SPORTS mens multi-event athletes go head to head in outdoor competition 8

FEATURE

lifestyle My sisters closet provides community girls prom apparel 4

Senior class, led

by forward Kelly
Hardeman, ushers
womens basketball
into success in
NCAA era 8

OPINION defining what it means to be forever wrecked 7

Clause
student voice of azusa pacific university since 1965

WEDNESDAY, march 23, 2016 VOL. 52, No. 12 www.theclause.org

SPORTS INFORMATION photo

APU, Fellowship
of Christian
Athletes and InN-Out host event
to bring students
to Christ
Gina Ender
news editor

APU students, athletes and faculty welcomed over 3,000 children to

the annual Night of Champions for
the 32nd time on Saturday, March
19. The seven-hour-long event, which
featured a carnival in the afternoon
and a worship service at night, was
meant to unite kids of all ages and
introduce them to the Christian faith.
Its evangelistic, event director
Mike Barnett said. The whole goal
is to love on them here, send them
inside to hear someone give their tes-

timony [and] unlock their hearts so

they accept Christ and then change
forever.
For $10 in advance or $15 at the
door, attendees spent four hours outdoors at the carnival, which included
30 games, face painting, In-N-Out
lunch, T-shirts and a Bible.The night
service featured worship music from
the band For All Seasons; a testimony from blind USC student Jake
Olson, who spoke at the event five
years ago at age 12; a word from Fellowship of Christian Athletes worker
Tatiana Leonard; spoken word from
APU alumna Arielle Wilborn and an
altar call from associate campus pastor for discipleship ministries Coba
Canales.
Its a great chance to give back,
to serve, to be a part of this, Barnett
said. You get to be around 3,000
kids and just love on them, call them
by name, hang out with them and see
lives changed.

see night of champs 3

RUDY REYNOSO PHOTO

Night of Champions Donors give grand gift to Wilden

emphasizes faith

Azusa Pacific University welcomes a 1,200-pound bronze cougar to its campus. The statue was
donated by George and Bernie Fermanian, and is placed outside of Wilden to bring attention to
APUs School of Business and Management program.
see cougar statue 3

JORDAN WALSH courtesy

Azusa police seek to

build the community

University President Jon Wallace rappels 50 feet down from the Felix Event Center rafters to return to
the chapel stage for the first time since his absence last fall. His unusual entrance served as a metaphor.

Jon Wallace makes grand entrance

President gives
sermon for the
first time since
returning from
medical leave

Jamie Roebuck-Joseph
staff writer

President Jon Wallace made a

dramatic entrance at Fridays morning chapel in the Felix Event Center
(FEC) on West Campus.
From a catwalk in the rafters,
Wallace was lowered 50 feet down
on a rope into the audience. This
unusual entrance served as Wallaces
metaphor for trusting God and allowing others to be there for him.
I know what its like to have
someone carry you, because Ive been
carried, Wallace said.
He added that it is a biblical foun-

dation to carry others and be carried,

alluding to his seven-month absence
from APU due to metastatic carcinoma.
Wallaces message was on Mark
1, a book he calls an evaluation of
faith. He focused on the role of Jesus
friends and their faithfulness.
There is individual faith, but
there is also a mystery to faith that
says God will honor me when I sacrificially give [and] its not needed,
Wallace said. Im not [the one] who
is important. It is the other person
that God has called me to carry.
Wallace urged students to think
about the loose rope God has called
them to hold on to.
I think one of my biggest sins...
is when I [gave] up on Gods plan for
other people, when I was responsible
[for] simply holding their rope and
making sure they wouldnt fall, he
said.
Sophomore Christian ministries
major and Chapel Services member

Cameron Rose said that students are

more attentive when Wallace speaks,
because there is an added vibrancy in
his presence. Rose added that he values Wallaces vulnerability.
I am happy that he is feeling better, and hope that he only continues
to get healthier, Rose said. It was
humbling to hear such a well-loved
man be vulnerable and talk about
how he has been carried through this
past year. It reminded me that asking
for help is not a display of weakness,
but an act that helps make us stronger.
Demonstrating that growing
strength, Wallace is excited about
the new General Education requirements and new departments on campus. Within the next 90 days, Wallace
said the administration will be ready
to announce some of their physical
building plans. We are actively working to [fund construction] right now,
Wallace said.

see wallace speaks 3

AZPD uses
social media to
foster stronger
community
relations

Kelyn Struiksma
editor in chief

More visitors are coming due to

the new Metro Gold Line stations.
The student populations at APU and
Citrus College are growing. The average Azusa resident is 30 years old.
Given all these factors, the Azusa
Police Department (AZPD) recognizes the importance of communicating through social media platforms.
Mike Bires, senior police officer
and social media manager for the
AZPD, was influential in the departments social media strategy in early
2012. Chief Officer Sam Gonzalez
tasked Bires with reinventing the
departments online presence to encourage stronger community engagement. Bires and his team launched
the new website and presence on
various sites on January 1, 2014.
Only 15 days later, AZPD saw
the benefits of using these platforms
as they began communicating important information to local residents regarding the Colby wildfires. According to Bires, it didnt take long until
@AzusaPD was the featured Twitter
handle on ABC 7.
The AZPD can currently be
found on Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, YouTube and Nixel, a communication platform that sends alerts
for critical city situations. Each contributes uniquely to the image that

Azusa PD is trying to maintain and

promote to city residents. Bires is
also exploring how to effectively add
Snapchatthe third most-downloaded social media app, according
to Martin-Wilbourn Partners national research studyto the list.
Senior communication studies major Stephen Jackson sees this
community outreach effort as an important platform for interacting with
residents.
Social media, like police work,
can sometimes be a faceless entity
where you know this organization exists but you dont know what it looks
like, how to interact with it or what
you can take away from it, Jackson
said. By using social media that
is run by officers and other civilian
employees, members from the community are able to take some of that
mystery and form connections. It creates better trust and opens communication between the department and
those who reside in Azusa.
This social media strategy is
working. Earlier this year, there was
an attempted robbery of an APU student at a local store, which was caught
on the stores surveillance video. The
police department compiled a video
from the footage and published it on
both YouTube and Facebook to get
help in identifying the suspects. After
10 minutes, an Azusa resident entered
the lobby of the police station with
the first suspect and the location of
the second suspect because she saw
the Facebook post.
However, Bires understands
that the power of social media is not
solely used to capture criminals, but
is meant to work with residents to
create a safer community.

see AZPD 2

2 Wednesday, march 23, 2016 Clause

campus
CALENDAR
safety
Wednesday, March 23
Women in Ministry Forum
report
Azusa Pacific Seminary is hosting a forum on women in ministry at 2
The following are selected incidents
as reported from the Daily Media Log
from Feb. 21 through Feb. 27 courtesy of Campus Safety.

p.m. in the Felix Event Center VIP Room. The panel includes Janette
H. Ok, Ph.D. (cand), Karen Strand Winslow, Ph.D. and Kirsten S. Oh,
Ph.D. To RSVP, go to goo.gl/forms/CG7iKuvMfu. For more information, call (626) 815-5463 or email apseminary@apu.edu.

Tuesday, Feb. 23
trinity lawn

Friday, March 25

RP called and reported that she

saw a car with windows that
appeared to be broken. Officer
responded and determined the
owner was inside the car and
there were no broken windows.

wednesday, feb. 24
parking lot g

RP reported she was in a traffic collision and the other party

drove away without exchanging
information.

wednesday, feb. 24
university drive

RP reported being hit by a vehicle and receiving a minor injury to her foot. The subject in
the vehicle drove away without
stopping. An officer responded
and assisted the RP.

friday, feb. 26
mary hill theater

RP reported a subject in a vehicle that matched a recent timely

warning. Officers responded but
were unable to locate anyone
matching the description.

Friday, feb. 26
Alosta Ave.

RP reported a subject in a vehicle who tried to get the RP into

the vehicle. RP ran away and
called Campus Safety.

NUMBERS
Keys lost/found.........................6
ID cards lost/found..............8
Cellphones found..................0
Unsecured bikes found........2
False fire alarms.....................4

REMEMBER
1. If you see something, say
something.
2. Safety is everyones business.
3. Dial 911 for life-threatening emergencies.
4. Non-emergencies: Call
Campus Saftety at (626) 8153898.
5. Lock all doors and windows to your dorm, apartment and vehicle.
6. Keep all valuables secured
and out of plain view.
7. At night, keep to well-lit
areas.
8. Always be aware of your
surroundings.
9. Utilize the trolleys, safety
escorts or walk groups.
10. Avoid places where you
are vulnerable and there are
no exits.
11. Avoid texting or talking
on the phone while walking
as you may be distracted.
12. Avoid walking and jogging alone.
13. Secure your bike with a
recommended Kryptonite
U-lock.

Good Friday

In observation of Good Friday, no classes will be held today.

MICHELLE HIATT courtesy

wednesday, feb. 24
parking lot a

compiled by gina ender

Tuesday-Monday, March 29-April 11

Housing Sign-Ups

Students can come to Housing Services in Engstrom Hall to pick up

2016-2017 appointment tickets for Housing Sign-Ups. Tickets are issued randomly during office hours. For more information, visit
www.apu.edu/housing/signup.

Members of APUs West Campus chapel band enjoy Donut Man tiger
tails with lead campus pastor Woody Morwood on March 16.

Thursday, March 31

Final Cut Talent Competition

An American Idol-style contest will be held in the Wynn Amphitheater

from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and admission is free.

Thursday, March 31

Hairspray

The premiere of APU theaters musical Hairspray will be from 7:30

to 10:30 p.m. in the Warehouse Theater. Tickets are $15 for faculty,
staff, students and alumni and $20 for general admission. On April
1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16, the show will start at 7:30 p.m. There will
also be matinee performances at 2 p.m. on April 2, 9 and 16.

Friday, April 1

Living Spaces/Commuter Chapel

Students will worship in their living areas and commuter students

will meet in the Wynn Amphitheater.

Tuesday-Wednesday, April 5-6

weGIVE Thanks Days

The Office of University Advancement is hosting weGIVE Thanks

Days, where students can come to Cougar Walk to write thank you
cards to APU donors and enter a raffle for prizes.

Azusa PD unifies residents via social media

AZPD, P. 1

Jackson agreed with Bires

perspective that social media is a
platform that ignites conversations
within the community, specifically
millennials. As a college student,
Jackson said it is rare to see millennials watching the news or reading
the newspaper. However, it is not
uncommon to see students scrolling
through Twitter.
Social media can get on millennials level and make them feel comfortable, Jackson said. [The AZPD] has
been doing a fantastic job with their
efforts, and people love the live videos that are being posted. It is a fun
and interactive way to grab and keep
peoples attention.
Last week, the AZPD posted
a live video on Facebook that addressed the demolition of Burger
King and the relocation of the Alosta
Starbucks. The video reached over
100,000 people and generated more
than 26,000 views with 123 comments.
Although the AZPD started using social media as a communication
platform in early 2014, the image of
police officers became a national issue later that August with the death
of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Since that incident, police officers have been scrutinized throughout the country.
I do not know anything about

LAUREN JACOBS Graphic

Reporting party reported a subject standing and staring in an

area for a long time. The RP said
the subject had left the area, so
officers met with the RP and
gathered information.

theclause.org/nEWs

Ferguson PD; I can only talk from

what I believe personally, Bires said.
The problems in that community
were there before the Michael Brown
shootingFrom my understanding,
there wasnt that big of a social media
presence by law enforcement in that
community. There was only one side
telling that story, only one voice to
listen to and that was [the] activists,
members of the community [who]
were upset [about] what happened
and the rest of the world offering
their opinions.
There are at least two sides to
every story, and Bires believes it is
important that law enforcement joins
those conversations and becomes active participants in building commu-

Clause

News Staff
editor-in-chief kelyn struiksma
news editor gina ender
lifestyle editor camille frigillana
opinion editor hankyul sharon lee
sports editor landon troka
asst. sports editor brandon rodriguez
photo/design editor lauren jacobs
copy editors meghan hui,
charlotte ward, cynndie hoff
business manager devon dejardin
staff writers caroline connolly, mandy
mayfield, jamie roebuck joseph, joshua d.
guilas, kenny langrell, kezziah costello, kiki
roman, kristin miller, tyler wilborn,
rudy reynoso
faculty adviser steve scauzillo, m.a.

nities toward unity.

Despite police officers facing
national scrutiny, Azusa Mayor Joseph Rocha is proud of the work and
dedication of Azusa PD has taken
in building community relationships
and adapting to new forms of technology.
[Police officers] used to be
viewed as an enemy, now they are
viewed as our friends, Rocha said,
and added that resident involvement
has increased with Azusa PDs inclusion of social media.
The police department has also
partnered with the city of Azusa to
offer a variety of community engagement events this year, including Coffee with a Cop, Golden Days Parade

and the Canyon City Marathon.

There is power in unity, Rocha
said. Once it clicks, it makes a big
difference in the community.
Both the private and law enforcement sectors have benefited from increased social media usage within the
criminal justice department. However, Bires is aware of the challenges
that social media presents.
People render opinions that stay
online forever, Bires said. They render opinions on critical incidents in
less than 140 characters There is no
way in 140 characters you can solve an
issue or offer a valid, educated opinion as to what happened.
Despite the difficulty of trying to
encapsulate a situation or issue in a
limited-character count, Bires commented that the work his department
is doing provides a positive image not
only to Azusa, but impacts law enforcement as a whole.
We are using it for our community, to help our community, Bires
said. But we dont just help our community...social media is world-wide
and it bleeds out everywhere.
To follow the Azusa Police Department on Facebook, Snapchat,
Twitter, Youtube, Nixel and Instagram, search username Azusa PD.
To get emergency notifications from
AZPD, text AZUSA PD to 888777. For more information about
AZPD, visit www.AzusaPD.org.

mailing address p.o. box 9521-5165, azusa, ca 91702

phone 626-815-6000, ext. 3514
website www.theclause.org email editorinchief@theclause.org
The Clause is a student newspaper
dedicated to providing a realistic, journalistic
educational experience for students of
Azusa Pacific University; to seeking truth
and reporting it boldly, fairly and accurately;
to enhancing the university community by
providing a student voice imbued with truth,
responsibility and accountability.
The newspaper is published weekly,
except during examinations and vacation
periods, by the students of the Department
of Communication Studies at Azusa Pacific
University. The newsroom is located on
Cougar Walk in between the Cougars Den
and Paws N Go. The views expressed in all
letters to the editor and all signed opinion
articles are those of their authors, not staff or

university.
Letters to the Editor
Please include a phone number for verification of all letters to the editor. Anonymous
and unverified letters to the editor will not be
printed. The Clause reserves the right to edit
the letters for length and journalistic style.
The opinions expressed in this newspaper
do not necessarily reflect the views of the
faculty, staff or administration of Azusa Pacific University.
Follow us!
Our Facebook page: facebook.com/apuclause
Our Twitter handle: @apuclause
advertise with us!
Contact Devon Dejardin at
clauseads@gmail.com

theclause.org/nEWs

Clause

Wednesday, march 23, 2016

Department recognizes National President gives first

sermon in seven months
Social Work Month
Social work
students hold
poverty forum
to facilitate
conversation
Tyler Wilborn
staff writer

March is National Social Work

Montha time of reflection, education and involvement. For organizations like The National Association
of Social Workers (NASW), it is a
time to celebrate the work and contributions all around the nation.
NASW, founded in 1955, is the
combination of seven different organizations that work in the discipline.
Since its founding, NASW has done
much to contribute to the recognition
of those involved in social work from
the college level to the professional
world.
As a part of National Social
Work Month, and in partnership
with the NASW, APUs social work
program is featuring a number of
events, programs and information
sessions to promote both the social
work program and current social issues.

Last fall, nearly 150 students on

campus were reportedly either part
of the social work major or in a major with a specified interest in social
work. Because the number of social
work majors on campus is just under two percent of the entire undergraduate population, the program
has sought to increase its presence at
APU.
Last Thursday in LAPC, the
Department of Social Work hosted
a forum dedicated to the discussion
of poverty and its lasting impact on
todays society. This event promoted
awareness and raised critical discussion points, as many attendees came
from different backgrounds and
points of view. Questions raised at
the event ranged from the origins and
definition of poverty to the nature of
poverty itself to how to end poverty
nationwide and globally.
Anupama Jacob, Ph.D., professor of social work at APU and one
of the organizers of the event, highlighted the importance of the forum
in producing well-rounded conversation among a number of individuals.
The main goal of the poverty
forum was to initiate an interdisciplinary conversation and discussion
on poverty in America, particularly
around the issue of defining and measuring poverty, Jacob said.

The Social Work Club, made up

of all social work students, also contributed to the event.
[The forum was meant] to talk
about poverty through a multidisciplinary lens, said Jennifer Fraga, a
senior social work major and president of the Social Work Club. [The
goal was] not to solve it but to have
an open conversation. Social work exists to help those in the margins. [We]
aim to lessen the gap that people put
between different groups.
For social work majors and APU
students in general, National Social
Work Month presents an opportunity to learn and converse about current issues, as well as consider future
opportunities to become more aware
of social issues.
For Fraga, the hope is to not only
raise awareness about social issues
post-graduation, but to make an impact.
I want to work in policy to help
create and change existing policies,
Fraga said. I want to ensure policies
are achieving what they were [meant]
to achieve, and to fix ones that arent.
As National Social Work Month
continues, the social work program
and the Social Work Club will continue to spread awareness and seek
support for the program, social workers and current social issues.

Carnival, concert seek to evangelize

NIGHT OF CHAMPS, P. 1

Along with these upcoming

plans for the future, Wallace said his
goal for APU is to be vigilant helpers
in Azusa and urged students to be
neighbors within the Azusa community. He suggested that this would
cause others to see APU students as
a helping hand in the city.
If we were able to live fully as a
community of Christ followers, every family and every neighborhood
in close proximity to the university
would wake up every morning and
say, Thank goodness Azusa Pacific
University is there, Wallace said.
In his time away from campus,
Wallace said the leadership at APU
functioned efficiently and effectively
despite his absence.
What an amazing statement to
have the president away for seven
months and the administration and
Board of Trustees continued to accomplish the tasks that were put before them, Wallace stated.

A 1,200-pound
bronze cougar is
installed outside
the School of
Business and
Management

staff writer

Above: Children wait in line for one of the inflatable bounce house
games during the Night of Champions festival on the Cougar soccer
field Saturday, March 19. Below: While For All Seasons perform, APU
student volunteers worship alongside Night of Champions attendees in
the Felix Event Center.

kids and have the opportunity to minister. I think this is a great way to do
it, Tim Kyle said.
Mesa College freshman Mersaydz Morrell attended with her youth
group from New Assurance Baptist
Church in San Diego. She said that
she has been to the event before and
was especially looking forward to the
message later that night. With a mix
of both Christian and non-Christian
guests, Morrell hoped that the people
who were not saved came away with
a different impression of Christians.

A lot of people think Christians

judge a lot, but were actually fun,
nice and encouraging, Morrell said.
Eighth-grader Aaliyah Lopez
came with her church group from
Centro Cristiano Luz y Esperanza
from the High Desert. Lopez said
she was excited to grow in her faith
and spend time with others who
share her values.
[Im looking forward to] getting
to know more about the Lord, Lopez said. Its an opportunity to interact with other Christians.

Wallace said he was pleased to

see the university move forward.
Without the responsibility of being
president, Wallace said he was able
to get to know students during that
time, which served as a reminder of
what APU is truly about.

What an amazing
statement to have the
president away for seven
months and the administration and Board of
Trustees continued to accomplish the tasks that
were put before them.
-Jon Wallace
It was really good for me to hear
from them without being worried if
they were going to offend me, Wallace said. [It was good to hear] what
their honest thoughts were.

Donated statue
makes campus debut

Rudy Reynoso

GINA ENDER PHOTOS

The event theme was Rooted

in Him, based on a sermon that codirectors Barnett and APU track
and field assistant coach Bethany
Blomquist heard on Colossians 2:6-7
at Christ Church of the Valley.
We want to get kids foundationally built on and centered in Christ,
Blomquist said. Its being reminded
that [God] has to be the center of everything we do, so we felt like it fit
really well with the main goal of this
event and the main purpose.
Blomquist said that one of her
favorite aspects of Night of Champions is that it is a collaborative event
between students, faculty, campus
offices, the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes and In-N-Out .
Student athletes from the swim,
football, soccer and track and field
teams helped monitor booths and
play with the children. Senior liberal studies major and track athlete
Danica Dabosy hopes the guests
felt APUs loving community at the
event.
APU is [a place] I feel like we
should share with others, Dabosy
said. Outreaches like this are honestly a big deal and a big success.
Junior business management major and soccer player Jorge Pesquera
said it is crucial to give back to others
through service opportunities, and
helping, guiding and advising children is an important part of the event.
We have to give back to the community around us, Pesquera said.
We have to contribute.
Swim coach Tim Kyle attended
the event with his wife Tricia and his
8-year-old daughter. Tricia Kyle said
she hoped the guests would have fun
while learning about the Gospel.
It will give [their faith] a good
base, she said. Its fun to believe in
God and be with fellow Christians.
Tim Kyle expressed his desire for
student volunteers to make an impact
on the lives of guests at the event.
[I hope student athletes use] the
outreach, and really connect with the

WALLACE SPEAKS, P. 1

In light of many campus renovations, students may have noticed

that despite the barbecue grill and
Wildens flat screens and exclusive
suites, the most talked-about update
is the first of five bronze statues.
The seven-foot-tall and larger
than life bronze cougar statue was
installed over Mid-semester Break
and has quickly become an overnight
celebrity and Internet sensation.
I knew it would be a buzz, but I
didnt know it would be this big of a
buzz, Executive Vice President David Bixby said. On Sunday when I
got here, there was a line of students
taking pictures, so I just got in line.
The bronze statue has raised
questions about current decision
making and the overall financial status of the university.
I cant share [the price of the
statue], but let me be clearit was a
gift, and we didnt pay a dime for it,
Bixby said.
The statue was a housewarming
gift from George and Bernie Fermanian, who are major contributors to
the Wilden renovation project and
other artwork, such as the Staircase

to Success and other artwork.

We donated the museum-quality
bronze cougar for the business school
to elevate the profile and increase the
prestige of the business school to the
APU student body and the business
community at large, said the Fermanians in a statement.
The monumental statue, dubbed
the Turning Point by artist Jocelyn
Russell, was originally imagined as a
tabletop-size sculpture.
I think its a great allegory of
the school spirit, APU professor
of geography and history Charles
Carrillo said. Its not just a piece of
artwork, its a wonderful execution
of the animal, which is the mascot of
the school....Its marvelous! Ive never
seen the animal captured like this except in a photograph.
Senior business economics major Marcus Gonzalez said the statue
complements the other renovations
recently made to Wilden.
Its totally different, but it definitely flows with the new remodel, so
it makes sense, Gonzalez said.
Senior psychology major Siobhan Gadallah said that she admires
the specificity of the statue.
Its pretty wild looking, and the
detail is impeccable, Gadallah said.
For some students, the statue
will serve as more than just something nice to look at. According to
senior nursing major Christian Lim,
it has the potential to turn into a popular meeting place.
It gives the school more personality, and is definitely more of a landmark, Lim said. Now you can tell
your friends, Hey, lets meet next to
the cougar.

Lifestyle

Small teams, large impacts: Students serve locally and abroad

Often shadowed by Mexico Outreach, three Action Teams also went

out during Mid-semester Break to
do short-term mission work. These
teams went to Utah, Los Angeles
and the Dominican Republic. For
one week, a total of 32 APU students
and faculty served the Kingdom of
God in various ways.

Utah
The Utah teams objective was to
start conversation with members of
the Mormon Church. They were not
going with the intent to convert or do
any projects; they were simply there
to create friendships and engage in
interfaith dialogues with Mormon
students.
Senior practical theology major
Jake Tastad claimed that Utah was
his first choice and that he would go
again if he was not graduating.
Tastad explained that the dialogues are a relaxed way of sharing
ones faith with someone of another
faith; both faiths challenge each other
while respecting the journey that
each one is on.
The team participated in three
dialogues, one at the Institute of
Religion at the University of Utah,
another at the Institute of Religion at
Weber State University and the last
at the home of a faculty member at
Brigham Young University.
Tastad explained that the most
rewarding part of the trip was learning to share ones faith in a way that
builds deep relationships.
You think to yourself sometimeswhen you come out of these
dialogues with Mormon students
that you have a deeper connection

JAKE TASTAD photo

staff writer

CHRISTINA SAAD photo

Kenny Langrell

with them than most of your friends

at APU, Tastad said. The reason
for this is because when you are always in your little faith bubble, you
never get challenged or asked why
you believe what you believe. Everyone just assumes that everyone is a
Christian at APU.
Tastad said that the most challenging part of the trip was the Mormons not understanding the theology
of the Trinity.
APUs team found this frustrating because they themselves had to
understand that they did not have all
the answers.
Tastads advice for others considering this trip is to just go for it.
You will make deep friendships
and learn how to share your faith in
a more non-academic way, Tastad
said.

Los Angeles
While other teams left the country or traveled a few states away, the
Los Angeles team drove less than an
hour away from campus for its destination.
Every day, the LA action team
engaged in different parts of the
city, including going down to Skid
Row, passing out granola bars and
soda while praying for the homeless,
partnering with the Dream Center
and taking part in Adopt a Block,
leading small Vacation Bible Schools
(VBS) and visiting Angelus Temple.
Christina Saad, a junior psychology major, claimed that every aspect
of this trip was challenging.
There were people living on the
streets who still had faith in God,
Saad said. That was definitely hard
to seethat even people who were
broken still found their hope in God
and carried that hope throughout the
rest of their lives.
Freshman Christian ministries
major Josephine Wang stated how it
was strange to drive around during
the trip and see places that she had
visited frequently.
We go for our own pleasure, but
it never occurs to us that there is a
need in LA more than ever, Wang

Top: Team Utah spent much of its trip conversing with sudents and staff from Brigham Young University.
Middle: Lead by Prof. Gregg Moder, team L.A. partnered with the Dream Center for their week of service.
Bottom: The women of the Domincan Republic trip worked with other missionaries in various ministries.
said. Many people think mission
trips and serving is all about traveling to a third-world country, but outreach and ministry should be done all
the time, anywhere and everywhere.
Both women would tell those
considering an action team to not be
afraid. They encourage students to
open their hearts and let God speak.

