CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- Bruce Patrick, a high school coach and athletic administrator in Fairfax County for 30 years, will join the Virginia High School League (VHSL) September 1 as the new assistant director for athletic programs.

Replacing Larry Johnson, who is retiring after more than 18 years with the VHSL, Patrick will assume responsibility for League programs in football, cross country, golf, wrestling, swim and dive, indoor and outdoor track, baseball and lacrosse.

"All my professional life, I have worked to provide a better experience for coaches and students in athletic/activity programs," Patrick said.  "The VHSL offers a statewide opportunity to make a positive impact and enhance programs."

From 1973-78 Patrick was assistant football coach at Mount Vernon High School and boys junior varsity basketball coach (1973-75) and girls junior varsity basketball coach (1977).   He was head football coach at Mount Vernon from 1979-88, winning the Group AAA VHSL state championship in 1983, and was director of student activities from 1983-89.

  Patrick became Coordinator of Student Activities and Athletic Programs for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in 1989 and will retire from that position July 1.  He was instrumental in implementing Fairfax County's coaches education and sports medicine programs and will be responsible for those initiatives at the state level in his new position.

  For the past 14 years Patrick has planned, built and directed a broad, well-balanced athletic and student activity program for the nation's twelfth largest school system, including 48 activities administrators at 24 high schools, 23,000 student athletes in 19 sports and more than 1,500 coaches.  In addition, he provided leadership for 2,300 student activity clubs, societies and their sponsors.

  Patrick is a frequent speaker and presenter at athletic conferences, in-service workshops and clinics at the local, regional, state and national levels.  Among his many recognitions, he was honored in 2000 with the VHSL Torch of Honor -- the League's highest award -- and with a Special Commendation for Distinguished Service presented by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

  "We are thrilled to have someone with Bruce Patrick’s extraordinary qualifications and experience join our staff," said Ken Tilley, VHSL executive director.   "Bruce is a proven leader who is widely respected not only in Fairfax County but throughout Virginia and at the national level as well.  He will be an excellent successor to continue and build upon the outstanding contributions of Larry Johnson."

  Patrick has a bachelor's degree in history from North Carolina Wesleyan College, graduating Magna Cum Laude with Departmental Honors.  He earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Northern Colorado.  Patrick also holds an administrative endorsement as a secondary school principal.

  The Virginia High School League is a voluntary, non-profit corporation whose members are the 298 public high schools in Virginia.  More than 100,000 boys and girls participate in VHSL athletic competitions in 25 different sports each year, and another 24,000 students take part in the League's academic activities that include debate, drama, forensics, school publications, creative writing and academic competition.

Jamestown scored 145 points in winter sports to soar to the AA lead after ranking 17^th in the fall. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology moved up from third in AAA.

The winner of the cup, sponsored by Wachovia Bank, is determined by a point system based on performance in state championship events. Points are awarded for all sanctioned sports in the following manner: First place, 50; Second place, 45; Third place, 40; Fourth place, 35; Fifth place, 30; Sixth place, 25; Seventh place, 20; Eighth place, 15. If there are fewer than eight schools from a classification in the event, only those schools which are represented are eligible to receive points.

In the event of a tie, the schools receive an equal number of points based on the number of schools which tie and the number of schools which finish higher in the standings. For example, the girls basketball quarterfinal losers equally divide the points for fifth through eighth place (22.5 points each), while semifinal losers split third and fourth place (37.5 points).

Schools earned points from their performance in the VHSL winter sports playoffs in wrestling and cheer (AAA, AA and A), basketball (all boys and AAA girls), volleyball (A and AA girls), gymnastics (AAA girls) and indoor track and swimming (AAA and AA boys and girls).

Brentsville, which had a 22.5-point lead over George Wythe (Wytheville) in the fall, scored 90 points in the winter to widen its lead to 52.5 points. Brentsville (210) took the Group A wrestling championship and finished third in cheer. George Wythe (157.5) reached the semifinals in boys basketball and the quarterfinals in girls volleyball. James Monroe (125) remains third overall after finishing fourth in cheer. Page County (112.5) jumped to fourth from a tie for 12^th after finishing second in cheer and reaching the quarterfinals in girls volleyball. Nandua (95) jumped to fifth from 24^th after winning the boys basketball championship and finishing seventh in cheer.

Jamestown (185), Group AA Wachovia Cup winner in 2001 and runner-up a year ago, earned points in five of eight winter sports: second in boys swim/dive, third in girls swim/dive, quarterfinals in girls volleyball, a tie for sixth in boys indoor track and eighth in girls indoor track. Lafayette and Tabb (167.5 each) are in a tie for second. Lafayette finished third in boys indoor track, fifth in girls swim/dive and sixth in boys swim/dive to move up from fifth in the fall, and Tabb won championships in both boys and girls swim/dive and finished seventh in wrestling to move up from 13^th. Fort Defiance, first after fall play, fell to fourth with only a fifth in wrestling. Heritage-Lynchburg and Western Albemarle (145 each) are tied for fifth.

In the closest race, Thomas Jefferson (207.5) scored 112.5 points in the winter to move ahead of Lake Braddock (200), which was first in the fall, by only 7.5 points. Jefferson won the girls swim/dive championship, finished fourth in boys swim/dive and tied for fifth in boys indoor track. Lake Braddock finished fifth in girls indoor track, tied for fifth in boys indoor track and reached the quarterfinals in girls basketball. James Robinson (167.5) had the best winter season among AAA schools, winning the boys swim/dive championship, finishing third in girls swim/dive and fifth in gymnastics and tying for fifth in wrestling, to jump to third from a tie for 37^th in the fall. South Lakes (150) finished second in girls swim/dive and boys basketball and tied for sixth in girls indoor track to take over fourth. Frank Cox (147.5) took second in gymnastics and third in wrestling to stand fifth.

Enclosed are complete listings of the current Wachovia Cup athletic standings. Final 2002-03 results will be released in June after the spring championships have concluded. Previous athletic winners include: