THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604050153
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 29 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
The Hampton Roads Sharks want people to know they are serious about their football and, almost as important, their place in the community.
Members of the second-year organization realize that in the eyes of some, they are not taken seriously when it comes to the game that is at the very heart of their existence.
Let's face it, this isn't the NFL we're talking about here.
But minor league football does, however, have a place in our community. And at the minor league level, the Sharks are about as good as it gets - playing last year at the highest level in the country. The team was even ranked No. 3 at one point last year.
Many of the games provide outstanding entertainment because there is, believe it or not, quite a bit of talent out there. The organization provides an outlet for athletes who still have a little bit of the game left in them and it has, in the past, served as a stepping stone to the CFL and even the NFL.
The Sharks started taking it one step further last year by trying to find scholarships for players with remaining collegiate eligibility.
But football is only half of what the Sharks want to be known for, and members of the organization spoke at length Wednesday about the team's role in the community.
Last year, the first season for new owner T.J. Morgan and his staff, members of the Sharks were involved in more than 150 promotional activities from Williamsburg to Elizabeth City, N.C. Most of those events were in some way tied in with youngsters.
The organization was involved in the Partners in Performance Program and worked with several Virginia Beach elementary schools.
And if words are any indication, look for much, much more of the same this year.
In fact, giving a little back to the community is why Morgan got involved with the franchise in the first place.
``We're pro-active in the community,'' Morgan said. ``From everything I've ever read, the No. 1 thing for success is being pro-active. And even before we were the Sharks, most of the people in our organization were extremely pro-active in the community.''
Morgan says perception is 90 percent of reality and he's right - people's perception is their reality.
But when it comes to the Sharks the unfavorable perception of some isn't really fair. Those folks might be better off putting things into perspective - taking a step back to look at how the team fits in here, not in the bigger picture that is pro football.
In their realm, their Sharks are good for the community - providing a entertainment value and an interesting brand of football at the level they play.
And the community involvement is a huge plus that simply cannot be overlooked. MEMO: The Sharks have gone on line and information about the team and upcoming
events appear on the Sharks Home Page at http;//www.pilotonline.com/
by CNB