March 13, 2002
It's time to get to know the teams behind the jerseys, box scores, and game faces. Ever wonder why some baseball players have silky smooth skin and some swimmers don't? Who's the smartest, who's the strongest, and who can break it out on the dance floor?
We won't go as personal as to tell you that I'm a Sagittarius, sleep on a Spongebob Squarepants pillowcase and once participated in rhythmic gymnastics (don't ask)-- but we'll get close.
If you want to be able to impress your friends with Illini trivia, pay close attention.
One "myth" about my sport is that swimmers (male and female) go months without shaving their legs because at the end of the year when they shave there will be less drag in the water and the swimmer will be able to go faster. The truth about shaving is really this: when you finally shave, you take off that top layer of skin so that when you jump in the pool you feel the water in a whole new way--a better way. Some swimmers shave their arms or even their palms lightly before end of season competition.
Baseball players also shave. A few members of the Illini pitching staff shave their arms before they pitch. Some do it just for fun or as I've heard to "look pretty", others do it as a part of the mental aspect of their game.
Every year the women's soccer team picks one song to listen to before the games. This year it was "Let Me Blow Your Mind" by Eve, featuring Gwen Stefani.
Sophomore diver Lisa Fish can do two and a half somersaults off of a 10-meter platform. Ten meters is approximately three to four stories or roughly the height of the ceiling in IMPE pool.
Rumor is freshman Roger Powell is the best dancer on the basketball team.
There are 104 players on the football team-- meaning not all players can wear their own number. There are two of the following numbers: 16, 35, 37, 38 and 43.
Many people wonder about the new full body racing suits that have changed the sport of swimming in the past year and a half. Longer suits help some swimmers because of the theory behind muscle compression. After putting on a full-length suit and jumping in the water, you feel like you pop right up to the surface. Swimming on top of the water is very important- and it feels really cool!
The women's gymnastics team likes to remind each other of how hard they work in the weight room by using the phrase, "we can bench a mom" frequently.
Each member of the men's cross country team runs about 50-80 miles per week.
The women's swim team swims about 24-36 miles per week. One mile is equal to 66 laps, and one swimming mile is about equal to 3-4 running miles.
Football offensive linemen Tony Pashos can bench-press 490 lbs.
Thought golf was a safe sport? During spring break 2001 golfer Michelle Carroll hit teammate Stephanie Cheney in the back of the head while trying to get her ball out of a sand trap. Stephanie was standing on the green of another hole engaged in some sort of singing routine when she was hit. The paramedics were called to the green, Stephanie is okay.
Every member of the women's cross-country team is from Illinois.
Roughly 37% of Illini athletes are from the Chicago suburbs.
There are 15 international athletes from 8 countries (Canada, Australia, England, Lithuania, Ireland, Germany, Turkey, and Sweden)
Volleyball is a very complex sport. The setters yell out numbers during plays to let the hitters know where the ball is going and how high it will be set.
The Big Ten leads all conferences in basketball attendance.
This was of particular interest to me: Football Tight End Anthony McClellan is from O'Fallon, Illinois (doesn't that town just SOUND like a lot of fun?!).
Gymnastics is the only varsity sport where the men's and women's teams train together.
Varsity athletes make up about 1.6% of the student population at Illinois.
