The Compass
Friday, September 20, 2002 7
{ Sports )
ECSU Coach Visits South Africa
Shannon Penn
cltilrip@hotmail.com
It was a busy summer for Eliz
abeth City State University Baseball
. Coach Terrance Whittle. Coach Whit-
‘ tie participated in Major League
Baseball’s Envoy Coaching Program,
which sends American coaches to
different countries where they teach
various baseball skills. Whittle, along
with other coaches from around the
U.S., traveled to South Africa where
they evaluated South Africa players
and conducted clinics. Coach Whit
tle’s objective was to help elevate
the introduction and development of
baseball in the post apartheid coun
try. Players between the ages of 8-12
were taught basic fielding, catching,
hitting, and base running skills.
“For the players that were
between the ages of 13-16, we tried
to teach them about team play,” said
Whittle.
Coach Whittle also conducted
clinics and workshops for coaches
and teachers.
Although much of his time was
spent training teams in the populated
cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria,
Coach Whittle also had the opportu
nity to assist in the development of
baseball talent in the rural cities of
Tokoza, Timbiza, Mpumalanga, and
Soweto.
“Going into the tour I didn’t
know what to expect. I was warmly
embraced, and I have plans to return
to South Africa in the near future,” he
said.
ECSU BASKETBALL TEAMS
HEADED IN NEW DIRECTIONS
Kristal McClendon
lmballin@aol.com
^ As a result of coaching changes
' that occurred at the end of last year,
the Elizabeth City State University
j men’s basketball is headed in a new
I direction.
Shawn Walker, formerly head
women’s coach, has been named
headmen’s basketball coach replac
ing Barry Hamler who left the univer
sity at the end of last season. Coach
f Walker says that he is ready to lay a
foundation for the changes he plans
to make in the program. Walker says
he stresses education first, and plans
to have all of his ball players maxi
mize their potential in the classroom
throughout their academic and ath
letic careers. One of Walker’s major
goals this season is to make sure
that all 14 returnees have the correct
National Collegiate Athletic Associ
ation grade point average in order
to retain their eligibility for the
2003-2004 season.
“My team should win on and
off the floor. We’ll be very exciting to
watch, we’re a talented team, aggres
sive, and young,” Walker says.
Walker hopes that the team’s
quickness will overcome its lack of
size.
“With hard work, and discipline
we will have a good year,” he adds.
A new experience, challenges in
learning, a new environment, and
excitement are only a few of the
words that coach Fred Batchelor
uses to describe how he feels about
coaching the Lady Vikings this year.
“I’m even more excited about
the players I get a chance to coach,
said Batchelor.” Batchelor, the former
head coach at Buffalo State Uni
versity, says he is going to enjoy
the challenge of coaching the Lady
Vikings.
“I want my ladies to set an exam
ple for what student athletes should
do in the classroom,” he said in a
recent interview. Batchelor says that
he encourages his lady Vikings to
have put their studies before athletics
and to maintain at least a 3.0 grade
point average. He says that on the
court he wants the ladies to continue
to improve and do their best each
day. “Give it their all and improve
every day” is how he puts it.
He says that if each of the Lady
Vikings does this they will rise to the
challenges they will face and have
another outstanding season.
“We will definitely be an example
of what truly epitomizes teamwork,”
Batchelor says. “As far as the season
is concerned, a lot of hard work has
been done, and now it is time for us
to claim what is ours,” he adds.
New Men’s Basketball Coach Shawn Walker
Photo by Shawn Walker
THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
STARTS OFF A SPIKY SEASON
Jason Mitchell
Sports Editor
jymitchell@hotmail.com
The Lady Vikings Volleyball
Team started off a very spiky
2002-2003 season with two losses
to the University of the District of
Columbia and Virginia State Univer
sity.
The Vikings loss their season
opener on Sept. 8, to the University
of the District of Columbia, playing
three sets with the scores of 30-14,
30-23, and 30-21.
Captain Nicole Higgins and
Venkia Jones had 13 assists
between them; the team had a total
of seven service aces and 37 digs.
On Sept. 10, ECSU faced their
next opponent, VSU. ECSU began
the game with good intensity, win
ning the first two sets 30-24 and
30-21 quickly after VSU set up for
their comeback, winning the remain
ing three sets 30-20, 30-16, and .
15-8. Nicole Higgins led the team
with 14 assists and nine digs.
Kandis Riddick led the team with
four solo blocks.
The Lady Vikings are being
plagued by injuries early in the
season. The team suffered two
losses due to injuries in the VSU
game. Kristen Bowen suffered a
hairline fracture to her wrist and
Captain Riddick tore her lateral
meniscus. She is scheduled to be
out for at least a month. Captain
Sharon Gorgani said she felt that
the team had a very shaky start
due to the injuries, but she is
hopeful, they will be able to pull
together, considering that majority
of the team are freshmen and its
new edition is Kristen Snead.
“The transition from basketball
to volleyball was easy. It’s similar
in quickness and lateral movement.
The tough part was getting back
to my rhythm of volleyball,” Snead
said.
The Lady Vikings Volleyball
team will have to learn to adapt
and play without captain Riddick
and Bowen. Riddick said that she
is going to work diligently to come
back in enough time for the CIAA
Tournament in November.
The Lady Viking Volleyball Team
Photo by Jason Mitchell
BOWLING SEASON IS ON ITS WAY
Jason Mitchell
jymitchell@hotmail.com
Last year was the first new
competitive sport for the CIAA:
Female Bowling. There are approxi
mately 12 CIAA schools with bowl
ing teams. ECSU finished second
in its division and fifth overall. The
team is coached by Coach Jeremy
Williams. All female, there are ten
students on our bowling team. Only
five are permitted to bowl each
game.
Second-year Bowler Demetra
Gilmore says she enjoys the team’s
sisterhood the teammates display
towards each other and the com
petitive nature of bowling, and is
looking forward to another spectac
ular season. Gilmore hopes to bring
home the CIAA Bowling Champi
onship for 2002-2003. Catch the
Bowling Team in action on October
19-20, 2002 in Elizabeth City.
This year, let us support the Vikings at the
home games and the away games.
GO VIKINGS!! GO VIKINGS!! GO VIKINGS!!
^ ^
New Women’s Basketball Coach Fred Batchelor
Photo by Kristal McClendon