Bleed Purple - July/August 2015 by Weber State Athletic Communications

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A Bank In Your Court BUSINESS

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Bleed Purple

STARTING LINEUP

CONTENTS

FEATURES 14 THE OGDEN CREW

A group of former Wildcats have banded together as runners, adding a collegiate teamlike aspect to their road race training. BY TYSON JEX

20 A SWEET FINISH

Damian Lillard wrapped up his college degree and returned this past spring to join his fellow Weber State graduates at commencement. BY CHRIS J. MILLER

28 Q&A WITH COACH JAY HILL

Second-year head coach Jay Hill recently sat down with Bleed Purple’s Jim Burton to discuss recruiting, mentors, and the direction of the Wildcat football team. BY JIM BURTON

36 A DAY IN THE LIFE

Jesse Hover, Carly Lloyd and Kristi Elmer each spent time on humanitarian trips in foreign lands this summer, and all three received life-changing experiences in return. BY CORIE HOLMES

48 PUSHING THROUGH CHANGE

Senior Joe Hawkins has pushed through big changes in the last four years of his life like he does through opposing defensive linemen — with extreme fearlessness. BY PAUL GRUA

54 ALL-AMERICAN DREAMS

Mike Hardy wrapped up his WSU running career seven years after it began, and he achieved his biggest goal in his final race as a Wildcat. BY TYSON JEX

DEPARTMENTS 4 FROM THE A.D. 6 SNAPSHOTS 12 PLAYIN’ ON PURPLE with coach Jeremiah Larsen 31 HIGH PERFORMANCE 44 CREATE A LEGACY 45 WILDCAT CLUB MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Bob and Marian Subic 47 COMPLIANCE CORNER 56 NAME GAME

54 2

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58 TOP TWEETS

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he inaugural edition of Bleed Purple Magazine, released in June, received a great response, and we thank each Weber State fan who took advantage of the opportunity to read about some of the people that make Wildcat athletics so great. The stories that were featured in Issue No. 1 set the bar at a high level for our staff, but as we put the final touches on this second issue, I became confident that the content of this issue will not fall short. I continue to be inspired by many of the great student-athletes that choose to call Weber State home for their four years of collegiate competition, and the Wildcats featured in this issue are no exception. I am inspired by Jesse Hover, Carly Lloyd and Kristie Elmer, who each displayed a strong willingness to serve those less fortunate this past summer. I am inspired by the perseverence of Mike Hardy, who accomplished his goal of becoming an All-American runner seven years after he started chasing it. And I’m especially inspired by the many qualities that make Damian Lillard so great. In Damian I have seen a competitive fire and work ethic that is second to none. I will never forget watching him shoot free throws from a chair

for over an hour while he recovered from a broken foot suffered his junior season, so that he could work on perfecting his release. I have also seen in Damian a great deal of dedication. Dedication to his sport, dedication to his family and friends, and dedication to the Special Olympics and Boys & Girls Clubs that he has become a strong supporter of. His dedication is what drove him to continue to work on college courses after he left Weber State for the 2012 NBA Draft, and it resulted in him achieving his goal of completing his degree this past spring. Finally, I see a groundedness in Damian that is rare in the level of celebrity that he has achieved, and he continues to show the kindness to others that he has displayed since his freshman season with the Wildcats. As the father of two young boys who are involved in competitive sports, and a third who is chomping at the bit to be old enough to sign up for organized athletics, my hope is that all three will all develop the qualities that make many WSU athletes great players, great students and great people. Sincerely,

Darin Hogge

Director of Digital Media & Publications

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WEBER STATE ATHLETICS presented by

Volume 1, Issue 2 Editor in Chief

Darin Hogge

Executive Editors

Paul Grua Chris J. Miller Corie Holmes

Creative Director

Darin Hogge

Contributing Writers

Chris J. Miller Jim Burton Corie Holmes Darin Hogge Paul Grua Jerry Bovee Tyson Jex John Henderson Becky Thompson Will Pridemore

Photography

Robert Casey Darin Hogge Justin Johnson

Ad Director

Dave Champlain

EMAIL: WEBERSTATESPORTS@GMAIL.COM WEBSITE: WEBERSTATESPORTS.COM FACEBOOK: facebook.com/WeberStateAthletics TWITTER: @WeberState INSTAGRAM: WSUWildcats

ON THE COVER Two-time NBA All-Star and 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year, Damian Lillard, returned to Weber State this past May to attend spring commencement after finishing up his degree in Professional Sales. 䄀匀圀䔀䔀吀䘀䤀一䤀匀䠀䐀䄀䴀䤀䄀一䰀䤀䰀䰀䄀刀䐀圀刀䄀倀倀䔀䐀唀倀䠀䤀匀䌀伀䰀䰀䔀䜀䔀䐀䔀䜀刀䔀䔀䄀一䐀刀䔀吀唀刀一䔀䐀吀䠀䤀匀倀䄀匀吀匀倀刀䤀一䜀吀伀䨀伀䤀一䠀䤀匀䘀䔀䰀䰀伀圀圀䔀䈀䔀刀匀吀䄀吀䔀䜀刀䄀䐀唀䄀吀䔀匀䄀吀䌀伀䴀䴀䔀一䌀䔀䴀䔀一吀

Feature on page 20.

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Photo by Robert Casey.

Bleed Purple

From the A.D.

A Message from Jerry Bovee

he inaugural edition of Bleed Purple was a great success as we heard from many of the Wildcat faithful who loved the stories, pictures and information contained in the e-magazine. I think you’ll find the second installment lives up to the high bar our staff has set for this publication. This edition features interesting stories about many Wildcat greats like Damian Lillard and Mike Hardy as well as a feature about super fans Bob and Marian Subic. A favorite story for me is that of current football senior Joe Hawkins. His story and the experiences that led to his decision to attend Weber State are a personification of the heart and soul of many of our student-athletes. For most of us

these student-athletes, where they hail from and the experiences that bring them to our campus and town. Many of them come to the university as first-generation students and if they work hard and commit to the

“We spend a good amount of effort and resources to assist student-athletes through the time demands of their commitment and for most of those that come to Weber State, they successfully navigate the experience at a high level of achievement.” coming to the games as fans, what we often know of the people we watch on the field or courts, we read about in a game program, on weberstatesports.com or in the newspaper. I have the opportunity on a daily basis to learn more about 4

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that are amplified to a greater degree because they become public figures when they sign their scholarship agreement. We spend a good amount of effort and resources to assist them through the time demands of their commitment and for most of those that come to Weber State, they successfully navigate the experience at a high level of achievement. That’s what helps my game day experience to be that much sweeter because I know a little of the background of the players and coaches. I hope that through publications like Bleed Purple, your game day experience will become more meaningful for you too. Until next time, go Wildcats!

Jerry Bovee Weber State Director of Athletics

program, they leave here ready to enter society and make a name for themselves, their families and Weber State University. They are real live people coached by human beings with families of their own. They occasionally make bad decisions WeberStateSports.com

2015 FOOTBALL & VOLLEYBALL SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

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Weber State distance runner Alice Keller makes a splash in the steeplechase water jump during the Weber State Outdoor Track & Field Open in April. (Photo by Robert Casey)

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Luke Crapo blasts from a greenside bunker during the Big Sky Conference Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Championships at Greenhorn Creek Golf Club in Angels Camp, Calif. in April. (Photo by Darin Hogge)

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Centerfielder Malia Campos goes against the fence to rob a home run against Mississippi State during the Wildcatsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; second game at the NCAA Regionals in Lafayette, La. (Photo by Buddy Delahoussaye)

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July/August 2015

Bleed Purple

with Jeremiah Larsen Tyson Jex caught up with Jeremiah Larsen for a segment of Playin’ on Purple to get to know the new head coach of the Weber State volleyball team a little bit better.

Playin’ On Purple: What’s something you’re looking forward to at Weber State?

Jeremiah Larsen: The one thing I’m looking forward to about being at Weber State is my opportunity in the gym with these young ladies. There’s a lot of potential here that’s been untapped and I’m looking forward to changing that culture. And being able to help their skill progression as they develop in their volleyball career.

P.O.P: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time and why?

JL.: My favorite athlete of all time would have to be, ironically, John Stockton. He was a guy that when I was younger I looked up to quite a bit because he was small and playing with the big boys. Probably my favorite volleyball player of all time is Jeff Stork who is now the head coach at Cal State Northridge.

P.O.P: If you could witness any athletic event present, past or future, what would it by and why? J.L.: You know, I think something in the Olympics. Of course men’s volleyball in the Olympics has a tender spot in my heart because a lot of those guys I either played with or competed against for so many years. So probably the Beijing Olympics when the men won the gold would be something high on my list.

P.O.P: What do you like most about being at Weber State?

J.L.: You know, being in an athletic department that has high goals for the volleyball program is the thing that drew me here. That, and I look good in purple. So those, two things.

