BSU 09-30-21

LEADING THE NEXT GENERATION 04 Pop it, lock it : Ball State alumna reminisces on her time as a former Indianapolis Colts cheerleader.10

A natural transition: A look into Carson Steele’s journey from flag football to college 07

ETZIN, DN MAGGIE G

The Ironman Triathlon has an impact beyond racing. 08

09.30.2021

ballstatedailynews.com

@bsudailynews @bsudailynews

DNNews

09.30.21

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Did you miss it? Catch up on the news from Sept. 24-26

BallStateDailyNews.com From The Easterner to The Daily News

 Nearly 40 years ago, The Ball

DIGITAL MEDIA REPOSITORY. PHOTO COURTESY

State Daily News highlighted Linda Taillon, a student who participated in the 1985 Muncie Ironman. Taillon was a reporter for The Daily News and wrote about her experience in the race. She had previously run a race in Hawaii to prepare. If you have any Daily News memories you’d like to see highlighted, email news@bsudailynews.com.

Field hockey falls against Indiana

JACY BRADLEY, DN

Sept. 26: The Hoosiers defeated the Cardinals 1-0 as Ball State fell to 3-7 on the season.

Indiana scored its lone goal at the 37-minute mark in the third quarter.

Ball State halted 17 of Indiana’s 18 shots, with freshman goalkeeper Ally Butler recording nine saves.

Ball State travels to Miami (Ohio) for its next contest Oct. 1 with game time set for 1 p.m. EST. VOL. 101 ISSUE: 7 CONTACT THE DN Newsroom: 765-285-8245 Editor: 765-285-8249, editor@bsudailynews.com

The Ball State Daily News (USPS144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, publishes Thursdays during the academic year, except during semester and summer breaks. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various campus locations.

EDITORIAL BOARD Taylor Smith, Editor-in-chief Connor Smith, Managing Editor Grace McCormick, News Editor Sumayyah Muhammad, Lifestyles Editor Ian Hansen, Sports Editor John Lynch, Opinion Editor Adele Reich, Video Editor Rylan Capper, Social Media Editor Maya Wilkins, Copy Director CREATIVE SERVICES Maggie Getzin, Creative Director Kamryn Tomlinson, Visual Editor Alex Hindenlang, Visual Editor

Department of Health offers booster shots

Sept. 24: The Indiana Department of Health announced it would begin offering booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for eligible Indiana residents who received both doses of the vaccine.

Individuals 65 and older, long-term care facilities residents and those with underlying health conditions or at high risk for COVID-19 are encouraged to receive the booster.

Former coach receives prestigious honor

Sept. 26: Mary Roth, Ball State Gymnastics head coach from 1986-2005, was inducted into the Indiana Gymnastics Hall of Fame for her work. Roth is the winningest coach in Ball State program history with 169 dual victories. She guided the Cardinals to their first-ever NCAA regional appearance in 1999 and led the team to its first MidAmerican Conference title in 2002.

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CORRECTION

The Sept. 23 edition of The Ball State Daily News misstated the dates of the Old Washington Street Festival in a photo gallery.

The correct dates of the event were Sept. 18-19.

4-DAY WEATHER

FORECAST Adam Feick, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MOSTLY SUNNY

MOSTLY SUNNY

RAIN SHOWERS

RAIN SHOWERS

Hi: 78º Lo: 54º

Hi: 76º Lo: 58º

Hi: 77º Lo: 60º

Hi: 71º Lo: 59º

THIS WEEK: Some rain showers will begin next week, accompanied by cooler fall temperatures in the upper 60s Monday and Tuesday. Sunshine to follow with temperatures warming into the lower 70s by the end of the week.

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To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

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DNNews

09.30.21

Rescuing Restaurants

03

Campus

North neighborhood ribbon cutting Ball State administrators and students gathered at the fire pit by North Residence Hall Sept. 25 for the inauguration of the new north residential neighborhood. The neighborhood includes the Johnson Complex, North Residence Hall, North West Residence Hall and North Dining Hall.

Indiana

New connectivity program open Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced the Indiana Connectivity Program Sept. 27.

The program is designed to help more Indiana residents gain access to reliable and quality broadband throughout the state and will connect them with Internet providers.

National Twin Archer Brewpub is located in downtown Muncie at 117 W. Charles St. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, Scottie Limbird, Twin Archer Brewpub managing partner, said they have run into a lot of issues, particularly with staffing. MAYA WILKINS, DN

Local restaurants receive American Rescue Plan funds.

Maya Wilkins and Mackenzie Rupp Associate News Editor and Reporter After 18 months of collecting dust on their dining room tables, most restaurants have opened their doors again, and owners are ready to improve their businesses for the Muncie community.

“The pandemic has been challenging, but it has also been a time for innovation,” Morgan Roddy, owner of Queer Chocolatier, said.

“For me, the biggest challenges are that I can’t have customers in my space, but I still have my employees with me.”

The pandemic has been challenging, but it has also been a time for innovation. For me, the biggest challenges are that I can’t have customers in my space, but I still have my employees with me.”

- MORGAN RODDY, Owner of Queer Chocolatier

Queer Chocolatier is one of 43 local restaurants that were awarded funds from the City of Muncie’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Roddy said the funds will help Queer Chocolatier purchase machinery that will make it easier to produce chocolate and also purchase signage for the restaurant’s new building at 201 S. Walnut St. “My larger capacity machine will make my best-selling chocolate, and my next largest machine will make my second best-selling chocolate,” Roddy said. “I’m also going to get a custom mold so I can have bars that are the right size and shape for selling.”

During the earlier months of the pandemic, Roddy spent much of her time focusing on her online business. She said developing the web business was a “crucial thing to our long-term success.”

4See RESCUE, 06

Source: Flickr

R. Kelly convicted of sex trafficking R&B superstar R. Kelly was convicted in a sex trafficking trial Sept. 27.

Kelly was also convicted of criminal counts for violating the Mann Act, which makes it illegal to take anyone across state lines “for any immoral purpose.” The jury found Kelly guilty of racketeering.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: DELAWARE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HONORS SUFFRAGISTS

NIFTY BUSINESS DNNews

09.30.21

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Ball State awarded $50,000 to create a new tech-based entrepreneurship course.

Joey Sills Reporter A new course is coming to Ball State in the spring 2022 semester that will merge the Department of Computer Science and Entrepreneurship Center together. The course, Digitizing Muncie, is focused on bringing computer science and entrepreneurship students together to form software-based startup companies.

As they often collaborated on events in the past, Krystal Geyer, assistant director of the

Entrepreneurship Center and Huseyin Ergin, assistant professor of computer science, will introduce their collaborative course next semester.

“This kind of came out of a mutual interest in entrepreneurship and getting our students to develop more technologically advanced businesses,” Geyer said.

Ergin said many students who graduate and work for a large tech company like Facebook or Amazon often begin looking for new challenges about five years after they start working, leading many to begin building their own startup companies — a key reason he and Geyer felt this

It’s a nice place to start with an idea, with a less risky environment.

They’re free to experiment.”

- HUSEYIN ERGIN, Assistant professor of computer science

IRONMAN

See NIFTY, 14

will offer a one-night-only, sneak peek preview of its new venue. The Clubhouse offers familyfriendly, state-of-the-art digital golf simulators and signature food and drinks.

Many downtown restaurants and merchants will be open for business and invite people to join the activities throughout downtown.

Oct. 1: The Ironman athletes and others will be around the city shopping, eating, visiting the race site and continuing registration downtown.

Businesses are encouraged to prepare for the increase in the number of visitors.

“The economic impact of the Ironman weekend should generate over $5 million from food, beverage, room nights and transportation,” said Dale Basham, interim director of the Muncie Visitors Bureau, in a Sept. 17 press release.

Oct. 2: Most Ironman participants will be at the Prairie Creek Reservoir area. The 70.3-mile halfdistance triathlon and the 140.6-mile full race will both have rolling starts beginning at 7:30 a.m. with the swim track first.

Later in the day, Ball State Football will host the Army Black Knights at Scheumann Stadium at 5 p.m. The Army Black Knights football team, previously known as the Army Cadets, represents the United States Military Academy in college football. Anticipated attendance for this game is 10,000–15,000, and businesses and the community should expect Saturday to be busy, especially in and around Ball State’s campus.

Oct. 3: Celebration Day Ironman athletes will come back to Prairie Creek Reservoir for an opportunity to visit the official Ironman Store, which will be open throughout the weekend beginning Sept. 30.

Awards and the Ironman World Championship slot allocation ceremony will start at 8 a.m., and athletes must be present to claim their World Championship slot.

For more information on the weekend events, visit downtownmuncie.org/ironman.

-Staff Reports

ITINERARY Muncie’s attractions for Ironman weekend

As approximately 3,500 athletes and their supporters migrate to Muncie Oct. 2 for the Ironman Triathlon, the city is planning a variety of related events to welcome business to the local area. Here’s a schedule of events leading up to the race: Sept. 30: DWNTWN Muncie will welcome Ironman participants from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday as athletes begin to register for the race at the Horizon Convention Center.

“I would like to encourage the local community to join us as we kick off the Ironman experience with a welcoming ceremony at 6 p.m. in Canan Commons,” said Mayor Dan Ridenour in a Sept.

17 press release. “We want to show these amazing athletes from all over the world that they are welcome and encourage them to come back again.”

Following the welcome ceremony, Muncie will showcase downtown with a free concert at 7 p.m. open to the public, athletes and their supporters. The concert will feature Kentucky Headhunters and Flynnville Train. Flynnville Train, a popular local favorite, will open the show. Kentucky Headhunters, a Grammy Awardwinning band known for its blend of honky-tonk blues and southern country, will headline the evening’s event. Vendors will be onsite at Canan Commons, and attendees should bring their own chairs and blankets.

Charlie Cardinal, the Ball State cheerleading squad and Ivy Tech’s mascot Rudi the Roadrunner will join the fun, and The Clubhouse at Accutech

partnership was important.

Geyer and Ergin’s partnership eventually evolved into talks of working exclusively with each other in the creation of the course. This year, an opportunity to finish the project arose in the form of a $50,000 award from Elevate Ventures, an Indianapolisbased entrepreneurship company, which Geyer had already formed a strong connection with through the university relations team.

Geyer ultimately applied for the award, and Ball State was presented with the grant Aug. 11, along with the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and the University of Evansville.

“We have been working on this concept for about three years, so this was an opportunity to kind of put the dollars behind it and really bring what we’ve been brainstorming on to fruition,” Geyer said.

Their hard work will pay off when they introduce their course, which will be open to juniors and seniors of all departments with the permission of Ergin and Geyer — the course’s co-professors.

THE 70.3-MILE TRIATHLON COURSES Biking Course The biking course is 56 miles long and runs throughout Henry and Delaware counties.

Running Course Close to the Praire Creek Reservoir, the running trail is 13.1 miles for one lap.

Swim Course This course is located at Praire Creek Reservoir and is about 1.2 miles long.

Source: Ironman Muncie KAMRYN TOMLINSON, DN

09.30.21

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DNNews

Ball State’s Biggest Breadwinners in 2020 30 percent of the top 10 highest-paid individuals at Ball State were women in 2020. Women were two times less likely to hold one of the highest paying jobs at Ball State than men in 2020.

DEEP DIVE INTO BALL STATE’S DIME The top 10 highestpaid Ball State employees earned more than $3.4 million combined in 2020.

Here’s a closer look into their salaries and positions.

Average salary among all college and university employees in Indiana

3

Susana Rivera-Mills Provost, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

2

Mike Neu Football Head Coach

$465,704.13

1

Geoffrey Mearns President

$350,665.40

$511,197.04

$63,039

$61,163 average salary among Purdue University employees

$60,932 average salary among Ball State University employees

$60,545 average salary among Indiana University employees Ball State ranked

328th in the nation among highestpaying universities and colleges.

378 out of the roughly 3,000 Ball State employees made more than $100,000 in 2020.

That’s only 13 percent of all Ball State employees.

Sources: OpenPayrolls, Muncie Star Press, Glassdoor INDIANA UNIVERSITY; PURDUE UNIVERISTY; BSUPHOTOSHELTER; DN FILE, PHOTO COURTESY ELLIOTT DEROSE, DN DESIGN

4

Mearns’ change in pay since he joined Ball State in 2017

James Whitford Men’s Basketball Head Coach

2020

$340,811.26

James Whitford, men’s basketball head coach, was paid $68,887.26 more than Andrew Sallee, women’s basketball head coach, in 2020 — 25.3 percent of Sallee’s complete salary.

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a women’s basketball head coach is $51,738, while the average salary of a men’s basketball head coach is $55,200. There is only a 6.3 percent difference in average pay between these two positions nationally, whereas there is a 20.3 percent difference in pay between the two coaches at Ball State.

10

$511,197.04

2019

$527,849.73

2018

$516,664 $288,710.01

2017

5

Beth Goetz Director of Athletics

$316,425.29

6

$271,924

Michael Goldsby Chief Entrepreneuership Officer, Executive Director of the John H. Schnatter Institute for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise

$279,679.72

Sue Moore Chief Strategy Officer

$298,134.31

7

Brady Sallee Women’s Basketball Head Coach

9

Mike Neu signed a twoyear contract extenstion June 22, 2020, continuing through Feb. 28, 2023. His base salary of $453,000 is $28,000 more than his starting salary was in 2016 at Ball State.

8

Alan Finn Vice President for Business Affairs/Treasurer

$296,993.88

Scott Trappe Professor of Human Bioenergetics, Director of the Human Performance Lab

$294,992.94

DNNews

09.30.21

06

RESCUE Continued from Page 03

“It’s going to allow me to greatly increase my capacity of production, and the goal is to really expand our online presence,” she said.

Moving forward, Roddy plans for Queer Chocolatier to host chocolate factory tours for children and have chocolate tastings in the store.

She said the business is grateful for the funds it received but felt the process “should have been a little bit more organized.” She had to go through a website portal on the City of Muncie’s website to apply, which collected basic information about her business, including her name and address.

Roddy said she was told there would be more information about receiving the funds in about two to three weeks, but she didn’t hear anything, so she called the mayor’s office for more information.

“I called and left a message for Abby [Bledsoe] at the mayor’s office, and then, a couple of days after that, I called again,” Roddy said. “She said that I should

We are using the money we’re getting for the unsexy aspect of heating and cooling within the building. We are taking the money we’re getting and matching it with our own funds to replace furnaces and air conditioning units.”

- SCOTTIE LIMBIRD, Twin Archer Brewpub managing partner have received an email by then, which I hadn’t.”

Ten days later, Roddy said she still hadn’t heard anything about her application, so she decided to voice her concerns on Facebook.

“A city council person reached out to me and asked me what I was experiencing,” Roddy said.

“Within a couple hours, she came back with all the information I needed. I had to be mean on Facebook, essentially, to get basic information.”

According to a Sept. 24 press release from the City of Muncie, each business applying for ARP funds must complete federally required paperwork after the independent volunteer committees select them to receive funding. The city also offered two informational Zoom meetings in September for businesses to learn more about the grant process.

After Mayor Dan Ridenour established a committee including Muncie administration officials, members of the Common Council and other community members, subcommittees were developed to

From left to right, Bri Patrick (server), Valbona Deari (manager and owner), Erica Harpeo (cook) and Hannah Funkhouser (server) pose for a group portrait at the Red Apple Cafe Sept.29.

Harpeo has been cooking for the restaurant for a little more than a year. RYLAN CAPPER, DN individually determine eligibility and grant allotments, according to an Aug. 17 press release. The press release said no elected officials have served in any voting capacity for fund distribution.

Following her initial meeting with the committee for the funds, Roddy said there was no followup information made available to her. A lot of information she received was put together by other businesses going through the funding process.

“There’s a lot of miscommunication or no communication,” Roddy said. “I don’t know if that’s just because of me or because of the nature of the volunteer committees.”

However, Scottie Limbird, one of the Twin Archer Brewpub managing partners, said he thought the application process was fairly easy.

“We just had to come up with some financial records proving that we had been in business for the past several years,” Limbird said.

Limbird said the only difficult part of the process was “trying to get that information into the format that the city wanted.” Some of the information requested included sales records and a detailed report of how the business would use its funding.

“We are using the money we’re getting for the unsexy aspect of heating and cooling within the building,” he said. “We are taking the money we’re getting and matching it with our own funds to replace furnaces and air conditioning units.”

Twin Archer Brewpub experienced product shortages during the initial stages of the pandemic, including chicken wings and ground beef, which Limbird said still fluctuate in price and availability.

“We have to be really creative in sourcing and doing some other specials just due to disruptions in the supply chain,” he said.

Valbona Deari, manager of the Red Apple Cafe, said she is going to be using the ARP funds she received to pay for a new espresso machine for the restaurant while trying to compete with other local coffee shops.

Deari said it took about three months to be approved for the funds, but she believes part of it was because she didn’t get everything in order and ready to go sooner.

“I think part of it was my fault … I would say it took a month to get everything in order, so that was my fault,” she said. “I think if I had had everything together sooner, it would have been quicker, because after that last application, it wasn’t too long after that that everything was approved.”

To prepare for using the new espresso machine, Deari is participating in a work-study program with Coal Yard Coffee, a coffee shop in Indianapolis.

“I’ve been emailing them back and forth, and we’re trying to set up times to meet in-person,” Deari said. “And then, in exchange for them teaching me everything, I’m going to work some hours in the afternoons.”

Deari found out about the program after she called places in the area and asked if there was any way she could watch their processes. She said she only looked at shops in Indianapolis because she thought that would be better than looking at competitors in Muncie. “[Coal Yard was] the second one that I got in contact with and they were like, ‘Yes, that sounds

awesome,’” Deari said.

She also said Coal Yard roasts its own coffee, so she’s hoping for a partnership with them once Red Apple Cafe gets its espresso machine. Deari is hoping the new machine and the ARP funding will “create more buzz” for the Red Apple Cafe.

“If the coffee thing takes off, we’re hoping we may be able to transform this place in the evening as a hangout for college students to come get coffee [and] get snacks,” Deari said. “Hundreds of students could utilize the Wi-Fi here or just hang out with their friends. It kind of just depends on how everything works out — it’s hard to tell at this point.”

The $2 billion set aside for the restaurant sector will have nearly $900,000 unspent, according to a Sept. 24 press release, which independent volunteer committees hope to distribute through another application process before the end of the year.

Contact Maya Wilkins with comments at mrwilkins@bsu.edu or on Twitter @mayawilkinss.

Contact Mackenzie Rupp with comments at msrupp@bsu.edu or on Twitter @kenzieer18.

LOCAL RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS Sea Salt and Cinnamon Elm Street Brewing Company Roots Burger Bar Mulligans La Hacienda Yats Vera Mae’s Bistro 12th Street Cafe Frozen Boulder The Caffeinery Twin Archer Brewpub Dumpling House The Red Apple Cafe GG Family Restaurant Queer Chocolatier

Mac’s on Batavia Jimmy John’s on Martin Street Guardian Brewery Downtown Farm Stand A-Team Concessions Pita Pit Thai Smile Moama Bond’s Soul Food Kitchen

By Hand and Fork Big Shots Mancino’s Salsa’s Mexican Grill Express Pizza King on McGalliard Road Timbers Lounge

Brothers Bar and Grill The Island Barking Cow Be Here Now HotBox Pizza Pizza King on May Street Victor’s Gyros and Pancake House MCL Restaurant and Bakery The Cup Yummy Buffet Thai Kitchen Rosebud Coffee House Buttonhole Bar Baskin-Robbins Source: City of Muncie

DNSports

09.30.21

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MAGGIE GETZIN, DN

Carson Steele broke records in high school and is already contributing in a big way to Ball State Football.

Ian Hansen Sports Editor When he was 5 years old, Carson Steele liked racing go-karts and playing outside, but he wasn’t into sports.

However, Steele said he was naturally a bigger kid. His father encouraged him to play football, and his parents signed him up for flag football when he was in kindergarten.

“I really wasn’t into sports — I was into doing outdoorsy stuff,” Steele said. “I was always a big kid, and my dad asked me to try out.”

When he first started playing youth football, Steele was too big and needed to meet the 115-pound weight limit to carry the ball, so he had to play offensive line and linebacker.

But, in second grade, Steele met the weight limit and could even move up and play with the

third-graders. He then was able to carry the ball, and that is when he fell in love with the game.

“I didn’t like it that much [at first],” Steele said. “I got to move up and play with the older guys, and I got to run the ball. That is when everything started to fall into place, and I kind of took a love for the sport.”

Steele’s mother, Angela Steele, said she and Carson would work out together, run drills and toss a football around before he would catch the bus to go to school in the mornings.

She said football was something they would talk about at the dinner table and is what they “eat, breathe and live.”

Steele went on to play for Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana, which is when his football career started taking off. In 2020 — his senior year — Steele led the Trojans to a 14-0 season, helped Center Grove win the class 6A state title and was

recognized as Indiana’s “Mr. Football” by the Indianapolis Star.

However, Steele’s journey to breaking 16 Center Grove single-game or career records, becoming team captain and receiving multiple Johnson Country Player of the Year honors started with one play.

In his first game, the Trojans were playing Warren Central High School. Steele was put in to start the second half and immediately ran for a 90-yard touchdown.

“It was like the most magical moment,” Angela Steele said. “I remember bursting into tears and just being so happy for him. We didn’t win the game, but it felt like we did.”

Steele said his hard work comes from his family and the bond they have together, and the support he has received from his parents and sister has gone a long way in helping him succeed.

“My family [are my mentors],” Steele said.

“They all took a role in football. My dad would help me work out, and my mom is a beast. She would run with me and work out with me as well. She does the same stuff that I do and is in great shape as well. My sister has been there to support me — she doesn’t really do sports, but she was there every Friday.”

Steele also credits his high school teammates for helping him succeed. He said he grew up with a lot of them, which made winning a title even more special .

“I am just thankful,” Steele said. “I go out there and try to work hard every single day.

Being able to go out there and win that state championship was an amazing feeling to me.

I couldn’t have done it without my team. The cool thing is, I grew up with a lot of these people, so being able to succeed with them was so cool.”

See STEELE, 14

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: BALL STATE FOOTBALL REMAINS FOCUSED AMID 1-3 START

DNSports

09.30.21

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While the Ironman Triathlon requires stamina and endurance, participants continue to compete.

Hunter Skillman Reporter Editor’s Note: This story was reported prior to Gary Thomas’ qualification for another race. He will no longer be participating in Muncie’s Ironman Triathlon.

W

hen Gary Thomas ran his second-to-last full Ironman race, he was on mile 132 of 140.6 and rounded a corner where his family was waiting to give him encouragement to finish. He had 8 miles left to run and decided to rest for a moment at the wall where his family was standing before a final push to beat a personal record.

Suddenly, he felt emotional and could barely stand — his body began to shut down. The next thing Thomas remembered was waking up in the medical assistance tent. He wasn’t ready to quit despite needing assistance.

The outcome was Thomas’ first-ever did-notfinish (DNF) result . He was swarmed by medical personnel and rushed to the medical tent so staff members could check his vitals and give him fluids.

After 10 hours, he was suddenly forced to abandon the race.

“Your world gets really small during one of these races, and the marathon portion turns into a fulltime job of convincing yourself to move forward,” Thomas said. “At first, it’s run to the next mile without stopping and, during some races, it’s a mental battle to just run to the next light pole. It’s a constant negotiation with yourself. With every step, the mind is very convincing to slow down or even walk. On top of the heat, the calorie deficit the body is under, dehydration [and] muscle fatigue — it

turns into a toxic mess.”

Although Thomas said his DNF was disappointing, adversity didn’t come close to stopping him from continuing to do what he loves.

In fact, it had the opposite effect, he said, as he learned lessons and found motivation. Thomas used mile 132 as additional motivation to finish his last race.

While there is a 70.3-mile half Ironman Triathlon that takes place in Muncie annually, Muncie locals who wish to race in a full Ironman can also participate in the full 140.6-mile race Oct. 2. Although he is not participating in this year’s event, Thomas said Muncie has a long tradition in triathlons, which dates back to the start of the Muncie Endurathon in 1980.

“Ask anyone that does triathlons — all you have to do is ask, ‘Have you ever been to Kona [Hawaii]?’” Thomas said. “They know what that means. It’s like going to the Super Bowl as an individual and competing against the Peyton Mannings of the world.”

Logistics Ironman bought Endurathon and continued the triathlon legacy in Indiana. In 2020, the Muncie 70.3-mile Ironman was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, but this year, Thomas was elected as the Ironman coordinator for the Muncie event. A fulldistance Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles of biking and a 26.2-mile marathon.

“For a full distance, you have 17 hours to finish, and those that will win the race will finish in about eight hours,” Thomas said. “I like all of [the competitors], but I am passionate about those

An Ironman triathlete races through the 112 miles of biking during one of the Ironman Triathlon competitions. Typically, participants complete the entire 140.6-mile race in eight hours but are granted 17 to finish. GARY THOMAS, PHOTO PROVIDED

and also having enough fuel. As you sweat, you are shrinking the size of the cardiovascular system, so you are going to want to hydrate as much as possible within reason. You also must do this at the right pace — if you go too hard, you’ll sweat more, and it’s difficult to eat.”

It’s a constant negotiation with yourself. With every step, the mind is very convincing to slow down or even walk. On top of the heat, the calorie deficit the body is under, dehydration [and] muscle fatigue — it turns into a toxic mess.”

- GARY THOMAS, Triathlete and longtime Ironman Triathlon competitor that are finishing in the back half and quarter of the race. Those are the true everyday people that you wouldn’t tell by their body size or age or whatever — they are just going out there and doing it.”

Thomas said race volunteers are important to help the athletes replenish the energy they are expending because otherwise, competitors are physically unable to finish. During the race, a variety of options for maintaining nutrition are available, including snacks and drinks.

Depending on the nutrition needs of the athletes, volunteer staff members can make accommodations for whatever support is needed.

If an athlete cannot finish the race or they need medical assistance afterward, volunteers are there to help.

Scott Trappe, Ball State Human Performance Laboratory director, said volunteers who have helped with past Ironman events in Muncie have always been willing to provide support when needed.

“When I started racing in other places, I couldn’t believe the comparison on how much more enthusiastic and helpful they are,” Trappe said. “I can’t say enough praise. That was another factor for me to decide to do [the 140.6] here for my first time for the reasons outlined. I just knew it was going to be the best experience because the people around here are gold-star.”

Trappe said athletes must navigate their physical limitations and also keep their bodies hydrated during Ironman competitions.

“The real challenges come twofold,” Trappe said. “One is managing the cardiovascular system

Friendships Many former Ironman competitors have developed long-lasting friendships with fellow participants they met in races and have kept in touch with them over the years .

“The [Facebook] group, Ironman 70.3 Muncie and 140.6 Indiana 2021, [is] an integral part of the race,” said Jodi DeRuby, administrator of Ironman’s Muncie Facebook groups. “It really is there that we build community. Sure, you can see maps and course elevations on the official site, but it is in our group that those things are discussed and given their meaning.”

DeRuby and her husband, Jim DeRuby, have each competed in multiple Ironman races.

“We also share the agony of injuries when we have a crash or just overdo it and methods of recovery,” Jodi DeRuby said. “We share victories like someone’s longest ride ever or reaching a new running speed. A lot of people have developed real-life friendships that started in the group. My husband has friends that he calls or texts frequently from California, Missouri, New York and Virginia that started in similar groups.”

Jodi DeRuby said another thing unique to Ironman is the variety of reasons people have for participating. Some competitors hope to travel to Hawaii after earning qualifying spots. Jim DeRuby will be competing in Kona this fall as a legacy participant, a triathlete who completes multiple Ironmans and receives a personal invitation to compete at the World Championships.

Contact Hunter Skillman with comments at hjskillman@bsu.edu or on Twitter at @ HunterSkillman1.

VOLUNTEER AT THE MUNCIE IRONMAN The Muncie Ironman is still looking for groups and individuals to volunteer for the Oct. 2 races. Volunteer responsibilities can include athlete registration, first aid assistance, packaging gear bags, lifeguarding or cleaning up the trails.

To register for specific responsibilities and time slots, visit ironman.volunteerlocal.com.

Source: Gary Thomas, Muncie Ironman coordinator

DNLife

FRAMING FINE ARTS

Upon entering Gordy Fine Art and Framing on East Main Street, its character shines through with hundreds of holes on its walls left from years of hanging the artwork of local and regional artists.

Six years after purchasing Gordy Fine Art and Framing, Barbara and Carl Schafer have shaped the business into a household name for local art in Muncie through their involvement in the community and knowledge of art.

The Schafers first met while working at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum in 1989. As a history and education major at Hanover College, Barbara Schafer fell in love with the museum world after taking an internship at the Kentucky Science Center in Louisville, Kentucky. She then earned her master’s degree in historical administration from Eastern Illinois University in 1991 and worked as the curator of collections at Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Like his wife, Carl Schafer majored in

[Carl and Barbara] do everything they can to promote the community and local artists.”

- JEFF MILLER, Customer of Gordy Fine Art and Framing of the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State in 2006, he took a job at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and earned his master’s degree in art history at Syracuse University in 1996. “[Working in England] was an experience that made me understand that objects come through time and tell you a much different story than the history books,” Carl Schafer

Communities

MACS offers October pet adoption event Muncie Animal Care and Services (MACS) began offering animal adoptions for $5 Sept. 22 in order to make room for new animals. All cats and dogs will be spayed and neutered, and each adoption will come with a wellness check. The promotion will run through Oct. 22.

ArtsWalk embraces art and culture

Gordy Fine Art and Framing combines the museum world with business. history at Hanover College and said his interest in art history flourished when he worked at the History of Science Museum in Oxford, England, as a graduate student.

Before becoming the associate director

09

Communities

Carl Schafer (left) and Jeff Miller (right) take measurements of a mid-century piece of fabric at Gordy Fine Art and Framing Sept. 9. Miller uses their service of custom frames for many of the pieces displayed and for sale in his business, Corner Store Vintage, located in Redkey, Indiana. SAMANTHA LYON, DN

Samantha Lyon Reporter

09.30.21

said. “History books are all interpreted, and objects tell you the real direct link.”

With a shared love for art and history and years of museum experience under their belts, the Schafers took a leap and purchased Gordy Fine Art and Framing from their close friend and occasional business partner, Brian Gordy, in 2015.

Gordy Fine Art and Framing offers customers expert design and craftsmanship for framing works of art and preserving family possessions using Muncie’s largest selection of frame molding. Museums, art collectors and corporations who rely on Gordy Fine Art and Framing include the Richmond Art Museum in Richmond, Indiana, Buck Hill Art Association and Meridian Health Services.

When the Schafers purchased the business in 2015, Carl Schafer said it was difficult for him and his wife to understand the difference between the private business world and the museum world, as they operate at different paces.

When running a small, family-owned business, Barbara Schafer said, it’s easier to meet the needs of customers.

See FRAMING, 11

The autumnal edition of ArtsWalk will celebrate art and music from 5 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7 in downtown Muncie. There will be family friendly activities such as food trucks, a performance from the Spirit of Muncie marching band, art exhibits and galleries and chalk art.

Gallery

PHILADANCO! dances in Emens Auditorium The Philadelphia Dance Company performed in Emens Auditorium Sept. 22. The group was established on principles of providing opportunity, inclusion and hope and bridges cultural divides with sold-out audiences of people from diverse ethnicities and communities.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: BYTE: THE HARRY POTTER GAMES RANKED BEST TO WORST

DNLife

09.30.21

10

&Choreography Behind the Counts Ball State alumna shares her journey from Code Red to Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders.

Lily Staatz Reporter In first grade, Ambria Ollie’s teacher pointed out to her parents that she had naturally turned out feet and suggested they enroll her in a ballet class.

Ollie said she hated the class at first, but her parents encouraged her to stick with it for at least a year.

“I hated it so much, but after that one year, I could not stop dancing,” said Ollie, 2015 Ball State psychology graduate and former Code Red Dance Team member. “I was just meant to be a dancer.”

At 11 years old, Ollie began taking private dance lessons at Turning Pointe Academy of Dance in Indianapolis under Jennifer Rivers, who has owned and operated the studio for the past 22

Ambria and her husband, Nathan Ollie, share a laugh together at the 2020 Pro Bowl send off at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center January 2020. Ollie said she was nervous going back into dance as she had to build her confidence back up. “I missed dancing so much,” she said. “I needed to get back into it.” AMBRIA OLLIE, PHOTO PROVIDED

years. As her student and “surrogate daughter,” Rivers said, she remembers how Ollie inspired the younger dancers and encouraged them to always put forth their best efforts.

“Ambria was driven, and her attitude was contagious,” Rivers said. “She always demonstrated the highest level of respect toward those around her and never missed the opportunity to help others.”

Ollie continued dancing throughout her high school years for three different teams: competitive dance at Turning Pointe Academy, as well as the dance and Latin dance teams at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.

Code Red In 2011, Ollie auditioned and made the Code Red Dance Team as a freshman. The Code Red Dance Team had very diverse routines, Ollie said, but she did not have a hard time switching between the different styles of dance the group performed — whether it was jazz, hip-hop or POM, which mixes cheer, dance and tumbling with pom-poms occasionally added to the performance.

Ollie knew college could have been a difficult place for her if she did not get involved and make friends. She said being a part of the Code Red Dance Team was “one of the best things she could have done for herself.” Being a Code Red dancer not only improved Ollie’s dancing techniques, she said, but gave her many memorable moments along the way.

“The first practice of the year was a photoshoot,” Ollie said. “That day, I met my best friends. My best friends became my bridesmaids, [and] we lived together and we were roommates.”

Anne Cardimen, 2018 Ball State alumna and one of Ollie’s Code Red teammates, danced with Ollie at Turning Pointe Academy when they were 11 years old. Cardimen said Ollie possessed a positive and fun energy on the team but also had a serious work ethic.

“When I met [Ollie], I remember thinking she was so talented,” Cardimen said. “She was always in the hardest turn sections and could do leaps that no one else could do. I really looked up to her and just thought she was the coolest person ever.

“She held everyone on my squad to a high standard and really pushed us to be the best we could be on and off the field,” Cardimen said.

Amy Gilbert, Ollie’s Code Red coach during her tenure, said she heard about Ollie’s reputation as a dancer in high school before she came to Ball State. Gilbert said Ollie was an inspiration for her

At an Indianapolis Colts game Sept. 9, 2018, former Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders Anne Cardimen (left), Ambria Ollie (middle) and Sarah Gilliom (right) strike a pose and sign Ball State’s ‘Chirp, chirp.’ Both Cardimen and Ollie are Ball State alumni and former dancers for Code Red Dance Team. AMBRIA OLLIE, PHOTO PROVIDED teammates, as she worked through hip and knee injuries without complaining.

“She was a knock-out role model for the underclassmen as well,” Gilbert said. “Ambria never gave up.”

A dream come true

After graduating in 2015, Ollie knew she wanted to continue dancing. One of Ollie’s best friends, Audrey Brusman, encouraged Ollie to try out for the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders. At the time, Brusman was a dancer for Code Red Dance Team and a cheerleader for the Colts.

We are real women. We have real careers. We are athletes. We are strong.

We are spiritual. We are all of these things.”

- AMBRIA OLLIE, 2015 Ball State alumna and former Indianapolis Colts cheerleader

“She told me, ‘Just come to a prep class — you’ll love it. You’ll be so good at this,’” Ollie said. “I knew that was a part of God’s plan for me — to be a Colts cheerleader — or at least to try out and try to be a Colts cheerleader.”

After passing the audition, Ollie joined the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders for the 2016 season. During the summer and before the start of every season, Ollie and her teammates would have a weekend-long training camp where they would learn as many as 16 routines. During other practices, the cheerleaders would review their

routines and refine their formations.

On game days, Ollie and her teammates would perform a routine consisting of “full-blown theatrics” in center field before heading to the sideline to perform a mixture of high-energy, crowdpleasing choreography throughout the game.

One of the things Ollie loved about being a part of the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders was that her teammates encouraged her to be her best self: driven and hardworking. Her experience with the team also boosted her confidence in public appearances and showed her she can “change the world” with her attitude and persona. For the 2019 season, Ollie was a part of the rebranding movement for the cheerleaders’ outfits. “[The new outfits were] more of an emphasis on [how] we are real women,” Ollie said. “We have real careers. We are athletes. We are strong.

We are spiritual. We are all of these things.”

One of Cardimen’s favorite memories with Ollie was when she helped her audition for the 2018 Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders. After dancing together at Ball State, Cardimen said Ollie took the time to help her prepare before the team’s auditions started so she could learn its style.

“I was really unsure about if I had what it took to audition, and she was my biggest cheerleader the whole time,” Cardimen said. “From prep classes to the final showcase, she really made my experience so much more positive for me.”

After the 2019 season, Ollie was chosen to represent the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders at the 2020 Pro Bowl, the National Football League’s all-star game. The Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders vote each year which member should be selected to participate in the Pro Bowl and represent the team on the national stage.

“Being selected as a cheerleader [for the Pro Bowl] is the highest honor,” Ollie said. “I still get chills that I was able to represent them, go to the Pro Bowl and meet all these amazing women from around the country.”

See COLTS, 14

FRAMING Continued from Page 09

“When we worked in museums, we had to frame stuff to put on displays, so we have a sensitivity to the environment that surrounds a piece like the lighting, the wall color or windows nearby,” Barbara Schafer said. “We understand what plays into a framing. We can work with clients when they bring in pictures or go on site to people’s homes and work with them to help them create a framing solution for what they want [to make] their pieces look really good.”

You can’t just hide off in the corner and do your thing, especially for local businesses.”

- BARBARA SCHAFER, Co-owner of Gordy Fine Art and Framing Because of their shared knowledge of museum culture, the Schafers can reproduce frames of accurate antique styles corresponding with the art’s time period, a service commonly requested by museums and art collectors like the Bob Ross Experience at Minnetrista.

Gordy Fine Art and Framing receives customers from all walks of life, and the Schafers said they set out to provide every customer who walks through the door the same amount of professional care as any other would receive.

Jeff Miller, owner of Corner Store Vintage in Redkey, Indiana, and a customer of Gordy Fine Art and Framing, said Carl and Barbara Schafer take pride in their work, and he has enjoyed working with both of them.

“They are very personal and friendly yet totally professional,” Miller said. “They do everything they can to promote the community and local artists. I am blessed to know them.”

One of the services Gordy Fine Art and Framing offers customers is helping them treasure family heirlooms and essentially, their family history.

Carl Schafer said this service was unanticipated when they purchased the business, as he and his wife thought they would be specializing mostly in museum clients and people they had already worked with in the past. However, it has become one of his favorite aspects of the business.

“What we found is that, with our skills, we can rescue [damaged pieces] and bring them back

11 09.30.21 to life,” Carl Schafer said, “[but] sometimes we can’t bring it back to its original condition, [and] oftentimes we don’t really want to do that.

Carl Schafer said customers oftentimes are emotional when they see the final product.

“You want to know that it is an old thing, [but] you don’t want it to be new again, so people rely on us to bring their treasures back,” he said. “When we’ve shown them what we have done, they are really touched by it, and they know they’ve done their job correctly by preserving their own family history.”

Carl Schafer said he remembers an instance when a customer came to Gordy for a repair on a 1920s picture frame that displayed the photo of a beloved relative.

“There was a time in photography where you’d have these oval frames, and the photograph itself would have been pushed out in a three-dimensional way,” Carl Schafer said. “Then, there was a piece of domed glass that [went] over it, and the whole purpose of that was to make the person look like they were three-dimensional and bring that person to life. We were able to make an oval frame in the manner that [it] would have been made [during that time] and put the domed glass back on because it is still an available product.”

Throughout the year, Carl and Barbara Schafer invite local and regional artists to display their artwork in their gallery to showcase their talents to the community and perhaps, interested buyers.

On the first Thursday of every month, Gordy Fine Art and Framing hosts a gathering for artists to talk about their artwork, techniques and inspirations.

Jeffrey Brackett, Ball State associate professor of religious studies, created a collection of ink drawings with abstract images made of lines that are “purposefully composed and meandering

adventurously.” His collection, “Forgetting the Ox: Drawings by Jeffrey Brackett,” will be on display at Gordy Fine Art and Framing’s gallery through Oct. 2.

Before agreeing to display his artwork at Gordy, Brackett said Carl Schafer came to his house and helped him set up his artwork to showcase from his garage. “[Schafer] came over, we put our masks on, he looked through all my work [and] made lots of nice comments,” Brackett said. “He loved what he saw — they are so kind, so patient and very generous.

And it’s not fake — they’re totally genuine.”

Along with supporting local and regional artists in the community, Carl Schafer was the founding president of the Muncie Arts and Cultural Council, which promotes the

DNLife

activities of arts organizations in Muncie. Now, he currently sits on the Mayor’s Arts Awards Committee and is on the board of Muncie Downtown Development Partnership while Barbara Schafer is a board member for the Cornerstone Center for the Arts.

“Coming from the museum world, we always understood you need to be part of the community,” Barbara Schafer said. “You can’t just hide off in the corner and do your thing, especially for local businesses. We live in the community, we raise our kids in the community, we own a house in the community — everything we do is community-based, [and] we want to help our community be successful.”

Contact Samantha Lyon with comments at samantha.lyon@bsu.edu.

ADDITIONAL INFO Jeffrey Brackett’s collection, “Forgetting the Ox: Drawings

by Jeffrey Brackett,” will be on display at Gordy Fine Art and Framing until Oct. 2.

Jeffrey Brackett stands with two of his pieces from his collection, “Forgetting the Ox: Drawings by Jeffrey Brackett” Sept. 9. SAMANTHA LYON, DN

The framing workshop of Gordy Fine Art and Framing Sept. 9. Gordy’s team works in this space to craft and create unique frames for their customers and clients. SAMANTHA LYON, DN

DNOpinion Opinion

12

09.30.21

Imperfectly Perfect

Finding the

BALANCE We often rush to condemn the mistakes of others, but we fail to see those flaws in ourselves.

WAYS TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURES YOU PUT ON YOURSELF

Acknowledge the pressure

Do something relaxing

Know your worth

Celebrate your wins

I

13

have always tried to defy the stereotype that was placed on me at birth.

At a very young age, I was told my name was “too ghetto.” I was told I would just become another statistic for the African American community — dropping out of high school due to teen pregnancy and becoming dependent on government assistance. Despite those stereotypes, I successfully graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA. However, when people inadvertently tried to place me in a box without getting to know me first, adverse mental health consequences developed and continue to plague me.

The way people unconsciously projected their fears on me internally pushed me toward a devastating loophole of seeking validation from others.

Likewise, as celebrities grow in fame and influence, it becomes increasingly difficult to please their audiences under any circumstances. Take Simone Biles, for example. Biles — a fierce, strong African American gymnast who continues to set precedents for future generations of gymnasts — received backlash this past summer after opting out of five of the six finals in the Tokyo Olympics to prioritize her mental health.

The intent to meet the public’s expectations of staying to perform in the Olympics could have been dangerous for Biles.

However, she was willing to own up to her downfalls and proudly acknowledged that she was not in the best headspace to continue competing.

While Biles and I are nowhere near the same level of eminence, I know how it feels to carry the weight of the world’s expectations on your shoulders, trying to prove yourself worthy of others. It is both emotionally and physically draining.

My father is from Ghana, West Africa, and while he had access to an education as a child, he did not take it seriously, which caused several difficulties later in life. When he came to the United States to start a family, he wanted to ensure his family had all of the necessary tools to obtain a good education. However, in doing so, he unconsciously projected his fears of not taking education seriously onto me.

While I know my father had good intentions, he held high standards. No matter how well I thought I did with my studies, it was never good enough for my father’s approval. Although

I wanted to make my father proud, I had to carve out space for myself to grow and learn that it is OK for me to live by my own standards instead of trying to please others all the time.

In doing so, I enabled myself to establish a healthy balance between my own values and the expectations of others. As a result of that shift in thinking, I’m more understanding of Biles’ decision to prioritize her mental health.

It’s OK for Biles and I — or anyone for that matter — to struggle with societal expectations because the pressure at times can be overwhelming. Rather than surrendering to the expectations of others, one should let their own standards surpass societal expectations. In doing so, we utilize our voice as our most powerful asset above others, which will contribute to the acknowledgment of our limitations and boundaries.

If we’re being honest with ourselves, why is the topic of mental health so controversial? Biles is our latest victim of the superiority mindset we have ingrained into our everyday lives — a mindset that normalizes the act of selfsacrifice, inferring you are better than others. She received backlash for acknowledging she’s not perfect and cannot always respond to the external pressures of the spotlight in a healthy way.

To me, her actions were comforting considering that as a prominent figure, she was willing to normalize the concept of dealing with the aftermath of taking much more than she could handle. As a young African American woman, I value representation on issues such as these because they are important.

If I had an idol like her growing up as a child, maybe I would have had better coping mechanisms when the pressure mounted on me. I would have known I did not always have to maintain the image of being a perfectionist, and maybe I would even be more comfortable asking for

While Biles and I are nowhere near the same level of eminence, I know how it feels to carry the weight of the world’s expectations on your shoulders, trying to prove yourself worthy of others. It is both emotionally and physically draining.”

09.30.21

DNOpinion

help when I feel overwhelmed.

We have become accustomed to holding celebrities to high standards as if they are not humans themselves. We have all heard of the phrases “Everyone makes mistakes” or “I’m only human,” yet people often condemn celebrities for their mistakes. It seems almost as if we want celebrities to make up for their downfalls because they’re so central to our everyday lives, but we disregard it when we make similar mistakes just to validate ourselves and feel superior to those around us.

We must stop holding others on such a high pedestal and refrain from criticizing their actions, as we at times cannot hold ourselves to the same standards. When we infer we are self-righteous and don’t hold ourselves accountable to our own flaws, we are depriving ourselves from acknowledging and learning from our mistakes, enabling us to fall into a mindset of superiority.

As cliché as it sounds, we are all the same — imperfectly perfect human beings who are bound to make mistakes and that includes superstars like Biles. It’s our responsibility to treat individuals with understanding.

Contact KwaTashea Marfo with comments at kwatashea.marfo@bsu.edu or on Twitter @mkwatashea.

KwaTashea Marfo

Columnist, “Imperfectly Perfect” KwaTashea Marfo is a freshman public relations major and writes “Imperfectly Perfect” for The Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

POPSUGAR, PHOTO COURTESY; RYLAN CAPPER, DN PHOTO; ALEX HINDENLANG, DN DESIGN

DNNews

09.30.21

14

STEELE

Continued from Page 07 With his success in high school, though, came adversity. During his junior year, he had a “freak accident” when he was throwing a football around with his father in his living room. He pulled his hamstring and only played in three games that season.

Steele finally got healthy for his senior season, but then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which he said caused a lot of uncertainty about his future and the recruiting process. But one program stuck with him through everything, and it was Ball State.

In addition to Ball State, Steele also received offers from Indiana State, Illinois State, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois. He even got offered a preferred walk-on spot from Purdue. Angela Steele said while he didn’t get a lot of offers, Ball State was the first to reach out and never left.

“We felt like we knew them,” Angela Steele said. “No other school did that. Nobody else was Zoom-calling us and checking to see how we were. We never saw Ball State’s campus or met the coach in person until I dropped him off at school. I just felt so comfortable because of how loyal they were to us. He wanted to go somewhere where he felt appreciated.”

Steele said Ball State felt like home right away, despite not being able to visit until he moved in this past July.

“I saw Center Grove inside of Ball State,” Steele said. “Coach Neu is a great coach. He is hard on you but still wants to see you succeed.

That is how my coach at Center Grove was, a coach and a father figure.”

NIFTY

Continued from Page 04 “The basis is that my students come to the table with a lot of ideas but not the technical skills to build them,” Geyer said. “[Ergin’s] students have skills but are typically designing ideas for others, but not necessarily building their own.”

Although they have yet to begin marketing the course, Ergin and Geyer said they have seen some enthusiasm among students within their respective departments.

“I have introduced it in our CS [computer science] welcome event … and my classes and I saw a lot of interest among CS students,” Ergin said.

The course will take students through every step of the process of forming a software-based startup company, from the idea phase to establishing the business and acquiring users.

Geyer often tells students they should begin to think about being entrepreneurs while in college because they have less to lose with

COLTS

Continued from Page 10

The balancing act During her time as an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader, Ollie also completed her master’s degree at Indiana Wesleyan University in clinical mental health counseling and graduated in December 2018.

As a graduate student, Ollie worked at Common Behavioral Health in Indianapolis to help kids with mental health issues. She also interned at the mental health clinic at Indiana Wesleyan University and St. Vincent Hospital’s Stress Center in Indianapolis and was the assistant dance team coach at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School for four years.

However, amid all her responsibilities outside of school, Ollie attended Colts cheer practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-10 p.m.

Now, Ollie works as a mental health counselor in New Jersey, where she meets with about five clients each day. She also coaches

Ball State head coach Mike Neu said there are more positives than negatives when the ball is in the freshman running back’s hands and told him that if he practices how he plays, he will get more touches.

He also said he loves the physical traits Steele brings to the table, which help him grind out extra yards.

“He’s got great size,” Neu said. “He’s got good speed — he has all those things. When we were able to get him to commit to the Cardinals and we were able to get him here on campus, his work ethic is what stood out. His strength stood out. He put it out there on the practice field each and every day. He’s going to get the ball more and more because he’s earned those reps.”

Ball State offensive coordinator Kevin Lynch said Steele’s work ethic is what caught his attention. He said he practices like he plays and gives the same intensity in practice that he does in games.

“He’s a great kid,” Lynch said. “When he came here, he had it physically, and he was ready to go talent-wise. Sometimes, the challenge for freshmen is getting caught up to the speed of the game. He has been a guy that has really attacked that hard and has caught on really strong.”

While Steele is only a freshman, he has scored three touchdowns in four games and is trying to make the most out of his touches.

“He is not one of those guys who says a whole lot,” Neu said. “He is a freshman still trying to find his way — he does all of his talking with his work ethic. He is just working hard — he is super early to meetings, sitting in the front of the class and a lot of things have been so positive.”

Contact Ian Hansen with comments at imhansen@bsu.edu or on Twitter @ianh_2.

Ball State freshman running back Carson Steele holds the 2020 class 6A State Championship trophy. Steele ran for 1,659 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior in 2020. ANGELA STEELE, PHOTO PROVIDED

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the backup plan of a degree and the safety net college provides.

She added many companies people are familiar with today, such as Dropbox and Facebook, were founded by college students.

“It’s a nice place to start with an idea, with a less risky environment,” Ergin said. “They’re free to experiment.”

Besides helping students experiment with and build their own companies, Ergin and Geyer also hope many students will ultimately stay in or near Muncie after they graduate so they can help develop and grow its tech sector.

“That’s why I named it ‘Digitizing Muncie,’” Ergin said. “It’s going to be affecting Muncie.”

Geyer said she hopes students will develop an idea, validate it with a userbase and eventually launch companies after college that will hopefully stay in the area.

“We’re ambitious,” Geyer said. “It sounds ambitious, and it really is ambitious what we’re trying to do, but … it’s absolutely not unheard of.”

Contact Joey Sills with comments at joey.sills@bsu.edu or on Twitter @sillsjoey.

a junior cheer team, helping them to “foster their love” for cheer, dance and football.

Years later, when reflecting on her time as a student at Turning Pointe Academy, Rivers said Ollie was a beautiful dancer, incredible at leading by example and always had a willingness to learn.

“At Turning Pointe, I witnessed tremendous growth in Ambria during the eight years she was here,” Rivers said. “She blossomed not only in dance but leadership as well. It has been a blessing for me to have had the opportunity to be a part of her journey and watch her grow into the beautiful, confident young woman she is today.”

No matter the workload, Ollie said she still carries her passion for dance and hopes to continue with her dance career.

“I would love to be a part of a team one day, ” Ollie said. “I love that I have the ability to coach now, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Contact Lily Staatz with comments at ljstaatz@bsu.edu or Lstaatz13@gmail.com.

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CROSSWORD EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS; SUDOKU BY MICHAEL MEPHAM ACROSS 1 Tie named for an annual race venue 6 Destroy, as one’s hopes 10 Spanish hero El __ 13 Land at the water’s edge 14 Look at rudely 15 Genetic messenger 16 *Ground-beef-and-gravy dish 19 Out of sorts 20 Ginormous 21 Actor Eckhart of “Sully” 23 Hefty slice 25 *Penny-pincher 28 Completely wrecks 30 Pastry with a crust 31 Long-jawed fish 32 Shorthand crackerjack 33 2019 comedy “__ It Romantic” 35 Cuban coin 36 *”Ode to a Nightingale” poet 39 Numbers game 42 Where about one-third of Istanbul residents live 43 Yellowjackets, e.g.

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49 “Border” breed

50 *Hung in the balance 54 Cat breed from an Irish Sea isle 55 101 course, typically 56 Commanded 58 T’ai __ 59 Different points of view ... and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues 63 NFL receivers 64 “Crikey!” is a mild one 65 Soccer shoe 66 Dreyer’s partner in ice cream 67 Miss Muffet fare 68 Flocks’ relatives DOWN 1 Basketball stats 2 Bulb in a vinaigrette 3 Collect and put in order, as document pages 4 “You do it, __ will!”

5 Radio host John 6 Bread-to-be 7 See eye to eye 8 Wily 9 Fellows 10 Sound from an old staircase 11 Steamed up 12 Montana neighbors, with “the”

17 Tampa NFL team 18 Shock, as a perp 22 Emperor after Claudius 24 Steve Martin’s instrument 26 Sleep clinic study 27 Falafel holder 29 John in the Albert Hall 33 Atlas enlargement 34 Enjoy the slopes 35 Song of praise 37 Oscar-winning composer Zimmer 38 Weeks in a fortnight 39 New Zealander 40 Flow (from) 41 Cuddled up 44 One shirking work 45 “Angels dancing” site, in a theological question 46 Gender-biased sorts 48 Oklahoma tribe 49 Formally give up 51 Pretentious 52 Let up, as a storm 53 “My Life on the D-List” comic Griffin 57 Carve in stone 60 Use oars 61 “Don’t think so” 62 Microbrewery brew

SOLUTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 23

Don’t waffle.

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