November Issue

THE

PULSE

N o v e m b e r 1 , 2 0 1 9 • I s s u e 3 • Vo l u m e 7 • t h e s a u p u l s e . c o m

twitter.com/saupulse

facebook.com/saupulse

PHOTO BY Celeste Fendt

PREVIEW

TAB LE OF

CONTENTS MICHIGAN TUITION G RA N T PAGE 4

TO M KUNTZLEMAN PAGE 7

MUSIC R E VI E W PAGE 1 2

2

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

A TRIBUTE TO M A R I S SA HEMMEKE PAG E 5

R EC C L AS S ES PAG E 8

F L AT L I N E PAG E 13

U P DAT ES FROM SGA PAG E 6

ST U D E N T FILMMAKERS PAG E 10

BROOKE B R OT Z M A N PAG E 16

Editorial Staff

A

EDITORIAL

Editorial pproximately 450 Spring Arbor University (SAU) students may be impacted by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to veto the Michigan Tuition Grant/Michigan Competitive Scholarship for Michigan private colleges. If this decision is finalized, those students could lose up to $2400 in tuition funding.

The governor’s decision was impacted by a number of different factors: budgeting, disagreements between parties and other undisclosed information. The people in office who most greatly influenced this decision were elected by residents of Michigan, including college students.

When events like the Michigan Tuition Grant begin to affect students and universities like SAU, suddenly we want our voices to be heard. Unfortunately for college students, especially those who are out of state or far from home, voting is not always the most convenient.

According to a poll conducted by The Pulse last month, 11% of the surveyed students also felt that their votes do not make a difference. With local elections coming up, it can be tempting to shy away from participating since an election of this nature is much different and of a smaller scale than a presidential election.

However, this issue has demonstrated the importance of using our right to vote.

We the people have been given a right to let our voices be heard freely and as clearly as possible. While our voice will be one in a sea of many, the difference of taking the risk of being heard could mean the difference of a change. Consider this when deciding whether or not you should vote.

CORRECTION: In our last issue released on September 27, the article “Academic Changes: New School Divisions within SAU” contained errors in its list of current deans. The following are the current deans: Education - John M. Williams IV and Natural Sciences - Tom Kuntzleman. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

The Pulse Staff & Contributors 2019-2020 Editor-in-Chief Celeste Fendt

Sales Manager Kaelyn Hale

Design Editor Celeste Fendt

Sales Representative Caytie Sprague

Associate Editor Caralyn Geyer Section Editor Jared Boekenhauer

Designers Marissa Auxier Caralyn Geyer

Staff Writers Ellie Brugger Christina Cherian Caitlin Douglas Jewell Hall Rylie Hasselbach Luke Richardson Brittany Roemer Kerrie Sparling Conner Williams Sarah Williams

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

3

News

Michigan Tuition Grant Jared Boekenhauer | Section Editor

O

n September 30 Michigan “The budget passed by the Governor, Gretchen Governor is the official state budget, Whitmer, approved a but both parties continue to negotiate state budget that included cuts in 147 supplemental bills that have potential to spending areas equaling almost $1 restore funding in a number of different billion in spending cuts. One of those areas,” said Vice President of Finance spending areas was the Michigan and Administration Kevin Rose.

Tuition Grant, a grant that is provided SAU released a list of things they are to around 450 students at Spring Arbor doing to help the nearly 450 students University (SAU), and thousands of impacted by the cuts, including: “lifting students across the state of Michigan.

The Michigan Tuition Grant is a need-based grant that is provided to Michigan residents who meet the expectations of the grant. It can provide individual students with a maximum of $2400 a year in We attempt to be accessible financial aid. to as many students as Although the possible, from a financial new state budget has been approved by perspective.

Governor Whitmer, President Brent Ellis the grant could be restored through the negotiating process between legislators in Lansing.

Blackboard holds on student accounts” and, if the grant is restored, crediting funds once they are received.

If the grant is not restored, SAU plans to place a grace period for bills, allow impacted students to move forward with class registration and financially plan with students for this year’s balance and ensuing years.

