FOOTBALL Nebraska I back Lawrence Phillips awaits his fate, Page 4.
SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1995
Freshmen become celebrities
His shifting eyes were looking for the correct classroom. Was it down the hallway on the right or on the left?
He looked like any other freshman.
He dodged the others in the mass congregated on the first floor of Fraser Hall. The crush was typical of the first week of class.
He is 6-foot-6. And he's not just any freshman.
But he has a slight advantage over the rest of the students trying to get to their 9:30 Spanish, English or psychology classes.
Plaire Pierce may just blend into the new faces on the Hill. But on Oct. 14, the tentative date for Late Night with Roy Williams, Pierce and the rest of the Kansas men's basketball team's freshman class will be known by everyone.
If you think Late Night won't make
a difference in the life of a Kansas basketball player, you're sorely mistaken. I've seen it happen.
SPORTS EDITOR
Last fall, Raef
LaFrentz and C.B.
McGarth were in
my 8 a.m. Biology
104 lecture. For a
guy that's 6-11
like LaFrentz, it's
a little hard to go
unnoticed. Some
people probably
realized that he
was a basketball player fairly early on, just like some know who the new players are now.
But after the season started, things changed completely. Heads would turn when LaFrentz and McGrath came in the auditorium.
"Good game last night, Raef," one student might say.
"Hope you guys beat Florida," another would comment.
Odd, isn't it, how these 18-years became recognizable practically overnight by everyone on campus?
So odd that I almost can't describe why. Let me think: Hmm...ooh..now what was that reason again?
Oh, yeah. Kansas men's basketball is king on this campus.
But it's true.
That must explain why I hear about basketball year round. That must also explain why I'm writing a basketball column when football season is all but here.
If you're not a believer, though, try this test.
Walk up to the average student on Wescoe Beach. Ask him to name five football players. After an initial blank stare, he might be able to recall that June Henley and Mark Williams play for the Jayhawks. Past that, it's a struggle.
Now ask him for the name of five basketball players. Do you want starters or reserves? How about numbers? Hometowns? Mothers' maiden names?
Take this little gem for example:
This summer a friend worked with the orientation staff. You know, they tell new students and their parents about the University and make them feel comfortable.
One day she came across a student sitting alone in the Union looking at a Timetable of Classes. She sat down and started talking to him.
sone found out that the student was from Omaha, Neb., and went to Creighton Prep High School.
He said he would be living in Jayhawker Towers and wondered if they were a nice place to live.
Yeah, the Towers are nice, she replied. They have to be. The basketball players live there.
My friend didn't know it at the time, and the new student didn't tell her, but she was talking to Kansas freshman forward T.J. Pugh. Open mouth. Insert foot.
At first I laughed when she told me the story. Then I had a chance to think about it.
It's a scary thought that fans put college players up on such a high pedestal. But I'm afraid that's the way it will be for every player.
To Pierce, Pugh and fellow freshman Ryan Robertson, take advantage of your virtual anonymity while it lasts.
Matt Flickner / KANSAN
Kansas senior Tracie Walt (left) works on her setting skills yesterday afternoon at Robinson Center. Watt, who came to Kansas as a walk-on in 1991, has since earned a volleyball scholarship with the Jayhawks.
Competition, desire fuel Walt
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
The road to gaining success and respect as a volleyball player has been a winding and sometimes unintentional one for Tracie Walt.
But when other players are asked who they look up to on the team, they Don't hesitate mentioning fifth-year senior Walt.
After being redshirted her freshman year, Walt has gone on to be one of Kansas' most reliable players.
Walt, a graphic design major, chose Kansas because of its competitive art program. At first, she didn't have any plans to play volleyball in college.
"I walked onto the team my freshman year," she said, "and then my sophomore year I got a scholarship."
"Tracie is a steady player," Schonewise said. "She has been very consistent during her career."
Last year, she was one of four Jayhawks to play in all 26 matches. She also led the team several times in digs and kills.
Walt's involvement in sports
began at an early age. She was involved in gymnastics and was a varsity diver in high school.
