Track and Field /John Ortega : Chronic Shin Trouble Brings Premature End to Mills’ Summer Plan

After competing in Philadelphia, Provo, Utah, and Eugene, Ore., last summer, Crissy Mills of Campbell Hall High has been conspicuously absent from age-group competition this year because of chronic shin splints.

Mills, 16, has been troubled by sore shins since November, although she managed to win the high jump in the state championships at Cerritos College in Norwalk on June 4.

“My legs never really bothered me during competition,” said Mills, who cleared a personal best of 5 feet, 10 inches at the state meet. “But I was constantly going to physical therapy. At first, I was really worried that my season might be over.”

Whirlpool baths in ice, ultrasound treatments and shoe implants helped Mills complete her sophomore year. The pain, however, became unbearable after she placed a disappointing 10th (5-6) in The Athletics Congress Junior championships in Tallahassee, Fla., June 25.

“I just decided then to take it easy the rest of the summer,” Mills said. “I had built all my energy up for the state meet and I wasn’t really into it mentally like I should have been.

“And my shins were really hurting me. That’s a big reason why I stopped jumping.”

Mills hopes the break will allow her shins to heal before next season, when she sets out to defend her state title and improve her best to 6-2.

“I just want to stay healthy next year and jump 6-2,” she said. “If I stay healthy, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Trivia time: What do Dave Stephens, Kevin Goode and Paul Kulak have in common? (Answer below)

Welcome to the big time: Quincy Watts and Bryan Bridgewater of the Win America Track and Athletics Club, two of the nation’s top high school sprinters this year, were ousted quickly in the 200 meters at the Olympic Trials.

Watts, a recent graduate of Taft High, placed fourth in an opening-round heat in 20.84 on Monday, but placed sixth in the first quarterfinal later in the day, timing 20.91.

Bridgewater, who defeated Watts for the 1988 state title at 200 meters, placed fifth in an opening-round heat in 21.45 and seventh (21.17) in the third quarterfinal.

The top four finishers from each quarterfinal advanced to Wednesday’s semifinals.

Upcoming events: Watts, Angela Burnham of Rio Mesa High and Dave Bultman will represent the U. S. in the World Junior Track and Field Championships in Sudbury, Canada, July 26-31.

Burnham will run in the women’s 100 meters and 400 relay. Watts will run in the men’s 400 relay, and Bultman, the 1987 state shotput and discus champion as a senior at Royal High, will compete in the men’s shotput.

Trivia answer: They all threw the javelin for Cal State Northridge and they all competed in the Olympic Trials. Stephens won the event Sunday, but Goode and Kulak failed to qualify for the final.