November 14, 2013
W W W. V S U S P e C TAT O R . C O M
Inside This Issue
“Hypnosis meets humor,” pg. 5.
- OPINIONS: “countdown to the earth’s end” - FeATUReS: “aBc fosters Vsu alumnus” - SPORTS: “Blazer basketball back saturday night”
Today at VSU Battleship! - Vsu student recreation center will be hosting canoe Battleship this thursday, November 14 from 7pm-11pm at the campus recreation Pool . teams can sign up online at imleagues.com. all proceeds will go to the special olympics of Georgia, participants are encouraged to bring canned goods.
turkey day - latin american student association is having a thanksgiving Bake sale from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the outdoor classroom beside West Hall. Mix it up-Phi Beta lambda will be having a fundraiser at the mix frozen Yogurt shop! 10 percent of sales from 12:009:30pm will go to Phi Beta lambda.
VOLUMe 85 ISSUe 13
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m
Check out Anthony Pope’s column Pop Addict, and his take on Miley in Europe!
SGA debates student fee increase Joe Adgie social media editor
jmadgie@valdosta.edu
for the students of Vsu, mandatory fees could increase for the first time in five years. the fee increase proposals were discussed at a packed sGa meeting in the university center, a meeting that was attended by students, administrators, and faculty alike. the sGa is required to vote on these proposals be-
fore the administration of Vsu will send these proposals to the Board of regents for final approval. Vsu president William mcKinney spoke to the sGa and explained why these fees had not changed in the past five years. “this university has been a very responsible steward of these resources,” mcKinney said. “We would not even think about bringing these proposals if we did not believe such a proposal was
necessary for the maintenance of the services offered to our students.” the first fee proposal is a $25 increase to the athletic fee to $146. athletic director Herb reinhard discussed this fee increase, and why he felt it was needed. “over the period of the 1011 academic year to the current academic year, this institution has lost about 4,150 fee-paying students,” reinhard said. “in the world of athletics, what that means is
that the athletic fee revenue has been reduced by approximately a half million dollars.” reinhard also explained that the cost for athletic scholarships have not gone the same way in that time period. “the cost of funding an athletic scholarship, which is tuition, fees, room, and board, has increased to the tune of about $140,000,” reinhard said.
KICKING IT OFF
Fall break making a comeback:
pizza party - the society for international students will host a Pizza Party and the screening of 37th international dinner at 6 p.m. in odum library.
SGA to present fall break plan Tuesday
drag delight! - Gsa’s drag delight will be held in the student union Ballrooms. doors open at 6:30 P.m. and the show will begin at 7:30 Pm. all proceeds will go to raise aids awareness.
Joe Adgie social media editor
jmadgie@valdosta.edu
peace corp a Peace corp informational meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in Powell Hall-West.
science seMinar - Pres. William mcKinney will deliver a presentation as part of the science seminar series at 4 p.m. in Bailey science center. Blaze - the spectator and the Vsu Psychology club are teaming up to hold the Blazin awareness fundraiser! come to the student union anytime through Nov. 20 to vote on a winner of the contest.
Dowling Payne / freelance
The Blazers regroup one final time before tip-off last Monday night. The Blazers went on to beat Trinity Baptist 97-58
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Tallahassee residents now receive in-state tuition Hillary Straba a s s t . f e at u r e s editor
hlstraba@valdosta.edu
florida students may be getting their degree at a Georgia price thanks to a new tuition waiver at Vsu. the Board of regents of the university system of Georgia has approved a new florida tuition waiver that grants in-state tuition for Vsu students who live in counties on the florida/Georgia border.
