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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --January 21, 1999
Contact: John Johnson or Mike Clifford-- 517.332.5046

Olympic Gold Medalist Headlines Women In Sports Leadership Speakers

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Jan. 21 - Olympic gold medalist Sheila Taormina of Detroit headlines the list of keynote speakers and workshop presentors at the 1999 Women In Sports Leadership Conference, sponsored by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, at the Sheraton Lansing Hotel, Feb. 7-8.

Taormina swam one leg of the winning 800-meter freestyle relay for the United States at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She will be the speaker at the conference banquet on Feb. 7. In addition, Taormina will interact with attendees during an open forum scheduled for the morning of Feb. 8.

The other keynote speaker at the 1999 conference is Sheryl Solberg, asstistant to the executive director of the North Dakota High School Activities Association, who will deliver the opening address the morning of Feb. 7.

Other conference presentors, as of January 21, are:

-- Dennis Harland, registered MHSAA official, Flushing; and Linda Harland, teacher/coach, Flushing High School; will present a student workshop, "Initiating a Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program for Your Team."

-- Mary Lillie-Cicerone, Basketball Coach, Birmingham Marian High School; will present a coaches workshop, "How to Select Team Captains."

-- Jane Bennett, Athletic Administrator, Ann Arbor Huron High School; will present an administrator/coach topic, "How to Build a Program in Your Sport."

-- Lisa St. Clair, Director Health and Safety Dept., Lansing Red Cross; will present the topic, "Sports First Aid."

-- Sheryl Solberg, North Dakota High School Activities Association; Linda Hoover, Teacher/Official, Marshall; and Christi Brilinski, Teacher/Official, Boyne City; will team up to lead a student/coach workshop, "Valued Team Captains - From an Officials Point of View."

-- Delores Elswick, Athletic Director, Detroit Renaissance High School; will present a student/coach topic, "Dress for Success."

-- Andy Rio, retired teacher/administrator, Detroit Public Schools; will present an administrator/coach topic, "Dealing with Unruly and Overdemanding Parents."

-- Tracy Hanson, current LPGA professional; will be the speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast the morning of Feb. 8.

-- Meg Seng, Volleyball Coach, Ann Arbor Greenhills High School; and Sue Heinzman,
Athletic Director, Plymouth Canton High School; will team up to present the topic, "Building Self Confidence and Continuing the Process."

-- Greg Myer, Sports Biochemist, Cincinnati Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center; will present the student/coach topic, "Knee Injury Prevention."

-- Lynn Benedict, Secretary of West Michigan Officials Association, Wyoming; Bob Wolf, Official, Wyoming; and Kendra Stanton, College Student/Official; will team to lead the student topic, "Why Officiate - Finding a Mentor."

-- Dr. Carol Boyd, Director, Substance Abuse Research Center, Ann Arbor; will lead the student/coach topic, "Smoking and Young Women."

In addition, there will be a Student Leadership Workshop each day, conducted by David Dye of the Ruster Foundation of Sturgis. This has been one of the most popular student attractions of past Women In Sports Leadership Conferences.

Registration is now underway for the 11th annual Women In Sports Leadership Conference, which is the nation's first and longest running program of its type. Conference registration is limited to 500, and the conference has sold out for several consecutive years.

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