Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community @ThePaisano @paisanomedia paisano-online.com
By Laynie Clark News Editor
On Sept. 26, a protest titled “Hands Off Lebanon” took place at UTSA, organized by the Young Democratic Socialists of America. The event was held in the Sombrilla, in an attempt to draw attention to Lebanon and Palestine.
The protest featured speeches from various speakers who emphasized the urgency of divesting from companies profiting from conflict in the region. One speaker expressed their frustration, stating, “I am sick to my stomach every day watching the horrific manifestation of white supremacy that is Zionism and the fake state of Israel.” This sentiment was echoed throughout the event, with calls of action aimed at targeting corporations complicit in the violence.
“I’m sick of asking of politicians to agree to stand up against genocide. These politicians do not move with morality. America does not move with what is right or wrong. America owes nothing but money, nothing but greed,” the same speaker stated.
The next speaker took a different approach to convey his message by using familiar analogies.
“How would you explain to your child that his sister won’t make it back home for dinner that night? That she, like 40,000 others, won’t make it back home ever again,” the speaker asked. “How do you explain to your child that her father has not yet been found beneath the
‘Hands Off Lebanon’ protest demands divestment
rubble? When she asks you when she can see him again, do you pretend that your suffering does not exist? Would you lie to her and try to give her hope? How would you explain? How could you explain? You cannot explain how so many homes and livelihoods are destroyed.”
“These senseless deaths, this genocide, cannot be explained,” the speaker finished.
Collectively, protestors chanted, “It is right to rebel, you can go to hell,” in hopes of reinforcing their demand for accountability from the U.S. government and associated corporations involved in military operations.
Speakers called for collective action among students, urging them to join divestment campaigns and organize against corporations linked to military actions in the Middle East. “We cannot let this despair us,” one protester asserted, advocating for resilience in the face of adversity.
The event also featured testimonies from individuals directly affected by the conflict. A Palestinian student from Gaza shared their personal experiences, detailing how the ongoing violence has disrupted their education and community.
“Imagine your family, your friends, your community, every single person to your left and to your right is so
UTSA Libraries celebrate Banned Books Week
By Jasmine Williams
Copyediting
Coordinator
In observation of Banned Books Week, UTSA libraries posted nine banned books to their Instagram as a Banned Books Edition of their monthly Roadrunner Reading Challenge. Some of the titles included were “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury and “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. “ We challenged our students to dive into books that have faced bans or challenges in libraries, bookstores and schools. By reading these books, our students are standing up for intellectual freedom and celebrating the power of stories that challenge us,” said UTSA Libraries.
Banned Books Week, which takes place annually from Sept. 22-28, was established in 1972 after a sudden increase in book challenges. These challenges are attempts to remove or restrict material from school curriculum, libraries and bookstores, whereas book bans are their outright removal.
beliefs. The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 4,240 unique book tiles targeted for censorship in 2023, a 65% surge from 2022 and the highest level tracked in over 20 years. Books pertaining to Black people, Indigenous people, people of color and LGBTQ+ people made up 47% of the targeted material.
Book challenges are most often initiated by parents who aim to suppress material that conflicts with their
Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 of this year, 1,128 titles were challenged.
A guide to Banned Books Week was also uploaded to the UTSA Libraries website for teachers, librarians and others who are interested in intellectual freedom. The guide defines and differentiates book challenges and bans, provides links to statistics on banned books, gives an overview of Banned Book Week and how to participate in it, links to sources instructing ways to combat a book challenge and offers education media about book banning that is appropriate for classroom and library settings.
To access the guide provided by UTSA Libraries, visit Banned Books Week - Freedom to Read - LibGuides at University of Texas at San Antonio.
thoroughly obliterated that no one is able to know whether or not you are dead for sure,” they stated. “This has been the case for a little bit over half a year, and the recent estimates placed the current death toll at 200,000 on top of the 2 million Palestinians already displaced and back into increasingly tightened chunks of land week after week, and now Israel has expanded that campaign. In the past week alone, they’ve begun bombing Lebanon.”
As the protest came to a close, organizers encouraged attendees to remain engaged and proactive in their concluding speeches.
“We must learn how to fight. We must learn to stand against them, and we must win. It is our job. It is our responsibility. You need to get involved.”
Possession, weapons, theft
By Alejandra Garza Staff Writer
In compliance with the Clery Act, UTSA keeps a public daily crime log that houses all on-campus crimes. The log summarizes the case’s date, time, location, incident and current status. The crimes detailed below are taken directly from the crime log, showcasing the trends premiered from Sept. 15 to Sept. 26.
Burglary of a vehicle
A vehicle was stolen from resident lot 4 of the Main Campus between Sunday, Sept. 15 at 7 a.m. and Saturday, Sept. 21 at 6 a.m. This case still remains active.
Larceny and theft
On Sept. 20 at 2:11 p.m., a report was made regarding the theft amounting between $100-$749.99 which occurred on Sept. 17 at 5:45 p.m. at the Laurel Village. This case remains active. Another incident of theft that occurred on Sept. 23 was reported at the Main Campus with an amount less than $100 at University Oaks Phase 3. This case also remains active.
Possession of a controlled substance
On Sept. 23, between 5:26 p.m. and 6:40 p.m., a person was caught in the Monterey Lot of the Downtown Campus with a controlled substance as well as paraphernalia. This case remains active.
Striking unattended vehicle
On Sept. 25 from 12 a.m. and 12 p.m., an unoccupied vehicle was struck by another car in the Monterey Lot of the downtown campus. This case remains active.
Criminal Mischief
On Sept. 25 at 9:13 a.m., a person committed criminal mischief at Bauerle Rd Lot 1 with damages resulting in an amount of $2500-$29999.99. This case remains active.
Driving while intoxicated with an open container
On Sept. 26 at 1:18 a.m., a person was driving while intoxicated in Brackenridge Ave. Lot 2 with the possession of a dangerous drug and unlawful weapons. This case was cleared by arrest.
Vincent Agquiz/ The Paisano
Miles Jones/The Paisano
Voting early at UTSA
By Jackie Cardona Contributor
Election season is in full swing and early voting is right around the corner. Before thinking about a plan to vote early, students must make sure they are registered to vote at their current address before the registration deadline on Oct. 7. If the voter is unsure of their registration status they can check on vote.org. If they are registered to vote, the next step is to create a voting plan and find a polling place in the area.
This upcoming election will be to vote for a president and about 14 proposed state constitutional amendments and candidates. All that is needed to vote is a government-issued I.D., which could be a U.S. Passport, Drivers License, Texas Election Identification Card, or a U.S. Military ID Card.
Early voting begins Oct. 21 and ends Nov. 1. The UTSA polling location on the Main Campus will be at Bexar Room, H-E-B Student Union (1.102). The poll voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Oct. 23-28, noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 29 and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. There will be spaces identified in the
northern section of the Ximenes Lot for shortterm voter parking.
For students in the downtown campus, there will not be a polling location on site, but they may vote early at the Bexar County Elections Office located at 1103 S. Frio St., a short 12-minute walk from campus or a 0.6-mile drive. For more information https://www.utsa.edu/ rowdyvotes/#register.
Fall 2024 commencement details
By Analiyah Olivarez Contributor
As summer comes to an end and the new year rolls around, so does Fall commencement. Saturday, Dec. 14 is the official date for UTSA’s Fall commencement, hosted once again at the Alamodome. The College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and the College of Sciences graduation ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. They will be followed by the Alvarez College of Business, College of Education and Human Development, Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and the University College at 4:30 p.m.
Following two commencement ceremonies is the Doctoral conferral ceremony which is set on Wednesday, Dec. 11 located at UTSA Arts Building Recital Hall.
are worn on the right side until told to officially move it to the left signifying now they are college graduates. During the ceremony, many students, faculty and parents may notice the brightly decorated mortarboards, a tradition UTSA has embraced. All the Construction Science and Management students receive an orange hard hat they can wear at graduation.
Ring of legacy
Tassels, Mortarboards and Hard Hats With the happy graduates come UTSA graduation traditions. Stoles and cords represent many significant achievements or involvements the student participated in during their time at UTSA. Tassels for undergraduates
Since 2012, all UTSA class rings have been placed at the Alamo, to “spend the night.” Over 10,000 rings have spent the night at the Alamo. the former Roadrunner attending the commencement ceremony, be on the lookout for some orange feet.
Students wearing orange costume legs are reserved for former mascots, to signify their former role as Rowdy. Longest-standing UTSA graduation tradition
Finally, the longest-standing UTSA graduation tradition is the Mariachi’s. Since the first commencement ceremony in 1976, UTSA has held a Mariachi performance to signify the culture between San Antonio and UTSA. Since then, this tradition has been the longest standing event at every commencement ceremony.
Healthcare worker murdered on local hiking trail
By Alejandra Garza Staff Writer
On the morning of Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. Stacey Dramiga, a 63-year-old mother and healthcare worker at Brooke Army Medical Center, was alone on her routine hike along a Texas trail. As nightfall approached, her husband began to worry when she did not return, prompting him to file a missing persons report.
Dramiga’s husband along with one other friend began to search for clues on where she might be, but were only successful in finding her car. To help investigators pinpoint the whereabouts of Dramiga, deputies used an iPad that pinged her phone. A body was discovered the next day along the Salado Creek Greenway in Dafoste Park.
The body was identified by a Bexar County medical examiner. The autopsy report revealed the cause of death to be “blunt force, penetrating trauma of the head.” Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar has been communicating with the public regarding updates to the ongoing investigation. On Wednesday, Sept. 25 an arrest was made in connection with Dramiga’s death. The suspect, 37-year-old Marco Antonio Flores, was detained after being seen in the area of the crime and charged with evading
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arrest. He has not been officially charged with Dramiga’s murder but is the prime suspect. This comes after being questioned by police and providing information about Draminga’s condition that was never public knowledge.
The victim’s family is looking to move forward while healing. Dramiga’s daughter wants her late mother to be remembered as the person she was, not by her murder.
“No, I’m so grateful for the mom I had and she’s been taken from us, but I still had almost 30 years with that,” Dramiga’s daughter said. “Where some people don’t even know that experience.”
Brooke Army Medical Center put out a statement regarding the loss of Dramiga, one of their employees.
“The tragic news that a member of our family, Ms. Stacey Dramiga, was found deceased by the Bexar County Sheriff’s office after having been missing since Sunday morning.“Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, and co-workers. Stacey was a beloved member of the BAMC staff and will be greatly missed.”
Following this tragedy, female hikers in San Antonio have been encouraging people to be aware of their surroundings on solo hikes and carry some sort of protection.
VIA moves forward with ART Silver Line plans
By Kara Lee Graphic Editor
The VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority recently hosted three community conversation sessions regarding the proposed Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) Silver Line Project. These events aim to give residents the ability to voice their questions and concerns.
In 2020, voters approved reallocating funds from an existing 1/8-cent sales tax dedicated to public transit investments.
The ART Silver Line Project is scheduled to start in 2026, aiming to provide efficient transportation options for residents on the East and West sides of San Antonio.
This new system is designed to enhance connectivity and reduce travel times for locals.
Key features of the ART Silver Line include a route connecting Our Lady of the Lake University to the Frost Bank Center, with service every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends. The project will also introduce designated bus lanes with traffic lights to improve efficiency.
The VIA Rapid Green Line will link neighborhoods and businesses across San Antonio. These initiatives utilize federal funding intended to support transit projects like VIA Rapid. Currently, the ART Silver Line is awaiting further community support and funding to proceed.
This year, the VIA Metropolitan Transit Board of Trustees for the Advanced Transportation District (ATD) approved an agreement with Bexar County, securing $102 million for the VIA Rapid Silver Line.
Bexar County commissioners have committed to funding of the $289.2 million project by allocating $100 million from existing resources. The amendment approved by the ATD Board finalized the required funding for the Silver Line.
“The agreement between Bexar County and the Advanced Transportation District is a crucial step, as it secures the local funding needed for VIA to attract federal dollars, which we expect will cover 50% of the project cost,” said VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt following the vote. “We’ve collaborated closely with Judge Sakai, the commissioners, and David Smith to reach this agreement, and I look forward to our board voting on the issue next Tuesday.”
The projected opening date for the Silver Line is 2029. Last year, VIA officials began discussions with Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and County Manager David Smith to develop a funding agreement for the project. The Silver and Green Lines are expected to secure approximately $416 million in federal funding.
State of the City
Week of 10/1
By Matthew Ybarra Contributor
Not subscribed to local news but still want to stay upto-date on the happenings around town? Look no further.
Highlighting notable stories from external San Antonio news sources, State of the City summarizes the most captivating news headlines of the week. This week’s topics range from the current presidential race to two men’s robbing spree.
Kamala Harris leads in the race for president among Bexar County registered voters
An online poll conducted by the UTSA Center for Public Opinion Research (CPOR) asked Bexar County residents who they expect to vote for ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The survey ran from Sept. 11-16, just after the second presidential debate. The results showed that of the 692 Bexar County residents who participated in the poll, 53% plan to vote for Harris as the next president, while 35% plan to reelect Trump.
Compared to a poll in June by CPOR, Harris has outperformed Biden by 13%, while Trump has remained steady at 35%. There has also been a fluctuation in the number of undecided voters, with 10% declaring they are currently undecided, a 5% decrease from the June poll. CPOR plans to release another Bexar County poll during early voting in October, which will be published in November.
Southwest Airlines and the City of San Antonio standoff
Southwest Airlines and the city of San Antonio are currently at odds ahead of a new lease agreement set to go into effect Oct. 1. The stalemate is based around an incoming Terminal C to San Antonio International Airport that will be double the size of both its current terminals. Southwest states that San Antonio repeatedly promised that all or most of its 10 gates would move into Terminal C, which was no longer the case as of May. According to the city, the airline would remain in Terminal A, prompting Southwest to state it would have “no realistic option” other than to decline to sign the new lease.
City officials are hopeful however, believing Southwest will remain at SAT regardless of whether they sign the new lease or not. The city attempted to entice the airline by explaining the $200 million plan that would include many upgrades, however, it wasn’t enough to halt Southwest’s holdout, stating the terminal was “not sufficient to support Southwest’s passenger volume.” The airline accused the city of unjustly prioritizing other airlines that offer premium service and that the decision would cause “significant harm to Southwest’s competitive position.”
Despite this, the city of San Antonio is standing firm in their position, with San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh saying “As the fastest growing City in America we remain committed to doing what is best for San Antonio International Airport and the millions of passengers that use it each year.”
19 and 20 year old arrested in robbing spree across San Antonio
Lauren Stein/The Paisano
Stephanie Cortez/ThePaisano
OpiNION
Mercury in Retrograde
The Mercury is UT Dallas’ official newspaper, operating under the vigilance of the Student Media in the Office of Student Affairs. Run by UTD students, the newspaper staff are currently on strike following the removal of Gregorio Olivares as their Editor-in-Chief by the Student Media Operating Board (SMOB), the same board that appointed him to the position. Olivares then filed an appeal, but SMOB was forbidden from convening to hear his plea by the Office of Student Affairs.
Olivares’ dismissal was prompted by current Student Media Adviser Lydia Lum, who called the board meeting that fired him and accused him of violating student media bylaws. In their Sept. 16 editorial, The Mercury outlined their demand to have Olivares reinstated as Editor-in-Chief and protested every single one of her accusations against him. Furthermore, they cited critical coverage of the university in the wake of a May 1, pro-Palestinian student encampment and subsequent arrests as the reason for the witch-hunt against Olivares.
The Mercury is refusing to continue publication until their demands are met and their Editor-inChief is reinstated, standing up to UTD’ abuse of power over the freedom of the press. They are only
publishing news articles in relation to the strike and Olivares’ continuous efforts to appeal the decision.
The Paisano stands with the students of The Mercury and supports their decision to go on strike following the unfair decision to fire their Editorin-Chief. In order for a publication to do their job efficiently and honestly, they cannot be under the control of institutions who do not value their students’ freedom of speech. It is the Paisano’s privilege to operate independently from university supervision and carry out the mission to serve and inform the UTSA community unencumbered by petty agendas.
The Mercury have disabled their original email accounts and rebranded their Instagram account from @utdmercury to @retrograde_news to continue their important work as student journalists as the new, improved and independent The Retrograde with Olivares as their Editor-in-Chief.
The Paisano welcomes The Retrograde into the world of independent student publications and urges the UTSA community to show their support by following their Instagram account, which is currently their only mode of communication as all printing and online operations by The Mercury are on hiatus.
The students at The Retrograde face a difficult situation, yet demonstrate the true character of a journalist by standing up for what they believe is right and refusing to be silenced. UTD’s SMOB have committed a terrible offense against the constitutional right of freedom of the press and lost a 44-year-old, award-winning publication over it.
Student journalists everywhere must condemn and call out their decision. To show their support, people can sign The Mercury’s strike petition and donate to The Retrograde’s GoFundMe and/or Patreon so that they may fund their publications.
Commentary By Emily Beckerman Contributor Editorial
“Pregnant women across the state are being put in danger as a direct cause of the abortion ban which may be the beginning of a new health crisis for Texas,” said the Paisano Editorial Board in Sept. 2023. One year later, this statement has proven to be a grave premonition of what was to come.
Last week, an article published by NBC highlighted recent staggering findings reported by the Gender Equity Policy Institute, a nonprofit research group, which concluded that Texas maternal mortality rates had increased by 56% from 2019 to 2022. This is in comparison to the 11% increase of the nationwide maternal mortality rate.
Faced with such horrific statistics, it can only be concluded that Texas’ comprehensive abortion ban, ironically named the “Human Life Protection Act,” has not protected very many lives at all.
The “Human Life Protection Act,” otherwise known as the Texas Trigger Law (HB 1280), went into effect in Aug. 2022, just 30 days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, according to Progress Texas’ Roevelution campaign page. This trigger activation was made by design when the bill was written and passed in May of 2021, intended to apply only after a federal Supreme Court decision would return abortion rights back to the discretion of each state.
In addition to outlawing any abortions except when a pregnancy poses an imminent threat of killing the mother, HB 1280 declared performing an abortion to be a felony offense. Now, healthcare providers who perform abortions are committing a felony offense, the consequences of which can include losing one’s medical license, fines of at least $100,000 and life in prison.
As a direct result, access to abortion and reproductive healthcare has quickly dwindled down
Guilty – even when innocent
Commentary
By Hanien Abdelmoneim Contributor
The unfortunate case of Marcellus “Khalifah” Williams has proven yet again how disappointing the American justice system is. It also brings into question the intention and morality of the judicial branch. In 1998, Williams was charged with the murder of news journalist Felicia Gayle and was officially convicted in 2001. He received the death penalty, the most severe sentence permissible under a court of law. For the 23 years that followed, his legal representation and citizens who supported his release fought for a change in verdict.
The controversies surrounding the legitimacy of his guilt mainly revolve around the lack of forensic information. Williams’ legal team utilized this argument to prove his innocence, yet it was never delved into by prosecution.
Time and time again the stark racial disparity in not only the percentage of incarcerated individuals but in death penalty convictions is made evident. “Black and Hispanic people represent 31% of the U.S. population, but 53% of death row inmates—41.9% and 11.3% respectively.” Since its conception, the death penalty has continued to be ridiculously disproportionate in its application. It calls into question if it is justifiable to risk potential wrongful convictions in an oppressive society ingrained with systemic bias. To ignore the race of both the victim and the convict is to ignore history’s long standing bigotry concerning capital punishment. Williams was a Black man and Gayle a white woman, the context of their demographic is important when examining the treatment of this case.
The prosecution retracted their decision due to DNA evidence surfacing later as proof that Williams could not have killed Gayle. This motion was presented to the Supreme Court and was denied. New forensic evidence, relatives of the victim agreeing with changing the sentence, and the original prosecutor Bob McCulloch in the case fighting for his release , yet he was not afforded the sympathy of truth and justice. Unfortunately, on Sept. 24, Williams was executed.
Williams’ case will forever impact public opinion on the death penalty. Although the fight for his freedom tragically failed, the people who support this cause should emphasize the message of judicial reform. The death penalty should continue to be prevalent in political conversation and the decision to sentence someone with even a shadow of a possibility of innocence is vile and inhumane. This and history’s “mistakes” should be reason enough to call for its abolition.
to nearly nothing. According to NPR, healthcare providers, now fearful of putting themselves at risk of legal action, have even turned away pregnant women experiencing medical emergencies from ERs. The picture of why maternal mortality rates in Texas have skyrocketed becomes clearer and clearer as reproductive healthcare disappears piece by piece. Yet, as incredulous and terrifying as it is that women’s rights to their own bodies, to their healthcare and to their lives have once again been stripped away and dismantled, this is not the end of the fight for those rights.
The upcoming presidential election is certainly a massive piece of this puzzle, but local elections — which just so happen to be taking place concurrently on Nov. 5 — are equally as important when abortion rights have been returned to the discretion of each state.
OpiNION
San Antonio is treacherous to women
By Luna Infante Staff Writer Commentary
San Antonio is not an ideal place to live, especially for women. Apart from being listed as one of the 25 most dangerous cities in the nation by the U.S. News World and Report, government data shows appalling gender inequality in San Antonio. From wage gaps to femicide rates, the City of San Antonio (SA.Gov) reports the disproportionate status of its women in comparison to other metropolitan cities in Texas.
When comparing women’s wages across Texas’s major cities, San Antonio has the lowest earnings and the widest gender wage gaps. SA.Gov reports, “The actual median earnings of women workers in San Antonio are lower than those of women in Austin, Dallas, and Houston.” San Antonio women earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar made by Austin women. In the 2013 to 2017 period, — on average — fulltime, year-round working women in San Antonio earned $9,610 less than Austin women, $2,900 less than Dallas women and $2,364 less than Houston women. Moreover, SA.Gov reports “The earnings gap in San Antonio is somewhat wider than those found in the other three major cities in the state.”
While wage differences rely on many factors, a common cause for difference is education levels. San Antonio women face educational imbalance compared to the major cities, as it ranks lowest in attainment of a bachelor’s degree, with Austin ranking highest, and Houston and Dallas tying. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 42% of adults without bachelor’s degrees say they have not received one because they could not afford college. It appears to be a paradox, women are earning less because of less education, and they are going to school less because they cannot afford it. San Antonio women are at multiple disadvantages, and many of them seem to be intertwined.
Additionally, Pew Research shows that
By Zoe Hernandez Contributor
The recent TikTok controversy that has erupted on “CleanTok” calls into question if gravestone cleaning is a good deed or if it is disrespectful to the deceased.
For those on “Cleantok”, their For You Pages have seen a surge of individuals going to graveyards and scrubbing headstones. The controversy gained a following when the creator, The Clean Girl, gained attention from her cleaning videos. There are several videos of the creator going to graveyards and using various materials to clean gravesites. In some of her videos it was found that she used cleaning chemicals along with a number of different brushes to clean the
36% of people who choose not to earn degrees say they need to work to help support their families instead. SA.Gov’s data states, “The highest poverty rates among females in San Antonio occur among young women 18 to 24 years of age.” These rates include college students who may not work full time due to classes — this illustrates how poverty is still present among degree-earners. Still, the San Antonio poverty gender gap does not close with older age. The largest gap is in adults between 25 to 44 years old and those who are 65 and older, with women being 48% of these adults and men being 43% percent.
For women looking to start a family, San Antonio is a poor place to do so — unless married. Among families experiencing poverty, married-couple families have the lowest poverty rate at 5.4%, whereas single mothers have
stones. Most of the headstones that are being cleaned in the grave cleaning videos are older stones some even dating back to the 1800s. Cleaning chemicals and soaps can seep into the crevices of the stone and cause damage from the inside out. With
poverty rates four times higher. Between single parents, single mothers’ poverty rate sits at 1.6 times higher than single fathers.
Additionally, among single homeowners, men’s homes have a higher value than women’s, and in comparison to Texas’ metropolitan cities, San Antonio has the lowest property values, while Austin has the highest. While this can seem positive, as homes appear to be more affordable for women in San Antonio, women are still at a disadvantage, as they earn less than men and experience higher rates of poverty. Even if one argues that women may be less likely to own homes in San Antonio, this is still a downfall for women, as they would be missing out on the economic benefits of homeownership, which only contributes to the economic gender gaps.
Popularized this summer on TikTok, the term “tradwife” refers to a woman in a heterosexual relationship who adheres to the role of homemaker — raising children, housekeeping and cooking — while her husband acts as the breadwinner. This lifestyle has been heavily romanticized through aesthetic “day in the life” videos garnering millions of views, but at its very core, it serves to oppress women. Although it is not popular knowledge, the concept sources from a meme on 4chan posted in July of 2019. The “Trad Girl” was little more than a misogynistic fantasy of anti-feminist men who resented the progress of women in society and craved the idea of a submissive and obedient woman. Like many other tropes, the tradwife is not a real person but a fetishization of traits desired by men. This fantasy marks the housewife of the 1950s as the “dream woman” with a blatant disregard of women’s struggle during this time period. The oppression of women is fundamental to this lifestyle.
This July, an article published by The Sunday Times raised concerns
the older stones, they deteriorate overtime on their own without the help of a harsh cleaning job.
surrounding the creator Ballerina Farms, widely considered a tradwife on TikTok. A mother of eight children, Hannah Neeleman of Ballerina Farms, appeared exhausted beyond comprehension in her daily content surrounding her and her husband’s life. The article detailed ways in which her husband controlled her and prioritized his wants over hers, emphasizing her evident oppression in the relationship. The dynamic between the two supports the interpretation of the tradwife as harmful to women specifically.
The desire for a woman who is obedient and ladylike has surged with the rise of young men marching towards conservatism. With the widespread popularity of people like Andrew Tate or the boys from the Fresh and Fit podcast, the room for men to express hatred for modern women and feminism has broadened dramatically. These men are the true target audience of the tradwife trend; its genuine enjoyers. Algorithms featuring tradwife content have been shown to be increasingly far right, featuring conspiracy theories and apocalyptic fear mongering.
