Jeanette Bolden Coaching Olympic Track Team

by bruinbabe2000 on Jun 28, 2008 7:41 PM PDT

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

Women's track and field coach Jeanette Bolden is doing double-duty this summer, coaching the U.S. Olympic women's track team. Coach Bolden is no stranger to the Olympics herself.

An Olympic gold medalist as part of Team USA's 4x100m relay at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Bolden placed fourth in the 100 meters at those Games and was a member of the 1980 Olympic team. Bolden recently finished her 14th year running the women's track program at her alma mater UCLA, where her squads have won three NCAA team championships and were runners-up at the 2005 NCAA Outdoors. In all, she has been part of five NCAA Champion teams, both as a coach and athlete.

Coach Bolden is currently in Eugene for the Olympic trials. Here are some excerpts from her recent press conference:

Q: What's it like for you from a head coach's perspective now that the Trials are here?

A: It's a situation where I am excited, nervous anticipating what is going to happen. I think the Olympic Games is an experience that I will never forget from an athlete's perspective. I think I will probably be more excited from the coaching end because now I have like 18 events to get excited about, opposed to my one or two events of the 100 meters and 4x100 (as an athlete). I want to make sure that all the "I's" are dotted and the "T's" are crossed. I'm excited and really hoping that the things I've learned in my past years as an athlete and now as a coach, I can maybe encourage someone and give a little bit of wisdom.

To read the rest of the Q&A, click here.

We wish Coach Bolden and the U.S. Track Team all the best as they go for the gold in Bejing.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Comments

Awesome

It’s great to know that we also have some of the best coaches in the country. She had to be a little upset after their disappointing performance at the NCAA Championships, but the Olympics are well deserved.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jun 26, 2008 10:16 AM PDT reply actions

Amazing

The person coaching one of the top teams in one of the most-watched sports at the Olympics is a Bruin.

by gilbert on Jun 26, 2008 11:52 AM PDT reply actions

Any relation

to Ato Bolden?

by tasser10 on Jun 29, 2008 5:06 PM PDT reply actions

Or to Billy Bolden?

Former UCLA QB

by Fox 71 on Jun 29, 2008 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions

None that I am aware of in both cases

by bruinbabe2000 on Jun 29, 2008 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Olympics

Is anyone up here doing some research and a post on how many Bruins have qualified for Beijing to date, who we need to keep an eye on? Would love to organize some Olympic open threads with Bruin angle. Any takers?

by Nestor on Jun 29, 2008 7:20 PM PDT reply actions

I can try

But a lot of the qualifing is still going on. Track might be finished, but I know swimming will be going on all this week. Gymnastics won’t have the final team set for about two more weeks. Baseball and softball should be easier.

by bruinbabe2000 on Jun 30, 2008 6:55 AM PDT up reply actions

Baseball hasn't been announced yet

but the only former Bruin I can see getting a look is David Huff, currently in the Indians farm system. He tore up AA with a 5-1 record and 1.92 ERA. Now at AAA he has 29 strike outs to only 2 walks.

As for softball, the roster has been announced and it includes 4 former Bruins (tied with Arizona for the most of any school). They are Andrea Duran (‘06), Tairia Flowers (‘04), Stacey Nuveman (‘02) and Natasha Watley (‘05). Lis Fernandez (‘95) is an alternate as well.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jun 30, 2008 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

I also found out

That three Bruins are trying to qualify for spots on the swimming team. Track qualifing goes through Sunday. I did get names for men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s water polo. I can post those tomorrow.

by bruinbabe2000 on Jun 30, 2008 4:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Soccer

men’s at least hasn’t named their roster yet. I know women’s has, but I don’t know which Bruins are on it. Men’s Olympic soccer is different than women’s because it is a U-23 tournament with 3 overage exceptions. I expect Bruin product Marvell Wynne to be on the roster and Kamani Hill, Tony Beltran and Sal Zizzo ould also make it. Current Bruin keeper Brian Perk may make the team as a reserve and Jimmy Conrad may be on of the team’s overage choices.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jun 30, 2008 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions