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<BODY background="../../_themes/lstj/bgsmujav.jpg" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" link="#3333CC" vlink="#FF0000" alink="#000080"><!--mstheme--><font face="Helvetica"><!--mstheme--></font><TABLE BORDER="1" WIDTH="592" HEIGHT="492" CELLSPACING="2"
CELLPADDING="0" bordercolordark="#3399FF" bordercolorlight="#3399FF">
  <TR>
    <TD WIDTH="203" HEIGHT="492" VALIGN="TOP"><!--mstheme--><font face="Helvetica"><P align="center"><STRONG><font color="#0000ff" face="Charlesworth" size="4">VOLUME
      9<br>
      ISSUE</font></STRONG><strong><font color="#0000ff" face="Charlesworth" size="4">
      2<br>
      </font><font face="Charlesworth" size="3" color="#000066">OCTOBER,
      2006</font></strong></P>

      <P align="center"><FONT COLOR="#ff0000" SIZE="+2"><b>TABLE OF CONTENTS</b></FONT></P>

      <CENTER></CENTER>

      <i><font FACE="Helvetica"></font></i>
      <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:15.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica">Letter From The Editor&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Are they calling this a
      sport?</span><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;<b><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </b></span></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Letting
      It Go</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">George Woods recalls an
      incredible career</span><b><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:
Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Long,
      Strange Trip</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Liz Wanless took an
      indirect route to the elite ranks</span><b><span style="font-size:4.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Stepping
      Forward</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Jessica Cosby emerged in
      Indy as a new force in the hammer </span><b><span style="font-size:4.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><i><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">BEATING
      DIABETES</span></u></i><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:
Helvetica">&nbsp;</span></u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      �The Greatest Event In My Life�&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </b>Adam Kuehl overcame much to become a champion<b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span></b></span><b><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Defining
      Moment</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">And you think you have
      issues</span><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Specific
      Training For The Javelin</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </b>Optimizing spear training<b><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </b></span></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Knockin�
      At The Door</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Two preps team up in
      assault on 70�<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span></span><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Olympic
      Lifts And Power Production</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Measuring output in the
      dynamic lifts </span><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Teaching
      Young Throwers</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </b>Case studies in success<b><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </b></span></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt">&nbsp;</span><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Coaching
      The Youth<br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Building the next
      generation<b><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </b></span></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt">&nbsp;</span><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Believing
      And Achieving</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </b>Making a dream come true<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span><b><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </b></span></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Simplifying
      <s>Spin</s> <s>Rotational</s> Linear Throwing</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-family:Helvetica">It�s really not rocket
      science</span><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><font color="#FF0000"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Talking
      Heads</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><br>
      </span></font></b><font color="#FF0000"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">These
      two TV personalities might look familiar to you </span></font><b><span style="font-size:
6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica"><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </span></b></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">A
      Gentleman Thrower</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br>
      </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">The career of a great Master<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp;</span></span><!--mstheme--></font></TD>
    <TD WIDTH="452" HEIGHT="279" valign="top"><!--mstheme--><font face="Helvetica"><P><b><font color="#ff0000" face="Charlesworth" size="6">TALKING
      HEADS</font></b></P>

      <H3 style="text-align:justify"><!--mstheme--><font face="Impact" color="#003366"><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica">By
      Glenn Thompson</FONT><!--mstheme--></font></H3>

      <p style="text-align:justify"><a href="lstjv9i2_preview.pdf" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="../images/acrobatreader.jpg" width="29" height="30"></a>&nbsp;
      <a href="lstjv9i2_preview.pdf" target="_blank">pdf version</a></p>

      <font SIZE="2">
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">All throwers size up the
      competition at a meet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>If
      there�s a strange face warming up with a physique that looks dangerous,
      you can rest assured that everyone�s checking them out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>But even then, you can only see who they are as a thrower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>You don�t know a thing about who they are and what they are
      about.&nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">This is even more true at the
      Masters� level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The
      athletes come from all walks of life, and often are very successful in
      their chosen field and personal lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>&nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Two shining examples are Paul
      Ossman and Joe Johns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Aside
      from turning age 50 next season, they are very high profile television
      personalities in their own realms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Paul Ossmann joined Atlanta�s
      11Alive News in August of 1998 and serves as the station�s Chief
      Meteorologist for the weekday broadcasts at the Atlanta NBC affiliate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Ossman has worked in the Atlanta market<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>for 18 years with great success, having the charisma to serve as
      the original host of Good Morning Atlanta.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Joe Johns became a fixture on
      network television news in the 1990s as Capitol Hill correspondent for
      NBC. His reports were seen on the �Today Show,� �Weekend Nightly
      News� and other NBC news programs, as well as cable television on MSNBC
