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University Daily Kansan, January 21, 1983
(1) carbonated water (2) water (3) whishin'
KU gymnasts refuse to say die
Despite near-fatal cuts, they refuse to die.
The women's gymnastic squad, which felt the bite of the budget axi in 1800, is back in action tomorrow at Robinson Gymnastics in the first home meet since the athletic department cut gymnastics as a varsity sport.
The shock of the cut has dulled with the passage of time, and the members of the squand who were most drastically affected have graduated or have taken on their things or to other schools to continue their careers. That is, all but one.
Kathy Ross, one of the gymnasts who chose to stick it out at KU is now a senior and the only remaining squad member. As a leader of the KU
JAN BOUTTE
Sports Editor
Kathy Ross, Lake Quivira senior, will display her skills on balance beam, in the floor exercise, the vault and on the uneven benches tomorrow in the first KU gymnastics meet since the sport was dropped in 1980. The meet begins at 2 p.m., tomorrow in 218 Robinson and is free to the public.
"I've been doing it since I was eight years old, and it's kind of like an aid to me," she said.
gymnastics club and a KU record holder, Ross will perform in all four events tomorrow against the Fort Hays State gymnastics.
Gymnasts who wouldn't let the sport die at KU formed a gymnasium club when they lost their varsity status. Nine club members will compete in tomorrow's meet.
Bob Lockwood, who coached the men's team before the cut, helped the women's club become competitively active again last spring when they participated in an away meet and hosted an exhibition match.
but that was only the start. This year, besides tomorrow's home meet, the club has scheduled three other meets as well, as Washburn, Auburn and Fort Hays.
Two things hold the club back from competing on a larger scale: money
The money problem is obvious. With the severing of the ties to the athletic department, money disappeared, and
the gymnasms have had to pay their own way, or raise funds through donations.
But more cutting than the money, the athletic department stripped the team of the opportunity to compete against the loss of varsity sport status.
The club does not sit and cry over spilled milk. They continue to work out daily, and they enjoy the challenge of the sport.
They are surviving without the KU athletic department.
But somehow the possibility of reinstatement seems to hang in the air; even though club members and Lockwood are the first to dispel any hopes.
It shows in little ways, as in how they are careful to follow all Big Eight regulations governing the sport as well as state Gymnastics Federation standards.
In spite of the surface disappointment, perhaps the athletic department did collegiate sports a favor. That negative decision has resulted in a positive example set by the gymmasters who continue to compete, no matter what the sacrifice, showing us amateur athletics in a refreshingly new light. Tomorrow is a chance to support athletes who have overcome setbacks and devoted themselves to sport, not glory.
'Hawks hope to wrangle win
KU to take on 13-2 Cowboys
GINO STRIPPOLI
Sports Writer
Sports Writer
The Kansas Jayhawks suffered their worst defeat of the season at the hands of the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday, but things will not necessarily get any better when the Jayhawks travel to Stillwater tomorrow to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Head coach Ted Owens, who saw his team destroyed by the hot-shooting Sooners, is not panicking at the thought of playing the 13-2 Cowboys, who were leveled in their conference opener by the Missouri Tigers, 83-82, in Columbia.
"OSU, along with Oklahoma, are about the two hottest teams in the Big Eight." Owens said. "They are a veteran and senior ball club. These teams together for years and Coach Hansen has done a great job with them.
"THEY PLAY very well together and
Matt Clark has been a burden to us over the years and he is one of the premiere drivers in the league. They are a fine basketball team."
Clark, who moved to point guard after playing inside the last two years, was fourth in assists in the Big Eight going into Wednesday's game against the Tigers. Clark has 88 assists, which puts him behind Bo Overton and Jan Pannell of Oklahoma and Jay Humphries of Colorado.
Clark is also one of the top scorsers on the Oklahoma State team. His 14.5 average going into Wednesday's game ties him for the second spot on the Cowboys with Lorenzo Adams. Center Leroy Combs leads the Cowboys in both touchdowns and points, and 8.5 rebounds a game, Raymond Crewshan, 12.5 points, and Charles Williams, 6.7 points, round out the starting lineup.
The Cowboys could be even tougher, but sophomore Joe Atkinson, who was averaging in double figures, was hurt
early in the season and has yet to return.
KANSAS WILL counter with Carl Henry, who had 20 points and six rebounds against Oklahoma, and Tad Boyle at guard; Brian Martin, nine points and four rebounds; and Calvin Thompson, 14 points, and Kelly Knight at forwards. If Knight, who has 18 points, was not able to play, Jeff Dishman, who had 10 points against the Sooners will get the nod.
"We'll go with the same lineup unless Kelly can't go." Owens said. "Calvin has played extremely well on offence and we’re still working on his defense."
"We can't be discouraged with our first game. We just have to go out and play."
The men's contest will be preceded by a game between Oklahoma State and Kansas women's teams. The Jayhawks' next action will be Wednesday at home against the 11th-ranked Missouri Tigers.
Swim meet will give change of pace
By BILL HORNER Sports Writer
Sports Writer
The Kansas swimmers and Robinson Natatorium will play host to two Big Eight teams and one non-conference squad at the KU Mini-Invitational this
The Jayhawks are coming off of an impressive showing at the All-American Invitational last weekend in Austin, Texas. No team scores were kept, but the women's and men's teams unofficially finished first and second in the meet, respectively. In addition, several KU swimmers recorded the nation's fastest collegiate-level times in their respective events.
THE KANASN women's team, Big Eight champions for eight years running, are heavily favored in facing conference foes Iowa State and Oklahoma. ISU and OU each lack depth in their programs, and it is for this reason that head coach Gary Kemp will have many of his women swimmers competing in their off events, events that they usually do not participate in or swim perhaps only once or twice a year.
This weekend, for the women's team in particular, represents a change from past seasons.
"Swimming in their off events is really going to be good for their form," said assistant coach Clayton Cagle. "It really rounds them out. They get burned out swimming in the same event all the time."
Last year, the men beat OU in one dual meet, but lost to ISU, 73-40, in another. Cagle said that this year's meeting would be closer, and that the men would have a chance to return the favor to the Cyclones.
"We want them to swim with a great deal of interest," he said. "We'd like to have them get some good times in their off events."
"We're going to be looking for revenge against Iowa State from last year," he said. "Minnesota is pretty solid through and through, and Iowa State is strong, too. It's going to be a good match."
All events, which will be in the natatorium's old pool, will begin at 7 p.m. today and resume at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Finals will begin at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
Women's track begins today with All-Comers meet
Sports Writer
By EVELYN SEDLACEK
The Kansas women's track team opens its indoor season with the All-Comers meet tomorrow in Allen Field House.
Competitors from the Big Eight and junior colleges, as well as children and adults, will compete in the daylong races expected to last well into the evening.
"This meet will be very important to
a Coffee Career women's head track
on us."
"This meet will give me a chance to see where many members of the team stand against some of the best in the Big Eight." Coffey said. "In many ways, I think there will be a lot of surprises surface among the team members."
KU. She periodically fills in for the Jayhawks in the 80- and 300-dash yard.
Haleyon (Tudie) McKnight, a qualifier for the NCAA nationals after posting a 19-10 $ _{3/4} $ mark last week in Rosemont, III, shines as the strength of KU's long jump. The senior, who owns KU's outdoor long jump record of 20-1 and indoor of 19-11 $ _{3/4} $ , is ranked among the top 10 jumps in the country.
LAST VEARMcknight was named most valuable athlete in field events at
"Tudie's got really exceptional spee and she's quicker with her turn-over time and that is aiding her in her long career as well as her running." Coffray said.
"Tudie will be going to a lot of different meets throughout the country through the indoor season, so she will be doing some individual traveling on her own to give her more exposure in preparation for the Olympic games."
RIGHT BEHIND McKnight in the long jump is sophomore Kim Jones. Jones is ranked second on the Kansas all-time list of long jumpers with a 20-1 mark, and placed third last year in the Big Eight Outdoor meet with a 19.7 % mark. Having placed 15th in the 1983 NCAA Championship, Jones should be not to miss the Big Eight title. Jones came to KU with an impressive long jump mark of 20-10 in high school. That mark tags the current Big Eight long jump record.
Rushing up and over hurdles with explosive speed is junior Connie McKernan. She returns to KU after a slow track season last year and has to be cautious of safety as a top-half contender for the 1983 conference in the 60-year hurdles.
Adding up her talents doesn't take much mathematics to know that senior Lorna Tucker has been running a very successful beginning of her freshman year.
She placed third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 54.48 during the 1981 Big Eight outdoor meet. She also ran a leg of the 400 and 100 meter relays in which both teams placed second. At the 1981 Big Eight indoor meet, Tucker grabbed another third place finish in the 440-yard dash with a time of 57.56.
"Lorna is running a very, very smart race," Coffey said. "I know that she will give us a lot this year and that she will also be a surprise."
WHIZZING BY with the speed it takes to win is sophomore Dora Spearman, who will lead KU in the 60-yard dash. Despite an injury-ridden third in Big Eight conference need in the 300-yd dash in 36.15.
Battling with two others for first place in the hurdles is Cherise Taylor. She has been competing in the 60-yard and 60-yard disashes, and the mile relay.
"Cherise is definitely strong and she is moving up very rapidly." Coffey said. "We have three hurdlers who are
running neck and neck, Connie, Cherise
and Donna.
"They are running so close together that it's hard to tell. They have no reason not to be in the finals at the Big Eight Championships."
FITTING INTO THE all-around slot on the team is freshman Kristi Stephenson, who competed as a long jumper and a high jumper in high school. She has been listed by Cofey as a possible participant for the pentathlon and benthathon.
"She's got quick leg speed," Coffey said. "I feel that we be hearing a lot of these things."
"I think the key word when looking towards the indoor season is the placement of the athletes in the fields which they'll be at their best. I can't look beyond that yet, so we're taking each day one at a time."
This is a crucial year for Coffey. She expects a big turnaround in the company's earnings.
"If we can take seven people to indoor nationals there would be a tremendous change in our recruitment program. Overall, we want to balance
AT THE FULCRUM of the team are several middle distance runners to be prepared.
One area that is certain of the limelight is that the middle-distance object is closer to the eye than the one on the right.
squad is senior Gretchen Bajema. Bajema has been running cross country in the fall for KU as well as middle distance events in the spring. Bajema's best mile time was 5:02.10 and she won fifth at the Big Eight indoor last season.
Theo Hamilton, assistant women's track coach, said, "Her primary business is the 1500 meter and 880-yard races."
Determination has stretched a long way for senior Annette Craighead, who placed third in the KU Relays race. Craighead has run the 1500 meter race in 4:59 and the 800 meter race in 2:15.
"She's come a long way since her freshman year," Hamilton said. "Annette's had the best time of all our half-milers last year. As the other co-captain, we expect some leadership from her."
UP, UP and away is freshman Dana Bryant, KU's leading high jumper. Her highest leap was in high school when she jumped 5-7.
"Dana has a lot of raw talent."
Bhamilton said, "She might be a star."
definitely a hard worker and willing to learn."
The constant smile of sophomore Stine Lerdahl is replaced by the sternest of faces when she takes on a challenge. She has met many, which is apparent from the third place finish in the Big Eight, indoors and outdoors. For her second place in an all-white match she placed 11th in shotput in the NCAA Outdoor Nationalists. Lerdahl holds both the Kansas indoor and outdoor record in the shot put.
FROM THE GROUND up, senior Becky McGranahan has a grasp on her talents as she is the co-captain of women's weight events.
"She is also KU's record holder in the discus throw." Scott Cauer, assistant women's track coach, said. "And she has qualified for Nationals during her junior and senior years."
Balancing the field events is Kari Hagby, the sophomore from Drammen, Norway, who tossed the discuss 152-3 and the shot 40 feet.
"Last year she just barely missed placing in the Big Eight." Calder said. "One of her best assets is that she has an extremely fast arm. Probably the fastest on the team. We can expect some improvement from her."
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Drinking Myth of the Week
THE "DRUNK TANK" IS A GOOD CURE FOR ALCOHOLISM.
Nonsense. Alcoholism is an illness, and can be treated successfully.
We don't jail people for other illnesses. Why for alcoholism?
The Student Assistance Center
January 22-29
Competition in—Backgammon
Billiards
Bridge
Chess
Darts
ALL CAMPUS TOURNAMENT
Go
Pente
Scrabble
Speed Chess
Table Tennis
Winners receive an all-expense paid trip to Warrensburg, MO to compete in the regional competition against other colleges and universities.
Pick up entry blanks at the SUA Office (Level 4, Kansas Union). Enter before Friday, January 21.
For more information, contact the SUA office at 864-3477
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