Liberty Champion Feb. 28, 2012

Liberty baseball wins weekend

Brewing his own coffee grounds B5

B3

LIBERTY CHAMPION Today: Sunny 60/43 Tomorrow: T. Storms 67/46

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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Volume 29 • Issue 16

Finding missing $50,000

taking the plunge

Justin Jones jljones@liberty.edu

It would take a rare occasion for ABC’s “Good Morning America” to find its way to Lynchburg, Va. But when a Greater Lynchburg Transit Company (GLTC) employee found a missing $50,000 dollars online, the The GLTC popular morning recently show took notice and found filmed the celebration that later aired on missing Feb. 17. $50,000.

For 21 months, Debbie Evans and the 39 members of GLTC’s employee benefit association had been searching for the missing money they were owed when the association dissolved. Evans, who has been employed at GLTC for nearly six years, found the money on the Virginia Department of the Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program’s website. With the certificate of deposit

FYI

See GLTC, A2

Film event gives back to charity

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Icy waters — Liberty students and Lynchburg residents dove into frigid waters to support Special Olympics.

Kayla Gurley kgurley@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s National Broadcast Society (NBS) created a film competition, called Forty-Eight, to raise money for four local charities and hosted a Black Tie Event on Feb. 24, where the films were judged.

Seven groups of three to five students had just 48 hours to create a promotional film for one of four charities: Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics Virginia, Causelife and Interfaith Outreach Association.

Alicia Whitecavage, founder and project manager of Forty-Eight, said she put on her New Year’s Resolution list that she wanted to be more involved with the community, and she actually put her written words into action.

“I just thought that as students, we have projects for class and we do them to get a grade, and that’s well and good, but there’s something more,” Whitecavage said. “I wanted to take skills learned at Liberty and really do something for the community, like this event.”

See BLACK TIE, A6

Plunging for special needs

Lynchburg raises money for Special Olympics Virginia by braving icy waters Kate Powley knpowley@liberty.edu

S

tudents and faculty of Liberty University, and members of the Lynchburg community, took a plunge into frigid waters for a good cause.

This year’s Hill City Polar Plunge Festival at Camp Hydaway on Feb. 25 raised $22,388 — twice the amount that they were expecting.

“I was really happy with the results,” senior and Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) member Haley Collins said.

Liberty’s PRSSA mem-

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Freezing — Temperatures were in the low 40s. bers helped to promote this year’s Special Olympics Virginia Polar Plunge event.

Although the plunge was the highlight of the festival, games, a costume contest, a concert and enough food to feed the

frenzies kept onlookers and plungers occupied throughout the day. Prizes were awarded in the categories of top individual fundraiser and team competition, according to the Polar Plunge’s website.

Special Olympics

Virginia is a program that serves more than 10,000 athletes and trains children and adult athletes with intellectual disabilities for free thanks to volunteers, donations and events such as the Polar Plunge, according to their website.

Hill City’s Polar Plunge is a small part of a larger Polar Plunge for the Special Olympics. According to the Polar Plunge’s website, one third of the Special Olympics Virginia’s annual operating budget was met. The goal for the Polar Plunge was $1 million and $1.12 million was raised,

See PLUNGE, A6

INSIDE THE CHAMPION

News

Air Race Classic

Four Liberty pilots compete in the annual transcontinental race.

A5

Sports

Events

Derrick Battle reports on Jesse’s last game. B2

Several bands competed for the top prize. B6

Sanders profile

Battle of the bands

News Opinion Sports Feature

A1 A4 B1 B6

NEWS

A2/Liberty Champion

February 28, 2012

Bringing Christian values into focus one of many stops on the Values Bus’ route.

“We have a lot of good partnerships here (at Liberty). My boss, Tony Perkins, is an alum,” McClusky said. “(President) Barack Obama has supposedly really got the youth involved to vote, except when you look at the figures that’s just not true.

So what we are trying to do is to target traditionally conservative colleges like Liberty. They are the best people to be ‘champions’.

They want to get involved beyond just ‘liking’ something on Facebook.”

Though both organizations have come together to achieve one purpose, they also both have different focuses, according to their respective websites.

“Heritage is promoting their Saving the American Dream, which is their budget plan for the future, about how to cut spending and balance the budget within 10 years,” McClusky said. “We (FRC Action) are pushing the values that we represent and issues that we represent of marriage and life and religious liberty, but mainly what we are trying to do is get people to register to vote.”

According to McClusky, when a student registers

Ashley Bollinger

akbollinger@liberty.edu

The Value Bus rolled into town Friday, encouraging students to register to vote for their values in the upcoming Presidential elections with their “Your Money, Your Values, Your Vote 2012” tour.

The Values Bus is the brainchild of the Family Research Council Action (FRC Action) and the Heritage Foundation.

Offering young adults the opportunity to have a voice, the Heritage Foundation and FRC Action joined together to better promote their campaigns, according to Senior Vice President of FRC Action Thomas McClusky. “(FRC Action has) partnered (with the Heritage Foundation) a lot on a number of different things. There are a lot of friends within both organizations,” McClusky said.

“They’ve worked with us on the Valley voter summit, our annual big event, which Liberty is involved with.”

The two organizations decided to join together after a successful bus tour through Iowa in 2010, according to McClusky.

According to the Values Bus website, Liberty was

GLTC continued from A1 accumulating interest, the total came to over $84,000.

“It was just an awesome, awesome feeling. Not just for myself, but for the other members,” Evans said.

Barry Williams, transportation supervisor at GLTC, assisted Evans in her search.

For Williams, Evans, and the rest of the GLTC members, the lost money was a difficult burden to fight in a tough time.

“We were really disappointed and let down,” Williams said. “We felt like within a few weeks or so they would find the lost CD. And the longer it dragged on with no update, we had really gotten down about it, and most of us felt it was never going to be found.”

“Things had been on shaky ground, and it was so exciting to have something good to report,” Evans added. “When everybody found out, there were a lot of people that were overjoyed for all of us.”

According to Williams, members of the association were told that the money was lost, and they could only receive one payment back on their investment. The members received explanations that were clouded with issues that resulted from the closing of Central Fidelity Bank and the transformation of Wachovia bank into Wells Fargo.

“Other people had been looking for the last 21 months, and we weren’t getting much update,” Williams said. “So I pushed

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Values— Students learn how to become champions through involvement in the political process. to vote on the computers available outside of the Values Bus, their name automatically get put into a system that will connect them to 15 to 30 like-minded people who are not registered to vote in their area. This list of registered students is what McClusky calls the “champion” list.

This will allow people to encourage each other to

the issue to all the members involved. Once that took place, Debbie sort of took the ball up and got looking for the money.”

Once Good Morning America heard of GLTC’s story, Evans was contacted about being apart of their “Show Me the Money” segment.

“Well, I really thought it was a joke at first,” Evans said. “I was very excited, and I was very nervous. I wanted to try to do it when all the members could be there. It wasn’t just about me. It was for everybody. I wanted as many members that were in it to be there.”

Evans and the other “It was just an awesome, awesome feeling.”

—Debbie Evans members were able to share the memory Feb. 12 with each other, as well as family members, in a celebration filled with food, fun and cameras.

“It was just an awesome feeling seeing my grandson and one of my daughters on TV,” Evans said.

Although she confesses she is far from an expert on computers and the Internet, friends and family have approached Evans about helping them find unclaimed cash, and just as before, her search has been a success.

“Now, I need them all to take up a collection to buy myself a new computer. It’s been used so much it’s got steam coming off of it.”

JONES is a news reporter.

register and vote their values, McClusky said.

“Getting people to vote is just the first step in getting them active in government. It is a lot of what we do at FRC,” McClusky said. “We have a church outreach program and we have a state legislators program where we try to work with state legislators.”

“Our goal is to motivate Christians...(to) be involved

vbrunner@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s Parent and Family Connections will be hosting its fourth annual Spring Family Weekend on March 2-4, where students’ families can come and enjoy a fun weekend full of events.

For the Spring Family Weekend, an estimated 700 parents will come and join their students in classes and convocation Friday, March 2.

