UCSB Spring Break Trips—Alternatives to Cabo
By Lisa Gray
Do you still need to plan your 2011 Spring Break? Do Cabo and Puerto Vallarta sound too overdone and unoriginal? Do you want to learn new skills in a unique outdoor experience? Every year, UCSB Adventure Programs offers spring break opportunities perfect for gauchos who said yes to all the above. Whether you’re partial to snowy wilderness, desert-like hikes, or refreshing rivers, there is something for everyone. This year, for all outdoor enthusiasts who want a more intense experience, Adventure Programs proudly presents the Wilderness First Responder course. Trips are open to everyone, and thanks to Rec Sports and students’ initiatives, students may enjoy reduced rates. Spots are limited, so head to the Rec Cen cashier’s office to sign-up now!
Colorado River Canoe Trip
Saturday, March 19th - Tuesday, March 22nd
What better way to learn canoeing than by paddling up the Colorado River for the weekend? Even if you already feel comfortable in a canoe, experiencing the serenity of traveling through the Black Canyon, lined by breathtakingly high cliffs, is incomparable to your average river canoe trip. In fact, all skill levels are encouraged to join the experienced trip leaders, who are more than willing to teach or perfect canoeing skills. The three day trip begins at Willow Beach and ends at the Arizona Hot Springs campground for some rewarding relaxation. Round trip transportation, canoeing instruction, canoes and canoeing gear, breakfast and dinners while camping, as well as group cooking gear are all included in the registration fee. You must supply your own personal equipment, lunch and road meals. Sign up now to ensure you will experience one of the best and most beautiful ways to spend spring break on the water.
Backpacking in the Grand Canyon
Friday, March 18th - Thursday, March 24th
The beauty of the Grand Canyon has intrigued mankind for hundreds of years. Despite the constant inflow of travelers, the canyon remains a natural wonder worth exploring. One can’t help but be awed from being “three quarters of a mile in the depths of the earth [surrounded by] walls and cliffs that rise to the world above” (as described by John Wesley Powell). Due to permit scarcity and competition, UCSB Adventure Programs is extremely fortunate to have received permission for five consecutive days of hiking and camping through the main corridor of the canyon.
The group will leave Friday morning for the South Rim of the Canyon. The next five days will consist of eight to ten mile hikes, which require participants to be in good physical condition, preferably with previous backpacking experience. Night temperatures are expected to be cold, with the possible chance of snow, so pack warm! The trip home will include a planned camping stop and arrival to campus early Friday evening. Paying for registration includes round-trip transportation, breakfasts and dinners while camping, camping fees, permit fees and group equipment. Due to permit restrictions there are only nine spaces available for participants, so hurry to secure your spot!
Wilderness First Responder Course
Saturday, March 19th - Saturday, March 27th
For those of you who spend all your time outdoors and aren’t already certified Wilderness First Responders, what are you waiting for? You owe it to your friends and yourself to take this definitive medical training course. Being up to date and comfortable with proper wilderness medical aid is a must for all outdoor leaders and frequenters. A successful completion of the 72-hour course will earn you a Wilderness First Responder and CPR certification card from Wilderness Medical Associates valid for 3 years. All CPR course curriculum taught is consistent with current American Heart Association standards at the healthcare provider level. Register soon to insure your safety on all future outdoor excursions!
To register or find more information, please visit http://gauchosplay.com/adventure-programs/spring-break-2011. Several of these trips are offered multiple times in a year. Explore the UCSB Adventure Programs website to see what and when the other trips and courses are offered—there is guaranteed to be a course to meet any Gaucho’s outdoor interests.
Get More from the Outdoors: An Insider’s View of the Leadership Training Course
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.
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.
Women’s Sport Club Volleyball Looks to Second Half of Season
By David Russo
The UCSB women’s club volleyball teams played in the Far Westerns tournament in Davis over the weekend, with the Blue team placing 3rd and the Gold team finishing tied for 9th out of 45 teams. Blue team lost in the semi-finals to San Jose State.
