Temidara Headed to Familar Place
by Matt Zimmerman, Long Beach Press-Telegram
March 11, 2006 John Temidara has been here before, but that doesn't necessarily mean a new experience is out of the question.
This is the Long Beach State senior's third trip to the NCAA Track and Field championships, and the second consecutive season he will compete in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor championships, which are this weekend in Fayetteville, Arkansas. At the outdoor competition two seasons ago, Temidara finished No. 15 in the nation in the high jump, and last season he was 11th in the Indoor.
LBSU track and field coach Andy Sythe said this year, in Temidara's final Indoor season, the goal is the new height (so to speak) of a top-eight finish and the All-American status that comes with it.
"It will just help me be more comfortable," Temidara said of his previous NCAA experience. "It's all about taking care of business and not getting distracted. The whole atmosphere, if it's your first time, you're out there and it can be overwhelming."
With the highest point total of any individual male athlete at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor championships this season (18), including the title in the high jump and a runner-up finish in the triple jump at the MPSF meet Feb. 25 meet in Seattle, Temidara has not been overwhelmed on the bigger stages. He also took the Big West outdoor title in the high jump in 2004 before redshirting the 2005 outdoor season.
"You've got to have athletic ability, you've got to have poise, the ability to handle stress and pressure. John's very good at handling pressure, (and) great competition, he can get in there in a big meet and perform," said Sythe, who believes Temidara can become one of the nation's top high jumpers. "That's not an easy thing. You can be very talented, but if you can't bring out your best on a day when it matters, you're not going to go very far in this sport."
When Temidara transferred to LBSU after two years of competing in basketball and track at Whittier College, he had only two outdoor seasons remaining, but had not used any of his four seasons of indoor eligibility. Redshirting last outdoor season preserved an opportunity for Temidara to participate in a full indoor and outdoor schedule for LBSU in what will be his final collegiate season, as athletes usually have five years to complete their four years of eligibility once they start competing and it has been five years since he graduated from Santa Fe High.
"I had an extra indoor year," said Temidara, who is LBSU team captain for jumps. "It was a good opportunity for me to train and get more experience, have a full season of indoor and outdoor, help the team out this year in outdoor season too."
Before he helps the 49ers in the outdoor season, Temidara will be the team's sole representative at the championships today. He will follow his usual warm-up routine of two laps, a long stretch, followed by agility drills and then finally the high jump itself. It is the same thing he does before every meet, big or small.
"Just do everything the same," Temidara said. "The level of intensity might be more, but as far as preparation you want to stay consistent and not change anything. You want to have a routine." |
