Home Run Race
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Thursday
September 24, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
College Football
The Big 12 is loaded with talented running backs this season, and Kansas has two of them.
SEE PAGE 4B
Soccer
Are you unfamiliar with soccer? If so, don't miss the in-depth guide that explains the sport for everyone.
SEE PAGE 3B
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
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Freshman forward Natalie Hoogveld practices during a scrimmage against other teammates. Hoogveld played soccer in Canada for many years against stiff competition. Kate Levenson/KANSAN
Freshman soccer player brings Canadian training
Kanson sportswriter
Many freshmen athletes at the NCAA Division-I level aren't expected to start or even play a lot.
That's not the case with freshman Natalie Hoogveld.
In the first seven games of the soccer season, midfielder/forward Hoogveld has played in all games and started six games.
"I came here and wanted to start," she said. "During the preseason, I realized I would have to work hard in order to start. Now, I just hope that my name is on the list before every game."
Hoeweld, of Calgary, Canada, has had plenty of experience playing against top competitors. When she was 16, she began playing in a top amateur women's league in Alberta, Canada. That experience has given her an edge in going up against seasoned veterans at the Division I-level.
"I used to play against older, more experienced players," she said.
Kansas coach Dan Magner said that Hoogveld had done very well both on and off the field.
"It's certainly been difficult for her with so many adjustments," he said. "With soccer, moving into a dorm, eating cafeteria food, these are big changes. We feel she has adjusted well."
Hoogveld said that she came here hoping to be an impact player. Although she struggled early in the season to find the back of the net, Hoogveld scored her first collegiate goal early in the second half in 4-1 win Sept. 13 against Central Missouri State.
"I can hopefully start scoring," she said.
"The goal against Central Missouri was a
Canada vs. United States
start "
Even though Canada and the United States are neighbors, Hooyveld said that there were several differences between the two countries.
"We hear more about the U.S. in Canada than the U.S. hears about Canada," she said.
Hoogweld said that the school system in Canada was slightly different. Canadians don't have the freshman, sophomore, junior or senior rankings in high school or college. High school years are grades 10-12, and college students are labeled as a first-year or second-year students.
Many Kansas students think Lawrence has some brutal winters, but according to Hoogveld, winters in Calgary are much worse. She said that temperatures in Calgary could get as low as -22 degrees.
Hoygeld said that a hot day in Calgary was 86 degrees.
The cold temperature is not the only difference between the two environments.
When she arrived in Lawrence for preseason training, the change in temperature was hard for her to adjust to.
"It was totally hot and humid," she said.
"I found it hard to breathe, and I felt nauseous. I don't mind the weather now, though."
Another difference between Canada and the United States is the attention NCAA sports receive.
“It's good that they have trainers and the media for us,” she said. “They really support athletics at KU. You don't get that in Canada. We'd be lucky to have a trainer at home games, let alone road games. They only offer small scholarships in Calgary."
While the differences are many, she said
that the cultures are similar. Calgary has the Flames of the NHL and the Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. The Rocky Mountains are only an hour from Calgary, and there's also the Calgary Stampede, a world-famous rodeo.
"There's not much difference in life-
styles, just adjusting to people," she said.
Leaving home
Hoogveld was not recruited heavily by any college except for the University of Kansas. Had she not come here, she said that she would have played soccer at the University of Calgary.
Former Kansas assistant coach Lisa Unsworth saw Hoogveld play in the 1997 Canadian Club Nationals while Hoogveld was a member of the Calgary Celtic.
Magner said that they might have caught a diamond in the rough by getting Hoovveld.
"A lot of credit has to go to Lisa, seeing her play and contacting her," he said. "Recruiting battles are intense, and anytime you can get an inside track to someone not in the limelight, it's very helpful."
Hoogveld made a trip to Lawrence in February and decided that this was the place for her.
"It's such a nice campus to look at," she said. "I thought it would be neat to come to a new place, away from the normal stuff in Calgary. Kansas was something new and interesting."
Hoogveld left her parents, Moira and Ray, an older sister, Heather, and her younger, twin sisters, Stephanie and Michelle.
There was just one thing Hoogveld's family and friends requested for her to do
Walk-ons take alternative path on the road to college football
See SOCCER on page 3B
By Sam Mellinger
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas walk-on linebacker Brandt Pyles never played football in high school.
When he arrived at the University of Kansas about four years ago, he did not even think about playing.
In fact, it was not until he studied abroad in Scotland two years ago that the senior made his first tackle in an organized game.
Pyles compared the Scottish competition he encountered to the high school level in the United States, which was just fine with him.
"I wanted to try it because I never played in high school," the Honolulu native said. "That was one of my big regrets."
Pyles enjoyed playing linebacker and running back overseas so much that when he returned to Kansas last year, he contacted the Kansas coaches about the possibility of walking on.
They were more than happy to have him practice, but similar to a lot of walk-ons, Pyles' chances of playing his first year were slim because he joined the team as the semester began.
"At that point, we were a week from our first football game," coach Terry Allen said. "Things are pretty much in place, so they're not going to play their first year."
"It's a privilege just to practice," he said. "I love every chance I get to play. I think when you first walk on, everybody thinks you're just trying real hard to catch the coach's eye. But when they see you in the summer doing the work, they respect that and feed off of that and they go harder. It makes football fun, rather than a job."
Pyles practiced all last season without
playing a down in a game. His love for playing is obvious in more than his willingness to go through two-a-days without much hope of playing.
