October 2019 – Page 2

The Game Before the Game- A Coach’s Insight into College Recruitment

The Quinnipiac University men’s and women’s soccer teams are brimming with international talent.

It’s all about the art of recruiting.

Coaches must win the international recruiting game off the field before they can hope to win the game on the field.

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Eric Da Costa and Dave Clarke have 35 years of head coaching experience between them at Quinnipiac. Both coaches have globalized their recruiting tactics to remain competitive- and keep their jobs at the NCAA Division I school.

There’s comfort in your routine, job security, staff camaraderie and of course- the privilege to see all parts of the world on recruiting trips.

The global recruiting trips may seem glamorous from the outside, but Da Costa and Clarke see this as work, not tourism, and they spent much of their time shuttling between airports, soccer fields and hotels.

“I’ve seen airports, soccer fields, taxis, hotels, that’s about it. I haven’t really seen anything cool. I’ve been to France and I haven’t even seen the Eiffel Tower,” said Da Costa, coach of the men’s team at Quinnipiac.

“I’ve seen airports, soccer fields, taxis, hotels, that’s about it. I haven’t really seen anything cool. I’ve been to France and I haven’t even seen the Eiffel Tower.”

– Eric Da Costa

It all comes to fruition when foreign recruits show off the technique and habits they inherited from the philosophies of their home country. Some might call it special to watch international players blend their technique and precision with the physical prowess of their American counterparts.

In essence, that is a building block of college soccer.

But the journey to bring those talented athletes to Hamden is a sacrifice of time, effort and willpower.

And months on end of chasing one talent can lead you in another direction in an instant.

“I could find a player tomorrow and I could end up flying over there [to another country] Monday, meet with them Tuesday and fly back Wednesday,” said Clarke, coach of the women’s team at Quinnipiac.

When it comes to international recruiting, all American schools, specifically those at the mid major level, need to excel in all facets of selling a player on their school.

Da Costa and Clarke both outlined their versions of a “Quinnipiac recruit prototype”, but it cannot be a one-way street.

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Whether it be strictly for soccer or an opportunity to live out the proverbial “American Dream,” every potential recruit has a story for wanting to bring their athletic career to the United States.

Conor McCoy, an Irish center back on the men’s soccer team, saw both of those features as the reason to take the first flight to New England.

Conor McCoy (4) is featured on the cover of a men’s soccer media guide

“The whole dream of football and study, I think that was the real selling point,” said McCoy. “Both coaches [Eric Da Costa and Graciano Britto] sold it really well and this school is really great. I really wanted to get a degree out of it as well. I didn’t want to just finish playing football and whatever age and not have any future opportunities.”

International students can be sold on the quick train ride to Boston or New York City. They can be wooed by the impeccable facilities provided by the athletic department or the structured academic programs in place at the school.

But that potential student-athlete has to have the mentality they are putting everything on the line to be in Hamden.

“I want someone who wants to be at Quinnipiac, not because its an opportunity to play soccer or there’s a potential scholarship, or it’s an opportunity to come to the United States,” Da Costa said. “That means nothing to me. I want someone who wants to be at Quinnipiac University for all the right reasons. They want to play for me, they want to be a part of this program. They want to help continue to grow and help us continue to win.”

Midfielder Simon Hillinger spent time at the top youth levels in Germany. He’s featured for RB Leipzig, one of the best youth setups in Germany. When he started the recruiting process, Hillinger wanted to go somewhere where he would be known as a key player. As a young kid looking to travel across the world for four years, there is nothing wrong with that.

After a sea of meetings and contact from coaches, Hillinger knew what he wanted to go.

And it was waiting for him the whole time.

“I really felt like the coaches wanted me here,” Hillinger said. “Compared to other coaches I talked to, I always felt like the second choice. But with Brito and Da Costa I felt right away that they really wanted me and really me in their program.”

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The quality is there to be signed in the men’s and women’s game. But in the case of the international player, the human element constantly trumps all else.

As Clarke puts it, you don’t need to instruct them on what they’ve been doing their whole lives. Once the player feels they belong in your program, it’s all about getting the foreign players acclimated as quickly as possible.

“You’re not teaching them about the game. They’ve got to learn U.S. culture, Quinnipiac culture, the MAAC and the physicality,” said Clarke. “But their soccer IQ is already in place. It allows us to play a different type of game.”

“You’re not teaching them about the game. They’ve got to learn U.S. culture, Quinnipiac culture, the MAAC and the physicality.”

– Dave Clarke

Rosie Weaver had aspirations of playing soccer in the United States ever since she was fifteen years old. The dream did not seem real until last November. Through an agency she paid over 700 pounds for, Weaver made herself available and eventually made the switch to Quinnipiac from storied club Birmingham City in England.

The freshman forward has enjoyed her time in Connecticut so far, but as Clarke alluded to, there are adaptations foreign players have to make to succeed at the college level.

“It’s hard getting used to training every day and having two matches a week,” Weaver said. “I only had to play one match a week at home.”

Although Weaver was an accomplished student in England who took ‘A’ level courses, the rigorous nature of a health sciences major is not a friendly match with a grueling training schedule.

“Academics are a lot heavier than I thought they would be. University in England is more about going out and dealing with your work second.”

For Henry Weigand, a center back from Germany, his goal of coming to the United States was to round out raw facets of his game and develop into a player who could feature in the top levels of his home nation.

The former u19 Bundesliga player is already seeing the benefits of coming to play for Da Costa on the pitch, as Weigand has led all outfield players in minutes. Away from the Quinnipiac Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium, he’s enjoyed the change of pace from his home country.

