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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 Mti ■ /I Tff v ft i > ? , | . v - -V,’ 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 I -9T ~ t*. ’p* -ft*** L(p * 4r ‘' r 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 II I § mi*. ij£ c fj| 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