Issue 3

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Campus president shares leadership model See Page 2

Alicia Ilaga The Connection Connection Jared Lee | The

Bathroom Rights

Trump rescinds guidelines regarding trans students News, Page 3 ISSUE 3 Spring 2017 Student voice of CRC since 1970

Self Defense

Students urged to be more cautious on campus Features, Page 7

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Planet Earth

Human nature affects planet more than anticipated Opinion, Page 9

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Player Profile

Tennis star prepares for university competition Sports, Page 12

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MARCH 16, 2017

>>News

Student caffeine use delivers mixed results

By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com There’s no escaping caffeinated beverages like soda and coffee.

We are bombarded with advertisements for caffeine products in commercials, radio, billboards and in every college campus across America, including Cosumnes River College with its vending machines, the cafeteria and the Hawks Nest.

“With caffeine, we can see it remaining in the body,” said nutrition professor Timaree Hagenburger.

“People think it peaks within 30 to 45 minutes, but research studies have shown that it is still in their bodies at least 12 hours later depending on the person.”

Caffeine can have both positive and negative effects on the human body. According to the National Coffee Association, three to five cups of coffee per day can lead to positive health results, like a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes and prevention of liver disease.

Stephanie Baker, an 18-yearold criminal justice major said she consumes a large amount of caffeine daily.

“I drink two coffees from Starbucks

each day, then a lot of soda,” Baker said.

Baker added that she consumes that much because she gets up early and it helps wake her up.

The biggest issue that Hagenburger has observed with college students is a lack of sleep due to studying late at night.

“If you prevent yourself from getting that deep sleep, then there is a very difficult time for your brain to put all the files in order to do during the day,” said Hagenburger.

Hagenburger said she offered her classes what she called a 30-day habit journey, where students take a habit and give it up for a month. A lot of students pick soda, she said.

“They feel amazing when they quit it afterwards. Because it’s hard, because it’s everywhere.”

Walker Brown, an 18-yearold kinesiology major, said he quit consuming a lot of caffeine throughout the day.

“I would get a sugar rush and feel immediately tired afterwards,” Brown said.

Brown said that he used moderation to kick his caffiene habit, going from three cups of coffee per day to drinking only one or two cups

of coffee per week.

Brown said that he feels much better, gets seven to 10 hours of sleep on average and feels more energized when he wakes up.

Caffeine use can lead to high blood pressure, and daily soft drink consumption may lower bone mineral density in women, according to webmd.com.

Baker explained that she only consumes caffeinated beverages when she is not at home because they are not available in her household - but would drink them if they were.

There are some alternatives to drinks that have a high level of caffeine.

For example, Hagenburger suggested that green tea, which has a low level per mg of caffeine, or hibiscus tea, which has none.

Instead of trying to pull an allnighter, Hagenburger suggested that people go to bed and then wake up earlier because their brain would better retain information, rather than staying up late and waking up feeling groggy.

“There is no recommended amount of caffeine a person should do daily because you can thrive without it,” Hagenburger said.

Amount of caffeine consumed by Americans, per day

90% of adults

ingest caffeine

40% of ages

18 - 24 drink coffee

300mg

average caffeine consumed, equal to three cups of normal coffee Julie Wallinger | The Connection / Source: University of New Hampshire

College President gives lecture on leadership

By Jared Lee jlee.connect@gmail.com Continuing with its lecture series, the Center for the Advancement of Staff and Student Learning at Cosumnes River College hosted the “Daniel Model of Leadership” on Monday.

The presentation was given by CRC President Edward Bush.

The focus of the CASSL lecture series is to support scholarship on campus, provide an enriching experience, and enhance and expand opportunities for both students and faculty.

One of the more recent practices that CASSL is attempting to implement is presenting these lectures directly to the student body, said philosophy professor and CASSL Coordinator Rick Schubert.

“One of my central interests has been bringing students directly into CASSL events,” said Schubert. “It’s been one of my primary interests as CASSL coordinator to have CASSL programming serve students directly.”

Schubert gave a short introduction where he spoke about Bush’s background and experiences that led him to work on the Daniel model. After a short introduction, Bush promptly began speaking about the development of the Daniel model. He shared how

“If you have influence over anyone else’s life - even your own - you are a leader.”

--Dr. Edward Bush CRC President

Jared Lee / The Connection

President Edward Bush spoke to attendees on Monday as part of the CASSL lecture series. Dr. Bush shared his own leadership model, based on the biblical book of Daniel.

his personal experiences led to his adhering to this particular model over others that he had researched.

“A cursory look at several leadership models, I don’t think they ever really hit the courage piece and the piece on authenticity,” said Bush. “My journey is different, and my experience is different, so I needed to find a different model to articulate my journey.”

The Daniel model of leadership is based on the biblical book of Daniel, focusing on principles that are taken

directly from the book.

Bush focused on nine key principles found in the book of Daniel, including maintaining your identity, having confidence in your unique talents and having uncompromising integrity among others.

As Bush presented each point, he referenced specific passages from Daniel to support the points he was making. Likewise, he also referenced his own personal experiences, and how they led him to develop this particular model of leadership.

Bush said that he wanted the information that he presented to resonate with students. Bush related the principles he discussed with common situations found in students’ lives.

“If you have influence over anyone else’s life - even your own - you are a leader,” Bush said in his presentation.

The purpose of leadership is to be able to help others and lift them up,

said Bush.

A recurring point in the model that Bush referred to often was the need leaders to be selfless. “You have to keep your ego in check,” he said.

Students and faculty both attended the event. Genaro Gonzalez, a 20-yearold film major, heard about the lecture in his world religions class.

“I found it very interesting. It gave me a new perspective on a very familiar story that I grew up with,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also commented on one of the points that was made in the lecture. “[I learned] how much good morals and good values, when you hold true to them, you can be rewarded.”

Schubert said that he hoped attendees of the event would understand the “core message.”

“Leadership is more effective when it has integrity,” Schubert said. “We succeed because we’re authentic to who we are.”

Bush said that he was able to gain from the lecture as well.

“I’m always pleased when people can learn and have an appreciation for what something is that I’m thinking of and working on personally,” Bush said.

“Just to be able to share with the college community about that is great.”

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 3

Workshop prepares students for interviews SAVE THE

By Jeannie Cordero jecordero.connect@gmail.com Students at Cosumnes River College were given the opportunity to get on-campus preparation for job interviews on Monday in the Orchard Room.

This workshop was held for the third time by Courtnee Mack, the facilitator of the career center workshop series and the Student Personnel Assistant for the Career Center.

“I created this workshop because I was a hiring manager for a number of years and after interviewing students, I find that they were ill-prepared,” said Mack. “I wanted to make sure our students were prepared when they are going out to the work force.”

The purpose of a job interview is to exchange information with your employer, and a good interview is important

and essential to getting a job.

The workshop’s objective was to prepare students for an interview and help them achieve their goals with their academic careers, Mack said.

The workshop provided a fully detailed pamphlet about interviewing strategies, how to successfully deliver in the interview and how to follow up with the potential employer.

