
BY JESSIE SPERRAZZA
On Saturday, March 2, young athletes and community members of Volusia and Seminole counties gathered at Valentine Park in Orange City for football and to dedicate an inaugural Day of Appreciation for coach Jeff Walters. The efforts of Coach Walters were celebrated by his immediate family and generations of Volusia Raiders athletes and supporters of the teams.
“The Volusia Raiders started in 2016 with 1 team, 12 players, and now there are currently 350 kids who come out every year,” Executive Administrator of the Volusia Raiders Kimberly Green said. “Walters gives back to the youth, he gives back to his family, he just gives back. Today, we wanted to give back to him.”
The first home game of every season, Green said, will be hereby known as “Walters Day.”
“He does everything that he does while still battling stage 4 cancer. He’s a strong individual, but he keeps doing it with a smile,” Green said.
Dr. Zenesha Barkley, coach Walters’ younger sister, was one of several family members and community members who shared words of encouragement as the first “Walters Day” was celebrated.
As Dr. Barkley addressed the crowd, coach Walters’ positive influence was made apparent as students and community members cheered him along with his own words of “‘H2D’ — Hard Work, Dedication, Determination!”
We love coach Walters My brother in law