20 • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2003
SPORTS CAMP
Special Olympians play for fun,not competition
Participants learn rules of many Olympic sports as part of summer camp
By Jennifer Wellington
jwellington@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
High school basketball coach Kenny McClanahan walks down the center of a basketball court in Robinson Gymnasium. Basketballs are flying around his head, sweat is dripping off his brow.
McClanahan isn't in the midst of any regular practice. Instead, he is teaching more than 50 Special Olympians the fundamentals of basketball—not just any old game of basketball, but KU basketball.
"Does anyone know where Nick Collision is going?" McClanahan asks.
Today, there are more than 6,000 athletes who train and compete in Special Olympics of Kansas. The Kansas program, which began in 1970, includes 22 sports and assists more than 110 local programs and teams across the state.
"Seattle!" eager Olympians replv
"And who's the new basketball coach?" "Bill Self!"
McClanahan is one of 10 coaches from
the state of Kansas donating their time to coach Kansas Special Olympians this summer.
The Olympians, visiting the University July 10-12 as part of a sports camp, were able to spend their time eating, sleeping and breathing Olympic sports.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized the first International Special Olympics Games in 1968. Shriver came up with the concept for the games when she started a day camp for people with mental retardation in the 1960s.She saw that people with mental retardation were far more capable in sports and physical activities than what many experts thought.
Source: Special Olympics of Kansas
"The best part about this camp is that it's not a competition. The athletes are more relaxed and able to learn the skills of their sport."
Susan Krumm
Assistant vice president of sports and competition for Special Olympics Kansas.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS HISTORY
"The best part about this camp is that it's not a competition," said Susan Krumm, assistant vice president of sports and competition for Special Olympics Kansas. "The athletes are more relaxed and able to learn the skills of their sport."
The camp had 120 participants this summer, significantly less than last year, Krumm said.
Over the last four years, the camp had averaged more than 200 participants.
Krumm said the decrease in participants was a reflection of the state's and
organization's budgets.
"Most of the time when people come in, they are competitive and care a lot about their scores," Phillips said. "But these kids are just having fun."
In addition to basketball in Robinson, the Special Olympians practiced tennis,bachi,soccer,softball,aquatics and bowling at the Kansas Union's Jaybowl.
Her organization, along with many other nonprofit organizations, cut the size of their programs to fit the reduced budgets, she said.
Participants in the Special Olympics camp came to the University as parts of teams. Each team ranged from four members to 10, Krumm said. There were 19 teams this year.
Sarah Phillips, Wichita sophomore, is an employee at the Jaybowl and worked during the times the Olympians practiced bowling.
This is the first year that Gloria Hostetler, Haysville resident, and her son attended the sports camp. Her son has competed with Special Olympics for the last four years.
"We didn't know what to expect with this camp," she said. "But he's having so much fun we'll probably come back next year."
- Edited by Kevin Wiggs
FOOTBALL: New marketing planned CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
grams at the University."
Especially football, said Correy Harris, Kansas City, Kan., graduate student. He said he was interested in seeing what happens next season and he would probably go to a couple of games.
Johnson said making people excited about the game-day experience would create more interest in Kansas football. Johnson wanted people to be excited about the tailgates, so at home games a band will turn up the heat outside the stadium to get fans in a frenzy.
Johnson's football fever hasn't reached everyone on campus yet.
Katie Curtis, Wichita junior, has yet to see any of the ads or billboards in her hometown or in Lawrence, but she said she might consider going to a couple of games this year.
"I think if they allowed people who are of age to drink in the stadium then more people would go to the games," Curtis said.
Drinking is allowed at home games but only before the games start in designated areas around the stadium according to University policy. Alcohol is allowed in the luxury boxes during the games.
Vern Mandondji-Bangole, junior was born in Topeka but raised in Gabon, a country in western Africa. When she first came to the University she said she wanted to experience the excitement of football. Never mind the team was not winning, she was more into the game day experience with the thrills of anticipation and excitement.
Regardless of the marketing strategies or the winning record of the football team, Mandondji-Bangole said she would still go to the games to show her support.
— Edited by Maggie Newcomer
ADVISER: Walden assisting in search
of —something Walden has ensured for more than a decade.
Every year since 1988, players from the team have been awarded conference academic awards.In 1997, Walden had five players take home Academic All-Big 12.
The men's basketball team four-year graduation rate stands at 73 percent.
Buskirk said Walden played a strong role in the graduation of Nick Collison, Brett Ballard, Lewis Harrison, Jeff Boschee and Chris Zerbe.
"It is very difficult to think in terms of replacing someone like Wayne," Buskirk said.
Pam Wykoff Houston, director of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Services, said she enjoyed working with Walden and wanted to collaborate with someone who would work well with her academic unit.
"It is important they get someone, like Walden, who understands the importance of student athletes not being isolated in the athletics department," Houston said.
Buskirk said the search committee had yet to be formed.
Although athletics director Lew Perkins and Kansas men's basketball
Walden
coach Bill Self would not be actively taking part in the search for the new academic adviser, both had shown interest in ensuring the right person was selected, he said.
"They both have painted me a very
vivid picture of the kind of adviser they want," Buskirk said, "But ultimately the decision will be mine to make."
Buskirk said he would choose someone who had integrity, particularly in light of The New York Times' report on Sunday that Maurice Clarett, running back for Ohio State University, received preferential academic treatment.
"It is important that the candidate has a clear perspective of right and wrong." Buskirk said.
Buskirk had planned to fill the position by the end of the month but said yesterday that the position most likely would be filled by Aug. 15. Walden will start working in North Carolina on Aug.4.
Edited by Amy Kelly