Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993 TAG: 9312020410
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
But Mark Byington and Kevin Garst, who were both projected at having a chance to be quarterback for Salem's football team, did the unthinkable.
Byington, a senior, and Garst, a junior, walked away from football. Byington played football as a sophomore and gave it up last year as a junior to concentrate on basketball. Garst, a sophomore, made the same decision at the same time without having played varsity football.
Both players did so for their own reasons. Basketball is Byington's favorite sport, and he felt that giving up football was his best chance at getting a college scholarship.
For Garst, though, it wasn't a matter of a college scholarship. "Basketball was my favorite sport. I hadn't necessarily had more success at basketball, but I like to play that the most. That helped me make my decision," said Garst.
For Byington, giving up football has worked out well. He has signed with North Carolina-Wilmington, a Division I school in the Colonial Athletic Conference.
Garst, a junior, will work to hone his skills this year in hopes of following Byington into college basketball. Mostly, though, he enjoys being a basketball player only.
Byington's moment of decision came during the spring and summer after his sophomore year. "I went to AAU nationals and saw the competition I'd be playing against in college. I wasn't up to the level that I thought I should be in basketball," said Byington.
He talked with his parents about giving up football and received their support in whatever decision he made.
"I didn't rule coming back [to football] as a senior. But I had been helped a lot between my sophomore and junior years by just playing basketball, so I figured if I continued to do that, I'd improve a lot more," said Byington.
"I miss football now, but I'm happy with the decision I made. I wish I could still do both, but basketball is my first love. It was rough to go to games on Friday, because I saw my friends playing football," he said.
Garst had played three sports - football, basketball and baseball - all his life. "I figured after the ninth grade was the time for me to choose one sport. Basketball was my favorite. My parents tried to persuade me to [continue] to play all three but they would support me [in any decision]," said Garst.
"It was his decision. Our only question was whether he might not be doing it [concentrating on one sport] too soon because he hadn't been exposed to other sports. I think Kevin's real comfortable and that's the main thing," said Toby Garst, Kevin's father.
"I've never second-guessed myself," said Kevin Garst. "It's the right decision. I've been to some of the football games, mostly the ones at home. I really don't want to be out on the field, though."
So what does that say about Salem High sports, where football has always dominated fan interest?
Charlie Morgan, a second-year coach, is a beneficiary of the decisions by Byington and Garst. His program got a tremendous boost when they decided to concentrate on basketball.
Other Salem basketball coaches always had to wait to get their players after the football season, and since the Spartans were always in the playoffs, it meant the month of December was practically a waste.
Morgan says the choices made by Byington and Garst were left up to them. "If they had wanted to play football, they still could have played basketball. I have a lot of respect for the football program. What they've done here has been super, and I didn't come here to tear down football," said Morgan, who had been an assistant at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tenn., until coming to Salem.
"With the sports overlapping, we've been fortunate enough to have a schedule start late enough [this year Salem's first game is Dec. 14]. The kids involved in football who play basketball have gone to camp with us in the summer and played 20 games. They've learned our offense and defense, so if they go to football, they know what we're doing. It's only a matter of getting in [basketball] shape."
Morgan knows about football in Salem. He grew up in Salem and was a basketball star at old Andrew Lewis. His brother, Richard Morgan, who played at the University of Virginia and is now helping out with the Salem program, also made the same choice as Byington and Garst.
"I think with Mark, he could play football, basketball or baseball. He couldn't have played two or three sports and been a Division I basketball player," he said. "I look back to Richard's case. He was a very good football player. He had to make the same decision."
There is always the reaction of Salem fans, some of whom might think Byington and Garst were turncoats in shunning football while devoting all their energy to basketball.
"Every now and then, especially in the summer, people would ask if I'd reconsider and come out to play football," said Byington. "I never heard any bad comments and there was no pressure directed at me."
Garst told some of his friends about the decision. "I have some good friends who are football players. We don't talk about it, but they accept it," he said.
by CNB