Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, January 17, 2007]

The Ospreys suffered two straight losses over the weekend, facing Bethune Cookman College Jan. 10 and Jacksonville University Jan. 13.

The cross-city rival game against the Dolphins was the first of two SunTrust River City Rumble games this season. University of North Florida lost 56-42 in the Rumble and 58-42 to Bethune Cookman.

Bethune Cookman's Tristan McCray and Sierra Knight each finished with 15 points, sharing the game high in points, while Natasha Ferguson was the game's leading rebounder with eight boards.

The Wildcats out-rebounded the Ospreys 43-30, though Osprey sophomore forward Antoinette Reames and senior guard Tamara Hubbard both sat out with injuries.

Osprey senior guard Denisia Andrews earned two career highs with 12 points and six steals despite the loss. Sophomore guard Jennifer Bowen followed with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.

North Florida opened the game on a 9-0 scoring run before Bethune Cookman climbed back to tie the score 24-24 at the half.

The Wildcats carried their momentum over into the second half and took advantage of the Ospreys' low scoring to earn their second win over UNF this season.

The same setback emerged again in the Ospreys' loss to the Dolphins.

"We were not very confident in the zone, and we didn't shoot it well in the second half [against JU]," said head coach Mary Tappmeyer.

Hubbard returned to the Ospreys starting lineup, however, and shared a team-high 10 points with freshman Shandrea Moore.

Moore opened the game with a jump shot and the Ospreys continued to a 10-4 lead after a completed jumper by Bowen. Jacksonville University then responded to UNF's energy and tied the score at 14-14 with 7:50 remaining in the first half.

The first half ended with the Ospreys trailing 30-25.

In the second half, UNF came within three points of the lead but JU built on its momentum and caused UNF to lose the seventh of its last eight games.

Three Dolphins scored in double-digits, including forward Ashley Williams, who led all players with 21 points. Teammates Virginia Gregoire followed with 14 points and Regina Omoite added 13.

Despite the loss, Osprey forward Jennifer Guldager worked both sides of the court with seven rebounds, four steals and five points.

Andrews added seven points and Bowen followed with six.

The Ospreys will go on a two-game road trip Jan. 18 to compete against East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. and against Kennesaw State Jan. 20 at 2 p.m.

Ospreys face top teams in new season's schedule

The University of North Florida tennis team has high hopes for its second year in Division I. With the season set to begin and many top ranked teams to face on the schedule, the players and coaches are looking for a top ranking for the 2007 season.

"Last year we proved that we had the potential to be a ranked team in Division I," head coach Igal Buberman said. "Though we proved it, we did not achieve it. This year, the main thing is to take the opportunities and accomplish our goal."

The Ospreys will have many opportunities to achieve their goals this season, including the women's match up against the University of South Florida. In 2006, the Ospreys lost 5-2 to USF, and the Ospreys are looking forward to a rematch.

"The girls finished pretty close in all of the matches against USF last year and are definitely ready for it this year," Buberman said.

To accomplish its goals and improve from past years, the team has seen some changes in training, especially over the past months. The main difference was a split in training between the men and women to facilitate to their specific levels, Buberman said. The team will also receive support from both coaches at every match, as opposed to only one attending each match in the past.

"We've had a tough training schedule during the off season to prepare for the tough schedule ahead," Buberman said. "They worked hard nearly every weekend to get exposed to an even higher level of competition."

Leading the Ospreys this season are senior team captains Matias Sigal and Catalina Castillo. Both are fighters and should be able to do very well this season, Buberman said.

"I can tell that all of the seniors have a lot of experience," he said. "They have the Osprey spirit in them and can manage their emotions. They play in a way I really enjoy watching, very professional."

Two new faces are also joining the team, freshman Ben Smith from the United Kingdom and junior Yuiti Lopes from Brazil. Both will be playing in the line up during the season.

The men's team will play its first match against Florida State University Jan. 19, while the women face Georgia Southern College Jan. 20 at the UNF tennis complex.

Buberman hopes to see the Osprey pride out cheering for the team.

"The players are very social and have managed to bring students to the games in the past," he said. "Even though it isn't a big college sport, the atmosphere is great and I hope that more people come this season."

Phase out un-wanted flab

Keeping a resolution to get in shape starts with where to work out

It's here. After reveling, imbibing and overdoing it on the sweets and treats prevalent in the waning weeks of 2006, now it's back-to-the-gym time.

If your plan for the 2007 is to get in shape, know that you're not alone. Health clubs report an average 12 percent spike in new memberships in January, the highest increase all year.

But just signing up for the gym isn't enough (sorry!). Regular gym-goers often laugh among themselves that while new members fill the place for a few weeks, it's not long before their resolve weakens.

