Taylor leads Lakers to first road win

After four lost opportunities, the Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team earned its first road victory of the season Saturday in a 69-63 victory over Tiffin University.

“We’ve been through some adversity, there’s no doubt about it,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “To get a road win in the fashion that we did was very important. The kids were tough, they fought through the entire 40 minutes of the game, played great defense and were really relentless down the stretch even when Tiffin continued to make a push at us.”

The victory comes just two days after GVSU (3-3, 1-1 GLIAC) let a 22-point first-half lead slip away in a 79-56 loss at Ohio Dominican University (5-1, 1-1 GLIAC).

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“On Thursday, what it came down to was we weren’t getting defensive stops,” said junior guard Lauren Stadola. “On Friday in practice and in our shoot-around we really worked on defense.”

In the loss against the Panthers, Stodola led the Lakers with 18 points and three rebounds while junior forward Brittany Taylor chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds.

Saturday proved to be a new day for the Lakers, who defeated Tiffin University 69-63, en route to GVSU’s first road and first conference victory of the season.

“Our focus was really on getting defensive stops because we know that’s how we have to win on the road in the GLIAC,” Stodola said. “It feels good that everyone did their part and we were successful together. We bounced back after hitting some adversity so hopefully we can keep it going now.”

Despite trailing the Dragons (4-1, 1-1 GLIAC) by three points at the half, GVSU found a way to pull off a victory behind the play of junior forward Briauna Taylor.

“I wasn’t really happy with how I have played,” she said. “So (Saturday) I wanted to go out and just play and have fun with it.”

Taylor, who has struggled on the offensive end as of late, only scoring six points in GVSU’s previous two contests, exploded with a game-high 25 points, eight rebounds and two steals.

Although Taylor’s 25 points led a Laker offense, which shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half, junior center Alex Stelfox also contributed with 15 points and eight rebounds.

“We moved the ball really well offensively,” Burgess said. “We were selfless. We had 17 assists and were willing to make the extra pass to get somebody an open shot.”

The Lakers took control of the game at the 17:26 mark and never looked back when Briauna Taylor and Stodola came up with back-to-back steals that were converted into baskets.

“We didn’t want to drop two games in Ohio to start the GLIAC, so we just worked from the Ohio Dominican game to come back and get a win,” Taylor said. “This was probably our best offensive game of the year.”

The Lakers will return to action at 6 p.m. on Wednesday when they travel to Northwood University.

SHORT STATURE BIG GAME

Courtesy of Robert Mathews

Her name may be etched in Grand Valley State University women’s basketball record books now, but senior Jasmine Padin’s first encounter with sports began in a boxing ring, not on a basketball court.

Padin, a native of Wyoming, Mich., took on boxing for four years before her older brother, Jose Padin, sparked her curiosity in basketball.

“One day my brother picked up a basketball, and I saw him playing in the park,” Padin said. “I was like, ‘Hey what is that?’ He honestly taught me the game of basketball, and I fell in love with it.”

Although GVSU’s 5-foot-2 point guard gave up boxing to pursue the game of basketball, boxing principles came in handy when she had to “fight” to prove she could play basketball beyond high school.

“I’ve kind of embraced my shortness — it was nothing I could change, so it allowed me to be more motivated,” she said. “People would tell me that I’m too little or I’m too short, and I’m never going to play basketball at a high level, but I never saw my height as an issue. I saw it as a benefit.”

Padin even had to prove herself to GVSU head coach Janel Burgess, who said she was initially hesitant to recruit Padin but decided to give her a chance to suit up for the Lakers.

Now in her fourth season as a GVSU starter, Padin has put to bed any doubts Burgess may have had. In 90 games, Padin has left her mark on GVSU basketball history, ranking second in all-time free-throw percentage, third in all-time 3-pointers made and fifth in all-time career assists.

But with all of her offensive accomplishments at GVSU, Burgess said it’s Padin’s defensive prowess that makes her a special player.

“What makes her good is her ability to be a defensive gnat, a defensive anchor on the full-court,” she said. “And her ability to be able to be a strong point guard, offensively run the show and make her teammates better. She can also hit a deep three and alleviate pressure on the inside.”

Padin’s teammates, on the other hand, look to her for her knowledge and commitment to the game.

“From a coaches perspective, she is probably the perfect point guard,” said senior forward Kara Crawford. “Because she’s a senior now, she has a lot of knowledge, and I think that Coach can trust her. A lot of times Coach doesn’t have to call a play because Jasmine already has one in mind.”

In her last season with the GVSU, Padin said her goal is to have a successful year and embrace her opportunities with her teammates.

“Of course, everyone wants to win the big one,” she said. “To be GLIAC season champs and be tournament champs, and hopefully win a national championship. As far as my senior season goes, I want us to be successful on the court, but at the same time, I just want to build friendships with my teammates, which I have done since I’ve been here.”

Lakers win, lose over Thanksgiving holiday

After a disappointing loss in their season opener, junior center Alex Stelfox and the Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team had no problem finishing shots on Tuesday against Aquinas College.

Behind an 18-point outburst from Stelfox and strong play from guards Lauren Stodola and Jasmine Padin, the Lakers (2-1) defeated the Saints 75-47.

Courtesy of Robert Matthews

“We needed this win pretty bad,” said Stelfox, who shot 75 percent from the field and grabbed four rebounds. “That first game wasn’t how we normally play, so we had to focus in practice, and this gets our confidence up again.”

On the offensive end, the Lakers found the bottom of the net early and often with 10 different players scoring on the night. Padin and Stodola lead the charge in distributing the ball, combining for eight assists and two steals.

“I loved how our point guards were kicking the ball ahead,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “I mean look at Jasmine, five assists and one turnover and Lauren Stodola having three assists and one turnover. Those are all good signs to build and progress on as we head into Wisconsin Parkside.”

The Laker bench also played a pivotal role in the win, accounting for almost a quarter of GVSU’s offensive output.

“So many kids got some great opportunities,” Burgess said. “It was great to see Kellie Watson come in and play some good minutes and have some open shots go in.”

Defensively, GVSU used its size and tenacity to limit Aquinas to six field goals and 16 points in first half.
Burgess said the effort on the defensive end was solid in large part due to the rotation on help defense and the team’s ability to minimize fouls early.

