Jan. 22, 2021 Hutchinson Collegian

The student voice of Hutchinson Community College

January 22, 2021

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www.hutchcollegian.com

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pinion

Live your life without the fear of what others think.

Stay weird y’all. Page 2

ampus

Kyran Crist breaks down how far available parking is from campus buildings.

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Vol. 62 Issue 11

ports

The Hutchinson Community College basketball teams are back in action after a late start due to COVID-19. Page 4

Continuing Wayne’s legacy

By Bailey Pennycuff Co-Sports Editor

Hutchinson Community College computer drafting instructor Ryan Ewy is also a coach for the Fairfield High School boys basketball team.

However, it was a winded road that led him to his current position.

Growing up, Ewy’s friends were like family and his family like friends. He spent most of his childhood next to his brother Aaron, his twin cousins, Eric and Wayne

Photo by Emily Branson/ Managing Editor

Schoenecker and their sisters Christina and Hannah Schoenecker.

The band of brothers and cousins held a meaningful relationship, mostly by playing sports together their whole lives.

“My older brother Aaron and I played sports with Eric and Wayne from grade school all the way into college. We all suited up for the Arlington Recreation Commission together when we were little, playing basketball, t-ball, softball, and I think even some soccer. We transitioned to Fairfield High School sports playing alongside each other,” Ewy said. “The type of brotherly-bond that is built on a football field and basketball court is a strong bond that will forever link us all together, regardless of relation.”

After their high school careers ended, the boys all accepted scholarships to Sterling College to play football. They all eventually transferred to HutchCC after playing at Sterling for various semesters.

“Regardless of the duration of our stay at (Sterling), it was still really cool to strap up the chin strap at a college football practice knowing that your brothers from back home would be strapping up theirs with you every day,” Ewy said.

Their fun-filled adolescent days

seemed almost perfect. However, it has been known that bad things happen to good people.

In 2016, Wayne’s girlfriend, Esther Jenkerson, and his college roommate, Xavier Bradford, were killed in a car accident. Then in 2018, Christina, who was in the military, died.

“Somehow, even after so many traumatic experiences, Wayne seemed so strong. How did he do it? I have no idea,” Ewy said.

In September, the bad things kept happening to good people. Wayne died in a single-car accident in rural Reno County, near Arlington.

Wayne’s death impacted the lives of countless people, especially his close-knit family members.

“Wayne was more than a cousin to me,” Ewy said. “As cliche as it sounds, he was my brother. My siblings and I were lucky enough to grow up in the same small town of Arlington with our cousins, the Schoeneckers. This allowed us to spend a lot of time together growing up. A lot of our time as little kids was spent over at Grandma Marsh’s house in Arlington.”

Although the world seems a bit darker without Wayne’s light, his memory lives on.

See Ewy, Page 4

Photo by Emily Branson/Managing Editor Ryan Ewy coaches the Fairfield high school boys basketball team during their game in Burrton.

Is this your dream?

By Sam Bailey Editor In Chief

Courtesy Photo A group of Trump supporters gather around the U.S. Capitol in the attempt to stop Congress from counting the Electorial College votes.

Upcoming events Jan. 22 — Women’s basketball vs. Bethany JV, men’s basketball vs. Seminole State, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 27 — Women’s and men’s basketball vs. Coffeyville, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Volleyball plays Pratt CC at home.

Jan. 28 — Celebrity Concert: 46th Annual Bryce Luty Jazz Festival to be performed at B.J. Warner Recital Hall.

The U.S. Capitol is one of the few buildings in the nation that is truly unbreachable, or it was up until Jan. 6.

Before the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a large group of Trump supporters earlier this month, the Capitol had not been breached by a group since 1814 during the War of 1812 (www. newsobserver.com).

On Jan. 6, a group of rioters came to the Capitol in the attempt to stop Congress from counting the Electoral College votes that would confirm Joe Biden as being the next President.

These riots turned violent and resulted in the protesters breaching the Capitol and numerous injuries on the side of the rioters and the law enforcement trying to keep them out.

“I did not think they’d come to the level where they’d start busting into the (Capitol) and doing what they did,” said Hutchinson Community College Political Science Instructor Jason Knapp.

One concern brought up in the aftermath of the riots was how this group got into one of the most guarded buildings in the nation.

Freshman Jay Chislom said, “I think the police had something to do with it, because how could they even get close to the building without authorization?”

Knapp said he read some reports that the FBI is currently looking into the possibility of politicians bringing rioters in on tours of the Capitol beforehand.

“I think we’ll get into it a little deeper as months go on and kind of see what

The happenings around campus

College Student Weather Report Friday High: 46; Low 27 Time to take the Christmas decorations down Jennifer.

Saturday High: 49; Low 40 Super nice day. Just kidding, it’s cold.

Sunday High: 51; Low 27 Taking the sun out of Sunday.

Weather source: The Weather Channel

happens,” Knapp said.

Another concern raised as to how easily the rioters seemed to breach the building was the lack of police standing guard compared to the peaceful Black Lives Matter protests of 2020.

“That is a prime example of racism in this country. The Black man is dangerous and the white man is innocent,” said HutchCC freshman Jervais Jakobe Schofield.

When talking about the issue of security, Knapp said that mob mentality took over the group and that the majority of the protesters probably were not intending on committing this level of federal offense, and that the Capitol adjusted security after the events to be better prepared, were this to happen again.

The motivation behind protesting on the day the Electoral College votes were being counted was that the rioters believed the election was stolen from them and Trump had truly won the election.

To add fuel to the fire, Trump had gone to Twitter before the riot to encourage his supporters to fight for the election.

Even with their attempts to stop Biden from entering the presidency, the votes were indeed counted and their attempts were in vain.

Knapp points out that out of the more than 50 cases of voter fraud brought forward by the Republican Party or Trump’s campaign, none of them had evidence of fraud.

See Riots, Page 3

Visit and follow us on social media @hutchinsoncollegian @HCC_Collegian the_hutchinson_collegian hutch_collegian

Opinion

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We made it through the fall; let’s do it again While many of us thought classes would go remote before Thanksgiving, we made it through a historically odd and challenging fall semester. Through infinite adaptability and cooperation with health guidelines, Hutchinson Community College achieved its goal to stay in-person.

We must continue this trend of excellence through what may be another challenging year. Doing so involves every one of us, students, staff and administrators.

Unfortunately, we are off to a rocky start, as more contagious strains of coronavirus inevitably spread into our community.

Students must keep up mask-wearing and social distancing. However, it is impossible to stay six feet apart if classes are packed and taught by non-compliant instructors. Students can not hold culpability for potential case clusters if the guidelines they are supposed to follow are not enforced.

Faculty need to politely ask their peers and students to pull masks above noses and keep their distance as much as possible. Allowing chin diapers in the middle of a full classroom poses an actual danger to the wearer’s peers and community as a whole.

Also, instructors must continue being flexible with the mental health of their students. The past year’s iron grip upon everyone is as strong as ever. Please bear with us as we, together, continue reckoning with our new reality.

Students appreciated your working with them to ensure their academic success as you shifted learning models and created several layers of contingency plans. Keep up the great work, and thank you.

We can make it through this, however long “this” may last, if we continue to recognize the seriousness of the pandemic.

- Collegian Editorial Board

We’re adults, we get one life, so let’s weird Now that we’re adults, I recommend we all do one simple thing - be weird.

Everyone has a special interest that’s a bit out of the ordinary. You should do it too.

If you aren’t hurting anyone, then who can stop you? For all we know, we only have one shot at this life, so enjoy it. When people say, “live your life like it’s your last day on Earth,” it’s not just a cute sentiment. Life is so fragile and it’s over in an instant. This is your sign to get that tattoo, cut your hair and get your piercing.

I myself have gotten the piercings I’ve always wanted.

I indulge in my interests like skateboarding, embroidery, film study to wild plants, homesteading and making art.

