Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2009
Sayers returns to Kansas Former Jayhawk will join the Athletics Department. SPORTS | 9A
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COMMENTARY
Tennis thrives in unlikely territory
PAGE 10A
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In a state that shuns ice and water sports because of its geography and continues to lift its nose to soccer, tennis remains a popular alternative to the big bad three — football, basketball and baseball.
I recognize and understand that any state in close proximity to Texas or Virginia must engage in a love affair with football, but there is something to be appreciated in the noncontact game of tennis.
JAYHAWKS, BULLS AND BEARS
The game can essentially be traced back to the time of the Tudor Dynasty in 15th century England, but its association to refinement and exclusivity is seemingly more removed today. In other words, excepting housewives playing in the Hamptons, tennis is largely accepted by the middle class, although tennis, along with golf, still shares a close tie to the country club type.
Particularly here at the University, many students lament that there isn't more free court space on campus or in the city of Lawrence. Just passing by the courts today, I saw the women's tennis team was practicing on one side, and students filled up the other. Speaking of which, Kansas not only has a fantastic women's team but also a tennis club that boasts about 50 members. Not to mention intramural tennis in fall and spring for anybody else who wants an even more relaxed way to enjoy the sport.
Edited by Jacob Muselmann
Of course it must be mentioned that there are other clubs and intramural teams at Kansas whose mere existence belie the state's stereotype. Many small towns in my region of southeast Kansas offer and encourage high school students to try tennis as a noncontact alternative to the more popular, but more injury-prone, games of football and softball.
What's interesting is that my alma mater of Field Kindley, in Coffeyville, didn't even embrace soccer until 2001 and the men's swim team membership was in a constant state of flux, but the men's and women's tennis teams remained popular and immune to players' lack of enthusiasm.
But it seems that although the numbers of tennis fans may not be newsworthy itself, the passion of those players is what makes note worthy the tennis movement in the land of basketball and football. Don't believe me? If there's another Federer-Roddick final or all Williams sisters final at the US Open in New York, friends on Twitter or Facebook will let you know.
Illustration by Drew Stearns/KANSAN
KU, Big 12 versus the economy
Despite cutbacks, Athletics Department makes upgrades to compete with Big 12
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
Construction workers and materials fill the area next to Allen Fieldhouse. New turf is on the football field.
A new practice facility was unveiled last week — its locker rooms and adjoining offices still not completely finished.
And the improvements aren't done. Plans call for a newer, larger video screen to replace the current one inside Memorial Stadium.
'These upgrades — the ones that continue to increase Kansas' facilities in the Big 12 hierarchy — come at a time when the lackluster economy is affecting all parts of the country. They come at a time when people are watching their dollars with a more cautious eye.
But the Athletics Department isn't slowing down. Athletics director Lew Perkins said that, money permitting, Kansas would continue looking to upgrade and improve.
"I think it's a mistake if you look at slowing down." Perkins said. "I think if you slow down, it's going to put you further and further behind and the prices are going to go up every day. And I might be wrong on this but I've always felt that if you have a plan, you stick with it and go forward. Now, if we don't have the money, we can't go forward."
Follow Kansan football writer Jayson Jenks at twitter.com/JaysonJenks
First, there's the multiple ticket packages offered for football games. Kansas has three-game ticket packages in place — a
Though Perkins said Kansas had experienced only a slight drop off in donations, he said he was also fully aware of the economy's trickledown effect. And it's something visibly seen in recent decisions made by the department.
SEE KU ON PAGE 8A
BY HALLI MANN hmann@kansan.com
Financial situations, plans vary across Big 12
The economic downturn has affected every business including football.
The Big 12 Conference and its member schools are trying to adjust to unfavorable economic conditions this season.
In May, the conference gave back a record $130 million of revenue from bowl games and sponsorships in an effort to
help its schools athletic programs. However, Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe still asked teams to cut back. Beebe said that the conference hoped to save money by not producing printed media guides, by cutting nontraditional and exhibition games from the season and by limiting foreign travel and all-star teams
Follow Big 12 football writer Hallie Mann at twitter.com/ halliemann11
"We need to be cognizant of returning revenue to our schools so they can support their programs." Beebe said. "The conference itself is going to be stable, but we are
trying to help schools make up for any losses"
"We need to be cognizant of returning revenue to our schools so they can support their programs."
Oklahoma State is one Big 12 university that has dealt with economic losses. The
university stopped plans for its new stadium after its endowment lost $288 million in the stock market crash.
According to the Oklahoma State football media guide, the endowment was worth $407 million when businessman T. Boone Pickens originally donated it to the school. The stadium is usable but plans for the rest of the stadium and an athletic village were put on hold.
On the flip side, Texas's football program is still making money. Texas Athletics took
SEE BIG 12 ON PAGE 8A
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Team welcomes 'newbies' from around the country
BY BEN WARD AND CHRISTIAN LUCERO
bward@kansan.com and clucero@kansan.com
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Fall in Lawrence brings certainty to many aspects of college life. Students and staff will hear the steam whistle blast, signaling the end of each hour of class. Pages of planners fill up with homework assignments and test dates. For the women's basketball team, certainty comes in the form of the return to regular practices and workouts – and in the arrival of the "newbies."
"They're not all freshman, so we can't insult the upperclassmen," coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "They're newbies."
The Kansan will profile the team's seven newcomers in a two-part feature, starting with junior transfer Rhea Codio, redshirt freshman Angel Goodrich, and
Follow Ben Ward on twitter at twitter.com/ bm_dub.
freshman Tania Jackson.
Rhea Codio is used to life in the big city. So for the Brooklyn native attending Independence Community College in Kansas meant a serious change of pace.
RHEA CODIO
"I'm adapting to everywhere I go. Like you said, I'm from the East Coast, a city girl, so going from the fast life to Independence, which is the slow life, was a big adjustment," she said.
The change off the court wasn't the only one she was forced to deal with.
"My game there, when I first attended, was basically undisciplined," she said.
With the help of what she called a great coaching staff at Independence, Codio matured on the court during her sophomore season, turning in a campaign in which she averaged 16 points and 7 assists per game.
Coming to Lawrence as a junior transfer, Codio said she felt the previous two years prepared her well enough to play on the big stage.
"I haven't played at the D1 level, but I've played junior college basketball" she said. "So I feel like I have some type of experience, I kind of know what to expect and what not to."
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
Codio hopes to use that experience to bolster the Jayhawk back-court.
SEE FRESHMEN ON PAGE 8A
"I feel like from the point guard position, we can help do some different things than we were capable of doing last year," she said.
KU freshman Rhea Codia is ready for the start of the 2009-2010 basketball season. The Lajhawks reached the WNIT final last year and hope to have a successful season.
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