"I came to school for sports, social life, and education, in that order," says Lionel Coleman, a star athlete from Jefferson High in Portland when he arrived in Eugene in 1965. Coleman did OK at football and parties but flunked out of school in his second year. He persevered, spent two years in the army, upped his grades, and earned all-league honors as a defensive back. After a brush with pro football he returned to Eugene to finish his teaching degree. For 20 years, Coleman has worked as a referee for area youth sports leagues and coached numerous teams as a volunteer. "He's spent the good majority of his life helping kids," says father of five Tim Moran. Himself the father of three sons, Coleman put in 12 unfulfilling years at the police departmen -- he quit when he finally completed his BA in 1991. Now just a term away from a masters degree and a new career as a special ed teacher, he enters his fourth season as coach of the Hoop Troop, AAU basketball team of the multiracial youth group HONEY.