By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Publisher Anny Myers, a senior at Ocean City High School, didn’t play any sports growing up. She always has been more into the arts. But on Saturday, March 7, Myers got to be the center of attention at the Red Raiders’ girls basketball playoff game against Cumberland Regional — for a few minutes, at least. Girls basketball player Nicholl Fenton normally sings the national anthem prior to Red Raiders home games, but athletic director Dr. Christine Lentz had heard about Myers and decided she would like to give Anna the chance to sing for the crowd at least one time before she graduated. When Dr. Lentz initially approached Myers about the idea of having her make a guest appearance singing the national anthem, Myers said she thought she was in big trouble. She got called down to Dr. Lentz’s office a few days before the playoff game, and sitting with Dr. Lentz was Thomas Campo, assistant principal and one of the school’s disciplinarians. 
Anna Myers, a senior at Ocean City High School who is a member of the color guard in the marching band, said she was thrilled to be invited to sing the national anthem before the Red Raiders’ playoff game earlier this month against Cumberland Regional. (Glory Days Magazine photos/Dave O’Sullivan) “I got called down to the athletic department office by Dr. Lentz, who I had never actually met before because I had never really done athletics. When I came in, one of the top administrators was sitting in there, too, so I thought I was in trouble for something,” Myers said. “I was crazy nervous. I went in there and they were just sitting there staring at me, and finally one of them said ‘you’re not in trouble. We heard you sang for (Mayor) Jay Gillian’s ceremony and we wanted you to sing at the basketball game.’ Of course, I was more than happy to say yes to that.” “She thought she was in trouble. Unfortunately, I had Mr. Campo — who is one of the disciplinarians in the building — in my office at the time. The poor kid looked like she was going to get hit by a car. I said, ‘you’re not in trouble.’ So we asked her, and she was honored and we’re happy to have her do it,” Dr. Lentz said. “Somebody had told me about her and her talent. We usually run our music and our national anthems through the choir. She was never on the list, but somebody said she sang at the mayor’s inaugural and that I should reach out to her. I did, and she did a great job.” Dr. Lentz said it was a nice gesture by Fenton to allow Myers to get a chance to sing the national anthem, something that Myers said was a big thrill for her. “It’s sort of a tradition that (girls basketball player) Nicholl Fenton sings it, but she gave it up easily for Anna for that night,” Dr. Lentz said. “It’s nice to mix all sides of the activities within our building and our sports programs.” “I’ve done the national anthem for a few things, but this was the first time I’ve been asked to do it for a sports event, actually, which is pretty exciting. At football games I’d be with the band and I would hear the girl singing the national anthem and I thought, ‘that must be so cool to hear your voice over the entire stadium,'” Myers said. “It was awesome. I was extremely surprised. They said they had been told about me, so I guess word had gotten around that I had some talent. So I was pretty flattered by that.” Myers proved to be something of a good-luck charm for the Red Raiders. They went on to beat Cumberland Regional 38-21 to record the 300th victory in the coaching career of Paul Baruffi. Anna’s mom, Barb, said she was a bundle of nerves leading up to her daughter’s performance. “As a parent, it’s a little nerve-wracking because you never want to mess up the words for the national anthem, but we love it,” Barb Myers said. “Every time she sings we get goose bumps. She sang God Bless America for (Mayor) Jay Gillian’s inauguration, so that was pretty nerve-wracking.” Barb said that Anna has never really been into sports, spending the majority of her youth focused on the arts, and even had a tryout for American Idol last summer. “She just loves the arts. She’s been singing since she was 4 years old. She’s done all the theater stuff, starting in elementary school. She just got a supporting role in a musical that will be happening in April. That’s the first real role that she’s ever had, so she’s really excited about it. She just loves to sing,” Barb said. “She did the national anthem for Relay for Life at the high school last year and has done the Ocean City Talent Show the last couple of years.” Anna said that after she joined the marching band’s color guard her freshman year she began to realize that sports were a pretty fun part of the high school experience. “I love that the jocks and the music kids can come together, at least for that one moment during the national anthem to be respectful of America all together at once. I was extremely honored to be asked to sing (at the girls basketball game). The fact that this was a big playoff event, I was beyond flattered to be asked to do that,” Anna said. “Honestly, before I joined the color guard, I didn’t really care much for watching sports at all. But as the season would go on I would be the one sitting there screaming and yelling, getting really into watching it. I don’t watch (football) much, but once it’s on I get into it. I did not think I would ever like football at all.” Anna, who turned 18 on March 9, plans to attend Stockton University next fall and may consider becoming a music major after she gets through her core courses. She may be graduating this spring without any varsity letters for sports, but at least for one night, one moment, she got to be the center of attention at a sporting event and be a part of that experience. Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays [adsense]
Ocean City senior Anna Myers honored by chance to show singing talent at girls hoops playoff game
