Volume 134 No. 15

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

February 13, 2020

[springfieldstudent@springfieldcollege.edu]

Volume 134 No. 15

Find us online at scstudentmedia.com

Vagina Monologues: Rise up

Ahead of this weekend’s Vagina Monologues performance, hear from co-director Chrissy Conley about the show and the impact its had on her.

By Chrissy Conley @chrissy_conley

Yes, we’ll use the c-word. Sure, we’ll use language and make references that would make your grandparents quiver. We will definitely be moaning. Lots and lots of moaning. “The Vagina Monologues,” written by Eve Ensler, is a compilation of interviews with over 200 women of differ-

The 2020 Vagina Monologues directors. From left to right: Chrissy Conley, Sima El-Ayoub, and Christina Forde.

(Photo Courtesy of Chrissy Conley)

ent backgrounds about their views on sex, relationships, and violence.

The production recounts consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences, direct and indirect encounters with reproduction, genital mutilation, vaginal care, menstrual periods, sex-work, and several other topics.

Every year, hundreds of colleges and organizations world-wide present “The Vagina Monologues” as both a beacon of hope for women affected by violence, and as a fundraiser to support the women’s organizations such as rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and support safe

See Monologues on Page 8

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This Week’s News

Politics, religion, and hope -- Page 2 -Hero Among Us -- Page 5 --

February 13, 2020

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Religion for a cause For part two of the Religion and Philosophy forum on campus, Springfield Native Eileen Markey presented about her book that combines faith, politics, and hope.

By Colin Atwood catwood@springfield.edu

Politics, religion, and hope. Those three words were, more likely than not, juggling around in the minds of Springfield College students on Tuesday night.

Judd Gymnasia was the site to hear Eileen Markey - journalist, Springfield native, and author of “A Radical Faith: The Assassination of Sister Maura”. Markey came to campus to discuss her book and how it relates to the topic of the way philosophy and religion shape key social justice issues.

“A Radical Faith” is the true story of four church women who were killed in El Salvador during the Cold War while fighting for a movement they strongly believed in. This book focuses on one of them, Sister Maura Clarke.

See Markey on Page 4 SCStudentmedia

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February 13, 2020

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Good eats Springfield College announces new partnership with Harvest Table Culinary Group.

By Evan Wheaton @EvanWheaton

On Monday, Feb. 10 at 1:21 p.m., Springfield College announced its partnership with Harvest Table Culinary Group.

President MaryBeth Cooper released a statement on Springfield College’s website on the coming transition.

“Our students have spoken and we have listened. Our move to Harvest Table complements the College’s dedication to the health and nutritional needs of our campus community, especially our students.

We believe Harvest Table shares the same core values and our Humanics philosophy. We look forward to this new partnership and look forward to hearing from our students, faculty, and staff, as this partnership begins and develops throughout the spring semester.”

Over the course of the semester, Springfield College and Harvest will be working together to make changes to dining services, most notably in Cheney Hall.

Springfield has promised full transparency about nutritional and allergen information as well as a mobile-friend-

ly dining website. New recipes have also been promised.

According to Springfield College, menu development during this transitional period will be based on “guest insights, health and wellness commitments, emerging trends, seasonality, and community feedback.”

There will be notable updates to chicken, pork, deli meat, milk and yogurt. There will also be new brands used, such as Barilla Pasta, Sir Kensington condiments, InHarvest Grains, Tabasco hot sauces, Chobani Greek yogurts, King Arthur and Sambazon Acai.

Cheney Hall is also to be additive-free with all meals made from scratch. Harvest Table’s presence will eventually carry into the Union.

Cooper released another statement on the changes to dining services: “We’re excited that Harvest Table plans to embrace our greater Springfield community partners and create new local partnerships, keeping in line with our mission to serve others.”

Irene Rotondo/The Student

An exclusive statement from President Cooper to The Student regarding the change: “We are working closely with Aramark and Harvest Table to ensure a smooth transition. I am very excited about Harvest Table’s commitment to additive free, responsibly sourced and locally procured foods. I anticipate that students will see a marked difference within just a few weeks.” - Mary-Beth Cooper

February 13, 2020

News

PAGE 4

Markey continued from Page 4

Sister Maura’s parents were Irish immigrants, so they grew up in an Irish-American neighborhood in New York City. Markey said they were a part of the working class, “...where people didn’t go to college and girls especially didn’t go to college.”

There was not much opportunity for a young girl who was adventurous, spontaneous, and had a feeling that she was meant to do something more. The only way out was to join the convent.

Many think the reason women join the convent and become nuns are because of their spiritual ways. That may be true for some, but most just wanted a way out.

