3.1.4
THE UNIVERSITY OF HAIRY KANSAN
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2009
SPORTS
9B
SOCCER
Soccer team looks for game-to-game consistency
Returning players hope experience will help them reach their potential
BY CLARK GOBLE
cgoble@kansan.com
Last year's soccer team could definitely score. They netted the second-most goals in the 13-year history of the.
history of the program.
The problem was, they also gave up the second-most goals in the program's history.
PRESS
"And we had some really bad teams early on," coach Mark Francis said.
"Last year when we played well,we were very,very good."
Francis said the team lost a few games it shouldn't have and played poorly in key spots in important Big 12 games, so it's easy to understand the rationale for Francis' main goal for his team this season.
said. "Last year when we played well, we were very, very good."
With nine starters and 20 letter winners returning, Francis said that his team had the potential to be even better than last year.
"We need to be more consistent on a game-to-game basis," Francis
MARK FRANCIS Coach
"But at this point, it's just potential," Francis said. "We've still got a lot of work to do."
Estelle Johnson, senior defender, knows the mirages of potential far too well.
She said that a couple of the
teams shed been on hadn't quite reached their potential and admitted that playing to the best of their abilities was a major goal for the season.
Senior midfielder forward Monica Dolinsky has a more concrete goal: winning the Big 12 Tournament. But she realizes that goal might be difficult to
achieve. The two starters lost to graduation were keystones in the midfield.
defensive backline all return, and both Johnson and senior forward Shannon McCabe said that definitely helped.
"This year, it's going to be difficult trying to get freshmen
Whatever the lineup, it is clear that expectations are pretty high. McCabe said she was going to make the most of the time she had left.
"We're used to playing with each other," McCabe said. "It's good to have everyone on the same page."
and juniors that haven't had as much playing time to get in there and get them adjusted to play at this level." Dolinksy said.
Dolinsky said that there was some good competition for the midfield openings, and that the team had also practiced using four midfielers and two forwards instead of
"I only have four more months of playing soccer,"McCabe said. "So I just want to go out on a high note."
through the team," Francis said. "But that good."
While it may seem that the starting lineup will remain mostly the same as last year, Francis said
"We're used to playing with each other. It's good to have everyone on the same page."
there is competition for every spot. Even goalkeeper, which senior Julie Hanley has held for three years, is up for grabs.
"I think it goes all the way
the usual three of each.
SHANNON MCCABE Senior forward
Senior forward Shannon Mc- Cabe (left) battles for a header against a University of Alabama at Birmingham defender last season. This year's team has high expectations for its returning players, including McCabe.
Weston White/KANSAN
NFL
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop practices during NFL football training camp in River Falls, Wis., on Aug. 1.
Rookie Ryan Succop begins Kansas City's emphasis on special teams
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chiefs look for kicking consistency
ASSOCIATED PRESS
RIVER FALLS, Wis. — Ryan Succop has the leg and he probably has the Kansas City Chiefs' kicking job.
What Succop needs is consistency, and hed better find it fast. Succop was the last player taken in this year's NFL draft, and the last time the Chiefs drafted a kicker, they cut him after the first game.
Their failure to find a good, consistent kicker is a major reason they haven't won a postseason game since Joe Montana was their quarterback.
Succop, who has already hit field goals of 58 and 53 yards in training camp, is being counted on to solve a long and festering problem for the Chiefs.
Field position, particularly the past two seasons, has been a huge problem for the Chiefs, and Succop has shown a welcome ability to drive kickoffs deep. That was one reason Connor Barth, the incumbent kicker, was released a few days before camp began.
"It's an area that we are putting a lot of stress on, it's an area we need to be better in and we obviously know it's a big part of these games," coach Todd Haley said. "Some of the last-minute, end-of the game situations are the difference between winning and losing."
Succop was also impressive with
both range and accuracy during an encouraging scrimmage last Saturday.
"Yeah, one was 58 and that is a big kick," Haley said. "It was 58 with a little wind behind his back but it cleared easy, it made it over
In 10 games last year, Barth made 10 of 12 field goals, a much better percentage than the 66 percent that Succop managed his senior sea-
my dad (sitting in the end zone).”
One of the biggest draft mistakes the Chiefs have made in recent years was taking Justin Medlock, a kicker out of UCLA, in the fifth round in 2007. He lasted one game. Succop is determined to avoid the same fate.
"Some of the last minute, end-of-the game situations are the difference between winning and losing."
"So far during camp I feel like I've been really consistent. I've made 90 some percent of my field goals during team," he said. "As a kicker you definitely have to be mentally strong. I mean you can't let anything bother you, you just got to be tough mentally. You know whether it's windy conditions or rainy, it doesn't matter you just have to go out there and just know you're going to make the kick."
son at South Carolina. But Barth lacked the strong leg needed on kickoffs and the Chiefs are hopeful Succop will do better now that he's no longer dealing with the torn abdominal muscle that bothered him in college.