Dominican Republic
As the only other mid- semester
break action team that left the country other than Mexico Outreach, the
Dominican Republic team spent the

week split into various vocational

ministry sites, such as community
health care, dentistry, microfinance,
education and social work.
At these various sites, the team
worked alongside missionaries to
help support their ministries.
Junior psychology major Rebekah Guerra stated that the most
rewarding part of the trip was being
able to see the team experience God.
God moved and transformed
lives in a different context than what
[the team] is used to, Guerra said.
Guerra also explained what it
was like to do a mission trip in a

REBEKAH GUERRA photo

Three lesserknown midsemester break

teams discuss
their trips

country largely known for its vacation

spots.
The part of the country [that] we
were in was not necessarily known
as a vacation region, since its not
near any beaches and [its] up in the
mountains, Guerra said. We didnt
see the typical resorts and beach paradise that a lot of people think about;
it was mostly dirt roads and serving
communities that have a lot of issues
with poverty.
Guerra recommends this team to
people looking for a shorter mission
experience and want to get their feet
wet in the world of action teams.

My Sisters Closet takes stress out of prom dress shopping

Camille Frigillana
lifestyle editor

My Sisters Closet, an annual

event put on by the Department of
Social Work and the city of Azusa,
filled the LAPC room with racks of
prom dresses on Saturday, March 19.
The event, now going on its
ninth year, allows girls from local
high schools to come pick out dresses, accessories and shoes to wear on
their prom nightfor free.
Weve been planning this since
October, so it took about five months
to plan, senior social work major
and intern for the social work department. We had to reserve a room,

gather enough donations, get volunteers and other stuff to make this
possible.
Everything available for the girls
came from donations from members
of the community. Along with different styles of dresses, there were tables
lining the perimeter of the room filled
with a plethora of heels, handbags
and shawls, as well as brand-new
makeup. Whatever the girls leave
with, they can keep.

This just took

a burden off my
shoulders.

Deija Smith, high school junior

Preparation for the event started

late Friday afternoon, with volunteersmostly APU studentscoming in to set up LAPC. The day was
split into two sessions, one in the
morning and one in the afternoon.
Those participating in the event
preregistered online, giving the My
Sisters Closet staff an idea of how
many girls would attend.

LAUREN JACOBS graphic

Annual event
provides an
opportunity for
high school girls
to get the perfect
outfit for their big
night

There [are] a lot of girls [who]

registered, but there are also some
who just show up, and of course we
let them in, too, senior social work
major Rachel Bailey said.
Most of the girls come from Azusa or surrounding areas, but others
come from the greater Los Angeles
area.
We have some girls from Rialto,
from Lawndale, from Bell Gardens,
Fraga said. Anyone can come. It really just all depends.

Before entering LAPC, each girl

took a number and waited until a volunteer was available to help them out.
Each girl had an assistant with
her as her very own personal stylist,
helping her with picking out and
holding on to her dresses, as well as
escorting her around the room to
make sure she had everything she
needed.
Junior English major Caylen
Smith volunteered as a personal stylist for the first time this year.

I remember how much time and

effort went in when getting ready for
prom, and sometimes it can get pretty
stressful, Smith said. I wanted to
help out so that I can at least help
ease the stress.
One of the girls Smith helped,
Deija January, a junior at Rancho
Cucamonga High School, expressed
her gratefulness.
I heard about this event through
my boyfriends mom, and decided to
give it a try, January said. Im glad
this exists. Its really helpful.
Along with the personal stylists,
there were also volunteer seamstresses from the surrounding community
who were available to make custom
adjustments to the dresses.
Makeshift fitting rooms were
used to ensure that dresses fit just
right, or to see where adjustments
needed to be made.
In the end, January left with her
perfect prom outfita black gown
embroidered with sequins and sparkly gray shoes.
This just took a burden off my
shoulders, January said. Now, Im
just excited to have it all come together for prom.

theclause.org/LIFESTYLE

Clause Wednesday, march 23, 2016

App helps users

monitor finances
and practice
healthy spending
habits
Mandy Mayfield
staff writer

Want to know where your entire

paycheck went in one weekend? Mint
is a free finance service application
that will do just that.
The service is an all-in-one tool
for incompetent budgeters who want
a quick look into where their money
is going.
According to nerdwallet.com,
Mint has attracted more than 20 million users since its creation in 2006.
By intertwining all of your accounts, Mint keeps track of every
transaction you make while showing
you the big picture of your financial
status. In doing so, it allows you to
review virtually every aspect of your
financial life.
The applications dashboard includes your debit and credit card balances, investment performance and

MINT Courtesy graphic

Mint: your own personal financer Battle of the Big Bands

your credit score. Under a separate

tab, you can find a color-coded graphic depicting your weekly, monthly or
annual spending habits.
Some of the categories include
gas and fuel, fast food, shopping and
business services.
A large part of what makes Mint
so successful is that it automatically
syncs to your banking applications,
tracking your spending patterns with
virtually no effort required.
In my case, it let me know that
I was spending 65 percent of my income on fast food, informing me of
not only my poor financial decisions
but of my poor eating habits.
Mint also offers educated budgeting. When independently budgeting, many begin by estimating what
their spending habits are, which is

Zootopia is more
than a kids movie
Disneys newest
release tackles
the tough issue of
stereotyping
Camille Frigillana
lifestyle editor

What happens when tough social

issues become a kid-friendly, animated movie?
Disneys newest feature film,
Zootopia, seems to answer that
question.
Released on March 4, Zootopia
takes place in a world where animals
take on humanistic rolesgetting
jobs, raising families, shopping and
so on.
The audience follows a rabbit
named Judy Hopps on her journey to
becoming a police officer.
In the movie, this was a rare feat
because police officers were usually
bigger, more aggressive animals like
rhinos or cheetahs. Despite the hardships and doubts, Judy overcame all
odds. She not only became the first
rabbit to graduate from the police

This movie could

not have come at
a better time.
academy, she also graduated at the
top of her class. This leads to her assignment in the main district of Zootopia, a place considered the best of
the best.
After more bumps in the road,
Judy finally gets a major case involving missing animals in the city. To
solve it, she teams up with Nick Wilde, a fox she meets early on in her job.
Much of the first half of the film
can lead to the assumption that this
is another typical movie about following your dreams and persevering
through whatever challenges may
come, but as the movie progresses,

viewers soon realize that it is much

more than that.
Audiences first see Judy struggle
through the police academy and police station because of her size and the
fact that she is a rabbit.
But the real message does not
really click until the audience learns
about Nick and how he was bullied
as a child simply because he was
a foxan animal deemed untrustworthy because they are considered
predators. The other animals judge
him based on stereotypes, without
considering his true character.
This message that stereotyping people is dangerous and hurtful
seemed to be the overarching theme
that directors Byron Howard and
Rich Moore tried to portray, and
they succeeded.
There were moments regarding
stereotyping that had a comedic effect, but most of it revolved around
the serious topic of judging people
or in this case, animalsbased on
their background and what they look
like.
At a time when racial, gender
and other social tensions are at their
peak, this movie could not have come
at a better time. Additionally, it has
made these sorts of issues easy for
children to comprehend by putting it
in a setting with lovable and relatable
characters.There were also jokes in
the movie that adults could relate to
as well, making it easy for them to sit
through an animated film.
Zootopia has already earned
over $500 million worldwide and has
a 95 percent audience score on RottenTomatoes.com.
This movie is a must-see, regardless of age, because there are different
elements that different people will
pick up on. It is perfect to watch with
friends, younger relatives and older
relatives over and over again.
This movie gets four out of four
Jon Wallace heads.

