By David Russo

Many UCSB students enjoy tossing around a Frisbee at the beach, and some have turned that hobby into a competitive sport for an hour each week. Jon Cass, a third-year graduate student in UCSB’s Mathematics PhD program, is also in his third year of playing Intramural Sports. This quarter, Cass leads an Ultimate team, “Little Jon and His Merry Men & Women,” that is currently undefeated in the Coed Advanced league.

“I started playing Intramurals Sports when I first got to UCSB [in 2008],” Cass said. “One of my friends had come to UCSB the previous year and invited me to play on a team. I played with that team for a little while, but then some of the players left town and the team dissolved.”

After that, Cass didn’t have much continuity with one team for a while.

“I spent the next year or so bouncing around between teams and just playing whenever I got the chance,” Cass explained. “Then in the spring of last year, [former graduate student] Ariana Arcenas organized a team out of people who play pickup together when there are no Intramural Sport games going on.”

Arcenas’ team made a run for the championship last year.

“We did well last spring, and only lost in the finals,” Cass said. “[Arcenas] graduated at the end of last year, so I decided to keep the team going into this year.”

Cass talked about how he fits Ultimate into a schedule that includes research in algebra and number theory, with an emphasis on elliptic curves and Stark's conjectures. 

“As a graduate student, my schedule is very loose,” Cass said. “I teach for a few hours a week, and have class for a couple hours a week, but most of my time is spent reading, thinking about, and researching mathematics on my own schedule.

Cass explained that despite certain challenges, participating in Intramural Sports is definitely worth his time.

“It is not difficult to fit intramurals into my schedule, however it is sometimes disruptive if I am in the middle of a marathon grading schedule, or am finally making some headway in my reading,” Cass said. “That [being] said, I find that it is very important to make the time - the intramural games are an opportunity to work hard in a different way and interact with people that I would not see otherwise.  My head is always much clearer after a good game of Ultimate.”

Cass talked about the dynamic players on his team and how they have come to play well together.

“Our team has a vast range of experience levels,” Cass said. “Some people have been playing for over ten years and have competed at high levels, while others have just started this year. We only meet as a team for the games, but I know that many of the players look for opportunities between games to meet up and practice throwing.”

Overall, Little Jon and His Merry Men & Women has proven to be a fun and rewarding team for Cass lead.

“One of the aspects of my team that I am happiest about is our ability to welcome new players, while still maintaining a high level of play,” Cass said.  “I know that when I show up for games, I will get the chance to learn from players who are far better than I am, and also teach some players who are just getting started.”

The team is currently 6-0, with one game left before playoffs.

“I believe that we will remain undefeated through the rest of the games, but that remains to be seen,” Cass said.

The past game on February 25 against “The Plastics,” also undefeated at the time, proved to be a good test for both teams, with Little Jon and His Merry Men & Women prevailing.

“[That] game was very memorable,” Cass explained. “We played in the pouring rain, with no subs [as not everyone showed up because of] the rain.  We had a great game, and I hope we get the opportunity to play against them again in the playoffs.”

WHEN: March 7 – April 1
WHERE: Rec Sports Office

You Continued the Legacy during winter, now Capture the Legacy this spring by signing up for spring Intramural Sports! Take advantage of the quarter with the best weather by joining one of the most popular programs offered by UCSB Recreational Sports!

We offer 18 different sports this spring including softball, basketball, water polo, and indoor/outdoor soccer. There is a sport for everyone and no experience necessary.

Greek? Make sure to sign-up for the Greek Gauntlet on March 7 & 8th!

Sign-up between March 7^th and April 1^st in the Rec Sports Office. Be one of the first 100 students to sign up and receive a free wristband, putting you in the running to get Caught on Campus. If you’re caught, you’ll win a FREE Rec Sports tank. Spots go fast, so sign-up early!