On Saturday, GVSU was unable to earn its first road victory of the season, falling to the University of Wisconsin Parkside (4-1) by a score of 60-73.

“It was a tough environment to play in, but we had the opportunity to be successful,” Burgess said. “We had some key possessions that we did not go finish.”

Watson, who scored a game-high 16 points off the bench, gave GVSU a one-point advantage when she connected on a long range shot to close out the first half.

“Coming out of the locker room we knew we had to keep the lead and keep up the intensity,” Watson said. “As the half went on we just ran into a couple breakdowns that we have to clean up.”

The second half was a back-and-forth battle, but four GVSU turnovers in last three minutes of the game stretched a four-point deficit into a 13-point loss.

“We’re going to have to learn some things from that cause you got to be able finish a game in the last two and a half minutes,” Burgess said. “We have to take care of the ball down the stretch and we have to quit fouling so much. You can’t send a team to the line 30 times and expect to be successful.”

The Lakers will be back in action at 6 p.m. today as they take on Urbana University in the Fieldhouse Arena.

Two years later, Watson looks to help Lakers

The game of basketball is not often associated with a roller coaster, but sophomore forward Kellie Watson’s journey to get back on the court with the Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team has had its ups and downs so far.

Courtesy of Matt Cashore

Coming out of high school in 2008, Watson was named Miss Basketball, an award given annually to the top high school basketball player in Michigan.

After receiving the award, Watson accepted an athletic scholarship to play at the University of Notre Dame, and she sensed her best playing days were ahead of her.

“I was really excited that I had the opportunity to sign with one of the top Division I programs in the country,” she said. “There was really no other reason for me to be anything but excited to start in the summer and see what Division I basketball was really all about.”

In her first season with the Fighting Irish, Watson appeared in all 31 games and was second on the team three-point field goals with 28.

“My freshman year I had great opportunities,” she said. “My whole class had a lot of opportunities to play because there were some injuries to upperclassmen that really opened the window for us.”

With her first season behind her, Watson looked to be a mainstay in South Bend, but an early season knee injury and recurring shoulder injuries, which began in high school, forced her to sit out almost the entirety of her sophomore season.

While Watson was on the mend, she began to evaluate her future and decided transferring to GVSU would be a better path to take.

“The physicality of the Big East was getting to be a lot for my body to handle,” she said. “I already had three shoulder surgeries at that point, and I was just coming off of surgery on my knee. I think I just realized [Notre Dame] wasn’t right, it wasn’t the place that was the best for me.”

Upon arriving at GVSU in 2009, Watson could practice with the Lakers, but NCAA transfer rules prevented her from competing in games until the following season.

Watson suffered another setback when she dislocated her shoulder the day before GVSU took part in its annual season-opening exhibition game at Michigan State University, forcing her take a medical redshirt and sit out the 2010-2011 season.

Watson said the injuries and not being able to go out and compete for two full years was as frustrating beyond words, but all the experiences taught her how much she loved basketball and to appreciate the small things in life.

“You never know when your last game is going to be, you never know when your last play is going to be,” she said. “So you just have to out there and give everything you’ve got all time.”

Watson’s determination and competitive spirit are a welcome sight for the Lakers during the 2011-12 season.

“She’s worked very hard to be able to play still,” said junior guard Lauren Stodola. “She’s gone through so many injuries that could’ve stopped anyone’s career, but she loves the game and just wants to play.”

Despite her playing status being unknown after another shoulder injury this season, the former Gatorade Player of the Year brings with her the experience of playing Division I basketball.

“She’s played at a very high level and she’s been successful,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess “We just ask that she brings a competitive edge and helps improve our team from top to bottom."

Wichita Frostbite Regatta is a success for Lakers

For Grand Valley State University Rowing’s head coach John Bancheri and junior Carey Mankins, competing in the Wichita Frostbite Regatta was a homecoming of sorts.

Bancheri, who coached at Wichita State University 20 years ago, and Mankin, a native of Wichita, Kan., were greeted in Wichita by former Shocker rowers, family and friends before the regatta on Nov. 6.

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“When I first found out we were going to Kansas I was excited,” Mankin said. “Probably more excited than anyone on the team because I haven’t seen my aunts and uncles in such a long time. Being in college, I don’t get to go and see my cousins either since it’s 15 hours away, so it was just nice to see my family.”

With connections around the Wichita area, GVSU not only enjoyed staying with the Mankins family, but the Lakers also had the opportunity to stay with and learn from the experiences of some of Bancheri’s former rowers.

“All of the coxswains stayed with a former cox of coach (Bancheri),” said sophomore coxswain Chris Simon. “It was really fun to tell and hear stories and kind of reminisce together.”

The Lakers delivered steady performances in front of their host families and won several medals throughout the competition.

“Everyone put together strong races,” Bancheri said. “The women set a course record and the men missed setting a course record by two seconds. Overall, everyone contributed to our success, even some of our less-experienced rowers.”

On the women’s side, senior Hanna Jones and junior coxswain Jordan Hart led GVSU. Jones raced in five different events, medaling in all of them, while Hart won a gold medal in all four of her races.

Junior Justin Wegner, who medaled in four races, including the men’s open pair race where he finished one second ahead of the University of Colorado, led the men’s team.

Freshmen Austin Burris and Justin Ebert also chipped in with solid performances, both medaling in two different races.

With the Wichita Frostbite Regatta behind them, GVSU has concluded its fall season. Still, the Lakers will continue to train indoors until their spring season begins March.

Bancheri said he is pleased with the progress his rowers have made over the course of the fall season.

“From the beginning of the fall I knew the men’s crew would be very competitive,” he said. “We returned seven out of eight in the first varsity boat and most of last year’s freshmen with promise. I thought the gals on the other hand, were going to be a work in progress since we had just graduated a highly talented group of seniors.”

However, the women varsity rowers have developed faster than Bancheri anticipated.

“The improvement in the young gals’ ergo scores … shows us all one thing: these gals have the need for speed,” he said. “I predict we will have at least eight gals break 2:00 split for 20 minutes. Simply stated, that is as fast as we have ever been on the ergo.”

Turnovers sink Lakers in season opener

The Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team put on a rebounding clinic in their season opener, but that wasn’t enough to stop Saint Joseph College.