inefficient and often takes months to

nail down the real numbers of where
your money is going.
Mint tracks how much money is
deposited into accounts, takes note of
how much money you have previously spent on somethinglike groceriesand then offers suggestions on
how much you should be spending
based on past purchases and current
income.
A particular feature in the application is the Trends tab. The tab offers a color-coded graph with a broad
overview of where you spend your
money.
Some of the categories included
in this tab are shopping, fast food,
bills and utilities.
Another exceptional feature to
this app is the Alerts section. The service can send out notifications when
bills are soon due or when a budget
has been surpassed, which helps keep
spenders out of trouble.
The app is also very aesthetically
pleasing. The apps charts and graphics are separated by distinct colors
with sharp lines offering clear and
easy-to-understand information.
For those looking to take a handsoff approach to budgetingor to life
in generalthis is the app for you.

APU and Citrus

hold an evening
of music in honor
of their friendly
rivalry
Lauren Jacobs
photo/design editor

APUs Jazz Ensemble played

alongside Citrus Colleges Blue Note
Orchestra for round 12 of its big bandstyle event in the Haugh Performing
Arts Center on March 18 and 19.
APU and Citrus alumni, students and friends enjoyed listening to
the ensemble and orchestra, directed
by APUs David Betty and Citrus
Robert Slack and Alan Waddington,
respectively.
During the performance, both
bands tuxedo-clad musicians went
back and forth, playing songs to challenge one another.
The evening featured traditional
jazz elements, such as swing pieces
and scatting, but also featured more
contemporary pieces like a cover
of pop group Oasis Wonderwall.
Both bands came together and
played as one large, soulful band at

the beginning and end of the show.

This is the second Battle of the
Big Bands show that junior computer science major Zach Clark has seen
during his time at APU.
It was different than the last
show I saw, Clark said. There were
more theatrics and comedic elements. I enjoy watching the jazz ensemble play. There is a lot of talent in
our music department.
Throughout the performance,
master of ceremonies David Jeremiah and the two conductors joked
about the rivalries between the two
music programs.
We didnt have a Battle of the
Bands last year, so I think there was a
lot of built-up tension, APU music in
performance major Jonathan Schlitt
said.
Schlitt revealed that members of
both bands actually look forward to
spending time together practicing for
the performances.
The rivalry really is friendly,
Schlitt said. A lot of Citrus students
transfer to APU. Sometimes APU
students and Citrus students play
gigs together on the weekends. Some
of the music faculty teach at both
schools. Both music programs keep
their students very busy, but its nice
to all get together when we can.

6 Wednesday, March 23, 2016 Clause

theclause.org/lifestyle

Opinion
Moving can be
tough, but it leads
to new places to call
home
Kenny Langrell
staff writer

We all want it. Millions in the

world seem to want it. People crave
it. What is it?
Its a home.
The clich goes, home is where
the heart is. People can spend years
searching for home, moving from
place to place.
Home is where objects invoke
memories in the house. That couch is
where my family spent movie nights
throwing popcorn at each other.
That driveway is where I learned to
ride a bike. That porch is where we
had barbecues.
Home is special because its
where you live, play, love. For me, its
a lot of places.
For the first 18 years of my life,
I didnt have to search for home. I
grew up in the same house my greatgrandparents built in 1947 when they
emigrated from Europe. I slept in the
same room my mom grew up in and
cooked in the same kitchen as her
mother and her mother before that.
I never had to experience making a house a home, because our four
walls had been a home for many decades.

I never had to move until I found

myself living in three different places
other than my family home in the
span of a year and a half. Because of
that, I learned something invaluable.
The clich that says home is
where the heart is is true, but maybe
not as expected, because your heart
can be in many different places.
I once believed home could only
be where your whole heart was, and
for most of my life, my whole heart
was in one home with my family.
Then, I moved to college.
It was the first time I had to put
my belongings in boxes, load up the
car and go somewhere with all my
stuff. I went somewhere I had never
been before.
I encountered white-painted
brick walls in my new home and, my
gosh, I didnt know how to feel. I had
spent my whole life up until that point
in one place, creating memories, and
now I had the daunting task of making this dorm room in Engstrom my
new home.
And it was, but not for long.
I made the mistake of thinking
that this roomwith the heavy metal
door that wouldnt compromise with
a door stophad to consume my
whole heart in order for it to be my
home.
As God would have it, a short
time later, I packed a suitcase for
South Africa.
This foreign country was the new
place that I would call home. Again, I
was determined to make it so.

Langrell studied a semester abroad in South Africa, pictured above, during her time at APU. This experience contributed to her realization that home is a concept that stretches across the globe.
It wasnt the pictures I put up
on the walls of my friends and family
that made it home. It was the cleaning workers that would joke with us
over our bad Zulu. It was the night
my entire cohort stayed up to play
werewolf one last time instead of
packing up for our flight home. It
was the little girl in the village who
stole my heart.
Then, I moved again. This time
back to Azusa, back to APU into a
mod. This little yellow mod is everything a home should be.
The semester is only half over
and I already have incredible memories of dropping just-made dinners
on the kitchen floor with my room-

Playing on Infinite Loop

Sia is shouting it
out and you can
hear every word

Anna Ruth Ramos

guest writer

I dont know about you, but there

is a certain kind of addiction that happens when you consume pop culture.
Whether that is binge-watching
Netflix, that dystopian novel you
cant put down or a song you have on
infinite loop.
In my case, its my affinity for Sias
new album, which Ive had on repeat
for almost a month now.
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler, commonly known as Sia, is an Australian
artist and songwriter.
You might know her from her hit
single Titanium popularized by the
movie, Pitch Perfect. If its a famous
song about the empowerment of
women, chances are Sia wrote it.
At 40 years old, Sia sounds better
than her younger counterparts who
have to rely on auto-tune.
I remember when I first heard
Sia on the radio (apart from Titaniumreleased 2011) was rapper Flo
Ridas Wild Ones (2012).
When I found out the vocals were
from the same artist, I did not match
her face with her voice.
More recently, Time magazine
compiled the 73 songs that Sia wrote
for other artists like Beyonce, Katy
Perry and Christina Aguilera among
many others. Some of those songs include Rihannas Diamonds, Pretty
Hurts by Beyonce and the new Kelly
Clarkson anthem, Invincible.
Shortly after the release of This
is Acting, Try Everything, Sha-

