The Unsung Woman Behind it All

I realized that in all of my blogs that I have not written about the one person who has helped me here more than anyone else.  Her name is Rita Somerlot and she is the women's jumps coach for the US Olympic Team.  So you know, here is the complete staff:

Men's Staff

Head Coach: Bubba Thornton (Texas men's head coach)

Head Manager: James Li (Arizona Head Cross Country Coach)

Assistant Coach (Sprints/Hurdles): Harvey Glance (Alabama men's head coach)

Assistant Coach (Middle Distance): Ron Mann (Louisville head coach)

Assistant Coach (Endurance): Joe Vigil (former head coach at Adams State)

Assistant Coach (Jumps/Combined Events): Irving "Boo" Schexnayder (former jumps / multis coach at LSU)

Assistant Coach (Throws): Criss Somerlot (high school coach in Ohio)

Women's Staff

Head Coach: Jeanette Bolden (UCLA head women's coach)

Head Manager: Rich Torrellas (???)

Assistant Coach (Sprints/Hurdles): Chandra Cheeseborough (former Olympic great and Tigerbelle)

Assistant Coach (Middle Distance): J.J. Clark (Tennessee head women's coach)

Assistant Coach (Throws): Connie Price-Smith (Southern Illinois head coach and former Olympian)

Assistant Coach (Jumps/Combined Events): Rita Somerlot** (High school coach in Ohio)

Assistant Coach (Endurance): Kim Keenan-Kirkpatrick (Associate Athletic Director at Seton Hall)

Relay Staff

Brooks Johnson (Former head coach at Stanford)
Orin Richburg (New Mexico State head coach)

I included where all of these people work now to give you an idea of their credentials.  A lot of the selection process is highly political, but most of these coaches have coached someone to an Olympics at some point, but not all.  Some of them don't have an athlete here at the games.  They essentially act as each athletes' personal coaches eyes and ears if they can't be there for some reason.  I think Rita had a large hand in getting me into Beijing Normal University, though I'm not sure.  Some of the athletes personal coaches did not get access here, so I am so thankful that I am able to stay here.  Rita also guided me through the maze of paperwork that was necessary to come here and has helped Shani tremendously as well.  She will get me into the coaches box during Shani's competition as well.  She has taken her role very seriously and has been at the track for almost every practice session of every female jumper here so that she can make things go as smoothly as possible for them and their personal coach.  So now you all know who is really getting things done here!

On a sad note, I just got word that Bill Etheridge passed away yesterday in Nashville.  Big Bill was a great pole vault and gymnastics coach in Nashville that assisted with hundreds of athletes in central Tennessee.  I saw about 6 months ago when I was in Nashville last and it was great to see him and he will be missed terribly.  My thoughts are with him and his family.