On Sept. 27 Cameron University’s international students recently took center stage at Lawton’s annual International Festival, celebrating their diverse backgrounds while proudly representing their home countries.
The festival, a longstanding tradition for Cameron students, offers them a unique opportunity to share their cultures with the local community, and for many, it’s a beloved highlight of their time at the university.
This year, a group of about 15 students, led by the newly appointed International Student Services Coordinator Maribel Ramirez Pereyra, attended the festival’s opening ceremony. One by one, they stepped onto the stage, introduced themselves and waved their country’s flag as the audience cheered.
Cameron boasts students from about 30 countries, creating a diverse global presence on campus, and their participation at the festival has become a fond memory.
Australian senior studying sports and exercise Alannah Gillespie attended.
Gillespie is no stranger to the festival, having attended for three consecutive years. With her Filipino roots, she particularly looks forward to the festival’s Filipino food trucks, which remind her of home.
“I do have a lot of pride that I’m not from here, and I kind of love that about being out here,” Gillespie said.
She enjoys the mix of cultural experiences
the festival offers, especially the Filipino dances that remind her of family gatherings back home, recalling memories of her father participating.
Gillespie also finds comfort in the variety of food stalls at the festival, particularly the Greek options, which remind her of her time in Australia, where Greek cuisine is widely enjoyed.
For Ramirez Pereyra, this year’s festival was her first as the new coordinator of International Student Services.
She recently returned to her alma mater at Cameron after working at the University of Tampa and expressed her enthusiasm for both the festival and her new role.
“I’m glad to be here and help my school,” Ramirez Pereyra said. “I love Cameron, and I want to contribute and do something good for them.”
Ramirez Pereyra emphasized that International Student Services offers more than just cultural celebrations; it provides essential support for international students navigating life in the United States. From visa assistance to helping students obtain driver’s licenses and social security numbers, Ramirez Pereyra’s office is a vital resource.
They maintain Department of Homeland Security regulations and obtain social security cards. Additionally, the office helps students secure on-campus employment, as international students are limited to working on campus.
She is also focused on preparing students for life after graduation. On Nov. 15 she’s holding an Optional Practical Training (OPT) workshop to assist students in finding work opportunities in
the U.S. after they complete their studies. OPT is an important program for international students seeking to gain professional experience in their field while extending their stay in the country.
Another goal for the International Student Services team is to rebuild the university’s International Club, which has been less active in recent years. They are currently seeking officers to take on leadership roles in the club, which serves as a way for international students to connect, support each other and share their cultures with the broader campus community.
Reflecting on the festival, Ramirez Pereyra highlighted one moment in particular that stood out to her.
“I think the favorite part was when they say the name of the country and people applaud them,” Ramirez Pereyra said. “It’s exciting – you’re proud of your country.”
As Cameron University continues to welcome students from around the world, events like the International Festival provide an essential platform for these students to share their stories, celebrate their heritages and form a sense of belonging in their temporary home.
With leaders like Ramirez Pereyra at the helm, the international student community at Cameron is poised for growth and continued success.
For more information about scholarships available to international students, visit Cameron University’s website. Tor students interested in joining the International Club, please contact mgomez@cameron.edu.
Photo courtesy of International Student Services
Hannah Owens Managing Editor
Grapic by Hannah Owens
Aggie Ambassadors
(tour) guiding the way
Alyssa Martinez News Editor
The Aggie Ambassadors are members of a scholarship-based program that provides tour guides to new and prospective students to Cameron University, playing a key role in promoting the school with a positive attitude during those first impressions.
Aggie Ambassadors spend tours giving a personalized look around campus and a glimpse into the different departments, residence life and opportunities.
Lead Admissions Counselor Mandy Cunningham said it is important for prospective students to hear directly from current students instead of admissions staff.
“We feel like it gives the best perspective of campus and what it is really like,” Cunningham said.
Being an Aggie Ambassador is not only open to campus residents — commuter students and international students also serve as tour guides to showcase their experiences as well. The program aims to be as diverse and inclusive as possible, to best reflect the student body of Cameron.
