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MONTAGE Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964
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VOLUME 53, ISSUE 9 | THURSDAY FEB. 8, 2018 | WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM
Gov. Greitens’ proposed budget could raise school fees for students
In the midst of possible new cuts, STLCC slapped with $25k lawsuit
Story by Melissa Wilkinson Photo Illustration by Noah Sliney
On Jan. 22, Governor Eric Greitens released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019. According to Greitens’ website, the proposal includes “increases in funding for infrastructure, education, public safety and programs to protect Missouri’s most vulnerable children,” to be primarily funded by reductions in higher education institutions and other smaller cuts. The new budget shortage would be in addition to the first round, announced in summer of 2017, which resulted in a nearly $5 million deficit to STLCC’s core funding and the reduction of 58 full-time faculty. According to a Jan. 24 email penned by STLCC’s Chancellor Jeff Pittman, the new budget, if approved, could lead to a loss of an additional $4.6 million in STLCC’s core funding. Pittman called the news “disheartening” and said that such a loss may result in drastic increases to tuition rates. “This is something none of us want to consider, but, as we are already operating as a lean institution, changing our tuition model may be the next step that will need to be taken,” said Pittman. STLCC’s Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Paul Zinck, declined to comment on the ongoing budget discussion. According to Pittman, changing the model could mean a flat increase across all courses, but it could also mean that some courses will become more expensive to attend. “Some community colleges in the United States have tiered tuition levels. They charge based on the program students are going into. They would be relat-
ed to the cost of the program,” said Pittman. Adding to the budget strain is the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE), which recently approved six new performance measures for community colleges including three-year completion rate, non-core expenditures and percentage of successfully completed credit hours. Following these measures is the recommendation that the Department of Higher Education withhold 10 percent of appropriations to be redistributed upon successful fulfilment of the proposed measures. “It would equate to about $88 million when you look at all higher education,” said Pittman. “They would send back funds to each institution according to how they met their performance measures. Where we are now we believe we meet five out of the six measures. That means we would get 80 percent of our funding back.” According to Pittman, the Department of Higher Education stated that they would “hold back the funds they plan to use.” What is most concerning, said Pittman, is that there is no description explaining how the system will work. “That’s the very vague part. We’re not sure how the redistribution of funds would go. What criteria will they assign? We haven’t seen anything in regards to what that means,” said Pittman. “What they’re saying is in theory they will use that funding to assist schools that are not making their performance measures. The concern is that could, over time, dramatically erode our core further.”
In reaction to both Greitens’ and the CBHE’s proposals, Pittman has been spending much of his time in Jefferson City speaking with legislators. Over the past few weeks he has presented arguments against the changes to both the Higher Education Committee and the Subcommittee on Appropriations for Education. According to Pittman, his words are reaching legislators. The [appropriations] committee chairman, Rowland from Cedarcreek, came back the very next day after our testimony and said they’re going to recommend delaying [the CBHE’s proposal] by three years,” said Pittman. Pittman will meet with another six legislators this week, including names like Claire McCaskill, Ann Wagner, Roy Blunt and Lacey Clay. Pittman said he has heard “nothing but support” from them and referred to them as “great friends.” According to Pittman, measures are being taken to increase school funding through increased enrollment. These include the new center for nursing and sciences, which Pittman said will help meet demand for jobs in those fields, as well as expanding efforts through high schools with dual enrollment. STLCC was also recently approved for the Missouri Department of Higher Education’s list of institutions that meet the 42hour minimum of general transfer credit hours, meaning transfer students can get credit for up to 42 hours at any higher education institution in Missouri. Pittman said this will make STLCC an excellent choice for students to earn credit hours at a lower tuition rate than
continued on page 2
Valentine’s Day Date Suggestions
A Case for Affordable Healthcare
Archers Baseball Steps up to the Plate
-Art & Life, Page 4
-Opinions, Page 7
-Sports, Page 8
Page 2 | News Feb. 8, 2018
