Tiny Home, Big Living

By Patrick Hamilton

Motlow Buzz Reporter

 

                There is a new trend in American housing, tiny homes. The movement is aimed at living simpler, financial freedom, and decreasing environmental impact. The social movement chooses to downsize the space needed to live. An average American home is around 2,600 square feet, whereas the typical tiny home is between 100 and 400 square feet.

 Few Americans desire to live inside a 300 square-foot home. However, a solid number of people have decided to embrace this simple living. In Tennessee, the demand for tiny homes is scarce. People like David Latimer with New Frontier tiny homes are embracing the movement making its way to Nashville. One of his tiny homes has been featured on HGTV’s “Tiny House, Big Living”. The virtual tour of the home is incredible. Here is the link. https://www.newfrontiertinyhomes.com/tiny-house.

 

Tiny houses became popular when Jay Shafer designed a house on wheels in the late nineties. He never set out to build a tiny home. Shafer wanted to build an efficient home. When all the unnecessary parts of the house are taken away, you’re left with a very small home. Shafer fathered tiny homes and made a way for the revolutionary movement today. Companies today are designing and building custom tiny homes for business. Tumbleweed Tiny Homes is one of the original Tiny Home builders, which operates in Canada. The link below is   http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/TumbleweedTinyHouses.

Companies all over the nation are embracing the movement because of the outstanding benefits. The benefits of building a Tiny Home are economical and personal to the buyer.

 1. You can travel with it. Not all tiny homes are portable. The ones with potential mobility have huge benefits. With mobility, you have the benefit of transporting everything you own in a short amount of time. All you need is a trailer hitch. Permanence is not an issue if you don’t buy a plot of land. Here is a link for building portable tiny home trailers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQFk2eVgi4A

 2. It is very cheap. Over a period of 30 years, most American homes double in price when you include the taxes, maintenance, interest, principal, and down payment. The damage for a typical single family home is costly and most likely the reason majority of Americans battle with debt. If you play your cards right, you could pay for the house up front. After evaluating the cost of living in Tennessee, it only makes sense to invest in a tiny home.

 3. It is extremely environmentally friendly. The clear majority of tiny homes are made of recycled, re-purposed, and salvaged materials. Each home is unique and easily powered by solar or wind resources. The required energy of a tiny home is much less than a traditional home. Building a tiny home is a great start to decreasing your environmental footprint. Also, if your Tiny Home is built in a rural area, nature becomes an easier priority. Most tiny home owners say they appreciate nature more than they did before living in a tiny home. Building a tiny home generates a new-found relationship with the environment. Tennessee offers vast country for building tiny homes.

4. Your life is less cluttered. Tiny homes are aimed at living a minimalistic lifestyle. Your limited space allows you to store what is necessary. Many people own too much stuff. Decluttering your life could possibly bless somebody in return with the materials you don’t need. This experience could be very humbling. I know what it is like to sort through possessions, only to find that I have more than enough. Donating your possessions is extremely hard, but it adds appreciation to the stuff you need.

Tiny home living is remarkably efficient. I plan to build a tiny home soon. The research I have done proves that building your own tiny home is cheaper. I highly recommend designing and customizing your own. Living in a home this size demands little maintenance. The greatest demand is adapting to small living. You have less junk, less room, and less time to stay inside. Living in a tiny home is ideal. Moving into a 400 square-foot home after living in a 2,000 square-foot home is grueling. Most people realize this way of living makes the most sense after making the 1,600 square-foot jump.

The Rise of Middle Tennessee State University Basketball

By Tyler Cobbs

Motlow Buzz Reporter

Middle Tennessee State University men’s basketball head coach Kermit Davis is in the mist of his 15^th season and has led the basketball program to a historic run in the last few seasons. Coach Davis has secured two Conference USA Championship titles, earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, and won at least 25 games in the last four seasons. Senior Reggie Upshaw Jr. and junior Giddy Potts are also responsible for MTSU’s recent success.  