P.O.P: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

J.L.: The best advice I’ve ever received was from my father when I was very young and that was “Anything is possible with hard work and if you want it bad enough go get it.” That advice is something that has been fueling me for a long long time.

P.O.P: If you could have any super power what would it be?

J.L.: The ability to swim. I can’t swim worth a lick and that would be something I want to do.

P.O.P: What’s something that not many people know about you? J.L.: That I can’t swim. That’s about it. 12

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THE OGDEN CREW A group of former Wildcats have banded together as runners, adding a collegiate team-like aspect to their road race training.

by TYSON JEX

s the sun comes over the mountains and shines its rays into the Smith’s parking lot, there are people running around, but not from the police or to get doughnuts for their children’s class. The running is coming from members of a local elite running group called the Ogden Crew. It is the start of another training run for the crew that watches their miles 14

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and workouts like Jenny Craig patients watch their calories, carefully. The crew was started by multiple Big Sky All-Conference performer and Weber State alumnus Bryant Jensen, who dominated the road racing scene in 2013. Jensen won five marathons, one of which was the St. George Marathon, where he posted a personal-best time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 56 seconds.

Following his time as a Wildcat, Jensen began to focus on road racing and was looking for ways to improve. Based on experiences he had training in a team setting with Weber State, he decided to start a group of runners that could help each other with training. “I guess the Crew’s history goes back a ways,” Jensen said. “I have known most of those guys for a long time. The crew helps out a lot. There

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is a competitive drive there between us. The support that we get from each other is great. It’s fun to hit the pavement with them, especially with all of the miles that you have to do to train for a marathon.” Every member of the Crew has taken a different path to get where they are now and here are their stories: Ken Richardson, former WSU walk-on, knew that he could be a good runner if a college coach would give him chance. Luckily, the Wildcats were a team that he knew and followed due to some of his teammates being part of the team. “I came to Weber State on an academic scholarship, but I knew a few guys who had been recruited,” Richardson said. “So I decided to walk on and Coach (Chick) Hislop was good enough to keep me. I loved running the trails with the team

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every day and racing with them.” Richardson soon became a key member of the distance squad in both cross country and track and field. He still holds the eighth fastest-time in the 5,000 meters in school history. But some of his best memories are from leaving it all on the track and giving his best during that race. “Qualifying for nationals in 2003 and 2004 and having that experience is something that I will always remember,” he said. “Also, setting a personal best and looking back on running faster than you ever had is pretty special. Any time you get a ‘good job’ from Chick Hislop is a good moment as well.” But then imagine that your coach and mentor sits you down and informs you that you can no longer do what you love to do. It’s not

because you are not fast enough and aren’t living up to expectations, but because your body won’t allow you to. “I had some severe back problems,” he said. “Coach Hislop sat me down and told me I was done running. Even with physical therapy, there were days that the best I could do was wake up in the morning and go on a walk. Now I don’t take a run for granted. Every run is a blessing.” That setback was just that, a setback. Richardson put in the necessary work to get healthy and has since seen the fruits of his labors. He now has his sights set on running fast enough to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the marathon next January. But he isn’t the only one in his family that is looking to achieve that goal. Ken’s wife, Janae, is looking to get the qualifying mark as well so she July/August 2015

Bleed Purple

Riley Cook, a stellar 1,500 meter runner with the Wildcats, has transitioned to marathoning in his post-collegiate running, and won the Phoenix Marathon in 2014.

can toe the line with the best women marathoners in the United States. “My wife is trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials as well,” Richardson said. “So we both make a lot of sacrifices for each other. We both are training hard. There are a lot of days when one of us is on the treadmill while another takes care of the kids.” Riley Cook has range. Not the deep three-point range like Damian Lilliard, but range referring to how fast he can run on the track and roads. In 2005, he ran the third-fastest 1,500 meter time in school history. To this day, he considers that race to be one of his greatest running achievements. “My greatest achievement had to be running 3:42 in the 1,500 (meters),” Cook said. “That is still the third-fastest time in school history. It is equivalent to a 3:59 mile. If it’s not that, then it would have to be when I won the mile at the Big Sky Indoor Championships. That was pretty cool.” Cook, who attended nearby Ogden High School, chose to run at WSU because he wanted to be great. He knew that Chick Hislop was going to make him into the runner that he could only dream of. He became that runner and more as to this day some of the current coaches share memories of his range and speed. But after graduating, he took a break from running only to rediscover that love as he started to train with the Crew. Training with the Crew and the support it provides led to Cook wining the 2014 Phoenix Marathon in 2 hours, 21 minutes and 42 seconds 16

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along with many other half marathon titles that year. But like a good wine, Cook has gotten better with age when it comes to running longer distances. He has turned from a miler into a marathoner, a change that didn’t happen overnight but something that he has embraced. Brett Ferrier doesn’t consider himself the black sheep of the group, he just prefers the mountains over the roads. While the others pound the pavement, Ferrier finds himself running up mountains and pushing his screaming muscles to their limits. But he is good at what he does and

the results have shown it. “I had walking pnuemonia after graduating from Weber State,” said Ferrier. “I joined the Crew to get some training in, but never had the motivation to run a marathon. The thing that got me started was seeing the Mountain Cup and wanting to travel and run again. I have raced all over the country and been part of a great running community.” After a stellar high school career that saw him win multiple state titles, WSU caught his eye as a possible college destination. After choosing the Wildcats, he ran two of the fastest times in school history WeberStateSports.com

Brett Ferrier helped the Wildcats to a Big Sky Cross Country title in 2006, and has preferred mountain racing over road racing in his post-collegiate career.

in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. “Chick talked to me when I was in high school and after looking at different universities, I chose Weber State,” Ferrier said. “I liked how serious everyone was about running and getting better.” That team unity and tradition of hard work led to some of his greatest moments as a Wildcat. Coming from a place in Nevada where the snow wasn’t so prevelant, he enjoyed the time on the trails with his teammates. “One of my best memories at Weber was when we won the conference title in cross country (in 2006),” he said. “It was really great because we were able to come together as a team and celebrate. It was very strategic race and were able to smash on Northern Arizona in the latter parts of the race. I remember a lot of guys held back so we could succeed as a team.” His other favorite memory comes from a time when the mountains WeberStateSports.com

were full of snow and the team found a faster way down the hill. “One time on a run after it had snowed a lot,” he said. “We were running on the Bonneville Shoreline trail, one of the guys just stopped and jumped on his butt. He went on the snow and slid down to a different trail. That was the first time I had ever run and played in the snow.” Not your everyday marathoner, Ben Van Beekum may be the most unique of the group. No, he doesn’t have a booster pack or descendants from Kenya. He just never ran at the collegiate level and only wore the school colors at graduation and as a fan at sporting events. He joins Jon Heslop as the two runners of the group who didn’t get recruited out of high school. But that hasn’t stopped either of them from being some of the best runners in the state of Utah. Van Beekum returned from serving an LDS mission and weighed in at 210 pounds. He didn’t like what he saw in the mirror and wanted to make a change, so he started to run. “I just started running because I felt like I needed to get in shape,” Van Beekum said. “I stole my dad’s running shoes out of his closet and went out for a run. I thought I could make it about five miles but only went two miles and was dead. I ended up hitchhiking home.”

After gaining a greater desire to improve on his times, he found help from local coaches and runners. His biggest help came in the form of current WSU head cross country coach Paul Pilkington. Pilkington has plenty of marathon experience, having won the Los Angeles and Houston marathons during his running career. With a coach who knew a thing or two about the marathon, Van Beekum ran a personal-best time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 49 seconds at the 2013 St. George Marathon. But the greatest part of that feat wasn’t that he pushed his body to its limits, but that he was taking a full load of classes, working full-time, and training. “I ran my first marathon off a challenge from my mom,” he said. “My first marathon was around four hours and I couldn’t walk for a week afterwards. I found Paul up at Weber (State) and he took me under his wing for a couple of years and trained me. Under his guidance, I got down to around 2 hours and 34 minutes. Now with the help of everyone in the Crew, I am now running faster than I could have ever imagined.” Heslop did run on the WSU men’s cross country team before and after his LDS mission, but decided to focus on academics. Running was the thing that had gotten him interested in college but eventually his desire to earn a degree won out. “I made it my goal to run at Weber State because Bryant was up there running,” Heslop said. “I went to school originally to run, but then I guess I grew up and was going there more for education after two years. The people that were around me led me there.” As some of the crew have great memories about winning races while donning the school colors, Heslop has July/August 2015

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different memories, memories that ended with a diploma. “Getting a college degree was my greatest achievement while I was on campus,” he said. “No one in my immediate family had done that yet.” But after earning his degree, he got the desire to run more competitively and found the perfect training group in the Crew. He and a lot of the other runners have the St. George Marathon on their calendars and will be looking to run fast times. “My greatest achievement so far has to be running the full marathon in 2 hours and 31 minutes,” he said. “I really had to focus throughout the whole race. But I have a goal to run under 2 hours and 30 minutes this year at St. George.” Sacrifice has brought forth both fast times and trophies for members of the Crew. With each runner having different abilities and strengths, they work together for everyone’s goals. It is the team aspect that many post-collegiate runners thrive for, a support group that will help you continue to grow. “The best part about the crew is that we can push each other,” Van Beekum said. “I look up to these guys because they ran in college and have the workouts behind them. Right now I am just trying to figure out mentally how far can I push my body because I don’t know. I feel pain and some days I back off, but some of the other guys help me push past that. I am really glad I have that support.” To reach those goals, he and the other runners had to get into a routine that would not only work best for them but also for their families.

“I like to run early in the morning,” Cook said. “If I can get a majority of my runs done earlier in the day then it doesn’t take away from any family time when I get home from work.” Spending time with family is one thing that all the runners know and understand is important. They take special care of that time when they can spend time with their loved ones. “I try to change out my hard workouts and not do them on the weekend,” Ferrier said. “The reason behind that is that my kids love to play in the outdoors during the weekends and I don’t want to be too tired for them. I don’t want to take that away from them, so I make changes for more family time.” Just as with all humans, these runners need sleep. Maybe even more than the normal person because of

the miles that they put in, but add that on the list of sacrifices. In the end it’s not a sacrifice, though, but an investment for a future goal. “Some nights are late, which makes for an early morning,” Ferrier said. “But if I don’t get up in the morning and run then it won’t happen. Sleep is one of the biggest if not the biggest sacrifice I face.” In the end, the Ogden Crew will continue to run and pursue their dreams not as individuals but as a team. They aren’t normal and like it that way. “ ‘We are not normal, and if someone tells you that you are, then take offense to it’, is something Chick used to tell us,” Ferrier said. “He would say, ‘If you or any of us are going to be normal then we aren’t going to achieve the goals we have.’ ”

Bryant Jensen’s idea to form the Ogden Crew has paid dividends to the running success of each member and has bonded the former Wildcats as great friends. 18

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July/August 2015

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Bleed Purple

A SWEET FINISH Damian Lillard wrapped up his college degree and returned this past spring to join his fellow Weber State graduates at commencement.

By CHRIS J. MILLER 20

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July/August 2015

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“A lot of things have happened because of what I learned and experienced here. I am happy to say that I am Weber State.”

o say that all of Damian Lillard’s success is a result of the young basketball superstar having a chip on his shoulder that spurs him to excel is far from fair. True, Lillard has been motivated throughout his athletic career by working hard and striving to prove WeberStateSports.com

others wrong. He has used snubs or limited opportunities to bury himself in even harder workouts in order to get better. A lack of respect by some in the cruel world of professional sports has sharpened his focus and made him even more resilient. Ignoring his detractors has helped him evolve into a confident leader on

his NBA team, a talented performer in other pursuits and a thoughtful young adult prepared for a lifetime of opportunities. But all that didn’t happen just because he ended up at Weber State University, instead of at an NBA factory school from the elite power conferences. July/August 2015

Bleed Purple

During a short speech at commencement, Damian spoke of how his time at Weber State contributed to his current success.

Then again, perhaps it did happen because Damian ended up at Weber State. His achievements are far less about Lillard proving people wrong or turning his weaknesses into strengths, and much more about taking full advantage of the opportunities that come along. And Ogden, Utah, and Weber State provided that opportunity. Lillard drew attention this spring when he chose to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in professional

introduced to local Special Olympics Utah activities with his fellow student-athletes. Now the NBA All-Star is a national ambassador for the Special Olympics movement. “A lot of things have happened because of what I learned and experienced here,” Lillard said. “I am happy to say that I am Weber State.” Changing seasons Lillard’s summer didn’t really slow down after the NBA playoffs

Trail Blazers, a five-year contract worth more than $120 million. After his third season with the Blazers, in which he averaged 21 points, 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game to lead Portland (51-31) into the playoffs, Lillard has become the face of the franchise. In between, Lillard spent some time in Ogden, visiting friends and his former coach, Randy Rahe. He sat down and talked about his time at Weber State. “All you hear is that Damian Lillard went back and graduated,” he reflected. “But there are so many people behind the scenes that laid the groundwork. They played huge parts in things that went my way.” Rahe and his coaching staff did their part. “Off the court they challenged me,” Lillard remembered of his years at school. “Look I’m a kid from Oakland. They knew I was tough. They knew I wouldn’t back down from anything. So they came to me and challenged me.” That meant

sales, walking with his fellow graduates in commencement on May 1. During a short speech he gave to fellow graduates, faculty, family and friends at the Dee Events Center, Lillard thanked the many contributors to his successes. As an example, Lillard mentioned he had been

and his ensuing graduation. He spent much of June in Asia and Europe as part of adidas’ Take on Summer Tour, promoting the company as well as giving clinics and demonstrations. Then in early July, the two-time NBA All-Star point guard signed a maximum deal with the Portland

things like encouraging the budding star be on time to class, to get his homework done on time, to be at study hall and in the weight room at the appointed times. “The standard was so high (on the team), and they set the bar higher for me,” Lillard added. “Off the court was crazy too. It

“As my time went on I really found that I enjoyed the teachers and what I was learning. I picked up a lot of things that I apply today to my career.”

Bleed Purple

July/August 2015

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Since becoming the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Damian has collected the 2013 Rookie of the Year award and a pair of All-Star selections.

got to the point where they wanted to make sure I got enough sleep; that I ate breakfast. They asked me ‘are you giving yourself a chance to be productive today.’ “I think they knew there would be slip-ups. They really challenged me. I finally got a car my last year in school, and Coach Rahe was on me about getting insurance and things like that. “The small things added up,” Lillard said. “And if I don’t have them challenging me the way they did, there’s no way I make it in the NBA.” The opportunities to grow came in the classroom as well. He remembers the challenge of even picking a major. “Basketball was all I had my mind on. I was just caught up in that,” Lillard said. “I figured out that in life you have to find ways to use who you are to

Photo courtesy of the Portland Trailblazers.

be able to thrive in different situations,” Lillard said. He found that many of the classes in the then technical sales (now professional sales) major were about making arguments. “You get up there and make presentations in front of other students,” he said. “So being able to

speak, to sell yourself, sell objects, exploring pros and cons. As my time went on I really found that I enjoyed the teachers and what I was learning. I picked up a lot of things that I apply today to my career.” While Lillard never felt he was a poor public speaker, he saw that the opportunities ahead might require even more development. “I wanted to get to where I could stand in a meeting or if I wanted to be a motivational speaker that I could stand up in front of crowds and express myself and share stories and share knowledge. It was much bigger than public speaking.” Professor Carl Grunander remembers jogging on the upper track in the Swenson Gym. “During Head coach Randy Rahe and his staff challenged Damian, encouraging him to succeed not only on the court, but in his academic life as well.

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July/August 2015

Bleed Purple

July/August 2015

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the offseason, Damian would be shooting hoops on the Swenson floor. He practiced and practiced and practiced,” Grunander recalled. “He would not be denied.” “As with his basketball, his academic skills continued to grow and increase. I never doubted that Damian would return (and finish up his degree). There is no quit in him,” Grunander said of the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year. Many mentors “I knew graduating was important to Dame, and to his mom as well,” Rahe said. “She reminded me of that when we would talk, but I knew Damian was sincere about getting those last credits. “I didn’t know how long it would take him, but I knew he would do his part,” Rahe said. “The people on campus were so good to work with him. They were flexible and provided the way, but he did the work.” Lillard is appreciative of the professors and staff he worked with while at Weber State. “Carl Grunander, JoEllen Jonsson, Steven Eichmeier, Vel Casler, Tim Border, Gene Sessions, I could go on and on,” Lillard said. “A lot people took extra time when I had games on road, they made sure I was able to get caught up. After class they would pull me aside. They never let me off the hook. When you have people like that who want the best for you, that’s the reason why you make it where you are,” Lillard added. One of Border’s first experiences with Lillard came in a negotiations class. “Damian hadn’t had much (basketball) notoriety yet, but he always showed up to class and was WeberStateSports.com

very attentive but very quiet,” Border remembered. “One day I noticed him on his phone during class, and asked him about it. He showed me he was taking notes. “From that moment on I knew Damian would be a contributor in class.” Border saw Lillard’s growing leadership extend from the backcourt to the classroom. “He’s the hardest worker out there. I’ve seen him shooting free throws with teammates in the summer, pushing them to practice like they play. He would do the same in class with other student-athletes. He would get on them to get off their butts and study and participate,” Border said. “It was the same intensity.”

