C o nne c t i o n THE
Women’s swim team successfully raise money in annual swim-a-thon See Page 7
Stress causes burnout on college students
Latino community celebrates Dia De Los Muertos See Page 3
Issue 3 Fall 2019 Student voice of CRC since 1970
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November 7, 2019
>>News
Veterans Day Empathy event honors former veterans’ stories By Priscilla Garcia-Pargas pgpargas.connect@gmail.com In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Arts, Music and Entertainment department is hosting an event on Nov. 14 to memorialize veterans and their stories. Music Professors Omari Williams and Kurt Erickson composed a song from Iraqi War Veteran Brian Turner’s “Here, Bullet.” The song will be set to words from Turner’s poetry book. “We honor all communities, including veterans, by telling their stories,” said Williams when asked why the music program took part in this year’s Veteran’s Day celebration. Williams said that the song Erickson composed is a “wonderful way” to honor not just veterans, but veterans who have experienced particularly traumatic events in their lifetimes. Linda Fitz Gibbon, a ceramics professor who has also been running art gallery events on campus for the past five years, said she was blown away by the performance and decided to include it into the art gallery’s “Empathy” exhibition. “This exhibition is about being able to put yourself in someone else’s place,” said Gibbon. Gibbon said she hopes that the community feels more included instead of divided with the recent political climate. She also mentioned that Brian Bedford, the dean of AME, wanted a community project to include people and get them to come back. Gibbon said she ap“I think it’s the highlight proached the dean with of the whole community the idea of putting up baskets in different places college system in terms across campus to add to the Empathy quilt for the of gallery art spaces.” exhibition. The quilt will be showcasing many differ— Linda Fitz Gibbon ent messages from people Ceramics Professor about their input on what Empathy means to them. “I love that he’s continuing to push the way to get more people into this beautiful space,” said Gibbon. “I think it’s the highlight of the whole community college system in terms of gallery art spaces.” Veterans Resource Center Student Personnel Assistant Ken Walker has been at the veterans center on campus since April, but he said that, while he was working at Folsom Lake College, they would hold a BBQ honoring veterans. This year, being his first Veteran’s Day at CRC, he hopes to be set out a table and get the word out to people on campus about the event. The Veteran’s Empathy event will be held on Nov. 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in hopes that more students will be able to come by and see the exhibition.
High gas prices remain unexplained across state By Mason White mawhite@gmail.com Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling on the state attorney general to investigate big oil companies and find out why Californians are paying a much higher price per gallon compared to the average of any other state. The California Energy Commission released a report in October highlighting the higher prices in the state with no real explanation, concluding that Californians are being charged more per gallon for the same oil product that other states are receiving. The report found that drivers paid almost 30 cents more per gallon in 2018 than out of state, and up to a dollar more on average as of April this year, according to the
“If other people are paying less than us we should at least get a reason why we’re paying more.” — Henry Pham
22, chemistry major
commission’s report. “I think it’s outrageous,” said 18-year-old psychology major Danielle Rebensdorf. “I don’t like them at all because I’m in school and I have to pay for my own gas, and it’s tough. I have other things to buy too.” Andy Nguyen, a 20-yearold film studies major, said he can see why gas prices are higher in California than anywhere else and thinks the high prices are justified. “California’s population is just massive compared to other states, and the advancement of technology and development in California is so much larger than anywhere else,” Nguyen said. Dimitri Moua, a 20-yearold biology major, said the prices are way too high but can also understand why they would be higher in our state. “I think it’s ridiculous that California has to pay a significantly higher amount per gallon than other states do,” Moua said. “I guess if you do argue the economic side of it, the fact that we’re a much more populous state and typically we’re just higher in the standard of living, to some de-
gree, it does make sense, but it does suck that we have to pay up to a dollar more.” Jacqueline Velazquez, a 19-year-old psychology major, said with gas prices so high, an investigation is worth it, even if they don’t find anything. “I think it’s not really that fair if we’re paying a dollar more, and if other people are paying less than us we should at least get a reason why we’re paying more,” said Henry Pham, a 22-year-old chemistry major. “It just doesn’t make any sense.” Big oil companies such as Shell, 76 and Chevron said their gas costs more because it is of better quality, but the California Energy Commission’s analysis could not find any evidence to support that, concluding their report by saying “the primary cause of the residual price increase is simply that California’s retail gasoline outlets are charging higher prices than those in other states.” Name-brand gas retailers offered no response to the California Energy Commission’s request for additional information.
Mason White | The Connection
People are concerned with California’s soaring gas prices, saying that it is unfair that people living in the state pay more per gallon than any other state. The average in Sacramento county is $4.03, according to GasBuddy.
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Overworking is causing burnout syndrome in students By Jacob Peterson jacobpeterson.connect@gmail.com One of the issues currently faced by college students across the country are the symptoms of burnout syndrome. Burnout syndrome affects people both physically and mentally, leading to fatigue and an increasingly negative attitude, according to non-profit mental health and wellness website HealthGuide. Campus Counselor Crystal Martinez-Alire said she sees at least two students a week showing signs of burnout. “Students who are parents or work are usually a lot more likely to be suffering from burnout,” Martinez-Alire said. Burnout syndrome was included as part of the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Presented to the World Health Alliance in May, the ICD is a system used by healthcare workers to define and report diseases and health conditions. The World Health Organization, who publishes the
ICD, specifies on their website that burnout syndrome only applies in the context of work and should not be applied to other aspects of life. Issac Shankar, a 19-yearold computer information systems major, said work was the main reason why he feels burned out. “One of the main sources of stress for me is being overloaded work-wise,” said Shanker. “I work full-time, and it’s a struggle between work and school.” However, 22-year-old photography major Shaylea Duckworth said that school can be like having a full-time job. “It kind of depends on how many classes you take,” said Duckworth. “But I know I have had to spend all night on an assignment, hoping I can get a break, and then just getting another.” Nineteen-year-old business administration major Alyssa Bangs also said she thinks the symptoms of burnout could be caused by the pressures of school work. “Studying is work,” Bangs said. “If you want to be a good student, you have to devote a lot of your time to it.”
Lucy Vang | The Connection
While the World Health Organization states that burnout syndrome is a “occupational phenomenon,” students are being burned out by the amount of classwork work they have and feel school is comparable to working.
Shankar said when he felt he was getting burnt out he dealt with it by taking a step back and resting. “I’ll take a break from my work to disconnect, and then I’ll come back to it,” said Shankar. Tavy Chap, a 32 year old biology major said she does something relaxing to deal with burnout.
Chap said that for her the main source of burnout was academics. She said she would “have a drink or read a book that a teacher hadn’t assigned me.” Martinez-Alire said there are also services provided by the campus that can help students being affected by burnout and other issues. She said the campus Med-
itation Space and personal counseling sessions are available to students, as well as workshops to help them learn better organization and time management skills. Students who are experiencing burnout can make an appointment with one of the counselors for a personal counseling session, or drop in to see a crisis counselor.
Event focuses on the ethics of raising children By Mariana Sanchez msanchez.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College will be having their 14th annual Fall Ethics Symposium partnering with Sacramento State University on Nov. 18 to 19. The year’s symposium will discuss the political, economic, ethical and legal issues regarding the decision to have and raise children. “The Fall Ethics Symposium is the result of collaboration and engagement with the campus community,” said Rick Schubert, the executive director of the event. “The purpose of the event is to provide students with exposure to the kind of academic events which is very central to professional development.” The event is free and open to the general public. The fall ethics symposium welcomes students, faculty, and administrators to participate. Schubert said that students are the largest demographic present at the symposium and that it provides meaningful professional development to faculty and administrators. “Honestly I think it’s pretty cool that people with different opinions can get together and talk,” said Jessica Martinez, a 22-year-old construction major. “I
became a new mother this year and I feel this topic is important. I feel like there would be lots of great conversations and engagement.” The symposium has a total of six sessions. Three sessions held at Sac State and three different sessions held at CRC. Guest speakers from different universities will lead a session allowing for a new discussion each time. “We are interested in engaging the campus community in discussion of current topics of ethics that seem particularly relevant to who we are and what is going on in our society,” said Schubert. Schubert said the event has a good reputation and generally draws an audience of 600 or more people. The Fall Ethics Symposium gives students, faculty, and administrators an opportunity to share their perspectives about issues facing our world today. “Not all of our speakers agree with each other,” said Kyle Swan, Sac State’s CPPE director. “They will challenge and disagree with each other.” Swan said they want to show that there are ways to discuss their differences and show that despite differences in political, ethical principles, people can talk about these things in a civilized way.
