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tan cardinal
otterbein university wednesday, march 6, 2013 vol. 94, issue 19 www.otterbein360.com
Monroe in mind arguably autobiographical:
Arthur Miller’s play ‘“After the Fall,” resembles his past relationship with Marilyn Monroe.
photo by kristen davis
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t&c editorial staff
Lindsay Paulsen Katie Taggart Chelsea Coleman
Editor-in-Chief News Editor
Coordinating Editor Josh Park Arts & Entertainment Editor Tyler Dubiak Sports Editor Danielle Lanning Copy Editor Allie Colon Copy Editor Kristen Davis Photography Editor Stephanie Parker Sports Photographer Anna Schiffbauer Managing Editor Evan Matsumoto Web Editor Gena DiMattio Business Manager contributing staff Jacob Barker Maura Breen Julia Robideau Clark Tieman contact us 614-823-1159 TCeditor@otterbein360.com Tan & Cardinal Otterbein University Westerville, OH 43081 advertising For advertising information, contact Gena DiMattio at 330-806-5093 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.
news Sequestration affects Otterbein
wednesday, march 6, 2013 graphic by kristen davis
Tan & Cardinal
Across-the-board budget cuts will cut more than $1.2 trillion in the next 10 years By Katie taggart News Editor
The federal government announced that there will be $1.2 trillion in major budget cuts, leading to Otterbein losing an estimated $41,000 in federal aid. Jefferson Blackburn-Smith, vice president for enrollment management, said he is not only concerned with the effect the budget cuts will have on the school, but also what it will do to the economy in Ohio. He said that because central Ohio has had a much easier time with the past five years, the cuts to some of the government agencies, like the Defense Supply Center in Whitehall and WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Dayton, will have a greater impact. Parents of students who work at these government agencies might lose their jobs, and thus will not be able to help with tuition. Students should also be concerned with the cuts from discretionary programs, which include things such as Pell
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CRIME LOG
Grants, veteran medical care, assisted housing and health reform funding. This plan of budget cutting arose from a 2011 discussion about the debt ceiling. With no final answer on what Congress would do, President Obama decided to create the sequestration as an ultimatum. If they could not find a place to make cuts, they would be forced to apply the mandated cuts. The cut will also affect students on the Federal Work-Study Program. Students are able to work at schools with the help of this program and can use the money to help chip away at their tuition. The cuts would limit the budget schools use for the program and leave them unable to continue it. Blackburn-Smith said as the sequestration kicks in, the immediate cuts will be made within six months and aid that has already dispersed will not be affected. Blackburn-Smith said that if the financial aid is not available to students who need it, Ot-
terbein will try to replace it with scholarships. Telefund caller Caleb Myers, a freshman broadcasting and creative writing double major, said “I know a lot of students with Federal Work-Study. It helps counteract our student loans and tuition.” Maria Lingle, a sophomore music education major and a student that benefits from the Federal Work-Study Program, said that the cuts to the program would be inconvenient to students. “I don’t have time to get a non-school job,” Lingle said. “This works. It would be im-
5 According to the Otterbein University Police Daily Crime Log, the following has been Davis Hall reported between Feb. 23 to March 3. (Not shown)
possible to get a job with my schedule.” The Washington Post said that $85 billion will be cut from defense, public health, discretionary programs, social programs and education this year. During a White House press briefing, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the cut for higher education could be up to $86 million which would lead to about 70,000 students without access to grants and work study opportunities. For now, Blackburn-Smith suggests students fill out their FAFSA and make sure they graduate on time. t&c
25 W. Home St. Campus Center
1.
2/23 to 2/24 Two flags (Kenya and Ghana) and an Otterbein banner were stolen from the Campus Center.
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1
2.
3/1 A vending machine was found damaged in the commuter lounge and was reported as vandalism.
3. 4.
3/1
OVI was reported at the intersection of Grove and Plum streets.
3/2 Drug abuse, paraphernalia and consumption in a motor vehicle was reported at 60 Collegeview Rd.
5. 3/2 Drug abuse, paraphernalia and underage consumption of alcohol was reported at Davis Hall. 6.
