Issue 2

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Students discuss election after first presidential debate

See Page 2

Courtney Fong| The Connection

State Propositions A summary of major ballot measures News, Page 3

ISSUE 2 Fall 2016 Student voice of CRC since 1970

Passing the torch Jason Ellis takes over architecture course Features, Page 5

FACEBOOK /crcconnection

Stanford University Will hard alcohol ban make a difference?

Opinion, Page 9

TWITTER @crcconnection

Coming Home

New men’s basketball coach returns to CRC Sports, Page 10

INSTAGRAM @thecrcconnection

Page 2

CRC hosts first blood drive this fall

By Abigail Babineau ababineau.connect@gmail.com Students and faculty came out and donated their blood in the first campus blood drive of the semester.

Blood Source came to CRC on Sept. 12 and 13 and will be back Nov. 8 and 9 this semester.

“My hope is the most common reason [for students to give blood] is that they hope, intrinsically want to do well for themselves and others,” said College Nurse Michelle Barkley Barkley. “I think the intrinsic value is knowing that you are doing something good and not expecting any rewards out of it.”

Although we are told that donating blood saves lives, some people do not know

how the process works.

“The majority of it [the blood] goes to local hospitals, people in need, and in hospitals where they give it for either someone that’s been in an accident, someone that’s had some internal bleeding,” said Barkley. “They give the packed red blood cells, the whole units to people that have blood loss.”

Students of all different majors, ages and backgrounds came out to the buses to donate their blood.

One of the students that gave blood, Phi Phan, a 22-year-old nursing major, said “I am doing this because I want to save lives.”

Phan said she has donated blood previously and plans on doing it again in the future.

While some may feel like

donating blood is scary or harmful to our bodies, Barkley said, “As we donate blood, our body has to regenerate new cells, which is healthy. It is a cleansing process.”

In spring 2016, CRC collected 146 pints of blood, said Felicia Roper, account manager for the blood drive.

A total of 197 students and faculty members from CRC participated.

This semester the campus collected 175 pints of blood, a little off from the campus goal of 180 pints, Barkley said.

“It’s awesome that so many students really believe in this,” said Patricia Gonzales, 24, political science major.

“If every single student that could give blood gave blood, think about how much blood CRC could provide,” said Gonzales.

September 29, 2016

News Brief A woman was in the Library on Monday at approximately 3:40 p.m. when she reported seeing a man possibly masturbating in the study area, according to a crime bulletin sent out to students early Tuesday morning.

The report states that she witnessed the suspect standing behind her with his pants down while making movements with his hand near his groin. After realizing she had seen him, the movements ceased and he moved to a different location.

In the bulletin, the woman reported once more seeing the man with his hand in the area of his genitals ap-

proximately fifteen minutes later, this time while on his hands and knees near where she was seated.

According to the Los Rios Police, the witness did not see his genitals in either occurrence. When she confronted the man after the second incident, he fled the area.

The suspect is reported as being a black man in his 40s, with short gray hair and small framed glasses with silver rims. He was wearing a gray sweater at the time of the incident.

If you have any information regarding the suspect or this incident, please contact the Los Rios Police Department at (916) 558-221.

Presidential debate perplexes students, professors

By Lola Chase lchase.connect@gmail.com Tuesday night had the largest projected audience of a presidential debate in U.S. history, with an expected 100 million people viewing live.

The two candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump, went head-to-head on the most important issues the U.S. is currently facing: jobs, the economy, racial discrimination, cyber warfare and nuclear weapons.

The event was streamed live through CNN from Hofstra University to the Cosumnes River College’s campus lecture hall, L111, which was overflowing with so many students that there were not enough seats.

This is the third time CRC has covered a presidential debate, though some of the professors involved agreed that this one held the most significance.

“The purpose of this event on campus is to have a collective experience where we can watch and talk together,” said Political Science Professor and chair of the political science department Martin Morales.

“The significance of this election is that it’s your future.

You have a voice and hopefully you will exercise it in a manner which is fitting your belief system,”Morales said.

Professors from three different disciplines led a

Q&A panel to give students a chance to understand the political process and to get professional answers.

The panelists included Morales, U.S. History and Women’s History Professor Diana Reed and Communications Professor Georgine Hodgkinson.

Morales started the post-debate discussion with “I’ve never seen anything like this,” which was the mood for most of the discussion.

Hodgkinson said she had looked at 15 different polls that morning that showed slightly varied responses. “It’s safe to say that this is a really close race,” she said.

Reed focused on the gender perspective of the debate and the significance of nominating a woman to represent a major political party for the first time.

“100 years ago, women couldn’t vote, so I was really interested in how much gender would be an aspect of the debate,” Reed said.

All three of the professors commented on the unique nature of this election.

“The most interesting poll I saw was a few days ago that said that 57 percent of Americans in this country either felt disgusted by or frustrated with the choices they had in this election,” said Hodgkinson.

“I’ve been studying presidential campaigns for a long

Courtney Fong / The Connection

Students take part in question-and-answer forum after presidential debate viewing in L-111 on Monday.

time, and this has been one of the most interesting I’ve ever seen. It’s also been a really difficult campaign for me to watch, but sort of like a car crash - I cannot look away.”

Some students expressed uncertainty for the election and felt lost in deciding who to vote for.

“I’ve realized I can’t base my decision off of one source,” said 18-year-old liberal arts major Nick Burnau. “I have a long road ahead of me.”

Burnau said he found it funny that people clapped at certain moments of the debate.

“It felt to me that they were clapping for all the wrong reasons,” Burnau said. “The candidates had pre-planned these ‘gotcha’ moments, and the audience fell for them by clapping. They fit into these spoon-fed artificial moments.”

Reed said her favorite part of the event was hearing input from the students. “I was so overwhelmed by the interest of the students, by their questions, and they seemed so engaged as though they really cared about the issues,” Reed said.

Morales responded to the

students’ concerns when he said “the answer lies within you. What you do in the voting booth is nobody’s business. Do your research. But also, don’t lock yourself in a box. Make your own decisions.”

Reed concluded the event by urging students to vote, emphasizing the sacrifices Americans have made so that they could vote today.

“Your voice does matter,” said Reed. “Don’t give away your power. Don’t give away your voice. Please vote.”