kiras new single, was released, which

also happens to be the theme song for
Disneys Zootopia (an animated film
about the first female bunny cop).
Hearing it during the movie, I
thought it was inspiring and had a
suspicion that Sia might have been
involved. When the credits rolled, my
guess was right, the song was indeed
written by Sia Furler.
Famously known for hiding her
face when performing, Sias voice is
distinct but also familiar.
As Time mentioned, a Sia song
has a signature uplifting chorus
with vivid metaphors and a message
of empowerment and triumph.
Sia has said she did not want to
become famous, this is why she hides
her face behind a black and white wig
or through models and proxies who
wear the wig, which has become a
signature look.
Sias new 2016 album, This is
Acting, is her seventh studio album
following her 2014 1000 Forms of
Fear.
Compared to 1000 Forms of
Fear, where Sia reportedly derived
her inspiration from her bipolar disorder and alcohol addiction, this time
around it seems as if Sia is out of the
cage.
Sia is always singing about fighting through life, wanting to live and
being set free. She doesnt want to
die. She is all about living. This is
more evident in This is Acting than
1000 Forms of Fear.
While she may not be aware of
it, Sia is just not the type of artist, let
alone person, who can fly under the
radar. She is making noise and people are taking notice.
Sia is someone who keeps going, and shes shining with every new
songwhether she wrote it, sang it

or both.
Although Sias critics say This
is Acting is too impersonal, I think
thats exactly why its beautiful, why
it works and what makes this new album so powerful.
It is customizable. Depending
on who the listener is, the meaning
can be subjective to each persons
personal experience.

Everyone deserves a good

anthem. Every
Sia song has a
story, and each
one of them is for
every woman.
Two years ago, she was swinging from the chandelier screeching
in despair and desperation. Its probably something you listened to when
you wanted to forget your troubles.
This time around, its a proclamation of life. After all this time, Sia
is still breathing as she sings breathlessly in Alive. Shes found her voice
and herself in a Bird Set Free.
Shes an impressive artist because she writes her own songs and
churns out all these albums every
other year or so.
Maybe its an anthem to set herself free, maybe she is indeed still acting, still putting on a face, but either
way, her words are empowering.
One thing is for sure, Sia is a
Porsche with no breaks, and she is
unstoppable, just like her new album.

mates, lounging on the couch while

yelling at Ben The Bachelor on TV
and hosting random dance parties
when we should have been studying.
Each one of these places became
a home for me, and its unfair to say
that they cannot each contain a piece
of my heart.
Home is not where the entire
heart is because pieces of my heart
have been left behind in every place I
have lived. I will always have multiple
homes.
These will always be homes to
me:
The house I grew up in, with all
the memories I have of my family.
Inside the halls of Engstrom, where

KENNY LANGRELL pHOTOs

Mission possible: Finding home in all the right places

I would wander between rooms making some of the closest friends I have
today. The African Enterprise campus in South Africa, where I would
joke with Pindy in extremely broken
Zulu. And my mod where my roommate and I make dinner every night
while listening to Frank Sinatra records.
The house that Ill raise children
in someday will be my home, just like
how visiting my parents and hopefully going back to South Africa one
day will be like coming home.
Sometimes in the search for the
perfect home, people may not realize
that they have already found it.
Multiple times.

I am forever wrecked
The furious hope
found on LA streets
Sharon Lee
opinion editor

Seminary did not prepare me for

this, said Professor Michael Mata in
a guest lecture about his first reaction
to practicing urban ministry in Los
Angeles.
During mid-semester break, 15
students, including me, had the opportunity to spend one week learning about the city and the people of
Los Angeles as a part of the course
MINC 487: Exegeting the City,
taught by Professor Gregg Moder,
D.Min., alongside guest speakers,
including Mata.
The class also partnered with
the Dream Center (DC), a nonprofit
church organization founded in 1994
that fulfills the needs of over 80,000
individuals and families each month
through outreach programs.
We served alongside some of
DCs ministries such as the clothing
ministry Helping Hands, foster care
intervention, the childrens ministry
KIDS Zone and Skid Row outreach.
DC also houses over 700 residents
enrolled in various recovery programs year round.
My first experience on Skid Row,
one of largest areas of homelessness
and poverty in the nation, had me
echoing a similar sentiment to Matas: I was not prepared for this.
I didnt know what to do or say
to fix peoples situations. I couldnt
will the problems away or transform
someones life with a wave of a wand.
And so, helplessness invaded my
heart.But soon, as the experience
continued, hope began to push out
the helplessness.

As fellow classmate junior psychology major Christina Saad said,

We are all the same.
Theres something so powerful
about the inherent dignity God places in us, something that circumstance
or the enemy cant strip away. It is in
this God that we trust.
The more I walked the Los Angeles streets, the more it profoundly
hit me. From the very architecture of
the citythe sidewalks, the competing stores, the buildings, the communitiesto the graffiti left by gangs,
were all screaming to be noticed.
We all want to be acknowledged
because we were created with such
adoration by our God. Our desire to
be known is inherent; its in us, and
its powerfully palpable in our cities.
Classmate junior psychology
major Corin Thornburg said, I was
trying to change the circumstances
around me. But I think God was
using the external circumstances to
change me.
I am forever wrecked by this
tripwrecked because I know I can
never forget what I witnessed on
Skid Row. There is a very real system
of oppression that is deeply embedded in society that I cant repair, and
that I even contribute to sometimes.
But more than that, I am wrecked
by Gods unfathomable grace. He
chose us, continues to choose us and
imparts in us dignity worthy to be
His children. He gives us hope that
the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed to us
(Romans 8:18).
As Walter Brueggemann wrote
in Prophetic Imagination, we must
always learn that our hope is never
generated among us but always given
to us. And whenever it is given we are
amazed.

