Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Ever wonder what it is like to jump out of an airplane at 12,500 feet and soar like a bird. Then you may be interested in the Carolina Parachute Club. "It is the most exciting thing I've ever done," said Mickey Holoman, who's been a member of the club for about a year and has jumped from as high as 16,000 feet. Holoman, who reaches speeds over 180 miles per hour while free falling, said there are some "high points of anxiety" in every jump, such as "right before the door opens to jump" and "right before the chute opens." The USC team competed in the Collegiate National Parachuting Competition in Carbondale, Ill. during the Thanksgiving holidays. Defensive Breakdown Casey Claflin, goalie for USC's water polo team, turns his head as a Georgia Southern shot floats into the goal. Carolina, who uses the sport primarily as a con ditioning program for its swimming team, beat nationally-ranked Georgia Southern, which had five All Americas on its team. (Kusseli Jeffcoat 'Sandlot' Tear Water "We're basically a sandlot team." This is the way USC's Water Polo coach Ed Miller describes his team. "We watch other teams and learn from them picking t:p things about the game," ce Miller said. Even though at Carolina water polo is considered "a sandlot M iller: 'We're bas ice aggressive and ht sport," it is interesting and very popular on the international level. Water polo is featured right along side swimming in the Olympics. At Carolina water polo is not a NCAA sport and also it is not ever1 a club sport. The sport is used mainly to keep the Gamecock swim team in shape for the up coming swim season. To Liven There's' Eight of the 25 "active members" competed. Holoman said that there are three main categories in free falling competition. Relative work is the category which Holoman termed the most fun. "You jump out and the idea is to catch someone and grab them by the wrist," he said. The USC jumpers have linked up in the sky and formed six and seven man stars and are trying to form an eight-man star which makes everyone a star crest 1l Used For Sw 1 oVN1 indviua t payths hyicll demndngspot.Milerdecrbe in Uedte atoth s wmie Pae olo mAtcedcnb islayer asa do "agessvean ngry to winAges' eesi inythich itfromon tofnd ver plaoy bein strated and eonoled. Ain this waered at thae wtime Wteree ploh gmasthe ca lk upl andotsds te po; a the gly o wn. AlThis depeason the ateks unsung water polo squad defeated a powerful Georgia Southern team to finally receive the recognition A Boring 1he Parac recipient, a big achievement in free falling. The other two categories, style and accuracy, are both used in competition. "Style is a series of turns," said Holoman. "First a right turn, then a left turn and then straight back, all in 360 degree turns." Holoman said the jumper goes up about 2,800 feet when competing for accuracy, takes a three-second delay, then goes into an arch and gets stable and manuevers over the target. im Conditionir The reason this victory carried such pr estige is that Georgi Southern is one of the perrenia water polo powers in the South and also boasts five All-Americas on a seven-man starting team. Carolina, after playing almos unbelievably throughout the game took a one-point lead into the fina over-time period. Casey Claflin usually a defensive specialist, was great in this all important periot as he scored two crucial goals thal insured Carolina's upset victory. Also, Nick Kesslering added one more which made the final score 14-11. The strategic part of this sport is one of the most interesting aspects of the game. Basketball-type strategy is in great abundance in a sport that you would not expect t< find it. The fast break play, when the goalie lofts a long pass down to on< of the streaking swimmers, almos reminds the viewer of the fas Existence bute Club The target is a pink gravel pit 20 meters in circumference with a center of about four inches. "Ideally you try to touch it (the target) with your foot," Holoman said. Holoman said the jumper uses toggles, which are the steering system of the parachute, to work himself over the pit. USC's pilot, Bobby Frierson was rated third in the nation in free fall accuracy last year. The team practices in Barnwell nn Frierson's drop zone area. Tlo whehonedfni used it reminds the viewer of any night down at the Coliseum when Frank McGuire's Gamecocks use the zone press in the dying 'Not in the near hut be a varsity s moments of a crucial game. What is in the future for water polo in the South and most im portantly at Carolina? For now it will remain as a pre-season program for the swim team. The Ssport conditions the swimmers and at the same time they enjoy the t conditioning process. C 2nteSuha in competition there are thre< classifications of jumpers. Tht novice class is for people who have jumped less than 100 times, the intermediary from 101 to 200 jumps and the advanced with 200 or more jumps. Holoman said he only needed a few more jumps before he became an intermediary. Holoman said that most parachuting accidents occur due to a malfunction because of bad packing or bad body position while in the air. "Usually the parachute is mechanically perfect," said Holoman. BY GARY WEST 00uts polo is growing sport with more and more colleges going to varsity level competition. This could cause the change at Carolina just to keep up with the other schools. But as Miller says, "not in in the near future," will water polo be '. varsity sport at USC. ure' will water polo port at USC. So, with all the great competition and excitement, you would expect this sport to have throngs of tans and all kinds of fan support. Maybe, just maybe, someday it will. By ManRK LEARv