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"our ability to offer instate tuition to many more florida border county residents offers those floridians the high quality educational experience that is Vsu at a very affordable price," said Vsu President William mcKinney. enrollment at Vsu dropped this year from 12,515 students to 11,885. this program may be one way in which to increase future enrollment numbers. in order to promote the
new waiver, Vsu will be holding a recruitment event on dec. 5 at the doubletree by Hilton Hotel in tallahassee. representatives and alumni will discuss the benefits of a degree from Vsu. additionally, members of the financial aid, Housing, and admissions departments will be available to answer any questions prospective students may have. according to andy clark, the interim vice president for enrollment, marketing, and
communications, the Board of regents had an existing policy that allowed Vsu to offer tuition waivers to students living in Hamilton, madison and Nassau counties. “the problem (with that policy) is that there is not a lot of population in those counties,” said clark. “We have 36 faculty members who reside in leon county and drive here to work. We used that as a
the students of Vsu want fall break back. the senators of the sGa determined that in the week leading up to monday night’s meeting, and received over 3,000 responses from students. “the majority for fall semester came out to a two-day fall break, a full week of thanksgiving, and a full week of finals,” said senator Nick Buford. “for spring, the majority came out for a two-day february winter break, full week spring break, and full week final exams.” this determination will be presented as a statement of support to the academic scheduling committee at their next meeting on Nov. 19. the senators received their responses by going to the students, rather than the students going to them. this led to senators getting suggestions on other issues concerning them as well as the scheduling concerns. “they were wondering if we would be able to get buses, and they said that they would be willing to pay money to take a bus to go to major cities,” cox said.
See TUITION, Page 2
Graduates share graduation Brian Hickey
WeBSITe:
Check out the full story online!
s ta f f W r i t e r
bdhickey@valdosta.edu
this fall Vsu administration made the decision to combine graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies. this means that students earning Bachelors, masters, doctorates and education specialist’s will now walk across the same stage at the same time. summer cere-
monies are also discontinued. another change is that only doctoral degree candidates will be hooded during commencement and only one advisor will allowed to hood the student. master’s and educational specialist may be hooded prior to commencement if their department would like to have their own ceremony. students who dislike the recent changes and belief that
i have wasted no time showing this distaste as graduate students took to twitter tweeting under the hashtag #Vsuhatesgradstudents and others voiced their opinions elsewhere. “i hate it,” said ashley Green, a graduate in the masters of Public administration Program. “Grad school is a completely different arena so we should have completely different commencement.
the level of work is different, the hours spent doing outside research is different and i feel our accomplishments should be honored in a more private setting that highlights what we do.” some students have also voiced that they did not have an active voice in the changes made to commencement but can understand the changes. “in my field, especially working in higher education,
i’m all for changes,” said Justin smith, graduate student, higher education. “as an institution grows, i do agree with some things that should be changed. i also agree that there should be a collective input in those changes, and i’m not sure if commencement was something students were really notified about, and their voices See GRADS, Page 2
News
PagE 2 | VsusPEctatOR.cOM
GRADS Continued from Page 1 were heard about.� According to President McKinney, in the several hour brainstorming session that took place over the summer, there were students, faculty, and administration were in attendance. However, unbeknownst to most students, the recent changes to commencement were actually in place at VSU up until 2010 where they were changed to allow separate ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students. McKinney who presided over the changes expressed his feelings for the
change. “The main reason for the change,� McKinney said. “I believe it is important for a demonstration of the academic unity of our campus, overall academic unity of our campus and have those ceremonies be combined.� McKinney also added “In my ideal word if we had the facility to do it, we’d have one large commencement ceremony.� McKinney also addressed the interrelatedness between degrees and why he felt it important to combine ceremonies. “The graduate programs happen in the same academic departments as the under-
graduate programs,� McKinney said. “So seeing that continuity that you can have from a bachelor’s, to a master’s, to a doctorate’s degree, I think is very important. Those individuals who are graduating with graduate degrees are in some ways role models for what you can do after you get that bachelor’s degree.� As far as the changes to commencement affecting the enrollment into graduate school, McKinney did not see the correlation. “I honestly don’t see it having any impact on graduation enrollment positively or negatively.� McKinney said.
TUITION Continued from Page 1 way to show the board that these counties are within our service area.� The Board of Regents approved the addition of Baker, Columbia, Jefferson and Leon counties in the waiver program, expanding it from three to seven counties. “We hope to draw 50 students from Lake City and Tallahassee within the first year,� Clark said. “Those 50 will hopefully retain, and maybe the next year we get
NOVEMBER 14, 2013
CORE glows in the dark
Hannah Poff, junior, interdisciplinary studies major, concentrates as she walks along the challenge course at CORE Outdoor’s Free Cosmic Tech and Zipline event on Tuesday. Ritsuki Miyazaki/THE SPECTATOR
Happy ‘Tator Day! MCT
75. In four years, ideally we would want 400-600 students from this waiver package.� Currently, there are 35 students attending VSU from the seven border counties, according to Barrie Fitzgerald, an institutional research analyst for VSU. As for further expanding the tuition waiver service area, the university has no current plans. The university would eventually like to include the Jacksonville area,
but that has yet to be approved by the Board of Regents and there is no telling if and when it would happen, according to Clark. The new Florida tuition waiver program took effect this semester. Current students who live in any of the seven approved counties will begin receiving in-state tuition; however, they will not be reimbursed for tuition paid before the new waiver program took effect.
