The Breeze 1.18.24

The Breeze JMU’s award-winning newspaper since 1922

January 18, 2024 VOL. 102 NO.15 BREEZEJMU.ORG

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Vol. 102, No. 15

Vol. 102, No. 15

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

On the cover This week’s front page highlights Issac Weissmann in The Breeze’s first senior spotlight of the year. Weissmann is a senior in the Marching Royal Dukes (MRDs).

His experience reflects the ups and downs of entering college during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically as a member of the 2024 class of MRDs — something MRD Director Scott Rikkers said shouldn’t exist with all the hardships they faced.

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What’s inside...

For the full story on Issac Weissmann, see pages 10-11.

Do you know a senior who has an interesting story to share about how COVID-19 informed their JMU experience? Send submissions to thebreezeculture@gmail.com.

Subscribe to our twicea-week newsletter, “The Quad,” for the JMU news you need in one place.

After the university canceled the first day of spring semester classes on Tuesday, @barstooljmu encouraged students to gather on the Quad for the snow day on Instagram with a simple message: “At the sound of the Wilson Bell at 3pm, GO!” Student Body President Nate Hazen and Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller hurled snowballs alongside students during the campus clash. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze For more Quad snowball fight photos, see page 21, as well as the full gallery at breezejmu.org/multimedia

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MISSION The Breeze, the student-run newspaper of James Madison University, serves student, faculty and staff readership by reporting news involving the campus and local community.

The Breeze strives to be impartial and fair in its reporting and firmly believes in First Amendment rights.

Published on Thursday mornings, The Breeze is distributed throughout James Madison University and the local Harrisonburg community. Single copies of The Breeze are distributed free of charge. Additional copies are available for 50 cents by contacting our business office. Comments and complaints should be addressed to Grant Johnson, editor.

NEWS

EDITORS Eleanor Shaw & K. Mauser

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EMAIL breezenews@gmail.com

@BreezeNewsJMU

Federal court reopens Title IX case against former JMU faculty member A violation of the plaintiff’s procedural due process rights cited by court documents as reason for original decision’s reversal

by Paredes / Graphics by Ab

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth District reopened a lawsuit against JMU regarding an allegedly mishandled Title IX complaint on Jan. 9 involving Alyssa Reid, a former communications studies faculty member, which reverses its original decision to table the case.

According to court documents, graduate student and later JMU faculty member Kathryn Lese (’14, ’16) filed the original complaint in December 2018 after the pair’s relationship did not end amicably. The two originally met in 2012 when Reid taught Lese, and they quickly became “best friends,” court documents say.

They became a couple in 2015 and dated for 2 1/2 years.

However, Lese alleged the relationship was non-consensual and, because of the claim, Reid was suspended from teaching at JMU in April 2019, according to the documents.

Reid appealed the decision in May 2019 but was denied by JMU Senior Vice President and Provost Heather Coltman a month later in June.

In response to Coltman’s decision, Reid sued JMU in May 2021 with help from the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA).

The NCLA is a “nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group” focused on limiting the “unlawful power of state and federal

The Breeze

By ELEANOR SHAW & K. MAUSER The Breeze

agencies,” according to its website.

The court documents outline Reid’s claim that JMU “violated Title IX’s anti-discrimination provisions and her procedural due process rights when handling sexual harassment allegations made against her.” Reid’s case was originally dismissed on March 29, 2022, because it was filed after its two-year statute of limitations, according to the Daily News-Record. In its proceedings, the court determined JMU’s decision was final.

In August 2022, the NCLA protested the ruling by placing billboards around JMU’s campus accompanied by someone dressed as a kangaroo — referencing kangaroo courts, defined as “a court whose proceedings deviate so far from accepted legal norms that they can no longer be considered fair or just”

by Cornell Law School.

Documents say the case was reopened because claims against Reid continued to accumulate after JMU suspended her in 2019. Additionally, JMU had not technically reached a final decision until Coltman denied Reid’s appeal.

The Breeze contacted Reid for comment, but she did not respond before publication Jan. 10.

CONTACT Eleanor Shaw and K. Mauser at breezenews@ gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

NEWS

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Currently, the Asbury Days program tends to 25 children per session, with one adult assigned to watch five children. Kevin Otrhalik, Asbury United Methodist Church’s director of children’s ministries, said the feedback the program has received is “really positive.” Photos courtesy of Kevin Otrhalik

Local church works to fill gaps in child care Asbury United Methodist Church provides parents with free care during special school days off

By EVAN MOODY The Breeze

With limited options available within Rockingham County due to staffing shortages and child care facilities at full capacity, a few parents are turning to the Asbury Days program, hosted by the Asbury United Methodist Church.

The program provides child care when surrounding school systems have the day off. The program’s days are built around a central theme that feature games and projects to help those in need, as well as provide lunch.

The latest theme for an Asbury Day was “Around the World in 8 Hours,” which took place on Tuesday.

The program is free to families; however, parents can choose to donate, said Kevin Otrhalik, director of children’s ministries at Asbury.

There are typically five Asbury Days per year. Finding child care for “sporadic” days off can be challenging for parents, Otrhalik said. On Feb. 12 and 13, Rockingham County Public Schools (RCPS) students will have the day off for parent conferences and county-led division inservice, which means parents may not be able to take care of their children while they are working.

He said Asbury tries to coordinate with both Harrisonburg

City Public Schools (HCPS) and RCPS calendars to select when each day will take place, and the church typically sees equal attendance from Harrisonburg and Rockingham for Asbury Days.

“It’s not so easy to get somebody just for a whole day, or you have to take the day off,” Otrhalik said. “[Parents] seem to really appreciate this.”

Delores Jameson, executive director of HarrisonburgRockingham Child Day Care Center, said her own program is not able to provide child care when local schools have are closed because of limited classroom space.

“All the rooms we have here in the building we have maxed out with 2- to 5-year-olds,” Jameson said.

As of now, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Center allows 52 to 54 children max, a decrease from 80 children prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, due to decreased staff, Jameson said.

Virginia child care centers must abide by a state-legislated ratio of one teacher per eight 2-year-old children, and one teacher per 10 children age 3-5. Because of this policy, a shortening of staff directly affects a center’s ability to provide care.

Erica Dorsey, president of the Harrisonburg-based Tots ‘N Toyland preschool and daycare, said her center is also at capacity with a frequently full waiting list. Despite a larger capacity of 140 children, Tots ‘N Toyland is unable to accept surplus children on

days when surrounding school systems have the day off.

Still, the center yields students from the RCPS and HCPS systems, as well as from schools in Staunton and Lurray for regular care. This wide reach of child care resources can be attributed to an overall scarcity of such care in these areas, Dorsey said.

Asbury Days are advertised on a website for Harrisonburg parents as well as on its own. Parents often recommend Ashbury Days to other parents, Otrhalik said.

Registration for the days are capped at 25 children. Otrhalik said the program strives to have one adult per five children.

With consistent returning children and families, feedback for Asbury Days has been “really positive,” Otrhalik said.

Only 20% of children attending Asbury Days have families who also attend services at the church. Otrhalik hopes for more of a crossover but said he appreciates the current level of attendance.

“We just love doing it,” Otrhalik said. “We love having these kids in.”

CONTACT Evan Moody at thebreezeculture@gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

During Asbury Days, children enjoy a program built around a central theme — such as “Around the World in 8 Hours” — involving games, projects and food. During a typical school year, the Asbury United Methodist Church hosts five Asbury Days.

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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NEWS

JMU’s Girl Gains chapter hits the ground running during its debut semester on campus

By EMMA MARSHALL contributing writer

As the advisor for JMU’s Girl Gains chapter, Reid’s role is to make sure each woman feels safe while teaching and learning. He said sending out an evaluation form before each member goes to a meeting is essential to him understanding their skill level.

“A big thing he advocates for is safety,” Hoyle said about Reid, adding he’s been a personal trainer for 20 years. Although Reid

has not been an advisor to a club before, he said he’s excited to see where JMU Girl Gains’ chapter will go and how it will help support women in the lifting community.

Kasey Blakley, a new member of Girl Gains, described Hoyle as a “machine.” Blakley said Hoyle used her own money to kickstart the merchandise for the club and went to the Makery on campus to create pins. Blakley said all members see the dedication Hoyle has when conducting Girl Gains.

The club’s first general body meeting took place Oct.11. Since then, Hoyle said she has assigned an executive board and regularly runs lifting sessions every Thursday night and Friday morning.

CONTACT Emma Marshall at marshaer@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

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Scan this QR code for Breeze TV’s coverage of Girl Gains.

reeze

A new student-run organization focused on empowering women through physical activity, Girl Gains, has begun to make ripples throughout the JMU community.

The organization, which debuted at JMU in the fall, has national chapters at several universities. Girl Gains’ mission is to educate beginners and create a safe space to lift no matter what expertise they may have. JMU Girl Gains President Faith Hoyle, a first-year student, established a chapter at the university.

According to the Girl Gains website, the group was established in 2020 at San Diego State University. It also has chapters at the University of Miami, the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the University of Florida, among other schools.

Hoyle, who originally committed to Mary Washington University, said she was interested in joining the Girl Gains chapter there. After ending up at JMU, Hoyle said she found an advisor and sponsor for the club, kinesiology professor George Reid, and collected 30 members’ signatures to create an official chapter at JMU. Hoyle said she struggled to play sports throughout her childhood because of constantly overworking her heart, and it was next to impossible to take a deep breath. She soon found out she had asthma.

In order to better control her asthma, Hoyle said she now takes steroids, which

are common remedies for this condition, to alleviate her symptoms.

“When I was younger, that was not available,” she said.

Struggling with this condition, she turned to lifting while quarantined during COVID-19. She said this was a way to exercise without escalating her heart rate to a level where she couldn’t breathe.

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Vol. 102, No. 15

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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NEWS

Dukes showcase hand-made items, gain business experience through student-run club

Student-Made gives vendors the opportunity to establish a marketplace and a community to sell their products. April Weber / The Breeze

By JACQUELINE REED contributing writer For students who hope to gain hands-on entrepreneurial experience while at JMU, Student-Made is an organization where they can use their talents, such as crocheting, making jewelry and altering clothes.

Students who run a small business can find it difficult to continue selling their products while adjusting to college. StudentMade partners with universities throughout the country to offer resources and experience to those who want to continue growing their businesses successfully.

According to its official website, StudentMade’s mission is to “partner with colleges and universities in providing an effective and entirely student-run platform for entrepreneurial students to reach supporters on their campus.”

The program creates a marketplace for JMU’s campus community while uniting students with entrepreneurial interests.

The JMU Student-Made website features crochet plushies, handmade bohemian jewelry, stickers with original art by the creators, altered clothing pieces and custom JMU stickers that are signed with the names of the creators.

Sophie Konopaske, a junior who joined Student-Made in 2023, started a business named “Sophie’s Seedlings” where she sells house plants. She said Student-Made’s been a good way to meet other people with similar interests.

The goals of the org

On its website, Student-Made lists what it looks to achieve.

First, the program tries to ease entrepreneurial students’ struggles when first adjusting to college. Many students with

small businesses may have an established customer base in their hometown but struggle to reach potential audiences on their college campus. Through StudentMade, these entrepreneurs already have a marketplace and community for them to sell their products.

According to its website, Student-Made aims to create a community not only just for those in the organization but the whole campus. It allows “students of all years, majors, and growth stages of their business” to join their program to create a supportive atmosphere.

The organization is entirely student run and provides its management team with realworld experience in a startup setting. Senior Emily Pryce, the success manager within JMU’s Student-Made management team, also sells handmade beach-bohemianinspired jewelry through her business, “Emster’s Earrings.”

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“I strive to help my campus grow toward their goals and be successful in every aspect,” Pryce said.

The success managers of Student-Made look over their assigned campuses and make sure everything is running smoothly while helping students achieve their sales and production goals.

“I work closely with the manager teams of both campuses and support them in any way I can,” Pryce said.

The student creators’ businesses involved with JMU Student-Made collaborate with its management team to continue growing. “[Student-Made] has helped me by having pop-ups to go to, and the advertising of my business in their Instagram has also helped me,” Konopaske said.

The organization is always looking for both online and in-person opportunities to “help expand creators’ connections and grow their businesses,” Pryce said.

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NEWS

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The club’s mission is to partner with universities in providing a student-run platform for budding entrepreneurs to reach supporters in their communities. April Weber / The Breeze

Experiences for creators

CentralValleyHabitat.org/ReStore

Student-Made not only gives creators an online marketplace to sell products to a wider customer base, but it also has pop-ups on campus during JMU’s farmers’ markets and other events.

Konopaske said her favorite part of the organization so far has been the farmers’ markets.

“It’s a great place to get people interested in my plants and is just a fun atmosphere,” she said.

The organization advertises its creators on social media and its online marketplace as well, giving student entrepreneurs a boost in numbers.

Junior Skyler Cook, the website manager for JMU Student-Made, helps operate the online marketplace. She said she uploads the student creators’ products onto the website, processes online orders and generates the

shipping labels when the products are ready to ship.

Big future plans

Although JMU Student-Made has only been on campus for nearly one year, the management team has plans to continue growing.

“I plan to continue as a creator all the way until I graduate,” Pryce said, adding that she’ll “keep loving my campus teams and cheering them on every day.”

Next time you’re on campus, there might be a Student-Made pop-up.

“We want to continue getting our name out there for all student entrepreneurs to know and continue to grow,” Cook said.

CONTACT Jacqueline Reed at reedjs@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

SHOP.

Students peruse the Student-Made table at the last farmers market of the fall semester.

Courtesy of Jacqueline Reed

DONATE.

You don’t have to lift a hammer to help build and preserve affordable housing in the Central Shenandoah Valley. SHOP, VOLUNTEER or DONATE at the ReStore and help families realize their dreams of homeownership.

