August 4, 2011
8
Las Hermanas Leal By Saira Treviño The Pan American Stories about the ongoing violence in Mexico bombard the news every day, but the danger is truly never noticeable until it hits home. At a university with hundreds of foreign exchange students from south of the border, the drug cartel situation is beginning to have an impact it didn’t have in the past. Insecurity has become a regular situation for those living in Mexico, especially in the border region. As a result of the rising number of kidnappings since the war on the cartels began in 2006, many students that face the reality of organized crime have decided to come to the United States for a chance at living a safer and more peaceful life. At e University of Texas – Pan American there are a number of students in this boat, although most tend to shy away from talking about it, for obvious reasons that deal with safety. Take for example the Leal sisters, whose names have been omitted, have left what they once called home in search of safety and tranquility. In one six-week span recently, a close relative of these young girls who owned a car lot in Monterrey, was kidnapped after being extorted by people allegedly involved in drug trafficking. ese apparently ordinary- looking individuals, demanded cars and money from the relative. e doubly distressing part was that, as is often the case in Mexico, the harassing individuals were Mexican authorities. “It hurts to see the people, the police, who should be protecting us, to be the ones most involved with these crimes,” mentioned one of the Leals. A few months prior to the kidnapping these people continually harassed the family member, collected information on his movements and business and allegedly planned the future crime. One day while their relative was talking to his wife, nephews and mother-in-law, “normal - looking” individuals knocked on the door. Little did the Leal family know was that these people were going to abruptly take him by force. e relative of these girls was taken hostage, together with 20 other captives who were kidnapped for different reasons. For 11 days he was physically abused and starved. He was finally released thanks to the timely intervention of the Mexican army. However, because of this event the Leal family has decided to immigrate permanently to the United States. It is noteworthy that in this particular case the family has legal status in the States, because in many cases the people fleeing the violence do not have it. Luckily for the Leals, the girls can pursue their education here without fear. “I suppose that everybody is rather aware that the violence in Monterrey is very drastic, but you don’t take it into consideration or acknowledge it until it is your turn to live it,” said one of the sisters. “e kidnapping, in reality, opened our eyes to the great threat that the whole family faced living in Mexico. A day after the captivity we came immediately to the Valley because it just wasn’t safe over there.” e situation in Mexico affects people’s emotional state but also causes sudden changes in the lives of the family members of the kidnapping victims. In the case of the Leal sisters, it meant a change of residence, moving to a country that previously was visited for leisure activities. ey have to start again and leave one life behind to start another. “I left behind family members, friends, work and my studies. I just needed a few more classes to finish with my education in Mexico, but I had to come,” describes the elder sister. Despite having to leave everything behind, the young sisters understand that their safety and well-being are more important. “My parents wanted to come a long time ago, but there were still things to resolve, like my studies among other things,” one of the sisters said. “But after what happened, our security was more important before anything else.” Many other students at UTPA and throughout the United States have had their lives altered by the violence in their home country. “I would love to return to Monterrey, but to the old Monterrey, in which one does not have to be afraid to live your life,” one of the new Broncs lamented. Francisco Rodriguez/THE PAN AMERICAN WWW.PANAMERICANONLINE.COM Volume 67, No. 31 August 4, 2011 e impact of violence in a neighboring country For the Spanish translation visit: www.panamericanonline.com
description
Volume 67 Number 31
Transcript of August 4, 2011
Las Hermanas Leal
By Saira Treviño The Pan American
Stories about the ongoing violence in Mexico bombard the news every day, but the danger is truly never noticeable until it hits home. At a university with hundreds of foreign exchange students from south of the border, the drug cartel situation is beginning to have an impact it didn’t have in the past.
Insecurity has become a regular situation for those living in Mexico, especially in the border region. As a result of the rising number of kidnappings since the war on the cartels began in 2006, many students that face the reality of organized crime have decided to come to the United States for a chance at living a safer and more peaceful life.
At The University of Texas – Pan American there are a number of students in this boat, although most tend to shy
away from talking about it, for obvious reasons that deal with safety. Take for example the Leal sisters, whose names have been omitted, have left what they once called home in search of safety and tranquility.
In one six-week span recently, a close relative of these young girls who owned a car lot in Monterrey, was kidnapped after being extorted by people allegedly involved in drug trafficking. These apparently ordinary-looking individuals, demanded cars and money from the relative. The doubly distressing part was that, as is often the case in Mexico, the harassing individuals were Mexican authorities.
“It hurts to see the people, the police, who should be protecting us, to be the ones most involved with these crimes,” mentioned one of the Leals.
A few months prior to the kidnapping these people continually harassed the family member, collected
information on his movements and business and allegedly planned the future crime.
One day while their relative was talking to his wife, nephews and mother-in-law, “normal - looking” individuals knocked on the door. Little did the Leal family know was that these people were going to abruptly take him by force.
The relative of these girls was taken hostage, together with 20 other captives who were kidnapped for different reasons. For 11 days he was physically abused and starved.
He was finally released thanks to the timely intervention of the Mexican army. However, because of this event the Leal family has decided to immigrate permanently to the United States.
It is noteworthy that in this particular case the family has legal status in the States, because in many cases the people fleeing the violence do
not have it. Luckily for the Leals, the girls can pursue their education here without fear.
“I suppose that everybody is rather aware that the violence in Monterrey is very drastic, but you don’t take it into consideration or acknowledge it until it is your turn to live it,” said one of the sisters. “The kidnapping, in reality, opened our eyes to the great threat that the whole family faced living in Mexico. A day after the captivity we came immediately to the Valley because it just wasn’t safe over there.”
The situation in Mexico affects people’s emotional state but also causes sudden changes in the lives of the family members of the kidnapping victims. In the case of the Leal sisters, it meant a change of residence, moving to a country that previously was visited for leisure activities. They have to start again and leave one life behind to start another.
“I left behind family members, friends, work and my studies. I just needed a few more classes to finish with my education in Mexico, but I had to come,” describes the elder sister.
Despite having to leave everything behind, the young sisters understand that their safety and well-being are more important.
“My parents wanted to come a long time ago, but there were still things to resolve, like my studies among other things,” one of the sisters said. “But after what happened, our security was more important before anything else.”
Many other students at UTPA and throughout the United States have had their lives altered by the violence in their home country.
“I would love to return to Monterrey, but to the old Monterrey, in which one does not have to be afraid to live your life,” one of the new Broncs lamented.
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www.panamericanonline.comVolume 67, No. 31 August 4, 2011
The impact of violence in a neighboring country
For the Spanish translation visit: www.panamericanonline.com
As I look around my Physics II summer class, something becomes very clear - the maroon “Howdy” T-shirts give it away - there are a lot of students from other schools taking this class.
It would be easy to say that there are Texas A&M and UT students who have families here in the Rio Grande Valley, and just want to take advantage of their summer time at home; however, when you ask them the answer is almost always the same - it’s easier to get an A here.
� e subject and concepts are the same, so how can physics at A&M be “harder” than at UTPA?
� ose who shiver at the thought of any math or science course may � nd it di� cult to understand, but physics doesn’t di� er from one part
of the state to another. Lectures are not harder, textbooks are just as confusing, and the need for tutoring is generally the same, especially with a fast-paced summer class.
More opportunities to turn in assignments late, grade curves, extra credit, and a lower grade required to get an ‘A’ – an 88 in physics - may contribute to the belief that a good grade is easier to get in Edinburg. However, what the students from College Station and Austin may not see is that it is generally easier now to get a better grade at the university level regardless of the area code.
So, where does the belief that classes are somehow dumbed-down in South Texas come from? Perhaps people believe that classes are inherently simpler the further south one travels.
I want to be angry at the
thought of someone downgrading the level of di� culty it takes to get a good grade here at UTPA, but I can’t. I can’t because whether they’re right about it or not, the pursuit of the perfect grade is not something we can look down on anymore.
� e perfect grade, like the American dollar, doesn’t mean what it used to. And like the dollar, it may be easier to get one now, but you need more perfect scores to make up for the in� ation.
� is is what causes us to search for the easy ‘A’ at any cost. It’s why I took Documentary Film History for my upper-level elective and why the Aggies in my class thought it would be better to come here for the summer.
“Get the ‘A’ and walk away” is what most of us think. Play the game and get into grad school with
a high GPA. Perhaps it is the new academic
culture - which equates test scores with success - that creates this high-pressure environment. Years of TAAS and TAKS have shown us that it is more important to teach and learn for the exam instead of for life.
� e classroom becomes a tour of duty where making it out with an ‘A’ is more important than actually learning the subject. A transcript is now a checklist of strategic conquests and not a re� ection of how much one actually knows.
So is it easier to get an ‘A’ in the Valley? Not necessarily.Do some professors make it easier than others to get a good grade? Yes.Does your ‘A’ mean less because you got it at the University of Texas Pan-American? Depends…did you learn anything?
August 4, 20112
Erick Gonzalez/THE PAN AMERICAN
Reynaldo Leal Photo Editor
Commentary
5 Stagesof Failing a Class
DENIAL
DEPRESSION
ANGER
BARGAINING ACCEPTANCE
This class is easy. Iam NOTfailing
Oh, dear God!Please don’tmake me failthis class.I’ll be goodand doall my work nextsemester!
