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Hokie Seniors Learn Leadership Skills in Colorado
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Roth Report
Roth Report
July 14, 2005
By Bill Roth Virginia Tech defensive end Darryl Tapp called it a "life-changing experience." One that, he claims, will make him a better person and player for the Hokies this fall. Teammate James Anderson agreed. Tapp, Anderson, and three Tech teammates - Mike Parham, Grant Throckmorton, and John Kinzer - spent a week in Fort Collins, Colo., at the Ultimate Training Camp presented by Athletes in Action this summer. "It was an amazing time, a truly amazing experience," Tapp said. "It was great to be around people who have the same focus I have, who are also athletes. We have to make the right decisions on a daily basis. We face so many temptations, and I met people I can talk with about those temptations and how they deal with them." According to Anderson, there were 175 athletes in attendance the first week, and 80 the second week of this year's event. "I think for these guys, their whole perspective on how they play changes," said Todd Crosson, the director of Athletes in Action at Tech. "We teach them about leadership. We talked about how to recognize when a teammate gets down or frustrated and how to be responsible and get re-focused. When a guy makes a bad play, we want our guys to go over to him and say 'Who are you playin' for? What are you doing here?' Get 'em back and focused on the next play. Those are the things Darryl was taught." "We have information sessions where we discussed learned principles," Anderson said. "Then we have a sports lab and afternoon and evening talks. There were other activities like white-water rafting and go-carts, but the discussions are where you really change the way people think. "It's really amazing because you're able to see people get their lives changed. I learned to apply my principles: how you look at sports, why you play that sport, and how to better yourself in your sports." Obviously, there are religious overtones. "Principles are biblical principles," Anderson said. "You glorify God by playing the game. 'Hurtin' for Certain' was one of the principles. That talked about the pain in your life. Bad calls, dropped passes, missed tackles, missed things in life. It's how you handle adversity that's important." Two principles stuck out for Tapp. "'Audience of One' hit home for me," he said. "Freshmen sometimes come in and have a chip on their shoulder, trying to prove stuff to everyone about how good they are, or stuff like that. But there is only one real person you have to prove things to." The second principle was what Tapp called 'Idols.' "Guys idolize publicity. They idolize money," he said. "But there is a greater meaning as to why we play sports. When you play sports, fans should be able to see a person out there enjoying himself and not trying to bring attention to himself. You are not there to serve attention to yourself, trying to make ESPN highlights. That's not why we play. We're out there to help our team succeed." This year marked the third time Anderson had attended an Athletes in Action event. Last year, he joined Bryan Randall for a week in inner-city Los Angeles working with young kids. "We put on youth clinics at local churches again this year," Anderson said. "It not the same as inner-city Los Angeles, but it's wonderful to help young kids." Other attendees included UVa place kicker Connor Hughes and running back Alvin Pearman. "Football is just a game," Anderson said. "After you beat each other up, you go on and still are friends because life is more than a game. We're blessed to play football and we should play with everything we got." The group in Colorado also learned to deal with adversity and lead by example. "One of the character-building exercises we did was put the guys in situations where we purposely made the ref make bad calls," Crosson said. "The players didn't know there were going to be bad calls, but we had the officials intentionally screw up to gauge the guys reactions. Then, we'd ask the guys 'how do they feel about it?' " Some guys would get pretty hot when there was a bad call, but what they learned is that some things are out of their control. It's not worth throwing a fit or making a scene. Let it go. Go on to the next play. You have to get back to the high intensity and focus and be able to deal with it because there are going to be bad calls in every game. "We want to turn out leaders, and that's what we do." For a football team like Virginia Tech this fall, finding a new group of leaders is essential. The '05 Hokies lost veteran leaders like Jim Davis, Eric Green, and of course, Randall. Tapp, among others, says he's ready to assume that role this fall. "The best way to be a leader is to have everything in order in your own life," Tapp said. "God, family, school, football. In that order. "The most important