George C Marshall High School - Columbian Yearbook (Falls Church, VA)

Page 237 text:

Gymnasts justly jostle jitney m jocks Building one of the best, if not the best gymnastics team ever at Marshall, the girls successfully crushed all opposition. The fact that the entire team qualified for Dis¬ tricts attests to their strength. Three girls went on from there to Regionals, and one of them, Cindy Gabriel, earned a trip to Virginia Beach to compete in the state tour¬ nament. As the team received only a small amount of student support at their matches, each of these achievements are proof of the girls ' true dedication and determination. After a year as an intramural sport, the boys ' gymnastics team, or the mens ' gymnastics team, as they prefered to be called, became a var¬ sity sport. Competing against expe¬ rienced teams from area schools, the team showed great poise and tenacity. Their display of determi¬ nation made them a welcome addi¬ tion to the Marshall sports program. Sports 233

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Opposite page: Above: Mary Pronko caps her event with a perfect dismount. Op¬ posite page: Below: Debbie Wheckiey takes a break from practice on the bars. Below, right: If practice makes perfect, then Jennifer Essley is well on the way of mastering the abstract handstand. Below, Left: Chris Napier polishes up on her eagle on the uneven parallel bars. Right: Mary Pronko practices a straddle handstand un¬ disturbed by the chatter of Ann Conjura and Becky Jeffrey.

Page 238 text:

Out in the cold and icy days of winter, a few dedicated trackmen start the regular season. Winter track has often been thought of as a time to work out and get in shape for the spring. An increased interest in indoor track was accomodated with a few more indoor facilities. For the first time in Northern Vir¬ ginia, indoor track was a major sport. Although the quantity of athletes was small, some outstanding results were recorded. Marshall entered the largest indoor meet on the east coast, the Navel Academy Invita¬ tional. With competition at its best, the drive to win came out in Marshall ' s trackmen. An occasional meet at Fairfax kept the team in shape, as runners and field event competitors tried for a qualifying spot in the regional and state meets. With spring in the air the track team moved the meets outside. The wel¬ comed change of season was evi¬ dent as the winter hibernators were greeted by the coaches with fresh workouts. In came the spring winds and out came the fresh recruits, as the coaches prepared for the up¬ coming relays. The team needed to form relays that would bring in the gold. Depth was significant in the dis¬ tance events with thirteen milers. Dual meets proved the true depth of the team, with the sprinters and field events providing the edge. When it came down to the last few strides, T.C. Williams stood in the way of the team ' s title hopes. Opposite page, top right: Milers Dave Cannon and Steve Blaine keep up a steady pace during workouts for upcoming races. Opposite page, below right: Steve Blaine shows what it takes to be a 2 mile runner. Opposite page, center: Concentration and timing are what composes good shot putters, and Brent McDaniel was one such shot putter, as he took third place in the state indoor competition. Top: Dave Watt sighs as he crosses the line during his work¬ out. Right: A pole vaulter falls short while trying to clear the ten foot barrier. 5 234