The Lakers, who fell to the Pumas 66-47, struggled from the get go on Sunday, shooting 29 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the foul line.

“Overall, I think it was just a lack of focus,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “Our team needs to play a 40-minute game. As seasoned as we are, we need to be able to persevere through any situation and be able to find a way to be successful.”

Despite its shooting woes, GVSU used strong rebounding on both sides of the floor to cut Saint Joseph’s lead from double digits down to five at the half.

“We rebounded very well,” said Burgess. “The problem is if we rebounded as well as we did, we should be able to convert and I don’t think we did that.”

Throughout the contest the Lakers (0-1, 0-0), out-rebounded the Puma’s (1-0, 0-0) 53-34.

However, turnovers and fouls prevented the Lakers from developing an offensive rhythm and delivering the ball inside to junior center Alex Stelfox.

“The turnovers were really atrocious, 24 turnovers to eight assists, I don’t think we were making good decisions,” said Burgess. “We were leading teammates into turnovers themselves, not being strong with the ball going at the basket. We need to be able to protect each other and be able to be disciplined with what we are trying to find.”

While Stelfox was held scoreless in the opening half, juniors Brittany and Briauna Taylor combined for 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead GVSU at the break.

“I was just trying to do what I could to get a better outcome for us and finish some possessions,” said forward Brittany Taylor.

Coming out of the locker room, the Lakers got solid looks at the basket and went to the free-throw line 17 times, but still struggled to score.

“We will look at a handful of our shots and think that they were crazy, maybe quick shots or what not, but for the most part our opportunities were good,” said Burgess. “I think there were more opportunities that we should have took at first look as opposed to making an extra pass that created a turnover.”

Forward Briauna Taylor said this loss will serve as a learning experience and motivation to work hard in practice to take better care of the ball and take more efficient shots when they are available.

“We just need to take the pressure for what it is,” she said. “They were pressuring us, but we just need to calm down because we know what we need to do.”

The Lakers will open up their home schedule on Nov. 22 when they face Aquinas College at 7.pm.

Experience leads Lakers into season

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With a roster featuring a pair of Division II honorable mention All-Americans, a Division I transfer and the return of a fifth-year senior, the Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team this season will be full of an element that it has somewhat lacked in previous seasons: experience.

After advancing to the NCAA Tournament a year ago, the Lakers welcome back 13 players and hope to be in contention for a GLIAC Championship and a return to postseason action.

“We have huge goals at the end of the season, but if we’re going to accomplish those goals we can’t let a slip up happen early in the season,” said senior forward Kara Crawford. “We really have to stay focused and maintain our confidence and consistency.”

This year’s team features a balanced offense that includes honorable mention All-Americans in junior forward Briauna Taylor on the perimeter and junior center Alex Stelfox in the paint.

“We have a nice inside and outside balance,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “We’ve got Alex Stelfox, Brittany Taylor, Kellie Watson and Kara Crawford, all inside presence kids for us that will be able to help us get the ball in the low post. But I think we’ve also got a great balance on the outside.”

Not only will GVSU utilize a mix a of interior play and outside shooting, but it also welcomes back Crawford, who sat out last season with a knee injury, and sophomore Kelly Watson, who is in her first season of competition with the Lakers after transferring from the University of Notre Dame.

Watson, who played in all 31 games as a freshman for the Fighting Irish and was named Miss Basketball of Michigan in 2008, will add to the team’s offensive versatility.

“It’s good to see her get out and get into a flow,” Burgess said. “Kellie’s a great shooter and a great passer that will give us some diversity on the outside and the inside.”

Knowing she can contribute to the team in a variety of ways, Watson is working to fit into her role of distributing the ball and shooting.

“All summer I worked really hard because I knew coming that they were going to look to me to try to bring a little bit of outside shooting,” she said. “Passing-wise, it’s just hitting my open teammates. I know our post players work really hard down low, bashing around trying to get open so we can get them the ball.”

The return of Crawford will give GVSU added leadership and a sense of urgency out on the floor.

“Crawford has just got that little edge on her,” Burgess said. “This is her fifth year and I think she will be our blue-collar hard worker at will … she will just give us that gritty edge that we need from the senior position.”

The Lakers will open up the regular season Sunday against St. Joseph’s College at 2 p.m. in Indiana.

Club soccer team drops both games in Regionals

The Grand Valley State University men’s club soccer team was not expecting to play in the Midwest Soccer Alliance Regional Tournament in Indianapolis this weekend, but unusual circumstances afforded the Lakers with a postseason opportunity.

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The Lakers nearly missed the regional tournament after finishing the regular season with a record of 11-3-3, which put them just out of reach of an automatic bid into the postseason.

However, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater both declined their invitations to the tournament, giving GVSU the chance to play two more soccer matches this season.

In the tournament’s opening match, GVSU lost to the University of Michigan (10-0-1) by a score of 3-1.

“It was kind of a weird situation in terms of how we were able to get in to playoffs; with one of the teams backing out we were next in line,” said GVSU head coach Jeff Crooks. “We didn’t practice for a couple of days there, and I think that kind of put us off in terms of rhythm.”

Crooks said although the Lakers had been off the practice field and thought the season was over, the team came into the weekend with the proper mindset.

“This team is not made up of anybody that says, ‘Hey, we’re just happy to be here,’” he said. “We represent Grand Valley State University … We take pride in that.”

GVSU was able to get on the scoreboard late in the game after a foul gave senior midfielder Nick Schreiber the chance to score off a penalty kick.

“We were still down so it didn’t really mean anything, but it helped out because in terms of how power rankings work, you get maximum points when you get a 3-0 win,” Schreiber said. “So actually we caused Michigan to not get maximum points, so I mean I guess that’s a small win.”

Schreiber said he thought that if the team knew right away that it would make the regional tournament instead of finding out on short notice, the athletes would have been mentally and physically sharper.

GVSU followed the Michigan loss with a second game right after against Indiana University (8-2-1). Unlike the first match against the day, Lakers could not score, falling 3-0 to the Hoosiers.

“We played well defensively as a unit,” said junior Bryce Murphy. “There were just a few mistakes that they capitalized on and we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities. That really changed the outcome of the game.”

Crooks said despite keeping possession for most of the match against Indiana, mental mistakes cost the Lakers some goals and forced them to change their strategy throughout the day.

“If you make a couple of mistakes, then you have to change tactics to push forward to try to score goals,” he said, “… And sometimes you are left exposed, giving up some goals that maybe ordinarily you wouldn’t.”

GLIAC Runner of the Year leads on and off the course

To be to be able to run 120 miles a week, one must possess a superior work ethic and sheer determination, but for senior Anthony Witt, running that distance every week has become second nature.

After leading the Grand Valley State University men’s cross country team to its 10th-straight GLIAC Championship in Ashland, Ohio, this past weekend, Witt has put in the miles and was named the GLIAC Runner of the Year.

Even with Runner of the Year honors, Witt said he is not satisfied yet.

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His ultimate goal is to perform well in the Regional Tournament on Nov. 15 in Big Rapids, Mich., and then end the season with a national championship.

“Running is a sport where there are no shortcuts,” he said. “To have success, you have to put in the work, and I’ve been able to do that with my teammates, so that’s why we’ve seen the success.”

GVSU head coach Jerry Baltes said Witt brings several intangibles to the cross country program, but his biggest strengths are his work ethic, leadership and commitment to being great.

“Anthony can lead by either example in doing work, he is someone who trains anywhere from 120 to 125 miles a week,” he said. “That’s the highest on our team, so everyone looks up to that and understands that he is doing the work that it takes to get the job done.”

Baltes added that Witt is willing to lead vocally if needed by telling or asking teammates to do the right thing.

Witt began his running career in high school at Shakamak in Jasonville, Ind., when looking to get involved in activity outside of the norm.

“I’ve always wanted to find something to be different than most, so in high school the way to do that was through running rather than the mainstream sports of baseball and basketball, at least in my school,” he said.
 “That’s kind of when I developed a passion for it and met some interesting people, so that kept me going.”

Fellow teammate Tyler Emmorey said he recognizes that Witt brings a lot to the team in terms of athletic ability, but perhaps more importantly, Witt has an entertaining personality to which the entire team can relate.

“You think he is serious, but he’s always cracking jokes,” he said. “Still, he’s very passionate and he steps up when he needs to.”

Witt, a biomedical science major who has aspirations to go to medical school after he graduates, said his success this season is in large part due to the support and encouragement he receives from his teammates and the GVSU coaching staff.

“It’s been of culmination of four years in college and then four years high school, so eight years total, working up to this point,” he said. “I’ve been able to stay relatively healthy so you put all that together and luckily that has resulted in positive things.”

Lakers fall in final round of GLIAC tourney

The Lakers (13-2, 10-2 GLIAC) started the weekend with dominating performances against Lake Superior State University, sweeping doubles action from their first round opponent in route to a 5-0 victory.

GVSU head coach John Black commended seniors Tara Hayes and Alyssa Lucas, who were competing in their last conference tournament, for setting the tone early by defeating their doubles counterparts 8-3.

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“Tara and Alyssa have been doing a great job,” he said. “They’ve been playing first doubles together and this is the first year they’ve been together so they’ve had to make some adjustments, but they’ve gotten better each match, and they’ve done a great job of pushing the team.”

Black added that the Lakers put together arguably their best match of the season on Saturday, upsetting second-seeded Wayne State (13-2, 11-1 GLIAC) to advance the to the tournament championship match.

“It took us a little while to get there, but we started playing really well at the end of the year,” he said. “I would much rather has a strong finish than a strong start.”

With the 5-1 win, the Lakers were able to avenge an early-season 5-4 loss to Wayne State while also making their way to the conference championship match.

The Lakers were led by sophomore Lexi Rice and junior Allison Fecko, who were victorious in both singles and doubles play, accounting for all but one of GVSU’s points in the match.

“Lexi and Allison both played really well,” Hayes said. “They both knew they had to give it all they had in singles, but I think the most important thing is they didn’t play under pressure. We had a bad match last time we played Wayne, but they were confident [Saturday].”

After two wins in two days the Lakers moved to the GLIAC Tournament Championship match Sunday against Northwood University (15-0, 12-0 GLIAC), a team that defeated GVSU 5-4 during regular season play.

The Timberwolves were victorious against the Lakers, winning all three doubles matches and winning the tournament title 5-2.

Freshman Leah Dancz and sophomore Anne Marie Morin picked up the only victories during the championship match, defeating their opponents 6-3, 7- 5 and 3-6, 6-0, 6-0 respectively.

Despite the loss Sophomore Niki Shipman said she thinks everyone played tough this weekend and will continue to practice to be prepared for a possible trip to nationals, in May.

“I think everyone has made improvements this season,” she said. “I think we have a good chance at going to nationals and hopefully having some good results at nationals.”

Lakers No. 3 seed in GLIAC tourney this weekend

Instead of dwelling on a pair of disappointing 5-4 defeats earlier this season, the Grand Valley State University women’s tennis team will use its losses as motivation to be the aggressor at this weekend’s GLIAC Tournament in Midland, Mich.

GVSU (11-2, 10-2 GLIAC) will enter the conference tournament on Friday as the No. 3 seed behind Northwood University and Wayne State University, each of whom account for the team’s only defeats of season.

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It is no secret that the Lakers are ready for another opportunity to face the two teams that got the best of them earlier this season, but in order for that to happen, the Lakers must first defeat their first round opponent Lake Superior State University, a team GVSU swept 9-0 earlier this season.

Despite two blemishes in conference play, senior Tara Hayes said the Lakers are a different team now than they were at the beginning of the season because of stronger doubles play and increased movement and communication on the court.

Aggressiveness during doubles play has given the team reason to believe it is in a good position to make a run toward a tournament championship and possibly have rematch with the Timberwolves or Warriors.

“I know we lost to Wayne, but everyone had an off day, and based on our results lately I think we have a shot at winning the tournament,” Hayes said.

The Lakers know from first-hand experience that playing aggressive during doubles has the power to set the tone and momentum of a match. In both losses this season, the Lakers were unable to capture a lead after doubles play, and as a result, had to fight back from a 2-1 deficit against Wayne State and 0-3 deficit against Northwood.

GVSU head coach John Black said in order to be successful this weekend, GVSU will need to continue to focus on doubles and avoid playing from a deficit.

