Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030053
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Long
Pursifull knows her heritage well.
``Where do I get it?'' she asks. ``From both sides of my family.''
Start with her parents: Krieg, a Floyd dentist, and Montreo, who runs the practice's office. Both are well-known to Floyd County supporters. Neither has missed more than a handful of her basketball games - and she's played all over the country (during the summer AAU season).
They give the same unflagging support to their youngest, Karen, a junior varsity player of substantial promise on the basketball and volleyball teams.
Krieg Pursifull was a four-year varsity football player at Homer Ferguson in Newport News back when that just wasn't done. He even played a couple of varsity games as an eighth-grader. A football scholarship got him through the doors at Randolph-Macon College, but illness and academic demands conspired against him and he never played, although he retained his scholarship.
Later, he played softball and volleyball in Floyd town leagues until he went into practice for himself.
``Broken bones and self-employment don't mix,'' he said.
For the past 16 years, he's officiated high school football and for the past seven, he's minded the net as a volleyball zebra.
Montreo Pursifull played basketball and volleyball (her best sport) at Blacksburg High before girls were organized in interscholastic teams. She was pictured in her high school yearbook among the ``Super Seven Seniors'' who were deemed the school's most athletically gifted.
Later, she was a member of the synchronized swimming team at Mary Washington and went on to play softball in the Floyd leagues until age 40.
Leigh-Ann Pursifull's grandfather, L.J. Pursifull of Newport News, is a lifelong outdoorsman. Krieg and his father were hunting at a club in Charles City County when they found out that Leigh-Ann had scored 26 points - as a fifth-grader! - in a recreation league game back home.
L.J. and Polly Pursifull were on hand a couple of weeks ago when Leigh-Ann scored her 1,000th point.
Her other grandfather, Forrest Rollins, is a retired assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech. As a young man, he lettered four years in track at Tech and later coached the sport there and at Fork Union Military Academy.
He and Leigh-Ann's grandmother, Kathleen Rollins, attend Leigh-Ann's basketball games that aren't too far from Blacksburg. They, too, were on hand when she scored her 1,000th point.
By all accounts, nobody ever has put pressure on Leigh-Ann to participate in athletics. Her interest developed on its own.
``From the first time she took a ride on a bicycle or took a swing at a baseball, you could see that there was natural ability there,'' Montreo Pursifull said.
The family's influence on the eldest daughter comes in more indirect ways.
``We're not the kinds of parents who make the kid run a mile a day or take 100 free throws,'' Krieg Pursifull said. ``We encourage them to do it because they enjoy it.''
Not that they're above some stern parental directives.
``My father tells me not to yell at officials,'' Leigh-Ann said.
Mostly, she doesn't have time for any of that. For the year, she's averaging 12 points per game, but that's misleading.
As an off guard, she's been a regular threat to achieve the rare feat of recording double figures in points, rebounds and assists. On a couple of occasions, she's come close to a quadruple double, counting steals.
``I don't think people realize how difficult that is,'' Floyd County coach Alan Cantrell said.
Pursifull has been a key member of a team that won last year's Group A title and is now in the midst of a 45-game winning streak.
Pursifull signed recently with Winthrop, choosing the Big South Conference school over Boston College.
``I think playing all the AAU ball I have played has gotten me noticed by the recruiters,'' she said.
Playing for the Roanoke Stars, she started on an age 11-and-under team. In the 10 years since, she's played for four state champions and two runners-up.
``It's helped tremendously to have played AAU ball,'' she said.
Looking at her scoring average could lead many to believe she is an average player. They would be mistaken.
``I don't think I've lost any individual recognition,'' she said. ``I've lost some stats because I don't get to play as much as girls on other teams.''
The reason she doesn't get as much playing time has nothing to do with ability. Floyd County has blown out so many opponents that the starters don't play for portions of the second half. Pursifull has it in perspective.
``I'd rather average 12 points on a state champion team than 20 on a district champion or regional champion,'' she said.
Pursifull's basketball versatility echoes her versatility in other sporting ventures. She's taken her grandfather Rollins' cue and gone out for track, where her specialties are the jumps (same as his), hurdles, shot put and relays.
``He's helped me with my high jump, which I can't seem to get the hang of,'' she said.
``I'll give her any advice I can,'' Rollins said. ``I think she has a good delivery on the shot. If she could get her body behind it - she just uses her arms and shoulders - I think she could go somewhere in track.''
From her mother and father, she acquired a taste for volleyball and is a member of the Floyd County team.
Also, like her parents once did, she plays in the county's adult softball league. A third baseman and shortstop, she claims to be either the second- or third-youngest player on the circuit. Last year, she hit four home runs, two of them back to back.
``That really surprised me,'' she said.
Nothing the Buffaloes have done in basketball this year has surprised anybody. Team members don't disguise their desire for a successful defense of their state championship. If that happens, then Pursifull is going to have a lot to do with it.
``As the year has gone on, she's having the best year of her career,'' Cantrell said. ``At the beginning of the year, she had a lot of things on her mind, especially the whole recruiting thing. Once the decision on where to go to college got closer, she played a whole lot better.''
Cantrell had been counting on it.
``She's an all-around athlete,'' he said.
by CNB