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Sports tTgt Roley I |n|jß Sports editor I Youth baseball gets underway in Perry area What is the first harbinger of summer? Some might argue the sounds of pools filling, or the thermometer starting its assault on triple digits. However, I would argue the surest harbinger of summer is the crack of aluminium bats at youth leagues around the nation. Although I haven't heard from most of the Ochlahatchee folks, I understand that they started their season on April 23. Perry Parks and Recreation kicks of the 1994 season on May 9. When I was growing up in the hinterlands of Monroe County, Al abama, we lived too far from town for me to participate in Little League baseball. However, after my family moved into town, I was able to participate as a coach and statis tician. I believe youth baseball offers a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn the game of baseball, learn the dynamics of working on a team and learn how to win and how to lose. Besides, the concept is built around having fun. Too many times, however, par ents take the fun out of youth base ball. I would like to give a few simple rules that will help the kids enjoy the games of youth baseball more. First, remember that youth base ball is just a game. Kids, as a rule, like to win and don't like to lose. However, most kids also have short memories. Most of the kids playing have friends on the other team. The next day, win or lose, the kids will still be friends. I have, however, seen friendships damaged by the game. The friend ship was rarely damaged by conduct on the field, rather it was damaged by parents not being able to handle the thought of their kids losing. It's a game. It's nice if you win. But, it isn't the end of the world if you lose. Win or lose, the game changes very little in the world. The same problems a kid faced be fore the game, he will face after wards. Secondly, you are not the coach. What docs a kid do when his coach tells him to steal second and his dad tells him to stay on first? Youth sports quickly use their appeal to anybody when the game grows to a power struggle between dad, or mom, and the coach. Unless the coach is doing something that might injure the child, parents should let the coach coach. If you do not agree with the coach, do something about it —sign up to coach next year. Also, show the give the umpire some credit. It is obvious why the umpire at most youth baseball games are not calling balls and strikes in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. But, if they were that good, why would they be calling balls and strikes in youth league Play. Most umpires try. Very few give a half-hearted effort. And, although the umps are paid, they don't get very much for working a game or evening. Many times what they do get for the game is not worth the abuse they take from parents in the stands. I guarantee you that the ump will blow a call. However, when that does happen, please try to un derstand that he is only human. After all, even the umps that call in Major League baseball also blow calls. Thirdly, realize that not everyone is set to be the next Babe Ruth or Nolan Ryan. There will be "stars" in the league. But, if your child is not one of the stars, don’t pressure him to be something that he is not. It is one thing to expect some one to do something that they can do. It is another to have unrealistic expectations of ability. Some kids have better hand-eye coordination than others. As a re sult, they hit the ball better and catch the ball better than others. Don't put undue expectations on your child. And, that goes doubly for the "star.” Parents, and coaches, of the league stars need to especially be wary of putting undue expectations on the kids. Even the star will Please see Roley, page 8A Smith qualifies in five events ** < i*» A' i » m L ' • ■ , f'*»r Jenifer Smith crosses the finish line In the 400 meter dash In the GISA state qualifying meet Saturday. Smith qualified In five events. Hobbs named head pro at Perry Country Club May 2 Perry Country Club announces the appointment of William P. "Bill" Hobbs Jr as head professional and general manager effective May 2, 1994. Hobbs comes to Perry from Braelinn Golf Club in Peachtree City, Ga., where he has been head professional since OcL, 1991. Prior Home team wins Zeb's Zip In tourney Chico Hobbs and Buz Wooten scored big on their home course, winning the Eighth Annual Zeb's Zip-In Invitational golf tournament at Houston Lake Country Club. Hobbs and Wooten used a strong second day of play to take the two stroke win over Warner Robins' Dave Alvcrson and David Moore. At the end of the first day of ” bJk -v. * AjT < K 'X. 'IP' : U ?:■ I' J Kathy Garnett, director of Rainbow House (center), accepts a check from Houston Lake Country Club owner Chris Murman (right), as Zeb’s Zip In owner Thomas Wal drof looks on. k.