“We need to keep playing aggressive in the doubles, and by I aggressive I mean having the net players attack, taking control of the net and forcing other teams to hit shots past us,” he said.

For sophomore Niki Shipman, who said her game took a while to evolve and reach its peak this season, this weekend will be about using her improved doubles game, experience and familiarity with their opponents in order to be successful.

Shipman’s personal strategy when competing in the conference tournament is to focus on putting all her technique together in order to remain accurate and use what she calls her weapon shot, which can catch other competitors off guard.

“Part of the sport is knowing you’re one on one with an opponent so there are different parts of [an opponents’] game that you get know if you’ve played them before, and it absolutely helps to develop to a strategy,” Shipman said.

The GLIAC tournament will take place Friday through Sunday at the Midland Community Tennis Center in Midland, Mich. The Lakers will open against Lake Superior State at 6 p.m. Friday.

GV posts solid times against Division I Wisconsin-Milwaukee

For most Division II athletic programs, opening up the season against a Division I opponent would be intimidating, but the Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams took their meet against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as an opportunity to find out where they stand an what they can improve on this season.

Although GVSU did not come away with victories on Saturday, with men falling by a score of 155-88 and the women losing 144-99, the Lakers did have some standout performances that will serve starting points for the season, said GVSU head coach Andy Boyce.

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“The team is off to a great start,” he said. “We faced some stiff competition for sure going up against the Horizon League champs, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but we posted some good times. We started out the meet with a win in the men’s medley relay with Raphael Santos, Erik Aakesson, Aaron Beebe and Milan Meado winning by nine-hundredths of a second … then going into the next race Carly Bush picked up a win in the [1,000 yard] freestyle with a time of 10:34:68.”

The Lakers saw a glimpse of how good they could be this season when sophomore Caitlyn Madsen turned in a personal best swim time of 2 minutes, 7.37 seconds in the 200-yard butterfly and the men secured a thrilling victory in the 200-medley relay.

“I’m definitely excited for the rest of the season because I started out better than I ever have,” Madsen said.

Madsen and Bush, a senior, both had strong performances for the women and combined for three victories and two second-place finishes for GVSU. Bush followed up her 1,000-yard freestyle win with a first-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle, posting a time of 5:09.29.

Madsen said in order for GVSU to post solid times all season long, the Lakers are going to have to avoid injuries, which slowed down the team at times last year, and continue to train hard every day.

On the men’s side, the Lakers were led by Beebe, a senior, who pulled off three victories during the meet, winning the 200-yard medley relay, the 200-yard freestyle and the 200-yard butterfly. His efforts in those three races alone helped GVSU earn 29 points of their 88 points.

Sophomore Sven Kardol also swam a strong race in the men’s 200-yard backstroke, finishing 0.1 seconds behind the winner.

“I’m pretty satisfied with how the meet went, I think everyone did well,” said sophomore Sven Kardol. “I would like to improve my stamina and breast stroke, but those are things I plan to work on all season long.”

Moving forward, as the Lakers prepare to open up their conference schedule, Boyce said both teams need to continue work hard in practice and push each other to get better, but most of all focus on taking the season one meet at a time.

GVSU will have its first home meet of the season Friday when the team faces off against Lewis University at 5 p.m.

Aggressive mentality helps women earn a pair of victories

End results in tennis depend heavily on the execution in singles and doubles, and in recent weeks the Grand Valley State University women’s tennis team has made it known that in order for the Lakers to be the best team they are capable of being this season, they must increase their aggressiveness in doubles play.

GVL Archive Photo

This weekend the Lakers went on the road for three GLIAC matches with the goal of playing aggressive through the entirety of each match and coming out of doubles competition with the lead.

“This weekend was all about us coming out ready to play,” said freshman Leah Dancz. “We can’t afford another loss because it really hurts our chances of going to nationals.”

On Friday, in a match that determined third place in the conference, GVSU was able to claim a 2-1 lead over Ashland University (8-3, 8-3 GLIAC) after doubles play was complete and delivered solid singles performances across the board to down the Eagles, 8-1.

Sophomores Niki Shipman and Lexi Rice used come-from-behind victories during singles play to give the Lakers a singles sweep over Ashland.

Shipman, who plays at No. 1 singles, lost her first set 3-6 before bouncing back to defeat her opponent 6-2, 6-4. Similarly, Rice, the No. 4 singles player, dropped the first set 3-6 and then came back to win sets two and three by a score of 6-3, 6-2.

“Coming back [from a deficit] is all about focus,” Shipman said. “It’s not about who is in better shape, it’s about who wants it more.”

On Saturday, GVSU continued to focus on its doubles play, winning a pair of matches to give the Lakers a 2-1 advantage over Ohio Dominican University (7-5, 6-5 GLIAC) at the start of singles play.

Rice once again turned in strong performances for GVSU, downing the Panthers in straight sets 6-0, 6-0. However, Rice was not alone; senior Alyssa Lucas and sophomore Alison Fecko defeated their counterparts 6-0, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-0, respectively, while freshman Leah Dancz remains unbeaten on the year, improving to 5-0 after her singles victory.

With two wins this weekend, GVSU improves to 9-2 on the season and 8-2 in the GLIAC.

“This weekend went very well,” said GVSU head coach John Black. “Doubles seem to be playing more as a team, moving their feet, communicating and playing more aggressive.”

On Sunday, the Lakers’ match against Lake Erie College (0-10, 0-9 GLIAC) ended in a forfeit because the Storm did not have full rosters ready to compete.

As the regular season winds down, the Lakers look to continue to perfect their doubles play on Thursday when they head to Ferris State University for a match that was rescheduled due to rain before competing in the GLIAC tournament on Oct. 21.

Although, GVSU is not overlooking Ferris State, they are ready for a chance to avenge an early season 5-4 loss to Wayne State University during the conference tournament.

“I think everyone on the team was disappointed on how we played against [Wayne State] so we’re hoping for another shot at them,” said Black.

Carreri courts Crawford

Senior athlete's engaged -- 

Originally, Grand Valley State University seniors Tony Carreri and Kara Crawford came to campus to play football and women’s basketball for the Lakers, but their individual decisions to play co-ed intramural softball changed their lives forever.

Carrari, a senior tight end on the football team, and Crawford, a senior forward on the women’s basketball team, first met on a softball field in 2008 while playing on a team with mutual friends.

