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Find the Beauty in You at Chroma Hair Studio & Spa

Choosing the right hair salon near James Island, SC, is a little bit like finding the perfect outfit. The materials feel great on your skin, the fabric is flattering to your body type, and when you try it on, you just know - this is the outfit that you have been looking for.

With thousands of hair salons and stylists in South Carolina, choosing the right one can be difficult. You want a salon that is clean, comfortable, and chic. But, more importantly, you need a stylist that "gets" you. Someone who takes the time to understand your preferences, your style, and your personality. You need a stylist who listens, is honest, and has the technical skills to turn your vision into a reality.

An excellent stylist epitomizes all those traits and knows how to adapt to changing beauty trends. They aren't afraid to take on a challenge.

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Welcome to Chroma Hair Studio & Spa

Where the most talented hairstylists near James Island help bring out the beauty in each of our clients. We strive to provide each of our customers with the highest levels of customer service in the beauty industry. At Chroma, we offer a relaxing environment, skillful professionals, and a variety of products with environmentally safe and good-for-you ingredients.

Our goal is to make your salon experience special, from the moment you walk in to the second you leave. With a variety of professional hair and beauty services to choose from, we're sure you will rediscover the "beauty of you" every time you visit our salon.

Here are just a few of our most popular hair and beauty services near James Island:

The key to a great haircut and salon experience is to understand the services we offer, so you can choose the best selection for your needs. What do our salon services entail? Keep reading below to find out.

Hair Studio James Island, SC

Professional Hair Color near James Island, SC

Let's be honest: DIY hair kits can be tricky to get right. They can be complicated to apply and usually have hard-to-understand instructions. Half the time, the color you're left with looks nothing like it does on the front of the box. In a perfect world, you should be able to pop into Target, pick a boxed hair color, apply it at home, and emerge out of your bathroom with a new, beautiful hair color. For most people, this never happens.

That's why people who want flawless color, professional application, and ease of convenience get their highlights at Chroma Hair Studio & Spa.

Whether you are changing your hair color completely or just want a few highlights to switch things up, we are here to create the look and style that you've been dreaming about. At Chroma Hair Studio & Spa, we specialize in the latest hair coloring trends using cutting-edge technology. That way, our clients get the freshest looks, coolest colors, and longest-lasting highlights in town. When you get your highlights done at our hair salon near James Island, we want you to leave excited and ready to share your new hair all over social.

Don't spend hours in the store trying to find the color you think will look great on you. Our team of professional stylists will consult with you about your vision and craft a custom highlight plan that fits you're your unique style. There's a reason why so many customers trust us with their highlights - we genuinely care about your hair and how it looks.

Our professional hair coloring services near James Island are a combination of art and science. The artistic results only last as long as the hair coloring products used, and we use the best. Our hairstylists and colorists are committed to helping you look and feel fabulous, whether you're planning a special occasion or just want to impress that special someone.

 Women's Hair Studio James Island, SC

Get the Look You Crave with Personalized Hair Treatments

Ever taken a chance on a new look or hair color, only to end up embarrassed and unsatisfied with the results? You're not alone - we get calls every week from people just like you who need hair treatment James Island. Sadly, sometimes even the professionals get a color procedure wrong.

Other times, your hair has suffered from years of blow-drying and straightening, and it looks dry, brittle, and unattractive. You know you need a deep conditioning treatment, and you need it ASAP.

At Chroma Hair Studio & Spa, our technicians have treated all sorts of hair problems - from unprofessional coloring with multiple bands of different colors and tones to dehydrated hair and more. Sometimes, our client's entire hairstyle needs to be corrected. To do this, we stock multiple types of color and toners to revitalize hair and give it the color you've been dreaming of. Our team always puts a priority on the health and integrity of your hair, whether it's your first visit or your fortieth.

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 Women's Haircut James Island, SC

Smooth Out Hair and Add Flair with a Brazilian Blowout

The Brazilian blowout: you've heard about the new craze, you've seen the stunning results, but haven't had a chance to sit down and receive the treatment yourself. Luckily, Chroma Hair Studio & Spa now offers this sought-after style right here near James Island, from certified Brazilian blowout stylists.

