JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?}UҼctIxL$Vy}:LP]{A֓;Qilnϟct RIWz꺄aIIѭ_" ,`͸M$=D#;UQǰ2Rzd5SYK4WqYؕ]\y:r3e?yll">H#m\iG첥C$USigNޔROlO.|:?U.n#y`k~su zyZᡲ5ۡjEל}u?F1RQ|k?)]'qViz a}/i F-W+Z1dp5jqiR\HTsp> šhU 9sֵ?A8${R]0gz}R=yׄi[3mpx?g)ٛ7-{WkKo4#$i*uR\޹#$ںylq4ޅw)gC$hNTi.HS ;'8pT`1\oDkRd_OJ},VuүNxPЙH9Zfp!~h-Q01ݓZ[1QX[MHm~}뢷uN9֥77.Xtz57OxP- v7L krh2꺤6q;tiS$\Ѵ ğ3:t&k֏,p^5BŢ~hS}#Hi!#QϙMnexJ/|ƹImԹƛtYlyu} E K19sNW&an[VUP }kMRucϵrβן6>ήC]?RR%u'Olwvt=|ܸ #+ͩMҗ,%%ts[!SNXWz=m*(N|)ѱ5I@nIBķ1ۦI_t`_N0\ ]I'LS =Z4k7ڒxH?:Z%%dR`wpʆ#pi.m[^>bjdw N+' dM=+ft$ln`R~}CZZN%-;1aPh۱L_º)~u<$2@oU Lם*-]ƛoT s~="cz @)"Ohkvfu5hx>4XH# vrFo` ?J c`H2KU:dmG'hc>rW؈n4)ZK.Ґl |lXÐ)Uvʦq;՜XI /zj^ݸz/ls)nzGOխ~BmR p\T32ʑ'yWAz5{;+wsǒ D46]ҲLN5(G܈I:RIeק7Ryv{(>Yw[+Oz鴋 +$?JrM#Asw\'ً<~SP ]B'$sECJM7<);Ġ+T㻳`M Etk',g^f\]Ao)ieTvW=>%XZz 2ʟpk;Xeҋ!+"k1ޤ:#VY-_ps\B։1:XR-BF }=+nu]UlLѫ?()S^NRGqxIʓ]]F8c g-5]] $cSӴWBĞخm;ËiU p?3S)Fj)q纽5[>i3^VV9^kORrTFܓ\ mS5e$8YA+$qR< ?Z!\\iPvmzaNWh c9:'XRr[i_}~ bǮ*Fl`dz5H(R QQBs +spIt<ɵ;_ݛg=>Muoȁ ɴ玙? ՜ ԛ}={P]]W٤x+4[q<ʈsz,!-oL@k+'g}ʫUVWsM^,֒<6R8/J7n;4K snW6ּMoزاk3;68}E=.Um1*Nƹ*Ԩ ^G[FRZ-V- VS 1rT7ME9&PD{]_k٤#p+G8(c'&ކ~ss,qry{6GզUf%AeZ9$WEZN2Zpd\)E~zϔ!vpk]$z,u͌Q!KdwtûQXH˞'0hv֨R0)Qn is:Rz޴=夶W2[΅%e=D+ӹԜWXh臏J?νlⵍhϭs'(Nl"01.bA9>Ov-Ŕ7 Y\ å 7}Nj\JX:Ja$"n/,*>q*g$y4ҺCfN%|#>){H#3)nVɗ1HN7cjԬ#ιSOz\-usu֊f^Ѯ4R95U\GZ`$dr'-ǰT"  Ԁjַk-M*x05zѩF23fC݀ gMYHTed 眚˵DV\`=*跪9q6.*zDdDHjE\jEMi䒤#㌀#qLCZ ܹL[xQqPcoYu fhdˁZ‹Te*ӫp=+˯u[WS̶g>Zֻful3 qZмMBPYHJ3ۯ5ZpW_Cm[Ip8WuKۀ@HgPtyRp{~5o[ ̓Al5)GGxj2rkC4'(Y?:S [;`Ce# 3Z^bq?e*t Ԝ$^$p#bQewQ/0j/S9Mg^|۹v-X#5f2Qi*]ETGl.K\IT@y53)qR< &BhjWvp+T3VEufj(3)nt 742# g<ԠZ TsҭhIsdׁ 3WmI,J'+UlLiR;S7탚e1֬Ȏ%tq6ƮIjy'=*$jd'ߥbzTlJ)J\pUFTTq_r`m`:@!'5 @*L}zQvWX3".&`xV*=( OJ~0;~zRgҪ."[^7¬1)^-={ "9]6VE\ѭN$xTco2>#En*}:jVSIu9 D3]6Ebz6.r"aH#jPq2TKqJ r(8L”fHJ-v=((yj-6$F J^U KJ_ϥ&G1Jn~c9R zRvҐJWaҚҚGA5խlbkmYhɵq]{* acJ AƔ l]I -gdX@G'RR(8?;R?J`Rcҁ1ҞDCҀ$(#4ޞ(nzSqߥ!^`юHXzT~)1ғ,=SOCM=T>gMZ&wL[$ezU ֦?@>,.dl1Y['l16e(Ƞibs,n{J}խ8cb4RqjQ}( RS1V{}(#?EN=(? (H~QHc;~(`9><4QT*%h,^QEQK QM only one chance in life so make the best of it.&nbsp; We didn't win the national championship on March 3rd: we won it with three hour practices and obeying the rules.<BR><STRONG>Lindsey:</STRONG> It takes dedication and hard work.&nbsp; Also, if you are going to play, you should play because you love it.<BR><STRONG>Brianne:</STRONG> Talent can only take you so far.&nbsp; You have to have a work ethic.</P> <P align=center><STRONG>WHAT DO THE GUYS THINK ABOUT<BR>YOU LIFTING WEIGHTS?</STRONG></P> <P><STRONG>Ashley: </STRONG>The guys know this is what we do.<BR><STRONG>Lindsey:</STRONG> I am getting stronger.&nbsp; So what if you're a girl.<BR><STRONG>Cherisse:</STRONG> Sometimes they say, "You're such a wimp."&nbsp; But we are National Champions.&nbsp; We aren't going to let them intimidate us.</P> <P>About three months after our interview and just before we went to press, I called the girls to find out what the effects of our mini-clinic were on their lifting program.