Athletes coach kids on benefits of reading By Peter Alfrey Emerald Contributor Johnnv can't read, or rnavho he just doesn't fee! liko.it In on effort to encourage voung people to read, the Ore gon athletic department has run a program this winter involving Oregon coaches and athletes entitled "hollow the Ducks and Read The to week program, which fiegan on January has been held at hugene s Jefferson Middle School The pilot program has used Duck coaches and athletes from all 14 varsity sports The pro gram has allowed athletes and coaches to meet with students to give speeches, discussions and to display the benefits of reading the athletes have even given progress reports through out the program "Basically, we designed the program to utilize student ath letes and any resources the\ min have to encourage stu dents at the middle school level to read. 1 said Idleen Sorensen, the athletic department's direc tor ol marketing and promo tion This is something that we developed because these stu dent athletes are so important to the kids impressions, it just gives them more of a reason to read B\ using athletes as teachers and as sources ol inspiration the athletic department fei Is the voting students will he mure enthusiastic about read tng iifui more inclined to look at it as something enjoyable not .1 chore Sorensen --.lid the students and fatally at Jefferson'juu*: been verv receptive and appro native of the program; as have tiie Oregon t o.ti hes and student athletes 'The athletes really like It, Sorensen said It s funny !«■ cause some of them vvill he ner virus when they first go. hut once they re there, they c ome hat k ext ited and amazed at how the kids respond to them Sorensen savs .the athletic de partment has developed the program to gel more involved xvith the community and to give something fiat k to it oth er than victories on the playing field The program allows the athletes to have a relationship with the-'.community that goes beyond athlete and spet tator Overall, the original intent of making reading more attractive to young people appears to be taking place through the use of the Oregon athletes If (the student's) teat her |ust came up to them and said read, they wouldn't do it." Sorensen said Hut if they see an athlete doing It. that s wh\ they'll do it Although the program has had great sut i ess in its infant x. the athlete department is un sun- whether the program wad continue or not The program fontduties today, hut maybi n< ‘.s (ohnnv tain reaif Ducks to face top-ranked Cal By Steve M ms t • 3 Con!' r ..’ r The Oregon rugby tn.nn fai l’s lop ranked California in thr first ri.:.111! of tin; Wi-sl ( = fast Rugby < h npionships today at I p in la is Angeles .hr Dili ks hoist '-‘I set ond ;:i Tin- NmtliWfs! League hv vvi; I heir lin.il thri’i' games iimi thru defeating Southern Oregon 8-0 on Saturday to qualify tor tin- tournament Light trams will compete in Ihr three ifay, single elimination tournament w : ■ r ti train puiving 0.rre games w iiether t he I is n or lose The winner of the tournament will advance to the College rugby Final Four" in Aspun. dole next month Oregon has lieen led ill season hv a strung hut average •%./• d front line whit h ini ludes Uoh Pieri • Uli k Dunn. Ian W drams and Steve knaust H r.vever. that foursome lias not tai i d am team as bjg as dal's front line vet tills season, a group whit h features :wi piavers taller than fidoo! ’> and weighing around J’. < pounds We have tu he oplunistn . defei.seni.m Mark Hoi tarn) said I'hev are the In s’ team in the \\ •' so we Ulus' play hard . M sure i.- matter wiiat happens, we w learn a hit Southern Oregon head i.oai h Mik. i hor does no' give : tie Du s• much of a chant e to defeat tfie Bears, hut hi1 -.a\s d they vvors ' C. ids weaknesses anything i an liappen "tail pl.ivs straight up and down the field, so Oregon must trv to get them to run at ross the field, I hor said An average si/e team tan lieat .1 bigger one it they work to the lugger team's disadvan tages Lungs and hearts get tired if they have to run for long periods of tune, so Oregon must make (ail run Oregon head coach Boh Snyder knows ins team has a stiff chal lenge ahead of them, tint lie remains hopeful for an upset All year we have played to the level ol our opponents I hope we can do that against dal,'' Snyder said I fie key to the game will he when they store we cannot get ciown Instead, we have to fight bai k Softball team heads to Arizona Thir Oregon softball team had bi tter be prepared to handle more than the desert heat this weekend The Ducks (15-17 overall, 11 1 Pacific-10 Conference) travel to Arizona for conference double headers at Arizona State Satur day and against defending na tional champion and second ranked Arizona Sunday ing streak April ) bv sweeping ,i doubleheader against Oregon Stati:. I D anil S O This weekend's meetings will be tin- first of tin: vnar against both the Sun Devils (2117 and 1-0) and tin: Wildcats (-10 -1 and 5-1) The Arizona Stale twin bill gets under way Saturday at t> p tn and the Ducks then travel to Tui son for a 1 p tn double TRACK Continued from Page 12 maU hu;> l>etwi i n the two is nearly < iju« 1. with the Dut k sophomore taking an edge Him k has a throw of +H i m the shot put (his season, .uni Andrews !’He.i with a 47 K earlier this season ftei k s ISO ’ ill the discus is an Nl A \ provisional qualifier, and An drews I'd* ’ l’K IS her ties! mark this season Nil. \\ dvvard has been a star tor the |)ui ks thus tar. setting personal records two weeks ago ill the S (M)O and 111 tile 1.000 at Washington I he senior will take a run at mak ing three weeks in a row in three different events Saturday', as she will run m the f .500 She run a lifetime ties! (in the 1,000) on a day that was pretty crummy," Hetnonen said "The winds were just swirling all over the plant *' The meet w ill hr si ored iis three separate liu.ils Oregon Washington State, Ore gon Minnesota, and Minnesota Washington State Heinnnen said the Cougars should offer great overall headlo-heiid competition hut he wasn't sure how the (lophers would miiti h up Minnesota is kind ol an unknown quantity, really because the\ have some people hurt." he said I he I tm k vs omen will he i mil pet mg vs it hout the mens squad it May ward lor tie- first tittle since pun, a-- the men travel to Willamette for a non si tiringaneet Salurdav The Oregon men will not llkelv send the en lire team, hut several athletes particularly sprinters and jumpers will he on the trip The Men will begin a streak of three consecu live home meets next weekend with the I'epsl Team Invitational Specializing In German, Swedish And Japanese Automobiles... Your Preventative Maintenance Specialists. 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