Try creating, even if you think what you’ll make won’t be good.

Humans are made to create, so sing off-key, make terrible drawings, dance with two left feet because these are human traits. Talent literally means nothing.

I’ve changed my hairstyle several times and colored it in wild colors. Cutting my hair and making it into whatever I want is the best thing I’ve ever done. Humans have a strong connection to their hair.

It’s a big part of you, so make it your own: dye it, cut it,

whatever. Hair grows back but the mental health benefits from doing what you want with your body is forever.

I got a new tattoo just this week, and my parents even encouraged me to do it. They weren’t fans when I got my first, but they know I’ve been planning them for years. So if you want a tattoo, then get it!

Your hair will grow back, laser removal exists, piercings close, so act now. Life is fleeting and to be honest, there is no real point in this life if it can’t be enjoyed.

Don’t live your life for another or live it for an afterlife.

Remember, you’re stuck with yourself forever.

Columnist

Leslie Grajeda Leslie Grajeda is a Hutchinson sophomore studying journalism

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The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, January 22, 2021

Will 2021 be normal?

E. G. Weinhoffer/Cartoonist

It couldn’t happen here, until it did There are many valid reasons taries of State, who spent their to peacefully protest - wealth careers looking for an excuse to inequality, police injustice and a suppress black voters, felt emlack of protections during a panboldened to rush through their demic, to name a few. restrictive rules. The Heritage Instead, on Jan. 6, a mob Foundation’s 2017 tax cut bill invaded the Capitol Building in eased into law under Trump. He Washington, and called for the fully realized policies that were heads of politicians ceremonialonce only the dreams of the ly confirming long-since decidconservative intelligentsia. ed Presidential Election results.

Terrorists stormed Congress Like President Trump himbecause they believed the same self, this insurrection was not process which put their guy in Aaron Strain an anomaly or Russian plot power a mere four years ago was to undermine the west, it was rigged and riddled with fraud. business as usual for our shining city upon Trump said he would join the last-ditch overa hill. turn effort at a rally moments before the crowd The existing organized and violent suppresmoved to the Hill. Instead, he went back to the sion of multiracial democracy has been made White House, where he, presumably, caught his more obvious in the last four years. If the speech’s reruns on right-wing networks. insurrection was a “stain on our democracy” The mob, however, still believed in the and “not who we are,” what do we call racism, cause. With suspiciously minimal security poverty and militarism, which have plagued pushback, Confederate flag-waving rioters this country since its founding? self-titled “patriots” - ransacked the building.

Millions of Americans didn’t just decide The obvious parallel here, of course, is that one day to follow our demagogue-in-chief and if they knew weeks ahead about a Black Lives believe in QAnon. Decades of hand-waving Matter rally at the Capitol, they would have away marginalized people’s concerns of rising built a 10-foot-wall around the building. Lethate groups and destroying public institutions ting the mob in was not a “failure” of policing. laid the groundwork for white disillusionment It was the systemic unbalance of government and radicalization. violence laid bare.

In recent history, Ronald Reagan ran on the After security finally cleared the chambers, “Southern Strategy,” using abstract dog whissome GOP lawmakers still objected to election tles about taxes and “Chicago welfare queens” results. After it was painfully obvious Trump to appeal to the southern racist’s sensibilities. incited the mob, all but 10 House Republicans After 9/11, the U.S. government surveilled voted against impeachment.

Muslims, placed them on no-fly lists, and Unlike what media figures and wonky Demturned a blind eye to increased Islamaphobic ocrats tell us, 10 Republicans voting for imhate crimes. During the Obama years, armed peachment should not be cause for celebration. and astroturfed Tea Party members intimidatIt should be a rebuke of the other hundreds of ed officials working on expanding healthcare enablers and the system which created them. access at town halls.

