Pubdate: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 Source: Press of Atlantic City, The (NJ) Copyright: 2003 South Jersey Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/29 Author: Richard Degener FORMER PHILLIES PITCHER WARNS LOWER STUDENTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE LOWER TOWNSHIP - Dickie Noles once pitched fastballs for the Philadelphia Phillies, helping them win their only world championship in 1980. These days Noles is making a pitch of a different sort. He still works for the Phillies, but now he is trying to convince teenagers not to do drugs or alcohol. The 16-year Major League veteran made that pitch here Monday to seventh- and eighth-grade students at the Richard M. Teitelman School. "There are more deaths from the age of 16 to 25 from drinking and driving than from anything else. If you smoke marijuana, guaranteed there will be another drug in your life, most probably heroin, cocaine or speed," Noles, who still looks like he could take the mound at age 46, told the students. Noles had his own bout with alcohol, starting to drink at the age of 13 because "I hung out with the wrong people." Noles said his life was "spinning out of control" when he beat up a police officer in Cincinnati and landed in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. He was playing for the Chicago Cubs at the time. "It was April 1983 when I went in for treatment. It changed my life. I've been sober for 20 years," Noles said. Since then he has spoken at more than 3,000 schools and found that pitching in the World Series means nothing compared to saving the life of a child. Noles now works as a "substance adviser" for the Phillies and speaks for a program known as SAVES, or Students, Attitudes, Values, Education, Substance Abuse. Noles gets the students involved in his program, bringing them forward to act out scenarios in which a teenager should say no. "I focus on being successful and making good choices," Noles said. He pushed exercise, laughter and having good relationships as alternatives to getting high. Noles also linked alcohol and drug use to violence in America. He also speaks at prisons and said most crimes involve alcohol and drug use. Sadly, he said he has spoken to prisoners he addressed years earlier when they were students. He has been speaking at schools since 1984. The Chris L. (Anti-Violence) Project, a nonprofit organization formed after Lower Cape May Regional High School graduate Christopher Loftus was stabbed to death in Cape May on July 2, 2001, brought Noles here. Jim and Kay Loftus want the death of their son to produce something positive. The Chris L Project has raised money through events such as surfing competitions and concerts. The money is used to bring young people an anti-violence message. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh