European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday. February 29, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 21 prep Pickin s officials should keep commitments unreliability of officials in the Small schools and big schools tournaments caused some unanticipated problems for Dodds German sports coordinator Tom Leblanc the past two weeks. The Kaiser Lautem officials association was die contracting group for this year s Small and Biz schools tournaments. However in look Only two of the i Juhl berths for its officials in each tournament allowing Leblanc to fill the remaining berths from he recommendations of the coaches. In the Small schools tournament at Munich two was ago the two Koa officials Friday night told Leblanc they would t be available for saturday s Competition one had been selected to work the championship game because they were committed to work ii 21st support come league game. I was really upset with them and after we had talked Tot a while and icy had contacted someone in the association they finally agreed to stay for the finals said Leblanc. Munich was bad enough but that was nothing compared to last week s big schools tournament at Mannheim Leblanc lamented. One official showed up the first Day and we never saw him or heard from him again. Another to d me Friday that he would i be available for saturday and still another told me saturday morning that he had to leave  was wording. He had been chosen to work the girls championship game and his departure left me with Only five officials. That really reeled havoc because at that late Date twas impossible to Lind replacements and one official wound up having to work three games including the girls championship game added Leblanc. The problem last week did not involve the Koa but rather the other officials chosen. No one naturally knows the reason for the no show and the other two suddenly cited other commitments. 11 shows Complete Lack of consideration As Well As being totally unethical for an official to accept such in assignment knowing full Well he won l be available for the entire tournament. When i make a commitment i fulfil it la Blanc said and that s what i expect from  Are professional people and they should per form in a professional manner. I Don t like being Lea to hang at the last  1 have recently started my 19th season As prep sports editor at the Stan and stripes and 1 never have seen such a lackadaisical Altitude us that Dis played by ii officials and he people who make their assignments. The big and Small schools championships Orback there when icy were class a and class b be fore the girls gained varsity sports status always have been three Day events and he officials chosen always expected to work three Days. A Point of fact to be chosen by the coaches to work the championship games was considered a Honor. It was also a Feather in the Cap for any local association to have some of its officials chosen. Bill Marlon now chief of sports for the Augsburg military Community was astounded to Tiki of ii officials unreliability when i talked to him wednesday. Million one of the really outstanding officials when officiating in Usa eur and us Jfe was very Good was selected to work 11 High school tournaments. It was considered an Honor to be selected to work Ben Abrams the High schoo tournaments. And getting the championship game assignment that really was a big thrill a really big Honor Mallon said. "1 was font talc enough to get picked for 12 tournaments and enl remely proud to be picked Tor 10 class title games and one class b title game. It would have been an Honor to work the third place games but the title games Man that was something  the championship game is the Only one in my opinion that a chosen official should be expected to work on the last Day or a tournament. Working two games by other officials on the final Day although not Ideal has come to be accepted As routine. But working three games including a championship tussle is extremely unfair. Thai s the unenviable Posi Tion a Fontaine found himself in saturday when the others bailed out. It was Good that he was available otherwise we May have had co champions. Coaches have always screamed about the officiating or lock thereof during games and tournaments but when several of them disappear thai something else. Glenn Pitras chief of athletics and sports for the 21st support come said tuesday it is indeed an Honor for us to have our people selected for the High school tournaments. We make our regular season assignments in Advance but we can make revisions if we know in Advance especially when our people Are picked for the championship  there is no method of determining the championship game officials in Advance of the tournament because coaches of the winning Sci Timil games both boys and girls have input on whom they would like working the finals. So a certain degree of flexibility is mandatory. Pietras statement in t consistent with the fact that the two Koa officials were expected to comeback from Munich Between the semifinals and finals of the Small schools tournament to work 21st sup port come games. After saturday the Dodds Winter sports program will be reduced to basketball in Turkey. The Italy Spain and . Basketball tournament Sand the Italy Turkey and . Wrestling championships arc on the Agenda Between now and then. The Italy basketball tournament the biggest tournament in All of Dodds with nine boys and nine girls teams competing got under Way wednesday night at the naval support activities gym and the Palazzotta in Naples. The four team Spain tournament american school of Madrid also is entered was scheduled begin thursday night at Rota and the six team . Tournament is a Friday saturday event at Crough ton