DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lolo Jones returned from a brief stint as a bobsledder with a gold medal and more strength than ever. Jones’s power burst has led her to adopt a new starting technique – one she hopes can rejuvenate her hurdling career.

Jones helped the U.S. bobsled team win a gold medal at the world championships in Switzerland in January. She also discovered she was setting personal bests in training after pushing around a 400-pound sled for months.   Such power has inspired Jones to try a new seven-step starting technique, which shaves off a step leading to the first hurdle by using longer strides, at this weekend’s Drake Relays.

Jones, who grew up in Des Moines, will run the 100-meter hurdles final Saturday against London Olympics rivals and medalists Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells.

A report in the Daily NonPareil says an Atlantic man has lost his coaching authorization after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student at the Missouri Valley High School. Former Mo. Valley girls soccer Coach Jason Dulberg’s coaching certificate was revoked by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. Dulberg served only as a coach, and not a teacher, for the Missouri Valley Community School District.

Dulberg began working for the Mo.Valley Schools in January 2012. A complaint was filed with the board that September, about the same time Dulberg resigned his position with the district. State documents cited by the paper, said the board found evidence that Dulberg and the girl communicated via text messages and cellphone and that he took her on an overnight, out-of-state trip. Dulberg voluntarily surrendered his coaching authorization April 4. The next day, the board permanently revoked it.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs intend to resume trade talks with Miami today (Friday), that could ultimately send franchise left tackle Branden Albert to the Dolphins. The two sides had been discussing a potential trade that would land the Chiefs a second-round pick, shelved the talks while the first round of the draft was going on Thursday night. Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said he spoke with Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland midway through the round and they agreed to speak again today.

Kansas City chose a potential replacement for Albert in Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher with the first overall pick. The Dolphins traded up to No. 3 to nab Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have taken offensive tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan to begin the NFL draft Thursday night. Fisher became the first player from the Mid-American Conference taken to open the draft. He is the third offensive tackle picked No. 1 overall since the 1970 merger, joining Orlando Pace in 1997 and Jake Long five years ago. Fisher is the first selection by new Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey, who entertained trade offers before selecting the 6-foot-7, 306-pound Fisher over Texas A&M All-America tackle Luke Joeckel.

After Commissioner Roger Goodell paid tribute to the first responders at the Boston Marathon bombings and the victims of the West, Texas explosion, he announced Fisher’s name. It broke a string of four straight quarterbacks taken first: Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Board of Regents has approved plans for a new scoreboard and sound system at the University of Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the board approved the roughly $9 million project at a meeting Thursday in Cedar Falls. Athletic Director Gary Barta says the costs will be covered through athletic department revenue and private contributions. The improvements are expected to be ready in time for the 2013 football season.

Barta says the current scoreboard and sound system were installed in 2005 and are “obsolete.” The project includes a large video display system in the south end zone area as well as other video displays, game clocks and ribbon displays.

Former Iowa State basketball star Royce White is traveling the country advocating for more support for the mentally ill, now that an anxiety disorder has kept him from playing in the NBA. White was drafted in the first round last year by Houston, but he has yet to play a single game with the Rockets. During a stop at the Iowa Statehouse today (Thursday), White said he’s proud that his difficulties have at least sparked a conversation about mental illness. “In my opinion, the greatest thing in the way of mental health progress is the stigma and the stigma derives from us not having the conversation,” White said. “Any time the words mental health are said…it’s leaps and bounds for the mental health community.”

White’s disorder involves extreme anxiety over air travel, and he and the Houston Rockets are at odds over how to accommodate that. Iowa was White’s first stop on a nationwide tour organized by a host of mental health organizations.  “I think a lot of why mental health has the stigma it does is because a lot of us who suffer are worried about our neighbor actually giving back that understanding and that has to improve,” White said. The Minnesota native is still confident he’ll play in the NBA. “I think if things don’t work out in Houston – which I hope they do – there will be another team,” White said. “Odds are good, hopefully, that one out of 32 general managers or owners will understand that mental health is important and the things I’m asking for aren’t unreasonable and they’ll allow me a chance to play the game I love. I think it’ll happen, but if it didn’t happen, that wouldn’t shock me either.”

State Representative Ruth Ann Gaines, who introduced White at the statehouse news conference, said White’s struggles inspired her to acknowledge her own battle with mental illness. Gaines, a Democrat from Des Moines, said her anxiety and fear of flying prevented her from being named the 1998 National Teacher of the Year. She said the designation that would have required regular travel. “I carried that in my heart as a secret until today,” Gaines said. “This is the first time I’ve ever publicly admitted that was the real reason why I wasn’t selected as national teacher of the year. Royce White gave me the courage to stand up and speak out about my own issue.” Gaines was a drama teacher in the Des Moines School District for more than three decades before being elected to the Iowa House in 2011. White had been playing for the Houston Rockets D-League affiliate in Rio Grande, Texas. The Vipers made the D-League Playoffs, but White is not with the team for the playoff run.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Jim Field

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Here are the high school events today at the Drake Relays along with local participants.

3:00 pm – Girls Discus Finals
Kaylee Blake (IKM-Manning)

3:00 pm – Boys High Jump Finals
Tony Dawson (Harlan)

3:30 pm – Boys Shot Put Finals
Jacob Berents (Lewis Central), Andrew Overton (Denison), Rick Williams (Riverside)

3:30 pm – Girls Long Jump Finals

4:10 pm – Girls 3000 Finals
Rebekah Topham (Griswold)

4:25 pm – Boys 3200 Finals

Boys:

Griswold 186, A-H-S-T 205 (Medalaist: Morgan Kimpson, Griswold 44; Runner-up: James Reynolds, Griswold 45)

Girls:

Griswold 235, A-H-S-T 242 (Medalist: Cassidy Legg, Griswold 50; Runner-up Nicole Tiarks, A-H-S-T 52)

Wednesday, April 24 @ Harlan

Girls Team Scores:

1. Harlan  170
2. Treynor  146
3. Denison  69
4. Tri-Center  55
5. Kuemper Catholic  39
6. Riverside  28
7. Harlan JV  24
8. Treynor JV  15
9. A-H-S-T  12

Click the link below for complete results:

Johnson Cyclone Girls Relays 4-24-2013