| OCR Text |
Show The Daily Utah Chronicle. Thursday, January Paw Si eZ hi?: Suzy Greer is a freshman from Laurel, Md. majoring in leisure studies. She is yet gymnast on the University team who has competed at the elite level in high school gymnastics. another llfilillii liitWHii . She is one of the East Coast's top gymnasts and proved it by capturing the FederaU.S. Gymnastics tion's East Coast Regional r . ' r .. :. ii... ft ' 12, 1977 Championship senior division. She is a powerful tumbler and figures high in Marsden's plans for the gymnastic team. "I enjoy the floor routine the most and consider it to be my specialty," said Suzy. "In the floor competition you're allowed from freedom. I feel I gain a higher creativity level when competing on the floor." Suzy said she thought the level of competition offered in college was equal to that of the Olympics, but felt with her studying and gymnastic competition the Olympics would be an impossible goal. "I came to Salt Lake because of the high level of competition the schedule had to offer and the high academic standards of the school," Suzy said. "Besides I love the outdoors and the Salt Lake area is just great." " "Gymnastics is an extremely demanding sport, both physically and emotionally," coach Marsden said. "It's somewhere between an art form , ( and a sports event." Debbie Chernich is a senior foods and nutrition major from Sacramento, Calif. She transferred to Utah in 1975 from American River Jr. College where she was the California champion. all-arou- Debbie has competed on both nationally ranked Ute teams in 975 and 1 976 and is one of the on this team. year's Debbie competes in all four events vault, bars, beam and floor. "I like to do floor the best; you don't have to worry about falling off of it and it is a good outlet for self expression," she said. When she was younger, Debbie wanted to compete for the Olympics. "I like to compete and gymnastics is a sport that gives me a lot of enjoyment." This will be her last year as a competitor, as she will graduate. ft" 1 Wit-'- KfT i 'fe"::: iSSA4.41t,.rf4tr Julie Brooks, 22, is the women's gvm nasties assistant coacn tor 1978. bhe previously competed three years for the Utah squad and was highly recruited as a high school senior. She was born in Provo and has lived in Utah ever since. She is a graduate from Salt Lake West High. Julie is majoring in fashion new merchandising and fs undecided as to her career. "Fashion merchandising is somewhat like home economics," Julie ex- plained. "I could do just about anything with it, I'm just not sure what. I could work for a store buying clothes or the like." As assistant coach, Julie receives tuition compensation. When asked if she . r, ,. would like to continue coaching gymnastics, Julie said she might but wasn't sure. "I'm open to just about anything," she said. "I might stay with gymnastics and I might not." Julie enjoys individual sports such as skiing and golf. "I also like to sew when I have the time to do it," she added. f .., mmm. Diane Dunbar, 19, is a freshman from Pleasanton, Calif, majoring in modern dance. She started tumbling when she was five, and began gymnastics when she was eight. "I guess I've been doing both for about 10 6 -- "g" J She said, "The quality of gymnastics has really improved over the years; the competition gets tougher and tougher. Nationals in 1976 were good, but last year there were several Olympic gymnasts competing for schools, which really and New Mexico. "When I came to the strengthens the program." Diane Ellingson was one of the hottest gymnastic prospects in the country before she decided to come to the University. She started at the Utah gymnastics of Academy Gymnastics four ago. Diane is another elite gymnast who won the region I (the western region) senior division championship. "Uneven parallel bars is mybest event, that is, when I don't fall off," Diane said with a smile. "If you use proper techniques gymnastics is as safe as any sport." Althougn talking to many coaches from around the country, Diane decided to stay in Salt Lake. She had offers from California years years," she said. Diane said being a modern dance major can be trying when she practices gymnastics three hours a day after a full schedule of dance classes. "I get pretty tired," she said smiling. "I have some pretty long days." She believes modern dancing definitely aids her in gymnastics. "The two interests help each other out," she explained. Diane would like to combine her background in modern dance with gym- - i :::.. ..Zi w nasties someday and be a coach. "I'd like to choreograph some routines sometime," she said. "I could incorporate my dancing with many aspects of gymnastics." State-Fullert- on (another top women's gymnastic school) University I gave up thoughts of going to the Olympics," Diane said. "The college competition is getung just as hot as the Olympics now." 0 7J 6 l ft |
