THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 9, 1994 TAG: 9408090540
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
They have a new school, a new stadium and, perhaps most importantly, a new, can-do attitude.
The next step, say the Oscar Smith Tigers, is to forge a new tradition - one that involves winning more games than they lose.
``We've decided we're not going to be the doormat anymore,'' junior linebacker-guard Larry Stepney said.
Stepney and some 40 other Tiger varsity football hopefuls began work towards their escape from the Southeastern District cellar Monday in their first practice at their new home on aptly named Tiger Drive off Great Bridge Boulevard.
Oscar Smith High was formerly located at 2500 Rodgers St.
``This is exciting,'' Oscar Smith coach Charlie Stukes said. ``You can see the enthusiasm of the kids. And the coaches are excited, the administration is excited. . . . Everybody's looking forward to getting this thing started.''
Of course, one reason the Tigers are eager to look forward is because there's not much joy in looking back. Oscar Smith hasn't had a winning season since 1983. Last year, the Tigers hit rock bottom by joining Kellam as the area's only winless team. And when Oscar Smith opens its season Sept. 2 at Maury, the Tigers will be trying to snap a 13-game losing streak.
But if the players are carrying around any baggage from past failures, it wasn't evident Monday. The Tigers think respectability is just around the corner, and more and more students are turning out to be a part of it.
Although just over 40 players took part in Monday's opening practice, Stukes said he expects to have 60 on hand later this week, which would represent a 10 percent increase over last year's total.
``We've got some things to prove,'' senior tailback-safety Kevin Bethea said.
``Maybe we can go from worst to first,'' Stepney added.
Of course, such confident talk is a trademark of all teams during the preseason, a time when everyone expects to be good.
The Tigers, however, insist that their new outlook isn't a motivational ploy, but something that has been slowly developing for months.
A key moment came last spring when the players were given a tour of their new home.
``When we looked around here and saw that nice gym and everything, it really got us motivated,'' Stepney said.
Over the summer, the players hit the weight room with renewed vigor. Those who didn't want to get with the program, got out of the program.
``Last year we had a lot of jokers, negative players who were out there only because they had nowhere else to go,'' Bethea said. ``The guys we've got out here now really want to play.''
The ideal scenario would have been for Oscar Smith to open the season with a rousing and momentum-building victory in their new stadium in front of a partisan crowd. Hollywood isn't scripting this season, though. The Tigers won't play at the new digs until Sept. 23, their fourth game.
But at Oscar Smith, they say they're not going to worry about things they can't control.
``Hey, we don't care where we play,'' Bethea said. ``Here, there, anywhere. We just want to play football.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by IAN MARTIN
Oscar Smith's Ricky Harris rambles along as the Tigers officially
opened up their summer workouts Monday.
[Photo appeared on Page C1 of the Sports section on the same date.]
by CNB