Border Showdown starts at home for some students

By Ellen Sheftel

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The rivalry between Kansas and Missouri began during the Civil War, and it comes as no surprise that some households are divided between the two.

Growing up in a house divided between Kansas and Missouri has become common among many students at the University.

Contributed Photo

Lauren Skahan, right, Springfield, Mo., freshman, and her sisters all root for Kansas, despite having parents who attended Missouri. "It gets pretty intense with the bashing of schools and when the jokes start flying," Skahan said.

“My parents both have their masters from MU so they have always been MU fans, but my sisters and I have always been KU fans because my dad’s cousin played KU football with Gail Sayers,” said Lauren Skahan, Springfield, Mo., freshman.

Like Skahan, Megan Gillies, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore, also grew up in a house divided.

“My stepdad is a die-hard MU fan and I grew up a die-hard KU fan,” Gillies said.

Both Skahan and Gillies said they picked the University instead of Missouri because they knew a lot of people going to Missouri and wanted a new experience and new friends.

Coming from a house divided, the decision to attend the University was quite the experience for both. Skahan said that though her family was supportive of her choice, they still made fun of her for going to the University. Skahan said her family would congratulate her on getting into a college where she would become qualified to work at Pizza Hut.

Gillies said her stepdad told her it was “her choice if she wanted to go to a loser school.”

Both Gillies and Skahan said they always went with their families to the Kansas-Missouri football game.

Skahan said her family had spent the Border Showdown together for the past four years.

“It gets pretty intense with the bashing of schools and when the jokes start flying,” Skahan said.

Though the Border Showdown is full of bashing and banter, Skahan said the atmosphere on the Kansas side of the stadium drew her in and she fell in love.

— Edited by Jacob Muselmann

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