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 3

In The Know: California’s Propositions Six statewide propositions to understand for the November election

By Kaelyn Blizzard and Courtney Fong kblizzard.connect@gmail.com & cofong.connect@gmail.com

Along with the Presidential election this November, California will be faced with the largest amount of propositions since the year 2000. Seventeen topics will be presented to voters, including controversial topics regarding the legalization of marijuana (Proposition 64) and repealing the death penalty (Proposition 62). Even though each and every one of these propositions are important to understand, we are going to highlight just six that we feel should be covered and defined more in depth. If you would like summaries of all the propositions, head to our website thecrcconnection.com for a full list.

Proposition 51 - School Bonds

Proposition 57 - Trials

Proposition 58 - Non-English Teaching

A YES votes provides a total of $9 billion in bonds (federal money borrowed and paid back over time) to help support K-12 schools ($7 billion) and community colleges ($2 billion). A NO votes means that this large sum of bonds would not be borrowed. Reasons for a NO vote: borrowing the bonds would cause California to become $17.6 billion more in debt (the initial borrowing amount plus yearly interest over time).

A YES vote increases the opportunities for early release and parole for nonviolent incarcerated offenders. Decisions would be made by a judge, not a prosecutor. This proposition also requires that youths be tried in juvenile court before they may be tried as an adult. A NO vote would not change the inmate release system currently active and would continue to have certain juveniles be tried in adult court.

A YES vote would repeal Proposition 227 passed in 1998 (requires public schools to teach non-English learners in separate classrooms) to allow public schools to decide to teach non-English speakers in English entirely, bilingually or in other types of programs. A NO vote would continue to keep Proposition 227 in effect.

Proposition 63 - Gun regulations

Proposition 66 - Death Penalty Procedures

Proposition 67 - Plastic Bag Ban

A YES vote would add a variety of new gun laws to California, including prohibiting the ownership or sale of large-capacity ammunition, impose background checks on purchase of ammunition, additional felony charges for gun theft and upholding rules prohibiting felons from owning a gun. A NO vote would mean that no new firearm or ammunition laws would be added.

A YES vote would establish a time limit of five years after a death penalty conviction for an inmate to appeal to the court.

The state would also require prisoners on death row to work while in prison and pay restitution to the victims' families. A NO vote would keep the current death penalty system of procedures.

A YES vote would ban the use of plastic bags in grocery, department and retail stores statewide and issue a 10 cents charge on purchasing paper bags. A NO vote would not issue this statewide ban, but local governments that have already issued this ban would not be affected.

All photos are courtesy images. Sources for information: ballotpedia.org, Legislative Analyst’s Office, California Secretary of State and Los Angeles Times.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

PAGE 4

SAVE THE LRCCD begins WEAVE counseling program

By Tyler Santana tsantana.connect@gmail.com

DATE DSPS OPEN HOUSE

The Disability Support Programs and Services department is holding an open house today. Refreshments will be served.

It will be held in their new office in BS-104 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

STORIES ON STATE

Los Rios Community College Night at Stories on State will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Verge Center for the Arts.

Verge Center for the Arts is located at 625 S Street in Sacramento.

TINY HOUSE COMPETITION

Tiny House Competition The SMUD Tiny House Competition will be hosted on campus Oct. 10-15. Our college and nine others will be competing.

Attendees can tour the houses from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 15.

RESUME AND COVER LETTER WORKSHOP

The Career Center will be holding a resume and cover letter workshop. The workshop will cover techniques that will help to strengthen your resume.

It will be held in the Orchard Room in the CC building on Oct. 4 at 11 a.m.

This semester, the Los Rios Community College District is implementing a new program to help those who have suffered any sort of physical or sexual abuse in the form of a confidential counselor from Women Escaping a Violent Environment.

Once a week, a representative from WEAVE will be on LRCCD campuses to meet students in a confidential setting.

Since the WEAVE counselor is affiliated with the school, the counselor is not obligated to report any incidents of abuse or assault to police unless it is warranted by the victim.

“This is something that we are trying out this year and we are hoping that it will prove to be useful for students and survivors of any kind of assault,” said Dean of Student Services and Counseling Shannon Dickson.

Cosumnes River College will have the representative from WEAVE come on campus every Thursday and will usually be located in the Health Services Office.

Dickson said the confi-

dentiality of the new program is extremely important and is one of its key features.

“This service is very beneficial to those who want someone to talk to but aren’t ready to report anything,” Dickson said.

“Staff and faculty on campus are legally obligated to report to the police if a student tells them anything involving any sort of abuse, but the advocate doesn’t have to.”

If a student chooses to report an assault, the advocate from WEAVE will help that student by preparing them for what they might face when they do report it and will guide them through the process. This is something that Dickson said is extremely helpful, as she said she understands the difficulty one can face when trying to report an assault alone.

The program is still in its early stages and there is a lot that can be added to the pro-

gram, Dickson said.

“We’re in the process of developing more student involvement and it’s something we plan to do,” Dickson said.

“I would love to have students involved with the program.”

Last academic year, the LRCCD released a video on eservices called “Not Anymore,” which featured students and people talking about sexaul assault. The video did not get as much attention as was planned, Dickson said.

“It’s very challenging to get students to watch the video, some never hear about or don’t know where to locate the video or some students feel that the two hours is too long,” Dickson said.

Although the program is in its beginning stages, some of the students said that they are glad to hear that the college district is offering support to survivors of sexual assault.

“I think it’s a good thing what the campus is doing,

whether you are a victim or not,” said 24-year-old psychology major Elizabeth Cardona. “Knowing that someone is there for you to talk to is reassuring.”

Dickson said she also believes that this program is not only for survivors of sexaul assault.The effects of sexaul assault strech out to all those who may know the survivor.

“This is another reason why I’m glad I chose to come to this college. I hope that this [program] will help those that need it,” said Paul Navarro, 21, business major.

With this program, Dickson said that she hopes there will be a larger outreach to the college campus and that hopefully more students will become aware of some of the statistics of sexual assault.

“WEAVE is a very much needed service, and I am looking forward to students having a confidential place to come to,” Dickson said.

Smoking ban gets mixed reactions

By Andrew Flores aflores.connect@gmail.com As students began the fall semester, they may have noticed little blue signs on campus buildings informing them that they are not allowed to smoke.

It has been over a month since Cosumnes River College was added to the list of schools that instituted a smoking ban on campus.

