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Sports
Jimmy
Simpson
Parents need to
check attitudes
at youth games
Everyone likes to be a winner.
I do, you do, we all d 0...
But where do we, as parents, not
participants, draw the line?
There’s nothing more exciting
than signing your kid up for
recreation sports and watching them
get their first hit, catch their first
fly ball, or hit their first home run.
Who wouldn’t be proud? To hear
the other kids talk, your kid is the
envy of everyone at the park. But
how do you, as the parent, rate at
the old ball park?
Are you the one that never says
a word, all the while letting a
simple smile represent your
excitement?
Maybe you’re the one who
shrills so loudly that others around
you just laugh at your various
reactions to the plays on the field.
Or perhaps, just perhaps, you’re
the one whom everyone hates to
come into contact with... the one
who argues every call with the
umpire, always questions the coach,
and always pushes your child to a
point to where it’s just not fun for
them, as children, anymore.
Not me, you say.
Of course not.
But I have to wonder if you’re
being honest with yourself. If it’s
not you, then where are all of these
people claiming to be parents of
some of these kids coming from...?
Never before have I witnessed so
many parents coming unglued as I
have this year while being afforded
the opportunity to coach a junior
league girl’s softball team.
Last year, the first of my
volunteer coaching debut, I would
have probably fallen under the curse
of some voodoo doctor if some
parents from opposing teams would
have had their way.
This year, with some of the
parents at the old ball park, we
could easily be billed as the voodoo
capitol of the world.
There is no excuse for this
action.
For the first time in years, I
know of two coaches who have
expressed their desire to quit
coaching after this season due to a
lack of respect for the game and
what it should exemplify.
It’s not only the officiating crew
or the coaches who are being
targeted, but the girls, as well.
I’ve heard of coaches (parent
coaches, mind you) telling kids on
opposing teams to keep their foot
off the bag when balls are thrown
their way to ensure that their own
runner reaches base.
I’ve heard parents accusing
coaches of pitching antics in order
to directly affect the flight of the
ball when it comes off the players’
bats.
I’ve even seen some kids being
encouraged to “run over” others
who get in their way.
The easiest thing in the world to
do when your team is losing is to
take secondary steps to “even the
score.” But that’s not the way to
play the game. Or, at least, it
shouldn’t be...
What ever happened to
instruction on the field? What
happened to the “good sport”
attitude that our parents always
stressed to us? What happened to
the days when competition came
from the players, not those in the
stands?
Parents should be encouraging
each and every participant to do
their best, not ruining their
confidence. Encourage everyone to
hit the ball. And if your son or
daughter is in the field, encourage
them to catch it... Two great plays
- a hit and a catch- is much better
than no play at all.
In essence, think of each and
every youth on that field as your
own.
Maybe the next kid isn’t the
great athlete you believe your son
or daughter to be, but remember, he
or she is a kid.
It’s time to shape up, or ship
out, parents.
At a time when prayer has been
taken out of the schools, and
discipline at those same institutions
basically being a thing of the past,
sports may be the next best thing
to teach kids that you play by the
rules. Anything else is unexcused.
Lassiter inducted into golf hall of fame
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Al Lassiter receives his Houston County Hall of Fame award from Bobby ’’The Le
gend" Jones Saturday night.
Perry horseshoe pitchers send
six to state doubles final round
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Five members of the Perry Horseshoe Pitchers Club
made It to the Georgia state doubles finals Saturday.
Each of the top three teams had a member from Perry.
Kellwood holds off Harold's 7-5
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Brandon Spainhour struck out 15
Kellwood batters Monday evening
at Ochlahatchee Park in a battle be
tween Ochlahatchee leaders, Kell
wood and Harold's.
However, when the dust had set
tled, it was Kris Ashbury and Kell
wood who came out on top 7-5.
Harold's entered the game tied
with Crossroads for the top posi
tion in the league with a 6-1 record.
Kellwood was close behind, occu
pying third, a half-game behind at
6-2.
However, when the dust had
cleared away, Kellwood came away
with the win, pulling a half in front
of Harold's, and to within a half
game of Crossroads.