“It’s beautiful, it’s different. In Germany you have your campus and you have your buildings there and then you have your city, with the other side of the city,” said Weigand. “Students live on campus, they don’t live in one part of the city. It’s nice, everything is close.”

When it comes to Quinnipiac and the culture both teams are trying to develop, winning matters. And talent matters to that more than anything else.

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On that same thought, talent in this sport is sprinkled in every country all over the world. But what does that player value most in life? How does that player battle with their backs against the wall? Answers to questions phrased like this usually give Da Costa his answer.

“I like guys who have had to face some type of adversity in their life…the guys who have a unique story and have faced some adversity and have had some challenges, whether it may be loss of a parent or a divorce or whatever it is, those kids I can really relate to and they have a little bit more to give… those are really the type of people we want,” said Da Costa.

Players from across the planet fit in seamlessly with Quinnipiac for a multitude of reasons. That all starts from the beginning.

Before soccer comes into play, Raya Al-Wasti of International Student Services at Quinnipiac makes sure every athlete is ready off the field before they arrive in Hamden.

Raya Al-Wasti works out of this office space in the Center for Communications and Engineering

She is the point of contact for future Bobcats, but explains once players are settled, they tend to build relationships with their team from the start.

“When they come to school, you feel like they know exactly what to do because the coaches are so good,” Al-Wasti said. “Sometimes the contact between them and I will be through the coaches. We don’t have time with a lot of the training they have. If I need them to come to our office, I will reach out to the coaches.”

When push comes to shove, none of those steps can take place without the time taken from the start.

Sleepless nights sifting through hours of film.

Countless hours away from their families each year to recruit the best men and women that want to wear the blue and gold.

This all goes on behind the scenes. Results are mostly measured by the public based on what happens inside the spray painted white lines. Sacrifices are made when winning is everything.

But for Da Costa, recruiting is more than that. It matters more than the results. When the culture is in place, a family environment is cultivated.

“You walk into a brotherhood and a family and those comforts make it easy for you to play and perform,” said Da Costa. “That’s the hard part, that’s where we’re really fortunate to have so many guys that are able to help these guys make that adjustment.”

Avoiding a ‘trick’ this Halloween

While students are putting the finishing touches on their costumes for Halloween, those at the Health and Wellness Center are making sure that everyone has a safe holiday.

As part of Wellness Wednesdays, the Health and Wellness Center tabled outside of Starbucks in the Student Center to educate students on the importance of bystander intervention and the alcohol content within common drinks.

This week’s Halloween theme brought awareness to the alcohol content in drinks.

“We’re focusing on National Alcohol Awareness Week,” Carisha Moore, a graduate biomedical science student, said. “This one is called ‘Don’t Get Tricked’ and about bystander intervention. So really just learning more about what you can do to look out for your friends and figuring out what are risky kinds of alcohol.”

The table was lined with a beer can, a bottle of wine and red solo cups to illustrate how the physical amount of liquid doesn’t represent the strength of that type of alcohol.

Carisha Moore (left) and Tami Reilly (right) host Wellness Wednesdays weekly in the Student Center.

“Often times you think that a shot isn’t that much, so it’s not going to impact you that much,” Tami Reilly, director of fitness and wellness, said while at the table. “But you realize how much alcohol is in it and even things like getting a drink from someone you don’t know is risky behavior.”

Along with candy, those who stopped by the table also could pick up handouts with information on alcohol awareness. According to one of the sheets, a typical red solo cup can hold two standard-sized beers or filling it halfway with 80-proof liquor can be five standard drinks.

“These (handouts) remind us that if you’re going to drink, take care of yourself,” Reilly said. “Know what you’re drinking, know how much so you don’t get tricked. It happens to so many people. They’re not aware of what’s in their drink. Someone keeps refilling their cup and that’s when a problem happens.”

Each Wednesday, the Health and Wellness Center tables with a new theme with the goal to help students become more proactive about their health. In the past, they’ve hosted, “Take Back the Juuls” for students to hand in their vaping and nicotine products. The department plans to focus on de-stressing during exam week.

“We have a calendar that we put out at the start of the semester,” Reilly said. “And every week has a different theme related to wellness that can help students tune in to be more aware of their overall wellness.”

From head chef to hostess

Discovering the steps involved in creating a dish that goes beyond the recipe

By Alexis Guerra

You’re sitting at a table in a restaurant. Your stomach is growling. You’ve had a long day at work. And you have just enough energy left to chow down on your food. That is, when it finally arrives. For the past several minutes you’ve been teased by platters of burgers, sandwiches, drafts of beer, you name it. Finally, the server pushes open the heavy double doors of the kitchen, with a tray in hand. You lock eyes, hoping that one of those white plates contains your next meal. To your satisfaction, they set the plate of steaming hot wings right under your nose.

Dig in.

Side Street Grille has been in business since 1996.

We’ve followed the journey from waiting to receiving your meal, but what happened before that and what separates the good from the bad in the restaurant industry?

If you were to pose these questions to Hamden’s Side Street Grille owner Dave DeNicola, he’d tell you it takes time and massive amounts of preparation.

Read the full story here.

Nests underwater

Why the salt marsh sparrow is going extinct, and how rising seas and climate change are sealing its fate.

