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M-j Atlanta on Their Minds
Several UNC students and faculty members are training hard for
Olympic trials, in the hopes that this summer they'll be
\ competing among the best at the Centennial Olympics.
BYIESSICA BANOV
STAFF WRITER
Georgia. Atlanta. 1996. That’s the final
destination the pinnacle of an athlete’s
career —and it’s where several Olympic
hopefuls from UNC hope to compete.
Not only is UNC a hotbed of collegiate
sports standouts, but there are several stu
dents and faculty, past and present, who
are training to compete on an international
level, headed for the Olympic trials to
represent the U.S. team.
UNC athletes are giving their all in
events ranging from swimming to track to
soccer to field hockey.
And the fact that the Olympics are held
on the home turf of Atlanta makes the
desire and the experience of the Olympics
all the more sweet.
“Holding the Olympics in Atlanta, that’s
just icing on the cake because you have so
much support,” said Tony McCall, who is
training for two track events. “You might
pull off a better performance.”
However, with all the sweat and energy
come discouragement and sacrifices. Some
hopefuls even take time off from school to
devote themselves to preparing for the tri
als.
For example, junior Cindy Werley
redshirted this field hockey season to train
with the U.S. National field hockey team,
and Ken Hamden returned home to Florida
to take advantage of the optimal training
weather.
Several alumni also appear to be strong
contenders for the Olympics. David
Rosenberg, a 1995 graduate, is working
toward the fencing competitions, and
former UNC women’s soccer players Mia
Hamm and Tisha Venturini are bringing
their talents to the U.S. Olympic team.
Each athlete must have the drive and
determination to go for the gold.
Tony McCall, track and field
According to McCall, he is on the last
long road to his final goal—the Olympics.
“Everything I’ve learned throughout the
years is all going to be utilized to get me on
the team,” McCall said. “Going into the
trial, I have what it takes to make the team.
Now I just have to put it together and do
what it takes.”
And doing what it takes on the day of
the trials is only half the battle. The other
half involves drastic changes in lifestyle
and attitude.
“My training hasn’t changed, but the
intensity and my attitude have," said
McCall, who is training for the 100- and
200-meter dashes in track. “I put more into
it. But I know I shouldn’t treat it any
differently because I’ve had success.”
McCall said he had known for the past
few years he was going to work toward
training for the Olympics.
“It’s just a feeling that I wanted to be
there, or eventually be a part of the (Olym
pic)atmosphere,”McCallsaid. “Now I’ve
improved drastically. I’m at my peak, a
climax of hopefully a long career.”
The trials, to be held inJune, sometimes
cause more anxiety than the Olympics
themselves, McCall said.
“I’ve heard it is very stressful emotion
ally,” he said. “You feel it becomes an
obsession, that you must make the team.
There is no tomorrow.
“If I didn’t make it, I would probably be
DTH/IOHN WHITE
Eddie Pope and Carey Talley are two UNC soccer players who are taking next semester off with Temoc Suarez and
Kerri Zavagnin to take part in the ongoing U.S. team selection process.
Kari Haag is training for the 50- and 200-meter freestyles. Haag went to the Olympic trials in 1992 as a high school senior, and now practices
more than 20 hours a week with two other swimmers, Jeff Weiss and Trevor Runberg. The trials will be held in March.
near a nervous breakdown. This is not just
a one-year thing. I want it real, real bad.”
But McCall said he could accept the fact
that it might not be his time because of
his age he would likely have another op
portunity in 2000.
McCall, who started training in Sep
tember after a meet-filled summer, said
working toward the Olympics took a lot
out of him physically and emotionally.
“Many days, you feel it’s not worth it,”
McCall said. “Then you realize, this all
I’ve ever done since the third grade, to run
competitively. This is it.”
McCall also said there were many sacri
fices he had to make, things other students
might otherwise take for granted. Weight
considerations and social life aspects were
two sacrifices he cited.
“It’s been hard,” said McCall about his
inability to indulge in pizza or go out and
party. “You have to think of the conse
quences. Will this hurt me? Once I go to the
trial, I don’t want to have any regrets. It
takes a whole lot of self-discipline.”
But above all, this self-discipline can be
the driving motivation for an athlete.
