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tan cardinal
otterbein university wednesday, oct. 31, 2012 vol. 94, issue 9 www.otterbein360.com
Taping up the team Student-athlete injuries not slowing down success on the field 7
it’s a wrap:
Student athletic trainers practice wrapping each other’s ankles so they can be prepared if they are needed during a game.
photo by kristen davis
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news
Tan & Cardinal
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t&c editorial staff
Mike Cirelli Lindsay Paulsen Katie Taggart Dennison Sleeper
Editor-in-Chief News Editor Assistant News Editor
Opinion Editor Laina Thompson Arts & Entertainment Editor Ally Nagle Sports Editor Chelsea Coleman Copy Editor Josh Park Copy Editor Kristen Davis Photography Editor Blythe Malone Photography Editor Anna Schiffbauer Business Manager Danielle Lanning Assistant Business Manager Lindsey Hobbs Web Editor assistant editors Maura Breen Lauren Edmonds contributing staff Jon Bozeka Jordan Brown Olivia Delahunty Sharon Rogers Derek Self Graham Shippy contact us 614-823-1159 TCeditor@otterbein360.com Tan & Cardinal Otterbein University Westerville, OH 43081 advertising For advertising information, contact Anna Schiffbauer at 614-823-1159 or by email at sales@otterbein360.com policies The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty and administration of Otterbein University. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not of the newspaper staff. Positions in unsigned editorials represent a consensus of the editorial staff. The first copy of the Tan & Cardinal is free to the public. Each additional copy is $0.50, and payment can be made at the office at 33 Collegeview, Westerville, OH 43081. Offenders will be prosecuted. The T&C staff would love to hear from you. Write a letter to the editor and tell us what you’re thinking. Letters to the editor are letters responding to a writer or an article published in the Tan & Cardinal. Please keep your letter to 300 words or less. It is at the discretion of the T&C staff as to whether or not the letter will be published. Letters attacking an individual will not be accepted. Letters must include the author’s first and last name, signature, phone number, address and affiliation to Otterbein University.
wednesday, oct. 31, 2012
New regulations for Greek Life Changes to New Member Education program rules intended to encourage participation BY DEREK SELF Staff Writer
Otterbein’s Greek pledging process is now well underway, and students who made the decision to “Go Greek” must now devote a part of their free time to their fraternity or sorority. Michael Stumpf, the assistant director for Student Involvement and head of Greek Life, said recent changes to Otterbein’s Greek Life policy have attempted to make the recruitment and New Member Education — “pledging” — process more compatible with students’ busy schedules. Over the years he has heard from new members, parents and even active members about the time commitment of New Member Education. After researching possible solutions to make the process more manageable, the university settled on a new policy that delays recruitment until the end of September, limiting NME to six weeks and giving students a week off before finals. “Our intent is that by lessening the time commitment it takes to join a fraternity or sorority, we can increase the participation and satisfaction of recruitment and NME for both new members and actives,” Stumpf said. This year is the second year that recruitment has taken place in the fall, and Stumpf said that chapters are still adjusting to the changes. Junior actuarial science major Zack Garrow of Sigma Delta Phi, or Sphinx, said that his fraternity has been able to take the changes in stride. The new policy requires Garrow and his Sphinx brothers to condense their pledging schedule down into a format that allots three days a week for Greek activities. Kayla Walsh, a freshman acting major, is in the process of pledging Sigma Alpha Tau, or Owls. Despite a heavy load of classes, Walsh said she has had no trouble finding time in her
day for Greek life. “It’s totally manageable,” Walsh said. “It’s really only a few hours a day.” Several years ago, two 24-hour-off periods were instituted to give new members and active members a break during NME. “Some chapters, however, took this to mean if they ended at 8 p.m. Monday night, they could start at 8 p.m. on Tuesday,” Stumpf said. “That was never the intention, and we wanted to clear up that language in our policies.”
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By lessening the time commitment it takes to join a fraternity or sorority, we can increase the participation and satisfaction ... for new members.
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Michael Stumpf Assistant Director for Student Involvement and head of Greek Life By tightening up the language in the new policy, Stumpf said he believes the pledging experience will be more attractive to prospective members and healthier for those who decide to pledge. As an active member, Garrow said the new policy has not been a major issue for him or his fraternity brothers. “It has actually been a pretty seamless transition for Sigma Delta Phi,” Garrow said. “The only thing it cuts back on is our ability to do things like study tables and brotherhood events,” he said. Otterbein is not alone in adjusting Greek Life policies. Schools around the country
have been forced to rethink their policies for numerous reasons, including hazing, excessive drinking and disrespectful behavior. Just last month, a University of Iowa fraternity was shut down due to hazing. Although Stumpf said that Otterbein’s new policies are not a direct response to any of these problems, these negative stereotypes continue to plague people’s perception of the Greek system and those in charge of managing it. Stumpf said he is committed to educating students about the consequences of hazing, as he reminds students that hazing is not only a violation of Otterbein policy, but also a violation of state law. “Hazing unfortunately still takes place in every aspect of life,” Stumpf said. “In high school, in college, Greeks, athletics — even new employees can be hazed once they land a job.”
He also said that the Center for Student Involvement does its best to educate both the current members and the new members about hazing and its consequences. “If you Google ‘hazing,’ you’ll find very recent examples of hazing,” Stumpf said. “That is why it is imperative to continue to educate students and encourage them to step up if they see something or are asked to participate in an activity that goes against what they believe in and know is wrong.” While hazing looms as a stereotype for Greek Life around the country, Walsh has found a different stereotype in her Greek experience at Otterbein so far. “It’s just a really safe environment,” Walsh said. “I’ve never doubted that it’s where I need to be.”
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Changes to the Policy
Sororities’ and fraternities’ pledging schedules must be condensed to a format that allots three days per week for Greek activities. Recruitment and pledging moved to fall semester, rather than winter quarter, and begins at the end of September. New Member Education limited to six weeks. New members must have a week off before finals begins.
news Who has the right to cross?
www.otterbein360.com
vol. 94, issue 9
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According to Ohio code, pedestrians might not have the right of way
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CRIME LOG
1. 2. 3.
car … I can’t stop a 2,000-pound moving piece of metal with my body … I am a pedestrian, I have to be mindful of the traffic around me,” he said. Williard said that there is technically no Ohio law written for pedestrians, and it is really just considered to be part of the Ohio Revised Code. According to the pedestrian code, when there are no traffic controls in place, a driver should technically yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the road in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the same half of the road as the car, or close enough to be in danger. The code also says that no pedestrian shall step off the curb and walk or run into the path of vehicles so close as to be an immediate hazard. For pedestrian rules on
According to the Otterbein University Police Daily Crime Log, the following has been reported from Oct. 23 to 28.
10/23
Prescription medication was stolen in DeVore Hall.
10/24
Basement door was damaged at Clements Hall.
10/28 An intoxicated person was found throwing bottles into the intersection of College and Grove. They were charged with disorderly conduct, drug abuse and underage consumption.
4.
10/28 There was an altercation between a boyfriend and girlfriend at 25 W. Home St. Assault charges were filed.
