| 2011 Preview – University of Kansas Betty

[stextbox id=”alert” color=”050505″ bcolor=”6cc3f8″ bgcolor=”ffffff” big=”true” image=”null”]School Name: University of Kansas
Team Name: Betty Ultimate
Captains: Sarah Burns, Christy Cheung, Kay Thomason
Coaches: Kristen Klenow, Tasha Parman
Founded: 1986
Jersey Colors: Black and Red
Website: http://groups.ku.edu/~ultimate/
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Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get involved with Ultimate at Kansas?

Christy Cheung: My cousin played with the men’s team at KU (Horrorzontals), so coming in as a freshman I already had a slight understanding of the game but still wasn’t sure it was for me. I tried out for the women’s club soccer team, then joined the women’s club rugby team for a season….But after playing in a local summer Ultimate league, I fell in love with the Ultimate community and FINALLY decided to give the Bettys a chance. (Best decision I’ve ever made!)

How did your team do last year? What was the highlight of your season?

C C: We had a lot of ups and downs throughout the season, but more we importantly came together as a team and enjoyed every moment we got to spend with each other. It was the first year we had enough ladies to split up into A/B teams, which was a great accomplishment! Highlight of the season–Regionals in Texas.

Who is your favorite team to play against?

C C: I personally always enjoyed playing the Melee-University of Texas. They have a team full of very committed and talented women..they play hard and more importantly always look like they are having fun! “Texas Texas…Yeehaw” — I always liked their cheer too.

Tell us about your coaches and captains. What do they bring to your team?

C C: Our two coaches for the year are Tasha Parman and Kristen Klenow, both past Bettys! Tasha has played a big role throughout the years, and really she is just an inspiration to our whole team. She is one of the most committed people I know, and is constantly striving to help build up the Betty program, spread the game of Ultimate, and become a better player herself! Kristen has also been a part of Bettys for a long time too, and her knowledge and understanding of the game has helped our team tremendously. She has a great grasp of the game and having her as a coach has been a great experience so far this season!

Both Sarah Burns and I started as rookies last year, so being first year vets, as captains we try to just spread the love of the game more than anything. Kay Thomason our other co-captain, is kind of like the energizer bunny on our team–she is full of energy and never fails at getting the team pumped up for whatever lies ahead!

Are there players on your team who deserve consideration for Callahan, All-Region, or Freshman of the Year?

C C: Christina Baker. She is quick, plays hard, and makes good decisions–one of our top rookies this year!

What player is most likely to make a huge play as a thrower? As a receiver? On D?

C C: On D: Maddy Webbe (#3)
Reciever: Kelly Bogdan (#16)
Thrower: Sheeba Gill (#00)

Who’s a player you have to watch more carefully to see how valuable she is to your team?

C C: Kat Songer (#4). She is a first year vet, and has definitely amped up her game since last season. She is one of our most solid handles this year and always plays her hardest!

How does your team bring new players up to speed?

C C: We do our best to explain the rules and strategies within Ultimate, but simply playing/scrimmaging seems to be the most successful way of learning for a lot of our new players.

Without giving too much away, what does your team like to do on offense and on defense?

We all seem to love running the H-stack more than anything. Defense– good ole’ man to man.

Has your team set any goals for this season? What are they?

C C: Have a overall winning season, Getting to know each other better, and of course having fun on and off the field.

What has your team been doing this fall to prepare for the spring season?

C C: We’ve incorporated a little more conditioning within our practices compared to previous seasons. Besides going to tournaments, I think learning to play together as one team has been our main focus/preparation for the spring season.

What tournaments do you plan to attend in the spring? Which one are you most looking forward to?

C C: So far it looks like Midwest Throwdown, Fool’s Fest, and Centex. Fool’s is our home tournament and it’s the thirtieth anniversary [editors note: !] so we are all very pumped to see alumni Bettys coming back for the tourney!