Unconquered May 2012

S E M I N O L E B O O S T E R S M AG A Z I N E

June 2013

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

Inside Golf on the Upswing Senior Amanda Winslow Finishes Career on Top

Bobby Bowden Announces

Return for Fall

IT’S MORE THAN A GAME. IT’S A TRADITION.

It’s two national

championships and fifteen conference titles. It’s the planting of the flaming spear and the Tomahawk Chop.

It’s a chief named ‘Osceola’ and a horse called ‘Renegade’.

It’s 11 players and 82,300 fans united as one Tribe.

It’s Garnet. It’s Gold. It’s game day in Tallahassee and it’s a beautiful day for football.

Bill’s Bookstore—TRADITION lives HERE.

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BILL’S BOOKSTORE

111 S. Copeland Street | 1411 W. Tennessee Street 2020 West Pensacola Street #28

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to Your Tailgate PreOrder Pickup

at our FoodTr uck

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There’s a great team right here in Tallahassee that knows how to cover all the bases!

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Florida Cancer Specialists Medical Oncologists Scott Tetreault, MD • Viralkumar Bhanderi, MD • Paresh Patel, MD 4

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Unconquered magazine (USPS 18182) is published quarterly by Seminole Boosters, Inc., 225 University Center, Suite 5100, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306. (850) 644-3484, Fax: (850) 222-5929. POSTMASTER: send change of address to, Unconquered magazine, care of Seminole Boosters, Florida State University Center, Suite C-5100, 5th Floor, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306. Periodicals Postage Paid at Tallahassee, FL, Volume 29, Issue 2.

All advertising revenues directly support programs of the Seminole Boosters, Inc. For advertising rates, please contact the sales representatives listed below. © 2013, Seminole Boosters, Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Florida State University faculty, staff or administration.

Overview Unconquered magazine celebrates Seminole athletics and the indomitable spirit of its student-athletes who overcome adversity, the passion of its coaches and educators who help students reach beyond their limits, and the devotion of donors who redefine the boundaries of generosity by giving scholarships that change lives and who make donations that build first-class athletic facilities. By sharing their stories of transformational experiences — on the athletic playing field, in the classroom and in life — Unconquered magazine encourages the growth of responsible world citizenship and cross-cultural understanding. Each issue carries stories on what makes student-athletes great and how they were shaped by their experience at FSU, features on Seminole community sports legends and profiles of donors who make contributions.

2013 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Bruce Harrell

GENE READY

David Rancourt

MIKE HARRELL

Brian Swain

Morris Miller

TOM JENNINGS

Vanessa Fuchs

ANDY MILLER

Allan Bense

Chairman

Booster Attorney

Secretary

Chairman-Elect

Interim Athletic Director

VP for University Advancement

Past Chairman

Treasurer

Seminole Boosters President

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Contact Send correspondence to Kirstin Rayborn, at the address shown above, or by email to krayborn@fsu.edu. Telephone: (850) 645-7330.

Magazine Staff Publishers: Andy Miller, Jerry Kutz

Oscar Vicente, Jr. GARY THURSTON

Managing editor: Derrill Beech

At-Large Member

At-Large Member

Nylah Thompson Dr. Pamela Perrewe At-Large Member

Faculty Representative

Design, layout, production, pre-press: Rowland Publishing, Inc. Photo editors: Rowland Publishing, Inc. Featured photographers: Mike Olivella, Ross Obley Contributing photographers: Perrone T. Ford, FSU Sports Info, Bill Kallenberg, Tarry Kemp, Ryals Lee, Diego Mazzo, Steve Musco, Maury Neipris, Larry Novey, Seminole Boosters, Bob Thomas, Columnists: Charlie Barnes, Jerry Kutz Contributing writers: Bonnie Holub, Jim Crosby, FSU Sports Info, John Lata, Brandon Mellor, Joel Padgett, Rob Wilson Copy editors: Jerry Kutz, Rowland Publishing, Inc. Photo purchasing information:

2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mike Olivella photos: www.seminoles.com Ross Obley photos: www.seminoles.com

Seminole Boosters, Inc. EXECUTIVE STAFF Andy Miller President and CEO Joel Padgett Senior Vice President Gift Planning Director Tom Carlson Senior Vice President Jerry Kutz Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications Cindee Lundeen, PhD Director Billy Sexton Director Eric Carr Director Sanford Lovingood Controller Matt Behnke, CPA Chief Financial Officer Max Zahn Northeast FL Representative Javi Garcia-Tunon Miami Representative EJ Foreman Tampa Representative Kristin Tubeck Tampa Representative Brett Hagler Tallahassee/Atlanta Representative James Warren Ticket/Membership Account Representative

ASSISTANTS TO EXECUTIVE STAFF AND DIRECTORS Kari Terezakis Senior Executive Assistant to Andy Miller Sarah Reed Coaches Clubs Director, Internship Coordinator Mary Bailey Executive Assistant to Jerry Kutz, Stewardship Lindsay Pierce Executive Assistant Patti Barber Receptionist, Office Assistant Barbara Mason Financial Assistant Amy Hanstein Accountant Jason Liskooka Assistant Director of Data Management PROGRAM DIRECTORS Maria Fuller Skybox and Parking Director Michael Espada Ticket Sales Director Kirstin Rayborn Vice President for Marketing and Unconquered Magazine

Seminole Boosters, Inc.

FSU VARSITY CLUB Betsy Hosey Director DONOR RECORDS Jennifer Terrell Director Matt Lanahan Data Entry Lindsay Goodwin Donor Records Assistant/Gift Management John Knight Data Management Bailey Black Office Entry Abbie King Data Entry/Miami Representative UNCONQUERED MAGAZINE Derrill Beech Managing Editor & Advertising FSU TRADEMARK LICENSING Sherri Dye Director of Licensing Garrett O’Connor Assistant Licensing Director

Kathy Atkins-Gunter, PC Jorge Azor Eric Barron Tom Barron, PC Lance Barton Mark Bates Allen Bense Flecia Braswell Steve Brown, PC Yvonne Brown Bob Camp, PC Joe Camps, PC Bob Carnes Bill Carraway, PC Jimmy Carter, PC Ken Cashin, PC Bob Caton, PC Raymond Cottrell, PC Dave Cowens, PC Ben Crump Craig Dewhurst Chris Diamantis Carl Domino, PC Al Dunlap

Allen Durham Wade Durham Frank Fain, PC Ron Farrell Lon Fellenz Mike Fields, PC Vanessa Fuchs Dan Grant Philip Griffitts Andy Haggard, PC Kim Hammond, PC Bruce Harrell Michael Harrell Sherm Henderson, PC Charlie Hill, PC Tim Hill Ron Hobbs, PC Gordon Holder Bonnie Holub Tom Jennings Jim Kirk, PC Chris Kraft, PC Lawton Langford, PC George Langford, PC

Marice Leo Brett Lindquist Shane Locke Paul Lowenthal Mark Macek Douglas Mannheimer, PC Lori Mattice Linda McGee Andy Miller Morris Miller Michael Miller DeVoe Moore Russ Morcom, PC Dennis Newman Andy Norman Mark O’Bryant John Olson, PC Bill Parker, PC Pam Perrewe Sean Pittman Frank Pope, PC Theo Proctor, PC David Rancourt Gene Ready

Kyle Riva Sam Rogers, Jr. Scott Roix Bob Sasser Jared Schrader Jon Shebel Barry Smith Bob Smith Lomax Smith, PC Kathy Stahl Larry Strom Brian Swain, PC Nylah Thompson Gary Thurston Nada Usina Jesse Vance Oscar Vicente, Jr. Gary Walsingham, PC Mike Walsingham Brian Williams PC denotes Past Chairman

FLORIDA STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Allan Bense, Chair Edward E. “Ed” Burr Susie Busch-Transou, Vice Chair Joseph L. Camps, Jr. Rosalia Contreras Emily Fleming Duda Joseph Gruters

William Andrew Haggard Mark Hillis Leslie Pantin Margaret A. Rolando Brent Sembler Gary Tyson

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“We are proud of our scholar athletes who excel in the classroom and on the playing field.”

Eric J. Barron

President of The Florida State University

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Booster Life 5 Board of Directors 12 Booster Life: Spring Weekend 61 Booster Life: Spring Tour 76 NCAA Compliance/ Welcome New Members Columnists 8 Where Is Football Going?

18 Gathering of the Chiefs Features 32 Golf Program Seminole Golf Continues on the Upswing

36 Amanda Winslow Fastest Woman in the ACC Report 14 Community Outreach: Catching Up with Myron Rolle 24 Ben Zierden Q&A 26 FSU Abroad/Panama 30 Andy Miller Q&A 40 Summer Sports Q&As 46 Summer Sports: Mario Edwards 48 Seminoles.com Evolution 50 CollegeTown 58 30-Year Donors 62 Planned Giving 66 Indoor Training Center 72 Quarterly Reports

photos by Diego Mazzo (p . 26), Mike Olivella (p. 32), Steve Musco (p. 40) and courtesy FSU Sports Information (P. 8)

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Cover Photo Courtesy: Angela Thurber and Kidz 1st Fund

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football where is

C

hainsaw” Al Dunlap was limping in my direction, shaking his finger at me and yelling.

Such a thing was not unknown during our six-year relationship between the wealthy donor and the Booster fundraiser. But on this day, I had deliberately provoked him, and I was laughing.

Dunlap, his Security Chief Sean Thornton and I were playing golf on Hilton Head Island in July, when the maximum heat and humidity make it like walking through Hell on earth. Dunlap is 75 years old, so we outplayed him pretty handily on the front nine. But just as the suffocating temperatures wore Sean and me down, Dunlap seemed to perk up. He’s a tough guy, and all the heat did to him was slow his swing, one of the secrets of golf.

Al began to outplay us and outdrive us and, as is his way, he loosed an unbroken stream of chatter about his superiority and our unworthiness. So having no defense of my poor play to offer, I started making fun of his limp.

“Listen you!” he said, approximately, his phrasing shaped by modifiers too colorful for this page. “If you get to be my age and you don’t limp, then you didn’t play hard enough when you were a young man!”

Dunlap played hard enough. He was the New Jersey High School shot put champion and a star on the New Jersey

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State football championship team.

The limp is a lingering reminder of his playing days at West Point.

And Dunlap is right about athletics.

Such is the cultural association with between manhood, social status and sports injuries in America. Chicks dig scars.

Where is Football Going?

Cultural forces have already had their effects on baseball and basketball. In the first half of the 20th century baseball was firmly enshrined as “America’s Game.”

At the point FSU joined the ACC in 1991, basketball brought the league more television revenue than anything else.

In fact, basketball was far and away the big money engine in conferences across the board.

Today, basketball — including the NCAA Tournament — does not draw television money to the conferences to the extent it used to, and the amount of money it does draw is not growing. This

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may be of little concern to the wealthy private schools not dependent on the money that football brings. Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski gushes about the addition of basketball powers Louisville, Pitt, Notre Dame and Syracuse. “[The expansion] sets us apart from anybody.

And we shouldn’t look at where football is or whatever.”

Whether Coach K. likes it or not — and he doesn’t — the big dog on the larger stage now is football, and it’s so big it threatens to eat everybody’s lunch.

Krzyzewski isn’t alone. The final Big East basketball tournament took place in March as the conference prepared to dissolve. “It was the greatest basketball alignment in college basketball history,” mourned Louisville Coach Rick Pitino.

“And all because a few people blew up our TV deal, everything was broken up … football is running our country right now.

It is running rampant.”

Former Duke assistant and now Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey was less circumspect. “Sometimes I want to ask,

Charlie Barnes

going?

By Charlie Barnes, Guest Columnist Photos by Seminole Boosters and FSU Sports Information

‘Which football caveman did this to basketball? Can you tell me? I just would like to know.’ ” Unanticipated Influences It’s always a mistake to extrapolate a straight line based on what we think we know today. Surprises lie in wait for us.

Football’s dramatic rise to dominance has been driven mostly by money. The contracts between the conferences and the media engines seem almost surreal.

Will those numbers hold or will they continue to rise? Or will the bubble burst?

No matter how events unfold, there are always unintended consequences.

Consider four outliers, four influences whose impact may not be immediately apparent: » Disparity of officiating by conference; » Heads, knees and ankles; » The effect of media money on the ability to sell tickets; » The startling rise in popularity of lacrosse.

Disparity of Officiating by Conference Most every year it seems like FSU is the most penalized team in the ACC. Conversely, there is the impression that Alabama rarely draws a penalty of any sort in their big SEC games. The current

issues in college football may produce an effect on officiating. For instance, if the staggering amounts of money on the table continue to increase, will the officials of different leagues be given differing instructions? Will the officials of one conference be told to “let them play” and officials of another league told to make every call and give deference to “safety” when deciding to make or not make a call?

If such a thing were to happen, the impact would be seen first in the bowl games and in the national championship.

Any team becomes used to the style of officiating common in their conference.

The shock of a very different officiating standard in an important post-season game might prove too much for even a

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Since 1973, offensive linemen have increased average weight by 80 lbs.

great team to overcome. There has been some chatter about a national corps of officials independent of the individual conferences, but so far no serious proposals have been put forth.

Heads, Knees and Ankles Tallahassee Democrat columnist Gerald Ensley wrote an insightful column about the current issue of player safety and concussions. And, Ensley made an excellent suggestion — get rid of the hard

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hats. That might work, but there is another factor that eliminating hard hats can’t fix: the mathematics of mass times acceleration.

Because it has happened slowly, we really don’t appreciate the incredible change in the size of our players.

Goliath on the Line Florida State’s 1973 Seminoles had only eight offensive linemen on the roster, but that number is misleading. There had been NCAA trouble the previous summer and some players had dropped out, leaving the Seminoles with only 52 returning players.

However, the incoming freshman class numbered 65 recruits, fourteen of which were offensive linemen.

Our eight returning linemen in 1973 averaged 222.5 pounds and 6 feet 1 ½ inches tall. The 14 incoming freshmen linemen averaged 6 feet 2 ½ inches tall and about 222 pounds.

Ten years later, the 1983 Miami Hurricane National Championship team carried 19 interior offensive linemen, averaging 6 feet 3 ½ inches in height and weighing an average of 245 pounds.

The Hurricanes’ biggest lineman in 1983 was 6 feet 8 inches tall, 274 lbs. No player on the championship roster weighed as much as 300 lbs. The University of Florida brought in a 305-pounder in the fall of 1982 — supposedly the first of such at any of the three major schools in the state — and the sidebar chatter was that he also played tennis! No one could imagine that.

In 2012, Ole Miss defensive lineman Terrell Brown is listed at 6 feet 10 inches and 377 pounds. He reportedly weighed 410 pounds the day he arrived in Oxford.

Remember Miami’s great tight end in 1983, Glenn Dennison? Dennison weighed only 214 lbs. In 2012, Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame won the John Mackey Award for the nation’s best tight end. Eifert is 6 feet 6 inches, 250 lbs.

Ten years after Miami’s 1983 Championship, Florida State’s 1993 National Championship team carried 18 interior offensive linemen. As a group they averaged just slightly less than 6 feet 4 inches tall and 273 pounds.

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In the 20 years since 1993, the nation’s top lines have packed on an additional 30 pounds per man. FSU returns 13 interior offensive linemen in 2013. As a group, they average just under 6 feet 4 ½ tall and 305 pounds. The Alabama Crimson Tide National Championship team in 2012 carried 20 interior offensive linemen averaging 6 feet 3 ½ inches tall and 305 pounds.

What this tells us is that since 1973 the average Division I offensive lineman has increased in size by more than 80 pounds!

Human knees and ankles have not grown correspondingly stronger.

This February, a young high school senior named David Fangupo signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Hawaii. One sportswriter describes him as “terrifying.” Fangupo is a 6-foot2, 348-pound tailback. Yes, you read that correctly. I’ve seen the video and he can run, not that he has to. Mass times acceleration equals mayhem.

Glen “Big Baby” Davis played basketball for LSU and plays now for the Orlando

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Charlie Barnes

The 2012 FSU offensive line as a group, averaged about 6 feet 4 ½ inches tall and 305 lbs. In 1973 our line averaged 222.5 lbs and 6 feet 1 ½ inches tall.

Magic. In high school, the 6 foot 9 inch Davis played tailback at 354 pounds. He scored five touchdowns in one game before dropping football for basketball.

Imagine you’re a 165-pound safety and that’s coming at you.

Our EJ Manuel is listed as 6 feet 5 inches and 240 pounds, but standing next to him he looks a lot heavier. You wouldn’t want to tackle EJ once he picks up a full head of steam.

The Pursuit of ‘Safety’ Paul Phipps is chief marketing officer for Visit Florida. Until recently he was GM for Sales and assistant athletic director at FSU, and before that a national marketing executive for NASCAR. Phipps talks about the importance of balance. After Dale Earnhardt was killed driving in the 2001 Daytona 500, NASCAR 82>>

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Booster Life

Spring Weekend

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Community Outreach

Catching up with

Myron Rolle

The spirit of Giving back continues after Florida State

T

By John Lata, Ph.D.

he Atlantic Coast Conference contacted our office recently, and they wanted to know what Myron Rolle, former Seminole football student-athlete, FSU graduate and 2008 Rhodes Scholarship recipient (and second smartest athlete in sports, according to the Sporting News in 2010) was up to. Great question was the response, so we set forth to reach out and see what indeed Rolle was up to these days.

