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| nSPORfi‘,Q& Â¥ PAGE 26 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1994 When middleâ€"distance runner Kathy Butler first discovered she had a breathing problem last season, she blamed it on her lack of conditioning. As a twoâ€"time National junior women chamâ€" and Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union champion for the University of Guelph Gryphons, Butler, who still calls Waterloo her home, prided herself for being one of the best upâ€"andâ€"coming senior female runners in Canada. Two years ago, this trailblazer placed second at and was named to the World team for the fourth Funding for worldâ€"class runner is cut after bout with asthma consecutive season. She had run well enough to earn a Hopefulâ€"Card, which for a firstâ€"time National carded athlete means that she would receive free tuition and a $250 month living However, her breathing was becoming more difficult. First, came the tightness in the chest, followed by the wheezing when she took a deep breath. And when it came to competing in the big races, she didn‘t have the stamina to keep her in the forefront. The 20â€"yearâ€"old elite athlete was suffering from ‘exercise induced asthma‘; a disease triggered by a cold or an allergic reaction, and there was no cure. Only time would heal this injury. Not only did this illness cost her some major racing points she needed for her national ranking, it also cost . [# her big in the pocket book when Sports Canada refused to grant her tuition and her living allowances for the 1993/94 season. "At first, I thought that maybe this problem I A was having was just all in my head," Butler said . [Â¥ hours after a practice at the Waterloo Recreation [ Complex indoor track on Sunday. Butler eventually made an appointment to see a specialist about her problem, but by the time ubegutosaehim,tbetnckmmhlfm and the damage had been done. To top it off, her breathing problems had started to clear up. Although she‘s no longer a carded athlete, she still plans to compete in this weekend‘s 3,000â€" metre race at the Ontario Track and Field Associâ€" PMR ation indoor championships at York University followed by an international meet representing Canada in a sixâ€"kilometre race at the World Crossâ€"Country Championships in Budapest, Hungary on March 26â€"27. Butler, who is also a member of the Etobicoke Gladâ€" October, but continues her studies at U of G, holds down a partâ€"time job, trains three times a week in Waterloo and still maintains the spirit of game. Yet, as fast as she is able to run, she finds herself running deeper and Waterloo‘s Kathy Butler may be forced to attend U. S. university "To me, this is just another step in my life." Kathy Butler McPHAILS CYCLE * "To me, this is just another step in my life." According to Grinbergs, the treatment Butler dilaal â€" is getting from Sports Canada is unfair. * "This is a sad situation," Grinbergs said. M "She has been the junior champion over and " "® 1| over, and now she‘s being fed to the wolves by the system. 2 a "If the system remains, we‘re going to continue to lose people like her." If Butler attends a U.S. university, she‘ll be following the footsteps of area runners such Doug Comifiio, Arkansas University; Kristina Sullivan, Villanova Uniâ€" versity; Caroline Kerr, University of Alabama; and Kevin Sullivan, University of Michigan. iz deeper in debt. 'Igualoanfmnthsb‘nktohalpmefilfilh myschoolyear,butaltu’thilymhnin(hlt, "The problem I have is that I do most of my racing in the summer, which prevents me from gwtingafinnfimejobtoeammmflyhldhol' With a tuition of close to $2,200 a year, plus she can‘t afford to return to Guelph, This has univenityaoueounu'ymachRickSchmeds upset,hnwingthathisonlymfiomllymhd female athlete is on the verge of leaving. Last week, Butler and her coach spent an entire day running from one university office to another, trying to determine if she is eligible to receive scholarship or bursary funding. What they got was a lot of paper work, but no Her next step could take her to United States. Knowing the possibilities that she may not receive funding from Sports Canada in time for next season, she has already taken the first step in prolonging her career. Butler has contacted several U.S. coaches who would love to have a runner with her credentials on their team. A few of the universities contacted include Oregon, Wisconsin, Florida and Stanâ€" ford. A graduate of Waterloo collegiate, Butler had the opportunity to take the U.S. scholarship route, following the footsteps of several other area runners who took the trip down south. However, strong loyalties to the Canadian way of life, and her commitment to oondl Peter Grinbergs, who she has trained under for the past eight years, convinced her to stay. "I heard a lot of good and bad things about Canadian athletes accepting scholarships in the States. "I don‘t think it‘s a step backwards for me if I decide to go. I have two years of university eduâ€" cation and they (U.S. coaches) know that I was to take this running beyond the university L__A _A Autes n __dm h.A k 98 KING N., WATERLOO @@® (JUST N. OF BRIDGEPORT RD.) _ ; Open Mon., Tues., Wed. 9 â€" 6; Thurs., Fri. 9 â€"9; Sat. 9 â€" 5 886â€"4340 181 King St. S.,