Seoul Gold Winners Back on U.S. Team

Four starters from the 1988 U.S. Olympic gold medalist men’s volleyball squad have joined the U.S. national team and are training in San Diego in preparation for the NORCECA Zone Championships Aug. 25-Sept. 3 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Returning are setter Jeff Stork, swing hitters Bob Ctvrtlik, Dave Saunders and Jon Root, and middle blockers Craig Buck and Doug Partie. All but Root and Saunders were starters in 1988.

“This is the best group of players we have had in camp in the last two years,” U.S. Coach Fred Sturm said. “Our biggest challenge now is to define the roles everyone will play in the NORCECA Championships and to establish unity and chemistry among current and former players. Once we accomplish that, we should field our best U.S.A. team in several years.”

The U.S. team must finish first or second to Cuba at the NORCECA Zone Championships to qualify for the 1991 FIVB World Cup. The Zone Championships determine the North American representative to the Olympics. The U.S. and Cuba have already qualified for the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

The U.S. team (6-10) recently finished third in its pool to World League champion Italy and the Soviet Union. Italy defeated Cuba for the title in three games and the Soviets beat Holland in four games for third place.

OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

Bill Toomey, who two months ago agreed to head St. Louis’ planning effort for the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival, has resigned, officials announced Thursday.

Toomey, the 1968 gold medalist in the decathlon, cited personal and professional reasons for his resignation, according to Edward Baur, chairman of the Metropolitan St. Louis Festival Organizing Committee, Inc.

Baur said Toomey planned to return to California and to his former job with the San Diego National Sports Training Foundation.