Page 11 - ThePhoenix1996-97

S PO R T S Thursday, September 5,1996 - Page 11 Ravens provide students with valuable experience When Brad Mountcastle was nities for Mountcastle and other trying to land a summer job with students, like former Phoenix the athletic training staffof an NFL staffer and editor Lisa Hill '97 who team, he had no idea how far he worked at the team's Comfort Inn would have to go to get that kind headquarters. Others students of experience. workedwith the College's food ser- He never had to leave "the vice tohelp prepare the team's three Hill." daily meals. Not long after Mountcastle '97, A senior from Elkridge, MD, learned he would be working with Mountcastle said his work with the the Baltimore Ravens, formerlythe Ravens was a perfect complement Cleveland Browns, he also found to his exercise science major and out that team owner Art Modell minor in athletictraining,but it also signed a one-year deal bringing the provided a direct boost for life af- Ravens to Westminster for a five- ter WMC. He can apply his train- week training camp in July and ing withthe team to the about 1,000 August. The session, which ended hours of hands-on experience he August 15, marked the return of needs to qualify to take the certifi- professional football to a campus cation exam of the National Ath- and a town thai had grown up with. letic Trainers Association. the Baltimore Colts, who trained at Mountcastle knows his goal of WMCuoti11971. someday sticking in the NFL as a But the Ravens not only full-time trainer is a longshot since brought thousands of fans to cam- there are lessthan 100full-timeath- pus to again cheer for NFL heroes letic trainingjobs spread among the and future stars, the team's pres- 30 league teams. But he must try, ence created summer job opeortu- he said. Ravens carry on Colts' tradition; Brad Mountcastle earned valuable job experience this summer in athletic training thanks 10 the Ravens. "No matter what happens it's "I was a little nervous when the few minutes later. attractedJans throughout summer extremely valuable practice for veterans came in," Mountcastle "I was right there in the action," him," said Mountcastle's faculty admitted. "These are guys you read he said. "Trainers really have to By early August, rows of metal bleachers. fading chalk:lines and a adviser Richard Clower, professor about all the time, but after you small trailer used by county officials to greet fans were the only signs ofexercise science and physical start talking to them and get to know what they are doing and be on top of things because you never that the Baltimore Ravens held their summer camp at WMC. education, and one of many WMC know them you find out that they know when something is going to But Baltimore's new NFL team left something even more valu- staffers with memories of the do respect you and know that you happen." able, if less visible, when it broke camp. Colts' summer practices. "It's have ajob to do that will help them Mountcastle spent much of the "The College and the community formed a strong bond around pretty difficult experience to beat do theirs." camp assigned to the receivers, that team," said Western Maryland College President Robert Cham- and it could open doors for him." The job outside the training tight ends and defensive backs as bers. "I think there's always been a good relationship between the Hill Workingunder the direction of room, hauling water to (heplayers, those squads went through indi- and area residents, but we became even tighter and put together a suc- Ravens' head trainer Bill was not nearly as glamorous, but it vidual drills. Each of the summer cessful premiere camp for the Ravens and the fans. It was nice to walk Tessendorf and assistants Mark was an extremely necessary part of workers on the training staff had a across tbe campus and see it happening." Smith and Bryan Mesier, the job, Mountcastle said. It also unit to care for, he said. The units The month-long camp lured thousands of business people on lunch Mountcastle and another four sum- wasn't any easier than the indoor worked through plays for much of break and families on outings to the college. Decked in shirt and tie or mer workers. all students at other functions, especially on a hot, hazy the practice before being melded shorts and t-shirts, fans lined the two manicured practice fields the colleges and universities, put in summer day. into complete offensive and defen- team set up just outside the Gill Physical Education Center. grueling hours every day, even Fully decked in a Ravens-sup- sive teams for a full squad scrim- The Ravens training camp also ended 25 years of summers with- Sunday since camp was up and plied uniform, from the collared mage during which Mountcastle out pro football at the college, Chambers said. The Baltimore Colts, running seven days a week. Start- logo shirt to socks with team col- and the others towed their fluids who started annual summer training at the college in 1949. left WMC ing at sunrise, the interns could ors and even new sneakers, stations so they were evenly spaced in 1971. They had been scheduled to return in J 984 bUIteam owner expect to be finished around 7 p.m. Mountcastle hauled one of four on both sidelines.There wasn't any Robert may moved the team to Indianapolis. or II p.m., depending if they were large double coolers up and down time to be a fan, he said. "It is a rare week," he said, "that I don', hear from someone about scheduled for late treatment duty the sidelines. The big cooler was Mountcastle, who also didn't the glory days of the Colts at Western Maryland when Johnny Unitas, after the team's nightly meetings. filled with water and a smaller unit have much time to rest before the Lenny Moore. Raymond Berry, Artie Donovan, and Big Daddy The next day would start early on top held cans of Gatorade. Ravens' camp because he worked Lipscomb shaped our history." and work through a morning cycle Although team liability cover- on the training staff during June's The community and the college also sharedthe headlines,he added. of making and applying ice bags, ageprohibited the interns from per- Olympic beach volleyball trials in Correspondents for newspapers, radio stations and TV outlets from massage and treatments, taping all forming any major medical treat- Baltimore, didn't even get to call across the nation descended on Westminster. Even the "New York the ankles and practice. After a ment or making a diagnosis, time-out when the team left West- Times" sent a feature writer to discuss the team's impact on the sur- short lunch it would start over and' Mountcastledid tend to scrapes and minster. rounding community. continue through the team meet- cuts as well as interview injured The Green Terror football team "Of course we were already on the map," Dr.Chambers said. "but ings with cleaning and restocking players on the field so he could pro- moved into the locker room and Ihis got a lot of people to get out their maps and really find us." the training room. It was a pretty vide summary information to the Mountcastle went right in with Courtesy of Public Information solid day, he added. head trainer who would arrive a them, tape in hand. ready to wrap. Von Tobel wins NCAA Division III championship Carl Von Tobel of Paramus. feet, five inches, with defending moved on to the championship awarded to the top eight perform- N.J. (Dumont H.S.), became only champion John Lischner of Thiel round. ers in each event. The Green Ter- the third National Collegiate Ath- (Pa.) College third with a toss of Western Maryland's other two ror standout was second at the Di- letic Association (NCAA) champ 204 feet, one inch. NCAA champions were Tom vision ill championship last year in Western Maryland College his- The Green Terror champion, Pontecorvo, the heavyweight box- and fifth in 1994. As a freshman tory as he won the men's javelin who had the best mark in Division ing champion in 1936,and Norwe- at Bloomsburg (Pa.) University in Saturday at the NCAA Division ill lITduring the regular season at a gian native Knut Hjehnes, the win- 1993, he finished eighth at the Di- outdoor track and field champion- school-record 218 feet, three ner of the discus in the 1973 Col- vision II meet. ship May 25 at North Central Col- inches, nearly did not advance to lege Division outdoor track and The 10 team points Yon Tobel lege in Naperville, Ill. the finals. In the trials May 23,Von field meet. earned enabled Western Maryland YonTobel, a senior, unleashed Tobel's best effort was only 178 Von Tobel's first-place finish to finish in a tie for 22nd place out a throw of 214 feet, four inches in feet, two inches, good forLlth also earned him the fourth AIl- of 73 schools which scored. VOll Tobel, senior; earned his title as the finals. Rich Bodine of Rowan place out of the 17 entrants. The America recognition of his career he threw a distance of214 feet. four (N.J.) College was second at 206 top 12 performers in the trials in the javelin, a dessignation inches in the finals. Courtesy of Public Information: