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Julie Brandt-Glass, Inline Speed Skating
Posted: Monday August 09, 1999 11:45 AM
Born: February 23, 1979 Hometown: Jenison, Mich. Upcoming Event: 1999 National Indoor Standard Speed Championships, Syracuse, N.Y., August 14-18 Worth Watching Because: In March, after a five-month layoff during which she got married, Brandt-Glass returned to skating to compete in the Las Vegas HighRollers Invitational and won every individual event she entered: the 1500m and 10K women's Professional Inline Racing Series (PIRS) races, the women's Senior World Class distances (500m and 2000m) and the 3,000-meter (30 lap) women's Grand Champion race. This spring, Brandt-Glass won both the bank track and road championships at the 1999 outdoor nationals in Colorado Springs, Colo. -- a performance which qualified her for the world team. While on hiatus from skating, the 21-year-old gained a husband -- former pro inline racer Doug Glass -- but lost a key teammate when Cheryl Ezzell retired in February. "Losing Cheryl was a big loss for me," said Brandt-Glass, who races for Team Fila/Verducci. "I have to plan my strategy differently now. When I had Cheryl I was more confident. If I was having a bad day, she had a good day to compensate. Now I have to make sure I keep myself in good position on my own." At last month's Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, establishing good position was a challenge for Brandt-Glass -- by no fault of her own. Just 300 meters from the finish line of the 21K marathon, Brandt-Glass was moving into position to win when she was literally grabbed from behind by Chile's Marcela Caceres Carvacho and slung backwards. Rather than skating for gold, Brandt-Glass recovered in time for a fourth-place finish. Though she went home with a silver medal in overall distance and finished fourth in the overall sprint, Brandt-Glass left the event shaken and disappointed. "We don't mind getting beat," said Rick Porter, who coached the U.S. speed team at the Pan Am Games. "But we don't like being cheated." With the Pan Ams behind her, Brandt-Glass has plenty to look forward to, including this year's PIRS championship race in August, an event she will likely enter as the leader in overall world class points. Further down the track, Brandt-Glass may even get a chance to skate in the Olympics. Inline speed skating hopes to make its medal debut at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece. Greatest Success: Downer's Grove Champion, 1996 and '98; World Games double gold medalist, 1997; World Cup gold medalist, 1997; U.S. Olympic Festival double gold medalist, 1995; U.S. nationals overall sprint champion (track and road) 1995 and '98 Quote/Unquote: "I want to be on a winning team that is known for its professional attitude both on and off the track." Cool Fact: Julie's brother, Dave, is a third-year offensive linesman on the University of Michigan football team. On January 1, 1998, he played in the Rose Bowl against Washington State as a redshirt freshman. The 6-foot-4, 293-pounder calls Julie the best athlete in their family. Come back soon for a new women's sports Spotlight.
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