If you suffer from dull, frizzy hair that lacks life and shine, the Brazilian blowout is one of the best ways to get smooth, frizz-free hair. By using cutting-edge bonding technology, this customizable treatment doesn't damage your hair at all. Actually, it improves your hair's health by adding a protective layer of protein that smooths your hair for weeks on end.

This ultra-popular choice offers you a laundry list of benefits, like:

  • Protection Against Seasonal Damage
  • Locks in Color
  • Cuts Down on Styling Time
  • Protects Against Heat
  • Seamless Extension Blending
  • Great for All Hair Types

To get the best of both worlds, be sure to schedule your Brazilian blowout and custom hair color treatment in the same appointment. Call us today to learn more about our Brazilian blowouts and to schedule your appointment today.

 Hair Salon James Island, SC

Custom Haircuts near James Island Crafted for You

There are many ways that you can reinvent yourself this season, but if you're ready to make a lasting impression, nothing beats a new hairstyle. While there is nothing wrong with sporting top knots, ponytails, or straight hair, a styled cut from Chroma Hair Studio & Spa will drastically improve your hair game.

Getting a new haircut isn't just fun - it makes you feel good, too, especially when you get a lot of positive compliments.

 Hair Stylist James Island, SC

Our experienced stylists are tapped into today's hottest trends, so if you want to try something new, we're here to help. If you want to play it more traditional, our stylists have a solid foundation of time-tested techniques, to give your existing cut the edge it needs to impress. And sometimes, you need something simple and low-maintenance that cuts down on styling time and primping.

Not sure what kind of a cut you need? We're happy to give you our educated opinion and are happy to provide examples of what we think works. Whatever style you've got your eye on, we can make it a reality!

Here are just a few of the most popular haircut trends in South Carolina:

Natural Textured

Natural Textured

In a time when extravagant dyes and unique hair extensions are all the rage, the natural look will always be trending. This haircut is a great way to rediscover yourself and let your beauty shine organically without overdoing it.

The Shag

The Shag

This medium-length haircut is a classic throwback to the 79s, with a layered look, messy bangs, and lots of attitude. If you like to get ahead of trends before your friends, bring back the shag and rock this retro style with pride.

Curly Bangs

Curly Bangs

This cut will look great during the summer and will give you an innocent look that will get plenty of attention. Great for a short-term haircut or even something special for a big party or Gen-X event.

Long Length

Long Length

Go against the status quo and let your hair down this season. Pixie cuts and shags are all the rage, but rocking a Rapunzel-like haircut will set you apart from the crowd. If you're looking for a more natural, classic look, this could be your haircut.

Find Your French Flair with Balayage

If you're looking to switch up your hair color but can't decide between Balayage or Ombre because, well, you don't know the difference - don't worry. You're not alone!

Balayage is a French technique for highlighting the hair in which the dye is painted to create a natural-looking effect. The goal is to create soft, subtle highlights that make your hair look like it's been kissed by the sun.

While Balayage is the technique of painting the hair, Ombre focuses on the style of the hair. It is the transition from a lighter shade to a darker shade. Typically, Ombres work best for brunettes, but the style can is suitable for blondes too. To achieve the effect of an Ombre, there must be a smooth transition between colors. While the Ombre is a beautiful look, you'll need to work with a professional to get the best results.

Luckily, we offer both Ombre and Balayage near James Island, SC! Short on time? Busy schedule? Only available on weekends? Chroma Hair Studio & Spa offers flexible appointment scheduling to accommodate even the busiest clients. You deserve a fresh new style, and we're here to help when the time is right for you.

The Top Hair Salon near James Island, SC

If you're looking for a hair salon that offers high-end styling without expensive pricing, you're in the right place. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and leave you feeling beautiful, whether you need a touch-up or a total makeover. We offer a relaxing salon atmosphere, skillful stylists, and only the best in professional brands. When it's time for your next haircut, highlight session, or eyelash extension, look no further than Chroma Hair Studio & Spa.

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Latest News in James Island, SC

Magical spot on the Stono: Land conservancy buys $1.5M James Island site for county park

About 24 acres of undeveloped land along the Stono River on James Island will be protected thanks to a partnership between the Open Space Institute and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.OSI purchased the property, located at the end of Bradham Road, for $1.5 million using a mixture of local, state and federal funds. The deal was set to close Dec. 20.A limited-liability corporation agreed to sell the tract to OSI for well below market value. The property — appraised north of $4 million — likely wou...

About 24 acres of undeveloped land along the Stono River on James Island will be protected thanks to a partnership between the Open Space Institute and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.

OSI purchased the property, located at the end of Bradham Road, for $1.5 million using a mixture of local, state and federal funds. The deal was set to close Dec. 20.

A limited-liability corporation agreed to sell the tract to OSI for well below market value. The property — appraised north of $4 million — likely would’ve been used to build single-family homes, OSI Senior Land Project Manager Patrick Moore said.

The tract, long and skinny like a piano key, is one of many that make up western James Island. Much of this side of the island remains relatively intact, especially along the waterfront.

“When the little (tracts) like this come up, they’re important because there is a bigger picture for them to plug into,” Moore said. “They’re not just one-offs.”

A pond that’s home to redfish and blue crabs stretches almost the entire length of the 24 acres. A path roughly carved through the center provides ample space for trails, and easy public access to the Stono River. The end of the piano key provides stunning marsh views.

And anyone visiting the nearby James Island County Park will be able to quickly access the new park via a sidewalk along Riverland Drive to Bradham Road.

The Terrabrook neighborhood sits between the two parks. Residents have been supportive of the project, Moore said. So have people in the Cross Cut, a historic settlement community around Central Park and Fleming roads.

COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s Supreme Court heard arguments Feb. 6 over the constitutionality of the firing squad and electric chair as death penalty methods with some justices indicating discomfort with the procedures, especially the firing squad.

Four death row inmates, all convicted murderers, are suing the state Department of Corrections arguing the electric chair violates the state constitution’s prohibition of cruel punishment.

They also contended the firing squad violates prohibitions against unusual or corporal punishment.

During the hearing, the justices additionally seemed to be seeking a middle ground on how much information the department must give to death row inmates, the courts and the public about the drugs used in lethal injection under a recently signed Shield Law.

Thirty-two men are on death row in South Carolina, the corrections department said.

Palmetto Politics

Though South Carolina now has the drugs to carry out a lethal injection execution, the dispute over the other two methods stems from the 12-year period after its last execution in 2011 when the state was unable to obtain them, creating a de facto moratorium.

Drug companies will not sell death penalty drugs to states if their identities could be revealed, fearing public backlash, though South Carolina moved to change that thanks to a 2023 law protecting a company’s identity.

Since 1995, the state’s default method of execution had been lethal injection, though inmates could choose electrocution. In 2021, the governor signed a bill that made electrocution the default death penalty method but gave inmates the choice of firing squad or lethal injection if the drugs were available.

The inmates sued, claiming that with no lethal injection drugs available, they would be forced to choose between two unconstitutional methods of execution. Circuit Court Judge Jocelyn Newman agreed with the inmates and found the electric chair and firing squad unconstitutional in September 2022 after a trial in Columbia.

The state appealed, and the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case in January 2023 but asked the lower court to investigate whether the state had done all it could to obtain lethal injection drugs.

Meanwhile, Gov. Henry McMaster signed the Shield Law in May, which barred the release of any information that would give away the identity of the companies from which the state purchased lethal injection drugs. In September, McMaster announced the state obtained pentobarbital, a lethal injection drug, and was ready to resume executing the inmates who have exhausted their appeals.

With lethal injection now an available option, the state Supreme Court again took up the question of the constitutionality of the electric chair and firing squad Feb. 6.

Grayson Lambert, a lawyer for McMaster who argued the case for the state, told the court the availability of lethal injection provided them an “off-ramp” to avoid weighing in on the constitutionality of the other two methods because the inmates now have the choice of lethal injection, which their lawyers have conceded is constitutional.

“I don’t think that someone should be able to elect an unconstitutional method,” countered John Blume, a lawyer from the Cornell Death Penalty Project who represents the inmates.

The justices did not skirt the constitutionality issue, pressing Lambert, the state’s lawyer, on how the firing squad would not be an “unusual” punishment as it has never been used in South Carolina and has only been used four times in the United States, all in Utah, since 1960.

Justice John Kittredge, who appeared otherwise skeptical of the circuit court decision — calling it a “scorched-earth order” that was “riddled with errors,” listed statistics about how rare the firing squad has been used in American executions during the last century.

Chief Justice Don Beatty asked pointedly whether it would be constitutional to bring back hanging.

The firing squad is a long-established method elsewhere in the U.S. and hasn’t been totally discarded, Lambert said. It’s gaining some popularity as some inmates across the country argue it’s less cruel because it kills almost instantly, Lambert added.

Lambert blasted the circuit court for finding that electrocution was unconstitutionally cruel.

In the 1970s when the Legislature last rewrote the state constitution, it included capital punishment, Lambert said. At the time, the only form of execution allowed was electrocution. That shows the legislature clearly intended to allow the electric chair, Lambert argued.

As to its cruelty, Lambert said the experts the inmates’ lawyers called in the trial never proved that someone being electrocuted would feel excruciating pain as their body is essentially cooked rather than being knocked insensate immediately. The inmates’ experts only proved that it was possible, which wasn’t enough to meet their burden of proof, Lambert said.

Blume said the reason the experts could not definitively prove inmates would suffer several seconds of intense pain was because scientists cannot ethically conduct lethal electrocution experiments on humans.

While the definition of cruel hasn’t changed, Blume told the high court, “it’s what we know about electrocution that has changed, and that means you have to reevaluate what’s cruel.”

Blume also asked the court to order the Department of Corrections make more information available to the courts and the inmates about the drug they plan to use to kill the inmates. Currently, the department has only revealed that the drug is pentobarbital and the dosage that they’ll use, citing the Shield Law.

Palmetto Politics

“If too much is disclosed or disclosed in the wrong way, it will thwart the efforts of SCDC moving forward to obtain the drugs, and lethal injection will once again become unavailable,” Lambert warned.

Palmetto Politics

The justices seemed to favor a bit more disclosure.

“Seems to me they don’t want to give you anything. Seems to me, even though you probably won’t acknowledge it, you want everything,” Kittredge told Blume. “Help us with a framework that would be somewhere in between.”

A decision is expected later.

Johns Island welcomes California luxury hotel company

Charleston remains a popular destination, and the city’s expanding luxury hotel scene reflects that trend.California-based Auberge Resorts Collection plans to debut its first planned luxury hotel in South Carolina come 2024 in the form of The Dunlin, located within the Kiawah River master-planned community on Johns Island.In partnership with real estate developer The Be...

Charleston remains a popular destination, and the city’s expanding luxury hotel scene reflects that trend.

California-based Auberge Resorts Collection plans to debut its first planned luxury hotel in South Carolina come 2024 in the form of The Dunlin, located within the Kiawah River master-planned community on Johns Island.

In partnership with real estate developer The Beach Co. and private investment and management company McNair Interests, the project is set to have a January groundbreaking.

“The Dunlin will offer an unforgettable escape where guests can immerse themselves in the pristine natural setting of Johns Island and the culturally rich attractions of Charleston,” Auberge Chairman Dan Friedkin said in a statement.

The Dunlin property will include 72 cottage-style guest rooms and suites and 19 villas, as well as a main lodge and porch, great rooms and a library lounge. Amenities encompass a pool with cabanas, full-service spa, community farmstead, and access to the community’s Spring House riverfront swim and fitness facilities.

A riverfront restaurant with outdoor deck will also be available, as will two event spaces, including a 10,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor event hall.

“We are pleased to partner with Auberge Resorts Collection to create The Dunlin, which will be one of the most remarkable new resorts in the country,” Beach Co. CEO John Darby said. “Auberge has a terrific track record of creating the most unique hospitality experiences in the world, and this endeavor’s intimate setting will bring highly personalized service with a coastal experience inspired by the local environment.”

Built into the Kiawah River community, which puts emphasis in natural surrounding elements, The Dunlin will consist of 2,000 acres of land with 20 miles of riverfront nature trails and marshlands. Guests will be able to participate in nature excursions on the property, including fly fishing, crabbing and boating, as well as paddle boarding, hiking and biking.