Senior Ambassador Dayton Horn is very passionate about being an Aggie Ambassador.
“I see it as a great opportunity to volunteer my
time and efforts to kind-of give back to Cameron what they’ve given me,” Horn said.
Horn has been with the program since the summer before her junior year; she started off doing summer tours and has grown to love guiding prospective students across the campus.
The Office of Admissions selects Aggie Ambassadors through an application process.
Students submit an application and attach a resume with a copy of their class schedule to be reviewed by admissions staff.
Ideal candidates might be called in for an interview, and students who pass the interview process with an accommodating schedule could be hired.
Once the Office of Admissions hires a new
Ambassador, the office trains the Ambassador, and tells them more about the university beyond their Then Ambassadors get an official polo shirt to wear All participants must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA in order to retain the scholarship and position.
Junior Kolby Rivas recommends prospective Ambassadors be passionate about Cameron and be open about their perspective of the environment. Rivas said that it is important for Ambassadors to share their enthusiasm about Cameron with future students.
For more information on the Aggie Ambassador Program, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@cameron.edu.
Dr. Carie Schneider linguist, writer, professor
Cierra Terry Student Life Editor
Associate Professor and Director of Composition
Dr. Carie Schneider knows that diverse skills, knowledge and healthy improvisation are important parts of being a college professor.
Schneider is originally from Tucson, Arizona, and earned both of her undergraduate degrees in German Studies and Women’s Studies at the University of Arizona.
After her success in the program, the German department invited Schneider to pursue her masters.
“I was like, cool, maybe I’ll teach German in high school,” Schneider said. “I loved teaching, like I was teaching German, then I graduated with that
master’s degree in 2008 which was during the big recession, and all the high schools cut their German programs.”
Schneider was at a crossroads with her career at that point; teaching at a preschool wasn’t intellectually fulfilling, and she needed to move on.
“So that’s when I applied to Ph.D. programs,” Schneider said. “I was like, I think I really want to teach adults, and I really want to teach college, and I want to be able to have conversations about books and other smart things with smart people who have read the same things; that’s really what I wanted. So I went back, and I got my Ph.D. in English.”
After earning her doctorate, Schneider applied to 65 positions
before receiving interviews.
“And I was so happy to get this offer at Cameron, because I think I’m a great fit. I love the people that I work with; I get along with all my colleagues. I love the students here and actually really like southwest Oklahoma,” she said.
Many aren’t aware that Schneider was a professional dancer and worked at a community arts organization for 15 years in Tucson, before becoming an educator.
Schneider said. As a Cameron professor, Schneider has achieved many things including creating a new textbook for composition classes — at no cost to students.
“Before that, we had the most expensive freshman composition textbook in the state
Every student at freshman composition, Comp. I, Comp. II, Developmental, Supplemental — they all use a textbook that is free. I think that’s the biggest accomplishment I’ve had here at Cameron,” Schneider said.
“I don’t want to tell them (students) what to think; I want to teach them how to think.”
— Dr. Carie Schneider Associate Professor and Director of Composition
In addition to all of the work she produces for CU, Schneider is also the Communications Director of the Novel Society, which is one of the oldest author societies in the U.S., since 1945.
improvisation and movement and dance has really helped me think on my feet — be able to pay attention to the ensemble and what the needs of the group are, and how my response to that can suit the needs of the group,” Schneider said.
The job of a professor is a lot of hard work and takes multitasking to another level.
“I was a dancer, choreographer, dance teacher — I did aerial dance, flying trapeze, and I directed a dance summer camp,”
of Oklahoma,” she said. “Creating this new textbook not only saves our students a ton of money, but it’s also designed exactly for our curriculum.
“It’s an academic society devoted to studying the works and life of Herman Melville; since 2020, I have been their webmaster and director of a communications team,” Schneider said. “They started as three grad students, now most of them have their Ph.D. I manage mostly imitators, managing the website and feed.”
As a professor, Schneider believes that getting to know her students is the most important part of educating and finds it challenging to achieve this with online courses.
