12
October 2013
Sports
Athletics + academics = success No pain, no game
Eleanor Alexander Staff Writer
KCC Baseball Head Coach Eric Laskovy is easy going, relaxed, and smiles often. He has all the reason in the world to smile, “Our baseball program’s had tremendous success, not just regionally but nationally.” Since 1999, the team has been to the NJCAA World Series five times and won eight conference titles, a feat only a handful of teams in the country can top. Not only has the team succeeded athletically, but academically as well. Last year, the KCC baseball team won their conference and was ranked as high as thirteenth nationally. The team is also nationally ranked thirteenth out of 400 academically, with an overall Last year's team at C.O. Brownfield GPA averaging at 3.2. “We’ve been able to have the rare combination of bethe level they are expected to perform at. ing able to have the success on the field Athletic Director Tom Shaw explained, and off it as well,” Laskovy grinned. “It’s “Human nature allows you to protect the all about this education…baseball is a reality.” Not everyone can be successful passion, it’s fleeting though, it’s only goboth on the field and in the classroom. ing to last so long, but that education’s The transition both mentally and physigoing to take them places forever.” cally can be difficult. Shaw describes The team members are held to a outfielder and sophomore Tanner Mchigh standard, not everyone can meet Carn as a great kid and a talented athlete,
Dakota Roberts Sports Editor
photo by Simon Thalmann
but making “…the transition mentally is quite difficult.” McCarn described it as a lot of hard work, “We are held to such a high standard on the field and off of the field because of Kellogg's history and reputation.” He says that all of the hard work is worth it to receive such a quality education and play on such a high-ranking team.
Playing for a cause Mary Emington Staff Writer On October 8th and 12th two teams will take the field, not only p l a y i n g for the Bruins of Kellogg Community College, but for a cause. The soccer team will hold a Dig Pink soccer game for Breast Cancer Awareness on the 12th while the volleyball squad will compete on the 8th for Autism Awareness. Each match will have brochures for more information as well as an opportunity to donate at the gate. Miller Building Coordinator Sharon Powell says, “These events are all about educating more people about these conditions and to help raise money for research.” The Dig Pink soccer game is the 3rd annual game dedicated to breast cancer awareness. It will be held appropriately in the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month of October. The proceeds will be sent to the Wellness Committee and the Komen Race for the Cure. The volleyball Autism Awareness game’s proceeds will go towards the local chapter office. There will be door prizes at half time with the purchase of tickets also going towards donations. While winning is one of the main goals, these two teams have made it apparent that they are willing to support causes other than their own. The hope is to raise enough money to benefit each organization and further research about autism and breast cancer.
The Kellogg Community College women’s soccer team is hard at work under Head Coach Barth Beasley. After four regular season games the Bruins have tallied up a 1-3 record, and three of their four games were settled by only one point. Growing pains are in effect in every freshman walk of life; just being freshman student is hard enough. Of the 16 student athletes on the Bruins soccer squad, 12 are freshman. “ W e are really a majority freshman team this year,” said B e a s l e y. “It’s been an adjustment for a majority of the girls to get used to.” In any sport the Shelby Hayes transition photo by Desiree Lundy from high school to college is similar to driving a go-kart and then jumping into NASCAR. The Bruins Soccer team has prided themselves on playing possession ball, and keeping the tempo of the game on their side. “Our system is different here,” Beasley stated. “We don’t play a bunch of kick ball; we play build up possession ball.” Although the Bruins only have four sophomores on the team, their head coach is very proud and pleased with the outcomes early in the season. “I’m proud of them, they’re fighters,” Beasley concluded. A key role for any team is leadership and this freshman based team finds their leadership from sophomore captain Shelby Hayes. “She’s one of our leaders. I’m very proud of her and I’m very proud to have her here as a Bruin,” Beasley insisted. “She’s giving one thousand percent on the field.” Hayes is an Allegan native who had to miss some playing time in high school due to an unfortunate injury. Hayes had a dislocated ankle and her tibia was out of place. Playing in pain is one giant this Bruin fights through every practice and game. “Shelby [has] really hung in there and she didn’t play her last year of high school ball, which was an injustice,” Beasley said. “Oh it hurts,” Hayes said regarding her injury. “It’s just something you have to fight through every day.” While Hayes and the Bruins are striding to get better every day, they realize the most important aspect on the field is working hard. “I tell them the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary,” Beasley said.