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Hard work pays off for local athletes
What is the secret formula that
has made several local grid-iron
stars well rounded student-ath
letes? Prep All-American Deon
Grant knows the answer. So do
T.W. Josey stand-outs Armark
Tolbert, Shaun Williams, Percy
Bland, John Fielding and John
Griffin. Butler Bulldogdynamoßß
Chris Sistrunk (Savannah State)
and Evans linebacker LaVar
Johnson realize as well that the
formula works. The answer is a
simple one... hard work! Yes, that
age-old concept of working for what
you want out of life, is an idea
shared by all these young men
who signed letters of intent to at
tend the college or university of
their choice, earlier this week.
Tennessee-bound Josey Senior
Deon Grant, learned to work hard
in the classroom and in the athletic
arenathrough sheer dedicationand
his mother’s love. Grant’s mother
(Joyce), along with other dedicated
family members, took the time to
make sure that “D” knew right
from wrong, up from down and
most importantly, that through
faith, perseverance, and yes, hard
work, anything is possible. Because
Deon believed, listened, and re
spected the education and knowl
edge of others who took the time to
offer valuable advice, he’ll have a
chance to realize a life-long dream
next fall...playing college football.
Georgia bowlers help troupe entertain hospitalized vets
Georgia bowlers have a stake in
an upcoming visit of a group of
young performers to the Augusta
VA Medical Center. “Re-Cre
ation,” a nationally recognized
troupe sponsored by the Bowlers
Victory League (BVL), will enter
tain patients at the Medical Cen
ter on Friday, February 14, 1997,
at 2 p.m.
The BVL Fund represents mil
lions of bowlers nationwide who
donate their time and raise more
than $1 million a year to provide
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The Josey faithful will miss watch
ing number nine patrol the side
lines in a green and gold uniform
next season. ;
The same can be said for Evans
star LaVar Johnson, a young man
with vision headed to Duke Uni
versity. He hit the books even
harder than he hit opponents on
the field last season. Johnson is a
true role model. The concept of
working hard for the good things
in life was ingrained in his mind at
an early age, as well, by parents
dedicated to his future success.
Their commitment paid off not
only for LaVar, but for the entire
student body at Evans Highs, as
recreational and therapeutic pro
grams for hospitalized veterans.
“Re-Creation” is part of that ef
fort.
“Re-Creation’s” visit to the Au
gusta VA Medical Center will be
gin with bedside visits where the
youthful performers’bright smiles
and friendly conversations with
patients work a “therapeutic mag
ic” that pills cannot duplicate. VA
clinical staff say that visits such
as this are vital in restoring posi
tive mental attitudes for patient
the future Blue Devil was elected
student body president by his
peers, for his senior year. Leader
ship and achievement (and his
tackling prowess) are trademarks
of which Johnson should forever
be proud. He is a shining star that
we will hear from long after his
playing days are over.
Armark Tolbert, John Fielding,
Percy Bland and John Griffin are
members of the hard work club,
too. Tolbert, the most gifted prep
cornerback I've seen in a decade,
has had to step back and refocus
his goals in life. To his credit, the
multi-sport stand-out who signed
with Georgia Tech made a very
tough decision early this basket
ball season. He decided to step
away from the hardwood to con
centrate on his classroom work.
That act proved heis committed to
becoming the best person and stu
dent possible. Our coaches
throughcut the area need to teach
such actions to their players.
Fielding, an outstanding defen
sive back prospect, is just coming
into his own. When he hits the
Division I College level next sea
son and fully realizes the gifts that
he possesses, his future will be
assured. Again, hard work and
dedication helped this young man
develop into a valued member of
the Eagles
The same can be said for fellow
recovery, particularly for many
long-term patients who are iso
lated from family and communi
ty.
After the visits, “Re-Creation’s”
1997 show, entitled “On Track,”
roars on stage with musical skits
featuring big band, Motown, rock
‘n’ roll; Broadway and country
songs, selected and choreo
graphed especially for the veter
an audience.
“These young performers bring
Josey teammates Shaun Williams
(Alabama), Percy Bland (Georgia)
and John Griffin (South Carolina
State). Williams in an excellent
student who promises to be an
impact player for new 'Bama head
coach Doug Dubose and the Crim
son Tide. Percy Bland will admit
that he wasn’t always such a hard
worker. But give him credit, learn
ing how to stay focused is a task
few teenagers have mastered. He
chose to excel and be a leader this
season and that commitment to
excellence led him to Athens (free
of charge). Georgia head coach Jim
Donnan hasadded yet another win
ner to the Bulldog fold. No doubt
John Starr and his staff are hop
ing UGA recruiters venture to
Eagle Way for many years to come.
Rest assured that these young
men’sstoriesare but afew of many
great accomplishments and tri
umphs this season. As many as
100 CSRA players may ink foot
ball scholarships in the next few
weeks. Congratulations to all our
local student-athletes, and their
families, during this national sign
ing period for high school football
players. Credit is due to all the
coaches, as well, who nurtured the
talents of each player.
1996 certainly proved to be an
other banner recruiting season for
CSRA Prep football. I can’t wait
for next season to roll around!
a terrific show to our hospitalized
vets,” said Medical Center Direc
tor David Whatley. “The caliber of
talentis exceptional and the youth
and exuberance they radiate to
the patients is a medicine that
cannot be prescribed.”
“Re-Creation” has been lifting
the spirits of hospitalized veter
ans at VA Medical Centers across
the country for morethan 10years
thanks to sponsorship by VA and
the BVL Fund.
AUGUSTA FOCUS February 6, 1997
The Friendship and
Devlin Cups come to Augusta
The Greater Augusta Sports
Council would like to announce
the USA Badminton’s 1997
Friendship and Devlin Cup Tour
naments which will be held at
Augusta State University’s Ath
letic Complex. This elite badmin
ton tournament will have the jun
ior national teams of the United
States, Canada and Russia com
peting for this prestigious title.
The U.S. and Russia will be com
peting for the Friendship Cup on
February 23 at 4 pm. The U.S. and
Canada will then compete for the
Devlin Cup on February 25 at 7 p.m.
In addition to the Tournament, the
Russian and Canadian teams will be
participatingin anexhibitionforarea
schools on February 24 at 10 a.m.,
which will alsobe held at the Athletic
Complex.
Previously, thetournament has
Jjust consisted of the Devlin Cup
President’s visit adds to Good Luck Card
By Lillian Wan
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
President Bill Clinton’s visit to
Augusta State University produced
an unexpected bonus towards the
history of the Good Luck Card: the
addition of his signature to over
2,000 others. The Good Luck Card
isalocal project founded by Carnell
“übanks and promoted by the USS
Star League, a local chapter of
STARFLEET, the International
Star Trek Fan Association.
NASA has already approved the
presentation of the card to Augusta
born astronaut Lt. Cmdr. Susan Still
nd her fellow crew members of shut-
Enhance your office waiting room;
buy a subscription to
Augusta Focus for only $24.95
per year. Call 724-7855 to
arrange your purchase.
between the United States and
Canada. This will be the first year
that the Friendship Cup will take
place between the United States
and Russia.
Elite badminton is not your av
erage backyard game played with
family members on Sunday after
noons. This is badminton at its
finest. It is a competition among
top-notch athletes. When played
right, badminton is one of the
world’s fastest racket sports. Ac
cording to the USA Badminton, in
a badminton smash, the shuttle
cock reaches speeds of 200 m.p.h.
in top international competition.
A badminton net stands at five
feet tall. The shuttlecock weighs
less than an ounce and is made up
of 16 goose feathers attached to a
leather-covered cork tip. A bad
minton racket weighs less than
an ounce and is 27 inches long.
tlemission STS-83beforetheirsched
uled April 3flight. Dr. Joseph M. Still
Jr., father of Lt. Cmdr. Still, will be
thepresenter. Afterthehistoricflight,
Lt.Cmdr. Still, whois NASA’s second
ever femaleshuttle pilot,and Dr. Still
will be presenting the Good Luck
Card to the Augusta-Richmond
County Museum in a special late
spring presentation. The museum
will be including the card in a spe
cial exhibit to honor Augusta’s first
astronaut.
Besides honoring Augusta with
his visit February sth, President
Clinton has also added his signa
ture to Augusta’s history in the
Good Luck Card.
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