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

DATE: Sunday, July 7, 1996                  TAG: 9607040245
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 18   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Sports 
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY 
                                            LENGTH:   58 lines

MOVING ON: HE'D HAVE BEEN LOST WITHOUT HELP FROM FRIENDS

My first assignment as sports editor of the Sun was a trip to Franklin to interview a volleyball player. About halfway from Norfolk on the nearly 50-mile trek, I started wondering where in the heck I was headed. Forty-five minutes later I was helplessly wandering around Franklin, lost.

I eventually found my way to the volleyball player - with the help of some nice locals - 30 minutes late.

That wasn't the last time I got lost in and around Suffolk. Come to think of it, I was lost a lot when going to a high school for the first time. But I also found something working here as the Sun sports editor in ``Virginia's largest city'' - a wealth of experience and good friends and co-workers.

On July 8, I'll start a new job as a sports writer for the Winchester (Va.) Star, near where I grew up and went to high school.

I couldn't leave here without thanking the people who helped me in the last year:

Chic Riebel, my editor, took the time to make me a better reporter and a better editor. His advice and knowledge went far beyond anything I learned in a journalism class at Old Dominion.

Robin Brinkley did the same, whether it was career advice or tips for writing a better game story.

Other members of my ``team.'' Rea Farmer - who will take over at the Sun in a few weeks - Vicki L. Friedman, Bill Leffler, Lee Tolliver, Patti Walsh and Paul White, became great friends and dependable co-workers.

I also had the pleasure to work with veteran reporters Steve Carlson, Jim Ducibella, Bob Hutchinson, Ed Miller, Harry Minium, Bob Molinaro, Rich Radford, Tom Robinson and Frank Vehorn. Reading their stories every day and talking to each of them was a tremendous help to me.

Carl Fincke and Bob Fleming allowed me to cover something besides sports in Suffolk.

My co-workers in the Suffolk newsroom - Shirley Brinkley, Katrice Franklin, Jo Joynes, John Pruitt, Frank Roberts, John Sheally, Susie Stoughton and Terri Williams were always there for help or advice. Especially photographer Mike Kestner, who never hesitated when I needed a last-minute picture taken.

The copy editors, particularly Barbara Price, were also a tremendous help.

Drew vanEsselstyn, the sports editor at the Suffolk News-Herald, provided me some friendly competition and someone to talk to while covering events in exciting places like Emporia, Ashburn and Bristol.

C. Faye Tillery, Recreation Specialist for the Suffolk Parks Department, and Dottie Holland and Jan Grover, of the Suffolk Tennis Association, were never late with standings or events.

Then there are the athletes and coaches in the area. They were most often helpful and always interesting to talk to. Athletic directors Phil Braswell (Nansemond River), Randy Davis (Nansemond-Suffolk Academy) and Edward Smither were a pleasure to work with, as were most of the other public and private school athletic directors and coaches.

So thank you to everyone who helped make my stay here enjoyable. I know where I'm going now - Winchester - and I've been there before. At least I won't get lost. I hope.

Thanks and goodbye. by CNB