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Athletes find strength in reading
By HOLLY ATKINS
Okay, kids, we're ready to see just what you found out about the reading lives of some Tampa Bay area athletes. Hitting the books and the gridiron
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview Lynch about his reading habits during a visit to One Buc Place. When I asked him about his childhood, he told me that his parents used to read to him every night. One of his favorite authors was Shel Silverstein. Lynch was a good student and was encouraged by his parents to keep reading every night. Some of the books he liked during school included Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows, and in high school J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. He always enjoyed speech classes and majored in communications.
Even though he's busy with practices and being on the road with the Bucs, Lynch still finds time to read. One of his recent favorites is It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong. "I really admire Armstrong and what he's been able to accomplish," he said.
Books that deal with leadership issues also are popular with Lynch, such as Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese and The One Minute Manager. Lynch's favorite part of reading these days? "Being able to read to my two kids. I'm reading a lot of Curious George, Barney and other dinosaur books right now." Lynch says that he's already trying to teach his children the importance of reading. Throughout the Tampa Bay community, Lynch is known not only for his powerful football talent, but also for his extensive scholarship work with the Lynch Foundation. He also recently participated with the Glazer Family Foundation to encourage young readers to sign up for library cards. More than 30,000 bookmarks with Lynch's photo were distributed throughout the Tampa Bay area this fall. When asked what message he'd like to send to kids about the importance of reading, Lynch said, "Even though it may not be something you enjoy right now, keep at it, and if you read enough, you'll enjoy it and learn much from it all your life." To learn more about the work John and Linda Lynch do to help Tampa Bay area students through the John Lynch foundation, log on to www.johnlynchfoundation.org. – Justin Leiser A Bulletin From the 22 Yard LineLike a violent storm tearing through a beach of white sand, the Tampa Bay Tempests have powered their way to a victory in the Women's Professional Football League.
Wearing bulky shoulder pads, a helmet, mouth guard, kneepads and petite cleats, carefully Tiffani Davis, a local language arts teacher, set out to deliver her best on the gridiron. Yes, this is the serious game of tackle football. A track star throughout high school and college (even training at the University of Miami on a track and field scholarship), Davis had a dream that she thought had little chance of becoming a reality. Then, two years ago, while reading the sports section of the St. Petersburg Times, Davis came across an article that gave her the inspiration and opportunity to seize her dream. After grueling tryouts in the sweltering sun, Davis became a running back for the football team. "I love the game," she proclaimed during an interview in her seventh-grade classroom. Playing a fierce season with the Tempests was tough, but Davis succeeded in finishing that first season. Over the summer, she played a vigorous preseason with the Tampa Bay Force, which is part of the Women's American Football League. But a love for football was not enough to allow Davis to do her college work and care for her young son; therefore, she no longer plays football.
While substituting at local schools to work her way through college, Davis discovered her love for teaching and reading. "I realized just how much the students needed someone who cared, and I was willing to do that. Therefore, when I received my degree, I decided to go into the teaching profession." Davis was recently featured in a book by Nancy Carson, Believing in Ourselves: A Celebration of Women, which highlights the lives of 35 amazing women from across the country who have achieved their dreams in spite of facing significant obstacles. Davis sees a powerful connection between the athlete and teacher roles. "Each individual has different personalities and with the type of personality, it can be related to the discipline that I learned playing sports." Her former career in football has and will inspire young women to reach their goals and celebrate themselves. – Haley Germack Coday Hudson: A Reader Who's Got GameCoday Hudson, 12, is a sixth-grader who plays on the volleyball team at Oak Grove Middle School in Clearwater.
Rex Grossman is Coday's favorite sports figure. Why? "He's a great quarterback, and he's a Gator!" Coday said. Coday reads a lot. His favorite book is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. "The Harry Potter books are very good, but the second one is the most exciting!" he said.
The Captain's Dog: My Journey With the Lewis & Clark Tribe is what Coday is reading now. It is about a dog on the Lewis and Clark expedition. The book is told from the dog's perspective. That makes for an interesting read. Reading plays an important part in this volleyball player's life. "Fiction helps imagination, and it helps you ask good questions in class," he said. "Also, reading helps in schoolwork. If you couldn't read, you couldn't do schoolwork." Coday reads mostly for enjoyment. He loves the mystery and adventure of fiction. – Mary Ellis Glymph About the authorHolly Atkins, a national board certified teacher, loves to read and write. She is a teacher at Southside Fundamental Middle School in St. Petersburg and has been an instructor at the Poynter Institute's Writers' Camp. She was the author of last year's Newspaper in Education series, "The Wonders of Florida." You can e-mail her with comments about the series at hollysatkins@yahoo.com.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
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So you think that an athlete's brains are mostly in his or her biceps? Think again. This month for the "WHO'S READING WHAT?" portion of the READING MATTERS series, NIE student-reporters Justin Leiser, Hayley Germack and Mary Ellis Glymph found three local residents who shatter the myth about athletes having more physical than mental might. Whether on the playing field or in the classroom, these athletes will tell you that at the heart of their success is (drum roll, please) READING!
