ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 17, 1996 TAG: 9610170009
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
SOURCE: ANGIE WATTS STAFF WRITER
There's no question Blacksburg forward Karly Geller fits the basketball image.
Elbow wrapped, socks pulled up to her knees, braces supporting both ankles, baggy shorts wavering at her knees, hair pulled back in a ponytail. She's 100 percent ballplayer. But is she really as tough as she looks?
"I've been lifting weights a lot for two years now," said Geller, flexing her biceps. "So even against players bigger than me I'll take it inside. And I'll rebound with them too."
At 5-foot-9, Geller is shooting 48 percent from the field and averaging 12 points per game. She is also averaging 7.3 rebounds per game.
Geller's coach, Mickey McGuigan, said she is definitely as tough as she appears.
"She's strong as an ox," said McGuigan, a seven-year veteran coach. "And she brings a lot of intensity to the floor. Ninety-nine percent of the time, Karly works as hard in practice as she does in a game. She gives you everything she's got.''
That kind of play has an impact on other team members.
``The other kids have to get tougher when they play against that every day in practice," McGuigan said.
Blacksburg has struggled much of this year, posting a record of 5-10. McGuigan said part of that can be attributed to inexperience, but part of it can go back to the Indians' challenging schedule. Of their seven non-Blue Ridge District matchups, three of the games are against once-beaten Floyd County, the No. 3-ranked team in Timesland. The Buffaloes went to the Group A state final four last year and have won two of the past three state titles.
"I would just as soon us play against the best in the area," McGuigan said. "I'm not sure just going out and getting wins under your belt is better than playing tough competition. We've certainly had to work hard at getting better."
The Indians have improved as the season continued and at the start of the week had won their last two.
"I think our team in general is real strong," Geller said. "We've got guards like Casey Beamer who can hit the outside shot, and inside we've got strength from Andrea Feret. And [point guard] Kelly Houghton's confidence level has been lifted up and she's been outstanding the last two games bringing the ball up the floor.
"We've just been struggling to get focused it takes us too long to get our heads in the game and by that point we may already be down by too many. But I think we're finally getting it together."
While Geller hastens to give credit for the team's improved performance to her teammates, McGuigan said it all starts with her.
"There's been a lot of ballgames where she's played every minute," McGuigan said. "And I've never heard her complain even once that, 'I need a breather.' She just works as hard as she can and the team seems to rally around that."
But it's more than just her physical ability the team rallies around, it's her dynamic personality. McGuigan said she's as much the center of attention off the court as she is come game time.
"If you ask anyone on the team they'll tell you she's just ridiculous," said junior Natalie Mutispaugh, Geller's self-proclaimed partner in crime. "She's abrupt, loud she just has a lot of personality. Everything she does makes us laugh. If Karly wasn't at practice we'd all be serious, and it definitely wouldn't be as much fun."
So what's Geller's latest stunt to amuse her teammates and keep them relaxed in the locker room?
"We're on our first winning streak and she hasn't shaved her legs since we starting winning," Mutispaugh said, unable to control her laughter. "People have even been noticing it through her jeans."
Maybe there's more than toughness behind those tall socks and droopy shorts after all.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 linesby CNB