SEPT. 25, 2018 NINERTIMES.COM
READ MORE ONLINE AT NINERTIMES.COM
Jeffrey Kopp
editor@ninertimes.com EDITORIAL
Alexandria Sands COMMUNITY EDITOR Megan Bird NEWS EDITOR Sam Palian SPORTS EDITOR Elissa Miller A&E EDITOR Hailey Turpin LIFESTYLE EDITOR Madison Dobrzenski OPINION EDITOR Emily Hickey COPY EDITOR Leysha Caraballo PHOTO COORDINATOR Pooja Pasupula PHOTO COORDINATOR Kathleen Cook VIDEO PRODUCER Natasha Morehouse LAYOUT EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITORS
Nikolai Mather CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Jacob Baum, Elizabeth McGuire, Patrick Magoon, Hiral Patel, Mayra Trujilo-Camacho, Tyler Trudeau, Jonathan Limehouse, Daniel Hall COVER PHOTO
SPORTS •
Charlotte draws with No. 6 Louisville
•
49ers put away the Panthers
• •
• •
Charlotte falls to Kentucky 1-0 Marshall struck by 49ers volleyball
•
49ers fall short in comeback effort at UMASS
•
The 49ers fall to the Hilltoppers
•
A&E
VIDEO CAB celebrates Hispanic Heritage month with Letʼs get ready to Rumbao
GAMING REVIEW: ʻMarvelʼs Spider-Manʼ MOVIE REVIEW: ʻMandyʼ is a strikingly lovely callback to classic horror cinema
•
ʻLove Never Diesʼ Really Needs To
•
Aphex Twin – “Collapse” EP Review
•
TV REVIEW: ʻFear the Walking Deadʼ - ʻI Lose People...ʼ
NEWS
•
UNC Charlotte basketball player arrested for assault
•
Clean Air Carolina and UNC Charlotte take on fuel emissions
Alexandria Sands NEWSROOM: 705.687.7150 ninertimes.com/staff
Follow us on Twitter @niner_times
MEDIA MARKETING MARKETING DIRECTOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Fred Brown
James Bourke
mktdirector@uncc.edu
production@uncc.edu
MARKETING STAFF
Kayla Christian, Eddy Falls, Lillian Taylor, Abigail Guadarrama
LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION
NINER TIMES • RADIO FREE CHARLOTTE SANSKRIT LITERARY-ARTS MAGAZINE MEDIA MARKETING • TECHNICAL T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O R T H C A R O L I N A AT C H A R L O T T E
NINER MEDIA ADVISER: WAYNE MAIKRANZ MARKETING ADVISER: KELLY MERGES BUSINESS MANAGER: LAURIE CUDDY GRAPHICS & PRODUCTION: JOSHUA WOOD OFFICE MANAGER: KELLY DUDDEN
2
SEPT. 25, 2018
NINERTIMES
CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION by Jacob Baum News Intern
UNC Charlotte is the fastest growing university in the UNC system, contributing to more than half of the system’s total growth since 2009. The University itself has almost doubled in enrollment in the past decade as well as added numerous on-campus facilities during that time. With the help of increased enrollment and a $90 million bond approved for the University in 2015, UNC Charlotte will expand and grow now more than ever. The Five-year Capital Construction Plan details the enormous construction effort, highlighting over 40 capital projects, road and utility improvements, core campus building renovations and major new construction that will come to the University. Below are the projects outlined by the plan: North Tryon entrance to be redesigned The campus entrance on North Tryon, otherwise known as the Charlotte Research Institute (CRI) entrance, will be redesigned to match the entrance on University City Boulevard in South Village. The Division of University Advancement announced the project will include a “UNC Charlotte sign, brick columns and enhancements to pedestrian access.” The project will cost $2.5 million and is already underway, scheduled to be complete by late December. The other entrance to the University located on North Tryon will also be modernized as part of the new hotel and conference center project which was recently approved by the City Council of Charlotte.
NEWS
Belk Plaza set to open with a ribbon cutting ceremony The $2 million revitalization of Belk Plaza began construction in spring 2018 and continued over the summer. The project replaces Belk Tower, which was torn down in 2015 due to structural problems. The area will feature a large lawn area, a performance stage and a double-sided foundation. Final inspections are in progress and the ribbon cutting ceremony will take place in the coming weeks. Admissions and Visitor Center added as enrollment continues to grow As UNC Charlotte enters the fall semester with one of the largest freshman classes in the University’s history at 3,373 people, the University is currently in the process of building a new Admissions and Visitor Center. The construction is valued at $8 million. Currently, the roof is being installed and the interior frame completed. Health and Wellness Center will stay under construction throughout the year Construction began over the summer on a new $66 million Health and Wellness Center located next to the Popp Martin Student Union. The 160,000-square-foot facility will include aerobic and weight training rooms, group fitness areas, courts, a pool and offices for intramural and recreational programs. The facility has been controversial among students, many of whom say the facility is unnecessary due to the two gyms already on campus. However, university officials say the building addresses a “current shortage of student health and wellness space.” The building is scheduled to be complete in July 2019. Photo courtesy UNC Charlotte
Photo courtesy UNC Charlotte
New science building UNC Charlotte has launched its largest and most expensive project: a $101 million science center. The facility will house classrooms and research labs and is expected to be finished by November 2020 with an anticipated occupancy date of late 2020. It will be located on the corner of Mary Alexander and Craver Road where the Parking and Transportation Services and Facilities Operations offices are. Those operations are relocating to a shared building near the light rail.
NINERTIMES.COM
SEPT. 25, 2018
3
GOD THE MOTHER UNDER FIRE False allegations of sex trafficking plague a campus church group by Elizabeth McGuire News Intern
It’s been all over Twitter, Snapchat and even Canvas: God the Mother is allegedly attempting to traffic female students. As the story goes, female students have been approached in the library by people recruiting for a church group known as God the Mother. However, these students claim that the group has darker plans in mind than a simple bible study group. Authorities say these are all unconfirmed rumors. Chief Jeffrey Baker of Campus Police assures “there is absolutely no truth to these rumors,” adding that “the two women that have been subjected to these vicious rumors are afraid to visit our campus.” The group in question has been hit with sex trafficking accusations at various universities across the country as the rumors spread across social media and cause fear in areas where the church is trying to expand. To date, all of these accusations have been debunked by their local police departments. Officially known as the World Mission Society Church of God, their participants organize under core beliefs in the second coming of Jesus Christ and, most notably, a female representation of the Christian deity. “Children can only have life if there is a mother,” says the church’s website, “because it is the mother who gives birth.” While smaller than most religious groups, including two off-campus chapters in North Carolina and twelve registered members in that of UNCC, they have a complex history of both praise and ridicule. Despite having been under similar investigation in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania for the same assertions, they proudly hold volunteer service awards from both President Obama and Queen Elizabeth II. Earning the Queen’s Award requires a three year examination into the organization, something God the Mother members feel should serve as proof of their legitimacy. On campus, the mission society is planning to participate in Hurricane Florence relief efforts as a part of the overall group’s long history of disaster relief internationally. “I’m not exactly sure where they might have misinterpreted our actions or behaviors,” said Christopher Lopez, a senior exercise science major and president of the Campus Mission of UNC Charlotte. Addressing how their recruitment actions may have led to suspicion, he expressed that they “try to be as polite as possible” in their expansion efforts. Representatives of the church on campus were first aware of the situation two weeks ago after seeing a post to the only_49ers Snapchat, prompting questions about the group’s involvement in “the kidnapping.” They are now seeking formal apology from the individual who posted the Snapchat story, which is believed to be the origin of the rumors on our campus. However, Lopez remains optimistic about the situation, describing their experience as “suffering the same things that Christ did two thousand years ago.” While this situation was very much ado about nothing, there is no denying the importance of reporting suspicious activity on campus. Chief Baker advises that “Any individual with information related to crime should call the UNC Charlotte Police Department.” Photo by Patrick Magoon
4
SEPT. 25, 2018
NINERTIMES
RNC COMING TO THE QUEEN CITY
OPINION
Charlotte City Countil votes to host 2020 Republican National Convention
By Hiral Patel Staff Writer
On July 16th, 2018, the Charlotte City Council voted 6-5 to host Trump’s 2020 Republican National Convention that will be hosted to declare his re-election race. This decision was also supported by Democratic Mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles, and according to the Charlotte Observer, she said that this was “the most difficult decision of my career.” Mayor Lyles is not entirely responsible for this decision; however, this effort caused some backlash. There are two problems with this conclusion: One, Polarization and Two, Confusion. The Republican National Convention decision caused polarization, not only between liberals and conservatives in Charlotte, but in the entire state of North Carolina. This effort sparked a movement called #OurNC. According to the Charlotte Five in early July 2018, “local printmaker Evan Plante logged onto Facebook after the city’s recent decision to host the Republican National Convention, he was shocked to see his typically good-natured friends and neighbors involved in divisive and fruitless arguments. Upset by the negativity he was seeing across the normally supportive and open-minded Charlotte community, Plante designed a shirt with the text “OurNC” combined with a ‘fill-in-the-blank’ phrase that describes Charlotte in a positive light.” #OurNC is a bipartisan movement preventing the state from becoming divided like our country during the 2016 elections. It explains that we all have our differences politically, but we should not argue with others over a decision that was not made by them; we should be peaceful and respect other opinions. This movement has been effective in bringing people together through a common interest, which is the well-being of our home in North Carolina, and has been promoting more proper discourse. Although this movement is effective, we must not forget that it is not meant to affect our views and opinions. Liberals and conservatives of the area are slightly agitated yet confused with this decision. Liberals feel as if
Photo courtesy of James Willamor
they have been underrepresented by their elected council for going against their own views while conservatives are delighted with the decision; however, both political strands ask themselves one question and that is: why would a majority liberal panel agree to the Republican National Convention decision? This decision seems to be made with all politics aside. According to WSOCTV Charlotte, “The 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte had an economic impact of $163 million.” Just from observing the positive economic impacts of what the Democratic National Convention gave to the city of Charlotte, we can expect to generate a large sum of revenue from hosting the Republican National Convention in 2020. We could use that money to fund certain underfunded entities of the government or parts of Charlotte and help the city grow even more. Even though this may just be an economic decision, it will have some political consequences, especially for the Democrats on the Charlotte city council. Because democratic leaders have gone against the wishes of their supporters, in the next election cycle, they are expected to be voted out of office and replace with other democratic candidates. There are positive and negative consequences to this decision. #OurNC is blowing off the heat between citizens and their view on this decision. So, we should ask ourselves that because this seems to be a non-partisanship decision, should we as citizens be non-partisan about this effort as well? Objectively, this Republican National Convention decision affects us positively, not just the members of the council. Do we just stick to our beliefs and become more polarized, or do we follow #OurNC and allow the council to take a nonpartisan stance? At the end of the day, as North Carolinians, we are looking forward to one common goal, and that is the betterment of North Carolina.