TODD HALEY Chiefs coach
"The one thing I have really started working on is just picking out a target and when I go out there to kick a field goal just going out there and focusing on a target," he said. "I think God has really given me the ability
But he still has not kicked in the NFL. Consistency is a worry.
Haley insists the job does not necessarily belong to Succop just yet.
"Just because Connor's not here doesn't mean I'm not competing against him. So I'm not just competing against him but every guy in the league, every guy trying to be a baker in the NFL," Succop said.
to stay calm in pressure situations and just relax and go out there and get the job done."
Still, it's nice being the only kicker in camp.
"i kind of look at it as it's been a blessing for me because it's really allowed me to take all the reps so I've really been able to get comfortable," he said. "just being able to be in that situation every day is good."
Standout freshman faces pressure on field, in class
BY JOEL PETTERSON jpetterson@kansan.com
Sarah Robbins doesn't appear to be at any disadvantage as the Kansas soccer team scrimmages for its preseason practices, but at 17, Robbins is the youngest player on the squad. She doesn't mind the distinction, though — it's one that she's used to. She spent the summer in her hometown of Montreal playing with women nearly twice her age in the USL Women's League.
"It doesn't really feel like I'm the youngest because it's not something I think about all the time," Robbins said. "I like playing with older girls and girls with more experience who can teach me what they know."
Even senior defender Estelle Johnson wasn't aware of the age gap through the first week of practice.
"I didn't even know that she was the youngest until yesterday when we were driving to paintballing and Coach had to sign her waiver because she's not 18 yet," Johnson said.
Other than signing the paintball waiver, coach Mark Francis hasn't had to help too much with Robbins' adjustment to college soccer.
"This environment obviously is tough, but she's handled it well. I think because of her experience in those types of situations where she's playing with really good play
In her club team, she served as captain for four years. Her abilities impressed scouts at the regional and provincial levels and earned her a spot in Quebec's national training program at age 14. She attended school four hours a day and trained for the rest of the afternoon.
It was at Canada's National Training Centre in Montreal that Kansas first noticed Robbins. Francis sent assistant coach Antoinette Love to scout players at the training center.
ers, " Francis said.
After that meeting in January, Robbins didn't consider any other options for college. A visit to Lawrence in March left no doubt in her mind that she wanted to play at Kansas, although it's a far cry from the busy city she grew up in.
"We'd never seen her play before, but we saw her there and really liked her," Francis said. "We were really looking for a center midfield player, so we contacted her and she came down for a visit."
What Robbins lacks in age, she certainly makes up for in experience. Since she began playing soccer with her older sisters at 4 years old, she's worked her way to the top of Canada's youth soccer program.
Playing soccer in the United States at the university level had been Robbins' dream since elementary school. Even with her impressive resume, she hasn't taken the opportunity for granted.
"It's really different, it's a different town compared to Montreal," Robbins said. "It's a lot more laidback. But I've got the other girls because it's all a big change for us."
"Ive always dreamt about playing in the States, but when it comes to the time where you actually have to crack down and work hard to get here, it's tough. I'm definitely proud that I got here." Robbins said.
Now that Robbins has arrived, she and the other incoming freshmen are adjusting to Division I soccer. The team hopes Robbins is able to step up and contribute as early as possible during the season.
"I think that one position were kind of lacking at is defensive midfield, so hopefully she'll gain enough confidence to step up and fill that gap for us," Johnson said.
For now, Robbins is focused on improving and earning that spot in the starting lineup. But she also has a loftier goal for the future: a spot on Canada's Under-20 World Cup team for 2012.
In the meantime, there are slightly more pressing issues. "I'm really nervous about classes, especially being the youngest one here," Robbins said with a slight grimace. "But I've got lots of help, so I'm not too soaked about that."
Edited by Samantha Foster
HOCKEY
Depositions are next step in team ownership battle
PHOENIX — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, two team owners and the Canadian billionaire who is trying to buy the Phoenix Coyotes over the league's vehement objections agreed to submit to depositions in their complex bankruptcy battle.
Canadian Blackberry magate Jim Balsillie, who has offered $212.5 million to buy the team contingent on moving it to Hamilton, Ontario, for the
The four, along with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, consented to depositions in two of the more than 630 documents filed in the case since owner Jerry Moyes took the team into Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 5.
coming season, agreed to a limited deposition.
In addition to Bettman and Daly — who already have been deposed once — the league agreed to provide Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs and Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold for questioning.
Associated Press
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