Activities planned for the weekend are: touring the campus, family ice skating, family skiing and snowboarding at Snowflex, baseball game, basketball game, theatre production, family luncheon, coffee bar meet and greet and family movie night.

“I loved every minute—It was wonderful being able to do things with my Liberty student and the family,” the parent of a freshman student said in a survey about last year’s event.

Liberty’s Fall Family Weekend is much larger with an attendance of 3,000 family members. Parents drive and fly in from all over North America to attend, including Canada and California.

Parents were so happy about Fall Family Weekend that Spring Family Weekend began after multiple requests from parents in a survey.

Family Weekend is not just an eventful weekend that allows students and their parents to have fun, but it is a family investment.

“We had an awesome time.

Our two younger daughters, ages 10 and 12, are still talking about seeing Candace Cameron at convocation and being able to attend classes with their sister. They also

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BOLLINGER is the editor in chief.

Victoria Brunner

1971 university blvd, Lynchburg, Virginia 24502

Editor in chief

active in government,” McClusky said. “We need a lot of voices in government, in both parties, otherwise one party is going to usurp the constitution and the other party is just going to let them. “ Students can register to be a “champion” on ivotevalues.org.

Welcoming Liberty families

LIBERTY CHAMPION Ashley Bollinger

in the public square. There is this almost mythology of separation of church and state and people think that the church can’t get involved in politics,” McClusky said.

Neither organization is endorsing a candidate, however, they do not shy away from endorsing certain values to look for, McClusky said.

“We need more people

feature Editor

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Devin Francis copy editor

photography

Ruth Bibby

Photography Editor

Alyssa Bockman Asst. photography editor

Caleb Atkins | Office of Promotional Publications

family — Liberty families get a treat by enjoying campus activities. loved snowboarding for the first time. The highlight, though, was probably spending the night with her in her dorm. They really miss her,” the parent of a freshman student said in a survey.

A couple that attended family day nine years ago for their eldest of four children now has their youngest attending Liberty University. They have shared their experience with friends and now eight other church families have students attending Liberty.

“It’s a wonderful recruitment opportunity as well,” Parent and Family Connections Director Theresa Dunbar said.

Most children whose parents come to Liberty’s Family Weekend for their child’s freshmen year are the oldest. Because of this, Liberty allows siblings to stay on the halls.

Siblings staying on the halls must be at least 10 years old and of the same gender.

“Parents...love coming, especially during the Fall Family Weekend, and going to the football game. It has the American apple pie feel.

They want to come see the cam-

letter to the editor policies & info

pus, go to the bookstore and buy their Liberty sweatshirts...It’s a good way to get the family connected and make them a part of the Liberty family,” Dunbar said.

Family weekend brings the biggest revenue to the bookstore. Parents love to come and buy Liberty souvenirs to keep from their visit, according to Dunbar.

Liberty’s Parent and Family Connections Office began in 2005 after an overwhelming turnout for parent’s day, which began in 2001 and was sponsored by admissions.

The first parent’s day had 400 in attendance. The next year, the number doubled. By 2003, 1,200 parents on average were attending parent’s day.

“We started to provide this because we recognized how involved families were,” Dunbar said.

To register for the event, visit the Parents and Family Connections page at www.liberty.edu. For more information, contact the office by phone at (434) 582-2339.

BRUNNER is a news reporter.

The Champion encourages community members to submit letters to the editor on any subject. Letters should not exceed 400 words and must be typed and signed. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University.

All material submitted becomes property of the Champion. The Champion reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any letter received — according to the Champion stylebook, taste and the Liberty University mission statement.

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Send letters to: Liberty Champion Liberty University, Box 2000, Lynchburg, VA 24502 or drop off in DeMoss Hall 1035.

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NEWS

February 28, 2012

Liberty Champion/A3

Liberty gymnasts soar through air Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu

Flipping, flopping and flying through the air, Liberty’s co-ed gymnastics club team is gearing up to win. Consisting of nine competing gymnasts and led by Coach Mariah Dailey, the team started only three years ago.

Since the very beginning, the team has been to Nationals every year. The first year they traveled, the team came back with one all-around finalist. The very next year, they came back with one all-around finalist and three vault finalists. Senior Rachel Steele, who aided in starting the team, spoke about how much they have grown since the startup year.

“When we started the first year, we had a pretty small team.

We took five members to Nationals in Texas. Since then, we’ve gotten a new coach and acquired a few new teammates,” Steele said.

David Tighe, a senior from Boise, Idaho, talked about the big changes within the last couple of years, from facilities and team down to skill improvement.

“Since the 2010-11 season, we’ve seen our team go from practicing in a local gymnastics club to having its own facility.

New members have joined from our own backyard (Liberty’s stu-

dent population) from new freshmen all the way to transfer students. Our skill level continues to increase as the team establishes itself,” Tighe said.

Tighe has been involved in competitive gymnastics for 17 years. He currently holds the title of team captain for this season. He recalls his favorite event to compete in between the six men’s events (Pommel Horse, Floor Exercise, Parallel Bars, High-bar and Vault) as either High-bar or the Floor exercise.

“God has used the sport to teach me how to find ‘satisfaction in my toil.’”

—David Tighe “High-bar is nothing but fun.

It’s like being on a roller coaster, except if you let go of the rail, there’s nothing to hold you in, and it’s all up to you. It’s also probably the closest you can get to the feeling of controlled flight,” Tighe said.

On Feb. 11, the team traveled up to James Madison University to compete against big-name schools such as William and Mary, JMU, Miami of Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and UVA. The women’s team placed 2nd overall.

Training takes place 3-4 days a week, with a few members train-

ing up to five times a week. Each training session usually includes strength training, basic movement-handstands, flips, tight body drills and routines.

Most of the competition for the Liberty team comes from the other club teams at schools such as Penn State, Texas and MIT. When asked why they chose gymnastics, both seniors Steele and Tighe mentioned how the importance of teamwork and discipline play a role in everyday life. Tighe also talked about how the book of Ecclesiastes relates to reaping the benefits of hard work.

“God has used the sport to teach me how to find ‘satisfaction in my toil’ and that’s one great gift. Not only how to get back up after I fail, but to enjoy getting back up, figure out what I did wrong, do it again, and see the improvement,” he said.

“Someone told me that sports can be seen as another metaphor for life, and life is a metaphor for heaven. For me, gymnastics has done, and continues to do, just that.”

The Liberty gymnastics team will head to Nationals this year in Salt Lake City April 19 to 21.

OELRICH is a news reporter.

Victoria Pearce | Liberty Champion

Practice — Liberty’s gymnastics team prepares for Nationals.

1. Red Cross lifeguard lessons 2. Psychology students look into online teen activity 3. Avery warley and five other seniors were honored saturday for their respective careers

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Women’s Hoops

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OPINION

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

Syrian government rules by fear Since protests against tyranny began 11 months ago, more than 5,000 Syrians have been killed by government

Troy Dauksys tadauksys2@liberty.edu

Syria has yet to resolve the conflict with its civilians. According to the United Nations (UN) an estimated 5,400 people have been killed by the Bashar al-Assad regime in the government’s attempt to quelch a protest that began 11 months ago.

At this rate, it is questioned whether or not the United States will intervene. The U.S. — along with other countries — shows a lack of gusto for yet another war-like confrontation.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Russia and China “despicable” for opposing UN action for stopping the bloodshed in Syria, according to an article in The Telegraph.

“We don’t want to take actions that would contribute to the further militarization of Syria because that could take the country down a dangerous path,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. “But we don’t rule out additional measures if the international community should wait too long and not take the kind of action that needs to be taken.”

As if terror among one’s own government isn’t enough, Americans are getting a taste of the horrific activity in Syria.

According to BBC, over 30,000 civilians are trapped in Homs, a city in western Syria with a recorded population of a little over 800,000 people. If strate-

Getty Images

Iron fist — al-Assad has shown himself willing to do anything to maintain control in Syria. gically assessed, America’s involvement may actually do very little. Anger continues to rise and it’s only a matter of time until Syria gets its act together.

According to a CNN article, “Journalists and activists have been sneaking into Syria in an effort to report on the protests and clashes that have persistently challenged the authority of

President Bashar al-Assad.”

American born Journalist Marie Colvin, a Yale graduate renown for her reporting on issues of war, and photographer Remi Ochlik were killed during the shelling in Syria while reporting and documenting destruction and violence in Homs.

According to CNN, reports came back from Syria saying,

“I watched a little baby die today,” Colvin said. Colvin also reported that there was “constant shelling in the city” and that the child’s death was “just one of many stories” in violence-wracked Homs. “It’s chaos here.”

“Absolutely horrific, a 2-year old child had been hit,” added Colvin, who worked for Britain’s

Sunday Times. “They stripped it and found the shrapnel had gone into the left chest and the doctor said, ‘I can’t do anything.’ His little tummy just kept heaving until he died,” Colvin said.

The two reporters were later killed over a cease-fire misunderstanding, according to CNN. In a statement last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Syrian military officers to turn against al-Assad.

“The longer you support the regime’s campaign of violence against your brothers and sisters, the more it will stain your honor… If you refuse, however, to prop up the regime or take part in attacks on your fellow citizens, your countrymen and women will hail you as heroes,” Clinton said, according to the LA Times.

In the end, only time will tell when Syria’s government can stand on its two feet again, if ever. As of now, the U.S. is reluctant about sending any military supply for the nearly 30,000 civilians being attacked by their own government.

Whether it is a matter of trust or lack of interest of America, people — including Americans — are dying each week in Syria, and we have yet to do anything to put an end to it.

DAUKSYS is an opinion writer.

JSOC: America’s secret lawless army

Joint Special Operations Command exists to perform jobs that the government cannot officially condone Clint Hayes rhayes4@liberty.edu

They take their orders directly from the president or the secretary of defense.

They stroll through foreign embassies in civilian clothing, eschewing the uniforms worn by their military cohorts. During combat, they wear no identification of any kind, neither rank nor name. They have gone by many names: the Secret Army of Northern Virginia, Task Force Green, Task Force 121. Their leaders rarely speak in public, and they have no unclassified website. They killed Osama bin Laden.

They are the Joint Special Operations Command, or JSOC, and they are America’s secret army.

“We’re the dark matter. We’re the force that orders the universe but can’t be seen,” a Navy SEAL member of JSOC said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in the Washington Post article, “ ‘Top Secret America’: A look as the military’s Joint Special Operations Command.”

JSOC’s covert nature is matched only by its ever-expanding capabilities.

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as prices nationwide are taking a turn for the worst — and just in time for spring

break.

However, this is nothing new — especially not for the White House.

President Barack Obama “feels” our pain, or at least that is what he claimed in his speech on energy development given in Florida on Feb. 23.

Since its creation in 1980, JSOC has grown from 1,800 troops before Sept. 11, 2001 to its current size of about 25,000.

The group is multifaceted in the extreme: it has its own intelligence division, drones and reconnaissance planes and its own dedicated satellites. It even has its own cyber division, responsible for shutting down every jihadist website known to them on Sept. 11, 2008, according to the Washington Post article.

Accountability is nearly nonexistent for the JSOC operative. The president has bestowed upon JSOC the rare authority to place people on a kill list and then, well… kill them, all with apparent impunity. The list is not normally coordinated with other intelligence agencies, such as the CIA, which has a similar, but shorter, list of names.

“There are legal restrictions on what the CIA can do in terms of covert operations. There has to be a finding, the president has to notify at least the “Gang of Eight” (leaders of the intelligence oversight committees) in Congress. JSOC doesn’t have to do any of that… There is very little accountability for their actions,”

But, let’s be honest. How many times can the President spew the same speech at us while we idly sit by? Some of you may remember hearing a similar rant on gas prices and “no silver bullet” from President Obama’s speech back in April of 2011.

“The truth is there is no silver bullet that can bring down gas prices right away, but there are a few things we can do,” Obama said in his speech last April.

“This includes safe and responsible production of oil at home, which we’re pursuing. In fact, Bollinger last year America’s oil production reached its highest level since 2003.”

Well, somehow this “long-term” plan has still found us in an even graver situation nearly a year later.

Gas prices are a record high for this time of year. Though the spring season

“We’re the dark matter. We’re the force that orders the universe but can’t be seen.”

— jsoc operative Marc Ambinder, a JSOC researcher, said in the article “How the Pentagon’s Top Killers Became (Unaccountable) Spies” on wired.com.

Assassination is prohibited by U.S. law, but for JSOC it appears to be business as usual. Not only does the group carry out the missions, it conducts the investigations, identifies the targets and drops the hammers, all with virtually no Congressional oversight.

Granted, the highly efficient attack that killed Osama bin Laden represented a high water mark of U.S. intelligence gathering and military response, but did the end justify the means?

Most would respond to that question with an emphatic “yes” and I would nor-

has yet to grace us with its presence, gas is already pushing a national average of $3.60 a gallon, according to GasBuddy. com, an organization developed to track gas prices and ranges countrywide.

“Whenever gas prices shoot up, like clockwork, you see politicians racing to the cameras three-point plans for $2 dollar gas,” Obama said.

Well, this is almost exactly what he was doing back in April, and again last week.

However, although the gas prices are skyrocketing, the Obama Administration still continues to decline to comment on its solution to the problem. Instead, it seems to be following exactly what President Obama said other politicians do when gas prices rise.

“You see people trying to grab headlines, or score a few points,” Obama said.

In April of last year the President continued his speech by telling Americans he was fighting to “root-out” fraud and take control of our internal oil market, but as far as I can tell we are still

mally be inclined to agree. However, the existence of an unchecked secret army whose members lumber across the face of the earth like jolly green giants with guns inspires feelings of nervousness rather than security.

Add to this the fact that last year President Barack Obama signed a four-year extension for three important provisions of the Patriot Act – roving wiretaps, searches of business records, and surveillance of individuals not connected to terrorist groups but only suspected of terrorism – and the situation becomes downright frightening.

It seems every year the already ill-defined term “terrorist” becomes more and more vague. Under current law, the government only has to claim someone is a terrorist in order to monitor their every movement. And with JSOC, an entity operating on the fringe of government policy with the ability to play judge, jury and executioner, it may be only a short step from being placed under surveillance to be being placed on a kill list.

HAYES is an opinion writer.

sitting in the exact same spot — nearly a year later.

“Instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy sources we need to invest in tomorrow’s, we need to invest in clean renewable energy,” Obama said.

Well, where are our investments in tomorrow, now? That is what I would like to hear the President comment on.

After a year of economic struggle and political nonsense, I think Americans deserve an update on what the President proposed last April — not just a repeat of the same speech.

The President gave his speech last Thursday, hoping to bring an understanding of new energy conservation and preservation, but what I got from it is a need for a new plan.

Yes, having a long-term energy efficient plan is great, but what about right now? If the President’s plan will take years, as he said Thursday, then are we supposed to simply “deal” with $6 a gallon gas?

Someone needs to give us a solution for now — not just later.

NEWS

February 28, 2012

Liberty Champion/A5

Students compete in Air Race Classic School of Aeronautics students prepare to fly across US Omar Adams oadams@liberty.edu

Two teams of Liberty University students will fly in the 2012 Air Race Classic in June. The 2,400-mile transcontinental race is an all-women’s race based on the 1929 “Powder Puff ” Air Derby flown by Amelia Earhart.

Fifty teams will fly from Lake Havasu, Ariz., north to Sault Ste Marie on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, before landing at Batavia, Ohio. According to Liberty flight instructor and student mechanic Sarah Morris — who won the 2011 race while flying for her alma mater, Jacksonville University — the event usually takes four days.

“Each aircraft has its own handicap speed, and basically, whoever beats that speed by the greatest margin wins,” Morris said. “It’s not who gets to the finish line first, it’s whoever beats their own speed.”

Morris will coach Liberty’s teams this year, lending her experience as both an Air Race Classic champion and a certified flight instructor (CFI). Dispatcher Aly Boardman will provide weather tracking and logistical support.

Liberty’s competitors come from diverse backgrounds. Student pilots Esther Dii and Mollie Melton — both training to become airline pilots — will be paired up, while CFI and recent mechanic school graduate Lindsey Gray and helicopter student Naomi Satterfield make up the second team.