Architect Robert Glazier was chosen to design the resort, and Amanda Lindroth of Lindroth Design will lead the interior design of the property.

Construction financing was provided by United Bank’s Charleston offices.

Auberge Resorts Collection has 22 other hotels and resorts across the globe, recently winning accolades from Travel & Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best and Conde Nast’s 2021 Readers’ Choice awards.

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James Island coyote sightings bring safety concerns to residents

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The residents of James Island are now seeing and hearing coyotes throughout their community following a rise in coyote interactions on Sullivans Island last month.“Obviously, they’re here in our neighborhood, and we all need to be vigilant,” Lighthouse Point Neighborhood Association President Brook Lyon says.Those who live in the Lighthouse Point community on James Island say they have recently seen and heard coyotes sometimes in broad daylight or in their backyards.“I&...

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The residents of James Island are now seeing and hearing coyotes throughout their community following a rise in coyote interactions on Sullivans Island last month.

“Obviously, they’re here in our neighborhood, and we all need to be vigilant,” Lighthouse Point Neighborhood Association President Brook Lyon says.

Those who live in the Lighthouse Point community on James Island say they have recently seen and heard coyotes sometimes in broad daylight or in their backyards.

“I’ve had several reports over the last few weeks of people actually seeing the coyotes,” Lyon adds. “One last week was seen going across Schooner Road in broad daylight. Another photo was taken in the backyard of someone who has a chicken coop, and there’s live chickens there, which could be a potential food source for coyotes.”

Photos recorded on home security cameras show the coyotes on the island, concerning the community about their personal safety and their pets’ lives.

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Department says there is one reported incident with coyotes on James Island back in June.

Sullivans Island also reported five coyote attacks involving dogs in August, making the community on James Island even more worried.

“We are one town, one island, and we don’t want animals to start getting snatched or people getting attacked, like what has happened in other areas,” Lyon says.

Lyon and James Island Town Councilmember Troy Mullinax says they reached out to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and was told there was no program to help them with coyotes in the neighborhood.

“My next step is to contact Governor McMaster because it’s a natural resource issue, and at this time, the town does not have any wildlife management people,” Lyon says.

“DNR does not have anything in place,” Mullinax adds. “This is something we’re going to address at our upcoming meeting this Thursday, and just let people know that there’s something we’re working on.”

To keep the coyotes out of your neighborhood, they recommend not feeding the wildlife or keeping any potential food source outside for them to find.

If you run into a coyote, you’re advised to react loudly, throw small sticks or cans or spray the animal with water.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SCHSL realignment bumps up James Island, Beckham, Oceanside, Bishop England

The S.C. High School League has released its preliminary realignment of member schools for 2024-26, a plan that includes the league’s multiplier formula to address competitive balance between traditional public schools and private/charter schools.The preliminary plan includes dividing schools into five classifications based on student enrollment, but does not yet include regions. The enrollment numbers include a multiplier of 3.0 applied to students from grades 9-11 who live outside a school’s assigned attendance zone. Rea...

The S.C. High School League has released its preliminary realignment of member schools for 2024-26, a plan that includes the league’s multiplier formula to address competitive balance between traditional public schools and private/charter schools.

The preliminary plan includes dividing schools into five classifications based on student enrollment, but does not yet include regions. The enrollment numbers include a multiplier of 3.0 applied to students from grades 9-11 who live outside a school’s assigned attendance zone. Realignment appeals will be heard next month.

Among the Charleston-area schools that will be on the move for 2024-26 are:

• James Island Charter and Lucy Beckham, which move from Class AAAA to AAAAA. James Island now ranks 16th among AAAAA schools with 1,968 students, and Beckham is No. 50 with 1,450 students.

James Island officials said the school will appeal its placement, but had no further comment.

The SCHSL plans to divide Class AAAAA into two divisions for playoffs in 2024-26, crowing two state champions in each sport. Seven of the top 16 schools in AAAAA are in the Charleston area: No. 3 Summerville (2,623), No. 6 Stratford (2,312), No. 7 Ashley Ridge (2,300), No. 12 Wando (2,100), No. 14 Cane Bay (1,980) and No. 16 James Island.