Busy roads such as Main Street and other areas with heavy traffic can cause confusion for both pedestrians and drivers alike. Otterbein’s campus, Williard said that the rules are the same and follow Ohio and Westerville law. Williard said that they have never enforced technical rules about jaywalking, but that they
GraphiC by kristen sapp
inForMation CoMpiLed by katie taGGart
1 DeVore Hall
Clements Hall
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4 25 W. Home
College and Grove
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photo by bLythe MaLone
rULes oF the road:
.com
The Otterbein urban legend of getting hit by a car and having free tuition is, well, just an urban legend. Otterbein’s Deputy Chief Doug Williard said, “I’ve never heard that — chalk that up as a rumor.” So, for those students who thought it might one day be a blessing in disguise, that prayer will never be answered. According to national statistics put out every year, in the last 20 years, an average of 40,000 to 80,000 pedestrians are hurt by oncoming traffic per year. Some pedestrians assume that they automatically have the right of way when crossing the street where there is an area to cross. In Ohio, pedestrians normally do have the right of way, but there are some exceptions, as
pedestrians are subject to regulations in the Ohio Revised Code. The code says that “No pedestrian shall disobey the instructions of any traffic control device (e.g. signs and signals) placed along a roadway.” Some signs specific to pedestrians include “walk on left facing traffic,” “cross only at crosswalk,” “no pedestrian crossing” and “push button for walk signal.” Pedestrian laws come into question at Otterbein when students are left scrambling with the idea of jaywalking or simply waiting for their turn in the rotation if there are no crosswalks. Otterbein freshman and vocal performance major Ian Buchanan said he has run into these same issues, but believes there is nothing that can be done. “I can’t be too angry as it’s a
otterbein tan&cardinal 360
BY JON BOZEKA Staff Writer
have warned students when their actions have not been warranted.
t&c
Hiring spring semester 2013 to fall semester 2013
News Editor Assistant News Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Photo Editors Copy Editors Business Manager Assistant Business Manager Distribution Manager Web Editor Deadline for applications Sunday, Nov. 4, at 5 p.m. Interviews Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. Training starts Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. Apply now! Gain experience, build your resume and earn some extra cash. Interested? Email your cover letter, resume and references to Hillary Warren at adviser@otterbein360.com. Format your attachment as “Name_ Resume.”
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Tan & Cardinal
arts & entertainment
wednesday, oct. 31, 2012
Are you going to vote on Election Day? Prove it, and we’ll enter you into a contest to win a Starbucks gift card. Just tweet @Otterbein360 a picture of you with your “I Voted” sticker or something like it, and we will draw three names at random after the polls close. We will be giving you full Otterbein coverage of the election results.
If you want to hear the best in music and sports, tune into your college radio station WOBN FM 97.5 The Wildcard!
teatiMe:
photo by bLythe MaLone
The latest Theatre Department production aptly mixes serious themes with comic moments.
Writer finds musical relatable ‘Spring Awakening’ addresses issues that are still relevant today BY SHARON ROGERS Staff Writer
Don’t miss our great showcases, including Girl Talk Mondays at 8 and Folk Otterbein Fridays at 3!
Otterbein’s performance of “Spring Awakening” is a heartwarming and harrowing tale of love, loss and resistance to the norms. The rock musical focuses on teenage struggles in 19th century Germany. The script was written in the late 1800s, but the issues it tackles are still controversial and relevant today. I found it interesting that content that was considered inappropriate back then resonates with me more than a century later. Rebellion is not tolerated in Germany at this time, yet the male lead, Melchior (played by Preston Pounds), struggles with fighting against the mold that most teens are content to follow. Melchior also encourages his classmates and friends to question what their parents are teaching them. The performance was heartwarming and brought tears to my eyes. Pounds went through a range of emotions effortlessly.
At the end of the musical is a scene in which Melchior laments the loss of his two most beloved friends. His reactions make you want to cry, if you aren’t already. You feel his guilt; you understand his pain. With the adult content of this musical and the seriousness of the subject matter, I am surprised to have laughed as much as I did. With themes including abuse, abortion, failure, loss and sexual frustrations, the musical would not be thought to also contain comedy. The musical expresses the boys’ sexual frustration in an unusual manner that had the crowd laughing. The most touching piece was also the first song of the musical. Called “Mama Who Bore Me,” the song shows the audience that the parents in the musical do not respect their children enough to be honest with them. A lot of the songs are comical, but “Totally F-----” was the best. Every character but one sings in this performance. The cast members really got into it, jumping around onstage and
stomping their feet as loudly as possible. The musical was a riot, though I do not recommend seeing this with someone you are not comfortable with because the subject matter is raunchy. The cast members were outstanding and left all caution at the door. It was refreshing, exciting and caused a string of emotions to bubble.
