By Marissa Stephenson, Jayplay writer
Hark back to those balmy summer afternoons of yore, when The New Kids on the Block's "Hangin' Tough" played on your boom box, a hot-pink leopard-print slapbracelet hung from your wrist, and the best way to beat the heat was gathering the neighborhood kids together to plunge down slippery plastic for hours of guaranteed entertainment.
This doesn't have to be a nostalgic 1989 memory. The University of Kansas now has a slip n' slide club. Displaying logo-ed merchandise, its own Web site and proudly proclaiming its motto: "We like it fast and wet," the slip n' slide club is out to unite any and all under a common banner of community backyard fun.
After struggling to find a University sports club that offered a laid-back
atmosphere, Libby McConnell, slip 'n slide co-founder and president, decided to create her own. Fueled by the purpose of "providing slippery wet fun", McConnrell went after Student Senate funding in March. A bill was drafted and Elizabeth Newman, Ponca City, Okla., sophomore and club vice president, was present at the deciding Senate meeting. One senator made a last request for the $431. "He asked me to sing the song," Newman says. "You run, you slide, you hit the bump and take a dive..."
With that rendition of the Wham-o slip 'n slide's advertising jingle, the founders of KU's newest outdoor recreation club were allowed to slip and slide with Senate cash. Next up - free Internet space for its Web site at
geocities.com and merchandising homepage at cafepress.com. Merchandise goodies range from a slip n' slide T-shirt or beer stein to a slip 'n slide classic thong, which can be worn while sliding or during leisure time. McConnell says the club's site and logo were simple to create, and they provide legitimacy.
A spot in the Guinness Book of World Records could bring more legitimacy in
(Top) Club member Brandon Heinz,
Lakewood, Colo., sophomore, slips.
(Above) Anthony De Filippo, St. Louis,
Mo., sophomore, slides.
photos: Courtney Kuhlen
the fall, when club member Tommy Bobo tries to set the world record for the longest slip 'n slide run. The North Augusta, S.C., junior plans to build his own 300-foot slide out of high-density plastic sheeting and slide down Mount Oread. Bobo will pay homage to the University's 1973 daredevil Dan Wessell, or the "Great Wessellini," who attempted to fly over Memorial Stadium in a home-built airplane and ramp over Potter Lake while skateboarding in a Plexiglas bubble (Wessell was unsuccessful in both attempts). Bobo only needs to work out the stunt's minor details. "I'm not sure how I'm going to get the water up there, but I'll be researching that over the summer," he says.
Research into slip 'n slide safety precautions might also help the club get off to a smooth start. In the early '90s, the Wham-o slip 'n slide was removed from
store shelves after a slew of adult accidents, including a $12.3 million injury settlement awarded to a Wisconsin man who slipped and slid while intoxicated. The slide was back in 1997, but this time with warnings that the toy was only for ages five to 12, those less than five feet tall and less than 110 pounds. Connell scoffs at the toy's args. "Pish! There's no can rip through plashe grass. They're keep us
For now, the club is stoked for its first official slip 'n slide event, a May 1 recruiting party. Discounted $5 memberships and complimentary beverage cups will be offered at the night's festivities, and the location will be announced on the club's Web site geocities.com/kuslipnslide/main.html. It's just the kind of relaxed environment McConnell wants. "It's this vibe we're going for – hangin' out in a backyard with an excuse to have a name."
Marissa Stephenson can be reached at mstephenson@kansan.com.
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Additional Events:
- Meet the Artists: Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Thursday, April 29, 7:00 p.m. - Borders Books & Music,
700 New Hampshire - Lawrence. FREE
- The Art & Business of Entrepreneurship:
Friday, April 30, Noon-1:30 p.m.:
Panel discussion with Philip Glass, All-Stars' Julia Wolfe,
filmmaker Kevin Willmott, and Lawrence business owner Chris Hepp.
Alderson Auditorium, 4th Level, Kansas Union. FREE
- Coffee & Conversation with the Artists:
Immediately following the concert in the Lied Center's second floor lobby.
Please call Lied Education Department,785-864-2795,for additional residency information.