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Tessa Walter

Tessa Walter has written 6 posts for The Digital Bullpen

USF Students Embrace Tattoos in Their Own Way

Students at the University of South Florida are getting tattooed in memory of loved ones as well as to display their spiritual beliefs.

On a walk across campus from the Marshal Student Center to the Communication & Information Sciences Building an average of 1 and 5 students have a visible tattoo.

Tattoos have taken on a new roll in American society. What was until recently a method of rebellion against authority, body art has become something so much more.

Tattooing has begun to be accepted by people and groups that have not so readily embraced it in the past. A lot of businesses are becoming more lax on their tattoo policies. People bearing tattoos are no longer being discriminated against or over-looked because of their art.

Caitlin Johnson, a writer for Colombia Broadcast System (CBS), wrote an article about how tattoos are becoming more “mainstream.” Her article goes on to quote employers on their feelings about their tattooed employees.

Jim Hoisington, a higher up at ZB Sports, chooses not to discriminate against people with tattoos. He is quoted about one of the employees he hired with body art. In the article he says, “If I had passed on her because of her tattoos, I would be out one phenomenal employee.”

This acceptance in the workplace paired with tattoos new mainstream position has helped make students more comfortable with the decision to get tattoos.

“I always wanted a tattoo more than anything,” freshman at USF Jesse Goldsmith said. “I saw more and more employers being okay with it, so I went for it.”

According to a study by Scott Adair, an assistant professor of youth and family ministry at Harding University, a majority of students get tattooed between the ages of 18-22.

Within ten miles of the USF Tampa campus there are more than ten different tattoo parlors.

The idea of young adults moving away to college and getting a tattoo isn’t a new concept. What used to be seen as simple an act of rebellion against authority has now become a popular way to express your beliefs or feelings.

The same study by Adair shows that a majority of students getting tattoos are now getting them in memory of someone or as a method of some kind of expression, whether it’s spiritual or psychological.

Ashlee Rogers is a 22-year-old senior at USF. She has eight tattoos that she has gotten over the past four years. Some of her tattoos focus on her journey through life, while others seek to express certain goals she wants for the world. Her favorite tattoo runs down her spine and it reads, “I control my destiny” in Arabic script.

Photo Credit: Tessa Walter Ashlee Rogers, a senior at USF, says that each one of her tattoos represents her journey through life and the wishes she has for the world.

“I choose to believe that God is not responsible for the path that I take in this world. My decisions are completely my own and I grow through those decisions. It is the choices that I make each day that decide where I will be the next,” Rogers said. “My tattoos serve as a permanent reminder of that fact.”

Atomic Tattoos, located on Fowler Avenue just a mile down from campus, reports that a majority of their clientele are USF students.

Steve McAlister has been tattooing for 13 years. In that time he has identified major shifts in tattooing. He explains that in the past 20 or so years the kind of people getting tattoos has completely changed. He also says that the amount of student customers has definitely risen.

“It wasn’t so long ago that the only type of people you really saw getting tattoos was the stereotypical biker type. People that wore leather jackets and rode Harleys were the kind of people that were expected to get tattoos. Recently, there have been all kinds of people, McAlister said. “On an average day we see anything from stay at home moms to youth ministers.”

According to McAlister, the most common tattoos that he gives are spiritual (cherry blossoms, crosses, script verses) and memorials (children’s names, deceased family member’s dates).

Teal Dabney, a sophomore at USF got a memorial tattoo on her right foot that reads, “I Was Nineteen.”

“My tattoo is in memory of a friend that I lost when I was nineteen,” Dabney said. “It may seem dumb but that’s how I chose to remember them.”

Tattoofinder.com provides a page that shows a progression of miscellaneous tattoos statistics. The oldest statistic listed is given by Life Magazine in 1936. It reports that in 1936 around ten million Americans (6%) had at least one tattoo. A more recent statistic provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gathered in 2006, reports that more than 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo.

Tattoos popularity in our society appears to be drastically increasing. As the younger generation embraces them it is likely this trend will continue to thrive.

Scallywag deemed ineligible by USA Ultimate

The Scallywags have hit a speedbump on the road to  regionals. One of the veteran players was deemed ineligible to play by USA Ultimate. Jakob Hart, a senior at USF, was at happy hour when he got the news.

“Happy hour turned to sad hour with the click of a button,” Hart said. “It was completely random and at first I thought it might be a mistake.”

When the Scallywags signed up for sectionals, USA Ultimate screened all of their player’s eligibility. Hart was apparently ineligible all season. The rules state that each college player is only allotted five years of eligibility to play. The issue occurred in 2005. Hart had played in a single sanctioned tournament and had no idea it would affect his eligibility. From there the news just got worse for the Scallywags. On top of losing Hart for sectionals, every game that he had participated in all season was to be erased from USF’s record. After all was said and done, the USF Scallywags were left with a 0-0 record and no Jakob Hart.

“Upset doesn’t even begin to cover it,” senior captain Seth Richards said. “All of our hard work all season was gone in a second.”

Despite the odds against them, the Scallywags not only intend to compete in the USA Ultimate Conference, but intend to win it.

“We could easily let this get us down,” sophomore captain Stephen Ieardi said. “But we aren’t quitters, and we aren’t giving up without a fight.”

With sectionals just around the corner, the Scallywags continue to condition and prepare for the upcoming tournament. If the boys do well there they could move on to, something that has never been accomplished by the team.

USF men’s ultimate frisbee team finishes just out of contention in tournament

Jesse Goldsmith defeats his opponent by grabbing the disc as he jumps through the air and scores against the University of Miami. Photo by: Crystal Huber

The University of South Florida Scallywags trained all year for their final tournament. The USA Ultimate College Conference or sectionals tournament was a two day fight to the finish held April 16-17 at Citizen’s Field in Gainesville.

USF was one of six teams playing for a spot in the top three, which would earn them a ticket to regionals. The Scallywags’ numbers may have been low, but their morale was higher than ever.

Play started at 9 a.m. Saturday with an easy win over Florida Atlantic University. 15-6

Their second game against Florida State University was the closest and hardest game the boys had played all year. FSU came out strong, putting up six scores over USF’s four. The Scallywags fought back and took halftime, 8-6. After halftime, FSU relentlessly took the lead to 12-10. With a game having to go to 14, USF brought it to game point at 13-12. FSU scored, tying it up. USF took a timeout.

“I’ve never felt so much intensity from this team,” senior Eddie Moore said during the timeout. “Failure is not an option boys, lets go!”

With that, the Scallywags persevered through a ten minute point and took the game, 14-13.

The third game against reigning champions the University of Florida ended with a loss, 13-5.

The UF game left the boys exhausted allowing the University of Miami to steal USF’s final game, 15-10.

“Sunday is everything,” sophomore Kevin Hall said. “It’s either play hard or go home.”

The Scallywags took UM by storm Sunday morning, avenging their loss, 11-9.

USF chose to conserve their energy for their game against the second seeded University of Central Florida. UCF won it, 15-6.

The fight for the third spot to regionals was just that, a fight. The Scallywags pushed as hard as they could, but between their depleted numbers and energy there just wasn’t enough. FSU nabbed third place, 15-7.

“It was a long, rough season for us. We fought through despite all of the things piled against us (numbers, injuries, ect.),” captain Stephen Ierardi said. “At the end of the day, I love this team and am proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

SeniorEddie Moore dodges his defender as he prepares to throw it to his teammate. Photo by: Crystal Huber

The Scallywags took fourth place and walked off the field with their heads held high.

Scallywags lose a player to the rule book — and an entire season to the infraction

The University of South Florida men’s ultimate frisbee team’s regular season is over. The next tournament the Scallywags will compete in is the USA Ultimate Conference or sectionals. If they do well there they could move on to regionals, something that has never been accomplished.

Unfortunately, this goal is about to get a little harder to achieve. One of the veteran players was deemed ineligible to play by USA Ultimate. Jakob Hart, a senior at USF, was at happy hour when he got the news.

“Happy hour turned to sad hour with the click of a button,” Hart said. “It was completely random and at first I thought it might be a mistake.”

When the Scallywags signed up for sectionals, USA Ultimate screened all of their player’s eligibility. Hart’s had apparently been out all season. The rules state that each college player is only allotted five years of eligibility to play.

The issue occurred in 2005. Hart had played in a single sanctioned tournament and had no idea it would affect his eligibility.

From there the news just got worse and worse for the Scallywags. On top of losing Hart for sectionals, every game that he had participated in all season was to be erased from USF’s record. After all was said and done the USF Scallywags were left with a 0-0 record and no Jakob Hart.

“Upset doesn’t even begin to cover it,” senior captain Seth Richards said. “All of our hard work all season was gone in a second.”

Despite the odds against them, the Scallywags not only intend to compete in sectionals but intend to win it.

“We could easily let this get us down,” sophomore captain Stephen Ieardi said. “But we aren’t quitters, and we aren’t giving up without a fight.”

With sectionals just around the corner, the Scallywags continue to condition and prepare for the upcoming tournament.

USF men’s frisbee team semifinalists at College Southerns Tournament

Photo by Stephen Kaywell

Stephen Lerardi, captain, dodges his defender at the 2011 Southerns Tournament. Photo By: Stephen Kaywell

For most students at the University of South Florida, spring break was a time of rest and relaxation. The USF men’s ultimate frisbee team were not amongst those taking it easy. A majority of the Scallywags were conditioning and preparing for their next tournament.

On March 18 the boys from down south would be once again loading up and heading out. Their destination this time? Statesboro, GA. The Southerns tournament is hosted by the Georgia Southern University Ultimate program.

Many of the same teams that Scallywags had faced at the Mardi Gras tournament would be returning and the boys were ready.

“We were set pretty low after Mardi Gras,” senior captain of the Scallywags Seth Richards said. “We’re back, and ready to prove to everyone out here that we’re a force to be reckoned with.”

Play began Saturday morning at 9:30.

The first game against the College of Charleston ended with a solid USF victory of 13-7.

Continue reading »

USF struggles at Mardi Gras XIV ultimate frisbee tournament

On March 4 at 6 a.m., the men’s ultimate frisbee team from the University of South Florida rolled off campus headed for Louisiana. The boys drove through the day in order to arrive in time for the 14th annual Mardi Gras tournament. The team, who have come to call themselves the Scallywags, were pumped and ready to play.

“This is my first year at the Mardi Gras tournament,” rookie player Jesse Goldsmith said. “We’re going to make sure they remember us.”

Thirty-one other men’s college teams participated besides USF. Some of which were: Minnesota, Georgia State and LSU. The teams were broken into two different brackets. USF was in the first bracket where they would fight to the top to play the winners from the other bracket.

The tournament was played at West Feliciana Sports Park in St. Francisville, LA.

Saturday morning’s play was sluggish at best thanks to the torrential downpour and persistent lightning raining down on the fields.

By the end of the Scallywags first game, a win against Sam Houston, the weather had turned from thunderstorms to tornado warnings. Teams were moved to the safety of a pavilion until eventually all play was scrubbed for day.

“We’re from Florida. We know a thing or two about playing in the rain,” said Stephen Ieardi, captain of the Scallywags. “Now when there could be tornadoes involved, that’s another story.”

Unfortunately, the weather ultimately destroyed most of the potential for the weekend. Sunday morning brought sunny skies and serious wind gusts.

The USF boys had only two games to play for the day against Oklahoma and Georgia Southern.

The Scallywags lost both of their games and after a long, exhausting, and frustrating weekend they piled back into the vans and headed back to the sunshine state.

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