0
Page 10-Thursday, February 4, 1982-The Michigan Daily
SENIOR SETS SCHOOL RECORD
k
Neer's shots put her in new class
By CHRIS GERBASI
A funny thing happened to Penny Neer while prac-
ticing the discus this year. She picked up a shot. Then
she put the shot and it traveled great distances. Sud-
denly, Neer was far above the crowd, setting school
records in an event she had never competed in
before.
Although Neer, a senior on the Wolverine women's
track team, had been involved in track for the last
eight years, she never threw the shot, but concen-
trated on the discus. In fact; she was the first
women's outdoor track All-American for Michigan,
in the discus.
BUT THIS YEAR, Neer, who hails from North
Adams, a rural community near Hillsdale, developed
"very rapidly" as a shot putter, according to coach
Francie Goodridge. "It doesn't surprise me," said
Goodridge, "because of her solid weight training
program."
Actually, Neer has been weight lifting with the
discus in mind and the shotput as a secondary
priority. She's been working with men's coach Jack
Harvey, whom she calls "the most knowledgeable
man I know on the discus. I can add feet every day
because he.can see what's wrong and he's not afraid
to tell me."
For a secondary-event, Neer's not doing too badly
in the shot put. She set Michigan indoor distance
records in two consecutive meets, first putting the
shot 41'4" at the Michigan State Relays, topping the
mark previously held by Deb Williams, and then bet-
tering her own mark at the Western Michigan In-
vitational with a toss of 44'7". Both of these perfor-
mances earned her first place finishes and not coin-
cidentally, the Wolverines won both meets.
GOODRIDGE SAYS NEER has been very in-
strumental in the team's victories and "had a lot to
do with beating Michigan State. It's significant
beating MSU, because we're trying to beat them
event by event," said Goodridge. "Even if she can't
compete with the 46-footers in the conference, it's a
big plus to beat Michigan State.",
Although Neer's shot putting skills are still
developing, she says the discus and shot put
techniques are similar in the movement of the hips
and legs, with the difference being the pull on the
arm. Her comparison goes beyond the techniques
though, as she favors the discus. "The shot doesn't
compare to the discus," said Neer. "Now that the
shot's going good, I think it's pretty neat, though.
"I'm strong now. Out in the country, (North
Adams) you bale hay, chop wood and do chores. You
get a base strength," said Neer, who still is not fully
concentrating on the shot put.
I.
-ANOTHER REASON FOR her success is the tim
she devotes to weight training. During her previous
three years at Michigan, Neer also played center for
the women's basketball team, but this year she gave
it up. "All these years I've been competing against
girls who have had weight training. I've been out on
the court while they were training. I wanted to see
what it would be like to just train."
Apparently, the training has paid off, and Neer
hopes it will carry her to-even greater heights in the
discus or shot put. Her immediate goals after
graduation include participating in the Olympi
Sports Festival in Indianapolis this summer alon
with the Track Athletic Congress (TAC) meet.
A good showing in the TAC could mean an in-
vitation to overseas meets, such as the University
Games. She also hopes to make the 1984 United States
Olympic team-a goal of every trackster.
Despite her success, Neer says she doesn't believe
in the woman athlete stereotype, which conjurs up
pictures -of husky women taking steroids. "It doesn't
affect me," said Neer. "I know what it is though, that
if you've an athlete, 'Oh, you're big and bulky.' I think
because you're athletic and in shape, it sho4
discipline."
With her seemingly natural ability, the possibilities
are endless as to what Neer may pick up. A discus, a
shot-maybe even some medals along the way;
FENNY NEER SHOWS THE FORM THAT GAVE HER THE Michigan indoor
shot put record. Neer, normally a discus thrower, has set records in two con-
secutive meets.
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Michigan
Hockey
Statistics
Individual
0
No. Name, Pos. GP
7 Richmond, D........ 27
16 Speers, RW......... 27
14 Tippett, LW ......... 27
18 Dn. May, RW........26
19 Kobylarz, C..........27
5 Richter, D .......... 26
25 Brandrup, LW ...... 21
21 Milburn, C..........20
22 Krussman, LW.. 27
23 McCauley, RW....... 27
3 Lundberg, D ........ 22
17 Yoxhelmer, RW ..... 27
8 McIntyre, RW........25
15 Reid, LW ........... 25
11 Grade, LW...........25
6 Perry, D ............ 27
4 Neff,D............. 21
2 Dg. MayD ........11
27 Tessier, LW..........16
24 Hawkins, D..........12
26 McCrimmon, RW ... 5
30 ElliottG............ 16
35 Mason, G............13
12Noren, C............7'
2 Huber, C.............3
1 Chiamp, G...........3
M'BENCH ......... 27
G
5
17
11
9
9
6
3
3
6
4
1
5
5
2
3
0.
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Pts.
28
26
26
16
15
13
13
11
10
10
10
8
8
8.
6
6
4
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
P/M
23/46
19/38
10/20
20/40
-9/18
23/46
16/33
12/24
15/30
4/8
12/24
14/28
7/14
3/6
16/32
6/12
13/27
4/8
2/4
1/2
3/6
2/4
1/2
0/0
0/0
0/0
2/4
Totals
92
802
783
237
Totals
85
868
710
232
Team
MICHIGAN
1 2 3
Goals ................27 39 26
Shots on Goal .........254 257 272
Goalie Saves..........244 300 224
Penalties:............. 66 93 77
OPPONENTS
OT
0
19
15
1
OT
0
15
19
0
Goals ................. 28 30 27
Shots on Goal.........272 330 251
Goalie Saves ..........227 218 246
Penalties .............. 76 82 74
GOALIE STATS
Goalie (Records)
P. Mason (7-4-1)...
J. Elliott (5-5-4).
M. Chiamp 6-0-0) .
MICHIGAN (13-9-5)
OPPONENTS (9-13.5)
G
13
16
3
27
27
Min.
630:19
932:13
97:28
1660:09
1660:00
GA
30
48
6
85
92
Avg.
2.86
3.09
3.70
3.07
3.33
IM Scores
fUESDAY
BASKETBALL
Fraternity
,A'
Evans Scholars 46, Kappa Alpha Psi 37
Beta Omega Pie 65, Nu Sigma Nu 36
Sigma Alpha Nu 62, Acacia 30
Independent
Couzens 64, The Smegs 30
G.C.'s 34, Coke Whores 32
Lakers 66, Coral Reefers 25
Tins of Tuna 41, Leaping Lords 39
'Superstar'
The Blizzards 47, Skywalkers 46
America 1982 66, Gophers 41
AMN-A-"BOR'S
PNGEST
HOUR
OLDEST PIZZERIA
0
Finest Pasta Dishes
Cottage
INN
HAPPY HOUR
1 PM - 1AM
Sun. thru Thurs.
"
HAPPY HOUR
2 PM - 6 PM
Mon. thiu Fri.
Sav
298
449
36
783
710
I