He said the topics chosen for the symposia are challenging and can be hard for some people to talk about. Policing and immigration were topics from the previous ethics symposiums and are examples of topics that still hold value today. “We try to both identify themes that are timely and themes that will have direct value,” said Schubert. “We want to make sure that the topics feel like they’re coming out of the news today, and they are of enduring interest.” The guest speakers have been chosen carefully and invited based on their accessibility to a general audience as well as their ability to engage and answer tough questions. “I’m looking forward to seeing filled seats and lots of questions,” said Swan. “I want to see the speakers’ seats on fire. I want to see students ask questions to the speakers and earn their suffering.” For more information regarding the fall ethics symposium reach out to Professor Schubert by email schuber@crc.losrios.edu, or visit his office located in the Southeast Office Complex Building room 116. The first day of the event will be held at Sac State and the second day will be held at CRC in the Recital Hall. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast.
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November 7, 2019
>>Features
Students connect through games By Jacob Peterson jacobpeterson.connect@gmail.com
Lucy Vang | The Connection
The Drama Club wore costumes and held tarot readings during Hawk-O-Ween. The event was on Oct. 31.
Hawk-o-ween spooks campus By Lucy Vang lvang.connect@gmail.com The Associated Students of Cosumnes River College brought the festivities of Halloween to the quad on Oct. 31. Hawk-O-Ween celebrates the Halloween spirit with music, performances, games and food trucks. “It’s a really nice thing for the school to keep us in the holiday spirit, especially at a time like this when students are stressing over exams,” said 23-year-old psychology major Lynn Martinez. As music was playing to set everyone in the Halloween spirit, a variety of games were set up all around the
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quad for students to play for prizes like candy and goodie bags. “I enjoy seeing the variety of clubs that are out here and really just seeing people getting into the Halloween spirit,” said 33-year-old photography major Emanuel Espinoza. The Drama Club was hosting a tarot reading table, where they were gaining lots of attention. They were also giving out free candy and had props for students to use for pictures. Graciela Castaneda, a 21-year-old sociology major and president of the Puente Club, said that there were more students participating in the event than she had ex-
Staff: Alicia Lopez, Cameron Werblun, Mariana Sanchez, Jacob Peterson, Priscilla Garcia-Pargras, Allesandra Sarantopulos, Michaela Graves, Halimeh Edais, Tairiq Marshall, Mason White The Connection is an awardwinning newspaper published 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.
pected. “It’s always more fun when there are a lot of people,” Castaneda said. A group of students then shared their passion for K-pop by performing on the quad, while the audience was cheering them on. Students were dressed in all sorts of costumes, from creepy skulls and witches to princesses and anime characters. There were clubs selling snacks and drinks, while also providing information to help promote and get more students to join them. “I look forward to this event again next year,” said Martinez. “It was so much fun.”
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The cafeteria offers a lot for students, be it an early morning cup of coffee or a quick lunch in between classes. One thing some may have noticed is the group of students at the back of the cafeteria playing video games on setups of various sizes. Leanardo Ramirez, a 20-year-old fine arts and animation major, said the group is unofficial since it’s not a formal club. “There isn’t really any set organization,” said Ramirez. “More of a type of controlled chaos.” Ramirez said he started playing with the group during October of last year. Though he said he didn’t really know anyone else there at the time, he became friends with several of the other players after a few months. “People come and go, play games they like and talk with each other,” said 20-year-old computer animation major Pavinesh Singh. “It’s a place for people to get together when they’re not in class.” Ramirez said the group started around three years ago, starting small and growing over time. He said one person brought their gear, and from there more and more people started to show up before it became a regular thing. The area usually operates on a first-come, first-served basis, Ramirez saying anyone is welcome to join. He said there were no set rules for the games to be played, and the only requirement of the people participating is to get along. Ramirez said that people at the table usually play competitive games. The most common of these are one-on- “People come and go, one fighting games like “BlazBlue” and “Guilty Gear,” play games they like both from Japanese develop- and talk with each er Arcs System Works. “If a big new release other. It’s a place for comes out we may play that people to get together too, like the last ‘Mortal Kombat’ game or the next when they’re not in ‘Guilty Gear’ when it comes class.” out,” said Ramirez. Singh said some students — Pavinesh Singh will also play games on older 20, communication major consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo or Playstation 2. “We all have our own tastes,” said Singh. “Some people like to play fighting games while others enjoy more retro games.” Yuli Espinoza, a 20-year-old sociology major, said she personally doesn’t mind the group of students being in the cafeteria. “As long as they aren’t being disruptive, I don’t feel they are doing anything wrong,” Espinoza said. Elisa Wilson, an 18-year-old undeclared major, said it could be a good way for some people to socialize. “It’s nice that people have that,” said Wilson. “It sounds like a good way to meet new people.” Ramirez and Singh both said they felt the group had a sense of community to it. “We all just came by one day and asked if we could play, and now a lot of us are friends,” said Singh. “We are kind of united by gaming.”
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Day of the Dead event honors loved ones By Mariana Sanchez msanchez.connect@gmail.com The Puente Project hosted their Dia De Los Muertos Community Celebration on Thursday. The event was held in Winn-150, with approximately 50 to 60 people in the room. Puente student speakers gave presentations explaining the significance of the holiday. Dia de Los Muertos, a Mexican holiday known as the “Day of the Dead,” is celebrated throughout Mexico and signifies the remembrance of family, friends or loved ones who died. The first day of this cultural holiday began Oct. 31 and ended Saturday.
“With our culture, it’s very bright and beautiful. We’re not celebrating that their life ended but we are celebrating the life that they had and remembering them.” — Olivia Contreras
Puente Project member
Puente Project Counselor Christopher Torres said the goal of the community celebration was to not only show what Dia de Los Muertos is but to unite people during the celebration. “It really brings people together,” said Karl Perez, a 22-year-old early childhood education major. “I wanted to truly explore and understand the Latino community.” Torres said creating ofrendas helps us connect with our loved ones. An “ofrenda” is an altar and is set up with pictures of those who have passed away. Ofrenda, in Spanish, means “offering,” which is why food is placed on the ofrenda along with other objects that hold great value. “It’s a way for the living to honor and remember those who are not here anymore,” said Torres. Food, personal belongings, candles, flowers, sugar skulls and more were placed on the ofrenda to welcome loved ones who have passed. “Usually when you think of death, it’s associated with black and darkness,” said Olivia Contreras, a member of
Mariana Sanchez | The Connection
Photographs, candles, food and personal belongings are some of the objects placed on the ofrenda during Dia de Los Muertos. The Puente Club organized their own celebration on Thursday.
the Puente Project. “With our culture, it’s very bright and beautiful. We’re not celebrating that their life ended but we are celebrating the life that they had and remembering them.” The Puente Project broke up into six groups, each presenting a mini-lesson on what
the holiday is, what exactly is celebrated, what the significance of the ofrendas are and so much more. “We created a community altar which is for anyone who wants to honor or remember their loved ones,” said Torres. “This isn’t just for Mexicans. We want everyone to feel wel-
come.” Torres said this is a way to give back to your ancestors and that’s why this holiday is so important to the Mexican culture. “This is a day that brings good memories,” said Torres. “A day that we can reconnect with our loved ones.”
Sweet dreams are made of cheese and burger patties Who are we to disagree? ‘Meat’ the greatest burger locations around Sacramento By Mason White mawhite.connect@gmail.com The burger. Many people consider it America’s favorite food, and it’s no secret that America has an obsession with it. The Sacramento burger scene is very much alive and filled with great locations, smells and tastes. Here are a few burger places in our area that you just can’t miss. Number three on the list goes to Willie’s Burgers off Broadway and 16th St., where their cheeseburgers are called hammers and their chili burgers are called slammers. The burger I get when I walk into Willie’s is the Cheesy Bad Boy. This thing is impressive, packing a halfpound cheesy charbroiled patty with
lettuce, grilled onion, tomato and topped off with Willie’s sauce. Number two goes to The Squeeze Inn. If you’re from Sacramento you know about this place, and if you’re not, you’ve probably heard about it anyway. Located at Power Inn and Fruitridge Roads, this burger joint is a Sactown classic. They have small and big cheeseburgers, some with mushrooms, others with bacon and some with all that and extra cheese! When I stop in to The Squeeze Inn I’m ordering the double squeezeburger with cheese. Extra cheese! It’s packed with onions, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and mustard dill pickle, and you can add some bacon if you please. The winner, though, goes to The
Culinerdy Kitchen, a new spot in Sacramento. This place started as a food truck based out of Elk Grove before it became a sit-in restaurant. Put together by celebrity chef Keith Breedlove, the official chef of the California State Fair, and a former chef for the restaurant group owned by Guy Fieri, this guy knows what he’s doing! This place is not to miss. It’s very affordable for eating out, with most entrees between $9 and $15. I would eat anything off this menu any day, but there are two items that take the cake–or patty-cake–in this case. The Cowboy burger is a must-try coming with smoked pulled pork, melted cheddar, crispy onions, nerdy slaw and drizzled with BBQ sauce.
However, the number one is… drum roll please…The Wake and Bacon burger. This monster starts with a half pound beef patty, some crispy bacon and has a beautiful sunnyside-up-egg thrown on top. It’s also drenched in espresso BBQ sauce. Holy cow, literally! The Culinerdy Kitchen takes home first place in this review, and if you think it shouldn’t, go try it for yourself. The Culinerdy Kitchen is located at 524 12th St. in Downtown Sac. Bon appetit! Do you agree with our list? Do you have other recommendations? DM or tweet us on Twitter @CRCconnection.
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November 7, 2019
>>Opinion EDITORIAL
We are America, and we should be the ones defining it The presidency of Donald J. Trump has, in more detrimental ways than the rest, impacted American politics and the overall landscape of American democracy. Over the three years he has been the “occupant of the White House,” as U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley likes to call him, Trump and his administration have caused serious divide amongst political parties and in turn, the American people. Opinions on foreign policy and immigration have invoked disagreements, resulting in violent protesting. These threats reflect the realities of living in a Trump era. A study published last October in the Journal of American College Health, found that one out of four college students match “clinically significant” symptoms related to the election. “The high level of
Courtesy Photo
event-related distress is concerning because elevated symptoms of event-related stress are predictive of future distress and subsequent PTSD diagnoses,” the study stated. The initial shock of Trump’s 2016 win wreaked
havoc on the streets and in the media, but the most discouraging turn of events was witnessing the rise in the white nationalist movement. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization dedicated to fighting hate, tracks
the number of yearly murders perpetuated by extremists, and in 2018 they found every single extremist killing was associated with right-wing terrorism, according to their Center on Extremism. While most citizens share
in the belief of the “American dream,” those beliefs are being tested and tried when we see the hate and extremism that has stemmed since the 2016 election. We are supposed to be a nation that believes in the prosperity and freedom for all, but we can’t continue to push that ideology if the messages and hatred spewed by the Trump administration is slowly chipping away at our optimism. March 3, 2020 will mark the presidential primary election, and while that’s almost four months away, the importance of a well-informed vote makes all the difference. To register to vote, visit registertovote.ca.gov/RegisterToVote. Physical registration forms are available at public libraries, city and county offices, California Department of Motor Vehicles, and U.S Post Offices.
HAWK TALK
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that the platform Will globally ban political ads. What do you think about that? Compiled by Mariana Sanchez and Priscilla Garcia-Pargas
Cody Baer Fire Science and Kinesiology, 27
Anastasia Fellines Film & Digital Cinema Production, 18
Howard Johnson Social Service, 43
Mary Her Psychology, 18
“They aren’t a political platform. By incorporating all this political smud, it takes away from what Twitter was originally designed to do.”
“I feel like if they are banning the ones that are false, it’s a good thing because you don’t want false information on there.”
“It’s a bad idea. That can sway a lot of people who don’t normally read mainstream news.”
“It can influence people wrongly. I’m on Twitter and it’s good to keep in mind all the young people on there who see these ads.”
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>>Sports
Women’s swim team holds fundraiser for their own program By Halimeh Edais hedais.connect@gmail.com The sun shone brightly on the Hawks swim team as they raced back and forth in the pool for their annual swim-athon fundraiser that was held on Thursday. Head Coach Liz Zenuk said the purpose of the fundraiser was to raise money to help support any additional travel or specialized equipment that the team might need for training and this year’s swim-a-thon exceeded previous fundraisers. “This was our most successful swim-a-thon in the team’s history since we started the program,” said Zenuk. The swimmers were looking for support in more ways than monetarily, if people
couldn’t donate then the team asked the person to dedicate their time in watching the team swim or spread the word of the event, said Zenuk. The Hawks swam for an hour straight to raise money, some athletes even setting goals for themselves on how many laps that they could swim. “Today went pretty good, I swam above two miles,” said freshman Rosa Peshkoff. “My goal was two miles and I am happy I was able to reach my goal.” Peshkoff said the team put in the work to raise the funds needed and did a great job in promoting the swim team. The swim team is preparing for the Spring season and are continuing to train and learn during their off-season,
Summer Lomendehe | The Connection
The women’s swim team swam on Thursday during their swim-a-thon fundraiser. The fundraiser aimed to raise money for the team, which would cover travel costs or equipment needed for the swimmers to train.
and would like to break previous records in the upcoming season, said Zenuk. “I am so proud of the team,” said freshman Brylee Brophy. “We all worked so hard and had fun, our hard work today really showed
how hard we practiced.” Brophy said one way to work well with each other is to support each other throughout practices and events like this. The event also outlined areas that the Hawks needed to improve on and areas they
excelled at, said Peshkoff. Brophy, sophomore Emily Klein and freshman Jasmine Rodriguez had the most laps swam for the swim-a-thon. The Hawks have an away meet against the Santa Rosa Bear Cubs on Nov. 22.
California bill paves way for athletes to profit By Tairiq Marshall tmarshall.connect@gmail.com
Senate Bill 206 will allow collegiate athletes who attend four-year institutions in California to be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness starting in 2023. The “Fair Pay to Play Act,” which would prohibit universities from revoking scholarships from athletes who decide to pursue endorsement deals and additional avenues that reimburse them for their likeness, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 30. The California bill passed a few weeks prior to the NCAA agreeing to a similar bill which all college athletes in the U.S to be paid for their name and image. Jonathan James, the men’s basketball coach said it’s unfair that college ath-
letics are the only entity that students can’t benefit from on their own. He compared a student athlete attending University of California Berkeley, who receives payment for their jersey sales to a musician that gets paid for teaching lessons on campus. “If you’re a student athlete at Cal and you aren’t profiting from your jersey being sold in the bookstore but a violinist attending the university can teach lessons for a profit, there isn’t any fairness in that,” said James. James said that it would be detrimental to the National Collegiate Athletic Association if they decided not to support the bill because it would expose them for their exploitation of athletes. “I don’t think it ruins the integrity of their amateurism,” said James. “Instead,
I feel it really brings light to the NCAA’s exploitation given that amateurism is based on ability and professionalism.” Men’s Baseball Coach Don Mico, however, said he felt that compensating players for likeness would deter many athletes from remaining dedicated to the academic aspect of college. “We’re putting so much more emphasis on the sport itself than we are the school,” said Mico. “As an educator, the schooling should always come first.” Mico said because students are seeking monetary value for their name and image, people are “getting away from why they’re in school.” Redshirt freshman guard, Adam Orr, was neutral and said he can understand both ends of the spectrum
when it came down to compensating athletes. Orr said he understood how some student athletes who aren’t financially stable could benefit from the bill but also alluded to scholarships as a way some players already are receiving pay. “I can see it as helpful for people who aren’t as financially stable,” said Orr. “But at the same time, a full ride scholarship is getting paid.” Rose Malfabon, a sophomore butterfly performer for the CRC swim team, said that it’s fair for athletes to receive pay given how talented they are. “I feel that if an athlete is really good and brings revenue to their school, nobody is more deserving than them to make a profit from their name being sold,” said Malfobon.
The NCAA said the bill would ultimately compromise the amateurism of college athletes. As a result, universities in California could possibly be ineligible to compete in bowl games and national championships. In his letter against SB 206, NCAA President Mark Emmert said California schools would potentially be barred from opportunities like NCAA championship appearances. Emmert said the bill could have a negative effect on universities because it creates “local differences that would make it impossible to host fair national championships.” “California is definitely setting precedent which helps,” said James. “I hope other states gradually start getting on board because its long overdue.”
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November 7, 2019
Jacob Peterson | The Connection
The Hawks’ basketball teams continue to practice while playing in preseason games. The women’s team first preseason game took place on Nov. 2, while the men’s took place on Nov 1.
Basketball teams will soon tackle new season By Mariana Sanchez msanchez.connect@gmail.com The men’s basketball team is ready to compete this season and have prepared themselves throughout the offseason. The season officially started on Nov. 1 against Columbia College during the Falcon’s Classic. “I’m excited about this year,” said Head Coach Jonathan James. “The team is ready to compete and we’ve been competitive, so it’s important that we maintain that.” In the previous season, the Hawks won 17 games and lost in the second round in the playoffs to number one-ranked San Francisco City. James said that hey had a very good year and finished third in conference. He said that his team will keep pushing for a conference and have a deep playoff front. “We were right there fighting for a conference championship,” James said. “We are pushing for a conference championship this year.” James said that the team has been preparing during the offseason by weightlifting, conditioning and challenging themselves by getting out of their comfort zone. Freshman point guard Andre Huddleston said the team has been looking very good at practice and thinks they will win a lot of games this season.
As a coach, James said that he has learned how important it is to find each player’s motivation and tap into their learning norms. “Our team’s strength is definitely our defensive intensity, as well as how unselfish we are in terms of sharing the ball and knowing our roll when we sub in a game,” said sophomore guard Brandon Gray. Gray said this season will be great for them if they continue to do the little things, like being confident in themselves instead of beating themselves down. “The guys challenge each other to get better,” said James. “They all really want to get better, they are committed to getting better both athletically and academically.” Gray said the team’s goal this season is to stay consistent and take over the Big 8 Conference and go far into the playoffs. “I’m going to be very vocal on the court,” said Huddleston. “I will make sure my guys know what to do and are on the right spots.” Huddleston said he knows that leadership is definitely a quality and skill that can help win a lot of games. “We’re relentless, no matter what,” he said. “We came to win.” Now that the men’s basketball team has prepared themselves during the offseason they are ready to compete and win this season. “Once we put it all together we are a tough team to beat,” said Gray.
By Jacob Peterson jacobpeterson.connect@gmail.com The women’s basketball team is ready to take on the season after prepping themselves throughout the offseason. The first preseason game for the Hawks took place on Nov. 2 losing 90-53 against the Siskiyous Eagles. The Hawks ended the 2018-2019 season with only nine wins and eighteen losses. “We are looking to get back on track this season,” said Head Coach Coral Sage. “We want to try and get into the double digits this year as well as making playoffs.” Sage said that during the team’s offseason preparations, there was a lot of work on individual development and conditioning. Defense will be a point of emphasis for this year’s team said Sage. “We’ve been really working on ramping up our defense and improving our guard,” said Sage. “We’ve also been working hard on developing our transitional offense.” This year, the team is mostly made up of nine freshman players. Returning to the team this year are sophomore guard Arriana Butts and sophomore power forward and center Kiara Jones. “We have a strong group of freshmen this year,” said Sage. “They’re all wide-eyed and ready to go.”
Sage also said that while the returning players were expected to take up leadership positions, there were also freshman players stepping up to fill those roles. Sage said all of the players this year had something to add to the team. She said freshman point guard Briley Jordet and freshman post player Chelsea Shirley are two players to look out for. Freshman shooting guard Neveah Galindo said there was also a lot of work on conditioning without a ball, which included swimming, timed miles and stadium runs. Jordet added that there was also work on mental preparation, such as team-building exercises like a trip to Tahoe. “The coach would say that ‘if nothing changes, nothing changes,’” said Galindo. “It’s all about changing your level of effort.” Jordet said that one of the goals is for the team to make 50 points off of steals. “We want to focus on pushing the pace of the game and using transitional defense and offense,” Jordet added. “Our motto is ‘long, low and loud.’” The preseason will last from November to December and conference play will start in the first week of January. The Hawks next preseason game will be against Monterey Peninsula Lobos on Thursday at the Clark Court.