The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Athlete

  • Dual-sport athlete, Emilia Long, helps make Humboldt history

    Dual-sport athlete, Emilia Long, helps make Humboldt history

    by Vanessa Saltos

    Torn between two worlds, junior dual-sport athlete Emilia Long came to Cal Poly Humboldt and was able to have her cake and eat it too. Long is from Port Angeles, Washington and has been playing basketball and soccer since she was around 6 years old. She was introduced to the two sports through her older siblings. 

    “My older siblings also played soccer and basketball, and I kind of just followed in their footsteps,” Long said. 

    Before committing to Cal Poly Humboldt, she played at Peninsula College, a junior college in her hometown. During her time at Peninsula, her team won the Northwest Athletic Conference Championships for soccer and she was named North Region Conference Defensive Player of the year for basketball. When taking the next step of transferring, Long’s Peninsula College coaches were in communication with Cal Poly Humboldt’s women’s head soccer coach Grant Landy and women’s head basketball coach Michelle Bento-Jackson. Long shared that she was talking to other colleges as well during her transferring process, but it was mostly about one sport. That’s when it became clear to Long that Humboldt was the place for her.  

    “I think [it] mainly was the opportunity to play both sports, that was a big thing for me, because for me I couldn’t really choose which sport I liked better,” Long said. “At my [junior college], I was able to play both as well, and then from there I just didn’t really know which route I wanted to take. Then when they said that I would be able to play both, that’s when it really caught my eye.”

    What caught both coaches Landy and Bento-Jackson’s eyes was her competitive and hard-working attitude. Landy said that she is a great teammate, very humble and supportive. Bento-Jackson’s response also aligned with this. 

    “Emilia is a terrific addition to our athletic department as a whole. She is such a wonderful person and a great teammate,” Bento-Jackson said. “Anyone and everyone who meets Emilia has nothing but positive things to say about her. She has a very pleasant spirit about her, along with a good balance between being a great competitor and a sweetheart of a person.”

    Photo courtesy of Max Tepper | Cal Poly Humboldt women’s soccer celebrating a goal on Sept. 7.

    Due to it being the fall season, Long is committed to working with the soccer team at the moment and she has already made history during her time there. The team’s mantra is “stay hungry,” and Long emulated exactly that on Sept. 2. It was a homecoming for Long and she was able to make history in front of her family. She scored four goals against Seattle Pacific, being the first Lumberjack in program history to do so. This led the Jack’s to a 4-3 victory over the Falcons – their first ever win against the Falcons – and earned her the title of CCAA Offensive Player of the Week for Aug. 31-Sept. 3.

    “I am really competitive, and I just wanted to win the game, that was all that was in my mind,” Long said. 

    For Long, her approach to the game is to play fast, hard and give 100% effort. Landy further explained that she likes to get to the goal and create chances for other players and herself. With basketball, coach Bento-Jackson expressed that she has the ability to attack the basket and is a strong defender. 

    “She’s tough and always finds a way to get the job done,” Bento-Jackson said. 

    The women’s soccer team is currently undefeated with a record of 5-0-1. When asked what is different about the Jack’s this year, Coach Landy said the chemistry between the team is electric. 

    “The team is gaining more confidence with each other and trusting their teammates. We are deeper this year in all positions,” Landy said. “They have a sharp competitive edge which has shown itself so far in practice and games.”

    Women’s soccer is having their first conference game at home against Sonoma State Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. Women’s basketball is listed to start their season on Oct. 29, so once soccer season ends for Long, you will be able to see her in action on the court.

  • Former HSU athlete comes to U.S. From Mali for education

    Former HSU athlete comes to U.S. From Mali for education

    By | Danny Dunn

    Moussa Sy is a 21-year-old junior at HSU, majoring in environmental science. Sy moved from the country Mali, located in West Africa, to Ojai, California in 2011 at the age of 16.

    Every year scholarships are given to African students, to give them the opportunity to come to America and study. The scholarship is good for three years.

    Sy was awarded this scholarship and began attending a boarding school in Ojai, where he was determined to learn English.

    One of the toughest things for Sy was learning English once he came to the United States. Back home in Mali, he grew up speaking French and a mix of other African dialects.

    It took Sy about a year to learn the language, he would study night and day trying to master it, while taking an English as a Second Language course at his boarding school.

    Humboldt State was not Sy’s first choice when he thought about college. Sy had hopes of playing Division two, or Division three basketball before an injury hindered his plans. Sy broke his leg during his senior year of high school, which lead him to start considering other options in college besides playing basketball.

    Humboldt State’s Environmental Science program caught Sy’s attention, and with a combination of the program and the Humboldt scenery Sy chose to attend HSU.

    Upon arrival at HSU Sy attempted to join the Humboldt basketball team, however lingering injuries prevented him from playing.

    This did not deter Sy from playing sports. In the fall of 2016 Sy joined the HSU soccer team and played the position of center guard. Sy felt welcomed by the guys on the squad from the very first day of practice. Sy admitted it was a little strange being the new guy, but his teammates helped him make an easy transition to team.

    Sy was forced to stop playing after only one semester do to a heavy school and work load. Sy is currently enrolled in 15 units and works 20 hours per week on campus.

    “I would wake up at 5 a.m. every day to get to the 6 a.m. soccer practice. I would not get home until 10 p.m. which left no time for studying or doing homework, just go straight to bed to wake up for practice the next morning,” Sy said. “ It was just too much to handle.”  

    Thinking back on his first week at HSU, Sy recalled it being an interesting environment.

    “The smell, and people were so different here at HSU, it was a little overwhelming seeing all the people,” Sy said. “The redwood forest stuck out the most though, that and the air was more pure than city air.”

    Due to financial issues Sy has been unable to return to his home in Mali to see his family, specifically his mother who was Sy’s hero growing up. Sy’s father would travel a lot for work while Sy was growing up, so his mother acted as head of the household.

    Back home Sy would play or watch soccer every day, his favorite team is Manchester United. Sy knew that in America soccer was not the most popular sport, but had to admit he was still shocked that people here really do not follow as much as back home in Mali.

    Sy’s plan for after graduation is to stay in America for awhile, perhaps around Santa Barbara, California, and gain some experience in the working world. Once he returns home, Sy hopes to help the underprivileged children of Africa.

    “Children are the future, and I would like to one day build my own orphanage to help the children of Africa,” Sy said.