THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 9, 1996 TAG: 9610090550
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 60 lines
Mark Dodd teaches Navy SEALs how to blend into the scenery and blow up things. All in all, not bad training for an offensive lineman.
And for the past three seasons, he's helped his Hampton Roads Sharks teammates learn the finer points of hand-to-hand combat - on the football field.
``He's a football guru,'' says fellow lineman Richard Cobb about Dodd, who plays left guard. ``He's always reading books on it. When we started doing the Wing-T, he knew everything there was to know about it.''
Dodd, 33, served as the team captain and offensive line player/coach before a coach was brought on board two weeks ago. ``He commands respect,'' Cobb says. ``When I came out for the team, I wondered what the guy did. He was always beating everybody in sprints, doing more reps of 225 pounds on the bench, everything.
``When I found out he was a SEAL. . . . It was like, `Wow'! ''
SEAL training helped Dodd, 6 feet, 260 pounds, get into the starting lineup three years ago. The physical and mental challenges SEALs must endure had him game-ready when practice started.
After playing fullback and linebacker for Bayside, Dodd graduated in 1981 and spent a couple of years ``hanging around'' Tidewater Community College. He joined the Navy at 20 and has been a SEAL for the last 12 years - the past four at Group 2 as an instructor.
But there was a desire to get back into football.
``When I got stationed at SEAL Team 2, I finally had time to look for something,'' Dodd says. ``I heard about the Sharks and decided to check them out. As a SEAL, I was in good shape, but I didn't know if I'd make it or not. I didn't have any idea how good these guys were.''
That changed at the first practice, when Dodd's confidence soared after seeing he could compete. Now he's a mainstay with the team.
``Man, I just really love the game,'' says Dodd, whose Sharks play their next-to-last home game of the season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Kempsville High. ``My wife of 12 years, my three daughters, my mom, my sister, they all come out to the games and that's a great feeling to look up and see them in the stands. The fellowship with the other players, just everything about the game.''
Those qualities appeal to Sharks owner and head coach T.J. Morgan.
``He's a role model,'' Morgan says. ``And he's a gladiator. Football is a man's game and he wants to test himself. He's always working at it, becoming stronger, faster.''
Dodd sees football in his future. He's taking college classes, and hopes to teach and coach at a high school.
``I'd coach anywhere,'' he says. ``That's just what I'd really love to do when I get out. I think I can do it.''
So do those he's already taught. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
STEVE EARLEY/The Virginian-Pilot
Sharks coach T.J. Morgan calls Mark Dodd ``a role model and a
gladiator. Football is a man's game and he wants to test himself.
He's always working at it, becoming stronger, faster.'' by CNB