THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 24, 1996 TAG: 9606240147
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 66 lines
A blazing midafternoon sun had drained the life out of a crowd of about 500, so referee John Brady decided to liven things up.
Brady picked up Rip Tide, the blue-haired mascot of the Norfolk Tides, and body-slammed him to the asphalt. Play continued behind them as Rip Tide made angry gestures and emcee Jack Ankerson provided a blow-by-blow account.
Minutes later, a team representing the Hot Tuna restaurant skated onto the asphalt. With T-shirts tied in knots to bare their midriffs, the all-female team bore some resemblance to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Former Admirals star Dennis McEwen whistled, turned around and said: ``Whoa! No married guys in this game.''
Such was the scene Sunday for the Admirals Challenge, a marathon of 16 roller hockey games played in the Cape Henry Plaza shopping center parking lot to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The 16 teams paid $150 each to play two 12-minute halves against former and current Hampton Roads Admirals.
The atmosphere was clearly laid-back. The ``rink'' consisted of a mesh net and two makeshift goals. No checking was allowed, and fans at one end had to duck at times to miss being splashed by a dunking pool - for $3, you got three chances to dunk an Admiral.
There was a T-shirt stand, a kiosk selling roller blades and a radar gun to test the speed of your slap shot. Several thousand fans and onlookers caught at least a brief glimpse of the event, which began at 11 a.m. and ended at 7 p.m.
The marathon raised $4,000 last year. Organizers think they may have doubled that take this year and hope to double it again next, even though the inspiration for the challenge is leaving town.
The charity event was born because of Justin Sokolowski, an 18-year-old Virginia Beach resident and an ardent Admirals fan who has muscular dystrophy, a fatal disease that attacks the central nervous system. He is moving to Plant City, Fla., as soon as his parents' Kempsville home sells.
Ex-Admiral Brendan Curley, an assistant producer for WAVY-TV, conceived of the idea last year while at a muscular dystrophy camp in Wakefield, Va., visiting Sokolowski.
``I figured there's got to be a way to make money for this charity through hockey,'' Curley said. ``We looked for a way so that people could get something for their money, a way to make it fun for everyone.''
WAVY sports director Bruce Rader made the contacts for Curley with local businesses, and the Admirals Challenge was on its way.
Former Admirals David Buckley, Pat Cavanaugh, Kelly Sorensen and Bill Harrington joined Curley, McEwen and current Admirals star Rod Taylor in this year's challenge.
The Admirals were 13-1-1 Sunday. Their tie came against the Bad News Blades, a team coached by Sokolowski. The Admirals took it easy on Sokolowski's charges. Rachel Murden, Sokolowski's escort at most Admirals games, scored the tying goal. Dawn Gruber, girlfriend of Admirals assistant coach Al MacIsaac, scored two.
Mark Garcea, the new majority owner of the Admirals, dropped by and was impressed. He donated $1,000 and said the Admirals will become official sponsors of the challenge next year.
Sokolowski was besieged by Admirals fans wanting to say goodbye.
``I told Justin we wouldn't do it next year without him,'' Curley said. ``He told me his parents would bring him back.'' ILLUSTRATION: L. TODD SPENCER
Kevin Hoyt drops to block a shot by ex-Admiral David Buckley during
Sunday's Admirals Challenge at Cape Henry Plaza. by CNB