Family is very important to Damian, and fulfilling a promise he made to his mother, Gina, was a major factor in his decision to finish off his degree.

After Lillard’s second NBA season, he worked with Border and others to complete the classes he needed to graduate. “There is nothing that degree can do for his income,” Border noted. “But I absolutely expected him to come back and finish up. I know his family means a lot to him, he loves his mom and his sister, and he would occasionally speak to that. His family was No. 1.” “The people on campus are very supportive of all our student-athletes,” Rahe added. “It’s a great environment.” July/August 2015

Bleed Purple

Lillard already misses Weber State. “People always say that college will be the greatest experience of your life. I’m in the NBA and I still feel that college was a great experience for me,” Lillard said. “I met some of my closest friends. A lot of people that I speak to most of the time are people that I came across at Weber State. I always find myself looking back and wishing I had enjoyed the experience more instead of being too cool for certain stuff, passing on certain things. “I think (as youth) we need to realize the moment.” Impact player Following commencement in May, Lillard spent some time with other WSU student-athletes, and offered his perspective. “My biggest thing to all the graduates was to just go out and have an impact. Reach different

crowds. That impact just grows. Whatever field you go out in, try to touch as many people as possible. Have the impact (on them) that Weber State had on you,” he added. Lillard knows he has much to share away from basketball. “I’m really involved with music. That’s something I’ll continue to do through the course of my playing career. Who knows, maybe that’s something that I’ll do later. I have a few things I am doing with acting too. “I want to be involved with athletes. Not sure if it’s coaching; I’m not sure I have the patience. But what I can do to help athletes is speak to them. I enjoy sharing what I know. “Right now, sports is at a stage where athletes are being hyped up at a young age, and they’re being given all this credit when not much work has been done, and I think it causes them to crash a little bit and

causes them to get that sense of entitlement,” Lillard continued. “I think that because of the way that I grew up, I think there is a lot of things I can share to prevent that.” Rahe thinks Lillard has already shared that message through his example. “Damian has humility when it comes to being aware of where he came from, and a great set of values and work ethic,” his coach says. “He’s grown in some way every year he’s been with us. “Dame loves the challenge, and he will look for ‘chips,’ things to motivate him,” Rahe added. “But Damian’s always taken advantage of the opportunities that came along. He’s pushed himself to the highest degree. And I think he got that from his parents.” And Weber State’s campus community and basketball program helped him achieve those successes.

DAMIAN’S 3-POINTER FOR SUCCESS Damian Lillard offered three pieces of advice to Weber State students.

Enjoy the experience. “Enjoy the college experience and keep an open mind. I was so caught up in wanting to make the NBA and wanting to be in the gym all the time that I kind of lost sight of enjoying the whole college experience. I look back and say ‘man, they had those block parties on campus, I could have been a part of that.’ ”

Utilize the faculty “The teachers are always in their classrooms and offices. Take advantage of listening to what they have to say. How can I be a better student? What kind of students are the most successful from this major? Who can put me in contact with successful people? Keep an open mind as to how many doors these professors can actually open for you.”

Little things matter “Realize how big the intangibles are: to have character; being coachable; being together; caring about the way you carry yourself on campus; being a great person; being a great student. All those things matter. Those things are a huge reason why I made it to the NBA. There are a lot of talented guys out there but it’s the intangible things.”

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Q&A J AY H I L L

Second-year head coach Jay Hill recently sat down with Bleed Purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jim Burton to discuss recruiting, mentors, and the direction of the Wildcat football team.

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July/August 2015

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ay Hill doesn’t do negativity; it’s just not his nature. The 40-year-old Weber State head football coach, who’s set to begin his second season with the Wildcats, is known for his high-energy approach, cando attitude and tireless work ethic. He believes in himself, his assistant coaches, and of course, his players. His football philosophy is strong, solid and fundamentally sound. It has been shaped by countless hours on the field, in practice, in the weight room, the film room and on the sidelines. He has been coached by and worked closely with some of the game’s finest leaders and they, too, have helped shape his philosophy. Hill’s first season at Weber State – and indeed his first season as a head coach – was challenging and perhaps even a bit frustrating. The Wildcats managed only a 2-10 record, but anyone who followed them closely saw that as the season wore on the ’Cats became a more cohesive group. And the players themselves saw that the more they bought in to Hill’s system, the better they played as a team. Now, with the 2015 season approaching, Hill sat down for an interview. It was easy to see his passion for football and his desire to have his players become the best they can possibly be, both on and off the field. His energy level was off the charts and his attitude was remarkably upbeat and positive about all aspects of his program and his players. Jim Burton: When it comes to recruiting, you’ve made no secret of the fact you like to have in-state players on your roster. Why is it so important to recruit Utah kids? WeberStateSports.com

Jay Hill: If it comes down to two kids that are equal in talent, we’re always going to give it to the local player, if they’re equal in talent. There are a lot of benefits that come (from recruiting Utah players). There are some local ties that might bring more fans to the games. I think that there’s something to be said about playing in front of a lot of friends and family, that just motivates kids. And then the other thing is, there’s a lot of overlooked talent in this state – or there has been in years past – that if developed properly can be very good players for you. Now, we’re never going to take the in-state kid over an outof-state kid that’s more talented. You’ve got to get the best kid, but we want to recruit, ideally, 60-65 percent of our players from the state of Utah. JB: You know the landscape of college football in this state, having played and coached at Utah and you understand the angle with BYU. You mentioned the kids who get overlooked. Utah, BYU, Utah State, they can’t get them all. There are kids who feel they’re good enough to play at those places, but don’t get the chance. Do you look for those kids? JH: I went to Ricks College. Back in the day, Ricks College, Dixie and Snow were putting out 10-15 Division I kids a year. They were getting those under-developed Utah kids that either hadn’t developed or hadn’t got the proper coaching at the time. Once they developed for two more years in a junior college, they became phenomenal players. That’s kind of my philosophy. If we can get some of those guys and develop them into what we consider Division I talent here, we’re going

to be really good. JB: You played for coach (Ron) Haun at Ricks. I imagine you learned quite a bit from coaches like coach Haun, coach (Ron) McBride and others. How much have you learned from these different coaches? JH: Oh yeah. Even back in high school I learned from some phenomenal coaches. And then in junior college, that’s when football really started making sense to me. When I got to Ricks College and that coaching staff we had up there, the way they taught me technique and the football game, it just opened up such a new window into the sport that I never knew before, that’s where my career took off. When I started coaching and I was with coach McBride and coach Gary Andersen and Kyle Whittingham and those guys. When they showed me the coaching side of it, that was even one more window of information that I never even saw as a player. Then you get Urban Meyer on top of it, and some of these other guys that I was around, I’ve been lucky and I am extremely grateful for those coaches that I’ve been around. JB: Was it always in the back of your mind that you wanted to get involved with coaching at some point? JH: You know, it wasn’t. When I first got released from the NFL and I knew I wasn’t going to play anymore, I started working for a finance company. I went to coach McBride (at Utah) to be a graduate assistant so that I could pay for my MBA. Once I got into coaching I quickly discovered that I was going to flunk out of business school because I loved coaching so much I never wanted to leave the office and leave the football side of it. I July/August 2015

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quickly changed my major into sports psychology, which made more sense for coaching. I mean, I loved it. I just couldn’t get away from the game. JB: Going back to this year’s recruiting class, it’s been mentioned that you’ve got a good group here. That’s two in a row that you really feel good about. What’s the program here looking like to you? JH: Well, if recruiting is any indication of the future, then everything is very bright. Our first two signing classes are phenomenal. We had five or six freshman (last year) come in and start for us. It wasn’t just that they were starting because of lack of talent in front of them, they were just that good, just really good, talented players. And I think five or six of those guys are top-notch, Mountain West, Pac-12 type players. There are a couple of (LDS) missionaries coming home from

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that first recruiting class that will join us next year. I think they’re really good players too. So we haven’t even seen all the fruits of that first recruiting class because all the missionaries are still out. This class that’s coming up, I’ll be able to tell you next year a lot better about how much of a hit that class really was. But I see speed, I see good football players in that group that I believe will come in and impact us and make us better right away this fall. JB: Did anything about the Big Sky Conference surprise you in your first season? JH: Well, I will say this: week in and week out, I was surprised at how good they all are. When I was at the University of Utah we played Weber State in 2008 and that’s the year we went to the Sugar Bowl. Weber State gave us as good a game as a lot of teams that year, I mean they played us well. Just a

couple of years ago (Utah) played Montana State, and Montana State was really good that year, but they gave us a great game. I knew going in to (Weber State) that the upper teams were going to be very good. I was surprised to see that across the board the conference is as solid as it is. Any given week, someone can beat you. Like last year, we didn’t have the record we wanted but we were in every single game. We had the ball five of six games, at the end, to tie or win and we were one of the bottom teams in the conference. I guess my point is, bottom teams can get you because they’re good too. JB: Your first game this season is at Oregon State. You’ve got some ties there with (Beavers head coach) Gary Andersen. How’s that going to be? JH: Fun. I’m excited about it. Not just because of playing against Gary and (former U of U assistant coach) Kalani Sitake and (former U of U and Weber State assistant coach) Chad (Kauha’aha’a) and (former U of U assistant coach) Ilaisa Tuiaki. Some of my best friends are on that coaching staff, and that makes it fun for me. But for the players, they’re not going to look at that and say “Oh, that’s a big deal.” To them, it’s going into a Pac-12 stadium against a very high caliber, quality opponent. We’ve got to go up there and play well. We need to have good stuff happen to us early. I think the game in and of itself is fun, and it’s fun for our players. Oregon State does a great job. The atmosphere up there is one of the best in the Pac-12 and so I’m excited about the atmosphere. WeberStateSports.com

High Performance

WSU Strength & Conditioning

RING THE BELL

by JOHN HENDERSON

n Saturday afternoons in the fall when the Wildcat football team wins games in front of home crowds at Stewart Stadium, the tradition of ringing the bell is a highly regarded privilege for each and every member of the football team. WeberStateSports.com

This tradition has been around since 1939. Ringing the bell is synonymous with winning, achieving a goal, and celebrating accomplishments. Our program is developed around the principle of continuous improvement and the bell is a constant reminder of the opportunity in front of us each day. “The tradition of ringing the bell

symbolizes the art of coming out on top when no one thought it was possible,” said Grant Garry, a senior on the Wildcat football team. “On the field, it shows the triumph and ringing the bell shows we came out on top.” “Ringing the bell makes us aware that we’ve just accomplished victory, and that we won’t be defeated,” Devonte Johnson, a July/August 2015

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senior on the football team said. This representation of personal and team success has been embraced by all Wildcat athletes. In 2012 a bell was installed in each of the Wildcat weight rooms. “Ringing the bell in the weight room is not just something you do when you beat your max,” Garry said. “It is your goal to ring that bell and show that you conquered all the doubters in your life and makes you feel like you like you are on top of the world.” Athletes are tested twice per year to measure progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the strength and conditioning programs. When an athlete completes a successful one-rep max on specified strength and power tests, the athlete is

recognized and allowed to ring the bell. The emphatic ringing of the bell is accompanied by an outburst of team cheer and admiration. Installing the “ring the bell” philosophy into the weight room was our way to practice winning every day. It also celebrates each other’s accomplishments. Testing weeks are my favorite time of every year. The ruckus and excitement of that bell ringing is hard to beat. The Wildcat football team had plenty of opportunities to ring the bell this July as final testing wrapped up before the start of fall camp. Many individual personal records were set and every Wildcat had the opportunity to “ring the bell.”

Along with many personal records achieved, the Wildcats reached their highest-ever team goals. “Our summer program has been the best it’s ever been,” Johnson said. “Each member of the team has performed at a high level, which led to each player on the team setting a new Personal Record and every person getting the chance to ring the bell. The numbers from the past don’t even compare to the numbers put up this summer, and it’s only going to get better.” Not only has ringing the bell inspired our athletes to succeed in the weight room and their sports, it has positively impacted their lives outside of athletics.

FOOTBALL WEIGHTLIFTING BENCHMARKS

Date

300+ lb. Cleans

315+ lb. Cleans

315+ lb. Benches

400+ lb. Benches

400+ lb. Squats

500+ lb. Squats

600+ lb. Squats

Summer 2015 Goals

Summer 2015

Winter 2015

Summer 2014

Winter 2014

Summer 2013

Winter 2013

Summer 2012

n/a

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High Performance - Nutrition

Rehydration: The Key to Peak Performance During and After Exercise

By JULIE HANSEN, M.S., R.D., C.D. Proper fluid replacement before, during, and after exercise can positively influence how you feel and how you perform. Most people do not realize how quickly water can be lost from our bodies when exercising. The heat production rate in active, exercising muscles can be 100 times that of resting muscles. On the average, the body loses more than two liters of water each day through perspiration, urine, feces and respiration. During exercise, sweat losses of up to three liters/hour are common. Technically, dehydration occurs

when body water loss equals one percent of body mass (performance is affected at a fluid loss of two percent). For example, a 150-pound person becomes dehydrated after losing one and one-half to three pounds of body weight. Thirst is an unreliable indicator of fluid needs after exercising in hot weather, partly because the intake of water quickly dulls the thirst sensation. Further, rehydration with plain water dilutes the blood rapidly and stimulates an increase in urine production that leads to greater dehydration. Rehydration will occur more rapidly

when beverages containing sodium (the major electrolyte lost in sweat), are consumed. Ingesting a beverage containing sodium allows the plasma sodium to remain elevated during the rehydration period and helps maintain thirst while delaying stimulation of urine production. The rehydration beverage should also contain glucose or sucrose because these carbohydrates provide a source of energy for working muscles, stimulate fluid absorption in the gut, and improve beverage taste.

The following guidelines will help athletes maintain proper hydration during practice and competition: • • • • • •

Weigh in without clothes before and after exercise, especially during hot weather. For each pound of body weight lost during exercise, drink 2 cups of fluid. Consume a sports drink containing sodium to quickly replenish lost body fluids. The beverage should contain 5-8% glucose or sucrose. Drink 2.5 cups of fluid two hours before practice or competition. Drink 1.5 cups of fluid 15 minutes before the event. Drink at least 1 cup of fluid every Strawberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie 15-20 minutes during training and competition. Try this breakfast smoothie as a great way to get your morning started in a healthy way. Recipe by Adam Huffield, MS, ATC, CSCS Limit beverages containing caffeine and alcohol because they Breakfast smoothie increase urine production and add to dehydration. 1 scoop whey

Try your own homemade sports drink: 5% Carbohydrate: 4 Tbs. sugar 4 cups water 1/8 tsp. salt 2 Tbs. lemon juice 6.5% Carbohydrate: 5 Tbs. sugar 4 cups water 1/8 tsp. salt 2 Tbs. lemon juice WeberStateSports.com

12 almonds 1 cup 1% milk 5 frozen strawberries ½ cup oatmeal 1 banana Nutritional Information 675 calories 40 grams protein 97 grams carbohydrate 14 grams fat

TIP: Let your ingredients sit in the blender for 5-10 minutes, and the oatmeal will soften, giving you a much better blend to your smoothie.

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High Performance Exercise Tip A strong core is key for athletes and non-athletes alike. For individuals suffering from low back pain or dysfunction, core strengthening exercises and a regular stretching routine can be a great solution to correct these problems. The core consists of the muscles that form the abdominal, low back, and obliques. It is the link of the chain that ties the movements of the upper body to the lower body. Great athletes must have a strong core to dynamically stabilize the body thru athletic movements. Here is a sample exercise you can do to build core strength specifically for the low back.

SUPERMAN RAISE Begin by lying prone (on your belly) with your arms and legs fully extended out. Raise one arm and the opposite leg off of the ground about 3-6 inches. Then repeat on the opposite side. Do this for 3 sets of 10 per side. This exercise can be progressed by raising both arms and legs all together and holding for time. 3 to 4 sets of 20 seconds is a good place to start.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE Jesse Hover, Carly Lloyd and Kristi Elmer each spent time on humanitarian trips in foreign lands this summer, and all three received life-changing experiences in return. By CORIE HOLMES

hree Weber State Wildcats had experiences over the summer that they will never forget. Jesse Hover of the volleyball team, and Carly Lloyd and Kristi Elmer of the women’s tennis team traveled across the globe for humanitarian aid trips.

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All three can agree that the things they experienced have made them re-evaluate the way they see life. “It was really humbling,” Hover said. “It’s made me realize how lucky we are here in the United States. People here are never content and are always looking for something more, but the people in Kenya are

happy all the time and they have practically nothing.” While in Kenya, Hover helped run a Bible Camp for children at Korogocho B. School. “We do songs and story time at one station, an activity at another, as well as face painting and other crafts,” Hover said. “The hope is that

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parents in the community will learn about Jesus through their children. The kids in the school are the poorest of the poor and are sponsored by people from my church.” Hover’s favorite part of her trip was the opportunity to work with the children. Most of the children who attend the school are sponsored by members of the Christ’s Church of the Valley and are provided with a school uniform, a large breakfast and lunch, since those are likely the only meals they will get. “Just getting to love the kids and giving them attention has been my favorite part,” Hover said. “These kids don’t get a lot of attention and it’s been amazing to spend time with them and show them how loved they truly are.” Hover is sponsoring a six-year-old boy named Benjamin at Korogocho B. school. “When I got to meet him I gave him a care package with tons of fun stuff that his parents couldn’t afford,” Hover said. “It was so rewarding to give him a hug and see the joy on his face when I gave him pajamas and toys and snacks.” Hover saw advertisements from Christ’s Church of the Valley about the different humanitarian mission trips they offer and decided to look into the different options. In 2013, Hover went on her first humanitarian aid trip to Rocky Point, Mexico, where she built houses and shelters. Although Mexico was rewarding, what she really wanted to do was go to Africa. “Africa was one place that spoke to my heart,” Hover said. “I’ve wanted to go for over two years but the timing never worked out. When I found out that I would be free to go I knew right away I was going. Now I plan to go back every summer and WeberStateSports.com

Above: Hover with Benjamin, whom she is sponsoring at the Korogocho B school. Below: Elmer (left) and Lloyd with a young boy they met in Cap-Haitian, Haiti.

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hopefully intern in the school for at least three months after I graduate!” Hover spent a lot of time teaching the people about AIDS and malaria and how to prevent those diseases. “They live in such poor conditions,” Hover said. “There’s sewage in the streets and they live in these little shacks. They don’t have great hygiene and are susceptible to diseases. They think some sicknesses are a curse and we just want to teach them what they are, how to prevent them, and how to treat them.” Christ’s Church of the Valley has been in Nairobi for over three years. “It’s great to see the work we are doing make a difference,” Hover said. “It’s cool to see the progress they’ve made.” Elmer and Lloyd of the Weber State tennis team spent time in Cap-Haitian, Haiti, for 10 days of their summer, building a school for a poverty-stricken community. Elmer and Lloyd had always had a desire to go on a humanitarian aid trip, but were cautious about which programs to go through. One of their teammates, Dominique Beauvais, told them about Live Different, an organization out of Canada. After doing research they decided Live Different was the right fit for them and signed up for the Haiti trip. Live Different has been working on the same school in the same community since 2008. What started out as one classroom with 57 students is now five classrooms with over 200 students. There are 12 men that work on the school every day. “The school and most of the community don’t have electricity,” Lloyd said. “All the work that we did and that has been done on the school has been done by hand. They don’t have tractors so we used shovels and buckets. We mixed cement by hand 38

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so it could be poured for the structures.” “Our purpose was to help build a retaining wall to help with stability,” Elmer said. “The building was on the top of a hill and by a giant cliff. We had to help build this wall so that they could build a kitchen so the kids can receive a meal every day.” Each day they worked on the school they got to play with the kids at recess. According to Lloyd and Elmer, the kids would play soccer with a crushed up water bottle and enjoyed every second of it. The kids also looked forward to going to school every day because it was an opportunity many of them couldn’t afford otherwise. “They have to pay to go to school there,” Elmer said. “These kids would never be able to get an education, but because of the school we helped build, they can go to school for free.” “Everyone was so grateful for the school,” Lloyd said. “Kids here (in the U.S.) hate school and they have no idea how lucky they are and how grateful they should be.” Lloyd said that the hardest part for her was seeing these amazing kids stuck in poverty with very little chance to get out and become more than that. “We talked about how a lot of those kids will never have the opportunity to become more than what they are because of their situation,” she said. “Some of them may be incredible athletes, singers, or artists, but they are stuck in that world.” The people in the Cap-Hatiain community have illegally built their houses on the side of a giant hill. They can’t afford to live in the cities and they can’t pay for transportation. “The average income for those people was $1 a day,” Lloyd said. “Their houses were basically tin slats

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“Just getting to love the kids and giving them attention has been my favorite part. These kids don’t get a lot of attention and it’s been amazing to spend time with them and show them how loved they truly are.” WeberStateSports.com

-- Jesse Hover

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Above: Workers form a line to pass building supplies down the hill to construct a kitchen area for the school in Cap-Haitian. Below: Haitian children eat a large meal as part of a community party held at the school on the last day of Lloyd and Elmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip. RIght: A young boy poses for the camera in Cap-Haitian.

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Workers play basketball with local youth on the newly constructed court at the school in Cap-Haitian.

stacked to resemble a building of sorts. They don’t have any money. There’s no middle class. You’re either very, very poor or very, very rich.” While serving in Haiti, Elmer often found herself feeling guilty because of the comforts of what she enjoyed back home. “The hardest part for me was feeling guilty about what I had,” she said. “Why were they born into this poverty stricken nation and not me? I complained the entire time about being dirty, when I got to go back to the hotel and take a shower, and there are people there that hadn’t bathed in weeks. I felt bad for myself because I hadn’t eaten lunch yet, when there was a family that hadn’t eaten in two days. It was just hard to see the comparison of both worlds.” Besides adding to the school, Elmer and Lloyd had the opportunity to get to know members in the

community. “My favorite part was ‘A Day in the Life’ where we got to go into the community and spend the day with different people,” Elmer said. “We got to do laundry, cook and clean. We got to talk to the people and gain insight into their lives. It was my favorite part because it hit me how different our lives really are. I loved talking to them and seeing their joy because they have practically nothing and feel so blessed to have what

they do. They are always willing to help others. It made me think about who I would be if I didn’t have anything.” Lloyd’s favorite part of the trip happened on the very last day. She saw selflessness and a strong sense of community that motivated her to think about things differently when she came home. “The last day that we were there we had a community party at the school,” she said. “We invited all students and family to come to the school. We cooked them all food (rice and beans and little pieces of chicken). We served them a huge plate full of food. Most of them ate the entire thing. Afterward they all took extras home because they knew selflessness and they were always thinking of others before themselves.” “They lean on each other and their neighbors to survive and just fight for the basic needs,” Elmer added. “I love their sense of community. They are all so selfless and humble.”

Hover plans to return to Africa each summer as well as serving at least a threemonth internship at the African school after she graduates from Weber State. 42

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Create a Legacy

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about to get wild! Will you be there? With the 2015-16 season just around the corner, now is a great time to be involved. Catch all the excitement of the season, from the gridiron, to the courts, to the track, to the fields and the diamond. We need your support! Buy season tickets, join the Wildcat Club and invite your friends to do the same. Bob and Marian Subic have been long time Wildcats. Not only are they avid fans, they have supported student athlete scholarships by being Wildcat Club members and season ticket holders. They make a difference to our athletic program and you can too. Throw on your purple and join us! Great football seats are still available, including Club Seats located on the fourth floor of Stewart Stadium Sky Suites. Seats include a donation to student-athlete scholarships, VIP parking directly west of stadium, and a pre-game buffet meal. For information call the Wildcat Club at 801-626-6576.

Director Wildcat Club Athletic Fund

As game day excitement builds, we want to take over this city with purple. In an effort to show your support for Wildcat Athletics, fly our new game flag. Call the Wildcat Club 801 626 6576 to order yours today!

For more information on becoming a Wildcat Club Athletic Fund member, please call us at 801-626-6576 or visit WeberStateSports.com

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WeberStateSports.com

Wildcat Club Member Spotlight

Bob and Marian Subic

by CORIE HOLMES

nce you’re a Wildcat, you will always be a Wildcat. In the early 1950s all Bob Subic wanted was to play basketball at the University of Wyoming. It was a dream he held onto for most of his adolescence. Unfortunately, being a big-time basketball star didn’t work out and Bob returned to Superior, Wyo. to work in the coal mines. Weber Junior College head football coach Milt Mecham heard about Bob and convinced him to play football as a Wildcat. Football wasn’t the only thing Bob did well as a Wildcat, he also played baseball and basketball, averaging 19 points per game as a freshman and 20 points per game as a sophomore. He earned letters in all three sports. “I was part of the team for the very first football game in Stewart Stadium,” Bob said. “It was exciting, but I can’t even remember who we played that game. ” In 1955, Bob earned a spot on the NCJAA All-America Team and nearly 50 years later earned himself a spot in the Weber State Hall of Fame. “It was a great honor to be on the All-American Team,” Bob said. “It was also nice to have that recognized by the Hall of Fame.” Today, Bob and his wife Marian are long-time active Weber State fans. The couple’s first date was to a Weber State vs. Utah State football game. “I should have known what I was in for right from the get go,” Marian WeberStateSports.com

said. “I’ve had a lot of football in my life since that first date, and being a Wildcat fan has been a huge part of our lives.” Together Bob and Marian have been all over the country supporting the Wildcats. “Marian and I have traveled all over the west with Weber State,” Bob said. “We’ve been to California and Washington, and I’ve even seen them play in Europe.” In all their years as Wildcat fans they’ve seen a lot of great athletes and great games. “My favorite memory was in Las Vegas,” Marian said. “We were playing UNLV and Weber State won that tournament. UNLV had the All-American Sydney Green and Weber beat UNLV and won the tournament. It was so exciting. I stood the entire game because it was too intense to sit down. Bruce Collins was my favorite basketball player to come through Weber State and he played in that tournament.” Unlike Marian, Bob couldn’t

pinpoint one favorite memory. His favorite thing about being involved at Weber State has been the different athletes who have come and gone. “Just going to the ball games and meeting with the players has been my favorite,” Bob said. “In my opinion Allen Holmes was the best player to come through Weber State. He was a great player and helped that ’59 team win the (NJCAA National) championship.” Together Bob and Marian have been members of the Wildcat Club for over 60 years, and have helped support the student-athlete scholarship fund by being season ticket holders. “I’ve been involved in Weber State since 1953 in one way or another,” Bob said. “Whether as a student-athlete, a fan, or a member of the Wildcat Club, we’ve been around for a long time. We’ve stayed involved and supported Weber because it’s my alma mater. I’ve just always loved Weber State and I wish more people did too.” July/August 2015

