AS good as 1998 was, '99 promises to be even better for Heather Bown. National team
comes calling
for UH’s BownAnd, if it all works out with the U.S. women's national volleyball team, the year 2000 could see Bown realizing her dream of playing in the Olympics.
Bown, Hawaii latest All-American, was passed over for the U.S. B Team that will compete in the World University Games this summer in Spain. If she so chooses, Bown could be with the A Team as soon as next month.
USA Volleyball women's head coach Mick Haley wants Bown to take the spring off to live at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. He thinks Bown could help the U.S. qualify for the 2000 Olympics via the Pan American Games in Canada this summer.
Some of it depends on whether Bown would be allowed to take a semester off and still be eligible to play for the Wahine next fall. NCAA regulations are rigid where transfer student-athletes are concerned, and players must show a certain amount of progress towards a degree after transferring to a new institution.
Bown came to Manoa last August after two seasons at UC Santa Barbara. As has happened with other transfers, a number of Bown's credits were not accepted by UH, which hampers the show of progress towards a degree.
BUT even if Bown is cleared to take the spring semester off, the 6-foot-3 middle is hesitant. Her first commitment is to the Wahine, she said, and the commitment includes getting the team to the 1999 NCAA final four that will be played at the Stan Sheriff Center next December.
"My big dream has always been to go to Sydney for the Olympics, and now that it's a possibility, it's scary," Bown said in a telephone call from California yesterday. "But I owe so much to my (Wahine) teammates and I don't have a problem with going to Colorado in May (after the semester). But Mick's big thing is to have me there now to travel and help qualify for the Olympics.
"I may have to wait until May as it is because of the problem with the credits."
Bown was among 60 hopefuls during the open tryouts held two weeks ago in conjunction with the final four in Madison, Wis. She was, according to assistant coach Charlie Wade, the only "Wow" player there.
It's hard to believe that anyone could overlook Bown. She helped turn the Wahine into a national title contender in her first season at Manoa and was ranked nationally in kills and blocks en route to WAC Pacific Division Player of the Year and first-team All-American honors.
"I thought Heather was the best middle blocker in the country when she was at UCSB (in 1997)," said Long Beach State coach Brian Gimmillaro. "I think she's Player of the Year material next season."
HALEY feels Bown has the potential and the work ethic to compete at the elite level. He said with proper training, Bown could come to dominate internationally.
Haley would like to move Bown from middle to left-side hitter, a position Bown wanted to play as a freshman at UCSB. Now, Bown said, she would be reluctant to make the move to the outside for her senior season.
"I think we're pretty well set on the outside with Jessica (Sudduth) and Heidi (Ilustre) there," she said.
Shoji had to convince Bown to go to the national tryouts. She was attending the All-American banquet but didn't feel she could compete with the rest of the hopefuls.
"I went because Dave basically said I had to go," Bown said.
Bown got a little revenge on Shoji during the All-American awards presentation. She asked what to wear and he said a nice dress but no heels since he'd be walking up with her to the podium.
The 6-3 Bown wore heels and towered over Shoji by about 10 inches.
"All he could say to me was, 'Damn, Heather, you're tall,' " Bown said.
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.