CMYK

TODAYH 71 L 51

TUESDAYH 73 L 58

WEDNESDAY H 76 L 60

Visit us online atwww.thepinelog.com

Volume 93Issue 23

Next Publication:Monday, January 28, 2013

Thursday, December 6, 2012

PINE LOG The

The Independent Voice of Stephen F. Austin State University

Page 6Fencing club teaches

students fundamentals of fencing as well

as giving them opportunities to

compete.

TODAYL 51

TUESDAYH

WEDNESDAY TUESDAY 58

WEDNESDAY H

By Sara Zavorka Contributing Writer

The dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Dr. Steven Bullard, has been elected president of the National Association of University Forestry Resources Programs (NAUFRP).

This presidency will be conducted as a two-year term, which will begin in January. This organization was formed in 1981, and its purpose is to help ad-vance science and forest resource man-agement through support, education, service and further research. Its mem-bers consist of scientists, specialists and other faculty members from at least 80 different universities.

Having earned a bachelor’s and mas-ter’s degree in forestry from Mississippi State University, as well as a Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bullard has worked long and hard for this achievement.

He was named dean of the College of Forestry and Agriculture at SFA in 2009 and has also served as the chair of the Department of Forestry at the University of Kentucky for five years. He was a faculty member and administra-tor at Mississippi State University for 18 years. In addition, Bullard was selected as a Fellow of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) in 2010.

SAF’s mission is to advance the prac-tice of forestry, as well as technology, science, and education as a whole. In addition, it teaches and encourages life-long skills and the conservation ethic to assure forest ecosystems and forest resources are cared for and used both effectively and efficiently in order to benefit society as a whole.

In Bullard’s nomination letter, co-worker Dr. Jimmie Yeiser, an SFA for-estry professor and current SAF Fellow, stated how he admired Bullard for his commitment to student success, in the field of forestry as well as in life.

“As a university servant to the for-estry profession, [Bullard] influences countless young professionals, thereby multiplying and extending his contri-bution to forestry and SAF for many years to come,” Yeiser wrote.

For example, Bullard planted trees in 2004 for the STMicroelectronics, a lead-ing manufacturer, and, through the dedication and caring for those trees, has since seen students measuring and researching the growth patterns. Through this work, lands are used for “educational purposes, and are also providing the funds for much needed scholarships.”

The NAUFRP associates itself with university-level forestry issues while working through the general public, federal government agencies, nongov-ernmental organizations and educa-tional and scientific organizations.

Outstanding donors to the University will be honored during the 24th annual SFA Gala on Saturday, Dec. 8, in the Student Center Grand Ballroom.

This year’s Gala honorees include Shelby County Judge Rick Campbell; local businessmen Jim, Tom, John and Bob Kingham; and the late Cecil Richey Jr., an SFA alumnus and long-time East Texas educator.

“Support from donors and special friends like the ones being honored this year is crucial to the success of SFA and its students, and we look forward to honoring their com-mitment to the University at the upcoming Gala,” said Jill Still, SFA vice president for university advancement.

Campbell’s family has been in Shelby County for at least seven generations. Campbell is a loyal supporter of many SFA pro-

grams, including the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, the Nelson Rusche College of Business, the Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing, and the Department of Athletics.

The four Kingham brothers, Jim, Tom, John and Bob, were born and raised in Nacogdoches and at-tended local public schools through high school. Jim, Tom and John graduated from

SFA, and Bob attended Texas A&M University. The broth-ers’ parents, Jim and Beth Kingham, also are SFA alumni and were among the earliest members of the Stephen F. Austin Society. The brothers are proud to be supporters of SFA and continue their parents’ legacy of giving back to the University that has helped shape the lives of the entire Kingham family.

Richey was a dedicated East Texas educator, serving the West Rusk County Consolidated Independent School District as a teacher and principal for 38 years. A graduate of Rusk High School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from SFA in 1948. An avid supporter of education, Richey quietly helped many deserving students pursue higher education. A trusted friend and valued mentor to many, he passed away on April 11, 2011. A generous gift from Richey’s estate will fund annual scholarships for high-achieving

students in both the West Rusk and Rusk school districts who wish to attend SFA.

The Gala cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a candlelight dinner at 7 p.m. Senior ROTC ca-dets give back to the community by ushering at the event. Signed Sealed Delivered of Dallas will be the entertainment for the evening. The eight-piece band performs a mixture of pop, rock, jazz, swing and country music.

Two faculty achievement awards to be presented dur-ing the ceremony will recognize innovation and excel-lence in teaching and research. Fred J. Allen, professor of music and director of bands, will receive the 2012 Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching. Dr. Nathan Nabb, as-sociate professor of music/saxophone, will be honored with the Faculty Achievement Award for Research.

Tickets are $175 for orchestra seat-ing and $125 for ballroom seating. Proceeds from the Gala help build a permanent endow-ment created by the SFA Foundation to honor faculty achievement.

