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APARTMENT GUIDE 3
THE UNIV SP
MON
Jay
Sophomore third baseman Joru
TRANSPORTATION
BY MIKE
mvernon@k
Students without cars save money, reduce pollution
editor@kansan.com
It can be really frustrating having to put on your groveling face for your best friend every time you need to make a trip to the grocery store because you don't have a car.
However, with the gas prices making people cringe as they pump $3.52 per gallon on average across the nation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, you are probably putting on your smug face. You have already found ways around transportation by car.
Ayako Sawaguchi, a junior from Kansas City, Mo., lives off campus with a family friend and without a car. She used to ask her friend to drive her to campus every morning. After discovering the simplicity of getting where she needs to go by bus, she stopped making these requests.
"Last year she took me everywhere," Sawaguchi said. "I felt bad asking for a ride every morning."
Chris Neal/KANSAN
However, gas prices are not keeping Sawaguchi from purchasing a car. She said that she had heard too many stories of car accidents where people have died. She said she did not trust herself in a car and had yet to learn how to drive.
"I think I would get in an accident. I get lost
easily, and I'm careless," Sawaguchi said.
Sawaguchi uses the Lawrence Transit System and KU on Wheels to go to and from her house.
KU and Lawrence T buses work together to ensure that students ride for free with a KU ID. Riding the bus can get you in walking distance of most places in Lawrence. All of the bus routes are mapped on www.lawrenc transit.org.
Traveling by bus isn't limited to Lawrence. Sawaguchi will take the K-10 connector on occasion to visit her family in Kansas City. It costs only $3. Bus route information and schedules can be found on the Johnson Country transit site, www.thejo.com.
Sherrie Pai, a junior from Oathe, also uses
the KU on Wheels. She said she was paying for her tuition on her own and could not afford to maintain a car. While she manages to get rides from friends and take the bus, she said it was not always easy.
"It's difficult because I can't just get around to different places whenever I want," Pai said. "And it's difficult to rely on public transportation especially when I am running late or something."
Stuart Becker, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., is also without a car. While he uses K-10 connector to visit his parents, sometimes he can save himself the $3 fee by riding his bike the 44 miles home. The ride usually takes him 90 minutes to two hours.
Becker had a car his first semester at the University but used it only to get home during breaks. After some thought, he decided a car wasn't worth paying for gas, parking permits, car insurance and repairs.
"All the costs added up to something I didn't need," Becker said.
While Becker said he solely used his bike for "fun and utility," there are health and environmental benefits for choosing two wheels instead of four. Biking to your destination is a great way to stay in shape without having to schedule time to work out. Because you are not using any gas, biking doesn't emit any pollution.
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MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
The Kansas base brought its four-ge
"I think were growing up," coach Ritch Price said. "Now that we're played over 20 games, our younger guys are starting to mature."
streak to a screeching halt, as the Jayhawks won two of three games over No. 19 Baylor at Hoglund Ballpark this weekend.
The lajayhaws showed signs that their young roster is maturing and improving during their three-game hitting spree.
That maturation process began to show in game one of the series on Friday evening, when their bats responded well after getting shut out at Missouri State in their
were coming to play in the most inning, hitting a line-drive home run that sailed just over the right field fence.
"I think it really helped out to get that one run on the board early," Waters said. "It kind of puts a message in the other dugout too; now they're battling uphill."
Senior pitcher T.J. Walz, had an impressive performance on the mound, holding the dangerous Baylor offense to only one earned run off of three hits in 7.2 innings pitched. Walz threw career-high 127 pitches and also struck out 11 batters in the day.
ing start to the season, made a tweak in his windup to fix a body tilt issue, and has been dominant ever since.
"I've been able to locate the fastball a lot better, and I'm not getting behind batters near as much so I can attack with the slider," Walz said. "[The change in mechanics] has made all the difference."
The Jayhawks came out strong again in the second game of the series on Saturday. Kansas struck first again when sophomore catcher Alex Leon hit his team-leading third home run of the season.
"Everyone wants to end the game on a hit, that's always fun, and I wanted to do it," Macias said. "It's nice to end it on a walk still; I'll take the win any day."
After taking the first two, the layhawks experienced some growing pains going for the sweep in game three. The layhawks whiffed on a huge opportunity Sunday to build momentum against tough competition.
