Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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USC makes strides on, off court Volleyball team keeps busy with hospital visits and tough practices BY BRIAN RAY TIIHCAMKCOCK The picture has just become a little prettier for the USC volley ball team. Earlier this week the SEC released its preseason poll, predicting USC would finish third in the Eastern Division behind Florida and Georgia. “I am so excited about this team already,” said head coach Kim Christopher. “They have good en ergy and good chemistry, and that is so important. We have six ath letes that are jumping over 10 feet and that is the first time we have ever had that happen.” The women’s volleyball team has been doing a lot this month, and it hasn’t even played the season’s first game. It started two-a-day prac tices at the Blatt P.E. Center, and now it’s practicing at the Volleyball Practice Facility. The workout schedule is geared toward develop ing morale and helping members work together as a team. in addition to practicing twice a day, the team has also been doing strength and condi tioning sessions. “This team is so eager to learn, and tVimt orn ahcnrhino everything that comes their way,” Christopher said. “That is a great indication of their commitment to the team.” The Gamecocks start the sea son Aug. 29-30 at the Southern California Tournament in Los Angeles. USC will play two top-25 teams during the weekend, in “This team is eager to learn and they are absorbing everything that comes their way.” KIM CHRISTOPHER VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH eluding ninth-ranked Northern Iowa University. “This year’s schedule was de signed to prepare us for confer ence play and give us the opportu nity to compete against the best in the country,” Christopher said. “I am so excited about hosting such great teams and giving our com munity expo sure to some of the best vol leyball in the country.” But the women’s vol leyball team V»oo Vtoon ing even more than practicing and building its quads. It took a day off from preseason practice Wednesday to visit pa tients at Palmetto Richland Children’s Hospital. Team mem bers went from room to room giv ing out T-shirts and autographed balls to the young patients. “Anytime you get a chance to be a role model to children, it is al ways fulfilling,” sophomore Sarah Morgan said. “We really enjoyed ourselves and loved seeing the smiles on the children’s faces.” The team spent most of its time at the children’s floor and the Cancer Center. Christopher said this is just the first of many com munity services she’s hoping to participate in this fall. “This was a good experience for the team, and it was good to go out side of the gym and impact chil-, ' dren’s lives in a positive manner,” junior Niece Curry said. The Gamecocks will play host to Michigan State in the Gamecocks’ first home match of the season Sept. 5 in the Carolina Classic. All home games will take place at the Volleyball Competition Facility. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com _ I— Mi l I I ll ll—1———— PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Niece Curry and the Gamecock volleyball team were selected by the SEC to finish third In the conference. There is no greaterfantasy than football I . ] BRAD SENKIW GAMECOCKSPORTSEDITOR@HOTMAIL.COM Coming of NFL season brings fantasy drafts. If you are like I am and you watch preseason football and check the wire news on NFL play ers, it can mean only one thing: You are addicted to fantasy foot ball. Unlike fantasy baseball, this game doesn’t take 2,000 months of your life and roster changes by the hour. Instead, you spend a lot of time roaming the Internet and watching “NFL 2 Night.” With drafts happening daily on the web and throughout homes across America, I figured it was time to prepare all of you for the 2003 season. Obviously, the biggest story has been Michael Vick’s in jury, which has burned drafts ev erywhere. I think he is the most dangerous fantasy quarterback in the league because of his rushing ability. Now that he’s out for at least the first month of the season, you might want to not draft this guy or trade him away for practi cally nothing. Although many people think Priest Holmes is going to have to battle back slowly from his hip in jury and Larry Johnson can chal lenge him, this guy will be the top back by season’s end. He’s too valuable as a receiver out of the backfield and scores touchdowns as much as Bill Parcells throws tantrums. And don’t believe the hype surrounding Clinton Portis. This guy is small, young and didn’t find the end zone too often last season. Instead, stick to the regulars in the old man Marshall Faulk and Ricky Williams. If you don’t read anything else I write, remember to draft receivers early. In all the fantasy leagues I’ve been a part of over the last five years, wide receivers put you in position to win no matter what the scoring rules are. Unquestionably Harrison is a fantasy beast, but don’t pass on Terrell Owens and Eric Moulds. These guys perform no matter who their quarterbacks are or any other players around them. When it comes to taking a solid quarterback, realize there really aren’t any out there. Too many get hurt and once you get past Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb, they are all the same. Manning will give you more yards than you can dream of and McNabb bounces around like a jackrabbit. And forget about Kurt Warner, who will probably be replaced at some point this year. Also, as much as I hate to admit it, any gunslinger under the “Ole’ ball coach” Steve Spurrier should be avoided like a visit to the Middle East. When it comes to any other po sition, like tight end or defenses, draft who is