“First impressions are the most important because they make or break the decision if you get the job,” Mack said.

Mack gave attendees advice on what to wear and examples on what to and what not to ask to an employer.

The attendees were engaged in the lecture and Mack helped them one by one if they had any questions.

Mack also helped teach students how to identify their strengths and skills and how to use those to their advantage

during an interview.

“This workshop was helpful because it provides students information about how to prepare for an interview that we usually don’t think of,” said 29-year-old Adrian Navarro, a history major.

“I think it shows that the faculty members care about the students and want us to get jobs that will benefit us in our future.”

Mack also discussed the top questions employers ask and how to answer them.

One of her biggest tips about interviewing was to talk about the past, present and future.

Mack said she wants students to use specific examples about their qualifications, education and their current work experience.

Whether the student gets the job or not is not based only on the conversation. Every detail about the interview is im-

portant.

Mack said the interviewer is assessing your overall appearance and demeanor.

“The college should have these workshops more frequently,” said health information technician major Shaunell Glass, 43. “I think there should be mock interviews set aside and have students have time to practice one-on-one with a faculty member.”

Mack said her number one tip for students is to see your career specialist and to take advantage of the college’s resources.

The workshop is held each semester - twice in the fall and one time during the spring, Mack said.

There will be a future networking event for students to meet employers.

The Career and Future Fair is on April 27 from 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the campus quad.

Speaker addresses misconceptions of Islam

By Kristi Doan kdoan.connect@gmail.com In the midst of Women’s History Month, the Muslim Student Association began Islam Awareness Week with guest speaker Zohra Sarwari, who spoke about the the achievements, history and life of women in Islam to a full room on Monday.

Sarwari is an international speaker and author of more than 28 books and is a life and business coach, according to her website.

She began her speech with, “as-salāmu ‘alaykum,” which means “peace and blessings of God be upon you.”

“My audience primarily are non-Muslims and my purpose is to enlighten and teach them about the faith and understanding the bridging gaps,” Sarwari said.

Her purpose in holding the informative talk was to address the misconceptions associated with a Muslim woman.

“People always ask [Muslim] women, ‘Do you feel like your religion is pushed on you? Do you feel oppressed?’

That’s what we mainly get,” said Vice President of MSA, Halimeh Edais, 19, an international relations major.

Muslim women are not oppressed, Sarwari said. She added that Muslim women have the choice on whether or not they choose to wear a hijab,

niqab or an abaya. The choice aligns with their faith and level of piety.

“There’s only one reason to why we dress the way we do,”said Sarwari. “It’s not because we want to be modest, it’s not because it’s our tradition, it’s not because of men, it’s because God has asked us to. God has asked us to do this for our own protection. Everyone should respect me for my mind, my brain, my heart, my compassion and everything else about me.”

This misunderstanding has been built upon from how Islamic culture is portrayed negatively in the media, Sarwari said.

Studies conducted by MediaTenor, an international research institute led by Roland Schatz, have “provide[d] hard data that confirm and elaborate on this commonly-held notion [of] Western media coverage of Islam has been almost exclusively negative.”

Sarwari said she believes the media only projects a majority of one side, and only one argument, which creates an injustice because of a lack of facts.

“Bill Maher and Bill O’Reilly [are examples],”said Sarwari. “They don’t know anything about Islam and they talk for hours about it. These people have millions of viewers, and sometimes that’s all they watch, that’s all they hear,

DATE “THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ROSIE THE RIVETER”

Take part in Women’s History Month by watching a documentary film which takes a look at five real-life “Rosies,” the reality of working in weapons and ammunition manufacturing plants during World War II and reactions to giving up those jobs for returning GIs. Located in room BS120 from 12 - 1:20 p.m. on March 20.

“SILENT SPRING”

A documentary film about Rachel Carson, an early activist for what became the modern-day environmental movement.

Carson challenged the chemical industry and the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. The film will show in room BS-120 at 5:30 p.m. on March 21.

Kristi Doan | The Connection

Author, speaker, lifestyle coach Zohra Sarwari speaks to students about American perceptions of Muslim women on Monday.

they don’t go and do their own research and starts to build in them.”

Sarwari mentioned that fans constantly asked her why she has not been interviewed, but both CBS and Fox News have interviewed her.

“I am interviewed, but do you know how much time they give me? Only 50 seconds on YouTube. It was a 10-minute interview,” said Sarwari.

“Why do you think they didn’t put the rest up?”

Sarwari mentions they only want to hear bad things and take those out of proportion.

As a result of this, Sarwari said that many muslims are afraid of the hate crimes and are “dying in the struggle against jihadists.”

According to a December 2014 article by BBC, “What is jihadism?”, a violent Islamist associates “a noble religious

concept with illegitimate violence” “I think that if you really study Islam or just a basic understanding, you’ll see that we, Islam, directly combats terrorism,” said President of MSA Kaleemah Muttaqi, 18, international relations major. “It’s unfortunate that we’re being linked with people who are out to get us, we’re the victims of these attacks and yet we’re being demonized as the perpetrator of these crimes.”

Sarwari mentions that in every culture, criminals exist and they should not define the entire population.

“Right now in all of our cities, it doesn’t matter what your race is, what your nationality or religion is, you’re always going to have someone bad,” said Sarwari. “You cannot judge them from a small group, if you’re doing that, you’re being unjust.”

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH ROUNDTABLE

CRC students Adalynn Makihele and Laura Roccucci will present their original research with History Professor Diana Reed and Political Science Professor Beth Huffman for a presentation on issues including maternity leave, prostitution, uncompensated labor and the wage gap.

Located in WIN-105 from 10:30 - 11:50 a.m. on March 28.

“FIGHT IN THE FIELDS”

Filmmakers Ray Telles and Rick Tejada-Flores examine several decades of activism by California agricultural workers including Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez.

The film will show on March 30 from 9 - 10:20 a.m. in BS-201.

March 16, 2017

Page 4

Trump rescinds trans bathroom guidelines

By Shannon Rusche srusche.connect@gmail.com President Donald Trump in February rescinded guidelines passed during Obama’s administration, which allowed transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity.

Transgender students and those who support their freedom to use their bathroom of choice at Cosumnes River College spoke out against the removal of these guidelines.

“I feel that it’s wrong, not only because everybody should be able to go into the bathroom they want to, but now you’re taking away someone’s sense of security,” said 25-year-old Kalaya Harvey, a theater arts major and president of the Gay Straight Alliance club.

“If they don’t have security, how are they going to feel comfortable and feel like they have a voice somewhere?”

Anastasia Panagakos, an anthropology professor and coordinator of the Safe Spaces program, also said she felt frustrated by Trump’s decision to rescind the guidelines.

“I’m disappointed and dismayed because we haven’t gone far enough to protect transgender individuals,” said Panagakos.

“It’s reasonable to have a dialogue on something he may not agree with,” Panagakos said. “But it seems like a knee-jerk reaction based on his campaign promises.”

