ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 14, 1996 TAG: 9611160002
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
Lord Botetourt's Torrey Phanelson approaches life the same way he plays on the football field.
"Usually after I knock someone down when I'm on offense, I'll run down the field trying to get somebody else," says the senior, who plays fullback and inside linebacker. "I'll just jump over them and keep on running. I don't worry about the person I just blocked. That's in the past."
The honor student feels the same about his troubled past.
Growing up in Northwest Roanoke, Phanelson was a disciplinary problem who says he would rob you blind. He once was arrested for assault and battery. And he spent time at Youth Haven boys' home.
"Whatever happened in the past is done," Phanelson said. "I'm older now, and I have enough sense to know what is wrong and what's right. ... I'm trying to do the things that will make me be successful and be somebody positive. I'm not trying to sell any drugs. I'm not trying to live in the projects or the ghetto. I'm trying to grow up and have a wife, kids, a nice house and a car. I want to do all of that legally."
Several years ago, having nice things was just a distant dream. His mother stayed in and out of rehabs "for drinking or doing drugs," Torrey said.
"One time everything was cool for a while," he said. "The next thing you know, she was back doing the same thing. And the next thing you know, we got evicted and had to move in with one of my cousins."
While living with his cousin, Phanelson went without things that most people take for granted. The house didn't have lights, and sometimes there wasn't food to eat.
Then one night at the age of 10, he was playing with a younger child, who was about 4 or 5. The little kid hit him with a toy.
"So I hit the kid back," Phanelson said.
The younger child's mother became upset and pressed charges. Instead of going to jail, a Juvenile Court judge put Phanelson in the custody of his aunt, Sheila Anderson.
"I stayed there for a while," he said. "I was doing real well. I made the honor roll at Breckinridge Middle School and stayed out of trouble."
But things changed on his 12th birthday.
That day, Anderson allowed him to go over to his mom's neighborhood. What started out as honest fun turned into trouble.
"I hooked up with these dudes," Phanelson said. "The next thing you know, we were around some school playing. We started throwing rocks at the windows. Then one of the guys kicked in the door and we were in the school fooling around. Some people took stuff. ... When we came out of the school the police were there waiting for us. Some of the guys escaped, but I didn't."
He was arrested and sentenced to five months at Youth Haven. Afterward, he stayed with his first foster family.
However, it didn't work out, and Phanelson moved in with the Brian Cooper family about four years ago.
"Since I have been with them I have been doing all right," said Phanelson, who still lives with the family.
After transferring from William Fleming a year and a half ago, Phanelson carries a 2.9 grade-point average while taking advanced placement courses at Lord Botetourt. He plans to major in chemistry at either Virginia Tech or Virginia Military Institute in the fall.
But before that, he and his Knights teammates face Staunton River in the first round of the Region III Division 4 playoffs Friday night.
He's one of the main reasons Botetourt is 8-2.
As a fullback, Phanelson loves to sacrifice his body for backfield mate Wesley Cox. He must be doing a great job of blocking; Cox leads Timesland with 1,981 yards rushing.
On defense he is "the first physical linebacker that we've had in a long time," said Andy Ward, the Knights' coach. "As soon as the ball is snapped, he makes plays."
Off the field, Ward calls the senior a success story.
"He has a bad background, but he makes it positive," the coach said. "He is an honor student. He is very polite. Everybody likes him. He is going to be successful in life in whatever he wants to do."
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: NHAT MEYER/Staff. Lord Botetourt fullback Torreyby CNBPhanelson plans to major in chemistry at either Virginia Tech or
Virginia Military Institute in the fall.