CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 67 | APRIL 12, 2018
D49er
Photos by Hunter Lee & Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
Painted T-shirts line the trees, above, along the Friendship Walk Wednesday Afternoon as part of The Clothesline Project, hosted by the Young Women’s Christian Assosication. The T-shirts were hung by victims of sexual or gender-based violence to metaphorically “air your dirty laundry.” Andres Cortez and and Jose Espinoza, below, were the only two individuals who appeared in support of the “Pro-Life Walkout,” which took place in front of the Clothesline Project.
PROJECT
Awareness is on the line
The Clothesline Project invited students to “air out the dirty laundry” of sexual and gender-based violence. By Sabrina Flores
Assistant Photo Editor
Bright shirts pinned to clotheslines billowed in the wind, catching the eyes of students passing by the Friendship Walk at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The vibrant colors created a juxtaposition with the severity of their messages — all to start a conversation about gender-based and sexual violence. The Clothesline Project was brought to Cal State Long Beach by Young Women’s Christian Association, the Greater Los Angeles Sexual Assault and Crisis Services and the Women’s Gender and Equity Center. The clothes hanging were meant to represent survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Only a couple of yards away from the clothesline, Jose Espinoza and Andres Cortez stood silently holding pro-life posters, the only participants of a “ProLife Walkout” scheduled at the same time and same area as the Clothesline Project. The protestors declined to comment. According to Pam Rayburn, coordinator for the Women’s and Gender Equity
Center, the event is staged every year for victims of assault to reclaim their voice. “The Clothesline Project...is a display of people who have been affected by a gender-based violence and sexual assault,” Rayburn said. “April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and that’s why we bring this to campus. ” According to Jacqueline Urtez, a sexual assault victim’s advocate for the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, the shirts are recycled from previous years, but that does not detract from the impact or message behind the display. “It’s an opportunity, in a sense, to air out the dirty laundry, remove the stigma of not being able to discuss these issues in public,” Urtez said. “It’s kind of symbolic breaking the silence regarding the issues, and so, it’s an opportunity to also bring awareness to campus and just be able to honor survivors and their stories in a unique way.” Students stopped to observe; some even pulled up a chair, grabbed a colored shirt, an assortment of puffy paint and set to
I can relate to it and see and feel and relive a little bit, but not in a bad way.”
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Greg Zamora Journalism major
work creating their own T-shirts to add to the clotheslines hanging overhead. “I came to the Clothesline project to support...I personally know family members and friends who have been victims to domestic assault, sexual assault,” Diamond Swoope said, a junior creative writing major. “And it was a meaningful thing to come out, even therapeutic in a way to write down and say what they had to experience. This was a wonderful event to [give] students a safe space to come out and discuss if this has happened to them or somebody they knew.” Swoope said that sexual and gender-based violence incidents are typically overlooked
or are kept secret due to stigmatization or attempts to justify an abuser’s actions. For other students who stopped by the resource and T-shirt making booths, the topic hit even closer to home. “It’s good to know you’re not alone,” said Greg Zamora, a senior majoring in journalism. “It definitely helps alleviate the stigma, I don’t think it completely eliminates it, because I don’t think the stigma will ever be completed eliminated, but...people will see and people will recognize it, they will acknowledge it.” Adriana Ramirez contributed to this article.
2 NEWS
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SAFETY
Defend in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month Housing residents gather to learn selfdefense. By Jessica Jacobs Staff Writer
Cal State Long Beach housing residents bowed and saluted one another as they began a game of capture the flag that was meant to teach them a life lesson. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a group of six women gathered on the Los Alamitos lawn in Hillside College to learn self-defense skills from expert Michael Freeman, the Student Recreation Wellness Center aquatics and inclusive recreation coordinator. The goal was to apply the skills they learned from the self-defense class to protect their flag, while simultaneously pulling off their opponent’s flag. The main tactic used in this game was called “patty cake.” This was a strategy in which two people high five one another while facing each other to practice form and blocking techniques. Freeman said he was originally
inspired to learn self-defense at the age of 12 after being bullied in school. He learned Tang Soo Do, a Korean style of martial arts, and has since been accumulating more skills for more than 20 years. As Freeman got older he started practicing meditation and tai chi. Freeman introduced three steps to stay safe. Step one is to be invisible. One can do this by staying aware of one’s surroundings and avoiding bright clothing. Step two on Freeman’s list is to keep distance from strangers and step three is to fight if one
Self-defense is about reclaiming one’s own personal power.”
