Amy Koopman (USA)
1980 US Nationals: 7th AA
(tie), 8th V, 4th UB, 8th BB (tie), 5th FX
1980 US Olympic Trials: 5th AA
1980 Olympics: T (but USA boycotted Olympics)
1981 Worlds: 6th T, 35th AA (prelims)
1982 US Nationals: 3rd AA, 1st FX
Results compiled from USA
Gymnastics
Like many of her 1980 Olympic team partners, Amy pressed on with
gymnastics following the disappointing U.S. boycott, perhaps with
the hope of making the next Olympic team. By 1982, Amy was
performing well above the level she'd been competing at when she
was selected for the 1980 team. In fact, at the 1982 US
Nationals, Amy won FX and placed 3rd in the AA, her highest
ranking ever, and this with a few glithces during the without
which she may have won the AA title.
Unfortunately, by the end of 1982,
Amy began to struggle with her changing body (she began having
troubles performing skills she'd done effortlessly for years).
Meanwhile, her long-time coach, Bill Sands, was growing tired of
coaching, so he sent Amy and Marie Roethlisberger to train at
SCATS with Don Peters. Incidentally, Bill Sands sent their
younger teammate, Phoebe Mills, to Karolyi's.
While Marie and Pheobe flourished
in their new environments, Amy did not. She quit gymnastics and
came back to Chicago, where she finished High School and toyed
with rhythmic gymnastics for awhile. After graduating, she went
to Arizona State University where she competed well in her
freshman year (earning honours on beam for their conference).
Despite this success, Amy quit gymnastics and transferred to Ohio
State. Amy's abrupt leave was associated with many false rumours.
First of all, Amy did NOT quit gymnastics because of gangrene in
her finger that eventually resulted in amputation. She has all of
her fingers. : ) Second, she was NOT allergic to the water and
air in Arizona -- it was a teammate of hers, Becky Rashoff, who
suffered from these allergies.
Amy eventually graduated from Ohio
State with a Bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant
Management. On October 16 1992, she was married to Michael
Enxing. The couple now have several children.
. This page was May 14, 1999 and last updated on December 22, 1999.
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