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Photo by Jacki Wilsor
‘Being mentally tough counts a lot’
the athletic department
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Halberg:
Ducks find a gem (nast)
in their own backyard
By JEFF NIELSON
Of the Emerald
It isn't too often you find a top gymnast right in
your own backyard.
But, luckily for the Oreg on women's gymnastics
program, that's exactly what happened when
freshman all-around Wendy Halberg, a 1975
graduate of Sheldon High School, decided to at
tend the University and compete under first-year
coach Henriette Heiny.
For Halberg, choosing Oregon wasn't all that
difficult.
“I briefly considered Washington," said Hal
berg, who has lived all her life in Eugene.
They've got a language requirement for out-of
state students that I couldn't meet, though
Halberg started her gymnastics endeavors in
the sixth grade, although she says back then it
was "just for fun.” After getting serious about the
sport her sophomore year at Sheldon, the Duck
gymnast went on to place fifth in State AAA all
around competition and second in the United
States Gymnastics Federation all-around reg lon
als her senior year. She also attended nationals
for AAU juniors and USGF seniors.
Halberg likes all-around competition for several
reasons.
"Being an all-around is good because if you
blow one event, there's still three others," she
said. “I've always been an all-around. If you really
want to go anywiiere in gymnastics, you have to
be."
That doesn't mean the going has always been
easy. In a sport where one mistake can be deadly,
the margin for error is slim.
‘ You can usually cover up the small errors in a
routine, but not something obvious—like falling
off," said Halberg. You can’t let the bad times get
you—you just have to come back in the next
event. Being mentally tough counts a lot."
Right now, however, the Ducks are toughening
up for a specific goal—to score a team total of 98
points to qualify for AIAW national competition.
They've come close—in its first meet of the sea
son, Oregon totaled 97.75.
Halberg is determined to help fulfill that goal.
My current goal is to do well with the team at
regionals and nationals,” she said. "I know we ll
qualify, we just have to put it together."
Unfortunately, Halberg is not so definite about
her future plans in gymnastics. A pre-nursing
major, she has two years of school here—then it's
up to Portland to attend the Oregon Medical
School
Being a nurse doesn t always go hano-in-hand
with uneven bars and floor routines.
I'll have this year, then maybe next season,"
said Halberg. After that, I don't know. There's
always a chance for a change. I'm an active per
son, and gymnastics keeps me in shape, gives
me something to concentrate on.
‘Til always want a substitute if I don't have
gymnastics."
Can UO win without the Pit?
Can Oreqon win without the
Pit?
That’s the all-important ques
tion looming in the face of this
weekend's return Pac-8 basket
ball games with California and
Stanford in the Bay Area.
Those who doubt the effect of
McArthur Court and its wild fans
on Oregon's play, need only con
sider the Ducks have lost their last
seven Pacific-8 games on the
road and won seven out of eight of
their last Pac-8 games at the Pit.
Stanford and Cal, both easy vic
tims of Oregon's last weekend,
beat the Ducks last year down
south, Cal winning 76-74 and
Stanford 71-70. A repeat perfor
mance could end Oregon s al
ready flimsy chance to finish
among the top two in the Pac-8
race.
Determining odds isn’t easy.
The Ducks were impressive
Saturday in blitzing Cal 79-60 and
easily took Stanford 72-59
Thursday. But since the Ducks
beat Washington 68-66 last year
on Jan. 18 in Seattle, their Pac-8
story on the road has been no Pit,
no win.
“I wish we could take all our
fans with us,” said Dick Harter.
“But we've just got to learn to win
on the road.”
Cal, which hosts the Ducks to
night at 8:05, probably has the
best shot at marring Oregon's
weekend. The hot-cold Bears
surprised Oregon State Thursday
night and, when hitting on all five
cylinders, are tough.
“They’re a very explosive team
that can control the tempo of the
game when they have a lead,”
said Harter.
Stanford, meanwhile, is ailing.
Sixth man Paul Giovacchini tore
ligaments against the Ducks and
is out for the season. Starter
George Schader, suffering from a
stress fracture of the fibula, will
play, but not at full strength.
Harter intends to start the same
lineup he used last week: Geoff
Nelson at center, Greg Ballard
and Danny Mack at forwards and
Ron Lee and Mark Barwig at
guards.
KnolO Dy jonn ju-hu
Greg Ballard will be out to stop Cal’s Carl Bird again
UCLA routs Cougars,
Huskies make SC 0-8
(AP) — UCLA remained atop
the Pacific-8 conference after
thrashing Washington State
104-78 Thursday night.
The Bruins, now 7-1, were ied
by Marques Johnson, who scored
19 points.
It was UCLA’s 96th consecutive
home-court victory while defeat
ing the Cougars for the second
time in five days.
Washington, 93-75
Seven-foot center James Ed
wards scored 20 points to lead
ninth-ranked Washington in a
93-75 Pac-8 basketball victory
over Southern California.
The Huskies, tied for second in
the conference, now are 6-2 and
19-2 overall. The Trojans have
lost all eight of their conference
games this year and fell to 11-10
overall.