1996_09 Insight September 1996

              ■ PAGE 4
SEPTEMBER 11, 1996 ■
Tomlinson on his
way to the top
Photo courtesy Sports Information
Laura Berg brought home the gold from Atlanta's summer Olympic Games.
'Amazing'says star athlete
■ Here's the dirt on
Olympic softball star
Laura Berg
By Steve Echeverria
Staff Writer
Laura Berg cherishes the jar of din in her
Looking with great admiration at the red-
brown soil, she smiles. Vivid images of summer in Atlanta flood her mind.
"Its a memento for luck." Berg says, "it's
from thc lefty's batter's box in Columbus."
Fresno Stale softball player, and the only
Bulldog athlete returning with a gold medal.
Laura Berg still holds her Olympic experience
firmly in her mind.
The junior outfielder from Santa Fe Springs.
Calif, speaks about the Olympic Games in Atlanta wiih ihe composure of an experienced
veteran. Yet the enthusiasm and excitement
simmering underneath her youthful exterior is
clearly evident.
Chosen as one of the 20 best softball players in the country today. Berg's face flusters
and her eyes glisten when she is mentioned in
the same category as other greats on the Olympic team.
"I was very nervous." Berg said. "I was a
shy person and I had to break out of that. I had
to be dependent on myself and I drew a lot of
strength from that."
Berg witnessed the enormous spectacle of
the opening ceremonies at Olympic Stadium
first hand.
Her description ofthe event can be summed
up in one word — amazing.
"You're walking up that hill [into Olympic
Stadium], you have that uniform on, and you
hear thousands of people chanting U-S-A,"
Berg said, "It's indescribable."
The emotional swirl of anxiety and joy, as
well as a lol of pride overwhelmed her at that
moment. Berg said.
The infinite flashing of cameras in Olympic Stadium looked like ihe star filled sky had
fallen lo the Larth. Il was almost as breathtaking as the Olympic softball team's first
game in Columbus, Ga.
"1 remember the announcer saying 'ladies
and gentlemen, here's our first Olympic soft-
ball leam. give them a warm Olympic welcome.'" Berg said. "Everybody was out of their
scats screaming and clapping. It was unbelievable."
Aside from thc excitement of an international competition. Berg said there was also
the curiosity of unfamiliar surroundings. But
it wasn't all that unfamiliar.
"You're playing there for yourcountry. with
all those people cheering for you, behind you,
supporting you. It really feels good," she said.
"People |in Columbus) look us in as a part
of their family." Berg said, "they would always
invite us over for dinner."
In Berg's opinion. Columbus was no different than Fresno—except smaller. Therefore,
she spent most of her free lime going to thc
movies, the mall or teammates' apartments.
There was one striking difference between
Fresno and Columbus—ihe
of security.
"1 was amazrMOyWIrnyMJerg said, of
the massive efforts put forth lo make thc
Games safe for all. "We got escorted to the
field and from il. Everywhere you went, you
got escorted."
Despite thc strict security measures. Berg's
i never swayed from her gold
medal performance.
"I didn't pay too much attention to il, I
mainly focused on my game," Berg said. "I
credit that to a lot of self discipline"
Berg also attributes her good conduct in
Atlanta lo her self-discipline. It wasn't hard
for her to follow the codes set for all athletes.
She wasn't there for fun and games, she was
there lo attain a gold medal.
"We had curfews, but there weren't set rules
on ihe athletes," Berg said. "You say to your-
. self: 'OK. I'm an Olympic athlete so I'll take
proper care of myself jusi like I would as a
Fresno State athlete.'"
Having achieved success in Atlanta, Berg
is happy to be back in thc company of her
Fresno State teammates.
"Now that I'm back I can't stop smilirig
about it. I just smile because I'm happy to be
with my team. We're like a family," Berg said.
Berg now sees her role on the Fresno Stale
team someone who can help lead them to a
WAC championship.
"They lease, but they are so supportive of
me and I love them to death," Berg said. "Because they are a part of it too, they all got a
piece of that medal with me. I couldn't have
made it without my teammates; they push me
to work harder."