Courtesy of Eric Coulter

After a few years of getting to know each other, it became apparent that their competitive yet caring nature was a compliment to who they are as individuals and as a couple, so Carreri decided to propose.

“The big thing for me was I wanted it to be surprise. I didn’t want her to see it coming, [and] I didn’t want her to expect it,” he said. “It wasn’t going to be a Friday night, awkward real nice dinner, rings in the dessert type deal.”

For two people who have a shared appreciation for athletics, it was fitting that Carreri decided to incorporate sports into the proposal. Last fall, he arranged for Crawford’s parents and grandmother to come to Allendale for a GVSU football game, where he had plans to drop down on one knee, outside of Lubbers stadium at the conclusion of his game.

Crawford didn’t suspect a thing.

As the couple prepares for their wedding in July, they were quick to point out that the GVSU Athletics has played a vital role in their relationship and their ability to understand each other.

“Neither of us would’ve been at Grand Valley if it wasn’t for our respective sports,” Carreri said.

Carreri and Crawford said sports are just a part of who they are, and competing for GVSU has helped create a mutual understanding for their commitment toward sports and other things that are important to them.

Carreri’s brother, Nick, said common personality traits such as being outgoing, responsible and having the ability to relate to each other are a few qualities that have helped shape their relationship.

The ability to relate to each other was especially evident when both athletes were trying to recover from knee injuries, Carreri’s in 2009 and Crawford’s in 2010.

Courtesy of Eric Coulter

“When each of them was injured, the other knew what to do and what they were going through,” Nick Carreri said. “The best person they could turn to was the person they were with the most, so I think that really helped because they didn’t need anyone else, they could just turn to each other.“

As seniors this season, they both bring experience, leadership and passion to their respective teams. They also hope to teach younger teammates how to carry on the tradition that comes along with Laker athletics.

“Tony and I are thankful for our experiences at Grand Valley that we’ve had with our sports teams,” Crawford said. “It’s kind of a tight-knit community and I think if Grand Valley wasn’t so neat in that way we never would’ve met.”

Botts’ four-goal weekend powers team

At the start of the 2011 season, the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team used defense and timely scoring to come away with victories, but this weekend the Lakers had the offense rolling, thanks in large part to junior forward Ashley Botts.

On Friday, the Lakers outscored Northwood University 7-1 before hitting the road Sunday to put away Ohio Dominican University by a score of 1-0.

Courtesy Archive Photo

“The last of seven or eight games we’ve played a little bit better soccer as we’ve gone on, and some the goals that we’ve been scoring in certain games have given us a little more confidence going forward,” said GVSU head coach Dave DiIanni. “I think it’s no surprise that Ashley and Kayla Addison are getting on the score sheet, and that’s helping our team [because] scoring goals is all about confidence.”

Botts has been on a tear as of late, coming off two straight GLIAC Player of the Week honors. She has scored seven goals in GVSU’s last six games, including four goals against the Timberwolves.

“I was just trying to connect for my team, they did work getting it up there to me, and I was just trying to finish it off,” Botts said after the victory over Northwood.

The first of seven Laker goals against Northwood came in the 20th minute from Botts, who knocked the ball in the center of the net after receiving a pass from junior Kayla Addison. Less than two minutes later she struck again, this time on a pass from senior midfielder Erin Mruz.

There is no denying that GVSU fans in attendance were witnessing a Botts highlight reel, but Alyssa Mira, Addison and Maria Brown chipped in with goals to add as well.

Before the first half ended, junior Mira kept momentum on GVSU’s side and joined Botts in the scoring parade by taking a ball right outside the 18 box and guiding to the back of the net. The goal gave the Lakers a 4-1 lead.

Di Ianni said GVSU carried energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the game plan into the second half to score three more goals.

On Sunday, GVSU traveled to Ohio Dominican University to take on the Panthers in a game where the Laker defensive effort was relentless, allowing the Panthers to get off only two shots in 90 minutes.

Sophomore Kayla Kimble said going from an offensive battle on Friday to a defensive game takes a lot of mental engagement, communication and organization to keep the game in front of them.

“We just have to stay in control and relax and play our game,” Kimble said.

GVSU was held scoreless for just over 52 minutes until freshman Charlie Socia used a header that scooted by the Panther goal-keeper to score her second goal of the season.

“I would rather have an ugly win than a pretty loss,” DiIanni said.

GVSU is now 9-0-2 on the season and 9-0 in GLIAC play, and will be back in action at 7 p.m. Friday at Northwood University.

Lakers stumble in doubles, fall 5-4 to Northwood

For the second time this season, the Grand Valley State University women’s tennis team dropped a 5-4 decision to a GLIAC opponent.

On Tuesday, Northwood University came prepared to battle with the Lakers, as the visiting Timberwolves came out victorious in all three doubles matches. With the loss, GVSU is now 7-2 overall and 6-2 in GLIAC play.

Courtesy Archive Photo

“It as a disappointing loss because we just didn’t get the job done in doubles,” said GVSU head coach John Black. “The big story of our season this year is getting our doubles working. If we can get [doubles] going we can beat any team we play. If we’re in 3-0 hole we’re not going to win many matches.”

GVSU countered Northwood’s attack by compiling a four wins in the singles matches but couldn’t quite recover from the early deficit.

The Lakers were led by senior Tara Hayes and freshman Leah Dancz, who defeated their singles competition 7-5, 6-3 and 6-4, 6-3 respectively.

“I knew I had to go out there giving 100 percent,” said Hayes. “I played the best tennis I’ve played in probably four years. We lost all three doubles, [so] going into my singles match I gave it all I had. It was definitely worth it.”

Traditionally, Northwood is a strong team and a conference contender said Black. Still, GVSU outplayed the Timberwolves in the later part of Tuesday’s match, and hopes to get another shot at their GLIAC foe during the conference tournament.

Hayes said coming into the match GVSU wasn’t feeling a lot of pressure knowing that Northwood was a strong conference opponent. However, once the score was tied 4-4, the match got heated.

Dancz, who only competed in singles, said she felt the intensity of the match when she stepped out on the court.

“It was a lot of pressure after the doubles had lost to come back and win all the singles, but [the team] didn’t give up,” Dancz said. “We kept fighting and almost pulled it off so that was exciting.”

Aside from Hayes and Dancz, sophomores Lexi Rice and Anne Marie Morin also picked up wins for Lakers at No. 4 and No. 6 singles, respectively, while senior Alyssa Lucas had her seven-match win streak snapped.

As conference play continues, the team knows they have to improve both the execution and concentration during doubles play.

Hayes and Dancz said if the Lakers can find a way start doubles competition with the same aggressiveness as they do with singles, GVSU will be unbeatable.

“We’ve had a lot of matches in the past few days,” Black said. “We played four this [past] weekend and one [Tuesday], so tomorrow we’re going to rest. Then we’re going to continue to work on doubles in practice. Hopefully, the things we’re doing in practice will pay off down the road.”

The Lakers will be back in action on Friday, squaring off against GLIAC rival Ferris State University. The match will take place in Big Rapids at 3 p.m.

Teams wash cars for Make-A-Wish Foundation

Competing for championships is a yearly expectation for Grand Valley State University’s athletic program, but what Laker fans do not often realize is being an athlete at GVSU involves more than just game play.

Each year Laker athletes spend countless hours away from sports to participate in community service projects.

Courtesy of Coach Jones

On Saturday, the GVSU men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams hosted a car wash and donated the proceeds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“When we do events like this, it shows everyone that we’re not just all about sports, we’re involved the community too,” said Jocelyn Kuksa, senior pole vaulter.

The two teams are comprised of 188 athletes, with 150 of them taking part in the community fundraiser. The car wash took place at four different locations, including McDonald’s in Allendale, Arby’s in Standale, Advanced Auto Parts in Jenison and Walgreen’s in Grandville.

The athletes raised about $1,300 for charity.

“We used to do a car wash as a fundraiser for our team, but two years ago we decided to give back to Make-a-Wish Foundation,” said GVSU assistant coach Steve Jones. “Overall, it was a very successful day. You can’t always judge an event like this by its monetary outcome because it’s something that our athletes embrace and love doing together.”

Jones said community service is integral to Division II athletics, because it helps with character building.

“It’s not just [the cross country and track] teams, all the teams do something,” he said. “[Women’s] basketball went down to Alabama to help with tornado relief and football volunteers at a camp.”

Aside from benefiting the Make-a Wish Foundation, the car wash helps GVSU athletes improve team chemistry, build character and prepare for life after their playing days are over.

“We are a big group, so an event like this allows us the chance to bond and get the chance to know each other a little bit better,” said Tyler Emmorey, senior distance runner. “I like doing things like this because I actually get to see it pay off in the community.”

For some student athletes, giving back to organizations means helping out a cause near to their hearts.

“I have some family and friends who are sick, so to take time out of my day to give back to people who need it is good,” Kuska said.

At the same time, Kuksa knows that giving back to the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the team bonding are the two main goals, but they also gain new fans and bring positive publicity to GVSU by working in the community.

Tough opponents yield positive results for women's tennis

Even divided by state lines, the Grand Valley State University women’s tennis team proved this weekend that it can still unite together to turn out the win.

During a weekend when half of the team played in Indianapolis at the ITA Regional Tournament while the other half competed in Chicago at the River Forest Tennis Club Invitational, the Lakers found a way to turn in strong performances.

Courtesy Archive Photo

Four players participated in the regional tournament in Indianapolis, where senior Tara Hayes, who went 2-1 on the weekend, led the team.

“The regional tournament is not flighted, which means the third or fourth best player on one team could be playing the top player from another team,” said GVSU head coach John Black. “We faced some of the top teams in the region this weekend and I was very happy with our performances.”

Hayes, whose lone loss on the weekend came at the hands of the top player in the region, said preparing for a tournament is a little different than a traditional match.

During tournaments, each team member is playing a different opponent, which makes mental preparation key because athletes are competing individually.

“I really enjoyed this weekend because I faced a lot of international competitors,” Hayes said. “They hit and serve the ball harder so it was a good challenge.”

In Chicago, five GVSU freshmen competed against a field full of Division I opponents. Still, the Lakers didn’t let their opponents dictate the level of play or results on the weekend, finishing with a 21-6 record.

“The freshman went out and played extremely tough tennis this weekend, which is only going to help us get better,” Black said. “You don’t get better by beating teams 6-0, 6-0 — you get better by playing tough tennis.”
 
Leading the way were freshman Morgan Patterson and senior Alyssa Lucas, who both went undefeated during singles play. Freshman Kelly Trapp also turned in solid performances, posting a 3-1 record.

“It was a little intimidating at first playing all Division I schools, but we knew if we played tough, we could compete with anyone,” said freshman Kelly Trapp. “Playing such tough competition helps me believe in myself, and take the mentality of never give up on and off of the court. Hopefully, that is something I can use throughout my life.”

For several of the first year players, this weekend’s competition was the first time they even cracked the lineup.

The solid results posted by the newcomers is not only an indicator that they are capable of competing, but it speaks volumes about the leadership abilities of seniors Katelyn Schaffer, Lucas and Hayes.


Moving forward, GVSU hopes their strong performances against formidable opponents is a good implication that they are headed in the right direction.

The Lakers have three home GLIAC matches this weekend against Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University and Hillsdale College.

“Lake Superior and Michigan Tech are going to be tough matches,” Black said. “We just need to continue to play well in singles and elevate our doubles.”

Freshmen aid GV in Saginaw Valley takedown

A strong start helped propel the Grand Valley State University women’s tennis team to a 7-2 victory over GLIAC rival Saginaw State University on Tuesday.

The No. 15-ranked Lakers were looking to get back on track after suffering their first loss of the season to Wayne State University on Sunday, a goal they easily accomplished.

“We knew we had to step it up and come ready to play today,” said sophomore Anne Marie Morin. “We can’t take anything for granted.”

With Morin’s words in mind, GVSU came into the match with the mindset compete hard, regardless of who the opponent is or what the score is.

As the first serve went up the air, GVSU displayed energy after picking up wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Junior Allison Fecko and senior Alyssa Lucas defeated the Cardinals 8-0, while the sophomore duo of Lexi Rice and Niki Shipman won their match 8-1.

“From Sunday to [Tuesday] we really turned it around,” said Jon Black, GVSU head coach. “I feel like we’re starting to reach our form, and we got strong performances from our freshmen today.”

Tara Hayes and Morin dropped their doubles match 7-9, but kept the momentum on the Lakers’ side in a battle that went down to the wire.

“Personally, I think I did better today. I really wanted to focus on moving forward and being more aggressive than I was on Sunday,” Morin said.

The consistent play in doubles by the entire team helped GVSU relax, and build a lead it would not relinquish.

“Anytime we have a lead after doubles it’s huge because it takes pressure off of our singles matches,” Black said. “Then we know we only have to win three of our singles matches, and we feel like we can beat anyone in the conference once we have the lead.”

As the day continued, GVSU kept their “step it up” mindset alive, dropping only one match during singles play. Freshmen Kristina Lucas and Kali Phillips helped shut the door on the Cardinals with strong performances, winning 6-1, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-0 respectively.

“We were all excited to get back on the court, and wanted to redeem ourselves after the loss,” said junior Alyssa Lucas. “We all played well today. Everyone did their part, and the freshmen Kali and Kristina played tough, which was great.”

With the win, the Lakers improve to 3-1 while Saginaw Valley falls to 0-3. GVSU hopes to build off their total team effort this weekend as they compete at ITA Regional Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Women fall to Wayne State after strong weekend homestand

In the first week of competition, the Grand Valley State University’s women’s tennis team had to deal with something it did not encounter all of last season — a regular season loss.

The Lakers opened the season with two consecutive wins over GLIAC foes the University of Findlay and Tiffin University before dropping a hard fought match against Wayne State University Sunday.

Courtesy Archive Photo

With the Wayne State loss aside, there were some bright moments in this weekend’s play, including two dominating wins over the Oilers and Dragons and a come-from-behind three-set win from sophomore Lexi Rice.

“We went 2-1 on the weekend and had two good wins,” said GVSU head coach John Black. “I don’t think we’ve reached our full potential yet. We just need to keep working hard. It’s a gradual process, and hopefully we will get another shot at Wayne during the conference tournament.”

The Lakers came out rolling on Friday behind strong play from sophomores Niki Shipman and Rice at No. 3 doubles and ended the day with a 9-0 sweep.

On Saturday, the team once again came out strong, defeating Tiffin by a score of 8-1 and sweeping in doubles competition. Singles was equally as strong, led by a 6-0, 6-0 victory from junior Allison Fecko.

Sunday’s back and forth match against Wayne State spanned almost four hours with the Lakers coming up short, suffering a 5-4 defeat. GVSU started the match by dropping two of its doubles matches, giving Wayne State momentum heading into singles competition.

Alyssa Lucas, Anne Marie Warren and Rice were victorious singles matches, but it wasn’t enough to give GVSU the win.

“I was frustrated by all the little mistakes I was making,” said Rice, who won her singles match in a tie-break. “She was tough, but I told myself I wasn’t going to lose."

Looking forward, GVSU knows they have to continue to play hard and can’t get caught up in the loss.

“All the matches were close. It’s just a matter of eliminating a few mistakes. We’ll get them during conference,” said Rice.

The team will be back in action Tuesday at Saginaw Valley State University at 2 p.m.

Cross country looks to use depth and experience to build on success

Behind 2010 National Coach of the Year Jerry Baltes, the Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s teams reached new heights last season. The women brought home their first NCAA National Championship, and the men finished third in the nation.
 
Looking ahead to the 2011 season, Baltes said last year’s success has given the Lakers confidence and experience to build on their winning ways.

Courtesy Archive Photo

“The expectation for both teams is to focus on the day-to-day process and work hard,” he said. “If we can do that, the rest will take care itself, and hopefully we’ll be competing for national titles on Nov. 19.”

Despite ending the season on top of the proverbial mountain, the women’s team was ranked No. 2 in the Division II preseason poll, trailing Western State College. The men’s team, however, starts out the season right where they finished last year.

The women’s team graduated some key contributors from last season’s national championship team, but has plenty of athletes who are ready to step up. Most notably, the team returns four runners who finished in the Top 32 at the national meet.

“Anytime you lose seniors it’s hard, but we’re not going to dwell on what we lost,” Baltes said. “We have ladies who did not finish in the top seven last year, but now they’re right there. They’re hungry to win.”

As defending national champions, the girls know their opponents will come at them hard, but that’s just added motivation to keep improving.

“I hope our team can expand on what we did last year,” said senior Monica Kinney. “We have a target on our back, that’s hard, but we have experience and confidence in each other. We know we have what it takes to win.”

The men are coming off of their best finish in program history, and hope to improve on that mark in 2011. With virtually the entire team returning from last year, and a roster loaded with fifth-year seniors, expectations are high. Leading the way will be 2010 Midwest Region Player of the Year, Tyler Emmorey and fellow senior Anthony Witt.

“This team’s strength is definitely our depth and experience,” Baltes said. “Hopefully we can use both to help compete for a national championship.”

However, the men know that experience and depth alone are not going to be enough to win a national title.
“My goals and everyone else’s goals are to improve individually and as a team each day,” said senior Paul Zielinski. “If we put in the work we can reach our goal to bring home a national championship.”

Not only do both teams have the goal to make noise on the national scene by competing at the national championships, but they also want bring home conference championships. Laker cross-country teams have exhibited dominance over the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in recent years. The men and women have won nine and ten GLIAC titles, respectively.

“Every year it’s our goal to compete and win conference, regional and national titles, but it’s important to remember we can’t focus on the end result,” Baltes said.

Help Make a Dream Come True --

 Emily Hepker, who is battling cancer has a dream is to form the fifth team in the professional softball, otherwise known as the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch).

To make this dream a reality you can purchase a wristband that says:

”There’s more to athletics than competing & there’s more to life than being an athlete.” 

 

 50 pecent of the money raised through the wristbands will be given to Emily.

 ** You can purchase the wristband by clicking here -- for $4.99 each

Thank-you for your contribution!

Returning Back to my Field of Dreams

Women's College World Series

Here's my trip in photos, enjoy!

US Olympian Kelly Kretschman and USSA Pride's Charlotte Morgan spent an inning talking with me.

One night I was the last to leave the stadium -- soakin' it all in!

People say it's just a game, to some extent I agree, but when that game starts to change your life... it becomes more than a game, it becomes a part of you.