The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Sabrina Ochoa

  • Humboldt State’s Athletic Trainers

    Humboldt State’s Athletic Trainers

    Shannon Childs has been Humboldt State’s Head Athletic Trainer since 2002. He attended HSU and graduated in 2000 with a degree in kinesiology, emphasis in athletic training, before returning to finish his Masters.

    Childs’ responsibility as head athletic trainer is the health and safety of the student athletes.

    “As athletic trainers we are responsible for the care and prevention of athletic related injuries,” Childs said. “When an injury occurs it is our responsibility to assess the injury and determine the course of action that needs to happen for that student athlete to return to their sport.”

    Gabrys Sadaunykas, a senior at HSU and member of the basketball team, was injured during practice and pulled his hamstring. He then went back to practice, aggravating it. Sadaunykas mentions how the athletic trainers have been great. Twice a week the athletic trainers hold a recovery day, or as they call it, “Love Day” where he gets treatments, massages and feels relaxed.

    “Three times a week we are doing strength exercise and also conditioning,” Sadaunykas said. “So I would not be out of shape once I am good to practice.”

    To determine if a student athlete is able to go back and play the sport, the trainers need to write a referral to a physician to do further diagnostic testing on the athletes injury. Sometimes the trainers need to do a detailed rehabilitation plan for the student athlete. Trainers would have to implement and carry out the plan until the student athlete is able to return.

    Jenna Sobrero, a junior at HSU who plays for the softball team, has had a previous chronic shoulder dislocation with her last being during a practice. She discovered she had tore her labrum and her bicep in her shoulder the next day. The athletic trainers advised Sobrero to be visiting the training room everyday to help improve her shoulder with minor workouts after her surgery over the summer.

    “As soon as the training room opened I went to visit Shannon and our new trainer Scott,” Sobrero said. “They were very supportive towards my goals of getting back to play. Being in season and being completely limited due to an injury is very frustrating. They not only helped me physically but they helped me mentally.”

    Scott Daffern is the assistant athletic trainer. Daffern recently came back to HSU as the assistant athletic trainer in August of 2020. Daffern graduated from Humboldt State in 2010 with a Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in 2013. During his time as a grad student at HSU, Daffern worked as an assistant athletic trainer for three years.

    During this pandemic all the sports and student athletes have been affected. Daffern is saddened by how as athletic trainers they can no longer bounce from one student to another.

    “In the past we could jump around and work with multiple student athletes at a time,” Daffern said. “We have had to limit the amount of people coming into the athletic training room as well which is very different.”

    The athletic training room used to be a safe haven for the student athletes to relax.

    “Now the only people in the ATR are those getting treatment and rehab for injuries,” Childs said. “Everything is single use and must be cleaned after each use. We have been working hard to keep our student athletes healthy and participating in their sport while doing our best to keep covid from spreading through our student athletes”.

    Childs misses the competitions and has struggled to keep the student athletes in a positive attitude.

    “Playing games and competing against other teams is the reward for all the hard work that the student athletes, coaches and support staff put in on a daily basis.” Childs said. “It is hard to motivate the student athletes when they are not training for competition.”

    Daffern feels very lucky being able to work with the student athletes this semester and the general attitude from the student athletes has been keeping him positive.

    “It is a pleasure to come to work to help these student athletes be better at what they love to do, even during the pandemic,” Daffern said. “I think all this has been able to provide our student athletes with an opportunity to release any negativity that they might have picked up during the day and week. It is the one place that is sort of normal for them right now.”

    HSU was the only school in the CCAA that was able to engage in contact practices for the 2020 fall semester.

    “I think these practices helped out student athletes feel a bit of normalcy during these tough times,” said Childs. “It is also the perfect time to get in shape and ready for the upcoming seasons.”

  • HSU Softball remembers Evelyn Andrews

    HSU Softball remembers Evelyn Andrews

    Coach Sarchett and players reflect on their most memorable memories with Evelyn Andrews

    Evelyn Andrews, a softball player at Humboldt State University that no one will ever forget. Evelyn Andrews loved playing the sport since high school and once Andrews came to HSU she was among the redwoods that surround HSU’s softball field. It has been 10 months since the passing of Evelyn Andrews which wasn’t her losing her battle with cancer. It was due to a clotting complication that is common to Acute Myelogenous Leukemia patients.

