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Show Sporfstaculor Thursday December 20, 979 Page 3 1 By Keith Duncan Sportstacular News Director Ever remember a broom hockey league ia Clearfield or how about an intertube polo league? If you havent already, you could in the very near future! These unique and activities appear to be headed for a place on Clearfields recreation activities calendar, thanks to the new recreation directors ingenious way of upgrading the program. . Roger Thomas is wrapping up his tend) week as Clearfield Citys newest recreation director, a position he takes as much pride in as a coach in a brand-negym. N The whole key to a good solid, wholesome recreation program is a variety of activities for all family members, Thomas said from his office last week. Ive noticed in most recreation programs, that nearly everything is centered toward sports, athletics and the youth. Sometimes we neglect the toddlers, the young' married age and the senior citizens or they are not given as much emphasis as they should. regular sports succeed, but isnt afraid to institute new ideas such as flag football and water basketball leagues. Worked in Salt Lake Before accepting the position with Gearfield City, Thomas was the assistant director of a youth center in Salt Lake sponsored by the Salt Lake County Recreation Department and the Kiwanis Club of Salt Lake City. As the assistant director he was in charge of all recreation programs. Id been there for three years when I could see my Thomas, who moved from a Salt Lake County job and home to take over the new position in Clearfield, says his position is to bring all these together so eventually there is an equal variety of activities for all age groups and a way so all aspects of recreation are included. Thomas felt from past experience in his work, that many people have the mistaken idea that recreation is just sports. Actually it includes many things. We hope to include such things as music, literature, drama speech and other more passive sorts of recreation along with a strong emphasis on sports, which is a major part of Mcreation, said Thomas. Needs Your Support Thomas expressed that he needed the communitys support in offering the kinds of things they would like to see implemented. If people have a talent they would like to share or if we advertise through the Courier for specific things, I 6 to let us hope they would be encouraged to call know their feelings, be said. Just in the month of December, Thomas has implemented such activities as Letters to Santa, Christmas Lighting and Decoration Contests, and many similar programs. Basketball registration is well under way and will continue through the end of December. Thomas was confident of a large turnout when the baakethall program finally gets underway in early January. The program will run from January 5 to The recreation director stated be is devoted to see all 825-047- mid-Apri- l. likes his now job os dear-fieldRecreation Director. He soon envisions a program providing activities for every member of the family. ROGER THOMAS 's future with Salt Lake County being almost stagnated to a point where everyone was making good salaries but no where to really go. , Even though I knew I had the qualifications for something better and their feelings the same, there was on place to put me, said Thomas. Thats when he decided hed look into something outside Salt Lake City. Orem and Layton were two cities he looked seriously before considering the Gearfield job, which came to his attention after an article in the newspaper. There was a long lapse of time from the day he filed for application and the hour of his selection. When selected I had to make a big decision in my life. I loved Salt Lake and perhaps down the road, I might have quite a future. I studied Gearfield closely in making my final decision. I looked at the growing housing areas, the church and businesses. All of these things seemed very positive and I decided to make the move, said Roger. Thomas also liked the idea about building the Gearfield program from the bottom, which in the past hasnt had the kind of programs he felt that a city should have. Of course his decision to move had to be approved by his wife Ana Lyla, a native of El Salvador in South America. Salt Lake was thd only place sher knew since her arrival in America. So far the family has thoroughly enjoyed their stay in Gearfield. Roger and Ana Lyla are the parents of two boys, Scottie and Michael. . Graduated From BYU Thomas graduated from Brigham Young University in April of 1975 with a major in recreation and a minor in 'horticulture, landscaping and gardening. His primary ideal for first getting into the field was his genuine love for youth, his love for sports and other activities and his like for outdoors, parks, flowers, plants and the like. P.E. just didnt give it to me where recreation aspects gave me a chance to be involved with all the things I enjoyed so much, said Thomas. Roger has no idea of a city that has all the ideas he would like to see started in Gearfield, though he claims that there could very well be. Therefore be claims his ideas should be classified as the ideal recreation program. All in all, recreation is a way of helping bring a city closer tojether if its handled in the right way. Gtywide special events can help in so many ways, be said. And with rising costs of everything, it might not be a had idea for a broom hockey league. If we try it, we Just might like it. Richard Smfth named Player off tfhe Week Richard Smith poured in 53 points against Rhode Island, New Mexico and St. Francis to be named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week. The big guy is back for what is appearing to be a super senior season. Richard was at his best in conference action last season, leading the team in scoring with a 17.1 scoring average and grabbing 10 rebounds a game and along with Bruce Collins and David Johnson, made the All Big Sky Conference First Team. A native of Green River, Wyoming, Smith played with and against Collins in high school. His Green River team, under Rudy Gunter, took the state championship his jimior year and finished second dicing his senior season. While Collins was the 3A MVP in 1976, Smith garnered the same Laurels in the 2A ranks. As a freshman, Richard made good progress in the difficult transition from high school to college. After playing in four junior varsity games, he was moved up to the varsity and saw limited action in 18 games and responded with a 2.6 scoring average and 23 rebounding average. As a sophomore, he started in 26 of the 28 games, and in the first game ever played in the Dee Events Center, be scored 26 points against a powerful Long Beach State team and earned honors for his efforts. At 71, Richard is the tallest player to put on the purple and white at Weber State. He 1 as a freshman and has grown two was Player-of-the-Wee- k 6--1 inches since. There is likely not a harder working big man on any team in the nation than Richard. He has spent countless horn working with weights to improve his speed and mobility and it has paid off. The big guy doesnt think twice about diving after loose balls. Still a small town country boy at heart. Smith enjoys fishing and hunting activities. He is an Industrial Arts major. n -- |