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Show Batchelors make om recreation By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports College after graduating from Layton High last June. Steve is 13 and an eighth grader at years-olCentral Junior High. Junior High as she excelled in leyball, basketball and track. vol- JIM BATCHELOR d Every city recreation depart- ment has at least one Jim Batchelor but every city recreation program could use two dozen more of these type of guys. TO SAY it best, Batchelor has done to Layton's city rec program what Campbells has done for soup. If youve been involved in any capacity of kids football, basketball or baseball in the past ten years in Layton, youve surely come to know the Batchelors. Jim moved with his family to the city nearly years ago and probably not more than a month after he got here, he was directly involved in volunteer coaching for the kids little league football program. PERHAPS HIS motivation at first was actually his oldest son, Jims desire to play football. They spent that first year together on a team that fared pretty well but certain quirks allowed them to get split up the following year as Jim Sr. went on to coach the same team and Jim Jr. graduated to a bigger 1 1 team. From that point on, Batchelor has kindled a love for youngsters and the sports that make em happy, enough that hes continued in his volunteer coaching effort ever since. HAVING another son, Steve, come along has helped continue the interest but Jim claims he would have continued on even if he hadnt had any more sons to coach. Over the past decade, there have been hundreds of moments that Batchelor would like to clip out and paste in a scrapbook. The winning teams have undoubtedly left the biggest impression such as the two mini-bochampionships that both Jim Jr. and Steve have played in in connection with the Wasatch Front Football League. Jim Jr. is now preparing for a stint of college football at Southern Utah State BUT FOOTBALL doesnt hold the memories. The veteran little league mentor bikes to recall the more memorable moments of the old C League baseball program all Jim happens to be one of the most reliable pays Fve ever met. he says he will be therej he will be. He really If cares. v ...Carter Cook Layton Rcc. Department WITH EVERYTHING that goes on, Jim barely finds the time to read a newspaper and stay current on things of the world. Hes been running home from work in Salt Lake City now for 11 years to coach kids in football practice and games. It's in Salt Lake that he works. And for the past six years has coached in baseball and seven more in basketball. There have been a few occa- sions where Ive ended up coaching without one of my sons on the team, said Batchelor, which is okay I guess except when your very own son beats my ll team in the final seconds of a bas-ketba- game with two foul pitches. THAT EVENT actually happened with Jim Jr. years back as Mr. Batchelor was coaching a team that hadnt lost a game all year. They got into the playoffs where two late freethrows by Jim Jr. nailed their first defeat on his very own dad. I consider the fact that sports in city recreation has brought me and my sons closer together. Weve not only enjoyed the game days, but all that time in practice and talking about it the dinner table has made us very close, Batchelor. SHELLEY BATCHELOR The Batchelor clan of Layton, Utah make sure they keep and lead an active life. They are led by Mr. and Mrs. Jim Batchelor who came with their family to Layton years ago. Not long after they arrived, Jim was active in volunteer coaching for Layton City's recreation department. Once Jim got involved, it wasn't long before the entire family was doing something in one way or another. Jim the oldest son, was very active in sports and this full w ill be trying out for the Southern Utah State College football team. Steve is also active and will be an eighth grader at Central Junior. Julie was the MVP of the girls sports program at Central Junior and Shelley likes basketball in the rec 1 1 Z JULIE BATCHELOR said DOES JIM ever get tired of volunteer coaching? Yes, I believe after the number of years Ive spent in it, a guy does and he hasnt forgotten the fact that get a little tired. Maybe the thing for three years straight now his that wears and tears on you the basketball team has won their most is the practice schedule which takes some skill in organizing your championships. Jim not only gets excited about schedule. the boys side of the action, but BUT THE thrill of the keeps a steady eye on the girls activities as well. And thats for keeps me coming back. Ive good reason because one daughter, also been fortunate to have great Julie, does pretty well at girls athle- kids to work with, kids that not tics. This past school year she was only wanted to have fun, but wanted to be the best they could recognized as the Most Valuable Girl Athlete for the year at Central be, continued Batchelor. ball-gam- Sports commentaryKeith Duncan It always happens this time of the year. GUYS LIKE me start jumping the gun a little on the prep football season that is still three or four weeks in the future. But can I help it? HARDLY. And I just hope theres enough folks out there who can get as excited as I am. Of course my footballitis gets worse when I get close to one of the high schools in northern Davis County. If I happen to catch a Brent Hancock, Jim Dickson or Joe Wood around its probably too late to revive me into a normal way of thinking again. IM happy too that Hancock, Dickson and Wood are just as crazy as I am about the new season, maybe a whole lot more. As August works itself well into its second week, there is optimism abounding at these three schools. I havent heard too many people talk BUT about championships, though there are the thoughts, but mainly the talk centers around better more a lot bigger, skilled, mature and even fsater." KIDS AT Clearfield, Davis and Layton are talking positive and you get the feeling that they could all be having some fun this fall. Layton has a new coach in Joe Wood. He radiates a feeling of urgency and patience combined. His fellow coaches like him for his sons or Steve Pearsons this year and to make matters even more interesting is the fact the Davis linemen may not be as quick as theyve been in recent years. organization, ability to hand out re- sponsibility and his positive outlook on football as a whole. CLEARFIELDS Hancock is excited too. There are whispers going around that Brent could have his best football team since coming to Clearfield. The veteran coach likes what he sees but is veteranized enough to keep things in perspective. OFFENSIVELY the Davis coaches are gleaming about their runningbacks. There are at least five or six very solid backs who'll do wonders in the double wing setup. Of course the key though in making that offense work is the Davis Dickson knows hell have a tough time trying to repeat the heroics of last year. But Jim likes football challenges and if anyone is counting on taking his teams heart out, then they better come with their lunches packed because it could be a long, long linemen whom I think will develop and by league will be ready to make Davis a contender. Roger Horne, Brian Jeffers and Trevor Page are the only real big players but there are plenty of hard working linemen with them. Dicksons specialty is building linemen and you can count on him doing it again. in hog-heav- day. MAYBE I could tell you what I see as an outsider looking in on these three teams right now. Yes, its early, but some things are be- coming quite solid. Darts KAYSVILLE - Perhaps if you will, lets call the Darts situation a rebuilding situation. Its difficult to use the word rebuilding in high school football but even assistant coach Mike Gardner termed it that way. DAVIS LOST some great seniors to graduation in June and they come back this fall with only one guy who had any kind of serious varsity experience. Besides Chris Card as a running back, there are only a few others who could be considered varsity returners. Thats a different twist for the Darts who seemingly have had five or six solid returnees from a previous year. part-tim- e BUT THE inexperience gets its aid from what was a very good junior varsity squad last year and a sophomore team that lost only one game. There are some good young kids coming that once they dev elop into the Davis swing of things, could help bring the Darts another region title. The Darts arent big, perhaps much, much smller than a year ago. There arent any big Roger Claw pre-seas- SKILL-WISthe Darts have it. Clay Singley is a thrower at quarterback and he can run too. Greg Willard and Curtis Stoddard can catch the ball and maybe the fullback, Blake Hart can catch it better than any of them. I dont think the Darts will pile up lopsided scores like they did last year, at least through they might even struggle a little in the beginning as people learn the system but by the time league rolls around, they'll be ready. pre-seaso- could be DAVIS a test anyway with the improvement of Weber, Ben Lomond and Clearfield. All three of these clubs will be better than a year ago, even PRE-SEASO- N Ben Lomond in w ho finished second 3-- Weber Weber. is the first game, at THERE WILL be a few changes for the Darts this year. Schedule wise the Darts have switched to playing Roy during the UEA game rather than Bonneville. Another big change w ill be the fact the Darts will be installing a new lighting system for their home football games. The poles are to arrive this week and setting them up should take place short Is afterwards. ONE INTERESTING twist about the new lights is that they have been termed by the installer, w hen up and shining, the third best lighted stadium in the state." He said only Utah and BYU's would be better. That means Davis goes from very shady to very shiney. Falcons - CLEARFIELD In Falconsvil-le- , they say they cant wait for the season to get started. THE TEAM is supposed to be the biggest and strongest in recent years and has a good nucleus of returning lettermen from last year. It could be Brent Hancocks answ cr to repeating as Region One champs and perhaps do better than the 2 record which won it last year. 3-- |