“I’ve never met them at all besides reading their work,” she said. “I think for me, the most important thing is really having a connection with my students, knowing them as people, knowing what their interests and their needs are, and being able to respond to that. Lacking that human connection, the online thing is ... it’s kind of awkward.”
She has learned that being attentive in her course has made her a better professor, and Schneider employs a variety of techniques to benefit students.
“Being a professor is not just teaching; we also have to be a researcher, present our own research, and writing and publishing or going to conferences at the same time as we’re teaching,” Schneider said.
Schneider wants more students to take advantage of professor office hours for oneon-one attention and discussions.
“We are required to have eight hours a week of office hours, and a lot of times, students don’t come to that, so we’re very bored. Please talk to us. We can’t help if we don’t know what your problem is,” she said. “I think at the same time too, a lot of the challenges that students face is because the professor maybe isn’t communicating as clearly, and the student doesn’t understand. A lot of those conflicts are based on miscommunication. I think just taking the time to reach out and talk to someone is so important.”
When students walk out of Schneider’s class, she wants them to leave with a joy for learning.
“Doing a lot of workshops with theater
“Realizing that it is fun, that they’re not just here to gain information but to want to learn more, to be interested in what’s going on and to develop the skills for thinking. I don’t want to tell them what to think; I want to teach them how to think,” Schneider said.
Courtesy Graphic
Photo by Ciera Terry
With the spooky season upon us, I finally have a reasonable excuse to discuss my favorite resurgence in the media: vampires.
This has been a steadily growing comeback. One
say that vampires have always been culturally relevant, but in recent years, there has been an especially huge surge in the number of vampire shows and movies on air.
There is the series “Interview with the Vampire” based on Anne Rice’s gothic
romance novels, the Netflix teen drama “First Kill,” the films “Renfield” and Robert Egger’s remake of “Nosferatu” (both starring Nicholas Hoult) and plenty, plenty more that I’m missing.
So, what’s up with the recent thirst for more of the blood-sucking monsters?
In a historical sense, vampires originate from European folktales to explain unusual deaths, supernatural encounters and the unsettling process of decomposition in human bodies
features Nicholas Holt’s titular character as a servant to Nicolas Cage’s Dracula – though the famed vampire is more akin to a bad boss than the terrifying threat the media expects him to be.
Similarly, the animated “Hotel Transylvania” film series does not meet traditional standards of vampires. Instead, the movie portrays Dracula as a goofy father to his goth vampire daughter.
Even media outlets that don’t lean into the comedic caricatures of vampires tend to make the creatures more human or relatable to
In AMC’s television adaptation of Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire,” the main cast of vampires face both human and vampiric troubles. Louis de Pointe du Lac, played by Jacob Anderson, endures racial conflicts in 1910’s New Orleans while navigating his newfound vampirism.
As the series progresses, Du Lac faces the pains of
fatherhood and an abusive relationship all while growing stronger as a vampire.
Even in the film “Abigail,” starring Alisha Weir as the main character, a evil ballerina-vampire is assigned human qualities. She is forever a child trying to reach the expectations of her vampire father.
Another personal favorite vampire story of mine is Mike Flanagan’s miniseries “Midnight Mass,” released in 2021 on Netflix.
The series deals with religious trauma and the tensions between townsfolk on a small island where vampires begin to take over.
Robert Egger’s upcoming “Nosferatu” remake will come out on Dec. 25, and I’m personally very excited to see how the director adapts the story.
For people like me who have long been fascinated by vampires and all things creepy, this renaissance of bloodsuckers will keep us fed this Halloween season.
My first job, which taught me the most, was when I was 14 years old, working on an alpaca farm.
I was able to get the job because I was in the same grade as the gentleman’s daughter, who owned the alpacas, Bob.
My role on the farm included mowing the yard, which was extremely fun since my parents didn’t let me drive their cars at that time. I also fed the alpacas, and painted metal fences and a swing set. As is the case on any farm, there was also endless weeding to do.