SFA to honor six outstanding donors at Gala Saturday

Forestry dean elected NAUFRP 2013-14 president

By Alicia Sanders & Brendan Oglesby with contributions by Khakie Jo Holland & Cecil TatomContributing Writers, MCM 205

He has been known as Hornet, Longhorn, Coyote, Grizzly, Scorpion and Baby Giraffe while playing for various baseball teams growing up, but the story of San Francisco Giant Brandon Belt is uniquely human.

Sitting in Dr. Wanda Mouton’s media writ-ing class wearing a hoodie and jeans, Belt seems like an average East Texas resident. He was born in Nacogdoches to a teacher/coach and a hairstylist. He grew up loving sports and married his high school girl-friend in Hudson.

However, this 24-year-old is first baseman for the 2012 World Series Champions San Francisco Giants. Belt’s win at this year’s World Series brings him his first ever cham-pionship in baseball.

Belt said much of his success is due to the energy of the fans and his support system.

Part of Belt’s support system is his wife Haylee. He says she sends him a text before every game. Though many of the texts carry a reassuring message, Haylee, who attended SFA before she moved to San Francisco with Brandon, said she occasionally sends the reminder, “Don’t strike out.”

“Someone needs to give him a reality check,” she said. He agreed, saying, “She’s my number one fan.”

This grounded attitude is mutual between the couple.

Belt said one of the mottos he lives by is “so what.” His determination to push for-ward was put to the test during his days at Hudson High School.

Belt recalled feeling pain in his arm while pitching in high school. He said he thought the pain was temporary and didn’t want the scouts to see that he was hurt.

“I pitched through the pain, but the pain never went away,” he said.

By his sophomore year of college at the University of Texas—Austin, Belt could no longer be a pitcher. He was then switched to playing the outfield. Though Belt was an education major at the time, he said he had never thought of being anything other than a baseball player.

During his time at UT, he and his team-mates coined the mantra, “So what?” When things aren’t going his way or things are looking down, he just says, “So what?” and pushes on, he said.

Belt began playing baseball at the age of 8.“My little league coach Ken Beck was

probably one of the most influential people in my life. He taught me how to really play the game of baseball and the basics of hit-ting,” he recalled.

Growing up as a tall left-handed pitcher it’s no wonder one of Belt’s favorite players as a kid was Randy Johnson. “I wanted to be just like that guy,” he said. Born and raised in Texas, Juan Gonzalez, former Texas Rangers outfielder, was also one of Belt’s favorite players growing up.

On June 13, 2011, Belt was a part of some-

thing he won’t soon forget. Teammate Matt Cain threw the 22nd perfect game in MLB history. Belt was in the lineup on that chilly San Francisco night, going 2-3 with 3 RBI’s. More importantly, he was on the receiving end of the final out that will forever be re-membered as a perfect game.

According to Belt, “It was the highlight of my career. I was so nervous I thought I was going to puke. I wasn’t pitching, but I was so happy for Matt.”

The Giants played with their backs against the wall the entire season. When it was all over, Belt and the San Francisco Giants had a World Series Championship. In considering his first ever championship, Belt admitted, “It hasn’t really sunk in.”

The Giants’ World Series rings won’t be presented until Opening Day 2013. Belt said he believes the feeling of being a world

champ will “really sink in once we have the rings.”

The San Francisco Giants drafted Belt in 2009. He played for the Fresno Grizzlies and Scottsdale Scorpions in the 2010 season of the minor league.

In 2011 Belt began playing for the Giants. He started questioning whether he was good enough to play in the major league. Belt said he was overwhelmed and wanted to deliver amazing results fast.

“I started trying to compensate for what I perceived as a weakness…and got out of my game,” he said.

After a poor start to the season Belt had a revelation which restored his confidence.

“You have to trust in yourself and your abilities,” he said. “It’s not about being a

World Series champ visits SFA

Belt, page 3

PINE LOG PINE LOG Page 6Fencing club teaches

students fundamentals of fencing as well

World Series champ visits SFA

SFA alumnus Cecil Richey Jr.

The four Kingham brothers: Jim, Tom, John and Bob.

Judge Rick Campbell

Courtesy PhotoBrandon Belt, East Texas native and a member of the 2012 World Championship San Francisco Giants, participates in an interview with a beginning newswriting class in SFA’s Department of Mass Communication.

CMYK

By Emily JensenStaff Writer

On Nov. 30, it was announced the athletic referendum passed by a margin of 69 votes. The total number of students who voted was 1,703, with 886 voting in favor of the referen-dum (52 percent) and 817 against (48 percent).

To meet quorum, the school needed at least 10 percent of the student body to vote. Approximately 13.1 percent of the student body participated.

The next step in the process is to propose the athletic fee to the state legislature. The state then has the opportunity to approve or decline the proposal. SGA plans to meet with the Texas Legislature Feb. 19 to 21.

The state legislature must approve the fee before it can go into effect. If approved by the state, students will pay the first part of the fee in the spring of 2014.

