Western Courier| August 30th, 2019

Opinions: Looking forward to Disney+.

Sports: Volleyball to take StarkVegas Classic this weekend.

WesternCourier.com

Friday, August 30, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 6

@WesternCourier

Student Activities Fair draws in many students to get involved on campus

BECCA LANGYS/ PHOTO EDITOR

Members of Delta Zeta sorority set up their pink and green table to let potential new members know what they and their organization have to offer.

BECCA LANGYS/ PHOTO EDITOR

Representatives from the Office of Student Activities pose for a photo after putting on another well-attended Student Activities Fair.

BECCA LANGYS/ PHOTO EDITOR

Members of the Video Game Association on campus attend the activities fair and give out information about who to contact to get involved.

BECCA LANGYS/ PHOTO EDITOR

Western's bowling team gathers on the campus mall to recruit people who wanted a way to stay involved in bowling while in college.

BECCA LANGYS/ PHOTO EDITOR

Campus Students for Christ set up shop explaing to students what their organization is and how to get involved.

2

NEWS

Friday, August 30, 2019

WesternCourier.com

UUBingo makes their first debut of the year

By Jelene Evans courier staff

Last Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 at 7:00p.m., Western Illinois University University Union Board hosted a bingo night, UUBingo, inside the University Union Heritage Room. The event brought out a lot of students.

The University Union Board is a student organization that provides campus-wide programming to all Western students. This organization is also responsible for planning events like Homecoming, Family Day and WestFest.

“UUB serves as the premier programming board of Western Illinois University,

WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall.

Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press

which plans and provides social, cultural, recreational and educational activities, which are inclusive to the needs of the entire campus, which an emphasis on the student body,” wiu.edu/uub reads.

Inside the Heritage Room, 40 tables were packed with participants, ranging anywhere from eight to 10 people per table. These tables of contestants were packed with intensity as it was every man for themselves during this competitive game. The levels of energy were unmatched as the participants went head to head trying to create a bingo situation on their game boards and win a prize.

The event prizes for the first

UUBingo of the year consisted of a NINJA blender, an air fryer, a movie basket, a game basket, a vacuum, a polaroid camera with film, a college basket and a craft basket. Close to the end of the night, the UUB team surprised the audience with the opportunity to win a brand new MacBook.

There was screaming and yelling, laughter and frustration all at once. All for winning of course, with the competitive spirits.

“It’s nice giving back to the student body and having them get involved in what we can offer them,” Rachel Greene, UUB member and Homecoming Chair said. “It’s always fun plan-

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

proofreader Jacinda Martinez

news editor Marc Ramirez

JS-Martinez2@wiu.edu

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

photo editor Becca Langys

opinions editor Allison Young

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

AN-Young@wiu.edu

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

sports editor Bradley Piros

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

production manager Jimmy Pierson

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

JM-Pierson@wiu.edu

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

business manager Janiya Haynes

edge editor Rachel Greene

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R-Greene2@wiu.edu

assistant business manager Nash Miller

copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

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A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

proofreader Alexis Lowe

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AL-Lowe@wiu.edu

adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

ning these events that everyone can come enjoy and it’s always a great feeling to see them successfully unravel.”

As the game continued, for each round there was a different category or way of playing bingo. One way was playing vertical as players were able to get bingo if the numbers called were in a vertical pattern on their game boards. Another was four corners, where players could get bingo if the numbers in each of their corners were called on their game boards.

The categories raised the intensity level each time!

In the end, all the prizes were given away, and there was good sportsmanship throughout the event! All

participants had a great time and were very supportive of those who won the prizes that were presented!

“I think that students should really come out and attend events that UUB puts on because it is important to find a sense of campus community, especially when you’re so far from home,” Justin Brown, UUB President said. “Not to mention the fact that you pay for it through fees assessed when registering for classes therefore you should utilize every dollar you can.

Not to mention it’s a great way to meet people and it’s a safe alternative to other things you could be doing off campus.”

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ADVERTISING POLICY

The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb.

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No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Will Buss at 309-298-1876.

The WC does not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.

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@WesternCourier

Friday, August 30, 2019

NEWS 3

Homecoming Court will become gender neutral

According to the Homecoming 2019 Rule Book, this year’s Homecoming Royalty winners will not be constrained to one male and one female.

“The idea that the Homecoming Royalty must be a King and Queen is outdated and excludes many people, including the LGBTQ+ community,” Rachel Greene, Homecoming Chair said. “That being said, this change provides the opportunity for the two most deserving students, rather than one deserving student that is male and one that is female, to rightfully be crowned Homecoming Royalty.”

All previous rules for running for Homecoming Royalty still apply, get nominated by your respective student organization, apply via Purple Post, maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and be a full-time undergraduate student in good standing with Western Illinois University.

“We as a Homecoming Committee believe that this is a step in the right direction for Western because times are changing, you either change with them, or get left behind,” Greene said.

Notice of Examination Macomb Police Department The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will be offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions within the Macomb Police Department.

At time of application, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no more than 35 years of age. Military veterans may extend the age limit one year for every year of active duty, not to exceed ten years. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent; must have completed 60 semester or 90 quarter hours from an accredited academic institution; must possess a valid driver’s license.

To move forward in the hiring process, applicants must pass physical and written exams, medical and psychological evaluation and background investigation; must have visual acuity 20/20 each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; must have good habits and be of moral character. Proof of U.S. Citizenship and if hired, McDonough County residence required.

STARTING SALARY as of 05/01/2019, $48,020.34 per year.

Forty-hour work week with time and a half for all overtime.

Application packets may be obtained at the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 232 E. Jackson St., Macomb, Illinois 61455, Phone (309)-833-2558, or on-line at https://cityofmacomb.com/employment-listings/ All applications and attachments must be completed, signed and on file by 5:00 p.m., Monday, October 7, 2019.

If submitting the application packet in the mail, it must be postmarked on or before the application deadline date AND received at the Mayor’s Office with five (5) calendar days of the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Testing date is October 26, 2019. Applicants should report to Brophy Hall on Western Illinois University campus at 7:30 a.m.

The City reserves the right to require reimbursement of training expenses on a pro-rata basis if an officer resigns within the first two years of employment.

The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply

4

OPINIONS

Friday, August 30, 2019

WesternCourier.com

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

On Nov. 12, the new streaming service from Disney, called Disney+, will officially launch all the new original content they have for the platform, like the new Marvel shows and even reboots, like Lizzie Mcguire. Disney+ could possibly become an overnight success. Why do I say that? Because it’s Disney, Disney has been an integral part of American culture and I, for one, don’t see that stopping anytime soon.

Disney+ is a platform that I see being legitimate competition towards Netflix, not excluding Hulu or Amazon Prime, but Disney+ has endless amounts of content ranging from decades of beloved movies like Snow White and the Lion King to popular TV shows like Hannah Montana and That’s So Raven. All of these will be on the new streaming network, and since my age group is always feeling nostalgic since we grew up with such movies and TV se-

ries, it would make perfect sense to make the switch.

But aside from actual Disney content being made on the platform, there’s also expected to be new Marvel shows, such as She Hulk and The Falcon and Winter Soldier. And since Disney owns Stars Wars, there is expected to be a relaunch of the popular animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars on the platform. Disney+ will overall have Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, as well as National Geographic on the platform. Disney has strategically appealed to both entertainment, education and nostalgia, and it is very much working.

Now, even though Disney+ has a huge advantage in the endless amount of content that it controls,

there are still some drawbacks that make streaming services like Netflix favorable. For one, Disney+ will not have any content over PG-13, understandably since Disney is a kid friendly company, but that leaves a huge space for Netflix or Amazon Prime to target people with edgier content like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. An older audience would more likely be inclined to watch content that feels raw and not restricted like Disney+.

Another revelation is the fact that Disney+ will be releasing new episodes of a series on a weekly basis instead of all at once like Netflix is known for. I see that as a mistake because the point of streaming is that it gives people the choice of how much they want to see at any

moment of the day. Taking that away makes it feel like traditional television where you just have to wait for a period of time. While I understand Disney’s approach of having people appreciate and coming back to the series every week, taking away that option of binge watching just seems unfair.

Streaming services within the next 10 to 15 years will completely overtake television, in my opinion. You’ve got Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and even the WWE has its own streaming service, WWE Network, which has an endless supply of wrestling content at its disposal as well.

Now it’s Disney’s turn and with the amount of content and impact in culture, Disney+ will be here to stay for a long time.

They help bring students and faculty together, let students interact in a non-formal atmosphere and allow students to strengthen their leadership and communications skills.

This claim furthers the notion that college is a networking opportunity that grooms you to be successful in the adult world.

The most effective way to get involved on campus is to join clubs that interest you.

Joining clubs provides you with the chance to interact with individuals that are the interested in the same things.

Shared interests lead to new friendships, and these new friendships often lead to future opportunities when you graduate. This is why it is so important to utilize college as a networking opportunity.

There is a wide range of clubs to join on campus; from Greek life organizations to intramural sports, there are clubs geared towards virtually any personality or interest. Every club or organization offers different experiences to grow as a person or student. Organizations on campus specifically provide opportunities to build leadership skills as well as facilitate the betterment of time management skills. Some organizations, such as Greek life organizations, support local and national philanthropies which give back to the com-

munity while simultaneously building bonds with members of that particular organization.

Getting involved in majorspecific organizations also provides more learning experiences for members to take advantage of. For instance, some clubs invite speakers who have found success within the major to speak about job possibilities as well as give insight into how to best advance yourself in your field. These speakers also communicate internship opportunities that uninvolved students would not know about due to the fact that they are not in the club.

Getting involved in clubs that relate to your major is also a great way to further network within the college community. Not only does getting involved in organizations on

campus help with making new friends and furthering your career, but club involvement is a resume builder.

Upon graduation, employers want to see that their new hires were involved within their college communities.

Therefore, the more clubs you join, the better your chances of receiving employment after graduation.

Pursuing multiple clubs is a great way to portray yourself as a well-rounded individual as well as gain a wide variety of friends. Getting involved on campus is a great way to kickstart your college career at Western. Making friends, major networking and resume building are just some of the many benefits that getting involved on campus provides.

Why it's important to get involved!

Every year, incoming students at Western struggle to make new friends because they are apprehensive about getting involved in organizations on campus. This issue is not specific to Western; most incoming students, especially freshmen, struggle with this.

According to a study called “Student Participation in Collegiate Organizations – Expanding the Boundaries” conducted at the University of Arizona, Christine M. Hegedus claims that extracurricular organizations are beneficial to college students.

OPINIONS 5

Wednesday, August 30, 2019

@WesternCourier

Does class size matter?

 Throughout various majors, minors and specializations, class sizes vary greatly. Personally, I have been in classes of seven people, 30 people and even 100 people. While all of these classes covered a range of different topics, one concern rang true to me through all of them: does class size matter?

Take a biology lab, for example. Usually students are placed into lab partners, or even groups to complete ex-

periments or reports. Imagine this, but with a class of seven students. The setting is immediately more intimate, but does this small change really alter the productivity level of the group as a whole? Of course the environment is different, but is the learning at hand changed in any way, or at least any way that could be noticed? Because science is so unique in the way we learn it, let’s use a communication class as another exam-

ple. Imagine you are sitting in an argumentation class. Picture you are with six other students.

Now picture this same class, but with 30 students. Finally, picture this same class with 100 students. The environment is changing, but is the learning that is taking place the same?

In my opinion, the answer is no. I have always found that I learn better when I am an active participant in class. In my 100 person lectures, and even some of my 30 person classes, I often feel as if I am just an observer to the learning that could be taking place. Perhaps my classmates who are answering all the questions or taking part in demonstrations learn in these

settings, but I learn differently when I am forced out of my comfort zone into participating.

In classes as small as seven, 10 or even 15, I feel as if I am an important member of a group.

If there are only a few voices, it feels much more important for mine to be heard. If my voice is heard and I am participating often, I feel like the content becomes more real to me, rather than just words on a page.

Some students may be visual learners, some may be auditory, but I learn by doing.

Some people may say that what you get out of a class is what you put in, which sometimes is the truth, but in this situation it is not the only factor. Regard-

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less of the effort a student puts into a class, the large class size can still make them feel like they are just observers. I cannot really prove that people in larger classes learn less, but my personal experiences indicate that my smaller classes really force me to focus, be actively involved in discussions and to form relationships with my peers.

On the whole, it is good that classes of various sizes are offered. For those students who learn best by listening and taking notes, lecture halls are wonderful. For students like myself, small, tight-knit classes are convenient and necessary for effective and worthwhile learning.

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu Editorial Policy

The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.

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Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammer, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

6

Friday, August 30, 2019

SPORTS

Volleyball from back page

Although Western lost a few impactful seniors, including Shiah Sanders, Melanie Patenaude and Jaime Johnson, the Leathernecks are still in great shape and look to have a strong roster entering their 2019 season. Sophomore middle-hitter Mariah Mitchell and RedShirt-Junior hitter Mackenzie Steckler were both named to The Summit League players-towatch list, which was announced on Aug. 21. These two women have displayed incredible work ethic and impeccable skills on the court and they are expected to be very impactful to the Leathernecks' upcoming season.

Steckler is entering her fourth season with a record of 155 kills and 104 blocks from last season.

Mitchell follows behind with 112 kills and 38 blocks entering her second season with the Leathernecks.

Moving the spotlight to another Leatherneck, Junior outsidehitter Emma Norris is a player to look out for this upcoming sea-

son. During her previous season at Western, Norris continuously proved her ability to be a strong player at the net, raking up 195 total kills, making her the overall kill leader for the Leathernecks as they enter their 2019 season.

Norris also raked up 143 digs last season, proving that she is an impactful player in the back row for the Leathernecks as well.

Entering her third season with Western, Norris has proven herself a dynamo on the court and will continue to be an asset to the Leathernecks.

The Purple and Gold have been working hard since midJuly, and the time has finally come for their hard work to pay off. The Western Illinois women’s volleyball team has their entire season ahead of them, and they are prepared to bring home some wins. The Leathernecks will play this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., and tomorrow at 2 p.m. Be sure to tune in on www.goleathernecks. com to watch the play-by-play score, real-time statistics and much more.

Twitter: @beccalangysxo

Emma Norris bumps the ball to a teammate.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

WesternCourier.com

Meet your Western Illinois Fall sports coaches

By Michael Harms courier staff Soccer has already started their regular season, football started yesterday, volleyball starts this afternoon, golf and cross country are starting very soon, and even basketball will be here before you know it. While it is fun to get to know the players and stories off the field every single one of these teams has a leader. Someone these student-athletes look up to for guidance and leadership. Here are the coaches for your Fighting Leathernecks Fall sports teams.

Football: Head coach Jared Elliot.

This is Elliot’s second year as head coach. He has been in the Western football program since 2012. He has also coached Carthage College and improved that team every year until 2016 where he joined Jared Elliot Western once again. He was an assistant coach that year helping the 14-win 2017 campaign. Then he became the head coach and went 5-6 last year and missed the playoffs. If his resume holds up hopefully he will improve once again and bring the Purple and Gold to victory.

Soccer: Eric Johnson. This may be the most impressive coach at Western for one reason alone: longevity. Johnson was at Western before these freshman and even most sophomores were born; 1997. He coached men’s soccer and in his time has Eric Johnson become the most winning most coach in Summit League history. He has won multiple post-season tournaments, Coach of the Year awards and even a couple regular season titles.

What makes Johnson so different than other coaches is that he coaches two teams. Both men and women’s soccer. He began coaching the women’s program in 2016. It has been a struggle to right the ship as each season has produced a

losing record, but if there is a man for the job it is Johnson.

Cross Country: Diane Wholey.

This is Wholey’s first year as a head coach for Western’s cross country joining the team in January of 2018. She has coached multiple Olympians with her work at USA track and field. She Diane Wholey also has success at the collegiate level helping coach the Texas Longhorns to an NCAA indoor and outdoor national championship in 1998 and 1999. Her most recent job is working with USA track and field’s U-23 women’s team competing in the IAAF World Outdoor Championships. Here exceedingly impressive resume leads to excitement as the new season gets underway.

Golf: Lia Biehl Lukkarinen.

Lukkarinen is entering her 15th year at Western since joining in 2005. Last year the golf team played in 10 events and shined in their last regular season Lia Biehl event placing third at Indiana State out of 14. She has been as Lukkarinen close as the runner up in The Summit League Championships, but never the winner. She is eager to accomplish that challenge and is looking to do so this year.

Volleyball: Ben Staupe.

Staupe has been the volleyball coach for just one season. He posted a season with just two wins, but with some highlights.

He wishes to turn the team around in his second season Ben Staupe with the team.

These are the coaches for the starting sports of this semester. As you watch the players compete at the highest collegiate level understand who helps them prepare for each contest. Makes them a better competitor and even a better person. The coaches instilled a tradition of tough at Western, and hopefully the entire college will thank them for it.

CLASSIFIEDS

WC

For Rent

For Rent

For Rent

Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

Call 309-255-1233.

LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished.

Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets.

Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com

Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122.

FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.

Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!

STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com.

You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!

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NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.

Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message.

Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out.

The nicer apartments are going fast, excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. Reasonable prices. Studio, 1-3 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site.

No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.

For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo.

(309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime.

Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

@WesternCourier

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Chicago Cubs currently sit at 70-61 on the season as we stroll into September, holding onto the final Wild Card spot in hopes of reaching the postseason for the fifth time in as many years.

Aside from battling the redhot Cardinals and alwayscompetitive Brewers for the division crown, perhaps their place in the standings would be higher if not for their lackluster pitching, predominantly out of the bullpen. Even as far as their starting rotation goes, “ace” of the staff Jon Lester has taken a big step back this season (his 4.49 ERA is the highest it’s been since 2012) while the rest of the rotation has struggled to find a consistent rhythm on the road.

Fortunately, for the Northsiders, one major bright spot for the team as of late has been a guy that, before the season started, fans

As of May 9, his 33 walks led the entire MLB and he was seemingly losing confidence in his ability to be an effective major-league pitcher.

Then everything changed. It took a few months for him to get going, but he was finally able to clear his mind from the elbow issue that was likely haunting his mindset. Around mid-June, the Japanese hurler got the confidence boost he desperately needed and was reminded that he still has some of the most dominant stuff in the game. His fastball, a pitch that has always been Darvish’s go-to, is now miles better than what it was to begin the year. In his first 13 starts of the season, Darvish’s fastball was hitting the strike zone just 49 percent of the time. However, in his last 13, that number has spiked to 57 percent. In fact, his strike percentage as a whole has jumped from 56 percent to 70 percent. Not only is he now throwing more strikes, but his swing-and-miss rate has seen a significant uptick as well.

Again, tracing back to his first 13 starts, he was forc-

Sports 7

Yu Darvish has historic month of August around the league would’ve scoffed at if you told them he’s been one of the best in all of baseball. The man being spoken of is none other than four-time all-star Yu Darvish.

Darvish’s first go-around with the Cubs in 2018 didn’t go anywhere near as planned.

After signing a massive sixyear, $126 million contract in February, Darvish went on to start just eight games for the team before his season was cut short by a stress reaction in his pitching elbow.

In those eight starts, Darvish managed an ERA of just 4.95, allowing a career-high of 1.6 home runs per nine innings; not exactly what Chicago expected out of their newlyprized arm. Aside from his injury, he just didn’t look like himself. His early 2019 performance didn’t do much to ease fans’ worries, either, showing control issues as he struggled to find his footing.

ing a swing-and-miss just 21 percent of the time compared to the 32 percent clip he’s managed in his past 13 starts.

This is simply night-and-day and has driven the narrative that the more Darvish has hit the zone with his fastball, the more willing batters have been to chase his devastating off-speed pitches.

Additionally, the abundance of breaking-balls in his repertoire now features a filthy knuckle-curve, something newly-acquired closer Craig Kimbrel showed him a few weeks prior.

In the month of August, Darvish took his game to an entirely new level, posting historically-good numbers.

He finished August with an eye-popping 43:1 strikeout to base-on-balls ratio, something only five other pitchers since 1920 have accomplished. Cubs’ skipper Joe Maddon has certainly liked what he’s seen from Darvish lately, acknowledging that the way he’s been pitching is something he’s been capable of all along. Last week, Maddon stated the following to the media after Darvish

dazzled in his previous start against the Philadelphia Phillies, going seven innings while allowing just four hits (zero earned runs), striking out 10 in the process. ”Now we're seeing who Yu Darvish actually is. What he probably looked like in Japan. I've seen him like this in Texas,” said Maddon.

“Now he's pitching with that kind of confidence. I think we're seeing all of what he's capable of doing right now.”

Darvish still currently possesses a 4.25 ERA on the season, which doesn’t exactly jump off the page. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story of just how good he’s been. In fact, Darvish’s superb summer has all but surely launched him into the conversation for 2019 Comeback Player of the Year.

More importantly, the Cubs now know they have a new ace of their staff that they can rely on come postseason time. As October inches closer, the team will need him to be dominant, something that hasn’t been a problem recently as he works his way back to elite form.

Ryan Russell pursues to make NFL history The entire month of June this summer was dedicated to the LGBTQ community as Pride Month. Many cities across the United States had parades and events celebrating the community and its growing rights and respect across the world.

However, there still is not one publicly open member of the LGBTQ community in the NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL. Ryan Russell is trying to change that. Russell is a defensive end that was drafted in 2015 by the Dallas Cowboys.

He has played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is currently a free agent looking for work. In an article published on ESPN. com he iterates why he finally decided to come forward with his truth.

Russell has played only three seasons with the NFL and is already looking for a job for

the upcoming season. Coming off a year battling a shoulder injury, he decided to come out after his last job interview. He felt proud of how he handled the interview but struggled with the fact that he was hiding who he truly is.

“Being an NFL-quality teammate takes more than just excelling on the field.” Russell said. “It comes with common trust built by knowing your teammate is physically and mentally fortified. You know the man next to you as well as you know yourself and you, in turn, trust him irrevocably. If you aren't fully present and authentic in the training facility, you simply can't be a standout teammate.”

Russell was not honest with himself or any of his teammates before this article came out.

Russell wishes to be able

to live his life openly and freely. He talks about a rumor blogger that contacted him connecting the dots between his social media accounts and a male partner of Russell’s. He was almost outed, but the blogg did him a “favor” by not disclosing his sexual orientation.

“Nobody should need a favor to live honestly.” Russell said, “In nobody's worlds should being careful mean not being yourself. The career you choose shouldn't dictate the parts of yourself that you embrace.”

However, people have seen an open and honest living situation causes problems in the NFL. Most similar to Russel is Michael Sam. The Missouri Tiger alumni was drafted in the seventh round to the St. Louis Rams at the time. This was coming off a senior year where he earned co-defensive player of the year for the SEC. He never played an NFL regular season snap. Every other SEC defensive player of the year was drafted fifth round or higher, most in the top 3

rounds, and played at least one year in the NFL. Russell even talks about watching other openly gay players out of the NFL inspire hope in him. That one day he will never have to hide his true colors again. It hasn't happened yet. Colin Kaepernick has experienced a similar situation.

As Kaepernick continues to kneel for the National Anthem in order to bring attention to police brutality in troubled neighborhoods across the nation, he continues to be without a job. He sacrificed his career in attempt to bring social justice. In almost all other places around the nation those in the LGBTQ community are beginning to thrive.

The poor stigma of being a member of the LGBTQ community are dying, but it's still present. Russell is doing his part to try and reduce the gap between the community and the rest of the world. He is attempting to bring the professional sports world at the highest level into the 21st cen-

tury regarding sexual orientation. Why is it that there are no openly gay members in professional sports teams? The separation of the two worlds is obvious and even odd.

Pure statistics should prove that there are gay people within the professional sports world that hide their feelings. Now this might change. Russell may be the first of many to shock the world with his honesty.

Does that mean sports will change? No! It will still be the same sport we know and love and will always watch with excitement and wide-eyed curiosity. But as Russell puts it “Whatever I was to you before this letter, I'm still that now.

We just know each other a little better.”

As fans, we know our players just a little better. A little closer, which in the end is what, as fans, we truly want. We want to know our players beyond the playing field. Knowing this information will not change that, but rather make that truth even stronger.

Women's soccer prepares for weekend road trip double-header

By Bradley Piros sports editor MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois women’s soccer team kicks off a two-game road trip tonight when the take on the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Jaguars and on Sunday afternoon against the University of Missouri – Kansas City Kangaroos.

Western is currently riding a threegame win streak heading into the weekend after beating the Missouri State University Bears in comeback fashion 2-1, one week ago. The Leathernecks have had an entire week off to practice and prepare for this upcoming test, and what a test it will be.

All three teams started off their respective seasons in the win column. IUPUI beat Toledo 1-0 in overtime to kick off their year but fell to Butler 4-1 last Sunday. UMKC is currently 2-0 after back-to-back shutouts against Indiana State (1-0) and Illinois State (2-0). They play the Eastern Illinois University Panthers tonight at 7 p.m.

JOSH PURNELL / PHOTO STAFF

Natalie Sielaff sets up for a free kick.

So, with IUPUI coming off a pretty bad loss, Western will be looking to capitalize and carry their own momentum into the matchup.

Specific players to look out for will be sophomore forward Amy Andrews, who opened her account with a goal against the Bears, and junior midfielder Bridget Schuler who scored the game winning goal in that same contest.

Not making the scoresheet but still holding the down the fort on defense is sophomore Zoe Clarke who recorded four shots against the Bears which led the team in chances. And as always, the last line of defense remains senior goalkeeper Ines Palmiero Herrera who came away with back-to-back shutout wins in pre-season and helped her side to their first regular season win.

Western hasn’t played IUPUI in past years, so they are rather unfamiliar with each other. This game could go either way, but if the Leathernecks defense can stay as strong as it has so far, it should be a win.

On the other hand, is UMKC. Western did play them last season at

JOSH PURNELL / PHOTO STAFF

Zoe Clarke gets ready for a cross.

home and were shutout 4-0 but that was a much different Western Illinois team then. The Leathernecks know what they’re up against and have once again been preparing all week for the task ahead.

Head coach Eric Johnson has a younger team this year with a good mixture of freshman, sophomores and juniors, relying less on his fourth-year players as the season goes on. There are a couple exceptions to that rule though, mainly in the defense.

With Palmiero Herrera in her last season of eligibility, she will be leaving a big gap in the upcoming seasons. Right in front of her though is a defense made up of four seniors: Natalie Sielaff, Maddie Wilsey, Kayla McCormick and Madison Bulin.

All four of them were regular starters last season but only Sielaff and Wilsey made the start against MSU in the season opener. Johnson only put out three defenders with Clarke being the third in a 3-4-3 formation.

The fourth and last senior on the team is forward Emily Bollman. She’s had a long history with the team

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Emily Bollman dribbles by a defender.

including a Summit League Player of the Week honor her freshman year in which she played in 17 games and scored two goals. Her sophomore year she played in all 17 matches making nine starts. That year she recorded three goals and an assist.

That brings us to last year where she started 11 games and scored a season best four goals and two assists for 10 points. Last year though she played the least number of minutes since she’s been here at Western.

All five of these ladies are difference makers. It’s good to know that Johnson has options coming off the bench in defense as well as some depth, something the team hasn’t had in a while.

The Leathernecks will look to use that depth to their advantage for this busy weekend while away. After this weekend Western will return home on Sept. 5 when they take on the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Hopefully the Leathernecks can pick up a couple of wins this weekend. The game against IUPUI is at 6 p.m. tonight and the contest starts at 1 p.m. Sunday against UMKC.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Kayla McCormick makes a pass.

Volleyball set to travel to first tournament in Starkville, Mississippi

By Becca Langys photo editor

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Mariah Mitchell goes up to spike the ball.

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Western Illinois University women’s volleyball team will be traveling to Starkville, Miss. this weekend to participate in their first tournament of the season, the StarkVegas Classic. The tournament will run from Friday, Aug. 30 to Saturday, Aug. 31. This will be the first time that the Leathernecks have participated in this tournament.

The women’s volleyball team will be entering the Classic coming off a tough loss against Northern Illinois University, making them all that hungrier to achieve some wins. The Leathernecks are motivated to perform well because this tournament will be accounted for in their overall record,

unlike their previous exhibition match.

In the StarkVegas Classic, the Leathernecks are scheduled to play three matches against Mississippi Valley State, Chattanooga and Mississippi State, respectively. Looking at last year’s statistics, it seems that the Leathernecks stack up closely to the other teams in this tournament.

Mississippi Valley State finished off their previous season with a record of 6-27, Chattanooga with 10-20 and Mississippi State with 5-26. Compared to the Leathernecks’ previous record of 3-26, it is safe to assume that Western has a good shot at coming out of this tournament with a positive record to start off their 2019 season.

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BECCA LANGYS/ PHOTO EDITOR

Mackenzie Steckler returns the ball.