To this day, Bob is my favorite boss. We didn’t have many personal conversations, although he gave me free life advice that, ironically, I’m hearing in the back of my head as I write this.
Even in the beginning, when he was showing me how to use the lawn mower, he would demonstrate and then have me do it right after to see if I picked it up or not.
Sometimes, he would explain it again, and he told me to knock on the door if I had any questions. He was patient, clear and ensured communication was available if I needed it.
What sticks with me from that experience is how I wrote down my time every day when I got there. Then, he would tell me exactly what to do for the 2-4 hours I would work and where to get all the necessary supplies.
My point is that he trusted me, a 14-year-old girl, to write down my time. He wouldn’t watch over me as I did things or even check my work after I was done because he trusted me to do the job assigned to me.
When Bob and his family would go out of town, I was the one they asked to feed their dogs and cat. He trusted me then, but my current and former bosses do not extend the same courtesy to me today. Or to many of their employees for that matter.
Is it because adults aren’t as honest as 14-yearold girls? I’ve felt that I am a trustworthy person throughout my life.
Yet, in my current jobs, besides the one that I enjoy the most and remains a priority for me, there is a sense of distrust between all or most employees and the managers/people in power.
Referring back to the job I like the most, our boss trusts us to do the work. When we all show up in the morning, he trusts that we will be ready to go. I do not take this trust lightly since I would hate
to lose it, especially in one of the only places I have it.
One thought that keeps circulating in my head is, “Is this it?”
A job where my boss breathes down my neck and explains things continuously because they don’t trust that I heard them the first time?
A job where, right after I do something there is no faith that I completed it or produced quality work, so not one, but two, three or four people have to look over it?
From most of the people who I’ve asked about this, they say, “unfortunately, yes.”
For me, the more someone trusts me, the more I want to prove them right to guarantee that they don’t feel like the trust is blind.
On the journey that we all call life, I’ll be in search of a boss who has the trust in me to do a job well, and I’ll have faith in them to guide me well.
Wish me luck.
Correction:
In Vol. 111, Issue 5, the “Cameron Collegian” incorrectly named Eden Lozano as A&E Editor. The correct title should have been “Amelia Lozano, Voices Editor.” The Collegian deeply regrets this error.
Amelia Lozano Voices Editor
Ramona Villegas Staff Writer
Louis thee Vampire: Jacob Anderson as Louis de Pointe du Lac in “Interview with the Vampire.”
Photo courtesy of AMC.com
FOR CRYIN’ OUT LOUD
Kaley Muse A&E Editor
On Oct. 4, Finneas O’Connell released his sophomore album, “For Cryin’ Out Loud.”
The new album, almost lapsing O’Connell’s debut album, “Optimist” released in late October 2021. As a longtime fan of FINNEAS, “For Cryin’ Out Loud” did not disappoint.
The album is chock full of FINNEAS’ trademarks: funky beats, rich rhythms and brilliant lyrics.
With only ten songs and so much to unpack with each one, I am going to break down what every song has to offer listeners.
The entire album itself follows the same theme: the rise and fall of romantic relationships.
The album starts off strong with the first track: “S********r.”
This is the ultimate revenge song that depicts an ex-girlfriend who seemingly used FINNEAS for his and his sister’s fame.
The song itself starts off softer but gets louder as more emotions like anger and sadness pour into the song. By the last chorus, the song returns to its beginning softer, somber tone.
The next song up is “What’s It Gonna Take to Break Your Heart?”
This song is particularly on brand for FINNEAS.
This track has his signature layered chorus and heavy drums with funky beats and
rhythms.
Song itself is about FINNEAS realizing that he might not matter as much to his partner as he thought he did.
The entire song he seems to be pleading with his significant other to care about him as much as he cares about her.
The third track is “Cleats.” This is another song that features FINNEAS’ signature funky beats and rhythms that gives a more early 2000s vibe.
The song itself talks about an unrequited high school crush from the perspective of his grown-up self.
As he is looking back on the crush from the perspective his adult life has given him, he realizes that the girl he had a crush on was not into guys.
