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Tuesday • September 24, 1996
II systems go for Kyle Field JumboTron
By Matt Mitchell
The Battalion
|jins attending last Saturday’s contest be
lli the Texas A&M Football Team and the
ersity of North Texas discovered the off-
pn changes made to Kyle Field go way be-
Ithe stadium’s transition to natural grass.
Itators were treated to the newest addn
to the Aggie stadium, a giant scoreboard
nas JumboTron.
e Sony JumboTron system was installed
er this month, as part of the old south
one scoreboard was removed and donat-
ti the University of Houston,
pjie display system, which shows replays
me action, as well as live shots of the
eBand, the sidelines and the crowd,
es A&M one of only 10 schools with
a scoreboard.
e JumboTron screen stands 20-feet tall
[7-feet wide and is composed of a grid of
individual cells. The bulk of the assembly
consisted of connecting the iron sup-
and catwalks behind the structure. The
alks make it easy to replace the 15
bins of 30 cell rows.
inject Coordinator Phil Hollingsworth said
fclling the systein was not complicated.
■Vhat really impressed me was how easy it
I to take (the system) apart and put togeth-
Hollingsworth said. “It only took four or
hours to install the entire screen.”
utit took considerably longer for the
bduction crew to prepare for the new
;s they faced.
While the guys were out there painting the
isonthe field, we’d use them to practice
ingup our shots,” cameraman Art Sobarzo
i. “I’d say I put in about 20 hours of prepa-
lonwork before the actual game started.”
lour cameras and over 14 miles of cable
tensed in production during games. One
camera is a remote-controlled device, called
Eaglecam, that gets wide shots of the stadium.
Another is located on the photo deck and gets
play-by-play action.
It stays with the ball at all times, while a
third camera is on the back of a truck on the
sideline and gets tight shots of players and
coaches. A final camera at field level takes
crowd shots.
The University of Texas installed a new
JumboTron system earlier this season and
was promptly greeted with problems, most
notably the blaring of a com
mercial during the UT Band’s
playing of the school song.
“We heard about their prob
lems and addressed them
here,” KAMU-TV Director of
Operations Kyle Netterville
said. “We used them as a
springboard to figuring out
what we needed to change.
“One of my concerns is that
the people are there to listen to
the bands, and they really don’t
want to see big commercials up
on the JumboTron. There were
still a few small glitches, but so far it’s working
out pretty well.”
Netterville said he must stay aware of sev
eral technicalities.
“You realize that when a team on the field
is facing toward the JumboTron, it can be
real disconcerting once they get down to the
goal line,” Netterville said. “You don’t want
the kicker or the quarterback looking up and
seeing his face. So we have to be cognizant
of when we need to make the screen black.
“The same holds true where the band is
concerned. We don’t want to distract a mem
ber by doing a tight shot of him and making
him fall out of step. With the band at halftime,
we use one big wide shot so they won’t get lost
in what they’re doing.”
In addition to the close-circuit relays
fed to the press boxes and luxury suites,
monitors will soon be installed in the
concession areas underneath the stands,
and should be in place by early October.
This will allow students standing in line
for concessions to view the game as they
would on any other television.
The JumboTron has been met with favor
able reactions from students so far.
“The replays are the biggest advantage to
having the JumboTron,” senior management
major John Ammons said.
“You don’t always catch the
plays, and it’s great to be able
to watch them again on the big
screen.”
Several students said the
commercials periodically
played on the screen were
unobtrusive.
“They didn’t bother me
because I usually didn’t
even know they were on,”
sophomore bio-engineering
major Susan Ramsey said.
“There were a
few small glitches,
but so far it’s
working out
pretty well.”
Kyle Netterville
KAMU director of operations
“As long as they don’t interfere with the
band or the other traditions, I don’t have
a problem with them.”
With the JumboTron taking up the ma
jority of the space on the south end zone
scoreboard, four new auxiliary scoreboards
installed on the corners of the third decks
display the time remaining, down, yards to
go, and timeouts remaining.
Making the adjustment from one score-
board to another was a short-lived problem,
many students said.
“It took me awhile to get used to looking
across to the other stands for information,”
sophomore mechanical engineering major
Adam Walters said. “After awhile though, it
was like second nature.”