We’ve told ourselves, “it can’t happen here,” Words turned into standard Republican poliuntil it did. “The fever will break,” until it cy for generations. They fomented pre-existing boiled over. hatred towards the marginalized and tied subSaying “America is so much better than what verting the Civil Rights Act to cutting billionwe’re seeing” is plain wishful thinking. It’s a aires’ taxes and erasing corporate regulations. lie we tell ourselves to excuse history affectAs a result, poverty rose, and life expectancy ing the present. Instead, say, “America needs dropped, especially among communities of col- to do so much better,” because society cannot or, all while the wealthiest became wealthier. improve if we believe improvement isn’t necWhile his overt rashness initially turned essary or beyond possibility. some off, Republicans realized hopping on the Trump Train was the strategic path forward for Aaron Strain is a Hutchinson student their conservative project. studying Journalism. He is the Collegian’s After Trump lied about widespread voter Opinion Page Editor fraud in the 2016 election, Republican Secre-

Columnist

Collegian Staff Editor In Chief Sam Bailey Managing editor Emily Branson Opinion page editor Aaron Strain Sports editors Adam Kolb, Bailey Pennycuff Online Edtior Kyran Crist

Editorial cartoonist E. G. Weinhoffer Staff members Sophia Carter, Danielle Gadberry, Brooke Greene, Leslie Grajeda, Jolene Moore, Joel Muhs, Zariah Perilla-Best, Laci Sutton, Nick Williams Collegian Adviser Brad Hallier

www.HutchCollegian.com

Letters to the editor The Hutchinson Collegian welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include the author’s signature, address and phone number.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for style, legality and length. Letters may not exceed 300 words.

Send letters to hallierb@hutchcc.edu.

Non-discrimination statement Hutchinson Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, military status, sexual orientation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law, or by college policy.

For inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies contact: Brett Bright, Coordinator of Equity & Compliance 1300 N. Plum Hutchinson, KS 67501 (620) 665-3500 equity@hutchcc.edu (www.hutchcc.edu/equity)

Campus

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, January 22, 2021

Puzzles

COVID-19 Update

By Laci Sutton Staff Writer

The long-awaited vaccine for COVID-19 has begun distribution across the United States. As of Jan. 15 the CDC has reported a total of 263,175 doses distributed to Kansas.

Out of those 263,175 doses, the CDC reports 97,779 doses administered.

Kansas vaccine distribution is based on five phases by population. Kansas is currently in phase one of the vaccination process. This phase includes healthcare workers, residents/patients in long-term care facilities, and other workers critical to pandemic response continuity.

Due to the severity of the global pandemic, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Being approved in such a short amount of time has raised some concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Many people are hesitant to receive the vaccine once it becomes available to them.

For Hutchinson Community College ADN instructor Kelsi Francis, there was no doubt in her mind as she received the vaccine.

“Working as a nurse on the frontlines of a pandemic, I have seen the sickest of the sick,” Francis said. “Receiving this vaccine to protect my family and patients I care for was the least I could do.”

Francis received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Prior to getting vaccinated, Francis looked for reliable, knowledge-

Page 3

able sources to research the vaccine.

“Fortunately, I work alongside some of the most prestigious infectious disease doctors and was able to ask questions to curtail my knowledge, “ Francis said.

HutchCC ADN student Rachel Lambotte also received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

“Through research of credible sources, I made the choice that I felt comfortable with the technology used to develop the vaccine.” Lambotte said. “By the time it was offered to me, I felt OK with saying ‘yes, I will take the vaccine.’”

The internet, especially social media, is full of stories depicting people’s reactions after receiving the vaccine.

As with any vaccination, everyone can react differently. One person may react drastically worse than the next.

“The initial vaccine left me with a sore arm, no different than receiving any vaccine,” Francis said. “However, the second vaccine did implicate my immune system response and caused some side effects that were short lived.”

The COVID-19 vaccine is not a live vaccine. This means that if someone who has been vaccinated begins to develop symptoms, they aren’t contagious. Their body is reacting with a normal immune response to the new agent that was introduced.

“I have worked in an ICU throughout the whole of COVID,” Lambotte said. “It is intense and devastating. I hope the vaccines will help our healthcare team and the community get in front of the virus.”

Star employee

By Danielle Gadberry Staff Writer

Shelby Branting was Hutchinson Community College’s Employee of the Semester for the fall.

The Assistant Director of Resident Life and Student Activities, said she was “Very honored and surprised to win,” because it wasn’t just her efforts, it was a team effort from her staff and all coordinating staff around her.

Branting grew up in Hutchinson and attended HutchCC. She then transferred to Kansas State University, where she eventually landed a job on campus. She worked for the Kansas State University Foundation, where she worked closely with students in helping fundraise and help the students on campus. Branting soon moved back to Hutchinson after her time at K-State.

She said that she knew she wanted to work for the college, because she loved the position she had working at K-State.

Branting applied for several jobs on campus and was excited she got this one because she would be working closely with students again.

She has been working at HutchCC for almost five years and said that her favorite part is “being able to have a connec-

tion with the students,” because they keep her feeling young and energetic.

In her five years, Branting has never been put in a situation like in 2020 and is hoping she won’t have to experience another year like it. In March, dorm students were sent home for the remainder of the semester, as the college moved to all-remote learning.

Branting’s experience with COVID-19 has been difficult, and she now has to ensure the students in the dorms are wearing their masks outside of their rooms. During the day it’s a lot easier, because there are people on watch, but at night no one is on watch, Branting said, “The next morning, we do watch the cameras from the following night and hand out Bogey’s ice cream coupons or coupons for a free load of wash and dry for the students who are properly wearing their masks during the night.”

They’ve also had to put up limits in dorm rooms and visitor restrictions for the dorms. Anyone who is not roomed in the dorms is not allowed to come in, including parents or family members. This is true for ambassador tours as well.

“The ambassadors or parents are not allowed to come in for the tours, just the student,” Branting said.

Riots

• Continued from Page 1

The nation is torn in many different ways right now pertaining to politics, social issues and more. This being said, it is not yet time to worry about a civil war, as some fear.

“If you look at the data coming out from political scientists when it comes to divisions, the last time we were divided this much was actually the

Civil War era pre-Civil War over the slavery issue,” Knapp said. “We’re at that point now, we’re just not quite at the point where we are at arms with one another.”

Politics is rarely an easy subject to talk about, but it is important for everyone to have these conversations.

“I think we should probably get back to having these conversations,” Knapp said. “We can disagree and have compromise. You don’t have to believe everything I say all the time.”

Parking dilemmas around campus

By Kyran Crist Online Editor

Whether you are a returning Hutchinson Community College student or brand new to campus this semester, you more than likely have experienced, or at least heard about, parking problems on campus.

If you’ve only heard about them, consider yourself lucky, and maybe go buy a lottery ticket.

Unless you hit that very sweet spot that lasts about two minutes after classes get out, or arrive at 8 a.m., finding a decent and close parking spot to your first class is close to impossible.

“Weather permitting, I will drive my bike, because there is always a guaranteed spot in the best parking on campus,” sophomore Bailey Nachtigal said. “But when I do drive my car, I tend to arrive 15 minutes early, because I often park in the small Plum (Street) parking lot, because I don’t want to risk not finding a spot in the Lockman parking lot.”

Freshman Gabriel Crist arrives a bit early for his first class and opts to park further away and walk a bit.

“I usually arrive 10 minutes before class starts to park outside of Stringer (Fine Arts Center) and walk to Shears (Technology Building)” he said. “I don’t mind walking too much, it means I can catch Pokémon, and also have more space in that parking lot. My car is less likely to take a beating and is much easier to get in and out of.”

Sophomore Cole Anderson prefers to arrive even earlier for his first class to ensure a prime parking stall.

“I will leave like 20 minutes early just to make sure

On the web How far is it to walk from various parking lots on campus to Lockman Hall? Online Editor Kyran Crist, who commutes to campus daily, parked her car in several parking lots around campus, and counted the number of steps from her car to the nearest Lockman entrance.

See the graph she compiled from her experiement at www.hutchcollegian.com

I can get a spot,” Anderson said. “Depending on the time of day, I’ll park in the Plum parking lot or the Student Union lot. I always find a space off Plum, but never in the Union.”

Parking has improved with the construction at Parker Student Union complete, but that doesn’t mean it’s easier to find a spot.

Some students would rather arrive 10-15 minutes earlier to find a farther parking lot and walk than go through the chaos of looking for a spot in the main lot.

Provided below is a chart and campus map to help students and people accessing the campus parking to avoid chaotic parking and help students better access their parking.

The lots one would have the most luck find a spot are the Sports Arena and Cosmosphere parking (although that is currently under use for COVID-19 testing only), farther walk, but they are the most likely to offer a spot. Though if closer parking is wanted, it is advised to show up at least 10 minutes early or right before the previous class is being let out in hopes someone will be leaving and vacating their spot.

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Sports It’s basketball season!

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, January 22, 2021

Photo courtesy HutchCC Sports Information Hutchinson Community College’s Josh Baker drives to the basket during a game last season against Seward County at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons are set to open their season as the favorites to win the Jayhawk West.

Blue Dragons set to open new year after 10 months off

By Adam Kolb Co-Sports Editor

In a normal year, the Hutchinson Community College basketball teams would start their seasons during the fall semester. However, this has not been a normal year.

Like most sports at HutchCC, the basketball teams were forced to compete in the spring semester only, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has caused many concerns from students, teachers, and faculty, as well as coaches and players.

HutchCC men’s basketball

coach Steve Eck said he is worried regarding how the season will unfold.

“I do have concerns,” Eck said.” I don’t really know how many games will be postponed or canceled because of Covid.”

Despite his worries, Eck said he has plenty of confidence that his team could go far this season, not only believing the Blue Dragons can compete for the league and Region 6 titles, but also the NJCAA national championship.

However, in order for the season to make it that far, precautions must be taken.

“We have to keep our team in a bubble and stay away from

the virus,” Eck said. I know it is hard when you are in college and are around so many other students, but we kind of need to shelter ourselves.”

Practices have also been changed due to the pandemic.

“We haven’t been practicing as many minutes that we normally do,” Eck said. Some of the players wear their mask when they practice, and we try to keep social distancing when we have team meetings.”

While this season will be a different one for Eck, it will also be different for his players.

“I do have my concerns about the season being postponed due

to Covid, but we are doing everything we can to have a season,” Baker said. “I’m praying everybody stays safe, wears a mask, and we can have the season.”

The pandemic hasn’t only affected the start of the men’s basketball team, but the Blue Dragon women have had to deal with changes as well.

“Covid has changed our whole preseason and the entire practice process,” freshman guard Yana Grassity said. “We had no workouts over the summer, and for Christmas break we had six weeks off not being around each other, and there were periods when the team was put in quaran-

tine for weeks at a time.”

Despite this, Grassity and the Blue Dragon women are ready to get the season going and keep the winning tradition alive for another year. Last year, the Blue Dragons made it to the NJCAA National Tournament, but never played a game there as the tournament was canceled due to Covid.

“It’s been rough,” Grassity said, “but since we’ve been back, we’ve been working hard and we are ready for the season to start.”

The women will play the Bethany College JV on Friday at the Sports Arena, while the men will take on Seminole State.

Former HutchCC football coach takes over Chargers

By Joel Muhs Staff writer

The Hutchinson Community College football program continues to launch former coaches into prominent roles in the NFL, and the most recent addition is previous Blue Dragon coach, Brandon Staley.

Sunday night became a night to remember for Staley and the HutchCC community, as Staley was announced

by NFL.com to be the next head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. Staley, a co-defensive coordinator and associate head coach for HutchCC in 2010 and 2011, will be staying in the Los Angeles area after being hired away from the Los Angeles Rams. As their defensive

Ewy

• Continued from Page 1

“Wayne-O was a really funny, humble, super friendly, enthusiastic and loyal guy. His loud cackling laugh, that he got from his mom, Amy, could light up a room,” Ewy said. “I can’t say a bunch of adjectives that describe him without mentioning the word, leadership. All throughout high school, Wayne-O was a leader on and off of the field/court. He had ‘it.’ His consistent drive for us to be better than we were, was inspiring. It didn’t matter if we were up by 30 or down by 30, he was going to bring ‘it.’”

This trait followed him onto the football field and basketball court as a coach.

coordinator in the 2020 season, Staley lead the Rams to a top-five defense in the NFL with the help of star players and defensive player of year candidates, Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.

In Staley’s two years at HutchCC, he helped the Blue Dragon defense to the second-ranked scoring defense in 2010 and the third-ranked defense Staley in 2011. Staley coached 14 Blue Dragons to All-Jayhawk Conference honors and helped send three Blue Dragon players to the NFL – Meshak Williams, Toby

After transferring to HutchCC, Wayne helped coach football for a couple of years at Fairfield High School before taking the middle school basketball coaching job.

“I think back in 2019, as the middle school coach, Wayne and coach Michael Treat made a huge run in the Heart of the Plains League basketball tournament. In the opening round with the 7th seed, FMS topped the second seed, which was a huge upset,” Ewy said.

The team made it to the championship game, where they fell short.

“Wayne was super proud of that tournament run, but genuinely knew they had a shot to win it all. His ability to instill that type of confidence as an

Johnson and Markus Golden.

“Coach Staley has a way of challenging everyone involved in the program to be the best at their craft,” said HutchCC Athletic Director Josh Gooch.

Gooch served as the Blue Dragons’ offensive coordinator during Staley’s two years at HutchCC. “His spirit is contagious and his passion and energy for the game of football was evident from the first day on campus here at Hutchinson Community College …We are proud and know the Chargers have a great one as their next head football coach.”

Staley has been no stranger to the NFL, as he had stints with the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and then the

underdog, was truly inspiring to watch as a spectator,” Ewy said.

After he finished college, Wayne started working fulltime as a finish trim carpenter for Engelland Construction.

With this position, he was not able to coach the middle school team anymore.

“With his work schedule in mind, he accepted the assistant coach job for the high school instead. This was a pretty cool fit, because the players that he coached in middle school had moved up to high school with him at that point,” Ewy said.

Shortly after Wayne’s death, Ewy was contacted by Fairfield, asking if he was interested in taking the job that was once Wayne’s.

Los Angeles Rams. Staley could be considered a defensive mastermind, as all of his coaching hires have been on the defensive side of the ball before being hired head coach for the Chargers.

Staley heads a strong group of five previous HutchCC football coaches that are currently in the NFL, such as Andy Hill, Shawn Menninga, Brian Natkin and Chris Tabor.

Staley inherits a young, but promising group in a Chargers team that went 7-9 in the 2020 season. Breakout rookie quarterback, Justin Herbert, will headline the team, while star defensive players, Joey Bosa and Derwin James, will lead the defensive side of the ball.

“My initial response in my head was, ‘Hell no. There’s no way I can fulfill those shoes.’ I later reconsidered, because I remembered something. I remembered a moment back in a high school football game, Wayne looked me in the eye in the huddle and said: ‘We need you, now.’

All of those years of sports, and Wayne never backed down from a challenge. I couldn’t walk away from this - he taught me better than that,” Ewy said.

Ewy has now been the Fairfield boys basketball assistant coach since November.

“I am not looking to take Wayne’s place as a coach, but rather, pick up where he left off and continue his success,” Ewy said. “When I say success, I don’t necessarily mean win/

loss record success. I saw the difference Wayne made in these players lives, the short amount of time he had with them.

Wayne was there to make them better people. Yes, he indeed wanted to win, but if he gained a win, and simultaneously produced bad people, he had not accomplished what he had set out to do. That is something that I will take with me moving forward. I don’t know if I have ‘it or not, but I am honored to at least sit on the bench next to some great guys, where he used to go to work every day.”

Ewy’s strength is proof that life will go on. Through hardships and tragedies, the strongwilled will find a way to live on, and make a difference in peoples’ lives.