The policy, which was implemented Aug. 1, prohibits anyone from smoking, vaping and using tobacco products on the college premises.

With the policy still in its infancy, students have mixed opinions on the college-wide ban.

“I feel like it is convenient for the students, so that nobody has to be around second-hand smoking,” said Aneesah Saeed, 19, a biological anthropology major.

“Either way it doesn’t have an impact on me, but

I feel it is a courtesy to other students around here who don’t want to be subjected to such occurrences.”

Other students said they think that the ban is not fair to those who smoke, out-casting smokers and catering to the needs of non-smokers.

“I don’t smoke but I can see why people who do smoke would find it highly inconvenient,” said 19-year-old Hannah Safdar, a wildlife major.

I have classes back to back to back. If I did smoke, and I wanted to use that 10 minutes between classes to go smoke, now I have to go all the way off campus,” Safdar said.

Prior to the smoking ban,

people were able to smoke in designated areas throughout campus. It was a compromise for both smokers and non-smokers.

As other campuses in the region began to adopt smoking bans, such as American River College, California State University, Sacramento and University of California, Davis, CRC followed suit.

“The smoking areas weren’t an inconvenience to anybody. You would walk past them but if you didn’t want to be near them you had the entire option not to be,” Safdar said.

Some students were concerned that people didn’t stay

“I have classes back to back to back. If I did

smoke, and I wanted to use that 10 minutes between classes to go smoke, now I have to go all the way off campus.”

-- Hannah Safdar

19, wildlife major

within the designated smoking areas when they were available on campus.

“A lot of people did not follow the smoking zones anyways, like when smoking cigarettes you’d sometimes see people going around with it,” said 21-year-old biology major Mark McCullough.

Some students said that they have not seen anyone smoking on campus since the ban began.

Others say they have seen people smoking on campus and feel that the policy was not actively promoted or adequately enforced.

Hamzah Sarwari, a 16-year-old computer science major, said he’s seen students smoking on campus behind buildings.

“It’s a good rule but do you think people are really going to follow it?” Sarwari said.

“If they want to smoke they are going to smoke.”

Information on the ban is available on the CRC website.

Page 5

thecrcconnection.com

>>Features

Son succeeds father in architecture program

By Rachel Norris rnorris.connect@gmail.com It’s not a regularity when two brothers are both professors on the same college campus. What’s even more of an irregularity is when one of those brothers replaces his retired father in the same exact program that his father oversaw.

At the end of the 2016 spring semester, former Cosumnes River College Architecture Professor John Ellis retired from his position, leaving the spot open to a lucky individual who was more than qualified to fill it, and also leaving Brandon Ellis, kinesiology professor at CRC and John’s son, the only Ellis on campus. But not for long.

At the beginning of this semester, Jason Ellis, an architect and also John Ellis’ son, joined his brother Brandon in pursuing a teaching career and carrying on the Ellis family legacy at CRC. As soon as the spot opened up, Jason applied for it and was hired as the new architect professor.

“I love it so far, it’s a totally different experience,” said Jason Ellis about his first few weeks at CRC. “I love being an architect and designing buildings, but I’ve been really excited to see the students’ passion and enthusiasm.”

Taking this family legacy back even further, Jason Ellis was once a student at CRC

and his father John was once his professor. However, he was very clear that his father never pushed architecture onto him.

“He always let us make our own decisions and never pushed me one way or the other,” said Jason Ellis. “My father didn’t seem extremely enthused when I told him I was majoring in architecture, but my mother later told me he was ecstatic about it.”

John Ellis agrees that Jason Ellis made the decision on his own to take up architecture as his career.

“When Jason told me he was taking up architecture, he said, ‘Dad, what’s wrong, you don’t seem that enthused about it,’ but of course I was,” John Ellis said, “I was overjoyed by it.

But what was most important was that my kids found something that they love to do.”

John Ellis explained that his love for architecture and his job is what motivated his sons to find a career path that made them feel good at the end of the day, and not just a job that put food on the table.

“I was never that father that came home every night from his job complaining about how much I hated it, and I think that Jason and Brandon saw that,” said John Ellis. “I always repeated a quote that says, ‘If you find something you love doing, then you’ll never work a day in your life.’”

Like any first-year teach-

Joe Padilla | The Connection

Professor Jason Ellis and father John Ellis met with students in the construction area to work on the tiny house project.

er, the first semester can be extremely busy, stressful and difficult to get into the swing of things. Jason Ellis explains how his father is helping coach him through a few things.

“There is a ton of work to be done, so I’m tapping into any resource I possibly can, and he’s the best one I have,” said Jason Ellis. “For now, I’m teaching his curriculum, but I’m pulling examples from my work experience rather than his teaching experience.”

Students who were in John

Ellis’ class and who now have Jason Ellis as a professor gave some insight on some similarities and differences in their teaching styles and personalities.

“They’re both very committed to going around and helping us out individually,” said Kristin Lorentzen, a 20-year-old architect major. “It’s very easy to understand Jason’s points because he just came out of a firm and has very applicable experience as to what’s going on in architecture right now.”

Robert Hollis, a 23-yearold architecture major, delved into the differences that he likes about each one.

“John made things exciting through his story-telling, which I liked because it’s laid back and doesn’t stress you out about deadlines,” Hollis said.

“But I really like how Jason gets straight to the point and he thinks like an architect. He brings tons of different architectural elements and ideas to the projects that I never would have thought of.”

David Devereaux, a 21-year-old architecture major, said he was very keen on the idea of having John Ellis’ son as a professor.

“The way that they talk and go about things, you can definitely tell that they are father and son,” Devereaux said. “I suppose it’s a very fitting thing to see the father retire and the son take his place for the job.”

Jason Ellis said that his main goal in his time at CRC is to get the word out on what an amazing architecture program the campus offers to inspiring architecture students.

I’ve worked with around 100 people that went through the CRC architecture program, some of them being presidents and principals in firms around Sacramento and beyond,” said Jason Ellis. “So, I look at this as continuing a legacy of a fabulous program that we have on this campus.”

Students find direction at Transfer Day

By Abigail Babineau ababineau.connect@gmail.com Students at Cosumnes River College that wanted to learn more about transfer options gathered at the fountain quad area on Tuesday, Sept. 20, for the college’s annual Transfer Day. Representatives from local universities in California such as: Sacramento State, UC Davis and UC Merced came to campus with other universities from other states were present as well to speak to students and give them more information about transferring options to their universities.

