LeClair's visit highlights summer camp SPORTS 10

Friday, August 30, 1996

Sports Commentary

by Jason Jungreis staff writer

Amidst the heat, one of the Philadelphia Flyers stepped off the ice and made an appearance at Cabrini's own Coaches Choice Sports Camp. On Monday, July 22nd, John LeClair came to Cabrini to teach children attending camp the fundamentals of roller hockey.

by Jim Martin sports editor

When Ray Rhodes was hired by Eagles owner Jeff Lurie in 1995, many fans were still disappointed that former Eagles coach Dick Venneil had not been hired.

At the time of the hiring, Lurie kept emphasizing one point: Rhodes was a winner. He had won five Super Bowl titles as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers and Lurie was confident he would eventuallydo the same with the Eagles.

Now fast forward to August, 1996. Where are the fans who wished Lurie had hired Vermeil instead of Rhodes? Nowhere to be found.

At the end of the 1995-· 1996 season, Ray Rhodes was voted the 1995 NFL Coach of the Year for the job he did with the Eagles.

Most coaches would have been happy to take a team that missed the playoffs the previous year and lead them to the second round of the playoffs.

After the loss, howeve(, Rhodes said the season was a disappointmentbecause it did not end with a victory in the Super Bowl.

During the offseason, Rhodes overhauled his team with only the goal of beating Dallas and winning the Super Bowl in mind.

I know Rhodes and most fans don't want to hear this, but the Eagles are not going to win the Super Bowl this year.

In two years, Rhodes has completely overhauled his team and has upgraded the talent level at almost every position. However, he will need another year or two to bring the Eagles to an even par with the likes of the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.

The Eagles will eventually win a Super Bowl under Rhodes, but it is going to take time.

Don't jump down his throat or try to run him out of town if they don't have a great season.

Have patience and realize that we are lucky to have one of the best coaches in the league in Rhodes.

Rome;was not built in one day and neither is a Super Bowl championship. Rhodes will bring us a Super Bowl title, just give the man time.

The day started at 9:00 a.m. when John LeClair arrived at the Widener Center parking lot. He was escorted to the Sacred Heart Gym by Joe Weber, the Coaches Choice Sports Camp Director.

After the introductions were finished, LeClair proceeded to go to the Woodcrest parking lot where a hockey rink was set up.

Upon arriving, LeClair commented briefly on what he thought about the camp.

"I think that this camp is a great opportunity for these younger kids to get a head start in the sports that they love," LeClair said. "The fact that they have professional athletes and coaches coming to the camp to teach the kids is terrific. "

Once the camp counselors got the children in order, LeClair started to explain to them the positives and negatives of being a professional athlete.

LeClair then started to run actual drills that the Flyers run in practice.

After fifteen minutes, he had the players scrimmage each other. LeClair separated the players into two teams and had them play according to real hockey rules.

LeClair later spoke about the impact his instruction had on the kids in the camp.

"I think that it took some of the kids a little time to get adjusted to the drills and scrimmage," LeClair said. "Not all of the kids had disciplined hockey experience, so it was a good experience for them. Over all, I think that it went well."

Starting his third season with the Philadelphia Flyers, John LeClair has been an important asset to the team, leading the team with 51 goals and finishing just behind Eric Lindros with 97 points.

In the beginning of the 199495 season, John LeClair was traded from Montreal to Philadelphia. LeClair saw the trade as another obstacle to overcome.

"It was a huge adjustment for me," LeClair said. "Montreal is much closer to Vermont, where my family lives, so I could just cross the border and go home when I wanted to. Now that I'm in Philadelphia, I can't see my family as much. It was also tough to leave the city of Montreal because the organization was great, and the players all got along."

Despite the adjustment, LeClair has adapted to his new home.

" Philadelphia is a great place. The fans are unbelievable," LeClair said. " I have never been to a place where the fans are so supportive of their team. Even when we were in our mid-season slump, the fans were behind us all the way and the Spectrum was always sold out. I don't regret the trade because Philadelphia is such a great place."