where both the base and High school gyms arc being utilized. All three tournaments arc double elimination events. The Italy and Turkey grapplers set action Friday and saturday Ai Brindisi and Ankara respectively and die . Mat finals will be staged As a one Day program at Lakenheath saturday. The Turkey basketball tournament is March 5-7 at in Firtik. The Vincnza boys arc i rec Lime Italy title defenders. But they finished third behind Vrano and Naples this year. Naples is defending girls Champion but Vicin a went through regulation strife unscathed Lakenheath won the . Boys tournament and Asl captured the girls title. Both won regular season league titles again and arc favourites to retain their tourney crowns. The Torrejon boys and girls walked off with he Spain championships. Lakenheath captured its third straight title in the 1986 . Wrestling tournament and Aviano prevailed in the Italy Competition two time Champion Heidelberg placed three players on the big school s All tournament girls team to dominate the coaches selections. Most valuable player Michelle Johnson naturally leads the Way the other two lady Lions honoured were Tracy Brown and Celena Slade. Also named to the team were Baum older s Beth Womble Frankfurt s Tina Harris and Tanya Turner Mannheim Regina Nolan and Hanau s Sharon mull. Map Mike Brown and Kenny Cummings of Wurz Burg headed the boys team. Also named were Stutt Gart s Chris Harvey Nuernberg s Mark who Laker Ramstein s Travis Blue and Hanau s Reggie of bomb. The Germany triple a and double a coaches convened during the tournament to select their All con Ference teams. See Page 20already coaches have begun to Send in their Nomi nations for the 1987 Stan and stripes All Europe teams. Coaches from the aaa and a teams should be gelling theirs ready and coaches from schools in tournaments this week and next should do so As quickly As possible following the completion of their Competition. Tryouts for players recommended by their coaches for the International cadets basketball tournament at Choll. France april 18-20, have been scheduled at Heidelberg High schoo for Fri Day saturday and sunday by a Blanc who will be serving As head coach for he third straight year. Friday s session starts at 4 . Saturday s at 9 . Brown Heads a list of five returnees for the tryouts. Others Bock for strand Chance participation Are bit Burg s Mike Olben Wiesbaden s Larry Stephens and Mannheim s Travis Jenkins and Chris Hall. Leblanc said hut More than 25 players who must have been bom in either 1970 or 1971, Are expected to try out for the team. Giessen s Charlie told and Heidelberg s was Sissons will be the assistant coaches. Dates for tryouts for basketball players aspiring for the two berths allotted Dodds on the Albert Seh Weiser team have been set for april 10-11, according to Leblanc. Dodds seniors or juniors bom on or after Jan. 1. 1969 Are eligible for the tryouts which will be held Ai Benjamin Franklin Village sports Arena in Mannheim. All participants must bring heir passports and pro vide their own transportation food and lodging. Players selected for the team will be Given full logistical support. Coach Dick Mcginn and his contingent of id outstanding players from the Stales Are expected to arrive in Mannheim the first week of april. Titi Stert till Start fwd Glauthier takes Usa eur giant slalom Garmisch Germany Brady Glauthier edged his Vii corps rival and teammate William Stemhagen for the giant slalom Crown to open the Alpine portion of the Usa eur ski championships Here wednesday Gaul hic trailed by sin tenths of a Sec Ond after the first heat Over the 1,100 Melcor course on the Horn Trail but forged the Best second run of 1 minute 139 seconds to take the Lille with a combined Lime of 2 07.41. In Oiler Competition Mike dec Rich of Vii corps finally got his Chance and look advantage by winning the men s seniors division. With Many Lime Champi on Brian Skinner no longer in Europe pie Rich won the 30-39 year old compe Ilion in a combined time of 2 14.75. Barge Means took the masters Crow for skiers 40 and Over with a Lime of 2 35.s7. Belly Ann Watson of vol corps look the women s open honors in 2 41.85, Over two seconds faster than runner up Jennifer Rochleau of v corps. Watson was another new Champion As Brooke Myers was not Here to defend her Crown. The other Champion was Carol rude shill 30 and Over of v corps who won inc women a seniors laurels Jire Ity much As she pleased clocking a winning Lime of 3 05.45. I Cut late of several Gates Midway through my second run said a Digap Poi Iea Sternhagen. There was one Gate coming out a a Gully where 1 Cut talc then was Laic for the next Gate that s All it look just a Jille mistake said Stern Hagen of his misfortune in the mid dle of the 40-Ga be course Sec Hagen from he Bury 1st in ,54t h infant Bamburg had posted a firs run of 1 03.42, but slipped to 1 04.13. Of Lauthier with service 8try, 3rd fill 37ih a at hmm Masc grabbed the Chance for his fastest second run Afler an opening 1 04,02 on the 1,100-meter Horn Trail run which had a vertical dropof230 meters. Finishing third in the open race was Jeff Robins of v corps with 2 09,80. Diedrich a Captain and lawyer stationed with inc Bamburg Legal Center earned his championship after repeated second place finishes behind Skinner. Second in the men s seniors was Vii corps terminate Gregory Gall up in 2 20.31. Third was Stephen main of v corps in 2 24.71. Watson with the 394th aviation company Bulc j Roll Iron Utu clocked 244, Foj. Third was Carol Korgul of Vii corps in 2 51.68 and fourth Mary Westrom Stafin 53.03. The championships conclude with thursday s slalom also planned for inc upper Hausberg area. An sports radio College basketball Indiana it Pur due 2 �.m. Friday