January starts 2018 off with a lunar spectacle Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse reaches totality early Jan. 31 2018 is slowly becoming a year of firsts. As of Jan. 31, the United States has already experienced not just its first lunar eclipse of the year but also the first Blue Moon Eclipse since Jul. 31, 2015. Another Blue Moon Eclipse will not occur until Halloween of 2020. This eclipse, which occurred early in the morning on Jan. 31, differed greatly from the solar eclipse of the previous summer. Whereas a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the moon and the sun, and the Earth’s shadow obscures the moon or a portion of it. Meramec astronomy professor Richard Menendez further explained the differences. “The penumbra is when the moon is only partially covered and in the shadow. In a solar eclipse penumbra, the Sunlight starts to noticeably dim. In a lunar eclipse, because Earth has an atmosphere it’s nearly impossible for even a pro observer like me to notice any dimming,” said Menendez. “The umbra is when shadow completely covers the sun or Earth; the totality part of the eclipse. The earth’s umbra is much bigger, about three moon widths, 6,000 miles wide, versus the Solar umbra which is about 50 to 70 miles wide.” According to Schneider, the 2018 lunar eclipse began at 4:51 a.m., which put the moon in the west-northwest
sky and close to the horizon. The total eclipse did not begin until two hours later when the moon was very close to the horizon. The moon set at 7:07 a.m. and the entire eclipse was not visible until 10:08 a.m. It was not visible in St. Louis due to cloudy conditions but could be seen from other states including California and Hawaii. With it having been in the morning, Schneider said the Sky Club, the astronomy club for which he serves as adviser, did not hold any sort of event this year. However, they will be hosting an event for the next lunar eclipse on Jan. 20, 2019, as it will occur in the evening hours and the entire eclipse will be visible. Solar eclipses require special protective eyewear for viewing, but according to Menendez, there’s no need to worry about such things with lunar eclipses. “It’s totally safe to view the Lunar eclipse without protection,” said Menendez. “In fact, it’s a bit of a myth that viewing the sun without glasses will damage your eyes. We see the sun all the time when it’s near the horizon and no one goes blind. Think driving near sunset slowdowns on freeways. Now, if you do it 12 hours a day for months at a time it may affect your vision but it’s not the danger it was hyped up to be.” January’s lunar eclipse was called the Super Blue Blood Moon. However, the moon itself was not
Photos by Amanda Harris
Chris Hutson | Staff Writer
Top: The St. Louis Skyline on the day of the Super Blue Blood Moon. Conditions for most of St. Louis were too cloudy to witness the eclipse. Bottom: A total lunar eclipse witnessed from St. Louis on Sept. 27, 2015, when conditions were prime for viewing. The photograph was taken during the totality phase, or “umbra.”
blue. Menendez explained the confusion. “Blue Moon is a phrase referring to the fact that the moon has a 29-day cycle, so if we have a full moon on the first two to three days of
a month with 30 or 31 days we can have a second full moon in the same month. This happens about every year or so depending on the calendar.” Although not as antic-
ipated as the total solar eclipse of the summer, the lunar eclipse was widely covered. The next total lunar eclipse will occur on Jan. 20, 2019, giving people another reason to look to the stars.
STLCC hit with lawsuit, possible $4.5 million reduction to core funding continued from page 1 at four-year institutions. “Our goal is to get through this session to protect core funding,” said Pittman. “To delay performance funding and to keep tuition low.” Pittman said he encourages students and faculty to write to Missouri’s legislators and talk about the importance of maintaining STLCC’s core funding. “That would be the biggest help I could get,” said Pittman. “But it’s not me, it’s the college. We want to keep your tuition low and at the same time we want to provide clear pathways to transfer and high wage jobs.” STLCC was also hit with an additional expenditure on Jan. 24, when a lawsuit was filed against STLCC by Steve Taylor,
an adjunct professor who was tackled by a police officer at an October 2017 board meeting. Taylor’s lawsuit specifically targets Chancellor Pittman as well as Trustee Rodney Gee and Officer Robert Caples, the policeman who tackled Taylor. Taylor is suing for 10 different counts between the three men including First Amendment violations, unlawful search and seizure and libel. Taylor has been hinting at his involvement with lawyers since shortly after the now infamous board meeting at which he was tackled. According to the petition, Taylor was approaching the board table and “making a point about the board restricting free speech” when he was
grabbed from behind by Caples and “aggressively” body slammed onto the floor, resulting in several bodily injuries. The petition notes that Taylor’s hands were in front of him as he approached the board “like a professor addressing a classroom of students” and argues that Taylor had no intent to harm board members when he was tackled. The lawsuit demands trial by jury and is asking for damages of $25,000. According to STLCC Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Kedra Tolson, the administration has not yet been served with any paperwork relating to Taylor’s petition. Neither party would comment on the upcoming lawsuit.
