Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- "Many athletes are wondering who else will be called. Eight bobsled and skeleton athletes and six biathletes are reservists under the military's World Class Athlete Program. WCAP identifies exceptional soldier-athletes, including reservists, and pays for their training while they attempt to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. "Regarding [Tavares], this is not a good time," said Matt Roy, director of the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. "Everybody thinks summer is a slow time. It's not, and we're beyond it anyway and heavily into Olympic season." Tavares is the team planner, but he also happens to be a paratrooper." Attacks Take a Toll On 2002 Preparations Thursday, September 13, 2001 http://www.sltrib.com/2001/sep/09132001/sports/131912.htm BY SKIP KNOWLES and BRIAN MAFFLY THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The terrorist attacks on the United States struck some winter Olympians on much more than an emotional level. With the season about to begin, U.S. women's bobsled head coach Bill Tavares was called away by the Army on Tuesday, fulfilling his job as a reservist. Because of flight restrictions, the team's strength coach, John Kaus, is stuck in Calgary. The team was to join him for on-ice pre-Olympic training there this weekend, but that camp was canceled. Men's bobsled team member Tony Ciccone, a New York City police officer, also was called out on duty. Many athletes are wondering who else will be called. Eight bobsled and skeleton athletes and six biathletes are reservists under the military's World Class Athlete Program. WCAP identifies exceptional soldier-athletes, including reservists, and pays for their training while they attempt to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. "Regarding [Tavares], this is not a good time," said Matt Roy, director of the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. "Everybody thinks summer is a slow time. It's not, and we're beyond it anyway and heavily into Olympic season." Tavares is the team planner, but he also happens to be a paratrooper. For now, the U.S. bobsled women still have piloting coach Tuffy Latour, a former athlete. But Latour also is a WCAP Vermont reservist, a carpenter in the U.S. Army. The on-ice training was to be a first-time opportunity for the bobsled team, said Jen Davidson, ranked No. 1 in the world with driver Jean Racine. "Right now it's completely scrapped," she said. "I knew this would affect everyone personally, but did not think that particularly it would affect our training and preparations." Brady Canfield is an active duty optical physicist based at Hill Air Force Base and a skeleton team candidate. He and Air Force reservist and skeleton national team athlete Trevor Christie and Navy WCAP skeleton teammate Harry Jackson have not been called. Yet. "They don't generally call scientists for emergencies," Canfield said. "People are quiet and thoughtful here [at Hill AFB], upset. . . . But it's only given me a stronger drive to make the Olympics because of what they stand for, the opposite of what has happened. It's the one event in which the entire world comes together in the spirit of friendly competition." The national biathlon team has six members who enjoy WCAP support: Andrea Nahrgang, Lawton Redman, Jeremy Teela, Kristina Sabasteanski, Curtis Schreiner and Rob Rosser. None has been called this week into active service, according to assistant coach Randy Hill. The team is living and training around Utah's Olympic Nordic venue outside Heber City. In times of national crisis, WCAP members' roles as soldiers and athletes may come into conflict. On one hand, they are expected to serve their nation; on the other, their commanders hope to see them compete well in international venues. "Their primary service is to their units and the country," said Maj. Kimberly Swasey, the National Guard sports coordinator. "It's the military's position that we want to have soldiers who can go to the Olympic Games. We also have [an objective] to show America as a strong place in other ways." � Copyright 2001, The Salt Lake Tribune ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