thing is how guys react to adversity. How we respond to heat. Everyone wants to lead when you win, but nobody wants to lead when the team is down. What's important is how you react when you lose a game or when you are behind." It's critically important on a college football team where young men are transitioning from teenage years to adult life, while trying to live up to immense pressure form outside sources. "Jimmy Williams is a perfect example," Tapp said. "He is a man now. His first three years, he was an adolescent. But now, he has to get it right. "Marcus Vick? He has grown up a whole lot. All those guys who came in together have taken that extra step for them to be what they need to be. I know it. I see it. It's only a matter of time till the rest of the world sees it, too." Hokie fans and supporters hope Tapp's right. He looks like a key man to keep the Hokies' "Team United" spirit intact for 2005. "Jim, Bryan and Eric gave us the blueprint. Now it's up to us to follow it," Tapp said. Meanwhile, upon his return from Colorado, Tapp was shocked to see his picture on the cover of one of those preseason college football magazines. "It caught be off guard for sure," he said. "I went into Barnes and Noble after church and someone said 'Look at this magazine' and I said, 'HEY THAT'S ME!' Everyone turned around and looked. I didn't expect it, that's for sure. It's something I can show my kids." Typically humble and well-grounded. In the huddle and on the field, you can expect more from him and several of his teammates from what they learned this summer in the Colorado mountains. Greenberg, staff having big summer
Meanwhile, one of the real quiet success stories of this summer has been the remarkable progress Tech basketball coach Seth Greenberg and his staff have made on the recruiting trail. The Hokies have not only wrapped up their recruiting for 2005, but for the following year as well. Tech has 2006 commitments from three players, a point guard and two forwards, although NCAA rules prohibit us from listing names of prospective student-athletes. "We're ahead of the game, but that's the culture of recruiting in the ACC," Greenberg said. "In reality, we are a bit behind on our 2007 class. We'll catch up this summer. "Our staff has really worked hard. You are always recruiting two years ahead and identify guys at a young age. It is a risk and reward, and hopefully, you do a good job of evaluating. "The big thing for us is getting guys who fit. We have a model of the kind of kids who will fit in our program, ones who are highly motivated and competitive players." Greenberg maintains that's the case with the young men who will join his program this fall. Terrance Vinson (6-8, 220, Valdosta, Ga.), Hyman Taylor (6-9, 235, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Cheick Diakite (6-8, 230, Bamako, Mali), and A.D. Vassallo (6-6, 213, Santa Maria Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) are the four incoming freshmen who comprise Greenberg's 2005 class. His 2006 class will be announced per NCAA rules once the young men sign their national letters-of-intent in November. But with the 2006 class in hand, Greenberg and his staff will spend the rest of this summer recruiting rising sophomores and juniors. "Most of our time this summer is being spent on '07 and '08, so that in September, we can visit schools and let high school coaches know who we are going to offer next spring and fall," Greenberg said. And Greenberg acknowledged that his staff has found recruiting this year to be much different than it was a year ago. "Having played a year in the ACC makes a difference and having won games in this league with the Cassell rockin' really makes a difference," he said. "Had we not won as much, things would be different I'm sure. Winning in the ACC, getting to postseason play, and selling out Cassell has created a bit of a buzz about the program among high school kids and now is the time to take advantage of that." All of Tech's incoming freshmen except for Vassallo are on campus now. Vassallo will be competing for Puerto Rico in the under-21 World Games in Argentina this month. Tech assistant coach Brad Greenberg flew to Puerto Rico last weekend to visit with Vassallo. "He'll come to campus in magnificent shape," Greenberg said. "Everyone else is on campus and we've got a terrific group that fits. It's encouraging." On another topic, you can expect an exciting Tech basketball schedule to be released in the coming weeks: one that includes several road games played within the Commonwealth of Virginia, a special 'exempt event' at Cassell Coliseum, a game with Ohio State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and a made-for-TV game in Las Vegas. "It's a tougher schedule, but one that will be exciting for our fans and challenging for our kids," Greenberg said. "As we get better, and our program develops, our schedule will get tougher. That's the case this year."
