EXCHANGE: Usher at U of I arena was on 1960 US Olympic team
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - You never know who you are going to meet working at the State Farm Center.
It might be your high school teacher. Or a friend from back home.
Or a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team.
That's Diane (Jerome) Smith, a relative newcomer to the area. The just-turned 78-year-old came to St. Joseph three years ago with her late husband, Irvin.
Smith is an usher at the State Farm Center. She moves around the building but likes to have a view of the court.
Back in the day, the Hudson, Ohio, native was a standout kayaker.
She trained on the Cuyahoga River. When it wasn't on fire.
In 1957 as a high school student, she joined a kayaking team. There weren't a lot of sports available to women at the time.
"All we had was basketball," she said. "I was an outdoorsman and wanted to play sports, so I joined the local club."
Next, the team landed a coach from Hungary.
Smith graduated from high school in 1959 and trained for a full year leading up to the Games.
Smith made the American team for the 1960 Rome Games, competing in the 500-meter two-person sprint races on flat water. She raced with another Ohio native, Mary Ann DuChai.
How did they do?
"Not very good," Smith said. "That was the first time they allowed women from the USA to compete in the sport. We ended up 11th in the world.
"It was a tremendous experience."
Smith has strong memories from the Rome Games. She met Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), who won the light heavyweight gold medal.
"He was great," Smith said. "He was an amazing man."
She marched in the Opening Ceremonies with the large U.S. team.
Smith didn't go back to the Games ... as a competitor. But she was a longtime official in the sport, working at the Olympics, Pan American Games and world championships.
In 1976, she was the team leader for the U.S. canoe/kayak team at the Games in Montreal. She again marched in the opening ceremonies. And she again hung out with boxers. On a team trip to Montreal, she met the Spinks brothers, Leon and Michael, from St. Louis.
"They were awfully nice people," Smith said.
Smith made an impression on U.S. Olympic leaders. She was asked to greet President Gerald Ford, who came to meet the athletes.
"I said, 'Why did you choose me?' They said, 'We knew we wouldn't have to tell you what to do.'
"That was the highlight of that trip."
There were other brushes with greatness. She became friends with decathlete Bruce Jenner and watched him win gold.
At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Smith was the director of competition for canoe and kayaking.
Smith was also involved in the Paralympics. She got to know the late wheelchair sports pioneer Tim Nugent while working on an event planned for C-U in the early 1980s.
"He was wonderful," Smith said.
Smith has moved across the country. She lived in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Florida.
How did she become a State Farm Center usher?
About two years ago, after her husband passed away, Smith saw an ad in The News-Gazette. Illinois needed people to work football games.
"I went there and they hired me," Smith said.
The school asked her if she was interested in working at other venues.
"I said 'sure,' " Smith said. "I work all the sports at the UI, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, track and field."
She enjoys the work.
"I love basketball," Smith said. "I love any kind of sports."
After the Illinois home win against Minnesota, Smith made sure to congratulate coach Brad Underwood.
Smith has two children, a son Bill lives in Colorado and a daughter Kris in Champaign.
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Source: The (Champaign) News-Gazette, https://bit.ly/2SqjnW9
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Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com