    Andrews Coach Sarchett decided that this year was appropriate for Morgan Brant to wear her number in honor of her. “Morgan and Evelyn Andrews were the best of friends and Morgan wanted to honor her this way” said Coach Sarchett. Isabel Starr, a softball player at HSU explaining how she couldn’t see anyone else representing Evelyn Andrews number on the field than Morgan Brant. Morgan Brant, Softball player at HSU decirbies how she felt honored to be wearing Evelyn’s number. “She was the hardest worker I have ever met and always made a huge impact whenever she stepped on the field. I hope to make her proud and emulate the same energy she had” said Brant.

    “Evelyn Andrews was a hardworking and ambitious person. She laid everything out on the field. She dove for every ball in the hole, swung hard at every pitch she went for, and overall, played with a purpose” said Starr. Starr talks about how Evelyn was a selfless teammate and did anything in her power to help the team overcome any obstacle they faced together. Starr says “Morgan plays with a purpose, just like Evelyn. To me, Morgan is a selfless teammate, doing whatever is asked of her and does whatever it takes to help us succeed as a team.” Starr talks about how the number 21 isn’t just any regular number not at least to Humboldt States Softball team “There isn’t a better person to be wearing that number on our field and any other field we play on.”

    Coach Sarchett talks about Evelyn Andrews work ethic as a softball player “Evelyn Adrews work ethic is what stands out the most. It was second to none” said Coach Sarchett. She is now starting to base off on a majority of her recruiting on the type of person Evelyn Andrews was. “I want players that are going to come and work hard everyday, selflessly putting the team ahead of themselves and that is what Evelyn did everyday” , said Coach Scarchett. Brant talks about how Evelyn has impacted her both on and off the field, Brant says, “As a player, she taught me the importance of always being the loudest in the field and the best teammate you could have. Her “Don’t Suck” motto has stuck with my team and I and drives us to be the best person we can be.” Evelyn taught Brant how to see the good in people and taught her that laughter is the best medicine and positivity is the most important thing. “She taught me how to fight and be strong through anything I face in life” says Brant.

    “Evelyn Andrews was one of the most amazing people you’d ever meet. Although there are many people within this world that are amazing, she was one who stood out among everyone else. She was kind, caring and a bit of a butt sometimes.She was one who took advantage of every single opportunity that was thrown her way. Whether it was extra time on the softball field or just being with friends and taking advantage of the happy moments. She was also someone who gave you an extra push when you needed it.”

    Starr talks about the biggest lesson she learned for Evelyn was how to no suck, she learned instead of being regretful of decisions we make, we need to make the most of it. Starr says” The most important lesson Evelyn taught her was not to suck. This was the motto she constantly said that will forever be stuck in my brain. The term “Don’t Suck” applied to everything. Dont suck at softball, and don’t suck at being a decent human. I learned how to love and care for others. I learned that no matter how upset I am, dot shut those who love you out.” Starr talks about how she hasn’t stopped implementing “Don’t suck” into her life now and she doesn’t plan on stopping. Starr says, “To this day I wish I could thank her, face to face. For teaching me subtle, yet valuable lessons.”

    “I think we have learned to enjoy every moment we have and know that it can be taken away any second. So we are all going to go out and live our lives to the fullest” says Coach Sarchett.

