By Taylor Toothman | ttoothman@flagler.edu
Tis the season for the obligatory holiday-themed CD. It seems almost every recording artist has produced one at some point or another. Get yours now, because after December 25, it is très faux pas to blast “Frosty the Snowman” from your car stereo. Just don’t do it. This year there’s a very eclectic mix, sure to please the holiday lover in everyone.
By Laura Croft | gargoyle@flagler.edu
PHOTO CAPTION: If Junior Eric Taylor goes to Flagler College, it must be a good surf school.
This year, Flagler College has again been included in Transworld Surf’s top 10 surf colleges in America.
Transworld Surf Magazine took the liberty of “mapping out some of the best four-year schools in America to surf, party, sling chicks, and still walk away with that diploma.” The makings of a “surf college” consist of a geographic location near great surf and healthy surf scenes and/or surf clubs or teams. They also considered other factors in creating this list: Academics, surf quality, life experience, costs and partying.
By Sarah Vaccaro | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Most people wake up and sit behind a desk, gripping their coffee mug like a lifeline on Monday mornings.
Creator of A+ Children’s Therapy Surf Camp Shawn Lennon, on the other hand, begins his Monday mornings surfing for a cure for autism on North Beach. Children who suffer from Autism are affected through their communication, imagination, socializing and other behaviors.
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It just seems to magically appear each year and doesn’t have all of the hustle and bustle swirling around it like Christmas always did for my family. It’s almost like the day just creeped up on everyone’s calendars and starts off the holiday season with a feast centered around family and giving thanks for the good things in life.
By Brian Vigna | bvigna@flagler.edu
Photo by Matthew Boyle
PHOTO CAPTION: The Saints have lost some of the early momentum of the season and now look forward to the remaining challenges of 2009 for their chance to bring respect back to the program. Sophomore Guard John Pietkiewicz drives towards the basket here in a losing effort against Embry-Riddle.
The Saints are 1-6 and fans want answers. The honest truth is that the team just can’t finish games, but the reason behind this fatal flaw isn’t so easily seen.
The lack of true centers or big men on the team is an obvious shortcoming. Ask anyone who’s ever played basketball against their older brother or sister and they’ll tell you that you just can’t win against someone twice your size. The fact that in each game so far this season we’ve faced teams that average a full 3-5 inches bigger than our squad is not one to overlook.
By Lindsey Williams | gargoyle@flagler.edu
The season started dismal for last year’s women’s basketball. With seven losses as the season opened, the 2007 record read 15-17. As the 2008 season kicked off to a new start, the team has won two of the last seven games. No losing streak here.
Players hope to continue court improvements as the season thickens. Winning two of the last three home-games, the Saints have proven to be stronger at home than on the road. Perhaps the missing ingredient: more home support.
Photo by Matthew Boyle
By Kate Shoaf | gargoyle@flagler.edu
By Ryan Day | gargoyle@flagler.edu
At this time last year, the men’s soccer team was finishing out a two-win season, the men’s golf team hadn’t placed better than 12th in a tournament, men’s tennis included five underclassmen on its roster and expectations were going to be low until those underclassmen got some experience and men’s basketball was one day away from a 13-point loss to in-state rival Embry-Riddle, their fourth loss in eight games.
“I think the move to Division II will really boost this team,” men’s tennis coach Walter Shinn said shortly after season’s end last year.
By Kathy Novak | gargoyle@flagler.edu
At about a third of the way through the season and with a 2-4 record, the Lady Saints are dealing with changes that involve more competition and bigger challenges.
In the past, they have played a hard game of basketball, displaying all that they’ve got on the court. But this season it’s different.
“With a new season, comes new players on both ends – Saints and opponents. We are in Division II now – we will compete better. Will that result in wins? That’s up to the kids to find a way to do that,” Coach Sherri Abbey-Nowatzki said.
By Chelsi de Cuba | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo contributed by John Jordan
Freshman guard for the Flagler Saints women’s basketball team Charlsea Owen aspires to be a player her team can count on. Owen is a St. Augustine native who grew up watching Flagler athletics. She started playing basketball at age five and graduated from Pedro Menendez High School in St. Augustine.
Owen was introduced to basketball when her neighbor asked her to rebound for her. She would always walk across the lawn and rebound, which helped her launch a basketball career. Her biggest inspiration to play basketball was her middle school coach.