“We were hoping to finish in the top three,” junior setter Megan Funk said. “It’s one of the biggest tournaments in terms of how rankings are determined.”
Gold team is also happy with their performance.
“It was the first tournament this season we made it to the Gold bracket [instead of Silver or Bronze],” junior outside hitter Lizzie Spencer said.
Last week the teams had an eventful Presidents’ Day weekend, as they traveled to play USC on Saturday before returning home on Sunday for a double header against Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount. The Blue team won all three matches, while the Gold team went 1-2.
Blue team beat USC 3-2 and then swept both Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount 2-0 each.
“We expected to win,” Funk said. “[But] we still have a lot to work on. We have a lot of skill but our meshing needs to be worked on.”
At 5-2 and ranked #21 in the country, Blue team looks to repeat the success they had in 2009 when they won the Division I National Championship and last year when they finished ranked #9.
“We expect our ranking to go up,” Funk said. “We should be a little better than last year [by the end of the season].”
One of the team’s losses came to #4 Arizona at the UCLA Invitational on February 5. The Gauchos finished fifth in the tournament, while Arizona finished in first.
“Arizona has been our rival for the past two years, since we beat them in the National Championship game,” Funk said.
The team has two players who were previously on UCSB’s intercollegiate team: junior libero and captain Jane Hinkle and senior setter Jessica Welch.
“Jessica’s great because we can run a 6-2 [rotation] and always have three hitters,” Funk said.
For Gold team last weekend, it lost to the Trojans 3-0, then lost a close match to the 49ers 2-1 before getting on track for a 2-1 win over the Lions, bringing its record to 2-5.
“We have a lot of individual talent but we need to pull it together,” sophomore middle blocker Tiffanie Schang explained.
Junior outside hitter Christan Schaefer agreed with this assessment.
“We need to build team chemistry,” she said.
One of the team’s losses was a positive display of the team’s potential. At the UCLA invitational, #4 Arizona beat the Gauchos 2-1, but they were the only team to win a game against them, as Arizona swept their other opponents.
Schaefer previously played for Colorado’s intercollegiate team before transferring to UCSB this year. Senior outside hitter Christina Nowak also played for the Gauchos intercollegiate team before switching over to the club team.
“[Sport Clubs] allow for more balance between school and sports,” Schaefer said. “We have games every week and tournaments almost every week, but they’re always on weekends,” Spencer explained.
This weekend, both teams return home for a rematch against USC on March 6. Then the Gauchos have a tournament in Las Vegas March 18-19.
“We’re excited to prove ourselves at the Las Vegas Open and are anticipating to qualify for State Finals,” Schaefer said.
Both teams play in the Southern California Collegiate Volleyball League, and League Championships will take place March 26 in San Diego for the top four teams.
Blue team is hoping to win another league title.
“We’ll definitely finish in the top four,” Funk said.
State Finals will be hosted by UCSB on April 2. Afterwards, Nationals will be held April 7 – 9 in Houston.
[RF1]Spelling of name?
Adopt-a-Team an Awesome Opportunity for IMs
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.”Intramural Introspection: Adam Makhyoun
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.”
Student Makes Table Tennis a Quarterly Routine
Adam Hurwitz, a third year Global Studies major, has participated in Intramural Sports every quarter since his sophomore year, except when he studied abroad in Madrid, Spain for Fall 2010. Hurwitz is currently pursuing his hobby of table tennis by playing in the singles A-1 league.
While in Spain, he was still able to play his favorite sport.
“I played [table tennis] at a hostel in Barcelona,” Hurwitz said. It was awesome.”
Hurwitz explained how Intramural Sports are one of his priorities to fit in with his school schedule. He also plays Intramural indoor Soccer right now, making it the third time he’s played table tennis and soccer in the same quarter.
“I like to play both every quarter,” he said. “I usually try to get my classes early because games are at night.”
Hurwitz got into table tennis by playing ping-pong during tenth grade when he and his friends became interested in the sport. Table tennis differs from ping-pong in that it has more formal rules and is played up to 11 points; ping-pong can vary in its rules and how long games last.