After trailing 1-0, Kellwood
would take the lead in the third in
ning. Through the first two in
nings, Spainhour had little trouble
with Kellwood batters, allowing
only two batters to reach base, one
on a swinging bunt to third and the
other on an infield error, and strik
ing out six.
Spainhour quickly got the first
two outs in the third. Trouble
started innocently enough for the
Harold's righthander.
David Rowland reached on a
swinging bunt to third, the second
such hit given up by Spainhour.
Ashbury then lifted a fly to left that
was misplayed into a double,
putting runners on second and third.
Matthew Layson followed Ash
bury with the first good hit off
Spainhour, a single up the middle
which plated Rowland and Ashbury.
Layson went to second on the
throw to the plate..
John Gibbs followed with an
other infield single to third, putting
runners on the comers. A passed
ball allowed Layson to score.
Although Kellwood would keep
its lead for the rest of the game,
Harold's put on a strong rally in the
final inning.
Down 7-4, with two outs in the
sixth and the bottom of the order
up, Patrick Harris started the rally
with a solo shot over the right field
fence.
The eighth place hitter, Ben
Brannon, reached on an error, while
the ninth place batter, Randy Whid
don, kept the rally alive, drawing a
walk to put runners at first and sec
ond.
However, as he had done
throughout the game, Ashbury set
tled down to get the key out, retir
ing Harold's leadoff batter on a
grounder to short, stranding the
game-tying run at first
Harold's would draw first blood
in the game. After Spainhour struck
out the side in the top of the first,
Will Sexton got Harold's going of
fensively with a double to left
However, it appeared Ashbury
would be able get out of the jam
without allowing a score, getting
the next two batters, allowing Sex
ton to advance only as far as third.
Cleanup hiuet Don Walker
slapped a Ashbury pitch to second,
Houston Times-Joumal
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Five Perry pitchers made into
the final round of the Georgia State
Doubles Championship held at the
Perry Agricenter.
Three of the six Perry players
helped their teams to a top three
finish in the state finals. Frank Ad
kins of Perry combined with Richy
Pressley of Rockmart to take the
doubles title with a perfect 5-0
record in round robin play.
Second place featured Perry's
Paul Felty teamed with the Georgia
state singles champion, Richard
Williams. Felty and Williams took
second with a 3-2 record.
Jonanne Kennedy, from Perry,
teamed with Elba Allen from Car
rolton to take third. They also had a
3-2 mark, but had to settle for the
third place trophy in a tie breaker.
Allen and Kennedy converted 91
ringers in five games, while
Williams and Felty converted 100
ringers in five games.
Thirty-eight participants, paired
in 19 teams, played in Saturday's
tournament. Players were paired ac
cording to their average scores, with
the highest scoring players paired
with the lowest scoring players.
"We were pleased that we had as
many participants as we had," said
Jerome Kennedy, the secretary of
the Perry Horseshoe Pitchers Club.
He said the tournament was well at
tended by clubs outside of Perry.
The tournament was a preview
of the state singles championshio.
Please see Horseshoes, page 8A
giving Ashbury his third out. How
ever, the secondbaseman misplayed
the ball, allowing Sexton to come
across the plate with the first run of
the game.
After allowing Kellwood to go
up 3-1 in the top of the third,
Harold's took advantage of the
Please see Kellwood, page 8A
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William Sundqulst (left) and Jay Rich (center) received SI,OOO scholarships
Saturday night from the Houston County Hall of Fame. Shown with Sundqulst and
Rich Is Ron Wlllaquar, chairman of the scholarship committee.
Page 6A
Wednesday, June 1,1994 "Houston Times-Journal
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
The game of golf has been spe
cial to Perry golfer Al Lassiter.
Saturday night, it became a little
more special with Lassiter's induc
tion into the Houston County Golf
Hall of Fame.
"Golf has been a very important
part of my life,” said Lassiter. "It
taught me to watch and learn what
people think.
"It (his induction into the Hall)
is a real honor. I'm very, very
pleased I would even been consid
ered (for induction)."
Lassiter, who normally carries a
two or three handicap, has been
playing at Perry Country Club for
37 years. He has served as president
of the club on two or three occa
sions, and has won the club cham
pionship on 10 occasions.