      and the internet on MSNBC.com.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>He currently works as CNN�s Capitol Hill correspondent and can be
      seen frequently on Anderson Cooper 360 and other CNN broadcasts. <o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p><font face="Arial"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-style:normal">Despite
      their great personal success, neither is overly impressed with himself and
      both own self-deprecating senses of humor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>And they both love throwing.</span><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Back In The Day<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </b><br>
      Ossman started throwing in his junior year of high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>He learned as he went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�I
      came from a weight lifting/baseball mentality, so I had to learn to put,
      and not throw, the shot,� he recalls .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�My first meet I threw 42 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>By the end of the year, 49�.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>At the end of the following year I threw 54�11�, breaking our
      school record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Interestingly,
      I broke the school record the same day Brian Oldfield tossed the 16
      pounder 75 feet [May 10, 1975].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Because
      the spin was new, it was banned in New Jersey in 1975.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman enjoyed the sport so much
      he joined the Willingboro Track Club, run by Bill and Evelyn Lewis, the
      parents of Carl and Carol Lewis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Bill
      was Ossman�s assistant track coach at John F. Kennedy High.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>The schools split his senior year, with a younger Carl going to
      Willingboro High School. &nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman�s collegiate career was
      short and a mixed bag of frustration and joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�I got disillusioned by college track and field,� he recalls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�The time was spent mostly on those quality athletes that could
      score points in bigger meets, and not so much for those who still wanted
      to learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I lost 45 pounds my
      freshman year, but accumulated enough points in the hammer throw to letter
      at Ohio University.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>After my
      last meet that year, I wouldn�t look at or pick up a shot put for the
      next 28 years.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">So Ossman got on with his
      professional life.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Johns started throwing in junior
      high school in Columbus, Ohio. He was hooked after winning the junior high
      school city championship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He
      attended West High School in Columbus and continued his winning ways
      taking the State discus AAA championship in 1975.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>His prep best was 180-1. <o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�My best measured foul was
      187-8, a sector foul in the first competitive throw of my senior year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I still remember seeing it drifting out of the sector and my
      begging it to, �Come back, come back,�� Johns recalls as if it was
      yesterday.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Johns accepted a scholarship to
      Marshall University in West Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�To be completely honest with
      you, back in the day, I was something of an athletic rabble rouser in
      college, if you can imagine that,� recalls Johns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�Coming to the university as a thrower, I felt there were some
      sports one has to stand up and fight for, or they may lose out. Back then,
      track and field was one such sport. &nbsp;I challenged the university in
      those days to standup for so-called �non-revenue producing sports� and
      nearly transferred to another school over it, in part because my Marshall
      track coach at the time, Rod Odonnell, was himself &nbsp;such an advocate
      for the sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But that is
      another story. &nbsp;&nbsp;I only mention all of this to say there�s a
      place in amateur athletics for people who speak out for their sports.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Marshall was then a member of the
      Southern Athletic Conference, including schools such as South Carolina,
      VMI, William &amp; Mary, the Citadel, Furman, Davidson, East Carolina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Johns won<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Southern
      Conference gold four times � twice indoors in the shot, once outdoors in
      the shot, and once in the discus.&nbsp;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>His best in the shot was 55-8 and 167-9 in the discus.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Johns double majored in government
      (political science) and communications in college, but ended up graduating
      with a degree in government only (political science) because,
      �Communications got busted down to a last minute minor because I wanted
      to get out of school!�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial">Hittin� The Road</font></b><font face="Arial"><br>
      John�s original plan had been to go to law school straight out of
      college, but after his four years of eligibility for track were finished
      at Marshall, he still needed a few hours to graduate.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I got a job doing the news on
      the night shift for NBC� affilliate WSAZ-TV in Charleston, WV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>And when I did finally graduate, I did my own little cost-benefit
      analysis and figured, �Hey I�ve already launched on a career path, why
      not stick it out for a while?�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">From Charleston, Johns went to
      WSOC-TV in Charlotte, NC, and in 1983 he moved to WRC-TV, the NBC-owned
      station in Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>In
      1993 he made the move from affiliate to the networks, signing on with NBC
      News as a Capitol Hill correspondent.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Johns moved to CNN in 2003.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�I was originally assigned as a Congressional Correspondent for
      the full CNN Network, but now, I�m essentially a Congressional
      Correspondent assigned to �AC 360,� the Anderson Cooper show,� he
      says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�I�m mainly doing
      government accountability reporting now, which follows paper trails,
      government spending, corruption, waste, fraud and abuse.�&nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I had a very round about way to
      get into the news biz�� recalls Ossman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�My degree is in Clinical Psychology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>But I knew shortly after graduating that I would not be making a
      career in the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I
      instead kept believing that maybe I could find a career as rewarding as my
      high school shot putting days.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman started Graduate School at