"We could have done something really special today, and made a huge statement going forward," Price said.
While the teams young roster has begun to show signs of maturation, Sunday's loss showed that there's still plenty of room for improvement as the Jayhawks' season goes on.
"I feel good in how competitive we were the first two games of the series. I'm disappointed in the performance today and rightfully so." Price said. "We don't have enough experienced players in the dugout, and quite frankly were not tough enough yet."
Edited by Emily Soetaert
and fought back to manage five hits Sunday. However, it was not enough to combat Nebraska's 12 hits during Sunday's game against Jayhawk pitcher freshman Kristin Martinez and senior Allie Clark.
Clark pitched the complete Saturday game, allowing seven hits, four runs and no strikeouts. Sunday, Martinez pitched six innings and Clark closed the final inning. Martinez started well with three
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 8A
FOOTBALL
Kansas benefits from familiarity between coaches, players
Jeff Jacobsen/KANSAS ATHLETIC
Football coach Turner Gill oversees his team during the first full practice of the spring season April 1. Gill said it was too early to determine which players would step up as leaders.
Jeff Jacobsen/KANSAS ATHLETICS
BY KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
Kansas football opened up the spring season with its first full practice Friday afternoon. Coach Turner Gill and staff will conduct 15 practices throughout the month of April before concluding with the annual Spring Game on April 30.
■ Turner Gill changed the practice format this year, with two full teams participating at once on adjacent fields. The goal is to get each player more reps throughout the spring, leading to better production and speed in the fall.
kcarpenter@kansan.com
NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE OPENING PRACTICE
■ It's too early to tell which players will step up as leaders. "We didn't have any pads on." Gill said after practice. "When we get pads on and get one or two scrimmages in, then you can kind of see how guys will rise to the top with that opportunity."
Familiarity helps after a full year in Lawrence. Coaches have seen what the players can do in game situations and can better anticipate what the players can do in off-season workouts.
From a leadership standpoint,
Returning quarterbacks Jordan Webb and Quinn Mecham got much stronger in the off-season, something Gill credits to work ethic and the Kansas strength staff
nobody really stood out on day one. However, Gill said he could see tight end Tim Biere being able to step up as a leader.
■ The quarterback position is still in question. A decision on a starter could be made by the end of spring, but the coaches are more than willing to wait until summer to decide on the opening-day starter.
Mecham, who played in six games in 2010, said he liked the new practice format. "It keeps practice at a fast pace" he said. "Last spring we have nine quarterbacks; now we have three, so it's just a lot more reps. More chances to prove yourself."
Freshman quarterback Brock Berglund, who returned home to Colorado last month after arriving in Lawrence in January, will still have an opportunity to compete for the starting job when he returns in the summer.
The strength and conditioning program was altered this year. Gill told his strength staff that workouts should focus on making
James Sims, who led the team in rushing during his freshmen year, said the workouts were harder than last year's.
■ All jobs are open. "We don't want anybody getting complacent," Gill noted. "We stated to them that we're going to have competition." Gill also said that, although last year's individual performances will be taken into consideration, nothing is set in stone heading into camp.
- The array of running-back recruits the staff has brought in only gives Sims motivation. "It just makes me work harder," he said. "They're bringing them in to help us as a team. I respect that."
players more explosive and mentally tougher. He said he thought they did just that. Also, off-season workouts included more running and more weight training compared to last year.
Sims was also seen fielding punts, something he said he hoped to do this year.
"I hope to be the best running back in the Big 12, be an All-American again and lead the team to a Big 12 championship," Sims said of his goals for this year.
■ Senior wide receiver Daymond Patterson said he thought the staff
Quality, not quantity. With only 14 seniors on the roster, Patterson said this was the best group of seniors he has been around at Kansas.
According to Patterson, the biggest difference in year two is the familiarity within the coaching staff and players, which is huge in football.
really pushed the team in the weight room this off-season, improving the players' mental toughness. "We were being tested mentally," he said. "That's what we need, because I felt that's where we fell short last year a lot of times. Mental toughness."
POSITION CHANGES
Prinz Kande has moved from safety to linebacker.
Former wide receiver Keeston Terry is now practicing at safety.
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Edited by Helen Mubarak