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Photo Courtesy of FSU Sports Information

Community Outreach

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Photos Courtesy FSU Student Services

Community Outreach

As the question was asked, there was a quick laugh, and the response, “What am I not doing!” Being the humble gentleman he is, it took a bit of prompting and questioning to get a glimpse into the world and works with which he is currently involved.

Rolle currently resides back in his home state of New Jersey. While he last was affiliated with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012, when asked if he was retired, there was again a laugh, then Myron Rolle logged a pause, followed by the comment, “You hundreds of community never know ... I haven’t turned in my reservice and volunteer tirement paperwork, so you never know.” hours, including mentoring young But one got the sense that he wasn’t letstudents. Rolle founded ting the NFL dictate his current state of Our Way to Health, a fifth-grade curriculum that mind, nor his passion for helping others. addresses diabetes and The Myron L. Rolle Foundation was obesity for students at a started in 2009, and Rolle is far from just charter school run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. being the namesake. He is integrally involved and active in working with its many initiatives. One of those initiatives is the Rhodes to Success program, which is an academic workshop for foster children. The Foundation has partnered with the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the FSU College of Medicine in Orlando to help foster children achieve academically.

“There is an alarming disparity with regards to academic achievement for foster children,” said Rolle, “and there are ways we can help.

We work quite closely with DCF.” And in its fifth year, also in conjunction with DCF, is the annual Wellness and Leadership Academy that will take place from July 25th through 29th in Starke, Fla., a flagship event, again for 100 foster children. In addition to those two programs, there is an anti-obesity program for Native American children, called Our Way to Health, which works with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as the Najavo, Hopi and Pueblo tribes. Not to mention the Free Health Clinic in Exuma, Bahamas, (where both sides of his grandparents are originally from) that is ongoing.

In his spare time (again, a laugh and the comment, “What there is of it”), he is on the Board of Trustees at Hampden Sydney College and asked to speak across the country and internationally. The U. S. State Department asked him to speak in London at seven different high schools and to help run American Football camps. He has also spoken at North Carolina Central University and Amherst University and was asked to be the keynote speaker at the Atlantic Coast Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Awards Luncheon. He is an Administrative Fellow for AmeriHealth Mercy, which manages Medicaid for the less fortunate, a recurring tenet in much of what Rolle does. “This is helping me to understand people I may be treating later as a doctor,” Rolle said, noting that he is waiting to hear from three or four medical schools.

While he has travelled the world, Rolle has fond memories of his time inTallahassee. “There is so much I miss!” Rolle exclaimed. “The familiar feeling you receive as a student-athlete. I felt welcomed immediately coming down from New Jersey. I was afraid it was going to

be uncomfortable, but everybody was so gracious and that afforded me the opportunity to grow. I became more open, as a Christian, as a student and as a man.”

Rolle is optimistic about the direction of the Seminole football team under Jimbo Fisher. “I’m very excited about the future of FSU football! We’re bringing in the best athletes, we’ve got great coaching and the support from the community is amazing. It’s just a matter of time before we play in the big game! During my tenure we didn’t win as many games as we would have liked, but I am proud that I had the chance to mentor some of the current guys. So I still feel connected to the program and its success today.”

If you are interested in learning more about The Myron L. Rolle Foundation and its current initiatives, be sure to visit myronrolle.com. SB

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BOOSTER INSIDER

BY JERRY KUTZ, VICE PRESIDENT

Gathering of the Chiefs FSU Football behind the facemask

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Photos by Seminole Boosters

o you view college athletics purely as entertainment, something you spend your money on to be entertained? Or do you believe college athletics also provides bootstrap opportunities that are uniquely American?

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I wonder how many of our own Seminole Boosters consider the cost of tickets as an amusement transaction, their Booster membership as the purchase of priority benefits, and haven’t realized that their tax-deductible charitable donation is also funding a highly effective self-start program.

More than 300 Seminole Booster members came to a member appreciation event in March, expecting to meet the football team and hear about the upcoming season. What they heard, and more importantly what they felt, helped them understand the philanthropic nature of their contribution.

Seven Florida State players dressed in FSU warm-ups took a seat on the stage for a player panel moderated by senior Associate Athletic Director Monk Bonasorte, a former FSU All American.

Bonasorte had written a list of questions, which led to heartfelt, unscripted answers.

When asked what college athletics and his scholarship means to him, senior cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, who turned down the NFL draft so he could come back to finish his degree, said: “I want to just thank you all for rescuing some of us from the environment we come from and starting a future for us, which is hard where we come from. It’s more than the helmet and the spear on the side of it. It is about opening the door for us so we can create a future for our family.”

Stop and let those words soak in for a moment. Joyner wasn’t talking about a football opportunity. He already had that and turned it down to return for his senior year and a college degree. As you listened, you felt that Joyner and the other players were talking about something much more permanent than football or even a college degree. You had the feeling they are finding their place in a new world, a world of opportunity.

Like Joyner, Devonta Freeman grew up on the tough streets of inner city Miami, where his brother was gunned down soon after Freeman moved away. While other sophomores at FSU were pledging

fraternities or moving off campus with friends, Freeman was busy moving his mother to the safety of Tallahassee, where he can spend the little free time he has with her.

“I was the first one to go to college from my family, and I thank Coach Fisher,” Freeman said. “He changed my life totally and made me understand there is big stuff out there to accomplish; there is a better life outside of where I come from.”

Turning his attention to the audience, Freeman said: “I want to thank you for saving my life. It is special to me that I am going to be able to get that degree. I am young, and now know that I am going to have something I can go to beyond football, because football is not guaranteed.”

Fisher, who wears his emotions on his sleeve, was as unprepared for what he was hearing as was the moderator and the audience. And, like the Booster members in the room, Fisher was unsuccessful in attempts to hide his feelings as his players bared their hearts. The crowd reacted with tears and laughter as one player after another shared their stories and expressed their appreciation. For some of the Seminole Booster members it was the first time they understood that the money they have spent on college athletics is about more, much more, than entertainment; their membership does in fact change lives.

Bonasorte held up the football helmet

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The player panel — Lamarcus Joyner, Devonta Freeman, Telvin Smith, Cameron Erving, Clint Trickett, Karlos Williams and Rashad Greene.

and asked the players what it meant to wear that helmet. He wasn’t prepared for linebacker Telvin Smith’s reply.

“Let me hold it so I can get it right,” Smith said, to laughter from the crowd.

Holding the helmet respectfully in his hands, he began by saying, “Above the facemask it says ACC, which reminds me that I am a champion. I turn the helmet to the side, and I see the spear and I think of the Unconquered people. My teammates and I seek to be unconquered in all we do, and that’s what we will remain. As brothers, as we always say, we will remain unconquered. I see garnet and gold, and to us that means love.”

The crowd roared its approval as Smith handed the helmet to Joyner, who commended Smith on his poetic description.

Smith’s knowledge of the FSU symbols surprised even Bonasorte, who then asked what it’s like to be a member of this team.

“I lost my father my freshman year.

That was one of the craziest, hardest times I went through because you feel like you lose a part of yourself,” began Telvin Smith. “People talk about a team being a family. Well, that night (I found out) I went to my coach’s house. Coach Vic showed up and then other coaches and

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teammates showed up. So my freshman year I got that feeling, that bond, from these guys right here (players on stage).

It was just a brotherhood that could not be broken. I love my coaches to the point they are my fathers. I love these guys, and I learned from him (Coach Fisher).”

Added Joyner, “A lot of us come from backgrounds where we didn’t have our mothers and fathers, so I appreciate what the coaches are doing. We look for someone who will mold you as a man.

And you have your brothers who you go to war with in the classroom and on the field. There is just no better feeling, that warm feeling that makes me feel part of a family, and that’s always great.”

Bonasorte, who wrote the questions only a few hours earlier, was really happy with the outcome, closing the evening by saying, “In my 35 years as a member of this Seminole family, I have never been prouder. They didn’t know what the questions would be beforehand, so you knew what they said was genuine. It was a great opportunity for these young men to express themselves and for the fans to see them as real people with real issues and not just shoulder pads and helmets. It was heart touching.

“College athletics isn’t just about scoreboards, it’s about saving lives and I think our Booster members who were able to attend now see that.”

Offensive lineman Cameron Erving later noted that in addition to the effect college athletics has had on him, it has also affected his mother, who has since returned to college to earn a degree in nursing.

Erving’s story reminds us of countless other Seminole stories. Leon Washington was the first to tell me how a scholarship could change a family. Washington’s little brother used to come to Tallahassee to watch Leon play. Inspired by the realization that college life is pretty cool, Leon said his brother suddenly began to apply himself in the classroom so that he too could attend college.

The story of Christian Ponder helps to build the case that college athletic

scholarships really do change lives.

When we think of Christian, the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, we remember a brilliant academic who earned a college degree in 2.5 years and a master’s in business administration before his final year of eligibility. You’d think he came from a long academic lineage, but the truth is his father David, a former FSU defensive tackle, was the first of the Ponder clan to attend college, thanks to a college scholarship.

… When you play together, live together, travel together and win or lose together, and you do it right, bonds form that can last a lifetime. That bond goes way beyond economics, geography or race. You do become a family.”

— Associate Athletic Director Monk Bonasorte David’s older brother, who had not completed high school, came to Tallahassee to see David play and, like Washington’s brother, was motivated by what he saw. He soon completed his GED and enrolled at Tallahassee Community College before earning a degree from FSU and starting a successful business enterprise.

Bonasorte, who played on the 1980 team with Ponder, says he sees the story

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repeated in numerous men’s and women’s sports. “Whether it’s basketball or women’s soccer or any of our 20 sports, you have kids who come from real-life backgrounds with real-life issues,” he said. “We hug them. We give them counsel. We work with their issues, and we watch them graduate.

We do change lives in many sports.”

Last spring, following the garnet and gold game, I joined a group of former players at their reunion. Guys I had known 20 years before as players were standing proudly with their wives, bragging on their children and on what their fellow teammates had become. Doctors, teachers, lawyers, coaches, law enforcement officers, preachers, professors and businessmen, these former players had become someone they were proud to be. And, to the man, they said they could not have done it without their scholarship or the coaches and staff that pulled them through their college years.

“Every year my teammates have a reunion, and many of the teams do, too,” Bonasorte said. “We do care a great deal about each other and take great pride in one another’s accomplishments in life. We also grieve for each other’s misfortunes and countless times have helped when one has experienced some misfortune. When you play together, live together, travel together and win or lose together, and you do it right, bonds form that can last a lifetime. That bond goes way beyond economics, geography or race. You do become a family.”

Former Florida State linebacker Henri Crockett, who played many years in the NFL, says that family concept extends well beyond the guys in the helmets.

“I made it to the pros, the Super Bowl, but no matter where you go you never have the sense of family again that you have at Florida State,” said Crockett, who is now a Seminole Booster Golden Chief member. “Once you get there, to the NFL, you realize it’s just a job to most of those guys who have families of their own. When you come to Florida State, you become part of a family (and) no

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The players’ stories created laughter, tears and excitement from the audience. Telvin Smith (right) was pointing to a fellow player in the crowd as they shared a moment in laughter.

matter where you go you will always have Florida State all around you. You don’t realize it when you are playing, but the people who are buying those tickets, who are making those contributions, feel like they are a part of you and you are a part of them. You learn that after your playing days are over, when you become a ticket holder and a Booster and start tailgating and attending Booster events like I am now able to do. That’s when you really appreciate how big of a family Florida State is and how many relationships there are for you.

“Everyone treats you like they have known you for years, because they have been a part of you emotionally. That’s the family part, that’s the love. A lot of those guys won’t fully realize it until it is over, and they are able to tailgate and participate in Booster events.”

After the questions and answers were over and the players said their goodbyes, there was a buzz among the Booster members.

“That’s the best thing I’ve seen in all the years I’ve followed Florida State sports, which is over 40 now,” said Steve Brown, a

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retired federal judge from Miami. “It was obviously not rehearsed. These young men are not trained speakers, so you knew what they said came from what they are feeling, and you know it is real.”

Brown was surprised by some of what he heard.

“I wasn’t surprised when they said their scholarship gave them a chance to go to school but instead they talked about getting out of that neighborhood with life-changing opportunities, which was deeper than I expected,” Brown said. “It showed us a side of these kids we never get to see. They are more cognizant of the big picture, the role that education plays and what this scholarship opportunity means to them, and I don’t mean just on the football field. It’s also obvious to me that they understand the role the Boosters play in funding their scholarship. They may not understand the minutiae of it, but they clearly understand that if it weren’t for (Seminole Booster members) they wouldn’t be where they are.”

Lawton Langford attended the event with his father, George. The two have been important figures in the development of

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Seminole Boosters and the Florida State Foundation.

“When Devonta Freeman said, ‘My scholarship saved my life,’ that was hugely powerful,” Lawton Langford said. “When he said that it made me feel really good about the money we give. It means our money is doing more than buying football cleats and helmets. The money we give to Seminole Boosters is changing lives and making a difference in our society, one person at a time. I wish more of our fans could hear that message.

“I have always felt we have a great product to sell, with priority parking and ticket benefits, but once a person gets past that transactional gift, they will see there are many more reasons to be proud to support athletics through Seminole Boosters.”

If there were any Seminole Booster members concerned whether Florida State’s student-athletes appreciate their contribution, Lamarcus Joyner put those concerns to rest when he said: “I want to thank God for you all and ask that he bless you. And that you keep up the good works you do for people after us.” SB

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Q&A

Ben Zierden

Associate Athletics Director, Ticketing

By Rob Wilson // Photo By Ryals Lee

Wilson: You just completed the renewal process. How did that go and what effect, if any, did the announcement have that Notre Dame, Boise State and Louisville will be playing in Doak along with Clemson, Miami and Florida?

Zierden: Our fans are very excited to see these national powers added to our future schedule. While we think the fan experience at Doak Campbell Stadium is special regardless of the opponent, we know our fans also want to see these types of games, so the response has been positive.

We couldn’t announce Notre Dame until mid-April, and even though the game isn’t going to be played until 2014, we felt a lift in our 2013 renewals and new sales.

Wilson: Why is that?

Zierden: Our fans are smart, and they understand our ticket priority policy. They know that our existing season ticket holders have the first right to renew their seats from year-to-year. They know there are good seats still available for 2013 they can claim now and have for 2014 and beyond.

Wilson: With Notre Dame, Clemson and Florida all coming to Doak in 2014,

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do you think FSU could sell out in 2014?

Zierden: Selling out season tickets is a very real possibility for 2014. We expect the renewal rate to be higher than usual going from 2013 to 2014 considering the direction of the football program coupled with one of the most attractive home schedules in years.

Wilson: FSU will play Oklahoma State at Dallas Cowboy Stadium in 2014 — does that game help ticket sales?

Zierden: It does. First, it gets our fans excited about a new opponent and a new venue, which is great. Plus, our season ticket holders and Boosters receive priority to buy away game tickets, so that benefit is another reason to renew or buy new season tickets this year.

Wilson: Are there any new developments fans can look forward to?

Zierden: We are always looking to improve the experience for our fans when it comes to buying tickets and showing our appreciation for their loyalty. This year we implemented a new online seat view and selection process for season ticket holders. It puts the seat improvement process in the hands of the customer by letting them use a 3D view of Doak

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Campbell Stadium … (giving them) the ability to see all available seats in realtime as we go through the process.

The old process relied on written requests from fans and was handled completely internally by the ticket office staff.

With the volume of customers we were not able to give each fan the attention they deserved as we looked at each account for improvement. This new system empowers the customer and takes any confusion out of the request process, because the customer can see exactly what we see and they can decide on their own if they want to move their seats or even add additional ones. The new system is completely integrated with our ticketing system as well as Seminole Boosters, so it shows required booster donations depending on seat locations.

Wilson: At the time of this interview, the athletic ticket office was just completing the season ticket renewal process and the implementation of this new seating process. How did FSU fans respond to the introduction of that new benefit?

Zierden: We had a tremendous and positive response from our fans. They love the ability to control their seating process and see exactly what was available in real-time.

Wilson: Tell us how that system works. Does everyone get access at the same time, or is there some sort of order to who gets in to see available seats first?

Zierden: Everything that we do is based on the FSU ticket priority policy. Entry dates and times are based on priority points. The customer with the most points goes first, and every few minutes another customer gains access in descending point order. Points are accumulated based upon longevity (10 years as a season ticket holder and five years as a Booster is the max) as well as accumulated Booster contribution (last five years).

Two points are also given to alumni association members, varsity athletes, faculty, staff and President’s Club members.

Wilson: How does the system work in terms of what section you can sit in?

