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BRENDA TURNER / THE EAST TEXAN
Shutter Island brings intense psychological scenes page 6
MRC gives students chance to practice downward dog
DANIEL MENDENHALL / THE EAST TEXAN
Football coaches excited about recruiting class
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The East Texan
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S TUDENT NE WSPAPER OF TE X A S A& M UNIVERSIT Y- COMMERCE SINCE 1915
XCIV, No. 17, 8 pages
www.theeasttexan.com
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
Football players arrested in drug bust james bright editor
Students Dionte Garrett and Deandre’ Bowers were arrested Feb. 19 after several bags of marijuana, pills and other drug paraphernalia were found in apartment A1 of McGill Hall by Sgt. Chris Vaughan of the Commerce Police Department. The students are both football players for Texas A&M University-Commerce. Lt. Jason Bone of the University Police
Department said the arrests made that morning were in the same apartment where two previous drug-related incidents have occurred. As reported in the Feb. 18 issue of The East Texan, UPD police officers responded to an emergency call where a potential football recruit was vomiting last month. Upon arriving UPD questioned freshmen football players Danny Masson, Cherrod Simpson and Bowers about the ill player. UPD ascertained information
that the sick recruit and Simpson had smoked marijuana in apartment A1 that evening. Another incident occurred in the same apartment prior to last month’s. Bone said UPD was contacted by a resident adviser who said she smelled marijuana. Upon arrival Bone said UPD officers found evidence of a “roach,” but there was not enough marijuana to warrant an arrest. Bone could not confirm or deny if the parties arrested in the morning raid were the same involved in either of the
previous incidents. The two players were arrested after an undercover narcotics investigation was conducted by Vaughan. According to a press release from CPD, Vaughan began the investigation after he was approached by a confidential source regarding the issue. During Vaughan’s investigation purchases of marijuana were made at McGill Hall, one of the West Halls. After the sales Vaughan was able to obtain probable cause for a search
Commerce Conquest
See STUDENTS page 3
Commerce banquet honors
community involvement Heather pilkington
staff writer
Courtesy photo
The new Lynx icons will be available on trained university staff members’ desktops.
Lynx means UPD is only a click away jessica rush managing EDITOR
New icons have been installed on multiple computers on campus allowing trained faculty and staff to contact the university police department (UPD) in case of an emergency. Lynx is the web-based computer component b o ug ht t o s up pl e m e nt the Pride Alert Warning System (PAWS), which is Texas A&M Un iversit yCommerce’s mass notification system. The digital buttons can be found on many staff computers, one red and one green. The green button is designed to open an instant message window, allowing a person to send an alert directly to UPD. The red icon, or “get here now button,” is treated as a panic, where UPD assumes a serious incident is taking place. “An audio alert appears on the officers’ laptop at the exact same time as dispatch is alerted, which would result in a faster response time,” UPD’s Lt. Jason Bone said. There are a few kinks being worked out in the system, including the difficulty of reverse notification on Macintosh computers. This feature would allow UPD to send a scripted pop-up message to every universit y computer on campus. See CAMPUS page 3
JAMES BRIGHT / THE EAST TEXAN
Alumni Jared Tremor held the first live action role playing practice session at Texas A&M UNiversity-Commerce Feb. 20 outside of the Hall of Langauges. Over the two hour period the event gathered the interest of about 20 people.
Students engage in safe warfare JAMES BRIGHT editor
Live Action Role Playing is a sport that only recently started spreading over the country and alumni Jared Tremor has brought the battle to Texas A&M University-Commerce. LARP is a game played by people who dress up in medieval apparel and battle each other with foam swords and shields. There are several different organizations throughout the country, some of which allow the use of “magic.” Each organization has several chapters, which are specific to a region. The chapters are comprised of LARP competitors. Tremor, who g raduated i n December 2009 with a degree in
English, said he discovered the sport while randomly searching the Internet two-and-a-half years ago. He joined a nationwide game called dagorhir and then joined a chapter named Guilder, which stretches from Commerce to Denton. Guilder is not the only group in Texas according to Tremor. There are groups in West and South Texas as well. Tremor said he was driving to Plano to practice, which is why he set up practices outside the Hall of Languages. “Plano is pretty far and I think a lot of people could get into this,” he said. According to Tremor, the practices will be held every other Saturday and anyone is welcome to come out and try the sport.
Tremor said his organization is a lot like a club. “You are not going to hang out with every person you meet in college, but you will join clubs with people who have interests similar to yours,” he said. “That’s what this is.” Tremor said there is room in the sport for those who want to role-play and those who just want to battle. He said he is more of a brawler called a stick jockey, but other people he has competed with will incorporate acting into the game as well. Inside the Guilder chapter Tremor is part of another group called the Blood Fang Riders, which tend to be stick jockeys. Tremor said the riders are neutral See LARP page 4
Commending service and promoting community involvement highlighted the Commerce Chamber of Commerce Big Band and Big Business themed 101st A n nua l C h a m b er Ba nquet put on for both students of the university and businesses alike. The banquet, held in The Sam Rayburn Student Center at Texas A&M University – Commerce, started with a mixer designed t o g e t t h e c o m mu n it y members to interact with one another. “The m i xer ser ves a two-fold purpose,” Chamber of Commerce Manager Trey Boyles said. “That purpose being a service of significant contribution to t he com mu n it y a nd to promote the Chamber Membership.” In the weeks prior to event, the Chamber came on campus and provided certain organizations with tickets so students could attend the mixer. “This is a great opportunity for students to get involved with others in the community,” sophomore computer information systems major Jon Taylor said. “You never know where networking will take you later in life.” Many awards were presented at this year’s banquet including Citizen of the Year and Distinguished Community Service. The Citizen of the Year award was given to Commerce High School Principal Verdie Montgomery. Sherri Humphries was awarded the Distinguished Community Service award. Humphries is an administrative assistant for the department of mass media, communication and theatre. The Chamber is pushing for student involvement including networking activities and programs like the mixer, which is designed See CEREMONY page 3
THE EAST TEXAN IS DAILY ONLINE
Monday - Friday news stories, photos, polls, video and information will be posted online Don’t wait for Thursday for your campus news Log on to theeasttexan.com to get up-to-date information every day
OPINION
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Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
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Above the Law GOOOH aims to boot House reps School can help grieving students
JOSH LAW STAFF WRITER In light of recent events in my life, I feel compelled to bring up a somewhat touchy subject: the loss of a loved one. In the past two semesters, I have lost two good friends I have known more than 15 years. One of them committed suicide about four months ago, and the other passed away from unknown causes about two weeks ago. These events have had very negative effects on my schoolwork and personal life, and I have suffered from the grief in both areas. Losing someone who is close to you is hard enough, but when you combine the pressures of school, personal and work commitments, it can be too much to bear sometimes. Everyone has different levels of being able to deal with grief and loss, and some of us simply shut down. I allowed my grief to get the better of me, and I shut down for an entire week of my life. I did not answer phone calls or e-mails, and I didn’t sleep much. Now I am finding myself playing catchup in every area of my life, and it is simply adding to my already high stress load. Hindsight is always much clearer, and seeing how badly this loss affected me, I realize now I had many
resources available to me through A&MCommerce that would have helped me a lot if I had utilized them. In the Student Services building, there are counselors who will meet with you confidentially. It can help a lot to process things with someone you do not know. The counselors have been through these situations with other students before and should be able to help you through the process. I also had many friends and family available who wanted to help me out if I would have let them. Just to be able to get the feelings out to someone who cared would have been a great help to me. Sometimes friends can surprise you with just the right words in a time of need. Another option would be to go to a professor you are close to or respect a lot and speak with them about the situation. Many of the professors here are very intelligent and have been through similar situations themselves and might be able to help you process some of the emotions. I know the feelings of loss, especially while in college, can be very hard to deal with. Sometimes you may not get to grieve the way you would otherwise, and it can hurt you. This is what happened to me, and I am sure it will happen to someone else. Many students will be at this university for several years. During your tenure here there is always a chance that something like a death in the family or the loss of a dear friend could occur, and I believe it helps to know of the services and options available to you.
