15 seconds to fame: How Instagram turned the snowboard world on its head

Posted on April 18, 2018 by comm5775

Facing a potential avalanche of unhappy snowboarders and the snowboarding industry as a whole, production companies and even ski resorts are in the midst of a change of seismic proportions on how they promote snowboarding.

In the past, snowboard media has been consumed through magazine subscriptions, “ski porn” movie releases by production crews every fall and online videos posted to websites such as Snowboarder.com.

But Instagram turned that all upside down five years ago in a shift that leveled the slopes. The social-media platform effectively democratized the self-promotion and exposure of the elite and those clawing their way to the top of the sport.

In June 2013 the social-media platform started to allow users to post 15-second videos, and with that Instagram changed from being a photo-sharing platform to primarily video sharing. Users were then able to receive instant gratification — and responses — by opening up the app and simply scrolling down through 15-second videos.

Soon these 15-second videos became one of the main ways to view snowboard media, allowing snowboarders to share and view snowboarding media without spending as much time — or money — consuming them.

“It allows up-and-coming snowboarders to get more exposure and make a name for themselves,” Gnu Snowboards Mid Atlantic rider, Cameron Dunmyer, said about the introduction of videos to instagram.

Cameron Dunmyer by a street spot at sunset, February 2017. Photo by Brady McCarthy

Independent snowboard production companies began to decline a decade ago. Today, they are almost obsolete. Ian Macy, the content creator and video content specialist for Woodward Copper and Terrain park Marketing Coordinator for Seven Springs, Pa., said production companies aren’t receiving the same backing from snowboard companies to “buy-in” their riders to the movie.

“The amount of full-production snowboard video crews in the last five years has dropped significantly,” Macy said.

In the past, companies’ underwriting money would not only pay for companies’ rider’s participation, but the entire production, from film crews and their equipment to travel and other expenses. Instagram and other social-media platforms have eroded much of that spending as companies realize they get more reach — and their dollar goes farther — with brand videos and other content distributed over social media.

Instead, snowboard companies increasingly turn to contract filmmakers, who are now paid to produce online content and even full-team movies, because they then have complete control over the project rather than underwrite independent film crews.

In an attempt to stay relevant, video crew Absinthe Films has leveraged social media in promoting their new project. Last year Absinthe had to resort to crowdfunding after struggling to keep people interested and in turn receive enough money to produce their project, Turbo Dojo.

This year they have been incorporating social media and live streams of filming sessions at famous spots with big-name riders, allowing the consumer to get a behind the scenes look at the filming process. This method of presenting media has also proved to keep potential consumers excited about the upcoming project.

Independent film companies aren’t the only ones taking advantage of social media as a marketing strategy. The No. 1 park on the East Coast, according to Transworld Snowboarding’s 2017 Park Poll, Seven Springs has decided to switch their media marketing to only involve social media for the 2017-2018 season.

The Seven Springs sign illuminated by Christmas lights. Photo courtesy of Tanner Scott.

Historically, Seven Springs released a web series on Snowboarder.com, “The Seven Deadly Edits.” Macy explained people aren’t watching those videos the way they did just five years ago. He also said that single Instagram clips of one trick are getting more views, likes and comments than a full three-minute video that required more effort, meeting internal demand for more viewers.

“If it’s the right thing and it’s presented a certain way, it could blow that typical three minute edit out of the water,” Macy said.

Macy said it’s hard to predict the future of snowboarding media, but there isn’t consensus when it comes to consumers’ tastes. He said a mix of the old and new ways of presenting snowboarding will work the best.

Instead of filming for a video and incorporating social media into the process, some productions are being released incrementally as videos throughout the year. DC Transistors and Forest Bailey’s FSBS are two examples of video projects being released throughout the year highlighting specific trips that would usually constitute a full movie.

“DC Transistors” crew member Jordan Morse at the Rail Gardens. Photo by Brady McCarthy

It’s also forced filming to start earlier in the year for riders in the DC crew. Brady Lem, a DC Transistors crew member, said he wasn’t excited at first about the early street mission experience in “DC Transistors Episode 1: The Early Hunt.”

“Kinda was bummed on going on a street trip this early at first, but now looking back on it I’m pretty excited that we did it,” Lem said.

Think Thank, a film production company known for its creative take on snowboarding videos, has taken a similar approach but with a different layout. The company’s project this year, “Falling Leaf,” has followed riders throughout their travels. Think Thank now releases “Leafs” at certain points throughout the season.

What makes their project different from others is that it’s presented in a mini-magazine format on the internet. The “Leafs” include photos, videos and text allowing the best of all forms of media that can be quickly accessed by viewers without giving up the interactive experience of a magazine or movie.

“I mean the short of it is that riders are more in control of content now because movies are less viable,” said Justin “Stan” Leville, host of the popular snowboarding news show, “Last Resort With Stan.”

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Outdoor Retailer show says bye-bye to Utah, but does the Beehive State care?

Posted on April 18, 2018 by comm5775

Annual shows have new home but its departure from Utah may have less impact than you think.

Story by LUKE FORTUNE

A tourist staple and economic driver for 20 years, the renowned Outdoor Retailer shows, which brought the outdoor industry’s blue-chip businesses and top athletes to the Wasatch Front, no longer calls Utah home.

In 2017, the shows’ organizers, citing opposition to reducing Bears Ears National Monument and other land management policies by federal and state officials, announced their decision to leave Utah for Colorado.

“We chose Denver because of Colorado’s long-term commitment to protecting and nurturing public lands,” Marisa Nicholson, director of the Outdoor Retailer trade show, said.

While the departure has left a black mark on the Beehive State outdoor recreation industry and image, how much of a hole it will leave in Utah’s economy is unclear. Nate Furman, a University of Utah professor in the parks, recreation and tourism department, said it’s more of a lost opportunity that will affect Salt Lake City in the short term.

“In the long term, I don’t think that it will have major effects, as the gravity of national politics will drown out any effects of whether or not the show is held on the western margin of the Rocky Mountains or the eastern margin,” Furman said.

The Outdoor Retailer shows have drawn tens of thousands of tourists and athletes from around the world who come for the latest in outdoor equipment and to sample the state’s recreational offerings.

The trade shows pulled out of Utah in protest after the Trump administration and Utah politicians chose to shrink two controversial national monuments. Along with the proposed reduction of Bears Ears by 85 percent, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is slated to be cut in half. As a proponent of public lands, the trade shows’ leadership took a stand in protest, as did many companies that attend the convention.

Outdoor industry stalwarts, including California-based retailers Patagonia and The North Face, met with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert after President Trump’s the decision to reduce Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The companies ultimately decided that moving the show from its longtime home of Utah would be the best choice for their industry as a whole.

“I say enough is enough,” Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia’s founder, said in a statement. “If Governor Herbert doesn’t need us, we can find a more welcoming home. Governor Herbert should direct his Attorney General to halt their plans to sue and support the historic Bears Ears National Monument.”

Over the past 20 years, Outdoor Retailer has brought 40,000 visitors annually to Utah during their twice-yearly shows, which run for three days at a time. Additionally, the shows have brought $45 million in consumer spending.

While these numbers may seem large, the loss hardly puts a dent into Utah’s roughly $13 billion tourism economy. The outdoor recreation industry brings in $12.3 billion in consumer spending a year as well as $737 million in state and local tax revenue, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. While Utah as a whole will most likely see little impact, local businesses may see mixed outcomes, depending on their size.

Smaller companies may have a harder time as they relied on the increased sales the shows brought, but shouldn’t be hit too hard, said Sunn Kim, the retail store manager at local Utah company Backcountry.com.

With annual revenue of $634.54 million, Backcountry.com makes most of its sales online, allowing it to weather the shows’ departure with little impact on its bottom line. The company has a small retail shop that may be affected by the departure.

“I believe the departure of [Outdoor Retailer] will have a more immediate impact on Utah’s outdoor industry and economy,” Kim said. “I believe that smaller businesses focused on tourism will suffer, but this impact will only be temporary.”

Bryce Canyon, UT: Courtesy of Jenna Henry

Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument,UT: Courtesy of Jenna Henry

Outdoor clothing company Patagonia’s political stance on the reduction of national monuments in Utah was a major reason why the annual Outdoor Retailer trade shows moved out of the state. That departure may have little effect on retailers like Utah-based Backcountry.com, shown above. Photo by Luke Fortune

Valley of the Gods, Bears Ears National Monument, UT: Courtesy of Creative Commons

Backcountry.com retail store in Salt Lake City. P

Salt Lake City, UT: Previous home of Outdoor Retailer Courtesy of Creative Commons

All Rhoads lead to the Olympics

Posted on April 2, 2018 by comm5775

Story and photos by JOSEPH PARKER

It’s February in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Twenty-three-year-old ski jumper Will Rhoads sits on top of the hill, waiting for the right moment to begin his descent down the ramp. The cold, crisp breeze brushes his face as he prepares himself for the moment he has dreamed about since he first began ski jumping. After a decade of training and competition, Rhoads has finally earned his opportunity to compete for a spot on the podium at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Rhoads’ exposure to the Olympics began at a young age when his family moved from Concord, New Hampshire, to Park City, Utah. Rhoads’ father, David, had accepted a job with the Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2002 Salt Lake City games. Unbeknownst to Rhoads at the time, this cross-country move was the first step toward his professional career as a ski jumper.

