Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 7, 1993 TAG: 9305070016
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Franklin County softball coach Robin Walls resigned her job effective last Monday. She said it had nothing to do with an argument she had with an adult after last week's Cave Spring game.
Also leaving is long-time Salem volleyball coach David Turk, who is quitting to devote more time to his family .
Walls called her sudden resignation "a career move."
"There were some threats made toward me from fans, but that had nothing to do with the resignation," Walls said.
Franklin County athletic director Jerry Little said, "I understand there was an incident, but I don't know whether that had an effect on it [Walls' decision]."
Franklin County had a 7-4 record after losing to Cave Spring 9-1. Walls has been the Eagles' coach for 5 1/2 years. During that span, her teams have played in four Northwestern Regional tournaments and advanced to the 1989 state semifinals.
Walls, a past Timesland softball coach of the year, said of her resignation: "I feel so much better about it, in fact I'm going to play golf."
Asked why she resigned in the middle of the season, Walls, 30, said: "It was a decision I had toyed with. I had talked to Jerry Little at the beginning of the year about resigning. I told him I would try it until the end of the year, but life is too short not to be happy at something you're doing."
Todd Hunley, the junior varsity coach, will take Walls' spot for the rest of the year.
Turk coached volleyball at Lord Botetourt where his teams went 53-20 over four years. At Salem, the Spartans were 113-28 including a 36-12 mark when the school played in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District.
His teams won eight district, three regional championships and made the state semifinals three times. His best teams were the 1986 Salem squad that went 15-1 and the 1991 team that was 21-2.
"I have three young children at home and they need more time and attention. The amount of time and effort that it has taken to build the volleyball program to its current high level has been tremendous," Turk said. "The time and energy needed to maintain our high level is no less demanding. Unfortunately, all of this reduces the time and energy needed by my wife and children. Consequently, many important things at home have simply gone undone."
Turk also is the coach at Hollins College, but he said that job, which he will keep, had nothing to do with his giving up the Salem position. He will continue to teach at Salem.
In another coaching move, E.C. Glass announced it has hired Brookville coach Mike Dufrene as its head boys' basketball coach to follow Garland Jefferson.
Dufrene beat out several college coaches for the job, including former Roanoke College coach Ed Green.
by CNB