The salt marsh sparrow, a song bird found in coastal marshes from Maine to Virginia, is losing about 9% of its population each year. Sea level rise and a transforming environment are predicted to seal the bird’s grim fate. The sparrow is projected to join the likes of the dodo bird and passenger pigeon within the next 51 years. Photo courtesy of Patrick Comins, Executive Director, The Connecticut Audubon Society.

As sea levels continue to rise, conservationists work hard to ensure the future of Connecticut’s 98-plus miles of coastal marshes.

Connecticut’s coastal marshes help protect communities from ravaging storms and battering waves, and many species, including the salt marsh sparrow, call them home.

To safeguard marshes Sacred Heart University has positioned large Swiss-cheese-like concrete balls in front of a section of a marsh at Stratford Point, where Audubon Connecticut now manages them. Scientists call them reef balls, and they reduce the impact of slapping waves.

A scientist who helps manage the site says salt marshes and their inhabitants are better off thanks to the hollow concrete orbs.

Above: The reef balls at Stratford Point in 2014 compared to 2017. Over the three-year course there’s a noticeable increase in reef balls. In 2017, the marsh behind the balls appears to be more lush.

“There’s some hope for salt marshes, and salt marsh sparrows. Instead of killing a marsh, we actually grew one,” said Genevieve Nuttall, conservation programs associate at Audubon Connecticut.

A conservation project started by Sacred Heart University and managed by Audubon Connecticut involves concrete spheres called reef balls in front of a portion of the marsh at Stratford Point to protect it. Photo courtesy of Genevieve Nuttall.

Reef balls provide moderate optimism for Nuttall, but the researcher leading the charge on salt marsh sparrow research says current conservation projects may not be enough for salt marsh sparrows that nest in these salt marshes.

“It’s positive that people are starting to pay even a little bit of attention and try to experiment, but given that these birds have as little as 20 years, not 50 or 60 years, it’s just not clear we can solve the problem fast enough to be able to prevent the extinction,” said Dr. Chris Elphick, an ornithologist at the University of Connecticut.

Due to more frequent nest flooding the salt marsh sparrow, which nests exclusively in salt marshes on the Atlantic coastline from Maine to Virginia, is predicted to join the likes of the dodo bird and passenger pigeon within the next 51 years.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology currently lists the sparrow as a priority bird, and sea level rise fueled by climate change is drowning it out of existence.

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“Our model suggests somewhere around the middle of this century we expect this species to go extinct,” said Elphick, “It could be as early as the 2030s, or it could be as late as the 2060s. ”

— Elphick

Population Decline

Elphick says that if we started 20 years ago, maybe the outlook for salt marsh sparrows would be better.

His data projects somewhere between the 2030s and 2060s the point of no return will be reached, meaning that nest flooding will occur every two weeks. Two weeks is too frequent for the nests and their delicate contents. Though this critical point hasn’t been reached yet, scientists are seeing the destruction taking place.

A former student of Elphick’s has witnessed the population decline.

“I’ve worked on marshes where in 2007 I could go out and capture 50 salt marsh sparrows in a day very easily,” said Jennifer Walsh, a researcher with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “I’d return to the same marshes in 2015-2016 and maybe see four birds on the whole marsh.”

Populations are dying fast.

Elphick says 75% of the global population of salt marsh sparrows has disappeared since the 1990s. That’s roughly 9% of the population dying every year.

“If you can assume that the rate of decline continues, that suggests that the species is on a very rapid trajectory towards extinction,” said Elphick.

Nesting

Sea level rise is making it difficult for the species to nest successfully.

Their nesting territory is in the high marsh and they build their nests right above the high tide line in the grass. Walsh says looking down into the opening of her 12-ounce coffee cup reminds her of looking into a sparrow’s nest.

The rapidly disappearing salt marsh sparrow nests in the tall grasses of coastal salt marshes. Walsh says looking down into the opening of her 12-ounce coffee cup reminds her of looking into a sparrow’s nest. Elphick says the sparrow is a unique songbird because the fathers are promiscuous, and nests often contain eggs from multiple fathers. Unlike other song birds, the fathers do not protect the nesting territory. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

High marsh areas are used to flooding occurring about every 28 days.

“Salt marsh sparrows have a nesting cycle that’s about 26-27 days long,” said Walsh.

But tides are getting too high.

“Historically this (26-27 days) has been enough to get them through these high tides, but tides are getting higher due to sea level rise, and we’re having these more unpredictable storms, and the frequency and duration of storms is cutting into their nesting cycle and making it harder for them to fledge offspring.”

Where the species is adapted to living is no longer safe.

“Basically the places that are safe within these marshes that these birds have evolved to be able to use are becoming less and less safe even though they are specialized and are able to identify these good spots, these spots are getting worse, and worse, and worse,” said Elphick.

The tides are changing too fast.

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“If they had thousands of years to evolve new habitat selection behaviors, then they could probably handle the changes, but these changes are happening too fast. The population is already so small that the likelihood they could evolve to those changes on a reasonable timeline is very, very, very low.”

— Elphick

Photos courtesy of Patrick Comins.

Rising Water

Sea level rise shows no signs of stopping.

Data from NASA shows sea levels rising at 3.3 millimeters a year. If rise continues at this rate, then 100 years from now water levels will be over a foot higher, and this will mean more devastating high tides. Levels a foot higher are impactful for coastal locations like Miami, New York City, Bridgeport and New Haven.

The city of New Haven is one of the cities in Connecticut that’s expected to be affected by sea level rise. Nasa data suggests rise at 3.3 millimeters a year. In 100 years a foot of water will be encroaching on New Haven and coastal cities across the globe.

Connecticut’s communities are already taking on water.

“All of our coastal towns, not only in this state, but across the Atlantic seaboard are realizing that the sea is rising, their infrastructure is getting flooded on a much more constant manner, and during high tides a lot of roads are underwater where 20 years ago they weren’t,” said Min Huang, a migratory bird program leader at the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

Sea level rise is flooding towns, diminishing salt marshes, and expected to cost Connecticut a pretty penny.

According to SeaLevelRise.org, “There are already over 7,000 properties at risk from frequent tidal flooding in Connecticut. The state is planning over $2 billion in sea level rise solutions, which include restoration projects, catastrophic flood prevention, and building seawalls.”

With sea level rise, coastal wetlands across Connecticut and the U.S. are disappearing.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, more than half of all of America’s wetlands have been lost since the 1780s. Connecticut is one of ten states that has lost over 70% of its wetland acreage since the 1780s.

If Connecticut and other areas lose their coastal marshes, they lose the benefits that come with them.

The Value of Marshes

With dwindling wetlands Walsh says we lose important biodiversity and natural storm barriers.

“I think preserving salt marsh habitats should speak to everyone because salt marshes provide barriers from coastal storms, and it’s been shown that places with active and healthy salt marsh ecosystems have saved millions, and millions of dollars,” said Walsh.

Research suggests she’s right.

“We estimate that coastal wetlands saved more than US $625 million in avoided flood damages from Hurricane Sandy across the northeastern USA,” wrote Siddharth Narayan and others in a 2016 report, “Coastal Wetlands and Damage Reduction.”

Lost coastal marshes means communities inland lose a natural barrier from clobbering storms and thumping waves.

“If you think of salt marshes as a buffer, the storm will hit the marsh instead of the house, which will help prevent an insurance crisis,” said Nuttall.

On top of that, Nuttall says marshes are responsible for absorbing and storing greenhouse gases.

Less marshland results in less protection, and storms hit local communities harder, causing millions more in damage.

Mass Extinction

We’re not just losing marshes though. According to scientists, fading coastal wetlands, and the extinction of the salt marsh sparrow are emblematic of a larger issue: climate change and the degradation of Earth’s ecosystems.

Elphick says the salt marsh sparrow is the proverbial “canary in the coal mine.”

“Humans are decimating wildlife habitats across the globe right now and whether people want to believe it or not, we’re going through the greatest mass extinction in human history,” said Huang of the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

There have been a number of mass extinction events throughout geological time. Elphick says that since humans have been on the earth, we’re now facing the fastest rate of extinction across species since the death of the dinosaurs.

“The current number of species that have been lost is nothing like as severe as those previous mass extinctions, but the rate at which species are starting to go extinct, or predicted to go extinct in the next century or so is equivalent to during those mass extinction events,” said Elphick.

This has big implications for humans.

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“If the animals can’t live here, then ultimately the humans won’t be able to live here either. Again, humans are really just animals as well.”

— Huang

Current climate change and extinction trends boil down to toxic human activities.

“The fundamental problem is that we’re very massively changing the climate on the planet, and if we don’t get serious about doing something, then it will not just affect the sparrow, it’s going to affect hundreds of different species of birds and other things, as well as having very serious repercussions for people,” said Elphick.

A plastic spoon among seashells and seaweed on a beach at Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven, Connecticut. Humans are changing the natural environment by putting things into it that are not meant to be there. A couple examples are trash, and gaseous emissions.

Where Humans Fit In

Scientists agree, humans are destroying the environment. The things is that humans have the ability to change this. Elphick says the the planet hasn’t reached the point of no return yet, but it will if people don’t take action.

Scientists say if you want to help, reduce your individual carbon footprint, get involved in your community, and vote for politicians that prioritize the environment. To preserve marsh life, a video by Coastal Resilience says to ask your congress members to support natural and coastal infrastructure projects, and to support the expansion of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act.

Humans play a major role in helping fight against climate change and destruction of the environment. Actions such as reducing individual carbon output can help in combating climate change. Made with Pablo.

Researchers say the sparrow likely can’t be saved.

“A single species like a sparrow is not terribly important,” said Elphick, “The trouble is we’re taking this attitude with hundreds of species, if not millions of species. That continuous erosion of biodiversity does have repercussions on how the ecosystem works, and it impoverishes the variety of life on the planet, and has aesthetic, ethical, as well as economic consequences for us.”

Humans are degrading the environment, and wiping species off the face of the earth. People alive and soon to be alive will no longer be able to see some of the precious wildlife that exists now.

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“One way to think about it is if you took one Van Gogh and burned it, would that really change anyone’s life? Probably not, but it would be one less bit of beauty in the world and one less thing of interest in the world.”

— Elphick

Hamden plans to crack down on blighted properties

Residents voiced concerns while Mayor Curt Leng was on the campaign trail

By Peter Dewey

Hamden Mayor Curt Leng is planning a new initiative, “Hamden fights blight,” to clean up abandoned and unsightly properties in town.

Leng, who mentioned this idea in a radio interview with the New Haven Independent on Oct. 3, said that he found blight was a common theme among resident concerns while campaigning door-to-door for the Democratic primary this fall.

“Residents talked about quality of life issues and improving the neighborhoods,” Leng said. “That ranged from street paving sidewalks, trees, traffic and blight. It is something that I have been interested in since I was on the council.”

The town has compiled a “hot-list” of seven properties that need immediate attention.

The locations given to the planning and zoning department include: 37 Stevens St., 922 Winchester Ave., 2038 State St., 293 Goodrich St., 891 Dixwell Ave., 635 Wintergreen Ave. and 560 Newhall St.

The old Hamden Middle School, located at 560 Newhall St., is one of the seven blighted properties on the town’s hot list. Mayor Curt Leng is making renovation of the property a priority.

While Leng said that the “hot-list” includes these seven properties, he said there are about 20 to 25 properties in Hamden that he believes will need attention.

“In the zoning world, we’re going to try something called ‘Hamden fights blight,’” Leng said. “It means that we’re going to be a little more aggressive attacking the blight list that we have, that we know about.”

Of the seven properties, Leng said there are five residential, one commercial and one town-owned.

The town-owned property is the old Hamden Middle School, located at 560 Newhall St.

“Leaving the school like that lowers the property value,” Shanelle Rudolph said. “The neighbors are upset.”

The middle school has been abandoned for several years after it was found to be built on top of a former toxic waste dump.

“I can’t remember how long its been (since the middle school has been abandoned) but it has been a very long time,” Mike Ortega, a member of the parks department, said. “I heard the talk of the town was turning the property into elderly housing or low income housing.”

Residents in the area have expressed concern with the fact that the abandoned property doesn’t represent their community well.

“I would like the town to hire people and come clean (the old middle school) up,” Anne Marie Cruz, a Hamden resident, said. “When (graffiti on buildings) happens at Yale, they clean it up the next day, because they don’t want to offend anyone.

“That’s the way we should think. There are very nice people from all walks of life living around here. There’s a lot of diversity and that’s what I think makes it nice.”

Cruz, who lives on Sheffield Street, said that she knows of another house abandoned there after the owners passed away. She said someone still cleans the property, but that it hasn’t been lived in for a while.

Leng was adamant that the crack down on blight will be used for places that are empty household or abandoned properties.

He also said that this will occur after attempts to contact and get the property owner to clean the property are not successful.

Hamden residents are also eager for the town to clean up a property on 922 Winchester Ave. (shown below).

“It looks bad in the area,” said resident Veronica Gram, referring to 922 Winchester Ave., another hot-list property. “If they could fix it or break it down or sell the lot or something. It looks terrible, it’s not good at all.”

According to Leng, one of the properties on the list, located on Goodrich Street, is partially in Hamden and partially in New Haven. It used to be a three-family house, but the town now has new plans if they are able to seize it from the previous owner.

“The one on Goodrich is 40% New Haven, 60% Hamden,” Leng said. “It is being foreclosed by the City of New Haven and (Hamden) is already in the process of doing it on our side as well. Once we get a hold of it and control of the property, we are going to hand it over to the Hamden Economic Development Corporation.”

“When we get control of it we are going to knock it down,” Leng told the New Haven Independent. “This has been an eyesore for a long time. It’s been empty. There was a fire many years ago and I believe it is something that you can’t occupy anyways.”

The Department of Planning and Zoning states on its website that residents with complaints about blight need to fill out a form in order to trigger an inspection.

If a violation is found, the staff will work with the property owner to resolve the problem.

“The goal of ‘Hamden fights blight’ is to be more proactive,” Leng said. “Right now, we receive the complaints. What I would like to see us do is to do two streets per week of proactively going out and inspecting. It’s a really simple concept, but we haven’t done it up until now.”

Eat fat or go home

Two customers enjoying wings and a fat sandwich.

It was a typical Saturday night at Rutgers University when one college kid stumbled home in need of a late night snack. After randomly combining unique ingredients into a sandwich, he realized how delicious this “fat sandwich” was and decided to share it with other college students.

This started a fat sandwich wave that hit Hamden in November of 2018 when Mario Nicolaides opened Fat Wedge U on Whitney Avenue.

The concept for Fat Wedge U began when Nicolaides took a trip to New Jersey with his friends for a fat sandwich. After a few years and various jobs, Nicolaides opened a fat sandwich shop in Connecticut.

“My partner and I grew up in the restaurant business and we saw this concept and we added our own flare to it and took it a step further,” Nicolaides said.

The handwritten specials at the entrance of Fat Wedge.

Wedged in between a liquor store and a nail salon, the restaurant has a seemingly ordinary external appearance.

However, when customers pull open the door, they are met with a vibrant red interior with aesthetically hand-written specials written by Nicolaides’ wife.

Nicolaides can be found behind the counter helping customers and making food. With each new customer to pull open the door, he greets them with a smile and a friendly conversation.

The menu, while containing some seemingly normal plates like burgers and fries, primarily consists of sandwiches, wraps and burgers that are loaded with ingredients like mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, onion rings and mac & cheese bites.

“As far as the ingredients, we sample around and see what goes good with each other even if something sounds crazy, it might end up being really good,” Nicolaides said.

Besides the widespread toppings, each sandwich also has a distinctive name.

“Most of the names are from people that went to school, the different locations we went to,” Nicolaides said.

There are some interesting names for these subs like the Fat Crispy Cozz, which was named after a girl at Southern Connecticut University, while others like the Fat Blunt and the Fat Bitch are simpler yet outrageous names for a sandwich.

While most locals don’t seem to mind the quirky sandwich names, it has proved to be a possible roadblock for Nicolaides and Quinnipiac University.

Q-cash, which is a way for students to pay for laundry and supplies at the bookstore, started expanding to local restaurants and stores in Hamden popular with students. However, the university isn’t interested in doing business with Nicolaides.

“They didn’t really give us a reason,” he commented. “We assume it’s because of the names of the sandwiches and we told them we would change them but they don’t want to do business with us.”