“I’m from Papua New Guinea, and we have less than 10 female pilots flying (in our country), so it’s unheard of,” Dii said.

“I’m going to be the first New Guinean ever to race in an air race like this, and I’m going to use it as a voice to encourage women. Where I come from, aviation is male-dominated, so being part of that race will put me in a better position to go back and encourage women.”

Both Melton and Dii want to fly for

Ben Lesley | Liberty Champion

Liberty Belles — The team, from left to right, front row: coach Sarah Morris and Esther Dii. Back row: Lindsey Gray, Mollie Melton and Naomi Satterfield. Two teams — Dii, Melton and Gray, Satterfield — will fly from Lake Havasu, Ariz. to Batavia, Ohio in four days. The team to beat their handicap time by the greatest margin wins.

major airlines in the future. Dii will be the first New Guinean to fill such a role, and she intends to eventually return to Papua New Guinea to fly. Morris, Gray and Satterfield are all aiming to become missionary aviators. Satterfield is looking at Nepal, and Morris and Gray are both considering African missions.

“I would like to go into missions, specifically helicopter search and rescue, as a platform ministry in closed countries,” Satterfield said. “I love mountaineering, and I have a heart for Alpinists and guides and the Sherpa community.”

Both teams are looking forward to using the race as an opportunity to share the Gospel and represent the university, as well.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity to represent Liberty, and more than that, to represent Christ,” Satterfield said. “We’re

Elliot Mosher

going across the country, so we’re going to encounter people from all over, and if we conduct ourselves in a manner that glorifies the Lord … I think it will bring up questions and inspire people to look further into that.”

In last year’s race, Morris was able to do just that.

“After we went through one of the airports, I got an email from one of the guys that worked at the airport saying, ‘I could tell there was something different about your team, and then I read your bios,

and I know it was your faith in Christ,’” Morris said. “It was really neat to get that message and be able to talk to him about that.”

The Air Race Classic costs a total of $20,000 for the two teams, which they are currently raising. Aircraft rentals, fuel, food and hotel costs are all included in the total. The race will run from June 19 to 22, with pre-race preparation activities beginning June 16.

ADAMS is the web editor.

Jubilee Center featured on Oprah Winfrey network Cherie Jamison cnjamison@liberty.edu

The Jubilee Family Development Center in Lynchburg, Va. received national recognition in February when Executive Director Sterling Wilder was acknowledged as an “Everyday Hero” on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Wilder was originally honored in 2000 on The Oprah Winfrey Show with the Use Your Life Award.

Now, in a new program sponsored by Dollar General called Honoring Our Everyday Heroes, Wilder and the Jubilee Center were given the spotlight for a second time.

“They wanted to recognize different community leaders. They liked that we continued to do the same work that we were doing,” Wilder said.

The 90-second “Everyday Hero” segment featuring Wilder will air Wednes-

days at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on the Oprah Winfrey Network now through March 21.

The segment specifically highlights one of the Jubilee Center’s success stories – University of Virginia (UVa) senior Sheldon Anderson. The Jubilee Center helped Anderson find housing when he was homeless, as well as opened the doors for him to attend eventually transfer to UVa.

“He’d been in the program off and on for a while. He got into some stuff and wanted to change his life around,” Wilder said. “He knew where to come.”

According to Wilder, Anderson will graduate this coming May with a degree in English.

Anderson is just one of the Jubilee Center’s many success stories. Program Director Crystal Watts started out by coming to the after-school program when she was in school.

After she graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, she found her way back to the Jubilee Center as a staff member.

“I’m a representative of the ways Jubilee has changed lives,” Watts said.

The Jubilee Family Development Center originally opened in 1999 after the city raised concerns over the amount of low income in the Florida Avenue area of downtown Lynchburg, Wilder said.

“They wanted something for the families to be able to do,” Wilder said.

Watts said that the Jubilee Center brought “something positive” to the low income neighborhood.

The Jubilee Center offers after-school educational help to students from elementary school up through high school.

The doors are open from

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Starting off right — Program Director Crystal Watts prepares for the day. the time the kids get out of school until 6 p.m. Many Lynchburg City Schools provide bus transportation directly to the center.

According to Wilder and Watts, the Jubilee Center has grown exponentially since its opening. In 2000, a gymnasium was built to complement the main educational building. In 2004, the center bought the buildings next door to become its career and vocational training center.

The staff relies heavily on volunteers from local colleges to help the Jubilee Center run smoothly. According to Watts, volunteers provide the opportunity for more one-on-one help to be given to kids who need the extra support. Wilder said that Liberty provides the largest group of volunteers.

“On our role, we have about 100 Liberty volunteers,” Wilder said.

“There’s no way we could do what we do without Liberty.”

In addition to their after-school program, the Jubilee Center offers an all-day camp during the summer. The Jubilee Center’s gymnasium has also been used for community events, such as step shows and nutrition classes. According to Watts, these are typically free events that are open to the community as a whole.

“We do more than cater to just the children,” Watts said. “We try to have something for the whole family.”

JAMISON is a news reporter.

NEWS

A6/Liberty Champion

February 28, 2012

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Plunge — Participants charge into the icy water for charity.

PLUNGE continued from A1 which was the most in the plunge’s history.

Liberty University was the first university to host a polar plunge for Special Olympics Virginia in 2009.

“The Polar Plunge Festival supports the Lynchburg community… I feel like Liberty and Liberty students are always doing things to benefit places outside of Lynchburg, which is great, but the Polar Plunge raises money for the Lynchburg Special Olympics,” Collins said.

According to the Polar Plunge website, the event is the largest fundraiser for the Special Olympics Virginia. The cost to plunge was $50, or a team or individual could raise $500 to plunge a professor or coach.

“We’re excited to see what the Hill City Polar Plunge will do next year. It was cool to see all the vendors and the Lynchburg community come out together to support the Special Olympics,” Collins said.

Junior Dana Tweed was a registered plunger who raised money and helped to get donations and find more plungers.

“I have a special needs brother back home who participates in the Polar Plunge and Special Olympics,” Tweed said. “He has been my inspiration to get involved in events such as these. He is a great guy and one of my best friends, so I love getting as involved as I can.”

“It was really touching to see how eager everyone was to get into the water. A part of it might have been how eager they were to get over it, but it was also the support for the cause. The outcome and the giving … it was great to see the support and the enthusiasm and everyone else from the plunge,” Collins said.

POWLEY is a news reporter.

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Amy Marquez | Liberty Champion

Winners — The Judge’s Choice award winners, who filmed for CauseLife, posed with the judges following the event.

BLACK TIE continued from A1 Several students showed up dressed in suits and cocktail dresses to learn more about the local charities and enjoy the evening, which was filled with refreshments, a photo booth complete with props such as superhero masks and oversized sunglasses and, of course, to watch the films made by the students involved in Forty-Eight.

“All of the promotional films made are really good,” Whitecavage said. “The one for Special Olympics went viral in just 12 hours of it being posted to YouTube, and the Special Olympics in Texas and California are using it as their promotional video for the year as well.”

Matt Camire, the Piedmont regent director for the Special Olympics, said the video competition was a great way to spread the word about the organization and help people realize that their athletes do not have disabilities, but rather, “diffibilities.”

Rachel Kolb, the assistant director for CauseLife, said that Liberty University con-

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tacting them about doing the competition was “absolutely a God thing.”

“Just a week before we received the phone call from Liberty, we had a meeting where we talked about how what we really needed was some sort of video,” Kolb said. “When we got the phone call about this opportunity, it was such a blessing.”

According to Tasha Willett, cofounder and event planner of Forty-Eight, NBS wanted to hold a Forty-Eight competition for a while, and doing a project that simultaneously gave students experience while helping a charity seemed like the way to go.

“We just were thinking about it and decided, ‘Why not do a charity? If we are going to be Christians, let’s do this right,’” Willett said.

Laura Dunn, the program services coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, was thrilled to partner with Liberty University in the video challenge endeavor.

“There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to us,” Dunn said. “Many people don’t realize that we hold to Christian values, though,

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Amy Marquez | Liberty Champion

Forty-Eight — Attendees talk after the event. and being able to be associated with Liberty is a great way to help people understand what we are all about.”

Shawne Farmer, the executive director for Interfaith Outreach Association, agreed with Dunn and said that being chosen to participate in this competition was an amazing experience.

The videos were scored by a panel of three judges, and two prizes were awarded.

One group who filmed for Interfaith Outreach Association won the Crowd Favorite award, and one group who filmed for CauseLife won the Judge’s Choice award.

Prizes for the Judge’s Choice winners consisted of a signed copy of Johnnie Moore’s book “Honestly: Really Living What We Say We Believe” and the proceeds from registration fees.

The prize for Crowd Favorite was a free Bespoke music track.

For more information on the National Broadcast Society or the Forty-Eight competition, contact Alicia Whitecavage at awhitecavage@liberty.edu.

GURLEY is a news reporter.

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

Hockey enters Nationals No. 5

legacy

Handy and co. are well-poised for a deep run

Jay Sir ysir@liberty.edu

It’s been two years since Liberty University last went to the ACHA National Tournament. Last season, Liberty narrowly missed a chance to compete in the tournament they’ve been regulars in, but this year, the Liberty men’s Division I hockey team is coming back to the national scene much improved.

“We didn’t play as many top caliber teams two years ago as we had this year, so we feel pretty good that we’re going in battle tested,” head coach Kirk Handy said. “We’ve played a lot of the top teams during the regular season this year and a lot of them ended up being tight games.

Those experiences are really going to help us with our matches in the National Tournament.

We’re confident with the guys we have, we’re confident with the coaching staff and we’re confident that if we play our games in the way we have been playing them, we’re going to be fine.”

The Flames head into the tournament with a 23-8 record after testing their mettle in the season with the likes of No. 1 Penn State and No. 3 University of Delaware. They will have to win four games to win the tournament, and the competition gets tougher every season.

“This year’s tournament is more open than it’s ever been.

I think there are probably eight teams that have a really good chance of winning, and I would put us in that eight,” Handy said.

“On any given night, any team can win if they’ve been

See ACHA, B4

flames

scoreboard •

Baseball vs.

Radford 6-3 (W) vs Siena, 6-2 (W) vs. Siena, 1-0 (W) vs. Siena, 7-9 (L)

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Softball vs. La Salle 10-1 (W)

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Women’s Tennis at Coastal Carolina 1-6 (L)

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Track Big South Indoor Championships Men’s 1st Place Women 1st Place

•

Swimming Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Championships 2nd place out of 12

Ruth Bibby & Nate Brown | Liberty Champion

recognition — Jesse Sanders (left) and Avery Warley (right) were two of six seniors who were recognized Saturday for their contribution to Flames sports.

Seniors Victorious

With teammates’ help, the seniors finish with a win

Warley and Dale cruise in a blowout victory

Derrick Battle

Derrick Battle

dbattle2@liberty.edu

dbattle2@liberty.edu

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hen the buzzer reached zero, a celebration erupted in the Vines Center. The Liberty men’s basketball team defeated Campbell 49-41 and clinched the fifth seed in the Big South tournament. However, the win was sweeter for four seniors.

With John Brown sidelined, guards David Minaya, Jesse Sanders and forward Tanner Hoyt played their final home game at Liberty. But although the game was dressed for the seniors, it was forward junior Antwan Burrus, junior guard Tavares Speaks and sophomore guard John Caleb Sanders who led the way.

Combined, the trio of Burrus, Speaks and John Caleb Sanders accounted for 43 of Liberty’s 49 points. In an off shooting night, The men’s Big South Jesse Sanders and Minaya tallied Tournament started three points combined, but it was Feb. 28 in Asheville, N.C. enough for the victory.

Liberty plays Charleston “It took a lot of heart,” head Sourthern Feb. 29. coach Dale Layer said. “That was the best defense effort I’ve seen all year. Defensively, we have progressed to the point that it’s a factor.”

FYI

Life on the outside With 9:31 left in the first half, John Caleb Sanders hit his second straight three for Liberty to take a 13-10 lead. From that point forward, the Flames never relinquished that lead. The Flames were 7-17 from beyond the arc.

John Caleb Sanders hit two more threes in the second half and finished with 14 points. Speaks also hit two threes in the second half with one coming with 1:01 left in the game, which gave the Flames a 45-41 lead.

“It was huge, bigger than monumental,” Layer said.

See M.Basketball, B2

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he Liberty women’s basketball team defeated the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs 76-44 Saturday. For the Lady Flames, seeing their teammates and friends, seniors Avery Warley and Danika Dale, going out with a victory was every bit as important as clinching the number one overall seed of the Big South Tournament.

“It was a goal to clinch the number one seed, and it is a great way for the seniors to go in this particular game,” head coach Carey Green said. “We had a great crowd here. We thank the students and community for coming out in appreciation of the contribution of our two seniors, Danika Dale and Avery Warley. I can’t say enough how much I appreciate them and how they contributed to this program.”

The Lady Flames have two

FYI

more home games before

Holding the Bulldogs their Big South TournaThe Bulldogs were dismal from ment begins in High Point,, the field and missed on every occaN.C. March 11. sion. Their first point did not come until the 13-minute mark. Ten points from free throws were all the Bulldogs were able to put up.

The Lady Flames held the Bulldogs without a field goal for 16 minutes and, at one point, were on a 32-4 run.

The Bulldogs shot 3-26 (11 percent) from the field and 10-21 (47 percent) from the stripe. For the game, the lady Flames held the Bulldogs to only nine field goals.

“I think we played one of our best halves of our whole season,” Green said. “That first half defensively contesting shots, we were in the right position. We have been working on that for the most part. The first 20 minutes we were pretty good getting into defensive position.”

See W.Basketball, B2

SPORTS

B2/Liberty Champion

February 28, 2012

From one brother to another After playing together for 12 years, Jesse and John Caleb Sanders have formed a dangerous backcourt duo

Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu

They have scored 1,706 points together at Liberty, which places them in third as far as Big South brother-scoring combinations go. Currently this season, the brothers from Sugar Land, Texas, both average over double-digits in scoring. Jesse Sanders is tied for the team lead with David Minaya with 12.4 points per game while John Caleb averages 11.4 points per game.

For two seasons, the brother duo of Jesse and John Caleb Sanders has produced plenty for the men’s basketball team.

But after this season, this backcourt tandem will be disbanded when Jesse graduates in May. John Caleb Sanders followed in his brother footsteps,

coming from Texas to play alongside his brother.

“It’s fun,” John Caleb Sanders said. “I’m going to miss him when he is gone. He is a big reason why I came to Liberty, to be able to play alongside him.”

While this season saw the team lose seven straight games, this recent hot spell has given them hope to relish in what some would call a miracle.

“We scout and have a game plan for each team,” John Caleb Sanders said.

“Some teams we have to keep out of the paint, some teams we have to push the ball, and some teams we have to play a half court game. Just executing what coaches have drawn out for us, and just being unselfish. We have been shooting well recently, giving up open

M.Basketball continued from B1 “We probably wouldn’t have won if (Speaks) didn’t hit that shot.

He is a good shooter when he is in rhythm and has confidence. It was a big shot at a big moment.”

Stealing the show It was a remarkable night for Burrus.

In the first half, Burrus led all scorers with 11 points. He also had seven rebounds and three blocks. Burrus continued to

W.Basketball continued from B1 “I felt good,” Brown said. “It was a big day for a lot of us for our team and we wanted to go out with a bang.”

The lady Flames remain hot, winning

Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion

Brotherly love — Jesse and John Caleb Sanders have played two years alongside each other as Liberty Flames. shots for a better shot for someone else.”

Playing at home for the final time almost seemed surreal to some, but for Jesse Sanders, it was a moment to reflect on what has taken place

dominate in the second half scoring nine more points, adding three blocks and five rebounds to his total. For the night Burrus finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks.

“Antwan started killing inside.” John Caleb Sanders said. “He had 20 (points) and in the first half he had 11 (points), so they started packing in on him which gave us some open looks on the outside.”

A stifling defense The Campbell Camels only shot 29 percent total for the game.

over his four years — the All-American nod, the Big South Player of the Year award, the triple-doubles in each season.

Before tipoff Saturday, Jesse Sanders wasn’t emotional.

Darren White averaged 16 points per game but finished 6-19 from the floor. The Camels made 18 field goals, but a pair of threes from guard Lorne Merthie kept it close.

“I thought Tavares did a good job guarding (White). He never let him get in rhythm, our defense was probably the best of the year,” Layer said.

The Flames also had five steals, three by John Caleb Sanders who sealed the victory with a breakaway lay-in with 15 seconds remaining.

The Flames have won nine of 13 games

The position we are in right now, the only way to get there is to win out the Big South.”

In his last home game, Jesse Sanders scored only two points, had nine assists and five rebounds in the 49-41 victory against the Campbell Camels.

John Caleb Sanders had 14 points and was 4-8 from three.

“I’m going to miss him,” John Caleb Sanders said. “I play a lot better while he is on the court.

What I learned from him is having a great work ethic. We both worked real hard in high school, but it is a different level in college. It is really like a full-time job.”

BATTLE is the assistant sports editor.

including five Big South wins. After sitting in last place 50 days ago, the Flames received a first round bye and face Charleston Southern in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament.

“I don’t know what to envision anymore,” Layer said. “I just say let’s have a good day. I’m so thankful that the Lord allowed us to experience this because our guys deserve it.”

BATTLE is the assist. sports editor.

Senior Salutes

By Kyle Harvey

the last nine out of 10 games. With two more games left in the regular season, their eyes are set toward the Big South Tournament and a possible run to the NCAA tournament.

BATTLE is the assistant sports editor.

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“It (had) not quite hit me yet that this was my final home game at Liberty,” Jesse Sanders said.

After the game, he was elated. It was fitting that as the buzzer sounded and the backboard lit up, marking the end of Jesse Sander’s home career, the ball was in his hands.

He tossed it high in the air and hugged teammates, celebrating most notably with other seniors, Minaya, Tanner Hoyt and John Brown.

Leaving behind a trail of accomplishments, Jesse Sanders still has one more goal in mind — making the NCAA tournament.

“Its been quite a run,” Jesse Sanders said. “Even though we have done a lot, getting to the NCAA tournament is one thing that the team, as well as I, would like to accomplish.

Coach Green on Avery’s career: “She’s been beyond our expectation and to see her grow in every area: spiritually, maturity, academically and just who she is. She’s a pleasure to be around and her leadership this year has been outstanding.”

Warley

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Jesse Sanders on Hoyt’s significance “Tanner Hoyt represents what really is Liberty University. He’s a guy that’s been behind the scenes most of his career but he’s as teamcentered, team oriented of a guy as we have. He’s a servant every day, day in day out.”

Hoyt

Coach Layer on Minaya’s work ethic: “Dave has gone from a guy in my doghouse a lot to really being a mainstay to our team. I’m very thankful that Dave has continued to work.

He’s a product of his hard work. He’ll be very difficult to replace in many ways.”

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SPORTS

February 28, 2012

Liberty Champion/B3

Men’s lacrosse wins home opener Mark Meyers mameyers@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s men’s club lacrosse team upended the Mountaineers of Appalachian State on a frigid Saturday afternoon 16-11 behind the play of sophomore Kurt Tobias and freshman John Ferris.

Ferris led the way for the Flames with five goals and an assist while Tobias added two goals and four assists.

“Today we were able to get (Tobias) and (Ferris) in good positions to score goals,” head coach Kyle McQuillan said. “(Tobias) has great ball possession and awareness of where he needs to be. Today, he did a great job of drawing two defenders then finding the open man.”

“We were able to switch up guys a lot and confuse the defense, especially with our backdoor cuts,” Ferris said. “We also were able to force some mistakes and take advantage of them.”

The tandem of Tobias and Ferris worked wonders the entire game. Their partnership on the playing field stems from their work ethic on the practice field, as well as their relationship off it.

“We work a lot with each other

Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion

moving forward — David Noll (20) ripped a shot to break a 5-5 tie late in the first half. in practice, and we also do a lot of stuff together outside of lacrosse,” Tobias said.

The Flames were able to control the tempo throughout the game. They pushed the tempo on counter attack and slowed it down when playing in the offensive zone, keeping the ball moving and waiting for holes to open up in the defense.

“That’s part of lacrosse,” McQuillan said. “Knowing when to push it and when to slow down.

We try to get the right people in the right places at the right times, and today we did.”

Strong defensive play by sophomores Nathan Lowmaster and Travis Briggs, and senior Michael Zumpano, led to counter attacks for the Flames.

The Mountaineers drew first blood when their attacking tandem opened up the scoring for the day after, coming on a give and go play then putting it by the Flames junior goaltender Asa Keimig. The Flames responded by scoring four straight goals from Tobias, sophomore Dan Forbes, Ferris and freshman Will Perkins.

With 35 seconds remaining in the first half, senior David Noll attacked on the right side, gave his defender a little shimmy then ripped a left handed shot to hand the Flames a 6-5 lead heading into the halftime break.

The Flames pulled away in the second half by scoring three goals in the span of 20 seconds. Derek Haywood slithered through the center of the Mountaineer defense and cranked a shot into the top corner. Thirteen seconds later, sophomore Travis Briggs played a quick pass to Ferris, who flipped it to Forbes, who slipped it by the flat-footed Mountaineer net minder. On the ensuing faceoff, Perkins won the ball, beat a defender, then passed it to Ferris who stepped it by the goalie to increase the Flames lead to 9-5.

The Flames’ next game is Friday, March 2, when they play host to the Eagles of Reinhardt University. The Flames will then go on a four game road trip where they will play four days in a row.

MEYERS is a sports reporter.

Flames victorious in weekend series Michael Robertson and Zack Haley provided key hits in victories Saturday and Sunday afternoon

Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu

Jonathan Pearson jwpearson@liberty.edu

Jim Toman’s Flames baseball team split a Saturday series with visiting Siena College, taking the first game, 1-0 and dropping the second, 7-9. Sunday, the Flames picked up another win.

Game 1 The first game of the Flames baseball team’s Saturday home doubleheader against the Siena College Saints featured bats as cold as the wind blowing across the field.

The Flames offense could only muster up one run, but that was enough for starting pitcher Patrick Eckelbarger in the 1-0 victory.

The senior powered through all seven frigid innings, picking up the complete-game win without allowing a run.

“I felt sharp. I could command my fastball basically anywhere I wanted today, which was a really

big help,” Eckelbarger said.

Both teams had their share of offensive chances, but Liberty broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a pair of doubles from Michael Robertson and Tyler Cox. “They said he stayed middle away, so I was just looking middle away and was able to get a double out of that,” Robertson said.

According to Eckelbargar, the turning point in the game was getting out of a situation with runners on second and third base in the fourth inning.

“It was a big inning,” Eckelbarger said. “I know we had a ball thrown into right field. It was an accident, but I knew our infield would help me out behind me. I believe we scored the next inning, and then we got the hold in the next inning. That basically sealed the deal.”

Game 2 The second game of the double-header was not as fortunate for the Flames as the first leg of

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

cool runnings — Cold temperatures cooled off Flames bats. the series.

The Flames were impressive at the plate with 11 hits, but ultimately lost the game defensively, 7-9. On the mound, they only had three strikeouts but walked nine players.

“I didn’t think that we came out with any fire,” pitcher Alex Close said. “I know I didn’t on the mound, but I know I am go-

The Spring House

ing to be better next time. We kind of got complacent today.

Our captains are all pretty solid and I think we’ll come out tomorrow with a whole different attitude.”

The Flames’ second baseman, Bryan Aanderud, was the biggest hitter of the evening game for Liberty. He went 3-for-3 with 1 RBI and scored 2 runs.

“Regardless of who you’re playing, baseball is not an easy sport to get on top in and maintain a lead every time,” Aanderud said. “It certainly wasn’t our best game. We should’ve had a little better energy. There’s a lot of room for improvement after this. When you lose a game, it’s hard to say how you contributed, because obviously it wasn’t enough. We give thanks to God regardless of the situation.”

“We’re hitting good as a team,” captain Michael Roberston said. “We just didn’t get the timely hits like we did last week.”

After Saturday, the Flames stand at 7-1, while Siena moves to 1-6.

Sunday The Flames capped off their weekend with a 4-2 afternoon victory against the Saints.

Flames shortstop Zack Haley collected two RBI’s off three hits in the win.

LEASURE and PEARSON are sports reporters.

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SPORTS

B4/Liberty Champion

sports TALK

February 28, 2012

Ministry happens outside the classroom

Nate Brown nbrown4@liberty.edu

Here’s the picture— 13-yearold Carlos and his buddies are down 13 points at halftime of their Saturday-league basketball game, organized by Lynchburg Parks and Recreation.

Coaches Chris and Kelsey Mabes and coach Eli Overbey corral Carlos and the rest of the Hawks team. “We got this,�

Chris tells them.

Shortly after the start of the second half, the Hawks claw back into the game thanks to a scrappy press and determined offensive rebounds — both of which require what the guys in the biz call “heart.�

The guys feel the momentum shift. The bigger, more talented Nets are being outscored, outrebounded and outplayed by Carlos’ Hawks.

Chris and the subs go nuts with every basket.

The Hawks tie it up and then 14-year-old forward Aaron hits the go-ahead basket and draws a foul.

His teammates help him up and slap fives.

The Hawks must not know how far ahead they are. They’re

ACHA continued from B1 playing their game. Anytime you’re going into a tournament like this, it’s a great privilege to be going and it shows the amount of work each player put in to get to that point.�

Since their last appearance in the national tournament, the Flames feature 11 players on the roster who have not seen the playoffs. “I would say that we have a team that’s just as good (as previous teams), and I think we’re a

Nate Brown | Liberty Champion

mentors — Chris Mabes (left) and Eli Overbey (right) encourage the Hawks at a Saturday rec-league game. still in “heart-mode� — pressing, rebounding, forcing turnovers.

They win 42-31, after being down 15-5 at the end of the first quarter. That’s what the guys in the biz call a comeback. You know, one of those things that happens because of “heart.�

Now rewind to a month ago. “Three weeks ago, there was a game where they flat out gave up,� Chris said. “They were walking up and down the court

and their attitudes were just bad.�

So, why the change? Why the sudden pluck? You don’t just go to the store and pick up a “beliefin-self � shake.

Why did Carlos and the guys keep fighting, believing in the win? “He doesn’t quit on us,�

Hawks point guard, 14-year-old Bryce said. “Even if we’re losing by 20, he doesn’t quit on us.�

bit more solid in some areas than we were back then,� Handy said. “We have a younger team this year, and every year is different.�

The 2012 ACHA National Tournament will be a single elimination tournament. The Liberty Flames will face Adrian College for the first match, and the winner will move on to play a game with another contender for a spot in the semi-finals. All teams will then be re-seeded, and the semi-finalists will face each other for a chance to compete in the finals, which will be played Tuesday, March 6.

“In a single elimination tournament, you have to be prepared from the drop of the puck,�

Handy said. “We want to keep our focus from the get-go. We’re trying not to put too much pressure on ourselves. We are aiming to find that spot where we have a lot of fun, but we’re working hard at the same time.�

Liberty will face Adrian College on March 3 at Hoover Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Chris Mabes, a Liberty senior, started coaching youth rec basketball last year. He and his wife Kelsey, also a Liberty senior, felt a call to minister to kids by challenging them to do things they never thought they could.

It’s not an internship, CSER or a class project. This is more grassroots than that. “Every kid needs to be able to see they are, who God says they are, and if no one tells them that, they won’t believe it,� Chris said.

Basketball provides the opportunity for Chris and Kelsey to show Christ, not just share Him. “We pray before practice and games, and we take our game MVP to McDonalds and we have the opportunity to share with them that way,� Chris said.

The mentorship and sheer investment by Chris, Kelsey and Eli, a Liberty grad student, has slowly refined some of the rougher edges of the team. “They’re a lot less selfish,�

Chris said. “They understand teamwork. We’d be in a huddle at the end of the game at the beginning of the season, and they’d get mad that they don’t score.

Now they’re high fiving each other like, ‘Yeah, man, you got four steals, and it’s good to see

them encouraging each other,�

Chris said.

The team believing in themselves is just a byproduct of a learned example, demonstrated

by Chris. “I show that through defending them in a game or looking out for their best interest,� Chris said. “I’m not all about winning, but to have fun and to grow into leaders.�

Simply, “he encourages us to win,� Aaron said. “Yeah,� Bryce said. “Yeah,� Carlos said.

It’s Liberty students making an impact by taking Christ outside of the classroom. “In the end,� Chris said, “it comes down to when these kids are loved upon, they respond a lot more. When they do finally buy in to what you’re trying to do, they’ll do anything for you.

And I like that I can make an impact.� “He taught us about life — to not quit. To keep on striving,�

Carlos said. “Yeah,� Bryce said. “Yeah,� Aaron said. “Keep playin’.�

BROWN is the sports editor.

SIR is a sports reporter.

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Crunch Time — Liberty DI hockey looks to compete for the ACHA Championship in March.

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FEATURE

February 28, 2012

Students journey to jumps

Liberty Champion/B5

Short take

Justin Berry jlberry@liberty.edu

The Liberty Mountain Snowflex Center (LMSC) began its second Trails 2 Rails experience, Journey to the Jumps, Feb. 21, offering students an opportunity to expand their skills in skiing or snowboarding.

Students took to the slopes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. to participate in the initial tryout sessions for Journey to the Jumps. The tryout sessions were open to any Liberty University student who wanted to learn more about skiing or snowboarding, while learning to execute jumps.

“I’m really excited that we are able to give students who have never skied or snowboarded before an opportunity to learn a lifetime sport,” Director of LMSC Ski School, Brent Blakeney, said.

In order to be a part of the program, students had to attend at least one of the sessions so that the instructors and coaching staff could meet the participants and observe their skill level.

The tryouts the first week were conducted at the beginner slope to see how much skill the students had, and to see if they would be taken to the next level.

While no skills were required to attend, many students just wanted to expand their skills by learning to do intense jumps.

“I’ve skied my whole life, but have never really tried the jumps,” sophomore Mark Landis said. “I figured if they are going to train us, I would just take the opportunity and run with it.”

The coaching staff at the LMSC made their selections Thursday evening on who would be advancing to the next round starting the following week. Each student that the coaching staff thought had enough skill or willingness to take on the challenge of the intimidating jumps would then be allowed to take part in a twomonth training program.

No longer on the beginner slopes, the students would be able to work on improving their skills and learning to be more comfortable with the jumps,

Kate Powley| Liberty Champion

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE — Brennan Beikert prepares his own perfect brew, roasting coffee beans himself in a popcorn popper in his dorm.

DIY coffee roasting Shelanne Jennings snjennings@liberty.edu

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Pump up the skills — Liberty students looking to expand their skiing and snowboarding skills set took part in the Trails 2 Rails tryouts, hoping for a chance to learn more about executing intense jumps.

FYI

150 students expressed interest in the Journey to the Jumps event. Each night, there will be 20 to 30 students in attendance, according to Director of LMSC Ski School Brent Blakely. pushing themselves to the limit.

One of the perks of advancing into the next round of Journey to the Jumps is an opportunity to compete in the third annual Dew Games on April 28 at the Snowflex Centre. Students will get to compete for $10,000 in cash prizes, including gear and equipment.

Because some of the jumps are intense and could be dangerous, the LMSC staff urged students to start with the basics and build from there,

moving at their own pace and following the instruction they were given.

The staff at Snowflex hopes to record and photograph the entire event to document each participant’s accomplishments and growth over the course of the next few months.

For more information on Snowflex or Journey to the Jumps, call 5823539.

For Liberty student Brennan Beikert, coffee isn’t an addiction. It’s an art. Buying green coffee beans from local coffee shops, he roasts his own batch to create flavor that suits his taste and his budget.

“I’m always watching the beans I use, looking at the color to see when they’re finished roasting,” Beikert said. “The way they’re roasted changes the way they taste.”

The sophomore Aeronautical Science major has researched roasting techniques but uses a simple popcorn popper to create the perfect roast.

