THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996                TAG: 9604230110
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Paul White 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   53 lines

IT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING ONE DAY IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

Last Tuesday was typical for spring athletes, who don't always get their day in the sun.

These days, there are more kids doing more things on athletic fields than at any time on the high school sports calendar.

But when you get right down to it, what do we really know about the nearly 5,000 boys and girls playing varsity spring sports in South Hampton Roads and Western Tidewater?

In the fall, schools usually rally around their football teams. In winter, basketball - and in some cases wrestling - dominates interest. But a focal sport in the spring is more difficult to identify. Each sport - golf, boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls tennis, and boys and girls track - seems to stir as much passion as the next.

Consequently, spring athletes aren't likely to be affected by media coverage, for in most cases, there isn't much. Of more pressing concern to the participants is whether they'll actually get to play on a given day. The traditionally unpredictable spring weather means athletes go to bed wondering if the rain will hold off long enough to get in their innings, rounds or matches.

Last Tuesday was typical. Because of heavy rains the previous night, reports came in on less than half of the 94 scheduled events. As usual, baseball and softball games were the quickest to be called off.

That still left 45 contests on the schedule, and The Virginian-Pilot sent nine reporters and seven photographers to follow the action. Last week, we gave you the scores. Today, we provide some of the stories behind those scores. MEMO: This is the section front introduction to the main collection of stories

appearing on pages C4-C5.

ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA, The Virginian-Pilot

The work is sometimes spotty for a high school umpire, like Chip

Smith. "I've been rained out of eight high school games this

spring," he said. "That's cost me $400."

Color photo by BETH BERGMAN, The Virginian-Pilot

The Princess Anne softball team gets pumped up before a 12-8 victory

over Salem.

by CNB