THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502170253
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 149 lines
THEY HAD TO REPLACE 12 players from last season's state semifinal team.
So at first glance the fact that the Nansemond River Warriors spent the entire season on top of the Bay Rivers District and vaulted to the No. 1 spot in the state Group AA poll would seem remarkable.
But this is Nansemond River.
No coach in the district doubted for a second that the Warriors would be right where they are today.
``This is a pretty balanced district,'' Smithfield coach Jonathan Penn said. ``Except for Nansemond River.''
If you walk into the gym searching for a reason why, it's not going to stand out.
Practice looks like any other high school practice. Coaches are giving instructions and running drills. Kids are practicing free throws and the group is running a lap every time someone misses.
There is laughter and kids joking around with their buddies. And off to the side stands the head coach.
``You wouldn't know it, but this is serious business,'' Spencer Mayfield said.
If there is just one reason Nansemond River is such a consistent powerhouse, Mayfield is it.
``There is no fancy stuff. His style of play is just play ball and use our heads,'' sophomore standout Antoine Willie said. ``He teaches us well.''
If you ask Mayfield what his secret is, he just grins.
``That's a secret,'' Mayfield said. ``A lot of people have asked me that question. I haven't ever told anybody.
``Belief in what you're doing is part of it, but there is a lot more to it than that.
``These kids are special. I treat them like they are special, if it takes giving them a hard time then I give them a hard time. Discipline is very important. If you don't have discipline on the court you aren't going to have discipline in living.''
Mayfield has said he has taken a lot of flak over the years for his coaching style, but that doesn't matter.
``You can't satisfy a whole lot of people all the time,'' Mayfield said. ``I'm not in this business to make them happy. I'm here for the kids and to bring success to our program.''
That he has done.
During Mayfield's 27-year coaching career at John F. Kennedy and Nansemond River, his teams have won three state championships, five regional titles and 10 district crowns, including this year.
Records don't concern him.
Wins and losses are a concern only to a point.
``I care about how they play,'' Mayfield said. ``Every night you can lose.''
And he may be more likely to scream and holler about a 40-point victory than a one-point loss if the team isn't performing up to his expectations.
``I focus on the things I can fix on any given night and then we move on. Yesterday is behind us and we move on. But we never look beyond the next game.''
The Warriors start every season with the state title as their goal, but they don't talk about it.
When they earned the No. 1 ranking, Mayfield got a lot of advice about not even telling the team about it.
``I think you have to give them credit,'' Mayfield said. ``Some coaches try to coach around things like that. I coach right at it, going right where the problem is.
``You can't run away, you need to attack the problem and talk about what to expect. It puts a lot of extra pressure on the kids.
``When you are No. 1, everybody is trying that much harder to knock you off. They seem to have handled it well.
``If you go out and do the best you can . . . if you give me your best, that's all I can ask and they have got to work together, from the coaching staff to the kids.''
There are no stars here, and there is no room for a head case.
Mayfield has no trouble remembering who instilled this disciplinary style in him.
``I dedicated the rest of my teaching career to Grace Holman,'' Mayfield said of his Booker T. Washington elementary school teacher. ``She was tough.''
And he will be quick to say that on the homefront his wife, Caroline, ``supplies a lot of the glue that holds a family together.''
``She is a remarkable woman.''
The Mayfields have three daughters, and Kelly, the youngest, is a sophomore at - of all places - Lakeland. No doubt that makes for some fun on the home front.
``It's fun,'' Mayfield said. ``She's supposed to pull for her school, that's what it's all about. I make sure she knows Dad's not going to be upset if she roots for her team.''
He doesn't let a lot of people know it, but Mayfield is a deeply religious man.
``I tell my kids I don't care about who you pray to, you just send your message up however it works for you,'' Mayfield said. ``We pray before every game.''
All of that is part of turning his boys into men and that is the most important goal Mayfield has.
State titles are great, but sending kids to college is even better.
``Everyone in this gym is going to be a man someday,'' Mayfield said. ``We start preparing them for that right here.'' MEMO: Anything can happen at tourney time
Probably the biggest surprise in the Bay Rivers District this season
was Smithfield's victories over York and Poquoson.
The victories gave the Packers their first district wins in two years
and gave first-year head coach Jonathan Penn a lot to build on.
The Packers finished out of the cellar, one game ahead of Poquoson.
To nobody's surprise Nansemond River led the district for the entire
season with Lakeland and Southampton duking it out for second place.
But now, everybody is 0-0 and anything can happen at tournament time.
Don't count on any extraordinary events in the first round. Nansemond
River and Lakeland should advance with ease.
Southampton shouldn't have trouble with Bruton on the Indians' home
turf, but consistency has been a bit of a problem for the Indians.
Franklin won a tight match with York last week. Expect Tuesday's
rematch with the Falcons to be a repeat.
The first round gets under way Tuesday night with the high seeds
hosting.
Thursday and Friday nights the tournament moves to York with games
scheduled for 6:30 and 8:15.
- Denise Michaux
ILLUSTRATION: MAKING MEN THE MAYFIELD WAY
ON THE COVER
Nansemond River guard Leroy Skinner listens to head basketball coach
Spencer Mayfield during a district game. The cover picture was taken
by staff photographer Michael Kestner.
Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Nansemond River guard LeRoy Skinner fights to control a loose ball
against Franklin's Klade Williams, center at top, and Mike Williams,
center at front.
Coach Mayfield jumps to his feet and shouts to the officials after a
York player trips up Nansemond River guard Reginald Holliman. ``When
you are No. 1, everybody is trying that much harder to knock you
off,'' he says.
Coach Spencer Mayfield gives Montoria Valentine some instructions.
No one but the players know what magic the coach weaves to mold his
players into winners. ``These kids are special,'' Mayfield says. ``I
treat them like they are special. If it takes giving them a hard
time, then I give them a hard time.''
by CNB