By Lisa Gray

Spending time getting to know the natural world around you is more than worthwhile—anyone who has enjoyed rock climbing, kayaking, or hiking will attest to that—but it isn’t always easy to arrange or commit to wilderness excursions. The excuses are endless: You don’t know which trails are best, you aren’t sure what equipment canyoneering requires, you can’t find friends willing to climb with you on the weekends… The list goes on and on.

The Leadership Training Course (LTC) leaves you with no excuses. Proudly provided by UCSB Adventure Program staff (all of which are former LTC members), the course offers guided trips, equipment rentals, hands-on training, and enthusiastic friends to join you on your outdoor adventures. Physics major Jacob Staines tells us how the LTC shaped his freshman year of college and helped him make the most of all the outdoor opportunities around him.

Q: Why did you register for the LTC?
Jacob Staines: I was drawn to UCSB Adventure Programs Leadership Training Course [by the] opportunity to learn. There is so much to do out in the mountains or on the sea, you would be hard pressed to go out there and not learn. I wanted to compliment what experience I had with some professional training, as well as develop new experiences.

Q: Now that you’ve spent nearly six months with your fellow LTC-ers, you must have a lot of great memories. Do you have a favorite?
JS: One of the best parts about LTC is the inevitable development of the LTC family. One of my most profound memories from LTC was on the car ride back from our three-day canoe trip on the Colorado River. This trip took place in November, before any classroom sessions had begun. We had set out, for the most part, as complete strangers. We spent three days on the river, and came back more comfortable with each other than some of us were with our roommates.

Q: The LTC consists of an unbelievable amount of valuable hands-on and classroom instruction. Can you tell us a little about the learning experience?
JS: The learning in LTC comes in three forms.

1.    First, we go out with instructors to experience the wilderness first hand. Here we learned to repel, roll kayaks, cook on a camp stove, and countless other hands-on skills and techniques.

2.    Next we would take these experiences with us into the classroom, where we could break down conflicts and scenarios, discuss options, and learn how to problem solve.

3.    Last, through LTC we are given the freedom to go out and use the AP gear on our own time, to further develop our experience, and to put our classroom discussions to use.

Q: Now that you’ve nearly completely the course, how would you say the LTC has changed your daily life?
JS: What I feel I have developed most drastically is my outlook that the world is out there waiting for me. If I want to spend my Thursday morning rock climbing, all it takes is a desire, some friends who share that desire, and a little planning to make it happen. LTC has helped me to develop all three of these aspects.

Q: It seems you have definitely made a lot of friends and memories. Would you say the LTC has affected your social life as well?
JS: LTC has had a greater role in my social life than any other aspect of college thus far. I have gotten to know everyone in the class on some level, and most have become very close friends. There are people from the UC, the CC, and from the surrounding residence, all of whom I can seek and interact with on my own time. Indeed, some of my closest friends were those who I first met in LTC. I feel that describing LTC as anything less than a family does not do it justice.

Q: The LTC is considered training for future UCSB Adventure Program staff. Are you considering taking that next step?
JS: I am eager to become part of AP Staff, where I will be able to develop my skills even more, develop my friendships even more, and help others to meet the same goals. Oh yeah, and have a hell-of-a-time doing it!

Q: How would you promote adventure for those who are considering adding some excitement to their life?

JS: The occasional adventure every few weeks fits very nicely into college life. If gives me something to look forward to and to seek passion in, and it gives me the chance to balance my studies with mentally and physically healthy activities. It’s a win-win.

 

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Check out the details at www.recreation.ucsb.edu/adventureprograms/staff.aspx or just visit the MAC to talk to current Adventure Programs staff! Take a course that will change the way you take advantage of the outdoors.

By Brent MacDonald

UCSB Women’s Lacrosse finished the annual Santa Barbara Shootout with an even record of 2-2 this past weekend. Wins came against University of Michigan and Lindenwood University, while the Gauchos lost to women’s club teams from University of Pittsburgh and University of Florida.

“We communicated with each other a lot this weekend,” junior Courtney Choi said. “It’s something we practice everyday and we took it to the field this weekend.”