Walt said she became fed up with the pressures surrounding these individual sports. She admitted that because of all the pressure, she would get sick before diving.
At the beginning of her sophomore year in high school Walt decided to play a team sport, volleyball, in addition to diving.
Right away, she fell in love with the game.
She said that once she started playing volleyball she thought playing a team sport was great.
While at Southeast High School in Lincoln, Neb., Walt was coached by Kathi Weiskamp, a former Nebraska teammate of Kansas coach Karen Schonewise. It was from Weiskamp that Walt learned an important lesson about playing volleyball.
"She taught me to play for yourself, from the heart, instead of for other people." Walt said.
At home, Walt's parents, Rennie and Connie, and sister, Kris, always were available for support.
Tracie Walt
Favorite Movie: "Field of Dreams"
"My father especially," Walt said.
Favorite Author: John
Graham
DREAM VACATION COME
where where there is white
sand and blue water
TV show I try not to miss:
"Polands"
Favorite Batman Indigo Chris
Favorite Actor: Kevin
Costner
SECTION B
"He would never get too wordy, but he'd say things that would get my mind back into what I was doing."
Walt said she planned to get a job in graphic design after she graduated in December. She doesn't see herself working in volleyball but admits she might return to the game.
"Later in life if I start to miss it." Walt said, "I might go into coaching."
Rower leads team from back of the boat
Kurzak always challenged by demands of her position
By Erin Johnson
Kansan sportswriter
For Kurzak, Omaha, Neb., senior,
being a coxswain for the Kansas
women's rowing team provides all of
the above. A coxswain is the person
who sits in the back of the boat,
looks at situations and figures out
which options to take to help the
team win.
Mary Beth Kurzak loves the adrenaline rush every time she's in a race. She thrives on the opportunity to face new challenges and enjoys a variety of experiences.
Kurzak came to Kansas without any rowing experience, but after watching tapes and learning from other Jayhawk coxswains, she was able to help lead her boat to a first place finish in the Women's Lightweight Eight in Madison. Wis.
"You're a motivator, you're a coach, and you plan strategies in races," said Kurzak, who also helped Kansas place fourth at a national championship that year. "It's an all-purpose role, which is why it's always a challenge. I just always concentrate to be the best at the role I'm in."
"It just looked like something that was interesting and different, and no one I really knew was doing it," Kurzak said.
The Madison Regatta is one of the biggest in the area, Kurzak said.
Kurzak's interest in rowing began in her freshman year at the University of Kansas.
Edmee Rodriguez/KANSAN
Being the best is always a challenge. Not only does Kurzak have to look at what the individuals in her boat are doing, but she also has to be aware of other boats. Part of the coxswain's job involves planning a strategy to get her team's boat going faster than other teams' boats.
Kansas women's rowing coach Rob Catloth expects Kurzak to have a lot of leadership after three years as a coxswain.
"If one person is off in the boat, then it can set everyone else off," she said. "For the most part it's a team effort that if everyone didn't do what is needed, we wouldn't get where we needed to go."
Kansas senior Mary Beth Kurzak places a collar on the shaft of an oar. The collar keeps the car in place while the boat is in the water.
"A coxswain is where you need a lot of good leadership," Catith said. "Everything is under a coxswain's commands, so they have to have a lot of leadership. Mary Beth has quite a bit of experience nationally. I'm expecting a lot of her and leadership as a coxswain."
Kurzak's success hasn't gone unnoticed. As a sophomore and junior, she helped the varsity men's lightweight eight take first place at the Madison Regatta. Generally, boats are segregated by gender, but coxswains are not limited by this rule. Kurzak also
won seven first-, second- and third place finishes in the Great Plains Topeka Regatta last year.
Kurzak would like to remain involved in rowing after she leaves Kansas, but she isn't sure she wants to be involved at a competitive level.
"I would love to stay a part of it in one way or another," Kurzak said. "It's a growing sport, so hopefully if I live in a big city there will be a club to allow me the opportunity to continue with the sport."
