July/Aug 2005 | The Olympian

LETTER FROM WILLIE BANKS U.S . Olympians

President

My fellow Olympians, I want to thank you for allowing me to represent you as your President for the next quadrennium I cannot tell you how excited I am to get to work and build on the successes of John Naber. For the past four years I have worked with John as well as five other stellar Olympians who shared the title of Vice President with me. I have learned many great lessons and hope to use those lessons to strengthen our organization and get you all more involved.

Thanks to your votes, we have a group of officers who have shown me their willingness to work hard for the U.S. Olympians. The backgrounds of the new officers will fit well with the continuing Vice Presidents, Connie Paraskevin-Young and Anne Warner Cribbs. Dick Fosbury comes to us with a wealth of international alumni experience, having served on the Athens Olympians Organization. Micki King is well known in USOC circles and served as the first AAC President, which gives her the broad understanding of the new challenges that need to be met at all levels of the Olympic Movement. Gary Hall Sr. has worked to build swimming in his community and has a family history of Olympic swimming. This background will be essential for mderstanding the need for raising the stature of the Olympic Movement. Finally, Carol Lewis, who will serve out the rest of my erm, comes with a background in broadcasting that can help us develop the necessary communications programs to attract greater membership to our organization.

As you can see, you have a great core of officers. Add to that mix the Chapter Presidents, and I believe your Board members are an extremely talented and strong group to help lead our organization to the next level in our developing future. To that end, it is my desire to delegate to these individuals duties that they will become primarily responsible to you as a body to manage. It will be their duty to ensure their area ofresponsibility is championed toward the ultimate goals that we will set. Along the way we will set priorities, targets and deliverables. I want each member to be responsible to you, our members, for accomplishing something while serving in his or her capacity as an officer or Board member.

The tentative plans for our future will center on our mission to foster the Olympic Spirit, motivate and encourage youth, develop camaraderie, and honor Olympians. To this end, we hope to expand and support the United States Olympic Committee's programs, including the development of an improved U.S. Olympic Speakers Bureau; assist the USOC in development and fundraising; provide Olympian assistance for the Marketing Division; and help spur a network for athletes transitioning from competition to their vocational careers.

In addition, we must continue to establish new Olympian Association chapters and strengthen chapters that already exist. I propose that we extend our reach outside our borders by reaching out to the World Olympians Association (WOA), other national Olympian associations, as well as NGB alumni associations. Consistent with this, my hope is that we will create new initiatives with the Athletes' Advisory Council. And, as we seek to foster Olympic spirit, we shall create innovative programs such as Olympian memorabilia, fitness initiatives, and Olympian affinity programs.

John Naber left us a good legacy with the institution of the Olympians for Olympians Relief Fund (OORF) that serves to honor Olympians through support grants. I will make it my goal to further strengthen and support this worthy program. In so doing, together, we will make the next four years a memorable time for the USOA.

fhank you again for your support and I look forward to working with you in the "Spirit of Olympism."

Wrestling Olympian

Jim Scherr named Chief Executive Officer of the USO(

The United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors officially named James E. (Jim) Scherr as the org anization ' s Chief Executive Officer on April 29 , 2005. Scherr has directed the USOC's day-to-da y operations sin ce March 2003 , when he was asked to take on the added responsibilities of Chief Executive while continuing in his role as Chief of Sport Performance.

"I am honored by the confidence expressed by the USOC Board members ," Scherr said, "and I look forward to continuing to serve the United States Olympic Committee The importance of the Olympic Movement c ontinues to grow in our country and I know that the USOC staff is dedicated to providing unparalleled service and support to America ' s athletes and National Governing Bodies . I am extremely proud to lead them in the se responsibilities "

A 1988 Olympian in freestyle wrestling , Scherr won two silver medals and a bronze in World Championship competition, in addition to his fifth-place finish at the Olympic Games in Seoul , Korea. He took silver in the 1987 and 1989 World Championships and wa s a bronze medalist in 1986. He is also a three-time U.S National Champion and a two-time World Cup Champion He was named USA Wrestling Man of the Year in 1994 and received the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Order of Merit in 1997 .

