
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 11, 1994                    TAG: 9406110471 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C1    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940611                                 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH

GAMES: ATHLETES ARRIVE FOR STATE GAMES

{LEAD} For the past several weeks, organizers of the Virginia State Games have been promising that athletes of all shapes and sizes would visit Hampton Roads this weekend.

And on Friday, they came.

{REST} Several hundred of the expected 4,000 participants, ranging from wide-eyed children to pot-bellied weekend warriors, converged on 24th Street Park at the Oceanfront for opening ceremonies celebrating Hampton Roads' debut as host of the sixth State Games.

The Games begin today and continue through Sunday, with competition in 33 sports at venues throughout the area.

Virginia Beach's Leonore McDaniels provided the opening ceremonies' high point. McDaniels, thought to be the world's best 65-year-old female track and field athlete, jogged through the masses, torch in hand and set ablaze the ``eternal flame'' for the annual competition.

Since entries are still being accepted in many of the sports, many of the athletes don't know whom they'll be competing against.

When Wilson's Steve Rahimpour steps on the wrestling mat today, for example, who will he be trying to take down? Virginia Tech's relay team will be in one lane at during the track and field competition today at Christopher Newport University. Will a Norfolk State team be in another? Members of the Marine Corps boxing team from Camp Lejeune, N.C., have accepted Games invitations. Will Army team members follow suit?

``People are coming down here, but they don't know who they're going against,'' said Joe Mack, the Games' track coordinator. ``It's a shootout. A straight-up shootout.''

Since the track and field competition got off to a late start, Mack was one of the busier organizers Friday, as he and his group of volunteers worked diligently to drum up more athletes. As of late Friday, about 60 athletes had signed up. Continued late registration, which will be held at 8 a.m. today at Christopher Newport, should swell that total to 150, Mack said.

``I'd like to see some of the local high school standouts, like (Wilson's) Latasha Colander and (Salem's) Charles Reid, over there,'' Mack said. ``If I was them, and I wasn't doing anything, shoot, I'd come to the meet.''

Although Olympic-style medals - gold, silver and bronze - will be awarded, just having the chance to compete seems to be enough for many of the Games' participants.

``Sure, I'd like to win a medal, but the main thing is to have fun,'' said bowler Bob Jones of Dale City.

Having fun is also the mission of the Virginia Jazz, the 13-and-under baseball team from Northern Virginia, which recently won the AAA state championship.

``We're not going to put too much pressure on ourselves,'' Jazz leftfielder Kevin Louey said. ``We're using this more as practice for the (AAU) nationals.''

``But we're still not going to lose,'' designated hitter Patrick Flynn added.

by CNB