Tigger doesn’t have any stripes. He isn’t furry, and his jumping skills are horrible. His scales are nice and smooth, and his facial hair rivals a 19th century president’s. Tigger the bearded dragon is just one of many attractions people at the Umoja Center can offer.
The Umoja Center for Pan-African Student Excellence, located in Nelson Hall East, kicked off a month of events for Black Liberation Month on Feb. 1 with an open house.
Student art and photos of Black activists, athletes, musicians, and historical figures line the walls from floor to ceiling. “I love my melanin,” said one sign. A box with loanable art supplies sits at the front desk, free for anyone to use.
The center hosts many events, such as discussions about Black joy and movie screenings or even a Black trivia night. The center also offers academic advising and computers students can use, but the most important thing most students take from the center is community.
Many Black students have found community at the Umoja Center — a difficult thing to do when, according to the Cal Poly Humboldt website, only 3% of students at Humboldt are Black. Delaena Montes, a student assistant at the center, said it’s a place she could feel like herself.
“It’s an open space,” Montes said. “I can reach back to my roots here, my background. I felt like it was somewhere I could be myself. It’s freedom at a very white school. Having a place to escape is a great feeling. I feel comfortable here.”
Kamar Little holds Tigger the bearded dragon at the Umoja Center Feb. 1. Photo by Dezmond Remington
Jerry Turner, Tigger’s owner, agrees. He found the center when he was a freshman last year. He’s a mechanical engineering major with a lot of coursework, so having a place to relax and make friends is important to him.
“It’s a family,” Turner said. “That’s the best way I can put it… all of my friends I’ve met here, at the Umoja Center. It’s just beautiful.”
Ryen Price joined the Umoja Center last year after living in the Sankofa House, the Black culture-focused dorm in Cypress. She started coming to the Umoja Center to meet other Black students. She said she’s made a lot of good friends, the type she has potlucks and in-depth discussions with.
“I love how different we are, but also how similar,” Price said. “We’re like a family here.”
Montes is surprised more students don’t show up to the center, as well as other culturally-focused programs such as the Indian Tribal & Educational Personnel Program or El Centro, located down the hall from the Umoja Center.
“People should know about these places,” Montes said. “There’s a lot of culture up here [in Nelson Hall].”
That doesn’t surprise Kamar Little, a Student Advisory Group for Equity representative at the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Little works to connect students with those centers.
“I’m making them a bigger name,” Little said. “I’m letting people know things exist. There have been instances where people have never heard of [the programs].”
Price said anyone curious or doubting should lay those worries to rest and visit the center.
“People ask themselves, ‘[am I] black enough?’” Price said. “It’s the right place. Don’t think. You’re always welcome here. Don’t be shy, just come.”
Walking into the arena, music blaring, teammates running onto the court mentally preparing to go to battle. Coming together and huddling as one, teammates are there for each other. Lining up with signs in hand, showing the world why they are damn worth it.
The Humboldt branch of Dam Worth It (DWI) celebrated Cal Poly Humboldt men’s and women’s basketball in the Lumberjack Arena on Saturday, Jan. 27. Despite the Lumberjacks losing both games against Cal State San Marcos, athletes from both teams came together as a community to recognize the significance of mental health awareness.
DWI started in 2017 as a campaign to end the stigma surrounding mental health, and has been raising awareness and fueling conversations around mental health in college sports ever since. Coaches, players, cheerleaders and fans celebrated DWI, shedding light on mental health through storytelling and community.
Vice President for DWI’s Humboldt branch and former Cal Poly Humboldt athlete Gianna Giacomotto described what DWI’s mission is among college athletes. According to Giacomotto, a senior studying psychology, opening the dialogue about her struggles has helped her find comfort through hard times, and has facilitated the ability to help others going through the same struggles.
“I have struggled with mental health for a lot of my life and it’s really affected both my ability to perform on and off the court,” Giacomotto said. “I have found that by talking about it and being open about my mental health that I find personal ease through that and I also am able to find that I help others by making it less controversial to talk about and helping people get the help they need.”
Fans in attendance at the game were encouraged to fill out their own Dam Worth It signs to signify why they matter.
Opening the dialogue about the mental health struggles athletes face is a key component of DWI. Introducing the tough conversations that help facilitate healing and combating the stigma against mental health struggles in sports is the ultimate goal of the organization. As part of that goal, DWI organizes college sports events, such as the basketball games in the Lumberjack Arena, to show athletes that they matter.
“Having these games for our athletes lets them know that they’re not alone, we provide resources to all of our student-athletes and try [to] remind them that they are damn worth it,” Giacomotto said. “You are more than just your sport and your identity that comes with your sport.”
Juggling college athletics while trying to pursue an education is no easy feat. College athletes bear a heavy load navigating the world of performing on a team as well as in the classroom. Maneuvering through practices, competing in games, managing homework on the road, communicating with professors and combating injuries – all while trying to excel athletically and academically is the reality for college athletes.
Cal Poly Humboldt Women’s Basketball team in the group huddle during the Dam Worth It game against Cal State San Marcos on Jan. 27.
Delilah Kimble-Gray is a junior studying kinesiology and plays guard for Cal Poly Humboldt’s women’s Basketball team. Kimble-Gray knows firsthand how much time and effort is needed to succeed on the court and inside the classroom. On the Dean’s list from 2019 to 2022, as well as the Presidential List, Kimble-Gray puts in the time but knows the significance of communication and the ability to ask for help.
“Being able to continue, to keep going, keep your head on, being able to communicate with others I feel like is a challenge because as an athlete you don’t want to be seen as, ‘Oh, I’m not strong enough, or I feel weak’ but really you need that help,” Kimble-Gray said.
Currently sidelined due to a recent ACL injury, Kimble-Gray appreciates the need for community and communication.
“It’s hard. It’s my first major injury to my ACL. It’s the team, coaches and trainers that keep you going like a family, because it’s hard,” Kimble-Gray said. “You’re doing it by yourself, but you’re not – you know, everyone here is here to help you. It goes back to just asking for that help. That’s the challenge, being accepting of it and embracing the journey. Being within the injury is the hardest part, but everything else is super easy, as long as you just keep going and ask for help.”
Cal Poly Humboldt volleyball player Kaitlyn Patterson views Dam Worth It as a crucial safe space where athletes can share their stories. To Patterson, building a community and helping other athletes feel comfortable about having difficult conversations is indispensable. College athletes such as Patterson endure the difficulties that come with playing sports because they truly love the game.
Cal Poly Humboldt Men’s Basketball team watching the introductory Dam Worth It video before the start of the game.
“I would say just like the pressure of performing, trying to be perfect, of what the world wants,” Patterson said. “Ultimately, [I] have to dial down and really take it back, and realize that I am playing this sport for me – because I love it and not for anything else, not for the outside attention.”
Athletes such as Giacomotto, Kimble-Gray and Patterson embrace Dam Worth It’s mission of fostering community and dialogue. Ending the stigma related to mental health only strengthens that community.
“No matter what anyone says to us or what anyone dislikes about you, whatever you’re going through, you’re worth it,” Kimble-Gray said. “You can overcome any and everything as long as you know that you’re worth it.”
It was the first minute of the rugby match between Cal Poly Humboldt and University of San Francisco (USF). USF kicked the ball, Humboldt made a play, forwards crashed and Courtney Campuzano got a breakaway. After she broke through the defense, she took off towards the try line. A player pulled her back by her shorts. As she leaned down to touch the ball down to score, another player fully tackled her on the back of her leg. There was a crack, and she tore her ACL. Campuzano made the point, but her season was lost.
A senior studying social work at Cal Poly Humboldt, Courtney Campuzano is the president and co-captain of HP Rugby.
Identifying as a lesbian, Campuzano said that rugby is a safe space for queer folks.
“I love how many queer people are in the sport,” Campuzano said. “It makes me feel so comfortable and safe.”
Campuzano said that even though it’s a women’s team, there are non-binary people, too.
“We’ve had questions about that with the team, naming it women’s rugby and just saying Cal Poly Humboldt Rugby, HP Rugby,” Campuzano said.
HP Rugby is the club’s moniker, but what HP stands for is a well-kept team secret.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” Campuzano said. “The teammates know.”
Campuzano also said that rugby is a size-inclusive sport.
“Rugby is a sport for everybody,” Campuzano said. “There’s people of all sizes playing. That’s one of my favorite things about it.”
Her recent knee injury has robbed her of the rest of her season, but she continues to help the team. Campuzano described the moment her ACL tore as feeling like she had just been called into the principal’s office.
“Your heart drops to your ass,” Campuzano said.
Before her injury, Campuzano played the position of 10, or fly-half, this season, but said she’s happiest playing center. The fly-half is usually the first player to get the ball from the forwards after the scrum, which is what restarts play. Campuzano has been playing rugby for six years and started on a whim.
“My roommate’s partner at the time came into the dorm one day and was like, ‘Can you come to practice with me? I don’t want to go by myself,’” Campuzano said. “I loved it.”
Campuzano said that rugby has taught her how to better deal with issues in her everyday life.
“[Rugby] taught me to go into things head-on,” Campuzano said. “Even things that aren’t physical.”
Campuzano said that rugby attracts a certain type of person.
“People who want to blow off steam and are comfortable hitting people ethically,” Campuzano said.
There are a plethora of rugby terms, but Campuzano said their favorite is “hooker.” This term is a position where the player tries to hook the ball with their foot during the scrum.
“People love that on shirts,” Campuzano said. “Like, ‘I can say I’m a hooker and my mom’s proud.’”
Everyone’s seen it: alley-oops, slam-dunks. Nothing but net and jumpshots galore. For the people at the Lumberjack Arena last Wednesday night, basketball was flipped on its head, spun around on a single finger and reimagined by none other than the Harlem Globetrotters. Athletes, theater lovers and comedy fanatics came together as the Globetrotters faced off against their unrelenting rivals, the Washington Generals.
Before the game, select kids and adults alike got the experience of attempting trickshots in front of hundreds of people. If you weren’t lucky enough to give the warmups with the Globetrotters a go, you might’ve had a run in with their mascot, Globie, who roamed the bleachers & isles getting the crowd hyped for the main act. Between the dances, selfies, community involvement and unironic athleticism, there wasn’t a single person left unimpressed by the Globetrotters performance, although it was more of a party. All this was before the beginning buzzer.
photo by Alex Anderson
Elena German, an English education major, had never been to a Globetrotters game. As a surprise Christmas gift, she got tickets to attend the event with her brother Ethan. Despite not being a sports fan and having minimal basketball expertise, there was plenty for her to enjoy.
“I love a good show, I like to be excited,” German said. “I’m expecting a lot of energy from the crowd. It’s a lot of kids, which is exciting… Definitely the comedy and theatrics aspect of it, that is what was kind of appealing when I looked into it.”
Unlike typical basketball games, the Globetrotters had their very own MC and DJ. The combination of music, quick commentary, goofy dances and trickshots made for a chaotic night. Audience members, such as Cal Poly Humboldt student Ethan German, couldn’t contain their excitement at the sold out performance.
photo by Alex Anderson
“It absolutely exceeded my expectations, wonderful show,” Ethan German said. “The tall player and the short player chasing each other. That was definitely something I did not exactly expect, but it was a great addition.”
This basketball game was one-of-a-kind in more ways than one. The Globetrotters had the traditional trick shots, like having their back to the hoop and throwing the ball “grandma style,” but they also had a handful of unique yet iconic moments. Originators of the “four point line,” the Harlem Globetrotters took every opportunity to sink four-pointers. If the four pointer missed, there was another player ready to slam dunk a rebound.
At one point during the game, the MC announced their special rule: game changers. At any point during the game, if the DJ played the special sound, the audience was prompted to shout, “CHANGE! THE! GAME!” In which case the Globetrotters would proceed to do something extremely goofy. The most normal of the game changers included doubling points, resulting in some epic eight pointers, and a dunk contest where the audience voted on the winner.
More surprising game changers included having kids from the audience shoot free throws, bringing a football onto the court and roleplaying the NFL. After running the ball into the “end-zone,” the audience did the wave and the players did their touchdown dances. Naturally, a referee called a foul and needed to see a replay, so everyone did everything in reverse – including a slow-motion reverse wave across the gym.
Globie, the Globetrotter’s mascot | photo by Alex AndersonA Globetrotter dunking | photo by Alex Anderson
Other oddities included every parent simultaneously holding their baby in the air as the Lion King soundtrack played. One player stole an audience member’s shoe just to give it back Cinderella-style in center court and the same player pulled flags out of the referee’s pocket clown-style.
Mikey Crispin, a Cal Poly Humboldt graduate and a lifelong Harlem Globetrotters fan, was blown away. After the show, he was one of many jumping out of his seat.
“When I was a kid, the Globetrotters were all men,” Crispin said. “Now, there’s women in there, and that’s really amazing because they show a lot of girlpower and encouragement. I felt like that was really important… and that’s what we need to see.”
Chaotic, impressive and goofy are a few words used to describe the night, but none do it justice. Despite the lack of descriptors, everyone can agree it was an unforgettable night at the Lumberjack Arena.
Over Thanksgiving break, men’s basketball competed at home in Lumberjack Arena. On Saturday, Nov. 18, the ‘Jacks faced Cal Maritime. They were down in the first half with a score of 37 – 40. Humboldt took the game in the second half after a hard fought battle, the final score being 80 – 70. The following week, they competed against Northwest Indian College on Tuesday, Nov. 21. This was a high scoring game for the ‘Jacks. Rob Diaz III recorded 21 points and four steals, four other Lumberjacks also posted double digits. The final score was 104 – 71. Thursday, Nov. 30, they will be back in Lumberjack Arena playing against Cal Poly Pomona. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m. Then, on Saturday, Dec. 2, Cal State San Bernardino will be traveling to Arcata for a game time of 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
On Saturday, Nov. 18, women’s basketball had their home opening game against Concordia University Irvine. The ‘Jacks competed hard and took the game with a score of 72 – 63. Some standouts were Sara Ahmadpour leading the team with a career high of 21 points and nine rebounds, Emilia Long followed suit recording 20 points. In the fourth quarter alone the ‘Jacks recorded 30 points. After their home opener, Humboldt traveled to the Azusa Pacific Thanksgiving Classic. Friday, Nov. 24, they played Azusa Pacific. Despite coming off of a victory, the ‘Jacks fell with a final score of 64 – 87. Saturday, Nov. 25, they faced off with Biola, and their hunger to win showed by taking the game into overtime. The final score was 63 – 53. The ‘Jacks are back at home this week. Thursday, Nov. 30, they are opening CCAA play with Cal Poly Pomona, tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. Humboldt will also be playing at home Saturday, Dec. 2 against Cal State San Bernardino at 5:30 p.m.
Swimming, cycling, running; all great sports on their own, but some people tackle all three at once. For Cal Poly Humboldt, seven triathletes took on this challenge. On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Lumberjacks traveled to Tempe, Arizona for the NCAA National Championship.
After their last race on Oct. 1, they had about four weeks to prepare to finish out their fall season. Head Coach Kinsey Laine wanted to ensure she was getting the best out of her athletes for this last stretch of the season. What Laine wanted to focus on in practice was speed and maintaining health.
“The deeper you get into the season, the greater the chances are for injury and illness. After regionals, I did have them take a week where it was easier,” Laine said. “They had an extra day off, just because I wanted to make sure they were healthy and not go right back into challenging training, and maybe compromise their immune system or put them at a higher risk for injury.”
This is the second season Cal Poly Humboldt has had a triathlon team. The growth from the players and the team is evident. Last season, they finished 12th out of 12 teams. Going into this race, they have earned the 7th spot out of 13 teams. Laine attributes this growth to the culture shift she has seen within the team. She notices her athletes wanting to not only get the best out of themselves, but out of each other in a positive way.
“It’s been phenomenal. It’s been such a joy to watch this team grow and improve, Laine said. “I think probably the biggest difference is that the new athletes that are here this year came in knowing part of the reason they came to Humboldt was to do triathlon.”
One of the new athletes this year is Sierra Erlandson, a freshman majoring in environmental resource engineering. Erlandson had no experience with collegiate triathlon, and didn’t know what to expect when joining the team. She was pleasantly surprised to be a part of what she now calls family. Erlandson understands that the deeper you get into the season the more mental strength it takes.