GAMES UPDATE

VISA Continues Olympians Reunion Center Tradition

The World Olympi ans Association (WOA) is proud to announce that Visa Internation al will continu e it's commitment to Olympians past and present by renewing it's Visa Olympians Reunion Center (VORC) program for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino , Italy The Visa Olympians Reunion Center symbolizes Visa ' s commitment to the heart of the Olympic Mo v ement - the athlete s.

The VORC will provide Olympians from prior Olympic Games with a meeting place on-site in Torino where they can enjoy live feeds of events , refreshments and special events hosted especiall y for them . Often dubbed " the most exclusive club in town, " the VORC is a salute to a ll Olympi ans for their undaunted sp irit , their devotion to teamwork and their promotion of the Olympic Ideals.

The WOA and Visa will be providing you with regular updates on the development of the VORC in Torino. Visit www wo a olympians.com to learn more and to register. Mak e plans now to come to Torino in 2006 , where you can experience the greatest sporting event on earth, as well as see old friends and m ake new ones at the Visa Olympians Reunion Center.

NYC2012 Needs Your Support

As we approach the IOC's Host City designation on July 6th, we are very honored to have more than 1,900 Olympians and Paralympians from every state and 58 countries supporting our Olympic bid (visit NYC2012.com~ in the "About Us" section for a full list) . Our goal is to reach the magical number of2 ,012 (or more) , all united behind the bid. With your help we can achieve this monumental level of support. If you are not yet a member of the Circle or would like more inform ation, please contact Erica N. Nelson, Sports Manager, at (646) 587-5440 or Enelson @NYC20l2 .com

2004 COACHES OF THE YEAR

Candrea, Miller, Hunter, Hulett Selected as 2004 United States Olympic Committee Coaches of the Year

Mike Candrea (Casa Grande , AZ), who coached the 2004 USA Softball Women's National Team to its third consecutive Olympic gold medal with a 9-0 run in Athens , Greece, has been named the 2004 United States Olympic Committee National Coach of the Year. Dwayne Miller (Norfolk , VA. / track & field), Barry Hunter (Ft. Washington, MD/boxing) and Mike Hulett (Des Plaines, IL / sitting volleyball) were selected as the 2004 USOC Developmental , Volunteer, and National Paralympic coaches, respectively. Also honored during the May 1 Coach of the Year Recognition Banquet at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA was track & ~ eld's Joe Vigil (Green Valley, AZ), who received the "Doc" Counsilman Science Award .

Under Candrea ' s guidance , the USA Softball women outscored their opponents 51-1 during the 2004 Olympic Games and broke 18 records. Prior to the Athens Games , Candrea 's team was undefeated as it traveled the United States on a 53 -game tour.

Miller has mentored hundreds of youth as head coach and co-director of the Norfolk Real Deal Track Club. His athletes include 17 national champions and 40 All-Americans In 2004 , Miller coached youth /junior competitors to three national USATF titles, six topsix USA finishes , three World Junior Championships gold medals , and two world junior records

In addition to helping numerous young boxers to national titles at every level , Hunter guides these at- risk youth from the dangers of the Washington , D.C., streets to being good members of society. The athletes coached by the respected role model and mentor are taught the importance of working hard in school as well as in the boxing ring.

Hulett led the inaugural USA Women's National Sitting Volleyball Team to the bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens . A quadruple amputee who has previously received many honors for coaching high school as well as Boys and Girls Club volleyball , Hulett was the USA Men's National Sitting Volleyball Team head coach for the 1996 and 2000 Paralympic Games

Throughout his more than 30 years of coaching , Vigil has used the information provided by human performance data to develop specific training stimuli for each athlete. Considered one of the top clinicians in the world, Vigil coached two U S marathoners, Meb Keflezighi and Deena Drossin Kastor , to the silver and bronze medal , respectively, at the 2004 Olympic Games

National Coach of the Year finalists April Heinrichs (GainesviJle, VA./U.S. Soccer), Yevgeny Marchenko (Plano, TX/USA Gymnastics) , Eddie Reese (Austin, TX/USA Swimming) and Dane Selznick (El Segundo , CA/USA Volleyball) as well as Development Coach of the Year finalists Desmond Dickie (Toronto , Canad a/ USA Cycling) , Pamela Gregory (Newark, DE ./U.S Figure Skating) , Renee Hildebrand (BeJleview, FL. / USA Roller Sports) and Drew Johansen (Columbus, OH/ USA Diving) were also recognized during the May 1 event for their contributions to sport.