    Brant’s best memory of Evelyn was their Sunday movie days they had, “She would always make chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and we would spend the day watching movies of friends of each other. Usually accompanied by sushi or Toni’s.” Coach Sarchett’s best memory of Evelyn was her smile, “She could change the mood of a room in seconds with her positive and contagious smile.” Starr talks about one of her best moments that she had of Evelyn, Starr was taking her first footsteps on campus and was having a hard time finding her groove and fitting in. “I was trying really hard not to be me, unfortunately. I was trying not to talk too much or too loud. I was just having a hard time figuring out what the vibe was on the team since it was the first time I had ever met any of the girls.” Starr talks about how they were going over simple team things, such as jersey numbers, sizes, and the handbook. As soon as the meeting with the team finished Evelyn and Morgan pulled her to the side and asked Starr how she was doing and Starr told them she was having a hard time to fit in. Evelyn had invited her over for mac and cheese with Morgan, Starr agreed. “That night we talked a lot and ate a lot…all three of us talking about anything and everything there was to talk about. They warned me about morning running and they warned me to never be late to anything I could help it. They made me feel at home. The overall experience with Evelyn and Morgan was comforting. I wasn’t as sad as I was to be away from my family at that moment because I had found mine. I found my Humboldt Sisters that I could forever rely on. Just the simplest memories I have of her are my favorite and they are memories I don’t think I could ever forget.”

    Ev 2, Cancer 0.

  • Women’s volleyball team practices during COVID-19 pandemic regardless of no season

    Women’s volleyball team practices during COVID-19 pandemic regardless of no season

    The team practices with approval of HSU president and CSU system while adhering to state and local public health policies

    The Humboldt State University’s women’s volleyball team found a way to practice during the pandemic. The team’s practice plans were approved by HSU President Jackson and the California State University system and practices must abide by state and local COVID-19 public health regulations. HSU is one of the few schools in California allowed to do so.

    Macy Thomas, a junior at HSU, explained the precautions taken by the team to abide by the COVID-19 safety protocol.

    “Of course there were several limitations in place, but throughout the last couple months we’ve been able to increase our practice size, duration and level of contact in a safe manner,” Thomas said.

    To hold practices, the team divided into two smaller pods. The team is required to wear masks during practice as well as remain socially distant throughout it.

    Lenox Loving, junior at HSU, said it was hard for her to adapt to practicing as two separate pods instead of an entire team. Loving found it especially difficult to get used to playing with the new players, but said it gave them a chance to create a bond on the court.

    “In my pod, I was one of three returning players and the rest were new,” Loving said.

    Loving said playing with the new team has made her excited for the future season, whenever that is confirmed to happen.

    “The past couple of weeks we have been able to practice as a full team and it has been really fun to play with some of the new players from the other pods,” Loving said.

    The players were given options for the fall semester and practice was optional for players. A few players chose to stay at home, a decision fully supported by their teammates, and the players that decided to come back and practice, quarantined for two to three weeks once they arrived in the county.

    Players had several rounds of continuous testing and a slow introduction back into practices and workouts.

    “HSU had us following several different protocols every week in order for it to remain safe such as testing, temperature checks, COVID check-ins everyday,” Loving said.

    The team hopes to know within the next couple of weeks if they will play any games this spring or be forced to wait until next fall. Head Coach Kelly Wood expressed eager she is to get back onto the court and compete against other schools again.

    “I know my athletes are longing for the long road trip, the bonding experience and many more than anything, the competition versus the other schools in our conference,” Wood said.

    Without this year’s season, it hurts the team to think back to last season and how much times have changed. Making memories while competing with the thrill of going to play games, traveling and their normal hustle during the season as a team.

    “We understand the circumstances and changes that need to be made, so we choose to remain positive and thankful for our health and ability to practice together right now,” Thomas said.

    Wood says the team has been amazing during this very odd and unpredictable time that is happening to everyone, pointing out that the veteran players on the team really stepped up this year.

    “They have shown resilience, commitment and they have remained very positive during a very challenging time,” Wood said. “The returns have been helpful and gone above and beyond to help the newcomers enjoy the experience as possible despite the circumstances and my 13 newcomers have been a pleasure to get to know and work with during this time.”

  • Humboldt State Hall Of Fame Inductees

    Humboldt State Hall Of Fame Inductees

    Hall of Fame nominees for class of 2020 and class of 2021 announced

    Humboldt State University’s Department of Athletics announced the Hall of Fame nominees for the classes of 2020 and 2021.

    The class of 2020 inductees are Laura Champ, Heather Johnston, Scott Peters, Lisa Petty, Lyndon Rowells and Chrissy Stalf.