“It’s the commitment alone in saying,
‘I want to make the Olympic team,”’
McCall said. “I’ve put in hours on top of
hours for practice and concentration from
day one in attempting this goal.”
Additional motivators include family,
coaches and friends. “Me making the team
would accomplish something for myself,
but for others too,” McCall said. “I should
want it more for me, but I just want it for
those that helped me get to where I am
FOCUS
today.”
Marion Jones, track and field
For Jones, 1996 is a second chance. She
was an alternate in the 1992 Olympics but
chose notto go. Now, the ’96 Olympics are
within her grasp.
“I wouldn’t have had as great of a chance
at age 15,” Jones said. “But it makes me
want to get there more now, because I’ve
tasted it and want to experience it in full.”
Jones, who competes in the long jump,
the 200- and the 400-meter dashes, said
opting not to go to Barcelona was just one
of the sacrifices she had to make in her
career.
Known also for her stellar performances
on thebasketball court, Jones has redshirted
this season to concentrate on track. How
ever, in the grand scheme of things, she
said all athletes made some sacrifices.
“Everyone has a goal, and you have to
give up some things to get what you want, ”
Jones said. “Ever since I’ve been small, the
Olympics have just been a goal that every
year (I’ve worked toward).”
She said she had received incredible
support with her decision. “Everyone un
derstands it’s an opportunity of a lifetime,
not to pass up,” Jones said. “I miss my
basketball family, but I also have a track
family that has accepted me.”
Jones said several factors spurred her
on, and her long-term goal of the Olympics
influenced her as well.
“I’ve never won an indoor or outdoor
title, and that’s motivation enough,” she
said. Jones, who recovered from a broken
foot, said she had been training for track
overall —collegiate indoor, collegiate out
door, and then finally, the Olympics.
And because the competition is in At
lanta, there is additional pressure to make
the team. “It’s the dream of every Ameri
can athlete to compete in front of family
and friends,” Jones said. “Right down the
street is more motivation, too.”
The community in general also had
been very supportive, Jones said. “Every
one says, ‘Good luck, hope to see you in
Atlanta,”’ she said.
Eddie Pope, men's soccer
While other students go home to relax
on their vacations, Eddie Pope has been
training for the opportunity to be on the
U.S men’s soccer team.
“In other countries, the players are pro
fessionals, but we’re in school, ” Pope said.
“So every chance we get, especially holi
days, we train with the team. On Spring
Break, while others are on vacation, we
train. And we don’t have much of a sum
mer.”
Despite foregoing the chance to see his
family, Pope, a senior from High Point,
said he had enjoyed his practices. “That’s
the kind of sacrifice we have to make,”
Popesaid. “Butthisiswhatwewanttodo.
The fact that we’ll have this opportunity, a
once in a lifetime experience.”
Pope and three other UNC men’s soc
cerplayers—Temoc Suarez, Carey Talley
and Kerri Zavagnin are still in the team
selection process. With the arrival of anew
coach, the situation is ambiguous.
“Cutdowns upon cutdowns have been
made,” Pope said. “Nobody really knows
where they stand until they get that phone
call.”
Until they get that phone call, the four
players will continue to drill themselves in
the hopes that one, or all, will make the
team. All four plan to take the spring se
mester off to train for the team.
“You want to do the best,” Pope said.
“But none of us are fighting for the same
position. We look out for each other.”
Pope described his path to the Olympics
as a process. “I’ve been playing for the
national team, and then all of a sudden, it’s
there,” Pope said. “It doesn’t fall in your
lap, but it’s in the back of your mind. You
know it’s coming. You see the Olympics
growing up as a kid, and then it’s tangible. ”
Even though Pope is currently in a frus
trating limbo stage, and he missed out on
his Thanksgiving break, his philosophy
remains optimistic.
“Everyone has a bad day," Pope said.
“You just keep chipping away at it. Don’t
try to put your whole life on it. Not too
much pressure. Just go out and do your
best and hope that that's enough.”
Kari Hug, swimming
Last spring, Haag didn’t think she was
seriously going to train for the upcoming
swimming trials. But after a successful
postseason, her coaches sat her down.
