Download PDF - University of Idaho Library

The competitive edge.
Hard work and determination are
part of any sport, including com·
petltive swimming. for Kate Kemp
the hard work paid off a s she traveled
to the Division II National Championships
In Long Beach. Calif. to
compete in the SO meter free-style.
(photo by P. Jerome)
Pulling ahead.
Urged on by a fellow teammate,
Jody Widrig puts on an extra burst
of energy to touch home In a
freestyle race during the Nor-Pac
Championships in Idaho's Swim
Center. (photo by P. Jerome)
A season of young swimmers
and a new coaching duo brought
changes to Idaho, but didn't
stop the co-ed swimmers from
Making waves
V
ery few sports today are
co-ed, and even fewer
are co-ed coached.
But, for the swim team, things
are quite different. Men and
women compete together and
they coach together. And,
under first-year mentors Frank
and Karen Burlison, the Vandal
swimmers succeeded
together in a season marked
by outstanding individual performances
and team efforts.
The Burlisons are both
former Idaho swimmers and
coached together for seven
years before returning to
Moscow.
Karen said the partnership
is successful because she and
her husband can become
more involved with the team.
"We discuss things more than
if we weren't together," she
said.
According to Frank, his
partner and wife is very supportive
of the swimmers. "She
is able to talk to them when I'm
doing other things," he said.
"We're successful together."
The season began surprisingly
well for the team as both
the men and the women hosted
Simon Fraser and defeated the
Clansmen for the first time
since 1975.
"It was a fine job early in the
season," said Frank. "Simon
Fraser is a tough team."
The following weekend the
Vandals traveled to Oregon
State where the men repeated
their winning performance
with an impressive 86-39 victory.
The women, however,
lost to the Beaver swimmers
85-61.
The season continued on in
relatively unpredictable
fashion as the men dropped
matches to national
powerhouse Washington, San
Diego, Cal-San Diego, and
Central Washington, but
rallied at the end of the season
to capture third place in the
prestigous Oregon State
Invitational.
For the women, problems
also arose in the middle of the
season they fell to Montana,
Washington, Nevada-Reno,
Wyoming, and Cal-San Diego
while upending San Diego
and Central Washington and
matching their male counterparts'
third place finish at Corvalis,
Oregon.
Despite competing in
separate events and posting
separate team scores during
the season, the men's and
women's teams spent many
long hours together and
became each others' rooting
sections during the events.
"The men and women are
supportive of each other," explained
Frank. "This team is
very close."
The next step for the swimmers
was the Nor-Pac
(Northern-Pacific) Swimming
and Diving Championships
held at Idaho's Swim Center.
While the Washington
Huskies ran away with both the
men's and the women's titles,
Idaho placed fifth in each
category. continued C>
Award winning.
As a result of her fine performance
in the 200 meter IM at the Nor-Pac
Championships. Jody Widrig received
an award. Widrig also qualified
for the Division II National Chapmionships
In California. (photo by P.
Jerome)
200
Swimming