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Spring Awakening
Campus Center Pit Theatre Nov. 1 to Nov. 3, 8 p.m. Tickets: Each student gets one free ticket with a Cardinal Card. General admission is $20.
calendar
vol. 94, issue 9
November
www.otterbein360.com
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123 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 2627 28 2930 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Campus Event
▪ “Spring Awakening,” 8 p.m., Campus Center Theatre
Friday
Saturday
Campus Event
Campus Event
Campus Event
Campus Event
▪ CPB Slam Jam, 8-10 p.m., 100 W. Home St. ▪ “Spring Awakening,” 8 p.m., Campus Center Theatre
▪ “Spring Awakening,” 8 p.m., Campus Center Theatre
FLiCkr/MaGGiehoFFMan
Campus Event
Campus Event
▪ String Orchestra, ▪ Raise Your Voice, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 7:30 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church Campus Center
Campus Event
▪ Opera Theatre, 2 p.m., Riley Auditorium ▪ Student Honors Recital, 8 p.m., Riley Auditorium
Campus Event
▪ Opera Scenes, 2 p.m., Riley ▪ Early Music Ensemble and Red Noise Concert, 8 p.m., Riley
Campus Event ▪ Women’s basketball vs. Ohio Albion, 3 p.m.
Video Game Releases ▪ “Halo 4”
CD Releases
▪ “Music From Another Dimension” — Aerosmith ▪ “Lights Out” — Graveyard
Campus Event
▪ Films Without Borders, “Sleep Dealer,” 7-9 p.m., 1 S. Grove St.
Campus Event
▪ Take Back the Night, 7-9 p.m., 100 W. Home St. ▪ OCC Honor Choir, 7 p.m., Cowan
Campus Event
▪ Tunnel of Oppression, 4-7 p.m., Rike Center
Movie Releases ▪ “Skyfall”
Campus Event
▪ Daylong reading of “The Hobbit,” library
Campus Event
▪ CPB Free Movie Night, 9-11 p.m., 100 W. Home St.
Video Game Releases
▪ “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2”
Video Game Releases
CD Releases
CD Releases
▪ “Girl on Fire” — Alicia Keys ▪ “Big Dipper Crashes on the Platinum Planet” — Big Dipper
▪ Craft Bazaar, Campus Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ▪ Otterbein football vs. Ohio Northern, 1 p.m. ▪ Opera Theatre, 8 p.m., Riley
Campus Event
Campus Event
Movie Releases
Campus Event
▪ 12 Hours of Homelessness, behind the Campus Center, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. ▪ Jazz Ensemble and Opus One concert, 8 p.m.
▪ String Chamber Ensembles Concert, 2 p.m., First Presbyterian Church
▪ Men’s basketball ▪ “Hitchcock” vs. Ohio Wesleyan, ▪ “Rise of the 6 p.m. Guardians” ▪ “Rust and Bone” ▪ “The Central Park Five”
▪ “The Walking Dead”
▪ “Unapologetic” — Rihanna ▪ “Global Warming” — Pitbull
▪ Opera Theatre, 8 p.m., Riley ▪ Tunnel of Oppression, 1-4 p.m., Rike
No classes Campus Event
▪ Blood Drive, 12-6 p.m., Campus Center
Happy Thanksgiving FLiCkr/dospaZ
Campus Event
▪ Jazz Concert, 8 p.m., Old Bag of Nails
Share your information: Want to announce an event in the T&C? Just email us at arts@
otterbein360.com, and we’ll put it in the monthly calendar. Send it to us by the 25th of the previous month. You can also submit events to the calendar on otterbein360.com.
No classes Movie Releases
▪ “Killing Them Softly” ▪ “California Solo”
Information compiled by Laina Thompson and Maura Breen
opinion 6 Student seance leads to answers about TEM ghost
wednesday, oct. 31, 2012
Tan & Cardinal
A T&C writer investigates claims that her sorority house is haunted by past residents Do we really believe there are spirits on the other side? The first documented seance — or communication attempt with spirits — was in 1848 when two sisters living in New York knocked on a door to comOLIVIA municate with a man who had been DELAHUNTY murdered in their home. It has also been said that Mary Todd Lincoln held seances in the White House to contact her son, William, who died when he was 11. Young people have been playing “light as a feather, stiff as a board” and experimenting with Ouija boards at sleepovers for decades, but is there an underlying danger with these games? With Halloween approaching, thoughts migrate to spirits, hauntings and unusual happenings or stories linked with some of the old buildings and former residents on campus. The astral world is said to be a zone between the physical world and the spiritual world. Spirits who reside in the astral world are said to be allocated to specific zones. The zones closer to the physical world are occupied by spirits who had led negative or evil lives when they were alive. Coming from England, I grew up hearing stories of presences and sightings in many of the old castles and sleepy villages, but I have never personally felt a “presence” or had the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. It wasn’t until I came to Otterbein that I started to come in contact with the possibility of living with spirits. When I pledged Tau Epsilon Mu, I started hearing stories about the ghost of a little girl living in the house. Described as having a white button-down
shirt or dress and messy brown hair, the little girl, according to my sorority’s history, has been known to stand at the ends of our beds, sit at our desks, move furniture, ring the doorbell and play with our alarm clocks. My initial thoughts were that this was a myth, until I heard women living in the house talking about it and sharing their experiences who yoU Gonna CaLL: After seeing recently. “One night, I was having men there, she gets mad. trouble falling asleep,” junior “One time last year when one studio art major Claire Stinedurf of our actives got into an argusaid. “I looked around my room ment with her boyfriend, and noticed a figure sitting on Annabelle threw a mirror off the end of my roommate’s bed of our bathroom wall. She has dressed in a man’s white shirt. locked people out of rooms, I could not make out the figure slammed doors and made noise but instinctively knew that it to remind us that we live in her was a young girl. The shirt was house. If anyone ever says they almost transparent, and she was don’t believe hovered over in her, it’s my roommate’s almost guaralarm clock playanteed that ing with the but- If anyone ever says she will do tons. I closed my they don’t believe in something to eyes and when remind us that I opened them her, it’s almost guarshe is there.” again, she was years gone.” anteed that she will do ago,SixOtterbein Another John sorority house something to remind us hosted Zaffis, a 30on campus, year veteran Kappa Phi that she is there. “Ghost HuntOmega, is said er.” He rated to be haunted. Otterbein as Sarah Metzger, Sarah Metzger an eight out junior women’s, junior, women’s, gender and of 10 in spirigender and sexuality studies sexuality studies and psychology tual activity. His rating was and psychology based on his major — and Kappa Phi Omega active — said experiences in the Philomathean the ghost in their house is named Room in Towers, where he described an “oppressive male Annabelle. atmosphere” that “felt like a “A dentist used to live in our tomb” with a high number of house, and Annabelle was his servant. The story we understand spirits present. He also said that in the Pit Theatre, he felt the to be true is that one night the presence of two warmer female dentist raped Annabelle, pushed spirits by the stairs in the small her down the stairs and murhallway leading to the stage area. dered her. She has never done Conversations around campus anything mean to the ladies in support his findings, as students the house, but when there are
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photo by kristen davis
these items, a local psychic claimed the TEM house was haunted. reported feeling a “strong spiritual energy” in these areas. And now, I’m curious. Determined to find out more about the spirits living in my sorority and on campus, I decided to find a local psychic. I came across Christopher Scott — or maybe he found me — and less than 24 hours later, I was navigating downtown to his Fifth Avenue location. The large white office building held smaller rooms rented out to businesses for offices. I made my way to the basement to find 10B and saw a note on the door telling me he’d be back in a few minutes and to make myself comfortable. The room was small with draped windows, a couch and a large armchair. A rack in the corner held all sorts of spices and strange-looking lotions and potions, while the rest of the room was lined with mythology books, statues, paintings, wind chimes, dream catchers, Tibetan prayer flags, candles, incense and other knickknacks. It was calm and welcoming, but I was definitely out of my element. At first, Scott talked to me about my own future. Although being a special education teacher and military wife with twins might sound like good prospects, I’m not convinced. We talked about the main reason for my visit: the spirits in the TEM house. I brought some artifacts, including an old mug, some antique green worm statues
and some rocks found in the hidden tunnel in the basement that I am told played a part in the Underground Railroad. Scott held the artifacts and told me that I wasn’t in harm’s way, but the little girl seen in the TEM house was just “looking for a mother figure” and is therefore drawn to women. I was comforted with all of this until he told me that “she comes and cuddles with you at night,” and then I was ready to leave. My research and conversations with those who have personally felt a presence has not altered my opinions on the spirits and the “extra residents” in the TEM house. Nor has it changed my belief that there is a spirit of a little girl in the TEM house. Like many people, I find it hard to really grasp the concept of the paranormal, but I believe that there are too many sightings, experiences and fascinating stories dating way back in history for there to be no truth behind it. Or is it just overactive imaginations? Take a trip to the Philomathean Room, the Pit or the Otterbein Cemetery during “witching hour” on All Hallow’s Eve. Decide for yourself. Just don’t ask me to come with you.
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OLIVIA DELAHUNTY IS A JUNIOR ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION MAJOR AND A STAFF WRITER FOR THE T&C.
sports
vol. 94, issue 9
Teams press on after key injuries
www.otterbein360.com
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The Cardinals are not deterred by setbacks guys have really stepped in and done a great job for us. They have matured in a hurry.” The women’s soccer team With the success that fall has also been performing at top sports teams have seen for notch despite losing returning Otterbein this year, it would be starter and defender Ali Stone. surprising to learn that some of Stone, a sophomore athletic the teams’ top performers are training major, started all 18 missing significant time due to matches last season and was injuries. voted second-team All-ConferDespite being weighed down ence following her freshman by injuries this season, the season. After training hard all football team has posted its best summer, Stone record so far her anterior since 2009. It was hard going from tore cruciate ligament The team’s menisci in 6-2 record starting every game to and the first scrimhas been for the no easy feat having to stand on the mage Lady Cards with several against Walsh concussions sidelines. University. and return“About 15 ing wide minutes in the receiver Trey game, I cut a Fairchild Ali Stone girl off, and she and quartersophomore pushed me, and back Aaron I landed and Kingcade twisted,” Stone said. “It was both missing significant time. hard going from starting every Kingcade, a senior quarterback game to having to stand on and returning All-OAC punter, the sidelines and not be able to led the Cardinal offense for the contribute except cheering my first six games but was forced to leave the Heidelberg contest with teammates on.” With the time and dedication a fractured wrist. that student athletes devote to “We have been plagued with balancing schoolwork with pracinjuries on the offense at key tices, games and training, an inpositions. It has caused us to jury is not only a physical ailment change some of the things we but also an added time commitdo,” head coach Tim Doup said. ment. With physical therapy and “With that being said, the young BY GRAHAM SHIPPY Staff Writer
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aLL wrapped Up:
even surgeries, injuries can easily be an unwanted addition to a student athlete’s already full plate. “Because of my meniscal repair, my recovery will take eight to 10 months, and I also had to go back into surgery on Oct. 23 because I had too much scar tissue limiting my range of motion in my knee,” Stone said. “But I love my team, and they are doing
great things this year, and as long as I am there to support them, that is all that matters. I will be back next year, good as new.” Nobody likes to see injuries in sporting events, but they do provide opportunities for others to step up and show their skills. After an injury to Kingcade in the Oct. 6 football game against Muskingum, backup quarterback
Ben Sizemore put up high numbers, throwing for three touchdowns and more than 200 yards. Injuries can happen at any moment from an awkward step, hit or fall, and can also develop from overuse throughout the season. That’s why it’s vital for athletes to openly communicate with coaches about injuries and injury prevention. t&c
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photo by kristen davis
Sophomore Marissa Basar practices her ankle taping so athletes can have extra support.
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sports
Tan & Cardinal
wednesday, oct. 31, 2012
Goals and ghouls
Women’s soccer gets in Halloween spirit to de-stress before playoffs BY JORDAN BROWN Staff Writer
You walk in the Clements Center and see Hugh Hefner, Playboy Bunnies and a bunch of other women running around in costumes. Welcome to the 2012 women’s soccer Halloween practice. After last Tuesday’s win over Marietta, the Otterbein women’s soccer team won the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season for the fourth time in the last five seasons. With a team that breeds success, the women find ways to stay relaxed with a little fun on the field. Traditionally, the team’s seniors have run the last practice of the regular season. But in 2010, the team advanced to the Final Four, and the last practice would never be the same. “The girls were nervous and smart students involved in hard classes,” head coach Brandon Koons said. “They were caught
pLayMates:
up and were stressed. It was the end of the quarter at the time and the tournament was coming.” At the time, one senior in particular, Laura Vasbinder, had an idea that would become a tradition: a Halloween-themed practice. The last practice of that year, the girls took the field in full costumes to play games, participate in drills and ease the stress awaiting playoffs. “It was the perfect tensionbreaker,” Koons said. “They acted like kids. It was really about remembering why they play soccer and what it’s all about.” In the seasons to follow, the women began to look forward to the Halloween practice. “How many people play their respective sport dressed up as a clown or a lumberjack?” senior athletic training major Jessica Yaney asked. “It’s a really fun practice because we get to dress
photo by kristen davis
The seniors portrayed Hugh Hefner and his Playmates.
up in silly costumes and attempt to play soccer.” The seniors were excited to see what this year’s practice would bring. “It’s hilarious to see everyone dressed up,” senior mathematics major Emily Bates said. “We all try to keep it secret from each other so no one ever knows what’s coming.” And although the team is still there to work hard and practice, the costumes alleviate the everyday stress of skill repetition. “We don’t make it through whole drills without laughing hysterically at someone in their costume,” senior nursing major Sara Wolfe said. As the women’s success in the regular season leads them to tournament play, Wolfe said a practice like this seems fitting. The weight of balancing school work, practice and the additional nerves before the tournament can cause the women to feel overwhelmed. “Having this practice gives us a chance to calm our nerves, relax and just have fun for a day amidst all of the seriousness and pressure of the OAC tournament,” Wolfe said. Bates added, “Brandon is a coach that understands that sometimes it’s more beneficial to take a day off than it is to practice. He wants to give us a chance to let loose and just have fun.” And what kind of team Halloween practice would this be without a coach who also participates? “Brandon goes all out and wears wigs, and even the athletic training staff has dressed up before,” Yaney said. “Everyone gets really into it.” Costumes that have been sported at past Halloween practice include Little Bo Peep, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the elderly. But a favorite memory among the team members would be when Wolfe took the field as a World Cup referee with a whistle. “She blows the whistle and calls the team offsides,” Koons said. “It was not only smart, but it was funny too.”
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a bUG’s LiFe:
photo by kristen davis
Sophomore Alex Ancona’s chinch bug costume was inspired by the insects plaguing the Otterbein soccer field.