Nicolaides working the register at Fat Wedge U.

When the university was asked about why it was reluctant to do business with Nicolaides, the university said it had no comment.

Despite this slight setback, students and locals seem to enjoy the sandwiches, according to Nicolaides.

“One sandwich could easily fit two meals, and for what you get it’s a decent price,” Andrew Dixon, junior international business major, said.

Around lunchtime, first-time customers casually stride through the door and Nicolaides smiles and hands them a menu. “First time here?” He asks a daughter and her dad excitedly.

They both nod and he smiles. Here comes his favorite part of owning a fat sandwich shop: customer’s reactions.

“Seeing people’s reaction is probably the most rewarding part of it all,” he said.

An International sQUad

By Tom Krosnowski

It’s an interesting paradox – Earth’s population is growing exponentially, currently estimated at some 7.7 billion people. Why then, does it seem like the world is only getting smaller?

Although it’s on a much smaller scale, the Quinnipiac Bobcats are an interesting example of this phenomenon.

Quinnipiac University is a small private institution in Hamden, Connecticut. Most of the students who attend the school are from the American Northeast, and approximately 97 percent of the student body comes from somewhere within the United States.

However, it’s on the athletic fields where Quinnipiac’s commitment to international recruitment really shines.

In their never-ending search for team success, the coaches of Quinnipiac’s 21 Division-I teams have reached out overseas. International recruitment is a growing part of the collegiate athletics industry, and it’s something that has become a distinct part of the Quinnipiac Bobcat identity.

How do you think an athlete gets recruited? It seems simple enough – a coach finds potential student-athletes, talks to them, watches them play and maybe offers them a scholarship.

That’s not the case for many of Quinnipiac’s international recruits.

Meet Queenie Lai. A junior from Hong Kong, Lai could almost describe her recruitment process as “reverse recruiting.” Lai was an exceptional golfer back home, but wanted a new challenge on the links at a more competitive level. After an admittedly-late start to the recruitment process, Lai took it upon herself to achieve her goal of playing U.S. collegiate golf.

“I had to play in the States for a whole summer of tournaments, state-to-state,” Lai said. “And, I had to contact at least 50 schools and the coaches and introduce myself and ask if they were interested in recruiting me. Eventually, I landed on Quinnipiac and the coach I have right now. He was one of the nicest, and that meant a lot to me.

“I had to do most of the work.”

It’s certainly a much different story than the common assumption of university-paid travel, lavish dinners and unlimited budgets. However, Lai is not the only Quinnipiac athlete with an unconventional recruitment story.

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“I had to do most of the work.”

— Queenie Lai on recruiting

Bianca Strubbe was at a crossroads. After playing field hockey in her native Poland for 14 years, Strubbe needed a break. She traveled to the United States, settling in West Hartford as an au pair. Her love of field hockey not yet entirely quelled, Strubbe went to a Quinnipiac field hockey game at the suggestion of her host family.

After liking what she saw on the field and in the state-of-the-art facilities, Strubbe decided to bring field hockey back into her life. She played and coached at a local HTC field hockey club team, but never would have found college field hockey if not for a friendly co-worker, who informed her that she’d likely be eligible to play in the NCAA.

“I didn’t know that, to be honest,” Strubbe said. “None of my friends or Polish players know that we are very welcome in the U.S. playing in college. We don’t have any agencies, we don’t have any connection with U.S. colleges, so, to be honest, we don’t know that we have the chance to earn our degree and play field hockey here.”

Now in her second year as a graduate student at Quinnipiac, Strubbe has made a seamless transition. She’s the team’s leading scorer this season, and her English has improved immensely, thanks in part to her choosing journalism for her major.

Although foreign students are often taught English, the field hockey team is careful to keep an international influence around to keep their players comfortable.

“It’s good to have someone who has the same accent as me,” Strubbe said. “We feel comfortable, we don’t feel afraid to talk. It’s good to have international students around you.”

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“We don’t know that we have the chance to earn our degree and play field hockey here.”

— Bianca Strubbe

Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey forward Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout didn’t quite have that same luxury. Although she was one of seven international players on the team her freshman year, all Canadians, she was the only one who predominantly spoke French. Fortunately, head coach Cassandra Turner did her best to help Coutu-Godbout adapt.

“Cass knew right off the bat that I couldn’t really speak English, so she was very patient,” Coutu-Godbout said. “She sent me recommendations and books to read to practice my English, as well as helping me with all the stuff I needed to do. For me, that’s exactly what I needed. The integration here in the U.S. was pretty smooth because of the coaches.”

Much like Strubbe, Coutu-Godbout wasn’t initially aware of the opportunity she had to play in the United States, albeit for different reasons.

“In Quebec, they want to maintain all the Quebec players in Canada. It’s kind of against them to go to the U.S.,” Coutu-Godbout said. “So a lot of the teams won’t help you get a spot on a (U.S.) team, so I was pretty much doing it by myself.

“The girls (in America) can be recruited at 13, but in Quebec, it’s another world. They want to keep it away, they don’t want you to come here.”

Even though her peers didn’t want Coutu-Godbout to play college hockey stateside, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I really enjoy it here,” Coutu-Godbout said. “I think it’s the perfect choice for me, and I’m really happy about it. I never looked back on it.”

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“In Quebec, it’s another world. They want to keep it away, they don’t want you to come here.”

— Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout

How much can you learn about someone through a computer screen? According to the coaches at Quinnipiac, quite a bit.

