RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM

Catching up

Bown is taking a break from
play to finish her degree

Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Heather Bown wears her hopes on her foot.

In black ink.

Bown, the former Hawaii All-American blocker, has a tattoo on the inner arch of her right foot. It's the five interlocking Olympic rings with the years that Bown competed for Team USA: 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens).

"I asked the guy to leave some space for 2008, just in case," Bown said. "I kind of want to add one more. There's just enough room ... maybe even for 2012."

After living volleyball for the past five years -- five pro seasons in Italy and time with the U.S. national team -- Bown has taken some time off to complete her degree in psychology from UH. Thanks to the connection with UH athletic director Herman Frazier, her tuition is covered by an NCAA scholarship.

LUCAS GILMAN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTO

"It's good to know people in high places," said Bown, who worked the UH volleyball camps this summer. "He was very instrumental in my fifth year being paid for."

Bown met Frazier last summer in Athens when he was the USOC chef de mission. It further sparked Bown's interest in the Olympics; so much so that later, while in New York City, she interviewed with the NYC 2012 Olympic Committee "to see what all goes into the process," she said. "Beijing (2008) is going to be a great Olympics. If I'm not an athlete, I'd like to be involved."

The 26-year-old Bown hopes to get her degree work done this fall. Then likely it's back to Italy to play. At some point, she'll return to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., joining former Wahine Therese Crawford, with an eye on 2008.

"That's the plan," she said.

One she stands on every day.