- ' ■ . to that, he was director of golf and head professional at the Golf Academy Driving Range in Gainesville, Ga. Hobbs has also served as assis tant golf professional at Dunwoody Country Club in Dunwoody, Ga., and Hillcrest Country Ciub in Indi- Please see P.C.C., page 8A play, which was played under scramble rules, Alvcrson and Moore held a slight lead over Wooten and Hobbs. However, in the four ball format of the second day, Wooten and Hobbs responded to the pres sure, coming back to post the tour nament win. The tournament drew 96 teams Please see Zeb's Zip In, page 8A Houston rimes-Journal By VETO F. ROLEY Sports Editor Jenifer Smith qualified for the GISA AAA state track meet in five events after performances Saturday in a qualifying meet at Tattnall Academy in Macon. However, the story of the after noon was the running of Amy Rhodes, Rosemary Mathias and Mary Catherine Walker. Westfield women's track coach has a very young team, with many eighth graders filling key spots on the team. When the eighth grade took a trip to Washington last weekend, the Lady thinclads were decimated. Hit hard were coach Donna Campbell's 400 meter and 1600 meter relay teams, with Stephanie Barr and Jenifer Lane in Washing ton. Rhodes and Mathias took the place of Lane and Barr on the 400 meter team, while Rhodes and Hornets finish 4th in state By VETO F. ROLEY Sports Editor The Hornet golf team fell just short of state championship Mon day afternoon. Playing at the Twin Cities Golf Course in Sandersville, Westfield had to settle for fourth, eight strokes behind Southland. Stratford took second place, fin ishing the day with a 315, while Westminster of Augusta was third with a 317. Kiwanis tourney raises $1,450 Tommy Waldrof sunk a putt on the 18th hole that would give the Commerce Equity Mortgage/Dr. Tom Pierce team a win in the Ki wanis Scholarship Fund Golf Tour nament held Friday at Houston Lake Country Club. The Commerce Equity team fin ished the day tied at 54 with the Perry Hospital team. Under tie breaker rules, the tournament went back to the last holes starting with the 18th hole. The Commerce Equity team had a lower score on the eighth hole than the Perry Hos pital team. Joining Waldrof on the Com merce Equity team were Larry Giles, Bobby Harrison and Harry Small. Former Perry Mayor Barbara Calhoun headlined the Perry Hospi tal team which also included Doug Johnson, Ed Strickland and John Todd. page 6A - Wednesday, May 4,1994 “Houston Times-Journal Walker took their place on the 1600 meter team. The only two regulars Campbell had on the two relay teams were Smith and Windy Biggers. "You are worried when the entire team is not intact," said Campbell. A key to a relay team is the hand off of the baton from one runner to the other. "It (the handoff) takes a lot of work. "Speed is essential," said Camp bell. "You've got to have four strong legs. The handoff makes or breaks a team. In order to contend for any type of championship, you’ve got to make the handoffs." The pieced together 400 meter relay team qualified for the state championship meet with a finish of 55.00 seconds, which was over a second-and-a-half slower than the best time of the number one Homet relay team. However, the time was just .36 Marvin Arrington, coach of the Homet squad, said that coaches pre dicted the a score of 305-to-310 to win the evenL "Scores ran high for everybody," he said. Even though scores were high, Arrington said that the competition was tough among the top four schools. "It was pretty tight," he said, noting the eight stroke differ ence between first and fourth and the four stroke difference between first and third. B flight was led by a team spon sored by Comfort Inn. John Draper, Betty Louise, Lucky Mahler and Millie Smith finished the day with a 55. W, ■ - ' * b|H "''J / I . ■’ifi - ■ . : **'\*J*f - - • Tommy Waldrof puts at the 18th hole during the Kiwa nis scholarship tournament. of a second slower than the first place Westwood 400 meter relay, and good enough for second. The 1600 meter relayed team took the fourth of four slots to make it to the state championship, finishing with a time of 4:36. "It was good enough to qualify," said Campbell. "They did a super job of step ping in," said Campbell of her three alternates, Mathias, Rhodes and Walker. They stepped up and did the job for us. It showed a lot of char acter on their part." In addition to qualifying for the state meet on the 400 meter and 1600 meter teams, Smith also qual ified in the long jump, 100 meter dash and 400 meter dash, winning each of those events. Audrea Calvin was the only other Lady Homet to qualify for the state meet, qualifying in the 3200 meter run. Twin Cities, said Arrington, was a course that rewarded course man agement and putting. "Our putts were hard to come by," he said. "The course takes a lot of man agement and a little finesse," said Arrington of the state champi onship course. While Arrington indicated that the team was disappointed at not taking the number one position, he said they were satisfied with the Please see Hornets, page 8A The tournament raised over $1,400 for the Kiwanis scholarship fund, said tournament director Paul Hicks. "It was very successful." Tennis tournament for Rainbow House A celebrity tennis tourna ment at Houston Lake Country Club raised over $360 for the Rainbow House. Kathy Garnett ac cepts a check from tennis pro Kerry Bacon (center). The tournament Included celebrities such as State Senator Sonny Purdue and Board of Education Chairman Zell Blackmon.