The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Editor's Note: This week Collegian Sports will focus on the exploits and training of six current and former Rams as they prepare to compete in the US Olympic Trails July 9 to 18 in Sacramento, Calif.

Michael Jordan. Marion Jones. Jesse Owens. Throughout the years the Olympic Games have crowned world class athletes with gold medals and the pride of nations.

This summer, Colorado State junior Loree Smith will attempt to add her name to the storied list of Olympic competitors.

The thrower's numbers speak for themselves: 2003 Mountain West Conference Indoor champion in the shot put and weight throw. 2002 MWC Outdoor champ in hammer throw and discus. Currently, the second best collegiate toss in the hammer throw (220 feet) and the fourth best in the discus throw (187 feet, 4 inches).

In June, she will compete for a NCAA title. On July 9 to 18, in Sacramento, Smith joins America's athletic elite for the chance to trade green and gold for red, white and blue.

"It will determine if I'm going to Athens (Greece) come August or if I'm watching on a TV," Smith said.

Not bad for someone from the "boonies of Julesburg (Colo.)," she said.

Leaving high school Smith was not widely sought. Her recruitment video was "one of the worst I've ever seen," said throws coach Brian Bedard.

The footage, shot through a chain link fence with Smith throwing 40 yards away, shook as if it had been filmed during an earthquake, Bedard said.

However, the coaching staff saw something special and took the chance on her.

"She didn't have the coaching or the competition she needed," Bedard said. "There's a lot of upside in recruiting small town kids, if they like to compete."

Smith entered Fort Collins as a soft-spoken diamond in the rough. She's leaving as a fun-loving Olympic hopeful.

"She's animated, typically really fun and sarcastic," Bedard said. "She's a big laugh."

"I'm the class clown for better or for worse," Smith said. "Even if I don't make my friends laugh, I entertain myself."

Off the track, her broad grin, candid chuckling and dark orphan Annie curls disguise her intensity and brawn. On the track, her powerful core and quick feet portray her talent.

"Loree's speed is her advantage," said fellow thrower Melissa Harms.

To utilize the speed to her advantage Smith and Bedard worked on implementing a fourth rotation into her hammer throw. The change brought hours of practice and frustration, but ultimately produced humongous results.

"We haven't had a woman come through CSU that can do what she can do," Bedard said. "The biggest part is convincing her how good she is."

Training woes

With an evolving throw, the coaching staff redshirted her through the 2003 outdoor season.

Last summer, with the Olympic trials on the horizon and eager to get back to competition, Loree increased her workouts.

"I trained my butt off," Smith said.

She ran stairs in Hughes Stadium and hit the weights. Her left leg hurt, but she continued to push. The overzealous training caused a stress fracture in her tibia.

Her goals were put on pause.

She sat out of the indoor season and had to scale her training back - no sprinting, plyometrics or weights. She has just recently been cleared to start training again.

While most of her competitors are at their strongest, Loree Smith is just now starting to reach a normal intensity. As her training increases, she expects her performance to grow as well.

The top three finishers at the Olympic Trials will represent America in Athens. Smith will attempt to qualify in the hammer throw. Bedard estimates that she will need throws around 230 to qualify.

As a student of the sport Smith is "a lot of fun to coach," Bedard said. "In effect, she's another coach out there."

Her ability to learn and to teach herself is a byproduct of an English education major with grades worthy of the dean's list.

For now, her goal to become a teacher will wait while her goal to win Olympic gold takes center stage.

Mark Spitz. Michael Johnson...Loree Smith?

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