NINERTIMES.COM
SEPT. 25, 2018
5
A&E by Mayra Trujilo-Camacho Staff Intern
Photo by Leysha Caraballo Photo Editor
LET'S GET READY TO RUMBAO
CAB and Rumbao Latin American Dance Company Host Evening Dance Event
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, The Rumbao Latin Dance Company provided UNC Charlotte students with a fun and energetic event, featuring salsa, merengue and bachata dances, taught by instructors Eduardo Diaz and Jennifer Geyer. Rumbao combines two key aspects of salsa dance, rumba and tumbao, and the percussive beat in salsa music the On2 New York style dance follows. Rumba implies a party aspect where people get together and have fun. Together the words make Rumbao. We started with a warmup, everyone was in a circle moving to the music; body rolls and simple steps to get us moving. Once we were all warmed up, we started off learning the basic steps for merengue, which involved a simple one, two-step move and moving your ribs from side to side. With that under our belt, it was time to learn to create a “connection,” which is necessary to know and predict what your partner plans on doing, whether that’s a twirl or even a dip. In fact, connection is at the core of each dance. For example, merengue involves the lead turning their partner clockwise and counterclockwise while maintaining a closed dance position. Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic. It’s a combination of two dances, the African and the French Minuet, from the late 1700’s to early 1800’s. Slaves saw the ballroom dances in the big houses and they started mimicking the “master’s dances,” which were very staid and boring. Over time, the slaves added a special upbeat with drums creating a slight skip or hop. Merengue was introduced in the United States in the New York area and continues to grow in popularity due to its uncomplicated rhythm and exuberant nature. After learning how to do basic merengue steps, the group was put into two straight, even lines so everyone had a partner. In order to practice connection, you were to mimic your partner’s moves, whether they were really random or plain, you had to keep up and follow their lead and anticipate what their next move would be. Alongside, Eduardo Diaz was a constant motivator in keeping us moving and connecting with our partner. He would say “If you don’t know their name, ask them” or “Get on the floor.” It was essential to find a connection as it was necessary to be able to dance bachata and salsa effectively. After we have had formed connections with everyone in the group, we began to partner dance merengue. Truth be told, many of us hadn’t
6
SEPT. 25, 2018
NINERTIMES
completely nailed down the dance, but it was still a very energetic and creative event. People added their own style and it was enjoyable for everyone. Bachata originated in the Dominican Republic and it is danced widely around the world but not identically. The basics to the dance are three-step with a Cuban hip motion, followed by a tap. The knees should be slightly bent so the performer can sway the hips easier. The original Dominican bachata is today danced all over the Caribbean and was created by the people over many years for social dancing. It still continues to evolve. Other types of bachata are traditional, modern, bachatango, bachata sensual, ballroom bachata and many more. Salsa is a social dance that originated in the Caribbean. The dance along with salsa music originated in the mid-1970s in New York. Different regions of Latin America and the United States have distinct salsa styles of their own such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, New York style and many more. The Rumbao Latin Dance company specifically follows a New York style or On2 salsa style. In On2 salsa style, partners face each other most of the time and on the second beat of the first measure of the music, the follower, not the leader, steps forward. New York style is strict about remaining in a close dance space. It emphasizes harmony with percussive instruments in salsa music. Rumbao Latin Dance Company was founded by five fellow Charlotteans in March 2013. Eduardo Diaz first got into Latin dancing in high school at age 18. He moved here from Puerto Rico and wanted to keep a piece of his Latin culture with him, so he joined a Latin dance club and finally ended up joining Rumbao Latin Dance company in 2015. Jennifer Geyer, one of the founders of the company, first got into Latin dancing in college, where she met the four other founders, two of whom are UNCC Alumni. This event was a rumba judging by how energetic and fun it was. The music played to match the styles of dance we were dancing. This event in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month brought people together and created a learning space for everyone to learn a little bit of Latin dancing, from the most experienced to the least.
