Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 21, 1990 TAG: 9006210105
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Gary Clark's "Why Say No" Sports Camp begins a six-day run Monday at River's Edge Sports Complex, the National Guard Armory and Victory Stadium.
The camp, directed primarily at disadvantaged youths between the ages of 8 and 18, is a project of the Redskins receiver, the YMCA and Roanoke City.
Clark, the former Pulaski County and James Madison University football star, is one of 10 speakers with NFL connections expected to appear at the camp.
Besides Clark, scheduled to appear are five fellow Redskins - receivers Art Monk and Ricky Sanders, cornerback Darrell Green, quarterback Mark Rypien and defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas.
Also on the schedule for talks and on-field instruction are San Francisco linebacker Charles Haley, Phoenix Cardinals receiver Roy Green, San Diego receiver Eric Yarber and former Redskins tight end Anthony Jones.
A special guest speaker on Tuesday's schedule is Lonise Bias, the mother of late Maryland basketball star Len Bias, whose death was caused by cocaine.
Millard Bolden, program director of the YMCA Family Center, is the administrator for the Clark camp project along with Clark's father, Milton Clark.
"We're expecting about 250 for the camp," Bolden said. "More than half of those will attend on scholarships provided by local businesses."
Bolden said the cost of the camp is $200 per student, and prospective campers can register and apply for scholarships through the YMCA Family Center at 108 Orange Avenue N.W.
The camp will have basketball instruction for girls and football instruction for boys in afternoon sessions. Mornings will be spent listening to the sports stars and educators on substance abuse.
Roanoke College coach Susan Dunagan will head the girls' basketball sessions, and Pulaski County football coach Joel Hicks will guide the boys' schedule, Bolden said.
Other workshop topics include strength and agility drills, nutrition, academics, emotional and social skills and a special presentation, "Drugs, the Law and You," by members of the Virginia Bar Association.
Most of the NFL players will stay at the camp once they arrive. Clark will attend each day. The camp drills run through Friday. On Saturday, the Redskins' "Posse" of Clark, Monk and Sanders will make a morning appearance, and the camp will end with an afternoon banquet.
"Gary wants to make this an annual thing," said Bolden, adding that the program fits under the Drug Strategy Task Force of Roanoke City Manager Bob Herbert.
Clark and Jones make their first appearances Monday. Rypien and Darrell Green arrive Tuesday, Haley and Yarber on Wednesday, Sanders and Thomas on Thursday, Roy Green on Friday and Monk on Saturday.
Bolden said the talks by the NFL players, scheduled at 9 a.m. Monday and 8:30 a.m. the rest of the week, are open to the public. The talks will be held either in Victory Stadium or the Armory, Bolden said.
by CNB