ED of Section 2 Wednesday, August 28, 1996 Bobsled team (continued from page 1) The team’s time here — they arrived three weeks ago and will stay until Oct. 22 — is being spent training at Ernie's Fitness in Dal- las, running at Kirby Park and making appearances at fund rais- ers. ; The U.S. is “very different,” from his homeland, said Filip Naglak. “Life may be too fast here,” he said. No slowpoke, he was Poland's national junior champion in the 110 meter hurdles, and a semi- finalist in the European junior championships in 1991. Tomasz Gatka won the gold medal in both indoor and outdoor high jump national champion- ships in 1993. He also placed fourth in a 1992 meet for athletes from Poland, France and Ger- many. Tomasz Zyla finished third in the 400 hurdles at a six-nation meet, and his father's friendship with Pugh was the start of the team's long journey to Nagana. The two other members of the team are Jaroslaw Grzyb and Tomasz Kadylo, also former track and field stars. While they've traveled to track meets around Europe, this is their first trip to the U.S., and they can offer a few observations, one of which is that Poland is becoming more like America. That has good and bad connotations; while Gatka says “Everything is better, I think,” since the overthrow of Communism, life is still very hard for most people. “People here know how to spend money and take a rest,” Gatka said, impressed by the weekend crowds at Harveys Lake. Only a few wealthy families can afford to take weekends and vacations off in Poland, he said. There is a so- called middle class, but at a much lower economic level than here. One thing the athletes didn't like was television coverage of the Atlanta Olympics, which focused almost exclusively on U.S. stars. A friend was in the 400 meter race, but they never saw or heard a word about his performance. “Everyone” has television now in Poland, Naglak said, and most have cable or a small satellite dish. And, like the Back Moun- tain, there are local community papers like The Dallas Post as well POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK Tomasz Gatka worked out at Ernie’s Fitness in Dallas. Ernie’s is donating his time and space to the team. P ortsWeek The Polish National Bobsled Team, ready to chow down at Burger King. From left, Tomasz Gatka, Filip Naglak, Burger King as big-city dailies. Ernie Baul, the proprietor of Ernie's Fitness, is donating his facility and training time to the Olympic hopefuls. He consulted with trainers for the U.S. team before developing a regimen spe- cific to the needs of bobsled ath- letes. The team trains four days a week at Ernie's, and runs five days at Kirby Park. Jeanie Karmiel of Shavertown is a nutritionist and registered dietitian who lives in Shavertown. She has given team members guidelines for nutrition and fluid ~ SPORTS SHORTS _ Yeisley won at County Roundup Becky Yeisley was inadvertently omitted from the results of the Luzerne County 4-H Horse and Pony Club’s County Roundup. Becky placed first in pole bending and second in the cloverleaf barrel race and raised box keyhole race, all Western horse classes. She also competed in the District Horse Show Aug. 17 at the Schuylkill County Fair Grounds. Janosky will try out for PA Diamonds Dallas resident Kelly Janosky has been invited to attend the spring training camp of the Pennsylvania Diamonds. The Diamonds’ season premiers in 1997. The team is a member of the United States Women's Baseball League and will use the Lackawanna County Stadium as their home field. As a member of the Diamonds, Kelly recently played in a benefit game against the State Police for Special Olympics at the Lackawanna Clunty Stadium. Irem Potentate Tourney winners Winners and committee members of the Irem Temple Potentate Tournament are, from left, Carl Jolley, tournament committee; Joe Maniskas, tournament runner-up; Jim Gallagher, tournament runner-up; Gerald Hoover, asst. Rabban; the Illustrious Sir Hugh Williams, Irem Potentate; Paul Roman, golf professional; Carlyle Robinson, tournament winner; Bruce Muchler, tournament committee; Mark Kopec, tournament winner and Phil Lipski, tournament committee. Youth basketball will register Aug. 29 Dallas Youth Basketball will hold registration for its Fall boys league, Aug. 29 from 5-7 p.m. at the Dallas Middle School cafete- ria. Sessions will take place Mon- day and Wednesday nights from September 4 to October 30 at the Middle School gym. The program is for students who reside in the Dallas School District and are entering grades 4-7. Call George Gracely at 639- 1467 for more