      Rider College in New Jersey and found out there that he was in the wrong
      field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>One of the professors
      suggested a career in sales/marketing or radio/TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>That was the spark that turned on the light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Shortly after this, Ossman left grad school behind to explore the
      world of radio and television.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">His next step was the American
      Academy of Broadcasting in Philadelphia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>He was 24 years old in a class where the average age was 18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>The school had a job placement service, but students had to be
      willing to move and work in small market radio stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Ossman was focused and ready.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">His first job was in the small
      West Texas burg of Lamesa at a 250-watt daytime radio station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�The broadcast signal was weaker than my Mr. Microphone I got in
      1972,� laughs Ossman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�I
      gave up Springsteen and the Sound of Philadelphia for the country twangs
      of Bill Wills and Ferlin Huskey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>But I was a paid professional and on my way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Lamesa gave way to my first television job in Abilene, Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>A year and half later I was the main weather anchor in Montgomery,
      Alabama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Nine months later I
      was in Birmingham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Then
      18 months later I was hired at the CBS station in Atlanta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I have worked in Atlanta since 1988.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">After getting to Atlanta, Ossman
      went back to school to study Meteorology at Mississippi State in their
      correspondence program designed for distance learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>He took enough classes to supplement his work experience and earn a
      seal of approval from the National Weather Association.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      &nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�Being our main weathercaster at
      the NBC affiliate in Atlanta, I take my job seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>There are times when people�s lives are at stake during severe
      weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>And there are times
      when I get to showcase my personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>In other words, be myself.� <o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�When people meet me, it is
      great when they say that I am approachable and am the same in person as I
      am on the tube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>That is the
      biggest compliment I think a television personality can receive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I always keep that in mind: be yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>Not everyone is going to like you, that�s just life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>But you can�t have a �put on� personality on the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>People can usually sniff those types out very quickly.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      &nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman gets to work around 3pm and
      leaves close to midnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>In
      between there are meetings, forecasting, making graphics for weather
      reports for the 6pm, 7pm and 11pm shows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>And yes, he gets his makeup done by a makeup artist around 4pm each
      day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Then he gets changed for
      the show and/or any promotional commercials prior to 6pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">When there is severe weather like
      storms and tornadoes, it boosts his workload.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�Reporting on breaking weather news is a rush, like the fireman
      fighting the fire, like having that big throw at the right time (haven�t
      had that yet, but hoping),� he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�It really tests your skills of communication and coolness when
      you have to relay that information to thousands that count on your
      expertise.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I love my job,� he gushes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�There isn�t a day that goes by that I don�t enjoy going to
      work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Like any job some
      days are more enjoyable than most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>And
      it isn�t all mirrors and makeup, although mirrors and makeup are a part
      of my daily routine.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�It�s a career many dream
      about, but few get to do on a daily basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I am one of the lucky ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Hopefully
      I will be in the biz for many years to come.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman laughs when talking about
      visits to the makeup counter in stores, and his wife needs to inform the
      sales associate,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�It�s
      for my husband.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Another great thing about
      Ossman�s job is access to celebrities he�s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>enjoyed or admired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�The
      older I get, the more I realize that they are just people, and in some
      cases just kids with money.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">For six years at the Fox station
      across town in Atlanta, Ossman co-hosted a morning talk show and got to
      meet some very interesting people, including Mickey Mantle, Jennifer
      Holliday, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Spike Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>And the list goes on.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">In fact, Ossman has interviewed
      more than a thousand celebrities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�My
      favorites are the ones that seem real, and don�t need a slew of
      bodyguards to prove that they are special,� he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�They are cordial and know that we (the media) are just trying to
      do our jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>With that said,
      some of my favorites include Alan Sheppard (first American in space), Tom
      Hanks (great sense of humor, met him on a press junket for <i>Saving
      Private Ryan</i>), Jennifer Holliday (she sang �I am Changing�, I
      cried) , Geraldo Rivera (he was invited to my wedding), Brooke Shields
      (she remembers names),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Muhammad
      Ali (I was so nervous meeting him; he was a boyhood idol),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Paul McCartney (met him in the press room in 1994 before a concert
      at the Georgia Dome), and eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Lee is a good friend, and truly epitomizes what a celebrity should