So how can you get the most out of your newfound determination to fit fitness into your life? Experts say finding a gym or fitness club where you feel comfortable and physically challenged and that jibes with your health goals are the key. Take Tim Foehl, who feels so at home at Muscles Gym in St. Clair Shores, Mich., that he brings his bulldog Harley with him to work out. And that's OK with everyone else.

"He's our mascot," says Rose Schroeder, co-owner of the gym, who holds Harley's leash while Foehl, 45, pumps iron.

That level of comfort is one of the reasons Foehl finds his workouts so enjoyable. Located in a small brick building with blue awnings over the windows, Muscles, Foehl says, is the kind of place where everybody knows your name. And if they don't know it, they'll make up a nickname for you.

"It's not a meat market," says Foehl, a tractor-trailer owner/ operator and bouncer who has worked out at the gym for about two decades. "A lot of these people I've known for years. It feels like a family."

That grunting, dropping heavy weights and listening to loud music, banned in many fitness centers, are all allowed at Muscles is one of the reasons its loyalists, many of them police officers and firefighters, prefer working out there.

How should you go about finding your ideal gym? We put together a guide to help.

Finding the right gym
The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association offers the following tips.

Identify your fitness goals and look for a health club that offers programs and services to help you achieve them.

Look for a health club close to home or work. A convenient location will make it easier to get there on a regular basis, and it will increase the likelihood that you'll stick to your new exercise routine. This may be the club on campus or one down the street from your apartment.

Visit a health club during the timeframe when you are most likely to work out. This will help you gauge whether the club meets your needs and expectations. Also ask if you can get a trial membership before committing to a long-term plan.

Check the locker rooms, equipment and club amenities to determine if the facility is well-organized and clean.

Talk to fitness instructors about their programs and ask when classes are held and who attends. This will help determine if the club offers classes that interest you and are appropriate for your fitness level.

If you have a specific health challenge, look for a club that has a personal trainer or fitness instructor certified to work with people who have health challenges. Talk to the trainers to get a sense of how open they are to speak with you about your special needs. And don't be afraid to ask them about their credentials or to see their certification.

When you join a club, ask about the membership agreement terms and review the application details thoroughly. Be sure that you understand the cancellation policy, billing procedures, length of the agreement and membership renewal process to prevent confusion about your membership in the future. And don't ever feel pressured to sign on the spot. You are entitled to take the contract home and read it before you make a final decision.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE

Team earns split-finishes twice over weekend

The University of North Florida women's swimming and diving team splashed to split results at its recent home meet. The team also had similar results in Atlanta against Georgia Tech and Emory University.

The Ospreys defeated the Lock Haven University Eagles 183-47 but lost to the University of Northern Colorado Bears 153-90 at the UNF Aquatics Center.

Junior swimmer Krysten Nemecek won the 200-breaststroke and helped the Ospreys place second in the 400-medley relay.

Senior Jacqui Beals swam hard for the first 30 laps against Northern Colorado's 1000-freestyle swimmer Kelly Sandford before finishing in third place.

"My coach told me to stay with her the whole time, and at the last 100 and start sprinting it," Beals said. "I kind of messed up the strategy, I tried to get ahead of her in the beginning, and I lost my energy towards the end."

The Ospreys also placed second in the 400-individual medley relay with Nemecek, sophomores Dana Constantino, Caroline Poling, and freshman Maria Bianchi posting a time of 4:09.59. Senior Chelsea Lewis placed second in the 100-freestyle with a time of 55.67 while Beals placed third and freshman Krissy Harms placed second in the 500-freestyle. Beals finished at 5:28.45 while Harms finished with 5:27.18.

Also posting lead results were freshman diver Deanna Schuran, who placed fourth in the one-meter competition and senior Kaila Johnston, who finished third in the 3-meter.

Leaving home, the Ospreys headed to Atlanta where they defeated University of New Orleans 125-112 but lost to Georgia Tech 185-58 and Emory University 168-75.

Nemecek led UNF, with a second place finish in the 200-breaststroke at 2:29.00. Bianchi was also successful with 2:14.77 in the 200-IM, finishing in third place.

"Wednesday [against Lock Haven and Northern Colorado] was a good meet," Lewis said. "Sunday [against New Orleans, Georgia Tech and Emory] was a great meet that had a lot of competition."

Swimming in Atlanta also brought world class facilities to the swimmers' experiences.

"Sunday's competition was where the 1996 Olympics were held," Lewis said. "It was one of the nicest pools we have ever been to. In one the 400 freestyle relay I swam a 53.8 - that was one of my best times and it's a really fast pool."

Coming off a second place finish against Northern Colorado in the 1000 freestyle, Beals hoped to learn from her experience and use it at the Georgia-Tech Aquatics Center.

"I tried to keep the same strategy," Beals said. "I realized by the end of the race I had more energy left in me, I wish I could have gone faster."

Diver Emily Eisenhower finished in third place in the 1-meter competition and fourth place in the 3-meter competition in her debut as an Osprey.

The Ospreys last regular season competition is Jan. 26-27 in a two-day meet against Gardner-Webb University and Georgia Southern University at the UNF Aquatics Center.

Jaguar off-season may bring hope

From the Cheap Seats

The 2006 season for the Jacksonville Jaguars could be best described as a "Comedy of Errors," a Shakespearean drama that intricately wove suspense, pain, heartache, victory, defeat and ultimately produced a lukewarm product. Not too good, not too bad, right in the middle. This coincidentally is exactly what the Jags' final record (8-8) indicates.

Seven losses by seven points or less.

Leftwich's folly in Indianapolis, Moss' miracle vs. Washington, Matt Jones and the lost catch-ade against Houston, the Evan's gambit while in Buffalo, and Garrard's folly at Tennessee.

Then there was the horrific showing against New England, and a finale in Kansas City that has added more fuel to this team's never-ending quarterback controversy.

The over/under on how many Quinn Gray jerseys that will be in training camp this August is surely higher, and you can be sure that between now and then there will be additions, and most likely a subtraction to this team's crop of quarterbacks.

That may be what stands between this team and greatness.

Think of any great team, and you'll instantly think of its quarterback: Bradshaw and the Steelers, Montana and the 49er's, Aikman and the Cowboys.

Add a star under center, and this team may well be in line for a Super Bowl.

Sure, the road will be tougher, but champions relish these moments.

Ask Tom Brady who he loves to play against, and his first answer will be Peyton Manning, not Marc Bulger.

The Jaguars never had any trouble getting up for the big games this season, they just got out-played.

This off-season will be the most intriguing, and most important in team history. This team's window of opportunity is now open.

Priority one: Find a quarterback.

Priority two: Get a veteran receiver with lots of speed.

Priority three: Win a championship.

Take care of the first two, and the third will follow.

Through the past two years, this team has had no trouble acting like champions.

Just examine the wins against New York, Tennessee, Indy, Pittsburg and Philadelphia.

But the time for acting is over.

Now, it is time to BE the champions.

Delaney suits up to Jam

University President hit the court with the Jacksonville Jam basketball team

Ten-year-old Jimmy now agrees his dad really is a super star. Before playing for 20 seconds with the Jacksonville Jam against the Palm Beach Imperials Jan. 13, the former Jacksonville mayor and current president of the University of North Florida hadn't made the cut in Jimmy's eyes.

Delaney has been a supporter of Jacksonville's American Basketball Association team since it hosted its first press conference, said Jam head coach Steve Tucker. He has shown enthusiasm and support for the team by allowing the Jam to utilize the UNF Arena for home games this year. To help attract fans to the stadium, the Jam named Delaney an honorary member and invited him to suit up for a game in jersey No. 11.

"His support has been valuable since day one,Ó Tucker said. ÒHe did nothing to hurt us in the game, and his presence and enthusiasm helped us."

Honorary members don't just sit on the sidelines in their business suits and ties. They suit up, they hit the locker rooms, they huddle up, and they hit the court, just like the other players on the team. It's something Delaney said is a dream come true.

"It was always my dream to play pro ball," Delaney said. ÒI can't wait to call my dad and tell him I made it.Ó

Delaney has been bouncing balls since elementary school, but has never taken the opportunity to play on an official team. He proudly bares a scar on his right knee he earned while playing in high school.

ÒI could jump pretty good in the day,Ó he said. ÒMy weight was distributed better.Ó

Tucker put Delaney in the game for the last 20 seconds of the first quarter. He offered him another chance to jump in toward the end, but he declined, later explaining that his knee hurt.

Alumnus Chris Crider and senior marketing major Davis Dobbs didn't realize they would see Delaney clad in a Jam jersey when they decided to attend the game. But they said the surprise was a nice one.

ÒHe looked like Michael Jordan out there,Ó Dobbs said. ÒHe was as graceful as a swan.Ó

The Imperials fell to the Jam 128-109.

Other honorary members who will suit up in future games include Sheriff John Rutherford and sports caster Dan Hicken.

Print Edition

SPORTS

Team loses seven of last eight games

Osprey senior earns career highs as team loses during two regular season games

Ospreys face top teams in new season's schedule

Phase out un-wanted flab

Keeping a resolution to get in shape starts with where to work out

Team earns split-finishes twice over weekend

Jaguar off-season may bring hope

From the Cheap Seats

Delaney suits up to Jam

University President hit the court with the Jacksonville Jam basketball team

Vitals on no. 11: John Delaney

Sports in Brief

Track and field take top finishes in first meet

Flight Schedule

Osprey Scoreboard