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Show v 9 CLEARFIELD COURIER, June 27, 1979, Page d'DeairfflioDdl 12 i Four youth place high in competition tauiriieir m Last weekend in San Monica, California, three Sunset youth and another from West Warren, performed in the United States Sports and Acrobatics Federation meet. All came home with big smiles content theyd given their best. Terrie Thompson daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Thompson, West Warren and Holly, Lisa, and Mike Wells, ( hildren of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Wells of Sunset were the Conley and Quigley comment on past gymnastics season by Keith Duncan Viewmont step aside, Clearfield step right in! When Sydney Conley, Clearfields head gymnastic coach, was asked what was the most thrilling moment of her efforts in leading the Falcons last season, she said, There were many thrilling experiences, but one that caught my attention was the time we defeated Viewmont. Now for a mans point of view. Paul Quigley, who assisted Sydney through the duration of the gymnastics season was impressed to say, Beating the defending champions was an event that none of those girls will forget, for a long time. It's hard to be on top in any sport and its probably just as hard to love, a champion, as the Viewmont Vikings found out in the years they dominated the gymnastics scene in Region One and Two. Roy High found the right combination in 1976 to dethrone Viewmont but that right combination either graduated or melted away in the years that followed. Clearfield enjoyed, at least in the opinion of Coach Quigley and other notable coaches, the most impressive season that any team north of Salt Lake had ever enjoyed. All of this took place last spring as girls united with coaches to win every dual meet, the region meet, and finish third place, in the state meet. With Viewmont being realigned to another region next season, who then will dominate gymnastics action. Again Clearfield wouldn't be a bad bet and i hat stands for a couple of reasons. First, might be the winning-minde- California Secondly, is the unity found among these juniors coming back next season and the positive feeling of incoming junior high athletes. With those two ingredients, where can you go wrong. Unity of team and coaches is what did it for us last season, said Conley. Every girl cared for one another as team efforts counted more than individual efforts. Never once did I head negative remarks about one another, a building up of one another took place instead. Granted the kids were talented, d said Coach Quigley, But the won kids the that had, pride the matches. It was Quigleys first year at Clearfield and the way he com- team-oriente- Continued on Column 6 participants. Holly and Terrie teamed together to place fourth in Girls Pairs. M le and Lisa also placed fourth, ' It was announced Monday that th Clearfield Recreation Department is still seeking for people to sign up in the horseshoe competition and in1 6 struction class. Call or 773-999- if 825-417- also announced that a second session of tennis will be started by at least July 9. The cost is $4 per person for 8 lessons Anvone 8 years and older It was Braves 9-- and Recreation Park and was Association in developed cooperation with the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness & Volleyball fever takes hold of LD.S. people "Success breeds success, Tingey continues. The problem is that we dont have enough Kenny Ericksons to spark the boys, to teach the best techniques of this very technical game. And it's hard to show how much lun it can be unless it's played " properly Erickson, who like every other uach and official donate his time voluntarily shares his expertise by holding coaching and officiating clincs, frequently in conjunction with USVBA Region 14 commissioner Harold Buckner. He also has a team in the strong Salt Lake County Recreational League. And with the emphasis placed on church volleyball in the past ten years, despite the discontinuation of the hes seen a great leap in skill levels. Because our wards are so small, a superior athlete sometimes doesnt get to play with other very strong players, and his development is slowed. But there are several strong wards in the Sandy, Bountiful, as well as Holladay-witat least six boys could play and eventually star at a California volleyball school with little experience Out there. valley-Taylorsvi- lle, h game. Pitch, Hit & Run is Major League Baseballs official youth program for boys and sponsored by the girls more than 2309 Burger King restaurants. The program is by the National Part II of story win! in- formation. The chess group will meet in the downstairs of the Clearfield Library on Tuesdays at 4:30 and Thursdays at 5. the division Pitch, Hit & Run competition to be held in Candlestick Park, Tuesday, June 26 before the 7:35 p.m. Giants-Atlanta San Francisco n cer- 376-892- Center for more of Kent Jensen, 9, Freemont, has advanced to nearby Clinton stands here with one of his trap shooting partners. Green won a silver medal at the recent Games trapshooting team. Green tryouts for the is one of four trapshooters representing the U.S. this week and next in the Pan-Agames