“I played all throughout high school,” Hurwitz said. “One summer that was pretty much all I did. I bought a table for my garage. I just played with my friends all the time … so I thought I’d try my luck with random competition [starting in 2009].”
A friend’s parents sparked Hurwitz’s interest in the sport.
“My friend’s dad was really good,” he said. “He used to play professionally in Ireland.”
Although he didn’t play for Intramural Sports right away, Hurwitz did make use of the ping pong tables in the residence halls his freshman year.
“I lived in San Nicholas and played there all the time,” Hurwitz said. “I’d go over to play in Anacapa a lot too.”
Hurwitz is interested in knowing what a table tennis career after college would be like.
“I’d really like to continue playing, if I’m able to,” Hurwitz said. “There are a lot of people who play in legit leagues.”
However, Hurwitz admitted that he unsure of what playing in such a league would consist of, “I don’t know anything about professional table tennis. There are probably a lot of people who play professionally in China.”
One of Hurwitz’ roommates, Connor Oakes, also plays in the A-1 league this quarter. They haven’t had an official match against each other this quarter, but they do practice together when they get the chance.
“Sometimes we go to the gym and play for a while,” Hurwitz remarked, and then explained why they won’t make a doubles team. “I don’t like doubles too much, it’s too chaotic. I just play it for fun.”
Hurwitz’s current record is 2-2, and has had some close matches so far.
“One game I was up two sets to zero, the other guy came back to tie it 2-2, but then I won the final set 11-9, so that was an exciting game to win,” Hurwitz said.
The best finish Hurwitz has had so far was third place in Winter 2010. Despite missing a couple games for being sick, he hopes to have similar success as the playoffs approach this quarter. He identified some of his toughest competition; besides Oakes, a graduate student Andrew Berman and first year Economics major Peng Zhang. Hurwitz is looking to make it back to at least the semi finals again.
“I should definitely have another good finish,” Hurwitz concluded.
Group Date at the Rock Wall
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!”
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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.
UCSB Triathlon Begins Season
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 6th 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.”
Gators Run to Gaucho Land
By Ashkan Kargaran
It started 15 years ago and today it has become one of the premier extra-curricular activities any young 6th grader could hope to experience: the May Grisham Gators' annual field trip to Gaucho land. In 1996, UCSB Director of Recreational Sports, Paul Lee, was approached by three 6th grade teachers from his son’s elementary school, May Grisham Elementary. The teachers had a vision of sending their sixth graders to UCSB to give them a first-hand experience of everything the university had to offer. Coming from a low-income community where families usually had no college graduates to influence the younger generation, parents were given the opportunity to send their young boys and girls to first-handly see all that college life had to offer.
Roughly 100 students accompanied by teachers and chaperones visit various UCSB establishments including: The Marine Biology Lab, Storke Tower, Residence Halls, and the KCSB radio stations. Following the tour the students participate in a “Q&A” session with current Rec Sports staff members and Rec Sports supervisors then lead “team-building” exercises.
“I was most impressed with the swimming pool and being able to see all of the children working out at once,” Susan West, a current May Grisham teacher, said. “It is important for students to realize that working out is not just something fun, but an essential part of living a healthy lifestyle.”
Afterwards, Lee personally speaks to the students about self-empowerment and goal setting.
“Students need to begin making priorities,” Lee said. “6th grade is a very pivotal age in deciding a young student’s college future. We let the students know there’s nothing in life that they can’t achieve if they put their minds to it.”
Following a souvenir mini-shopping spree at the UCEN Bookstore, a movie at the Multi-Cultural Center, and dinner at the dining commons, the students are treated to a Women’s Basketball game; the reason for choosing a women’s game in particular is to represent determination. Finally, the students wrap up the evening with an autograph signing session with the Gauchos.
The UCSB visit gives these young students a rare occasion to experience college life; something many of their families were not able to obtain. As many college students will attest to, there is a vast difference between preparatory schools and college.
