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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1973)
Photo by Jody Sly Photo by Jody Sly GYMNASTS MARTHA WARNER (LEFT) AND LINDA STUBER IN FLOOR EXERCISE Oregon hosts Pac-8 women’s meet By JUDY SLY Of Hie Emerald Women gymnasts from five Pacific-8 schools will be in Eugene Saturday when the University of Oregon hosts the first woman’s Pacific-8 gymnastics cham pionships. Teams from the University of Washington, Washington State University, Oregon State University, Oregon and UCLA will participate in the one-day event to be held in Gerlinger Hall on campus beginning at 1 p.m. The championships mark the first time a California school has competed against the northern school in such a regional meet. The four northern schools, as well as small universities and colleges in Oregon, Washington and Montana, all belong to the Northwest College Woman's Sports Association and participate in the events within the three-state region. Oregon coach Marilyn Fitch says she is not expecting mad) competition from UCLA but views the meet as “a head-on confrontation with Washington.” Washington took the NCWSA gymnastics title last year, but has been defeated by Eastern Washington State College, a team that Oregon beat early this month. Both Oregon and Washington have lost in competition against Oregon College of Education. Oregon’s only loss of the season was to OCE and the team has defeated Oregon St. twice in regular competition. Oregon and WSU have not met. Fitch predicts a first or second placing in Saturday’s meet. Freshman Ann Olson, a Sheldon High graduate who was first in all-around Oregon high school pladngs in 1972, promises to be an important factor for Oregon in the championships. Olson competes in all four woman’s gymnastics events and in two of the four Oregon meets to date has won the all-around com petition. She has won the balance beam competition three times. Three other freshmen have also been consistent point contributors for Oregon: Lynne Aiken from South Eugene, Jyl Rice from Churchill High and Linda Stuber from Lake Oswego. Oregon’s three seniors have also been in the top six places in some of the meets: Patty McArthy, Rozann Shipley and Linda Isaacs. Shipley specializes in the uneven parallel bars and qualified for last year’s Division of Girls’ and Women’s Sports nationals. Martha Warner, a transfer student from Portland State University, competes in all around and also qualified for last year’s national when she competed for PSU. Individual and team results from Saturday’s Pac-8 meet will not determine who goes to the DGWS finals, however. Representatives to the April national championships are selected at the NCWSA championships set for Feb. 23 and 24 in Seattle. The top six individuals in each event qualify for the nationals, being held this year in Des Moines, Iowa. Admission to Saturday’s Pac-8 meet is $1 for adults, 50c for children and free for UO students. Tickets will be sold at the door. It’s lots of workr-and no recognition By JEANINE NAVARRA Of the Emerald Women’s collegiate sports get next to no publicity, little funding and small fan support, and women gymnasts get even less. Then what’s in it for coed gymnasts? “Individual accomplishment and lots of hard work,” agreed University of Oregon gymnasts Martha Warner and Linda Stuber. The women practice over 15 hours a week but claim it doesn’t intrude too much on their social lives. “You learn to budget your time and set your priorities,” says Martha. “Practice does cut into the day,” says Linda, “but it all pays off when we com pete and we come out the winners.” Unlike male team sports, women gymnasts don’t have a crowd cheering them on, or a captain calling the shots, or anyone to blame for making a wrong move. All they have is their skill, training and experience. Natural coordination, genuine interest in the sport, self-discipline and what Martha describes as “a will to win and a will to work for that win,” are the requirements the women establish for succeeding in gymnastics. Any woman can make it if she’s willing to put enough time and effort into it, they agree. Gymnastics is more grace than strength, so success does not depend on how strong you are but more on how poised and graceful you are, Martha and Linda say. Strength and flexibility come with practice. Now a freshman, Linda’s interest in gymnastics “started on the front lawn,” and developed into competing for Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego. Martha, a junior, is a veteran of eight years. She started her gymnastics career at 12 with lessons at the YWCA. She was twice girls State Champion on the balance beam while attending South Eugene High School and for the last two years qualified for national competition representing Portland State University. Both women have had a fair share of accomplishments so far in their careers but don’t believe in getting big headed about them. Linda believes women’s sports don’t limit women but encourage them to try out. There are more interested girls and women trying gymnastics and all sports now than when she started five years ago, she points out. Martha says she can sympathize with egotistical athletes but doesn’t condone them. “Sure it’s an ego trip. It’s an in dividual’s accomplishment and lots of hard work goes into winning. It’s something to be proud of when you’ve won and you did it all yourself.” Much more recognition is deserving of women athletes but neither woman feels it will come about through the women’s liberation movement. Men don’t give women athletes much recognition and Linda feels it’s probably because “they don’t know we exist.” Martha is currently taking a coed physical education class and says, “Hie guys are amazed and fascinated with our abilities. Coaches are beginning to realize we are serious and do just as much as the guys.” As members of the Oregon women’s gymnastics team, both Linda and Marthy will compete Saturday in the first Pac-8 championships for women being hasted by Oregon. The one-day meet begins at 1 p.m. in Gerlinger Hall on campus. IM weightlifting, cross-country Trying to expand an already involved Intramural schedule, which includes basketball and handball, the IM depart ment has released information on preparations for the upcoming weightlifting and cross country seasons ahead. Cross country is scheduled to be held on Thursday, March 1 at 4 p.m. and weight lifting will be competed on three different nights near the end of February. Weigh-in for the weight lifting com petition is scheduled for from 5:45 to 6:45 on Tuesday, Feb. 20 and the bench press, the first of three events, is on tap to begin at 7 the same day. Seven weight classes are involved, including 123, 132, 148, 164, 181 and 198. Over 198 pound limits and the two other events include the deep knee bend or squat, to be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, as well as the two hand dead lift on Thursday, March 1 at the same time. i Rosters for all weightlifting teams must be turned into the meet officials prior to the weigh-in for all competing individuals, and after weigh-in is completed a four pound excess is permitted during all phases of the competition.
