by SCOTT ANDRESEN

Daily Sports Editor

The ultimate challenge for any athlete is competing in the Olympics. Iowa State’s own Jayme Olson is one step closer to that goal. Olson was named to the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival Women’s Basketball Team.

“Every non-Olympic year the U.S. has a mini-Olympics, essentially,” Beth Burns, San Diego State’s head coach, and coach of the North team, said. “The trials essentially consist of seniors in high school and freshmen and sophomores of the collegiate level.”

The Olympic Fest is the first stepping stone to playing on the Olympic team. “It’s the first building block to be an Olympian,” Burns said.

“It’s exciting; a great opportunity,” Olson said. “I originally made the team as an alternate. Three weeks ago I got a phone call that I had been moved up.”

Olson, a Burlington native, will join another Iowa native on the North team, Amy Herrig, a senior in high school from Dubuque.

“[The players] are very, very talented,” Olson said. “[The camps] bring in people from all over. I like it because I get to see where I fit in.”

Olson will join her teammates in Denver on July 21 to begin practicing with her team. The women’s competition starts July 26 at the McNichols Sports Arena, home of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets.

“This is a great opportunity to test yourself,” Olson said. “To have a chance to play on the Olympic Fest team is like a dream.”

The USA Olympic Fest selection committee had a tough time selecting the four teams to represent the talent of North, South, East and West.

“I’m glad I didn’t have anything to do with the selection process,” Burns said. “A lot of people were shocked that I didn’t have anything to do with [the selection].”

The Festival is purely a developmental tool for the players. “I don’t get any points if I lose or win,” Burns said. “[The committee] chose who they felt was the best at that time.”

Olson is looking forward to helping the North team fair better than the last time around.

“Last year the North [squad] didn’t win a game,” Olson said. “Even if I go up there and don’t get to play; just going and experiencing it will be great.”

Olson tried out last year and didn’t make it past second cuts, but the second time around she proved her worth.

“I had up and down feelings,” Olson said. “To go in there and make it to final cuts was neat.”

The next step in the Olympic competition ladder is the Jones Cup and then World University Team, comprised of Olympians.

“[Each] is one step above the other,” Burns said.

The prospect of competing at the Olympic level is one that Olson would love to do.

“So much can happen in a year, I would love to be on the Olympic team but I have to set my goals to something I can reach.”

The four regional teams represent 14 conferences, 26 NCAA colleges, one junior college and 12 high schools.”I think [the Festival] will be interesting,” Burns said. “I have a much younger team [than the others], we’ll have to do things to be disruptive.”

“Only good can come out of this situation,” Olson said. “I can learn so much up there.”

“Where it takes me from here is up to me and what I want to do.