Donna on the Side in Nebraska
Part 1 - Introduction, college and pro
athletes, and scenes before aMITC
Part 2 - Boys on Meet Day
Part 3 - Girls on Meet Day
Part 4 - Parents, Fans, and Coaches
Part 5 - Pole Vault Corner and WorkerBees
by Donna Dye
It's a new indoor meet in the middle of the midwest in the middle
of winter. The facility is high class, modern, with a track that
features hydraulically adjusted banks suited to specific events.
Meet Director, Chris Lester, has work hard to get it all together
and together it is. Loaded with talent, from 39 states, the meet
makes a great debut on par with the best meets.
Nebraska is midwest!
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State Capitol
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Meet Hotel: The
Cornhusker
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Lobby of The Cornhusker
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Lined up for that
Autograph!
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Adding Excitement and Glitz
are the Pros and Collegiate Athletes
The Golden Spike Tour was part of the adidas Midwest
Meet. During a press conference with the athletes I asked a few
for some advice for high schoolers: "If you had only one
piece of advice to give to high schoolers what would it be?"
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Amy Acuff
Advice to High Schoolers: "Eat, and pay attention
to nutrition while you're young. Eat good wholesome foods,
proteins vegetables, nuts and fruits. Stay away from fast
foods and diets to cut calories." Amy is 6'2 with a
naturally slim figure. "My body type is naturally thin
so that helps." But she can't stress enough the importance
of good nutrition and eating habits.
Amy is a 2-time Olympian in high jump. She lives in Texas
and is studying acupuncture.
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Lawrence Johnson
Advice to High Schoolers. "It's all about desire
and the will to do what it takes to succeed. There will
be obstacles in your way. You need to have the will
to overcome them."
Lawrence is an Olympian in pole vault.
He holds numerous records.
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Don Lugo boys athletes chat with
Larry Wade for his advice. Back in college he was
indoor and outdoor NCAA Champion in the hurdles. He won
the hurdles at Millrose Games and adidas.
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Amy Linnen, SO Arizona. At the college meet, Friday
night, we watched Amy Linnen, a DyeStat Alum, set a new
collegeiate pole vault record at 14'10. Amy was a pioneer
for girls pole vault in New York while in high school.
Today she is enjoying the collegiate competition. For
Amy, there is a big difference competing on the college
level. There is more competition and more interest from
the athletes in the competition. Amy loves college and
Arizona. She made a big move, leaving New York state for
a college so far and in an area so different from her
home. But she said for her, it was the right decision.
Amy's advice to high schoolers is "Don't give up.....stick
to it. If you do you will succeed."
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Scenes Before the Meet
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(left) Eugene Okoreeh and Raphael
Asafo-Agyei, Don Lugo, CA-Taking in the College scene
and meeting the Pros.
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(left) Tanicka Ward and -Ashlee Brown
J.W. North-Lined up for some autographs. North finished
2nd in the 4x200 and Ashlee was 4th in the hurdles
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DyeStat meets Track Idaho (from left) John
Dye, Larren Bailey (Julene Bailey's Dad and Coach) Donovan
Kilmartin, and Julene Bailey-Donovan, a marvelously
versatile athlete, competed in the high jump, long jump, hurdles
and pole vault. Julene is an accomplished pole vaulter.
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Donna on the Side in Nebraska
Part 1 - Introduction, college and pro
athletes, and scenes before aMITC
Part 2 - Boys on Meet Day
Part 3 - Girls on Meet Day
Part 4 - Parents, Fans, and Coaches
Part 5 - Pole Vault Corner and WorkerBees
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