Photo by Patrick Magoon
AROUND THE WORLD
CoAA Global Studies Exhibition Showcases Work From Study Abroad Students by Tyler Trudeau Staff Writer
The selected works of a number of students in the College of Arts + Architecture were on full display as this year’s Global Studies Exhibition kicked off at the Storrs Gallery. Spanning the students’ experiences across a variety of media, from sketches and photographs to analytical diagrams and installations, the collective voyage of the students across a handful of countries was celebrated as the participants themselves dissected their individual travels. Acting foremost as celebratory evidence of the knowledge collected by the students who traveled abroad as well as an invitation to those who still yearn to do so, the latest exhibition from the Global Studies department also sought to explore the social implications surrounding the subjects of each student’s travels. Just as the exhibition displayed architectural designs and artistic interpretations for such things as Roman bathhouses and revised Japanese tapestries, it also included subtle peeks into not only the people who created these things, but also those who occupy the spaces where these creations lie. Even while I instantly gravitated towards the architectural drawings and analytical diagrams of the exhibition, myself, a fellow Architecture major, was eager to dissect the work for what it is, the work that adorned the opposite walls was also interlaced with their own unique portrayals of the students’ experiences abroad. As the drawings and diagrams showcased their own distinct portraits of occupation, scale figures from the drawings strolling alongside intricate building concepts situated among ancient Roman cathedrals, the work from the other side of the artistic spectrum gave another perspective from the various studies done by the students. As I listened to one photography student discuss their capture of daily activities
(and fun, unexpected excursions) while abroad in Poland, the rich collection of polaroid photos pinned to the wall clued me in to another tangent of what studying abroad is truly about. Rough, uncomplex and exposed, the selected photographs and sketches paralleled the measured architectural drawings of the exhibition with a silent beauty about them. Just as my eyes scanned the drafted works to pull away some semblance of design and inspiration, I found equal inspiration in the smaller, more intimate things students selected to share. From those layered, lucid polaroids to a collection of crude yet ornate charcoal portraits from another student, the works strived to reveal just what it means to study abroad. While there comes a time to craft professional work for portfolios or to see exceptional ideas realized on paper, there also comes a time to capture moments, experiences, people; the finer details that you can discover abroad. As the new Director of Galleries Adam Justice drew our attention from the work on the wall to a duo of dance students set to perform, the Global Studies Exhibition concluded with an entrancing piece quite different from the mostly static works that filled the room. While the drawings and photographs worked to challenge and inspire me and others, the dance performance that came soon after teased something more. Two individuals locked in beautiful conflict, moving together as a singular organic form, the performance only furthered my belief that those finer details you grasp while abroad are the things that compile to create something incredibly profound. The College of Arts + Architecture Global Studies Exhibition will be on display at Storrs Gallery until September 28.
NINERTIMES.COM
SEPT. 25, 2018
7
ACROSS 1 Answer with attitude 5 Female WWII gp. 9 Ink cartridge color 13 “ ... calm, __ bright”: “Silent Night” 15 Stone of “La La Land” 16 Revolutionary spy Nathan 17 How canvassers usually work 19 Correct a script, say 20 Satisfied sounds 21 Golf’s “Big Easy” Ernie 22 Raised-baton strokes, in music 24 Sauce with falafel 26 Desk tray words 27 How page-turners are often read 32 Prop for Chaplin 35 Lodge logo animal 36 Total failures 37 Novelist Tolstoy 38 Tallahassee sch. 40 Thanksgiving mo.
8
SEPT. 25, 2018
NINERTIMES
41 Blows volcano-style 45 “Double Fantasy” collaborator Yoko 47 At the peak of 48 How apartment leases sometimes run 51 Prepare (oneself), as for a jolt 52 Hebrew greeting 56 “Definitely!” 59 “__ the ramparts ... “ 60 Org. that publishes the newsletter GoGreen! 61 Fictional estate near Atlanta 62 How pistol duelers typically stand 65 Close tightly 66 At any time 67 Count who composed “One O’Clock Jump” 68 Depresses, with “out” 69 Boxer Oscar __ Hoya 70 Catches on to
