Olympic Hopefuls
by B.J. Harrison Waymer
June 06

“I quit my full time job, gave up basketball with the guys and stopped mountain biking” says Stephanie Pezzullo. “My life now is run and rest.” Stephanie runs 70 to 80 miles a week chasing her Olympic dream. She hopes to compete in the 1600 in the 2008 summer games. “I'm not looking at chances; I'm taking it day by day. My coach is very hopeful that this is going to happen if I do the little things I need to do” she says. “I have short term goals. In February, I qualified in the 3K on the indoor track. Now I'm training to qualify for outdoor nationals that take place in Indianapolis at the end of June.”

The next 24 months of training are important to Whitewater Slalom kayaker, Brett Heyl's too. “I got a taste of it (the Olympics) in 2004 when I competed in Athens” said Heyl. “Now I want to go back to win. I think that I have as good a chance as anyone to return to the Olympics in 2008. Heyl, like all of Charlotte's Olympic hopefuls, participates in rigorous, year round training sessions. Because Kayaking is mostly an upper body exercise his workouts are designed to balance his body. In order to build the big muscle groups that give him stability in the boat and help make him competitive, Heyl runs, put in hours road biking, weight trains and just recently he's started working with a Suisse, or Physio ball. “I focus on both exercises that make me stronger at the movements I need in the boat, and exercises that help me balance what I do in the boat.“

Matt Herndon's sport of choice is fencing. He's lightning quick with his saber and his smile. “Any person out there who likes to hit someone with a pointy stick, fencing is for you,” he laughs. “It's fun and competitive - it challenging for your body and your mind. You can fence any time of the year. We provide the equipment and facility and it's not expensive for amateurs. Fencing is a blast.”

This summer's Nationals in Atlanta will put Olympic placement in perspective for Herndon. He admits that the 2008 games might be difficult for him, however; he's very, very competitive and is confident that he's putting the work in now that will pay off in 2012.

“My big regimen is to run every morning, and then I do footwork drills, sit ups, pushups, weight lifting and endurance drills. Fencing is a globally fit sport almost like swimming. You use your entire body. You have to be fit.”

Training and competing is the full time job of every athlete hoping to win a spot on a U.S. Olympic team. Most dedicate 5-8 hours a day to training Monday through Friday and compete regionally and nationally on the weekends.

For boxer Carlos Rascon that means a lot of time in the ring. “My next available Olympic is in 2008” he says. “Between now and then I have to beat everyone in my weight class on the state level. Then I advance to the regional level and beat everyone in my class. When I get to Nationals I'll go up against everyone in my weight class from across the United States. I have to fight every other month to maintain status on the Olympic level.”

In between matches, Rascon trains at the Southside Contenders Gym and attends J.M. Robinson High School in Concord. He clearly understands what it takes to win and what he has to do if he wants to feel the weight of an Olympic medal around his neck.

“I have to let my friends go in order to stay focused. Many of them live for fun, I need to stay focused on school and boxing,” he said. “Before I started amateur fighting I always wanted to be a pro. I always had it in my mind, I want to follow my dad (professional boxer, Fermin Rascon) and boxers like Fernando Vargas or Oscar Dela Hoya.

Seventeen year old Brittany Carroll has set her sights on Olympic Gold too. Training under Anthony James at Charlotte Flight Track Club and mentored by her mom who ran track for the University of Kentucky, Brittany is focused and committed to her training program. “My training outside of my sport (season) is speed and conditioning training. I have a personal trainer named Jeremy Boone who works with me on developing the proper techniques in running.” Brittany is also realistic. She knows that most hurdlers who make Olympic teams are in their mid-twenties. She admits that securing a spot on the 2008 track team is a long shot for her, but that hasn't slowed her down.

All of Charlotte's Olympic hopefuls are eager to share their passion for athletics and training in this region. They believe that Charlotte offers them a lot of opportunity and support.

Heyl is especially excited about the new United States National Whitewater Course opening here in June. He's been Kayaking since he was 9 years old. He says the new center will be a win win for the entire community.

“I am very hopeful about the impact of the USNWC. US athletes will finally be able to train day-in and day-out on world class whitewater. Charlotte is a very athletic city. I am hoping that the USNWC will bring whitewater into the spotlight, even if it is only in Charlotte. It is very important that kids see Olympic kayakers as people that they would want to be. This leads to the next benefit…we will be able to recruit a lot of kids into kayaking. Whether through school programs, or a paddling club, kayaking is a great option for a lot of kids. I am hopeful that the USNWC will make it easier for children to get into our great sport.”

Pezzullo trains in Charlotte for a slightly different reason. She says she's young and very social. Charlotte offers her the big city excitement she can't get at the mountain facility she trains at on the weekends.

For Matt Herndon, training in Charlotte is personal. “Oregon, New York, and LA all have excellent fencing programs. I could go to any of those places and get excellent training,” says Herndon. “But, it's expensive to live there. I can afford to train full time in Charlotte. I have access to incredible coaches here. Plus, I wouldn't want to abandon the people who got me into fencing. They're a family for me. I know I can get to the Olympics as a representative of the Charlotte Fencing Academy. When I make it, it will be a thank you for the coaches who have helped me become who I am.”

The athletes featured in this story are not multi-million dollar superstars. Many of them work multiple jobs and then train long hours. Sponsorship dollars are always needed. Please contact Charlotte Health & Fitness magazine or the United States Olympic Committee (www.usoc.org) if you would like to help.