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By the students, for the students

CLOTHING CENTER

Jackson Roberts Co-Editor-In-Chief

The Ellensburg Community Clothing Center has been providing clothes for the men, women and children of Kittitas County since 1971. The center is located within the United Methodist Church on North Ruby Street and is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. The center provides washed and gently used clothing for anyone in need.

When you walk in, you see numerous clothes on hangers or neatly folded in stacked cabinets. They have two separate sides for men and women, with childrens clothes on either side. Their services don’t just stop at clothes as they provide belts, beanies and assortments of shoes too.

As long as you have proof of living in Kittitas County, you are welcome to check out up to 10 pieces of clothing a month. Once that month is up you are welcome to come check out another 10. Your proof of address can be anything from your library card, your electric bill or even your student ID. If there is a family of five, that means they are able to walk out of the clothing center with 50 items for that month.

Ellensburg Clothing Community Center’s Coordinator Judy Beal touched on the feeling of helping out families and individuals in need. “It feels special,” Beal said. “If I can help another person get socks, or warm shoes or something like that, they are going to be thankful for that and maybe they pass that onto someone else.”

With 22 volunteers involved at the clothing center, people have found their way via the church, word of mouth or even just the personal desire to give back to the community.

Volunteer Jessica Huff is one of the members who found this opportunity from joining the church with her family. “We felt that it’s just such a warm and welcoming place,” Huff said. “Everyone is invited to come and join us.”

“I love it here,” Volunteer Cathy Linder said. “It’s just so many different people from so many different places. They are so fun to talk to and we get to do something that matters … I’m retired and it’s so nice to be able to give back in any way I can do it.”

There is one volunteer who has been with the center since the beginning and that woman is June Fisher. The 94-year-old still helps out and you can stop by and see her every first and second Tuesday of the month. “She’s a super lady,” Beal said. “She is still as bright and quick as she always was. It’s amazing she has stuck it out since 1971.”

The clothing center was formed by all of the churches banding together to form what we know now as the Ellensburg Community Clothing Center. According to Beal, it was primarily the women leading the charge and even to this day 21 out of the 22 members are women.

“This is all volunteer, no one gets paid. They are coming in and helping and I have to say,

they are amazing women and I just can’t believe I’ve met them,” Beal said. “It just shows you that having that clothing center there reaches out farther than you think in the community. It’s open to everybody.”

CWU STATEMENT REGARDING ICE PROTECTIONS

Brandon Mattesich Co-Editor-In-Chief

On Feb. 6 University Relations sent out an update informing students, staff and faculty of the enactment of a new interim policy signed by President Wohlpart. The policy was put in place to protect student rights following recent “immigration enforcement efforts” across the country.

The following is a short excerpt of the policy:

“CWU does not grant permission for any person engaged, or intending to engage, in immigration enforcement, including surveillance, access to university property or facilities, or their immediate vicinity.CWU employees shall direct anyone engaging, or intending to engage, in immigration enforcement, including federal immigration authorities with official business that must be conducted on university grounds, to the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs or Senior Vice President – Finance and Administration (University Authorized Designee) prior to permitting entrance.”

The email also urged CWU staff to familiarize themselves with the content of the new policy, which can be found under the about section of CWU’s website.

Being an interim policy, it will expire 180 days from the day of its enactment. If it is to be accepted as a full policy, it will have to undergo a standard review process.

The Ellensburg Community Clothing Center. (Photo by Jackson Roberts)

A sweater hanging up at The Ellensburg Community Clothing Center. (Photo by Jackson Roberts)

Bob Ferguson pays a visit to CWU’s winter preview day

Brandon Mattesich Co-Editor-In-Chief

Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson spoke at CWU’s winter quarter preview day on Saturday. In his speech he talked about the fact that Washington ranks 47th in the country in Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completions.

“The problem is that too many students don’t fill out a form that unlocks that financial aid,” Ferguson said at the event. He continued to talk about how easy FAFSA is for students to fill out, and how there are many college students currently enrolled at CWU who are eligible for financial aid but don’t receive it simply because they didn’t fill out the form.

