Sports: Jessica Cameron, Angela Batts, 1978, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: April 12, 1978 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Cameron, Batts To Play In Jr. Olympics Two Winnfield Senior High School girls will be playing in the Louisiana- Mississippi Junior Olympic Region Tournament in New Orleans April 28-30. Senior Jessica Cameron and junior Angela Batts will represent the Winnfield Tigerettes on the junior team, which is coached by Bob Stevens of Buckeye High School. "I had to keep up with them throughout the season, and I remembered their names by their scoring averages," Coach Stevens said on why the two were selected. "I talked with Coach (Delores) Carter and she recommended them." Cameron was the co-Most Valuable Player in District 1-AA along with Jonesboro's Cynthia Loyd, who is also on the team. She averaged a little more than 15 points a game this past season. "This is a great honor," Cameron said. "I want to prove that I can play with anybody, when we go down there." Cameron is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Cameron of Winnfield. "Jessica is going to help us with her guard play," Coach Stevens said. "Batts is a strong outside shooter and rebounder, and we are going to use her in that respect." "I'm glad to get this chance," Batts said. "It's also good for the school because it will give the school some more recognition, and maybe some more girls from here will get to play in the Junior Olympics." Batts is the daughter of Mrs. Barbara Hampton and Robert Batts, Jr., and was an all-district this past season. Coach Stevenson said both girls are having trouble adjusting from Coach Carter's run-and-gun style to the more ball control style he likes to play. But he added, both girls are working hard to learn the new style of play. The Junior Olympic program is set up for girls 18-under and can include college freshmen. Coach Stevens has several girls from this area. Girls from Simsboro, Buckeye, Iota, Winnfield, Jonesboro, and one player from Louisiana College make up the team. The team Stevens coaches will play at the Tulane Gym April 28-30 in the Louisiana-Mississippi Regional. The first place team from the region will go to the nationals in Tennessee. "There are going to be some pretty good teams in the tournament," Stevens said. "This is our first year to have such a team and mainly we hope to build the program and keep it going." Stevens said he doesn't know when he first plays in the tournament, but he has scheduled a practice game with the Baton Rouge team this Saturday. "We need this game to see how we are going to play," Stevens said. "Right now, I'm not sure who is going to start for me, but I'm working to have two complete teams that I can run in and out." This is the first time any girls from Winnfield have played in a tournament such as this. Coach Carter said it was one of the greatest honors a WSHS girl has ever received. With the tip-off in Tulane just a little over two weeks away, the Junior Olympics will have Jessica Cameron and Angela Batts representing Winnfield and Winn Parish. Both said they were going to give their best.