ft,
Income scarce for Grimsley
athletic department
By Brian Schiller
Staff Writer
Many students are unaware of the com
plexity of Grimsley’s sports department. One
would think that all there miglit be to do
would be teaching some P.E. classes and
coaching a couple of teams after school. In
reality there is a lot more to the sports de
partment than is immediately obvious, and
this year some of these hidden areas will be
facing a very rocky road.
As you think back over the past several
months, try to recall the many home foot
ball games that you attended. You probably
can’t remember very many because the ma
jority of the home games were plagued by
stormy weather that cut the size of the crowds
considerably. In fact, some of the home
games such as the one against Eden-
Morehead didn’t bring in enough money in
gate receipts to pay for the officials at the
game.
As a result of the unusually low atten
dance the sports department did not receive
60%-80% of tire revenue that is usually made
during the football season. Witli football
being the principal source of income as the
most popular of the tliree sports for which
tire school currently charges admission at the
games, the lost ticket sales took a consider
able bite out of the department’s available
funds.
Tire money lost was substantial enough
that the school will have to charge for ad
mittance to wrestling matches this year. It
is also highly likely that there will be an ad
mittance fee for volleyball and baseball
games starting with the 1996-97 school year.
Tlrough the school has been autlroiized in
past years to charge for admittance to vol
leyball, wrestling, aird baseball games it has
been a measure that the school has avoided.
It has always been a priority of tire sports
department to keep sports events as afford
able and as accessible to students as possible.
Grimsley has not followed the paths of many
other schools that now charge admittance to
most sports events. Some states also charge
the students that participate in less popular
sports because the teams cannot be funded
by the schools.
Even if smdents do have to start paying
to get into many sports events all of the
department’s financial problems will be far
from solved. In order to man ticket bootlis
and monitor the many entrances to the gym
more people would have to be paid to work
during the games, hi many instances this
cost would entirely eliminate any profit to
be made by charging admittance. Another
problem arises in the possibility that students
may balk at the possibility of having to pay
to go to some games. Obviously, if nobody
goes tlian no tickets will be sold.
“I would continue to go but not as often
because it would begin to get veiy expen
sive,” said Tara Brinkley, a junior.
“More people would probably use tlie sea
son passes instead of buying tickets at the
door,” said Meaghah Graves, a Junior.
Unfortunately, there is simply a limit on
the number of people that are able to attend
any after school games. Many conflicts in
cluding work and other afternoon obligations
prevent parents and students from coming
to the gym after school. One of the main
constraints on smdent attendance is the sheer
number of students that participate in sports
tliemselves.
“A lot of sports are hurt because about
500 students are already participating in
sports events or practices,” said Grimsley
Athletic Director Bob Sawyer.
The sports department also has several
other sources for money besides ticket sales.
Link sets
example as
student-athlete
By Mark Robinson
Reporter
Along with being one of Grimsley’s most
prestigious athletes, Jamie Link, a senior, is
also one of Grimsley’s most higli achieving
students. She excels with the nation’s best
in both the swimming pool, and in the class
room. Last year Link was tlie conference
champion in the 50 yard free style and 100
yard free style. Along witli wiiuiing both
races she set new conference time records in
both. She was also named Swimmer of tire
Year. In addition to these great achievements
she was a Junior Marshall, and she is cur
rently president of National Honor Society.
Link has been swimmuig for 10 years.
She started swimming at age seven at Green
Valley in a recreational summer league. The
following year she began swirmning year
roimd.
“My favorite part about swimming is tire
competition,” Luik said. She gets to see a
lot of otlier swinmiers because she swims
year roimd. Tlie only break she gets is two
to tluee weeks in August. “It’s basically an
allyear commitment,” Link said.
“Tlie hardest part about swimming so
much is getting out of bed a 5 :.30 in tlie morn
ing.” Link said. Link, who swims six days a
week, wakes up so early in order to get in an
early morning practice before school.
Link has turned in superb performances at
both the local and regional level.
Link is a member of three swim teams.
Grimsley, Green Valley, and Greensboro
Swimming Association (GSA).
She is one of three captains of the Whirlie
swim team and she has already set goals for
this year. “My goals for this season are to
qualify fornationals and to be the higli school
state champion,” said Link. She has a very
good chance to achieve both of her goals.
“The most memorable race I have com
peted in was when 1 qualified for nationals
my sophomore year,” Link said.
