THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 31, 1995 TAG: 9501310400
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Though the Norfolk Sports Club will honor Cox High School's Matt Whalen as the area's top student-athlete, Whalen will be barred from Thursday night's Jamboree.
Blame it on the NCAA.
It's nothing personal. But in order for the University of Florida to avoid a recruiting violation, Whalen or any other high school students must not be present when Steve Spurrier, Florida's football coach, delivers the featured address.
Thursday is the final day of the Division I ``dead period'' for football recruiting. That is, under NCAA rules, Division I football coaches may have no contact with high school students - male, female, athletic or otherwise - 48 hours before or after the national signing period begins for football recruits at midnight Wednesday.
If the Jamboree were even a day later, there would be no conflict because the dead period would be over.
So although Whalen, an All-Tidewater soccer and basketball player, does not play football, he cannot be honored Thursday in Spurrier's presence. Nor can any ninth through 12th grade student in the audience, despite paying $65 per ticket, remain there when Spurrier rises to speak.
Sports Club members will advise students of the special requirement as they enter, Jamboree chairman Alan Stein said, and will escort students from the banquet room at the Waterside Marriott before Spurrier's speech.
``The last thing we want to be is a catalyst for the University of Florida to be sanctioned by the NCAA,'' Stein said. ``We were apologetic as we could be. It's ludicrous that a football coach cannot be in the same room as a soccer player with no intention of going to Florida.''
Instead, Whalen will receive his award from former Virginia basketball coach Terry Holland at a luncheon Thursday that Spurrier will not attend. Holland will repeat the ceremony with Whalen's father, Richard, that night at the Jamboree.
``They can't change the NCAA,'' Matt Whalen said. ``I could understand if (Spurrier) coached the same sport I play, but this is really unnecessary. The most I would do is maybe shake hands with him and say hello.''
Whalen would have been the only high school athlete honored at the Jamboree, and he regrets losing that opportunity.
``Sure it would be great to get it in front of all those people and be part of the big show,'' he said. ``But I'm just happy to receive the award. I'm pretty content with that.''
Stein said the conflict came to light last Monday when Florida officials contacted him to say Spurrier would have to cancel. In September, the Sports Club let Spurrier choose the Jamboree date, Stein said. But in the meantime, the NCAA moved the signing date up one week.
The word from Florida set off an ``agonizing'' three days for Stein in which he worked with the university, which worked with the NCAA, to arrange an agreement that would allow Spurrier to attend.
``The only way he could speak was if they insured that high school students would not be in attendance when he spoke,'' said Jamie McCloskey, Florida's associate athletic director in charge of NCAA compliance. ``If (the Jamboree) was Feb. 9 as opposed to Feb. 2, it's not an issue.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Cox's Matt Whalen will receive his student-athlete award Thursday
afternoon.
by CNB