Vol 3, Issue 1: Sept '15

REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN

Businesses and redevelopment in Downtown Brunswick hope to attract more attention from the community, including local students. Pages 8-9

INSIDE INSIDE THE THE NEST NEST

Talk about 90’s music #tbt Arts & ENT| pg. 13

Sept. 2015 VOL. 3 ISSUE 1

Learn About New MAjors Campus NEws| pg. 4

Worth Reading Are you too Freshman?

CAMPUS NEWS| pg. 11

Behind The Scenes the blue crew campus news| pg. 5

www.ccga-crowsnest.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

CAMPUS NEWS NEW MAJORS ANCHOR DAYS

6

CAMPUS NEWS CCGA GRANTS INVOLVEMENT FAIR

8

SPREAD DOWNTOWN Bwk UPGRADED

10

12

YIK YAKS

LIFESTYLE & ARTS FRESHMAN NINETIEs MUSIC

14

SPORTS LEAGUE OF LEGENDS VOLLEYBALL HEATS UP

REC NIGHT - AUG 22

Inside the

Nest Editorial Department:

Editor in chief.............................. Drew Miller editorinchief@ccga.edu DESIGN EDITOR ............................. Alvin Fernando designeditor@ccga.edu WEB EDITOR ..................................Jenna Caldwell webeditor@ccga.edu Copy EDItor ............................. Erin Broomell copyeditor@ccga.edu Ad Manager .................................Erick Bermudez admanager@ccga.edu ADVISOR ......................................... Andrew Smith asmith@ccga.edu

September 2015

3

CCGA POLICE BEAT

1. August 23, 8:07 p.m.: Officers were called when a snake was found in the lobby of Lakeside Village. Officers captured the snake and disposed of it.

2. August 23, 2:00 p.m.: A group of five juveniles entered the library and were causing a disturbance. They were given a warning and left campus.

3. August 25, 3:00 p.m.: Officers responded to another call regarding a snake that had found its way into the lobby at Lakeside.

Officers were able to capture the snake and release it back outside.

4. August 26, 5:29 p.m.: Officers responded to the Bookstore in reference to a disorderly student who was causing a loud disturbance. Officers were able to diffuse the situation without further incident.

5. August 26, 10:25 p.m.: Resident Assistants at Coastal Place Apartments called officers in reference to an alcohol violation.

Charges are pending.

6. August 26, 11:05 a.m.: Officers responded to Lakeside in reference to criminal damage of a vending machine. Video of the incident was used to identify the students responsible. Charges are pending awaiting final assessment of damages from the vending company.

7. August 27, 6:50 p.m.: An accident occurred at the intersection of Lakeside Village parking lot and Mariners Way. No injuries reported.

Staff Writers & Contributors: Erin Broomell Jay Landow C. Garrett Dutton Drew C. Miller Alvin Fernando Alaric Shearer Statement of Operations: The Crow’s Nest is the official student newspaper of the College of Coastal Georgia, owned and operated by CCGA students using facilities provided by the College.

MISSION: Our mission is to provide the Coastal Georgia community with thruthful and ethical content of interest. Any questions regarding content or anyone wishing to report corrections and errors please call 912.279.5898 or email crowsnest@ccga. edu.

Publication Information: The newspaper is published approximately every three weeks during the academic year and is printed by The Brunswick News Publishing Co. in Brunswick, Ga. Advertising: The Crow’s Nest allots advertising space each issue for both on-campus and offcampus entities. For more information about rates, payment methods, formatting, and deadlines, please call 912.279.5898 or email admanager@ccga.edu.

Notice: Unauthorized removal of multiple copies from a distribution site constitutes theft under Georgia law, a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine and/or jail time. The advertiser is responsible for all information in a given ad. Students should beware of disclaimers presented in the ads, which are previously screened by our staff before placement in our publication.

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We ask that you please do Mother Nature a favor and recycle this newspaper when done reading.

