Evening star., 1933-03-19
VIRGINIA j. LEADER
IS REAL OPT|M|ST
Thinks Prosperity Ahead for
Institutions Who Build on
Sound Basis.
BY H. C. BYRD.

NONTHARY TO a good many
opinions expressed during
~ the last year, Jimmie
Driver, athletic director of
the University Of Virginia, gives
It as his opinion that college ath-
letics, instead of being on the to-
boggan, headed for dire ruin, are
generally due for a prosperous era
and one Of the brightest periods
Of their development.
Since college sports began really to
feel the depression, not many optimistic
views have been heard, and it is re-
freshing indeed to have one In close
touch with sports MANAGEMENT as
Driver look to the future with such high
spirit.
Stopping OF at Washington ON his
way back to Charlottesville from Penn
State, where he attended the meeting
Of the Boxing Rules Committee of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association,
Driver talked freely OF athletics gener-
ally and also Of sports at Virginia. And
MS view OF the upturn at Virginia Is
Just rs bright as his conception OF
what may be expected generally.
AL this talk about college athletics
being headed toward ruin and disaster
y 1ooINhness, In my opinion" says
DriVer We have everything to look
forward to and. II I am any judge Of
the American people and their desire to
keep contact with sports OF all Kinds
you will see bigger foot ball games and
better attended games, you will see
larger crowds at all kinds OF contests.
80 A ND furthermore, you will find that
"A college athletics appeal Just as
much to the average college man
ior participation as they ever did. Once
IN while you may hear of some chan
VINO comes out and says that he hates
loot ball and boxing and that both are
orudgery, but I have yet to come In
contact with such an athlete. and I've
oeen connected with college athletics for
a good many years"
JUST because good many Of US are
pAyhs more attention to physical edu-
cauon, ana seeking TO develop ways and
means 70 reach all students with q play
program, that does not mean that we
are giving less attention to intercolleei-
ate competition. Actually, believe that
widespread participation of the general
student body OF any university in intra-
mural sports win increase the activity
ana desire on the part Of more students
to make intercollegiate teams
I know that when we put on an intra-
mural program in any sport immedi-
ately begin to come in requests from
students interested in that sport for the
arrangement of an intercollegiate sched-
uie. They all want to meet a team in
tnat sport representing another univer-
sity. NO, sir; you Just cannot kill in red
Diooded young Americans the desire to
take part in competitive sports. And
Inc roogner the sports are the more
liking the boys have for them"
8 far as know" continued Driver.
"A the only people who have at
times got dtSgusted with college
sports are those who, by one means or
another, have built their programs ON
snaky foundations. Naturally. when pro-
grams OF that kind begin to totter there
rs something Of an inclination TO blame
IL on the sports rather than to accent
o.ame o "nere 1t properly belongs. You
can use as flne materials as you please.
ana the best cement in the world. but
II you erect a house ON the sands that
mouse Is not going to last. 1t NAV last
S long as everything Is fine and there
are no storms. but when the storms come
ano the sands begin to wash away the
house falls.
That about tells the story Of a GOOD
deal that has been done in recent wears
IN college athletics. But there Is no rea
son to blame the sports. College ath-
letlcs, despite what may be done here
and tnere; despite some criticisms
Wnlch. by the way. should be directed
against people and not the sports. should
go on In their development and college
men will go on enthusiastically taxing
part In them
nOWN at Virginia." said Driver. in
II talking specifically about his own
school, we are getting well or
ganlzed and our teams are beginning
to show the result. We are well salts.
ned with what we have accompli,hed
this year and believe that our Sprinr
sports should give us our fair measure
OF victories. We not only are develop
Ing our intercollegiate program, but
our physical education work as well
We have more men at Virginia taking
part In sports OF one kind or another
than ever before.
to show what it could do. when II heat
North Carolina for the first time In
years, and our basket ball and boxing
teams during the Winter season were
all that We could ask To tell the
truth, I am afraid sometimes that we
are beginning to hit the high spots too
regularly, because in such a case the
Jobs of the coaches get to be exceed
lngly difficult. feel sure, though. that
from now on, year in and wear out
Virginia will get its full share Of ath.
letic field glory"
IN speaking Of Spring sports. base ball
L and track. Driver ,ays that virginia
should have good teams. I'VE have
back practically the same diamond
squad with which Coach Gus Tebell
last year hung up the best record a Vir-
ginia team has made in 40 years, and
our track squad also should do well.
We have q good track squad, but lack
a really capable sprinter. II we had
this chap Widmyer Of Maryland to nun
the 100 and 220 for us there wouldn't
be any school that could touch US"