Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

Young fishermen capture titles for KickBack club

So much for the Reberry family’s vacation to the Grand Canyon. Greers Ferry, Ark., simply will have to do.

The Reberrys from Kansas City, Kan., were scheduled to visit one of the nation’s most recognizable landmarks in late June, but that was before 16-year-old Alec Reberry won a Kansas championship for the KickBack Junior Bass Club.

Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops in Olathe, the KickBack Junior Bass Club, which has been around for five years, had never had a state champ.

But all changed when Reberry won the 15 to 18 boys division and Grain Valley’s Nick Luna won the 11 to 14 boys section.

Both anglers will now move on to the Junior Bassmasters Divisional event June 22-26 at Greers Ferry.

“We’ve had kids compete at the state level, but they are the first ones I know of to move on to Divisionals,” said Mike Douglas, who serves as youth director for the KickBack Junior Bass Club. “That makes it a pretty big deal. For somebody to come to the club level, move on to state and be able to beat out 40 other kids, that’s huge for us.”

Douglas took over the club two months ago and credited his predecessors, Brad Burns and Rodney Kirk, for laying the foundation for a successful program.

And Reberry, who joined the KickBack Junior Bass Club three years ago, is grateful for the opportunity.

“I really like fishing,” Reberry said. “I got into that when we moved to a house with a pond by it.”

His first state experience wasn’t the best. Reberry finished dead last.

“It was a fun tournament, but I did terrible,” he said.

But that has changed, now Reberry is a champion fisherman — and he’s ready to take on the next level.

“It’s a little nerve-racking, because it’s a bigger tournament a bigger lake than we fish around here,” Reberry said. “But it will be fun.”

Even if it did muddle the family’s vacation plans.

“I’m not disappointed,” Reberry said. “Fishing should be better.”

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