Tigers Take Shakespeare's to an 'X-treme'
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
January 10, 1999
The 9th annual Shakespeare's Festival will take a new twist. While the Shakespearean theme -- Juliet Award, Acts I, II, III, IV -- will continue to surround the gymnastics meet, the pre-meet festivities will be extreme.
"You know, Shakespeare's Pizza, our sponsor, is really kind of a 'hip-hop' place, so we thought it would be appropriate to replace the arts-and-crafts show that preceeds the meet with a focus on extreme sports like in-line skating, rock climbing, skateboarding, mountain biking, etc.," Coach Jake Jacobson said.
So beginning at 12:30 p.m., January 17, MU gymnastics enthusiasts can treat themselves to a "Extreme Trade Show" on the Hearnes Center's main concourse. There will also be a number of interactive booths and games for all. But at 2 p.m., it will be all gymnastics as the Tigers try to win the Shakespeare's championship for the first time since they took the first three titles in 1991-92-93. Also in the four-team field are the Illinois State Redbirds (competing in the event for the fifth straight year), Southeast Missouri State Otahkians (coached by former MU gymnast and assistant coach Kris Buchheister) and the Centenary Ladies.
Missouri placed third last season behind Michigan State and LSU, and were trailed by Illinois State and Western Michigan.
"The Shakespeare's Festival has been a real nice event for us," Jacobson said. "It's been kind of a reversal from the Cat Classic from the fact that we won the first three Shakespeare's where it took us 10 years to win the Cat Classic."
Tiger gymnasts will also be out to re-claim the Juliet Award, given to the meet's all-around champion. The Tigers have won the award four times -- Julie Dorn in 1991, Kim Leslie in '92, Chrissy Harkey in '93 and current Tiger senior Amanda Peterson in 1997. In all, the Tigers have won 21 event titles in the eight-year history of the Shakespeare's event. Now departed senior Charise Schrupp won the floor exercise at last year's home-opening meet. Michigan State and LSU combined to take the first four places in last year's all-around. Among the returnees, Illinois State's Beth Larson was 5th and Mizzou's Jessica Haag was 6th.
Haag also placed third on the vault while Redbirds Michelle Huston and Larson were fourth and tied for fifth, respectively. On bars, back to improve on last year's performances are Tigers Amanda Peterson and Chandra Harlow (tied for third and fifth last year).
Illinois State has a pair of balance beam place winners returning. Maria Pfarr was fourth last year and Larson tied for fifth. Missouri's Alison Akers tops the returnees on floor exercise. She tied for fourth place at last year's Shakespeare's Festival.
Some of the exhibitors taking part in the Extreme portion of this year's event are Cycle X-treme, Walt's Bike Shop, MC Sports, Play-it-Again Sports, Columbia Scuba, Inc., and the Columbia Rock Climbing Gym.
Last year's Festival attracted a meet-record attendance total of 2,623. The meet sponsor is Columbia's Shakespeare's Pizza, which hosts a pizza party for the competing teams the evening before the meet.
