Volume 55, Issue 6

AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY

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VOLUME 55, ISSUE 6

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NEWS | PAGE 3

International Festival plans to unite a diverse campus and educate students on culture.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012

ARTS & LIFE | PAGE 8

Augusta Market gives locals a unique option when shopping for food, plants and crafts.

SPORTS | PAGE 12

Augusta Rugby Club brings together members of local community.

Politics

Debate Team walks away with 6th place from its inaugural Ethics Bowl

Black Conservative Movement spreads philosophy, changes attitude after Romney election loss

By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter

T

hose who are part of the Black Conservative Movement are hoping to give people a better understanding of the meaning of being conservative.

Demetrius Minor, a member of the National Advisory Council of Project 21, or the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives, said he became a conservative after receiving advice during the turn of the millennium.

“Right before the 2000 election, my godfather, (the) Rev. Thungus, pulled me to the side and told me I needed to research politics,” Minor said. “He told me he was not going to tell me how to vote but said I did not have to vote Democrat just because I was black.”

After conducting his research, Minor said he saw that the Republican Party had a substantial background as part of President Lincoln’s party, which freed the slaves in 1863.

The party was for civil rights and had prominent members, such as Frederick Douglass. In the end, Minor said the Republican Party aligned more with his core values.

Conservatives, Minor said, believe in small government, lower taxes and strong military defense.

Socially, conservatives believe in marriage between a man and woman and are generally pro-life. Minor also said conservatives believe in a balanced budget and in cutting deficit spending. Although many claim to be Democrat, Minor said there are more African-Americans who are conservative at heart.

“I think by nature, AfricanAmericans are conservative,” he said. “If you talk to them about the importance of family, the imporsee BCM on PAGE 3

By JILLIAN HOBDAY news editor

A

M

any are worried that Augusta State University will lose its title as a liberal arts college as a result of the merger.

Members of the music and art departments are working to make sure that does not happen, said Christine Crookall, an associate professor of music. The departments are searching for ways to blend the two universities and their programs in a way that will benefit the students. The Department of Music is working on a proposal for a music therapy program for the newly merged university, she said.

“I would like for us to maintain our identity as a liberal arts college,” Crookall said. “Though finding a way to blend the two, there is nothing wrong with that.”

In spring of 2013, the art depart-

quest for Fall Pause two years ago, but because the schedule for the 2011-2012 academic year had already been approved, the holiday was only implemented this semester. GHSU’s current calendar doesn’t feature a Fall Pause, prompting suspicion that Fall Pause would be a one time only break.

“Because of the consolidation and the syncing of calendars with GHSU and ASU, we may not have it again,” White explained. “So that’s why I had to rewrite the resolution so that GHSU will also have the same break that we have. I’m in contact with the registrar here at Augusta State University, and she is in support of the Fall Pause. Now I’m talking with the Student Government at GHSU who said they could get a similar resolution passed over there.”

Senator-at-large José Lugo said see SGA on PAGE 3

see DEBATE on PAGE 2

JILLIAN HOBDAY | STAFF

Craig Albert, an assistant professor of political science, addresses students’ concerns at the Student Government Association Forum: How Will the Consolidation Affect You, held Oct. 30. During the forum, students asked questions about the impending merger, such as concerns about tuition and fees, but were told not to ask about the new university’s name.

Departments of Public Safety to combine as a result of university merger

By RON HICKERSON chief reporter

W

ith the merger between Georgia Health Sciences University and Augusta State University beginning to finalize, the two Departments of Public Safety are looking to their combined future.

According to the organization chart for the merged university, Bill McBride, who is currently the director of Public Safety at GHSU, will become the director of the Department of Public Safety at Georgia Regents University Augusta.

But he said the only initial change students will notice is the officers’ physical appearances.

“Because we’re all one department, we’ll all have to wear the same uniform and drive the same kind of cars,” McBride said. “Other than that, the processes that are in place to

Art, music therapy program to be implemented with merger

By NIKKI SKINNER staff writer

fter battling through three rounds of ethical punches, Augusta State University’s first debate team in 44 years tied for 6th place at the MidAtlantic Regional Ethics Bowl in Baltimore.

Despite not placing in the top three nor advancing to the semi-finals, the team competed admirably in its first Ethics Bowl against nationally known teams like Clemson University, University of Richmond and Georgetown University on Saturday, Nov. 10, in the harbor town.

“We felt like David versus Goliath in every single round,” said Andrew Tarr, a junior communications and sociology major and vicepresident of the debate club. “We were unexperienced. Every other team had been to national competitions or their coaches have been to national competitions. They had all worked together as teams before, and we never even sat at the same table as a team until round one.

Their competition experience made us feel like we were the underdogs.”

Issues of plagiarism, rape jokes and Facebook, and the Indian court system were among some of the ethical issues the team debated.

After studying ethical cases for months prior and prepping one another on the 13-hour ride, the team lost the first round by a small margin - three points.

“It was our very first round as a team,” Tarr said. “Our very first debate ever, and we were very nervous during the whole round. The content was great on their side and our side, and that’s ultimately what it came down to. We knew it was going to be close.”

It was a slow start in the beginning, said Jim Brady, the coach of the Debate Team and a communications instructor, but the team progressively got better with each debate and has the scores to prove it.

The team won the second round by two points, 144 to 142, but it was the third and final round for the team that proved controversial, in which it lost by seven points to the home team, University of Baltimore.

“We really were confident we won the third round,” Brady said.

“The (other coach) looked at me halfway through the match and said, ‘Looks like you guys won,’ and then walked out of the room.

We were disappointed when the scoring came back. Had we won that round, we would have made it to the semi-finals.”

Members of the team said they not only felt disappointed about the third round but were confused as well. Julie Kane, a sophomore communications major and the president of the debate club, said every round was a learning experience, and although they don’t understand what happened in the third round, she and her teammates knew they had already made their presence known.

“We beat Richmond in the second round, and they have in the past won the nationals,” she said. “As soon as they read the score, all five of their faces fell and we could see it. These people (were) afraid to face their coach and say, ‘We just lost to people who have never done this before.’”

If the team had won the final round, it would have advanced to the semi-finals and competed

ment will begin its first internship with Georgia Health Sciences University, said Alan McTaggert, the chair of the Art Department. In the new course, junior and senior art majors would be working with cancer patients, sitting down and teaching them different drawing techniques. This won’t be a class in which the students are producing art, but instead students will teach others the skills they have acquired over the years.

“We want to prepare our students to work with any type of cancer patients from children to older adults,” McTaggert said. “We will bring drawing supplies to them and give them the opportunity to draw. Our students will be there to prompt help them and give them advice. They will also be giving them one-on-one time to help take their mind away from their condition and pain.”

Currently the colleges are work see THERAPY on PAGE 3

NIKKI SKINNER I STAFF

Art students, like Ashley Blackwell, will have the chance to intern with GHSU next semester.

protect the buildings and the students that are up there will continue as they are. So, really, there shouldn’t be any operational impact.”

He said Public Safety will not alter its main objective.

“The reason that ASU and GHSU have police departments is one reason: students,” he said. “Public Safety exists on campuses to protect our students and our faculty. That’s it.”

Jasper Cooke, the director of Public Safety at Augusta State, agreed.

“I don’t anticipate any difference in the day-to-day functions of the department or in the services that are provided at ASU between now and the end of January or the end of February or the end of March,” Cooke said. “The customers on their side won’t see any fundamental differences.”

For now, McBride said he is ready to start getting Public Safety officials from both campuses acquaint-

ed with the two campuses as well their daily operations.

“As we go forward, we’re going to have to start some training cycles for both GHSU officers to be trained up on what happens up the street,” McBride said. “And what are now ASU officers to be trained on what goes on down the street, but that’s going to take a long time. That’s not something you do in a week.”

A lot of funding is also needed to standardize the two departments, McBride said. As a result, the departments have had to prioritize their needs, but he said they have enough funding to cover the top 70 percent of the changes.

Yet Cooke said there are still a lot of details that are hanging in suspense.

“There’s a lot in our area that hasn’t been flushed out yet, and they probably won’t be flushed out until sometime in the next see SAFETY on PAGE 2

SGA passes resolution in support of Fall Pause

LEIGH BEESON I STAFF

Eddie Howard Jr., the adviser to the Student Government Association and acting assistant vice president for student life, looks over the agenda at Friday’s meeting.

By LEIGH BEESON copy editor

T

he Student Government Association passed a resolution Friday requesting that the administration of the new merged university include Fall Pause in its academic calendar.

The impending merger of Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences universities threatens the newly instated Fall Pause student holiday, held after midterms in October. Because of the attempt to coordinate the universities’ different schedules prior to the merger, the final academic calendar for Georgia Regents University Augusta has not yet been finalized, said Robert White, a sophomore psychology major and SGA senator-at-large.

White said he drafted the resolution that established the original re-

PAGE 2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012 www.asubellringer.com

NEWS

On the air with Augusta State:

A look into the past and future of on-campus radio

By ARTHUR CHAPMAN contributor

The voice of

Augusta State University EDITORIAL STAFF adviser MATTHEW BOSISIO mbosisio@aug.edu editor-in-chief TRAVIS HIGHFIELD thighfie@aug.edu copy editor LEIGH BEESON kbeeson1@aug.edu news editor JILLIAN HOBDAY jhobday2@gmail.com arts & life editor KRISTIN HAWKINS khutchi2@aug.edu sports editor JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER jgarner6@aug.edu chief reporter RON HICKERSON rhickers@aug.edu production manager KELSEY DONNELLY kelseydonne@gmail.com production assistant JACQUELYN PABON jpabon@aug.edu senior reporters KARL FRAZIER TAMIKA LAMPKIN staff writers NIKKI SKINNER FARRELL BROWN contributors HALEY BOURNE ARTHUR CHAPMAN CALVIN COKE DONALD CULVER DANIELLE FRANCISCO CHAD JULY BRITTANY MATTHEWS BRENNAN MEAGHER REBECCA PERBETSKY MEGAN STEWART ASHLEY TRAWICK STENSON WILLARD circulation manager TREY UNDERWOOD zildjianman08@gmail.com

College radio on campus is a part of the past but may be something that sees rejuvenation in the distant future.

The radio station that calls Augusta State University home, 90.7 FM, was not always operated by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB); years ago it was a local station under the name WACG and had a variety of programming and music. It even had some programming devoted to engaging students, said Sea Stachura, an instructor of communications and professional writing.

“It wasn’t always a GPB station,” she said. “Years ago, Alan Cook was a local classical music host for WACG.” Stachura is a freelance reporter for National Public Radio who took an interest in the campus’s radio and broadcasting program long ago. She said she advocates for

Safety CONTINUED from PAGE 1

month and a half,” he said. “So until that flows, we’re just kind of waiting.”

After all, Cooke said Public Safety officials are not the policy makers.

Both departments hold the same mission, and that mission will not change when he assumes duty of Public Safety in January, McBride said. But he recognized people’s hesitancy in consolidating the two departments as well as the two universities.

“Every chance I get when I talk with faculty or employees of ASU, I try to assuage their fears because I understand, just from reading the papers, that this has been kind of a rocky road with the name change and Save the A and this humongous GHSU taking over, and that’s really what’s not happening,” McBride said. “It’s a consolidation. I really believe, having looked at all of the plans, that this is going to be a good thing in the long run.”

But in the first few months, McBride said there will be a lot to learn between the two departments.

“I’ve got to learn some things about ASU – a lot of things,” he said. “Down here (at GHSU), for example, we don’t have an athletic program. I’ve worked athletics, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been at a college that has one. And conversely, the guys (at ASU) don’t have the research and radioactive sites and the chemical and biohazards that we do.”

In order to bring about the

more student interest in the renewal of the radio program and has even offered courses on podcasting and broadcasting.

After the radio station became a hub for local GPB programming, she said, faculty and students raised the question of why there was no student-produced, student-oriented programming.

“Basically, it’s extremely expensive,” Stachura said. “It’s hard to rely on students, especially if they’re not getting paid, and someone professional has to be there to manage all the broadcasting equipment.”

Among the students who are interested and aware of the station, there are some who desire a station for students by the students.

Stachura said she has at least one student per semester ask why Augusta State doesn’t have a station and how it can get one.

Students have voiced their opinions in the past about acquiring a station, and the faculty, particusmooth merging of the departments, both Cooke and McBride have participated in a work team. Kay Roman is the project manager for the Consolidation Action Team and is responsible for managing all such work teams involved in the merger.

“We kicked all of the teams off in February of last year,” she said.

“Each of them submitted a situation analysis to say what is the situation at both campuses relative to their area and what were some opportunities and what were some of the things they needed to do to make this consolidation successful.”

Each work team represents a department or area in the two universities and is co-led by officials from both Augusta State and GHSU, Roman said.

“They submit monthly reports to us, and we do periodic updates to Dr. (Ricardo) Azziz, and the consolidation working group, which is the group that was appointed by the chancellor (Hank Huckabee),” Roman said. “So if there are issues or questions or areas in need of support, the Consolidation Action Team is the group of people working on those.”

Now that the new university has finalized its name, Cooke said the Public Safety departments can now move on to the next steps of planning – designing the new department’s logo and police reports and all the things that were snagged in deciding the name of the university.

But Cooke and McBride agreed that there is still a lot of work to be done before January.

rhickers@aug.edu

“

The new university has an interest in seeing the radio program reinvigorated.

- Sea Stachura

larly in the Department of Communications and Professional Writing, has made attempts to make something happen in the realm of radio, said Kathleen Trigg, a lecturer of communications and professional writing.

“I know students that are interested in a radio program,” she said.

“I’ve heard faculty (are) interested, and they’ve even tried to get students involved.”

Despite interest, starting a program was unsuccessful. The problem with a radio station, Trigg said, is that it doesn’t solely rely on funds but also on student interest and awareness. Large portions of students on campus are unaware that there is a radio station on campus,

TRAVIS SAUL | CONTRIBUTOR

Debate CONTINUED from PAGE 1

against other universities, Tarr said. Although their battle was over after the third round, receiving scores above 140 was more than Brady said he hoped for the team’s first Ethics Bowl.

“I was simply hoping when we came up here we wouldn’t be embarrassed,” he said. “And we were certainly not embarrassed in any way. I was hoping our team would give a credible performance, and they did. In the end, although we did not qualify for regionals, we tied with one of the best universities nationwide. They made us proud.”

The team has plans for improving, like preparing case studies earlier and having more

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rehearsals together, Brady said.

Kane said she can only imagine how well the team will do in the future if the members “polished off some rough edges.”

All things considered - the scores, the team’s final placement and its overall impact they are not disheartened.

“No one on the team nor the coaches are walking away discouraged,” Brady said. “It was well-announced throughout the competition that we were a new team and had never been to a bowl before. We were receiving praises throughout the day for doing so well, and this will certainly put ASU on the map and the merged university on the map.”

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Non-partisan club engages students, faculty in politics

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see RADIO on PAGE 3

The Debate Team faces off with Campbell University during the first round of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Ethics Bowl at the University of Baltimore.

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even though it is operated by GPB. “The vast majority of ASU students have no idea that a station even exists,” Trigg said. “If there is not enough student interest, it’s hard to do something that is geared for students.”

This raised the question of how students would consume radio if some form of college radio were implemented. The way students get their news and music must be explored.

“I generally listen to music on my iPod and use a Pandora radio application,” said Brian Hatcher, a junior accounting major. “If there was programming geared toward student

TAN TRAN | CONTRIBUTOR

Members of the Political Science Club and other Augusta State students gather in the JSAC Ballroom Tuesday, Nov. 6, to watch as votes for the presidential election pour in from around the country.

By FARRELL BROWN staff writer Students seeking to learn more about politics without taking a class have found a home in the Political Science Club.

“The purpose of the club is just networking with students on politics and academic events,” said the club’s faculty advisor and an assistant professor of political science Craig Albert. “We also consider it important to reach out to the community and provide services to let them know about politics.”

The club is a non-partisan student organization with the goal of

providing politically interested Augusta State students with a forum for discussion and with opportunities for community service and socializing, according to the group’s Facebook page. The group is open to students of all majors and political backgrounds.

“If you like politics and you really want to get to know faculty and other people that share a passion for politics, you should sign up and come to our meetings,” Albert said.

The club meets to discuss current day political issues that are not covered in classes. These discussions, sometimes held as public events called “Brown Bag Discus-

sions,” can help students build relationships with professors and classmates on a different level. Andrew Phillips, the Student Government Association president and a club member, said the club appreciates the interest of students.

Political Science Club President Thomas Schumann cites the club as a way to “learn without homework and test, with faculty and student dialogue as a key aspect of the group.” The club acts as an outlet for members to discuss issues as members of society and not be limited by curriculum, Schumann said.

The club also includes other activities, including regular debates

and an annual trip to Washington, D.C., which features tours of memorials and monuments as well as an inside look at governmental processes in action. In the past, Albert said, students have received chances to meet political leaders from their own area and from elsewhere on these trips.

“It’s not necessarily just for people that are political science majors or minors,” Phillips said. “It can be for people who are just vaguely interested in politics. They’re very inclusive.”

Club activities provide exposure to any Augusta State student or community member to come experience political science, Albert said.

Events are open to everyone and feature ample opportunity to learn about the political process and any other questions a person may have on various political topics. There are also many openings for networking and resume building.

The Political Science Club is excited for the new members and other possibilities the upcoming merger with GHSU will bring. Phillips pointed out that new people will create new opportunities for activities and expansion. The merger will also increase another major feature of the club, which Schumann and Albert agree, is to make new friends.

“After the consolidation, we will have access to that additional body of students,” Schumann said.

“Definitely making friendships with people in the club that are likeminded is definitely the best part of it for me.”

fbrown19@aug.edu

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Therapy CONTINUED from PAGE 1

ing together to make an art show possible at the end of each semester. It will showcase the patient’s artwork and will be a way to see all the artwork the patients have created, McTaggert said.

The music department is right on the heels of the art department in blending the two education systems of the merging universities, and McTaggert said they are currently in the process of proposing a music therapy program.

The proposal process began in August, said Suzan Hall, an assistant professor of music education. When the idea of a music therapy program was sparked from being presented with the opportunity for such a program to work along side a medical school.

“With a dual degree like music therapy degree, half of the degree is in music and half of the degree is in medicine,” Hall said. “It just seemed feasible to utilize this merger where we can have these components done in-house here at ASU, and when we come across clinical needs, they can be met as well.”

With the merger, music therapy seemed to be the next logical step for this department, Crookall said. This will utilize the health sciences university and give the department a chance to work with its new colleagues. It seemed to Crookall as though it was a natural progression.

“Augusta is known for being a large medical area,” Crookall said. “I think that we can really use that to our advantage. We can help make a strong connection with the medical community if we can include music therapy. ” To Hall, this degree is just a natural fit between the two entities, and it demonstrates why collaboration will be so successful with the blending of the two schools, especially since the degree is not just musical or medical but instead an equal balance of the two.

“We are hoping that our art and music departments will be able to put a positive, more humane spin on the necessity of patients’ visits or stays in hospitals,” McTaggert said. “It’s been proven that art, music and positive things brought into the life of people going through these situations can have a positive effect.”

These classes are just the beginning of things to come with the merger. The art department will be hosting lectures at GHSU for faculty and staff. Professors from the art department will lecture on what it means to be an artist, furthering the efforts to combine the schools.

nskinner@aug.edu

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JILLIAN HOBDAY | STAFF

An employee assembles a tofu burrito at Moe’s Southwest Grill, which will be one of several restaurants providing food at the International Festival Thursday, Nov. 15.

By BRITTANY MATTHEWS contributor This year’s International Festival is sure to tempt any passersbye to stop and take a peek.

The ultimate purpose of the festival is to celebrate the global diversity that exists on campus, said Liz Trotter, the coordinator of Special Programs. Another objective is to educate the local and regional communities of the diverse student body at Augusta State University, which contains students from 33 different countries.

“The International Festival used to be held in September, but we partnered with Academic Affairs,” Trotter said. “The Study Abroad Program is running International Education Week so that we can both support each other’s efforts. The

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I did not have to vote Democrat just because I was black.

International Festival is at the end of the week on Thursday. It’s the big festival, the big highlight (of the week).”

Trotter helped arrange the festival’s multitudes of new and entertaining interactive exhibits for participants. A 30-minute Zumba session will be conducted in which both experienced and first timers can partake. Henna tattoos are another new addition to this year’s event and performances, which include belly dancing, Chinese Tai Chi Fan Dance and Brazilian Square Dancing that will take place throughout the day. A third and fourth grade Spanish class from a local school will also be performing.

“We’re having a piñata display this year,” Trotter said. “Anything to bring the little kid out of adults. I know our students will love that.”

Participants can also expect similar activities

as last year’s festival, such as the successful fashion show, Trotter said. Senior communication studies major Isis Nezbeth will emcee the fashion show portion.

“I enjoy just being able to see all the different cultures, their dances and fashion,” Nezbeth said of last year’s festival. “It’s interesting to see exactly what country these cultural practices originate from.

All of the things that we’re attracted to that comes from these different cultures, our school is able to bring it smack dab in the middle of campus.”

A variety of food from Yosko’s, Moe’s and Little Caesar’s will be provided. PF Chang gift cards will be passed out during the “Wonder of the Worlds” activity to see if students can name all seven of them.

In addition to the exhibits and performances, students, clubs and organizations will host booths about their different respective countries, Trotter said. The booths will contain information about the culture and heritage of these students as well as hold fundraisers, such as selling chips and salsa and other various items.

Individual students will also host their own booths, like a Taiwanese booth and another about Albania, amongst many others. These international students will educate their peers about their heritage and cultures at these booths.

“The whole goal is to celebrate the diversity we have here on campus and to educate all of our campus body about our global presence right here in Augusta,” Trotter said. “If you’re just walking by, you can just grab stuff and go, so it’s very easy to just swing by.”

Augusta State will host its annual International Festival Thursday at the D. Douglas Barnard Amphitheatre between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The event is free to all; however, donations to the clubs and organizations are encouraged.

The mystery behind the balconies in Allgood Hall

CONTINUED from PAGE 1

“

International Festival to unite cultures on campus and celebrate diversity

”

- Demetrius Minor

tance of having a two-parent household, they would agree with you.”

In addition, the African-American community values education to help poor kids get ahead, Minor said, and those who are very religious and spiritual agree with the conservative social values. The key to winning their votes is by talking to them and trying to meet their needs. He also said a mistake would be to overlook people because of the assumption that they might automatically vote Democrat.

Some African-American conservatives said people have a certain image of a conservative. Brandon Rose, a junior political science and history major at Augusta State University, said people usually think of a conservative as being a Caucasian, whitecollar businessman. But Rose said he shares the same values as conservatives, including faith, family and government.

This year, after a political science class called American Presidency, Rose said he learned to be more objective when it came to voting and to try to be nonpartisan. Rose also said the class taught him to investigate more about the facts and not just blurbs or sound bites heard in the media. Rose said the reaction to him being a conservative has been in the middle.

“I would say (reaction) has been mixed,” Rose said. “There are those I have met who have been outright ignorant in some of the comments they made or stated in an African-American being conservative. Speaking to people like my grandfather, who has been a conservative most of his life, he has been one I look to for advice.”

Right now, Minor said the Republicans must regroup after Mitt Romney’s loss to President Obama and the Democrats maintaining the majority in the Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Although he said he is not happy with the results, Minor said the Republican Party should take this time to change strategies and its approach; the party must do a better job of reaching out to African-Americans and Hispanics. Minor also said the party must also build a strong coalition with young voters. Since President Bush’s reelection in 2004, Minor said the percentage of Hispanic voters has decreased dramatically.

Minor said the party must talk about immigration in a positive way while also dealing with the issues, such as national security and job growth, that can be appealing to Hispanic voters. He said it is the perfect time to talk to African-American voters because the election is over and they should acknowledge taking their vote for granted.

Minor said there are new conservatives who can make that change happen.

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SGA CONTINUED from PAGE 1

he doubted that syncing GHSU’s and Augusta State’s calendars would be an easy task, but the junior political science and Spanish major expressed hope that the resolution would be taken into account by those organizing the new university’s schedule. He also said eliminating Fall Pause might irritate students who are already upset over the new university’s name and the merger as a whole. “(Getting rid of) it would look even more negative,” Lugo said.

“You know, here’s one more thing ASU has to get rid of or has to comply with something of theirs.”

The resolution, which passed

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with only one senator voting against it, requests that Fall Pause be included in the schedule as an incentive for students to “study more efficiently and perform better on their midterm exams” with the knowledge of the upcoming break. White said he has received positive responses to the resolution, both from fellow senators and the student body as a whole.

Daniel Porter, a junior history major and a senator for the College of Education, said he was equally optimistic about the resolution’s efficacy.

“Now that we got this passed, they know that the students want it,” Porter said. “So they’ll take that into consideration when they’re putting the calendar together.”

kbeeson1@aug.edu

Radio CONTINUED from PAGE 2

issues and (it) played music that we listen to, I definitely would listen and want to be a part of it.

I would probably listen in my car on the way to school or try to find an app for it.”

The general consensus, along with Hatcher and Demetrius Lowery, a junior business administration major and student government senator, seems to be that if students are made aware with extensive promotion of something happening on campus, they show interest in matters that consider their wants and desires.

“I’m not sure how popular radio is these days, but if it is something for or about students you will

get support and interest,” Lowery said. “Students are keen to things that involve them.”

Plenty of colleges across the nation have college radio programs operated primarily by students and devoted to student affairs, music and programming, Stachura said.

The upcoming merger may provide leeway for the GPB radio program and station to expand and with enough student support, possibly a college radio portion of that as well, she said.

“The new university has an interest in seeing the radio program reinvigorated,” Stachura said. “If we get students to listen to student-produced programming, we have a better chance of seeing something take off.”

achapma4@aug.edu

Women’s self-defense class teaches more than moves

By ASHLEY TRAWICK contributor Kick, punch, block and say no.

Rape Aggression Defense Systems, a women’s self-defense class offered by the Augusta State University’s Department of Public Safety, offers young women a chance to learn basic self-defense skills to use when facing a possibly harmful situation.

R.A.D. allows women to engage in different confrontational scenarios to teach them what to do to prevent sexual assault from happening, said Jeffrey Lord, a public safety officer at Augusta State and the main instructor of R.A.D. During the sessions, women discuss sexual violence and learn how to handle themselves using basic hands-on defense techniques.

“I just want women to take a sense of awareness of what’s going on around them,” Lord said. “I want to give them confidence and give them different opportunities to be able to get away from any kind of dangerous situation they may be in.”

Lawrence Nadeau started R.A.D. in the early ’90s. His objective was to give people an opportunity to defend themselves, Lord said.

ASHLEY TRAWICK | CONTRIBUTOR

Public Safety Officer John Pritchett blocks a punch from a student during the women’s Rape Agression Defense Systems class.

“Nadeau wanted to give (people) a sense of awareness of what’s going on around them,” Lord said.

“Now, the chances of something happening are not great (on campus)… But you can take these skills anywhere.”

While R.A.D. instructors do not teach women how to earn black belts in karate, the class gives each person a basic understanding of some self-defense moves, Lord said.

“The self-defense moves will give them the opportunity to get away from the threat, and that’s what we want to get across,” he said. “As a student is going to class,

we’re not telling you to stand there and keep fighting. We want to give you the opportunity to create space and get away from the threat.”

Grace Waters, a junior communications major, took the class last fall and said she thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I loved the education that it provided in the art of physical defense,” Waters said. “It was done in (a) safe and constructive environment by people who were trained to teach us these valuable life skills. I felt satisfied with the training at the level they were able to give because they were only able to give it to a

certain level because of university restrictions.”

Waters jokingly said the most valuable lesson she learned was learning how to beat the crap out of somebody and suggests that young women take the course.

“It taught me in a safe environment specific physical movements that I would need to make in order to potentially defend myself against someone else,” she said. “And it did it in (a) constructive way that I felt confident practicing those physical movements so that they became more part of my muscle memory.”

Lord said the class has received positive feedback from other previous attendees, like Waters, and he has continued to incorporate it in the next classes. The class is only offered once a semester, but Lord said they are trying to expand that.

“The problem is that students have so much on their plate with exams and finals,” he said. “We’re even looking at Saturday courses to give some people the opportunity to get in. The only problem with that is everyone has events in the fall, so it’s not as easy for people to be there every day. We need you to be there from start to finish.”

atrawick@aug.edu

PAGE 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012 www.asubellringer.com

the opinion page editorial Don’t leave us in the dark Far too often, students on campus past dusk are forced to trudge back to their vehicles with no light to guide the way.

Perhaps this is just a measure to conserve energy on campus, but we at The Bell Ringer think the idea is simply an ill-advised measure.

Think about it. By making our students, faculty and staff brave dark parking lots, we are, in a sense, jeopardizing their safety. And while Augusta State University’s Walton Way campus is entirely surrounded by the well-to-do neighborhood of Summerville, we can never be too careful when it comes to campus security.

But the aim of this editorial isn’t to call into question the ability of Public Safety to protect us. In fact, we think it does just fine in that department. Instead, we ask the university to find other means of lowering energy costs while addressing the dark-parking-lot issue immediately. Limiting our energy consumption to $1 per square foot may seem like a lofty goal, but it is possible.

The Bell Ringer ran an article in the Oct. 16 issue detailing some of the measures Augusta State is taking to shrink its carbon footprint. In the article, we reported that the university conserves power by cutting off air conditioners and water heaters when the buildings aren’t in use; both of these ideas work as they don’t harm anyone in any way.

But why stop at that? For instance, instead of overcompensating for the temperature outside of the buildings on weekdays, why don’t we try to moderately heat or cool them?

There is no reason for the buildings to be above 80 degrees when it is only 55 degrees outside; 70 degrees is warm enough. Alternatively, the

temperature does not need to be below 50 degrees when it is 80 or above outside. We rarely deal with extreme temperatures because, after all, we are in Georgia.

And while we are on the topic of heating and cooling, perhaps the university could look into better insulating the older buildings like Payne Hall, Bellevue Hall and Washington Hall. Payne Hall, for example, seems to have an air conditioning window unit in every single window. Not only could this drive up the university’s electrical bill, it is also a highly inefficient method of cooling a room.

While we recognize that the university is trying to save us money in the long run, we insist that some costs are necessary, namely, the continued lighting of our parking lots after hours and the constant maintenance of the Code Blue Emergency telephones.

In an article that appeared in the Oct. 2 issue of The Bell Ringer, Chief Reporter Ron Hickerson reported that Public Safety is having issues keeping the emergency telephones operational due to equipment malfunctions.

If the university is to continue leaving the parking lots in the dark, then we cannot afford to have nonoperational emergency phones.

While it may be a simple solution to just leave the faulty phones shut down, we are once again putting our students at risk.

As noble an endeavor as conserving power may be, we can’t just assume our safety. The way we see it, the university only has two options: Leave the parking lot lights on or fix and maintain the emergency phones.

Whatever the university decides to do, don’t leave us, the students, in the dark.

Letter to the Editor JagSwag does not endorse alcohol at tailgating

Dear Editor, My name is Chris Nabholz, and I am the president and founder of the organization JagSwag. I am writing in regards to the Oct. 30 article about JagSwag titled “JagSwag plans to branch out” because there were misunderstandings about what we are doing this year.

First of all, I want to give all the credit to Josh Dillard for coining the name “JagSwag.” Josh is a senior here at Augusta State University and has been with JagSwag from the very beginning. I say this because the organization’s name was not just given to us but thought of by one of our very own students.

Second, I do not believe that JagSwag will be one of the last remnants of Augusta State after the merger. JagSwag is an organization just like any other organization or club on campus. In fact, no organization or club will take a beating after the merger; they will get bigger and better!

Third of all, JagSwag is not actually in charge of game themes. An executive board that consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, Greek Liaisons and a secretary all create theme ideas. However, the theme is finalized and planned by two staff members: Leza Witherington, who is the spirit coor-

editorial policy Letters to the editor must be accompanied by the author’s email address. All columns and letters to the editor are the opinion of the author.

The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily express those of The Bell Ringer, a designated public forum.

Anything submitted to The Bell Ringer is open to be edited or rejected. However, The Bell Ringer staff gives all opinions a fair chance to be heard.

All letters will be edited for grammar and style.

If you would like to contribute a column or a letter to the editor, send an email to: bellringerproduction@gmail.com

dinator and cheerleading coach, and Joey Warren, who is the director of athletic media relations and the advisor of JagSwag.

Finally, we need to clarify JagSwag’s stance on tailgaiting this basketball season. Yes, we will have awesome tailgates this year with tons of music and tons of opportunities for anybody to come and set up.

Most tailgates will be all-day events since the Georgia College and State, Montevallo and USC Aiken games are on a Saturday, MLK day and the last day before break, respectively. However, we DO NOT PROMISE ALCOHOL! That policy is up to the administration of the university. Personally, I think that would be a great idea because attendance could potentially triple this season, and GHSU students will want to come to games! But, this is not JagSwag’s promise nor will it be JagSwag who makes it possible to drink alcohol while tailgating.

Sincerely, Chris Nabholz President of JagSwag cnabholz@aug.edu

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Keep up with Jaguar sports online at: www.asubellringer.com

The speed bump between Halloween and Christmas “Out of all of the holidays, I feel Thanksgiving gets the least attention.”

KARL FRAZIER senior reporter kfrazie9@aug.edu Now that we have reached the month of November, Thanksgiving is only weeks away. But, it does not seem to garner much attention from a large group of people.

Last month, we had the ever-popular Halloween, where kids dress up in costumes and go from door-to-door saying “trick or treat.” As I grow older, I begin to realize how big Halloween is because by the end of September, stores, such as Target and WalMart, pack multiple aisles with a variety of costumes and unlimited bags of candy.

Eventually, I began to realize that Halloween was not that much of a holiday. Instead, it’s just a special day that children love to participate in.

After October, I would expect stores to start putting up material to be bought and used during the Thanksgiving holidays.

However, I start to see Christmas trees being sold in warehouse stores, Santa Claus being put on billboards and Christmasthemed music being played everywhere. At this point, I begin to wonder why Thanksgiving is treated like it never existed.

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and appreciate all of the good things that have happened to you during the past year.

It is a time when families come together and celebrate with one another. I enjoy the calm atmosphere that Thanksgiving brings every year. But, those are not the only reasons I

enjoy the November holiday.

Like anyone else, I love all of the food I get to eat during that time. I know for the next week I won’t have to ask my mom what is there to eat in the house. I can just go to the refrigerator and pick out whatever food I desire. To top it off, my mom makes my favorite dessert: sweet potato pie.

While waiting on the food, I will watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with my dad and siblings. By the afternoon, I get ready for the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys to play whoever their respective opponents are. The culmination of all of these little things make Thanksgiving a special holiday to me.

Out of all of the holidays, I feel Thanksgiving gets the least attention. If you look at holidays like New Year’s, Fourth of July or Labor Day, people talk and plan for these days weeks ahead of time, discussing who is going to fire up the grill or which parade or bowl game do I want to see on Jan. 1?

Of course the biggest holiday of them all is Christmas. The days and nights grow colder, and I began to see houses lit up with Christmas lights and decorations.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the Christmas season as much as the next person. But I feel that Thanksgiving is just as important as Christmas. Remember, there is always something to be thankful for.

Camping: The perfect getaway “I really love camping because it’s the perfect getaway from all the stresses of my daily life.”

RON HICKERSON chief reporter rhickers@aug.edu This weekend I’m doing one of my favorite fall activities: camping.

I’ve spent the whole week planning what to bring on this camping trip and wishing that I was already in the woods of Mistletoe State Park surrounded by nothing but the silence that comes from being in the middle of nowhere.

To me, fall means camping. It’s the perfect time of the year to get together with friends, sit around a fire, smoke pipes and tell stories. Nothing beats the atmosphere – the smell of the campfire, the crunch of leaves underfoot and the sizzle of hotdogs cooked over an open flame.

I think my love for camping stems from my childhood. My father was the quintessential outdoorsman. Every summer and fall, we would spend at least a week camping in the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, albeit in a pop-up camper because that was the only way he could get my mom to go along. There, I must have picked up his love for the outdoors.

Although I don’t spend as much time in the woods as he did, I always jump at the opportunity to go on a camping trip with friends, and when they announced a men-only-18-or-older camping trip, I was all in. The fact that it was being held during the fall was an added bonus because, despite what people tell you, summer camping in Georgia is never pleasant. Now, it’s actually cold enough to keep the group around a fire.

I really love camping because it’s

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the perfect getaway from all the stresses of my daily life. I can understand why Teddy Roosevelt used to get away from the White House over the weekends to go live in the woods for a couple of days. I don’t have to think about my plans for the next day or what I should be doing to coordinate them because, in the woods, there’s nothing I can do about them. I have little contact with the outside world.

I can’t bring my laptop and obsess over my email, waiting for a source to send me a message. I can barely rely on my cell phone because I get poor service.

It’s just me, my friends and the critters around us.

I also love camping trips because, there, you really get to know the people you’re camping with. Without the distractions of smart-phone technology, TV and movies, the only real forms of entertainment on a camping trip are cards, board games and, my favorite, storytelling. Entertainment is in telling and hearing stories, funny or otherwise, that I really get to know the person sitting next to me at the campfire. I can’t tell you how many friendships I have that were forged alongside the flames of the campfire.

For these reasons, I look forward to driving out to the middle of nowhere, setting up a tent and sleeping on the ground.

The relaxation and getting to know more about my friends is worth the sore back I have the next morning and the faintly sweet-and-sour scent of smoke on my clothes.

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have an opinion on things at ASU? if so, email us at bellringerproduction@gmail.com

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PAGE 5 www.asubellringer.com

ARTS & LIFE

The battle to win Guitar Pull tickets rages on

By NIKKI SKINNER staff writer

F

ans lined up before the set list was even announced for the CSRA’s biggest concert event of

the year.

Augusta, Ga., will be hosting the 14th annual Guitar Pull this year at the James Brown Arena. The event will take place Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Taking the stage this year will be country music artists Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Bryce, Little Big Town and American Idol star Lauren Alaina.

The radio station WKXC kicks99 began its slow fan-torturing process Thursday, Sept. 13 of announcing who the performers would be for this year’s event, with public ticket sales beginning Saturday, Sept. 15. Tickets were available at the James Brown Arena.

Kevin Taylor, a senior criminal justice major, got in line Wednesday before the set list was announced.

He didn’t camp out like many of the fans; instead he and his friends took turns standing in line.

This event has grown so much in popularity that there were people lined up 3 to 4 days before the tickets went on sale, said Bryan Alexson, the host of the WB show on WKXC kicks99. These fans set up tents and camped out. The arena did all they

NIKKI SKINNER | STAFF

Pamela Hewitt, 43, of Augusta, Ga., and her son P.J. Hewitt, 15, put their names in the drawing at the Sheppard Community Blood Center pitstop in hopes of winning tickets to the Guitar Pull.

could to make purchasing tickets as fair as possible for those waiting in line.

“While we waited in line we were still able to leave,” Taylor said.

“They handed each person in line a raffle ticket, and every few hours they would come through and check to see that the person holding the ticket

was 16 and the numbers were in the correct order and (give) out tickets to those who had just arrived.”

These tickets are in high demand and harder to get a hold of than Masters tickets. Unlike the Masters, the Guitar Pull is only a one-day event, and there are only a small number of tickets sold for this event, Alexson

Local man really knows Jack

The missing history of the arsenal

A

REBECCA PERBETSKY | CONTRIBUTOR

A barrel of Jack Daniel’s holds bottles and belt buckles with the logo.

following,” said Brian Eathel, the store manager of Augusta Liquors. “The following of Jack Daniel’s is very similar to that of Harley Davidson and Coke. It is one of the big collectors’ items because it is simply a big brand and a big name that is known around the world.”

Although Augusta Liquors is only a liquor store and it does not sell collectors’ items, Jack Daniel’s has found a way to have collectables available in stores like this one.

“Every year during the holidays, Jack Daniel’s releases a limited edition Holiday Select bottle,” Eathel said. “These bottles are so popular that we end up selling out just as fast as we get them in stock because all types of people collect them, but most collectors are looking for manufacturers’ signs and statues that we just don’t carry in the store.”

Jack Daniel’s memorabilia isn’t the only thing Isdell collects.

Along with his Jack Daniel’s collection, he also has a collection of Coke memorabilia, as well as Happy Meal toys, Hot Wheels, coins and dollar bills, which are signed by various celebrities, and

nskinner@aug.edu

Forgotten but not lost: Chronicling Augusta State’s history

By REBECCA PERBETSKY contributor llen Isdell isn’t your typical 51-year-old with a hobby. In fact, he has taken his collection and turned it into a piece of his life.

Isdell’s collecting began during his high school years, and at the age of 17, he began his most prized collection.

“I was 17 and hooked on Hank and all his rowdy friends,” Isdell said. “Jack and Coke were the drink of choice, and it’s what Hank drank!”

It was not until Isdell went to a Hank Williams Jr. concert that his love for Hank ended up turning into a love for all things Jack Daniel’s.

“I had purchased a cowboy hat with a Jack Daniel’s bottle pin on it,” Isdell said.

It was then, he said, that the collecting began.

Isdell finds pieces for his collection in all kinds of places from bars to flea markets to yard sales, and over the years, Isdell’s collection has grown from just that one hat into a collection that currently has 547 pieces, which range anywhere in price from $5 to $1,200.

“The most expensive piece I have bought is the Oak barrel table and chair set,” Isdell said.

But his favorite pieces in the collection are the two guitar picks that he bought for $5.

“They are white with Jack Old No. 7 on one side and on the other side blank,” Isdell said.

“Ready for the rest of the story?

One is signed by the man himself, Hank Williams Jr., and the other one is signed by Charlie Daniels!”

As a result of the worldwide popularity of Hank Williams Jr. and Charlie Daniels, Jack Daniel’s has become recognizable just about anywhere you go.

“Jack Daniel’s has a large

said.

“I felt bad (because) there were those people who got in line Friday at noon and waited all night, but by the time it was their turn to purchase tickets, they were sold out,” said Taylor.

The event began in 1999 and has grown. Because of the concert’s increase in size over the years it has

moved to several different venues, Alexson said. He said this year’s event is so popular that it is in James Brown Arena again.

Event planning doesn’t happen overnight. The process began back in February when everyone started talking, said Mitch Vaughn, the owner of Kackleberry Farms, which is a sponsor of the event. By June or July, all the details have been worked out.

“We begin putting the word out to our friends and reps in Nashville, (Tenn.),” Alexson said. “Sometimes we start promoting as soon as one show is over, trying to get everything started. We have had some cases where an artist will request ahead of time to be part of an upcoming event.”

Guitar Pull is a charity event, with all the proceeds going to the Local United Way charity. It is one of the single largest donations the organization receives, Alexson said.

“Being a part of such a great event is gratifying,” Vaughn said.

“Knowing that we are a part of something so big while at the same time being able to give back makes it most enjoyable.”

Although the tickets for this event are sold out, there are still ways to win tickets. Fans are urged to listen daily to WKXC kicks99 for the cue to call or stop by any of the remaining pit stops to enter their name in for a chance to win.

his newest collection of dogs and dog-related items.

The estimated worth of Isdell’s collection is much more than he would want anyone to know; however, his children said he spends too much money on his collectables.

“My kids think I’m a hoarder,” Isdell said.

Yet his children’s opinions don’t matter to him, and he isn’t selling any of the items from any of his collections.

“It’s an extension of who I am and where I’ve been,” Isdell said. “You can’t put a price on that.”

No matter what his children think about his collections, Isdell said collecting is a part of him, but it also stems from other reasons too.

“The thing about collecting probably stems from the availability of things a person has access to that they think are collectable,” Isdell said. “I like to call it availability of collectable things or AOCT. I like to think it stands for Allen’s Obsessive Compulsive Things!”

rperbets@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTED BY THE AUGUSTA STATE ARCHAEOLOGY LAB

In observance of Army Week, April 6-12, 1947, the Augusta Arsenal employees recognized the fallen soldiers who worked at the arsenal during peacetime. According to a press release by the Augusta Arsenal’s public relations office, the monument was a brass tablet inscribed with the names of the former arsenal employees. The monument stood in front of the Post Headquarters where the ground was officially designated as the “Memorial Triangle.” Today, the monument is missing, with its only proof of existence being the press release from the public relations office of the Augusta Arsenal and two photos from Augusta State’s archaeology lab.

Quidditch flies into town

By BRENNAN MEAGHER contributor

H

arry Potter fans may be excited to learn that quidditch will soon be soaring into town. In March 2013, Augusta, Ga., will host the Southern Regional Quidditch Championship.

Quidditch, a sport invented by J.K. Rowling for her Harry Potter novels, has gained popularity on both high school and university campuses alike. For those unfamiliar with the sport, quidditch can best be compared to dodgeball. The game consists of two teams of seven players each, with the ultimate objective of scoring goals and capturing the snitch.

CEO of the International Quidditch Association Alex Benepe urged people to not “judge a book by its cover” and said he believed that quid-

ditch is a game for anyone and everyone.

“Quidditch is popular among athletes who have tried other sports but are looking for something new and dynamic,” Benepe said. “It’s a social sport. Men and women travel and train together. People from different athletic backgrounds can play together. There is also an element of creativity and entrepreneurship. Try playing or watching before you judge.

It’s something you have to see to believe.”

Selathia Chestnut, a freshman business major, started a quidditch club with some friends at her high school in Virginia and said she is thinking about the possibility of starting up a league at Augusta State University.

“The series is over now, but quidditch is a way for Harry Potter to live on in our lives,” Chestnut said. “I’m see QUIDDITCH on PAGE 8

New owner revitalizes local bar in hope of attracting younger crowd

By MEGAN STEWART contributor

N

ew management at Helga’s Pub and Grille is hoping to breathe new life into one of the city’s long-standing establishments.

The bar has been located on Central Avenue in Augusta, Ga., since the late 1970s, but the idea of bringing a younger audience into the location recently came to the new owner, Bryan Connor.

The former law student decided to change his life’s direction and began looking for a bar in the area. Nearly a year ago, his broker found out and informed him that Helga’s was on the market. Connor said he began to check out the atmosphere of the location and the customers, even getting to know the former owners on weekly visits to the bar. Once Connor realized he

liked the area, he and the owners agreed upon purchase price, and the work to start creating the place according to Connor’s standards began.

Once Connor purchased the bar, he said he had a lot of work ahead of him.

“Physical changes were made when coming in and ripping up the original carpet from 1978 (to taking out the trellis in the middle of the bar),” Connor stated. “We spent about 77 hours in the kitchen cleaning and sanitizing it.”

Connor said he left a lot of the décor as the original signs but limited clutter.

Some other new things brought to the bar are in its pricing and food. He also employed one of his good friends, Ryan Alford, as the cook in the kitchen. Alford is a former executive chef and has decided to come into the kitchen to help rework the menu and bring in some innovative ideas.

“We are going to have new wings in gen-

eral, different recipes for the sauces, hand-seasoned fresh burgers and house-made nachos,” Alford explained. “We can bring in all different kinds of sandwich specials as well.”

On top of that, Connor said he will also maintain helping out where it is needed, as the old owners often did.

Drink prices have also changed and lowered significantly, Connor said.

“We went from $8 shots of Crown to a new happy hour that is probably the longest in Augusta,” he said.

His menu consists overall of more than 60 types of bottled beer and more than 30 types of draft, Connor said.

“Whenever I expand, if I have it my way, I would have it similar to Pizza Joint,” he said.

“In a year, I would like to have another bar. I would also like to have the sidewall out with seethrough garage doors and an outdoor venue and

maybe even an outside pit.”

The question still remains as to whether Helga’s will remain the name of the bar. Connor said he has had the idea of asking around to the customers to see how they felt about the name changing.

“It’s a debate because I would want to have my last name and have a true Irish bar in Augusta like O’Connor’s,” Connor said.

Bar patrons enjoy the specials that are held throughout the week and keep business flowing.

“I love it there,” said Cleo Andrews, a frequent patron of Helga’s. “The trivia is fun, and they have the best cheese burgers around. The staff is also really cool and does their part to make sure you’re having a good time.”

mstewar7@aug.edu

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012

PAGE 6 www.asubellringer.com

Dancer brings holiday cheer

CONTRIBUTED BY SUSAN KENYON

Elizabeth Kenyon dances with Matthew Conway during last year’s Nutcracker.

By HALEY BOURNE contributor

I

t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

For many ballet dancers in the area, preparations for the timeless Christmas production, The Nutcracker, are underway in the CSRA. Different dance companies add their own flair to E.T.A. Hoffman’s story to make The Nutcracker an original piece of their repertoire. It is a rare occasion for a dancer to have performed in different versions of this story. There is always a rigorous amount of rehearsal time for this production, which makes many dancers sick of hearing the music.

Elizabeth Kenyon is not one of these dancers. Kenyon, a 19-year-old freshman art major, first began dancing when she was 3 years old. Her parents signed her up for dance lessons because they felt she was a clumsy toddler.

She graduated from Evans High School and grew up dancing for the Columbia County Ballet as a member of the senior performing company. As a member of Columbia County Bal-

let, Kenyon said she danced in three major productions each school year.

The Nutcracker is always a staple production of the company’s season schedule.

Kenyon said she thoroughly enjoys preparations for this particular ballet because of the rich tradition behind the ballet’s story. She loves how the cast and company come together as a family to put on a show about a Christmas tradition that families have enjoyed for many years.

During her company tenure in The Nutcracker, she performed two of the ballet’s biggest roles: Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

“My favorite role was Clara,” Kenyon said. “Clara was my first ‘big’ role at CCB, so it was pretty exciting!

I also loved how Clara incorporated a lot of acting into the choreography. It was the most fun to perform.”

Columbia County Ballet senior company instructor Jessica Carroll said the opportunity to dance two of the most well-known roles in ballet is a major accomplishment.

“Being cast in both of these challenging roles is a true test of a dancer’s character,” Carroll said. “Elizabeth has mastered the art of combining technique, talent and passion for dance.”

Around Town

Carroll taught Kenyon during her high school dance career. Carroll said she still remembers Kenyon’s ability to capture an audience when she walked onstage.

“I still remember some of her biggest performances,” Carroll said.

“Elizabeth is a beautiful dancer with endless potential.”

This year, Kenyon will perform in Dance Augusta’s Nutcracker production. She will perform multiple roles, including Bo Peep, Spanish Lead, Snow, Waltz Demi-Soloist and a Party Scene Mother. The preparations for this production have been overwhelming because of the number of roles Kenyon has been cast in. However, Kenyon said she has enjoyed taking on this new traditional version of a well-known performance. She added that she has enjoyed rehearsing and preparing for Bo Peep particularly because of the adorable and humorous choreography.

Between the preparations for this production, as well as going through her first year of college, it is sometimes difficult to find motivation to go to classes and rehearsals. However, Kenyon does not let her crammed schedule of school work and dance classes to get in the way of being a normal college student. She said she owes it to the respect she holds for her instructors and her fellow company members to keep her motivated in the studio.

“I hold my directors-instructors and company members in the highest regards,” Kenyon said. “I have made a commitment to them to be my absolute best in everything I do while I am at the studio. This commitment is what keeps me motivated.”

Besides ballet, Kenyon said she considers photography her other life passion. Her art degree is focused on photography and printmaking, and she hopes to own a photography studio one day.

Dance Augusta’s Nutcracker takes place Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 23-25, at the Imperial Theater.

Art students deserve respect, too

By NIKKI SKINNER staff writer

N

othing bothers me more than students who talk about art majors as if they are the slackers of the college world.

It is as though people think that a degree in art is not a sufficient degree. Currently, schools are removing art classes and music programs from high school curricula.

This keeps the students from being able to develop their artistic skills before college.

I used to be one of those people who did not understand how much work this degree takes. I recently added my second major in photography and printmaking, and I have a new found respect for art majors.

Working toward a degree in art is much harder than people think. It takes a lot of time and requires a good back bone.

Many of the art classes offered are two and a half hours long. Then the professors require you to spend four to six hours outside of class working in the studio. Even then, that does not mean that will be enough time to produce a successful piece of work. There have been times I have put in well over that amount to produce a piece that still wasn’t

where I wanted it to be by the time it was due. Art is unpredictable, and you never know how much time something will take until you get started. While producing a piece, plans can change or evolve.

I have also been in art classes with nursing majors who decided to take an art class as an “easy” elective. They were shocked to find the course was not going to be as “easy” as they thought it was going to be. This is because they do not realize how much time the class is going to take. They can’t just come to class and expect to have a piece of artwork by the time the class is over. It takes a lot of time outside of class as well.

Art students are nothing if not dedicated. You can find them on campus at all hours of the day in the photo lab developing rolls of film or in the ceramics lab throwing two hundred bowls. These students realize what it takes to be successful and are willing to go the extra mile.

It would be great if people could appreciate their hard work. Instead they are just sitting back ready to judge.

As artists, we are taught to prepare for this. We try to take in all the negative criticism and use it as fuel to help us produce better work.

nskinner@aug.edu

hbourne @aug.edu

Assistant professor’s creativity comes to life in seven-act play

By RON HICKERSON chief reporter

S

tudents and faculty gathered together to take their peers through a theatrical journey earlier this month.

Thursday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 4, the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre housed “Theatrical Magic: An Evening of One-Act Plays.” The show consisted of seven plays written by Rick Davis, an assistant professor and the assistant chair of the Department of Communications and Professional Writing, that were directed by him and parttime faculty member Melanie O’Meara.

Davis said the whole process began when Pamela Hayward, the department’s chair, asked him to put on a show compiling a few of his plays.

“I’ve never met a playwright who wouldn’t sell his own mama to get produced, so you didn’t have to ask me twice,” he said.

So upon production, Davis had the difficult task of choosing which plays he would produce, eventually settling on seven of his plays. He said the plays he chose ranged in age from very recent - one being finished a week before the show - to one that is 7 years old.

CONTRIBUTED BY SHANNON KING

Lylli Cain, playing Theatre, appeals to the audience with the rest of the cast during dress rehearsal.

“They’re plays that represent the last seven or eight years of my writing life, and it’s not all that I’ve done in those years, but those are seven that I kind of like,” he said.

“They’ve all been produced elsewhere.”

Davis said two of the plays he chose to produce, “Amid Canyons and Mesas” and “96 Layers of Concrete, Furniture, and Air,”

portrayed the question of what is real and what is not – a common theme in his work.

“It’s difficult sometimes to accept the reality when it seems like a nightmare, I guess that’s why,” said Davis, explaining why this theme shows up so much in his work. “And I think also submerged under all of that is that love is a kind of a saving grace. It’s there.

Whatever else happens, if you can hang onto some significant other in a meaningful way, that’s almost a barricade from the chaos around you and gives you a place to stand.”

After choosing the plays, Davis, along with O’Meara, began holding auditions for students in order to build a cast and start rehearsing. O’Meara said for the 20 roles they had available in the show, they had 64 students come and audition, which gave them a lot of room to work with. Working with the students allowed them to help the students grow into their characters, which was, to Davis, one of the most rewarding aspects of the production.

O’Meara agreed.

“There were a lot of really talented students that we were able to work with, and there were some students that I worked with that did not have much experience,” she said.

“To me, that’s always an exciting obstacle in terms of having people who are experienced and those who want to be more experienced and giving them that opportunity to be in a show. I feel like that is really good for people who are interested, and so they’re experienced and the love just keeps getting spread around. “ While this is only her first semester teaching at Augusta State University, O’Meara see ACT on PAGE 8

Student organization provides artistic outlet for “mad potters”

By DANIELLE FRANCISCO contributor

T

he Mad Potters Organization may be just one of many campus clubs, but according to its members, it’s a tight-knit family of artists and creative types.

Faculty advisor Raoul Pacheco said the MPO is a “collective of claycentric and clay enthusiasts,” with varying degrees of artistic talent.

There’s a place for anyone interested in participating, even the novice artist.

Pacheco explained why the art form remains so popular.

“Historically, clay has a lot of function and purpose in culture as far as eating utensils and tools for survival,” he said. “Now it has gone from function to an expressive art form.

You see everything in ceramics from sculptures to pottery.”

MPO is open to any student that has completed or is currently enrolled in a ceramics class. And unlike many of the other organizations on campus, there is no membership fee aside from tuition.

“This is a great organization for anyone generally interested in ceramics as an art form,” Pacheco said.

“What other class can you go to on campus and just get dirty and covered

in mud?”

Pacheco emphasized that the class is fun for everyone.

“I think every student will come out feeling satisfied with at least one project,” he said. “They have something to build confidence on and feel good about themselves that I made this object.”

His sentiments were shared by several of the students.

“We get a lot of people who have to take an extracurricular and decide that pottery is really cool,” said Hannah Schelb, a post-baccalaureate general art major.

The organization is currently interested in growth and expansion and is considering activities such as a silent auction and partnering with the Student Art Association to host joint events. Pacheco said the organization’s events consist of field trips, visiting artists, meetings downtown and an annual pottery sale.

The pottery sale, which will be held Nov. 28-30 on the lawn between University Hall and the Jaguar Student Activity Center (JSAC), has become its signature event. This is when the members get to engage their fellow students and show off their hard work. It’s also a good fundraiser.

There is a 10 percent commission that goes back into MPO, but the artists keep 90 percent of all proceeds. It’s a great event for students who want

Jonna

Hundley

throws

on

the

wheel

to own a piece of original art, and the prices are student-friendly, Pacheco said.

MPO has been on campus since the mid-1990s and has no trouble attracting students. Yet many on campus are unaware of the organizations existence. Pacheco said this is partly

DANIELLE FRANCISCO | CONTRIBUTOR

during

a

ceramics

session.

due to the ceramics studio’s location on the outskirts of the campus in one of the brick buildings near Public Safety.

“We’re very secular here, as opposed to a lot of the other clubs on campus, so it’s good to do the pottery sale because that’s when a lot of stu-

dents learn about us,” said Shannon Smith, a junior art major.

The MPO is the home away from home for many of the members, and Pacheco seems to have a place in his heart for the students as well as the art form. Schelb and Smith both said they sometimes spend the night at the studio, where they have their own space.

“We help each other out, and there’s a lot of demonstration,” Smith said. “It’s very communal.”

There’s a lot more than pure art that goes into ceramics. Schelb said there’s a science to making the glazes.

There are many different firing techniques and reduction processes, and some of the methods can be rather labor-intensive.

“If you’re a chemistry major, we could really use you,” Schelb said.

“There’s just a lot to the process that people don’t know about.”

An added benefit for students is the networking aspect. The organization provides many opportunities for networking with visiting artists as well as those in the Augusta community. Pacheco said there’s also an emphasis on teaching the members how to survive and make money as artists after college, which they seem to really appreciate.

dfranci6@aug.edu

THE BELL RINGER

PAGE 7 www.asubellringer.com

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PAGE 8 www.asubellringer.com

Downtown market promotes goods and services

By RON HICKERSON chief reporter

O

n Saturdays, people flock to the entrance of the Augusta Riverwalk where vendors stand in their tents ready to sell crafts, produce and food.

The Augusta Market has been a gathering place for local farmers and businesses to display their wares to native Augustans as well as visitors to the Augusta, Ga., area. Brooke Buxton, the market director, said the market was started nine years ago but has exploded in growth since 2009, when the Downtown Developmental Authority transferred the event to the private sector. The DDA still remains a prominent sponsor of the event.

With an increasing awareness to buy local products, the market continues to meet that need as people come in droves to browse the stands to buy vegetables, bread, coffee and so much more.

“It’s fun, it’s consistent (and) it’s local producers,” she said. “We’ve got ethnic foods. You can always expect the unexpected at the market.”

Buxton said the people who come generally know who’s local and independent, and a lot of them will come to support the business. She said her ultimate goal was to help and support local en-

trepreneurs to become successful, saying that a number of the vendors at the market got their starts at the event and have expanded to their own locations, but they still come to honor their roots and sell their products under the tent.

“My goal is to see entrepreneurs be successful and experimental with their ideas,” she said.

Buxton said she got involved with the Augusta market three years ago after moving back to Augusta from New Orleans. She recalled all of the events that happened in the French Quarter every night, and she just wanted to bring the same kind of atmosphere to Augusta, improving its riverfront.

“I went to the market (in New Orleans) all the time,” the market director said. “So when I moved back here, I wanted to do the best I could to improve our market.”

So the biggest way to improve the riverfront area was to really revamp the Augusta Market, Buxton said. She increased the number of vendors by waiving the application fee for vendors to come and sell their merchandise at the market and lowered the price to rent a spot along the walk. This caused the number of vendors to triple and, with more vendors, more buyers began showing up as well.

On a typical day, buyers come to browse the tents, some with their dogs or children. They are immediately greeted by the aroma of the food that vendors such as Puerto Rican Kitchen and the

RON HICKERSON | STAFF

Hexemaus Farms provides baked goods every Saturday at the Augusta Market.

Brown Bag Dog are cooking to order. Music fills the air as musicians play the guitar or the saxophone to the tunes of gospel music and their eyes are drawn to the colorful produce of local farms and craftsmen.

Tessa Brow, a vendor from East Georgia Produce, said she loved coming to the market for the people.

“Id really like all of the customers and getting to know them every week,” Brow said.

Originally from Burtow, Ga., she said their farm first got involved with the Augusta Market through Garden City Produce, which no longer exists. The store would take the produce from their farm and take it to the market on Saturday, but when the store went out of business, she said

they just decided to go to the markets themselves. She said that she loved their regular customers, knowing exactly what they want and what they’ll buy from the tent and allowing them to catch up as she fetches their produce.

Sandi Johnson, another vendor with Hexemaus Farms at Waynesboro, Ga., agreed.

“We love the regulars,” she said. “We get folks that come every week, and it’s a really broad crosssection of people. When we first decided to come here, it was the largest market closest to us, but we really like it here. And it surprises me how many people come to the market that are visiting from out of town.”

The market has its appeal for its convenience among local

Augustans. Debbie Minyard said she came to the market simply because she wanted cinnamon rolls, which she knew she could buy at the market. She said she loves the food, the vendors, the produce and the atmosphere of the market.

“It’s convenient,” she said.

“There’s some good food. There’s a lot of good produce, and I like the people and their dogs out.”

She said that she hated when people said there was nothing to do downtown or that downtown was a scary place.

“Some people are like, ‘Downtown is scary,’” she said.

“Look around here. Do you see anything scary? It’s sunny and bright, and it’s a little bit of everything.”

Yet the market has undergone a lot of expansion and will see more in the future.

Buxton said next season, the market plans to team up with Artists’ Row on Broad Street to have a farmers’ market possibly Thursday evenings. As the market continues to grow, she said her goal is to have a seven-day market.

“I’m just doing what I can to bring people downtown and not to just the river,” she said. “I’m trying to find a way to integrate everybody downtown to have fun.”

But as it stands now, Augustans can enjoy the products of local labor every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from mid-March to mid-November.

rhickers@aug.edu

College rap group aims to inspire through its music

By DONALD CULVER contributor

Y

oung College Students is an upand-coming rap band that reflects the values and ideals of a new generation of musical artists.

Jarret McCullough, a sophomore psychology major; Tyrell Robinson, a sophomore pre-dental major; Obu Obu, a sophomore pre-med major; and Mykhal Glass, a sophomore marketing major, are the original four members of YCS. They all grew up in different areas on the outskirts of Atlanta. Although they never played on the same teams or went to the same schools, the band members said they more than likely faced each other playing basketball and never realized it.

After randomly meeting each other at Augusta State University as freshmen, they grew a bond from playing basketball then collectively moved towards music after further growing a friendship and sharing similar ideals, Glass said. With music derived primarily from life experiences, YCS’s music speaks to the new generation of young adults.

Breaking away from what makes a traditional rap group, they employ the talents of many different individuals. Glass said anyone who helps the band or wants to be a part of the collaborative group can be considered one of them.

The band members welcome

Act

CONTINUED from PAGE 6

said she had formed a relationship with Davis that eventually led to him asking her to be involved with the show and even direct three of the seven plays.

“I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to do that when I first got here,” she said.

Davis said working with O’Meara was fantastic. She had previous experience in producing shows and he was confident in the direction and perspective that she could give to his plays.

Yet Davis said there was one main problem for the show: How would he tie the seven one-act plays together?

“I wanted to think of a device to make the evening go smoothly,” he said. “In a one-act evening, the biggest problem is tearing down sets from one play to next, so I knew we had that for us, and I thought, ‘What if we had a continuous flow?’”

Davis said he began to write in a new character, Theatre, who could weave a story throughout all of the plays by giving commentary and insight. Paired with Theatre, Professor Rob Foster provided the show with live music as he played jazz on tenor saxophone.

“I like the way (the show)

KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF

Young College Students consists of four Augusta State University students, Mykhal Glass, Tyrell Robinson, Obu Obu and Jarrett McCullough (not pictured).

anyone who wants to be a part of their message and shares their same ideals. The members said they said they believe that everyone should be a part of the message – not only singers and musicians but also photographers, writers, videographers and producers, something Wu-Tang Clan is also known for, as it had around 300 members when it first launched.

Starting off small, as with most bands, the members of YCS are currently doing open-mic gigs throughout Augusta. Glass said that, although the band is still small, the members’ ambitions

are anything but. They represent a new generation of hip-hop, he said.

Robinson, Obu, Glass and McCullough all reflect this growing transition into a new age of hip-hop.

“We take pride in being a part of the new generation of hip-hop,” Glass said. “Whatever hip-hop is turning itself into, that’s what we feel like we are.”

Although they are a part of a new generation of music, they derive much of their musical properties and lyrical poetry from an older generation of hip-hop artists, such as the controversial artist Tupac Shakur, who Robinson said

influences his lyrics and attitude.

“In hip-hop there is definitely a poetic aspect now,” McCullough said. “People are writing from different perspectives; artists are actually saying something and telling stories.”

The members of YCS said they believe that the way that hip hop has evolved its story telling is key and that artists may have always been telling stories, but now the stories really have a meaning and people listing to them learn something instead of just being entertained.

Members McCullough and Glass said artists such as B.O.B are a main influence of the groups and that they believe that the ideals of the artists can already be seen in their work.

Not only do the members of YCS believe in their music, they also said they believe in finishing their degrees.

“Me, like all of the guys in YCS, (we) were always taught that we need to always have a backup plan,” Obu said. “Our families really pushed us to finish school and that getting an education is very important.”

They all plan on finishing school, but the main focus is always to make music and be a positive influence to those who listen to them, they said.

Also breaking away from tradition is YCS’s view on how the band should be seen from a physical perspective. The band members said feel that whenever someone mentions hip-hop or

rap, people automatically have a certain negative perception of what that artist would look like.

“Whenever we say that we’re hip-hop artists, people don’t believe us because of how we dress,” McCullough said. “It’s like people assume that if you rap then you dress like a thug.”

The members of YCS said they believe image is everything. They want to change long-standing perceptions of what rap and hip-hop artists are typically associated with in terms of physical appearance.

Their music isn’t about hot topics and what music today is frequently about. McCullough said it’s more about their personal experiences of going to college and all the challenges they face as young college students on a day-to-day basis.

Not only are they trying to break away from traditional music ideals, but the members said they also want to break through the barriers of what separates traditional genres.

By doing this Glass and Robinson said they hope to evolve music as a whole and to improve the lyrical quality of the genre they currently inhabit.

The group all agreed that they hope to be the ones to shape music listeners today into what better represents the hopes and ideas of today’s generation and be the ones to influence tomorrow’s great talent to come.

bid to bring the regional championships to Augusta. One of the responsibilities of the council is to recruit events to Augusta. This is done by attending conferences in order to meet professional organizations that put on these events.

Brinsley Thigpen, the CEO of the Augusta Sports Council, attended a conference in 2011 in Las Vegas.

There she spoke with representatives from the IQA. After returning home from this conference, Thigpen did some research on quidditch and put in a bid to bring the game to Augusta.

Augusta was granted the rights to host the regional championships, and the ASC picked Riverview Park in North Augusta as the location for the games.

“We partner with several facilities, but Riverview has the field space,” Thigpen said. “We are working with the recreation department to use their fields.”

Chestnut said she is looking forward to attending the regional championships.

“I recently found out about the championships and got quite excited,” Chestnut said. “I didn’t know that was going on here, and I’m definitely planning on attending.”

Thigpen said she is hoping this event will draw in all kinds of people from the Augusta area, not just Harry Potter fans.

“We hope locals and people throughout the Southeast come and see this new sport…,” Thigpen said. “It is an opportunity for people to enjoy a sporting event, potential for economic development and for the community to learn that no sport is off limits.

Competition is good and the Augusta Sports Council is here to bring these events.”

Harita Patel, a freshman business major, said she is excited that quidditch is coming to Augusta.

“I think Augusta hosting quidditch championships would be a lot of fun,” Patel said. “I love the idea of bringing a fictional game to actuality. This is something I would be interested in going to because it is different than what you usually see for sports.”

The Southern Regional Quidditch Championship will be held March 2-3 at Riverview Park in North Augusta, S.C.

dculver@aug.edu

Quidditch grew,” Davis said. “I liked the way it sort of came together organically. We kept thinking of things and putting them together and it became a sort of a living project.”

By being alive, Davis and O’Meara said, a performance depends on and is affected by its audience. Davis said during the Friday night performance, the audience was just dead, which can often drain actors’ energy, but for most performances, the audience was active and responsive, providing a good energy that lifted the actors up again.

Nigeria Opapeju, a freshman who attended the Saturday night performance, said she originally came for a class assignment, but she was really starting to enjoy the show, mainly because of the twists in each of the plays.

“You didn’t know how it was going to end,” she said. “I like (those) kind of twist because of the rising action going to the climax and then resolving into the conclusion.”

rhickers@aug.edu

CONTINUED from PAGE 5

not that athletic, but I play quidditch because it’s the only way to keep Harry Potter going.”

Currently, Augusta does not have a quidditch league, Benepe said.

“We are working with local governments to bring quidditch to

IMAGE BY INTERNATIONAL QUIDDITCH ASSOCIATION

their cities,” Benepe said. “Last year championships were in Florida, and that led to lots of teams being formed.”

The Augusta Sports Council is the organization that made the

brennan.meaghers@gmail.com

PAGE 9

THE BELL RINGER www.asubellringer.com

comics: entertain

In this Issue...

7

yourself

1

2

3

5

6

4

8

DOWN 1. Students can utilize this online social networking site in order to communicate with fellow classmates.

2. Southern Professional Hockey League 3. The date of the International Festival, which will be held in the amphitheatre 4. Acoustic country music concert held annually in the Bell Auditorium 5. This game, only recently popular with muggles, is played on broomsticks.

B O A 6. Augusta State pottery club

ACROSS 4. The campus radio station that can be Be a part of found on the channel 90.7 FM 7. Reigning Peach Belt freshman of the Draw comics in your n e w s p a p e r year and send your drawings to 8. The local county that has teams like free time? bellringerproduction@gmail.com ARC, Westside and Josey

Y O U R

In the last issue...

9

THE FOX BOX “FOX� SI-LONG CHEN web master

1

D U 5 N O V S T 6 R I V E R H A W N R 8 4 O A U T U R S O T H O U S E L 10 B R A WL E Y

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J A E M B E E 7 J K S B O M N D

R S

G R S I X U A G S W A G

3

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NEW

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012 www.asubellringer.com

SPORTS Basketball Jaguars on the prowl in 2012-13 FARRELL BROWN

By FARRELL BROWN & JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER staff writer & sports editor With the 2012-13 basketball season getting underway, both Jaguar teams could be on the verge of a breakthrough.

The women’s team opened its season Saturday with a 78-63 road win against North Greenville Nov 10. The Lady Jaguars’ home opener will take place Tuesday, Nov. 20, against Claflin, before the men’s team kicks off its season against Bowie State.

Last year, the Lady Jaguars qualified for the Peach Belt Tournament for the first time in 2008 but were quickly dismissed in the first round by league power Clayton State. While earning a spot in postseason play was a considerable achievement for a program that went a combined 14-67 from the 2008-09 season through 2010-11, Teymer said his team is now in a position where it can shoot for even more.

“I think we’re turning the corner, and now we can kind of see the big goals and the big picture,” he said. “We almost had to get to ground level first. I think we’re to the point now where we can compete for some things. Hopefully, making the Peach Belt Tournament is just the norm, and now we’re trying to have a little bit higher things in our sights.”

The Lady Jags will return 10 players from last year’s 12-15 squad. They will also add to the mix three transfers and forward Ashley Johnson, who redshirted last season. When asked who would be the players to watch this season, Teymer identified junior guard-forward Jemimah “J” Ashby, senior guard Brittany White and junior guard Tanchelle Collingsworth, a transfer from Johnson County Community College.

Teymer said fans can expect to see a hard-working, blue-collar team that ex-

DAVID WICKER | CONTRIBUTOR

Forward Harold Doby looks for an open teammate during a Jan. 25 game against UNC Pembroke.

hibits an everyday commitment and will represent the university well.

While the women’s team is hoping to join the conference’s elite, the men’s program is looking to return to its former lofty status as one of the nation’s topranked teams. After earning four conference titles, three trips to the Elite Eight, two 30-win seasons and one appearance in the national championship game from 2006-07 to 2010-11, the Jags took a step back last year, narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament with a 17-11 record.

“Last year we played winning basketball but not championship basketball,” said Dip Metress, Augusta State’s men’s basketball head coach. “There’s a big difference between winning basketball and

Challenging games await men’s team this season

championship basketball.”

With the disappointing season behind his squad, Metress said he expects to see a motivated Jaguar team this year.

“The only player in our program that’s played in an NCAA Tournament game is Travis Keels because Devon (Wright-Nelson) got hurt and was redshirted his first year,” Metress said. “(Keels) is the only one that’s experienced postseason play and being nationally ranked. So I think (our players) are hungry. Last year we put them in a tough role because they were young, but they know this time around more what to expect.”

Metress said winning the Peach Belt Championship and returning to the NCAA Tournament are the primary goals for his team this season. The Jags received the most first-place votes in the conference’s preseason poll and ranked second overall behind Montevallo, last year’s national runner-up.

“Everybody wants to win, so we (are) just shooting for a ring,” said Augusta State forward Harold Doby.

Along with Keels, Doby and reigning Peach Belt Freshman of the Year Devon Wright-Nelson, the Jags’ roster will include a pair of transfers in center Chad July and guard Ryan Weems, both of whom Metress said should make instant impacts. Roman Hill, who redshirted last season with a knee injury, is also expected to feature prominently in the Jags’ playing rotation.

Metress said he is pleased with how the team is shaping up heading into the season. They are currently in the fine-tuning stage of the offseason. The team will look to improve on its rebounding and add in “quick hitters” – specific plays for certain players – to the offense.

fbrown19@aug.edu jgarner6@aug.edu

Volle yball

Home game at James Brown Arena and trip from last year’s national runner-up Montevallo highlight this season’s men’s basketball schedule

By CALVIN COKE contributor Every game on the schedule is important, every game played is counted and every statistic is recorded. However, teams in their respective sports have those key games that are circled before the season even starts.

The Jaguars’ men’s basketball team’s 26-game 2012-13 schedule is no different. Among the key match-ups are showdowns with the Benedict Tigers, Montevallo Falcons, Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters, Paine Lions, USC Aiken Pacers and Francis Marion Patriots.

The Jags take on Benedict Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Benedict produced a 1610 record last season and won its conference championship, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This game stands out because of Marcus Goode.

Goode, a 6-foot-10 junior, led the Tigers in scoring with a 17-point average and 11.8 average in rebounds and 3.4 in blocks, which led the conference. Chad July, a transfer center, said he believes Goode is one of the top centers

in the country and that it will be a fun battle for the fans to watch.

Three games later the Jaguars will face the Montevallo Falcons at home Monday, Dec. 17, at 7:00 p.m. Montevallo reached the NCAA championship last season but ultimately lost to Western Washington. The Falcons went 29-8 in the 20112012 season and were selected as the No. 1 team in the Peach Belt Conference’s preseason head coaches poll.

The Jags will play in the James Brown Arena after not playing there for more than 15 years, said Dip Metress, the head coach of the Jags. Augusta State will face Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters Wednesday, Dec. 19.

This will be a huge matchup for the Jaguars as the Railsplitters finished their season going 26-6 advancing to the second round of NCAA Tournament.

Lincoln Memorial beat Augusta State 73-57 in Harrowgate, Tenn., last December, and the Railsplitters briefly were ranked No. 1 in the country during the 2011-12 season.

The second half of the men’s see BASKETBALL on PAGE 11

JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF

The volleyball team huddles during a 3-0 win over UNC Pembroke on Senior Night at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Jaguars will play Montevallo in the first round of the Peach Belt Tournament Nov. 16.

Friday night lights in CSRA

By STENSON WILLARD contributor High school football in the CSRA is in top gear this fall as local teams battle for the Friday night community spotlight and team pride.

The Friday night lights have long been a tradition of local communities and continue to inspire and unite families around an active pastime for youth. These community rivalries have been a source of entertainment and eventful pre-game tailgating since the 19th century, according to the Georgia High School Football

Historian Association.

Friday night football allows thousands of families from the school community to bond and share the experience, said Adarius Whitton, a 14-year-old Hephizbah Middle School eighth grader and an aspiring high-school player.

Experience shows that in towns like Augusta across the country, football is a source of pride for the community and can keep some kids out of trouble and away from the wrong crowds.

“I love my team,” Whitton said. “I play every year. It’s cool because, even in middle school, see FOOTBALL on PAGE 11

Cross country team produces three All-Region runners

By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter Three runners for the Jaguars’ men’s cross country team earned All-Region honors Nov. 5.

Jaiden Brandt, Dustin Ross and Josh Stockton were named to the NCAA All-Southeast Region team by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Adam Ward, the head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams at Augusta State, said he was not surprised by the results.

“We expected to have folks on both sides make All-Region,” Ward said. “If we want our teams to place well, you have got to have folks to place All-Region. I am happy for those people who got All-Ronference because it is a well-deserved honor.”

However, Ward said he was hoping to

match his team’s 2011 results. Last year, the men’s team had four runners named All-Conference while the women’s team had two runners earn All-Conference.

Despite the slight drop-off this year, Ward said he has no reason to hang his head. He said he was happy that the men’s team took second place at the Peach Belt Conference championships this year; he said he also is satisfied with the results after the team went through certain circumstances and suffered a few injuries.

Ward said the players who made all-region were able to do so through hard work and by not letting adversity get in the way or prevent them from accomplishing their goals. The coach was glad the runners did not let aches and pains that occurred during the season as an excuse to not do the best that they can. Ward said anytime someone can achieve individual success represents a good stepping stone for the team.

Brandt, a senior from North Augusta, S.C., led the men’s team by having four top-10 finishes in six races. Brandt finished fourth in the NCAA Southeast Regional 10K race at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday, Nov. 3. He finished second at Jaguar Invitational on Friday, Oct. 5, and finished fourth in the PBC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 20. He also received Peach Belt Conference All-Academic and All-Conference awards during the season.

Brandt has been named to All-Conference two years in a row. Brandt’s fourth place finish in regionals qualified him for the NCAA Championships on Saturday, Nov. 17, in Joplin, Mo. This marks the first time any individual from Augusta State’s cross country program has qualified for the championships.

Ross, a senior at Augusta State from Rifle, Colo., also earned All-Region honors. This year, see CROSSCOUNTRY on PAGE 11

staff writer

Jets and Eagles can still turn their seasons around with the right moves

Making bad teams better Midway through the NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets have been underwhelming.

Both of those teams were expected to make playoff pushes, and at the halfway mark neither team looks likely to qualify for the postseason. Most analysts and fans have opinions on how these teams can get better, and I figured I would throw my two cents in because, well, I can.

The New York Jets are currently 3-6.

Heading into Week 10, the Jets ranked 21st in the league in points scored and 24th in points allowed, according to NFL. com. The Tim Tebow trade in the offseason created a huge buzz around the Jets.

Everyone seems to have an opinion as to whether to go with Tebow as the starting quarterback or to stick with Mark Sanchez.

The reality of the situation is that “starting quarterback” does not have to mean “only quarterback,” meaning both of them can and should play. It just so happens that everything Tebow is bad at is a strong suit of Sanchez, and vice versa.

The coaching staff of the Jets has let the media nail it down into choosing one guy.

The only solution is to let both quarterbacks be who they are and plug them in where they fit.

The AFC is weak this year, which means the Jets still have a (small) chance to make it to the postseason. To do this, however, they will need to get a playmaking receiver. For Sanchez to be able do his part, he needs a target to throw to, and his current receiving core filled with journeyman reserve guys and a rookie just isn’t enough.

Over the summer, the Jets released Plaxico Burress in a move that’s still questioned by most fans and analysts. I think at this point he’s the best choice for the job.

He may not be near his prime, but he’s still good enough to be a go-to-guy over any WR on the Jets’ squad. If nothing else, he would at least make a great decoy.

At the end of Week 10, the Philadelphia Eagles were 3-6. They rank 31st in points scored and ninth in points allowed, according to NFL.com. The Eagles had, and still have, every reason to be successful this season. Their roster is stuffed with talented players, they’ve had time to gel, they’re motivated after last season’s disappointing 8-8 finish and they should be playing with lots of inspiration following the tragic death of head coach Andy Reid’s son, Garrett, this offseason.

Let me be clear: The Eagles are not yet out of the picture. Their remaining schedule will be difficult, but over the last few weeks the Eagles have been making progress. With the offensive linemen finally earning their keep and quarterback Michael Vick committing fewer turnovers every week, there are only two problems left with this team. The first is the consistency of the defense. The team ranks a solid ninth in the league in points allowed, but its other defensive stats are mediocre at best.

The other issue is the team’s inability to finish drives. The Eagles are currently ranked 13th in total yards per game, 14th in passing yards per game and 10th in rushing yards per game. A team being ranked in the top half of all offensive categories but still having huge problems scoring indicates major problems.

The Eagles’ offense is based on their passing game. They have a quarterback with a rocket arm and three receivers fast enough to run down every long bomb he throws, but every play can’t be a deep throw downfield. The Eagles lack a “possession receiver,” which means they don’t have anyone to catch the intermediate passes. Between opening up the running game and throwing shorter passes to their running back, LeSean McCoy, and their tight end, Brent Celek, Philly could work around this hole in its offense. When defenses see the Eagles’ commitment to shorter plays they will leave themselves vulnerable to the deep ball. This strategy would give the Eagles a less predictable, harder-to-contain and balanced offensive attack that will allow them to put up more points and win more games.

fbrown19@aug.edu

PAGE 11

THE BELL RINGER www.asubellringer.com

Teymer leads Lady Jags’ road to recovery Football CONTINUED from PAGE 10

By CHAD JULY contributor Now in his third year at the helm of the Lady Jaguars’ basketball team, Nate Teymer is close to having his program where he wants it.

Teymer first started coaching at his alma mater, Grand View College, which is now Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he was the assistant coach for one year.

After leaving Grand View, Teymer received his first headcoaching job for the woman’s basketball team at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga., for the 200506 season.

Teymer was the head coach of Southern Polytechnic State for five years, and his most successful season was in 2009-10, when he lead his team to a school-record 30-5 and the school’s first-ever NAIA National Tournament appearance.

After leaving Southern Polytechnic State, Teymer said he came to Augusta State with the goals of bringing in players who wanted to win and get better on and off the basketball court and also turning the woman’s program around and make it a feared team in the Peach Belt Conference.

After a 12-15 season that ended with a loss to Clayton State in the quarterfinals of the Peach Belt Tournament, Teymer said he is working hard to improve his record and get his players into the conference tournament for a second

BREA BOUTWELL | STAFF

Augusta State women’s basketball coach Nate Teymer, who recently began his third season at the helm of the Lady Jaguars’ program, gives his team instructions during practice at Christenberry Fieldhouse Nov. 9.

consecutive year and into the NCAA Tournament, where the Lady Jaguars have not been since 2008.

One of the players that Teymer brought in is Tracy Aifuwa, a junior pre-physical therapy. She is one of the few players who has been with the team since Teymer started coaching at Augusta State.

Aifuwa said she shares her coach’s passion for excellence.

“I appreciate the fact that Coach pushes us harder despite the fact that we are girls,” Aifuwa said. “He pushes us because he knows that we have the skills to be the best.”

When asked to describe her head coach in one word, Aifuwa said “caring.”

Teymer said he has a strategy to get his team back to the postseason this year.

“My team this year has had many productive and competitive workouts since practice started on Oct. 15,” Teymer said. “This shows me that everyone on the team wants to win and be the best. I feel if we continue on this path everyone will see a big gain in our success from the past few years.”

First-year player Tanchelle Hollingsworth from Raytown, Mo., has only been in the pro-

gram for four months but said she has been impressed by her coach’s ambition.

“I can tell from how he pushes us and demands perfection that he is a good coach,” Hollingsworth said. “With him leading us, I feel like we are going to have a really good year.”

Teymer and the Lady Jags’ first home game with the Augusta State women’s basketball team will be on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

cjuly1@aug.edu

Wright-Nelson named to preseason All-Conference team

By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter With a season under his belt and high expectations, one basketball player is trying to live up to his considerable hype.

Devon Wright-Nelson, a native of Washington, D.C., and a sophomore criminal justice major at Augusta State, said he chose to come to the university because of the troubles in his hometown. “(There) is a lot of crime and stuff that goes on in the D.C. area,” Wright-Nelson said.

“So my mom did not want me to stick around in that area.”

Wright-Nelson said it helped that Dip Metress, the head coach of the men’s basketball team, was from the same area and thought Augusta State would be a good fit for him. But the transition from high school to college would not be an easy one.

Wright-Nelson said he struggled in his classes during his freshman year because he was not focused like he should have been.

Knowing he could not get too far behind in his grades if he wanted to play basketball, WrightNelson started getting a lot of help from tutors and was able to get back on track.

After redshirting during his first season at Augusta State, Wright-Nelson made a huge impact for the Jaguars during his first season on the floor in 2011-12, averaging 14.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting an even 50 percent from the field. For his efforts, Wright-Nelson was named the Peach Belt Conference’s Freshman of the Year.

Although he is now a veteran on the team, Wright-Nelson said the competition for play-

“Hopefully, he will go from All-Conference to All-Region to All-American.”

- Augusta State men’s basketball coach Dip Metress

ing time is fierce.

“It is a lot harder this year than it was last year because we have better players this year,” he said. “You have to bring your A-game every day.”

During the offseason, the Jags added six new players to the team. Among the newcomers are forward Chad July, a senior transfer from Flagler in St. Augustine, Fla., and guard Ryan Weems, a junior transfer from Broward in Miramar, Fla. State. Metress said that the new players added to the team are helping and hopes the team can go back to hanging banners.

The coach said he likes what Wright-Nelson brings to the team.

“He has the ability to score off of people,” Metress said. “He has developed some individual skills to help improve. The main thing with Devon is we have to be able to keep getting him shots where he is comfortable.”

Wright-Nelson said he has tried to improve on his conditioning to keep up with the team’s constant fast pace. This season, WrightNelson will come in with more clout to his name.

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, Wright-Nelson was named to the Peach Belt’s preseason AllConference team and was the only sophomore named to the squad. This honor comes after be-

Basketball

Cross country

slate is highlighted by three more crucial games.

The first key game of the latter portion of the schedule will be against city rival Paine. This game will be for bragging rights in the Augusta, Ga., area. The Jags take on the Lions at Paine Thursday, Jan. 24, at 8:00 p.m. Augusta State has defeated Paine in eight consecutive matchups with its Garden City foes.

“My friend Nicole attends Paine, and I love talking smack to her during and after we win,” said Augusta State sophomore Jornet Nicolle.

Saturday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. the Jaguars will host their biggest rival in the Peach Belt Conference, USC Aiken. USC Aiken finished as the leader of the East division with a 21-8 record, splitting its series with the Jaguars. The past years’ games have averaged around 3,000 spectators.

“I loved last year’s game against Aiken,” said Raven Norris, a junior at Augusta State. “We came away with a close win on Homecoming night.”

The third game selected is the Homecoming and Senior Day game against Francis Marion. The game will be played Saturday, Feb. 23, at 3:30 p.m. This will be the last home game in the Christenberry Fieldhouse for the 2012-2013 season.

CONTINUED from PAGE 10

CONTINUED from PAGE 10

ccoke@aug.edu

Ross finished 17th in the regionals after finishing 18th in last year’s regionals. He took first place in the 8K Montevallo Falcon Classic on Sept. 22. Ross, a kinesiology and sports science major, said it is a privilege to be named to the All-Region team.

“It is always an honor to be recognized for all the hard work we put in over the summer,” Ross said. “But I am always striving for higher and always have higher expectations and just making an All-Region team.”

Stockton, a freshman from Woodstock, Ga., participated in all six races this season. He took 23rd in this year’s regionals. Stockton finished in the top five for Augusta State in five of the six meets. He also finished 10th at the Jaguar Invitational.

The women’s team also had a runner receive honors this season. Jessica Carpenter, a sophomore from Walnut Creek, Calif., is the only women’s runner to make the All-Conference team two years in a row. Carpenter finished 35th in the regionals, three spots ahead of her finish last year.

Carpenter also finished seventh in the Jaguar Invitational after coming in 10th place last year. Carpenter led the women’s cross country team five out of six races.

This year, the men’s cross country team took fifth place overall at regionals.

ing the first freshman in school history to lead the Jaguars on both scoring and rebounding.

Wright-Nelson said while he is honored to be named to the All-Conference team, the distinction makes him want to work even harder in order to maintain that recognition. He said the title puts more pressure on his teammates, and he said he does not want to let them down.

Metress said he believes the honor is a step in the right direction for Wright-Nelson’s future.

“He is a very good player,” Metress said.

“He deserves it. He has added rhythm to his game. Hopefully, he will go from All-Conference to All-Region to All-American. That is the level he needs to get to.”

Wright-Nelson said he is excited about the Jags’ first game against Bowie State, a school located near his hometown of D.C. WrightNelson’s brother used to play for the university, and Wright-Nelson would go to the university’s gym often when he was growing up.

Wright-Nelson said he is unsure what he wants to do after he graduates. He said he is more likely to pursue a career in his field of study than a professional career because few players make it to the NBA.

kfrazie9@aug.edu

upcoming schedule men’s basketball Nov. 20 vs. Bowie St. Nov. 25 vs. Coastal Georgia Nov. 28 vs. Benedict

women’s basketball Nov. 20 vs. Claflin Nov. 25 vs. Coastal Georgia Nov. 28 vs. Benedict

volleyball Nov. 16 vs. Montevallo at Peach Belt Conference Tournament (St. Augustine, Fla.) While not achieving the team’s ultimate goal of qualifying for nationals, Ward said he is happy that his team finished top five out of the 33 teams in the region.

kfrazie9@aug.edu

we still play on the big field at Hephzibah High (School) under the big lights. So by the time I play for them, I’m going to be used to it already.”

There are also opportunities to play for city-wide all-star teams, which choose the best players from each high school and allow players to compete for a spot on the city team, said Whitton, who has played for the all-stars in Hephzibah a few times.

“I like the fun and the action the best,” Whitton said. “I hate our dusty practice field and the heat sometimes, but it’s worth it.”

Sports are a great character-builder, Whitton said. The courage to go for the ball in the face of a defender is courageous.

Sports help teach teamwork and sportsmanship. Win or lose, they teach stamina of body and mind and help concentration.

“I like basketball better, but I try out for football anyway,” said Omari Taylor, a 14-year-old Hephzibah Middle School student. “I like winning, so I don’t really want to play for our middle school. We have a bad coach, and we always lose. We (were) 1-8 this season.”

But he said the lights beckon him.

“I like getting in shape, but I would rather be winning under the big lights, not losing all the time and getting in shape for nothing,” Taylor said.

Getting in shape is only one of the fringe benefits of the sport for these youth. They get to release stress, build friendships, gain discipline and could even get a scholarship if they are very good, Taylor said.

Youths who play for high school football teams are representing the communities in which they live. They participate against other communities and generational sporting rivalries. Just like colleges play other colleges that have traditional rivalries and representing the college, and the community, is an honor, according to the Georgia High School Football Historian Association.

“I never really wanted to play football for my school,” Exzavier Willard said, a 14-year-old Hephzibah Middle School student who just moved here from California.

“I never noticed the hype where I’m from. It is really a bigger thing down here and when I kept seeing the lights on every weekend, even when no one was playing, I started to want to play on the field.”

Friday night country football lights are definitely a bigger tradition in the South, but the benefits of these youthful endeavors cross all demographics. It is bigger than just football players. The other groups involved with football such as cheerleaders and marching bands also build leadership skills and character as well. It is a community and family affair, Willard said.

High school football in the CSRA is the community’s opportunity to recognize local youths and make sure their achievements will not go unnoticed, he said.

swillard@aug.edu

The Bell Ringer’s College Football Top 10 1.

Oregon (10-0) Can anyone slow down the Ducks’ record-setting offense?

2.

Kansas State (10-0) Wildcats need to survive Baylor and Texas to earn national title shot.

3.

Notre Dame (10-0) Irish are going to need a little bit of luck to sneak into BCS championship game.

4.

Georgia (9-1) Dawgs’ defense looks to be peaking at the right time with 19 points allowed in last three games.

5.

Alabama (9-1) Narrow escape versus LSU and close loss to Texas A&M have exposed Tide as vulnerable.

6.

Ohio State (10-0) If Buckeyes can get past Wisconsin this week, they should finish 12-0.

7.

Florida (9-1) Gators could earn a Sugar Bowl berth with wins over Jacksonville State and Florida State.

8.

Texas A&M (8-2) Quarterback Johnny Manziel moved to the forefront of the Heisman race with epic performance against Alabama.

9.

LSU (8-2) Bounced back from heartbreaker to Alabama with convincing win over Mississippi State.

10.

Florida State (9-1) Seminoles maintain inside track over Clemson for the ACC Atlantic title.

PAGE 12

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012 www.asubellringer.com

SPORTS RiverHawks look to rise

“We started off slow, there is no question.

But we are building it up and building it up so that hopefully this week we get our first win.”

- RiverHawks coach Rob Miller

By JACQUELYN PABON production assistant Despite a rough start to the 2012 Southern Professional Hockey League season, the Augusta RiverHawks are optimistic for the games to come.

A 4-2 loss against the Knoxville Ice Bears Saturday, Nov. 9, left the Riverhawks with a 0-3-1 record and placed them at the bottom of the league standing for the SPHL. But that hasn’t discouraged head coach Rob Miller.

Miller said he has assessed the most recent losses as a gain for the team.

“We’ve built off every game,” Miller said.

“Our last (home) game was our best game.

We played well. We deserved to win, and they definitely played hard enough to win, from our goaltending out.”

And like any coach, Miller is quick to point out what the team overall needs to work on.

“Our problem right now is just goal scoring,” Miller said. “We work on certain drills in

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practice and try to get that going. We started off slow, there is no question. But we are building it up and building it up so that hopefully this week we get our first win.”

And although the game was a loss, Saturday showed great improvement to the team.

Miller said the team took 10 more shots than it had averaged in previous games and they had more scoring chances than the other team for the first time in four games.

“That was key in kind of building toward a W,” Miller said. “We can’t get over that hump right now. You know sometimes when you have a big breakthrough is when you start winning more games and stuff like that. Time will tell.”

Dennis Sicard, the assistant captain and right-winger, said the team has had a rough start but is on track for the rest of the season to come.

“We are all just trying to get back to our physical shape,” Sicard said. “(We have) new guys coming on the team and stuff. You have to become a team again. But the last game we came together and worked hard and did the right thing. I think we just need to keep our work ethic up and keep our heads up.”

To Sicard, the Riverhawks are meshing well with one another on and off the ice. Branden Koslofsky, a left-winger, agreed.

“We have good team chemistry off the ice, which is huge, and on the ice the guys are learning more,” Kosolofsky said. “We practice together and things are picking up.”

PHOTOS BY JACQUELYN PABON

Augusta RiverHawks players celebrate following a goal against the Nashville Ice Bears during a 3-2 overtime loss for Augusta, which was still seeking its first win of the season as of Nov. 11.

Kosolofsky said both Miller the previous coach Brad Ralph are great coaches, yet they have very different coaching styles. He also explained the tactics of the new head coach thus far this season.

“We are responding well and we’re picking up and learning new things with him, so it’s obviously going to get better,” Kosolofsky said. “He is more of an in-your-face coach, a little bit more vocal, that’s for sure. He points things out right away, and lets you know what you’ve got to improve on. (He is) just in your ear a little bit more, which is fine.”

And to turn around the depression from close 3-2 overtime loss to the Ice Bears Nov. 3, the Riverhawks strutted their stuff down a red carpet in order to raise money for a local charity.

Immediately after the last home game, the Riverhawks were auctioned off for dinner dates by on-air personality Austin Rhodes, of the radio station WGAC and Barclay Bishop of WJBF News Channel 6. The proceeds for the auction went to Safe Homes of Augusta where players were auctioned off with a range of $30 to $450.

Kosolofsky, a three-year veteran on the team, was the highest bid in the auction and said he was surprised to see how high the price climbed. He has known the highest bidder for the last few years.

“I think it was more of a friendly thing than anything,” Kosolofsky said. “ But it’s always good to bring money in for charity.”

jpabon@aug.edu

Augusta rugby team produces on the field and serves local area off it

By KRISTIN HAWKINS arts & life editor For Augusta Rugby Club President Brian Kaufman, rugby is about more than the competition.

“Rugby is 50-50,” Kaufman said. “Fifty percent is the competition, the athleticism and stuff like that, but 50 percent (is) the camaraderie of the game. Four of my five groomsmen were rugby players.”

Kaufman, who was also the president and captain of Augusta State’s rugby team when it existed, said his passion for the sport started while he was stationed in the Middle East.

“I picked it up while I was overseas in Baghdad,” he said.

“On Sundays, I’d play touch rugby with the Aussies and the Brits, and then when I got back to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, I looked up the local rugby club, and it was like I gained 25 best friends.”

Flanker and second rowman Bryan Baisley and his father, Tom Baisley, also play for the team.

KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF

The Augusta Maddogs (red, white and blue uniforms) push back the Golden Isles Hammerheads in an attempt to score during the Maddogs’ 62-7 thrashing on Nov. 10.

Both father and son agreed that the chemistry is a great feature of being part of the group.

“It’s been a good friendship, it’s a good atmosphere and it’s always fun to have the old guy trying to keep up with the younger guys,”

said Tom Baisley, who plays prop and second row.

One of the aspects of rugby that Tom Baisley said appeals to him is the fact that all the players on the field have a chance to get their hands on the ball. Unlike

American football, in which players primarily play on only one side of the ball, rugby players take the position of both offense and defense.

The team doesn’t just get together to play rugby but to serve the local area, Bryan Baisley said.

“We do a lot of communitybased things,” Bryan Baisley said.

“We volunteered for the Ironman we did that two years in a row.”

The Augusta Maddogs also show hospitality to opposing teams by taking them out on the town following each game day, Kaufman said.

“When we leave here, we will actually go to The Metro Pub; they are our big social sponsor, and we are going to have a barbeque and drink beer and have a good time, sing bad songs, tell bad jokes,” Kaufman said. “The home team always hosts the away team.”

The Golden Isle Hammerheads deserved a night out after a 62-7 drubbing at the hands of the Maddogs - “a bit of a spanking,” as Kaufman put it. The game marked

the end of the fall schedule for the Maddogs.

Augusta is undefeated going into the spring season, which begins Feb. 8, Kaufman said. “(We) are not going to catch anybody off guard this season,” he said. “They all know we are coming now.”

The team holds open recruiting and also uses its website and social media as means to attract new members, Kaufman said.

“You have to have that closeknit camaraderie in order to play a game like this,” he said. “It’s not for everyone, but I challenge anyone to try it and anyone that ever comes out and tries it always says that this is a really, really good group.”

Despite the violent nature of the sport, Kaufman said the players are good-natured and get along well with each other off the field.

“Rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentleman,” he said.

khutchi2@aug.edu