DOWN 1 1978 Egyptian co-Nobelist Anwar 2 “Welcome to- Maui!” 3 Wade noisily 4 Round Table title 5 Ties the knot 6 Latin “I love” 7 Invoice figure 8 Use the HOV lane 9 Frito-Lay snacks with a speedy cat mascot 10 When said thrice, “and so on” 11 Touched down 12 Hockey targets 14 Courtroom transcript pro 18 Antipasto morsel 23 Osso __: veal dish 25 Cooler cubes 26 Annoying 28 Keebler sprite 29 Blow off steam 30 Suffix with switch 31 Answer the invite, briefly 32 Skelton’s Kadiddlehopper 33 Prefix with dynamic 34 Grammar, grammatically, e.g. 39 Crazy Eights cousin 42 WWII vessels 43 No __ traffic 44 Pierced with a fork 46 Initial stage 47 “Eureka!” 49 E to E, in music 50 Pulsate 53 Car dealer’s offering 54 Ref. to a prior ref. 55 Manufactures 56 Govt. accident investigator 57 Island near Maui 58 Percussion instrument 59 Pod in gumbo 63 “Snow White” collectible 64 Grocery sack
KICKING HIS WAY INTO HEARTS AND RECORD BOOKS By Jonathan Limehouse Intern
Photo by Chris Crews
Less than a year removed from kicking between the uprights at Weinman Stadium, Jonathan Cruz is now breaking records as a 49er. Cruz was a two-star recruit coming out of Cartersville High School, but he’s quickly kicked his way into being one of the top 30 kickers in the nation, and he’s a freshman. “It is just being new, transitioning into college and all the classes and stuff, it’s a great experience to be a freshman,” said Cruz. Transitioning isn’t unfamiliar to Cruz, he transitioned from soccer to football in at Cartersville High. Cruz has shown he’s an exceptional athlete, whether he’s kicking field goals or penalty kicks. “It all started in soccer, then it transitioned into the form of football. If it wasn’t for soccer I wouldn’t be playing football right now. It was easier to get a scholarship in football too, I did get looked at in soccer, but football I liked better, said Cruz. Whether it’s soccer or football, Cruz is a competitor who prepares routinely before every kick. He attributes his accuracy and efficiency to his preparedness. “I use to have a routine through high school, so it was just praying and knowing that every kick is a new kick. I don’t take every kick into pressure, but it’s something I just look forward to every game,” said Cruz. Cruz is an extremely humble and spiritual individual who comes from a winning high school program. Cartersville High School’s head football coach Joey King coached Cruz, and standout quarterback for the Clemson Tigers, Trevor Lawrence in high school. “It was a great experience, I played with one of the best players in the nation, Trevor Lawrence, and it was great playing with him,” said Cruz. “We have great fans up there just like we have in Charlotte, so it was a great experience and I’ll never forget the four years I was there.” Cruz and Cartersville High won the 2016 Georgia 4A State Championship, so he’s accustomed to winning. Coach King emphasized winning at Cartersville and so does Coach Lambert here at Charlotte. “They’re both great coaches. They both have their differences, just a differ-
SPORTS
ent place, but they have the same mentality to win,” said Cruz. Charlotte is in the process of rebounding from a 1-11 season last year and are already sitting at a better record than this time last year. Cruz’s winning mentality is just one of the many things needed to make that happen. He committed to Charlotte to win football games, but that’s not the only reason. “I liked the campus and coaches, they treated me like family. All the other places did great, but I choose the place that felt like home,” said Cruz. Cruz is comfortable at Charlotte, which may explain him being 7-8 on field goal attempts at home. He’s automatic at Jerry Richardson Stadium. His consistency thus far demonstrates how much his contribution to the team matters. “They needed help last year, so I felt like I could come in and help right away,” said Cruz. Cruz wants to help the 49ers and he has four years to do so. It’s only the beginning for Cruz, and he understands this. “It’s a great chance, I want to get a Preseason [Award] next year, so I gotta work hard to get that. I just wanna help my team and get all the wins we can possibly get,” said Cruz. A game the 49ers didn’t win was Cruz’s favorite game of the season thus far. Cruz tied the school record for most field goals made in a single game during this contest and he exhibited his leg talent throughout the entire contest. Included in his record-breaking game was a 54-yard field goal, the longest in school history. Cruz is currently a 49er, but he sees a bigger stage ahead of him. He has NFL aspirations and his talent warrants said aspirations. Playing in the league is a dream of his that he’ll be chasing for the next four years. “Hopefully that dream comes true one day, if everything works out and all my work put in, works for me,” said Cruz. Cruz is already one of the top kickers in the nation, so his ceiling as a player is limitless. The future of 49ers football seems to be on the right track, especially when Cruz is kicking the way he’s currently kicking. The 49ers continue to impress this season, and show why last season was a fluke. They now also have a kicker who can help to kick them closer to the top of the conference. Look for Cruz to continue to impress throughout the season as he is sure to do so.
NINERTIMES.COM
SEPT. 25, 2018
9
ONCE A NINER, ALWAYS A NINER
By Sam Palian Sports Editor
Women’s soccer coach, John Cullen, has begun his 10th season with the Charlotte 49ers. To begin this season, early on he and his team reached his 100th win as a coach at Charlotte. “It was a nice feeling. I’d forgotten all about it until you brought it back up actually, I’d already moved on to the next one. But, I jokingly said, ‘it took more games than I realized to get there.’ It’s always a nice honor, ya know you try and take one game as they come, and eventually, if you’re here long enough you start to get those moments, those monumental games,” said Cullen. “I was proud of it, I was happy for it and want to thank all the players and the staff that I’ve worked with currently and in the past.” Cullen graduated from Charlotte in 1993 after spending his four years on the men’s team as a Niner himself. In 1991, he was a member of the very first NCAA tournament team in Charlotte history, making it to No. 4 in the national rankings. The team repeated as a tournament team the next year and moved up to No. 2. During his time as a Niner player, he earned a spot on the NSCAA South Region Scholar-Athlete Team as well as on the Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll. “I had a great experience here as a player. I thought the Charlotte administration, the university, faculty, staff and athletic department treated me with great respect and I just had a wonderful experience here,” said Cullen. Cullen spent some time with the Olympic Development Program and during that time, he managed a 46-4 record. Included in that record was a 16 game undefeated and unscored on season with the ‘90s NC ODP team. In 2010, he coached the NC ODP ‘95 team with formers Charlotte assistant coach Sarah (Judy) Denton to go on to the regional championships and in the next year, to the national championships. Amidst the years between graduating and returning to Charlotte as a head coach, Cullen also spent several years with the Catawba Indians from 2001-08. In his run as coach at Catawba, he tallied a 113-33-16 record to leave as the school’s career
10 SEPT. 25, 2018
NINERTIMES
win leader. He led the team to four NCAA Division II Regional appearances including twice to the regional finals and in 2005 he was named the NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year when the team finished the season 16-4-1. In January of 2009 though, Cullen would return to Charlotte to begin his stint as head coach at his alma mater. “I knew when I graduated from here, I wanted to come back here in some capacity, not sure what it was, but I was fortunate enough to get named as a coach in 2009. I had wonderful memories, great relationships, great fondness of the place and I just wanted to come back and create more of those, not only for myself, but the players I’m coaching,” said Cullen. Having been awarded many accolades such as Regional Coach of the Year or Charlotte Youth Girls Coach of the Year in Dec. 2015 for his time with the Charlotte Soccer Academy, Cullen remains humble and reminded of why he reaches those heights. “It kind of validates some of the work you’re doing. I want to stay true to myself as a coach, I never want to shortcut how I believe a team should prepare and play. So, I’ve always approached every season as a new season, as a new chapter, as a new opportunity to prove myself and for the team to prove themselves. I always look at the work I do as trying to improve as a coach every year,” said Cullen. “But, I never look beyond the next game and I know that’s an old cliché, but they stack up over time. The years go by quickly, but any time you’re fortunate enough to break a record, it validates to me the work I’m putting in and the preparation I’m putting in.” Not only does he work hard to push himself and his team to get better, but he values sharing that journey with his players a great deal. Awards are great and all, but they might just be more fun when there are people to share it with. “Most coaches will tell you the biggest part of what we do is for the players and I’ve had a wonderful connection with players currently, and formerly with the alums. You know, a win or a trophy doesn’t mean anything unless you can share it with
Photo Courtesy of Charlotte Athletics people that you truly care about and I care about my players. I’d like to think that’s my number one attribute, I’m there for every player and I hope they’ve enjoyed playing under me,” said Cullen. “But, at the end of the day you don’t want to just experience success on your own, you want to share with a lot of people and that’s why you drive on to be better and be ambitious. It’s the next group of players through the door, you know, so it’s can I give them a good experience, can I give them good memories,” said Cullen.
