Cross wants to be part of 2012 Olympic GamesWhat started out as a text message between friends turned into a stunning announcement at last Friday's University of Wyoming Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame banquet. Jesseca Cross is back, and she wants to compete in London in 2012. “I'd better do it now that I've gone and opened my mouth,” quipped Cross about her announcement. “The support and encouragement I've already received has just been amazing.”Cross's announcement took many by surprise, including members of her own family. The former Olympian intentionally guarded her decision until making it public during her hall of fame induction speech. “I told my mom beforehand and she was on cloud nine, but I didn't tell others until I actually made the announcement,” Cross said. “Obviously, they're all excited.”Cross's decision to step out of retirement wasn't made until just days before the hall of fame ceremony. It came about as the result of an exchange of text messages with a friend in Powell and much soul searching.“I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I got a text message from a friend in Powell who told me I needed to get back into competition,” said Cross. “That really got me thinking —why not try to do it? Finally I just prayed about it and asked God and made the announcement.”Cross's plan for London is to forego competing in the hammer toss like she did at the 2000 Sydney Games and focus specifically on the shot put. She'll spend the remainder of 2009 training and getting in shape before stepping back into the competitive world of track and field in 2010 at the USA National Outdoor Track and Field championships in Des Moines. From there, she'll adopt a “normal” track schedule. She'll compete in both indoor and outdoor meets in 2011 and 2012, leading up to the Olympic Trials. “The last time I went to the Olympics, I had two years to build up and get ready for it,” said Cross. “This time, I'm giving myself three, but I know it will go by at 100 miles per hour.”Cross hasn't competed on the national stage since announcing her retirement in January 2002. To climb back into the arena, she'll be working with her former high school throws coach Tom Rowley, who now coaches at Natrona. “He's a phenomenal coach and a great man,” said Cross. “I asked him before I made my announcement if he'd help coach me. It was very important to me to have him standing with me, and fortunately he was more than happy to.”Cross is the first to admit that things will be different this time around. In 2000, she was juggling her pre-Olympic training with her responsibilities as a graduate student. “This time, I'll be having to juggle it with a job, coaching, and life in general,” Cross said.That said, Cross also recognizes that she has an asset in her corner that wasn't there nearly a decade ago. “I think it'll be great to do my training here in Powell,” said Cross. “Before, I was down in Laramie, but the support I've got here in Powell in huge. That's just the sort of community this is, people love to get behind you and throw in with you. I think it will be great for people to see how you have to train and compete to accomplish something like this. I think it'll be great for the younger folks in the community.”Training to get back to the Olympic stage will consume a significant part of Cross's time. Benefitting from her Sydney experience, she knows firsthand the sort of commitment that's necessary. “You have to train to be an all-around complete athlete,” said Cross. “You can't go and just practice the shot. You have to focus on diet, cardio, strength, conditioning, technique —everything matters. You can't cut corners or skip anything, because when you get to an elite level you discover that if you don't train in one area, there's someone else out there who did and did it better.”That said, Cross has no doubts about her ability to achieve that feat. She's already speaking in terms of “when” she competes in London, not “if.”“That's the other difference this time,” notes Cross. “I know I will qualify. My confidence has grown and matured. I know I'll be in London.”

Cross wants to be part of 2012 Olympic Games

What started out as a text message between friends turned into a stunning announcement at last Friday's University of Wyoming Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame banquet. Jesseca Cross is back, and she wants to compete in London in 2012.

“I'd better do it now that I've gone and opened my mouth,” quipped Cross about her announcement. “The support and encouragement I've already received has just been amazing.”

Cross's announcement took many by surprise, including members of her own family. The former Olympian intentionally guarded her decision until making it public during her hall of fame induction speech.

“I told my mom beforehand and she was on cloud nine, but I didn't tell others until I actually made the announcement,” Cross said. “Obviously, they're all excited.”

Cross's decision to step out of retirement wasn't made until just days before the hall of fame ceremony. It came about as the result of an exchange of text messages with a friend in Powell and much soul searching.

“I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I got a text message from a friend in Powell who told me I needed to get back into competition,” said Cross. “That really got me thinking —why not try to do it? Finally I just prayed about it and asked God and made the announcement.”

Cross's plan for London is to forego competing in the hammer toss like she did at the 2000 Sydney Games and focus specifically on the shot put. She'll spend the remainder of 2009 training and getting in shape before stepping back into the competitive world of track and field in 2010 at the USA National Outdoor Track and Field championships in Des Moines.

From there, she'll adopt a “normal” track schedule. She'll compete in both indoor and outdoor meets in 2011 and 2012, leading up to the Olympic Trials.

“The last time I went to the Olympics, I had two years to build up and get ready for it,” said Cross. “This time, I'm giving myself three, but I know it will go by at 100 miles per hour.”

Cross hasn't competed on the national stage since announcing her retirement in January 2002. To climb back into the arena, she'll be working with her former high school throws coach Tom Rowley, who now coaches at Natrona.

“He's a phenomenal coach and a great man,” said Cross. “I asked him before I made my announcement if he'd help coach me. It was very important to me to have him standing with me, and fortunately he was more than happy to.”

Cross is the first to admit that things will be different this time around. In 2000, she was juggling her pre-Olympic training with her responsibilities as a graduate student.

“This time, I'll be having to juggle it with a job, coaching, and life in general,” Cross said.

That said, Cross also recognizes that she has an asset in her corner that wasn't there nearly a decade ago.

“I think it'll be great to do my training here in Powell,” said Cross. “Before, I was down in Laramie, but the support I've got here in Powell in huge. That's just the sort of community this is, people love to get behind you and throw in with you. I think it will be great for people to see how you have to train and compete to accomplish something like this. I think it'll be great for the younger folks in the community.”

Training to get back to the Olympic stage will consume a significant part of Cross's time. Benefitting from her Sydney experience, she knows firsthand the sort of commitment that's necessary.

“You have to train to be an all-around complete athlete,” said Cross. “You can't go and just practice the shot. You have to focus on diet, cardio, strength, conditioning, technique —everything matters. You can't cut corners or skip anything, because when you get to an elite level you discover that if you don't train in one area, there's someone else out there who did and did it better.”

That said, Cross has no doubts about her ability to achieve that feat. She's already speaking in terms of “when” she competes in London, not “if.”

“That's the other difference this time,” notes Cross. “I know I will qualify. My confidence has grown and matured. I know I'll be in London.”