Xpress Fall 2012 Issue 3

GOLDEN GATE XPRESS//

STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER PROUDLY SERVING THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1927.

// 09.12.12

VOLUME LXXXXVI ISSUE 3

Thefts plague campus dorm

BY CHARLOTTE BOUDESTEIJN | cboudest@mail.sfsu.edu

L

EAVING THE door unlocked for just a few minutes during a quick errand is an easy thing to do. However, it’s not a smart

California may ban gay conversion therapy

decision.

Two burglaries occurred Aug. 29 in Building A of The Village at Centennial Square after residents left the doors of their apartments unlocked.

Seven thousand dollars worth of belongings were stolen in one incident and $1,620 at the other. The objects stolen were a laptop, cameras, iPads and iPhones.

The suspect of the burglaries in Building A has already been caught, but Resident Assistants are keeping their eyes open for suspicious activity. The RAs help residents adjust to campus housing.

Alex Smith, who lived in The Village at Centennial Square, had his laptop stolen from Building A last year.

“I went to class and my roommate left my door unlocked. When I came back, my laptop was gone.”

Smith said the burglar was a student, who doesn’t go to SF State anymore. Smith lives in Daly City now partly because of the burglary.

“I learned from this to be more on top of things and I shouldn’t trust anyone anymore,” he said.

Residents must show their room keys to the RAs before they can enter any campus housing. Before the burglaries, keys were only checked at the beginning of the semester. The RAs now plan on doing checkups throughout the year to prevent similar occurrences.

The Village consists of apartments that include a living room, a kitchen and two bedrooms. Bed-

BY ELLIE LOARCA | emloarca@mail.sfsu.edu

Matthew Ybarra went to conversion therapy when he came Senate Bill out at the age of 13. The SF State 1172 would bar women and gender studies mareorientation jor was influenced through his therapy for church to talk to someone about his sexuality. No one told him LGBT minors the therapy had been designed to and is waiting make him straight.

California may soon pass a for Gov. Jerry bill to protect the rights of LGBT Brown’s youth when seeking mental health approval advice. The therapy is known as gay conversion, reorientation or reparative therapy. Senate Bill 1172, introduced by California State Senator Ted W. Lieu was passed by the Senate Aug. 30 and by the State Assembly Aug. 28. The bill is now with Gov. Jerry Brown, who has until Sept. 30 to either pass or veto.

Lieu took a stance to protect LGBT minors from the damages reparative therapy can cause when he introduced the bill in February.

“Being lesbian or gay is not a disease or mental disorder for the same reason that being a heterosexual is not a disease or a mental disorder,” Lieu said that in a statement following the introduction of the bill.

In the “Sexual Orientation Change Therapy Fact Sheet” published by Lieu, he states that SB 1172 includes almost 40 years of research and notes that an individual’s sexual orientation is not a disease, disorder, illness or shortcoming. Efforts made to change sexual orientation can pose health risks and there is no sufficient evidence that any type of psychotherapy can change a person’s sexual orientation, the fact sheet says.

Ybarra discovered he was in reparative therapy purely by accident.

“I had taken a psychology class in high school that I SEE LAW ON PAGE 5

SEE CAMPUS ON PAGE 2

LOCKED DOORS? Toward the end of August, two burglaries in Building A of The Village at the Centennial Square resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars worth of belongings. Residents are advised to lock their doors and look out for suspicious activity. Photo by Sam Battles

Depot, ASI show expects 400

CONCERT CRAZE: The Depot and ASI will present The Growlers Sept. 14 in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. Photo courtesy of The Growlers/ Special to Xpress

I

BY SEAN REICHHOLD | spreichh@mail.sfsu.edu

N A DARK NOOK CARVED INTO a basement wall, musical guests amplify their talents over the mezzanine and down into the bustling and buzzing recreation and dining level. The sounds of live music provided by The Depot can regularly be heard emanating throughout the lower conference level of the Cesar Chavez Student Center. Students go there for a friendly place to relax, study and listen to local jams.

But despite usually being full of jovial students,

The Depot is small. The leadership of the venue wants to expand to bigger and better things at no cost to SF State students, which is why they are doing just that Sept. 14.

The Depot has teamed up with Associated Students, Inc. to set up a stage on the lower recreation and dining level to accommodate the psychedelic rock band The Growlers. The Orange County-based SEE COLLABORATION ON PAGE 7

2 CAMPUS SF STATE SPEAKS OUT WHAT SHOULD SF STATE DO TO MAKE THE DORMS SAFER?

BENJI PRECIADO, 18

LIVES IN MARY PARK HALL

I feel pretty safe. I mean, the door doesn’t close all the way and they always ask for my key, but I feel pretty safe.

09.12.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Study shows hateful speech leads to violence

BY VIKRAM SINGH | vpsingh@mail.sfsu.edu

T

HIS NOVEMBER, STUDENTS WILL have to sift through speeches and public appearances from the nation’s political leaders and candidates of this election cycle to cast a meaningful vote. Psychologists at SF State have peeled back another layer of political reality. University researchers have found that verbal cues given in speeches by ideological leaders can predict either violent or nonviolent events, according to a University news release.

SF State psychology professor David Matsumoto and his team recently published an article that explaining what happens when aggressive words turn to literal violence. By looking at the transcripts of speeches of famous and influential leaders from the past 100 years, researchers discovered that an increased number of expressions of anger and disgust given in speeches were predictive of organized violent events.

Phrases that showed anger were identified by political science researchers, also known as coders.

“Coders read various speeches and assigned codes to the emotions they picked up on,” explained Matsumoto when asked how they quantified their research.

The article also discusses how coders were trained to pick up obscure references to groups being targeted.

“When a Russian prime minister refers to ‘threats to the safety and well-being of former citizens of the Soviet Union in the Caucasus’ (he is actually) referring to Chechen rebels,” the article states.

They found that expressions of contempt, anger or violence spiked six to three months before an act of violence. On the flip side, nonviolent groups also saw an increase in contempt, disgust and anger three to six months before a peaceful resistance movement.

“I think this (research) could apply to any group that is based on any ideology and most nation-states are based on an ideology,” Matsumoto said.

The article was published in the journal “Behavioral Science of Terrorism and Political Aggression.” The potential impact of the research applies to more than just terrorists in the Middle East.

“Republicans have a pretty violent constituency so when (presidential candidate Mitt) Romney makes comments like the one about (President Barack) Obama’s origins, they are activating those people without being obvious. When Mitt Romney said ‘No one has ever asked to see my birth certificate,’ he tried to pass it it off as a joke, but of course it plugged into this extremely violent discourse as to whether or not Barack Obama was either a Kenyan or American. There is a lot of actual violence connected to that. People have had weapons strapped to their legs during an Obama rally,” said SF State associate professor James Martel, chair of the political science department.

With American soldiers still engaged in military operations overseas, the U.S. Department of Defense is constantly looking out for new ways to protect U.S. troops.

The U.S. military took heavy losses during Operation Iraqi Freedom and many media outlets said it was a result of a lack of knowledge of Iraqi culture.

In 2009 the U.S. Department of Defense started the Minerva Research Initiative, which awarded $1.9 million to the project titled “Emotion and Intergroup Relations” to Matsumoto.

According to the project’s website, the research initiative “seeks to build a deeper understanding of the social, cultural and political dynamics that shape regions of strategic interest around the world.”

Dr. Mark G. Frank, a professor at the University of Buffalo and co-author of the article, believes the results are a good thing.

“I think the results suggest that the language can predict to some degree which groups won’t break toward violence,” he said.

The research applies to nonviolent movements as well. One example looked at Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience resolution, which was written to denounce British occupation of India.

“It also is a good thing to tell people that dehumanizing others is not simply morally bad, but may in fact have real consequences for real people,” said Frank, who is also director of the communication science center at State University of New York Buffalo and specializes in detecting deception and interpersonal interaction.

With this new ability to predict violent events through the number of emotional cues in speeches, political watchdog groups in the U.S. can keep an eye on all political parties during this election.

JALUISA TIPPENS, 18

LIVES IN THE TOWERS AT CENTENNIAL SQUARE

I always double lock the door.

They sent out emails and door notices telling us to be careful.

Nothing has happened yet.

NANCY RAMOS, 17

LIVES IN THE VILLAGE AT CENTENNIAL SQUARE

I feel relatively safe, but anyone can just walk in and we don’t have a chain lock.

I’ve heard about laptops being stolen.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Campus break-ins a result of negligence

room doors can only be locked from the inside, but when students forget to lock the apartment door, anyone can walk straight in.

According to Russell Crispin, president of the Residence Hall Association, The Village is a friendly area but residents should still be careful.

“Some residents leave their door open when they go over to a friend’s place,” he said.

He also emphasizes that residents should make sure the door closes behind them when they enter the building, and that they should call the front desk if they see any suspicious activity.

In 2011 there were 36 burglaries on campus with 43 the year before. Laptops, iPhones, other random electronics and bicycles are the items most frequently stolen.

Campus police state that suspects won’t stay in the room for longer than 60 seconds. In these 60 seconds, a burglar will look in the usual places: under the bed, in dresser drawers or closets, on the floor, under the desk, in the back of desk drawers or in the filing cabinet.

Deputy Chief Reggie Parson encourages residents to get a small,

light, mobile personal lock box or safe and use it to stash valuables.

They can take it with them when they leave for the weekend or vacation.

Ryan Otto Cassata, who lives in The Village, never leaves the door to his apartment unlocked.

“We don’t have parties in our dorm because people might take things. We can’t lock our individual room doors inside the apartment so there is no other way,” Cassata said.

Jane Lively said she always locks the door of her apartment before she leaves and puts all her important items away in her desk.

“Also, my roommates are very trustworthy, so that helps,” Lively said.

Parson said that burglaries are often crimes of opportunity.

“They will jiggle and check doors until they locate one that’s unlocked and gain entry in that manner. Especially in the residence halls where there is constant traffic.”

Suspects will observe an area to see when the low and high traffic times are.

“Once they figure out the patterns, they strike,” Parson said.

CRIME BLOTTER 09.05 through 09.11 Collapsed Lung Diagnosis

JARED KIKUCHI, 18

LIVE AT MARY PARK HALL

I feel pretty safe on my floor.

We all know each other pretty well. My roommates and I keep our doors open, a lot of us in our hall do.

Photos by: Sam Battles Reporting by: Vikram Singh

Sometime in the wee hours between Aug. 5 and 6, a male SF State student was reported with a collapsed lung at the Student Health Services.

Officers responded to the scene with the San Francisco Fire Department. The subject was eventually transferred to the UCSF Parnassus hospital for further medical evaluation. There are numerous reasons for a collapsed lung, which can be caused by trauma to the chest or something as simple as being a smoker. Immediately seek medical attention if you feel sharp chest pains or have a severe shortness of breath.

Electronic Harassment Aug. 7 a subject reported receiving harassing text messages while at the The Village at Centennial Square. Officers responded to the call and took a report of the incident. Call the police if you receive harassing or threatening phone calls or text messages. Some cell phone services have a corporate security service that are willing to help in filing a report.

Reporting by Brad Wilson

Alcohol Abuse Officers came across an intoxicated subject Aug. 8 on Crespi Drive. When the officers engaged the subject, they advised medical assistance. The San Francisco Fire Department responded and transported the subject to Seton Medical Center. Every week, there are a handful of alcohol poisoning reports at or near SF State. Know your limits and keep the indulgence off the belligerent scale. Remember that drinking under the age of 21 is illegal and such behavior can get you cited or arrested.

| 09.12.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

3

4 CAMPUS

09.12.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

University seeks title for extra funding SF State is asking students to declare their ethnicities to become a Hispanic-Serving Institution to qualify for federal funds

Population trends White 40%

Changing ethnic demographics at SF State have the University on the verge of becoming a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution.

35% 30%

Asian

25% 17% 15% 10%

Other

Latino

5%

Fall 2007

I

N AN EFFORT TO BOLSTER DIMINishing financial support from the government, SF State is using data to prove its diversity as it seeks the title of Hispanic-Serving Institution.

The University is asking students to declare their ethnicities in order to potentially gain funds from the U.S. Department of Education, and will be sending out an email in the next few weeks to remind students to declare their ethnicities online if they have not yet done so, University spokeswoman Nan Broadbent said.

“There are many things that are served by receiving this designation,” Lisbet Sunshine, director of government and community relations, said.

“One is joining a group of universities around the country that are similarly designated, another is the funding, which would benefit the entire campus, and it (the designation) does acknowledge the diversity that exists on this campus, which is something we celebrate and promote. It’s just one more additional acknowledgement of the diversity,” she said.

In order to qualify as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, SF State needs to have “at least 25 percent of the full-time equivalent undergraduate student body to self-report as Hispanic,” Broadbent said.

As of Fall 2011 SF State’s Chicano and Mexican American undergraduate population stood at 14.4 percent, according to the SF State Data Book, while the other Latino category claimed 9.5 percent.

“If we do meet the eligibility requirement and successfully apply for the designation, then we (the University) would be eligible to apply for funds set aside through Title V,” she said.

According to the the Title V website, the purpose of becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution is to “increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; and to develop model transfer and articulation agreements between two-year and fouryear institutions in such fields.”

Fall 2008

Fall 2009

Fall 2010

Source: SF State Data Book

Fall 2011

BY JESSICA SCHIMM | jschimm@mail.sfsu.edu

Institutions of higher education designated HSI can apply for two types of grants.

The average grant award for an individual development grant, which only involves one institution, is “estimated at about $775,000 per year,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.

The average grant award for cooperative grants, which involves more than one institution, is estimated to be at $1.1 million per year.

Even if the University becomes eligible to apply, the probability of receiving them is unWhen it comes known.

“There’s a lengthy down to race application process,” it’s always Sunshine said, refercontroversial. But ring to the paperwork it’s not like you involved. “There’s no have to wear it guarantee of any fundaround your neck ing, but it’s the first or anything. step.”

The grants provide Veronica Wong funding for specific accriminal justice major tivities, most of which support science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Other supported activities include student services such as counseling, mentoring and tutoring.

In March 2012 the University was designated as an Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. In order to qualify for this designation, the University had to show that at least 10 percent of undergraduates were Asian-American, Native American or Pacific Islander.

It also had to show that 50 percent of its undergraduate students needed federal need-based financial assistance,

“

according to a news release from the University.

The University applied for funding as a result of being designated as an AANAPISI and is expecting to hear back about the federal grant soon, according to Sunshine.

The University will know if they have met the Hispanic-Serving Institution status requirement after Sept. 24, the late-adding-by-exception deadline, because the Fall 2012 University census will be complete by then, Broadbent said.

Students can change their ethnicity status at any time online, but the calculation will only be determined “when the ‘census’ is complete,” Broadbent said. She also noted that “one difficulty for the University in achieving the designation is that a large number of students (1,645 undergraduates in Fall 2011) decline to give their ethnicity.”

Despite the high number of students who have declined, some students were fine with the concept of marking their ethnicities.

“I wouldn’t mind if it helps the school. If it means we can get funds, then I’m all for it,” Veronica Wong, a 19-year-old criminal justice major, said.

When discussing why other students may decline to give their races, Wong agreed it can be a precarious topic.

“When it comes down to race it’s always controversial,” Wong said. “But it’s not like you have to wear it around your neck or anything.”

Undeclared freshman Amanda Parker, 18, agreed that the choices of ethnicity categories were limiting and did not always accurately describe her, as she identifies herself as Creole.

“I’m a lot of things so I’m pretty limited, but to keep it easy I put Caucasian or sometimes other.”

Another student said he wasn’t bothered by marking his race, but felt that it is unnecessary for the government to ask for ethnicities.

“It doesn’t really affect me, but I think it’s unnecessary to even ask for someone’s ethnicity,” Shaminder Hayer, a 23-year-old business administration major, said. “There’s people that have been here for many generations that are mixed with all kinds of ethnicities. We are all American, and everyone here is one.”

CITY 5

| 09.12.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Program may provide healthy meals, jobs to Tenderloin residents

BY NOEMY MENA | mena@mail.sfsu.edu

A former San Francisco supervisor hopes to put a new spin on food trucks by employing — and catering to — the homeless.

Former Supervisor Bevan Dufty was inspired by the success of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit organization from Austin, Texas, which serves meals from food trucks to homeless and the domestically unstable. According to its website, since MLF began it has served more than 3 million meals in five states.

“Food trucks might be a means to directly reach individuals who have limited kitchen facilities and to activate streets in a positive way,” Dufty The proposed said. “These are assets that prompted me to neighborhood think about soul food as a possible means to food truck build community and ensure our success.”

The proposed plan will use a food truck would supply to provide two meals a day, five days a jobs to the week to Tenderloin residents. The staff homeless and will consist of trained chefs who are either or living in shelters. fresh food homeless Seven thousand of its residents live in to residents single room occupancies in the 50-square whose diets blocks of the Tenderloin. The dorm-style mostly consist apartments have a community kitchen that is shared between up to 40 tenants. This makes of fast food it nearly impossible for residents to store and prepare meals to maintain healthy lifestyles.

Dufty is currently director of Housing Opportunity, Partnership and Engagements, which aims to improve the quality of public housing for San Francisco residents. HOPE is also considering hosting block parties with the truck. Dufty said it will give residents the opportunity to explore healthier foods since many of them do not have the resources to make their own meals.

The neighborhood also has few grocery stores, which makes it difficult to shop for fresh produce at low prices. Residents must either shop in surrounding neighborhoods and liquor stores, or eat in fast food restaurants.

Fritz Borchert, a 21-year-old history major at SF State, supports Dufty’s plan.

“This sounds like a good idea. There’s definitely more consciousness of the homeless population in San Francisco,” Borchert said. “Plus, I’ve noticed the homeless are doing what they can to make money.”

Borchert believes the program would have greater impact on the community since it might provide jobs for those employed by the food truck program.

“People may have the general idea that the homeless are drug users and dirty, but they are hard workers striving to get themselves out of the streets,” Borchert said. “Plus it’ll look good on their resume and they can get back into the work environment.”

HOPE and Mayor Ed Lee are still discussing the details and concerns of the program, including funding, employment and exact date and place.

Sue Chen, biology major, is in favor of the plan, yet is hesitant about how much it would cost San Francisco taxpayers.

