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Softball Season:
Info, Updates, and What to Expect
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by Eudolia Fuentes sports editor
Head coach Jake Schumann praises his team for their pitching rotation having depth and range that is an obvious strength for the team and for any softball team out there. Schumann also comments on the team being more balanced than last years, they have more athleticism that gives them better defense and they also have an impressive hitting average of eleven hits per game, giving them great offensive muscle.
After being the head coach at Texas A&M—University Kingsville for four years, Schumann came to Texas A&M—University Corpus Christi to be the head coach for women’s softball and has been here for two years. After applying two times with no notice or answer from A&M—Corpus Christi, he decided to apply one more time when he heard that his name was being mentioned around the athletic department. With that, Jake Schumann became the official softball coach for the Islanders.
The softball team plays year-round, but it is broken up into two sections. “Fall ball” and the official Southland Conference season in the spring. “Fall ball” is a 45 day window that allows thirty (give or take) practices and eight games. This season is used by the coaches to evaluate the team and it allows the players time to build up their chemistry. The official season in the Southland Conference starts in the spring semester. The team will play every weekend from February to May, adding up to a total of 56 games during those months.
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Last year’s wins added up to more wins than the season before it. Schumann is fully expecting that those numbers will continue to increase this year, earning them a conference title in the spring.
This year’s team consists of 18 girls with only six returners: Kim Connelly, Stephanie Estrada, Lauren Sanders, Andrea Simancas, Margo Hurdt and Larissa Martin.
“I fully expect all of them to log a lot of playing time and contribute to our success both on and off the field,” said Schumann.
Kim Connelly, “New comer of the Year” of the Southland Conference, set the school’s single-season mark for runs batted in with 38, ranking second in the league. Short stop Stephanie Estrada, who returns as a senior this year, broke the single-season record for runs batted in, but is the number two person. Lauren Sanders had 55 singles last season as a freshman, one short from tying the school record. All returnees are expected to carry all of their strengths and enthusiasm into the 2008-2009 season.
Schumann encourages people who love to watch softball with amazing players to come and enjoy watch the A&M—Corpus Christi softball girls. “[Spectators] will not be disappointed in the way we play the game… fast and aggressive.”
Their first home game for the official season will be Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.
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| Ready, Set, Dive! |
by Hailey Curransports reporter
It might not be surprising to find there is a SCUBA Club at Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi, being right on the ocean and all. However, not many students know about this club, which offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. From sharing scuba diving stories in meetings to experiencing your first breath underwater in a chlorine-filled pool, then progressing on to what could be your first of many underwater dives in the ocean. These are thrills of being in the SCUBA Club.
The SCUBA Club is a student organization that works to certify and educate its members in scuba diving. “We’re a group built by divers for divers, we educate and gain experience from each other,” said Joshua Roberts, president of the SCUBA Club.
The SCUBA Club partakes in a number of dives a semester, usually around six. According to Roberts, the club travels to a number of locations in Texas working on their scuba diving skills. Because of the good connections the club has with the shops in Corpus Christi and other surrounding areas, they are able to dive in several of places, like the jetties in Port Aransas, and use equipment provided for them. Lake Travis, the Colorado River and the New Braunfels River are other dive locations the club has visited. The club is currently planning a trip to the Florida Keys for Spring Break.
Getting certified with the SCUBA Club takes two weekends of one’s time. The first weekend consists of class sessions and partaking in pool courses, and on the second weekend the club goes to Lake Travis for the final scuba courses. Certification is somewhat costly ($350) and you will need to buy a small amount of gear for yourself, but as Roberts said, “That’s what parents and jobs are for!” After one becomes certified, they will need to rent gear when going diving, or they can buy their own gear, which can run around $1,400 to $3,000 dollars. So, if you plan on being in the SCUBA Club for the rest of your college career and continuing the scuba experience for the rest of your life, it would be smart to buy your own gear, because in the long run it will cost less, and the gear will last a long time.
There is a $35 due for joining the SCUBA Club, which pays for the continuing education of the scuba divers and other activities the club will participate in. As Roberts, a three-year member, said, “Scuba diving is a great opportunity for anyone looking to explore the underwater world. Being able to swim right up to and be one with fish is an awesome experience.” So if you think swimming with the fish may be for you, call Joshua Roberts at jroberts2@islander.tamucc.edu or go to the SCUBA Club meetings every other Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the University Center, Tejas Room 106B.
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