Williams mixes career, tennis
A British upbringing, high school at a boys prep school, social work in Borneo and news reporting for a radio station in Hong Kong.
It all sounds like a splendid background for a foreign ambassador. Actually, it's a brief description of Tim Williams, Kansas tennis player.
Williams grew up in London, England, where his father was a Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force. He graduated from Brumley Boys School in London in 1965.
Upon graduation from high school Tim elected to pass college for awhile. Having traveled much of his life because of his father's various military assignments, Tim enjoyed moving about. He heard of the Voluntary Service Overseas and joined the organization, working for a year in Borneo.
"The VSO is much like the Peace Corps in America." Williams says. "Really the Peace Corps is modeled after the VSO. I taught 11-year olds English, history and math. All of them knew how to speak English, but it was our work to help them use the language better."
While Williams was in Borneo his father retired from the service and his parents moved to Hong Kong. His father is now the principal of two vocational training centers for boys between the ages of 16 and 22.
Tim began work as a news reporter at an English-speaking commercial radio station in Hong Kong in 1967 when he joined his family after the year in Borneo. He learned of Kansas through his association with Robert Burton, a lecturer in Asian studies at KU, who was doing summer research in Hong Kong.
"I met Mr. Burton through a friend of mine at the station," William relates. "Through our visits he learned I hadn't attended college and found that I would like the idea of visiting the United States. So, he suggested Kansas and I decided to come."
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This is Williams' first year on the Jayhawk tennis team, although he has been in school the past two years, majoring in Oriental language. His 2.26 grade point average (on a 3-point scale) the first semester was tops on the tennis squad.
"I've been kind of impressed with playing on the team. We didn't work much on fitness and working out for the team in London as much as we do here," Williams says. "Our team is young but we're improving. I'm not playing well yet, but after three years away from competitive play, it's beginning to come back a bit."
Upon graduation from KU Tim plans to return to Hong Kong and take up a profession in journalism, preferably in radio-television.
"I've always liked that type of work. I plan to stay in the Southeast Asia vicinity in my work, though. I really like it there," Williams says. "I've also thought about politics."
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One of the top high school basketball players of the Chicago area, 6-11 Bill Kosick of New Trier East, has signed a Big Eight letter of intent with Kansas.
Ted Owens, Jayhawk coach, was at Korsick's home in suburban Chicago when the all-state center signed the scholarship agreement.
During his senior year Kosick averaged 28 points and 16 rebounds per game. He scored a high of 48 points against Notre Dame High of Niles, Ill. In addition to being a first team all-stater as a senior, Kosick was a two-time choice for the Chicago All-Suburban team.
Kosick is the fourth high school basketball standout to sign a Big Eight letter with Kansas.
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