The Clarion, Vol. 81, Issue #4 - Sept. 9, 2015 - Brevard College

The

Clarion

Volume 81, Issue 4 Web Edition

www.brevard.edu/clarion

SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935

Turn to page 6 to check out this week’s trail review! September 9, 2015

BC cyclists storm Georgia Cycling team is successful at first division I conference competition By Alex Laifer Staff Writer

Twenty-two athletes from the BC cycling team went to Georgia this past weekend to compete in the Tornados’ first mountain bike race. The team competes in the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference, which consists not only of clubs and teams from western North Carolina, but also several other states in the Southeast from Florida to Alabama, and north to Kentucky. The race was hosted by Georgia Tech but took place at Big Creek Park in Roswell, Ga. Collegiate cyclists compete in separate categories—men’s: C for novice racers, B for intermediate racers and A for the veteran and most advanced racers, and likewise for women’s categories, for which only two levels exist: A and B. Every category had a number of BC cyclists competing, excluding women’s B, which didn’t have any. On Saturday afternoon, short track races were held. As the name suggests, the laps were short technical to traverse taking only about a minute or less to complete. The winner has to hold the lead position for however many laps are possible within the set amount of time; ranging from 15 minutes for men’s C to 25 minutes for women’s A and 30 minutes for men’s A. After the short track races were finished, a downhill race was held. Downhill mountain biking involves racing down extremely “technical” or challenging terrain at a fast, but controlled speed. This downhill course was short, and the top finishers completed it in under 45 seconds On Sunday the cross country race was held. The laps were 4.9 miles each, and included a wide variety of terrain from a paved start to twisty and narrow trails. Each category completed a different number of laps—men’s C raced two laps, while men’s A raced five! There were a number of strong performances from BC. On the men’s side, junior Zach Valdez

Photo by Alex Laifer

Sam Miranda competes in Women’s A Downhill race.

Photo by Alex Laifer

Zach Valdez (front) competes in the Men’s C Cross Country Race.

finished in 2nd place in both the men’s A short track and cross country races. Freshman Kyle Grau took the weekend by storm, earning 4th place in the men’s A downhill race and 2nd in his first cross country race. On the women’s side, Sarah Hill had an impressive performance, winning both the short track and cross country races, while earning second place in the downhill. She said, “I felt like there was good teamwork.” Her teammates, Allison Arensman, Sam Miranda and Nicole Miranda, all earned top five finishes this weekend.

The BC Cycling Team has generated headlines for recently moving to USA Cycling Division I. This change affects the conference races only on paper because the team continues to compete against other schools from both DI and DII throughout conference races. At nationals, however, BC will compete exclusively against other schools from DI. The BC cycling team will head to Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C. this weekend to compete in their second of four races before heading to nationals in Snowshoe, W.V. in October.

Campus News

“Dare to dream”

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The Clarion

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September 2, 2015

Alumni’s presentation inspires students and faculty By Alex Webster Arts & Life Editor

The Wonderful Wednesday speaker series began on Sept. 2, 2015 with BC alumni Sharad Creasman. Creasman was an 18-year-old Brevard native, who wasn’t accepted into any of the eight colleges he applied to. His only redeemable quality as a student was his perfect attendance record, but it was sorely offset by his low GPA. When discussing the possibility of college with a family member they said, “You? College? Impossible!” That appeared true to Creasman until he attended a campus event with BC professor Dr. John Goodmanson. Goodmanson spoke with Creasman about college, and saw something in that 18-year-old high school graduate. BC accepted Creasman and in five years, Creasman went from a student with a 1.6 GPA and perfect attendance, to a college graduate with a B.A. in Religious Studies and intentions to further his education. Creasman had a such a positive experience at BC, that when Dr. Scott Sheffield asked him to return to speak he says, “It’s in my best interest to give back to the college… That’s where I came from. That’s my school.” As an enthused alumni, Creasman feels the draw to give back to the college, because BC invested in him.

Photo courtesy of Sharad Creasman

Sharad Creasman

Creasman’s presentation was based on three ideas that took him through college, seminary, and now graduate school. He says, “BC planted in me the ability to take chances, perservere, and dream.” Creasman finds all of these characteristics necessary to fully succeed. “BC had the nerve to take a chance on me,” was one of the first things Creasman said to students and faculty on Wednesday morning. Taking chances is an important theme in his life, and was a key point of his presentation.

