Research a game in itself

As IU fans cheer on Hoosier athletes competing in Athens, they also might applaud two faculty members from the Department of Kinesiology in IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.\nProfessor Phil Henson's research into the sprint start in track has led to a redesigned starting block. However, the professor's concern for the 2004 Summer Olympics is the size and expense of an Olympiad. \nHenson, a former IU assistant coach, is a track and field authority who worked as an official at the Los Angeles and Sydney Games and was commissioner of the U.S. Olympic Festival for 17 years. At the Atlanta games he was appointed competition manager for athletics and was in charge of all business within the oval track.\nHenson said the costs for the Olympics are "completely out of sight" and could become unfeasible for the organizers in Greece.\n"Costs could break the country if they're not careful," Henson said. "Security costs will kill them." \nThe Athens Olympics budget is estimated at $12 billion, with $1.5 billion for security. \nOne of the reasons Olympic expenditures are skyrocketing is the addition of what Henson describes as "frivolous, made--for--TV sports," among them tennis, basketball and beach volleyball. \nHenson recognizes the competitive sport over the artistic one and wonders why the Olympics need rhythmic gymnastics or synchronized swimming. He also questions the inclusion of soccer and basketball, which have their own world championships.\n"The Olympics should be the most important thing that happens in that sport," Henson said.\nThis summers games include more than 250 events and roughly 10,000 athletes, who arrive in the host city all at once. \nHenson suggests limiting the number of events to traditional Olympic contests, such as track and field, swimming, gymnastics and wrestling. In addition, spreading the games over the summer and finding a permanent home would eliminate some major costs. \nBut there's another reason Henson favors the historic Olympic sports. \n"I'm a purist who sees the Olympics as one person versus one person," Henson explained with a touch of nostalgia. "The Olympics should be the highest achievement for an individual in that sport." \nOne floor below Henson's office, a windowless laboratory occupies two rooms. Outside, a tiny sign near the entrance nook reads "Biomechanics." Taped to a wall inside are colorful, three-dimensional images of Dwight Stone doing the "flop" and Valeri Brumel's "straddle" that indicate the kind of research undertaken here.\nHPER professor Jesus Dapena has studied the mechanics of high jumping to determine optimum technique for two decades. His basic research analyzes aspects of the run-up, takeoff, bar clearance and twist rotation phases of the high jump. The results are intended to bring about corrected, improved technique. \n"I'm able to say that 'doing this and this is good, but doing that is bad for this reason,'" Dapena said.\nDapena's method is exacting. Using two high-speed cameras simultaneously at different angles, he films American high jumpers at their major meet each summer or, in Olympic years, at the U.S. team trials.\nOn a digitizing table, he transforms the film data one frame at a time into numerical coordinates matching 21 points on the body. The coordinates are entered into a computer, where three-dimensional images are generated.\n"It's nice," Dapena said with a smile, "but it's semi-science fiction." \nDapena's research, which has been supported by USA Track & Field, involves applying his findings. Dapena, a consultant to U.S. Olympic Committee who also studies the mechanics of the hammer and discus throw, writes detailed and illustrated reports for high jumpers and their coaches. Starting this year, instead of a video with voice-over commentary, athletes will receive a CD. The applied phase fulfills the purpose of Dapena's work. \n"I'm trying to help an individual do better by discovering what's there and applying it, not by coming up with a new invention," Dapena said.\nDapena points out that the Russian women dominate high jumping, and he grabs an issue of Track & Field News to count the world rankings. But Dapena notes that South African Hestrie Cloete is expected to win gold in Athens despite her poor technique. \n"She has this elaborate preparation of the arms, but it's all for nothing because she does not use it," Dapena said, walking to a roomier part of the lab to demonstrate the double-arm swing before takeoff. "Her arms go like this, over her head, at the same time. You see? That's inefficient. And she does it one step too early. You follow? That slows her down."\n-- Contact staff writer Bill Meehan at wmeehand@indiana.edu.