in Puerto Rico USVBA national official, coaches the teams of the Holladay 16th ward, a confortable suburb in the foothills overlooking the valley. For years his teams have been among the best in the area, and its easy to see why when he takes a group of d old boys through fundamental drills and soon evolve into a sophisticated scimmage. The boys block and defend well, and the setting is surprisingly more advanced than the hitting. (In this scrimmage, the setter was John Tingey, fifth of six Tingey boys, who was doing just what his brothers did before him. Two sisters, who had recently concluded practice themselves, watched with familial interest.) Probably nor of Ericksons teams, old, would e'en his 17- - and fare well against Southern California high schools-b- ul becoming that good isn't the point. Andthere is always the point. Broken down to these small levels, Buzz Tingey explains, there is more of a chance for more youngsters to achieve some success, To and this keeps their interest. demonstrate, he asks the boys why they prefer volleyball to basketball. The answer is prompt: Because we at the Clearfield Recreation Building. A chess club has also been started and interested persons are asked to 2 call Joe Neville at or the HOLLY WELLS, 7, pson 1 1 , and Losa Wells, 6 stand on shoulders cl feme Thom- and Mike Wells, 9, respectively. Jensen goes to Nat. competition ROBERT GREEN of tified - is invited to sign up Recreation interested. d wards teams. Ken Erickson, a IK j. Recreation Department asks for sign-up- s tradition that has been created because of the success unlimited last season. Younger girls and even boys attended Clearfield meets last season and there wasnt a meet go by that many of the girls from Sunset and North Davis Junior were in attendance. but in a- - different division called Mixed Pairs. Each of the Utah entries were the youngest performers in their respective divisions. Mike and Lisa received a standing ovation from the large assembled crowd, one of the only two standing ovations given. Later that evening Mike and Lisa were invited to perform in a special exhibition. The youngsters were judged in dance, choreography, and acrobatics. Terrie has been involved in gymnastics and such for two years while the Wells children have taken lessons for nearly four years. Harold Buckner is in general agreement, calling the church recreational volleyball structure unquestionably the largest untapped source of raw talent we have in this country. Unfortunately, theyve never made much of an effort to get level. But beyond the grass-root- s Buckner has seen his regional rolls grow anyway. Two years ago we were down to one women's team, mostly former BYU players, who played in mens AA tournaments and did all right. Now there are six teams of very high quality. As evidence he cites consistent Utah victories over neighboring Colorado in USVBA tournaments. Carl McGown is another who speaks of the obvious potential of the church program to aid his cause. They could recruit worldwide, in Japan, Brazil, all over, he says, and go beyond the grass roots. But the seasons too short, the kids move on to another sport. Despite a sound tradition, McGowns squad at BYU is known as an extramural team, plays only in USVBA tournaments, and has a $7,000 budget which goes entirely for travel. To recruit last year he stood at the gym door when basketball cuts were announced and asked the departing players to come out for volleyball. Four of his six starters had never played before, but BYU ended the season by taking eighth at the nationals. The BYU womens team has had more success, finishing among the top ten teams in the nation for the past eight years, as high as second in 1973. They are ranked fifth for 1977. But once again, it is not necessarily because of players who were introduced to the sport through the church. "The churchs philosophy is says coach certainly supportive, Elaine Michaelis, but the quality is not outstanding. It creates interest, and helps as tar as spectators go, but not many girls can come in from recreational leagues and. really play power volleyball." The churchs program has nevertheless had a positive and lasting impact on Utah volleyball. Pam Wach of the womens team is a of Utah University graduate of church play. The County Recreational league takes the place ol high school and collegiate volleyball, and filling out many of its 38 teams are Mormons who aspire to go beyond church competition. Two of the are players, naturally enough., is Steve best the of one and Ttngeys, Spere, who has played with and against several Tingeys since being introduced to the game years ago in the Holladay 16th meeting hall. A slightly built, athlete with a soft touch and remarkable spring, Spere is proud of the volleyball played in Utah. A lot of Californians go to school at the University here, he says, and they go looking for volleyball games, not expecting to find much. But we hold our own against them. We wanted to go to Hilo for the nationals, but it was too far. Well be in El Paso next year. Spere also plays doubles at Fairmont Park, the only sand court in Salt Lake City. There were mens, womens and coed tournaments last summer; winner of the coed competition