Also evident since her return is Berg's
growth, both as a player and a person.
"I'm much more mature now. I'm doing
things that I thought I could never do," Berg
said. "1 can feel the difference and so can my
teammates."
Berg states that having played with Softball's
most coveted players the entire summer has
greatly improved her confidence on the field.
"I learned so much watching the older
ballplayers play, especially (in) keeping my
composure in clutch plays." Berg said.
Looking back on her Olympic experience,
a kaleidoscope of images once again comes
to mind. Particularly the image of her father
crying when the gold was placed around his
daughter's neck.
"It was a dream come true." Berg said.
More than just the images in her mind. Berg
has come home with concrete reminders from
her experience in Atlanta— one is the soil, the
other is the gold.
"When times are tough and I'm struggling,
I'm just going to look at those reminders and
think, 'I can do this; I have the confidence in
myself to do anything.'"
I Jamaican sprinter
feels right at home
on the soccer field
by Chad Holcomb
Staff Writer
Leaving a love for two and a half
years can leave a person empty.
For Fresno State sophomore
striker Craig Tomlinson, that emptiness has been filled.
Tomlinson
. left his Jamaica
home for the
United States
j two years ago
J on scholarship
o attend Central
State University
in Wilberforce,
Ohio. The scholarship was for his
high school track and field endeavors.
"It was difficult to choose [between soccer and track]. I had to focus on my track and field scholarship
and it was hard not spending time
playing soccer," said Tomlinson who
has been playing soccer, one of
Jamaica's major sports, since the age
of 4.
Tomlinson joined the team in late
August after the rest of the players
returned from their three-match
Canada trip. His choice to attend
Fresno State was motivated by the
challenging Division I play and the
academics.
"The community and team support is great here, and for my future
goal of going professional. Fresno
State could open the door," said
Tomlinson, who wants to work on
using both legs rather than just his
dominant left leg.
Tomlinson has already made an
impact, scoring two goals in the
'Dogs 3-1 win over Sacramento
State Aug. 24 and also played 30 crucial defensive minutes against a
quick, striking University of San
Francisco forward.
"I am impressed with his tremen
dous speed and technique." said
sixth - year head coach John Bluem.
"People can already see the excitement he brings. He has a flair for entertaining."
Bluem said that the 5-foot-8 music lover is committed to learning and
places the team goals in front of his
own. Bluem added that unselfishness
can lead a team to a successful season.
Steve Parker, Bluem's coaching
friend in Akron, Ohio, tipped the
Fresno State coach about this track
star who had asked to play one day
with his friends who were on the soccer team at Akron.
Bluem. who didn't see the former
NAIA track star and Ail-American in
thc 200 meters play prior to his first
practice as a Bulldog, is liking everything he has seen so far.
The former sprinter and long
jumper does not plan to leave track
behind like he did with soccer for several years. Tomlinson is working with
track coach Red Estes to set up a
schedule in order to run in the winter
indoor season and spring outdoor
season. For now though, he is focusing mentally and physically on the
soccer season.
The atmosphere for the transfer is
definitely a comfortable one, even
with teammates giving him a hard
time about his speed.
Thc other Bulldogs have quickly
come to learn that Tomlinson's speed
is definitely a weapon. He runs the
40 in 4.1 seconds.
"His speed is a tremendous
weapon, and he will be a big part of
the auack. not just to score, but to create chances for others by getting behind the defenders," said Bluem
about the marquee player.
"I like to stay focused, relax and
be myself," Tomlinson said.
And when it comes time, "work
hard to have a good game," he added.
Tomlinson's presence will definitely step into play for the Bulldogs
this season. ~"***"v,**>».
"He has really had an effect on the
players and thc soccer community already," Bluem said.
Photo Courtesy Sport* Im
After scoring two goals in his debut with the Bulldogs, Craig
Tomlinson will use his blazing speed and dynamic style to help
bring a NCAA soccer championship home to Fresno.
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