Thursday, March 12, 2009
Kansas student athletes are now at the forefront of the blogging world.
Brad Thorson, graduate student and offensive lineman, pitched the idea of a student athlete blog to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in mid-February, and, with support from the committee of athletes, Jayhawk Chalk Talk was created. Jayhawk Chalk Talk, www.jayhawkchalktalk.blogspot.com, is one of the first collegiate athletics blogs started by a student athlete.
So far, Kansas athletes have written nine posts covering various aspects of their lives. Thorson’s first post for Jayhawk Chalk Talk highlighted the reasons for creating the blog.
Thorson said the blog gave athletes an opportunity to control the information that went out through the media. He said players in big-time sports felt pressure when journalists and people asked the same question: “Why did you make that pass?” Or Thorson’s case, “Why did you miss that block?”
“I don’t think there’s really been an avenue for people to share their opinions and everybody has a blog, so why not student athletes?” Thorson said.
The posts are mediated by Thorson and Mike Harrity, assistant athletics director for student athlete development and community relations, and all student athletes at Kansas have access to submit blog posts.
Harrity said the blog was an opportunity to showcase athletes’ personalities from a wide range of sports.
“The newest feature for the blog is equal access for all,” Harrity said. “You could be a freshman on rowing or a junior on track and still have your voice heard.”
When Jayhawk Chalk Talk began, Thorson and others who helped create the blog set a goal: To have one new post daily. He said that goal would take time to achieve, but he wanted to find a way to get all student athletes involved.
Two other goals for the blog are transparency and individual freedom.
“We want people to see into the organization and see the student athletes where they couldn’t see before,” Thorson said. “It’s a way of unlocking and opening some of the doors.”
Thorson also said the blog allowed student athletes a free and open forum to share their ideas and opinions on other issues in sports.
“Everybody has their own style of how they want to say something, and they have their own stories to tell,” Thorson said. “I think the individual nature of a blog and its organic flow where there is no real structured storyline is great.”
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said the blog allowed student athletes to showcase themselves outside of their athletic pursuits.
“I think it’s always positive when others can learn or get to know a student athlete as something other than somebody who runs track or plays soccer,” Marchiony said. “These are smart young people who have other things to offer besides being a student athlete.”
Melissa Grieb, Olathe junior and volleyball player, said she thought the blog would portray athletes as normal students outside of their athletic abilitys.
“One of the main purposes is to have a way for people who aren’t athletes to connect and see who we really are,” Grieb said.
Thorson said he got the idea for Jayhawk Chalk Talk when he came across Club Trillion, a blog by Ohio State basketball player Mark Titus. Titus gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Ohio State basketball team as a walk-on through his blog.
Thorson said sharing the stories online was a perfect way to portray student athletes as a less secluded group from the student body.
“I think it adds a more special aspect to the collegiate level of sports,” Thorson said. “I wear the No. 76, but there’s a lot more about me than what I do on the football field.”
— — Edited by Andrew Wiebe
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