A fittina end to a toss-about season
Photo by Steve Dykes
After a season reaching for the 170 mark, Sally Harmon came through with a 177-10 throw to win the javelin
competition at nationals.
Harmon conquers frustrations, country
The way Sally Harmon describes it, winning
the AIAW national title in the javelin last Saturday
was a piece of cake compared to trying to cele
brate about it.
When the competition was over, she started
running to her coach, Scott Irving. A low rope
crossed her path. She tripped and fell.
“I fell right in front of him,” she said. ”1 had to
crawl up his leg.”
Then there was the award ceremony. Some
people might think that standing at the top of the
winner's pedestal would be a fine place to vent
some enthusiasm. But Harmon thought better of
it.
"It hit me a little at the ceremony, but you're in
the public eye and have to stay calm.”
Finally, as the team was driving back to the
hotel in Austin, Texas, assistant coach Mark
Stream asked her, "Aren’t you happy?”
"Sure," she said.
"So what do you do if you're happy?”
“I scream.”
So, when they arrived, Harmon went into her
room and screamed.
"It felt good.”
One reason it took so long to sink in was
where it happened. Or, actually, where it didn’t
happen.
"If I had done it here (at Hayward Field), it
would’ve been fantastic, but it was not as big a
deal there because not everyone knew me or my
marks."
For the record, the Oregon sophomore threw
177-10 to win the championship, defeating
Alabama’s Sue Gibson (175-9) and Dana Olson of
Houston (173-5). Harmon threw 172-5 Thursday
to top the 12 qualifiers for Saturday’s final.
Her previous best this season had been
168-5, which won the Northwest title in Corvallis
May 9. Her personal best was 169-10, set late in
her senior year at Springfield High School.
The latter mark has been a monkey on the
back for Harmon, who is not the first Oregon
athlete to feel the pressure of Hayward Field fans
who seem to expect personal records at every
dual meet.
There was also the added pressure of being
the Ducks' top javelin thrower with the graduation
of school record holder Patty Kearney last year.
Also, she and Irving were overhauling her
entire technique.
It made for some frustrating moments in the
early going.
"In the first part of the season, I expected a
lot, but I wasn’t disciplined. I thought, ‘It’s my turn
now,’ but I didn’t have a base to work from."
Most of her throws in the early dual meets
were in the 150-foot range. In any other region of
the country, that would be enough for a few
first-place finishes. But the Northwest is filled with
some of the nation’s best tossers, and Harmon
found herself throwing for dear life.
"It was basically a season of frantic prepara
tion to go against great people every week, plus
constant work on fundamentals. It was frustrat
ing, because I wanted things to come around."
Things did just that — first at the Northwest
meet and then at nationals.
m m m m
Sally Harmon
“She’s made the kind of improvement that
coaches dream about,” said Oregon coach Tom
Heinonen, noting that the ideal athlete would
peak at the big meets, which is exactly what
Harmon did.
Harmon was able to relax at the AIAW com
petition when her first throw in preliminaries, a
164-0 effort, guaranteed her in spot in the final
round, Heinonen said. Her second throw was the
title-winner.
“She just relaxed and let it happen. Everyone
started gunning for her and by the fifth round they
were pushing.”
Heinonen admitted Harmon’s win surprised
him. “You don’t often see people get PRs in
national events, especially in a technical event
like the javelin.”
Harmon could tell you about those tech
nicalities. She and Irving have gone over them
more times than she can count.
“We re working on everything, ali the way
down to watching the tip, keeping the palm up —
things you think you would have down at this
point. A complete teardown and workup.
“I’ve got so much to work on. It’s amazing
how much you can never accomplish. I’m just
now becoming aware of what I’m supposed to do,
but just on the surface. Right now, I’m merely
being efficient."
It seems “efficiency” has taken her further
this season than even she can remember some
times. While describing her AIAW performance,
she mentioned a throw that went “only” 168 feet.
Only 168 feet?
Her face breaks into a sheepish grin. “I guess
that is kind of funny, isn’t it?”
By Jody Murray
Coast, Cascades offer outdoor enthusiasts
Trails to take hikes on
After nine months of school, summer
brings visions of relaxing, sunshine and
lazy days — and summer jobs.
But summer jobs don’t necessarily
prohibit summer fun. Beaches, mountains,
lakes and rivers are only a short drive or
bike ride from most parts of the state. And
they can be enjoyed on a weekend, or
even a single day off.
Oregonians have it better than most.
The Pacific Crest Trail in the Cascade
Mountain Range runs from Canada to
Mexico, passing directly through the state.
Oregon’s Coast Trail provides an almost
continual footpath along the Pacific
Ocean. And numerous backroads give
bicyclists a chance to enjoy the scenery
without worrying about the traffic.
Probably the best-known hiking path is
the Pacific Coast Trail, which follows the
Cascade ridge from Canada, south to the
Sierra's and then to Mexico. While it would
take four to five months to hike the entire
distance, the Oregon section of the path
Emerald photo
Oregon’s two major trails bring hikers closer to the outdoors, fora weekend or a week.
can be reached — and hiked — from a
number of locations.
The section closest to Eugene can be
reached along the Willamette Pass, which
will be opened Friday, according to the
State Highway Department The path runs
above the 6,000-feet elevation line and will
be plagued with patches of snow until
mid-June, says Dick Grace of the
Willamette National Forest, which admin
isters one section of the trail.
But the trail is travelable and it makes for
an exhilarating hike. Hikers and campers
should be aware of the "no trace camp
ing” provision which operates along the
trail. To ensure the natural beauty will
survive the more than 4,000 people who
hike parts of the trail each year, the for
estry service encourages people to take
out everything they bring in and to use
portable stoves instead of campfires.
Maps can be optained at the Willamette
National Forest headquarters.
No trace camping is also encouraged
along Oregon’s Coast Trail
The 377-mile route, which runs almost
continuously from the Columbia River to
the California border, is about 100 miles
from completion.
Although much of the route is not of
ficially dedicated, the public can hike on
294 miles of Oregon's planned route —
traveling 87 miles on formally dedicated
sections of the trail or following 204 miles
of accessible open beach.
So only 86 miles along the entire Oregon
coast are without a footpath.
Joe Davis, head ranger at Honeyman
State Park, says the trail and the connect
ing beaches have provided a nice break
from the usual ’’stay” oriented camp
grounds. "People can get off the beaten
path and enjoy themselves,” Davis says.
‘‘Camp where no one has been for a
while."
Much of the Coast Trail is used for short,
one-day hikes, Davis said
There is no statistical information on
how much the trail is used each year, he
says.
The main section of the officially marked
trail is along the north coast — a contin
uous marked route that reaches from the
Columbia River south 64 miles to Til
lamook Bay. From there, the trail becomes
scattered official trails and numerous
beaches.
The trail is described in detail in a
150-page trail guide publication published
by the state, designed to fit into a back
pack or a jacket pocket It details the
route, indicates markers and historic and
geological points of interest “The Hikers
Guide to the Oregon Coast Trail” can be
obtained at state parks departments.
By Tamara Swenson
PKITCHEN
ISKORNER
Doug & Sylvia Hickman
Eugene’s NEWEST
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Featuring pottery by
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207 East Fifth Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 343-4170
H'ours: Mon-Sat.,
10:30 to 5:30
SUMMER JOB
OPPORTUNITIES
U of O is hiring students for work in the following positions:
1 Telefund Program Coordinator
Will be responsible for planning and coordination of the UO
Telefund Program for Summer 1981 (potential for Fall
continuation). Supervision and training of six student Telefund
Assistants. Keeping of Telefund records and statistics as well as
necessary follow-up to specific questions and problems. The
Coordinator will work 14 hours a week between 6:00 and 9:30 p.m.
Strong organizational skills, ability to supervise others,
understanding of the University are desirable skills. Program
begins June 15 and finishes approximately August 20.
6 Telefund Assistants
To call UO Alumni seeking their financial support for the 1981
Annual Fund. Some data recording involved. Assistants will work
10.5 hours a week between 6:00 and 9:30 p.m. Good
communicative skills, pleasant telephone manners, knowledge of
University, and fund-raising interest preferred. Program begins
June 15 and finishes approximately August 20.
Applications and job descriptions available in UO Foundation Office,
148 Susan Campbell Hall. Completed applications due no later than
Friday, June 5. For further information, cal! 686-3016.
BUY 1
GET
2
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(of equal value)
on shirts; skirts,
blouses and pants.
Lazar’s
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164 IV. Broadway
687-0139, 687-9766
EVER HEAR
THE WORDS
"UPWARD BOUND"?
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The Upward Bound program provides high school
students with a place to grow, a place to start;
helping them sort out who they are and who they
wish to become — in their personal relationships,
school experiences, and career choices. Want to
help? TUTORS NEEDED. Volunteer 2 hours/week
(minimum) tutoring high school students in the
Upward Bound program on the University of Oregon
campus June 22-August 14. Tutors needed for
math, science, reading, writing, personal finance,
English as a second language (Indochinese
students). A rewarding experience you won’t forget!
Call Upward Bound, 686-3501 or
drop by 107 Friendly Hall for details.
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