Battlefield track star to attend Indiana
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By Robert Daski
Published: April 1, 2008
The Battlefield senior will attend the Big Ten school on a partial track scholarship. He has the potential to convert it to a full scholarship with solid performances during outdoor track.
“It takes a lot of skills to get there,” Parker said. “I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. But when they started recruiting me, I was like ‘Man, I might be able to start something up, get out of Haymar-ket.’”
Indiana track coach Ron Helmer began recruiting Parker at a camp Battlefield’s track teams at-tended last summer. A first-year head coach for the Hoosiers, Helmer is a former head track coach at Woodbridge High School. He was also the head coach at Georgetown for the last eight years be-fore heading to Indiana.
Parker was also recruited by Clemson and Georgetown and received letters of intent from Cor-nell, Clemson, East Tennessee, LSU and Virginia.
But Indiana was the lone school to make a scholarship offer.
Helmer “told me I had a lot of talent,” said Parker, who wore a red and white striped Indiana shirt to his signing. “If I can get that refined, I can be one of the best jumpers he’s ever had.”
Parker won Cedar Run District titles in the long jump and triple jump during the 2007-08 indoor season. He also placed fifth in the triple jump at the Group AAA state meet. He finished sixth in the triple jump and 10th in the long jump at Nike Indoor Nationals in March.
Battlefield coach Paul Mobley will use Parker as a sprinter in outdoor track. Parker will run the 100-meter dash, 200 and 400-meter relay and plans to run sprints at Indiana in addition to continu-ing the long jump and triple jump.
“It’s going to be a little tougher,” Parker said. “But I’m ready for the challenge. I understand I have to be more well-rounded. So that’s going to increase my ability in college. I’m willing to do whatever helps me.”
MCCULLOUGH GOING TO AIR FORCE
Forest Park attack Tyler McCullough will play lacrosse next year at Air Force Academy. He took a recruiting visit to Air Force on Nov. 1 and enjoyed what the lacrosse program offers.
“The coaches know what they’re teaching,” McCullough said. “I liked the team. They had chem-istry and they all played really well together.”
McCullough will be reunited with former Forest Park teammate Cameron Cleaves, who will be a freshman at Air Force next year.
McCullough, who scored two goals and recorded three assists in the Bruins’ season-opening win over Osbourn Park, hopes to play immediately next spring.
“Right now, they have five attack and three are seniors, so I’m looking to have a good chance to get playing time next year,” McCullough said.
RUSK SIGNS WITH LYNCHBURG
Zach Rusk has signed with Lynchburg College for men’s soccer.
A senior at Hylton, Rusk has been on the Bulldogs’ varsity since the end of his freshman season. Rusk has been a co-captain since his sophomore season and finished as Hylton’s leading scorer last season. He was also the team MVP.
Besides Lynchburg, Rusk considered Hampden-Sydney and Methodist. Shenandoah, Bridge-water, Virginia Wesleyan and Longwood also showed interest in Rusk.
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