Sarah Willis, 18, undeclared major said, “I am still unsure about my major and where I will go after CRC. Talking to differ-

ent colleges in the area has really helped me think of more options for my future education.”

Willis said that she is torn between two colleges, because of the event. She said that speaking to the representatives was helpful and they gladly answered all the questions she had.

Tony Albert, a 26-year-old, business major said, “Being an older adult at a community college is a little different. I always dreamed of transferring to Berkeley, and talking to them today really made it feel possible.”

Transfer Day was intended to last from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., but many students continued to come out to the booths and and visit different universities throughout the day.

“I share the same major

Stan Smith | The Connection

Transfer day gave student the chance to find out more about surrounding colleges as well as out of state.

with many of my friends and they already know where they are going to transfer, but I still am unsure,” said 22-year-old nursing major Carrie Davis.

Davis said she came out to

find more options for universities in California.

Transfer Day at CRC was a great way for students to understand a little bit more about universities of their choosing as well

as students that are still unsure of their educational future.

“It was awesome to be able to come out and talk to different universities about different options for me,” said Davis.

September 29, 2016

Page 6

Student voice recognized in LatinX event

By Alejandra Morales amorales.connect@gmail.com

Mes de LatinX officially opened on Sept. 21 with a lecture from Olmeca in the Recital Hall.

Olmeca is a hip hop artist and activist who has influenced a group of students from the Student Life and Leadership Center.

He gave a lecture in San Francisco at the NCore Conference. The NCore, National Conference of Race and Ethnicity, was what the lecture was about.

Olmeca showed a slide show and a video called “Browning of America” to show what LatinX has done for the community and how they can influence authority.

“I feel the event is empowering,” Olmeca said. “The idea here is to nurture and provide more information to contextualize the topic that is on point here.”

The lecture was interactive, allowing students to say what they have been feeling and to

express themselves about what LatinX means to them. Olmeca spoke about three main powers that LatinX influences, which are political, economic and cultural.

“We are at least 25 percent more Latino on this campus,” said Oscar Mendoza, a student success and support program specialist. “It merits the question, why have we not been more proactive in finding different ways to help the LatinX community on this campus?”

The term LatinX was aimed at moving past the masculine word “Latino” and gender-inclusive word “Latina.” The reason behind this is to include those who identify as trans, queer, agender, non-binary, gender nonconforming and gender fluid.

“Knowing that there are people out there that share the same feelings makes me feel more open,” said 21-year-old nursing major Rosa Vega. “There are other people that have gone

Joe Padilla | The Connrection

Students gather to watch Olmeca give his lecture. LatinX will continue throughout the month of October.

through the same things that I have gone through.”

A workshop in the Winn Center followed the lecture to get participants more involved.

During the workshop, Olmeca split students into groups and discussed the topics a bit more before they did activities.

“We want the students to

feel recognized, validated, respected and affirmed that they are on the campus for a reason,” Mendoza said.

Actors impress in ‘Magnificent Seven’

By Julie Wallinger jwallinger.connect@gmail.com Antoine Fuqua’s “Magnificent Seven” is the newest installation in a franchise built upon bridging the gap between “reimagining” and “remake.”

A “reimagining” of John Sturges’ 1960 film of the same name, which was itself a “reimagining” of Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” (1954), “Magnificent Seven” understands that adapting a story for a new audience means keeping the heart of the story the same while changing the body of characters.

Set in the fictional Sacramento Valley town of Rose Creek in the 1870’s, an industrialist named Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) has taken the gold-rich town from its townspeople, and is not above having his men murder people in the street to keep it. Two residents, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) and Teddy Q (Luke Grimes), hire bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) and enlist him to assemble a band of men from around Northern California to take their town back from Bogue and his army.

One of many changes “Magnificent Seven” makes from its sources is its attempt at a realistic portrayal of the ethnically-diverse American West. Of the seven main characters, four are people of color: protagonist Sam Chisolm, outlaw Vasquez

Courtesy of MGM Photos

(Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), knife expert Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), and warrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). The cast is completed by gambler Joshua Faraday (Chris Pratt), sharpshooter ‘Goodnight’ Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), and skinner Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio).

But a diverse cast is just part of what it takes to make a movie with a respectful and accurate representation of people of color. “Magnificent Seven” took that first step, but in the process highlights that a lack of diversity is a symptom of a much bigger racial problem in American media - ignorance.

The choice to include a Comanche warrior in Northern California, rather than a member of a local nation, is baffling, yet never properly addressed.

And the film’s lasting message on race relations and internal discrimination should be questioned when Red Harvest kills the only other Native American character (also a hired gun, but for the “bad” side) while calling him a disgrace in what we’re supposed to assume is a shared language.

But where the writing was quick to identify Red Harvest as Comanche, there is a sudden lack of specifics for the character

of Billy Rocks. There is an entire scene dedicated to talking about how and why the character of Robicheaux became partners with an East Asian trick shooter, but the entire conversation skirts around identifying exactly what ethnicity Billy is. Instead, the writers chose to have the characters refer to him several times as being from the “mystic Orient,” even while condemning such language.

Like most modern revisionist Westerns, the film’s true strength lies in its cinematography. There are plenty of crisp, highly contrasted colors and gorgeously-framed landscapes.

These are only slightly blighted by several instances where Fuqua experiments with shot styles and focus in the first half of the movie.

The action of the opening sequence is filled with moments where the movement and sources of dialogue are held in the center of the frame, but kept out of focus, while holding the focus on empty spaces in the corner of the screen.

But viewers from Northern California may have to suspend disbelief, as it appears that neither Fuqua nor his location scout have ever set foot in the Sacramento Valley. The sandstone canyons and rolling sand dunes makes one wonder why the story was not just set in New Mexico, where it was filmed.

“Magnificent Seven” is a well-made film that can stand on its own two feet. All of the actors deliver solid performances, and despite failures of writing and direction, it is full of action and interesting characterizations.

There is no room in the twohour run time for the viewer to lose interest.

Score out of five stars For more reviews, visit thecrcconnection.com or follow the Connection on Twitter @CRCconnection

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 7

Honors program offers students political insight

By Andrew Maestas amaestas.connect@gmail.com The Honor Seminar Political Campaign Communication course offered this semester on campus, thoroughly studies the dynamic spectrum of political communication.