“This generation is a little different,” men’s soccer coach Eric Da Costa said. “Unfortunately, communication is a little bit harder in terms of getting on the phone and having a phone conversation, so we do a lot of Skype, we do a lot of WhatsApp, FaceTime, just trying to get that time with the guys and figure out who they are, what they’re about, what makes them tick, and (if) that fits into what we do here.”

If Da Costa and his coaching staff have the ability to travel overseas to visit a player, they will. More often than not though, the soccer team recruits its players over the internet due to budgetary and travel restrictions.

“We have to be cautious about how we spend our money,” Da Costa said.

According to Da Costa, it’s easier to recruit international soccer players than Americans.

“Recruiting the American kids is actually a lot more difficult for us,” Da Costa said. “They want the glitz, they want the glamour. They know the differences between the institutions in terms of prestige or popularity, so they look their nose down at us.”

Once coaches have a good experience with a player from a certain area, they are more likely to revisit that region in future recruiting. Take Quinnipiac field hockey, for example. Head coach Becca Main has presided over the program for all 25 years of its existence, and has designated “pockets” of international talent. The team likes to focus its recruiting efforts in areas like South Africa, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain, where several successful players have come from before.

Field hockey is uniquely positioned for international recruiting, compared to some of Quinnipiac’s other sports. According to Main, international players are the preferred recruits for the program due to their added experience.

“(International recruits) have almost 10 years on an American student – they’ve been playing 10 years longer,” Main said. “In general, most Americans have been playing 4-6 years, max. … You get (an international) coming in, they’ve got 16 years (of experience). They’re just better at playing the sport.”

With all of the different languages and cultures on the team, Main tries to make sure that each international player has at least one other teammate who speaks their language. It could be hard to mesh all these different pieces together, but creative thinking from the coaching staff makes it all fit.

“I think the best thing about our international players is that, the ‘groupthink mentality’ – we don’t have that anymore,” Main said. “We have the ability to think outside the box.”

Athletic recruitment is one thing, but these are still “student”-athletes. The players must fit into Quinnipiac’s academic profile, and the admissions department gives very clear outlines to the coaches about what requirements each student-athlete needs to be accepted into Quinnipiac, from English language scores to academic grades.

Andrew Antone, director of international recruitment and admissions at Quinnipiac, says that once the students get to Quinnipiac, the school has several resources to help international students adapt.

“We have a global partners program where students are mentored by upperclassmen, and say, ‘OK, this is how you make the transition,’” Antone said. “We have global education, where they can be with other students. We have an international student orientation, which I think is a big help for them.”

To continue to attract international students, the university has initiated a new “Strategic Plan” that emphasizes globalization among the steps toward becoming the university of the future. Antone believes that the strategic plan will help make Quinnipiac even more appealing to international students.

“Especially with the new strategic plan, I think you’re going to see that number (of international students) grow, given what we’re offering,” Antone said. “The way that we’re looking forward … I think what the strategic plan does is force us to look within and change some of the policies and the way we do things to enhance everyone else’s experiences.”

In all, there are about 70 international student-athletes from more than 20 countries. That may not sound like a lot with Quinnipiac’s student population of over 10,000 and a core of student-athletes almost 500 deep.

To the international players though, it’s not about the numbers. It’s about the experience – an experience that has made Quinnipiac athletics more diverse, and more talented.

“I feel like I’m experiencing the same college experience as other people,” Lai said. “I wouldn’t say it’s any different than how they’re experiencing it.”

Quinnipiac isn’t as well-known as some other Division-I programs. None of the 10 international students interviewed said they knew anything about Quinnipiac before they were first recruited. Once they hear about all the school has to offer them, it’s hard to say no.

“We’ve closed those gaps with this (soccer) facility, obviously our institution, our campus,” Da Costa said. “At the end of the day, an international kid and his family want to go to a place where they’re cared about. They want to go to a place where they can study and play at two high levels. They want to go to a place where they can feel safe – and enjoy.

“And we can offer all of that.”

Run it back: Fall Fest 2019

Quinnipiac’s student planning board and radio station, WQAQ, revamped Fall Fest this year and the new changes were a success.

WQAQ announced on Instagram that the annual concert would be undergoing some major changes. It featured free t-shirts and blankets, a mechanical pumpkin, a donut wall and three food trucks.

“WQAQ came into this year looking for new ways to expand our station into the Quinnipiac community and we identified live events and concerts as a great way to do so,” Dan Bahl, general manager. “We were approached by SPB during the spring of 2019 about the possibility of partnering for Fall Fest 2019, and that’s where the ‘new’ plan started.”

The biggest and most notable change, however, was the location. Instead of being held in South Lot like the years prior, it was held on the quad.

Students lounged on the quad as they waited for the performances to start.

“I think it’s actually a really cool set up,” Sean Raggio, senior journalism major, said. “I feel like you used to just show up, see it and go home. Now it’s an event. I think that the planning SPB did was a great job.”

The bigger venue allowed for more room to hold activities and space to lounge around and listen to music. The new location made the concert more about the event with less focus on the music and headliner.

“I like the emphasis on the festival itself and not the music and headliner,” Jamie Jean-Baptiste, a junior behavioral neuroscience major, said. “Because I feel like music is so subjective. People might not like the music act, so it’s more in terms of hanging around and just about being around people in the community.”

Fall Fest had multiple lawn games for students to play while they waited for the music performances.