Encouraging current students, he says, “We don’t know how good a student we can be… We have to take a chance.” During his time at BC, he took chances, and succeeded. His concept of perserverence certainly proved necessary as he selected different majors, only to find he was not satisfied. After a long meeting with the registrar, they decided that Religious Studies was the quickest way to graduation. Creasman notes that religious studies was, “the one place [he] came alive.” His 3 year career in seminary was his first opportunity to dream big. Creasman graduated in the top of his class, saying his success came, “Not because I had a stellar background, but because I did the work.” Dreaming big was highly emphasized in his presentation but he qualifies the concept saying, “Dream big. Dream gigantic. Then don’t just dream- do it.” In the long run, Creasman says that the liberal arts education has helped him the most with problem solving. He says that as a pastor, “I get to sit with people in the biggest mess of their lives, and I get to help them find the tools to get their jewels.” He emphasizes that BC showed him the necessity of giving back to others and says, “It’s not so much about me, or accolades, but the tools I have to help. I’m not here for myself. I do the work I can for others so we can say we did it. We—not me.”

Cypress Gorry, mountain bike champion, blazes his trail at BC By Alex Webster

Arts & Life Editor At first, Cypress Gorry appears to be another laid-back Brevard College student, but if you ask him about his passions, he can humbly talk for hours about his mountain bike training, coaching, his upcoming participation in the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in Spain, and what he loves about BC. “You come to a small place like Brevard, get on a team, and you have a built-in group of friends. It gets you in a rhythm of a new place pretty quickly,” Gorry said. When deciding where he wanted to attend college, Gorry said knew he wanted an area that he could train in year-round. Brevard’s location was ideal, and he loves that the trails

are “technically demanding.” His journey in the cycling world has led him to Europe, specifically the Czech Republic three separate times for the Mountain Biking World Cups. Gorry said because of the culture at BC and within collegiate cycling, the team has formed a close-knit bond that relies on each other for success. In addition, he said his coaches have made a considerable difference in his training. “I’ve always had a good relationship with my coaches,” he said. “I’m still good friends with the coach that was here my freshman year. It’s not like he was just my coach - it’s a solid relationship.” The World Championships are Aug. 31 - Sept. 6 in Valnord, Andorra, Spain. Gorry, who is in his senior year at the College, is one of 40 athletes chosen by USA Cycling to represent

the red, white and blue. He qualified for the prestigious race after winning the Under-23 title in the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships in Mammoth Mountain, California, on July 16. In Spain, Gorry will be racing in the U23 cross-country category for his team, Whole Athlete/Specialized Cycling. Gorry is taking the opportunity to combine his passion for cycling with his educational requirements and is coaching athletes through his sponsor - Whole Athlete - as his senior internship project. Whole Athlete, a company based out of California, provides coaching, bike fitting, performance testing, nutritional counseling and other holistic services for endurance athletes. The internship for his degree in exercise See ‘Cypress,’ page 8

September 2, 2015

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Opinion

Western nations halt in Syrians’ time of need By Calum McAndrew

Staff Writer On Monday, the UK revealed that over the next 5 years it would accept 20,000 of the stranded Syrian refugees into its country To put that into perspective, this is how many Germany accepted over the last weekend. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, announced last week, that the country would provide a safe haven to those that had fled their war torn home country, and will accept 800,000 people before the year is out, and a further half a million every year following. The public appeal for the Syrian asylum seekers to be allowed into countries across the world was intensified as images surfaced of Aylan Kurdi, a three year old Syrian boy, showing the boy washed up on a beach in Turkey after having drowned. His entire family, who had fled Syria in hope to find safety in Europe, also died during their attempts to find refuge. This wasn’t the first instance of tragedy, as refugees have been dying in their attempts to find shelter for months now, but this was the first case to grab the world’s attention. Since this point, there has been increased pressure on global leaders to solve the situation, which is not only long overdue, but also taking far too long to come into effect. Fourteen American Senators have also come out and suggested that the U.S. should take a more active role in resettling migrants, and for good reason. The U.S., a world leader in providing humanitarian aid, will only allow 1,500

refugees across the border by the end of 2016. The 20,000 refugees David Cameron, Prime Minister of the UK, announced on Monday would be allowed into the UK has been described by leading politicians in Europe as, “pitifully short of what is needed.” If that is the case for 20,000 people, what is to be made of the number of refugees the U.S. will accept, which is over 10 times smaller? In what has been described by these U.S. Senators in an open letter to the President as, “the world’s worst refugee crisis of our time,” there is still very little in the way of help coming from the country. The letter also states, “It is a moral, legal, and national security imperative for the U.S. to lead by example.” Thus far, it is fair to say that this has not been achieved, nor does it look like it will be any time soon. Even the humanitarian policy manager of Oxfam Shannon Scribner has requested that the U.S. take in 70,000 refugees, in an attempt to solve the situation. On top of this, David Milliband, President of the International Rescue Committee, called for the U.S. to take in 65,000 migrants. Several Republican Senators have opposed these cries for humanity, claiming that allowing Syrian refugees into the country would bring, “serious national security concerns,” and further insinuated that allowing refugees into the country could, “become a backdoor for jihadists.” Presumably they would have the millions of asylum seekers drown and starve, and their

Green River takeover

Women have a day to shine in whitewater paddling By Jessica Wiegandt

Staff Writer The early morning scene: coffee brewed, boats being strapped to car racks, paddles shoved through the seats, piling in to the van to run shuttle. This is an average morning routine for whitewater kayakers; however, Saturday, Aug. 29, was not just an average morning. The Green River, located in Saluda, NC, is a river which hosts whitewater options for boaters between class I (the lowest classification of whitewater) and class V (the next-to-most extreme and dangerous classification of whitewater). The Lower Green is a class I-II run, the Upper Green is a class II-III run, and the Green Narrows is a class IV-V+ run, recommended for

only very skilled boaters to attempt. Laura Farrell, from Bryson City, NC, and sponsored by Dagger Kayaks, Adventure Technology (AT) Paddles, Seals Sprayskirts, Astral Designs and Mountain Khakis, was paddling on the Green Narrows section last August and noticed how many male paddlers were with her. “I knew there were a lot of women who paddle it [Green Narrows] but we never connect to see each other,” said Farrell, “There was also one day where I was out there with a bunch of guys and I was the only one who ran Gorilla [a technical class V waterfall] and later I found out there were three other women who had been there that day who ran it as well and I really had wished I had been there with them.”

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home country obliterated before allowing them a safe haven. This can’t be ignored; it is impossible for western countries to take in, and resettle every migrant on the planet, and in that sense, it is important that somewhere down the road world governments quell the ongoing problem in Syria. The overall problem cannot be quite so simply solved by past techniques of ‘installing democracy.’ Syria is, and has been in devastating civil war for years now, and that is the reason people are risking their lives to escape, and putting their families and themselves in incredible danger. For future reference, perhaps some nations should refrain from destabilizing governments by imposing their own ideology, and furthermore, refrain from providing arms to unknown sources. However, as the problem rages on, a short term solution has to be developed, and recognizing help is needed immediately, and resettling as many refugees as possible is a sure fire way to do that. Four million Syrian refugees are in just five countries, and there are millions more in need of immediate help. This isn’t a time for fear mongering, nor the time to gather support for another illegal war in the Middle East, both of which mainstream media outlets are guilty of doing. This is a time to recognize that there are other people that need help. There are human beings, that have fled war, crossed oceans, witnessed death, and been rejected safety, all in the hope that one day they will end up somewhere safer. Right now, there are migrants that are worse off than before, and that is simply appalling. It’s time for countries across the world to follow in Germany’s footsteps. This is the time to show compassion. Lives matter. Farrell decided it would be ideal to have a day on the river where she could invite her other female friends to paddle with her. The idea was a popular one and quickly became open to the entire community. The Women In Charge: The Takeover Series was born, as Farrell planned a day for women to congregate on the Green and “take it over”. “It’s really fun to have a day where there are a lot of people who are thinking about our friend Shannon Christy and also just to paddle with my girlfriends and a bunch of other cool ladies,” said Farrell, “Being in the middle of a rapid and looking up and down and seeing only women is an experience you almost never get to have but it’s awesome when you do.” The success and popularity of the event sparked the idea to make it annual, and the second Green River Takeover took place on the 29th. See ‘Takeover,’ page 6

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Arts & Life

The Clarion

10th annual Mountain Song Festival offers opportunities for students

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September 2, 2015

By Anna Marie Conard Staff Writer

Mountain music, arts and crafts, food, and beer all brought together for three days at the tenth annual Mountain Song Festival in downtown Brevard. This festival is being held from Friday Sept. 11 until Sunday Sept. 13 at the Brevard Music Center. Nine bands from both local and national origins will be performing throughout the weekend, creating a funky environment that is alive with music and dancing. The Festival started as a fundraiser for The Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County, and continues to serve as such, sending all proceeds to benefit these children. The idea to establish a fundraiser in Brevard for The Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County was proposed by Cindy Platt herself. Her son Woody Platt then took the need for a fundraiser to John Felty who suggested the idea of a music festival as the event. Felty had grown up in music, but slowed down when he had his first kid in 2001. His desire to share his love of music, as well as get back involved with the music business, was what inspired him to create the Mountain Song Festival, and the fundraiser presented the perfect opportunity. Felty started out running ticketing, vendors, production, and marketing all himself. “I felt

Photo Courtesy of Tim Powers

Tim Powers, Criminal Justice Professor

Photo Courtesy of steepcanyonrangers.com

2015 Lineup for the Festival

like I needed to do everything,” said Felty. “I understood everything that was involved. So I could train people.” Platt also helped with marketing, and several members of the community came together to volunteer at the event - a tradition that has held strong. After ten years the number of volunteers has grown in size along side the festival, moving from around 10 volunteers the first year to over 300 volunteers for this year's event. Felty and his team work every year to make the festival the best that it can be, learning new ways to improve every year, and changing

Dare to try a new flavor?

See ‘Festival,’ page 8

The Dairy Bar may have your next favorite! By Courtney Sharp

Staff Writer For such a small town, Brevard has a lot to offer. With its various shops, diners, and businesses, it is hard to decide which places to go and see. Freshman and returning students are always looking for new spots to go and hang out with their friends. With summer coming to an end, what better place to go than to an ice cream shop like The Dairy Bar? The little ice cream shop, located at 171 Hendersonville Hwy in Pisgah Forest, has been in business for over 40 years. A current employee Courtney Kelley explained that, “[The Dairy Bar] is definitely the busiest ice cream shop around. Everyone seems to go here more than anywhere else.” So what exactly makes this ice cream shop stand out from the others? I had the chance to test out The Dairy Bar to find out for myself. As soon as I got there, I was instantly impressed

by their numerous selection of flavors. The menu offered much more than just the classic ice cream flavors like vanilla and chocolate. On the list were flavors such as: coffee, rainbow sherbet, peanut butter, and cookies ‘n’ cream. They also serve a variety of sundaes and milkshakes that can be custom-made to fit any sweet-tooth craving. As a caffeine lover, I chose to get a single scoop of the coffee ice cream. I was pleasantly surprised by not only the huge serving size, but also the taste as well. The ice cream had just the right blend of sweetness and bitterness. It was delectable and left me craving for more. Also, the staff was welcoming and made sure each and every order satisfied their customers’ needs. When looking for a place to cool off after a long day of practice or outdoor activity, The Dairy Bar is the ideal spot. With their wide range of assortments, they can surely satisfy any ice-cream lovers craving.

Powers’ resume makes him a good fit for BC

The new criminal justice professor’s credentials align with experiential education By Megyn Terrell Contributor

This year we welcomed a Professor by the name of Timothy Powers. Powers has gone by many names; Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and could even go by Doctor, but he simply prefers Tim. Powers is the new Criminal Justice professor here at Brevard, and if you have had the chance to meet him, he is far from ordinary. Just shortly after beginning to speak with him, Powers gave me a view into his past career which is very extensive. He was in the Army for four years, and Law enforcement for 33 years in which he was in many fields; from the bottom as a patrol officer to eventually a Captain, in many different areas of work as well. He was in many divisions of detective work; homicide, or even the 13 years he spent in SWAT and eight of those as a sniper. Powers worded it as he would bring “all the toys” to large situations where they were needed. The toys he speaks of were tools like helicopters, SWAT teams, SWAT negotiators, Motorcycle units, riot units, etc. Powers was born in Sarasota, Fla. but was primarily in the Tampa Bay area. Powers was fortunate his agency paid for him to go to college, he went went more than just once, and holds degrees from Saint Leo and North Central University. He obtained his Bachelors in Criminal Justice and Masters in Criminal Justice specializing in Emergency Management and Online Security. He also holds a Doctorate. He even work together with homeland security. Powers is bringing a new touch to the Criminal See ‘Powers,’ page 8

September 2, 2015

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Movie Review:

Arts & Life

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‘A Walk in the Woods’ has ups, downs 

“A Walk in the Woods” Directed by Ken Kwapis Screenplay by Bill Holderman, based on the book by Bill Bryson Starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte Broad Green Pictures, 2015 Rated R (Restricted) / Running time: 104 minutes

By John Padgett Contributor

Bill Bryson fans, take note: “A Walk in the Woods,” a film based on his best-selling 1998 book about “rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail,” is finally in theaters. But don’t let that fact sway you from reading the book. The film, while pleasant and mostly enjoyable, doesn’t come close to matching what Bryson was able to achieve in writing. The movie takes many liberties with the book, most notably the age of the characters of “Bryson” and “Katz,” played by Robert Redford and Nick Nolte, respectively. Redford and Nolte are both well into their 70s, whereas in the book, Bryson and Katz are in their mid-40s. Even so, Bill Holderman’s screenplay captures much of the humor of Bryson’s book, including dialogue (and jokes) between Bryson and Katz. A quick example: when asked by a

fellow hiker why he chose a particular brand of pack, Bryson’s response in the film, as in the book, was, “I thought it would be easier than carrying everything in my arms.” The film features small but noteworthy performances by Kristen Schaal as Mary Ellen, an obnoxious hiker encountered by Bryson and Katz early in their journey who criticizes everything they do as wrong, and Emma Thompson as Bryson’s skeptical wife, who leaves printouts of articles of hikers found dead on the trail along with Post-it notes informing him, in no uncertain terms, he must find a partner to accompany him. Other supporting roles are filled by Mary Steenburgen and Nick Offerman, who plays an REI salesman well versed in 70-denier high-density camping equipment with a ripstop weave. The real stars of the film, however, are Redford and Nolte, whose odd-couple relationship and fish-out-of-water (and at one point, in water) adventures are, in turn, hilarious, poignant, and at times quietly sublime as they encounter majestic natural wonders on the trail. Some of their scenes together are silly to the point of absurdity, such as an encounter with not one but two bears one night, but for the most part, Redford’s refined-yet-bemused demeanor and Nolte’s gravel-voiced gruffness play off against each other nicely. The plot largely follows the first half of

Bryson’s book. It does take too long for Katz and Bryson to actually get on the Appalachian Trail, or “AT,” and perhaps understandably for a trail more than 2,000 miles long, the AT itself is severely underrepresented in the film, but at just 104 minutes, the film seldom lags. In fact, the film might have benefitted with some additional resolution at the end, which comes rather abruptly. Director Ken Kwapis, whose previous film and TV credits include “Big Miracle,” “He’s Just Not That Into You” and NBC’s “The Office,” has however included in the film some spectacular aerial footage of the trail—of Bryson and Katz crossing Fontana Dam as the AT enters the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; traversing what appears to be Max Patch, a grassy bald in Pisgah National Forest near Hot Springs; and reaching the rocky cliff of McAfee Knob, one of the most frequently photographed spots on the entire AT located in Virginia’s Jefferson National Forest. (Interestingly, these latter two locations do not appear at all in the book, as Bryson and Katz skip the AT between Newfound Gap in the Smokies all the way to just south of Rockfish Gap and the beginning of the trail’s run through Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.) Because of its obvious similarity in subject matter, “A Walk in the Woods” is likely to be compared to last year’s Oscar-nominated “Wild,” based on a nonfiction book by Cheryl Strayer (played by Reese Witherspoon, who received a best actress Oscar nomination for her performance). Like this year’s film, “Wild” is about an extended hike along one of America’s premier long trails—in this case, the Pacific Crest Trail in California and Oregon. But make no mistake: “A Walk in the Woods” is nowhere near as dramatically portentous or philosophically moving as “Wild.” “A Walk in the Woods” is light-hearted and funny and rather than a journey with profound implications, it is, as its title suggests, little more than a walk in the Appalachian woods. For those who have not read Bryson’s book— and perhaps for many who have—that may be enough.

Left: Robert Redford and Nick Nolte play Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz in a film adaptation of Bryson’s bestselling 1998 travel book “A Walk in the Woods.”

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Takeover

Continued from Page 3

At 8:30 Saturday morning, the Narrows takeout parking lot was filled with 56 women. “I remember seeing the event from last year on Facebook and it looked fun,” said Carrie Schlemmer, a Brevard College senior, “I was really excited since I had been looking forward to it all week so when it was finally Saturday morning, there were so many girls and it was really cool.” The morning meeting was held after the shuttle to the top of the Upper Green, discussing safety and the plan for the day, and then the women broke off into their various groups. Each group had at least one designated leader, and around eight paddlers. All 56 women paddled the Upper Green and while the smaller groups were made to keep the event organized and safe, there was no lack of enthusiasm and camaraderie throughout the trip. On the two significant rapids on the Upper Green, known as Bayless’ Boof and Pinball, women crowded below to cheer on every paddler. “Whenever you’re with boys, they don’t really cheer, so it was really awesome to have girls who were so excited to see other people doing what they were doing and cheering for you,” said Schlemmer, “There’s a totally different energy when you’re with women and it just makes paddling that much more fun.” At the end of the Upper Green, half of the group got off the river to hike out of the gorge, and 27 women continued down to paddle the Narrows section. “There were more women this year than last, and we were missing a handful of women this year who would have come if the World Freestyle Competition wasn’t also

Arts & Life

taking place this week [in Canada],” said Farrell, “But with that knowledge, it speaks to how many women get out there and we really got to fire it up this year.” The two groups rejoined at the bottom of the Narrows section to share stories and socialize. Sponsors of the event had donated prizes to be raffled off as well, with ticket money being donated to the Shannon Christy Memorial Fund, a fund dedicated to the memory of Shannon Christy, a female paddler who passed away on the Potomac River in 2013, which will be used to support women around the country who kayak in the future.“Shannon loved to smile and she loved to paddle with other women. Now we can honor her through this event and help pass on her light to others. We hope to make the fund a nonprofit by the end of this year so we can give out scholarships to underprivileged girls to send them to kayak camp, and also have the money apply to other female paddling events,” said Farrell. This past year, Farrell helped with a women’s takeover of the Arkansas River in Colorado, but encourages local boaters to collaborate and put on events throughout the year on their own.

The Clarion

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September 2, 2015

“I would like to empower other communities to do what we have here every year, create friendships and host locally,” said Farrell, “I can say that I am 100 percent positive there will be a 2016 Green River Takeover.” This event brought together paddlers from all over the Southeast and it made an impact on participants. The sponsors of the event, Dagger Kayaks, AT Paddles, Seals Sprayskirts, Mountain Khakis, Astral Designs, Mountain River Tap and Growlers, Girls at Play, the event photographer Daniel Brasuell and the shuttle bunnies who donated their time to driving all day are to be thanked. More information about the Women In Charge: The Takeover Series and the Shannon Christy Memorial Fund can be found on Facebook as listed. “I don’t paddle with girls often, and the takeovers are special to me now because I get to go kayaking with other girls. Not that it isn’t fun to paddle with boys, but the energy and community with women is so special,” said Schlemmer, “This is a male dominated sport and it’s refreshing to go paddling with girls who are as good or better than you, and still cheer everyone on and have a great day on the river.”

Photo by Daniel Brausell

The ladies cheer after a run on the Upper Green.

The perfect Sunday hike: Black Balsam Knob By Alex Perri

Staff Writer Classes and fall sports are in full swing as BC heads into the fourth week of classes, and another time honored tradition has returned for many - Sundays in the forest. Weekdays are full of homework, practices, and club meetings. Nothing will recuperate tired students after a strenuous school week like a hike through the beautiful scenery of Western N.C. mountains. To truly take advantage of all that this school has to offer students should venture out into Pisgah. Students don’t have to be the most hardcore of WLEE majors to explore the outdoors; Pisgah has something to offer for everyone, for both athletes and otherwise. Recently, when I had my family visit for a weekend, I took them to one of my favorite hikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Black Balsam Knob. From the main entrance you take a right, onto N. Broad St.,

away from downtown, you drive towards the Hendersonville Hwy turn and take a left and take 276 into Pisgah Forest. At the fork you take a right onto the ramp into the parkway, followed by an immediate left at the top of the hill. Continue to mile marker 420, a sign for Black Balsam will appear, then take the next right and follow this road until arriving at the parking lot, which is about 0.8 miles.The drive is about 45 minutes from campus to the parking lot before the trail, and will take you through Pisgah Forest up onto the parkway. The drive offers sweeping views of the entire French Broad River valley and glimpses of local wonders such as Looking Glass Falls and Looking Glass Rock. To reach the summit, take the Art Loeb trail, which is marked with white blazes. This trail continues for a half mile while gaining four hundred feet in elevation as you climb through

the forest. Once you reach the treeless bald however, you will be offered 360 degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains as well as picturesque views of Looking Glass Rock, Shining Rock, and Mt. Pisgah. This hike is absolutely breathtaking. The bald resembles prairie, with no trees to block the vista, and pretty wildflowers line the trail throughout. I would recommend wearing layers, as it is colder up on the parkway, and bringing a camera to capture the incredible beauty of these mountains. The hike should take no less than an hour to complete, but you could end up spending possibly several hours there depending on how long you wish to spend drinking in the views or following the Art Loeb trail. I highly recommend this hike to people new to hiking or the Appalachian Mountains as it takes little effort but offers highly rewarding views!

September 2, 2015

| The Clarion

Sports

BC football falls at season opener but makes powerful statement By Anthony Washington Staff Writer

This past Saturday, the Tornados football team kicked off their season in Richmond, V.A. In this game, the Tornados were expected by many to just lay down but this wasn’t in their itinerary; as the Virginia Union Panthers took a 14-0 second quarter lead, the Tornados’ offense surged on a seven play drive which consisted of 70 yards capped off by a one yard score from Tyler Gregory . The Tornados’ defense gave more life to their offense as they did not allow the Panthers to gain even one yard on a second quarter stop. This resulted in The Tornados WR, C.T. Frederick, hauling in a 23 yard touchdown catch to even the game 14-14 at the half. As the third quarter began, the Tornados’ offense held the ball for over seven minutes on a drive taking a 21-14 lead

and showing change in momentum. As the fourth quarter began, it was obvious that this game was a dogfight as the atmosphere was full of life on both sides of the stands. The Panthers ended up scoring 21 total points in the fourth quarter, defeating the Tornados 35-21. Even though the tornados lost this contest to the Virginia Union Panthers, who went on to an 8-3 record, and being a runner up for the CIAA title last year, they made a huge statement in their opener, showing that they mean business this year, having kept the Panthers on edge for the majority of the game. As for the defense, they showed a swagger that would remind us of our 2009 Tornados that went on to a record 7-4 season. Come out and show support this upcoming Saturday, Sept. 12, as our Tornados take on the Bowie State Bulldogs in their home opener. Kickoff is at 1pm.

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Photo courtesy of Tommy Moss

Arvin Berry—seen here carrying the ball in the Tornados’ 2014 win over College of Faith—rushed 11 times for 23 yards in Saturday’s loss to Virginia Union. Other BC standouts on offense include Anthony Washington, who rushed for 57 yards in 4 carries; Xavier McEachern and Kevin Rucker, each with 17 yards rushing; and Tyler Gregory with 16.

Season starts strong for women’s reserve soccer By Jessica Wiegandt Staff Writer

BC’s women’s reserves soccer team opened their official season with a 6-0 win against Emmanuel College (EC) on Sunday, Sept. 6. The women reported to the locker room at noon and the game began at 1 p.m. with clear skies and a home crowd to cheer them on. The teams play two 45-minute periods with a 15-minute break in between. BC kicked off the game on the home side of the field, with possession of the ball. The women communicated effectively on the field as the ball was passed back and forth down the field, avoiding several attempts from EC to steal it and work back towards the BC goal. At the 10-minute mark, the first goal was scored by freshman Megan Delicato and spirits were high. Over the next 15 minutes the ball was played across the field, as EC attempted to control the game. Sophomore Kaylee Smith scored the second goal for BC at the 26-minute mark. EC’s sidelines were tense as both the coach and assistant coach scrambled to reassure their team from the bench, but by the 35-minute mark, freshman Leah Heysler scored the third goal for BC. The game continued with EC determined to break through BC’s defensive line, but even when they prevailed, freshman Elise Youmans held her own in the goalie box. At the 42-minute mark, just before halftime, BC’s Sydney Alencewicz and a player from EC collided near BC’s goal, resulting in a minor pause during the game as the EC player caught her breath. During halftime, both teams had time to re-

cover and received advice from their coaches. EC encouraged players, offering positive and motivational words to the players, while BC stayed humble, as they were reminded that while they had scored three goals in the first half, the opponents could score three in the second half. The timer buzzed and the second half began, as teams switched sides; EC started with the ball and sophomore Courtney Perkins subbed in as goalie. Delicato wasted no time in the second half, and at the 6-minute mark had scored against EC yet again. Cheers from both the team and the crowd grew throughout the second half as more students came to support the winning team and more goals were scored. Quickly after Delicato’s second goal, freshman Lynsy Snapp made a goal at the 10-minute mark, giving BC a 5-0 lead, which left EC with little hope for a comeback. The next thirty minutes consisted of multiple changes in possession of the ball as EC worked their way to BC’s end of the field. Fortunately, Perkins made skilled blocks and EC was shut down every time a shot was made at the goal. At the 40-minute mark, BC gained control of the ball and headed down the field to EC’s goal. Sophomore Livia Herringer, normally a center defender, played forward for the last minutes of the game and took a shot at the goal—the ball sailed past EC’s goalie and into the net. The final five minutes of the game consisted of BC keeping the ball on EC’s side of the field, but they were unable to pull off another goal. The buzzer announced the end of the game and BC’s women huddled together to celebrate the 6-0 victory.

Photo by Jessica Wiegandt

BC women’s soccer reserve forward Megan Delicato dribbles the ball toward the goal. Delicato scored two goals as BC crushed Emmanuel College 6-0 on Sunday.