Although Lassiter has played
great golf for much of his life, he
only has one hole in one, coming
on the fifth hole at Perry Country
Club in a member-member tourna
ment.
Lassiter was playing with his fa
ther in law, Andy Snider, when he
scored the ace. He said that he did
not see the shot go in the hole, but
his Snider did.
"He jumped up and said, 'Glory,
glory, you finally made one,"' said
Lassiter. "It was so pretty. It landed
on the green and trickled in the
hole."
Another highpoint in golf for
Lassiter came when he played for
the Panthers for three years with his
cousin, Bobby Jones. "We won the
state championship at Perry High
School," he said.
The Panthers were really strong
Maroon and Gold camp
The Maroon and Gold Basketball Camp will be held in June and July,
announced Perry High School head basketball coach Carl Thomas.
Thomas said the camp will have three sessions. The first session will be
for males entering grades 6-8, and will take place June 9,10, 13 and 14.
The second session will be hied from June 27-30 for males and females en
tering grades 3,4 and 5. The final session will take place July 11-14, for
females entering grades 6,7 and 8.
Each day will start at 9 a.m. and last until 2 p.m. at Perry High School
Gymnasium.
Camp staff will include Thomas, Max Vickers, head women's basketball
coach at Perry High, and Darryl Albritton, assistant basketball coach at
Perry. There will also be skills demonstrations by current and former Perry
High School athletes.
Registration is $35 if received by June 3, $45 after June 3. For more in
formation, contact Thomas at Perry High School, 988-6298.
WHS to hold basketball camp
Jim Massey will hold a Pee Wee
basketball camp June 2-3 at West
field Academy for children in
kindergarten through second grade.
Cost of the camp will be S2O.
The camp will start at 9 a.m. and
last through noon.
A second camp for students in
Georgia handicapped fishing tourney
A group of Georgia sportsmen
proved it's possible to enjoy your
sport, no matter what the odds.
The group, part of the Georgia
Handicapped Sportsmen (GHS),
took part in the seventh annual
fishing tournament for disabled an
glers.
The tournament sponsored by the
GHS and Georgia Power was held
at Blanton Creek Park, on Lake
Harding.
Tommy Hite of Lawrenceville
his sophomore year, said Lassiter,
losing only one match that year.
Waycross High School in Wayne
County beat the Panthers in Way
cross by two strokes.
After leaving Perry High
School, Jones and Lassiter went to
Georgia Southern where they
formed the first golf team for the
Eagles.
"We got SSOO from the athletic
department," said Lassiter, "and, we
went around and played golf."
Lassiter said with their limited
budget, the Eagles golf team could
only play local tournaments. How
ever, they did manage to get to a
tournament in Coral Gables, Fla.
Georgia Southern, in those days,
gave its players $1.25 per day in
meal money. "We found a place
where you could eat for $2.99 a
day, and they served T-bone steak,"
said Lassiter. "We had a good time
down there."
"Golf is serious to me," said
Lassiter. "My wife (Andrea) is my
favorite person. She has allowed me
to play golf. She is a special per
son.
"Golf is a gentlemen's game,"
said Lassiter. "It is the only game
going where you control yourself.
You are responsible to look after
your score. There are no fights and
no arguments.
"I have, over the years, taught
many young men to conduct them
selves as gentlemen."
Lassiter was inducted in the
Houston County Hall of Fame in a
ceremony Saturday night at the
Robins Air Force Base Officer's
Club. The Hall is located at Hous
ton Lake Country Club.
grades three through eight will be
held June 6-9.
The cost for that camp will be
S4O. Each day's activities will start
at 9 a.m. and last through noon.
For further information, contact
Massey or coach Jenny Crooms at
Westfield Schools at 987-0567.
won first place for overall catch and
Bob Sydney of Villa Rica won first
place for biggest fish.
"These folks love to fish," said
Zeke Isaacs, GHS president. "Just
because a person has a certain dis
ability doesn't mean they can't con
tinue to enjoy sports like fishing
and hunting."
Volunteers from local bass clubs
served as boat captains and, in turn,
were able to share in the rewards.
Please see GHS, page 8A
