3B
SPORTS/The Charlotte Post
Thursday, August 7, 1997
Rasby grows into Carolina offense
Continued from 1B
me off with base plays
iWiere there’s not much thinking
ito it. You start from there and
5 work your way up.”
t Rushy’s role has expanded
Sbecause of his strength as a block-
I er and the departure of fullbacks
i Howard GrifSth and Bob
^ Christian via free agency,
i Carolina will use Rasby in short-
ryefdage situations that call for
!tw tight ends as well as a 6-foot-
.'3-inch, 260-povmd fullback.
Either way, he’s made progress.
J’Walter is a big part of our offen-
s{ye plan,” Carolina coach Dom
Capers said. “When you look at aU
t^e different ways we’re using
mm, he’s made tremendous
strides since he first came in.”
^Vhen Rasby came to the
l4mthers last year, he was one
dimensional. His pass-catching
was suspect, and a so-so presea
son didn’t help. Rasby, who’ll
nfever be mistaken for Walls as a
receiver, lacked confidence.
“1 caught a lot of balls in prac
tice, but 1 dropped a pass in pre
season and that kind of got my
confidence down,” Rasby said.
“Catching a ball to me is 75 per
cent mental. If you can catch it,
you can catch it. If you can’t you
can’t.”
To become a better receiver,
Rasby worked harder during the
off-season, refining his technique
in hopes of becoming more than a
blocker.
“1 caught on the (passing)
machine a lot this year, 1 worked
with Wesley a lot this year,” he
said. “Basically, it was one of
those things to get my confidence
back.”
Rasbys willingness to improve
impressed Carolina’s coaching
staff. Dming minicamp, he
showed more confidence catching
passes while refining his blocking.
As a player, Rasby has made
tremendous strides over his first
“His role was very limited at
that point in time, and we’ve
expanded that role,” Capers said.
“I think he’s matured a lot as a
player. He imderstands a lot more
of what it takes to be a pro football
player than we he first came in
and Fm excited about Walter’s
progress.”
Rasby has much to learn during
the preseason. In addition to lin
ing up at tight end, he has to
learn where to go as a lead block
er. Helping determine Carolina’s
success running the ball is a chal
lenge he’s looking forward to.
“There’s going to be plays where
Fm going to be at the point of
attack,” Rasby said, “and if 1
screw up, the play is dead. 1 don’t
mind that being on my shoulders
because that’s what Fm paid to
do. Hopefully, 1 can keep rising to
the challenge.”
Rasby hasn’t forgotten about
being a receiver, either. Although
Walls will be the primary target
on inside routes, Rasby feels
Jamison happy to be in college
Continued from IB
thfrilled to be a part of that chase.
jYou feel a part of history,” he
s^d. “The gu/s the wiimingest
ctfich of all-time so you definitely
feel great about that and he’s a
gifeat guy and Fm glad 1 did make
tlie decision to go to North
Carolina. 1 have no regrets what-
sfever.”
For now, Jamison is enjoying
tlfc last few weeks of summer
vacation. It’s already been a very
b^y one.
Jl’m in summer school... trying
to stay ahead
on the class
work and I’ve
been lifting
weights and
trying to put on
a couple of
pounds,” he
said. “It’s going
to be another
hectic year for
me, another
successful year
hopefully.”
It’s a year he would like to see
Jamison
begin with a Pro-Am league title
this weekend.
“Last year 1 was on (former
UNC teammate Jerry)
Stackhouse’s team and we had to
pull out at the end but this year
we got a great team and we got
Demarco (UNCC senior forward
Demarco Johnson), who can real
ly play inside and we got some
guys that can stroke it from the
outside, so we’ve got a pretty well
balanced team.”
He’s hoping the same for his col
lege team.
Karate an outlet for Olympian
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
Arlysa Ferguson took up karate to defend her famiiy in case of attack. This week, she’ii try to win a
medai at the AAU Junior Olympics. “Very few children can excel at the highest level,” says her coach,
Ken Horn. “It takes a lot of commitment but yes, Arlysa can get there. She has to haver perseverance.”
Continued from 1B
grandfather, died last September,
but it was his wish to see his
granddaughter compete in the
Junior Olympics. Now Arlysa is
dedicating herself to go on, even
on days when she’s exhausted
fir)m workouts. Arlysa practices
six hours a week under coach Ken
Horn at the Okinawan Karate
Club. At Horn’s school, students
are promoted when it’s earned,
which makes Arlysa’s accomplish
ments more impressive.
“Very few children can excel at
the highest level,” Horn said. “It
takes a lot of commitment but yes
Arl3fsa can get there. She has to
have perseverance. With that
anybody can get there.