“It’s important for the students to realize that college is different than elementary, junior, and high schools in that you must start preparing early if you want to go to college,” West said. “Goal-setting and accomplishing skills are very important to have and this visit is one of the rare opportunities for our students that provides these things.”
Students from May Grisham Elementary will visit the UCSB campus this Thursday, February 10th. Keep your eyes peeled for some fresh faces; some of them might soon become future gauchos.
Recap: WROLC is a Success
This past weekend, UCSB Adventure Programs successfully hosted the Western Regional Outdoor Leadership Conference (WROLC) for the first time since 1997. Roughly 160 outdoor professionals, students and staff attended the three-day event which offered a variety of seminars from sea kayaking techniques to wound cleaning. Attendees experienced the beautiful Santa Barbara weather, campus, and culture from hikes at the Monarch Butterfly Grove, morning walks along the beach and lagoon, and evenings downtown.
“It was a complete success from our perspective,” director of UCSB Adventure Programs Rod Tucknott said. “We absolutely met our three primary goals: providing a low-cost professional conference, creating local accessibility for students, and offering networking opportunities.”
Activities such as the Dutch Oven Cook Off and the climbing challenge offered chances at bragging rights. The Cook Off was a competition held in a three hour time frame with one rule: the meal must be cooked in the dutch-oven (cast-iron pot) provided. A group of Recreation Center staff from UC Santa Cruz competed against several other groups, including a Santa Barbara and San Bernardino group, with their enchilada dish, appropriately nicknamed “adventure-ladas.”
“We tied for most satisfying dish,” UCSC freshman Alejandro Goena said.
Aside from competitions, the exchange of knowledge, experiences and expertise comprised the entire atmosphere of WROLC. Attendees listened with rapt attention to workshops lead by seasoned outdoor professionals, such as Wayne Horodowich’s talk about “Your Boat, Body and the Blade.” To date, Horodowich has produced six instructional kayaking videos, completed a two-disc set on sea kayaking tales narrated by a founder of the sport, and founded the University of Sea Kayaking. Also present was Dr. Andy Fields, Director of Stanford Outdoor Education, who shared his countless years of experience in several talks about leadership and the development of leadership, particularly within students.
The name that raised the most excitement was that of the legendary female rock climber Lynn Hill. For two months, junior Student Marketing Coordinator Meagan Gibson counted the days until Hill would speak at UCSB’s own IV Theater.
“I still can't believe that we were able to get her to come,” Gibson said.
Hill’s keynote speech did not disappoint. Through a photo and video presentation, the audience watched Hill grow and develop in her career, starting with pictures of Hill’s gymnastic days and ending in film clips of Hill gracefully scaling the famous Nose Route of El Capitan. The “Evening with Lynn Hill” was nothing short of inspiring. Regardless of climbing experience or understanding, Hill’s presence clearly marks her as an athlete in a league of her own as well as a strong and determined woman.
“A Frenchman said a woman would never climb a 5.14,” Hill said. “So I did.”
Hill’s free ascent of the Nose, her most famous feat, not only re-established her title of first woman to break the 5.14 barrier, but it also made her the only individual—man or woman—to have freed the Nose, a record kept for over 10 years. Despite the fame, Hill remains humble because the sport is dear to her heart for reasons other than recognition.
“We were all out there to escape the city,” Hill said. “We took the rules of climbing very seriously. It was more than just climbing, it was an approach to life: try to the best that we could be. Rise to the level of the climb.”
The final morning of WROLC left mixed feelings. UCSB Adventure Programs staff and volunteers dashed about, cleaning up as well as thanking those who came and wishing them safe travels.
“It was very satisfying,” Tucknott said. “I’m super thankful for all our staff; we would not have been able to do this without their help. Everyone went way above and beyond their prescribed requests.”
Most importantly, attendees had nothing but kind words for the WROLC experience. After two days packed with everything outdoorsy and two nights spent camping in the MAC, new and hopefully permanent bonds were created among the adventuring community.
“The best part is the whole community aspect of it,” UCSC junior Dana Thompson said. “You just know that when you come here, there’s going to be a gathering of really great people.”
