The Marietta men’s and women’s tennis teams compete every year in a rugged Ohio Athletic Conference, yet rarely are thought of when it comes to athletics on campus.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know we had tennis teams here,” said Marietta College sophomore John Lucore.

Almost everyone is familiar with everything from College Union Board activities to the employees at Gilman, so why is a varsity sport on the low spot on the totem pole?

“I think it comes down to people not really being sure how the sport works, and people aren’t going to come watch something that confuses them,” said Marietta College sophomore and men’s tennis member Josh Patterson.

For each match six players from each team play an individual singles contest as well as three double matches. The winner of each is awarded a point, and the team with the most points out of nine is declared the winner.

Confusion of how exactly to watch the game also comes into consideration for a lack of attention for the teams.

“I think people are unsure when to applaud. It’s more like golf, you clap after a point, not during the action. You’re not going to bring a cowbell or anything like to that watch a match,” said Patterson.

Uncertainty of the game at times has led to sparse turnouts for home contests for the Pioneers.

“I think our biggest fans could very well be the trainers,” said Patterson jokingly.

The low turnout though has not stopped the team from competing. During the off-season the two teams practice at a local indoor club with a former collegiate stand-out who offers lessons. Once the season rolls around, the team is on the court six days a week, sometimes more than once a day.

With the OAC season fast approaching, the two teams have been on the court non-stop preparing for the thick of the schedule. The teams call the Beren Tennis Center home for their home matches. The Center, which opened in 2002, is a top notch-facility that is not only open to the team, but faculty and students as well.

Patterson, who has been playing since age 12, weighed in on the 2010 campaign.  “I would like to win all of our non-conference matches, and compete and hopefully win a few in the OAC.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:  This article is by Chris Miller, a Media Writing Two student at Marietta College.  If you are interested in writing for Writing on the Mall, send an e-mail to Patrick_H@writingonthemall.net.

For the Class of 2010, the next few months will be spent on building resumés, applying for graduate school, and trying to make it through the last semester of classes. After graduation, joining The Long Blue Line will be the first transition into becoming alumni of Marietta College.  Then the question is, what do I do next?

Marietta College alumni have been helping change the campus for almost 175 years, from volunteering their time and talents to monetary donations.  These annual alumni donations to the Marietta Fund help support the day-to-day expenses of the College, such as supplies for CUB and other student organizations, athletic equipment and uniforms, and funding for special activities like Doo Dah Day, just to name a few. In addition, the Marietta Fund bridges the gap between student tuition and the actual cost of a Marietta College education.  Currently that gap is nearing $7,000 per student each year.

Beginning in 1997 The Senior Challenge was created to begin the initiative for soon-to-be alumni to make their first gift to the College.  This year, once again, the Marietta College Alumni Association (MCAA) Board of Directors has agreed to match the total raised by the senior class dollar-for-dollar, which will make each senior’s gift worth twice as much!   A check for the total Class of 2010 gift will be presented to President Scott during commencement exercises in May.

This year’s Senior Challenge theme “175 Years – A Little Change Can Go a Long Way,” was inspired by Marietta College’s 175th Anniversary.  It is through the support of alumni that Marietta College has been able to grow and flourish throughout the years.  These changes can be readily noted in the photographs displayed around campus.  For this year’s theme “change” has a double meaning.  Seniors will be given their own piggy bank, where they will be able to collect and save their loose change.  Throughout the semester there will be opportunities to empty the piggy banks and donate that change to the Senior Challenge class gift.  The piggy bank has also inspired the persona Pio Pig, who will be keeping students updated on the Senior Challenge through Facebook, Twitter, and other sources.

“We’re asking for all members of the Class of 2010 to participate in the Senior Challenge Campaign,” said Kimberly Nelson, Senior Challenge Committee Member.

“With this being the 175th anniversary of Marietta College, we would like to see our class step up to the plate and set a new record for participation as well as dollars raised.  The previous record for participation was set last year with the Class of 2009 at 61%.  All gifts to the Senior Challenge will be greatly appreciated and will help us leave our mark on Marietta College.”

Students may make their gift by cash, check, or credit card or also by designating all or a portion of their $200 room deposit that was paid at the beginning of the freshmen year.  Pledge forms are available online to download from the Senior Challenge web page http://www.marietta.edu/Give/senior_challenge.html and should be returned to the Marietta Fund Office on the third floor of Mills Hall.  You may also contact any Senior Challenge committee member for questions or assistance.

If you would like to become a member of the Senior Challenge Committee, please contact Susan Allender at ext. 4502 for more information.

Now that that’s out of the way, here are the rest of the events happening this weekend!

TONIGHT – Friday, February 5th (NOT SATURDAY)
LATE NIGHT BOWLING
11:00 PM - Pastime Lanes
Sponsored by Student Activities & Greek Life

Saturday, February 6th
WACKY OLYMPICS
10:00 PM - The Gathering Place
Sposnored by FNF/Late Night MC
- Teams of 3 to 4 compete in some unusual events!!!
- GREAT PRIZES

Sunday, February 7th
SUPERBOWL PARTY
4:00 PM - The Gathering Place
Sponsored by CUB and IFC

For a full schedule of what’s happening in the weeks and months ahead, check out the Calendar Page.

TONIGHT, January 29
BINGO - 8:00 PM
The Gathering Place - Sponsored by CUB

TONIGHT, January 29
LATE NIGHT ART INSTITUTE - 10:00 PM
The Gathering Place - Sponsored by FNF

Friday, February 5
CATALYST & DYSIFA – Christian Rap – 10 PM
The Gathering Place - Sponsored by: CSHO, CUB, FAN, MultiCultural Affairs, Student Activities & Greek Life

Saturday, February 6
WACKY OLYMPICS – 10 PM
The Gathering Place - Sponsored by FNF

Saturday, February 6
LATE NIGHT BOWLING - 11:00pm
Pastime Lanes - Sponsored by FNF

Sunday, February 7
SUPEROWL PARTY - Time: TBA
The Gathering Place - Sponsored by CUB & IFC

1/12 – Izzy’s Coffee House presents: NATE & KEVIN
9:00 pm at Izzy’s
Sponsored by the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life

1/15 – THE HEYDAY (band)
8:00 pm at The Gathering Place
Sponsored by CUB

1/15 – ROCK BAND TOURNAMENT
10:00 pm at The Gathering Place
Sponsored by Friday Night Fever

1/16 – MIKE WINFIELD (comedian)
9:00 pm at The Gathering Place
Sponsored by CUB

1/16 – LATE NIGHT BOWLING
11:00 pm at Pastime Lanes
Sponsored by the Office of Student Activites and Greek Life

• Roll on, Etta Express – The Pioneers Baseball team was recently selected as the 19th best team in the country.  The pre-season poll, assembled by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, placed OAC for Heidelberg #14 in the polling.  Wooster, the team that won the 2009 Mideast Regional Tournament over Marietta, was ranked #2 in the nation, behind #1 St. Thomas of Minnesota.  The Etta Express will start its season in Memphis, TN over Spring Break.
• New VP Of Student Life – With the retirement of Lon Vickers this last semester, we now welcome Dr. Robert Pastoor, the new Vice President of Student life at Marietta College.  Dr. Pastoor has more than 25 years of experience in student life thanks to time spent at the University of San Diego, Carroll College, and Mount St. Mary’s University.  Dr. Pastoor will start around January 18.
• Do I Hear Whistling? – Don’t forget that the Harlem Globetrotters are stopping in at Marietta College on January 26.  Doors open at 6 PM, and the game starts at 7 PM in Ban Johnson Arena on Fenton Court.  Tickets for Marietta College students, staff, and faculty are $19.  Tickets are $22 for the general public, and can be purchased at any People’s News location in Belpre, Marietta, and Parkersburg.  If you’re more the online type, tickets can be purchased at www.ticketweb.com.
• CUB Events Now Known – Well, they wern’t very public about it, but the College Union Board has dates and times posted for all of their music, comedy, and tournament events for the Spring.  You can find them on our master calendar, along with all the Basketball and Baseball Games and other college events.  CUB’s first musical act of 2010 is The Heyday, a band from Denver that is currently touring the nation.  They are currently allowing their CD to be downloaded for free online, so check it out and come out for the concert.  They’ll be playing Friday the 15 at The Gathering Place at 8 PM.  CUB Comedy kicks of with Mike Winfield on Saturday the 16, also at The Gathering Place, at 9 PM.  As mentioned before, for a full schedule, check out the Writing on the Mall calendar and watch for pieces highlighting the acts.

A friend and I talked with one of the band members after the show, and all he could ask is where everybody was.  Well…where was everybody?

I understand that there are several underlying factors.  One, it’s the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Everybody is working on projects or just staying in and getting ready to go home for a bit.  Also, there was a performance in the theater by Jay Sefton of “The Most Mediocre Story Never Told”.  There were a lot of good college football games on, and bands brought in by CUB can be hit-or-miss.

However, I think what it came down to was publicity for the event.  Most people only heard about AG Silver when I mentioned that they were performing.  Posters were put out, but it was a very passive advertising method.  Also, by this point in the year, students have been bombarded with poster and flyer after poster and flyer.  They’re all over the place, and blend into each other.

I think another problem was that there is the stigma that a Club 21 event is a pay event.  Let me inform everybody that it is free to attend ANY Club 21 event the college hosts.  The only charge comes if you are over the age of 21 and decide to purchase a wristband.  The experience is not detracted from if you are under 21.

So how could CUB improve attendance?  Why did, say, Blessid Union of Souls do so well compared to AG Silver.  Well, for one, Blessid played at the beginning of the semester as part of Welcome Back Bash.  Freshmen were heavily encouraged to go as part of their First Year Experience classes.  And yes, Blessid does have name recognition.  But looking past that, what did CUB do differently?

For one, they advertised in every form.  RSS feed?  Yep.  Facebook Event?  Yep.  Rock?  Pretty sure they painted it.  Banner on Gilman?  Yep.  Word of mouth?  Most CUB members wore shirts with the concert info on it.  Table Tents?  On every table in Gilman and Izzy’s.  And yes, there were posters that were hung up.  Also, advertising was put out more than two days before the event.

CUB does a lot of good work.  So don’t think I’m bashing them.  I’m just sharing ideas to help all organizations, not just CUB, advertise events better.

I will run any press release for an event at Marietta College, no matter which organization wrote it.  Just send it to me (check the contact page) and I’ll check it and post it if I think it meets my criteria.

Let me finish by asking this question.  Why didn’t you go to AG Silver’s concert?

The band is currently on a tour of colleges to promote their new album and and to help raise money/awareness for clean water in Africa.

The show starts at 9 PM, but doors open at 8.