All proceeds help to fund housing provided by Central Valley Habitat for Humanity.

The organization’s management team helps students achieve their sales and production goals. April Weber / The Breeze

VOLUNTEER.

CULTURE

EDITORS Morgan Blair & Evan Moody

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EMAIL thebreezeculture@gmail.com

@Breeze_Culture

Senior MRD reflects on pandemic past

By EVAN MOODY The Breeze

This profile is the first in a recurring series about JMU seniors with stories about how they overcame COVID-19 to find their way at JMU. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, email thebreezeculture@gmail.com.

The class of 2024 Marching Royal Dukes shouldn’t exist.

These were the words of Scott Rikkers (’03) director of the Marching Royal Dukes (MRDs), when referencing the group at this year’s final football game on Nov. 25 against Coastal Carolina.

In the middle of the field stood Isaac Weissmann, a drumline section member.

Weissmann concurred with Rikkers.

“There was no reason for me to be in the band,” Weissmann said.

Despite not being able to perform for live audiences for most of his freshman year due to of COVID-19, Weissmann stuck with the MRDs. In doing so, other students and himself secured success in the program, he said, and contributed to the legacy of one of the largest college marching bands in the country.

From the sidelines

Weissmann, a New York native, became interested in JMU after watching the MRDs perform in the 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. After touring, he committed to the university as part of the 2020 freshman class.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Weissmann said it appeared his college experience would be uncertain. Upon moving into Chesapeake Hall, masks and social distancing regulations went into effect, like all indoor spaces on campus. During his first week, a few students living in Chesapeake were expelled for having a large gathering.

Weissmann was only allowed to partake in one First Year Orientation Guide (FROG) activity, unlike in previous years, when incoming students were provided multiple.

“Those kinds of experiences where JMU encourages you to make friends just did not exist for me,” Weissmann said. “It’s difficult when it’s hard to make friends freshman year, so you don’t have a system to fall back on.”

After the initial welcoming of the 2020 class, COVID-19 cases reached 528 at JMU by Sept. 1, 2020, nearly 2.4% of the student population. On Sept. 5, the university moved all courses online and asked residents to leave campus by Sept. 7.

Due to Weissmann’s permanent residence being six hours from campus and with his family acting as caretakers, he completed an exemption form to remain in Chesapeake Hall that was granted. His roommate also received on-campus housing.

While Weissmann said this provided another student to socialize with, it was difficult to forget about potential contamination. By Sept. 7, positive cases on campus exceeded 1,000.

Fortunately for Weissmann and his roommate, neither contracted the virus.

Life following the transition to online classes was abnormal, Weissmann said. Dining options were limited — Dukes Dining closed — and masking in residence halls became an awkward dance between students. If another student was in a common area, it was unclear whether to mask or not, Weissmann said.

Still, he enrolled in four asynchronous classes and followed a loose schedule. A typical day

included waking up at 11 a.m., followed by school work, eating lunch and more school work with Minecraft sprinkled in.

Crescendo

Amid COVID-19 chaos, the MRDs continued to practice. Weissmann said having a structured activity was “incredibly important” during this time, and practice later in the day encouraged him to eat dinner beforehand.

“I probably would have transferred out of JMU if I didn’t have that structure,” Weissmann said.

“Having that structure was life-changing.”

With around 300 members, the MRDs was one of the largest organizations still meeting in person every day, Weissmann said. Masks and social distancing were heavily enforced both inside and outside of practice.

With no football games to perform at, there was no concrete goal for the band during fall 2020, Weissmann said. During the first few months of the semester, the MRDs practiced its pregame show solely for the sake of training and instilling school spirit.

By the winter, however, it appeared the marching band’s practice might pay off. The first football game since the pandemic occurred Feb. 20, 2021, and allowed the MRDs to perform in Bridgeforth Stadium.

Throughout the spring semester, COVID-19 restrictions relaxed as vaccines became more available to the student body in April. Weissmann received his vaccine in the Convocation Center.

As restrictions eased in the 2021-22 academic year, MRD theatrics ramped up with a full football schedule.

Sold-out stadiums meant the MRDs would finally play for a crowd of 25,000 people. The Parade of Champions event was also hosted by the band that October.

“There was so much more to do, and it felt more lively,” Weissmann said. “It was almost a completely normal year for us.”

Sour notes

It wasn’t until his sophomore year when Weissmann realized how dull 2020 was, he said.

Looking back, it’s difficult to pinpoint just how many opportunities he lost.

“No clubs, no sporting events,” Weissmann said.

“It was just very difficult to make friends.”

Despite some failed expectations for his JMU experience, he said a few were still met. He had the freedom of his own routine and still indulged in freshman year shenanigans, such as the fire alarm going off while he showered.

In addition to silver linings, Weissmann said his GPA was the highest it had ever been in 2020.

He said he ultimately grew from the experience alongside the rest of the 2024 class.

“The struggle that we faced changed the university and how they approach things,” Weissmann said, “those effects have been felt by other classes.”

When leading tours on campus, Weissmann assures new incoming classes of their success at the university.

“I loved JMU through COVID,” Weissmann said.

“I promise you will love it.”

CONTACT Evan Moody at thebreezeculture@ gmail.com. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Isaac Weissmann was allowed to remain on campus in 2020 after JMU asked residents to leave during a COVID-19 spike. Courtesy of Isaac Weissmann

CULTURE

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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Students share favorite winter holiday traditions

JMU junior Ryan Degaraff said he’s performed as a part of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums Alumni, a historical musical ensemble representing the non-combatant troops who sent signals through music during the American Revolution. Courtesy of Ryan Degaraff

By GRACE REED The Breeze

Many students celebrated winter holidays over break, including Christmas and New Year’s Day. Freshman English major Camille Dipatri considers her Christmas traditions to be “pretty common” and family oriented. Right after Thanksgiving dinner, Dipatri’s family got to work putting up their Christmas tree and decorations.

“We take decorating very seriously,” Dipatri said. “Every room has at least a few Holidaylike items.”

Because her family starts decorating right after Thanksgiving dinner, they have “plenty of time to make the entire house festive.” On Christmas Eve, they drive around different neighborhoods to look at all the lights, which she said is almost like window shopping.

Baking Christmas cookies is a yearly tradition for the family, and Dipatri enjoys sharing the cookies with her family and friends. Her dad’s favorite are peanut butter blossoms, which Dipatri describes as peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar and topped with a Hershey’s Kiss.

Dipatri said there is nothing too unusual about her family’s baking of cookies, decorating and lights watching, but “it’s something that brings us together.” On some occasions, Dipatri said her family prepares the “feast of the seven fishes,” a tradition often celebrated by her Italian dad’s side of the family.

Junior psychology major Samantha Szydlowski spends Christmas with family and friends.

Every weekend during the season, Szydlowski and her family watch Christmas movies by the fire, with go-to films being “Elf,” “White Christmas,” “The Grinch” and the “Home Alone” series.

Art Shala, a graduate student at JMU from Kosovo, said at home for New Years Eve his family has a party and feast including traditional Albanian dishes like Byrek, which are a variety of sweet treats and pastries. Courtesy of Art Shala

Szydlowski’s family also bakes cookies to share, which include a special Polish cookie that her great-great grandmother passed down as a family recipe. She describes it as a cream cheese pastry filled with different flavored jams.

Szydlowski and her family also go to a Christmas lights drive-thru in addition to cruising around neighborhoods. The Szydlowskis wear matching pajamas every Christmas, and their dogs also get into the spirit with matching sweaters.

“As a big family and friends tradition, we do ugly or funny Christmas sweaters on Christmas Eve,” Szydlowski said.

Szydlowski goes with her family to New York City for a day to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and ice skate. They also make sure to see the Christmas windows at Macy’s.

Szydlowski said she and her family used to go to New York City every year but haven’t as frequently since COVID-19.

“The city has always held many memories for me,” Szydlowski said.

Junior business major Ryan Degaraff has a special Christmas tradition that has taken years of hard work to accomplish in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia: performing with the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums Alumni, a historical musical ensemble representing the non-combatant troops who sent signals through music during the American Revolution.

He said his parents signed him up “essentially at birth” to be in the program. By the time Degaraff was 10, he said he started performing with the program, learning the basics and music of the 18th century. He continued to perform in the program throughout high school. see TRADITIONS, page 12

Shala said he was excited to spend his first Christmas in the U.S. and to see all the decorations people put up for the season. He said he enjoys how Americans decorate for the holidays. Courtesy of Art Shala

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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CULTURE

“It was like living in the movies I’ve been watching growing up.”

Art Shala

Graduate student from Kosovo, now at JMU from TRADITIONS, page 11

Dukes, has been very special to me,” Degaraff said.

Art Shala, a graduate student studying writing, rhetoric and technical communication (WRTC), moved from Kosovo — a country in southeast Europe — to Virginia in August. Shala said he’s grateful for the opportunity to celebrate holidays like Thanksgiving, New Year’s and Christmas in the U.S. for the first time. For Thanksgiving, Shala celebrated with his friend in Maryland.

“It was like living in the movies I’ve been watching growing up,” said Shala, who had a typical Thanksgiving meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

Only previously celebrating Christmas in Kosovo, Shala was shocked to see people go “all out” in the U.S. for the holiday. He said he’s ecstatic to be celebrating Christmas for the first time this year in the U.S. In Kosovo, his family puts up a Christmas tree and some decorations but doesn’t celebrate the holiday religiously. Shala said he’s most excited to see all the decorated houses and to wrap gifts in the U.S. In Kosovo, Shala said his family has an “interesting mix of traditions that make celebrations a bit different.”

On New Year’s Eve, Shala and his family have a party and feast, usually consisting of steak, roasted chicken, turkey, various salads and some traditional Albanian dishes including Qofte (baked mint meatballs), Byrek (a variety of sweet or savory pastries) and Ajvar (a roasted bell pepper dip). They then go outside at midnight to watch fireworks and make New Year’s toasts with champagne.

On New Year’s Day, Shala and his family focus on going out and celebrating with friends. The party on New Year’s Eve is “a unique way of blending different celebrations into something that feels just right” for his family, Shala said.

Before Shala’s first Christmas in the U.S., he said he watched plenty of Christmas movies and tried holiday drinks from coffee chains. He also said he was excited to go ice skating for the first time and spend time with friends, adding that “America has been more than welcoming,” and that he has found a second family in the U.S. who he can create memories with.

“Even though I am not Christian myself, I do respect all religions and appreciate all the holidays as long as they’re about celebrating, being grateful and getting together with family and friends,” Shala said.

CONTACT Grace Reed at reedlg@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Degaraff (left) said he performs at the front of the Williamsburg Parade every year as a part of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums Alumni. Courtesy of Ryan Degaraff

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CULTURE

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Column | Inspiring and dark, ‘Educated’ is so raw it bleeds

By AVERY GOODSTINE The Breeze

Disclaimer: This review contains minor spoilers My only resolution for the new year was to expand my reading pallet and explore some new genres. After hearing about “Educated” by Tara Westover from @whatshalesreading on Tiktok, I knew I wanted it to be my first memoir.

As a reader typically drawn to character-driven literary fiction, I was shocked at how fast I flew through this book and how addicted I was to Tara’s story. “Educated” is about Tara’s life growing up as a Mormon. Her father sells scrap metal from his junkyard, probably has an undiagnosed mental illness and is preparing for the end of the world. Her mother is a midwife and an energy healer. The family thinks public education and modern medicine are government ploys.

I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book, intrigued by the mystery of how Tara escaped her situation. I expected the failed homeschooling, obsession with modesty and even the survivalist mentality. I didn’t expect the sibling abuse, racial slurs and life-threatening accidents caused by sheer stupidity.

Be warned, “Educated” is not a story for the faint of heart.

Tara discusses extremely difficult topics in her memoir including physical, emotional and spiritual abuse. I got whiplash from her family’s emotional ploys by simply reading. I can’t imagine how Tara felt as she was living through it all.

Something else shocking is the number of horrid accidents endured by the Westovers. They suffered severe injuries in two car crashes because of their choice not to wear seatbelts — one of the sons fell head first off a crane, Tara was almost launched into a metal cutter and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. All the while, these disturbing incidents are all treated at home with herbal remedies because, as the Westovers believe, the hospital is a hoax and pain medicine makes you infertile.

During the four days it took me to read this book, I was addicted

“Educated” is the memoir of Tara Westover and her life growing up as a Mormon. Abby Paredes / The Breeze

to the Westover madness. It’s easy to forget you’re reading a memoir because the characters and story seem so insane that it feels like fiction. My jaw was open for the majority of the book as I dealt with intense feelings of sadness, awe, disbelief and anger.

The two relationships in the book that impacted me the most ,and that I’ve thought of numerous times since finishing, are Tara and her mother, and Tara and her older brother, Shawn.

Tara’s mother plays both sides. She encouraged Tara to leave home and go to college, bought her leotards for secret dance classes and drove her into town against her husband’s wishes.

At the beginning of Tara’s story, I was sure Tara’s mother would protect her. Her love for her daughter would ultimately win, I

thought. But when Tara confided in her about being abused by her brother, her mom told her she would protect her — and then she didn’t.

For me, that’s the climax in Tara’s story. Despite every other awful thing that happened in her life, the moment her mother leaves her makes everything else seem like nothing.

Tara even tried to maintain a relationship with her mother after everything, but her mother refused to go anywhere without her husband.

Tara and her brother, Shawn, also had a confusing, sad and maddening relationship.

Tara went to Shawn for guidance when she decided to go to college. He helped her study for the ACT so she could go to Brigham Young University. They performed in town plays together, and they lived on the road together while Shawn drove trucks.

The physical abuse Tara suffered at the hands of her brother is disgusting. It made me sick to my stomach.

It’s one thing to read about fake characters in made-up scenarios, but Tara’s story is real. It’s easy to forget that amid the absurdities.

Despite all of that, “Educated” is still, at its heart, an inspiring tale of self-fulfillment. I’ve never rooted for any character as hard as I did for Tara. Her tale is one of hardships, but she managed to overcome them and go against everything she was taught throughout her entire life. She had nobody to support her, yet she succeeded.

This book will probably remain in my mind forever and has a good chance of going down as one of the best pieces of literature I’ve read in my 21 years of life.

CONTACT Avery Goodstine at thebreezeweb@gmail.com. For more bookish content, stay tuned for the “Bibliomania” column and follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

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‘Create, impact and empower’: JMU LB Ayamel publishes children’s book

By KAIDEN BRIDGES The Breeze Redshirt junior linebacker Julio Ayamel wakes up in the morning and reads the giant white board that stands in his bedroom.

Listed on the board are daily accomplishments he strives to get done: make his bed, brush his teeth, go to football practice — and publish a children’s book.

The last task can now be checked off as Ayamel’s children’s financial literacy book, “The Things I Wish I Knew,” written by him and illustrated by Asia Coffin, is now available for preorder on his website.

After graduating last May as a kinesiology major and business minor, he joined a book club at Good Counsel, the private high school he attatched in his hometown at Olney, Maryland. Once he joined the group, he knew he not only wanted to read books but write them too.

“In the book club, we kind of set goals for ourselves that we keep each other accountable for,” Ayamel said. “So one of my goals was I wanted to write my own book.”

But his idea to publish an autobiography was interrupted by a “lightbulb moment.”

Ayamel changed his autobiography to a children’s book about financial literacy.

For years, Ayamel has been intrigued by finances. Describing himself as a “sponge,” Ayamel said his dive into the financial world began while he was at Good Counsel. His accounting teacher, Mr. Giddings, opened up Ayamel’s first brokerage account. While he was at the private school, he said he was surrounded by a financially diverse environment that only continued to intrigue him.

“I went there for football — I couldn’t afford it if I didn’t — but there were many people whose families could afford going to the Counsel, and they could afford it because they know the wealth game, they knew the financial game,” Ayamel said. “They’re well versed in financial literacy, and they know what to do with money, how to grow it, how to save it, how to preserve it and how to pass it down. Just being around these people and stuff, that was such common knowledge to them and wasn’t to me. I was like, ‘Whoa, stuff like this exists?’”

After learning about financial competence at Good Counsel, Ayamel said he knew there were others out there who still needed to be educated on its importance.

Not only did the book topic switch from an autobiography to finances, but he also decided to gear the story toward children — a group he’s passionate about. He felt he could impact more lives that way.

“I want to be able to impact the kids whose parents are not familiar with financial literacy so they have a head start in the game, and in this, will also bridge the wealth gap between minorities and the 1%,” Ayamel said. “It all starts with knowledge and information, and kids are curious as well. So if we’re able to put these things into their heads when they’re young,

Redshirt junior linebacker Julio Ayamel self-published a children’s book about financial literacy titled “The Things I Wish I Knew.” Photos courtesy of Julio Ayamel

Ayamel said his hope is to one day make his children’s book a series about finances.

I’m sure they’re going to be able to do their research and continue to provide for themselves.”

Former JMU football linebacker and teammate Diamonté Tucker-Dorsey (2017-21) said he’s always seen Ayamel’s drive to make an impressionable impact on children and added that he’s excited to see Ayamel following his dream with his book.

“I understand what his purpose is, to impact the youth, and this is the vehicle that he’s using to do it,” Tucker-Dorsey said.

Ayamel said he’s always gravitated toward children. While in Fort Worth, Texas, for JMU football’s first-ever bowl game, Ayamel was one of eight Dukes to visit the Cook Children’s Medical Center, where they spent time playing games and doing crafts with patients.

After the visit, Ayamel said whenever there’s an opportunity to impact the next generation — whether it’s building gingerbread houses or writing a children’s book — he’ll do what it takes to get involved and give back.

“I feel like my motto and purpose,” he said, “is to help the younger community, minorities and youth in general — just have an impact any which way I can.”

After juggling the busy JMU football season this fall, school work and finishing “The Things I Wish I Knew,” Ayamel said he’s always striving for more.

“If you ask some of my friends and teammates, they say everything Former JMU linebacker (2017-21) I’m in a rush for because I’m always trying to hurry up and get somewhere,” Ayamel said. “For me, Diamonté Tucker-Dorsey it’s just I don’t like wasting time. If I know where I’m going and I know what I need to do, I’m not going to drag my feet.”

Tucker-Dorsey credited Ayamel’s work ethic, adding that while he’s taken the extra steps to impact and educate those around him, he teaches himself too.

“He’s always been a high-achieving, overachieving person,” Tucker-Dorsey said. “As far as his character goes, he’s always been somebody who’s been very educated and has had a structure with doing things.”

Ayamel said his work is far from done. As he’s currently completing his master’s degree in sport and recreation leadership, he said his goal after college is to open his own gym where he can continue helping his community in more ways than through the pages of a book.

“Through my own gym, I’d be able to shape our youth and even work with young adults,” Ayamel said. “I feel like there’s no better way to mold a person than through sports. Sports teaches you a lot of things, so not only shaping them physically, but outside of the gym.”

Alongside his gym, Ayamel said he wants to continue his work as an author, evolving his financial literacy book into a series and then also working in real estate.

“All the different types of projects and different business ventures that I plan on doing will also give me a chance to not only impact people in my family but people in my community,” Ayamel said. “I want to be able to place them in a position of power to where we’re all growing together … That’s really why I say my saying is three words: create, impact and empower.”

“I understand what his purpose is, to impact the youth, and this is the vehicle that he’s using to do it.”

CONTACT Kaiden Bridges at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

SPORTS

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Men’s hoops looks to rebound after Sun Belt loses to App State, Southern Miss

By JACKSON HEPHNER The Breeze After starting 14-0, JMU men’s basketball is now 15-2 (3-2 Sun Belt).

The Dukes fell to Southern Miss on Jan. 6, ending their undefeated start and knocking them out of the AP Top 25, where they stood since Nov. 13.

Despite the loss, head coach Mark Byington said on Jan. 8 he was excited for the week of practice ahead.

“I like the fact we know more about ourselves now,” Byington said.

JMU bounced back Jan. 11 with an 8955 win over South Alabama, but two days later, the Dukes fell for the second time this season, this time to Appalachian State 59-55.

“We played really good on [Jan. 11] in all areas,” Byington said on Monday, “and then on Saturday, we were in a hot, contested, I thought great basketball game, but we didn’t play great.”

There were plenty of similarities in both losses. The Dukes shot 39.4% from the field against the Golden Eagles, their worst shooting performance since they shot 36.8% in their season-opening upset of Michigan State. Against App State, JMU shot a seasonlow 35.9%.

From beyond the arc, the two games were their worst of the season. The Dukes attempted 17 3-point shots in each game, hitting just three against the Mountaineers and two against the Golden Eagles.

“If you want to look at the Southern Miss game, I thought that was just a game where we didn’t finish around the basket, but we didn’t also didn’t execute what we wanted to,” Byington said. “And App State, they’re one of the great shot-blocking teams in the country. No. 1 thing on our game plan was the shot fake, and our first shot fake took place at eight minutes in the first half, and so we didn’t execute the game plan.”

Byington said on Jan. 8 that JMU’s lack of

shot fakes also harmed the Dukes’ offense against Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles blocked five of the Dukes’ shots. A week later, App State blocked seven shots against the Dukes, the most of any JMU opponent this season.

“I don’t know why it didn’t transfer,” Byington said of the lack of shot fakes against App State. “It was an issue at Southern Miss, and it was the issue at App State.

Sometimes it takes longer to get the message ,through, and we saw when we did it we were successful, even against App State. It was just not as many times as we liked and guys got to keep growing their game, and we got to keep coaching better.”

JMU has learned quite a bit about the Sun Belt after five games. Specifically, how physical the conference is. Byington told Sports Director of the Harrisonburg Radio Group Dave Riggert after the Southern Miss game that his players asked the coaching staff to stop calling fouls in practice.

“I don’t think we backed down,” Byington said on Jan. 8, “but I don’t think we were the more physical team in either game.”

Byington said on Monday that his team responded well to the physicality against App State, especially given that both teams only took 16 free-throw attempts combined.

The problem was missed opportunities offensively and defensively.

“We’re not that far away,” he said, “but the things we want to control and get better on, we want to, and I thought App State played a more intelligent game than us, and that’s one thing that we know we can fix with film and work and learning.”

The Dukes will look to improve this week with a pair of home games, their third and fourth straight, respectively. JMU faces ULM on Thursday at 8 p.m. and Marshall on Saturday at 6 p.m.

CONTACT Jackson Hephner at breezesports@ gmail.com. For more men’s basketball coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

Appalachian State blocked seven of JMU’s shots in its 59-55 win over the Dukes on Saturday.

Kaiden Bridges / The Breeze

Editor’s picks final results First place: 52-20 Michael Russo Executive Editor

Grant Johnson Editor-in-Chief

Third place: 51-21 Colby Reece BTV Sports Director

JMU men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington said since the start of conference play, his team has learned how physical the playing style in the Sun Belt is. Breeze file photo

Avery Goodstine Managing Editor

William Moran Former Copy Editor

Kaiden Bridges Sports Editor

Jackson Hephner Sports Editor

Fifth place: 45-27

Sixth place: 43-29

Seventh place: 40-32

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

SPORTS

Redshirt junior guard Jamia Hazell scored her 1,000th career point against Troy on Saturday.

Photos by Kimberly Aikens / The Breeze

‘I have to lead’

Hazell takes on matured role for women’s hoops

By SARABETH ELLIS The Breeze

When redshirt junior guard Jamia Hazell arrived at JMU in 2020, she immediately saw action on the court.

While playing in all 24 games her first season and starting in 12, she was named Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week three times and has since continued to create a name for herself at JMU with her work ethic — highlighted by a career-high 25 points versus ULM on Dec. 30 and surpassing 1,000 career points versus Troy on Saturday.

“My main mentality was just to come in and work hard,” Hazell said. “That’s all I can do and prove it out there in practice and on the court.”

Hazell has proved herself by leading JMU in assists with 62 and scoring the second most points on the team, 237, in the 2020-21 season.

Her success continued into her sophomore season, as she averaged 27.2 minutes per game and scored double-figures in 13 games. By her junior year, Hazell started every game and helped bring the Dukes a Sun Belt Conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth.

This season, Hazell said her goal is to continue leading and “just to win.” She acknowledged that there is added pressure as the reigning Sun Belt champions, but that she wants to repeat last year’s history by bringing home a second crown while making another NCAA Tournament run.

“I know it’s going to be hard, but we have to

be resilient as a team,” she said. “And me as a leader, I have to lead.”

As a redshirt junior, Hazell is a player her teammates look up to, and head coach Sean O’Regan said her leadership is “1,000% better” now as a fourth-year Duke.

“We have to always remember basketball is a long game,” Hazell said. “It’s 40 minutes.

Teams are going to make runs, so we just have to find a way to get a stop, find a way to make our run. I know the freshmen on our team, the underclassmen on our team, they look at what I do — especially the guards. So I just try to make sure I bring positivity to our team.”

Sophomore guard Chloe Sterling said not only does Hazell carry her leadership and positivity to JMU but also brings a “competitive edge” to practices, which is all rounded out by her love for the game.

“She’s just a baller,” Sterling said. “She can hoop anywhere, anytime, any place, and she will just get after it. In any type of environment, I think that she can play.”

Since coming to play at JMU, Hazell has worked hard to improve both mentally and physically.

“I definitely have grown more in the decision-making area of my game,” Hazell said. “Freshman year, I turned the ball over some. When you’re a freshman, you have to get used to playing on a college level … I think just the mentality of growing up, the mentality of being more mature, being more of a leader as you grow up and continue playing college basketball [has helped].”

SPORTS

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

Hazell finished her freshman season with 74 turnovers but reduced that number to 61 the next year and only had 57 turnovers in the 2022-23 season. So far in 2023-24, she’s at 44, but is averaging more minutes per game than all of her previous three years at JMU. “I’m really proud of her; she’s worked really hard,” O’Regan said. “She’s had a lot of sacrifices for us over the years and has just been really, really consistent and gotten better with every game and practice that we’ve had.”

Hazell has averaged 25 minutes or more per game since coming to JMU and is now averaging 12.1 points per game this season, third most on the team. Hazell’s consistency throughout her time at JMU is something O’Regan praised in addition to her improvement in all aspects of her game.

“Her maturity and understanding has drastically increased over the years,” O’Regan said. “Her efficiency has really increased, her maturity, her defense, her rebounding, all the other things other than just shooting a jump shot, to me, have drastically increased. No matter what happens, she just shows up. She shows up the next day, and she’ll be good for practice whether she scores two, whether she scores 20, doesn’t matter. That’s the maturity piece that really she’s grown with.”

Hazell has turned into a key player for the Dukes and one that O’Regan leans on with the ball in her hands in the final seconds of a game.

“I have complete trust in her,” O’Regan said.

“I feel like she’s been building that over time.

She’s continued to prove that she comes through for us.”

CONTACT Sarabeth Ellis at ellis2sp@dukes. jmu.edu. For more women’s basketball coverage, follow the sports desk on X at @TheBreezeSports.

Hazell has started all 17 games for the Dukes this season, averaging 12.1 points per game. Kimberly Aikens / The Breeze

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Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

An “are-we-not-allowedto-say-the-word-‘tree’anymore” dart to JMU’s administration and the SGA, who have become so politically correct that they can’t even name an inanimate object.

From someone who thinks Quad lighting is too vague.

A “snow-day” pat to JMU for canceling on the first day of the semester.

From someone who wasn’t ready to go back to class.

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Get a Brita. Filters can improve your health.

With questionable water in university residence halls, students should invest in purifying it MAYA WINDER | contributing columnist When we’re first entering college, we’re always getting advice from the internet on what to bring. Many blogs and magazines such as TeenVogue present a common set of items every college student needs. One constant item on those lists is a Brita or similar water filter.

Something that I have recently heard people debating is whether having a Brita makes a difference in their health — it does because it reduces the chance of drinking tainted water. Students should drink more filtered water because it’s accessible, cleaner and helps our long-term health.

A California resident’s lawsuit filed in 2023 brought attention to the matter against Brita, a company that specializes in water

purification. According to the New York Post, the resident, Nicholas Brown, claimed Brita misled its customers with its packaging and that the water filter didn’t do its job as the company advertised. Brita responded, saying the filters have all their certifications and mainly help improve the smell and taste of tap water. Brita says its standard filter reduces mercury and chlorine taste and odor.

According to the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, the U.S. ranks 26 out of 126 countries in clean and drinkable water, so you can drink from the tap. However, there will always be risks depending on your living situation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are different water filters made for specific uses.

Keep in mind that no filter is perfect or can

A “delayed-reaction” dart to the Harrisonburg Police Department for sending me a speeding ticket a month and a half after it was issued.

From someone who thinks the statute of limitations has expired.

A “how-considerate” pat to my professors for not assigning textbooks this semester.

ze ree B e

From a senior who has spent hundreds of dollars on books.

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remove every type of contaminant. Like most things in life, water has a balance; there are beneficial substances in tap water like the disinfectant fluoride, and harmful ones like lead. It’s safer to use a water filter because the benefits outweigh the risks.

Junior Chloe Sinn uses a Brita filter at JMU. “The tap water in the dorms stressed me out. It has a taste that makes me feel like I shouldn’t be drinking it,” Sinn said. “It’s also out of necessity … having something filled up in your dorm instead of going out and filling your water bottle up.”

The main reason Brita and other water filters are suggested to so many college students is because they often live in a space that has housed many other students.

Having a water filter is necessary to ensure that students feel confident in their drinking water and to stay hydrated.

One solution people prefer is constantly buying new packs of plastic water bottles or gallons. Filtering water from the tap to a bottle also helps reduce plastic waste. Having a filter to clean water reduces plastic waste by using reusable water bottles regularly instead.

A filter costs less than buying bottled water.

Home Water Research says people spend around $400 annually on bottled water while others spend around $30 per year on pitcher filter replacements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that contaminated water affects our health, namely with gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system or reproductive effects, and chronic diseases. Water filters, such as Brita, help filter out contaminants like lead, which, if consumed in great amounts, interferes with red blood cell production. The Minnesota Department of Health says lead in water can lead to brain and kidney damage as well.

College students should drink filtered water because of its health benefits and accessibility.

A water filter is a cost-effective tool for students to have throughout their college career. The reassurance of having access to clean drinking water in your residence hall or home is a great way for students to stay hydrated.

CONTACT Maya Winder at windermm@

dukes.jmu.edu.

For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @Breeze_Opinion.

Letters and guest columns should be submitted in print or via e-mail and must include name, phone number, major/year if author is a current student (or year of graduation), professional title (if applicable) and place of residence if author is not a JMU student.

OPINION

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

WNBA expansion will pose challenges for existing players With limited roster spots and salaries, adding more teams to the league will spread the league thin and force more players abroad MARY MABRY | Breeze columnist After an electric ending to the 202223 college basketball season, attention to women’s hoops peaked, and the WNBA took advantage of that momentum.

The 2023 season started strong with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft on April 10. It averaged 572,000 viewers on ESPN, which was the most watched WNBA Draft since 2004 and 42% higher than last season.

The draft came only a week after the most viewed National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s basketball game in history — the national championship — indicating that the excitement surrounding college players would carry over to the professional level.

Aliyah Boston, who the Indiana Fever picked No. 1 overall, starred at South Carolina. Boston and other draftees such as the University of Maryland’s Diamond Miller and Stanford’s Haley Jones had large college fanbases and could be a reason that the high college viewership carried over to the pros.

Record WNBA viewership continued in the regular season and the playoffs. Across all national networks, the regular season totaled over 36 million unique viewers, which is 27% higher than last year, and the highest since 2008.

The best-of-five WNBA finals series set records as well. Game 4 between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, which gave way to the Aces’ second consecutive championship, garnered 889,000 average viewers on ESPN and peaked at 1.3 million, setting the record for most watched Game 4 final in WNBA history.

Overall, the entire finals series amassed the most views in 20 years and increased 36% from the previous year.

In terms of attendance, the WNBA had its highest total in 13 years, and the Aces increased 66% from 2022.

This past season — which concluded in October — undeniably marked a change in the course of the WNBA. The question is, what will it do with this momentum?

The WNBA has had 12 active teams since 2010, with a peak of 16 in the early 2000s.

There are 144 roster spots in the league, but some teams aren’t even meeting the maximum of 12 players because of the salary cap.

With the recent rise in attention on the WNBA, many celebrities and athletes — such as LSU women’s basketball star and national champion Angel Reece — have called for an expansion. However, players in the league have recognized different problems that first need to be addressed.

The main barrier to improvements or expansion of the league is money, and it’s worth considering the best way to use the available finances.

In a 2023 survey of 34 WNBA players conducted by ESPN, 52.9% recognized travel as the No. 1 issue in the league. The WNBA requires teams to take commercial flights, only allowing charters during the playoffs, the Commissioner’s Cup championship and instances that demand back-to-back travel days during the regular season.

Some WNBA teams are also unable to use the public chartering service due to location and lack of flights.

Commercial flights for professional athletes aren’t suitable. They don’t provide safety, rest or convenience. Players have expressed frustration with these aspects, especially in light of Brittney Griner — a center for the Phoenix Mercury who was detained in Russia for nearly 10 months on drug-related charges — getting harassed in a Texas airport near the beginning of this season.

If players are provided with more comfortable, safe traveling, career longevity and satisfaction could be improved — especially for players with families.

especially for those with families.

The WNBA season can be even more demanding with small rosters that don’t account for player injuries. This not only puts more pressure and demand on players with contracts but also doesn’t allow for those asked to step in while injured players recover to receive consistent contracts.

Many players often get waived from teams because there aren’t enough roster spots or salary money to go around. If there are higher salary caps and/or added roster spots, some weight might be alleviated from current players and provide more opportunities for others.

However, investments are going into adding more teams instead. On Oct. 5, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the league will be expanding to the Bay Area, as the Golden State Warriors add a women’s team to its franchise. The team will look to be in play for the 2025 season.

Engelbert has also mentioned the hope to add another team for the 2025 season, so there’s possibility for another expansion announcement soon. Although these additions allow for more players to be in the league, it doesn’t address the problems players face.

Roster spots and salaries

JMU x WNBA

Top league issues Tough travel

teams, limited roster spots, low salaries and undeveloped traveling systems, the WNBA might not be a good fit for them.

Kamiah Smalls (2016-20), who earned CAA Rookie of the Year and CAA Player of the Year during her time at JMU, was drafted in 2020 by the Indiana Fever but released soon after.

She played with the Fever and the Minnesota Lynx for short periods replacing injured players. Since then, she’s consistently played abroad in Italy and Poland.

She hasn’t given up on her dream, though.

“I was never satisfied with not being in the WNBA,” Smalls told the Daily News-Record in June 2022. “I know for a fact I’m good enough to be in the WNBA. It’s just about waiting for my time.”

Smalls told The Breeze in 2022 that she sees limitations of the WNBA and doesn’t want players to have to go overseas to play. She said her dream is to add another franchise to the league.

“I’ve seen a lot of people walk away from the game because overseas is just too much for some,” Smalls said. “They deserve to be [playing in the U.S.], but there’s just not enough room.”

According to the New York Times, the Women’s basketball players at JMU salary cap for WNBA rosters set in 2020 have challenges ahead of them. With few see WNBA, page 20 was $1.3 million. To put this in perspective, 460 out of 471 players in to the NBA individually have higher salaries than an entire WNBA team.

With this $1.3 million team cap, individual salaries are a minimum of $57,000, and “supermax” salaries for veterans are set at $215,000.

The highest NBA salary for this season is Steph Curry, making $51.9 million, and the lowest is $1.1 million, according to ESPN. These salaries force many WNBA players to play overseas during the offseason. Some even have to sacrifice their WNBA season to make more money playing overseas. The New York Times reported that 10time WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi did this in 2015, as her team in Russia paid her $1.5 million plus her WNBA salary — $107,000 at the time — for her to sit out her WNBA season.

Playing year-round and overseas takes a mental and physical toll on players and Kamiah Smalls, a former JMU women’s basketball player, played in the WNBA briefly before playing professionally isn’t sustainable long term, overseas. Breeze file photo

20 from WNBA, page 19

Tamera “Ty” Young (2004-08) was the first JMU player to be drafted into the WNBA. She was the eighth overall pick in 2008, which was the Atlanta Dream’s first-ever draft pick.

She played for Atlanta, the Chicago Sky and the Las Vegas Aces throughout her career and retired after 12 seasons when the Aces did not renew her contract for the 2020 COVID-19 season, and when the Seattle Storm also waived her the following year.

Young played overseas for teams in Latvia, Spain, Turkey, France, Israel, Brazil, Puerto Rico and China throughout her professional career. She described the seven- to eightmonth seasons in addition to the four- to fivemonth WNBA seasons as difficult.

“You’re missing out from your family … and it takes a toll on your body, especially as women. But I feel a lot of women, they love the game, but they don’t want to be away from their family for that amount of time,” Young said on The BTM Podcast in August of 2021.

JMU women’s basketball players have alums to look up to, but transitioning to a career in the WNBA is difficult. A successful time in the league will hopefully become more realistic and rewarding as the league continues to break down barriers and set new records.

The expansion to the Bay Area could improve some issues in the league — there will be space for more players to enter, and a new city will provide more publicity for the WNBA. However, the league first needs to prioritize the wellbeing of their current players and address the issues they face.

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

1996-2000: WNBA established, initial expansion

OPINION

2006: Chicago Sky joins WNBA

2008: Atlanta Dream joins WNBA

2025: Golden State Warriors to add women’s team

CONTACT Mary Mabry at mabrymm@

dukes.jmu.edu.

For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @Breeze_Opinion.

Evan Weaver / The Breeze

MULTIMEDIA

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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SNOW DAY! Due to snowy conditions, the first day of classes were canceled Tuesday, leading students to the Quad for a snowball fight in the afternoon. Two teams faced off against each other with a flurry of throws everywhere. Once the Wilson Hall bell rang at 3 p.m., the war began. Photos by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

For more photos of the semester's snowy start, view the gallery online at breezejmu.org/multimedia.

CONTACT Landon Shackelford at breezephotography@gmail.com. For more multimedia content, visit breezejmu.org/multimedia.

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Vol. 102, No. 15

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org FOR RELEASE JANUARY 15, 2024

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol

1/15/24

By Zachary Schiff

DOWN 1 Airwavesregulating govt. agency 2 Part of a suite 3 Audibly 4 Candid memoirs 5 Broadcast with minimal tape delay 6 Food thickener made from seaweed 7 Enunciate poorly 8 Sacred 9 Fabric stiffener 10 Shortcut, hopefully 11 Drooling dog in “Garfield” 12 Gnat, e.g.

15 Bonus sports periods, for short 21 Imitate a donkey 22 Weight adjustment factor 26 Baylor in the Basketball Hall of Fame 27 Group of nine 28 In the on-deck circle 29 Strong start?

30 Oomph 31 Sword with a blunted tip

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

stumpe

find the answers online

d?

ACROSS 1 Campus gp. with a Greek name 5 Eyelid hair 9 End 13 __ slaw 14 Aptly named cooler brand 16 Ocean motion 17 “Neat!”

18 Place to store valuables 19 Father and son authors Kingsley and Martin 20 Thoroughfare in New York City’s Little Italy 23 Nerf missile 24 Central cooling systs.

25 Hit single from Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” 32 Commonplace 35 Unethical one 36 Limo passenger 37 “Sad to say ... ” 38 Choreographer de Mille 39 Chromosome part 40 Goofy drawing?

41 “Farewell, chérie” 42 River vessel 43 Meatless cheesy entree, familiarly 46 Bum __: unfounded accusation 47 City near Anaheim 49 2023 musical film produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, and an apt title for this puzzle 56 Have a strong 52-Down 57 Love 58 Neeson of the “Taken” films 60 Actress Hathaway 61 Rosebud __: “Schitt’s Creek” location 62 Land measure 63 Hissed “Over here!”

64 Kelly of morning talk TV 65 Hornet home

www.breezejmu.org/ site/crossword_ answers/

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

32 Frilly material 33 Designer Cassini 34 CVS rival 38 Org. on a bottle of mouthwash 39 Coach’s strategy 41 Gravy Cravers pet food brand 42 “I’m f-f-f-reezing!”

44 Single serving of sugar 45 Tía’s madre

1/15/24

48 “The Brady Bunch” housekeeper 49 Lint collector 50 Farm cluckers 51 Go on the __ 52 Hamper emanation 53 Unleavened bread similar to naan 54 Make ready 55 AirPods holders 59 Ran into

Vol. 102, No. 15 DUKE DOG AUTO ALLY LOCAL AUTOS FOR SALE

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

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Career Opportunity - Outreach and Communications Specialist The City of Harrisonburg Police Department (HPD) is seeking an Outreach and Communications Specialist to market, promote, and disseminate information regarding the department’s various projects/initiatives and emergency public information. If this sounds appealing to you, apply today to be considered for this opportunity! Find out/ apply online: https://www.harrisonburgva. gov/employment. EOE.

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Vol. 102, No. 15

Thursday, January 18, 2024 | breezejmu.org

TT BAELUS EA V

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