Written by Kelsey Bangs
Two members founded the Harding Fishing Club last year, but in a meeting last Tuesday, the club’s membership multiplied to more than 30 men and women. In the meeting, senior Todd Johnson was elected the club president and senior Jared Smith the vice president.David Collins, vice president, dean of students and club sponsor, said students came to him last year wanting to compete in bass fishing competitions. Collins said he helped put together a club constitution, and the fishing club began.Senior member Seth Presley said he believes Collins is the perfect man to be the club sponsor.”I have known Dean Collins a lot of years, and there is one thing that I know and it’s that he loves fishing,” Presley said. “He loves being a part of this organization, and I couldn’t think of a better person for that position.”Last year the club had four students compete in fishing tournaments. Presley and Johnson competed in three competitions, and Ryan Hadash and Jared Smith competed in one. Presley and Johnson both qualified for the Forrest L. Wood College Fishing Regional Championship that will be held this November in Bloomington, Ind. They each received $1,000 in scholarship money.”As for expectations, we have the college circuits that we will be involved in this year (FLW, College BASS and ESPN),” Priestly said. “We plan on bringing in professional fishermen to come speak to the club. Also, we have been trying to find a way to have inner-club tournaments.”Professional fisherman Jeff Smith will be the first to speak to the club this fall, according to Collins.”Overall, I am very excited about the club. I am happy that we have been able to expand more into a club since last year,” Presley said. “This is something that I am very proud of starting and being a part of. I hope that this organization will continue to exist long after I have graduated because it really is a wonderful thing for people to be a part of.”The season will start in January, and the club will compete against teams from 14 other states in tournaments in Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri.