The fourth track is probably the saddest track on the entire album: “Little Window.”
This song’s “little window” is referring to a smartphone and how social media is super damaging to people and how much mass media the average person consumes daily. If the term “doom scrolling” had a song, it would be this song, hands down.
The fifth track, “2001,” is about yearning for intimate connection and romantic love.
The song also features a few references to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” singing, “Texas calls to take me home/Texas calls, you’re out of range.”
These space
references add deeper meaning to the lyrics and touch on intimate loneliness of someone floating in the middle of space with no one around for miles.
Look at us! Halfway through the album already!
The sixth track is “Same Old Story” and it’s the most like a piano ballad on the entire album.
The song is about being stuck in a cyclical relationship or season in your life when you don’t really see a way out and the same things happen again and again until it becomes emotionally and/or physically exhausting.
The seventh song, titled “Sweet Cherries,” is by far the most interesting song on the album.
The song itself is split into two parts.
The first part is peppy and depicts FINNEAS being very interested in a beautiful woman and features recurring imagery about what he thinks she’s like and how sweet she seems to be.
The second part is also peppy but in a different way, having a deeper sound than the first part.
This part depicts the relationship falling apart as FINNEAS
expects more from the relationship while the girl wants the whole thing to end.
Here we are at the eighth and titular track “For Cryin’ Out Loud.”
This track depicts the constant ebb and flow of a romantic relationship and all the good and bad that comes with that.
This song features a beautifully rich brass backing track during the chorus that makes the song that much more of a bop.
Clearly, this is my second favorite song on the album.
The ninth track happens to be my favorite of the album called “Family Feud.”
It’s a soft acoustic track that depicts the relationship between him and his sister, Billie Eilish, and how
the entire world is always watching her and everything she does whether she likes it or not.
He sings about when it was “just the two of them” before all the fame, money and fans.
When their parents were just their parents, when they were just siblings instead of celebrities.
As a sibling and older sister, this song really struck a deep chord with me.
It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time I listen to it.
This track is also the only track on the album that features just FINNEAS’ one voice instead of an overlayed chorus that signifies a more intimate subject matter and setting.
The tenth and final
song is “Lotus Eater.”
This song is a nod to Homer’s “Odyssey” and the Lotus Eater characters who would eat lotus flowers that would then put them in a state of bliss and laziness.
FINNEAS is content with the love he has found whether that be romantic or otherwise.
After all of the turmoil of the rest of the album, this is a beautiful song to end the album on because it signifies that all the hurt was worth it because he found who he was meant to find despite all of it.
Overall, this album is my second favorite of 2024 and all-time favorite from FINNEAS and is about to be in heavy rotation in my car.
A very strong 9/10.
10 Years
INTERSTELLAR
Jacob Doughty Staff Writer
On Sept. 27, fans of acclaimed director Christopher Nolan united once again to set off into the same dramatic, cosmic journey that captured attention back in 2014. As movie-goers anticipated the upcoming special occasion, the film’s global premiere would soon run into several complications along the way, setting its release date back in particular showing locations. In the article “Interstellar’s IMAX rerelease wasn’t canceled over destroyed prints, despite viral rumors,” Matt Patches said speculation began to arise over the major setback, confusing many expressing their thoughts online as concerns continued to grow. Unfortunately, showings in North America would be delayed until Dec. 6, while showings in the United Kingdom were still on track for its original set date and times.
One of the more critical rumors that circulated on the internet earlier this year was that prints of the film had possibly been destroyed by Paramount or had been used for a different cinematic project some time ago. Before there
was any official word on the circumstance, fans began to fear the worst as the possibility of a rerelease being canceled seemed more and more likely as the days went on.
That was until the public finally received an official answer. In the article “Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’10th Anniversary Re-Release Moves to December,” Rebecca Rubin said that the rumors of the destroyed prints of the film were untrue. Satisfied with the confirmation, eager fans here in the United States could put their worries at ease but would still have to wait a couple months before being able to attend the premiere. In the meantime, what new viewers can expect from this sci-fi flick is a story that takes place sometime in the near to distant future. Humanity is facing a crisis similar to the Dust Bowl, a period of severe dust storms that spread across American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s, greatly impacting personal health and agriculture. Running out of time and options fast, it seemed the only remaining choice was to venture deep into the stars, searching for a new and habitable planet to call their
home.