‘‘ ’’

4

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

SAU president Brent Ellis appeared on the Bart Hawley Show to further explain the more to the public.

“One of the things that we take great pride in is that we attempt to be accessible to as many students as possible, from a financial perspective, and so we personally invest 1720 million dollars of our own money every year to help make Spring Arbor University affordable to students who have significant need,” Ellis said.

Jewell Hall | Staff Writer

T

he Spring Arbor Community mourns the loss of Marissa Hemmeke who passed away in late September after suffering serious injuries in a car accident. Hemmeke graduated from Spring Arbor University (SAU) in the spring of 2019 with her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. A visitation was held in October for family and friends to come together to honor Marissa . The visitation was held in Holland, Michigan, where Marissa grew up. As SAU grieves the loss of Marissa, the community also holds on to the good memories and celebrates the impact she had on those around her.

“A woman full of depth, laughter, passion and spunk. Always up for an adventure, movie night, a cozy night in with a Bible and warm blankets, a road trip or a deep conversation sitting on countertops crying.

Synonyms: kind friend, loved daughter of Christ, goofball, joyous neighbor, BEST road trip companion.

Marissa, you will be so deeply missed by all who have been privileged enough to cross paths with you. The joy and passion you’ve sparked in the lives of others is a flame that will never be burnt out.”

–Anna Anderson

“My heart is heavy and broken as she is dearly missed. But I so appreciated every moment that Marissa was on this earth. She always had a smile on her face, love in her heart, God on her mind, passion in her step and a confidence that I admired greatly. She was never afraid to talk about our Father and share her passions.”

-Taylor Wallace

now. You gave so much of yourself for others. Through your time and care, all stemming from a loving personality that can only come from God. You were so passionate about mirroring that unconditional and judgment absent love that Christ displayed while on earth.

I cannot express how valuable your love was and how less full the world is going to feel without it. Heaven gained a beautiful soul when you left and you will be forever missed.”

-Joshua Underwood

News

Remembering Marissa Hemmeke

“Just imagining what your reaction was when you got to meet our sweet Jesus that you love so, so much.”

–Sarah Lantis

“I grieve today because she is no longer on this earth, but I also rejoice because Marissa knew Jesus as her savior, and as a result of His blood shed on the cross, she gets to celebrate in eternity with Him! Tell me, what better place could she be?! For that, I praise Him!” -Laura Riddle

For now, SAU comes together in community to remember all the good Marissa created and celebrate her going to her forever home with the Lord.

While she may not be here physically, her memory remains in the hearts and minds of many. This is not goodbye; it is simply see you again soon.

“Marissa meant so much to me through our friendship. The awkward jokes, the deep conversations, the brutal honesty, the kind words. All of it left a deep mark and helped shape who I am

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

5

News

Fall Updates from SGA Jubilee Jackson | Guest Writer

H

appy November, SAU! It is hard to believe we have been in school for more than two months already! Thank you for a great start to the school year.

The Student Government Association (SGA) has loved hosting events and we have been so glad to see so many of you attend! From Java and Jumpshots to Block Party to Homecoming, we have had a blast meeting and getting to know many of you!

Looking to November, we have a number of events to look forward to.

We kick off the month with the House of Fright on November 1 from 9-11pm in the Jones House. The following weekend, there is a Kahoot Night and a Euchre tournament on November 8.

Prepare to get funky, because November 15 is 80s Skate Night and you do not want to miss this!

Before leaving for Thanksgiving break, we get the pleasure of welcoming SAU 2019 grad, Erica Donahue, back to campus on November 21. She will be performing a concert that you will definitely want to attend. For more information, look for posters, slides and on the app as they go up throughout the month.

Andrew Phelps | Guest Writer

It can be challenging to find time or make time for attending events as schoolwork picks up and homework increases, but we encourage you to make the time and come out. Events provide a great time to relax a bit and foster the great community that we all enjoy.

