European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 19, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Off Field heroes teens know difference Between Good athletes and Good models by Fred Bayles the associated press Here is no doubt in their minds about the probability they will play pro sports. Even when Jounis Norelus is pushed to consider what he d do if the basketball or football does t work out he stays close to his first love. Quot Art Quot he says. Quot you know. Pictures of Michael Jordan and  there were five this night in Boston taking time from Church sponsored basketball to talk about their love of sports and the influence athlete heroes have on their Young lives. Jounis a 15-year-old from a haitian immigrant family spends his Days and nights playing and thinking about basketball. Otis Kopp a Pale fragile looking 14, wears the a Volunteer coach a a real life role Model a helps a 6-year-old learn to How to swing a Bat. Lost of two ports purple and Gold of the Phoenix suns in homage to his idol Charles Barkley. Henry Astwood also 14, tall and Reed thin is a quiet Earnest student. Carlos Hobal an exuberant 16-year-old from the dominican Republic is alone in his acknowledgement that Quot basketball is just something to play around  in contrast is Craig Lavin 19. Lavin was in four Amateur leagues at once played football and basketball in High school and talks of College and a pro career. Quot i would want to be involved in sports until i die Quot he says. A a a but even with Liese Strong credentials As avid sports fans and their reverential mention of Jordan Bird magic Johnson and Barkley the teens each reject the notion the heroes have an effect on their no sports behaviour. Quot i like How players Are on the court Quot says Craig who lists his father As his greatest influence. Quot off the court. They re just  asked about role models Carlos mentions the youth workers at the Church in Boston s Roslindale Section. Quot they show us they Are interested in us. They show us the right Way to live Quot he says. These attitudes amplify the findings of a recent children s defense fund study contradicting the conventional Wisdom that athletes personal lives influence what their fans do in their own lives. The study a poll of Black children found family members most often listed As personal heroes not famous athletes or entertainers. Eighty three percent named parents grandparents siblings aunts and uncles As role models. Religious leaders also were mentioned As having the great influence. A Jordan was cited by Only 6 percent of the youngsters. Ronald Jeziorski an educator and author of a separate study on school sports believes children make an easy distinction Between an athlete s skills and human frailties. Quot for the youngster it s not everything that an athlete does generally that s emulated or that s admired. It s the High level of achievement Quot he said. Jeziorski disputes the idea that athletes serve As role models in All their actions. He does not see Jordan s gambling As something children would emulate simply because of his basketball brilliance. Quot for a majority of the youth in our culture no Quot he said. Quot they re disappointed but they Don t try to do the same  Jerziorski could have been speaking about the Roslindale teens. Asked what they Admire about Jordan they draw a list devoted entirely to his athleticism and team spirit. Quot when the pressure is on he scores Quot said Jounis. Quot he thinks of the team and of  Henry admired the same qualities Jordan applied to his limited baseball career. Quot he kept trying Quot he said. Quot he loved the  Otis the Barkley fan stands tentatively at the Edge of the pack As the players return to the court and backpedal As a tussle for the Ball approaches him. Quot i like what he does on the court Quot Otis says of his idol later in the night. Quot he s real aggressive. He wants to  yet there is Little of Barkley s in your face aggressive play apparent in the painfully shy boy. And none of the teens can soar like Jordan or pass like magic. Whether or not they can duplicate their stars moves it is Clear that these teens were first attracted to the game by the players Fame. They talk of How the celebrity of Jordan Bird and magic served As an introduction and enticement to get involved in the sport. Quot my mom got me interested in basketball because she put it on television and had me watch Quot Otis said Quot i really liked Bird but he s not playing anymore so i Don t follow . Jeff Benedict a research coordinator at the northeastern University s Center for the study of sport in society is one of the adults who works with the Teeps. He sees thei r connection to sports a n d sports he Roesa Are logical first step toward fitting in with society f a Quot it s something they can do As Well As their Peers so it s something they know they can relatively succeed at Quot he said. Quot it s also so much a part of our culture. Everything a they see they is identified with  but for the teens distinctions Are easily made Between what is sports and what is not. The five try mightily to be polite when asked if Jordan s gambling might influence their behaviour. But by tone and posture it is Clear they find the question ridiculous Quot sure he might Gamble but that s not going to make me Gamble Quot says Henry. Quot so what if he gambles then he goes o it a n d scores 35 Points. That s Why i like h i m. Because he plays  perhaps More illustrative is the Case of Chicago Bulis Forward Scottie pippin. The boys were ambivalent about pippin s brushes with the Law concerning his driving and illegal Possession of a handgun Quot that s his own business Quot Jounis said. But an on court action of pippin his decision to take himself out of a playoff game in a snit Drew unanimous disapproval. Quot he is a total Jerk Quot Carlos said echoing the sentiments of his friends Quot everybody was Taiki no about him the next Day in  Michael Jordan Toft and Charles Barkley relax besides a Pool during a break in filming a Nike shoe commercial. Miami s Kevin Patrick on ground gets the worst of it during the Bench. Clearing Brawl with Colorado s football team last year. By Steven wine the associated press in n is Lave i be stands on the is d Al i n e at a youth league football game appalled As he watches kids emulate the local College v team. A a. Twelve and 13 year Olds punt and pass tackle talk trash and showboat a just like the Miami hurricanes. Quot i be seen brutal taunting strutting around laughing and making fun of an injured player Quot says Lavelle a High school coach and the Fathe r of two youth Lea gue p layers. T be see n it Rea ii y bad the dads encourage it. They think it s the thing to  a a. A. In Miami fathers sons and the hurricanes themselves associate winning football with bad manners. But while the hurricanes revel in their roguish re p u to Tion they Tackno w i Edge a a n d e m Brace a the Opportunity to influence Young fans. Players dismiss their. Swagge i n g i Mage a s h a r m less Ove re i of h or a n necessary Tooi for intimidating opponents. Around children the trash talking stops and College football s bad boys. A a become Good citizens. Quot some kids Don t have role  Home and they look up to us Quot receiver Chris Jones says. Quot i feel i can be a big brother to . Many Miami players grew up in poor inner City surroundings yet can Point to athletic Success a co Liege education and a Bright future. They do just that in frequent vis its. With youngsters then Issue a Hurricane warning stay in school off the Street and away1 from drugs. Of and listen to your parents. Quot athletes in the 90s have lost touch with How Many lives they influence and How Many people Wake up on saturday morning just waiting for the game to come on Quot Miami defensive tackle Warren Sapp says Quot if a kid comes up to me i try to be As Nice As i can and just be myself f Tell them just to work hard and whatever you dream you can  at practice or after a game it s commonplace to see Sapp and other players talking to youngsters. A team known for misbehaving says. Quot behave  critics cringe at the mixed message. Quot that s a contradiction in terms a Miami hurricanes a and to i e Mode i a say s de n ver Post col u m n is Woody Paige who described the hurricanes As Quot wicked Quot following their Melee with the  last fall. To detractors Miami football Means brawling and boasting. Mama Don t let your babies grow up to be. Hurricanes. But the hurricanes deeds and misdeeds have gotten them plenty of attention. By winning four National championships since.1933, they be attracted Young admirers across the nation Quot in 1985 i lived in Minnesota and 1 never saw one us hat or to shirt Quot said former Miami quarterback Steve Walsh. Quot now they re Ati Over  /. And when kids play football Many imitate what they be seen in Miami games. After a big play that May mean. A dancing strutting or waving a  an opponent s face mask. A. Lavelle has seen such  games involving kids As Young As 7. The youth league father is also head football coach at Columbus High school in Miami Fertile recruiting territory for the hurricanes. Still Lavelle tries to discourage his team from emulating Miami., Quot i think that kind of behaviour has a trickle Down effect on All other Levels from High school to youth league a he says. Quot that s not to say it s All their fault. But i Don t think they . 7 Lavelle acknowledges the less visible More virtuous Side to the hurricanes one of his assistant coaches is Keith Green a police officer and the coordinator of a gang prevention program that gives fifth graders a Chance to meet Hurricane athletes. A Quot the Guys we have Contact with Are unbelievably positive and fabulous role models for these kids Quot Green. Says. One of the Best was a former player and notorious. Showboat Randal Hill. Quot when he talked your Mouth dropped Quot Green says. Quot Randal said the kinds of things you d have him say if you sat Down for an hour and wrote it out. He emphasized listening to your parents and said they had so much to do with his  coining from a Star football player the message can make an Impact As it did with a 15-year-old boy from an emergency Foster shelter for abused children. He met a Miami player at a Barbecue. The player gave the boy a Miami Cap a tour of the football dorm and a new Outlook. Quot the child had had a lot of difficulty getting direction and adjusting Quot says Carolyn Salisbury a University of Miami Law student Active in Community work Quot previously he did t have any goals. Now he wants to stay in school and get an education so he can be a Hurricane football  the stars and stripes tuesday july 19, 1994 /