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Compliance Corner

Student-Athlete Employment

One of the missions of the Weber State Office of Athletics Compliance is to educate those who support our athletics programs. You may or may not know that NCAA rules control what a booster can and cannot do with recruits and current student-athletes. Improper interactions between a booster and a current or future student-athlete may jeopardize the student-athlete’s eligibility. According to NCAA rules, you are a booster if you 1. Have participated in or have been a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution’s athletics program (e.g. Wildcat Club); 2. Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization; 3. Have assisted or been asked to assist by the athletics department in the recruitment of a prospective student-athlete; 4. Assist or have assisted in provided benefits to student-athletes or their families; OR 5. Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program. It is important to remember that once you trigger booster status with an institution, you are always considered a booster.

ear Supporter of Weber State Athletics: As someone who has shown a commitment to supporting the athletics programs at Weber State in the past, you may be in a position to employ current Weber State student-athletes. For the past several years, the NCAA has permitted student-athletes to work while participating in athletics, but there are restrictions governing such employment. In an attempt to continue educating our supporters on issues relevant to student-athletes, here are the answers to several questions we are frequently asked regarding the employment of student-athletes. Is there a limit on the rate that I may pay a student-athlete? A student-athlete must be compensated only for work actually performed at a rate commensurate with the going rate in the Ogden area for similar services performed. May I hire a student-athlete because of his athletics ability? No. Compensation cannot include WeberStateSports.com

any remuneration for the value or utility a student-athlete may provide to the employer because of the student-athlete’s publicity, reputation, fame, etc. May I provide transportation for a student-athlete to/from work? Transportation may be provided only if transportation is provided to all other employees.

May I use a student-athlete’s picture to advertise my business? No. A student-athlete’s name, picture, or likeness cannot be used to advertise, recommend, or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.

May I hire a student-athlete as a model? It is permissible for a student-athlete to serve as a model in limited cases, but there are a number of restrictions regarding modeling. Please contact the Office of Athletics Compliance for details prior to employing a student-athlete as a model.

Is there anything I should do before hiring a student-athlete? Yes. Please contact the Office of Athletics Compliance prior to employment beginning to obtain the Student-Athlete Employer Agreement. This form requires information from both the employer and employee. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me by email at williampridemore@weber. edu or by phone at 081-626-8552. Sincerely,

Will Pridemore Director of Compliance

July/August 2015

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PUSHING THROUGH CHANGE

Senior Joe Hawkins has pushed through big changes in the last four years of his life like he does through opposing defensive linemen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with extreme fearlessness. By PAUL GRUA

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he years spent in high school and college years are eventful for everyone, but those years have been especially eventful for Joe Hawkins, a senior captain on this year’s Wildcat football team. From learning how to play football, coming to a new place and culture, going through multiple coaching changes, dealing with the loss of his mother, and preparing to become a college graduate, Joe has grown in ways he couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. Entering his senior year as the center on the offensive line at Weber State, Hawkins is 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 315 pounds. But growing up in Vero Beach, Fla., he was always one of the smallest kids in his class. He never played football growing up until his dad strongly encouraged him to try out in high school. Beginning high school in ninth grade, Hawkins was 5’7” and weighed about 190 pounds. Football got him bigger. “When I started playing football I started lifting and got bigger and started gaining weight,” Hawkins recalled. “I was lifting about three times a day and started gaining a lot of weight. I gained about 50 pounds between my junior and senior years in high school and people were wondering if I was OK.” He didn’t play much his first two years at Vero Beach High School but he was a starter the

last two years of his career, under head coach Lenny Jankowski. He earned First Team All-Area and Third Team All-State honors as a senior, but the college offers were not coming in. Little did he know,

his college career would take him somewhere he had never heard of before. “I didn’t have any offers or scholarships coming out of high school until a week before signing

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know where Utah was. When I first heard Weber State, I had to go look it up... But I came out here and loved everything and committed on the spot.”

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day when I got a call from Weber State to come out and visit.” Hawkins said. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know where Utah was. When I first heard Weber State, I had to go look it up, and found out it was in Utah. Then I had to find out about Utah. But I came out here and loved everything and committed on the spot.”

Needless to say, Florida and Utah are quite different in many areas, including the climate. That’s the biggest difference for Hawkins who was used to humidity and heat and had never really experienced snow. But Weber State turned out to be the place for him. He signed with the Wildcats in February 2012 for then-head coach John L. Smith. Soon after, Jody Sears took over as 50

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head coach. His first season with the Wildcats, Hawkins played in all 11 games. He did not start the season opener, but started all 10 games after that. It was a trend that continued as Hawkins has started every game he has played since then. As a junior in 2014, he again found himself with a new head

Despite not getting any Division-I scholarship offers before Weber State called, Hawkins showed that he was an overlooked recruit and quickly became a starter on the Wildcat offensive line as a freshman.

coach as Jay Hill took over as the leader of the Wildcats. Hawkins was named one of the Wildcat team captains and he continued his success under his new leader, starting 11 games and earning

Big Sky All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. But just a few games into last season, an event happened that changed his life. On the morning of Monday, Sept. 22, four games into the season, Jay Hill got a message on his phone. The message was from the high school coach of Joe Hawkins and informed coach Hill that Joe’s

mother Demetrose had unexpectedly passed away. Hill called the coach back and was informed that the family wanted Jay to break the news to Joe because they wanted someone to do it in person. “That was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do as a coach,” Hill recalled. “As I’m sitting in my chair pondering how I’m going to do this, Joe’s roommate Josh Burton came by. WeberStateSports.com

“To play on the O-line you have to be very selfless. You do a lot of the dirty work, but don’t really get the credit for it. It’s nice to get shout-outs from quarterbacks and running backs.” I told Josh I needed him to be with me in my office. With something like that there is no beating around the bush. I’ll never forget that moment. I just looked Joe right in the eye and I said, ‘Joe, I don’t even know how to tell you this. I just got word that your mom has passed away and they wanted me to be the one to tell you.’ The look on his face I could tell he didn’t know whether to laugh because he thought I was joking or whether to cry because he knew I wouldn’t joke about

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something like that. That look on his face is something I’ll forever have ingrained in my mind.” Hawkins wasn’t sure how to take the news. “When coach Hill called me in his office, I thought it was just about the game before,” he remembered. “When he told me, at first I was speechless and in denial. I didn’t really believe it and felt like I was dreaming. I was in denial that entire day and kept expecting myself to wake up. I finally got ahold of

my dad and as soon as I talked to him, it broke me down.” He immediately returned to Florida and missed Weber State’s game at Southern Utah on Sept. 27. As he returned to Utah, his teammates became his family even more than they previously had been. “At first I just tried to fight through it by myself until I realized I couldn’t do it by myself,” he said. “My teammates really helped me out. During the season I tried not to really think about it. As soon as

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Hawkins has earned the respect of both the coaching staff and his teammates, and has become the leader of the Wildcats’ offensive unit.