Page 3 | News 4 Feb. 8, 2018
Photo by Amanda Harris
‘End Corruption’: Meramec professor runs for office John Messmer’s campaign features 15-point plan for reforming congress Stephen Buechter | Staff Writer
Meramec will be represented on the political stage in coming months as political science professor John Messmer, Ph.D., announced on Jan. 4 that he will officially be running for United States Congress. Messmer is running as a Democratic candidate in Missouri’s second district on a reform based platform. His tagline: End Corruption, Demand Reform. “I don’t want to suggest that political reform is just an issue. It’s the issue,” said Messmer. “It doesn’t have to be considered the most important issue... but what I’m saying is that it has to be our first issue.” According to his website, johnmessmer.org, Messmer has a 15-point plan to reform congress, including steps like banning lobbyist contributions to campaigns, proposing an amendment to ban gerrymandering and creating a “National Commission on Government Ethics.” Messmer’s campaign focuses
on fixing “issues that have been corrupted by out of control money” including big media, climate change and health care. “You go to my website, I go into gory detail. Everything you wanted to know about me, maybe some things you don’t,” said Messmer. “Compare that to my opponents. You know what their websites consist of? Stupid pictures of their stupid faces and a big contribute button so that you can give them money. Now, I’ve got a contribute button, but it’s there along with hours and hours and hours of detail regarding me, my policies and what my campaign is all about.” Messmer’s website also features a page on what he promises not to do if elected, including holding secret meetings, accepting lobbyist gifts and barring access to his office or person. Emily Neal, Ph.D. and associate professor of political science, said that
EDITORS
Melissa Wilkinson Jordan Morris Will Murry Erik Muschinske Amanda Harris Noah Sliney Shannon Philpott-Sanders
Editor-in-Chief Production Manager Art & Life Editor Multimedia Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Faculty Adviser
Messmer’s platform would be likely to go over well with voters, but she remains unsure about whether or not her fellow professor has the resources to compete. “The question is, will John Messmer be able to marshal the forces - volunteers, money - that he will need to win. I think the reform agenda will play well but as you know, you need money to win an election,” said Neal. According to Neal, Messmer’s political agenda would require cooperation from a large amount of other congressional representatives. Although she feels that a victorious election is “optimistic, such an agenda, said Neal, would cause elections to be more competitive, make voters feel more empowered and potentially allow for more progressive candidates. Messmer shared similar viewpoints, saying that teaching “hundreds, thousands of students” has forced him to acknowledge that it’s not just teach-
STAFF
Madison Bouse Stephen Buechter Darius Haynes Christopher Hutson Tania Robin Mary Wilson Monica Obradovic Briana Heaney Victoria Williams Katie Brinegar
ers who are interested in the fate of our nation. “[Students] want to get involved in politics more. They just feel a disconnect,” said Messmer. “There’s no clearer disconnect than that they see it as a pay to play culture. And most people don’t have that kind of money.” Neal said that Messmer’s political science background could prove to be an asset in understanding the right sort of bills to pass. “I do believe that having a pragmatic lens that a political science Ph.D. would give him would better position him to separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of what’s a good policy and what’s a special project to benefit one specific location,” said Neal. Midterm elections for the United States House of Representatives will take place Nov. 6, 2018. More details about Messmer’s political agenda can be found at johnmessmer.org.
THE MONTAGE
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To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., 314-984-7955. Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the board of trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. 314-984-7655. One copy of The Montage is free
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of charge. Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager. Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.
