THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406080189
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY XIAOHONG ZHANG SWAIN, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: Medium
The Deep Creek graduating senior was a stalwart on the girls soccer team and made grades good enough to win a scholarship to Howard University, where she will be a pre-med student. She also served as the student council president and president of her senior class.
{REST} At the same time, Robinson's mother, Mary, can proudly say she has guided her daughter in the right way of growing up. Listening to her daughter talking about her values, Mary couldn't help smiling in satisfaction.
``It shows,'' she said. ``The way she talks. It shows all the things that I have said to her.''
``People call me Little Mary,'' agreed Robinson. ``I act just like my mother.''
For one thing, Robinson believes in hard work.
``I am a very busy person,'' she said. ``I have to be doing something, or I'll get bored.''
Mary sees herself as a casual friend of her daughter. She understands the youth's mind and needs and she lends her support and encouragement at the right time.
Robinson remembers the time she brought home a school report card that bore a C.
``My mother didn't punish me,'' Robinson said. ``She knew I was hurting inside. She just said,`I know you can do better than that.' ''
Robinson said she kept good grades throughout high school by studying daily.
``I've always done very well academically,'' she said. ``Math and science are my best subjects.''
Mary also wants her daughter to achieve her own goals, instead of those set by others. If Mary had her wish, she would like to see Robinson in toe shoes.
``She did well in ballet classes,'' said the mother. ``I was surprised when she said she wanted to play soccer.''
At 10, Robinson got hooked on soccer and began playing in the 9-12 age group recreational league. Mary didn't try to stop her daughter, and through the soccer years, she stood by Robinson's side.
``I cheer for her,'' Mary said. ``I used to call her name a lot. I stopped doing that, because it can be distracting.''
Robinson said she never felt embarrassed by her mother's cheering.
``I would be embarrassed if my teammates asked me, `Why didn't your mom come to the game?' '' Robinson said.
She also likes to help others. As left wing on the soccer team, Robinson often worked on assists - passing the ball to others for goals.
``In the game against Norview High (May 5), she had five assists,'' said Coach Todd Revell. ``That shows how unselfish she is.''
However, Robinson is eager to learn from others.
``I learned a lot from my teammate Myra Maglalang (center forward),'' she said. ``She has good ball skills. She taught me team work and brought me into the team.''
Robinson believes in getting involved and taking the lead. Not only is she president of the student council and her senior class president, she served as secretary of the Chesapeake branch of the NAACP. As the chosen one-day mayor of the Mayor's Youth Day this year, Robinson took her office in stride.
``I spent the day with the mayor, wrote two memos and discussed library funding,'' she said.
With a full calendar of things to do every day, Robinson never loses her sight on priorities.
``To me, academics always comes first,'' she said. ``Secondly is my soccer career, and then student government and community activities.''
Naturally, Robinson has her priority set for college as she will be majoring in biology and eventually going to medical school.
``I won't be playing soccer the first year,'' she said. ``I want to first adjust to the area and focus on school. Then, I'll think about playing soccer.''
Mary will be missing her daughter this fall, especially as Robinson is the last of her four children heading out of the home.
``But I'm happy for her,'' she said.
by CNB