ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 11, 1996 TAG: 9607110036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
One of the abiding beauties of being included in the Virginia High School Coaches' Association all-star football game is the chance such an invitation affords to join forces with those whom one has previously attempted to bludgeon, trample or otherwise separate from their senses.
Should one's calling to tonight's game in Hampton be as a coach, a similar opportunity presents itself. The man whom you tried to expose as a dim sideline bulb as recently as last fall may be the same one you're suddenly attempting to help elevate to genius level as you collaborate on a game plan tonight.
Ah, the special joys of football in the vegetable steamer of a July soiree in Tidewater.
Steven Hunt, who played free safety with a great deal of distinction for Blacksburg High, and Vaughn Phipps, an assistant coach of long standing there, have been finding out all about it this week. Both will be associated with the West squad, Hunt as a player and Phipps as the veteran assistant coach that the coaches association, in a nice touch, have added to each squad in recent years. They are part of a larger Blacksburg contingent that includes April Rogers in volleyball and Ben Pinkerton and Nick Kappas in soccer.
Hunt began meeting his new teammates before he ever left Montgomery County. One of them, Giles County linebacker Brandon Steele, rode east with Hunt and Phipps last week.
Hunt and Steele had not previously been introduced, at least not in a formal sense. That wasn't to say they hadn't met.
``When we played Giles last year, they had the ball down next to the goal line and Brandon was playing fullback,'' Hunt said. ``They gave him the ball, the hole opened up, and I met him there. I was lower than he was but I still hit him fairly high. He didn't score but he really messed my face mask up.''
Phipps, the defensive coordinator, detailed the damage to the headgear.
``Bent that face mask all to pieces,'' he said.
Hunt's glad to have Steele on his side now, but expects some more rough stuff once the whistle blows tonight.
``It'll get me ready for Virginia Tech, '' Hunt said.
Hunt had a scholarship offer from Virginia Military Institute and an chance to walk on at Virginia, but he decided to walk on at Tech.
``Tech's got a good one,'' Phipps said. ``Some of these other colleges really missed the boat. I don't understand it.''
In the long run, that may work out fine for Hunt. An already strong work ethic may grow even more so.
``I have something to prove,'' he said.
A different type of assistant coach might feel the same way when he joins the rest of the luminaries on the all star staff, all of them head coaches elsewhere. To Phipps, it's just an opportunity to work with people he admires.
``It'll be fun to work with guys such as Phil Robbins [of Powell Valley] and Glynn Carlock [of Graham],'' Phipps said. ``I've known those guys for years.''
Phipps said he'd also enjoy seeing players such as kicker Shayne Graham of Pulaski County who he'd heard about for years but never seen play. Hunt will probably be able to avoid being too star-struck.
``I've played against Jimmy Fusco of Cave Spring, Brandon Banks from Graham, and Steele from Giles,'' he said. ``Last year, we played against four all-state running backs.''
Phipps isn't exactly certain how he got the call to go to Hampton, but he's sure the football boss at Blacksburg, David Crist, had much to do with it.
``I consider it an honor to coach in the same game as people like Bill Houseright of Gate City and Billy Miles of Salem did,'' Phipps said. ``They're two of the most respected assistant coaches around.''
Hunt earned his way into the fray with back-to-back seasons as an all state safety on the team the coaches vote on after the season. Being all state doesn't guarantee you a spot in the all star game, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
``I didn't expect to be picked but I can't say I'm totally surprised,'' Hunt said.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: RAY COX Staff Steven Hunt, who played free safety forby CNBBlacksburg High, and Vaughn Phipps, an assistant coach of long
standing there, are with the West squad of the Virginia High School
Coaches Association all-star football game. color.