Power Play
Weticism, stuffed clown keys to Sykora’s domination
By Jamie Burch
The Battalion
Ians glancing over to the Lady Aggie bench dur
ing a Texas A&M Volleyball match this season
might see a little stuffed clown named Bozo,
clown is the good luck charm of sophomore
ide hitter Stacy Sykora. The fiery, free-spirited
j lomore from Burleson said she feels if the clown
ssent, the team will win.
Vhen we lost the two tournaments (at Colorado
Aug. 30-Sept. 1 and at Wisconsin Sept. 6-7), he was
docker room,” Sykora said. “That’s why we lost. If
ling was out there watching, we would have won.”
ith or without the clown, Sykora made an imme-
impact as a freshman last season. Usually the
eserve player off the bench, Sykora played in 29
e Aggies’ 30 matches and 79 out of 109 games.
iosted the top two single-match individual hit-
lerformances in the Southwest Conference, hit-
1.750 against Louisiana State University and .706
st Southwest Texas State. Sykora also posted a
thigh 20 digs against Santa Clara,
spite these distinctions, Sykora said she was
'ed to advance to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen with
.ggies last season.
hat was great,” Sykora said. “In high school, I ex-
d a lot of my team. If I was on a team we were
to win, regardless of how big a role I played. I
[tplay as big a role here last season as I did in high
, but I still wanted the chance to go.”
kora has switched roles this season, earning a
ng position in the off-season,
ehas started every match for A&M and has
!din every game this year after starting just one
h last season. Averaging 4.39 kills per game,
|ta has reached double figures in kills in every
h this season (including a career high 30
st Loyola Marymount University) and has
ded 10 or more digs in seven of 11 matches,
[gher a team-leading 2.97 dig average,
r lofty numbers earned her a spot on the all
ament teams at both the Inn Tower Invitation-
Id at the Post Oak Mall/Lady Aggie Invitational.
M Head Coach Laurie Corbelli said it was
a’s hard work during practices that earned her
ing role.
he’s been putting in a lot of time at practice to
me more consistent,” Corbelli said. “That was
ified as her key weakness last year.”
illeyball is just one of the strengths of this tal-
d athlete. Sykora also excelled in basketball,
and cross country throughout high school. Re
ed by several colleges for volleyball, basketball
tack, Sykora came to Aggieland to play volley-
md compete in track.
ist season, Sykora captured the SWC champi-
ip title and was a Junior National automatic
fier. She was also an NCAA provisional qualifi-
the heptathlon in her first time to compete in
vent. Her 5,212 points were the highest in the
m by an 18-year-old and second in the nation
freshman. Sykora also placed third in the
in and earned All-SWC indoor honors for her
ih-place finish in the high-jump.
f en though she is a multi-sport athlete, Sykora
she does not prefer one sport over another,
hey’re all equal,” Sykora said. “They all offer
rent things. Volleyball is a team sport — you
hit and set the ball by yourself. Track is an indi
ll sport — it’s all about how hard you work and
Tim Moog, The Battalion
Sophomore outside hitter Stacy Sykora has reached
double figures in kills in every game this season.
how hard you want to play.”
Corbelli said it is Sykora’s energy that makes her a
threat on the court.
“Athleticism and explosiveness are crucial parts of
the game,” Corbelli said. “She beats blocks with her
speed, quickness and her jumping ability. She is by far
the best athlete in the gym. When you have an athlete
like that, you find a way to get her on the court.”
Corbelli also said Sykora’s defense has been a key
to the Lady Aggies’ early season success.
“Along with her passes and kills, she ranks at the
top for digs per game,” Corbelli said.
Sykora’s athleticism and talent are not the only
reasons she stands out in a crowd. Redshirt fresh
man setter Chandra Robertson said Sykora’s person
ality and humor lift the team up emotionally.
“She is our inspiration,” Robertson said. “She gets
us pumped up when we’re all having a bad day. She’s
always smiling and in a good mood.”
Corbelli said Sykora’s teammates like her free-
spirited demeanor.
“They love her to pieces,” Corbelli said. “She adds
personality to the team. She is able to relax on the
court, and it helps other players see that if you can
be relaxed and play, that you can be more success
ful. She also gives us a lot of laughs in what would
otherwise be tense situations.”
Along with a little stuffed clown, Sykora and the
Lady Aggies begin their assault on the Big 12 against
the University of Texas Wednesday night at G. Rollie
White Coliseum. Sykora said she has high expecta
tions of the team.
“We want to go to the Final Four or the Sweet Six
teen,” Sykora said. “I want a Big 12 Conference ring.
I’ve wanted a ring for so long. I wanted a state
championship ring in high school and didn’t get it.
So, I’m going to get my ring.”
► Junior forward
Bryn Blalack leads
the nation in scor
ing with 13 goals
and five assists.
By Nicki Smith
The Battalion
T he sixth-ranked Texas A&M
Soccer Team can attribute its
program-record 8-0 start this
season to several contributors.
But the most visible player in
A&M’s ascension in the polls can
be found at the top of the NCAA
individual statistics leaders’ list —
A&M junior forward Bryn Blalack.
A tremendous force on the Ag
gie offensive line, Blalack leads
the nation in scoring with 13
goals and five assists.
Prior to her sophomore year in
1995, A&M Head Coach G. Guer-
rieri described Blalack as one of
the best players in America.
“She is one of the most techni
cally gifted athletes you can find,”
Guerrieri said. “The team re
spects her, and we all respect a lot
of what she does.”
It is not hard to see why Blalack
has earned so much respect.
Last season, she was the only
A&M player to start all 24 of the
team’s matches, finishing fifth in
the nation with 23 goals, includ
ing seven game-winning goals.
The only two-time SWC Player of
the Week in 1995, the junior was
also named team offensive MVP
and was selected to the
NSCAA/Umbro All-Central Re
gion first team along with team
mate Kristen Koop.
Coming off her third knee
surgery as a freshman, Blalack
was the Aggies’ leading scorer
and a member of the 1995
Women’s Select State Team and
Region III Select Team Pool.
Despite her individual ac
complishments, Blalack said she
concentrates solely on the
team’s success.
“I never really have an indi
vidual focus,” Blalack said. “All I
try to do is play hard in every
game and concentrate on giving
100 percent all of the time. If we
are playing good, then that is ex
cellent; but if we are playing to
gether as a team, then that is
even better.”
The A&M team has risen to be
Dave House, The Battalion
The new Sony JumboTron system at Kyle Field shows replays of game
action and live shots of the Aggie Band, the sidelines and crowd.
a national powerhouse this sea
son and Guerrieri attributes
much of the team’s publicity to a
lot of what Blalack does on the
field for the Aggies.
“She was our first major re
cruit to our soccer program
here at A&M,” Guerrieri said.
“Her presence gave an air of le
gitimacy to our program, and
to our recruiting trails. She has
earned so much respect for
herself and the team because
she pays it back 100 percent on
the field.”
Senior forward Yvette Okler, a
teammate and friend of Blalack,
said she has enjoyed playing along
side Blalack, and is glad to have her
there in pressure situations.
“She is just incredibly awe
some,” Okler said. “She has great
footwork and shots, and we know
that when we give her the ball, it
is usually going to end up being a
goal. She is also an extremely
positive person that you can talk
to about anything.”
With so many accomplish
ments under her belt, one might
think Blalack would feel the
pressure of being a role model
and leader.
“I don’t really feel any pressure
because, in my opinion, nothing
is individual,” Blalack said. “I try
to make things happen and to
work hard for my teammates. If
we play hard for each other, then
our team will play better.”
With an endless list of high
school and college soccer honors
to her credit, Blalack contends
that her most memorable experi
ence on the soccer field was win
ning a club soccer title in under-
19 competition in 1992.
Blalack describes herself with
one word — “Determined.”
“When I am out on the field, I
am driven to try to achieve suc
cess whether it is completing a
pass or scoring,” Blalack said.
Guerrieri said Blalack has al
ready made a lasting impression
on the Lady Aggie soccer program.
“We recruit players to give
them an opportunity to play
alongside her,” Guerrieri said.
“Even after she is done with her
education, a legacy will be left in
her ability to score.”
:
■ 7 /:P;:
m
Stew Milne, The Battalion
Junior forward Bryn Blalack considers herself determined and al
ways puts the team in front of her personal accomplishments.