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Chiara Metellus Resident assistant is about to be attacked. He also suggests acquiring pepper spray to flee from an attack.. Sophomore animation student Karis Jiang felt equipped
Jessica Jacobs | Daily 49er
Four students practice self-defense on the Los Alamitos lawn Tuesday evening. The event was held by the Student Recreation Wellness Center in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
with her training after taking the self-defense session. “As an art student you have classes for six hours, and so you often get out of class late,” Jiang said. “One time a guy followed me almost all the way back to the dorms.” Jiang was not harmed during the encounter, but she said that she could apply the tactics learned at this event if she was faced with violence in the future. These tactics consist of protecting one’s center line: the head, the heart and the groin. One can do this by blocking another person with their arm positioned at a 90 degree angle. Their hand should be flat and their thumb must be lined up in front of their eyes. Another tactic is to move in cir-
LONG BEACH ELECTION UPDATE
cles, rather than stepping back. This is so that one can maintain manageable footwork and not stumble over their own feet. Freeman also advised the residents to learn their opponents’ weakness in order to better their defense. For example, Freeman remembered his boxing days when his opponent, who was shorter than him, struck him with an uppercut. Ever since that experience, Freeman matches his height to his opponent. “Self-defense is about reclaiming one’s own personal power,” said resident assistant Chiara Metellus, a junior majoring in communications studies. “Our personal space should always be respected, and we should prepare ourselves for any situation when
our space is threatened.” The housing event was coordinated by Metellus in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month. She said she wanted to program an event that would equip students with ways to defend themselves when they don’t have any weapons besides their own body. Metellus advertised the program by posting the event flyer on BeachSync and throughout the halls of residential building Los Cerritos, which is located in Hillside College. Although only women attended this event, Metellus encourages men and other identities to participate in self-defense classes as well because “assault sees no gender.”
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DISTRICT 5 COUNCILWOMAN
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DISTRICT 7 COUNCILMAN
While it initially appeared that District 5 Councilwoman Stacy Mungo would gain a majority of votes in her district and be reelected, she ended up receiving only 48.5 percent of all votes. Her opponent in the runoff election will be Rich Dines, who gained the second highest amount of votes in the fifth district. In the seventh district, Councilman Roberto Uranga received only 47.9 percent of all votes. He will have to defeat Jared Milrad in the runoff to retain his seat on the city council. Milrad got 31.9 percent of all votes in the seventh district. The following candidates have won more than 50 percent of the counted votes: Mayor Robert Garcia, District 3 Councilwoman Suzie Price; and District 9 Councilman Rex Richardson.
Participation lasts between 3-7 months and involves about 12-17 visits. As part of the study you will receive at no cost: • Physical Exam • Blood Tests • EKG You will be reimbursed for your time and travel. To learn more, call Isabel at 310-222-1852 or go to https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02927210?term=Christina+Wang&rank=1
2
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NEWS 3
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017
HEALTH
Relax at school? That’s a stretch Student Health Services came to the USU to promote yoga and meditation to students. By Wayne Camp Staff Writer
Students gathered in room 303 of the University Student Union Wednesday afternoon to attend a Wellness Wednesday workshop aimed at informing students of the benefits of yoga and meditation. The event, hosted by Student Health Services, was a part of year-long program that promotes methods to improve students’ health. Out of the 21 students who showed up to room 303 in the University Student Union, 11 of them came to get help with stress reduction, and only three out of the 21 have ever practiced yoga or meditation in their lifetime. Heidi Girling, a health educator supervisor for SHS, gave a presentation for students about living a healthy lifestyle. One of her main points was to always focus on breathing. “That is not only the key to being successful at life, but the key to maintaining life,” Girling said. She had the classroom perform three different exercises, two seated meditation exercises and one seated yoga exercise, so that students could learn and perform them anywhere. “Always focus on your breath,” Girling said. “We can always control that, mood or your feelings. If you don’t have your breath, you don’t have your life, you have nothing. I want to emphasize that controlling your breathing will also help you reduce stress.” One of the techniques displayed is called the pranayama, in which
Ivette Manriquez | Daily 49er
Heidi Girling, the health educator supervisor, performs seated stretches with students during the Wellness Wednesday workshop. The Student Health Services event was aimed at promoting methods of healthy living for students.
