Adding A Foreign Flavor
Last week, several western Kentucky high schools fell victim to a foreign invasion.
But life in the schools environs proceeded normally. No sirens were sounded. No mass rush to fallout shelters took place. Ronald Reagan didn't pick up the red phone. America's nuclear missies remained neatly tucked away in their appropriate silos.
Thankfully, there will be no "nuclear winter" in Kentucky's Second Region. Just your typical winter of basketball played by, among others, five "invaders" from other countries.
They're foreign exchange students who'll be playing for their respective high school teams -- Axel Schubert of Christian County, Jens Doerner of Hopkinsville, Tony Baxter and Carlos Berdecchea of University Heights, and Kiddi Einarsson of Madisonville.
The nicest part, according to Madisonville coach Don Parson, is that though their presence on Kentucky high school rosters is unprecedented, it doesn't appear to be unappreciated.
"From what Eve heard, all of them are fitting in really well at their schools," Parson said. "You wouldn't expect that. But they've come right in and become really popular. From a social standpoint, they haven't had any problems. Everyone seems to love them."
All five players have had a slightly harder time adapting to the American style of basketball. Those problems are complicated somewhat by the possibility that each player may have to return to his mother country before the end of the high-school season in March.
The players came to America through foreign-exchange programs that have been in existence for many years. Usually, foreign-exchange students stay in the American school for a full year. But that isn't always the case. And, Parson said, it isn't always know when a student might have to return home.
"All these players have a way to go in development," Parson said. "They-
're not used to our style of training and playing. And what makes it harder is that you could have them for a full year, or for only six weeks. You just don't know."
For the moment, that point is academic to all the players' coaches. What matters most is that both player and coach are presented with a fascinating challenge -- the player to learn "the American way," and the coach to take a "diamond in the rough" and polish it as much as possible in the time allowed.
"It's a special challenge for them because most European high schools don't have teams," Christian County coach Lyle Dunbar said. "They play on
'clubs' in towns. And they don't seem to get much in the way of organized coaching. They just go out and play. All of these players have talent. But they need a lot of work from us."
Here's a brief look at the Gang of Five who'll be receiving that work. They're listed by school.
CHRISTIAN COUNTY Schubert, 6-feet-8 and 205 pounds, is a native of Heidelberg, West Germany . . .Arguably the most highly-regarded of the foreign quintet. . .Will play center for Dunbar . . .Gives Dunbar something he's seldom had: a big man. "With his size alone, he's adding a lot to this team," Dunbar said. . . .Of the "club" Schubert played on, Dunbar said, "Their seasons are long, and practices sounded extremely tough. But it sounds like the team concept wasn't really stressed. One of the big things he has to adapt to is playing with his
teammates." . . .Defense will be the other big thing Schubert has to learn. "He's a very agile kid," Dunbar said. "He can get up and down the floor. And he can score. But defensively, he's got a lot of work to do." . . .Schubert's biggest problem defensively, Dunbar said, has come in cracking the American sport's "language barrier. '' "We use words, like 'switch' and 'trap,' that he'd never heard of," Dunbar said. "He's had to learn what those mean, then how to do them when I yell them out in practice. He's had a problem adjusting to that."
HOPKINSVILLE Doerner, who stands 6-8, comes from Koblenz, West Germany. . . .Coach Daryl Hallmark
said both Schubert and Doerner originally were to attend Lexington Tates Creek. "All I know is that one day, I got a call from someone with the foreign-exchange program who said that, if I could provide Jens a place to stay, he could corn'e here," Hallmark said. "I'm glad they did." .Offensively, Hallmark said Doerner has few weaknesses. "He's not a bad shooter from the 15-18 foot range," Hallmark said. "He can pump-fake well. And he's an aggressive player on the boards, though he's not as good a rebounder as we want him to be yet. We're working on that." . . .Doerner and Schubert played together on a German national All-Star team this summer. . . .Hallmark also is helping Doerner develop better speed. "He doesn't have slow reactions, but he's not as fast as we'd like him yet," Hallmark said.
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS Baxter and Berdecchea give the city of Hopkinsville four foreign-exchange players in the city's three high schools; "Nobody feels like we've been taken over yet," coach Roy Woolum said, laughing. . . .Baxter, a 6-4 V6 junior, hails from Hempstead, near London, England; Berdecchea, a 6-8 junior center, is from Santa Fe, Argentina. . . .Woolum appreciates their height; moreover, he appreciates their mere presence at the school. University Heights, a private school, has only 90 students in grades eight -12. "Neither of them are what you'd call polished, though they both have fine potential," Woolum said. "But in our situation, anyone over 6-2 helps us." . . .Both played soccer for University Heights this fall. "They're outstanding athletes," Woolum said. "The biggest thing they have to learn, like so many international athletes, is how to play on a team. Over there, they play purely, it seems, on an invidivual basis.
MADISONVILLE -- Einarsson, who stands 6-4 and weighs 195 pounds, is a native of Iceland. . .Should play forward for Parson, though he may occasionally be in the backcourt. "We've definitely considered playing him at guard," Parson said. "He's an outstanding passer with fine court awareness. I didn't expect that." . . .Given his potential, however, Einarsson didn't start the season as a starter. "Overall, I'm pleased with what I've seen," Parson said. "But we have a solid program here. He's got a long way to go before he could start for us." Madisonville finished 32-2 last year, and advanced to the semifinal round of the State Tournament before losing 68-66 to eventual champion Logan County. . . .Parson said Einarsson hasn't yet learned how to play defense with his body. "All he knows how to do is reach and grab. That's not how American players play defense. But that's all most foreign kids seem to do," Parson said. "We're trying to teach him to 'belly up' to his man."
Governor Views UK-UT Highlights
During Governor Martha Layne Collins' recovery in a London, England hospital last week, Kentucky's top elected official was said to have been watching four reels of "X-rated" movies.
Now before you run to the nearest telephone to spread the gossip, first be aware that the movies were considered x-rated by only the Tennessee Volunteers.
The four reels of movies were films of Kentucky's exciting 17-12 season-ending victory over the Vols in Knoxville two weeks ago.
Governor Collins sent the Wildcats a telegram on the morning of the game, wishing the Cats well in the annual battle and told the Cats that a win
would certainly speed up her recovery. Jerry Claiborne's crew quickly obliged.
And upon learning of the victory, Governor Collins wired another telegram to Coach Claiborne's team and made a second request, a film of the game to view from her hospital bed.
Governor Collins had been in a London hospital for almost two weeks after undergoing emergency surgery to remove a sliver of glass which had accidentally passed through her while apparently eating. She is expected to return to Kentucky soon.
UK's upset win was the first for Kentucky in Knoxville since 1976 when UK beat the Vols 7-0 to win a Peach Bowl berth.
Three Wildcats Suspended From
Hall Of Fame Bowl
Three first string defensive players for the University of Kentucky have been suspended from the team and will not participate in the Hall of Fame Bowl later this month in Birmingham.
University officials confirmed that star defensive end Brian Williams, Tony Mayes, a defensive back, and Russell Hairston have been suspended from the club for breaking team training rules.
The incident reportedly occurred sometime late Thursday night.
Williams has been one of the bright spots on the Wildcat team and the
junior from Middlesboro is considered one of the defensive unit's finest players. Mayes had moved onto the number one unit late in the season. Hairston is also first string.
A UK spokesman said the players' status with the team would be reviewed after the end of the spring semester.
It was about this time a year ago when place-kicker Chris Caudell was suspended from the team for breaking team training rules and also missed last year's Hall of Fame Bowl. He did not return to UK for the spring semester.