Computer Information Science Professor Lance Parks said there is a lot of anxiety associated with the transgender bathroom use issue, but that decisions are being made based on fear instead of facts.

Panagakos also said that it is more likely that a person would use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity than a man who would take advantage of guidelines in order to harass women in bathrooms, and that there is no evidence to support that would happen.

Without new guidelines to replace those which have been rescinded, cases involving transgender bathroom use must now rely on Title IX, a federal law that bans institutions receiving federal funding from discriminating on the basis of sex, as guidance.

The national Obama guidelines interpreted Title IX to extend to gender identity and allowed transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity.

Title IX, however, does not have any specifications on the topic of gender identity. These would be up to interpretation by each individual state court.

Because Trump rescinded the guidelines, the U.S. Supreme Court canceled the hearing in a high-profile case involving transgender bathroom use and sent it back to the appeals court for another hearing.

Because of this, transgender students will have to wait for a precedent for courts to consider when ruling these cases, so states will have to rule on a case-by-case basis.

Psychology major Darwin Gilliam, a 30-year-old transgender man, said he wants to use the bathroom that corresponds to his gender identity.

“I have the privilege of passing, so I don’t have that issue,” said Gilliam. “There are people who don’t pass, and all they want to do is go to the restroom like everybody else.”

‘Passing’ in the context of a transgender person is defined by the LGBTQ community as a transgender person whose outward appearance corresponds with their gender identity.

Although Trump rescinded the national guidelines on transgender bathroom use, the Los Rios

Shannon Rusche | The Connection / Sources: The American Civil Liberties Union, Williams Institute, The National Center for Transgender Equality and The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

School District has not been affected by it.

CRC President Edward Bush sent an email to students on March 2 to provide reassurance that the campus is an open and safe environment.

“Effective this Thursday, all community colleges will be subject to Health and Safety Code 118600, which states that all single-user toilet facilities shall be identified as all-gender toilet facilities,” said Dr. Bush in the email.

The email stated that the LRSD has updated its policies on anti-discrimination and harassment based on different forms of gender identity and sex-

“It’s becoming more prevalent to see gender as a spectrum, but change is never easy.”

— Anastasia Panagakos

Anthropology professor and coordinator of the Safe Spaces program ual orientation to reflect their values.

The Safe Spaces Program aims at creating a safe, open and bias-free environment on campus, according to the CRC website. They achieve this goal through public awareness campaigns, staff training opportunities and student participation.

The program also provides support to transgender students and their rights.

They hold two Safe Spaces Day events on campus to make students aware that the program is a resource to them.

Furthermore, the program recognizes the annual Day of Silence, a day to reflect on how LGBTQ students are silenced in an educational setting.

Safe Spaces will be partnering with Women Escaping A Violent Environment, an organization that provides crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County, and will focus on sexual assault and consent in the LGBTQ community.

“College can be a time when they come out to

their parents or they’re struggling with their identity and trying to figure out how to make their lives work,” said Panagakos.

She added that LGBTQ students sometimes become homeless if their living environment becomes unlivable, and that the level of harassment aimed at these students is still high.

“Everybody’s worried about others, but what about the trans person?” said Gilliam. “They might become a victim of physical abuse or rape or whatever the case may be. A transgender’s life is in danger when they go into bathrooms.”

Transgender people also have to deal with dysphoria or unease about their bodies and, at times, question their identities due to society’s construct of gender roles, said Gilliam.

Panagakos said that Safe Spaces also conducts training for staff and holds workshops, which describe gender as a spectrum instead of a binary in order to educate faculty members and promote a more welcoming campus environment.

“It’s becoming more prevalent to see gender as a spectrum, but change is never easy,” said Panagakos. “It can be hard if it falls outside their world view because of religious beliefs or how they were raised.”

Safe Spaces is heading a student climate survey this spring as the Social Responsibility Committee wants to get a better sense of whether students feel welcome based on gender, orientation and other identifying factors.

This will help them make recommendations to colleagues and the administration to make CRC more welcoming and inclusive.

Panagakos said that the program is intended to help anyone who feels unsafe on campus, and if someone doesn’t feel welcome or safe, she recommends they should seek out someone who has a Safe Spaces sticker. Safe Spaces ambassadors are avaliable for counselling, connecting students to resources or just listening and giving students a safe space to go when they feel distressed.

The GSA club meets between 3:30-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in WIN 103.

Page 5

thecrcconnection.com

>>Features

Challenges working student face could be beneficial

By Kristi Doan kdoan.connect@gmail.com

Working through college could only lighten the debt burden for students. A working student struggles to pay tuition and living expenses.

In a 2013 study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, 70 - 80 percent of college students are working and enrolled in some form of postsecondary education.

“Today, almost every college student works, but you can’t work your way through college anymore,” said Anthony P. Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, in a statement. “Even if you work, you have to take out loans and take on debt.”

According to College Board, between 2011 and 2017, “published tuition and fee prices rose by 9% in the public four-year sector, by 11% at public two-year colleges, and by 13% at private nonprofit four-year institutions.”

The average cost for a public two-year institution now is $3,520. For a public instate four-year university, it costs $20,090, and a private nonprofit four-year, the average cost was $45,370 per year. This nine to 11 percent increase from 2011 and tuition continues to increase, according to College Board.

Georgetown researchers found, students are working an average of 30 hours a week and about 25 percent of working student are simultaneously employed and in college full-time.

There are working students on the Cosumnes River College campus that try to prioritize their education over work, but are not all given that option.

27 year-old geography major, Laura Herburger, is a part time student that hopes to become a full time student next semester.

“My goal is by next semester is to be able to stop doing one of the jobs and have more time to go back to class,” said Herburger. She struggles with trying to get classes that fit her

work schedule, finding the time to do homework and getting enough sleep between school and her two jobs.

A single student working full time at the federal minimum wage would earn on average, $15,871 annually before tax, according to UC Davis Center for Poverty Research. This does not cover the entire cost of living and tuition.

“I am tired on the days I’m working, then I don’t feel like doing homework, half the time,” said biological chemistry major, Verene Yee, 24. “Considering my parents are retired I have to find ways to support myself and my family.”

There could be an advantage of being a working student, even when the job is unrelated to a student’s major. The experience can help develop and enhance cognitive skills.

“Working while one is still in school enhances the ability to meet deadlines, work under pressure and effectively structure time blocks,” said Wendy Patrick, behavioral expert and business ethics lecturer at San Diego State University. “It instills a sense of discipline, responsibility, structure – all elements that contribute to a successful life.”

A specialized staffing firm, Robert Half technology reports that more than 70 percent of chief information officers favor those with skill and experience when hiring.

The firm said that it is best to seek out ways to gain hands-on knowledge while they are pursuing their education.

Georgetown researches state in their study, “ our findings show clearly that students who complete college degrees while working are more likely over time to transition to managerial positions with higher wages than people who go straight into full-time work after college.”

Fortunately, CRC has a career center found on the second floor of the library building that offers help to creating resumes and cover letters, all while finding internships and jobs.