This damnprofessorhates me!
I swearhe is
out toget me!
I can’tbelieve this is
happeningto me.I suck.
No biggie!I guess I’ll just take it atSTC.
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THE PAN AMERICAN
Vol. 67, No. 31
UTP-‘A’Is it easier to get a good grade in South Texas?
Typically the nursing department at the University of Texas-Pan Ameri-can begins their year by admitting close to 130 students every fall and spring semester. Beginning in 2012 however, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Masters of Sci-ence in Nursing programs will only al-low admittance once a year, in the fall.
“It’s going to look as if ‘oh, the nurs-ing department isn’t doing well at all,’” Carolina Huerta, department chair, said. “But the reason for it is because we’re switching admission cycles.”
By next fall the department will, “look great,” as Huerta put it, because numbers will have evened out by then.
“We want to be like the major-ity of the nursing programs in the United States that admit students in the fall,” Huerta said. “Now, some programs have more than one admis-sion date; some admit in the fall or the spring.”
� ose are the very big programs such as the University of Texas at Ar-lington College of Nursing or the Uni-versity of Texas School of Nursing at Houston. But almost all programs the
size of UTPA’s admit only in the fall, Huerta continued.
“It becomes a real hassle because we receive surveys regarding the number of students we admit from numerous associations, organizations and the Texas Board of Nursing,” she said. “All of these reports ask about
our enrollment from a fall perspec-tive. No one is interested in how many we admit in January.”
� e � rst nursing program o� ered at UTPA, formerly Pan American University, was an Associates of Ap-plied Science in Nursing. � e two-year program, similar to the one of-
fered at South Texas College, was closed in 2000.
In order to avoid overlap-ping with the associates group when using the same facilities such as labs, etc. the depart-ment started to admit stu-dents of the BSN program in the spring.
While one group used the labs the second group began by taking the fundamentals of nursing. � ose close to gradu-ating moved on to working in a hospice.
Although it has been 11 years since the associate’s de-gree program was removed, administration gave the OK in March to make the � nal deci-sion on the admittance dead-line. It was a move the depart-ment was very interested in making for some time.
“We’ve explained to [administra-tion] about how it may look like we have fewer semester credit hours but we don’t,” Huerta said. “In the fall we’re going to make them up. We’ll have lots of semester credit hours.”
Funding at a public university such as UTPA, is distributed accord-
ing to semester credit hours generat-ed. With 130 students taking an aver-age of 10 credit hours each admitted every fall and spring, the nursing de-partment was generating 1,300 credit hours per semester.
With the new change however, the department is looking into o� er-ing more classes such as remedial or special topic courses.
Eduardo De La Rosa, a 25-year-old senior from Santa Maria, has ap-plied to the BSN program and was rejected twice. Now approaching his third try he’s worried to some degree about the new change.
“It’s unfortunate that they’re reduc-ing the amount of students admitted,” he said. “Especially when it’s already a very competitive � eld.”
� e department chair, however has o� ered various suggestions for those who originally planned to apply for the upcoming fall semester.
“If you really want to get into this program and your GPA isn’t as high as it should be, use your time wisely or find something else you might want to do,” she said. “Many students in the BSN program gradu-ate with minors. Or end up doing something completely different.”
Students receive award letters, make � nancial decisions
Changes to program has hopefuls vying for fewer spots
Despite the emotional rollercoaster this year’s legislative session has caused for students, faculty and public edu-cation in general, UTPA students can still expect to receive TEXAS and Pell Grants for the 2011-2012 school year.
With the new fall semester be-ginning Aug. 29, award letters have already started to go out to students. � e e� ects of this year’s cuts to public education, which totaled around $4 billion, have created a mixed bag of emotions for students who have begun to worry about how they will pay for tuition and other expenses.
For students like Frances Saldivar, a senior pursuing her degree in biol-ogy, how she will maintain her college lifestyle is still unknown. As a recipi-ent of the TEXAS Grant for the past three years, Saldivar was disappointed to receive a letter stating that she was o� ered about $2,000 less.
While the TEXAS Grant provides enough to cover her tuition, Saldivar
must also pay for dormitory fees and is con� icted on whether to instead ac-cept an o� er for a federal subsidized loan in place of the grant, as it would ultimately o� er her more money.
“I received my award letter in the mail about a week ago,” Saldivar said. “� e award letter informed me that I was going to be receiving less in TEX-AS Grant money this academic year. I am grateful that I have enough to pay for my designated university tuition this academic year, but will most likely have to end up taking loans to pay for my on-campus dormitory.”
In an e� ort to balance her losses, Saldivar has applied for work-study. While she anxiously awaits the deci-sion, Salvidar cringes at the thought of having to take out a subsidized loan, should her work-study position not be awarded. Ideally, Saldivar hopes that being granted work-study will al-low her to have a � exible job to pro-vide enough money to avoid incurring more debt.
“Right now I’m hoping that my re-quest for work-study will be approved,
but as many other students agree, it’s not a sure thing,” Salvidar explained. “I’m also using loans as a backup plan. It’s a big letdown because I was hoping I’d graduate without being in debt - es-pecially before graduate school, which brings its own � nancial challenges.”
Like Saldivar, Esteban Padilla, a 21-year-old Weslaco native double ma-joring in chemistry and music, � nds that extra costs like paying for room and board cannot be covered by his grants alone. However, Padilla believes that the idea of accepting loans is simply more convenient for his lifestyle at this time.
“I received my award letter for the 2011-2012 school year,” he said. “� e amount received was pretty much the same, except for a few things di� er-ent, like I didn’t get o� ered as much for loans and I got o� ered work-study, even though I told them that I didn’t want it.”
Padilla believes it is far better to as-sume debt during college while main-taining a more � exible school schedule, than to be debt-free but be constantly crunched for time.
“I’m a double major, and it’s re-ally hard to try to � t in work-study with a double major. It’s one thing when you have to work evenings or the weekends, but when you have to work during school time it’s just very complicated to try to � t classes around a school time work schedule… It just doesn’t work when you are tak-ing nine or ten classes,” Padilla said. “I plan on graduating with debt. I don’t mind because here, in loans, the max I’ve taken out is like $3,000 a year, which is nothing compared to some of my friends who go to schools up north where they pull out $10,000 to $15,000 in loans a year.”
He is in the process of plotting a course for the next year.
“My plan right now is just to make sure that my room and board are cov-ered � rst, you have to have enough for room and board,” he said. “I’m a little short on classes right now, so I will probably get an emergency loan and try to � gure out how to come up with the loose ends in the meantime. But I’m pretty sure what I’m going to have
to do is deny work-study and ask for a little more in loans.”
Eduardo Trenado is also worried about how he will pay for extra ex-penses not covered by his grants. � e 23-year-old business senior is from De Leon, Texas.
“� e amount (in grants) that I got was not what I expected. I was award-ed the Pell Grant but I’m missing the TEXAS Grant. I’m not sure if they will give it to me later on or not,” Tre-nado said. “� e Pell Grant will barely pay for my four classes, but without the TEXAS Grant I won’t have money to cover other expenses such as books, room and board. Since I’m not from the Rio Grande Valley, I have to live on campus or apartments somewhere else around campus. � is last semes-ter I’m planning to come back to the apartments on campus, but still I need to make sure that I get the TEXAS Grant so I can start planning.”
Trenado is still waiting for his TEXAS Grant award to come in, so that he will not need to accept a loan to make up for the di� erence.
By Belinda MunozThe Pan American
Pressure is on for nursing applicants
By Roxann GarciaThe Pan American
MONITORING THE COMPETITION- Admission rates will decrease in 2012.
Karen Villarreal/THE PAN AMERICAN
BSN
10 12UTPA GRAD YEAR
UTPA GRAD YEAR
10 admitted130graduated80 12
MSNUTPA GRAD YEAR
UTPA GRAD YEAR
10 admitted80graduated1215
August 4, 2011 3
A recruiting trail that led UTPA men’s basketball coach Ryan Marks from Indianapolis to Chicago to Milwaukee, then back to Chicago and � nally to St. Louis, was planned just like every other year. However this time would de� nitely be much di� erent. An idea that was sprung on by one of the great minds of the sports world, Je� Goodman to his CBS bosses would � nd Marks in the middle of a national experiment.
Goodman, a college basketball columnist for CBS Sports who came aboard from Fox Sports in June, pitched the “recruiting trail” idea to executives. As he writes in his blog, he was new at the network and wanted to impress new bosses, so he basically suggested that two blogging journalists follow two Division I basketball coaches during a recruiting trial in early July. One high-major and one low-major coach and the experiment would be called “the highs and lows of summer recruiting.”
Goodman’s CBS colleague Gary Parrish was paired up with Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, while as Goodman writes, “I took one for the team” and found himself traveling with Bronc coach Marks.
� e project was reported nationally on Goodman’s Twitter account (@GoodmanCBS) and on his daily blog at CBS Sports, and so UTPA was right in the thick of sports news for a week. Who would’ve known that Michigan State and UTPA basketball would ever be used in the same sentence, covered by well-known college basketball experts. During the last ten years Michigan State has averaged more than twenty victories
a season under Tom Izzo. Also, he stands as the winningest coach in school history. On the other hand, last year UTPA only managed to win six games. But this was more than just an experiment. It would bring light into the unknown territory of the love that college basketball coaches have for the game, no matter the circumstances.
“Je� followed me the � rst three or four days of the period. We were in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. We always started and ended the day together and obviously we traveled together,” said Marks, entering his third season in Edinburg. “Over the course of the day he was with me about � fty to seventy-� ve percent of the time.”
As Goodman writes in his blog: “I spent two nights on the pull-out couch of Marks’ mother in her downtown Chicago condo, where she honestly treated me like her son.” It was apparent that this would be an eye opener. While Goodman’s colleague Parrish was flying in private planes and watching top-tier talent at the Lebron James Camp, Goodman would be waking up early to watch some low-level Division I prospects try and impress.
As the trip continued it was apparent that recruiting for Michigan State is very di� erent than doing so for UT-Pan American.
“I believe that Je� found out how much more di� cult the process of recruiting in July is for a school like ours as opposed to the biggest name schools,” Marks said. “For us, we are constantly trying to � nd new prospects, while the bigger schools have a pretty good idea of what players are coming their way. A couple of times I remember Je� telling me that it is hard to decipher what guys would be your level.”
As the three-day experiment began to come to an end, Goodman at the very least had gained the understanding of what it is like for a Division I coach on the recruiting trail with a small budget. Of course most of the high pro� le universities such as Michigan State, North Carolina, and Texas don’t have an unlimited budget for the recruiting trips. As for Marks, well there is a budget but a small one. No private planes, luxurious hotel stays, or fancy dining. But one thing that keeps Marks and other low level Division I coaches going is the love for the game. Goodman noted in his blog that Marks never complained once.
“� at is life,” Marks said. “I understand.”
Marks had fun with the exposure. From tweeting pictures from his Twitter account (@CoachRyanMarks) of the duo together at several recruiting stops, to teasing each other about foot attire (mainly about Marks’ sandals). It was evident that the national experiment was a success. � e public was able to see inside the life of a low-pro� le head coach on the hunt for players, with the highs and lows of summer shopping very well evident.
As the two parted ways in St Louis, Marks had another slate of recruiting stops scheduled starting in just a few days.
“On July 22 we traveled to Las Vegas for four days, then over to Phoenix and � nally ended in LA. It was another crazy stretch of ten days,” Marks explained. “Later, in September we can start having home visits and bring in players for campus visits. � e early signing period begins in November and we hope that this whole recruiting trail will bring in two or three athletes to sign in November.”
Marks will continue to work on recruiting and on the upcoming basketball season, while Goodman of CBS will go on back to covering big-time college basketball names such as Rick Barnes, Roy Williams, and Mike Krzyzewski. But the time that brought two polar opposites came together for those three days will be embedded in their hearts forever.
As Goodman concludes in his blog, he had mixed emotions when it was time to leave.
“It’s almost like breaking up with a girlfriend - except that Marks and I will de� nitely stay in constant contact after this separation,” he wrote.
Simply put, he ended his � nal blog post with the headline, “2011 Recruiting Trip: Not a Single Regret” with small but signi� cant praise.
“…and that I’ve lived the life of one of the best coaches in America.”
THE PAN AMERICAN August 4, 2011 August 4, 2011Page 4
By Alejandro PenaThe Pan American
By Michael Saenz The Pan American
Hector J. Garcia/THE PAN AMERICAN
TRAVELING MAN - Coach Ryan Marks’ love of the game is apparent in his cross country recruiting trips. He was recently followed by CBS columnist Jeff Goodman for a story chronicling the highs and lows of summer recruiting.
� ere’s one thing that is sure to stand out when the UTPA volleyball team takes the home � oor for the � rst time this season on Sept. 6.
� at noticeable entity will be something innovative and fresh, but there’s a couple actually, aside from the home opener being against the Big 12 Conference’s Texas Tech University.
� e most important of which is the Broncs new head coach Brian Yale, who in January became the � fth head coach in UTPA volleyball history.
Yale, a 36-year-old native of Eden, NY, succeeded former Bronc coach Angela Hubbard who was promoted to the school’s Associate Athletic Director for Student Services and the Senior Woman Administrator.
Yale spent the last six seasons as an assistant at Stephen F. Austin, where the Lady Lumberjacks amassed a 142-59 record during his tenure, which included a 62-game conference-winning streak. He also coached at Genoa High in Ohio, posting a 121-51 record, but UTPA is his � rst college head-coaching gig.
“It was something where it was the right time and opportunity for me,” Yale said about coaching the Broncs. “I feel like my past experience has prepared me very well, and I’m happy to be here at the university.”
� e � rst-year head coach has his work cut out for him with a roster lacking senior experience.
Ijanae Holman, Maria Kliefoth, Sarah Davis, Kristi Garcia and Krissy Perez are the only returning players from last year’s team, and are complimented by six incoming freshman and one junior transfer from Hawaii.
One of those incoming freshman is San Antonio-native Diara Reynolds.
“It’s di� erent (than high school) because your goals are a lot higher,” Reynolds said of playing college ball as a freshman. “It’s faster too, but I’m looking forward to the � rst game of the season. “� at shows where we are as a team.”
� at � rst game is Aug. 26 against Sam Houston during the Sam Houston Tournament. � e Broncs have not won a season opener since 2004 and a home opener since 2008. � ey’ll have the Baylor tournament six days later before they welcome Texas Tech to the Rio Grande Valley.
After the Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Rob Morris tournaments, fast-forward the schedule a few days to Sept. 20, where the Broncs will host an uncommon face from, la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), or the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, in Spanish.
Booking the game against one of Mexico’s volleyball powerhouses was not an easy thing. In fact, the opportunity happened somewhat out of the blue.
“Playing (UANL) was an opportunity that came up late, and we took it,” Yale said. “It’s going to be new and exciting for us because of those schools that don’t normally come (to the U.S). It was a challenge, but we’ll give them a run for their money.”
It won’t be the � rst time the school is exposed
to opponents outside the United States. As part of a foreign cultural experience during the spring break of 2009, several UTPA volleyball players from that team traveled to Italy to compete against local teams.
“Two years ago the girls traveled to Italy, so that was really special,” said Bronc defensive specialist Perez . “I’ve never played a team from Mexico, so that’s going to be something di� erent for me.”
A few more notable games on the schedule include Texas A&M Corpus Christi and conference rivals Houston Baptist and Utah Valley.
Since it’s his � rst time as a college head coach, Yale learned ‘on the � y,’ as he called it, and leaned on Hubbard for guidance.
“I’ve known her for quite a few years. She’s actually helped me in the learning process,” Yale said.
Yale brings a di� erent attitude to Edinburg, and a fresh coaching style, which goes along with the recent rebranding of UTPA Athletics.
“(Yale) is quick on helping and he’s easy to talk to,” Perez said. “ He’s a very calm coach and has a lot more patience with girls. He’ll come and talk to you individually.”
In the past, Yale allowed his players to correct
themselves during practice, and will not be changing his technique when his Broncs hold the � rst team practice on August 9.
“ I am the same way I was as an assistant, as a player, and coaching high school,” said the Bowling Green State University alum. “I’m not a yeller and screamer, I let the girls make mistakes and let them learn from them.”
Yale hopes his control-oriented volleyball philosophy � lls the seats at the Fieldhouse.
“I am a ball-control defensive-style type of coach. We want to frustrate our opponent and keep the ball o� the � oor from the other team, but we want to score fast, easy points,” Yale said. “I stress exciting volleyball that will bring more fans into the stands.”
UTPA opens its 10-game Great West Conference schedule that begins at Chicago State on Sept. 29, and ends at Houston Baptist on Nov. 12, before the GWC tournament. After a 9-22 overall record last year with a 4-8-conference record, Yale knows there’s a lot of work to be done.
“ I know the history of the program, and there really is no way to go but up,” he � nished.
New season brings high hopes for the BroncsMore than a recruiting trip
CBS columnist Je� Goodman follows Coach Ryan Marks during three-day trip
Tweets from the road
(Yale) is quick on helping and he’s easy to talk to, he’s a very calm coach and has a lot more patience with girls. He’ll come and talk to you individually.
- Krissy Perez
A recruiting trail that led UTPA men’s basketball coach Ryan Marks from Indianapolis to Chicago to Milwaukee, then back to Chicago and � nally to St. Louis, was planned just like every other year. However this time would de� nitely be much di� erent. An idea that was sprung on by one of the great minds of the sports world, Je� Goodman to his CBS bosses would � nd Marks in the middle of a national experiment.
Goodman, a college basketball columnist for CBS Sports who came aboard from Fox Sports in June, pitched the “recruiting trail” idea to executives. As he writes in his blog, he was new at the network and wanted to impress new bosses, so he basically suggested that two blogging journalists follow two Division I basketball coaches during a recruiting trial in early July. One high-major and one low-major coach and the experiment would be called “the highs and lows of summer recruiting.”
Goodman’s CBS colleague Gary Parrish was paired up with Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, while as Goodman writes, “I took one for the team” and found himself traveling with Bronc coach Marks.
� e project was reported nationally on Goodman’s Twitter account (@GoodmanCBS) and on his daily blog at CBS Sports, and so UTPA was right in the thick of sports news for a week. Who would’ve known that Michigan State and UTPA basketball would ever be used in the same sentence, covered by well-known college basketball experts. During the last ten years Michigan State has averaged more than twenty victories
a season under Tom Izzo. Also, he stands as the winningest coach in school history. On the other hand, last year UTPA only managed to win six games. But this was more than just an experiment. It would bring light into the unknown territory of the love that college basketball coaches have for the game, no matter the circumstances.
“Je� followed me the � rst three or four days of the period. We were in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. We always started and ended the day together and obviously we traveled together,” said Marks, entering his third season in Edinburg. “Over the course of the day he was with me about � fty to seventy-� ve percent of the time.”
As Goodman writes in his blog: “I spent two nights on the pull-out couch of Marks’ mother in her downtown Chicago condo, where she honestly treated me like her son.” It was apparent that this would be an eye opener. While Goodman’s colleague Parrish was flying in private planes and watching top-tier talent at the Lebron James Camp, Goodman would be waking up early to watch some low-level Division I prospects try and impress.
As the trip continued it was apparent that recruiting for Michigan State is very di� erent than doing so for UT-Pan American.
“I believe that Je� found out how much more di� cult the process of recruiting in July is for a school like ours as opposed to the biggest name schools,” Marks said. “For us, we are constantly trying to � nd new prospects, while the bigger schools have a pretty good idea of what players are coming their way. A couple of times I remember Je� telling me that it is hard to decipher what guys would be your level.”
As the three-day experiment began to come to an end, Goodman at the very least had gained the understanding of what it is like for a Division I coach on the recruiting trail with a small budget. Of course most of the high pro� le universities such as Michigan State, North Carolina, and Texas don’t have an unlimited budget for the recruiting trips. As for Marks, well there is a budget but a small one. No private planes, luxurious hotel stays, or fancy dining. But one thing that keeps Marks and other low level Division I coaches going is the love for the game. Goodman noted in his blog that Marks never complained once.
“� at is life,” Marks said. “I understand.”
Marks had fun with the exposure. From tweeting pictures from his Twitter account (@CoachRyanMarks) of the duo together at several recruiting stops, to teasing each other about foot attire (mainly about Marks’ sandals). It was evident that the national experiment was a success. � e public was able to see inside the life of a low-pro� le head coach on the hunt for players, with the highs and lows of summer shopping very well evident.
As the two parted ways in St Louis, Marks had another slate of recruiting stops scheduled starting in just a few days.
“On July 22 we traveled to Las Vegas for four days, then over to Phoenix and � nally ended in LA. It was another crazy stretch of ten days,” Marks explained. “Later, in September we can start having home visits and bring in players for campus visits. � e early signing period begins in November and we hope that this whole recruiting trail will bring in two or three athletes to sign in November.”
Marks will continue to work on recruiting and on the upcoming basketball season, while Goodman of CBS will go on back to covering big-time college basketball names such as Rick Barnes, Roy Williams, and Mike Krzyzewski. But the time that brought two polar opposites came together for those three days will be embedded in their hearts forever.
As Goodman concludes in his blog, he had mixed emotions when it was time to leave.
“It’s almost like breaking up with a girlfriend - except that Marks and I will de� nitely stay in constant contact after this separation,” he wrote.
Simply put, he ended his � nal blog post with the headline, “2011 Recruiting Trip: Not a Single Regret” with small but signi� cant praise.
“…and that I’ve lived the life of one of the best coaches in America.”
THE PAN AMERICAN August 4, 2011 August 4, 2011Page 4
By Alejandro PenaThe Pan American
By Michael Saenz The Pan American
Hector J. Garcia/THE PAN AMERICAN
TRAVELING MAN - Coach Ryan Marks’ love of the game is apparent in his cross country recruiting trips. He was recently followed by CBS columnist Jeff Goodman for a story chronicling the highs and lows of summer recruiting.
� ere’s one thing that is sure to stand out when the UTPA volleyball team takes the home � oor for the � rst time this season on Sept. 6.
� at noticeable entity will be something innovative and fresh, but there’s a couple actually, aside from the home opener being against the Big 12 Conference’s Texas Tech University.
� e most important of which is the Broncs new head coach Brian Yale, who in January became the � fth head coach in UTPA volleyball history.
Yale, a 36-year-old native of Eden, NY, succeeded former Bronc coach Angela Hubbard who was promoted to the school’s Associate Athletic Director for Student Services and the Senior Woman Administrator.
