THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605100206
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 40 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 126 lines
DARYL DAYE SAT GLUED in front of the television set, the VCR's remote control constantly working in his left hand while his right scribbled notes.
Stop, start, stop, start, rewind, fast forward.
Other college football coaches came and went, but Daye was transfixed. He spent nearly three hours watching tapes of Beach District football games.
The Liberty University assistant was on a mission at his first Beach District football combine.
``We signed some Green Run kids last year,'' said Daye. ``We need some more of those kinds of kids and this is the place to find them.
``This is great. Tapes, transcripts. We have a limited recruiting budget, so we have to hit and run.''
While there was no hitting at the combine - the Virginia High School League prohibits any football drills at combines - there was plenty of running, jumping and lifting.
And sometimes a coach like Daye gets lucky.
``The bigger schools usually get the top players that everybody's heard of,'' he said. ``But this gives us an opportunity to see all these players in one setting. A lot of kids get overlooked and sometimes you find a gem.''
The 7th annual Beach combine is another gem in its own right - with more than 300 athletes - 140 of them seniors - coming from the district's 10 schools.
Each ran the 40-yard dash, were rated in the bench press for total weight lift and difference between body weight and weight lifted, did the power clean lift for the same, and had their vertical jump tested.
While each individual was there to make a name for himself, the competition has taken on a team feel - with Tom Barton III providing combine T-shirts for each kid in his school colors.
And James and Robin Holt of Smothy's Sports Asylum kept the college coaches and combine staffers happy by providing dinner.
``It's gotten better every year,'' said Tallwood coach Ken Barto, who founded the event with Bayside's Bill King.
``All the coaches participate and we've learned every year. We get some pretty nice comments from the college coaches who are here.''
The goal of the event is to bring attention to athletes who have not been recruited.
``If we can get 20 or 25 kids looked at, if we can get one or two percent a college offer, then I think we've been successful,'' Barto said. ``And sometimes we do better than that.''
Kellam four-sport athlete Kendrick Jacobs uses the combine as more than a showcase.
He uses the format as a barometer for how he is progressing as an athlete.
While the drills don't say whether or not a kid is a great football player because no pads are worn and there is no contact, they can provide a means of measuring potential.
``I didn't do (as well) in the 40 this year, but my vertical improved,'' said Jacobs, who runs track and plays basketball and soccer in addition to football. ``This is a good way to test myself.''
At only 5-foot-8, the rising senior running back was timed in 4.5 seconds in the 40 and had his vertical leap measure at 31 inches.
Jacobs' lifting results weren't available, but based on his smile after his first bench press, he was pleased.
Former area high school standouts and current NFL professionals Darren Perry and Keith Goganious were on hand to offer some other ways to improve - handing out brochures for their second annual Hampton Roads Football Camp.
This summer's camp will be held July 7-11 at Virginia Wesleyan College.
The fee is $265 for overnight campers and $115 for day campers and the information number is 1-800-718-4633.
``This is a good thing,'' said Goganious, a former Buffalo Bills linebacker now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. ``We didn't have ways to have this kind of exposure when we were in high school.
``It also helps the kids get used to what's going to be expected of them when the time comes to get recruited.''
Added Perry of Pittsburgh: ``This tests the kids on some of the athletic fundamentals of football and it probably gives them a step up when the time comes.
``Keith's right, it sure would have been nice to have this kind of thing when we were in school.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by D. Kevin Elliott
LeVar Wilkins of Tallwood High School tries to list 225 pounds in
the power clean.
Steve Gallagher of First Colonial High exhales as he does a 28
1/2-inch vertical jump.
College football coaches and recruiters eye possible choices during
the 40-yard dash.
Coach John Parker of Tallwood High times the runners int he 40-yard
dash.
Sonny Ownes of Ocean Lakes High bench presses 400 pounds during the
football combine. The college prospects strut their stuff at the
combine without benefit of football drills, pads and uniforms.
Instead they run the 40-yard dash, were rated in the bench press for
total weight lift and difference between body weight and weight
lifted, did the power clean lift for the same, and had their
vertical jump tested.
Graphic
[Box]
TOP PERFORMERS
(Partial results)
BENCH PRESS Most pounds
1. Sonie Owens, Ocean Lakes - 400 pounds (new combine record), 2.
Clyde Bryant, Green Run - 375, 3. Dion Wiggs, First Colonial - 350.
Weight differential
1. Sheron Joseph, Ocean Lakes - lifted 300 and weighs 159 for a
141 differential
40-YARD DASH
1. Roscoe Coles, Salem - 4.41 seconds, 2. Joe Carter, Salem -
4.44, 3. Quez Smith, Salem - 4.45
VERTICAL JUMP
1. Jermaine Lauzon, Ocean Lakes - 38 inches, 2. tie - Zeb Clark
and Trey Simpkins of Kempsville - 37.5
POWER CLEAN Most pounds
1. Donald Stakes, Kempsville - 245.
by CNB