SPORTS
11
DECEMBER 2, 2011
Biohazard: the ultimate team catches the frishee fever
By Natalie Sutton
Staff Writer
"Fight, fight, inner light, kill, Quakers,
kill!"
"If you hear this chant echo around campus
on a brisk Saturday or Sunday afternoon,
you know we are kicking butt and taking
names," said sophomore Solomon Weiner of
the ultimate frisbee team.
The team, "Biohazard," consists
of about 20 players. They pracdce
three times a week and enjoy
competing in tournaments
in North Carolina and many
other states along the East Coast.
Weiner, who played a little
in high school, got serious
about ultimate frisbee once
he came to Guilford. He
enjoys the sport's unique mix
of competition and friendliness.
"Coming from playing
organized sports my whole
life, it's great to be in an
atmosphere that promotes
self-regulation — players
make calls on themselves ''kM
and each other rather than
a referee — and friendly
competition, rather than
hyper-competitiveness
and crazy, overzealous
parents in the stands
trying to relive their own
glory days through thei
children," Weiner,
said.
Senior Sarah Stangl, who played soccer
in high school and her first year at Guilford,
also appreciates aspects of ultimate frisbee
that organized sports lacked.
"I really like the horizontal decision
making structure (to ultimate Frisbee),"
Stangl said. "With soccer, I didn't like the
pettiness of the hierarchy and the cattiness of
people being really competitive between each
other on the team. So what attracted me to
frisbee was the opportunity to play a
sport where everyone was working to
not only improve their own game, but
to also make sure their teammates were
improving and learning as well."
Unlike most sports, the ultimate
frisbee team does not have a
coach and players depend on the
honor system during matches
since there are no referees.
"Our captains design
practices for us but it's not
authoritative," Stangl said.
"There's this whole mindset in
frisbee of, 'We're all here because
we want to be playing together
and we're all going to be honest
and do our best to have a good
time.'"
While last year's team
consisted of a tight-knit
group of upperclassmen,
this year's team is mostly
underclassmen, which
proves to be both a
challenging and positive
art of the team.
"We have a pretty
young team this year and we have people
coming in from all different sorts of
backgrounds athletically," said senior captain
Benjamin Ardel. "We have a lot of players
who have played other sports before and
some who have never played a sport at all.
Fall is about getting everyone on the same
page and up to speed."
Stangl hopes that the team will continue to
grow and thrive together.
"I really hope that this season will get
the younger people hooked so that they feel
like they're really a part of the team and
dedicated to improving their own game and
the team as a whole," said Stangl.
"We try to make it welcoming to people
who are brand new and still learning. My
hope is that the new people will catch the
'frisbee fever' and that we can continue to
grow close as a team."
First year Nathan Secrest had flayed
ultimate frisbee competitively before coming
to Guilford and even practiced with the team
before school started. He still wishes that there
had been more socialization opportunities.
"It was weird getting to know everyone at
first," Secrest said. "I wish we had had more
social get-togethers. I think some freshmen
were a little weirded out because there were
all these people who were really good (at
Frisbee) but they didn't really understand
that we all started out as beginners. We do a
lot to keep people on the team, but we could
have done a better job."
Faith Krech, also a first year, felt welcomed
by the team.
"There's definitely a sense of community
on the team," Krech said. "We're all pretty
good friends. All of the people that I've met
have been really friendly and helpful. Also,
since I'm new on the team, I get confused a
lot, but no one gets mad or yells at me. It's a
really friendly game."
This aspect of friendliness is important to
most of the team.
"We're a really goofy bunch of people,"
said Ardel. "We really enjoy doing well and
are a very competitive team. I think we do
our best when we are enjoying ourselves, and
it definitely shows on the field."
Secrest hopes that people on and off
campus will learn more about the sport.
"A lot of people just don't understand
what ultimate is all about," Secrest said. "I
think if people came out and really took the
time to understand the competitive aspect
of it, as well as the community aspect, they
would understand how fun it can be. It's one
of those sports that's up and coming and is
constantly growing."
Sophomore Markus MacNamara
wishes that ultimate frisbee received more
recognition from administration.
"I think ultimate frisbee gets enough
attention from students, but I think we could
use more attention from administration
because we don't get turf time at all and
we don't have access to trainers so if we're
injured we can't get any help," MacNamara
said.