Page 4 | Art & Life
4
Feb. 8, 2018
Evan and Alyssa
What do you like best about each other? Alyssa: I love that Evan is such a positive person to be around and he’s really easy to talk and relate to. Evan: I like her humor because a lot of the time we respond to things the same way and then laugh about it immediately.
Susan and Ali
Jackson and Shelby
How did you meet?
What do you like to do together?
Ali: We met for the first time in middle school in the cafeteria. Susan had a crush on my friend at my lunch table and she would constantly be looking over in my direction just to look at another guy. Then high school came along and we had more classes together.
Jackson: We really like hiking together. Shelby: It’s super silly, but it’s just us together out exploring the wilderness. It’s nice to get out and expeirence that with him, especially with how busy both our lives can get.
Susan: We started talking more because he worked at Ronnie’s and I like seeing movies. He asked me out on Art Hill. That was Apr. 12, 2015 and we’ve been together ever since.
Ronnie’s Cinema
Still thinking about where to take your significant other for Valentine’s Day? Here are three sweet suggestions for an even sweeter night, all within a 10 minute drive from Meramec’s campus.
DATE
night
Ronnie’s is the perfect St. Louis date option if you’re looking for a cost effectice but meaningful date. The classic dinner and a movie is now even easier after Ronnie’s recent renovations. Enjoy a meal or drink in the fully outfitted restaurant and bar or hang out in the arcade before catching the perfect film to finish off your romantic evening. Ronnie’s is located at 5320 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
612 Kitchen and Cocktails
Kaldi’s Coffee
Located at 612 W. Woodbine Avenue, this restaurant and bar is a short jaunt from school and open late for drinks. Specializing in sharing plates, 612 Kitchen and Cocktails is an intimate setting for you and your significant other to enjoy each other’s company and split a plate of poutine.
A coffee date is perfect for a new relationship. With an extensive menu of coffee drinks, pastries and food, Kaldi’s is great for the casual couple who doesn’t want to go crazy on Valentine’s day. Visit this St. Louis favorite on Feb. 14 at 120 S. Kirkwood road
Page 5 | Art & Life 4 Feb. 8, 2018
Black History Month brings Hidden Figures to Light Meramec Professor Trevin Jones weighs in on the importance of unsung heroes Briana Heaney | Staff Writer February first marks the start of Black History Month, in which America will observe, with special recognition, the historical achievements of African Americans. Meramec African American history professor Trevin Jones encourages Americans to not just celebrate the achievements of a few black citizens but to take time to recognize all of the people involved, those in the spotlight and those in the shadows alike. “A lot of times during this month we talk about the king,” Jones said. “But what isn’t often talked about is those other unsung heroes who are also a part of civil rights movements. People who also helped move the nation forward in terms of race and in terms of politics...What I love about teaching African American history is to be able to bring these other individuals into light and show just how important they were.” Jones said he encourages others to expand their narrative of blacks in American history. Jones mentioned one of his favorites: Fanny Lou Hammer from Mississippi, who played an integral role in the fight for the vote and women’s rights and coined the phrase, “I’m sick and
tired of being sick and tired!” “I’m still just fascinated by her story and how her life made such a big difference,” said Jones. Another historical figure Jones finds highly inspirational is author Booker T. Washington, best known for his biography, “Up from Slavery.” “I remember reading his biography as an undergrad student and really just being inspired by his drive to succeed in a time when African Americans were still fighting against segregation and...so much adversity and oppression. Yet, he was able to, along with many others, of course, achieve this amount of success that allowed him to help other African Americans as well.” Jones said he’s a firm believer that nothing significant is accomplished alone and that it’s important that we recognize the broad and boundless impact of unsung African Americans in this country. Doing so, said Jones, should help bring people of all backgrounds together. “When we celebrate the individual, we usually only celebrate that person. Yet we have to know that they were not islands doing those things--that there were...so many people
supporting and working alongside of them. I’m just so inspired by all of it,” said Jones. Meramec will feature several Black History Month events this February including an entrepreneur and business showcase, a live presentation of “Letters to Harriet Tubman” by Paul Morse and a discovery showcase, which will exhibit contributions of African American inventors in numerous areas such as science, transportation and music. According to Jones, all people want to be able to sleep in the peace and shelter of their homes, have the resources to provide for their families, healthy work environments, safety and security for the futures of themselves and their children. Once we as humans can see the humanity in our fellow man, said Jones, we can move beyond dividing factors such as race and become a more unified society. “To me these things go beyond the color of my skin.” said Jones. “I’m a firm believer that if I can see you—if I can see your humanity— then we can probably get along pretty well and respect each other.”
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
events at Meramec
DISCOVERY SHOWCASE Monday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Student Center Cafeteria SCREENING OF “MARSHALL” (2017) Thursday, Feb. 15, 1-3 p.m. Student Center 200 “LETTERS TO HARRIET TUBMAN” BY PAUL MORSE Tuesday, Feb. 20, 12-1:30 p.m. Meramec Theater AFRICAN DRUM PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP Wednesday, Feb. 21, 12-2 p.m. Student Center Cafeteria SCREENING OF “THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM” Wednesday, Feb. 28, 3-5 p.m. Student Center 201
Contact Sanela Mesic with questions. smesic@stlcc.edu
Friday Night at the Shake n’ Steak Noah Sliney | Graphics Editor
the
MONTAGE student voice What does Black History Month mean to you?
“It’s a month to recognize what black people went through and realize that there is still a ways to go.”
“There’s entire essays I can write on this. It’s a month to celebrate black exellence of today and black history.”
“Honestly I don’t like the idea of Black History Month. To me it’s more than just black history, it’s American history.”
“It’s kind of a focus on the major events that turned everything around for African Americans.”
-Riley Mecey, Freshman
-Ella Farmer, Freshman
-Micheal Cables, Sophomore
-Alexis Jones, Sophomore
? g n i r r e f s n a r T Interested in
4
–St. Louis
Office hours for STLCC Meramec students: Advising Center – Clark Hall
Monday & Tuesday, contact Christy at askchristy@umsl.edu or 314-984-7512 for an appointment. Wednesday thru Friday, contact Terri at furlowt@umsl.edu or 314-984-7512 for an appointment.
Christy Hummel Transfer Specialist
To learn more about our Off-Campus Degree Completion Program in Business at the South County Education Center, contact Sue Bateman at 636-481-3244 or batemans@umsl.edu.
CHOOSE
Beomyoung Sohn (MFA 2012)
Transfer
issouri University of M
Where will your vision take you? Transfer to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and join a community of peers who reshape the visual landscape.
saic.edu/ug APPLY BY MARCH 15 CLASSES BEGIN FALL 2018 MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Terri Furlow Transfer Specialist
Serious education. Serious value.SM SAIC ADMISSIONS | 312.629.6100 | saic.edu/ug | ugadmiss@saic.edu
Webster Preview Day: Monday, February 19 Discover why Webster University is known as the global university with campuses on 4 continents and fantastic study abroad opportunities. While you’re on campus you can also learn about Webster’s exciting academic programs; generous transfer scholarships; how to apply for free; and request free estimated evaluations of your transfer credit!
For more information: WEBSTER.EDU/TRANSFER Office of Admission 314-246-7800 or 1-800-753-6765 admit@webster.edu
R EC-3259 CC AD_Meramec_180208.indd 1
St. Louis, MO 1/29/18 9:52 AM
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Page 7 | Opinions 4 Feb. 8, 2018
under
$20 Monica Obradovic | Staff Writer
What can you get in Meramec’s bookstore for less than 20 dollars? The answer is: not much. While 20 dollars is nothing to sneeze at for the average broke college student, you’re going to have to get creative to avoid spending an enormous pile of cash. Here are The Montage’s top suggestions for bookstore purchases that will run you less than 20 bucks. That way, you can spend the money on more important things, like those cookies in the cafeteria. Two for $2.65? What a bargain!
1
An expired Reese’s Big Cup: Because a regular Reese’s Big Cup isn’t unhealthy enough.
2
A bedazzled flashdrive, so you can store files and be fabulous at the same time.
3
A stack of notecards and half a Slim Jim.
4
An STLCC mug to hold your change since that’s what you’ll be living off of after a trip to the bookstore.
5
Multiple packages of Scotch Magic Tape: Can this product magically tape a college kid’s life back together with that beautiful matte finish?
6
An STLCC Nursing Tee: A brilliant way to showcase to the world how stressed out you are.
7
“The How of Happiness”: Quick! Go tell it on the mountain, shout it from a table in the cafeteria. Someone has penned the answer to being happy. Now generations of wondering are over! Consider this book and investment; maybe good ‘ole Sonja here can teach you how to get more than twenty dollars in spending money.
8
An ungodly amount of blue raspberry Air Heads. Any other flavor would be a waste of money.
9
Seven glue sticks to stick it to the man. Get it? No? Ok.
10
The crippling regret of being too lazy to apply for financial aid, in which case you would have more than twenty dollars to spend at the bookstore.
3.5
Five notecards and an entire Slim Jim.
Without quality insurance, I would have died at 13 Why affordable healthcare should be available for every United States Citizen When I was 13, I nearly died. The scar tissue from a previous surgery, a mesenteric cyst removal when I was six years old, gradually clogged my intestines until it formed a complete blockage. After a weekend of level 10 pain and vomiting, my parents took me to my pediatrician, who told us to go straight to Children’s Hospital. The intestinal blockage became infected and progressed to the point of sepsis while in the ER. I was wheeled away for an emergency bowel resection. I stayed in the hospital for five days, including a stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. I was under the care of countless doctors and specialists, underwent procedures and received more medications than I can count. Unexpected side effects of the surgery required complex tests, procedures, medications and specialists at multiple hospitals long after I was discharged. Throughout all of this, throughout the excruciating pain and the surgery, the hospital stay and the debilitating side effects, I still see myself as one of the lucky ones. I might not be alive if my family were not fortunate enough to have access to quality health insurance. If my family didn’t have health insurance, we probably wouldn’t have gone to the doctor, or waited to see if I would improve on my own. My symptoms mimicked that of a severe stomach flu, which is typically not fatal. I went septic the same day I went to my doctor. If my parents had waited to take me, or not taken me at all, it would have been too
late to save my life. This could have happened to anybody. It could have happened to any child, anywhere where access to medical care might be too expensive or non-existent. Health care is a polarizing topic, as anybody who pays even the slightest attention to politics realizes. Former President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare into law, and millions of people who were previously uninsured are now insured. When President Trump campaigned, he promised to repeal and replace Obamacare and several attempts to get rid of the law and implement an alternative followed once he was inaugurated. However, millions of people were left uninsured under the proposed alternatives and people with pre-existing conditions--everything from seizures to cancer, pregnancy to organ transplants--could find their insurance premiums raised, or be denied coverage altogether. Then there is the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. CHIP covers about one in every eight children. It provides health insurance for kids whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicare, but don’t get insurance through their employers. While it’s hard to think that anybody could advocate taking healthcare away from kids, Congress let the program expire in the fall of 2017. Soon, states will begin running out of money. Kids with serious or chronic illnesses will no longer
Graphic by Katie Brinegar
Mary Wilson | Staff Writer
be able to see their doctors. There are some reports that pediatric oncologists have begun giving away medication for free, because kids with cancer can’t wait for the government to act. They need medicine now.
Every other industrialized country has universal healthcare. We’re not doing ourselves a favor by jeopardizing the lives of millions of kids and adults, trying to win a game of political tug of war. We must do better.
Page 8 | Sports Feb. 8, 2018
Archers baseball winds up for regionals this spring New coaches, players create ‘family’ atmosphere as the team aims for the top Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief Pre-season practice has begun for STLCC’s baseball team. The Archers will begin playing conference games this month to prepare for their shot at regionals in May. According to head coach Scott Goodrich, what makes his present team unique is the amount of new players. Only one third of the team is comprised of returning players, meaning the vast majority are college freshmen. “We like to have some veterans, some leadership from the older players and we just don’t have a lot of that this year,” said Goodrich. “But it’s not something we’re worried about. It’s actually something we’re excited about because we get a lot of these guys for two years.” Goodrich has been head coach for the Archers for five years, preceded by 11 years as an assistant coach. Goodrich said his go-to strategy to prepare his mostly new team for regionals is simple: play, play, play. “We have to put ourselves in new situations and learn from our mistakes,” said Goodrich. “If we can throw strikes and make plays, we’re gonna give ourselves a chance to win every day.” But throwing strikes might just be the least of their worries. According to Goodrich, pitching is one of the current team’s biggest strengths. Goodrich’s list of players to watch include Connor Cline, who pitched the most last season out of all returning players, and Jack Kane and Austin DesRoche, sophomores who played third base and shortstop respectively last season but are moving up to become
strong pitchers this spring. According to Cline, his personal strengths as a pitcher include being repetitive with his pitches, spotting up well and throwing hard. Cline, who is completing his general transfer degree this spring, described the current team as “more of a family” than last year. “Culture-wise we have a closer team. More connected. We’re a more balanced team. Last year we were more bat and pitching heavy,” said Cline. Goodrich said the warmer than average weather this winter has helped the quality of practice for his team immensely. “We’ve been very lucky. We’ve been outside eight or nine times already which is really unheard of in January,” said Goodrich. “We’re trying to create as many game situations as we can and get used to game speed. When we start playing games in a few weeks we need to be ready to go and not be caught by surprise by the weather.” It’s not just most of the players that are new this year; the Archers welcomed two new assistant coaches in fall 2017: Zac Graefser and Joe Simokaitis. Simokaitis played for the University of Nebraska before spending over seven years with the Cubs and the Mariners. According to Goodrich, his experience with college and professional level baseball will aid the team in their quest for victory at regionals. Graefser played for Meramec in 2004 before playing two years in Southern Arkansas. He previously coached
the Archers, parting after six years to move to England with his wife. “We ended up moving over there for my wife’s job. Luckily I knew someone who worked for Major League Baseball over there and the cards just all kind of fell into place,” said Graefser. “Moving back was a very difficult decision but it was the right decision. We miss [England] every day.”
“No coach has ever developed a player.” Zac Graefser, Assistant Coach
Graefser said he was excited to be back on campus. In addition to serving as pitching coach for the Archers, Graefser continues to work for Major League Baseball assisting with coach and player development with MLB-sanctioned academies throughout Europe. Dustin Buckner, who plays first and third base, said the new coaches are helping to prepare the team more in the off-season. “We’re practicing hard,” said Buckner. “We’re more together than we were
last year. Everyday we get better.” According to Graefser, the team is very strong offensively but needs more experience with its young core in order to get used to the speed of the game. Graefser said he sees promise in many of his boys for a future career in professional baseball, but it will come down to how hard they work and how great a dedication they have to the game. “I tell them all the time, no coach has ever developed a player,” said Graefser. “We give them the tools, the ideas, the key to walk through the door, but ultimately it’s up to them for self development, self preservation and the mentality to go further in this game.” To make it to regionals, the Archers will have to be in the top four out of nine participating teams. According to Goodrich, the teams to watch out for are ones that have won before in the past: Maplewood, Crowder, Jefferson and North Central to name a few. “When we get to that first weekend in May, our job is to be as prepared as we can possibly be. Anybody can win. It’s just going to be who’s playing best at the end of the year,” said Goodrich. Despite any concerns about new players or getting used to the game, Cline said he isn’t worried about his team’s chances. “I definitely think we’re going to make it,” said Cline. The Archers will play their first game of the season Feb. 9 at Bevill State Community College.
Upcoming Games Photos by Noah Sliney
Feb. 9 Baseball Bevill State Community College T.B.A. Men’s Basketball Missouri Valley College JV 7p.m.
Feb. 10 Baseball Bevill State Community College 12:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 Baseball Bevill State Community College T.B.A..
Feb. 13 Women’s Basketball
Lincon Land Community College
5:30 p.m.
Feb. 14 Men’s Basketball Mineral Area College 7 p.m. Baseball
Baton Rouge Community College
3 & 6 p.m.
The Archers practice for their pre-season conference games outside on a rare sunny day on Wednesday, Jan. 31. Their first game of the season will take place Feb. 9 against Bevill State Community College.