STUDENT-ATHLETE TRADITION IS STRONG AT AVC.

Byline: Kathy Orton Special to the Daily News

Josh Bibby was a pretty good football player at Desert High School. Maybe he wasn't USC material, but he thought some school might take a chance on him.

But none did, partly because he was a marginal student. His guidance counselor told him with his 2.5 grade point average, he didn't stand a chance of getting into a college.

"I thought, 'My life is over,' " Bibby said. "He crushed me."

With no offers in sight, Bibby went away to North Idaho College, a community college located in Coeur d'Alene, but returned after one year. He missed his family and playing football.

But he didn't give up on college. Bibby was determined to prove his guidance counselor wrong. He knew Antelope Valley College had a strong football tradition and a reputation for helping students transfer to four-year institutions.

So he moved back home and enrolled at AVC, where he prospered on the football field and in the classroom. His accomplishments brought not only personal satisfaction, but also recognition from the California Community College Commission on Athletics.

Each year the commission selects 18 outstanding student-athletes for the Wilson Scholar Athlete and Hall of Fame Awards honor roll. The award is based on a student-athlete's excellence in citizenship, athletics and academics.

Bibby was selected as a football Wilson Scholar for 1994-95. He is the 13th Wilson Scholar to be chosen from Antelope Valley College. No other community college in California has produced more Wilson Scholars than AVC.

"That was probably one of the biggest honors I've ever got," Bibby said. "I have a whole wall of athletic things, but this was the biggest thing in my life. It's a symbol of what I've been working for to be a better individual. I take pride in winning this. A lot of guys can say they're football players or good at sports. I could say I'm pretty good at both (sports and academics)."

Bibby transferred to the University of Redlands this year, where he is a history major with a 3.7 GPA. This season he also was selected as an All-SCIAC honorable mention on the football field.

Bibby's story varies little from the other Wilson Scholar award winners at Antelope Valley College. Most chose the school for financial reasons, aiming to save a little money on today's high cost of education.

But all came away with more than they expected. Besides a competitive and challenging athletic environment, they were rewarded with a rich educational experience.

"I never would have given up AVC for anything," Holly Ludwig Layman said.

Layman, who met her husband - former Marauders baseball player Larry Layman - at Antelope Valley College, was a track/cross country Wilson Scholar in 1992-93. She recently received her bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in film and television from Cal State Fullerton, where she graduated with honors.

"I loved my experience at AVC," Layman said. "The cross-country coach Mark Covert is absolutely wonderful. They have one of the best junior college cross-country programs in California.

"It was a great experience. They have great instructors that really care. The classes are smaller. It's really a nice atmosphere. You get more attention than you would at the big, huge schools."

Amber Williams echoed her friend and teammate's sentiments. Williams was named a track/cross country Wilson Scholar in 1993-94. She currently is enrolled at UC-Berkeley, where she is majoring in International Affairs with an eye toward joining the Peace Corps.

"I was a lot more prepared than (the freshmen) coming here," Williams said. "They had a harder time adjusting. There's just a whole different maturity level. You're much more focused on what you want. They're just overwhelmed. It was better that I went to a junior college. I'm really, really glad I did."

Each year, one student-athlete among all of those participating in the state

of California is recognized as the top in his or her sport and selected as the Wilson Scholar Athlete of the Year. Kevin Curtis, who was a football Wilson Scholar in 1986-87, was also selected as Scholar Athlete of the Year for Football.

"That meant quite a bit to me," Curtis said. "It's a very, very nice honor."

Curtis, who went on to receive his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the California Institute of Technology, currently works at Bell Labs in New Jersey. His work as a holographer has earned him several patents, one of which won an award as the most innovative invention of the year.

Part of the reason Antelope Valley College has produced so many Wilson Scholars is the academic support system provided by Dick Curtis, Kevin's father.

Each student-athlete is required to meet with Curtis to develop an educational plan. There is also a mandatory study hall, where the student-athletes are advised on graduation requirements and transfer rules.

"They keep you on track," Matt Losey said. "You know exactly what it takes for you to graduate (with an associate degree), to transfer. They have long term goals for you in mind. That's important.

"I definitely got all the courses I needed (to transfer). I was not at all behind. I was well-prepared. I had all the classes I needed to jump right into my major."

Losey, who was the golf Wilson Scholar in 1993-94, attends Stanford and is majoring in chemical engineering.

"(The Wilson Scholar award) highlights something that we think is important about athletics," Antelope Valley Athletics Director Brent Carder said. "It emphasizes the student-athlete. It's an approach that's always been something that we've felt is important."

That philosophy is reflected in the coaching staff at Antelope Valley College. Every head coach is also a full-time faculty member.

"All the head coaches see themselves as educators," Carder said. "There's an emphasis on that."

Based on their educational and athletic experience, the Wilson Scholars give high marks to Antelope Valley College and community colleges in general.

Monica Harvey, who was a track Wilson Scholar in 1988-89, graduated from Sacramento State with a master's degree in teaching. She is now a language, speech and hearing specialist for the Sacramento Unified School District.

"There's some really good teachers teaching at the junior college level," Harvey said. "They are the dedicated ones that are there. I liked going to a junior college. I got all the classes I wanted. I didn't have to spend a lot of money. I would recommend to anyone to go to a junior college."