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Keeping In Practice
Kasumbu Decarvalho, a seventh-grader at Wiley
snort, desnite its feu; fans in the Tu/in Citv. Until fc
-I- - 1 w
is a public official (photo by James Parker).
For a city she cou,
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A Bio Move
Denise Purdie: The bright, sunny days are respons
(photo by James Parker).
Shouting a "had" word or two and kicking the nearest
inanimate object (as I'm sure the lower half of the floorlevel
bleacher nearest the announcer's table would complain
about if it could talk) is all in a night's work for
On the bench witl
By JcJl-fN SLADE
Chronicle Assistant Editor
His players call him ''Chief" but he's known to the rest
of the basketball world as "Bighouse." And I'm proud
to know him.
Anybody who has attended a WSSU basketball game
knows that' "Bighouse" is not just a coach: He's a
showman, and one of the extra pleasures of going to see
the Rams.
The story goes that Clarence E. Gaines became
"Bighouse" when, at Morgan State, one of his coaches
couldn't think of anything bigger than his star player but
a house, and thus "the frame begot the name," quipped
News Argus, WSSU's student newspaper. It's that same,
somewhat intimidating frame that demands attention
both on and off the court.
Though he plays down his status as one of college
basketball's winningest coaches, it's no secret that the
Hall of Famer has won more than 720 ball games during
his 37-year tenure at WSSU and lately has been the subject
of television documentaries and magazine stories.
Neither does he fit the stereotype of most celebrities,
which is to say that he's usually accessible and easy to
talk to. During
a home game, it all begins in the locker room,
4
V
. v'
^Magazine
Spiel
hi<
an
cl2
Junior High School, says soccer is his favorite ba
>ur years ago, he lived in Angola, where his father
an
^ i! 1
xun i evenu
BBy AUDREY L. WILLIAMS
Chronicle Staff Writer
Denise Wright Purdie, or ;
teases, "Denise 'right* Purdie,"
heard of Winston-Salem, N.
received an invitation from th<
Winston-Salem State Universf
employment opportunity at the
"This was a big move for me i
.old daughter (Fatina)," she sa:
everything lock, stock and ban
^ Winston-Salem, which I couldr
? the
"I really didn't know wher
^ researched its economics, leisun
the almanac and looked for
Purdie
tu? ii ~ i a n i:_
i irc jj-yc<ti-uiu ruiuic, v
gy- Chancellor H. Douglas Cc
ministrative assistant, came to
last June by way of Syracuse, b
worked as a litigations attorney
vices of Central New York. Hoi
the
H 44I was tired of being a litigati
says Purdie. "Frankly, I (
^ personality to be one and I felt
1 my skills better if I combine!
educational backgrounds."
After Purdie was offered her \
at WSSU, she put her juris doct
Syracuse University higher up o
settled in Winston-Salem, hopi
with her career change.
441 like my job," she says. 44l
be a challenge in a lot of ways.
, . . . . something new happening and I
dole for her being here f , ,
3 a fast-paced environment.
Winston-Salem State's "Bighouse" Gaines ?who happens
to be one of the most successful college basketball
coaches in the history of the game. ^
ti 'Bighouse' j
where his players sit on the floor looking up at their men- |j
tor as he preps them for the opponent. He reminds one of
his more aggressive players, using an expletive or two
here and there, that he's not on a wrestling team, and
then simply asks all the players to do what they've been
taught to do in practice. They all give reassuring nods of
approval and then recite the "Lord's Prayer" in unison
before he leads them onto the hardwood.
Before a game, ?s he strolls around the gym laughing
and talking with opposing coaches and Ram fans while I
the teams are warming up, "Bighouse" reminds you of a
school official, especially when he's wearing his red
blazer with the CIAA emblem. But when the first ball
goes up and the clock starts, the transformation occurs,
and there's nothing subtle about it.
Tim Grant, one of Gaines' assistant coaches, told me
before the contest between the Rams and Fayetteville
State that his boss is a successful coach because he is effective
in getting the most from each of his players.
Moreover, said Grant, "Bighouse" knows how not to
overcoach, and "and plays the first half to get to the se- u
cond half."
When watching the coach and listening to his com- -|
ments during a timeout, indeed, he tries his best to get the q
most out of them, many times from the sidelines. And ?
Please see page B5 J
4
? Section fssis
oung & Gifted
Math, soccer, ballet
AUDREY L. WILLIAMS playing Chor
ronicle Staff Writer classical.
* * ^J|^I s( p
Although soccer has yet tobecome a national pastime ,
the United States, 13-year-old Kasumbu Decarvalho S ^"^in^ir
il continue to kick the black-and-white ball around his ... ,
.. . , will have to
>nt yard until it does. ,
l(.; f . , , , r . music, but I <
My father played a lot of amateur soccer, he says. ... .
, , , . . , , . , , , His mothe
t s the only sport I really like, but the kids around here .... 0 .
f . . . V . , , ,, Winston-Sale
ly football, so 1 just practice (soccer) in the yard. "strides in hi
Nicknamed Kas to alleviate any problems with the pro- . .
..f,. , K the piano, she
nciation of his name, the seventh-grader, who serves as , .
. , 0 , _ ., ..... , . .... has been a m
:retary of the Student Council at Wiley Junior High
hool, is described by his guidance counselors as outgo- \ ?far* . .
. . , . ... Although ^
I, articulate and intelligent. .
"Ild rather be just like anybody else," says Kas. "I mlCr
-/ .. , J J , , ticulately are
inft to go to college to study computers because I want
, V, , . ,, to put some
be a computer systems developer. r ^ 4I
But Kas, whose father is an Angolan public official, ^^sh^'s bee
t't just like everybody else. Next year he will enter ^
ted and talented classes at Wiley because of his S3yS .?S'
. r , ,. , As the mar
Derior academic oerformance and maturitv. He has . ..
