Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 11, 1990 TAG: 9005110194
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bob Teitlebaum sportswriter
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I didn't think I had a chance," Palmer said Thursday night after learning she had won the girls' award. "I couldn't believe it when they announced my name. I looked at my mom and she couldn't believe it."
After several moments, a flushed Palmer and her family made their way to the podium at the Sheraton Airport Inn to accept the award. After that came Glenvar's Mitchell Semones, who was selected as the boys' winner.
"I heard of this award two years ago when my brother [Mike] was the nominee from Glenvar," Semones said. "I was sort of surprised. After looking at all the other nominees, I didn't know if I had a chance or not."
The B'nai B'rith award was started in 1951 for boys and has been given every year since then. The first girls' award was presented in 1976.
Nominations come from 12 schools, and two sets of judges render a decision based on the qualifications of each candidate. The award is based 50 percent on athletic ability, 25 percent on scholarship and 25 percent on personal life - how well-rounded each person is in other activities. Each winner receives a $500 college scholarships.
Palmer, who excels in softball, basketball and volleyball for Salem, will attend the University of Virginia this fall. She ranks ninth in a graduating class of 240.
Palmer has to balance her athletic time with a long list of outside activities.
"I don't worry about getting things done," she said. "I usually get them done by just taking it day by day."
At Virginia, Palmer may continue in softball depending on her studies. She is looking toward a possible career in law or sports medicine.
Semones says his varsity career in athletics, which includes tennis, golf and basketball, probably will end when he enrolls at Virginia Tech in the fall.
"I think I'll miss athletics a lot," he said. "I'll try to keep up in intramurals."
Semones plans to major in engineering at Tech.
Bill Brill, executive sports editor of the Roanoke Times & World-News, was the main speaker. He told the guests that a reform movement is coming in college athletics as administrators try to put the word "student" back in student-athlete.
Brill said one incentive might come from the federal government to give 10 percent more federal money to schools that require athletes to maintain a C average. He said colleges are considering a number of proposals, including one that will keep athletes from practicing or playing a sport more than 20 hours a week.
by CNB