New students do not need to fill out any additional paperwork to receive the waiver. “They must first apply to VSU and then prove they are a resident of one of the counties. They can bring a rent agreement, power bill, etc.,� Clark said. “If you can prove you live in the county, we will give you a waiver.�
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November 14, 2013
News
Upcoming Events
Police Briefs Nov. 6 At 9:32 p.m. a female in the University Police lobby reported her laptop stolen. Nov. 7 At 8:11 a.m. a male reported his bike stolen from the bike rack in front of the P.E. Complex. His bike is black and maroon. At 11:45 a.m. a female filed a report for the 52 inch TV in Powell Hall room 1100 that had been vandalized. At 4:48 p.m. a male student reported his bike stolen near the Fine Arts building. The student left class and his bike was not there anymore. Nov. 8 At 12:07 a.m. someone reported his car was broken into at the University Center parking lot. Nov.10 At 8:28p.m. a female student living in Langdale Hall was arrested and charged with terroristic threats. She was reported to have been texting threatening messages to her roommate.
vsuspectator.com | page 3
Nov. 15 Campus Wellness will host free lunch and free HIV testing as well as guest speaker Jeanne White-Ginder to celebrate World AIDS Day. Lunch and guest speaker 11:30am-1pm in the UC Magnolia Room. HIV testing 9:30am-11am and 1pm3:30pm in the UC Dogwood Room. Men’s Lacrosse, VSU vs. Tallahassee Tomahawks at 8pm at the North Campus Fields.
The Society for International Students will host an International Potluck at 2pm at the Center for International Programs. XChange Ministries will present “CATALYST- The Revival� at 9pm at Bailey Science Center. Nov. 16 Men’s Lacrosse doubleheader, VSU vs. Flagler College at 1pm at Reames Field and VSU vs. Georgia College and State University at 3pm at Reames Field.
XChange Ministries will present “CATALYST- The Revival� at 7pm at Bailey Science Center. Nov. 17 VSU Sociology will host a Revitalization Project at Southside Recreation Center from 10 a.m.-6p.m. Sigma Nu will host a Golf Tournament at Francis Lake Golf course. $150 entry fee with a $300 grand prize. Proceeds will go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Nov. 19 Sigma Alpha Iota will host a bake sale from 11am-3pm on the pedestrian mall near Nevins Hall. Toni Miles and Matt Tanga will host “Poetry Society: The BIG Payback!� at 7:30pm in Jennett Lecture Hall #2211. Nov. 20 VSU Sociology will host an Activity Day for children at the Southside Recreation Center from 3p.m.-6p.m.
Have a Happy ‘Tator Day!
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PagE 4 | VsusPEctatOR.cOM
OpiniOns
NOVEMBER 14, 2013
Our point of view...
Countdown to the Earth’s end f
lorida is no longer in existence, and with it most of the eastern Seaboard has also sank into the abyss. Great cities such as London and Venice have been reclaimed by the sea, and an area in China that is the current home of 600 million people is gone. the National Geographic Society released a map in September that showed the earth’s future landscape should global warming be allowed to progress unchecked. the map said
that if humanity continues to rely on fossil fuels for energy, the average temperature of the planet could increase from 58 to 80 degrees, making large swaths of the planet uninhabitable. a report submitted by the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that the “warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. the atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of
By continuing to support and burn fossil fuels humanity is essentially signing its own death warrant. snow and ice have diminished, sea level has risen and the concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased.”
the iPCC also stated with 95 percent certainty that greenhouse gasses produced by humans are the driving cause behind climate change since 1950, a theory that the majority of the scientific community has agreed on. the staff of the Spectator also agrees that the current trend in climate change is alarming and that the impact of humans is undeniable. With sea levels expected to rise up to 23 inches by the end of the century and fossil fuels supplying approximately 75 percent of the
world’s energy demands, humanity’s current path is not sustainable. By continuing to support and burn fossil fuels humanity is essentially signing its own death warrant. the iPCC report says that “all of the effects seen in the report look ‘virtually certain’ to continue in the future as long as emissions continue.” “Virtually certain” means there is a 99-100 percent certainty that what they are asserting is correct. this judgment by the scientific community can’t be ignored.
