The East Tex an
S TUDENT NE WSPAPER OF TE X AS A& M UNIVERSIT Y- COMMERCE SINCE 1915
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XCIV, No. 24, 8 pages
Thursday, April 29, 2010
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New scoreboard to be installed Addition could bring more advertising dollars chance crane staff writer
A new scoreboard will be installed for the upcoming football season at A&M-Commerce’s Memorial Stadium. The scoreboard will feature more advertising spots and a video screen. The cost of the board is estimated at $700,000. It will be constructed at no cost to students. “It’s all going to be paid through
advertising,” Athletic Director Carlton Cooper said. “That’s the only way we got permission to do it [from President Dan Jones], which I thought was fair.” Two main contributors will be the Commerce City Council and the Commerce Independent School District (CISD). Additional advertising is coming from Alliance Bank, Holiday Inn and Open Imaging. The school district has not yet determined how much they will contribute toward
the scoreboard. “I believe very strongly that with the City of Commerce and CISD being displayed prominently, it will show the commitment that we are all working hard to complement each other and work together for the benefit of our community,” CISD Superintendent Blake Cooper said. “Any possible way we can show this support of one another is important to the future of our community.”
The City Council voted to donate $50,000 throughout five years. “We hope it brings more competing teams and sports fans,” Commerce mayor Quay Throgmorton said. “I think it is one of the steps we need to take to work together.” The city’s contribution will come from tax revenue provided by the hotels and motels in town through the hotel-motel tax. Every city in the state See NEW page 3
Safetysuit rocks campus
BECCA WHITT / THE EAST TEXAN
Lead singer and guitarist for Safetysuit Doug Brown takes a break from the concert to the talk to the audience. During the concert Brown jumped into the crowd and continued to play his guitar while several fans surrounded him. Later, he took a female audience member on stage and sang to her.
Concert sets tone for possible future events Amanda Johnson staff writer
Campus Activities Board hosted a free concert Thursday in the parking lot of the One Stop Shop. The show started at 8 p.m. with performances by Truman and SafetySuit. The CAB was looking for something exciting to bring to A&M-Commerce students when the agents of SafetySuit and Truman contacted them. “SafetySuit is one of the most recognized bands we’ve been able to bring to our campus,” CAB President Sarah Cunningham said. “Next year we would like to get an even bigger band and continue to do so each year.” The concert opened with Truman playing a 10-song set strictly with vocals and keyboard. The duo is comprised of brothers Ben and Chad Truman from Nashville, Tenn. Their music is con-
Thursday H: 81 L: 66
Friday H: 83 L: 61
sidered soul with influences from R&B and rock. The Truman brothers won the campus-wide Battle of the Bands two years in a row at Brigham Young University. Their father is the keyboard player for the country group, Diamond Rio. “I pick up the guitar and just start playing, because music inspires lyrics,” Ben Truman said. “Chad will think up lyrics based on personal experiences, sing a couple lines, I’ll play and then we will collaborate.” The big attraction for the evening was the performance by the band SafetySuit. SafetySuit is comprised of four men: Doug Brown, guitars and vocals; Dave Garofalo, lead guitar; Jeremy Henshaw, bass; and Tate Cunningham on drums. SafetySuit has been recognized on VH1’s Top 20 Countdown where their song “Stay” premiered at number one. During the concert, lead singer, Doug Brown, jumped off the stage into the
Saturday H: 82 L: 68
crowd, where he grabbed a girl’s camera and began taking pictures for her of the band on stage. “When the singer jumped off the stage, the crowed went crazy, I think it really pumped them up,” Associate Director of Building Operations and Special Events at the Sam Rayburn Student Center Connie Mears said. “It was the perfect night for a concert, the guys from the band were really nice and the crowd was having a blast.” Both bands stayed after their performances to sigh autographs, take pictures and sell their CDs. Both bands expressed interest in coming back to Commerce for another concert. “All of the guys were extremely nice and put on an amazing show,” CAB volunteer Lauren Booe said. “I hope that CAB continues to bring amazing performances to our campus because everyone really enjoyed it.”
Foam party STD myth debunked josh law staff writer
Foam parties are thrown on a daily basis at college campuses and nightclubs across the United States. These parties on film can be dated back to “A Rhapsody in Black and Blue” (1936), in which Louis Armstrong danced around and played his trumpet in a room filled with foam. The topic of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or other illness from this kind of party has recently caused a lot of discussion. Although research has yielded no documented case of someone actually contracting an STD in this manner, blog and chat sites all over the Internet provide examples of people who claim to have caught these diseases at foam parties. Researchers on this topic disagree. According to www. health.arizona.edu: “If you’re having sexual contact in the bubbles with an infected person, then yes, you could get a sexually transmitted infection. If you’re not having sexual contact but are worried that the foam could migrate from one person to another, carrying an STI, it’s nearly impossible.” Not everyone has bought into this myth at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. “I believe you have more of a chance of getting an STD from ‘messing around’ with the people at the foam party than from the foam itself after someone infected was in it,” junior accounting major Courtney Blaske said. Other issues have arisen from attending foam parties. There have been reports of partygoers developing severe allergic skin or eye reactions after attending. This is largely due to incorrect use of dish soap instead of non-irritating foam in the foam generating machines. According to the New England Journal of Medicine See FOAM page 3
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OPINION
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Thursday, April 29, 2010
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Above the Law “Nuclear” home Crop circles remain cryptic not so common
JOSH LAW STAFF WRITER I wrote an article about paranormal investigators and how their research is something that should be appreciated, even though they do not always get the credit they deserve. Here is an example of exactly what I am talking about. Crop circles have been around for approximately 340 years. Probably the most well-known case was the “Mowing Devil” (1678) in Hertfordshire, England, in which a farmer’s field was said to have been visited by an entity that trampled his crops down in a circle. This occurred well before any claims surfaced of humans actually making the circles themselves for a publicity stunt. So, if it was probably not people that did it, what made the circle? This is exactly what researchers like those at www.bltresearch. com set out to answer. These researchers have dedicated their time and talents to learning everything they can about the scientific abnormalities that exist within “real” crop circles. When you begin to analyze the data they have collected, you can clearly see there is something very strange going on. Some kind of an outside force is interacting with these plants, which causes them to have strange properties afterward. Node expulsion cavities, from what is believed to be short bursts of microwave
radiation, have been detected. Elongation of these nodes within the plants has also been seen in a large number of these circles. The complete absence of seeds after re-growth is noticed in some plants, and in others, there is a “statistically significant massive increase in growth rate and vigor, with growth-rate up to five times the rate of the control seeds. Further, these seedlings can tolerate extreme stress (lack of water and/or light) for considerable periods of time without apparent harm,” according to www.bltresearch.com. In addition to these strange findings, tiny magnetic iron particles of meteoritic origin have been found strewn about the outer edges of “real” crop circles. The researchers believe this is due to some form of centrifugal force pulling this material out of the upper atmosphere and distributing it over the circle. Also, there are changes in the crystalline structure of the soil within “real” crop circles, which would require the soil to be heated to 600800 degrees Celsius for several hours in order to achieve. Interestingly, a very rare phenomenon called a “snow circle” was recently found. The snow was flattened in circular shapes, no human footprints were anywhere in the snow, and the crops underneath were flattened after the snow melted too. Curious. In crop circles created by humans, these abnormalities do not exist. This leads back to the original question: What made the circles then? The answer is that we simply do not know. We do, however, have the scientific tools and researchers available to record this data and report it back, so that we may better understand this phenomenon.
SUDOKU STYLE * Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order * Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order * Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9
Puzzle courtesy of puzzle.about.com
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.
CHANCELLOR MILLS CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR We are no longer living in the 1950s. There is no longer such a thing as the “nuclear” family. How many guys are still going home to their wives and their 2.5 kids? To hell with the “nuclear” family. Ever since I was about five years old, it has only been my mother and me. My father hasn’t really been in the picture much since then. When I tell people that, I have noticed they tend to give me the old sympathetic “Aww.” This is unwarranted, however, as I don’t view this absence of a father as an entirely negative thing. My situation has affected me in a lot of good ways over the years. Since it has only been my mother and me for the majority of my life,
I feel as if I have a closer relationship with her than most people do with one or both of their parents. There is very little my mom does not know about me. She knows about the first time I drank alcohol. She knows about everyone important in my life here at A&M-Commerce. She even knows about the time I fell through a friend’s ceiling and had to fix it using nothing more than duct tape and Spackle. With my mom being a single, working parent, she was not always able to be around. At times like these, other family members of mine stepped in to pick up some of the slack. My grandmother, “Nana,” stepped in as my second mother and spoiled the crap out of me. My aunt Ronda, who still claims to be my biological
Writer says goodbye
JESSICA RUSH MANAGING EDITOR Last week I was in class looking out the window at a car that had burst into flames on the side of the highway. This scene was the final confirmation I needed to forever think of Commerce as “Disaster City.” From a shoot-out at Walmart, allegations of raw sewage being dumped in the river and the university’s attempts to squash free speech, I can’t wait to get out of here. I’ve made the best out of the situation I was in – enough that I’ll be graduating Summa Cum Laude or with highest honors in a couple weeks – but I don’t know how proud I am of the place that’s handing me the diploma. I was lured here under false pretenses. I was told I would be getting a big transfer scholarship if I left the Honors College at Texas Tech University with my 4.0 GPA. Nope. As I was moving my things in I found out they just didn’t have the money anymore. I thought coming here would be the continuation of my high school relationship. It ended in a nasty breakup and the loss of all the friends I had made that first semester except for my most loyal, loving roomie Nicole. She is seriously one of the coolest, most amazing people you could ever know. The campus looks like a recovering war zone, with its torn up walkways and a half-finished
building at the front. I’m going to be kind of embarrassed when my whole family comes out here to see where I’ve been going to school, and that is what they’ll see. That’s not to say there weren’t things to be gained from my time here. I’ve written in previous columns about my hands-on experience and the chance I had to be a leader on campus. The East Texan staff became more of a family to me than I could ever ask for. We stayed up late together, ate together, cursed the terrible stories that came in, hard-core danced in the parking lot, invented Shaunabrella ball, and once even protested a layout night by lying in the grass in front of the Journalism Building. We made fun of each other, everyone, and anything – nothing was sacred. Some inside jokes to follow: I’m in my office!, do the cop kow?, must get foked, the samurai music video, I’m gonna grape ya, historical librarian – talkin’ ‘bout history, pick up my poo, Lamar impressions, do we rub his nose in it?, the legit count and FOCUS! Some nicknames to follow: The Least Mexican, Bear Jew, Turd Ferguson, Silent Buffalo, Ramrod, Teegy, Staff Reports, Crazy Uncle Jared, Distribution Guy and Girl, Drug Eyes, Crazy Eyes, Chody Uggy, Thudbutt, and ole’ Five Cent. I’m lucky to have known these guys despite the university I attended. I may not know exactly where my life is going after graduation, but with my Gilbowtron at my side, I’m pretty sure anywhere away from Commerce is the right direction. “See, this is what you’re going to miss when you leave Commerce: getting hit in the head with a Nerf ball.”
The East East Tex Texan an The Established 1915 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
Writer Chancellor Mills talks about growing up with a small family. Mills did not have the typical home life, raised by a single mother.
mother – which is, frankly, quite frightening to think about – became my third mother. My cousin often played the part of the little sister whom I never had. And my grandfather, whom I used to call “Papaw” and now call “Old Man,” played the best surrogate father that I could have asked for. A few of my mother’s fleeting boyfriends tried to play that part as well. Where they fell short – and they always did – my “Old Man” succeeded. As much as my family tried, they could not
always be there for me, and, because of that, I have spent an inordinate amount of my childhood alone, left to my own devices. While this seems like a bad thing, and sometimes it was, it actually had a monumental effect on my personality development. I became quite independent at an early age, taking care of myself after school and even some nights. I also feel that, that time alone allowed me to develop a unique personality without interference from my family or anybody else.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Response to economic slump.... I was prompted to write after reading Jessica Rush’s column concerning her frustration with the job market. When she did a project for my business I was tremendously impressed with her professionalism, creativity and confidence. I remember thinking to myself, now there is a gal with a bright future. The reality of a tough job market has certainly hit home with me now. If such a talented young person has this much trouble; then it must be tough. Hang in there Jessica, some lucky person / company will eventually realize the value of what you have to offer. — Dick Latson
Response to chemistry fire.... This is what newspaper reporting is all about, my kudos to the East Texan for finally becoming an investigative team without so much fluff. I’ve been here six years and have never known this paper to take on the concerns of the students only reporting on Greek Events and movie reviews. Finally, a NEWSpaper. You all should be proud. — Kaye McCraw
Response to how soon.... So, you make jokes about your dead friend ‘moments’ after it happens, yet you wait days to make fun of Tiger Woods. Sounds like to me, this was written to just make you seem like a ‘cool guy’. — Boggled blahblahblah
Editorial: Paper upholds fearless investigation We are not fans of wild goose chases, which is exactly what we feel like we have been doing this week. In the wake of the chemistry fire some weeks ago, one thing that concerned us was the failure of the university to provide a list of chemicals located in the room that caught fire. If the university doesn’t know what chemicals are in that room, then how do they know what chemicals are located in other rooms in the department? We began investigating the existence of some sort of list of chemicals and their locations on campus. As it turned out, there was such a list on a computer in the chemistry department, according to the department’s Administrative Assistant Mary Kay Sherman. In order to see this list, we had to talk to Assistant Vice President of Marketing Communications Randy Jolly, whom, we’ll remind you, had no knowledge of the existence of such a list. Nonetheless, we complied. The real problem came when we got the permission of Jolly, went back to the chemistry department to claim our chemical list and were told that we could still not obtain it. According to Sherman, she needed two things: something from Jolly saying we could have the list, and technology services to get the list off of the computer. Perhaps the administration is hoping we will get tired before we get what we want, or perhaps they are hoping they can run out the clock on the whole situation before we can get to the bottom of it. Whatever the case may be, we will continue to uphold the tenets of this university, including the one about “fearless investigation.” Note: These opinions are a collaborative effort reflecting the editorial board of The East Texan.
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Thursday, April 29, 2010
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...new scoreboard to accent stadium CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
of Texas has this tax. “The hotel-motel tax revenue ca n on ly be spent on things that bring people to t he cit y also known as putting ‘heads in beds,’� Throgmorton said. “We think this will be a good expenditure of the hotel-motel funds.� Superintendent C o o p e r l i s t e d s e ve r a l benef it s of get t i ng a new scoreboard.
“It w i l l d raw ot her g a m e s t o t h e c a mp u s regular season and postseason,� he said. “I believe that the more high school students you get on c a mpu s, t he b e t ter chance you have to get them to consider A&M– Com merce, a nd it w i l l a l s o help w it h t he r e c r u it ment of potent ia l student-athletes. If Commerce wants to compete for student-athletes of a higher quality, then there
needs to be commitment to better facilities.� The present scoreboard was i nstalled i n 2007 and will be moved to the soccer field, where it will be the largest socc e r s c or e b o a r d i n t h e area. Recently, there had been talk about purchasi n g a n e w s c or e b o a r d for the soccer field, but t ra n sferr i ng t he boa rd from Memorial Stadium will be less expensive. CHANCE MILLS/ THE EAST TEXAN
...foam not STD carrier CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Web site, “Six young men [wer e] pr e s e nte d w it h various degrees of keratoconjunctivitis (inflamm at io n of t h e c or n e a) due to alkaline chemical burns. They had received these injuries during an evening of dancing on a dance floor covered with several feet of foam‌â€? There have also been a large number of reports of people developing sore
throats, and in some cases strep throat, after attending a party. Currently, there is no data that suggests the cause is from the foam party itself. In addition to health concerns, electrocution from equipment not properly grounded, falling dow n and sustaining injury, and groping are all mishaps that can occur at foam parties. One A&M-Comm e r c e s t ud e nt t h i n k s
partygoers should be informed of the risks at a foam party. “I believe there should be some k ind of a sign on the door telling you all of the risks,� junior psycholog y major Alex Sandlin said. “It is t he same thing as smoking to me, because if you know the risks, you can still do what you want, you are just more informed.�
CHANCE MILLS/ THE EAST TEXAN Guitarist Dave Garofalo salutes the audience during the Safetysuit concert on April 22. Like singer Doug Brown, Garofolo jumped into the crowd while playing his guitar.
Anytime Fitness opened in March, giving students and citizens of Commerce the opportunity to work out at any point during the day. Mayor Quay Throgmorton is one of the members using the gym during unconventionial hours. He said their have been times he has worked out at 2 a.m.
All-hour gym opens doors JAMES BRIGHT EDITOR Anytime Fitness opened its doors March 3 to give Commerce residents the opportunity to workout 24/7. “We felt there was a need here for a 24-hour gym here,� Anytime Fitness owner James Hulett said. “We looked all over the Dallas area and felt Commerce had the greatest need.� According to Hulett, he and his wife Rachel own restaurants in Frisco, but this is the first gym they’ve owned. He said business has been good, so far. “Usually, there are people here pretty late,� Mr. Hulett said. Mrs. Hulett said she hopes Anytime Fitness will help Commerce residents realize the need to stay in shape. “We want to show people how important fitness is,� she said. There are typically one or two people who workout from midnight to 2 a.m. every night, according to Hulett. One person who uses the gym at this time is Commerce Mayor Quay Throgmorton. “I’ve been there at two and at four,� he said. “There is nobody around and it works out real well for me.� Throgmorton said the introduction of Anytime Fitness into Commerce is good for the town and its people. “We need to have more businesses like this in our town,� he said. A membership with Anytime Fitness is not isolated to the Commerce location according to Mrs. Hulett. She said once you’re a member at one location you have access to 1,400 gyms worldwide.
Although Anytime Fitness is in direct competition with the Morris Recreational Center, Mr. Hulett said there has been no animosit y between the two gyms. “What we offer here is completely different,� he said. “Our members are interested in just coming here, getting a work out and leaving.� Director of the MRC Jorge Juarez was out of town and unavailable for comment at press time. Th rog mor ton sa id a lt houg h t he equipment at the MRC is impressive, he switched to Anytime Fitness because of its convenience. “This just works out better for me,� he said. Mrs. Hulett said the gym’s members are attracted to the amount of available machines and openness of the gym. “It makes people feel like they have their own club,� he said. A side f r om work i ng out, me mbers of the gym also have the option of tanning. “About 40 percent of our members tan,� Mrs. Hulett said. Another factor, which is increasing membership according to Mr. Hulett, is the option of family plans. He said the gym takes members from age 16 and up, and offers discounts when family plans are purchased. Throgmorton said he is using the gym two-to-three times a week, but hopes to add to his workout routine. “I’m hoping I can start going there three or four in a week,� he said.
Want to keep track of what’s going on in Commerce over the Summer? Look to theeasttexan.com for coverage of the campus and community during the break.
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Ca mpus Life
Thursday, April 29, 2010
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A&M-Commerce students fill a red outline of a girl with squares covered in hand-made messages of support. The main focus of the Artists for
The money raised each semester at Artists for Abolition benefits the
Abolition event is to raise money and awareness for Rescue the Girl, a organization that fights against modern-day slavery.
girls of Project Rescue, the focus of Rescue the Girl’s film project.
Artists render support for local anti-slavery organization ALLYSON SMITH STAFF WRITER Rescue the Girl, an organization that raises money and awareness to fight against modern day slavery, hosted “Artists for Abolition” Tuesday, April 20. The main focus of the night was the exclusive showing of the video, “Worth Fighting For,” which was created by Matthew Armstrong, Nathan Cole, Derek Harvey and Tessa Harvey. With no experience, money or training, the group traveled to India and returned with rough footage of a life unfamiliar to many people. “We were all involved in shooting, directing and creating the contents of the film,” documentary co-creator Armstrong said.
They hope this film will be a voice for girls who face a life of slavery every day, in order to help more than just “one more girl.” “Our message is that slavery is alive and well, not just in Third World countries like India and Cambodia, but right here on our home turf, in the heart of suburban America,” Armstrong said. “We can and must respond to this evil.” Students from all walks of life took part in this event to show their belief in the organization and its cause. “We want people to know the horrors of modern day (human) trafficking,” junior education major Dominic San Filippo said. “It’s worse today than it was back when the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was going on. The average slave
sold back then [cost] about $40,000. Today, $90 is the average price of a slave.” Many people think slavery ended with the Civil War, but it’s still a reality in Texas. “Over 25 percent of America’s human trafficking comes from Houston Texas,” San Filippo said. “There’s been over 100 known brothels in Houston, and so statistics like those got me influenced into becoming a part of this organization.” While some students joined because of their affiliations with churches and organizations like Baptist Student Ministries, others became involved by word-of-mouth. “I came to find out about the organization through Dominic,” junior computer science major James Pappas. “He told me
about the event that Rescue the Girl had back in December and I went to that and got interested.” The film had not yet been completed as of the event’s beginning. At the start of the evening, an announcement explained that everyone could take a square, create an original message of support and be photographed with it. “The squares that people wrote or drew messages of hope and healing on, were designed to give people the opportunity to take action in the fight against modern slavery right now,” Armstrong said. “The dark culture of modern slavery thrives on apathy and dehumanization. Even such a small step as writing a message of hope on one of those squares
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will help to subvert that darkness.” At the close of the evening, the squares filled an outline of a girl, which had been created on the floor under all the chairs. Everyone in attendance placed his or her square in the outline, an event that served to complete the film. At the event in 2009, “Artists for Abolition” had A&M-Commerce students create a collage of handprints and took it with them to India. “The women were overcome with emo-
tion; it meant so much to them,” Armstrong said. “They were feeling blessed to have been saved, and were crying out that other girls could be saved too.” This year’s artwork will make that same journey, in the hopes that it will have that same effect on the women. “We will be taking the pictures of individuals holding their art in a handmade book to rescued girls in July,” Armstrong said. Armstrong hopes this book will have a powerful effect
on those formally enslaved by restoring their sense of worth and showing them how much they are loved. The money raised Tuesday night will benefit the girls of Project Rescue, who were featured in the film. “We are still bringing in money but we are looking at right about $10,000 total,” Armstrong said. “Amazing. That’s enough to provide aftercare – housing, food, shelter, vocational training and education – for 11 girls for a year.”
Finals instill trepidation BECCA WHITT PHOTO EDITOR With summer quickly approaching, it can be easy to slip into the surreal bliss of the end of the school year. Procrastination sounds like a better idea as the days move toward freedom; however, one more hurdle is left. Finals are the dreaded marker of the end of the year, and the reality that there is still work to be done can be hard to swallow. Studying is a large part of the preparation that goes into finals, but this can have a negative effect on students. According to the University of Minnesota, between 1999 and 2005, a large percentage of university students who reported spending 15 hours or more a week studying ended up dropping out. “I study for the ones that I am really worried about and don’t always understand what is going on,” junior bilingual elementary education major Camilo Martinez said. “I get all my detailed notes, and I read through them about as many times as I can the entire week before the test, as well as getting together with my friends in the class. If I have any questions, they can explain it to me in more detail or in a way that is more understandable.” The stress can be overwhelming with the looming perspective of such a weighty grade. Study groups and continuous review are often the main methods to digest the material; however, these concepts cannot be applied to all types of finals. Senior photography major Philip Clark does not study extensively for finals, because they do not come in the form of a written exam like most. “The final usually involves a final project or final prints that have to be matted or presented,” Clark said. “I would say they are more work, but it is spread out throughout the semester.” Being a part of other organizations or managing a job can make it difficult to prepare for finals as well. Sophomore psychology major Jenny Beard is involved with the honors program on campus, which has affected her study habits. “I think being in the Honors
College has given me the opportunity to further improve my study strategies, and the honors classes I have enrolled in have been particularly more challenging,” Beard said. “However, study time is also sacrificed due to other activities I participate in as an honors student, like my undergraduate thesis.” Studies show that attendance throughout the semester also has an impact on students’ potential grades. A FastWeb.com college aid says that ‘A’ students miss, on average, half of one class per semester, but a ‘C’ student misses on average about five classes per semester. “I think attending class is a large contributor to doing well on the exams, because typically professors tend to emphasize the same thing in their lectures and test materials,” Beard said. Success also seems to be related to the amount of studying done before the test. While some students like Clark can get by “skimming the material,” experts say that studying material over a longer period of time and making sessions small and frequent makes it easier to comprehend the material. Students are also advised to put away the books the night before the test and take time to let their minds relax before the exam. “Preparing for final exams can drastically affect my grade,” Martinez said. “Studying beforehand can mean the difference between an ‘A’ or a ‘B.’ On the other hand, there’s also such a thing as over-studying, which can sometimes lead to me having test anxiety if the professor throws me a curveball. That’s why I try to take it a little at a time.” Final exams can be scary. Libraries are packed, labs run at full blast and anxiety peaks. It is important to keep a cool head and remember the study tips: start early, make a schedule, plan breaks and sleep, take advantage of campus resources, ask for help, and keep things in perspective. Clark has his own advice for students. “Try not to stress,” he said. “Be confident that you know your material. I always do just fine by paying attention in class.”
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Thursday, April 29, 2010
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A&M-Commerce had no events planned in celebration of Earth Day.
Earth Day has little impact at university JASMIN BROWN COPY DESK CHIEF
Senior theater lecturer and established playwright Jim Anderson said he enjoys writing because it allows him a certain amount of whimsy.
Anderson advocates “playing pretend” JASMIN BROWN COPY DESK CHIEF For one who describes himself as a “simple guy,” A&M-Commerce senior theater lecturer Jim Anderson has fashioned a career out of tapping the riches of his imagination. Anderson began college life at Richland Community College in Dallas as an agriculture major on a rodeo scholarship. One summer during his stay at Richland, Anderson seized on an opportunity to study abroad in England and Scotland, where he said he gained exposure to “great theater” and met his future wife of 30 years. “It’s funny, we grew up within a few miles of each other,” he said. “We had friends in common, we went to the same junior college, and we had never met until we got to England.” A budding interest in creative writing prompted Anderson to change his educational path after transferring to A&M-Commerce. “I had recently discovered a love of creative writing,” he said. “So, I thought logically the next step would be to change my major to English.” A quest for an economical night out led Anderson to discover his passion for playwriting. “When I was a junior, I had a date and was looking for an inexpensive place to take the date,” he said. “There was a play at the Playhouse, and so I took my date. She didn’t like the play very much, but I fell in love with it.” The play, “The Rimers of Eldritch,” by Lanford Wilson, sparked Anderson’s interest through its characterization of “small-town rural kind of folks,” and spawned a successful professional career. “I decided to try my hand at playwriting, and lo and behold, I had some very good success with
the first play that I wrote,” he said. A Los Angeles producer bought the rights to Anderson’s first original play, which established him as a professional playwright. “I then pursued professional playwriting for many, many years,” he said. “I always loved teaching. I always tried to keep one foot in each world.” Anderson’s teaching career of more than two decades has included two stints at A&M-Commerce, his second and current one being 11 years, as well as at the University of North Texas and Navarro College. Anderson enjoys witnessing his students discover their talents. “Watching students make discoveries about their own abilities, regardless if it’s playwriting or acting or directing or designing; it’s very enjoyable and rewarding for me,” he said. “I’ve had students that came to me saying, ‘I hate writing. I’m no good at writing. I can’t write,’ and then they give themselves permission to try it, and before you know it, they’re hooked on it.” Costume Shop Supervisor and graduate theater student Donna Deverell has produced five original plays under Anderson’s tutelage and is grateful for his motivational teaching flair. “He’s very, very supportive as far as wanting you to take that leap, and get that first show out, and really hone your abilities as a playwright,” she said. “It’s always the same kind of thing. He’s very supportive of letting you explore as a designer and as an actor, and wanting you to push yourself as such.” Anderson is driven in his professional work by the fulfillment he finds in exercising his imagination to “indulge in the act of pretending.” “I think that’s some-
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thing we sacrifice as we get older,” he said, “and that many of us, I think, always feel a void in that place where the ability to pretend used to be. “ Anderson also finds the creative writing process empowering. “When we are in the act of creativity of any kind, we are taking what I consider to be the divine prerogative,” he said. “Every culture in the world attributes the act of creation to God or the gods.” Playwriting allows adults to revisit childhood according to Anderson. “When we’re little kids, we have that ability to step into the divine easily,” he said. “We just say ‘Let’s play,’ and then we create our own people in that world, and we make up their conflicts, and their loves and hates, and we decide who lives and who dies and so forth. So when I’m in the act of writing, I get to go back to that wonderful place in my childhood when I could be all-powerful and indulge in the act of pretending.” Anderson has written in several different genres including “super-contemporary” musicals, historical drama, futuristic dystopian drama and coming of age plays. “I’m all over the map,” he said. “The constant seems to be
that I’m inspired by mythology, mythology and folklore of the Southwest particularly.” While teaching at Navarro College, the murder of one his students had a profound effect on Anderson. “It really brought me into a real depression, so there were several years there where I just couldn’t teach – I couldn’t face it,” he said. “It was just a confrontation with mortality. I had had fellow students when I was in school that died, but there’s a special feeling that a teacher has for his or her students… I think that’s what threw me so hard, because I truly do feel a responsibity for my students’ well-being.” Anderson was eventually able to return to teaching. “I think diving headlong into production helped,” he said. “I was once again working with people of that same age group, and I got to remember what it was that I found enjoyable about it. But it took time and it took working with young people again to overcome that reticence.” Anderson also enjoys the “behind the scenes” scenes aspect of theater work. “In the theater, we don’t like the public to know how hard we work,” he said. “We like them to think it’s easy – magical.”
April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Founded in 1970 by Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day was intended to be a nationwide environmental protest “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda,” according to earthday.net. More than one billion people in 190 countries will celebrate Earth Day this year, according to earthday.org. However, there are no officially organized events taking place at A&MCommerce to celebrate the holiday. Freshman marketing major JenAnne Shumway thinks that while the concept of “going green” has made people more aware of environmental issues, it has also diminished the relevance of celebrating Earth Day. “It’s never really been that big of a deal for me since second grade,” she said, “but now that everyone is ‘going green,’ I’m seeing a lot of advertising for it. It would be nice to see more people involved, but I guess since everyone is ‘going green,’ noting this specific day doesn’t seem like a big deal.” Senior wildlife and con-
servation science major Kathryn Kuczaj thinks Earth Day provides a good opportunity to better educate the public on protecting the environment. “Earth Day was designed to inspire and educate people about our environment and what we can do to help preserve it,” she said. “I think education is the one thing we are lacking when it comes to our planet, and the more knowledge we can spread the more aware people will become.” Kuczaj would like to see the university acknowledge Earth Day. “I would love to see an event celebrating Earth Day here on campus,” she said. “Maybe a ëlights outí hour, where all electricity is turned off for an hour, or maybe have a showing of some of the ëPlanet Earthí documentary films.” Yet, she also thinks it is important for individuals to take their own initiative to observe the holiday. “As much as I wish that the university would host an event, I don’t think you need a big celebration or event to partake in this holiday,” she said. “It can be an individual act, like planting a new rose bush in your yard or volunteering at the animal shelter. One small change could make all the difference in the world.”
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Art Art Scene Scene
Thursday, Apr. 29, 2010
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Lopez and O’Loughlin try their hand at romance on the silver screen.
Lopez’s “Plan” fails MEGAN CAREY ART SCENE EDITOR
COURTESY OF MATT PLUMMER
Holly Stone, graduate student and director of “Scams of Scapin”, advises cast member Micah Haynes in a rehearsal for “Scams of Scapin”.
Stone favors directing over acting CHANCE MILLS CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR Scripts, blocking, set designs, directing and actors are all part of A&MCommerce graduate theater student Holly Stone’s everyday life. And she could not be happier. While she did not actually begin acting until high school, Stone said she has always had a fondness for theater, especially musicals. “I’ve always been into musicals, since I was a little child,” she said. “I remember, at one point, I was three years old and at Denny’s I jumped on top of a table and started singing ‘Annie’ or something.” Stone discovered her joy for acting in high school. “I was in a musical in high school and I really enjoyed it,” Stone said. “I really liked the community that theater had. People are just so willing to bring you in and treat you like their family, and treat you like they’re your best friend, even if they’ve only known you for like two months. I was just amazed by that.” Stone said she acted for some time before
she learned anything about directing. “I didn’t know anything about directing and I had to take a class,” she said. “So I took the directing class from Carrie Lee Klypchak and I was just amazed at how, even if you’re not on stage, you feel like you’re on stage because you work so hard on putting up a show.” Stone is hard at work directing the latest play coming to the university. “‘Scams of Scapin’ has just been amazing,” she said. “Just working with everyone has been quite an amazing thing.” Junior theater major Micah Haynes will play the lead role of “Scapin” in the show. “Holly is a very descriptive and illustrative director,” Haynes said. “Her passion for theater completely engulfs her. Being able to express her ideas so ebulliently and then working with us to help bring those ideas to life is very inspirational and makes us excited to work.” For some, “Scapin” will be the first opportunity they have had to interact with Stone.
“She’s very fond of improv, and I love how much creative flexibility she allows her actors and actresses,” sophomore education major Joanna Firth said. “She is open, honest and adapts well to various situations, and I think she wholeheartedly loves directing. It shows in her work, and I’m thoroughly enjoying having her as my first director.” For some, “Scapin” is the most recent piece in a long line of actor-director interactions. “I have worked with Holly quite a few times during my time here at the university,” senior theater education major Matt Plummer said. “Every time I have worked with her it has been an enjoyable experience. She brings a lot of energy and ideas as a director and knows how to get what she is looking for out of her actors.” According to Stone, her favorite part of directing occurs when the play is performed. “When I am sitting in the audience and I’m not watching the play and I’m watching the audience,” she said. “And I’m just sit-
ting there, watching their reaction to what we, as a collective, have put up, and seeing them [react].” Stone has a clear idea of what she wants to do after earning her graduate degree. “What I really want to do is teach junior college or community college acting and theater appreciation,” Stone said. “I also want to try to get my foot in the door of a regional theater. It’s hard to get a director position right out of college, so I know I’m going to have to put my foot in the door and slowly work my way up. After working with people and teaching them acting… and directing, the goal is to be an artistic director at regional theater.” Performance will be held in the studio theatre of the Performing Arts Center April 29-May 1 at 8 p.m., and May 2 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $3 for students, $8 for senior citizens and $10 for non-student adults. For reservations and further information call 903886-5900 or email playhouseboxoffice@tamucommerce.edu
BUZZWORTHY.MTV.COM
“My Best Friend is You” is British Native Kate Nash’s second album after her 2007 album “Made of Bricks”. Her newest album changes aspects of her music, but also keeps a lot of the same elements that her fans have come to expect.
Nash becomes best friends with her listeners MGAN CAREY ART SCENE EDITOR
Straight out of the gate, the lyrics to “Paris” repeated something about “listen to me,” and listen I did, to the rather attention-grabbing introductory song to Kate Nash’s newest album “My Best Friend is You.”
Released through the record label Fiction, “My Best Friend is You” is only Nash’s sophomore album. She released her first album “Made of Bricks” in 2007, which was met by a mostly positive response. In the time between albums, Nash became part of the band The Receeders, recorded four songs and headlined at a
gig in London at the end of 2009. Although she was busy, Nash still managed to finish recording “My Best Friend is You.” However, the assumed rush to finish the record may show through the album as a whole. When I listened to “Kiss That Girl,” at first I thought I was listening
to “Foundations,” a song from “Made of Bricks,” but as the song progressed, I realized that was my mistake. This song, although it has the same fast-paced beat that the chorus of “Foundations” keeps, has a much more defensive, accusatory tone instead of the other’s melancholy, regretful tone. Observation One: Nash
“The Backup Plan” is the latest romantic comedy from the powerhouse of all romantic comedies, Jennifer Lopez. Lopez’s previously successful films, “The Wedding Planner,” “Maid in Manhattan” and “Monster-In-Law” set the bar high and my expectations even higher for her highly anticipated, at least in my mind, movie “The Backup Plan.” It had all the right ingredients for a theaterpacking date night romantic comedy. A relatively unique storyline: woman is still single and decides to have baby all by her lonesome and then immediately meets Mr. Right in the form Alex O’Loughlin, the vampire Mick St. John from the television series “Moonlight,” who plays a convincing leading man. However, the movie fell almost completely flat. The chemistry between the central characters felt coerced and fake. Zoë (Lopez) is a small pet storeowner and Stan (O’Loughlin) is a farmowning cheese merchant. They “steal” each other’s cab in an early movie scene, and from the onset, the situation is destined to become the story of how they met in a “You tell the story, honey. Oh no, you tell it; you tell it so much better” scenario. They run into each other a few times here and there after the cab fiasco and suddenly uses concepts from last album that seemed to work out well and brought them over to the new album with potential success. Will the fans rejoice? Only time will tell. I recently saw “The Runaways” and the song “I Just Love You More” reminds me of a tune that should have been included on the soundtrack. Sure, Kate Nash is British and The Runaways are American. Yeah, it’s 2010 and The Runaways were at their prime in the mid‘70s; however, the yelling, screaming and moaning of Nash in this song is very Cherie Curie-like. Observation Two: Nash looks to the past to other successful acts, although I can’t say how successful The Runaways were since they are no longer a band. Nash works with what worked for them to make her own combination of song. I like The Runaways, so I enjoy this song. Ah, “Mansion Song.” All I can say is wow. Then after that, a rap song. I never thought I’d see the day that Kate Nash sings, if you can even call it that, a rap song, and yet, “Mansion Song” fills the empty void I never knew I had for a Kate-Nash-Rap-Song. It’s really more like a poem read at Open Mic Night at the coffee house
they’re flirting and dating, but then, oops, J.Lo ends up preggo, and not by her new true love. By a cruel twist of fate, Zoë had come from her OB/ GYN appointment, where she was artificially inseminated, when she and Stan met. As I said before, the plot is ingenious, and to the viewer who is reading the synopsis to try to decide if “The Backup Plan” seems more promising than “The Losers,” the movie seems to be the better choice. In a move not uncharacteristic of me, I’m going to go out on that limb and say go for the action movie over the rom-com, at least this once. There were also some definite laugh-out-loud moments in the movie, including a scene that may instill life-long abstinence in those who felt the disturbing aura that radiated from Stephanie Meyer’s “Breaking Dawn” birthing scene. Sure, it’s funny that a woman is having a home birth in a plastic pool, but how funny is it when she starts demonically moaning with a possessed look upon her face while disgusting events ensue? While “The Backup Plan” pales in comparison to its previously successful counterparts, it holds its own as a somewhat entertaining, mildly comical Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy and yes, it is important to include the distinction of “Jennifer Lopez” when referring to a romantic comedy. She’s a powerhouse, after all. with all its passion and non-rhyming rhymes and lyrical flow. After it’s over, I feel like there should be a chorus of finger snapping and clapping. I enjoyed the tune mainly for the interesting choice of content and words Nash uses. Observation three: Nash hits one out of left field and attacks her fans with an unexpected poem/song, and will need to step back and consider whether her fans will stay with her over this decision to step out of the box. Kate Nash’s voice, in all its British loveliness, either picks you up or lays you down, and on this record, she offers a variety of songs that’ll incite various emotions of her listeners. That being said, the downside to “My Best Friend is You” is her voice as well. Fans either love it or hate it, and if they hate it, then they can’t enjoy the album because her voice is so obvious in each and every song whether she’s singing or talk-singing. This album will be a hit with dedicated Nash fans that will interpret the complete package as Nash offering them something fresh and new, but with the sprinkling of harder songs, this may be a record for an acquired taste.
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SPORTS
Thursday, April 29, 2010
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sports
Thursday, April 29, 2010
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That Sports Thing? Lions sports achievement of the year ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR There are multiple achievements to pick out as the best when looking at A&M-Commerce sports. The football team won the LSC-North Division title, men’s basketball finished third in their LSC-North Division and made the conference tournament, and senior Heather Pantalion finished her time at the university by playing some of her best golf. However, when I think of choosing the best accomplishment, one team really sticks out: the 2009 women’s volleyball team. The 2009 season was a massive improvement in volleyball. After an up and down first few games, the Lions entered their LSC campaign in the midst of a 10-match winning streak. Something like this had not happened since 1988, when they went 11 matches without losing. What’s more, during this streak they only dropped five games. They went on to post a 25-10 record overall, 8-5 in the LSC, which was good enough to get them the fourth placed seed at the conference tournament. After beating Central Oklahoma in a five set, first round thriller, they lost out to top seed West Texas A&M 3-0. This volleyball team produced the first ever all-American in A&MCommerce volleyball history in senior Lauren Flynn, who finished the season with an astounding 795 digs. Flynn and fellow senior Perla Faudoa earned LSC First Team honors, junior Naomi Mays was placed in the second team, and Pryor received Coach of the Year. Oh, and Flynn got Libero of the Year from the LSC….did I mention Lauren Flynn? A&M-Commerce volleyball has been on a high since Mark Pryor took the hot seat. His nose for recruits was setting the program up for, what I think would’ve been, a solid few years. Freshman Rachel Robertson finished second on the team in kills with 280. Pryor has even managed to bring in five new recruits for 2010, and this was announced a day after the Lions lost to West Texas. Unfortunately, Baylor noticed his knack for finding players and signed him up. Whoever steps into his shoes has a potential gold mine on their hands, and it’s all down to this fantastic 2009. Volleyball’s achievement is taking the program to a turning point, and as long as the new coach handles it right, the only way is up.
Remaining Track Meets April 30: Arkansas Twilight, Hosted by Univ. of Arkansas; Fayetteville, Ark. May 7-8: LSC Championship, Hosted by San Angelo State; San Angelo, Texas
STAFF REPORTS The Texas A&M Unversity-Commerce men’s basketball team was the most impressive Lions squad this academic year. The team posted a 19-9 (8-4 in conference play) season en route to the Lone Star Conference quarterfinals, where they took Tartleton State (24-8) to overtime before losing 83-76. Coach Sam Walker’s squad was consistently excellent throughout the season, providing A&MCommerce students and faculty with numerous home wins. And the Lions did it without last season’s leading scorer, Deundrae Spraggins, or last season’s leading rebounder, Rashad Brown. One of the major contributors to the Lions’ success was Ronnie Morgan. The senior forward led the team in scoring with 14 points per game and rebounding with 6.9 per game. Morgan was joined by double-digit scorers junior Brian Singleton (13.4 ppg) and sophomore Brad Hambrick (11 ppg). Senior guard Cardell Hunter led the team in assists with 111 and freshman Preston Whitley provided a spark off the bench, averaging 9.4 points per game. The team’s success on and off the field was marked by the Lone Star Conference on several occasions. Morgan was named first team all-Lone Star Conference North Divsion, while Cardell Hunter and Singleton were named to the second team. Preston Whitley won LSC North Division freshman of the year, following the steps of last year’s winner, Hambrick. The Lions weren’t perfect, though. They didn’t go very deep into the Lone Star Conference playoffs. Senior transfer Justin Wilkerson, the pre-season Lone Star Conference player of the year, never got going and only started four games. But Coach Walker has done an excellent job of recruiting for the Lions, and even though they’ll lose several important seniors, the team will still have plenty of young talent to rely on. Whitley will be ready to take on a starting role, and Hambrick and Singleton will have another year under their respective belts. The men’s basketball team may not get as much press or funding as other sports teams at A&MCommerce, but they certainly deserve a nod of respect for their excellent 2009-2010 season.
May 13: ACU Last Chance Meet, Hosted by Abilene Christian University; Abilene, Texas May 27-29: NCAA Division II Championships, Hosted by John C. Smith University; Charlotte, N.C. -
A&M-Commerce senior Danny Jun tees off at WinStar Golf Course in Thackerville, Okla., during the LSC tournament, which ran April 18-20.
LSC tournament ends golf season ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR The A&M-Commerce men’s and women’s golf teams competed in their final tournament of the year at the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament April 18-20 at WinStar Golf Course in Thackerville, Okla. The men were led by freshman T.J. McColl and finished eighth as a team, with a collective score of 886. Senior Heather Pantalion finished best out of the A&M-Commerce women, as they placed ninth with a 54-hole total of 989. “We played pretty well,” head coach Louie Bledsoe said about the men’s performance. “We shot a 301, which, for us this year, is a pretty good score.” Both teams dealt with inclement weather during the Sunday opening round. Bledsoe said they were able to put in better results after it cleared. “The second day it was a little better weather, and we improved a little bit,” he said. The men improved their score in the second
round to 297, and ended the tournament with a 288 behind senior Danny Jun’s individual score of 69. “Danny Jun started out a little shaky for us, but came in a three under in the third round,” Bledsoe said. “That was a really good round for him; maybe his best round of the year.” Jun said he is happy to have been able to post a 69 as his final score. “I’m kind of glad I ended it like that,” he said. “I didn’t play well the first two rounds. I had a bit of trouble putting and getting the ball around the course, but pulled it all together.” Bledsoe said Jun, who had a tournament score of 223 (78-76-69), had an unusually difficult time putting in the LSC tournament. Jun said this was something most of the team suffered from. “For me, the biggest trouble was the greens,” he said. “I had a really tough time trying to get the speed right. The second day I hit 17 greens and I had way too many puts. For a lot of the people it was the greens, because it’s a really wide-
open golf course and it’s pretty score-able.” McColl had a tournament score of 221 (74-7374) and finished tied for 20th. “T.J. McColl had a pretty good tournament for us,” Bledsoe said. “The last round he was three under at the turn, parred the first three holes on the back and ran into a double-bogey. Then he kind of struggled, but he finished just two over.” For the women, Pantalion also ended tied for 20th individually with a score of 236 (80-84-72). After a team score of 353 on the first day, the women also improved as the tournament progressed, with a score of 327 on day two and a final round score of 309. Bledsoe said he was happy to see the senior, Pantalion, lead the way, but he also said the problem the women had was the same as it has been all season. “We were really inconsistent this year,” he said. “We did improve, but compared to other scores [in the tournament], we still weren’t as good.” Bledsoe said one of the
reasons for the inconsistency was the lack of players he had in the team. “They are all good golfers and good students,” he said. “The main problem is not enough competition.” This is something Bledsoe said he plans to fix. He said at least six new players will be added to the women’s squad in the fall. One of these additions in particular, Chantry McMahan from Kaufman High School, excites Bledsoe. “She was named top six in the Metroplex,” he said. McMahan has gone to the state tournament every year in high school, according to Bledsoe. She finished third as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore and third as a junior. Bledsoe said the men’s team will be bringing in a few more freshman as well. Jun said he is confident the men will begin to improve. “We have a solid team, and it’s just in a rebuilding stage right now,” he said. “The outlook on our team in the future, we actually have pretty good potential for that.”
Gideon to take golf leadership role ADAM TROXTELL SPORTS EDITOR As the A&M-Commerce men’s golf season comes to a close, the team is being hit with the reality of senior star Danny Jun graduating and moving on. Although that void will be difficult to fill, they already have another player in line to take over the duties of a senior member in junior Dustin Gideon. “Danny was great for the team, and we can’t replace him,” Gideon said. “I think it’ll be a good step for me. A little more responsibility will, I think, make me play a little bit better and concentrate on things a little bit more.” Gideon is a local product, having graduated from Sulphur Springs High School where he was a four-year letter winner in golf. He said he picked up the game in a casual manner from his uncle when he was around 11 years old. “My uncle used to play golf all of the time,” he said. “He brought his golf clubs down to the lake, and we would always just hit balls down there, just playing around. My dad got into it, and we started going to the driving range. Really, from then on, I’ve just enjoyed playing it.”
Gideon said his father has been a source of great support in golf. “Just anything I’ve ever done he’s completely supported me in and, more or less, financed everything up until I got older where I could pay for things,” he said. “He said, ‘If you want to play golf, we’ll get you started.’” After high school, Gideon took a year off from playing the game scholastically and went to the University of Texas at Arlington. This, however, was short-lived, as he decided to return to the sport he loved. “I missed golf too much to not keep playing it or not to try and play it somewhere in college,” he said. “So, I contacted a few schools, and I ended up talking to Coach [Louie] Bledsoe. After we met up, I moved back home and I commute here now. It’s nice being close to home.” During his first Lone Star Conference tournament in the spring 2009, Gideon posted a career best 71 in the opening round and scored a season best 218 for the tournament. While he admits his first season was rough at the start, he said former player Pinkey Hartline, who was tied for 27th along with Gideon in the 2009 LSC
tournament, helped him settle in. “Being out of competitive golf for a year, it was really hard to get back into it,” Gideon said. “The two seniors last year, Pinkey Hartline and Blake Worden, they were the two big guns and I watched them. They were really helpful and were, sort of, my mentors when I first came here.” The men’s golf team had a rollercoaster 200910 season, which ended with an eighth place finish at the LSC tournament. Gideon said it was difficult due to the lack of experience in the team and inconsistent play. “It was pretty rough throughout the season, because we had so many new people playing,” he said. “We only had three returners this year. Of those returners, Danny played really well throughout the fall, but me and Eric (Westerman) struggled a little bit. It’s just hard whenever you have new people, and if the veterans are not playing well, it’s hard to get going. Every tournament we were right there, we just couldn’t get it completely together.” Gideon also said the team began to gel as the season went on, and he is upbeat about the way they
finished out the spring. “As the spring went on, we started to pick things up as a team,” he said. “We started to get along really well in and outside of golf, which helped. I thought we finished out the season pretty well.” Jun will be the only departing senior, leaving Gideon with familiar faces to play with this fall. He said he thinks this will have a positive impact. “First, we need to start off the season a bit stronger than we did this year,” Gideon said. “Our regional rankings are based on year-round competitions. You can’t just have one good half of the season and hope to make it. You need to be playing consistent throughout. I think with having a few more returning and new prospects coming in, it’ll be good for our team.” Bledsoe said Gideon will now be considered the team leader. As he steps into the senior member’s role, Gideon said he wants to be able to provide support for his teammates. “More than just being a part of the team, more or less, I need to be the team,” he said. “I need to be the guy you can come to if you need anything; the guy you can look up to.”