Spring Break
Kansas City Star sports columnist Jason Whitlock introduced New York Times sports columnist William Rhoden as "the most informed sportswriter in America today." Rhoden, who gave the evening keynote address for the Amateur & Professional Sports law symposium sponsored by the UMKC School of Law, strode to the podium and repaid Whitlock's praise in a less conventional manner.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law hosted the Inaugural Sports Law Symposium, which dealt with legal issues affecting both the collegiate and professional levels of athletic achievement. Last week's event, spread over a 14-hour Friday at Bartle Hall, featured NCAA President Miles Brand and The New York Times sports columnist William Rhoden.
NCAA President Myles Brand walked to the podium and without hesitation, dove forthright into a discourse about sports and education in our nation. He was speaking at the Amateur and Professional Sports law symposium in H. Roe Bartle Hall that was sponsored by the UMKC School of Law on Friday afternoon.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City has hired Matt Brown to be its new head basketball coach. Brown, previously an assistant coach with the University of West Virginia Mountaineers, was an integral part of the staff led by John Beilein - who took the squad to an Elite Eight appearance in 2004-2005, a Sweet Sixteen performance in 2005-2006, and a National Invitation Tournament championship this year with a group largely consisting of underclassmen.
UMKC senior pitcher Christie Sotelo could start building on future success watching "CSI Miami" star David Caruso's character Horatio corner the market on one-liners every Monday night. After all, her ambition lies within the field of forensic pathology and ultimately as a member of the U.
Swift on the cinders and sharp in the classroom, UMKC junior sprinter Stephanie Williams uses her father's inspiration and the faith he has instilled in her for motivation. "Coming from the family he was brought up in, how he was treated as a kid - and how he wasn't as a kid - into what he has grown into now, he's a big influence in my life," Williams said.
When senior tennis player Richard Harrison says he enjoys practice, he isn't joking. He believes training without maximum effort is a waste of time. "If you're not going to give your best in practice, then why bother?" Harrison said. Based upon his court performance, Harrison has clearly not been loafing in practice or anywhere else.
The softball team took to the road last week to face off against a cross-state foe and two future conference combatants. At press time, five of the six scheduled games had been played with UMKC posting a 1-4 record. In games played on Wednesday, the Kangaroos dropped a pair of games to the Saint Louis University (SLU) Billikens, 5-3 and 8-3.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City women's tennis team completed its most successful contest of the season April 1 at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City against conference opponent Centenary College. The Kangaroos fell to the Ladies 5-2, but saw their first doubles win of the season.
