The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PAGE 2 • PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 5, ltM The Third Half M WaUtsch Sports Editor MARIAN '<>* S<̂ •VMICANBS It's that time of year again. The time when summer suntans at the beach fade away into bumps and bruises on the football field...when baseball bats give way to field hockey sticksl.when the depression of finishing last in the tavern softball league magically changes into the op­ timism that precedes the high school fall sports cam­ paign. For most of the players, it means surviving double session football practices, meeting the 200-pound transfer from California who They will have to "beat out to keep a job," and putting up with a coach they never really liked anyway. For the coaches it means abandoning a summer of golf and relaxation, trying "something new," and yelling at the players for their "mental mistakes." Then, of course, there's the fan, (in most cases the parent), who prays for injury-free seasons, consoles the receiver who dropped the bail in the end zone, and who sits in the stands and cheers whether or not he knows the difference between clipping and a for­ ward lateral. This glorious period of time is, believe it or not, also a joy for the local sports reporter. Sports pages become easier to fill when three high schools bombard the reporter with press releases and rosters. "It's also a challenge for the writer to think of 10 different ways to say touchdown in print; similar to the way he turned "homerun" into "round-tripper" and "good play" into "defensive gem" during the summer. Now is also the inevitable period of time when every newspaper in the country puts out its "fall sports supplement." What a dream for a sports reporter. He gets to ask the same questions to 18 different coaches in hopes of pulling original answers out of them. He then hears 17 out of 18 coaches tell him that "my kids should finish on top," or "the attitude this year is better than ever." Lastly, he has to get it all down on paper so that the reader can tell the difference between boys golf and girls field hockey. Seriously, however, it does give the press a chance to meet the players and coaches on a personal basis so that reporters will think twice before bad- mouthing those who give them something to write about. Before scanning the contents of this handy catalog of sports information, allow me to tell you what is in­ cluded and how it can benefit you, the loyal area sport fans. The supplement you are now holding is very unique and unlike most sports supplements that hit the press occasionally. The McHenry Plaindealer Fall Sport Directory is for everyone. For example, this particular supplement covers everything and every body... to put it bluntly...not just football. There are more sports out there at the high school level than football. Sure, football may draw more fans, but other sports are just important to cover , because of varying tastes. Secondly, we cover teams in the immediate area which will be of interest to you, namely McHenry, Marian Central and Johnsburg. This allows the Plain- dealer to concentrate on teams with local talent as participants. The coaches might be Interested in the speedster halfback from Tim-Buck-Too, but the average fan wants to read about teams in the area. Unlike most other supplements who like to compare and match teams player for player, this supplement won't observe that trend. Johnsburg, Marian and McHenry happen to all be in separate conferences; it would be silly for me to compare them since a seasonal clash between them would mean nothing to the conference standings. If a comparison is made, it is only being done to show the contrast of style, coaching or physical make-up of the team. It is not in­ tended to look like i am picking a favorite among them. We have packaged the editorial content of this in­ formation package into three distinct categories: in­ terviews with the coach, a biographical sketch of the coach and the teams 1980 schedule. The interviews delve into coaching philosophies, team statistics and a prediction from the coaching staff on the season ahead, special attention is paid to key players who that team will count on most. The biography will dig into the past and personality of the person who directs the team. The mini-history or "sportsketch" will show the coaches educational, athletic and personal background so the reader can better understand his coaching philosophies which are brought out in the interview. Many action shots of important players have also been included to get the fan use to the face they'll be seeing for the next four months. Enjoy the reading. If you think of something that wili help future editions of our Fall Sports Directory, please write me a note. "Good writing can only be determined by its readers. DAILY 9:30-8 SAT. 9-5 344-3580 JOHN'S SPORT STOP "The Home of the Athlete" Your HURRICANES Headquarters! For: • T-Shirts • Team Caps • Gym Bags • Jerseys • Letter Jackets Athletes and Coaches Know... We're the area's LARGEST Supplier of the most-in- demand athletic footwear and apparel for men and women! "Best Wishes HURRICANES For A Great SeasonI" "We're McHenry County's LARGEST Nike Dealer • in •iiniTl ir i i SHAMROCK CLEANERS BACK-TO-SCHOOL COAT ft JACKET CLEANING Mishes'J pantos] |styu«tal i Man Now you can treat your coats and jackets to expert extra-core drydeaning at a discount price. Enjoy Fabric-Fresh beautifully clean and jackets NOW! /BACK-TO-SCHOOL COAT AND O JACKET CLEANING SALE ? $J79 ACT NOW I ve monoid OFFER ENDS SEPT.20 EACH CLASS OF 71 LETTERMAN Sorry.. .Fur t leather excluded-Fake Furt ft Fur Trim Slightly Higher SHAMROCK CLEANERS lie CNtie inch if Elepic* CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN THE McHENRY MARKET PLACE ACROSS FROM A 4 P NEXTTO EBY BROWN (W. Rte. 120) McHENRY v w^440O,W.tRte. 120. McHenry 3S5-1944 Dally 7-4, Sat. «-5:30 ' i i m 1 u 1 . 1 1 1 n i l \ J f £ 3 i „ / \ v O ' i J i * . » v . 1 • • t W V 1 V V H i M U » J # # V * 4