“Right now, we’re just supporting each other, and we’re just so proud of how far we’ve come so far as it is, that we’re not looking for some miraculous outcome from nationals,” Elandson said. “We’re looking for strong finishes and smiling faces”.
Six out of the seven Lumberjack athletes crossed the finish line in Tempe, Arizona this weekend. Leading the way was freshman Eve Wendley placing #137 out of 208 athletes. Racers were either from division I, II or III programs. As a team, Cal Poly Humboldt placed 10th out of the 12 division II teams in attendance.
Roaring fans and clapping hands fill Lumberjack Arena, as player #44 Cam Timmons scores the first basket of the ‘Jacks home opener Friday night. Cal Poly Humboldt is stepping into a new culture being led by first year Head Coach Chris Tifft. This new team is composed of eight freshmen, six transfers and two returners. Since the start of school in August, men’s basketball has been working hard in the weight room, conditioning and practicing leading up to their first game of the season.
In a press conference interview posted by Humboldt Jacks on YouTube on Oct. 31, Tift gave some insight on team values and what to expect this season. With having almost a whole new team this season it has been a huge priority to connect on and off the court to keep the team moving in the same direction.
“I think everything is connected. How you do anything is how you do everything. We really try to do things as a team. We talk a lot about our presence, our image, away from the floor, on the floor, just our image on campus [and] in the community.” Tifft said. “We want to make sure we are a program that is on the same page and moving in the same direction, and I think the more times we can do things like that, the more it will help us when things get tough.”
Point Guard Emanuel Steward (left) sidestepping Simon Fraser University defender’s during the season opener on Nov. 10. Photo by Alex Anderson.
During the first half, fans were able to see that preparation and connection shine as the ‘Jacks jumped on top early with a score of 37-21 in the first half. After the break they continued to work hard but Simon Fraser started inching their way back. The last five minutes of the game is when it started to slip away for the ‘Jacks. The Red Leafs player, Elliot Dimaculangan, tied the game up at 68-68 with a steal followed by a layup in the paint. Simon Fraser’s Nigel Hylton went for a rebound and was able to take the lead with a layup. Then the Lumberjacks’ very own Pejan Slater responded back with a dunk that energized the crowd but wasn’t enough to take the lead. The Red Leafs continued to score and ultimately took the game in a 83-75 victory.
Going into this game Tifft talked with Humboldt Jacks about not looking at losing as a do or die situation for the team. He was excited to be able to start the season in Lumberjack Arena with fans cheering and supporting the team.
“We’re fortunate to have the opening challenge on our home court and you know even though it’s important for us to have home games and try to have some success, we can’t look at it as if we lose a game that it’s a do or die situation for us,” Tifft said. “I mean we’re obviously a brand new program with a lot of new faces and for us we just need to put the blinders on and keep moving forward. The results will take care of themselves.”
Some Lumberjack standouts for this game: Emmanuel Steward led the team with 20 points and eight rebounds; Rob Diaz III followed with 13 points; Pejan Slater had one dunk and tied with Liyongwei Xie at 10 points for the game.
The pristinely green field of Hiller Park, normally home to gophers, was taken over by pirates last weekend. These pirates were not armed with swords, but sturdy, white frisbees. After warming up with expert frisbee throws and swift catches, they gathered in a circle on one side of their playing field. They started a lively chant to match their pirate attire, jumping with their fists in the air:
“Yo-ho yo-ho, a bug’s life for me!”
The ultimate frisbee teams of Cal Poly Humboldt, the Buds and the Hags, came together for the weekend as the Bugs for a community tournament, the Humboldt Harvest. Humboldt Harvest is one of the longest running ultimate frisbee tournaments in Humboldt County, and it isn’t surprising to see why. The presence of young alumni and older alumni teams made it clear that ultimate frisbee is a lifelong passion and community.
Ultimate frisbee is a no-contact sport that consists of two teams of seven players trying to get the disc to their end zone. Players cannot run with the disc and must pass it to other players to get it to the goal line and score a point. If a pass is not made successfully, it is turned over to the other team. The disc can be taken back if a player fails to catch the disc, or if a defense player knocks it out of the air.
Ultimate frisbee sets itself apart from other sports by upholding the spirit of the game. The sport has no referees and requires its players to hold themselves and their team members accountable. Players must be able to call out fouls, retract unnecessary calls, have good sportsmanship and discuss outcomes for fouls. This integrity-based system fosters a unique bond between teams and their opponents.
Photo by Griffin Mancuso. Old alumni team member Mason Banner makes a leaping dive for a frisbee at the Humboldt Harvest tournament.
Both the Buds — the men’s ultimate frisbee team — and the Hags — the women’s ultimate frisbee team — grow stronger with the foundations of teamwork and trust that ultimate frisbee provides.
Cate Roscoe officially joined the Hags as their coach this semester, but also offers some assistance to the Buds. She played ultimate frisbee professionally for 34 years and previously coached for the Hags for a couple years during grad school. She feels that her specialties have been a good fit for the current team.
“I really like to teach foundational skills, the biggest one of course being throwing,” Roscoe said. “But then also things like defensive footwork and positioning, offensive cutting and positioning, communication, a little teensy bit of strategy, two different styles of offense and a couple different defensive strategies.”
She also emphasized the sense of community that ultimate frisbee players have, no matter how far apart they are.
“There’s a lot more genuine friendship and camaraderie across teams and throughout the country,” Roscoe said. “I literally had a friend who played community in Tacoma who needed heart surgery in Kansas City. I was able to contact the Kansas Ultimate group through other connections of Ultimate I had. They picked her up at the airport. They housed her for over a month, fed her, drove her to all her appointments and took care of her while she had heart surgery. They had never met her — they had never even met me. But we all played ultimate [frisbee], and we’re in that same community.”
Andre Sargissian, the current captain of the Buds, has been playing ultimate frisbee for two years at the university and has great hopes for the newer team members this semester.
“We have so many [promising rookies], man. It’s been so exciting,” Sargissian said. “I feel like a lot of our soccer people who played soccer in high school, they always really succeed. I don’t know, it’s really cool because anyone can pick it up, anyone can throw the frisbee, anyone can run a cut, so anyone can be really good all of a sudden.”
The Hags is a gender-inclusive team that aims to empower their players. Captain Jillian Snowhook has been a Hag for five years, becoming captain in the Spring 2023 semester.
“From last semester to this semester, there were only five returning players, and there are five officer positions, and I was the only one who had played for more than a year,” Snowhook said. “I had also been one of the co-captains the previous year, so I took on the presidential role as well as captain because I do love this team, and there’s no way that I could let anything happen to it by not stepping into that role.”
Roscoe described the Hag name as a subversion of a term that has historically been used to oppress women who held power and knowledge. Today, many of the team members take pride in being a Hag.
“It means being burly. We are the burly Hags, and that basically means you show up for your team, for the game, in all conditions, with all you have, with your whole heart, with all the energy you have,” Snowhook said. “It’s really just being a part of a community that loves to do the same thing together, which is chase down frisbees like golden retrievers.”
Natalie Christenson, previously a soccer player, is in her first semester with the Hags. There has been a sharp learning curve, but the support system built into ultimate frisbee has helped.
“It’s super different to be a new person on the team and trying to learn what I’m supposed to be doing, as well as how I’m supposed to be communicating, so it’s kind of a lot of overwhelming things all at once,” Christenson said. “I’m mostly looking to the veteran players, and also our captain, Jill, who really takes hold of the team and coaches us.”
Otto Berndt, a long-time member of the Buds, emphasized how ultimate frisbee has given him a solid support system.
“The reason I have good grades is because I come out to ultimate [frisbee] and have a support group of people that care for me, and I care for them,” Berndt said. “We exercise, we have fun and we get to travel to other schools, and it’s just like — it’s a family, and anyone can be part of that family.”
Christenson has greatly enjoyed her time with the Hags and encourages other students to consider joining.
“I love the team so much and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone that is a little scared to try out or anything,” Christenson said. “I mean, I’m a first year and it has been a great experience. Everyone’s so welcoming that there’s no fear in trying something new.”
Roscoe suggests ultimate frisbee for people who might not feel like they fit into traditional sports communities.
“It’s a place where you can really surprise yourself and you can come for a lot of different reasons,” Roscoe said. “It doesn’t just have to be about the sport, but, um, it’s amazing to discover what our bodies are actually capable of.”
On Oct. 12 women’s soccer had their annual Pink Out game at College Creek Field where they played against Stanislaus State. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and to honor this the Lumberjacks wore pink jerseys sponsored by the Heather Janikowski Foundation. This foundation was started by women’s soccer player Megan Janikowski and her family to honor her mother Heather Janikowski after she passed away from her hard fought battle with cancer.
When Megan Janikowski was 10 years old her mother Heather Janikowski was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. Heather Janikowski would move to remission around 2013-2014 but later would find that the cancer spread to her brain in 2018. Sadly in 2021 it spread to her entire body and she passed away Jan. 19, 2022.
During her lifespan Heather Janikowski was a mother, physical therapist, P.E. teacher, and preschool teacher.
According to the foundation’s website, “Heather loved to support the local farmers markets and small shops as well as advocating for children and animals through a variety of non profit organizations and events.” Megan Janikowski didn’t want her mother to be another name that cancer took so the foundation was born.
Photo by Kae Dennert. Breast Cancer awareness table set up outside of the Pinkout game.
“My mom recently died from brain cancer and she had just been fighting it for a very long time and after she passed away I felt like she left too big of an impact in her community to just be another name that cancer took,” Janikowski said. “So I wanted to make something where she still had an impact and I could help families that were going through what I [had] already been through or [in] need [of] any kind of extra help.”
Since starting this foundation, they’ve hosted events like a memorial hike, a 5K, and a bowling tournament. Megan Janikowski’s brother Dean Janikowski, a kicker for Washington State football, has also created a ‘pledge it’. A pledge it is when donors pledge a certain amount of money to be donated every time he makes a field goal or point after touchdown. With all these fundraising events they have already impacted lives as well.
“The first year we had a hike and the money there went towards a family who could not afford to pay for their daughters college tuition and it was kind of full circle because the girl that we picked she was actually one of my mom’s preschool students, so it was like full circle,” Janikowski said.
In January they hosted a 5 and they were able to help a 9-year-old boy named Mateo Yanez who was diagnosed with cancer. His family vehicle and washing machine had broken down. He wasn’t able to get to his doctors appointments and have basic needs but with the help of the Heather Janikowski Foundation, Yanez was able to go to more of his appointments and was accepted into a research development program for his own cancer. Yanez sadly passed away three days after his tenth birthday.
Loss is a very real reality when it comes to cancer and Megan Janikowski attributes her strong faith to the reason behind her being here today. What keeps her motivated on the field is her motto “do it for her”; her mother is now her reason why. Megan Janikowski takes her mom on the field with her by wrapping tape on her left wrist and writing “do it for her” on the front and “mom” on the inside. She also has “do it for her” on the tops of her cleats and “fly high” on the back.
“On the tops of both my cleats it says ‘do it for her’ and then on the back it says ‘fly high’ because I just think having that constant reminder that life is short and life is fragile, it helps me to appreciate the good and especially the bad times,” Janikowski said.
Having visual reminders is something that is needed and third year biology student Jonathan Sweeney appreciates the team for hosting an event like this.
“It’s important to have games like this so we can see something visual like the pink jerseys and have a conversation about it…I like that our teams are bringing awareness to stories like mine,” Sweeney said.
Sweeney lost his grandmother to lung cancer and has also had family members diagnosed with skin cancer. Third year business administration major Harry Singh has also lost a family member to lung cancer. His older cousin was just 10 years old when he passed away and it was hard for Singh to accept. Singh, being a student-athlete on the track and field team, understands the importance of bringing topics like this into the sports world.
“I think it is important that we bring up these topics to games because they allow us to compete for something bigger,” Singh said.
The proceeds from this game will be set aside for the women’s soccer team to choose who they want the money from the Heather Janikowski foundation to go to locally. Megan Janikowski is currently double majoring in biology and special education and wants to pursue a masters in the research and development of brain cancer.
“I just want to help as many families as I can and my master’s program will be in the research and development of brain cancer so I’m hoping I can aid in something research wise or anything to make an advancement to help find a cure,” Janikowski said.
When parents have an especially energetic child, they often put them in some kind of extracurricular to provide them with an outlet and give themselves an afternoon of peace. That child may take to a certain activity, like karate, swimming, baseball or chess. Dogs are pretty much the same.
My beloved, hyper Oscar Meyer and I joined Humboldt Disc Dogs back in September after I discovered them on Facebook. My main concern was the stories I heard of dog sport groups being very exclusive and impatient with newcomers, but that was thankfully not the case. We were fully embraced and offered tips for frisbee throwing and game strategy, and Oscar had a blast.
Little did I know, disc sports was just a gateway drug. We now participate in disc sports, Fast CAT, rally and are hoping to start barn-hunting in the spring.
Many dog breeds were originally created for a certain job. Border collies herd cows and sheep, bloodhounds use their sharp sense of smell to hunt and cane corsos protect their family and home. Most dog owners don’t have a need for a working dog, but their dog still needs an outlet for their energy and drive. Unfulfilled dogs often become restless, develop neurotic habits or resort to destructive chewing.
Even if your dog isn’t a purebred working breed, they can still find joy in dog sports. I have witnessed a 14-year-old chihuahua crush everyone in disc sports and a poodle-mix run in Fast CAT.
There are several dog sports to choose from, with most of them being created by the American Kennel Club. The “CAT” in Fast CAT stands for coursing ability test. A 100 yard course is set up with a motorized lure that runs down the middle to encourage the dogs to run. Despite the lure only being a plastic bag, dogs love it. Dogs, especially hunting breeds, are triggered by movement and will gladly take off after it. This sport is great for beginners since it involves minimal work from the owner.
Dock diving entails your dog running off of a 40-foot-long dock, catching a toy in the air and making a grand leap into a pool. Depending on the game, the goal can be for them to jump as far as possible or swim as fast as possible to the end and back.
Obedience and rally are two sides of the same coin and provide mental exercise for your dog. Obedience involves multiple different trials of demonstrating your dog’s ability to follow basic commands like sit, stay, on and off-leash walking, and so on.
Rally has you take your dog through a course of signs with different maneuvers and commands that your dog must be able to follow. The course is different every time, and the 322 available signs allow for infinite combinations. Rally is also a mental exercise for the owner, as it involves memorization and fast thinking in the ring.
Agility is one of the more well-known dog sports. You take your dog through a course of hurdles, hoops, tunnels and other obstacles as fast as possible. Herding breeds like border collies and Australian shepherds excel at this sport due to their speed and biddability, but any breed can enjoy agility.
Disc sports are newer and not involved with the AKC, instead created by an organization called UpDog. These games can involve some agility, catching the frisbee in different zones or a combination of the two. If you want to get into disc sports, practice your frisbee throwing. You’re gonna need it.
Most of these clubs can only be found through obscure Facebook groups, the occasional poster at a vet clinic, or word of mouth. Thankfully, I am benevolent and will share my wealth of knowledge with you.
Up in Humboldt, there are a few groups who do dog sports. Humboldt Dash and Splash hosts dock diving and the Lost Coast Kennel Club hosts agility, rally, Fast CAT (racing), and barn hunt. Humboldt Disc Dogs is in charge of disc sports.
One of the reasons younger people don’t participate in dog sports is the cost, but these sports don’t have to be expensive if you don’t want them to be. A Lost Coast Kennel Club membership is $15 and they only request a 5$ donation for Fast CAT practices. A Humboldt Disc Dogs membership is $10, and each practice and trial run costs $10. You can either buy your own supplies or borrow them at practices and trials.
The most fulfilling part of dog sports is getting to watch your dog have the time of their life. It’s a great opportunity to increase your bond with them and get them de-wiggled. There’s a unique joy in watching your dog get increasingly excited as they realize where you’re driving them and seeing their tail violently wag after a great run. For the rest of the day, they sleep like a rock.
If you have the means, I strongly recommend dropping in on a practice and seeing how your dog likes it. It may become your next addiction.
The Cal Poly Humboldt alumni dominated the 2023 women’s rugby alumni game on Sept. 30. Both teams played for the same university and put their all into the match. With an end score of 87 to 5, the alumni defeated Cal Poly Humboldt, whose team is mainly made up of newcomers, many who saw their first game on Saturday.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s team captain Courtney Campuzano caught a couple of breakaways in the game, meaning took off with the ball, escaping players trying to tackle her. Campuzano is a senior majoring in social work. Campuzano was excited to see so many alumni back to play in the match, stating it felt awesome to see alumni happy to come out. She noted that some new players played the most they ever had.
Rachel Gonzales runs with the ball to score during the Cal Poly Humboldt Alumni game on Sept. 30.
“I saw these rookies get stuck in,” Campuzano said. “One’s been here for maybe two weeks.”
Saturday was Ashlyn Broeland’s first game as a player for Cal Poly Humbolt’s women’s rugby team. A junior majoring in environmental studies with an emphasis in education, Broeland is number nine on the team. Her position on the team is scrum half, which is an important role because it forms the link between the forwards and the backs.
“I’m really excited for our new players to get out there,” Broeland said. “This is a really good chance for them to learn the game.”
Cal Poly Humboldt’s cheer team came to support Broeland, their cheer captain, who has been on the team for three years.
Sophia Nielsen played on the alumni side, having graduated in 2021 with a degree in wildlife.
Senior Courtney Campuzano avoids being tackled with the ball by Rachel Gonzales during the Cal Poly Humboldt Alumni game on Sept. 30
“[The most fun part was] being with my teammates I haven’t seen in over a year,” Nielsen said.
Wynnie Savageford graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s in criminology and justice studies.
“[I like] the camaraderie of being around everybody and just being back in the pitch together,” Savageford said.
Head coach Catalina Leon was most excited for the team to put together the skills they’ve been working on in an actual game. Leon stated that the biggest part of their strategy was communication and putting those fundamentals to work.
“We were able to do that because we were able to get some breakaways and it worked,” Leon said. “It also showed us the areas that we still need to work on.”
Leon said that overall the girls played well, especially considering that the majority of the girls joined this September.
Lauren Bankerd, a junior majoring in kinesiology, scored the only try (goal) on Cal Poly Humboldt’s side. It was her third career goal, having previously played one semester.
“[The most exciting part is] sprinting down the line, the adrenaline pumping because you don’t know if someone’s behind you or not, and you’re just gunning,” Bankerd said. “The crowd screaming and everything.”
Isabel Perez-Zoghbi is a 2nd year student from Merced, California. Perez-Zoghbi was a long distance runner throughout her whole life, running cross country and track. She thought her career would be done after highschool and was planning on attending Cal Poly Humboldt in Fall 2022. While scrolling through social media, she came across a video of Cal Poly Humboldt’s very own Joy Hano running the 60-meter hurdles.
“I saw Joy and I thought she was amazing, and I was just like clearly they must have some good hurdles coaches there because Joy’s doing fantastic,” Perez-Zoghbi said.
Once realizing there was a track program, she took it upon herself to direct message Hano. According to Hano, Perez-Zoghbi asked about the program, what Hano’s favorite part about running in college was, and how she wanted to get better at hurdles. Perez-Zoghbi had only started running hurdles her junior year of high school, so she saw this as a learning opportunity. This direct message on Instagram led to a recruitment visit with the track coaches, and Hano was able to meet her in person for the first time.
“Meeting her for that first time, it got me excited about hurdles again cause I could just feel her pure love for the sport, and at that point in my season I was, not going throughout, but it was just a low part of season,” Hano said. “Having her energy around, even just on her recruit visit, brought up my energy, brought up [my] team’s energy, and I just had a great feeling about her.”
Hano was right about that feeling, because during Perez-Zoghbi’s first year at Cal Poly Humboldt she made huge waves in the program. She qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships after running a personal record of 1:00.54 in the 400-meter hurdles. At Nationals in Colorado, she finished nineteenth overall.
During her 2023 campaign, she did face some setbacks. Dealing with a hamstring injury, she was kept from competing in a couple of races. Hano recalls a moment at the 2023 Stanford Invitational where Perez-Zoghbi was scratched from the weekend last minute due to her hamstring. Hano and Perez-Zoghbi took walks around Stanford’s facilities and reminded each other about the amazing opportunities they both have.
“Isa’s really good about remaining grateful, and it was just during that weekend that I just had to remind her we are in an amazing opportunity to do the thing we love and if anything, missing this right now is just going to make you want it more,” Hano said. “Sure enough after that point in season she continued to rehab her hamstring, she continued to play smarter not harder with her hamstring and made the most out of every day she could.”
The knowledge that her coaches bring has helped grow her obsession with the sport. Her teammates contribute to this as well. They inspire her daily with their dedication to training and work ethic. She sees how happy people are just to be given the opportunity to participate. What keeps Perez-Zoghbi motivated through it all is her love for pushing herself to her limits.
“I am always trying to improve and get a better time, and push myself to where I am like dying at the end of practice and I’m like on the floor, can’t breathe,” Perez-Zoghbi said. “Just like that physical challenge and mental challenge of pushing yourself to your limit that’s why I do it.”
Her teammates feed off of this mindset as well. Hano views her as a role model, despite Perez-Zoghbi being younger. Hano knows that whenever they train together, there will be no slacking of any kind. This has only pushed Hano mentally and physically. Her coaches see this determination as well. Cal Poly Humboldt Assistant Sprint and Hurdles coach Kate Eilers expressed Perez-Zoghbi’s tenacity on the track and compared her competitive drive to that of a veteran.
“I love coaching Isabel. She recognizes the value of the time she has here as an athlete and uses every second of it. She is always looking to improve, asking questions and diligently implementing feedback,” Eilers said. “She’s a joy to coach, a supportive teammate and an all around incredible person who knows how to pursue success.”
Perez-Zoghbi expressed her goals for this upcoming season, which are becoming an All-American and breaking the school record. The current record holder is Alyssabeth DeJerez with a time of 58.68 in 2017. The main goal this season though is winning the conference. Currently Perez-Zoghbi is training for the 2024 season which is set to start on Feb. 18.
It was an overcast morning at Moonstone Beach in Trinidad, California on the morning of Sept. 17. A group of Cal Poly Humboldt students ran out into the waves, surfboards under their arms and wetsuits on their bodies. For some, it was their first time surfing. For others, it was just one of many sessions. All of the students had signed up for the surf class through Center Activities, which also offers classes in climbing, backpacking, kayaking and more.
The intro surfing class on Sept. 17 was Hannah Doran’s first surf lesson. At the beginning of the class break, she emerged from the water with a wide grin on her face and her hand displaying a shaka sign. Doran has previously surfed in New Hampshire, Maine and Scotland. Doran is a junior at Cal Poly Humboldt majoring in oceanography with a diving minor.
“Surfing is cool and Humboldt’s the place to surf,” Doran said. “I’m having a great time.”
She was most excited about getting more comfortable in the water, the Pacific specifically. She was also stoked to get solid advice from good instructors. Plus, $40 for five hours of instruction is a great price.
Grady Hechd was the assistant instructor for the class. He has been working at Center Activities on campus since Feb. 2022.
“It’s really rewarding watching people that have never surfed before get out there and watching them learn,” Hechd said. “It kind of clicks for some people.”
Chris Isola, an environmental science transfer student, had gone surfing six times in Humboldt before the Sept. 17 class, but it was his first lesson. Throughout the lesson, Isola caught several waves with a smile.
Alumna and lead instructor, Annalisa Rush, has been teaching surf lessons for over 25 years.
“[The best part of the job is] sharing the joy of being on the ocean and watching people get super stoked on the thrill,” Rush said.
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.
The track is vicious and painful, and Aris Valerio was ready because he has dealt with vicious pain. He ran a half mile in less time than it takes to get out of bed, a minute and 49 seconds to secure a spot at the National Championships back in May of 2023; the only man sent from Cal Poly Humboldt to race in Pueblo, Colorado. The evening shadows were long on the track as the 800m final was due to start, and Valerio lined up in the pole position on the inside lane.
It was already a long shot to get there. One of the fastest Division II 800m runners in the nation couldn’t compete because of a family emergency, allowing Valerio to take the final qualifying spot after the prelim races. The next 110 seconds were going to hurt, even without the added stress of a fast prelim the day before and the knowledge that a victory was unlikely. Valerio felt dead tired and scared. But there was no room to think about any of that when the gun boomed and the race started. A journey that started with failure and random chance went a little further.
Valerio picked up distance running his freshman year of high school, only after his mom wouldn’t let him play football because he weighed about a hundred pounds. He had always been fast as a kid, so he figured he’d give it a shot after a neighbor told him exactly what cross country was. It wasn’t love at first sight. Valerio still isn’t sure why he stuck with it. Training is boring to him – racing is what makes it worth it.
“I just love the anxiety of the races,” Valerio said. “I think it’s fun. It makes it more exciting because that’s what everyone’s feeling. Makes you show that you’re just more locked in than everyone else when you win. I think that’s exciting.”
His legs churn, eating up ground at a pace of over 18 miles an hour. The first 200 meters are gone in less than 26 seconds, and he’s still at the back of the seething pack. The screams of the crowd are loud, but it’s lost in the rhythm of pounding feet and gasping breath. His mind is blank. It always is at moments like these.
Valerio’s first brush with greatness came his senior year at Murrieta High School in 2019, when he ran 1:53 in the 800m and ended up being ranked in the top 20 high schoolers in the nation that year. He didn’t even really understand that it was a big deal right when he crossed the finish line. Someone had beaten him.
It was a huge margin of improvement from even a month before that, over six seconds in an event that separates a talented collegian from the world’s best. He spent a year training at California Baptist University before transferring to Humboldt in 2020. One of his high school teammates had gone to Humboldt and recommended him to head distance coach Jamey Harris, who gladly accepted him on the strengths of his past races.
Valerio’s career has had its ebbs and flows in his time in Humboldt. He’s one of the fastest 800 runners to ever compete for Humboldt, but he’s also suffered from hamstring injuries that left him unable to train and compete for far longer than he would’ve liked. Harris doesn’t regret recruiting him.
“With any injury, anybody’s going to have a setback in their enthusiasm, and he was not immune to that,” Harris said. “But whenever he would have a little bit of a setback, he would climb out of it. He’s persistent in that way…on race day, he always brings everything he’s got. I never doubt that we’re going to get a full effort…he may not always be at 100% confidence, but we always know we’re going to get 100% effort.”
It’s hot, and the guy in front crushed the first half of the race in 50 seconds. Valerio is a few seconds back. Shoes thin as ballet slippers slam on hard rubber, the metal spikes grabbing the track. Reverberation swims up his legs. It hurts, but he’s had worse.
It wasn’t easy getting to Nationals. Setbacks weren’t solely those of muscle, bone and sinew. Some came from the brain.
For a while, a bout with depression during the track season made Valerio consider not racing at Nationals at all, but after running 1:50.3 at the conference meet he reconsidered. He is open about his struggles with mental health. He said his depression comes from the death of his little brother, who passed away when he was in high school. Running, and the team surrounding him, has been one of the things that helped him get through it.
“I’ll go through spurts of being super unmotivated,” Valerio said. “And it’s super hard to catch myself and get back on my feet. [Coach] Jamey [Harris] and [the team] know all that. They’ve been super supportive about it.”
Valerio is a lot more than just an athlete to Harris.
“He’s a complicated beast,” Harris said. “It could be easy to see his consistent success on the track and think that things have come easy for him, but they definitely haven’t. He’s had a lot of difficulties that he’s had to work through and challenges that he’s had to overcome. I think that’s probably the greater accomplishment than being an All American and All-Conference a couple of times and being the second fastest 800m runner in school history. What’s more impressive is what he’s gone through and what he’s overcome to get there.”
600 meters have come and gone, and the time has come for a last, desperate drive to the finish. There is no more sun in these last moments, the light blocked by the stadium seating full of screaming spectators. Way ahead, the front runner is run down like a deer in the dying moments of the race. Valerio is still in the back, driving for a First Team All-American spot. A thousand miles away, people watch.
Valerio’s role on the team goes far beyond simple competition and point scoring. One of his closest teammates and a roommate during the track season when Valerio went to nationals, Sebastian Vaisset-Fauvel considers Valerio a crucial part of the team, although not necessarily always beloved.
“He’s just really down to the point,” Vaisset-Fauvel said. “He’ll tell you what’s up. He’ll tell you the truth, and sometimes people can’t take the truth… I think that’s what helps him stay true to himself.”
Although Valerio does sometimes take the abrasive role, Vaisset-Fauvel stresses that that’s not nearly the entirety of Valerio.
“Aris can seem like an intimidating guy, but once you get to know him, he’s like a little baby,” Vaisset-Fauvel said. “He’s like my little child, even though I call him my dad sometimes. He’s a really good guy. Really good athlete. 1:49? That fits him, you know? That just fits him.”
Despite the incredible accomplishments on the track, Harris and Vaisset-Fauvel make it clear that Valerio is a human just like everyone else on the team, and that makes his appeal to his teammates that much more potent.
“This is a regular guy,” Harris said. “I’ve seen this guy spill milk. This is a fallible human that I’ve ran with, that is running really fast, and that makes those accomplishments seem more attainable to me.”
Valerio crosses the finish line, his hands going to his knees as he bends over the track. Last place, but still Second Team All-American. Next year will be better, he thought later. Next season will be the last, the best. It wasn’t just for him.
“I’m trying to go to Nationals to represent our team, our school in the middle of nowhere,” Valerio said. “‘Who is this Humboldt guy? This is crazy.’ I think you should want to run for everyone, not just yourself. You’re not going to get that far, only running for yourself.”
The Mad River Enduro took place on Saturday, Sept. 9th in Blue Lake’s Hatchery Ridge trail system, featuring a few brave students from Cal Poly Humboldt’s very own cycling club. This race was a day long event consisting of long steep climbs, and gnarly downhills underneath the redwood canopy.
The race had plenty of out-of-towners who flocked to our backyard to get a taste of the incredible Humboldt hills (or, in this case, Blue Lake berms). Among these visiting riders was a team of local student shredders making Cal Poly Humboldt proud.
Cal Poly Humboldt junior, Mason Menna, has been biking his entire life and has raced enduro since middle school. He was repping a green and gold Cal Poly Humboldt jersey throughout the day, coming in first place for the Men’s 18-29 Expert Category, and 17th place overall with a time of 19 minutes and 50 seconds.
Photo courtesy of Taylor Chase. From left to right: Garret Hammack (2nd), Mason Menna (1st) and Gio Damonte (3rd) on the podium for the Expert Men 18-29 category. Did you participate in the 2023 Mad River Enduro? Find your race photos here: https://www.chaseincolor.com/Mad-River-Enduro-2023 Follow Taylor Chase on Instagram @chaseincolor
“Cal Poly Humboldt teams, straight dogs,” Menna said. “We’re always on the top. Don’t let anyone tell you different. I think we did really great today.”
The mountain biking trails in Blue Lake are not for the faint of heart. The initial, and steepest, climb was a 2.5 mile, 1,100 foot climb that took racers about an hour. After each slow climb was a quick descent, sometimes only taking racers a few minutes. The steepest downhill was in the fifth and final stage, with a slope of 25%.
Although the routes were tough, the weather was perfect and spirits were high. People crowded around singletracks beneath the redwoods and watched as racers whizzed by.
“It was riveting, action filled, death defying… I almost got hit by two riders,” said Hannah Flock, junior at Cal Poly Humboldt and spectator at the event.
Once every rider crossed the finish line, people headed over to Perigot Park for live music, food, drinks, podiums and a raffle.
“I really had a lot of fun. This was my first enduro and I’m really excited to do the next one,” said Henry Grand, who placed seventh in the Men’s 18-29 Expert Category with a time of 22 minutes and three seconds.
Grand is a Cal Poly Humboldt junior who is involved with the on-campus Bicycle Learning Center (BLC). The BLC is located next to the sports recreation building, underneath the stairs of the west gym, and is a great way to get involved with races like the Mad River Enduro.
“If you’re looking for some free bike maintenance, slide to the BLC,” Grand said.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s Lacrosse team is celebrating its 40th year as an official club on campus. The team has grown in size to be the largest they have ever been, with nearly 30 members. They practice three days a week, yet still ensure that their athletes can prioritize school and keep the sport fun.