The tournament opener for UCSB against Michigan was played amidst a torrential downpour of rain, the first of its kind during a women’s lacrosse game this year.

“It was really intense,” Choi said. “There was so much wind…[we played] mind over body and pushed through it. It was a fun game.”

UCSB gained an 8-5 lead at the half, and continued its offensive play throughout the second period. The Gauchos outscored Michigan 3-1 in the final ten minutes of the game with two of its players sitting out due to yellow card violations given during the first half.

“We changed up our attack,” Choi said. “We were still able to get those goals with two less people on the field.”

The second game of the tournament for UCSB was played against Pittsburgh, which had lost its first game of the shootout against BYU. The Gauchos trailed Pittsburgh by one goal at halftime, and saw the lead increase to 7-3 with just twelve minutes remaining. UCSB went on a 4-0 scoring run in the final minutes to push the game to overtime.

With 13 seconds remaining in the extra period, Pittsburgh scored the goal to ensure its victory.

“Overtime is always really difficult,” senior Ashley Antoon-Algieri said. “Our offense wasn’t playing the way they usually do. We needed like five more minutes to come back.”

UCSB’s third game ended with a loss against Florida University. Florida was only up 6-5 against the Gauchos at the half, but went on to outscore UCSB 6-2 in the second period for a final victory of 11-7.

“Florida controlled the ball the whole game,” Antoon-Algieri said. “They’d get it on offense, calm it down and score a really nice goal. We weren’t in the game.”

The Shootout came to an end for UCSB when it faced off against Lindenwood University in both team’s final games of the tournament. Both Lindenwood and UCSB were equally balanced throughout the game as each team took 18 shots on goal. A five-goal run in the first half gave the Gauchos a 7-6 lead at halftime. Another scoring spree anchored a 4-1 run for UCSB in the second period, and finished the game with an 11-7 victory.

Beating Lindenwood allowed UCSB to finish the tournament without going on a three-game losing streak, and served as an important part of the team’s motivation for the season.

“Those two [losses] were our wake-up call,” Antoon-Algieri said. “It’s good to lose early [in the season] and have that wake-up call. We walked off the field satisfied with that last game.”

UCSB will return to the practice field for the remainder of the week in preparation for its game against visiting John Fisher College next Monday February 28 at 12:30 pm on Storke Fields.

By Brent MacDonald

This weekend’s regional races in Lake Tahoe welcome a change in scenery for the UCSB Ski and Snowboard team, which will once again attempt to compete at a high level against schools that are built adjacent to snowy mountains, rather than sandy beaches.

Though UCSB hails from the sunny backdrop of southern California, it is often a surprise to other schools that the team is able to compete at such a high level.

“We do well in our league then go to regionals, and we’re competitive against teams in the mountains,” sophomore Michael Scinto said. “It’s a shocker to most teams that we’re next to the beach then go up to the mountains and still do well in competition.”

UCSB competes against other Southern California teams throughout winter quarter at Mammoth Mountain, and only travels to a different snow resort for regionial and national races. This year’s regional races will be held at Sugarbowl resort in Lake Tahoe. Scinto, a freestyle and slalom skier, participated through both regional races and national races last season, and believes that national competition is the highlight of the ski and snowboard season.

“Last year was one of the best trips of my life,” Scinto said. “I had a really great time and it’s definitely a lot harder of competition but I think we’re up for it.”

This year’s squad has multiple members that have placed in the top two for various races. UCSB’s Kevin Scardigli is ranked second in men’s alpine skiing, while senior Haley Yolken is currently ranked first in the southern California league in the women’s Alpine skiing event. Scinto is ranked second in men’s freestyle skiing.

In comparison to timed-race Alpine events, freestyle races demand more focus on the freedom of tricks and jumps, which attracts much more popularity of competitors. Yolken’s success in the Alpine events is a rarity for UCSB, yet may soon attract attention of its own through her accomplishments.

“Northern California teams are usually better in Alpine events,” Scinto said. “A lot of kids don’t want to race…It’s good to have [Yolken] with a lot of success in racing because they see that if someone can do it, they can too.”

Yolken will anchor a women’s squad that was successful in winning the freestyle skiing event at last year’s national races. The journey to reach nationals this year begins at regional races this weekend, where teams from the northern California league will compete against UCSB for the first time this season, and may have an advantage due to proximity to the mountains.

“There’s a few schools near Tahoe that [can] train everyday,” Yolken said. “Some have campuses five minutes away from the mountain. They’re good competition.”

Teams that hail from colder climates and compete at higher levels will challenge UCSB’s high standings in the southern California league.

“This weekend…is a good preview of what else is out there,” Yolken said. “It puts things into perspective. I might be first in the southern California league, but when you look at all of California I might not be top five.”

Yoken, Scinto and the rest of the UCSB Ski and Snowboard team will try to place in the top two finishers in each event in order to increase their chances of being chosen for nationals. National races take place March 7-12.

“California is one of the strongest states that shows up to nationals,” Yolken said. “We just have to be confident in our abilities and stick to what we know [how to do].”

By David Russo

This quarter, five of Rec Sports’ sponsors agreed to sponsor select Intramural Soccer teams. Tri-Valley Trophies, Student of Fortune, Isla Vista Bookstore, Woodstock’s Pizza, and Jungle George Grill each paid the registration fee for one team and also provided team shirts for all members of a team, a value of almost $200.

Teams were chosen based on an online contest, open to anyone who planned to make a team for winter quarter. The top five teams who helped promote UCSB Recreational Sports’ page on Facebook won this sponsorship opportunity. Teams earned points by commenting, posting, sharing videos, and tagging photos on the page.

Marjan Riazi, manager of “The Big Yellow” sponsored by Student of Fortune in the Coed Advanced league, is excited that her team is one of the five that were selected.

“I saw the promotion on Facebook and entered my team,” Riazi said. “I wasn't really expecting to be one of the winning teams because I figured more people would be taking advantage of the program, but we ended up being chosen.”

Kevin Trigueros, manager of the Tri-Valley team in the Men’s B league, explained how he found out about the sponsorship opportunity by one of his friends.

“My friend [Omar Campuzano] found the Rec Sports page on Facebook and told me about it,” Trigueros said. “I went on and found out every detail that I had to do to win.”

Campuzano is also one of the five winners and his team “Red Devils FC” in the Men’s Advanced league is sponsored by Woodstock's. Mark Simon’s Coed B team is sponsored by Jungle George, and decided to change the team’s name to “Jungle George Predators.”

“I was told about the program by a member of my team, Shaun Moinpour who is a member of the Rec Sports Marketing Team,” Simon said. “He was the one responsible for signing us up.”

Riazi, who has had an outdoor soccer team since her freshman year, explained how being sponsored has helped make this an even better quarter for Intramural soccer than usual.

“We've benefited from Students of Fortune through them paying for our team's registration and also the free team shirts,” Riazi said. “They're actually surprisingly helpful since oftentimes my team doesn't wear the right color so it makes it easier to have an actual uniform.”

Trigueros and Simon expressed similar thoughts on the ways their teams benefit from being sponsored.

“This program has helped us out a lot,” Trigueros said. “One way that it has benefited us is that we didn't have to worry about uniforms or paying the registration fee … it saved fifty dollars from my pocket.”

“We were given t-shirts that represent the Jungle George logo,” Simon said. “We wear [them] to games, the gym, or just to sport in general, making the shirts good advertising.”

Additional perks are available to the teams throughout the quarter. Tank tops, water bottles, and free food from the sponsors will be given to the team that proves to be the most spirited by acquiring the most spirit points.

The Big Yellow has successfully translated this sponsorship opportunity and shown spirit with their on-field performance.

“So far this is one of our best quarters ever,” Riazi said. “We're undefeated, with one tie and five wins. We're in first place for our league so that's pretty awesome.”

The Jungle George Predators are in a similar position at 3-1.

“We’re making a run for the championship,” Simon said.

The future of the Adopt-a-Team program has yet to be determined, but may be offered just one quarter per year. Sponsored or not, each team has expressed interest in continuing to play Intramural soccer after this quarter.

“[We’ll play next quarter,] sponsored by Jungle George, if they take us back,” Simon said.

“I'll definitely have a team next quarter,” Riazi said. “It's going to be the last quarter with some of our veterans, but I'm sure it'll be a great one.”

By Ben Chodos

Adam Makhyoun, a fourth year Psychology major at UCSB, is a regular participant in Intramural basketball and football. Even though Adam looks like another athlete pulling down rebounds and catching passes, he faces unique challenges, not just while on the basketball court or football field, but in every day life.

When he was 19 years old, Adam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. “I lost thirty or forty pounds in a month,” Makhyoun said when describing the symptoms he experienced just before he was diagnosed. “I went to the doctor and my blood sugar was at 768, which means I was in danger of falling into a coma. I spent a couple days in the ICU and they got me back to normal. I read some books, talked to some nurses, and I’ve been learning about the disease ever since.”

Diabetes is a metabolic disease where the body is either unable to produce the required amount insulin, or the cells do not respond to insulin, resulting in high blood sugar. Makhyoun was eager to explain the difference between Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

“I am Type 1, which mean I’m insulin dependent, so basically my pancreas does not work. Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant. Their body rejects the insulin that is produced. 95% of people with diabetes have Type 2, so I am part of a small minority.”

Diabetics must be constantly aware of their blood sugar level, and most carry a testing kit with them.

“I test between classes, always before I eat, and before I go out or go to play ball,” Makhyoun said. “It’s always the first thing I do when I wake up, and I test six to ten times a day, depending on how much I have going on.”

Makhyoun stressed how beneficial playing sports is for his condition.

“When exercising, your muscles absorb the sugars in your blood, and I can sometimes go four to six extra hours without additional insulin. I love basketball, and the fact that it helps with my diabetes makes it that much better. But you have to watch out, because ten to twelve hours after playing, sometimes when you’re sleeping, you will get hit with low blood sugar. But I just eat some sugar and I’m back to normal in a matter of minutes.”

Makhyoun stressed how importing eating well is in his life, “the most important part of a diabetic’s life is family, food, and friends, in no particular order.”

Despite his condition, Makhyoun remains constantly optimistic.

“Diabetes is more of a yield sign than a stop sign,” he said. “It makes you more aware. I pay much better attention to my health now than I did before. I’m better off now in my life, with diabetes, than I was before.”

By Lisa Gray

What UCSB Adventure Programs has to offer is not just for solo outdoor enthusiasts; nearly all 14 adventure areas lend the perfect opportunity to try something new with a best friend or a group of friends. Within the last few years, for example, climbing with friends has grown in popularity. Visit the Climbing Center in the MAC on any given night and you might see a pair of friends like Moose Warren and Beth O’Connor, supporting each other up the rock wall.

“When we first started coming in here, everyone knew our names because we were the only girls climbing,” O’Connor said. “Now there are a lot of girls.”

Though most people might not consider rock climbing much of a break, athletes love it because it offers a new type of challenge, both physically and mentally.

“Someone once told me, ‘I think you’d like climbing—it’s a really nerdy sport,’” O’Connor said. “At first it was like, ‘what are you trying to say about me?!’ But now I totally understand. It’s a lot like a puzzle. You might not be able to move on to the next move unless you get your feet in the right place.”

The satisfaction of scaling the 30-foot rock wall isn’t purely from hoisting your body weight up foot by foot. It also comes from being able to “see” the proper path that will allow you to reach the top. Regardless of your skill level, the Climbing Center can always offer a harder challenge by rearranging the artificial holds. The design of the wall face itself can offer additional challenge—the easiest courses are perfectly vertical while the hardest courses force the climber to move upward and slope away from the base of the wall.

“It takes a lot of upper body strength,” O’Connor said. “You can get your feet on the holds, but they won’t always support you.”

While the steeper courses can be intensive on the arms, the Climbing Center staff and certified instructors are always keen on sharing tips and tricks to make climbing a reality for every student.

Of course, rock climbing isn’t the only option for any adventurist group. Warren and O’Connor reminisced about a few of their past Adventure Program experiences. Similar to rock climbing, canyoneering is the art of descending a canyon through a mixture of hiking and rappelling. Trips accommodate both novices and experts alike and may take participants anywhere from local San Ysidro trails (complete with waterfalls!) to canyons in Los Angeles.

“One time we got to rappel through a waterfall, literally through it,” O’Connor said. “It was huge! There was about 15 pounds of water coming down on our heads.”

Warren fondly remembered the perks of taking the Leadership Training Course, the class from which she was chosen to be a UCSB Adventure Program staff member.

“It’s so much fun because you meet so many cool people that share the same interests,” junior Warren said. “On the weekends you can just ask, ‘Who wants to take out a kayak and play in the surf zone with me?’”

The Leadership Training Course (LTC) allows dozens of UCSB students to experience backpacking, kayaking, canoeing, and more with all their friends. Leadership skills, risk management, and trip planning is also taught to students who want to continue on as staff members.

If it’s not a long-time commitment, but a one-time big group activity that you are looking for, Warren suggests the rope course, located in Rob Gym.

“It’s similar to an obstacle course, but above the ground,” Warren said. “We have lots of team building stuff like big leaps, where you jump off a platform and we catch you. We have big net bridges you can cross. We have a mini-climbing wall. And we have a zip-line, my personal favorite!”

Groups of all sorts have enjoyed the bonding effects, from UCSB teams and clubs to local community groups, young and old. As Warren described, there is something for everyone to enjoy and benefit from.

“Groups go in there and they do it, and they’re super excited,” Warren said. “They love it!”

Whether you are an expert or beginner, in a big group or a small group, and are looking for a one-time thrill or a quarter-long experience, there is an activity available for you to try. Warren and O’Connor are just two of the many UCSB Adventure Programs beneficiaries. Take a leaf out of their book: try a weekly date at the rock wall, and then treat yourself to a reward.

“Now for the best part of the evening,” O’Connor said. “Dinner!”

__________________________________________

 

Rock climbing, canyoneering, kayaking, the Leadership Training Course, and the ropes course are all just a few of the many group opportunities provided through UCSB Adventure Programs. Visit http://www.recreation.ucsb.edu/ for additional information and other opportunities.

By David Russo

A group of graduate students who devote countless hours of research to their field may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Intramural Sports players.  However, for PhD graduate student and team captain of The Blasters Chris Evelyn, Intramural Basketball is an important part of balancing studies with play.  Evelyn earned his masters at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science and is now in his fourth year in the department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology researching the evolution of salamander species in California.

“[I’m] trying to get a handle on what it takes to develop and complete an original research project at a high level,” he said. “As any graduate student can tell you, this is a long road often full of setbacks and a lot of lessons learned.”

On the court, his team is providing the lessons. The Blasters are currently 3-0 in the MA-1 league, winning by an average of almost 40 points per game. However, the team is not playing for wins and losses.

“We just want one good game a week,” Evelyn said. “We look forward to playing hard.”

Evelyn played at Loyola Marymount for four years, walking on as a freshman and eventually getting a scholarship as a senior. Other grad students on the team with prior playing experience are Finn Rebassoo from Occidental College, Justin Clark from Iowa, Jason Green from Northern Oklahoma College, Mollique Johnson from Southern Connecticut State, and William Clay from Mississippi Valley State. Duncan Kennedy and Chris Burton, the only undergraduates on the team, played in high school.

Rebassoo was named the 2003 outstanding male senior scholar-athlete at Occidental.  Rebassoo finished second on Occidental’s all-time scoring list with 1,562 career points and was the 2003 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Evelyn also explained how he isn’t the only one with a PhD research project. Rebassoo is working on an experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, Clark is completing research on Socratic philosophy, and Clay recently finished a project on Boolean networks in mathematics.