Courtesy photo

Media blures the line between empowerment and sexualization

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com One of my favorite childhood memories included sitting in my brother’s room and getting completely destroyed in a round of Mortal Kombat. Obviously, losing isn’t what made it special, but the action and gore in the videogame made it entertaining. I absolutely cherished the game because it helped form my love for videogames, but there has always been something about the game that really irked me.

Whether you played Mortal Kombat or not, you may have at least seen a picture of the characters at your local pizza place in the arcade section. The women have incredibly defined, large breasts and a little outfit that teases the “private parts.”

Mortal Kombat is just one of the many games that considerably and continually exploits and sexualizes the female body. Look at Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider games: before she got revamped in 2015 to wearing more comfortable clothing, the character still ran around in a little tank top and shorts while scaling the sides of mountains and fighting off wolves.

There is a bit more control in what is being released in the videogame world now as many developers have become more progressive and have caught onto the indecency of hypersexualizing gender; but it doesn’t stop there.

Turn on the television and go to the nearest channel that fits in the realm of pop culture. What do you see? Chances are that you may run into a few instances of women being overtly sexualized and fitting into some type of women stereotypes.

Over the past two years

or so, there has been a new wave of self-acceptance and an increase of intolerance for fat-shaming, skinny-shaming or just about any type of negativity towards one’s body.

This intolerance is great; it could help younger generations feel more accepted and hopefully stimulate a decrease of self-hatred and bullying that has been going on for too long.

Going onto Twitter or even Youtube will show some examples of internet trolls, but a large portion of people are being supportive of what a woman is wearing, especially if it is quite revealing.

What starts to become questionable is when sexualizing a body becomes okay.

Media in the United States has played a helping hand in training society to find “private parts” to be a scandalous topic, and women have had to conform to in the past.

Recently within the body-positive movement, there has been another movement in finding empowerment in showing off women’s bodies.

You can hop onto Nicki Minaj’s or Kim Kardashian’s Instagram feed and see fans giving them props for wearing whatever they choose.

Where is the line that separates admiration of a human body and exploitation, and who determines that?

What if the creators of Mortal Kombat happened to be women and made the decision to have the female characters wear revealing outfits?

I don’t think women need to conform to a set standard of clothing, but it almost seems like a double standard. It’s empowered sexualization versus unwanted sexualization, but the line is blurry.

MARCH 16, 2017

PAGE 6

The Shins experiment with sound because it’s not likely the co-creator of the side project, Danger Mouse, would have ever made anything this nasty. Nasty, in this case, is a double entendre.

Songs like “Cherry Hearts” and “Painting a Hole” are examples of the electronic/experimental route Mercer is taking. To some listeners it could appear like he’s trying too hard. To others it could to be that now that Mercer has complete recording control, he’s just show his creativity and making music that is refreshingly different from the past.

The change Mercer has made with the album is a demonstration of maturity. The folky sound found in past albums will is cherished, but considering the time those albums were released in relation to the genre, the scene has changed quite a bit.

The album that received the

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com It’s been a long five years and series of lineup changes since the beloved indie-rock band The Shins released a new album.

For long-time fans of the band, new album “Heartworms” is quite a stretch from the past four. The last album “Port of Morrow” had little bits hinting at a change but nothing as dramatically different.

The Shins are very much a one-man band, so sticking with the name is questionable but not uncommon. Singer and lead guitarist James Mercer is the only original remaining member and the band’s sound is very much of a product of his imagination.

At first listen it may seem like it might be another installment to the Broken Bells discography but that thought quickly disappears

HAWK APPROVED Compiled by Kristi Doan We’ve covered trending topics and new entertainment. Now we’d like to share student and staff member’s media favorites. If you have anything you would like to ask in the next issue then tweet us @CRCconnection.

most attention was their 2007 release of “Wincing the Night Away.” That same year indie-rock band Modest Mouse released “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.” Indie-rock has changed just as nearly every genre does.

That being said, there are a few songs worth noting that are very Shins-esque such as “So Now What.” The song was originally released in 2014 with the film “Wish I was Here” directed by Zach Braff. Despite its early release, the song still holds up a few years later as a notable track on the album.

Other tracks such as “Dead Alive,” “Rubber Ballz” and “Heartworms” could have blended in with previous albums just with a better production.

The Shins sound is molded by Mercer’s voice and this album just confirms that, regardless of the added electronic elements.

@CRCconnection

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

@CRCconnection

What are you currently binge watching?

Feddy Meadoh, 25, Business Major

@CRCconnection

Courtesy Photo

Definitely Bates Motel! It’s such a dope show to watch.

What are you currently binge watching?

Ashley Navarro, 21, Features Editor

@CRCconnection

Bob’s Burgers. I think just about anyone can relate to Tina.

What are you listening to?

What are you listening to?

Freddy Meadoh, 25, Business Major

Dom Kennedy. He’s my favorite; his style is smooth hip-hop.

Ashley Navarro, 21, Features Editor

PWR BTTM. Their new singles have been on repeat.

#StreamingNow: Feminsim Edition

The start of march means the start of Women’s History Month. This edition will feature some television series that exemplify female empowerment as well as films that were directed by women.

Compiled by Ashley Navarro

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

“Orange is the New Black”

“A League of Their Own”

“Miss Representation”

This beloved series follows a butt-kicking female protagonist that manages to slay zombies with the weight of emotional burdens around her. She is the hero which still to this day isn’t normally seen in television. Hulu.

Taking place in a female prison, this series takes on a different angle, allowing viewers to get a little taste of what life behind bars may be like for women. The show is also incredibly diverse and that is a platform for a variety of storytelling. Netflix.

“There’s no crying in baseball” unless of course you watch this warming film tell an empowering story of a fictionalized account of the real All-American Girls Professional Baseball league. It’s director just so happens to be female as well! Amazon.

On a bit more of a serious note, this is a great doccumentary that explores the world of underrespresentation of women in media. It’s very informative and anaylzing aspects that have been ignored. Netflix.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 7

Campus crimes are a reminder to be cautious

By Missy Amaya and Justin Cordero mamaya.connect@gmail.com & jcordero.connect@gmail.com As emailed bulletins about crimes committed at Cosumnes River College circulate, students have begun to realize that they should be more cautious when alone on campus.

Many college students, especially freshmen, like to believe that the campus is a completely safe place where nothing bad can happen to them. Most of them are shocked to receive emails detailing crimes committed on campus.

Nursing student Oreana Luna, 19, said that she doesn’t have any sense of threat when she is on campus compared to when she is off campus.

“I couldn’t believe it would actually happen here,” Luna said. “I feel like it’s so safe.”

Because of the crime alert emails, students are more selfaware and are more informed

about any of the suspicious activity happening on campus.

“Honestly, it’s a good thing we get emails about them so we know what’s going on,” said Gabriel Fuentes, a 20-year-old mathematics major.

This information can be vital to all students, especially those who attend night classes.

