Thursday, February 21, 1974
University Daily Kansan
7
Gymnast Leads KU Toward Better Season
Bv MARK ZELIGMAN
Kansan Sports Writer
The University of Kansas basketball team is not the only KU athletic team on the rise. After finishing fifth for the past two seasons, the team has been raising a bid for one of the Big Eight's ten jobs.
One of the reasons for the gymnasts' fine showing so far has been all-around perfor-
Whitehead, a junior from Topeka,
finished 10th in the horizontal bar in the Big
Eight last season and is hoping for a higher
finish in this year's meet.
"I enjoy the high bar the most," Whitehead said. "But I seem to put more work into the sidehouse than any other event, probably because it's the most difficult event. It combines everything—balance, strength, quickness and flexibility."
In last Friday's meet against the University of Nebraska, Whitehead scored a
personal high on the side horse, 8.5, and the parallel bars, 8.8. Earlier this year he scored a 9.2 in the horizontal bar, his best event.
WHITENEED DIDNT participate in an outstanding high school gymnastics program.
"At Seaman High in Topeka, I finished second in the regimentals in the high bar and all-round competition," he said. "We just had a few guys on the team. My senior year was the last year of the gymnastics program and we was dropped because of lack of interest."
Although there is enough interest at KU to keep it going gymnastics remains in the park.
"I WISH IT would get at least as much publicity as the major sports." Whitehead said. "It is nice to know that there are some people who don't have to worry. I is, I know some people who had never gone
Whitehead said that gymnastics was a year-round sport that required work even in the summer.
to a meet, but once they did, they really enlightened it. Our gym is filling up more now that we have done this.
*Officially, practice starts the first day we get up here in August and lasts until the
NCAA Championships in April," he said. "But if you lay off it too much in the summer, it takes too long to get back into shape. You get tired of it. but it's fun."
THE FIRST THREE months in the fall are used for calisthenics and weightlifting.
"Coach Lockwood fits us into a personal workout," he said. "If you're strong in one area, you don't work at it very much and go to another area. Once we get strength and flexibility we work on our routines and stunts."
Gymnastics routines are divided into two parts: compulsions and options. Only optional routines are performed in dual meets. For the invitational meets and the Big Eight Championships, both optional and compulsory routines must be performed.
"Compulsories are harder to do than options," Whitehead said. "The tricks aren't that difficult, but the combination of them is hard." He added that you must have the ability to do them.
"IN THE BIG EIGHT championships it comes down to how well you can do the competition."
The formula for becoming a good gymnast, Whitehead said, includes more than inmate ability.
*Talent is about 50 per cent of it*, he said.
*Determination and hard work are also*
*important.*
He said strength was important, but much more than strength was needed.
"On the rings, for example, a strong guy can do crosses all day," he said, "but if he can't swing or keep his balance he won't be able to maintain orientation and balance are most important."
THE BIG EIGHT Championships are only a month away and Whitehead expressed interest in participating.
"For the first time since I've been here the team is showing some depth," he said. "For the first time if somebody misses a routine, there's somebody to back him up. Before we were lucky to get three men who score well."
The Jayhawks have scored more than 150 points the last three dual meet and are in the midst of a national tour.
"The new coaches, Ken Snow and Brian Cooper, have helped a lot." Whitehead said. "The freshmen are good and we're just a better, well-rounded team this year. We're hoping for third place in the Big Eight meet."
"Kansas high school gymnastics programs are being emphasized more." More
"The major part of our team will be
the next year, and the next year will be
one of the better years for us."
HE SAID THAT the outlook for next year's team was even brighter.
"Personally, I've still got things to improve on for next year. But I've gained confidence this year and will be even more confident next year."
Fight to the Finish Likely in Big 8
By DON PFANNENSTIEL Assistant Sports Editor
Their conference and overall records are identical. Their rankings in the two national polls are about the same. Their remaining schedules are similar.