“You wouldn't necessarily know that they also excel on the basketball court,” Evelyn admitted.

This group of students came to form an impressive team simply by playing in the Rec Cen on a regular basis.

“There has been a pretty consistent group of undergraduate and graduate students who play in the Rec Cen the past few years,” Evelyn said. “Our team is really just a group of great people who are all unselfish players. It's great to run around with a group of guys who just love to play ball and really know how to play.”

Despite their full schedules as grad students, the team understands that participating in sports is important to make time for.

“IM's and playing basketball in the Rec Cen have been great ways to build community with undergraduate students and other graduate students,” Evelyn said. “Many graduate students don't do too much besides study during the week so the social aspect of seeing the same group of guys each day has been great. It also helps my mental health to get some exercise each day and leave the stresses of the day behind for an hour or two.”

Despite frequently playing together in the Rec Cen, this is the first quarter they formed an Intramural Basketball team.

“We all know each other and this year we decided it would be fun to form a graduate student team before a few of us finish here at UCSB,” Evelyn said. “Clark, Rebassoo, Clay, and I have known each other for years so it's surprising we didn't do this before now.”

Playing Intramural Sports has proven to be a good decision for them.

“It's fun for all of us to get together and play in a different setting compared to our daily runs in the Rec Cen,” he said. “It’s fun for us to play with more structure.”

The team plays so well together thanks in part to practicing together on Saturday mornings.

“We made it out a couple of times but it's been tough,” Evelyn said. “School or life has gotten in the way the last couple weeks but hopefully we can get out there again soon.”

By Brent MacDonald

 

Early morning workouts. Grueling practices. Dedicated student-athletes.

This isn’t another NCAA division-one school-sponsored program, it’s the UCSB triathlon team: a Sport Club that has gained little recognition on campus, despite its proven successful as a member of Gaucho athletics.

“We’re trying to be top-5 in the nation this year,” sophomore Juli White said.

Last season ended in a 6^th place national finish for both the men and women’s triathlon team. The team consists of nearly 140 members total, more than any other UCSB squad. Levels of skill range from developmental for newcomers to the sport and highly competitive, for those athletes on the team that look forward to competing in national races throughout the season.

UCSB has multiple races throughout the year, including a main three that attract the team’s most focus. Meets at UC San Diego, USC and Cal Poly are the most important and competitive races for the team before the national championships held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

For the UCSB triathlon team, training began fall quarter, and only increased as the winter months began. The team has practices every day of the week beginning with 6:30 am swim workouts Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bike workouts take place at 7am on Tuesdays, and track workouts are held Thursday at 7am. Bike and run combined workouts are Saturday at 9am, and the week ends with 9am swim workouts on Sunday.

“Triathlon is the most difficult and challenging thing I could do,” junior Kristina Etbert said. “It’s a personal challenge. You can always go a little faster and build on what you’ve been doing.”

In addition to these mandatory practices, many members of the team conduct their own workouts outside of practice-time according to their individual schedule.

All of this hard work may seem like a reason many people would choose not to become a part of the triathlon team. However for UCSB triathlon members, it’s the main reason to stay active in the sport.

“When you’re waking up in the morning and know that someone else is getting up at 6:30 as well, it encourages you to go to practice,” Etbert said.

In addition to the physical capabilities that the sport provides, bonds formed between teammates contribute to maintaining a positive atmosphere both during and outside of team activities.

“What keeps me coming back is the team and my teammates and the friendships I’ve built,” Etbert said.

The UCSB Triathlon team plans to utilize its strong relationships and the long hours of practice this weekend when it travels to UC Irvine for the first official meet of the season.

“It’ll be a really good opportunity for first years to get a taste of what triathlon is like, and it will be a good opportunity for veterans to stay excited about the sport,” sophomore Juli White said. “[We’re] really excited to see all the training pay off.”