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Show t Jl for Utah sports teams low Support fans are Utah unmotivated compared to other states sports distance doesnt necessarily need to be a factor. Wesleyjarman Staff Writer On Oct. 28, Colorado Rockies pinch hitter Seth attends basketball games, but also knows the undersized crowds at his friends womens volleyball Westminster senior Rob Holcombe played three years with Coach Tommy Connors basketball team. Holcombe thinks that the majority of Westminster students are poor examples of support as fans. I think that 90 percent of Westminster students arent fans at all. The other 10 percent that are fans are probably Smith struck out, missing the pitch thrown by Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon. crowd at Coors Stadium in Denver, Among a sell-oColo., and countless baseball faqs watching around players, said Holcombe. the world, Smith was the first to know that his team, "I which won 21 of its last 22 games before entering the 90 percent World Series, had just been swept out of its chance of fans Westminster students becoming baseballs best. Two days later, while the Red Sox ended a victo10 percent at all. The haU rious parade at city and Papelbon was performare fans are players." Irish dance another ing step, there were Westminster Rob Holcombe students asking a belated question: So does anyone Senior know who won the World Series? Even outside of Holcombe attended Columbia College in Sonora, Westminster, it can be a challenge to find sports fans in Utah who keep up to date with sporting events. Calif., and with the last reported population of Sonora One possible reason Utah lacks sports fans combeing just more than 4,500 residents, We still packed pared to other states is because Utah doesnt have the the house, he said. I think a lot of it has to do with pride, said amount of professional teams that other cities do. In Major League Baseball, for example, the nearest teams Holcombe. He was pointing to the comparison beare the Colorado Rockies, the San Francisco Giants or tween the fans he didnt receive when he played as the Seattle Mariners. The same goes for football. Either a Griffin to those of when he played for Columway, those cities are a good flight away from Utah. But bia. Here, the fans are vacant. Holcombe not only 94-m- ph ut think that of aren't other probably that games. Even though Holcombe believes Utahns are less athletic when compared to other cities, he believes, at the least, Westminster has a chance to change. You can go anywhere ... outside of Utah, to another big wherever you will find city, and find a a court. It starts with one guy, then another thats where fans come from, said Holcombe. Our freshmen are a good place to start. Most students have lost their chance to root for the Westminster womens volleyball team during a home game because for the rest of the season, the women are out of town. But one way to start participating or cheering on the Griffins is by visiting the Westminster athletics Web site, which contains full schedules and other information, at www.westminstercollege. pick-up-ga- me eduathletics. If Westminster sports dont sound interesting, one place to go to view professional or even other colleges sporting events could be Iggys Sports Grill. Located at 423 W. 300 S. in downtown Salt Lake City, it has three large "screens that broadcast the popular games of the day or night. Golf team finishes fall season, looks ahead to spring Men set Westminster record at first competition; women compete despite short roster Joey Hellrung StaffWriter This years golf team wrapped up its fall season after tournaments. The 2007--OS competing in three roster includes 14 men and four women coached by JD Gustin. The teams first competition was hosted by Montana Tech at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in Anaconda, Mont., on Sept. 10. Eight teams competed in the mens division and the Westminster men finished in second finplace, setting a college record. Senior David Wintzer ished with the best score of 220, followed closely by senior Chad Rinderknecht with 221 and senior Tyler Wiscomb with 224. The womens team placed fifth, with six teams Gabiola-Har-r- is competing in its division. Senior NiCassia led the women with the best individual score of 283. The second competition was the Carroll Invitational, which was held in Helena, Mont., the following week on The mens team finished fifth overall, with Sept. 17-1-8. nine teams competing. Senior Gary Knight led the mens total score of 219, followed by team with a three-roun- d Patrick Roeder with 228. The womens team finished last, with five teams competing in its division. Gabiola-Harr- is once again led the women, finishing in 20th place individually with a score of 273. out-of-st- ate 9-- The Westminster Photo courtesy of NiCassia 14-1- 5. golf team resumes competition April Gabiola-Harri- s with. We are all friends outside of the team. Knight agrees that the teams closeness has contributed to its success. He said, We are a really tight-kn- it group and are good friends outside of golf, which is the best part. Overall, the team has been playing better this year, and that is part of the reason why. Knight has been playing golf since he was 12, and like Gabiola-Harri- s, learned from his father. He played competitively throughout high school in St. Charles, 111., but took a break from golf during his first few years of college. He attended his freshman year at Miami University in Ohio, then transferred to the University of Colorado. He wasnt satisfied with the large size of the University of Colorado and wanted to attend a school with smaller classes. His father, who is a Westminster alumnus, suggested he look into Salt Lake City. Knight transferred to Westminster last fall. Knight is now one of Westminsters most valuable players. He led the mens team during its second comand petition in Helena, Mont., where he shot finished in fourth place individually. This past summer, he finished in first place at the Pottawattamie Mens City Tournament in his hometown of St. Charles, 111. shots, Knight said he is typically better at long-ransaid her specialties are chipping whereas Gabiola-Harr- is and putting. When asked what his favorite part of golf is, Knight replied, I just like being outside and I like golf because its a solitary sport. You go out there and do your than ten minutes of strenuous activity impossible. The own thing. You don't have to rely on other people like condition didnt affect her golf game, however, which you do in other sports. It's all you. To the same question, Gabiola-Harr- is Gabiola-Harr- is replied, Golf is such an interesting sport says is 90 percent mental and 10 percent because its lifelong. You can still be playing golf when mechanics. Westminsters golf team has been improving, accordyoure 80. 1 also like how its mostly mental. s. The golf team is currently taking a break from comIts amazing we have as good a ing to Gabiola-Harriwhen it wall play at Lewis and team as we do considering there are no golf scholarships, peting until April 14-- 15, she said. She attributes part of the teams success to its Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. The Westminster Invite, the only competition in Salt Lake City, will closeness outside of golf. She said, Because golf is mostly 21-mental, its a lot easier to play with people youre comfort- - take place the next week on April 22. The final competition was held at Rocky Mountain Westminster College in Billings, Mont., on Sept. 23-- 24. finished this competition with a team score of 888, its best individual score being 290, which put the team in fifth place out of nine. The womens team again finished in last place, with seven teams competing in its division. At each competition, the first day is typically devoted to a practice round of 18 holes. From there, each competitor plays a total of three rounds of 18 holes each. Two rounds are played the first day and one is played the second. Although the mens team includes 14 players, only eight participate in each competition. Of that eight, the five best scores will end up as the teams individual scores, and the team score is composed of the lowest four. Since the womens team only has four players this year, each wishes more members score is counted. Gabiola-Harr- is women were involved with golf. If we had one more player, wed be able to throw out the highest score. That way, if one of the girls has a bad day, it wont count against us, she said. Gabiola-Harr- is has been playing golf since she was 7 years old. She learned the game from her father, who once played for Weber State University. She played golf, basketball and soccer throughout high school in Caldwell, Idaho, although became increasingly interested in golf after being diagnosed with a heart condition called syncope. This condition cuts off the flow of oxygen from the heart to the brain and makes any more able 73-73-- 73 ge nic - NOVEMBER 13, 2007 |