Contract a problemh
or tumblers coach
By ALAN F ANGER
Stalled contract negotiations between women's gymnastics coach Scott
Ponto and Women's Athletic Director Phyllis Ocker may severely cripple
the program next season, several team members said yesterday.
Ponto, who as interim coach this season led his team to a 20-3 record,has
indicated he will not return next season unless he receives both a salary
comparable to other Big Ten coaches and an expansion of practice space.
Several gymnasts have said they may not compete next season unless <}
Ponto and assistant coach Ginger Robey retain their positions. Three}
Wolverine recruits have also indicated they will not attend Michigan "for
ft gymnastic purposes" if the two coaches fail to return next winter.
I just can't subject myself to that two years in a row," said Ponto.
"Both of us want the same thing - a winning program. But right now, it's
not looking favorable."
Ocker would only say that Ponto "has been offered the job and we're
negotiating salary."
The seven-member team last week sent a letter to Athletic Director Don
Canham explaining the situation, and urging Canham to intervene in the
negotiating process. Canham has not replied to the letter, however.r
Freshman Cindy Shearon, who authored the letter, said the squad does '
' not plan to make further appeals to either Canham or Ocker. "I don't knows
what else we can do about it," she said.r
"We're afraid of what will happen next year if we have new coaches,".
said Shearon. "Scott and Ginger are really great - they know us. We're1
going to lose a lot if they don't come back."
"It wouldn't be fair for the recruits if they left," she continued. "They
know Scott and'Ginger, and they like them. But if someone else were
coaching, they wouldn't know what to expect.".
Ponto has indicated he may look elsewhere for a coaching position if
} negotiations remain at a standstill. "If things don't work out, I'll have no
other choice," he said.-
The former men's team competitor and assistant coach will return from
a Florida vacation tomorrow to resume negotiations with Ocker.
..................... :".:...
The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, April 4, 1979-Page 9
WINGBA CK CLA YTON ONL Y VE T
Young rid backs fight for obs
By JOHN KROGGEL
The 1979 Michigan offensive backfield
will be an interesting mixture of experi-
ence and inexperience. Relying on
speed, the backfield will have a strong
veteran receiving corps, an inexperien-
ced running duo, and a big question
mark at quarterback.
Leading the Wolverines in their
passing game will be senior wingback
Ralph Clayton. Clayton, a bonafide All-
American candidate, averaged 22 yar-
ds on his 25 receptions last year.
Backing up Clayton will be two
sophomores, Tony Jackson and Fred
Brockington.
THE OTHER KEY position in the
Michigan passing offense is the wide
receiver. This position is being battled
for by two veteran receivers, Alan Mit-
chell and Rodney Feaster.
"Mitchell and Feaster are even. We
will be looking for big plays from both
of them," related offensive coordinator
Don Nehlen. "This year we may run our
plays in with our wide receivers." Last
season the Wolverines alternated their
tight ends for this purpose.
The ball carriers for the Blue are
returning letter winners but lack game
experience. "Right now we have
Lawrence Reid, Dave Brewster, and
Jay Allen working at the fullback
position," reported Nehlen. Both Reid
and Allen are seniors and Brewster is a
sophomore, but all lack playing time.
THE TAILBACK position, always a
Michigan strength, has been a troubled
spot this spring. The top two can-
didates, Butch Woolfolk and Stanley
Edwards, have been limited by in-
juries.
"We've had a definite injury
problem," explained Nehlen. "Stanley
was hurt all last season and has only
practiced once or twice in the ten
sessions we've had this spring.
"We've even had Tony Jackson (a 170
povpnd receiver) playing both positions.
Originally this was just a stop gap
measure, but he has-looked good. He
could see some action there next fall,"
said Nehlen.
THE BIG GAP in the offense appears
to be the quarterback position. With the
departure of Rick Leach the Wolverines
are faced with the task of finding a
quarterback for the first spring in three
years.
"We're giving four guys the Qppor-
tunity at the position; B.J. Dickey, John
Wangler, Gary Lee, and Jim
Paciorek," reported Nehlen. "All four
have improved and each runs the offen-
se well."
The rough spring weather has made
the task all that much tougher. Practice
for the team began on March 15 and
since then there has been only ten prac-
tice sessions.
"THE WEATHER has played havoc
this spring, especially for the passing
game," explained Nehlen. "It's been so
cold and bad that we've been running
instead of passing."