Every year approximately 80 percent of CWU students receive financial aid, according to the CWU University Catalog.

The Saturday event boasted an attendance of about 500 people, Central Today reported, many of whom were community members or prospective students visiting campus for the “Preview Day” event. In his speech, which is available on YouTube, Ferguson urged the onlookers to fill out the form. “There are

LETTER from the EDITORS

Hello all,

Brandon: Last week we made what I consider to be my proudest issue. On that same train of thought, this week is a super fun issue. Valentine’s day is coming up, and this issue certainly reflects that. Everything about this print design turned out stunning, and I am proud of everyone on staff. (P.S. There’s a hidden valentines day message in my blurb.)

Jackson: Yet another amazing issue of the paper and a ton of fun going and getting these stories done. I am super happy that we get to bring you guys this Valentine’s day issue, we had a ton of fun watching it all come together. Getting a chance to add the Valentine’s elements looks super good and I am in LOVE with how it turned out (sorry not sorry). As always I am so proud of our team and want to thank you all for picking up another issue of the Observer.

News this week is short but strong. With a quote page covering student reactions to Trump’s latest executive order on “radical indoctrination,” and a few short updates on immigration and campus visits we managed to touch on just about everything major that happened this week.

This was a big week in the Sports section as obviously the Super Bowl took place over the weekend. We also see our first baseball story of the year too as they start to get into the swing of the season. Track and field also gets some light shined on them as we cover two studs who have set record after record here at CWU.

Scene looks into CWU’s very own dance team and their journey to nationals. Open mic night took place as well where many students got the opportunity to perform in front of many of their peers. Finally, in a more local story, we see the Ellensburg Clothing Community Center on the front page. If anyone is in need of clothing as the temperature drops, make sure to stop by and give the place a look.

Design turned out amazing this week, with an amazing Super Bowl spread on center and a lovely Valentine’s theme throughout this issue’s design is fun and in your face (in the best way possible). Once again our designers knocked it out of the park. We hope you enjoy all the little Valentine’s day designs on Cativities this week, and would like to thank you for picking up this week’s copy of The Observer!

literally thousands and thousands of students in college right now who could have financial assistance … they just don’t realize it,” Ferguson said. “And they never completed the form.”

In Washington a family whose annual income is below $78,500 is eligible to earn a full ride scholarship through FAFSA, which Ferguson emphasized during his talk.

Ferguson has previously talked extensively about his plans to make college more affordable, and this past weekend’s speech was no different.

In a post on Facebook this past December, Ferguson outlined his main goals surrounding college affordability. “Starting in 2026, whether you want to be a Cougar or a Husky, we’re guaranteeing free tuition for low-income families at UW, WSU and WA’s other public universities and community colleges. The WA College Grant is already the most generous financial aid program in the nation and now we’re cutting the red tape that families deal with to access that funding.”

(Photo by Z Morris)

Governer Ferguson speaking at CWU.

(Photo courtesy of Bob Ferguson)

THE KEY IS TRANSPARENCY.

How handles controversial topics

From The Editors

Last week we published a front page story which covered student reactions to Trump’s executive orders on immigration, and the ICE raids that have followed. We received feedback following the release of the story that some readers felt it was partisan reporting.

The Observer has been an institution on CWU’s campus since 1916, keeping the students informed on all the news relevant to them. Since its foundation, The Observer’s main goal has been, as it remains, to report on student voices in the most direct and unbiased method possible. Since 2016, there has been a growing political divide across America, which has now reached record highs. In a continued effort to cover the topics most relevant to student concerns, The Observer has and will be covering student reactions to the Trump presidency, and his policies, as we’ve done with past administrations.

Last week, we covered student reactions to Trump’s crackdown on immigration, a fairly divisive topic. To illustrate our cover story, we chose to display the American flag upside down. The upside down flag is a universal sign of distress, and it has no political affiliation. We choose to use it purely as a symbol reflective of the content of the story. When covering sensitive topics, we take care to allow all sides of the issue to be shared, and all perspectives to be commented on. Our motto, by the students for the students, is as relevant now as it ever has been. When we report on stories of this nature, we are solely focused on reflecting the voices of the students enrolled at the time of the stories’ publication. Our goal is to give students a place to share their thoughts on issues they would not normally have an outlet to speak on. Our front page story last week also granted all student sources

Local:

“Turnout low before final weekend in advance of Feb. 11 election” [Daily Record]

“Juror released from murder trial after his twin brother is arrested” [Daily Record]

“Attempted robbery at Yakima bank leaves no injuries” [KIMA Tv]

National:

anonymity. We explained that was to protect them from potential retaliation due to the sensitivity of the information they were sharing, including in some cases their or their family members’ immigration status. Transparency is key in journalism. Whenever we report on an issue, we make sure that we are reporting everything as transparently as possible. Sometimes anonymity is important, but we will always clarify why anonymity was given if we decide it is necessary. Similarly, if details are included or excluded from a story, including perspectives, we will always provide context and reasoning for the decision.

To the highest degree, The Observer values its ethics and credibility, and we will always be transparent when mistakes are made. We are proud of our coverage under the Trump presidency so far, and we are excited to continue coverage throughout these next

four years. We have an incredible staff of dedicated writers and designers, and we cannot wait to grow into whatever role The Observer takes these next four years. If you ever have any interest, our website has our full policy surrounding ethics and will be the main source of updates on most live coverage.

It’s also important to mention that The Observer serves the students, and we always take submissions. If you ever have concerns about our coverage, want to touch on a topic you feel we have missed or even just want a chance to have your writing featured in the paper we will always review reader submissions. Our contact is published on page two of every issue, and further information can be found under the about section on our website.

Check out next weeks issue for coverage on this event.

“Marc Fogel, American teacher held in Russia for 3.5 years, is released” [NBC News]

“Rep. Nancy Mace accuses ex-fiancé and associates of assaulting her and raping others in House speech” [AP News]

“Google maps changes Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for US users” [BBC News]

International:

“Israel PM says Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas does not free hostages” [BBC News]

“Greek island of Santorini sees strongest quake yet in weeks of highly unusual seismic swarm” [ABC News]

“UK and US refuse to sign international AI declaration” [BBC News]

CWU STUDENTS REACT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER

The Trump administration recently issued an executive order to “End Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” through blocking funding for schools that include what the administration described as, “gender ideology and critical race theory in the classroom.” The order states that its main issue is that, “Parents have witnessed schools indoctrinate their children in radical, anti-American ideologies while deliberately blocking parental oversight … These practices not only erode critical thinking but also sow division, confusion, and distrust, which undermine the very foundations of personal identity and family unity.”

The Observer approached students on two different days at the SURC for their thoughts on the executive order, the responses suggest an abundance of displeasure: the following are their responses:

“I think it’s stupid that he’s doing all this. Regardless of if he gets rid of it, if there’s TikTok, we are going to be able to learn about it.”

-Leylia Wendt, a clinical psychology major

“Personally I think it’s stupid. Coming from a queer person of color, those things are very important to education systems … At my high school, we had a black student union. We had a specific history club just for BSU. Every week, you would come together and you would research a topic specifically around black history and what wasn’t taught in typical history courses. I think the idea of keeping it [history] to a underdeveloped line of study isn’t great, because if you don’t know history you can’t recognize patterns like fascism, or the warning signs that may happen.”

-Dylan, a sophomore at CWU

”I think that the policy is awful because, again, it takes away the freedom of speech, and the point of public school is that it’s all around curriculum. The point of private education is if you want to reach out to different religions or groups, then you can do that outside of public education, but to take away something that’s standardized, like history, is awful … I know there’s a lot of controversy around gender ideology and critical race theory and all of that stuff, but it is important and it should be taught in at least some way … It’s just kind of cherry picking what should and shouldn’t be done. And that damages a lot of people, and I think it borders on white supremacy. We shouldn’t whitewash history.”

-Anna Atkinson, a communication major

“It speaks to the colonization of America, and its history of whitewashing everything. It speaks to things like taking away the rights of women and minorities.”

-Simone Stanish, a sophomore graphic design major

”I think it is very cruel and manipulative, and it’s using other variables that schools look forward to, such as the funding, and using that against them through what they can teach and what they cannot teach. You’re forcing someone to do what you want, and you’re withholding something that they need. It’s like, if you had a kid and you withhold, no dinner for them unless they do exactly what you want, and if that kid doesn’t do what they want, then they get no food. That’s really cruel, because you’re basically starving them.”

-One anonymous student, who was given anonymity out of fear of retaliation

“When it comes to educating them [kids] with gender and sexuality, I say definitely wait until when they are hitting puberty. That’s a good appropriate time, rather than younger kids in elementaries. Even in high school, they [the parents] could say ‘I don’t want my kid to be taught this’ and that’s their choice, families are different.”

-Another anonymous CWU student, who was given anonymity out of worry surrounding exclusion

“I think it’s bullshit, and I think that he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing. I have other things to say, but it wouldn’t be ethical to say them … America is a place for people to become free citizens, and that policy is so controlling. It’s just negatively impacting so many people. The people who are not scared are the ones who don’t have to worry about anything, and are the people who are more privileged. Education should be for every single person.”

-Cate Shelton, a theater performance major `

Photo Courtesy of Pexels Quotes Recorded by Kyley Glenn

Asia Long Staff Reporter

OOpen Mic Nights: Where The Magic Happens

pen Mic Nights are a regular source of entertainment for students at Central, producing a platform for participants to showcase their creativity and explore self-expression. The most recent took place on Feb. 5 at the SURC pit. Picture students of all ages, races and backgrounds coming together to enjoy a night full of guitar playing, storytelling and comedic fun.

All it took was one participant deciding to sing at the open mic night before the room filled with chatter. Students were eager to share their thoughts and opinions on the show.

Kiara Moore, a freshman in construction management, gave some insight into what they thought about the event. “Yeah, I think it’s fun to see different people do different things,” Moore said.

One participant who works for campus activities decided to do a surprise performance of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass”. The crowd went wild for the performer, with people singing and dancing along to the performance that was being put on in front of them.

Skylar Parker, a second-year deaf and sign language studies major, chimed in with their opinion. “It’s like walking down a tunnel I didn’t know existed.” Skylar then put on a performance where they sang a song in ASL. After the song was performed, the crowd cheered loudly.

Erick Becerra, a special events coordinator for SLICE (Student Leadership Involvement & Community Engagement), sat down and gave some reasons for hosting Open Mic Nights on campus.

“I think it means a sense of belonging. I know that there are multiple students that I see the performer in, but I see them around campus and they seem really quiet and then once they go onto stage they turn it to another person which is really awesome to see,” Becerra said. “Just the confidence that they have up there I definitely do not have, it’s always something that I admire seeing from them.”

Becerra also shined some insight into the longevity of Open Mic Nights, and if it is something they plan to continue to pour their energy into.

“Yeah, it’s definitely something that we always try to involve in our events. I know that for

family weekend it’s been kind of brought up, not just students but community members as well to participate in it, but it’s still in the works,” Becerra said. “In any way that we can incorporate it, I think it would be great for students.”

CWU dance team prepares for national competition

Kam Schindewolf-Broyles Staff Reporter

The CWU dance team can often be seen during their halftime performances at basketball games, football games and even at the parade for those who are back in Ellensburg for it. But this year the team is gearing up to compete for the first time at the USA Nationals in Anaheim, Calif.

The team has been preparing for this competition since August, competing in both hip-hop and pop. “We’ve been running and cleaning… [these] routines ever since,” dance team co-captain Amy Sisson said. They’ve performed these routines at recent basketball games in order to practice their performance quality so that it is on the level they need it to be for the national stage.

“We drill the routines and clean them each practice. We’ve worked especially hard on getting our stamina up,” said dance team officer Presley Dejesus. “The routines we have prepared are nothing like our normal game day routines.”

This is a big moment for these dancers as the team has never been at this competition, or any national competition in the past. “We are most excited to make CWU history as being their

first dance team to travel for a national competition,” Sisson said.

Dance team member Kieran Smythe said, “I’m excited to see the team put our best out on the floor and make history for the dance team and… [CWU]. I feel really good about the routines and everyone has put so much work in.”

The mainly self-choreographed team had their routines choreographed for them by University of Idaho dance team coach, Jordan French. “She choreographed for us two very complex and intricate routines that always have something going on. These routines show off our best skills,” Sisson said.

Dejesus said, “they’re the kind of dances you need to watch multiple times in order to fully see every little detail. They’re fun, they’re upbeat and they have really pushed us as a team and as individual dancers.”

The team is excited to be able to represent CWU and the dance team in this major way. This will be making history for this team and for CWU as a whole.

Central Dance Team group photo. (Photo courtesy of Amy Sisson)

Student performing in SURC Pit. (Photo by Asia Long)

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

Students share thoughts on Super Bowl:

CHIEFS KINGDOM DETHRONED

Jackson Roberts

Co-Editor-In-Chief

Super Bowl LIX took place on Feb. 9 in the New Orleans Caesars Superdome where the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. Some students found themselves in the SURC pit for the Super Bowl watch party hosted by campus events, while others spent the big game watching elsewhere with their friends.

The Kansas City Chiefs were looking to win three-straight Super Bowls which has only been done once in the history of the National Football League (NFL). The Eagles on the other hand had their sights set on winning their second in the last eight years.

Before the game it seemed obvious that not many fans were excited about the two teams in the Super Bowl. “No matter what the NFL loses,” second-year aviation management major and Seahawks fan Zachary Zeitter said. “We either have one of the worst fan bases winning, or we see a three peat and Kansas City will never live it down.”

Fourth-year Eagles fan and secondary education and English language arts double major Hondo Acosta spoke on the chance to get back at the Chiefs after they defeated his Eagles in 2023.

“I’m tired of seeing the Chiefs name on the Super Bowl,” Acosta said. “I’m hoping that this time around, we’re

going to see a different game. I’m hoping at the end we will see the green flying high, not red. If the Eagles come out swinging and playing like they did against the Commanders, I’m not too stressed.”

After the Chiefs pursuit for three straight Super Bowls came to an end, students on campus seemed pleased with the outcome. “To be honest, I didn’t want the Eagles or Chiefs in the Super Bowl, but I am not a big Chiefs fan and so a win for the Eagles is a win in my book,” freshman STEM major and Seahawks fan James Hegarty said.

“I didn’t want either team to win,” second-year construction management major and Los Angeles Rams

fan Cooper Maxey said. “I’m not a Patrick Mahomes guy so I’m glad they kind of got beat up a little bit.” The final score of 40-22 does not do the Eagles’ effort justice. Midway through the fourth quarter of the game the Eagles had pulled their starters, allowing Chiefs to make a comeback effort that would eventually fall short due to the deficit they were facing. At the end of the third quarter Eagles led the game 37-6.

NO HALF MEASURES AT HALFTIME

A REVIEW OF KENDRICK LAMAR’S HISTORIC HALFTIME SHOW

Brandon Mattesich Columnist

The Halftime Review

Football is an all-American sport and the Super Bowl is the biggest event of its kind in sporting history. But to many Americans, the Super Bowl is secondary to one thing and one thing only, the halftime show.

Kendrick Lamar is who I would describe as the artist right now, tailing his Drake beef with a hugely successful album entitled “GNX” and following that up with a worldwide stadium tour. But this past Sunday, Kendrick Lamar did something that I have never seen done before. Kendrick Lamar did a halftime show designed not with the goal of pandering to an American audience for his 13 minutes of musical legacy, but instead to send a message and prove what a stage that big can actually be used for.

The performance started with Samuel L. Jackson portraying a highly characterized version of “Uncle Sam”. Throughout the performance Jackson’s character would repeatedly argue and berate Kendrick, calling him “too ghetto” and “too loud” among other insults. His character’s flashy outfit and demands of softer, more perfor-

mance-based music are reminiscent of what an artist is expected to deliver at a halftime performance. Traditionally halftime shows are an artist’s chance to replay their biggest hits, dance with bright colors and big fireworks and pander to an audience of “party hardy” Super Bowl viewers. The character of Uncle Sam represents these shows, demanding Kendrick conform to his idea of a good show, despite Kendrick’s plans to do the opposite.

This performance also broke Super Bowl norms in a huge way, as Kendrick Lamar played mostly songs off his latest album instead of pulling exclusively from his catalog of big hits. On top of this, he actually started the performance with an unreleased song. His performance did not have any huge flames or big booms, he didn’t ride in on a giant gnx or swing from the skies rapping “HUMBLE”. Instead, he took his time, delivering live updated performances of his more recent catalog and not shying away from his unique style and stage presence.

Besides Kendrick himself, his performance featured the likes of SZA, Serena Williams and a sea of background

dancers all of whose inclusion cannot be understated. The background dancers wore exclusively red, white and blue, and changed their performance style many times throughout. Their formations and performance challenged the traditions of a classic Super Bowl routine, wherein they would go for flashiness and shock value. Instead, these dancers were used as symbols throughout the performance, representing everything from the American flag to gang members from around Compton. Their bold colors and sharp movements helped capture the essence of Kendrick’s performance, sending a poignant message to Americans across the nation.

Serena Williams’s dancing was not only reminiscent of her Wimbledon controversy from years ago but also a bold showing of the true message of Kendrick’s performance. Which is to say, I am here to be who I am, I am here to perform my music and send my message, and I am proud to be who I am. GNX as a project is what I see as Kendrick Lamar fully embracing his Compton roots, and this performance served as a celebration and criticism of the cul-

ture that created him. The added lines, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music/ They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence” are a sharp and clear message about the history of America, and how its effects can and still are being felt to this day.

The performance was a celebration of the genre, a celebration of a record-breaking year and rap beef, a criticism of what it means to be American and a thought-provoking piece about breaking boundaries and being contained as an individual and as a culture. I can not speak to Kendrick’s exact intent and message, but I can say it’s clear that he did not go into this event looking to please everyone, and he definitely had a goal in mind when he got offered this once-in-a-lifetime stage. To me this performance represented a new era in American performance, and I hope that artists will continue to use this venue as an outlet to express more thought-provoking and powerful pieces than in years past. All I can say for now is that Kendrick Lamar is, and always has been, the greatest rapper of all time.

Screenshot taken from preformance online.

When there’s one, there’s two:

Drew Klein and E’lexis Hollis take the GNAC by storm

Hunter Rhea Staff reporter

Drew Klein, a multi event senior on the track and field team at Central, is ranked second in the west, ninth in the country for the heptathlon and 19th in the vault while leading the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) in both. E’lexis Hollis, the fifth-year senior sprinter, is tied for third place in the 60 meter in NCAA DII and seventh in the 200 meter.

Hollis also broke the record for the 200 meter. “I’ve been working hard to finally break into the 23s in the 200m, so I did expect myself to break the 200m record in Reno, Nev., especially because of elevation which means thin air, fast times.” Hollis says. Hollis is working on getting to the top of GNAC and is continuing to strive for sub-23 seconds in the 200 meter.

Klein is currently competing in the indoor track season, during outdoor track he will compete in the Decathlon. Klein, while juggling seven events makes sure to listen to his body. “It takes good time management,” Klein said. “I couldn’t go train for six hours a day to get all the events in, I need to be really smart about what I’m doing and schedule it out with my coach as well.” Klein’s best event to compete in is pole vault, in which he recently tied the school record. Other challenging events he’s currently working on are the high jump and shot put. Going into multiple events, Klein has a pre-meet ritual just like any other athlete competing, he picks out a playlist and blasts music beforehand. Klein’s post-game ritual depends on whether he did good or bad, ”I’m going to have highs and lows during a multi where I might not do so great in an event,” Klein said. “Or I might do the opposite and have a really good performance, but I have and I use a five-minute rule where I use whatever emotions I have for five minutes after my event.” After the five-minute rule, Klein said he flushes whatever emotions away and moves on to his next event. Klein is in hot pursuit of becoming an NCAA All-American and is driven to compete in Nationals, he plans to fine-tune his better events such as pole vault and hur -

dles. As the indoor season of track and field comes to a close in Spokane on Monday, February 17th at the GNAC Indoor Championships, Klein is focused on his indoor heptathlon events before he switches focus to his outdoor decathlon events.

Hollis is locked into bringing her indoor success to the championship. “You will see me running the 60M and 200M at GNAC. I’m currently tied for 3rd in the 60M in DII, which puts me in a very likely spot to run at nationals. The 200M I’m 7th in DII, which is still very likely to run at nationals, but you never know what could happen with

Drew Klein.

(Photo courtesy of Joe Pumphrey)

E’lexis Hollis. (Photo courtesy of Joe Pumphrey)

Kailee Heath Staff Reporter

TSETS POSITIVE TONE FOR CWU BASEBALL TEAM

he CWU Baseball team’s first weekend of the season started last week as they navigated weather challenges and early-season jitters to put forth a strong performance. In a recent interview. Coach Desi Storey shared insights on the team’s resilience, individual performances, and the mindset needed for continued success.

Despite rain delays forcing scheduling adjustments, the players adapted well. “We performed pretty well last weekend. Obviously, it’s the first weekend, but dealing with weather issues, I thought the guys came out and played well,” Storey said. Mistakes were made, but the team overcame them. “We didn’t concede anything, we didn’t press, and we just kept going about our business. That showed not just determination, but a lot of growth.”

The team encountered some difficulties in the field that led to lost leads in the opening game. However, they fought back. “We made some mistakes in the field that cost us the lead a couple of times, but we just kept fighting,” Storey said. The pitchers also played a crucial role, keeping the team in the game despite occasional setbacks. “Even on the mound, we had a couple of hiccups that hurt us, but we found a way to get back and score runs. Overall, it was a good start.”

One standout player was Washington State University senior transfer Brandham Ponce, who hit five home runs over the weekend of Feb. 1. The coach praised the six foot three inch utility player’s maturity and confidence. “He understands the game, he understands his abilities, and he’s very confident,” Storey said. Reflecting on the start of the season, Ponce stated, “I was mostly just excited to get the season started, especially with spring coming up and the opportunity to meet all the new guys. Coach and I had our own story, and I was just eager to get going. That excitement helped ease any nerves I had out there.”

Storey talked about how Ponce’s leadership impacts the team. “I think because he’s so good, the guys look up to him and respect him, but also his demeanor and how he approaches things earn him that respect,” Storey explained.

Regarding Ponce’s recognition as Player of the Week, Ponce spoke on what it meant to earn his first GNAC award. “It gets me started off on the right foot. We also did sweep [Stanislaus State], and I think that had a huge part, especially with us not having an automatic bid into the play offs. I heard these games at a conference in California are pretty big towards how our season can go, so I think getting the sweep this weekend helped,” Ponce stated. Ponce, even as a transfer player, has quickly made an impact. “I recruited him out of high school, but he went to anoth er junior college before transferring to Big Bend Community College. Then he went to WSU but didn’t play last year. He contacted me last summer because he had one year left, and now he’s here. It’s pretty impressive for his first weekend back,” Storey said.

As for keeping the team focused for the rest of the season, Storey empha sized a consistent mind set. “I’ve said it for 30-plus years—it’s always about us. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing; it’s about how we pre pare and perform. Even after last weekend’s success, we un derstand there are areas to improve. That’s our focus moving forward.”

The ‘Cats stand at a 5-3 record on the year as Ponce and the baseball team will try to bounce back after consecutive losses with two games on the road against California State University of San Bernardino, one on Friday Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. and the other on Saturday Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.