Lady Demon volleyball coaches Brittany Uffelman and Dan Nowalk have proven quite the force this summer on the Galveston beaches.
They went 10-0 and won yet another tournament over the last weekend on the Gulf. Nowalk has been ranked as the No. 1 player in his age group in Texas. Not bad for a Pittsburgh native!
Along with the obvious recreational fun, playing in the beach tournaments in Galveston and Houston this summer has greatly expanded the Lady Demons' recruiting contacts. A lot of prep and AAU coaches line up in the sand all summer long.
Beach volleyball will have a more direct connection to the NSU program next spring. The Southland Conference has voted to hold its spring seasons outside on sand courts, not in the gym as has been the practice. These matches and tournaments are considered offseason scrimmages and the seniors from the fall season can't play, but they provide important experience for younger players to develop in roles they will fill in the following season.
Uffelman is considering sites for the NSU sand court.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Updates on Bell(s)
A couple of weeks ago, just a few minutes apart, I had reason to send out updates on two Demon athletic standouts - NFL rookie Demetrius Bell and two-time USA track and field Olympian Kenta Bell.
Here we go again.
Kenta has begun his journey to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games which debut 8-8-08 ... as if you haven't watched NBC television in the past year. But NBC's coverage is so extensive there seems to be great hope that we could actually see Kenta jump in the men's triple jump in Beijing, which is more than we got to see from Eugene, Oreg., at the USA Olympic Trials.
For now, Kenta is in Monoco, for a Grand Prix event Tuesday, and will head toward Beijing afterwards. I had a fascinating 45-minute conversation with our hero on Friday morning. We will be posting a link to his blog, his USA Track and Field bio and coverage of the Olympics on this website this week, as well as a way to send him good luck messages.
As to the younger Bell (no relation, BTW), he blocked a field goal today in the Buffalo Bills preseason camp. That's a role I am not surprised to see him taking on -- after all, he blocked a lot of shots in his basketball career with the Demons.
It sounds as though, reading the Bills' excellent website, that the organization realizes what a great opportunity it has to develop a relatively raw but very reliable and potential rich prospect. There's not the pressure to be in the lineup immediately. They have already seen that he works hard and learns fast and has a good skill level.
Hopefully we'll keep ringing in good news about both Bells in the important month of August!
Doug Ireland, SID
Here we go again.
Kenta has begun his journey to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games which debut 8-8-08 ... as if you haven't watched NBC television in the past year. But NBC's coverage is so extensive there seems to be great hope that we could actually see Kenta jump in the men's triple jump in Beijing, which is more than we got to see from Eugene, Oreg., at the USA Olympic Trials.
For now, Kenta is in Monoco, for a Grand Prix event Tuesday, and will head toward Beijing afterwards. I had a fascinating 45-minute conversation with our hero on Friday morning. We will be posting a link to his blog, his USA Track and Field bio and coverage of the Olympics on this website this week, as well as a way to send him good luck messages.
As to the younger Bell (no relation, BTW), he blocked a field goal today in the Buffalo Bills preseason camp. That's a role I am not surprised to see him taking on -- after all, he blocked a lot of shots in his basketball career with the Demons.
It sounds as though, reading the Bills' excellent website, that the organization realizes what a great opportunity it has to develop a relatively raw but very reliable and potential rich prospect. There's not the pressure to be in the lineup immediately. They have already seen that he works hard and learns fast and has a good skill level.
Hopefully we'll keep ringing in good news about both Bells in the important month of August!
Doug Ireland, SID
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
R. C. Slocum praises Coach Emmons
Retired Texas A&M football coach R.C. Slocum was the keynote speaker at today's Southland Conference Media Days Kickoff Luncheon, and the theme of his speech was how coaches and administrators positively influence the lives of those around them.
One prime example he cited after the speech was Northwestern athletic icon Johnnie Emmons, who gave Slocum his start in coaching in 1968 at Lake Charles High School. Also on the staff: future Washington Redskins assistant coach George Haeffner and longtime southwest Louisiana prep coach Nolan Viator, whose son Matt is now the McNeese head coach.
"Coach Emmons had the right approach. We worked hard, but we made sure it was a fun experience for the boys. There wasn't a lot of hollering and screaming, but there was a lot of teaching and leading," said Slocum. "He was a wonderful man to work for, and I think of him often. I sure did today when I was getting this speech ready."
Slocum also talked about his days as a tight end for McNeese and the rivalries with Northwestern and Southeastern. He played against the 1966 Demons, who won the Gulf States Conference with an unbeaten 9-0 record.
"I'm telling you, in the 33 years I coached, it was never more fun than it was in those days playing at McNeese and going up to play against Northwestern in Natchitoches or over at Strawberry Stadium against Southeastern in Hammond. I remember those games like they were yesterday. I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. They are great rivalries. No matter where I went in coaching (Southern Cal and Kansas State were among his stops as an assistant before his 14 seasons at A&M), I always took a few moments on Sunday to scan the paper, to see how McNeese and the other GSC schools did. I still do."
Doug Ireland, SID
One prime example he cited after the speech was Northwestern athletic icon Johnnie Emmons, who gave Slocum his start in coaching in 1968 at Lake Charles High School. Also on the staff: future Washington Redskins assistant coach George Haeffner and longtime southwest Louisiana prep coach Nolan Viator, whose son Matt is now the McNeese head coach.
"Coach Emmons had the right approach. We worked hard, but we made sure it was a fun experience for the boys. There wasn't a lot of hollering and screaming, but there was a lot of teaching and leading," said Slocum. "He was a wonderful man to work for, and I think of him often. I sure did today when I was getting this speech ready."
Slocum also talked about his days as a tight end for McNeese and the rivalries with Northwestern and Southeastern. He played against the 1966 Demons, who won the Gulf States Conference with an unbeaten 9-0 record.
"I'm telling you, in the 33 years I coached, it was never more fun than it was in those days playing at McNeese and going up to play against Northwestern in Natchitoches or over at Strawberry Stadium against Southeastern in Hammond. I remember those games like they were yesterday. I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. They are great rivalries. No matter where I went in coaching (Southern Cal and Kansas State were among his stops as an assistant before his 14 seasons at A&M), I always took a few moments on Sunday to scan the paper, to see how McNeese and the other GSC schools did. I still do."
Doug Ireland, SID
SLC Media Days about to kick off
It's here. Just past midnight on July 22, the opening of the college football season.
OK, the season doesn't actually kick off until Aug. 30, but the official excitement begins today for Northwestern fans with the 2008 Southland Conference Football Media Days Kickoff Luncheon here in Houston at the Hilton North hotel.
Monday, the league's sports information directors had a five-hour meeting to discuss policy and procedures, get some inside info on pending announcements by the SLC office, and have our annual debates on the proper paths to choosing SLC athlete of the week winners and the constant search for better ways to provide our fans with information on their favorite teams.
Later today, you'll be pleased about the announcement of a new television venture by the conference, one which will provide much more exposure for the prime sports of football and basketball and the initial forays into TV coverage for baseball and volleyball.
Credit to Demons athletic director Greg Burke and his colleagues on the SLC's Television Committee for looking out of the box to enhance TV opportunities for the conference.
We'll see the official preseason polls and All-SLC teams announced. We'll hear from former Texas A&M head coach R.C. Slocum, a McNeese graduate who got his start in coaching under Demon legend Johnnie Emmons at Lake Charles High School. Hopefully I'll have a chance to talk about that with Coach Slocum.
We'll be proud of the two players here representing the Demons, senior linebacker Mack Dampier and senior receiver Dudley Guice. Beginning Wednesday evening, viewers in north and central Louisiana should be able to see comments from head coach Scott Stoker and at least one of the players on local TV sportscasts, thanks to a satellite feed of interviews Wednesday afternoon.
Tuesday evening at 5, the popular local sports talk show Sports On Call will originate from here, with guest host and Voice of the Demons Patrick Netherton welcoming several guests to talk about the SLC football scene in 2008. If you aren't in the Natchitoches/Many/Winnfield area to listen over the air, you can listen online at www.bdc-radio.com where programming on Sports On Call is streamed live.
Netherton and Demon Sports Network sideline reporter Jack "Britt" Brittain are here. Monday night, we had dinner with former Lady Demon basketball/track and field athlete Becca Hayes, who is a pediactric ICU nurse in Houston, and friend of NSU Rich Jenks, who has helped encourage several recruits to look at Northwestern even though he's a very proud Ragin' Cajun fan and UL-Lafayette graduate. Then we took in the Astros-Pirates major league baseball game at Minute Maid Park, watching my beloved Buccos crack three ninth-inning homers in an improbable 9-3 comeback win.
Doug Ireland, SID
OK, the season doesn't actually kick off until Aug. 30, but the official excitement begins today for Northwestern fans with the 2008 Southland Conference Football Media Days Kickoff Luncheon here in Houston at the Hilton North hotel.
Monday, the league's sports information directors had a five-hour meeting to discuss policy and procedures, get some inside info on pending announcements by the SLC office, and have our annual debates on the proper paths to choosing SLC athlete of the week winners and the constant search for better ways to provide our fans with information on their favorite teams.
Later today, you'll be pleased about the announcement of a new television venture by the conference, one which will provide much more exposure for the prime sports of football and basketball and the initial forays into TV coverage for baseball and volleyball.
Credit to Demons athletic director Greg Burke and his colleagues on the SLC's Television Committee for looking out of the box to enhance TV opportunities for the conference.
We'll see the official preseason polls and All-SLC teams announced. We'll hear from former Texas A&M head coach R.C. Slocum, a McNeese graduate who got his start in coaching under Demon legend Johnnie Emmons at Lake Charles High School. Hopefully I'll have a chance to talk about that with Coach Slocum.
We'll be proud of the two players here representing the Demons, senior linebacker Mack Dampier and senior receiver Dudley Guice. Beginning Wednesday evening, viewers in north and central Louisiana should be able to see comments from head coach Scott Stoker and at least one of the players on local TV sportscasts, thanks to a satellite feed of interviews Wednesday afternoon.
Tuesday evening at 5, the popular local sports talk show Sports On Call will originate from here, with guest host and Voice of the Demons Patrick Netherton welcoming several guests to talk about the SLC football scene in 2008. If you aren't in the Natchitoches/Many/Winnfield area to listen over the air, you can listen online at www.bdc-radio.com where programming on Sports On Call is streamed live.
Netherton and Demon Sports Network sideline reporter Jack "Britt" Brittain are here. Monday night, we had dinner with former Lady Demon basketball/track and field athlete Becca Hayes, who is a pediactric ICU nurse in Houston, and friend of NSU Rich Jenks, who has helped encourage several recruits to look at Northwestern even though he's a very proud Ragin' Cajun fan and UL-Lafayette graduate. Then we took in the Astros-Pirates major league baseball game at Minute Maid Park, watching my beloved Buccos crack three ninth-inning homers in an improbable 9-3 comeback win.
Doug Ireland, SID
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Hoop scoop
A handful of notes from the basketball courts ....
... Lady Demon guard Akilah Givens was part of the cast for the recent stage production, "Cane River Women," put on by the Cane River Repertory Theatre in Natchitoches. She is shown in the background of a photo that ran in the Natchitoches Times. Cane River Repertory Theatre offers professional outlets for NSU's students and faculty to work together in professional venues to prepare theatre majors for future opportunities.
Akilah can sing (often doing the National Anthem before home games), she can act, she can shoot, she makes good grades, can we buy stock?
... Keegan Bell, who we remember as a joyful preschooler bounding around Prather Coliseum when his dad Dan Bell was the Demons' basketball coach from 1988-94, is a very good college basketball player now. He played extensively as a true freshman at nationally-ranked Vanderbilt, but decided to transfer and has picked Tennessee-Chattanooga as his new college home. It's not a long drive from his hometown of Huntsville, Ala., where his dad was his high school coach ....
... Demons sophomore guard Logan McConathy is headed to Europe in a week on a missionary trip to Bulgaria ....
... Look for a new floor design at Prather Coliseum this season. The 3-point line for men's basketball moves back a foot, while the women's arc stays at 19-9. The Prather court was due for a refinishing anyway, so the basketball coaching staffs have been collaborating on design concepts. The players for both teams really like the unique flames leaping off the baselines, and the staple of the court design by former Lady Demon Nikki Vernon will be retained.
... Lady Demon guard Akilah Givens was part of the cast for the recent stage production, "Cane River Women," put on by the Cane River Repertory Theatre in Natchitoches. She is shown in the background of a photo that ran in the Natchitoches Times. Cane River Repertory Theatre offers professional outlets for NSU's students and faculty to work together in professional venues to prepare theatre majors for future opportunities.
Akilah can sing (often doing the National Anthem before home games), she can act, she can shoot, she makes good grades, can we buy stock?
... Keegan Bell, who we remember as a joyful preschooler bounding around Prather Coliseum when his dad Dan Bell was the Demons' basketball coach from 1988-94, is a very good college basketball player now. He played extensively as a true freshman at nationally-ranked Vanderbilt, but decided to transfer and has picked Tennessee-Chattanooga as his new college home. It's not a long drive from his hometown of Huntsville, Ala., where his dad was his high school coach ....
... Demons sophomore guard Logan McConathy is headed to Europe in a week on a missionary trip to Bulgaria ....
... Look for a new floor design at Prather Coliseum this season. The 3-point line for men's basketball moves back a foot, while the women's arc stays at 19-9. The Prather court was due for a refinishing anyway, so the basketball coaching staffs have been collaborating on design concepts. The players for both teams really like the unique flames leaping off the baselines, and the staple of the court design by former Lady Demon Nikki Vernon will be retained.
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