SPORTS

Page 9

The Michigan Daily

Thursday, February 20, 1986

- I

Myerowitz:
By GREG MOLZON successful gymm
Gavin Meyerowitz, a senior on Meyerowitz wa
the men's gymnastics team, had in South Africa,1
the type of performance athletes time for college
dream about last Friday in the leave the count:
final home meet of his career. come to the Sta
He placed in all five events in didn't see much o
which he was entered, garnering a Africa for us kids
third on the horizontal bar, second While compet
on both the parallel bar and pom- cabiah Games, t
mel horse, and firsts on the vault part to the Olym
and still rings. Three of his scores met a Michigan
were season bests. Meyerowitz had him about the ur
quite a night for himself, but it gymnastics coa
hasn't always been that easy for recruited Meye
the native South African. suaded him to co
SOUTH AFRICAN? Yes, that's BEING A for
right, Meyerowitz is from that expect that M
country whose problems cover the have had a diffi
front page of newspapers every here, but he say
day. The mere mention of the the contrary. H
country brings up protests and United States b
arguments, but Meyerowitz has team accepted h
been able to overcome any gymnastics, itu
political problems and become a common. Wec

ge:
astat Michigan.
as born and rais
but when it car
e, he decided
ry. "I wanted
ates to study. P
of a future in Sou
s," he said.
ing in the Ma
he Jewish count
epics, Meyerow
gymnast who to
niversity. Form
ch Newt Loke
rowitz and p(
me to Ann Arbo
eigner, one mig
eyerowitz wou
cult time fitting
ys it was much
e had visited t
efore and said t
him well. "Havi
was something
could talk abo

m

at

'M'r

STUDENTS TO HIT THE HEIGHTS
Mountaineers plan trek

gymnastics and that's all gym-
ed nasts talk about, basically. So I fit
ne in pretty well," he noted.
to As far as South Africa was con-
to cerned, Meyerowitz said the
We political turmoil didn't affect his
ith acceptance either. He said, "Once
they (the team) got to know me,
ac- they realized I'm just a person. I
er don't go for any of that political
itz crap."
old Although the competition was
er much better here than in South
en, Africa, Meyerowitz was good
er- enough to adjust and had quite an
r. eventful freshman year. Joining
;ht the team mid-year, he won the all-
ild around at the Spartan Invitational
in and was scoring in the 9.0 range in
to his events. However, his season
he came to an early finish when he
he dislocated his kneecap. Regarding
ng the injury, coach Bob Darden said,
in "The major setback for Gavin's
)ut gymnastic career was his knee in-
jury, which still gives him trouble
at times."
MEYEROWIT was able to
recuperate from the injury enough
to be one of the Wolverines' top all-
around gymnasts during his
sophomore and junior years. In
this, his final year, his knee has
kept him from competing in the
floor exercise, but he still has had
an excellent year and hopes to
compete again in the floor exercise
within the next few weeks.
Up until last year, his family still
lived in South Africa and he went
home during the summers. While
back in South Arica, Meyerowitz
competed on their national team
and in 1984, he had the best all-
around score in the country.
His family moved to California
this past year, which makes it
much easier on him. Darden said,
"It was very difficult for him to
compete on an international basis
to begin with because of all the
political problems that South
Africa is currently experiencing."
WHILE AT Michigan,
Meyerowitz has been the consum-
mate team athlete. "Everybody on
the team respects him and enjoys
his presence in competition and in-
side and outside of the gym," said
Darden.
Meyerowitz, a pre-med major,
has a bubbly personality which
overflows with enthusiasm when
he talks of how much he enjoys his
sport and teammates.
When talking of the team, he
said, "The nice thing about the
team here is because it's so small,
everyone is pushing everyone else.
That's the best thing about it.
Everyone is striving for perfection
and the guys are very supportive."
Meyerowitz himself is searching
for excellence and pushes him
ETRIE teammates to do so. He purposely
sets goals for himself which he
ar knows he can't reach, but will for-
ne ce him to always strive to be bet-
ter.

By EMILY BRIDGHAM
It wouldn't be too far off to say that
the Michigan climbing club reaches
for the mountains a bit more often
than for a brew. Climbing is a way of
life for the club, which is heading for a
trek through the Andes Mountains this
May.
"This is the third year in a row that
we are leading this trek and we want
to emphasize that participation is
open to all regardless of skill or
training," said senior Steven Gaynor,
who along with senior Frank Marics
will be guiding the excursion.
GAYNOR AND Marics, veteran ex-
plorers of the Peruvian Mountains,
have discovered both adventure and
culture in their trips. No doubt this is
what is bringing them back for their
third trek.
"I have to say that the Peruvian
Andes have the most beautiful views
The Club
Sports
anywhere," said Marics. "Once
you've been in the Andes, the Rockies
are no longer scenic."
"Going to South America you enter
the reality of the world. It is the third
world, and we go to interact with the
culture, not just to sightsee through
it."
THE ITINERARY for the 24-day
excursion makes Marics' statement
more than clear. The trekkers will be
packing in two one-week trips along
with layovers in some of the most
famous Incan Cities.
The first of these treks will be
through the Inca Trail to Macchu Pic-
chu, also known as "the lost city of the
Incas." The trip will be immediately
followed by a passage through the
Cordillera Blanca range which in-
cludes the highest peak in Peru,
Nevado Huascaran, at 22,000 feet.
"It is important that people under-
stand that our goal is to tailor-make
our journey to satisfy the interests of
participants," said Gaynor. "It's set
up so we have gear and University
resources and thus can accomodate a
lot of beginners."
THIS STATEMENT is true for the
club as a whole, which is made up of a

'14

The Nevada Taulliraju is one of the Peruvian mountains that the
Michigan climbing club will explore this May.

somewhat diverse 35 members, who
manage to organize an assortment of
trips throughout the year.
"I would have to term us - loosely
structured group," said Gaynor, who
considers the Andes excursion the
major event of the year. "There is
almost always some of us headed on a
trip during every break in school."
"Peru has a totally different terrain
and the people have totally different
styles, so you really stick out," said
Gaynor. "People in supermarkets will
come up to you and talk and they will
set a dinner date. It is just really
special."
JOINING THE trekkers will be
some burros to take care of the
equipment and two arrieros, who
with their knowledge of the area will
help guide the group.
When not trekking the group will be
free to explore the cities. Cuzco, for-
mer religious city of the Incan em-
pire, will be a necessary stop on the
journey where the group will ac-
climate to the elevation of 11,000 feet.
"One of the greatest memories I
WEEKEND
MAGAZINE
Fridays in The Daily
763-0379

have brought back was when we
brought our two arrierossome beer,"
said Gaynor. "We sat in there in the
middle of nowhere with these mon-
strous beers and we were just
talking."
Gaynor and Marics will be{,
providing a slide show at 8:00 tonight
in Anderson Room D of the Union. The
show will contain material from the': *
club's four trips to Peru.

*1 In Pleasing Brides

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601 '& de4 S44544e
3360 Washtenaw Avenue
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971-6455
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Daily Photo by MATT P

Gavin Meyerowitz came all the way from South Africa to become a st
gymnast at Michigan. The senior closed out his home career with a fi
moet against Western Michigan.

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