available. These will not win you any leagues so play them week to week. Stick to the knowledge of the core positions and learn the sleeper. Finally, here are two quick ■ | guys that will be waiting to be • drafted like a dog waits for a treat. They are just champing at the bit to win you a fantasy champi onship, which might involve a small sum of wagers if you are lucky. Rod Smith, the wide re ceiver from Denver, is the prime example of middle-round draft pick that can excel with his new quarterback. He isn’t flashy like Randy Moss or as quick as Torry Holt, but he has magnets attached to his hands. Also, Ahman Green is the fea ture back in Green Bay who can equal receiving yards with rush ing yards in a hurry. He loves to catch anything thrown to him and finding the pay dirt isn’t a prob lem for the former Nebraska star. And like Smith, he’s proved his A { worth over more than one season,' which is more than I can say for many of today’s featured fantasy football prospect. And while you’re sitting back in January counting the money you bagged or ragging your boys for trading you Rod Smith for Antwoine Smith, don’t forget who advised you in enjoying the sweet taste of success. Senkiw is a fourth-year print journalism student. New practice rules are paying off for college football players ' BY PETE IACOBELLI ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBIA — Fresher players. Less medical treatment. Fewer heat-related problems. The NCAA’s new football camp rules certainly seem an instant hit. Usually by now, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden says his Tigers are beaten down by two-a-days in the summer heat. “They’re grab bing this and grabbing that and have a sprained eyelash and that stuff and looking for the trainer,” he said. This year, “they’re not looking for the trainer,” Bowden said. A big reason could be the new guidelines. All players reported together, instead of newcomers first and veterans later. All play ers had five days of single-session, no pad practices, to acclimate. And all schools had to follow a two-a-day practice day with a sin gle session the next day. The concept left a few coaches grumbling, even if they under stood the rule was put in place to prevent horrific player deaths that sometimes occur during training like Northwestern’s Rashidi Wheeler collapsing two years ago. Bowden didn’t know if he’d have his new guys working on one field, and his returnees on anoth er. Furman’s Bobby Lamb changed a tried-and-true practice plan first run at Paladins camp by Dick Sheridan 25 years ago. But Bowden sure did like what he saw when he ordered the Tigers on a mile run after last Saturday’s three-hour scrimmage. “It was pretty hot,” he said. “And everybody ran but one guy,” said Bowden, starting his fifth year at Clemson. “I haven’t had that since I’ve been here. From a health standpoint, that’s a good sign.” Clemson and South Carolina ended camp this week as classes started. The Tigers open the foot ball season at home against Georgia on Aug. 30. The Gamecocks start the same day against Louisiana-Lafayette. South Carolina trainer Rod Walters has seen positive effects of the new practice schedule. Walters said coach Lou Holtz has always been ahead of the game in keeping players cool through the dog days of summer practice. Gamecock players maintained weight lost through sweat and ex ercise within a few pounds. Experts at a heat summit for area trainers arranged by Walters and sponsored by the university ear lier this month say athletes can lose up to 14 pounds during stren uous workouts, Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says giving players a chance to accli mate up front will pay off down the road. “You’re going to have athletes extend their season,” she said. Gamecocks defensive coordi nator Chris Cosh liked the walk throughs the team had on its sin gle-practice days. They usually lasted about 90 minutes and gave players a big-picture view of games they wouldn’t get in indi vidual position meetings, Cosh said. South Carolina trainers gave intravenous replacement fluids to only two players through the first weeks of camp, more out of pre caution than true heat-related stress, Walters said. That’s a big difference from years past, Walters said, when as many as eight players a night needed some IV treatment. “I’ve seen years where we were reordering IV fluids on the third day of practice,” Walters said. Walters thinks the rules will work for everyone to keep players’ safe and healthy. “Football’s a great sport and we want to keep it safe,” he said. Still, it’s hard to convince ev- * eryone that more sweaty practices don’t necessarily mean more suc cess in the fall. “You’ve got to work hard to get better,” Clemson linebacker John Leake says. “That’s the way it is.” And no matter how much bet ter you feel at the end, it’s always a joy when camp ends. “I’m just glad it’s over with,” Gamecocks cap tain and cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “Now, we can con centrate on the season instead of beating on each other.” THE GAMECOCK m,h is looking for people interested in writing or sports stories. E-mail gamecocksports @hotraaiI.com ATTENTION USC STUDENTS JUST PRESENT CURRENT STUDENT ID Towards -r Cyn.il t 10-6 SJjOTTS Parkland Plaza Just 3 blocks across the river! Monday, August 25TH 2003 4:30pm to 7:30pm 1 - MAD JAM is a 3-hour exercise event comprised of 15 minute fitness sessions. If you love group exercise, if you have always wanted to try a fitness class, or if you want to learn more about our class types - then DON'T MISS MAD JAM! The madness begins at 4:30pm in the lower level of the Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center, Multipurpose Room 125 ■ test test I secret west of tie si'sta.