Features Page 5
Meet the presidents vol. 102, no. 10
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
Learn more about ACU’s social club presidents
INSIDE NEWS The campus responds to the new Apple iOS 7 update
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NEWS The Emineo art gallery is looking for three interns Page 4
NEWS Team 55 has implemented new hours due to budget cuts Page 4
OPINION Read the editorial board’s take on the new Harry Potter movie
Garon Goodspeed staff Photographer
Juniors Coleman Hammond, exercise science major from Lubbock, and Tyler Eidson, business management major from College station, pull the pig off of the spit at GSP’s pig picking rush. Page 6
NEWS The College Democrats look to expand popularity on campus Page 3
SPORTS Wildcat soccer remains unbeaten after a pair of weekend matches Page 8
NEWS Alumnus Steven Sheasby comes to campus to speak on South African nonprofit Page 4
Crash survivor sues party hosts provide safe transportation from the party hosted at Coldwater Cattle Co., Editor in chief according to court filings. After the musical’s endThe only survivor of the of-season party hosted by car crash involving cast Batson, a car carrying six members of the musical cast and crew members “Texas” has sued for more crashed, resulting in five than $1 million in dam- fatalities on Aug. 12. The ages. driver of the car, former Timothy Johnson is ACU student Clint Diaz, suing Amarillo resident had a blood-alcohol level Joseph Batson, his com- of .165, according to the pany, Coldwater Cattle Texas Department of PubCo., and Texas Panhan- lic Safety report. Indicadle Heritage Foundation, tions of marijuana were which produces the musi- also found in his blood. cal “Texas,” for failing to Diaz, former ACU the-
Marissa Jones
Jesse Harper student reporter
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ONLINE VIDEO Take a look at what fitness classes the Rec Center has to offer
acuoptimist.com
Channy wood Attorney of Wood Law Firm
ater major, transferred to West Texas A&M last spring semester. The petition said Batson’s failure to provide safe transportation for the cast and crew “constituted negligence that
directly and caused the injuries” because at the time of the crash “Diaz was acting as a... representative” of Batson. Texas law makes those who provide alcohol legally responsible for the harm caused by intoxication-related accidents. Channy Wood, Johnson’s attorney in the lawsuit, said the defendant has not filed an answer but probably will in the next two weeks. The family of Julian Arredondo, who was killed in the crash, has also filed
to join the lawsuit against Batson. Johnson is still recovering in the hospital, said Wood. “I think one of the things we all hope is that some light is going to be shed on what happened in this accident,” Wood said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to take some steps to prevent this happening in the future.”
contact Jones at mnj10a@acu.edu
ACU campus plagued by crickets
SPORTS
Jennie Loerch talks about the win against Texas Tech and her love for all things ACU
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“Hopefully we’ll be able to take some steps to preven this happening in the future.”
Students utilized Twitter to address the field cricket and insect problem after seeing the Tower of Light covered in black spots. On Sept. 17, the Twitter page “ACU Crickets” hit news feeds. The page is filled with humorous comments from the supposed perspective of crickets. Some students have found amusement in this and re-tweeted the Twitter user, but many students on campus are concerned about the recent visitation. Nick Richardson, a junior criminal justice ma-
jor from Waco, said he has noticed the outbreak of insects. “Every night this week after I leave The Bean it seems like I’m being attacked by countless bugs,” Richardson said. Corey Ruff, director of Facilities and Campus Management, is in charge of handling the situation. “Every year around this time we have these visitors for approximately two weeks,” Ruff said. Ruff said that the climate is the reason for the increase of insects on ACU campus, which means the problem is generally short-lived.
paige otway Staff Photographer
see Crickets page 3 Piles of crickets litter the ACU campus.
Library extends hours on Fridays, Saturdays Rachel Fritz
Mark McCallon, assisStaff reporter tant dean of Library Service, said the extension The library’s hours have was a reasonable decibeen extended this se- sion. mester for both Fridays “We try to listen to and Saturdays. the students and the StuIn past years, the li- dents’ Association asked brary closed at 5 p.m. on if we could extend the Fridays and Saturdays, weekend hours and that but after considering stu- was a good request that dents’ requests the hours we could do within our have been extended until budget,” said McCallon. 7 p.m. for the weekend. Throughout the school
year, students would consistently stay in the library until closing on Friday and Saturday, so when the Students’ Association made the suggestion, it was immediately taken into consideration. “We saw that we still had students in the building even after we closed on weekends,” McCallon said. McCallon said that the change in hours is expect-
Abilene Christian University
ed to affect students who study in the library more than the librarians and student workers. “Now, students who may not get off work until 5 p.m. will have the opportunity to study in the library in the early evenings,” McCallon said. Budget was an essential concern in the decision to extend the library’s hours. “We looked at the stats
from the gates coming into the library and the amount of traffic at the front desk to determine whether to extend the library’s hours,” McCallon said. “Usage of the library was slower during the summer so we cut back the hours this summer from being open every day to being opened Monday through Saturday. see library page 3
Wednesday 09.25.13
25 Wednesday
26 11 a.m. Come to the Quiet Chapel in Moody
Thursday
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Friday
7 p.m. Volleyball at McNeese State University
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Saturday
12 p.m. Soccer at Nicholls State 6 p.m. Entra a la Plaza at the Hunter Welcome Center patio
2 p.m. Volleyball vs. Nicholls State 4 p.m. Football vs. Tarelton State University 4 p.m. Softball vs. Western Oklahoma
Chapel checkup To date:
Around Abilene
Remaining:
39 61 @acuoptimist
Sept. 25
Sept. 26
Sept. 27
Sept. 28
12 p.m. The Abilene Public Library is conducting the West Texas Book Festival. It will feature a Brown Bag Lunch with Dean Smith.
1 p.m. Tom Branch is conducting a “Learning How to Use Your iPhone” class at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library. Participants should know their Apple ID, password and email address.
10 p.m. The Optimist Club Unlimited of Abilene is conducting it’s 19th Annual Big Country Balloon Fest. The festival will include hot air balloons, games, rides, a silent auction and more.
7 p.m. “The Appetizer”, a music show that airs on KACU, will be hosting a concert in celebration of its 10th Anniversary featuring artists Lindsey Katt and Elliott Park at the Paramount Theatre. General admission is $15.
The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Police Log Announcements Students interested in learning how to step are invited to audition for the Shades Step Squad. Auditions will be 7-10 p.m. Sept. 23-27 Room 103 of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building. Students interested in buying used computers for a great price are invited to attend the ACU Computer Auction at 1 p.m. on Sept. 28 in Cullen Auditorium.
The Career Center is hosting a LinkedIn Headshot Photo Booth 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sept. 23, Oct. 16 and Nov. 5 in the Campus Center. Students can recieve help setting up Linked-In profiles The ACU Theatre is now selling tick- at booth. ets for the homecoming musical Les The ACU Swing Cats host their annual Miserables. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Oct. On the first Monday of every month, event Fall Stomp, featuring the ACU 18-19 and 2 p.m. Oct. 20. Tickets may OME will conduct “Sundaes on MonJazz Band, on Oct. 4 in the Elks Ball- be purchased online at acu.edu/theatre days” in the Campus Center Living room. Admission is free and there will or at the box office 1-5 p.m. Monday- Room. be beginner dance lessons. Friday.