We are sure you have seen the emails and heard much about it, but on September 30, Governor Whitmer vetoed funding for the Michigan Tuition Grant which affects many students at private colleges across the state of Michigan, including SAU. The University will not turn off any student’s blackboard because of this and SAU is working diligently to assist students through this situation, but there are ways you can help as well.

Using the links below, you can reach out to representatives and advocate for the re-installment of these funds.

GovRelations/ShareOpinion.aspx We encourage you to take the time and reach out. If you have questions or would like more information, please reach out to SGA, Jon Bahr or President Ellis.

We are also happy to report continued increases in enrollment and applications for next year. The engineering program is also continuing to grow. If you have not had a chance to check out the new engineering lab in the library, pop in and see it sometime. SAU is continuing to grow and we are excited to see how the Lord continues to bring new people to Spring Arbor.

On SGA, our mission is to Listen, Serve, and Represent. We are here for you! If you have questions, comments or concerns, feel free to share those with us! We encourage you to! Stop by the office to chat, email springarborsga@ gmail.com, or connect with us on social media.

h t t p s : / / w w w. h o u s e . m i . g o v / mhrpublic/frmFindaRep.aspx h ttp s : / / s en a te. m i ch i g a n . g ov / fysbyaddress.html https://somgovweb.state.mi.us/

Facebook: Spring Arbor SGA Instagram: @springarborsga Twitter: @springarborsga

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Andrew Phelps

6

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

Sarah Williams | Staff Writer

S

pring Arbor University’s (SAU) Professor of Chemistry and Dean of Natural Science, Tom Kuntzleman, is working with Bassam Shakhashiri and the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy to interpret data they receive from scientists and explain the data to the public, develop laboratory experiments for teachers to use in classrooms, other science education projects and improve science literacy.

One of the topics they work on is climate change. They find articles published by climate scientists and do their best to interpret that information for the public. When he needs help, Kuntzleman contacts Shakhashiri and Jerry Bell, who wrote The American Chemical Society’s Tool Kit on Climate Change.

Kuntzleman also reviews articles for other members, and two of his works are currently being reviewed. According to Kuntzleman, the process is long; there are about 10 to 20 drafts before the final draft comes out.

“I feel responsible because I can understand this stuff and I learned to communicate with people. I feel a very strong obligation to help folks take an impassion rock at the risks and benefits of scientific technology,” Kuntzleman said.

Last August, he was invited to be an honorary member of the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy. He was thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with Shakhashiri.

“He is one of my professional heroes. So, I have been modeling a lot of what I do after him for a long time,” Kuntzleman said.

Kuntzleman has had Shakhashiri’s book, Chemical Demonstrations, for years. He believes he first performed one of Shakhashiri’s experiments in the 1980’s.

They first officially met in 2017 at a Chemical Education Conference in South Dakota.

“

News

Interpreting the science

I feel a very strong obligation to help folks take an impassion rock at the risks and benefits of scientific technology.

Tom Kuntzleman

”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Tom Kuntzleman

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

7

Features

REC Classes at SAU Celeste Fendt | Editor-in-Chief

S

pring Arbor University (SAU) offers several Recreation and Leisure Management classes each year. Among these classes are Backpacking and Wilderness Experience, Kayaking, High Ropes and Basic Rock Climbing.

In the backpacking class, students must prepare for and complete a 22mile hike through the Appalachian Mountains. In kayaking, the class spends a weekend in Ludington camping and kayaking. And in rock climbing, students meet for four night classes and climb at Michindoh and an indoor climbing gym.

According to the 2019-20 course catalog, the primary focus of these classes is to “allow each student to develop competency levels sufficient to be able to teach, demonstrate and lead the activity in the recreation and leisure setting.”

Camping Ministry majors at SAU are required to choose one of these courses as an elective, but they are open to students from any major. Each class is limited to less than 14 students.

Restricting the classes to this size allows more opportunity for one-on-one interaction with the instructors. This interaction is crucial in these classes, because the activities entailed can be dangerous without proper instruction.

Travis Favreau, director of guest services at Michindoh, leads three out of four of these classes: backpacking, high ropes and rock climbing.