I got back I just wanted to play. My mom loved to watch me play and now I’m playing for her.” The way he dealt with the situation has made an impact with coach Hill. “I will say this about Joe, his resilience and toughness about how he handled that situation will be something that always sticks with me as a coach, and it brought me really close to Joe. He overcame something extremely difficult that not everyone could get through like he did. That showed me a lot about who he is as a person and his toughness.” Hawkins and his fellow offensive 52

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linemen often don’t get the credit or attention that their other teammates get. “To play on the O-line you have to be very selfless,” he said. “You do a lot of the dirty work, but don’t really get the credit for it. It’s nice to get shout-outs from quarterbacks and running backs. Being the center is a powerful position and it starts with you. If you have a bad snap, the whole play is ruined. You have to have it all together to play center and make sure you are giving the right calls out.” Coach Hill knows that Hawkins will be a leader and captain for the Wildcats and is the kind of player he wants on his football team. “He is one of those guys that can run the offensive line and make the calls for us. He understands football

and has been well coached. We expect him to be the leader of the offensive unit, and he’s one of those guys that when he talks people listen because they respect him so much. As a coach, he’s a guy you love having on your team because he will do things right and represent our university the right way.” While he has been through a lot of changes in the last several years, college football won’t be the end for Joe Hawkins. He is on pace to become the first member of his family to graduate from college. But first, he has his senior season to play and he has mixed emotions entering his final year. “It’s exciting and sad at the same time,” he said. “I have to take every snap like it’s going to be my last, because it will be my last soon.” WeberStateSports.com

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RUNNING DOWN A DREAM

Mike Hardy wrapped up his WSU running career seven years after it began, and he achieved his biggest goal in his final race as a Wildcat. by TYSON JEX

he wait was over, with 1,000 meters left in the biggest race of his life. Mike Hardy was done waiting. Done waiting for the chance to become an All-American. Done waiting for other runners to make it an honest race. Done waiting for someone else to determine his fate. The wait ended just a few minutes later as Hardy finished fifth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championships in a time of 8:42.30. He became the first All-American for the Wildcats men’s track team since Brett Hales placed fifth in the same event in 2012. “Every championship race gets pretty heated at the end and I didn’t want to rely on just my kick to get into the top 8,” he said. “I hurdled the last water jump and moved up to fifth where I ended up finishing. 54

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After I finished I still couldn’t believe it.” But in the end it was his kick and determination that got him across the finish line mere seconds ahead of Mark Parrish of Florida. In his final collegiate race, he had beaten a handful of runners who had run better times than him earlier in the season. But his strength and desire allowed him to seize the moment and never look back. “He came into the meet with the ninth-fastest time in the country and beat of a lot of guys who had run faster then him,” associate head coach Paul Pilkington said. “He showed a lot of experience and confidence in such a big stage. He has a lot of strength and recovered better than some of the other runners who had qualified for the final. Having to race twice in three days didn’t bother him.”

The novice track fan may only remember Hardy for his heroics in leading in the latter laps of a championship race. Or that he hurdled the water jump on multiple occasions during the race, a tactic that even the most experienced runners don’t even attempt. But to understand the triumph, we must first understand the journey that was taken to get there. Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither was the journey of becoming an All-American for Mike Hardy. Hardy had set two goals when he initially stepped foot on campus back in 2008. He wanted to become an All-American and he wanted to break the four-minute barrier in the mile. Following his freshman season, Hardy spent two years away from WSU while serving an LDS Church mission, but returned in 2011 to WeberStateSports.com

Hardy ran the 10th fastest 3,000 meter steeplechase in school history, clocking in at 8:41.44.

pick up where he left off. Coming off his sophomore year, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships in the steeplechase and ran an altitude-adjusted mile of 4:02., Hardy seemed closer than ever to achieve the goals that he had set just a few years earlier. Hardy, along with his coach Paul Pilkington, set up a game plan where he would become just the second Wildcat ever to break four-minutes, joining Jeremy Tolman, who ran 3:59.99 in 2001. “Early in the season I was doing good in my workouts,” he said. “I remember talking to my coach about how we both thought I could run the mile in 3:58.” As the races got closer and closer, he was confident that he was going to do something that only 446 runners in the United States had achieved. But then something happened, something that he had never had to deal with before. His body wasn’t responding to workouts and he was unable to finish two races. Something wasn’t right and he didn’t know where to find answers. “The first race I felt like I gave up and I was really mad at myself at not trying harder,” he said. “But after the second race, we knew something wasn’t right. My coach scheduled an appointment for me to go see the doctor and he had me get my blood tested. We found out that I was really low on iron and Vitamin D, two very important things for a distance runner.” After diagnosing the situation and realizing that he needed to make changes in his life if he was ever to succeed, he started to work his way back into the runner he was just a few months earlier. WeberStateSports.com

“I realized that I needed to lighten my load,” he said. “Even though the blood test showed that my nutrition was the problem. Also, I think that I was just too stressed with school, work and running. I weighed my priorities and decided to work less hours at my job and start taking iron and Vitamin D supplements.” As the months passed, he returned to the form that he had been hoping for. Hardy shifted his track focus from the mile to the steeplechase, and while he fell short of running a sub-four minute mile, his goal of becoming an All-American was still reachable. During his senior campaign for the cross-country team this past fall, Hardy earned All-Conference honors after placing fifth at the Big Sky Championships. The confidence from that season carried over into

the track season. He ran the 10th fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase in school history when he ran 8:41.44 at the Payton Jordan Invitational. That all led up to the NCAA Championships at historic Hayward Field and his last chance to achieve a goal seven years in the making. As Hardy hurdled the final steeple and made his final charge to the finish line, he realized that he was just mere meters away from a dream that seemed nearly impossible just a year earlier. All of those memories of frustration and disappointment seemed miles away. But the high school football player turned All-American runner isn’t done yet. He hopes to return to Eugene, Ore., next summer and achieve another goal that he has set: Qualifying for the 2016 Olympic trials. July/August 2015

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Name Game

By CHRIS J. MILLER ick Motta, the basketball coach that got the ball rolling, so to speak, at Weber State, was recently honored by the National Basketball Coaches Association when the group honored him with the 2015 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor, presented before Game 3

Motta Honored for Storied NBA Career

7th-grader at Grace (Idaho) Junior High, then later served as an assistant coach with Motta as the pair took the Wildcats from the junior college ranks to the Division I level and great success in conference and postseason play. Motta, 83, won three Big Sky Conference championships with Weber State College before the NBA came calling. He coached 25 seasons in the NBA – winning 935 games -South Africa, and was a key player as the Wildcats won four straight Big Sky Championships in the 1980s. WSU also announced that Mark Roberts has joined the program as assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s tennis teams. He previously coached at UNLV and Southern Methodist.

On the Right Track

Dick Motta won 120 games and three Big Sky Conference championships before leaving Weber State for a long career in the NBA.

and guided the Washington Bullets to the NBA Championship in 1978.

of the NBA Finals in June, is a perfect cap to Motta’s career. Guys like Jerry Sloan and Phil Johnson honored Motta with high praise as a teacher first, and mentor second. Both Sloan and Johnson know what they are talking about. Sloan played for Motta as a member of the Chicago Bulls, Motta’s first NBA coaching stop. Johnson played for Motta while a

Weber State Athletics recently named Brad Ferreira (above right) as the University’s Director of Tennis for the men’s and women’s teams. The former WSU standout has coached the men’s team for three seasons, guiding the Wildcats to back-to-back Big Sky regular-season championships. Ferreira came to Weber State as a student-athlete from Johannesburg,

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Familiar Face

Weber State assistant track and field coach Isaac Wood was profiled for his work with inmates at the Utah State Prison. Wood is providing support and training tools for prisoners involved in the Addict II Athlete program. Wood, a North Salt Lake native, joined the Wildcats coaching staff after coaching stints at BYU and Florida State. View his video story from the

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Washington Post here:

Careers in Sports

A pair of Wildcats who recently finished their eligibility, participated in the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in early June in Indianapolis. James Hajek, a former Wildcat basketball player, and Michael Johnson, a former WSU golfer, participated in the conference, designed to help student-athletes

Michael Johnson (left) and James Hajek received great experience at the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in June.

interested in a career in sports. Hajek, of Omaha, Nebraska, native, played for four seasons on the men’s basketball squad, and was a member of the Wildcats’ 2014 Big Sky title team that played in the NCAA Tournament. Hajek has spent the summer working as the radio color commentator for the Ogden Raptors, the professional baseball rookie league team. Johnson capped his four-year golf career with the Wildcats this spring, earning Academic All-Conference honors three times and winning the WeberStateSports.com

Wildcat Club Academic honor award. Johnson, of Eagle, Idaho, hopes to pursue a career in coaching basketball, and will work as a manager with the WSU men’s basketball squad this season. View a WeberStateSports.com interview with the pair following the Forum below:

Tidbits

We note the passing of former NFL player Monk Bailey, who died on June 18 at his home in Queen Creek, Arizona. The former Weber State assistant football coach was 77. … We also note the passing of longtime Weber State supporter Telitha Lindquist, who died in Ogden on June 7. She was 94. ... Former Weber State football standout Robb Akey, who spent last season as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Vikings, was hired this year to be the defensive line coach for the Washington Redskins. …

Former Weber State football player Ken Beazer, who has served as Southern Utah University’s athletic director for 9-plus years, stepped down recently to pursue other interests. He helped the Thunderbirds join the Big Sky Conference in 2012. … Former Weber State basketball standout Davion Berry (below) joined the NBA D-League Select team as the final entry in the NBA

Las Vegas Summer League in mid-July. Berry, the former Big Sky Conference MVP, played the 2014-15 season in Italy, but finished up the season with the Maine Red Claws, the Boston Celtics’ D-League entry. Chris J. Miller, a 1986 graduate of Weber State, is a former Weber State Signpost sports editor and editor in chief, as well as a former longtime sports editor at the Standard-Examiner. He can be reached at cjmiller62@outook.com. Follow him on Twitter at cjmsports.

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