The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2B~----------------------Th-• _Po1e_m_1e_•_w._dn_•_•_Y,_N•_•_m&_er_1s_, _1,_,s Tim. Allen's The Sporting View Debunking the "Dumb Jock" Myth What does sports do for the student athlete? Through nine years of my own experience in organized sports, I find that it has taught me many things. Sports has taught me discipline, responsibility, and working with others as pa~t of a team. ' Sports opened a whole new world when I was younger. When I was 10 years old, I was just getting into Boy Scouts and soccer. After a few weel,<s of running around between the two activities, my parents finally gave me an ultimatum. They said, "It's either soccer or Boy Scouts. But you must keep your grades up no mat- ter which one you choose." I laughed. Let's just hope I don't get caught out in the boonies with only a pocket knife. Sports were a major part of my life then and they still are. Advancing in my favorite sport, cross country, is what helped me to run in college and will possibly help get me into a four year university later on. Participating has also prevented me from becoming overweight or get- ting into trouble. Most of all, sports has given me self esteem, confidence and leadership in whatever I do. Con- fidence not only when I'm running, but also in the class- room and at work. Being a student athlete now means I have to hit the books to be able to continue competing in running. Be- ing a student athlete means many different things to many different people. Mike Gunderson, sophomore Physical Ed. major and returning ACC basketball player, has his own views about being a student athlete. Mike says, "Playing basketball keeps me well condi- tioned and busy so I don't sit around." Mike is always on the go f~om classes to practice. As for the mental side, Mike says, "I must concen- trate and focus all the time, not only when I'm on the court but in the class. I know if my classes slip then there is no basketball." Just like Mike Gunderson, many students that are athletes know that grades and sports go hand in hand. I received another response from Marisa Stoppa, a freshman on the women's basketball t-eam. Marisa states, "Being involved in sports, especially at the college level is an extreme responsibility. Partici- pating in basketball keeps me active, in shape, and always pushing myself to achieve higher goals." The comment I liked most from Marisa was when · she said, "Playing basketball is a privilege while being a full-time student here at ACC." I agree 100%, Marisa and Mike. You're here to learn and get a degree. Basketball, cross country or whatever else you're involved in should be considered second to school. There are a lot of us that don't want to be consid- ered dumb jocks. Oh yeah, thanks to all the coaches out there for ac- cepting our late arrival to practice because of a big test or miscalculation on a build-up of homework. Just a reminder:· Sometimes it's not the strongest, but rather the smartest. Keep cracking the books, jocks. Mr. G1s Golf & Games (517) 354-7447 Hours: Sun. - Thurs, 2-10 Fri, & Sat. 2-11 18 Hole Indoor Mini Golf Video Games - Pool Tables - Darts Pinball - Snacks 121 W. Washington Ave. - Alpena ACC's Lumberjacks look to sophomor.es for leadership ------------- step up and contribute at the · BY Mum GUNDERSON STAFF WRITER The time has come for the 1995-96 Alpena Commu- nity College Men's Basketball team to show they are a team to be reckoned with. With 10 - sophomores coming back and seven freshmen coming in, along with an excellent coach- ing staff consisting of Head Coach Frank McCourt and Assistant Head Coach Bobby Allen leading the way, it looks to be a very successful season. The Lumberjacks went 12-16 last year, finishing sixth in the conference with a 7-9 record. Last year's Lumber- jack team was young, inexperienced, and worked re- ally hard first semester. "We got to a point where we were playing as a team and very competitive," McCourt says, "We had one bad game, then we forgot what got us there." McCourt says the team relied too much on one-on- one instead of being patient and working the ball around. The Lumberjacks lost nine of their last ten league games, but regrouped and had an excellent two games in the tournament. _ "Hopefully we got smarter as a result of that," McCourt says. McCourt is looking for leadership from seven return- ing sophomores. The freshmen have a ways to go, he says, with the excep 'on o Antoine Robinson who McCourt feels will be able to beginning of the season. McCourt also hopes that the freshmen might grow and ma- ture and be able to contribute by second semester. This year's team needs to be competitive in the Eastern Conference and finish in the top four, hopefully the top two, says McCourt. If so, then ACC will have a first rot,tnd bye and play at home in the second round of the state tour- nament. McCourt thinks that dis- cipline is the most important ingredient for this year's team success. His objective for the team this year is to be competitve, work hard, and give 110% at all times. The Lumberjacks have nine key returnees including a transfer returnee who played here three years ago. Here is a look at what to ex- pect from the upcoming returnees. Scott Groesser, a two- sport athlete here at the college, has a very good _work ethic and is very dedicated and determined to do what- ever it takes to be successful. Scott is from Sutton's Bay. Shaun Craker, a sharp- shooter who can shoot the lights out, looks to be a leader on and off the court. Shaun is from Northport. Derrick Brooks, a defen- sive specialist with an explosive offensive game, he is also a two-sport athlete here at the college. Derrick is from Covert. ~ A'* - ., "' ~ffl: #? jli,:I! ' Lumberjack captains for this season are (Left to Right): Mike Gunderson, Nate Tuori, and Kevin Green. Demerious Flowers, the Tremendous defensively, a king of the crossover with a true husky. Kevin is from At- very smooth game, he is _the lanta. floor general. He calls out the Mike "GunDawg" plays and gets the offense Gunderson, a two-year cap- started. Demerious is from tain, second in scoring last Redford Bishop