      be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He is direct, personal,
      smiles, has a great laugh and a great family man.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�One of my more disappointing
      experiences occurred on the set of the sitcom �Friends.�<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I guess I expected them to be more interested, and on the whole
      they weren�t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Athletes can
      be tricky. Most are kids with money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Some of these athletes love entourages, even before they score
      their first touchdown in the NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Never
      could understand that.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ultimately Ossman�s vocation
      resurrected his avocation.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial">Back In The Game</font></b><font face="Arial"><br>
      Being in television gives one access sometimes to people and places that
      others can only dream about,� says Ossman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�That brings me to my return to shot putting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I was doing a live shot at Centennial Olympic park on my 47<span style="mso-text-raise:3.0pt">th</span>
      birthday: June 18, 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>I
      was asked do my weathercast at the Titan Games, so naturally I picked out
      a place close to the shot put event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>It had been awhile since I followed the sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I had heard of Adam Nelson, but didn�t know what he looked like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I watched intently as John Godina, Reese Hoffa, Brad Snyder,
      Christian Cantwell and Nelson put on a show in front of screaming fans.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�Godina and Reese tossed close
      to 70 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Then Cantwell hit
      one that measured 73 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Are
      you kidding me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I remember Al
      Feuerbach reaching 71-7 and thinking that was incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Then Adam tosses one that later measured more than 74 feet, but was
      a foot foul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The sport had
      left me behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I didn�t
      know these people and these distances in one meet were something I had
      never seen before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The one
      thing I did know is that I missed the sport and the training.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Taking matters into his own hands,
      Ossman talked with University of Georgia throws coach Don Babbitt to
      inquire about watching Adam and Reese train one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Ossman lives an hour-and-a-half away from Athens, but it was well
      worth the drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�Arriving at the track, I
      noticed that Reese and Adam were alone throwing in the shot put area,�
      recalls Ossman.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp; </span>�Here are two of the best putters in the world, and they
      train and throw in relative anonymity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I remember as a boy the stir Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier used to
      create when they were seen in Philadelphia on the same street.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp; </span>Crowds would follow them; it would make the papers, and the
      evening news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When these two
      throw in Athens, there are no crowds and no press.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�While watching them throw and
      train, Adam said to me, �Well are you going to throw?�� Ossman
      recalls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�I didn�t have
      my throwing stuff with me, but did some throws with what I had on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Gradually, I worked up to training with the big boys and Coach
      Babbitt at least once a week during my throwing season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I starting entering local meets and was once again hooked into the
      sport.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">&nbsp;<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman�s return to competition
      at the 2004 Georgia State Games resulted in victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�I recall my wife Faith saying, �When did you learn to do
      this?�<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp; </span>My wife was 10 when I stopped throwing the shot in college.
      So she had no knowledge of my sports past and what was to come.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">One thing throwing did for Ossman
      was give his training focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�Instead
      of spinning my wheels with what do I need to do, how many reps, cardio,
      etc., I was able to gear my training toward my event,� he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�Adam Nelson, who I truly call a friend, among other things (!),
      suggested a few off season training regimens that were a big help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Access to pros like Adam and Don Babbitt is immeasurable.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">To enhance his focus, Ossman
      became a Certified Fitness Trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�I
      am my biggest and only client,� he says laughingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�The more knowledge, the better athlete and person I can become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I wish I had learned some of this stuff when I was in my twenties
      and thirties, but then again it makes getting older a bit easier, don�t
      you think?�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I think it�s important to
      have a passion, a hobby, that is away from what you do professionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I think it adds that balance that makes life fun,� states the
      father of two boys, Grant, age 10, and Parker, age 9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�Now my family watches me throw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Nothing like the sound of �Come on daddy� coming from your
      sons.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Ossman is frequently asked,
      �What is it like to throw with Adam Nelson and Reese Hoffa?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>You must learn a lot!�<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span><o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">His standard reply is, �Well
      yes, I know exactly where the 70 foot mark is and how to rub chalk on my
      neck.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Nelson and Ossman have become
      friends to the extent they talk about life as much as the shot putting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�He is a study in the complete shot putter,� Ossman says of
      Nelson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�Committed to
      excellence, with an emphasis on the correct balance of strength,
      flexibility, nutrition and performance in the ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I keep that in mind when I have trouble touching my toes in the
      morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He has also
      experienced the extremes in the sport, and that makes what he has to say
      more credible for sure.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�Thrower�s guru Don Babbitt
      has been a great help, too,� continues Ossman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�During his time watching Adam and Reese, Don has always had
      advice to help this old shot putter try to turn into a spinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>It�s been a long and slow process, but to Don�s credit he never
      once suggested for me to take a closer look at competing in something less
      challenging, like<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>dominoes on
      line.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I really enjoy competing at my
      age, and looking forward to it for years to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I have made some new friends, and enjoy watching others my age and
      older set no limits on their abilities.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�In the year or so after
      college, I did throw in a couple meets,� says Johns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�My best post-college throw in the shot put was 52�0�.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>My best in the discus right out of college was something like
      150-55 I think. &nbsp;My work really made it impossible to train in the
      early years�and so from 1981 to about 1985 or so, I didn�t throw.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�Then NBC started a corporate
      track team, and I got back into it. It was a great thrill for me because I
      missed competing so much. &nbsp;So it was the US Corporate Athletic
      Association (USCAA) that got me going again.&nbsp; It�s just a fantastic
      organization that puts on meets every year.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Johns best in the USCAA meets is
      49�6� and his best in the discus is approximately 148�. <o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Johns� busy schedule makes time
      to work out a big issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The
      biggest time crunch came when he decided to go to law school from 1998
      through 2002.&nbsp; He had approximately 70-80 pages of dense reading and
      case briefing to do virtually every night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>If he had too much to do in a day, the workouts were what suffered
      most.<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I still have a lot of
      difficulty getting into a regular training routine because of the travel
      and crazy hours associated with my job,� he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�I�m extremely inconsistent as a thrower- I think because my
      training is inconsistent. &nbsp;I also came to the sport during the time
      when people started converting from the glide to the spin in the shot. So
      I practiced both. In college, I was pretty consistently, but not always, a
      glider. But these days, sometimes I�m not feeling the glide, then the
      spin works and vice versa. &nbsp;I�m pretty sure that if I worked out
      and threw consistently, I�d do nothing but spin, but I don�t.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�These days, if I get into the
      44 foot range in the shot (16 lbs.) I�m doing pretty good for me, which
      is frustrating,� continues Johns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�In
      the disc I get great practice throws (when I practice) and a lot of sector
      fouls. But the 120�s to about 135� is the best I�ve done in a meet
      over the last few years.&nbsp; I was consistently in the 130�s at least
      until I had shoulder surgery in December 2004. That has affected my
      throwing. The operation was on my non-throwing shoulder, but for a long
      time after, it was hard to get a good pull because of pain, spasms and
      general weakness that only recently subsided.&nbsp; My doctor told me it
      could take years to get going again and I�m on track I think. &nbsp;Fact
      is, the throwing was what caused the problem in the first place. &nbsp;Excuses,
      yes. But that�s my story and I�m sticking to it.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�Throwing is now my excuse to
      try to stay in shape,� says Johns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>�It motivates me and keeps up the intensity in my lifting and
      running.&nbsp; Like many throwers who may have also participated in other
      sports like football and basketball, it�s hard for me to get the
      adrenaline and intensity going for a workout unless there is an underlying
      competitive goal. My goal is to keep throwing competitively. After all, I
      suck at golf.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I work out to throw,� Johns
      continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�In high school
      and college I didn�t win throwing events because I was stronger than
      everyone else. I won, when I won, because of a speed/power combination. So
      when I train to this day, I have to run and lift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>I have to do sprints, and even some distance, plus the Olympic
      lifts, or some combination thereof, if I want to reach goals in meets.
      This helps me keep in shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I
      have two kids now, so when I work out I have to figure out how to include
      them. For example, we have a jogging stroller. When I go running, I take
      my son along for the ride.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p><font face="Arial"><b>Looking Forward<br>
      </b>�What�s awesome here is my wife is a lawyer who ran track in high
      school and really holds her own in the gym,� he says, thinking of
      turning 50 next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�We�ve
      used the same trainer to work out with and we�re now thinking about
      hiring a new trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>So
      hopefully we�re getting ready to take this thing up to the next
      level.� <o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">�I know I am going to get much
      better in my event,� Ossman says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>�I
      am still learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>What a
      great thing to say at the age of 49!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>Now it�s just a matter of how much work am I willing to put in to
      reach my goals.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>I do know that I am really looking forward to the
      weight of the shot to come down to 6K (he turns 50 on June 18, 2007).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>What I will do now is concentrate on the technical more so than
      strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>That is where the
      biggest growth will be in the coming years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </span>What is great about my situation is that I am still learning and I
      have a lot of potential left.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Most people I compete against have their technique and
      I envy them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Just makes me
      work that harder to get my act together.�<o:p>
      </o:p>
      </font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial">Both men are shining examples of
      the good in Masters throwing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>They�re
      successful professionally and athletically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
      </span>*<b>LSTJ</b>*</font><o:p>
      </o:p>
      <b>&nbsp;</b></font><!--mstheme--></font></TD>
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