Crazy for Cupcakes!

The nationwide popular craze for cupcakes has hit the north shore.  Many cupcakeries have sprung up in the last few years but one sticks out among the rest.  Cupcake City in Reading, MA has proved their prominence both locally and nationally. 

Celebrating Cupcake City’s first year anniversary this month, owners and friends Kristin Cataldo and Karin DiNapoli said, "Business is Booming."  These two local moms decided to turn their love for baking into a culinary entrepreneurship. Last May, after being open for a short six months, Cupcake City was featured on "Phantom Gourmet," receiving nationwide recognition for their unique sweets. 

Freshly baked everyday, the cupcakes from this bakery are a hit.  On a single Saturday, Cupcake City will sell an average of 700-800 cupcakes. Often, the local café will have to close their doors early because they’ve sold out of their tempting treats! What makes these cupcakes so irresistible?

DeNapoli and Cataldo have brought baking to a whole new level.  The artistry that is brought to each treat makes indulgence in these desserts fun for every customer. And they cater to all tastes.  Seasonal fall flavors include Pumpkin, Apple Caramel, and Sweet Potato Pecan.  Everyday specialties include Hot Fudge Sundae, Salted Caramel, Maple Pancake and Smores.  Their most popular flavor is a vamped up version of the classic kid’s treat: Hostess.

Each cake is priced at $2.75 each, though on Sunday customers come in for the dozen special.  Whether visiting for a single cup or treating your friends with a box full of fun flavored cakes, you will not be able to visit Cupcake City just once.  Flavors change daily so the anticipation of surprise lingers.  In fact, DiNapoli and Cataldo will cater to any customer’s desires. You’d be surprised to hear the various and intricate cupcakes they’ve made special-ordered for imaginative customers.

Cupcake City has also gone mobile.  Their truck o' treats visits local athletic fields, fairs and various venues that request their presence.  Regis College hosted this big pink truck for the start of their fall semester as a way to welcome incoming and returning students.  This proved a nice change from the usual ice cream truck, while bringing about the same enthusiasm that the beloved vehicle faithfully excites.

Locals and visitors alike have proclaimed Cupcake City as a must-visit.  This small bakery has done everything right by appealing to the local community, providing corporate catering and traveling the roads of Massachusetts for personal delivery.

So what are you waiting for?  Try out what “Phantom Gourmet” and many others are calling the north shore’s hidden gem for the sweet-tooth.

New Soccer Coach Sought, Big Splash Wanted

Gordon has launched a nationwide search for a new men’s soccer coach to lead what athletic director Jon Tymann calls the “longest and strongest running program for Gordon athletics.”

Tymann, Vice President of Student Life Barry Loy and President Michael D. Lindsay are strongly backing the expansive search.

“This is a college-wide decision,” said Tymann.  “The chance to improve and advance the men’s soccer program is a priority for our campus as a whole. “  

“I believe very much in Gordon athletics,” Lindsay said.  “The athletic program is the most visible witness that we have as an institution.”

The search team is looking for a groundbreaking and distinguished soccer coach with extensive experience with Division III soccer. Tymann said he wants to bring a high-profile name, someone with “long standing experience, proof of success in regards to recruiting, a winning track record, … someone who will develop the program to upgrade our profile as a college.”

“We want to heighten the profile of the Gordon soccer program and the athletics as a whole,” he said. “It is the most successful program in regards to reaching alumni, sponsors and donors for the college.”

The decision to replace Johnny Whallon was first discussed at the end of the fall season, which Gordon finished with a 6-12-1 record. The department is in the early stages of the search, and there are no specific names being discussed.  

   

Lindsay said he knows that only the best candidates will be considered for the position. He said he’s confident Tymann can judge on coaching capability, and he’ll be looking for additional traits. 

“I’ll be looking for the same thing in a coach as I do in faculty,” Lindsay said. “By the time they (the candidates) get to me, I’ll be looking at the candidate’s ability to love. Love the game of soccer, the Gordon athletics, the student athletes and the community.” 

Wins bring fans, support and strength to a campus. But the Scots’ new soccer head coach will be expected to bring more than numbers on the scoreboard. The mission statement proclaims that our athletic program, “strives to prepare men and women to be student-athletes distinguished by integrity, winning effort and Christian conduct in competition.”   

Whallon said even when things were tough, last year’s team showed its character.  

“The biggest attribute of our team is the fact that our guys never collapse on each other,” said Whallon. “Everyone can be happy when you win but it’s harder to stay positive when you lose. The atmosphere never deteriorated.”

“That’s what makes this a different place,” said President Lindsay.

GOCOWOSO Falls Prey

On November 3^rd, the Scots’ women’s soccer hosted Roger Williams’ Hawks on Gordon’s campus for the CCC final face-off.  Held at a tie for 76 minutes, the game suddenly turned, much to the detriment of Gordon’s fans. The Hawks swept up the Scots for a loss of 1-0. 

With an overwhelming record of 17-2 and the title of the No. 1 seed, the Scots were the expected winners for the regional finals.  When the Hawks won the match, they earned themselves the seat for the NCAA tournament, entering with a record of 12-6-3.  The season was over for GOCOWOSO. 

The first half was evenly matched, each team making shots on goal and equally defending their end of the field. It wasn’t until after halftime that the numbers changed. Though a few solid shots were made by the Scots’ forwards, the fired shots were defended by Hawks’ goalie, Stephanie Jaques ’14.  The scoreboard remained empty until Roger William’s Kristen Tetreault ’15 brought the silence to an end.

What brought down the Scots’ strong stride?  While the halftime break brought new energy and bite to the visiting team’s play, the Scots’ performance dipped.  So now the question is, what occurred in the Scots’ halftime huddle?

Captain Rachel Ashley ’13 said that the pregame rituals were carried out as usual: team dinner the night before, locker room worship songs and pump-up speech, conducted by goalie, Kari Christensen ’14.  Head coach Marc Whitehouse made the speech in the halftime huddle. 

“I try not to make it anything special,” said Coach Whitehouse about the halftime speech. “It’s just another big game. I don’t want my girls to shoot too high or too low.”

Roger William’s head coach, Tim Moody, said that they went into the second half knowing that they had the advantage. “Out of the two teams we kept the ball better, we possessed the ball better. We needed to just keep doing what we were doing.” 

In Coach Moody’s mind, they had already won the game at halftime.

“I was very pleased with our first 45 minutes,” said Moody. “We were playing into the wind on the first half, the second half we’d have more chances.”

And it seemed they did.

“RWU came out strong and we had the wind in our faces,” said Ashley.

A break in Gordon’s defense and the factor of a strong wind allowed RWU to score the game-winning goal, earning them their third consecutive CCC championship title.

“Unfortunately, there is no mercy in soccer,” said Ashley, “and one error can change everything.”

Though the Scots did not win the championship, Coach Whitehouse was not discouraged.

“I’m really proud of my kids,” said Coach Whitehouse, “they handled it very well.  Roger Williams saw how we handled that stuff - inviting them to postseason snacks and such. They leave saying, ‘Man these guys are classy people,’ and we are.  We played it out in our wins and losses throughout the season and especially in that loss.”

In addition to the women’s soccer, Gordon sent two other teams to the playoffs for the fall 2012 season. Men’s soccer made it to the semifinals in Newport R.I. where they faced the Salve Regina University’s Seahawks.  The Seahawks progressed to the finals with a win of 2-1 against Gordon. 

Though the Scots lost the game, they put up quite a fight.  Freshman defender Dalton Weaner ’16 scored the only goal for Gordon, and also his first collegiate goal, off a free kick made by midfielder Andy Guthrie ’15 in the second half of the match.

The Scots also sent the women’s field hockey to North Field, home of the Endicott Gulls, to compete in the semifinals.  This was the second consecutive year that the Scots faced the Gulls for the semifinals in field hockey and history proved to repeat itself. The Gulls won the game with a final score of 2-1, after a brutal overtime.  

A Delicious Day in London Town

Inspired by England’s historic train station of the same name, Victoria Station is a festive and fun restaurant found on the harbor’s edge of Salem, Massachusetts. Themes are carried throughout the dining hall and deck, featuring boxcars, a train’s caboose, a classic London phone booth and railroad artifacts. While maintaining a historic aestheticism, this restaurant stays current, recently receiving three of the 2012 Best of the Northshore awards as well as an award from Boston magazine’s “Best of Boston 2012.” But don’t worry, the London décor does not carry through to the menu. The cuisine is authentic New England style, including steakhouse and seafood specialties and an all-you-can-eat salad bar built into the wooden frame of the “boathouse.” Though it’s a bit pricey for the average college budget, it’s a good choice for the occasional splurge or for impressing that “good friend” of your's.  Entrée prices for the dinner menu range from $16 to $29. If that’s too steep for your wallet, a bowl of their amazing New England clam chowder is a fair $6. Lunch options are also more reasonable,ranging from $10 to $14. But if you’re able to spend the cash, the fork-tender Boneless Braised Short Ribs or the Lobster Mac’ and Cheese is worth every penny! The “boat” even has a deck that visitors may dine on during the warm seasons. Tapping into the local Halloween festivities, Victoria Station recently held the2012 Zombie Prom event. On Friday, October 26, visitors were welcomed into the restaurant by costumed hosts and hostesses where they had their prom photos taken before their meal. Giveaways and prizes were awarded as well as the crowning of this year’s King and Queen. Throughout the night, Boston’s local Ross Livermore Band played live music for guests and zombies alike. It can be hard to choose where to dine in downtown Salem. There are so many festive and unique restaurants. Victoria Station is a fun pick for waterfront dining. The nostalgic experience of this restaurant is enjoyable even if you’ve never stepped on London’s original platform.

Athletics and Enrollment at Gordon

“Recruiting is one of our best investments within athletics and for the overall health of the institution,” said Gordon Athletic Director Jon Tymann. 

Studies done by the National Collegiate Athletic Association have shown that the success and growth of a small college’s athletic program will greatly affect the enrollment of the institution.  An NCAA research study appeared in the Chronicle for Higher Education proving, “The cohort of student athletes provides for full-time enrollment, an increase in cultural diversity and a greater yield in goal-oriented students, which translates into higher retention, transfer and graduation rates,” reported by the Strategic Enrollment Management Team, “These initiatives also play a significant role in outreach strategies and image building for the institution and its constituents.”

According to Gordon’s Admissions Information Technology Coordinator Jerica Lucero, of the 28,705-student inquiry pool for 2012, 5,252 were marked as being interested in one or more sports programs, not including REC-IM.  21% of the current students at Gordon are varsity athletes not including those who are involved in athletic training, production and attending events.  If sports are such a crucial component for attracting perspective students to Gordon, why does Gordon Admissions supply zero funding for athletic recruitment?  Instead, the expenditures used for recruiting athletes are taken from the already limited sports budget, cutting into the growth and advancement of the established teams and athletic facilities. 

How does this affect enrollment?  Ten years ago, Gordon enrolled over 1,600 students.  Endicott enrolled a similar amount the in 2001-2002.  However, while Gordon enrolled a little over 1,500 students for the 2012-2013 year, Endicott boasts over 2,400 students enrolled. Why has Endicott’s admissions almost doubled, while Gordon’s number has decreased?  Many attribute it to the addition of their football program in 2002.  While this was a great expense for the college, it has been worth the investment.  Ever since this addition, the enrollment has steadily increased at Endicott. 

“I have to make hard choices as to how to best ‘invest’ our budget for greatest success,” said Tymann. “Recruiting is one of our best investments within athletics and for the overall health of the institution.”

This is not just a problem that Gordon faces, but most small Christian colleges do not put enough stock into their athletic program. According to the athletic director of Westmont College, Dave Odell, athletics raises about $750,000 worth of scholarship funds each year, separate from the school’s general budget.  However, he also added, “We do not have a budget for recruiting.  Our coaches often use fundraised money or pay out of their own pockets.”

The success of their athletic program has earned them national and global exposure.  In fact, Westmont’s Tugce Canitez ‘13, member of the women’s basketball team, played in the 2012 London Olympics for Turkey’s women’s basketball team. This exposure may be attributed to the great effort put into their recruiting process. 

“We recruit 70 new athletes, which is about a quarter of our incoming class each year,” said Odell.  “And we don’t get a budget!”

He laments this budgeting choice because he believes that the athletics’ budget is too limited.  If the program puts a sufficient amount of the funds into the recruitment of player to make this successful, there will be no funds left to build on the current teams and athletic facilities. 

So what does Endicott’s athletic program have that other small colleges need? The “Gull Club.”  The Gull Club is made up of “Parents of athletes, athletic alumni, faculty, staff, corporations, and friends… making a contribution.” According to the college’s athletic website, “Investment in our student-athletes and coaches through annual giving allows them to compete at the highest level in Division III athletics… The combined support of the College and the Gull Club will have a significant impact on all of our student-athletes.” 

If funds will not be supplied by admissions at Gordon, maybe it’s time to turn to alumni, parents and donors.  But wait, such a thing does exist.  Though many are not even aware of it.  The Highlander Club was established for Gordon’s Athletics for just this purpose in 2003.  So what does the Gull Club have that the Highlander Club needs?  Supporters, recognition and events. 

“Right now Highlander Club is on the backburner,” said Highlander Club Assistant Mechelle Brown. The focus has been on student involvement, mainly revamping the PIT.  However, students are not the ones who are able to provide the funds for athletes and their teams. 

Perhaps students need to be more involved in raising this awareness and taking part in the club.  If we as students want to see change and improvement in our programs, why don’t we take initiative to see that change happen?

Gulls Defeat Scots for the First Time Ever

“It's always hard to watch the team lose whoever we play,” said Senior Kellen Kasiguran, “but losing to Endicott had a special sting to it.”

The Gordon’s Men’s Soccer Team has never lost a game to the Gulls of Endicott until now.  On Wednesday October 3^rd, on their home turf, the Scots were faced with the reality of a devastating 5-2 loss to their biggest rivals, the Gulls.  And this, only days after the Scots celebrated their great win over Nichols at 3-2 on Saturday, September 29^th.  What was the cause of this great upset?  How will the Scot’s bounce back?

This season has been a rough one for men’s soccer at Gordon.  With an overall record of 3 wins, 7 losses and 1 tie so far, the increasing amount of injuries to the team has been a great barrier to their success.  Former starter Kellen Kasiguran ’13 has red-shirted this season due to a knee injury, starting goalie Ryan Coil ’13 is out after breaking both his tibia and fibula and a variety of other injuries have left many of the Scots’ first-string players on the bench.

“Every game I watch makes me want to play whether we are winning or losing…” said Kasiguran. “It's hard not to be out there battling with all my brothers.” 

The head coach of Endicott’s Men’s Soccer team, Joseph Calabrese, however, was thrilled about the win.  The Scots’ lost-lasted dynasty over the Gulls was finally broken and now the competition will rise.  “Some people have called this a rivalry game. I completely disagreed,” said Calabrese. “Our program had never won a match against the Scots. The Scots have dominated this local rivalry.”

Calabrese said he greatly respects Gordon’s coaching staff. He specifically complimented the organization of the defensive team. But the Gulls have been working hard and it paid off.

“We believe we have a good chance of winning against any team we play,” said Odell. “It typically comes down to execution.”

Senior Captain Ryan Daley ’13, however, does not let the overwhelming amount of injured players or this loss discourage him.  “The loss stings a bit. Yeah, there is the rivalry history. But that does not affect anything else in our season. We lost one game. Now, we move forward.” 

Though the Scots are down many key players, they don’t count the championship out of the question.  With a record of 2-2 for the conference, the men’s season is far from over. 

According to Daley, the Scots have all the talent and potential that they need for the 2012 season.  “I have confidence in our guys. We don't feel bad for ourselves and no one else should feel bad for us.”

The whole team, injured or not, is committed to fighting until the end.  Their confidence is key to their success.  Even after the loss to Endicott, the men kept their heads held high. 

“Despite the loss and disappointment,” said Kasiguran, “there was an air of confidence, and the focus was on what we have to do next to keep moving forward.”

This confidence proved effective during the Scots’ Homecoming game against Wentworth on Saturday, October 6^th.  After a 3-0 win, the Scots’ Men’s Soccer Team may have found for themselves a new resolve.  The question is, can the Scots keep up the motivation without the fan base that they experienced during Homecoming weekend? 

Livin' The Dream

“What are your dreams? How do you want to live and make a difference in God’s kingdom?” 

After my freshman year at Gordon, I entered another summer of fun, family and friends.  But these questions plagued me as I arrived back to start another fall semester at Gordon. I knew God was calling me to go outside my comfort zone, I just didn’t know how far out.  It was only a few months later, during the summer of 2011, that I found myself in a small Italian village, sharing the Gospel with kids through the medium of sports.

“Out serve, out love, out care,” became the motto for my teammates and I throughout Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ nine-week international sports leadership training in Northern Italy over the next summer break. 

A diverse group of 17 interns from around the world, my fellow sports interns and I came together with two common passions: sports and Jesus Christ. Coming from very different backgrounds and cultures, we learned to put aside our personal habits, jump out of our comfort zones and relate to people of all nations in order to reach them for Christ.  John 3.30 became an influential verse for me this summer, “He must become greater; I must become less.” By practicing this discipline in the community of FCA leaders and interns, God has completely transformed my narrow view of the world and His kingdom within it.

I had never been involved in FCA, barely had I ever traveled outside the States and the extent of my foreign language skills did not extend much farther than “Hola, ¿Cómo está usted?”  I soon realized this wouldn’t get me too far were I was headed. 

Bobbio Pellice is a little town in a quiet village, everyday like the one before.  I literally woke up every morning with the song, “Belle,” from Beauty and the Beast, stuck in my head, hearing cowbells chime as their owners made the daily trek to the pastures nestled within the Italian Alps.  I never knew what was to come each day; I only knew that the day before had left me a changed person.  God continued to challenge me in everyway in Italy: spiritually, physically, emotionally and relationally.

I flew to northern Italy and met up with 16 other interns, none of us knew what we had signed up for.  We only knew that we were called by God to use sports for His glory.  After much training (physical, educational and mission-focused) from a variety of internationally diverse Christian sports leaders, we brought our new skills to the European children.  After a few weeks in the Italian valley, using sport as a medium to share the Gospel through camps and clinics, we were split into four small groups and sent to other eastern European countries to spread seed. 

I had never heard of Moldova before. Before I knew it, I was on a plane to this country, which holds the titles of both “the most poverty-stricken country in all of Europe” and “the country with the highest industry for sex trafficking in the world”.  I was terrified. Again, out of our comfort zones, the three other college-age ambassadors and I joined FCA’s global movement for Christ.  

After 60 days of international sports ministry, I did not consider myself the same person.  On the flight back to Boston, I contemplated where God would use me next and how my life would look differently after Impact.  While I continue to ask these questions, God continues to comfort me with his Word spoken through Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1.9.

Ready to step outside your comfort zone?  Sign up for a summer internship or outreach team; it may just change your life. Italy Impact 2013 is now recruiting, for those of you who love sports and God’s Kingdom, I highly recommend it.

NFL Players are Out to Win Games… and Hearts

When Sunday comes around, there are more Americans worshiping their NFL idols through their television than there are those worshiping God in the church.  But even in the NFL there are Christian athletes who choose to use their talent to reach others with the Gospel are displaying Christ’s love to their fans and teammates alike. 

Starting defensive tackle for the NY Jets, #70 Mike DeVito, testified of the strong network of believers that exists within the NFL.

“Everyone knows the stereotype that there is of NFL players,” said DeVito, “but there’s a community of believers that are really rooted in their faith.” 

He admitted that when he began his NFL career with the NY Jets in 2007, DeVito was nervous.

“I thought there would be no Christian brothers in the NFL,” he said, “but there’s a great network of believers on every team.”

According to DeVito, most within the NFL are not adverse to Christianity.

“In the NFL, there are guys from a lot of different backgrounds, social networks, places and religions,” said DeVito.  “People are always asking about who Jesus is.”

He and his roommate, Matt Mulligan, #82 tight end for the NY Jets, do not let these opportunities go to waste.

“We (he and Mulligan) work as a team,” said DeVito.  “By the grace of God we have guys over and minster to them.  Sometimes you have guys who don’t know anything about Christ, so we are there to plant the seeds.  It’s then up to us to pray for them, that God would work in their hearts.”

DeVito spoke of leaders in the NFL who’ve impacted his own relationship with Christ, highlighting Pastor Adam Burt (chaplain of the NY Jets) and former NY Jets defensive lineman, Kenyon Coleman (currently #99 with the Dallas Cowboys). 

“This guy really walks the walk,” DeVito said of Coleman. “You can see the power and light of God in his life like no other. During my first two years with the Jets, he and Pastor Adam taught me so many things. God works through these men.” 

For the past four years, NY Jets’ chaplain Adam Burt has invested in players and coaches through chapels and one-on-one discipleship and mentoring every week.  Also the pastor of Morning Star Church in Manhattan, Burt is able to connect well with the players since he spent many years as a NHL star. Sports ministry has always been a passion of his. 15 years ago, Burt, along with former NHL player Mike Fischer, spent the summer on Gordon College’s campus with Hockey Ministries International.  They played their tournaments at Endicott College’s hockey arena.

“I knew that I played pro sports and the lord wouldn’t have that and not use it later,” he said.

The Christian community within the NFL is tight-knit.

“All the NFL chaplain are very friendly,” said Burt.  Brett Fuller (chaplain of the Washington Redskins) and Dr. Adam Ybarra (chaplains of the Oakland Raiders) are good friends whom he stays well connected to.

Don Davis, former NE Patriots’ linebacker, is now the NFL program director, chaplain of the NE Patriots and Director of player affairs.  He has seen evangelism within the NFL change throughout the years; he referred to the modern form as “locker room evangelism.”

“This generation is not as forward when it comes to witnessing,” said Davis.  “They do more invitation and fellowship and then the issues come up.  Players are more open to Christianity now because of the Christian figures in the NFL and the prayers that happen after the games.”

Davis sees his role as chaplain to have three main levels.

“Equipping the saints, encouraging those who are struggling and exposing folks to the Truth,” he said. “I’ve found in my own walk, it wasn’t until I saw someone I respected doing things I wanted to do, that I grew.  That’s what my approach is. Being around them and let them see my life. I earn that responsibility to speak into their life.” 

These key personalities in the NFL are devoting their lives to sharing the Gospel through the medium of sports.  Sport is the only universal language of our day.  Each one of these Christ-followers recognizes their position in the sports world to hold an eternal responsibility.

“There’s no bigger platform that draws so many people around one event,” said Davis.  “It (sports) breaks down walls.”

Messiah Soccer Grad Joins the Fighting Scots’ Coaching Staff

Nick Thompson was a successful college player who’d won a spot on a professional soccer team, before deciding there was something else he’d rather be: an assistant men’s coach at Gordon.

Thompson made the roster of the Carolina Railhawks of the North American Soccer League in 2011 after graduating from Messiah College, where his team won three NCAA Division III National Championships in four years.

Though he loved being on the field, he sought his true passion: coaching. He began as a volunteer assistant for North Carolina State in the fall of 2011. He then coached at the U.S. Naval Academy for the spring 2012 season before being hired at Gordon this fall. 

Thompson, a native of Akron, Ohio, came to Gordon knowing many of the Scots men’s players from his hometown.  He played varsity soccer at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy with Gordon graduates, Matt Horth and Alex Sosler, and current starter, Kellen Kasiguran.  While at Messiah, he shared a graduating class and Sports Management major with Pete Owens, who is now the assistant coach for Gordon’s men’s lacrosse team. 

He also left his stamp in the Falcon record book with 54 career goals and 18 assists.

Thompson’s aim is to bring the same excitement and energy to the Scots that made him a successful Division III player.

“I’ve been there.  I know what it takes,” said Thompson.  He admitted that it feels a little strange to play “catch up” with the Scots after playing for the Falcons.  The Scots will have to work very hard to live up to the standard of the Falcons. 

Thompson said he and head coach John Whallon, face the 2012 men’s soccer season with great expectations, and plan to hold the players to a higher and more intense standard of play and conduct. “It starts off with doing the little things right,” he said. “These little things are what bring in more goals, less losses and more wins.”