THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 22, 1997 TAG: 9702220266
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 102 lines
School division officials have replaced the head wrestling coach at I.C. Norcom High School and suspended two Norcom wrestlers following what officials called unsportsmanlike conduct at the Eastern District wrestling championships in Norfolk last weekend.
Thomas Fuller, Norcom's former assistant wrestling coach, is now acting as head coach, division officials confirmed Friday. Elijah ``Buddy'' Sharp, who isn't otherwise employed by the school system, was stripped of coaching duties.
The two students, already blocked from further competitions this season under Virginia High School League rules governing unsportsmanlike conduct, were also suspended from school for disrespecting competition authorities, school officials said.
Some city residents sympathize with the students involved -simply because they're youngsters. But many are still wondering why Sharp reportedly initiated a physical confrontation with a referee at last Saturday's tournament at Lake Taylor High School.
Sharp, 40, said he erred in raising his fists at a referee. But he said he did so only because he felt the referee might have otherwise struck him in the face - as the referee signaled that Sharp was to be ejected from the competition.
``It was inappropriate that I reacted to jump back in a defensive posture,'' Sharp said Friday. ``. . . That's the only mistake I made.''
Tournament organizers who witnessed the event, and Portsmouth school officials who interviewed people about it and also reviewed a videotape, reached a different conclusion.
Sharp, they said, was out of line.
The incident has embarrassed the Portsmouth school system, which has recently focused on teaching students more about character traits such as honesty and responsibility.
It also stunned people who know Sharp as a city activist.
Sharp, who has taught at Hampton University, is president of Portsmouth's United Civic League of Cavalier Manor and a member of the School Board's volunteer ``oversight committee,'' which looks into equity issues among city elementary schools.
Last year, he unsuccessfully campaigned for a board seat.
``I've never seen an outburst from him,'' said Carlton M. Carrington, a Cavalier Manor resident who's active in the neighborhood civic league and also sits on the oversight committee.
Sixteen-year-old Wendell Towe, a Norcom junior, wrestled for about a month this school year.
``That doesn't sound like him at all,'' he said.
Even so, such an incident besmirches the entire community, Carrington said - especially when it involves someone in a leadership position.
It's unclear how Sharp's civic league will respond or how his status as an oversight committee member will be affected.
At the competition, Sharp reportedly was fuming after a third-period penalty point called by referee Kevin Beardsley against Norcom wrestler Donell Blount.
The penalty point that angered Sharp tied the match; before that penalty was called, Blount had been winning the match against an opponent from Norfolk's Booker T. Washington High School.
Beardsley, interviewed Friday, said Sharp bumped him twice with his chest. Sharp denied that - although he said he might have inadvertently brushed against him while questioning what Sharp considered a bad call.
After what Beardsley said was the second bump, he said he turned around and found Sharp with his fists raised.
Beardsley, who has officiated the sport for 13 years, said he grabbed Sharp to avoid getting hit.
Sharp was ejected from the tournament, which essentially cut off his participation.
Blount was later ejected for refusing to shake hands with the victorious Booker T. opponent. Blount also threw his headgear, a violation of conduct rules.
A few moments later, Norcom wrestler Ayrban Parker reportedly charged toward Beardsley. Parker was also ejected.
Beardsley said he wouldn't seek criminal charges against Sharp.
Still, he said he had never witnessed such behavior from a coach, especially one who previously had not caused trouble.
Norcom Principal Walter Taylor Jr. described the incident as unfortunate - but isolated.
After reviewing a videotape of the tournament and interviewing witnesses, he and other administrators concluded that Sharp and the two students behaved inappropriately.
Even if the three felt some of the calls were unfair, their reactions were not warranted, Taylor said.
``I have talked individually with each (Norcom) coach since September, and we have a monthly session for all of the coaches,'' Taylor said.
``We talk about conduct, keeping control of teams . . . and how it's not always about just winning.''
Taylor said he would continue the sessions, with the goal of improving them.
``If things are not right, we will make them right,'' he said.
A representative from the Virginia High School League - which oversees many competitive, high school activities - said Friday he had yet to receive all of the reports on the matter.
For Norcom, the incident was the second this school year in which things got out of hand at an extra-curricular event.
Last fall, marching bands representing Norcom and Booker T. clashed at a football game at Booker T. ILLUSTRATION: Elijah "Buddy" Sharp
KEYWORDS: WRESTLING COACH SUSPENSION FIRING
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT