1991_02 The Daily Collegian February 1991

              Sports
The Collegian • February 27, 1991
Picture perfect
Hector Amezcua/ The Collegian
Fresno State's Ceclle Bourdais slams a return In her
match against Pacific's Leslie O'Keefe Wednesday.
Bourdais lost her match as FSU fell to the Tigers, 6-1
FSU ready for Roadrunner
By Chris Cocoles
Collegian Sports Writer
The undefeated Fresno
State softball team returns to
Las Cruces, New Mexico this
week for the Roadrunner
Invitational, a tournament
that was not kind to the
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championship   game.   After
playing just six games in the
first three weeks of the
season, FSU will play at
least eight times this
weekend.
The tournament consists of
three pools of five teams.
FSU is in Pool "A" along with
McNeese State, New Mexico,
Eastern Michigan, and 12th-
ranked Arizona State. Pool
play will take place
Thursday and Friday,
followed by the
See SOFTBALL, page 6
Dooley wasting no time in re¬
writing FSU's record book
• Freshman sprinter
establishing new
standards for FSU
By Richard James
Collegian Sports Writer
Any track and field athlete
interested in knowing how to
continue high school success into
their freshman year in college
should ask freshman sensation
Tanya Dooley.
Dooley, who broke several
records in high school, has
continued her record-breaking
ways at FSU. She now owns the
school record for the 400 meters
with a time of 5433, which also
met the provisional qualifying
time for the NCAA Indoor
Championships in Indianapolis
March 8-9.
"It's neat (to own the school
record). I didn't even know 1 did
it until a few days ago," Dooley
said.
An undeclared major with a
3.0 CPA, Dooley got started in
track when she was in the fourth
grade
"1 was running with seventh
and eighth graders. When 1 got
into high school, I had a really
good coach who got me to places 1
needed to go (to be successful),"
said Dooley.
Dooley was recruited by FSU,
Cal Poly, Nebraska, and
Minnesota.
"I chose Fresno State because 1
wanted to stay in California
since I'm from Angel's Camp
(near Stockton). 1 liked Fresno
State because of the [mandatory!
study hall and because Coach
[ Bob] Fraley showed me he cared
about who 1 was. He didn't talk
about what all he could do for
mc like some of the other schools
did," Dooley said.
Dooley's  biggest   influence  is
God. "1 run for Him and
everything I've done is because
of Him," Dooley said.
She is also close to her
parents, Dennis and Gerildine.
Dooley has always lived in
small towns and likes Angel's
Camp.
"It's a very peaceful town
with no gangs or anything like
that. I had a very happy
childhood," Dooley said.
Dooley is also excited about
her chances to qualify for the
NCAA's.
"1 don't know how I would
react, but it would be a big honor
to compete in the NCAA's,"
Dooley said.
Dooley admits there is a
difference in dieting between
high school and college track.
I don't know
right now if Pm
good enough
forthe Olympics,
but it would be
awesome to
compete.
"You watch your diet more
closely. I keep the fat intake
low and practice hard. Each
week, practice gets easier and
my teammates push me in
practice. If I don't practice hard,
coach can tell," Dooley said
with a grin.
The Olympics are also on
Dooley's mind.
"1 don't know right now it" I'm
good enough for the Olympics,
but it would be awesome to
compete," Dooley said.
Before a competition, Dooley's
major mental preparation is
prayer.
"I always make sure I pray
and 1 always think of how I will
Tanya Dooley
run every phase of the race. I try
to think positive even
though I'm very nervous,"
Dooley said.
Dooley's academics do not
suffer because of track.
"It's not hard to do well in
academics and run track if you
just manage your time," Dooley
said.
She credits her success to a
positive mental attitude. "I
have really good and loving
parents and good people helping
me and pushing me to do well,"
Dooley said.
Finally, Dooley, who also runs
the 200 meters and the 4 X 400
relay, talked about what it is
like to run in events that are
usually predominantly run by
blacks.
"It really doesn't have that
much of an impact on me.
Besides, in college there is more
of a racial assortment. In high
school, I was usually the only
white girl in my heat,
especially when I competed in
Los Angeles," Dooley said.
Dooley gave advice to those
young white girls who maybe do
not have the confidence to
compete in sprint events.
"If you're good enough, there's
no reason why you shouldn't try.
No one should let their race stop
them from doing anything,"
Doolevsaid.
The rites of Spring are here
• Just a handy
guide to the
finerpoints
of the game
By Chris Br
Now that the Persian Gulf
War is all but kaput, the
world can focus its attention
on what really matters:
Spring Training.
For those who are socially
deprived and hate baseball,
1 tried to compile a list of
what spring training, and
baseball, is like. I hope I can
make the baseball Grinches
consider watching a baseball
game at least once this
season. Most     of     the
overriding themes in
baseball apply to life in
general, so this column can
appeal to even the most
hateful of Americas Game.
Here goes:
Spring training is like the
feeling  when  you   first   rode
your bike without your Dad
holding on to the back.
Spring training is the only
time of the season when all
the players are nice. Even
the most grizzled veteran
player can be caught signing
an autograph or two for a
couple of kids.-
Spring training is on every
baseball fan's itenerary
every year. 1 guess you could
say spring training is the
Mecca of baseball fans. How
many times have you said to
yourself, "Yep. This is the
year 1 finally use those two
weeks of vacation time to go
to spring training." But most
of us never get the chance to
doit, and that's sad.
Spring training is the only
time a fan can get their
picture taken with their
favorite player (and they're
both smiling.)
Batting averages and
earned run averages don't
mean anything in spring
training. Neither does wins
and losses.
Nobody complains about
the heat at spring training.
Spring training is Willie
Mays putting on a Giants
uniform and hitting fungoes
to outfielders.
Spring training is Jose
Canseco getting a speeding
ticket.
Spring training is just like
the Puerto Rican league, only
better.
Everybody is happy at
spring training.
Then when baseball season
begins, things get a little
more serious, but the feeling
is still wonderful.
Baseball isn't a game, it's
an attitude.
Baseball is catching a foul
ball.
The only time one enjoys
eating a hot dog is at a
basebal 1 game. The only
time I've ever seen polish
sausage is at a baseball
game.
Baseball   is   kids   in   the
See BASEBALL, page 6