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Campus NEws

YOUR COLLEGE NOW OFFERS French AND Spanish degrees

The College of Coastal Georgia has expanded its foreign language program through a new online eMajor system approved by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents in May. Baccalaureate degrees and minors in French and Spanish are now offered. Two career-oriented certificate programs are offered as well: Spanish for Professionals and Teacher/ English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL/ESOL). All of the programs are fully online.

EMajor is a collaborative program developed by the University System of Georgia to complement the Complete College Georgia initiative. Students who are familiar and comfortable with the online eCore program will be comfortable with the eMajor system. It is the same task-based exercises and instruction designed to make college degrees more accessible and enhance the skills of working professionals.

“If you are comfortable in an online environment this is a degree option you want to consider,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tracy Pellett said. “It’s a (flexible) option for students who are place-bound, parents or can’t commute.”

Foreign language minors and certificate programs offer additional options for currents students who want to enrich their degree.

“These are a great compliment to any major,” Pellet says.

The Spanish for Professionals certification is designed for careers such as medicine, criminal justice, public administration and business in which the ability to communicate in Spanish will enhance success. The TESOL/ESOL

certificates are customized for teachers, students and professionals pursuing teaching opportunities with English language learners in corporate settings and in private language schools in the United States and internationally.

The college is able to offer these programs by combining resources between institutions.

Three other schools are participating in the programs: Armstrong State University (French), Clayton State University and Valdosta State University. Coastal Georgia and Valdosta will offer the full spectrum of programs. Professors for the online programs are comprised from these four schools.

Coastal’s Dr. Lisa Noetzel is included among them.

Program Liaison April Davis said the program has already seen success in terms of student retention. “I had two students who were planning to transfer… because we are offering (the program) they have decided to stay here with us,” she said. “They already know Dr. Noetzel, Professor Mortier and me.

It’s familiar to them.”

Dr. Pellet believes the program’s innovative collaboration is a precursor of things to come.

“It’s a smart move. We may not have had French or Spanish programs for five or more years if we tried to do this on our own,” notes Pellett.

Current students who need additional information about the programs may see their advisor, April Davis or the Advisement Center.

by ERIN BROOMELL

Pages designed by: Alvin Fernando

Campus NEws

ANCHOR DAYS

September 2015

5

the blue crew Alvin Fernando Design Editor

Photography By Abby Born

A cheer rang out in the Coffin Gymnasium as motivational speaker Mike Fritz awakened the sleepdeprived bunch of freshman assembled on the morning of Aug. 17.

“In West Philadelphia, born and raised, On the playground is where I spent most of my days,” rapped the 570 incoming students.

No, it wasn’t freshman karaoke night but rather the start of The College of Coastal Georgia’s Anchor Days; the second of a new three-part student onboarding process. The first-year campus oreintation program comes after the discontinuation of CCGA 1101 College Success Seminar. In the past, CCGA 1101 was a two credit requirement for all first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students in Brunswick and Camden.

An enhanced summer orientation, combined with Anchor Days and Coastal Discovery Workshops have replaced the

information overload students were previously subject to via summer orientations and the aforementioned 15-week course. When staff recognized westudents were struggling with simple tasks such as connecting to WAVE’s WiFi, navigating COAST or deciphering DegreeWorks, the need for change was evident. It was back to the drawing board for how orientations were run at CCGA. Cue the light bulb over Dr. Jason Umfress’ head. The Vice President for Student Affairs along with his leadership team proposed a harmonized new student program: the two-day intense sessions of Anchor Days, supplemented by the ongoing seminars of the Coastal Discovery Workshops emulates an emerging model in higher education.

The College’s personal counselor Cheryl Van Dyke, who played a major role in revamping orientation, said the modified approach will prove valuable in the long run.

“We are taking a more traditional approach and reducing the number of hours needed to graduate. From 123 to 120”, said Van Dyke.