The first phase would be to reduce the student services fee, which is currently at $12 per credit hour, to $9 per credit

hour. It would begin implementing the athletics fee at $9 per credit hour as well. In the fall of 2014, the athletics fee would increase to $18 per credit hour.

If the athletics fee passes the state legislature, it will be a requirement for all students to pay.

If the state legislature declines the athletics fee, there would be no change in the student services fee and the ath-letics fee would be dismissed.

If the University wanted to re-propose the athletic fee, they would have to wait another two years due to the fact that the state legislature meets every other year.

Currently, the student services fee gets divided between athletics, colleges and other organizations, as decided by a committee in the spring.

The outgoing president of the student body, the incoming president, speaker of the senate and two other appointees of the president represent the student body on the committee.

The faculty members are Dr. Adam Peck, dean of student affairs; Beverly Farmer, director of student activities; Shelly

Lackey, director of divisional operations, and Deborah Sellman, director of budget.

Different organizations propose their prospective bud-get to the committee, then the members deliberate on how much they think each group should receive.

“Students get one more vote than faculty or staff gets,” Peck said. “There’s always one more student appointed than staff.”

Athletics currently gets the majority of its funding from tuition, but Peck hopes to reduce the amount they receive by adding the athletics fee.

According to Peck, if the fee passes it will reduce the amount athletics takes from tuition and will completely take athletics out of the student services fee.

“By moving athletics out of the student services fee, we could create increased opportunities for our student or-ganizations,” Peck said. “The amount of money we give to student organizations has been cut for the past three years.

“We haven’t had money to distribute, and it’s had to come from somewhere,” he continued. “It’s not just about athletics.”

According to Hagans, if the fee passes there would be more money to go toward professors, faculty and different

departments to help their development of work. He would like to see more hands-on research inside and outside of class.

As of now, it’s unclear how athletics would use the money if the fee passes because it’s not known how much money they would receive. According to Hagans, athletics hopes to use the money to keep its facilities up to date.

“There’s been talk of repairing the roof of the Coliseum,” Hagans said. “They’ve also looked at possibly replacing turf on the football field.”

The athletics fee was proposed by the administration, and had to receive a two-thirds vote from SGA approving of the resolution before students were allowed to vote.

In the past, there have been referendums for students to vote on a Student Center fee and a Rec Center fee. Both fees passed, and the money helped expand the Student Center and build a recreational facility.

By Emily JensenStaff Writer

When students really like a teach-er, they usually write an outstand-ing course evaluation and leave it at that. However, students of econom-ics teacher Dr. Mark Scanlan decided to create a new fashion statement to honor the SFA economics professor.

Seniors Lauren Watts, Kelli Hermes, Sarah McClure and Jack Hines created shirts with the phrase “Scanlanomics” to show their appreciation to Scanlan.

“We just sort of did it like a ‘thank you’ to Dr. Scanlan for being such a great teacher,” McClure said.

“I think he’s probably the main rea-son that all of us are economics ma-jors,” Hermes added.

The shirts were made originally just for Watts, Hermes, McClure and Hines,

but once students saw them, there had to be more.

There have been about 25 orders for the Scanlanomics shirts. However, as of now, there are no plans for any future orders.

“After they did the shirts and wore them around, students saw them and asked about the shirts,” Scanlan said. “I’ve also had friends from other uni-versities see them and want it.”

Watts had the idea at the beginning of the semester, and the group or-dered shirts, not knowing they would be such a hit with his students.

“He really cares about all of the stu-dents,” McClure said. “He’ll help you really figure stuff out.”

Scanlan said he was a little embar-rassed at first but appreciates how the students have taken such an interest in economics. He was also unaware they

were making shirts until one of the students warned him.

“I like how they’re getting so in-volved and having fun with econom-ics,” Scanlan said. “I thought it was silly at first, but I’m glad they did it.”

Watts, Hermes, McClure and Hines are graduating at the end of the semes-ter, each with an economics degree that they credit to Scanlan.

“He’s the reason we’re all good friends and economics majors; we just wanted to say thank you,” Watts said.

This is Scanlan’s eighth year teaching at SFA. Next semester he’ll be teaching ECO 232, Principles of Microeconomics, as well as ECO 480, International Economics.

Any students interested in purchase a Scanlanomics shirt can order online here: http://skreened.com/action/cre-ate/ #lusqmiuowabxiuqmaoic

Page Two Thursday, December 6, 2012PINE LOGTHE

BANITA CREEKPROPERTIES

(936) 560-4768 ~ 327 W. College St Nacogodoches, Texas 75965

Banita Creek Ponderosa Pines528 Tangleberry Drive327 West College St.

NORTHVIEW CONDOSLOWERED RENTS!!!

1BR Apartments Starting at $500 plus elec. 2BR/2BA Flats & Townhouses

Starting at $610, plus elec.

$200 dep required

In c lu d e s : Water / Tr a sh & W/D Hookups

On North St Between SFA & Wal-Mart $10 app.

