Nov 6, 2019

PLAY EXAMINES BODY SHAMING

Larry Valenzuela • The Collegian

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

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Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Fresno State event honors Día de los Muertos

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A celebration of life

Veterans month NEWS

INSIDE :

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Soccer advances

SPORTS

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UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES TO PROVIDE ABORTION MEDICATION

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

GOT TIPS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU

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FRONT PAGE

Universities to provide abortion medication

By Jennifer Reyes Reporter

A new law will require all University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) campuses to provide abortion medication at their public health centers.

Senate Bill (SB) 24, known as the “College Student Right to Access Act,” was introduced on Dec. 3, 2018, by Senator Connie Lyeva [D-Chino] and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 11, 2019.

This bill will be funded by a reproductive health fund, which will be administered by the California Commission on the State of Women and Girls, according to a news release from Newsom’s office.

The funding will provide medical devices, infrastructure and training needed to administer the abortion pill, including a setup of telemedicine in case any complications may arise.

“As other states and the federal government go backward, restricting reproductive freedom, in California we are moving forward, expanding access and reaffirming a woman’s right to

choose,” Newsom said in a news release. “We’re removing barriers to reproductive health – increasing access on college campuses and using technology to modernize how patients interact with providers.”

The new law will start to take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, with the aim of reducing barriers for the hundreds of thousands of students in the UC and CSU systems.

These barriers include anything from transportation, financial problems or missing class and/or work to attend a clinic visit before the medication takes effect.

Newsom stated before becoming governor that he would have supported a bill like this for the right of students’ choice to reproductive freedom and helped to make it a reality during his first few months as governor.

The medication abortion method, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, consists of two pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, which have been proven to be safe and effective to work within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

“I am just glad that this is going to be available for the students now and that they will

have more agency now in deciding what they want to do with their bodies,” said Shawna Irissarri, president of Fresno State’s Women’s Alliance club.

Back in 2015, a group of students at the University of California, Berkeley, and members of Students United for Reproductive Justice began a student movement, according to an East Bay Express article.

The students urged the administration to bring the abortion pill to their campus.

They had met with campus administrators, faculty and students to garner support for their goal but were not successful in their efforts.

Students who were a part of the movement realized that their friends struggled to acquire the abortion pill. Many figured that other students would be experiencing a similar issue at their student health center.

A similar proposal, Senate Bill (SB) 320 also known as “College Student Right to Access Act,” last year was vetoed by former Gov. Jerry Brown.

Brown said that it was unnecessary to provide the abortion medication on campuses due to the lack of finanical funding and distance be-

tween abortion clinics and the campuses, which were approximately five to seven miles away.

Julia Cuellar, vice president of Fresno State’s Students for Life club, said that the California Department of Finance had opposed this bill due to the fact that the funds would run out quickly trying to convert a health center into an abortion facility.

“Despite the extreme financial burden that will be placed on universities in order to adhere to the requirements of this new bill, it is very unsafe for female students,” Cuellar said.

“There are extreme side effects to the medications, such as extremely heavy bleeding, painful and debilitating menstrual cramps and nausea; women will be expected to go through this traumatic experience alone, without a doctor’s supervision, in a dorm room and/or shared restroom facility.”

The failed SB 320 would have provided abortion mediciation at all UC and CSU campuses by Jan. 1, 2022, to students.

“Students certainly have the right to express their opinions and have freedom of speech,” said Janell Morillo, associate vice president of Student Health, Counseling and Wellness.

FOURTH ANNUAL

Veterans to Law School Forum Thursday, November 7th • 6:30-8:30pm Come meet other Veterans and see if attending law school and pursuing a career in law is a good fit for you!

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

PAGE 3

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

FRONT PAGE

Veterans month celebrated on campus

By Marilyn Castaneda News Editor

Fresno State’s Veterans Services Office is hosting a week of events to commemorate Veterans Day and recognizing student veterans through this year’s campaign, Heroes Among Us. The events kicked off on Nov. 1 and will run through Nov. 15 on campus.

The campaign features photos of veterans, military, active duty and reservists on campus who have either served or are currently serving, according to Christy Gorden, veterans coordinator and certifying official at the Veterans Services Office.

“It’s a time to celebrate and recognize them [veterans],” Gorden said.

Along with each portrait, the student’s name, major and branch they served in is included.

The images will be posted around campus and through Fresno State’s social media.

The Henry Madden Library (HML) will display the photos on its monitors and yard signs will be placed on campus near the students’ major department.

The campaign will go on the whole month of November.

“It feels really cool, like, ‘Hey man, I appreciate what you did,’” said Jeremiah Robles, a

veteran student aid for the Veterans Service Office.

Robles is a computer science major and first-year student at Fresno State. He has been in the Army for almost two years and is currently a part-time plumber at the Vallejo Reserve Center.

Gorden said Fresno State has approximately 300 veterans, active duty and reservists on campus.

The Veterans Services Office relocated offices in September and is now in the University Center next to The Bucket Grill & Pub will be hosting an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 15.

The campus is invited to attend the celebration.

After the event, the Veterans Services Office will officially change its name to the Veterans Resource Center.

Courtesy Veterans Services Office

The Veterans Services Office at Fresno State's Red Friday event on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019, in the University Student Union.

The event is available by invitation only.

at 4 p.m. in the Bulldog Stadium. Both of these events will be open to everyone.

Nov. 6 Veterans Day Celebration from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Veteran Monument. The event is open to everyone.

Nov. 8 Vet Net Ally Workshop from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the HML Room 2134. The event is for faculty and staff only.

Nov. 11 Veterans Day Parade at 11:11 a.m. in downtown Fresno.

Nov. 7 Veterans Education Program Showcase from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Vintage Room.

Nov. 9 There will be a Veterans Football Tailgate at 1 p.m. in Lot 58, and a Veterans Football Game

Nov. 15 Veterans Resource Center Open House from 3 to 5 p.m. in the University Center Room 101.

Third annual Day of Giving campaign

By Seth Casey Editor in Chief

Fresno State alumni, faculty, staff and community members will have the opportunity to support the university and its students’ success during the third annual Day of Giving on Nov. 7.

Day of Giving is a 24-hour online fundraiser in which donors can make a gift to a specific college, school, division or program of their choosing.

"Day of Giving gifts, no matter how big or small, signal that our region cares about our students and the learning experience they have through Fresno State,” said Paula Castadio, Fresno State’s vice president for University Advancement. “Every donation to Fresno State prepares our next generation of leaders for the

Valley.”

The event, which runs from midnight to 11:59 p.m., features 19 participating areas, including the Jordan College’s Farm Fund, Athletics’ Student-Athlete Scholarship Fund and the Division of Continuing and Global Education’s Veterans Education Program, according to a university news release.

A live leaderboard will track progress during the course of the day, providing real-time updates on the campaign website.

This year, the goal of the fundraiser is to reach 2,250 unique donors, which would be a 5 percent increase from last year’s event.

There will be several activities throughout the day to raise awareness about how the fundraiser impacts Fresno State students and programs.

From 5 to 8 a.m., students, student-athletes, coaches, alumni and friends, along with the

Bulldog Marching Band and mascot TimeOut, will rally community support by cheering outside the Save Mart Center as morning commuters pass by.

From 11 a.m to 1 p.m., students are invited, in partnership with Associated Students, Inc. and Student Involvement, to the Speakers Platform by the Peace Garden to help spread the word about the importance of Day of Giving.

Finally, from 4 to 7 p.m., staff, faculty, alumni, ambassadors and friends can gather at the Que Pasa Restaurant at Campus Pointe for a social get-together.

The event, in partnership with Staff Assembly, will feature a disc jockey, appetizers, giveaways and the opportunity to vote for individuals’ favorite Day of Giving participating area.

The top three areas will receive an extra $1,000.

There will also be various challenges throughout the day, for which participating ar-

eas can receive bonus funds totalling $75,000, provided by the Office of the President and the Fresno State Alumni Association.

The first challenge will award $500 in bonus funds to the participating area that receives the first donation after midnight through the website. There will also be $500 in bonus funds for the last gift made through the site and posted on the donor wall.

Last year’s Day of Giving fundraiser drew donations from 2,142 individual donors from 42 states and 18 countries and was able to raise more than $456,000.

ONLINE: To contribute to the Day of Giving fundraiser, visit: dayofgiving.fresnostate.edu

A&E

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

4

COVER STORY

Día de los Muertos on campus

By Anjanae Freitas | Reporter

Larry Valenzuela • The Collegian

An altar was made with decorations and personal mementos for the Día de los Muertos celebration to remember the dead near the free speech area on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019.

VISALIA TRANSIT

ON LY

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For two days, Fresno State honored the Día de los Muertos celebration with altar set-ups, art work, indigenous vendors, Fresno State Mariachi performances, spoken word performances and the Aztec Dance Club’s opening and closing ceremonies.

Students and clubs on campus surrounded the free speech area near the Henry Madden Library for Fresno State’s 13th annual Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.

The event was put on by the Fresno State Aztec Dance Club and community group Yoztaltepeti.

Día de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition running from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 where the living honor and celebrate their loved ones who have died.

The holiday allows for individuals and families to make altars and follow traditions that honor the deceased. An altar can be a variety of items that symbolize the personality traits of a person’s loved ones.

These items typically include art, pictures, candles, food and accessories to tell the story of the ones who have died.

Two long tables were set out in the free speech area with altars made by students to celebrate those who were important in their life, which included many celebrities who have died, such as Frida Kahlo, Amy Winhouse, Paul Walker and Selena Quintanilla, among others.

Rick Garica, a vendor at the event, has been doing vendor fairs for Día de los Muertos all throughout Fresno for more than 28 years.

“Basically, it is a celebration about life, not about death. A lot of people associate it with death, but that is not what is about,” Garcia said. “It is a celebration of people that we had

the pleasure of meeting or knowing.”

Garica was proud to be back at Fresno State for another year to honor Día de Los Muertos with his framed art, t-shirts and accessories. ”There are three different types of death: the actual physical death of your body is the first.

When your body is laid in the ground is your second, and when your name is not spoken anymore, that is the third,” Garcia said. “Nobody remembers you. So today, as long as you remember the people that passed, they are still alive.”

The event continued on with Fresno State’s Mariachi band, where all 12 members were front and center at the free speech area for a 30-minute performance of five songs honoring the remembrance of loved ones who have died.

Asian Pacific Islander programs and services also joined the event by using it as an opportunity to pass out flowers with notes on them educating students on “Remember the Fall of Phnom Penh,” which was a result of the genocide of 2 million deaths after the Khmer Rouge marched into the Cambodian capital.

Pictures were provided to show students the ways in which they were treated and the importance of honoring those deaths in Cambodia.

Gessel Munoz, an art major, said that her knowledge of this celebration is enough to put together a tradition to commemorate those who have died.

“People set up altars with things they used to like, such as flowers, pictures, even food,” Munoz said. “I think people should pay attention to what is on the altars and what is different from each altar. Some of them show the same things, but I think there is always going to be that one different altar that stands out from another.”

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

REVIEW

Play challenges social standards

Miguel A. Gastelum • University Theatre

Tom, the main character played by Jimmy Haynie, eats a meal with his love interest Helen, played by Arium Andrews, during the play "Fat Pig" in the Dennis & Cheryl Woods Theatre.

By Rachel Lewis Reporter

After its off-Broadway debut 15 years ago, “Fat Pig” has finally been performed by Fresno State’s theater department.

“Fat Pig” provides commentary on fatphobia, highlighting the pressures one feels to abide by societal norms that emphasize skinny as the proper way to inhabit the world. Brad Myers, director of “Fat Pig,” espoused that this was one of the reasons it is still a relevant play today.

“One of the most obvious themes of the play is the notion of fat shaming, and I know that we have evolved somewhat on political correctness, but I don’t think that political correctness has totally minimized fat shaming in our culture today,” Myers said.

The male lead, Tom, is played by Jimmy Haynie, who falls in love with an overweight woman named Helen, played by Arium Andrews. Throughout the play, Tom remains conflicted by his feelings toward Helen and the judgements of his colleagues and friends, who berate him for loving a fat woman.

The play ends with an ultimate choice: whether Tom will buckle under the expectations of his friends or stay true to his heart and continue dating Helen.

“I don’t want to agree with Tom and his ultimate decision, but I do,” Haynie said. “I see myself in him a lot. He is very indecisive and he is a nice guy, but he doesn’t really know what to do because he is a people pleaser. He just wants

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THE COLLEGIAN • A&E

to be liked.”

Tom, Carter and Jeannie all work for the same business where Tom serves as a successful corporate leader. When Tom meets Helen, he keeps her identity a secret from his friends because he is embarrassed to admit that he is dating a woman who strays from societal standards of beauty. This embarrassment is also compounded by the fact that Tom had been dating Jeannie.

“I call Tom’s little office group his tribe, and he is breaking the rules of his tribe by not dating someone who adheres to their standards of beauty,” Myers said.

Throughout the play, Carter, Tom’s best friend, and Jeannie make fun of Helen for being fat. They call her demeaning names and comment on how much she eats.

Andrews, the actress who plays Helen, said the character resonates with her in a very personal way with the experiences that she herself has been through in her life.

“I wanted to play Helen because I felt like this was a character I could really relate to, not because just being a plus-sized woman, but being a woman in general,” Andrews said. “A lot of the comments that are made toward Helen in the play are things I can relate to, so I felt she was a character that I really connected with.”

Haynie, a close friend of Andrews, said it was hard to say and hear things about Andrews’ character because of how personal the topic is.

As friends, however, the two were able to separate what harsh things happened on stage with their real-life friendship.

Myers, Haynie and Andrews were all excited

to participate in a play written by Neil LaBute.

As a playwright, LaBute has been labeled as risqué and controversial.

“Neil LaBute doesn’t write plays depicting the world as he thinks it should be,” Myers said.

“He writes plays that present the world as he believes it to be. I think he holds up a very, very harsh mirror to the audience.”

The play, written in 2004, was revolutionary as it reflected with prejudices people had held toward fat people in society. That being said, I do not believe the same potency can be said for the play today. It does not handle the idea of fatphobia or body shaming in a manner that activists today would deem acceptable.

Between Helen offering to have fat reduction surgery for Tom to Jeannie proclaiming she would take Tom back even though he had treated her so horribly, the play does not reflect present day standards for women’s rights or self-acceptance of one’s body.

Although the actors embodied each character perfectly, the play itself did not move me to reflect on my prejudices and question the strength of my convictions, but rather to recognize the wave of change that has quickly made the message of this play dated.

The acting and directions were phenomenal, allowing audience members to connect to the story and the characters. Even though some characters proved to be mean and horrible people, the actors effortlessly depicted each expertly.

I would, however, suffice to say that LaBute’s revolutionary work in “Fat Pig” is not as moving today as it was in 2004.

‘Fat Pig’ will continue play showings from Nov. 6 through Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennis & Cheryl Woods Theatre at the Speech Arts Building.

Variety of major headliners tour Fresno in 2020

Brian Welch of Korn performs on stage during a concert, Friday night at Blossom Music Center. (David Dermer/Special to the Plain Dealer)

By Christina Tran A&E Editor

Korn and Breaking Benjamin American nu metal band Korn and American rock band Breaking Benjamin will be co-headliners for their “Winter Tour 2020” at the Save Mart Center (SMC). The concert will take place on Sunday, March 1, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices are on sale now and can be purchased at a starting price of $39 and are available online at ticketmaster.com or at the SMC Box Office.

Gabriel Iglesias Famous stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias is coming to Fresno next year to perform his​ “Beyond the Fluffy” World Tour “Go Big or Go Home.” Fans can look forward to this event at the Save Mart Center (SMC) on Friday, May 8, 2020, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are on sale now and can be purchased at a starting price of $41.50 and are available online at ticketmaster. com or at the SMC Box Office.

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU

6

Why everyone should have to work in food service

By Anjanae Freitas Reporter

In my early 20s, I have spent most of my time working in the food-service industry. I am currently in a position of services ranging from front-of-house, food prep, dishwasher and lead shift position that require additional management skills.

Being a full-time student and working three minimum wage jobs, exhaustion would be an understatement.

Often times when I have stressful days in the food service industry, I question “why” I have to be in this position in order to survive and pay my bills.

I also question why people feel entitled to disrespect and demand from me without any remorse or consideration for other factors that go into jobs in the food-service industry.

However, I have started to realize that although working in the food service is stressful and exhausting, it has started to shape me into the person I am today.

Working in food service has made me learn to value hard work. When my feet have blisters and my back is constantly aching, it reminds me to reflect back to the time I worked an office job and thought that was hard work. I am not diminishing that office work is not hard work, but it’s most certainly not labor-intensive work like food service is.

You learn the importance of tipping and how valuable tipping is to the people who are serving you. I, myself, admit that before working in food service, I was guilty of only leaving $1 or $2 for a tip. I was naive and uneducated in how much work is put into being in the food industry for me to enjoy my meal.

Many customers who come through the line that I work at say, “Does the tip go to you?” I hesitate to explain that our tips are split up because I know they will decide not to tip. It boggles my mind that people assume that because

The Collegian is a studentrun publication that serves the Fresno State community.

Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

Waiters watch the chefs make finishing touches to dishes at MI Table in Bay City on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019. (TNS) it does not go directly to the person who served you, that it does not matter to tip.

The reality is, everyone in the food-service industry puts in hard work from our dishwashers, line-workers, preps, cooks and leads to our managers; everyone plays a crucial role in our day-to-day service to be top notch.

Something that people neglect to remember is our food does not make itself and the constant hard work of having to be prepared for rushes/big parties means that there is an enormous amount of work that goes into our food and our service.

Food service also teaches you that you cannot please everyone in your life. There will be customers that try to ruin your day by telling you that the quality of their food is your fault.

There are customers who go to great lengths to criticize how the store looks, what it needs, what they need and what they wish they had

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more of.

Although these can be important key factors in running a successful business, it is a constant battle in trying to please people when most decisions are beyond your authority. Although this can be a hard skill to balance, patience with customers has taught me how to have patience in many other aspects of my life.

Food service teaches you how to remain in control when you feel your emotions arising and getting hot. You learn how to handle volatile situations in a professional manner, which can be beneficial for both your professional and personal life.

It also teaches you that a raise and extra money come with having to put in hard work by proving your worth for a company. If you want to be in a higher position for your company, you have to constantly take on more work and responsibility than you are often ever even

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compensated for.

This skill can be beneficial once you have graduated college and are looking for a job in your field. Most students, including me, have had the misconception that a degree means a guaranteed job. However, it’s more often than not that people have to start at the bottom to work their way up to higher positions of authority, which is a skill taught in food service regarding how unpaid work can eventually pay off.

Most people who spend most of their lives avoiding employment in food service are fortunately privileged enough to not have to work a food service job.

However, I think it is beneficial for everyone to experience working in the food industry once in their life to both appreciate customer service and to gain personal communication skills for their future careers.

Jovanni Cardenas Joy Lyle Daisy Dellinger Alessandra Mazman Jacob Mulick Jeff Vinogradoff Zachary Perkins Richard Marshall Kevin Fries Jan Edwards Timothy Drachlis Betsy Hays

The Collegian carries four different ethnic supplements inserted several times throughout each semester into its print publication.

Each supplement is produced by its own staff and advisers and is separate from The Collegian.

The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted a copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. All content Copyright © 2018 The Collegian.

Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu): All letters submitted to The Collegian should be between 250-500 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 7

FRONT PAGE

Women's basketball, soccer recap

By Jorge Rodriguez Sports Editor

Women’s Soccer After finishing the regular season with a loss against San Jose State last weekend, the Fresno State women’s soccer team was set to face the No. 3 seeded Colorado State Rams in the Mountain West Conference Championship Tuesday afternoon at the Boas Soccer Complex in Boise, Idaho.

The Bulldogs grabbed the last spot available for the championship, finishing the season with a 5-4-2 conference record.

Fresno State entered the championship as the No. 6 seed, facing the same Colorado State team that had defeated the ‘Dogs 1-0 earlier in the season.

After 90 minutes of playing time, it was all tied up for both sides with the Bulldogs holding a slight advantage on scoring opportunities. Both teams went on to play 20 minutes of extra time where both teams had several opportunities to score, but there was no change for either team.

For the penalty kicks, the Bulldogs

chose goalkeeper Milena Zink, who managed to stop three of the four penalty kicks she faced. On the other hand, the Bulldogs were nearly perfect from the penalty spot, with Ele Avery, Kasidee Wiley and Jordan Brown scoring for the ‘Dogs.

With the victory, the Bulldogs will now go on to the semifinals where they will face the No. 2 seed, the San Diego State Aztecs.

Last time the Aztecs and the Bulldogs played each other, it was down south with San Diego State taking the win, 2-1. However, this game will be at a neutral site with the Bulldogs carrying the momentum of their recent win.

In a news release from Fresno State Athletics, head coach Brian Zwaschka said he wants to give Colorado State credit because they had a great season. He also mentioned how prepared the team was for the penalty kicks.

“We have a great goalkeeping unit, and they take the time to prepare for these types of situations,” Zwaschka said in the release. “[The team] stayed calm and composed toward the end of the match when they were in a stressful situation. I’m real-

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ly proud of them.”

Women’s Basketball The Fresno State women’s basketball season started last Friday night with an exhibition game at the Save Mart Center against in-town rivals, the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds.

The Bulldogs defeated the Sunbirds 96-67 in a game that helped prepare both teams for the upcoming season. The exhibition game was the second one for the Sunbirds, who had already faced the San Jose State Spartans earlier in the week.

Fresno State’s starting five consisted of junior guard Aly Gamez, junior forward Maddi Utti, junior forward Genna Ogier and freshmen guards Haley and Hanna Cavinder.

The Bulldogs took control of the game and began scoring at will against the Sunbirds.

With an early lead, the Bulldogs brought in some bench players, and Fresno Pacific began to take advantage of scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs had a hard time defending the Sunbirds’ ability

to shoot from the 3-point line.

Fresno Pacific gained momentum back from the Bulldogs in the first half and made it a very close game through the first two quarters.

After halftime, the Bulldogs came out of the locker room ready to play and quickly created a large lead. The Sunbirds tried to continue with the momentum they had before the half, but the ‘Dogs’ defense was just too much and kept the Sunbirds from doing much in the second half.

The Bulldogs eventually won the game, 96-67, gaining momentum for their first preseason game against Cal Poly Wednesday night.

After the game, head coach Jaime White praised Fresno Pacific for pushing them during the game and also commented on what happened after halftime.

“Fresno Pacific did a great job, they hit the lights out of the three. We couldn’t guard them in that second quarter,” White said. “Our girls just needed to just settle down, reverse the ball, move the ball and make them play more defense than we were.”

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

8

EDITORIAL

Fresno FC moving is bad for Bulldog soccer

I

By Jorge Rodriguez | Sports Editor

t seemed like it was too good to be true.

One day we’re talking about how the love for soccer – or futbol – in the Central Valley is growing. Then, it was all gone; no more professional soccer for the city of Fresno and with it, all the progress made in the last couple of years evaporated.

The lack of stadium, that’s what was said to be the catalyst that caused the team to leave Fresno for greener pastures, or fields, on the Central Coast. Neither the city nor the franchise were able to come up with a solution of where to play since the league was forcing all teams to play in soccer-specific stadiums.

I get it. The city didn’t have the money to build a soccer-specific stadium and to use taxpayers' money is just not something that the current city leaders were willing to do.

The options for a stadium that the city gave to the team were not something that worked for them. So after not finding a solution, their only option was to move the team. After two years here in Fresno, it is hard to imagine the Foxes going anywhere else, especially after building a very loyal fan base here.

An average attendance of about 3,000 people per game wasn’t that bad for the Foxes, and many of those fans were young kids who loved seeing their home team on the soccer field.

Many of those young fans were also loud and chanted along with the supporter groups that followed the team.

Every game, there were supporter groups there ready to scream and shout in order to let the team know that the people were behind them. These supporter groups were formed to attend games and help the team feel more at home.

The Fire Squad Fresno, Vigilantes 559 and Fresno Skulk are all recognized by the team as supporter groups. Fire Squad Fresno was one of the first supporter groups here in the Central Valley, getting their name from the previous Fresno semi-pro team, the Fresno Fuego.

With more support and more people involved in the sport throughout the Central Valley, the Fresno State women’s soccer team began to have more people in the stands during their home matches.

Supporter groups even came to the games with drums and trumpets, making noise all in support of the Bulldogs. This was felt through-

Jorge Rodriguez • The Collegian

The Fresno State women's soccer team celebrates with the Escuadron Supporters Group during a home win against UNLV on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, at the Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium. out the Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium, and it gave each game a different atmosphere.

It wasn’t just for the fans but also for the players who knew that the supporters were there to watch them play, and each time the Bulldogs scored, they definitely felt the fans’ presence.

This impacted the Fresno State games, the players and the fans positively and it was all thanks to the culture created by having a professional team here in Fresno.

However, now that it seems very likely that the Fresno FC franchise will move, will that affect the soccer culture created here or will it stay?

Those are some questions only time will answer. But it would be a shame to see all the support disappear, especially since many young

fans were just beginning to get involved and enjoy it.

Whether it was at Chukchansi Park or the Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium here at Fresno State, young fans seemed to enjoy the atmosphere created by the soccer culture.

Having a professional soccer team only to have it taken away just a few years later seems unfair, but it will be up to the fans to keep the culture alive.

It was nice to see the support for the women’s soccer team, and I do believe that the support will continue in the upcoming season. If the support continues, it could also be a way of bringing men’s soccer back to Fresno State.

There hasn’t been a men’s soccer team at Fresno State since the early 2000s when the team was taken away due to budget issues due

to Title IX. If Fresno State can have both men’s and women’s soccer teams, that could be a way to keep the culture going.

Fresno FC showed us that there is a soccer culture here in Fresno and now that the team will be leaving, there will be a soccer drought that someone will have to fill. This can be a great opportunity for Fresno State to take advantage of by not just having one soccer team, but two.

It is not too far fetched to think that the Bulldogs could have two teams and take advantage of the void that will be left after the Foxes leave. The fan base and the culture are already here, and we already have one team.

Why not take advantage of this and create something future Bulldogs and fans will be proud to have and be a part of?