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Sports
BP Jimmy
m “r n
Coaching youth
sports can be a
rewarding time
One of the most rewarding
experiences a person can have as an
adult is being able to contribute to
a young person’s life in some small
way.
I found this to be most
memorable earlier this year when I
took the reigns of a youth girl’s
softball team. Despite some small
problems that had to be ironed out
early in the season, the good far
outweighed the bad...
One of the hardest things in the
world for me, though, after just one
week was trying to find something
to do in my spare time. For more
than three months, my life revolved
around softball. I slept it, ate it, and
talked about it all the time.
My sponsor, Graffiti Hair Salon,
was the best sponsor I’ve ever
worked with. But then again,
maybe it’s supposed to be that way
when the sponsor is also the
coach’s wife. Thanks, Davida.
1 also had the opportunity to
work with the best group of parents
I’ve ever been associated with in
any way, shape or form. I can’t
name them all, but would like to
give a heartfelt thanks to all of you
who made my job a lot easier...
And last, but not least, the
contributors of our league’s Ist
Annual Awards Banquet. I can’t
thank Middle Georgia businesses
enough for their contributions.
Kroger, Piggly Wiggly, Colonial
Baking Company, Coca Cola
Bottling Company and Frito Lay
were more than “lifesavers” when it
came to helping us with a pretty
small budget.
To Nancy and David at
Hilderbrands for their last-minute
efforts when I would rush in and
want something changed at the very
last possible moment. And a big
“Thank You!” for the towering
trophy that today is displayed at
Graffiti’s as a result of the League
Championship we won.
And to fellow coaches Diane and
James Pennington of Pennington
111 Plumbing, Jeannie Sexton and
Steve Gray of Family Footwear,
and Tim McWhorter of First
Family Finance: thanks for the
endless hours you contributed to
your respective teams.
To my “team mother”,
Richilynn Chapman. You’re the
greatest! I never knew that a team
mother could do so much...
To our faithful scorekeeper Joey
Wrye, assistant coaches Jody
Andrews and Cindy Harris, and our
faithful umpiring crew. Anne
Maurer, you’re the first “ump” we
ever got along with... (Just
kidding!)
Let us not forget McDonalds.
For eight weeks we all made Micky
D’s our second home. We, coaches
and players, must have eaten at
least a thousand burgers and
consumed about that many liters of
Coca Cola. Thanks, management
and staff!
But most memorable were the
14 young ladies myself and fellow
assistant Buddy Roper had the
opportunity to work with. One of
those players was a daughter before
the season started. Thirteen others
seemed to have virtually become
my adopted siblings before the year
was out...
You always hear about the
problems parents have trying to
raise their respective sons or
daughters in today’s “cruel world.”
While there are “problem children,”
I am going to be one to challenge
the bum rap that all kids get as a
result of that consensus.
I would graciously, and with
open arms, accept any one of these
girls that I had the opportunity to
coach and welcome them into my
family. Their respect, attitude and
determination only confirmed that
youths in today’s world deserve
more respect than they get credit
for. Oftentimes, kids are said to be
a reflection of their parents. But I
think a lot of parents, more
importantly, were a reflection of
their kids this time around.
Each player that took the field
taught us that the game wasn’t
about “life or death”; It wasn’t the
“end of the world” if you didn’t
win; And it didn’t mean you were
any less of a person if things didn’t
go exactly the way others around
Please see Simpson, page 8A
Vickers takes advantage of a full summer
%
Bp jHBP
Perry High School women's basketball coach works on
proper shooting form with one of his players.
Hornets find depth in camp
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sport* Editor
The Westfield Hornets entered the summer looking for some depth after
losing seven seniors to graduation, including most of their bench.
At the Georgia College basketball camp, Bob Massey might have found
the depth for which he was looking.
"I would say that we are a little further along than I expected us to be,"
said Massey, after the conclusion of the basketball camp.
Westfield took 13 players to the basketball camp. "Everyone played a
role to get us a victory," said Massey. "Every player we had in camp made
a big basket for us.
"I don't believe that we will be a s deep as we were last year," said
Massey. However, he said that the Hornets would be able to bring a player
off the bench without worrying about whether or not the player can
contribute.
"If we can go eight deep, maybe nine deep, we'll be ok," said Massey.
