October 1, 2009

Volume 66, No. 5

THE PAN AMERICAN

October 1, 2009

Police shortage collides with high standards

By Kristen Cabrera The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American police department is short handed.

With seven police officer spots unfilled, the search has been going on since the beginning of summer. UTPA Police Chief Roger Stearns, who took over in July said that the current staff of 12 police officers, who normally work eight hours, is now working 12-hour shifts. The UT-System allots 19 commissioned police officers for the UTPA PD. According to Stearns, special events

such as graduation ceremonies could also create a crunch for the officers. Then it’s based on the availability of the officers who worked or didn’t work on patrol earlier. Some officers, he said, worked both patrol shifts that day and worked at the graduation ceremony.

“When it comes to special events we cover patrol first and make sure we have enough officer presence to address any needs, issue or concerns here on campus.

Then it’s based on the availability of the officers,” Stearns said. “At graduation in McAllen we had extra officers from McAllen PD and everyone available

worked graduation including myself. I got out there and directed traffic with everybody else; I enjoyed myself.”

One of the reasons for the shortage is that many of the people who are interested in the job do not have the skills needed to be hired. Though 23 applicants have been turned down recently and while filling these roles has become necessary, Stearns said the high standards of the UTSystem police requirements are one reason the search for more police officers is taking a while.

“We do have higher standards, we require 60 college hours minimum,”

Stearns said. The 60 hour rule can also be substituted if a applicant has 30 credit hours plus military experience or plus previous employment by UT-System Police for two years to go along with those 30 hours, said Stearns.

Candidates must go through a rigorous five-step process, Phase I is when they submit an application consisting of Personal History, work history, references and credit history. Phase II is the testing phases where the take a physical agilities test sandwiched between two written examinations. Phase III is a prepolygraph information statement, where

candidates are asked in-depth questions about themselves and their integrity.

Phase IV, a background check, polygraph test, physical examinations and drug screening along with a psychological assessment are all given. Once the tests are taken an interview with the Oral Review Board is needed. The final Phase V is an interview with the Chief. But most applicants have not even met the minimum requirements.

“When I first got to UTPA the department had just completed a testing process with 23 applicants and when we got done

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IT gives survey for Solis pushes STEM careers access fee changes

By Roxann Garcia The Pan American

The second survey conducted was for the creation of a new Data Center and Information System fee. The functions The Division of IT Services conduct- of the IT Data Center and IT Enterprise ed two surveys on Sept. 15, open to all Information Systems departments are to UTPA students online, through the Cost support UTPA campus offices’ operaof Education Committee Web site and tion. For example, instead of visiting the through consultation forms handed out campus and waiting in line during office hours to register, students can register for in the Academic Services building.

The first survey was conducted to classes from home at anytime.

The proposed rate for the fee was set gain information on how to better define at $5.75 per semester credit hour and the IT access fee.

Jesus Rios, interim associate vice would add $69 to the cost of education for a 12-hour student. president for IT This is a new fee Support Services and a member of the In this description change to that will be added to COEC, explained the IT access fee, we’re trying student tuition. The survey conducted that the description of the fee should to guarantee that the money was for student feedback on how they felt reflect its purpose to support student collected will continue to go about the new fee.

The recent increasing learning through technology. The set to services directly for the cost which the new fee will address is the fee was kept at its result of UTPA reoriginal amount, students. placing information $10.25. The IT Divisystems that date as sion’s main concern, far back as 20 years. explained Rios, was Jesus Rios “The value of only to change the Interim associate VP for IT the functions and description of the information systems fee that way students can thoroughly understand where in question are cost effectiveness and service efficiencies in the functions pertheir money is going.

“In this description change to the IT formed by campus offices,” explained Access Fee, we’re trying to guarantee Leota Hull, associate vice president for that the money collected will continue to IT Data Centers. “The replacement of the go to services directly for the students,” systems was critical to the continued operation of the campus.”

Rios said.

The purpose of this fee request is to The IT Access Fee is for activities that directly serve all students such as fund the cost of staff resources and Data computer labs, wireless, virtual labs, and Center infrastructure. The Data Center low cost software. The fee is proposed facilities are for campus departments to by the Division of IT services and will gather information on operating systems. remain in the set amount of $10.25 per This means that the proposed fee will be semester credit hour.

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INDEX

OPINION PG. 2

Alma Hernandez/The Pan American

EDUCATOR DAY - Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis addresses more than 800 teachers and administrators from South Texas GEAR UP at the UTPA Field House Monday.

By Veronica Gonzalez The Pan American In its eighth year, Hispanic Engineering Science and Technology Week (HESTEC) welcomed Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to the kickoff event. Sept. 28 saw more than 800 teachers and administrators from South Texas GEAR UP schools on Educator Day at The University of Texas-Pan American Field House.

HESTEC founder Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, chair of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and cochair of the Democratic Caucus Education Task Force, initiated the day’s events that emphasized preparing students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (collectively known by the ac-

NEWS PG. 3

ronym STEM) degrees.

The labor secretary, who is the first representative of President Obama’s administration to visit South Texas, addressed her goals as a Cabinet member.

According to Solis, Latinos have the highest rate of unemployment, but by supporting and improving education, especially STEM degrees, everyone will have a chance to prepare themselves for good-paying jobs in the 21st century.

The national unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent and across Texas almost 8 percent. In the McAllen/Edinburg/ Mission area the figure is well over 11 percent and the numbers are even higher for Latinos, who are unemployed at a rate of 13 percent, while a quarter of local eligible youth are unemployed, Solis said.

ARTS & LIFE PG. 10

“But behind all these numbers, I see people, I see families,” the secretary said.

“Our families are struggling with mounting bills and having a tough time paying for college, paying for retirement, or even buying food and basic necessities. It’s simply not acceptable. The president and I will not be satisfied until all Americans have access to good jobs.”

In Texas, the Department of Labor has invested well over $270 million to aid youth, older workers, and veterans impacted by workforce investment services.

Solis was proud to announce that $164 million has been allotted for Texas, in order to make technology upgrades that will vastly improve the operation and security

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SPORTS PG. 14

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THE PAN AMERICAN

Letter to the Editor

Concerns over buses

The Students are facing incommodities with the University shuttle buses.

Students that park behind and in front of the baseball park, and for those who park behind the WREC center are facing the issue of arriving late to classes.

Students that live in houses or apartments near campus have the same problem. Shuttle buses do not pass every five to ten minutes, and some of the units do not have A/C. They are getting over-crowed and students have to wait for another shuttle to arrive.

In my personal experience I have noticed that the buses pass after 15 minutes. When the busses get crowed you have to wait for another one to come. When this happens, you arrive late to class 10-15 minutes, and that’s when teachers call the roll. In the past week it started to rain. Bus delays can result as illnesses, like catching a flu.

The university should create a new way of working with the Shuttle buses.

October 1 , 2009

Editorial

Posting bus schedules and the buses’ stops would create an organized and punctual system. This will eliminate the issues of arriving late to classes and buses getting full. The university could do an inversion and buy a new bus. More enrollments mean more need to travel from parking lots to college buildings. Student’s fees should be used to eliminate this problem. As more students enroll, more money is being given to the Buses Department. In the future an extra bus will be needed. Instead of using buses, students could use a train-car , like the ones you can find in amusement parks.

They have a big capacity and some are electrical, which eliminates the cost of fuel.

The shuttle buses’ issue has to be solved for the interest of students.

Ovidio Quiroga Leal

Correction The Pan American mistakenly printed Robert Nelsen’s name wrong in last week’s edition. We apologize for this mistake.

Vol 66, No. 5

October 1 , 2009

Daniel Flores / The Pan American At the Diesiseis celebration on Sept. 16 at the University Ballroom, two men, one a member of UPB, dance on a girl sitting on a chair on the stage in front of an audience of students, faculty and staff with their families.

Considering UPB, protocol 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 EDITOR IN CHIEF Brian Silva / basilva1@utpa.edu ASSISTANT EDITOR Ana Villaurrutia / alvillaurru@utpa.edu VIDEO EDITOR Naxiely Lopez / naxiely@myway.com ONLINE EDITOR Kristen Cabrera / kristenmichellecabrera@yahoo.com ASSISTANT VIDEO EDITOR Victor Ituarte / victor.ituarte@gmail.com A&L EDITOR Isaac Garcia / izek_el@yahoo.com ASSISTANT A&L EDITOR Andrielle Figuerroa / j27ig@yahoo.com SPORTS EDITOR Kevin Stich/ k.stich@gmail.com ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Sara Hernandez/ sarahdzm@hotmail.com DESIGN EDITOR Gregorio Garza / ggarzaz26@utpa.edu SENIOR DESIGNER Roy Bazan / rbazanzz@utpa.edu ADVISER Dr. Greg Selber / selberg@utpa.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE Anita Reyes / areyes18@utpa.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER Mariel Cantu/ spubs@utpa.edu WEBMASTER Jose Villarreal / josemvillarrealcs@gmail.com

**Delivery** Thursday at noon The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@ gmail.com.

Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

The University Program Board (UPB) is charged with providing students with entertainment-type activities the university offers from the student development office. However, within the past year UPB has implemented its charge with irresponsibility.

Last spring the university sponsored a concert that brought the bands Dashboard Confessional and OK Go to campus. At the time we wrote an editorial urging everyone to take notice of the way in which the concert was being funded.

UPB paid for the concert through student funds by borrowing money from the Student Advisory Committee (SAC), which handles the pool of money from the Student Activity fee.

UPB asserted the money, to the tune of $125,000, would be replenished by concert ticket sales.

Ticket sales were nowhere near enough to recoup the money, according to university officials, and student money was lost. The idea failed to bring in funds and in the end lost thousands of precious student dollars.

The problems don’t end there. Various controversies with other projects have popped up since then.

On Sept. 16 UPB sponsored a Diesiseis De Septiembre celebration in the University Ballroom. The event featured food items from Mexico and highlighted music and dance of the culture. In the audience were students, faculty and staff who were joined by their families for the event.

What occurred during a portion of the celebration was hardly appropriate for the family-style festivities.

One male on stage leading the ceremonies was approached by a mariachi band member who stripped off the shirt of the emcee. Another person on stage also became shirtless.

The two shirtless males were then seen dancing up against each other in front of the mariachi band and the audience. Then a woman was sat down on a chair in front of the mariachis and was then danced on, or “lap danced” some might say, by the two shirtless males.

This incident happened in front of families. This occurred in front of children. The worst part of this was it was sponsored by the UPB. This is an inappropriate form of entertainment for the group to be sponsoring.

The Student Government Association senators and executive members

should ask themselves if this was appropriate for a UPB event, and then hold those accountable for their actions.

President Sorber should also hold those responsible for a grotesque act accountable. Sorber should not only hold UPB accountable for this offense but also needs to look into “significant” shortfall and loss of student fee funds that was incurred as a result of the concert.

During the week of Sept. 11 the UPB put up a banner in the Student Union that questioned whether or not the attacks in 2001 were a government conspiracy. Students were encouraged to write their thoughts on the banner.

In a time when our country should remember those lost and honor them, they do the opposite and offer up a government conspiracy as a possible cause.

We present these incidents to the students of UTPA and ask all to seriously consider their appropriateness.

Let them know how you feel.

Students shouldn’t let their money be used and lost in ways that result in gross negligance and fastness exhibition.

Online Exclusive: Latina Day Video Keynote speakers share valuable life experiences from Wednesday’s event October 1 , 2009

THE PAN AMERICAN

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UTPA commemorates 10 years of GEAR UP

By Alejandra Martinez The Pan American After landmark legislation in 1998, higher education institutions across the country embarked on a grant program called the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP. Now 10 years later, the program celebrates what it calls a success despite some obstacles to overcome along the way.

The University of Texas-Pan American, which has participated in the program since 2000, celebrated National GEAR UP Day 2009 with a press conference at the International Trade and Technology Building last Thursday.

UTPA Interim President Charles A. Sorber welcomed GEAR UP students, teachers and parents.

Maria Moncada, now a senior at UTPA, was at the conference to exemplify the program’s success. She was one of the students awarded during the first grant 10 years ago, and said that before getting involved with GEAR UP, she didn’t even know what college was.

“GEAR UP helped me achieve more than I expected. It is a hands-on program that I was fortunate to be part of,” said the communication major. “It was because of GEAR UP that I had a head start in my college life. It is the hard work and the dedication of the people that are involved in GEAR UP that help students like me achieve success in the real world.”

The university has to apply for the grant, and then select the schools that are going to be part of it. The institutions that are chosen are those that have an economic disadvantage and whose students are the first generation in their families to go to college.

About 30,000 students across the Valley have participated directly in GEAR UP services in the last 10 years.

In the first two grants that ran from 2000 to 2006, UTPA and Region One together received an estimate of $50 million from the federal government and helped about 14,000 students. The second grant, which started in 2005 when students were in the seventh

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GEAR UP

CELEBRATE - Dr. Martha Cantu, Director of UTPA Project GEAR UP, poses with Economedes High students and Principal Gloria Rivera on Sept. 24 to celebrate 10 years of success.

Toner-call scam hits university Females wanted in

By Roxann Garcia The Pan American In late August, it was reported that a department on campus made the mistake of trusting an outlandish company from which to buy toner cartridges for copiers and printers. The deal ended up being a scam.

“Unfortunately, this department fell victim to the scam,” said Maggie Devora-Rangel, procurement supervisor for materials management on campus. “We as public employees must remember that we are targeted by such companies and have to continue communication with the university in order to avoid situations like these.”

This mistake is common from new employees, Rangel explained. Secretaries or receptionists began to answer questions about the university instead of asking themselves whether or not the company is following normal protocol.

The company, National Distribution Systems, is based out of California. According to a toner scam notice issued by Ball State University in Indiana, other companies such as Angeles Distribution Company and Central Distribution, Inc. are among companies universities need to avoid when conducting business.

These fraudulent companies solicit copier supply business (such as toners) under a trusted manufacturer’s name.

When the invoice is received by the

university, it shows that the agreed upon price was doubled or even tripled.

“These companies have titles like ‘national’ and ‘federal’ and may be out of state,” Rangel said. “They disguise themselves with smiles and are polite and friendly to unsuspecting employees.”

Though the university did not pay for the fraudulent toner, Rangel, along with Norma Dryer, director of materials man-

agement, sent out a notice to faculty and staff on Sept. 24 alerting all to take heed when purchasing items.

“We wanted to make sure and alert the university community,” Rangel explained. “We also wanted to express that if any faculty or staff member has any questions about a company, they should immediately contact the purchasing office.”

computer science

By Samantha Koch The Pan American In the past, math and science have been fields dominated by males, for various reasons. The lopsided gender gap has begun to ease, however, and with the university top-heavy with females (58 percent of the student body), the progress is ready to be made in the sciences.

The annual Hispanic Science, Technology and Engineering Week, or HESTEC, now in its ninth year, has been the university’s way of addressing the disparity. Now the computer science department on campus is decided to devote a class to increasing the number of female students.

The department applied for and won a grant from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) for $15,000. NCWIT is a non-profit organization working on strengthening participation of women in the computing workforce, and on developing technological innovation.

The plan is to redesign the introductory to computing, Introductory Computer Science Concepts, to make it more appealing and accessible to women and minorities. The new course will be called Dancing Robots: Introduction

to Computer Science, and will revolve around Mindstorms robotics. The plan is to use a robot–in-a-box-kit to make the robots dance.

“They use built-in visual programming to make the robot move. What we want to do is have robots dance with each other,” said Pearl Brazier, associate professor of computer science and the undergraduate program coordinator.

Basic algorithmic approaches to problem-solving are the key, but the goals in mind promise to be more female-friendly. In the proposal to NCWIT, Brazier stated that women in the program will be encouraged to program their robots to execute tasks interesting to women, like dancing Students in the class well be working in groups to create a more social learning environment, addressing a common perception that careers in computer science only focus on interaction with their computer every day. By doing this, the organizers of the class hope to make the world of technology more enticing to females.

“Women look into more socialinteractive types of jobs perceived to help mankind, like nurses or careers that involve working with people,” Brazier

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October 1 , 2009

October 1, 2009

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NEWS

STEM continued from Page 1 of the unemployment insurance system. currently unemployed to find their way “As we help our workers through these into better job situations, Solis added that challenging times, we must also invest in many current students are not encouraged our future,” the former California state to pursue careers in math and science or senator said. “That is why we are releasing engineering. more than $700 million in grants to sup“Less than 10 percent of all Latino colport training in clean energy jobs, health lege students study for degrees in STEM care jobs, information technology, and high fields,” she reported. “This is especially true growth sectors, with the emphasis espe- of Latinas, who still lag behind males in decially on underserved grees earned in all communities like right science-related areas They must have access to except biology.” here in South Texas.”

Solis put empha2008, over training so they can benefit 3.6 Inmillion sis on green jobs. She people said that efforts to from job growth in the clean worked in engicoordinate with the neering, computer secretaries of the De- energy economy and emerging science and math partment of Educafields. Latinos made tion and Department sectors. up 14 percent of of Energy have been the labor force that made; the goal is to year, but accounted create control over for only five permore resources so that Hilda Solis cent of the workers more jobs can be cre- Secretary of Labor in STEM areas. By ated while educating 2050, Latinos, the and training workers for careers related to fastest growing minority and now No. 1 clean energy and energy efficiency. in population, are expected to make up a According to Solis, clean-energy jobs quarter of the entire U.S. population. can help family budgets go farther by The challenge for the Department of reducing electric and heating bills, and Labor is twofold. Ways to train and help could pay anywhere from 10 to 20 percent workers secure stable and good paying more in salaries. jobs must be established. And, youth Solis advocated for green-job training must have the education needed to comand the plight of the struggling worker. pete in the 21st century. Solis wants to see “They must have access to training so a strong middle class rebuilt. they can benefit from job growth in the Solis could not have ended without clean energy economy and emerging sec- touching on the hotly debated health care tors,” she said. “Here too, we have a lot of reform. work to do.”

Across Texas, 6.1 million people are uninsured, and health insurance premiTHE CONNECTION TO HESTEC ums in the state have doubled in the past While a plan is in the works for the nine years. One in three within the Latino

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October 1, 2009

POLICE continued from Page 1 community is uninsured, making them the least likely demographic group to have coverage and the most likely to end up in expensive emergency care.

“The current system works better for the insurance industry than it does for people,” Solis said. “But this problem also has an answer. For those who have insurance, it provides more stability and security. And for more than 46 million Americans without health care coverage, it [reform] offers quality and affordable options.”

Solis then joined other corporate, governmental and education leaders for the Congressional Roundtable, which was moderated by Jose Diaz Balart, anchor and correspondent for Telemundo Network, to discuss the event’s theme – “Green Jobs, STEM Careers and the Future of the Hispanic Community.”

Other participants in the Roundtable included U.S. Congressmen Henry Cuellar and Raul Grijalva; Thelma Melendez from the U.S. Department of Education; UTPA interim president Charles Sorber; UT System Chancellor Dr. Francisco Cigarroa; along with representatives from Shell Oil Company, Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Navy, Johnson Space Center, and Oscar Rodriguez, superintendent of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District.

Each of the members of the Roundtable described their projected plans to encourage the pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math degrees.

NOTE: HESTEC will conclude with Community Day on Saturday, Oct. 3.

For more information on the week’s events, visit hestec.utpa.edu.

with the process we didn’t have any applicants to send to the academy,” Stearns said.

Another factor comes into play. Stearns insists that the integrity of the police officers working for the UTPA Police department helps maintains its credibility.

“Some candidates had criminal records and applied here, some admitted to drug use and some couldn’t pass a background check,” he said. “We have standards and we need to have standards for the integrity of the police department and for the quality of law enforcement officers working here.”

Stearns added that not all of the 23 candidates were turned away because of their inability to meet the integrity marks.

Other also applied to various police departments in the Valley and went a different direction.

“Down here in the Valley we are all competing for the same pool of people and some of them get picked up by other agencies,” he explained. “It takes sometimes several months to go through the hiring process for a police officer position, and if they’re doing that process with multiple agencies in some cases, its going to be ‘who’s offering me the job first,’ or ‘who’s offering more money or better benefits’... and that’s the agency that they’re going to go with.”

BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP The biggest difference Stearns sees between campus policing and similar work in city departments is the connection each has toward prospective communities.

“We probably do more communityoriented policing,” he suggested. “We may not have the quantity of certain types of crimes but they do occur here. There’s

also a lot more personalized attention on our community to get the officers involved with the faculty staff and students.”

Stearns believes a community-oriented philosophy makes for a more effective and quick- responding department. He admits that the arrests and traffic stops are exciting but that they are only half of the job.

“A lot of time the people who are attracted to law enforcement, they’re interested in more the enforcement part,” he commented., “If you only focus on the enforcement side you end up creating an ‘us vs. them’ mentality that exists between the police department and the community that you serve.”

Building a partnership with the community is a tack that Stearns wants all the officers to follow.

“We want people that are going to be a good fit for the community,” he stressed “We want someone who’s going to come in and want that balance between enforcement and service.”

To speed up the search for candidates that fit all the requirements, UTPA PD has started a “rolling process” and moved up candidate processing from a quarterly deal to one that advances one Saturday every month. The results for a previous group of candidates are collared whole the next group begins the process.

“We had to, with seven vacancies and the amount of time it takes to identify candidates,” he said. “We needed to increase our ability to consider candidates in order to increase the windows of opportunity for interested persons that want to be police officers.”

See Pg. 7 for student Q&A

October 1, 2009

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NEWS

SURVEY continued from Page 1

GEAR UP continued from Page 3

for office and staff relations.

Within the fee change request student consultation form, 67 percent of UTPA students agreed with the proposition while 12 percent disagreed. The new fee request student consultation form received a vastly different outlook. 62 percent of UTPA students disagreed with the request while 10 percent agreed.

This data, however, was not the final results, explained Rios. These percentages were received within the first 24 hours, once the survey was opened to all students. The total number of students who participated in the survey was well over 700 out of 18,000 students at UTPA. “If you do the math, that’s only 4 percent of our students who participated. It would be nice to hear from 18,000 but we’re not going to and 700 is still an impressive turn-out,” said Hull.

Both surveys were closed on Sept.

grade, will run through 2011, has been awarded $80 million, and serves close to 18,000 students.

“That’s very unsual, because most GEAR UP grants are very small grants that are awarded to one school for significantly less money,” explained Director of Region One GEAR UP, Tina Atkins.

The average amount that GEAR UP grants receive nationwide runs between $1 million and $2 million per year. Given that the Rio Grande Valley has many poor areas with low-income students, the Department of Education agreed to award an approximate of $7 million per

22 due to time constrictions for the Cost of Education Committee. The committee, explained Hull, has a timeline to stick to in order to prepare for the draft recommendation deadline next month.

Once the IT Division has received all of its data from both surveys, they will continue to meet with the COEC at various times to discuss further information.

A draft recommendation will then be submitted to the President’s office by Oct. 23.

A community forum will then follow on Nov. 9 and 10 where students, faculty, and community members are encouraged to attend to voice concerns or suggestions.

These were not the first surveys that the division has conducted. The last IT Access Fee survey was conducted in 2006.

Comments can still be made at the COEC’s website within their blog. http://www.utpa.edu/blogs/cec/

SCIENCE continue from Page 3 explained.

The course will provide women with the experience they need to realize the many opportunities available in the ever-expanding technology field by taking stereotypes and turning them into an empowering class feature.

“Lectures will explain how computing helps worldwide problems, not just software development like Microsoft Office,” Brazier said. “For instance, tracking the Swine Flu is something computer scientists can develop some-

thing to track that or helping analyze social problems… computing is everywhere.”

The award should be received in mid-November, giving just enough time to be able to order robotic kits and be ready for the spring semester. There will hold 20 and will hold priority for women enrollment. If there is left over seating men will be able to enroll.

To enroll or ask more questions, contact Brazier at 381-3455 or at brazier@ utpa.edu

year for the second grant.

“GEAR UP has afforded schools across the region the opportunity to build partnerships with business and industry icons,” Atkins commented.

“GEAR UP supports HESTEC, sponsoring thousands of educators, students and parents for educator day, student leadership day, Latinas day, and robotics day.”

According to Director of UTPA GEAR UP, Martha Cantu, the state average of Hispanic students who make the transition from high school to college was 41 percent. After the first grant concluded, approximately 60 percent of the

students involved in the program made that transition.

UTPA’s GEAR UP program offers several services to help its students.

They include tutoring, counseling, advising, college visits, test preparation opportunities for the PSAT, SAT and the ACT. Also available is parent training in the area of college readiness, college admissions, financial aid and scholarships.

“All of this we do to help our students achieve their dreams and aspirations for attending a university, and most importantly, of obtaining that college degree,” Cantu said.

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Photos by: Alma Hernandez

THE PAN AMERICAN

October 1, 2009

October 1, 2009

By Andrielle Figueroa The Pan American Throughout the past decade tech fans have seen the evolution of the iPod into an iTouch; the new devices have become wildly popular, replacing cassettes, CD’s and even managing to make serious changes to the telephone.

The iTouch debuted on Sept. 5, 2007. By using an iTouch one can play games, see movies and listen to radio broadcasts by using different applications (apps) created for your personal tastes. People across the world involved with Apple and your average Joe’s are taking their turn at creating apps.

The innovation has even taken on a local flavor. Simon Alexander, a 25-year-old senior at the University of TexasPan American, has used his free time to dabble in creating an application to be used with the iPhone and iTouch.

Along with his friend Patrick Cunningham, Alexander said he was not impressed with the applications that were available for the iTouch and decided to take that idea to the bank.

“At some point Patrick and I were sitting around trying to think of ideas to make a little extra cash, and I brought up the idea of developing an iPhone App,” Alexander said. “I originally had a few ideas for things that may or may not come to fruition in the future, but Patrick gave the idea of a trivia app.”

While most new tech wrinkles are created by people with money, time and the manpower, how did these two do it? With iTouch currently offering 85,000 apps, when only 50,000 were offered this June, it’s hard to create an app that will not be overlooked. Mulling over ideas, the duo came through with a trivia game called iTriv.

THE PROCESS The application took five months to create. Alexander and Cunningham worked on the project and hired a programmer group out of Las Vegas to design the skeleton for the app.

Alexander admitted that the hours spent creating the app were tedious, even to those around him.

“I was in school last semester and took Summer I and Summer II sessions, so I was already very busy before you throw developing an app into the mix,” the McAllen native stated. “I know it must have been annoying for my friends to be hearing that I’m working on the app every weekend and any day that I had any free time.”

THE PAN AMERICAN

Though his friends got an earful, Alexander gave it his all.

The project started with an idea and from there he took steps to make sure iTriv was perfect. Alexander conducted research on who had created an app similar to his idea. He downloaded every one and figured out what he didn’t like, what could be changed, and what would set his plan apart from existent games.

“Once you have a very solid understanding of the product, you want to release, draw it out,” Alexander said. “This is to solidify your thoughts and make a user interface that won’t be horrible or confusing to the average user.”

After this step the average inventor either passed on the game to programmers or learns how to code the game oneself; the goal here was for the idea to eventually be on the App store with iTunes. The App store on iTunes is where any iPod owner can sift through the thousands of applications to be used on their iPhone or iTouch. iTriv contains 1,500 questions, a two-player game mode and over 1,100 audio clips. The questions cover anything from science to sports and everything in between. The app has 12 reviews and after it was released for free download Sept 25-27 it was marked as one of the top 5 free apps in the App Store.

Alexander is getting a lot of buzz on the game, especially from the audio clips. When a player wins they may hear comments like, “Correct” or “This really makes me wish I knew how to read.” Though when a player loses they will hear, “Come on…Seriously?” or “Terrible, please do better.” Alexander does all of the comments with a witty, sarcastic feel.

“I knew that along with a user interface that was designed from the ground up, voice commentary would set us apart from the rest of the apps in the store,” Alexander explained.

“I did it until I felt myself going a little crazy, but the audio clips did give me a good outlet for my weird sense of humor.”

While the app was free the game received 850 downloads from all over the world.

Currently, people can purchase it from iTunes for a cool $2.99.

If people are not sure about the product they can download iTriv Lite for free any time from the iTunes store. This will not be the only app from Alexander and Cunningham, since their new ideas are already in the works.

Page 9

Online Exclusive: Robotics Day Regional student compete at the UTPA Field House in hands-on robotic engineering.

Page 10

ARTS & LIFE

Sarah Kapps profile Kapps recounts her nationwide career as a cellist.

October 1, 2009

Derby revival to roll by campus

By Isaac Garcia The Pan American Sometimes people just need a push in the right direction to get their lives back on track. For Claudia Isabel Carranza, the nudge came on wheels, with a couple of jolts and screams for good measure.

Although roller derby isn’t new to the Valley, Carranza, a member of the South Texas Rolleristas (established in 2006), is on a mission to bring the sport to campus.

“The girls I’ve been meeting in the South Texas Rolleristas here in the Rio Grande Valley are simply incredible,” the 30-year-old said. “They’ve seen me through thick and thin… They saved my marriage with their friendship and team spirit, and by keeping me physically active and feeling more confident about myself and my abilities.”

In a contact sport like flat-track roller derby, camaraderie, motivation and self- empowerment aren’t always the first words that people think of for description, but Carranza credits the sport for that and so much more.

“I needed more friends and a way to work out and get healthier. I was overweight, under-motivated and in some serious need for social interaction,” Carranza said.

Carranza, a McAllen native and math major at The University of Texas-Pan American, has been involved in roller derby since 2006 and has brought the movement to UTPA in hopes of starting a team on campus.

“When I registered for classes, I wondered if I could skate on campus,” she said. “I had an idea on how to start a student organization on campus. That’s when I told myself that I shouldn’t keep it to myself…I should bring derby to new friends…give the college community something new, exciting and different.”

Unlike roller derby of the 1930s, which was a staged event much like wrestling in the WWE, the wheel world of today is a full-on and very real contact sport.

A roller derby revival started in 2001 when ESPN began airing matches. Actress Drew Barrymore, in her directorial debut, is set to release a film titled “Whip It” starring Ellen Page.

The film is based on the 2007 novel “Derby Girl” by Shauna Cross and

deals with themes of feminism, athleticism and self-empowerment, much like actual roller derby.

“Derby is a form of escapism and make believe,” Carranza said. “You get to step away from your daily role, for me it’s a mother and nurturer and you get to be this outspoken, vulgar and crazy woman. It really makes you a strong individual.”

It was this form of escapism and support that brought Carranza a push in the right direction.

“These girls have empowered me to feel more secure and I feel strong,” she said. “I put food on the table, work hard in school… I’ve really become a more mature and responsible individual. That’s something that I was lacking before I joined the league and I just want to share hat with other women.”

Carranza wasn’t at all selfish when deciding to bring the sport on campus.

“My reason for starting the team on campus was to not only give myself extra time on my skates, but to bring flattrack roller derby to an audience that may not have been reached yet,” Carranza said. “It’s a thrilling recreational sport that requires strength, endurance, agility and grace. More importantly, to me, it’s about bringing together people to showcase the power and beauty of women in a competitive sport.”

Carranza is currently in the recruitment phase for the possible Bronc derby crew.

“Including myself, there are 10 girls interested in skating with a UTPA flat-track roller derby team,” she said.

“Some are registered skaters with the South Texas Rolleristas, though the vast majority of the interested parties on campus are brand new to the sport and are really giving this endeavor the jolt it will need to truly succeed.”

The South Texas Rolleristas’ League has two official teams in the Valley that bout and practice together: The Traumakauzes from Brownsville and Fallout Brigade from McAllen.

Together there are about 30 women involved in the league. To date the Rolleristas have had one season in 2007 that ran from September to November and are currently preparing to begin their second season in January 2010.

“Ideally we would love to have seasons closer together, but it all depends on turn out, fan popularity and the

availability of the girls in the league,” Carranza said.

One girl who has quickly traded in her shoes for skates is 21-year-old UTPA psychology major Felicia Ayala. The Last time the derby rookie put on a pair of skates was when she was on a date in high school.

“Like any other sport, you improve with practice. You grow with a team, develop connections with other women of all ages who would seem unlikely to flock together,” the Edinburg native said. “You have moms, college students, pretty much women from all walks of life. It’s just an incredible feeling knowing that there is a chance we can take this further than we thought and I would encourage any other girl who would like to take part of this to join.”

Though the team is yet an official organization, Carranza is hopeful that the day will finally come.

“The roller derby club is not yet recognized on campus,” she admitted.

“We’re hoping to be a fully recognized organization with the constitution in place before midterms this semester.

It’s crucial that we get recognized as quickly as possible so that we’ll be able to make use of the Wellness Center to begin training a team for competition.”

Carranza hopes that sooner rather than later flat-track roller derby will be official. Her main goal is to recruit and train skaters to compete against other roller derby teams across the country.

“I can’t wait to see a pack of UTPA roller girls zooming around the track in a fury of green and orange,” she said.

Carranza and the team are seeking only women (sorry, guys) over 18 years of age with the will to learn and determination on their side. An added requirement is not being afraid of getting a little bruised in the name of the sport. Experience is not required as training is provided. She can be reached at 457-3954 through a phone call or text message.

“I skate because it keeps me healthy and gives me energy. I keep skating past the bruises, twisted ankles and the sore muscles,” she concluded.

“Because I have 20-some odd women cheering my name, telling me I can do it, and so I do it.”

Photos By Brian Silva & Daniel Flores

IT TAKES ATTITUDE - Claudia Isabel Carranza or “Moose” as her roller friends call her, credits the derby sport for her newfound confidence and motivation. Carranza is currently in the final stages of establishing a Bronc derby crew on campus. Women interested in lacing up should contact Carranza at 457-3954.

October 1, 2009

THE PAN AMERICAN

Page 11

McAllen actor brings children’s show to life

By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American

Pedro Garcia ON WITH TRADITION - “The Life and Times of Juanito Gonzalez,” a children’s show that takes place on El Dia de los Muertos, is scheduled at the Museum of South Texas History.

Around this time each year, McAllen resident Pedro Garcia begins making perpetrations to bring Juanito Gonzalez back from the dead.

The 48-year-old actor is getting in shape to play the title character of his one-man play “The Life and Times of Juanito Gonzalez,” a children’s show that takes place on El Dia de los Muertos. The first performance of the season is scheduled at the Museum of South Texas History on Oct. 17.

“I have to be in very good shape to perform this play,” Garcia said before a Sunday afternoon bike ride. “When you have a one-man show, you attract an audience’s attention, and if it’s a children’s show, even more.”

The play opens as the spirit of the main character is seen dragging a sack of books behind him. He shares the story of his life while waiting for his family to visit his gravesite. Young audiences are educated about the meaning behind El Dia de Los Muertos, a Mexican holiday celebrated on Nov. 2 by decorating family members’ gravesites or making altars to honor their memory. Garcia said the ultimate message highlights the importance of education and encourages listeners to do well in school.

“He goes on from the time when he was a little boy through the different stages of his life…and all the trials and great times of his life, always based on being a kind person,” Garcia said. “It’s a very optimistic play. Adults love the play just as much as children.”

The narrator is a Valley everyman, growing up around people and places that all make up a classic slice of RGV culture.

“Juanito Gonzalez represents a boy who grew up next to the most famous river in the whole world, the Rio Grande, who as a young boy had to help his family out in the grapefruit orchards and the cotton fields but never lagged in his studies,” Garcia said. “His father gave him the cosejos (advise), ‘Mijo, I want you to get educated. I want you to go to

college.’”

Some of the characters and events mentioned in the performance are taken from Garcia’s own childhood, including an anecdote about being taught the ABC’s by his mother, learning to hammer a nail, the importance of punctuality from his dad, plus the encouragement of his junior high PE coach, Leo Pena.

“He was a very positive influence in my life. I’ve honored him in my play by mentioning him,” Garcia said about Pena.

“He says [to Juanito], ‘In order for you to play football, Juanito, you got to get good grade, and you have to pay attention in your class, and one of these days you’re going to get a good job-bob,’ because Juanito likes to rhyme-dime,” he said, demonstrating the off-beat style of the play that rhymes the last word of a sentence with another unrelated word.

Garcia has been performing “The Life and Times of Juanito Gonzalez” five to six times a year ever since he wrote a shorter version of it for a literacy program when he resided in Albuquerque, N.M., 12 years ago.

“It never becomes obsolete,” he said.

“I’ve been playing it for 12 years, and it can go on and on as this holiday is celebrated. The story of life is what it’s based on and how to live a good life.”

He has been in front of audiences around the Valley and in Houston, San Antonio, Delaware and Pennsylvania with Hispanic organization seeking to educate others about cultural customs and traditions.

“America is more aware of our culture and traditions, more so now than ever before, and it’s just continuing,” Garcia said. “Anglos used to think, ‘Oh no, that’s eerie and morbid [about El Dia de los Muertos].’ That happens when things are new, they’re kind of strange to people, but once they get it a little bit, then it becomes sort of like second nature. “ Garcia has also been a part of the International Museum of Art and Science’s annual El Dia de los Muertos celebration for nine years, but it’s not something he is growing weary of.

“It’s just a joy for me because I love the character. Juanito Gonzalez totally transforms me,” he said. “I don’t even recognize myself, the first time at least, when I looked in the mirror with my costume on and my makeup. I was like, ‘Whoa, who in the heck is that guy? Is this awesome or what?’”

Garcia recalled one performance that where he stood in front of an auditorium of 300 elementary students in Mission.

“I knew that I had to do my extremely animated version of the show, and I pulled it off,” he said. “But, boy, [it took] a lot of energy.”

Garcia likened his on-stage performance to the Michael Keaton’s roll as the title character in the 1988 film “Beetlejuice” and how he “exaggerates his body language and his character.”

“That’s how Juanito Gonzalez is, too,” he said. “He has his somber moments, but he has his energy.”

Garcia is no spring chicken when it comes to the spotlight. In addition to being the artistic director of Teatro Nuestra Cultura, a theater group based in McAllen, the Hidalgo native has worked as a producer, director and writer for TV and film on nearly100 productions, including a movie produced in Roma called “Portion 71.” He is also directing a play for the city of Pharr’s centennial celebration and teaches acting to youth at McAllen’s Creative Incubator.

“I like seeing happy kids, prosperous kids,” he said. “The happiest thing is a smiling child; the saddest thing is a crying child.”

One rewarding experience that has stuck with Garcia happened about two years ago when he was approached by a 21-year-old woman and her mother after performing at IMAS. “She said, ‘We saw your play when I was about 13 years old, and your message really stuck to me, and that’s part of the reason why I decided to college. I just wanted to thank you,’” he said. “I felt goose bumps; I was so grateful and at the same time I was so happy because I love playing the character.”

Museum, org. brings Tejano history to Edinburg

By Ana Villaurrutia The Pan American The accomplishments of 19th- and20th century Tejano settlers would have been lost for good, along with actions of other noteworthy figures that settled into the burgeoning area of South Texas over 100 years ago.

But as revisions in history begin to fill in the blanks, many Hispanics and Tejanos, or individuals of Mexican or Spanish descent who settled in Texas, are coming to the forefront.

In celebration of Tejano History Month, and part of its Sunday Speaker Series, the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg presented a piece of history of one such settler named Jose Policarpio “Polly” Rodriguez through a 30-minute video and

discussion on Sunday.

The video was made by TexasTejano. com, a seven-year-old organization from San Antonio that researches South Texas history and has helped raise awareness of several pioneers in Tejano history.

John Hawthorne, assistant director for the L. Oliveira Memorial Library at the University of Texas at Brownsville/ Texas Southmost College, was there to fill in for Texas Tejnao founder Rudi Rodriguez, a descendant of Polly Rodriguez.

Hawthorne led a question-andanswer session after the video and further explained the change in history to an audience of about 25.

“The goal of this group is to getting that story told,” Hawthorne said.

“Texas history was once presented sort

of as an Anglo Saxon triumph over the civilization of Mexico, and that is simply not the story at all.”

Rodriguez was born in Zaragoza, Mexico, in 1829 but his family moved to San Antonio in 1840. Through his life, Rodriguez would become a jack-of-alltrades, first as gunsmith apprentice at age 29 and then as a man who helped lead the Whiting-Smith Expedition that surveyed the southwest border of Texas in 1849.

He also became a Texas Ranger during the Civil War and later was a justice of the peace and county commissioner in Bandera County. Finally he converted to the Methodist faith from Catholicism and ended up a minister.

In his day Rodriguez was known for keen hunting and shooting ability and bravery. As the museum crowd

learned, he risked his life after helping a women and her children get home after a blue northern moved into Bandera. He contracted pneumonia and died at 85.

“I liked his courage and gusto in everything he did,” Hawthorne said.

“Unfortunately there isn’t a lot of history on him.”

Hawthorne said Texas Tejano had brought the exhibit to UTB/TSC before and said the organization also hopes to hold their at the Museum of South Texas History. The exhibit has been in the Texas State Capitol and presented to the Texas State Historical Association as well.

Previous speakers for the Sunday Speaker Series at the museum includes many local authors. The museum’s next speaker will be after the Dia de los Muertos event.

Alma Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

VIEWING HISTORY - Josephine Ellard attends a presentation on Sunday about Texas pioneer Jose “Polly” Rodriguez.

Page 12

ARTS AND LIFE

October 1, 2009

Black-and-white photography exhibit seeks to add color to life

By Victor Ituarte The Pan American The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College is seeking black-and-white photograph submissions for its upcoming “Life Thru the Lens” exhibition. All photographers are welcome to try and fill one of 75 spaces available in the showcase, which begins Oct. 12 and runs through Oct. 16.

“It’s kind of a first-come, first-served basis,” said Patricia M. Longoria, assistant director of the Student Union at UTB. “It’s not juried. We do reserve the right to not show something that’s grossly inappropriate, but we’ve been doing this for a couple years now so we

know when something’s done tastefully or just plain wrong.”

Longoria explained that incorporating arts into an accessible location for students began about two years ago when the first art show was held in honor of National Women’s History Month.

The showcase, “Women’s Art: Women’s Vision,” was planned in an effort to increase student awareness of the arts and culture in general.

The following year, in spring 2008, “Artopia” displayed the work of any artist that submitted pieces in an effort to create a very open art show. No artist was turned away, and there was no specific theme so the artists wouldn’t feel segregated. The exhibition featured work from all around the Valley.

“I sat down and thought about what we would like to do next,” Longoria said. “I’ve noticed a lot throughout the Valley that photography is really popular. I thought it’d be really neat to have black-and-white photography.”

Longoria explained that it’s a good opportunity for people not enrolled in a photography class or are not art majors.

Exhibitors will be allowed to sell their photographs and keep 100 percent of the profit.

Judith Carrizales, a 20-year-old psychology major at UTPA, mentioned seeing the call for submissions and being interested in sending in her work. She has taken up photography since the age of 12.

“If it’s black-and-white, it gives me

room to experiment with film again. I guess I would find a compelling image that would get people’s attention and would strongly convey a message that I would hope to express,” Carrizales said.

She also noted certain subjects, like older people, stand out more because the wrinkles in their face are more defined in black-and-white than in color.

“There are some things you can focus on with black-and-white photography that you can’t focus on in color mediums,” said the McAllen native. “They convey a different kind of emotion to them. I don’t know what it is, but you feel it.”

“I never expected this would develop so much buzz. I had men come to me (after ‘Women’s Art: Women’s Vision’)

asking why we didn’t do one for men,” Longoria said.

She added that those men wanted to be able to display their work because everywhere else they went required a fee. Exposing artists for free continues to drive her to put these shows on.

“If I can provide an outlet for them to be discovered, that would be huge.

I look forward to continue to do that.

Through the coming years I hope that it is something that can grow to be a really large event.”

The deadline to submit is Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m. Interested applicants should contact the UTB Student Union at 882-6776 for entry forms and release forms, or e-mail patricia.m.longoria@utb.edu.

Tammy Ayala/The Pan American CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - UTPA students race against each other on NASCAR-linked go-karts in a virtual reality competition at The Student Union.

October 1, 2009

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Page 13

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Page 14

SportsCommentary

Pastimes: Sports movies measure up with the best

By Kevin Stich The Pan American As a sports fan I have a certain affinity, as well as some distaste here and there, for sports movies. Classics like “Rudy,” “Hoosiers” and “Caddyshack” have become as much a part of pop culture as “Breakfast Club”… or maybe more so (he says sheepishly).

But my relationship with sports cinema is, for the most part, a good one.

There aren’t too many athletics films that I won’t watch, and not too many I won’t like either.

“Tin Cup,” “Remember the Titans” and “Jerry Maguire,” I’ve watched my fair share, and related to each one on some level.

Inspirational flicks like “Rudy” -5-foot-6-inch Rudy Reutteger (Sean Astin) dreams of one day playing for the University of Notre Dame, and fights through adversity and disability, finally getting a chance to play against Georgia Tech at the end of the game -- are too few among too many.

Or heavier, grittier stories like the Spike Lee joint “He Got Game,” which surveys the temptations associated with recruiting for rising star Jake Shuttlesworth (NBA star Ray Allen). It sheds light on an issue that probably does happen on occasion in the world of NCAA hoops.

Time-honored comedies with subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor a la “Caddyshack” are great additions to a sports fan’s collection (although one may want to purge “Caddyshack 2” from their memory). I’ll always remember Chevy Chase’s line, “A flute without holes is not a flute. A donut without a hole is a Danish.”

The point is: sports can tug at the heart like almost nothing else can. No other genre of movies can more often, admittedly, push my buttons more than a good ballgame drama.

Similarly, I tend to find my Bronc spirit to be subject to this, as my pride grows and sinks with each win or loss.

Watching and covering sports is a drama in itself.

And there are the lighthearted moments too; not everything is worthy of a “Dateline NBC” tissue-clad moment.

But every last-second shot, every heartbreaking loss, it’s all great spectacle and theater.

I consider myself to be more than just about sports. Even so, I’m not sure if it’s the competition or the emotion, or something else entirely, but athletics will always be something I enjoy.

For fear of sounding clichéd, I won’t say, “it’s all for the love of the game.” But I will say it’s hard not to love the game.

ONLINE PREVIEW Visit the panamericanonline.com/ multimedia next week, and tune in as Heather Arevalo asks students what their favorite sports flick of all time is.

Monday Night Football

Cross Country Chat

Student Union hosts Guys’ Night in celebration of Monday Night Football

Omar Doria, Wally Gonzalez, and Rolie Vela sit down with reporter Heather Arevalo October 1, 2009

SPORTS

Men’s golf team tees off into new season

By Kevin Stich The Pan American

“I have some pretty high expectations,” Moreno said. “I feel like we have a good team this year, and I expect us to Practice, confidence and a lot of it: win a few golf tournaments and contend that’s what takes to build a great golf in a lot of them … It’s different, because team. Head coach Santiago De Larrea and it’s definitely more competitive than high the University of Texas-Pan American school golf. You’re not just playing with men’s golfers are eagerly aware of this as people from the area, you’re playing with they kick off the 2009-10 campaign. people from all over the United States.”

The men have been steadily working Pearce will be noticeably missed in the offseason to improve, and with from the team – a substantial debit for some new cast members, expectations the Broncs -- as he graduated in May. of putting the Bronc golf program on the “Shane Pearce is a big loss for us,” map are high. The Broncs will have their De Larrea concurred. “It will be tough first tournament Oct. 2 the Mission Inn to replace him but we’ll find out here Classic hosted by St. in tournament play John’s University.

We definitely wanted to and see if some of “The kids are these guys can take looking very con- contend in every tournament and his spot.” fident,” De Larrea But returning said. “We definitely win. We had some good finishes with Armen Kiwant to contend in rakossian are juevery tournament last year: first, second and third nior A.J. Gonzalez and win. We had senior High finish out of ten tournaments, and some good finishes Wongchindawest. last year: first, sec- but we weren’t in contention in Sophomore Orond and third finlando Moreno also ish out of 10 tour- any of the other ones. joins the squad after naments, but we spending one seaweren’t in contention son University of in any of the other Texas-Brownsville.

Santiago De Larrea ones.”

“All of our newThe men have Men’s head golf coach comers made the four new additions to traveling team this the team, including freshman Kevin Ki- year,” Lopez said. “And that’s exciting rakossian, brother of senior Armen Kira- because that’s saying that there here, kossian, who along with Shane Pearce, they’ve made a statement, they’ve come led the Broncs with a 73.6 stroke average to work and play.” last season.

The big dates on the team’s schedule “I recruited a really good class for are April 18-19, when the Broncs will the men,” said Ofelia Lopez, director of compete in the conference tournament men’s and women’s golf. “I believe this at Los Lagos golf course in Edinburg. year they’re going to be really good. We This year the Great West Conference have several men from the Valley that I merged with the American Sky Conferrecruited, and with Armen coming back ence, which means more teams and more … we added his brother as well, I think competition for the men. it’s going to be a good year for them.”

Inexperience may play a factor The other newcomers include Valley as the year progresses, but with such natives Adam Haley (Edinburg High) young talent, the future looks bright for and Brandon Moreno (Sharyland High). the Bronc squad.

“

”

Alma Hernandez/The Pan American

TAP IT IN - Senior High Wongchindawest practices Tuesday at Los Lagos Golf Course in Edinburg, as he and his teammates prepare for the Mission Inn Classic Friday in Orlando.

Lady Broncs face off against rainy weather, washed into ninth

By Sara Hernandez The Pan American Despite a rainy first day of competition, the University of Texas-Pan America women’s golf team came back in the last round of the Cincinnati Fall Classic and finished ninth out of 14 with a score of 978. The tournament included three rounds of 18 holes each and was hosted by the University of Cincinnati Monday and Tuesday.

“We opened up not as strong as we wanted and struggled the first two rounds, we couldn’t get the vibe and the enthusiasm we needed,” said head coach Ofelia Lopez. “(Tuesday) my returners stepped out and shot well; they played with their heart and left everything there.”

Veteran Rebecca De Leon took the lead for the Lady Broncs, as she was

tied in 19th place with 237 strokes (79, 81, 77). Only two spots behind, sophomore Majo Camey finished the first 36 holes with 164 points, but finished strong with 74 strokes in the last round, totaling only one point more than De Leon.

“Rebecca is playing well as the senior leading the team: with a lot of confidence,” Lopez said. “She stepped up and had a great tournament.”

Junior Haley Hocott recorded 90 strokes in the first 19 holes, but improved her second and third events with 78 and 79 points respectively, which placed her tied in 44th. Sara Kothny, a sophomore, got 61st place with a total of 254 strokes (86,85,83) and freshman Stephanie Wright couldn’t continue after round one due to a back injury.

The University of Cincinnati and

Morehead State tied for first place with 937 points, while Marisa Kamelgran from Morehead State won individually with rounds of 75, 78, and 70 that added to 223 strokes.

Although the Lady Broncs struggled on day one, which comprised the first two rounds where UTPA closed in 10th place, De Leon said that the way the team recovered demonstrated that it is capable of overcoming obstacles by maintaining high spirits and staying focused.

“It was a bumpy start, but today showed that if we continue working hard and practicing hard everything is going to fall into place,” she said. “I’m really excited, we have four returning girls, we have all our goals set and we’re working very strong.”

Lopez added that although finishing the past campaign winning the

Great West Conference Championship and the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship doesn’t guarantee the same kind of success this year, the attitude of the Lady Broncs on the last 18 holes at Cincinnati confirms that the best is yet to come for the group, which is looking to close the last two tournaments of the fall in high stand in order to have a thriving spring season.

“It’s a start, our last round indicates that they can play and that in the next tournament they need to start playing well from round one,” Lopez said.

“I’m very optimistic, I still believe and trust in them; they can do anything they want, they just have to want it as bad as I do.”

The women’s golf program will travel to Arkansas for the Lady Red Wolves Classic Oct. 12 before hosting the UTPA Golf Classic Nov. 2.

October 1, 2009

SPORTS

Page 15

Cross Country stumbles at Islander Splash Lady Broncs suffer setback to

By Alvaro Balderas The Pan American The sixth- and seventh-place finishes last Friday at the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Splash aren’t a big deal for The University of Texas Pan-American men and women’s cross country teams. Instead the emphasis is on the assertive mentality that improved from the previous meet at College Station.

After that fourth-place showing at the Brazos Valley Open two and half weeks ago, the Broncs discussed the matter of being more insistent at the start of races in order to find out what and where each one of them was. Even though improved aggressive mentality was what coach Dave Hartman liked the most during Friday’s meet at Corpus, it was also one of the reasons Pan-Am finished out of the top five.

“We came a lot more aggressive as opposed to two weeks ago when we were very timid off the line and never getting into the race,” Hartman said. “This week we came out strong and put ourselves in a good position but I think physically we just got to the point where we couldn’t hold on.”

Hartman said he likes for his athletes to take chances in the early meets of the season, to enable the team to improve enough for the conference meet just around the corner on Halloween.

“If we’re going to make mistakes I’d rather us make them during meets like Friday and not conference or regional championship ones,” Hartman said.

The defending Great West Conference champion Broncs finished sixth with junior Angel Ramirez boasting a team best 21stplace finish (27:12.9) in the five-mile run.

“We went out and competed our best but we still have a lot more to improve on of course,” said Ramirez. “It felt good for me individually because it was my first race of the year and it always feels good to be back competing again.”

When asked if the team’s performance was diminished in the second competition by starting the race in an aggressive mode, Ramirez said, “We attacked it hard.

A lot of us felt it at the end. I know I did.

That just shows we have a lot more to improve on as the season goes on.”

Edinburg North alumni Omar Doria and Rolando Vela recorded times of

27:50.7 and 27:57.2 placing 37th and 41st place, respectively. McAllen native Gilroy Martinez, the only Bronc senior in the race, finished with a time of 30:06.5.

Another bright spot for the Broncs was promising newcomers. Edcouch native Frank Garcia was the Broncs’ second-best runner, coming in with a time of 27:40.9 (31st). In the 5K run Judith Chumba maintained pace with the leaders for the first couple of miles but crossed the finish line 40th with a Lady Bronc-best time of 18:53.7. San Benito native Cinthia Adame was second among UTPA women with 19:25.

“Frank and Cynthia both had great races,” Hartman said. “Frank had a huge breakthrough. He’s handling the transition very well as a freshman and I think he has a tremendous potential in the future. As far as Cinthia goes, we knew she was good coming in. She’s holding her own as a freshman and I only see improvement from her.”

Junior Diana Galloso of Edinburg High recorded a time of 19:33.7 (55th).

UTPA will be back in action on Oct. 9 at the HBU/Puma Invitational in Houston.

Bronc Sports Tracker Volleyball -NJIT (L) 3-0 25-13, 25-14, 25-23 -Chicago State (W) 3-1 25-12, 19-25, 25-17, 25-16 -TAMU-CC (L) 3-0 26-24, 25-13, 25-19

Men’s Cross Country 1. M. Angel Ramirez - 27:12.9 2. Frank Garcia - 27:40.9 3. Omar Doria - 27:50.7 4. Rolando Vela - 27:57.2 5. Gilroy Martinez - 30:06.5 6. Luis Aguilar - 32:04.7

Women’s Cross Country

1. Judith Chumba - 18:53.7 2. Cinthia Adame - 19:25.0 3. Diana Galloso - 19:33.7 4. Sasha Suarez - 19:38.6 5. Shayne Parker - 20:53.7 6. Hilda Galloso - 21:11.3 7. Daphne Payton - 21:28.1

TAMU-CC; fourth in GWC

By Kevin Stich The Pan American

Tuesday the University of Texas-Pan American women’s volleyball team was defeated by non-conference opponent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3-0 at the Moody Field House in Corpus Christi.

The Lady Broncs lost the match 26-24, 25-13, 25-19, and now move to 4-11 (2-2 conference) on the season.

“I think we are a better team than Corpus Christi and unfortunately our last two games against them haven’t shown that,” head coach Angela Hubbard said.

“Conference is our focus. But even though the girls are disappointed, they are focused on the long-term goals.”

UTPA gained 29 kills on 97 attempts, while TAMU-CC recorded 45 kills on 100 attempts for the match.

The women have won three out of their last six games, including wins against Great West conference foes South Dakota and Chicago State. NJIT (2-0, 11-5) and North Dakota (2-0, 10-5)

Women’s Golf Texas-Pan American - Ninth place Rebecca DeLeon - T 19 (237) Majo Camey - T21 (238) Haley Hocott - T44 (247) Sara Kothny - 61 (254) Stephanie Wright - WD

lead the conference, while UTPA sits in fourth place.

“Our overall record is not what we expected it to be,” outside hitter Noelle Mayor said. “But now that we’re in conference play, that’s what really counts.

Two and two is a good number for us right now.”

Mayor said that the team has focused on execution and putting the ball away aggressively. She added that the women are determined to play up to their capability, “(Hubbard said) we just have to step it up. This is our first year in a conference,” libero Rebecca Toddy said. “We just need to realize, that this is the time that counts. This is the time we need to work hard.”

Additionally, Toddy is now only 238 digs away from breaking the all-time school dig record of 1,387. The Lady Broncs head to Houston Oct. 3 to face Houston Baptist University, before coming back to compete against North Dakota (Oct. 8) and South Dakota (Oct. 10) at the Field House.

Volleyball Rebecca Toddy Digs to break record: 238

Page 16

October 1, 2009

SPORTS

The attack hit, better known as the spike, is defined by the NCAA Volleyball Rules as an action, other than a block or serve, that sends the ball to the opposing side of the court, and is completed when the ball entirely crosses the vertical plane of the net or when an opponent touches the ball.

It is the main way a team scores points, and can be a very exciting one to watch.

The attack has two components: footwork and the arm swing.

THE FOOTWORK The footwork encompasses a three-step approach as the player prepares to leave the ground and make contact with the ball. In order to make this approach as forceful as possible, these three steps should have a rhythm – although there should be a relative pause between the first and second steps, the last two are rather quick to enhance a high jump.

“Without good footwork, you are less likely to make solid contact with the ball, and it could result in ‘whiffing’ or miss hitting the

ball,” said UTPA outside hitter Marci Logan.

Right-handed hitters start with their right foot slightly in front, making the first step with the left foot. The first step is a directional step in the same place the ball will be located at the moment the player makes contact with it.

The second step brings the right foot forward. The purpose of it is to load power to prepare for the jump, so the center of gravity of the player’s body should lower a few centimeters to support an explosive third step, which helps the player locate the setter and

The arm swing allows you to forcefully hit the ball and make it less likely for the opposing team’s defense to dig your hit.

jump up. The setter is a played whose task is to pass the ball to the hitter/spiker so the latter can hit at the jump’s apex.

THE ARM SWING The second component of the attack is arm swing. At the end of the footwork process, the arms of the player should be in a wide-open (“Y”) position above the head. Right-handed hitters track in with their left hand, which means that this hand is leading and the right hand is in the back preparing to strike the ball.

It’s important to have correct form so that you are consistent statistically.

It feels good because it makes me feel that all the repetitions in practice pay off.

The last part of the process, the swing, has two parts: the crunch and the snap.

The crunch is the elastic movement that the body makes in the air, gives the hitter power. The right hand should make contact with the ball in front of the player’s body.

As soon as this happens, the player snaps the wrist down to direct the ball to a certain area on the court beyond the net.

After the spiker snaps the ball, the arm movement should continue past the waist on the side of the body. This is caused by the power and momentum created by hitting the ball.

It’s also important to land back on the court with the balls of the feet, bending the knees in order to get cushion, and avoid injuries.

The importance of the arm swing lies in the aggressiveness with which it is done, making it more difficult for the opponent

to receive, or dig, the ball. A good spike, or kill, is not returned.

For a hitter, performing with the right technique and consistency this can only be achieved with hours of practice, as the player perfects each phase of the attack.

Since the success of a volleyball team relies highly on teamwork, having consistent hitters motivates the rest of the team to go after each ball with the confidence that the front row will do its part. Hitters are on the front row, with setters passing from the back.

“We gain momentum and energy from each player… when they spike it right back down, that gets me very excited,” said senior libero Rebecca Toddy. “When the other team has no chance of picking the ball up and it goes straight down to the floor gets my adrenalin going and makes me want to become that much faster.”

The libero is the player on the back row who starts the play with defense, with the setters playing off her dig and in turn passing up to the hitters.

Although the attack may be considered the most spectacular move in volleyball, the importance of having effective hitters in a team goes beyond the skill of executing it aesthetically.

“For most people it excites them; getting a kill raises team energy and gives us momentum,” Logan said. “Personally, a successful attack just means another point on the scoreboard for UTPA. Getting kills is like a job for me; I expect myself to get them, and when I do, I feel like I’ve succeeded in what I’ve been put on the court to do.”