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Sports
W Sports editor I
Making millions
a year, and
going on strike?
Folks, it’s time that we got our
hackles up.
You might call this Part II of
the diatribe I started last week. I
start out with the same question I
had last week—why is Major
League baseball trying to deliber
ately destroy a game that Americans
have grown to love over the past
century or so?
It seems that the men of summer
have decided that they are going to
walk the picket line instead of
pulling down big bucks to play a
boy's game.
I have great sympathy for work
ers in fast food places. Their work
is hard, their bosses demanding and
their pay low.
I have great sympathy for some
one who does hard manual labor
outdoors, especially in Georgia.
Some are well compensated, some
are not. Still, the job is physically
demanding, and the main objective
is to finish the job in the quickest
way possible without sacrificing
quality.
I have great sympathy for teach
ers, policemen, firemen and others
who have jobs with great responsi
bility; but, the paychecks they
bring home, while enough to live
on, rarely reflect the responsibility
of the job.
I even have respect for minor
league baseball players. While their
"brothers" pull down big bucks
playing in the "show,” minor
league baseball players pull down
less than $25,000 a year, live two
or three players to a cheap motel
room and endure long bus rides to
far away games.
But, I have no respect for a man
who makes $1 million a year, or
better, telling me that his working
conditions are bad. NO RE
SPECT, what-so-ever.
Please don't get me wrong here.
I'm not saying that I agree with the
owners, either. While owners have
a legitimate right to make a profit,
they have proven themselves no
less greedy than the ballplayers who
"play" for them. If needed any evi
dence, just look at the threats they
have made to youth leagues using
Major League names, emblems and
logos.
"But," the players say, "you
have no idea what we go through to
earn that money. Besides, our ca
reers are so short that we have to
earn a lot of money to live, after
our career's are over."
Four points—first, I would love
to know the problems of making
millions for not growing up. Play
ing a child's game and getting the
kind of money these guys are get
ting paid can't be that difficult. We
pay a reserve infielder who couldn’t
conceive of hitting .300 more than
we pay a research scientist working
on a cure for AIDs.
Secondly, I don't know of too
many Major League baseball play
ers who were too worried about
mandatory retirement at 72. The
last figure I heard was that people
can be expected to change careers,
not jobs, but careers, an average of
7.1 times today. That might be a
little high; but, very few people are
going to retire in their 70s in the
same career they started in their late
teens and early 20s.
This argument just doesn't wash.
If the professional career doesn't
work out —find another job. Maybe
it doesn't pay as much as profes
sional sports; but, that's too bad,
and that's life.
I can just hear Bob Tribble's, the
paper's owner, reaction if I went
into his office demanding a few
hundred thousand a year because I
didn't know if I would be in news
papers five-to-ten years from now. I
have a feeling Iraq would have a
better chance of winning a second
Persian Gulf War than I would of
retaining my job.
Thirdly, these guys knew what
was in store for them before they
ever decided to become professional
players. If they didn't, they made a
bad mistake, signing away several
years of their lives on a dream. Be
lieve me, the players are well com
pensated for any of the "drawbacks"
of their careers.
Finally, it's not the money that
is the problem here. If someone,
my current employer or anyone
else, lost their head one morning
Please see Roloy, page 8A
Local schools hire softball coaches
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Billy Sellers stands In front of the Lady Hornets softball
facility. Sellers Is the new Hornet softball and basket
ball coach.
Britsky comes home
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sport* Editor
Kelly Britsky wants the Perry
Panthers to have a good experience
next year.
"The big goal for them as play
ers is to enjoy themselves," said the
new Perry softball coach. "A good
experience, that's what it is all
about.
"We are going to work hard, and
we are going to have fun. We are
going to work to get where we
want to be. If we improve each
game, then I will be satisfied.
"More than anything, I want
these girls to develop character. I
want my team to be a class act, win
or lose."
Britsky is returning, somewhat,
home in taking over the Panther
softball squad. She played high
school softball at Warner Robins
High School before going on to
ABAC and, later, LaGrange Col
lege.
"Houston County's home," said
Britsky. "I was always looking for
a chance to get into Houston
County. It's a great (school) sys
tem.
"The principal (Phil Smith), ath
letic director (John Stephens) and
all the people in the county seem
very cordial, very open and accept
ing. I feel comfortable coming back
here, coming home."