Markey interviewed people in the convent and asked why they decided to join. Many of them said things like “I wanted to get off the farm” or “I wanted to get off the block.”

“They couldn’t be marines and they couldn’t be in the foreign service, so you could be a nun and that could be big and dangerous and brave for a girl,” Markey said.

Once she became a nun, Sister Maura taught in the Bronx for a couple of years and then was sent to Nicaragua.

When she arrived to teach, she started telling the children of the country that they weren’t

Tuesday’s presentation drew a large crowd inside of Judd’s presentation room.

(Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications) being treated right and that it wasn’t their fault they were poor.

“The dictatorship in which they lived in Nicaragua was freaked out when the Catholic church started teaching this way,” Markey said.

Eventually, Sister Maura was on her way to El Salvador. Prior to her arrival, a movement was already underway to reform the country and had been for 15 years. It did not go well.

The oligarchy in El Salvador was “so freaked out by this use of religious language for political change that they started killing priests.” They killed the Bishop while he was celebrating mass.

Killing the Bishop would be a huge deal in any country, but everyone in El Salvador was Catholic. Six months after the Bishop’s death, Sister Maura arrived.

Politicians saw Maura as a threat. Though most citizens saw her as a sweet, harmless nun that wouldn’t harm a fly, she believed in what she was fighting for very strongly and her determination is what made her frightful. “She always ran towards, never away,” Markey said.

One day in El Salvador, a boy was being taken away by the National Guard from Sister Maura’s home for asking for a fair price for water.

In El Salvador, the rich did not have to pay nearly as much for water as the poor did. As the boy was being taken, Maura yelled, “Where are you taking that boy, he is simply asking for a fair price for water!”

The rest of her sisters were in shock that she had stood up to the guard in that way. The guard told Sister Maura to go back to her convent and smirked at her like she was nothing. This infuriated her and she shouted with authority, “This is my convent!” Unfortunately, Sister Maura would die before she stopped fighting for what she thought was right.

Sister Maura helped many people in El Salvador and was fighting for a great cause and movement. “She’s heroic primarily because she cared,” said Markey.

February 13, 2020

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PAGE 5

Rob Kearney (center) at the Celtics game on the night he was presented with his Hero Among Us award.

(Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications)

A true hero Springfield College alumnus Rob Kearney was honored as a Hero Among Us during a Boston Celtics home game last week on their Pride Night celebration.

By Springfield College Marketing & Comm.

Rob Kearney ‘13, G’15 was recognized with the Heroes Among Us Award on Friday, Feb.7 at the Boston Celtics Pride Night Celebration at TD Garden.

The Hero Among us award is given out at each Boston Celtics home game to an individual who has made an overwhelmingly positive impact on the community.

Kearney was recognized for his overwhelming impact on the lives of others. In Oct. 2014, he came out to The Huffington Post that he was gay, making him the 1st openly-gay man to actively compete in a Strongman competition at professional, international level. His goal is to become the first openly-gay athlete to qualify for the WSM Final. He is the American Log Lift record holder.

In April 2015, Kearney was the keynote speaker at the first Springfield College Tom Waddell Day celebration, and Kearney was also a former Springfield College student trustee.

At the game, Rob was joined by members of the campus community, including Boston Celtics Senior Group Sales Account Executive and fellow Springfield College graduate Marc Rogers ‘12. Sam Avery and Maria Crawford from the Alumni Relations office presented Rob with a special gift from the College, and Kylie Martin from the development office also was in attendance.

February 13, 2020

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Be your true self After spending years hiding his truth, Damian MackayMorgan is now open to the world and trying his best to help others.

By Chris Gionta @Chris_Gionta

Freshmen at Springfield College were able to get a deep understanding of who Damian Mackay-Morgan was by their second day at the school.

“I don’t want to come out. I don’t want to be prejudged for being a gay man.”

“I don’t want to lie about the truth. But in a world in which we’d rather allow our children, and friends, and fellow human beings to hate themselves rather than be who they are, than to love who they are and who they want, I don’t have much of a choice,” Mackay-Morgan said.

Every first-year student at Springfield College goes to New Student Orientation, where they participate in group activities to become more familiar with fellow students

Damian Mackay-Morgan. (Photo Courtesy of Damian Mackay-Moran)

and the campus. The day after move-in day, students filled the field house for “Pride Talks.”

(Ironically enough, Springfield College’s mascot is the “Pride,” a word that is often used to give strength to the LGBTQ+ community and the word Mackay-Morgan used talking about his homosexuality.)

