Evening star., 1933-09-08
MUST BUILD TEAM
! AROUND FIVE MEN
Mas Three Weeks to Prepare
for Opener on October I
! With Hampden- Sidney.
BY H. C. BYRD.

BY H. C. BYRD.
A MERICAN UNIVERSITY will
~ have no pre-school training
"A period for its foot ball team
this Fall, and actually is to
begin practice later than In any
previous year since it first was
represented in the sport. The uni
versity does not open until Sep
tember 10 and not until that date
does Coach Walter Young plan to
get out his squad.
Economy, absence Of any real need
for early training, and q feeling that
foot ball should not be given any
greater emphasis than Is absolutely
necessary are the reasons for discon-
tinuing the early practice work. In the
first place it costs money to carry a big
squad before the opening Of school, and
money Is not an unimportant item in
the budget Of the average college, espe-
cially one without q large alumni
clientele.
Furthermore, the American
schedule until October Z, 20 IL
will have three weeks, . normal
period. in which to get ready for
its first contest.
I'VE really don't feel any particular
even If We had no other reason for not
holding it," said Coach Young. THE
fact that we shall have three weeks,
anyway, to get ready for our opening
game seems sufhcient. although we
know very well that we may be at a
disadvantage If the opponent We meet
goes into that game with five or six
weeks of practice.
ut Is almost impossible for me
to giue eren remote idea of the
kind OF team 1De shall haze.
II suppose it should be typical Amer
lean University eleven. which means
that 1t may be light and full Of fighting
spirit, but rather inexperienced. We
usually are able to hold our own at
least among opponents in our class, and
we seldom go out Of our class for
games"
NNE letter man Is to be back behind
~ the line, while there are four
players of more than average
worth due back for line positions. Out
side OF these Coach Young Is more or
less at loss as to what he may have
available in the way of material. espe-
cially as he nearly always has several
freshmen on his team. These he knows
nothing about until after they register
at the opening of the school year.
Borsari in the backfield,
Champion and McLendon, tack
leA, and Esper and Hendrick
guards, are the five men around
whom Coach Young must build
his eleven.
American U. opens its season against
Hampden-Sydney the first Saturday In
October and after that plays five more
games, with Bridgewater College Oc-
tober IA, Bluefield College October 81,
st. Johns October 28, Gallaudet No
vember 4, and Randolph-Macon No.
vember IL. The Randolph -Macor.
contest is looked forward to as the
most important and the whole season
is likely to be gradual development
with that game as the objective
Both American University and Coach
Walter Young deserve a good deal of
credit for the way they conduct ath-
letics. The university keeps In mind
the educational values in its sports pro-
gram as well as any other institution,
and Young Is a man any school should
be proud to have IN charge of its teams.
And this makes happy cembination.
iTEW foot ball coaches are willing to
talk as freely and frankly about
"hat they consider to be their real
prospects as IS Dutch Bergman of
Catholic University. Bergman, when
asked about the kind of team he ex-
poets to have, never hedges nor beats
around the bush and he does not
qualify what he says, nor does he try
to indicate that he cannot be expected
to turn out strong team from weak
material.
"Certdinly iDe are going to haze
good team, a strong team that
should hold its otDn in any
game" Is the Day Bergman
speaks OF his present outlook
II don't say that we shall win
every game. Any COACH no matter
how good might be bis prospects would
be fool to make such.a statement,
because too many factors over which
the coach has no control can upset
the best laid plans.
Catholic University this year, not
withstanding it plays Detroit and Holy
Cross, usually among the strongest
CAS'SAAo AAA SAAC SOhA4~ys SSAA WA ~
into any of its games feeling that 1t
should have an even chance. We may
get whipped, but any team that does
whip us will know that it has been in
q game"
Y, Asst year one of the best foot ball
players at St. Johns College was
kept out of several games because
an injury received playing ping pong,
and soon Washington and Lee may have
somebody on the sidelines as result
Of croquet. The Generals have installed
. croquet court and handed out several
sets of mallets and balls to the squad
Is form, Of recreation.
The Lexington school probably
has the only foot ball squad In
the country giving an hour or 50
. day to croquet.
News centers doubtless will walt with
bated breath for the first dispatches
about injuries.
Ping pong and croquet for foot ball
squads As Rockne used to remark with
more real seriousness than humor, "The
games getting too soft. It won't be
long before they're asking for yarn and
knitting needles to have . crochettng
na,,taefD