“A regular popcorn popper is pretty cheap, usually costing around $25,” Beikert said. “My roommates don’t mind the smell. Once the beans cool and sit for a day or two in an airtight container, the aroma is incredible.”

Beirkert has been roasting his own coffee for about a year and a half now, having learned the art from a friend who does missions work in Azerbaijan.

“My friend showed me how and I really enjoy it.

It’s actually quite affordable,” Beikert said.

One pound of beans costs around $5-6, depending on the bean.

Beikert has been drinking coffee since he was 13-years-old, but when asked about his coffee preferences, he says fresh and locally roasted coffee beans always trump those found in big franchises.

“There’s no variety in flavor in the way they roast,” Beikert said. “Freshly roasted coffee has a great flavor. It’s rewarding to have the best quality.”

JENNINGS is the feature editor.

BERRY is a feature reporter.

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featuring The City Harmonic, Abandon, & Anthem Lights

Saturday, March 24

Vines Center 8:00p

FOR TICKETING INFORMATION CALL 582.SEAT OR PURCHASE ONLINE AT WWW.LIBERTY.EDU/SA FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL STUDENTACTIVITIESINFO@LIBERTY.EDU OR CALL 434.592.3061

FEATURE

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

Student Activities

MOre than just bragging rights — Music lovers filled the Tilley Center to watch five bands compete to win a $1,200 gift card to Musiciansfriend.com. Audience members voted for the favorite act on the Student Activities Facebook page.

SA Battle of the Bands Returns Audience votes Chasing the Horizon to number one

DANIEL GARCIA dtgarcia@liberty.edu

C

lad in skinny jeans, V-neck T-shirts and skate shoes, students anticipating an evening of competitive musicianship filled the Tilley Student Center Friday, Feb. 24, for Student Activities’ Battle of the Bands.

Five bands representing several musical genres took turns performing in hopes of winning the evening’s grand prize, a $1,200 gift card to Musiciansfriend.com.

Each band was required to perform two songs, one original and one cover. Students voted for their favorite acts, and the two bands tallying the most votes proceeded to the second and final round of the event.

“Regardless of winning or losing, it’s just really fun to be able to play the music that you create,” Justin Smith, electric guitarist for Spencer York, said. York

and his accompanying band played his original“Lighthouse,” followed by a cover song combining The Police and Adele.

The evening was highlighted by wellreceived cover songs and crowd pleasing originals. The House Dynamic, a quartet brimming with vintage rock appeal, began with a tune titled “Goldfever,” before breaking into a rambunctious rendition of Jet’s hit song “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” Guitarist/singer Luke Thornley captured the audience’s attention throughout The House Dynamics entire performance, walking into the crowd while playing guitar, then throwing his guitar at the end of the set.

Adalia, an alternative rock band whose name means “God is my refuge” in Hebrew, according to guitarist John Clampet, connected with the audience as well, encouraging them to sing along during their energetic cover of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.”

“It was awesome,” Clampet said in reference to the event. “There was a little pressure because of the money, which kind of made me nervous, but all the bands were really good. We were just really lucky to play with all the bands. All of them were really good and positive.”

“I wasn’t really expecting to have the crowd get so into it,” Cory Kick, Adalia’s bassist, said. “And we’re the kind of band that feeds off of that. There were some people that were really close friends of ours that were way up front, singing the songs and everything. It’s worth more to the bands on stage than people may think.”

After the bands – Chasing the Horizon, Spencer York, Smoke and Mirrors, The House Dynamic and Adalia – performed their songs, students voted on the Student Activities Facebook page for their favorite performance. The two bands earning the most votes — Adalia and Chasing the Horizon — proceeded to the final round of the competition.

Taking the stage for the second time, Adalia covered Taio Cruz’s successful number “Dynamite,” as well as another tune of their own. Richmond-based Chasing the Horizon followed with “The Anthem” and Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” much to the approval of the audience.

The performances drew equally positive responses from the crowd, but Chasing the Horizon received the grand prize.

Daniel Lalonde, singer/guitarist for Chasing the Horizon, said the band plans on investing the prize money in needed equipment, such as guitar amps.

“Being here, you really do thrive off of the crowd,” Lalonde said. “The Lord’s given us so much ability to play places we never thought we’d play and do things we never thought we’d do, and this crowd response encouraged us so much. It put a smile on my face. I can’t stop smiling.”

GARCIA is a feature reporter.

Coffeehouse Tryouts Begin

Class of ‘14 Hosts Flirt Fest

Shelanne Jennings

While students are used to hearing relationship advice from Clayton King during Campus Church on Wednesday nights, they received an extra dose at the Flirt Fest.

Students flocked to the Tilley Center after church on Feb. 22 for an event put on by the Freshman Class.

The event had a casual atmosphere where students were encouraged to ask King any question related to love or relationships.

“This is a fun, relaxed, low key environment where we can laugh at ourselves and not be so uptight about relationships,” King said. “This is a great chance to enjoy where we are at right now in our lives. I love to have been able to take this opportunity to interact one on one with the students and hang out.”

Freshmen Class President Chelsea Andrews was in charge of putting the event together. Food was provided from Little Caesars Pizza, along with cupcakes, chocolates and flowers, which were all free to the students. Tables and chairs were set up where students could sit and watch the stage.

Ashley Addington anaddington@liberty.edu

snjennings@liberty.edu

Lynn Plymale lplymale@liberty.edu

Big hair, neon colors and everything 80s will be taking over Liberty University’s Spring 2012 Coffeehouse on March 30.

The bi-annual show that fills the Vines Center each year is set to feature singing, laughter and videos, styled to take students back a few decades.

“We collectively picked 80s based off of our understanding of the student body and what is currently trending,” AssociRuth Bibby | Liberty Champion ate Director of Student Activities Alese Chandler said. “Granted, the student 80s galore — Auditions begin this body is so very eclectic so we had much to week for Spring Coffehouse. choose from.”

Students who have been tediously pre- should be filled with creativity and showparing to audition for the show will get manship, as well as a full range of musical their chance Feb. 27-29 and March 5-7 at genres from the 80s.

Coffeehouse tryouts will start each the Tilley Student Center.

“The 80s theme offers a considerable night at 5 p.m. and will operate on a first amount of material for songs, sketches come, first serve basis. The Student Activities group asks that only 80s songs be and videos,” Chandler said.

Chandler noted that she hopes to see at covered to stick with the theme.

According to Student Activities Cofleast one cover of a Whitney Houston or Michael Jackson song because of the cho- feehouse announcement, located on the Liberty Splash Page, “Time after time, sen theme.

“The nostalgia we, at Student Activities, people somehow miss tryouts. Before the witness is pure trend, whether brought on 80s Coffeehouse celebration can begin, by an Urban Outfitters boot or a father’s you need to rehearse and then come to old record collection, and that’s perfectly 80s Coffeehouse Tryouts.” fine,” Chandler said. “1980-1989 is so interesting and contagious, I’m not surprised it cycled back to heavily influence current trends.”

According to Chandler, in order to fill JENNINGS is the feature editor. the 2-hour time slot, Coffeehouse has to operate like a live show. Coffeehouse PLYMALE is a feature reporter.

Raquel Harmon | Liberty Champion

Q & A — Clayton King answered students’ questions regarding relationships and dating at the Flirt Fest.

Videos were played featuring the Harvard Sailing Team, Tim Hawkins and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, all mocking the typical stereotypes of how girls and guys act when it comes to the dating game.

“I think this was a great way to get the freshmen class’ name out there. We are hoping to make this an annual event,” SGA member Cecilia Hines said.

Students enjoyed being given helpful advice and having the opportunity to participate in an open forum style event.

“I think relationships are really important to focus on. Unlike any other university, Liberty’s intent is to foster godly relationships with our creator and with each other,” SGA Spiritual Life Chair Kelsey Taylor said.

Flirt Fest took the approach of enjoying the opportunity to be in relationships and focus on learning from them. Most of the questions that Clayton King was asked were humorous and light hearted.

There were a few serious questions which, in return, received helpful and sincere answers.

“I really appreciated how Clayton took his time to talk to students. It was great to have one-on-one interaction with him. It was open for couples and single folks alike,” Corey Knef said.

ADDINGTON is a feature reporter.

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