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By Bill Roth Virginia Tech defensive end Darryl Tapp called it a "life-changing experience." One that, he claims, will make him a better person and player for the Hokies this fall. Teammate James Anderson agreed. Tapp, Anderson, and three Tech teammates - Mike Parham, Grant Throckmorton, and John Kinzer - spent a week in Fort Collins, Colo., at the Ultimate Training Camp presented by Athletes in Action this summer. "It was an amazing time, a truly amazing experience," Tapp said. "It was great to be around people who have the same focus I have, who are also athletes. We have to make the right decisions on a daily basis. We face so many temptations, and I met people I can talk with about those temptations and how they deal with them." According to Anderson, there were 175 athletes in attendance the first week, and 80 the second week of this year's event. "I think for these guys, their whole perspective on how they play changes," said Todd Crosson, the director of Athletes in Action at Tech. "We teach them about leadership. We talked about how to recognize when a teammate gets down or frustrated and how to be responsible and get re-focused. When a guy makes a bad play, we want our guys to go over to him and say 'Who are you playin' for? What are you doing here?' Get 'em back and focused on the next play. Those are the things Darryl was taught." "We have information sessions where we discussed learned principles," Anderson said. "Then we have a sports lab and afternoon and evening talks. There were other activities like white-water rafting and go-carts, but the discussions are where you really change the way people think. "It's really amazing because you're able to see people get their lives changed. I learned to apply my principles: how you look at sports, why you play that sport, and how to better yourself in your sports." Obviously, there are religious overtones. "Principles are biblical principles," Anderson said. "You glorify God by playing the game. 'Hurtin' for Certain' was one of the principles. That talked about the pain in your life. Bad calls, dropped passes, missed tackles, missed things in life. It's how you handle adversity that's important." Two principles stuck out for Tapp. "'Audience of One' hit home for me," he said. "Freshmen sometimes come in and have a chip on their shoulder, trying to prove stuff to everyone about how good they are, or stuff like that. But there is only one real person you have to prove things to." The second principle was what Tapp called 'Idols.' "Guys idolize publicity. They idolize money," he said. "But there is a greater meaning as to why we play sports. When you play sports, fans should be able to see a person out there enjoying himself and not trying to bring attention to himself. You are not there to serve attention to yourself, trying to make ESPN highlights. That's not why we play. We're out there to help our team succeed." This year marked the third time Anderson had attended an Athletes in Action event. Last year, he joined Bryan Randall for a week in inner-city Los Angeles working with young kids. "We put on youth clinics at local churches again this year," Anderson said. "It not the same as inner-city Los Angeles, but it's wonderful to help young kids." Other attendees included UVa place kicker Connor Hughes and running back Alvin Pearman. "Football is just a game," Anderson said. "After you beat each other up, you go on and still are friends because life is more than a game. We're blessed to play football and we should play with everything we got." The group in Colorado also learned to deal with adversity and lead by example. "One of the character-building exercises we did was put the guys in situations where we purposely made the ref make bad calls," Crosson said. "The players didn't know there were going to be bad calls, but we had the officials intentionally screw up to gauge the guys reactions. Then, we'd ask the guys 'how do they feel about it?' " Some guys would get pretty hot when there was a bad call, but what they learned is that some things are out of their control. It's not worth throwing a fit or making a scene. Let it go. Go on to the next play. You have to get back to the high intensity and focus and be able to deal with it because there are going to be bad calls in every game. "We want to turn out leaders, and that's what we do." For a football team like Virginia Tech this fall, finding a new group of leaders is essential. The '05 Hokies lost veteran leaders like Jim Davis, Eric Green, and of course, Randall. Tapp, among others, says he's ready to assume that role this fall. "The best way to be a leader is to have everything in order in your own life," Tapp said. "God, family, school, football. In that order. "The most important thing is how guys react to adversity. How we respond to heat. Everyone wants to lead when you win, but nobody wants to lead when the team is down. What's important is how you react when you lose a game or when you are behind." It's critically important on a college football team where young men are transitioning from teenage years to adult life, while trying to live up to immense pressure form outside sources. "Jimmy Williams is a perfect example," Tapp said. "He is a man now. His first three years, he was an adolescent. But now, he has to get it right. "Marcus Vick? He has grown up a whole lot. All those guys who came in together have taken that extra step for them to be what they need to be. I know it. I see it. It's only a matter of time till the rest of the world sees it, too." Hokie fans and supporters hope Tapp's right. He looks like a key man to keep the Hokies' "Team United" spirit intact for 2005. "Jim, Bryan and Eric gave us the blueprint. Now it's up to us to follow it," Tapp said. Meanwhile, upon his return from Colorado, Tapp was shocked to see his picture on the cover of one of those preseason college football magazines. "It caught be off guard for sure," he said. "I went into Barnes and Noble after church and someone said 'Look at this magazine' and I said, 'HEY THAT'S ME!' Everyone turned around and looked. I didn't expect it, that's for sure. It's something I can show my kids." Typically humble and well-grounded. In the huddle and on the field, you can expect more from him and several of his teammates from what they learned this summer in the Colorado mountains. Greenberg, staff having big summer
Meanwhile, one of the real quiet success stories of this summer has been the remarkable progress Tech basketball coach Seth Greenberg and his staff have made on the recruiting trail. The Hokies have not only wrapped up their recruiting for 2005, but for the following year as well. Tech has 2006 commitments from three players, a point guard and two forwards, although NCAA rules prohibit us from listing names of prospective student-athletes. "We're ahead of the game, but that's the culture of recruiting in the ACC," Greenberg said. "In reality, we are a bit behind on our 2007 class. We'll catch up this summer. "Our staff has really worked hard. You are always recruiting two years ahead and identify guys at a young age. It is a risk and reward, and hopefully, you do a good job of evaluating. "The big thing for us is getting guys who fit. We have a model of the kind of kids who will fit in our program, ones who are highly motivated and competitive players." Greenberg maintains that's the case with the young men who will join his program this fall. Terrance Vinson (6-8, 220, Valdosta, Ga.), Hyman Taylor (6-9, 235, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Cheick Diakite (6-8, 230, Bamako, Mali), and A.D. Vassallo (6-6, 213, Santa Maria Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) are the four incoming freshmen who comprise Greenberg's 2005 class. His 2006 class will be announced per NCAA rules once the young men sign their national letters-of-intent in November. But with the 2006 class in hand, Greenberg and his staff will spend the rest of this summer recruiting rising sophomores and juniors. "Most of our time this summer is being spent on '07 and '08, so that in September, we can visit schools and let high school coaches know who we are going to offer next spring and fall," Greenberg said. And Greenberg acknowledged that his staff has found recruiting this year to be much different than it was a year ago. "Having played a year in the ACC makes a difference and having won games in this league with the Cassell rockin' really makes a difference," he said. "Had we not won as much, things would be different I'm sure. Winning in the ACC, getting to postseason play, and selling out Cassell has created a bit of a buzz about the program among high school kids and now is the time to take advantage of that." All of Tech's incoming freshmen except for Vassallo are on campus now. Vassallo will be competing for Puerto Rico in the under-21 World Games in Argentina this month. Tech assistant coach Brad Greenberg flew to Puerto Rico last weekend to visit with Vassallo. "He'll come to campus in magnificent shape," Greenberg said. "Everyone else is on campus and we've got a terrific group that fits. It's encouraging." On another topic, you can expect an exciting Tech basketball schedule to be released in the coming weeks: one that includes several road games played within the Commonwealth of Virginia, a special 'exempt event' at Cassell Coliseum, a game with Ohio State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and a made-for-TV game in Las Vegas. "It's a tougher schedule, but one that will be exciting for our fans and challenging for our kids," Greenberg said. "As we get better, and our program develops, our schedule will get tougher. That's the case this year."
