page 12.
daily ncbraskan
thursday, October 16, 1980
Teammate aided Gary's decision to choose UNL
By Scott Ahbtrand
In second grade, Russell Gary was intro
duced to football by his older brother
Kenny, and his love for the game has
grown every year, he said.
A senior, Gary is the starting safety for
the Husker football team. He said he has
been looking forward to this year for a
long time.
"My older brother, Kenny, had a lot to
do with my interest in football,' Gary said.
"Kenny and Gale Sayers (former Chicago
Bears running back) were my early idols.
"Kenny was an all-State defensive back,
but he rejected offers to play college foot
ball, and accepted a scholastic scholarship
from Harvard. It was his early success in
football that helped me set goals for my
self." One of Gary's early goals was to start on
his high school's football team. And as a
senior at Central High School in Minnea
polis, Minn., Gary earned all-city honors as
a running back.
Gary's next goal was to play football for
a major college team. But despite his suc
cess in high school recruiters were not beat
ing down his front door, he said.
"I had a few offers from some Division I
schools," Gary said. "But most of the
scholarship offers came from Division II
schools."
Switch in positions
Although Gary also received some
scholarship offers to play basketball, his
decision to attend UNL depended on his
friend and Husker teammate Rodney
Lewis. The two were high school team
mates and they wanted to play on the same
college team.
Lewis, who alternates as a first-team de
fensive back, didn't receive any scholarship
offers from a major college, but was asked
to walk-on at Nebraska.
"Nebraska told us that they would give
me a scholarship and that if Rodney
walked on, and made the team, he'd get a
scholarship too," Gary said. "We wanted to
play together and on top of everything
else, Nebraska also had a great tradition
and excellent facilities. They had every
thing that the two of us wanted."
Although Gary was recruited as a run
ning back, and started at that position for
the freshman team, he was asked to change
positions in spring 1978.
"I was a little hesitant about making the
change to the defensive back field. The last
time I had played back there was in high
school, and that was only for one series,''
Gary said.
"The coaches told me it would give me
a better chance of jumping into the start
ing lineup sooner. There were a lot of good
running backs ahead of me, and I wanted
to help the team, so I made the switch."
Three-year starter
Since making the change, Gary has
started at safety for three years, and is a
key in what he considers one of college
football's best defensive back fields.
"We're good. I think we're the best de
fensive backficld in the Big Eight, and
we're one of the best in the nation. We're
all fast, we like to hit and we play well to
gether," Gary said.
"We also have the advantage of getting
along together. I know that Rodney,
Sammy (Sims) and I are almost like
brothers, and as a unit we're really close,"
Gary said.
While Gary still has some individual
goals to accomplish, he said the team's
goals come first.
"We think that we've got a pretty good
chance of making it to the Orange Bowl,"
Gary said. "We've still got a shot at a high
national ranking, we just can't lose any
more games."
When the 1980 season draws to a close,
Gary said he hopes it won't be his last in a
football uniform.
"If the opportunity to play pro ball
does come up, I'd like to give it a chance,"
Gary said.
Besides the experience he can offer to a
pro team, Gary said he also can offer in
tangibles like leadership.
"I think it's my job as a senior to show
some leadership," said Gary. "I try to show
it through example, but if someone needs
help, I'm more than willing to offer some
advice."
Lifter of the year
When Gary isn't playing football he
divides his time between his studies in
journalism he one day wants to become
a broadcaster -and his hobbies, weightlift
ing and music.
"I don't have a lot of extra time because
of football, but I can always find time
when I need it," Gary said. "I enjoy listen
ing to music, and fooling around with the
electronics of it.
"1 got my start lifting weights when I
came here," he said. "The only time I lift
ed in high school was to rehabilitate a
knee. But when I came here 1 realized that
it would help my speed, weight training
and strength. I found that it came naturally
to me and I found that 1 enjoyed it."
Gary's weightlifting abilities arc evident,
as he was named the 1980 Nebraska Lifter
of the Year.
Gary said he should get a chance to use
his strength this Saturday, as Nebraska
takes on the Oklahoma State Cowboys,
who have not won a game this year.
"They're not as bad as their record
shows," Gary said. "They've always played
very physically, and to win we're going to
have to out-hit them."
As Nebraska gets further and further in
to the Big Light season, the games grow in
pressure. But instead of the additional
pressure hindering Gary's play, he said he
finds it an asset.
"I think I pump myself up a little more
for some of the bigger games," Gary said.
"It's when you're playing a team like
Missouri or Oklahoma that a good player
and a good team will show itself.
"When the score gets close and the
other team has the ball, I want them to
throw at me, and I think that every good
defensive back feels that way."
. JL
v V. A-S"
j
' If
Husker Safety Russell Gary puts the crunch on Kansas Tailback Harry Sidney in
Saturday's 54-0 Nebraska win in Lawrence.
Champion swimmer says motivation is back
By Deb McGinn
and was captain of water polo and swimming," he saiu.
In Wil Douglass' case, all it took to become a Big Eight
Champion swimmer, he said, was a little hard-nosed . .. AA . . . , . .,
swimming as a youngster, a lot of encouragement from . J" then attended Santa Monica, Junior College,
his Dad, stardom in high school, individual and team Santa Monica, Calif, for one year,
goals, spirit, determination, and the "animal award."
i started swimming when I was about seven years old
and I could hardly swim," Douglass said.
"I remember when I first worked out at the YMCA in
the winters. I used to take a bus five miles into town to
work out every day.1
Douglass explained that when he was eight his Dad was
already providing incentives.
"I couldn't make a lap around the pool without stop
ping," he said. "Dad set up goals for me until I was able
to go further."
Douglass' high school was one of the top swimming
h$i schools in the country. There he got his first taste of
recognition and achievment.
"I won the Los Angeles City Championship meet
when I was a senior" Douglass said. MI won the 100-yard
backstroke and was second in the lUU-yard treestyte. I
"In Santa Monica 1 swam a lot better than in high
school. 1 trained hard, but 1 had problems with allergies
most of the year, so I didn't swim as well as I could have."
Douglass met UNL's Cal Bentz at Santa Monica's state
meet and was recruited by Nebraska.
"My first year at Nebraska I did real well," Douglass
said. "I won the Big Eight in my event, the 200-yard
backstroke, and improved my best times by quite a bit."
Last year, however, he confessed that his drive and
motivation faltered.
"I had a mental let down last year. I didn't set my
goals. My first year my goal was to win the Big Eight and
i did that and was just left unbalanced my second year."
This season is on a positive upswing for Douglass. He
oacKStroKe ana was secona in mc luu-yara ireesiyjc. i . , . , ... . . . , ,
wS on the first team alUity Los Angeles water polo team workin8. on& w,th teim.hanter than ever.
Team goals and effort are both important factors to him
at Nebraska, he said.
"We are a unit - we are a team. We win and lose as a
team. If our goals change at all, they would only change
to attain something higher," he said.
To keep the team's inspiration and incentive level
high, junior captain Mark Dietrich, initiated the "animal
award," which Douglass recently won.
"The award goes to the swimmer in the weight room
that sacrifices the most in doing the weights. We're lift
ing the weights to exhaustion. We go until we can't go
anymore on a certain weight, and achieve the most we
can personally,. Douglass said.
To win the Big Eight in 1980 was incredible, he said.
To win it again involves starting all over, continuous dedi
cation and enthusiasm.
We have a better team this year, including the best
$22? C0Untry We have t0 careful though, as:
the season goes on, and not to believe that we have an
out tot i w ' UaUy,a dlsadvantage because people are