Massey said that there were no real surprises for the Hornets this
Please see Westfield, page 8A
Waldrip signs four year baseball scholarship with Liberty
By VETO F. ROLE>
Sports Editor
Dallas Waldrip will play next
year for Liberty University in Vir
ginia, signing a four year scholar
ship offer from the NCAA Division
I school.
Waldrip decided to attend Liberty
over a variety of other schools, in
cluding Samford University, ABAC
and Gordon College. "Most of the
other schools were junior colleges,"
said Waldrip, "and I would rather go
to a four year school."
Liberty will be losing several
outfielders and their firstbaseman to
graduation this year, giving Waldrip
a chance to play his freshman year.
"Basically, that is the reason I'm
going there," said Waldrip. "I want
to play.”
Although Waldrip was one of
the Panthers three top pitchers in
the '94 season, and he pitches for
Macon's American Legion Post 3
team, he will play in the outfield
and at firstbase for Liberty. "No
pitching," he said.
Waldrip said that he brought to
Liberty the skills of a good hitter,
noting that he practiced hitting off
the tee anywhere from 100-200 a
day. "That's what I like to do the
most," he said of his hitting.
"I'm going to work the hardest
and do the best I car. to help the
team," said Waldrip. He will major
in business at Liberty.
"I'm well pleased," said Harold
Waldrip, Dallas' father. "It is some
thing that we have worked for for a
PAK welcomes five new blackbelts
Perry Atmetic Karate Head
Instructor Chad Lewis isn’t quite
sure what to be most proud of.
After all, in one promotional
testing, he has produced five new
Black Belts, which is a new record,
and he also honored Vivian Siu as
the first-ever female Black Belt in
Perry history.
“It’s definitely a nice dilema to
decide which milestone is more
impressive,” Lewis stated Thursday
night as he released the results from
the June 18th Promotional Testing
in Warner Robins. “Of course I’m
proud to have been part of these
events, but it was my students who
did what it look to make it to this
level. They deserve the credit.
The five new Black Belts in
Perry arc: Jeremy Gray, Gary
long time."
Harold said Dallas worked on his
baseball skills "almost daily, con
stantly, all the time."
"(Liberty) is a good school,
(offering) a good education," said
Harold Waldrip. "They have a good
athletic team, and have a good
baseball team."
"I don't think it could've hap
pened to a nicer guy," said Panther
baseball coach Bob Jones.
Jones said that Dallas Waldrip's
hard work had paid off in the form
of the scholarship offer. "His being
dedicated and committed to what he
wanted to accomplish got him to
the next level.
"He (Waldrip) comes out early
and stays late," said Jones. "He con
tinually works on his fielding,
works on conditioning. He takes
batting tees and hit right machines
home. He takes extra swings.
"(Dallas) leads by example. He
is not real boisterous. He's quiet;
but, he works hard to get the job
done."
Waldrip was the only senior on
the Panther baseball team this year.
He hit .410, with five homers and
30 RBIs as the Panthers fell just
short of making the region play
offs, losing out in the final game of
the season.
"He (Waldrip) was a very key
participant in our program," said
Jones. "He was the only senior we
had. It would have been extremely
difficult to have gone as far as we
Virden, Vivian Siu, John Shane
Padgett and Sean Siu.
Two other milestones were also
accomplished Thursday night as
well. It marked the first time in
Perry history that a brother and
sister became Black Belts on the
same day with, courtesy of Sean
and Vivian Siu. The other
highlight was that it was the first
father-on combination as Jeremy
Gray’s father received his Black Belt
in April of this year.
“As Black Belts, they’ll be
expected to learn how to teach and
share what they’ve learned.” Perry
Black Belt Beau Douglas explained.
“With the rank comes more respect,
authority and privileges, but you
also have more responsibilities.”
Please see Karate, page 8A
Houston Times-Journal
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Perry High School women's basketball coach Max
Vickers is getting a good start on the 1994 season with
summer basketball camp.
Last year, Vickers stepped- in as head coach after
three games after Tim Simmons resigned after an 0-3
start. Vickers won 11 of the next 23 games to finish
the year at 11-15.
Taking over last season in the middle of the year
limited the amount of new options Vickers could
install, with the team having to prepare for the next
opponent.