Haag said her coaches told her what it
would be like if she decided to make the
commitment to prepare. ‘“Look, you’ve
been successful,’” Haag said, relaying the
discussion. ‘“Now is the time. You’ll need
to make changes, but if you ’re willing to do
this, we’re willing to train you, ’ they said. ”
Haag went to the trials in 1992 as a high
school senior.
“It’s always
been a goal of
mine, but it wasn’t
realistic until
now,” Haag said.
“In ‘92, I didn’t
think I had a
chance. Now,
looking at what
I’ve been doing, I
thinklhaveagood
shot.(But)nobody
is a shoo-in for the
team. It depends
on what kind of
meet you have.”
Haag, who
qualified for the
50- and 200-meter
freestyles, was
physically pre
pared for her gru
eling practices, but
she said she had
problems adapting
mentally.
“The practices
were a lot more
than I’ve been
used to,” Haag
said. “Itwas really
hard to adjust in
the beginning of
the year, mentally
getting ready to
face practice. It’s
the first time I’ve
almost broken
down.
“Basically, I
thought only ofthe
trials in March,
and that was the
wrong approach. I
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Debbie Keller and four other UNC women's soccer players
appear to have a shot at heading to Atlanta this summer.
was thinking long term and using March as
a final point, and that was scaring me.
There was lots of anxiety and pressure all
at once. I need to keep the end goal in mind
but not let it scare me. Just take it day by
day,” she said.
After this initial mental block, Haag
said she was able to find the impetus for
training. “You can go to outside sources
(for motivation), but it’s got to come from
within," Haagsaid. "Swimming is so indi
vidual, you need that to get to where you
are now.”
Haag and two other swimmers, Jeff
Weiss and Trevor Runberg, practice four
mornings a week from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., as
well as every afternoon for another 2 1/2
hours. To top it off, they practice 2 1/2
hours on Saturday. “They’re beating on us
Wednesday, November 29,1995
now,” Haag said. "I’ve been pretty tired.”
She said it was added support to have
two other swimmers practicing with her.
“It’s really encouraging because they know
it’s tough,” Haag said. “I’m not doing this
alone.”
Haag said she had been able to balance
her rigorous practice with her academics,
but it had become a little tougher.
“If I’m up until 11:30 or 12 studying,
and then I have to get up early for practice,
it’s hard,” Haag said. “I need Sunday for a
total recovery day. Overall, all athletes
and students need to balance their time.”
Haag said one sacrifice she had made
was her social life, but it didn’t bother her.
“I have the rest of my life to do these
things staying up late, eating what I
want,” Haag said. “If I want to do what I
want to do, I need to take advantage of it.
After March, we’ll see. Until then, keep
making sacrifices.”
Lyada Lipson, track and fwM
“My body, I always feel like I’m in pain,
and that’s a pain,” Lynda Lipson said.
Understandably. Lipson, the strength
ening and conditioning coach for non
revenue sports and football, is training for
the javelin trials.
“I do something six days a week,”
Lipson said. “I lift four days a week, swim
four, do cardio one, sprints two, plyo two,
technical two and throw two.”
So, what does she do otherwise?
“I work,” Lipson said.
Sounds tough, but Lipson, a 1993 UNC
graduate, said balancing practice and work
had not really been a problem.
“I’ve had a lot of help,” she said. “My
boss has been great, and the swim and
track coaches make it easier for me.”
Lipson said she had maintained a posi
tive attitude about her training. “On days
when things don’t go well, I just try to stay
positive,” Lipson said. “Stay on plan and
things will eventually happen.”
She said she used to get angry if things
didn’t go well, but she learned this ap
proach wasn’t conducive to practice.
“Negative energy zaps out the positive,"
said Lipson, who also competed in the
1992 Olympic trials. “I try hardest to do
my best. I have as good a chance as anyone
else.”
Lipson said reaching the Olympics had
been a goal of hers growing up. “1 was
always, ‘l’m going to make the Olympics
in something,”’ she said. “And then came
track and field.”
Lipson started competing in track and
field as a student at UNC, and is used to
giving up certain perks as an athlete.
“Socially, you miss out on some stuff,”
Lipson said. “You get out what you put
into it. I don’t mind sacrificing.”
Lipson’s sacrifices will continue until
the qualifying rounds in June. “June 17,
that date will determine the rest of my life, ”
Lipson said.
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