THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 13, 1994 TAG: 9407120123
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
IS SOCCER TRULY catching fire in South Hampton Roads?
There is every reason to believe that it is.
First off, area soccer clubs have exploded with numbers of participants to the point where it is becoming difficult to find enough coaches and playing sites.
Then there is the success of those same programs. Teams from the Atlantic Travel Soccer and Beach FC clubs each won state championships recently - advancing to regional competition.
And Beach District high schools are enjoying great success at the state competition level - advancing to the state finals the last two years after winning the year before. Many members of those teams are going on to some of the better collegiate programs in the country.
There is also the local television market ratings World Cup 94 is enjoying in the cup's first visit to the United States.
And to top it all off, the largest professional soccer league in the country recently brought its first all-star game to Virginia Beach because the local member - Hampton Roads Hurricanes - is leading the 72-team league in average attendance in its inaugural season.
As some of the best players in the U.S. Interregional Soccer League went at it last week at the Center for Effective Learning, Hurricanes owner Ellis Gillespie beamed with pride.
``This is a great honor for us,'' he said. ``We really enjoy the fact that they asked us to host this game. This thing has brought in some of the best soccer players in the country. It's great to see this much talent in this area at one time.''
While the announced attendance of 1,600 was below the usual number of spectators at a Hurricanes home game, Gillespie wasn't disappointed.
``I think right now that more people are interested with the Hurricanes than with a group of players they can't identify with,'' he said. ``The Hurricanes are really starting to become popular with the fans.''
Gillespie and members of the Hurricanes staff have plenty planned to keep the flow going.
The Hurricanes newsletter and fan club will be started soon and there will be clinics to ``teach adults about soccer.''
And in two weeks, the Hurricanes players will take part in a local camp.
BILLED AS HURRICANES WEEK, the Marlins Soccer Camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 25-29 at Virginia Wesleyan College. The camp will feature Wesleyan and Hurricanes coach Sonny Travis will direct the camp, which will feature several members of the Hampton Roads Hurricanes as instructors.
The camp is for youngsters 6-16, the registration fee is $100 and participants will receive a T-shirt and water bottle. They should bring shin guards, a ball and indoor tennis shoes in case of rain. They might also want to bring a large water jug and sun screen.
Info: 455-3387 or 471-1450. MEMO: Got an interesting sports-related story to tell? If so, call The Beacon
at 490-7228 and let us know about it, or write to The Beacon, Sports
Department, 4565 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va. 23462. The
fax number is 490-7235.
ILLUSTRATION: Photos by PETER D. SUNDBERG
ABOVE: Atlantic Division All-Star goalie Jaro Zawislan of the
Columbia Heat makes a save.
LEFT: Victor Osunsanya of the Orlando Lions, left, and USISL
All-Stars teammate Richard Sharpe of the Cocoa Expos compete for the
same header.
by CNB