By Kara Koinis
This weekend the women’s basketball team will be traveling to Sherman, Texas to face the Austin College Roos followed by a trip to Louisiana to play Centenary College. These will be the Pirates first two conference games. The Pirates currently have a record of 3-2.

On November 16 and 17 the Bucs played two games at home against Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Lutheran. They won both games by more than ten points.

“Starting out with this first few wins at home was a good way to set the bar high and we want to continue to win,” Junior Lauren Elliott, who plays center for the Pirates, said.

The team traveled to San Antonio during the Thanksgiving break for the annual Trinity Thanksgiving Classic Tournament. There they won against Schreiner (56-53) but fell to Hardin-Simmons (63-62).

“If we want to reach our goal of winning Conference we need to keep up the intensity and stay focused,” Elliott said.

The Pirates will continue to play throughout winter break so keep an eye on twitter (@SUPirates) and the Southwestern Athletics website for updates!

Related posts:

1. Men’s Soccer Makes Comeback By John Stickels The men’s soccer team will face Austin...
2. Pirates Prepare for Home Games: Men’s Soccer Maintains Winning Record The men’s soccer team will face off with Centenary College...
3. Swim Teams Begin Season With Enthusiasm By John Stickels The men and women’s swim team will...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The long-awaited prequel to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy hits theaters on December 14th, 2012, with Martin Freeman starring as the lovable Bilbo, and Ian McKellan returning as Gandalf the Grey. J.R.R. Tolkein’s first novel was previously adapted into a cartoon, but Bilbo’s tale has not been retold on-screen since 1977. The story follows home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins, and the adventures he has once he allows Gandalf to coax him away from The Shire. These adventures include an alliance with a band of raucous dwarves, a quest to steal treasure from the dragon Smaug, and the accidental discovery of a treasure far more powerful. Directed by Peter Jackson, The Hobbit promises a fantastic journey for children and adults alike.

Les Miserables

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo and the Broadway musical of the same name, Les Miserables is the tale of a criminal’s redemption and a country’s revolution. Set in 19th Century France, Les Miserables follows petty thief Jean Valjean as he steals, stumbles, and is given a second chance, with which he attempts to repay the kindness that set him free. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, and starring names like Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried, the second motion picture adaptation of the play is a unique undertaking, in that all vocals were recorded live, as opposed to prerecorded in a studio. Directed by Tom Hooper, known for directing The King’s Speech, Les Miserables opens on Christmas day, and has a long tradition of theatrical and cinematic grandeur to live up to.

Playing for Keeps

Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, and Dennis Quaid star in this romantic comedy about soccer, family, and discovering what matters most. Butler plays a retired professional soccer player who wrestles with his failed career, his love life, and his role as a father when he begins coaching his son’s soccer team. In theaters on December 7th, 2012, Playing For Keeps is the second Hollywood film directed by Gabriele Muccino; The Pursuit of Happyness was his first, and likewise, Playing For Keeps offers an uplifting tale of second chances.

This is 40

The latest from Judd Apatow, This is 40 revisits Debbie and Pete, a couple first seen in Knocked Up. Starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, and opening on December 21st, 2012, the comedy catalogs the extraordinary and hilarious moments within Pete and Debbie’s “ordinary” aging relationship. As Pete and Debbie take on their health, their finances, the raising of their children, and each other, Apatow is sure to make us laugh and cringe, all at the same time.

The Guilt Trip

A road trip movie of a different ilk, The Guilt Trip stars Seth Rogen as an inventor who goes on a cross-country trip to sell his newest product, and unwittingly invites his aging mother, played by Barbra Streisand, to come along. A rare mother and son comedy, The Guilt Trip, like several of the other movies in this list, explores what it means to be getting old, as well as the frustrations and joys that are part of any family bond. Directed by Anne Fletcher, choreographer for movies such as Step Up and Hairspray, The Guilt Trip is set to release on December 19th.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

A study conducted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardener’s Association showed that if people in the United States shifted 1% of their purchases to local food instead of imported goods, American farmers would experience a 5% gain in income. Currently only about 7% of the money spent on food in America stays in its local community, while the rest goes to a complex system of transporters and packagers all over the country and overseas.

Individual communities becoming more self-sufficient and less dependant on the international economy can only have a positive outcome. It would make local economies less susceptible to fluctuations and crashes of the global market.

Local farming benefits the environment as well. Local transportation of food takes 17 times less Co2 in comparison with Co2 expended in the extra trucking, flying and refrigeration needed to ship food from all over the world into American supermarkets. Keeping farmland in America also preserves open fields that filter Co2 and produce oxygen, when these spaces may otherwise be converted to strip malls or parking lots.
An increased emphasis on buying locally also aids in preserving the unique personality of local businesses. This makes for a more pleasant working and shopping environment, creating more opportunities of personal interaction and community building.

Cities and towns with more local businesses and individual flair are also more likely to attract tourists, and farmer’s markets are bound to bring in health conscious individuals who are willing to pay a premium to buy their food from a good source.
But the fact remains that finding a reliable, affordable farmer’s market does take more effort than running down the street to the closest HEB or Walmart, and some people will not have the economic flexibility to do so. However, the more people choose to put in the extra time and money to buy local, the more the market will respond by providing more affordable local options to consumers in more convenient places.

Those that can should partake in visiting their local farmer’s market, so that those markets can stay in business, expand, and, possibly, be able to bring their prices down. This can only happen if all eligible consumers contribute to the effort. If consumers make that choice, they will be rewarded with food that is fresher and tastes better.

Related posts:

1. Tech Titans: Apple vs. Samsung HARMFUL By Carly Banner In August, a decision in the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Photo By Anne Bannister

While most students have been recovering from midterms, junior Anne Bannister has spent the last few weeks visiting small villages in northern Thailand with local government officials.

“I might do anything from spending all day re-potting coffee seedlings, reading to kids or to traveling up the mountain to deliver elderly pensions alongside the local government, while at other times I spend days plugged into my computer sorting and posting photos, developing web and print materials or editing video footage,” Bannister said.

It isn’t a vacation. Bannister is volunteering as the official photographer of Warm Heart Worldwide (WHWW), a non-profit organization based in Phrao, Thailand that works to provide clean water, access to education, and a wide range of other services to preserve the local culture while trying to alleviate poverty in the area.

“As corny as it may sound, this has been a life changing experience for me, and I can’t imagine a more rewarding study abroad,” Bannister said. “I had envisioned something more traditional somewhere in Europe but found that I wanted to be engaged in something beyond the classroom and service oriented.”

The organization was founded in 2008 by Director Michael Shafer, Director of Finance and Operations Evelind Schecter, and their friends Chatree Saokaew and Carole Ketnourath. Phrao native and Chief of Staff Prachan Jakeo (PJ) initially suggested that they base themselves out of his hometown.

“Without PJ, Warm Heart’s Chief of Staff, who understands the inter-working of both American and Thai culture, Warm Heart would not have the same level of respect and connection to the local community,” Bannister said.

The paid staff are Thai, and with their help, WHWW serves 55 villages and a population of 54,000.

“The overarching goal of the organization is to offer solutions to the type of poverty that pressures youth from the hill tribe villages to migrate to the city to join brothels or subject themselves to forced labor in factories, construction, commercial fisheries and fish processing, etc.,” Bannister said.

WHWW focuses on helping locals help themselves through education, microenterprise, and public health programs. This includes running a Children’s Home for kids age 8-15 where live at while attending classes, providing hospital visits to those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to health care and training locals in skills such as silk production and weaving or growing coffee.

“The idea is: give villagers the knowledge, skill set, or resources to change their own circumstances and improve the quality of their own life,” Bannister said.

Currently, WHWW is introducing a new program called “Sponsor Me!” through which they hope to get sponsors for all of their kids. Sponsors pay $100 a month ($1200 a year) to provide necessary services such as medical care, food, classes, staff salaries and school supplies for their child.

“When you sponsor, we help pick up the Warm Heart who is most in need of you and send a package full of photos of the child, a personalized journal for you to document your relationship, drawings and a letter from your child and a small gift from us!” Bannister said.

Support for the charity is already beginning to crop up on campus. Bannister is a member of the co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, and as a result of her experiences, they researched WHWW and have decided to contribute proceeds from a recent fundraiser to the organization.

“We’ve made just over $300 from Zombie Week, most if not all of which will be donated to WHWW,” Zombie Week organizer and Fundraising Chair Kayla Saenger said.

Bannister asks other on-campus organizations to consider supporting WHWW and encourages students to involve themselves with WHWW through whatever means possible.

“We need money, so a sponsorship or small donation would mean the world, but if you cannot give, spreading the word is contribution enough,” Bannister said.

Related posts:

1. New Student Organizations: Students Establish Four Groups By Joana Moreno The university’s fall semester begins with a...
2. SEAK Proposes Initiative: Student Congress to Hold Poll At a recent Student Congress meeting, the Students for Environmental...
3. Spaghetti Dinner to Raise Funds: Student Congress Plans Event to Replace Stolen Pennants Planning is in progress for a Spaghetti Dinner to be...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Garhett Bonneaux, Tyler Vaughn, Forrest Baker, Steven Resnik and Kyle Allen walk off the field after losing to Trinity, placing second in the conference tournament. Five players were named to the All-Conference team. Photo courtesy Pamela O'Connor

By John Stickels

The Pirates advanced to the final game of the conference tournament this season for the first time in school history, losing 2-0 in a game with rival Trinity University.

“I think a new precedent was set and the SU soccer program took a step in the right direction,” senior captain Evan Perkins said.

Junior goalkeeper Daniel Poole held off 14 shots from Trinity to keep it tied in the first half, making it five straight shut-out periods for the pirates during the tournament. The Pirates lost to Trinity at home the first time the two met, but then recorded the first at-Trinity tie in school history in the second match-up.

The Pirates defeated Colorado College in a shootout during the semi-finals to advance to the championship game.

