The Guardsman, Vol. 173, Issue 6, City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

NEWS BRIEF New Addition To City Northern California Cherry College's John Adams Blossom Festival Returns Bargaining By Andrew Segala Campus Disparities andrewa.segala@hotmail.com For two weekends in a row, April 9-10 and 16-17, San Francisco Japantown has hosted the 2022 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. The small community of Japantown saw flocks of San Franciscans and even some tourists fill Post Street to see various aspects of Japanese culture. Many attendees came dressed in casual clothes, others wore traditional Japanese

kimonos, and some even decked out in cosplay of well-known anime characters. Vendors of local small businesses soldtheir products and services with a majority of them being tailored to Japanese culture; ranging from Japanese clothing, bamboo plants, to origami workshops. Some vendors would offer free Sake samples to the public served in traditional style along Festival continues on page 5

The new training tower for City Colleges Fire Academy class at John Adams Campus in San Francisco April 2020. Andrew SegalaThe Guardsman By Andrew Segala andrewa.segala@hotmail.com City College of San Francisco’s Fire Academy has nearly completed its state-ofthe-art training tower for its Fire Academy students. The recent addition of the training tower brings with it multiple scenarios that students can face once they are hired by a fire agency. The training tower stands as a solid four-story brick structure with each floor offering various opportunities for training scenarios. These opportunities can range from exiting from a small confined space, forceable entry through a doorway, maneuvering through smoke-filled rooms, to connecting and feeding a firehouse to put out a fire. The only limitation that the training tower has is that it does not support the use of “live fire” exercises. Those kinds of exercises are conducted at Cal Fire, San Carlos Belmont for wildland fires and South San Francisco Fire Department for structural fires. Having to travel from the John Adams Campus to one of the two locations may seem like a burden, but it has eased commuting for some students. Before the new training tower, many students traveled to a training facility near San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to conduct hands-on and classroom instruction. The location of John Adams Campus is in a relatively

central location in San Francisco where public transportation is easily accessible for students. The Airport Commission at SFO decided to end the lease with City College in 2017, but with extensive negotiations with City College and the Mayor’s Office, it was given a two year extension that ended in 2019. This resulted in the Fire Academy moving to John Adams Campus. City College administrators had the idea to turn the old, unused children's playground at the campus into the new training tower. This helped City College’s Fire Academy find a home for its classes and maintain its state accreditation. Department Chair of Administrative Justice and Fire Science Jim Connor said, “We now comply with State Fire Training requirements that dictate what kind of equipment and facilities you have to have to run a Fire Academy class program.”

The Japanese Peace Plaza during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival on April 16, 2022. The Festival was put on hold for two years due to the global pandemic and ran over the course of two weekends, April 9-10 and April 16-17. Apr. 16. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

Accumulate By JohnTaylor Wildfeuer

jt.wildfeuer@gmail.com Current and former administrative remedies to City College’s chronic budget reconciliation struggle have inflamed tensions among differently classified staff. Last year full-time faculty, represented by their union AFT 2121, negotiated a budget agreement to avert 163 layoffs in exchange for a 13.4% decrease in academic salaries saving the school about $10 million. Classified staff, on the other hand, took a 3.4% cut saving $1.5 million. In addition to this fractional reduction, classified staff were able to negotiate a $4.2 million cash payout on $8 million of accrued sick leave. This during a time when fulltime faculty were receiving no additional sick leave, including those working on campus during the ongoing pandemic. Classified staff are those employees of the college in positions not requiring certification. An internal audit compiled by David James notes that average City College classified staff salaries “are in the top seven districts for … community college districts.”

The training tower stands as a solid fourstory brick structure. Connors continued, “One of the things that they require is a training structure like this [the new training tower].” Fire continues on page 2

A San Francisco Yosakoi dance group with Naruko clappers perform at the Japanese Peace Plaza in San Francisco's Japantown during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festiva. Apr. 16. Andrew Segala/ The Guardsman

2 | NEWS

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

Fire contined from page 1

The ground floor of the training tower where breathing tanks, sheets of wood, ladders and fire extinguishers are store for City Colleges Fire Academy Students at John Adams Campus in San Francisco. Apr. 12. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

NEWS BRIEF

CA Lawsuit By David Sharma

bethlynn2020@gmail.com “Pay equity for equal work,” was a phrase often repeated during a virtual news conference held by the California Teachers Association (CTA) announcing a class action lawsuit over minimum wage violations at Long Beach City College (LBCC) on April 4. Part-time teachers were not being compensated for the same work that they were putting in as their full-time counterparts. LBCC was at the forefront of accusations frm part-time teachers accusing the school of exploitation and no compensation. At the meeting, the CTA and the Community College Association represented two teachers who were not paid for their work outside of the classroom. Along with other Community Colleges, LBCC only paid parttime instructors for hours spent in the classroom and did not take into account the additional hours spent planning lectures, meeting with students, and reviewing and grading papers. Even though community colleges do not pay part-time teachers for time spent outside of the classroom, they evaluate them on their efforts outside of the classroom. CTA is currently co-sponsoring legislation which aims to compensate part-time employees fairly. This meeting was to raise awareness for a legislative bill, AB 1752, sponsored by Miguel Santiago, which aims to establish pay equity among faculties on all California community college campuses.

The City College fire engine stored in the new shed built for City Colleges Fire Academy at John Adams Campus in San Francisco. Apr. 12. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

The top level of the training tower which is built to train students on conducting a rooftop rescue on a pointed roof along with confined spaces search and rescue. Apr. 12. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

Staff Editor-in-Chief Casey Michie T: @jtwildfeuer

Editor-in-Chief JohnTaylor Wildfeuer T: @casey_michie

News Editor Emily Margaretten T: @e_margaretten

Culture Editor Julie Zigoris T: @jzigoris IG: @jusudra

The total cost of the training tower was $3.5 million with the funding coming from two sources, the Strong Workforce Program (SWP) and bond money through the dedicated efforts of Jim Connors and Fire Academy Instructor Jovon Blake. The funding for the training tower saw no complications, as the bond money was set aside for funded projects approved by the voters of San Francisco while SWP funds are through the state of California. SWP is a funding program by the California Community Colleges to help fund gaps in career education programs, which the Department of Administrative Justice and Fire Science qualifies under. The Fire Academy not only received a new training tower but also a large shed that stores a fire engine donated to City College by the Foster City Fire Department. In addition to storage, the shed also will provide extra privacy from the general public and reduce the chances of theft. When asked about the future of the training tower and what it brings for the department, the Dean of Administrative Justice and Fire Science Edith Kaeuper said, “We are thinking of having a disaster day were we have the LVN’s, RN’s, medical assistants and everybody come out and deal with a disaster we stage.” Having interoperable training events with various departments is being considered for the new training tower to show how students from the Fire Academy, EMS, Nursing, and Police programs can work together. Kaeuper also said, “Have all my first responder departments go out and deal with a situation we make up, its going to take some time to get there, because first we have to get everyone trained on how to use it [the training tower] and come up with a scenario, and involve other departments in putting a scenario together.” Connors also said, “Facilitywise our faculty is excited, we did a two day training exercise in January and when the faculty went through it, they all appreciated the fact they got hands-on training and understood how the structure works so we are all excited about this. It’s a tremendous step forward.” The training tower is being used in a limited capacity until its full completion in May 2022. The department expects to use the training tower at full capacity by Fall 2022.

Opinion Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

Layout Editors Skylar Wildfeuer

Photography Editors Bob Kinoshita

Illustrators Sarah Clayson

Sports Editor Seamus Geoghegan

Lauren Murphy

Janna Velasquez

Yuchen Xiao

Social Media Editor Derek Chartrand Wallace

Onyx Hunter

T: @seamoose415

Illustration Editor Max Hollinger

Chief Copy Editor Colton Webster

NEWS | 3

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

City College's Own Behind Artist of "Alice Street" Post Screening Panel Discussion on Unity Day By Beth Lederer bethlyn2020@gmail.com “Alice Street” is an Oaklandbased documentary that shows art in activism and how local artists banded together, formed coalitions, demanded change, and fought developers and City Hall winning 20 million dollars in community benefits. The documentary revolves around rapid gentrification and displacement in downtown Oakland and highlights a mural called “Universal Love.” Some themes of the mural depict the real-life portraits of the dancers and drummers of the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts (African descent) and Hotel Oakland Residents (Chinese descent).

incentive as a means of making the arts more accessible and inclusive,” Mitchell said. “I think the mural(s) in question symbolize this sense of diversity and unity. What better than to inspire people and also unify them through art. It is such a universal language and there is something for everyone,” she continued. The name of the Alice Street Mural is coincidentally also called Universal Language. There is so much universal,

gentrification. Lydia Jian, the VP of the Inter-Club Council said, “the documentary showed the powerful force of art in supporting grassroots activism and coalition building, the mural itself being a key symbol of cultural resilience, it deeply aligns with what Unity Day is all about.” Michele McKenzie, Media Librarian for City College, was the brainchild behind bringing the Alice Street documentary to City College. Nicole Oest,

According to McKenzie, “part of her job as Media Librarian is to be responsible for acquisitions of films for instructional use to support the curriculum and to identify materials that would be of interest to City College faculty and students. Amy Diaz-Infante artist and instructor in Printmaking,Drawing and Design was moderator of the very lively, truly authentic and heart-felt panel discussion.

residents, high rents) and their own growth as artists. Mundo, Pescador, and Wilkinson (filmmaker) have an impressive portfolio of artistic accomplishments and awards for their grassroots activism. As one woman in the documentary commented, “the mural has taken on a life of its own.” Both Pan American Unity and Universal Language have common themes promoting art in activism and art to create social change. McKenzie and Mitchell spoke about equity in terms of having art made accessible to the community.

"The mural has taken on a life of its own."

“Alice Street” was chosen for the visiting artist series in honor of Diego Rivera’s legacy of his famous Pan American Unity Mural. “Alice Street” was chosen for the visiting artist series in honor of Diego Rivera’s legacy of his famous Pan American Unity Mural. Unity Day is celebrated by the Inter-Club Council twice a year where all CCSF clubs join together to learn, build connections,support and show solidarity for the other clubs. For Unity Day this year each club presented a slide and Ayana Mitchell, an ICC representative and Vice President Elect of the CCSF Film club, presented a slide promoting Artists in Conversation: Alice Street. A post screening panel discussion for later that evening was planned, featuring special guest filmmaker Spencer Wilkinson and muralists Desi Mundo and Pancho Pescador. In partnership with SFMOMA, each student who attended the webinar would be rewarded with a free ticket to explore SFMOMA and the Bay Area Walls exhibit currently on display. Ayana Mitchell called SFMOMA “generous” to offer free tickets. “It was a great

Courtesy of CCSF Library in the sense of belonging to a community or neighborhood. Arts used to connect-interconnect, music, art, dance, the fight to stay in one's own neighborhood in the midst of rising rents,seeing it being torn down and rebuilt amongst the wave of

Staff

Photographers Katherine Castillo

Staff Writers David Chin

Anderew Segala

David Sharma

IG: @andrew_segala

Karem Rodriguez

Instructor of Art History, said McKenzie was the visionary behind the event. She obtained the film for the library and invited the panelists to speak. SFMOMA partnered with CCSF for providing financial support and publicizing the event.

Lilla Batson Beth Lederer

advertise theguardsman. com info@theguardsman.com (415) 239-3446

One of the moderator questions revolved around art as responsibility. The muralists started painting “Universal Language” in 2014. Since then a lot has happened in downtown Oakland (rapid gentrification, displacement of artists/

Having the murals displayed out in the open, gives the community equal access to art . Art should be for everyone to view and not only locked up in the museum for those who can only afford to see it. McKenzie collaborated with CCSF Art Librarian Dayna Holz on the Visiting Artists @ CCSF/SFMOMA Research Guide (https://library.ccsf.edu/ visiting-artists).z As part of the visiting artist program, Professor Nancy Elliot of the Arts Department has a workshop planned with Pancho Pescador. Oest commented on the “positive collaboration and the connection the visiting artist program has created between the artists and the students working for social justice in our local communities.” Michele McKenzie concluded by saying, “it is her hope that this event has helped students to appreciate the healing power of art. She also hopes students will be inspired to apply their passion, talents and abilities towards social change.” Alice Street was made available through the CCSF Library’s website and is currently available to the CCSF community to stream with a RAM ID. The recording of the Alice Day Panel discussion will also be posted. Connect to the CCSF Library online for programs and for future upcoming cultural events.

theguardsman.com Twitter @theguardsman Instagram @CCSFjournalism

Facebook @theguardsman YouTube theguardsmanonline

4 | CULTURE

The shrimp-shaped soapbox car made by Oliver Hawk Holden and Andrew Sungtaek Ingersoll races down the track. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

A soapbox car inspired by crumpled up homework rolls down the track. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

SFMOMA’s Soapbox Derby Returns After Over 40 Years! By Janna Velasquez

The shrimp-shaped soapbox car made by Oliver Hawk Holden and Andrew Sungtaek Ingersoll races down the track. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

Rock Paper Scissors Collective’s “Ro Sham Bo” soapbox car being driven single-handedly. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

Bella Donna Artistes Addendum24 and LE BohemianMuse are the masterminds behind this creation. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

pazworldwide@gmail.com For the first time in over 40 years, San Francisco welcomes back the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Soapbox Derby at McLaren Park on Sunday, April 10th, 2022. It was a funfilled day with soapbox cars of all shapes and sizes riding down the track on John F. Shelley Drive. Children of all ages came from near and far to appreciate the artists’ hard work. All the creations were full of playful whimsy, though some were a bit more hazardous than others. An eyeball-shaped soapbox collided with the plastic barriers towards the beginning of the track. Luckily, it was able to continue on it’s course, to the delight of the spectators. Some soapbox cars had to be walked down the course while others lost parts on the way to the finish line. City College of San Francisco’s very own award-winning Engineering Club contributed the “Morkmobile,” inspired by the television show “Mork and Mindy” that was premiered the same year as the last Soapbox Derby, in 1978. In the television show, Mork, an extraterrestrial, comes down to earth in an egg-shaped spacecraft. Keith Mueller, head of CCSF’s Engineering Department, explained that the club has been working on the car since February and that the “Morkmobile” successfully completed the course without incident, flying down the track. The Engineering Club was a bit worried about the front tire, with Mueller running with the soapbox car with an extra wheel just in case. Fortunately, the ride was exceptionally smooth. Despite there being a trophy for 1st and 2nd fastest, the CCSF Engineering Club discovered that the derby was not actually timed, though had it been, they believe they may have won. The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater featured live music by the very skilled Science Band! as well as the talented DJing of the Chulita Vinyl Club collective.

Kathrine Ward’s “CARdigan” was knitted by hand. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

The infamous Bay Area fog personified as “Karl” made an appearance as a soapbox car at the SFMOMA Soapbox Derby, a creation by Hans von Clemm. Janna Velasquez/ The Guardsman

A soapbox car inspired by the beloved paleteros that bless our communities. April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

John Casey’s contribution to the Soapbox Derby, the “Hairy Eyeball.” April 10. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

5 | CULTURE

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

Attendees of the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival participate in a dancing line. Apr. 16. Andrew SegalaThe Guardsman

A festival attendee practices using the taiko drums at the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Apr. 16. Andrew SegalaThe Guardsman

Festival continued from page 1 with having a dance line on occasion. The Japan Center Mall saw many people coming to shop at the unique Japanese stores with products only found there, with lines for the famous mochi doughnuts stretching around the mall's hallway. With the performance stage being located in the Japanese Peace Plaza, various organizations and speakers came up to show the people of San Francisco more of the Japanese culture such as Karate groups giving demonstrations, schools with strong ties to the Japanese community, to dance groups showing a dance performance. The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival was put on hold for two years due to the global pandemic. The event was primarily held outdoors and spanned over a course of two weekends. The purpose of the festival is to showcase the rich culture of Japanese A festival attendee dress at the anime character Cloud from The Final Fantasy franchise at the Japanese Peace Plaza in San and the heritage it shares with the Francisco's Japan town during the Northern California Cherry Japanese-American Community. Blossom Festival. Apr. 16. Andrew SegalaThe Guardsman

Vendors from Ozeki Sake prepare free Sake samples during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Apr. 16. Andrew SegalaThe Guardsman

Dancers entertain the crowd at the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival on the weekend of April 16-17. Anna Hoch-Kennuy/Special to The Guardsman.

Three Films Nominated For Academy Awards For Best Animated Feature Each Engage With Otherness Flee Tells the Story of One Refugee's Loss and Hope By Skylar Wildfeuer

skylar.wildfeuer@gmail.com Flee is a devastating and exquisite biographical drama. The framing storyline of an adult Amin who was born in Afghanistan and lives in Europe. He chats with his friend Jonas - who is also the filmmaker - about their shared and disparate pasts and Amin's ambiguous present. They engage with memory and deception, the intimacy of friendship, the vulnerability of conversation, and the way old trauma continues to assert itself. In so doing, Jonas personalizes and intensifies the horrific stories that Amin tells about his childhood flight from Kabul to Copenhagen. Amin's recounts cover his early, happy childhood in Afghanistan, the misery of interstitial years in Russia, and the profound isolation of Amin's eventual arrival in Copenhagen. This engages with family, queerness, sorrow, violent communism, US supplied terrorists, human trafficking, and in so doing, invites the viewer to bear witness to Amin's grief. To conclude with an (off screen) wedding, the traditional conclusion to a comedy, where all is traditionally right in the end, reminds that this film is not only a record, but art, with intent: Jonas invites us to hope for and invest in Amin’s future I hope for Amin. I am left with a desire to act.

Encanto Honors Refugee Contributions To Their New Communities By Skylar Wildfeuer

skylar.wildfeuer@gmail.com I started watching Encanto because I was annoyed that Flee had not won Best Animated, and I thought there was no way Encanto had any right to beat Flee to that dubious honor, but I continued to watch it because Mirabel and the Madrigals told a good story with colorful backdrops and a lot of music. The Madrigals are a displaced family who have built a thriving new life in a safe place after escaping violence and suffering loss. The family's generosity and their village's strong community are very deliberately about the refugee experience, specifically in South America. Mirabel is the only member of a magical family to lack a magical ability. While the specifics are fantastic, the feeling is near universal. This heroine is a part of the new school, she does not escape into books, onto the land, or into the military. Mirabel remains staunchly herself, proud of her family, confrontational with her grandmother, inquisitive about family lore, until she discovers that instead of receiving a gift, she is the gift to her family, with the leadership qualities of humility and determination required to lead the family into the future. Disney posits the concept of accountability for the adult members of the family.

Luca Untames the Underdog By JohnTaylor Wildfeuer

jt.wildfeuer@gmail.com There is something inexplicably relatable about the plight of two shape-shifting sea monsters with a moped obsession. Even before adding in the challenges of reconciling familial differences, the fears of losing a friend after losing one’s parents, and the ubiquitous triumphal feeling of out-performing a bully with a new friend, Pixar’s Luca outlines an oddly familiar tension between being sincerely other and authentically the same. Beyond making the case that the Vespa is humanity’s greatest achievement, the film seems to be making the case that a harmony can exist between the archaic and the modern, folklore and science fiction. It goes further in saying that to keep the two separate does harm to each. As Luca and Alberto navigate hiding their identity as sea monsters, mainly by staying dry so as to avoid showing their scales, they meet Giulia and the three set about winning the town’s triathlon of swimming, pasta eating, and cycling in order to win one of Earth’s most precious resources: a Vespa. Throughout and in sum, Luca cleverly plays out its literal take on the fish-out-of-water trope by identifying the incomparable qualities in all families, above and below sea level. In the end, following its dynamic exploration of the conflict between loving and leaving home, Luca returns to its two key principles: vanquishing xenophobia and visualizing the Vespa.

OPINION | 6

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

Free Speech Series

In Defense of Free Speech As Always, Keep An Eye On the Funding By Katherine Castillo

kcasti27@mail.ccsf.edu In my opinion, freedom of expression should always be respected and never altered by private and public companies, nor by pressure from people who disagree with specific points of view. In the United States there exists the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency of the federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the country. Impartial entities are the most important key in order to have effective and efficient freedom of speech on platforms. In early January, 270 people signed an open letter demanding that Spotify either "take action against the mass-misinformation events that continue to occur on its platform" or remove Joe Rogan from their podcast streaming service. The letter criticizes Rogan's show, for making "false and societally harmful assertions that damage public trust in scientific research.” While I disagree with many of Rogan’s comments, I am a firm believer of freedom of speech and I trust that difficult and polarizing topics should be debated openly in the public square, with as few restrictions as possible from the government and no interference from private and public companies. Censorship has been shown to be a misguided and ineffective, even counterproductive, strategy for responding to misinformation. Silencing is not synonymous with non-existence, nor disappearance. So mutilating one of the biggest fundamental freedoms of this country is far more dangerous than allowing controversial topics to be published, on Spotify for example. We are often assured that we live in one of the most free countries in the world, where being different is fine and respected. Where minorities, even when they face infinite problems, are recognized by all. But that seems to be a problem when dealing with different opinions, when two extremes seem not to be able to reach a middle point. Joe Rogan is a polarizing figure and we can not ignore the fact that he enjoys and sells its product by being like that. The problem here lies when the audience of a public company demands shutting down a program that, from day one, had a contract that allows him to say what he wants, interview, who he wishes, and even consume legal drugs during the program without internal repercussions. Spotify knew Joe Rogan’s style when they offered him the $200 million dollars deal back in 2020, where they agreed

to respect his program and his style. This all seemed challenged when people started to ask Spotify to either take action or just remove his content from the platform. They asked the company to break the most profitable contract in the history of Spotify and the podcasting industry. That was simply not going to happen and people were not happy about it. I do agree with many of the concerns, but as I mentioned previously, censoring him wouldn’t have been a solution either. Disagreeing with a company’s decision and asking for a change does not mean that it will be carried out, much less when many of the reasons why people wanted to shut down The Joe Rogan podcast was because of differences of opinion. The reality is that with 1,793 episodes as of March 21, 2022, it is very hard for a company to make a decision to censor a program when only 110 episodes were found inappropriate to the public and removed from the platform. Agreeing to disagree is essential for the functionality of a healthy and diverse society. The risks of censorship are extremely high, and having experienced first-hand what censorship can do to a nation, I’ll always defend free speech with all my might. Therefore, in my opinion Spotify was right to keep The Joe Rogan Podcast on air.

Sarah Clayson/The Guardsman

of Local Political Campaigns

By Skylar Wildfeuer

San Francisco Ethics Department infographic of itemized contributors to the effort to recall San Francisco District Attourney Chesa Boudin skylar.wildfeuer@gmail.com It's interesting that most courtesy of SFist. of the funding for the effort to remove our DA looks like it came from outside the city, and we aren't even sure exactly who it came from. Journalists from the SF Examiner and SFist did good, in-depth reporting on this, finding that Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, the recall’s largest financial backer, is a PAC based in San Rafael and has only its Treasurer listed on its paperwork. Individuals and corporations including Republican billionaire William Olbendorf raised $2.5 million in 2021 before contributing $1.8 million, or about two-thirds of all contributions, to efforts to recall Boudin. Olbendorf personally supplied $600,000 according to Ethics Commission Data. I don't know what happened here but I'm gratified by the idea that ultimately San Francisco Money spent in support of and opposition to the effort to recall DA wasn't swayed by what appear to Chesa Boudin. Data sourced rom SFEthics.com. JT Wildfeuer/The be shady outside interests. Guardsman

SPORTS | 7

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

City College Endures Tough Season Without Home Field

City College catcher, Shane Stanley, tags out West Valley runner on April 7, in Pacifica. Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman

By Seamus Geoghegan

geogheganspg@gmail.com City College baseball struggles to find results in their last games of the season, losing home and away to West Valley, San Mateo, and Skyline.

The team only won a single game in March playing 13 ball games across an assortment of fields, lacking both wins and a home field in this 2022 season. “I think we'd love to have a field on our campus,” said outfielder Darren Leung. “Just

like so we don't have to drive too much.” “I don't want to make excuses,” said pitcher Chad Plath. “It's definitely tough since CCSF doesn't have our own baseball field. So for us, it's like every home game is an away game.”

Plath made his first start for the Rams versus West Valley on Apr. 9th, opening the game well for the rams with a three-up, three-down inning. Overall the game started well for the rams, even leading over West Valley by a run through to

the 4th inning. “I think our bats did pretty well fighting back every time they scored,” said catcher Shane Stanley. “And Chad pitched really well. I think it was just a couple of errors in the field that killed us a little early on because we could have had a lead there.” Despite starting well against a West Valley side that had beat the rams 3 times prior this season, things slowly started to unravel for the Rams. Five more Viking runs in the 9th inning left the final score at 11-5 to West Valley, and meant yet another tough loss for City. “One of the one of the biggest things for us is our endurance over the games, we kind of have a good run, and then we fall off.” said Plath. “And we're finding a lot of ourselves getting into situations where at the end of the game, we really can't hold on to what we're doing.” Without a single win in April, the rams still continue to soldier on and are hopeful for a better run next season. “I think we have a pretty good squad with us or just got a lot of young guys, including myself. I'm a freshman, most of our starters are freshmen, so we haven't played like a full season yet,” said Stanley. “And I think going into next year, we can have a pretty good contending squad if we just do some of the things right. Just not leaving runners in scoring position, and kind of getting out of jams where we haven't in the past.”

Jackson Wood, right, and Angel Perez, left, tries to catch a fly ball during the decisive 8th inning. The Colts from Cañada College scored 4 more points, leading the game with just one inning left. March 28. Katherine Castillo/The Guardsman

Shane Stanley gets his team motivated by yelling The Rams slogans in the dugout during the 8th inning after Cañada College had their third run of the game, leaving City College two points down with just one inning left in the game. March 28. Katherine Castillo/The Guardsman

First Baseman Jackson Wood leaps over the diving West Valley player to make a catch. Apr. 9. Seamus Geoghegan/The Guardsman

8 | SPORTS

Vol. 173, Issue 6 | April. 11 – April 19

City College Women's Soccer Player, Alexia Estrada, Plays for Guatemala in World Cup Qualifiers By Seamus Geoghegan

geogheganspg@gmail.com It was when she first played in the goal that Alexia Estrada discovered her passion for soccer. Estrada found herself in the position after the last goalkeeper was injured. This year, she found herself representing Guatemala in world cup qualifiers. Estrada grew up in South San Francisco where she got an introduction to soccer, kicking the ball around while her sister did swim lessons. “I would walk to orange Park and just kick the ball by myself,” Estrada said. “[I remember] when she was 10 years old and first started playing goalkeeper,” said Hugo Estrada, Alexia Estrada’s father. “When she got her first jersey, it was bigger than her.” Both of Estrada’s parents are Immigrants, something she sports proudly.

Estrada continued to improve rapidly, being called up to a higher level of club play before entering high school. However, it was during her time playing for South San Francisco High School that she encountered a new set of hurdles. “I feel like high school really hurt my development as a player,” Estrada said. “[During] my sophomore year, I was still splitting time with the older goalkeeper, and then that continued throughout high school… It kind of just broke me down a bit because I felt like I was more deserving of proving my spot, you know? But I just never got that opportunity.” Despite not feeling that she got an opportunity to prove herself, City College women’s soccer coach Jeff Wilson spotted Estrada’s potential early on. “I think one of the things that stood out to me is that she was so coachable, and really wanted to improve,” Wilson said. “I could see

Alexia Estrada. Goal Keeper. Kicks the ball to a teammate on Nov 5. 2021 at the City College of San Francisco. Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman “My dad came from Guatemala when he was about 18...My mom is French and Italian but she grew up in France,” Estrada said. “So like, immigrant lifestyle. I mean, I'm the first in my family to go to college. Get a degree…I think that really influenced how I grew up.” Estrada’s dad has been a huge part of her playing career, having been a goalkeeper himself when he played growing up. “I never played professional soccer, even though that was always a dream,” Hugo Estrada said. “My dad was so excited when they put me in goal for the first time…I would say he was like my first goalkeeper coach. He honestly taught me like all the basics that I've like still use today, that I need today,” Estrada said. “I was never really like, scared of the ball, just like my dad.” Wasting no time, Estrada quickly went from playing recreational soccer to club-level play. “We were playing and then on the other team that we were playing there was a girl who played club and her dad was the coach of a club team,” Estrada said. “And he was like, ‘Have you guys been playing for a long time? Do you guys want to play club?’”

that as a goalkeeper she had a lot of promise. Really good with her feet, just a good poise about her.” However, spotting her potential was the easy part for coach Wilson. Estrada was set on attending a fouryear college out of high school and didn’t take Wilson’s invitation to join his city squad seriously. “He came out to one of my high school games to watch us and I'm sure if you talk to him, he'll laugh about it now,” Estrada said. “He came up to me with a folder for CCSF and information about the school…The folder actually sat in my car for over two months, I didn't even look at it. I just really didn't want to go the Community College route.” “[I remember] how persistent I had to be in kind of convincing her,” Wilson said. “She thinks that a good student-athlete you know, they're not thinking community college, they're often thinking four year school right away. And you have to kind of talk about how good it could be, the benefits of Community Community College and kind of the doors that could open.” Estrada recognized the desire that coach Wilson had to join his city side. After considering her

options and weighing what would work for her both as a player and a student, City College was the only option that made sense to her. “I was talking to a few schools, but none of it really worked out financially and for my major,” Estrada said. “I saw how great of a coach he was, and honestly I couldn't have pictured myself with any other coach at the time. So I just decided to go with it.”

"Honestly I couldn't have pictured myself with any other coach at the time." Playing her first games for the college in the New Balance Community College Showcase in 2019, Estrada made 12 saves across 2 games, letting in just two goals. Coming into the City team, Estrada hadn’t spent much time with a dedicated goalkeeper trainer, something that the team gave her the opportunity to do. “So much of her ability was just kind of natural ability and learning on her own,” Wilson said. “But then when we're able to get a true goalkeeper coach with experience…she's so much more explosive, she reads the game better, she comes off her line so much better. There are just some of the things that she's developed into through I think a lot of getting advice from an expert in our field.” In her inaugural season, Estrada improved not only her technical abilities on the field but her leadership abilities too. “I think when she stepped into college, she became more confident and became more confident being a leader to others as well,”

something, or talk to the whole team [during] a little hurdle.” After a short season in 2020 where the squad won four of five scrimmages, Estrada was offered a chance to attend Shaw University in North Carolina. However, due to the NCAA’s ruling to grant college players an extra year of play due to the pandemic, she decided to keep playing for the Rams instead. “I turned it down because COVID was on its high, and I honestly didn't feel like it was the best fit,” Estrada said. “I felt like I could find something that I would love even more.” Coach Wilson was happy to see Estrada stay, but said that it was ultimately the decision she made on her own terms. “I've always been of the mindset that I'm here to lead them as long as opportunities are there, but if there's another opportunity creeps up, I've never been the type of coach is like, ‘Hey, you shouldn't go.’” Wilson said. “I don't, I don't think it'd be right for me. And it's just not what I'm about.” Coming into their 2021 season, Estrada and her side were more hungry than ever to play a full season of soccer, and it showed in their results. The team started the season winning their first 6 games, conceding only 3 goals. The side kept up their great form, scoring an incredible 74 goals over 19 fixtures in their regular-season matches, a feat which netted them an 8th conference title. After winning a game versus their pseudo-rivals Santa Rosa College 6-1, their state playoff run was cut short by Hartnell college in a crushing 1-0 defeat. “We all had a really good season because we just worked hard for each other and for us,” said defender Elaina Gonzalez. “In the

Alumni Alexia Estrada flings herself across her goal to prevent a United States Virgin Islands attempt. Estrada made the Guatemalan squad after trying out in December of 2021. Photo courtesy of Alexia Estrada. Wilson said. “She's a leader on and off the field. I think she does a great job of getting other players to buy in and just really supporting the coaching staff. Just kind of uplifting, she always has a smile on her face, even the most intense moments, and I think that kind of speaks to who she is.” Forward Leslie Murillo joined the team last season and is one of the players who bought into Estrada’s infectious positivity. “She was one of the first girls that ever talked to me on the team. She made me feel like she welcomed me,” Murillo said. “On the field, she was always so vocal. During halftime, she would talk to us individually if we needed to fix

end, it was a win, because how can you ask for more?” For Estrada, that game would be her last for the rams, announcing her move to Stanislaus State on the women’s soccer Instagram page on December 2nd. “After talking with the coach, I just really liked the team culture, the philosophy of the team,” Estrada said. “I really want to continue playing soccer after college and that was one thing I talked about with the coach, and he's had players that have continued play. I just felt like I could really grow as a player there.” But that hasn’t been her only big move as of late. Estrada got a chance to try out for Guatemala’s

national team in early December and was invited back to play for the squad. “I just felt accomplished. I had set a goal for myself and you know that feeling when you achieve a goal, it just felt really good,” Estrada said. “I think just being able to go and represent my dad's small town from Guatemala…I just know how proud I would make him myself and like everyone in that town.” Her first game for Guatemala was a 9-0 thrashing of the United States Virgin Islands, which Estrada mostly watched happen from the goal line. “I was really nervous…It was just like a mix of emotions like happiness, fear, nervousness, everything.” Estrada said regarding her pregame mentality. “I didn't really have to do much honestly, my team really took care of it. But it was still a great feeling, you know, to be a part of that.” Playing for her dad’s home country, studying at Stanislaus State, and finding free time to do anything else has been a struggle for Estrada.

"I could see... she had a lot of promise." “It's overwhelming at times,” Estrada said. “It's felt like I haven't been in one spot for like, more than a month, honestly.” “I wake up, eat breakfast, then I have training for weights. Then I come back, do my classes, go to school,” Estrada said, explaining her day to day. “Then I have a second training with our team, usually. Then I'll usually hang out with some teamates, you know, go to bed and start all over again the next day.” Estrada was interrupted by a teammate offering to save a plate of lunch shortly explaining her packed schedule. “I'm usually always doing something or I have to go back and do homework,” Estrada said. “You don't really get to go out like normal college students do.” Guatemala’s world cup qualification hopes ended after a tough 2-1 loss versus St. Kitss and Nevis meant that their game versus Costa Rica was a must win; The game ended 5-0 to Costa Rica with Estrada never making an appearance. Despite the heartbreaking end to a world cup qualification run, Estrada has more time to focus on school and other outside activities, “like normal college students do.” Estrada’s playing career has only started, and it’s clear to those around her that there are still greater things to come. “Alexia has never just sat and been satisfied. She just pushes herself. She's kind of an internal person, internal kind of driver of her own success,” Wilson said. “I mean, I couldn't really ask for more.”