Two hour observation at 10:00 AM

     Seagull sounds in the student union

     Fortunately for CSULB students, its campus does not have a problem that other Long Beach high schools face during the lunch hour: seagulls. Wandering the student union Thursday however, the distinct mating call of the dreaded scavengers instantly resonated the days of dodging their droppings from high in the sky during lunch time as a teen. The booming calls weren’t coming from above however.

     Claudia Rodriguez, a creative writing major, sitting at lunch with her two friends, calmly converses with them one moment, and tranquilly bellows out bird sounds the next. Not something you hear or see every day around campus. Her friends seem unfazed, they appear to be undaunted by the several surrounding students now blankly staring in their direction—and carry on with their spirited conversation.

     “I love Claudia, I wish she was weirder,” English major Yumise Ross explains. Before she can finish her sentence, Rodriguez is on all fours, approaching Ross as a dog would greet its owner. Ross stops Rodriguez just short of being licked on the nose.

      This is just another typical lunch break in the student union for Rodriguez, Ross and business major Beverly Netherly. The trio gossip about boys, taking public transportation, eateries around campus and other things not fit for print.

       In between the back and forth, Rodriguez continues to do her best seagull imitation which again draws numerous eyes and ears in her direction. One male student is thoroughly impressed and approaches her saying “that’s amazing”. Her mating call has seemed to be effective.

Q and A Pt. II with Rosa Del Toro

After setting a school record in the 5K in her previous race, senior Cross Country athlete Rosa Del Toro capped off her historic season by becoming the first CSULB female to win an individual Cross Country conference championship. She did so in record-setting fashion as she once again set another school record, this time in the 6K with a time of 20:27.0.

Del Toro led her team to its highest finish ever in the conference championship, second place. For her efforts, she was also named Big West Conference Athlete of the Year. All in all it was a memorable season for Del Toro and the 49ers. Here's part two of a Q and A with the Cross Country star.

Q: On the day of the race, can you describe what emotions you were feeling and also explain the mood of the team during that morning.

A: Before the race I was mostly excited to just be there and excited to be able to race and do what I love to do. I was a bit nervous right before the race started but not as nervous as I have been for other races.  I was also trying to stay focused and keep myself pumped up for the race as well.  The team was focused and at the same time we were all trying to keep each other from being too nervous. The team atmosphere was definitely positive which helped keep all of us ready to just race. 

Q: Once the championship was finally underway, can you describe the intensity of it all, was there a definite boost not only from yourself but from the other runners?

A: Championship races are always extremely intense, which is something I love. Once the race started my focus was on the front runners and how they were going to start off the race whether it was going to be a fast first mile or a slow first mile. The first mile was where all of the front runners were all very close together in a pack which made the intensity much higher for a lot of people but for me it helped me think through what I had to do later on in the race and see how tired some of the front runners were.  

Q: What was the turning point in the race, when did you make your decisive move and was it the most difficult race in general that you've been in?

A: There were two different shifts that I had to make during the race. After the second mile I tried to push the pace in the front pack which is when it was just one other runner and I but the biggest shift and turning point of the race was definitely right after the three mile marker.  Right before the three mile marker I was neck and neck with another runner and at that point what went through my mind was I want this more than anyone and I am willing to work as hard as I have to, to get it.  So, as soon as we hit the three mile marker I pushed the pace and ran hard all the way to the finish line. This wasn't exactly a physically difficult race but more of a difficult mental race. I had to keep myself positive mentally because I knew that physically I am in shape to run well but, the mental aspect of the race was definitely the toughest part. 

Q: Describe your initial feelings when you were the first to cross the finish line, and just knowing that your training had paid off again this time on such a big stage.

A: I was excited and happy and at the same time in disbelief.  I just couldn't believe it! The first thing that I did was cry, happy tears of course. I definitely was happy that all the hard work and mileage that I had put in all summer and season had paid off. 

Q: Being the first to win an individual conference championship, as well as being named women's conference athlete of the year, where do these accomplishments rank in terms of life accomplishments? And can you explain exactly what they mean to you?

A: These accomplishments mean a lot to me. Running is a big part of my life and being able to do the things I've done with running like winning conference and being conference athlete of the year makes me want to keep working hard. But at the same time I don't run to be recognized for what I do but just because I love the sport and being recognized is just a plus. These two accomplishments are important to me mostly because I get to represent Long Beach State.

Q: Sum up the season and your experience with your teammates.

A: This season has been the most amazing season I have ever had.  I have worked so hard and had great outcomes because of my hard work.  Also in all honesty this team has been the best team I have ever been on, my teammates are always positive and supportive, which makes it even harder to think that this is my last year here on the team. As far as my coaches go I never been happier to have such great coaches that believe in me and push me to do better every time. Overall so far this year has been the best experience I have ever had. 

Q: Now that conference play has concluded, what have you shifted your attention to and what are your new goals?

A: The second that conference was over I shifted my attention to Regionals.  That's been the race I have been working so hard for. I have had my focus on making it to nationals. I know it's not going to be easy but that’s what makes it that much better, the fact that I have to keep working hard to reach that goal. And I definitely want to run a faster time in the 6k. I can honestly say always want to keep improving and run faster. 

Heading into cross country championships

Cunniff excited about championship weekend

Heading into Halloween weekend, the women’s cross country team aims to finish out conference play with an exclamation point at the Big West Championship at UC Riverside.

Coming off the heels of a very impressive performance at the Bronco Invitational in Santa Clara, head coach Patrick Cunniff says the team is rounding into form at the perfect time.

“Coming into the meet [Bronco Invitational], both myself and our director of track and field Andy Sythe, were very cognizant of the fact that we had a number of athletes who were running really well” said Cunniff.

One of those athletes undoubtedly was senior Rosa Del Toro, who was her team’s top finisher [30^th overall] at the 49er’s last event in Minnesota.

“He [Sythe]specifically asked me to make sure we had a copy of our all-time top 10 list going into the meet,  so as we saw the performances of the kids we’d know where they stacked up. That proved to be a good set of foresight”.

It was indeed a smart idea. Del Toro ended up leading the 9ers to a first place finish [out of 21 schools] breaking a three-year school record set by Sarah Apgar in the 5000-meters. Finishing fourth overall, she set the new 49er record comfortably recording a 17:09, five seconds better than Apgar. Del Toro had previously finished seventh in the same event last year.

For Del Toro’s efforts, she was awarded conference Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. The Van Nuys native also helped her school place ninth overall in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) West Region poll. Before the Bronco Invitational, they were unranked. Big West rival UC Davis is ranked seventh.

It has been a standout season for Del Toro, whom coach Cunniff notes is an absolute joy to work with and claims is the nicest person on the planet.

“We were extremely happy that she chose CSULB, she has exceeded expectations even as a former junior college champ” Cunniff said.

Besides having elite level talent as an athlete, Cunniff says that she is just as humble.

“Me and the other coaches always joke around with her, trying to poke around to find a mean bone in her body. We always work on her to be a bit more confident and have that swagger” Cunniff said.

Juniors Nina Moore and Michelle Thompson also had strong showings, finishing second and third for CSULB, with times of 17:38 and 17:39 good enough for 23^rd and 25^th respectively.

“Our goals are to be a very competitive championship level team, and it was very satisfying on that day to be at the event and watch our team perform at levels that reflected that. Not only from the team standpoint but individually” Sythe said.

The 9ers couldn’t have asked for better timing to be peaking heading into championship weekend. They have reason to be confident, as they will head to Riverside with a ninth overall ranking.

“We’re very excited going into the championships. We know we’re not the favorites, we know that there are teams that have been ranked ahead of us or maybe have a little bit longer history, but we’re excited because we feel like our team as well as a few of our individuals all have a legitimate shot to win the title. We also feel that the team is coming around to get ready for their best performance right now” Cunniff said.

Q and A with Big West Athlete of the Week : Rosa Del Toro

Last Saturday, senior cross country runner Rosa Del Toro broke the school record for the 5K, with a time of 17:09.8 at the Bronco Invitational in Santa Clara. A few days ago, the conference announced that Del Toro had been selected for Athlete of the Week.

Q: What were some of your general goals and/or expectations coming into this season?

                       

A: I had and still several goals this season that I want to accomplish.  My main goal is always to improve and have a better cross country season than I did last year.  My main goal this season is to make it to nationals, it’s going to be hard but nothing ever comes easy.  

Q: How do you think you've grown and improved since last year not only as an athlete but as a person?

           

A: I think that I've grown so much from last year both as an athlete and as a person.  As an athlete I have gained so much experience and learned from it every step of the way.  Running has helped me personally in way which it has made me a stronger person, and much more determined and hard working person.  The fact that I know I need to work hard to improve in running helps me see things outside of running in that same way, that I always have to work hard and be determined to get far in life. 

Q: Describe your initial feelings once you learned about setting the school record, and explain what it means to you

           

A: I was pretty surprised when I found out that I had set a school record.  But, all that was running through my mind was that I still need to improve, and I definitely have room for improvement just like everyone else. But, it definitely was an important stepping stone for how well I needed to do at the Big west Conference Championships. 

Q: What are some of your goals to finish out the conference and regional championships?

           

A: At conference my main goals was just to improve and place higher than 9th which is what I had placed last season.  Winning conference was something that my teammates and coach believed I could do and thanks to their support I was able to win conference.  For the regional championships I definitely have high goals, the competition is amazing and I am excited to work hard and place high in order to make it to nationals. Regional’s is the race I have been training for all season.

Sources and story ideas

Sources:

1. Mauricio Ingrassia, head women's soccer coach. mingrass@csulb.edu

2. Joey Cerulle, head women's golf coach. jcerulle@csulb.edu

3. Brian Gimmillaro, head women's soccer coach. bgimmill@csulb.edu

4. Victor Cegles, athletic director. (562) 985-4655, vcegles@csulb.edu

Story ideas:

1. Interview/feature type story on "Student/Athlete of the week" Rochelle Chan, sophomore and member of the golf team.

2. Women's soccer game, Sunday October 9 at 3 PM

3. Women's volleyball game Friday, October 14 at 7 PM

4. Women's volleyball game Saturday, October 15 at 7 PM 

Cell phones: gift and a curse

The double edged sword

There are a few things students should look out for and try to avoid when walking to class: on-coming bikers, skaters, scooters and newest addition—distracted cell phone users.

It may be a difficult task to journey across campus without bumping into a few students who are looking down at their cell phones. According to a new report by Cisco published this week, which surveyed 1,400 students between the ages of 18 and 23 in 14 different countries, in a given hour more than four out of five college students are interrupted by digital media (i.e. instant messaging, social media updates and phone calls).

Speaking to the importance of social networking and the internet, 91 percent of students have Facebook accounts and 27 percent of them admitted that updating their Facebook statuses was more important than partying, dating or hanging out with friends.

55 percent said they “could not live without the internet”. 66 percent stated that their mobile devices were “the most important technology in their lives”.

With the evolution of social networking and the applicability of mobile devices being capable of instantly connecting to these social sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter etc.), it’s easy to see why so many students are attached to their phones. This begs the question: “is this a good or bad thing”?

“I think it’s a big problem if someone looks at their phone while in a conversation. It’s kind of irritating because it feels like they’re not engaged with me,” sophomore vocal music major David Pannell said.

The dynamic of upholding a social profile has perhaps created a paradox of sorts—while students are busy “socializing” online with others, they conceivably are missing out on the opportunity to share with their peers in real life. Especially at what is considered to be a commuter school in CSULB.

“It gets really annoying when my friends are texting and are not paying attention,” junior sociology major Kristin Schmalreid said.

CSULB personality psychology professor Dr. James Amirkhan has his own take on the topic.

“[I said essentially the same thing several years ago on the matter], without cell phones, students might get lonely enough to overcome their shyness and start forming connections with each other.”

“People used to smoke because it made them look a certain way and gave them something to do when their hands were nervous,” continued Dr. Amirkhan.

Students can often be spotted sitting throughout the campus with their gadgets in plain sight. In many cases seemingly detached from what’s going on around them.  Having certain mobile devices can and does assert status. Marketing and other factors could be linked to how people view phones and in turn how they view each other.

“Cell phones make you look ‘in the loop’, so people will use them wherever, whenever to impress,” said Dr. Amirkhan.

Where will the cell phone industry lead students next? Technology is ever advancing and companies are making it easier for people to utilize them. In the battle to “connect” everyone to anyone, are they in essence disconnecting people from each other in reality?

“I would think going forward we are going to become less social with each other and instead be drawn to our phones and their future functions and capabilities,” Pannell said.

Writing a news brief exercise

Yoga instructor's good deed

People are faced with a tough decision every day, but for one young yoga instructor Friday, there was no hesitation on which was the correct choice.

19 year-old Locust Valley resident Laura Hardy was presented with a few (hundred thousand) options after having lunch Friday, when she spotted a thick manila envelope on her bike ride home-- 300,000 options to be exact. As in $300,000 totaling in cash and checks made out to Fenster Ford, the area’s largest car dealer.

Upon discovering the small fortune, she immediately phoned Lincoln Federal Savings, the bank located in the same area where she found the envelope.

Through inches of snow, Hardy braved the elements to bike her way back to Lincoln. When she arrived at the bank in the early evening she was greeted by Xavier Mooney, president of Lincoln Federal Savings and Fred Fenster himself. They both thanked her and posed for photos.

In a world with so much wrong, it would have been easy to keep the cash, but not for Hardy.

            “It’s enough just to do the right thing,” Hardy said.