"Tonight we'll evaluate the perfor-
mances and begin giving the top two
players more playing time. B.J. has the
edge right now. He has more experien-
ce and has done well this spring," said
Nehlen.
IT MAY APPEAR that the
Wolverines are looking to pass more
next year based on the returning
receivers and Nehlen's concern for
throwing the ball, but this is not the
case. "We want a balanced attack. This
does not mean that we will put up the
ball for no reason, however."
"You need to have the ability to run
and pass-in that order-to win," em-
phasized Nehlen. This has been the
familiar Wolverine battle cry, but some
of the grind 'em out attitude is fading.
"Anybody that plays Michigan will"
have to stop the pass. We'll take what is.
given to us," warned Nehlen. "I can't:
believe that we are not a passing team.
We threw the ball 178 times last year.
Leach had 16 TD passes, how can that
not be a passing team?"
The key word for the 1979 Wolverines
is speed. The Wolverines are again
looking at speed over power, and with'
the players available that seems to be
the only choice.
"Clayton, Feaster, Mitchell,"
Woolfolk, and Reid; they all can move
along," said a smiling Nehlen.
Ralph Clayton
"We have a scrimmage today
(Tuesday) and we intend on seeing who
can throw the ball well under
pressure," said Nehlen as he looked out
at the first clear day in a week.
R' % : Td HI'6 WMY.%mv Y{ : Aeti3 sA.SFRCA S.AWW;%rW.mA.%O iwd'R a3:SA'!: " "
GUESS TMAT
PUPPLE BY SECONJ
BASE WAS 3PEEPER
~HA~ WL TH(U
Blue batsmen face
Toledo in opener
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APRIL SHOWERS may bring May
flowers, but they aren't bringing the
baseball team much luck lately. Those
rainy day blues washed out yesterday's
season opener at Toledo. But hopefully
good luck will shine the Wolverines way
today for their first home game of the
season. With a little help from Mr. Sun,
the batsmen will face Toledo in a
doubleheader at 2:00 at Fisher stadium.
Maybe if it snows instead of rains
today, the team will have a better
chance of playing. At least you can't
sink in a puddle of snow.
By BOB EMORY
If the weather holds out, the Wolverines will snap a streak of 24 days sin-
ce their last baseball game as they open up the northern half of their season
with a doubleheader against the Toledo Rockets this afternoon at Fisher
Stadium.
STahe two games will be the first action for Michigan since March 10th,
when the Wolverines concluded their 4-4 spring trip by losing 7-1 to Florida.
Southern. And since then, there has been very little baseball played.
"Ah, we've been fighting art shows, builders shows, the women's tennis
team and I don't know what to get inside and practice," said Moby Benedict,
as he carefully sealed the tarp over the infield yesterday after practice. Just
to make sure, you know.
"As long as it's not raining or 30 degrees out, all we want to do is play,"
said Benedict. "I haven't even seen a Toledo baseball player in three years
because of early season rainouts."
Well, the field is safely covered and yesterday's sun helped to dry it out a
bit, so barring a fluke in the weather or a nuclear meltdown, the.Wolverines
will begin their quest for a third straight Big Ten title.
Benedict will be startihg an all new infield in the first game today, ex-
cept for Jim Capoferi at catcher. George Foussianes, who batted .278 and
socked a team leading six home runs last year, will move from his regular
DH spot to shortstop. Sophomore Tim Miller plays his first game for
Michigan at first base, Chuck Wagner will start at thiri and freshman Jerry
Paparella will play second.
Obviously, Toledo isn't the only team Benedict hasn't seen very much of.
The rest of the lineup is pretty much familiar with Dan Cooperrider,
Rick Leach and Vic Ray in the outfield and flamethrower Steve Howe (11-3,
1.74 last year) doing the pitching.
.
:
-. I
UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE PLAY
SCORES
Women netters whip MSU,
9-0
The Assoc. for Critical Social Studies &
Venceremos Brigade Present:
WED. APRIL 4-7:30 pm
MI. UNION CONF. RM. 4-6
BY GARY LEVY
Each time Michigan's women netters
chalk up an individual or team victory,
it enhances the squad's seediigs in the
Big Ten and regional tournaments.
And the Wolverines did just that
yesterday, demolishing the Spartans of
Michigan State, 9-0.
"IT'S NOT piling on, it's making your
seedings better," said Michigan Coach
Theo Shepherd, whose team is now 10-1
overall and 4-0 in Big Ten play.
r Shepherd emphasized that teams ac-
cumulate points from individual mat-
ches, which can ultimately make the
difference in the team seedings, "so
each win you get during the season is
important."
