wrist. It didn’t bother him to catch, but he couldn’t swing the bat. For the middle part of this past season, he caught every day but could only bunt.
Finally with a couple weeks left in the season, he was able to hit. He belted five home runs in those last few weeks and ended up hitting .287.
Cubs hit the magic number
The second day of the MLB draft made the business side of baseball hit home with Poteet. He said more than a few teams contacted his advisor, but didn’t come up with the money he was looking for. Going back to college and pursuing his communications degree was an option.
The Cubs came up with the magic number (no terms were discussed in public) and he took the deal.
“(His family) was watching the draft at home on TV,” he said. “It was the craziest feeling to get the job I’ve always wanted.”
Poteet played in about five games in the Bridge League in Arizona with other rookies before getting the call to South Bend.
“(The High-A level) was a lot different than rookie ball,” Poteet said. “In college, maybe there are one or two (opposing pitchers) that will dominate. At that level, there are no breaks. You have to stay focused every day.”
Finally, on the last day of the season, everything fell into place. He hit his first professional dinger and helped a 5-1 win.
“I hit it and just blacked out,” he said. “It was the best feeling. I had a simple plan and I got the pitch I wanted.”
Simple, fun life in baseball
The day after the season ended, Poteet packed his bags and headed west. He flew to Arizona to get back to work at the Cubs facility near Mesa.
His day starts at 8 a.m. with defensive work. It’s followed by hitting, lifting and conditioning. Work’s done by noon and he heads to the apartment the Cubs supply for him.
“I cook steaks, chicken, rice, mac and cheese,” he said. “I’m looking for things that will help lose some weight.”
His hobby is golf, but with no car and no clubs, it’s not an option. Video games help pass the time.
“It’s a very simple and fun life,” he said. “It’s hard on your body and mind. It’s a long season. You have to love it and want to get better.”
SOUTH KNOXVILLE
Johnson Architecture on Forbes list of Best-in-State Residential Architects
John Shearer, Shopper News
For architects Emily Haire and Daryl Johnson of Johnson Architecture, designing a residence instead of a larger commercial, religious or health care building can sometimes be even more involved or intense. Issues can range from trying to meet the passions and interests of the client to the detail of a smaller-scale project on a unique lot.
But the rewards can be great, too. As Haire said, “For us to take a site and fight a budget and get them what they want is not an easy job, but a rewarding one.”
The local firm also recently received another reward besides the usual satisfaction of a project well done. Forbes magazine named the firm on Davenport Road in South Knoxville as one of the top 10 firms in Tennessee for residential design in its inaugural America’s Best-in-State Residential Architects list.
Johnson, who serves as president of the firm he founded in 1994, said they were excited to receive the news. “It’s especially gratifying to be recognized by Forbes for our residential design and named among the nation’s most prestigious residential architects,” he said.
He said they had been first contacted to submit some of their designs for a national survey the publication was doing. They missed out on being among the top 200 nationally but were thrilled the magazine later followed up with a state-by-state list they were putting together.
Planning, architecture and interior design
The firm — which does full-service planning, architecture and interior design work — has a footprint of residences as wide as some local retail chains. They said they have done renovations and additions on several homes in historic Sequoyah Hills and have designed residences in such newer developments as Arcadia Peninsula, Keller Bend and River Sound. They have also drawn up plans for homes in Tellico, Townsend, Mascot, Gatlinburg and as far away as Montana and New Jersey.
Johnson said his role overseeing a firm of more than two dozen staff members allows him to primarily pick and choose his projects. But he likes to get in on the front end in the conception and planning of a project like a house design. That can involve everything from studying a building site’s topography and landscaping to the client’s interests and budget.
“We try to be really diligent about making sure we understand why the homeowner chose the site,” said Johnson, whose firm began in residential design before branching off additionally into commercial and other areas of architecture. He also said they have residential clients with varieties of budgets amid growing construction costs.
While the house plan books and drawings that became popular through Southern Living magazine and other publications beginning 50 years ago and that morphed into online design get plenty of potential business, they do not get all of it, he said.
“We are very fortunate that some folks are not able to find the perfect home online, and they are able to come to us,” he said with a laugh.
He added that not every architect prefers the challenges involved in residential design due to scale and closeness of the project to the client, but it can be very rewarding because the homes are where the clients spend much of their time.
Embracing the blank sheet of paper
Haire, who, like Johnson, attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville’s College of Architecture and Design, is one who does enjoy the whole process of residential design.
“I find myself liking that blank sheet of paper,” she said, adding that each project in turn ends up looking quite different due to various factors. “All of our clients are different, and the goal is to bring our expertise to the table and bring them a beautiful home that meets their highest expectations.”
She ended up in architecture in part because of an encouraging art teacher in her hometown of Cordele, Georgia, who liked what she did with other blank sheets of paper. After seeing her art skills, the instructor thought she might have the aptitude, perspective and interest for architecture.
Now she feels at home designing residences.