Students spend less time in classrooms trying to graduate, and they will pay less to attend college; $50 for summer orientation versus the cost of a required 2-credit hour course that was essentially non-transferrable.

Anchored Down During the opening days of fall semester, the incoming students who attended Anchor Days were split up into groups of about 20. A team of current

students christened the “Blue Crew” led these groups.

If you were on campus in the two days prior to the start of the semester, chances are you saw them wearing a royal blue shirt with freshman ducklings following closely behind.

Orchestrated by Student Affairs staff, the Blue Crew members managed “Blue Crew Time”: icebreakers and games that assisted students in becoming more acclimated to campus life and each other.

Computer lab sessions were also held to iron out logistical and technical issues and allow students to familiarize themselves with COAST, BrightSpace (formerly D2L) and DegreeWorks – all programs that are frequently used by CCGA students.

Classroom experiences were also arranged to acclimate students to the institution’s atmosphere. Students attended information sessions where they were informed about their major by the respective department heads.

“I think getting to know the campus better, people and upperclassmen is helpful,” said Kit Wheat, first-time Blue Crew Member. “All the little questions you want to ask during orientation but you haven’t been here long enough that you know you need to ask them. I think that it is definitely a good thing.”

If you have any questions about Anchor Days, the Blue Crew or are interested in becoming a member of the next Blue Crew, e-mail studentlife@ ccga.edu or log onto your Instagram or Twitter account and search the hashtag “#anchordays”.

Email us: crowsnest@ccga.edu

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Campus NEws

The application for CCGA Foundation Scholarships can be found on the CCGA website under Financial Aid.

Pages designed by: Alvin Fernando

first-Gen Students get boost from Two Grants This past summer, the college received two grants to benefit first generation college students.

In May, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs renewed a $1.16 million federal grant for TRIO Student Support Services Program. In July, the board of the Coca-Cola Foundation approved a new $50,000 grant to the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation.

According to College President Gregory Aloia, 45 percent of CCGA students are self-identified as firstgeneration students.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tracy Pellett is looking forward to the TRIO program’s future.

“All of us at the College of Coastal Georgia are excited to know TRIO is able to continue providing critically needed services to eligible low-income, first-generation students from southeastern coastal Georgia and beyond,” Pellett said. “These students have a variety of academic and personal challenges that hinder their potential success in college.

“The College’s TRIO program has established a solid track record, exceeding the Department of Education requirements and national averages, over the past three years and we look forward to continuing for the next five.”

The $1.16 million for TRIO Services will be distributed to the College over the

next five years beginning in September 2015. The Coca-Cola grant will provide four-year scholarships to 10 incoming freshman who are the first in their family to attend college and have a demonstrated financial need. The scholarships will total $5,000 per student over four years, provided the student maintains a minimum 3.0 GPA. First-generation college students who come from low income families or have a disability are eligible to apply for TRIO Support Services provided they are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents and have a need for academic services.

Applications are available online or at Trio Services inside the library.

The College began contacting incoming freshman eligible to apply for the Coca-Cola scholarships last month.

The CCGA Foundation Scholarship application period opens this October for the 2016 - 2017 school year.

According to Vice President for Enrollment Clayton Daniels there is a general shortage of College Foundation scholarship applicants, both first-generation students and others. Although the College has over 3,000 students currently enrolled, the College Foundation only receives about 600 scholarship applications each year. Daniels would like to see that number increase to 1,000.

Campus NEws

September 2015

7

Involvement Fair a Success for Student Organizations

by Alaric Shearer

It was hard to push through all the excitement at College of Coastal Georgia’s Student Involvement Fair that was held in the Brunswick Campus Center on Aug. 27.

CCGA’s collection of clubs and organizations came together to encourage student extra-curricular involvement on campus. Nearly 30 clubs participated at the Brunswick Fair. A smaller scale fair was held at the Camden Center on Aug. 25.

Mock Trial and Debate Club President, Deshawn Jamison, enjoyed the fair. His club caught the eye of many potential future debaters.

“I had a lot of fun. It made me happy to see that so many people wanted to sign up,” said Jamison.

Sophomore Charis Peterson, made slime for the Biology club. The Engineering and Math club exhibited a robot. Art Club President Stephanie Adams sid the Student

Involvement Fair gave the Art Club a chance to really show its colors.

“We displayed pictures from Spring 2014 when the Art Club went to New York for a week and had a chance to tour art museums and visit monuments,” Adams said. “We also had pictures of volunteer projects from this past spring, including the 10 by 40 foot mural made for an indoor playground in Kingsland.”

Director of Campus Center and Student Life Jamie-Parker Lewis is pleased with the fair’s continued success.

“The initial feedback from the student organization were pleased with their recruitment and the energy of the event was truly engaging,” said Parker-Lewis.

For a full list of CCGA clubs and organizations visit http://www2.ccga.edu/ SDServices/clubs.asp

Students wait in line for spray-paint art Photography by Jenna Caldwell

Students meet and greet at the involvement fair.

Photography by Jenna Caldwell

CCGA Club Baseball Team recruits interested students in the Campus Center Photography by Jenna Caldwell

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W S N I U K R B A Downtown Guide I

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MARY ROSS MakeoveR changes coming to cit y park

Mary Ross Waterfront Park sits lonely at the edge of the East River in Downtown Brunswick. Students may know it as that place with the vacant building that showcases punk and metal shows from time to time. Most know it as the place that hosts the Brunswick Bazaar and Farmer’s Market Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m .to 5 p.m.

Others know it as the place with the xylophones and the scale model of the World War II Liberty Ship. Public events such as the Brunswick Stewbelie, Rhythm on the River and other small festivals take place in the lot. The renowned travel magazine, Travel and Leisure voted Brunswick, Ga; specifically Mary Ross Waterfront Park as the 10th-best town to experience the Fourth of July.

Despite having events, the low frequency of such events taking place creates a space that is mostly vacant. This Pages designed by: Alvin Fernando

by drew c. miller

is due to change in the near future. Years of planning are about to pay off: according to an official report released by brunswickga.org, Mary Ross Waterfront Park is due to receive an epic overhaul.

An extensive list of the planned updates has been made available through a preliminary master plan on the website. The list includes: a dockside observation deck, children’s spray ground interactive water feature, a promenade, pier, rain garden, tabby pathways, waterfront dining, covered event stage, covered seating, kayak/ canoe launch a tackle shack, bocce ball, daytime boat parking, new lighting, swings, learning kiosks, shade structures and a nautical park.

Having such a place is one way to bring more attention to Downtown Brunswick, and provide new opportunities and access to the community.

A map released by brunswick.org, signifying updates to Mary Ross Park.

September 2015

“Cook with your heart, and let it come through your hands.” - Chef Raiford.

2

CHEFRAIFORD Born in Bridgeport, Conn. and raised in Brunswick, Chef Matthew Raiford is an interesting cat. He’s former military, extremely well traveled and has been cooking since the age of 9. His affinity for good food and communal flavor have influenced his concotions for decades. If anyone can turn around the food scene in Downtown Brunswick, Raiford is the guy to do it.

BWICK STEWDIO

Brunswick Stewdio has open arms for Mariners. Associate Professor of Fine Art, Jeff LeMieux will be teaching CCGA courses ARTS 1010, and Drawing 1 at the downtown Brunswick Studio. LeMieux explains the Stewdio will facilitatate interaction of CCGA arts students with practicing artists and the growing arts community within the Golden Isles.

In an interview with LeMieux, he says “A drawback of college arts programs is their insularity from the real-world dynamics of arts practice. By interacting with members of the arts community, CCGA students will benefit in three main ways: first, they will directly witness the degree of effort and investment required to live and work as an artist in the community. Second, they will naturally form relationships with individuals in the larger arts community, and third, they will increase their own awareness of ongoing and potential collaborative projects within that community.”

He adds, “Currently the only course we’re running is the Drawing I class, which is held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.”

“Most recently the drawing students

9

completed an exercise known as “blind contour” in which they drew without looking at their paper in order to develop a kinesthetic awareness of their hand/arm/ body in the act of drawing. It also produces unusually free looking drawings that have a unique character. This demonstrates the hidden depth that can be found when artists move past standard approaches and practiced formulae,” says LeMieux.

In addition to earning 3 college credits in the ARTS, students gain exposure to local arts professionals and get a real world view of demands of art practice,” LeMieux adds. “As an academic, I can recommend, explain, exhort and even demonstrate by example, but the real test comes when art students have to put their discipline into place in the real world. The Stewdio gives us the ability to see firsthand from arts authorities who are living and working in that world already, not just isolated in a classroom at the college. For this fall, the plan is to involve associated arts professionals at the Stewdio in the regular critique sessions found in the drawing class.

This has two purposes: to help students (and the college) form relationships in the local arts community,

The food produced at The Farmer and the Larder represents this philosophy.

It’s the kind of place where you walk through the doors and feel at home.

Opening this for First Friday (Sept. 4), The Farmer and Larder is the brainchild of former College of Coastal Georgia Executive Chef, Matthew Raiford.

Located in the Historic Downtown District of Brunswick, Raiford’s space hosts local fare with a belief in bringing food straight from the farm to the comsumer. Food comes directly from his family’s Gilliard Farms, which has been in operation since 1874. Most products in The Farmer and the Larder have a direct connection to the local community, much of the fare is derived in The Golden Isles.

The Farmer and the Larder hosts cooking classes twice a week, grab-n-go lunch, full dinner, Sunday brunch and full retail which is supplied solely from

and to make that community and the larger community aware of the college’s fine arts program, thereby engendering greater mutual support for each.”

According to LeMieux, The Stewdio “is in an experimental/exploration mode, each side feeling out the relation.” CCGA is contracted to have a month long display of student work in January 2016. Student feedback has been positive thus far.

“We hope to run another course in spring,

local vendors. Raiford’s food draws influence from 100 years of different cultural impacts on the Golden Isles; Dutch, Irish, Spanish, French, etc.

Aside from being the former Executive Chef in the College’s culinary program, Raiford’s connection to CCGA began 35 years ago when he was part of the model United Nations hosted on campus.

Although he isn’t on campus anymore, he “totally believes in the Mariners.”

When asked about what makes the most impact in his life, Raiford responded, “Dream big, and resolve that life is life-long learning. Never settle for good. Strive for great, and if you don’t make it to great, at least you’ve been good this whole time.”

This wisdom and viewpoint applies to his business and work ethic; running a tight ship while maintaining a commitment to promoting healthy and sustainable living.

not sure which one of our studio courses it would be at this point. Right now the course is limited to enrolled CCGA students. It is possible as time goes on that we may be offering other informal experiences not directly associated with the college and open to the public.” says Lemieux. Whether a a budding or established artist, Mariners should take advantage of this local oppurtunity.

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Students participating in an art class held at Brunswick Stewdio.

www.ccga-crowsnest.com

1 2 3 4

Golden Isles Plaza

GPA’s be like help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up Join me for ritual animal sacrifice in ACN 209. Today we will go over how to properly sacrifice a small goat.

No sorry mom, 18 isn’t old enough to make my own dentist appointment

Yes Random Stranger, I see your prolonged eye contact and raise you one awkward head nod.

For FREE Chick-fil-A & Specials

Text CFACCG to 411247

No spamming. Information for Chick-fil-A use only.

Look Out For: A text message offer on

9/14/15 for a FREE Chick-fil-A Sandwich Meal!

(Sandwich, Med. Waffle Fry, & Med. Soft Drink or Iced Tea)

Free Wi-fi

available in our dining room.

Come study and dine with us!

September 2015

Join the Best.

Come to the Nest.

Our team meets every Wednesday of the semester at 2pm in the SAC 131.

crowsnest@ccga.edu | 912.279.5898 | @ccga_crowsnest

11

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Lifestyle

9 SIGNS YOU’RE A CCGA FRESHMAN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

You wear your Coastal lanyard that you were given in orientation... like if you were to remove it your head would fall off. Sure it was free, but that doesn’t mean it should be attached to you 24/7. Yes, it has important goodies in it; let’s just hope you are taking it off to shower.

You still think Yik Yak is completely anonymous and post like it’s a game of never have I ever.

We’ve been keeping tabs on the new users to our herd and we’re not impressed. Note: Yik Yak is not an Ashley Madison forum. Let’s go for humor over trying feed your baser instincts.

You arrive to class fifteen minutes early.

You hover before class, you’re a lingerer after. Be on time, but don’t be THAT person.

You actually bought all of your books, even the suggested reading.

Here’s a syllabus translation guide: required = maybe; suggested = read the Amazon buyer reviews or Cliff’s Notes.

You signed up for multiple 8 a.m. classes.

Right, right, it wasn’t your fault. It was the schedule you were given at orientation. But you’re regretting those early morning roll calls after those late college nights.

You're on the email list for fifteen clubs.

We KNOW you’re excited, but it’s physically impossible to be in that many student organizations. Do not attempt.

You still think being funny in class is appreciated.

The main goal of every real college student is to expedite the process of getting in and out of class without getting called on. Don’t mess it up for everyone else. P.S. Don’t be the student that reminds the professor about unassigned work. No one will save you from their wrath.

You overpack...

And you carry every single book for every single class with you, everywhere you go, despite living on campus. You are freaking out becasue you don’t have a locker. You will be fine with one solitary notebook. Keep it simple, trust us.

You speak above the professor while they are lecturing.

No, we didn’t dish out thousands of dollars to come hear you speak during class. It’s not funny, interesting, or cute. Do us all a favor, including yourself, and zip it. Please and thank you. P.S. Professors take your classroom back. Tangents can be frivolous and distracting.

arts & Entertainment

take it back to the nineties

Nostalgia for the ‘90s is exploding among Millennials like Pam Anderson out of her Baywatch-issued one-piece. In retail stores it’s crop-tops and overalls. “Boy Meets World” has returned to TV in an updated version titled “Girl Meets World”.

New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys have returned with an international tour. Much of present day pop-culture can be credited to the decade colorful enough to give rise to Nirvana, Hanson and TLC – all on cassette tape!

If you’ve ever ended a sentence with, “Sike!” it’s likely you once thought the songs we’ve hand-picked were all that and a bag of potato chips. If you’re a little confused YouTube our ‘90s picks and discover a part of the decade that was too legit to quit.

Alt-Rock Anthems For many Millennials a leather jacket and

grainy, black and white video is likened to The 1975’s video for “Chocolate.” For Generation X it might conjure images from the Pixies’ video of “Where Is My Mind?”

Originally released in 1988 this song was revived in 1996 on the soundtrack for the movie “Fight Club.” It’s the song whose oscillating minor chords likely kept you listening even after the credits where rolling. Too punk? Give Spin Doctors “Two Princes” a listen. Carful, it’s catchy.

Many of Generation X spent time trying to get it out of their heads.

Slow and Steady A guy. His guitar. Soulful sounds and a whole lot love. No, not Ed Sheeran.

In 1991 that was Mr. Big. If you like Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” you won’t be disappointed by Mr. Big’s “To Be With You.” Both songs spent time on the Billboard Hot 100. Mr. Big made it to the

I

September 2015

13

90’s

number one spot while Sheeran peaked at number two.

Chords and Confessions If you liked Hozier’s dark and irreverent metaphorical references in “Take Me To Church,” listen to Joan Osborne’s “One Of Us” from 1996. Neither is for the easily offended. Both songs received Grammy nominations for Song of the Year.

Mixtape Madness Kendrick Lamar’s style is heavily influenced by West Coast gangsta rap of the 1990s. However, in his song “Alright” the themes of social and mental unrest are akin to that of “Tennessee” by Arrested Development. The song features a sample from Prince’s “Alphabet Street.”

Cool Runnings Reggae-fusion artists like Rihanna, Magic and OMI owe their genre’s popularity to the ‘90s artists who shaped

the genre. Give a listen to Inner Circle’s “Sweat” from 1993. They’re one of many artists who brought dance-hall influenced music into the limelight during the mid1990s.

It’s all Country to Me Whether Darius Rucker is the man who made or marred “Wagon Wheel” for you, the album “No Depression” by Uncle Tupelo is praised by country, Americana and folk music fans alike. The record is considered one of the most important alternative country albums. Uncle Tupelo and similar alternative country bands paved the way for many cross-over country artists like Darius Rucker.

Sports

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Jay Landow | sports columnist It is no secret that the world we live in is becoming more and more immersed in technology. It seems like every day there is something that is being replaced by a technological innovation. Computers and Microsoft Word have replaced typewriters. E-mail and text messaging have replaced snail mail. Amazon and E-bay have replaced malls. Apps like Lyft and Uber are replacing old school taxi and public transportation services.

It seems as if technology is encroaching on every aspect of life. Recently, it has begun to encroach upon the sports world.

On October 27, 2009, Riot Games released a new video game called League of Legends. It is a 3-D, third person multiplayer online battle arena game for Mac and PC computers. The game is simple enough: gain gold and experience by killing monsters and enemies and taking over their forts (called a Nexus in the game). It was nothing too innovative or edgy, but once League of Legends

Should it be Considered a Sport?

took hold it spread across the world like wildfire. By July 2012, it was the most played PC game in North America and Europe. By January 2014, League of Legends had 67 million active monthly players; 27 million of them were active daily players.

Due to the popularity of the video game, a tournament was set up by Riot Games.

It started as an 8-team tournament, and the winners would receive the 70-pound Summoner’s Cup as well as a monetary prize. The first League of Legends World Championship game was in 2011 at Dreamhack in Sweden, a large digital festival, and included a $50,000 prize for whoever won the tournament. It was a huge success. 1.6 million viewers watched via live stream. Since then the annual tournament has traveled around the globe, gaining legions of faithful followers and increasing the prize winnings to over $1 million.

Obviously, the world loves League of

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Legends. Many League of Legends fans, including students here at our beloved College of Coastal Georgia, claim that League of Legends is the fastest growing sport in the world, and is poised to become the largest, most popular sport in the world. While League of Legends may be the fastest growing global pastime; that fact alone does does not make it a sport.

According to Google’s dictionary app, a sport is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” It is true that League of Legends comes very close to meeting this definition; it is obviously an activity involving skill in which teams compete against each other for entertainment. But to say that League of Legends involves physical exertion is a stretch, especially when compared to the amount of physical exertion required in other sports.

Sure, staring at a screen for prolonged periods of time can be tiring. It can drain your energy and wear you down. But to nowhere near the extent professional football or basketball can drain your energy and wear you down.

This brings up another point: sports are played by athletes. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines an athlete as “a person who is trained or skilled in exercise, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” To say that the League of Legend players are athletes is even more of a stretch than to say that League of Legends is a sport. To compare someone who spent hours and hours sitting in a computer chair mastering a video game to someone who probably spent a large chunk of their childhood risking their health to master a physical sport is practically an insult.

In the end, League of Legends is just a video game, not a sport. Just because you can buy stuff on Amazon does not make Amazon a mall. Just because you can type a paper on a computer does not make it a typewriter. Just because Siri will reply when you talk to it does not make it a person. And just because League of Legends is played in an arena in front of 32 million viewers and broadcast worldwide in 19 different languages does not make it a sport.