Borgess. year, loves to slash and attack Chris Leeseberg, the the basket. Injuries sidelined heart and soul of this year's him for five or six games last team, is the spark plug that year. Mike is from Alcona. gets us pumped. A great Nate Tuori, a captain, rebounder, ala Dennis Rod- was an All-Conference choice, man, Chris is from Alpena_. and MVP on last year's team. Mike Fenlon, a very ver- He led the team in scoring and satile swing player with a rebounding, Nate is from sweet outside touch, is very Brimley. deadly when he is on. Mike The freshmen include: is from St. Ignace. Ben Croze from Grayling, Ja- Steve Menzel, a true cen- son Brecheison from Petoskey, ter with great shot blocking Tony Maino from Houghton, ability and a soft touch around Mau~ice "Buddy" Stedman the basket, Steve is from from Alpena, Antoine "T- Saginaw. Nasty" Robinson from Kevin Green, one of the Memphis, Trent "T-Dogg" tri-captiilins for this year's Duncan from New York, qnd team, is a very good ball han- Clarence "Bud" Meadows r dler and outside shooter. from Detroit. ACC Distance Runners go the Extra Mile _B_Y_T_IM_A_L_L_E_N _ __;_ ____ high school, like many would SPORTS EDITOR suspect. She didn't start run- ------------ ning until she was 38 years Have you ever run 26.2 old because of health reasons miles? Or should I say, have and the benefits of running. you ever run a marathon? Bushey started running com- That's one question two ACC petitively five years ago. faculty members, Monica Bushey says she only Bushey and Dr. Richard eds about 35 miles per week Lessard, don't have to ask to train for marathons. Thirty- themselves. Lessard, Director five miles a week is not a lot of Workplace Communica- for a person running up to 20- tions, and Bushey, Student plus mile races. Some serious Support Services Counsellor marathon runners will train in the Learning Center, have up to 125 miles a week. both run the treacherous 26.2 In the past, Bushey has mile races more than once. also run in the Detroit Free Just saying the word Press Marathon, another na- marathon makes_ most of us tionally known marathon. sweat. There she placed in the top 65 Bushey is going to be women, and fourth in her age running her second Boston division. Marathon next year on Monica says she'll keep Patriot's Day, the 100th birth- running marathons and other day of the great event. road races in the future. She Bushey qualified for advises beginners to get a Boston by· running in the good coach, talk to your Women's Only Marathon, coach, and get as much advice placing first in her age divi- and support from friends as sion. possible. But most of all, Although Monica runs Monica said, "Enjoy running." now that doesn't mean she Richard Lessard, head was a runner who started in coach of the Lumberjack cross country team, has also run his share of distance road races, including the Bay Shores Marathon in Traverse City and the Pavo Nami Marathon in Hurley, Wisconsin. Lessard ran his best marathon at Bay Shores where he had a time of 2:58 and placed fourth in _ his age division. Lessard's time in the Pavo Nami mara- thon was 3:05. Lessard has a long history of running and coaching' to his_ credit. He started running in high school, where he was a sprinter in the 100-yard dash. He told me he didn't start running seriously until he was around 25 years old. He said he has been running now for 25 years. He has had some injuries in that span, he said, but overall he is happy with his love of the sport. Lessard said he trains about 75 miles a week for a marathon, often running with Charlie Fairbanks, a high school cross country and track coach in Rogers City. to report on running. That in turn fin~lly started to publi- cize running, and word got out more. He thinks interest in the sport has kind of ta- pered off in recent years. One of Lessard's many memorable moments came in a race that was only a mile long. Lessard was competing against another guy of his ability. Before the race, Lessard found out that the winner would receive a new pair of shoes. Lessard said that every time that the guy got close, he would just think to himself, "He is not going to get my shoes!" He won the race with a time of 4:37 and he won his shoes. Lessard also remembers one time he was running a 10- kilometer race and was hitting each mile so fast that he thought he would just hit the wall and not be able to go on. But he finished the race with ease, in fact with too much left at the end. When questioning Lessard said that he started running because he started coaching and he r-:.~N~p.;__-:-:T:::I;-::O::--:N-:A-:--:--L-•:---rRE~ G":":I:--::O::N-:-A"."".L:--•~H7:E:-A':"":D:-L~I~N=:::E:!::S-• ~P~O~R~T=s~•=r;P:""u=z~Z~LE~S~~;=;::~~ ~AI~N===M~E~N~T~•~~O~M=-=rc=s==-. thought, "If I'm going to coach ~ ::C it, I better play it." He also said Lessard about the Kenyan runners and how they run Marathons like it's a stroll through the park or a walk out to the mailbox., Lessard just simply shook his head, and said it's almost impossible how these men can run these times. ::C "The most violent element in society .is ignorance" 0 that he had always been ac- ~ Emma Goldman 55 tive in his life. ~ I Activist, Writer, 1910 ~ When Lessard was asked ~ t3t • about the last 30 years of run- • ~ U ning and the . way it has f:[J Be lnforrned! .- changed, he said that running rn really boomed in the late 70s • and early 80s. He thinks it was THE ALPENA NEWS 130 Park Place • Alpena, Ml 49707 C a combination of the fitness (517) 354-3111 ~ craze and the overall growing - ~ interest in the sport itself. :zJ, The Alpena News ... Proud partners with the Polemic Staff in providing quality journalism to Northeast Michigan. - ~ With this interest in the sport • COUPONS • CROSSWORDS • EMPLOYMENT • OROSCOPES • BITU ES • LASSIFIEDS (fJ came the media and reporters _________________________ .;...;...;;;..;;..;;;;.;;;.--',.;...;;;~~ ;;;;;,;;;;.;;;.._..;;;;..;;;;;;..;;.;;.;;;.;;.;;~;;;..;;;.----1 fJ Lessard advice to all young runners: "Don't overdo it. If you're going to be seri- ous about running, then be' serious about training. Make it a part of your life-style. "You'll be happy with it in the long haul."