Junior captain Kathy Karzen began
the onslaught, avenging an earlier loss
to MSU's Debbie Mascarin at first
singles, 6-4, 6-4.
"SHE'S WINNING the important
points; the ones she has to," said
Shepherd of the difference in Karzen's
play in defeating Mascarin.
Spartan Coach Earl Rutz was also
impressed with Karzen's play. "Kathy
hit her wide crosscourt shots better
than ever. They'll meet again several
times this year," said Rutz. "They're
both fine players and their matches
could go either way."
At sixth singles, junior Debbie Ren-
tschler topped off a brilliant comeback
after losing the first set with a 3-6, 6-0, 7-
5 'victory over State's Heather Mc-
Taggart.
"I was playing well until 3-3 of the fir-
st set when I started to miss, and I kept
missing," said Kercher. "I eased up
and stopped missing in the second set."
MICHIGAN'S sophomore trio, Sue
Weber, Whit Stodghill and Kathy
Krickstein all disposed of their op-
ponents in straight sets from their
second, third and fourth singles 'slots,
respectively.
Weber upped her record to 11-0 and
Krickstein to 7-0 as both continued their
unbeaten streaks.
Coack Shepherd made special note of
junior Ann Kercher who crushed her
foe, MSU's Cindy Bogdanis, 6-2, 6-1.
"SHE LOST at sixth singles in her
last match, and came back at fifth
singles this time and destroyed her op-
ponent," said Shepherd.
The Wolverines continued their
strong doubles play as the second and
third doubles combinations, Stodghill-
Krickstein and Kercher-Lisa Wood took
their matches in straight sets.
The first doubles duo, consisting of
Karzen and senior Barb Fischley, cap-
ped off the Michigan massacre with a
come-from-behind, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory
over Spartans Mascarin and Mc-
Taggart.
COACH RUTZ, disappointed with his
team's scores, gave the Wolverines a
good chance to win the Big Ten and
regional tournaments.
"They're much stronger this year in
both singles and doubles," said Rutz. "I
think their gals are more close-knit,
relaxed, and confident than last year."
Exhibition Baseball
Detroit 8, Boston 2 (8 innings)
St. Louis 7, Cincinnati 6
Chicago Cubs 4, Los Angeles i
Montreal17, Houston 5
Oakland 3, Cleveland 2
Minnesota 5, Philadelphia 2
Pittsburgh 6, N.Y. Mets 2
Baltimore 6, Texas 2
White Sox 6, Atlanta i
NHL
Los Angeles 2, Washington 0
N.Y. Islanders 3, Atlanta 2
NBA
San Antonio 116, Cleveland 112
Denver 110, New Jersey 97
FORUM
ON
MEXICO
speaker;
Phillip Russel,
Author of "Mexico In Transition"
Mr. Russell will present a slide show
concerning "El Campamento 2 De Oc-
tubre," a militant community in the
heart of Mexico City.
Also, updates on: FLOC support group; Hector Marroquln
defense; Moody Park 3
FUNDING PROVIDED BY MSA
KEMP BEANED
Tigers rip Red Sox
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) - Alan
'Trammell led a 15-hit attack yesterday
as Detroit whipped Boston 8-2 in an
exhibition season windup marred by
the beaning of the Tigers' left fielder
Steve Kemp.
Kemp, a left-handed slugger, ap-
parently escaped serious injury when
struck on the right side of his helmet by
a fast ball thrown by southpaw Andy
Hassler. He was taken by ambulance to
nearby Lakeland General Hospital to
be held overnight for observation.
With a 2:30 p.m. EST curfew to per-
mit both teams to fly north, the game
was called with one out in the Boston
eighth with the bases loaded and
George Scott waiting to bat.
Trammell had three hits for the
Tigers, while Lance Parrish, Lou
Whitaker and Dan Gonzales had two
apiece.
Dave Rozema limited the Red Sox to
home tomorrow; Boston faces
Cleveland at Fenway Park and Detroit
hosts Texas.
Milt Wilcox (13-12, 3.77) is scheduled
to face Ranger Steve Comer, (11-5,
2.31).
f ee
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GUIDE
Peer Counseling Program
Counseling Service's has several
positions available for Fall, 1979.
We are looking for students who:
-can make a one year commitment
-are willing to work evening & weekend shifts
-have experience in helping others
-can work at least 12 hours/week.