The Engineering and Physics Department is hosting a lecture by Dr. Carlos Stroud, a pioneer in the field of Quantum Optics, Laser Science and Astro Physics. He will be speaking at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 at Walling Lecture Hall.
ACU’s Downtown Gallery’s new exhibit is called “Sacred Spaces” and features new work from Jack Maxwell. The exhibit lasts until Oct. 4.
The Sing Song 2014 Host and Hostess auditions will be Oct. 7 and 8.
Volunteer Opp0rtunities Treadaway Kids is accepting applications for volunteers who love to spend time with children. Volunteers will pick up participating children on Thursday nights throughout the school year and bring them to the designated program location near ACU. Once there, they get time to play together, as well as share in Bible study lessons and other activities for one and a half hours. Students must be able to make a oneyear commitment and attend the weekly Tuesday Treadaway Kids chapel. Applications will be accepted until Friday Sept. 6 and students may fill them out online at acutwk.wix.com/treadawaykids#! or in the CCSL. The Noah Project is seeking volunteers to help with tasks such as answering phone calls, providing child care and doing maintenance and housekeeping. To volunteer, call 325-676-7107. Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information, call 325-670-0246. Volunteers are needed at the BCFS Abilene Transition Center for event planning and setup, assisting in teaching life-skills classes, accompanying transport,visiting homes, and/or assisting in construction of facilities for assisting in the betterment of male and female youth ages 15-25. This opportunity is open each morning Mondays through Fridays. Students interested must contact Johnny Nguyen at 325-692-0033 or jnguyen@bcfs.net. The Betty Hardwick Center is seeking volunteers for the Human Resources Center to help with filing and organizing. This job requires someone with attention to detail who wishes to learn more about Human Resources. The job is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. If you are interested, please contact Martin Walker at 325-690-5235 or mwalker@ bhcmhmr.org by Aug. 31. House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week. House of Faith lasts from 3-5:30 p.m. To volunteer or gain more information, contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@ acu.edu or call 832-331-5324. Volunteers that have a friendly personality and an interest in helping older adults are needed at University Place Retirement. Volunteers are needed to assist the activities director with various tasks throughout the week, as well as some weekends. Contact Haley Rude at 325676-9946 for more information. Rescue the Animals is seeking volunteers to work at the adoption center performing a variety of tasks, from playing with the animals to working in the office. For more information visit their website at http://www.rescuetheanimals.org/volunteer.
Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd St. and Beech St. Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@gmail. com. To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@suddenlink.net. To serve on Wednesdays contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@aol.com. To serve on Thursdays contact Margaret Beasley at 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Rachel Brown at rdb08a@acu.edu. The National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature is looking for volunteers to greet patrons, assist with art activities, sell books and make visitors feel welcome. Help is also needed for special events like Artwalk and exhibit openings. The NCCIL is located at 102 Cedar St. For more information on times and dates contact Debby Lillick at 325-673-4586 or visit http://www. nccil.org/index.htm. The Center for International Education is looking for English speaking students to be paired with international students for English practice, conversation and cultural learning. Partners meet for one hour each week at a time and place determined by their partners. To volunteer contact Laura McGregor at laura.mcgregor@acu.edu. Volunteers are needed to help with daily activities organized by the staff at Chisholm House. This could involve playing board games, arts and crafts and helping with a walking club. For some of these tasks, volunteers may be asked to lead a group or work along side a staff coordinator. Volunteer opportunities are from 2-4 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. daily. Contact Larissa Blankenship at 817-5789296. The International Rescue Committee is seeking volunteers to work with refugees who recently moved to the U.S., teaching English, helping with homework and mentoring. Contact Susanna Lubango to make an appointment at 325675-5643. The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filling requests for items such as clothing and bedding from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick-up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. For more information contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail.com. For more information on the program visit http://www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc.htm. The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items any weekday Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325-695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott. com.
Meals on Wheels Plus needs volunteer drivers to deliver afternoon meals to seniors and adults with disabilities Monday-Friday between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Training is provided. For more information contact Samantha Barker at 352-672-5050 or visit http://mealsonwheelsplus.com. The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible, and volunteers are needed Monday-Saturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408 or visit www. satruck.com. Eternal Threads is seeking volunteers to help with packing and organizing shipments, labeling products, running errands and cleaning any weekday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information contact Pam Early at 325-672-6000 or pam@eternalthreads.com. University Place is seeking volunteers to help with birthday parties for residents on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. For more information contact Linda Tijerina at 325-676-9946. Christian Homes & Family Services is seeking volunteers to do minor landscaping such as raking, trimming bushes, minor apartment repairs and general upkeep MondaySaturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information contact Shaylee Honey at 325-677-2205 or Shoney@ ChristianHomes.com. Big Brothers/Big Sisters offers two volunteer programs. Lunch Buddies pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister to have lunch with once a week for 30 minutes. Lunch Buddies has a preferred time of 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Community Based program pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister that they will hang out with two to four times a month. Both programs require committment to the program for 12-18 months. To sign up stop by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office at 547 Chestnut St. or contact Randy Woods at 325-674-3102. Pregnancy Resources of Abilene is looking for volunteers to perform tasks such as help at the front desk, answer phone calls, teach sexual integrity classes and silent witnessing for STDs and ultrasounds. For more information contact Mary Bone at 325-6726415. The Abilene Zoo is looking for volunteers to help with general labor such as grounds cleanup and painting any weekday at any time between 12-4 p.m. The Zoo is located at 2070 Zoo Ln. Contact Joy Harsh at 325-6766487 for more information. For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www.acu. edu/campusoffices/ccsl/ministry-service/volunteeropportunities/
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news
wednesday 09.25.13
College Democrats seek to turn Texas blue dystanie douglas Student Reporter ACU’s College Democrats aims for change by “Turning Texas Blue”. The College Democrats has been in the midst of the campus for over 10 years, but they plan to become more well-known to the students this year. Elizabeth Koepke, senior political science major from Dallas, is the president of the College Democrats. “Our goal is just to educate people about what the Democratic Party actually
stands for and educate them on how they actually do identify with the Democratic Party,” Koepke said. “Turn Texas Blue” is this year’s theme for the Texas Democratic Party. The ACU College Democrats is, essentially, modeling itself after that theme and wants to bring it to ACU’s campus. “I would really appreciate a more balanced environment when it comes to politics on campus. I know we go to a conservative school, we live in Texas, we’re in the “red” South, but the actual majority of Texas I believe is
turning purple to blue,” Koepke said. “I believe that a lot of ACU’s values, and ACU’s student’s values are more democratic so to speak– very giving and forgiving.” Koepke said in Turning Texas Blue, the College Democrats hope to inform students about the democratic party and important things that everyone should know, such as registering to vote and motivating people to take advantage of that right. “’Turn Texas Blue’” which basically means, getting people registered to vote, getting people to the polls, encour-
aging people to actually go out and vote,” Koepek said. “We want to focus on some of the issues that are pertinent to Texas this year, like women’s rights specifically speaking to issues like prochoice and healthcare,” said Koepke. Abby Fransen, sophomore history major from Fort Worth, said she thinks the College Democrats should be more known throughout campus. “I think its great because there are a lot of different political beliefs on campus. I think it’s really important
that both sides get represented.” Other students, like Chantal Mwiza, sophomore marketing major from Kigali, Rwanda, also support the College Democrats in their expansion. “I am glad to know that the College Democrats are there. I think that it is a courageous move that they are making and I am very interested to see what comes about,” said Mwiza. Michael Kellar, junior biology major from Abilene ,said having the College Democrats on campus will
be an eye-opening and influential organization on campus. Kellar said, “ It’s always a good idea to have organizations that are meant to expound thoughts on the overall processes of ACU. I think it’s a good idea that we have a democratic college,” Kellar said. “I think its good to have as many perspectives as we can on the many points of views on campus.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Students welcome Apple software update eric terrazas student reporter The release of the new iOS 7 software from Apple inspired conversations across the university. Titus Vesel, senior information systems major from Abilene, said, “iOS 7 has drastically changed the way Apple mobile users live their days.” Dr. Scott Hamm, instructional designer, said that he feels the biggest change with the new update is the improved accessibility. “With a good portion of Apple’s market being those 35 and older, larger icons make it much easier to us,” Hamm said. Vesel said the attention to detail is remarkable. The convenience of the new control center and ease of changing the brightness of the screen are all muchneeded improvements, he said. “A quick swipe up and you have direct access to many features that were almost annoying before to get to and I am now able to
delete my flashlight app,” Vesel said. Matt Vela, senior math education major from Arlington, said Apple did a great job not leaving any stones unturned in the making of the new update. “iOS 7 adds things that you didn’t realize you were missing from previous renditions but that you now realize you fully need,” Vela said. “There is still a bit of lag, I’ve found, in the update, but that is expected with any new product.” Vesel said he was reassured by the added security measures. “You are now required to type in your password to deactivate iCould,” Vesel said. “This will, in time, minimize phones being stolen because they are permanently locked to their Apple ID and thieves will deem them useless.” The update is said to change the way mobile Jarred Scheutze Staff Photographer devices are used on a daily Sophomores Jaci Browning, business marketing major from Midlothian, and Yvette Torres, art major from Brownbasis. The efficiency of iOS wood, discuss the new iOS 7 update. 7 will be one of the biggest contributions this update “The more natural it will seem to use them However, Hamm said contact the optimist at will bring to everyone on we become with the de- for learning purposes,” he didn’t feel that the new jmcnetwork@acu.edu campus, Hamm said. vice, the more natural Hamm said. update will have an effect
Alumnus restructures art gallery start-up Brittany sanchez Student Reporter Emineo Art Gallery offers students an opportunity to join their team for a company restructure. Thomas Griffin, founder and CEO of Emineo, held interviews for new interns to come together with his team to refine and research business modules for the company. “We are looking to bring on board three interns,” says Griffin. Emineo currently has an on-campus gallery that collaborates with Wildcat Ventures.
“That gallery is showing student art periodically. About every six weeks there’s an additional show that students can submit their art to. So the art intern basically curates all of the work and hangs the show and promotes future shows,” Griffin said. Griffin said he is looking to add a graphic design and marketing intern to the team. “The graphic design intern and the marketing intern will collaborate to really work on developing a promotional mix. So existentially we want online promotion material and off line promotion
material. We’re looking to leverage non-traditional marketing channels,” Griffin said. Griffin said the interns will be focusing on designing promotional material that could be given out at events and around campuses. It will share the idea of the company and the product. “They will be collaborating on designing those things and setting up events and staying true to our branding,” Griffin said. Griffin said that most of their work will be basic, such as managing the social media and conducting marketing re-
search. This will result in a better understanding of Emineo’s audience. Emineo is looking at a possible re-launch in about 6-12 months. They currently aren’t concentrated on recruiting artists but focusing on the strategy of the business. “With the startup it’s hard to see the future. Definitely things are very dynamic and variable so our plans this week and how we perceive things this week can be drastically different from two months from now,” Griffin said. “We will be facing new opportunities and new obstacles. Ideally, I am trying to craft
a team that is capable of pivoting around the needs that we seek.” Decisions on the new interns will be made by Friday. “I envision Emineo as a premier, first-of-itskind space for creative students to showcase their talents and be discovered. I envision it as a community where artists can collaborate to create some beautiful things. I also see it shifting the current art education paragon to where there are opportunities for education outside of the traditional curriculum,” Griffin said. “That, really, is my hope, that we can
dissolve the starving artist mentality. I know that is pretty idealistic but I think we are working on solutions to that.” Griffin hopes to create something that produces success for artists based on their talent rather than on limitations that exist such as their geography or education. If artists or individuals who would like to learn more want to be involved or have any questions, contact Thomas Griffin at thomas@emineoart. com. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Crickets: Campus gets proactive against crickets from page 1 “It’s a nature thing,” Ruff said. “You just have to be patient and mange it.”Ruff said many things are being done to rid the campus of excessive bug activity, especially in an environmentally friendly way. Strategic chemical treatments have been done in the most significant areas of campus, such as Cullen Auditorium, but Ruff said Campus Management only uses chemicals when absolutely necessary. “Our last resort is to blanket the campus with pesticides,” said Ruff.
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We are being as proactive as possible about this problem.”
Corey Ruff Executive director of Facilities and Campus management
Ruff and his staff practice an environmentallyfriendly integrated pest management that is a better way to control or eliminate pest activity without as much harmful chemicals being introduced to the atmosphere. Substances such as Diatomaceous Earth, an or-
ganic silica which kills and dries out the bugs body, leaves no toxins. WFF Facility Services, the custodial staff on ACU, is doing its part by keeping bug waste to a minimum. ACU campus lights up at night and attracts field crickets, predatory black beetles and other insects. Facilities management and ACU police are in the process of reducing the amount of lighting on campus each night, so pests aren’t as attracted to campus. There have been some complaints about bugs in residential halls and oth-
Library: Changes in hours to benefit students from page 1 Now we are utilizing the savings from cutting back on summer hours and it is being applied to our extended hours.” Student workers and librarians have also been affected by the change in hours, but not to as great an extent as students who don’t work there. “Student employees are still working the same number of hours” McCallon said. “We’ve just adjusted their hours to extend into the
evening. Librarians and library staff are not required to stay past 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so it won’t be much different for them.” Whether the result of the extended hours is effective or not is too early to determine, though, according to desk worker Nathan Perritano, senior psychology major from San Antonio. “This past weekend most students were out of the library by 7 p.m., except for about 20,” said Perritano. “It’ll probably change for
midterms and finals but it will probably be the same besides that.” There are different expectations for what will result in the change in hours, but overall it seems to be a positive change. “Students will get to work those four extra hours,” Perritano said. “And students will be able to use the library longer.” contact fritz at ref11a@acu.edu
er buildings on campus, but Ruff said most of the problems have been dealt with in a timely manner. Ruff said that his he and his staff are already brainstorming and pre-
paring for next years’ visit put it in to use for the fuby the insects. ture,” he said. “We are being as proactive as possible about this problem, and we can contact The optimist at take what we learned optimist@acu.edu from previous years and
news
wednesday 09.25.13
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New hours of operation for Team 55 present conflict shera niemirowski student reporter The laptop desk and Team55 help closes at 7 p.m. this year, as opposed to last year when it was open the same times as the library. Kay Reeves, executive director of Information Technology, said the time changes where not by choice. “It was nothing but a budget cut,” Reeves said. “We had to cut back significantly on our spending.” With the budget cuts, students have lost direct access to supplies that allow them to complete assignments. Many students use
the library computers to print, or they’ll check out a charger from the Team 55 desk to finish a project on their own device. Hannah Knight, sophomore psychology major from Midlothian, works at the learning desk studio and said she is upset by the change of hours. “The library doesn’t close until midnight, so people can lose five hours of homework time if they don’t have their own laptop or if they didn’t bring their charger with them,” said Knight. Michael Kellar, senior biology major Abilene, said the process of printing off assignments has become increasingly difficult.
