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Volume 72, Issue 101,
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sports Tossing aside all obstacles Villanueva excels in challenging setting by LOURDES CASTILLO
Junior weight thrower Amanda Villanueva began her life as an athlete in Cameron, a small town with a population just under 6,000. Naturally, coming to Houston was a huge transition for Villanueva. "I liked living in Cameron," Villanueva said. "In high school everybody knew who I was. "(Even) now when I go back, people at school still remember who I am even though I graduated three years ago." Going from Yoe High School, with a graduating class of 120 students, to a large, diverse university presented a challenge for Villanueva. "I love going back home because it's encouraging," Villanueva said. "It's like the entire town is proud of me, not just my family. Seeing how much recognition you get in a small town made me think what would happen if I went to a big college and did just as well." Villanueva was a shot put and discus thrower in high school, but she felt a stronger love for volleyball and basketball. Despite that, she believed it would be wiser to continue her track and field career in college. "I went to statewide (competitions) in track three out of my four years in high school, so it was just a guarantee that I would do well in college," she said. Her decision has proven to be the right one. Villanueva has excelled in discus, hammer and weight throwing events during her career at UH. On Feb. 3 at the Houston Invitational, she set a weight throw record of 18.29 meters, beating the mark of 18.03 meters set by Shayla Bowman in 2004. "It was actually kind of funny because (Bowman) is the one that taught me everything," Villanueva said. "The way I wind up is something she taught me and that now I teach freshmen." Aside from adjusting to her life in Houston, Villanueva was faced with tougher challenges during her freshman year. Her parents separated and her grandmother died the summer before she began school, which left Villanueva searching for ways to ease the pain. "That was really tough on me," she said. "My grandmother was a big motivation. I remember her always wanting me to be better than everyone else and make the family proud." Luckily, her friends, advisers, coaches and teammates were always there to help her cope with her loss. "My roommates helped me out a lot," Villanueva said. "My academic adviser pulled me into her office one day and made me talk to her. I just let it all out and that helped me a lot. I know my coach (Will Blackburn) is also there to listen." Villanueva said she values the support she receives from her family and friends. "I think that has helped me a lot this year, seeing friends and family in the stands," Villanueva said. "In high school, my parents would always be at my games and meets. "To me it's very important to have that kind of support. If for some reason they can't come watch, I would notice and get a little bit frustrated." After graduating with a kinesiology degree, she said she hopes to become a physical education teacher or a coach at the high school level. "I could not be in an office … I would go crazy doing that," she said. "Nothing else really interests me." Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu |
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