" . _ ~ V. . ' ~ " 1_ gladly^takes_
ide only one C in his academic career. nou ^ ,,>. I
Besides speaking Portuguese, the native language of ^ ^ -r
> father's country, Kas is also taking classes in French 3 ^ **
d Spanish. He is a lover of the finest in music from ivcarvalho
issical to Michael Jackson and has been a student of '.
llet for three years at the N.C. School of the Arts. ^lNhe^trav
The sweet smells of burning incense permeate his home
d the stereo is tuned to a classical station, which is
te map, Purdie likes it
Part of her fast-paced day at WSSU may in- enq
elude handling the chancellor's cor- can
' r respondence, representing him at functions he say:
is a colleague js unab|e to attend and serving as a member of eva
had never even ^js ca^jnet administering legal advice when P
C-, unt'l S^e needed. awE
" c^ance^or fsj0t only has her job been fast-paced and cep
ty to seek an hectic, but sometimes trying as well, Purdie ad- An<
school. mits. But when it comes to looking ahead to the son
ind my 10-year- future, she gejs starry-eyed.
/s, "to pick up "Winston-Salem State has a lot of growing ne\
el and come to to do," Purdie says. "It has a lot of potentjal to ser
i*t even find on expand both qualitatively and quanitatively. I I'n
get excited about being a part of the process."
e it was, so I .4 Since she's been throwing herself into her wh
. . . u;ArL Dur/tia cduc clin hicn'f roa 11 v/ hrirl I hn An. I h?>
o 3FJQ pOII l ICS III * 1 ui onv iiaon i i vuiij nuu u?v v/yj *"v
on The map," ^ ^ sor
I:, . . . , ; . 5
' the
Wc
Newcomer I
,VI
ne, however, is _ es^
portunity to pass judgment on Winston-Salem, Pui
ions attorney, ^ut there are some things she's sure of. rea
Jidn t have the "j |ove the weather here," she says. "I think pie;
like I could use the climate sort of swayed me here. I've met a ing
j my law and nucleus of good people and I love being around 4
black people." top
present position Those are the pluses that Purdie says keep "sc
or degree from her going, but the minuses of living in Winston- 1
in the shelf and Salem, she says, could be the determining fac- wet
n o f r\T thp Kpc t tnr i r? ii^hpftipr r\ r nnl cKio r nrnc t r\ thp NJrxifh mr\
I I ^ I u I II IV W.jl I V/l III nilVUIVI VI I IV/l JI IV I V V U I I IJ IV/ 1IIV I ^v/l ill, I I IV/
44I really miss my family and the social life of her
t has proven to New York," says Purdie. "Looking at things in
There's always l?nS run' ' can see rnyself becoming bored did
've always liked with Winston-Salem. tbi!
44If my nine months here so far are ex- terr
Bighouse" And Who?
'he big man on the left is, of course, one of college baski
Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines. And the little man on the rig
tlade, who found out that being a coach requires more tha
fames Parker).
B
ly, March 15, 1984
. .*
his games
)in. "I love music," says Kas, "especially
engthens mc physically," he says, "and it
iv mind because it's such an intricate sport,
will have to stop soon," he says, "because I
make a choice between that and math or
j still like to continue with my music."
r, Mary Decar\alho, who is a native of
m, says that because Kas is making great
violin classes, which he chose to play over
r constantly urges him to practice more. Kas
lember of the Young Salem Symphony for
/Irs. Decarvalho realizes that her son's wideests
and his ability to express himself arresults
of his reading habits, she would like
reigns on his constant reading. He began
Hardy Boys" at age 5.
n considering stopping mv reading somet"_
ut 1 can't help it. I enjoy reading."
l of the house when his father is away, Kas
over_ as^ the^welcoming committee. ? Sure
lis yes answer to anything, and before he's
\ the front door, off go his shoes,
retty normal kid for his age," says Mrs.
"He's probably more mature for his age
I the traveling."
el for Kas and his parents include Portugal,
Please see page B5
okay
ilary of the social life in Winston-Salem, I
definitely find myself bored soon," she
>. "But if things change I will certainly reluate
my opinions."
'urdie also points out that black political
ireness here is almost at a stagnant stage, ext
for those who have been active all along.
J as a newcomer, she says she feels
newhat alienated.
Td like to see a change in the acceptance of
vcomers to Winston-Salem," she says. "I
ise there's a round of social activity here that
n not privy to because I'm riot from here.
'Believe it or not," Purdie says, "people
o have made ine feel most welcome here are
people who have come to Winston from
ne place else."
>o far, Purdie's local involvement include
East Winston Chapter of the University
men and the N.C. Black Repertory Comly.
Other than those two extracurricular acfliK
chil coi/c ti ic r r\ r\ <<* -%*? h
iik.i, jiiw iiiiiv. 13 aujusmi^; iu iici
eer and seeing-4o her daughter's needs,
ecially when it comes to her education.
'She didn't want to leave Syracuse," says
die, "but over the last few months she's
lly made an adjustment and I'm especially
ased with the kind of education she's receiv'I
think it's important that parents stay on
of their children's education," she says,
> I stay in her classroom a lot."
"he overcast and mundane skies of Syracuse
e one of the factors that influenced Purdie's
ve to Winston-Salem, she says, and she and
daughter are anxiously awaiting spring.
4Tne spring," says Purdie. "In Syracuse you
jprt get to see the grouncffor months. I really
\k the sunshine here has had an affect on our
tpcrament because we're a lot happier."
I / - - "
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Ik ^I^BY <
etbail's all-time winningest coaches,
|ht. Chronicle Assistant Editor John
n a fondness for the game (photo by
s * \