Professor Hodgkinson has a coach-instructional style that creates an inviting, organic and engaging environment.

Her students come together in a seminar style with everyone’s desk rearranged in a circle and turned inward.

“I like how this class invites the different thinking from everybody while inviting them to go ahead and explore their own topics and beliefs and present them in the class,” said David Mattson, 28, cyber security & programming major.

The students who are participating in this honor course have access to benefits that normally aren’t available.

“Students get amazing academic support and opportunity from just taking an honor course,” said Hodgkinson.

“There are additional benefits if you decide if you want to participate as a member of the honors program here at CRC.” One of the benefits is the intimacy between the professor and the students in the class setting.

Stan Smith | The Connection

Students engage in a politcal discussion during Honors Seminar. This seminar is available every four years.

“Definitely commend Professor Hodgkinson, she makes the environment very welcoming,” said Lyonna Yohannes, 21, international major. “How the class is set up, everyone facing each other and being outside of a traditional classroom that in itself and having a conversation face to face with the professor and classmates makes you learn better.”

Honor 340 Political Campaign Communication course are for students who have ap-

plied and been accepted in the honor program here at CRC. The Political Campaign Communication course is intended for honors students interested in learning about the political communication, rhetorical criticism, and techniques for writing for academic audiences according the course description.

Students enrolled in Honor 340 are expected to produce an original piece of research.

“Each student in the course submit their work to

the Western State Communication Association Conference, which will happen in next February in Salt Lake City,” said Professor Hodgkinson.

“Any of the students who have their work accepted at this professional conference will have an opportunity to travel to conference and present their original research alongside other academics,” she said.

Professor Georgine Hodgkinson has expertise in the

political communication field and is passionate for her students.

Professor Hodgkinson, is a contributing author to The Millennium Election: Communication in the 2000 Campaign and The Electronic Election: Perspectives on the 1996 Campaign Communication.

The honors program offers a seminar style which is different than the traditional lecture course.

“In a regular course, the professor is responsible for delivery of the curriculum in a seminar the students are responsible along with the professor for delivering the curriculum,” said Honors Program Director Dr. Rick Schubert.

The Honors Program is designed for motivated and academically successful students who want to expand their potential and intellectual growth. The program offers beyond the undergraduate level found here at CRC. “We accept honor program applications on a running bases, so students can submit the program application at any time,’ said Dr. Schubert. “We can even process applications up to the third week in the semester, so it is possible to register for honor courses and apply at the same time.”

How to stay healthy on a budget Make your own meals

Avoid buying junk

Read labels and research

Making your own meals is a good way of controlling what ingredients are being included in your meal. This can prevent unhealthy and artificial foods.

If preparing a new meal everyday is too time consuming then try meal preparing in advance. Just prepare a few meals at the beginning of the week, put them in tightly sealed containers and refrigerate or freeze.

If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it. Junk foods tends to have unnecessarily large amounts of carbohydrates, sodium, and sugar. They exclude important nutrients needed to keep the body going. Remember, food is fuel to your body!

Try to buy produce that is in season.

Produce that is in season is cheaper because it does not have to be shipped from outside the state.

Packaging can be misleading on some products. Products that have the words “healthy” or “fit” on them don’t always live up to it. It’s an easy marketing tool; don’t buy into it!

Some well-known healthy foods aren’t always as healthy as they may seem due to the food manufacture.

The can be packed with sugars and oil that are not essential.

Drink Water Water is the key to living a healthier lifestyle. Your body needs water because it is largely made up of it. It’s also for the most part free!

Having a reusable water bottle is not only beneficial for the environment, it keeps you from having to spend money on buying packages of water.

Stick to your goals

Exercise!

Use smart shopping tactics

Being healthy is a lifestyle, not a diet plan. It’s okay to mess up every now and then. If you mess up, just do better the next time. The more you stick to a routine, the easier it will become.

Little to no equipment is needed to get exercise. Go on a walk or run in your neighborhood and local park.

Check different brands for the same item. Compare the brands to make sure that you find which is the right balance of healthy and inexpensive.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 9

College campuses need to learn how to deal with sexual assault

By Matt Johnson & Courtney Fong mjohnson.connect@gmail.com & cofongo.connect@gmail.com When Brock Turner received a six-month prison sentence for sexual assault, the light sentence angered many across the globe. It exposed a problem in the justice system, but it isn’t the only system at fault.

Turner, a swimmer at Stanford University, was convicted of sexual assault in March after he sexually assaulted an unconscious woman on campus. At the end of his trial, Turner wrote a letter to the judge that oversaw his case.

In that letter, Turner blamed alcohol and parties for his actions.

Amongst the comments in his statement, Turner said, “I never want to have a drop of alcohol again,” and that he “had been shattered by party culture,” according to the New York Times.

As ignorant and outrageous as it may be that he blamed party and drinking culture, his words were echoed in the public’s eyes when Stanford announces its hard alcohol ban.

On August 23, Stanford released a statement that announced the campus would ban hard alcohol at on-campus parties for undergrads.

While the university stated this was not an individual reaction to Turner’s case and the ban had been discussed before, the optics of the ban was poorly timed and aligned with the tired excuse that being drunk caused someone to commit sexual assault.

Not only does Stanford’s hard alcohol ban align with Turner’s excuse, the university’s original press release also put some of the blame on the victims.

In the original statement, Stanford said “Research tells us that women who are seen drinking alcohol are perceived to be more sexually available than they may actually be.”

As deplorable as a person Turner may be, it might even be more outrageous and ignorant that a major university bought into the idea that alcohol causes sexual assault and that women need to be careful drinking, because it will make them more of a target.

Stanford later updated its statement after it was criticized for essentially telling women that they are making themselves targets for sexual assault when they are seen drinking.

It’s further evidence of issues in the college system, including in how sexual assault investigations are handled, especially when athletes are suspected.

Most recently, Baylor University came under fire after massive cover ups for sexual assault allegations committed by athletes. It wasn’t that the investigations done by the university weren’t thorough, it’s that the university didn’t even conduct investigations.

An investigation by ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” found multiple occasions where sexual assault victims reported the incident and named the suspect to campus officials. While all universities are required to investigate all reported sexual assaults by the federal law Title IX, Baylor didn’t even have a Title IX coordinator, according to Outside the Lines.

One of the victims told OTL that when she reported to campus officials that she was sexually assaulted by a football player and asked them for help, they told her “It was not possible for me to receive help from them.”

But it didn’t stop there for Baylor and its attempts to silence vic-

tims. Investigations by the Pepper Hamilton law firm, which represented six women who sued Baylor, found that Baylor threatened to tell the women’s families or expel them, according to the Associated Press.

Baylor’s student code of conduct policy, which bans alcohol, drugs and premarital sex, was used to threaten the victims and silence them.

What Baylor did goes beyond victim-shaming. They blackmailed the victims to keep them quiet. Baylor officials were the ultimate enablers, they allowed sexual assault to happen and silenced or punished anyone who tried to report it.

Brigham Young University has also had a history of using its Honor Code against sexual assault victims.

In interviews with Utah newspaper The Salt Lake Tribune, 50 BYU students said they were sexually assaulted.

The majority of those students said they were afraid to report to the campus because they feared getting in trouble with the Honor Code Office for chastity violations.

Some victims did believe the university would give guidance and support, and said they told BYU authorities they had not consented to the sexual contact.

The school still found that victims “violated the law of chastity, of being in the opposite sex’s bedroom, and of staying in someone’s house past midnight.”

BYU’s Honor Code, which acts as a moral compass and academic policy, doesn’t differentiate between consensual sex, coercion and rape. If the victim faltered to refuse sexual activity at any point in the interaction, took drugs or drank alcohol, BYU can easily find her guilty of engaging in consensual sex.

Date rape, a new term for an old issue, is likely to clash with the Honor Code. Students who are not educated about the prevalence of rape on college campuses are more prone to enter potentially dangerous situations unwittingly.

According to the published study Factors predicting the type of tactics used to resist sexual assault: A prospective study of college women, the more that a woman can recognize threatening cues in a situation that could turn into a sexual assault situation, the more likely she can resist or escape.

In addition to offering academic services, universities should teach students that their personal security is untouchable, and any violation of that is immoral, unlawful and unacceptable.

Self blame, a common defense mechanism amongst sexual assault and rape victims, can prevent victims from defending themselves against university allegations.

For all of these issues that go on, at the core of them is generating fear for victims who are afraid to speak out. Because if they fear what could happen to them if they tell the truth, then sexual assaults will never be reported and the culprits are enabled to continue their behaviors.

If universities want to be part of the solution, defend victims and take measures to prevent more from happening in the future, then it’s time for them to stop victim-blaming and start listening to victims.

Page 10

September 29. 2016

>>Sports

No place like home for men’s basketball coach

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com It’s not often a coach has the opportunity to return to his alma mater and go full circle, but that’s exactly the case with new men’s basketball coach Jonathan James.

James, who played at Cosumnes River College under Hall of Fame coach James Clark, now returns to the same court as a head coach in his first college head coaching job.

“It’s home to me, it’s home. When you have an opportunity to come home, it’s a different feeling,” James said.

The road from and back to CRC helped mold the way he coaches now and how he made it this far. James was coached by Clark at CRC and then Hall of Fame coach Ed Murphy at University of West Georgia, whom like many other of James’ coaches focused on connecting with players.

“All my coaches, they really wanted to develop that relationship with the players and he was definitely one of those guys,” James said. “So I kinda adopted that mindset, that philosophy, once I became a coach.”

James experience on the court carried him from CRC to University of West Georgia then overseas, where he played basketball for several seasons.

During James’s time outside the U.S., he said he learned a great deal about how to adapt to different situations. “That’s so important, especially when you’re playing overseas, you kinda have to take things as they come,” James said.

“You have to be willing to bend a little bit, you have to get outside your norm from time to time. It may be uncomfortable in the moment, but it helps you grow as a person and as a player.”

It’s the experience, both at the fouryear level and abroad, that players are glad to have.

“It means a lot, it means that he knows the struggles and he knows how a player should act and how a player should do certain things on and off the court,” said sophomore guard Leondre Lintz.

“It gives me a lot of confidence in his ability to teach me how to be not only a good player, but a good human being off the court,” he said.

Not only does James’s experience as a player and coach help these players and build them into better players and men, he can also teach and show them what it took to play at the next level.

“It’s good to have a coach that has played at the four-year level and overseas because he knows what it takes to get there. It’s definitely a positive impact,” said sophomore guard Trevor Hooper.

Courtney Fong | The Connection

New men’s basketball coach Jonathan James instructs players during an evening practice in the gym. James comes over from Las Positas College, where he served as an assistant coach for former Cosumnes River College men’s basketball coach James Giacomazzi last season.

After his playing career was over, James spent some time as an assistant coach at Valley High School, before he moved up the ranks and became an assistant coach at CRC on James Giacomazzi’s staff in 2011.

James worked as an assistant coach at CRC on Giacomazzi’s staff until the 2015 season, when Giacomazzi became the head coach at Las Positas College and James joined him as an assistant.

After six years as an assistant under Giacommazi, Jones now had the opportunity to become a head coach, at his alma mater no less, and Giacommazi backed him all the way.

“He was super excited for me.

He was one of my biggest supporters through this whole process and he believed in me,” James said. “When you have a guy with his reputation, just as a person and in the coaching world, when he kinda gives you that stamp of approval, it’s an eye-opener.”

James’s return to CRC and his local roots is also something players appreciate, especially for Lintz.

“It’s really nice. I knew Coach James before he became the coach a little bit and for him to become the coach, it’s kinda like we had that special connection that we had built off the court,” Lintz said.

James is focused on preparing his players for the next level, with a system that is similar to the four-year level with coaches for each position.

“I think you’re able to really hone in on deficiencies and so you can spend more time with a smaller group of guys and correcting these things ,” James said. “I think it helps the kids

develop quicker,” he said.

But his main focus is on academics and seeing his players being well-rounded with the ability to bring that same focus from the court into the classroom.

“We know they want to go out there and play basketball, but we have to get them to put as much effort, energy and enthusiasm into the academic side of things,” James said.

from his time at Sacramento State, will coach the Hawks’ big men.

He’ll be joined by Matthew Bradley, who returns for his second stint as an assistant at CRC after he formerly served on Giacomazzi’s staff in 2012.

It’s Bradley’s 17th season as a basketball coach, much of it spent locally.

He coached at Valley High School from 2008-’12 and Elk Grove High School from 2013-’15.

“It gives me a lot of confidence in his ability to teach me how to be not only a good player, but a good human being off the court,”

— Leondre Lintz Sophomore guard

James is focused on getting the team active in the community by bringing everyone together.

“My goal is to really get the community involved with CRC. Whether we increase enrollment or we increase attendance to events, not just sporting events, but various events on campus,” James said.

“I think I have an opportunity to bridge the gap from CRC as an institution of higher learning and then the community, there is so many programs and resources that CRC offers,” he said.

James brings in a three-man assistant coaching staff, who will work with specific positions and bring experience from the four-year level.

Tony Champion, who was previously an assistant coach at Christian Brothers High School and has experience playing at the four-year level

Bradley will assist James with onfloor coaching, in addition to his duties planning practices and recruiting.

Jerist Roberts, who also played at the four-year level and most recently was an assistant coach at Kennedy High School, will also be part of the staff.

With the season just a few months away, coaches and players have used this time to prepare for the coming season on the court and learning his new system.

But even more importantly, building this team into a family who is always there to support each other through the ups and downs.

“We have to believe in ourselves.

We are responsible for our success, both athletically and academically, it’s all on us,” James said.

The team’s first game is on Nov.10 in the Chabot College tournament.

PAGE 11

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

Volleyball setter honored as student athlete of the week

By Andrew Flores aflores.connect@gmail.com As the fall sports season heats up during the first semester at Cosumnes River College, student athletes display their talents and academic rigor.

Hawks’ sophomore volleyball setter, Lauren Smith, was crowned athlete of the week after playing a pivotal role in back-to-back games against the Columbia Claim Jumpers and Redwood Corsairs on Sept. 14.

“She played amazing. She was a leader on the court. She got a whole bunch of balls up, that we normally wouldn’t get up,” said Kari Post, volleyball head coach. “She fought every second of that match and she did that more than anyone else on the team…she definitely stood out.”

Throughout the night, Smith set the team up with 56 combined assists. She contributed 32 digs and had six service aces. Smith exemplified her skills on the court by maintaining perfect sets with no referee calls for double contact or lifts.

Smith was honored to be athlete of the week and appreciated the fact that her hard work on the court was not going unnoticed. She did not receive a lot of playing time last season and was thrilled to become an asset to the team.

“As a setter you, are kind of like the quarterback of the team,” she said. “You don’t always get the glory like a hitter does but seeing that I am getting recognized and getting the attention, it really means a lot.”

Aside from athletic performance, student athletes must demonstrate good character and excel academically.

Smith has shown valuable leadership skills, strong sportsmanship and maintained academic excellence, despite the struggles of managing her academics with her life on the volleyball court.

“When I’m not in practice, I spend a lot of time in the study center doing homework,” Smith said.

“When you have a test and an essay due on the same week…and you have an away game… it can be a lot.”

Smith’s passion for volleyball developed as a kid.

Editor in Chief: Matt Johnson News Editor: Courtney Fong Features Editor: Ashley Navarro Opinion Editor: Tyler Santana Sports Editor: Matt Johnson Photo Editor: LeShea Munoz Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati Staff: Abigail Babineau, Kaelyn Blizzard, Steven Bryla, Lola Chase, Andrew Flores, Jared Lee, Andrew Maestas, Alejandra Morales, Rachel Norris, Joe Padilla, Stan Smith, Julie Wallinger

Pro athletes must use the power of their voices to create change

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com

Steven Bryla | The Connection

Sophomore volleyball setter Lauren Smith was named athlete of the week for her performances on Sept. 13

She began playing the sport in middle school, first in her physical education class and then as a member of her 7th grade volleyball team.

Smith continued to play volleyball in high school, where she was named Academic All-American for four years in a row, before joining the Women’s Volleyball team at CRC. As the season continues, Smith hopes to remain consistent as a setter.

She is determined to sustain her athletic performance and strives to play as well as she did against Columbia College.

“That was a really good game for me,” she said. “I want to keep performing like that throughout our next games.”

You can catch Smith and the Hawks in their next home game on Sept. 30 against San Joaquin Delta at 6:30 p.m.

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District.

Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include the first and last name of the author and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Telephone: (916) 691-7471 Fax: (916) 691-7181 www.thecrcconnection.com connection.crc@gmail.com

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Facebook.com/crcconnection Twitter: @CRCconnection Instagram: @CRCconnection Storify.com/TheConnection #CRCcampus

For decades, professional athletes stepped beyond the field and used their platform to create change. After several years of athletes being fairly quiet on social issues, 2016 has brought a wave of change.

It started in July with a speech at the ESPYs, ESPN’s sports award show, when New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony was joined

by Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul.

The four athletes, all African-American, urged their peers across sports to speak out on social issues and help give a voice to those who don’t have one. They stood on the stage with a message of uniting communities, following in the footsteps of athletes who used their powerful voice for the same reasons in the past.

Then just over a month later, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick provided the loudest voice by kneeling during the national anthem to bring attention and give a voice for those who are being oppressed. It created a wave of reaction, both positive and negative, that has shaped the sports world since.

While many have been moved by Kaepernick’s message, with athletes across all sports from the professional level to high school following in his footsteps, people have also met his action with hatred and anger.

When others saw Kaepernick kneel during the national anthem, they viewed it as being anti-military, anti-American and anti-law enforcement.

New York Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY), an Army veteran, tweeted “Kaepernick should think about the service members risking their lives to protect

his freedom to be both rich and unpatriotic in NFL.” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump encouraged Kaepernick and others players who speak out to leave the country, when he said. “I think it’s a great lack of respect and appreciation for our country and I really said they should try another country, see if they like it better,” according to Fox. The vitriol towards Kaepernick was also found in the front offices of NFL teams. Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman spoke to anonymous team executives, whose comments ranged from “I don’t want him anywhere near my team.

He’s a traitor,” to “He has no respect for our country, f––k that guy,” according to Bleacher Report.

People who are so stuck in their ways with a singular point of view and righteous jingoism, who spew hatred to anyone hoping to bring change to the old way of life.

This is where the issue exists. The real problem with this country is people like Trump, Zeldin, the anonymous executives and ignorant fans.

They are also the same people who thump their chests proudly for symbolicpatriotism during the national anthem, but don’t donate their time or money to organizations that support veterans coming home.

The large audience and status these players have gives them a greater voice, a way to make others aware of issues facing minorities, who don’t normally have a strong voice in the media.

They’re using their platform to try and improve communities, make this country better and law enforcement better, which is exactly what this country needs.

Meanwhile, Trump, Zeldin and other critics spend their time flag-waving and criticizing athletes who try to make a difference and make this world a better place.

Page 12

September 29, 2016

Freshmen athletes bring new life to their teams

By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com Most freshmen students usually get time to adjust to their new surroundings after their classes are over, but freshmen fall athletes don’t often get that luxury.

The freshmen athletes coming into Cosumnes River College start meeting their new teammates and coaches over the summer.

It provides a few weeks to focus on athletics before they have to find the balance between the field and the classroom.

There are many new faces across CRC’s sports teams for the fall semester, with student athletes from across the area joining the Hawks.

Following a two-win season last year, the men’s soccer team saw profound changes to its roster.

Entering the season, 17 of the 25 roster spots on the team have been filled by freshmen players.

Midfielder Enzo Leon, who joined the Hawks from River City High School, chose CRC because of the caliber of the program it offered.

“It was a better soccer program,” said Leon. “It was better than ARC and Folsom Lake, so I just went with the top program.”

Leon is looking forward to playing with his team and

hoping to compete for the Big 8 conference title.

Like the men’s soccer team, the women’s soccer team has a roster stacked with freshmen.

They’re paired nicely with several experienced players from last year’s playoff team.

Entering the season, the team has 16 freshmen on its roster of its 23 players this season.

“It was a better soccer program. It was better than ARC and Folsom Lake, so I just went with the top program. ”

— Enzo Leon Men’s soccer midfielder

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

Freshman center Averen Calvin, who played high school soccer for Sheldon, has already experienced some memories in her short stint with the team.

“Beating Santa Rosa. It was tough, aggressive, and everybody was fighting hard,” Calvin said.

Santa Rosa’s soccer team was ranked No. 4 in California at the end of last year by the California Community College Athletic Association rankings.

In addition to playing soccer for the Hawks and being a student, Calvin does her best to balance it all with her busy schedule.

“I try and give myself a good amount of sleep,” said Calvin. “You just have to give yourself a schedule.”

Center back Lauren Azevedo, from Franklin High School in Elk Grove, found a home at CRC when other schools didn’t impress her.

“I felt that CRC would be the best fit for me especially because I wanted to continue my soccer career,” Azevedo said.

“I never really felt any of the colleges that gave me interest throughout high school and financially, it was a smarter decision for me and my family,” she said.

She also has a job outside of being a student and athlete.

Azevedo suggests to take ad-

vantage of the free time you’re given, so that the work doesn’t stack up before you have your next class session.

The women’s volleyball team, which has a new coach, also has five of its nine roster spots occupied by freshmen this season.

Outside hitter Erica Valencia, a Galt High School graduate, is excited to be playing volleyball again after she took some time away from the game.

“I stopped playing volleyball my junior year of high school,” said Valencia.

But Valencia has now returned to the court and said she found it to be a good opportunity here as a freshman.

Now that Valencia has returned to the volleyball court, she is back to living her passion and is also focused on the future.

She dreams of playing volleyball at Sacramento State in the future in large part because of their nursing program, which is what Valencia’s career aspiration is.

Middle hitter Meg Maddalena, a Portola High School graduate, moved here because her aunt lives in the area.

After she looked over the local colleges, Maddalena found CRC to be the right fit for her both as a student and an athlete.

“This was my favorite campus between all of the JC’s

in the area,” Maddalena said.

Freshman athletes make up a large majority of the teams this semester.

This fall, 38 out of the 57 athletes are freshmen, according to the CRC Hawks website.

It makes for a lot of students who are all learning how to balance their time between the classroom and the field.

“It’s prioritizing and finding balance,” Valencia said.

Tyler Santana | The Connection

“Beating Santa Rosa. It was tough, aggressive, and everybody was fighting hard.”

— Averen Calvin Women’s soccer center

Men’s basketball shoots for third conference title

By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com Coming off of its second consecutive Big 8 championship, the men’s basketball team is ready to step up and compete for the three-peat.

This year, the team welcomes several new freshman players along with a new head coach.

Head coach Jonathan James has high hopes for the team this season.

He wants the players to treat the rest of the team as family as well as be able to rely on each other for support as the season progresses.

Players spoke highly of James and complimented his coaching style.

“He’s very intense. He knows the game of basketball. Everyday he pushes us,”

said sophomore guard Trevor Hooper.

“We’re still getting to know each other. It’s a new team, new coaching staff, but so far it’s going good and I’m excited for this year,” he said.

Others, like sophomore point guard Leondre Lintz, mentioned how James’ experience in the game has given them a strong foundation and an example to follow.

With so many new faces, a lot of emphasis has been placed on the sophomore players to set an example.

There are four sophomore players on the team this season, who can help bring that mentorship and guidance for young players.

“Most of these guys are fresh out of high school, haven’t really touched the college environment yet,” Lintz said.

“When you have talent like we have, unselfishness has to be there. ”

— Jonathan James Men’s basketball coach

“So being able to be their leader and being kind of like a big brother to them is something that I take pride in,” he said.

Hooper also spoke about the opportunity to be a leader on the team.

He said he wants to show newcomers how to be good men as well as good players.

“Just teaching guys at the college level how to play college level basketball, and just being a good student as well,” said Hooper.

“I’m excited to spread that knowledge on and off the court to the freshmen.”

The freshman players also bring a lot of skill to the team.

Khari Hutt, a freshman point guard, spoke about the new experience of college basketball.

“Practice has been very intense,” Hutt said. “It’s a new environment really, coming out of high school.”

Hutt spoke about both him and Lintz being point guards and how it would work for the team.

“We’ve got really good chemistry. We both know how each other plays, so it’ll be good,” said Hutt.

James also spoke about

Lintz and Hutt and how well they can work on the court together.

“They’re both very unselfish and I think that’s the key.

When you have talent like we have, unselfishness has to be there,” James said.

“Those two guys, they are very unselfish,” he said.

While the men’s basketball team has won the Big 8 championship twice in a row and are focused in their attempt to achieve a third conference championship and defend the target on their back, Lintz doesn’t feel any added pressure.

“I really don’t believe in pressure,” Lintz said.

“I believe that if we keep working hard and we stick to the gameplan, we can come out for a third Big 8 championship in a row,” he said.