Volleyball
vs. Iowa
Friday, 7:30
IM Building

SPORTS

Volleyball
vs Minnesota
Saturday, 7:30
IM Building

The Michigan Daily Thursday, October 16, 1986 Page 9

lie 's everywhere:

M'

defenseman Norton leads

icers with all-around play

By ADAM SCHEFTER
Offense, defense, and leadership.
Combine these three traits and
you begin to understand Jeff
Norton's style of hockey.
Tack on speed, strength, and
aggressiveness, and the picture
becomes almost crystal clear.
"JEFF does a lot of important
work for us," said Michigan hockey
coach Red Berenson. "We rely on
him to do a lot of different things.
He is a bread and butter player."
"We would love to have Jeff
Norton at our school," said
Bowling Green's head coach Jerry
York. "He has developed
tremendously since he played in
high school. He is a big, strong,
physical player. He's going to
make a fine pro with the Islanders."
Yes, that's right, the New York
Islanders. After finishing an
outstanding senior year at Cushing
Academy in Ashburnham,
Massachusetts, the Islanders
selected the talented Norton in the
third round of the National Hockey
League draft.
AND THE Islanders fwere
lucky. Numerous other teams
wanted Norton. So when the 6-2,
195 pound defenseman chose
Michigan, he had some lofty
expectations to fulfill. But in three
years he has succeeded and exceeded
those expectations.
"He's shown a big improvement
from year to year," said Wolverine
center Brad Jones. "Right now he's
touted as one of the top defenseman
in the league. I think that he's one
of the top defenseman in the
nation."

"He has gotten better every
year," added Berenson. "He has
certainly eliminated a lot of the
mistakes he made as a freshman,
both mentally and physically. He's
a lot stronger defensively and he's
also a lot stronger offensively."
IN LAST Friday's season
opener against Bowling Green,
Norton scored two goals, one
shorthanded, and recorded one assist .
His defense was its usual steady.
But his best play of the game
may have come on his first shift.
The puck came to the sideboards
and Norton and his Bowling Green
opponent raced for it. Norton
braced himself and then cleanly sent
the Falcon defender to the ice with a
bone-jarring check that echoed
throughout Yost Arena. He had
established his presence and
authority not more than 15 seconds
into the young season.
"There's no question when the
younger guys see Jeff on the ice
that they feel more confident,"
Berenson said. "He's a guy to
respect and look up to."
AND THE players do. They
elected him captain before the
season began.
"Norton is a big help for me,"
said freshman defenseman Randy
Kwong. "I follow his leads and let
him carry the puck. It's not that I
don't want the puck. But you want
to him to have it since you know
that he can put it in the net.
"He sets the example with his
hard work. He's great on all of the
special teams. He's just the team

player and that's why he's captain."
NORTON essentially makes
the rest of the Wolverines play
better.
"Norton gives me a lot of
confidence," said freshman goalie
Warren Sharples. "Knowing that
there's someone out there with so
much skill and so much composure
makes my job that much easier. I
know that not only can he directly
help me with his play, but his
influence on the other defenseman
also helps the goaltending.
Norton, however, downplays the
importance of the captain's role.
"I WAS excited to be elected
captain," he said. "It's a great
privilege. But I feel that we have a
lot of leaders on this team. Right
now we have leaders from every
class."
Norton also gives a lot of credit
to Berenson, who he says greatly
helps the defense with the shortcuts
he learned playing in the NHL.
And with a supportive coach and
new season ahead, Norton is
excited, to say the least.
"WE HAVE a whole new
feeling in the locker room that we
just have not had," he said.
"Everyone wants to play and win.
It's a different feeling from the past
years. I'm excited to be around."
Still, some people are not as
excited about seeing the junior
defenseman around.
Said Bowling Green's York,
"He's only a junior, huh?"
Yep, sorry coach. Now that's
something to be excited about.

Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Captain Jeff Norton (5) and teammate Myles O'Connor (4) celebrate after Norton scored against Bowling
Green last Friday at Yost Ice Arena. Norton, who has been drafted by the New York Islanders, provides
leadership and stability for the Wolverines.

.e.

Row m CLUB SUCCEEDS WITH SELF-HELP:

Crew just
By SHELLY HASELHUHN
At the crack of dawn, about 120 men and women
can be seen stroking down Argo Pond in a boat built
for eight. What? You're not up that early? Well, the
Michigan Rowing Club is, and it finds'these cold, wet
mornings yet another challenge to rowing's already
demanding routines.
Toss aside for now the old "Ivy League, Preppy
Handbook in arm" image. Michigan's crew team lacks
some important necessities to fit that stereotype.
TO BECOME the "Harvard of the West" in
rowing, the Ann Arbor oarsmen first need to establish
their own tradition, which comes from decades of
experience, school spirit, and funding.
Rowing actually was a varsity sport on the
Michigan campus in the 1920s. But because of other
more popular spectator sports, it was put on the back
burner for a spell. Rowing emerged once again in 1976
when five guys broke the spell with barefoot
launchings of an old shell in the Huron River.
Presently "The club has developed into one of the
largest clubs on campus", according to men's head
coach Brian Benz. Men's and women's novice and
varsity teams comprise the club, novice meaning the
beginners and varsity being the more skilled and
experienced individuals.
UNLIKE other sports at the University and the Ivy
League schools, crew survives financially through the
dues and fundraising efforts of its own members (the
University contributes 5 percent to the $40,000 a year
budget).
Crew member Howard Lee says the rowing club "is
the most expensive of the clubs," so it is important for
the team to regain its varsity status to pay for
equipment, coaches, and other necessities.

ibove water
The club is not old enough to have wealthy
alumni, another possible source of income. So
without time-consuming fundraisers like the Halloween
fundrun and raffles, the oarsmen will be up the creek
without some paddles.
D E M A N D S the crew team do meet are the
physical endurance and stamina one must have to row
effectively. Each graceful movement is precise.
Syncronicity does not come easy though. Long, hard
practices produce perfection. Rowing exercises every
muscle in the body, so it is important to keep in top
condition by putting in hours of running, lifting, and
biking.
Why would someone want to kill themselves for so
little glory?
"We gain only the satisfaction one receives from a
successful, worthwhile effort," says club president Tom
O'Brien.
"YES it's hard and time consuming but it makes
for the most memorable college days," adds Benz.
"These people are your crew, your frat, your close.
friends."
All that togetherness is starting to pay off.
Although the three regattas so far haven't flowed as
well as hoped, the coaches agree that each race has
shown improvement, and the squad looks promising
because of their dedication and enthusiasm.
The crew team is currently focused on the biggest
regatta of the season: The Head of the Charles in
Boston taking place this Sunday. Last year's men's
squad placed 13th out of 41 teams and a four-woman
boat took fourth in Boston.
Until the Head of the Charles, cheering spectators
with raffle ticket stubs in hand would make a trip
upstream a little more fun and the pathway to tradition
a little smoother for the rowing club.

Doily Photo by PETER ROSS
Racing in the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston this weekend, the Michigan Rowing Club hopes to show
their muscle against Eastern powerhouses. The team fine-turned their skills during a recent practice on
Huron River

f -rn

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