Change can, and already has, begun at VSU. Organizations such as the Students against Violating the environment meet weekly to inform students about their impact on the environment and how they can help. Simple actions such as recycling, composting and even only running the dishwasher when it is full can make a huge difference in the footprint that humanity leaves behind. express your opinions by sending us a tweet at @vsuspectator.
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and it expresses the general opinion of the Spectator.
Providing contraceptives Students deserve defense against STDs Isaiah Smart S ta f f W r i t e r itsmart@valdosta.edu
With VSU being deep in the Bible Belt, beliefs on subjects such as sex and gender roles are a little different than other places. One topic that often leads to an intense conversation involves condoms on campus. Many would believe that having condoms on campus promotes premarital sex. On the opposite side, many will argue that isn’t the case at all. Having condoms on campus is a positive thing, and it can provide students with safe alternatives at a critical time in life. We all know that young adults’ hormones are raging and everyone handles such in different manners. this is not to take a stance on one side or another for premarital sex but to simply note that there are safe options that should continue to be offered. a deeper look in the conversation is protection from StDs. No one wants to catch an StD, and if you are one who is sexually active, please take all precautions to avoid the risk. at Georgetown University, the nation’s first and oldest
Jesuit university, students started an organization, H*yas for Choice, that offers a condom delivery service. the organization takes orders online, and students can either pick up condoms or have them delivered for events or parties. the organization advocates for contraception and birth control access on campus. Despite Georgetown’s history and administration that doesn’t exactly agree, administrators won’t stop the students as they are not funded by the school in any way. “We respect the rights of our students to join outside groups as individuals and believe this activity falls within that context,” rachel Pugh, director of media relations at Georgetown, said. Similar to VSU, the students utilize a free speech area that has lesser restrictions on speech laws that assists in the protection of the organization. Keeping contraceptives on campus is a safe and proactive way of providing a service for all of VSU’s students. With the spread of StDs in college being almost as common as catching a cold, we should keep sexually-active students as safe as possible.
Immersed in culture
People Poll
Study abroad creates opportunity
Do you think BlazeVIEW D2L should be changed, remain the same or go back to the ‘old’ BlazeVIEW? Why?
Taylor Stone S ta f f W r i t e r
tnstone@valdosta.edu
for many students, studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel outside of the “norm” and to experience a complete cultural immersion. College universities provide a wide variety of academic programs in foreign countries for one key reason: to help you get a job. Sure, you may want to study abroad because you have always wanted to walk up the Spanish Steps or see the view from the top of the eiffel tower, but the long term benefits will far outweigh your desire for an exciting summer overseas. the opportunity to study abroad allows students to break out of the confines of the classroom and, in the process, acquire new skills through international experience that will expose them to new landscapes. Students are also able to expand their current skills and abilities by adding a worldwide perspective to already-developed talents. this will show employers that potential employees are comfortable working in new environments with new people. expanding your studies in other countries will add weight to your future job
prospects, letting employers see your versatility and your ability to thrive in a variety of different academic climates. More importantly, you’ll develop a strong sense of independence, the ability to make decisions and the determination to get things done on your own. in addition to developing a sense of personal independence and responsibility, you will learn how to effectively manage your finances. in most cases, you will be responsible for learning the native system of currency and managing your expenses within that monetary structure. the simple act of learning a new system of currency will make you more financially responsible, which is an attractive quality to have for future employers. the simplest advantage to studying abroad is that it will make you a well-rounded person, giving you more to talk about in a job interview than simply the four years you spent in college. With a semester of studying abroad under your belt, you will be able to speak passionately about your love for the country you studied in, the people in it and the opportunity of a lifetime that turned into a future of lifetime opportunities.
Fighting for your right to live Von Kennedy S ta f f W r i t e r vtkennedy@valdosta.edu
imagine getting in trouble with the law as a juvenile. How scared would you be to go to trial? George Stinney was not only accused of the murder of two white girls in 1944, but his trial lasted less than two hours, and the jury sentenced him to death in less than 10 minutes. Stinney, only 14 years old, 5 feet 2 inches tall and less than 90 pounds, was executed by electrocution after confessing to the murders. He remains the youngest person executed in US history. Now, Stinney could be in line for exoneration posthumously after 70 years in
South Carolina. Lawyers and supporters of Stinney are fighting to introduce new evidence to, at best, acquit or pardon him. the death penalty issue needs to be addressed more than race in this situation. regardless of the race of the accused or victim, the
decades to be executed, and even with the most swaying new evidence, they probably will not be granted a new trial. With an inmate’s guilt and life at stake, i believe that once compelling, new evidence is found and displayed to the court, a new trial
to have their say once their evidence is compiled. Charles Manson need not apply. inmates who are found guilty overwhelmingly by being caught in the act and/or by physical and forensic evidence should not be allowed to be considered. When your life is all you
process to gain a new trial or the length and limit of how many appeals for death row inmates should be examined. Stinney was executed 84 days after his sentence. Because of appeals, it takes most death row inmates
should be immediately held at its earliest convenience. this will undercut the lengthy appeals process, lessen the average number of years an inmate can be on death row and allow inmates with questionable initial trials
have, you should have the right to fight for it – a right that young George Stinney did not have in his segregated society back in 1944 but could soon have today.
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Nick Sanford sophomore computer science major “i’ve had a few problems with it personally, but for the most part it works pretty well. if they do make a couple minor changes to it or tweaks to it for next semester that could only be for the better.”
Check out the Video People Poll online at: youtube.com/ValdostaSpectator
Letter to the editor:
Graduation changes fire up student body recently, there have been changes regarding the upcoming Commencement ceremonies. these changes have belittled and degraded all students who attend VSU preparing for their upcoming graduation. Many graduate students feel the changes are unsupportive and do not show recognition for the amount of dedication and perseverance put into for the requirements of graduate level classes. Graduate students are held to a higher standard than undergraduates through higher admittance standards, GPa expectations, and rigorous coursework. By combining the ceremonies and not signifying students receiving a higher degree in any significant way, it comes across that VSU equates a full time graduate student to an undergraduate who is graduating after 6 years at VSU with a 2.0 GPa and no plans to further their education. Understandably, this is comparing one extreme to the other and not essentially fair. But with no distinction, how could an outside visitor discriminate? especially from a tV in Jennett Hall? the nonchalant email with no explanation or contact information to the “committee” that produced these changes was the most infuriating. it came as a shock to me, as i had not heard that these changes were being considered. if this is how all future decisions regarding changes
to events will handled and transmitted to students, the school can no longer be considered a place where students can voice their input. Previously, the opinions of VSU students have brought about changes to the campus that were embraced. How can VSU progress if the people receiving changes are constantly misrepresented or not represented at all? More students from degrees at all levels should have been allowed to voice their input in different ways (through phone, email, and/or a meeting) before these decisions were implemented. Not giving students any way to oppose future changes will leave students with a bitter and resentful attitude towards VSU that will spread to family and friends. this will only enhance in their minds as they are crowded in the gym for hours. i conclude with asking the committee for reconsideration. as Dr. Ben Carson stated, “a genuine leader can admit fault & has the ability to learn from their mistakes.” i ask this committee to reevaluate their decisions and collect student (and faculty) input before proceeding with these changes. if this is done, i will be assured VSU is under the most genuine leadership of all USG schools. emily Langston Graduate assistant
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Features
NOVEMBER 14, 2013
PagE 5 | VsusPEctatOR.cOM
ABC ‘fosters’ VSU alumnus Cole Edwards s ta f f w r i t e r
csedwards@valdosta.edu
Photo by: Valdosta State University Former VSU student, Myles Grier, now co-stars in ABC’s “The Forsters.”
Myles Grier used to watch tV, and now he is on it. Myles Grier, a 2011 VsU graduate, got his big break with a recurring role on aBC family’s “the fosters.” after a standard audition, producers booked Grier for one episode, which eventually led to his recurring character named Garner. “the fosters” is a new show that is executive-produced by Jennifer Lopez. the show shines a spotlight on the LGBt community as it follows a lesbian couple raising children together. Grier credits VsU’s professors for helping him understand his craft and strengthening his weaknesses as an actor. at VsU, Grier was an orientation leader and a member of alpha Phi alpha fraternity. Grier was labeled as one of the VsU Graduating Visionaries in the class of spring 2011. after graduation, Grier knew he needed to be in Los angeles in order to pursue the career he always dreamed of, so he spent $90 on a standby flight and stayed with
some fellow VsU alumni for a month until he could get on his feet. “when i moved to L.a., it helped because i knew about six friends from VsU’s theatre and mass media departments who had already moved to Los angeles, and they were my support group,” Grier said. although it was not easygoing at first in a big, new city, he credits his strong faith, hard work ethic and good friends for allowing him to start moving in the direction he wanted. Grier made the move across the country with no car and had to ride the Los angeles public transit system for eight months before he could save up enough money to buy a car. “there was one really terrible night where i got out of an improv class so late that the buses had already quit running and my roommate was already asleep, so i had to walk eight miles home,” Grier said. while Grier has had a bumpy road reaching his goal, he stresses early preparation for any dream a student may have. “it’s important to start now, preparing yourself for the tools and
VSU banks on economics minor Brian Hickey s ta f f w r i t e r
bdhickey@valdosta.edu
while the economy may be a major problem in america, it is a minor achievement at VsU. Made available as of fall 2013, business as well as non-business majors may choose a minor in economics. to receive the minor, students must take 15 credit hours of economics courses. the required courses include Principles of Microeco-
nomics and Macroeconomics (listed as eCON 2105 and 2106) as well as nine credit hours of upper-level eCON courses. students who want to sign up for the minor should go to the student advising Center on the third floor of thaxton Hall (on north campus) to fill out the economics minor checklist. “economics is about so much more than calculating GDPs and unemployment rates,” Dr. atilla Cseh, department head and associate professor of economics, said. “economics is more of a way
of thinking about issues and problems around us.” the implementation of the new minor has come at a critical time for VsU students, and aside from being beneficial information anyone should know, it can also complement a variety of majors. “students majoring in political science, sociology, psychology or math may especially benefit from this minor,” Cseh said. “i believe an economics minor complements their skills well. However, economics is also an excellent precursor to many graduate degrees such as fi-
nance, management (and) economics, obviously, (as well as an) MBa, law school, urban affairs, public administration or international relations.” students agree that the minor could benefit an array of focuses. “it could be beneficial to other majors simply because economics is a very important subject, and it’s definitely relevant to your everyday living,” ashlyn seymour, senior finance major, said.
Hypnosis meets humor Cole Edwards s ta f f w r i t e r
csedwards@valdosta.edu
students became the great and impossible last Monday – or so they thought. the Campus activities Board hosted the Comedy Hypnotist show on Monday evening in the University Center theater. the show was led by hypnotist erick Kand who has been in practice for 12 years. Kand has hypnotized over 15,000 people over the course of 1,000 shows. Volunteers were asked to do a variety of activities ranging from pretending to drive sports cars to taking on
Cole Edwards/THE SPECTATOR Erick Kand speaks in front of his entranced audience on Monday.
the characteristics of an exotic animal. Kand described the sensation of being hypnotized as feeling “half awake, half asleep – like your average
saturday morning.” Kand encouraged those who are interested in learning more to visit his website at hypnosisevents.com.
Even
Odd
skills you will need for your field and be prepared for every opportunity that comes your way,” Grier said.
“ It’s important to start now, preparing yourself for the tools and skills you will need for your field and be prepared for every opportunity that comes your way. ” - Myles Grier
Grier is currently in pre-production for a new web series called “Black Boots: a Greek story.” Grier was born and raised in the atlanta area and was drawn to VsU by the beautiful campus, low tuition and the bachelor’s theatre degree with one of Georgia’s best theatre programs. Grier encourages anyone interested in keeping up with him to stay in touch through facebook, twitter and instagram at @MylesGrier.
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NOVEMBER 14, 2013
Freshman forward thrives first year at VSU Lia Armistead S p o rt S W r i t e r jparmistead@valdosta.edu
Being a student athlete requires excessive determination, dedication and capability. Nicole polk has proven to be a prime example of a successful student athlete, and she’s only a freshman. polk has already established herself as a leading player for the VSU women’s soccer team. From the small town of Leesburg, Ga., the 18-yearold thrived in her high school years, both on and off the soccer field. the Lee County High School graduate played four years of soccer while maintaining her part-time job at Westover Animal Hospital in Albany, Ga. polk has high hopes of be-
coming an equine veterinarian or a large-animal veterinarian in relation to her love for horses. in her spare time, the biology major rides one of her two horses while back home in Leesburg, where she developed her passion for larger animals. With her eyes set on her lifelong goal, polk works hard academically and knows what she needs to do to reach this accomplishment someday. “that’s my incentive,” polk said. “i have to work hard and get good grades to do what i want and to be successful in life.” VSU head coach Mel Heinz encourages her players to succeed in school and continuously holds high standards for her team in the academic world. During her tender years,
David Lacy/ The Spectator Forward Nicole Polks heads the ball during a regular-season game against North Alabama.
polk grew up watching her older sister play soccer and was inspired as early as 4 years old to follow in her footsteps. polk started playing in a recreational soccer league and later joined a local travel team as she developed a love
VSU basketball back on Saturday Night Shane Thomas S p o rt S W r i t e r shanethomas@valdosta.edu
Following a 97-58 win over trinity Baptist in Monday’s opener, the VSU men’s basketball team will host Florida Memorial on Saturday in the first of two games this weekend. in the opener, the Blazers made 13 of 27 beyond the arc, attempted 37 free throws and out-rebounded the eagles 43-36. Blazers head coach Mike Helfer believes that is a successful formula. “i hope we can do it consistently,” Helfer said. “the nights when you’re not making threes, you’ve got to use that free-throw line and raise that number. in the first game, it seemed like both were working, so that’s why the score got like it was.” Junior forward-center Jarod Leonard was a big reason the Blazers won the rebounding battle as he recorded a double-double off the bench. Against Florida Memorial, Helfer will look to Leonard to build on his impressive debut. “i was proud of the way Jarod came into the game,” Helfer said. “i thought he came in right away to give us a physical presence inside. Colin (Cook) and David (Murray) will have to give us that as well.” FMU comes into the p.e. Complex Saturday with a 0-2 record following blowout losses to Lynn and Barry.
“ They’re very wellcoached and they like to control the ball. ”
-VSU HEad CoaCH MikE HElfEr on fMU
Contrbuting photo by Dowling Payne New transfer guards Jeremy McKay (left) and Larry Stone (right) share a few words during a dead-ball Monday night.
Despite their struggles, Helfer praised the Lions’ coaching staff after Wednesday’s practice. “they’re very wellcoached and they like to control the ball,” Helfer said. “Whenever a team does that, the number of possessions comes down. We have to be careful of our turnovers and not give them extra possessions.” the Blazers will look to get out in transition, which may prove difficult against the Lions, but Helfer maintains he will look to establish his team’s style first and foremost. “i don’t want to change how we play to their style unless we just have to,” Helfer said. “(FMU) will be prepared for our style, so we’ll have to work hard for good shots. We don’t want to play
fast and take bad shots. We want to play fast and take good shots.” FMU and Carver Bible have played the Blazers in the Comfort Suites Classic three consecutive years. Helfer understands the level of preparation must be high for the weekend matchups. “When you play back-toback games, you have to do a good job of preparing – not just for the first game but the second game,” Helfer said. “A quick scout means our guys have to be attentive for that second game, but we’re just trying to focus on the first one.” the Blazers host FMU at 8 p.m. on Saturday and then follow up with a 4 p.m. tipoff against Carver Bible at the p.e. Complex on Sunday. Follow Shane on twitter: @its_athomasthing
for the sport. throughout her years of soccer, polk has suffered through many injuries but overcame them while sticking to her determination of playing soccer. “it seems like i’m always injured,” polk said, further
explaining an injury involving a horse falling and breaking her leg. it put her out of soccer for almost year. Most recently, in March, polk tore her medial collateral ligament, putting her out of the game for three months, right before starting summer training for the Blazers. Despite injuries, Nicole does not give up and continues to remain dedicated to the game. Not only is her sister an inspiration for playing soccer. polk also admires her mother who was, at one point, a student athlete. “My biggest role model is my mom,” polk said. “She’s awesome. She comes to every game and hasn’t missed one.” polk’s mother, father, sister and grandparents have been her biggest supporters throughout her soccer years and have continued to sup-
port her 100 percent in her new chapter of life. Adjusting to college life and college soccer has been difficult for polk at times. However, the freshman has flourished so far as a Blazer and remains happy with her decision to come to VSU. “i chose VSU mainly because of coach Mel and the team,” polk said. “But it has the perfect campus feel to it; not too big, not too small, but just right.” polk hopes to finish out her four years at VSU and hopes to attend veterinarian school at UGA. polk has proven to be an outstanding student athlete, and hopes to lead the Blazer women’s soccer team to an NCAA playoff victory over Florida tech on Friday.