8
Friday, December 3,1971
Section 2 University Daily Kansan
KU Players' Wives Married to Football
By MARY BESINGER
Kansas Sports Writer
Lynn O'Neil, wife of Vim,
O'Neil said recently that she was
married to a "football nut." She
said she fell the presence of
horses and has had a husband has football practice all fall and continues to train during the off-season. She said he worked on his own during the winter, and during the spring
as well, such as during the regular season.
"With this football I weed t"
"oben becomes the satirical vow of
some wives of University of
Kansas football players.
She said that during the season her husband practiced every day for two weeks, home around 7 p.m. On Sundays there were also practice and rehearsal sessions for the last game's films. She said she was also gone a lot during the outing.
MRS. O'NEIL, added that before the games her husband was often moody because he was thinking only about the game. Afterwards he relied the came for days. She said she her mother and brother on Sundays to read the newspapers to read about Saturday's game.
"Football is really time-consuming," said Mrs. O'Neil.
Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil both attended Hutchinson Junior College before moving to Lawrence. O'Neil played football for the University cheerleader. They have been married two and a half years.
During the football games the wives of the players sit together to cheer their husbands and the men of their teams. The players in a different way though.
ACORDING TO Mrs. O'Neil, listening to 'people' get down on the floor and tell her about the hardest things about being a player's wife. She said she believed that the players were not as hard as they could be. She said the nastly comments hurt but she usually just sat sat there and never left.
Sheila McCoy, wife of center Mike McCoy, is a senior majoring in education.
Besides football the O'Neils enjoy basketball, baseball and track.
The McCoy's met in KU'S Watkins Hospital. Both were in the waiting room sitting next to each other. A few weeks later she was feeling sick, so how she was feeling. They have been married only six months.
hard "sharing Mike with something that takes so much time."
MRS. McCOY said she found it
She said that her husband who maintains a 8.8 G.P.A., practiced three hours a day and then studied at night. When the team has an outburst, she left Friday, she and get back late Saturday.
However she said she had always like football. Before she was married, she continued, she didn't know the game. Now she can play her own sport and precatizes all the time and effort it takes to be a good athlete.
THIS YEAR McCoy has been sidelined much of the time with injuries. He has been hurt in three consecutive games, she
"almost expect for him to be hurt and I just wait for it to happen." Mrs. McCoy said.
The McCoys also enjoy other sports such as swimming and tennis.
"We've tried to enjoy tennis I need lots and lots of practice. I don't play consistently," she laughed.
Jocks Face Tough Choice
Just recently has Kathy Cooper joined the ranks of married athletes. She and Gary, an off-duty police officer for KU, were married in July.
ACORDING TO Mrs. Cooper one of the hardest parts about being married to a football player was trying to get the attention of Coach Don Fambrough and the players. She said she thought that the mistakes couldn't be blamed on just one person and that they were important. She laughed and said that the wives usually sit during the games gritting their teeth for a while and then one by one they yell and defending the team.
The Coopers are both from California and met there.
MRS. COOPER has always been a patient husband has tried to explain the game to her. She laughed and added that it took a lot of ex-
However, her husband disagreed with her. He said that she understood the game well for a woman.
Playing professional football after college often confronts the college player. Mrs. Copper said she wouldn't push her husband one way or the other about pro tennis because he'd let him make his own decision.
"If he's happy, then I can be happy," she said.
Recruiting Not All Fun
By BRAD AVERY
Kansan Sports Writer
Mont high school analyst
given out fewer scholarships than any other school in the Big Eight.
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Haskell's Athletes Play for Enjoyment
NOAH ALLEN
... Haskell's Athletic Director ...
NOAH ALLEN
The only real difference between our sports program and that of a major college is in scholarships." Noah Allen, Haskell's athletic director and head football coach, said. "At Haskell, the education of every student is paid for by the government. Consequently, we don't give athletic scholarships. Our kids play because they enjoy the sport."
That is the way it has been throughout Haskell's history. When Haskell was founded as a technical-vocational school, a sports program was also instituted as an added incentive to keep boys in school. From this time on into the 1930's, Haskell competed against major colleges such as Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas and Notre Dame. As a matter of fact, Haskell has compiled a 5-5 record in football against KU.
Apparently, the academic program offered at Haskell was not attractive enough to keep students in school. Sports, however, provided a medium through which the young male Indian could gain a certain amount of prestige, even in the white man's world.
IN THE EARLY 1930's, the government began to de-emphasize intercollegiate sports at Haskell. It was not on a college level academically, they reasoned, but rather more like a high school. Consequently, their sports program was shifted to a high school level of competition. And there it remained until the 1960s.
In 1962 the high school program was phased out and replaced with what was called a post-high school format. At this point, the sports program also moved to a higher level of competition. Haskell began competing against various junior colleges throughout the Midwest, but until now, did very poorly against them. In fact, between 1962 and 1970, Haskell's football teams never won more than three games in any one season. They suffered through comparable records in most of their other sports as well. But now, things are looking up.
In gaining junior college status, Haskell students have also gained a new outlook on their sports program.
"Sports have definitely become a major rallying point for the student body." Coach Allen said. "As an accredited junior college, we are now officially on a par with other schools. Our players can compete with anyone now on an equal basis and know that their achievements will be recognized."
THIS NEW OUTLOOK is not limited just to school spirit, though. According to Coach Allen, over 125 students tried out for football this year. Unfortunately, Haskell only competes on a single varsity level, so there just isn't room for everyone. There are other sports, however, such as basketball, cross country, wrestling, golf, tennis and track which can assume some of the overflow. There is also a program for the girls. It consists of intercollegiate competition in tennis, basketball and softball.
"We had over 30 girls trying out for basketball alone this year," Allen said.
This "want to play" attitude has manifested itself in a winning season for the football team—the first one in at least nine years. The basketball team is also improving. They were 23-9 last year and things look promising again for this year's season.
"Two players, Bobby Davis and Kenny Nicholson, both scored 35 points in a seriumpage with Butler County Junior College this year," Allen said.
THE CROSS COUNTRY team has also been experiencing a good deal of success. They finished fourth in the national junior college championships last year and hope to do at least that well this year.
Standout performers so far have been Al Waquie and Al Dequempawa, both from New Mexico, and Dwight Pickering from Oklahoma. According to Coach Allen, long distance running is very popular among students from the Pueblo tribes of the Southwest because it is part of their cultural heritage.
"The AMERICAN INDIAN has always been considered a second class citizen." Allen said. "Through sports, though, an Indian athlete can achieve excellence and have that achievement recognized in relation to the accomplishments of everyone else. This is important."
Haskell's athletes are finding sports to be an avenue to higher education, too. Four football players in particular have a good chance of winning athletic scholarships to major universities. Cecil Harry and Buster Johnson, both linebackers, Tom Kemohah, a defensive safety, and Brian Impson, a defensive end, have all been approached by major colleges. Sam Houston State, Texas, Okahama and Kansas have all expressed an interest in one or more of them. Coach Allen has high praise for all these players, singing into Cecil Harry as a shoofin for junior college All-American.
"Long distance running is like a part of their religion," be said.
So it seems as if Haskell's athletic fortunes are on the rise. With their junior college accreditation, Haskell's can athletes now receive full recognition for their accomplishments on the athletic field as well as in the classroom.
This is also just the beginning.
Haskell's basketball team hosts a four team invitational tournament today and Saturday. The Indians look forward to a successful season after last years 23-9 record. (Photos by Skip Quimby)
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