    The class of 2021 inductees are Nicholas Bawden, Bridget Berg, Dan Collen, Katie Harris, Staci Self, Anetra Torres, Zack Weinberger and the 1976 Men’s Cross Country team.

    Chrissy Stalf, softball, 2010, was very excited and felt honored to be inducted into HSU’s Hall Of Fame.

    “There are many great athletes in the Hall Of Fame as we speak and being considered one of them is an honor,” Stalf said in an email.

    Stalf is upset her head coach, Frank Cheek, would be unable to attend the induction ceremony due to his recent passing. Cheek recalled how a few years after finishing her career at HSU, Cheek was going to write her a nomination for the Hall Of Fame. She felt honored to hear that from him.

    Stalf enjoyed playing softball in the middle of the Redwoods and felt no other campus could compete with the surrounding view while playing. The town would come out to support the softball team, win or loss.

    “When you walked around town, they knew who we were,” Stalf said. “I am proud to say I am a Lumberjack Alumni!”

    Lyndon Rowells, football, 2010-2011, felt humbled and honored to be recognized for all the hard work he put into playing the sport he loves. Rowells found out that he was being inducted into the Hall Of Fame. Rowells said his favorite thing to do while playing football was winning.

    “Scoring a touchdown was fun and all but it meant nothing if we didn’t get the victory,” Rowells said in an email.

    Lisa Petty felt honored to be inducted into the 2020 HSU Hall of Fame after being a member of the women’s basketball team. It reminds Petty that the work ethic she put into playing basketball was worth it.

    “Athletes spend countless hours practicing and working towards their goals so to be recognized for one of the greatest achievements in sports, is truly humbling to me,” Petty said in an email.

    Petty found out a couple of weeks ago when former HSU Interim Athletics Director Tom Trepiak gave her a call. During one of her final press conferences of her career at Humboldt, Trepiak was the one who had mentioned to Petty that maybe one day they will see her in the Hall of Fame. Petty thought it was a joke.

    “To get the news from him, someone who cheered me on during my entire career, was a gift,” Petty said.

    Petty’s favorite thing when she played at HSU was the camaraderie with her teammates and coaching staff. She said she made lifelong friends and connections at Humboldt.

    “During games, we went to war together,” Petty said. “We battled and left everything we had on the floor and that’s the one thing I always look back on and am beyond grateful for.”

    Petty is grateful for the opportunity to play competitively for the Lumberjacks.

    “I am competitive in nature,” Petty said. “It didn’t matter if it was practice or in a game, I was out to win and I would do whatever I could to get the job done. But again, over the years, the relationships and the friendships I developed are some of my most cherished memories.”

  • Humboldt State’s women’s basketball team races for racial change

    5K race to protest social and racial injustices while raising money for AACAE

    The Humboldt State Women’s Basketball team participated in Race For Change that started on Oct. 15 and ended Oct. 18. The event was a virtual 5k run, walk, or bike ride to bring awareness about the social and racial injustice happening. 

    The team joined other universities in the California State University system in participating to raise funds in order to support the African American Center for Excellence at HSU.The team plans on making this an annual event they will continue to participate in.    

     “UC San Diego women’s basketball initiated this terrific event to athletic programs across the country and we were on board from the beginning,” Head Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson said. “We saw this as an opportunity to continue to use our voices and to put into action our passion towards social justice.  One of our main objectives in the event was to get as much participation as possible to continue to bring awareness both locally and throughout other communities.”  

    The women’s basketball team raised over $1,100 and will be giving the proceeds to the AACAE. Douglas Smith, director of the AACAE, is grateful that the women’s basketball team took the initiative and supported them by participating in Race for Change.

    “Funding for the Center has been a challenge since it opened its doors five years ago,” Smith said. “So this type of support will help us engage and develop a sense of belonging in the Black student community.”

    The ACCAE team appreciated the HSU athletes who participated and showed their support. The other HSU teams who joined in the event were the women’s volleyball team and women’s rowing. With moving forward to next year the women’s basketball team expects an even bigger event with more participants. 

    The team had numerous team discussions and individual conversations about racism and social injustice prior to the event. Samantha Caries, a junior on the team, believes that the conversations that have been happening on an individual and a national level deserve to be recognized.

    “I feel like they’re finally shedding light on racism that takes place daily in the world,” Caries said. “This coverage should not go away. We are lost for words to how this is continuing to happen.” 

    Caries struggled to express her frustration over the fact that the world was already forgetting about the Black Lives Matter movement and the systemic targeting of the Black community.

    “To be honest, I can’t find strong enough words to fully express how strongly I feel about the social injustices, the hate, and the racism that continues to occur in our world,” Caries said.  “It disgusts me, it makes me extremely angry, and I feel sad and apologetic to the Black community.  

    Bento-Jackson hoped people could open their eyes, their ears and their hearts to attempt to understand the life that the Black community and BIPOC have to endure on a daily basis and to genuinely show empathy. 

    Smith expressed appreciation for the women’s basketball team providing the AACAE with the much needed funding to continue their work and dialogue within the HSU community.

    “Raising awareness is one step in the long process of having honest and real change in our society,” Smith said. “This is the role the women’s basketball team assumed and it is appreciated. We all have a direct role to play with regards to addressing social injustice and how it manifests itself in the lives of so many people in this country and around the world.”

  • Humboldt State University’s women soccer team create bracelets in support of Black Lives Matter

    Humboldt State University’s women soccer team create bracelets in support of Black Lives Matter

    Proceeds go to the African American Center of Academic Excellence

    The Humboldt State University women’s soccer team started a bracelets for change movement to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

    Mary Swisher, a senior at HSU and soccer player throughout college, stated that the social injustice present within our country was infuriating and motivated the team to combat the issue.

    “While I cannot speak on the racist experiences that African Americans face, it hurts me to hear, see and learn about the effect that racism has on my peers in athletics, at school and the border community of color,” Swisher said. “My teammates and I have decided that we will continue to educate, advocate and work to support people of color in our community and our country.”

    Athletes are asking for donations for HSU’s African American Center of Academic Excellence. The team has handmade 30 bracelets out of the 70 that were ordered by friends, family and the community, totaling more than $700 dollars to the AACAE so far.

    The AACAE is a cultural and social hub on campus to support identifiable Black students and offer them a higher education. Douglas Smith the Organizer for HSU’s AACAE said he was shocked by the compassion demonstrated by the women’s soccer team.

    “Very grateful for multiple reasons. We didn’t reach out to them or ask to fundraise,” Smith said. “They did it on their own ambitions. I was grateful.”

    COVID-19 and budget cuts hit the AACAE hard. With the money being donated, they feel extremely grateful and thankful. Smith believes it’s time to confront racial injustices head on and create dialogue.

    “Times up. Honestly the time for conversation and talking about it and educating people about it, it’s kinda over,” Smith said. “If there isn’t action being taken place right now then move out of the way. My mood for your question is it’s time for action and talk is rhetoric.”

    Coach Grant Landy of the women’s basketball team stated that the athletes came up with the bracelet idea completely on their own and had the AACAE in mind.

    “I challenged the team to continue the conversation about racial injustice and they came up with the bracelet idea,” Landy said. “They wanted to help our campus community and chose the AACAE to help support.”

    The women’s basketball team choose to help support HSU’s own clubs and organizations. Landy applauds the team’s spirit and dedication to raising awareness for racial injustice.

    The Women’s Soccer Team is still accepting bracelet orders and is still taking donations to support HSU’s AACAE.

    Swisher stated that the women’s basketball team felt they needed to contribute more than conversation to the racial injustice movement.

    “As a team we were having conversations about the injustice against African Americans in our country,” Swisher said. “The conversations were productive and we were educating ourselves but we decided that talking about that problem was not enough.”

    The co-captain from the women’s soccer team, Sabine Postma, has experience doing similar fundraisers in her hometown in Washington. The team decided their impact would be most effective if they donated their proceeds to a local organization, like AACAE.

    “It’s an admirable organization on our Humboldt State campus that empowers, supports, and celebrates the Black lives in our community,” Postma said.