&nbsp; Here is what they said:<BR><STRONG>Lindsey:</STRONG> We worked really hard after you left.&nbsp; We could really tell the difference.&nbsp; It was neat showing other people how to do the lifts.<BR><STRONG>Brianne:</STRONG> We learned a whole lot.&nbsp; We now watch others and can easily pick out their mistakes.<BR><STRONG>Cherisse:</STRONG>&nbsp;It's a&nbsp;lot easier to do it now.&nbsp; We notice a difference.&nbsp; Sometimes we tell the guys about their mistakes.&nbsp; It makes me feel cool that I now know what to look for.</P> <P>The results:&nbsp; Another National Championship!</P> <P><BR><BR><BR>&nbsp;</P> of free weights and machines but not a lot.&nbsp; We did not have scheduled workouts and stretching was not big but it is now.&nbsp; If I had lifted correctly and known what to do back then I might be playing in the WNBA instead of coaching," she said laughing.</P> <P>At Northeastern Illinois, Coach Taylor did not have a formal strength program in her first year.&nbsp; "We didn't do Squats and Cleans but then I got a strength coach, Ed Lopez, who had a track background.&nbsp; We did Squats and Cleans from that point.&nbsp; Coach Lopez knew what to do."</P> <P>"If I were a high school coach," affirmed Coach Taylor, "I would start my players in the 7th grade.&nbsp; When people think that weights will ruin your touch, I tell them that's a myth.&nbsp; As far as losing your femininity, I believe that is changing.&nbsp; That too is a myth.&nbsp; Things are changing through education.&nbsp; Fitness is in.&nbsp; Health is in.</P> <P>"I believe sports can help your self confidence and discipline.&nbsp; Lifting weights for your sport just adds to that.&nbsp; Some people are afraid a girl could get muscle bound if they lift weights.&nbsp; Well, I have never seen that happen to my players.</P> <P>"The biggest reward in coaching is how we, as coaches, can touch people by helping them achieve their dreams.&nbsp; Helping my girls like a mother would.&nbsp; Making a positive difference when girls are at a real vulnerable and impressionable age.&nbsp; X's and O's are fine but your main job is to help people grow."</P> <P>Coach Taylor begins each practice with everyone holding hands saying the Lord's Prayer.&nbsp; This is followed by a thought for the day.&nbsp; For example, Coach Taylor asked her team to comment on the thought, "Your character is your destiny."</P> <P>The Starzz are dedicated to the game and their coach.&nbsp; They are excited about the WNBA and being a part of this great pioneering effort in women's sports.&nbsp; We thank them and especially Coach Taylor for being Upper Limit and being a leader by example.</P> <P>Pictures of the Starzz players lifting will be added at a later date.</P>t of how public support affects gymnastics in this country:  Men s gymnastics has been hurting at the internation