October 31, 2013
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT O R . C O M
Inside This Issue
Find out who won the Miss VSU Pageant, pg. 5
- OPInIOnS: “Do not segregate registration” - FEATURES: “top 2013 costumes” - SPORTS: “Lady Blazers are back on the floor”
Today at VSU Halloween Rave - the Wesley foundation is hosting the Glo rock Halloween rave from 9 to 11:30 p.m. at the Wesley House, on the corner of College Street and Patterson Street. there will be a costume contest (modest costumes).
Halloween Bake Sale VSU Dance Club are selling treats from 2 to 5 p.m. on the Pedestrian Mall. Profits help the repertory Dancers go to american College Dance festival association. Haunted HouSe - Langdale’s first Haunted House event continues tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. the haunted house is open to VSU students with valid student iDs. admission comes in the form of canned goods or clothing donations-all donations will go to Uplift, inc. and the Haven. Check out the Haunted House in the Langdale/Georgia Courtyward entrance! aPo Bake Sale - alpha Phi omega will host a bake sale from noon to 3 p.m. in the Student Union. Science SeminaR - this week’s science seminar: “risk assessment for Nonindigenous freshwater fish in Micronesia” presented by Stephen Walsh, Ph.D. from the Southeast ecological Science Center U.S. Geological Survey. the event is from 4 to 5 p.m. in Powell Hall auditorium.
VOLUME 85 ISSUE 11
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m
Check out Joe Adgie’s latest story on SGA. This week they discussed by-law changes.
Smitty’s brands bottles of bourbon Special edition VSU bottles of Evan Williams whiskey comes to Smitty’s Package Store Allison Ericson S ta f f W r i t e r abericson@valdosta.edu
Members of Blazer Nation may soon be able to see their beloved VSU logo emblazoned upon a bottle in their own personal liquor cabinet. Mike Smith, VSU alumni and owner of Smitty’s Package Store, will be selling a VSU-labeled special edition bottle of evan Williams bourbon. “i’m giving all the profit back to the VSU foundation,” Smith said. “i played baseball for the school, i’m on a lot of VSU boards and i graduated from VSU. i love the school, so i wanted to do this more as a commemorative marketing, cool thing than really try to make any money.” a little more than 200 bot-
tles are expected to hit Smitty’s shelves within the next two weeks. for only $21.99 VSU members can purchase their very own bottle. “a lot of bourbon companies are doing single-barrel programs now but we are the first to use evan Williams and single barrels south of atlanta,” Smith said. “No one has jumped on evan Williams yet. a lot of people have done Jack Daniels and some other brands but we’re the first to put a collegiate logo on a bottle of evan Williams.” after getting permission from the VSU president, vice president and athletic director, Smith bought a ticket to Louisville, Ken. where he hand-picked and tasted VSU’s very own single-barrel bourbon.
Smith selected a 10-yearold, 86-proof evan Williams whiskey, which will be bottled and stamped with VSU’s emblem and hand dipped with a wax seal. “i’ve tasted it, it was really clean and smooth tasting, it didn’t have the burn a lot of caramel, oaky flavors so i think it’s a cool thing ... it’s a 10-year-old barrel of whiskey. i mean a lot of bourbons are 4-years-old, maybe 8 (years old),” Smith said. Smith is hoping to donate $1,000 and the empty bourbon barrel to VSU charities or in an auction. “i love VSU, i love the VState logo,” Smith said. “i mean when they changed the logo Coach Hatcher drew that on a napkin one day and they just started using it for foot-
crissie elrick / The SpecTaTor
Smitty’s bottles of Evan Williams are printed with the VSU logo and will be sold for $21.99.
ball and now it’s huge.” Smitty’s will not be taking pre orders due to the amount of people interested. With a little over 200 bottles, they’re expected to sell in less than a week. Smith hopes to have the
bottles before VSU’s next home football game. “i’d really be surprised if i don’t sell all of them in a week,” Smith said. “When you add up coaches, athletes, students and alumni we may do it again.”
VSU gets spooky for Halloween
Weather Today
Friday
Partly Cloudy 85 H 64 L
ritsuki Miyazaki / The SpecTaTor
Pumpkins were carved and displayed on the Front Lawn fountain.
PM T-Storms 83 H 60 L
Saturday
Partly Cloudy 77 H 46 L
Today in History Martin Luther posts 95 theses October 31, 1517
Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. this act started the Protestant revolution. SoUrCe: HiStory.CoM
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Von Kennedy / The SpecTaTor
VSU Campus Rec hosted a haunted trail Wednesday on the trail by Sustella Avenue, leading attendees through the CORE Outdoors Challenge Course. Actors dressed up as zombies to scare students. Admission was $3 for attendees. Campus Rec directed students through the trail and told students about an infection spreading fast. Actors hung from the ziplines and ran through the course and trail startling students in the pitch black night. In the end, zombies gathered around and danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” before scaring students one more time. Video of the trail and reactions can be viewed online at www.vsuspectator.com.
Proposal drafted for Greek housing The corner of Brookdale Drive and Sustella Avenue could be the new spot for a Greek housing village. Hillary Straba a S S t . f e at U r e S eDitor
WEbSITE:
hlstraba@valdosta.edu
vsuspectator.com
fraternities and sororities might get a housing village in the future. a proposal is under consideration for a housing plan for Greeks. Brookdale Drive near
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Von Kennedy / The SpecTaTor
VSU Campus Rec’s haunted trail ran from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
Sustella avenue is being considered for the Greek Village and is owned by a local attorney and developer, Pope Langdale. the land, which had been zoned for residential housing, was modified to accommodate fraternities, sororities or similar organizations by the Valdosta City Council on June 6. “the proposed development is being done by a local off-campus developer who approached the Greek community about the idea of the Greek Village,” russell Mast, vice president for Student affairs and Dean of Students, said. Currently, no permits have been drawn for the develop-
ment nor has there been a date determined for the beginning of construction. as seen in the materials provided to the administration and Greek organization chapters, letters have been sent to national Greek organizations asking for participation in and support of this proposal. according to Josh Boston, Phi Sigma Kappa alumni and former liaison for the Greek Housing committee, Pope Langdale, requires that seven chapters must be committed to participate in the Village before construction can begin. at a meeting on oct. 20, a vote was scheduled to take place in which Greek chap-
ters could choose whether or not to participate. the results of that vote were not made public, as erin Sylvester, assistant director of Student Life for organizational development, was unavailable for comment at this time. Some chapters are reluctant to participate in the village because of cost, and they lack approval from their national chapters, according to Boston. Boston explained that one possible reason a national chapter may not approve participation would be because the village will not be regulated by the university, which goes against certain by-laws. representatives of iPG, the architect associated with the
project, directed all inquiries to Langdale & Vallotton, LLP. Langdale & Vallotton did not respond to phone calls by press time. it is unclear what will happen if not enough of the Greek chapters on campus agree to participate in the village. “We cannot speak on behalf of the developer as it pertains what type of housing would be developed if the Greek Village concept does not happen,” Mast said. according to the materials provided to the administration and various Greek organization chapters, each participating chapter will be alSee GREEKS, page 2
News
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OCTOBER 31, 2013
SGA votes in new consititution The SGA gave its approval for a new constitution and by“The bulk of the bylaws is the elections code, just being laws during Monday night’s meeting. honest,” Jimerson said during last week’s SGA meeting. That new constitution has to be approved by the VSU stuThe regulations, which were one and a half pages long on dent body before it is officially ratified, while the bylaws, or the old bylaws, now weigh in at eight pages, and cover the “internal document” for “internal operational procedures,” specifics such as prohibited actions, election irregularities, and do not, according to SGA president Will Jimerson. campaigning rules. These eight pages are intended to cut back These bylaws feature significant adjuston the controversy that has marred SGA elecments to election regulations and co-spontions in two of the last three years. SGA will no longer sorship requirements. Previously, the SGA For starters, the SGA elections committee had required all expenditure requests exwas removed from the SGA, according to take part in the elecceeding $500 to be reviewed by the Senate Jimerson. tions committee. Finance Committee. In the new bylaws, a “SGA will no longer take part in the elec-Will Jimerson concrete maximum of $499 is listed. There tions committee,” Jimerson said. “It will be a is no provision for review for any request third party. We don’t want to be biased towards exceeding that amount. any candidate from any internal affairs.” The SGA has also included provisions for how and when “There are a lot of unclear, unconcise definitions and things co-sponsorship applications should be turned in and presented. of that nature,” said Jimerson. “We want to be very, very thor“Co-sponsorship request applications should be turned in at ough on our expectations of our candidates of SGA.” least four weeks prior to the event date or date when the date Executive board candidates have seen their requirements when the funds are needed, whichever date comes first,” reads toughened as well, with executive hopefuls needing a 2.75 the new bylaw. GPA and 200 petition signatures. There is no such provision in the old bylaws. Write-in candidates have also been eliminated. The article was described by Jimerson as “copy-and-paste” “You just need to fill out the elections packets like everyone from the SGA’s co-sponsorship application. else,” Jimerson said. Of note, references to executive board expenditures have The bylaws were ratified by the SGA almost unanimously. been removed from the new bylaws. The old bylaws have a The lone dissenting vote came from senator Nkosi Belle, who section regarding these expenditures, including a $300 limit on asked for more time to look at the bylaws, in spite of these byoffice supplies for the executive branch. laws having been seen by the SGA for the past week. In addition, the elections regulations have been significantly The constitution was ratified unanimously. expanded from the old bylaws.
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Greeks Continued from Page 1 lowed to negotiate with the developer to determine how many beds their chapter will have and how much of the facility will be common usage space. A security deposit will be required to show commitment to the builder. Rent will be paid to the developer directly, as VSU does not have ownership of the land or buildings in the village. Ideally, the rent will be somewhere around $400 to $500, but there will be remaining costs that will need to be covered by the collection of parlor/usage fees by non-resident chapter members. Each participating chapter will also be expected to sign a 50 year lease with the developer. VSU will provide services to the village, such as a shuttle bus service to Main and North Campus and an emergency call box. Additionally, the property will be under the jurisdiction of both VPD and VSUPD, and all VSU policies and codes of conduct will apply to any residents of the village.
Happy Tator’ween Upcoming Events Nov. 4 A representative from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Al. will be in the Student Union from 2:155 p.m. Nov. 5 Battle of the Chefs is back! The second annual Battle of the Chefs competition will be held in the Hopper Dining Hall from 2:30-4 p.m.
Nov.7 Which Residence Hall will survive the Zombie Apocolypse? Hullabaloo 2013: Zombies! will be held in the Georgia/Langdale Quad from 4-7 p.m. Nov. 12 The Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pageant will be held at 8:14 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.
Police Briefs Oct. 23 A student reported that his bookbag had been stolen from the Student Union Rotunda while he was in the bathroom. A student reported his textbooks stolen from the Student Union. Oct. 24 Two video cameras were reported missing from Odum Library room 12401. A student reported her basketball bag stolen from Bailey Science Center. Oct. 25 A student reported that her wallet and
purse were stolen or lost. Dr. Levit called to report that he was in pursuit of a black male who just left his office/broke into his office. The offender is 6’2” tall and thin build and was wearing a blue jacket, black jeans and a red and white hat. Last seen running North from the Fine Arts Building towards student union. University Police released a BOLO for the subject. Oct 26. A student reported that she had witnessed a theft occur at Odum Library. Two suspects were identified. Samuel
Glass, 18, was arrested and charged with Theft by Taking. Oct. 29 Power tools were stolen from a trailer on North Campus. A student reported that this morning a greek related car tag was taken from his vehicle at the University Center and replaced with a tag that had been stolen from him earlier in the year. Subject reported that he had received reports of similar incidents.
