COURIER
VOLUME 111 ISSUE 1
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PASADENA CITY COLLEGE
January 22, 2015
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for mayor of Pasadena Philip McCormick Editor-in-Chief
Board of Trustees member William Thomson will run for mayor of Pasadena following Mayor Bill Bogaard’s announced retirement after serving the city for 16 years. Thomson said he woud run on a education platform. “One of my top priorities has Bill Thomson always been education,” Thomson said. “It’s the reason I ran for my board seat. I believe in making education as good as it can be for our students.” Thomson served as mayor for Pasadena in 1988-89 while it was still a rotating system with the city council members. He and Bogaard both served as councilmen at the time. “Out of all the candidates for the position,” ThomMichael Osborne/Courier son said, “I am the only one who has been mayo Drummers perform for members and guests of All Saints Church in the parking lot of a Pasadena art gallery during the MLK march. Story on page 6. MAYOR on page 2
Associated Students look to renew student data for winter Hannah Gonzales Staff Writer
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Jordyn Orozco.
The Associated Students criticized the Academic Senate, accusing faculty members of using polling data from two years ago to decide whether or not students want winter intersession back. Recently, the issue of winter intersession has come back
up. However, members of the Associated Students feel that the Senate is using old data and not taking into consideration what students want now. “The Senate has been saying in the Calendar Committee that winter needs to come back because that’s what students want,” said Jordyn Orozco, the AS president. “And that’s simply not the case.”
Orozco also stated that there needed to be a poll conducted soon to get data about what students want. “It just shows how out of touch the Academic Senate is with what the students want because they’re functioning off what we wanted two year ago,” said Hubert Tran, the AS vice president for external affairs. Despite facing protests from
Freedom of expression through a pencil
Jewelry teacher inspired to spread awareness of Charlie Hebdo with a pin. Samantha Molina Staff Writer
Protesters took to the streets of Paris and the Internet after the attack at the offices of the weekly satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo. Here on campus, design and jewelry instructor Kay Yee informed students and faculty by creating a small display in the Center for the Arts celebrating freedom of expression. Yee was inspired to create this display by her design students’ unfortunate lack
I N S I D E
BODY FORM Fashion class teaches students discipline for the art.
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of knowledge regarding the murder of 12 cartoonists and writers at the French magazine’s headquarters on January 7. “On the first day of my design class we were discussing how symbols could evoke emotions so I asked what a pencil symbolized relating to current events,” Yee said. “I was completely surprised that only four students knew about the attack, “ Brady Hunt, Yee’s assistant, added. “I thought everyone would know because of social media.” Aside from the display commemorating the victims she gave each of her students an opportunity to make and wear their own statements by construct-
students and staff, two years ago the Board of Trustees implemented the trimester calendar, which they felt, would be more effective in retaining students come back for the spring semester. Later, the decision to cancel winter intersession was found to be in violation of the Education Employment Relations Act. By implementing a AS on page 2
ing mini pencil pins. “I displayed twelve full-sized pencils for each of the victims and then made the little pencil pins for students and staff to wear as a symbol of free speech,” Yee said. Soon after the students had made their pencil pins and the “Je suis Charlie” display was put up other staff and students began asking about the pencils and everyone joined in the creative process. “This was all a spontaneous little project but it was effective in getting the message out and making students more Nagisa Mihara/Courier aware of what is going on in the world,” Jewelry instructor Kay Lee makes pins out PENCIL on page 7 of pencils in support of Charlie Hebdo.
CHARLIE HEBDO
Should the French magazine have published the cartoons?