For Favreau, one of his favorite parts of teaching these classes is their integration of experiential, hands-on learning. He appreciates the opportunity these classes provide for physical exercise and the enjoyment of God’s creation.

PHOTO BY Celeste Fendt

8

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

“I also find personal joy in seeing students challenge and learn new things about themselves.” Favreau said.

Senior Madi Nissley took the kayaking class this fall. Nissley said she enjoyed the laid-back nature of the class, and appreciated the time she got to relax and be surrounded by nature.

Their class met once to kayak on Lime Lake and then took a weekend trip to Ludington, where they camped and kayaked for two days.

“I would definitely recommend this class to others,” Nissley said.

“The instructors are a lot of fun, you don’t have to provide any of your own equipment, and you learn so much.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Madi Nissley

Features

I

had the opportunity to take the rock climbing class this semester.

My climbing experience was limited – all I knew came from trying a few indoor walls as a child. Although our class only met four times, it provided me with all the knowledge I needed to feel confident and safe enough to climb on my own (and with a partner).

Travis covered everything we needed to know about climbing: the functions of each piece of equipment, how to tie adequate knots, proper belay technique and all the different styles of rock climbing. Among other things, we also learned about the classification system

for the difficulty of varying climbs.

One evening while our group was at Planet Rock in Ann Arbor, we ran into two SAU alumni who had taken this same class during their undergraduate careers. The two of them have gone climbing once a week since then because they enjoyed it so much.

If your schedule allows, I would absolutely recommend enrolling in one of these REC classes. You will learn a new skill and forge everlasting memories.

PHOTO BY Ellie Brugger

PHOTO BY ShanShan Akamu

Page 10: Megan Brown and Tori Saren after climbing at Michindoh for class this fall.

Madi Nissley kayaking this fall for her class.

Page 11, clockwise: The 2018 fall backpacking class. Celeste Fendt climbing for class this fall. The 2019 fall backpacking class.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Kaelyn

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

9

Features

FROM mind TO Masterpiece:

the creation of A TELEVISION SERIES Caitlin Douglas | Staff Writer

C

lasses, college debt and contract killing. Thankfully, this combination only lives within the confines of a script created

by Josiah Sweeney and brought to life with the help of his friends and fellow students.

In the summer of 2019, Josiah was inspired to create a television series after listening to an episode of The Truth, a podcast which creates audio short films. Hoping to bring it to life with the help of his fellow Spring Arbor University (SAU) students, he presented his idea to a group of close friends, and soon found himself with a dedicated production team: Kyle Winchell as Assistant Director, Eric Lester and Seth Gorveatte as Directors of Photography (DPs), Rylie Hasselbach as Head of Sound and Nathan Salsbury also on sound. With himself as Director, Josiah

was well on his way to making his vision a reality.

A devoted cast soon followed suit. The cast consists of several experienced SAU student actors: Erin Couch as lead character Sam, Alyssa Thompson as Sam’s best friend Mary, Luke Richardson as Sam’s love interest George, Alex Prater as George’s roommate James and Chasity Curling as Sam’s roommate, Alyssa.

Each character has individual yet intertwining character arcs that all connect to Sam, as she attempts to lead a double life. The overall plot addresses the common college issue of debt, with a small twist; for Sam, the solution involves murder. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, no more of the plot than this can be revealed as of now.

Since this venture is not part of a class and is completely governed by the time, resources and capabilities of the students involved, it has often felt more “nervewracking” and

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Josiah Sweeney

10

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

“unattainable” for the production team, with “higher standards and expectations” than the films they have made in previous years.

Additionally, since it is completely student produced, all involvement is volunteer based.

However, Josiah is pleased with the current progress, and considers it “worth the stress” to see his inspiration “come to life.”

While the end goal is to have the series released to a streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu, Josiah admits the process is rigorous enough that it may not happen or take years before results are seen. This, however, is not the sole purpose for the production.

Each person involved considers this a learning experience and the chance to fulfill their “one day we will…” plans for major productions related to their respective fields of study here and now. Additionally, as the first full television series produced by SAU students, it blazes the trail for future students who wonder if they can do great things while still in college.

At the time of this interview, filming was halfway completed and scheduled to finish by the end of the fall 2019 semester. Should production continue to run smoothly, the premiere should occur in mid to late spring of 2020, approximately one year after Josiah was inspired to write the script.

Kerrie Sparling | Staff Writer

D

r. Mark Douglass is a professor of music and a composer at Spring Arbor University (SAU).

Douglass’ personal experiences have influenced the way he teaches his students. His first teaching post in Holly, MI at an elementary school had lasting impacts on his life. The students there made him think about how he can be “part of someone’s story.”

Douglass’ love of teaching comes as naturally to him as much as his love of music does. He was always drawn to music as a child but did not take any music lessons until he was older.

Douglass was a member of his high school band, but never realized how gifted he was at music.

“This is where I think God really had a hand on my life, because he always pushed me in the direction of music,” Douglass said.

He said he could pick up any instrument and understand how to play it. He began teaching band camps and private lessons when he was eighteen, but still only thought of music as something he did on the side. Music composition and education became Douglass’ focus of study at University of Michigan after some encouragement from a trusted mentor.

It was this same mentor who encouraged Douglass to apply for the music director job at Holly Academy.

He knew he wanted to compose but was unsure at first about teaching music to students. Soon it became clear to Douglass that God had blessed him “with the ability to teach music.”

After finishing his bachelor’s degree in music education, Douglass completed his master’s degree in music performance and composition. He then spent time performing with an orchestra in Austria as well as performing with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra.

Douglass received his doctorate in

music performance and composition/ theory from The University of North Texas. He taught at a few universities before SAU, including Texas Women’s University, Texas Wesleyan University and the University of Tennessee.

Douglass and his wife, Emily, decided to move back to Michigan after they started a family. He taught music at Cros-Lex Middle School/High School from 2010-14. It was during this time the family heard about an opening for a music professor at SAU and Douglass

PHOTO FROM arbor.edu

decided to apply. They moved to Spring Arbor in 2014 and have been here ever since.

Although much of his time is spent teaching, Douglass tries to spend as much time as he can doing what originally interested him in music: composing.

He has written pieces for television and for orchestras and is currently working on a number of projects. This includes an opera entitled Winona, which tells the story of the daughter of a Native American chief. Douglass spent time during the summer going to pow-wows and becoming more

educated about traditional Native American music. He said he wanted to tell the story of Winona as authentically as possible.

“I wanted to express all the turmoil and anguish and love and all the wonderful things,” Douglass said about why he first started composing. “I wanted to express life.”

Music may be a large part of his life, but Douglass has several other hobbies he enjoys. He loves to spend time outdoors, especially with his family. He spends time with his sons, Lincoln and Beaumont, practicing survival skills.

They make videos for their own nature show, which they post on YouTube.

Douglass also enjoys reading, cooking, camping, kayaking, riding horses and woodworking.

Lincoln takes piano lessons and Beau takes violin lessons, but Douglass does not expect his sons to follow in his footsteps. He said he supports his children in whatever their interests may be: “If you really love someone, you will be in their world, and not have them in your world.”

Lincoln greatly enjoys survival skills, and Douglass said this is his way of getting into his oldest son’s world. He wishes to do the same for Beau as he gets older.

Douglass’ teaching career began because of his interest in figuring out “how music fits together.” He has seen how God fits his life together through music and faith. He would tell anyone on campus to never forget how blessed we are to be here, that we have the chance to chase our dreams.

Aside from his love of conspiracy theories, Douglass greatly enjoys hearing other people’s stories and getting to know them as individuals. He can be seen interacting with people in the halls of the music building and during dinner in the D.C.

Features

professor profile: Mark Douglass

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

11

A&E

Falling for Fall Playlist Ellie Brugger | Staff Writer “Sofia...” by Leland Blue Leland Blue is a budding music group from Grand Rapids, Michigan comprised of two brothers, Connor and Benjamin Robertson, and their cousin Satchel Robertson. Their song “Sofia...” mixes catchy electric guitar riffs with somber lyrics, creating a contrast between a fun jam and a classic heart break song.

“A letter to my younger self ” by Ambar Lucid Continuing on the thread of change, Ambar Lucid tackles similar themes as Sloan, but in a much more uplifting style.

Lucid is Mexican-Dominican and resides in New Jersey, reflected in her music by the use of both Spanish and English lyrics.

“Crash My Car” by COIN COIN is known for upbeat tunes, but that does not always mean they contain typical ‘feel-good’ lyrics. “Crash My Car” is a great scream-in-your-car-on-yourway-to-work song. Despite being about a lost love, sometimes other life problems just call for a good scream.

“Dancing” by Mellow Fellow While we have the beats slowed down, Mellow Fellow introduces some fun rhythmic elements between the drums, bass, and an elegant electric guitar part.

Overall, “Dancing” is a feel-good tune with some calmer instrumental parts, perfect for walking to class or studying.

12

“Older” by Sasha Sloan Another indie/pop artist, Sloan brings traditional pop-like elements to the table, while packaging them in a more musically unique shell. “Older” encapsulates the feelings of change that so often accompany fall.

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

“Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green Perhaps something you could listen to with your grandparents or sing along with on your own, Al Green is an oldie but a goodie. The instrumentation of his songs can show their age, but “Let’s Stay Together” has some key elements reflected in more popular music of the 2010s. Just pretend the trumpet part is an electric guitar and you’re all set.

“Heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez Another slow jam great for background studying music or – if you’re into intricate acoustic guitar parts – pure listening. “Heartbeats” is accompanied by just an acoustic guitar, the base line of which mimics a heartbeat at points in the song, creating a calming effect.

Gonzalez’s music is contemplative in nature and creates an atmosphere perfect for self-reflection.

Conner Williams | Staff Writer

W

ith the fun of election season behind us, and the current student body president doing wonderful work, we look forward to what improvements future generations of student leadership will bring to campus life. However, some students feel a twinge of disappointment that they will never be able to vote for some of their favorite members of the community. Long ago, one image on the SAU Memes Facebook page announced the candidacy of the Spring Abor McDonald’s, but the people knew that it was only a sick joke, and a sweet fantasy.

Most students have resigned themselves to the fact that the beloved fast food joint will never be able to run for president. But their resignation might turn to hopeful glee sooner than anyone could have expected. That’s right, folks: the Spring Arbor McDonald’s has announced its plans to enroll as a full time student at Spring Arbor University

(SAU), and has already made known its presidential dreams.

The treasured establishment has already submitted an application to attend SAU for the 2020-21 academic year, but the registrar’s office is worried about the logistical concerns that would accompany the admission of a corporate entity as a student. One employee told us: “We are not entirely sure how the corporation would attend classes and chapels, and we are having to do some mental gymnastics even to wrap our minds around this idea in the first place. But we’re completely open to accepting the application– we love the Spring Arbor McDonald’s as much as anyone. Once we iron out the logistics, we’re ready to give the admission the go ahead.”

‘Logistics’ is the word of the hour around here, and school officials are steadily figuring out how to make

A&E

A McChange is a Comin’ the school accessible to the local McDonald’s. Since it would be a hassle to disassemble the building and reconstruct in the appropriate classroom at every hour of the day, the registrar’s office is willing to let the restaurant take its classes as tutorials. The school is also willing to allow McDonald’s to satisfy chapel attendance requirements by watching livestreams of chapel services. The fast food establishment is even registered to take SDL 110 so that it can, hopefully, achieve its dreams of being student body president.

The Spring Arbor McDonald’s story has been met with an overwhelming wave of support from the student body and school officials alike. We just might see the first ever presidency of a nonhuman entity. All we know right now is that a McChange is a comin’, and we’re lovin’ it.

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

13

Sports

Gotta’ Get It Cheerleading Team Updates Caralyn Geyer | Associate Editor

W

ith all of the changes to Spring Arbor University (SAU) this year comes the cheer team, started by coach Tietricha Thomas. Thomas is familiar with starting programs from scratch, and SAU’s was no exception. She believes the past few months have proved to be very beneficial for individual and team progress.

Both the cheer and dance teams are currently gearing up for competitive season, which begins in January. To prepare, the athletes are working on conditioning, stunting and tumbling, along with a scrimmage on December 7 at Concordia to practice putting their skills to the test.

Thomas said much of the first few months was working on perfecting skills so learning the routines and material would come easier. Because the team is new, it comes with much diversity in skill, making for what Thomas called a “unique” situation to start.

“There were some girls who had been at SAU for some time already, so it had been a while since they had done stunts and tumbling, but others were coming PHOTO FROM Facebook

14

in as recruited freshman and were more fresh, so that made the dynamic unique, but because of this, the girls have pushed each other to accomplish individual and team goals,” Thomas said.

Cheerleaders Josie Simmons, sophomore social work major and Meredith Basnaw, senior health and exercise science major agree that this was difficult at first, especially since the team was starting from scratch, but that it only made the team stick to their adopted motto, “gotta get it,” even more.

Thomas said the saying comes from something she and her husband say to one another.

“It means having that ‘gotta get it’ mentality. It means no excuses, nothing gets in the way and going full throttle,” Thomas said.

As the team has worked together throughout the fall semester, progress has been made in everyone and every area.

As the workouts and training has continued, the girls have grown in conditioning, and those who had never stunted before or had not in quite some time have made great strides.

“Tumbling is really coming along well too,” Simmons said.

“Girls who could, at the beginning, just do a cartwheel went to doing backwalk-overs in just two months. We’re adding in extensions

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

PHOTO BY Chris Bauman

now and even libs.”

Both Basnaw and Simmons said the motivation going into this year and season is to make it to nationals, but even if that does not happen, simply moving forward after each competition and slowly attaining the levels of teams that have existed longer would be an accomplishment. Thomas said what she wants from the SAU student body is support and connection with the student section. She and the team welcome all forms of SAU spirit cheering alongside them as they practice to compete for themselves this upcoming January to represent SAU.

November 1, 2019 • thesaupulse.com

15

Sports

Athlete of the Month: Brooke Brotzman

Chris Cherian | Staff Writer

C

oming into her senior year of college, Brooke Brotzman is in her fourth year of playing golf for the women’s team at Spring Arbor University (SAU). But golf wasn’t always her only passion. When she was in high school at St. Charles, she decided to play golf and focus on that all the way through and into college.

Although she played for her high school team, Brotzman said that college tournaments are much different from high school tournaments. In addition to being longer than the high school tournaments, practices can last up to four hours. Unlike most teams, the golf team goes off-campus to a golf course nearby for their practices, which she says is a nice change of pace and a break from being on campus.

“We all support each other, but it is competitive within the team too, which is different than most teams on campus,” Brotzman said.

There are thirteen girls on the team, but only the top five get into each tournament. From there, only the top four scores are counted.

Because of this, there is some rivalry, but Brotzman also said that the other women are like family to her in that there is always support even with the friendly competition.

To balance golf and academics,

16

“ ”

Get the most out of college while you’re here, in addition to what your sport has to offer.

Brooke Brotzman, Women’s Golf Team Captain

Brotzman uses a planner and often lists out what she needs to do. Part of the reason she does this is because for her, it is especially satisfying to check each item off her to-do list as it gets done. This way, she can keep PHOTO BY Chris Bauman

thesaupulse.com • November 1, 2019

track of what she has to get done and also feel accomplished when she gets through it all.

As an athlete, balancing these aspects of her college career is especially important.

“Don’t neglect classes or coursework for the sport, especially if you know that you don’t intend to play after graduating. Get the most out of college while you’re here, in addition to what your sport has to offer,” Brotzman said.

Brotzman said she is grateful for her coaches and teammates and the experiences they have had together over the last four years.

After graduation, Brotzman plans to pursue graduate school for physical therapy.