Head Coach Danny Eggert has been a part of the team for the past three years and is excited about the growth of the team. He’s looking forward to the improvement of the team and wants to see the players do the best they can.
“[The] goal [is] to win,” Eggart said. “To do better than before.”
Eggart is proud of the team’s club status and has no plans to push for the team to be a part of the NCAA sports. For now, their club is to hang out and have fun, and not be a job for his athletes.
Sophomore geology major and athlete Luca Ricci has been on the team since he came to Cal Poly Humboldt. Going into his second year, he is excited for the prospects of the upcoming season.
“I’m on the lacrosse team because I love the teamwork,” Ricci said. “We have a brotherhood on and off the field.”
Assistant Coach Gus Johnson himself used to be on the team from 2008-2011 and has been coaching since 2020. Though they are still early into their pre-season, he is excited for the competition coming into their upcoming season.
“It’s early, it’s the off-season,” Johnson said, “but playoffs are definitely the target this year.”
The team only had four athletes graduate out last year, and have eight to ten coming in. Their main goal for this season is to make it to the playoffs, try their best, while still having fun and making sure they aren’t overloading their students.
“We try to respect that they’re students first, it’s college and we want them to have fun,” Johnson said. “It means a lot. These guys have been here forever and to be consistent and still fill the team, it really speaks to how much these students care about it and want to play.”
With 40 years as a club, the team has made a name for themselves, continuing to grow and enjoy the space they have on campus. Anyone is welcome to join the club and can apply online under the recreational sports section of the Humboldt website.
“Hopefully, we come out as a winning team to represent 40 years of hard work.” Eggart said. “We have possibly 30 right now on the roster, so having numbers on there is amazing.”
Do you like riding your bike? Do you like camping? Why not both! Humboldt county is a great place for beginner bike tourists to hit the road for the weekend to camp in its plethora of campgrounds and extensive open land.
This summer I rode my bike up the coast from Arcata to Crescent City, a total of 80 miles. Any time I go on a bike trip, I often hear people express their desire to do the same but feel like it’s beyond their reach physically or financially. I felt this way until a few years ago, when a group of women at my local bike shop hosted a beginner bikepacking workshop and group ride.
I’ve always been a bike commuter, but the longer mileage was new to me at the time. They lent me the bike bags to store my camping supplies and gave me the assurance I needed to do the ride. I’ve been hooked ever since. To be totally reliant on my own body, with everything I need on my bike, is the most liberating feeling I’ve ever experienced in my short existence.
Photo by Valen Lambert.
The first day of my Crescent City trip, I biked 40 miles up to Elk Prairie Campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Many campgrounds have hike and bike sites for the less vehicular travelers and are as cheap as $5 a night. 40 miles may sound like a lot to some, but if you’re able-bodied, you’ll find that you’re more capable than you think you are.
Think of it this way: on average, a 40 mile day is typically (depending on elevation gain) a four hour ride, mainly spent in awe of the surrounding beauty. Depending on the time of year, that gives you plenty of daylight to take the time you need. The bike does a lot of the work for you, given you have several gears. Pedaling for a while is trance-inducing enough to make you forget you might be hurting. If you require frequent or long breaks, or feel you need to walk your bike at any point, you have every right to. Take some time and get yourself an ice cream, a beer, whatever. You’ve earned it.
The second day was the remainder of the 40 miles to Crescent City, where I stayed with a friend. Biking Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway through Prairie Creek State Park was an unforgettable experience. Redwoods hundreds of feet tall swaying above, a lush and verdant old growth forest stretching in either direction. Going over Last Chance Grade was a bit of a mortality trip to say the least – heavily trafficked, steep, logging truck after logging truck and little to no shoulder. But when you go up a hill, you come down a hill, and that hill is long and electrifying. I had to clean off all the bugs flying into my big fat smile.
Crescent City is a place I never thought I’d be excited to talk about but alas, it’s in close proximity to some of the most beautiful spots I’ve seen on the California coast. The Smith River is the largest undammed river in California; clear, blue, and serene as can be. The Tolowa Dunes provided some enchanting and remote gravel-biking trails. The Pacific is not nearly as threatening of an ocean as it is at many of Humboldt’s beaches – in fact it was rather inviting. Will I live, love, and die in Crescent City? No. Would I write an article about it? Absolutely.
Photo by Valen Lambert.
I don’t think I’d recommend biking to Crescent City for a total beginner, only because of The Grade, but don’t fret because there’s plenty more opportunities for bike-bumming. Sue-Meg State Park is only an easy-breezy 23 mile northerly ride from Arcata, with plenty of hiking and bike sites. Roughly 25 miles north of Arcata is Big Lagoon State Park, equipped with hike and bike sites along, well, a big lagoon. Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park sits on the beautiful Van Duzen River on Highway 36 and is a relatively flat 45 miles away.
First things first, you need a bike. Ideally with a rack on the back where you can hang your bags and strap whatever else on. Bike bags (AKA panniers) are pretty important, and can be found at Revolution Bicycles and Adventures Edge. You’ll also need some relatively lightweight camping gear. I personally just bring a down sleeping bag and an inflatable sleeping mat that I bungee on the top of my back rack, but some like to also pack a single-person backpacking tent.
Not sure if you want to drop some money on them yet? Check in with any camp or bike savvy friends of yours to see if you can borrow gear. Getting your hands on some bike bags and camping gear is your first step to freedom. The second step is to just start pedaling.
Spring break was an eventful one for the Cal Poly Humboldt softball team. After winning a non-conference series 3-1 at home against Central Washington University, they then hosted Dominican University of California in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, winning 5-0 and 8-0.
This led them into the important conference series this past weekend at home against San Francisco State. It didn’t get off to a good start for Humboldt as they lost both games by one run on Friday.
“I think everyone knew we should have beaten that team the first two games,” said pitcher Alyssa Smokey.
There was undoubtedly a different energy in the air on Saturday afternoon, as the Lumberjacks knew the pressure was on them to redeem themselves.
“I think everyone’s energy changed the morning we walked in, everyone was more focused,” said Smokey.
The Jacks came out much stronger, putting on a show and winning 9-3 and 11-1 to split the season series.
In the first game, Shelby Shanks had two runs and two hits, while Katlyn Gifford had two hits and two RBI. Smokey led Humboldt’s hitting with three hits and took home the pitching win. In the second game, Shanks and Gifford had three RBI each, Micaela Harris scored three runs, and Ciera Pyle had three runs and two hits. Gaige Garcia took home the pitching win.
“The senior leadership definitely had an impact on us winning because after the games on Friday, our seniors kind of talked to us,” said catcher and outfielder Julia Rivera. “They focused on the positives of it rather than the negatives, which I think is a big thing with our team.”
Rivera also mentioned how the team played to have fun on Saturday rather than to win, and this helped them play their game the unique Humboldt way.
“If you can trust your teammates off the field, then your relationship on the field is gonna be totally magnified in a way,” said Rivera. “Compared to the rest of the CCAA, we’re different in a good way.”
The team’s resilience they have shown as of late is something that has been built in and taught by their coaches.
“This year has thrown us a lot of curveballs,” said head coach Shelli Sarchett. “We talk about it often as taking those curveballs and making them your pitch.”
Smokey was named CCAA player of the week on Tuesday after an impressive statline over the last few games.
“It’s an honor, like there’s a lot of good girls out there and I’ve played against some of the best,” said Smokey. “I couldn’t have done it without the rest of my team.”
Sarchett mentioned Smokey’s continuing high effort in practice as a factor in her recent performances.
“She’s been really pushing herself and it’s starting to come into fruition for her and for us,” said Sarchett.
A series away from home against Sonoma State, the team ranked first in the conference, approaches for the Lumberjacks on Friday and Saturday at Seawolf Softball Field in Rohnert Park. Humboldt plays Friday at 1 P.M. and 3 P.M. and Saturday at 12 P.M. and 2 P.M..
“I think Sonoma isn’t gonna really know what’s coming in because we’ve worked hard to get to where we are now,” said Rivera. “Sonoma’s gonna be good competition but it’s also gonna be a learning experience for us to pick up on how the top teams play and how we can mimic them in certain ways.”
Humboldt is currently ranked eighth out of ten after having to play some very tough teams in the conference so far, and they are looked at as the underdog in this game. However, this gives them a nothing-to-lose mentality that can take teams a long way.
“When you play with that mindset, it really encourages you to have fun,” said Rivera.
The Cal Poly Humboldt lacrosse team saw their season come to an end last Friday in a 16-10 loss at the Redwood Bowl against the Southern Oregon University Raiders.
Southern Oregon jumped out to an early 4-1 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Humboldt had spells where they seemed to get back into the game, but these runs would be halted before getting very threatening. However, these moments did spark some life into the players and the fans.
“I think our team’s biggest strength is how close everyone is and how well we faced major adversity,” said senior goaltender Zack Gamble. “We never once broke down and started bickering or getting down on each other.”
Freshman attacker Ben Jasinski scored nine goals during the game, which tied the team record from 1989. The Hogs scored eight goals in total in their previous season.
“Ben’s a cheat code,” said Humboldt assistant coach Augustus Johnson. “His performance this last weekend against SOU just solidifies that.”
In the end, the Raiders scored four times in each quarter and cruised to their second win of the season.
“It was a hard game and the boys all played their hardest until the final whistle and showed great sportsmanship,” said senior defender Brandon Nordenstrom.
The Hogs finished their season with a 1-5 record and their one win against UC Santa Cruz in early March, their first win over the school in 10 years. This was an improvement from finishing 0-7 in the 2022 season.
“It was my last game so it was very bittersweet,” said Gamble. “We’ve spent the last three years rebuilding but finally have a solid foundation to work with.”
The Spring 2024 season is going to be the team’s 40th season. They will look to take another step forward with an extremely young squad.
“We’re hoping it’s going to signal a new era for the team,” said Gamble. “It’ll be the same old Hogs, but hopefully in the win column a lot more.”
A lengthy offseason awaits the Hogs as they have a chance to build on the progress they have already made.
“I’m really excited to see how we start next season off,” said Nordenstrom. “I have no doubt that our freshman team captain, Ben Jasinski, will take charge of the young Hogs and show most of these guys what hard work and dedication earns you.”
The Cal Poly Humboldt track team is having an impressive season this year, with their accomplishments ranging from broken records to nationally ranked squads.
“This season has been a breakthrough year for our program with several national provisional marks and national event squad rankings across multiple disciplines,” said junior 800 meter runner Julian Jensen.
The most recent example of success for Humboldt was their last regular season meet this year, the Raider Invite at Southern Oregon University up in Ashland, Oregon.
Joy Hano broke a school record for the women that had been held for 33 years during one of the Southern California meets from the weekend before. Hano ran the 100m hurdles in 13.96 seconds. The record was previously a 14.06 run by Clara Trigg.
Another notable trend for the Lumberjacks recently has been the success of their men’s 800 meter squad, which is currently nationally ranked. 800 meters is almost half of a mile, which means the runners need to have endurance and speed to stand out.
“We have four runners who specialize in the 800 and we have had a successful season so far,” said Jensen. “After the Humboldt Invitational, we were ranked third in the nation out of about 200 Division II schools with a four main average of 1:53.10.”
One of these runners is Aris Valerio, a junior who has mainly been focusing on the 800 and is currently sixth on the top ten all time list for Humboldt.
“Personally, I feel like I need to lead the middle distance guys,” said Valerio. “They are basically my sons at this point, and I’m holding their hands to continuing greatness in the 800.”
Valerio is two seconds away from breaking the 800 school record and is confident about what the future holds.
This squad has received praise from runners that take part in other events, including Carson Smith, a junior who is the fastest current 1500 meter and 5k runner at Humboldt.
“Our 1500 squad, along with our 800 squad, is really strong and really deep, so we have enough people that can focus on that event at our conference championships to secure us some points,” said Smith.
With great speed comes great responsibility and Humboldt runners take this in stride.
“When you’re fast, everyone kinda has to look at you, so to use that position and do my best to set a good example is something I really strive for,” said Smith. “It’s something I didn’t really have my first couple years.”
The Jacks will now carry their focus into CCAA conference championships and look for more success.
“This team has taken big steps into becoming a good team in the future,” said Valerio. “Last season we started something that is only getting better.”
For the first time, a women’s club volleyball team is being formed at Cal Poly Humboldt.
The idea was brought up when a large number of women were consistently attending the men’s practices, including student Sophie Collins. Collins has been playing volleyball for eight years, but stopped when she came to Humboldt.
“When I came here, I didn’t play on the school team,” said Collins. “But I really wanted to keep playing volleyball. And so when I was walking around [at] a table event, I saw [a sign that said] men’s and women’s club volleyball and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so awesome.’ So I talked to them, and I signed up.”
Interest from athletes has been intense.
“Once we started getting more women who wanted to play, we figured we should make a club team,” said team staff advisor Marissa Holguin.
Holguin is a former coach for the men’s club team. Now, she is going to help with the women’s team, which is still working on recruiting.
“We started our process last fall, but during the first year it’s all probationary,” said team president Noelani Araujo. “This is just setting the foundation up for next year.”
The team plans on getting more games and scrimmages set up during Fall 2023. To join any real tournaments, they need a bigger budget. According to members of the team, the process has been rocky. The nascent team has big dreams; they want to go south and compete with teams like UC Davis, Reno, and St. Mary’s, but they’re hamstrung by budget constraints. The club is currently on a probationary period, which prevents them from getting club funding. It also makes reserving the gym to practice difficult.
“We kind of had it going for a little bit and then it got kind of weird with getting the space to actually play and getting people who are interested to show up,” Collins said. “We’ve kind of decided to rethink our methods.”
The team is open to every skill level. The club is looking to recruit lots of new members heading into fall if they are able to commit to practices on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. Their first season will be spring 2024. Interested athletes should contact @hsu_womensvolley on Instagram. Their email is wclubvolleyhsu@gmail.com.
“We want to get started making a team and getting a sense of community,” said Araujo. “Not necessarily getting competitive, but building on that team feeling.”
Cal Poly Humboldt’s Logging team shined yet again at the SCLC competition, held in the Shasta District Fair & Event Center located in Anderson, CA just south of Redding.
SCLC (Sierra Cascade Logging Conference) is one of the largest Forest Products and Construction Equipment Expositions out there. In addition to being a competition, it also helps young people interested in logging, forestry, and related fields to meet professionals in the industry. Not just make them better loggers, but also make connections which will help them get jobs during or after college.
“SCLC provides the community and students of all ages the opportunity to learn about the forestry industry,” said Vice President Zoey “Dozer” Cardoza. “In addition, SCLC is a huge sponsor for our team.”
She’s majoring in forestry with a concentration in forest operations.
The team holds alumni breakfast to network with Humboldt alumni in the industry.
The conference consisted of three days: The first day of practice with professionals within the industry, the second day of breakfast with the alumni, and a third day with competition.
The competition consisted of various categories: Jack and Jill, Double and Single Buck, Horizontal Speed Chop, AX Throw, Choker Setting, and Stock Saw. Each team member shined in each category to the best of their abilities showing off what they learned not just from practice but also from the local professionals.
One moment when this was proven was when Equipment manager Cassanda Renteria (Forestry in Forest Operations) took the title Belle of the Woods, which is given to the highest female competitor overall in each discipline.
“I was lucky enough to be placed in 3 first [place] and 1 second [place.]” said Renteria. “I was really stoked and grateful that I got the opportunity to showcase all my best events. It’s a great feeling when all the hard work you put in pays off in the end.”
Competition was very fierce as everyone wanted to showcase what they practiced so hard for.
“My goal for the competition was to help my teammates win,” said fellow team member Ed Laskey, Forestry major with a concentration in Wildland Fire Management. “One of my teammates Cass was doing all her events back to back and she ended up winning all of them and then she had to do like a face off pretty much against the second fastest person in her events and we were all getting pretty stressed out because she was getting tired. We were getting worried she was going to pass out but she made it through.”
“The biggest thing for us from SCLC since we have the supervision of these professional timbersports athletes is we are trying to get the most experience we can,” says President Austin Nolan (Wildlife Conservation Management). “So we are not necessarily out there to win the most points in the table.”
CPH ended up being tied with Oregon State. The CPH Logging Team is expected to compete in the AWFC on April 11-16th in Corvallis, OR hosted by Oregon State University.
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