The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization.The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods.The Paisano
As an orange tint slowly covered the Paper Tiger, people began to crowd in, drinking, talking and dancing, all in preparation to see the one and only The Buttertones. An alternative and rowdy crowd began to cheer as the lights dimmed and the fog machine began to sputter. Two openers were set before The Buttertones and first up was Jackson Marshall, an artist hailing from San Antonio.
As Marshall climbed on stage in patriotic attire, a blue and white button-up sporting red stripes and white stars, the crowd began to move with excitement and anticipation. His bubbly energy infected the crowd and smiles could be seen throughout the entire venue. His songs had a cheery vibe with obvious pop influences, sure to get anyone dancing and bobbing along. At one point, he requested the audience to all pull out their phones and flash their lights along with him. The flashlights lit up the dark venue and almost seemed to dance along with his melody. His set was short but sweet, and he had a great stage presence despite this being only his fourth show.
Next up was a band of three blonde brothers who may have been the gem of the night: Cole, Max and Cade Becker, also known as SWMRS. More than anything, they knew how to get the crowd riled up, even joking that they would not be paid unless the crowd was properly warmed up. They came on strong, jumping and spinning around the stage with energy the attendees could feel; it was infectious. They interacted with the crowd playfully on multiple occasions, having the audience jump on certain cues and even start mosh pits. Their songs were
catchy and memorable with punk rock and indie tones and are definitely worth giving a listen. They even sang a new song titled “Emo Kids,” which they recently released a music video for. By the end of their performance, the band had won over the crowd. People who did not know of them before began singing along and jumping to their songs; a truly electric performance.
After finishing their set, SWMRS invited the audience to greet them and take photos at their merch table, which many rushed to do. Others patiently waited near the stage in hopes of catching a glimpse of The Buttertones. Anticipation filled the air.
Finally, after a long wait and two wonderful openers, it was time for the Buttertones. The lights dimmed and became a dark red as the main event walked on stage. Cheers and screams became increasingly loud as the attendees buzzed with excitement. The crowd suddenly grew silent as the first note echoed from Modesto Cobian’s guitar. Donning a polo shirt and sunglasses, lead singer Richard Araiza approached the mic. His powerful voice belted out across the venue filling the room with a new sound.
The smooth noise from Carlos Sanchez’s saxophone coupled with Araiza’s booming voice and soft feminine background vocals from Karly Low mixed together creating a syrupy, groovy almost ‘80s sound. Directly in front of the stage, a mosh pit formed, pulling in willing and unwilling members of the audience. In a moment of silence from Araiza, Sanchez emerged, shocking the crowd with an epic saxophone solo. Fans of Interpol or
Annual Jazz’SAlive brings smooth tunes to Downtown
By Noah Schwencke Contributor
This past weekend marked the 41st annual Jazz’SAlive, hosted at Civic Park at Hemisphere in downtown San Antonio. Akin to the years before, the celebration of music was filled to the brim with various talented artists exploring the boundaries of jazz. The festival takes place annually in the jazz hub that is San Antonio, providing a fabulous free event to residents and tourists alike. On Sept. 27 and 28, attendees had the opportunity to listen to over 13 artists while surrounded by amazing food and culture in the heart of our city.
“The vibrant streets of San Antonio are set to echo with the lively melodies and robust rhythms of jazz as the annual Jazz’SAlive Festival returns for its 41st year,” said Cecilia Garcia, Jazz’SAlive event chair and board member of the San Antonio Parks Foundation, in preparation for the event.
With a tradition that began in 1984, the festival boasts two stages for renowned artists to perform from. Hosted by the San Antonio Parks Foundation and the City of San Antonio, Jazz’SAlive is one of the largest free jazz festivals in the U.S.
Previously taking place in Travis Park, 2024 marks the second installment held at the growing Civic Park. Swing, fusion, smooth jazz and more are all present with musical genius from around the globe. The highlights of the lineup include awardwinning musician/composer and fourtime Grammy nominee Patrice Rushen, the youngest bandleader to ever win a Grammy Steven Feifke and the USAF Band of the West, “Jazz Group of the Year” nominee The Lao Tizer Band, the local Dirty River Jazz Band, and many more. There is never a shortage of talent present at Jazz’SAlive.
Despite the surrounding construction at Civic Park, the venue was filled to the brim with casual jazz listeners and the most dedicated of enthusiasts. The vast green lawn provided ample seating with amazing views of the two stages against the backdrop of downtown San Antonio.
Attendees had the option of free entry or $60 VIP day passes, which granted access to premium front-of-stage seating, a cash bar and cocktail service. The event also provided a wide array of booths, home to local small businesses and food vendors.
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The Strokes would definitely enjoy this band and all their music has to offer.
As they continued to play, the energy only rose, turning the room into a sauna. The crowd was covered in sweat and smiles. Nearing the end of their set the mosh pits dissipated and the crowd began to quiet down slowly bobbing along to the music. Towards the end of the show Araiza thanked everyone for coming out and said he would have to come back sooner next year. The crowd began to clap, cheer and chant, “ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG!”
The Buttertones exited the stage not turning back or responding to the audience’s pleas, until bassist, Karly Low, suddenly ran back on stage. The lights once again became a dark red, and the crowd became the loudest and rowdiest they had been all night. This time when the encore had truly ended, it was finally time for The Buttertones to leave. They rushed off stage and were not seen again. Meanwhile,SWMRS and Marshall could still be seen near the merch table chatting and meeting attendees.
It was a great evening of live music, the energy remained high throughout the night and the excitement never decreased. While The Buttertones put on a good show, SWMRS may have stolen their limelight performing with much more personality and stage presence. The sets worked together wonderfully in building anticipation and excitement and surely many will add these artists to their playlists after witnessing them live.
You are not ready for ‘The
Substance’
By Ray Rodriguez Staff Writer Reviews
Dozens of riffs on David Cronenberg’s body horror classics — “Videodrome,” “The Fly” and “Naked Lunch” — are released at festivals every year, but rarely do any make as big a splash as French director Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” winner of the best screenplay award at Cannes, and the gnarliest film in theaters this year. It ravages the remains of its genre and builds to new extremes. Each moment joyfully bashes you over the head. It is a disgusting maximalist nightmare. “The Substance” is a sledgehammer. In broad strokes, the film explores the struggle against aging in Hollywood by its main character Elisabeth Sparkle, portrayed by the stellar Demi Moore. After being canned by her hilariously devilish boss, played by Dennis Quaid, she begins using an experimental chemical that releases a better version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. Each member of this unholy trinity brings their absolute A-game, but Dennis Quaid steals the show with each line. Woefully, he will most likely garner more attention for his performance in the appalling “Reagan,” but any of the members of “Reagan’s” target audience would have a heart attack upon viewing “The Substance.” Paramount to any film’s effectiveness is its visual language, and “The Substance” delivers in spades. Director of Photography Benjamin Kracun delivers some of the most creative, original and exciting cinematography of the year. He photographs the grotesqueries on display with a perfect concoction of artistry and good old-fashioned shock and awe. The editing team of Jerome Eltabet, Valentin Feron and director Coralie
Fargeat have cut the film in a way that it is paradoxically readable and intangible, bouncing back and forth between the two with a frenetic psychosis. It is something to behold, especially paired with composer Raffertie’s show-stopping industrial score, which ties each of the film’s parts into a fantastic whole, all culminating in what is the biggest, loudest and craziest final act of the year.
While firmly operating in pulp territory, “The Substance” explores its themes of the male gaze, the mistreatment of women in show business and our culture of mediainduced insecurity with all the subtlety of a car crash. In a positive way, the fury of its message comes across through all of its formal idiosyncrasies. While already being a compositional tour de force, the power of its images expresses that anxiety of the world passing you by and people looking right through the watcher from minute one to the very end. It is thoughtful in a way that lends itself to both the goofy fun of its premise, and earnest social criticism. Films that excel in even one of these aspects are rare, so it is a true miracle that “The Substance” is so fun, so disgusting, so smart and so entertaining. Proclaiming that “you are not ready” for a film, book, record, video game, etc. is a trope that rarely lives up to its usage but “The Substance” is something else. This, however, is not a blanket recommendation. Audiences that are in any way squeamish, prudish or easily sickened, should steer clear but any intrigued by the freakish delirium described above will not find a better film in theaters.
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Noah Schwencke/The Paisano
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Arts & Life
Quaint bicycle shop serves Helotes for decades
By Daniel Botello Contributor SA Gems
Hidden away in the middle of historic Old Town Helotes lies a piece of history unlike any other, a landmark that anyone with an appreciation for old-school charm will definitely enjoy.
Helotes Bicycle, founded in 1980, is home to one of the most fascinating bicycle collections and friendliest staff in north San Antonio. Run by Vietnam war veteran Hank Cunningham and his wife Kyle, Helotes Bicycle is not the typical run-of-the-mill bicycle repair shop. They do everything from tires, service, full on repairs and even sales and trades. However upon meeting Mr. Cunningham himself, one will learn straight away that there is more history than meets the eye when it comes to this humble small business.
“Houston was where I got my education in bicycles,” Hank said. “Then we came up here to the bike race, the state championships and boy I just fell in love with this place. We got a chance to buy this place and that was everything that I was dreaming about, a place where I could live above the shop. I wrote a paper about it in college. I got the idea from doing a little r&r in Hong Kong, and thought, ‘How cool would it be to live above your business?’”
After witnessing the small-town charm of Helotes for himself and the beauty that would eventually become Government Canyon thanks to his wife Kyle, Hank would come to settle down in the historic Gugger Homestead. There he would set up shop next to the iconic Floore Country Store and provide the cyclists of Helotes with their most important service.
“It’s the small town atmosphere,” Hank said. “It’s a good climate, we don’t get a lot of hurricanes or earthquakes, there is a whole lot of things in other parts of the country that are nice. But Florida gets hurricanes, and California gets earthquakes and forest fires, but San Antonio seems to be immune to all of that. The heat is something you can get used to, it’s warm but it’s not all year round. The winters are pretty mild and I like hills, it makes a more interesting place to live when you’ve got hills and Helotes seems to be really well situated for that kind of stuff.”
In addition to providing an important service to cyclists, Hank and Kyle are also credited with contributing to one of Helotes’
other famous landmarks.
“Then we got a chance to buy Government Canyon, she got to, and she went down to the county commissioner’s and told them that she was interested in buying this piece of property that would be good for the aquifer,” he said.
“They said, ‘Hey, we got another piece of property that’s even bigger and can do a better job than that’, and the next thing she knew she’s on the phone making calls and writing letters to people. She brought in a couple of people to help, and Trust for Public Land, and pretty soon they had a state park that was up and running and doing really good. It’s fun to see what a single person can do and I’m real proud of her for pulling it off.”
Government Canyon State Natural Area, sits near a recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer. The area serves as a preservation area, as well as a campground, events venue, geocaching area and a trailhead with over 40 miles of walking, hiking and biking trails. Along with running the shop in town, Hank also helps his wife in volunteering for the Natural Area. On weekends they patrol the trails together and provide help to people who are without water, do on the spot repairs for cyclists and even help out the pets they may encounter on the trails.
“I was in a thing called the ‘Trail Patrol’,” Hank said. “We help people who mainly run out of water, people aren’t always thoughtful of things like that and they take their animals out on real hot days thinking that animals are in good shape all of the time and that’s not always true, but it’s great to have a park out there. They found dinosaur tracks out there and the Witte Museum got involved so it’s real interesting to see those.”
After nearly 50 years of continued service to Helotes, the shop shows no signs of slowing down or relocating despite its age. Helotes Bicycle Shop is located at 14464 Old Bandera Road, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can learn more about the shop at visithelotes.com, and check out Government Canyon State Natural Area at 12861 Galm Road. To learn more about the state park at tepid.texas.gov, or head on over to the shop and hear about it firsthand from the people who brought it to the community.
Mannequin Pussy prepares for fall ‘I Got Heaven’ tour
By Malaki Lingg Arts & Life Editor
Fresh off the hype of their fourth studio album, “I Got Heaven,” Mannequin Pussy is preparing to jump into the fall leg of their release tour. During this tour, the alt-punk band is going to be performing at ACL weekend one, as well as making stops in McAllen and El Paso, Texas.
The Paisano had the chance to speak with front person Marisa Dabice about the upcoming tour, performing at ACL and future plans for the performers.
“A music festival is like a weird high school reunion for musicians, where you go to the festival ground and you immediately start running into a bunch of friends of yours that you haven’t seen in years sometimes,” said Dabice. “So I really like, look forward to backstage moments where I’m running into a friend from another band that I haven’t seen in a few years, and it’s just like, a really special place to reconnect and make new friends.”
With the upcoming tour, Mannequin Pussy made the decision to play in some of the more isolated cities in the state.
“I specifically requested to stop in those regions, we had already played Dallas, Houston and Austin on the spring ‘I Got Heaven’ tour,” said Dabice. “For me, I just feel like it is really important to go to parts of the country that usually get passed over. And like, I’ve played shows in McAllen and El Paso before, and some of the best [shows] I’ve ever played have
just kind of been in these places that artists tend to look over or pass over.”
“I wanted to bring the band to a place where we haven’t played before, because that’s kind of like what makes touring, which is already so repetitious, exciting again. The opportunity to go somewhere that you’ve never seen before. And you know, I think it means a lot to the people in those towns who are used to having to drive, [especially] in a state like Texas, sometimes seven or eight hours to get to a city to see a band they love. But, we, for whatever reason, have a lot of fans down in the RGV.”
Dabice also discussed how touring through Texas is like a journey, going through vast, isolating landscapes.
“It’s remarkable to me how big Texas is. Like, I get it, like, that beautiful Texas song — ‘Stars at night, big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.’ I’ve had that experience being on the highway, just kind of looking up at the sky, like, holy sh—t,” said Dabice. “I think it’s a culturally rich place. It’s a beautiful place. There’s both desolation and beauty in it.”
Mannequin Pussy will perform at weekend one of ACL on Friday, Oct. 4 at the Miller Lite stage from 3:10 to 4:10 p.m. Following their festival performance, they will play at the Cine El Rey in McAllen on Oct. 5 and at the Lowbrow Palace in El Paso on Oct. 6.
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Courtesy of Millicent Haines
Basketball Roster Analysis
Women’s basketball
ready for season with vets and new talent
By Aramis Santiago Staff Writer
The UTSA women’s basketball team enters the 2024-2025 season with heightened expectations. Following a thrilling 2023-2024 campaign that saw them reach the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament as well as securing their first-ever appearance in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. Their postseason run culminated in an 80-62 win over the Northern Colorado Bears, marking a significant milestone for the program.
As the team looks ahead, coach Karen Aston, now in her fourth year at UTSA, positions the Roadrunners as a force to be reckoned with in the AAC, blending veteran players with plenty of freshmen talent.
At the heart of this success is senior forward Jordyn Jenkins. Coming off a season in which she averaged 17.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, despite battling injuries that sidelined her early in the season, Jenkins will be instrumental in driving the Roadrunners’ push for a deeper postseason run. She will be expected to take on more leadership responsibilities and continue excelling in scoring, defense and rebounding, all things that are likely to happen if she builds on the strong finish she had in the WNIT.
Complementing Jenkins in the frontcourt is sophomore forward Idara Udo, who
emerged as a defensive anchor during her freshman year. Udo averaged 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds while also blocking 25 shots last season, demonstrating strong rebounding and defensive capabilities. With more experience under her belt, she is expected to take on a larger role following the retirement of Elyssa Coleman. Udo’s increased confidence and experience should enable her to make an even greater impact this season.
In the backcourt, sophomore guard Aysia Proctor emerged as one of the team’s top scoring options last year. As a freshman, Proctor averaged 9.7 points per game and showcased a versatile offensive game, with the ability to score from all three levels. Her knack for creating her own shot will be crucial, especially in high-pressure situations.
Another key player is junior guard Sidney Love, who averaged 9.6 points per game last season and will take on an expanded role in the team’s offense this year. Her ability to shoot from a distance and drive to the basket makes her a versatile offensive weapon. Together with Proctor, she forms a dynamic backcourt duo that can create scoring opportunities from the perimeter.
Junior guard Siena Guttadauro is another player expected to make significant strides this season.
Continue reading at paisano-online.com
Roadrunners announce newly formed roster
By Logan Martinez Staff Writer
Introducing an almost entirely new roster, UTSA men’s basketball looks to immensely improve this year as they gear up for the 24’-25’ season. With new head coach Austin Claunch at the helm, the basketball program has done wonders acquiring talent within the transfer portal. Filling out key defensive needs and obtaining underrated offensive firepower, the organization has completely turned the roster around in a little under six months.
Though the team may lack big time college basketball names, its collection of size, defensive and offensive prowess make it one as formidable as any within the American Athletic Conference.
One of the more sizable improvements the team has made is obtaining defensive specialists. Adding elite two-way guards such as Skylar Wicks, Tai’Reon “Scootah” Joseph and others, the Roadrunners have successfully constructed a formidable defensive backcourt for their upcoming season. Nearly every guard UTSA has acquired from the transfer portal has proven to be capable of defensive greatness, as almost all averaged multiple steals in past seasons.
The team has also made sure to add rim and paint protection, acquiring intimidating defensive bigs such as Jonnivius Smith and Jaquan Scott. Both forwards, along with rebounding machine David Hermes will look
to provide a dominant presence inside the paint.
While the addition of two-way players will aid UTSA tremendously this year, it is the upgrades in offensive firepower that will take the ‘Runners to the next level. Looking to replace the offensive output lost in the transfer portal last season, the ‘Runners will most likely look to its newly added guards to carry a bulk of the scoring load.
Hybrid guards such as Wicks, Raekwon Horton and Paul Lewis are slated to make an immediate impact, as each has the ability to space the floor, knock down threes and finish around the rim. Four star transfer Primo Spears will also heavily impact the team’s offensive output, as the 6-foot-3 guard is known for his ability to score at will against any opponent. Averaging 10 points per game last season at Florida State, Spears proved to be an elite scoring threat, notching double-digit point performances in 19 contests last year. Loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, UTSA men’s basketball is set to have an incredible upcoming season. The team’s combination of elite guard play along with anchoring bigs will undoubtedly prove to be an improvement over last year’s lackluster roster. While expectations for the team have remained relatively low, fans should be extremely excited to see the new Roadrunners in action.
McCown tosses two interceptions; UTSA falls to East Carolina
Roadrunners lose conference opener for the first time under Jeff Traylor
By Rylan Renteria Assistant Sports Editor
Inconsistency on offense prevented UTSA from escaping with a tough road win as the Roadrunners fell to East Carolina University 30-20 on Saturday at Dowdy Ficklen Stadium.
Before this game, the ‘Runners (2-3, 0-1 AAC) had only lost two conference games in four years under coach Traylor. With this loss to the Pirates (3-2, 1-0 AAC), UTSA faces an uphill battle to maintain its conference excellence.
“There will be a lot of finger-pointing from the outside, we can’t let it get inside the locker room,” Traylor said. “We’ve got a lot of season left.”
After holding East Carolina to a field goal, UTSA responded with a scoring drive of its own. Sophomore quarterback Owen McCown’s second pass of the day was a 66-yard rope to junior wide receiver Willie McCoy. The next three passes from McCown failed to hit their target, forcing UTSA to settle for a 23-yard field goal from kicker Chase Allen.
Two drives later, the UTSA offense got back to work, marching down the
field on the ground and through the air.
Junior running back Kevorian Barnes pushed the Roadrunners into enemy territory with a 17-yard rush before being knocked out of bounds. Two plays later, Barnes gashed the Pirates’ defense again, taking a screen pass 35 yards into East Carolina’s red zone. A couple of plays later McCown found senior tight end Oscar Cardenas for a 5-yard receiving touchdown.
