THE UNIVERSITY DIARY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2009
SPORTS 3B
LACROSSE
Club sport a labor of love for new lacrosse president
BY JORDAN WILLIAMS jwilliams@kansan.com
Being president of a club sport is no easy order. As president and leader of women's lacrosse, Katlyn Kraft, St. Louis junior, knows well the time needed to care for a team.
Surprisingly, some students remain unclear as to exactly how much time is needed to ensure a club sport runs smoothly. Kraft is responsible for helping to set up the team's play schedule by attending a yearly league conference in October. She must stay in contact
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with other club sports presidents in the conference and plan travel for her team. Of course this doesn't include the time needed for practice, conditioning, and meetings with the vice president, treasurer or adviser.
(both attack and defense), Kraft is not surprised if she runs several miles a game, which usually last one to two hours.
When asked alongside last year's president Celie Wall, Greensboro, N.C., senior, about the team dynamics, Kraft and Wall expressed approval and satisfaction.
"I feel that there were problems in the past and I had to tell them to let it go, but things are fine now." CELIE WALL Former team president
Her interest in lacrosse stems from a manager position for her high school's lacrosse team. Kraft uses lacrosse to stay in shape and sharpen her time management skills. Physical fitness shouldn't be an issue because, as a mid-fielder
"I trust my V.P. to handle her business and I trust my treasurer," Kraft said.
Wall was happy that the teammates get along well.
"I feel that there were problems in the past and I had to tell them to let it go, but
things are fine now." Wall said.
Although these problems were minor, teammates now avoid petitness and everyone gets a fair chance at playing if they've put in the time and effort. This formula appears to be paying off because women's lacrosse managed a superb 8-1 season for spring 2009.
INTERESTED IN PLAYING LACROSSE?
Prospective players with questions can go online to the club lacrosse Web Site at www.htosports.com/kulax or contact Kraft at kkraft@ku.edu.
The team also hit a first time record by placing first in the west division, then went on to win the entire Central Plains Women's Lacrosse League. However, there remains a greater desire.
"Nationals, which are in Phoenix, Arizona, this year, would be nice," said Kraft with a smile.
While the team is without a coach for now, Kraft is undaunted by the prospect of guiding and supporting her team, as well as dealing with the day-to-day stress of presiding over a club. Since being mentored by Wall, Kraft has the advantage of having a transition period instead of what Wall said was usually an abrupt change.
—Edited by Jonathan Hermes
The KU women's lacrosse team competes in a scrimmage during practice. The team is in a transition period with a new club president stepping up, and leading the team.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
INTRAMURALS
Greek opponents motivate players
BY KRISTINA POLLARD knollard@kansan.com
Though intramurals is a way to stay active for anyone who would like to participate, it is also an activity prevalent in the greek community.
Sororites and fraternities across campus are fine-tuning their skills for their competition in flag football, which started play on Sunday.
Intramurals get competitive in the Greek community, meaning extra effort is put into games against other fraternities and sororites.
Wilinksy said there are no rivalries beforehand, but if friends from other houses are on a team, that makes it more competitive.
Greek members are also interested in winning at intramurals because they hope to build a reputation as a winning house.
As for playing other fraternities as opposed to a group of non-greek students, Drew Jarrett, Winston-Salem, N.C. freshman, said he is motivated to play harder if he is playing a fraternity on campus.
"I heard Beta might be pretty good at intramural sports." Jarrett
"You want to compete, you want your house to be the best, obviously. So winning against another fraternity is a lot bigger deal than just winning against a random group of guys." Ben Wilinsky, Overland Park sophomore said. "It's always more fun to play other organizations, there's always that competition in everything."
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said, referring to fraternity Beta Theta Pi. "I know our house hasn't been good in the past at flag foot-ball, so hopefully this year we will turn it around and make it pretty far."
Alicia Ring, Marysville sophomore and Alpha Chi Omega flag football team member, said it was hard to determine who the team to beat would be this year.
"Usually everyone is pretty even, pretty good," Ring said. "It just depends on the girls and who plays that year."
Wilinsky said that the fraternity known for its athletics is Phi Delta Theta, the house of which he is a member.
Playing on his house's team is mainly for fun and exercise, Wilinsky said.
"I don't like to work out that much so I just like to go out and play football," Wilinsky said.
"I think it's more about competition," Jarrett said. "Especially being in the Greek community. You want your fraternity to be the best. At everything; grades, sports, the best on the hill. I know it's like that with more guys, they want to win more than to have fun."
Edited by Tim Burgess
Jarrett shares in those feelings.
An intramural basketball player soars for a layup. Intramural sports often involve teams made up of fraternity and sorority members.
Weston White/KANSAN
BASEBALL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — Ted Lilly pitched eight shutout innings to reach the 10-win mark for the seventh consecutive season and Derrek Lee hit a two-run homer Wednesday, leading the Chicago Cubs to a
2-0 victory over
Aaron Boone
and the Houston
Astros.
Boone was back in a major league game five months after having open-heart surgery.
Lilly (10-8)
allowed only
The Astros ended a nine-game road trip with only two victories, making it their worst multi-season trip this season.
four hits in joining Mark Buehrle, CC Sabathia and Johan Santana as the only active left-handers with 10 or more wins in seven straight years.
Carlos Marmol pitched the ninth inning for his eighth save. He walked Hunter Pence with one out and gave up Carlos Lee's single before retiring Miguel Tejada and Geoff Blum.
Lilly, who is 7-1 with a 1.72 ERA at home, walked none, struck out five and didn't allow any Houston runners past second base. He has beaten Houston four times this season.
Astros rookie Felipe Paulino (2-7) pitched almost as well, giving up only four hits in six innings. Though he often overpowered Chicago hitters with his nearly 100 mph fastball, striking out seven, he was done in by one bad inning.
Andres Blanco led off the fourth with a double and Derrek Lee followed with his 27th homer of the year. Lee, who after a slow start is
batting .322 with 24 homers in 92 games since May 19, reached the 90 RBI mark for the fifth time in his career.
Boone played first base for Houston and went hitless in three at-bats.
Best remembered for his 2003 AL pennant-winning homer for the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox, the 36-year-old robbed Jeff Baker of a double with a diving stop in the third.
The Cubs went 11-7 against the Astros this year, matching their most victories over Houston in one season.
The Astros ended a nine-game road trip with only two victories, making it their worst multi-series trip this season. Like the Cubs, they have slumped badly the last month to fall well behind St. Louis in the NL Central.
NOTES: Even though Astros CF Michael Bourn has reached base in 25 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors, he was given the day off.
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