the individual covers one nostril and breathes in the other one before switching. According to Girling, doing the breathing exercise for two-to-four minutes can help the mind relax, and is “the perfect exercise to do right before going to sleep.” Girling stressed how important it is that students prioritize finding ways that help them eat healthier. She encouraged students to find ways to increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables they eat in their diet and stay away from too much fast food consumption. “Hearing that fast food is one of the
leading causes to depression was such an eye opening thing for me because that is something I struggle with,” said Cameron Millsap, a junior engineering major. “With my workload, I just get so busy to where buying a Big Mac on the way home doesn’t sound that bad; it’s convenient. However, I know I need to consume healthier foods in order to reach my weight goal by summer.” Girling encouraged returning students to check out summer yoga and meditation classes put on by the SHS. She recommended that students attend her meditation class and four-day yoga retreat camp over the summer.
We can always control that, mood or your feelings. If you don’t have your breath, you don’t have your life, you have nothing. I want to emphasize that controlling your breathing will also help you reduce stress.”
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Heidi Girling Health educator supervisor of SHS
Correction: In the article “Garden branches to partner with ASI Beach Pantry,” Sina LiHang is a staff member.
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4 ARTS & LIFE
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RESIDENT COLUMN
Canonizing comics: ‘Persepolis’
CARLOS VILLICANA
SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
T Matthew Ramirez | Daily 49er
Grilled shrimp tacos topped with cilantro and cabbage served at Taco Beach. Located off Bellflower Boulevard and East Abbeyfield Street, the restaraunt serves affordable and appetizing meals.
MATT’S MUNCHIES
Eat, surf, love tacos
Taco Beach offers good food and a good drink at a good price — all close to campus. By Matthew Ramirez Staff Writer
It’s rare for food to taste like it came straight from the place it originated, but when the decor of the restaurant brings you into the country it came from as well, it offers a new feeling of immersion. Taco Beach on Bellflower Boulevard and East Abbeyfield Street manages to do just this. Only three blocks north of campus, Taco Beach offers a satisfying and affordable meal complimented by creative and tasty beverage, all at an affordable price courtesy of their happy hour menu. Happy hour lasts from 2 to 6 p.m. on weekdays and offers a menu with several types of tacos, carne asada fries, taquitos and nachos to pair with a variety of canned beers and margaritas. The menu offers great deals where you can purchase a large drink for the price of a small one. I spoke to Gloria Castro, a confident, extroverted bartender at the restaurant who has worked there for four out of the five years of the restaurant’s existence. Castro and the other waiters all enjoy talking to the guests about the food or whatever small talk came up, making for a more enjoyable experience while sitting at the bar. When I asked for recommendations, Castro offered the grilled shrimp and dorado potato tacos as the most popular items on the menu. I followed Castro’s advice and ordered the
packed tacos — they certainly lived up to the hype. The grilled shrimp tacos, topped with cilantro and cabbage, were served with a generous amount of meat in a soft, warm corn tortilla. The tacos were also made with the restaurant’s own Baja sauce which was a healthy mix of sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, seafood seasoning, chile pepper and lime juice. It was a satisfying convergence of flavor as all the ingredients complimented each other nicely, not a single one overpowering the rest. The dorado potato tacos were a treat in their own right too, prepared with layers of guacamole, mayonnaise and queso fresco. The perfectly seasoned potato brought each
If the food and drinks aren’t enough to draw you to the restaurant, Taco Beach’s cantina style environment also creates a nice getaway close to campus.
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condiment together for a mouth-watering mix of food. The Jalapeño Cucumber margarita I chose to pair with the tacos was refreshing but strong. It was a mix of tequila, lime juice and the margarita mixing liquor known as Triple sec with a lining of Tajín chile along the rim of the cup. What set this drink apart were the jalapeños and cucumbers which added an extra kick to the margarita, creating a sizzling soirée with both jalapeños and Tajín in every sip. The first few sips consisted purely of a
strong cucumber taste, but it wasn’t long until the tequila quickly followed. When I was halfway through my drink, I scooped out a jalapeño and ate it, noticing it carried not only its own spice but the full flavor of the drink. If the food and drinks aren’t enough to draw you to the restaurant, Taco Beach’s cantina style environment also creates a nice getaway close to campus. There’s an assortment of high and low tables along with a wide bar displaying all the available drinks. The natural lighting of the restaurant is very calming and adds to the overall easy-going feeling of the place. The art was another notable detail, including pieces made for specially for Taco Beach. Various Latin-influenced paintings, tapestries and surfboards with small murals done in a style reminiscent to Baja California dons the walls of the restaurant. Taco Beach is an enjoyable place to grab some food or sit down and enjoy a housemade drink. Conversation flows easily as the bartenders and waiters are all extroverted and genuinely enjoy talking with customers. I recommend this place for any size group of friends or for anyone looking to spend time on their own and unwind. Taco Beach will deliver a good time regardless of how many people you are with at an affordable price.
RATING
he most admirable quality of “Persepolis” is it’s sincerity. The author never hesitates to critique foreign powers meddling in her home, or herself. At over 300 pages in length, “Persepolis” is a dense comic. That size shouldn’t be intimidating, as it’s an easy read for those who aren’t experts in the history it depicts. The book is an autobiography written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi. It follows her childhood during the Iranian Revolution of 1978 and her teenage years studying in Europe before returning to Iran for college. Simple yet expressive is the style of “Persepolis.” Satrapi uses only black and white to give life to what is equal parts comingof-age story and history lesson. The comic plays out more like art cinema than the typically objective-driven narratives of Western pop culture. Like real life, sometimes the story just wanders and the conflict isn’t deadly — but it all still shapes one’s character. “Persepolis” has genuinely funny moments to balance what is an objectively awful situation. An example on page 45 features Marji and her friends trying to beat up a kid with nails because of his father’s actions. Marji’s mother stops her, and then asks how she would feel if she were pinned to the wall via nails through her ears. Predictably, she’s not pleased. The young protagonist’s reaction is drawn in such an exaggerated manner that you can’t help but laugh. Moments such as this one help make the book easier to read by bringing joy to tragic affairs. A film adaptation of “Persepolis” was co-directed by Satrapi and covers the plots of the entire comic. It features the same illustration style and largely portrays the same events. Both the book and film are available at the University Library, as well as numerous Long Beach Public Library locations. “Persepolis” was originally published as two volumes, which are also available at both libraries.
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5
6 OPINIONS
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MENTAL HEALTH
Dear Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Thank you for being open about mental health and dispelling the stigma. By Jarrod Castillo Staff Writer
T
hough you may never read this I want to thank you for making your secret battle with depression public. I know it must’ve been difficult to publicly disclose your experience with mental health. In doing so, you’re helping thousands, maybe millions, who look up to you find the courage to speak up about their own battle. Contrary to popular belief, depression doesn’t just affect the downtrodden or the poor. Depression is a silent killer that doesn’t discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion or social status. No, depression will find you and chase after you until you are firmly in its grasp, never letting you go. Even in the middle of a great day with friends or family, depression can rear its ugly head and all of a sudden, you’re down in the dumps for no particular reason. According to a report by the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 16.2 million adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2016. Looking at the larger picture, that number represented about 6.7 percent of the U.S.’s population of adults. Digging deeper into the numbers, about 3.1 million adolescents from ages 12 to 17 have had at least one major depressive episode. That’s about 12.8 percent of the population of 12 to 17-year olds in the United States. In an interview with the Express, a UK-based publication, you recall your mom’s suicide attempt when you were 15 years old. This story really hit me hard, because it mirrored things that I have experienced. “I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere,”
C.W. Griffin | Miami Herald
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson flashes the “U” during the WrestleMania 28 press conference Wednesday, March 28, 2012, in Miami Beach, Florida.
you said. “I was crying constantly.” insane, it makes it difficult to address Not only that but after that episode, the topic. you were able to find the strength However, being honest about your within to carry on and fight deprespersonal struggles with mental health, sion, avoiding becoming suicidal like I think we will start to see more and your mother. more people come forward. Couple “We both healed, but we’ve always that with the fact that you have an got to do our best to pay attention enormous amount of clout, and this when other people can help people are in pain,” We Contrary to pop- take that first step have to help them to find the help ular belief, dethrough it and pression doesn’t they need and remind them they start on the jourjust affect the downtrodden ney of recovery. are not alone.” or the poor. Depression is That last part I hope more resonates because celebrities follow a silent killer that doesn’t in a strange twist, discriminate on the basis of in your footsteps the stigma that to dispel the race, sex, religion or social comes with menstigma that comes status. tal health makes with depression. it difficult to help Plus it shows that anyone that might even for someone need it, furthering that feeling of with a “tough guy” image that seems loneliness. to have everything, depression is not With the way mental health is something to be ashamed of. portrayed in the media i.e., people Personally, it was hard for me to with mental health typically tend to acknowledge my depression because be school shooters or people who are as a man, we are always told to “suck
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it up” because “real men don’t talk about their feelings.” As a result, I kept ignoring what my mind was telling me until it piled up and overflowed. With the stigma that came with mental health, I initially thought I was going crazy. But after accepting what was happening and getting help, I am on the road to recovery and although it may be a lifelong battle, I will keep going. Depression and mental health as a whole need to be talked about openly because they affect more people than we realize. Keeping these feelings inside doesn’t help anyone and is only a detriment to those who are dealing with it. So thank you, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, for dropping the Rock Bottom on the idea that depression only affects certain people. Hopefully, you’ll be able to drop the People’s Elbow to knockout the stigma by pinfall for good.
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Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in this issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinions of the Daily 49er are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily 49er.
Letters Policy: All letters and e-mail must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily 49er reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
SPORTS 7
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COMMENTARY
A local solution for Long Beach State The men’s basketball team has struggled to recruit and maintain players in the last few seasons. By Kevin Colindres Assistant Sports Editor
Long Beach is home to many prominent professional athletes and has become a powerhouse city for college scouts to recruit players. Despite Long Beach State being right in the heart of all the talent, it continues to struggle in bringing homegrown student-athletes to play for the city they grew up in. Over head coach Dan Monson’s 11-year career at Long Beach State, he has only recruited four athletes from Long Beach high schools. Out of the 31 transfers that have played here, only one has come from a local junior college. It’s unacceptable that less than a handful of local talent has donned the 49ers’ uniform. Recruiting is no easy task, especially as a mid-major school, but it’s time for the men’s basketball team to shift its recruiting methods into a more locally centralized system. One of the more positive aspects in Monson’s five-year contract extension were the new goals that athletic director Andy Fee set going forward. “We need to be able to recruit the best possible student athletes and bring them here to the beach,” Fee said in his announcement. “This five-year extension allows [Monson] to go into homes and assure families that he will be here in place to coach throughout their son’s whole career.” In his announcement message he goes into more detail on the new recruiting process
Daily 49er File Photo
Former Long Beach State player ,right, Casper Ware played a big role in the men’s basketball program 2012 season and led the 49ers to a NCAA Tournament appearance.
by emphasizing the importance of building the foundation of the program with freshman that have great basketball ability, high IQ, high character and integrity. In the last few years, Monson’s win now mentality has shifted his priority into recruiting transfers. Picking up multiple transfers is an impatient way to recruit, and its backfired on the team. More importantly, Fee hits the nail on the head by refocusing the program’s ideology on relentless recruiting with more freshman development and less reliance on transfers. When you look back at the 2012 team that made the NCAA Tournament,
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players such as Casper Ware and Larry Anderson, who played multiple years together at Long Beach, had the chemistry they
It’s time for the men’s basketball program to stop focusing its efforts on getting transfers and find local talent that could be developed throughout a number of seasons.
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needed to make a run in the tournament. The years together make a difference and you can
see this in schools like Villanova, who have become a dominant college basketball program that runs off veteran players. So the question is: how will the coaching staff be able to bring in talented freshmen to develop together for multiple years? Monson and his staff have to start with what is available here in Long Beach. Senior point guard Darryl Polk Jr. out of Long Beach Polytechnic High School is known as one of the top-rated guards in California, yet he only received one offer from Pepperdine. This was the perfect opportunity for the staff to recruit him, but nothing was done and Polk recently
committed to Pepperdine. Mistakes like this are the reason fans are boggled on why Monson was given a new contract. There was a potentially talented player just waiting down the street for offers, but nothing was given to him by Long Beach State. The six-foot guard shoots from beyond the arc, has a steady midrange game and is a great finisher at the rim. His ability to finish against big guys at the rim and find the open man transcends his game to another level. While Polk Jr. is on the shorter side, he is a fighter which is exactly what the 49ers need to get them over the edge. There is still one player the coaching staff should look at developing in the coming years. Sudan Thoms, a senior from Jordan High School in Long Beach, is a wing who can shoot from the three, drive to the basket and is a versatile defender. He currently has no offers, making him the perfect opportunity for Monson and his staff to develop a Long Beach product for the next couple of years. A lot of high schoolers get caught up in the fact that they want to play for big schools, when often it’s not the best choice for them. It’s the coaching staff ’s job to convince these players that student-athletes will have a much better opportunity to showcase their game at a mid-major school. Out of the top 50 recruits in the nation, Long Beach has none. This is concerning and a testament to how Monson and his staff haven’t been able to get the best recruits. It’s time for the men’s basketball program to stop focusing its efforts on getting transfers and find local talent that could be developed throughout a number of seasons. If Monson and Fee both believe in building and sustaining a winning program, they should start right inside other Long Beach gymnasiums.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE 4/14 - 4/19
Date
Opponent/Event
Location
April 14 April 14 April 14 April 15 April 15 April 17 April 17 April 19
vs. Long Beach City ^ Utah CSU Bakersfield Loyola Marymount Utah vs. Grand Canyon at USC UCLA
LBSU Sand Courts LBSU Sand Courts LBSU Sand Courts LBSU Sand Courts LBSU Sand Courts Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California LBSU Sand Courts
Schedule Key
Home Event
Away Event
Time 8:30 a.m. Noon 5:15 p.m. 11 a.m. 12:45 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m.
^ Exhibition Event
8 SPORTS
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Transferring to Long Beach State last January, graduate senior Sasha Karelov nows holds the Beach Volleyball’s No. 2 spot, along with her partner, Kobi Pekich.
Hunter Lee | Daily 49er
PROFILE
Sasha Karelov leads LBSU to new heights Despite her size, the senior has made herself a key player and leader for the beach volleyball team. By Samantha Diaz Arts & Life Editor
From the moment Sasha Karelov could walk, she knew volleyball would be her future. “[Volleyball] was like thrown onto me,” Karelov said. “As soon as I started running, my mom was like, ‘Let’s play!’ My sister is five years older than me, so she would play in like recreational leagues and clubs and stuff, and I was just always tagging along and I would join in when I was like seven.” These days, the 5-foot-9-inch graduate transfer student plays with athletes her own size, or at least her own age. What Karelov lacks in height she makes up in resolve and grit, and has quickly become one of the athletes her teammates admire. “Being an older player for sure, I think I’m relied upon, especially since it’s my second semester playing beach I should already know what the coaches are saying,” Karelov said. “I think our coaches always expect the seniors
to be our example on the court.” Although she grew into her leadership role naturally, it didn’t start out that way. After transferring to Long Beach State in the middle of the year, Karelov was thrown into a culture she didn’t know and had to learn to play a sport she hadn’t played professionally before. The 23-year-old made a name for herself during her four seasons of indoor volleyball at Duke as a libero, a position designated for setting and defensive plays. Even so, she still had a hard time finding a school to accept her for beach volleyball due to her size. “Most schools didn’t really want me to be honest,” Karelov said. “I’m short and I was a libero, so I didn’t really hit and I had no beach experience, so Mike [Campbell] was actually one of the only coaches that got back to me,” Karelov said. She had to master every skill in the game to play beach volleyball, realizing quickly how different it is from indoor, as it requires a player to be skilled in offense and defense, instead of focusing on a specific role. Karelov was quick to prove herself on the court, winning her first four beach volleyball games and being selected as a first-team All-Big West selection in her debut season. At the No. 2 spot, she and her teammate, Kobi Pekich went 20-
12, setting the single season and career pairs win record, while Karelov led the team with 371 digs. This season, Karelov faces a new role with more responsibilities. Just eight games into the season, head coach Mike Campbell made a lineup adjustment, placing Karelov and Anete Brinke in the No. 1 spots for the first time in either of their careers.
You can really see how from the first day she came in she has really progressed and it’s huge progress and I think that demands respect.”
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Anete Brinke “I remember when [Campbell] said you’re playing on the ones, me and Anete just looked at each other and we were like, ‘Okay let’s do it’,” Karelov said. “We were working really hard and it’s fun when something good comes from all the hard work you’re doing. We didn’t expect it, so when it happened it was even more fun.” This change also took place
on a day Long Beach faced No. 4 Florida State. Karelov and Brinke swept the Seminoles 21-11, 2111, proving Campbell made the right choice. “I think she just knows herself really well as an athlete and she’s making all the right decisions,” Campbell said. “She’s a really good example of energy and resiliency and fighting on the court.” Since that day, Karelov and Brinke have started at the ones twice, winning one match and losing another. Although her road to the No. 1 spot was relatively short, it wasn’t easy. It required her working day in and day out and learning from teammates. “She just leads by example. She goes hard everyday, she never takes days off,” Brinke said about her teammate. “You can really see how from the first day she came in she has really progressed and it’s huge progress and I think that demands respect.” Karelov learned this spirit of self-discipline and hard work from her first coach — her mother. Before moving to America, Marina Karelov played professional volleyball in Russia for the Belarus National team from 1984 to 1986. “She’s obsessed with it, she still plays,” Karelov said. “She’s turning 50 next week and she still plays with me all the time. I kind
of got that obsession from her.” While Marina never forced Sasha to play volleyball, she entered her in multiple leagues and clubs at a young age and would often coach the teams herself, often driving her daughter to the point of tears. “My mom was hard on me, but I think that’s how I reached what I did,” Karelov said. “You have to have high standards. I always thought I was going to play volleyball. If I didn’t, it would be a waste, because my mom worked so hard to play with me to get me to every league and club.” Although her mother lives in North Carolina, she doesn’t let that stop her from setting goals for herself and improving her game everyday. She’s determined to help get the team to Alabama for the NCAA tournament this year and find a partner to compete in the Association of Volleyball Players pro tournament after that. For now, Karelov will work toward a strong ending to her last season at Long Beach and the future she’s known since she took her first steps.
For more beach volleyball, check out the schedule on page 7.