So it won't be a surprise if these two teams, the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, fight until the final day of the season before state superiority and the basketball championship of the Big Eight conference are decided.
K-State and KU have 9-1 conference records, 17-5 overall records and each team has two remaining home games and two games on the road. The 'Hawks must face Colorado and Nebraska on the road and Kansas State and Missouri at home. K-State must play Oklahoma and Nebraska at home and besides KU, they have to play at Missouri.
"The schedules are pretty even," KU coach Ted Owens said yesterday. "Everything's going well."
have two tough home games, so but do they,
Nebraska and Colorado are always tough
places to play at, but K-State has to play us
here."
The Hawks are currently ranked 16th in the Associated Press poll and 14th by United Press International. K-State is close behind, ranked 18th by AP and 15th by UPI.
Oklahoma, whose Big Eight title hopes are still alive, is two games behind KU and K-State. The Sooners must win at K-State Saturday night to remain a contender. Oklahoma defeated K-State 65-63 in January in its conference opener.
Owens also said that Oklahoma was definitely in the race, but that they would have to work hard to win.
"If they do win Saturday their remaining
Dark Back as A's Manager
OAKLAND (AP) - Alvin Dark, one of 10 managers fired by Charles O'Fenley, owner of the Oakland A's in the past, was the last manager to manage to manage the Oakland A's this season.
"Yes, he has been manager of this club before. Yes, he was fired. Yes, he is back to manage this club. Yes, he expects to be back with the club." I smile as smile as he announces the return of Dark.
'Mistakes were made on both sides and things have changed. I'm more concerned with what's going to happen, not what has happened.' Dark said at the news conference here.
Dark, now 52, managed the A's in Kansas City, MN, in 1966 and part of 1967 before Philadelphia.
The A's will open spring training under Dark in Mesa, Ariz., on Friday.
schedule is favorable." Owens said. "Their schedule isn't too difficult. They have to play Missouri and Iowa State at home and Oklahoma State at Stillwater."
The Big Eight Tournament champion, Missouri, has not won a game since its conference opener when it defeated Iowa State. The Tigers are now 1-9 and last in the Big Eight. However, Missouri must still play Kate on KU again. Earlier in the season KKU scored twice at three points, 70-67. Missouri can still be a determining factor in the race.
Still Life
"Before Missouri can be in the spieler's role, they've got to stop loss." Owens said. "That might sound ridiculous, but first Missouri will have to win at Saturday. Right then, they doubt themselves and they are psyched out. The only thing to stop this is to win."
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K-State has won the last two Big Eight championships and the Wildcats have four starters who were members of those championship teams. On the other hand, none of their players has participated in the championship squad. The Hawks' last title was in 1971 when this year's co-captains Dave Taylor and Tom Kivisto were freshmen. However, Owens said K-State can an advantage because some of their players have participated in a tide race before.
Bill Campfield, a running back from Derby, has become the tenth high school senior to sign a Big Eight Conference letter of intent with the University of Kansas.
Head Coach Don Fambroch said Camp-
head coach this week following his father's
head coach.
Campfield Signs KU Intent Letter For Big Eight
9th and Iowa
Campfield was a consensus pick on all state teams and a member of the All-America team selected by Who's Who in National High School Athletics.
Campfield, 6-foot 1 and 180 pounds, rushed for 862 yards in 121 carries for an average of 7.1 yards a carry. He ranked second in the league in rushing and third in total offense.
"We both have played a lot of pressure games this season," he said. "And we both know that our success under pressure They are starting to lose their grip and they are also playing men with experience."
Festival of the Arts
announcing the Creative Writing Contest
Two Categories: Short Fiction and Poetry
Entry Blanks and Rules Are Available at the SUA Office
Entries May Be Submitted Feb. 1-25, 1974
Among the prize sponsors are:
ADVENTURE BOOK STORE
TOWN CRIER
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