“I wasn’t nervous about it. We had practiced penalty kicks, so I had the confidence to know I could get some blocks, and I knew my teammates would come through,” Poole said.

Senior Forrest Baker scored the first goal, and three other Pirates would come through to outshoot Colorado 4-1.

The Pirates also defeated Centenary College 1-0 in the opening round. Perkins scored the lone goal with an assist from junior Matthew Nickell during the first period.

Perkins finished his senior season with 15 goals and 8 assists, but considers his best experiences with soccer to be off the field.

“I think soccer, [and] sports in general, can teach you a lot about yourself, like where your strengths and weaknesses lie … and it puts you in adverse situations in which you have to learn to be able to deal with,” Perkins said.

Related posts:

1. Men’s Soccer Makes Comeback By John Stickels The men’s soccer team will face Austin...
2. Pirates Prepare for Home Games: Men’s Soccer Maintains Winning Record The men’s soccer team will face off with Centenary College...
3. Soccer Prepares for Conference: Both Teams in Good Standing By John Stickels The men’s and women’s soccer teams are...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Amanda Maniet, Emily Wick, Kirsten Mazur, Connor Marshall and Audry Helburn warm up for the game against Dallas. Photo courtesy Pamela O'Connor

By John Stickels
Last weekend the women’s soccer team competed in the SCAC conference tournament, marking the end of their season. The Pirates played the University of Dallas on Saturday, falling 4-0 to the Crusaders.

Junior Lindsey Jakszta was named to the SCAC All-Tournament team and, despite the loss, the team felt they finished up the season well.

“We had a few major breakdowns in the defense, and they capitalized on each one,” sophomore forward Hannah Neil said. “We performed very well, and I feel that the score did not reflect the way we played.”

This final game of the season was also the final game of the seniors’ careers.

“It’s going be a change not playing soccer anymore, but I’m just so proud of what everyone accomplished,” senior captain and goalkeeper Sarah Nonaka said.

The team has learned from the early losing streak that it is possible to turn it around and win games.

“This season was hard to adjust to because we started off so rocky and no matter what we did, it
seemed like we couldn’t dig out of the losing streak we ended up in,” sophomore Allie Dillon said. “I think the most important thing I learned this season was that losing isn’t the end of the world and the only thing that stops you from winning is yourself.”

This season saw a large turn around, as the Pirates went from a 1-8 overall record to finishing 6-11-2 with a conference record of 4-3-1.
“We grew individually, as friends, and as a team, both on and off the field. Our improvement was tremendous and we even went on a 5-0 run. We made progress and learned from our mistakes and moved on to fix them,” Neil said.

The team is looking forward to next season where they plan on starting off stronger and with more energy.

“I think our team has finally clicked and gained enough confidence to start out next season as strong as we ended this one,” Dillon said. “I can’t wait to get back on the field and have another chance at playing some challenging pre-season games”

Related posts:

1. Soccer Prepares for Conference: Both Teams in Good Standing By John Stickels The men’s and women’s soccer teams are...
2. New Precedent Set for Pirate Program: Men’s Soccer Finishes Second in Conference Tournement By John Stickels The Pirates advanced to the final game...
3. Women’s Soccer Wins First Home Game By Hanna Kim The women’s soccer team is hitting the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Kaitlyn Foster, Rachel Thibodeau, Lacey Stickland,Kaitlyn Corbett, and Olivia Drummond celebrate a win in the tournament hosted at SU two weeks ago. Photo by Kerry Quinn

By Kara Koinis
This weekend, the volleyball team will be competing in the NCAA regional tournament. After their performance at the SCAC Conference tournament, the women’s volleyball team is now sitting on an overall record of 24-11 and 7-3 in Conference.
The Pirates volleyball team traveled to Colorado Springs for the SCAC Conference tournament where they won their first match against Centenary 3-0. The Bucs lost their second game against Trinity (3-0) then pulled out a second win on Sunday against Austin College, winning third place overall.
“We finished the SCAC tournament on a win and were able to see our teammate, Rachel Thibodeau, awarded the SCAC Player of the Year and named to the SCAC all-tournament team,” junior Lorin Froetschel said.
Along with Thibodeau, sophomore Chandler Lentz and first-year Katie Foster were also named to the second team all-conference.
The team qualified for their eighth consecutive bid to the NCAA National Tournament, which will take place this weekend in Thousand Oaks, California. They will begin the tournament against California Lutheran on Friday, a team they lost to earlier in the season.
“We’re excited about the opportunity given to us and we’re going to make the best of it,” sophomore Chandler Lentz said. “This weekend will just come down to believing in each other and ourselves.”

Related posts:

1. Volleyball Adds to Winning Record By John Stickels The Lady Pirates volleyball team will be...
2. Cross Country Places Third: Teams Prepare for Regionals Tomorrow, the Men and Women’s Cross-Country team will be running...
3. Soccer Prepares for Conference: Both Teams in Good Standing By John Stickels The men’s and women’s soccer teams are...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.