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8 The Tech Talk June 24, 2010

Sports Talk

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THE TECH TALK

By ZACH BEAIR

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Tech head coach Sonny Dykes will be keep-ing himself busy this summer while workingalongside his wife, Kate, on the creation ofPigskins and Pearls Womens Football Clinic andLuncheon as well as his own Fantasy FootballCamp.

Kate Dykes has begun planning with her hus-and for Pigskin and Pearls, an instructional

luncheon for women from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July29 at Squire Creek Country Club.

Coach Dykes, along with Kate, is using the in-augural Pigskins and Pearls as a chance to giveack to the community. For $40, women will be

treated to a luncheon as they are taught the ba-

sics of football, and all of the proceeds from theevent will be donated to benefit the Boys andGirls Clubs of North Central Louisiana.

Kate and Sonny Dykes will speak at the lunch-eon and use some football players to demon-strate the use of the equipment and other basicfundamentals. Also, Kate hopes that women willse the luncheon to meet and get to know some

of Techs coaches and players.I feel this is a great way to make women feel

like a part of Tech football, said Kate. It just al-lows them to have fun.

All participants in the clinic will receive a hatand T-shirt along with the luncheon. Also, a tablefor eight is available for $280.

Were hoping to make the luncheon a lot offun for the women, said Kate, We are eventhinking about including some hands-on activi-ties to get them involved.

Immediately following Pigskins and Pearls,Sonny Dykes will begin the newly establishedLouisiana Tech Fantasy Football Camp.

Dykes will hold the camp from July 30 to Aug.1 giving participating Bulldog fans a glance intoTech football.

The camp will provide participants with be-hind-the-scenes knowledge of a Division I foot-all program as well as the opportunity to build

a personal relationship with my staff and me,said Sonny Dykes.

Dykes said he plans to teach participants howto perform many of the tasks necessary to pre-pare for a game. This includes everything from

reaking down film and strategizing to the re-cruiting process. Participants will also be able

get on the field and practice against one anotherwhile receiving advice from Dykes and thecoaching staff.

He said he hopes this opportunity will makethe campers see and appreciate what all goes into Techs football program.

Dykes will also treat his campers with a roundof golf at Squire Creek Country Club, a cookoutat his house and a selection of Louisiana Techgear.

The cost of the camp is $1,500, which willcover expenses including hotel, food and trans-portation.

With the 2010 football season fast approach-ing, Kate said she hopes these two events will bea great way to get both die-hard Bulldog sup-porters and beginning football fans excited andin the stands for the first home game.

By SAPPHIR

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Head womens basketball

oach Teresa Weatherspoonhas been inducted into theWomens Basketball Hall ofFame and the Louisiana SportsHall of Fame.

Weatherspoon received herWomens Basketball Hall ofFame honor June 12 inKnoxville, Tenn.

Weatherspoon had a longproductive career as a well-ap-plauded, hardworking basketballstar. She came in as a freshmanin 1985 to play for the LadyTechsters right out of highschool and pressure got a lottougher.

She was coached under thelegendary Leon Barmore, whoWeatherspoon feels taught hernd her former college team-

ates a lesson.Coach Barmore told me in

rder to play on his team, I hado defend first, Weatherspoon

said.During her four-year career at Tech,

eatherspoon led the Lady Techsters torecord of 118-14, four straight NCAA

ournament appearances and two Finalour appearances, according to www.CB-Sports.com.

In 1988, she vigorously and defensivelyelped the Lady Techsters claim theirhird national title.

After over 18 years of playing basket- ball and receiving various titles andmedals, Weatherspoon returned to Techwhere her most valuable teachings werelearned. Weatherspoon said she wants tomake sure that she has the opportunity toinspire, lead and drive younger athletes.

Tech President Dan Reneau said he isthrilled to have Weatherspoon a part ofthe Bulldog family again as an ambassa-

dor for Lady Techster bas-ketball.

Teresas contributions, both as player and coach,

have played a major part insecuring the Lady Techsterlegacy in the world ofwomens basketball. Her pas-sion and work ethic shouldserve as an example and in-spiration for every youngwoman who steps in thecourt, Reneau said, accord-ing to www.CBSSports.com.

The former WNBA andUSA Olympic team playerhas touched the lives of herathletes both on and off thecourt.

Coach Spoon is amaz-ing. She makes me feel likevictory is always withinreach and all we have to dois have drive and determina-tion, Brietta Thomas, senior

guard, said. Not only is shecool on the court, she is funto hang out with. Im glad wehave a coach as well as afriend when we need it.

Teresa deserves everything that shehas received because of the hard work sheput in to all that she has achieved, RethaSwindell, former head coach at WestSabine High School, said, according towww.CBSSports.com.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame In-duction Ceremony is scheduled June 24-26 in Natchitoches.

Weatherspoon scores double hall of fame honors

By SA

PPHIR

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The Tech track team fin-ished satisfied with perform-ances and higher rankings asthe NCAA National meetcame to an end June 12.

Nine of the teams athletestraveled to the University ofOregon in Eugene, Ore., Sun-day morning, after qualifyingthe prior week in Greensboro,N.C. at the East DivisionNCAA Regional meet. Amongthe athletes that competedwere the womens 4x400mwith alternate AntoinetteCobb, 110m hurdler BillyWalker, jumper Tiana Davis,thrower Larry Jones andsprinter Albert Fullwood. TheNational Championships wentunderway Wednesday andended Saturday afternoon.

Two seniors and a juniorwere at the start of the meetWednesday at the historicHayward Field. Junior throwerLarry Jones was the only Rus-ton native to participate in dayones competition. He finished22nd in the discus throw witha measured distance of1628. Both seniors, KameliaStroy and Fullwood, raced toa season and collegiate careerclose as they crossed the fin-

ish line in their semifinal heatsof the 400m. Finishing 18thoverall, Stroy ran 54.65. Thistime was one and fifty-seventenths of a second from herpersonal best, 53.08, whichwas ran in the quarterfinals inGreensboro.

Outstanding 400m sprinterand senior, Fullwood placed19th overall. The C.E. Byrdalumni has had a remarkablecareer as a Techster athlete,never losing a 400m WACtitle, according to media rela-

tions. Though the weatherconditions were not favorable,

Fullwood went into the com-petition with no worries.

It was rainy and windy, butthis trip was a learning experi-ence, teaching me how to runthrough adversity, Fullwoodsaid.

Fullwood plans to train forthe upcoming meets to givehim a shot at becoming a pro-fessional.

After the finish of day two,Walker did not perform as ex-pected but he still claimed amajor accomplishment beforehe finished the year out.Though Walker ran 13.99 inEugene, he had already im-proved his rankings in thecountry after running a per-

sonal best of 13.74 in Greens-boro. He is collegiately ranked17th in the nation.

Fifth year senior AntoinetteCobb, serving as the relays al-ternate, ran an extravagant legon the womens 4x400m relay.Cobb joined trio senior Story,senior Lashannda Worthy and

junior Monique Wright to beatout other top ranked teamssuch as 19th ranked SouthernCalifornia and 27th rankedSouthern Carolina, accordingto media relations press re-

lease. The quartet concludethe meet ranking 15th in thenation, with a time of 3:39.77.

As the Championship cameto end, junior Tiana Davis, atransfer from Barton, was thelast Techster to compete asshe finished ranking 24th ithe womens long jump.

Not only were the athletesexcited about making it to theNCAA National meet, assis-tant head coach Shawn Jack-son was also.

I am happy with the per-formances of our athleteshowever you always want towork for more. The ultimategoal is to win, Jackson said.

The Tech track and fielprogram will have a slighchange for the upcomingschool year as some of theitop athletes have extinguishetheir years of competition.The womens side lost fousprinters and a thrower, anthe men lost their two topsprinters, Fullwood anMichael Coleman.

Well be losing one of akind [Fullwood]. Al is a loyaTech alumni, and hopefully hewill stick around to help ouwith the younger recruits wehave coming in, Jackson said.

With more athletes comingin for both teams, the coaches

will try to start off anothegreat season to prepare moreathletes to make it to theNCAA National Champi-onships 2011.

The Lady Techsters wilhave two athletes competingin the USATF competitions iDes Moines, Iowa. AntoinetteCobb will be competing in theUSATF Championships, whilefreshman Quanisha Sales wil

be participating in the JunioUSATF Championships nowthru June 23-27.

Tech track team members place

in NCAA national championship

Football fever strikes Dykes

ith new summer programs

Courtesy of Tech Media Relations

Coach Teresa Weatherspoon watches the Lady Techsters

play at the Thomas Assembly Center.

Photo by Ben Corda

Football coach Sonny Dykes has two new

programs planned for this summer.