THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410160190
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
For the third year running, the Old Dominion women's basketball team greeted a new season with a Midnight Madness extravaganza at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, the first day Division I teams were allowed to practice.
``It's a wonderful thing for the student body, the academic community and the people of Hampton Roads,'' said Lady Monarchs coach Wendy Larry. ``There's a lot of excitement and anticipation of the moment.
``We've been waiting a long time for Oct. 15th to roll around.''
The Lady Monarchs have nine players returning from last year's Colonial Athletic Association champion team, including starters Sarah Willyerd and Shonda Deberry.
Although it was the first day for practice, the Lady Monarchs didn't go through any drills during the late-night hoop fest, opting instead to interact with the crowd in 3-point shooting and other demonstrations.
Larry got down to business with her team later Saturday, running through the first ``real'' practice as players showed their stuff and competed for starting positions.
BENCH DECORUM, PLEASE: On Wednesday, Larry and her assistants attended a NCAA teleconference on officiating women's basketball. Several new and adapted rules were discussed, along with aspects of the game the NCAA plans to emphasize this season.
One point of emphasis, involving ``bench decorum,'' will require a few changes to be made among Old Dominion's assistant coaches.
Essentially, the provision states that everyone on the bench, except the head coach, must be seated when the game clock is running. In the past, referees have been lax about requiring assistant coaches to stay in their chairs. That will change.
``Inhibiting assistants from being involved is going to be detrimental, especially when they're in charge of coaching a certain player or position on the court,'' Larry said.
On the first offense, the referee will give the bench a group warning. The second offense will result in a technical foul.
``The assistants are just going to have to change their coaching styles,'' Larry said.
``But my greatest fear is that we'll end up with a seatbelt rule. Coaches will basically have to strap themselves into their seats and sit there.''
Larry wasn't very concerned with many of the other points of emphasis - such as illegal post play, illegal screens and impeding the progress of a player - because going over the rules is something the Old Dominion staff does anyway. What concerned Larry most is the emphasis on off-court behavior.
``There are only two officials in a conference game, and it's very, very difficult for two officials to carry a game, much less screen for behavior,'' she said. The NCAA has directed its referees to be vigilant of things like players' and coaches' language, negative incitement of the crowd, and head coaches leaving the sideline coaching box.
``Something is going to have to be sacrificed,'' Larry said. ``I just hope it's not the integrity of the game.''
RECRUITING TIME: The teleconference had the additional benefit of letting the Lady Monarchs coaches stay close to home during this peak recruiting time. The early signing day is Nov. 9.
``(The teleconference) is wonderful because in the past we've been required to fly halfway across the country. . . . This made things a lot easier and more efficient,'' Larry said.
Larry has left no stone unturned in recruiting, and it's paid off in the signing of such players as Patricia Penicheiro (from the Portuguese National Team), and Clarisse Machanguana from Mozambique, a teammate of Penicheiro's on the Santerem (Portugal) club team. by CNB