“Students often email themselves a homework assignment to print on a library computer, but when the computers are all taken on the second f loor, that’s impossible to accomplish,” said Kellar. Kellar said students can usually adjust their schedules to go to the library throughout the day, but finals week will create a new level of concern. Both Knight and Kellar agree that ACU students need Team55 to remain open as long as the library is in order to help everyone finish homework. Mary Melissa Keil Staff Photographer contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Paige Buck, senior marketing major from New Braunfels, works the front desk of Team 55, located in the library.
Wishing Well officers selected caroline hardie student reporter
mandy lambright chief Photographer
Professor Dan McGregor talks to students in his Introduction to Illustration class about famous pirate illustrators of old, in honor of National Talk Like a Pirate Day.
ACU’s chapter of Wishing Well is going through transition with both its leadership positions and approach to fundraising. Brandy Rains, senior art education major from Fort Worth is the director of ACU’s Wishing Well chapter, an organization that tries to expose the water crisis that is happening all over the world. “The purpose of our chapter is to raise money for at least 1 well every semester and to raise awareness on campus of social injustices, including the water crisis,” Rains said. Rains is stepping down as director and is training Madison Pounds, sophomore elementary education major from Fredricksburg and Delaney Noel, junior pre-occupational therapy major from Centennial, Colo. to be the new directors of Wishing Well. “So far my training has entailed meeting with Brandy about ideas for the future, helping develop a budget, and attending a budget meeting and a Student Association meeting to learn more of how the system works on campus,” Pounds said. Rains said she thinks that Pounds and Noel are more than capable of tak-
ing on the demanding job of being the directors of Wishing Well. “I have seen them come up with great ideas and I can see how excited they are,” Rains said. “It has shown me how much they care about loving people through our ministry.” Pounds said she has faith that she and Delaney can get the ACU community involved solivthe water crisis. “My favorite thing about the people of ACU is when they know of a problem, they are more than willing to help and get involved,” Pounds said. Wishing Well is re-evaluating its approach to fundraising. “In the past, we have seen a great success with our poetry slams,” Rains said. “The student-centered music and poetry events work really well for us.” They want to introduce a new fundraising event. “We had an idea to do a cookout on campus and invite musicians to perform for us,” Rains said. They hope to make a competitive fundraising event between men and women to see who can raise more money for the well in the hopes of raising more money. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
ACU Alumnus comes to Abilene raise awareness for abandoned children Marci Hoxworth staff reporter Stephen Sheasby, ACU alumnus and founder of Mission Providence, will be on campus the week of Sept. 30. He will be educating students and faculty on his organization and how ACU can get involved. Mission Providence is a non-profit organization that takes in abandoned infants in Durban, South Africa. The organization nurses the infants to health and
works with state social workers to give them homes. “ O u r job is to love, feed sheasby and clothe them and to take care of their medical needs. We concentrate on the whole person: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical,” Sheasby said. Through donations and advocacy, Mission Providence is able to provide
proper homes and medical attention to the infant that once had nothing. “We are here in the U.S. for the purpose of raising awareness and funds to sustain this ministry to the ‘least of these,’” Sheasby said. Stephen and his wife Esme left their comfortable life in Houston to follow God to South Africa. There, they established Mission Providence, and took in their first baby in May of 2012. “We felt God calling us to
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We concentrate on the whole person: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical.” stephan sheasby Founder of Mission Providence
ministry in South Africa. On an exploratory trip in 2007 we visited a crisis home for babies in Johannesburg called ‘A Hole in the Wall’ and knew this was part of God’s plan for our future,” Sheasby said. Students can get involved by donating to Mis-
sion Providence, requesting information to host a virtual baby shower and raising awareness of the foundation. The Sheasbys also ask that the ACU community pledge to pray for the organization. “We believe that everyone can commit to keep-
ing our ministry in your personal prayers. Specifically, we need people to pray for the health of the babies, the future parents of the babies and for our safety,” Sheasby said. To learn more about how to get involved with the organization, like “Mission Providence” on Facebook or visit the website http:// missionprovidence.org/.
contact the optimist at optimist@acu.edu
Sociology department moves across campus tommy evans student reporter The Department of Sociology has been moved across campus to merge with the Communication Department. In a move that has been in the works for about two years, the Department of Sociology has been moved from the Administration building to its new home with the Communication Department. Students are not expected to see any other major changes alongside the change in location. “Students will see no change in their curriculum, and really only will see a change in the physical location of their department and some classes” said Joe Cardot,
chair of the Department of Sociology and Communication. Cardot said the department’s move has been in the works for about two years, and was initially looked into because of the strong connection and existing relationship between the two departments. “Quite a bit of combined research has taken place between the two departments, which was really the initial reason the merge was being looked into,” Cardot said. Dr. Suzie Macaluso, assistant professor of Sociology felt that the merge was great for both departments and is excited about continuing to grow the future of the program. “Sociology and communication have a lot
of similarities in terms of research methods and theories. The move strengthens both programs and is a natural fit,” Macaluso said. Cardot said sociology was previously connected to the school of social work, but administration deemed the department fit better with communication from a discipline standpoint. “I’m excited to continue working with communication faculty and students and building up our sociology major, minor and the role of sociology in the department,” said Macaluso.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
5
featureS
Wednesday 09.25.13
PRESIDENTS’ ADDRESS
P
eter Parker advised, “With great power comes great responsibility.” No statement sticks closer to the ten elected presidents of ACU’s
socia l clubs. The presidents’ itinerary includes weekly meetings with Student Life, leading club meetings, organizing events, communicating with club sponsors, delegating tasks to their officers and the managing of anything and everything club-related. “It’s quite a list,” said Galaxy President Landon Long, a senior, business management and political science major from Pampa. “I send and receive an extraordinary amount of texts and emails,” said Frater Sodalis President Elliot Klar, senior environmental science major from Juda, WI. As for all the inevitable issues and mishaps not included in the regular itinerary, the responsibility falls on them. “To sum it up, I mostly make sure the club doesn’t fall apart, whatever that may mean for any particular moment,” said Alpha Ki Omega President Rachel Easley, senior psychology major from Belton. How a president is able to deal with the people and the problems determines how successful he or she can lead a social club. “If you are afraid to communicate, it will probably not go well,” said Mark Jackson, associate director of student organizations and programs. Many found presidency to be an opportunity to utilize their God-given abilities. Easley said she pursued the position only after many prayers and persuasion from club friends. “I think it won me over because it’s something I thought I could do well,” she said. “The job description fits who I am and what I love to do.” Unlike the other nine, Robert Hull, a senior piano performance major from Ripon, Calif. is a veteran to the position. This will be his second term serving as Pi Kappa President. At the encouragement of the previous president, Hull ran for club president his junior year and was elected for the office despite pledging the previous semester. “Towards the end of last year, people started asking me whether I was going to run for president again,” he said. “I was worn out from the year but I also knew that I would love the opportunity to serve again.” Others were simply looking for a way to be further involved with their club. “I saw a unique opportunity to lead,” said Sigma Theta Chi President Kayli Huddleston, senior business management from San Angelo. “I wanted to do more and make an impact on our club and all of these girls’ lives.” But being chief is not all fun in games. “The hardest part about being president is having to be the bad guy sometimes,” Huddleston said, “Or being the one responsible for giving people news they do not want to hear.” For Sub T-16 President Nick Nolan, senior accounting major from North Richland Hills, being the chief confronter means confronting his own nerves. “The hardest part is talking in front of people,” he said. “I am not a fan.” The ten club chiefs are also learning to deal with defeat. “As president, there’s no one else to turn to when failures happen,” Hull said. “It’s your responsibility. You just have to move on, acknowledge that there’s going to be failures along the way and do your best to learn from them.”
But all presidents agreed that the bonds made with club members are the most rewarding perks of presidency. “I love having the opportunity to invest in these guys and allowing them to invest in me,” Long said. “I love the fact
With all the logistics and paper work required for events, a solid officer team is essential, they said. “It’s difficult to distinguish my responsibilities from the responsibilities of my officer team, because we share
that I get to serve these guys each and every day, and I get so much joy out of that.”
our responsibilities like any team does,” Long said. “All too often, the president becomes the face that people on cam-
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Gabi Powell Gabi Powellcontact powell Features Editor gmp10b@acu.edu Features Editor F
pus recognize, but if you are involved in a club or have been around any officers, you will realize that the president doesn’t do all the work. Trojan President Cameron Cox, senior marketing major from Roscoe, agreed. “My position is immaterial,” he said. “The rest of the officers and members could do it without me. I just try to lighten the load.” With each new presidency comes a new platform and changes to implement new traditions or revise old ones. For the women of Zeta Rho, President Kelsie Andrews, a senior nutrition major from San Antonio, said this means debuting a new club song and weekly Zeta Rho chapel. “We are really working to build stronger bonds in our club by adding some fun activities throughout the semester to build unity as women in Christ,” she said. Jackson said social clubs as a whole will see a change by incorporating more service activities this year. “I want the student body, faculty and staff to know all of the incredible things our students do throughout the year,” he said. “We are going to promote that more and try and do several events together that focus around service.” For the women’s social club presidents, this year’s pledging comes with the extra challenge of accommodating the almost 100 extra women signed up to pledge compared to last year. ACU extended the number of bids a club can accept this year to 65. “I think it will make pledging a lot more exciting,” Huddleston said. “It’s always fun to see pledges from all of the different clubs on campus. It might make things kind of chaotic at times, but I’m excited that so many people want to pledge simply because of the positive impact club can have.” With the increase in female pledges, the clubs are making changes to the upcoming pledging season. “We thought this was a good opportunity to re-evaluate some of our events and make sure they all had a specific purpose,” Huddleston said. “We are going to try to be much more intentional about making it clear to the girls why they are participating in certain events. I think it will make the whole process even more valuable to the pledges.” With Bid Night just days away, the social club presidents offered a range of advice for the soon-to-be pledges. “Have fun with it,” Nolan said. “If you have a bad attitude it can ruin the experience of pledging.” “Pray often, take deep breaths and enjoy every moment because it goes by so fast,” Easley said. “Don’t let yourself be consumed by pledging,” Hull said. “Those few weeks are going to demand a lot from you, so you need to plan and adjust accordingly.” “Before Bid Night, write yourself a list of reasons why you want to pledge,” Andrews said. “Whenever you get stressed out or overwhelmed go back and read that list to help remind you why you are doing what you are doing and regain focus.” “Find joy in looking out for your pledge class because club isn’t about you,” Long said. “It’s about unity and raising up an entire group of individuals.” “Get some sleep,” Klar said. ”Friday evening is going to be a long night.” “Take full advantage of the McDonald’s, Taco Bueno, and Whataburger drive-thrus,” Huddleston said. “They will sustain you on those late nights and early mornings.”
Opinion
6
Wednesday 09.25.13
editorial
‘Harry Potter’ spin off just a money-maker the issue Warner Brothers Entertainment announced J.K. Rowling would write screen play for ‘Harry Potter’ spin off.
our take Studios are revamping popular franchises to make a profit. The results could be good, but fans shouldn’t expect the same results.
With the “Harry Potter” series’ pop culture dominance throughout the past decade, it is not surprising that this series has developed such a dynamic and widespread fan base. As such, there were millions of people cheering when the news of a new “Harry Potter” movie hit the press. Warner Brothers Entertainment announced Sept. 12 that J.K. Rowling would make her screen-writing de-
but in a Harry Potter movie spin off. The movie will be separate from the previous eight movies, with the setting, the Wizarding World, as the only similarity. Rowling also announced that the plot will feature the adventures of Newt Scamander, who is the author of one of Harry Potter’s schoolbooks: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Warner Brothers is simply playing with fire without
the fear of being burned. Businessweek magazine remarked it’s “no doubt [that] having Rowling plunge back into the world of wizardry is one of [Warner Brother’s] safest bets,” and it is exactly right. Warner Brothers reportedly took in over $7 billion in total grossing from the eight films of the “Harry Potter” series. The arrival of this new wizardry movie, seemingly from out of nowhere, is simply an attempt to keep that money-ball rolling. This continuation of seemingly “closed” projects seems to be a common theme in the entertainment industry over the past few years. Some other, recent examples of this phenomenon include
the announcements of Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” Disney’s “Star Wars: Episode VII,” 20th Century Fox’s “Independence Day 2,” and Universal Studio’s “Jurassic Park 4.” Clearly these screenwriters are running out of fresh ideas. All of these production companies seem to be taking directions from the same handbook. They are simply playing on the fan bases that already exist for these past hits. Take “Star Wars” for example. There is a good chance that the seventh installment, set to premier in 2015, will be terrible. However, every single fan will see the movie when it hits the big screen, and that is what Disney is banking on.
By continuing the “Harry Potter” series without repeating the same story line, Warner Brothers is set to score big at the box office, with no risk on their part. This movie will have the same amount of fans as the other eight films, so in reality, Warner Brothers has nothing to lose besides the general respect of Potterheads across the nation. Although in show business, respect isn’t truly worth that much anyway. What can be done about theses cinema sins every production company insists on making? The moviegoer must take these films at face value and attempt to avoid comparing these movies to their originals. This starts with examin-
ing the trailer with wide eyes and a clear mind. If it looks good then that’s great, but if not, don’t hold your breath. Simply refuse to expect a movie similar to the makeup of the ones in the past. If audiences are able to attend these premiers with an open mind, then maybe, just maybe, these movies have a chance of doing well. However, if a Potterhead enters the 10 p.m. showing of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and expects to see more Harry Potter and Voldemort action, then they will leave the movie theatre extremely disappointed.
contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
DAILY doodle dosage
Letter
Ben Todd
Wood: Response to “50 Shades of women’s roles” Response to “50 Shades of women’s roles” by Gary Wood, from Sacramento, Calif. Alikay and Editor, I applaud your pluck. Nevertheless, some of your brush strokes are a wee bit broad. Assuming that “Fifty Shades of Grey,” is about dominance and submission, the assertion that these ideas are central to traditional Christian teaching is unacceptable. You assert that Christianity teaches many of the same qualities presented in the Fifty Shades series and suggest that a dominant, controlling man is considered attractive while an innocent, submissive girl is por-
“
These corageous people lived lives contrary to their cultural norms in the manner taught by the one to whom they willingly submitted...”
trayed as the ideal woman. Where in “Christianity” is any dominant man considered attractive? Perhaps some misguided segments of Christianity and ACU’s subculture hold such views, but not all of “Christianity.” Paul’s instruction for wives to submit to their husbands, was in the context of male dominated cultures, yet husbands are instructed to an arguably higher standard - to
love their wives as Christ loved the Church. Christ, the physically present embodiment of the creator of the universe, made himself a man of low standing, little reputation and built his following from rejects, the forsaken and the lowly. Jesus was hardly dominant or controlling when riding on the back of a donkey, washing his disciples feet or remaining silent while being falsely accused. Following Paul’s instruction to use Christ’s love as the example would require men to similarly give up on a daily basis their standing, power and reputation, even to the point of death, to demonstrate unconditional love to their spouse. Who wouldn’t yield to a daily demonstration of that kind of love, whether man or woman? When contemplating the ideal Christian gender roles, rather than thinking of the chains and whips used in our depraved pop culture’s most recent literary upchuck, consider instead the whips and chains used on Christ’s first followers (perhaps even reading on the subject in the most popular book of all time, the Bible). These courageous people lived lives contrary to their cultural norms in the manner taught by the one to whom they willingly submitted and called Lord or Master. Isn’t that what we should really be getting at, anyway? contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
column
Emmy ‘losers’ deserve trophies runner or clear favorite. Even I found myself acting as a mother trying to choose a favorite child. But at the end of the night, I was still disappointed as Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, Jon Hamm,
PASS THE PUNS, PLEASE
GABI POWELL FEATURES EDITOR
Participation trophies will forever be the most degrading tokens of childhood. No-place science fair contestants walked away with them and little league “athletes” expected them. It did not matter if the kid’s lava mountain spewed or if his Capri Sun consumption on the bench outweighed his game minutes. At the end of the meet or season, the whole lot was awarded blue ribbons, pity prizes or commissary mementos. But as I wrote a few weeks ago, competition intends for only one team to win the gold. And as competition intends, the annual Primetime Emmy awards
were established to award excellence in primetime television, and for only one “team” to win gold. But this year’s 65th awards show stood to correct me and I demand a distribution of participation trophies. From the announcement of the nominees, the awards show was doomed to be a heartbreaker. On Sunday night, rows upon rows of respected actors and actresses were gathered to vie for the 26 gold statues. “No one in America is winning their Emmy office pool,” host Neil Patrick declared during the night. “Surprises galore.” Many of this year’s categories had no one front-
“
... I still feel the Emmy’s ‘losers’ deserved more than the intangible honors of being named a nominee.”
Bryan Cranston, Michelle Dockery, Tina Fey, Lena Dunham, Jim Carter, Peter Dinklage, Aaron Paul and Maggie Smith walked away as “runner-ups” in their nominated categories with no silver medals to show.
As I wrote a few weeks ago, competition creates a concrete partition between winners and losers. The winners of this year’s Emmy’s were undoubtedly deserving of top honors. Yet, I still feel the Emmy’s “losers” deserved more than the intangible honors of being named a nominee. Perhaps I have been raised in a culture that feels the need to compensate losing with some lesser degree of winning. Perhaps I’m trying to redeem boxes of my own undeserving, consolation ribbons. Or perhaps I just watch too much television. But for the “losers” of this year’s Emmy Awards, I’m calling it a deadlocked tie, with shared victories and participation trophies all around. contact POWELL at GMP10B@acu.edu
hashtagACU Sept. 20 7:59 a.m. Sept. 23 11:11 a.m.
HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED WAS NAMED. #ACUChapel
Sept. 18 10:02 a.m.
Clearly ACU ladies are ready for fall. #SweatersandSandals
Sept. 23 11:28 a.m.
Wait, ACU’s conservative?
@JulesChapman66 @Madalion13
@lukeshumann
Sept. 23 3:36 p.m.
Sept. 22 9:22 p.m.
I had my hands full earlier and this guy let the door go in my face. Let’s just say not every guy here is a gentleman.
@jackie_kristin
Sept. 23 1:00 p.m.
fall is like that awkward kid at a party that just needs to be coaxed out of its shell. come on fall, we all accept you here!
@sydneycherie
ACU leads all of college football with 213 points scored. Baylor is next with 209. End of discussion. #acappella
@grantboone
editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing
personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.
published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board
Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
newsroom (325) 674-2439
sports desk (325) 674-2684
Sept. 23 10:07 a.m.
Sept. 23 8:58 a.m.
Practicing speech sounds in the library gets you some strange looks.... #speechpathproblems
My professor walked into the library as I was deciding whether to work on the paper for his class. #heknows
Didn’t even brush my hair this morning but you bet that I made time to go get Chic Fil A. #priorities #senior
@sarahhdianee
@AudreyLucille
@Pocolocoelijah Sept. 19 9:33 a.m.
Sept. 23 8:56 a.m.
Sept. 23 2:28 p.m.
Yoga pants with an oversized T-shirt should not at all be attractive. Yet here we are...
Are you from Star Wars? Cause you LUKE great!! #girlsdonttalktome
@DudneyD
@DillonReed21
Apparently the female uniform at ACU today was a sweater and athletic shorts. Missed that memo. #wouldhavebeenontimetomy8am
@eklh2010
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sports
wednesday 09.25.13
ACU unable to claim first Southland win Collin wieder sports reporter
The top tier of Southland Conference gave the Lady ‘Cats two tough losses in their first two matches. The ‘Cats lost against both Central Arkansas and Oral Roberts University in three sets to drop their record to 4-6. The wildcats kept the game close but eventually fell
short in all three sets. “Our offense is struggling to score and, defensively, we didn’t have our best games. But, overall, we did hang with two good teams,” said head coach Kellen Mock. The two matches had some great performances by sophomores Madison Hoover and Sarah Siemens. Madison Hoover had two successful games by combining for a total of 21 digs. Sarah Siemens had a
solid performance against Central Arkansas by recording 19 assists. Siemens continued her success against Oral Roberts by recording 20 assists. Siemens said the two games were beneficial to the girls.` “It was good because we got to see what kinds of teams the Southland Conference brings and to know that they are beatable,” said Siemens, who reached a season total of 279 assists.
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a 7-8 record and 1-2 conference record, while Nicholls State comes in 3-9 with a 0-2 conference record. The crowd that came out to Moody to see the Kellen Mock Tech game had a huge imHead coach pact on the game giving acu volleyball lots of morale to the ‘Cats. A high attendance of specThe team will be play- tators at the game, similar ing McNeese State on Sept. to the Texas Tech game, 26 and Nicholls State on should help the Wildcats Sept. 28. Both games are return to form, Mock said. here in Abilene. “One of the things we McNeese comes in with wanted to do this year was
One of the things we wanted to do this year was make Moody Coliseum a tough place to play.”
make Moody Coliseum a tough place to play,” she said. The away crowds have been subpar compared to most of the other Southland opponents, giving Moody Coliseum a chance to be known as a tough place to play around the conference.
contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu
Wildcats outlasted by Redbirds on the road matthew sloan sports director The ACU football team travelled to Ill. to take on Illinois State looking for a road victory, but fell short 31-17. “You know coming in here that this is going to be a tough gig,” head coach Ken Collums said. “You have to put together four quarters of quality football to have a chance to beat Illinois State and we didn’t do that.” The Wildcats were within seven points late in the second quarter when the Redbirds returned a punt for a touchdown to end the half and steal the momentum from ACU. “I don’t know that there is a worse time for that to happen, but that was not a good time for that to happen,” Collums said. “But I thought we responded in the third quarter we just could not finish the job here against a really good team.” ACU hung tough entire game though and put together a strong showing in their first road game as a Div. I team. “I thought the atmosphere here was great,” Collums said. “You read about it and you hear about it. This is ultimately what we want on our campus. This is a super classy place, and these guys deserve it.” Wide receiver Darian Hogg caused a ton of problems for the Redbird defense, scoring a couple of touchdowns. Hogg also had 68 yards receiving to lead the team. “I thought that Darian played well. I thought he competed hard,” Collums said. “I thought all of our mandy lambright Chief Photographer guys competed hard. I thought he could have Darian Hogg turns up the field to run after the catch last week in Shotwell Stadium. Hogg had another great game had an even better game against Ill. State Saturday, catching five balls including two touchdowns despite ACU losing the game 31-17. Hogg if we could have gotten and the rest of the Wildcats take on Tarleton State this Saturday in Frisco.
the ball to him a little more. Same thing with Taylor and Darrell Harkless.” Quarterback John David Baker tossed two touchdown passes and finished the game with 232 yards through the air. ACU’s offense showed a lot of their playbook during the game, getting creative with reverses and other innovative plays that got the ball into the hands of ACU playmakers. Defensively, the Wildcats held their own for the duration of the game, forfeiting only two touchdowns to a potent ISU offense. The Redbirds physical offensive line was unable to push the Wildcats around. ACU only gave up 3.7 yards per rush and held ISU to just over 200 yards in the air as well. Linebacker Justin Stephens recorded a game high 13 tackles and one tackle for loss. Stephens is still playing with a protective cast over his hand because of early season surgery. Linebacker Thor Woerner and safety Angel Lopez had 10 tackles each in the game as well. Lopez recorded a sack on fourth down in the third quarter to give ACU the ball back in great field position and a chance to tie the game. Unfortunately the Wildcats were unable to get anything going in the second half, and the Redbirds outlasted ACU and hung on for the win. ACU will be back in action next Saturday in Frisco against Tarleton State at 4 p.m. contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu
Love: Loerch and team find joy playing from page 8 “I immediately loved it, the school, my team and just the atmosphere at ACU,” Loerch said. The team played well on all cylinders of the game blowing out Tech 2511 in the first set, while Loerch led the team with 16 kills and dug 14 blistering shots from Tech’s offensive frontline. Loerch played for a club team called Austin Performance, which is known for competing well. She knows a number of players around the state and the team’s they play on, but she looks forward to playing an old high school district rival Amanda Ris-
ter, defensive specialist for Stephen F. Austin University, at libero. “We’ve never really talked to each other, but
“
the court reveals a different side to her. She hates losing more than she loves winning, so her competitive drive is visually evi-
I immediately loved it, the school, my team and just the atmosphere at ACU.”
it’s kind of like that we both know who each other are because we were rivals all four years of high school,” Loerch said. Off the court Jennie is easy going, not easily stressed and laid back, off
Jennie Loerch sophomore outside hiter Georgetown
dent on the court. “I always play to my full potential and I want my team to play to their full potential as well, so I’d say I’m pretty intense and competitive, but encouraging on the court as
well,” Loerch said. Loerch has always been confident in her ability to play volleyball, but she understands the importance of working and communicating as a team in order to win games. With the territory of being an outside hitter comes the responsibility of leading and calling different shots while the ball is in play. It is a tough position to play, but Loerch thrives on the pressure the position holds. The team had a conversation after the first few games this season to point out the strengths each player adds to the team. Her teammates expressed their opinion of Jennie as a player who is steady, level-
headed, dependable and consistent. Loerch said she considers her team to be a group of girls who will forever remain by her side. “One of our team goals is to play with joy, and I’ve never seen so much love for each other on a team,”
Loerch said. “They are so encouraging, and they give me confidence while building bonds and respect for each other; I just love my teammates.” contact isbell at jri10a@acu.edu
sports
wednesday 09.25.13
Soccer team ‘may never lose again’
8
standings Soccer
daniel zepeda sports editor The women’s soccer team remained undefeated after this weekend, defeating both Southland conference rivals Sam Houston State and Houston Baptist University. They overcame the Bearkats 2-1, on Friday and shutout the Huskies 1-0 on Sunday. “The feel of the team before the game was electric,” senior Andrea Carpenter said. “We were so pumped up and ready to go. We wanted our first conference game to be a win.” The Wildcats went into the game with a 6-0-1 record, while the Bearkats were 2-4-1. ACU headed
mary melissa keil Staff Photographer
Tiffany Ysassi battles for a ball at the ACU soccer pitch. into halftime with no score, but came out of the second half on a mission. Senior Jacey Ferrara scored on an assist from freshman Natalie Throneberry in the 51st minute to go up by a goal. Two minutes later, Fer-
rara made a pass to Carpenter for another goal, pushing the score to 2-0. A late goal from Sam Houston led to the final score, 2-1. “We talked about a couple of things at half time that we needed to
fix. We knew we could win this game if we fixed what we had discussed,” Carpenter said. “After Jacey scored, we were so excited. I think we fed off that energy and kept up the pace of the game and that’s how we got the other quick goal.” The team took on the Houston Baptist Huskies on Sunday. An early goal in the first 10 minutes by Throneberry gave the Wildcats the 1-0 lead. Solid defense from the ‘Cats and good play from freshman Sydney Newton allowed ACU to hold on to the lead and continue their run at early season dominance, pushing their record to an impressive 8-0-1. Newton had seven saves on the day, making her an essen-
tial player in the Wildcat Team shutout. “The defense did a ACU good job and Sydney Nicholls St. made some great saves,” SELU head coach Casey Wilson ORU said. “Houston Baptist SFA is a real good team and SHSU fought well the entire UCA game. It was good for us UIW to get that early score, considering there were Lamar a high number of close NSU HBU calls throughout.” The Wildcats are 2-0 MSU in the Southland Con- TAMU-CC ference and will take on Nicholls State Sept. 27 in Thibodaux, La. Both Volleyball teams are undefeated in both the Southland and Team SHSU own 8-0-1 records. ORU UCA SFA contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu TAMU-CC NSU MSU Lamar HBU UIW SELU ACU NSU NO
Div.
Ovrl.
2-0-0 2-0-0 2-0-0 2-0-0 1-1-0 1-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-2-0 0-2-0
8-0-1 8-0-1 7-1-1 7-2-0 6-2-1 3-5-1 3-3-2 6-2-0 3-5-0 2-6-0 1-6-1 5-4-1 1-7-0
Div.
Ovrl.
3-0 3-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-2 1-2 0-1 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2
6-6 10-2 10-3 10-4 7-6 5-8 7-8 3-11 5-8 4-4 6-8 4-6 3-9 2-12
Team
Div.
Ovrl.
ACU MSU SHSU UCA Lamar Nicholls St. NSU SLU SFA
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
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Still Jennie with the block jimmy isbell sports reporter She grew up in an athletic family working toward her dream of playing volleyball at a Div. I university after graduating with a notable volleyball career at Georgetown High in 2012. Jennie Loerch, the 5-foot, 9-inch sophomore outside hitter fulfilled her dream this year when ACU moved up to Div. I this year and began competition in the Southland Conference, a conference known to have a few notable volleyball teams. On Sept. 10 the ACU volleyball team had an opportunity to rematch Texas Tech and send a message to all Div. I programs in the state. Loerch realized her dream came true when over 1,300 ACU students dressed in purple filled the seats of Moody Coliseum to support her and the team against the Red Raiders. After warming up, Loerch smiled in amazement at how this crowd and her play would help them win the bout. “The whole time I did not really look around during warmups, but then during the national anthem I glanced around and saw how many people were in the stands,” Loerch said. “I’ve never really played in an atmosphere like that, so it really fueled the fire for our team, even before the first serve.” The atmosphere was indescribable for head coach Kellen Mock and her team. “What makes this win so much sweeter is the support we had from Moody Coliseum,” Mock said. “The cheering and support never stopped; from start to finish the crowd was into the game encouraging our girls throughout all the diversity that comes with seeking revenge on a good Texas Tech team.” Loerch and the three other sophomores who started last year as freshman started to mesh well with each other this season. “Everyone on the team has a different mindset going into the season this year to establish ourselves as a top Div. I team,” Loerch said. “My teammates have brought a whole other level of intensity, leadership and discipline; and it is beginning to
Outside Hitter Loerch relishes Div. I experience
football
ex- factor New York Jets wide receiver Clyde Gates returned three kicks for 53 yards in Sunday’s win against the Buffalo Bills. St. Louis Rams running back Daryl Richardson was injured on his first play against the Cowboys Sunday. Richardson should play next week. Houston Texans safety Danieal Manning had three tackles in the loss to the Baltimor Ravens Sunday. Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Bernard Scott was released last week as he recovers from a torn ACL that has sidelined him so far this year.
briefings mandy lambright chief Photographer
Jennie Loerch and her teammate Dorothy Swanson go up for a block against Texas Tech in Moody Coliseum earlier in the year. The duo are part of the a young and talented group of players for ACU this season. pay off.” Loerch came to ACU with another teammate from Georgetown High, Haley Rhoads, and said she never saw herself com-
ing to ACU because she wanted it would be a good experience to play Div. I volleyball, which for her to visit and get a feel for was not available at ACU when ACU’s volleyball program. she was recruited. see love page 7 However, her father told her
Selecting a sport for your future kid SLOAN RANGER MATTHEW SLOAN SPORTS DIRECTOR
For many of us, our days in competitive athletics are long gone. However, that does not mean we can’t think, hope, root and possibly pray that our children will land in the perfect sport so we can live vicariously through them. First, it is important to choose the perfect sport for our future children to participate in. For a girl, the sports are wide open. Soccer, volleyball, tennis, soccer and softball are all great choices. The question becomes which sport would be best for your particular unborn child?
If you are 6 feet 8 inches volleyball might be great for your daughter, because her height would give her an advantage. If you’re shorter, angling your daughter for soccer or softball may ensure success for them. Swimming might be great for your daughter because she is a little fish in the water. I guess we can’t plan out her entire life just yet. If you have a boy, then sports such as football and hockey provide interesting problems for you. On the one hand, nothing can quite compare to watching your
little boy physically dominate some other little boy, but there is health to consider. I love football but I am not sure if I want my kid to have to worry about the physical toll it can take on his body. Busted up joints and concussions are not something I would want to see my kid dispense or receive, which makes me nervous about him playing football. Other sports such as basketball and baseball are appealing as well. However, my short stature will undoubtedly be a problem for him on the court. Baseball would be excellent if he could avoid the arm pain that pushes so many high school players to down four or five Advil before games just to dull the pain. That be-
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The perfect sport for any child is golf.
ing said, the smell of the grass and playing catch with this fictitious son already has me thinking of my childhood. Yet, whether a boy or girl, the best sport for your future kid to play has not been mentioned yet. The perfect sport for any child is golf. The injury bug seems to bite less in golf, and, statistically speaking, it is easier to claim a college scholarship because there is less participation.
Golf also allows you to play with your kid and spend up to six hours on the course talking about life. Even if your child does not have an aptitude for the sport that will earn them a college scholarship, a basic understanding of golf and at least a menial level of ability will serve him or her in the business world later on in life. Of course, as future parents we should not force our children into anything that they do not want to be a part of. But, when they ask about the pretty course from their car seat as you drive by, it wouldn’t hurt to get a 7-iron in their hands and hope for the best. contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu
The football team will wear a special ribbon decal on their helmets for their games in September to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. Senior soccer player Jacey Ferrara scored a goal in her match against her sister and Sam Houston State last week. ACU won the match 2-0. The women’s tennis team won 15 matches over the weekend in Idaho at the Boise State Jack Taylor Classic.
Upcoming Volleyball is on the road to play McNeese State Thursday at 7 p.m. in Moody. Soccer travells to Nicholls State Friday at 4 p.m. to put their unbeated record on the line. The men’s tennis team plays at UTChattanooga and the women’s team plays at Rice Friday.