Following the journey of a farmer and former NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) gets offered a chance to save humanity and be part of a lengthy mission that requires him to go off-world and hopefully, find a new home for humanity. Given enormous, grand tasks and forced to make crucial decisions under pressure that could lead to dire consequences, Cooper risks everything for the sake of trying to save his family and reunite with his daughter and son back home, Murphy Cooper (Mackenzie Foy) and Tom Cooper (Timothee Chalamet).
Although this may be audiences’ last chance to see “Interstellar” in theaters this winter, especially in an IMAX setting, the film still proves a decade later just how significant it is to the fans as well as what it means for Christopher Nolan and his career. There may have been some rough moments and challenges along the way with the preparation for such a big occasion, but hope still remains alongside the people interested to see the film in a higher definition and how large gatherings could be for the premiere this holiday.
Courtesy photo
Graphic by Kaley Muse
MUSIC STUDENT: Tavien Todd
Makayla Flenoury Staff Writer
Cameron has many academic programs to choose from but for Tavien Todd, Music Education was his calling.
Todd’s music journey started as a small hobby when he joined orchestra in middle school.
He explored the realm of string and brass and plays several brass instruments.
“I play French horn, saxophone and trumpet,” Todd said. “French horn is my main instrument, but the trumpet is my favorite. I’ve always loved it since I played in middle school.”
Since Todd started his music journey as a small hobby, he said that taking his music to the college level has been challenging.
“I’m not used to all the music technicality of everything because I’m used to being told ‘play this,’” he said. “But now I have to learn how everything fits.”
Even though Todd finds it challenging, Cameron’s music professors, along with his peers, have helped him progress.
“Everybody knows each other here because we’ve played together. They teach you how to do things right,” he
said. “The biggest thing I’ve learned was getting a better tone and just playing better overall.”
Todd finds inspiration from different artists but most of all his primary instructor, John Moots.
“Mr. Moots is a killer on the trumpet. He’s teaching me all the ways right now,” he said. “Miles Davids, Chet Baker and Carnival of Venice are my other inspirations.”
Todd plans on taking his journey to become an instructor and conductor for a large band.
“It’s what I taught my senior year of high school,” Todd said. “I’d prefer a large classical
band with clarinets, flutes, oboes, French horns, trumpets, trombones, tubes and all the percussion instruments like xylophone, marimba and snare drums.”
Todd knows the music journey is tough; he often encourages aspiring musicians.
“Don’t give up. There’s been multiple times where I felt like giving up and dropping out, but I kept sticking with it and I was able to get my passion for music back.” For more information about the Cameron music department, contact Dr. Kirsten Underwood at (580)-581-2346.
fun, free, relaxed group that students can take part in.”
Tawny
Vanover
Staff Writer
Cameron University’s Programming Activities Council (PAC) has long been the heart of campus life, bringing students together through a variety of exciting events during the fall and spring semesters.
From crafting nights to seasonal activities, PAC consistently promotes a sense of community engagement for students across campus.
PAC is a student-led organization that operates under the direction of the Office of Events and Activities to ensure a wide variety of activities and an engaging campus atmosphere for students.
PAC President Caryn Stringham said that the organization is dedicated to providing fun experiences for students across campus both during the events and the planning process.
“We put on free events for students that we think that they will generally enjoy to build a stronger relationship between them and the campus,” Stringham said.
“To have something to look forward to, you know, outside of classes or meetings or whatever else it is that they’re doing, we are just kind of a
PAC event coordinator Ty Spence emphasized the importance of these events for stress relief and community engagement.
“It helps the students feel less stressed while they’re on campus,” Spence said.