Sports

Kelly Hardeman
leads womens
hoops into NCAA
era

Landon Troka
sports editor

Tears welled in her eyes as she

walked off the court and toward the
bench. It wasnt the ending that she
or any of her teammates wanted. It
was the waning moments of the Cougars 87-77 loss to UC San Diego
in the West Region semifinals, and
senior forward Kelly Hardeman had
just fouled out of her last game.
She would soon be joined by her
teammates.
The Cougars came into the
semifinals as winners of 16 straight
games, one away from tying the programs all-time record. For the first
half, it looked as if the streak would
go on. The Cougars led by 12 after
the first quarter and eight after the
second. A whirlwind third put the
Cougars behind by 10, and from
there it was over.
It wasnt the ending that the Cougars wanted. It wasnt the tears they
wanted. The goal was to be hoisting
a trophy in Indianapolis as national
champions, not walking back to their
locker room inside the Felix Event
Center defeated.
While winning the national

championship is obviously the goal

for any team, it was plausible for the
Cougars.
We took offseason super seriously. We were determined to come into
the year and do as well as we could.
That was our mindset from the getgo, that we know were a very talented team, Hardeman said. We could
win the national championship.
The Cougars had a successful
2014-15 season and a returning group
of seven seniors and four starters. Beyond the talent, they had the chemistry.
We wanted it for each other,
senior guard Alison Greene said. It
wasnt just an individual thing. We
wanted it for APU.
Although they fell short of their
goal, it was the most important season in Cougars history, even more
than the NAIA National Championship in 2011.
Leading up the 2011 season,
Azusa Pacific had been the best athletic department in the NAIA for six
seasons, winning six Directors Cups.
The award was given to the best
overall athletic department.
The womens basketball team
had been to the National Tournament in 10 of 11 years, including a
national runner-up in 2010. In short,
the Cougars were known. They were
respected.
The same cant be said after their
transition to the NCAA Division II.
The Cougars were back to square

The Cougars starting five celebrate a win over No. 2 California Baptist
in December. Kelly Hardeman (21) had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
one across the board and needed to
build their brand of excellence from
the ground up.
This years team did that for the
womens basketball program. They
made the excellence in Azusa known.
To make that transition from an
NAIA power to now, I think a lot
of people understand [this] is a solid
program, head coach TJ Hardeman
said of the seniors.
This years womens team made
its program known just like last years
mens basketball team. At the center
of a group of seniors, one player led

KEN WILLIAMS photo

Despite loss, Cougars are still moving forward

them.
For the men, it was Troy Leaf.
For the women, Kelly Hardeman.
Kelly Hardeman was named PacWest Player of the Year after leading
the Cougars to the PacWest regular
season and tournament titles. Both
are firsts for the Cougars. She was
then awarded West Region Player
of the Year for her efforts in leading
the Cougars to the top seed in West
Region.
Hardeman ends her career by
earning a pair of All-American honors. The Womens Basketball Coach-

es Association awarded Hardeman

with an honorable mention as the
Conference Commissioners Association recognized her as a second-team
honoree.
Kelly Hardeman averaged 17.3
points per game, 9.2 rebounds per
game, as well as contributing 43
blocks and 57 steals on the season.
I didnt average the most points
in the league or the most rebounds.
The fact that our team was so successful, I couldnt do it alone. I had
people on my team who helped me
shine, said Kelly Hardeman, who
humbly deflected the attention.
Indeed, she did have a talented
cast of teammates. Senior guard
Cydnie Jones was named PacWest
Tournament MVP and second-team
All-PacWest, while Greene and junior center Maggie Dumphy were
named to the third team.
Still, there was the leader. The
focal point. The senior from Manilla.
No one ever had to doubt her individual effort. She would always stay
after practice and get extra shots. She
did everything she needed to do to
be our leader, senior guard Miriam
Zabinsky said.
Her mark will forever be on the
Azusa Pacific record book. Shes
the all-time leader in three-pointers
made, and fourth in total points
scored.
More important, she and her
team leave a legacyushering in the
new era of success.

Multi-event athletes compete among the best

Teammates train
together and
compete against
each other in
outdoor season
Brandon Rodriguez
assistant sports editor

Fresh off an indoor heptathlon national title, Shakiel Chattoo turns his
attention to the outdoor season and
the decathlon.
The freshman will have additional
competition in the event from his own
teammates. Senior Justin Balczak,
who won the heptathlon at last years
indoor meet and the decathlon at last
years outdoor meet, didnt have any
remaining indoor eligibility this year,
but will be back on the track for the
outdoor season. He also placed 10th
at last summers USA Track & Field
championship.
Chattoo dominated the indoor
heptathlon. His 5,554 points in the
event placed his name in the history
books with the seventh-best performance in Division II history. However, his performance was still 52 points
behind Balczaks winning score from
last year.
Now, the two will compete in the
10-event decathlon. Balczak admits
that he is impressed with the accomplishments of Chattoo thus far.
Last year when I won, it was real
exciting because I had been working
up to that for about three years, Balczak said. These guys are animals, especially Chattoo. When I was a freshman, I wasnt even thinking about
winning a national title, so its just impressive. What hes done so far is just
ridiculous.

Chattoo believes that a majority of their success as multi-event

athletes comes through bonding and
having a relationship with his teammates. Comparing them to family, he
explains that hes grateful to have that
support, because they want whats
best for each other.
We have a form of cohesiveness.
The team itself has this togetherness
and motivates you in whatever circumstances youre going through. I
just love everything about this school
right now. Im so humbled through
this, Chattoo said.
The other two mens multi-event
athletes, junior Miles Poullard and
freshman Corey Reid, have had a major impact on the team as well. Reid
finished in ninth place at the indoor
nationals, scoring 5,072 points, while
Poullard came in at 10th place, scoring
5,061 points. Both athletes will compete in the decathlon with Balczak
and Chattoo. Reids goal is to not only
make nationals, but to also regain his
national record in the 400-meter dash
and the decathlon.
For the multis, we all have different strengths, so we mentor each other.
Right now, me and Justin [Balczak]
help Shak [Chattoo] with pole vault,
because thats one of his weaker events,
but one of our best. Then Shak will
help us with our long jump, because
thats his best event, Reid explained.
All of the multi-event athletes have
developed a sense a humor on the
track and use that to their advantage
when competing. Knowing that there
is a time for everything, they use that
humor to help their teammates survive
the long practices.
In practice, we have to crack
jokes and mess around sometimes, because were out here one to two more
hours than everybody else every day.

So, theyre long days and were miserable, Reid said. You got to find the
joy and happiness in it. If you stay too
serious for this long, youre going to
get worn out.
Chattoo added to that theory,
believing that by keeping the atmosphere fun, they generate positive
thoughts and happiness. Its another
one of the many ways they help each
other get better.
These guys are some of the best
people that Ive come amongst thus

far. [Balczak] cracks me up daily, and

[Reid] always says some ridiculous
stuff that cracks me up; Im just here
to add to it. I think we have a perfect
bond right now, and were recycling it.
I really appreciate these guys, Chattoo said.
No matter what, even though
they may compete against each other
as teammates, APUs mens multievent athletes all support each other
to do their very best. From Balczak to
Chattoo, and Reid to Poullard, an in-

teresting relationship has been formed

to help them all succeed, and so far the
formula has worked well.
So between all of us, we want
each other to do well, Balczak said. I
may not want one of them to beat me,
but I want them to do their best, and
if they beat me at the end because they
did their best, thats perfectly fine.
The next track and field outdoorevent will take place in San Diego at
the Aztec Invitational on March 25
and 26.