“To be honest, I feel 100 percent safe,” said Kadie Kabba, a 19-year-old nursing major. “That’s why I am shocked to hear about the sexual assaults on campus “I literally leave campus at 10 at night and put my headphones on, not thinking about being sexually assaulted.”

According to research gathered by the National Sexual Violence Research Center, women are targets for attackers after graduating from high school and that “it is estimated that the percentage of completed or attempted rape victimization among women in higher educational institutions may be between 20 percent and 25 percent over the

course of a college career.”

In order to learn more about self-defense there are local gyms and dojos that could help.

Sensei Abraham Cerezo, the head instructor of local Cerezo’s Martial Arts Studio, has had 47 years of martial arts training and has been teaching self-defense for 27 years.

“For the most part, when people take self-defense class it’s about being aware,” Cerezo said. “Not just being aware of their surroundings, but being aware of their ability to defend themselves.”

“In going to college, you assume you are in a safe environment because everybody is supposed to be there to learn and do what they need to do,” Cerezo said. “However, if you look at the college scene, that’s a prime target because you don’t know who is a student and who isn’t a student.”

Some people might feel that defending themselves may cause issues between them and the police, but Mirzo Ruzive, a campus patrol officer, said that as long as stu-

dents are innocent, they will be fine.

“Everyone has the right to defend themselves or others,” Ruzive said. “In the case of self-defense, when the police officer comes just be cooperative and say what happened.

In most cases there are witnesses, so of course the officer will interview everybody.”

Some people may not have the time or money to take self-defense classes and don’t have the tools to protect themselves. But there are many free resources on how to keep yourself safe on campus, even when alone.

According to the Jeanne Clery’s Crime Prevention Tips, if a student is traveling alone on campus they should try to walk with a friend, avoid isolated areas or tell a friend where they’re going and when they’ll return.

In the event that students do feel unsafe on campus and

need assistance, according to the Los Rios Police Department website, the local police officers can escort you around if you are alone or it’s at night upon request. Police escorts around campus are free of charge and offered all year no matter the time.

You should always be aware of your surroundings while on campus. In case of an emergency, call the campus police department at (916) 558-2221 or use any of the blue emergency stations.

Courtesy Photo

Theatre production of ‘Arcadia’ is filled with chemistry

By Jannah Khalil jkhalil.connect@gmail.com

Courtesy of CRC Theatre Department

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

In their first production of the semester, the Cosumnes River College theatre department presents a successful performance of Tom Sheppard’s “Arcadia.”

“Arcadia” takes place in Sidley Park, an English country estate, and fluctuates between the past and present to tell the story of what occurred at the estate years ago. The scenes follow the residents of the estate in the past during the 18th century and two scholars and their acquaintances trying to discover what occurred at the estate many years ago.

The cast’s performance of “Arcadia” is a commendable one. The play is one with a complex and loaded script and it was compelling to see the actors be able to successfully tackle the long monologues and difficult vocabulary, and all in an English accent. Of course, there were some hiccups along the way, a joke that wasn’t understood or a confusing change of scenes, but the cast never missed a beat and were able to carry the play forward.

Chemistry between Jesse Janzen, playing Septimus, and Johanna Pugh, playing Thomasina, made for a successful performance. Passion and dedication for the character’s being played by the cast as a whole made the play more believable and much more enjoyable.

A considerable praise is due for the production team and crew of the play as it featured a wonderful set, beautiful costumes and well-executed design elements.

Scott Gilbert, costume designer, was able to wonderfully marry the costume with each character. Frills and pale colors to show child-

hood innocence, bold, bright glittering gowns to show the command for the lady of an estate.

Even in the scenes with the characters in the present, each costume had details that gave it a direct relation to the character who was wearing it.

Set designer Carrie Mullen made some great choices in adding the large windows and door looking out into the garden. It gave the set the space and range it needed to seem like a room in a large and grand estate. Visually, the set was pleasingly elegant and certainly looked the part of a 19th century study room with books littered around and ornate vintage wooden furniture.

Lighting and sound designer Cary Babka, who also played Richard Noakes, created many wonderful scenes using careful lighting, purposeful sound and interesting tricks with shadows. The ending scene with the silhouettes of the characters dancing as the lights dimmed and music faded made for a delightful finale.

Director Cheri Fortin created a notable production and her success of portraying her vision for “Arcadia” through her cast and design elements was enjoyable to watch and interesting to examine.

“Arcadia” is not an easy play to watch but it is an entertaining one. Through amusing characters, surprising twists and a pleasing artistic demeanor brought to life through a committed cast and a diligent crew, it’s an engaging way to spend some time with friends and family.

“Arcadia” is playing through March 18. To find dates and times, refer to the CRC theatre department’s webpage. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for students.

March 16, 2017

Page 8

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Without funding, how will the earth survive?

It is impossible to ignore the impact that we as humans have on our environment, whether that be obvious, like city expansion or construction of oil rigs, or invisible (and, some would argue, nonexistent), like greenhouse gases and carbon monoxide emissions that we produce day to day.

And with this impossible ability to ignore the effects of our nature, we must also take the time to understand why after generations of ignoring our ecological imprint, it is important to consider the way the world works, breathes and continues to grow.

However, there are many people who do not see an issue with a lack of environmental compassion, such as the 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump.

While still running as a candidate, Trump proposed that he wanted to cut the Environmental Protection Agency “in almost every form,” according to a Washington Post article on March 1. And with his most recent budget proposals, we see this is coming true.

With the tremendous cuts proposed by Trump, the EPA could lose 25 percent of its budget, and according to National Geographic magazine, “as well as a 20 percent reduction of the agency’s workforce” will be removed.

So what does decreased funding for the EPA mean? According to The Independent, programs within the EPA such as protecting tribal land from pollution or funding for clean drinking water will be cut by 30 percent. Additionally, there will be a 70 percent cut to protection programs combating greenhouse gas emissions.

Funding cuts are usually used to redirect money into other programs that are deemed more important. Under our current addmisistration, there is one main program that will be receiving the largest increase: defense.

It is proposed that the U.S.’s defense budget will have a funding boost of $54 billion, an increase laid on the backs of more than 30 different environment-sustaining programs that help regulate the air, drinking water, animal habitats and so much more.

According to an article by Fox News published on Sunday, even with the amount of cuts and changes that have already been proposed, a large remainder of Trump’s plan for the rest of the budget still won’t be released until May. Having the mindset that America needs to continue to build its defense indefinitely, as if we aren’t already the leading world power, is beyond ridiculous. At what point is too much going to be taken too far and the programs that we need to sustain our country will be gone?

We can not let an environmental catastrophe take place; humans deem the world as something for us to control, but we mustn’t only use it, we must also care for it before it’s too late to turn back.

HAWK

TALK

Compiled by Jeannie Cordero & Justin Cordero

What impact has the Golden 1 Center had on Sacramento?

Connor Puckett 18, computer science

Danya Elhertani 18, medical biochemistry

“I think the biggest problem would definitely have to be the traffic along with parking problems. In terms of celebrities coming, I don’t think it’d be any more significant than the Power Balance Arena.”

“I think it’s positive, it’s something Sacramento needs. It brings excitement to our town because there’s not much to do and it brings more jobs.”

Christopher Gamez 20, business finance

Rafael Arrieta 20, business marketing

“I think it’d be better for the city overall. It probably generates profit that would go to education or helping other areas of interest in the city. Overall I think it betters Sacramento.”

“So far it’s negative and I’m hopeful it’s going to turn into a positive.

But I’ve also done some research and seen that in similar cases and it doesn’t really seem to help the counties where the stadiums are located at all.”

Page 9

thecrcconnection.com

The earth is a shared ecosystem and we need to think of it as one

By Jannah Khalil jkhalil.connect@gmail.com

With exquisite scenery, intriguing narration and its spotlight on all the different aspects of our planet, “Planet Earth” and its sequel are a pioneering platform to show people that our planet is beautiful and more alive than we can see. We must continue to keep it healthy and thriving as we continue to call it our home.

The “Planet Earth” series took its audience through deserts, jungles, mountains, caves, forests and even took them deep down into the sea. It was able to show us things we’d never seen before or teach us things we didn’t know about. It inspired us to understand that there was a beautiful world out there and it was ours.

However, what most people don’t see is that this beautiful world will not last if we don’t make an effort to keep it that way.

Climate change, global warming and pollution are harming the planet. This is not uncommon knowledge. But people don’t seem to take this issue as seriously as they should.

Climate change dangers are becoming more and more apparent every year as regions fluctuate from severe droughts to severe flooding in a perilous pattern. According to a New York Times article, 2016 was the hottest year in historical record and the third consecutive record-breaking year regarding rising temperatures. And after five years of recording-breaking, California dams are flooding with more than

double the usual precipitation, according to a New York Times article.

Global warming is melting ice caps and endangering wildlife. National Geographic magazine reports that there are several animals heavily being affecting by changing temperatures including polar bears, penguins, and even a rare toad who some scientists argue has recently gone extinct due to the effects of climate change.

Pollution is poisoning our air and dirtying our water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, air pollution is the cause of many health problems including issues in the heart, nervous and vascular systems.

“It’s hard to appreciate the sky when it’s blocked by buildings.

It’s hard to appreciate wildlife when it’s roadkill on the street.”

And yet, people generally seem to see environmental issues as a stagnant argument between politicians on the left and the right.

With our new administration, never has there been a time more important than now to prioritize protecting our planet.

The people who have the most power to help our planet do not even believe there is anything wrong with it.

According to his twitter, our president said, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to

make U.S manufacturing non-competitive.” We need to realize that it’s up to us to take the initiative to ensure that our home is kept from harm.

We need an appreciation for the planet before we can start protecting it. But it’s hard to appreciate the planet we call home when most of us only see it through the confines of a modernized, industrialized viewpoint. It’s hard to appreciate the sky when it’s blocked by buildings. It’s hard to appreciate wildlife when it’s roadkill on the street.

The “Planet Earth” series showed us what we couldn’t see and couldn’t even imagine. It showed us that this planet is full of life and allowed us to better understand the rhythm of the animals and nature that make up our ecosystem. It can be as equally as bizarre as it is interesting, as stunning as it is dangerous. And the sooner we can realize this and appreciate the gift of a home we have, the sooner we can understand that preserving it and all that’s in it is an important part of being this planet’s residents.

In the second installation of “Planet Earth”, they included an episode documenting life in a city. It conveyed that human beings are just like any other creature living on earth. Cities are our habitats and we have a way of life within them to survive the same way polar bears survive in the Arctic or lions survive in the savannah. And just as polar bears and lions do not do anything to jeopardize our habitat, we should not do anything to jeopardize theirs.

The Connection Conversation “According to an analysis done by the Congressional Budget Office, the repeal to the Affordable Care Act could lead to millions of people losing their current health coverage. The repeal offers tax breaks based mainly on age instead of income and the cost of coverage.”

- Missy Amaya Artist and Writer

Page 10

March 16, 2017

>>Sports

Multisport athlete prepares for new season

By Alicia Ilaga ailaga.connect@gmail.com Student athletes must balance demanding practice schedules with the academic rigor of a full-time student.

But multisport athletes have it even worse.

Sophomore Yvonne Taylor knows this all too well, with basketball season ending and soccer season coming up quickly.

“I’m really eager to play because we made it to second round of playoffs this last year [in soccer],” Taylor said. “Basketball season wasn’t the best season, so it’ll be nice to go into a winning season.”

Taylor’s freshman year on the basketball team was cut short due to an academic requirement of maintaining a 2.0 GPA while she unfortunately had a 1.9, said women’s basketball Head Coach Coral Sage.

Players have to be enrolled in 12 units, and if they don’t pass six of those units or maintain a 2.0 GPA, they become ineligible to play.

Taylor said that it’s hard being ineligible because you don’t get that year back, and you only get two years to play a sport in community college.

For some multisport athletes, it’s really hard to come from a fall season sport into basketball because basketball

spans two semesters, Sage said.

Taylor “came in and filled the holes where we needed.

She gave us energy and contributed in the ways that she could for us, and we were really thankful for that,” Sage said.

However, Taylor feels the pressure from both sports weighing in on her.

“It’s hard mentally and physically on the body. Basketball is more fast sprints, whereas soccer you have to have endurance [and] be able to run for a solid 45 minutes a half, where basketball is only 40 minutes total with 10 minute quarters. The energy level is very different,” Taylor said.

Despite the challenges of being a multisport athlete, Taylor said being a basketball player as well as a soccer player can be fun because it’s having the same end goal that makes it count.

“Having one big family and different girls come in and have the same mental game all [we] want is to win and all want to compete. It’s nice to have girls on the same competitive level,” said Taylor.

Coming up for the fall soccer season, women’s soccer Head Coach Cesar Plasencia said he has high expectations for Taylor.

“I expect her to be a contributor just like she was last

Stan Smith | The Connection

Multisport athlete Yvonne Taylor, sophomore guard for the Lady Hawks, dribbles upcourt in a game againstSacramento City College on Feb. 3. Taylor is also a defender for Cosumnes River College women’s soccer team.

year,” Plasencia said. “She ended up being one of our most consistent players who I could count on for pretty good performances throughout the whole year.”

“Her energy, her athleticism was very helpful to try and accomplish some of the things we tried to accomplish.”

Taylor’s parents put her in soccer at the age of five, and from there her love for the sport grew.

When on the field, Taylor said she feels free. “You’re not in set plays, you kind of have the ability to move and make decisions on your own,” she said. “I feel like it’s less structured [compared to basketball].”

The team starts their preseason conditioning in the beginning of August with Plasencia, who Taylor said is a good, encouraging and demanding coach who knows how he wants his players to

act and play.

Being a multisport athlete takes away from a student developing her skills at one particular sport to excel at that sport, said Plasencia. However, Plasencia said Taylor fulfills her role at a high level and is very versatile.

“She’s an outstanding young lady, she gets along with everybody, and works really hard all the time, so she has the respect of her teammates,” Plasencia said.

Women’s tennis wins 5-2 against Sacramento City

By Kristi Doan kdoan.connect@gmail.com The sun was out and there was a gentle breeze on Tuesday at home court for the women’s tennis team.

The lady Hawks were victorious against the Sacramento City College Panthers despite having to forfeit a match, winning 5-2.

The team consists of four official players, so this automatically forfeits them in three matches. Since the Panthers had five official players, so only one match was forfeited.

“With three sophomores and one freshman, we make a really good team even though we’re cut short by the lack of people,” said sophomore

Kyleigh Carpenter. “We’re still pretty strong.”

Freshman Paradise Whalen is fairly new to playing tennis. The whole team is very supportive and aims to provide a supportive environment, said Head Coach Brandon Ellis.

Ellis said sophomores Taylor Galya and Carpenter, who are their top players, have been spending a lot of time with Whalen in developing her skills.

“Good leaders on a team are often more influential than a coach because when they get it from each other, it has a different kind of impact - it’s a community of growth,” Ellis said.

Galya believes Whalen has improved tremendously.

“She is really open to trying new things,” said Galya.

“It makes it really easy when someone hasn’t had enough experience when training them. This avoids the bad habits while playing.”

Carpenter said that Whalen has a strong commitment to the team.

“She wants to do better, she wants to play better, and we all know that,” Carpenter said. “We all try to boost her up so she’s not considered just a freshman, that she’s a part of the team.”

Whalen said she felt confident going into the game because they did so well their last game. “It’s my first doubles win, so I feel pretty good.”

Whalen’s victories are a direct result of the amount of

hard work she has put into her training.

“She’s improved a lot.

She doesn’t have a lot of experience, so she’s playing with people that have more experience than she does and she’s already won a couple of matches, so that’s a notable achievement to begin with,” said Ellis. “She won her doubles and singles match today.”

“Tennis is a very individual sport where you’re in your mind the whole match.

That could be a very challenging place when you’re struggling,” said Ellis. “I think the nature of tennis is there’s ups and downs of a match, and they should remain focused on every point.”

Ellis mentioned when Carpenter and Whalen joined

the team, they were very hard on themselves. He especially sees an entirely different tennis player with Carpenter.

“Compared to last year when Kyleigh started, she’s so much better now. She’s much more confident,” said Ellis.

“Last year, she won a few matches and looked less confident on the court. Now you could just see it in her face, that she’s going to go out there and win.”

Ellis said that 90 percent of sports is confidence.

“Confidence is huge for people, especially when they’re not used to competition, so you get a couple of wins and you start to think, ‘I can do this, I can do this,’” Ellis said.

PAGE 11

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

Softball holds off late rally

By Kaelyn Blizzard kblizzard.connect@gmail.com The sun shined down on the Hawks’ softball field to begin a riveting game against the Folsom Lake Falcons on March 7.

The Hawks were able to keep a strong lead against their opponent, holding a 6-0 score until the seventh inning when a few runs slipped away as the wind began to pick up.

“I think we laid back and didn’t play like we needed to play,” said Head Coach Kristy Schroeder. “We can’t come out and be flat and give up the runs that we gave up at the end there. Our athletes are too strong for this.”

With a slippery ending after an exciting two-hour game, the Hawks were able to take home the win with a 6-4 final score.

The Hawks gained three runs in their first inning, including an RBI double to right field by pitcher Chelsea Martinez. CRC continued to make runs throughout the game and kept Folsom from covering any ground.

Among the many highlights during the game, the two home runs in during the bottom of the fifth by Martinez to center field and catcher Courtney Beatty to left field were most notable.

“We have some stuff to work on in the field,

like communication, but for the most part, we’re all doing good,” Beatty said. “I thought we did well overall.”

As each inning passed and the Hawks’ defense continued to make clean plays, it was obvious to the other team that the Hawks had strong team chemistry.

“We say little things back and forth to each other to make sure we all know what we’re supposed to do,” Martinez said. “I feel like we have a really good team chemistry that way.”

The Falcons tried to seize their opportunity with many long drives to the outfield in the last inning. The Hawks didn’t let the heat, or the wind chill, get to them, holding their position until an intense two-out rally from the Falcons in the seventh inning.

Even with another win under their belts, Schroeder knows that her team is more capable of holding their front.

“You have to control the controllables, have high energy in the field, know what we’re doing and come out excited to play,” Schroeder said. “We have to come out a little stronger than we did today.”

The Hawks’ next game will be a doubleheader tomorrow against Diablo Valley College. The first game will start at 12 p.m. on the CRC Softball Field.

Kaelyn Blizzard | The Connection

Pitcher Chelsea Martinez hits a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning on March 7 against FLC.

Editor in Chief: Courtney Fong News Editor: Julieanna Wallinger Features Editor: Ashley Navarro Opinion Editor: Kaelyn Blizzard Copy Editor: Jared Lee Photo Editor: Stan Smith Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati

Staff: Missy Amaya, Steven Bryla, Jeannie Cordero, Justin Cordero, Kristi Doan, Shawn Feuerstein, Alicia Ilaga, Jannah Khalil, Andrew Maestas, Angela Ramos, Shannon Rusche, Kristine Yabumoto

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 RiosCommunity 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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Conference-based seedings for basketball are unfair

By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com Fans anxiously watched television or waited to get a notification from ESPN saying the brackets are out.

It was Selection Sunday, baby.

The day began with anticipation and ended with heartbreak for the NCAA Men’s basketball teams who didn’t make the final field of 68. The four play-in games on Tuesday and Wednesday determined the 11 seed in the South region, the 16 seed in the Midwest region and the 11 and 16 seed in the East region.

It’s mind boggling that four teams could fight for the two open 11 seed spots where teams ranked below them in brackets have their position set. But are the teams in the correct spot when the seedings are announced?

It’s an absolute shame that this is happening in the most exciting time of year for the sport.

The dreams of players have to be at an all-time high when announced their dream of cutting down the nets as champions is near.

The seedings in this year’s tournament bring more questions to how teams are selected.

For example, the four top seeds in every region should have won their conference tournament, right?

Nope! The North Carolina Tar Heels and the Kansas Jayhawks didn’t win their conference tournaments.

In the latest Coaches/ Associated Press poll, only three teams out of the top 10 won their conference championship.

Although the top 10 consisted of teams from six different conferences, the top four seeds in the tournament should have been given to conference champions.

The ACC is the strongest conference with having nine teams in the field of 68 teams.

They also have six out of the top 25 teams in the last ranking done by coaches/ AP poll.

That isn’t far far from the

two conferences with seven bids, but that is a lot for one conference to have compared to 22 other conferences with only one team playing in the big dance.

There are 32 total conferences in Division 1 Men’s College Basketball. How does the committee deal with all the decisions to seed the teams?

Overall, they state that the seedings are based on strength of schedule, ranking power index and the basketball power index.

They are biased on the strength of schedule most of the time obviously favoring the teams in the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pacific 12 and the Southeastern Conference, or known as the Power 5 conferences.

There is no question that the land is ruled by those five conferences, but the other conferences should get seeded higher in the tournament. There shouldn’t be teams that won their conference tournament playing for a chance to get in the final 64 for the official tournament to get started like Kansas State, Mount Saint Mary’s, the University of New Orleans and Wake Forest are.

Although the smaller schools haven’t played as strong as a schedule as certain teams, they should use the strength of schedule for all the conference champion winners and then seed them based on strength of schedule.

That still leaves the opportunity for the best 36 teams to use the RPI, which the NCAA tournament selection committee uses as a tool for grading teams.

It can also use the RPI with the BPI, which is based on being the best predictor on how a team will fare in their games going forward along with the strength of schedule.

Nobody will fully agree with the seedings, but it brings up the best arguments and debates of what team is snubbed and overrated in the tournament. Bring on Cinderella.

Page 12

March 16, 2017

Mustangs put an end to baseball's win streak

By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com In a heartbreaking loss, the Cosumnes River College men’s baseball team came up short against the San Joaquin Delta Mustangs with a final score of 14-6. This game put an end to the Hawks’ nine-game winning streak.

The game was mostly one-sided, with the Hawks struggling to score runs. Head Coach Tony Bloomfield said that the Hawks need to stand their ground moving forward.

“We have to compete better,” Bloomfield said. “We can’t have big innings.”

The game was in the Mustangs favor from early on with the team having nine runs by the end of the second inning, while the Hawks had none.

This proved to be devastating for the Hawks, who had trouble scoring for the rest of the game.

Multiple pitching changes were made in the first few innings. Sophomore pitcher Anthony Castaneda started and was replaced in the second inning by sophomore pitcher Lucas Still. After another few runs were scored by the Mustangs, Still was replaced by freshman pitcher Daniel Vito-

ria, who was able to retire the side.

“I just kept telling myself, ‘The team needs me right now,” Vitoria said. “I just had to get outs.” Vitoria pitched until the seventh inning when he was replaced by freshman pitcher Donovan Harrison.

In the bottom of the third, a single by freshman catcher John Treat allowed freshman infielder Damien Chavez to score a run, the first for the Hawks in this game.

“It’s always nice to try to set the tempo,” Chavez said.

“We really needed it.” The Hawks weren’t able to score anymore in the third, ending the inning two strikeouts later and leaving two men on base.

The Hawks scored again in the bottom of the fourth. Near the end of fourth, Chavez hit a single. An error by the third baseman allowed sophomore infielder Brooks Day to leave second base and make a dash for home. In an incredibly close call, Day made a headfirst dive and was called safe at home, scoring the second run for the Hawks and bringing the score to 10-3.

“It was actually coach [Don] Mico who sent me. I thought about scoring the whole time,” Day said. “We took the gamble, and it paid

Courtney Fong | The Connection

Sophomore shortstop Brett Bloomfield strikes out in the bottom of the third inning, leaving the Hawks at 9-1.

off for us.”

In the top of the seventh inning, the leadoff hitter for the Mustangs hit a line-drive single. A walk and then a bunt, followed by an error at third base, led to another run for the Mustangs. Before the end of the inning, the Mustangs scored three more runs, bringing the score to 14-3.

The next few innings, from the bottom of the seventh through the top of the ninth, were over quickly for both sides. The Hawks only got two walks in the bottoms of the

seventh and the eighth. Other than these, quick outs decided the innings for both teams.

The bottom of the ninth was the Hawks most productive inning at bat. After a fly out to start, Treat followed with a walk to first. A single and a strikeout left the Hawks with two outs and two men on base. The next hit was a single, which allowed Treat to score a run. Another walk and a fly ball by Day to right center got two more runs on the board for the Hawks. Sadly for the Hawks, Day was out at second

base on the next play, ending the game.

Day said that, while the loss was disappointing, he is confident that the team has the ability to win as the season moves forward.

“Just play hard, keep playing hard; keep playing coach Bloomfield’s plan,” Day said.

“I think if we execute and play our game, stay focused, stay confident, we’ll be alright.”

The Hawks will play the Mustangs again on Thursday at San Joaquin Delta.

Stanislaus State to gain 2016 athlete of the year

By Missy Amaya mamaya.connect@gmail.com Hard work is key to the success of student athlete Taylor Galya. As she nears the end of her last season on the women’s tennis team at Cosumnes River College, she will be preparing for a new beginning at Stanislaus State.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet that I’m going to leave because this is the best coaching I’ve ever had,” said Galya. “I don’t really adjust to change all too well, so it will be a new experience.”

Galya began her early athletic successes playing tennis in high school, but it wasn’t until she arrived at CRC when she began to receive recognition for her skills and became the first freshman to win athlete of the year in 2016.

“I was seriously shocked,” Galya said. “Tennis - from where I live - is not really a big sport. In high school, I wasn’t recognized all too much, so there are no words to explain just how that even happened.”

She later went on to become a helpful peer amongst her fellow tennis players.

Teammate Paradise Whalen, who is just beginning her tennis training

this season, appreciates Galya taking the time to help her develop better playing habits.

“Taylor is really encouraging,” said Whalen. “She’s like the mom of the team and she’s always prepared.”

Another player, Jacquelyn Bongacron, said she appreciates the example that Galya sets for the rest of the team.

“She’s like a role model to us because she’s so hardworking,” Bongacron said.

Galya’s hard working mentality manifested into other opportunities at CRC. “In my experience with sports, each level you get to, you have to grow because the pace is faster,” said Head Coach of the women’s tennis team, Brandon Ellis. “Taylor asks questions all the time and she’s very inquisitive about tennis, college, academics and life.”

Galya works on campus in adaptive physical education for students with disabilities as an aid alongside Ellis.

“It’s an incredible experience. They want to work hard and I like being surrounded by good people,” said Galya.

“It’s changed me for the better.”

She was introduced to the program

by Ellis. He had found out she was majoring in kinesiology and suggested becoming an aid to help gain more experience in the medical field and for more career options.

“She’s a very hard worker, she has great social and people skills, so in terms of being a role model and emblem for the program, she’s great,” said Ellis. “With her attitude, she’s really going to keep growing.”

Galya earned a two-year scholarship to Stanislaus State to play on the women’s tennis team, led by Head Coach Verek Visaraga. He had gotten wind of Galya in her freshman year and has paid close attention ever since.

“He asked other coaches in the league about me and I guess they said great things because here I am with this opportunity,” said Galya.

Galya is looking forward to learning in a new environment and seeing what Stanislaus State’s training has to offer.

“I am really excited to meet the girls on the team,” said Galya. “I have seen them in that element, and I want to experience his [Versaga] coaching.”

“I am honestly looking forward

Courtney Fong | The Connection

Sophomore player Taylor Galya was the first freshman to win athlete of the year in 2016.

to just being in my element this season and living each moment, because I won’t be here much longer so I just want to make the best of it.”