Johnson said he feels rewarded with his firm’s recognition, adding, “We aspire to design homes that look at home where they are built. This recognition validates those efforts.”
HALLS
Customers easily sold on fundraising with Ham’N Goodys cookies
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Nothing seals a deal better than a cookie from Ham’N Goodys.
That’s probably the most important lesson Mason Watlington has learned in more than six months as a sales rep and social media specialist with the company.
“This is an easy job for me because of the product we have,” said Watlington, a 2022 Halls High School graduate. “Everybody likes these cookies.
“I’ve learned that the best way to get in the door is to come with cookies and coffee. Nobody’s going to turn you away.”
What Watlington is primarily offering is the wide variety of cookie options that Ham’N Goodys has for customers to sell for fundraisers. He said he has lined up about 50 fundraising deals in his first six months.
There are multiple flavors available: Lemon — the mainstay of the business’s stable of cookies over the years — chocolate chip, strawberry, peanut butter, sugar and snickerdoodle. There are also gluten-friendly choices in lemon and chocolate chip.
In the fundraiser setup, a box of a dozen sells for $20 — $10 goes to the organization and $10 goes to Ham’N Goodys.
Relationships help in fundraisers
It hasn’t taken Watlington long to get the hang of the sales world.
“I’ve learned that first impressions mean a lot,” said Watlington, who came from an auto mechanic background. “I guess that sounds like a cookie-cutter phrase (no pun intended). When I’m going door to door, having cookies makes it easier.”
While the lemon cookie has been the pride and joy of the company for years, chocolate chip has come to be a popular choice..
The best way to sample the best-sellers is with an assorted dozen that has a little bit of everything.
Fundraisers can be done through in-person or online sales.
“I’ve gotten to know a lot of people,” Watlington said. “It’s so much better to meet them in person than calling them on the phone or through an email.”
Watlington’s scope isn’t confined to East Tennessee. He’s working on fundraisers as far away as Minnesota.
Auto mechanics played role in future
While he was taking dual-enrollment auto mechanics classes at Halls High School, cookies were just things to be eaten, not sold. His objective was to open his own repair shop.
He and another young mechanic opened their business in April 2024, but it lasted just a year.
“Making my own schedule was nice, but I was working 80 hours a week,” Watlington said. “I learned how to have a business conversation with people. I also learned a lot about priorities.”
The real-world experience Watlington got went well beyond the classroom.
“What they had in high school was a great program,” he said. “But the cars were ‘bugged’ to show different problems that had to be fixed. It’s a whole different diagnostic when a squirrel nest (in an engine) causes wires to be cut.”
Now, Watlington’s biggest concerns can be solved with a cookie and coffee.
To line up Ham’N Goodys for a fundraiser, email: mason@hamngoodys.com.
KARNS
Ghoul at the School brings family fun to Karns High
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
Ghoul at the School, held at Karns High School Oct. 25, changes just a little every year. While parents bring their little ones to the school year after year, the event itself evolves because it’s presented by the Karns High School Event Planning class.
The class is led by teacher Cynthia Rhoden each fall, but the event is nearly fully planned and executed by students.
“Which is harder than it sounds,” Rhoden said. “They have to plan around football and other Trunk-or-Treat events.
“They’re working on more than just Ghoul at the School. We’re also doing a food drive for Second Harvest.
“It’s our goal to collect 500 cans. Right now we only have 374 cans so we’ve got to step it up.”
This fall, Rhoden has 14 kids in the class, 10 boys and four girls. The students learn quite a bit. For Ghoul at the School they had to plan a game, craft, or car for the Trunk-or-Treat secured in the back parking lot.
“They learn collaboration first and foremost,” Rhoden said. “There were a couple of disagreements among them, so they learned how to compromise. They also had to exercise critical thinking because the games and crafts had to be suitable and safe for little kids.”
Not only does the class produce Ghoul at the School, which has become the “go-to event” for many families (about 200) − including Jaygen Graham (who planned and created his own “vending machine” costume) − but they are also planning a Cookies with Santa event, and a couple of teacher appreciation events.
Event Planning student Craig Myles, 17, hit the nail on the head when he said Ghoul at the School is a lot of fun for everyone − from students, to teachers, to Trunk-or-Treaters − but the main goal is to be an integral part of the community. “The school wants to be a place where the community can come and be together and be safe,” he said.
Rhoden and other participating teachers have the event down to a fine science. The Commons area was filled with games and crafts planned and produced by the Event Planning class. It was hard to tell who was having the most fun − from the little ones playing games to the high school students who seemed to have a ball dressing up.
There were skeletons, vampires, “Wizard of Oz” characters and even a Robert Irwin (from television).
There were about 10 attractions, including games and friendship bracelet making, which was one of the more popular attractions.
The Art Department helped decorate by making spooky eyes encased in balloons making an archway leading to the Trunk-or-Treat area in back of the school.
Next on the agenda for the class is Cookies with Santa planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 after the annual Christmas Parade.
Info: Find Karns High School Event Planning on Facebook and Instagram.