HOME GAMES Volleyball Friday, Sept 4

1:00 p.m.

Coastal Georgia vs Xavier Coastal Georgia vs Bryan College

7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept 5 Coastal Georgia vs St. Thomas

3:00 p.m.

Coastal Georgia vs Bethel

7:00 p.m.

Friday, Sept 11

7:00 p.m.

Coastal Georgia vs Bethel

Saturday, Sept 12 Coastal Georgia vs Martin Methodist

11:00 a.m.

Golf Monday, Sept 14 Men’s and Women’s Teams Day 1 of Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational

Tuesday, Sept 15 Men’s and Women’s Teams Day 2 of Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational

September 2015

15

Sports

VOLLEYBALL SEASON c. garrett dutton sports editor During the five years head coach Jeff Huebner has spent with the Mariners’ volleyball team, he has quietly begun to build a powerhouse program. The 2015 Mariners continue to obliterate their opponents.

The Mariners are coming off an impressive 2014 season. They rolled through the regular season going on to win the Southern States Athletics Conference championship and reached the first NAIA national tournament for the College of Coastal Georgia volleyball program. The Mariners finished a program best 35-4, claiming the 23rd spot in the final NAIA rankings.

The now 5-1 Mariners started off the season with a three-team tournament in August They swept Florida National University (3-0) and Ave Maria University (3-0), grabbing their first two wins of the season.

But how have they done it?

Senior and serving specialist Jessica

HEATS UP

Fujimoto says it is in the vision of coach Huebner.

“Coach Huebner has been able to get us to this level because he has the same vision of being a National Championship every year,” says Fujimoto.

After only losing three seniors from 2014, Huebner brought in eight true freshmen and one sophomore transfer, outside hitter Shelby Sullivan of Minden, Iowa.

Sullivan is one more recruit from the Midwest on Huebner’s 17-player roster.

Ten of the 17 players Huebner has ssigned, 10 are from Illinois. It would appear Huebner has found his gold mine, but he continues to recruit from other areas as well.

“Volleyball is huge in the Midwest and being from Illinois I am sure I will always look to recruit in my home state.” Huebner says, “This year we really branched out and added athletes from Washington, Arizona, South Carolina and Georgia,

giving us depth, experience and diversity.”

Huebner’s offseason recruiting is paying off big. After six games, two freshmen have made huge impacts in these early season victories. Freshman and outside hitter Kyra White leads the team with 50 kills. She is followed closely by the freshman middleback Regan Couglin who has 44.

Huebner expect this performance to continue.

“I think newcomers Regan Coughlin and Kyra White will be competing with each other for the SSAC 2015 Freshman of the Year,” says Huebner.

However, it is early in the season and the upperclassmen will rise to their veteran roles. Emma Anderson is one of these veterans. She comes off an impressive 2014 campaign in which she led the team with 386 kills. Anderson was named an NAIA Third Team All-American and won the SSAC tournament’s most valuable player award.

Also, back for their final seasons are Fujimoto and Kara Neisen. Fijimoto led the entire SSAC serving up 57 aces in 2014. Neisen, a Daktronics-NAIA ScholarAthlete and SSAC first-team selection in 2014, will continue to play all over the court. She led the team in receptions last year with 527 and added 46 blocks.

“The seniors must led by example and play like seniors,” says Fujimoto.

“Playing like senior is helping the younger members of our program and stepping up to help the team in whatever fashion that may be.”

For now, the Mariner’s focus on one game at a time in hopes of dominating the SSAC once again.

The Mariners make their next appearance on home court in the Howard Coffin Gym Sept. 4 and 5 when they host their Mariner Invitational. Coastal Georgia games are set for 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sept. 5.

Photography Courtesy of www.coastalgeorgiasports.com