THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 27, 1995 TAG: 9509260104
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Sports Editor
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
WITH 25 LOSSES in a row after last season, the Kellam football team had trouble finding support.
Except from a group of parents who weren't about to let their kids think they were enduring everything by themselves.
Thus, the Kellam Touchdown Club was formed. Working separately from any booster club efforts, the KTC went at the business last January of raising funds to help make some improvements in how the team looked.
The goal was to get enough money to buy new uniforms and helmets, other equipment and what ever else might help.
The KTC out-did itself - raising nearly $15,000.
``Being 0-25, well, the kids needed some kind of a boost,'' KTC president Rich Merritt said. ``We wanted the kids and coaches to know that we were 100 percent behind them.''
The club's members did everything possible to come up with the money - working as ushers for Norfolk Tides games, running a 5K race, holding 50/50 raffles at sporting events, you name it.
At football games, the members are selling Kellam stadium blankets and holding more 50/50 raffles. Next month, they are staging a golf tournament at Honey Bee.
At home games, the club has its own section to sit in, and the members travel to all away games.
``We had more people at the Norview game than Norview did,'' Merritt said. ``And it was pouring down rain at that game.''
And that's when the Knights broke their losing streak after receiving their new helmets. Uniforms were supposed to be delivered for the home opener against Salem, but didn't arrive on time.
The 25-member club also painted the locker room and bought a new kicking net for the sidelines. Members also feed the team before each game.
``We really appreciate everything they've done for the kids,'' coach Chris Worst said. ``It means a lot to them to know that there are people who are behind them.''
Ocean Lakes High football player Jack Wheeler has been named one of 25 Virginia finalists for the Wendy's High School Heisman award.
The award is based on scholarship, athletics and citizenship and Wheeler is now eligible to compete for a regional award in the program sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Two Kellam field hockey players were inadvertently left out of last Friday's Beach District preview.
Kelly Burns is a junior forward, while RayeJean McMichael is a junior midfielder.
A first-ever fund-raising race for the Regional Group and Crisis Intervention homes will be held Dec. 9.
The Santa Claus Shuffle will feature a 5K run and a one-mile fun walk/run and will be held in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Registration is $12 and there is a $1 parking fee.
For more information on the race, call Denise Andros-Mullins at 422-5044 or 428-7566. MEMO: Got an interesting sports-related story to tell? Call The Beacon at
490-7228 or write to The Beacon, Sports Department, 4565 Virginia Beach
Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462. To fax it, call 490-7235.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Karen Merritt of the Kellam Touchdown Club cheers the team after a
play recently at the Kellam High stadium. Kellam played Salem High.
by CNB