CALL NOW!!!936-250-2667

The Holidays are HERE!

Come get your special gifts!

the “Goat” did

Who knew that eating healthy could taste so good?

$ 1.0

0 Off

AnniversAry CelebrAtionNow Open at 11am

of a

ny s

moo

thie

Nice Clean Brick Home1700 square foot, 2 bedroom, 1 bath

Comes with 500 square foot bungalow - ideal for studio or mother-in-law apartment

Country settingFour miles from SFA

Two miles from Walmart/Medical Center on North Street

936.554.8580

RV Spaces For RentVery quiet, well-maintained park

Four miles from SFATwo miles from Walmart/Medical

Center on North Street936.554.8580

• Minutes from SFA campus • Free Internet and Cable

• Free Hot Water and Trash • Large Swimming Pool

• Decks and Patios • Assigned Parking Spaces

• Large 2 Bedrooms • Washer/Dryer in most units

• Furnished units avalable • Resident Security Gaurd

Lock in Current Rates for Spring and Fall Semester

$200 Credit Card for all leases signed by December 1st

$

Woodforest, a student apartment community, is situated in a lovely woodland setting with 156 units and four spacious floor plans to fit your lifestyle and budget complete with free individual expanded cable and high speed broadband internet connections in each unit

2614 North University Drive Nacogdoches, TX 75965 936.564.7238Woodforest Apartments

SFA Faculty Senate will host Travis Clardy Dist. 11 State

Representative-Elect2:30—4 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 12BPSC Tiered Meeting Rm.

Everyone invited to attend

Fin

al E

xam

Sch

edu

le •

Fal

l 201

2

• Exams for off-campus courses should be given during the week of exams.

• Exams for evening courses not listed above should be given during their regularly scheduled time.

T-shirts honor prof’s teaching prowess

Referendum vote moves athletic fee forward

CMYK

PINE LOGTHE

SAA Cinema

PresentsBaker Pattillo

Student Center$1 Students

$2 Faculty-Staff $3 Community

*$2 Combo Packs*

SAA Movie Line936.468.6554Pitch Perfect

Rated PG-13

Be Sure To Check Out A Brand New Line-Up Of Movies

Next Semester!Starting With:

Paranormal Activity 4

Rated R

SAA Movie Line936.468.6554

Brought to you by SAA

• RefurbishedComputersandCustomBuiltGamingComputers!

• FinancingForComputersAvailable!

$5.00 offpurchasesup to $100.00

$10.00 off purchases$100.00 or more

10% off all computer repairs & parts

Offer Only Valid With Coupon!

2407NorthStreetSuite101Nacogdoches,TX75965

936-205-5645

DiscountComputerDepotAustin Place Apartments

Student Move-In Special!!!$99/ No Deposit

with one year lease

ALL BILLS PAID including WiFi and Cable

Newly Updated, Efficient and we have ceiling fans!

1 BR and 2 BR units available

3220 North Street Nacogdoches, TX 75965

CALL: 936.559.9180

Thursday, December 6, 2012 Page Three

Alpha Tau Omega will be delivering over 2,200 toys to the Boys and Girls Club at 4 p.m. Friday after hosting a toy drive competition among the five Panhellenic sororites during November. Overall Alpha Chi Omega won by donating the most toys; Chi Omega was second.

Sororities help ATO with toy drive

Courtesy Photo

star; it’s about helping the team.” In August of 2011, Belt received his lasting nickname, “Baby Giraffe.”

This was coined by an announcer during a game against Milwaukee because he said Belt looked awkward running around the left outfield. Belt explained that he was trying to catch a fly ball with the lights in the famous stadium shining down in his eyes. The name stuck with the fans, however, and a baby giraffe was actu-ally named after him at at Six Flags Marine World in California. Belt was hesitant about the name at first, but now admits that he has embraced the nation’s love for his awkwardness.

“I love giraffes,” he said. Now that he is a champion Belt said that his goal is to become an even better

player for the team as well as himself. The offseason for Belt was only the month of November to relax and eat as much Tex Mex as he could manage, he said. As of Dec. 1, Belt was to be back at the gym working to defend the title, he said.

Belt said he understands hard work is the only way to reach his potential. He plans to work hard in the offseason and said, “I want to be the best player in the league.”

Belt, page 1

Save the DateSpring Involvement Fair

January 15, 20136—8 p.m.

Organizations can find registration forms in their mailboxes and on Axes through my SFA under the Involvement Center.

Turn paper forms in by Dec. 12 or fill out the form on Axes by Jan. 11. For more information call the Involvement Center at 936-468-6721.

CMYK

Pine LogThe

Thursday, December 6, 2012Page FourOpinions

“I love that it’s not too far from home, but far enough for us to be independent. Also purple looks good on everyone!” —Heather Taylor

“I love the small town feel while still meeting people from a wide range of backgrounds and locations.” —Grant Korbel

“I love the amount of school spirit! And I love that it’s not too big and not too small.” —Becca Lyles

“I love that it is a quite campus and that there are a lot of diversity on it.” —Nic Maucieri

“I love that you don’t have to shell out ridiculous amounts of money to be involved in Greek life on campus.” —Jordan Boyd

“I love that you really get a sense of community at SFA. A lot of larger universities are so spread out that you may never get to meet anyone from a different major than your own. At SFA, everyone gets a chance to interact on the medium-sized, wonderfully-landscaped campus..” —Stephanie Slabaugh

“I love how you know everyone on a personal level. You can walk down the hallways or on campus and know people everywhere” —Collin Rutherford

Want your fellow Lumberjacks to know what you love about SFA? Send an e-mail to tmix@thepinelog.com and tell us what you value about your University.

What I love about SFA...

EDITOR HannaH COlE

ManaGInG EDITORJESSICa GIllIGan

OPInIOn EDITORTInESHa MIX

SPORTS EDITORJORDan BOYD

aDVERTISInG ManaGER lInDSEY BOTHUM

PHOTO EDITORJEnnIFER ROGERS

EnTERTaInMEnT EDITORZOE REIMER

COPY EDITORJESSICa laYFIElD

FEaTURES EDITORKaSI DICKERSOn

Fall 2012 Editorial BoardOpinionsPolicy

✓ Write a letter to Grinding the ax. Follow the guidelines on the left. Sign your name, and your letter will likely appear on this very page.

✓ Or use our website to submit a letter to Grinding the ax. It’ll save you a trip to the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

✓ Post feedback to our stories online. Hit the “Comments” button at the end of a story, and let us have it. We can take it.

We’re lookingfor your

FEEDBACKOpinions expressed in this section of The Pine log are those of the individual writer or cartoonist and do not necessarily reflect those of the University, its administrative officers or Board of Regents.

letters should be typed and should include the student’s hometown, classification, campus identification number and phone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit letters for space, spelling, grammar and potentially libelous material. letters should not be longer than 300 words. any letter that does not follow this criteria will not be

axes up to Kay Bailey Hutchinson being selected as the commencement speaker for winter graduation.

axes down to Dead Week. We might as well all head to Wal-Mart and stock up on our coffee grounds and filters.

axes up to Christmas break hiding around the corner. This semester has just been far too hectic.

axes up to the cold front coming in this weekend. It’s finally beginning to feel like Christmas!

axes down to going an entire month with-out our daily college festivities. looks like we’re all about to catch up on our sleep.

By Kay Bailey HutchinsonTexas Senior Senator

americans are understandably uncertain about the full extent of the damage to our economy if Congress and the White House fail to agree on deficit reduction and taxes to avoid the January 1, 2013 “fiscal cliff.” But most taxpayers do know that their taxes are going up on January 1 if agreement isn’t reached.

I still believe that a timely, bipartisan agreement can be finalized. But time is growing short, and the White House and Congressional leaders need to commit to serious negotiations.

Thus far, the President has only talk-ed about tax increases on “wealthy” tax-payers (individuals who make more than $200,000 and joint filers who make more than $250,000). If the President gets his way, however, hundreds of thousands of small businesses would be hit by these higher taxes and new hiring would remain weak.

Most small business owners declare busi-ness profits on their personal tax returns and are taxed at the personal tax rates. In the most recent year for which data is avail-able, 4.3 million small businesses filed and paid taxes at individual tax rates. Of those, 1.2 million would be affected by the pro-posed tax increase. Small businesses are the engines of our economy. They are re-sponsible for driving most of the job growth in this country, providing approximately 55 percent of private sector jobs. and the most dynamic job-creators are found within the 1.2 million small businesses that would be hit with higher taxes.

On my June bus tour in central and south Texas, I talked to a number of small business owners about what higher taxes would mean. In Uvalde, I talked to Donald

Mclaughlin of DKM Enterprises, who owns a steel salvage and distribution company. His is among america’s tens of thousands of small and medium-sized manufactur-ers, many of them centers of cutting-edge technology and employers of some of the most skilled workers in the world. nearly seven out of eight of small manufacturers pay their taxes at personal income tax rates. These companies already pay higher taxes than competitors in Germany and China. Raising their taxes even more will make them less competitive, and opportunities to grow and create more good-paying jobs will be lost.

also set to take effect on January 1 is a huge jump in the estate tax, referred to as the “death tax” by small-business owners. If action isn’t taken, when a family business owner dies, his or her survivors will pay

a 55 percent estate tax on assets: equip-ment, land and inventory. The increase will boost death tax liabilities by more than one-third on most family-owned businesses and threaten to force many to close and liqui-date in order to pay the IRS. Particularly hard-hit will be ranchers and farmers, who could be forced to sell land in an unfavor-able real-estate market.

Proposed tax rate hikes would come on top of the Obamacare taxes that begin in earnest in 2013: higher Medicare health-insurance taxes, a new health-insurance penalty tax, costs of government health-insurance mandates, and taxes on employ-ers that provide relatively generous cov-erage. The Joint Committee on Taxation projects that, beginning in 2013, the costs of Obamacare on small businesses will rise to more than $100 billion per year. In addi-

tion there will be a 3.8 percent surcharge on capital gains and dividend taxes.

The looming fiscal cliff could set back our economy and our small businesses for years. Higher taxes will hammer down job growth and make only a small dent in the huge budget deficit – which will exceed $1 trillion for the fourth consecutive year. We need serious engagement in Washington on the two critical issues: reducing skyrocket-ing federal spending and enacting compre-hensive tax reform. It is the only way to get the economy back on track. In the next few weeks, I’ll be putting forward my ideas on these two crucial problems.

Hutchison, a Republican, is the senior U.S. senator from Texas.

Hutchinson: ‘Don’t raise taxes on small businesses’

CMYK

PINE LOGTHE

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Learn how rugby matches up against American football

Page Five

SFA rugby history, future explored

Courtesy Photo by Josh Kuykendall SFA’s Rugby Team sports pink jerseys in support of breast cancer awareness.

Photo Illustration by Kasi Dickerson

By Kasi DickersonFeatures Editor

Spectators won’t hear the clashing screams of polycarbonate helmets smashing together in a bone-crushing pile up. They won’t see 22 players suited in

protective gear lining up shoulder-to-shoulder on the line of scrimmage. No downs or time outs will interrupt the play. For two 40-minute halves, fans will witness two teams of 15 men battle for victory in a rugby match. Much like football, rugby demands not only physical skill and superior prowess, but it also matches man against man in a battle without athletic armor.

“Rugby is now the third fastest growing sport in the U.S.,” according to a 2010 sports participation study conducted by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA).

Rugby fever has hit many high schools and colleges prompting many rugby club teams, and SFA has been feeling the heat since 1974.

In the fall of 1974, two SFA students with little rugby experience started SFA’s Rugby Club. Without many games or guidance, the team folded their season in Spring 1975. When one of the current rugby team coaches, Robert Fleet, came to SFA as a faculty member that fall, SFA’s rugby world changed.

“I had been playing rugby at Texas A&M, and I was sorely sad that SFA did not have a rugby team because I wanted to keep playing,” Fleet said.

Once the team was approved, the vice president of student affairs gave them $300 as funding. Having the most experience on the team, Fleet became both a player and the coach.

“We played our first game against Lamar in Beaumont, and they beat us 16-6,” Fleet said. “We were just thrilled we played the whole game, were still standing and learned something. It started there, and we haven’t looked back since. It is a lot more sophisticated now.”

SFA’s rugby season officially started in mid-November when they played their first cup game against Denton. SFA beat Denton, 76-24.

“We have an excellent team. I really don’t see us losing many games this year,” said SFA Rugby Team member, Steffen ‘Nacho’ Carrillo. “Rugby is the most physically dynamic game possible. In places like New Zealand and Australia, it’s like Friday night football.”

SFA crushed the Dallas Diablos, 108-0, this past Saturday.

“The team really came together and played with a lot of cohesion and it was simply fantastic to watch and be a part of,” Carrillo said.

The team plays its last cup match against Ft. Sill at 2 p.m. Sat., Dec. 8, at SFA’s intramural rugby pitch across from the Rec Center.

Fleet remembers his last brutal match with Ft. Sill.“I’ve played them before; we beat them but you

don’t walk away without hurting something,” Fleet said. “This will be our most difficult match. I don’t know if they are skilled, but they are definitely physically fit. This will be the first real test with a club that can keep up with us physically.”

The season continues through April, and coach Patrick Kuhns says it has been “so far, so good.”

“This year’s team is much better because there is a lot more experience,” Kuhns said.

In 2010, SFA won state for Division III and won the Fall 2009 Rugbyfest, the biggest rugby tournament in Texas.

This season the team switched from the Collegiate

League to the Mens Division III League. Opponents include teams from The Woodlands, Dallas and Houston areas. Team members do not have to be SFA students, however the majority are.

“Changing our division provided the opportunity for some guys who are local, but don’t fall under the student regulation, the opportunity to play,” Kuhns said.

To join the team, visit the coaches at any rugby practice from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday at the rugby pitch.

“Just come on out,” Fleet said. “Bring your mouth piece and a pair of cleats and we’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Hookers, scrumming and rucking replace quarterbacks, fouls and tackles when rugby players hit the

pitch for a match. Although a rugby match may start off with a coin flip and a kickoff like football, similarities are slim from here on.

Field■ Unlike football, rugby is a

continuous game played in meters on a pitch with 15 starters holding specific positions with eight forwards, six backs and a scrum-half.

Rugby has two 40-minute halves with no downs or time-outs while football has three time-outs per half. Football games have four 15-minute quarters.

Match officials, including one ref and two touch judges, control the rugby match while seven field officials control a football game.

Scrum-half■ Scrum-halfs are like team captains who

direct and call the plays. They are the rugby version of a quarterback, SFA Rugby player Steffen ‘Nacho’ Carrillo said.

“Scrum-halfs are like the prima donnas and divas of the team; you don’t want anyone to tackle your scrum-half,” Carrillo said. “If there was a princess on the team it would be him, but at the same time he is the most important player and that’s why you don’t ever want him getting hurt.”

A scrum forms after a violation or foul and in a scrum eight forwards from each team interlock and contest over the ball.

Forwards■ Forwards include props, locks, flankers, the eight-man and

hooker.“Forwards are the bigger guys known as ‘The Pack.’ They are the power

of the team,” Carrillo said. “They are like an offensive line; their job is to get the ball close enough to the opposite goal line so the backs can score.”

Standing at 5’ 8” and weighing 185 pounds, Carrillo “a short, solid guy,” has the ideal build for the hooker, which is a speciality position. His job is to “hook” the ball out of the scrum channel and back into play.

“The hooker is a very physical spot,” Carrillo said. “I’m the one who strikes for the ball in the scrum and does the line outs.”

Flankers are the tacklers and the eight-man is a big, strong and physical runner. Props are the biggest guys on the team and they support the scrum-half, making sure he keeps possession of the ball.

Backs■ Back positions are similar to a defensive line and consist of the fly-half, inside and outside

centers, wingers and a fullback.Typically a fast and smaller guy, the fly-half is the first guy in the back line and is the back line

captain.Inside and outside centers need to be bigger and stronger; moreover, ideal wingers are fast

and agile. Carrillo says, the fullback is the last line of defense and has one of the most important positions.

“They are the full-package rugby players,” Carrillo said. “They have to be well rounded players and be able to kick, tackle and catch the ball. The fullback’s job is to tackle anyone who breaks the defensive line and make sure that if anyone gets away they don’t score.”

Scoring■ Rugby players score five points in a try by touching the ball to

the ground in the try zone or in-goal area with an applied downward pressure. Trys are similar to touchdowns, but touchdowns are

worth six points. After scoring a try, the team attempts a two-point conversion goal with either a place or drop kick. In a drop kick, players must drop the ball and kick it as soon as it hits the ground. A drop goal is scored by kicking a goal from a drop kick in general play and is worth three points. In football, players can also try for extra points with a try after a touchdown with either a field goal kick or a two-point conversion.

Halftime■ Halftime breaks ranging from 5-10 minutes relieve rugby

players while a 12-minute half-time is used in football.“Halftime is mainly used for learning how to adapt to

the other team,” Carrillo said. “Traditionally, SFA has been a second-half team.”

Kickoff■ Unlike football, in a rugby kickoff the ball must go

10 meters either high or long and either team can gain possession.

Passing■ Players can only pass what SFA rugby coach Patrick Kuhns

describes as a “pregnant football without seams” backwards.“It is a curious sport in that the only way to advance the ball is to

pass it backwards,” Kuhns said.

Line-outs■ When the ball goes out-of-line or out-of-bounds, a line-out occurs,

meaning the forwards of both teams line up and the hooker throws the ball down the middle where the forwards then jump to catch it. Players can lift their

teammates up to catch the ball. Locks are the taller men who usually jump for the ball.

Rucking■ Tackles in rugby lead to rucking. In a ruck, the tackled player is on the ground and tries to

release the ball on the side where his teammates are while being pushed and pulled by opponents who want the ball. Vulnerable players on the ground are protected by their teammates who come up and bind them.

Gear■ Rugby players wear little gear. Mouthguards are required protective gear, but headgear, like

football helmets, are optional and are often not used. Players can wear shin guards, ankle supports, fingerless gloves and shoulder pads as long as they are approved by the International Rugby Board.

All football players wear helmets, mouthguards and five different pads including knee and shoulder pads. Additional padding depends on player position.

“In rugby it’s not about if you get injured, it’s about when and how bad,” Carrillo said. “You are going to get hurt, that’s the bottom line.”

Most rugby injuries are less serious in comparison to football.

By Kasi DickersonFeatures Editor

NEXT RUGBY MATCH

Who: SFA vs. Ft. Sill

When: 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8

Where: SFA rugby field across from The Rec

~ Sources: Laws of the Game, Rugby Union, NFL 2012 Rulebook

Rugby101

CMYK

Page Six Thursday, December 6, 2012

PINE LOGTHE

www.sfaalumni.com(936) 468-3407

Welcome to thealumni family!alumni family!

DiD you miss the senior senD-off?Come by the Alumni Center to transfer your property deposit for a free SFA Alumnilicense plate and a one-year membership!

Come by the Alumni Center to transfer your property deposit for a free SFA Alumnilicense plate and a one-year membership!

By Courtney SchmidtContributing Writer

Fencing, an art form rather than a brute, aggressive sport, is now here at SFA. Lead by Julianna Calkins, junior major, this sophis-ticated sport is available Monday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. in the HPE rock wall room.

Today’s modern fencing originated in Spain in the 18th century with the develop-ment of the three different types of weap-ons: foil, saber and epée.

“The SFA Fencing club is currently a non-competitive club,” Calkins said, “with the main weapons fenced being foil and epee.”

Foil targets the torso, including the back excluding the bib or the arms. Touches are scored only with the tip. SFA’s Fencing Club uses this foil technique. Only either fencer can score a single hit at one time.

“If both fencers hit at the same time,” sig-naling a tie, Calkins said, “the referee uses the right-of-way rules to determine which fencer gets the point.”

Equipment in fencing includes a form-fit-ting jacket, an underarm protector, gloves, knickers, knee-length socks, flat-sole shoes, mask, bib and a chest protector. In foil, a lamé is also used. This is a layer of electrical material worn over the fencing jacket that covers the target area.

Since the object of the game, or sport, of fencing is to hit the other person without being hit, it is a sport based on dueling practices. However, with the many rules of touching, attacks and technique, it is possi-ble that the judges miss something because they were focusing on something else.

“It gets hard as a director to remember everything sometimes.” Calkins said, “The rules of ‘right of way’ keep getting more and more convoluted as they add on, but the overall rules of the sport are there to protect the participants and everyone involved.”

During a match, the judges, footwork

and technique aren’t the only thing a fencer needs to remember. According to Calkins, it is important to remember to rely on instinct and the footwork, technique and blade work that a fencer has been working on.

Fencing, also referred to as “physical chess,” is mostly about analyzing the op-ponent. It is important, Calkins said, to fig-ure out what the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses are and how you can use your strengths to win the bout.

“Fencers should be thinking only how to best maneuver and use what they’ve learned in lessons to win. It’s a mind game!” Calkins said.

Audiences also have things to remember while watching a tournament or match. Because of the constant noise that includes blades connecting, coaches shouting and buzzers going off, the audience doesn’t nec-essarily have to be quiet. However, they can be issued a yellow card, red card or black card. A yellow card is issued for minor things, a red card is more serious and a black card is when a person is banned from the event until the following year.

“That’s always a little entertaining,” Calkins said.

It is also important to remember that safety is the golden rule of fencing. With all of the protective gear, it is a necessity to remember corrective footwork, lunging and blade work.

“The most common form of injury are bruises on your arm, legs and collarbone,” Calkins said. “Any other serious injury is usually self-inflicted.”

Self-inflicted injuries include knee dam-age from incorrect lunging or broken bones, which is rare. According to Calkins, a fencer may choose to do a fleche, where a fencer runs at your opponent. However, there is a possibility of rolling an ankle while doing this.

SFA’s Fencing Club teaches this respect

along with the foil technique, finesse, pre-cision and thought. Because Calkins enjoys the traditional aspect of the sport, the club also learns about the specific sportsman-ship of the sport.

“I like the old-fashioned courtesies it re-quires, such as saluting before and after every bout, shaking hands with your oppo-nent after a bout, and respecting the person who is directing the bout,” Calkins said.

The club’s goal is to become a sports club under Campus Rec and compete with other Texas colleges. However, in order to achieve that goal, certain requirements need to be met such as finances, competition plans and equipment organization.

“Our goal is to provide an opportunity for experienced fencers to continue fencing in college and for college students who are in-terested to try fencing and be able to come and learn basic footwork and blade work,” Calkins said.

Calkin’s three-week rule is essential be-cause fencers who come three weeks in a row understand by then if they would like to continue or not, and all level fencers are welcomed.

“By then, they have learned the basic footwork, blade work and have fenced other people,” Calkins said. “So on the third time, I ask them for membership.”

cschmidt@thepinelog.com

SPORTSFencing gaining popularity on SFA campus

Courtesy Photo/Fencing Club

Fencing, or “physical chess” as many within the sport refer to it as, is growing here at SFA. “Our goal is to provide an opportunity for experienced fencers to continue fencing in college,” Julianna Calkins said.

Approximately 20 members of the SFA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) showed up at GODTEL Ministries Monday eve-ning in downtown Nacogdoches to serve chili. Several of the ath-letes gathered to make the chili including Abreanna Massey (trainer), Adam Saloom (cross

country/track and field), Allison Flake (women’s golf), Torin Crowder (track and field) and Laura Servise (tennis).

“We ask a lot of the Nacogdoches community, and they are always there to sup-port our athletics department throughout the year,” said Joe

Minden, a redshirt freshman quarterback. “This is just a small way for us to give back to a com-munity that does so much for us.”

The athletes began serving the chili at 5:30 Monday eve-ning. Following their work in the kitchen, the student-athletes got

rid of the aprons and hairnets and moved to the dining area where the spent the rest of the evening visiting with those who stopped by for a meal.

GODTEL Ministries is a Christian-based organization that seeks to meet the needs of those in the area.

Student athletes give back to Nacat GODTEL