So you've heard of Drew Henson, Superfrosh who plays football, He's the legend from Brighton, They say he does it all.

Know the name 'Berendowsky?'

If you do, I'm impressed

'Cuz of athletes from Brighton,

She might be our school's best.

But how would you know that?

And then why would you know it?

She plays soccer, not football

Her exploits go unnoticed.

It's too bad, in a way,

Amber's talent is hidden -

She's got all kinds of records,

She's that good, I'm not kiddin.'

But she isn't unique

In her anonymity.

There are dozens who share

In her fate - it's a pity.

Football-hoops-hockey

Are Michigan's Big Three,

But there are other great athletes

Who go mostly unseen.

You should go out and watch them;

Take the time to go see

The so-called "minor" sports,

How much fun they can be.

They may not make the headlines,

But they train just the same -

Just as hard, if not harder,

As the guys with known names.

There are golfers: Mike Harris

Would be one that has shown

On the links, he's unequaled:

In a class of his own.

Or McGregor and Kampfe:

In cross country, the best.

They, with John Mortimer,

Outpace the rest.

In fact women's cross country,

If their legs withstand cramps,

Might be this school's best bet

For a national champ.

And then volleyball's coming along

Just the same, with Coach

Gi-o-va-nazz-i

(Man, that's such a great name).

His setters are setting,

His spikers are spiking,

Karen Chase is a'killing

Much to her coach's liking.

And then there's field hockey,

With the coach, Marcia Pankratz.

They were Big Ten champs last year ...

... OK, so I can't come up with anything that rhymes with "Pankratz."

There are more, to be sure -

I cannot name them all.

There are dozens of people

Playing sports in the fall.

They don't play in the Big House,

Or the wonderful Yost,

Their crowds tend to be tiny:

Couple hundred, at most.

They don't care all that much;

They don't play for the fame.

They just play why we all should -

For the love of the game.

Giovanazzi

McGregor

Berendowsky

And now, for something completely different: a poem

n SportsMonday Column

ROSE

JIM

09-28-98