3/3
60 Collegeview Rd. (Not shown)
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Commuter Lounge
2
Criminal damage was reported at 25 W. Home St.
information compiled by katie taggart
Grove and Plum 3 streets
graphic by kristen davis
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news 3 Board of Trustees might accept increase in tuition www.otterbein360.com
vol. 94, issue 19
The supposed raise in tuition will add an increase in room, board and an additional $400 fee to J-Term By Tyler DuBiak Sports Editor
On Saturday afternoon, the Otterbein Board of Trustees accepted a motion to increase tuition by 3.5 percent. The increase is preliminary and will not be finalized until May, when the Board of Trustees will go over the budget for next school year. This motion included a 2.5 percent increase in board, a 5.5 percent increase in room and a $400 fee for J-Term. The Board of Trustees discussed this motion extensively and what the reasons were for increasing tuition. One of the reasons included a $3.2 million strategic enrollment plan investment over the course of the next seven years. This $3.2 million investment
is split into six categories in order to bring more students to Otterbein, as well as retain them after their freshman year. The amounts for each category include $1.3 million for academics, $843,000 for undergraduate recruitment, $450,000 for adult and graduate marketing, $141,000 for financial aid staffing, $170,000 for student affairs and $210,000 for athletics. The Board of Trustees mentioned each category but discussed the athletics section in more detail. This included adding new sports to the athletic department as well as bringing in more junior varsity teams for each sport. They also mentioned that this plan will target new merit scholarships which will total $1.4 million over the course of the seven years.
These scholarships would be targeted towards students in certain majors such as business and non-resident students, or commuters. The outcomes of the enrollment plan by 2020 are to increase undergraduate enrollment to 3,000, increase graduate enrollment to 530, increase the retention rate to 82 percent and increase non-Ohio enrollment to 68 percent. The net revenue through this plan is expected to increase between $10 and $10.5 million, which by the Board of Trustees’ calculation will increase net income to $6.8 million. This could cause trouble for many students, as urged by Board of Trustees member Kent Stuckey. He brought up the inflation rate, which is currently at 2 percent, and compared it
to the increasing rate in tuition throughout the nation. Other members discussed that raising tuition is strongly needed in order to stay competitive with other universities. They mentioned that if the Board of Trustees were to keep the tuition rate the same or even lower it, then Otterbein would not be able to offer scholarships to many of its students. The Board of Trustees found that not offering scholarships would hurt their enrollment and would send students to schools other than Otterbein. For a typical student who attends Otterbein full-time, lives on campus, and takes a course during J-Term their expected total cost for one year of school will change from $39,341 to $41,072, a $1,731 increase. This increase could also have
to do with faculty compensation increasing in 2015, which was discussed earlier in the meeting but was not brought up during the discussion of increasing tuition. The increase in faculty wages will put Otterbein in the 60th percentile of all universities throughout the nation. The board plans to budget for the increase in the upcoming fiscal year to begin the first step in a three-year process that will increase compensation in 2015. The discussion of the topic of increasing faculty wages by the Board of Trustees was not discussed in relation to the increase in tuition. The members mentioned that the reason for this increase was due to the progress in income that Otterbein has made over the years.
t&c
Commencement speaker for 2013 announced
Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations will give the 2013 graduation speech By Maura Breen Staff Writer
This year’s commencement speaker is not an alumna, as in years past, but has a unique tie to Otterbein University. President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations in the United States and France, Meg Crofton is President Kathy Krendl’s sister-in-law. An amendment to the University Constitution bylaws was proposed to allow the president of the university the final say as to who speaks at the undergraduate commencement during Tuesday’s University Senate meeting. There are a total of 294 senators that include faculty, elected students, administrators and staff. Of those senators, only 60 of them are students. The bylaws state that student representation shall consist of one student elected by the majors in each department, and an additional number to balance the number of faculty senators certified by the Vice President for Academic Affairs at the beginning of fall semester.
For quorum to be met, there must be 40 percent of members present. However, if there is voting on bylaw changes, then 51 percent of the Senators need to be present. For the changes to be agreed on, there needs to be an agreement from two-thirds of the people present. If the motion passes, Article VII, Section 6 of the University’s Constitutional bylaws will state that the president makes final selection of undergraduate commencement speaker and requests the approval of an honorary degree for that speaker by the Institutional Planning Council and the University Senate. Chief of Staff to the President’s office Kristine Robbins, said, “President Krendl will review options for the commencement speaker with the cabinet.” This year’s speaker, Meg Crofton, was nominated by Susan Fagan, former associate vice president for academic affairs. “I had the privilege of meeting Meg when she visited Central Ohio last year,” Fagan said in a nomination letter to Krendl. “She came to my solo
art exhibition while she was here. I was deeply impressed by her, not only by all she has accomplished, but also by her warmth, her genuine interest in art and in education.” According to her biography provided by the University Senate website, “Crofton has day-today responsibility for Walt Disney World Resort, overseeing a work force of more than 62,000 cast members at the world’s premier vacation destination. “Meg has held a wide-range of executive positions at Disney in Hotel Operations, Convention Sales and Services and Human Resources, and played key leadership roles in the opening of both Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.” In Fagan’s recommendation letter, she urged University Senate to grant Crofton an honorary degree “to help build a firm and ongoing relationship with Disney.” University Senate considered this recommendation, and Krendl brought forth the motion adding, “It would be a very nice thing to take away.” The motion passed.
The honorary degree will serve as the sole compensation for Crofton. The Director of Campaign Logistics in the Office of Institutional Advancement, Lucy Cryan, was brought in late this year,
and was not in on the selection process. “Looking at last year’s budget, it doesn’t appear that we pay the adult speaker, but we cover his/ her expenses,” Cryan said.
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arts & ent
Tan & Cardinal
‘After the Fall’ springs
Play depicts a marriage possibly based on writer’s rela By Clark Tieman Staff Writer
photo provided by elizabeth saltzgiver
love all around:
(from left to right): Mary Kate O’Neill (Quentin’s mother), Emily Vanni (Maggie), Sam Ray (Quentin) and Marina Pires (Holga). Afton Welch (Louise) is seated.
The story of Marilyn Monroe, the famous film and sex icon from the 1950s, is resurrected and modified this month by Otterbein’s Department of Theatre and Dance with its first spring semester performance, “After the Fall.” Critics argue that the play, written by Arthur Miller, was inspired by his failed marriage to Monroe. “After the Fall,” is told through the eyes of Quentin, an attorney, in a series of flashbacks. He recalls his entire relationship with Maggie, a singing star, from their meeting to their divorce. As a drama driven by a journey through Quentin’s psyche, it recounts the tumultuous relationship of Quentin and Maggie. The couple’s relationship is often seen as analogous to Miller’s relationship with Monroe, his second wife. Junior BFA acting major Sam Ray plays Quentin. Ray said that Quentin is not just a character, but serves as a narrator. He tells his story to a friend or therapist, which in this case is the audience itself. “He’s trying to find himself and what went wrong along the way,” Ray said. “The action of the play is dictated by whatever happens to pop into his head, since the whole play is taking place inside his memory.” Katie Falter, a senior BA theatre major and assistant director to director Dennis Romer said the show demonstrates the challenge one man faces after experiencing extreme devastation while still continuing to move on with life. When producing this show, the director wanted the cast and crew keep the connection between Maggie and Marilyn in mind. “It is hard to remove history from this play,” Falter said. “Reading the first encounter between Quentin and Maggie is so realistic that it is hard to believe that any writer, no matter how good he is, imagined this. It had to have been experienced,” she said. In Miller’s autobiography “Timebends: a Life,” he said the play was “neither more nor less”
autobiographical than any of his other plays. Textual evidence, however, supports otherwise. Falter, who not only aided Romer with production details but also helped run blocking and cleanup rehearsals, said that the fact that this play was originally produced in 1964, two years after Monroe committed suicide, really contributes to the connection between this play and Miller’s actual life. Ray said that he approached this production as if it were Miller’s self-psychoanalysis. He said that, because of this theatrical convention, “After the Fall” is unlike any production in which he has acted before, including this past fall’s “Spring Awakening” where he played “adult men.” He said that while both shows were challenging in their own way, “After the Fall” presented more work, based simply on the size of the role itself. “Quentin is a huge character with a long journey that he’s got to go on,” Ray said. “The subject matter is very challenging, but that’s part of the fun.” Besides Ray as Quentin and sophomore BFA acting major Emily Vanni as Maggie, there are several other characters. These include Quentin’s mother and father, friends of the
pointing fingers:
Anthony Cason.
couple and other g Quentin’s, before a marriage to Maggi In addition to t Romer added an e cast. This ensemb posed of male and who serve differen throughout the dr Falter said beca abstractness of th ensemble acts as a indicator. She said the en help the audience the atmosphere of memories. Falter offered a “Without the ense would still get the gie’s fame, but wit of the ensemble a crowd, her fame is she said. Haley Jones, a BFA acting major, tiple characters thr the ensemble scen crowd members, a and “Woman with which Jones said is favorite. Jones also said semble will help cr sense of environm audience. “The ensemble a great group of r ate actors who try
Sean Murphy, who plays Quentin’s
tertainment
s onto stage
wednesday, march 6, 2013 sleeping beauty:
Maggie, played by Emily Vanni, lies on her side in the background during the action of this scene.