On the ensuing East Carolina drive the UTSA defense once again forced a punt. Once they regained possession, McCown and the offense fought their way into field goal range. Their efforts were rewarded with a 35-yard field goal from Allen, giving the ‘Runners a 13-3 lead with 3:05 left in the first half.
Before the half ended, the Pirates managed to cut into the Roadrunners’ lead with a 3-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Jake Garcia.
In the third quarter, East Carolina scored 17 points unanswered.
On their first drive of the second half, the Pirates wasted no time taking the lead, with Garcia finding wide receiver Winston Wright Jr. for a 40-yard score.
East Carolina extended its lead two drives later with Garcia connecting
with wide receiver Anthony Smith for a 53-yard touchdown.
With the Roadrunner offense unable to move the ball in the second half, the Pirates took a 14-point lead with a 42yard field goal from kicker Noah Perez. UTSA broke its scoring drought with a 66-yard rushing touchdown from freshman running back Brandon High Jr., cutting the Roadrunners’ deficit to seven points with 10:38 left in the game.
In the final 10 minutes, McCown was just 3 of 11 through the air and the offense would fail to produce the tying score.
The Pirates added a 24-yard insurance field goal to close out the game.
Since joining the Roadrunners, McCown had not thrown an interception; he had two in the second half. The UTSA defense nabbed a couple of interceptions of its own, with junior cornerback Zah Frazier picking off Garcia twice. Senior linebacker Jamal Ligon had a milestone day, reaching 300 career tackles in the loss.
The Roadrunners will take the week off before traveling to face Rice University at 6 p.m., Oct. 12 at Rice Stadium.
By Bailey Hall Staff Writer
Courtesy of UTSA Athletics
Courtesy of UTSA Athletics
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Izabella Hernandez/The Paisano
The role of club sports; an outlet for purpose and passion
By Maria Wence Staff Writer
At UTSA, there are only 17 intercollegiate sports included in the official athletics program, meaning the chosen sports will receive funding and recognition from the university. This leads to most athletes from both the sports included and excluded to fall under three categories: the student-athletes chosen to play for the university, those who weren’t and those who chose not to.
Despite the differences, one thing remains the same for all of them: their love for sports. To fulfill their passion, the perfect outlet was created: club sports. These allow them to play without the excessive demands that many official student-athletes go through.
It gives those who are not ready to end the connection they have for the sport they play an outlet that offers them many benefits by supporting the growth for physical health, making strong connections and leading many players to
grow in all aspects of their college careers.
“The inclusivity fosters a welcoming environment where players can focus on personal growth and the love of the game.” UTSA hockey club founder and vice president Joshua LeComte said.
For the majority of these athletes, club sports is a community more than simply being involved in a club. It is a way for the players to experience college to the fullest while being able to play competitive sports they are involved with.
“This truly gives us a sense of us ‘being’ the club rather than us being a part of the club,” the men’s club soccer president Colin Harper said.
The role of club sports does not end there;, for it also gives these athletes the opportunity to gain a sense of independence and responsibility. Continue reading at paisano-online.com
Women’s lacrosse forms lasting bonds
By Bailey Hall Staff Writer
Lacrosse originated from the Indigenous people of North America. The game was for recreational purposes, but it had deep roots of spiritual importance and cultural significance. They would use the game for training or to resolve problems between tribes or people.
The U.S. women’s lacrosse team was established in 1933, and the first World Cup was held in 1982.
“I was taught by my teammates when I was younger, who were members of Native American tribes, that it is a healing game, it’s a game of community,” event coordinator and runner Paige Juneau said. “It’s a game to basically avoid conflict, it was how tribes would settle disputes and it was a non-violent way to do that.”
UTSA’s women’s lacrosse club started in 2012. The club has gone through many rough patches, including not being able to practice during Covid-19 and losing many players.
The women’s lacrosse team plays sixes, not field lacrosse. The club originally started playing lacrosse sixes because they did not have enough players for the field. At the beginning of 2024, the team only had two returning players. This year, the team has 20 new players, making the current team consist
of 22 players.
Sixes lacrosse is faster, the field is smaller, there are no real positions and the games are shorter. Sixes has six players on the field at all times; each team has one goal and five runners. The runners play all positions: defense, attack and midfield. Sixes is also the version of lacrosse that will be played at the 2028 Olympics.
The team practices every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The practices are open to everybody; there is no prior knowledge or experience required to join. The club will teach new players everything there is to know about lacrosse. The team focuses on teaching the new players the game, while also building bonds between new and old players.
“It’s really fun and really cool to play,” president and runner Kaybee Beggs. “We’re like a family here, so everyone knows each other and we’re all buddy, buddy and it’s just a really inviting and welcoming place to be here. I personally think that’s the best place, I am here, so I love to be here.”
While their season does not start until the spring, they do have a scrimmage against Texas State University and Saint Edward’s University in San Marcos on Oct. 26.
The team also plans to host fundraising and social events open to anybody. To be kept up to date follow their Instagram.
Roadrunner soccer fails to score against Rice University
By Hannah Velasquez Staff Writer
UTSA soccer and Rice University had a vicious conference game against each other on Sunday, with the Owls taking the win 0-1.
The ‘Runners (6-4-1, 1-2 AAC) were coordinated as a team and relied on each other as the Owls (8-2-1, 3-1 AAC) defense and offense followed an aggressive strategy.
strategy, yet didn’t manage to score.
Both teams spent a majority of the game in center field, fighting for control of the ball.
“We changed our formation to a box in the middle,” senior defender Sasjah Dade said. “To
Headed into this game, the Roadrunners were coming off a loss against the University of Memphis. In the first half, UTSA made six shot attempts, all of which were deflected by the Owls. One of those attempts was by ‘Runners senior forward Olivia Alvarez. Despite getting the goal, Alvarez was offside, so points were not rewarded.
give us more numbers in the midfield so we could have a better counter. We were moving the ball pretty well.”
In the second half, Rice goalkeeper Faith Hutchins made a goal kick which was then received by midfielder Leah Chancey who then scored on ‘Runners sophomore goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler by shooting above her head as Kessler attempted to block.
Leading in shot attempts coming out of the first half, UTSA continued its aggressive
“We need to be aggressive, we need to be organized in how we defend to limit other teams’ chances,” coach Derek Pittman said. “I thought we did that a lot today. We wanted to be aggressive on the attack. That has been our strategy all season. I think it’s been positive but today it just didn’t bear any fruit.”
UTSA will play University of North Texas at 7 p.m. Thursday at Mean Green Soccer Stadium.
