Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 26, 1990 TAG: 9006260079
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"If the kids here just look at what Gary has accomplished, it would give them plenty to shoot for," said Pulaski County High coach Joel Hicks, who is coordinating the football drills for Clark's camp, which began Monday at Victory Stadium and the River's Edge Sports Complex. "He was 167 pounds as a senior in high school. Everyone looked at him as being very average.
"He always had great heart. Sure, he had great tools, and great speed. But it was the competitor in him, the attitude, that made him special. With what he's accomplished, he could be a great inspiration for anyone."
Clark, 28, really isn't much bigger now than he was in 1979, Hicks' first and Clark's last in the Pulaski program. The 5-foot-9, 173-pounder has been a two-time Pro Bowl participant and ranks fifth on the Redskins' career pass reception list. He went from Pulaski to James Madison to the USFL and then, finally, the NFL, in 1985.
Now, Clark is delivering with the youth at his Roanoke camp, with sessions on substance abuse as well as pass catching, and speakers that include several of Clark's teammates, including today's two scheduled visitors, cornerback Darrell Green and quarterback Mark Rypien.
Clark said the quality of his camp, being run in conjunction with the YMCA Family Center and Roanoke City, "is important because we want it to be an annual thing."
"We've got quality guys coming in," Clark said. "I wanted to make sure we had people we could depend on. We didn't want any bad influence. I wanted guys who I know, if they go out at night while they're here, will conduct themselves properly."
Clark said his NFL buddies are appearing for $500 apiece, and most of them are staying in town for two or three days. "They're doing it because we're friends," Clark said. "For instance, I'll be at Art Monk's camp later this week, and Art will be here Saturday."
A majority of the campers are disadvantaged youths who are attending thanks to grants from local businesses.
"This is like coming home for me," said Clark, sitting a short pass from the green grass of Victory Stadium, where he played Roanoke Valley District games for the visiting Cougars. "The Roanoke Valley and the New River Valley, those are places I know. When I heard about some of the problems that they're having with some of the youth, and with drugs, I wanted to do something that would make a difference.
"It's not just in Roanoke; it's not just in Pulaski; it's everywhere. But I felt the best place for me to start trying to do something about it was here, back home . . . Sports is a way to get the point across. Almost every kid likes sports, and it grabs their attention. I'm a football player, not a politician, or doctor or lawyer. So this, with sports, is the atmosphere in which I think I can do the best.
"If this week we can touch just one kid, it will be worth it. But I think we can help a lot more. The idea here is to have fun and learn a lot, too. We want to inflict a lot of positive where maybe there could be negative."
Clark said his father, Milton, advanced the camp concept. Clark's sister, Sheila, is the coordinator of the substance abuse portion of the camp. Clark's mother, Mabel, is involved too, as are other family members. "This camp wouldn't have been possible without them," Clark said. "Maybe we should call it the Clark Family camp instead."
The camp, with about 200 in attendance, started with a message from Clark on Monday morning. Hicks was there, reminiscing about one of the NFL's most feared offensive players who only made All-Roanoke Valley District as a defensive back in 1979.
"Gary was maybe better known as a basketball player in Pulaski County than he was for football," Hicks said. "He played safety for us, and he was a wide receiver on a running team. We had King Harvey at running back, and he went on to West Virginia. I wasn't stupid. I found some ways to get Gary the ball.
"But there weren't many colleges interested - none from Division I-A. Maybe it was because Pulaski hadn't been very successful, but no one was looking at him. When James Madison came in, they were looking at a couple of other players and I told them, `You're looking at the wrong guys.' Gary is just one of those guys who got better every year, every step up he made."
Hicks said he remembers Clark running 3 miles each way - "in the days before running was something kids did" - just about daily from the player's Dublin home to the Cougars' fieldhouse for workouts.
"I started doing road work when I was 6 or 7," Clark said. "One of the messages I want us to get across in this camp, too, is having the heart, the desire, the discipline to do whatever you want to do, and to keep doing it. For years, people told me I was too small to play anything.
"People stressed to me to get an education, and I did, but deep inside, maybe they were saying that because they were afraid I'd get hurt. How you do is all in your mind. Sure, some people are more talented than others, but how hard you try is important. And even if you don't reach your ultimate goal, you'll make so many great strides attempting to do it, and you'll teach yourself so many lessons, it will be worthwhile anyhow.
"Maybe only five kids here will go on to play college and pro sports, and maybe those five will have more athletic talent than the others, but it takes the same kind of heart and desire to be a great journalist, great doctor, great lawyer, whatever.
"In society, everything has a function, and it's a matter of doing the job the best you can do it, with respectability. If you do that every day, you can go home with your head up high no matter what you do."
by CNB