“They can just go to one of the events, relax, and stop thinking about whatever it is. It’s also important for campus engagement, so people have some attachment to Cameron instead of it just being a place they go to get a degree.’”
As PAC continues to host a wide variety of events and activities for students on campus, the organization also emphasizes creativity and learning opportunities for its members. Spence said that PAC offers more than just fun activities to share with fellow students.
“My favorite part about PAC is being able to be creative in hosting different events and brainstorming new ideas,” Spence said.
During their weekly meetings, members of the organization are actively encouraged to participate in the event planning process by sharing ideas, collaborating on themes and providing input to ensure that each event reflects the entertainment
interests of its members who represent the student body. Members also aid in running the events, gaining first-hand experience in event execution and teamwork.
Stringham said that students can look forward to upcoming events that are scheduled to be happening in the coming months.
“Ultimately, I’m excited,” Strigham said. “I have confidence in myself and in my coordinator Ty Spence that it will be a great semester.”
Students interested in PAC are encouraged to join the organization or just stop by one of their weekly meetings. Stringham went on to emphasize that all students, regardless of major or classification, interested in becoming involved on campus are welcome.
“PAC is always looking for new members and for new ideas,” Stringham said. “There’s always a place, for any special interest, for any student here at Cameron. We have a completely open door, um and we’re excited to meet anyone that is interested in joining us.”
Students interested in joining PAC are encouraged to attend the weekly meetings held at 6:15 p.m. on Mondays in the McMahon Centennial Complex Buddy Green Room, or stop by PAC’s next event to experience what the organization has to offer.
Graphic by Steven Utter
Photo by Makayla Flenoury
Julian Ebacher Staff Writer
Throughout the whole of Major League Baseball, there is one pitch that is feared by every batter who marches up to the plate — the titular knuckleball.
In essence, it is a pitch designed to counterintuitively reduce the ball’s spin as much as possible, not reaching for the impossibly high standards of “going faster than the speed limit of a school zone” or “going in a direction that the pitcher wants it to,” but quite the opposite.
The goal is to make sure that the ball does neither of those things, and batters quiver in the face of it. That’s because, theoretically, a ball with no spin goes exactly where the pitcher intends it to with perfect accuracy.
Unfortunately, life is not theoretical. Pitch physics factor in wind, air resistance, and the shape of the ball, so each pitch is subject to an enormous number of variables for batters.
Furthermore, because the ball is thrown so slowly, the risk of injury is far lower than other pitches, meaning that pitchers can play far more games if they do pitch knuckleballs, rather than being forced to sit out low-level games.
As such, the knuckleball surely would be used consistently in high level play, wouldn’t it?
Yet, for whatever reason, it isn’t.
First, there is a cosmic irony in the situation that, just as nobody can hit the pitch, nobody can pitch it, either.
For some reason, it remains elusive to the majority of those who attempt to learn it. There really doesn’t exist an incentive to take the colossal time required to learn the throw if the pitcher already has a good thing going. Which leads to many of the most prominent knuckleballers being those who did not have a good thing going.
Often, someone who failed as a pitcher would devote themselves to learning the knuckleball, including R. A. Dickey, who eventually won a Cy Young Award.
Furthermore, the cost of a failed knuckleball is intense. Because the pitcher doesn’t really need to care about velocity, the pitch does the direction mix-ups by itself, and there is a major risk at play if the ball gets even the tiniest amount of spin.
At that point, there is a ball going only 75 m.p.h. straight down the center of the batting box, something
that almost every professional batter will easily be able to hit.
Finally, even if the ball is impossible for a batter to hit, it’s been found similarly difficult for a catcher to catch. This has led to some interesting complications along the years, including one event in 2016 when Red Sox catcher Ryan Larvin failed to catch four passed balls in just one inning, leading the team to be forced to take the pitcher out of the game.
Legendary catcher Bob Uecker is quoted as saying that “the best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”
In total, when the knuckleball is good, it is very, very good. When it’s bad, it’s horrid.
Enter Matt Waldron, a pitcher for the San Diego Padres who, unfortunately, as of the last few months, is doing relatively horrid. Yet it could be argued that he ushered in a revitalization and a renewal of the knuckleball within the MLB.