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NEWS
2 COURIER
January 22, 2015
Task force tackles workforce and economy growth Mick Donovan Online Editor
California Chancellor Brice W. Harris has announced the appointment of Pasadena City College Board of Trustees member Linda Wah and counselor Linda Wah Lynell R. Wiggins to a 24-person task force charged with Lynell R. Wiggins helping to increase the
MAYOR Continued from page 1
before and know what it takes. Also, my record shows that I have the experience and trust of the people. Further, I am also the only candidate who has worked closely with education.” Whoever gets elected mayor will
AS Continued from page 1
trimester calendar, PCC had violated labor practices and shared governance, according to a California state relations board. According to Manny Perea, Academic Senate treasurer, the calendar used to be created by a shared governance Calendar Committee who made a recommendation of what the PCC
economic competitiveness of California’s workforce. The task force will promote the relevant skills and credentials employers are seeking in order to help fuel a stronger economy. “The men and women I have appointed to the task force will collaborate with California’s business and educational leaders to determine what needs to be done to help the California Community Colleges craft educational programs that provide our students with relevant job skills,” Harris said in a press release. Linda Wah had the opportunity to be a part of a professional internship, and she attributes
that experience to later successes in her career. She believes this task force will be able to help students who do not have such opportunities already. “I see too many students who have graduated or are close to graduation, but don’t have the benefit of job experience and professional networking and sponsorship,” said Wah. “I believe we can create similar opportunities for our students through stronger relationships with our business partners and communities.” Wiggins also points out that he will be bringing his own experiences to the table to shed
light on aspects of the task force that not all representatives may already have. “Each of the professionals selected for this endeavor brings their own unique lens to this appointment,” Wiggins said. “I realized that my role is to provide the voice of how we can enhance student success for students along the workforce continuum.” The California Community Colleges Board of Governors commissioned the task force with its goal on November 17, 2014. The task force will consider strategies and recommend policies to prepare students for high-value jobs.
have to deal with the fallout after one city official and two of his friends were arrested and accused of the embezzlement of $6.5 million from city funds. Thomson said that he would be able to help rebuild trust within the community, as he said he has helped build trust as a board member to PCC.
“Another top priority would have to be hiring a outside auditor to find out what exactly happened with that incident and make sure that measures were put in place so that it could not happen again,” Thomson said. Board member Anthony Fellow doesn’t live in Pasadena and can’t vote for Thomson, but he said that
he would if he could. “Bill Thomson has all the virtues one wants in a political figure,” Fellow said. “I would be proud to have Bill as mayor of my city.” The election will be held on March 10.
calendar should look like. “Two years ago the President and the Board of Trustees, after approving the calendar, then just changed their minds and didn’t provide ample justification for the change,” said Perea. Perea believes that the elimination of winter intersession was the result of putting aside a shared governance process and that the current administration and faculty need to come togeth-
er with the Associated Students to figure out what the student body wants. Perea said the AS should conduct a new poll to determine how students feel about restoring the winter intersession. “We want to go back and then start from there and go forward,” said Perea who recommended that all governance groups put aside past differences to work towards a better understanding of student demands.
It will be holding its first meeting on Thursday, January 22 to begin discussing what methods will best ascertain the proper mix of education, training and employer involvement to stimulate a better understanding of employer expectations. Wah and Wiggins have many goals they wish to accomplish with and through the task force. It is clear that the future of the states’ economy and that of students is a number one priority for all members.
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January 22, 2015
Courier
2014 JACC General Excellence Award-Winner Editor-in-Chief Philip McCormick Managing Editor Kristen Luna Asst. News Editor Matthew Kiewiet Online Editors Justin Clay and Mick Donovan Opinion Editor Hannah Gonzales Features Editor Mick Donovan A&E Editor Anthony Martinez Lifestyle Editor Ashley Park Sports Editor Daron Grandberry Asst. Sports Editor David O’Connor Photo Editor Nagisa Mihara Online Photo and Graphics Editor Daniel Valencia Scene Editor Keely Damara Staff Writers: Ahmad Akkaoui, Daniel Axume, Ericka Bernabe, Nataly Chavez, Keely Damara, Alan Flores, Monique LeBleu, Diego Linares, Samantha Molina, Neil Protacio, Luis Rodriguez, Aaron Salazar, Sammy Wu Staff Photographers: Brittany Chavez, Traece Craig, Victoria De La Torre, Mick Donovan, Shaunee Edwards, Michelle Gonzalez, Eric Haynes, Erica Hong, Kristen Luna, Mary Nurrenbern, Michael Osborne, Scott Spencer, Tiffany Yip, Max Zeronian Faculty Adviser Nathan McIntire Photo Adviser Tim Berger Advertising Manager Daniel Nerio
The Courier is published weekly by the Pasadena City College Journalism Department and is a free-speech forum. Editorials and comments are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the institution and its administration, student government or that of the Pasadena Area Community College District. The Courier is written and produced as a learning experience for student writers, photographers and editors in the Journalism Department. Phone: (626) 585-7130 Fax: (626) 585-7971 Advertising (626) 585-7979 Office: 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., CC-208 Pasadena, CA 91106-3215 © Copyright 2015 Courier. All rights Reserved.
OPINION
COURIER
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Media should not ignore tragedies Justin Clay Staff Writer
Major media outlets are more likely to cover tragedies in firstworld Western countries than in underdeveloped nations. This is no more evident in the coverage of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris as opposed to the coverage of terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria. The attacks on the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and another attack on a kosher grocery store in the French capital generated global outcry in the hours after they took place. The attacks left a total of 17 people dead. World leaders joined 3.7 million people at a rally in Paris on Jan. 11, in a show of solidarity while the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie (I am Charlie) trended globally. On the same day, an attack from the militant extremist group Boko Haram left as many as 2,000 dead when they razed the village of Baga. There were no rallies in response to the Baga attack or a trendy hashtag. The media response was smaller even though the death toll was substantially higher.
Cartoon by Mick Donovan
Media Meter conducted a 2014 study showing that coverage in countries like Nigeria and other developing nations is substantially lower than their first-world counterparts. Even Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan spoke out condemning the attacks in Paris without mentioning the horrific attacks in his own country. This is most likely due to Jonathan not wanting to remind people of how bloody the conflict has been in Nigeria ahead of the country’s
presidential election next month. Part of the reason for the disparity in coverage is due to the fact that in the Charlie Hebdo attack was a direct attack on a media outlet and the mainstream media seems more interested in covering an attack on itself, rather than an attack in a remote village. Another factor is the difficulty in reporting in the region. Journalists in Nigeria have been targeted by Boko Haram, as detailed in a Huffington Post article
Charlie Hebdo’s decision to inflame the debate between anti-immigrant parties and the Muslim communities that reside in most European countries today has not shed light on what must be done to preserve free speech in the midst of terrorists who try to take it away. Instead the newspaper has only stereotyped Muslim minorities who face ever-increasing discrimination. Should Charlie Hebdo have been censored? No. Free speech implies the right to publish even if the message is tasteless and offensive. The massacre two weeks ago was meant to stop the journalists at Charlie Hebdo in their effort to write satire and cow others who were and still are doing the same. The journalists at Charlie Hebdo had every right to go ahead and draw a cartoon featuring Muhammad. However, it is possible to protect freedom of speech without being offensive and that’s what Charlie Hebdo got wrong. Instead of being constructive or even clever, the newspaper makes jabs at Muslims and the Islam religion. Never mind that most who follow the religion aren’t violent extremists. To reduce Islam to one caricature is dangerous and misleading. It lays the blame at innocent people’s feet and paints Islamist terrorism as a tenet of their religion. What Charlie Hebdo seems to have forgotten is that having the right to pursue freedom of speech does not necessarily mean having the freedom to be discriminatory.
NON Staff Writer
from 2012. Another reason is that Paris is a well-known capital and an urban center, which makes it easier for people in first-world countries to relate to. Either way, the media needs to do a stronger job of covering major issues like these in order to shed light on some of the harsh tragedies in the world. Not paying attention to these issues only gives groups like Boko Haram a free pass to continue to harm innocent people.
Did the Charlie Hebdo cartoon go too far? OUI
Hannah Gonzales Opinion Editor
The latest issue of French satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, shows the prophet Muhammad holding a sign that says “I am Charlie.” However, this gesture, which was supposed to be about the freedom of the press, has instead created an “us/them” mentality between Muslims and the supposedly open-minded West. With their simple phrase “Je suis Charlie,” the journalists at Charlie Hebdo have managed to engage the public in a movement of solidarity with what has become a supposed celebratory right to champion free speech. While people might defend the paper and all that it stands for, the truth is if they had tried to publish anywhere in America they wouldn’t have lasted. Instead, they would have been accused of hate speech and certainly not seen as martyrs for freedom of expression. Charlie Hebdo has had a long running tradition of taking on many satirical subjects, including its series of slanderous cartoons against the Muslim community and their religion. Satire is supposed to be about exposing the rich and powerful, not about mocking a minority community of Muslims in Paris. Anti-immigrant sentiment is already alive and well in most of Europe with the rise of political parties that want to eradicate Islamic fundamentalism and bar their borders to immigrants.
Luis Rodriguez
The newsroom at Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine, was planning a new issue when their right to blaspheme came under attack. The first editorial meeting of the year started off with the staff joking around a table while Editor-in-Chief Stéphane Charbonnier, known as “Charb,” doodled away. He instantly translated their gaudy exchanges into cartoons. The meeting was cut short when two jihadist gunmen burst into the office and opened fire, claiming 12 lives before fleeing the building. So goes the account by Sigolène Vinson in an interview with Le Monde where she recounts the massacre that unfolded on Jan. 7 in Paris. “They didn’t shoot in bursts,” Vinson said. “They shot round after round, slowly. Nobody screamed. Everybody must have been stunned.” The magazine’s regular depictions of Muhammad and Islamic culture did go too far. That’s how satire works and it’s OK. What’s not OK is being killed for making a statement. Whether someone marches in a peace rally for freedom of the press or in a protest against Charlie Hebdo, they are exercising their rights. Being a journalist does have inherent risks, whether it be covering Syria’s civil war or entering Ebola territory. The Guardian
reported that at least 60 journalists lost their lives in 2014. Despite that, nobody should have died that day in that office over a cartoon, no matter how many religious figures they jape about. The majority of Americans agree in a poll by YouGov, whose clients include the Huffington Post and The Sun. The poll showed the “latest research shows that, for most Americans (63%) it is more important to protect free speech than it is to protect the dignity of sincerely held religious beliefs. Only 19% of the public says that it is more important to protect the dignity of religious beliefs.” Following the attack, a new issue of Charlie Hebdo came off the presses the following week and remained just as controversial as the previous ones. It has Muhammad holding a sign that reads “Je suis Charlie” below the headline “All is Forgiven,” and has sparked The editors of the magazine probably do not expect many Muslims to agree with them. A quote often attributed to French writer Voltaire goes, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” Don’t be afraid for saying what you think. Be afraid of being told what to think.
SCE
4 COURIER
Back to School
Kristen Luna/Courier Students walk to and from the campus bookstore on Thursday, Jan. 15. The campus bookstore is always busy the first few weeks of school with students purchasing textbooks and school supplies.
Cars line up to enter
Traece O. Craig/Courier Isabella Jorbajian hands out free snacks and school supplies to students in the PCC Quad at the Associated Students’ Welcome Week booth on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
Anna Jhun, an ESL student, billboard at PCC on Wedne
ENE
January 22, 2015
Daniel Valencia/Courier Julian, 20, a biotechnology student, sits in the quad as he awaits his next class on Thursday, Jan. 15.
E. Hong/Courier r a PCC parking garage on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
E. Hong/Courier looks for books on a crowded esday, Jan. 14.
Max Zeronian/Courier Graphic design major Eunice Kim prepares to serve students pizza in the PCC quad on Wednesday, Jan. 14. The Associated Students traditionally welcome students at the beginning of each semester.
Shaunee Edwards/Courier PCC students Chris Abril, 23, and Mariam Khachatrian, 17, dance with the PCC Salsa Club in the quad on Thursday, Jan. 15.
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6 COURIER
January 22, 2015
LIFESTYLE
King commemorated with march for peace Diego Linares Staff Writer
The All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena held an open space for expression to commemorate Martin Luther King Day Celebration on Saturday before a musical procession led to a picnic back on Euclid Street in memory of two activists. The event was primarily intended for youth and marked the start of a few services and events held by the All Saints Church this past weekend. People gathered to make art in remembrance of nun-turned-artist/activist Frances Elizabeth Kent – better known as Corita Kent, or Sister Mary Corita Kent – before the procession. All Saints Church administrator Christina Honchell mentioned how both Kent and King were activists around the same time in the 1960s, and spoke on issues such as the Vietnam War, racism and economic injustices. “I think there’s a natural connection there,” said Honchell after the procession. “They were both activists, they were both brave and did amazing, courageous, things, but in very different ways. I think it’s really wonderful to celebrate that.” Singer/songwriter Michelle Bloom and youth minister Isaac Ruelas expressed their views on social issues by singing and reciting a poem about their sentiments. “It really blows my mind that we still have a society where we’re O.K. with violence,” said Ruelas. “Specifically sanctioned violence against
marginalized groups of people. In the poem, I talked about people who are standing up for justice and peace, and how the consequence is how you then become a target of violence.” People gathered to make banners for joy and peace in their community while songs about caring for Mother Earth and poetry about social injustices were performed. The event attendees ranged from activists, to teachers, to church-goers. “All my life, I have believed that community art making is one of the most health promoting activities we can possibly do among ourselves,” said former activist Linda Hoag. “I think people become afraid of one another and to have any activity that displaces that thought, what a good idea.” The procession was short, but sweet. It started in front of the church with people donning faux
flower crowns, made its way to the Pasadena Museum of California Art to hear the Japanese-style drumming from UCLA students and made its way back to Euclid Street for food trucks on the church grounds as well as music and public health education across the street at the non-profit organization Day One. “I think the most important part is giving an opportunity for the community to come together,” said executive director of Day One, Christy Zamani. “When you get to see so many people who think the same way you do – despite how they look or if you have assumptions of when you’re in a minority community and think, ‘Do (people) understand? Do they care? And everyone comes together, you see there’s social justice issues that matter to everyone.”
Michael Osborne/Courier Top: All Saints youth minister recites a poem he has written for guests of the MLK art day. Left: Members and guests of All Saints Church march through the streets of Pasadena to spread Martin Luther King’s message of peace and love.
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January 22, 2015
FEATURES
7
Fashion donation stitches new creativity COURIER
Neil Protacio Staff Writer
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Leslie Galvan, fashion, pins clothes to body forms for her project in the fashion workshop at R417 on Jan. 16.
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It was just the first week, but the fashion design students already had hands on deck. Eyes were fixated upon laptops with illustrations. Designs on paper filled tables, adorned with swatches of fabrics that students were constantly mixing and matching. Amongst the puncturing noises of sewing and the occasional typing, the room is almost devoid of social butterfly chatter, instead replaced with the type of murmur typical in office cubicles. In other words, it was crunch time. On Friday, the more advanced fashion students arrived on their first day back at 9 a.m., but were prepared to work until 4:10. It’s no EMT course, but to hit the ground running with a major deadline takes a lot of discipline. “Sometimes I feel like I don’t have enough time to do everything I’d want,” said fashion major Thalia Prado of her prior fashion classes. “Time goes by really fast,” added Colleen Poteet, a fashion instructor at PCC. “It doesn’t feel like six hours when you’re having fun.” The connected R416-R418 classrooms host Fashion 130, a fashion workshop class headed by Sunny Cannon, fashion instructor and co-chair of the Fashion Department. The workshop helps students expand their portfolios by pushing them to create their own fashion line. It’s a creative free-for-all that calls for each student to design and produce three different looks by the end of the 16-week course. PGM-Pro Inc., a manufacturing company based in Baldwin Park, donated 24 dress forms to the school. For those unacquainted with the tools of the trade, in the fashion world, the dress form is the canvas of the artist. It’s a three-dimensional model of a torso that students will use as their own personal models. The company has an educational program that supports local schools by donating a dress form if schools apply. “I told them, ‘this is what we have,’” Cannon said as she pointed at a torn dress form from 1994. “We’re very grateful.” A look at the old dress forms shows that her approach was too humble. The back of R416, for instance, holds a graveyard of broken dress forms from years gone by. Prior to the donation, students were also sharing models dating back in the 60s. Because of that, the wear and
Yee said. Filmmaking professor Lindsey Jang and his class even stopped into the jewelry studio to document and join in the simple crafting process. simple crafting
tear was beginning to show as the fabrics on the dress forms were starting to peel off. Collapsible shoulders, a feature common in dress forms, wouldn’t budge either. Some former fashion students were inspired to take action. “One term, several exceptional students were awarded surprise scholarships,” said Cannon. “These students were so grateful that they decided to pool some of their scholarship money together and do some additional fund raising to purchase and donate new industrial irons to the department to replace broken equipment.” The average dress form will run at almost $400, Lutrell said. Models with legs, however, are a little pricier at $800 to $900. And with budget cuts being a recurring theme in almost every community college, Cannon jumped at the chance for even just three dress forms. Ultimately, 24 new PGM-Pro dress forms with a collective value of about $10,000 were loaded into a truck and shipped to PCC. “PCC’s fashion design department is very well known,” said Andrea Quintana of PGM-Pro. “It’s a very good department with a good student base. We wanted to help broaden it.” According to Cannon, the dress forms are already being put to good used not only for the fashion workshop, but for draping, pattern making, fashion design, and sometimes even illustration courses. “There are enough new dress forms for everyone to use in each class,” said Cannon. “Students often come in on their own time to finish their projects. With the new dress form donation, there are more than enough forms for students to work independently without disrupting the class.” Ironically, PGM-Pro was excited about PCC applying for the sponsorship program – so much, that they moved their application from the educational sponsorship program, which provides up to three dress forms, to the “give back” program, which offers more. “By them applying and accepting [the dress forms], it not only helps us, but it helps the fashion industry,” said Quintana. “I’ve been trying, and trying, and trying, to get PCC to join, and was surprised that finally Sunny had applied.” With fashion workshop being the capstone class which meshes all other fashion classes together, students are letting their creativity know no boundaries. process. With pencils, pin backs and a little glue, Yee helped educate her students on the importance of freedom of speech. “It is important for everyone to be aware of their freedom of speech and what is going on in the world,” Yee said “Jewelry can make a statement too.”
8 COURIER
January 22, 2015
SPORTS
McGee looks to end Lancers’ slump Matthew Kiewiet Staff Writer
The Lancers’ baseball program begins their rebuilding process with the hiring of head coach Patrick McGee, a former assistant coach at Mount San Antonio College who hopes to turn around the struggling Lancers in his first head-coaching gig. McGee, the program’s 11th coach in its history, pointed out that the team needed to establish a new identity. It was imperative to weed out players who did not want to buy into what coaches asked of them, whether it be a tweak in their batting stance, or showing up to a team fundraiser. “The atmosphere this year under coach McGee is a lot better compared to last year,” said sophomore pitcher Zach Britt. “He is a very good coach who cares a lot about his players and pushes us to our limits to become not only better ball players but people in general.” There was a noticeably different vibe during practice in comparison to previous years. Players were eagerly working on ground balls and short hops before practice was underway, using any
opportunity they had to improve their skills or fundamentals. In the past, it was rare to even see players arrive on time. Consecutive 30-loss seasons are not very appealing to incoming recruits. However, it seems that coach McGee’s reputation has already started attracting talent that would have otherwise ignored PCC. Sophomore second baseman Robert Mier is a transfer student from Mt. SAC, where McGee was his infield coach. “I liked his philosophy,” said Mier. “I followed him over here, and I’m ready to play hard for him.” Disciplinary issues such as academic ineligibility have plagued the Lancers in the past. That is not the case under McGee’s watch, as he proudly reported that none of his players are ineligible this season. “Everyone is passionate about their development,” McGee said. “They have a passion to continue their careers as students and players.” The Lancers begin their season at Oxnard College on January 27th as they look to get their season off to a positive start for a change.
Shaunee Edwards/Courier Baseball head coach Patrick McGee at Playmaker Nutrition in Pasadena during practice on Friday, January 16. McGee brings 15 years of coaching experience as an assistant coach at the college and amateur levels.