was McGown and BYU womens star Joni Rogers. Effie Gundersen, an enthusiastic, grandmotherly woman active in both the church program and the County Recreation League, is trying to get the County to dig more sand courts. They think theyll get too much competition from the cats, she says. But I tell 'em that the kids would play anyway. And they will. Thanks to the Mormon Church, theyve been exposed to what good volleyball can be, and theyre eager for more. The only requirement is for the church to decide that good isnt quite enough, that only great will suffice. If and when that decision is made, it will be pursued with characteristic Mormon cat-quic- k Sports. Kent is among 96 youths competing in the 12 division competitions being held in major league ballparks June 22 to July 4. Kent got to the division competition on the basis of points scored in by pitching at a target, hitting for distance and running the base path for speed. The two highest division scorers from each age group will advance to the finals at the Game July 17 in the Seattle Kingdome. The youngsters and their parents will be the guests of Major League Baseball and Burger district competitions All-St- ar King. The. eight finalists, four winners and four runners-up- , will receive their trophies on national TV as part of the All-Sta- r pre-gam- e festivities. The eight youngsters will also have their names inscribed on the special Pitch, Hit and Run plaque in baseballs hall of fame at Cooperstown, New York. KENT JENSEN displays plaques he recently won that qualified him for the Pitch, Hit, and Run Competition California. dime takes pDsce July 9 thru Ju! Simmei? wiresDiiinig . A featured summer wrestling clinic, perhaps the first of its kind, is scheduled to take place July 9th through 13th at Sand Ridge Junior High. Organizers of the event say the intended purpose is to create a greater interest of the sport and give added instruction to those who have already been a part of the sport. . Any youngster from first grade ago to students in twelth grade are encouraged to sign-u- p immediately. The clinic will run for two hours each day starting at 7 p.m. and lasting until 9 PM. All participants expecting to attend should bring gym clothes suitable to v,restle in. The featured guests at the wrestling n clinic include some Utah wrestling personalities, such as Mac Taft and Eric Hendershot. The name well-know- Coach Taft is a household name among Weber County sports enthusiasts, especially among those who followed the sport of wrestling years back. While at Weber High School, Mr. Taft led school teams to seven state championships. Mr. Hendershot will help wrap-u- p the wrestling clinic on Friday July in a special 13th speaking engagement. He is presently the coach of Alta Highs wrestling team. He is most noted for, at least recently, for his initiative efforts in helping to produce the film Take Down. Mr. Hendershot had called upon a lifetime of wrestling memories to put together the featured film. Register Now Steve Parr, who has helped to spear this summer activity reports that youth may register at Sand Ridge Junior High. Mr. Parr heads Sand Ridge Junior's wrestling team He also encouraged immediale sign-ups- . Persons interested may i Iso call Mr. or Steve Parr at Mac Taft at The registry! on fee is $10 00 per entrant for the 5 day clinic. Those who register for the 5 day clinic will receive a free Also instructing in the clinic will be Coach Riley Summers, the present coach at Roy High School. 825-976- 6 731-347- 4 On Monday July 9th, the first day of the clinic, instructors will concentrate on take down methods and techniques. On Tuesday the coaches wall center on pinning holds. Wednesday will be the day that reversals are demonstrated and discussed. Freestyle wrestling will be taught on Thursday. Mr. Hendershots appointment to speak the wrestling Friday will conclude ' event. ERIC HENDERSHOT, second from the right, will be the guest speaker at a wrestling clinic being staged at Sand Ridge Junior High, July 9th thru July 13th. Eric stands here with friends and his wife who helped make the movie ' Take Down" possible. 1 vigor. Cont. from Col. INTERNATIONAL VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION SALT LAKE CITY STINGERS 1979 ALL HOME GAMES BEGIN AT 7:30 PM IN THE SALT PALACE HOME MATCHES Schedule AWAY MATCHES J 1 plimented Conley, success couldnt be denied. Before lending iiis talents of coaching to Clearfield, he .attended the University of Utah on a gymnastics seholursmj). I'jmn gi admit ion from school, Paul and a close friend started what is now the Ogden School of Gymnastics. For the past five years he has worked as an assistant director of the Roy Recreation Complex. Quigley in the past had offered his assistance to other schools and when he and Coach Conley talked, an agreement was made with the school and work began immediately lo build a region champion. Quigley credits many of the little things for the team's vast success this .year, Little things like Meet the Team Night, team gatherings before meets, and such other little but as he says, very crucial things". Next week the 'mirier will attempt to see how the girl's themselves felt about the season. Link for it! |