New coach has strong background
Gibbs' youth, experience benefit Kansas football
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
Gibbs has a vast knowledge of football and played cornerback for a national champion. That is probably why Kansas football coach Glen Mason decided to take a chance on this 27-year-old from Mount Airy, N.C.
At first glance, Kansas secondary coach David Gibbs doesn't look much older than a college student. Nor does he look big enough to have played Division I-A football.
But appearances can be deceiving.
"My dad's been a coach for some 20-odd years. He coached with Mason at Ohio State, Woody Hayes' last
coached with Mason at Ohio State, year there," Gibbs said. "I've been around football all my life. I knew I was going to be a coach early on."
In addition to being raised on football, Gibbs also earned four letters playing at Colorado — where he started every game for the 1989 Buffalo team that finished 11-0. He was also a part of the 1990 national championship team.
His role on that team wasn't obvious to the casual fan, though.
"My senior year. Deon Figures
David Gibbs
my senior year, Dean figures beat me out. I knew right then that my days were over. Most guys were working out, thinking about going to the pros. Well I was sitting on the sidelines, and during games I would call plays," Gibbs said of the championship season. "I really can say I'm glad I didn't play, and we won it. It was awesome."
Gibbs knew early on that he wasn't cut out to play defensive back in the NFL. But that didn't discourage him.
After graduating from Colorado in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in marketing, Gibbs went on to be a graduate assistant coach for Oldahoma. There he worked with the secondary coach and did menial day-to-day tasks before returning to his alma mater and doing more of the same.
"I went to Oklahoma for two years. That was a great learning experience for me to be a part of that program. Then I went back to Boulder for two years." Gibbs said.
"I did the typical G.A. stuff; working with the scout teams, breaking down films and doing a lot of the dirty work. But I'll tell you what, you learn so much about football being a G.A."
Since he has gone through what his players are going through now and is only a couple of years older than most of his players, he has been able to relate to the Jayhaws.
"He's a young coach. That makes it easier on us because he knows what we're going through," said Doran Brew, senior defensive back.
Gibbs played cornerback at Colorado until he was replaced by Figures, who now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. The coach learned a lot about what his position takes from his years of suiting up for the Buffaloes.
"A lot of playing secondary is mental. It's an attitude. You've got to have confidence to play in the secondary; you've got to be crazy." Gibbs said. "If you make a mistake, everybody in the world sees it. If somebody else on defense makes a mistake, who covers for them? The secondary. It comes with the territory."
After his time as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma and Colorado, Gibbs knew it was only a matter of time before he would be given a chance to prove himself.
When his secondary coach — former Colorado defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz — heard of the position at Kansas, he highly recommended his long-time student. Gibbs said that it was Hankwitz who really helped him get his job.
Of course he also appreciates that Mason had the final sav.
"Obviously, if Mason didn't want me, he wasn't going to bring me here," Gibbs said. "I've got a lot to prove. Mason took a chance, and I really feel like I've got to come up with some results. It's only fair."
Gibbs acknowledges that he has his work cut out for him, but even losing a key member of his backfield like junior Tony Blevins won't dampen his confidence.
"Kansas has been great so far. We're a young team, we're a young defense," Gibbs said. "We've got a ways to go. Our biggest thing is not how good we are right now, but how good we are going to be at the end of the season. Our goal is to keep improving every week."
Listening to the honest and energetic way Gibbs talks about his players, it is easy to see why Kansas is so excited about one of the newest members of the team.
Even Blevins, who will have to wait until next year to receive the full effect of the coach's knowledge, said he anticipated great things.
"The biggest thing I can say he's brought to this program is enthusiasm. He fires his guys up, he plays around with them." Blevins said. "But he takes care of business at the same time. I think almost everybody feels like it's a new start, and they're real excited about playing."
Gibbs has lived almost his entire life on a football field. What could the future possibly hold for the football protege?
"I'll tell you what, everybody is always asking me, 'When do you want to go pro ball?' I'm so happy to have my first full-time job and for Coach Mason to take a chance on giving me an opportunity to coach," Gibbs said. "I really want to get a feel of recruiting and coaching young guys. I'm still trying to think about Cincinnati. I haven't even thought about this season."
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