JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?ճh95c[X%F Y[ƾ- D^WIF@R.0p1Y6-'`Dۨ:Iցpa Ok&MhcMNҸSW]-F̛_yH:-ŠWG5:3^;QST,kJ2Tz{n"QJƹ#3U㠭$Tp!f݁Н"O ߖVP2[=yg\ƲZԸN|@)롊Z~ǼVӮ#c+tV`?s&sq\]}^9]ʞxx$ԹI29S=K!>Z5v[XQn 5Ex}=GWŶV-,F-ի]E!oq0qڛO T?)Q בxK{\ nŌ\w:;PUFXהEJ 45$H[ްrkrnzAZiSҖ7-^#`zVԖd^6'>߽"i.$}JgVG[.hv@YE)VKg<.5IjѩytJç\.9 J+- TyAs d'iEI`¦Es*m Ykr+Yn$DSbLsV:_L(@y%<)% \`Ҷ8Oҡ};V-J;t~f1aJX6f{'@qBFnRg`mz SuF H?i 3[]3^):s^+bH3\V62E֦+w#Z+š%-h J+ XWnh26}9wp4>pv_4vKk^Lrsgcګ\YH'He\am~5 %ȣ_6SQCB@}Rߞ*ߌ]Dwzԑw~?Z-+S/oB?AyԄe Tï5[\i*%Z]{ɹ3XbU yiu;니H7q2mdF ܇P\'v'#f1cC KM= :_[W$U9ֹi+q[OeS 2z\z n´WjN־1$9'\ƅ>=4Vc-O, IrqH+Ƨ$dTJBvvKCVXDT0ÞwYex!FAP0 W"UH0%Z20Gz<~&͈ާ{vy(1ۯlx^k>fl"YYr)ݬKY l+EKC(>eaמyeex] J&K 1TlSԎzY?8X?zMۀ$qOCsgA52J[ЭV*+nxЀJ`W7%-}8ƒY5A㠮jT\Gl6Y#+NdߓT㈸,|ޯX܋=Oj,w64HD1gr$aHV3湈е`!n {̽m5P8V0P X26 S={Dqg^q :dzġq~N7wf)7%;LgY< 2{1U,POzu54-QMh{4">j bzcu6zB@F[b]z+b8P yN׺xuJN̩o@̙QWZ+iPp;ՔA9sN:}i#A 9{Z%'pIT-NJYC#=<|~kի&J%W\O}j䕌*FO4F(9۞(@83-[+=*[ # v]k"E+Dh脛՚[e'ұ CG2y>Aqqs#gh0 lQ!R9'?x\Q{NЭf`4=JOKhL`dJ85Zx~Z2v$/-ͦsoe 崢sgҲ6I9%_Y\}Xr8UҘ@9˩$z$V{`ăi%*\:SPgW4M!EY@?wE+>8VV4LZH?Қ.D.@>!%_\\ fgyyJpo̰JeCުKrўWizU/AQ$js׫d*dަfP 6Hv>]3'ދ)eY+d,I ԚbiXQQe$vU<3ik_Wg~ym{=kSrM1n_9gJžAoNp1#ڽz2sr+XJќw':QF-[2G4򼨧 OSn=p*5GSSK&u}N ?^m&nzܕcϾxԉbMl%H,oҔ"=O4T Whitney went to Plattsburg High School in Missouri and even attended a BFS Clinic at her school.  I really remember the Box Squat, said Whitney. She was a three-sport athlete at Plattsburg participating in volleyball, basketball, track and softball in the summer.  I was excited about lifting, remembered Whitney,  but didn't lift as much as I should have. <br>Whitney decided to accept a scholarship for softball at MidAmerica Nazarene University which is sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene. It is an NAIA school with about 1,400 students of which about 55% are Nazarene members. Men's varsity sports include football, basketball, track, baseball and cross country. Women's varsity sports include basketball, cross country, track, softball and volleyball. Nearly 80% of MNU students receive some form of financial aid. <br>Whitney had some knee problems from summer softball after high school and went to Coach Cross for help.  Whitney's knees came in on the Squat, remembered Coach Cross.  That was the first thing we fixed. <br> My knees are a lot better, said Whitney.  I have no problems in softball or any lift now. I have really improved. As a freshman, I was the slowest on the team and I didn't start. Last year (2nd year) I was one of the fastest and a starter. <br>Krystal Kennard, MNU softball coach, explained,  Whitney is now a lot more aggressive and confident player. <br>During the summer of 1998, Coach Cross wanted Whitney to start training a little, try some Olympic competitions and see how she liked it. Whitney said,  If I didn't like it, I didn't have to stick with it. But I love competition. I decided to go for it. <br>Whitney has won gold medals at every Olympic meet she's attended and she passed her Level One U.S.A. Weightlifting Club coaching course.  I never thought I'd be winning gold medals. I didn't think I'd do very well. You should have seen me when I started. It was pretty ugly, laughed Whitney.  But I've worked at it. It's not something that has come easy. <br>One of Whitney's major goals is to qualify for next year's collegiate national meet. She currently has a 67.5 Clean and Jerk and a 45 kg Snatch for a total for 112.5 kilos (247 pounds). Whitney needs only 7.5 more kilos to qualify.<br>Coach Cross says,  She'll get there if she wants it bad enough. Whitney competes regularly in St. Joseph, Missouri which is a national hot bed for Olympic lifting. Whitney praised,  Wes Barnett (national champion) and Dennis Snethen have helped greatly. I'd like to give them credit. <br>Whitney lifts twice per week during her softball season and states with conviction,  You are not going to get big muscles from the way I train. I've lost body fat and gained muscle. My clothes are not as tight and I'm faster and a lot stronger and more flexible. I believe I have improved my looks through lifting. I just want to hit them over the fence and I want to gun'em at home. That's the best feeling. <br>Whitney is majoring in athletic training and wants to be a strength coach.  Coach Cross has built my confidence. He threw me into coaching here with some of our athletes and at clinics. I've really enjoyed it. <br>Coach Kennard said,  Whitney is a 3.1 student. She always studies on the bus when we travel. Whitney is serious.<br>Whitney believes the spiritual side of life is important and one should always keep trying to progress.  My family is so important, reflected Whitney.