Lawrence junior and walk-on nose guard Willie McKinnis remembers arriving in the locker room before his first practice with the team.
That's not to say that walk-ons are never the butt of a joke.
Kansas volleyball team defeats Oklahoma
For walk-ons with hopes of earning a scholarship and playing time, there are several sources for inspiration on the current Jayhawks team. Michael Chandler, Dustin Curry, Chris Neeking, Tanner Hancock, Michael Lies, Sean McDermott and Jerome Parks are all former walk-ons now on scholarship.
There are other obstacles for walk-ons. Sometimes they aren't able to live in Jayhawker Towers with the scholarship players, and they also have to pay for training-table meals. But still, Glasgow insists it's not as far as it seems from walking on to earning a scholarship.
Offensive guard Justin Glasgow, Topeka senior, is perhaps the team's most successful walk-on. Since earning a scholarship his freshman year, Glasgow was named honorable mention all Big 12 last year and is a team captain this year.
"They ask me about it, and I say if I can do it, you can do it," he said. "It's not how big you are, it's how big you play."
"No one knows who you are or what you are," Glasgow said. "You don't have many friends. You're alone on this team, basically."
met," he said. "It was just a kind of prank welcoming, just a little welcome-to-the team thing."
For the first time in three years, the Kansas volleyball team defeated its first Big 12 Conference opponent of the season.
"Some of the guys taped up my hel-
He said the hardest time for a walk-on is the beginning.
This season, about 35 walk-on players practiced with the team. Allen said.
The Jayhawks, who improved to 10-2, defeated the Oklahoma Sooners three games to one last night in Norman.
Kansas won the first two games 15-7 and 15-8. They lost
15-9 in the third game but
Outside hitter Mary Beth Albrecht collected 16 kills in the match, leading the Jayhawks in the offensive onslaught. The Jay-
15-9 in the tclinched the win in the fourth game 15-7.
hawks posted 68 kills and had an attacking percentage of.284.
Kansas had 12 blocks in the contest, led by middle blocker Amanda Reves, who contributed four block assists and one solo block.
The Jayhawks' defense held the Sooners to 44 kills.
Albrecht also led the Jayhawks in digs, posting a personal best of 19, taking credit for almost a third of Kansas' 54 digs in the match.
Setter Laura Rohde had 54 assists on 57 attempts, giving her a stellar assist percentage of .947.
The Jayhawks continue conference action 7 p.m. Saturday at Kansas State.
— By Laura Bokenkroger
Commentary
Earlier this week, I was sitting on my friend's faded blue sofa, lazily watching the waning moments of the late-night SportsCenter.
You know, nothing really out of the ordinary.
It was just a few college guys hanging out, chatting, drinking and trying to prolong the evening as much as possible.
Harley Ratliff
As I sank further into the couch's cushions, I noticed the highlights from that night's Kansas City Royals game. For some reason, only God knows why, this caught my attention.
You know, nothing really out of the ordinary.
Ritchers pitching. Hitters hitting. Kauffman Stadium packed to capacity with empty seats. It was pretty much what you would expect from a Royals game.
Then it hit me.
Buried in the bottom left corner of the screen I noticed the name "Beltran".
Full name: Carlos Beltran.
Who's Carlos Beltran? He's the guy whose going to save Kansas City baseball. I at me explain.
I spent this summer working in Wichita for the local paper. My tasks included: do every menial task your editor assigns and have fun (which in Wichita is nearly impossible, unless you like to eat glue). One of these menial tasks was to cover the Wichita Wranglers — the double A farm team of the Rovals.
Now, most of the time the Wranglers mirrored their parent organization. No one came to the games, there wasn't much talent and, most importantly, they lost. And they lost big.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing just under 200 pounds, Beltran has the type of pure ability to become one of baseball's greatest stars. Those are bold words, I know, but keep reading.
Beltran, of Puerto Rico, is one of the best young players in the game today. And if
Then Carlos strolled into town. And things started to change.
you know, nothing really out of the ordinary.
The kid can hit, too.
you don't believe me, go to some Royals games and get a glimpse for yourself.
Only 21-years-old, Beltran plays center field like he owns the place. No ball is out of his reach. No play can't be made. With his blinding speed and good response time, Beltran often renders his two outfield cohorts useless. Unless it was a ball down the foul line, everyone in the stands (all 12 of us) knew that it was Beltran's call. And folks, Beltran's fielding isn't even the half of it.
In his first week in double A, Beltran made it clear that he was the best hitter on the team by belting multiple home runs, hitting in the clutch and spanking every fastball an opposing pitcher tried to run by him. When Beltran came to the plate, Wrangler fans stopped stuffing their faces with Nuclear Nachos to observe the phenomenon. This kid has it all.
All Kansas City has to do is make sure he stavs.
For years, the Royals have been devoid of homegrown stars. With no one of any note coming through the system, the Royals have been forced to compete with a litany of mediocre has-beens; Gary Gaetti, Chili Davis, Jeff King, Jay Bell, etc.
The list could go on forever.
Now the Royals will have one of their own to rally around. People in Kansas City can get excited about somebody they have watched since day one. Beltran is a star in the making, the ultimate five-tool player. And he only is going to get better. Mark my words.
Next spring, when the Royals season starts back up, make a note to look for Beltran's name because during the next few years, he is going to change the way fans look at the Kansas City baseball.
And you know that is something out of the ordinary.
Ratliff is a Norman, Okla., senior in journalism.