ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 14, 1996 TAG: 9611150003
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
A training technician with the National Guard, Dean Jones knows firsthand the beneficial results of enthusiastic routine and regimen.
He also has a good handle on the value of teamwork and recognition of achievement.
"I'm basically an active-duty soldier who works with the National Guard,'' Jones said. "I've been in the military in some shape or form for 27 years.''
Such basic principles also have served Jones well in his avocation. As president and tournament director of the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club, Jones oversees a mammoth quarterly effort in coordinating local soccer tournaments.
The RVYSC, or Roanoke Star as it is commonly known, will be host of the sixth annual First Virginia Bank Fall Soccer Classic this weekend. At last count, 244 teams, representing states up and down the Eastern Seaboard, will compete on 33 fields at 11 sites around the Roanoke Valley Saturday and Sunday.
Much of the soccer will be concentrated on the Berglund Soccer Complex, a new five-field facility that the Star unveiled in May.
More than 4,000 youths, not to mention families, friends and coaches, will descend on the valley starting about sundown Friday night.
"This is our biggest tournament yet,'' said Roanoke Star executive director Danny Beamer. "In our girls' division, we've got 80 teams entered. That's way up.''
While Jones and Beamer have worked closely with a number of successful Star tournaments over the past 10 years, they are quick to credit the success of this one to other Star board and committee members.
"We've got a very good tournament committee,'' said Jones. "We're trying to roll personnel from tournament to tournament, and we've been fairly successful in getting some depth to our workers. Hopefully, this way we won't burn anyone out.''
Sharon McCulley, vice president of operations and master coach for the girls' teams within the Star program, and Mary Jane Whitman, secretary of the club and girls' teams coordinator, have been particular standouts on the First Virginia Bank tourney, Jones said.
Whitman's work has resulted in several new teams coming to Roanoke, while McCulley's responsibility has included putting together the elaborate schedule. McCulley also has several contacts through Washington Area Girls' Soccer that will bring teams to Roanoke this weekend.
"They've both been vital members of our board,'' Jones said. "They've been tireless in their efforts, and leaders in getting recognition for women in this tournament - and our program.''
"The popularity of girls' soccer is really growing,'' Whitman said. "I think our tournaments have developed a very good reputation. This is the first time I can remember we haven't had to get on the phone and call [girls'] teams to come here.''
"Roanoke is making a good impression on our visitors,'' Jones said. "And it's not just what the Star program has done. It's this beautiful area that keeps bringing people back to these tournaments.''
With a record number of entrants in the field, and a new complex, where does the Star program grow from here?
Beamer says it's not too early to start thinking about another complex.
"Dean brought it up a couple of months ago,'' Beamer said. "At first my mouth dropped open, but the more you think about it, the more sense it makes.''
"Larger is not always better,'' Jones said. "And certainly we're not going to increase the number of age brackets [club teams currently run from ages 9 through 19] in the Star program.
"But as time goes on, and we improve the quality of our players, our coaching philosophy, and our overall soccer, we want to develop a vision so that we have some space to put a practice facility.''
"Practicing and playing games on the Berglund Complex gets too congested, and wears too much on the fields,'' Jones said.
"It sure would be nice if someone had a piece of property to donate to the club,'' Beamer said.
"About 15 acres would do very nicely.''
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: NHAT MEYER/Staff. 1. Members of the Roanoke Starsby CNBUnder-12 White team (from left) Lindsay Schaffer, Carlie Smith and
Clair Vanburen take part in a recent soccer scrimmage. color. 2.
Andie DeMarco (left) goes for a shot on goal against Maya Chapman
during a scrimmage at Wasena Park. 3. Margaret Jordan (left) juggles
the ball as Sacsha Whitenack looks on before practice at Roanoke's
Wasena Park.