Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / May 26, 1994, edition 1 / Page 16
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Roy Thomas has been selected as the new basketball coach of North Carolina A&T State University. . below Hampton University raptured the C.H. William Award, indicative of the ClAA's Men's All-Sport Championship. page 1 8 Donald Simpson, a powerlifting champion, is on track to national recognition, below ? ' ? I . i . ? ' _ r ' . ; _ . Champion Powerlifter Gains Sponsor, Hopes to Compete on National Level Donald Simpson, a powerlifting champion from Winston-Salem, is on the track to national recognition. Simpson's numerous titles include South Carolina State Cham pion. High Point Endurance Cham pion. Taj Heel State Champion and Lake Norman Champion. In November, he set a. North Carolina State Powerlifting record in the Bench Press with a lift of 380 pounds. . ? Despite Simpson's immense ? nrtenms ^prrwertitrerr firi aiicrar resources have only allowed him to ~ - compete in the Carolinas. However, he has recently acquired a full spon sorship from Le Bleu Corp. that will allow him to compete in national and international events. According to Jerry Smith, presi dent of Le Bleu, ^Wc chose to spon sor Donald because of his dedica tion to his sport and his dedication to a drug-free lifestyle. Our product, Le Bl e u ~bot tl ed "w at er , is purchased by individuals concerned with J3urity_ and a .healthy lifestyles. Also, our bottles water i* in the North Caroli na schools and we strongly advocate a -drug-free position." Simpson, who volunteers at the Boys club in \Mnston-balem. wants to be a positive role model for inner-city children. He feels the weightlifting help give kids the self esteem- they need to confront and defeat the negative forces on the [ streets and in schools. "1 feel there are lot of poor role models for kids. There are so many, negative things on the streets now and, drug dealers are everywhere. The kids need all the help they can get now." Simpson said. Simpson is very familiar with the negative aspects of the streets. After- graduating from Reynolds High School and fighting briefly on the Gladiators professional boxing team, he started abusing alcohol. Victory Faith Church was his salva tion. "I'm a born-again Christian^' states Simpson. "I don't abuse my body anymore and 1 know that God gives me the gift of strength. 1 feel I can use my strength to influence kids not to take drugs or get .involved in gangs." Simpson has been invited to join Team USA in international competitions. He was recently invit ed to compete in Sweden, but could not finance his trip. With the major sponsorship by Le Bleu, the world awaits him. Donald Simpson practicing to lift weights for the international competitions. S 1 1 . j t > o n he I i eves you can accomplish an\thmLv it you are dedi cated and persistent "enough. His many years ot training and positive attitude ma\ place hfltl on the 1 Olympic podium with a gold medal around his neck. X .. Simpson's goal is to break the world record in the bench press. He modestly confesses, "I know I can break rhe record and wherever I go I'll spread the word of God.? He strongly believes that through God all/ things are possible. ^Donald Simpson A&T Selects Veteran Roy Thomas Roy Chester Thomas, the successful coach of a nationally prominent basketball program at Tyler Junior College in Tyler,, Texas, has been selecte'd as the new basket ball coach of North Carolina A&T State University. Thomas, 44. will succeed Jeff Capel, who resigned last month to accept the head, coaching position at Old Dominion Univer sity. ^tm^<rra<;Taon^<rirVecame"kw\vn~ that-wtrwere seeking^ new basketball coach, that superb championship coach Nolan Richardson of Arkansas, was contact ing us and making us aware of the outstand ing coaching acumen of Roy Thomas of Tyler Junior College." said Willie Burden, A&T*s athletics director. "This is the kind of national reputation and respect Thomas has." Thomas' selection was accounted at a press confeience Friday by Burden. Thomas said he views the job at A&T as a "fantastic situation." "I am coming to a good program, he said. "I've kept up with the basketball at A&T and they are always at the top of their conference. 1 hope 1 can help to take the bas ketball program to another level. 1 want to keep the tradition going." Burden said Thomas' selection came after an intensified search and scree ning o f, some outstanding basketball coaches across the nation. "We were particularly impressed by his outstanding record as a head coach and by the respect he has gained from his coaching peers. He clearly stood out as the new coach we should have for out highly respected basketball program." A&T chancellor, Edward B. Fort, was also high on the appointment of Thomas. "I totally agree with athletics director Burden's recommendation to hire Mr. Thomas. His many strengths include a proven track record with regards to the recruitment, retention and graduation of student-athletes at the colleges where he has been employed, including the fact that 85 percent of his players have gone on to Division 1 schools," said Fort. "He also had strong recommenda tions from some of the nation's best coach es. including Nolan Richardson of California; and Pat Foster of Nevada-Reno." -? - ? ? Richardson, coach oi\ lhe._mili anal champion Arkansas RazorbacKs and a for mer successful junior college coach at West ern Te xasJT^le^^inJui \ tki\_T exas. said "Thomas' greatest strength, in my opinion, is his judgment. His judgment in recruiting, his judgment in motivation, his judgment in tactics and most important, his judgment of people have shown to be the keys to his suc cess. I trusted 'him enough to let my son go platf'for him in the earls 80s. Roy runs a dis ciplined program based on hard work and Roy Chester Thomas effort. 1 have seen le w team>.-vvhu pla\ ax hard as Kov's team play." Fori also alluded to Thuni.t-.' ing coaching -record, which include^ ;m overall 14-year coaching record ol' 252-140: conference championship tour of the past six years, and his three time seleriit", hi>. conference's "Coach of the ^ car." 'in comparing the pool.ot . i malisis.". added Fort, the Search Committee c onclud ed that "his productivity ot tic. ft p.a>ers exceeded all other candidate^ aul he had solid Division 1 coaching e\<vi uvkc ' Before going to I \ 1 e r . lh.wa* vwh an assistant coach at Division I Baylor Univer sity for five years and head coach of Texas A&r for three years, w here he compiled a 34-44 record." Ron Harms, athletic director at" Texas A&.1. said. "Thomas did a good job here :it a school which rmphasi/pH foothaU and not basketball." At Tyler Junior College, one of the nation's top junior colleges, he compiled a record of 218-96. Even in a down year in lt)l>.\ his team advanced to the Final Eight ol the National Junior College Tournament. Burden pointed out that over the years, Thomas has recruited and coached some outstanding players, including Terry Teagle, w 10 became a first-round draft choice of the Houston Rockets; Ed Turner, who was a second-round choice b\ Houston; David Benoi ' and Robert Pack, currently with thp Utah Ja/.z; and.Vinnie (Microwave) John s< ii. who recenth retired from the Detroit Pistons. Thomas received his B.S. degree in Physical Education and Business Education from Baylor University and also his M.S. degree in Physical Education from Baylor. Last season, the Aggies won the Mid-East ern Athletic Conference Title fMEAC) and pia>ed in the first round of the NCAA tournament. ENTERTAINMENT The Arts Council's Super Saturday for Kids Program will present Shirley Holoway, storyteller extraordinaire. page 21 RELIGION Goodwill Baptist Church will host its Annual Youth Revival on June 8-10 at 7:30 p.m. page 24 BUSINESS Model Pharmacy, located inside the Winston Mutual Building has been an insti tution in ttSe black commu nity for years, v page 20
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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May 26, 1994, edition 1
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