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For Rent AVAILABLE NOW! $100.00 DEPOSIT @ TREELOFT. 3BR/2BA $725-775, 1BR/1BA $450-475, 3 blocks from VSU, cathedral ceiling, pool & laundry facilities, water & garbage included. 229-561-0776
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october 31, 2013
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Our point of view...
Do not segregate registration it’s that time of the year for students to start getting worried about their current classes. not only that, but students also have to start considering their classes for next semester. Yes, early registration for spring 2014 has started. the first week of early registration can be very stressful and busy, especially for freshmen and sophomores looking for core classes that
they need to take. during the first week of early registration, it is common to see the computer labs in Odum Library get full as early as 7 a.m. with stressed-faced students. Some might have to change their weekly schedule due to a technical difficulty or the capacity of a class being reached. and yes, we’re college students. We have jobs and other ac-
tivities, so not all of those class options work for us. at that point, it is easy to imagine how many students have dreamt about registering successfully with no such stress. But there are some students who can get access to registration on the first day of early registration regardless of their classification. according to Stanley Jones, VSU registrar, those stu-
dents include student athletes, honors students and students who are registered with the access office (students with disabilities). these students have access to registration from 7 a.m. until midnight on the first day of early registration. then the remainder of students must wait until their regular registration time according to their classification.
there are varieties of reasons behind this system. for example, students with disabilities may prefer to take classes in classrooms with easy access. Student athletes, on the other hand, have to take courses at specific times that do not conflict with their practices. But wait, if student athletes can get prior access, then what about other
members in campus activities? for instance, members of the Blazin’ Brigade practice three times a week and as hard as the athletes, but they do not get prior registration. registration has been a big debate among students, and it is our belief that the registrar should give prior access to those with the same situation as student athletes.
This editorial was written by Ritsuki Miyazaki (rmiyazaki@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
Halloween tips and activities Von Kennedy S ta f f W r i t e r vtkennedy@valdosta.edu
Halloween is not about tricking, treating, smelling feet or getting something good to eat after the age of 18, but it could be. in college, it marks the second biggest weekend of parties in the fall semester after Homecoming. Let's all be real. With that being said, there are a plethora of activities that are going to go down in the name of "fun." Many parties will involve alcohol,
drugs and plenty of peer pressure, but think outside of the box this year and be different on this Halloween night. Here are some ideas outside of partying like it is 1999: • find new activities to fulfill your night and make it memorable like Halloween events in the community. they could be a pleasant surprise. Valdosta hosts a lot of events around the city and in surrounding areas. • also for the fans of yesteryear, take it back and actually trick or treat. i’ve actually had an urge to do this myself. i am sure i am not the only
one. if partying is still on your mind, here are things to look out for in order to be safe because the only way to apply common sense is to be reminded that you have it. remember: • friends are key when deciding what to do when you have fun. • it would not be a smart idea to hang with people you normally do not associate with because they are going to a popular party. More than likely they will not have your back if something happens. Having more instigators than mediators around you is nev-
er a good idea. You may turn up, get into a fight and have your lights turned out. • Have a trusted friend with you. it is important to have a person with you that has your best interest at heart. When embarking on bad decisions, it is best to have someone say “Hey let's get a cab" or "i think you've had too much." Halloween in its essence is about fun and meeting new people. Whether it is a neighbor handing out candy, witches telling stories to children downtown, haunted houses on the outskirts of town or having a good time at a party, Happy Halloween, VSU.
People Poll Do you think it’s unfair for certain groups of students to get priority registration for classes? Cierra Johnson freshman marketing major “no, i don’t think they should be able to register early...We all have the same rights...no one is special.”
Players preserve the game David Lacy S ta f f W r i t e r dclacy@valdosta.edu
recently there have been reports of Grambling State University’s football team going on strike because of the condition of the locker rooms and weight room, complaints of long bus rides and players having to pay for their own Gatorade during games. this could have happened to any school, including VSU. We have a winning football team. all it would take is some neglect and we could be in the same place as Grambling. this should stand as a warning not only to the people in charge of our football team but those around the country. Grambling is suffering
from a lack of funds and support for the team. this, along with neglect, has caused a lot of problems, money being a big one. football brings in a lot of money for a school. tickets, merchandise and alumni support are just a few of them. it’s inexcusable for the administration at Grambling to allow this to happen, and i
am glad that the team had the courage to step up and do what needed to be done not only for the sake of the team but also for the university. if the football team was having problems, i’m sure there were other parts of the university facing the same issues.
i don’t know a lot about football as a sport. i watch it from time to time and listen to my roommates argue about “their” teams, but it does not take a football fan to understand when a group of people are not being taken care of. this incident is less about the football program and more about these young men and the rights they should have as human beings who are part of a football team. Sometimes people will back down in situations involving school administrators because it seems as if they are facing a giant. it’s not easy to face something this difficult when your future could be on the line. Many players are on scholarships and looking to turn football into their careers
someday. if i were in the same situation i would hope to be able to do what their football team did. now that this has happened i hope it inspires men and women who are part of teams that have had these issues and may have been too scared to say anything. alone, we are not always capable of doing amazing things or making hard choices, but if you have a group of people you trust behind you there is very little you can’t accomplish together. So, as students i hope that we will stand up when things like this happen and say we will not stand for them. i hope that we will have the courage to challenge the administration on issues that we feel we are being treated unfairly. and i hope that we will stand behind these things with passion and hope.
Bitcoin, currency of the future Stephen Cavallaro OpiniOnS editOr sjcavallaro@valdosta.edu
this tuesday the first atM to house one of the most revolutionary and sophisticated digital currencies in the world, the Bitcoin, opened in a Vancouver coffee shop. the Bitcoin was introduced in 2009, and during this time 1,309.03 bitcoins (BtC) was worth $1. today a single BtC is worth close to $200. people obtain BtC by exchanging physical currency for BtC or through mining, the process of harvesting the limited amount of BtC (that
will never exceed 21 million) with immense computer power and solutions to math problems. the Bitcoin is an amazing alternative to the dollar. the program allows for secure and anonymous exchange and an even greater benefit of owning BCt is the lack of centralization. a strict and accepted protocol established since inception guides the system and is in no way regulated. in addition, BCt can be used worldwide without the hassle of transactions and hidden fees. While the Bitcoin is generally associated with the rise and fall of the online market-
place responsible for the sale of millions of dollars in drugs, Silk road, a variety of markets that accept BtC are increasingly growing. and this is simply a representation of the Bitcoin’s glory, for BtC is a currency dedicated to freedom by existing for anyone for whatever they choose. Over 100 million BtC are in circulation, and as the Bitcoin becomes more popular each day, governments become increasingly suspicious of the mechanism's potential. these institutions have reason to fear this digital currency because the Bitcoin has proven itself to be superior to
others of its kind as well as to traditional currencies. the Bitcoin has shown the world how viable of a product it is. Over the years the Bitcoin has fluctuated in value yet remains intact, and while 25 BtC are being mined every 10 minutes, patrons are working to develop more advanced mining technology while traditional currencies face sharp declines without any help from policy makers. thus, the Bitcoin is ever-demonstrating to the world that it is here to protect you and your assets for the future.
Spectator Staff Editor-in-Chief: Jennifer Gleason Managing Editor: Will Lewis Business Manager: Kristen Varney Advertising Manager: aimee napier Circulation Manager: abbie Baggerly Opinions Editor: Stephen Cavallaro Features Editor: Sarah turner
Sports Editor: eric Jackson Photo Editor: ritsuki Miyazaki Multimedia Editor: rebecka Mcaleer Web Designer: John preer Copy Editor: Olivia McLean Social Media Editor: Joe adgie Faculty Advisers: dr. pat Miller, dr. ted
Matthew Bell junior history major “no, i don’t think it is fair. We are all students at the university. We all have the same rights.”
Want more opinions? Check out the Video People Poll online at: youtube.com/ValdostaSpectator
Letter to the editor: ObamaCare, not so great i am writing in response to Von Kennedy’s article entitled “ObamaCare: no Glitch” published in the Spectator. Like our current president and the numerous liberal congressmen who helped shove the highly unpopular ObamaCare down the throats of americans, Von is apparently oblivious to why the majority is upset with this bill. it may be because they are beginning to feel the full effects of it! You may recall Senator pelosi’s famous words, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” Of course americans are upset with the difficulty of signing up for ObamaCare online, as the government has had ample opportunity to perfect the system, but like most things that are controlled by the government we are starting to see that this is the beginning of a complete disaster. for those few americans who have made it to the point where they can start shopping for plans on the site (states such as aK and nd are currently reporting 25 or less
who have signed up for a plan), they are becoming distressed over the costs of such plans (i.e. they aren’t any cheaper and the deductible has increased). they are also wondering why, in complete contradiction to what the president said, they are unable to keep their current coverage or doctor. One must also ponder the question, if ObamaCare is so great then why aren’t the president and the senators who helped pass it eagerly jumping on the opportunity to sign up for a plan themselves? this was actually a bargaining deal republicans offered democrats during the government shutdown, but the democrats refused. if they don’t want in, you know it must be great! Like Von i too am reminded of words from a mentor, “americans are spending more time reading health plan cancellation notices than democrats spent reading.” Caleb thomas Valdosta Citizen
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Features
OCTOBER 31, 2013
Blazin’ Awareness! Stress Busters Sponsored by:
Name: _______________________
.03& 5 0 $0.& - Cut out Blaze - Color Blaze & give him a body - Be creative - Turn in your artwork The Spectator, VSU Counseling Center & VSU Psychology Club are co-hosting a “de-stress” event VSU Counselors will be talking with students providing: self-help tips & relaxation techniques “Blazin’ Awareness” has three tips for dealing with grief self-assessments for stress & depression stages. These are the rules: Stage 1: Students have one week to color /create a Blaze mascot & submit to the Spectator either at the event or in the drop box located at the Information Desk on the second floor of the Student Union. Entries must be received by Nov. 6. (Must be PG-13) Stage 2: Students vote for favorite entries for one week on the Spectator mobile app, available on iTunes & Play. Top five finalists will receive multiple gift certificates from local business sponsoring the event. More sponsors are signing up as the event continues! Voting closes at 5p.m. on Nov. 13. Stage 3: The five top finalists will compete against each other for the Grand Prize. Students will vote for a week for their favorite “Blaze” artwork by tossing change into donation jars associated with their favorite entry in the Student Union. The Grand Prize Winner will receive the most votes in the form of monetary donations submitted by Nov. 20. All donations will go to the VSU Psychology Club. The Grand Prize Winner will be announced on Nov. 21 through the Mobile App. Must have notifications enabled to receive the announcement! Winners will have until Dec. 2 to claim their prizes before they are forfeited. The Grand Prize Package will consist of a gift basket of donations from area businesses.
features
oCToBeR 31, 2013
Top 2013 Costumes
PaGe 5 | vsusPeCTaToR.CoM
Knight named Miss VSU
Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke Breaking Bad jumpsuits Duck Dynasty Ninja Turtles Hunger Games Fox outfits source: “entertainment weekly” MCTcampus Seneca Crane from the Hunger Games.
VSU club makes Valdosta shine Khiry Clements s ta f f w r i t e r
keclements@valdosta.edu
w
ith the holiday season approaching, we need to take a step back and ask “How can we give back to the Valdosta community?” the VsU chapter of Habitat for Humanity is way ahead of us as they raise funds, educate students about the need for homes in the Valdosta area and provide volunteers to build homes in the Valdosta area under the guidance of the ValdostaLowndes County Habitat for Humanity. for the advisor of the VsU chapter, Deborah robson,
seeing the changes the organization has made makes driving the streets of Valdosta a touch more heartwarming. “what just amazes me on a daily basis is driving by homes i had a hand in building and seeing how homes around the area have been improved in a way that changes the character of the neighborhood,” robson said. robson continued by explaining that it’s not just seeing the homes that affect those who took part but things as simple as seeing people’s face light up when they see their new place. “i remember at one home dedication, a young boy just sat on the floor in the middle of one bedroom,” robson
said. “He told me it was going to be his bedroom, and his excitement was written across his face. it was pure joy.” founded in 1987, HfH is a nonprofit, Christian ministry that works to build houses for those in need. the organization is dedicated to getting rid of unsafe homes or houses that are not up to par in various communities. the mission statement is “to create stable neighborhoods and communities with God’s people” in the Valdosta-Lowndes County area. Due to Valdosta’s swift growth, the city government has taken more efforts in getting rid of substandard housing in the Lowndes County
area. annually, the ValdostaLowndes County Habitat for Humanity, along with the VsU chapter, builds 14-18 houses for people in need. if you are interested in joining VsU’s chapter, there are no qualifications for membership other than those already provided by VsU in order to be a member of an organization. if you want to help out but don’t think you have time to be a member, you can support by coming to the VsU Habitat for Humanity bake sale on Nov. 13 and 14 in the student Union from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. all proceeds will benefit the VsU chapter in giving back to the local community.
Scan the QR code to read John Preer’s review of the UC’s showing of “Miracle Boy.”
Even
Odd
Ritsuki Miyazaki/THE SPECTATOR Keri Lynn Knight, senior business managment/ healthcare administration major, waves to the crowd after being crowned as the 2013 Miss VSU at the pageant on Saturday.
Sudoku
A N S W E R S
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SportS
OCTOBER 31, 2013
Lady Blazers’ are back on the floor Chris Kessler S p o rt S W r i t e r ckessler@valdosta.edu
Basketball season is right around the corner and the Valdosta State Lady Blazers have high expectations of winning the Gulf South Conference. “i think we can compete, can we win it? You just never know, you got to have some breaks but we can be in a position to do some very positive things,” said head coach Kiley Hill. “We have to stay healthy, we have to defend consistently night in and night out, and we have to be able to score from the perimeter a lot. “those three things are the name of the game, but i think the biggest factor for us is to stay healthy. this team competes; it's in their personalities to compete.” Unfortunately VSU is already suffering from injuries lingering from the preseason.
“right now the injury bug has hit us a little bit. We only have six healthy bodies of fourteen right now. By mid-November, early December we'll have everybody back,” said Hill “You name it, we've had it, but we're going to have some kids back on the floor soon, it's just a matter of us getting in shape and in rhythm.” VSU comes off a 16-11 season in which the Lady Blazers finished .500 in the GSC at 9-9. Hill's squad returns seven players from last year, including junior standout Kourtnee Williams who averaged 13.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists a game last season. Williams was recently named to the preseason All-GSC team. Familiar faces Jordan Waugh, Jocelyn Danley and Maylisa Johnson return to the team after red-shirting last season. the Lady Blazers also welcome in four newcomers to the program, transfers Amy Duke,
April thomas, and Maggie Davis along with the team's lone freshman reshaundra owens. Despite the loss of last season's leading scorer, Brittney Nelson, Coach Hill believes his veteran team can have a successful year. “if feel good, we have a lot of experience. Kourtnee Williams has the experience of a senior, Kamyia Smith played a lot of minutes for us last year, Jordan Waugh is back on the floor, Mayia Johnson is back on the floor, and Brooke Satterfield is coming back off her ACL tear. We have a chance to be very good because of the experience.” the Lady Blazers were plagued last season on the-court by turnovers, three-point shooting and lack of depth, but Hill expects with a deep and hopefully healthy roster, his team will improve in those areas. VSU tips-off their season at home on Nov. 11 against trinity Baptist.
