THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070419
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 59 lines
The city's high school athletes and coaches will receive a mandatory gambling education before the start of each sports season, Bert Harrell, Norfolk's athletic director for Virginia High School League activities, said on Tuesday.
Gambling became a major concern for the city after allegations last spring of a fix in an Eastern Region basketball playoff game between Maury and Green Run. No criminal charges were filed, but the police investigation did produce evidence of gambling in the stands.
The length, specific content, dates and times of the clinics won't be determined until next week. The clinics will be conducted by Harvey Markman, a Virginia Beach man who has been working with compulsive gamblers for over 25 years.
George Raiss, spokesman for the Norfolk Public Schools, said the clinics stem from a forum given last May by the NBA to 150 of the city's coaches, administrators and principals. The message as presented by NBA vice president for security Horace Balmer: Gambling can happen anytime, anywhere, unless you take action.
``With that, we made the decision that all of our students and coaches need to be educated in all the telltale signs of what to look for, and we need to raise the level of consciousness on the part of everyone. . . . When somebody in that position tells you you might have a potential problem, you pay attention.''
None of the officials contacted by The Virginian-Pilot in other South Hampton Roads cities was aware of a similar program being offered by their districts. But Jim Williford, supervisor of health, physical education and athletics in Portsmouth said he is interested in hearing about the Norfolk initiative. ``I'll be attending an athletic directors' meeting for the Eastern District schools (Wednesday) and that will be an item on the agenda,'' he said.
Markman says he was approached by Norfolk school superintendent Roy D. Nichols Jr. about working with the city's athletes. ``Because of his interest to help the kids, I jumped on it right away,'' said Markman of Virginia Beach.
The clinics will explore the warning signs of gambling - persistent tardiness, borrowing money, preoccupation with the point spread in the newspaper - and examine how the disease can ruin a present and a future.
``For a young guy involved in sports as a participant, it would be very dangerous to make a bet,'' Markman said. Spectator betting will also be discussed, he said.
Markman works closely with Virginia Beach psychiatrist Charles Parker, who has authored a book titled ``Deep Recovery.'' He is a longtime activist for those who share his affliction and is lobbying for a bill in the General Assembly to provide a toll-free Gamblers Anonymous telephone number on the back of Virginia lottery tickets.
Markman wants to establish a toll-free number to put in locker rooms and school newspapers.
``We're willing to sit down with them at any time, any hour, strictly confidential,'' he said. ``My first short-range goal is to try to get a strong relationship, let them become comfortable talking to me on a one-on-one basis, not as a cop. I'm here to help.'' by CNB