The Sulls opened the show at 1 p.m., playing classics like “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World and “Hey Ya” by OutKast. The following act was Those Guys another cover band based in New England. The headliner was Cale Dodds. Dodds is most known for his singles “Take You Back” and “What We Gonna Do About It,” which he released in 2018.

“With The Sulls and Those Guys, we picked two cover bands based in Connecticut, both of which covered a number of genres and artists that we believed the Quinnipiac community would enjoy listening to and singing along with,” Bahl said. “With Cale Dodds, we knew that people may not know his songs directly, but his sound equates to a number of high-profile pop-country artists currently performing around the country, and we believed he would bring that same energy and enthusiasm”

The Sulls opened up Fall Fest with hits from OutKast, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Greenday.

The food trucks gave out free tacos and students received a Spuds potato and ice cream for one ticket each. While the food trucks were handing out delicious food, there was also a DIY candied apple station where students were able to customize their caramel apples with sprinkles, chocolate chips and peanuts. And if that wasn’t enough, there was also a donut wall, where Fall Fest workers handed out free donuts.

“I remember mostly my first fall fest, I got a guitar pick from the Plain White T’s,” Raggio said. “I feel like it was out of your way when it was in South Lot. Now, people could just be passing through and see it. You could be going to the library and check it out.”

Students embracing the fall season by making their own caramel apples

WQAQ and SPB worked hard on bringing something fresh to the annual tradition of Fall Fest. Although there were a lot of changes to this years event, don’t expect any more major changes to next year’s concert.

“There are certain tweaks that I believe we’d like to make to the schedule of the day, and the times that artists perform,” Bahl said. “Other than that, though, a lot of the changes will just be building on ideas that worked this year.”

What you should do about preventing the flu

As flu season approaches, Quinnipiac University is being proactive again this year by offering free flu shots to students, faculty and staff.

As a part of the Quinnipiac nursing program, senior nursing students administer the vaccination to the university community. Nursing student Julia Johnson thinks students should think beyond themselves when deciding whether to get the vaccine.

“What I often tell people who are reluctant to get their flu shot is to think of their grandparents. The older we get, the more immunocompromised we become, meaning our bodies are less capable from fighting off infection.”

Senior student Kristen Altmeyer getting her flu shot at Quinnipiac on Thursday. Photo: Leah Sutherland — Senior student Kristen Altmeyer getting her flu shot at Quinnipiac on Thursday.

Photo: Leah Sutherland

The CDC reported that between 70% and 90% of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older.

“Our healthcare works on the basis of herd immunity, the idea that those whose immune systems are strong enough to fight off an infection are vaccinated to protect those who aren’t,” Johnson said.

Quinnipiac is offering free flu shots for all students and faculty at the university who have a QCard. The flu shot is also being offered at many pharmacies and doctors’ offices around the country.

“Being able to offer that service to Quinnipiac students, free of charge, creates more awareness and a community effort toward eliminating cases of the flu,” Johnson explained. “And we’ve had record breaking numbers getting their flu shot so far this year.”

Used vaccination containers used throughout the day at Quinnipiac. Photo: Leah Sutherland — Used vaccination containers used throughout the day at Quinnipiac.

Photo: Leah Sutherland

Although the CDC recommends everyone over the age of 6 months gets their flu shot, it’s estimated that over half of the adults in America do not get the vaccination.

Senior Kayla Hoesly has never gotten the flu shot.

“I don’t get it because I’ve never gotten the flu before, so I just feel like it’s not necessary.”

According to the CDC, last year’s flu season was the longest in 10 years. As a part of the 2018-2019 US flu season report, the CDC reported that the flu season started October 1, 2018, and ended May 4, 2019.

The CDC also reported that there were 42.9 million cases of flu, up to 647,000 hospitalizations and up to 61,200 flu deaths last year.

Health professionals say that influenza is unpredictable from season to season. The flu is recurring every year but the timing, severity and length of the season vary from one season to another.

Vaccinations prepped for students at Quinnipiac. Photo: Leah Sutherland — Vaccinations prepped for students at Quinnipiac.

Photo: Leah Sutherland

The CDC recommends people get their flu shot by the end of October. Students who missed the clinic can attend the second round of free flu shots on campus next Tuesday October 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or Wednesday October 16, from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Students can also receive a flu shot at local pharmacies like Walgreens located at 1697 Whitney Ave. and CVS located at 2045 Dixwell Ave.

Fall Fest 2019: QUad edition

This year’s Fall Fest has gotten a makeover!

Quinnipiac’s student planning board and radio station, WQAQ, have teamed up to plan this year’s Fall Fest. The annual concert will be held on the Quad on Oct. 12. The vendors will start at 12 p.m. and the performances will start at 1p.m..

As always, the event will be free of charge for anyone who wants to attend. The headliner for the concert is country singer, Cale Dodds. Dodds is most known for his singles “Take You Back” and “What We Gonna Do About It,” which he released in 2018. The Sulls, a two-brother rock band from Connecticut will also take the stage at this years Fall Fest.Last but not least, the cover band Those Guys will be performing.

WQAQ announced on Instagram that the annual concert will be undergoing some major changes. One of the most notable changes is the location of the event. The concert has always been held in South Lot but this year has moved to the Quad.

There will be free food trucks during the event and an additional station where students can make their own candy apples, plus a donut wall. Another fun addition to Fall Fest is the mechanical pumpkin (Yes. Pumpkin, not bull) that students can ride.

SPB and WQAQ have made many changes in an effort to bring something special to this year’s Fall Fest. With annual concert ready to kick off the fall season, the new changes could be a refreshing twist to a Quinnipiac tradition.