THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512200155
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 11 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Sports Editor
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Notes and quotes from some of the sports people around the city during 1995:
Churchland's Bill Strickland, talking about his duties as an athletic director: ``I remember once when I was a coach we had nine athletic teams in the various sports. Now we have 25. I can tell you it takes many additional hours, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,020 in a year, to serve as athletic director.''
Boo Williams, who runs an area Amateur Athletic Union basketball program: ``The day of seeing dumb players run up and down the court is over. The most important thing is academics. One day that basketball will stop bouncing. What then?''
D. J. Dozier, a football star at Kempsville High School, Penn State and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL: ``There is nothing I can boast about that I did. I'm held accountable to use the talents God gave me.''
Tim Laws, who teaches girls how to pitch in fast-pitch softball: ``There are 750 colleges and universities offering softball as a sport now. And this is a good vehicle for a girl to get a scholarship. A good pitcher with good grades can do very well for herself.''
Turij Toplak, who hails from Ljubljana, Slovenia and played defense on the Wilson soccer team: ``At home I play tennis, ski or ride a bicycle. I learned to play soccer here.''
Tom McKnight, after sinking the winning putt on a one-hole playoff with Lee Eagleton for the Eastern Amateur championship: ``I wasn't thinking of missing. But I did spend a lot of time in the rough in that last round. My ankles are all raw from walking in the tall grass.''
Rolando Lamb, ex-Cradock High School and former Virginia Commonwealth University basketball star: ``I hope we can help create role models who can bring integrity back into the sports world. Would you ever think of playing sports and winning a championship without knowing the rules? To win in life, you must obey God's rules.''
Joe Taylor, football coach at Hampton University: ``X's and O's are fine. But they don't win ball games. Plays don't make players. Players make plays.''
And a few last-minute reminders for Santa to bring:
A press box at Churchland Stadium similar to the one at Oscar Smith and a stadium at Norcom more like the one the Tigers have. . . .
A state championship baseball or softball title for one of the Portsmouth high school teams. . . .
A Major Little League state championship for the city for the first time ever. . . .
A Pinboy's of Portsmouth. . . .
No more water lines through Portsmouth for Norfolk and somebody in an official capacity in this city to demand the roads be returned to their original condition before the invasion. . . .
More space for the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. . . .
More bleachers at Churchland Middle School for soccer fans. . . .
Fewer mosquitoes at Churchland High School for football fans. . . .
The best Eastern Amateur ever for its 40th anniversary. . . .
And a MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. by CNB