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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1991)
Campus Page 2 The Battalion Tuesday, October 29, A ggie Hostesses welcome high school athletes to A&] Group shows recruits around campus, answers questions By Alysia Woods The Battalion Enthusiasm for Texas A&M traditions, football savvy, and winning personalities character ize more than just Aggie yell leaders. In fact, this inspirational bunch is especially unique from the yell leaders because they're women. They're the Aggie Hostesses and together they have greeted thousands of high school athletes hoping for a shot at college foot ball at A&M. The Aggie Hostesses is a Uni versity-recognized organization that has been around since 1985. Hostess Dana Hurley says the or ganization has really grown since then. "It was very informal in the beginning," says Hurley, a sophomore journalism major. "But we're finally getting some recognition that other groups have, like the Diamond Dar lings." Hurley, also on the organiza tion's publicity committee, says an Aggie Hostess is a potential football player's only link to the student body. "When recruits come down for a weekend, they probably get tired of talking to coaches asking them how much they bench press and what they eat," she says. "We are able to relate to them more because we are students." A hostess is primarily respon sible for welcoming and "show ing around" high school athletes brought to A&M during the fall or spring semesters for possible recruitment into Aggie football. Occasionally, students for other team sports are recruited. During the fall, various re cruits and their parents are given tickets to a home football game as part of A&M's informal re cruiting process. Hostesses must arrive two hours early for the game, dressed neatly in their khaki skirts and maroon-and- white rugby shirts. They receive basic knowledge about each re cruit, such as his name, where he is from, what position he plays, and other related items. The real ly outstanding, sought-after play ers, known as "blue-chip" play ers, are singled out to hostesses in advance. Each recruit is then assigned to a hostess, who greets him, tells him about A&M, takes him to an on-campus lunch, escorts him to n 8 q ids ii specific Febru- weekends in January and ary are designated for recruiting; the Aggie Hostesses, as well as A&M football players, host Hal footbc HUY NGUYEN/ Th« Battalion Friendly faces of the Aggie Hostesses offer warm welcomes to potential recruits for the A&M football program and their families. pregame football practice and, fi nally, to 50-yardline alumni seats at the game. Aggie Hostesses answer any questions the recruit and his par ents might have and explain Ag gie traditions througnout the game, as well as offer to get re freshments for the guests. Hurley is quick to point out the hostesses are not allowed to date recruits or flirt with them in any way. "We are strictly there to show them around and answer their questions," she says. "We have to abide by a lot of NCAA regu lations." While they are in town, re cruits and their expenses are not compensated for during the fall and hostesses are warned not to give recruits "false hope" they might be selected for the team. "'Good luck' is about all we can say," Hurley says. Each spring, however, the pace - and race - for high school dozens of potential football play ers. During recruiting weekends, each recruit is assigned a hostess and an A&M football player. To gether they attend several meet ings, eat meals, and on some oc casions go out for a night on the town. Once again, says Hurley, the relaHonship between hostess es and recruits is kept on a friends-only basis. Making new friends doesn't come easy, however. Being an Aggie Hostess, she says, takes a lot of time and dedication. Hostesses are not paid for their hours of hospitality. Tracy Waters, one of three co ordinators for the Aggie Hostess es, says the organizaHon focuses more on personality than any thing else in the selection of hostesses. "Basically, we test their knowledge of football and Aggie tradiHons," says Waters, a senior animal science major in her sec ond year in the organization. "But personality is the most im portant quality." Hostess tryouts are in the spring. Interested women who maintain 2.5 GPRs and are in good standing with the Universi ty fill out applications, provide photographs and write apt graph explaining why they to be Aggie Hostesses. From there, interview'; conducted by the coordina:; Applicants are put in varioi:, nations in which theymust^ vide quick responses. Somes: ations center on how theap: cant would react if a recruit;; a pass at her. Tim Cassidy, A&M'srar, ing coordinator and supers, of the Aggie Hostesses, says; women play key roles in rec. ing because they providee, support from a studentaspec 'Although the girls don'lf any benefits or pay, they aw E ositive about Aggie footk e says. "They just havet; burning desire that allA|t: have to help promote A&M Hostess Ashley Mate; junior marketing major; chairwoman of the pubk committee, says she enjoys be part of an organization tie based in Aggie tradition. "I get to see a side to Ag football that a lot of people; ever see," she says, "That's;: ing." The Aggie Hostesses»; recognized at the A&M- Ho; game today before kid scheduled for 2 p.m. They: will be featured on the cover football program this season sj game ti ■ ton. Th two int stop tv the sec Bucky great d win. The It's the Soi Texasi right tc Fear — it won't scare you to death Tammy Bryson The Battalion This Halloween remember that all those haunted houses you go to and scary movies you see just might be good for you. Fear is a normal part of life ;ood t Dr. Kail Hursey and can even be a good thing, said Dr. Karl Hursey, assistant profes sor of psychology at Texas A&M, in his presentation on the "psy chology of fear" Monday night in Rudder Tower. "People enjoy fear," he said, like the stimulation and 'They thrill as the roller coaster goes down that first hill." "People enjoy the fear of some thing like a naunted house be cause in the back of their minds they know its safe." Hursey suggested that people need a certain degree of tear in their lives. "You need fear," he said. "It makes you go to the dentist before you have a toothache. It makes you go to the doctor when you feel that pain in your stomach/' "Fear is adaphve - it's a good thing, but it can go too far." Although fear is a normal emotion, it has gone too far when it interferes with the normal course of your life, Hursey said. Phobias are one such type of fear that can go beyond reason. "Many times fears are irra tional," he said. "A person is more likely to get killed in his car driving to the airport than he is in an airplane crash, but many peo ple are afraid to fly and not afraid to drive." Phobias are fears that deal with the anticipation of an event, Hursey said. The anxiety caused by this anHcipaHon can cause suf ferers to avoid society. Chemistry Building entei second phase of renovatii By Troy D. Hall The Battalion the too beat. I need t Bui over, i j TCU b Longh j the res a confc Cotton Wi: Chain link fences placed around the west side of theCk Building last week marked the start of Phase II of the Univers’ vaHon project which began several semesters ago. Phase II is a conHnuing phase of renovaHon for the compk volves Rutting the internal areas of the Chemistry Building tom cutting tl the faciliHes, said Tim Donathen, assistant manager for TexasAf cilides and Planning 'To my knowledge that portion of the building hasneverk oughly modernized and its mechanical, plumbing and electrical: ides have performed well over their life expectancy," he said. Phase I included reno The building was constructed in 1932. isn't as team i« Bui game i life. S< that th Couga the 28- Fir Klingl prospc So© Doctor /Pag© 5 See Building /r ULCERATIVE COLITIS If you’ve been diagnosed with proctitis, colitis, or left sided inflammatory bowel disease, VIP Research is seeking partici pants for a one month research study. Participants can qualify either on or off of medication. $400.00 will be paid to those individuals who complete this study. 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KAPLAN da Take Kaplan Or Take Your Chances Call 696-3196 or stop by 707 Texas Ave. Ste. 106 E for class schedule For other locations call 800-KAP-TEST Distribution of the new Aggieland (Texas A&M Yearbook) now going on at English Annex (on Ross Street across from Heaton Ho! 8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m, Monday - Friday (Bring Student I.D.) JAN JAN JAN A GGIELANi 19 9 1 The Battalion The Battalion Editorial Board Editorial Policy (USPS 045 360) Member of: Editor-in-Chief Timm Doolen Associated Press Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Associate Editors Holly Becka Todd Stone News Editors Douglas Pils Jason Morris Opinion Editor Carrie Cavalier City Editor Sean Frerking Photo Editor Karl Stolleis Lifestyles Editor Yvonne Salce Sports Editor Scott Wudel The Battalion is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, holidays, exam periods, and when school is not in session during fall and spring semesters; publication is Tuesday through Friday during the summer session. The Battalion is a non-profit, self support ing newspaper operated as a community ser vice to Texas A&M University and Bryan-Col- lege Station. The Battalion news department is man aged by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. The newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M student body, administrators, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents. 6' Advertising Subscriptions Advertising information canK from the advertising department^ . Monday through Friday 8 a.m. lo5: visiting the office in room 015 Reef building. Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. Phone: 845-2611. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843- 1111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Advertising Manage: Patricia Heck Adviser Robert Wegener