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Festival


aspects when they need changing. By working with the artists to provide the best environment to play in, and focusing on the smaller details of the event such as parking and traffic, Felty has been able to create a memorable experience for everyone involved. “This feels like one big hug,” said one festival participants to Felty. Over the years the festival has been able to grow and expand this big hug feeling, changing from a two day event to a three day event for the first time this year. This expansion allows the opportunity for more people to experience Brevard’s community, and will bring in even more proceeds to go to The Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County. This year the Festival has also added a bike check by sycamore cycles, and an instrumental petting zoo by Jr Appalachian Musicians, or JAM. The hope of the petting zoo is to make the festival fun for people of all ages by giving the kids an interactive activity for entertainment. There will also be a picking section at Thomas Hall for all the amateur musicians who want to join in on the musical scene. Felty also looks to involve the college in the festival as much as possible. “Having the college involved is something I want to do,” said Felty. “Beth Banks has always asked the recycling club, and now the theatre department’s helping. We're developing a strong [relationship] with BC. The more ways we can connect BC to the community the better.” Felty also passed on the advice to all students that the best thing anyone can do is get out in the community and get involved. Education is important to learning a skill, but experience will expand and develop that skill. The fastest way to learn is to go out and “get your feet wet” and volunteer at any event possible for the real world experience. Price and availability of tickets for the Mountain Song Festival vary based on day and seating location, so to find out more information go to http://mountainsongfestival.com/2015.

CLUB FAIR

Get involved! Tomorrow, Sept 10 In front of Caf 11:00 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Sponsored by SGA Look for the big blue tent!

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Powers


Justice program here at BC; he has been there, in the field, and screwed up even a time or two in his time as law enforcement, and ultimately is capable of teaching students how to do things the correct way—the way future law enforcement should be doing things. Powers wishes to achieve a few things here at BC within the Criminal Justice division. Powers brought forth a valid point for criminal justice majors: as of right now, when you graduate and you want to go into law enforcement, you still must go to an academy of sorts. Powers hopes, and has confidence, that he can transform the program in such a way that when a criminal justice major reaches senior year, by their graduation, they will have the certification to enter law enforcement rather than graduate and have to continue on to an academy. This isn’t Powers’ first time teaching in a college setting although, at St. Leo, where he was an adjunct, then eventually a full time professor, he taught many cops. He explained, “I came here and when I was asked about criminal justice and teaching by Barbra Boerner. I couldn’t explain the way I taught, I was doing experiential teaching, making sure the field these people were wanting to go into was exactly what they expected, I just never knew what to call it.” Powers has already implemented ride-alongs to all his classes this semester and already has Chief of Police and the Transylvania Sheriff on board with this project. Powers thoroughly believes that

Cypress

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September 2, 2015

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science is just one piece of his future that Gorry is piecing together while he takes advantage of Brevard's prime location for mountain biking. “My interest going into exercise science was originally to go into physical therapy, but then I realized that I wanted to coach, and it’s fit really well with what I’ve been learning,” Gorry said. His drive to coach began at home in Arizona when he was just 12 years old. He watched his dad race for years and finally decided to try it “just for fun.” At the age of 17, Gorry realized he wanted to see what he could do if he was really dedicated to the sport, and he ended up having a more successful season than he anticipated. “Cypress is a great example of the studentathlete. While racing at the top levels of the sport, he also keeps his performance in the classroom continually very high,” said Brad Perley, head cycling coach. “He has learned to budget his time very well and has taken advantage of the fantastic social, academic, and athletic environments we have here at BC.”

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students should step foot in the field before reading a book and going into the career blind; they should know this is what they want to do now versus waiting four years and finding out later. Then I must ask Powers, ‘What led you to Brevard College after a career like that?’ and the answer was shocking, he replied, “Cycling. I had begun riding with a few friends who mentioned this area, not necessarily Brevard, but the close surrounding area, and then I came up here.” Powers had always been a flatland sort of person and Fla. had been his stomping grounds, besides his short time in the Army, but he decided to come to the mountains. Powers and his wife both retired and had built a house here for some time before he was offered the position at the college. Powers had even searched out the school six years earlier but the time wasn’t right; now, the time has come, and we are more than delighted to add him to BC’s faculty. Powers proved full of information and advice but I asked one final question, ‘what advice does he give to us, the student body?’ With which Powers replied “Do what the college is all about, experience it. Experience all the things that are offered to the fullest degree.”

Other Staff Anna Marie Conard Alex Laifer Rachel Cobb Jordan Laws Elizabeth Chung Alex Perri Andrew Gunnin Courtney Sharp Kaelyn Martin James Whaley Calum McAndrew Jessica Wiegandt

The Clarion is a student-run college newspaper produced by student journalists enrolled at Brevard College. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of the staff of The Clarion. Other opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff or administration of Brevard College.

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