Coach Davis has led the men’s basketball team to yet again another fantastic year, ending the regular season at 30-4 and becoming the 2016-2017 regular season Conference USA Champions. After this season, Kermit Davis is now the all-time winningest coach in program history with a total of 276 victories.

       Lightning Start for the Blue Raiders

The Blue Raiders started off this season with a bang, winning 10 out of their first 11 games. Also, early in the season, MTSU was invited to the Nashville “Music City Challenge,” a mid-season tournament held at Bridgestone Arena every year. Effortlessly, the Blue Raiders won the tournament title for the first time and defeated UNC Wilmington, Toledo, and Evansville along the way.    

Blue Raiders Gallop Through Conference USA 

After a grueling non-conference schedule, the Blue Raiders are focused and prepared for Conference USA play. Senior and four-year-starter Reggie Upshaw Jr. led the team to an incredible 10 game win streak to start of their conference schedule. On New Year’s Day, Upshaw scored a career and season high 34 points against the University of Alabama Birmingham in their conference opener. After the final buzzer, the crowed gave the senior a standing ovation after his unbelievable performance.

MTSU went on to finish with a record of 17-1 in the Conference USA, only suffering a loss to the University of Texas El Paso. Still with the best record in the conference, MTSU claimed the regular season conference championship for the fifth time in the last seven years.

  MTSU Thrives in Conference Tournament

The next big challenge for the Blue Raiders was the Conference USA Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama. The winner is crowned champions and earns a guaranteed spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Raiders were the victors over Marshall University, 83-72, in the championship game, and were led by junior standout-guard Giddy Potts, who finished the game with 36 points.

NCAA Tournament Bound

The Blue Raiders clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in a row. MTSU was rewarded the 12th seed in the South Region bracket and faced fifth seeded Minnesota University in the round of 64. The immaculate Blue Raiders advanced to the next round, defeating Minnesota, 81-72. In the following round, MTSU’s season came to an end. The Blue Raiders fought in a tough game and were defeated by fourth-seeded Butler University, 65-74. While at the watch party in the student union building at MTSU, students and I were left stunned after suffering from defeat.

        The Beginning of Something Great

The season may have come to an end for the Blue Raiders, but the start of a dynasty may be on the horizon. With head coach Kermit Davis at the helm and some talented incoming freshmen, anything is possible for MTSU’s men’s basketball program. The future looks bright for an already well-established ball club. Next year looks to be the year for the Blue Raiders to make the next big step towards greatness. 

To learn more about MTSU basketball, visit

http://www.goblueraiders.com/index.aspx?path=mbball

For more information about Conference-USA Men’s Basketball, visit

            http://conferenceusa.com/index.aspx?path=mbb

Why Film Photography Is Regaining Its Popularity

By Noah Gardner

Motlow Buzz Reporter

            In a world where photographs are primarily taken digitally, there is a growing popularity amongst photographers for the film formats of the past. But why would anyone in our society of technological advances still return to shoot with  

            In the early 2000s, the world of photography as we knew it changed forever. Though digital cameras were made in the ‘90s, the high quality results came with the 21^st Century. Companies went from processing film to just simply making scans of a digital photo. However, after about 10 years of a crashing market, recent studies have shown that film is regaining its popularity.

Kodak Ektachrome

According to Kodak Alaris, a spinoff of legendary film manufacturer Kodak, sales of Kodak professional film grew more than 5 percent worldwide between 2013 and 2015. Kodak has taken note of the resurgence of the film world and announced that it is rereleasing one of their most popular 35mm films known as Kodak Ektachrome. This stands to show that film is a growing trend amongst amateur and professional photographers.

            What a lot of people don’t understand though is that film takes a bit more time and money. In order to develop film, you must take it somewhere that has the appropriate equipment, like a local camera store such as Durys on Murfreesboro Pike. Also, chain stores like Walmart or Walgreens have photo departments in their stores where they can send your film to be developed.

Photo taken with Kodak Ektachrome

Instead of doing either of these two things, you can do the much more difficult task of developing your own film. To make a long story short, there are a lot of chemicals and tools involved that you have to buy just to get the photos developed. Not to mention a space to set up your own darkroom. This is why I prefer to take my film to a place that will do it for me. I might pay a bit more, but it is worth taking to a professional rather than possibly destroying the film on my own.

            That all being said, a lot of professional photographers defend film photography because it allows them to have complete creative control. While digital photographers have to take hours to edit their photos, film photographers would argue that this is showing a lack of control over their own photos.

 Walter Rothwell, a professional photographer who regularly uses film said, “Necessity is the mother of invention; there is no point staring at the back of a film camera after taking a shot—that time and energy is already going into the next one. Not knowing immediately what has been captured is a creative advantage,”

Photo taken by Walter Rothwell

What he is saying is that film makes the photographer more creative because he or she isn’t sure what the picture looks like immediately after it is taken. Shooting film is a process that makes you appreciate the photo more, wherein digital photos can be much more forgettable due to the incredible volume of a similar image.

            I can understand both sides. I have a digital camera, but I still would prefer to shoot film. To me, film makes photography seems like more of a job, which I like. With digital, you can take hundreds of photos in a matter of seconds and forget about them in an instant. Also, film has a grain quality that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. This whole debate is very comparable to the vinyl versus digital download debate. It is all about what the photographer is planning on doing. There is a time and a place for either digital or film, and that is up to you to decide.

            Ultimately, this is not to say that everyone should immediately discard their digital cameras and switch to film, but rather that film still has a very real and serious place in the world of photography. Alongside digital, film photography can continue to strive and thrive, offering a different approach to taking a picture. The rebirth is just that however. Companies will need to continue to respond to the resurgence of the market and innovate as much as they can to stay safe. Whether they can or not, remains to be seen. For now, though, film is alive and well.  

http://www.kodak.com/us/en/corp/press_center/kodak_brings_back_a_classic_with_ektachrome_film/default.htm - An article about Kodak bringing back Ektachrome.       

                

https://shop.lomography.com/en/films/35mm-film?country=us – The different kind of films that you can buy.

https://www.thespruce.com/film-vs-digital-photography-2688470 -The comparison between digital and film cameras.

The 10 Best Canon and Nikon Lens for Portraits

 

By Chase Brown

Motlow Buzz Reporter

            When it comes to photography, people think that they need to buy the most expensive camera for the best quality pictures. That statement is far from true. Lenses are one of the best things you can spend your money on. An entry-level camera with a high-quality lens can take absolutely stunning portraits, but the reverse is not necessarily true. So basically if you want to spend thousands of dollars on a camera setup, then pay more for the glass rather than the body.

            Understanding how a lens works and how to pick a lens for the perfect portrait is hard work to do, but I am here to give you some help. In this article, I will talk about some things to keep in mind when choosing the perfect lens for portrait photography.

            First off, what is a zoom lens, and what is a prime lens?

             A zoom lens has a ring on the lens that will zoom in and out. It will have an indicator on the lens that will tell you what your focal length is set to. For example, if a lens is a 70-200mm, like below, it shows that the lens is zoomed in at 100mm.

             A Prime (or fixed) lens is a lens that has a fixed focal length. You will not be able to zoom in and out. It is only fixed to the number that is on the lens, like shown below.

What does EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L mean?

            So you’re wondering what all these numbers and letters mean on your camera lens? EF means “Electro-Focus,” which means that it has a built-in motor in the lens for automatic focusing. A 70-300mm means again what the focal length of the lens is, if it’s a zoom lens. If it was a prime lens, it would simply read 70mm, rather than 70-300mm. f/4-5.6L indicates the maximum aperture of your lens, which is how wide it will go, and ultimately how much light it will allow in. When the number is lower, for example 1.6, then it is a “low light” lens, which means it will allow more light in.  These lens are good if you are shooting in a place that has low light. For example, inside somewhere or close to dusk.

How many lens should I carry?

            You should carry all the lenses you have, because you don’t know what could happen and where you will be located. If you are wanting to only bring one lens, then you need to bring a zoom lens. The zoom lens will give you a lot more options on your focal length. A good example for this is the 24-105mm lens. This lens will allow you to take many types of pictures without swapping it out. If you plan on brining a prime lens, then you need to bring plenty of those.

How many people are in the portrait?

            If you are planning to shoot portraits of a bunch of people, then you will need to use a wide-angle lens, which will capture more people in the picture. You need to keep in mind though that a wide-angle lens will make people at the edge of your picture look bigger and longer. If you don’t want this to happen, then don’t use a super-wide lens.

             Bokeh Effect

         Sometimes when you look at portraits, the background is blurred, and your subject is in focus. This is called the Bokeh effect. The larger the aperture, or the smaller the f-stop number, the more Bokeh you will get. If you are looking for the Bokeh effect, then shoot for a large aperture lens like a f/2.8 or f/1.8. See an example of this below from a picture that I have taken.

Your Camera Sensor Size.

           Remember that the camera body will affect the effective focal length of your lens. The same lens will act longer on a crop-sensor camera than on a full-frame one. Get more advice in Full Frame vs. Crop Frame Sensors.

Price

            Do not go cheap on a lens. The lens can make a big difference in all of the pictures that you take. Invest more money into the type of lens you use rather than the body that you are using.

            My experience and my favorite lens

           From my experience with shooting different types of lens, my favorite is the EF-50mm f/1.8 prime lens. This low-end lens has a high image quality because fixed lenses are typically sharper than zoom lenses. It has a wide aperture, which is perfect for low-light shooting, which I typically do a lot. The price of this lens is roughly about $125. So you can’t get more bang for your buck.

The Top 5 Canon Lens (Courtesy of BorrowLenses)

1)      Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L ll USM

($1,900 retail)

2)      Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS ll USM

($2,100 retail)

3)      Canon EF 50 mm f/1.4 USM

($350 retail)

4)      Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM

($1,800 retail)

5)      Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

($1,800 retail)

 

The Top 5 Nikon Lens (Courtesy of BorrowLenses)

1)      Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G

($1,600 retail)

2)      Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G AF-S ED VR II  

($2,200 retail)

3)      Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S

($177 retail)

4)      Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G

($1,700 retail)

5)      Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

($1,700 retail)

 
       With so many options on the market, finding the perfect lens for you can be challenging. The choice really narrows down to your personal desire. The advice I can give you is to go out and practice and experiment with different lenses and see which one you like the most and the one you are most comfortable with.

My Top Three Most Creative Pancakes

By Chanton Pace

Motlow Buzz Reporter

            When some people wake up in the morning, they may think about coffee or even their day ahead of them, but I personally think of pancakes when I wake up in the morning. 

I have been making pancakes for as long as I can remember.  I used to make them all the time when I was younger with my aunt, and I have been making them on my own since freshman year of high school.  So I guess I could say I know a thing or two about pancakes and how they operate.  I have seen tons of pancake recipes throughout my days as a self-proclaimed breakfast chef.  I have seen everything from regular old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes to caramelized butternut almond pancakes. 

So in this blog article, I am going to give you my three most creative pancake recipes out there.  These recipes are not only unique in ingredients; they are also extremely unique with taste.  Two of these recipes come from my very own secret pancake database, while one of them comes from www.halfhourmeals.com.

Milk Toast Pancakes by Chanton Pace

            Milk Toast Pancakes are by far the best pancakes to have for your holiday season.  Not only are they tasty, but they are also uplifting and really put you in the Christmas spirit.  I recommend this pancake recipe to anybody who is trying to cheer their family up with a little holiday cheer.  I have personally eaten these pancakes for the past three Christmas seasons.  I give these pancakes 3.5 stars on taste but 4.5 stars on creativity. 

Ingredients

            For these pancakes, you are going to need to have 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 3.5 teaspoons of baking powder, 2 cups of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 3 teaspoons of olive oil.

Directions

1.      Heat a heavily oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat.

2.      In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center, and pour in the milk, butter and olive oil. Mix until dry ingredients are evenly moist.

3.      Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle for each pancake. Cook pancakes till you are able to flip them with a spatula. Flip with a spatula, and continue cooking until golden brown on the bottom.

Oatmeal Griddlecakes by www.halfhourmeals.com

            Oatmeal Griddlecakes are by far the tastiest pancakes on this list.  These pancakes are a tasty treat that can also have a great purpose in someone’s diet.  If you use healthy oats to make these pancakes, you have yourself a muscle-building breakfast.  I personally use this recipe when I am trying to bulk up and build some muscle.  I give these pancakes 5 stars on taste and 4.8 stars on creativity.

Ingredients

            For these pancakes, you are going to need to have 1-¼ cup of oatmeal, 1-½ cups of buttermilk, 3/4 cup of flour, 3 teaspoons of Sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1-½ teaspoons of salt, and 2 eggs, unbeaten.

Directions

1.      Mix together the oatmeal and buttermilk and let sit for 15 minutes to soften the oatmeal. 

2.      Then stir in the remaining ingredients.

3.      Bake on hot griddle.

For the full link click here: http://www.halfhourmeals.com/recipe/oatmeal-griddlecakes/

Scotch Pancakes with Caramelized Banana by Chanton Pace

            Scotch Pancakes with Caramelized Banana are the perfect winter pancakes.  These pancakes are perfect for cold winter mornings and even for dinner as well.  With the scotch pancakes and the warm taste of the caramelized banana, the taste warms your body and gives you a warm, cozy feel.  While I do not rank the taste but at 4 stars, I give the creativity to this recipe a full 5 stars.

Ingredients

            For these pancakes, you are going to need to acquire 1 teaspoon of baking soda, a dab of salt, 8 ounces of low-fat butter milk, 8 ounces of cold water, 1 medium egg / unbeaten, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder, 1 cup of plain flour, 1 tablespoon of Sunflower oil, 2 or 3 bananas, 8 ounces of caster sugar, 8 ounces of unsalted butter, and Cinnamon powder.

Directions

1. Pour the flour, baking soda, turmeric and salt into a bowl.
2. In a different container, mix the water and buttermilk together.
3. Pour the eggs into the flour and add a packet of the buttermilk mix.
4. Using a spoon, work from the center of the mixture outwards slowly combining the eggs with the flour.  Add some of the buttermilk mixture at a time as you mix.
5. Put an oiled frying pan on the stove. Pour a small dab of the pancake mixture into the pan and cook the pancakes for about a minute and a half on each side.
6. Place the cooked pancake on a plate and keep them warm in the oven while you finish the recipe.
7. Pour the caster sugar into a non-stick frying pan and let it melt over medium heat.
8. Once the sugar has melted, turn up the heat till it goes slightly golden brown in color. Then stir in the butter, cinnamon and bananas and then cook for a couple of minutes.
9. Put a couple of pancakes on a plate and top them with the caramelized bananas. 

Electrical Safety

By Michael C Marlin
 Motlow Buzz Reporter

            A friend and coworker of mine lay fighting for his life after suffering a shock injury because he took an unnecessary shortcut when an injury could have been prevented.  He lived, but he has permanent shoulder damage because he did not take a minute or two to put on his protective rubber gloves when inserting a power meter into a meter base.

As a person who does electrical work for a large corporation and a certified electrician from tech school, I can certify that both companies and schools have a huge focus on safety.  Safety is the one most important thing to consider when dealing with electrical work and/or electronics.  Electrical voltages and electronics can be very dangerous, even deadly, when improperly used or when an individual is improperly protected.

            There are times to avoid working near live electricity for obvious safety reasons.  Never work in or around water when dealing with live electricity or electronics, as this could cause a deadly electrocution.  This includes trying to keep your hands as dry as possible from moisture caused by sweat.  Never use a piece of electrical equipment that looks like it has been altered from its original form, as it can cause serious injury or death.  Never approach a fallen electrical line after a storm, and treat it as energized until you can verify otherwise.  Always make sure a piece of insulating equipment is rated high enough for the amount of voltage that is being worked on.  If the insulator is rated for less voltage than the amount of voltage in use, this can cause electrocution and injury. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is a federal government agency that provides an excellent source of electrical working hazards at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9910.  It is not only a good idea to abide by OSHA’s standards, but it is also a rule.

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is the most important thing to use when you are performing electric work.  OSHA sets the standards for all working fields including electrical and PPE.  OSHA, who makes all of the electrical PPE standards, can be viewed at https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/personal_protective_equipment.html.  Safety glasses, insulated rubber gloves, hard hats, and flame-resistant clothing are all examples of the most common types of electrical PPE needed to safely perform various electrical types of work.                                                             

When it comes to dealing with electrical work, I can certify that safety glasses are the most frequently used types of PPE.  As someone who once had a devastating eye injury, I can say that safety glasses are, personally, the most important type of PPE that can be worn with dealing with any kind of work, especially electrical.  My injury came from a firework, but cut copper wire inures many because it is nearly impossible to read its trajectory when cut.  I have personally had to take two people to the hospital for eye injuries on the job that could have been prevented if proper safety glasses were worn. 

Hard hats are also very common with electrical workers, and they are required at almost every job site.  Hard hats are used as insulators for accidental contact with live wires, and they are also used to protect the head from falling debris from someone working above you.  Generally, electricians, should always have safety glasses and a hard hat on at all times while working.

            Insulated rubber gloves are also important forms of PPE when performing electrical work.  The rubber gloves are used when an individual has to physically touch live wires or insert a power meter or breaker.  They prevent electrocution by making it impossible for live voltage to make contact with the worker.

 Flame-resistant clothing protects from fire accidents or arc flashes when working around electricity.  Essentially, the clothing can prevent a burn or decrease the severity of a burn.  Grainger is an industry leader in flame-resistant clothing, and their products can be viewed at https://www.grainger.com/category/flame-resistant-and-arc-flash-clothing/safety/ecatalog/N-h5t.

Misuse of extension cords or overloading electrical outlets are common causes of electrical fires.  Extension cords are intended to be used temporarily and are not long-term solutions.  They should never, under any circumstance, be run through standing water.  The insulation on the outside should be intact, and the cords should not have any damage, cuts or peeling.  If the inside wiring is exposed in anyway, the extension cord should be thrown away to prevent contact with the wiring causing electrocution or a fire. 

The Electrical Safety Foundation International, or ESFI, is a good source for electrical safety, and its extension cord tips can be found at http://www.esfi.org/resource/extension-cord-safety-tips-478.

Electrical outlets should not be overloaded, and they should be used as intended.  The breaker is supposed to protect from problems caused from overloading an outlet, but if the amperage is not strong enough, the protection could still fail and cause a fire or damage to electronics.  A proper surge protector and turning off electrical equipment are two safe ways to ensure that an outlet is being used properly which will prevent fires and protect the electronic equipment that is plugged into it.

                               

            In the event of an electrical fire, a proper fire extinguisher should be used to extinguish the fire and prevent more damage.  There are three types of fire extinguishers, and they all have different uses and are called “type A,” “type B,” and “type C.”  The “type C” is for electrical fires, and the “type A” and “type B” are ineffective against them.  There is also a universal fire extinguisher called “type ABC.”  They are effective against all types of fires, including electrical fires, but they are the most expensive.  Even with the added expense, I would recommend this type, because you would not have to check the type and are able to grab and go in an emergency situation.  I have never had to use one, but stressful situations make this the logical choice. 

BRK Brands, INC makes popular home safety products, and their information comparing the fire extinguisher types can be found at http://www.brkelectronics.com/faqs/oem/what-do-the-abc-ratings-mean-on-fire-extinguishers.

                             

            Working around electricity and electronics can be hazardous and even deadly.  Safety, without question, should be the main focus when working around them to prevent injury, fires, electrocution, and even death. 

How Rugby Changed My Life

By: Andrew Isbell

 Motlow Buzz reporter

            I have always played a sport of some kind from baseball to football and in between. I didn’t find my real passion until rugby came into my life. 

Sports in My Life

            Earlier in life, basketball was my passion (or so I thought). I was on my grade school team and played in a summer league as well. Of course as most young kids think, I thought I was going to go pro because I was a decent player. Baseball just simply wasn’t my thing. I played for only a year and was absolutely terrible, so I had to drop that really quick. Then high school came, and as any kid who is interested in sports, I had to play high school football. I was obsessed with football early in high school and couldn’t think of anything else, but there was always one constant in my life that started in middle school and lasted the entirety of high school.

            I started playing rugby in seventh grade at Siegel Middle School, and it wasn’t anything special to me until high school. My sophomore year of high school, I quit football because I honestly wasn’t any good and knew I wasn’t going to play, but I saw and had many people who told me I was going to be a well-rounded rugby player at the time. So I turned all of my focus toward the sport. It turns out that it was the best decision of my life.

            Rugby broke me out of my very shy lifestyle and helped me branch out. I gained a new confidence because of how well our team was playing. It’s crazy how if a group of people are all helping each other to succeed on the field, brings you confidence. It’s great knowing off the field you that have at least 20 guys having your back at all times. I also started to get in the best shape of my life. By my senior year in high school, I was the strongest and most fit I had ever been.

            My senior year we were playing our rival Oakland high school. Oakland had beaten us the previous year to win the state championship. We went into the game the most prepared and intense I had ever seen a team at the time. We played a very well-rounded game, and I scored in the second half to solidify our win. I felt a sort of redemption after that game, and that paved our way to the state championship for a third straight year.

Now in college, I continue to play rugby for Middle Tennessee State University and have a close group of friends that even off the field hold me true. At Motlow, I along with two others are playing with MTSU, and we all see quality playing time. One of the game’s biggest aspects is the comradery that comes with it. I will have friends for the rest of my life because of rugby, and I am forever thankful.

The Game of Rugby

            Now if you don’t know the game of rugby at all, it is very entertaining and action-packed. Unlike football, the players have no pads or helmets but make the same tackles. Instead of passing forward, you must pass lateral or backwards. Also, you can kick at any point of the game.

Every person on the field plays both offense and defense during this entire 80-minute game consisting of two, 40-minute halves. A “try” is similar to a touchdown in football except that you must touch the ball to the ground. It is worth five points, and the conversion kick or points after try is worth two points. Field goals, penalty kicks, and drop goals (practically all the same) are worth three points.

There are 15 players on the field from both teams, eight in the forward pack, a “scrumhalf” and six in the back line. The game also consists of scrums, which are similar to the line of scrimmage in football. Lineouts which are similar to the throw in at a soccer game. And rucks, which are similar to nothing, which makes the game unique. A “ruck” is when the ball carrier gets tackled to the ground and he must release the ball back towards his team. Then his teammates will rush over him to protect possession of the ball until the scrumhalf can pass it out.

Learn More

            Visit www.mtrugby.com to learn more about how to get involved at MTSU and come out to a practice or two to see all the hard work we put in and the fun we have doing it. You can also learn more about the game and see how the USA national team is doing at www.usarugby.org.