“The city is headed in the right direction because the homeless is an issue of importance,” Chen said. “I could only hope that they (City Hall) have money for its program because there’s other important and timely issues to worry about right now. For example, City College (of San Francisco). Hopefully the right business organizations step in so we don’t have to.”

Dufty believes the pieces of the puzzle will come together successfully and bring the community together through food and compassion.

Law would protect LGBT teens CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

had been accidentally allowed to take, and that’s how I figured out what the therapist was trying to do,” Ybarra, 21, said.

Ybarra went to the therapy for three weeks, before stopping after his therapist said something that irritated him.

“He tried to tell me that if I chose the homosexual path my father would abandon me for making that choice, but I know my dad better than that and I knew that wouldn’t be true,” Ybarra said.

He admitted to his father he had stopped going because of the way the therapist made him feel, and it brought them closer.

Not everyone believes youth should be barred from the therapy. In reaction to SB 1172, Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit organization advocating religious rights, released a statement Aug. 30.

“If the bill is signed into law, it will harm minors, undermine parental rights and interfere with the rights of counselors. Under this bill the counselor will be forced to disregard a client’s religious beliefs or change them,” said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel.

According to “Sexual Orientation and Youths” published by the American Psychological Association in 2008, reparative therapy is risky considering a therapist’s alignment with homosexuality prejudices might reinforce self-hatred.

Taylor McElroy, 20, a junior studying criminal justice, grew up in a Mormon home and came out at age 14.

I believe we are “When I was younger born this way, we some of my friends would are born with a be threatened by these repredisposition of assignment camps by their who we are going parents,” McElroy said. “I to like and love, believe we are born this way. and because of We are born with a predispothat I don’t see sition of who we are going to any point for this like and love, and because of therapy to exist. that I don’t see any point for this therapy to exist.”

Taylor McElroy, Director of SF State criminal justice major Queer Alliance Juan Guzman thinks the ban will help youth deal with other issues that surround their sexuality.

“I’m glad that they are in the process of banning such forms of psychotherapy on gay youth,” Guzman said. “Human sexuality is such a free-flowing thing and hard to deal with on your own that having someone come and try to form it into what it’s not can cause great psychological damage to the individuals, especially youths who have a hard time comprehending their sexuality as it is.”

“ SANCTUARY: Juan Guzman (center), director of Queer Alliance at SF State, sits with group members in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. Guzman supports banning conversion therapy for gay youth. Photo by Tearsa Joy Hammock

THE INS & OUTS A WEEKLY SEX COLUMN BY CASSIE BECKER cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu

If you don’t use it, you could lose it

W

HEN IT comes to getting it up, most studies focus on what happens if you spend your first 50 years not having sex as often as you should. But it’s important for younger people, too. It’s true: If you don’t use it, you lose it.

Well, not lose it. But you definitely won’t be able to use it anymore. The less often you have sex or masturbate, the less your body is actually interested in sex — a slippery slope. And it all comes back to cardiovascular health.

According to SF State biology lecturer J.R. Blair, good blood flow replenishes oxygen throughout the body’s organs. Bad things happen when cells in those organs don’t get the oxygen they need.

“Cells that do not get sufficient nutrition and oxygen will die. If blood flow is restricted to certain organs, then they can fail,” he said.

Men, as you know, you need that blood flow to the penis to have an erection. The same concept applies to women. The erectile tissues in the clitoris and the blood flow to the vulva is critical when it comes to sex and sexual arousal.

More frequent sex — even if it’s with yourself — stimulates circulation to the genitals. This also maintains nerve health for both sexes, helps women with vaginal elasticity and lubrication and leads to better sex in the future.

Remember: blood equals sex.

“The more activity that a certain part of our body engages in, the more blood flow is directed to that area,” Dr. Madeleine Castellanos, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating sexual dysfunction, said to Ian Kerner in a CNN column in January 2012.

SF State associate professor of biology Chris Moffatt adds that there is an important link between poor cardiovascular health and sexual dysfunction.

“There is substantial amount of evidence to show that good cardiovascular health is associated with healthy sexual functioning and that people who have cardiovascular diseases ... are at a higher risk of developing sexual dysfunctions than are people who don’t suffer from these problems,” he said.

For men, these problems can come from nicotine and alcohol, which prevent the blood from pumping effectively. The carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke ultimately damages the heart and then the ability to get an erection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol use can interfere with testicular functions, leading to impotence and infertility. That’s right, whiskey dick can have lasting effects.

The key is to keep the blood pumping with regular exercise, including frequent sex!

You may not think that constantly being wet or springing up a boner several times a day is a good thing, but it’s a definite sign that your blood is pumping effectively.

So jump in bed and begin paving the way for a lifetime of health and great sex.

Since breaking up with her inner prude, Cassie Becker has done it all. Her interest in sexual exploration has led her to write several blogs and break even more beds.

She’s extensively researched and written about it — all with a sexy smile.

6 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

The Fashion Blueprint The fashion connoisseur outlines ways to avoid the fashion walk of shame.

It’s true, you are what you wear and for him, every day is a runway.

09.12.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Passion proves print’s

SUPERPOWERS

BY KIRSTIE HARUTA | kharuta@mail.sfsu.edu

High heel fashion over comfort a risky choice

by Bryan Vo | bryanvo@mail.sfsu.edu

A

LL RIGHT fashion fanatics, take a chic step forward. Wearing heels and workin’ it like a runway is a gift, but deciding between breaking necks or breaking ankles can be tough.

Style over comfort is one thing people stress in fashion, but before you plan on walking in fancy 6-inch heels, realize the damage that can be done — and we’re not only talking about breaking the bank.

“Long-term high heel use has been found to shorten medial gastrocnemius muscle fascicles (calf muscles) and increase Achilles tendon stiffness,” according to the “Journal of Applied Physiology.”

Wearing heels such as wedges or stilettos forces your foot into a 90 degree angle, which is what doctors call a plantar-flexed position. Basically, you’re creating stress by standing on your tiptoes. The longer you wear heels, the more stiffness you put in your ankles and calf muscles.

To add to the stress, walking in heels too often or improperly can cause even more long-term damage.

Women who pick up their feet when sashaying through the halls to create that sexy, bold click probably clench their teeth from the scorching agony of squashed toes.

But when you do slide your feet into those 6-inch heels laced with sparkle appliqués, be sure to bring something comfy in case your ankle bones shatter. Don’t be afraid if your shoes hate you. It’s OK to wear something lower or flat to avoid that pain.

Even though there is a high risk of pain and discomfort, women still love the sexy look of a stylish pair of heels, said Chrystal Cortez, shoe saleswomen at Nordstrom.

“They care more about what the shoe can do to make them look good,” she said.

So next time you see the perfect pair, ask that question that boggles every trendy woman’s mind: “Am I willing to cram my feet for looks and beauty?”

Whether you grab shoes to emphasize your presence or shoes to protect you from whimpering in pain, zip up, stand tall and work it like a runway.

W

won’t buy unless the content is good. Much of the renewed HILE THEY HAVE NO ARMOR, weapons or gadgets, comic books pos- interest and high sales of comic books and graphic novels can be attributed to the quality and variety available — which have sess super strength when it comes to surged in the last decade. persisting in a declining market.

“I’ve been doing this for 11 The digital years, and comics have never age has acted been this good,” Sime like kryptonite said. “Just the quality and for many diversity, not only in the forms of print media, yet comics time I’ve been retailing, continue to sell to an ever-growbut in my entire lifetime.” ing audience. And it’s not that Comics once had the print comics are simply survivreputation of appealing to a ing — they’re thriving. less sophisticated audience.

“Comics are the one mediAccording to Hibbs, comics um so far where print sales have were considered the “idiot’s gone up,” Brian Hibbs, owner of medium,” but that ideology Comix Experience, said. has been rewritten and they Above collectibles, toys, are now seen as a valid stocards and all else, Hibbs is rytelling choice. passionate about the books. He The success of comdoesn’t feel digital readers have ic-based films, such as Mardone justice to the high-quality vel’s “The Avengers,” content of the extensive selechas helped reel in new tion of comic books and graphaudiences, but it takes ic novels that are available. more than a movie to hook “You can’t put a comic on a new comic fan. a smartphone,” Hibbs said.

“The new ‘Avengers’ movie “It changes the very brought a few people in, but it nature of the comic.” didn’t make those people come James Sime, ownback,” Matt Kimbrough of Coer of Isotope Comics, mix Experience said. “That begs to differ. depends on the quality of the Sime contributed ‘Avengers’ comics too, but to the creation of coit’s up to (the retailers) to get people conmiXology, a website and mobile ART BY KATIE LONGUA/ SPECIAL TO XPRESS vinced that there’s a lot more to comics.” application for purchasing and Marvel and DC films are just the reading digital comics. Thanks to his business model, he has teamed up with comiXology to include tip of a massive iceberg. There’s more to comics than capes and tights, and comic shop workers are more than happy to help cusdigital comic sales at his shop. tomers find what they’ll love.

“I don’t really want to read my comics on a machine,” Sime “There is literally a comic book out there for every single admitted. “I want to hold them in my hand. I like the way they human being,” Hibbs said. smell, the way they feel. But I’ve read plenty of digital comics on When Sara Ayers — visiting San Francisco from Montreal — those devices and it’s pretty cool.” walked into Isotope last week looking for some books, she found Some comic enthusiasts are finding that they can bridge the the shop to be very welcoming. An avid reader of comics and gap between print and digital. For SF State marketing major graphic novels, she feels that the collectable aspect and the geek Kevin Hebenstreit, digital options alleviate the problem presentappeal are keeping print comic sales up. ed by his overflowing shelves and drawers of comic books and “I suppose there could be a link to the whole coolness of being graphic novels.

“I worry about whether or not I will have enough space so that a geek these days,” Ayers said. “Any sort of geeky thing, including comic books, adds to your cred as a legitimate geek.”

I can buy more comics. If I ever move, it will be quite a hassle Like the music scene’s renewed love of vinyl records, the to move all of those around to a new house,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about problems like that with digital. I can have my continued desire to own tangible artwork gives print comic retailers little to worry about for the time being. The diversity of entire collection of comics, all on a tablet. That’s a pretty miracuthe medium attracts new readers and the timelessness constantly lous thing.” brings back regulars.

For Sime, it’s less about whether print or digital comics are “Readers can be captivated by each page of a comic, from selling higher, and more about giving readers what they want. the inking, penciling, lettering and coloring,” Hebenstreit said.

“If customers start telling me that what they really want is comic books that are printed on pita bread, I will move a cooler in “The comic medium works so well because it’s able to blend a well-written story, with beautiful illustrations accompanying it on and I will start selling pita bread comics,” he said. each page.”

However readers decide to take in their favorite books, they

A RTS A N D EN T ERTA I N M EN T CALENDAR

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG The Growlers Sept. 14 6 – 9 p.m. Free The Depot

Fringe: An Indie Rock Dance Party Sept. 15 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. $5 Madrone Art Bar / 21 and up

The Cataracs Sept. 16 12 - 6 p.m. Free w/ Student I.D. Centennial Walkway @ SF State

Nude Beach Sept. 17 6 p.m. Free Amoeba SF

| 09.12.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Collaboration

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 7

CREATES

concert opportunity CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

SET THE STAGE: The lower-level dinning area of the Cesar Chavez Student Center will be transformed by concertgoers Sept.

14. The Depot management estimates more than 400 attendees at the free show featuring The Growlers.

Courtesy of Gio Acosta

music group is expected to draw a crowd of hun- foot traffic,” Barnes said. “Everybody is excited to dreds, much more than The Depot can safely con- see how this could work.” tain.

For the large task at hand, The Depot enlisted This maneuver was inspired by The Growlers’ the help of the student center’s program services. first visit to SF State last spring. The concert at The Both groups will split the $5,000 price tag to fund Depot drew an unexpectedly large crowd making it the event and provide staff to monitor and usher the difficult for security staff to safely monitor the audi- crowd. Nearly all of the money spent will go directence. The Depot staff recognized the potential haz- ly to the artists. ard, and also saw an opportunity to create a more “It just made sense,” said Horace Montgomery, accessible and audience-friendly experience. director of programs and services for ASI, on collabo“We wanted to be able to accommodate a bigger rating with The Depot. “The Depot has the house, but space,” Aimee Barnes, assistant director of program doesn’t have the budget. We (ASI) have a bigger budservices for the student center, said. get, but we don’t have the house.”

“We also wanted to explore using Aside from splitting the bill, different parts of the building.”

ASI is helping with promotion of This is not the first time The Dethe show and security. About nine pot has used the lower dining area to staff members, made up from ASI set a stage for an event. They first exand The Depot staff, will be at the perimented with this for last semesstairs and elevator leading down ter’s Battle of the Bands. the to recreation and dining level “That was the tester, the guinea to conduct bag checks for weappig event,” Gio Acosta, manager of ons and alcohol. The security staff It’s all about The Depot, said. “It went smoothly, will also be responsible for congiving (students) so that was the green light to use this trolling the capacity of the crowd something to do sort of approach in the future.” if it gets unmanageable. and bringing as Acosta notes, however, that FriDespite the work involved, much city life and day’s show is not going to be remboth staffs insist that the students campus life to the iniscent of last semester’s Battle of are worth it. students who live the Bands, and that this is mainly due “I spent a lot of my undergrad here as possible. to the expected attendance of more time at The Depot,” Montgomery than 400 people. said. “It’s all about giving (students) Horace Montgomery, “We’ll be able to handle it, the something to do and bringing as director of programs and more the merrier,” Acosta said. “But much city life and campus life to the services for ASI we’ll have precautions set in case we students who live here as possible.” hit our capacity.”

The Depot and ASI will conThe event requires the cooperatinue to work together in the fution and coordination of multiple venture on large-scale musical events. dors in the student center. The other vendors on the They hope to use the lower level stage setup at least recreation and dining level are on board, mainly be- twice a year for more popular groups. cause of the attention it would bring to an otherwise The show runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 14, lesser known part of the building and the attention it and also features Guantanamo Baywatch, POW! would bring to their businesses. and The Cosmonauts. The show is free for SF State “Everyone was thinking that it could bring more students.

“

8 OPINION

09.12.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG STAFF EDITORIAL

KALE WILLIAMS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF kale@mail.sfsu.edu

ANGELA RAIFORD

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR araiford@mail.sfsu.edu

MATT MAXION

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu

ELISSA TORRES

ART DIRECTOR elissat@mail.sfsu.edu

JEFF SANDSTOE

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR jsandsto@mail.sfsu.edu

CASSIE BECKER

PRINT COPY CHIEF cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu

KEVIN SKAHAN

ONLINE COPY CHIEF kskahan@mail.sfsu.edu

SAM BATTLES

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR sbattles@mail.sfsu.edu

GODOFREDO VASQUEZ

ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR gvasquez@mail.sfsu.edu

BRAD WILSON

CAMPUS EDITOR bradw949@mail.sfsu.edu

CRISTINA RAMOS

CITY EDITOR cjramos@mail.sfsu.edu

ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ

Delicate topic deserves nuanced debate

I

prising that the University has begun soliciting ethnicity information from students. The ethnicity form used online is an improvement over traditional questionaires, but it still requires you to select only one ethnicity as per federal guidelines. Although students have the option of specifying the type of Asian or American Indian they are, the ultimate classification that matters only offers eight options: American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African-American, Asian, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, White, two or more ethnicities, and decline to state.

And yet, students choose.

A subject as delicate and nuanced as ethnic identity should not be boiled down to such cut-and-dry categories.

Some people might not know their exact ethnic makeup. Others come from mixedrace households where identity isn’t as simple as checking one box or another.

SF State should be admired for exploring all avenues of procuring additional funds, but asking people to define themselves so narrowly doesn’t get us any closer to a campus where all ethnicities are recognized and accepted.

Asking people to label themselves — especially when those labels differentiate us from one another so distinctly — can only serve to drive wedges between us, but failing to do so could potentially deprive SF State of much-needed funds.

When faced with choices like these, each of us simply must weigh our priorities and choose between the lesser of two evils.

N MARCH OF THIS year SF State became an Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander- Serving Institution, building on its status as one of the nation’s most diverse campuses. Since August, the University has been calling for students to declare their ethnicities in time for designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The designation would make SF State eligible for additional federal funds, which are sorely needed as state reserves continue to shrink.

While the possibility of extra money is encouraging in these cash-strapped times, soliciting such controversial information for funding instead of letting students give it of their own discretion is unsettling. The University hopes to raise the total declared percentage of Latino students to 25 percent to qualify for the grants. As of Fall 2011, according to the SF State Data Book, the combined Latino undergraduate population is at 23.9 percent, roughly 600 students short of the goal.

With the goal seemingly so close at hand, it isn’t sur-

A&E EDITOR arrodrig@mail.sfsu.edu

ART BY KALE WILLIAMS

CAITLIN BYRNE

SPORTS EDITOR cmbyrne@mail.sfsu.edu

LAURA SAVAGE

OPINION EDITOR savymama@mail.sfsu.edu

Language a must for international campus

JESSICA SCHIMM

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR jschimm@mail.sfsu.edu

RACHELE KANIGEL

FACULTY ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu

SCOT TUCKER

PHOTO ADVISER tucker@mail.sfsu.edu

JESSE GARNIER

ONLINE ADVISER jgarnier@sfsu.edu

BETH RENNEISEN

DESIGN ADVISER gnusart@sfsu.edu

JUSTIN OROZCO

CIRCULATION jaorozo@mail.sfsu.edu

ARUN UNNIKRASHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu

EVA CHARLES

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu

MARIELLE ATANACIO

STUDENT GRAPHIC DESIGNER marielle@mail.sfsu.edu

WRITE US A LETTER The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words.

Letters are subject to editing.

Send letters to Laura Savage at: savymama@mail.sfsu.edu

ABOUT XPRESS The Golden Gate Xpress is a student-produced publication of the journalism department at San Francisco State University.

For more information or comments, please contact Kale Williams at: kale@mail.sfsu.edu

BY ANGELA RAIFORD | araiford@mail.sfsu.edu

In 2010, more than 14 million people all over the world were learning to speak German, according to statistics published by Netzwerk Deutsch.

I took my first German language course in Spring 2010. The room was bustling with bad German rap, umlauts in all the wrong places and kids trying to fill their language requirements for going abroad.

I returned to SF State from my year abroad at the University of Tuebingen, Germany in Fall 2011 to a diminished roster of professors and courses.

With three courses left to complete my minor, it was vital for me to get them done quickly. But it didn’t work that way.

I failed a mandatory course, which wasn’t offered in Spring 2012. The class was not offered again this semester, which begs the question — why are required courses not being offered every semester? These As I enter each seshould be the priority to help students in mester with fewthese dwindling departments. er options than With only two teachers in the entire the previous, I German department, I understand the wonder if anyone challenges, but why is nothing being really cares about done? Where is the push to add more the students still language teachers instead of bringing left behind in the candy-slinging DJs to blare their tunes department. outside the Humanities Building?

In a meeting with new President Leslie E. Wong, he expressed an interest in being kept up to date with the dissolution of language programs at SF State.

At this moment, I’m confident he really does want to hear about the issues.

Perhaps programs should be planning appropriate strategies to manage their future. Every semester the student community is changing. While the German department may find itself losing enrollment steam, there are

“

CORRECTIONS FOR XPRESS PRINT EDITION 9.5.12

ways to rework the department into a major or minor about global culture.

There should be plans in place for every department on how to deal with managing the direction of their fields. Perhaps restructuring could be done to make the foreign language courses more appealing to students.

The University of Southern California announced in April 2008 that they would no longer offer German major or minor programs. It was a decision that drew heavy criticism from both students and faculty concerned it would reflect poorly on their commitment to culture.

For a campus recognized for its international diversity, shouldn’t SF State be more concerned about our declining language programs? As I enter each semester with fewer options than the previous, I wonder if anyone really cares about the students still left behind in the department.

Students entering the German department will be left waiting years to see their required courses become available. What about those in their last semester who need the courses now? What about students in majors like my own who are required to have a minor to graduate? God help them should they be forced to wait an extra year to get all of their courses. I knew that going abroad would save me a lot of the headache, but who knew getting my last three required courses would be so hard? Merely having a student enroll in an unrelated course as well as submit an extra project in order to supplement what was once a required course is not appropriate action.

I am not oblivious to the international presence at SF State. International Chinese students rose from 119 in Spring 2007 to more than 500 in Spring 2012. More than 1,500 international students study at SF State’s campus every day, according to the Office of International Programs website.

While my message speaks specifically for German language students, in order to continue representing itself as an international community, SF State needs to make all foreign languages a priority. Instead of settling for what we have, we need to move toward a more prominent foreign language department.

In a perfect world, this school would put enough value on foreign language to protect its existence on campus. In German I might say, “ich drücke dir die Daumen.” In other words, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

In the Gators’ sports scoreboard, we incorrectly reported the women’s volleyball victory over the University of Alaska Anchorage as 3-0. The score was 3-1.

We also failed to attribute our voter preparation guide. The guide was compiled by Danielle Steffenhagen.

We regret our errors.

| 09.12.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

9

10 S P O R T S

09.12.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

PLAYER

SASHA CHALAK

WEEK

MEN’S SOCCER

of the

Senior Sasha Chalak has been chosen as the Xpress Player of the Week. Chalak scored his first goal of the season and only goal of the night Sept. 5 against Academy of Art University. Chalak had a total of three shots on goal in that match up, and played 183 minutes total in the first two games of the season.

PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS

G AT ORS’ SP OR T S SCHEDUL E FRIDAY (9.14) MEN’S SOCCER SF STATE AT SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 1:30 P.M. (ROHNERT PARK, CALIF.)

WOMEN’S SOCCER SF STATE AT SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 4 P.M. (ROHNERT PARK, CALIF.)

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SF STATE INVITATIONAL 3:30 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SF STATE INVITATIONAL 4 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SF STATE VS. CAL STATE EAST BAY 7 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)

SATURDAY (9.15) WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SF STATE VS. CAL STATE MONTEREY BAY 7 P.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)

SUNDAY (9.16) MEN’S SOCCER SF STATE VS. CAL MARITIME 11:30 A.M. (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.)

MEN’S SOCCER SF STATE AT HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY 11:30 P.M. (ARCATA, CALIF.)

Salvadoran roots drive goalie’s future

SETTING GOALS: Freshman goalie Guillermo Castro, 18, holds the national flag of El Salvador with pride and appreciation.

Castro formerly played on the under-17 Salvadoran national team. Photo

by Godofredo Vasquez

BY GODOFREDO VASQUEZ | gvasquez@mail.sfsu.edu

A 9-year-old goalkeeper stands in front of a goal, as he watches an opposing player approach the penalty box. He assesses the play — based purely on instinct — and launches himself into the air, stopping a shot headed to the top right corner of the net.

That was SF State athlete Guillermo Castro’s first save, and the beginning of his career as a goalie.

Castro, 18, can give you detailed descriptions of nearly every goal he’s saved and every one he’s missed.

“It’s something to keep in the back of my mind for the future. Like, if a similar situation comes up, I know what needs to be fixed from what I did last time,” Castro said.

“Before a shot even comes I think about prior shots that were similar and how could I prevent from being scored on.”

Castro always had the desire to play goalkeeper, but had to convince his dad — also named Guillermo Castro — to let him play the position on the team he coached.

His father was a goalkeeper, too, so he was adamant that his son would have to deal with the stress that comes with the position.

“That position is not an easy one to play; you always have to be thinking. And at the end of the game you’ll either be the hero or the one to blame,” Castro’s father said. “The goalie only has one opportunity to make the save, so you have to have a strong character and not beat yourself up too much.”

Castro gives credit to his dad for building the foundation for the goalie he is now.

He helped his son become mentally tough by making sure he didn’t get too down on himself after bad games.

Castro’s eye for detail comes from watching professional goalkeepers play on

S C O R E

SCORES FROM THE LAST WEEK OF GATOR SPORTS

B O A R D

television every Sunday with his dad.

Castro — of Salvadoran parents, who moved to the United States in the late 1980s — was born in East Los Angeles, but was raised in Palmdale, Calif. From there, Castro and his father drove roughly 375 miles each week to make club soccer practices in Los Angeles.

He wanted to play in as many different levels of soccer as possible, from recreational, club and high school teams to the under-17 El Salvador national team.

The Salvadoran coaching staff scouted Guillermo as his team — the Lancaster Rattlers — were competing at a tournament hosted in El Salvador. Shortly after, Castro became a part of the national team at age 16 and spent summer 2010 in El Salvador.

He received an offer to stay in El Salvador to finish high school, but decided against it to attend a university in the United States instead.

“I don’t regret my decision because I’m getting an education now. I’m playing at a high level and I will go back (to El Salvador) to try out for the 21 team,” Castro said.

Getting an education has been a must for Castro all along, and wants to be an example to students and soccer players from his hometown.

“I’m proud of myself, because I am about the only player that actually got out of my town. I believe I was the only one to get signed to a major university,” he said. “I just want to be a role model for a lot of the students out here. And to show, especially for the kids back home (in Palmdale) that are still playing high school soccer, that hard work pays off.”

Eventually, Castro wants to play for the

MEN’S SOCCER LOSS

LOSS

TIE

SF STATE VS. ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY 1-2

SF STATE VS. UC SAN DIEGO 0-1

SF STATE VS. CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO 0-0

El Salvadoran national team because he wants to represent his family and his heritage. He also wants to be part of the reason why soccer in El Salvador progresses.

“I just want to be a part of their development,” he said. “And for people to say ‘Oh, Guillermo was part of why El Salvador got bigger and better.’”

His former high school head coach, Juan Paolo believes Castro can accomplish any goal he has set for himself.

“Barring any big injuries, he’s the only one that’s going to stop himself,” Paolo said. “There’s no limit to what he can do on the field.“ SF State men’s soccer assistant coach Kelly Coffey has noticed the freshman’s eagerness to improve.

“He’s got great work ethic,” Coffey said.

“He wants to get better and so far we’ve seen him work really hard to work on his game.”

Guillermo has stood out, not only with his work ethic, but with his curly, long, frizzy hair in a bunch behind his head and his polite temperament.

“We’ve had one of our trainers ask ‘Who’s that guy? I think he’s a goalkeeper that’s got the long, frizzy hair; he always says hello and he says please and thank you,’” Coffey said.

“He’s the most polite student athlete.”

The Gators have two seniors — Mike McNeill and Anthony Rodriguez — ahead of Castro. But head coach Joe Hunter is impressed with the amount of experience Castro possesses.

“He may not see a lot of time this year because of the experience and the age and the quality of the players we have in front of him, but he’s certainly a goalkeeper for the future that we can build around,” Coffey said.

WOMEN’S SOCCER LOSS

LOSS

WIN

SF STATE VS. UC SAN DIEGO 0-3

SF STATE VS. CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO 1-4

SF STATE VS. UC SANTA CRUZ 1-0

VOLLEYBALL WIN

LOSS

LOSS

WIN

SF STATE VS. ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY 3-2 SF STATE VS. FRESNO PACIFIC UNIVERSITY 2-3 SF STATE VS. CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 2-3 SF STATE VS. NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR UNIVERSITY 3-0

| 09.12.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

S P O R T S 11

National success within running distance New assistant coach Sam Ahlbeck to contribute Division I experience to SF State’s cross country teams

BY ROCHELLE ROMERO | reromero@mail.sfsu.edu

M

OST COLLEGIATE ATHLETES SEE GETTING INJURED as a roadblock to their future in the sport; other competitors, like Sam Ahlbeck, view it as an opportunity to do more.

Ahlbeck, 25, is the latest addition to the Gators’ cross country team led by head coach Tom Lyons. Ahlbeck is eager to get started with SF State’s cross country team after stints as a student athlete at Washington State University and as a volunteer assistant coach at UC Davis.

Coming into this season, both men’s and women’s teams received No. 6 and 7 preseason rankings. The NCAA Division II Championship Committee has decided to increase the number of teams competing this season from 24 to 32, opening up a chance for the Gators to advance to the final.

“We’ve always been wondering if we’re even going to be in the top 10. We’ve been in and out of that a lot for a number of years,” Lyons said. “Then this past year we finally moved into the middle of that range. I think it’s pretty accurate.”

Junior Alicia Trujillo is excited to add another coach to the team.

“I can already tell it’s a different atmosphere at practice. I think he’s got a lot of input to bring to the table to help us,” Trujillo said. “I want our team to do well and make it to nationals. I want to be part of that team.”

As far as goals for this season, Ahlbeck is very optimistic about the Gators’ chances for a national berth in the playoffs. The preseason rankings will serve as motivation to get things going for the Gators.

“I think both our men’s and women’s team is going to respond very well to that. I’m looking forward to making nationals on both sides,” Ahlbeck said. “I think it’s completely

JOGGING MEMORIES: Sam Ahlbeck, who graduated from Washington State University in 2010, has been chosen as the new assistant cross country coach to both the men’s and women’s teams at SF State. Photo

by Sam Battles

possible and I think we have the right athletes to do it. Nobody is afraid to get after it and train. It’ll be exciting to see how the season unfolds.”

After a disappointing final year plagued by injuries at WSU, Ahlbeck had to make an important decision: would he rather spend eight hours a day running or coaching? Ultimately, coaching won out due to Ahlbeck’s love of the sport.

“I don’t know anybody that loves their sport that would just want to leave it,” Ahlbeck said.

After visiting SF State for an invitational two years ago, Ahlbeck was impressed by how well the meet was executed and planned by Lyons.

When word came out that the coach was looking for an assistant, Alhbeck was eager to enter the drawing for the top spot.

“I said ‘put my name out there. Let me know if he wants anything, just forward me the email,’” Ahlbeck said.

He is still considering a professional running career in addition to coaching. Former teammate and volunteer coach at WSU, Collier Lawrence, recently made Olympic trials this year.

“Having that friend that did it while she’s coaching has absolutely been an inspiration,” Ahlbeck said. “There’s always that voice in the back of my head saying ‘hey, man, let’s try to make it to trials in four years.’”

Having that lingering idea in his head is just an example of goals to come for Ahlbeck.

But right now, he’s concentrating on pushing his athletes toward a successful season, something he says was meant to be.

“God wanted me here. It wasn’t because I was so much better than somebody else.

This was obviously just the place I was supposed to be.”

12

09.12.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG