The 9 a.m. ceremony on Dec. 14 has been moved to 10 a.m. and will include the College of Arts & Letters; College of Engineering, Forestry and Natural Sciences; College of Health and Human Services; W.A. Franke College of Business and University College.

The ceremonies scheduled for 1 and 5 p.m. will be combined and moved to 3 p.m. on Dec. 14. This ceremony will include the College of Education, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Extended Campuses and all graduate students.

“Out of consideration for everyone’s travel plans, we feel that it’s important to keep commencement on Friday,” said NAU President John Haeger in a NAU News press release. “At the same time, we urge all those who are traveling, especially by car, to check the forecast updates and be as safe as possible.”

Both ceremonies will still be held in the Walkup Skydome.

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Many family members, friends, students and faculty members came to celebrate Ramsay’s, formerly Akam, life at the public memorial service held Dec. 7 in the Cline Library Auditorium.

Ramsay was a well-known and loved professor in the Honors Program and taught courses such as The Search for American Identity, Humanity and Inhumanity and Systems of War and Peace. He also co-taught with his wife, Anne Scott, who is an English honors professor.

Ramsay married Scott in 2008 and immediately submerged himself into the Flagstaff culture. Scott shared a few stories of Ramsay, which had the audience laughing and tearing up at the same time.

“Ev [Ramsay] knew better than anyone I know that life can turn on a dime,” Scott said. “But if the laws of physics are correct and energy is always conserved, then I hope with all of my heart that you will find him every single time that you witness a beautiful sunset or experience the first winter snow of the season.”

Not only was Ramsay a dedicated husband and teacher to his students, he was also an avid road cyclist, skate skier, fly fisherman and rock climber. Ramsay pushed himself to his limit inside and outside of the classroom.

He wrote the book Transnational America: Cultural Pluralist Thought in the 20^th Century, multiple scholarly articles and was currently working on a book about British novelist George Orwell.

Students and professors alike were touched by Ramsay’s kindness and care toward them. He was an encourager and supporter; always giving advice and helping others whenever and however he could.

“Dr. Ramsay showed me that I should never let my past define me or hold me back from my dreams, and not to dwell on [it],” Oletti said. “Most importantly, he taught me to never stop living my life. That being said, I know Dr. Ramsay would not want us to dwell on this incident, but to move forward in our lives keeping his memories, virtues and morals alive by living through things that he taught us.”

The memorial service consisted of classical music played on the guitar, poems read by fellow faculty members and friends and stories of Ramsay’s interactions with his students. The audience was laughing more than expected, mainly because laughing was one thing Ramsay was known for.

Ramsay passed away on Nov. 25 after brain injuries from a cycling accident. The accident occurred on Nov. 12, leaving him in the hospital with lifelong brain paralysis. Scott made the difficult decision to take Ramsay off life support to spare him further pain.

The large turnout at Ramsay’s memorial service is a testimony to how many lives he touched during his short time at NAU.

Family and friends are collecting contributions in support of Ramsay’s family. Donations can be made to the Everett Ramsay Memorial Scholarship Fund. (#5337), NAU Foundation, PO Box 22459, Flagstaff, AZ 86002.

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The Jewish holiday of Chanukah (Hanukkah) is fast approaching, and due to the fact the Jewish holidays move around the Gregorian Calendar, most of Chanukah occurs before the end of the semester this year. It is unfortunate for students who celebrate Chanukah, as they will not be home for the holiday. However, there are plenty of upcoming events right here in Flagstaff where people can celebrate and have a good time.

“Chanukah is a very fun holiday,” says Rabbi Dovie Shapiro. “It’s probably the most popular holiday for many different reasons. It’s an easy way and a fun way to get involved with something Jewish. Lighting the menorah, dradles, doughnuts, latkes, what could go wrong?”

Shapiro is the Rabbi for Chabad at Northern Arizona University (NAU), the organization for Jewish students on campus and in the greater Flagstaff community. Chabad is organizing various events in the coming days to celebrate Chanukah.

The Chanukah Family Festival is done every year by Chabad of NAU and is one for the books. The event involves a full buffet dinner with the usual Chanukah cuisine such as latkes and doughnuts. There will also be a menorah lighting, candle making, sand art and a performance from the magician Jolly Roger. The festival will be on Dec. 9 from 4-6 p.m. at the Chabad Center located at 1254 W. University Ave; it is free for NAU students, $8 for general admission, and $30 per family.

For the first time this year, the festival will incorporate the city-wide Chanukah art contest. Any form of art can be submitted as long as it is Chanukah-themed. Those looking to participate must also know that all art must be present at the Chabad center by 4 p.m., Dec. 9. The judge’s panel for the contest will include special guests such as former Flagstaff mayor Sara Presler.

The festivities do not stop there. In honor of the mayor, a menorah lighting will be held at city hall on Dec. 10 from 5-6 p.m. This particular menorah is one of the largest in northern Arizona: it stands at six feet. There will be latkes, doughnuts and crafts at the lighting as well.

In attempt to tie Chanukah to Flagstaff, Chabad will also  conduct a lighting at the Grand Canyon on Dec. 12 at 5 p.m.

With all the events and festivities, there is no doubt that Jewish students are getting excited for the celebration.

“I love Chanukah; it’s my favorite time of year,” says Jenna Wright, a freshman history secondary education major. “I just love the sense of community that it brings and how everybody is excited. Even my friends who don’t celebrate Chanukah, they’re like ‘Oh, it’s Christmas time.’ Christmas carols and snow and all these fun things. I just like how they [the holidays] fall at the same time, so it’s that peaceful happy time of year.”

Through events such as the menorah lighting and the festival, students can find comfort and enjoyment from celebrating away from home.

“You have to celebrate with your friends,” says Megan Blumenthal, a senior nursing major and president of Chabad at NAU. “It’s different, but it’s kind of nice though because you all bring your own traditions.”

All students are encouraged to attend the festivities, regardless of faith. It is a holiday of family and fun, and a common message.

“The message of Chanukah is a universal message,” Shapiro says. “Light over darkness; that ultimately good always prevails in the world, and all it takes is one good deed. Just like with the menorah we light one candle, and every night we only light one more.”

For more information about the events visit www.jewishflagstaff.com or call (928)-255-5756.

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Veteran enrollment at the Flagstaff Mountain Campus can’t compete with Arizona’s top universities

Northern Arizona University (NAU) has been struggling with veteran enrollment compared to other in-state universities. According to Phoenix Business Journal, veteran enrollment at ASU increased 83 percent and UA increased 163 percent from spring 2009 to spring 2011, while NAU’s veteran enrollment remained stagnant at that time.

“It’s going to take a few years to get to those numbers,” said Todd Carlson, program coordinator senior for NAU Veteran affairs.

Currently there are more than 1,000 military-affiliated students out of 23,600 total students studying at NAU, approximately one hundred of whom enrolled in the past year.

The slow state of veteran enrollment is due to Flagstaff’s smaller population in comparison to Tucson and Phoenix.

“It’s all about population,” Carlson said.

Many of the military-affiliated students chose to stay in their hometowns once they begin their higher education or leave the service.

“My parents live in town and I have two small children, so they help watch my children while I go to school,” said Amanda Bowers,  Student Veterans of America President.

In the past two years, there has been a surge to improve the enrollment numbers for veterans.

“It was a focus of President Haegar and he realized there was a need to make NAU more military friendly,” Carlson said. “We’ve invested in our military students and it’s definitely starting to show dividends.”

Some of the investments being made are an increase in military recruiter affiliated students in cities with more military focused areas like Colorado Springs and San Diego, as well as improvements in veteran services on campus.

There are some benefits NAU has over the other two universities for veterans, however.

“[NAU is] going to be more attractive for the programs NAU is more known for; our forestry program is really popular with our veterans,” Carlson said.

The laid-back Flagstaff mountain vibe, witch attracts so many students here, will also be a factor in attracting military-affiliated students to NAU’s growing population.

Despite a lower population, NAU is continuing to attempt to attract veterans to the school.

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Only a few months removed from the 2012 Summer Olympics, the U.S gymnastics team that dominated in London is still fresh on everyone’s mind. “The Fab Five,” as they were dubbed from spectators and commentators alike, took the world by storm with their all-around team gold medal. The whole world was watching, including the NAU Gymnastics Club.

The NAU Gymnastics Club, established in the spring of 2008, was created by a few students with the intention to continue gymnastics, but who did not want to just take a class at one of the local gyms.

While the gymnastics club may not be on the same level as the Olympians, they are no stranger to competition. The club competes in the NAIGC, the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs.

The NAIGC was established in 1988. They are a non-profit corporation whose primary purpose is to support collegiate gymnastics clubs in the United States.

While competition is important to all of the athletes at NAU, having fun always comes first.

Yaeren Hernandez, a junior from Rio Rico, Ariz., explained how she has improved from competing.

“My confidence has improved and I have gained unforgettable memories from these competitions,” Hernandez said. I also have learned a lot of new skills that I would have never had before if it was not for the club.”

Most of the girls on different club teams know each other from their high school club teams, so competitions are a chance for them to reconnect while doing something that they still love.

In 2011, they traveled to two competitions, one at the University of California-Davis and the other at the University of California-Berkeley. They placed third and fifth overall at the two events. At UC-Davis, sophomore Ruby Harrison from San Diego placed third on vault and junior Danielle McWilliams from Patterson, Calif., earned fifth on floor.

At UC-Berkeley, Harrison placed third on vault and second on floor, and McWilliams placed third on floor and third on the uneven bars.

There are currently no other club teams in Arizona, so the club mostly competes in California. Competitions are held around the entire U.S., and the club looks to compete in more this year compared to the previous year.

The NAIGC Nationals will be held in Minneapolis from April 11-13, 2013, and the club hopes to send a few standout athletes there.

Being in the club can be a life-changing experience for those involved. Hernandez agreed and said her life would not be the same without gymnastics.

“I would not have made such good friends. Friends change over the years, but the friends I have made in gymnastics have been there since I began,” Hernandez said. “We are like a family, even though we have such different lives, we are always there for each other.”

Club president Michelle Norris, a senior from Sunnyvale, Calif. said there are a lot of mental barriers that you have to get over to perform certain moves or obtain new skills.

“I think for every skill I ever learned in gymnastics I had a mental block before I did it,” Norris said. “What we learn how to do is scary, flipping through the air and having the confidence in ourselves that we will land with our feet on the floor instead of on our face or our back is daunting.”

The club is open to all skill levels, whether you only know how to do a cartwheel or you have competed your entire life. The goal of the club is to learn new skills while at the same time having fun in a relaxed atmosphere.

Norris also agreed a relaxed atmosphere is the ideal situation to practice in.

“For most of us who did gymnastics in high school, practice used to be a stressful situation where you were yelled at by coaches to do skills, conditioning and be flexible. We do not want to be a club like that; we want to have fun doing the sport that we love.”

At the moment the club currently has a lot of people new to the sport of gymnastics, and a lot of girls and guys who have been competing since they were small children.

They encourage anyone who wants to try the sport to come out for at least one practice. If you are interested, they practice at Summit Gymnastics Academy on Fourth Street on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 pm.

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The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) suspended, for the spring semester, the $2 fee students are charged to support the Arizona Students Association (ASA) on Nov. 26.

This move is only a temporary suspension of the fee. ABOR is expected to reaffirm its vote and approve a policy review calender at their regular meeting on Dec. 6.

Reactions to the suspension were mixed. NAU Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President Sammy Smart, a senior elementary and special education major, was disappointed in the decision. She had pushed for delay until the February ABOR meeting.

“We were hoping to postpone a decision until the February meeting of the board so that all sides could be heard,” Smart said.

Mark Naufel, ASU Tempe campus USG President, was content with the decision

“I am pleased with the decision . . . the only disappointment I had with the Regents’ decision to postpone the permanent decision; at the end of the day this fee will be removed, postponing it just means we have to wait longer before ASUA and ASNAU are willing to work with us to create something new and more beneficial for our students,” Naufel said.

This action follows on the heels of the ASU Tempe campus’s USG Senate Oct. 23 resolution to no longer associate with ASA financially and otherwise.

Prior to this, on Sept. 26, ASU Downtown USG President Jeff Grossman and his Vice-President of Policy David Bakardjiev resigned from ASA following Naufel’s resignation the day before.  Jeffery Hebert, president of the ASU polytechnics campus, along with his vice president of policy, Shauniece High, had resigned on Sept. 13.

While these resignations were due in large part to organizational differences between some members of the various ASU campuses (ASU West campus student leaders opted not to participate in ASA altogether), the precipitating concerns of those who resigned were the $100,000 the ASA Board voted to spend in support of Proposition 204.

These resignations were not of concern to ABOR because ASA is an independent non-profit organization of students subject to their own bylaws.  What is of concern, and within the jurisdiction of, the Board is the mechanism by which the $2 student fee that finances ASA’s activities.

Currently this refundable, non-mandatory fee is collected through the three state universities (ASU, NAU and UA) at the beginning of each semester.  ABOR has no jurisdiction on how the fee is spent by ASA, nor can it abolish the fee.  Its only authority lies in whether it can be collected through the university tuition collection processes.

The fee was established by the ASA Board in 1997 when a referendum was put before students of the three universities asking if they supported a fully refundable $1 per semester assessment each semester rather the $35,000 taken directly from student fees.  In 2008, another referendum was held raising this fee to $2.  Both of these referendums passed.

According to an update on “ABOR Policy 5-201 “Arizona Students’ Association” Review Process” issued on Nov. 30, the board will meet at a still to be determined date and time in Jan. 2013 to have a first reading on the proposed changes to ABOR Policy 5-201.

These changes are proposed in the Executive Summary of the Nov. 26 meeting.  The draft for the Jan. 2013 special board meeting, which are subject to change proposes that section D of Policy 5201 (the allowance of ASA to collect its $2 dollar fee through the universities) be eliminated permanently, but also would strike most of section C. which states “ASA will educate students, serve as a collective voice to promote excellence in education and guarantee students access to the highest quality education as nearly free as possible.”

As proposed in the draft it would be changed to only “ASA will operate in accordance with its bylaws.”

Anyone wishing to have input on this proposed policy change may do so by contacting the Board of Regents via email to peggy.martin@azregents.edu or by regular mail at:  Arizona Board of Regents  Attn: Peggy Martin  2020 N. Central Avenue, Suite 230  Phoenix, Arizona 85004.

Any permanent changes to ABOR would be voted on at the regularly scheduled February meeting in Tucson.

If ABOR eliminates this method of funding for ASA, the student association would still be empowered to seek additional funding opportunities.

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Former Miss Indian NAU Erin O’Keefe performs a song during the farewell address at the pageant. The pageant took place at Ashurst Auditorium on Nov. 30. (Photo by Jeff Bucher)

The Miss Indian Northern Arizona University (NAU) Scholarship Pageant was full of bright colors and patterns, traditional song and dance and the creative cultural expression of five exceptional young indigenous women. The purpose of this pageant was to find and reward a young woman who could be a student ambassador in cultural awareness along with someone who could radiate cultural pride, dignity and honor as a diplomatic leader. The contestants for Miss Indian NAU 2013 must go through a very demanding, life-changing process to prove they are worthy of such an honorary title and responsibility.

Contestants for the Miss Indian NAU 2013 had to submit an application nine pages long, write personal essays, submit recommendation letters, complete preliminary interviews and be a part of a federally recognized Native American tribe. In addition, an entire month of preparing for the pageant competition itself was required. According to first-time contestant Chelsea Natseway, a music education freshman from Seattle, Wash., preparing for the pageant is a lengthy process taking a considerable amount of work.

“We’ve been working on everything for about a month. This last week has been crazy, because we have met every single day, on top of doing homework and school work. It was really difficult, but we got it done,” Natseway said.

The pageant consists of three categories: the evening gown presentation, the traditional attire and talent and the impromptu question. The evening gown presentation tests confidence and public speaking skills, as the contestants shared their platform of what they plan to promote if they were elected as Miss Indian NAU. Each contestant had a unique and creative platform ranging from community involvement to ending discrimination. Each contestant also had a personal reason as to how and why she had chosen her platform and how it had meaning to her.

This evening gown portion of the pageant had a specific impact on newly elected Miss Indian NAU First Attendant Charnelle Williams, a sophomore speech language pathology major, because of the emphasis placed on public speaking skills.

“I’m usually kind of a shy person, but having to go out in front of other people has kind of opened my eyes to all that I can be and how I can benefit from everybody and how they can benefit from me,” Williams said.

The traditional portion was a bold presentation of traditional native attire and traditional talent, which showed the contestants’ cultural awareness and pride. The traditional talents the contestants displayed included storytelling, medicinal plants, traditional dancing and singing.

The part of the competition extra challenging for the contestants was the impromptu question. Each contestant remained unaware of the question until they heard it for the first time onstage. Once asked, they only had three minutes to give their best answer.

This year’s question was as follows: “As an indigenous woman, what leadership skills and values do you consider to be important for success?”

Contestant Natseway explained the Miss Indian NAU title is a major leadership role for the Native American community in Flagstaff.

“I think being able to have an admin for the native community at NAU is really awesome in the fact that we have a leader, or an idol, to look up to. Miss Indian NAU has to be a role model and really positive,” Natseway said.

This representation of personal culture was important to all the contestants who participated in this year’s pageant.

“[It is important] to show my history, my heritage, and be proud of it, and also to show that I am not only a Navajo, but multi-cultured,” said Tanya Genack, a sophomore criminology and criminal justice major.

“For me, it’s always been about how I grew up and that is all I know how to do. If I don’t have that and if I don’t see that, then I kind of lose a part of me. I want to keep it going as long as I could and do my part in sharing the tradition and teaching it to everyone else,” Williams said.

After each part of the competition was completed, the judges took an intermission to confer. The judging panel consisting of five Native American NAU faculty members christened Tyesha Ignacio, a sophomore environmental studies major, worthy of the title and awarded her a generous $1,600 scholarship along with a quilt and gifts donated by the previous Miss Indian NAU’s and Miss Indian NAU First Attendant’s families.

Erin O’Keefe, a first year graduate student in sustainable environments and the winner of the Miss Indian NAU pageant in 2012, has taken her role as a spokesperson seriously.

“I entered into this journey with a view that the role of Miss Indian NAU encompasses not only a positive role model and ambassador, but also serves as a visionary and a catalyst. This title bestows a very privileged but humble position to perpetuate a vision of positive change and exude inspiration to others,” O’Keefe said.

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Josiah Cook and Rebecca Langstrand perform the “Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier” during Act II of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Nov. 30 at Ardrey Auditorium. (Photo by Andrea Sanchez)

A lonely nutcracker watches, unmoving from the shelf, as the girl he loves is asleep on the floor beneath the sparkling Christmas tree. The peaceful night is broken when Clara awakens to find herself as small as a mouse and in the midst of a terrifying battle between her nutcracker and the evil Mouse King.

The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra (FSO) partnered with the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Community Music and Dance Academy Ballet Troupe to perform Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. In addition to two full performances on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, the two groups also performed a condensed matinee.

Normally, the show consists of two acts. Within the first, a little girl named Clara receives a nutcracker for Christmas from her godfather during a family party. That night, she falls asleep in front of the tree and wakes up to find she has shrunk to the size of a toy. The Mouse King and his mouse minions are in a battle with the Nutcracker and his tin soldiers. When all seems lost, Clara throws her slipper at the Mouse King, which stuns him long enough for the battle to be won. The Nutcracker and Clara travel to the Land of Snow, a magical place of dancing snowflakes.

In order for kids to enjoy the show as much as possible, the matinee only performed Act Two. The second act takes place in the Land of Sweets ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. Both Clara and the Nutcracker watch dances from the different people of the land, including Chinese Tea and Spanish Coffee. In the end, Clara returns home to find her Nutcracker back on the shelf and wonders if it was all a dream. Afterward, there is a surprise visit from Santa Clause who, along with Emily Wells, the outreach coordinator, sang Christmas carols alongside the large crowd.

Wells was very pleased with the turnout and loved how both groups were able to give back to the community.

The dancers conclude Act II with the final dance of The Nutcracker. (Photos by Andrea Sanchez)

“This event was a big success. The matinee was even sold out,” Wells said. “I think it’s important that the children see this show. Not only has The Nutcracker become a holiday staple, but the show is a mix of both theater and music which is great for the kids to watch.”

Along with professional musicians, some NAU students joined with FSO in this performance. Although they had only been practicing for a week, the students hung on and dealt with unique challenges arising from Tchaikovsky’s music.

Chris Vennel, a senior and music performance major, played percussion. He thought the music was difficult because it demanded specific sounds and tones from his instruments.

“Although I did not have a huge part in the music, it was hard to get the sounds exactly right for the cymbals, for example,” Vennel said. “Tchaikovsky’s score could be really nitpicky, and we only had minimal practice this week.”

Shea Campbell, a senior and violin performance major, had a similar thought to Vennel.

“The violin music was really exposed during some of the pieces,” Campbell said. “This means not many other instruments are playing at the same time and it would be really easy to tell if the players were not playing together or if it’s bad.”

Despite the challenges involved, the students enjoyed their time working with the ballet company. In fact, the dancers were an exciting and fun new element the students had to work with.

“Along with the fantastic music, the dancers made it fun and added a great atmosphere,” Campbell said.

In order to be a part of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, the students had to audition. In some cases, the auditions could be very competitive and even some NAU music professors were a part of the orchestra already.

Ian Gryzb, a junior music education major, saw the audition as a challenge and a opportunity to push himself.

“I am a percussionist, which means the audition was pretty competitive,” Gryzb said. “I was auditioning against six other percussionists, but I really wanted to rise to the occasion.”

As a performance major, Vennel looks forward to the chance to play onstage as often as he can.

“Being in a professional symphony looks great on the resume,” Vennel said. “Plus, I get paid to play music and it’s a great opportunity to perform in a larger venue.”

In the end, all the students found working with the orchestra to be a great experience.

“It is more challenging than school orchestra,” Campbell said. “The rehearsals definitely have a faster pace to them.”

Carolyn Snyder, a senior viola performance and music education major, loved working with the other people involved in the orchestra.

“It was a great experience working with professors and members of the community,” Snyder said. “Plus, it was fun to see the dancers and the little girls were so cute.”

For more information on the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and upcoming performances, visit their website at flagstaffsymphonyorchestra.org. Student tickets are $8.

The post The Nutcracker comes to life on Ardrey stage appeared first on Northern Arizona News.

Freshmen volleyball players Trianna Henry, Payton Bock and Janae Vander Ploeg (Photo by Sean Ryan)

College freshmen have many obstacles to deal with, like leaving home and settling into a new school with a new group of people, but freshmen athletes have even more on their plate. Adjusting to constant travel and missing massive amounts of school can be tough, but the ease of playing a sport can help.

There are many differences between high school and college-level sports, but the main difference is the level of play. The competition in college measures at a different standard than high school sports because each team recruits good players and every game can be a challenge.

“The pace of the game is definitely a lot faster, and I definitely think it’s more fun to play in college,” freshman volleyball defensive specialist Trianna Henry said. “You have a lot more competition, so everyone you play is really good and you know that it’s going to be a challenge every time.”

The NAU women’s volleyball team added three freshmen to its roster in August and these girls have impacted the team in a positive way. Middle blocker Payton Bock and Henry are both Arizona natives, while outside hitter Janae Vander Ploeg hails from Colorado.

“Their impact has been off the charts this season,” head coach Craig Choate said. “There is no way you can deny what they have done this season; it’s been amazing.”

Through the season, the freshmen all received ample playing time on the court and contributed to the team in their successful season. Vander Ploeg recorded the most kills on the team, totaling 370. Vander Ploeg was named Big Sky Honorable Mention for the season, and has become a dominant force in the outside hitting position. She helped the Jacks finish with an impressive record of 24–7 overall, and 15–5 in the Big Sky Conference (BSC).

Bock is one of the starting middle blockers for the Jacks and led the team with the most blocks at 143. She was named Big Sky Outstanding Freshman, as well as a member of the All-Big Sky First Team, while Henry made a sizable contribution in the back row, totaling 197 digs on the season.

“Trianna is digging as well as anyone on the court,” Choate said.

Most freshmen deal with the anxiety of leaving home for the first time and having to be accountable for themselves without their parents helping them along the way. For some freshmen, it can affect them enough to go back home, but most stick it out and adjust to the college lifestyle.

“I miss my family and friends, because you’re used to seeing the same people every day, like some of my friends since kindergarten,” Vander Ploeg said. “I think that’s the biggest change because you’re used to always seeing them and talking to them but you kind of get used to it after a while.”

With such a successful season, the Jacks have had their fair share of being on the road, which means a large amount of flying.

“Flying was an adjustment, and I do not like it at all,” Henry said. “It doesn’t bother me, but it feels like because of our schedule that we’re always out of town, and I would rather drive. It takes a lot out of you and when you get back you’re just really drained.”

With flying comes missing school, which for most students seems like an exciting topic but for most student athletes, missing school can lead to missing important projects and tests.

“Skipping a lot of school is tough too because I just had an exam over the stuff we learned in class and since I’m never there it’s kind of hard,” Bock said. “But my mom is a flight attendant so I’m used to always being at the airport, but always flying is hard.”

Adjusting to a new environment can be challenging, and for all freshmen they had to get comfortable with living in a new room, sleeping in a new bed, eating food not made by their parents and staying with someone other than a family member.

“My dad would always make me breakfast in the morning and now I have to eat the food here, plus the beds here are super tiny and my feet hang off,” Bock said.

For the volleyball girls, they had to adjust to getting to practices on time and playing in front of larger crowds during home games.

“Yes, I was nervous for my first home game,” Vander Ploeg said. “I think it’s just because everyone is watching you and with the start that we had to the season everyone was expecting the team to be really good. So, I know I was nervous, but I was excited too.”

Aside from all the nervousness home games bring and the constant traveling, these freshmen have shown it is possible to balance while still managing school. They excelled on the court, helping the Jacks go to the Big Sky tournament, and finished with a winning record. Overall, these true freshmen have displayed playing a sport in college can be difficult, but rewarding too.

The post Volleyball freshmen adjust to being student-athletes while helping team suceed appeared first on Northern Arizona News.

Lindsay King runs with the ball during a rugby match.
(Photo by Andrea Sanchez)

Northern Arizona University (NAU) is home to one of the most original mascots in collegiate sports: the Lumberjack.

However, not all athletic teams and clubs at NAU use the school’s nickname. The men’s rugby team, for instance, goes by the Landsharks; the hockey club is called the Ice Jacks; and even the quidditch club bears a unique name: the Narwhals.

Perhaps the most original and interesting nickname of any club of campus belongs to the women’s rugby club, which calls themselves the Timberdoodles.

For those who do not know, a timberdoodle is another name for the American Woodcock.

“The name is a dumb story, but it’s true,” as told by club founder “Boo Boo” on the Timberdoodles’ website. “I was writing a paper, looking up a word in the dictionary and came across the word Timberdoodle. When I found it is the American Woodcock, I thought about how cool that was, especially with the hidden name. The girls voted with some other names, but Timberdoodles was selected.”

Legend has it, the origin of the Timberdoodle name was the result of a losing bet with a Landshark player. According to the club’s website, the team originally selected the name Timberdoodle, but subsequently went through a series of name changes like the Lady Sharks and the Piranhas. In 2002, the fateful bet was made, which gave the club back its original name, which has not changed since.

The Timberdoodles have been a club at NAU since 1991, and were founded by a player from the men’s rugby club. Because of the club status, they finance their season by holding fundraisers and having everyone pay dues so they can travel to play.

“We started talking, and [Nancy Purdin] asked why we didn’t have a women’s club,” Boo Boo said.“It just so happened that a couple of girls had approached me that month who had played but . . . [had] no team . . . and I was busy. I told Nancy I’d put together 10 girls to have an exhibition match the following 10s. [I] did some school advertising in the fall and ended up with about a dozen freshman.”

Club president, sophomore Jenna Rodriguez, says there are benefits to running things by themselves.

“We set everything up — the refs, fields, team travel and everything, so if anything I think it helps us stay organized,” Rodriguez said.

Like most club sports teams, the Timberdoodles face a multitude of challenges, ranging from a weekly lack of continuity in team size to the overwhelming number of injuries they have faced due to their lack of experience.

Head coach Wally Nolan acknowledged these problems, but went on to say his team is off to a good start.

“For the experience that most of the players have, they’re doing very well,” Nolan said. “When they play teams of similar experience and similar capabilities, they win. Then they’ll go play in other tournaments against teams with a lot more experience and they’ll get beat up a little bit, but they’re doing very well.”

Rodriguez added having to re-teach new players every year also presents problems.

“With new freshman, we have to learn and teach again,” Rodriquez said. “It’s great to have people out and play and love the game as much as [they] do, but it’s also great to have people out there who have been playing for a few years.”

Coach Nolan added, “Most people don’t play rugby until they get into college.”

The 2012 squad is off to a great start this semester, winning all three of their Tens Tournament matches for the first time since 2002. The Timberdoodles also fared well at the High Dirt Tournament in New Mexico a few weekends ago, albeit with only 11 players.

Sophomore international affairs major and second-year rugby player Madison Ashley Santana said this team is one of the better teams they have had in a few years.

“Considering the fact that we only had about half a team, we did really well,” Santana said. “We had roughly eleven, so because of injuries and stuff we had to ask more players to play with us.”

She went on to add having to ask around for replacement players or subs is a normal thing in rugby, especially with the number of injuries that occur all the time. Also, because of the number of college students on the team, practice and conditioning usually take a backseat to schoolwork due to how busy they are.

In addition to the first few tournaments, the Timberdoodles have a number of upcoming matches and tournaments for the rest of the semester, including a round robin tournament in New Mexico and several other away matches, until their union season starts.

They are a part of the Arizona Rugby Union, and play clubs from not only from Arizona, but also from New Mexico, Nevada and Utah; and they occasionally play collegiate teams like ASU or UA.

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