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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009
Jayhawks hope to rebound
Kansas trails by seven strokes before the final round at Alvamar. GOLF | 6A
PAGE 10A
BY ANDREW TAYLOR ataylor@kansan.com
At 8 years old, twin sisters Alysa and Brittany Potter faced a daunting decision. Their parents told them they could choose to either continue their up-and-coming ballet careers or begin their swimming careers.
The twins chose to nix the tutus and sport swimmsuits and goggles instead. It was a choice that led all the way to swimming for the jayhawks, whose season begins with an intrasquad meet Oct. 9.
With the days of dance in their rear view mirror, the twins began to develop their swimming skills. Although both eventually warmed up to to the water, Alyssa suffered through more early struggles.
"Probably one of the best decisions we ever made," Bentonville, Ark. junior swimmer Brittany said.
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"When we were younger they actually said that Brittany had talent and I was going to have to work at it," Alyssa said.
Over time, though, they began to view the competition as a means to better themselves both in the pool and out of the pool, instead of getting upset.
After about a year of witnessing Brittany bring home first place medals, Alyssa began to match her sister's swimming pace and eventually beat her. This early competition began to drive the two apart.
"When she started beating me, I thought it wasn't fun anymore," Brittany said.
That attitude has carried over to their careers at Kansas where
"They have a very unique sibling rivalry. It's very positive, very supportive," coach Clark Campbell said.
Alyssa and Brittany have one common event, the 200-yard butterfly. In this, as well as their individual events, they continue to push each other as well as many of the other members on the team.
Alyssa competes in the butterfly and long distance events and Brittany competes in the butterfly and short distance events.
Campbell has had the opportunity to coach several sets of twins throughout his coaching career. He said that Alysia and Brittany were unique in that they had the ability to hunker down and get the job at hand done, but after it's over move forward without carrying any hurt feelings over.
"I do like swimming against our teammates and seeing that
"At first everyone was like we are never going to remember you. And people would just say, 'Hey Potter!' or something like that," Alysa said.
Those teammates, especially the newcomers, aren't always able to tell the identical twins apart just by looking at them.
they're doing well," Brittany said.
There are small visual clues that are useful in identifying the two. Unlike Brittany, Alyssa has a freckle on her nose and is a little bit taller than her sister. Brittany also has a small freckle in the middle of her forehead. These minute indications are barely noticeable with just a quick glance.
"If you ask any one of them, you get to know us for a month and people say we look nothing alike," Alyssa said referring to her teammates.
As Brittany and Alyssa enter their junior year, they now
have an expanded leadership role as upperclassmen. By all accounts the Potter twins have performed this new responsibility admirably.
"They lead by example in the pool," junior swimmer and team captain Joy Bunting said. "They always come to practice willing to work hard."
Campbell echoed this sentiment, but also said that they had improved their vocal leadership skills as well.
"Now that they're older they're not afraid to get on to someone who's maybe slacking a little bit," Campbell said.
As Alyssa and Brittany continue their swimming careers, their personalities will continue to impact those around them.
"They have a real passion for people," Bunting said. "They tell stories and interact, and do that in their own way."
Edited by Abby Olcese
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
FOOTBALL
Kansas struggles to slow Southern Miss offensive play
MANGINO: DEFENSE IS MATURING
BY JAYSON JENKS
jienks@kansan.com
Before Kansas' defense was praised — before the Jayhawks made the necessary stops to secure a 35-28 victory Saturday — the unit heavily struggled to slow Southern Miss' talented offense.
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Sure, the lajayhawks slowed the Golden Eagles' potent run attack led by Damion Fletcher, who has rushed for more than 4,500 career yards. Other than that, though, Kansas had little to boast about, at least for the opening 45 minutes.
After the game, players talked about a hard-to-describe toughness possessed by this year's defense. They said it was something that wasn't always present on last year's team.
Mangino said that despite the less-than-effective showing early, Kansas' defensive performance as a whole was viewed as a positive.
"Our defense is maturing," Mangino said. "I thought we took
Ryan Waggoner/KANSAl
Operating out of a hurry-up spread offense, Southern Miss' passing game sliced through Kansas' defense, while piling up big-yardage plays.
Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns. He was only sacked once by Kansas' defensive line, which never really generated a consistent pass rush.
a big step in maturing. We still have work to do but I think it was a big step."
in the moments after the game,
members of the defense offered
themselves to why the defensive line
Defensive end Jake Laptad tackles Colorado wide receiver Ryan Maxwell Saturday. Laptad had the only quarterback sack of the game.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 6A
COMMENTARY
.
ESPN should focus on positives
I have a bone to pick with ESPN about its coverage of sports teams scattered between Los Angeles and Boston — it doesn't cover anything.
The first time I watched something about Kansas on ESPN this season was the day after the fights last week. I happened to see Kansas on the list of upcoming topics for debate on the show "Pardon the Interruption" as the news of the fights on campus spread like a rash, and all the two talking heads discussed was the immaturity of some of our players.
Great job, guys. You were fighting over the attention of some girl when the only real attention you attracted was that of the ESPN paparazzi. That is all ESPN has become; paparazzi of the big men on campus. But the campus in this case is the U.S. and the big men are USC, Miami, Texas and Florida.
What the guys on "Pardon the Interruption" failed to mention is that Kansas is off to another 4-0 start, that senior quarterback Todd Reesing is posting numbers just shy of the likes of Colt McCoy, a front runner for the Heisman. Reesing has attempted 143 passes and completed 96 of them for 1,137 yards. McCoy, on the other hand, has attempted 145 passes and completed 103 of them for just eight more yards than Reesing, with 1,145 yards. Both of them have thrown nine touchdowns this season.
Many top-ranked teams are making headlines with their freshmen and their ability to perform at the high level of Division I football straight out of high school. USC has Matt Barkley, Michigan has Tate Forcier and Kansas has Toben Opurum and Bradley McDougall. But despite its future looking brighter than Big Jay's beak, nobody in the country knows except for the Kansas fans.
This is not just happen to us, though. Boise State has now climbed to the No. 5 team in the AP Poll, but I doubt we'll see another story about the Broncos until they get upset somehow or when it's late enough in the season to bring up the annual BCS debate. So ESPN, let's see some love for the positive stories coming out of Kansas. The Jayhawks don't just fight here — they win.
Roc sin
It is, however, for USC. Yet the Trojans go into Washington and lose. The top stories have all been about the upsets this season. Already, six of the top 10 teams have been upset by lower ranked teams and subsequently received all of the air time. But what about the teams that are doing what they're supposed to be doing — winning?
But ESPN could care less about Todd Reesing and this Kansas team that is looking for a Big 12 championship to end these program-changing seniors' careers with a trophy to show for their success. Kansas has a deep pile of stories that anybody can pick and choose to write about, which local media have. But the problem is, ESPN isn't our local media.
— Edited by Amanda Thompson
CF
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