"It's a lot easier (than last year)," said Vickers. "We
finally get a chance to work on some things we
couldn't work on during the regular season."
"A majority of the girls are out," said Vickers.
"Most of them are getting a good bit of work in."
So far this summer, the Vickers' summer team has
played in two games, recording a win against a group
from Wilkerson, and a loss against Baldwin County.
"Summer games don't count," said Vickers. "We can
Redsox edge Perry A's, ending streak
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
The Perry A's staged a late in
ning comeback in Jeffersonville,
scoring seven runs over the final
two frames of the game; but, it was
not enough as the Jeffersonville
Redsox edged the A's 11-10.
The loss to Jeffersonville was
the first loss of the season for the
Perry A's, dropping them to 6-1 on
the year. The Redsox are the defend
ing Middle Georgia Adult League
Baseball champions, gaining the ti
tle by defeating the A's in the
championship series last year.
"We had a little over-confi
dence,” said Perry field manager
Voy Heath. "We couldn't get up for
the game.
"They (his players) came up
against somebody who could play
as good as they could play," said
Heath. "They were kind of shocked
when they found out they had to
play ball."
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Dallas Waldrlp (center-right) poses In front of the 1991 AA state championship sign,
a championship he helped win. Shown with him are Brltany Waldrlp, sister, Bob
Jones, coach of the Perry High School baseball team, and his father Harold Waldrlp.
Dallas Waldrlp signed to play college baseball with Liberty University.
did without him."
Jones said that Waldrip would
add athletic ability, especially in the
outfield, to Liberty.
"He will make Liberty a better
team by being there," said Jones.
"He will be a very positive influ
ence on the team.
ft If!
New black belt winners at the Perry Athletic Karate group Include (front row, l-r)
Jeremy Gray, Vivian Slu, Sean Slu, John Shane Padgett, Beau Douglas, Gary Vlr
den, Chad Lewis (head Instructor), Mary Joues, Melissa Stuckey and Jeb Stewart
(Assistant Instructor).
Page 6A
Wednesday, June 29,1994 "Houston Times-Journal
MIDDLE GEORGIA ADULT LEAGUE
American League
W L Pet. GB
Perry Athletics 6 X 357
W.R. White Sox 5 2 ..714 1
W.R. Pirates 4 2 .666 1 1/2
Montezuma 3 4 .429 3
Forsyth Marlins 2 4 333 31/2
W.R. Braves 0 6 .000 51/2
National League
W L Pet. GB
Jeffersonville 6 0 1.000
Milledgeville 6 1 .857 1/2
DBK Mudhens 4 3 .571 21/2
Macon Angels 1 4 .200 41/2
Macon Bludjays 0 6 .000 6
W.R. Smokies 0 6 .000 6
Even though the A's lost the
game, Heath said that there were
some bright spots. "It proved to me
that we can come back," he said. "I
think it will help get rid of some of
the cockiness."
"It's been a great opportunity for
me to coach an athlete of his cal
iber," said Jones. "That's what you
stay in the game for. He is a fine
young kid and a good athlete.”
Liberty University has several
graduates in the Major Leagues, in
cluding Sid Bream, who was an in-
make mistakes and learn from them without them
hurting the win-loss record."
Vickers said the most important items on the Perry
agenda were looking to get better in the fundamentals.
"We need to learn some things so we won't have to do
them in the regular season," he said, noting that a good
summer could reduce the number of things the team
had to do during the winter from 30 to 15.
"It's (the summer) a free chance to work on the
basic things," said Vickers. "We are getting a lot of
things done."
Most of the Lady Panthers will return for the 1994-
95 season. However, Vickers will be looking to replace
Angela Leggett, who scored 15 points per game for
Vickers last year, and Rickevia Jackson, who provided
some needed minutes and defense as a back-up point
guard last year.
"They are going to be very hard to replace," said
Vickers. "We have to have seniors step up and show
leadership.
"We will be better than what we were last year. The
team will be better."
Behind the play of Gray, the
Redsox scored single runs in the
first, third and fourth innings before
putting three across in each of the
fifth and sixth, taking a 10-3 lead.
Please see A's, page 8A
tegral part of the Atlanta Braves for
several years and who is currently
playing for the Astros.
"I would like to think coach
Jones for all the help he gave me
through high school," said Waldrip,
"and my dad, too."