THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 11, 1994 TAG: 9412090320
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 29 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Hampton Roads Academy's Campbell Delk and Jimmy Moorman and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy's Kevin Blanchard weren't close friends.
They didn't hang out together on weekends.
``If we saw each other on the street we would say hello,'' Delk said. ``We weren't close, but we knew each other from competing against each other in sports.''
What Delk and Moorman did in the wake of Blanchard's tragic death spoke volumes about that athletic bond in the TCIS.
Blanchard, 17, a standout football and basketball player for the Saints, died Aug. 29 from massive head injuries he suffered in a car accident.
Delk and Moorman were unable to attend the funeral because of a soccer game, but they wanted desperately to help.
Delk had seen mention of the Kevin Blanchard Memorial Scholarship Fund in the paper, so he called N-SA basketball coach Trip Hobbs and asked if they could help.
``We were certainly overwhelmed at the gesture,'' Hobbs said. ``A lot of schools in the conference contacted us, and there was a great outpouring of support, but the kids at Hampton Roads floored us a little bit.
``At the time that Campbell called me, the idea of the scholarship was really just an idea, we didn't know where it would go.
``I didn't hear from Campbell for about a week or so and then he called me and said, we've gotten some money together and we'd like to bring it over.''
Delk and Moorman had raised $371 from their classmates.
``I personally was hoping for $100,'' Delk said. ``If you don't know the person, it really doesn't hit you as hard, so I was really surprised.''
Delk said $150 came from various clubs within the school and donations from the classes, but the remainder was out of individual pockets.
``We really didn't think about what we were doing,'' Delk said. ``It was a spur of the moment thing.''
After learning of Blanchard's death, Delk and Moorman went to their headmaster and got permission to address the student body.
``I told them about Kevin,'' Delk said. ``I said that he was a two-sport star. He was loved by the student body. He was one of the biggest, strongest and nicest guys you could meet. You would never have expected this to happen to someone like him.
``They were shocked. You always hear about these things happening to other people. Those who felt it the most were the ones who played basketball against him.''
For the first couple of days after the accident, Delk said he was oblivious to everything that was going on around him.
``I was so flabbergasted,'' Delk said.
Blanchard's absence became all too real again when HRA played N-SA for the first time this season.
``It was different,'' Delk said. ``Kevin was going to be their floor leader this year and definitely one of their strongest players. He has always been such a big force on the court . . . it was really different not having him out there.''
After last Saturday's game, N-SA hosted a reception for all the players and parents and recognized HRA's contribution.
``I think it says a lot about them as people,'' said HRA head basketball coach Max Gillespie. ``I think it says a lot about the closeness of this conference.''
``The TCIS is very competitive,'' Hobbs said. ``To see a rival school step up and make such a statement. . . . Hampton Roads has always been a class act.'' by CNB