Andy Gouw (San Jose , CA/USA Badminton), Jim and Anita Krueger (Blessing, TX/USA Archery) , Frank Murphy (Trenton , ML/USA Hockey) and Tim Swords (League City, TX / USA Weightlifting) were a lso finalists for the Volunteer Coach of the Year title. The other finalists for the Counsilman Science Award were George Dallam, Ph.D . (Pueblo, CO / USA Triathlon) and Kyle Pierce (Shreveport, LA./USA Weightlifting).

Justin Gatlin - Sprinting Sensation

By Elliott Denman Athletics 1956

So much of what Justin Gatlin has achieved in track and field has been done far beyond his nation's shores

The Brooklyn-born, Florida-reared, Tennessee-schooled, North Carolina-resident sprint sensation first hit the global trail in 2003.

He snared the gold medal in the 60-meter dash at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England in 6.46 seconds He took the 100 at the Golden Gala meet in Rome (10.09 seconds) , the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, Switzerland (9 .97), and the Moscow Challenge (10.05). He won the 200 in 20.04 at the Van Damme in Brussels.

Then his greatest moments of all came at the Athens Olympic Games of 2004

After winning the Olympic 100-meter gold in 9.85, he snared the bronze in the 200 final behind USA teammates Shawn Crawford

and Bernard Williams. When the USA (Crawford , Gatlin, Coby Miller, and Maurice Greene) took the silver in the 4xl00 relay behind upset-minded Great Britain, Gatlin became one of the very few athletes in Olympic history to gain a complete set of medals - one of each hue - at the same Games.

All going as planned, Gatlin's big trip of the 2005 season will be to Helsinki for August's World Championships. And he can already begin thinking of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the possibility of a title defense.

With all that traveling though, Gatlin still gets a huge charge out of putting his speed and talent on display before a home audience So it was at the 111 th running of the famed Penn Relays, which wrapped up a brilliant three-day celebration of track and field with the Saturday (April 30) session, featuring the six USA vs. The World relay clashes , three each for men and women.

The Americans nearly pulled a six-for-six sweep in the drizzly conditions, but simply couldn't hold off a detennined Jamaica team in the concluding men's 4x400 . A former Miami star, Davian Clarke powered Jamaica to a 3 :02.63 victory over USA Blue , after the USA Red team went out of it when Tyree Washington's feet tangled with another runner's and he fell to the Franklin Field track.

Before that, in women's baton-passing tests , Monique Hennagan anchored USA to a 4x400 victory (3:22.93) , Hazel Clark clinched a sprint medley win (3:37.42), and LaTasha Colander wrapped up /'\ a 4x 100 title (42.68).

Khadevis Robinson had anchored America's men to a 3 : I 2.10 sprint medley triumph

As it turned out though, in the men's 4xl00 the Americans' strongest competition came from their countrymen. Mardy Scales, Jason Smoots , Darvis Patton, and J.J. Johnson, of the USA Blue , blazed around the track in a swift 38.60 seconds, but couldn't hold the USA Red foursome of Miller, Leonard Scott, Crawford, and Gatlin . Before 44,612 witnesses (America's largest track and field crowd of the year) , the race went down to the wire with Gatlin rallying to beat Johnson by all of 2/1 00ths of a second.

The 38.58-second victory complete, Gatlin spoke of his delight in winning a race at a location that required no passport . " The crowd (a large contingent of it cheering for Jamaica) was hooting and hollering before the girls (Colander & Co., in the women's 4x400, held minutes earlier) even got into the (starting) blocks," said Gatlin. " It really motivated me "

" They told me I was between five and seven meters behind (Johnson)," said Gatlin. "Somebody like J.J. (Johnson) and nis stride pattern , if you saw what he did in 2003 (anchoring the USA to a come-from-behind win at the World Championships in Paris) , I knew I had my work cut out for me."

"But I had confidence in my team and confidence in myself. I was just proud to win I think I got the tone set and a piece of confidence in my pocket. I'm proud to be an American."

The 6-foot- l , 168-pound speedster turned 23 on February 10th

A relative youngster, he still finds it hard at times to believe he's living in life' s fastest lane

The youngsters keep him going .

There's the corps of eager- eyed sprint talent constantly emerging from the nation's high schools and colleg es, that will be sure to keep him on his toes

And there are other youngster s who simply want to test his s peed

" They want to race all the time ," he said at the Penn Relays . " That's good , though They ' re hungry Their imagination and strong inspiration is what they need."

Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana

Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana has agreed to serve as the Honorary Chairman of the U S. Olympians-Indiana Chapter as announced by current President, Ollan Cassell. Thi s is a tremendous honor for the Governor a ccording to his Deputy Chief of Staff, E llen Whitt.

The 50th Anniversary of the 1956 Melbourne Games

The 50th Anniversary of the 1956 Melbourn e Games will be observed in Melbourne , Australia on November 18-22 , 2006. The Australian Olympic Committee has asked the Victorian Olympic Council to organize the anniversary - the City of Melbourne is the capital of Victoria , Australia. A draft program has been put together including a re-enactment of the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic stadium on Sunday, November 19 , 2006 An official Ol ympians Club dinner is a major event of the anniversary. A number of functions and activities are planned involving th e v arious sports , tourist opportunities , receptions , and where possible , gatherings with ethnic communities. The U.S. Olympians Association will b e sending the full program to you.

U.S. OLYMPIAN CHAPTERS

D id y ou !mow that th e U S. Olympians h ave regi,ona l chapters thro ug hout th e co un try ? Look/or up dates on chapter happenings in fatu re iss ues of Th e Oly mpian! Ifyo u would like to fin d out wha t is happ ening in yo ur area, co nta ct:

Pre s ident: G e ne Kotlare k (skiin g , 19 60, '6 4) (303)-807-3911

Florid a Ol y mpian s Presid e nt: Jim Milln s (figu re s kati ng, 19 76) (813) 979-5608

Geo rgia Ol ym pi a ns

Presid e nt: T BD

Hawa ii Oly mpian s

Pre sid e nt: R ic hard " Sonny" Tanabe (sw imm ing, 1956) (808) 735-1088

Indi a na Ol ym pian s

Pres id e nt: Ollan Cass ell (a thletics, 1964) (317) 466-0444

Mid wes t O ly mpi a ns

President: Willye White (a thl etics, 1956, '60, '64 , '68 , '72) (773) 651-8267

N ati o na l Ca pita l A rea Oly mpi ans

Pre sident: Arlen e Limas (ta ekw ondo, 1992, '96) (540) 720-1988

N ew Engl an d Area Ol y mpian s

Pres ide nt: TBD

North e rn Ca liforni a Ol y mpi ans

Presid e nt: Anne Wa rner C ribb s (swimmin g , 1960) (650) 856 -3200

Ore go n Ol y mpi a ns

Presid e nt: C lem E ischen (a thletics, 1948) (503) 492-2232

South e rn Ca liforni a Ol y mpi a ns

Presid e nt: Ca thy Marin o Bradford (ca n oe/k ay ak, 198 8, '92) (714) 847 -5596

South west O ly mpi a ns

Pres id e nt: Sa mm y Walk e r (w eig htlifti ng , 197 6) (469) 964 -882 4

Tri-Sta tes O ly mp ia n s

Pres id e nt: O ti s D av i s (a thl e tics, 1960) (201) 392-8448

Ut ah O ly mpi a ns

Pre s ident: He nry Marsh (a thle ti cs , 1976, '8 0, '84, '88) (801) 560-8698

Was hin g to n St a te O lympi ans

Pres id ent: Jo hn Stillin gs (ro wi ng, 1984) (206) 440-0708

N o c ha pt er in yo u r a rea? In ter es ted in sta rtin g a c hapt er? Co ntact th e U S

O ly mpian s Ass oc ia tion o ffi ce fo r d et ail s at ( 800 ) 71 7 -755 5.

ALUMNI NEWS

I N MEMORY

Charles "Chuck" Bittick (waterpolo, 1960), one of the University of Southern California's greatest two-sport aquatic athletes died on Thursday, April 28, 2005 in Yorba Linda, Calif., of cancer. He was 65. This past October, Bittick was selected into the 2005 class of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame The induction dinner for his class was May 7 and he was honored posthumously. Bittick was highly decorated in both swimming and water polo. A three-time (I 959-61) All-American in swimming at USC, he won four NCAA individual titles (the 100 and 200 yard backstroke both in 1960 and equaled that with American record times in 1961). He helped the Trojans win the 1960 NCAA championship and then captained the 1961 squad which placed second. He was the silver medalist in the 100 backstroke at the 1959 and 1963 Pan American Games . He also was a past president and member of the board of directors of the U S. Olympians Southern California Organization, where he helped establish the Koroibos Foundation. He is survived by his wife , Barbara , sons Jason and Matthew, and daughter Paige, as well as three brothers , a sister, and four grandchildren.

Charles Mays (athletics , 1968) a former state assemblyman and track and field star, died on April 11, 2005 , at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, N.J. following a sudden illness. He was 64 Mays was a familiar figure in Jersey City thanks to his athletic accomplishments - first as a high school track star, then as a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team A standout sprinter and jumper, he set world records (since broken) in the long jump and 300-meter dash.

Bob Moch (rowing , 1936) , coxswain of the University of Washington eight-oared crew that defeated Italy and Germany to win the gold in front of Adolph Hitler at the 1936 Olympic Games , died on January 11, 2005. Moch , a retired lawyer, had a stroke on January 7 at his home and died shortly thereafter at a care facility on the Sammamish Plateau, according to his wife LaVerne. Moch and his crew were in Lane 6, the lane with the choppiest water and farthest from the starter, for the climactic race on Lake Grunau in Berlin. The team didn't hear the start and was in last place with less that half of the 2 ,000 meter race remaining. But Moch rallied his teammates and the crew passed Germany in the last 10 strokes to win by 0 .6 seconds over second place Italy. "This was a major thing in his life. Everybody wanted to know about it and talk to him about it ," La Verne Moch said.

Henry A. Proctor (rowing, 1952) passed away on April 13, 2005 in Phoenix , Ariz. Henry had been fighting Parkinson's disease for some time , but ultimately had a severe reaction to an antibiotic that triggered other complications. He is survived by his wife Muriel, daughter Kimberly, and sons Ken, Kevin and Kurt, as well as eight grandchildren

Sperry Jones Rademaker (canoe / kayak, 1968, ' 72) passed away on January 31, 2005 at the age of 65 after a long, brave fight with cancer. Born in Oklahoma in 1939, Sperry attended Wellesley College for two years before transferring to the University of Michigan where she swam competitively for the Ann Arbor Swim Team Along the way, Sperry took up Olympic kayaking. She and her sister, Marcia, placed seventh in the K-2 women's 500m in Mexico City in 1968. She was also a member of the 1972 Olympic Team in Munich and an assistant kayak coach in 1980 . Sperry competed in numerous activities and helped found the Citrus Road Runners Club. Before her death she was awarded it's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Arthur Tokle (skiing , 1960) a Norwegian-born ski jumper who competed in the Olympics for the United States and coached ski jumpers for decades, died on March 3, 2005 . Tokle carried the flag for the U . S. team at the 1958 World Championships in Finland and competed in the 1960 Olympics Games at Squaw Valley, Calif. He served as an Olympic coach in 1964 and 1968 and as a technical director at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid He is survived by his wife of 56 years , Oddfrid

Left to right : CHARLES "CHUCK " BITTICK, CHARLES MAYS AND SPERRY JONES RADEMAKER

ALUMNI NEWS

Yvonne Sherman Tutt (figure skating, 1948), the 1949 World Figure Skating Championships silver medalist, three-time U.S. Champion (once in pairs), 1948 U.S. Olympic Team member, and U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame member, died on February 2, 2005, at the Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs , Colo. She was 74. After her competitive career, Tutt became a U.S. and world judge. She was active on many U .S. Figure Skating committees and was instrumental in many of the U.S . Figure Skating competitions held at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Gertrude Stelling Wilhelmsen (athletics, 1936) passed away peacefully on March 19 , 2005, in Puyallup, Wash. surrounded by her family Gertrude's competitive spirit led her to many athletic triumphs starting in grade school and ending with golfing and Senior Olympic competitions. Jean practiced the javelin, discus, and shot put in the cow pasture with her husband, Andrew, and later was asked to practice with the boys' high school track team In 1936 she qualified for a berth on the U S Track & Field team in Providence , R.I., with qualifying throws in discus and javelin. In Berlin , Germany, she was the top American finisher, placing seventh in discus and ninth in javelin.

IN HONOR

Olympic, World, and World Cup champions Picabo Street (skiing, 1994 , '98, ' 02) and Donna Weinbrecht (skiing, 1992, '94, '9 8) were inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, Mich. the birthplace of organized skiing in America 100 years ago this season. "I' m really in awe ," said Weinbrecht. "This wasn ' t an honor I really thought about during my career. This is really cool. " "When you 're competing, your goals are focused on Olympic medals ," said Street. "What's especially meaningful about this honor is that it's not something you can focus on or even try to achieve . To be honored by my peers in my sport is truly humbling."

Matt Gribble (swimming , 1980 , '8 4), who passed away on March 21, 2004, in Miami , Fla in a car accident at the age of 41 , had a street named after him The celebration of his life took place in Miami on June 2, 2005.

Jason Read (rowing , 2004) marched in the Inaugural Parade in Washington , D .C. A member of the U.S. men 's eight squad that stood atop the podium in Athens, Greece, Read is one of 32 firefighters from across the United States invited by the Lincoln Highway Memorial Association to participate in the festivities that surrounded the second inauguration of President George W. Bush. Read , who is Chief of the Amwell Valley Rescue Squad, wore his Olympic gold medal as he marched alongside a classic fire truck on the parade route. " As an Olympic champion and young rescue and EMS chief, it is with great honor that I accepted this invitation to march in the Inaugural Parade ," Read said . "It's wonderful to see th at 2,000 years on .. . the Olympic spirit is alive and well. Over the past three years I've witnessed the ugliest side of the human exis te nce while working at Ground Zero. Now, as an Olympian, I have the privilege of living the absolute best part of the human experience : winning a gold medal for my country, setting a world record , and competing in the historical city of Athens where democracy and the Olympics began . Not only was it very exciting to represent the fire and rescue services of our country in front of the First Family, but to also represent our Olympic team at an event that celebrates liberty and democracy. This grand Olympic odyssey continues."

Bob Ctvrtlik (volleyball, 1988, '92, '96) was recently inducted into The Long Beach Century Club's Hall of Fame The club 's honorees usually fall into a single category, such as coach , the sport they starred in , or some other athletic role in which they served in the community Defining Ctvrtlik's category and worthiness may be as difficult as correctly spelling his name. The former Wilson High standout could be honored for his athletic career, which saw him lead Long Beach City College's men's volleyball team to a state title, Pepperdin e to the 1985 NCAA title, and make three Olympic teams including the 1988 gold medal-winning squad.

Left to right : PICABO STREET, MATT GRIBBLE , HIGHWAY NAMED FOR MATT GRIBBLE AND BOB CTVRTLIK

ALUMNI NEWS

Century Club officials could even ignore his volleyball career and recognize him as a high profile Olympic athlete serving as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) , in areas as diverse as anti -doping and international marketing . Maybe they should just ca ll him the busiest Century C lub Hall of Farner ever

Annett Salmeen (swimming , 1996) , who captured a gold medal in the 800m freestyle re lay as a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team, has been selected to serve on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Board of Directors Salmeen graduated with honors from UCLA in 1997 and complet e d her Doctorate of Philosophy degree in biochemistry as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in 2001. She is currently conducting post-doctoral research in molecular pharmacology at Stanford University Medical School.

Diane Simpson-Bundy (gymnastics, 1988) was inducted into the Evanston Township High School Hall of Fame in Evanston, Ill. on March 23, 2005. Although she failed to receive a varsity letter in high school , her four trips to the World Championships , two golds , two si lv ers, and a bronze in the Pan American Games and a spot on the Olympic Team in Seoul met the criteria to have demonstrated outstanding athletic achievement during her high school years and after graduation. Her induction comes on the heels of last year's induction into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame , Class of 2004. Simpson is a media services specialist at the College of American Pathologists who volunteered last year as Illinois press director for U.S . Senator and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry .

Tommy Kono (weightlifting, 1952, '56, ' 60) was honored in Istanbul, Turkey during the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Quadrennial Congress as it celebrated its I 00th Anniversary. Tommy was the guest of honor and had the privilege of carrying the Olympic Flag onto the stage during the Opening Ceremony. During the Centennial Celebration , Tommy was called on stage to receive a large framed award that reads "Best Weightlifter of 100 Years " It was quite an honor and totally unexpected.

Shirley Babashoff (swimming , 1972 , ' 76) received the Olympic Order during the Inaugural Olympic Assembly luncheon on April 30 , 2005. Int ernational Olympic Committee members Bob Ctvrtlik, Anita DeFrantz, and Jim Easton presented the award. The IOC ~stablished the Olympic Order in 1974 to honor individuals who have illustrated the Olympic Ideals through their actions , have achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world, or have rendered outstanding services to the Olympic cause , either through their own personal achievements or their contributions to the development of sport.

Carly Paterson (gymnastics , 2004), Erin Popovich (Paralympic swimmer, 2000 , '04), and Lisa Fernandez (softball, 1996 , '00 , '04), representing the U S Olympic Softball Team were at the Olympic Assemb ly luncheon to receive their 2004 Sports Woman, Paralympian , and Team of the Year Awards respectively Michael Phelps (swimming, 2004) was honored as the 2004 SportsMan of the Year.

Kathy Gleason (gymnastics, 1968) w as honored on May 6, 2005, in Kenmore , N.Y. as part of the class of2004 and will be pictured in the "Alumni Hall" on the wall of The Lafayette Alumni Sports Wall of Fame. The wa ll honors over 100 years of sports at Lafayette High School.

Left to right : JASON READ , ERIN POPOVICH , LISA FERNANDEZ AND MICHAEL PHELPS

IN THE NEWS

The USAF Academy held their annual symposium on their campus as part of their National Character and Leadership Symposium themed " Leading Positive Change-Raising the Standard of Excellence", and the following Olympians took part: Matt Hemingway (athletics, 2004) , Bob Foth (shooting, 1988, '92, '96) , Kathy Rex (team handball, 1988) , and 2000 Paralympian , John Register. These distinguished speakers addressed the many critical issues associated with the theme . The symposium emphasizes character and leadership from both a military and non-military perspective.

Dave Chauner (cycling, 1968, '72) says an Albuquerque , N M. velodrome could bring the cycling world's best to the city. Mayor Martin Chavez announced that the city has hired Chauner, Olympic cyclist and president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Threshold Sports LLC, to help come up with a business and marketing pian for its proposed bicycle park and racing facility. "Lance Armstrong (cycling , 1992 , ' 96, ' 00) wants to go for the world hour record- that's where a cyclist sees how far he can go in one hour," Chauncer said. "He wants to do that in a world class velodrome in a high altitude location in the United States. If the city's plan for this facility develops the way we think it can, this site would be perfect for that. We think we can convince him to come."

Ben Peterson (wrestling, 1972, '76 , '80) gave a talk to wrestlers on Building a Community of Excellence and followed it up with an open-to-the-public speech in Shawano, Wis. in February The two time Olympic medalist and Wisconsin native was visiting and used his time well. "I told stories motivating them to not just get by but work for excellence , work for a higher level (and to) not be content with where they're at. And I'm going to show them techniques that I think will bring them to another level. They must learn these things to be able to do that." Another example of Olympians "giving back ."

Billy Mills (athletics, 1964), a Lakota Indian and Olympic gold medalist, shared his "little secret" with a gathering of about 80 American Indian youth during a weeklong 2004 "Healing Our Nations Through Our Youth" conference , held at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. " Our youth need to know how their culture affects who they are and how they interact with their world. An understanding of their Maine culture will help them make better choices and raise their self-esteem ," Mills said He explained that though some young people feel the cultural values of bravery, generosity, and wisdom are old and outdated, following them nonetheless will help youths keep their own sense of identity.

Carly Patterson (gymnastics, 2004) and the American Dental Association Team Up to " Give Kids A Smile." Carly shared her birthday with several hundred children in New York City at an event to raise awareness about the importance of access to dental care for underserved children. Carly is serving as the American Dental Association's (ADA) Youth Ambassador for the third annual Give Kids A Smile/National Children's Dental Access Day The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more that 149 ,000 members.

Diane French (volleyball, 1980) has been named as the Technical Coordinator for the USA Women's National Volleyball Team and will work with first-year head coach "Jenny" Lang Ping. Formerly Diane McCormick , French played for Team USA for five years, from 1979-80. She was a member of the 1980 USA Women's Olympic Volleyball Team that was not allowed to compete at the Moscow Summer Games due to the American boycott . French and her husband Rick , a teacher in Widefield, Colorado School District 3, have 21-year-old twin daughters, Mary and Sarah. Mary is a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Sarah attends the University of Notre Dame.

Left to right : TOMMY KONO , SHIRLEY BABASHOFF, DAVID CHAUNER, DIANE MCCORMICK AND BILLY MILLS

ALUMNI NEWS

Producers Carl Borack (fencing, 1972) and Dale Rosenbloom are pleased to announce that "SAVING SHILOH", the third novel of the "S hiloh Trilogy" by Phy111is Reynolds Naylor, will begin principal photography in July 2005 . "S HILOH" AND "SHILOH SEASON ", the trilogy 's first two books which were made into movies and distributed by Warner Home Video , have sold 3.2 millio videos/DVDs worldwide thus far . The Newbery Medal Winner, SHILOH , and the award winning subsequent novels continue to enjoy success and continued readership , particularly in classrooms across the U.S. Book sales for the "S hiloh Trilogy" have exceeded seven million copies. The " SHILOH" books and movies have gained the enviable "Evergreen" status and the film "SHILOH" has been dubbed an "A merican Family Classic ." Respected film critic Roger Ebert wrote in his Movie Year Book , "What's unique about both films is that they're about hard ethical issues that kids can identify with." Warner Bros will once aga in handle worldwide video distribution and has renewed it's distribution pacts on the first two films .

BIRTHS

Linda French (badminton, 1992 , ' 96) announced the birth of her son , William French , born on April 21 , 2005. The little guy weighed 7 lbs , 12.7 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Jason Hedstrand (speedskating , 2002) and his wife Kris , are pleased to announce the birth of their first child, Henry Warren Hedstrand. Born on April 11, 2005, weighing 7 lbs, 2 ounces. Jason and Kris were married on September 27 , 2003 and now live in St. Paul, Minn.

OLYMPIC ALUMNI NEWS

I have some news to share with or announce to my fellow Olympian Alumni:

Please fax or email your latest achievement, promotion, significant life event, marriage , birth, etc. to the U.S. Olympians Association c / o Cynthia E Stinger, Manager fax: 719-866-4 728 or email: cindy stinger@usoc.org

Left to right: MATT HEMINGWAY, CARLY PATTERSON, WILLIAM FRENCH AND KRIS & JASON HEDSTRAND WITH THEIR SON, HENRY WARREN

UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

1 OLYMPIC PLAZA

COLORADO SPRINGS , COLORADO 80909-5760

UNITED STATES OLYMPIC

U . S. OLYMPIANS OFFICERS

COMMITTEE BOARD OF 2005-2008 DIRECTORS

USOC CHAIRMAN

Peter Ueberroth

Bob Ctvrtlik

Erroll Davis

PRESIDENT

Willie Banks (athletics, 1980 , '84, '88)

VICE PRESIDENTS

Anne Warner Cribbs (swimming, 1960)

Connie Paraskevin-Young (speedskating, Anita DeFrantz 1980, ' 84 / cycling, 1988 , '92, '96)

Jim Easton

Jair Lynch

Mary McCagg

Jim McCarthy

Mike Plant

Dr Harold Shapiro

Carol Lewis (athletics, 1980, '84, '88)

Dick Fosbury (athletics, 1968)

Micki King (diving, 1968, '72)

Gary W. Hall Sr. (swimming, 1968, ' 72 ,

Stephanie Streeter '76)

HONORARY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL STAFF

SENIOR EDITOR

Cynthia E. Stinger (team handball, 1984, '88 , '92)

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Michael Wilson

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Denise O'Shea - O ' Shea Design

USOC CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Dorothy Franey Langkop (speedskating, OFFICER 1932)

Jim Scherr

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

John Naber (swimming , 1976)

PAST PRESIDENT

Bill Toomey (athletics, 1968)