Waldron has put his own spin on the formula and a lot more on the ball — he is the first infamous knuckleballer not to throw a
knuckleball. He actually primarily uses a four-seam fastball and often shakes things up with a slider.
Yet the key to Waldron’s pitching is that the knuckleball is in his back pocket. It is something that he can throw out when batters are completely unprepared, and in turn, he can use it to throw batters off.
It is not necessarily the use of the knuckleball that is the key to his arsenal, but the threat of the knuckleball. And since 2022, Waldron has been using that line of logic quite successfully. Of course, his strategy does not have the same benefits that a full-time knuckleballer would have — any reduced chance of injury is completely gone — but it does strike a nice compromise between pitcher and catcher.
I have no doubt that future knuckleballers will take note of Waldron’s strategy and adopt it, perhaps in their own way.
This past season, Waldron has been doing significantly worse in his own right, but I don’t think that changes just how much of an impact he’ll have had on his very archetype within the sport.
That is a legacy not many people can claim.
Matthew Hasley Sports Editor
For student-athletes at Cameron University, balancing tough academics and competitive sports can be a challenge.
That’s where Cameron’s tennis coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Administration Josh Cobble steps in, making sure that students are supported both on and off the court.
Recognizing the emotional and mental toll sports and school can take, especially for international athletes far from home, Cobble strives to create a family-like environment within his teams.
“My team’s not going home when they have a two-day weekend, so this becomes home for them,” he said.
Through open communication, Cobble encourages athletes to reach out when they need help, making himself available for conversations beyond sports.
“I think a lot of what that experience is, is making sure they have someone they can talk to,” he said. “It helps too that we live in a time where I’m a Zoom call, or a video call, or a phone call away at any point in time with the thing I have in my pocket.”
Under his leadership, Cameron is making strides to enhance the overall student-athlete experience. From improved fundraising efforts to increased visibility through social media, the goal is to ensure that every student knows when and where a game is happening.
“If you don’t know there’s a game on campus, we’ve done something wrong,” Cobble said. “We’re trying to blow up all of our events.”
Additionally, the athletic department is working on upgrading travel, resources and communication tools for coaches to better support athletes and provide a more comprehensive program. Cobble faces unique challenges in recruiting
for tennis, as it is one of the most popular sports globally but less so in the United States.
His approach focuses on finding international players who fit into Cameron’s community and his approach.
“Trying to find the right people, whether they’re from Australia or Russia or Colombia,” he said. “It’s just finding that network and trying to find a person that fits Lawton, fits Cameron, fits the team, fits my coaching personality.”
One of the most exciting developments for Cameron University athletics is the increased use of technology.
The school has partnered with FloSports, a major live-stream sports provider, to broadcast multiple sports, including tennis, on a larger platform.
“Our volleyball team, baseball, softball, both basketball teams are gonna have all their games live streamed on this network,” Cobble said.
Since taking over the tennis program, Cobble has led both the men’s and women’s teams to several conference and regional titles, including both teams reaching the Elite Eight in the same year—a first for the university.
His teams have consistently been ranked in the top
10, cementing Cameron’s tennis program as one of the strongest in the region.
Beyond his many achievements, Cobble stays focused on instilling the values of hard work and perseverance in his players.
“Anything can be accomplished through hard work and trying to do things the best you can,” he said. “Don’t let things that get in your way, get through, beat you down.”
A Duncan native, coach Cobble started his college tennis career at Cowley County Community College before transferring to Cameron University.
After playing under coach James Helvey at Cameron, he eventually took over the program. Since then, he has worked to not only lead successful teams, but also to create a positive, growth-oriented environment for student-athletes.
Cameron holds a unique position in the region and within it’s conference.
“We’re the only public school in Oklahoma that’s part of the Lone Star Conference,” Cobble said. “We get to fill that niche in a really tough conference.”
While the competition is fierce, Cobble sees it as an opportunity to represent the state and attract top
