THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9502020463
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
For as long as she can remember, Kellam's Ann Marie Bowdoin wanted to play basketball at William and Mary.
With a 3.82 grade-point average and a score of 1,140 on the SAT, Bowdoin is academically qualified.
She also has the basketball numbers. Her 22.4 scoring average is tops in South Hampton Roads.
What she doesn't have, however, are the skills to play point guard, which was William and Mary's primary recruiting need.
Bowdoin, 17, was upset when she learned last fall that the Tribe wouldn't recruit her. Like many times before, she called upon her faith to pull her through.
``We're a Christian family,'' Bowdoin said. ``We were praying about it. We were saying, `C'mon, Lord, we don't know what to do.' ''
Bowdoin's prayers were answered quicker than a backdoor layup. The next day, Liberty assistant Jeri Whiley contacted the Bowdoins to express an interest.
``It was a blessing,'' Bowdoin said.
Bowdoin had heard from people at her church that Liberty provided a beautiful atmosphere where she could receive a quality education and play basketball.
``We thought she wasn't interested in us,'' Liberty coach Rick Reeves said. ``But we heard her name so much that I thought we'd just give her a call.''
That call paid off. After a few telephone conversations and a home visit, Bowdoin accepted Reeves' offer for a full scholarship to the Division I school.
Her parents and family friends wondered whether she had made her decision too hastily, but something inside Bowdoin told her that she had done the right thing.
She was right. A few weeks later, after she signed her letter of intent on Nov. 9, she made a visit to Liberty and it was a perfect match.
``It's wonderful,'' she said. ``The people are the nicest, and perfect strangers will look out for you.''
Bowdoin was even more thrilled when she sat down with her future teammates for a meal and saw that they, like she had always done, prayed before they ate. She finally would get the chance to go to school and play basketball with a group of people who were just as dedicated to their spirituality as she was.
``It's the core of who I am,'' she said. ``Not only with athletics, but with school and friends. In public school, you get used to the craziness. It's kind of sad. They don't seem to care. Everybody gets caught up in what looks good.
``But in the Bible, it says you're supposed to do your best for God. I could have gone along with the crowd. But my parents told me that if I want something, I should go out and get it. When you have a goal, it doesn't matter about peer pressure if you want to reach it.''
Kellam coach Steve Strausbaugh can attest to that.
``This is a hard-working girl,'' he said. ``She doesn't even leave practice. She'll hang around and play with the boys for two more hours. She's a workaholic. She comes to play every night.''
Though Bowdoin is a tremendous force in the paint and has scored more than 1,000 career points, Kellam is 3-12 this season.
That hasn't shaken Liberty's faith in Bowdoin.
``When we recruit a kid, the first thing we look for is attitude,'' Reeves said. ``We look for the kind of kids who want to play in a Christian atmosphere.
``I have two daughters who are 14 and 15. She's the kind of kid I hope my daughters are like. The thing that impressed me the most is the admiration and respect she has from the opposing coaches.
``There was no doubt that we wanted to sign this kid, and we made the offer, which right now is valued at about $15,000 a year. That's quite an investment over four or five years. That's how much we think of her.''
The feeling is mutual.
``It's one thing to be a basketball player and it's another to be a Christian basketball player,'' said Bowdoin, who will make the transition from small forward to guard in college. ``At Liberty, it's a whole new thing. The people there are just like you - they're Christians and they're on your team.'' ILLUSTRATION: LAWRENCE JACKSON/Staff
``The people are the nicest, and perfect strangers will look out for
you,'' Ann Marie Bowdoin says of Liberty University.
by CNB