Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9412230083
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
McLelland, who died of cancer at age 69 in March, coached young boys in football for 48 years and contributed sports articles to this newspaper for 45.
When the Roanoke Valley Sandlot Super Bowl championship games are played at Salem Stadium on Saturday and Sunday - 18 teams in nine divisions will square off for titles - McLelland will be conspicuously absent. So will his team, the Optimist Club.
Optimist fell to the Bedford Road Devils 19-6 in the Division I Junior League quarterfinals played Saturday at Victory Stadium - on McLelland Field.
When the Optimist team trudged from the field after being eliminated, a few tears and sniffles smeared some dirty, tired faces.
``You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of,'' Optimist coach Skip Allen said, spouting some vintage McLelland-ese. ``You did better than I or most of your parents thought you could. You're the best team I've ever had!''
The Roanoke Valley is overrun with thousands of former athletes who played ball for ``Guts'' when they were 11, 12 and 13.
A testament to the number of sports figures that McLelland touched was the impressive turnout at McLelland's memorial service. The crowd overflowed the spacious sanctuary of Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church, where McLelland was a devout, lifelong member.
Many of McLelland's players imitated their coach's attitude and listened to him teach football fundamentals. In many cases, the combination led players through successful high school and college football careers.
Two of McLelland's former players - Skip Allen, 29, and Brian Elswick, 38 - are now sandlot football coaches. They were McLelland's assistants for many years, and in 1994 coached Optimist without their mentor. They want to carry on his tradition.
``Guts'' may have been gone this season, but he certainly was not forgotten. ``Guts'' was displayed prominently on the sleeves of the Optimist players' jerseys.
The tri-captains of this year's squad - Nic Leonard, Daniel Bass and Byron Sloan - played for McLelland in his last season. They helped their coaches explain McLelland's value to the younger players who may not have known him.
Allen and Elswick learned their football firsthand from McLelland, and they instruct in a similar manner. They can be crusty and demanding, but genuine affection for what they are doing comes through loud and clear.
``You can't replace [McLelland]; you just try to go on,'' said Allen, in his seventh year as a coach. Elswick, who has coached sandlot for nearly 20 years, said McLelland's style reminded him of the late Green Bay Packer legend Vince Lombardi.
``Lombardi might have chewed [his players] out,'' Elswick said, ``but he still encouraged them. Guts was like that.''
Allen and Elswick recruited Kent McIlhany to assist them this year. (``There isn't any head coach,'' Allen said, preferring to share the title with his cohorts.)
Optimist finished its season with a 7-5-1 record overall. In McLelland-like tradition, Allen downplayed the number of wins and losses.
``We don't measure performance like that,'' Allen said. ``We stress doing your best - at home, at school and on the field. Winning follows.''
Teams from Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem, Glenvar, Botetourt and Bedford are vying for titles this weekend. A $2 ticket gets you into as many of the nine games as you care to see.
The football is not NFL-caliber. Passes wobble, kick-offs are short and fumbles and penalties show up now and then.
But, the competition is spirited and the sportsmanship is sincere.
Just like Bob ``Guts'' McLelland would want it.
by CNB