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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 1996)
The Battalion MONDAY July 15, 1996 Page 3 ARf explosion Gulf of Mexico Associate) h yater-filled mi ng the fire fr| ised cranes r| >u 11 dozers to dJ rom the area, in 12 watertai;; 'trailer rigs, a southeast III west of LiiI st off FM ICr I :s southeast - 'miles southf: )ole )V'em6e( agreed that: iresence hut more than B. ate Democrat A Display of Talent Seventy-five college recruiters turned out to scout female basketball prospects at the Whataburger Shootout By Ross Hecox The Battalion F or the second consec utive weekend, hun dreds of female bas ketball players invaded the Bryan-College Station area for the Whataburger Southwest Shootout Tournament. But unlike the week before, the new batch of teenagers had more than just interested spectators and loved ones watching them. Dozens of college recruiters from across the nation were also on hand to spot potential prospects at the tournament's second installment. After hosting the 13- to 15- year-old bracket July 4-7, the tournament invited teams of 16- to 18-year-olds this weekend to showcase some of the most high ly touted basketball players in the state and surrounding area. Recruiters from 75 colleges — including representatives from Auburn University, University of Colorado, Vanderbilt, Kansas State, University of Miami and Washington State — came to see prospects play in the largest state-run tournament in Texas. Eighty-eight teams — the ma jority of them from Texas, with a few traveling from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana — com peted Thursday through Sunday. "It's a great opportu nity for the kids. It's a chance to get expe rience and exposure to major colleges." — LYNN HICKEY A&M Associate Athletic Director Rice head coach Cristy McK inney, who was on hand to eval uate talent, said the large num ber of Texas recruits in the tour nament makes it easier for re cruiters to track down prospects. “It brings a lot of Texas talent together at one place,” McKinney said. “You can see most of the Texas kids right here, and that’s a big plus in terms of convenience.” The Shootout is not only con venient for recruiters, but it also provides a golden opportunity for the players. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids,” A&M Senior Associate Athletic Director and Co-Chair of the Chamber Sports Commit tee Lynn Hickey said. “It’s a chance to get experience and ex posure to major colleges.” “If I were a player I would want to be here,” McKinney said. “If you want to play col lege ball and want to be seen, then this is definitely a good place to come.” Hickey said Bryan-College Sta tion schools provid ed an adequate number of courts for the tournament. “We have really good facilities in both cities,” Hickey said. "They are all air-conditioned and are real easy to get to.” Tournament Director J. Gor don Loucks said the proximity of all eight gyms at the seven area schools is convenient for re cruiters who need to go from one gym to another to watch differ ent players. “Just look at the map,” Loucks said. “There is not one gym that is more than 10 minutes away from another. If you have to go from one place to another, you can get there very quickly.” It is conveniences such as these that make Bryan-College Station a natural host site for the tournament. The area does not go unrewarded either — last year the Shootout brought $1.6 million into the local economy. Erika Gilbeaux, a high school senior from Jennings, La. and player for the Acadiana Stars, said the tournament provided her new opportunities. “A lot of times scouts can’t come and see you play during the season in high school be cause they have their own sea sons going on,” Gilbeaux said. “But they can come here during the summer. This is just a great opportunity for all of us.” Hickey said the tournament also benefits the A&M basket ball program because many high school students become familiar with the University during their stay in the area. "It’s a chance to get us some exposure,” Hickey said. “A lot of people come here, and then they go see the campus. “And later, if any of them hear the name Texas A&M, then they can associate what that means. It makes (A&M) pretty easy to sell.” Stew Milne, The Battalion Gretchen Hall (#21) of the Arkansas Kamikaze goes up against Tiffany Dirks (#32) of the San Antonio Lightning. The Kamikazes won. ichle of Soul clay welcome a. oss Perot brine lion to politic md I don’t sf with it at all' | No Time to Kill have hire in \ said on NBCe y Leader Tran > on NBC, saie ■ot would get he did in !$■ \y take a li® i sides thank I really dot The Lady Aggies are spending their summer recruiting and preparing fdr the Big 12 By Ross Hecox The Battalion It is not the regular season — there are not any long, grueling practice sessions and the grind of playing five-game matches is still a month-and-a-half off. But the summer off-season is no cake walk for the Texas A&M Volleyball Team. The Aggie coaches and players are busy preparing for the upcoming fall season. Players spend their summers lifting weights and run ning, while the coaches travel across the coun try looking for future Aggie volleyball stars. Head coach Laurie Corbelli said she spends the majority of her time in the sum mer on the road in search of top recruits. “We like to recruit around the nation and find the best players,” Corbelli said. “I think it’s very hard to evaluate a high school play er in a high school game because the compe tition is not as good as it is at the club level, so we have to go all around the country. We go to huge tournaments in June that take up the bulk of our time.” A&M assistant coach John Corbelli said the coaching staff s work is never done. “We recruit all summer long,” John said. “It involves a lot of travel. We also talk to coaches and we write a lot of letters to the recruits. “It’s a lot of long hours. All of the phone calls and recruiting is very demanding.” The coaching staff also busies itself throughout the summer months by running three different volleyball camps at A&M. “We put out the brochures, get the campers in [and] register them,” John said. “It’s long work, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s nice to get to meet a lot of different kids and work with them and help them improve their game.” Some of the Aggie players that are in town for summer school work the camps as coaches. Junior outside hitter Farah Mensik said coaching at the camps is a good experience be cause it helps her to become a better player. “The girls (in the camp) really look up to you,” Mensik said. “It makes you feel good and you learn. I’m actually coaching myself when I’m coaching them.” Both Laurie and John Corbelli said learning through coaching is a great bene fit to the players. “It helps them to take a more in-depth look at how they should work on their own skills,” John said. “I always encourage players to work camps,” Laurie said. “They need to see how coaching is and see our side of things. It opens up a lot of understanding.” Mensik said the Aggie players have a dif ferent relationship with the coaches during the summer camps. “We can go in (to the coaches’ office) any time,” Mensik said. “We just kind of hang out with them. We’re on the same level with them in the camps — we’re all coaching. It brings us closer together as a team.” While the coaches spend time recruiting, the players voluntarily work out to stay in shape for the coming season. “We work out every day,” Mensik said. “It’s up to you to be there every day. (The other players) keep an eye on me and I do the same for them.” Senior middle blocker Page White said the players’ system helps the team prepare for two-a-day workouts scheduled to start Aug. 7. “It’s pretty much up to us to take care of business,” White said. “Two-a-days are ap proaching fast. When you’ve gone through two-a-days and been that sore, you make sure you’re in shape.” John said the coaching staff will spend about a week in Atlanta later this summer to watch the Olympics. “We are going mainly to watch the wom en’s (volleyball) competition,” John said. “We want to see what the best teams in the world are like.” Editor or OR \ ph ics Editor 3 mes Fowleij ler RosenfeW > mes Francis, . Hecox, Ray jz\y, MichaeJ uwski, David -k James & -» Day jng the fall sessions -sity. g, Texas Free agent frenzy continues with mmors of Hardaway joining Rockets (AP) — The Miami Heat gave §200 million in contracts to two players, Gary Payton stayed with Seattle and Charles Barkley said the NBA killed his proposed trade. Business was brisk in the NBA free agent market Sunday with a flurry of signings. Agreements Were reached in several other cas es, and bargaining was taking place all around the league. The New York Knicks com pleted a trade for Larry John son, sending Anthony Mason and Brad Lohaus to the Char lotte Hornets. The Heat reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $98 million deal with free agent forward Juwan Howard and agreed to terms with Alonzo Mourning on a seven-year contract worth $105 million. Payton agreed to a seven- year, $85 million contract with the SuperSonics, the team he led to the NBA Finals last year. The Heat were the last team to have a shot at Payton after the Knicks, Hornets, Rockets and Bucks dropped out, but they lost out when Seattle increased its offer. The signing was to be an nounced Monday. “Gary wanted to do every thing possible to stay in Seattle. His heart was there, and they moved real well to keep him,” agent Aaron Goodwin said. Barkley told NBC Sports that the NBA had quashed a pro posed three-team trade because the teams involved had violated the moratorium on negotiations that expired last Thursday. “One of my agents said the league wouldn’t let the deal go through because too much tam pering had been involved,” Barkley said. “I think that’s gutless on the part of the NBA because every body has tampered. To hold me hostage because they’re trying to prove a point is unfair.” Barkley expected to be trad ed to Houston in a three-team deal that would have sent Robert Horry and Sam Cassell to Denver and Dikembe Mu- tombo to Phoenix. Mutombo is a free agent, how ever, and may be able to get a bet ter offer than the $8.5-$9 million annually that the Suns would have paid him. The Atlanta Hawks were believed to be offer ing close to $10 million annually for seven years, and Detroit was in on the bidding as well. Indiana was said to have the best shot at re-signing Reggie Miller, who has drawn interest from the Lakers and Pistons. Miller had expressed a prefer ence for playing in New York and the Knicks were ready to make an offer Saturday, but they signed Houston after he accepted their offer Saturday morning. That left Detroit without a shooting guard, and the Pistons were pursuing Hersey Hawkins of the Sonics. The Knicks had to renounce their rights to Derek Harper, and Miami was in the running to sign him. Heat point guard Tim Hard away was said to be close to reaching a deal with the Rockets. Connell moves up to No* 3 The former A&M tennis player and partner Byron Black lost in the Wimbledon finals Staff and Wire Reports Former A&M All-American tennis player Grant Connell is starting to make some noise on the ATP Tour — and the world is beginning to take notice. The native Canadian’s recent appearance in the gentlemen’s doubles final at Wimbledon has vaulted him to the No. 3 ranking in the world in doubles play. Connell and partner Byron Black were run ners-up to top-seeded and defending champions Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, losing in the finals 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. Connell had just as much success in the mixed doubles competition. Teaming with partner Lind say Davenport, Connell made another impressive run before bowing out in the semifinals. The 31-year-old Connell has stockpiled 3,755 ATP doubles points this year along with winning three doubles championships. The former A&M standout has earned over $307,000 in 1996. Connell played the 1984 and 1985 seasons at A&M under former head coach David Kent. He compiled an overall dual match record of 51-13 in singles and 36-20 in doubles while being selected All-American in both seasons. Connell has captured 20 doubles titles during his 11-year professional career en route to an ex cess of $2.6 million in career earnings. Photo courtesy of the sports information department Former A&M tennis All-American Grant Connell is making a name for himself on the ATP tour.