As for summing up the team, Weiner finds
a certain song to be appropriate.
I can't think of one word to describe the
team, but have you ever heard that Ke$ha
song 'TIK ToK?' I think that pretty much
covers it," Weiner said.
College sexual assault cases question sports’ sanctity
By Catherine Schurz
Staff Writer
Sex might sell clothes and cold
beverages, but it certainly doesn't
sell college athletics.
The recent scandals at Penn State
and Syracuse Universities have
shaken the foundation of college
sports. Thanks to the former
assistant football coach of Penn
State's infamous Nittany Lions,
the sanctity of the game has been
ripped at the seams and, all too
suddenly, America has received a
rude awakening.
Shortly following Jerry
Sandusky's 40 charges of alleged
rape and molestation of young
boys, Bernie Fine, long-time
assistant coach to the Syracuse
men's basketball team, was fired.
The decision to dismiss Fine was
due to allegations made by seven
ball boys in total, some of whom
claim to have been victimized by
Fine for 20 years. The abuse, dating
back to 1987, has brought to light
another concern.
Jim Boeheim, head basketball
coach at Syracuse, is now under
public criticism, with many calling
for him to be fired due to his
negligence of the boys' safety.
It is time we hold those who
lead college athletics accountable.
Beyond that, it is time we hold
adults accountable, on and off the
clock.
Guilford's head football coach
Chris Rusiewicz spoke to the
responsibility adults have when
working with children.
"I worked for a YMCA for several
years and being alone with a child
was a big no," said Rusiewicz in an
email interview. "I just follow my
YMCA background (and) training
when I am around children and try
to teach my staff the same things."
In North Carolina, you are
required to report any witness or
suspicion of child abuse to the
authorities. Why is this same sense
of moral and civic duty not applied
to athletics? Compassion should
trump career status every time,
even for coaches like Joe Paterno.
While the focus is on recent
revelations and exposure of
sexual abuse, there is still a lack
of consideration for the victims of
these heinous acts. Blatant neglect
of the victims' struggle was seen
after Paterno, former head football
coach at PSU, was fired. Paterno,
the Pennsylvanian idol who failed
to alert the appropriate authorities
after hearing word of Sandusky's
foul play, received the support
of over 1,000 Penn State students
rioting in violent protest of his
termination. The victims, however,
have yet to see the same level of
compassion.
The media has overlooked
youth who wish to be involved
in athletic programs. As a result
of the recent allegations at
Syracuse, some basketball teams
have temporarily removed all
of their ball boys. The ball boys,
ranging from 10 to 18 years of
age, are suffering the brunt of the
scandal. Because boys of similar
ages were brutally victimized, boys
around the country are facing the
consequences of these coaches'
actions.
When will this cycle of neglect
for our youth cease?
"Helping out with sports
programs is and should be a positive
experience," said Rusiewicz. "It
also helps young people who may
need some leadership in their lives.
If anything, it should be more
regulated as they do with teachers
(and) child care."
Investigations of college athletic
programs may ensue nationwide.
While it is naive to assume that
sexual abuse of children occurs
only within the sports arena, the
concern of these institutions is a
solid first step.
Thankfully, Guilford College
puts its students first. Comfort
can be taken in the constant
compassion found within this
educational institution. The
Quaker values and involved staff
encourage open communication
and view each student-athlete as
an individual with unique skills,
needs and perspectives.
At many schools across the
country, athletic programs are
the beating hearts of the campus.
What has happened to these
collegiate communities is tragic
and shameful.
But there is good that can come
from the harsh realities we are
now facing. The future for college
athletics is a little brighter now
that concern for the players
and dedicated youth has been
heightened.
It is about time the voices of
student-athletes are heard. It
is about time coaches and those
in power positions be held
accountable for the safety and well
being of their players. And it is
about time we recognize that, at
the end of the day, the game is just
a game.
Keep in mind: It is all fun and
games until someone gets hurt.
IF YOU OR
SOMEONE YOU
KNOW HAVE
EXPERIENCED
SEXUAL ASSAULT
AT GUILFORD
COLLEGE, there is no
need to feel silenced.
There are many outlets on
and off campus which can
assist you.
Help yourself, help your
community, call today:
Guilford Counseling Center
(336) 316-2163
OR
The Guilford College Sexual
Assault Survivor Advocates
(336)451-6525