2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - Monday, April 14, 2003 CLUBSPORTSWEEKLY Synchronized swimmers look ahead to nationals Smiles all around UIte ffidirigan &aIiul ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Who: Calli Ryals Hometown: Elyria, Ohio Sport: Gymnastics Year: Junior 0 By Maggie Adams Daily Sports Writer "We're definitely rebuild ing," said junior co-captain Molly Clark of the women's synchronized swim- ming team. "When I was a fresh- man there were only eight members. .By sophomore year there were 13, and this year there are 24 girls swimming for us." Women's synchronized swimming was actually the first varsity women's sport at Michigan, but it was discon- tinued because of budget issues back in the 1980s. It was renewed as a club sport four years ago with five charter members. "It's really great to have this many girls swimming for us, because it lets us perform a lot more routines at each competition," Clark said. Another thing that helps the team perform well against varsity teams is its intense practice schedule. They work out at Canham Natatorium three times a week for two-and-a- half to three hours per practice. Players also spend a lot of time out- side of scheduled practices meeting with each of their separate routines, working on synchronization and choreography. Much of this work is done through a technique called land drilling, in which the major elements of each routine are done on land. "Practice is essential to our team," Clark said. "A three-to four-minute routine takes about three to four months to perfect. And routines are only one part of the competitions." The other major part of a synchro- nized swimming meet is figures. In this event, each team member is alone in the pool and performs four separate elements for the judges. The scores from their figures are contributed to the team's overall score, which deter- mines the places of each team at meet's end. This year, the team attended six dif- ferent regular season meets in places such as Arizona and upstate New York. "The best meet for us as a team was our dual meet with Ohio State, because their swimmers worked with each of our swimmers, one-on- one, before the competition," Clark said. "The Ohio State team is a real- ly serious advocate of our team, because they really want to see Big Ten synchro prosper." Having Ohio State help out was a major boost, as Ohio State was the reigning national champion and has consistently been at the top of the competitive field. "They've been national champs for years, so it's really great to have support from a team like that," Clark said. "It was really amazing just to be there with teams like Ohio State and Stanford," Clark said. "And we're hosting nationals next year, so it's going to be even better. It involves a lot of summer work, but when 300 synchronized swimmers invade Ann Arbor next March it will be worth it." Having the national championship - which rotates regions every year - in Ann Arbor will bring 20 to 30 teams here, which definitely excites the team. Before nationals take place, the Wolverines will have to get through their regular season. They start the year with a clinic in September, where they teach any interested ladies all of the basics of synchro- nized swimming. That is followed by tryouts in October, where the sepa- rate teams will be formed. The team's three coaches - Becky Domegan, Stephanie Sherk and Sheri Shapiro - are considering splitting next year's team into a competition team of the 20 most talented ladies, and then an exhibition team of all of the other girls who are still learning. A major tenet of the program is offer- ing the opportunity to anyone who wants to participate. All three coaches were previous members of the team, so they already knew a lot about the program coming in and have offered a wealth of useful guidance. "They care a lot about the pro- gram," Clark said. "They spend hours upon hours of time devoting themselves to making our team experience better. We just wish we had more money to offer them as salary." The team does a lot of fundraising, because the costs of traveling amount to around $ 10,000 every year. "Stuff like that really brings us together though," Clark said. "We bond over fundraising and getting up early for Sunday practices. I know that I've made friends on this team that will last for a lifetime." What: Ryals was at her best on Saturday night at the NCAA Regional meet, scoring a 39.500 to win the individual title. That performance paced the Wolverines, as they captured the sixth regional title in school history with a 196.825, holding off Arizona State by 0.1. Ryals took home event titles in the unveven bars (9.9) and floor exercise (9.95) Ryals Spo1RJBRIEFS Gracious in defeat? Jordan rips teammates WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael Jordan sounded like a dad let down by his kids. "How many times have your parents told you not to do things, and the next thing you know, you go do it?" Jordan said. "And you realized you shouldn't have done it." Jordan was speaking after an emo- tional loss by the Washington Wizards to the Boston Celtics, a defeat that almost certainly means his second comeback will end in failure by the standards he set. The Wizards won't be in the playoffs - Milwaukee wrapped up the final spot in the Eastern Conference with a victory over Toronto on Friday night - and Jor- dan is left to wonder why some of his teammates waited so long to show pas- sion and energy. "Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight," Jordan said. "It's unbelievable we had to come down to this moment, where we're really fighting and scratching to try to stay in the playoffs, when all season long we had great opportunities to win ball- games and take advantage of it. "That's a young team. They realized late." Jordan's third coming is coming to an end, and from his perspective it's been marred by the very players with whom he chose to share his final season. Little more could have been asked from Jordan himself, at least statistical- ly: The 40-year-old superstar with six NBA championship rings has averaged 37 minutes and 20 points, and he is the only Wizards player not to miss a game. But while he didn't embarrass himself like Willie Mays with the Mets or John- ny Unitas with the Chargers at the end of their careers, Jordan couldn't win in Washington, in part because his over- whelming presence skewed a delicate team chemistry. " AP PHOTO Even though he wasn't receiving the green jacket, Tiger Woods was still In good spirits as he put the jacket on Mike Weir. 0 Canadian Weir takes home first green jacket AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - A Maple Leaf grows among the towering pines of Augusta National. Mike Weir became the first Cana- dian to win the Masters, making two clutch pars to force a playoff with Len Mattiace, and winning on the first extra hole with a simple tap-in for bogey. The green jacket that Tiger Woods had hoped to slip on for a record third straight year is going north of the border. Weir, who only five years ago had to toil through PGA Tour qualifying school, closed with a bogey-free 68 on a dramatic yesterday at Augusta National, then let Mattiace make all the mistakes in the first Masters play- off in 13 years. Weir had to sweat over a 5-foot par putt on the 17th and a 6-footer on the 18th, as Mattiace waited on the practice green among chairs that already were set up for the fabled green jacket ceremony. Minutes later, Weir leaned over to tap in for his only bogey of the day, then raised his arms and embraced his longtime friend and caddie, Brennan Little. What a breakthrough - not only was he the first Canadian to win a major championship, he became the first left-hander to win a major since Bob Charles in the 1963 British Open. Mattiace watched a brilliant day at Augusta National crumble quickly. He chipped in for birdie, holed a 60- foot putt on No. 10, and charged through the back nine on a mission to build a two-stroke lead. But Mattiace bogeyed the 18th for a 65, and he never had a chance in the playoff. From the middle of the 10th fairway, he hooked his approach wildly to the left and then chipped some 30 feet by the hole. His par putt nearly went off the green, and Mattiace wound up with a double bogey. Both finished at 7-under 281, the highest winning score at the Masters since 1989. Weir won for the third time this year, and all six of his PGA Tour victories have been comebacks - none more special than this. Until yesterday, the most nervous he has ever felt was watching Canada win the gold medal in hockey at the Salt Lake City Olympics. "This was definitely nerve-racking," Weir said. "I tried to gather myself on each putt. Every putt on this golf course is tough." All of them mattered until the- end, when Mattiace chopped up the 10th hole and was struggling to hold back tears when he realized how close he had come. All of them mattered in a nervous pursuit of the green jacket. Woods, who stumbled to a 75, slipped the coveted prize over his shoulders. "Thanks, Tig," Weir told him. "It feels good." Woods was only four strokes behind to start the final round, and history seemed to be there for the taking. He gave it all away with one bad decision - a driver on the shortest par 4 at Augusta National that went into an azalea bush, caused him to hit his next shot left-handed and led to a double bogey that derailed his chances. The other lefty - Phil Mickelson - had a 4-under 68 for his best clos- ing round at the Masters, but it still left him empty after 43 tries in a major championship. Mickelson finished third at 5-under 283. I 'M'S(CHEDULE Tomorrow Softball vs. Eastern Michigan (DH), 5 p.m. Wednesday, Apr. 15 Baseball vs. Oakland, 3 p.m. Softball vs. Akron (DH), 5 p.m. Friday. Apr. 18 Softball at Ohio State, 3 p.m. Baseball at Michigan State, 6 p.m. M Track/Field at Eastern Michigan Invitational M Track/Field at Mt. SAC Relays Saturday. Apr. 19 W Rowing vs. Indiana (East Lansing), 10:30 a.m. W Tennis at Wisconsin, 12 p.m. M Tennis vs. Northwestern, 12 p.m. Softball at Ohio State, 12 p.m. Baseball vs. Michigan State (DH), 1 p.m. W Rowing vs. Ohio State (East Lansing), 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 20 W Tennis at Northwestern, 12 p.m. M Tennis vs. Wisconsin, 12 p.m. Softball at Penn State (DH), 12 p.m. Baseball at Michigan State, 1 p.m. Wednesday. Apr. 23 Softball vs. Central Michigan, 7 p.m. Thursday. Apr. 24 W Gymnastics at NCAA Team Preliminaries, TBA W Track/Field at Penn Relays W Track/Field at Drake Relays M Track/Field at Penn Relays M Tennis at Big Ten Championship W Tennis at Big Ten Championship Friday. Apr. 25 W Gymnastics at Super Six Team finals, TBA Baseball vs. Penn State, 3 p.m. Softball vs. Purdue 6 p.m. Water Polo vs. Eastern Championships W Golf at Big Ten Championships (Iowa City, IA) M Track/Field at Hillsdale Relays Saturday. Apr. 26 W Gymnastics at Individual Event finals, TBA Baseball vs. Penn State (DH), 1 p.m. Softball vs. Purdue, 1 p.m. M Golf at Bruce Fossum/Spartan Invitational Congratulations Graduates!! Celebrate with your friends and family at an Italian restaurant that appreciates special occasions!! 4500 N. DETROIT AVE o TOLEDO, OH * (419) 269.4500 h ,mev t1 h HiHa tCafe. CnmnltlIvremodeled) 6 a 6 Call for Reservations at (734) 453-2002 41661 Plymouth Rd. Plymouth, MI 48170 ,' d $ k{ "'X V it ' ,' G.kU M + Yy Ym Take part in the 2nd Annual Standard Federal Bank 10K Series. Run in these great Michigan cities: 4 Lansing Grand Rapids Kalamazoo Auburn Hills Ib] ravl mOy I WAS.. Ina: I