THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503260386
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEVIN DOEPP, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Injuries are something that all athletes must endure throughout one's career. In Darby Chang's case, she learned how to overcome that adversity.
Chang, a freshman swimmer at the University of Texas and a graduate of Cox High School, swam through a painful knee injury and was named an All-American in six events in the NCAA swimming championships helping her team to a third-place finish behind Stanford and Michigan.
Chang finished fifth in the 100 back, seventh in the 200 individual medley, seventh in the 200 backstroke. In the 200 freestyle relay the team finished fourth; in the 200 medley relay fifth, and in the 400 medley relay seventh.
``I never thought that I would make the top eights at the NCAA's,'' said Chang. ``Not in all of them.''
But individual honors come second to this freshman standout.
``I want Texas to win the national championship,'' Chang said. ``This team is very close. We are all very competitive and we have our rivalries, but we are always there to support each other.''
Chang describes her knee injury as genetic. The muscles on the outside of her knee are stronger than the muscles on the inside of her knee which scrapes her patella tendon. Physical therapy and anti-inflammatories are the remedies.
``My knee started to bother me after the Southwest Conference Tournament,'' said Chang, who won the 100 and 200 backstroke and finished second in the 200 individual medley at that tournament. ``My trainer told me that 90 percent of all female athletes get this in some form.''
During her high school career, Chang swam in the Old Dominion swim club because Cox High school had no team.
Chang was recruited by Texas and was impressed with Texas' head swim coach Jill Sterkel. Not just because she was a four-time Olympian and a four-time medalist, but because she knew how to relate to her swimmers.
``If we have a problem we know that we can talk to her about anything,'' said Chang. ``A lot of times there are barriers between coach and player, but there are no barriers with her.''
CHANGE OF SCENE: When swimmer Megan Reese transferred from Division I of Maryland-Baltimore County to Division III Mary Washington College this past January, she was in search of happiness.
``I had some problems with the coach (at UMBC) and I felt like a change of scenery would definitely help me,'' said Reese.
And help her it did.
Reese, a graduate of Kempsville High School, was the Capital Conference Swimmer of the Year and led the Lady Eagles to its fifth straight CAC title. She was an All-American in the 400 individual medley and the 200 individual medley, finishing fourth and eleventh respectively.
Coming out of high school, Reese made it clear that she wanted to swim in Division I. She participated in the ODAC, a club for aspiring swimmers who don't have a high school swim team.
And little did she know that being recruited by Division III Mary Washington and its former coach Paul Richards would help her in her time of need. The two kept in contact even when Richards left and when Reese was unhappy she turned to her source.
``Coach Richards and I talked and he gave me the name of the new coach at Mary Washington, Marc Brown,'' Reese said. ``We talked and I decided to go for the academics as well as swimming.''
Reese, a sophomore, hopes her success doesn't stop there. ``My goal right now is to make the Senior Nationals,'' she said. ``They are the ultimate goal.''
ALUMNI REPORT: North Carolina's LaTasha Colander (Wilson) dubbed ``Superfrosh'' by Track & Field News, attained All-American status in two events during the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships March 10-11 in Indianapolis. Colander, who won 12 Group AAA state titles during her high school days, placed second in the 55-meter hurdles. Her time of 7.57 seconds was the fastest in UNC history. . . . Illinois' Tonya Williams (Norview), placed sixth in a semifinal heat of the 55-meter hurdles and did not qualify for the final. . . . Tennessee's Lawrence Johnson (Great Bridge) didn't clear a height in the pole vault final. Johnson holds the meet and collegiate records in the event at a shade over 19 feet, but has been slowed since undergoing foot surgery last year. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Darby Chang made the NCAA top eight in six events as her Texas team
swam third.
by CNB