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Show Atwater earns fifth All-American honor Hy Mike Browne sports editor The Signpost When the elbows started flying in the one-mile run finals at the 2003 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Joel Atwater got pushed off the track. "With 400 (meters) to go, a guy came from behind me and basically pushed mc out of the way," he said. "We kind of fought a little bit, and 1 stepped off the track for a couple of steps." Atwater had led the race in Lafayetteville, Ark. from the halfway point until he briefly exited the track. The Weber State University senior from Hooper, Utah recovered in time to make a couple of passes and finish in 4 minutes, 7.29 seconds, good enough for sixth place in the race and the fifth All-American title of his career. Atwater also earned All-American status in last year's national indoor meet with a fifth-place finish. "I really wasn't planning on going (this year)," he said. 'This builds my confidence quite a bit; doing what I did even though I was not even close to the shape I expected to be in gives me confidence." In long-distance races, talent and conditioning prepare runners to compete, but during races, a runner's tempo greatly determines his or her time. According to men's coach Chick Hislop, Atwater would have finished higher without the bump. "It just kind of threw me out of my rhythm a little bit, so that next lap I got passed by two more guys, I think," Atwater said. "If he hadn't got hit that hard, I think he would have taken no lower than second place' Chick Hislop men's track coach "With 400 to go, he was in great position to either win it or at least take second," Hislop said. "If he hadn't got hit that hard, I think he would have taken no lower than second place." Atwater's teammate Dave Olson, the only true freshman who qualified to compete in the mile in this year's national indoor meet, finished in 4:29.50 in the trials and did not qualify for the finals. "Olson got bumped up to the outside of the track, and he just twisted his leg a little bit and was just unable to come back from it," Hislop said. "That's what happens," Olson said. "I was in it until the end of the race." Olson plans to continue to work hard with his teammates to return to the national meet in the future. He took solace in the fact that he has three more years of indoor track and four more years of outdoor track left. "I was really happy to be there," he said. You can reach reporter Mike Browne by calling 626-7983. Taylor Region VII Coach of Year After leading the Weber State University women's basketball team to its second straight Big Sky Championship and NCAA Tournament berth, Coach Carla Taylor was named the Region VII Coach of the Year. Eight Division I coaches across the country received the award, sponsored by Russell Athletic and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The regional awards were determined by a vote by coaches in the region. Taylor, in her 1 5th year as head coach of the Lady 'Cats, is now eligible for the national Coach of the Year award, whose winner will be announced April 7 in Atlanta, Ga. The honors for Taylor, who played basketball and threw the javelin for the WSU track and field team, came on the heels of the WSU women's second tie with Montana State University for the Big Sky Conference title in two years. WSU went on to beat MSU in the conference tournament title game. With the victory over the Bobcats, WSU became the only Big Sky team besides the University of Montana to winback-to-back conference tournaments. . 1: " '-tit , - S: "h I ' - - ; -y Joel Atwater (far right) leads a pack of runners during the Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships. (Ml IB G If "Dental Primary Preventive Therapy Coach" ATTENTIO hsl Pre-Dental Hygiene, Pre-Dental Anyone interested in Health Care "This could be the most prestigious and lucrative specialty in all of Dentistry in the future" TRAI hsi I M 3 Personal training by a Professional Dentist with 32 years of experience, Call: 643-1812 Neighborhood Development FOH SALE (801) 629-8940 it'stff iihit rr-tteh HOMES FOR SALE BY OGDEN CITY (dxvm mum fin? iliu-- H) di- onoin $80,000-85,000 1165 25th St. & 849 22nd St. Newly remodeled 2 & 3 bedroom homes Special financing from Ogden City will drop your total monthly house payment to as low as $450month Income guidelines apply Call Ogden City Neighborhood Development for further information at 801.629.8940 |