“I kind of got into the sport by accident,” Rhoads said in a phone interview from Norway while preparing for the final competition of the ski jumping season. “My friend, Colton Kissell, started doing it. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time and he was, like, ‘Hey, I tried this thing called ski jumping, it’s super sweet, you’ve got to try it,’ and we were best friends at the time, so I was like, ‘OK.’”

After his first exposure to the sport, Rhoads was hooked. He began building his skill set at the Utah Olympic Park, located just a short drive from his home in Park City. The Olympic Park had been renovated for the 2002 Olympic Games and provided Rhoads an upper hand to improve his skills on state-of-the-art facilities.

Rhoads continued to progress in the sport throughout his youth, but his career really began to take off as he entered his teenage years. “Growing up, I was always pretty competitive,” Rhoads said. “It wasn’t until I was 12 or so that I realized [ski jumping] was something I could be good at, and that I wanted to be a World Cup-level, or potentially, Olympian ski jumper.”

At the age of 12, Rhoads began working on his professional ski jumping career with guidance from his coach and long-time role model, Clint Jones. “Growing up, [Clint] was the guy I was watching on TV,” Rhoads said. “I wanted to emulate as much of him as I could.”

Throughout his 17-year professional career, Jones was a member of seven World Championship teams and represented the United States during the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics. After retiring from competition, Jones began coaching the club team in Park City and would later serve as Rhoads’ head coach on the national ski jumping team. Currently Jones serves as team director for USA Nordic.

“Ski jumping is a pretty unique thing,” Jones said during a phone interview. “We’re looking for guys that are tall and skinny. You also need to have a pretty high strength-to-weight ratio, and most importantly is coordination and athleticism.” Rhoads stands 6-feet-3-inches tall and competes at a weight of 140 pounds, making him a perfect candidate for a sport where genetics play a crucial role in an athlete’s ability.

“Will is a pretty thin guy, but at the same time he’s powerful in the legs and has broad shoulders, which definitely helps him fly through the air,” said Jones. With guidance from his coach, Rhoads began making a name for himself throughout the United States ski jumping community.

After being named to the national ski jumping team, Rhoads was truly able to fly. He has won the Men’s Large Hill U.S. National Championship consecutively since 2015. In addition to his national titles, he has placed top-10 in numerous FIS Cups (International Ski Federation). Rhoads was also a member of the ski jumping team that won the 2015 Junior World Championship in Falun, Sweden. Aside from his official titles and medals, Rhoads became a member of the “200 Club” after jumping 201 meters in Slovenia at the Planica World Cup finals.

However, pursuing a professional athletic career is not always glory and fame; it comes with a few caveats.

During his adolescent years, Rhoads was unable to participate in other sports because so much of his time was dedicated to ski jumping. The time he spent in foreign countries, either for training or competition, kept him away from family and friends for extended periods. Despite the hardships that accompanied his sport, Rhoads has always kept his chin up and mind focused on the next challenge.

After 11 years of hard work, training and competition, Rhoads received the news he had long anticipated. While awaiting a Skype call from the U.S. Olympic Committee, Rhoads received a notification on his phone. He had been tagged in a post by the U.S. Ski Team, congratulating him on being officially named to the Olympic Team.

“To be honest, it was a little anti-climactic to learn I had made the Olympic team via Instagram, but I’ll take it. To see that I had actually made the team was really cool,” he said.

Christine Rhoads, the mother of Will Rhoads, was beyond ecstatic about her son’s Olympic status. “We always knew he could make it,” she said. “He worked so hard to get [to the Olympics] … as a mother there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your child accomplish their dream.”

Unfortunately, Rhoads did not do as well as he hoped on the Olympic stage. During a qualifying jump, the winds shifted, which caused him to lose valuable distance. As a result, Rhoads placed 51st out of a total 56 competitors in the men’s individual large hill competition. Regardless of his performance, Rhoads takes pride knowing he was finally able to fulfil his long-time dream of competing at the Olympics in the sport to which he had dedicated so much of his life.

As the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.” Rhoads is approaching the age where he may need to leave professional jumping behind in order to pursue a life-long career.

Rhoads said he desires to continue working in an athletic environment. He has considered the idea of becoming a physical therapist or even a doctor, specializing in sports medicine. His former coach, Clint Jones, hopes Rhoads will return to the U.S. Nordic Team as a coach himself, helping to inspire and train the next generation of Olympic ski jumpers.

Rhoads smiles in front of the American flag displayed in the judges box at the top of the K120 hill.

Rhoads sits on the bar which serves as the starting point for ski jumpers on the K120 hill.

Roads stands with his old skis at the bottom of the K120 hill at the Utah Olympic Park.

Rhoads giving two thumbs up next to a poster of himself mid-jump.

Rhoads sporting one of the many branded articles of clothing given to the 2018 Olympic athletes.

Rhoads stands with his old jumping skis in the equipment room where he spent much of his youth.

Rhoads sitting on the starting bar, looking down the ramp of the K120.

The view from the judges box located at the top of the K120.

Girls club soccer and the advantages learnt in and throughout the game

Posted on November 29, 2017 by comm5775

By TIFFANY HUYETTE

SALT LAKE CITY- There are those people in life that are special, something about them is intriguing and admirable, and you can tell that whatever their craft, they pour their heart and soul into it. One of these people is Bruce Cuppett, originally from Pipestone, Minnesota, Cuppett is a retired military veteran, soccer coach, and an important person in the development of Utah Youth Soccer Association.

“My dad worked for American Oil Company so about every two years we would move,” says Cuppett. “I went to three elementaries, two junior highs, and three high schools.” It wasn’t always easy. “I was a trouble maker when I was in school,” Cuppett says, adding that he “walking the thin line, on the good side and the bad side,” always trying to balance the fun. Occasionally, he’d “get slapped, and then get back in line,” he says.

Cuppett finished high school in Detroit in 1964, where he began junior college and building muscle cars. He then enlisted in the army in 1966, and was on active duty until 1972. Cuppett finished college, with a degree in business management, and rejoined the military until 1999 where he retired after thirty years.

“I never played soccer when I was growing up, when I went into the service is when I learned to play soccer,” Cuppett says. After moving to Utah in 1991, Cuppett’s son Andrew tried every sport but fell in love with soccer and started playing for the American Youth Soccer Organization. Andrew had a great first year coach said Cuppett, but his second-year coach was a “flake.” Concerned, the team parents nominated Cuppett as the new coach because he was the parent who knew the most about soccer. He was unlicensed for a short time, but he soon began moving through his first licensure on his way to becoming a better coach and to understanding the youth game.

So how is it he began coaching girls? Cuppett got a call from Sparta founder Ben Vandenhazel asking him to come and coach a girls’ team. “I don’t know anything about girls” Cuppett said, but he decided to take on the challenge. Years later, Cuppett is still coaching girls soccer, “It’s a much different game, to me it’s a game that I appreciate more than the boys game. I think the girls game is about working, about possessing the ball, looking for a seem in the defense and attacking the goal. Where boys typically are win the ball, and go to the goal all the time.” He described it as a prettier game, but harder to coach. “What I tell the older girls when I work with them was ‘you wanna get into college using your brains, because if you get hurt and you’re on academic scholarship your scholarship its still there’. It doesn’t matter if you’re on crutches or whatever, if you get there going the other way, and something happens you’re usually going to lose your scholarship.”

It can be hard to persevere in the sport. “Because you’re going to lose at some point,” says Anthony Frost, Marketer at UYSA. “You’re going to have the hard days at some point, you’re going to have hard times and ya gotta keep going.”

The key is that “ya gotta love it and ya gotta work it,” says Cuppett. “I believe athletes, when they train properly become very good in society because they are good at hitting bench marks along the way, which helps develop their skills to have in life.” An athlete needs to dedicate their own time to the game, he says.

Cuppett tries to teach his players to problem-solve and to be resilient. “If you’re in the real world and ya got a great job, and ya get a new boss, and the new boss is an absolute idiot, are ya gonna throw everything away? Or are ya gonna try figure out how to work with this person and how to continue. Because you’re on a good path right now and you don’t want to go back out and start all over again.”

Friend and Administrative Director of Coaching at UYSA, Holly Gundred, commented “as a team learning how to deal with heartbreak, you learn to take that and what do you do? You apply it and move on.”

Sports, much like life, is like a roller coaster, says Cuppett. “I think sports teaches you that every day it’s a win lose situation. How well you did in practice? How well you did in a match, ya know? how well did ya feel going into it?” If he can teach his players to be introspective, that’s when Cuppett will feel like he’s done his job.

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If your interested in reading the reflections on my story click here .

Reflection blog on girls club soccer and the advantages learnt in and throughout the game

Posted on November 29, 2017 by comm5775

In the beginning of pitching ideas for my enterprise story, I knew I wanted my story to be centered around athletics because that is where much of my knowledge and passion are found. I knew it would be easier to invest myself in a topic that I knew a lot about or had the motivation to learn more about. I decided to write about UYSA because growing up in Utah Youth Soccer was extremely beneficial in teaching me life skills and in teaching me how to deal with adversity.

Upon gathering information for my story from previous coaches and the Utah Youth Soccer website, I was able to get in touch with individuals from the admin side of UYSA, and eventually able to go to the new UYSA headquarters and interview a few different people. Upon meeting different people, I reconnected with a previous soccer trainer from my youth days who had both coached girls and worked on the admin side of UYSA.

I started my interviews asking each person what their specific job title was and how they had got the position they now obtained. I then asked about previous jobs and positions, and about their families. Then I went further into depth on the benefits of sports for adolescence. After the interviews I reviewed all my notes and was able to create a story. The best source for my story ended up being the man who had trained my team and other girls teams, and who also worked admin for UYSA.

The struggles I faced were mostly within getting to interview the people I was hoping to interview and within keeping my story within the word limit required. I had to find a way to both include the details I wanted and the details I needed, while also having to distinguish between what I could keep in my story and what I needed to take out. All while trying to tell a story well, intrigue readers, and fit within the word limit.

I was able to choose the focus of my story when I listened over my interviews and had to decide what would be interesting to readers of all types, and what wouldn’t be interesting. I also really wanted to tell a good story, so I had to find a point of view where I could story tell, while still being able to keep inline with my story topic. The writing process was lengthy, and the story ended up extensively exceeding the word limit. I then had to delete any parts that were not necessary, or that did not point back to the story pitch. It was a process of writing a story that would be both interesting and informative to readers, while at the same time telling a story well. I learned that I am much more of a story writer than a news writer but that it is beneficial to add brevity to whatever I’m writing.

Looking back, I am very surprised with where my story ended up going. It ended up being a feature story about a specific person and an organization. I learned much about UYSA through my interview with Bruce but also about Bruce as a person. I was able to attain life wisdom as well as coaching wisdom for young athletes and the parents of athletes.

Link to my story here and my bio here.

Historian says rock climbing culture has lost social aspect

Posted on April 24, 2012 by comm5775

story by ELLEN LEWIS

“Climbers’ tales cast light on themselves and the central themes of their time, nature, technology, ect,” said an environmental historian during his guest lecture March 5 at the University of Utah Marriot Library.

“Climbing Alone: The Estranging Trend in Outdoor Sports” focused on how climbing, once a social sport, has evolved to be individualized through changes in technology and society’s attitudes toward nature.

“I would have never expected climbing to have such a interesting history,” said Courtney Gaylord. She attended the lecture because of her affiliation with Mountain Hardware and their sponsorship of professional climbers. “It went from being ‘us’ to ‘me’, it says a lot about climbers, but also about sports in general.”

The problem today is we only focus on the story of heroes said Joseph E. Taylor, a published history professor at Simon Fraser University. Beginning his presentation with a film clip of the 1963 Everest Expedition, Taylor said the sport of climbing has not always been about individuals celebrating risk and pushing boundaries.

Up until the 1960s climbing was a collection of friends out to have fun, environmental clubs with a social focus including dinner parties and often times dating.

“What they did in nature was deeply related to what they did outside,” Taylor said. These “middle class white playgrounds” focused on relationships rather than the individual approach climbing takes today.

Starting in the 1960s, as standards of living were raised and technology increased, the social way of climbing began to die out. Climbers began to separate themselves as heroes Taylor said, and became less collective.

Athletes had their own cars and equipment so the clubs became less necessary. Climbers aimed to separate themselves as heroes. The sport became more of a lifestyle than an activity.

“The ‘us’ had been lost in climbing culture,” Taylor said. Climbers went as far as breaking laws and living in Yosemite Park so they could climb full time.

Taylor’s lecture was based on his most recent book “Pilgrims of the Vertical: Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk,” which won the National Outdoor Book Award for History.

Tall and clean cut, Taylor is a climber himself, and the historian in him drew him to find deeper themes within the climbing culture.

“[Utah] is the epicenter of the climbing and industry,” said Taylor. The lecture was hosted by the American West Center and Utah Humanities Council. Matt Bass, director of the American West Center brought Taylor here because of the local interest Utahans have in climbing.

BCS PLAYOFF RUMORS PIQUING INTEREST OF UTAH FAITHFUL

Posted on April 24, 2012 by comm5775

by Andrew S. Jones

SALT LAKE CITY – The 2012 season is a mere four months away and marks the second for Utah as members of the PAC-12 conference. With a respectable inaugurating season last fall punching a record of 8-5, the Utes wrapped up spring football at the annual Red vs. White game last Saturday at Rice-Eccles stadium, and are now shifting into high gear for the upcoming season in pursuit of a national championship. While still getting comfortable being in a conference that holds a fast track to big ticket post season games, the Utes may have to prepare for a potential playoff as well.

Division I college football has never had tournament style post-season play to determine a champion. The current system is known as the Bowl Championship Series, which was formed in 1998 by Division I’s six biggest conferences.

According to the BCS official website, the purpose of the current system is to simply place the top two ranked teams in the nation to play against each other and deem the winner of this game as the national champion.

While the theory is simple and straightforward, there has been much controversy over the fairness, legitimacy, and even accuracy of this relatively subjective system to determine ranks.

One major point of the controversial ranking system is that it gives significant advantage to the six largest conferences in the nation that originally formed, and make up the current body of, the BCS. These conference champions have automatic “bids” to one of the five BCS bowl games which line up conference champion winners from two of the six conferences. There are only two “at large” spots for other high ranking teams, which traditionally are most often picked from one of the “automatic qualifying” conferences again. This in turn snubs other “non-automatic qualifying” conferences from playing for a championship or one of the other at-large games regardless of how their teams perform throughout the season.

Utah has had its run-ins with the lopsided favor of the current system, but has also been on the forefront of significant systematic changes. As members of the Mountain West conference, Utah did not automatically qualify for postseason BCS bowl games. However, in 2004, the Utes earned the title as the original ‘BCS Buster’ after an undefeated season under the direction of then Head Coach Urban Myer and Quarterback Alex Smith. Their record allowed a high enough rank to force the BCS to allow Utah to play in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Pittsburgh, the Big East Conference Champions. Utah won 35-7, to cap a perfect 13-0 season but somehow they still finished as #4 in the nation according to the official BCS rankings.

The Utes again made history as the first team to repeat as a ‘BCS Buster’ during the 2008 season when they played SEC powerhouse Alabama. Utah won 31-17, topping off another 13-0 season – the only team in the country that year to do so. Final BCS rankings placed Utah at #2.

In spite of these two undefeated seasons, the BCS never even considered the Utes to play for a national title and the problem continued with teams such as Boise State and TCU in subsequent years. July 1^st, 2012 marked a significant step for the University of Utah as they were officially invited to participate as members of the PAC-12 conference and instantly allowing them greater access to title hopes.

However, an official press release dated February 22, 2012 from the BCS stated that the six conference commissioners and the athletic director from Notre Dame have commenced meetings in Dallas Texas, “In an effort to grow college football’s great popularity and success.” The statement went on to indicate that the BCS is evaluating possible changes to the post-season format of play to potentially be implemented sometime after next season when TV contracts are set for renegotiations.

Many sports analysts throughout the country speculate that the BCS is responding to added pressure from fans and business partners after the Alabama-LSU title game received the third lowest ratings for a national championship in the 14-year history of the BCS.

“There’s no leader in the clubhouse on this,” said BCS coordinator Bill Hancock while talking to the Associated Press Thursday night about potential post-season alternatives. “The most important question is, ‘Is there a need to make a significant change, and what are the reasons why a significant change is important?’ If there’s a need to do it, then it should be done.”

The recent meetings and comments made by BCS officials have many implications of a potential playoff system replacing the old system. While some may consider the PAC-12 move to be diminished in hindsight, many others of the Utah faithful are all the more excited.

“Being a part of the PAC 12 increases exposure for both the academics of our university and helps with recruiting better athletes,” said former Utah offensive lineman Makai Aalona, who was part of the Utes original BCS Buster Fiesta Bowl team. “It’s something I never thought would happen when I played … but we now have a seat at the big boys table.”

Even with the added boost of a BCS powerhouse conference, Aalona still salivates at the thought of a potential playoff of any kind to more absolutely determine a national champion.

“Some people say that if we had a playoff system in place in 2004 or even in 2008 when Utah won the Sugar Bowl, that we would have made a case for winning a national championship. It’s obviously all speculation because those teams never had a chance to prove it, but a playoff system would be a step closer to solidifying that claim.”

TV personality and sports analyst Dave Fox emphasizes that financial impacts alone are enough to keep fans of Division I football excited including Utah.

“The financial implications will be huge! Networks will bid fortunes to televise the football playoffs. The down side is, many will argue that certain deserving teams are still being left out. But that happens in any championship,” he said.

Fox also pointed out the extreme difference the Utes specifically will have in season TV contracts alone.

“As a member of the Mountain West, the Utes made about 1.5 million per year on TV rights; in the PAC-12 they stand to make nearly 30-million. So…1.5 vs. 30 mil, do you think it was a good idea to join the PAC-12,” he said.

Whichever way the finances fall, many of the Utah faithful are just excited to see some quality football, both during and especially after season. Along with the ecstasy of excitement, many still think back in a melancholy way still imagining what could have been.

“Can you imagine Alex Smith getting a shot against Matt Leinart’s USC team? Or the 2008 Utes getting a shot at Tebow in Florida? These things should be considered,” said University of Utah junior Andrew Fox. “How would RGIII have done against a real defense like Bama or LSU? A playoff would let us see all of this… [but] regardless of what happens, the Utes are in the best situation they can be in.”

So while we wait for the cards to be dealt, we can continue to drink in the tantalizing possibility of a playoff or just enjoy being in a fast track conference with title game access. Either case will only fuel the burning desire of the program – keep making some more room in that trophy case.

U. of U. showcases Olympic memories

Posted on April 24, 2012 by comm5775

By Rebekah-Anne Gebler

SALT LAKE CITY— The Utah Ski Archives opened the Olympic Experience Exhibition at the J. Willard Marriott Library on Wednesday, marking the 10^th anniversary of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games and Paralympics.

This exhibit displays thousands of photos, documents, videos, books and magazine articles relating to games.

The Special Collections Department, which is the official repository for all 2002 Olympic records, gathered its sources from anyone who was involved in the games from the University community.

“It is through individuals that we are able to archive historic collections for future generations,” said Roy Webb, multimedia archivist at the Marriott Library.

This free exhibit allows the public to witness new viewpoints of the games, seeing it through the lens of spectators, volunteers and visitors.

Hosting the exhibit at the library adds to the influence the U. of U. had during the Olympics. Some of the current on-campus housing served as the Olympic Village—the housing for the athletes—while the Rice-Eccles Stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.

The exhibit will run through Feb. 29. To send in your photos from the 2002 Olympics or to discover more, please visit http://tinyurl.com/Oly-Exp-ML.

Headline goes here

Posted on April 24, 2012 by comm5775

by Your Name

Write a news or feature story on a topic of your choice.

Possible story ideas:

• Cover a sports event. Write about it and quote a coach, a player and a fan.

• Cover a presentation. Indicate what the person said, quote from the speech, provide context based on your research and quote two people who attended.

• Profile an interesting person. Why is this person interesting? Quote the person and tell her/his life story. Quote friends, family, coworkers, etc.

• Write about a person or family coping with the recession.

• Review an arts event. Describe it, quote the artist and quote two other people.

How to do it:

1) Lede. It may be straightforward or creative, anecdotal or summary, but the tone and focus must be appropriate to your topic.

2) Body of your story. You must include:

• Background. Explain the topic to a general audience. What led to the events your story describes? Provide names, events, dates, details.

• Nut graf. So what? Why is this news? Why should your audience care?

• A news peg. This can be a recent development, a connection to current events or a new discovery about an old topic.

• Quotes! You must interview and quote three people.

• Appropriate organization and transitions. Don’t just throw paragraphs together—write for flow.

University Hosts Olympic Memorial Exhibition

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

By Colton Stanger

The J. Willard Marriot Library at the University of Utah will host a free Olympic Experience Exhibition during the month of February, commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the Olympic games held in Salt Lake City.

The collection is located on the fourth floor of the library and is a multi-media exhibit. The collection includes thousands of documents, hours of video, books and magazines centered on the games and tens of thousands of photos. The records are organized from the early attempts to secure the games to the games themselves.

The Special Collections Department has asked members of the community to donate any pictures or memorabilia they might have.

“We’d love to see more donations from the public,” said Roy Webb, multimedia archivist at the library.

The exhibition is focused at the university, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and housed the athletes in what are now the student dorms. This makes the university the ideal center of the Exhibitions.

Other events in the city include month long exhibitions at the Alf Engen Ski museum and a photographic display at the Kimball Art Center, both located in Park City. There is also a one-day display at the Gateway Center Grand Hall on February 18.

R. Ammon Ayres

Posted on April 12, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY RESUME

-Professional Experience

2011- Currently Warehouse Manager, Age Sciences, Salt Lake City, Utah

Responsibility for preparing order shipments together.
Overlook the operation going on, and comply to management needs.

2011 Summer Technician, Platinum Protection, American Fork, Utah

Responsible for installing new, and replacing pre-existing, alarm systems.
Often travel to clients homes replace a system, or complete service tickets.

2010-2011 Transition Trainer, Granite School District, Salt Lake City, Utah

I had a vast array of responsibilities, from supervising to creating documents.
The gifts program is a program working with special needs students.

2010 Summer River Guide, Teton Whitewater. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Guide Rafts down the Snake River safely.
Transport, and move deliver rafts from point A to point B

2009-2010 Delivery Driver, Hudson Home Health Equipment. American Fork, Utah.

Deliver beds, oxygen tanks, and other equipment to in home patients.

2009 Summer River Guide, Boy Scouts of America. Salt Lake City, Utah

Give scout troops instruction on how to go down river in canoe, ensure safety of scouts, go over again and again on how to make it down the river.
Give tour of camp, give assistance to the troop I am hosting.

2007-2009 Volunteer Missionary – LDS Church. Eugene, Oregon

Gained leadership skills working with other volunteer missionaries.
Learned how to work with others, in such ways as how to change my way of working to make a better team.
Learned how to work hard, and serve others.

ABOUT ME:

I am a sophomore at University of Utah, and former student alumni of the Salt Lake Community College. Within the last year I have dedicated my studies and efforts to become a dentist. My efforts include taking prerequisite classes for dental school, and acquiring a degree in the communications department.

I am married to a wonderful woman named Abigail Ayres, we have been married for two years, and have been enjoying life. We met in Jackson Hole Wyoming, while working as river guides on the Snake River.There are currently no children in the picture, but hopefully they will come within the next couple years.

Over the past ten years, I have gained professional experience through many different companies. My professional skills came at a young age when I acquired a paper route. With that job I learned the importance of getting the job done right the first time, and the importance of punctuality.

New Conference Provides New Challenges for the Lady Ute’s

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Rachel Thomas

After winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament last year, the University of Utah’s women’s basketball team faces new challenges and obstacles upon entering the Pac-12.
Utah finished their last season with an 18-17 record, but came back from the losses to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. After finishing last season with such a large win, the Pac-12 coaches picked the women’s basketball team to finish sixth out of 12 teams, according to the Deseret News.
Utah’s depth chart is growing because of new recruits wanting to be a part of the PAC-12. Four of the team’s starters have scored over 30 points in a single game during their careers, according to the Deseret News. One of those starters is Janita Badon. Badon enters the 2011 season as a fourth-year starter at point guard, and was chosen as last year’s Mountain West Conference Tournament’s MVP.
The team has yet to play any in-conference home games, but Badon said, “Going off of playing the PAC-12 teams last year, they’re really strong and tall! I think the way they defend will be very different from the Mountain West Conference. The Pac-12 teams play zone defense rather than man.”
According to Badon, the workouts have also changed. The team has begun focusing more on strengthening their legs and becoming stronger, both physically and mentally.
Badon said, “I most enjoy being a part of the Pac-12 because we’re now a part of a well-known conference, not just athletically, but academically as well. One major conflict is the fact we are the “newbies,” but at the same time it can also be a positive, because we have the opportunity to do something really special in the Pac-12.”
Not only have the teams changed, but the marketing aspects of the games have changed as well. New promotions have been created to build hype for the team.
Courtney Gramse, who is the Spirit Coordinator and works directly with the marketing directors said, “To build excitement the marketing team have started a Facebook and Twitter pages that have a lot of updates on them so that the fans know things first hand. They do a lot more promotions involving giveaways which gives people more incentive to come.”
The public is welcome to all of the games. To get more families and children to attend the games, the marketing department has created a “kid zone,” which according to Gramse is full of interactive activities and games.
The crowds at the University of Utah’s women’s games aren’t as large as other sports, but the band provides entertainment and music for all other attendees.
Ryan Kelleher, a student at the University of Utah that has attended every home game over the past 3 years, said, “It’s still too early to tell any major differences yet because we haven’t had any Pac-12 home games, but the coaches have gotten a little more intense and have started pushing the girls a little harder to prepare them for the new teams. I think the crowd will grow being in a power house conference rather than being in a moderate conference. Crowds will grow not only in women’s basketball, but in all sports at Utah.”
For further information on the University of Utah’s women’s basketball team visit,
http://www.utahutes.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/utah-w-bskbl-body.html.

College Football Players Weigh in on Life as a Student-Athlete

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

Story by: Chris Washington

Every Saturday, from the beginning of September all the way until early December, millions of Americans attend college football games. Millions of others, who don’t make it to the games, watch them on television. However, the difficulties that these student-athletes face while attempting to juggle two full-time jobs is often ignored.

An average workday for a collegiate football player is typically not considered luxurious. After a six-o-clock conditioning session, a player will generally have to attend approximately three hours of classes. However, it isn’t necessarily the classes that give players a tough time; it is the fact that the player must fit the conditioning, along with the classes, into their schedule before one-o-clock, at which point they would be preparing for another 4 hours of practice and meetings.

A general defense, and common misconception that is often attributed to student-athletes, especially football players, is the idea that athletes live like kings on campus. Chandler Johnson, a wide receiver for the University of Utah football team, didn’t agree with that.

“People always think that professors just hand out passing grades and that athletes drive nice cars and have plenty of money, but in all reality that couldn’t be more false”, Johnson said.

According to Johnson, not only do many professors treat athletes in a stricter manner, due to the perception that football players might be expecting unearned grades, but a lot of players have less money than regular students.

Johnson elaborated by saying, “Most students have time to get a job when they are short on cash, but we don’t even have time to get jobs, so we basically just have to live off of the $910 scholarship check that we get every month.”

Sam Brenner, an offensive guard for the Utah Utes, believed that things like weight demands can make it even harder to live comfortably off of the $910 monthly check.

“We are expected to weigh a certain amount every week, some players are told to gain like 50 or 60 pounds, so we pretty much have to spend around 300 dollars of our money every month on food. If you add rent and things like that into the equation, before you know it your whole check is gone”, explained Brenner.

Things like this are often not thought about when millions of people are enjoying their favorite team’s triumphs on the field.

Fortunately it is possible to gain perspective from both the student-athlete’s side, as well as the experiences of the regular students on campus.

“I’m not sure what life is like for football players, but I would imagine it is probably not that great other than when they are playing in games and signing autographs”, said Liz Anderson, a student at the University of Utah.

Anderson went on to explain how she has time to go to school full-time and also work as much as she needs to.

Despite Universities bringing in millions of dollars on the player’s behalf, athletes everywhere often struggle, both mentally and financially.

Although life can be very difficult for a college football player, it is a life that each player signed up for completely of his own free will.

The good news is that life is not all frowns for these guys. There are numerous benefits to playing football at such an elite level. Sam Brenner explained how gratifying the life of a college football player can be, by saying,

“Even though there are times when it’s hard, at the end of the day I am doing what I dreamed of as a child. That’s all that really matters to me.”

With the possibility of college players being paid to play in the future, people like Sam Brenner might be the last of a dying breed.

Cyprus Basketball’s Future Looks Promising

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Marquis Newman

Cyprus Basketball’s Future Looks Promising

The 2011-2012 Cyprus boys basketball team has had a slow start to the season starting 0-3, but their future potential looks promising. This is due to a strong group of upcoming sophomores and the leadership of a talented junior, Connor Squire.

The Cyprus Pirates have struggled early in the season, losing to Jordan, West, and long time region rival Granger. This slow start hasn’t come as a shock due to the fact that the Pirates have no starters returning from last season. “It’s going to take a while for these kids to get the feel,” said head coach Robb Collins while discussing his team’s slow start.

Collins believes that his team will be ready to compete when it becomes time to start region play.

“We’re becoming more aware and getting a better understanding of my philosophy as a coach… we’ve got our work cut out for us, but if we focus on team chemistry and work together we can still be successful and go to the state tournament,” said Collins.

Part of Cyprus’s struggles this season is that they do not yet have a third scoring threat. Squire, point guard for the team, is averaging 16.67 points per game and senior forward Austin Henriod contributes by scoring 8.33 points per game, but after those two players Cyprus doesn’t have anybody else averaging more than 6 points. Defenses are able to game plan around stopping Henriod and Squire, and the rest of the team is not taking advantage of their opportunities.

Squire has played very well in the pirates’ first three games. Squire is the tenth leading scorer in 4A and has made 7 threes over that three game span. Squire said he believes “we can be a good team…if we play physical this year we can make [the state tournament].”

Squire has found that leading a team isn’t easy, especially as a junior. “The seniors sometimes don’t respect what I have to say… It’s a struggle to become a leader, all you can do is lead by example and not become frustrated when people screw up,” said Squire.

Squire has worked hard over the summer to make himself a better player, and it is obvious by his play on the court. “I realized what I needed to do to make myself better and I tried not to take any days off,” said Squire.

The coaching staff feels very optimistic about the future of this team with the emergence of what Collins calls “a very talented and athletic sophomore class.”

Point guard Josh Jackson and forward Parker Loutensock lead the sophomore group, both have played extensive varsity minutes this season. Collins said that both sophomores are “recognizing that they can be big contributors to our team and are working very hard to get better in practice.”

“I think with the upcoming sophomores Cyprus has potential to be a good program,” said Tre Smith, the Cyprus Sophomore coach, former Cyprus player and former University of Utah basketball player.

Smith believes that if the sophomore group prioritizes school and basketball they will be pretty good. “We made the state tournament in 2010 with a really good group of kids and I see the same potential with our younger kids…I’m very excited to see what the future holds,” said Smith.

Fantasy Football: A Positive Influence on Fans

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Alex Goff

Fantasy Football has become a huge part of today’s National Football League and it’s a great way for fans to become more involved with the NFL, even if there is no professional team in your state or hometown.

Chris Andrews, a fantasy football help line employee said, “Fantasy football gives everyone a chance to enjoy the NFL, it doesn’t matter how big of a fan you are because it’s not solely about the game, it’s about managing a team and playing against your friends or co–workers.”

Even people who don’t enjoy watching the sport can still participate. Marquis Newman, a fantasy football expert and owner of five fantasy teams, said, “You don’t have to be the most knowledgeable football guru to know who the star players are, you just draft them and then hope you get lucky and they have a big year.”

The popularity of fantasy football has become so high that even ESPN has tailored some of their programs to appeal to the masses. There are fantasy update shows such as fantasy football live that give viewers tips and hints about which players to start or bench.

Fantasy football has gotten to be such a big part of the NFL that people are even joining money leagues, where you have to pay to play and the winner of the league takes home a certain amount of money. Newman said that he felt it was even more competitive when he thought of the money he could win.

Newman said, “It makes me want to watch every game, especially the ones where my big time players are playing.”

Colton Seely, a pharmacist in the state of Arizona and someone who had little knowledge of football before playing fantasy is now a statistics expert. Seely said, “It’s almost like it’s not even about the football for me anymore, it’s like I’m playing a different game against my friends and it becomes much more enjoyable to watch the games.”

Andrews felt that people who play fantasy football are more prone to want to go to a live game, and he estimates that 50 percent of his calls are related to finding tickets for fans. “People just want to go to games, it doesn’t matter if they like the team they’re watching or not, it matters that they’re watching their starting quarterback or their star running back,” Andrews said.

Fans in places like Utah who don’t have a professional team have been left out in a way. There has never been an NFL team in Utah. “That’s why I love it [fantasy football] so much, it helps me connect to teams more and really become a fan of specific NFL teams that before I really didn’t care for,” Newman said.

“I’m gonna do fantasy football every year, I look forward to playing when fall comes around and it’s fun to go out to a bar with a group of friends just to watch all the games,” Seely said.

Fantasy football has had a positive influence on fans so far because it helps everyone relate to the sport, anyone can sign up to play and you don’t need much knowledge of how football works, besides who the good players are.

The NBA Lockouts Impact on Salt Lake City Businesses

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

By Steven Blomquist

The NBA Lockouts Impact on Salt Lake City Businesses

The labor disagreement between the NBA and its players not only put the NBA season in jeopardy, but also raised concern in many small market areas about potential decline in revenue.
“The NBA lockout is not only affecting the players on the court but Salt Lake City businesses who rely on the Jazz fans for business” said local business and Jazz fan Mark Maybee.
Energy Solutions Arena can hold more than 19,911 fans. With the great influx of people coming downtown, many come early on game night to go to local restaurants, shop at stores and ride TRAX. All of which will see the effects.
Vincent V. Fonua, who has worked for the downtown Crown Burger for 3 years, said, “Crown burger and other restaurants will be for sure be affected by no Jazz season. It’s a usually are busiest part of the year.”
“Around 5 p.m. for about 2 hours we get a major rush,” right before the game starts around the corner from the arena. “It is great business for us. We do very well during Jazz season,” Fonua added.
“I have been a Jazz fan all my life. Going to games is a tradition I have with my brothers. We would always go Crown Burger to eat before the games and since the lockout I haven’t been to there,” said Jazz fan Mike Plant.
It’s not only the restaurants who suffer; it’s all those who rely on people coming downtown for games to make their business go.
Torry Austin, a local cab driver, said, “It’s not just restaurants that are seeing the effects. It’s parking revenue, it’s transportation revenues, it’s taxi cab rides.” Austin who has been a cab driver for over 20 years said, “Jazz season really allows me to make ends meet through the winter.”
Salt Lake is not the only city that has seen the effects of the lockout on the local economy. Fourteen other small market cities such as the Indianapolis, Memphis and Portland have also seen effects.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker was one of 14 mayors in October who sent an open letter to league owners and players pleading their case for a season to take place for the sake of the local economies.
“It has created a huge strain,” Becker said. “I’m sure there are people who these part-time jobs at the arena make a difference in their ability to make end’s meet.” He added, “There are going to be economic casualties.”
On Nov. 26, the NBA and its players agreed on terms of a new collective bargain agreement. After missing all the preseason games and first 6 weeks of 2011-2012 play has been slated to start on Dec. 25.
While the NBA players celebrate their new deal they are not the only ones jumping for joy. Local businesses also celebrate the end of the lockout, with the hope to make up for the lost profits

Mixed Reviews on Safety of New Paths

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

By Stephanie Graves

Mixed Reviews on Safety of New Paths

With the completion of the HPER bicycle path at the University of Utah, some students and faculty view this as a progressive step towards the future for transportation at the University. Others believe that the hilly terrain of the University’s campus make these paths a recipe for disaster.

“I have never been hit by bikers, but I have seen a couple of close calls,” said Chris Bond, a business student at the University of Utah.

Bond frequently treks across campus and especially on the new bike path created along the HPER highway.

“I have noticed that the majority of the time when there is a close call, it is often due to lack of communication from the cyclist or reckless driving,” said Bond.

With the implementation of the new bicycle paths, there is an opportunity to reduce the number of cyclist/pedestrians accidents.

The new bike path, which is located along HPER Mall and University Street had been “in the works” for 3 years and was completed early last year.

“The HPER Mall bicycle path was the only path on campus constructed last year. Salt Lake City Transportation reduced University Street to one lane each way and installed bicycle lanes,” said Chad Larsen, University Commuter Services Manager.

The new bike path was constructed to ease campus traffic and create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists to maneuver around campus. Many students are not observing the signs designating the paths as “bicycles only.”

After witnessing a cyclist skid to the ground on approaching the newly constructed path, architecture student Kaleb Larsen said, “You don’t realize there is a dangerous situation until something like this happens.”

Even though there was a campus-wide release informing students that the cyclist/boarder/scooter speed limit is 10 mph, there is rarely enough numbers among the campus police to constantly monitor these paths and cite offenders.

“Many bicycle incidents and crashes are underreported to the (campus) police department,” said Chad Larsen.

And while it is those involved in the accidents duty to report these incidents, they rarely do.

With the development of this new bike path, Chad Larsen believes that the path will reduce bicycle and pedestrian conflicts and allow the cyclists to ride to their destination more efficiently.

Even though this new bicycle path along the HPER highway is less than a year old, there are already plans to expand the bicycle network across campus.

“Currently the University is completing a Bicycle Master Plan. The bicycle network is organized in short term, medium term and long term projects,” said Chad Larsen.

With the addition of the new path along HPER highway and future plans for more bicycle paths, it is important for all students to be aware of their surroundings and each other.

Chad Larsen said, “Bicyclists and pedestrians need to be aware of their surroundings on shared sidewalks and Trax stations. “

If students and faculties are more aware of their surroundings and each other on and near these paths, these paths will create a huge impact on the efficiency and traffic flow around campus.

Bold New Look

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

by Scott Stuart

The National Hockey League concluded its annual winter meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, with the league looking differently in comparison to when the meeting began.

Realignment of the NHL was the primary matter of business for the Board of Governors who met both Monday and Tuesday in Palm Springs, Calif.

The Board of Governors – comprised of the 30 owners of NHL teams – knew that a change would likely occur since the sale of the Atlanta Thrashers last summer. The team subsequently moved to Winnipeg yet has remained in the Eastern Conference – a place it did not belong.

“The idea was, I think, to create the best overall solution and I think that’s what they achieved today,” said Mark Chipman, governor and chairman of the Winnipeg Jets, in an interview on Tuesday.

The league voted in a 26-4 decision to realign into four conferences – instead of the previous two – which resemble what were once known as “divisions.” Two conferences will contain eight teams each while the other two contain seven teams each. The new alignment, with conference names yet to be decided, will look as follows:

Along with the restructuring of conferences, the league will now schedule teams to play the majority of their season against inter-conference opponents while facing out-of-conference opponents twice – once at home and once on the road.

“It’s going to be a little weird we’ll only be playing [the Vancouver Canucks] twice,” said David Bolland, a member of the Chicago Blackhawks and an arch nemesis of the Canucks. “I’m going to have to find some new guys to bother around the league.”

Although Bolland and the Blackhawks will miss the frequency of play against the Canucks, they are happy to retain their rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings, according to Joel Quenville, the coach of the Blackhawks.

Along with shaking up some rivalries, the NHL’s new format includes a change to the playoff structure marking the end of the Western and Eastern conferences. In place of the present system that admits the top-eight teams to the playoffs from each of the two conferences, each conference will now send its top-four teams. The first two rounds of the playoffs will be used to crown a conference champion who will then continue their quest to obtain the Stanley Cup.

“Down the road, if it means Calgary plays Edmonton in a playoff series, that would be a great thing,” said Kevin Lowe, the Edmonton Oilers president of hockey operations.

Edmonton and Calgary have a natural rivalry as the only two teams from the Alberta province of Canada. The two teams now have a chance to meet in the playoffs routinely as part of the same conference.

To some, this plan feels like a warm blanket, according to Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! Sports. Wyshnski points out that the new format is reminiscent of hockey’s roots back in the 1980s – something that old puckheads will be fond of. Back then, the league consisted of four-divisions that resembles the new conferences.

Although many are happy, there are others making their discontent heard.

“I started in this league after the lockout and I’ve been used to two conferences, 15 teams, eight teams make the playoffs and I kind of like it that way,” said Alexander Burrows, a forward for the Canucks, on Tuesday. “Travel-wise, maybe we’re going to save on some flights going north-south as opposed to east-west. It might be easier to go to bed at night, but some teams might have less points than a team that will finish fifth in another conference and get in, so I don’t understand that.”

While the Canuck’s remained relatively unscathed by the realignment, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s situation worsened. Instead of playing the bulk of their schedule against Washington, Florida, and Carolina, they will be spending a great deal of time in the Northeast and Canada.

“Maybe we should build a practice facility in Vermont,” said Marty St. Louis, a forward for the Lightning. “And [we could] live in Vermont and take little flights here and there, live in the hotel when we come for home stretches.”

Similar reactions were felt throughout the NHL as players tried to grasp the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting.

“I think you have to do what’s right for the greater good of the 30 teams involved,” said Chipman. “I don’t think any one particular alignment is going to address everybody’s needs.”

The new alignment will become effective at the start of the 2012-13 season.

Recycle Rice-Eccles: Hoping for a waste-free future

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by LAUREN BERG

The members of Recycle Rice-Eccles have taken big steps toward helping the University of Utah continue to go green. With one person’s dedication, the organization has gone from almost non-existent to a big part of the U’s athletic events in less than a year’s time.

Recycle Rice-Eccles started in 2010 as a petition. It sought to encourage the crew’s responsibility for cleaning the university stadium to recycle the leftover cups and cans, but the petition failed. “It was never going to succeed and I wanted a program that covered every potential area to recycle at the games,” Seth Crossley said.

Crossley is one of Recycle Rice-Eccles’ associate directors of sustainability. He is also the person whose dedication changed the organization into what it is today, and described the organization in the beginning as “loosely defined and unsuccessful.”

“Volunteers would be the best way to bring awareness to recycling,” Crossley said. “I knew we were always going to need volunteers and that we needed to work with the university instead of changing their contracts.”

The volunteers, who Crossley said numbered only about five to 10 in the beginning, would ask the fans for their plastic cups and cans to recycle. Since it didn’t seem like fans were being proactive about recycling the volunteers made it an effort to do so.

“It’s a challenge educating people about how and what to recycle,” said Allison Boyer, another associate director of sustainability and Recycle Rice-Eccles’ volunteer coordinator.

Boyer and Crossley both noticed that the number of volunteers would decline during the course of the football games. About 10 people would help at the beginning of the games, but by the end, when it came time to clean and recycle trash, there would only be about three volunteers.

It wasn’t until the 2010 Utah vs. TCU football game, when the volunteers saw an ESPN College GameDay booth, that they realized what their organization could really be about.

According to an article published at ESPN MediaZone, the booth was there to promote going green and to create “an eco-friendly student gathering.” The article also explained that the students will spread the word about what their groups do on campus while helping ESPN collect recyclables.

The fans at the Utah vs. TCU game, along with Crossley’s volunteers, responded positively to the ESPN College GameDay Goes Green booth and the recycle initiative. They “were really excited about it,” he said. “It was really cool.”

Crossley and his crew became inspired to do something more for Recycle Rice-Eccles, and that’s exactly what they did.

He then decided to drop every single one of his 2011 summer classes in order to concentrate solely on the organization and how it could grow. He started out by making a PowerPoint slide show, and would go from department to department at the university to try to gain their support.

Crossley asked some departments for financial support. The staff in each department was willing to contribute as much as possible, but it wasn’t enough support to get Crossley where he needed to be. He was eventually told to go to ASUU, the Associated Students of the University of Utah.

He got the majority of his financial support to start funding the Recycle Rice-Eccles “make over” from ASUU, college departments and the Office of Sustainability.

One of his main goals was to get people more involved and proactive about recycling, so getting a spot to set up a recycling booth in the tailgating lot at football games was a big priority.

Crossley then had to go through a series of many approval processes.

He knew he would need the support of the top people in the departments in order to give the organization a new look and to get it up and running.

Crossley said that Gordon Wilson, vice president for Administrative Services, wanted to help support the changes that were being made at Recycle Rice-Eccles.

Because Wilson is in charge of plant operations, stadium services, stadium security and more, his support would also mean the support of everyone under him. He was also a big financial supporter as well, Crossley said.

He then needed the approval of the Crimson Club and CBS Sports Properties to set up a booth at the tailgating lot and to use logos at the booth, since the club owns the rights to market on athletic properties and sells all those rights to CBS Sports Properties. He also needed approval from the Athletic Department to set up a booth on school and athletic grounds.

After everything was approved, Crossley was then able to promote the sponsors for Recycle Rice-Eccles, including the MUSS, the campus bookstore and the Crimson Club.

Crossley decided to make bright green “Green Police” shirts for his volunteers to wear that display some of the sponsors’ logos on it.

Once the football season started Crossley continued to get companies and groups to sponsor the organization and get more volunteers to help. His main goal was to “make it fun for people,” he said, so he got fans and his volunteers involved by doing things like handing out or setting up drawings for field passes, and by doing “giveaways.”

In such a short amount of time Recycle Rice-Eccles now has its own mascot, the “Green Men,” that is seen running around at football games, a Facebook page, and sponsorships by businesses like Ford and Coca-Cola.

After only the first five games in 2011, Crossley said Recycle Rice-Eccles saved 17,000 pounds of recycled materials from being thrown away with the help of over 330 volunteers.

“It was surprising to see how many people were in favor of the organization, and how many people said it was long overdue,” said Chris Pavel, a junior at the University of Utah and Recycle Rice-Eccles volunteer.

Still continuing to try to grow, Crossley explains there will be more things to come for Recycle Rice-Eccles in the future, such as improving the “The Green Minute” at football games, getting the “Green Men” more involved, and just doing more to get fans and volunteers excited about recycling.

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Utah football fans prove their loyalty

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by MATT ELLIS

On the foreign battlefield of the Pacific-12 conference, the University of Utah Utes football team was beaten down early. Many Utah fans expected big things out of their team going into the season, but a combination of injuries and dismal offensive play led to a rough start.

In the weeks leading up to the season opener, Utah was viewed by many as a dark horse contender to win their division and play in the Pac-12 Championship game. A perennial powerhouse, the University of Southern California, was on probation and ineligible for postseason play, and the Utes had the good fortune of avoiding recent stalwarts Stanford University and the University of Oregon on the regular season schedule.

The biggest question among analysts throughout the state was the health of starting quarterback Jordan Wynn. After having offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, questions proliferated as to how effective he would be. Coaches limited his reps during the preseason and it was widely acknowledged that his arm strength seemed to have diminished.

But on opening night, the only thing that mattered was that the Utes were back on the football field. Rice-Eccles stadium was packed with more than 45,000 fans ready to cheer their team to victory against a division 2 opponent in Montana State University.

The Utes won that first game, but it was less than impressive. In front of 45,311 fans, according to ESPN.com, Utah scored only three points in the second half, and the 27-10 victory was too close for comfort against a physically inferior opponent.

Jump forward a few weeks and the team lost three of the next four games with the lone bright spot coming in a 54-10 drubbing of rival Brigham Young University. The last time the Utah football team had a stretch like that was the beginning of the 2007 season when the Utes stumbled to a 1-3 start. The highest attendance at Rice-Eccles stadium that season was 43,788, according to ESPN.com, whereas the stadium has not seen less than 45,000 at any game this season.

The Utes needed five tries to record their first win in the Pac-12 conference. But let the record show that Ute fans have continued to support their team in spite of hard times.

The early-season rough stretch included Utah’s first two home Pac-12 games. The first, against the University of Washington, turned out to be an embarrassing 17 point defeat during which Jordan Wynn was lost for the season due to another shoulder injury. One week later, though, another packed house of 45,089 turned out for the game against Arizona State University. The Utes fell again, this time by 21 points.

“I admit, I left a few of those games early,” said Shawn Ryan, a Utah alumnus. “They got pretty ugly.”

This is the first time in this city that crowds of such a large size have seen their team struggle so mightily in an environment where they are normally so successful — 22-2 in the last four seasons. This season they were 3-3 at home.

Going into the blackout game on Oct. 29, 2011, Utah was set to play an underachieving Oregon State team after three straight blowout Pac-12 losses. The season was on the verge of being a bust, yet 45,017 people still showed up dressed in their black Utah gear. Coincidentally, that number exactly matches the listed maximum capacity for Rice-Eccles Stadium, according to the University of Utah athletics website.

Clearly, interest in the football team is as high now as it ever has been. In spite of the many struggles this season, near-record crowds fill the stadium for every home game, buying up all the Utah hats, stickers, shirts and water bottles that they can find.

“Being a part of the Pac-12 really helped increase sales and exposure for the University,” said Mike Cherry, who works in the marketing department for the University of Utah bookstore.

According to Cherry, virtually anything with the Pac-12 logo is flying off the shelves of the bookstore.

Around campus, there are more stickers on cars and more U logos on bikes, sweatshirts and backpacks than any time in recent memory. Utah fans, specifically students, seem to be finding a renewed sense of pride in their school, as well as in their new conference.

Assistant Athletics Director Manny Hendrix, who works closely with the Crimson Club at the U, says that Utah alumni have been engaged by the new challenges the team faces, and that donations have been up.

“Our alumni base has been really excited and overjoyed to see the team compete with these bigger schools,” Hendrix said in a phone interview.

Unfortunately, a lot of the increased interest comes from seeing how Utah will measure up against more talented teams, which has been a double-edged sword.

But even after three straight Pac-12 losses by 17 points or more and the loss of the starting quarterback, Ute fans continued to show their support. Even those who didn’t make it to the stadium stayed behind their team.

Tyson, a night manager at a downtown sports bar called Lumpy’s, said that people who went in there to watch the games “kept their faith,” even through the tough times.

Though this season has seen some good wins, some fans are already looking forward to next season. Shawn Ryan thinks that next year’s success “depends on the quarterback.” Though he isn’t sure that Jordan Wynn is the best option going forward, he thinks that Utah can find success in its second season in the Pac-12. “I think they could do well next year, maybe 9-3,” Shawn said.

Another fan, Lexi Stevens, has enjoyed the games in spite of the multiple letdowns. She was a cheerleader in high school, but is just starting to really get into football, and says she will “definitely” be going to more games next year.

Asked what to expect for the future, she smiled and said, “They’ll have more time to improve, they gotta do better, right?”

Only time will tell if that is the case.

“I’m sure there are games our coaches would like to have back, but you’re watching football at the highest level,” Hendrix said, when asked about his thoughts on the season. “The talent level doesn’t get any better, you have to respect that.”

Because attendance has been so high this year, there have been rumors among those close to the program that Rice-Eccles Stadium will be renovated to accommodate more fans. Either way, you can be sure that the place will be packed to the brim and the Utah fight song will be heard from several blocks away.

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Specialized Chair Helps Veterans Go Paragliding

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Sean Gustafson

On Sept. 3, 2011 five veterans tested a new type of paraglider over Sun Valley, Idaho. What made this an event noteworthy was that all five of these veterans are suffering from spinal cord injuries (SCI).

The veterans were able to participate in the paragliding by means of a set of specialized chairs called “Phoenix 1.0” and “Phoenix 1.5.” The “Phoenix” chairs were made from one inch aircraft aluminum tubing allowing for a sturdy 35lb craft.

These chairs were the product of four months of researching and testing from four University of Utah students under the direction of professor Don Bloswick.

Mark Gaskill, of ABLE Pilot, provided the training for the chairs an organization committed to help people with spinal cord injuries, amputations, and neuromuscular diseases into flying-type actives.

To see test runs on the “Phoenix” chairs, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9j33A0UV8A

The Natural History Museum of Utah opens new state-of-the-art museum

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Chris Washington

After several years of construction and planning, the Natural History Museum of Utah’s (NHMU) new facility is finally open to the public.

Construction on the Rio Tinto Center, as it’s called, dates back to around 2005 and didn’t officially open until Saturday.

Many of the people involved have high hopes for the new museum.

“I think we put together a great museum in a great location,” said Patti Carpenter, director of public relations for the museum. To celebrate its grand opening, admission was free for the entire first day.

NHMU, which is located at the University of Utah, is a major research institution that focuses primarily on both the natural and cultural history of the Great Basin Region.

A unique aspect of the museum is its ability to display multiple forms of information in one given area.

“One of our goals was for families to be able to experience the museum together and so in each area you’ll find something to look at, something to listen to, something to smell we have smells, and something to do,” said Randy Irmis, the curator of paleontology for the museum.

The new Rio Tinto Center is 163,000 square feet, with a staggering 51,000 feet as public gallery space. Todd Schliemann, the design architect for the building said that his goal was to “symbolize the beauty and magnitude of the state’s unique landscapes.”

Not only is the new facility state of the art, it is also highly energy-efficient with radiant cooling and heating systems, as well as water-efficient landscaping and plans for a solar-paneled roof that could power more than 25 percent of the museum. The facility also used recycled materials for more than 25 percent of the structural and architectural resources. If that wasn’t enough, over 75 percent of the museum’s construction waste was recycled.

Young Salt Lake City BMX rider races to the top

Posted on November 23, 2011 by comm5775

Story by LAUREN BERG

Kolin Powell, 15, a native of Salt Lake City, is doing unheard of things in the world of BMX.

For the last two and a half years, he’s been taking after his father, Brent Powell, a former BMX racer. His successes inspired Kolin to try out for BMX racing.

After getting into the sport and realizing he liked it, Kolin was introduced to a racing team, Dirt Militia. Team manager Billy Schuler has 20 years of BMX racing under his belt and leads an experienced team of 15 racers.

Schuler was introduced to Kolin and Brent through a mutual friend. The team needed more racers, so Schuler decided to give Kolin a chance.

“The first time I met him I knew he’d be a good fit for the team,” Schuler said.

Kolin was pushed into his first race after showing up at the track just expecting to watch. After only 30 minutes of practice he competed in his first intermediate-level BMX race and won. This foreshadowed Kolin’s future races.

Kolin Powell takes the lead (on right) in BMX race. Photo courtesy of Billy Schuler.

He began working with Schuler and the team and taking pointers from his dad. And he continued to excel in races.

His next goal was to make it to the 2010 Utah State Championship.

First Kolin had to compete in four qualifying preliminary races. The races are based on a point system, and are different depending on the racing level. Kolin placed high in points in each of the races, making him that much closer to getting to the state race.

Even after the four qualifying races, he still had to wait for an invitation to the championship. He was offered a spot and took second place.

The following year, 2011, Kolin tried to make it to state again. This time he not only surpassed everyone in his intermediate-level class during preliminary races but also out-raced the expert-level class.

Again he was invited to Utah’s state championship. After completing the race, Kolin found out he had done exactly what he had done in the previous races: He had earned more points than anyone in the competition, including the experts, and he won the Utah State Championship title.

“In all my years of racing I’ve never seen an intermediate win state … it just doesn’t happen,” Shuler said.

For Kolin’s win he was awarded the No. 1 state plate that he gets to display on his bike for the entire year. The state plates are put at the front of the racers’ bikes, which represents the place they took in the state race.

After being so successful in both state races, Kolin decided to give the 2011 national race in Las Vegas a try. For the first race he was up against 17 others in his intermediate class from all around the country.

“You’re racing the top caliber guys in your class,” Shuler said.

After placing in the top-three for a handful of preliminary races, Kolin had earned his way into the main national race. To add to his other impressive trophies, he got to take home the national trophy as well. He had won the race in Las Vegas.

Kolin said that is his biggest accomplishment so far.

Schuler said receiving a title like that is “unheard of,” especially for being at an intermediate level with less than three years’ experience.

His future goal is to follow in the footsteps of his favorite BMX rider, Mike Day, and perhaps go pro some day. Kolin said he’d like to be able to travel and see all the different race tracks.

His daily routine consists of training and riding. Once a week he rides at the track. “I don’t even have a social life because of that,” Kolin said, jokingly.

Kolin hasn’t broken any bones yet, but has 36 scars as a result of taking many falls and crashes. Those injuries are proof that he’s passionate and works hard at the sport that he loves.

Chad Lewis: from NFL star to family man, a life of greatness

Posted on November 23, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by HALEE CRAM

Being partially responsible for the turnaround of two NFL football teams is not all that sets Chad Lewis apart from the crowd.

His life started out in New Jersey, where his dad was finishing service at Fort Dix as an Army doctor. When Lewis was 3, his family came to Utah so that his father could open a private medical practice.

His dad’s ambition inspired Lewis to be a hard worker, and throughout school he held many jobs. He started at 10 as a paper boy for the Deseret News, and continued working what he calls “odd jobs.” These included cleaning his dad’s medical office and being a bagger at Albertsons until he was ready to go on an LDS mission in Taichung, Taiwan.

“Missionary service, it changed everything about my life,” he says. “The important things came into focus.”

Originally, Lewis had wanted to play football for the University of Utah. He says it was his mission that inspired him to want to go to Brigham Young University in 1993 and focus on becoming a doctor instead.

Plans changed again when Lewis walked on to the track team, and eventually the football team at BYU. He excelled in football and was a WAC 1st Team choice for his sophomore, junior and senior year. Lewis says this means the coaches selected him as the best tight end in the conference. During his junior year, the United Press International group, a global online news source, selected Lewis as its All American Honorable Mention. This was notable because he had only played seven games that season due to a broken ankle. Lewis was healthy all through his senior season, and was ready to move on to bigger and better things.

He was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997, but had only played for the team for a month before he was traded to the Rams. His playing skills helped the Rams achieve one of the biggest turnarounds that the NFL has seen. During the previous season, the Rams had been crushed by the 49ers in a 44-10 loss. A number of losses ensued and the team ended its season 7-9. However, in 2000, Lewis helped the Rams make it to Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans. The Rams won, 23-16. Although he had contributed to the team’s success, he did not play in the big game because he had been traded back to Philadelphia.

Lewis looks back on his relationships with the coaches of both teams fondly and explains that he learned a great deal from being a part of their organizations. The Eagles, who had also been near the bottom of the league, made it to the Super Bowl in four years with his help.

Lewis says the NFL taught him how important it is to surround oneself with great friends, family, music and information. He believes it is a dangerous thing to be surrounded by anything except greatness, because of the enormous effort it takes to do something important and realize a dream.

“You need a dream,” he says. “You have to have a goal because if you don’t have it, no one else will have it for you.”

After leaving the NFL in 2005, Lewis became BYU’s associate athletic director. He had been offered another season with the Eagles but turned down the opportunity. The biggest influence in this decision was his family. They wanted to move back to Utah and have their father home more of the time. Lewis wanted to grant them this.

In his work for BYU, Lewis still shows others his passion for athletics in order to raise money for the Athletic Department. He is responsible for all of the teams there.

From left: Reno Mahe, Chad Lewis and Kevin Curtis, all former Philadelphia Eagles players, stand with one of their young participants at a BYU football camp.

Lewis contributes to BYU and football in other ways, specifically by participating in and teaching football camps for youth. He helps young kids learn football strategy and plays, while giving them an understanding of the way they should conduct themselves when they play any sport and in their daily lives. All of this keeps him busy, especially when accompanied with his other personal endeavors and family life.

Lewis is heavily involved in his own fundraising and charity work and hosts a golf tournament annually for Cystic Fibrosis to raise money for research.

His other charity project, which is based in Utah, is called American Indian Services. This raises money for Native American youth to go to college. Lewis says that learning the stories of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull at a young age inspired respect for Native peoples.

Lewis dedicates much of his life to his family. He gets up daily at 5:30 to read, eat breakfast and get ready for work. But he says his “real day” begins after work, when he comes home to his family. Dinner, ball games and other activities constitute his night. His seven children, ages 2 to 15, all play sports, including volleyball, basketball, baseball, soccer and flag football. They have taken after Lewis and his wife, Michelle, who was a volleyball player for BYU when he met her.

Lewis believes strongly in getting out in the outdoors. He ran the 2011 St. George Marathon, and would like others to take the time to get exercise and go outside, especially in the fall. “Take advantage of the colors, get up in the mountains on a bike or walking,” he says. “Take the time to see the colors change. Use a sick day at work if you have to. Life is meant to be lived.”

University of Utah alumnus finds path to desired career proves difficult

Posted on November 22, 2011 by comm5775

Chris Jex supporting the Utes at the 2010 Maaco Bowl in Las Vegas, Nev.

Story and photo by JACOB W. MAXWELL

Chris Jex, 28, a 2011 graduate of the University of Utah, has had difficulty transitioning from student into his desired career path.

One week before he graduated in August, he was hired by Fanzz online apparel stores, Larry H. Miller Corporation’s online sports apparel and merchandise retail company.

“Working in online and new media marketing is something I enjoy,” Jex said.

But it isn’t his dream job.

For Jex, his formative years were spent mastering the guitar, online gaming and skipping school. In 2001, he decided to pursue higher education. He received his GED diploma later that year, and started at Salt Lake Community College in 2002. He graduated in 2006 with his associate degree in general studies.

He entered the University of Utah in 2007 knowing that he wanted to major in political science.

In the summer before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in both political science and economics, Jex decided he would start working toward his career path and forego graduate school for the time being.

Unemployed and with graduation approaching, Jex began to feel the burden of repaying his student loan debt, affording his living expenses and finding a well-paying job during this recession. This forced Jex to put his career plans to work in finance or the public sector on hold, and look for a job he knew that he could get quickly.

He had worked for five years for Mrs. Fields, an online retailer for baked goods. When he saw a job listing for the Larry H. Miller Corp. that was relevant to his prior work experience, Jex jumped at the opportunity to apply.

He adds descriptive captions to online items such as jerseys, hats and key chains for the website. He was quickly promoted after only a few weeks on the job to run an online marketing team.

Jex said his promotion came with only a slight increase in pay and the responsibility of managing a team of five people in which he is still paid hourly.

Many graduates, like Jex, hope those four years of schooling and thousands of dollars will reap them the financial rewards of a well-paying job in the field that they had studied.

A study of 571 men and women who graduated between 2006 and 2010 from four-year colleges found that 53 percent were employed full-time, 14 percent were still looking for full-time employment and almost half were working in jobs that don’t require a degree.

The report, published in May 2011, measured how prepared college graduates were to enter the job market. Graduates also were asked how much of their education was financed. Researchers at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University concluded that this generation exhibits a “diminished expectation of financial success.”

Dana Sowby, associate director for the Career Services at the U, said that “a degree doesn’t get you a job. It’s a foundation you base your career on.”

For example, Sowby feels that Jex’s education provided him with that foundation by teaching him critical thinking skills.

Sowby is a firm believer that there are plenty of jobs out there waiting for U students to fill. Over the past 20 years, she has made sure that U students who seek the center’s help are prepared to enter the workforce.

The center helps students and alumni choose a career path, write resumes and find internships. The staff also hold mock interviews to help individuals prepare for a real-life situation.

Sowby recommends that current students take advantage of internships to explore career options and determine whether they are on the right course. “Take internships during school. Internships are critical, but not required,” she said.

The Rutgers report found that students who took advantage of internships during school saw a median income of $34,680, which was $6,680 more than those who chose to not participate in them.

“Internships give students a chance to implement their knowledge, gain real-world experience, network and add to a resume,” Sowby said.

Jex never took an internship while in school.

He is still strongly considering graduate school to further his education and hasn’t yet taken advantage of the Career Services to help jump-start his career path.

But Sowby suggested that Jex find relevant work experience first. “Not finding a job isn’t the right reason to enter graduate school,” she said.

She said both political science and economics are great majors. However, she feels that having a degree alone isn’t enough.

“You need to take it a step further and apply your knowledge,” Sowby said.

Jex feels that there already have been many opportunities to apply his university training with his current job at Fanzz. He is grateful to the Larry H. Miller Corp. for employment in this rough economy, even though it’s not his dream job.

So what’s next for Jex?

“My long-term goals are to have the flexibility and options to pursue an eventful and fulfilling career in an increasingly diverse job market,” Jex said.

U NewsWriting

Stories by student-journalists in COMM 1610, Introduction to News Writing

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