Page 6
The Clarion
Tuesday, April 21,1981
TORNADO
SPORTS
Sports Views
Do Coaches and Athletes Allow
Success to Effect Their Character
by Ray Duckworth
What kind of persons are
coaches and athletes? Webster’s
Dictionary defines a coach as one
who instructs players in the
fundamentals of a competitive
sport and directs team strategy.
Meanwhile, this same source
explains an athlete as being one
who is trained to compete in
exercise, sports or games
requiring physical strength,
agility, or stamina. However, do
some of these individuals allow
success to effect their per
sonalities?
In his book. They Call Me
Coach, John Wooden defines
success in this way:
Success is a peace of mind
which is a direct result of
Self-satisfaction in knowing
you
did your best to become the
Best you are capable of
becoming.
Nevertheless, some coaches
drill the point of winning as the
ultimate goal into the minds of
players. Then these same
coaches gripe if their team
doesn’t get publicity.
How much effect does the
coach’s push for winning have on
athletes? Wooden also mentions
in this book, “We who coach have
great influence on the lives of all
the young men (and women) who
come under our supervision, and
the lives we lead will play an
important role in their future. It
is essential that we regard this as
a sacred trust and set the
example that we know is right. ’ ’
Coach Wooden makes a good
statement, for the coach’s at
titude will affect the athlete’s
character. What is character?
Webster’s defines character as
being one of the attributes or
features that make up and
distinguish the individual. Yet,
some athletes allow the coache’s
attitude about publicity to get
involved with their character.
How do some coaches and
athletes allow winning to effect
their characters? Anyone with
interest in the sports field can
recall the beginning of the past
college football season when five
schools from the Pacific Ten
Conference were banned from
post season play for recruitment
violations committed while
trying to win. The fan can also
remember when, in January, a
gambler said he had paid former
players at Boston College money
to shave points in basketball
games during the 1978-79 season.
These are only two examples in
which character has been
destroyed for some coaches and
athletes.
Do the mentors and players not
realize they are destroying their
own character when they become
more concerned about publicity
than just being satisfied with
what they can do to help one
another? Some of these in
dividuals need to realize that
respectability comes from being
a person concerned with the
betterment of everyone.
In the sixth editon of In
troduction to Psychology, the
authors, Richard A. King, Clif
ford T. Morgan and Nancy M.
Robinson, make two definitions
of personality. One definition can
describe some coaches and
athletes. The authors write.
Type A persons are hard-
driving and competitive. They
live under constant pressure,
largely of their own making.
They seek recognition and ad
vancement and take on multiple
activities with deadlines to meet.
Much of the time they may
function well as alert, competent,
efficient people who get things
done. When put under stressful
conditions they cannot control,
however, they are likely to
become hostile, impatient,
anxious and disorganized.
Again a prime example is when
these coaches and athletes seek
publicity rather than character.
Not all coaches and athletes act
in this manner, so maybe the
ones who do not seek publicity
can help those others who do.
When this action does happen, the
sports field will be more en
joyable for the coaches and
athletes involved as well as to the
interested fans.
Since this is the final issue of
this year’s Clarion, I want to
express thanks to advisor Ken
Chamlee and editor Kathi
Levine, and many other persons
who helped with this year’s
publication. This column has
been written with the intent of
keeping the sports fan informed
on what has happened in the
national sports scene this year.
Scronce and Gourley Do
Well At Converse Tennis Day
by Ray Duckworth
The team of Erin Gourley and
Lorraine Scronce finished fourth
out of seven teams participating
in the Converse Tennis Day at
Converse College on April IL
This duo defeated players from
Mars Hill, Gardner-Webb and
Catawba Colleges. The schools
that finished ahead of Brevard
were Appalachian State, Win-
throp and Converse.
The day before second seeded
Scronce led the team to a 5-4
victory over Tusculum College by
winning the 10 game pro set
matches with a 10-7 score. Other
winners include Abbie Ballard,
10-4, Jane Preston, 10-8, and Alice
Earnest, lO-l. The team of
Earnest-Jamye Cartner won the
team’s only doubles match
victory by a score of 10-1.
The Lady Racqueteers suffered
a 6-3 defeat to Lees-McRae
College on Wednesday, April 8.
The three wins for Brevard in
cluded singles victories by
Scronce, 6-4, 6-0, and Ballard 6-3,
6-3, as well as a 10-4 doubles
victory by the duo of Scronce-
Preston in a pro set match.
However, the loss to Lees-
McRae was sandwiched between
victories, for on Monday, April 6,
the ladies won another outing by
defeating Milligan 5-4. The
winners for the Tornados were
Gourley, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, Scronce 6-1,
6-4, Ballard 6-0, 7-6, and Sue
Graves by forfeit. The number
three doubles teams also won by
forfeit.
Coach Anderson and the team
give a big thanks to Linda Lovely
for all her work given to the
team. Furthermore, the team
wishes thanks to everyone who
has come and cheered during
their matches. Coach A. wishes a
big thanks to the rainbow beret, a
group of guys who wore a
spectrum of colored hats while
watching the team.
Eric Day practices steeple chase. The work pays off as
he finishes fourth at Davidson. (Photo by Steve Rabey).
Track Team Finishes
Sixth At Davidson Meet
Perhaps it was the spring
feeling which spurned the track
team on in the Davidson Relays,
because the results of the April
4th meet at Davidson College
were excellent - 33*4 points.
Coach Witek was proud of the
team’s performance, mentioning
that it was the first time he had
seen the team compete with such
unity and spirit.
Brevard placed sixth overall,
competing against teams like
Appalachian State, Virginia
Tech, and Furman. In com
parison, Brevard Region X junior
college rival, Ferrum, could only
finish 18th out of the 24 schools
competing.
Two school records were
broken, one at the hands of big
Wilbert Carter, who hurled the
discus an impressive 166’6” to
break the long standing record.
Wilbert placed third in the discus
and sixth in the shot. The
Distance Medley Relay Team,
consisting of Jim Shires, Tim
Cooke, Dan Clay and Mark
Kennard, broke the 15 year old
record by one second, finishing
third overall (10:14.0).
Another impressive double was
produced by Bobby Sulfridge who
finished third in the triple jump
(47’5y4”) and fourth in the long
jump (22’10”). Bobby might have
won the long jump had he not
fouled on his better jumps in
which he floated over the 23’
mark. Some mention should be
made of Kennard’s anchor legs in
the distance medley (mile - 4:07)
and sprint medley (800 meters —
1:51.9).
Other mentionable noteables
include Eric Day’s fourth place
finish in the steeple chase with a
time of 9:37.6. He was followed
closely by teammate Randy
Ward who finished sixth with a
time of 9:45.4. Ed Fore finished
fifth in the 10,000 meters (31:44.6)
while Roger Saltsman came in
sixth (31:50.6). Two more team
members did well: John Delaney
finished fourth in the 5000 meters
in a time of 14:59.0, and Bobby
Baxter cleared the high jump
with a leap of 6’4” for sixth place.
“(]oii^ralu la I ion s
Class Of 1981"
Brush and Palette
37 EAST Main ST.
BREVARD. NORTH CAROLINA
704-883-2160
IPISGAH LANES
I Open 9-midnight
• FREE game
I with this ad.^ _ ^