THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411050106
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
THE NEWEST MEMBER of the coaching staff at Norcom High School isn't too sharp on Xs and Os.
But the job has nothing to do with blitzes or quarterback sneaks.
Coach Hattie Redd is responsible for the academic success of the Greyhounds' football team.
Actually, she will be a coach for all the athletes at Norcom. Whatever sport is in season, the athletes will have their academic progress monitored by Redd.
She conducts a special 45-minute session each Monday through Thursday in the school cafeteria.
Redd, a biology teacher in the Portsmouth school system for 23 years, has been at Norcom for two years. Previously she taught at Wilson and at Churchland.
She was selected by the I. C. Norcom Alumni Association to supervise the program. The booster club is paying her an hourly salary.
``Hey,'' said Norcom athletic director and head football coach Joe Langston, ``she's the highest paid coach at the school. But she has the most important job.''
Commonwealth Attorney Martin Bullock, one of the organizers of the annual Norcom awards banquet, said the project is funded by a local social service organization, Atlantic Coast Club. Bullock's son, Jermaine, is a junior and a starter on the football team.
``This is an assistant coach for academics who oversees the classroom progress of all athletes, boys and girls, at Norcom,'' said Bullock.
Redd says she has ``first-hand knowledge of what is required for a student athlete.''
Her son, Alfred, was an All-Southeastern District tackle at Norcom in 1988 and an outstanding performer in track. He earned a full athletic scholarship to Morgan State University.
``I can well remember how he would come home so tired after his practices,'' Redd said. ``But he always knew he had to hit the books.''
Alfred Redd was an honor graduate at Norcom with a 3.0-plus average.
Redd's four sessions each week with the football players runs from 2:15 to 3 p.m. The players then report for football practice.
``I'm letting each of the coaches set up his method of having players attend,'' Redd said. ``Coach Langston has elected to have his entire squad attend.
``He wants those who are exceptional students to work with those who need assistance. We have students here with 3.6 cumulative averages.''
Redd divides the football team into five-person study groups. ``I might have 10th-graders with juniors and seniors or someone who might need help in math with another who is gifted in that subject,'' she said.
For some, it is an opportunity to get an early start on homework. For others, it's a chance to develop better study habits.
``We get progress reports every three weeks,'' Redd said. ``I tell the players that I can tolerate a C but I cannot tolerate a negative comment from a teacher. That must be corrected.
``It can mean that the student goes back to the teacher for extra work.''
Redd said a player will be placed on probation if he fails to project a 2.0 in the classroom.
Langston has informed his football squad that probation means no football practice. And missing football practice means not playing in the games.
Redd also plans to set up sessions to help the athletes prepare to take the Student Assessment Test (SAT).
``I can see a lot of progress already,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Hattie Reed helps Kevin Coles during a study period after school and
before football practice begins.
by CNB