lockhaveneagleeye@gmail. com
the Eagle Eye volume 92
feb. 12, 2021
issue 02
NEWS (4) CELEBRATING VALENTINE’S DAY ON A BUDGET - PAGE 9
A&E (6) RE: IS COVID TESTING WORTH IT? - PAGE 13
LIFESTYLE (11)
NEW LHU INTERIM PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED - PAGE 3
SPORTS (16)
News 2
Feb. 12, 2021
Police Reports 01/29/21 Off Campus Assisted LHPD with traffic control for a Hit and Run vehicle that crashed.
02/03/21 On Campus Report of Individuals throwing snowballs at window. Work Order placed for inspection of window for 02/01/21 Bentley Dining Hall any damage. Investigation ongoing. Individual transported via ambulance to hospital for Mental Health 02/04/21 W. Church St. evaluation. Traffic Offense. Warning issued.
02/04/21 Campus Village Fire alarm sounded due to burnt food. Room was aired out and officer cleared scene. 02/05/21 Off Campus Assisted LHPD with report of burglary in progress.
Covid-19 Total
For more information about Covid-19 on campus, please go to : https://www.lockhaven.edu/Covid19Dashboard/
Eagle Eye Staff Managing Editor Kiara Carson knc9459@lockhaven. edu
Online Editor Tess English tae7002@lockhaven. edu
Lifestyles Editor Brittany Robertson bnr888@lockhaven.edu
Opinion Editor Kristin Turner kat5364@lockhaven. edu
Copy Editor Levi Deitz lwd6497@lockhaven. edu
Design & Ads Manager Kerri Hoover kah4338@lockhaven. edu
News Editor Kerri Hoover kah4338@lockhaven. edu
Sports Editor Cassandra Keller cmk2356@lockhaven. edu
A&E Editor Kiara Carson knc9459@lockhaven. edu
Advisor Dr. Sharon Stringer SStringe@lockhaven. edu
Staff Writers Annie Barnhart agb8459@lockhaven. edu Madison Buxton meb6586@lockhaven. edu
Feb. 12, 2021
3 News
New interim president announced Cassandra Keller Sports Editor cmk2356@lockhaven.edu
President Robert Pignatello officially stepped down from his position as LHU’s president as of February 5. Bashar W. Hanna was named LHU president interim at the Pennsylvania state system of higher education(PASSHE) board of governors meeting held on February 4. To see that full recording of that meeting, please visit the PASSHE youtube video link here. Pignatello will be taking a position with the PASSHE staff as Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Integration Strategy. Before LHU, Hanna served as president of Bloomsburg University as well as worked as a professor of biology and formerly vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Delaware Valley University. “I am looking forward to becoming a part of the Lock Haven family and starting this journey with you. Together, we will dream big and act boldly so that tomorrow’s Lock Haven students can be the beneficiaries of our collaborative and innovative work,” Hanna said in an email to students sent the day he was named president interim. As president interim, Hanna will have his work cut out for him as LHU is currently undergoing a merger with two other universities. Hanna has already been working closely with Peter A. Campbell, the current Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) chapter president. A popular student concern is whether or not the merger will be good for all parties involved.
In an email interview, Campbell said, “I believe the outlined goals of providing additional educational opportunities to students on the three campuses at an affordable cost is admirable. However, the specifics of the plan for consolidation are still unknown at this time. The devil may be in the details.”
News 4
Feb. 12, 2021
Recent LHU graduate appointed to Council of Trustees Kerri Hoover Ad/Design Manager and News Editor kah4338@lockhaven.edu
The Pennsylvania State System Board of Governors approved the newest addition to the Lock Haven University Council of Trustees, Mia Swales, during its regular meeting on Feb. 4. She will serve as the eleventh member on the council. Swales is a recent alumnus of LHU, graduating in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a minor in Sociology. She is
currently a graduate student at the University pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. “Mia is a true advocate of the student body and will be fully engaged with the important issues the university will be experiencing,” said previous LHU president, Dr. Robert Pignatello in a recent press release. “She has already proudly represented the university as an undergraduate student, and we look forward to her growth through this experience.” At LHU, Swales works as a graduate assistant at the university’s on-campus food bank, the Haven Cupboard, along with the Office of Student Outreach, Assistance and Resources (SOAR). Some of her main responsibilities include serving as a student mentor, organizing orientation-related events, actively speaking on behalf of the university during presentations, as well as helping students acclimate to college life. During her time at LHU, Swales also participated in numerous conferences with the Multicultural, Advisory, Activity Council. “Mia is a fine example of the leadership that our students gain through their studies at LHU,” said Council of Trustees chair, Daniel Elby, in a recent press release. “We are all proud of Mia and all of her accomplishments and I look forward to working with her as an active member of the Council of Trustees.”
Feb. 12, 2021
5 News
Events & Weeklies Moment of the week The AARP Cupid Crew in Augusta, Georgia spreads love through valentines to tens of thousands of senior citizens across the United States to help combat social isolation during the pandemic. Moment provided by: www.wjbf.com
Friday, February 12, 2021 Student Rec Center “Spring into Fitness” Challenge begins Contact Brian at bdally@lockhaven.edu for more info Saturday, February 13, 2021 8:00 p.m. Movie at the Roxy with Commonplace Monday, February 15, 2021 8:00 p.m. HAC Presents: Marvel Movie Monday - Captain Marvel
Joke of the week How can you save money on Valentine’s gifts? Become single. Joke provided by: www.parade.com
Fun fact In total, American households spend about $751.3 million on Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets. Fact provided by: www.goodhousekeeping.com
If you would like to submit your own momnet, joke or fun fact, Email Kerri Hoover at kah4338@lockhaven.edu with “Weeklies” in the subject line.
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 6:30 p.m. LGBTQ+ Support Group with Counseling Services Contact counselingservices@lockhaven.edu for more details 9:00 p.m. Tune-in Tuesday Vote here to pick which movie to watch
A&E 6 Where’s that one from?
Feb. 12, 2021 everyone is in tears over License”
“Driver’s
Movie Quote: “Slang makes them cool. Slang makes me hood.” Last week’s movie: “Hidden Figures”
Aniston Barnhart agb8459@lockhaven.edu Staff Writer
Olivia Rodrigo, 17, official debut single “Drivers License” has recently taken over the music world since its release on Jan. 8. Spotify confirmed on January 11. that “Drivers License” broke the platforms record of most streamings in a single day with 15.17 million. And then continued to break that record the next day with over 17 million streams. Now, almost a month since the release, listeners across social media continue to dance, cry and even a combination of both to the words of Rodrigo. If you are anything like me, it’s hard to go a day without playing your go to break up playlist. So if you have given “Driver’s License” a listen, you know how quickly I added the song to my playlist. When I first listened to the song, I initially felt embarrassed to be jamming ever so passionately to a song about a girl finally getting her license, but believe me when I say I understood the well deserved hype. We’ve all experienced our first love, our first heartbreak, and our first time behind the wheel by ourselves. “Drivers License” definitely brought me back to sophomore year of highschool and I’m willing to bet the person reading this has sent them back to those vulnerable days too.
Regardless, we must give a round of applause to Rodrigo for slaying the music industry with sky rocket streams and doing it all in less than a week. Not to mention she is only 17 years old and holding the most streams over Ariana Grande. If you have yet to give “Drivers License” go give it a listen and experience your first heartbreak all over again like I did.
Feb. 12, 2021 Pick a show, any show
7 A&E Did you know that? In Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear’s original name was Lunar Larry. After a lot of back and forth, it was eventually changed to honour real-life astronaut Buzz Aldrin
Kristin Turner kat5346@lockhaven.edu Opinions Editor There are lots of movies and shows that are coming out and are now available to stream. Here are a list of a few movies/shows that you can now watch on some streaming apps: 1. The Masked Dancer- Celebrities dress up from head to toe in a costume with their voices modulated and you have to try and guess who it is from their dance moves. 2. Soul- A New York jazz pianist is trapped between Earth and the afterlife after he lands a jazz gig and learns what it means to do something meaningful in life. 3. WandaVision- Wanda and Vision have superpowers and they live suburban lives until they suspect that everything is not what it seems. 4. Dinosaurs- A family of dinosaurs that live in a modern world and the only humans on earth are seen as pets and wild animals. 5. We Can be Heroes- Kids with superpowers must work together to save their parents when they are captured by aliens. 6. Name That Tune- Contestants have to try to guess the songs that are played by just a few notes. 7. I Can See Your Voice- The contestant has to try and be
Info courtesy of buzzfeed.com
able to tell, with the help of the celebrity panel, who is a bad singer and who is a good singer without hearing them sing. 8. Julie and the Phantoms- Three ghosts from the 90s band Sunset Curve appear to a girl who lost her mom the year before and she helps them figure out what they need to do to cross over and they help her get her confidence back in her music after the passing of her mother. Little does the girl know that she has more of a connection to the band than she realizes. 9. Call Me Kat- A lady quits her day job that she hated and opens up a cat cafe that she loves doing instead. She goes through the show getting into crazy situations like going on a date or not knowing how to ask an old friend of hers from college on a date. 10. Palmer- A former high school football star gets out of prison after 12 years and forms a bond with a boy that is an outcast and comes from a troubled home. His new life and his new family is threatened by his past. The movies/shows listed here can be found on Netflix, Tubi Tv, Disney+, FOX or Apple TV+.
A&E 8
Feb. 12, 2021
Billboards Top 10 songs 3.
2.
1.
Driver’s License by
Olivia Rodrigo
by
Blinding Lights
Mood
24kGoldn featuring
by
by
Levitating
by
Ariana Grande
by
by
9.
Save your Tears by
The Weeknd
by
Ariana Grande
Go Crazy
6.
Dua Lipa Featuring Dababy
8.
Positions
34 + 35
The Weeknd
iann dior
5.
7.
4.
Chris Brown and Young Thug
10.
Holy
Justin Bieber Featuring Chance the Rapper
Whoopty by
CJ
Feb. 12, 2021
9 Lifestyles
Celebrate Valentines Day on a Budget Brittany Robertson bnr888@lockhaven.edu Lifestyles Editor
Valen t in e s D ay i s fas t a p p r o achi ng. Do y ou have you r p l an s s e t ? Valen t in e s D ay i s a h o l i d ay where y ou ac knowle d ge your s i g n i f i c a n t o t her or f ri end s h ow s pe c ia l t h e y a r e t o y o u . B ut we know t h at th is ye a r h as b e e n f i l l e d wi th a lot of v ir tu a l Z oom c a l l s , Fac e t i m e wi th f ri end s , a nd j u st t r yin g t o m a i n t ai n a s ens e of “normalcy ’. S o, how d o e s s o m e o n e s hows thei r b es t frie nd or s i g n i f i c a n t o t h er that they a re the b e st wh i l e t h e r e i s a world -wi d e p and e mic h a p pe n i n g ? Lu ck ily, t hes e i d e a s fo r f u n d ates d on’t c os t a lot : Pi cn ic f r om a r e s t au r a n t : G et take out fro m y ou r favo r i t e r e s t a u r an t and have a p icnic a t h ome. It w i l l b e a l o t war mer i n y our h ome , a p a r t m e n t , o r w h erever y ou are l i ving cu r r e nt ly t h a n e at i n g o uts i d e. Mo v ie N igh t : P i ck o u t a g r e a t mov i e (or R o m-c om), ma ke y o u r favo r i t e mov i e thea ter sn a ck a nd g r ab a s e a t o n y our c ouch to watch y ou r mo v i e . Lu ck i ly, m ov i e s treami ng p latfo r ms l ike H u l u a n d Ne t f l i x have a li b rar y of d if fe re n t m o v i e s ( o r R om-c oms ) to cho se f r om. Co ok a t Hom e : Make d i n n e r together. You t end t o l e a r n a l o t abo u t t h e other p ers on when it in volve s m ak i n g fo o d . There are a t on o f r e c ip e s t o ch o s e f r o m a cros s the i nt er net, or pick s o m e t h i n g t h a t he or s he mis se s f r om h o m e . These ide a s ar e a g r e at w ay to c elebrate t h at spe c ia l so m e o n e i n y o u r l i fe, and als o h ow to ce l e b r a t e i t s a fe ly.
Lifestyles10
feb.12, 2021
⭑ Horoscopes ⭑ Aries (March 31-April 19)- Aggressive people may interfere with your plans today, Aries, so don’t get too upset if things don’t work out the way you want them to. Let this be an exercise in learning how to think and act on your feet. Remember that you can play this game as well as others. Deliver an unexpected surprise right back and see how they deal with it. Perhaps you can learn something. Taurus (April 30-May 30)- It’s hard to keep your balance when a big rock suddenly falls on one side of the scale, Taurus. Resolving the matter isn’t as hard as you think, because this rock has been dropped there as a gift. Even though it might be shocking at first, there’s an important message in this surprise. The tricky part is figuring out what it is. Gemini (May 31-June 30)- Like a team of pickpockets in a crowd, a group may have its eyes on you and secretly scheme to take advantage of your innocence, Gemini. One may work to distract you with something playful and harmless, while the others work behind your back to secretly steal your valuables. Stay aware of yourself and your belongings at all times. Cancer(June 31-July 22)- Opportunity is the name of the game for you, Cancer. Don’t turn out the lights before you make sure you’ve explored all your options today. Inspiration may come in a flash of unexpected thought, so make sure you have a pad and pencil handy. A good idea could be disguised as something insignificant, but if anyone is able to see the potential in something, it’s you. Leo (July 23-August 22)- Today you may be asked to choose between the old and the new, Leo. It’s as if people are protesting in some manner and you’re being asked to join in the ranks of those wishing to see change. Make sure you honestly assess all the available information before you automatically dismiss the situation as foolish. You should seriously consider lending a hand to the fight. Virgo(August 23-September 22)- Your inner strength and courage are tremendous today. You will find that people naturally gravitate toward you, Virgo. Accept this flood of energy and put it to good use however you see fit. A spark of genius may hit you sometime during the day. It will have you up all night working on a new invention. Libra(September 23-October 22)- Wear the striped
shirt and polka-dot pants today, Libra. The more you clash with the outside world the better. You may feel wildly out of place at first, but you will begin to see the beauty, importance, and respect you hold by standing out from the crowd. This attitude change will do you good. You may see a whole new way of living. Scorpio(October 23-November 21)- If you don’t understand something, ask, Scorpio. If it looks different to you, ask why that is. Your curiosity is high, especially when it comes to the unconventional, and even more if it’s revolutionary. The rebel in you will feel new purpose, and you may be tempted to throw a stick in the spokes of an old carriage that continues to head down the same old boring path. Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)-You may be shaken to the core today by someone of great personal magnetism, Sagittarius. Maybe you feel as if you’re being overshadowed because of the grandiose ideas and mountains of information coming from this person. Perhaps you feel you’re too slow. Did you ever think that someone is going too quickly? Don’t automatically think that you’re the one who needs to change gears. Capricorn (December 22-January 19)-Your internal computer just got upgraded today and your head is buzzing with all kinds of new information, Capricorn. The good news is that you should be able to process all these bytes at lightning speed. Act swiftly and with great confidence. You can do anything. You could even talk your way into the White House for dinner. Aquarius (January 22-February 18)-You may feel a bit lonely today, Aquarius, even if there are people all around you. It may seem like everyone’s on a different plane. Maybe you think you have nothing in common with others - even those you generally feel closest to. You may be apprehensive about what they think of you after you tell them what you’re really thinking or feeling. Don’t let this stop you from making your thoughts known. Pisces (February 19-March 20)-This is a climactic time for you, Pisces. All your yearly cycles have reached a critical juncture. You may feel as if you’re at a point of tremendous victory or terrible failure. Either way, it’s important that you look on this time as a celebration that you’ve made it this far. Make changes where necessary and continue to reevaluate your progress over the next few months.
Horoscopes provided by horoscopes.com
feb. 12, 2021
11 Lifestyles
Spring Fashion 2021
Brittany Robertson bnr888@lockhaven.edu Lifestyles Editor Although there is still snow on the ground right now, Spring is coming soon! Spring means putting away the winter coat (hopefully!) and UGG’s to trade in for f lowy dresses and sandals. But what does the Spring look like for 2021? According to thetrendspotter.net here is a preview of what is going to be some top Spring fashion trends: -Oversized Shoulderpad boyfriend Jackets: Think of it as a oversized blazer that is 80’s inspired and looks great with a pair of straight-leg trousers or even shorts. The shoulderpads will help with making your legs look longer and cinches your waistline. Color palette for this piece of clothing includes powder blue, charcoal, and neutrals. -Black Facemasks: Yes, facemasks are even creating a trend for the Springtime. Black facemasks give you the opportunity to dress up the masks and even coordinate your outfits. Find the best material that works for you in terms of the type of facemask you
want to wear, and style it to your liking. -Headscarves: They protect your hair and add a very stylish design to your outfit. Headscarves come in all types of material and design. Pick the best one for you and wear it proudly! -White Knee High Boots: Channel your inner Go-Go dancer and pick up a pair of these shoes for Spring! These will elevate your outfits whether your wearing some leggings or even a mini skirt. I do plan to incorporate some white knee high boots into my Spring wardrobe. -Sorbet Pastel tones: Think of lilacs, soft blues, purples, etc. These pastel colors are great to wear for whatever skin tone you have. The best part of these colors that they are perfectly acceptable to wear in summer as well. Spring fashion is sometimes a bit crazy but these four items can help bring your wardrobe up to another level.
Opinions 12
Feb. 12, 2021
The New White House Annie Barnhart agb8459@lockhaven.edu Guest Writer
2020 has been one of the most exhausting years of my existence. From start to f inish we have been praying for a fresh start in the year following. Free of pandemics, protests and problematic politicians. Sadly, the pandemic is not over in 2021, and continues to take lives ever y day in the United States. However, Joseph Biden has since replaced Donald Trump as the 46th President and promises to take control of the virus, and make america great again. No pun intended. Since Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20th. He has already made impactful changes to our countr y. Joe Biden signed more than a dozen executive orders in his f irst hours as president. Including the requirement of masks on federal property, which, I cannot believe has taken this far into the pandemic to require. Biden has also canceled Trump's move to withdraw the country from the World Health Organization. While many of President Biden's f irst policy moves are to reverse Trump's previous policies, others go beyond that. Biden has also directed the Education Department
to continue to freeze monthly payments and interest on most federal student loans until at least Sept. 30. This action alone is benef iting millions of students struggling to pay off their debt because of income loss due to Covid. One of the big parts of the Joe Biden campaign was his changes for higher education as well as a relief for those in student loan debt. Who would complain about free money? Biden off icials said that the president would expedite a request to congress for $10,000 in loan cancellation for all federal borrowers. The student debt forgiveness plan would ease f inancial anxiety for over 65% of student loan borrowers. The burden that hangs over the heads of millions of students for simply seeking greater education is unconstitutional. Whether you voted red, blue, green or didn't vote at all in the most recent election, there is no doubt that we all want what is best for our country. Our versions of “best” may differ, but nonetheless, let american actually be g reat again. Pun intended.
Feb. 12, 2021
13 Opinions
Re: COVID-19 Testing Opinion Tess English tae7002@lockhaven.edu Online Manager
An article titled “COVID-19 Testing Opinion” was published in the last issue of the Eagle Eye discussing the case against COVID-19 testing but failed to examine some of the key issues of why testing is necessary while in the middle of this pandemic. The article’s primary point is that testing seems unnecessary because “knowing your COVID-19 status won’t stop you from contracting it later.” This statement is true but fails to look at the bigger issue. Testing negative is only one of two possible outcomes, the other of course is testing positive. The purpose of testing isn’t just for the knowledge of knowing for yourself and monitoring your symptoms, but it’s also a benefit to the rest of the population. When you test positive you can safely quarantine, mitigating the further spread of the disease, which for the average healthy college student might not be so harsh, but for people at high-risk could be potentially fatal. Not to mention there is no sufficient way to look at someone and judge whether or not they fall into a high-risk category such as having a compromised immune system. So it’s best to stay away from the general population as much as possible if you test positive. By mitigating the spread of the disease you protect the at-risk population from a variety of health complications. According to WebMD, the health complications include, but are not limited to; pinkeye, rashes, liver problems or damage, heart problems, kidney damage, serious blood clots, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Try not to “acute” part of ARDS lightly either. WebMD states, “ARDS can lead to rapid breathing,
a fast heart rate, dizziness, and sweating. It damages the tissues and blood ve1qssels in your alveoli, causing debris to collect inside them.” Which is no small health problem, to say the least. So yes, you could contract COVID-19 after testing negative, but it’s better to be safe than sorry when lives are literally at stake. Besides, knowing if your positive may also alert you to when you need to seek further medical help to manage your case of COVID-19. The article also states that people with breathing issues may have problems wearing a mask. However, this isn’t necessarily true. At least, not for people with asthma which is a common condition that can make it difficult to breathe. However, according to an article by The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, there is no scientific evidence that wearing a face mask can worsen your asthma. The article additionally notes that the new vaccines have side effects, in most cases are minor, and that the current long-term side effects are unknown. Which is true and is, admittedly, a little scary not knowing what the long term effects of the vaccine are, but what also isn’t unknown is the lasting effects of COVID-19. It is a person’s choice on whether or not to get vaccinated, but either way you chose, it’s a roll of the dice. Since the vaccine topic is more complex, please discuss thoroughly with your doctor before deciding whether or not the vaccine is right for you as there is a lot of misinformation out there regarding the topic.
Sports 14
Feb. 12, 2021
Atlantic 10 announces preseason field hockey poll, LHU picked 5th John Davern LHU Communications Intern jmd7247@lockhaven.edu The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) announced the spring 2021 preseason coaches’ poll on Tuesday. the Lock Haven University field hockey team was picked to finish fifth. Saint Joseph’s received six of eight first-place votes and was picked as the favorite among the coaches in the A-10. Richmond and Massachusetts each grabbed a first-place vote and fell at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. VCU was picked fourth, just ahead of Lock Haven. Davidson and La Salle locked in a tie for the No. 6 spot and Saint Louis rounded out the preseason rankings. Back in 2019, Saint Joseph’s was the A-10 regular season champion and the Hawks claimed the Atlantic 10 tournament title. The 2019 season also proved to be a special one for Lock Haven as it ended with the Bald Eagles securing a postseason berth. LHU capped an all-around impressive 2019 season with an 11-8 overall record. The Bald Eagles went 11-7 during the regular season and finished at 6-2 in Atlantic 10 play. During the regular season, Lock Haven recorded conference wins over Davidson, Richmond, La Salle, Virginia Commonwealth, Saint Louis and Saint Francis. The Bald Eagles finished the 2019 regular season on a roll, concluding the season with a four-game win streak. All four wins came by way of shutoutvictories, as Lock Haven outscored its opponents 11-0 in the final four games. In all, LHU won seven of its final eight games during the regular season, which included A-10 wins over La Salle, Virginia Commonwealth, Saint Louis and Saint Francis. The upset-minded Bald Eagles entered the 2019 Atlantic 10 Tournament as the No. 4 seed. The 2019
A-10 semifinal appearance marked Lock Haven’s first A-10 tournament appearance since 2014 and fourth overall since joining the A-10 in 2010. For Lock Haven, the 2020-21 season marks the 75th anniversary of the Bald Eagles first ever year of varsity field hockey competition back in 1945-46. The program’s first official varsity season was in 1945 and the program started with an October 20 victory. Since that first game in the fall of 1945, the Bald Eagles have claimed 69 winning seasons, 15 conference championships and seven national titles, among many other prestigious honors. Back in July, the Atlantic 10 Conference announced the postponement of all scheduled fall contests in conference-sponsored sports and A-10 championships due to the continuing COVID-19 global pandemic. That announcement included field hockey, but part of the announcement also included the league’s intentions to conduct a competitive schedule for fall sports during the 2021 spring semester. 2021 Spring A-10 Field Hockey Preseason Poll - Total Points (First-Place Votes) 1. Saint Joseph’s 60 pts. (6) 2. Richmond 51 pts. (1) 3. Massachusetts 48 pts. (1) 4. VCU 45 pts. 5. Lock Haven 32 pts. T-6. Davidson 21 pts. T-6. La Salle 21 pts. 8. Saint Louis 10 pts.
Feb. 12, 2021
For a full list of events and activitied check the activities email in your LHU email
15 Sports
Sports 16
Feb. 12, 2021
Women in breaking into sports Cassandra Keller Sports Editor cmk2356@lockhaven.edu
History was made on Sunday when Sarah Thomas stepped onto the Super Bowl field as the first ever woman to referee the Super Bowl. Thomas hasn’t just started making history either, in 2007 she became the first woman to officiate a major college football game as well as become the first woman to officiate a bowl game at the end of the 2009 season in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl between Marshall and Ohio. The Marshall running back and game MVP, Martin Ward, said “I noticed her before the game, but that was it. Once the game started, she was just doing the job that the line judge does in every game we play. It didn’t matter that she was a woman at all.” Before Thomas started her career as a referee she worked as a pharmaceutical representative, but found a love for the sport after she attended a meeting of the Gulf Coast Football Officials Association. In an interview with CBS This Morning, Thomas said, “But as you pursue this career, and you fall in love with what you’re doing, and to be a part of such a strong fraternity, and they[NFL officators] let a little sister in, and I know there’s going to be some more women following me.” And follow they have. Other women like Shannon Eastin and Becky Hammon, have found success as referees and coaches across several male dominated sports leagues like the NFL and the NBA. For a full list of other women referees and coaches that are making history, check out this article from the Sportster.