From the controversial to GPAs to the humanitarian, here's a fresh batch of "David's Appetizers," assorted musings, notes and observations from the sports scene:
FOOTBALL AT HENDRIX
Former Hendrix men's basketball coach and athletic director Cliff Garrison was on the committee and sat through the debate when the college transitioned from scholarship sports in the old Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and the NAIA a couple of decades ago to NCAA Division III, where athletic scholarships are prohibited. He was on the Football Study Committee that resulted in the school's Board of Trustees' voting to re-institute football as soon as start-up costs are raised.
Both decisions prompted heated and intense debates.
Which was the most difficult decision?
"That's tough because there were strong opinions on both sides in both situations," Garrison said. "But the football decision was more polarizing. The debate seemed more intense to me."
One thing that made the decision to go NCAA Division III less volatile was just about everyone involved with Hendrix knew the school had to make a change. Different schools in the AIC (not the least of which was the University of Central Arkansas) were exploring different options other than the NAIA, and it was inevitable that the AIC, which had maintained a respectful coherence for years with a mixture of public and private schools, was going to fade away as those institutions tried to match up with others with more of a philosophical kinship.
Joe B. Hatcher, Hendrix president at the time, had done his research and had his ducks in a row. Hendrix had a contingency offer from the College Athletic Conference (now the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference). There was a small window of opportunity to make a move to join a group of classic, private liberal arts institutions that were similar and more of a fit for Hendrix.
Marty Rhodes, co-chairman of the study group, said the decision to re-institute football was solidified for him from hearing a group of former Hendrix athletes, who were around when football was disbanded in 1960, tell their stories during a breakfast on a recent Hall of Fame weekend.
"To see and hear the passion that those guys spoke about bringing football back sewed up the process for me," Rhodes said.
GOOD NUMBERS OFF
THE FIELD
UCA baseball coach Doug Clark had a lot of feel good about this week in addition to his team's benchmark victory over Wichita State.
He said four of his players finished with 4.0 grade-point averages and his overall team GPA was 3.0.
"Considering the time we've spent on the road traveling and playing this spring, that is phenomenal," Clark said. "And several of these players are in pre-med, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy; they're not taking an easy curriculum."
MAYFLOWER AND
HABITAT
The seniors on the Mayflower football team spent all day on a Saturday in March working on a Habitat for Humanity build in southeast Little Rock. The group helped with roofing, put railings on the porch, reinforced the walls and built part of the garage.
The entire team, more than 45 players, coaches and coaches wives, came back in April for some more work, taking down one house in the morning and working on another house in the Oak Grove area of North Little Rock in the afternoon.
To coach Jed Davis in his staff, it went beyond a basic team-building exercise.
"As a coaching staff, we feel it is important to teach kids that there is more to life than just football," Davis said. "It is about serving others and giving back to their communities.
"The attitude of the team was incredible. When I first told the players they had to give up a couple of their Saturdays to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, most were not very happy. But within an hour of working, I had many players tell me they were having a blast and that we should do this more often. The (Habitat) leaders told me that our team accomplished in one day what would normally take them four weekends to finish."
CCS SPORTS
Being able to participate in Arkansas Activities Association-sanctioned athletics, which will happen next season, is a fulfillment of a long-range goal at Conway Christian School.
Whether private or public, having quality of athletics is a priority for many students and parents.
"When we first began this school, we would have huge elementary school enrollment, then a lot of kids were transferring out by middle school and junior high," said Chuck Speer, CCS athletic director. "Most of them told us they were transferring in order to play sports. We've added to our sports programs and sought AAA affiliation to take away a major excuse that people were transferring out."
(Sports columnist David McCollum can be reached at 505-1235 or david.mccollum@thecabin.net)
