10 SPORTS
Sieptember 29, 1989
GRYPHON
Ath etes
making the grade
Photo by Andrew Carpenter
Tops on the field
Quarterback Jeff Thomas pitches to fullback J.J. Jones
who heads toward the end zone in a game against Tarboro
High. Jones' running game helped the team to post a 16-6
victory over the Vikings.
Photo by Brad Barnes
And in the classroom
J.J. Jones gets involved in his cabinet work because he
realizes he must pass five classes to stay on the football
team. Jones must budget his time l>etween school and
sports to maintain his goal in each.
BRAD BARNES
Circulation Manager
How hard is it for an athlete to
play a sport and maintain passing
grades in school? “Very diffi
cult,” said defensive tackle Dex
ter Vaughn, Jr. “Football is a
very demanding sport. It takes
long hours of practice and dedi
cation.” Junior defensive tackle
Shelton Wiggins said, “Getting
classwork done is difficult but
you have to make time for stud
ies.” Wiggins also said, “If my
grades slack off, I just push my
self.”
A rule change governing aca
demic progress has relieved
some of the pressure. Last year
the student athlete who wanted to
play a sport and, most impor
tantly, stay on the team, had to
pass four classes every grading
period. Now to participate in tlic
next season of a sport, the athlete
must have passed four courscs
the year before.
Dennis Taylor varsity football
defensive tackle said, “It feels
secure to know you’re on the
team. It takes pressure off you. It
keeps my mind off football when
I’m in the classroom.”
Security as a team member
doesn’t mean the athlete can for
get the academics. Taylor said,
“You can’t slack up on your
studies just because you’re on
the team. You must be conscious
of your studies at all times.” Sen
ior Stan Horton, linebacker, said
“You must keep your grades up.
They just don’t look at you on
the field anymore.”
Teachers keep athletes on
track. “No they don’t let athletes
slide just because they play a
sport,” said senior Derek Smith,
defensive tackle. “They may
work with you a little more but
they certainly don’t let you
slide,” he added.
History teacher Claudia
Fuerst said that she doesn’t slack
off on students just because they
play a sport. “I treat an athlete
just like any other student. If he
can play a sport then he should
be responsible enough to keep up
with class.”
“A students main job is
school. If he participates in
sports it’s by choice,” Fuerst
said. Curtis Rushing, history
teacher said he shows no student
special privileges just because
that student plays a sport. “He
must work just as hard as any
other student in my classroom,”
Rushing added.
1989 Varsity Football Schedule
Oct. 13
Northern Nash
Away
Oct. 20
Kinston (Homecoming)
Home
Oct. 27
Wilson Hunt
Away
Nov. 3
Greenville Rose
Home
Nov. 10
State Playoffs
TBA
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