Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 4, 1994 TAG: 9405050013
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV15 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M. J. Dougherty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Those sounds can be heard any time of the year, for that is when volleyball is being played - all the time.
"And they bring a crowd with them - on any given night, there will be 120 people, players and fans who come through here, and that's not bad," said PHIL CONNER, an athletic supervisor with Blacksburg Parks and Recreation, from behind the front desk at the town's recreation center.
"It's a big program. If I can just keep the balls out of the ceiling, I'll be all right."
Conner has problems with balls in the ceiling because there are so many teams trying to spike and serve and set most nights. In Blacksburg alone, there are 44 teams in the spring league. There were 46 during the winter and 44 last fall. And Conner estimates between 16 and 24 teams will participate in the women's and coed leagues over the summer.
This trend of multiple volleyball seasons is not unique to Blacksburg. Christiansburg and Radford also have volleyball leagues in different seasons. For example, Christiansburg has 24 teams playing in spring leagues.
"I think we do it because it gives us a chance to play aggressively against competition," said SCOTT BURR, who plays for Sporadic Spikers in the Blacksburg Coed Power A League. "Everyone enjoys it. And it's a good sport. You can't beat that."
Volleyball also can serve as another type of outlet.
"It gets us away from our husbands or wives," joked DEDEE SWIFT of Total Control of the Coed Power League.
"And our kids," quickly added her teammate DAVID SLACK.
Showing their more serious side, both agreed with Burr's assessment of the game.
"It's real fun," said Slack. "It's a fun, fun game."
"We play during lunch," added Slack, "during the open play here at the rec center."
This particular night, Swift, Slack and their team were having most of the fun. Total Control was totally in control and Sporadic Spikers were sometimes sporadic. The result was a 15-7, 15-2, 15-11 win for Total Control, which allowed it to all but clinch the spring season title after winning the championship last winter.
To duplicate that feat in the summer league, Total Control will not only have to once again go unbeaten but will have to make sure it gets registered.
Registration continues through May 11 for women's and coed leagues. The cost is $50 per team, plus a $10 forfeit fee and a $5 fee for each non-town resident.
The more important date may be Aug. 1. That's when sign-ups start for the fall in six leagues - Men's Power, Women's A, Women's B, Coed A, Coed B Division 1 and Coed B Division 2. There is a cap of eight teams per league.
"They'll start lining up for it at 7:15 and we don't start registration until 8," said Conner. "By 10 after 8, we're [almost] all filled-up. If you missed it, you've missed it. We do what we can for those who are late. But we only have so many openings."
GOLF GATHERING: The 21st Annual Greater Blacksburg Open will be held June 25-26 at the Blacksburg Country Club. Considered one of the most prestigious golfing events in Southwest Virginia, the GBO is sponsored by the Blacksburg Jaycees and funds numerous community projects. For more information, call KEMP FANT, the tournament director, at 382-5379.
WRESTLING RESULTS: Two Pulaski County Wrestling Club members captured their weight divisions at the Virginia/USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman state championships, held April 22-23 at Fort Lee in Petersburg.
Both winners came in the Greco-Roman portion of the tournament. LEE PANNELL won at 105.5 pounds while STEVE OSBORNE emerged victorious at 178. Also placing was NAT OLINGER, third at 165.
Osborne was the only Pulaski wrestler to place in the freestyle part of the event. He finished second at 178.
The team finished third in the state meet with 36 points. The Peninsula Wrestling Association won with 48 while the Quantico Wrestling Club was second with 43. Thirteen teams from throughout Virginia competed.
Other wrestlers who helped Pulaski to its strong finish were BOB JACKSON (143), ERIC QUEEN (154), DAVID FORE (165) and HAYDEN GRIFFIN (124, freestyle only).
RUGGERS UPDATE: The Blacksburg Rugby Club closed out its spring home schedule with a 45-14 loss to Roanoke. DAN STATON scored the only try for Blacksburg, with ROB "LJ" LYMBURNER and KEVIN "SCRUFFY" McWILLIAMS getting assists on the play. McWilliams also made three penalty kicks.
Blacksburg plays at Charleston, W.Va., Saturday. It practices Tuesday and Thursday nights at 6 in the field behind Gables Shopping Center. For more information, call Lymburner at 552-6005 or BARRY CROSS at 951-7847.
RUNS AROUND ABOUND: The 13th annual Dr. D.B. Jurisson Memorial Run in Christiansburg is just around the corner.
The 5-kilometer race and one-mile fun run will be June 11 at 9 a.m. in Christiansburg.
Registration costs $10 through June 8 and $13 on race day. T-shirts are guaranteed to the first 250 entrants.
The race starts at Hickock Street and ends near Town Square on Main Street.
Prizes will be awarded to the top male and female runners and the top three male and female runners in 12 age groups (8-and-under, 9-12, 13-17, 18-22, 23-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59 and 60-and-over).
For more information, call STEVE SIMMONS, the race director, at 382-2713 (home) or 382-6184 (work).
The 13th annual Virginia Western Community College 5,000-meter run is Saturday at 9 a.m. Race day registration begins at 7:15 in front of Webber Hall on the Virginia Western campus. The cost is $7 ($10 if receiving a T-shirt, $12 if receiving a long-sleeved T-shirt).
YOUTH BALL GAMES: Registration for Pony League and Dixie League baseball sponsored by the Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department continues through May 13.
The Pony League is co-sponsored with Blacksburg and Christiansburg. It is for youths ages 13-14 (as of Aug. 1). The fee is $15.
The Dixie League will be offered at Auburn and Shawsville high schools. It is for youths ages 15-18 (as of Aug. 1). The fee is $15.
CAMPS ARE A-COMIN': Tennis. Gymnastics. Golf. Baseball. Basketball. Adventure. Other leisure activities.
These are some of the youth camps being sponsored this summer by Blacksburg Parks and Recreation.
Most camps cost between $25 and $50, with Lifetime ($60) and Adventure ($80) camps being more expensive.
Sign-ups begin May 18. Camps run weekly from June 20-24 to Aug. 15-19.
For more information, call the department at 961-1135.
TODAY'S HONORS: The Blacksburg Sports Club will hold its Senior Awards Luncheon at noon today at the Custom Catering Center on Patrick Henry Drive in Blacksburg. The club will honor outstanding student athletes for both Virginia Tech and Blacksburg High School. The cost of the luncheon is $6.50. The public is invited. To make reservations or for more information, call DEAN FARMER at 231-6285.
HELP WANTED: Montgomery County is looking for people to assist with the recreation department's programs. Positions needing to be filled include volunteer baseball coaches and paid baseball umpires, softball umpires, golf and tennis instructors and scorekeepers. Also, sponsors for youth baseball teams are needed.
To serve in any of these capacities, call TIM COONEY, the athletics supervisor, at 382-6975.
INFORMATION PLEASE:If you would like to get information in the Community Sports Notebook, there are several ways to do so.
You can write us at the Roanoke Times & World-News, New River Valley Bureau, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va. 24073.
Or you can drop off information at our office at 110 Peppers Ferry Road (across from New River Valley Mall).
Or you can fax information to us at 381-1656.
So please, let us know what you know. And be sure to include full names and a contact number, just in case we need more information.
Notices must be received by Friday to appear in the Community Sports Notebook the following week. If you are sending information about upcoming events or sign-ups, please send them early enough so they can be run in advance of the date when things will happen.
by CNB