Zierden: Customers can choose seats in whatever section they see seats available as long as they meet the minimum Seminole Booster membership contribution requirements for that section and for the number of seats. The system makes it very clear, and we expect some of our ticket holders will choose seats that are in higher priority areas and decide to upgrade their Seminole Booster memberships to claim them. So while the system is much more customer friendly, it could also help us generate additional revenue to help fund our athletics program.

Wilson: Since access to the system is based on a priority point ranking, did you see ticket holders upgrade memberships to improve the time they got in?

Zierden: Yes, we did. We saw people who had never donated money to athletics through Seminole Boosters become members to get better access. We also saw others who increased their member-

ship to improve their ranking. Some did it to get earlier access, and some did it because they wanted to be among our top 1,000 contributors, or top 100. It was great to see the response, and it did lead to additional funds being raised to fund scholarships and support the needs of our student-athletes.

Wilson: Is there anything else on the horizon for the athletics ticket office?

Zierden: Absolutely. We are currently working on an initiative that will change the way our most loyal customers interact with our office. We understand the value of our customers and know that none of our athletics programs would be successful without the resources made possible by the support of our ticket holders and donors. We want to provide the absolute best customer service for these valuable supporters.

Our plan is to establish a full-time guest services staff in our office. Every season ticket holder will be assigned a full-time personal account representative who will provide concierge service to them yearround for all their needs. Rather than calling our main toll-free number, each customer will be able to directly contact their personal guest services rep for all their ticketing needs. This program will provide top-notch customer service to our supporters and allow us to engage our most valued supporters on a much more personal level.

We’ve seen the way our new customers have responded to being personally contacted and engaged by our outbound sales team over the last few years. Bringing this same concept and effort to our current season ticket holders and donors is just as important, if not more important, to the longterm success of our program.

Wilson: Is Florida State’s sales and service effort unique in college athletics?

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Zierden: Yes. Our outbound sales team is unique in several ways when compared to other ticket sales efforts around the country in college athletics. First of all, we chose to keep our sales effort in-house as opposed to outsourcing to another company, which is what many other schools are doing. We were fortunate to bring in Michael Espada (FSU ’04) to be our director of ticket sales. Michael came from the professional sports industry and brought a wealth of knowledge about the professional ticket sales model. Our success in three years of operation is also unique compared to the rest of the country. The amount of incremental revenue generated through this effort puts us easily in the top three sales teams in college athletics.

The addition of the guest services program will also set us apart from other schools. Only two to three other programs in the country are implementing this type of program for their fans.

Overall, our sales and service focus has been a great success and a great collaborative effort between FSU Athletics and Seminole Boosters.

Wilson: What is the future of ticketing for FSU events looking like in terms of technology?

Zierden: We are always looking at technology that will help us be more efficient and effective in our ticket operations, but most of what we will see in the future will be about improving the fan experience through technology. Like every other industry, mobile applications that allow customers to use their smart phones to conduct business is where we are headed. The current technology in use allows tickets to be scanned directly from an image on your smart phone. I see that being used here at FSU in the next few years. SB

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FSU Abroad/ Panama

Sport: The Tie that Binds FSU Panama competes in the Ocean to Ocean Cayuco Annual Paddle Race

By Jerry Kutz // Photos by Diego Mazzo

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tudents and administrators of the Florida State University campus in the Republic of Panama stopped by my office on a visit to the Tallahassee campus to pitch a story idea for Unconquered Magazine that they thought all Seminoles would enjoy. The FSU Panama campus competes in a unique national sport called Ocean to Ocean Cayuco, a three-day race from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal in boats called cayucos that resemble the dugout canoes used by the 19th century Seminole Tribe.

Although we typically cover only varsity sports on the Tallahassee campus, I looked out my window on a rainy January morning with temperatures in the Team Unconquered: high teens, “Googled” the weather in tropical Pana- FSU Panama students ma and agreed it was one heck of a good story idea. Jorge Juan Puente, Carlos Herbert, After all, their cayucos are named “Unconquered” Omar Ledezma and Alejandra Daza and “Renegade.”

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FSU Abroad/ Panama

While on this assignment I was reminded that the essence of any collegiate sports story, whether Cayuco or Seminole football, is about more than gym shorts and jock straps. Collegiate athletics at its core is about what binds a campus, the events that draw us together, challenge and inspire us, and morph brick and mortar and flesh and bone into a living, breathing experience where relationships are formed and memories are made.

Whether on the FSU Tallahassee campus, FSU Panama campus or the FSU Panama City, Fla., campus, all FSU students consider themselves Seminoles. And this assignment revealed an alternative way for students to experience being a Seminole internationally without giving up the nurturing qualities of the FSU campus in Tallahassee.

Our readers also may be surprised to know: » S tudents who meet the minimum requirements for admission to Florida State but aren’t accepted under the enrollment cap can attend classes on one of FSU’s four international campuses and one year later gain automatic admission to the Tallahassee campus; » Non-Florida residents admitted FSU, who are U.S. citizens, who spend 12 months on an FSU International campus will qualify for Florida in-state rates when they transfer to the Tallahassee campus, which can save nearly $15,000 per year in tuition costs! » Some of the students who come to Panama with intentions of transferring to the Tallahassee campus have remained, thanks in part to Cayuco or one of the other athletic, recreational or internship opportunities available. » The FSU Panama campus is located in the City of Knowledge, an attractive and well-laid out complex that was once Fort Clayton, the former headquarters for the U.S. Southern Command and where 65,000 U.S. servicemen protected the Canal and the Southern Hemisphere during World War II. The City of Knowledge is home to the hub of operations for the United Nations in that region of the world and provides many opportunities for FSU’s students.

The very athletic symbols — Unconquered and Cayuco — are rooted in the indigenous people of their countries whose traditions they honor. The cayuco was used for transportation by Panamanian who trace their lineage to the Incans and Mayans and are strikingly similar to those of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Of course, technology has changed the hull. The originals, first raced by the Boy Scouts of America Explorer Scouts in 1954, have been replaced by high-tech materials to make them lighter and faster. But the respect for the tradition of the cayuco and its people has not been left in the wake.

More than 250 athletes, divided into 60-plus teams, competed in the race. And as they unloaded the boats, I noticed there were no offensive linemen on the teams. Each and every one looked like a Florida State wide receiver or cornerback — all shoulders, backs and abdomens.

Powered by the synchronized paddling of four-member teams, some male, some female, some co-ed, it was all elbows and gritted teeth as the paddles dug at the water for the sprinter’s start.

As I watched my first Cayuco race, I thought it looked more like a Hawaiian “outrigger” race than the traditional college crew: four paddlers face forward, digging 4-foot paddles into the water like a canoer. Each member of the team plays a difference role. The stroker sits in the front and sets the pace under varying conditions. The second seat is for the power stroke — the strongest member of the crew. The third position alternates paddling and bailing water. The captain sits at the rear, steering and calling the stroking pace and when to change sides.

An hour into the race, paddles were still digging as if the starter’s pistol had just sounded. And that’s when I realized why every one of them looked like Batman in a spandex suit.

This was no paddle up the Lazy River; this was a 51-mile sprint. On the most grueling day of the three-day marathon, Unconquered covered 21 miles in just over 3 hours.

Like an FSU swimmer or football player, the sport requires twoand three-a-day practices, with mornings spent paddling and afternoons running and lifting.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” said FSU Panama Athletic Director Steve Carlock. “These kids are at the prime of their physical fitness.

This is the best physical shape they will ever be in.”

It was exhausting to watch, even from the vantage point of the 21foot center console captained by Canal Zone native Barclay Hayes, who won this race in the mid-1970s, or as he says, “50 pounds ago.”

Hayes was one of several volunteer boats dispatched to escort the

The 51-mile race began by loading the cayuco boats into the Panama Canal Zone in the shadows of large freight vessels and cruise ships.

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paddlers and was kind enough to let this writer and a photographer tag along. A canal pilot for more than 30 years, Hayes has taken control of the bridge of every kind of vessel to pass through the canal, from tugboats to cruise ships to nuclear submarines. He pointed out a number of details about the canal he’s traversed countless times, about the natural resources of the Panama he loves and about the sport itself. But none of the details would prove to be as important as the Cayuco hydration system, which consists of a gallon milk jug tucked between the paddler’s legs with a clear plastic hose clinched firmly between those gritted teeth.

As the sun and the temperature and the humidity soared, fluid became a precious commodity on every boat. Hayes pointed at a 100-gallon cooler, loaded with cases of bottled water, and said, “Drink up.”

The 140-horse powere Suzuki outboard rapidly propelled us to our forward position, allowing us to enjoy the tropical scen-

ery and the relief of a boating breeze. He pointed to drill boats and dredges, widening and deepening the canal for the new, large vessels that will be transiting when new locks are completed in 2015. A few casts along a bank produced one of the beautiful and abundant peacock bass which call the canal home.

Never did we have to wait long for the leaders to arrive, all elbows and teeth, still stroking like the race had just begun.

As the day heated up, the wind kicked up and the once slick Gatun Lake, which is part of the Panama Canal, began to get choppy. As water splashed into the cayucas, paddlers alternated bailing with paddling to keep their boats light. Not designed for a race, the canal is a heavily traveled navigational channel for ocean-going vessels stacked with heavy metal containers filled with product bound for who knows where. The heavy ships push waves big enough to surf, which can swamp the inattentive or unbalanced Cayuco team.

If you want to be a good paddler, you have to learn to paddle as a team and master the vessel and especially the balance of the boat.”

— Race Official Pablo Prieto “If you want to be a good golfer, it requires a lot of time,” said Race Official Pablo Prieto, one of the men who kept the sport alive when the U.S. left the Canal Zone in 1999. “If you want to be a good paddler, you have to learn to paddle as a team and master the vessel — especially the balance of the boat.”

While the Zone has been cooperative with the race, it is very clear who has the right of way. The 31-foot cayucos, which are only about two feet wide, would fare no better against these ships than the Miami receiver who collided with Nigel Bradham.

There are other natural elements to make the cardio valves pump faster.

80>>

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ACROSS FROM FLORIDA STATE UNIVERESITY

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Andy Miller Q&A

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Andy Miller Q&A

Boosters President Andy Miller

Q&A

By Jerry kutz, Senior Vice President Photos By Tarry Kemp

Kutz: Talk about the spring Seminole Booster Tour. How has it evolved? What are the goals and why is the tour important to the program?

Miller: For many years, Coach Bowden and Charlie Barnes popularized the tour, spreading the Booster message to thousands of loyal supporters. They would attend these events to show their support and learn more about the program. There was no Internet and coverage in many areas was scarce, so these events gave our people an opportunity to stay connected. The standard format, golf followed by a banquet, was successful in achieving the desired goals.

Kutz: What are the goals?

Miller: First it’s stewardship. We want every Booster to feel appreciated. Next, we want exposure to as many fans, friends and alumni as possible to spread the Booster message. I learned from a very wise man many years ago that you can’t sell an empty seat, so having a large number of prospective donors and season ticket holders in attendance was of upmost importance. Third, we would like to make money. The cost of providing scholarships, recruiting and coaching to support comprehensive excellence in all sports continues to rise. A contribution to the Booster program makes the difference.

major gift donors and finally, to attract numbers, we have implemented interactive activities like casino parties, auctions, family fun days and other Booster Life experiences designed to attract crowds and raise support for the program. Supporters can use the Booster Card for fast-pass opportunities. They have a chance to hear from and rub shoulders informally with the legendary Gene Deckerhoff and one of the great young head coaches in the business, Jimbo Fisher, as well as other Seminole sports coaches and celebrities from the Dynasty Decade.

Kutz: How can Boosters help?

Miller: First, make it a point to attend and bring your family and friends. Finally, if you have time, volunteer to ensure the goals are accomplished.

Kutz: Any final words?

Miller: Just a “thank you” to all who have made the Seminole Booster spring tour a 35-year tradition of success. SB

Kutz: How has the tour changed?

Miller: For many years now, we have noticed that attendance was declining, and the average age of those who did come was on the rise. The younger generation was not participating. This is a major concern for the Boosters. Who will purchase our tickets and provide the needed financial support in the future? It’s vitally important that we expose them to the program and encourage their participation. We also realized that people no longer needed to attend an event for information. To address the issue, we decided to reformat our events to be more attractive to the broad market — especially to young people. We’ve kept the golf tourneys and have added fishing tournaments. We host VIP parties for sponsors and

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Feature

Florida State finished tied for 11th place at the NCAA Tournament at the end of May. Sophomore Daniel Berger finished tied for second place, earning first team All-America Honors.

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Seminole Golf Continues on the

Upswing Men’s Golf Has Record-Breaking Year

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by Jim Crosby // Photos By Mike Olivella aniel Berger couldn’t believe it! As the Seminole golfer’s eyes followed his drive on the second tee at the SouthWood course, the ball started to fade.

Then, caught by the persistent winds, it sailed out of bounds, landing on a residential street, bouncing high and often amongst the manicured lawns and parked cars.

Berger, leading by only a stroke in the second round of the Seminole Intercollegiate tournament, would go on to make a triple bogey.

Instead of folding and relinquishing the lead, Berger amazingly played the next 16 holes on the championship course at six-under to finish day one in a first place tie with Coastal Carolina golfer Sebastian Soderberg.

The next day, as the Seminoles raced to a seven-shot win over the 11-team field, Berger captured the individual title by a stroke. In retrospect, the sophomore from Jupiter, Fla., says, “If that triple bogey had happened to me last year, I probably would have gone on to shoot a 77 (5-over).” His coach Trey Jones added, “Daniel had as big a turnaround in one year as a golfer could have.”

In some ways, Berger’s determination and his battle against the odds mirrors the success story of the Seminole golf program over the years. The Seminoles are one of just eight, among 294 college golf teams, who have finished ranked in the top eight in two of the past three years. But it wasn’t always that way.

Dave Middleton, a scholarship golfer at Florida State in 1957 from Thomasville, Ga., was dismayed after he observed the facilities available at some of the Seminoles’ competitors. “I saw the great facilities at

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Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida and understood how far behind we were.”

Florida State had a nice golf course, but that was all. Middleton recalls a conversation with a Seminole golf coach about recruiting: “He said he would show a recruit the golf course then spend the rest of the visit touring the football stadium and other athletic facilities.”

Later Middleton, by then an executive with Merrill Lynch, decided to do something to improve the situation. In making a $1 million donation to the Seminole golf program, he spearheaded what was to become one of the finest college golf facilities in America. The $7 million Dave Middleton Golf Center at the Don Veller Golf Course has state-of-the-art everything.

Middleton was very pleased with the

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way his dollars were put to work by Seminole Boosters and the university. As an investment specialist he knows the value of sound investing, saying, “Nowhere can you get more bang for your buck than with the Seminole Boosters. Even though Florida State is a relatively young school, compared to some of the big schools who are well endowed and have lots of wealthy people, look what they have accomplished.”

Florida State Hall-of-Fame golfer Kenny Knox is very impressed with the improvements. “Yeah, quite a difference. The old telephone pole we used to hit golf balls at is no longer there. The facilities now are second to none.”

Knox, noted for his short game, made history on the PGA Tour by once taking only eight putts for nine holes in the MCI Heritage Classic. He is still tied for the all-time low putts, 18 for 18 holes. So when Knox praises the design of the facilities, it makes an impression.

“The Seminole golf team can hone their short game skills at those facilities far better than they could anywhere else,” he says.

Daniel Berger says the facilities were a deciding factor in his coming to Florida State. His dad was an All-American tennis

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After capturing the team and individual championships at the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, FSU followed that victory with a team win at the Seminole Intercollegiate played at SouthWood Golf Club in Tallahassee.

player at Clemson, and the Tigers made a big pitch to get him. “I just fell in love with the practice facilities here and the campus,” Berger explained, then added, “I can’t think of another school that has better practice facilities.”

The Middleton Golf Center now comprises a two-building complex with a multidirectional driving range, a video analysis instructional center that has hitting bays for inclement weather, chipping and putting greens, a locker room, team lounge, auditorium and a fitness facility.

One of the major additions was a $30,000 Trackman Pro Golf Radar unit that tracks and analyzes golf swings and ball flight.

Senior golfer Doug Letson says, “It helps to understand ball flight and swing paths.

When you take this in small portions and consider it along with the feel of your swing ,it can improve your game.”

Along with the upgraded practice fa-

Feature cilities, former Athletics Director Dave Hart made a major decision that would greatly impact the Seminole golf program. He observed a young coach at Georgia State University in Atlanta who was making his mark.

Trey Jones had taken a little known golf program to national recognition. In 2000 they earned a Top 20 ranking. Under his leadership in eight years the Panthers had totaled 91 wins over SEC teams, 33 over ACC teams and 23 over top 25 teams.

Hart hired Jones to be the fifth head coach in Seminole golf history.

Noted as an exceptional recruiter, Jones went to work building upon a storied program that had great history but much room to grow. The PGA ranks have been dotted with Seminoles like Knox, winner of the Buick Southern Open, U.S. Open winner Hubert Green and PGA Championship victors Paul Azinger and Jeff Sluman.

These were building blocks for Jones to add to his recruiting arsenal.

With quality facilities and a tradition of sending golfers to the professional ranks combined with his engaging, professional approach, Jones began to add good young golfers to the Seminole ranks. Jonas Blixt, Drew Kittleson, Matt Savage and Brooks Koepka became All-American golfers under Jones’ tutelage.

His approach made sense. “We start close to home and work our way out. But the world is such a small place now. There is WiFi everywhere you go. Internationally they know USA golf and about the colleges,” says Jones.

As testament to the scope of his recruiting, the 2012–13 roster included golfers from the Netherlands, Chile, Sweden and Peru. Yet Jones is quick to point out that “the majority of the season the team has traveled with four Florida players and one international player.”

Still, when you are only allowed to have 4.5 scholarships, and each golfer is receiving a partial scholarship, it takes an even higher level of salesmanship to bring a good international golfer to the U.S. When the opportunity presents itself, Jones is among the best at recruiting them, and he

does like having foreign golfers in the mix.

“The reason that international golfers interest me is that they make a huge sacrifice to come over here,” he says. “They leave family and their friends, so you know they are here to play golf and get an education.

They are not going to make that sacrifice and not be committed.”

If any further evidence was needed as to how far this Seminole golf team has come, the 2013 Gator Invitational in Gainesville was proof. Competing in a tournament they had not won since 1981, the ’Noles prevailed this time.

The three-day team score of 8-under-832 swamped the field as FSU won by 15 strokes and finished 19 strokes ahead of host Florida in the 14-team field. Even the head coach was impressed.

“You don’t always get an opportunity to have all your guys play well at the same time. We had all five guys playing well,” says Jones.

It was a particularly gratifying victory for senior Doug Letson from Tampa. “That was so cool,” he says. “To be around the past three years and witness them pounce on us then go around and do that to them is something I’ll never forget.”

Daniel Berger, continuing his improved play, won the individual title. It was his first career victory. He remembered the good feeling saying, “It was awesome to win as a team; just a great feeling to be with my teammates and to win individually as well.”

It was a tournament that not only added to the team’s confidence but gave them momentum that carried over into the win in Tallahassee at the SouthWood course. Being able to host its own tournament on such a celebrated course provides even more prestige for the FSU program. SouthWood, designed by PGA Tour legend and Masters Champion Fred Couples, was named one of the Top 35 New Courses in America.

Not only has the SouthWood course contributed to the Seminole success, but so have the other Tallahassee golf courses.

“The courses in the area and the whole community have embraced the golf team,” says Knox, who still instructs golfers in

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Daniel Berger won the individual title at the Seminole Intercollegiate played in March, with a final score of 10 strokes under par at the 54 hole event.

the art of the short game in this area and around the world.

“We feel fortunate that all the courses in Tallahassee are good to us,” adds Jones.

“Anytime we need something, a lot of our former players are members out there and they keep close tabs on us as well.”

As is the case with other Seminole sports, the golf team fits right in as a family whose players keep in touch after they leave. Coach Jones said he frequently receives texts or emails from former players encouraging and supporting him.

Even in retirement, Dave Middleton keeps up with the team from his Georgia farm and feels it is important to stay in touch. “I try to do that. I will contact them with a positive message. It is all part of morale and doing good. I thoroughly enjoy doing that.”

No doubt about it. With all the Florida State program has going for it, the golf world is taking note. Seminole golf is on the upswing, and the future looks bright. SB

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Fastest Woman

in the ACC

Amanda Winslow finishes her career at FSU in record-setting fashion

By Bonnie Holub // Photos By FSU Sports Information

S

enior Amanda Winslow, known as “A.Win” to her teammates, did not start out to be a runner. With an early interest in basketball, she was in the process of trying out for her middle school team when she fell and broke both wrists. “I was participating in a running drill when I fell,” she said. “Running. Isn’t that funny?”

Funny, yes, because she is now a star athlete on Coach Karen Harvey’s women’s track team, leaving a legacy of achievements both on and off the field.

During the 2012–2013 school year, her performance at the NCAA Championships earned her a spot as one of the 10 fastest women collegiate milers in history. And, her mile run time of 4:31.08 is an all-time Atlantic Coast Conference record.

This season, Winslow had the leadoff role in FSU’s winning distance medley relay team and assisted in setting the ACC record with the 12th fastest team time in collegiate history. This year, she also successfully defended her ACC Indoor Championship title in the 3,000 meters.

As a leader, Winslow wins big, too. She was chosen by her teammates to serve as a team co-captain for two years in a row. “She is an excellent leader,” said Harvey. “She looks at the big picture as she leads her team. She’s not always vocal, but when she chooses to lead by voice, everyone listens. Having a good leader on the inside is a huge asset. Amanda watches over the younger kids. She helps keep them on a straight path.”

Winslow excels in the classroom as well as on the field. She’s been on FSU’s Dean’s list and earned All-ACC Academic honors in cross-country and track every semester. She received the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic crossWinslow entered the country honors for three consecutive years.

NCAA Regional event as Winslow spent her elementary and middle school years the second seed in the 1500 meter race taking in Cleveland, Ohio, until her parents moved with their three place at the end of May daughters to Lawrenceville, Ga., when she was in the 10th alongside 34 fellow track grade. A track stand-out at Collins Hill High School, she conand field atheletes who tributed to four of the program’s six consecutive state cross also qualified.

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country titles and earned the Gatorade Georgia Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award in 2008. The Gatorade award not only recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track.

What brought her to FSU? Coach Harvey’s “amazing” success. “I was honored in her interest in me, and the history of success of FSU athletics across the board is inspiring,” Winslow said, adding with a smile, “It’s also warm here and close to home.”

Her parents have been a foundation of inspiration, too. She said her mom is her No. 1 cheerleader. Her dad always enjoys watching her run and offers “a lot of great life advice.” What kind of advice?

“Things like being humble and staying positive. I think staying positive is the biggest.

To be successful in this sport, and really anything in life, I’ve learned there’s nothing more valuable than maintaining a positive attitude at all times.”

You can read Winslow’s thoughts on positive attitudes, trust, giving and other life skills on the faith-based blog

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Senior, First Team All-American Amanda Winslow will make her second consecutive trip to the national championship to meet in the metric mile where she finished second in 2012.

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she offers online. She is an engaging personal storyteller, and most will enjoy the “life lessons learned” that are woven into each of her pieces. For instance, here is a snippet from her blog on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, written after she missed the Olympic trials in Eugene, Ore., by 0.04 seconds. It’s titled “Big Girls Don’t Cry … usually.”

She wrote: “My first reaction was tears, and that is saying a lot. I am not one to cry nor am I one to admit to crying, but there’s a funny reason why I’m sharing this with you. I unfolded the paper towel that I wiped my tears with, placed it down on my desk and laughed to myself.

There on the paper was the impression of a smile … I sat there and stared at that little smile on my napkin and couldn’t help but smile back. It was like God sending a message to me saying, “Don’t worry, be happy! You have a lot to be thankful for.”

She goes on to weave in thoughts about gratitude, meeting life’s trials, working hard and never having to look back and think, “I wish I’d done more.”

Looking back on her years at FSU, Winslow said one of her standout memories came in her freshman year. She participated

at the cross country Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind., where she earned a 7th place finish, and the team earned a 2nd place. “That was a big breakthrough moment for me,” she said. “The whole team was celebrating, and I felt I was contributing to the success. It felt great. I felt like I had made it, like I had arrived.”

Although it seems as if Winslow just arrived at FSU, it is already time for her to go on to the next chapter in her life. She will graduate in May with a degree in sport management. She wants to run as a professional for a few years, start a family (she is engaged to Chris Rego, a former runner at FSU) and land a position as a college coach. “She has all the pieces to be an outstanding college coach,” said Harvey. She also plans to train for the 2016 Olympic games.

Winslow refrained from naming a favorite sports figure who may have inspired her, but instead said, “I look up to the girls in the FSU program who came before me, and those who went on to run professionally and competed in the Olympics.”

Her advice to incoming freshman: “Live a balanced life. Don’t feel like you have to do only ‘sports’ stuff. Focus on school, and find other interests and opportunities on campus that may not be so easily available to you when you leave. Balance in life is important.”

From all appearances, Winslow has balance and all the pieces for “A.Win” in life. SB

Amanda Winslow

Senior; Lawrenceville, Ga.; Sport Management » One of the most decorated women’s

distance runners in Florida State history

» In the midst of an incredible senior

season, having already earned USTFCCCA All-American honors in both cross-country and indoor track

» Outstanding student-athlete who

has been nominated for 2013 NCAA Woman of the Year and ACC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year

» Has earned seven All-ACC Academic and seven USTFCCCA All-Academic honors over the course of her career, spanning cross-country and track and field

» Was second-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in 2012

» Two-time cross country co-captain and current track & field co-captain

» Three-time USTFCCCA All-American

in cross country and has earned USTFCCCA All-American honors twice in indoor track and once in outdoor track

» Four consecutive seasons as a part of a

podium-finishing team at the NCAA meet, including a pair of runner-up finishes

» Three-time NCAA All-South Region

honoree in cross-country, including 2011, when she led the ‘Noles to the second of three team titles during her career with the individual victory. Was selected South Region Performer of the Year

» Won six Atlantic Coast Conference

track & field championships, most recently claiming the 5,000-meter title at NC State in 2013, where she helped

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the Seminole women to a runner-up team finish;

» Was the 2013 NCAA Indoor Track

and Field Championship runner-up in the mile run, breaking her own school record in 4:31.08 set earlier in the season. That time also established a new ACC record and is the 10th-fastest women’s mile in NCAA history

» Successfully defended her ACC Indoor Championship 3,000-meter title in 2013 in a meet record time of 9:08.13.

Also ran the leadoff leg on FSU’s ACC championship conference recordholding distance medley relay team, which defended its title in record time (10:57.41)

» In addition to holding the FSU school

indoor record in the mile, she also ranks third all-time outdoors in the 1,500-meter run (4:10.79) and third in the 5,000-meter run (15:54.65). Both times have been set during the 2013 spring season

» Aspires to a career in coaching at the college level

» Is engaged to former Florida State

men’s distance runner Chris Rego;

» Enjoys art and drawing in her spare

time and is very active in several faithbased groups

» Starred at Collins Hill High in cross

country and track & field, earning 2008 Gatorade Cross Country and 2009 Gatorade Track & Field Georgia Athlete of the Year honors as a senior

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LaHaye finished 3rd in the pole vault at the ACC Championship meet in April, qualifying for the NCAA East Regional preliminary as a returning AllAmerican.

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Q&A

Andrew LaHaye Mental Notes

By Brandon Mellor, Managing Editor, Seminoles.com Photos By Bill Kallenberg and Ross Obley Senior FSU track and field student-athlete Andrew LaHaye was drawn to pole vaulting because of the mental aspect required for success. Now on the tail end of his Seminole career, the Central Florida native is hoping his mental edge helps set him up for big things on and off the track.

Q: Four years have come and gone.

Can you believe your collegiate career is almost at its end?

Q: If it is such a mental sport, what is your training and preparation process like?

LaHaye: Oh man, four years fly by it seems. Just thinking about it being my last season here and remembering when I first started jumping, it seems like it was just yesterday. It definitely has flown by.

LaHaye: So much of my training is mechanics-based. There are three different aspects to pole vaulting, and you can’t be successful without one of them.

It’s like a tripod. Any good pole vaulter is going to have to be super athletic. You also have to be technically proficient.

You can’t be this incredible athlete and try to clear 19 feet without good technique. And then you have to have the mental base as well. You have to be able to conquer those fears. Some of the best pole vaulters in the world are the most physically capable people to break world records, but they can’t because they don’t have the mental strength to do so.

Q: You talk about remembering when you first started jumping, how did you get into pole vaulting? That’s not a common sport.

LaHaye: It’s not the most common thing in the world but it’s fun, you know?

I did a lot of sports in high school. I went through Pop Warner Football and then played in high school, and they wanted us to branch out and try other sports as well. I actually liked some of the others I was competing in better than football. I did weight lifting and wrestling, and I started doing track when I was a freshman and I loved it. I did sprinting and long jumping and shot putting, and my dad suggested pole vaulting because it’s a little bit more of a mental sport. It’s something that really challenges your mind, not just your pure athleticism. There is a certain type of mental strength that you need as a pole vaulter, and that is what drew me to it.

Q: What has the support from the Seminole Boosters meant to you during your FSU career?

LaHaye: The support we get at FSU is incredible. The academic support and all the money and time that the Boosters provide to the program is unlike any other place. When you go out and train professionally, these places aren’t any better than what we have to use here at Florida State. The Boosters really want us to

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succeed here, and you can tell how much they care. I have loved my entire time at FSU, and they are a huge part of that. It’s a place I will never forget, being part of this family.

Q: When your FSU career comes to an end, what’s next for you professionally and personally?

LaHaye: I am ambitious, but I don’t want to start the normal life right away.

My plan is to see where pole vaulting takes me and if the Olympics and professional meets are a possibility. I am not majoring in busines, but I am in the entrepreneurship program here at FSU because I created a business with a couple of friends. Outside of track, entrepreneurship is my passion, so is owning my own business. So hopefully something like that is in my future. I also love to travel. Every year when I am done with track and school I go backpacking around the world. So if I can combine those things that I love into my life after FSU, that’s my main goal. SB

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Q&A

Morgan Bullock Learning Life’s Lessons Through Collegiate Athletics

By Brandon Mellor, Managing Editor, Seminoles.com Photos By Steve Musco

FSU softball’s Morgan Bullock came to FSU as a youngster with dreams of being a pitcher.

Four years later, she’s leaving as a standout outfielder and grown woman with enough learned lessons to fill the pages of the book she plans to write one day.

Q: How much have you changed since you first got to Florida State four years ago?

Bullock: I look back at when I first got here, and it’s amazing to see how much I have matured as a person and as a player how much I have learned from the game.

I look at my friends or other people that might not have gone and played D-I athletics and I see how I have matured in a different type of way and the life lessons that softball has taught me in comparison to the things that they might have learned in different situations. It’s been a big evolution for me as a person.

Q: You came to FSU as a standout high school pitcher but wound up starring in the outfield. How did that transition go?

Bullock: I have always loved pitching.

However, the team was more important

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than my passion. Playing a team sport, you have to do what is best for the team and Coach [Lonni] Alameda just thought it was best that I play in the outfield rather than be a full-time pitcher. So that in itself was a life lesson for me. As much as I might have wanted to do something, I realized that even though I worked hard to be a pitcher [but wasn’t piching on the team] it still got me here to Florida State, and I am so grateful for that. If I need to go into the outfield and just be a hitter and not pitch for our team to be successful, than so be it. It’s not going to be the last time in life that something doesn’t necessarily go according to plan. It was a good life lesson in learning how to be selfless, and it has made me that much better as a person and as a softball player.

Q: You went through a life-changing experience as a freshman when

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your younger brother passed away.

Looking back on it, how has that shaped who you are as a person?

Bullock: I wouldn’t say that I think about him less, but it doesn’t make me as sad as it did before. Time does heal all wounds. It’s going to take a lot more time for that wound to heal — if it ever does completely heal — but, kind of like not getting to pitch, it’s a life lesson. When he passed away, I felt like the world stopped.

But it didn’t. I had people around me here at FSU to support me and be there for me.

It helped me continue to move on and grow stronger every day.

Q: Speaking of support, what has the support from the Seminole Boosters meant to you?

Bullock: The support from the Boosters is incredible. I mean, they are people who didn’t know me before I came to FSU yet they have treated me like family ever since I came to Tallahassee and want to see me succeed. That’s pretty remarkable. Not many people are selfless

like that and get joy from seeing someone have success. The facility that we have is amazing. When I go to any other school, I always compare it to Florida State, and they have never measured up. That’s all because of the Boosters and their love and support.

Q: Talking love, you are engaged to former FSU football player Moses McCray, right?

Bullock: Yes. I am excited. Look, I am blushing right now! In July we will have been together two years, and you just know when you’ve found the right one. I didn’t know if I would meet my husband at FSU, so it kind of blindsided me. We are very happy and excited.

Q: Was it difficult to find time to spend together while balancing your school and team requirements?

Bullock: Thankfully, his season was in the fall and mine was in the spring, so we were always able to juggle our schedules and still make time to see each other and support each other. It worked out pretty well. We had to learn to manage our time, but you make time for the things that are important.

Q: So we know a wedding is on the horizon, but what else? What’s your next step after graduation?

Bullock: My dream is to be a journalist. I aspire to one day be the editorin-chief of my own magazine. I’d like to one day write a book, too. SB

Bullock was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Southeast Region second team in May along with teammate pitcher Lacey Waldrop.

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M ari o

Edwards

All Grown Up

Mario Edwards Jr. has had to manage hype, expectations and his weight ever since he stepped foot on campus as the nation’s No. 1 prospect in 2012. Now the FSU legacy is ready to step up and become the ’Noles’ No. 1 pass rusher.

By Brandon Mellor, Managing Editor, Seminoles.com Photos Courtesy FSU Sports Information

Edwards was the only true freshman to register a start on the defense side during the 2012 season.