Ferguson starts tenure at LHS Shane Thomas S p o rt S W r i t e r shanethomas@valdosta.edu
two years removed from leading the VSU Lady Blazers to the Sweet Sixteen, Brittany Ferguson will be patrolling the sidelines as the new head coach of the Lowndes High School girls’ basketball team. on May 14, Ferguson was introduced as the new leader of the Lowndes High girls’ basketball program, replacing longtime Lady Vikettes coach Shan Garner. With an entire summer to get acclimated to her new surroundings, Ferguson is confident that she is ready to take over the helm. “it’s exciting,” Ferguson said smiling. “i’m not gonna lie, it’s a little scary. there’s a first time for everything but i’m super excited. We’ve got a great group of kids. We’re young but i wouldn’t have it any other way right now.” Garner compiled an impressive 186-56 record in nine seasons, including four region titles. Filling those shoes will be a challenge, but Ferguson says she’s not concerned with filling shoes, but breaking in a pair of
VSU Athletics Brittany Ferguson is making the transition from player to coach.
her own. “if you come into a situation trying to compare yourself to another coach, you’re always going to fail,” Ferguson said. “You have to come and try to set your own standards, create your own program and allow it to go from there.” “Ferg and i spoke at length as she was going through the interviewing process,” said Kiley Hill, VSU Lady Blazers head coach. “She understands the rich girls’ basketball history at Lowndes High, but knows she has to be who Brittany Ferguson is, not someone else.” After spending the 2012-13 season as a graduate assistant under Hill, the former All-American explains the process of mor-
phing from player to coach has been eye-opening. “i think the quick transition is going to help me and hurt me,” Ferguson said. “i’m fresh off the court. i can relate very well to players—i know exactly what they’re thinking and what they’re going through every minute of the game.” “the biggest difference is you don’t know what goes on behind the scenes,” Ferguson said laughingly. “As a player, you show up, put your jersey on and go play. You don’t think about where the water is, where the towels are, who are the referees assigned, etc. it’s a learning curve but we’re getting there.” Ferguson admits her first season will be about rebuilding but also sees an opportunity for growth and establishing her identity as a coach. “We’re young, we have about nine sophomores,” Ferguson said. “i’m not chopping it up, i think we have a good chance [to be good]. it’s about learning— finding out what works for me and what works for this group of girls.” Follow Shane on twitter: @its_athomasthing
(David Lacy/The Spectator) Blazer defender Caroline Moore clears the ball during last Sunday’s 2-0 loss to North Alabama.
R e a d Ale x Tos ta do’s pre vie w on VS U’s upcoming ma tch a g a ins t We s t Ge org ia a t www.vs us pe cta tor.com
Fordham shines in McDonough Cup Chris Webb S p o rt S W r i t e r ctwebb@valdosta.edu
the Blazers golf team finished tied for 11th earlier this week at the McDonough Cup. the event which is hosted by rollins College took place at the par 72 eagle’s Creek Golf Club in Winter park, Fla. this was VSU’s first event after returning from California two weeks ago with a strong fifth place finish at the Sonoma State Mens invite in Santa rosa, Ca. Welcoming the Blazers back
to competition was a tough field of competitors including nine top-25 teams. And 14 of the 16 schools were mentioned in the latest Golf World/Nike Division ii College Coaches’ poll including Valdosta State receiving 10 votes. Junior John Fordham continued his solid season Finishing tied for 10th shooting a 1-under par 215. “it was my best tournament since i’ve been at VSU. Just a lot of hard work this semester paid off. [i] finally made some mid range putts this week and just had to grind it out all 54
holes.” this is Fordham’s third straight top 20 finish on the young season and has started to settle in to a leaders role for the Blazers with his steady scoring. Junior Alex Jones continued his recent success finishing tied for 23rd with a 2-over 218; and after a 5th place finish two weeks ago at the Sonoma invite he has seemed to find his stroke after missing two rounds due to sickness early in the month at the Aflac/Cougar invitational. read the rest of the story on www.vsuspectator.com