Freshman Alyssa Tobita’s first impression of her current doubles partner, freshman Nia Rose, was less than ideal. It was the women’s tennis team’s first practice of the year and Rose was already late.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. Who is this girl on our team? She can’t even make the first practice on time,’” Tobita said, laughing.
Six minutes and ten seconds into the first period of the Oregon Ducks’ third home game of the season, junior Michael Luke entered the penalty box quieter than usual. He sat down, leaned forward and drew his arm across his chest, cradling his right side.
It was 10 minutes into the second game of the 2013-2014 season and everything seemed normal. The Oregon club hockey team was playing Portland State, a team very familiar to them, and Cody Drees was about to deliver one of many checks issued that night.
But that check was when “normal” ended.
His body was hurting and his grades were suffering. Chris Campbell was tired, but all he needed was a little time.
Everyone has different reasons for joining club fencing. Some got into it by chance, some through a friend. Kristen Shafer, however, had very different reasons for fencing.
Because two years ago, Shafer watched the fencing trials in the London Olympics and thought: “I want to try that.”
Because deep down she wanted to be like the Olympians she had watched that day — even though she had never even held a sword.
Because she doesn’t break promises.
Nick Sciabarra did not expect this level of success when he joined the Oregon club hockey team earlier this fall.
The Oregon freshman never thought he’d be playing center instead of right wing, which he previously played. He never thought he’d be on the second line for his first year with the Ducks. And he certainly never thought that, during his rookie season, he’d be tied for first in assists as well as be the second-leading player in points and goals on the team, just two behind junior Alex Sulitzer in both categories.
For the roller hockey boys, it’s all about trust.
They trust that their teammates will be in the right place on the rink. They trust that, once they pass the puck, their teammates can, and will, make the shot. They trust that if a play turns sour, their team will be right there behind them to back them up.
However, for seniors Dylan Dixon, Kyle Clements and Willy Morrison, it’s more than just trust. It’s chemistry. It’s knowing one of them will be there to receive a pass, even without checking. It’s knowing that, when one of them takes it to the net, someone will drop back to play D. It’s knowing that someone has their back, no matter what. It’s the kind of chemistry that takes years to build.