On the national scene... Lineman: ‘O’Leary wanted to make me quit’ NORMAN AREY - STAFF Atlabta-Journal Constitution For almost 48 hoyrs, Dustin Vaitekunas made his way home to Chapin, S.C. Along the way. the Georgia Tech lineman made only one decision about his future: He would never again play for coach George O'Lean,-. Vaitekunas' odyssey began in the early-morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 26. as he lay in bed and came to the conclusion that he had to leave Tech. It ended two days later, when he arrived at his mother’s home. At the end of Tech ’seven ing prac tice on Monday, Sept. 25, O’Leary had called Vaitekunas in front of the team and handed him a football. Four deferisive linemen lined up and slammed into the player at full speed. The drill was supposed to be a lesson on how a quarterback would feel if an offensive lineman missed a block. O’Leary says he didn’t in tend for the players to hit Vaitekunas. "There are some things you ex pect on the football field," Vaitekunas said. "You expect to get hit. That's football. What (O’Leary) did was over the line, when you’re just standing there and four guys are ordered to crush you. That’s why there’s 22 guys on the field. It’s supposed to be 11 vs. 11, not four on one. “I think O'Leary wanted to make me quit. You can tell. Coaches ei ther try to make you better or make you quit. When it comes down to it, he’s willing to injure me. I’m never going to play for that guy again.” Trainers tended to Vaitekunas for 10 or 15 minutes, then he was helped from the field. Top Tarheels 1 Pictured receiving the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) 2000 state softball state championship are Lawrence Academyy team members (front row l-r) Heather Parker, Kaley Williford, Maria McGowan, Casey Davenport: (Back row) Marie Perez, Megan Sexton, Casey Perry, Kim Bateman, Desi Feyer, Mellissa Blakemore, Melissa Rae, Amanda Lucas, Kristin Nobles, Kelly Harrell, and manager Buffy White. (Submitted photo) “I was having trouble breathing, ” he said. “They offered to ride me back on one of those carts,, but it hurt ipe to sit down. I felt better walking. I walked back to the locker room, Dr. (Angelo) Galante gave me some pain medication. I walked back to my room and got there about 9:30. Vaitekunas logged onto his com puter and searched the Internet for the different modes of transporta tion to his hometown, outside of Columbia. “I didn't have much money,” he said. “I looked at Greyhound, but they didn't really have anything. Airfare was $400-$500. Then I looked at Amtrak. There was a train for $240 that went from Atlanta to Wash ington, D.C.. and then to Colum bia.” Vaitekunas boarded a train early Tuesday evening and ar rived, in Washington at 8 a.m. Wednesday. He had to wait until 4 p.m. for the next train to Colum bia. “I know it sounds strange, but it gave me a chance to think and to decide what I was going to do,” he said. "Plus, I could sit down then. I was still hurting.” In the meantime, his mother, Wanda Charpring, was trying to contact her son. “I knew it had to be something awful,” she said. “I talked with some of his friends and the kids wouldn't say anything. I called his father and said. ‘Something’s wrong, something’s .happened.’ Finally (tight end) Brian Lee told me they lined Dustin up and hit him in front of everybody.” Charpring said she. first heard from her son at 11 p.m. on Tuesday. Vaitekunas said he still doesn’t " know wrhat his plans are about going back to school, or playing football elsewhere. "I don't know if I have the heart to play football again,” he said. FALL & WINTER MERCHANDISE , f/*/*/0//ty Q)aifu Dressware, jackets, Casual Ware, P.J.s, & muck morel Do.wntown Edenton • 482-4777 • MC/VISA • Layaways Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday ATTENTION: SURGERY PATIENTS! If you’ve had surgery in the past 12 months, we would like to hear from you. Answer a Few Questions About Your Experience And Earn $75.00 Call Collect 843-549-1931 We are Medical Staff Development and we provide customer research for health care providers. We invite you to attend a “Focus Group” where you and others will be asked about your health care experiences. There will be no personal questions and nothing for you to buy. Your name and answers will be held in strict confidence. You will receive $75.00 for your time. Your group will meet for about an hour and your confidential answers will help our client appreciate the service that patients like you prefer. So, if you’ve had surgery in the past 12 months, please call us collect at 843-549-1931. Medical Staff Development SJdeautifiift S eio x ftu/es JFot* JFalf Sweaters, Coats,| Suits