“^e great thing about martial
arts, is even if you’ve been at it for
15 years you can stiU get better. If
you put the time in, anybody can
improve. You don’t need just tal
ent.”
Horn has two other young stu
dents, Joel Estroado and Michael
TVoong, joining Ferguson in this
week’s competition. Ferguson will
be supported with a cheering sec
tion that includes two brothers
and sister, cousins, avmts and
imcles. She won’t be nervous,
though.
“Fm not that kind of person,”
she said. “I just love it. FU feel
great and FU be very excited.”
Arlysa wUl compete with two
types of weapons plus “aU kinds of
sparring.” She would Uke to finish
first, but if not “FU take a second
or third place.”
Arlysa doesn’t think about
injuries, though she once suffered
a knee sprain. She also doesn’t
think about iqjuring other com
petitors.
“Fm tiying to get people to
understand that karate is not a
violent sport,” Eloise Ferguson
said. “It’s not Mike Tyson trying to
bite an ear off. It builds character,
responsibility and self-esteem.
Every kid should take karate, as
long as it’s taught the correct way.
“It teaches you to respect people,
to respect each other, when you
bow and shake hands.”
Arlysa shows as much respect
for schoolwork as karate. She’s a
straight-A student since at
Albermarle Road Elementary
School and hopes to be a veteri
narian one day. She claims “hun
dreds of pets, including a dog, two
hamsters, a heimit crab and a
rabbit.”
If they aU show up this week, a
little more room may be needed at
UNC Charlotte when the compe
tition kicks into fuU gear.
Sheff’s slump is no
delight for Florida
Marlins outfielder
By Steven Wine
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI - Gary Sheffield limps through the clubhouse, a huge ice
pack on his left hamstring. He looks as though he can barely walk,
much less carry a team through a pennant race.
The Florida Marlins, however, are eager for Sheffield to give
them a lift. They’ve been waiting all season.
Sheffield hit the jackpot in April, signing a six-year, $61 million
contract, but he hasn’t hit much since. “So far he is not having a
Gary Sheffield year,” general manager Dave Dombrowski said.
“He’s still one of the most dangerous hitters around, and he has
the capability to break loose at any time. He’s still capable of hit
ting 30 home runs this year.”
In spring training, there was talk that this would be Sheffield’s
best season yet. After hitting .314 in 1996 with 42 homers and 120
RBIs, the muscular right fielder seemed on the brink of greatness
at age 28.
Instead, he may be destined for his worst season since 1991, the
year before he won the National League batting title and emerged
as a star.
See INJURIES on page 4B
quarterback Kerry Collins wiU
start looking for him, too.
“I can get in on some of those
catches, especially when they put
me in at fullback,” he said. “I
think we have the opportunity to
run more two tight end stuff this
year and with me being a threat
to block, teams might key on me
and say “they’re running’ and they
we pass on them, thats a great
weapon in our favor.”
That’s the potential of “Raz
Regular.” Rasby understands he
may not be the total solution at
fullback, but he’s witling to try.
“Right now, Fm not having
visions of grandeur,” he said. “Fm
stiU trying to figure out what Fm
doing. The thing about fuUback is
that nothing is ever set. Before
you get to your assigned person or
spot, 10 million things cross ii»
finnt of your face, so it’s a world
different from tight end.”
PHOTO/WADE NASH
Walter Rasby knows playing fullback won’t be easy. “Right now, I’m
not having visions of grandeur,” he says. “I’m still trying to figure
out what I’m doing.”
WHAT'S ALL THE BUZZ?
The cool place to be this summer
is the Charlotte Coliseum
helping the Charlotte Sting
defend their home court.
August 9 - 5:00pm
vs. Phoenix Mercury
Catch the Mercury led by
Australian Olympian, Michelle Timms
try to heat up tne Hive. Also, the first 5,000 fans
in attendance receive a free Spalding/Sears Mini-Ball.
August 11 - 7:30pm
vs. Houston Comets
Cheer on the Sting as the Comets
invade the Hive. First 2500 fans receive
a free WNBA Inaugural Season Poster.
Great lower level seating starting at $8.
Tickets available at all TicketMaster Outlets - (70a) 522-6500
In our country, 1 of every 3 people with AIDS is
African American. We can stop this disease
from claiming more lives. Call your local
Red Cross for information about the
African American HIV/AIDS Program.
A program designed by African
Americans, for African Americans,
that can teach us how to
protect ourselves, our families,
and our communities.
‘The difference
can begin with you.”
GregAlan Williams
Actor/Aiithor