University of South Carolina Libraries
Wednesday, July 29, GA Gett Sidel TRACY HELMS Sport* Editor Steve Gettel knew the feeling. The pain would ascend from his right ankle into a piercing throb whenever the offensive guard thrusted from the line of scrimage. It was the same nnin that haH nlamipH him r ? v throughout most of last season. He knew the feeling, and when it reappeared last week during tryouts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gettel knew his aspirations of playing professional football would have to be put on hold. Gettel, who ended an *: 1 rn<vtkn1l CXCC|J11UI1(1I lUUlL/dii Lai cci at USC last season, informed Tampa Bay July 20 that he was withdrawing from training camp due to the ankle ache. He also told the Bucs that he would give it a much healthier trial next year. "Well, I figured that I u/rtnlH crivp thpm no look at all rather than a bad look," Gettel said Monday. "I didn't feel that I could perform up to my potential right now. "I WENT OUT there (to By MAH1 Ei Like Charles Dickens' "Ta womens' softbal and volieyba in charge of the best of sports She has achieved national p with a three-year total of 88 > last season within the 16 tear Deen a razor-snarp conirasi o having no more than 11 victor Last spring, when the resj ministrative positions and til and secretly awarded, she th be rewarded with on of those j But Ron Dickerson from o mr? tHo Accictnnt Athli **VVM???V 4 KUUIUMAIIV ? KMI11 sports in May, phasing out P womens' athletics. "We real] was going to be an adminisl said, adding, "they brought t f much about him." That appointment made, thinking about her career an< to wait for an administratis she visited the University oi was told she could work t volleyball and Softball tea: ministration and get her mas 1981 __________ ,ME( el's P ined I training drills) but I felt restricted by my ankle. I knew it was time to go." "My ankle was hurting me on my initial explosion from the line," the Ormond Beach, Fla. native explained. "I wasn't getting "I figured that 1 w look at all rather 1 didn't feel that I cc my potential right n< that 'pop' that I felt I needed." Gettel first injured his ankle during spring drills in 1978. "The fracture stayed in place until it was hurt again in the Michigan game last season," he recalled. "From that point on, the season was pretty painful. "1 had surgery last January where the ankle was wired, but that didn't 1_ ? * n _ ax _ 1 J <init worn, urenei saiu. men the Tampa people operated and removed the wire. My ankle will be 100 percent, it will just take about another month." Gettel, who signed a pact VIWI III K PLATTE ditor Je of Two Cities," former head til coach Judy Martino has been and the worst of sports, irominence in womens' softball, >vins against 31 losses, finishing ns in the nation. Volleyball has if 42-49 with the last two seasons ies in 30 or more attemDts. jected lady and coach saw ad~ ties bandied about, taken away ought her service to USC might jobs. the University of Pittsburgh etic Director of Non-Revenue am Parson's role as director of ly didn't know at the time there Lrative position open, Martino his fellow in but I don't know too the coach did some serious 1 especially the future if she was e opening. During the summer, f North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is an assistant coach to their ms plus enroll in athletic adter's degree. doc: 'ro Hoj By Mi with the Buccaneers in May, is optimistic about better results from future NFL tryouts. 4,I DEFINITELY want to go back and give pro ball another shot, with Tampa ould give them no than a bad look. I >uld perform up to ow." -Steve Gettel Bay or another team," he saia. i m preuy mucn obligated to Tampa, and I do have a concrete opportunity there. "I'm certain that I will be in the best shape that I've ever been in when I go back, so I'm pretty confident about my chances of making the team." But until that return, Tampa Bay's loss is Carolina's gain. Gettel will serv? as a graduate assistant with the Gamecock football squad this season, primarily aiding the of no Qui Her decision to leave USC ca Friday, she will clean out her papers and leave the roundhou "When 1 realized after the there wouldn't be a possibility < started thinking about leavini here. Although some of the ph "I really liked it here... although some of the phil oso ph ies I didn't agree with." - Martinc and some things don't s< everywhere I guess." l-Iof rolatinricViin niifVi Pom lll/l A vlO VlvllOllI^/ TTIMI JL mil at time^ although both womei superiority over other womc were also both competing although they had no input int program. "There were a lot of things i K pes n He fensive line. A three-year starter at USC, Gettel drew some comparisons between college and professional football. "I ENJOYED WHAT I saw of it (pro ball)," he said. "For the players, it's just like any other job. The coaches don't get on you too much because they really don't have to. The players know that if you don't give a lot nf pffnrt thprp ic cnmr? other player who will, and nobody wants to get beat out of a job. "There are differences in knowing the game better and knowing exactly what to do, but college and pro football are relatively the same," Gettel continued. "There definitely is not as much comradery in the pros, though." The 6-1, 255-pounder said he will continue weight training and running to build up his ankle. And with a rejuvenated ankle, Gettel's next attempt at the NFL should get off on the right foot. ii9, rc ime shortly thereafter and this desk, pack up her plaques and se for the last time. y hired Ron Dickerson, that of an administrative position, I g," she said. "I really like it lilosophies 1 didn't agree with 1 Wr w ? eem fair but that happens Parsons was somewhat heated 1 were trying to achieve athletic ins teams in the U.S. But they for power in the department o who would direct the worn ens' ive didn't hear about; they were F?IES? * . * * 4 ?a^ix, 'sj^ *- j -?g :-.-.:-:->:fi-^>^g^M^^^vv??'. i ' ' % ) ; " f . '>**iv'**fm$#$^<**?P.-*-'?-' - -.v.v. ' ''. .v.-. -.y f 1 Steve Gettel will serve as a graduate assistant for USC this season. i ? administrative decisions,"Martino said. "We weren't part of them and we weren't even aware of them. It was just a lot of gossip." "There were times when we (Parsons and Martino) went ^ head on head and we got little support, very few of the womens teams got any support," Martino said. "There were a tremendous amount of administrative problems within the womens department." Martino says, that because of the problems involved with the womens' athletic department, it will be harder for i - iemaies 10 move up into the management aspect of athletics. "It (the hiring of Dickerson) was probably their way of straightening things out." If there was any bitterness, it is subsided by *he fact that > the women's program has been given everything 'hey asked v for during Martino's three years. "I've never been hurting for what I've needed in a sport financially," she says. By August 10, the new coach for volleyball and softball will be chosen with a some amount of Martino's advice and supervision. "After working three years of building and building and building, I would not want to see it destroyed," Martino indicated. "I would want someone of very high cancer ior my players because they deserve it. I hope, they don't hire someone they don't know at the last minute." Some of the resumes received are people who Martino knows from here years of working and playing softball and volleyball. "I know already that there are some resumes t y , here that look great on paper but I know the people and they wouldn't be division one material," she said. "I do have three or four people that would do an excellent job." S?c Replacement, Page 7