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Show 1.1IH Tiestn, 12 - The Dally Utah Chronicle 0 if m Id Woolsey still improving without Olympic dream) Championships in 1989, second at the 1990 Olympic Cup and placed of in the top five in the the U.S. Championships on three occasions, including a second-plac- e BY DAVID COOPER Chronicle Sports Writer all-arou- finish in 1991 shortly before leaving Inside the unoccupied therapy room. University of Utah gymnast Sandy Woolsey rests her sore shins in a cold Jacuzzi, just like she has so the team. But the greatest challenge of that competition was meeting the impossible conditioning require- many times before. The expression on her face shows the regularity of nursing small wounds is as simple It really is as a routine round-ofnothing. Sandy Woolsey has seen tougher times. She has loved gymnastics all her life and she has also been driven to its cruelest edges. Now in her second year at the U. following an international career on the U.S. National Team, Woolsey is proving air." "The expectation is that they like to see girls that look like undernour- die. "She's been through the best and worst gymnastics has to offer," Ute teammate Suzanne Metz said. "But she still has the outlook on the sport and life that's great." e goal was Woolsey's team really hurt," Woolsey added in ments to stay on the team. Woolsey remembers training eight to nine hours a day in her sport, while nutritionally "taking in nothing but f. " Utah coach Marsden explained of Greg and other gymnasts' Woolsey's ished to herself and others in the sport that the love to perform just doesn't long-rang- simple from the time she began gymnastics: to compete in the Olympic Games. But the sacrifice, endurance, politics and physical exhaustion she met in her five years of experience on the international circuit built up more of her dread than her love to compete. "It took me three years to degrade myself into the high demands that I couldn't keep up," Woolsey said of her international training. "There was a breaking point where I was so scared to step out on the floor because I didn't want to humiliate myself. It was like, 'My sanity is not worth the Olympics.'" But Woolsey never failed at the world level. The level just failed her. After officially making the National Team at the ripe age of 16, Woolsey took eighth in the at her first World all-arou- nd 12 year-olds,- struggle at the Olympic level. "Part of that process is to be lucky and be born in the right year. Unless your genetics are just right, it's hard to look the way the judges want you to look." "Getting kicked off the world retrospect. "The politics overtook the performance. So I didn't feel I needed to prove myself anymore because it wasn't worth it." But after a year hiatus, she found out that it really was worth it. But this time at a different level. "To me college is a second chance," she continued, "To do it my way, having fun again. I would have had a hard time adjusting if I had just quit. Obviously since coming here, I have enough drive to want to be at the same level I once was. I didn't think that was going to be the case at first." And since joining the solid squad of Ute gymnasts that continues their quest for a ninth national title, Woolsey gives more than just adrenaline and drive. "There is an air of confidence when Sandy performs," Marsden commented of Woolsey's experience. "You just don't get the feeling see "Woolsey" on page ten , X" , r P v vrK QfifV CHRONICLE PHOTOPaul Reinarz Sophomore Sandy Woolsey, who has a wealth of international experience, is now hitting routines for the University of Utah gymnastics team, which is currently undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the country. Hornacek happy with Delta Center debut as Jazz top Rockets 89-8- 5 BY MATT OTT Chronicle Sports Editor Hornacek and Jay Humphries in the backcourt. During a 3:37 stretch early in last period of play, Hornacek hit a running bank shot in the lane, a on the at the top of the key and a left wing to help stretch a 8 Jazz lead to 80-6When Houston head coach Rudy Tomjanovich was asked what he thought of the Jazz' most recent acquisition, he...uh, waffled. "Well I can't make an observation on that yet," Tomjanovich said, pausing to survey the room and apparently realizing he hadn't fooled anybody. "You know," Tomjanovich added, "I know that he's going to be a great addition. He's a chemistry guy. His skills fit the Jazz' strengths, and I hated to see it happen." The Jazz did manage to blow their fourth quarter lead, and actually fell behind by 20-foot- er 23-foot- er 73-6- The Utah Jazz, ever the rude host, turned away the Houston Rockets in the Delta Center Monday to creep within two games night San Antonio of the Midwest Division-leadin- g Spurs, and to within two games of the now secon89-8- J ; . V?, ? Ok 1 -- v w d-place and-a-ha- lf 3, Rockets. The Jazz stretched their winning streak to six 9. k games games in a row, and have won so in or Houston 50 the hours, picking past against up two' full games in the standings on the Rockets. "It's a good win against a quality ball club," said bomb from Jazz forward Tyrone Corbin, who picked up eight two points on Mario Elie's three-poileft to corner with win. in "Defense the 3:36 rebounds the and nine play. points was the biggest thing. We've played great team They didn't fold though, and finished the game defense in all the games we've won." .with a 2 run, getting a layup from Corbin, a from Stockton which gave them their Unlike their treatment of the Rockets, the three-pointand a big fall away jumper from Jazz and the 19,911 Delta Center fans gave a last lead at 86-8warm welcome to the newest member of the team, Karl Malone which gave them an insurmountable Jeff Hornacek. Hornacek was acquired in a trade 88-8- 3 lead with 36 seconds left in the game. The Jazz got some help from the Rockets themwith the Philadelphia 76ers just hours before the Feb. deadline. 24 trading selves, as the boys from Houston made just three of trading member as his Delta debut a Center Hornacek, in eight free throws in the fourth quarter with from the line on the of the Jazz, scored 12 points in 30 minutes of play, Olajuwon going just three-poiand sported a seemingly irremovable smile as he night. That, along with their sat outside Jeff Malone's old locker to meet the shooting for the game, was enough to send them ' on their way out the door with a 38-1- 5 record. press after the game. "We've got to start hitting some "It's nice to go out there and play in front of back-to-bac- once-invincib- le 11-poi- nt nt 8-- er 3, nt - three-pointers- fans," Hornacek said after the game. "In we only had 8,000 fans at a game, so CHRONICLE PHOTOPaul Reinarz New Jazzman Jeff Hornacek goes up for two of his 12. points against the Rockets Monday night in the Delta Center. The Jazz are just two win. the Midwest Division after the games out of first place in and-a-ha- lf 89-8- 5 Philadelphia to have 20,000 cheering for you is a good feeling it gets you pumped up." The Jazz made their biggest run in the fourth quarter with John Stockton on the bench and . or stop taking them," Tomjanovich said. Guard Vernon Maxwell who made just two out of attempts, and Sam Cassell, who eight three-poifrom behind the arc, were the main was nt -5 culprits. see "Jazz" on page ten " y :i i.'iki! Ci.v. i?T |