• Bishop England, a private school on Daniel Island, which moves from Class AA all the way up to AAAA with an enrollment figure of 1,099 students. The closest AAAA schools to Bishop England in the realignment include May River, Bluffton, Beaufort, Colleton County and Hilton Head.

Gray Collegiate, a charter school in the Columbia area and the focus of much competitive-balance debate, moves from AA to AAAA with 1,296 students. And Christ Church, a private school powerhouse in the Greenville area, goes from Class A to AAAA with 952 students.

• Oceanside Collegiate of Mount Pleasant, a sister charter school to Gray Collegiate, moves from Class AA to Class AAA with 814 students using the 3.0 multiplier. OCA was listed with 500 students in grades 9-11 last year. Charleston Math & Science moves from Class A to AAA with 672 students.

South Carolina’s Shrine Bowl team broke open a tight game in the second half and posted a 24-0 shutout of their counterparts from North Carolina in the 87th Shrine Bowl all-star football game at Spartanburg High School.

James Island punter/placekicker Coleman Franzone scored six points in the game, booting a 33-yard field goal and three extra points. Franzone also punted six times for a 36.7-yard average with a long of 43 yards.

Franzone’s field goal in the first quarter was the only score of the first half. The Sandlappers scored a touchdown in the third quarter and posted two scores in the final period.

Summerville’s Yannick Smith, a wide receiver currently committed to East Carolina, caught three passes for 46 yards in the game.

Smith was part of a talented wide receiver position for the SC squad.

Tennessee commit Braylon Staley of Strom Thurmond caught three passes for 62 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown reception. North Carolina State commit Christian Zachary of Calhoun County had 63 receiving yards and a 43-yard score. Georgia State commit Avery McFadden of Hillcrest caught three passes for 55 yards.

Other local players on the SC squad included Lucy Beckham tight end Bryce Rothwell, West Ashley linebacker Terry Grant and Philip Simmons defensive back Troy Stevenson.

Rock Hill quarterback Matthew Wilson, headed to Appalachian State, was the offensive most valuable player for South Carolina. Wilson completed 8 of 14 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Santwan Nelson of South Pointe was the S.C. defensive most valuable player.

The Sandlappers dominated the game defensively, yielding only 49 total yards in the game. That included -7 yards in the passing game.

South Carolina rolled up 363 total yards. The running game was paced by Midland Valley’s Traveon Dunbar, who rushed for 76 yards and a 2-yard score to seal the game with under two minutes to play.

“Hat’s off to the entire team,” S.C. head coach Wayne Farmer of Calhoun County said. “Offense came out and put some points up in the second half and the defense was just great all game long.”

Art Craig remembers seeing Isaiah Perrin walking around the halls at Timberland High School and wondering why the big fella wasn’t playing football.

At the time, Perrin was about 6-foot-3 and tipped the scales at around 270 pounds. Craig thought he’d make a great offensive lineman.

Perrin, as it turned out, was more interested in becoming the next Tiger Woods.

“Isaiah was a huge golfer and really didn’t think about playing football,” Craig said. “We finally talked him into coming out for the football team and he was a three-year starter for us.”

Perrin, 34, grew to love the game and on Thursday was named the head football coach at Wando High School.

Perrin takes over for Rocco Adrian, who resigned in October after four seasons as head coach with the Warriors. Adrian went 8-28 at Wando.

Perrin served as the offensive coordinator for Stratford High School this past season, but has had stops at Wilson, Swansea, Lower Richland and Timberland as an assistant coach.

“Isaiah is a real student of the game,” Craig said. “I think he’s going to do a great job at Wando. He’s going to be able to relate to his players and I know they will love playing for him.”

Perrin said facing the Warriors during the regular season convinced him that the Mount Pleasant school has the potential to be a winning program.

“Seeing these guys and how they played us during region play made me want to come here,” said Perrin, who served as the head golf coach at Stratford for two years. “They were relentless in their effort. I think that’s something that we can build on. They have great facilities and a community that wants these guys to win. There’s a lot of potential here.”