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T

here’s a certain amount of pressure that only hype, expectations and a famous name can collectively create. And Mario Edwards Jr. learned that early in his Florida State football career.

The son of former FSU and NFL defensive back Mario Edwards, the younger Edwards came to Tallahassee last summer with all of the excitement that surrounds a prospect widely considered to be the best in the nation at what he does. A highlightreel creating defensive end at Denton High School in Texas, he wowed the recruiting world with his brute strength, athleticism and pass-rushing ability.

Quarterbacks cowered in their cleats at the idea of having to line up against him, and college coaches drooled on their team-issued polo shirts at the thought of adding him to their roster.

If the game looked easy for the young Edwards, it was.

His talent was undeniable but he was simply bigger, stronger and better than the offensive players he was facing. As many elite prospects soon figure out, however, the field may measure the same but it’s a whole different ballgame once you get to the BCS level where every player was a star in the prep ranks.

“The problem with a lot of those [five-star recruits] is that they’ve never failed,” FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher said. “You’ve got to realize the higher level that ball goes, everybody equals out. So it’s going back to technique and work ethic and being consistent. And I think that’s part of those guys growing up.”

For Edwards, growing up meant having to deal with a harsh reality soon after he enrolled at his father’s alma mater.

Earning immediate playing time was already going to be a challenge — even for the No. 1 player in the 2012 class — because of the Seminoles’ depth at defensive end. With future NFL players Brandon Jenkins, Bjoern Werner and Tank Carradine already on the roster, Edwards knew he wouldn’t start from day one but he at least figured to be in the rotation.

One week before the season opener, that expectation proved to be false. Edwards had come in overweight and out of shape and wasn’t going to receive the number of snaps necessary to make using a full year of eligibility worth it.

He was crushed. Here he was, the player many thought to be the best high school football player

in the United States, and he wasn’t going to get the chance to play as a freshman.

“Anybody that comes in as No. 1 is going to want to play. And then to be told, ‘You need to sit back and learn the system and get your weight down,’ it hurt at the time,” Edwards said. “It hit me, but then I couldn’t blame anyone but myself. I put myself behind the eight-ball coming in overweight, and I wasn’t able to produce like they needed me to do because I was 315 [pounds].”

FSU’s coaches wanted him at a more manageable weight — something in the 280- to 285-pounds range. The decreased weight would help his speed, strength, ball get-off and stamina that’s required of elite pass rushers at the Division I level.

Fisher told his redshirting defensive end to stay patient and that his time would eventually come. Edwards knew what that meant: Work hard at practice this year and watch diligently from the sidelines and an opportunity would come in 2013 after the departures of Jenkins, Werner, Carradine and Toshmon Stevens.

But sports, like life, don’t always go to plan. Jenkins’ season-ending injury in the first game of the season effectively killed the idea for an Edwards redshirt almost as quickly as it had been born.

“Once Brandon got hurt Jimbo [Fisher] called me into his office and said, ‘All right, Bub. This is what you’ve been asking for; now you’ve got it,’ ” Edwards said. “So I had been asking for it and now here it is. What are you going to do with your opportunity?

So I knew then I had to turn it out and get serious about what I was doing … I couldn’t let Coach Fisher down, couldn’t let myself down and couldn’t let my family down.”

Playing behind Carradine and Werner, he logged snaps in 11 games as a true freshman and showed flashes of what made him such a notable prospect.

When Carradine went down with a season-ending injury, Edwards, who dipped down to as low as 282 pounds during the 2012 season, was thrust into the starting lineup for the ACC Championship Game and the Orange Bowl. Prior to FSU’s titleclinching victory over Georgia Tech, he

had a combined seven tackles all season but matched that total against the Yellow Jackets before adding three more stops and his first career pass break-up against Northern Illinois in Miami. Edwards played in With that strong close to the year and his first spring practices 11 games in 2012 as a true and started the in his rearview, Edwards figures to enter the 2013 campaign in freshman ACC Championship game.

August in the same spot he left the 2012 season: as a starter.

While he continues to manage his weight, the pressure that surrounded him as a five-star recruit is still there, but this time around it’s different. Instead of managing expectations and living up to lofty hype, the sophomore Seminole with the famous name has to carry the torch left by that trio of NFL-bound ’Noles.

“I don’t like to think of it as pressure, I like to think of it as a challenge,” he said. “I like challenges. I like to go ahead and do it. It’s big shoes to fill but I think I will be able to do it. I just think that with work and definitely keeping my weight down, I can be one of those names like they were.” SB

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The Evolution of Seminoles.com

By Brandon Mellor, Managing Editor, Seminoles.com // Photos Courtesy Seminoles.com

F

rom its humble beginnings in the late 1990s to its envelope-pushing, ever-expanding online reach in 2013, Seminoles.com — like that of the entire Florida State University Athletics Department — has undergone quite the transformation over the years.

As the only official website of the program, the goal of Seminoles.com has and always will be the same: connecting ’Noles fans to the student-athletes, coaches and teams they cheer for. But the manner in which that particular task is accomplished is always in flux, with technological advancements dictating the website’s evolutionary trajectory.

To get a good idea on where Seminoles.com may be headed in the future, it’s important to look at where it’s been and what it has become.

The website has undergone five major design overhauls in its existence, with the most recent update debuting Feb. 12, 2012.

Unlike previous designs, the current version of Seminoles.com was produced with an emphasis on ease-of-use, multi-tasking and organization.

“We looked at what other major sports sites were doing, from ESPN to Sports Illustrated to Yahoo!, to see different layouts,” said former FSU Assistant Athletics Director for Digital Media Ryan Pensy. “We wanted to come back to our fans with a brighter, more visually stimulating look. We wanted something that was easier to engage with from a fan’s standpoint.”

Unlike the previous versions, Seminoles.com now allows even more multi-media ways for fans to connect with the ’Noles.

Through the efforts of Scott Kotick, Layne Herdt and Jonathan Schillace, Seminoles.com has become a one-stop shop for highquality, riveting video about all things FSU athletics. From game previews to game recaps and from player feature stories to coach interviews, the 2012-and-beyond version of Seminoles.com gives fans the opportunity to see and hear directly from those they watch competing in the garnet and gold.

Through its partnership with YouTube, Seminoles.com is also at the forefront of embedded and organized video within written stories, allowing for even more in-depth coverage and analysis of the Seminoles. News stations and national outlets like ESPN and Sports Illustrated are also able to access and utilize the video, which makes it easier for the FSU brand to spread coast to coast.

“We realized there was a need in the marketplace for this type of video content,” Pensy said. “We knew we could produce the best video content to cover all of the great student-athletes and stories

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at Florida State University, and the work of those guys has been incredible in getting our message out there.”

Seminoles.com’s written content has also diversified over the past few years with more features being written by myself (Brandon Mellor) that accompany the wide-ranging efforts of FSU’s sports information staff, which creates the day-to-day public relations material for every varsity sport that appears on each team’s specific page on the website. The Doak Insider Blog has also seen its content and popularity steadily increase as this is the section on the website where fans can access everything from breaking news to updates on former student-athletes.

In addition to video and written content, Seminoles.com’s evolution is defined in large part by the presence of cutting-edge thirdparty tools.

Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter are utilized throughout the website and provide an easy way to share information with Florida State fans across the globe. The weekly Doak Insider Podcast gives fans the option to listen to FSU-related news, updates and inside information, and the popular music service Spotify was recently added to Seminoles.com’s many features as a way for ’Noles fans to hear some of the favorite songs of the student-athletes.

“We wouldn’t have been able to grow our social media brands as well as we have had it not been for the great content on Seminoles. com,” Pensy said. “The content drives the conversation. We look at our page views and they are up year after year, and we continue to see an increase in visitors coming to the site to check out FSU athletics, which is really how we measure how well we are doing.”

Moving forward, maintaining the same level of success that Seminoles.com has experienced means keeping a finger on the pulse of all things social and digital media. If a new product comes out that will help the site in its mission to spread the FSU word to the world, Seminoles.com will be there ready to try it out.

With another exciting fall season set to kick off in just a few short months, Seminoles.com will continue to explore every possible avenue in the digital realm with an eye on making FSU fans feel as though they are on the field, on the court, in the pool, on the track and in the huddle with their favorite FSU student-athletes and coaches.

“If you look back to where it was 10 years ago, the site was just about giving a schedule and a roster and providing a way to sell tickets,” Pensy said. “Now it’s telling a story, and we have the ability to tell the story. We’ll do whatever we have to do to connect with our fans and keep pushing forward.” SB

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Coming soon to CollegeTown.

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The garage doors go up this summer, unveiling Madison Social — the cornerstone of Tallahassee’s new entertainment district, CollegeTown. The space offers an impressive 6,000 sq. ft. of social house with two distinct bars, an exposed kitchen, 6 garage doors opening to expansive outdoor seating, tons of flat screen TVs and an indoor-garage gated party room. The gritty industrial structure, echoes with the buzz of friends welcoming you to stay as long and as late as you like.

Coming soon to CollegeTown.

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myamericasbackyard.com | jointherevolution.net Coming soon to CollegeTown.

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101 Investment Group is bringing GINZA RED to CollegeTown. GINZA RED, is a modern izakaya. In Japan, izakayas are where people get together to relax, similar to the American “Happy Hour.�

Ginza is a shopping, entertainment, and dining district of Tokyo, Japan that is well known for being a hot spot for izakayas and bars alike. Our talented chefs will prepare the highest quality sushi and small plates, while our trained mixologists will concoct various Asian inspired cocktails. GINZA RED is an energetic bar/ lounge with trend-setting music and live DJ performances. The space flows seamlessly from restaurant to lounge, with late-night private sections throughout the venue. This intimate setting will allow you to enjoy conversation, late-night eats, vibrant music, and signature cocktails.

101cantina.com

At 101 Cantina, we bring together classic Mexican dishes, spicing them up with unique and modern culinary techniques. Mexican culture is full of life, and the food that we bring to our restaurant directly reflects this vibrant country. Our chefs are both passionate and creative in the orchestration of flavor and meticulous presentation. Combining the best of traditional and modern flavors, there is a dish for all tastes.

101 Cantina attracts those seeking delicious modern Mexican food and specialty tequilas in a sleek and attractive atmosphere. We invite you to join us for an evening of unforgettable food, and a colorful environment that will surely stimulate both your mind and your appetite.

Coming soon to CollegeTown.

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tHIS SUmmer brOOkLYN arrIveS IN COLLeGetOWN!

The Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.® is proud to announce the opening of its CollegeTown restaurant just in time for this fall semester. The 8,000 square foot multiplex boasts indoor and covered outdoor seating, multiple big screen TVs, and a menu which features Brooklyn bagels, muffins, omelets, sandwiches, pizza and coffee. We feature an on-site bakery where we produce our pizza and bagel dough. We boil and bake our Brooklyn Water Bagels which are famous for their thin, crusty, golden brown exterior and moist interior; and, we hand toss your pizza before topping with our homemade sauces and toppings of your choice.

“It’s all about the water”®, our 14 stage proprietary water treatment system enables us to create bagels and pizza that can only be found in our restaurant or in Brooklyn. Combine them with our freshly roasted, artisan coffee or our Cubsta® ice coffee with coffee ice cubes with your choice of flavorings and you have a restaurant experience unrivaled in Tallahassee.

brooklynwaterbagels.com | follow us on facebook, twitter or instagram

Coming soon to CollegeTown.

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ARRIVE for our grand opening weekend.

September 13-15, 2013

Limited retail space available 3,000 sq. ft. fsucollegetown.net 56

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facebook/fsucollegetown SEM I N O LE-BO OST ERS .CO M

@fsucollegetown

ENJOY PRIVATE EVENTS, GAMES, TAILGATING, FRIENDS, TICKET AND PARKING PRIORITY & MORE!

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30+ Year Donors

Recognizing 30+ Year Members In the spring of 2012, while planning a membership recognition program, we contacted donors whose records dated back to 1984, the farthest back our records are dated.

Knowing that many members began giving to the program prior to 1984, we asked them to share a story about how they remember their first year. The response was overwhelming.

Here are anecdotes from one of our 30-plus year donors. They are moving, interesting and entertaining, and reading them will likely trigger some of your own memories.

Share your story with us. Send it to BoosterInfo@admin.fsu.edu.

Long time donors shared their memories and Seminole treasures. The Boosters are looking to share more memories through regular features in Unconquered.

Above: Burt Reynolds holding the spear followed by (left) Bill Durham (right) Andy Haggard and Mike Cashin.

Right Corner: Senate President Jim King with former Board of Trustees Chairman Andy Haggard.

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30+ Year Donors

mem garding Miller re

m Andy letter fro o t e s n o to 1983 Resp Inc. prior rs te s o o B Sem inole

bership w

ith

d hy I joine ion of w t a d r n a la g p g x a e dy H t honest a State From An and mos ith Florid n w o e s v a lo e r mber ll in plest I truly fe still reme The sim e n s a u c a I c . e 0 is b s in 196 in 1977 of n campu o d Boosters e he streets lk t a g w I in lk y a a w ryone y the d day and o to eve t ll rs e h fi Universit t g a in h y pus t ryone sa first the cam ays, eve g those d in r walking w u d fe t id d firs on as me as I ee those so welco ars went e lt y Talla hass fe e r h t e v Ie better as others n’t think only got nes and o it J else. I do d n im a J , . r us r. rs like D on camp al caree Professo . moments y it rs y eventu e m iv n s u d r y a that is tow t at m day, and iding me o u a studen t g m in a l I nta e where instrume uld not b o were so w ly s u vio ur FSU I ob llowed o et. fo Without g I r , k fo a r e e r v f e l sports g I will n (1960ing a tota somethin e b d n rgraduate a e d t, n a h u t n h a in it time as Along w excelled ring my that we u e D . n o m d ra n a rog nd and key sport athletic p lose frie c e h y t s M a .) w stop and nces, etc baseball appeara 1964), an short s ic ie r r e e m S A llge World I missed as an A (i.e. Colle ward, w n’t think d o o d o I .

W s e y gu , Wood nd the ajor Lea roommate ith that a in the M W rs . a U e S y F ed nine time at in 1976, later play uring his ll coach d a b e t o m a fo g d a baseball sketball s our he an FSU ourse, ba owden a c B f y o b , b d o n a ce of B the rise emergen a inly on rt e c s a letics w FS U ath rham.

Hugh Du r e d n u took off

rsity in love with my unive So therefore, be ing nted to do ng our sports, I wa and always followi ms and enhance the progra whatever I could to My father hletic powerhouse. our image as an at e back to that you need to giv always taught me you so entity that has given someone or some y of doing so. much. This is my wa sa rs in 1977 and wa I joined the Booste Club. the Miami Seminole founding member of serve as lege and honor to I had the great privi osters in tional Seminole Bo chairman of the Na Boosters en active with the 1988 and have be rving ving the honor of se ever since. Now ha tees, I FS U Board of Trus as chairman of the r athletic keen insight into ou am able to have a Booster, nt of facilities and me lop ve de , ms ra og pr ets and tion activities, budg alumni and Founda I still look er, I have to admit ev ow H . ng isi ra nd fu ll always a Booster, and I wi as s ea ar e os th all at le Booster. be a proud Semino

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Booster Life

Spring Tour

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planned giving

By JOEL PADGETT

T

hey loved the deck parties. They always had huge smiles on their faces and loved to talk to everyone. When they did, people would hear their distinctive accents and ask, “Where are you from?” The reply: “Michigan — 17 miles from Notre Dame Stadium.” Then Dick and Mary Slack would happily fill in the blanks about how and why they became Boosters and season ticket holders and made an estate gift for scholarships.

White Pigeon is a small town on the southern border of Michigan. Raised there, Dick and Mary were a year apart in school and became “an item.” Almost all of their time was spent together at sporting events, where Dick was an outstanding four-sport athlete and Mary played sax in the marching band. Raised in a valley on an 800-acre spring-fed lake with high bluffs, Dick shared Mary’s passion for boats. He skied and raced hydroplanes, so their summers were spent at races and on boats.

Western Michigan called on Dick to come and play basketball, “but after two years and a shoulder surgery, I decided college was not for me.” He chose to come home, marry Mary and work for his father. On Oct. 13, 1962, they were married. Nine months later, Brian was born. Two years later, almost to the day, Debbie arrived into the Slack family.

Dick had worked at all kinds of jobs since he was 12, so his father welcomed him with open arms to help him in the Art Slack Company, which sold specialty lubricants and chemicals to the automobile and tool and die industries. Being a natural salesman and loving his job, Dick expanded the company into other areas and eventually took over the business.

Debbie Slack played sax for the Marching Chiefs in the 1980s with her parents attending games in support. Debbie attended games before she became a student to support Brian, who played as an offensive lineman.

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Photos Courtesy The Hillis Family

Seventeen Miles to Notre Dame

As Debbie and Brian grew, the Slacks spent a great deal of time at their events.

Debbie inherited her mother’s love of the marching band and sax, and Brian inherited his father’s athletic ability.

Wrestling is a huge sport in Michigan, and Brian excelled in that as well as being a football offensive lineman. However, the family’s most important events were Notre Dame football games. They had season tickets and a parking spot for their motor home. Decked out in green and shamrock Irish garb, their tailgate with brats and beer attracted a big crowd, especially customers and employees of the Art Slack Company.

“We lived and breathed Notre Dame football,” Dick said. That was the only place Brian wanted to go to college, so it was the only place he applied. “It was devastating when the denial letter came,” said Dick.

Dick and Brian had always wanted Brian to play college football, and Dick was relating the Notre Dame situation to one of his reps in New England. The rep said, “Hey, I know this guy Ray Taylor down in Tallahassee, and he is very

Brian Slack joined the football team in 1981; Debbie Slack married Chuck Bedard, then had two children, Leon and Valerie. Brian and his wife, Kim, have two children, Kyle and Kristen (top right).

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planned giving

By JOEL PADGETT

close to the coaches there. Let me give him a call.” Ray talked to Coach Bobby Bowden, and Brian was invited for a tryout in March 1981.

“Dad and I came down, and it was not what we had expected at all. We had come to Southwest Florida for vacations our whole lives, and when we arrived, all of Tallahassee was in bloom,” said Brian. “Rolling hills, the campus, but most of all the people were like nothing we were used to. Coach Bowden introduced me to all the coaches, and then put me through a workout, after which they invited me to walk on the team. As it turned out, with out-of-state tuition so low, I could come to FSU for the same that it would cost to go to a Michigan school, so I accepted and started in the fall.”

Added Dick, “FSU and Tallahassee were eye opening for me and Mary to what the real world should be. Ray Taylor introduced us to people around town and, unlike up North, everyone spoke to you — and it was very genuine! Everyone was so gracious and friendly; the place won us over very quickly.”

Brian was also smitten. At that time FSU had a “foster parent” program that put together a local family with a player. According to Brian (and all of the players who experienced the program later outlawed by the NCAA), “It was the greatest thing in the world. It gave me a place to go outside football that gave a sense of place and community and a place to get away from the pressure of play, dorms and studies.” Although Brian did not travel with the team that year, it was a “very sweet victory for the family” when his team went to South Bend and beat the Irish.

For the next two years, Dick and Mary came to Tallahassee as often as they could, using their good Booster parking and season tickets. Debbie would come down when her band and school

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schedule would permit and decided she wanted to be a Seminole as well. She and Mary also desperately wanted her to be a Marching Chief.

Debbie arrived already knowing the fight song and chop that her mother had become so passionate about. The family had never experienced Southern college football’s passions and rivalries.

“It is a totally different experience from the North, where people seem to just sit on their hands at games. The North does have rivalries, just not nearly as deep and emotional.”

“Being a Marching Chief was the most exciting time of my life,” said Debbie. “We played at the Super Bowl in Tampa my first year and traveled all over. All of the band members were crazy about my parents and always requested my Mom’s taco dip at tailgates.”

Debbie moved from tenor sax to become the first woman baritone sax player in the Chiefs, and she started to do a lot of

SEM I N O LE-BO OST ERS .CO M

things with Chuck Bedard, from West Palm Beach, who also played baritone sax. She changed her major from nursing to child development while Chuck pursued an education degree.

They married after graduation and for another seven years lived in Tallahassee, where their children, Leon and Valerie, were born.

She ran a daycare center until Eckerds moved Chuck to Destin.

They have been back in Michigan since 2000, when Debbie was offered a fabulous job as director of Head Start/Early Head Start job for three counties in Michigan.

The family was then back together again in Michigan, where Brian had returned to take over the family business. His wife Kim, from Lake City, whom he met at FSU, gave us two more Slacks — Kyle and Kirsten. Although all have great jobs and friends there, if the opportunity ever arises, they would love to move back “home” to Tallahassee.

Never even considering not coming to Tallahassee on a regular basis and never wanting to miss any big games, Dick and Mary were here often, doing the chop and staying with Chuck’s brother and sister-in-law, Roy and Laura Bedard.

Even though Mary was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007, she was always insistent that she and Dick do the things they loved the most, including coming to Seminole games. On more than one occasion, Dick would call me and say, “We just left Mayo,

Dick and Mary Slack hosted ever-popular tailgates during the 1980s as their children attended FSU and were involved with the football program.

and we will be down for the game this Saturday.” I gave up on asking, “Are you sure Mary is up for it,” because not only would they be there but Mary would have on her perpetual signature big smile. Even though we would sometimes have to make special arrangements for her, they would not miss their Seminoles. At the Bowl Championship game last year, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with dinner in the University Center Club overlooking the stadium.

We lost Mary on February 28th. In addition to photos of her family, she wanted a copy of the words to the fight song buried with her, just so she would never forgot.

Dick, ever the positive thinker, is planning to come to more games this year. “She would want it, but I will miss her terribly,” he said. “Because of the estate gift (a six-figure paid up life insurance policy they gifted a decade ago for scholarships) we made, Mary will be happy knowing that she is helping other kids come to FSU and play, and have their lives enriched as we did by this place and its people.” SB

Boosters who make estate gifts come from all walks of life and make those gifts for many different reasons. A lot of parents, who had no affiliation with Florida State University before their children came here, have become some of our best supporters. Regardless of their alumni status or their station in life, all of our estate gift donors have this in common: They want the satisfaction of knowing that they will change the lives of young men and women by enabling them to obtain a degree while competing as a Seminole — knowing that they will experience a lifetime of love for their university.

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from a Vision...

Opening Fall 2013...help us complete the Vision 66

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TO REALITY

Albert J. & JUDY DUnlAp

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$1,000- $5,000 - $10,000 Gift Name will appear on paver bricks on the FSU Legacy Walk surrounding the training facility.

$25,000 Gift Name will appear listed on the Master Legacy

Donor Plaque on the exterior brick wall by main entrance to training facility.

$50,000 Gift Donor’s name will appear on individual oval plaques on the exterior brick wall by main entrance to training facility.

$100,000 Gift Donor’s name will appear on individual plaques on the pillars on exterior of the training facility.

$250,000 Gift $250,000 each name: 2 donor’s names will appear over brick Legacy Arches on the exterior of the training facility.

Gift Recognition Opportunities

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$500,000 Gift Name of donor will appear over

the set of double entrance doors on exterior of the training facility.

$500,000 Gift Only 1 name of donor will appear over Legacy Arch on exterior of training facility.

$1Million Gift Name and image of donor will ap-

pear on European style banners on the interior walls of the training facility along side FSU bowl victories and championships.

For naming opportunities visit: www.FSUIPF.com 866-469-2553

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Florida State University Athletics

Quarterly Reports 72

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2013 Q U A R T E R LY R E P O R T

Tennis From March 20

through April 21, the doubles tandem of junior Blake Davis and sophomore Dominic Cotrone had been virtually unstoppable on the courts as they posted a 7-1 record.

Beginning the run in the third spot, the duo has worked their way to the top spot. During the run they upset the No. 1, 14 and 22 doubles teams in the nation. After the amazing run, the duo is now No. 14 in the nation and and finished the season at the round of 16 at the NCAA Tournament, earning All-American Honors.

Photos By Ross Obley (Tennis), Maury Neipris (Softball Group), Larry Novey (softball huddle) and courtesy of ESPN (Softball Field)

Softball The nationallyranked Florida State softball team clinched the best record in the ACC with a three-game series sweep over Virginia Tech on the road on April 20–21.

The victories for the Seminoles locked in a No. 1 seed for the ACC Championship that occurred May 9–11. The tournament was hosted in Tallahassee at JoAnne Graf Field. Florida State’s regularseason title is the 11th in program history and tied for the best record in the ACC heading into the conference postseason. The last time the Seminoles were regular-season champions was in 2004.

Florida State also owns 11 ACC postseason championships, with the last one occurring in 2011 in Atlanta, Ga.

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2013 Q U A R T E R LY R E P O R T

Baseball Florida State Baseball honored the nation’s servicemen and women with Military Appreciation Night at the ballpark during its game against Wake Forest on April 27. Here the Seminoles pose with a member of the Wounded Warrior Project and the Seminole Student Veterans.

FSU is in the midst of another fine season as they have been ranked in the top 10 all year.

The Seminoles opened the 2013 campaign with a 16-0 record, good for the second best start in school history.

Photos By Larry Novey (FSU Athletics (Baseball), Bob Thomas (Track), Perrone T. Ford (Hullert) and courtesy FSU Sports Info

(Top) Seminole pose with Wounded Warrior and SSV.

Women’s Golf

The Seminole women’s golf team finished fourth at the inaugural Florida State MatchUp Tournament played at SouthWood Golf Club in February.

Senior Jessica Negron, who won the Golden ’Nole for women’s golf, was named to the All-ACC team for the first time in her career in 2013.

Track The FSU men’s track and field team captured the ACC Outdoor Championship on April 20 at the Paul H. Derr Track on the campus of NC State. It marks the 10th time in 12 years the Seminoles have brought home the conference outdoor championship trophy.

Dentarius Locke was selected as the Most Valuable Track Performer at the ACC Outdoor Championships after winning the 100-meter dash, placing second in the 200 and helping the Seminoles claim gold in the 4x100 relay.

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Compliance

Employing Student-Athletes S ummertime is almost here for our Florida State University student-athletes.

For many of them, this time is used not only to train for next year’s competitive seasons but also to build their career resumes with practical work experience.

Did you know that as a Florida State Seminole Booster NCAA rules would allow you to arrange employment for a Florida State student-athlete? Thought that was too easy, didn’t you? Even when an activity is permissible, there are still some NCAA rules that need to be followed. Please understand that a studentathlete may only be compensated for work actually performed and at a rate similar to the going rate for similar services in the area where the job is based.

Please note that what you consider to be a fair rate you pay your children, their friends or family friends may not always be a permissible rate for a student-athlete if it is significantly more than what it is typically paid for similar services in the area. In addition, a student-athlete may not be used to promote or advertise your business, products or services. And if they are provided with any type of additional employment benefit (e.g. transportation to and from work, meals in conjunction with work), it must be demonstrated that these benefits are being provided to other employees and are consistent with your company’s policies.

As a reminder, a Florida State Seminole Booster may not provide an “extra benefit” to any student-athlete. An extra benefit is any special arrangement by a

Booster that provides a student-athlete, or a relative, or friend of a student-athlete a benefit that is not generally available to another group of individuals (e.g. students, general public). This could include any unadvertised discount at a local retail shop that is not available to the general public. Any student-athlete who receives an extra benefit, regardless of its value, must be immediately declared ineligible and will require reinstatement before participating in any future competition. A few examples of extra benefits that are not allowed include storing student-athlete’s items in your house for the summer, providing an occasional meal at a restaurant or allowing the use of a vacation home.

It is critically important for our office to document and monitor all studentathlete employment opportunities and potential benefits to ensure we protect each student’s eligibility and the integrity of our athletic program. If you would like to help arrange employment for a student-athlete, please contact the FSU Compliance Team at ath-compliance@fsu.edu or by phone (850) 644-4272.

The compliance team will provide the necessary documentation that needs to be completed and will go over the basic compliance ground rules.

We greatly appreciate your continued support and assistance in our compliance efforts. Thanks and Go ’Noles!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS (through May 27, 2013 )

GOLDEN CHIEF

Ron Sachs Communications, Inc. Bob & Gail Knight Curtis & Ola Pickels Velinda M. Williams The Mulligan Family Allen Mortham Jr. David E. Thomas, Jr. Gloria Uzzell Gregory S. Mayfield James N. McConnaughhay Janie Westberry Lomax Smith Maryana Troiano T.J. Jones

SILVER CHIEF

Mike Davidson Ford Niles Sales & Service Sarah R. King EMF Capital, LLC English Noles, LLC D. Scott Dunlap Dave Roberts Garvin & Rachel Bowden Jacob Sussman James A. Topping Jeffrey Dub Jennifer Stein Julio C. Martinez, Jr. Lori Sobosly Michael & Heather Winship Michael Redfield Rick & Krista Naegler Sam Wainhaus Shea Coyle Steven E. Parish

TOMAHAWK

Rene D. Veliz Joseph & Kathy Andrews Calliope Pickens

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Doyle Gresham Karen Chason Melinda & Dennis McAuliffe Randy Hock Ridge Robinson Ruth Dorsett A D. Boothe, Jr. Bill & Debbie Wiseman Bill Westergom Brad & Jennifer Seitel Brett Trotter C D. Goodlett Clarke & Sally Morris Elizabeth Stallings Eric Redner Gerald McCabe Harry T. Dimartino Hector J. Garcia Jason A. Wood John & Barbara Collier Kim Hudson Kristen Morin Kristin N. Lock Larry Mattingly Mr. Nick Santoro Robert Haines Sevin Wilson Stacey G. Montgomery Stephen Newman Timothy & Jennifer Hill Todd Hoffman Piggy’s BBQ, Inc. State Securities Corporation

WARRIOR

Patrick & Mary McGrath James Blalock Lawrence Dodd Bryan R. Cherry Linda B. Dumond Wallace A. Patzke, Jr. Allison B. Henning Alyssa S. Bell

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Amber Kruse Andrew DeSalvo Anthony & Lauren Garcia Anthony L. Scarpo Art Brunner Austin Noll Bill & Victoria Wade Bill Goede Brian Bender Chris & Barbara Harrison Christina Martin-Conn Christopher Perkins Christopher T. Miller Daniel Langnehs David & Teresa Belcher David Holton Desmond Ebuwa Don & Karyn Wilczynski Elissa R. Saavedra Feebee Houck George & Barbara Kelly Henry Coker Humberto & Kari Ducali Hunter & Jayme McIntyre Ivory J. Johnson Jack & Karen Griffin James Rieves James Ryan James Seaton Jana Manuel Jason Forehand Jeff Foggy Jeff Summerlin Jennifer Aldrich Jerry Lovett Jodie Price Joel W. Harrell John & Kelly Ferguson John Henry Jonathan Crosby Joseph I. Kluszcynski Justin Nash Keith Graham

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Ken Huntman Kenneth Brooks Kristi S. Gordon Lauren A. Lombardo Laurie J. Purvis Leah Stover-Scott Liam O’Reilly Lisa & Allen Douglas Marcus Hancock Mary R. Faquir Matt McCranie Matthew Hood Matthew Hunter Michael Bibisi Michael Brown Michael McDermott Michael Mui Mike Elkins Mr. Paul Polito Nabil Fayed Nelda Melton Norissa Grant Patrick & Diane Ahern Patrick Weaver Penny Lawrence Peter Tom & Kim Willis Philip & Tanya Porter Rich English Robert Krzak Robert Mckibben Ryan Crawford Sandra Robb Scott Donalson Sena & Jody Finklea Sheila Torres Sridhar Murthy Steffany Lendon Tiffany H. Eggers Tim Dolan Todd M. Halverson Tommy J. Kristian Toni M. Bird Troy Diggs Troy Shramek WC Yates Whitney Shiveler Will B. Scoggins, Jr. William Henderson Wilburn Construction Inc.

RENEGADE

Christian Powell Cofi Jordan Cynthia & Tony Barber Dallas R. Shaw Daniel Diaz de Villegas David & Arden Smith David Ostrander David Sivert Denise Smith Dennis Hollingsworth Dewitt Drew Don McDaniel Donovan & Kathleen Clifton Douglas McCall Dustin Wells Eddie Jarmakowicz Eileen Bilodeau Eli Chamberlain Eric Fulton Erin Dupree Fern Smith Frank C. McColm, II Frank Macias Geno Giangrossi George Weatherly Greg Gainous Henry & Maya Fasthoff Holt T. Sanders James M. Alfred Janet Eppich Jason Loper Jennifer Carter Jennifer Patnode Jeremy York Jillian H. Swingle Jim Dotson Jimmy Furst Joe Angelone Jonathan & Debbie Galvin Julie E. Vickers Karen Allen Karen Wargo Karla Engard Katherine E. Sack Kathy & Roy Emley Kirsten Vadelund Kristen Consuegra

Laura Marshall LeAnne Scarborough Lena R. Vecchioli Lindsay Potvin Lyndsay Snead Margaret McDonald Marlene McCray Matt Colesanti Matthew York Michael Morrell Michael W. Fudge Mike Mitchell Mike Steele Morris Tilley Mr. Brian Varnum Murray & Betty Miller Myra Simmons Natalie L. Morrison Pamela A. West Patti Barwick Phillip M. Munday Randy D. Congdon Richard Jordan Richard Minichino Robert W. Russell, II Robin & Christopher Jones Roger Hohn Ronald Jones Roscoe Stallings Ryan Jennings Ryan Kester Ryan Rogers Shawn D. Stanfield Shemeka Jones Staci Cross Steve Morabito Steve Perry Stuart Rubin Susan S. Nette Suzanne Pignataro Tim Langreck Timothy & Diane Owens Trey Bauer, III Wayne McClung Will Rhodes William Carlson William D. Asbury, II Willie Howard Michael Spiva James Forbes Zach Brunson J. Martin Hayes Linda J. Jones Rodney D. Long Alayne Novalany Alex Young Alvaro G. Smith Amanda Green Amanda Louchez Amanda R. Bussey Andrew Meder Andy & Elizabeth ParramoreNix Bethany Swonson Brad Hobbs Bradly Gagola Brain Arlt Brandon Frascona Brian Corlew Brian Hunt Catherine J. Igo Chris Rettkowski

BRAVE

Aaron Colwell Gregory T. Ramsey Sharon Johnson Charles H. Fairchild William T. Gilbert Alan S. Christopher Aleathea & Samuel McRoberts

Angela Broome Ann S. Peebles Brailey & Kathy Odham Brennan Peacock Chris Gallagher Christine Lambrechts Corey Park Daniel N. Gorby David H. Coldwell & Associates, Inc. Derek B. Heiser Donna Figg Lacey Eli Perl Gregg Page James W. Nagle Jay Peeper Jerome Vander Zanden Joseph D. Beaudoin Justin & Kristyn Nelms Kathleen Kuebler Lilly A. Harris Matthew & Shawn Miller Matthew R. Kautz Meridythe Grey McLean Mindee & Nigel Hurst Mollie Huzella Camp Mr. Jerry Boehm Nathan Garcia Reese Goad Robert Larr Roger W. Smith Ron Aversa Ryan M. Catherene Sandra Jansky Sean Grady Sean J. Anderson Stefanie Evenden Susan Lynn Wheeler Thomas Norton Tony Rine Tyler Raiford Virginia Vosnick Will Russell Zachary Romanelli Sunshine Savings Bank Kelly Dunn

Iron Arrow

Brandon Lovejoy Chris Siegle Gregory & Jennifer Budde Paul Singh Sheree Campbell Jacquelyn Bradley Clay R. Barker Chris Palmer Adam Bass Adam Pinson Adrienne C. Cox Adrienne Hicken Alan V. Zumarraga Alanna O’Brien Albert L. Benoit, III Aleksey Disov Alexander G. Hedin Alexander Mata Alexander Perez Alexandria O. Blay Alexiss Johnson Alicia B. McCorkle Allan M. Stearns Allen R. Stever Allyson Wells Alona Sirmons Alyse Gossman Alyson Collier Amanda & Matthew Murphy Amber Phillips Amy & Brian Bogner Amy & Jon Lamboy Amy Pelton

Andrea Gereg Andrew Holleman Andy Barnard Angela Burton Angie Hickman Angie Johnson Ann & Arthur Kelley Anna Dawkins Anna Whitman Annette Pevy Antaine Ford Anthony Holmes Anthony McQuade Arielle Mundy Arlien Marone Armer & Beverly White Austin Phillips Avery Anderson Banks Martin Barry Steiner Ben Krouth Ben Miller Benjamin Rosamond Bethany Wester Betsy Fisher Betty Wolff Beverly Bowman Bill & Jan Bubsey Bill Girtman Bob Marshall Bob Parker Bowens Network Cabling Brad Clark Brandon Senderling Brandy & Adam Elliott Brandy D. Nelson-Weflen Breana Battles Brenda A. Belloise Brenna & Chris Hewett Brett Bryant Brett Shively Brian Bivins Brian Gray Brian Hawkins Brian L. Smith Bruce Conrad Bruce Janasiewicz Bruce Robinson Bryan Pundt Bryce Burger Burton Altman Canita Peterson Cara McSurely Carlo Reyes Carlton Watson Carol Aspros Carol Moser Carolyn A. Scullion Carolyn Patterson Catherine M. Silvers Catherine Sizemore Cathy Chamberlin Cayce Crooms Cecilia & Scott McGinnis Chad Christman Charles Bechtold Charles Bennett Charles Brooks Charles E. Davis, Jr. Charles Greene Charles Lowery Charles Marshall Charles S. Kelly Charlette Livingston Chase Peavy Chris Birchfield Chris Dillahey Chris Dimillo Chris M. Lewis Chris Morris Chris Sherwood

Chris Williams Christopher Cano Christopher D. Wells Christopher Kelly Christopher Land Christopher Sanchez Christopher Van Dyck Cleveland C. Porter Connie Taylor Connor S. Joy Coral A. Bachen Corey Gulley Cory Bruckschen Courtney Wester Craig Brinkley Cynthia & Robert Fink Cynthia White Dallam Pettus Dameca Fillingame Dan & Mary Jaap Dan H. MacDonald Daniel C. Wilson Daniel Duston Daniel P. Maddox Daniel Pinkard Danielle Gianfilippo Danny A. Crutchfield Danny Cook Darell Roberts Darren Kerr Dave King Dave Maloy David & Belinda Snyder David & Kim Henry David Applequist David Bennett David Brick David Dawson David Powers David Stanford David Stewart Dawn Gueltzow Dawn T. Beske Deborah Shipp Debra Johns-Oliver Denise Hill Denise Zeitler Dennis Holm Dennis Parker Dennis Welcher Desiree Bozzo Dessie M. Caraccio Deston Day Diane Volkart Don Campbell Don Walton Donald Hill Donald Kirkner Donna Taylor Doug Brown Douglas K. Dandridge Dr. Bill Brueckheimer Dru D. Boulware Duriel Hill Dwight Cool Dylan A. Ward Dylan Hayden Ed & Heather Fritz Edward J. Slomcenski Edwin Malin Elizabeth Anderson Elizabeth P. Collins Elmer Wright Eric & Shems Hamilton Eric Bremner Eric Chastain Eric Gill Eric Holder Eric L. McGill Eric Martin Eric Schimpf

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Erin Thompson Ethan Ammons Evan Klein Felicia McCoy Frank P. Caprio Frederick Jordan Gabriel Osceola Gary Abbott Gary & Lana Wold Gene Strickland Genevieve A. Singleton George Howe George J. Bolger Gina Bernard Glen Fair Grant Hastings Grayson Ferrell Greg Barnes Greg Lesso Gregory & Joann Wain Heather Gray Heather Morgan Heather Turner Howell Smith Innis Davis Ivan J. Smith J. Craig Clampett Jackie Kline Jacqueline Gizzi Jake Lampert James C. Evans James Docster James E. Vidrine James G. Thomason James J. Wallace, Jr. James Lake James Marshall Jamie B. Kaplan Jane Starkey Janet Nitzsche Janna Matautia Jason Brown Jason Darley Jason Krouth Javier P. Carabeo Javier Ulibarri Javoris Rollins Jeane Clyne Jeff Kerwin Jeff Rabinowitz Jeff Runyon Jefferson Withers Jeffery Simons Jeffrey & Jennifer Verkon Jeffrey Bertera Jeffrey Laverty Jenifer E. Burnham Jennifer Blair Jennifer L. Verkon Jerry Harper Jess W. Wright Jessica A. Silverman Jill Gulliford Jill Warren Joan T. MacMillian Joe Johnson Joe Mandele Joey Elizares John & Cathy Holton John & Amy Grobe John Arnold John Christie John Devine John Faletti John Grayson John Griffin John Herrick John Kraft John L. Stevens John Meeks John N. West, Jr.

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WELCOME NEW SEASON TICKET HOLDERS (through May 27, 2013 )

A.J. Bacon, Sr. Adam Hollen Adam L. Bantner II Al DiCalvo Alan & Anne Harder Albert I. Richardson Alexander K. Semmler Alison S. Fontana Allison B. Henning Alyson & Kevin Carlson Alyson Collier Amanda & Matthew Murphy Amanda B. Walker Amanda Green Amanda L. Felts Amanda Louchez Amber Phillips Amy K. Gillis Andrew DeSalvo Andrew Gonzalez Andrew T. Cihlar Angela Swain Anna Dawkins Anna Whitman Antaine Ford Anthony H. Graham, Jr. Art Brunner Austin Noll Austin Phillips Barry Steiner Benjamin G. Martin Benjamin Hankins Benyamin Williams Bernard Cooper, III Bill & Debbie Wiseman Bill & Jan Bubsey Bill Girtman Bill Goede Blair E. Wulfekuhl Blake Williams Bob Parker Bobby Addison Bobby Johnson Brad Beauchamp Brad Clark Brad Crenshaw Bradley F. White Bradley Family Brain Arlt Brandon Begin Brandy & Adam Elliott Brenda A. Belloise Brenda M. Thompkins Brennan Wrecke Brett Bryant Brett Trotter Brian Hawkins Brian J. Stevens Brian Knowles Brian Smithey Bruce Conrad Bruce Robinson Bryan D. Murphy Bryan Strauss Bryan Watson Bryan Yates Bryce Burger Burnie Sloan, Jr. Cameron D. Todd Candace Cairo Carl Bryan Carl T. Steppling Carlos Dinkins Carrie Anderson Catherine E. Louy

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Catherine J. Igo Chad D. McIntosh Chad Maluske Chad R. & Jennifer Dubose Eli Chamberlain Charles Linder Charles Lowery Charles M. Rebhan, Jr. Charles S. Kelly Chris & Barbara Harrison Chris Birchfield Chris Mills Chris Sherwood Chris Speck Christina Martin-Conn Christopher Cano Christopher T. Miller Christy Clark Cindy Molnar Cindy Revell Connor S. Joy Curt Chesnutt Curtis Davis Cynthia & Tony Barber Dale R. Buys Dallas R. Shaw Dameca Fillingame Daniel C. Wilson Daniel Germaine Daniel J. Newhaller Daniel Langnehs Daniel Rubin Daniel Scheele David & Judy Lee David & Arden Smith David & Teresa Belcher David Bennett David Boole David C. Kendall David Holton David Mccloskey David Powers David Rawlings David Washington Dayla G. Foster Dean A. Suriano Denis M. Blake Denise Smith Desmond Ebuwa Dewitt Drew Diana & Jerry Selwyn Diane & Ken Cudia Dominic & Denise Mazzone Don White Donnell & Robin Livingston Douglas Ashcroft Douglas McCall Dr. Crystal L. Timmons Dwight Cool Eddie Jarmakowicz Edward A. Enos Eileen Bilodeau Elissa R. Saavedra Elizabeth Stallings Ellis Kimbrel Elmer Wright Emerson Noble Eric Polanik Eric Redner Eric Schimpf Eric Zeitlin Erica Wiborg Erick S. Kuleski, Jr. Ethan Ammons Evan Foster

U N CONQU E R E D M AGA ZINE

Evan Lau Everett & Maria Bieber Feebee Houck Frank Macias Frank Miranda Garrett Watson Garvin & Rachel Bowden Gary Ross George & Barbara Kelly George J. Bolger Gerald & Ellen Mortimer Glen Fair Glendy Lau Glenn F. Milton Greg Gainous Griffin & Christina Francis Harry T. Dimartino Heather Turner Henry & Debra Hess Henry Coker Howard Price Humberto & Kari Ducali Hunter & Jayme McIntyre Ivory J. Johnson Jack & Karen Griffin Jacob Sussman Jacqueline S. Bailey James Austin James C. Evans James E. Vidrine James Hargreaves James Lake James Manda James N. McConnaughhay James Ryan James Stanley Jane Starkey Janet A. Fuller Janette Lowrey Jarrod F. Sanders Jason Duffey Jason Loper Javoris Rollins Jay Zutant Jeannette Crede Jeannette M. Delong Jeffrey & Meghan Chamlis Jeffrey Brock Jennifer Carter Jennifer Stein Jerald & Debra Patterson Jeremy & Margaret Merrill Jeri D. Graham Jerry Ingalls Jerry Lovett Jerry Selwyn Jesse A. Belcher Jessica La Prade Jill Mimbs Jim & Mary O’Quinn Jim Bishop Jim Richardson Jim Ryan Joe Mandele Joel Decastro John Lange John & Elizabeth Howell John A. Wolbert John & Amy Grobe John & Barbara Collier John Crook John Devine John Doughney John Kuczwanski John Meeks

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John Michailos John Reese John Sumner John W. Waidner, M.D. John W. Wis John Wilkins Jon Haagenson Joseph Bush Joseph Coatney Joseph Moreda Josh Harper Joy A. Tootle Julianne & Josef Rill Julie E. Vickers Julio C. Martinez, Jr. Justin Goodwin Justin Jones Justin Nash Karey E. Gautier Karol Vargas Kathy Bedford Kathy Bradley Katonya Bentley-Anderson Keith E. Goen Keith F. Romance Ken Huntman Kendall Roberts Kenneth & Catherine Scheppke Kenneth C. Galloway Kenneth C. McGhee Kenneth L. Schlitt Kenyorta D. Brown Keri Lee Fabiano Kevin & Alyson Carlson Kevin Dover Kevin L. Knox Kevin West Kevin Wiedecker Kim Hudson Kimberly A. Brunk Kirk C. Williams Troy & Valerie Knight Kristal Johnson Kristen Consuegra Kristin Miller Kyle A. Bradburn Kylie Williams Lane McCormick Larry Mattingly Laura & Donald Marsh Laura Marshall Lauren A. Lombardo Lazar Jones LeAnne Scarborough Lela Corlew Leon Frager, II Linda & Robert Joseph Linda Curtis Lindsay Potvin Lindsey Aman Lindsey Epperson Lisa Cowart Lisa J. Spooner-Conoly Lori Sobosly Lou Chaump Lowell Bike Lucinda Etheridge Lynne Vadelund Mac Cox Maggie Mestre Marcos Gonzalez Marcus Hancock Mark A. Moes Mark Alessandro

Mark Alexander Mark Herron Mary J. Woodworth Mary Klenk Matt & Alicia Simpson Matthew D. Fox Matthew York Megan M. Flack Melinda G. Hogan-Charles Melissa Baldwin Michael & Heather Winship Michael B. Kelly Michael Brown Michael D. Cohen Michael Dreilinger Michael Grandison Michael H. Kline, Jr. Michael McDermott Michael Mui Michael Pallone Michael R. Henley Michael Vittore Michael W. Worysz Michelle & Timothy Ferguson Michelle Gardner Michelle Manuele Mike Bowden Mike Earp & Deborah Blinderman Mike Haywood Mike Mitchell Mike Shea Mikel A. Diaz-Enright Mikki Snow Milton & Sandra Mercer Mitzi & Charles Arbogast Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Doak Mr. Andy Smith Mr. Paul Polito Mr. Robert Warren Ms. Pamela R. Harrell Myra Simmons Nabil Fayed Natalie L. Morrison Natoya Whitake Neil Kuehn Nicholas F. Zappitelli Nicole R. Kasak Pamela & Gregory Kidwell Patrice & Perry Hubbs Patricia Hairston Patrick & Mary McGrath Patrick J. Powers Patrick Kearney Patrick Oday Patrick S. Regan Patrick Weaver Patti Barwick Pete Briant Peter Montoleone Peter R. Scott Phetsomboune Marshall Phillip Hayes Phillip M. Munday Preya Bhavsar Ralph Ricardo Raymond Elwell Raymond Woodbury Reginald & Dana Dudley Rene S. Holt Rich English Richard A. Jenkins, Jr. Richard & Pamela Edwards Richard Barbarthlow Richard Jordan Rick & Krista Naegler Rick & Jennifer Christenberry Rick Branton Rick Pippin Rita Armstrong

Scott Garren Scott Hampton Scott Keck Scott Kolanek Scott Matthews Scott Phillips Scott Stayvas Scott Ubillos Sean Chavis Sean Ramirez Shanda O’Bryan Shannon Butler Sharon Johnson Shauna Y. Smith Shawn Castle Shawn D. Stanfield Shawn Feldman Sheila Torres Shemeka Jones Stacey G. Montgomery Stacie Sims Steffany Lendon Stephanie Carpenter

Robert & Carol Barkett Robert A. Cuccia Robert C. Ellis Robert J. Myers Robert Krzak Robert Larr Robert Pigott Rodney D. Long Ronald Thomas Ronnie Whitfield Roscoe Stallings Rose Patterson Ruben Bryant Russell Robinson Ryan Crawford Ryan Girton Ryan Kester Sabrina Denmark Sam Wainhaus Sandra Robb Sandy & Stuart Brannon Scott & Maribeth Madden Scott Donalson

Stephen G. Jenkins Stephen Newman Stephen P. Brunetti Stephen Shields Steve & Patricia Haller Steve Barnette Steve Boole Steve Morabito Steven Brown Steven E. Parish Steven McClung Steven Norris Steven Wright Sylvia Williams Taleya Williams Tara L. Battistoni Teresa N. Marshall Teresa T. Rhodes Terri & Kevin Goleno The Moayad Family Thomas Dennig Thomas J. Gornick Thomas L. Branch, Jr.

Thomas M. Rhoden Thomas N. Lee Tiffany Sholtz Tim Dolan Tim Mague Tim Peeler Timothy & Diane Owens Todd M. Halverson Tommy Heppler Tommy Holmes Tommy J. Kristian Toni M. Bird Tony Munoz Tonya Bastien Tonya Huff Troy Downing Troy Shramek Twyla Jackson Valerie Pasqualini Valerie Strickland-Smith Virginia W. Lebioda WC Yates Will B. Scoggins, Jr.

William F. Butler William Flanagan William Germaine William Leis William Renn William Town William Worden Zach Worley Leslie Russell RC & Associates Carroll Garland & Associate Laura Fogarty Beverly Lanham Tonya Chaplow Silah-Walden Aruki Services, LLC Law Office of Kevin T. Beck Zaxby’s Gray Construction Services CBF Consulting Engineers Wilburn Construction Inc. Mike Davidson Ford

NEW MEMBERS from page 77 John Seeger John Welsh Jon Isaacson Jonathan & Tiffany Wagner Jonathan Dyer Joseph Bush Joseph Campbell Joseph Coatney Joseph D. Forte Joseph G. Hern, Jr Joseph Moreda Joshua Knight Joy Glaug Judy Commander Justin Couch Justin David Justin Jones Kalvin Starling Karen Boebinger Karen Degiorgio Karie Osceola-Gamez Karol Vargas Katherine Beck Kathy Bradley Kathy Lowery Katonya Bentley-Anderson Keith Baker Kelley L. Kadel Kelly Harte Kelly Talley Kelly Waters Kendall Loyd Kendall Roberts Kenneth & Pamela Shaw Kenyorta D. Brown Kevin Dover Kevin Nelson Kevin Smith Kim Jowers Kimberly A. Brunk Krista & Kevin Taylor Lana Rumell Lani Titus Laura H. Etheridge Laura K. Sclafani Laura Vangostein Lawrence J. Hodz

Lee Flasher Leo Stillmock Leon Frager Leon Frager, II Leslie N. Harris Lew Elliott Linda M. Lanier Linda Morris & Sally Wagner Lindsey Aman Lisa Cowart Lisa J. Spooner-Conoly Lisa L. Albee Lori Anderson Lori Loney Lucas Bhuvasorakul Lucinda Etheridge Mac Cox Marie P. Hume Guilford Marisa Halprin Mark Alessandro Mark Garney Mark Herron Mark Hoffman Mark W. Flynn Marlene Hegland Marlon & Mileya Storey Marty Harrison Mary Jo & Frank Marjenhoff Mary Klenk Mary Laba Matt Price Matt Thomas Matthew & Christy Sears Matthew Durham Matthew Fudge Matthew J. Giddings Matthew Mayo Meagan E. Houser Megan Fitzgerald Meghan E. Greene Melanie Dobbs Melinda G. Hogan-Charles Melissa & Nicholas Snyder Melissa Baldwin Melissa Barber Melvin Pittman

Meredith Powell Micah Maddox Michael & Shannon McBride Michael B. Kelly Michael Cook Michael Curtis Michael Ferrell Michael Grandison Michael Hardee Michael Huntley Michael Melendez Michael Moore Michael Parker Michael R. Henley Michelle & Daniel Wilkie Michelle Manuele Michelle Sarra Mike Bell Mike Haywood Mike Muller Mikki Snow Misty Mac Misty Randall Mr. Andy Smith Mr. Hanson Walker Mr. Kenneth Allen Mr. Nicholas Dello Buono Mr. Ron Nall Ms. Julie Hollis Myles Meade Nancy Parvin Neil M. Patel Neil Whitley Nicholas K. Smith Nicholas L. Nalepa Nicholas Noechel Nicole M. Paquette Nole Davis Norman Hicks Ossie McMahan Patricia Hairston Patricia Moore Patricia Shkoler Patrick Andriano Patrick C. Worlds Patrick Oday Patti Brinkley Paul H. Burress, Jr.

Paul Ryder Paul Templeton Peter Nicholson Peter Schmidt Phetsomboune Marshall Phil Lutz Philip K. Weiny Phyllis Law Preya Bhavsar Ralph Ricardo Randy & Sharron Hobbs Randy Barr Randy Henderson Randy Kosec, Jr. Raymond Mak Rene S. Holt Renee A. Riccard Ricardo Cannon Rich Connor Richard Barbarthlow Richard Moye Rick Page Ricky D. Reynolds Rikki Bolick Rita Gregory Robert B. Lewis Robert E. Cannon Robert E. Stewart Robert Frank Robert Hurry Robert Jones Robert L. Thompson Robert McLain Robert Parrish Robert Pryor Robert Reisinger Robert Saum Roberta & Mike Wright Rodney & Susan Crosby Rodney L. Edmonds Roger Hanford Ron Averbeck Ron Gates Rona Revels Ronald A. Kolb Ross Lammers Ruben Bryant Ruth Baffa Ryan Brown Ryan C. McHugh

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Ryan Clark Ryan F. White Ryan L. Harvell Ryan P. Kline & Kristin L. Kline Sal & Rose Gennaro Sally W. Willis Sam Hamilton Samuel Bailey Sandra & Donald Mayo Sandy & Stuart Brannon Sarah M. Hamilton Sarah Pearce Sarah Sampson Schronda Chestnut Scott Stayvas Sean Singleton Shana J. Kinsey Shanda O’Bryan Shane Larson Shauna Y. Smith Shawn Castle Sierra Scofield Simon Brandon-Lai Spencer Wolfe Stacie Sims Stephen C. Bartlett Stephen H. Brock Stephen Watson Steve & Patricia Haller Steve Dawson Steve Grove Steve Rumph Steven Black Steven Dell Steven R. Henderson Steven Wright Stuart White Susan & William Palmer Susan Widmann Susie Hill Sylvia Bell Tanya Atkinson Tatum Smith Taylor Beard Tennille E. Johnson Teresa Brown Teresa N. Marshall Terrance Comerford Terry B. Hathaway

Terry Kings Terry Wiggins Thaddeus Lopez The Price Family Theresa Wright Thomas & Kathrine Wilson Thomas H. Inserra Thomas J. Karac Thomas M. Hutton Timothy Kenyon Todd Nichols Tom Licostie Tom-Charon-Monicha Belford Tommy Heppler Tony B. Johnson Tony Munoz Tony O. Rivero Tony Pimpinella Travis Larson Tray Traynor Trent Eckhardt Tristan Hasbargen Troy Downing Twyla Jackson Udo Freyhofer Vickie E. Lake Walt & Karen Murphree Walter Sturges Wanda J. Harpley Wayne Porter WBZE Star 98 & WHBX 96.1 Jamz Wendi Groves William Clay William Groves William J. Karter William Leis William Thies William Town Willis J. Collier Wilmer Geohagan Zach Berg Zach Worley Zeynep Minareci Capital Eye Consultants Government Services Group Kappa Delta Sorority Dylan Snodgrass

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FSU Abroad/Panama, from page 28

Renegade Team: FSU Panama students Brylee Geiger, Johanna Robinson, Moriah Taliaferro and Santiago Osorio

Crocodiles, some reaching 20 feet in length, are omnipresent in the canal and top of mind for those who swamp. Imagine what the fear factor would be in the Swamp for the Florida State-Florida game if alligators were allowed to prowl the sidelines.

Like submarines, these giants cruise the canal searching for their next meal. Just minutes before the leaders reached the finish line a 15-foot crocodile eased off the bank and streaked by the gallery of spectators. Race officials scurried boats to scare it away but the croc sunk eerily beneath the surface, out of sight but not out of mind.

Thoughts of Peter Pan’s Captain Hook and the “Tick Tock Croc” were interrupted by the excitement of the Unconquered team finishing the marathon day in third place, which was outstanding for FSU’s third-year program.

Seminole fans had little time to celebrate Unconquered’s success before Renegade crossed the finish line and one of its paddlers slumped over and fell into the water where Mr. Tick Tock made a similar descent just moments earlier. Teammates dove in to retrieve him as rescue boats raced to their aid. Attentive medics transported the dehydrated paddler to the dock-

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side clinic where half a dozen others were already receiving intravenous fluid. The scene looked a lot like the FSU training room after an August two-a-day football practice as prepared medical staff re-hydrated the exhausted athletes.

“My pacer had the strength to make it to the finish line but once we crossed he rolled out of the boat,” said Brylee Whatley a tall blonde sophomore from Denver, Colo.

“You always hear the worst case scenarios but never think it will happen. He passed out. He went to the emergency room so it was scary.”

Whatley has played a number of sports, including basketball, but says Cayuco will tax you more than any other.

“It’s the hardest challenge of my life.

Three days of paddling is tough. People told me it was tough but after this weekend I am pretty much dead,” he said. “All the rumors are true.”

“We had seven medical cases yesterday,” said Prieto. “This is a very extreme sport.

But, above all, what affected the participants most was the heat. It was like an oven in that lake and it took its casualties. We are prepared. We had doctors in place, ambulances in place, we had good logistical support in the water by voluntary escort boats. You saw it, and heard it all too. We had our moments.”

When the three-day, 51-mile race came to a conclusion, Unconquered finished in fourth place, a great accomplishment for the program coached by Dalton Johnson.

“This is the greatest race of my life,” said

SEM I N O LE-BO OST ERS .CO M

Jorge Puente, a Panama native who captains the team. “We have been training for six months every morning and sometimes Sunday. We finished behind the third place team by only a minute and we were way, way ahead of most of the teams. This is the first year for me and the greatest thing I have ever done.”

Puente said he chose to attend Florida State because it gives so much back to its students, including sponsoring sports like Cayuco. “We have great professors, the best library in Panama and,” he said with a broad smile, “it is Florida State University, and I am part of it.”

Like many of his classmates, Puente plans to transfer to the Tallahassee campus. “I will study hospitality there this year but hope to be on the team when I return because I love Panama. I will be back here.”

A student, Marco Saroga, is credited with convincing the administration to start Cayugo as a team sport.

“In 2011, I approached the administration about sponsoring the sport,” said Saroga, a psychology major who plans to attend the Tallahassee campus this year then join the Air Force. “The program seems to be taking off really well, and Florida State Panama seems very excited about it. They have made a really big commitment and it’s turning out beautifully.”

“We took it step by step on a great leap of faith,” said Alonso de la Guardia, who serves as vice rector of University Relations. “In 2012 we bought two cayucos and

2013 Q U A R T E R LY R E P O R T

rechristened them, Unconquered and Renegade. This year we hired a coach and now have a much more organized program, which is already showing results.”

Dr. Carlos Langoni, who is the rector of FSU Panama, believes Cayuco is a natural fit for the university.

“The cayuco is a tradition here, and over the years we’ve had many students participating and some of them did quite well,” said Langoni. “Immediately there was a good reaction from the students. They were interested, lots of excitement, and not enough space for them to paddle in the official FSU cayucos. There are many students participating in other boats and many have done quite well, even winning the race.”

Langoni likes the sport for what it does for his students.

“It is a very demanding sport and requires a lot of discipline and that’s what I like the most,” Langoni said. “Having them do well in the classroom requires planning their activities, where they start early in the morning with their exercise and practice.

It’s something that will help them on a lifetime basis.”

Prieto applauds the students and FSU for its commitment to the sport.

“This is a monumental task for anybody, especially a person who comes from stateside for a semester to study abroad,” said Prieto. “And thanks to Dr. Langoni and Alonso de la Guardia for committing the resources needed, Florida State is the first school in the country to enter boats in the race. Our goal is to get other schools and universities to follow that lead.”

While athletics help the student-athlete develop life skills, Dr. Langoni believes athletics is helping the Florida State University at Panama grow its enrollment and unite its student body, creating shared memories that will last a lifetime.

“We have a very solid academic program here in Panama,” Dr. Langoni said. “You combine the academics with sports activities and it makes a good experience for our students.” Ashore at the finish, Hayes said, “FSU has Cayuco fever, and there’s no cure.

You will be back, and we’ll have more boats next year. FSU will surely have a place on that victory platform.” SB

Quarterly Reports, from page 75

Track Amanda Winslow, Colleen Quigley and Kayleigh Tyerman led a 1-2-3 sweep of the 5000-meter run, which earned the FSU women’s track and field team a share of the ACC Championship lead with one event remaining. The ’Noles finished second, just five points behind Clemson, which won its fourth consecutive title.

Briana Cherry-Bronson, who placed seventh at the ACC Championships in the hammer throw, followed up a few days later by earning a Golden ’Nole Award.

Associate head coach Ken Harnden shares a celebratory hug with Chelsea Whalen, after she won the ACC women’s shot put title. Whalen, who improved on her own school record with the winning toss, also earned All-ACC honors with a third-place finish in the javelin.

Karen Harvey, Colleen Quigley, Zak Seddon and Bob Braman are all smiles after Quigley and Seddon swept the women’s and men’s steeplechase titles. Braman was named ACC Coach of the Year for both the men’s and women’s teams. He is the first coach to sweep those honors since former Seminole coach Terry Long in 2000.

Photos By Bob Thomas and courtesy FSU Sports Info

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Charlie Barnes, from page 11

set new safety restrictions in place that changed the nature of the race. “The new rules took danger out of the race,” he says.

“Attendance began to drop in 2006, and continued to drop, as the 18- to 24-year-old demographic left NASCAR in search of the thrills they found in extreme sports like MMA (full contact mixed martial arts).”

In 2006 and 2007 the MMA phenomenon surged to its greatest popularity, its ranks swollen by the young audience.

Canadian football never really caught on in the lower 48. The Canadian version promised to deliver “a faster game with lots more scoring.” But so does flag football. Americans want to see the hits, the exhaustion, the heroism, the defensive drama of contact football.

Media Money vs.

Ticket Sales Another outlier contributing to a decline in NASCAR attendance was the sale of TV rights. For traditional NASCAR fans the races were always held in the South, at 1 p.m. on Sundays. After TV purchased the broadcast rights, the races were run nationwide and at a variety of times. The things that once made NASCAR unique, the regional flavor and the dependable scheduling were gone. Gone as well, increasingly, were the ticket-buying fans.

Phipps says the impact of season ticket sales is far greater than most people realize. “Tickets are the lifeblood of sports

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entertainment.” It is important to balance the income from television against the effect of full stadiums. “Full seats drive interest,” he says. “It’s a mistake to assume that if people aren’t buying tickets, they’re at home watching the games on TV. That’s not true.”

What is true, Phipps says, is that when people see empty stadiums they assume there’s little interest, so they don’t watch.

NASCAR assumed that even though fewer and fewer races were sellouts, the fans were simply staying home and watching on TV. But it wasn’t happening.

“It’s strange,” he says. “When you don’t have people in the stands, it affects everything. It all starts with tickets.”

Phipps encouraged Florida State to create a game-day uniqueness that television cannot duplicate. To be successful, FSU needs both the money from television as well the energy and identity created by full stadiums. Seminole Boosters has been working for years to enhance your game day experience, and you’re going to see dramatic upgrades in that atmosphere as CollegeTown dazzles fans coming in for the games.

The Rise of Lacrosse Americans have yet to be completely seduced by soccer. But lacrosse is fast gaining popularity, and lacrosse is a contact sport. Trust me; it is. The hardest I have ever been hit by an object not fired from a gun was a lacrosse stick in a pick-

SEM I N O LE-BO OST ERS .CO M

FSU has been featured twice in two years on the popular pre-game show ESPN College Game Day: in 2011 when Oklahoma came to Tallahassee and last year when the ’Noles hosted Clemson.

The electric atmosphere surrounding the live TV broadcast can only be felt by being there.

up game in Syracuse, N.Y., on an otherwise pleasant afternoon long ago.

It’s possible that men’s and women’s lacrosse may be the fastest growing prep and collegiate sport. Young women are showing greater interest in more aggressive sports, and some parents see lacrosse as a safer alternative to football for their sons.

Centuries ago the Cherokees, Creeks, Seminoles and Choctaw played a team ballgame that sounds like a combination of lacrosse and ice hockey.

In his book “American Indians of the Southeast,” author Michael Johnson described a playing field with goal posts 150 yards apart and two, 10-man teams. They had sticks, and a medicine man threw a ball on the ground between lines of the opposing players who used their sticks to advance the ball. Players “used their bodies to block their opponents or clear a path to the goal.”

“The game required speed, agility, cunning and strength — and sometimes ended in death.”

Yes, there were deaths. But for the most part, and for hundreds of years, everyone had a swell time. And, according to Johnson, the Seminoles still play the game today. SB

HAN A GAME.

TION. It’s two national With iBranch!

mobile banking ar and the Tomahawk Chop.

I’m always nd a horse called first in‘Renegade’. line.

n conference titles. It’s the

fans united as one Tribe.

me day in Tallahassee and

all.

—TRADITION lives HERE.

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Unconquered A Seminole Boosters Magazine

Spring Sports Compete at NCAA Tournaments

Former Seminole Head Coach Bobby Bowden has accepted an invitation from Florida State to return for two home football games this fall.

Oct. 25-26 Bobby Bowden, who led Florida State to two national championships, will be honored on Friday, October 25th at an intimate evening celebration for all Seminole Booster members and former Bowden players. Bowden will also be honored on Saturday, October 26th at Doak Campbell Stadium during the Florida State vs. NC State game.

NOV. 15-16 You can also recognize Coach Bowden and his 1993 national championship team during homecoming festivities when FSU will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ’Noles’ first national championship.

JUNE 2013

To reserve tickets for one or both of these games, visit Seminoles.com or call (888) 378-6653.

Information on the intimate Bowden event is available at Seminole-Boosters.com or by calling (850) 644-3484