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B8 —The Herald Journal Logan' Utah Sunday June 10 2001 maim Senior took 2nd at NCAA By Rick West staff writer Most high school jumpers dream of one day competing ‘in the NCAA national track and field meet or in facing a with the world’s best jump-of- f high jumper Utah State's Dave Hoffman didn't dream about doing any of these things ileinffigb school In fact he never thought he’d ever jump again “In high school I wasn't that good” Hoffman said “In high school I thought ‘High school track and then Pm done’” For all the inspiring stories of athletes who knew they could win despite die odds' Hoffman is a unique story about an athlete who didn’t think he could — but did anyway On May 31 he took second place in die NCAA national meet after breaking his previous personal record by a whopping two indies He alsotied with the best ji in the world Charles I of Weber State at 7 feet 6 12 inches Clinger only beat Hoffman after a tense jump-oto break the tie : ‘ ff clear six feet again But Hoff-- ' man kept improving until he became one of die Wolver-inebest jumpers Hoffman '' then wanted to jump for a university but BYU and USU both denied him a scholarship USU coach Gregg Gensel eventually changed his mind and awarded Hoffman a full scholarship and it was a good decision For the last three years Hoffman has been USU’s premier jumper breaking both the indoor and outdoor school records As if Hoffman hadn’t beaten enough odds to come this far he also found gut before this outdoor season began he required two minor surgeries to correct problems in his jumping leg The surgeries were successful but they set Utah State senior Dave Hoffman finished second in the NCAA National Championships in the Ngti Jump Hoffman back in his training last week in Oregon "My whole year was horrible horrible I didn’t break 16 team points indie meet nia Hoffman saw a flier at Utah seven feet until April in OreHoffinansurprisedmany peohis incredible with and James Parker Hoffman perforValley State College in Orem ple gon" Hoffrnan said "All of a ' athletes mance but the most surprised USU its best for for to sudden it started working out gave try asking national finish in many years the firk UVSC track and field person was probably himself coming together" team Hoffman was single and All this from a guy who I That meet in Oregon was the needed “something else to do" never gave himself a chance first time Hoffman ever beat don't even know if I can ever to Jump past high school and he decided to try jumping get that again" Hoffman said Clinger Hoffrnan continued Without a college track scholagain UVSCs track team was “Everytime I think about it I improving and took second in think ‘No I can’t jump that brand new and desperate so the Big West Conference arship or any coach Recruiting him Hoffman sort of fell into high They must have meathey accepted Hoffrnan even Championships He saved his his athletics accident best in sured wrong’" mark best jumps for die NCAA meet by college though high school was only 2 Hoffrnan said the scariest By finishing second HoffThreeyears after he graduated from high school in Califor man also scored half of USU’s Jt took him awhile to even jumps were the earlier ones s’ " “Seven-six-and-a-h- alf carcass out in public view for foe next several months ' Philadelphia even has one of the world’s most luxurious passenger ships the SS United States berthed in Pier 82 of the harbor where it rusts and rots One city hosted last year’s Republican National Convention The ofoer played host to the Democrats- - Last we checked those two parties recently had a closely contested contest too Believe it went into overtime “We’ve played in worse places — in Portland Sacramento” Lakers forward Rick Fox said “We’re the team that now has t6 prove we can play on the road” The Lakers made their most recent trip to Philadelphia in following the break and lost by 15 points 112-9- 7 after playing an overtime game - mid-Februa- ry All-St- ar against New Jersey die previous night It was foe third of four East Coast road trips the Lakers made (biring the regular season and it came at foe peak of their disharmony and dysfunction Much has changed in the four months since then not the least of which is Philadelphia’s addition of Dikembe Mutombo The last time the Lakers were in town the primary defender on Shaquille O’Neal was the Nazr Mohammed “They have to feel comfortable going homeand having the opportunity to close the series out” Jackson said “That’s the mental thought they have to go through” forSince foe NBA switched to a mat in 1985 no teamhas ever swept the middle three games at home ” ’ f M W 300 N ixijM 3555r7617rilS88-259r763“4’ ' I long-depart- ' ' Even if be doesn’t qualify for any world meets and even if 6 12 turns out to be his peak jump Hoffrnan still has accomplished more at USU than he ever thought was possible 7-- SATURDAY ' ' JUNE 9 NUMBERS QiGiTiQiQ 20 23 37 42 43 27 15 23 26 27 28 queen of hearts wueanm SATURDAY JUNES NUMBERS SATURDAY JUNE 9 NUMBERS ed olldOwn I 70 4 to gratuiations tonny Armstrong ot SandpointI Sthe is the 3rd finalist for the Bucks N Trucks Second Chance Drawingl NMMMOFAiMmKnmBr 14 15 33 45 51 2-3--2 : OTiaaMMMMuncwmrainciNwnm — — — IUhQFW ta koif — MB O Q)MbiiltoltiiO iI (lk 'mumdi i f A'9 yet" UOTiXERVIUPDATEl is ° - 22 6-- for their most loyal regulars Even Bill Cosby their most famous fan sits on foe baseline instead of at midcourt Los Angeles has the gorgeous and famous Laker Girls Philadelphia has for some unknown reason a rabbit mascot p with a dwarf sidekick named known as Lil’ G In LA they call it smog In Philly v thitycall it pollution In LosAngeles they bum cars when they win championships In Philadelphia they only bum cars on days that end in the letter “y” — and then they leave foe th- 1 single-h- Continued from B1 ' - : andedly Series Hip-Ho- After the field had trimmed down and he knew he would be an Alt American he relaxed the Then in the final jump-ofl- i nerves came bade “It was just the two of us left For a second I stopped and said This is crazy I’m jumping for the national champi- onship This is unbelievable’" Hoffman said couldn’t even concentrate on my jumps" Clinger eventually beat Hoffrnan but not before Hoffman ended his USU career with his best performance ever He still plans to com- pete He now has his sights set on foe United StatesNatipnal ' Championships in Oregon on June 19-and after mat the World Champipossibly onships or the Olympics The drought of competing against Olympians and the world’s best athletes is still a strange new idea to Hoffrnan “I don’t put myself up with those people I put them on a pedestal" he said but then he admits hie still might have his best jumps left in him “You always think I haven’t peaked ' 5 '' i- it jiHiilifri !ll‘ |