Westfield football schedule
Defending state runnerups West
field will defend their second place
trophy in 1995 starting with a road
game against Mt. DeSales Aug. 8,
opening a 10 game schedule.
The Hornets will open their
home schedule against Tattnall
Academy on Sept. 2.
Westfield will play four of its
first six games on the road, includ
ing a Saturday game, Sept. 16, at
John Milledge. The Hornets will
play three of their last four games
Westfield Football Schedule
8- Mt. DeSales Away
9- Tatnall Home
9-9 Open
9-16 John Milledge Home
9-24 Westwood Away
Saturday
9-30 Tiftarea Away
*lO-7 Windsor Away
* 10-14 Stratford Home
* 10-21 First Presbyterian Home
* 10-28 Southland Away
11-4 Athens Christian Home
* Region Game
Although she graduated as a
Demon, Britsky said she was
quickly becoming a Panther.
At ABAC, Britsky was named to
the all-national junior college team
and also won two state champi
onships and a national title. She
continued her play at LaGrange,
named to the all-conference team
two years and winning the team's
M.V.P. award.
After her playing career ended,
Britsky stayed at LaGrange as a
graduate assistant, picking up her
second national title as LaGrange
won the N:A.I.A. title.
"What affects the way that I
think about the game is the good
coaches I've had in the past," said
Britsky, who noted that she has
been playing serious, competitive
softball since her early teen years,
when she was on traveling softball
teams. "I was fortunate to have
some good coaches.
"You learn a lot of good things.
And, you learn a lot of the wrong
things not to do. The right person
coaching makes a difference."
Britsky said that her team would
not wait for the homerun ball to
win games, saying that the Pan
thers will move runners and manu
facture runs in 1994.
"We are going to be strong fun
damentally and defensively," said
the new Panther softball coach. "I
at the Hornet's Nest.
Westfield will start the region
schedule Oct. 7 with a match
against Windsor. The Hornets are
moving to Region lAAA, which
also includes Stratford, FPD and
Southland.
The Hornets will conclude their
regular season with a Nov. 4 meet
ing with Athens Christian at home.
Westfield will start practice on
Aug. 1.
Houston Times-Journal
Sellers follows Campbell
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sport* Editor
Ronnie Jones persistence caused Billy Sellers to fi
nally say yes to the Westfield softball and women's
basketball job.
Sellers said that Jones called in the middle of March
to talk with him about the job; but, that he was in the
middle of baseball season. Then Jones called again at
the end of the season, with Westfield still looking for
someone to replace Donna Campbell. Again, Sellers
turned down Jones' offer.
However, Jones was not to be denied, and recently
made a third call to Sellers. This time Sellers agreed to
come to Westfield.
"The opportunity to work with Ronnie Jones was a
big factor (in taking the job)," said Sellers.
Sellers will take over the women’s softball and bas
ketball programs from Donna Campbell, who was at
the school for nine years. Campbell left Westfield to
pursue a master's degree, in order to coach on the col
lege level.
"They (players) are used to one system for nine
years," said Sellers. "Ultimately, they will have to
leant a new (system)."
"It's always going to be a challenge when you
change jobs,” said Sellers. "The biggest challenge I
will have is to convince the young ladies I have that I
am with them and for them and will do anything for
them.
"The challenge is being able to smooth the transi
tion as much as possible in a short time as possible."
The presence of Jenny Crooms at Westfield should
make the transition easier for him, said Sellers, since
she could provide a bridge to the players from Camp
bell's tenure.
Sellers comes to Westfield from Hogansville High
School, where he was women's basketball coach and
baseball coach. Before going to Hogansville, he
coached at Miller County High School, where he
started the women's basketball program, and the men's
team for three years.
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New Perry coach Kelly Britsky looks over a roster with Perry athletic director John
Stephens. Britsky will guide the Lady Panthers softball team In 1994.
want a strong defensive team. My
philosophy is that if you can play
consistently good defense, you will
make up for the days that you don't
his so well.
"You don't need a bunch of
stars,” said Britsky of her offensive
and defensive systems. "Hopefully,
we will have a bunch of girls with
the will to win.
"When we won the national
championship (at LaGrange), we
probably didn't have the best team
Hunter safety classes scheduled in county
Georgia Hunting Laws require
that any resident bom on or after
January 1, 1961, and who is 12
years old or older, must complete a
Hunter Safety Certification Course
prior to hunting or purchasing a
hunting license, unless hunting on
their own land or land of their
parents, or legal guardian in whose
home they live. Children 10 years
old or older must complete the
Hunter Safety Certification Course
in order to participate in Wildlife
Management Area Parent-Child
Hunts.
Nonresident hunters must also
have completed an approved Hunter
Safety Course prior to purchasing a
season hunting license, if bom on
or after January 1,1961.
Proof of hunter safety
certification MUST be carried by
the hunter at all times when
hunting.
The Hunter Safety Course taught
by the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources or any Hunter
Safety Course meeting the standards
established by the North American
Saturday, Juno 25.1994 "H0u5t0n Tknes-Joumal
Page 6A
around. But, the girls worked well
and everybody wanted it. It was the
best feeling in the world, I guess."
Britsky said that she was learn
ing about her team. "I don’t know
what they had. I know a good num
ber of girls are returning. I'm kindof
in the dark, I don't know what I've
got."
However, Britsky said that
would not hold her back. "We need
to worry about getting ourselves
ready.
Association of Hunter Safety
Coordinators will satisfy the above
requirement. The Georgia Hunter
Safety Certification is accepted by
all states of the United States and
all provences of Canada, that require
Hunter Safety Certification.
The Georgia Department of
Natural Resources Hunter Safety
course (six hours) will be taught at
locations and times indicated on the
attached schedule. Students arriving
10 minutes after c'ass starting time
WILL NOT BF "~EPTED.
Students must attenu ,ix hours
of instruction and pass a 50
question written test with a
minimum score of 75 percent in
order to be certified. There is no
charge for these courses.
Students MUST have their
Social Security number (SSAN)
with them in order to complete the
course.
The minimum number of
students For these courses is 10
students. Any course may be
cancelled if less than the minimum
number of students are present for
He holds a 74-119 record as a basketball coach.
However, two of those years, he was 0-26, with a
Miller County team having only one player with prior
organized basketball experience. As a men's coach, he
33-21, with a region runner-up.
On the diamond. Sellers was named as the West Ge
orgia Coach-of-the-Year in 1994. He has a record of 49-
22. He has not coached softball.
Even though Sellers has not coached softball, he
sees a lot of similarities between it and baseball.
"Other than the fact that one throws overhand and
the other throws underhand, the basic principals are the
same," said Sellers. "I know a little more about base
ball; but, I've played softball all my life."
"We are going to be able to do the fundamentals,"
said Sellers of his philosophy in both basketball and
softball. "If we do the fundamentals right, then every
thing else will be easier.
"I like to be able to do the small things a s good as
possible. That makes doing the hard things easier."
In softball, Sellers said that his teams would attack
the other team.
"It's been my experience through baseball that you
have to manufacture things instead of waiting for one
big play," said Sellers, who said he would teach his
players how to sacrifice for the good of the team.
"We've taken the ballgame to them. We haven't waited
for them to make one mistake.
"A lot of the time, we won ugly and lost pretty.
Winning ugly is a lot better than losing pretty."
Sellers said his basketball philosophy was "simple."
"We like to chase people all over the court, and
force people to chase us until they tire themselves
out," said Sellers. "From what I hear, and from what
I've seen, the talent level at Westfield will allow us to
a lot of what my philosophy is based on.
"Again, we have to do a lot of fundamentals. -
"We want to be competitive first," said Sellers. "I
think the talent level here allows us to do that. Until I
can get in here and find out what I have to work with, I
can't be any more specific."
"I'm looking forward to getting
started and meeting the girls."
the course. Seating for these
courses is FIRST COME-FIRST
SERVED. The course is CLOSED
when seating capacity is reached.
There is no pre-registration.
Course information may be
obtained by phone between the
hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday by calling
the Wildlife Resources Division
Office in Macon at (912) 751-6415.
The Hunter Safety Training
courses are taught by DNR Law
Enforcement Officers and DNR
Certified Volunteer Instructors.
The facilities for the Hunter Safety
Training Courses are donated free of
charge by the sponsoring
organizations. The Georgia
Department of Natural Resources
wishes to express its gratitude to
the sponsoring organizations for
their support of the Georgia Hunter
Safety Education Program.
July 12 & 14, 1994: Macon
College-Building C, Room 104.
August 9 & 11, 1994: Shirley
Hills Baptist Church-Fellowship
Please see Hunting, page 8A
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