information. replacement designed to help them in their quest. “What they want is the competitive edge,” she said last week, after measuring their body fat for the first time. She'll check them again in two months, and note their progress. Louis Pugh was working with the U.S. Bobsled Federation when he met Andre Zyla in the late 1970s. He kept in touch with the Polish coach, and they really be- came friends in 1989, when Pugh was in Europe with the U.S. team. In 1994, he visited again, and agreed to act as manager for the POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK manager Kevin Weiss, Tomasz Zyla, Jaroslaw Grzyb, Tomasz Kadylo. team, which was trying to revive itself after five years lapse. The team finished 10th in the four-man event in last winter's competition in Europe, which Pugh said is very respectable given that some nations field two or three separate teams for each event. Now the Polish team must show well during the coming sea- son to rack up enough points to earn an Olympic berth. If all goes well, they may train at Lake Placid, NY before heading back to Europe for meets in Ger- many, France, Italy and Switzer- land. Additional funding could get the team to Canada and Japan as well, where they could make a few runs on the Olympic track. Filip Naglak is confident in his team's chances. “We will be good,” he says. Louis Pugh agrees, with one caveat; “All we need is money.” Luzerne National Bank has es- tablished an account to receive donations for the teamn, which may be sent to: Polish National Bobsled Team, c/o Luzerne Bank, 118 Main St., Luzerne PA 18709. Pugh said any amount will be appreci- ated. Coaches pleased with pre-season By VITO QUAGLIA Sports Correspondent BACK MOUNTAIN - The gruel- ing two-a-day practice sessions of the last two weeks are over. Of- fensive plays and defensive align- ments have been drilled into the players’ heads. The pre-season scrimmages have been played. Classes begin this week, and the players now must concentrate on schoolwork and football practice. For players and fans alike, the best part of the year has come. The 1996 high school football sea- son is finally here. Football teams started full prac- tice in pads on August 12. For two weeks in the sweltering Au- gust heat, players went through what are commonly referred to as “doubles” or “two-a-days.” These two weeks of dual practices each day are, by far, the hardest of the season. Coaches use these ses- sions to deluge their players with all aspects of their game plans, and, most important, to work the players into game shape. Doubles are filled with hard-hitting, heavy running, and of course, the heat of summer. All this work is done to get ready for the regular sea- son. The final step in the Dallas Mountaineers’ preparation for this season's campaign took place last weekend when they took on the Mid-Valley Spartans in a scrim- mage game. Asked for his opinion on the scrimmage, head coach Ted Jackson said, “I think it went okay. Imeanyoudon’t want to get too excited over a scrimmage, but I think we're moving in the right direction.” Coach Jackson says that he is looking forward to this season and he is “cautiously optimistic.” Jackson's optimism is no doubt caused partly by the return of senior running back Frank Valvano. “Valvano's not the en- tire offense, but he sure is a big part.” POST PHOTO/JIM PHILLIPS Dallas coaches from left, front row, Tom Yoniski, Coach Ted Jackson; back row, Bill Silvi, John McNeil, Pat Patte. And BIG is the key word. Valvanostands 6'3", 220, and runs extremely well for a back of his size. Opposing defenses will have their work cut out for them in trying to stop this monster of a running back. Lake Lehman is also looking for continued success in 1996. Lehman took on Lackawanna Trail and Susquehanna in their pre- season games and coach Rich Gorgone was happy with his team's performances. Gorgone, like Jackson, doesn't put too much emphasis on scrim- mages. “We did well, but what really counts is how you do in the regular season.” For coach Gorgone and the Black Knights the question of how good they are could be answered very quickly in the opening game against Riverside. “Riverside is going to be tough. They really gave it to Wyoming Area in their scrimmage and Wyoming Area is expected to be very good.” Of his expectations for the Black Knights’ season, Gorgone said, “We have to maintain a very bal- anced attack, but I don't want to underestimate what these kids can do. The key for us will be up front, the play of our offensive and defensive lines."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers