Spring 2008 | The Olympian

January/ February 2008

A LETTER FROM WILLIE BANKS

U.S. Olympians President

At the recent annual convention of the U.S. Track and Field Association I had the honor of representing one of my heroes, Elvin "Ducky" Drake at his induction into the Track & Field Hall of Fame. Ducky was a legend at UCLA , my alma mater. Ducky was a student-athlete, coach and administrator at the school. The induction ceremony gave me the chance to pause and think about the many l essons that Ducky taught me during my blossoming triple jump career at UCLA. One day Ducky approached me in the training room and dropped one of the many "pearls of wisdom" that from time to time he liked to share with his young athletes. Ducky said with a broad smile on his face. "You know, it is not enough to get coaching and win , it is not enough to be taught and get rich, it is not enough to receive and not give back. You must le ave something behind " I was young and naive so I filed the statement away in my mind as food for my future because I certainly couldn't comprehend it's full meaning at that moment.

Over the years Ducky's words have encouraged me to give back. I was coached by wonderfully giv ing men and I had great success. Accordingly, I now coach young triple jumpers to be the best they can be. Similarly, I have been taught many lessons by numerous teachers and now I mentor others at least twice a month in the local middle school. Thus , it should not come as a surprise that I am a great believer in the idea that the true Olympian must give back through public service and charity. During the winter it is a great time to evaluate our contribution to Olympism. It is important to determine whether you are giving back to those who have not had the honor and accomplishment • of making an Olympic team.

There are many avenues of such giving being offered to us through the U.S. Olympians. Also there are opportunities at the Chapter level and through our sport federations. Many of us have a private foundation or non-profit that we personally support. Recently, the U.S. Olympians have developed a relationship with an organization that may help us to l everage our support for these organizations through the Athletes for Hope Foundation. If you have not received the earlier email regarding thi s group you might want to visit their website at www.ath l etesforhope.com to find out what they can do for you .

Part of giving is taking a stand for something larger than yourself. Recently, I was informed of an effort by several athletes to support the efforts of the UN to call for a truce during the Olympic Games in 2008. I know that for every Olympic Games there is a call for a truce during the Games t~ replicate the story of the Greeks who stopped all battles during the original Olympic Games. If every one of us decided to make the truce a priority it would have a huge effect throughout the world. We are a powerful force that can move mountains. There is an Olympian in every corner of our society and I am convinced that if we all decided to work for this truce it would happen.

continued on page 7

As a regular feature in The Olympian newsletter through the 9.:..4~• 2008 Olympic Games, we will conduct interviews with Olympians who are hopefuls for 2008, coaching or supporting athletes.

DI

1980 VOLLEYBALL OLYMPIAN ANE FRENCH, TECHNICAL COORDINATOR, WOMEN'S OLYMPIC TEAM

As a member of the 1980 Olympic Women's Volleyball team you just recently leanzed that you and your 1980 teammates have been honored with the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement. What was your reaction to this news? When I looked at th e list of othe r recipients, I felt lik e we had bee n given a place in hi story and that o ur co untry truly recogni ze d the sacrifices th at all the athletes on the 1980 team made. It was a s urpris e to hear about it after so much tim e had gone by, but maybe we can apprec iate the honor even mor e at thi s point in our li ves than we could have in 1980 when th e di sappointme nt of the boycott decision was so fre sh.

Your current position is Technical Coordinator of the U.S. Women's National Team. Can you explain your role in that position?

T he " tec hnic al" part involv e.s sco uting other tea m s and breaking down video, using a software program de veloped specifi cally for volleyball. When we are at a tournamen t , I spe nd most of the day at the are na scouting and most of th e ni ght prepari ng th e video and sta ts for th e coac hes and for tea m m eetings. When we're training at th e OTC , I still do so me vi deo wo rk to prepare us fo r the team s th a t we' ll mee t in upco min g co mpetition s. But wh en we are he re , my role is more li ke a team manager - wh ich involve s a lit tl e bit of everythi n g and anything required to support th e team.

At the recent FIVB World Cup the team secured a spot to compete at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. How important was depth in securing the spot?

The World Cup is a gru elin g eve nt. Twelve of th e top teams in the wo rld are there and yo u mu st play every -

one in a ro und-robin format over 15 days in four different c ities. T he re was one "off ' day before the final round - ot he r th a n th at, we were trave lin g or competing every d ay. Our tra vel da y was al so o ur o ne opp o rtunity to train in th e com pe tition ve nu e at the nex t s ite , so we al ways had training once we arrived. No re st for the weary! Th at said, dep th was crit ica l and we played everyo ne on our roster. We h ad some minor injuri es during the eve nt that k ept variou s p laye rs si delin ed at different times. And it is hard for even the best players to be "on their game" every day in a tournament li ke thi s. So our bench saw a lot of action and really came throu g h for us. We we nt int o the final round with an und efea ted record were able to co ntrol our own des tin y, nee din g just one more wi n to qualify for Beijing

What is it like working with Head Coach "Jenny" Lang Ping? She will be retunzing to her hometown of Beijing where she has competed on the ultimate stage as a player and coach.

Jen n y h as won an Olympic Gold M edal in 1984 player, led the C hin ese team to th e Sil ver in.Atlan,~ an d coac hed some of the be st pl ayers in t he world in the profess io nal leag ues in Italy She is revered in C hin a a nd her return to Be ijing with the USA Team will be on e of the bi g local stori es.I thin k o ur tea m wi ll receive a lot of s upport from th e C hin ese fansexcept, perhaps, wh en we me et th e home team. I lo ve workin g with Jenny and I think she has great in stincts a bout the ga me and how to prepare a team.

With the Games looming, what will be the team's primary focus in their preparation?

We ' re in our off-season now, which gives us so me tim e to foc us o n our yo unger pla yers whil e o ur ve terans are pl aying in league s oversea s. We ' ve invited a ve ry tal e nted gro up of players to train at the OTC th is winter. With th e m we wi ll focus on individual technique and learni n g the national team system. Our veteran s will start returning in April and May. S in ce the le ve l of training th e y receive oversea s varies, we will spe nd so me time on conditioning to tr y to br in g everyone up to t he sa me leve l and es tabli sh a goo d base before we start travelin g. We never s top working o n ball-control tec hniqu e, but as we approach the Ol ympic s we' ll foc us more on te a mwork and preparation for the specific opp onent s that will be in Beii.

Twenty-seven years after Congress authorized President Jimmy Carter to present a congressional medal to the 461 athletes of the 1980 United States Olympic Team, the medal has now been confirmed as being the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by Congress. Until this recent designation, the medals awarded to the 1980 Olympic Team have been denied full recognition due to a technicality in production

Earlier this year, members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team began working with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) , the United States Olympians Alumni Association and Representative Todd Tiahrt (Kansas) to properly designate the medal as a 5re ssional Gold Medal. The Congressional kecord from 1980 clearly indicated that the intent of Congress was to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Olympians, partly to record the historical sacrifice the Olympians made to preserve freedom as well as to record the patriotic role of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team in the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

Representative Norman Shumway stated on June 30, 1980, "The 1980 Summer Olympics will best be remembered, not only by who competed, but rather by who did not. The Congressional Gold Medal will serve to remind us and future generations as well, that we as a nation will never forsake our principles of freedom - not even for the cherished Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals."

In September, Representative Tiahrt and USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr sent letters to Lorraine Miller, Clerk of the House of Representatives, requesting the medal authorized by the 96th Congress

and presented to the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympic Team by President Carter to be officially listed as a Congressional Gold Medal. The Clerk's office has since designated the medal as a Congressional Gold Medal and added the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympic Team to the official list of Congressional Gold Medal recipients.

In March 1980 , President Carter announced that the United States would boycott the Olympic Games in Moscow as a protest to th e Soviet Union's military aggression in Afghanistan. Congress overwhelmingly supported the boycott by the Carter administration and, following the decision to boycott the Olympic Games, enacted Public Law 96-306 authorizing President Carter to present a gold-plated medal to the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympic Team on behalf of Congress.

The U.S. Mint produced 650 medals to be awarded to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team , but because of the considerable cost of producing so many medals, financial constraints dictated that they be gold-plated rather than solid gold. As a result, because of this technical difference, the official listing of Gold Medal recipients maintained by the Clerk of the House of Representatives did not carry the ones awarded to the 1980 Team even though Congress intended that they be fully-recognized Congressional Gold Medals Now with the recent designation, the medals awarded to the 1980 Team hold the same standing as the ones that have been awarded during the last 231 years to such luminaries as George Washington, who was so honored on March 25 , 1776.

By ELLIOTT DENMAN (athletics, 1956)

"Ray Lumpp is irreplaceable," declares Cedric Jones. Nevertheless, Jones, the former Duke University football and NFL star who has stepped into the job Lumpp has held for the past 48 years - athletic director at the venerable New York Athletic Club - will give it his very best try.

A gathering of over 700 turned out the night of October 23, 2007 to salute Lumpp, the former New York University basketball great, 1948 USA Olympic basketball team gold medal winner, and NBA star, on his celebrated tenure as AD of the NYAC. "It was a wonderful event , a tremendous event," said Lumpp.

Among the happenings that night: New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg presented Lumpp with a "lifetime achievement award.". The U.S. Olympic Committee's, Cindy Stinger, Manager, U.S. Olympians Association, gave Lumpp a handsome plaque citing his role in the Olympic Movement dating back to his gold medal year of 1948. And club members presented Lumpp a handsome Rolex watch. Of course, the watch wasn't really needed.

Name an Olympic cause, name an Olympic-related event going on anywhere in the New York metropolitan area , and Ray Lumpp was always sure to be there .. .. right on time.

When the U.S. Olympic Invitational Track and Field Meet, which later became the Vitlais Invitational Meet, needed a meet director, there was Ray Lumpp to handle the meet director's reins. Sure, his primary sport had been basketball in his younger days, but he turned the meet into a major success, first at Madison Square Garden , then at the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey, , before the economics of major-meet, large-arena track and field took their toll and spelled its finish line. Still, the meet carved some enduring niches in the record book. The 3:49 78 mile by NYAC's own Eamonn Coghlan in 1983 remains the American indoor record and was the fastest mile run in North America - indoors or outdoors - for

over 24 years. The 4:17.14 mile by Romania 's Doina Melinte at the 1990 Vitalis Invitational Meet remains the women's world indoor rec01~ "We certainly had our moments ," said Lumpp And they're still continuing for Lumpp, whose new title is athletic director emeritus. NYACsponsored teams continue to compete at the highest level in many of the Olympic sports and these squads have included such truly notables as the late Al Oerter, four-time Olympic discus champion; Bruce Baumgartner, considered by many the nation's greatest Olympic wrestler, and Coghlan, the superb miler and past World Champion who ruled indoor track for years as the sport's famed "chai1man of the boards." At age 41, Coghlan had the great distinction of being the first Masters runner - age 40 or more - to break four minutes for the mile. Under Lumpp's direction, too, the Winged Foot Award has become one of the most coveted prizes in college basketball. Presented each May, it honors the coaches of the preceding month's NCAA Division I championship teams. The 2007 ceremony, the 11th Winged Foot Award event, honored the University of Florida's Billy Donovan - like Lumpp a New Yorker and fofl,i New York Knickerbocker - and the University v, Tennessee's Pat Summitt. Another major event held annually at the NYAC's classic 21-story headquarters building at Central Park South at Seventh Avenue, is the James E. Sullivan Award presentation , at which the Amateur Athletic Union honors the nation's outstanding Olympic sports athlete. The club's Hall of Fame honors the NYAC's Olympians , who have collected over 200 Olympic medals, 120 of them gold, since the first Modem Games at Athens in 1896. Also on prominent display is the Jesse Owens International Trophy , which has honored the world's leading Olympic sports athlete each year since its founding. The Tri-States Chapter of the U.S. Olympians Association holds its quarterly meetings at the NYAC building and Tri-States president Otis Davis , himself a two-time gold medalist at the 1960 Games, and a Track and Field Hall of Farner, is grateful for the NYAC's hospitality But perhaps Lumpp's greatest pride has come in squiring NYAC's progress into "the modem era." More important than the updates

the NYAC building , with the addition of state-of-the-art f ,,,.......__ties for many sports, and the many notable events the c,_ _ annually hosts, has been the updates to the club's own membership list to include a far greater ethnic diversity Now, the club far more accurately reflects the membership of the greater Olympic community, as well as the New York community itself.

Four decades ago, the club's allegedly discriminatory membership policies spurred boycott demonstrations against the

traditional NYAC indoor track meet at Madison Square Garden, prompting the meet's demise

The selection of Cedric Jones, who happens to be AfricanAmerican, now emphasizes the distance the club has traveled since that unhappy era.

array of champions in virtually all the Olympic spo1ts , the club, whose history dates back to 1868, is well positioned to face the future.

Jones's background makes him well qualified for the job. F served as senior director of the NFL Youth Football Department which managed all of the league's youth football-related activities and worked to build national awareness for youth football. He directed such key, growing activities as the NFL's Punt Pass & Kick, Junior Player Development, High School Player Development programs, and coordi-

OLYMPIC GAMES

"It was an awful time , " remembers Lumpp. "Sometimes it seemed we were tearing the city "Lumpp's own backgi vund in "diversity training" goes back many years, all the way to his New York Knick days, and the histmic arrival of "Sweetwater" Clifton as the franchise's first AfricanAmerican player. As the stories go, Clifton - nicknamed for his fondness for soda pop - joined the Knicks at a time the nation was still working to overcome its segregationist past. Lumpp made sure that Clifton was fully embraced by the other Knicks."Sweets was one ofus," Lumpp said, years ago. "My wife (the late Annie Lumpp) and I socialized with him and his wife, and my kids used to call him Sweet-wawa." For obvious reasons, Jones knows he has big shoes to fill. "Ray is an institution in New York," he told an interviewer "I think everyone in New York knows him. "He's a tremendous guy, a fabulous guy. "Personally, I think the NYAC is the best club in the entire world." With over 8,500 members -a roster including many of the city's business, financial and ~s leaders, and others based much further afield, plus an

nated youth football initiatives with NFL clubs and players. His department worked closely with the NFL Players Association and the USA Football organization. He also was the NFL's senior manager of club marketing, director of club marketing, and senior director of consumer product marketing/on-field operations and the NFL Coaches Club.

Jones graduated from Duke as the Atlantic Coast Conference's career leading scorer in receiving. He was a Blue Devils' team co-captain, team MVP, a first-time AllACC selection and a second-team All-America choice his senior year. at Duke. He played in the 1982 Senior Bowl and in 2004 was inducted into the Duke Sports Hall of Fame. A third-round NFL draft pick by the New England Patriots in 1982, he played nine seasons and 120 games in the pros, recording 191 receptions for 2,703 yards (14.2 yards per catch) and 16 TD's. He played in Super Bowl XX (the Pats' 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears.) His career also included memberships on the Duke Alumni Board of Directors, USA Football's Board of Directors, the National Advisory Board of Parents' Choice, and the Boy Scouts of America's Northeast Region Board of Directors.

Bottom line: The NYAC's gain is obviously the NFL 's big loss.

CHICAGO 2016 STIR THE SOUL .

WWW CHICAGO2016.ORG

Happy New Year!

The Chicago 2016 bid effort launches into 2008 with delivery of its nearly 50-page questionnaire to the International Olympic Committee this month. The questionnaire explains: "Why Chicago?" Discussed in the document are proposed venues, Olympic legacy ideas and cunent initiatives such as the "living legacy" of World Sport Chicago , and ways to address concerns such as transportation and predicted costs.

Also scheduled for January, more than 100 executive directors, international relations experts and technical advisors from the national governing bodies and U.S. Paralympics will visit the Windy City to attend a two-day Chicago 2016 bid seminar.

World Sport Chicago continues its living legacy sport initiatives by hosting the second annual Chicago Cup Wrestling Tournament in 2008.

World Sport Chicago is fresh off its hugely successful hosting of the AIBA World Boxing Championships with more than 600 boxers from more than 120 countries and the launch of the free, instructional program "Gloves Not Guns" program supported in cooperation with USA Boxing, the Police Athletic League and the Chicago Park District.

World Sport Chicago, with its mission to enhance the image, awareness and participation in Olympic, Paralympic and amateur sports through competitions, clinics, exhibitions, seminars and exchange programs, partnered with World League Volleyball to sponsor the USA v. Italy volleyball

tournament in the summer of 2006, hosted the FIBA International Congress, and supported a judo and wrestling exchange with athletes from Slovakia this past December. Other 2007 WSC events sponsored with support from other groups included: The Paul Wacker International water polo tournament , Chicago Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament, and the USA Weightlifting National Championship.

Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls attended parades, visited schools, gave speeches at various events , and conducted community outreach to promote Olympic spirit and the bid effort throughout the year. Fourteen Olympians, tw Paralympians and an Olympic hopeful visited 1 q Chicago Public Schools to attend Mayor Richard M. Daley's Chicago Principal for a Day program. This included seven athletes who came to town and returned to their alma maters. All have agreed to return during Olympic Week in America next May.

In addition, Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls participated again this year in support of youth and the Chicago 2016 bid effort at Mayor Daley's Holiday Sports Festival, which reaches more than 85,000 people over the course of three days. The event is held annually at McCormick Place - proposed 2016 Games site of 11 Olympic and eight Paralympic sports, as well as the International Broadcast Center and Main Press Center. Also at the Sports Festival, U.S. Paralympics in conjunction with the USOC and supported by WSC, Chicago 2016 and the Chicago Park District held the International Paralympic Table Tennis qualifying event for the

2008 Beijing Games. More than 200 in• mational athletes and their coachid officials participated.

On December 17, 2007 - 27 years after Congress authorized President Jimmy Carter to present a congressional medal to the 461 athletes of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team - the medal was finally confirmed as being the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress. This is the first time these medals have received full recognition. Earlier last year, members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, spearheaded by 1,500-meter swimmers David Sims and Dr. Ron Neugent, worked with the USOC , the U.S. Olympians Association and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (RKan.) to properly designate the medal as a Congressional Gold Medal and

ensure both the sacrifice and the patriotic role these Olympians played to preserve freedom. Also in the works , is a documentary that John Moffet (swimming 1980, 1984, 1988) is producing.

Expect to see exciting changes to our Web site in 2008. This will include an athlete-only secure area that can be accessed with a log-in to provide important calendar dates in the bid process, upcoming events and opportunities for participation, as well as a profile area. We are also compiling brief sound bites and letters or emails in support of Chicago 2016 to enhance our effort.

On another note , please help us "Stir

the Soul" and find you - and also help us find others through a New Year's Resolution to "extend an olive branch" with contact to your Olympic and Paralympic friends to "sign them up" too!

Contact Chicago 2016 Vice President of Sport and Accessibility

Linda Mastandrea (1992, 1996) at lmastandrea@chicago2016.org and phone 312-861-4800 , or Diane Simpson, president of the Midwest Chapter of U.S. Olympians and Paralympians, at dsimpson@chicago2016.org and phone 312-861-4835.

Best wishes in 2008 !

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Looking over the past year we have accomplished so much We have initiated "World Fit" , a program for s chools that will begin in Florida and hopefully work itself around the world. Olympians will have a :i.ce to participate in this incredibly giving program. Also, the U.S. Olympians can be proud of one or our own who recently was elected President of the World Olympians. It is my pleasure to once again congratulate Dick Fosbury on his momentous victory. Through Dick's activities we all will benefit.

In 2007, the U.S. Olympians saw a long awaited Speaker's Referral site tested. It will not be long before we will all be signing up to speak at community, social and corporate function s directly through the USOC website. This is a huge accomplishment with benefits for all Olympians Also in 2007, the U.S. Olympians had our first Olympians Cruise. It turned out to be a lot of fun. We hope that you will join with other Olympians on the next one .

Finally, the U.S. Olympians are planning a REUNION for the summer of 2008. We anticipate it being a send off for our Olympic Team to Beijing. What a wonderful opportunity for us all. I want to thank all the officers of the USO as well as the Chapter Presidents for their support and dedication to our Association. I hope we can continue to work together to connect Olympians throughout the nation. I suspect that 2008 will be a great year for us all. Let this be a year where we give back and serve peace in the Olympic Spirit.

I hope you had a very Merry Holiday Season and a Happy "Olympic" New Year!

Willie Banks President, U.S Olympians

Sprinter Tyson Gay (Lexington, Ky.),swimmer Katie at Worlds in March with her first individual world ~f (Abingdon, Md.),wheelchair track and field athlete record and a gold medal in the 400-meter individual .-;ica Galli (Hillsborough, N.J.), and the U.S. medley. She also anchored the world record-setting 800Women's World Championships Gymnastics Team meter free relay team in Melbourne and collected her have been selected as the 2007 United States Olympic third gold in the 200-meter individual medley. In July, Committee (USOC) SportsMan , Sports Woman, Hoff added three national titles to her list of 2007 Paralympian and Team of the Year,respectively. accomplishments. She now holds nine career national titles.

"As Team USA enters its final preparations for the Olympic Games in Beijing , we have seen outstanding Paralympian of the Year Jessica Galli is a wheelchair achievements from many of our athletes this past year. track and field athlete. She set a new mark in the 400

And these individuals have truly demonstrated the meters at the European Wheelchair Championships in strength and character of our athletes who will represent Switzerland in June, then beat that time and set two the United States in China," said USOC Chief Executive more world records three weeks later for a total of three Officer Jim Scherr. "We are proud to announce this world records in the 200, 400, and 800 meters at Meet year's recipients of SportsMan, Sports Woman, the Heat in Atlanta. She also earned a gold medal in the Paralympian, and Team of the Year."

800 meters at the U.S. Paralympics National Championships. Galli has been competing since 1998 Sportsman of the Year Tyson Gay just may prove himself to be the fastest 100 meter, 200 meter combination ~ ner in history. In 2007, he distinguished himself as me World Outdoor champion in the 100, 200 and 4 x 100 meters, becoming only the fourth man in World Championship history to win three gold medals at a single championship. With a time of 19.76 in the 200 meters, he set a new World Championship record and broke the previous record held by Michael Johnson. He also set U.S. Championship records this year in the 100 and 200 meters, previously held by Maurice Greene and Michael Johnson In fact, in 2007 he ran five out of seven of the fastest times by an American in the 100 meters, and three out of four of the fastest times by an American in the 200 meters .

and is a Paralympian of the 2000 and 2004 Paralympic Games.

Team of the Year honors are given to the U.S. Women's World Championships Gymnastics Team, comprised of Ivana Hong (Blue Springs, Mo.), Shawn Johnson (West Des Moines, Iowa), Nastia Liukin (Parker , Texas), Samantha Peszek (Indianapolis, Ind.), Alicia Sacramone (Winchester, Mass .), Shayla Worley (Orlando, Fla.) and reserve athlete Bridget Sloan (Pittsboro, Ind.). At the World Championships, the group won the USA's second women's team world gold medal in history. This is the first time the USA has won the team and all-around titles at the same World Championships. In second place going into the last event, they nailed their floor exercise routines to win the gold medal and beat gymnastics

Katie Hoff was named Sports Woman of the Year in 2005 powerhouse China. In all, the team won seven medals ( and has had another big year in 2007, including a triple- four gold, two silver and one bronze) for its most suegold showing at the 2007 World Championships and a cessful showing at a team World Championships. In solid performance at the 2007 Conoco Phillips National addition to the team title, Johnson won the gold medal hampionships. In all, she earned a total of 11 medals in in the all-around and floor exercise, Liukin claimed the J7, eight of them gold She kicked off her appearance gold medal on balance beam and the silver on the

11 Sport is a way of life and life is a sport. The only one keeping score should be you. 11 - Lance Armstrong (cycling, 1992, '96, '00)

uneven bars, a nd Sacramone earned the silver m e dal on flo o r exercise and the bron ze on vault.

The USOC SportsM a n and Sports Woman of the Year awards have been pr es ented a nnu a lly s ince 197 4 to the t op overall male and female athlete from within the USOC m e mber organizations. Th e team award was added in 1996 and th e P ara lympian of the Year was awarded for the fir s t time in 2004. Winners are selected from the indiv idual female a nd male at hlete of th e year and

tea m of the yea r nomination s of the USOC a nd N a tional Governin g Bodies for the Olympic, Pan A meric an, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within th e U. S Olympic Movem e nt.

In addition t o the SportsMan, SportsWoman, P a ralympian a nd Te a m of the Year Aw ar ds , the USOC is recognizing for the fir st time one male and one fe m a l e athlete a s recipients of the Outstanding Performance of th e Year award. This n ew honor was creat e d to re co gn ize an outstandin g athletic performance at a s in g le event, w hich could hav e occurred on a particular d ay or ove r a period of sev e ral days.

The re c ipi e nt s of th e Out s t a ndin g P e rformanc e of the Year award were se lected by the USOC's Chief Exe cutive Offi c er , Chief of Sport P e rformance a nd Chief Communications Officer after a review of all of th e significant performa n ces durin g the p ast year. For 2007, the USOC le a der s se l ec ted swi mmin g athlete Michael Phelps as the male rec ipient and track and field athlete Allyson Feli x as the fem a le hono ree for th e ir world c h a mpion s hip s accomplishments .

the 400m free r e lay and 800m fre e g old medalwinning re lay teams and was c rowned c h a mpi o n of th e 200m free , 100m fl y, 200m fl y, 200m 1 and 400m IM individu a l events. Ph e lps outstandin g performance at th e World Championships included set tin g four individual wo rld re co rd s and one te a m world record. As a re s ult of his performance , Phelps became th e winningest athlete in World Championship's hi s tor y.

At th e 20 0 7 FINA World Championships in M e, lho11rnP A11strnli~ Ph f> ln s r omnP t P rl in Sf>Vf>n

Feli x put o n one of the greatest p e rformances in tra c k and fi e ld hi s tor y at th e 2 00 7 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Osak a, Japan. Sh e won the 200m individu a l gold medal a nd was a part of th e 4 x l00m and 4x400m championship r e l ay team s. Feli x's effo rt s make h e r onl y the second woman in history to win three gold medal s at a s in g le tra ck and field World Outdoor Ch a mpion s hip. Her winning time in the 200m (21.81) was the fas te st time by a woman since 1999 and was the lar ges t m a rg in of victory in World Outdoor hi s tory (. 53 sec ond s) . H er s pli t tim e in th e 4x400m r e l a y (48.0) i s believed to b e the fastest ever b y an American wo man at a World Ch a mpion ship s or Olympi c Games , bestin g Florence Griffith-Joyner 's 48.2 at the 198 8 Ol y mpic Games.

"Th e re were so many U.S. at hlete s who could h ave be en honor e d for their performanc es in 2007 , but when co n s id e rin g w hat was don e b y the se two a thlete s at their r es pective world ch a mpion s hip s, thi s p a rti c ular r ecog nition i s certainly warra nt ed , " said Rou s h

All-time USOC SportsMan, S ortsWoman, Paralympian and m of the Year honorees include:

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

1974 - Jim Bolding, Athletics

1975 - Clinton Jackson, Bo xing

1976 - John Naber, Swimming

1977 - Eric H eiden, Speedsk ating

1978 - Bruce Davidson, Equestrian

1979 - Eric Heiden, Speedskating

1980 - Eric H eiden, Speedskating

1981 - Scott Hamilton, Figure Skating

1982 - Greg Louganis, Divin g

1983 - Rick McKinney, Archery

1984 - Edwin Moses, Athletics

1985 - Willie Banks, Athletics

1986 - Matt Biondi, Swimming

1987 - Greg Louganis, Divin g

8 - Matt Biondi, Swimming

1~89 - Roger Kingdom, Athletics

1990 - John Smith, Wrestling

1991 - Carl L ewis, Athletics

1992 - Pablo Morales, Swimming

199 3 - Michael Johnson, Athletics

1994 - Dan Jan sen, Speedskating

1995 - Michael Johnson, Athletics

1996 - Michael Johnson Athletics

1997 - Pete Sampras, Tennis

1998 - Jonny Moseley, Skiing

1999 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling

2000 - Rulon Gardner , Wrestling

2001 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling

2002 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling

2003 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling

2004 - Michael Phelps, Swimming

2005 - Hunter Kemper, Triathlon

2006 - Joey Cheek, Speedskating

2007 - Tyson Gay, Athletics

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

19 74 - Shirley Baba shoff, Swimming

1975 - Kathy Heddy , Swimming

1976 - Sheila Young, Speedskating

1977 - Linda Fratianne, Fi g ure Skating

1978 Tracy Caulkins, Swimming

19 79 - Cynthia "S ippy " Woodhead, Swimming

1980 - Beth Heiden, Speedskating

1981 - Sheila Youn g Ochowicz, Cycling/Speedskating

1982 - Melanie Smith, Equestrian

1983 - Tamara McKinne y, Skiing

1984 - Tracy Caulkins , Swimming

1985 - Mary Deck er Slaney, Athletics

1986 - Jackie Joyner-K ersee, Athletics

198 7 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics

198 8 - Florence Griffith Joyner, Athletics

1989 - Janet Evans, Swimming

1990 - Lynn Jennin gs, Athletics

1991 - Kim Zmeskal, Gymnastics

1992 - Bonnie Blair, Speedskating

1993 - Gail Devers, Athletics

1994 - Bonnie Blair , Speedskating

1995 - Picabo Street , Skiing

1996 - Amy Van Dyken , Swimming

1997 - Tara Lipinski , Figure Skatin g

1998 - Picabo Street, Skiing

1999 - Jenny Thompson , Swimming

2000 - Marion Jones, Athletics

2001 - Jennifer Capriati, Tennis

2002 - Sarah Hughes, Figure Skating

'2003 - Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating

2004 - Carly Patterson, Gymnastics

2005 - Katie Hoff, Swimmin g

2006 - Hann ah Teter, Snowboarding

2007 - Katie Hoff, Swimming

TEAM OF THE YEAR

1996 - Women's National/Olympic Ba sketba ll Team

1997 - Women's National Soccer Team

1998 - Women's Olympic Ice Hock ey Team

1999 - Women' s National Soccer Team

2000 - USA Baseball Olympic Team

2001 - U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team

2002 - Wom en's Bobsled Team

2003 - Women's Gymnastics Team

2004 - U.S. Olympic Softball Team

2005 - Men's Badminton Doubl es Team

2006 - U.S. Men's Curling Team

2007 - U.S. Women's World Championships Gymnastics Team

PARALYMPIAN OF THE YEAR

2004 - Erin Popovich , Swimming

2005 - Laurie Stephens, Alpine Skier

2006 - Je ssica Long, Swimming

2007 - Jes sica Galli, Track and Field

For more information, please contact the USOC Communications Division at 719-866-4529.

Alumni News

HONORS

Ralph Boston (athletics, 1960, '64, '68) was honored on November 3, 2007 by the Tennessee State University faculty , staff and students with the naming of the Ralph H. Boston Wellness Center.

Sara DeCosta (ice hockey, 1998, '02) has been elected into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Robert "Bullet Bob" Hayes (athletics, 1964) who died on September 18, 2002 when he was 59 had his final resting place unveiled on Thursday, December 20, 2007 at the Edgewood Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. The mausoleum was covered with a shroud

G. Larry James (athletics, 1968) was honored by The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey on December 1, 2007 to pay tribute to the two-time Olympic nf ~ ist for his "Four Decades of Excellence." James won gold in the 4 x 400 and a silver in the 400 meters at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

It became apparent that James, the Dean of Athletics and Recreational Programs and Services at the school, had touched the lives of many people over the years and the word "love" was used by just about everyone who spoke of their relationship with the former Villanova Wildcat.

decorated with the five Olympic rings. A marble One of the many highlights of the afternoon came bench at its side was concealed by a cover bearing the when his relay teammates from Mexico City, Vince famous star logo of his former team, the Dallas Matthews, Ron Freeman, Lee Evans got up as a Cowboys. Behind the mausoleum are four flagpoles group to offer their comments. that now fly the American, Olympic, Dallas Cowboys and Japanese flags.

Matthews, who competed against Larry in high school, said he understood the term "The Mighty Burner" Larry delivered smooth, efficient, heat.

Hayes won two gold medals at the 1964 Olympic Games in Japan and went on to become the first track

star to make it big in professional football. He played It was a day that will long be remembered by those for the Cowboys for 10 years, setting many records who were lucky enough to be there. Dave Patrick, the and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player. He captain of the Villanova team in 1968 said it best, "It played in two Super Bowls and four Pro Bowls, but was vintage Larry, giving more back than he gets. His

has yet to be voted into the NFL's Hall of Fame. Lacy inspiring video and talk will be engrained in my mind O'Neal of Washington presented the Olympic flag, forever, I am sure the experience in some way will having been an Olympic teammate of Hayes in 1964 make us all better for it."

as a hurdler "Bob was the most generous guy I knew," she said.

Adolph Kiefer (swimming, 1936) was honored by the

International Swimming Hall of Fame and presented with the Gold Medallion Award, ISHOF' s highest honor , during the ted States Aquatic Sports Convention banquet on Se ptember 29 , 2007 at the Oran ge Co unty Hyatt Convention Center in Anaheim, California. In a s urprise, USA Swimming

Alumni News

Co unty resident sinc e 1983 , held American record s in the mile for 26 years before Alan Webb brok e it this past summer. The two-time Ol ympi an currently coaches th e Cal St ate San Marcos tra ck and cross countr y teams.

also presented Kiefer with a gold medal from th e 1936 Calvin Smith (athletics, 1984 , '88), Jane Frederick (athletOlympic Games, to re place the one that had been stolen short- ic s, 1972, '76), George Woods (athletics , 1968 , '72, '76) , ly after he returned from Berlin 7 1 year s ago. The meda l was Glenn Morris (athletic s, 1936) and Ol ympian coach E lvin C. specia lly cast from the original m old for the occ asion by the "Du cky " Drake were inducted into the Track and Field Hall of International Olympic Museum in La usanne , Swit zerl and. Fame in Honolulu on December 1, 2007.

Rosie Bonds-Kreidler (a thletic s , 1964) was hono red by the Calvin Smith a former 100-meter wo rld record hold er who set Oakland -ba sed African American Ethnic Sports H all of Fame mark a of 9.93 seconds in 1983 , breaki ng the 9 95 mark of which pre sented her with a "Don't Give Up Aw ard" at a Jim Hines that had stood for 15 years. Carl Lewi s topp ed lun c heon held in Co ncord , CA, citin g her Ol ympian sp irit of Smith's mark with a 9.92 run in 1988. Smith won the go ld perseverance in the face of adversity. Rosie plan s on launch- medal at the 19 84 Olympic Game s in Los Angeles as part of in g a nonprofit charity called Doll s for Life and Di gnity, the 4 x 100 relay as he , Lewis, Sam Graddy and Ron Brown which wo uld teach underprivile ged wo men ho w to make col- se t the then- wo rld record of 37.83. Smith also wo n th e 100

lec tible porce lain d oll s as an in co me source She sa id she meters bronze med al at the 1988 Seoul Olympic s. hopes to have 200 women working within six month s of startup Participants rec ruited through loca l soc ial service age ncies Frederick won th e U.S. heptathlon national titles a record nine .Id earn a percentage on the sa le of their doll s, with th e tim es an d i s a two-tim e Olympian in the pentathlon and hepres t of the profit s use d to laun ch a community trust fund to tathlon, with a best finish of seventh at the 1976 Ol ympic he lp the women secure new hou sing. Games in Montreal.

Shannon MacMillan (soccer, 1996 , '00) and Steve Scott Morris won the go ld medal at the 1936 Game s with a world (a thl etics , 1980 , '84, '88) headlin e the 2008 inductees into th e record total of 7 ,900 points - 7 , 254 on c urrent scoring table s -

Breitbard Hall of F ame, the San Di ego Hall of Fame and was the 1936 AAU Sullivan Award winner. He died in announced on November 29, 2007. MacMillan attended San 1974.

Pa squal High before bec oming a star forward on th e U.S. Women's Soccer Team. She won a World Cup title in 1999 and an Olympic gold medal in 1996. Scott, a San Di ego

Woods is a thre e- time Olympian , winning the si lver medal in th e shot put in 1968 and 1972. He also won the USA indoor

(L to R) : SHANNON MACMILLAN , CALVIN SMITH AND JANE FREDERICK

Alumni News

shot put titles four times and set six world indoor that was attached 40 feet in the air on a street pole just records, with five of them coming in 1974 . in front of Melrose High School on De adrick Avenue. In bold letters the street sign read: OLYMPIAN

Drake was the coach at UCLA from 1947- 64. Among ROCHELLE STEVENS AVENUE. his pupils were Rafer Johnson, who won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Willye B. White (athletics , 1956, '60, '64, '68 , '72) edging teammate C.K. Yang. Drake died in 1988 was honored on October 28, 2007 by the United States Postal Service with a Post Office Dedication

Richard "Sonny" Tanabe (swimming, 1956) was honored on September 23, 2007 as a inductee into the Hawaii Freediving and Spearfishing Wall of Fame. "Spearfishing on the Island of Hawaii, A Pictoral Hi story" by Sonny Tanabe has recently been published and is now available at local dive shops.

Ceremony renaming a post office the "Willye B. White" Post Office Building at the Roseland Post Office Station in Chicago, Illinois. Willye White passed away on February 6, 2007 .

IN THE NEWS

Gary Hall, Jr. (swimming, 1996 , '00, '04) announced a In his book, Sonny provides an unbroken continuum unique opportunity for people with diabetes and their from the ancient Hawaiians to the present spearfisher- loved ones to learn how to better manage diabetes while men who venture out into the blue water to capture a enjoying a 5-day cruise through the Caribbean. The 2008 giant pelagic fish. The reader will have a blast readin g Gary Hall , Jr. Foundation Diabetes Cruise sailed from the stories of how island fishermen continue to try to Miami aboard the Carnival's M/S Destiny on December figure out better ways to see underwater, to swim and 1, 2008. to spear fish for their families to eat.

Rochelle Stevens (athletics , 1992, '96) was honored by the Memphis City Council on September 29, 2007 with a street name where Stevens grew up. Rochelle Stevens and her mother Beatrice Holloway-Davis, who is the first woman in history to coach her daughter in two Olympics Games, attended the ceremony

There were special presentations made and Councilman Myron Lowery unveiled the street name

Bruce Jenner (athletics, 1972, '76) has been named to the board of directors of the USA Track & Field Foundation. The foundation raises money for track and field programs, particularly those providing opportunities for young athletes, and for anti-doping education programs. Jenner, a member of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame , broke the world record in the decathlon at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. He has since worked as an actor, television commentator, motivational speaker and author and has served on numerous other

boards , including Special Olympics and committee and a member of the NCAA Dream Foundation.

Swimming and Diving committee.

She will be joined by gymnast Shannon Miller, a seven-time Olympic medalist; ice hockey player Angela Ruggiero, a three-time medalist; weightlifter Cheryl Haworth , the strongest woman in the Wes tern Hemisphere; and champion weightlifter Natalie Woolfolk.

Alumni News

Field's top performers including two-time Olympic gold medali st Rodger Kingdom (ll0 hurdles) , 1992 Olympic bronze

Barb Weinstein McGrath (1980 platform Sheila Taormina , Olympic gold medalist, medalist Jack Pierce (110 hurdles) and diving, 1979 Pan American gold) and her a swimmer, triathlete and pentathlete in 1984 Olympic bronze medalist Thomas daughter S arah are the creators behind training organized the "Sharing the Jefferson (200m dash) In addition to VOLLEY FOR THE CURE, an event Dre am" program to inspire youngsters and coaching at the hi ghest level of competithat converts regular seas on high school introduce them to female role mode ls. tion, Tate also has a long hi story of workvolleyball matches into school-wide pink events to build awareness and raise fund s to fight breast cancer. This fall 15,000 players competed wearing the pink VOLLEY FOR THE CURE t-shirts on the courts, 150 ,000 shirts were sold to fans and over $450,000 was raised for the Komen Foundation. The grassroots effort that celebrates sur vivors now include s middle schools, youth organizations , rec teams, even support from the AVP beach volleyball professionals

v.o hsvca .org/volleyforcure/index.php email: mcgrathbw@gmail.com

Michelle Mitchell (diving, 1984, '88)

Norm Tate (athletics, 1968) has been a dded to the staff of Richard Stockton College as track & field coach emeritus. Tate, a New Jersey native who recently retired from the casino industry, is a renowned figure in the track & field com-

ing with young athletes at camps and clinics.

Tate, a graduate of North Carolina Central University, was a member of the 1968 U S. Olympic Team and competed in the triple jump at the Me xico City Games. He wo n a total of six national championships, three apiece in the long jump and triple jump, and he once held the American record in the triple jump. Tate was a seven-time member of the U.S. National Team with personal be sts of 55'11.50 (triple jump) and 27'1.25 (long jump).

munity for his success as both a competi - Tate is reunited with Stockton Dean of received her Ph .d, from the University of tor and coach. He brings years of experi- Athletics and Recreational Programs and Arizona in May, 2007 in Educational ence on the international stage to Stockton. Services G Larry James, his teammate at Psychology. She also received her Sp01ts "I am overjoyed and looking forward to the 1968 Olympics. "I am looking forward Administration degree from the University applying what I have learned to the student to this union and I am excited to be workof Ari zona and is currently the head diving athletes at Stockton," Tate said. ing with Larry to help him realize his coach at the University of Arizona as well as the Chair of the NCAA Diving rules

Tate coached several of USA Track &

vision for the program , " Tate said. James echoed that sentiment , say ing , "I am elated

l I

(L to R) : BRUCE JENNER , SHEILA TAORMINA , SHANNON MILLER AND ANGELA RUGGIERO

Alumni News

that Nonn is bringing his expertise to our program. The sum total of hi s life experiences will be helpful to our student-athletes in navigating their own career paths."

MILESTONES

LaTasha Colander (athletics , 2000, '04) and hu sband Kristopher are proud to announce the aJTival of Krisjon Judah Clark born on November 6, 2007. Krisjon was born at 6:00 p.m. and weighed 5 lb s, 9 oz and was 19.5 inches lon g.

Jim Gruenwald (wrestling, 2000 , '04) and hi s wife Rachel are the proud parents of Autumn Virginia, born on August 31, 2007. Sh e weighed 6 lbs, 12 oz and was 18 inch es lon g

Joan Guetschow (biathlon , 1992 , '94) and her partner, Tricia Stumpf (skeleton, birth mom) welcomed th eir son, Chase J. Guetscho w at 4 :28 a.m. on September 21, 2007 in Edmonton , Alberta. Chase weighte d 5 lbs , 3 oz and was 19 inch es long.

Noelle Pikus-Pace , the 2007 World Skeleton Champion, will miss the upcoming season as she is pregnant with her fir st child. She and husband, Jason Pace, are expecting a daughter in January. She is slated to return for the 2008-09 se ason and will focus on preparations for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver

Olympic gold medal winning gym nast Dominique Moceanu is expecting her first baby, a girl , in January. She was onl y 14-yearsold when she captured gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Now, at age 26, she and hu sband Dr. Michael Canales, a collegiate gymnast at The Ohio State University, currently live in Ohio whe re she is comp leting a business degree

RETIRED

After an illustriou s career that included a team gold medal at the 2002 World Equestrian Games , team bronze a nd individual silver medals at th e 2004 Olympic Game s, and man y

other medals and trial s victorie s, Winsome Adante's ow r , vets and rider collectively decided to retire him. The 14year-old English Thoroughbred sustained an injury to a hind s uspensory ligament which would prevent him from bein g ready for the 2008 Games.

Owned by Linda Wachtmeister of Plain Dealin g Farm and ridden by Kim Severson , 'D an ' as h e is known to friends was a three-time U S. Eventing Association's Hor se of t h e Year and w ill now liv e in th eF ie ld and Plain Dealing Farm.

He led the U.S. Men 's Indoor Volleyball Team to gold medals at the 1984 and 88 Olympi r Games, then joined partner Kent Steffe s to claim another gold in 1996 wh e n be ac h vo ll eyball made its Olympic d e but in Atlanta. At age 46, Karch Kiraly retired as a tourin g professional when thi s year's AVP sc hedule came to a close.

Kiraly , the only vo ll eyba ll pla ye r to win thre e Olympi c go ld

Lto R) :CHERYL HAWORTH , KRISJON (SON OF LATASHA AND KRISTOPHER COLANDER) , JIM GRUENWALD AND JOAN GUETSCHOW

medals, was inducted into the eyball Hall of Fame in 2001. He .::d as a television analyst for beach volleyball at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and he will return to NBC's broadcast team in Beijing.

IN MEMORIAM

Ralph Beard (basketball, 1948) a University of Kentucky basketball legend and Olympic gold medalist died at his home in Louisville, Kentucky on November 29, 2007 of heart failure. Beard was a member of the University of Kentucky's "Fabulous Five" that won two NCAA titles, the National Invitation Tournament held in the l 940's. Beard made the game - winning free (----.._!IS in the final of the 1946 NIT C:nampionship, which led to Kentucky's first national title. He was also a member of the gold medal winning U.S. Men's Basketball Team in the 1948 Olympics Games.

Ted Corbitt (athletics, 1952) ultra running legend and New York Road Runners Founding President and

pioneer in the field of course measurement and certification died on December 12, 2007 of cancer in Houston , Texas. He was 87.

His 1964 book, "Measuring Road Running Courses," became the benchmark for certified road race courses at the time and remains the foundation for accurate road race measurement today

Alumni News

200 meters and 400 relay. Young won a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics in Rome in the 1,600 relay, and Pemelton finished eighth in the pole vault in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

A 1959 Sports Illustrated article called Jackson "probably the best relay coach in the United States "

Charlotte Lewis (basketball, 1976)

Oliver Jackson, the former Abilene was a women's sports pioneer , an Christian University track and field all-American basketball player and coach whose athletes won four Olympic silver medalist, but her Olympic gold medals and set 15 friends remember her as a gentle world records, died on December 16, giant with a kind heart. She died on 2007. He was 87. During his tenure September 17, 2007 after emergency at ACU (1948-63) Jackson's teams heart surgery in Kansas City, won NAIA titles in 1952, 1954 and Missouri. "She just had a heart as 1955. In 1964, he coached the big as the world," former Illinois national team during its pre-Olympic State coach Jill Hutchison said "She tour. was physically everything you'd want in an athlete - but inside she At ACU , Jackson coached three U.S. was the most gentle, thoughtful, carOlympic Team members: Bobby ing person you would ever want to Morrow, quarter miler Earl Young know." Lewis went on to Illinois and pole vaulter Billy Pemelton. State, where in her first year she helped the Redbirds to 12th place in Morrow, a sprinter, won gold medals the AIAW National Basketball at the 1956 Olympics in the 100 and Tournament, which preceded the

(L to R) :RALPH BEARD , ROBERT MCMILLIAN AND AL OERTER

Alumni News

NCAA play for women's teams.

In 1976, Lewis was selected to the first U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team and earned a silver medal. She later earned gold medals in the World Championships and Pan American Games and played professionally in Europe, South America and the United States for 15 years.

College hockey team led to an invitation to play on the 1952 U.S. Olympic Team, where he won a silver medal.

Mr. Mulhern was born in Dorchester, MA in 1927, and raised in Jamaica Plain, MA. The fourth of six children of a Boston attorney, his father Joseph, shared his love for the law with his children. All four Mulhern brothers would follow

Robert McMillan (athletics, in their father's footsteps, 1948, '52) passed away on April becoming attorneys. 1, 2007 in Orange County, California. Robert competed in the 3000 meter steeplechase event in 1948 in London and went on to win a silver medal in the 1500 meters in 1952 in Helsinki.

John F. Mulhern (ice hockey, 1952) died on September 9, 2007 of congestive heart failure at Youville Hospital in Quincy. He was 80. Whether in the hockey or political arena, John had an ability to look ahead and envision new possibilities. His talent as a center on the Boston

Al Oerter (athletics, 1956, '60, '64, '68) a four-time U.S. Olympian and four-time gold medalist passed away on Oct. 1 at the age of 71. Oerter' s prowess in the discus became legendary when he won his fourth consecutive gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. He was one of only two men to achieve the feat of winning the same event in four consecutive Games.

Oerter began his Olympic career at the 1956 Games in

Melbourne, Australia, where he won his first Olympic gold. He went on to compete and w, gold in Rome, Italy in 1960 and Tokyo, Japan in 1964 before his final triumph in Mexico City.

An Olympian who valued culture in the same manner as athletics, Oerter began his serious artistic pursuits in 1980 when Anheuser -Busch commissioned him and other renowned athletes to create works for the U.S. Olympic Team. The 1980 assignment furthered Oerter's zeal to expand his belief in art as a way to showcase the positive attributes of sport. Oerter went on to create the exhibit "Art of the Olympians," w has been displayed at the United Nations and in other New York City venues.

Bob Owen (ice hockey, 1960) died on October 2, 2007 as a result of smoke inhalation , thermal burns and heart disease. His white Lincoln Continental was found northwest of Topeka in a park, fully engulfed in

R) :808 OWEN , SHERRY POSTHUM ,

flames. The fire was reported by the crew of a passing in. Owen, 71, was a memb er of the 1960 U.S Ice Key Team that won a go ld medal in Squaw Valley, California. It was the nation' s first go ld medal in men's hockey.

Alumni News

2004 USA 20 km champ ion a nd the 2005 USA 15 km champion. He captured the 2001 NCAA 10 , 000m title, wi nnin g the first nationa l individual title for Notre D ame, and was a nin e - time All-American.

Robert Taylor (athletics, 1972) passed away on Nov. 13

Kansas State Fire Marshal in vest i gators hav e not d eter - at the age of 59 fo llo w in g a h ea rt attack. Taylor was a mined the cause of the fir e but sa id it was lik e l y that it member of the gold medal w innin g 400 meter relay team was acc ident al contac t from the vehicle's catalytic con- at t h e 1972 Olympi c Games in Munich, and h e also capve rt er with dry grass , i g nitin g and sp readin g to the ve hi - tured the s ilv er medal in the 100 meters at the same c le. Games. He bar e l y made it to the prelims of the IO0m fo ll ow ing a scheduling mix up that caused t wo of his

Sherry Posthumus (Fencing Olympic Team Manager, 1988, '92 , '96) a vita l , driving fo r ce in th e fencing wor ld , died on Dec 3, 2007. Sherry represented the Un ited State s as th e manager of three Olympi c Teams. She helped shape the growt h a nd development of the spor t domestically an d at an int e rn a tional lev e l , built a highly competitive co llegiat e program at Stanford. She left a trail of new fenc ing clubs like footprint s in her e throughout her adult li fe, s h aring the sport s he loved w ith ge n era tion s to come.

Ryan Shay, a five-time nation al champion on the roads, died on Nov. 2 at th e U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon at the age of 28. Shortly p as t the 5-mile mark of the race, Shay collapsed a nd was later pronoun ced dead at the ho spita l.

A 2002 graduate of Notre D ame and a nativ e of Michigan, Shay was the 2003 USA marathon champion, the 2003 and 2004 USA half-m arat hon champion , the

teammates to be disqualified.

Taylor , who grad uated from Texas So uthern University with a degree in ed ucation, s p ent 22 years as a specia l e du ca tion teach er. He is a memb er of the Texas Southern Hall of Fame

John Woodruff (at hletics, 1936) who raced to a dramatic, come -from-b ehind v icto ry in the 800 met ers at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin died on Oct. 3 1. He was 92 Woodruff was the last surviving go ld med a li st from the U.S. Team t h at capt ured 12 track and field go ld medals at the 1936 Games, a team that included Jesse Owens.

A grands on of s l aves, Woodruff was born in 1915 a nd sta rt ed hi s runnin g ca re e r in hi g h sc h oo l w h ere he trained on the schoo l 's football field. He earned a socio logy degree from the University of Pittsburgh a nd a master's degree in soc i o l ogy from New York University. He twice se rved in the Army , and h e is a memb e r of the National Track and Fie ld Hall of Fame.

11 The embodiment of success is best stated in the Bible: 11 1have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 11 II

Timothy 4:7

- Trent Dimas (gymnastics , 1992)

Colorado Olympians

President: Gene Kotlarek (skiing, 1960 , I 64) (303)-807-3911

Florida Olympians

President: Jim Millns (figure skating , 1976) (813) 926-5955

Georgia Olympians

President : Mel Pender (athletics, 1964, '68} (404) 434-8514

Hawaii Olympians

President: Richard "Sonny" Tanabe (swimming , 1956) (808} 735-1088

Idaho Olympians

President: Dick Fosbury (athletics, 1968} (208) 720-2352

Indiana Olympians

President: Ollan Cassell (athletics, 1964) (317) 466-0444

Michigan Olympians &Paralympians

President: Bill Smoke (canoe/kayak, 1964) (269) 240-6589

Midwest Olympians &Paralympians

President : Diane Simpson Bundy (rhythmic gymnastics , 1988) (847) 452-7843

Missouri/Illinois Olympians &Paralympians

President: Janet Howes (volleyball, 1980) (636} 922-4994

National Capital Area Olympians

President: Arlene Limas (taekwondo, 1988) (540) 720-1988

New England Area Olympians

President: John Thomas (athletics, 1960, '64) (508} 584-7474

Northern California Olympians

President: Greg Massialas (fencing , 1980, '84, '88) (415) 441-0521

Oregon Olympians

President: Clem Eischen (athletics, 1948) (503) 492-2232

Southern California Olympians

President : Cathy Marino Bradford (canoe/kayak, 1988, '92) (714) 847 -5596

Southwest Olympi ans

President : Sammy Walker (weightlifting , 1976) (469} 955 -3158

Tri-States Olympians

President : Otis Davis (athletics, 1960) (201} 392-8448

Utah Olympians

President : Debra Stark Clark (gymnastics , 1972) (801) 369-9918

Washington State Olympians

President : John Stillings (rowing, 1984) (206} 440-0708

USOC LAUNCHES ATHLETE SPEAKER'S REFERRAL NETWORK

The USOC has laun c h ed i's first-ever Athlete Speaker's Re ferral Network . The N e t work wi ll a ll ow individuals from the ge n era l public to request the serv ice s of U. S. Ol ympians, Paralympians, coac hes, historians and hopeful s for speaking engagements and appeara n ces.

The A thl ete Speaker's Referral Network can be accessed b y visiting the USOC's official we b site, www. u s o l ymp ict eam.co m. Once o n the Athlete S p eake r' s Referr a l Network page , the requestor can s elec t athlete s based o n the fo ll owing menu ite m s: loca tion ; name ; sp ort; topics; whet her the at hlet e is an Ol ympia n, Paralympian, coa ch , hi storia n or hopeful ; view th e ent ire database.

A ll at hl ete biogra ph ica l inform a t ion on the Network has been gen e rated by th e Olympian s an d Paralympians listed. More th an 200 athletes are c u rre ntly registe red.

Olympians who enioyed the first -ever Olympian cruise to Grand Olympians Greg Morovo (team handball, 1984); Soroh tforiego Donna Weinbrecht (skiing, 1992, '94, '98), the first freestyle Coymon ond Cozumel ore: Boltom ro,·1 left to ri ght: Doug (volleyball, 20DO) and Louro Ryon (learn handball, 1988, '92, mogul skie r to be inducled info !he Vermont Ski Holl of Fame Russell (swimm ing, 1968); Craig Gilberl (learn handball, '96) look port in the Red Ribbon Week celebration The USO( ond winner of the first Olympic gold medal fo r freeslyle mogul 1984); Alice Hodge (athletics, 1936); Pou l Drayton (othlet- partnered with the Notiona l Guard Drug Demon d Reduction sk iing isshol'ln with fellow inductees, fr om left lo righl: Ph illi p ics, 1964) Roy Fales (luge, 1964) Top row left to ri ght Tonie Team that visited 70 schools, reaching be~·1een 30, 000 - Comp, Albert Sise (daughter accepting in Al'shonor), Donna Campbe ll (o ihletics, 1980, '84, '88 ); Joan Hansen-Leste r ( 40, 000 students inColorado Weinbrecht, Wallace Bunny' ' Bertram (doughier occepl ing ir, athletics, 1984); Sorn my Wa lke r (weighriifiing, 197 6) and Wallace 'shonor) an d/,like Gallagher (sk ii ng , 1964, '68, '71)

Russ Hodge (athle tics, 1964)

UNITED STATES OLYMPIC U.S. OLYMPIANS OFFICERS 2005 -2008 EDITORIAL STAFF

COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

USOC CHAIRMAN

Peter Ueberroth

Bob Bowlsby

Bob Ctvrtlik

Erroll Davis

PRESIDENT

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

VICE PRESIDENTS

Dwight Stones {athletics, 1972 , '76 , '84)

Connie Poraskevin {speedskating , 1980,

Anita DeFrantz '84/cycling, 1988, '92 , '96)

Jim Easton

John Hendricks

Jair Lynch

Mary McCagg

Mike Plant

Stephanie Streeter

USOC CH IEF EXECUTIVE

OFFICER

Jim Scherr

SENIOR EDITOR

Cynthia E. Stinger {learn handball , 198 4, '88', '92)

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Christine Taylor

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Denise O'Shea - O'Shea Design

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

Dick Fosbury (athletics, 1968)

Micki King (diving , 1968, '72)

Photos by: Getty Imag es & Gary W. Hall Sr. {swimming, 1968, '72 , '76) The USOC Library

36USC220S06

HONORARY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dorothy Franey Langkop (speedskating , 1932)

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

John Naber {swimming, 1976)

PAST PRESIDENT

Bill Toomey {athletics , 1968)