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photo by kristen davis
ationship with Marilyn Monroe
girlfriends of and after his ie. the main cast, ensemble to the ble is comd female actors nt purposes rama. ause of the he set, the an environment
nsemble should experience f Quentin’s
an example. emble, you idea of Magth the use acting as the s enhanced,”
sophomore , plays mulroughout nes, including a wedding guest h a Parrot,” s her personal
that the enreate a better ment for the
e is made up of really passiony their best to
bring their own life and energy on stage,” Jones said. “I think the ensemble adds a nice energy to the show.” Although the ensemble is on stage for a short time, playing ensemble members has still presented a challenge, Jones said. She said they had to bring what they learned in class to the stage. While Quentin’s flashback sequences make for an untraditional story flow, Jones said she believes students and other audience members will still appreciate its complexity and its themes of love and loss. She said she applauds Otterbein on its selection of this heavy show written by one of America’s most well-respected playwrights. While it’s an untraditional play, she said she feels that there’s something in it that everyone can connect to. “The audience will hopefully appreciate the complexity of the show and, the ultimate goal, be moved in some way from seeing it,” Jones said. “In my opinion, the goal of theatre is to make the audience think about something – life, love, pain – in a new way. To me, theatre is all about telling stories that need to be told. That’s why I do it, anyway.”
excuse you?:
photo by kristen davis
Quentin and his wife Louise get into an argument.
Random snowstorm keeping you locked in your room?
t&c
first encounter:
photo by kristen davis
Quentin and Maggie meet for the first time. There are parallels between Maggie and Marilyn Monroe.
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“After the Fall” showtimes
photo by kristen davis
s friend Lou, is confronted by Mickey, played by
“After the Fall” will be performed in the Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall. u Students get one free ticket u For tickets, the box with their Cardinal Card. office located in Cowan u Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 is open Monday through p.m. Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 u Friday, March 8 at 8 p.m. p.m. as well as an hour u Saturday, March 9 at 8 p.m. before each showtime. u Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. For more information, u Thursday, March 14 at 8 p.m. call the box office at u Friday, March 15 at 8 p.m. (614) 823-1109 or visit u Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m. otterbein.edu/theatre. u
Turn your dial to WOBN for some entertainment!
opinion 6 Senior’s bucket list Tan & Cardinal
wednesday, march 6, 2013
10 things every Otterbein student should do There are many hidden treasures looming around Otterbein. It is our job as students to live it up while we are here and uncover the fun that is behind Otterbein’s outer appearance. Since we only have four years to uncover this Julia adventure Robideau and fun, why not expand to Westerville and Columbus? Here are the things that you should at least try before you leave this place we call home.
1. Play hide-and-seek, or tag in the dark
Grab your closest friends and section off a part of campus that are the boundaries and have fun. Tower’s yard and the surrounding buildings make for a fun game of hide-and-seek, but stay outside. You’d be surprised at how many places there are to hide where no one will find you.
2. Go to a drag show
What could be more fun than seeing the men of our campus dressed to the nines in drag, putting on a fabulous performance?
Nothing. These guys know how to work-it in their flashy dresses, glittery high heels and flawless and flamboyant makeup. If their names and bios aren’t fun enough, seeing them strut their stuff in five-inch heels will be. The shows are almost always in the Pit Theatre, a relaxed place for you and your friends to be entertained.
3. Check out Starry Mondays
Otterbein is lucky enough to have an a huge telescope at the Science Building. You can see the stars closer than you ever have and, to be honest, it makes for a great stop on a date. Looking at the stars is not only romantic, but it makes you step back and remember what a small world we live in. Make your way up to the fifth floor and take a look.
4. Go to a senior’s art exhibit Grab a friend and go to the Art & Communication building to see some senior’s final projects. Not only do you get to look at some amazing art pieces, but the artists are there to share their techniques, inspirations and work ethic. It’s much different to look at a piece while having the artist explain it.
Excited for this weekend’s showing of “After the Fall?” Check out the photo gallery from the dress rehearsal online.
photo by kristen davis
stargazing:
Senior Alex Brackbill looks to the stars on the roof of the Science Building at Starry Monday. own Jeni’s Ice Cream. I highly 5. Walk through the cemeteries on the right. That leads you to a Otterbein is home to two very spooky, but historic cemeteries. One is right at the end of Grove Street and the other is right across from Scott Hall. Although you may not know anyone buried there, you will recognize some names. There are some famous Westerville citizens and Otterbein community members buried there. Some of the graves are the oldest you’ll ever see.
6. Sit in the student section at an athletic event
It’s one thing to support Otterbein athletes by going to a game; it’s another thing to sit in the student section. The band plays in a sea of people that’s crowded with familiar faces, funny chants and cheers. You get to watch Otterbein athletes play their hardest while cheering them on with all your friends. It’s also a great place to meet new friends and enjoy some sports for the afternoon.
7. Go to the fishing dock
Just go straight up South Old 3C Highway and just keep going for about 15 minutes until you get to Galena. Take a right onto West Street and the parking lot is
dock that goes out into the water. It’s one of the prettiest places I know, and if you go alone, it’s very quiet and peaceful. It’s also a great place to go with friends and take a walk. At night, it’s a little eerie if you want to go and have some scary fun.
8. Sit on the Jimmy V’s patio until they close
Jimmy V’s is always a good time, but when it warms up, sit outside. The sound of the fountain is relaxing while you mingle with your friends on the patio. It’s a great way to end an evening, sitting outside watching cars go by, talking about the events of the week. It’s a place you can get lost in and lose all track of time.
9. Go to the North Market downtown.
Located just across the street from Park Street Cantina on Park Street, the North Market offers Ohio grown and made food, flowers and products that you can take home. There is food from all over the world including India, China, Germany and Italy. It’s all made right in front of you. Plus, there’s Columbus’
recommend you check out Pam’s Market Popcorn (and take some home for a late night snack) or Pastaria, which has the best three-cheese lasagna I’ve ever had.
10. Explore the Short North
Tucked in a trendy part of downtown Columbus, the Short North offers an array of shops, restaurants and parks to visit. Ladies, these places scream Pinterest, so grab your phones and get ready to Instagram. The shops and restaurants are hidden treasures that are always fun to explore and discover. Also, check out Skully’s on High Street. It’s a fun and energetic place to have good food and then stay and listen to some local music. There are tons of ways to have fun on campus but there are also ways to escape and uncover what Columbus has to offer. This city offers anything you’re looking for. You just have to find it and make great memories with good friends. t&c Julia Robideau is a senioR
JouRnalism maJoR and a staff wRiteR foR the t&c.
sports
vol. 94, issue 19
www.otterbein360.com
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A mixture of athletics and religion in one organization Athletes in Action works to bring Otterbein athletes closer to religion By JacoB Barker Staff Writer
catching dogs:
photo by kristen davis
Members try to catch flying hot dogs in opening games.
Crossroads and Otterbein Christian Fellowship are two choices at Otterbein for a spiritual connection, but another group is striving to make a name for themselves on campus with students involved in athletics. Based in Xenia, Ohio, Athletes in Action is a part of an organization called Campus Crusade for Christ and is focused toward athletes to help them connect God with sports. “It’s an opportunity for athletes to take the chance to realize that everything they have as an athlete is given to them by God and not necessarily themselves,” said Chris Schweisthal, the pastor for Athletes in Action at Otterbein and The Ohio State University. The organization has meetings every Wednesday from 8 to 9 p.m. in the Rike Center lounge. Each meeting consists of an opening game or ice breaker created by senior quarterback Aaron Kingcade and sophomore quarterback Mike Greenwell, which is usually followed by a prayer.
Then the group has a guest speaker, usually an active or former athlete, who gives a personal testimony of their relationship with God and sports. The inspiration to bring Athletes in Action to Otterbein started in 2010 when Otterbein’s head football coach at the time, Joe Loth, was approached by Ohio State University’s head football coach at the time, Jim Tressel. Loth and Tressel discussed bringing the organization to Otterbein. This prompted Kingcade to attend a meeting at Ohio State to understand what Athletes in Action could do for those at Otterbein. “With the help of a lot of people, we were able to start to plant the seed here last year, and it’s grown exponentially since,” Kingcade said. Greenwell said his relationship with God has been affected by Athletes in Action. “Athletes tend to put their sport in front of God sometimes, and we try to reverse that through Athletes in Action,” Greenwell said.
