4A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2009
SPIRIT
Big Jay big hit at nationals
Cheerleaders, dancers also place in top 10 at competition
BY ADAM SAMSON
asamson@kansan.com
The last two weeks of winter break, the cheerleaders and Rock Chalk Dancers prepared their routines, while Big Jay worked on shaking his tail leathers. That work paid off after they took part in a national competition from Jan. 16 to 18.
Big Jay sends in a video each year to the Universal Dance Association (UDA), auditioning for the College Nationals competition. This was the first time that UDA chose Big Jay to participate, in Orlando, Fla.
Big jay placed ninth out of 22 Division-IA mascots. Big Jay has participated in the Capital One Bowl mascot competition, but never an official national championship.
In his skit, Big Jay used an ESPN "The Ocho" theme, with spoofs of different types of competitions. The skit included Big Jay in a hot dog eating competition that ended with him regurgitating the hot dogs into a Jayhawk head; a karakoke competition; a walk-off competition similar to a Zoolander walk-off, where he pulled out Big Jay underwear from under his shorts; a strength competition where Big Jay jaws a phone book apart; and a
dance competition.
Big Jay, who keeps his student identity hidden, said he had high expectations going into the competition, but felt good about his first-ever UDA competition.
"It's pretty amazing if you sit back and think about it. We got ninth and were disappointed about that," Big Jay said. "But when you think about it, we're the first ones to ever do it."
In addition to Big Jay's top 10 finish, the KU Cheer Squad took fifth place at the Universal Cheerleaders Association college nationals competition. The squad sent 16 cheerleaders and two alternates.
After placing first in the Mid- American Region cheerleading competition for the first time in school history, the squad received a fully paid bid to nationals. The fifth-place finish at nationals was the highest in University history.
Lizzie Bellinger, Plano, Texas,
junior cheerleader, said the wanted
to place well, but cared most about
nailing the routine.
"I don't think anyone was expecting to place top five, so that a huge accomplishment for us," Bellinger said. "In the past, we've never really done too well at this competition so when we found out
we got the full-paid bid, that was awesome"
The Rock Chalk Dancers also accompanied Big Jay and the cheerleaders to Orlando to participate in the Universal Dance Association college nationals, held in conjunction with UCA.
First-year head coach Mandy Pruett and the Rock Chalk Dancers placed ninth in the hip-hop category and 11th in the jazz category out of 28 teams in the Division-IA competition. Last year the dancers placed fourth in jazz and sixth in hip-hop.
Considering the dancers had to pull a hip-hop routine together in two weeks, Darcy Stanger, Davenport, Iowa, junior dancer, said they felt good about their jazz and hip-hop routines this year.
"The caliber and level of dancing that goes to nationals are unreal." Stanger said. "Going there and finishing in the top 10 is an honor."
The Rock Chalk Dancers and the cheerleaders placed highest among the big 12 Conference schools. Chip, the University of Colorado's mascot, finished highest out of Big 12 mascots.
- Edited by Sonya English
Kansas mascot Big Jay leads the Rock Chalk chant at court court Saturday afternoon during the Colorado basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse. Big Jay earned a spot at the Universal Dance Association national competition, a University first, and placed ninth.
Lacey Baxter, Lawrence senior, coaxes cheers from the crowd at Saturday's game against the Colorado Buffaloes as she stands atop the shoulders of another member of the KU Cheer Squad. The squad placed fifth in national competition, the highest in University history.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
NATIONAL
Seven Chinese tourists killed in tour bus accident in Arizona
Associated Press
BYFELICIA FONSECA AND AMANDALEE MYERS Associated Press
DOLAN SPRINGS, Ariz. — Federal investigators on Sunday closely examined a stretch of rural Arizona highway near Hoover Darn looking for clues to the cause of a tour bus crash that killed seven Chinese tourists.
The six investigative team members would be measuring and photographing the site, evaluating the condition of the highway, and looking for skid marks and other clues. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said.
"These markings can be very important in telling the story of what happened," Knudson said.
The bus crashed Friday on a straight stretch of U.S. 93, about 70 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
The tourists had left Las Vegas early Friday on a trip to the Grand Canyon, and were returning when the bus veered right and then left across the median, rolling at least once before resting across the southbound lanes of the highway.
Along with the seven people
killed, 10 others were injured.
After inspecting the crash site, the investigators planned to head south to Kingman to evaluate the bus.
That will include checking whether the wheels and brakes were in good working order and whether any mechanical malfunctions may have caused the accident, Knudson said.
they likely will have some preliminary results this week.
He said the investigators also plan to interview the 48-year-old bus driver, who was in fair condition at a Las Vegas hospital, and the surviving passengers.
"Was it mechanical failure? Was it driver error?" DPS spokesman Lt. James Warriner said. "All that will come with looking at the vehicle and conducting interviews."
Warriner said of the weather at the time of the wreck that it was a "nice, clear day"
The DPS said the bus belonged to D.W. Tours of San Gabriel, Calif., which didn't respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.
The investigation will take 12 to 18 months to complete, with the bulk of the work being conducted at the NTSB's headquarters in Washington, Knudson said.
Representatives of the Arizona Department of Public Safety said
Five people remained hospitalized Sunday at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Two were in critical condition.
Hospital spokesman Rick Plummer said the victims' injuries ranged from spinal and head injuries to bone fractures. "It ran the
whole gamut of injuries," he said.
Volunteers from the Chinese community in Las Vegas crowded the hospital's trauma unit Saturday, hoping to help with translation and taking food to the families of the injured.
Huang Xiaojian from the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles also was at the hospital but said she would not discuss details.
"I am here to visit the patients," she said.
Two others — an 18-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man in fair condition Sunday — were at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, according to hospital spokeswoman Ashlee Seymour.
Another was still being treated at Kingman Regional Medical Center, hospital spokesman Ryan Kennedy said.
Pre-Physical Therapy Club Meeting!
When: Tuesday, February 10th, 6:30pm
Where: Watkins Memorial Health Center, 1st Floor Conference Room
Who: Anyone who is interested!
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Upcoming Meeting Dates:
Upcoming Meeting Dates
February 24th,
March 10th,
March 24th,
April 7th,
April 21st
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For more information, please contact ku.prep.club@gmail.com
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For more information please contact Bro. Darian Nave at bluphi1979@ku.edu
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