NINERTIMES.COM
SEPT. 25, 2018
11
Photo by Public Domain Pictures
LIFESTYLE
By Daniel Hall Intern
PLAGUE OF PERFECTIONISM Don’t get flustered on the things you can’t change
Perfectionism plagues most people on a daily basis. For example, a lot of us place a heavy emphasis on making the “right” decision to avoid being wrong. Making that “right” decision even appears in the mundane moments of our daily lives, be it selecting that right photo of the million identical photos in our library before posting it, finding that right movie on Netflix, checking online reviews for that right restaurant, etc. And what’s funny is we invest so much time in making that right decision that we may not ever end up posting that picture, watching that movie, or visiting that restaurant due to feeling frustrated, exhausted, or just postponing it for another day. And collecting information on a topic is great, I’m all here for it, but I’m addressing the issue of continually researching and analyzing due to fear of making the “wrong” choice. In other words, paralysis by analysis. You can view your choices as having consequences or opportunities. And yes, all choices have consequences, but I use the word opportunity to create a contrast for the negative connotations associated with the word consequence. In this case, I use the word opportunity in the sense that it is a positive consequence. Most importantly, how you view an outcome is completely up to you. What if there is more than one “right” answer, or dare I say, what if there is no “right” answer? Life is not this linear equation that exists within the binary of right or wrong. We as people change, careers change, situations change, and there is nothing wrong about that. We may hesitate on a decision due to gathering more information to avoid making a mistake, such as ending up in a major or industry that we absolutely hate; but if you hate it you can change it, meaning you can redirect yourself toward a new goal, view it as a lesson and do better next time, and however else you can twist a “mistake” into something positive. There may be a lot of pressure on you to get it right, but trust that you will as long as you keep trying while giving yourself time. Keep gathering information, but at some point we all have to be willing to learn from taking action, instead of always being right. One of my favorite quotes is “successful people don’t make the right decisions, they make their decisions right.” So alleviate yourself of making the right decision, take action today and focus more on making the best of your decisions.
12 SEPT. 25, 2018
NINERTIMES
Ideas to keep in mind: 1. Get over yourself. Being right all the time feels good to the ego, but doesn’t represent a mindset that is strong or mature enough to grow. Be brave enough to be challenged and come back even stronger. 2. No shame. Alternatively, being wrong or making a mistake hurts the ego and some people may try to make it worse by shaming you. You cannot let the opinions of others have that much of an influence over how you view yourself and your journey. You better learn to self-affirm. People that usually shame others are weak and need to create emotional hierarchy in order to position themselves as above to aid their insecurities. And some people just suck. You don’t have to be like them, live ya life. 3. Ask for help. You don’t have to know all of the answers at once. Asking for help can be scary, but you miss every shot you don’t take. 4. Learn stress management. Meditate, do yoga, learn kickboxing, journal, run, make art, do something that relaxes/comforts you. If you’re open to guidance in this area then UNC Charlotte’s Center for Counseling and Psychological Services offers a variety of workshops on stress management. Failing (though I prefer to say learning) takes a lot of emotional stability and you can’t flake out after a few losses (or lessons). Get knocked down and get back up. Definitely give the University Career Center a visit for assistance in effectively gathering information and resources related to your current interests. The career center offers a variety of assessments that aid in self-awareness which helps finding majors/careers that are best suited for you. And if you already consider yourself highly self-aware, then great, the UCC will assist you in understanding the process of actualizing your goals. Schedule a few appointments with an advisor to assist you in taking effective action.