Monday, December 28, 1998
These fish byting online
Tourney raises money for software
The Associated Press
LONDON, Ky. — Al Williams uses a net to fish these days — the Internet.
And next month, the 39-year-old London man will turn his hobby into a way to help children around the world.
Mr. Williams has scheduled a charity Internet fishing tournament for Saturday through Jan. 16. Winners may choose educational software to donate to a school of their choice.
Eight Internet fishing clubs across the world are competing in the tournament, which has no entry fees. Club members can participate as long as they have one of the two games that will be used: Trophy Bass II or Trophy River.
The two CD-ROM games take fishers to lakes and rivers across the nation for bass and fly fishing.
Mr. Williams' mouse is his fishing pole. With a turn of the wrist and a click of a button, he casts his line into the computer-generated lake of his choice, and waits. Just like the real thing, maybe he'll get a bite, maybe he won't.
World Opponent Network, a gaming server, is sponsoring the prizes: six pieces of software for every club that enters. The company sponsors several tournaments, but this is the first charity event it has been a part of, said Paul Quinn, World Opponent Network moderator coordinator.
He said Mr. Williams took “the bass by the gills” to set up the tournament.
This year, Mr. Williams already has donated several pieces of software to Laurel County schools, ranging from $20 CD-ROMs to a $129 driver-education course he received from fellow fisher Scott Eller of Greensboro, N.C.
At Mr. Williams' urging, four companies and individuals have donated money and software to London-area schools. The software covers subjects such as math, geography, problem-solving skills and reading.
London Elementary School Principal Mary Bowling said teachers were thrilled to have software for use in their classrooms.
“It supports what the teacher is teaching in the classroom,” she said. “We wish we had more.”
Mr. Williams sees the importance of exposing children to good computers and software. “The computer is a new age — might as well get the kids started in it,” he said. “Let the machine do the teaching while (the teacher) does the critiquing.”
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