New badminton coach brings years of experience David O’Connor Asst. Sports Editor
Appearances can be deceptive when it comes to new Lancers women’s badminton coach Jennifer Ho. Although small in stature, softly spoken and unassuming in nature, Ho is up for any challenge in her new role and expects nothing less from her young proteges. The Vietnam native is process-oriented and values-based in her approach, citing commitment, teamwork, conditioning and fun as the main make-up of her coaching philosophy. Ho isn’t one to make bold statements or predictions about
the upcoming season, instead choosing to foster and cultivate her team and let the results take care of themselves. “Of course I’m very competitive, I would like to win,” Ho said. “My goal is to put 110% to the team and make sure they’re having fun, but yet work hard and winning of course is my goal-but I’ll appreciate everything they put in.” PCC’s Athletic Director Tony Barbone was faced with an unexpected dilemma when fourtime South Coast Conference Coach of the Year and former women’s badminton coach Bill Sanchez decided to leave the Lancers family.
“Coach Sanchez who did a great job with our program the whole time he was here, decided to not continue. Jen came to mind immediately,” Barbone said. “The thing that Jen brings is she just has an unbelievable passion for young people, she loves to help, she loves to teach, she loves to instruct. Those are innate qualities that she brings to the table, not that they didn’t exist prior. I think we’re fortunate to have someone that has the background Jen has.” The Lancers badminton program has carved out a steep tradition since its inception to the SCC in the year 2000 and has won 10 conference titles
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Badminton coach Jennifer Ho throws birdies to Diana Resendiz in a dropshot exercise at the Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium on Tuesday. Ho recently became the head coach of the women’s badminton team after joining the PCC athletics family in 2011.
under Sanchez and Bonnie Lee, the inaugural coach. In 2010 Sanchez guided PCC to the state championships, but fell to San Francisco CC in the final. He also coached Angie Ortiz in 2012 to the school’s first state singles title. Ho knows she has been entrusted with a highly successful and respected program that demands a great deal from its players, but most importantly from its rookie head coach. “I know PCC has a very good record in Badminton. I want to try my best to keep it the way it is. I do have a group of great student athletes that Coach Sanchez left me. I know it’s going to be tough to maintain, but I’ll try my best,” Ho said. East L.A. Community College has won the SCC title back-toback the last two years thanks to exceptional tactics and guidance from nine-year veteran head coach Qui Nguy. In that time, the team has beaten the Lancers six out of eight times. “Every year East LA is our main rival,” Ho said. “It’s been like that for the last 10 years. Our first match is against ELAC, they’re very competitive and the past two years we’ve been losing to ELAC.” According to Ho, the two players who are likely to produce standout performances this season are freshmen Sandra Maw and Rebecca Tzou, who have exhibited impactful leadership traits and sharp footwork and admirable work ethic during pre-season training. “Rebecca is very determined,
leadership in her is what I like. I can see just her footwork and I know she has been playing way before she even got here, so she probably came with natural talent,” Ho said. “Sandra is pretty quick and I’m hoping those two would lead us far this year,” she added. Ho strikes a crucial balance between a strict disciplinarian, shrewd technician, an uplifting motivator and an influential mentor who integrates the right mix of enjoyment into the team on and off the court. The team has been able to build camaraderie and gain a better understanding of each other’s personalities by sharing in team dinners and parties organized by their devoted coach. Ho’s extensive dedication doesn’t end there, as she spearheaded a crucial fundraising campaign that will allow her team to gain the necessary funds to cover uniforms, equipment and travel expenses. Maw and Tzou points out Ho’s major strength as her ability to get the best out of each player by enforcing unrelenting discipline while creating an infectious atmosphere that enables the team to work together in sync. “Jennifer is really strict, which I enjoy,” Tzou said. “She gets everyone working. If you don’t work, then you’re off the team, which some people might feel like that’s really aggressive but that’s what needs to be done.” “Everyone is sometimes easy on themselves, but Coach Ho pushes us to do our best,” Maw added.