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Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point ?
? motion may 2 1, 1990
? V
New Gateway Classic
could be boon or bust
It's easy to hit a target that's
standing still.
(Conversely, drawing a bead on
a moving target is much more dif
- ficuh So fax; Anne Little, Win
ston-Salem State's athletic director
hasn't learned that. As the head of
the Rams' athletic department.
; spe s not very proactive
on vital issues.
The fiasco that
? started when she fired
Sam Hanger wasn't far
behind her when she
recently announced
plans for the Midway
Fdotball Classic.
It is a fact that
"Classic" games have
done much to aid the
coiffeurs of black col
lege teams. But the cir
cumstances and situa
tions must be ideal for
it to happen. In this
case, that doesn't seem
toehold true.
The classic, which
wraps a list of social events
around the annual WSSU-North
Carolina Central football game,
comes short in adding the missing
financial links to the WSSU sports
program. ^ looks to be ill-timed
and not well"conceived, for a num
ber erf* reasons.
The venue, Durham County
Stadium, is definitely a question
mark, lite facility, which seats
10,000, is not the drawing card
needed to put excitement into the
rivalry between the two CIAA
squads.
-: It also looks like a cop-out in
terms of the promotional aspect
from WSSU's end. By playing a
, game of this type it builds in a
"guaranteed" income for the
Rams. But it also has its share of
restrictions and limitations. When
the athletic director's position
became available, a little over a
year ago, experience in promo
tions was supposed to rank high
on the list of requirements for
applicants. But thus far it doesn't
appear to be one of Lit
tle's strong silits.
From all indications,
Little appears to be
working backwards. The
announcement of the
classic comes at a time
when the Rams'1998
football schedule still
hasn't been officially
released. The start of
the football season is
less than three months
away and Ram fans still
don't have a schedule in
hand. Rather than set
tling that first, Little
went off and made a
deal with North Caroli
na Central that doesn't
appear to add much in the long
run.
The only good thing for WSSU
is the fact that it will receive more
income for the 1998 season. But,
that will be wiped out in 1999
when the Rams should be hosting
the Eagles in Winston-Salem and
receiving the bulk of the gate.
Instead, they'll again split the pot
with NCCU. \
What also appears to make this
a bad marriage is the fact that the
game will be a conference battle. If
the venue remains the same neither
team will have a "home field"
advantage However, the fact that
' it is being played in Durham
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Carver season ends
in close playoff loss
BY THERESA DAVIS
The Chronicle Soorti Intern
The 1998 baseball season ended for Carver High
School last Friday, but the Yellowjackets still have a rea
son to be proud.
After falling to the middle of the pack down the
stretch of the Piedmont Triad 3-A Conference regular
season, it looked like the Yellowjackets' would be hand
ing in their gear at the end of the post-season tourna
ment. ?
But all of that changed quickly when the team went
on a roll to end the regular season, then swept through
the conference tournament to earn a berth in the State 3
A playoffs.
Coach Greg Starbuck, the team's coach, said his team
had to overcome a rash of injuries and other setbacks
during the regular season.
"One of the reasons that we came in 4th place during
the season was due to health with some of our key play
ers," he said. "So we managed to leave the season with a
record of 17-12."
Midway through the season didn't look bright. But
that's when the team's character began to show.
The experiences from the previous two seasons paid
major dividends
"We have been in the playofT for the last three years,
but we've never made it as far as we have this year,
thanks to the help of our two pitchers Dan Pegram and
David Nelson."
After making the playoffs in consecutive seasons
Starbuck said the team needed to get back again this year
in order to continue to progress
"That was a very important factor," he said. "We
needed to make it. It was hard at the beginning of the
year, but as soon as we got Dan back every thing just fell
right in place."
But Pegram and Nelson weren't the only players who
stepped up to jump start the team. Starbuck had a group
of crafty veterans who wanted to make it to the .playoffs
for the third consecutive year.
"Another reason we made it as tar as we did in the
playoff was with the help of our top five hitters: John
Schaefer, Mike Rucker, Marcus Gray, Kris Kleean, and
Billy Wright," Starbuck said.
-? ?"' r
SeeCarvmroni2
Jacket's Coach Ricky Holt to conduct youth
basketball camp at Winston Lake YMCA
BY THERESA DAVIS
The Chronicle Spoty Intern :
No matter what level young basketball play
ers aspire to compete on, learning the funda
mentals is the key to getting off to a good start.
That's one reason Ricky Holt, Carver High's
boys basketball coach, is starting a basketball
camp for young players.
Coach Kicky Holt
The Carver/YMCA Youth Basketball Camp,
for boys and girls ages 5-15 years old, will be held
at the Winston Lake Family YMCA on June 1
5.
Holt said the camp is designed to teach the
fundamentals of basketball. Coaches will use
proven teach progressions to teach. Camp par
ticipants will be split into age-groups for individ
ual and group demonstrations. They will be put
through drills and also have an opportunity to
work in team situations.
A newcomer to this area, camp served as the
head basketball coach at Kannapolis' A.L.
Brown High School for seven seasons. His teams
earned a berth in the state playoffs each year dur
ing his tenure there.
Holt also saved as an assistant football
coach and head track coach for the Wonders. He
recently completed his first season as the Yellow
jackets' coach. Carver captured the Piedmont
Triad 3-A Conference Tournament and
advanced to the Eastern 3-A Regionals.
, He said the camp should help give the partic
ipants a head start on their future athletic aspi
rations.
"This camp is a hands-on type thing," he
said. "We want to take the .time out with each
individual kid to help them develop their skills. A
lot of the time people look more on the natural
ability of the kids rather than the fundamentals.
"We're not going to stress playing basketball
games, but more on the little things that can
become a part of the players development as he
or she progresses up the ladder."
In addition to Holt, the staff will consist of
many of the players from the Yellowjackets' var
sity team. .
Participants at the day camp will be expected
to have their own transportation to and from the
camp. Campers will need to wear a T-shirt,
shorts and basketball shoes. They will also need
to bring a snack and drink for each day. All
campers should have a physical or have had one
on the past calender year.
Thm basketball camp w/// irrtu fundamentals
to all ability and ago loval* of kid* 5-15.
. The cost of the camp is $50.00, which
Includes insurance coverage. Anyone interested
in participating or having their child participate
should call the Winston Lake YMCA at 724
9205 or Holt at 727-2668.- Checks should be
made payable to Winston Lake YMCA no later
than Monday, June 1.
| Gateway Classic pits rivals Winston-Salem State against N.C. Central
I BY SAM DAVIS
B TWrQiroqick $poro Editor
I -An old football rivalry is the
? subject of a new classic game
?recently announced between Win
?ston-Salem State and North Caroli
Hna Central.
j ' The two CIAA foes will battle
Hon Oct. 17, in Durham County Sta
Hdnim in the first annual Gateway
Huuuc. >
The athletic directors at the two
institutions announced the estab
lishment of a promotional agree
Hnent between the two schools as
?he initial project of a "newly
?ormed partnership".
I ? "we have entered into a joint
promotional agreement," said
Pnne Little, WSSU's director of
?thletics. "This new partnership
allows us to cross promote our t
events, in order to maximize the fan t
base of the two schools and create j
stronger revenue possibilities." ?
The agreement is not limited to |
football, according to Little Possi
bilities exist for men's and women's
basketball, volleyball and spring
sports. But football represents the
greatest potential for increased rev
enue because of the natural rivalry
between the teams and the compet
itiveness of the two programs.
That's one reason William Lide,
NCCU's athletic director believes
the classic will be a financial boon
for his program. He said he expects
the 1998 Midway Classic to gener
ate $200,000, with NCCU receiving
a three percent administrative fee
and the remainder being split even
ly between the two institutions.
i
Tho OaNwoy Cfosafe, pitting Winston-Salom Statn against North Car
olina Control, should rival tho Aggio-Saglo Classk In many ways.
? ??
t
Among the events planned are
step shows, concerts, a pre-game
joint alumni barbecue and an
alumni dance and social.
Last year NCCU captured a 30
29 victory when WSSU missed a
last-second field goal.
The rivalry between WSSU and
NCCU dates back to 1945. The
teams have met 32 times on the
gridiron and the Eagles hold an 18
14 advantage in the all-time series.
Coach Kermit Blount of
WSSU says the classic will be
another point of emphasis for his
team.
"This rivalry has always been
there, even as I look back to my
playing days," said Blount, an All
CIAA quarterback at WSSU in
1977 and 1978. "Now this will take
it to another level."
A
Coach Larry Little of North
Carolina Central said he see big
things ahead for the battle between
the two schools.
. "The game has the potential to
be one of the best black college
classics in the country," he said. "If
last year is any indication, this
game is going to gain momentum
and draw more and more people
each year."
WSSU has won twice and lost
three times to NCCU during
Blount's five years at the helm erf'
the Rams program. His teams
defeated the Eagles in his first two
seasons, but have lost three games
in a row to NCCU.
The Rams held a 29-16 halftone
advantage over the Eagles last sea
son, only to see NCCU come back
in the second half for the victory.
i*'.