Since swimming season is going on now
until March, you can go to the pool and see
just how well Link swims. If you do not get
to see her swim for Grimsley don’t worry
because she competes on other teams all
year.
One area is tlie sales of tlie season passes to
students and tlieir families. Anotlier source
of income is the Whirlie Booster Club. The
money that comes from this source is re
served for capital improvements, such as new
nets and equipment for the volleyball team,
so tlie department avoids spending the money
on day to day expenses. Hopeftilly some
expenses, such as replacing equipment, can
be delayed or kept at a minimum.
“The equipment is all in good sliapc. It is
one of tlie strengtlis of our program,” said Saw
yer.
The student body needs to remember die
tight budget tliat tlie sports department will now
be operating on in tlie upcoming months. Hope
fully, everyone will take the time to attend some
of the games held at Grimsley.
Surprising NFL season will only get better
By Simon Newman
Staff Writer
The NFL this year has had more than its share of sur
prises and disappointments.
The NFL has had some unexpected performances from
previously unknown players. Simultaneously, some former
powerhouses have been huge disappointments due to inju
ries or poor showings from some of their superb performers.
This year the NFL championship is completely up for grabs,
not like past years when only Dallas and San Francisco had
a chance.
Some of the year’s biggest surprises have come from
teams who have become accustomed to dismal seasons. A
prime example of that is from Cincinnati Bengal quarter
back Jeff Blake. He has beaten many teams with the deep
pass that he throws perfectly. Blake has made his team a
true force and has turned around their tradition of being
pathetic(now East Carolina finally has something about
which they can brag). Another quarterback who has turned
many heads this year is Carolina Panthers QB Kerry Collins.
He has stepped up in his debut season to mold Carolina into
a traly competitive team. Giving Collins the starting job
over starting quarterback Frank Reich was probably the best
decision that coach Dom Capers has made all year. Their
stunning victory over the defending champion San Francisco
49ers will go down as one of the most stunning upsets of
this decade.
Another surprise has come from the AFC, where the
Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders arebeing clas
sified as true contenders. They have been mentioned in the
same sentence as Dallas and San Francisco. Many feel that
these teams have the best chance at giving the AFC the Su
per Bowl champions, something that they have been miss
ing for many years.
Along with the surprises have also come the disappoint
ments this year. The biggest disappointments have come
from the quarterback position. Who would have thought
that Rodney Peete would lead the Eagles to the playoffs and
that both the expansion teams would be starting a quarter
back who had begun the year on the bench? The benching
of Cunningham came as a surprise to all. The famed athlete
started the season shaky, earning him a spot on the bench by
first-year coach Ray Rhodes.
Both expansion teams have seen the need to bench their
high-priced quarteibacks this year. Botli Frank Reich and
Steve Buerlein have lost the spotlight. Their replacements
have brought life to the newly formed teams and give them
a solid base for the future. Many people have been
surprised by the fact that Kerry Collins and Mark
Brunell have become the starting quarterbacks of their
respective teams by the season’s end.
This year’s absolute disappointment: the Cleveland
Browns. Ejqiected by many to win their division, the
Browns have quickly fallen into the cellar of the AFC.
They have not evenbeen able to defeat the dismal Hous
ton Oilers this year. Their shoddy play has led to the
benching of Vinny Testaverde for rookie Eric Zeier.
The only spotlight that the team has attained this year
is fromtheir planned move to Baltimore next year. Art
Modell has taken the life out of the many loyal fans in
Cleveland.
Some disappointments have come from play
ers who changed uniforms this past off-season.
Both Andre Rison and Alvin Harper, the most es
teemed free agents, have been unable to produce
the numbers that their new teams need. Both came
with expensive price tags but have failed to play
up to their value. Rison was supposed to make
Cleveland great but has been unable to hold onto
the important throws. Harper’s preseason injury
has kept him to a subpar performance this year.
Another disappointing free agent signing was
Ricky Watters signing with the Philadelphia
Eagles. He was supposed to be the star of the team but
has fallen into mediocrity. The only thing that he
brought with him from San Francisco was controversy.
This NFL season has been one of the most surpris
ing ones that we have witnessed. The NFL title has
not been limited to just two teams this year, but has
been expanded to incorporate a majority of the league.
This year’s Super Bowl looks to be a lot closer than
the thrashing that San Diego received from San Fran
cisco last January. Look for the playoffs this year to
be one of themost surprising of the decade.
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