THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 3, 1994 TAG: 9408030553
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Booker T. Washington basketball coach Barry Hamler will not have to serve a two-game suspension imposed by the Eastern District for his conduct during a game last winter, according to Norfolk Public Schools spokesman George Raiss.
But the school has been reprimanded by the Virginia High School League for ``failure to see that the coach in question followed Eastern District and Virginia High School regulations.''
The Eastern District principals had voted 3-0 (with two abstentions) to suspend Hamler for his actions during the Bookers' 92-90 loss at Granby on Jan. 21. Hamler was to have sat out the Bookers' first two games of the 1994-95 season. But Booker T. Washington appealed the suspension to the VHSL, which ruled that only the school, not the district, could take action against Hamler.
Following the VHSL's ruling, Booker T. Washington Principal Dr. Thomas Newby, who has since retired, met with Hamler and ``decided a suspension was a sanction that was not needed at this time,'' Raiss said.
Raiss added that Newby and new Booker T. Washington Principal Joel Wagner have met with Hamler and ``are confident that the behavior that precipitated the proposed suspension will not be re-occuring.''
Newby and Wagner declined comment, and Hamler could not be reached for comment.
NEW COACH: Darnell Miller, Lake Taylor's junior varsity basketball coach the past two seasons, will take over the head varsity job at Norview, Pilots athletic director Doug Townsend said.
``He's young, energetic and really involved in the community,'' Townsend said. ``He's a doer.''
There's plenty to be done. The Pilots have struggled in recent years and finished fifth in the five-team Eastern District last season.
This will be Miller's first varsity head coaching job.
Miller's hiring comes during an offseason marked by extensive coaching turnover at Norview. Earlier in the year, former Bayside assistant Will Robinson was tabbed to take over the varsity football program. And Tuesday, Townsend announced that Kristin Allen will be the Pilots' new field hockey coach.
Miller replaces Ed Young, who has assumed the head coaching job at Altoona (Pa.) High School.
Miller will also teach at Norview. Previously, he taught at Northside Middle School.
Also, Chantilly wrestling coach Billy Ruff appears to be the front-runner for the vacant slot at Ocean Lakes High School. Ruff coached Mark Thompson and Kevin Johnson to Group AAA state titles in 1993 and directed Johnson to another state title last season.
NEW DIGS: There may not be much grass on the field, but that won't stop Oscar Smith's Tigers from taking part in their first practice at their new home Monday.
The new Oscar Smith High School is located at 1994 Tiger Drive, off Great Bridge Boulevard in Chesapeake.
According to athletic director William Myers, the Tigers will work out even though the grass hasn't taken root on their practice field, directly behind the football stadium.
``The contractors are still working on it, but we're getting out there anyway,'' Gates said.
Gates said the Tigers will practice on the essentially grassless field throughout the season, after which another attempt will be made to have grass take root.
The grass problems apparently don't extend to the field inside the stadium, however.
``That field is going to be in great shape for our first game,'' Gates said.
The Tigers' home opener will be Sept. 23, against defending Division 5 state champion Norcom. by CNB