The The East East Tex Texan an Established 1915 The East Texan, official student newspaper of Texas A&M University-Commerce, is published 12 times per semester during the Fall and Spring by students in reporting and editing classes. Content is solely the responsibility of the student editors and writers. The comments and views expressed in The East Texan do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of other students, staff, faculty, administration, or the Board of Trustees. The East Texan is located inside the Journalism building on the east side of campus in room 113. Single copies are available in Journalism 113 for an additional 25 cents. Letters to the Editor are welcome and should be limited to 250 words. They will not be edited for spelling, grammar and libelous or malicious statements. We reserve the right to refuse publication. Letters should be typed or e-mailed and must include a signature, classification (grade level) and telephone number. Mailing address is The East Texan, P.O. Box 4011 Commerce, Texas 75428.
JAMES BRIGHT Editor JESSICA RUSH Managing Editor
JARED WATSON ONLINE Editor
ADAM TROXTELL Sports Editor
BECCA WHITT Photo Editor
CHANCELLOR MILLS CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR
MEGAN CAREY ARTS SCENE Editor
MELISSA ARCHER STAFF CARTOONIST
CONTACT News Desk 903-886-5985
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ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR
Ladies and gentlemen, it is GOOOH time. I’m not trying to sound like a PA announcer before a home basketball game. I am talking about GOOOH: Get Out Of Our House. GOOOH is a political organization with one main goal: evict all 435 of the representatives in Congress and replace them with people who actually know what is really going on in the lives of common Americans. GOOOH aims to use a nationwide campaign to highlight regular, everyday people in communities who are members of the organization without party tags. These people will be candidates with ideas and with a purpose other than to gain wealth and power. Through this system GOOOH will provide information to voters of certain districts about these individuals. When the time comes to elect our officials, members of GOOOH will use their resources and vote for the “common man” candidate over those who are already influenced by today’s politics. Today’s politician is a career politician. He or she is influenced by money that comes in thanks to
their privileged position. They become concerned only with getting re-elected so the money stream keeps coming. After they achieve this, they sit on their backsides, arguing this and that but never doing anything. The healthcare reform currently being bounced around the House and Senate is a great example. It is clear the American people as a majority do not want this type of change. Sure, most seem to agree our healthcare system has holes, which need to be filled. Yet Congress continues to press for it, and certain high and mighty members of our legislative branch then refer to healthcare reform protesters as “unAmerican.” If they would actually listen to people and facts instead of doing whatever they want, our representatives might understand the majority of Americans do have healthcare coverage and would be against changing the entire system. An election would usually fix this, right? Well, not with the current system. The thing about today’s election environment: it is only about teams, Democrat or Republican. Many voters do not take time to step back and really consider whom they are putting in office or whom
Members of the political organization Get Out Of Our House demonstrate in front of the Capitol in Washington D.C.
they are keeping out. It is just easier to align with one party or the other and let that decide our voting patterns. GOOOH wants to change this. There is no doubt in my mind there is corruption in our government, and there has been for a very long time. This is why I see GOOOH as a beam of light in the darkness that is American politics. I believe in the current
trend of how our government is run, the people of the United States are bound to be disappointed and permanently divided by these politicians who are only fighting for themselves. We need to change how our system of electing officials works before we can even think about changing healthcare or any other national institutions.
Low self-esteem, boredom breed promiscuity
MEGAN CAREY ART SCENE EDITOR
I know teenage sexuality is not a new concept, but come on. Ever since I was a junior in high school, I’ve held the belief that there must’ve been something in the water to make the
incoming freshmen the way they were. However, by the next year, my belief about people younger than me being the easy ones was not the case. At least five girls became pregnant and this was only counting the seniors. My sister is now a sophomore in high school and I can’t help but wonder if there’s still something in the water. It must be like in Juno, where you get bored and don’t want to watch The Blair Witch Project so instead have sex. Before now, I’ve mentally connected teenage promiscuity to how someone was raised and the morals they were taught. But I know how my sister was raised; it was the
same way I was raised. Now I’ve come to the conclusion it’s all about boundaries and where girls draw that line and how willing they are to compromise themselves to feel validated in the eyes of guys. Will it make them more popular? Will it prolong their relationship with this boy? The truth is it will most likely further alienate them because guys don’t take girls who want to get down on the first date very seriously. A lack of self-confidence is something I’ve observed in my sister for years. She is beautiful, smart and has everything going for her, most of the time anyway. Yet, she
feels that inferiority and insecurity all the same. It was also something I observed in the section of the female population who dressed provocatively and had a reputation for sleeping around. I don’t care what anyone says about believing everything they hear, rumors have to start somewhere with a grain of truth. I can completely understand feeling unsure of myself, so that I think the only way to please anyone and keep him or her around is to be overtly sexual in every sense of the word. What I can’t understand is not recognizing the problem and doing something, anything, to stop the cycle.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Editor, I appreciated Chance Mill’s article in the recent East Texan regarding the proposed new bleachers at Memorial Stadium. For students concerned about this investment, I’d like to briefly comment on why I feel that now is the time to move forward with this project. Our campus is undergoing a dramatic transformation. In the last few years, we have added the Student Access and Success Center, Sam Rayburn Student Center, Science Building, and the Morris Recreation Center. We built New Pride Apartments and acquired Prairie Crossing. None of these projects was inexpensive, but each has contributed to the vibrancy of the campus. Currently, we have large holes dug all around campus so that we can upgrade our campus-wide air-conditioning system. The new music building is nearing completion—a spectacular new venue that will become the cultural epicenter for Northeast Texas. A new residence hall is being planned, and a new Facilities Advisory Committee is making deci-
sions about our next steps forward as a university. I can’t tell you how proud I am when alumni visit our campus and tell me that it has never looked better. The addition of visitors stands to Memorial Stadium fits well with these improvements taking place all over campus. The new stands will not only provide a better playing environment for Lions Football, but will also help make the campus of A&M-Commerce a destination for regional high school competitions. Currently, UIL events require seating on both sides of the field. In order for A&M-Commerce to benefit from such revenuegenerating events as high school football playoffs, track meets, soccer games, and marching band competitions, we need seating for fans on both sides of the field. Hosting UIL events also will aid in our recruiting efforts and alumni involvement. Getting students and their parents on campus is one of the best ways to introduce prospective students to the many great opportunities that our university has to offer. From a money man-
agement standpoint, there could be no better time than now to build. Financing costs are at their lowest in decades, as are construction costs. By acting now, we can do more with less. Admittedly, funding a project of this magnitude is complicated. In reality, though, it’s a lot like borrowing money to build a house. In order to get a loan, you have to be able to prove that you can pay back the money, with interest. Universities are no different. We have to pledge revenue that we expect to receive in order to take advantage of today’s lowinterest financing. That’s where the athletic fee comes in. While we expect to generate between $50,000 and $60,000 income in facility use fees each year—which is more than enough to pay back the loan—we have to pledge money from the athletic fee in order to issue the bonds necessary to finance construction. This is very common practice for funding capital projects in higher education. Tuition revenue bonds—the way we pay for big-ticket projects like
the music building—are secured by pledging revenue from future tuition collection, but in reality, the debt is actually paid with legislative appropriations. So, in effect, the athletic fee is simply the collateral we pledge in order
to secure the loan, while we actually intend to pay the debt with funds generated by the new venue—in this case a stadium that has seating on both sides. As stated in the East Texan article, adding the new bleachers is not “a cheap endeavor.” It is, however, an endeavor that has been well thought out, and one that will impact student life in positive ways for years to come. The bleachers will make our campus that much more appealing for new students, provide new sources of revenue, renew alumni involvement, and serve as a physical testament to the university’s commitment to providing students with a vibrant, exciting and, engaging campus life. Dan R. Jones President Texas A&M UniversityCommerce
www.theeasttexan.com
news
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
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...campus kept LARPers do battle in Commerce safe by device CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Event ually t he UPD hopes to incorporate Lynx w it h t h e of f ic e r ’s c e l l phones through text message, and they are looking into a way to link alerts w it h t he I n foSc reen s around campus. All university workers will be required to go t h rough ma ndator y training before having the icons installed on their computers that goes over how Lynx works and appropriate times to use it. There has been one accidental panic triggered so far, and Bone said UPD responded to it in about a minute. “They treat it like it’s serious…because we assume there is a dire situation,” he said. Bone said t he t raini ng is requ i red most ly to k now t he c i rc u msta nces for when Ly n x is necessary. “You wouldn’t use that button when someone is having a heart attack,” he said. This is important to note in light of a medical emergency that took place earlier in t he mont h at the James G. Gee Library. 70 -yea r- old Com merce resident Murrell Hogue Jr. was reading a newspaper in the library, when someone noticed he was having problems breathing. According to Associate
Director of Libraries Gail Johnston, the librarian at the desk, David Rankin called 9-1-1 and the staff did everything they could until Hunt County Emergency Medical Services could arrive. “Everything was done exac t ly t he way it was supposed to be,” Johnston sa id. “Ever y t h i ng wa s done that could be done to help that man.” I n a n ea rl ier a r t ic le publ i shed by The Ea st Texa n based of f of t he UPD police report, Hogue wa s s a id to h ave d ied at t he librar y, when i n fact he did not pass away until he had been taken away from t he campus in an ambulance headed towa rd Hu nt Reg iona l Community Hospital. “We really work very hard to make the library a safe and comfortable place,” Johnston said. Although this incident did not require the use of the Lynx software, the training the staff received allowed Rankin to make the right call. The new software has been met with approval by students who are aware of the Lynx system, still in its initial stages. “I feel like any way to make it easier for you to get help, people should jump at the technology,” freshman new media major Dakota Smith said.
JAMES BRIGHT / THE EAST TEXAN Several members of the Guilder chaper and a student who stopped by to check out the practice engage in separate battles. During the practice there were several battles with more than 10 people in the fight.
...students arrested after investigation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
warrant, which netted the arrests. The marijuana, which was seized during t he a r r e st s, wa s pac kaged to sell, according to the report. According to Bone, CPD led the investigation and UPD aided in the area of perimeter security. President Dan Jones said he was made aware of the current situation by
Athletic Director Carlton Cooper. Jones, who is currently out-of-town, said he has not been informed of any developments since this morning. Jones said it is always d i s app oi nt i ng to h ea r about students acting inappropriately, but is not jumping to conclusions. “It’s early in the investigation,” he said.
...ceremony gives accolades to helpful students, citizens CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
activities and programs like the mixer, which is desig ned to bridge t he gap bet ween education and future employers. According to the program given at the banq ue t, c on ne c t ion w it h regional businesses will help prepare students to enter the work force, as 80 percent of all jobs are landed through networking. Student membership to the chamber is $25. “What better way to serve than to service your local community,” senior h i stor y major Dougla s Rohrabaugh said. Rohrabaugh was honored wit h t he Community Partnership award at the banquet. “Events like this are
very important especially for the students who stay i n Com merce,” Roh rabaugh said. “Everything from t he st reets to t he sewers and the traffic affects the students. As voting adults we should have a say in what goes on.” Getting st udents involved with Commerce has become a priority of the city. “For the students, this is a great benefit for the students to network with business owners,” publisher for the Herald Banner Lisa Chappell said. “It is important for students to get their name out there and talk to people. No matter your future career choice. It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.”
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HERE CALL CHANCE MILLS AT 214-564-0633
JAMES BRIGHT / THE EAST TEXAN Guilder chapter member and Texas A&M University-Commerce Alumni Nathan Presley takes a break from the fighting to pet his dog. Despite the brutality of the sport, Presley made time to give his pet attention throughout the practice.
Carts move about campus JARED WATSON ONLINE EDITOR The Un iversit y Fleet, wh ic h comprises all of the motorized service vehicles and carts on campus, has seen several additions over the last few semesters. Most notable is the addition of six Global Electric Motorcars, also known as GEM cars. Though similar in appearance to golf carts, the GEM cars have seatbelts, headlights and windshield wipers. In addition, the GEM cars have license plates and are classified as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, or NEV. “Because they have seatbelts, the GEM cars are our people-movers,” Transportation Supervisor for Facilities Management Russell Shetler said. “It is easier to get around than in cars.” GEM ca rs have a ma x i mu m speed of 35 mph. As a result, the cars are not to be used on roads wit h a speed limit higher t han that, according to Shetler. Because the vehicles are licensed motor vehicles, GEM cars are prohibited from driving on sidewalks by the University Police Department.
“What people have to realize is that because [GEM cars] have license plates, they’re treated as cars,” UPD Crime Information Officer Jason Bone said. “So when I see someone driving on the sidewalk in one, I tell them ‘I can give you a ticket for that.’” The Facilities department employs most of the carts on campus, with 26 electric club cars, six gaspowered utility cars, and six GEM cars. However, according to Shetler, any department on campus can purchase a cart for their own use. “Anyone t hat wants one can have one, as long as they have the funding,” Shetler said. Once purchased, all carts are given a University Inventory Number by Inventory Control Coordinator Christopher Burch, and become part of the university fleet. There are no standardized regulations for the use of motorized carts on campus. “As far as I know, carts need only abide by the vehicle and pedestrian regulations of the University Police Department,” Executive Director of Facilities David McKenna said. In an effort to ensure student
safety, maintenance and facilities avoid driving on pedestrian walkways whenever possible. “We don’t use sidewalks as a ma i n t horoug h fa re,” McKen na said. “Somet imes, however, we have to get close to buildings for maintenance, so we must use sidewalks on occasion.” In the future, Facilities is looking to substitute gas-powered carts for more electric models. “We’re trying to become a little bit green,” Shetler said. I n add it ion to env i ron mental concerns, electric carts have lower energy costs and are easier and quicker to use than gaspowered vehicles. “We’d like to get to the point t hat instead of using a one-ton truck to go across campus, we’d have t he electric cars instead,” Shetler said. Departments interested in obtaining carts can contact Shetler for more information. “I typically give input on what bra nds a re good, wh ic h we’ve had good past history with, and how muc h we pa id for t hem,” Shetler said.
Ca mpus Life
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Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
www.theeasttexan.com
Courtesy photo Marketing Communications Michelle Tolbert is the current president of the Student Government association at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
SGA Meeting Mayor meets SGA AMANDA JOHNSON STAFF WRITER Mayor Quay Throgmorton attended the Student Government Association meeting Wed. night. At the meeting there was a Q&A session where he addressed many student issues and questions. With an upcoming reelection, Throgmorton is making it a priority to reach out to students on campus because he believes that change starts with the younger members of Commerce. “My goal is to build a relationship between the university and city council,” Throgmorton said. “Last election less than 600 students actually voted and only 15 percent of registered voters actually voted.” A big goal Throgmorton outlined was the need to integrate the university with the city of Commerce by working to bring businesses into Commerce. He explained that currently there are surveys being done to find out what the students like and don’t like about Commerce. These focus groups would identify what types of businesses to bring in to town. “We are getting a reputation as a discount town with retail stores such as My Sisters Closet and Goodwill,” Throgmorton said. “My goal is to work on attracting investors to commerce that would benefit both students and residents of Commerce.” Several issues were addressed but one of the main concerns from students was the overall look of Commerce. This included the pot-
When encountering stress, there are some helpful tips to overcome the illness, provided by ETR Associates, a nonprofit organization: *Laugh out loud *Work to finish a puzzle *Organize your closet *Relax and draw something *If you feel like crying, cry *Sing, (even really loud) *Go dancing *Try to get enough sleep *Do Yoga or some kind of workout *Get a stress ball and squeeze it
hole filled streets and the lack of up keep surrounding homes in Commerce. “I want to try to get volunteer programs started where people would aid in cleanup of the homes around town,” Throgmorton said. “As far as the streets, currently there is no money for that because to repair thirty streets would cost $18 million.” Throgmorton went on to explain that 55 percent of single-family housing is rental property. As a result, people lose the feeling of ownership therefore they lack in upkeep. “If I had it my way I would get volunteers to spread out and each take a street to clean,” Throgmorton said. “I want Commerce to look like a Norman Rockwell painting.” Also stressed was that in order to see changes in Commerce, it is important that students and younger members of the community come to city council meetings to have their issues addressed. “This town is run by a vocal minority that does not like change,” Throgmorton said. “It is up to younger people to help change the direction of council and benefit the City of Commerce.” With plans under way and surveys out, Mayor Throgmorton insists that he will do his best to bring more businesses and entertainment to Commerce to make it a better place for everyone to live. “This is not a one way street,” Throgmorton said. “I will not ask for help from the community if I can not help that community in return.”
Guilder chapter member Jared Tremor attempts to recover during a battle with an interested LARPer. In a LARP match, if a limb is struck, the fighter cannot “use” it for the rest of the battle. Once two limbs are lost, the fighter is dead.
LARPer Nathan Presley throws his sword at Jordan Wright, effectively “killing” him. This was Wright’s first time to participate in a LARP battle. In the Guilder chapter that Presley belongs to, no magic use is allowed.
...LARPing brings warfare to Commerce Continued from page 1 “We tell people we are not the good guys, but we are not the bad guys either,” he said. Another member of Guilder alumni, Nathan Presley, said his parents were involved with a similar organization when he was a kid. Presley, a friend of Tremors, said when he discovered the sport he could not wait to join. “It seemed right up my alley,” he said. There is a health value to this activity as well, according to Presley.
“It’s good exercise,” he said. “It gets you to stop playing video games and get out of the house.” Presley said the chapter has grown from six two-and-half-years ago to around 40 now. He said the name for the chapter Guilder comes from a popular movie. “We got it from The Princess Bride,” he said. “In the movie they are always blaming Guilder, so we made it a joke that when anything goes wrong it is our fault.” Another member of Guilder, Paris Junior College Radiology stu-
dent Elizabeth Barbier, joined the chapter purely by coincidence. “I asked Jared what he was doing on Saturday,” she said. “He told me, so I came out, tried it and loved it.” Barbier, who joined the chapter in November 2008, said Tremor and her have not kept the fighting local. She said in June 2009 she, Tremor and few other members of their chapter traveled to Ohio for one of the largest LARP events in the world, Ragnarok. “There were more than 1,500 people there,” she said.
The festival has grown too big for the park they were using in Ohio, according to Barbier, and this year is being moved to a new location in Pennsylvania. Tremor said he hopes the game will continue to grow, bringing more and more people to the sport. Those interested in joining Guilder or coming out to a practice can contact Tremor at bokworm8706@ hotmail.com or visit the chapter’s Google group at groups.google.com/ group/dagorhir/guilder. Check theasttexan.com for video of the event.
Parents fight greater odds than traditional students AMANDA GOODMAN STAFF WRITER Chats about sorority life, bar hopping and social events are common topics among some college students, but parents who double as students share the topics of juggling family life, work and school. Texas A&M UniversityCommerce has many commuter students that are also parents. The students not only have to attend class, but they also have to attend birthday parties and sporting activities, prepare meals, give baths and entertain their children. According to A&MCommerce counselor Marty Marsh Jacobs, there are several students who become overwhelmed and stressed from the massive amounts of activities that students perform. “Since Aug. 25, 2009 to present, 64 percent of students, which have visited the counseling center on campus, have checked stress management as concerns; 54 percent have checked just stress; and
33.6 percent have checked time management,” Marsh said. “We have several clients that have children.” Stacy Elder, a senior in Theatre, has two children, maintains a 15 hour credit load per semester and also works 30 hour weeks as a waitress. Stacy often gets overwhelmed and exhausted from taking on the hassle of classes, homework, her kids homework, basketball practice and games and also her job. Elder withdrew from all of her classes the 2009 spring semester. “I lost my energy and I had to take a break,” Elder said. One month before the semester ended, Elder experienced a severe amount of depression due to overloaded schedules from school, financial, work and family responsibilities. Although Elder would never recommend to anyone to withdraw from classes, she believes that overloaded schedules can take a massive toll on one’s emotions. “I got some rest and
now I am back full-force,” Elder said. She has graduation plans for Aug. 2010 and her main goal is to finish her degree so she can take care of her children and get a better job. Donna Deverell, a graduate student in Theatre, is also a mother to two children and has been in college for seven years offand- on. She withdrew from classes in 2003, to have children, and then returned in 2006. “There is always the stress of shows, graduate school and the kids extra curricular activities, but it will all pay-off one day,” Deverell said. “The reward of all of the positive things outweighs the exhaustion and missed moments with my kids.” Debra Carew, a junior in early childhood development, has two children, works a 25-30 hour week as an associate and is also taking 13 credit hours this semester. Not only does Carew have to take on the mass loads of reading and homework assigned to her, she takes care of
her family and also a sick grandmother. “This semester has been overwhelming because of the kids, the house, my grandmother, the classes,” Carew said. “ Time mangement is a big issue this semester.” Students like Elder, Deverell and Carew, have to abide by a strict schedule in order to accomplish the items that make their day. Out of three mothers, at A&M- Commerce, who also double as students, each of them wake in the morning no later than 6 a.m. and rarely go to bed by midnight. Their days consist of waking early enough to dress their kids, feed them breakfast, dress themselves and then get them off to school. Hoping to not have a chocolate milk spill in the process, these parents also have to be in class usually on an average of 9 a.m. After attending class all day, the parents then have to either go to work or pick their children up and then complete homework, make dinner, take
baths, and hopefully not have basketball or dance practice that day. Once their children are taken care of, the homework for themselves begin. Sometimes too exhausted from the activities these days bring, the parents either cram studies in or procrastinate an assignment. All of these actions lead to sleep deprivation, overloaded schedules and/or due dates and exhaustion. According to a counseling center brochure, “Stress can make some people anxious, depressed or ill.” According to Marsh, the counseling center can provide many ideas on stress relief. From interview sessions, heeling rhythm games and a relaxation room, the counselors can provide help to any and all those overwhelmed parents and/or students who want to be stress free. The campus counseling center is open M. - Thr. by appointments from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Ca Campus mpus Life Life
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010
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Chance Crane is one of very few authors to have had two full-length novels published before the age of 20.
Commerce residents lease plant beds in the Community Garden and are allowed to harvest anything they wish in their personal plots. The project was designed to help Commerce residents and A&M-Commerce students participate in charitable activities. The garden is open to any interested individuals looking for a good way to spend time with family.
Local garden nurtures community growth JASMINE BROWN STAFF WRITER Commerce Community Garden is designed to engage Commerce residents and Texas A&M University-Commerce students in a charitable, community-building project. A non-profit organization, the garden is located behind First United Methodist ChurchCommerce (FUMCCommerce), and started in 2009. FUMC-Commerce leases the area for the garden. “We lease the space for $1 a year from them, so that’s really nice that they donated that,” A&MCommerce assistant photography professor Vaughn Wascovich said. Wascovich has been involved in the garden’s development since its beginning. It just kind of came out of an idea for people to take a little bit more responsibility for their own food and what they eat,” he said. According to Wascovich, the garden is comprised of 36 raised plant beds and a few acres of row crops for corn, soybeans, purple hull peas, and black-eyed peas. “The row crops we give to the food bank or some churches and things like that, just to try to help the poor folks,” he said. The raised plant beds
are for individual rental. “Anyone can come there and they basically lease or rent the space for a year for about $40 and plant whatever produce they desire,” he said. “This year we’re going to add at least nine more beds so we have forty-five beds over there.” Funding for the garden’s expenses flows primarily from donations. “We have non-profit status right now for the garden, so we can apply for grants and stuff,” Wascovich said. “It just takes time and energy to do that.” A group from the city of Commerce is also involved in the garden’s development. “We have a committee that’s become a part of the Commerce Office of Cultural Affairs which is the umbrella organization that allows the garden to be non-profit. So it’s underneath that,” Wascovich said. Wascovich hopes to see more community gardens installed throughout Commerce. “I’d love to see six of these gardens in town,” Wascovich said. “I’d love to get one at the high school. I’d love to get one here on campus and actually have a demonstration garden on campus somewhere in the center of campus, not out at the greenhouse. Just some-
thing small that would get people excited about it.” Wascovich said a property on Neal Street is being considered for the site of a public garden, which anyone would be welcome to take from, as opposed to individually leased beds. Student participation in garden activities has been slow to multiply, but Wascovich continues to be optimistic. “There’s been some (student involvement),” Wascovich said, “and I’d like to get more. The challenge with the students is that most of them go away for the summer, so having a garden here doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but there are some.” Several groups on campus have contributed to the gardens as well. “We had a fraternity come over and help us last year. We had some Indian students last year that worked over there that were really terrific, and they introduced some different vegetables that we had never heard of here. So those kind of opportunities, I think, are really exciting.” Hunt County’s Precinct 4 commissioner Jim Latham also demonstrated support for the garden. “He has been really active with it, so we’ve gotten that kind of support,” Wascovich said. The garden project demonstrates the importance
of partnership between the community and A&M-Commerce. “Part of it is food and part of it is community too,” he said. “Communities don’t just exist without nurturing them, so this is a way to nurture the community and build relationships.” Commerce resident Carmen Taylor sees the garden as an asset to the community. “I think it’s a wonderful idea,” she said. The Commerce Community Garden Association (CCGA) is making efforts to spread further interest in the garden to the community. “We’re going to have a workday coming up, I think in a couple of weeks, where we’re going to build the other nine beds,” Wascovich said. “Then in March, we’re going to have a kickoff for people who want to come out, and we’ll have a barbecue out there, if they want to help or if they want to get a plot or whatever.” According the CCGA’s blog, commercecga.blogspot.com, the workday is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27. The “membership social” will be held March 27. Anyone interested in volunteering or further information may contact Wascovich at vaughn_wascovich@tamu-commerce. edu or 573-220-5968.
New residence hall planned for next fall CAITLIN MASON STAFF WRITER Texas A&M UniversityCommerce will have a new freshman residence hall in Fall 2011. The hall will be built across from Whitley Hall on the corner of Culver St. and Highway 50/24. Five West Hall buildings will be demolished to make room for the upcoming construction. Lutz, McGill, Petty, Hart or Stone halls will be demolished in May. Students living in these halls can reapply for Fall 2010 housing like other A&M-Commerce students who are planning to live on campus next semester. Students can move where they want according to the regulations of
the housing department. Berry Hall will re-open fall 2010 while the new hall is being constructed giving students another option for on-campus housing. “We are hoping to schedule demolition right after graduation in May,” Interim Director of Residential Living and Learning Dennis Koch said. “The timeline shows the demolition of some of the West Hall Buildings in May and ground breaking on the new hall possibly late June but this is all very tentative for now.” Current students see the new residence hall as a way to attract a large incoming freshman class to A&M-Commerce. “The new residence hall will be a great asset to A&M-Commerce,” senior
sports and recreation management major Shayne Daniel said. “Smith, Whitley and Berry Hall are not the most glamorous places to live on campus and cause many students to move off campus or back home after their freshmen year. The new residence hall will attract more students to A&MCommerce and will give them a cleaner and more enjoyable place to live.” The plans for the new residence hall have not been finalized. However, residence life is anticipating 300 rooms in the new hall. The number of floors and how many rooms will be on each floor is still undetermined. Unfortunately for sophomores, juniors and seniors at A&M-
Commerce, the new hall will be available only to freshman students. “Even though the new residence hall will only be open to freshman students I think it is a great idea,” senior social work major Taylor Smith said. “I have never lived in Smith Hall, but I have heard that it wasn’t pleasant. I think the new hall will attract more students to A&M-Commerce and will make the campus more attractive.” For more information on the construction of the new residence hall and current housing at A&M-Commerce contact Interim Director of Residential Living and Learning Dennis Koch at Dennis_Koch@tamu-commerce.edu.
Young author writes for his entertainment HEATHER PILKINGTON STAFF WRITER
A twice-published young writer, Chance Crane lives a life filled with service, laughs, and aspirations for a future career at Disney World. Crane is a Public Relations major at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. Crane already had two novels published before beginning his sophomore year in college. His two books, Freedom Held Hostage and Until The End, are both based on experiences that he has had. Chance wrote the first book when he was 13 year old. “I didn’t have any other books to read so I wrote one,” Crane said. “I wasn’t really interested in getting it published. After a few people read through it and thought it was a good story. Therefore, I thought I should do something with it.” The second novel was written by the beginning of Crane’s freshman year of college. The stories both take place in his home town of Mount Vernon, Texas. It is based off of Crane’s high school experiences. “I was second in my class until the final rankings came out and I ended up third,” Crane said. “The girl who beat me, Adrian, and I would joke about what would happen if she suddenly disappeared, making me number two. Thus, the idea for the book Until the End.” Despite being an accomplished writer, it would appear that even he can sometimes blur the line between the fiction for his novels and reality. “The people in my stories are based on real people I have known,” Chance said. “In the master copy there was a goof up. I actually included the name of a certain girl I know. Fortunately, before it was printed, I
caught it and was able to change it.” One of Chance’s many passions is service. In high school, he was a top 15 finalist for the most service hours participated in the state of Texas. He also served as president for the Rotary Interact Club. Not only does the writer have a passion for serving the community. He is also very committed to helping his friends. “He is really reliable and always follows through with plans,” junior sociology student, Katelyn Ginn, said. “He’s always been a good study partner, as well as an encouraging and helpful friend. He always leads by example and does the best he can do.” Passion for serving the community seems to run in the family. He is following in his sister Kimberly’s footsteps. While she attended A&MCommerce, she was president of the Golden Leo’s on campus. “He always makes you laugh, and yet he is always a bright selfless person,” junior journalism student, Brenna Martindale, said. Chance is known as being the funny one in a group of people. “He is one of the funniest and most outgoing people I know,” sophomore accounting student, Brandi Everitt, said. “He will do anything for anyone, and he has a smile on his face almost every time you see him.” Ultimately, being a famous writer is not Crane’s dream career. Writing is merely something Chance does on the side. He would rather do something that he loves even more. “I want to go to the top,” Crane said. “Be one of the people that give the commands at Disney World. It is one of my favorite places. I have been there nine times and even own Disney stock.”
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Art Art Scene Scene
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010 www.theeasttexan.com
GOOGLEIMAGES.COM
Big Sisters are the ADAM infected Little Sisters from Bioshock ten years earlier. Pictured above is a Big Sister with a Little Sister on her back.
Bioshock 2 delves into new storyline CHANCELLOR MILLS CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR After huge success with the first Bioshock game, there was no way 2K could pass up making a sequel to one of the pioneering XBOX 360 games. Like its predecessor, Bioshock 2 is set in the underwater dystopian city of Rapture. Taking place almost a full decade after the events of Bioshock, this sequel is also set in the 1960s of an alternate history where the Atlantean city of Rapture has been taken over by a new dictator, named Sophia Lamb and it has now fallen on your character, a prototype Big Daddy, to stop her from completely destroying Rapture. With any sequel, it is important game designers not “reinvent the wheel” so to speak. This was not a problem for 2K, who took many of the great features of the first Bioshock, transferred them to the second one and even added a few more cool gameplay features.
Something new in this game is, instead of playing as a bottom-of-the-foodchain human, you are now playing as a Herculean Big Daddy. Big Daddies protect the ADAM-infused Little Sisters from the ADAM-hungry denizens of Rapture, called Splicers. As a Big Daddy, you are second fiddle to only one thing in Rapture: Big Sisters. Though players will probably not recognize them in the game, Big Sisters are Little Sisters rescued at the conclusion of the first Bioshock who have now grown up into horrifying monsters with great agility and the ability to use plasmids. One of the many things revisited is the existence of ADAM, which are stem cells harvested from an unknown species of sea slug. ADAM has the ability to repair damaged tissue and even rewrite the human genome. This genetic alteration allows the player to utilize supernatural weapons called plasmids. There are roughly a dozen or more plasmids, ranging from setting an enemy on
fire to tricking them into becoming your ally for a short time. A massive improvement in this game is the ability to dual-wield plasmids alongside a slew of Big Daddy-sized weapons. This feature was not available in the original and allows the player to vary their fighting techniques during almost-constant warfare with Splicers. As far as Big Daddy weapons are concerned, you can now carry a wide array, ranging from a large drill attached to your right arm to a spear gun that fires rocket propelled spears that can carry an enemy a long distance before exploding. As opposed to the weapons of the first game, these weapons were actually made for your character and were not pieced together by a bunch of detoxing ADAM junkies. One of the few drawbacks of Bioshock 2 is the limit placed on the number of certain things your character can carry. For instance, you can now only carry five EVE hypodermics and five first aid
kits. EVE is the ammo that fuels plasmids and when you run out, no more fire at your fingertips. Some plasmids take a lot of EVE to use and so you can see how this limited capacity could pose a bit of a problem at times. One aspect of the first Bioshock that was really cool was the focus on morality and making morally responsible decisions as the player. If you make the right decisions you get a “good” ending, or vice versa. Well that concept was amped up quite a bit in the sequel, with the player having more chances to choose the path of good or bad. Every choice you make in the game changes the ending. Most sequels are usually improved in some aspects that make the original game relatively obsolete. However, this is not quite the case with Bioshock 2. As cinematic as both of these games are, after playing through Bioshock 2, I had no greater desire than to play through each game again in succession.
GOOGLEIMAGES.COM
Teddy Daniels, DiCaprio, battles his inner demons as he confronts his wife within a revealing nightmare, which ends in her inevitable death.
Shutter Island mystery denounced by effects BECCA WHITT PHOTO EDITOR The psychological thriller Shutter Island, based on a novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, employs a cleverly twisted plot to leave its audience enthralled in dark possibilities. The story is set in a post World War II era on a treacherous island off the coast of Massachusetts, home to Ashecliffes Hospital for the Criminally Insane. War veteran and U.S Marshal Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is investigating the disappearance of
patient Rachel Salondo, who escaped from her locked corridors without leaving a trace. As the clues unfold, he is left swimming in gruesome memories from Nazi Germany and the untimely death of his wife Dolores Chanal, played by Michelle Williams. Daniels’ stay at Shutter Island is littered with headaches, hallucinations and grizzly nightmares all pointing to one thing: the answers he seeks are inside the heavily guarded lighthouse, where the opportunity to visit only arises after a severe storm ravages the island. Leonardo DiCaprio’s perfect portrayal of the haunted war veteran
gives the film the extra something it needs. Ben Kingsley and Max Von Sydow as the two doctors at the institution play both pivotal and moving roles. Von Sydow’s Dr. Naehring pushes Daniels’ and entices him to look deeper into himself by accusing him to be a man of violence. Observers believe Daniels and empathize with his convictions and as the truth unfolds, the viewer is left conflicted. However, there are some technical flaws. Hokey special effects plague the visually disturbing nightmares Daniels suffers. Creative directors of
the film claim the effects enhance the distinctions between fiction and reality, a theme the movie relies on heavily. But the pink painted on blood of a murder victim and chunky falling ash from the ceiling of a burning building lack the intentionality to support this goal. Overall the movie captures the ability to play with the psyche of its viewers. Despite corny effects, Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance is riveting. The vague closing line “Is it better to live a monster, or die a good man?” leaves the audience wondering just that.
COURTESY PHOTO MICAH HAYNES
Micah Haynes has only been at Texas A&M University-Commece since Fall of 2009, having spent two years at PJC.
Actor cannot resist call of theatre, acting JAMES BRIGHT EDITOR Many people don’t know what they want to do with their lives, but theatre major Micah Haynes hopes the curtain on his career doesn’t fall any time soon. Haynes said he started at a young age with University Interscholastic League competitions. His teachers noticed his talent and pushed him to continue acting. “My teacher saw I had a knack for talent,” he said. Haynes is not the only entertainer in his family. He said he has an acting family who has helped and influenced him through out his education. “I’ve been inspired by two of my aunts,” he said. “I’ve looked up to them my whole life.” Haynes said although his passion is in theatre, musicals are another avenue of acting he enjoys. Despite his multitude of talents Haynes said he dealt with some issues in high school as an actor. “Everyone considers you un-cool in junior high and high school so I was picked on,” he said. Throughout his scholastic career Haynes said there has been several times where he has wanted to hang up his acting robes for good, but cannot. After high school he said he would stop acting and after leaving Paris Junior College he said he was done, but the call of the theater has not ceased. “As hard as I have tried not to do it just keeps pulling me back,” he said. He came to Texas A&M University-Commerce in fall of 2009 after spending the first two years of his collegiate career at Paris Junior College. Haynes said after he completes his bachelors’ degree he intends to take a year off before going to graduate school. During
this time Haynes said he will audition for plays, movies and commercials. “As long as I’m acting I’m happy,” he said. He landed his first role at A&M-Commerce in last semester’s production of The Bird and The Bee. “It was my favorite show I’ve done,” he said. Although The Bird and The Bee is Hayne’s favorite work he said the production was intimidating. “I didn’t know how to take on playing different people,” he said. The director of the play, Assistant Professor of Acting and Directing Dr. Carrie Klypchak, was the reason Haynes said he pulled off the performance. “She’s an amazing director,” he said. “She is very capable of bringing out the best in every actor.” Klypchak said Haynes is a talented actor. “Micah is very enthusiastic and dedicated,” she said. According to Klypchak, Haynes has a good chance at having a successful future as an actor. “When you have a combination of dedication and talent you have potential for a great career,” she said. Theatre major A’Mari Rochealeau, who worked with Haynes on The Bird and The Bee, is currently practicing with him for the American Theatre College Festival. “He is one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with,” she said. Rochealeau said Haynes has helped her get through some tough scenes as well. She said the two of them do not go into every scene seriously which helps with the process. Currently Haynes is not performing in any shows on campus, but is waiting to audition for a performance of Skipan.
Editors’ Picks
Chancellor Mills Movie: The Stepfather Band: The Academy Is... TV Show: House
James Bright Movie: Dead Snow Band: Alkaline Trio TV Show: American Idol
Megan Carey Movie: Easy Virtue Band: H.I.M. TV Show: Queer as Folk
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SPORTS
A&M-Commerce’s Brian Singleton goes up for a basket in a game against Southeastern Oklahoma.
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
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Ashley Murphy tries to shoot over Texas Woman’s University senior Megan Hashman last Saturday.
Bronchos do double on A&M-Commerce basketball SPORTS INFORMATION
Men’s Texas A&M UniversityCommerce freshman Preston Whitley scored a career-high and gamehigh 26 points in a 10186 loss to host Central Oklahoma on Wednesday night in Edmond, Okla. A&M-Commerce (17-8, 6-4 LSC North) scored first on a Brian Singleton lay up; however, UCO scored the next five points as Dauntae Williams made a lay up and Tyler Phillips hit a 3 pointer for a lead that it would not surrender. Central Oklahoma
(20-4, 9-0 LSC North) in the win extended its winning streak to a school record 16 straight. Six Bronchos scored in double figures including Shane Carroll and Phillips, who scored 23 and 20 points, respectively. Joining them in double figures was Eric Cazenave, who scored 19 points – all in the second half – Williams added 18, Carl Curry and Chris Rhymes scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. In addition to the 26 from Whitley, Ronnie Morgan added 13, Brad Hambrick and Cardell Hunter scored 12 and 11 points, respective-
ly. Morgan was just shy of a double double with a game-high nine rebounds. The Bronchos built the lead to 19 on four occasions in the first half as they shot 58.1% from the field. To start the second half, A&M-Commerce went on a 15-5 spurt to lower the lead to single digits, 55-46 with 17:12 left in the game. Cazenave came back and hit three 3 pointers over a three-minute span to put the lead at double digits for the league leaders. Trailing by 15, 75-60 with 10:20 to go, the Lions reeled off eight-straight points to reduce the
lead to seven. However that would be as close as A&M-Commerce would get. Women’s A 20-3 run to close out the first half led host Central Oklahoma to a 92-59 win over Texas A&M University-Commerce on Wednesday night in Edmond, Okla. A&M-Commerce (4-19, 1-10 LSC North) held an early lead for the opening 6:42 of the game against the Lone Star Conference North Division leaders. The Lions extended its lead to as much as seven, 13-6, when junior
Mattilyn McIntyre hit a 3 pointer with 15:53 to go in the first 20 minutes. Central Oklahoma (19-5, 10-1 LSC North) rallied from the early deficit and took its first lead when Alyssa Fuxa made a lay up with 12:53 to go for a 19-17 lead. The Lions’ Ashley Murphy made a layup with 7:23 remaining to cut the Bronchos’ lead to 32-27. UCO answered by scoring 15 of the next 16 points to take a 50-28 lead, 10 of the points came in the paint, with 1:13 left in the first half. In the second half, Central Oklahoma extended the lead to as much as 38 and went on
a 12-0 spurt en route to the win. Despite the loss, four members of the A&MCommerce Lions scored in double figures. Murphy led the Lions with 13 points, McIntyre and Genevieve Campbell each scored 11 and Tiffany Mitchell added 10. In the win, Central Oklahoma also had four players score in double figures as Savannah Hamilton scored a teambest and game-high 20 points. Ashley Beckley added 13 and off the bench, Alyssa Fuxa and Courtney Allen scored 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Campus provides fitness classes JOSH LAW STAFF WRITER This semester at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce, the Morris Recreation Center (MRC) is offering group fitness classes and massages for health-conscious students. These amenities are free and open to any student or individual who has a membership to the recreation center. Among the activities available to participate in are yoga, abdominal labs, Pilates, circuit training, step routines, and turbokick classes. Also available are swing and reggae dancing, as well as hiphop fusion classes. “If people find a fitness class they enjoy coming to, it makes it more like they are getting into a fitness program together instead of just working out,” Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness Moira Johnson said. The majority of these groups take place every Monday through Friday from around 6:30 am to as late as 9:00 pm. Depending on the desired class, the instructors typi-
cally meet two to three times a week. The classes are a mixture of cardio, strength, and mind/body training that range in difficulty from beginner to intermediate. On specific Fridays from 5:30 to 6:20 pm, specialty classes are offered that include kickboxing, sports conditioning, and swing and reggae dancing. The program has been growing for approximately 5 years now and has progressed from classes simply watching DVDs together to having live instructors teaching them. Since last semester, there has been a large increase in the number of classes offered. Currently, there are about 30 classes available every week, and there are plans to add an additional seven at the end of February. The early morning and evening classes are typically fuller than the classes available during the day, with some having as many as 25 people per class. Reaction to the classes being offered has been
positive, as the enrollment numbers are very high this semester. One student believes the variety is one reason why. “I think it is really cool they are offering different classes like that to get people interested,” graduate student with a bachelor’s in Business Administration James Harvey said. Massages are also available from licensed massage therapists on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:45 until 1:30 pm in the Leadership Lounge in the Sam Rayburn Student Center. Costs range from about $20 per half hour for students and an additional $5 is added for a deep tissue massage. At least one student likes the idea of having services like these available to them in the SRSC. “I think it is convenient for things like this to be offered in the student center. It is very centrally located for the staff and faculty too,” senior history major Kevin Grubbs said. For a full list of the classes and services, group fitness schedules are available at the MRC.
Students enjoy one of many new fitness classes taking place at the Morris Recreation Center.
Baseball, generocity in Cain Sports Complex history BRIAN BOYNTON STAFF WRITER Cain Sports Complex has a short but profound history here on campus. It hosts many of the universities intramural sports from football to softball. The complex was donated by a group of alums and Campus Recreation. It plays host to club sports and intramural sports. Baseball and softball club teams also call those fields home.
Director of the Morris Recreating Center Tim Willett said before the complex was built in 2003, the fields that existed were beyond ill repair and had to be torn down and rebuilt. John Cain, an alumnus from Athens, Texas, along with his father run an organization called the Cain Foundation. The Cain Foundation, with the help of another former alumnus, Durwood Merrill, gave the universi-
ty $300 thousand to build baseball and softball fields in order to attract more athletes to come to A&MCommerce. The field is named for them for their generous donation. Willet said the university was also able to put $150 thousand into the project from money that they had been saving to renovate Cain. In 2004 the complex still did not have floodlights, so a group of students led by the student
body president went to former university president Dr. Keith McFarland and asked the university to assist in getting lights put onto the fields. He obliged, and all fields were outfitted with lights and scoreboards, except for the baseball field due to cost issues. According to President Dan Jones, the university has big plans for the complex in the future. “We are looking at adding a walking and jog-
ging trail as well as a driving range to be used by athletics as well as other students and the community,” he said. There is an expressed interest in allowing both athletics and intramurals to use these fields. According to Jones, the university hopes to reclaim a field used by intramural soccer and use it as a backup practice field for the A&MCommerce football team. Jones also said, since there
are currently no club baseball or softball teams on campus, the two sports diamonds are being under utilized. The softball field is only used for intramurals and the baseball is hardly, if ever, used. Willet, McFarland, and Jones all said this area of the state is a hot bed for baseball players because there are many junior colleges in the area fielding a baseball team, and it would not be hard to bring those players here.
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sports
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
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LSC Women’s Basketball: Tues., Feb. 16 Tarleton 66, ACU 64 Wed., Feb. 17 ASU 53, W.T. A&M 64 Cameron 45, SE Okla. 82 MSU 63, A&M-Kings. 72 SW Okla. 67, ECU 84 TAMU-C 59, UCO 92 N’eastern 66, TWU 52 Sat., Feb. 20 UCO 66, N’eastern 81 ECU 66, Cameron 80 TWU 90, TAMU-C 80 A&M-King. 52, Tarleton 91 ACU 61, MSU 64 SE Okla. 85, SW Okla. 71
That Sports Thing? Who is MVP for Men’s Basketball? ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR When choosing an MVP for Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball, many names immediately jump off of the stats sheet. Ronnie Morgan and Brian Singleton are just two players that have been crucial to the Lions’ season, as is evident by the amount of points and rebounds they have accumulated. The deciding factor goes beyond the stats sheet, and that is why my choice for MVP falls to Singleton. He leads the team in points, averaging 14 per game, and has an average 3.4 rebounds per game with a total of 86. He has 87 assists, second only to point guard Cardell Hunter (who has 103). One other statistic remains the most important. Singleton leads the team in three-point percentage with .470. He is 39-83 from beyond the arc, and this is much more important when looking past the stats sheet. Outside shooters are always vitally important when a basketball team needs a spark, something to get them back into the game. Nothing beats a few three point shots to bring a team back within reach of their opponents. Singleton was the top scorer in 10 of the 25 games A&MCommerce played. The highest of these was a 28 point effort against Henderson State, in which he went 4-6 from threepoint land. In his 27 point game in a loss to Central Oklahoma, he went 50 per cent from beyond the arc. This, for the most part, kept A&M-Commerce on pace with the Bronchos. But wait, there’s more. In what other way can a team get a big momentum swing at a crucial point in a basketball game? How about a steal and a quick basket? Singleton leads the team in steals with 44, and this is another valuable statistic. Singleton gets my MVP vote because his name has popped up at many crucial times during the season, and that is the definition of a valuable player.
STAFF REPORTS The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball team has been one of the most successful regular season teams for the Lions’ 2009-10 season, posting a 17-8 overall record that is third best in the Lone Star Conference North Division. While several players have been key to the Lions’ success on the court this year, forward Ronnie Morgan has stood head and shoulders above the rest. The 6’6 senior from Dallas, Texas is currently second on the team and 12th in the conference in points per game, averaging 13.6 a game. Having started 19 of the 22 games he’s played in, Morgan has been a consistent performer for head coach Sam Walker’s squad. Morgan leads A&MCommerce in rebounds with 153 total rebounds, averaging seven a game, and is tied for the blocks lead with 15. His solid defensive play in the paint has been invaluable for the Lions, especially with highly-touted senior transfer Justin Wilkerson failing to crack the starting lineup. Morgan has led the Lions is scoring in seven games this season and rebounding 12 times. He got his season off to a good start right away with a 16 point and 10 rebound effort against St. Edwards University in A&M-Commerce’s first game of the season. In the remaining two regular season games and the LSC playoffs, the forward’s powerful rebounding and dynamic scoring will be a muchneeded element. Morgan’s effectiveness was no more apparent than in the Lions’ Jan. 10 game against East Central University. He scored 24 points on 10-15 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds in 33 minutes of play, leading A&M-Commerce to a 101-83 trouncing of a North Division opponent. If it weren’t for Morgan, it is doubtful that A&MCommerce would be where they are now, which is why he is the 2009-10 A&M-Commerce men’s basketball player of the year. Confirmed Football Signees
Men’s Basketball Schedule: 02/27, @ Cameron, 4 p.m. LSC Tournament runs March 3-6
Women’s Basketball Schedule:
02/27, @ Cameron, 2 p.m. First Track Meet: Early Bird Meet Men’s and Women’s Hosted by A&M-Commerce Feb. 27
Pos.-Name, Height, Weight OL-Gary Aguilar, 6-5, 289 DL-Anthony Booher, 6-3, 225 DL-Evan Booher, 6-3, 202
FB-Carrington Brown, 5-10, 212
WR-Darrin Brown, 6-0, 180 DB-Corvellas Cage, 5-10, 157 OL-Nick Cannon, 6-4, 276 LB-Isaiah Cobbin, 6-2, 200 DB-Cortney Craig, 6-0, 285 LB-Jeremy Dotson, 6-2, 239 DB-Marcus Fore, 5-9 170 DL-Cedrick Freeman, 6-3, 210 P-Cameron Frosh, 6-2, 168 WR-Jarrod Hall, 6-4, 220 OL-Brandyn Hinnrichs, 6-3, 260 DB-Brandon Jackson, 5-11, 165
WR-Kenzee Jackson, 6-0, 175 OL-Jose Martinez, 6-2, 272 DL-Tevin Moore, 6-1, 260 OL-Zach Rice, 6-5, 257 LB-Aaron Shaw, 6-0, 205
DL-Lawson Schwartner, 6-4, 211 WR-Tevin Thompson, 6-1, 202
DL-Brandon Turner, 6-0, 246 QB-Luke Wagner, 6-3, 217
Senior Ashley Murphy shoots from close range over TWU senior Jessica Durr in last Saturday’s game.
Lions winless in ten games ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR
The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team lost its 10th straight game on Saturday, falling to Texas Woman’s University 90-80. The loss takes A&M-Commerce to a 4-20 record overall this season and a 1-11 record in the Lone Star Conference North Division. After initially falling behind early, the Lions clawed their way back and even took the lead five minutes in. A 10-0 run midway through the first half put the Pioneers in a commanding position, due in part to a fantastic performance by junior Kayla Weaver. She was a big offensive force from start to finish, and ended the game with a double-double, a game high 35 points and 10 rebounds. Weaver was 13-17 from the floor. An 8-1 run later in the first half brought the Lions back within reach, as the two teams traded momentum. TWU took a 38-35 lead into halftime. A&M-Commerce Head Coach Nicole Anderson has talked before about her team’s difficulty in playing two solid halves of basketball, but the same
cannot be said for this game. After the half, both teams came out trading buckets and the Lions took the lead multiple times in the middle of the second frame. Junior Mattilyn McIntyre had a superb second half, scoring 17 points and finishing with a team high 22 points in the game game. Senior Ashley Murphy finished in double figures for the fourth game in a row with 17 points. The Pioneers also had a player with a solid second half in sophomore Jessica Hanna. She was a big part of a 12-2 run later in the half, which turned out to be crucial for TWU. Hanna finished the game with 12 points. TWU is now 12-11 overall and 6-5 in the LSC North. “Balance wise, I think we played more of a game today,” Anderson said. “It’s just a matter of executing some things down the stretch and having an opportunity to score. In the first half we had six stops in a row, but we only capitalized on three of them.” Junior Genevieve Campbell also thought the team’s effort was much better this time around. Campbell finished the game with 15 points.
A&M-Commerce football coaches are excited about the new signings.
Lions content with recruits ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR On Wednesday Feb. 3, national signing day, 25 players were named by the football coaching staff as having signed letters of intent to play for Texas A&M UniversityA&M-Commerce in the Fall of 2010, and a 26th was signed the following week. Head Coach Guy Morriss is in his first full off-season with the Lions, having joined the program in early 2009. While he and A&M-Commerce football had a late start at recruiting last year, and had to resort to out of state recruiting trips, they have been able to secure many players from Texas they feel will help tremendously in the future. “That Thursday morning, I probably received three or four phone calls form coaches that saw, in the paper, our whole recruiting class,” Assistant
Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Ryan Scherling said. “They were pretty impressed. They think we’ve got a heck of a class. The Fall is going to be pretty interesting around here, we think. With the class we built last year and this one, we can win a lot of games.” Scherling said wide receivers Jarrod Hall from Waco and Kenzee Jackson from Arlington are just two of the players he and other coaches are the most excited about. He also said Jackson turned down the chance to walk on at Oklahoma University in order to join A&M-Commerce. The majority of the players brought in this offseason are from Texas high schools. Morriss said he wants Texas to be A&MCommerce’s main focus for recruiting for years to come. “We have them now from Oregon, Louisiana, Gerogia, Florida,
“We played with more intensity in both halves,” she said. “It sucks to lose, but as long as you can look yourself in the mirror and know you played hard, it’s good.” The Lions were also affected by the amount of fouls called during the game. The final foul count for the Lions was 29, while TWU had 22. A&M-Commerce sophomore Sarah Duran, who finished the game with 11 points, fouled out midway through the second half, while Murphy and Campbell played a good portion of the second half with four fouls. “Being in foul trouble doesn’t make anything good for us, and with only 8 kids and four of them have four fouls, now you have to pick and scramble,” Anderson said. “We play a very aggressive style of defense, which is very uncommon in our conference. When that happens, I think it becomes a surprise to people who are watching and even calling the games. We have to be better at moving our feet instead of using our hands so much.” Both the men and women play their last regular season games on Saturday, away to Cameron University.
Kentucky, Massachusetts, but 96 per cent of them are from Texas, and we’re going to keep it that way,” he said. “Actually, we’ll probably do less and less out of state recruiting as we go forward.” While Texas is known for being a hot spot for high school football recruiting, Morriss said there are more advantages to bringing in players from the Northeast Texas area. “They have families that can see them play,” he said. “The far side of Ft. Worth is about an hour and a half, two hours, and that’s not too far of a distance for someone to drive over here for 5 or 6 Saturdays in the fall to watch their son play.” Morriss added bringing in area players could also increase the amount of fans at games. He said having local players would make the team more personal for local residents. “We wanted to recruit this region heavily so we can start increasing our fan base,” Morriss said. “I think the local people care more about watching a local kid play than somebody from out of state. They just know about them from growing up in the local communities, junior high [school] ball, and high school ball. They like to follow them through their whole career, and we’re hoping we can grow some fan support that way.” Scherling said recruiting locally will also help A&M-Commerce gain recognition and partnerships for the future.
LSC Men’s Basketball: Tues., Feb. 16 Tarleton 70, ACU 60 Wed., Feb. 17 ASU 84, W.T. A&M 85 Cameron 58, SE Okla. 65 MSU 87, A&M-Kings. 74 SW Okla. 94, ECU 88 TAMU-C 86, UCO 101 Sat., Feb. 20 UCO 74, N’eastern 81 ECU 91, Cameron 81 SE Okla. 55, SW Okla. 71 A&M-King. 59, Tarleton 78 ACU 83, MSU 96 Women’s Basketball LSC North Standings 1. N’eastern State 11-1, 22-5 2. Central Okla. 10-2, 19-6 3. SE Oklahoma 9-3, 19-6 4. Texas Woman’s 7-5,13-11 5. East Central 4-8, 12-13 6. Cameron 4-8, 8-17 7. SW Okla. 2-10, 2-23 8. TAMU-C 1-11, 4-20 LSC South Standings 1. W Texas A&M 9-1, 25-2 2. Tarleton State 8-3, 21-5 3. A&M-Kings. 6-4, 18-7 4. Abilene Christ. 5-5, 15-10 5. Angelo State 5-5, 12-12 6. Eastern NM 2-8, 7-18 7. Midwestern 1-10, 7-17 Men’s Basketball LSC North Standings 1. Central Okla. 9-1, 20-5 2. N’eastern State 9-1, 18-7 3. TAMU-C 6-4, 17-8 4. SW Oklahoma 5-5, 11-14 5. SE Oklahoma 5-6, 10-16 6. East Central 2-9, 7-18 7. Cameron 0-10, 10-14 LSC South Standings 1. Midwestern 9-2, 24-2 2. Tarleton State 9-2, 21-5 3. Angelo State 7-3, 16-9 4. W Texas A&M 5-5, 14-11 5. Eastern NM 3-7, 8-16 6. A&M-Kings. 2-8, 12-13 7. Abilene Christ. 1-9, 8-17
“We tapped in to a lot of different schools in the area and built relationships with those high schools that we’re going to continue for years on now,” he said. “I think we’ve established ourselves as a good force in our conference. I know a lot of people have taken notice of that, which is kind of a cool thing. You walk into high schools and they say ‘We haven’t seen Commerce here in forever.’ So, that was kind of cool to hear them say that, and they were very gracious in helping us out.” So far, the football program has recruited six defensive linemen, six offensive linemen, four wide receivers, four deep backs, three linebackers, a fullback, a quarterback, and a punter. “We needed to add some more depth to the offensive lineman position, that’s why we signed the six o-linemen,” Morriss said. “We’ll try to keep 15 to 18 scholarship lineman around. We’ll play with four [receivers] wide a lot, so we like to have two, maybe three deep across the board.” Morriss said they are still looking at bringing in players before spring training begins. “We’re desperately looking for some corners, and always looking for defensive lineman as well,” he said. The first spring practice for football is a helmets only session on March 30 at 6:30 a.m. A spring game is tentatively scheduled for April 24 at 1:00 p.m.