2008 Woodie Awards
Healthy players more important than wins
Sean Coit '09
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Anyone that has tuned in to ESPN within the past week is briefed on the horrific incident involving the shooting death of University of Miami football player Bryan Pata.
A standout senior and NFL prospect is described by friends and teammates as a "well-mannered, well-disciplined kid."
Similarly, the recent shooting of a St. Joseph's student provides just another startling reminder of the ever present danger that lies sometimes just blocks away from college campuses.
While Phil Martelli and the St. Joe's Men's Basketball team prepare for the season, needing to replace three departed starters from last year's squad with, the Duquesne Dukes, one of the Hawks Atlantic 10 opponents, has a greater task at hand.
Veteran Coach Ron Everhart, known for re - building struggling programs, is faced with his toughest challenge yet: Preparing a Duquesne team for Division 1 opponents with only 2 returning players and 11 newcomers, due to a shooting at a Duquesne party that left 5 players with gunshot wounds.
Two of the most seriously injured were transfers Sam Ashalou and Stuard Baldonado, shot in the head and back, respectively.
These two newcomers are part of a new wave of basketball talent headed to Pittsburgh to play on a transfer - laden team this year, but are both lost for at least this season.
Everhart is left with a traumatized, injured, but hungry team, full of players hoping to erase the memory of their program's tragedy with a break out season.
"This game has become even more precious to these players," said Everhart at A-10 Media Day. "Because it has been taken away from them so abruptly and so violently."
Their success will rest squarely on the shoulders of Everhart, who needs to fulfill the basic duties of a coach, recruiting and coaching future and current players, while dealing separately with injured players and startled transfer players, still adapting to life at a new school and playing at a new program.
A standout senior and NFL prospect is described by friends and teammates as a "well-mannered, well-disciplined kid."
Similarly, the recent shooting of a St. Joseph's student provides just another startling reminder of the ever present danger that lies sometimes just blocks away from college campuses.
While Phil Martelli and the St. Joe's Men's Basketball team prepare for the season, needing to replace three departed starters from last year's squad with, the Duquesne Dukes, one of the Hawks Atlantic 10 opponents, has a greater task at hand.
Veteran Coach Ron Everhart, known for re - building struggling programs, is faced with his toughest challenge yet: Preparing a Duquesne team for Division 1 opponents with only 2 returning players and 11 newcomers, due to a shooting at a Duquesne party that left 5 players with gunshot wounds.
Two of the most seriously injured were transfers Sam Ashalou and Stuard Baldonado, shot in the head and back, respectively.
These two newcomers are part of a new wave of basketball talent headed to Pittsburgh to play on a transfer - laden team this year, but are both lost for at least this season.
Everhart is left with a traumatized, injured, but hungry team, full of players hoping to erase the memory of their program's tragedy with a break out season.
"This game has become even more precious to these players," said Everhart at A-10 Media Day. "Because it has been taken away from them so abruptly and so violently."
Their success will rest squarely on the shoulders of Everhart, who needs to fulfill the basic duties of a coach, recruiting and coaching future and current players, while dealing separately with injured players and startled transfer players, still adapting to life at a new school and playing at a new program.
Be the first to comment on this story