He closed out the “Pride Talks” with a powerful speech on what he went through as not only an openly-gay man, but a closeted gay man.

However, coping with his sexuality was not his first hardship. While he was in middle school, Mackay-Morgan’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

“It started with him not being able to drive, not being able to communicate in public spaces,” Mackay-Morgan

said. “And from there, it just got worse and worse.”

He first started noticing differences with his father in the eighth grade. Little did anyone else know, this was while Mackay-Morgan was closeted. When talking about his time being closeted, he said, “During that time, I started to notice his decline more than ever, but I was so closeted and so hidden and reserved from [my family], I still couldn’t connect with them or relate with them at all,” he said.

Hiding his sexuality was a routine part of life for Mackay-Morgan.

He knew he was gay from the time he was in seventh grade, but did not come out until his sophomore year of high school.

“That was definitely the worst three years

of my entire life. That’s why middle school was so awful, because I had, like, no friends,” he said.

“It was because I was trying so hard 24/7 to cover up literally everything; talking differently, dressing differently, acting differently in every single way to be an identity that I wasn’t at all.”

That period of time finally closed once he came out to a friend in his sophomore year of high school. Mackay-Morgan had the initial feeling that coming out would be a large weight off of his shoulders. It did end up being very liberating for him, but the relief did not come without a negative response.

At the New Student Orientation speech, he said, “I was never bullied more in my life and never hated myself more

and hated life than after I came out.”

He also said, “They never tell you that coming out makes you the perfect target.”

Mackay-Morgan attending a Catholic high school also did not benefit his situation. “I was at a private Catholic high school, so already, the cards were stacked against me. I didn’t get really too much support from any of the administration,” Mackay-Morgan said.

“I really couldn’t go to the administration at all; they would basically give the person a ‘slap on the wrist’, and that’s all that it was. Nothing was really ever done by any of the administration at all to resolve or make any kinds of changes at all,” he added.

This lack of acceptance made him hesitant to be his true self when

February 13, 2020 making the transition into college. He did not want to endure anything similar to what he went through during high school.

“It was pretty scary coming to college,” Mackay-Morgan said.

“I wasn’t closeted in the way I was in high school, but I was still on guard to throw my true colors out there from the get-go. I kind of understood someone’s values before I showed who I was to them in a way.” Being gay without knowing what to expect from his surroundings made things significantly harder for him.

He did not like his roommate at all in the first semester. The worst thing the roommate did was rip Mackay-Morgan’s tapestry off of the wall in a fit of rage. To top it all off, at the end of his first semester, Mackay-Morgan’s best friend transferred to another school.

Being quiet and reserved was normal for Mackay-Morgan, and this reservation was visible to the track team he was trying out for. Kris Rhim, a junior at Springfield College and teammate of Mackay-Morgan, took notice. “I don’t know if he thought that the track team didn’t really like him or not,” Rhim said. “But he wouldn’t eat dinner with us early on, or he would be nervous to talk.”

Luckily, things started to change for Mackay-Morgan once his second semester of college began. In the first semester, he applied to be a New Student Orientation (NSO) leader and was accepted. This

News

Mackay-Morgan and his NSO group. (Photo Courtesy of Damian Mackay-Moran) gave him another group to be a part of, and another platform to express himself freely.

He also became friends with a lot more people, and was less inclined to be as reserved as he was before. “At the end of second semester during freshman year, I definitely found myself, and definitely found the people -- the people that I was friends with then are the people that I’m friends with now. In those one or two semesters, there was a ton of growth; figuring out what I wanted for myself, and what I wanted from other people.” Mackay-Morgan said.

“

And maybe if we teach our children and students to hold on to that a little bit harder this world wouldn’t need words and technicalities to separate us..We wouldn’t need same sex marriage;;only marriage..We wouldn’t need Pride Month;;only June.””

- - Damian Mackay-Morgan Athletically, he ended up not only making the track team, but also setting the school record for the 60-meter hurdle race. As someone who has seen his father be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, had been closeted for three years, and endured bullying after coming out, Damian Mackay-Morgan would have a good excuse to have a negative outlook on life. Yet, he refuses to use such excuses, and instead, reflects on Springfield College positively.

Sarah Bannon, a sophomore at Springfield College who was partnered as an NSO leader with Mackay-Morgan, can attest to that. When explaining her first encounters with him, she said, “I learned that he was a really good leader. He

PAGE 7 was super nice, super outgoing, always smiling -- I just thought of him as a person who was just genuinely happy.”

New Student Orientation is the first full Springfield College experience that a student gets, and Damian Mackay-Morgan ensures that it is a positive experience for the group.

He talked about where his inspiration came from when describing the NSO meetings. “I wanted to emulate the way that [the previous NSO leaders] inspired me. I wanted to be that amazing leader and just learn from them.”

In a better world, Mackay-Morgan’s story would not be unique as it is today. He knows this and aspires for change in societal norms. In his NSO speech, he expressed this desire for a better world. “And maybe if we teach our children and students to hold on to that a little bit harder this world wouldn’t need words and technicalities to separate us. We wouldn’t need same sex marriage; only marriage. We wouldn’t need Pride Month; only June.”

It is statements like these that make Mackay-Morgan so special. He does not want to use the pain he once had against anyone. He wants to use it to prevent people from having the same poor experiences that he had to endure. Mackay-Morgan is speaking to open forums about these issues in order to prevent a person like him from hiding their real self, like so many people have had to do before.

February 13, 2020

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Monologues continued from Page 1

Photo Courtesy of Chrissy Conley

Vagina Monlogues 2020 co-directors Chrissy Conley (left), Sima El-Ayoub (middle), and Christina Forde (right).

houses that exist in their respective areas.

None of this would be possible without the V-Day movement, which is the organization created by Eve Ensler that is responsible for bringing “The Vagina Monologues” far and wide, and raising money in order to educate the public about violence against all women and efforts to stop it.

When I first stepped foot onto campus as a junior transfer student in the fall of 2018, I had no idea what “The Vagina Monologues” were. I had gone to an all-girl school from kindergarten up until 12th grade, so female empowerment was (and still is) embedded into my DNA. When I went to the club fair and found this incredible group of women, I immediately grabbed a pen and wrote my name down to receive more information through future emails. The rest is history.

“

It gives them hope. It gives them support. Its gives them a sisterhood. It gives them wings.”

Monologues

Monologues

- Chrissy Conley

I fell in love with the cast, the crew, the message, the sisterhood, and most importantly, I fell back in love with myself. I had just recently gotten out of a relationship with a boy who tried to demolish my sense of self-worth through lies, manipulation, tears, and jealousy. But this production gave me my voice back.

This production has allowed me to stop seeing myself through the lens that I was conditioned to look through, and to start seeing myself the way that I want to be seen. After the shows concluded last year, I felt as though I was free from chains of my past, and I was finally flying. This experience is the reason that I was able to grow wings.

As I write this piece, now as a co-director of this remarkable production, I am only able to speak justly to the profound impact this journey has had on my life alone. But this production is far bigger than me. It stretches to California, France, Spain, Netherlands and all across the world to women everywhere in every facet of life as we know it. It gives them hope. It gives them support. It gives them a sisterhood. It gives them wings.

The 2020 performances of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” will take place on Feb. 13, 14, and 15. Shows will begin at 7 p.m. each day with an additional matinee showing on Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $7 at the door. Please consider bringing a donation of new, unused women’s sanitary products.

Presented by Students Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.)

February 13, 2020

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Sixth-man Senior guard Trey Witter has blossomed into a pivotal role for the men’s basketball team coming off the bench. __________ By Nico Fiscella __________ @Nico_Fiscella

The 2019-2020 Springfield College men’s basketball team is filled to the brim with talent.

Every game is soaked with amazing highlights and a great display of basketball. The team is assumed to be led by seniors Jake Ross and Heath Post, but senior guard Trey Witter is the glue that connects this team together.

In his senior campaign, Witter is averaging just under ten points, while shooting lights out with splits of 50.8/47.8/92.

Witter is the first off the bench for the Pride, averaging around 17minutes per game.

The game of basketball has surrounded Witter his entire life, and he embraces every moment since the very beginning.

“Twelve hours after I was born someone put a basketball in the hospital bed,” he said.

Witter grew up in a basketball house, where his role model father taught him everything

he knows.

“My dad coached me… he’s my hero,” Witter said.

Outside of playing in the driveway, Witter has had the opportunity to play at Farmington High School in Farmington, Conn. with his dad as his coach before joining the Pride.

Now, entering the final stretch of his collegiate career, Witter could not be more pleased.

“There’s that element that it’s finishing, and it couldn’t have gone better,” he said.

Witter has had a huge impact on this historic team, who currently sit at 16-3 heading into Wednesday night’s game against Coast Guard. The spark he lights off the bench reflects on his peers around him.

“I’ve tried to embrace it; I know I can score and make plays for my teammates,” Witter said.

Junior forward Harper Niven cherishes everything Witter has done for him.

Witter goes up for one of his acrobatic layups against Trinity College earlier in the season.

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

“His presence is absolutely felt in the locker room and he is someone I talk to quite a bit,” Niven said. “My favorite thing is talking D-III hoops with him and talking about the 20172018 team that went to the Final Four. Hearing those experiences makes me want to do something special so badly.”

Witter was in his sophomore season when the men’s team had their historic March, and he shares the experiences with all those around him.

“I know how badly he wants to get back and win it all,” Niven said.

Everything has come full circle for Witter.

The team is entering the lower half of their season, and he’s consuming every second of it.

“It’s crazy you think about it all the time…

You’re always building to that [goal] but there’s no next as a senior now,” Witter said.

With high expectations for the 23rd ranked team in NCAA Div. III, Witter and his teammates have taken Springfield Coach Charlie Brock’s simple approach through the season.

“We are trying to take

it a day at a time… want to have good practices, that’s where it starts,” Witter said.

If Witter cannot be on the court playing, he has goals to move forward in life with his beloved sport.

“I’ve grown up around this game,” he said.

“One day I want to be a college coach.”

No matter where Witter finds himself after his time at Springfield comes to close, basketball will always be a part of him.

The sport has given so much to him, and he has a goal of giving it back to those around him.

February 13, 2020

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Bouncing back After a grueling injury to his Achilles tendon, Giancarlo Lawrence battles the fear of reinjury while competing at a high level. ________________ By Kevin Saxe _________________ @ksaxe98

The date is Sept. 19, 2017 Kresge Gym was abuzz on the campus of Springfield College.

Men’s and women’s gymnasts were in the early stages of prep for the annual Homeshow.

They hadn’t even started any formal numbers; it was simply about getting back into the swing of things. One of those gymnasts practicing was then-sophomore Giancarlo Lawrence, better known to his peers as GC. Coming off a solid freshman season, Lawrence had high hopes for the year. Then, in an instant, that all changed. As he went for a tumbling pass, Lawrence felt something pop. That pop was his Achilles tendon. As

quick as it had started Lawrence’s season was over but this wouldn’t be the end of his journey, instead it would be a new challenge for Lawrence. *** When there are only 15 NCAA Division I gymnastics teams, athletes may often travel far distances to make their dream a reality.

The Springfield College men’s gymnastics team is no exception. Members of the team range from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to Florida and even as far out as California and Hawaii.

Lawrence is one of the far traveling members of the Pride. Hailing from Jacksonville, Fla. over 1,000 miles away, Lawrence was a three-

Senior Giancarlo Lawrence competes in the floor exercise during his senior season.

(Springfield College Athletics)

sport athlete growing up. Since he was four years old, he participated in gymnastics, soccer, and diving until his senior year of high school.

When someone does multiple sports, they often choose to focus on one to advance past high school. For Lawrence, it was a tough choice.

He was All-Conference in soccer, an undefeated high school diver who holds his high school diving records as well as a superb gymnast, the options were certainly there. He received potential D-I offers in

addition to D-II soccer offers. But Lawrence wanted to do gymnastics, and he knew since the summer of 2012.

“That was when the 2012 Olympics were, during my eighth grade summer going into freshman year. That’s when I started taking it more seriously and started prioritizing that practice more than soccer or diving,” he said.

“I adjusted my soccer and diving practice so that I could have my full gymnastics practice.”

Lawrence loved having the spotlight on him, which drew him even more towards gymnas-

tics.

“Having the spotlight just on you that’s what I like,” he said. “I love the pressure of having the spotlight on me.”

Despite knowing in his heart that gymnastics was the road he wanted to go down, it wasn’t easy passing up on scholarship opportunities. However, the harder part was telling his father, who was convinced that he would be diving somewhere in Florida.

“My dad came in all excited about offers from schools like FAU (Florida Atlantic University), and I was like,

February 13, 2020

‘Dad I don’t think I want to do diving.’ He was like, ‘Okay sure if you get a scholarship for gymnastics then sure you can go.’”

Erin Brackney knew that Lawrence had the skill and talent. She is the director of North Florida Gymnastics in Jacksonville, Fla. – the gym that Lawrence trained at. Brackney knew from the first time she saw him that he had potential to compete at the collegiate level.

“When Giancarlo came to us in 2014, we knew that he had massive amounts of potential.

His work ethic and natural talent led him to his collegiate career,” Brackney said. “The daily grind and tough practices helped develop Giancarlo into the incredible young man he is today.”

Competing at a D-III school, those scholarships are not there. But as soon as Lawrence stepped foot on the Springfield College campus for an official visit, he knew it was a place he could see himself.

“I knew it was my calling to participate in keeping this tradition of Homeshow, the bond between the men and women’s team, and the program altogether thriving, and that’s where I get my motivation and pride to compete for this team,” he said.

After looking at multiple schools including Springfield, William & Mary and University of Illinois-Chicago, Lawrence settled on Alden

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PAGE 11

because gymnastics was all I knew and my team was all I knew,” he said. “It required me to make more friends and do activities I wouldn’t be able to do because of gymnastics. I took it as an opportunity to have new experiences.”

Matt Davis replaced the legendary Steve Posner after Lawrence’s freshman season as the head coach for men’s gymnastics. Davis was in the midst of preparing for his first Homeshow when Lawrence’s injury occurred. After the injury, Davis was the source of Lawrence’s determination to get back.

“He has always had Recovering from his injury was more of a mental task than it was physical for Lawrence. the determination to (Springfield College Athletics) get back to where he the injury was more of a was as a gymnast and St. for the next chapter He pretty much knew mental challenge. of his life. the answer before even he has done that and “I knew physically my *** getting the response. more,” Davis said. “This Back to Kresge Gym. Lawrence would have to body would respond to goes to his hard work in whatever I was doing As Lawrence processed miss his entire sophothe gym and in the off and I’d be back in the what happened with his more campaign. season for his desire to gym before I knew it,” be better than he was he said. “Mentally I before the injury ocwould have to change curred.” what I did, not my One thing that can be personality but my a challenge through behaviors and things I the recovery of any took for granted when I type of injury is feelwasn’t injured like walk- ing left out of team ing to class.” activities. Although However, it wasn’t just he wasn’t listed on the about the little things roster, Lawrence took for Lawrence. One big his medical redshirt thing was missing from year and participated in his life. Although he was informal team activities able to do some unoffiwhile also being around cial team activities with during practice. He was the team, Lawrence had part of every home more free time than he’d meet in roles including had before. While some being the public address might have just hid away announcer. and isolated themselves, Lawrence, who would Lawrence did the oppo- be cleared to return site. ankle, one of the first With a setback that to competition for his “While I was injured questions he asked was, severe, people might See Lawrence “Am I out for the seathink recovery is purely I think I learned to go continued on Page 15 son?” physical. For Lawrence, out of my comfort zone

February 13, 2020

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Women’s gymnastics’ motto is a formula for success

The Springfield women’s gymnastics team earned their first win of the season in Blake Arena against Ithaca and Ursinus last Saturday.

(Jack Margaros/The Student) ___ By Carley Crain ___ @carley_crain12

Running onto the mats in unison, all with high buns tied back with sparkly ribbons, and matching shirts that say, “Make it Count. Protect the Pride,” a motto that has been ingrained into each Springfield gymnast that wears and represents THE jersey.

But why “Make it Count. Protect the

Pride?”

Every season, the Springfield women’s gymnastics team chooses a saying that represents their perspective goals for the year. After a team night at East Campus, the motto was formed: “Make it count.

Protect the Pride,” two sayings that intertwine with a common theme – the competitive culture of Springfield gymnastics, as well as devel-

oping better character – on and off the mat.

“Protect the Pride” relates to the long history of success that the Springfield women’s gymnastics team has, and continuing to build and improve on their past archiments.

Not only is the Pride one of the most recognized gymnastics programs in the country, they are also known as one of the most

successful programs academically. Last season, the Pride had an average team GPA of 3.69 – the best in D-III and seventh overall across all divisions in the NCAA. Outside of the classroom, the Pride have continuously been in the national rankings every season, with multiple National Championship qualifiers and All-Americans every year. Up-

holding their status as a nation-leading program is an essential part of this year’s motto: “Protect the Pride.”

Inspired by the saying, “Protect the Team” from Pete Caroll, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, the women’s gymnastics team came up with “Protect the Pride,” not only meaning sustaining their status as a nationally ranked program, but

February 13, 2020 also holding one another accountable on and off the mat, as well as always looking out for each other.

“For Protect the Pride, they both go hand in hand and it is one of our team rules that we were inspired by Pete Carroll’s ‘Protect the Team’ and again just having that mindset that you are part of a team,” head coach Jenn Najuch said. “It is all about believing that you are part of something bigger and that all your actions should protect the team.”

“Make it Count” means having every flip, turn, or mount be representative of the team.

Whether it’s at practice or at a meet, every move made is in the direction of improving individually and collectively as a team.

Mentally preparing for a meet or practice is just as important as getting ready physically, which also relates to “Make it Count.” Adapting a growth mindset, or a way of thinking that embraces challenges and failure, is a strategy

that the Pride have been working on all season.

With as much depth as the Pride have, normal practices are very competitive. Every day is a fight for a chance to compete and for a spot in the lineup, because nothing is guaranteed.

Trusting and enjoying the process, while understanding that every little step adds up to achieving the bigger goal, which for the Pride is qualifying as a team for the National Gymnastics Collegiate Association Championships (NGCA) for the first time since 2017.

“Make it count is really just that mindset of having every turn matter, everything you do matter, rather it is inside the gym or outside the gym, just making everyday matter and making everything you do affect someone in a positive way,” Najuch said.

Applying each saying into everyday life, not just at the gym, has added to the positive and competitive environment of Springfield gymnastics.

“We as a team are very

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Senior Taylor Campagnone tied her career best on the floor exercise with a score of 9.75 in Saturday’s meet. (Jack Margaros/The Student)

engaged and energetic not just at meets but also in practices,” first-year Tori Sipes said. “You will quite often hear amidst the constant cheering the phrases `Make it count’ or ‘Protect the Pride.’

The motto puts us and keeps us in a competitive mindset.”

A typical tradition of

D-III gymnastics is having a banner hung up at every meet, displaying a motto that portrays each team’s goals. Written in big red letters, “Make it Count.

Protect the Pride.” is laid out right in the center, serving as a constant reminder that wearing THE jersey is a privilege and that it is a

representation of something so much bigger than one’s self.

Coming off their first victory of the season last Sunday at Blake Arena, the Pride will travel to Rhode Island College this Sunday for another conference matchup with Championship season right around the corner.

February 13, 2020

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Tyler Hansen broke one Springfield College record, and he is not done yet ___ By Evan Wheaton ___ @EvanWheaton

Heading into the John Thomas Terrier Classic, Tyler Hansen didn’t want to think about it.

Just push it out of sight, out of mind.

He came up just short last year. 0.09 of a second short.

Readying himself on the 200-meter banked track inside Boston University, Hansen knew this chance was as good as any.

And he hit the ground running.

Springfield College’s history books were rewritten on Jan. 24 as Hansen finished the indoor 200-meter in 21.76 seconds, besting Steve Headley’s then school record of 21.82.

“I knew I was pretty close before we raced so when I looked up and saw the time I knew I had broken it,” Hansen said. “It meant a lot to me because I had to race against Steve Headley before when he came and ran unattached at one of our meets. It was a great feeling to finally break one of those records of his.”

Headley set the record in 2010 and he competed for the Commonwealth Games for Barbados in the same year. A two-time NCAA Division III champion in the 100-meter dash, Headley went on to have a notable track and field career, making an

Hansen competing at last year’s NCAA Indoor Track Campionships. (Springfield College Athletics)

appearance on the cover of the June 8 edition of Sports Illustrated and qualifying for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“He (Headley) worked night and day, literally,” said Headley’s father, Samuel. “He worked hard, by the grace of God, to achieve what he had achieved.”

Samuel is a clinical exercise physiologist and professor in the department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training at Springfield

College.

With a family background of track and field, Samuel helped his son pursue the sport.

“As a parent, I can tell you that when you see your children – different children have different strengths. And as a parent, my responsibility was and is to help support them and facilitate whatever they’re good at (and) make sure they have the resources they need to succeed.”

Having Samuel as a

professor last year, Hansen bonded with him.

“We always joked, because he knew I was kind of close last year, he knew that I had raced his son before and we were able to talk track together,” Hansen said.

Samuel knew that Hansen was close to beating his son’s record, and always encouraged him to do so. When Hansen came up less than a tenth of a second short, he remained optimistic.

“It was kind of disappointing, but I knew I still had another year to attempt it. I still had a lot of time,” Hansen said.

The main focus this time around during Hansen’s senior year was to not dwell on the record.

“Honestly I was pretty nervous the entire week,” he said. “I tried not to think about it and it just kept coming up, people kept mentioning it, like, ‘Oh, you’re going

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February 13, 2020

to try and break that record this weekend,’ but I just tried to kind of brush it under the rug and run my race. “ Like an equally balanced scale, there was enough confidence to match the nervousness.

As the 200-meter started and the runners took off, Hansen was in his element.

“With experience, you know when you feel good,” he said. “You know how to run on certain tracks.”

This wasn’t the 200-meter flat track at Springfield. Finding his footing on the 200-meter banked, Hansen

flashed by with 0.06 to spare.

It was finally his.

Breath after breath of relief, Hansen knew he accomplished more than one goal.

“I was more so worried about getting up higher in the national rankings than breaking the record, and that worked out pretty well to be able to do both.”

Since setting the new record and subsequently finishing first for the indoor 200-meter, Hansen has been sitting at no.

1 in the D-III national rankings.

From 22.73 his freshman year to 22.52 his

sophomore year, along with his upperclassmen campaigns, he’s set a personal best every year in his collegiate career for the indoor 200-meter.

With improvement year in and year out with the indoor 200-meter, Hansen has been consistently dominant in the event over the years.

“I’ve come into this year stronger than I was last year, obviously faster than I was last year, so I think there’s a good chance for me to even break it again.”

Mike Brown, the record holder of the

indoor pentathlon, long jump, and high jump, has consistently supported Hansen throughout his collegiate career. And with Headley still holding the indoor 60-meter at 6.86 from 2008, Hansen feels honored to have a place among them in the indoor record books.

“Just being able to be in that same sentence as Steve Headley, Mike Brown, and a few other record holders is just amazing.”

With the Dave Hemery Valentine’s Invitational looming this weekend, Hansen will find himself right back

at Boston University.

And one thing is for certain.

When he takes to the track again he’ll feel comfortable. The nervousness from before will be replaced with a different feeling.

Determination.

Determination to try and break his own record will fuel him as he steps back onto that 200-meter banked track.

It’ll feel just right underneath his shoes – not like the flat one in the Fieldhouse.

And he’ll be ready to have another run at the record books.

doing whatever skill I wanted to do and now I think about things like, junior year, knew he was ‘This is kind of sore physically ready to get is that going to mean back and compete. How- anything?’ Last year I ever, there was a new had that mentality of challenge stemming like hurting something from his injury the year or being scared to do before. something because I Although he had felt was scared of reinjuring mentally prepared myself.” through the preseason After completing last and worked with the season still healthy, athletic counselors, Lawrence seemed to when he stepped up grasp the idea that he to compete in his first could do his routine event of his junior seaand not worry as much son, a wave of emotions about reinjuring himhit him. self.

“I felt a different kind “This year, being of nerves,” he said. another year removed “Everything negative from the injury, you can I could think of was really see his confidence going through my mind, growing and his continlike, “What if it hapued consistent perforpens again, or what if mance is something that I can’t make it through is very encouraging for my routine because I the remainder of this haven’t competed in so year,” Davis said. long?’”

As Lawrence completes “I remember as a his senior year, his freshman running and reflection hasn’t been

solely about his growth as a gymnast, but also just as a person as a result of his injury.

“At first I was like, ‘Why is all of this happening to me? Like why am I being punished?

What did I do, why does the universe hate me?’ I figured out they weren’t punishments, but lessons for me,” he said. “I never had a big challenge or blockade in my life so I think it was a wakeup call for me that you’re not always going to have it the way you want it in life.”

While the growth for Lawrence has been on display away from gymnastics, he has emerged as a leader in the gym.

“I believe the best way to describe GC is someone who keeps everything fun around him but can also be someone that can step into a leadership role,” Davis said. “His personality

comes out through the Gymnastics Exhibition Show each year as well as spontaneous dancing to the music blasting in Kresge Gym during our practices. He has grown into a leader with the other senior class members to help keep our team focused on what we need to achieve each practice and competition.”

Lawrence has also focused on giving back to the sport that gave him so much coaching at North Florida Gymnastics over breaks.

“His work ethic is priceless,” she said.

“Giancarlo was always a great guy to have around in the gym, everyone absolutely loved him.”

“It’s not just coaching gymnastics, it’s being a mentor, a friend, a leader, and a cheerleader for every kid you coach.

Just as when he was a

gymnast, we were sad to see him leave as a coach. We are thrilled that he chooses to come back and work our camps in the summer and the kids absolutely love him.”

Although he does have a medical redshirt year in his back pocket if he wants it, he’s not certain he will use it. With this most likely being his last ride at Springfield, Lawrence’s message for his senior season is simple.

“I want to go full out this last year competing for Springfield and see what I can really do.”

His goals are also straightforward.

“Qualify for NCAA’s in my event and become an All-American. I also want to help the team as much as I can and get as much out of this year as possible.”

Lawrence continued from Page 11

PAGE 15

SPORTS The Springfield Student

Trey Witter has made his mark on the Birthplace Boys coming off the bench.

Giancarlo "GC" Lawrence battles the fear of being reinjured after tearing Achilles.

‘Make it count.

Every move made by the women’s gymnastics team is in the direction of improving collectively.

[See inside]

VOL. 134 NO. 15

Senior Tyler Hansen recently broke the school record for indoor 200-meter dash.

(Jack Margaros/The Student)

FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Protect the Pride.’