Training camp kicks off for Football

It’s that time of year again where college football teams across the country begin preparing for their upcoming football season. We just checked in and got equipment today. We had a team meeting and went over all the rules and the schedule of training camp itself. This year, we are fighting to win the conference championship. Going into camp this year, we have 83 players showing up on campus to prove themselves. Myself being a returning starter at wide receiver, I have much competition at my position with a lot of incoming freshman. Half of the team is made up of freshmen this year. Coaches are going to really push us hard these next two weeks in preparing us for the upcoming season. I am looking forward to an exciting year as well as going out to win the conference championship. We have a lot of potential.

Summer 11

Well, now that summer is officially finished for me, it is back to school and football. This summer, I was busy with a lot of things. I have a job at home in which I work for my uncle’s business and ship medical supplies. I also got the chance to go and visit my girlfriend and her family in Chicago. But mostly, I have been busy preparing for the upcoming 2011 football season. I lifted and ran everyday throughout the week, training myself so that I could become a better football player. Summer this year was abnormally hot in the Pittsburgh region. Caused me to have a lack of energy throughout the days. I got to hang out and catch up with many of my friends from home. But most importantly, I got to spend some quality time with my family. Summer after your first year of college can be a great relief, though I did miss many of my friends here at Gallaudet.

Dorm Life

Outside of school and activities here at Gallaudet, dorm life is a great experience. There are five dorms here at Gallaudet with a new dorm soon to come. The freshmen live in Benson Hall, as the upperclassmen choose to live in either Ballard West, Clerc Hall, Carlin Hall, or Peet Hall. All these dorms are a great place to live during your college years at Gallaudet. Each floor has its own lobby for socializing, as well as television, so you can watch what you want to watch.

Dorms can be a major social area while you are here at Gallaudet. As a freshman, I always hang out around my dorm and spend time with friends out on the floor lobbies. It is a great way for me to interact and learn. Since I do not have a TV, I often go out to the lobby to watch my favorite TV shows. If I have homework, and I want to be alone, I often go out to the lobbies to get it done. It is often quiet with little distractions other than people walking back and forth out of the elevator.

Your own living space is valuable as a student here on campus. You live with one other person if you do not have a single person room. Each room is big enough to fit all of you belongings in. The dorms are equipped with free wifi, so you can access the internet easily. If you need to ever do laundry, you can always go down to the basement of the dorm you live in, and take advantage of the machines offered.

Dorms are a great addition to college life. They can be beneficial both socially, and academically. Enjoy your stay here at Gallaudet with some of the best dorms you will ever find.

Homecoming 2010

Homecoming here at Gallaudet is a wonderful and fun time for many people here at Gallaudet. The week is full of activities for students to become involved with. Each graduating class has a competition everyday throughout the week, whether it be crazy dress up day, or opposite gender day. Many Gallaudet alumni come here to celebrate the Homecoming. One event held on the weekend is the football game. Before the game, Alumni were opted to walk in a parade and embrace the moment. After the parade, The football team shows off their talent on the field. This year, we beat Anna Maria in a well fought battle. It was a great game for both teams. To conclude the ceremonies, a big bash is held by the Homecoming Committee. People go there to socialize with their friends and dance on the dance floor with lots of great music playing. Since Homecoming was around Halloween, The theme of this years homecoming was Halloween. Many students dressed up in their costumes and went to the bash to dance.

Homecoming was a great experience for me. It showed me what an actual college homecoming was like. I got the chance to participate in the activities offered throughout the week, as well as go to the bash. Overall, I could say it was a week to remember here at Gallaudet as a freshman.

My Freshmen Experience

Freshmen year is finally coming to a close here at Gallaudet with finals coming up in a bout a week. It has been a great experience for me as a freshman. I learned a lot about myself and the university itself. I began my freshman year as a starting wide receiver for the Bison football team. This took up much of my first semester, so it was a lot of work for me managing time in with football and school. I still got the best grades possible.

While here at Gallaudet, I made many new friends that I never knew I could do. They have always been a part of my college life socially and academically. They taught me a lot about myself. I was able to make time outside of school and football to hang out with them. I also got myself a girlfriend which is a nice addition to my social life.

Learning sign was probably the toughest experience for me. I had to put a lot of effort into it by attending ASL classes three days a week. Signing has helped me to better communicate with my teachers and fellow friends. I was a new signer before coming here, which encouraged me to want to learn sign language. So far this year, I have learned a lot regarding communication and background skills of signing.

This school year has been a wonderful experience for me as a freshman. It has taught me a lot, and I look forward to my future years here at Gallaudet.

Spring Practice Coming to a Close

As the school year ends, so does spring practice for my football team. We have gone 5 long weeks of intense training to help prepare for the upcoming season. Spring practice is a time for the players to help improve there skills and practice their plays. Coaches evaluate every player so that they can have an idea of where to put everyone when training camp starts. I have been working hard and helping to improve myself to become a better wide receiver. I go through drills and run plays and learn all at the same time. It is a great experience for me as a freshmen, as i have learned a lot from my coaches.

At the end of the spring practices, we are all tested on lifting and conditioning. These tests are given to show the athletes and coaches what they need to work on in the summer. It is a great opportunity to show everything that you have put into the past winter.

Coaches then assign a workout that needs to be followed in the summer while the athlete is at home. They give lifting and running activities to each player to help improve what they have done in the previous test. When training camp comes, the athletes are expected to come back better than they were when they first arrived. This is crucial to help show the coaches what you can do on the football field.

Fraternity/Sorority, and Student Sponsored Activities

Gallaudet is a great place to be because of the events that students, fraternities, and sororities provide. Many students enjoy these activities that they go to because they are so fun. Even though you have to pay for your ticket, they are still worth the experience. Fraternities and Sororities often schedule dances and parties for students throughout the year. The Student Body also sponsors activities to help students stay involved and interact with one another.

Fraternities and Sororities set up dances and parties for the students each year. They provide music, refreshments, and games that keep students involved. If you don’t have anything going on during the weekends, that is your chance to go and have some fun. You can go with friends, or even make new friends there. Many people opt to dance while they are there becuase it is so much fun. Nothing hurts to show off you dance moves and the dances. It is a great way to interact with people and will make your night enjoyable. So take advantage of the dances and parties set up by these groups, because they are worth it in the end.

The student body itself also sponsors on campus activities. Many dorm staff people set up activities for students to learn about something new and interact with each other. The students also set up dances themselves. For example, every now and then, a themed dance is set up for students to go to. These dances are at the Rathskellar Pub, where you can eat and talk to friends as well as dance. These activities are all free, which should help you to save money. Nothing hurts going out and seeing what these activities are like, because they are a lot of fun.

JumpStart Program

The JumpStart program is a great opportunity for students here at Gallaudet. It is a summer program that begins in middle July, and ends about the time school starts. It is an opportunity for people to become better students in the classroom, make new friends, and get a feel for Gallaudet and it’s surrounding environment in Washington, DC. JumpStart is divided into two parts; New Signers Program and Academic success. Many freshmen choose to attend this program to either learn ASL, which is the New Signers Program, or to simply take classes to help them in school, such as Math, or English, which is part of Academic Success. All students are assigned peer counselors to help guide them through their experience at Gallaudet. JumpStart also offers activities such as Personal Discovery, and Field-Trips to museums in DC.

New Signers Program is chosen by students who want to learn ASL and become better signers. The Students attend classes everyday in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon as well. It is an opportunity that is given so that students who don’t know ASL can be prepared for when school starts and know ASL. If you feel you won’t fit in, trust me, you will. I was a new signer when i first came here and attended the New Signers Program. It taught me the basics of ASL so that I was able to communicate with people who already knew sign and are deaf. I know it will help you just as much as it helped me. It’s a great experience to remember and you won’t regret it.

In addition, Academic Success is a program offered in JumpStart to students who want to become better at a subject. The two subjects covered are math and english. If you have struggled in high school with any of these subjects, it is a great opportunity to learn from a great teaching staff. The teachers are current faculty members and will help you become a better student at the subject. You will learn a lot from this program, and will be a better student when fall comes around.

Classes are not the only activities that are a part of JumpStart. Students will participate in Personal Discovery. It is an outdoor activity that gets students involved with teamwork. You will get to know your peers better this way by participating in this activity. It will help you become a better leader. I know it helped me. Also, you will get the chance to go on field-trips to museums. Museums vary from the Art Museum to the Holocaust Museum, and others. It is a great experience for students to be involved.

What to do Around DC

There is much to do while you are here at Gallaudet. Activities range from going out to eat with your friends, to going to tour DC itself. Whichever you choose, you are in for a real treat. Nothing can beat the excitement of being at a college that is located in the Capital of America. I promise, with so much to do here, you will wish you never had to leave Gallaudet.
There are many places where you can go to eat around campus. One popular place Gallaudet students go to is Union Station. Gallaudet provides a shuttle service that will take you there, and is only five minutes away. So it saves you time and money both at the same time. Union Station has many places you can eat. But the ones that students most often choose are Chipotle, McDonalds, and other variations throughout the area. Going to eat at Union Station is a great way to spend time with your friends. Or even if your parents are down for a visit, you can always go to a nice restaurant.
Also in DC, Students tend to go and tour the capital. There are many sites to see, such as the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, the White House, etc. These locations are all outside of Gallaudet’s campus. Students take the metro there, which is a cheap way of transportation throughout the city. Every student should take the time to go and see what Washington, DC has to offer to its tourists, because it is quite an amazing experience.
Finally, DC offers many places to do your shopping. Whether it be for food, or for fashion. Popular malls around the area are Pentagon City Mall and Wheaton Mall. These are all near Gallaudet, and can be reached by taking the metro to and from.
Gallaudet has a lot more to offer than you can imagine. It is quite a thrill to be at a college where there is so much to do off campus during your free time.

Gallaudet Interception gets Attention

In Septmember of 2010, The Gallaudet Football team’s defense made an outstanding play that may as well go down as one of the most attention-grabbing plays of all time.  The play itself was set up uniquely to stop an ensuing first down of the opposing team, Castleton State, our fellow conference rival in football.

To break the play down, the defensive secondary dropped back to play pass protection, while Castleton State dropped back to pass.  The quarterback was under pressure, forcing him to throw to the first receiver he saw.  The ball was overthrown to the sideline, but was in the reach of sophomore linebacker Tom Pangia.  He reached up, but the ball tipped his fingers and went over his head.  Freshmen cornerback Tony Tatum was running towards the sideline, and jumped out out of bounds, and made a basketball-like tip of the ball back inbounds while still in the air from his jump.  Safety Shelby Bean was luckily in the right place at the right time.  He caught Tony’s tip, and ran in 3 yards before being tripped up by the opposing player.

This play has grabbed a lot of attention from many well-known networks.  It was first displayed on YouTube.  It was then voted play of the week by D3football.com.  To add to all that attention, it was picked up by Sports Illustrated, Versus, Yahoo, and even ESPN.  It was featured on ESPN’s top 10 plays of the week and grabbed the number 2 spot.  The video is still viewed on YouTube, and is close to two million views.  A video is posted below so you can experience the excitement of the great play. Click the Link to watch.

Gallaudet Interception