Kingcade said he has seen a difference in himself since Athletes in Action began at Otterbein in 2010. “I don’t compete for myself or for other people, I compete for God,” Kingcade said. “It takes a lot of pressure away from the game.” Along with meeting former and active athletes, the organization also provides a number of mission trip opportunities each year throughout the United States and Canada. During each retreat, the participants listen to speeches from notable athletes and then go out and practice those messages during the week and during competition. The retreats consist of a sports complex with facilities for baseball, softball, soccer and football, along with a challenge course. “It’s all about connecting God with sport,” Greenwell said. For more information on Athletes in Action, go to www. athletesinaction.org.
t&c
NOW OPEN! Otterbein Student Specials:
2 Large 2 Item Pizzas- $18 OR Any Sub- $5 10 East Main St. (Next to Cluckers) 614-895-1212 Pick up or Delivery
the masters:
photo by kristen davis
Aaron Kingcade and Mike Greenwell, the masters of ceremonies, lead the weekly meetings.
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sports
Tan & Cardinal
raising the bar:
wednesday, march 6, 2013
photo by lindsay paulsen
Otterbein Equestrian team member Alissa Witkowski, a junior, schools Bela over fences to prepare her for competition in Otterbein’s horse show this past weekend.
Hunt Seat Team sends 21 riders to regionals
The Otterbein Equestrian Hunt Seat Team prepares for regional show this Sunday after a historic 2012-2013 season By Tyler DuBiak Sports Editor
Otterbein Equestrian’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Hunt Seat Team will be sending 21 riders to regional competition this weekend after a record-breaking season. Although the team did not receive top placings on either day of the show they hosted at Otterbein this past weekend, the team is still currently in the middle of a historic season, according to first-year coach and Otterbein alumna Tenley Struhs. “This has been the best first year a coach could ask for,” Struhs said. “Not only have we done well all season, winning the majority of the shows in our region, but we have had a lot of fun along the way.” The Hunt Seat Team, coached by Struhs and local trainer, Lindsay Yinger, is the largest of the three teams in the Equine Program with around 40 riders who compete in IHSA shows. IHSA shows consist of two types of classes that riders can compete in: flat classes and over fences classes. In both of these classes, riders randomly select a horse that they mount moments before they enter the ring to be judged. In flat classes, there are multiple riders in an arena at a time who follow a judge’s instructions
to make their horse do certain things such as move faster or slower or change the direction of their path. The riders are judged on how well they communicate with the horses and if their bodies are positioned correctly while seated on the horse. In over fences classes, horse and rider combinations complete a course of eight jumps within an arena, one rider at a time. According to Struhs, each rider should aim to have a consistent ride around the course jumping each jump in a smooth, consistent rhythm. “Before they go into the ring the riders have a plan of how they are going to get to each jump,” Struhs said. Both flat classes and over fences classes are divided into different divisions that suit different ability levels, from beginners to more experienced riders. Those who plan to compete in over fences classes must first reach a certain level of division in flat classes. In any given season, the Hunt Seat Team participates in ten shows hosted by five different universities. Each university hosts two shows on one weekend. This year Otterbein won six out of the ten shows. However, the team was still able to win the region with those four losses, edging out Miami
University of Ohio. “They are our biggest rival,” Struhs said. “They were right behind us and we ended up beating them by 5 points to send our team to regionals.” If the team does well at regionals, hosted by Ohio State University in Hilliard, Ohio, they will have the chance to advance to Zones which will take place at West Virginia University in April. If the team does well at Zones then they could move onto Nationals in Harrisburg, Penn. May 3-5. Of the 21 riders moving on to the regional competition, five will compete in the over fences classes and 16 will compete in various levels of the flat classes. If a rider places in first or second in their level then they will move on to Zones. Sophomore Madi Rohl, who will be competing in both flat and over fences classes at regionals, explained what goes through her mind when riding in the ring. “I always try to stay calm and relaxed, so I am ready to react to whatever the horse might do next,” Rohl said. “We don’t have a chance to get acquainted with them before we are being judged so the ability to react to the horse in a positive way is really the most important thing.” Senior and team president, Jackie Moog, commented on the new coaches and why the team
is having a better season than in years past. “This year’s recent success can be attributed to the team, and new coaching staff,” Moog said. “Thanks to the dedication of (the coaches,) all of the riders
ride on:
were able to climb to the top.” Regional competition will take place at the Sid Griffith Equestrian Center in Hilliard, Ohio this Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
t&c
photo by lindsay paulsen
Tenley Struhs gives freshman Mackenzie Majeskie some last minute advice before she enters the ring on Otterbein-owned horse, Trip.