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EVENTS
CENTERS
CNNSI.com GROUP
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Two weeks...no excuses
Sue Merz, 29, was a key member of the first U.S. Olympic women's hockey team, which won a gold medal at the 1998 Games in Nagano. The Greenwich, Conn., native first joined the U.S. national team at age 18 and played hockey at the University of New Hampshire. Now the defenseman wants a second Olympic gold medal. Check out Merz's diary as she trains for Salt Lake City. July 31, 2001 My gosh, it's been a whole month since I've last written, and I can't tell you where the time has gone. I looked at my calendar at the end of June and thought, "July looks like a quiet month. I'm going to get a lot done in the next 30 days." Yeah, right... July started off quietly, but quickly it turned into one of my busiest months so far this year. One major reason for this has been my lack of funds. You see, as an amateur athlete, money has been an uncertainty from Day 1. We as athletes have always fought our sport's governing bodies for more funding. And this year (spring and summer, mostly) for some reason my funds have slowly shriveled up to next to nothing. I think most amateur athletes can agree that a second job is sometimes vital to survive while training and competing in their disciplines. And this summer I too have adopted this philosophy. So for the last three weeks I have been working as a coach at various ice hockey camps. Actually I enjoy that work very much so part of me felt like I wasn't really working. And besides, I feel good about giving something back to the communities I work in. Hockey has given me so much in my life so far that I feel it necessary to return the favor. I'm sure someday I'll become a full-fledged coach.
As an athlete in my sport, life is a ritual of packing and unpacking, living out of bags and moving almost yearly. And that time has come upon me again. Joy! So, to say the least, I've been up to my ears organizing where all my things from my apartment will go when I move at the end of this week. That's enough about that ... Finally, I've been training throughout all of this. I think it's been this that's kept me somewhat sane amongst all the craziness of this last month. I enjoy training in the gym and weight room, but I think I'm ready to get back on the ice and really prepare for the upcoming season. I've felt productive this past month in my preparation for the season, but there's really no substitute for getting in shape for hockey than being on the ice. And it's crucial for me to get on the ice so that I will be prepared for the big tryouts come Aug. 13. Two weeks ... no excuses. I finally want to thank all the people that have written in to say hi or to ask questions regarding my sport. One person asked if I'd be in the 2006 Olympics, and the answer there is most likely no. Hopefully, I will be successful in making these next Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, and then I think I will call it quits from international competition. Also there was a question regarding how to strengthen one's arms to improve shooting. There are actually many muscles that one can strengthen to improve shooting, and they're not just arm muscles. Your torso, back, shoulders, wrists, forearms, arms and legs are all incorporated into shooting a puck. The areas that women are usually weakest in are the torso, wrists and forearms. I would suggest an overall strengthening program to improve in all these areas. -- Sue
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