National Collegiate Athletic Association |
The NCAA News - Briefly in the NewsJune 21, 1999Holtz's team tackles trash
Since Holtz accepted the coaching position at South Carolina in December, he has expressed his concern about the state's litter problem -- an issue not usually associated with high-profile football coaches. "You don't see as much pride as I thought I would see in South Carolina," he said in January. "The residents of South Carolina must have the cleanest car interiors in the country because all of their trash is out along the road." During spring football practice, Holtz asked the Gamecocks if they'd like to take a day off from practice to clean up the area around Columbia. "I told my players they had a choice," he said. "We could continue our football practices or they could pick up trash. They got very excited about picking up trash." The entire team, along with Holtz and the rest of the coaching staff, divided into smaller groups and cleaned up the area around Williams-Brice Stadium, the state fairgrounds and the roads leading to Interstate 77. Holtz also took a few minutes away from his trash bag to meet fans and impress upon them the importance of cleaning up the South Carolina highways. Senior defensive back Arturo Freeman set the tone for the Gamecocks by attacking the first piece of trash like he would a fumble on the football field. "We laughed at first when coach Holtz brought up the idea," Freeman said of the cleanup efforts. "But then we all agreed that it was very important to make the state of South Carolina more attractive." Since Holtz's comments in January, which received quite a bit of attention, South Carolina Sen. David Thomas has joined Holtz and the Gamecocks to launch efforts to clean up the state's highways. Thomas helped form the state-wide Litter Task Force, and he also persuaded Holtz to film a public service announcement on the subject. "It was just amazing the amount of phone calls we got about our Adopt-A-Highway program after coach Holtz talked about it," said Mary Pat Baldauf, executive director of Keep America Beautiful of the Midlands. "With his continued support, we could make South Carolina one of the cleanest states in the Southeast. People have been working in the trenches to clean up litter for many years, but it took Lou Holtz to come out and say something to bring attention to the problem." Giving kids hope and a ballFolks known for their whistle are giving those whistles -- and much more -- to budding young athletes in Central America. The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) is teaming up with the United States Peace Corps to donate sporting goods equipment and officiating items to a relief effort in Honduras. The items will be used to assist Peace Corps volunteers in building relationships with the children and young adults in the country. "Sports is one of the best ways to reach the kids," said NASO member and Peace Corps volunteer Donald Dirnberger. "Here we are, strangers in their land, trying to build homes, roads, schools and provide simple assistance. Through sports we build trust and friendships." All interested parties are being asked to join the officials in donating used or new equipment for this effort. For more information, contact Bob Still, NASO public relations manager, at 414/632-5448 or via e-mail at bstill@naso.org. A brother-sister act?In the fall of 1998, the men's water polo team at the University of Southern California won the NCAA championship. One of the team members was Stever O'Rourke, a sophomore. In the spring of 1999, the USC women's water polo team won a national championship. On that team was O'Rourke's sister, Kory, a junior. Roger Horne of the University of Southern California sports information office is wondering if any other brother-sister combinations have been members of national championship teams. In the same sport? In the same school year? Please address your replies to Horne at rhorne@mizar.usc.edu.
-- Compiled by Kay Hawes Number crunchingA list of schools by division that have won the most NCAA team championships:
Division I Men
Division I Women
Division II Men
Division II Women
Division III Men
Division III Women
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Holtz, the longtime football legend at the University of Notre Dame and now the new head football coach at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, has created a lot of interest lately in the litter along the state's highways.