January 26,1979
Cubs in spotlight
at fieldhouse
Sweeting interview
Declares Erie Hall Inadequate
In an interview held a few
weeks ago, Dr. Roger Sweeting,
Athletic Director of Behrend
College for the past 15 years,
expressed optimism for the new
surge in “secondary sports”
across the nation. Referring to
such recently publicized sports as
tennis, racquetball, and jogging,
he was happy to see a greater
degree of participation,
remarking that the “attitude has
changed in the last 20 years.
We’re more aware of the wide
variety of recreation.”
On the other hand, he is deeply
concerned about the obsolete
indoor facilities for sports here on
campus. When he. started
teaching here, in 1963, there were
only 400 students and he was
the only full-time instructor.
Since then {in directproportion to
the new national attitude)
student interest in sports has
grown faster than the means to
handle it. “The greatest dif
ference,” Sweeting noted, “in
terms of participation, is in the
recreational and intramural
programs.”
This has put a strain on the
limited space Erie Hall has to
offer, something Sweeting is fully
aware of. “We’re getting into
Fischoff to perform
January 31
Astonished .. . amazed ...
enchanted these words and
more describe how the audience
felt about the performance of
George Fischoff this year at
Bowling Green State University.
I attended the National Enter
tainers Convention and heard
hundreds of acts; rarely did one
receive the response and en
thusiasm that George Fischoff s
did. I’ve never seen so many
people run to the booking room to
try to get him for their schools;
fortunately, Behrend was one of
those lucky few. George plays the
meanest piano I’ve ever seat. He
is extremely talented; he brings
so much more to his performance
than musical ability. George also
says, “The piano can do
anything,” and proceeds to prove
his point. We heard a method and
a melody that made you feel like
you were at a square dance. Thai
came such a varied group of
styles and sounds that it is im
possible to believe they all came
from one man playing one in
strument. From rode to blues,
bluegrass to disco, into an Irish
jig and then back to Bach (which
he says reminds him of his days
at Julliard) there was never a -
dull moment!
His continuing commentary
during the performance teaches
you a little about the recording <
industry, gives you a few short
music lessons, and introduces his
positivist philosophy that each
person has a talent if he will only
work to discover and develop it.
George creates an informal
something that has been an issue
for a period of years at Behrend
the facility limitations. Our
indoor facilities have not kept
pace. By the time we teach our
classes, work with the varsity
sports ... there is precious little
time left for students who simply
want to recreate,” he said.
“We try to be aware of student
interests and needs ... so we
can alter our programs to meet
those needs.” The total sports
program at Behrend uses a
“four-pronged” approach,-
dividing activities into varsity
sports, instructional classes,
intramural sports, and
recreation. Unfortunately, free
time recreation gets last priority.
Again, this is due to the over
crowding of space and schedules
at Erie Hall. An example of this is
the volleyball dub. They have
court time for practice only
during the lunch hour, meaning
they must scramble for meeds at
some other time. Another fact
(sadly' acknowledged by
Sweeting) is the necessity of
simply turning away many
students who want to use the Hall
for personal recreation. Often
hours available for indoor
jogging or exercising are
atmosphere for his audience in
the performance. He has people
“assist” him at the piano by
plunking away at a single note
while he improvises something
compatible. He also has mem
bers of his audience call out a
series of notes or chords that
seconds later he transforms into
either “The Behrend Blues,” or
“Penn State Punk Rock.” One of
BEHREND STUDENTS!
—why pay high prices
for pet supplies?
For "near dealer" cost prices
write Box 738, Erie, 16502
10 gallon J v /
aquarium 1
s Iri-A
Enterprises
Jack Polancy, Sports Editor for
the Erie Times-News, mentioned
last Sunday in his column that
Behrend College is scheduling:
their February 1 basketball
matchup against Point Park
College to be played at the Erie
County Fieldhouse.
With three games in the
balance, Behrend stands at 14-1
the day before the Collegian
deadline. Unless a major upset
occurs, Behrend will enter the
contest with a dazzling 16-1
ridiculous.
Dr. Sweeting cited history as
creating the problem as it stands
now. Because of the legislative
shutdown on college building
funds in the early 1970’5, Behrend
did not get the athletic complex
promised to it. The future looks
no brighter. “We probably won’t
get a huge amount of state or
federal funds,” Sweeting said.
“If that’s the case, we have to
look inward. We have to look at
the local area and see what we
can do to help ourselves.” On a
more hopeful note, Sweeting
suggested going to the com
munity of Erie for money. He
cited the disappointment felt by
many because of Erie Hall’s
small seating capacity. Many
people, he felt, would enjoy an
enlarged facility for basketball
games.
Drawing on more history,
Sweeting pointed out the case of
the Reed Union Building, where
students and faculty were chiefly
responsible for its financial
backing. It was Behrend people
who built the Reed building with
their own money. There may be a
case for doing the same thing
with a new physical education
center.
his more recent compositions,
“Piano Dancing,” was a favorite
with the crowd. After the last
performance was over, a group of
students persuaded him to play it
once more so they could dance to
it.
If this review sounds a little
over-complimentary, whet can I
say? A cynic, proven wrong, is
something like a reformed
alcoholic ... he becomes a
fanatic. So, come find out for
yourself. Super-piano George
Fischoff will be here January 31,
at 8:00 in the Reed Lecture Hall.
j Behrend Collegian
!record. Quite likely Point Park
[will carry similar stats into the
igame. At press time they stood
with an equivalent 13-2 record.
Excluding a single loss to
Westminster, the Behrend Cubs
have blazed the courts beyond
:even the most optimistic
predictions. Coach Sims is
engineering a miracle that is
raising eyebrows all over the
Erie area —.one reason why the
.Point Park contest is being held
at the fieldhouse for greater
attendance.
Until then, the sureshot team of
Greg Vaughn, Michael Powell,
Ernie Cooper, Kirk Farbacher,
and others will keep Cubs’ op
ponents busy every moment they
face each other on the court.
Above,
Michael
Powell
drives
hard
down
court.
©A pensive Sibley “Shep” Robinson sits out a
game—eying the photographer and her camera as
she catches his eye daring a recent home game.
it’s H4Pr f Hl|li ,
#nn*
&fAWWLOMC£f
OPEN
Mm
RESTAURANTS •
4041 Buffalo Road
24
HOURS!
Page Three