THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9410060221
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
LESLIE WILLIS MIGHT NOT be a familiar name to area runners. But her face and running style surely are.
Willis - former Leslie Fedon - slowed down long enough last summer to get married to Ben Willis in State College, Pa., home of her alma mater, Penn State University.
``We met on a bike ride, through mutual friends,'' said the recent bride and former professional triathlete. Her husband also participates in triathlons.
The couple spent a 10-day honeymoon - you guessed it - bicycling around France.
``We took our bikes and followed the Tour de France. We rode along part of the tour, stopped and had lunch, packed up and went to the next stop about 3 or 4 every afternoon,'' Willis said.
What would you expect from the athletic pair: cable TV and fast-food joints?
``Marriage has been great. My life's less stressful,'' Willis said.
And life has changed for her professionally, too.
As the head coach of boys track at Landstown Middle School, she is the first female coach of a boys track team in the city. She coaches, supervises, trains, disciplines and listens to 25 frantcially-energetic teenage boys every school day.
After watching her seventh- and eighth-graders circle the track in practice, the coach sat her team down and told them how proud she was of their performance in a victory over Kempsville Middle School. Willis firmly noted that their behavior and ``track etiquette'' were part of her expectations of them also. The boys listened and responded with nods.
``I did a lot of recruiting in my (physical education) classes,'' Willis said. ``It's a big school (more than 2,000 students) and there's lots of talent.
``This is my first head-coaching job. The first day, three people came out to practice. Every day a few more showed up and I finally gave out all the uniforms. That was my goal.''
Goals always have been part of Willis's life. She grew up in an athletic family and things went swimmingly.
``My family swam competitively. My older sisters were on a team at Penn State that set an American relay record,'' she said.
Willis followed in their strokes during her freshman college year.
``With all the practice and sacrifices - early morning practices, double practices every day - with all that, my times weren't improving. They had stayed the same since my junior year in high school. It was frustrating,'' she said.
She hopped out of the water, into a pair of running shoes and took off around the track. Willis graduated from Penn State in 1986 with a degree in health and physical education and came to this area to teach at Norfolk Academy. She spent three years on the faculty at the private school.
In 1989, Willis left Norfolk Academy for the professional triathlete tour. It was rigorous and expensive. She trained for three sports every day and traveled far and wide to bike, swim and run.
She participated in about 15 triathlons a year as a professional. She had a sponsor, Brooks, one she still has, but the expenses were considerable, Willis said.
In 1992, she was ready to return to teaching.
``I applied here and Mr. McGovern (Principal George McGovern at Landstown Middle School) hired me,'' she said. ``It's a lot different than Norfolk Academy. A diverse student body, larger classes, but it has worked out well.
``I try to be positive with them, help them learn, in class and out here on the track.''
In December, Willis will travel once again. She will participate in the Singapore Marathon. She earned the trip to Singapore and qualified for the Olympic Trials by posting a time of 2 hours, 42 minutes in the Shamrock Marathon last March.
``Mr. McGovern has been gracious enough to allow me to go,'' Willis said.
After the race on Dec. 4, Willis will return to teaching and coaching.
``Since I've gotten older and the pressure from competing is off my shoulders, I've enjoyed coaching. I'm not as selfish now as I was when I had to practice three sports and train constantly.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Leslie Willis, a former professional triathlete, coaches 25
frantically energetic boys in track at Landstown Middle School. She
is the only female coach of a boys team in the city.
by CNB