As the S.C. High School League prepares to reclassify member schools for the 2024-2026 school years, the league has set new guidelines for the realignment.

Among those guidelines, determined by unanimous vote of the the league’s reclassification committee, is dividing Class AAAAA, made up of the state’s largest high schools, into two divisions for playoffs. Two AAAAA state champions will be recognized in each sport.

The committee “recommends that AAAAA be split, by enrollment, in all sports for playoffs leading to two State Championships within that classification due to the number of schools coupled with the large disparity in enrollment sizes within the classification,” reads a memo sent by commissioner Jerome Singleton to member superintendents, principals and athletic directors this week.

The AAAAA split should help schools at the lower end of the SCHSL’s largest schools, said Cane Bay athletic director Brian Swiney.

“I feel that the two Division format is going to be a good thing for the AAAAA class. You are always going to have a big number difference in the enrollment of the largest school to the smallest, especially in AAAAA,” he said. “This gives teams towards the smaller end of the class a chance to compete for a state championship.

“The biggest challenge now will be determining how the playoffs will work in each of the sports. I think that you will see the best teams qualify and then those schools be split up based on enrollment. All of that should come to light when the ADs meet in March. ”

The committee also ruled that Class AAAAA will include no fewer than 52 schools and no more than 60 for 2024-26.

In other classes:

• AAAA will have no fewer than 38 and no more than 46 members.

• AAA will have no fewer than 38 and no more than 46 schools.

• AA will have no fewer than 36 and no more than 44 members.

• And Class A will have no fewer than 42 and no more than 50.

In the last realignment, for 2022-24, there were 36 schools in AAAAA; 41 in AAAA; 43 in AAA; 44 in AA; and 55 in Class A.

James Island female student football coach breaking barriers

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Ahnyia Jenkins is a sophomore at James Island Charter High School. She’s the youngest member on the Trojans coaching staff, and the only female on staff.“I’ve never loved anything, I’ve never been more passionate, I’ve never invested so much time into something like I’ve done coaching,” Jenkins said.James Island Head Football Coach Jamar McKoy admits when Jenkins first told him she wanted to come coach football, he was skeptical.“At first I thought...

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Ahnyia Jenkins is a sophomore at James Island Charter High School. She’s the youngest member on the Trojans coaching staff, and the only female on staff.

“I’ve never loved anything, I’ve never been more passionate, I’ve never invested so much time into something like I’ve done coaching,” Jenkins said.

James Island Head Football Coach Jamar McKoy admits when Jenkins first told him she wanted to come coach football, he was skeptical.

“At first I thought it was a joke, and I was like, yeah sure come,” McKoy said. “She came out and she stayed a week and I was like ‘hmm, well maybe she really likes it.’”

He says she was persistent and intentional throughout the process.

“Then I read her notes from what she took in Spring ball and was like she’s going to be really good at coaching football and this is something that she has a passion for,” McKoy said.

Jenkins was born and raised on James Island. She says she grew up going to James Island football games with her grandpa. He was a youth coach for years in the Lowcountry. Jenkins says he played a big role in encouraging her to pursue coaching.

“She hasn’t missed a practice. She hasn’t missed a coach’s meeting,” McKoy said. “We generally meet on Sunday mornings during the season and Ahnyia hasn’t missed one.”

McKoy says this staff has given Jenkins the space to share her opinions and ideas in those meetings.

“They’ve just accepted me as one of their own,” Jenkins said. “I mean, it’s really nothing to it. I don’t even think about it like male, female, it’s just like coach to coach, player to coach.”

McKoy says he plans to give Jenkins her own position group next season. She’ll be the Junior Varsity running backs coach.

“When I first got over there I felt like running backs is where I was going to be at,” Jenkins said. “It was just all down to footwork, the plays, and I just understood it.”

The Trojans are off to a 5-0 start to the season. They enter Region 7, 4A play this Friday against Colleton County. Jenkins says it’s been humbling to be on this journey with the team, but she knows just like the team, this is just the beginning for her too.

The sophomore coach, Jenkins, says she hopes to be a coach at the college level in the future.

“Whatever she wants to do with this sport, in and around it, in the future, the world is her oyster,” McKoy said.

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