Yale spent the last six seasons as an assistant at Stephen F. Austin, where the Lady Lumberjacks amassed a 142-59 record during his tenure, which included a 62-game conference-winning streak. He also coached at Genoa High in Ohio, posting a 121-51 record, but UTPA is his � rst college head-coaching gig.
“It was something where it was the right time and opportunity for me,” Yale said about coaching the Broncs. “I feel like my past experience has prepared me very well, and I’m happy to be here at the university.”
� e � rst-year head coach has his work cut out for him with a roster lacking senior experience.
Ijanae Holman, Maria Kliefoth, Sarah Davis, Kristi Garcia and Krissy Perez are the only returning players from last year’s team, and are complimented by six incoming freshman and one junior transfer from Hawaii.
One of those incoming freshman is San Antonio-native Diara Reynolds.
“It’s di� erent (than high school) because your goals are a lot higher,” Reynolds said of playing college ball as a freshman. “It’s faster too, but I’m looking forward to the � rst game of the season. “� at shows where we are as a team.”
� at � rst game is Aug. 26 against Sam Houston during the Sam Houston Tournament. � e Broncs have not won a season opener since 2004 and a home opener since 2008. � ey’ll have the Baylor tournament six days later before they welcome Texas Tech to the Rio Grande Valley.
After the Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Rob Morris tournaments, fast-forward the schedule a few days to Sept. 20, where the Broncs will host an uncommon face from, la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), or the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, in Spanish.
Booking the game against one of Mexico’s volleyball powerhouses was not an easy thing. In fact, the opportunity happened somewhat out of the blue.
“Playing (UANL) was an opportunity that came up late, and we took it,” Yale said. “It’s going to be new and exciting for us because of those schools that don’t normally come (to the U.S). It was a challenge, but we’ll give them a run for their money.”
It won’t be the � rst time the school is exposed
to opponents outside the United States. As part of a foreign cultural experience during the spring break of 2009, several UTPA volleyball players from that team traveled to Italy to compete against local teams.
“Two years ago the girls traveled to Italy, so that was really special,” said Bronc defensive specialist Perez . “I’ve never played a team from Mexico, so that’s going to be something di� erent for me.”
A few more notable games on the schedule include Texas A&M Corpus Christi and conference rivals Houston Baptist and Utah Valley.
Since it’s his � rst time as a college head coach, Yale learned ‘on the � y,’ as he called it, and leaned on Hubbard for guidance.
“I’ve known her for quite a few years. She’s actually helped me in the learning process,” Yale said.
Yale brings a di� erent attitude to Edinburg, and a fresh coaching style, which goes along with the recent rebranding of UTPA Athletics.
“(Yale) is quick on helping and he’s easy to talk to,” Perez said. “ He’s a very calm coach and has a lot more patience with girls. He’ll come and talk to you individually.”
In the past, Yale allowed his players to correct
themselves during practice, and will not be changing his technique when his Broncs hold the � rst team practice on August 9.
“ I am the same way I was as an assistant, as a player, and coaching high school,” said the Bowling Green State University alum. “I’m not a yeller and screamer, I let the girls make mistakes and let them learn from them.”
Yale hopes his control-oriented volleyball philosophy � lls the seats at the Fieldhouse.
“I am a ball-control defensive-style type of coach. We want to frustrate our opponent and keep the ball o� the � oor from the other team, but we want to score fast, easy points,” Yale said. “I stress exciting volleyball that will bring more fans into the stands.”
UTPA opens its 10-game Great West Conference schedule that begins at Chicago State on Sept. 29, and ends at Houston Baptist on Nov. 12, before the GWC tournament. After a 9-22 overall record last year with a 4-8-conference record, Yale knows there’s a lot of work to be done.
“ I know the history of the program, and there really is no way to go but up,” he � nished.
New season brings high hopes for the BroncsMore than a recruiting trip
CBS columnist Je� Goodman follows Coach Ryan Marks during three-day trip
Tweets from the road
(Yale) is quick on helping and he’s easy to talk to, he’s a very calm coach and has a lot more patience with girls. He’ll come and talk to you individually.
- Krissy Perez
the pan american August 4, 2011Page 6
August 4, 2011 7
Alma E. Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN
� e UTPA art department hosted a � row-a-� on July 30 to bene� t the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank. More than 60 volunteers attended the event. � ey made ceramic bowls for the food bank’s annual Empty Bowls fundraiser. � is year’s event will take place at the Pharr Events Center September 22.
� row-a-� on bene� ts RGV
food bank
THE PAN AMERICAN August 4, 2011Page 8
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Triangle PuzzleFill in the grid with the numbers 1 through 46
1
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