Sports

Why is seemingly everyone at Cal Poly so active?

Ash Pickett is a Business Administration Junior and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group. Health is wealth. It’s a bit of a silly phrase but I’m a big subscriber to it, and so is everyone else at Cal Poly, or so […]

Published

1 week ago

May 6, 2025

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Ash Pickett is a Business Administration Junior and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.

Health is wealth. It’s a bit of a silly phrase but I’m a big subscriber to it, and so is everyone else at Cal Poly, or so it feels. It’s pretty bizarre just how physically fit people at this school are on average. Our students are on another level.

Maybe this is just because I come from a suburban town in the Bay Area and I’m not used to this kind of culture, but it’s been pretty shocking to witness. Most people I know living in San Luis Obispo call some kind of physical activity one of their primary hobbies. Rock climbing, surfing, running, biking, pilates, yadda yadda.

Not only is this true, but people also seem to talk about these hobbies all the time. I’ve always felt like there’s a kind of expectation to be active, and so people loop activity into conversation wherever they can. To be clear, I think hobbies are a super fun and normal thing to talk about, they just show up in many more conversations at Cal Poly.

So we know that Cal Poly students are very active and that they like to talk about. Today I want to talk about why that is, and how it influences students.

I have two theories as to the “why.”

One is obvious: the environment. San Luis Obispo residents constantly boast about the town’s strikingly unique location.

Ethan Federman, a business administration senior and the Founder and President of Field Studies Club said that “Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo are places that embody movement. San Luis Obispo is located perfectly along the nine sisters volcanic plugs and hills that create consistent slopes around town. It can appease most people’s appetites for exercise and adventure.”

I’d agree that SLO has everything an outdoorsy person might want. A short drive to beautiful beaches for the surfers, the swimmers, and recently, the wave skiers; not too far from mountains for the climbers, the hikers, and the trail runners; and beautiful State Parks nearby and National Parks in relatively close proximity for the backpackers, the campers, and the adventurers. Anyone with a soft spot for nature is usually drawn to SLO, and loving nature often goes hand in hand with loving physical activity.

Cal Poly Field Studies Club bouldering in Joshua Tree National Park, CA. Ethan Federman | Courtesy

I’ll admit my next theory is also obvious, but it’s certainly less talked about. It’s no secret that money has an impact on health – partially due to chronic stress and physiological strain associated with a lack of wealth that can, over time, harm people’s health.

Cal Poly is an expensive school (due in part to my earlier point of its ideal environment), and in that same vein, the socioeconomic breakdown of Cal Poly leans very heavily toward the upper-middle class. This follows the research that money is generally positively correlated with health.

I’m not here to say that more money is a direct cause of better health or more physical activity in SLO, because we all know that correlation and causation are two separate things, but rather that it’s interesting to think about how Cal Poly’s socioeconomic breakdown might play a role in its culture.

Federman talked about how SLO culture “pushes students to go outside their comfort zone and take on athletic challenges on top of their academic ones.” In his Field Studies Club, approximately 50% of his members are first-timers in the respective disciplines of the trips they attend.

Cal Poly Field Studies Club Nepal Crew on their way to hike the highest trekkable pass in the world – the Thorong La Pass – sitting 3,300 feet higher than the highest point in the continental US. Ethan Federman | Courtesy

Any culture that can push people to try new things and expand their scope of learning beyond the classroom is a great thing, in my opinion.

I asked one of the most active people I know, business administration senior Bobby Erben, how that culture of physical activity has impacted him. He said, “I have been involved in competitive sports my whole life, so when I arrived at Cal Poly and wasn’t actively competing, I felt like something was missing. Part of the reason why I love this school so much is because I was easily able to find a community of people who felt the same way, and who want to connect by doing some sort of physical activity together.”

Student hiking with friends at Mount Whitney, CA. Bobby Erben | Courtesy

There’s a lot of pressure in SLO to be outside as much as possible, go on exciting adventures, and be your healthiest possible self. It’s my belief that practicing healthy habits every single day should be a priority, but it won’t always be reality, especially as busy college students.

My advice to students feeling burdened by this pressure is to remember that you’re allowed to take breaks and relax, but learn to embrace this culture if it aligns with your values, and take from it what resonates with you and what works for your life. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but push yourself to be better.

A culture centered around physical activity is one that builds strong community and lifelong bonds, things I think are some of the most important takeaways from college.

That culture I’m talking about really is unique, and I personally feel really lucky to live in it.

Two Cal Poly students on a hike in Pinnacles National Park, CA. Ash Pickett | Courtesy

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Sports

Gerena Leads Hofstra At CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship

Story Links CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Results Greensboro, NC – Isabella Gerena recorded a personal best time in the 3000m Steeplechase to lead the Pride at the CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. Gerena finished the race in 10th […]

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1 minute ago

May 15, 2025

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Greensboro, NC – Isabella Gerena recorded a personal best time in the 3000m Steeplechase to lead the Pride at the CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. Gerena finished the race in 10th place with a time of 11:21.40.

Allison Reid finished the 1500m trials with a time of 4:53.83 to finish in 25th place out of the 29-runner field. In the 10,000m race, Saralyn Frederick finished with a time of 38:43.33 to place 18th of 18 runners.

Elon leads the team competition with 44 points, with Hampton in second place with 29. As a team, Hofstra is not ranked.

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Sports

2025 Boys Volleyball State Championships: Know Before You Go

Story Links GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In partnership with Polk County Public Schools and Visit Central Florida Sports, the Florida High School Boys Volleyball State Championships return this weekend to the Winter Haven Health Center on the campus of Polk State College in Winter Haven. This will be the third straight year that Polk State College will host the boys championship event, […]

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2 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In partnership with Polk County Public Schools and Visit Central Florida Sports, the Florida High School Boys Volleyball State Championships return this weekend to the Winter Haven Health Center on the campus of Polk State College in Winter Haven. This will be the third straight year that Polk State College will host the boys championship event, but the first year the event consists of three separate classifications. The three-day event will comprise of semifinal matches on Thursday and Friday, followed by all championship matches on Saturday.

Some event notables heading into the weekend include the 2024 state champion Winter Park returning to the event to defend their title and seek their third overall championship school history. However, with the addition of the two new classifications, the Wildcats will do so in the newly formed Class 3A. Should they advance to the championship match on Saturday, they could see their 2024 opponent Southwest Miami who are also seeking their fourth overall title. All remaining teams in the field this year will be seeking their first ever state championship in the sport.

Tickets are currently on sale via GoFan for $14.00 if purchased in advance and $17.00 if purchased the day of, with no onsite ticket sales taking place. Tickets are general admission and good for the entire day of competition. Additionally, there will be no charge for parking onsite, as the $3.00 cost is already included in each ticket of admission. For a complete schedule, along with the playoff brackets and any additional event information, please see below or visit the boys volleyball sport page.

2025 Boys Volleyball State Championships (Thursday, May 15 – Saturday, May 17)

State Championship Tournament Match Schedule

Thursday, May 15

Class 1A State Semifinal #1, 4 p.m.
- SLAM (Tampa) vs. True North (Miami)

Class 1A State Semifinal #2, 7 p.m.
- J.C. Bermudez (Doral) vs. King’s Academy (West Palm Beach)

Friday, May 16

Class 2A State Semifinal #1, 10 a.m.
- Lake Howell (Winter Park) vs. Suncoast (Riviera Beach)

Class 2A State Semifinal #2, 1 p.m.
- Gulf Breeze vs. Reagan (Doral)

Class 3A State Semifinal #1, 4 p.m.
- Horizon (Winter Garden) vs. Winter Park

Class 3A State Semifinal #2, 7 p.m.
- Seminole Ridge (Westlake) vs. Southwest Miami

Saturday, May 17

Class 1A State Championship, 1 p.m.
- Defending champion: Winter Park

Class 2A State Championship, 4 p.m.
- Defending champion: new classification

Class 3A State Championship, 7 p.m.
- Defending champion: new classification

Know Before You Go:
Where: Polk State College – Winter Haven Health Center (Winter Haven)
When: Thursday, May 15^th – Saturday, May 17^th
Host: Polk County Public Schools
Tournament Brackets: Class 3A | Class 2A | Class 1A
Event Schedule & Results: click here
Admission: $14.00 with advance purchase and $17.00 the day of

All tickets available via GoFan with NO onsite ticket sales taking place

$3.00 cost of parking included in each ticket of admission

Parking: fee included in ticket of admission with all proceeds retained by the Host
Official Merchandise: Team IP
Event Photography: Fastbreak Connect
Live Webcast(s): NFHS Network
Lodging and Event Information: click here*

*This is a collection of resources provided by the host organization to better assist you in your travel and stay within Polk County. All lodging and attractions will need to be contacted for more information, and are not directly affiliated with the FHSAA or Local Organizing Committee.

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Sponsorships available to become Brevard County firefighter

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Want to become a Brevard County firefighter? Now is your chance with an annual sponsorship award offered by Brevard County Fire Rescue. One young scholarship recipient says he has a personal motivation to serve the public. What You Need To Know Brevard County Fire Rescue offers annual sponsorship awards to help […]

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13 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

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BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Want to become a Brevard County firefighter? Now is your chance with an annual sponsorship award offered by Brevard County Fire Rescue.

One young scholarship recipient says he has a personal motivation to serve the public.

What You Need To Know

Brevard County Fire Rescue offers annual sponsorship awards to help attract firefighters and paramedics

Jeff Gauvin and 33 others will attend Eastern Florida State College for EMT or fire training academy

The department has hired 72 sponsorship recipients since the program began in 2021, and more are in the hiring process

About 25,700 firefighter-paramedic positions were expected to open annually each year from 2023 to 2033, the U.S. Labor Department reported

Jeff Gauvin steps away from the stress of working two jobs, seven days a week, with his music. His goal is to pay his car off.

Jeff Gauvin is looking to become a firefighter-paramedic after his grandmother passed away in a house fire two years ago.

“For me, it’s just something I want to be a part of, to make sure nobody else has to go through that phone call, because my dad called me when it happened,” Gauvin said. “I found out through him. That’s something I want to help prevent.”

Gauvin is on his way to becoming a first responder after being awarded one of 34 Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighter sponsorships.

Gauvin and the others will attend Eastern Florida State College for emergency medical technician or fire academy training.

Since the program began in 2021, the department has hired 72 recipients, and 19 more are currently in the hiring process.

Gauvin, who now works two jobs, seven days a week and gets away from the stress of that with his music, learned about the scholarship through a friend who is an EMT in Orlando.

“He’s going to work with me when I’m going through school and help me through the process,” Gauvin says.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, about 25,700 openings for firefighters/paramedics were expected nationwide each year from 2023 to 2033.

The national average for demand nationwide by 2026 is 8%, and Florida stands at 7%, according to the Labor Department.

The increase in demand can be attributed to injuries, job transfers and retirements, officials said.

The training to get new firefighters and paramedics ready for their jobs is physically taxing.

“I lift Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I run every day after work,” Gauvin said. “I just get it in.”

He recommends the path to anyone.

“They are with you the whole way through,” Gauvin said. “They’re telling you what to do. They are motivating you and giving you some words of encouragement.”

The fourth annual BCFR sponsorship signing day is May 28 at 3 p.m. at Station 48 in the Viera community.

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Gulf Breeze boys volleyball advances to state Final Four in Winter Haven

The Gulf Breeze boys volleyball team continues to make some history. In just its second year as a program, the Dolphins are in the state Final Four after sweeping Nease, 3-0, in the Region 1-2A finals on May 13. Gulf Breeze has won its last six matches via sweep, with the last four all being […]

Published

27 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Gulf Breeze boys volleyball team continues to make some history.

In just its second year as a program, the Dolphins are in the state Final Four after sweeping Nease, 3-0, in the Region 1-2A finals on May 13. Gulf Breeze has won its last six matches via sweep, with the last four all being in the postseason through the district and region tournaments.

But the contest against Nease allowed the Dolphins to show “mental fortitude,” head coach Jackson Arnold said. It was Gulf Breeze’s first match on the road in a few weeks, after going to North Bay Haven on April 22. Since then, the team has hosted at “The Tank.”

“Usually our team is very reliant on our passing in our ball control defensively, and yesterday Nease did very well trying to get us out of system with their serves. It was a different gym that we’ve ever played in before, and it was a little bit of a different ball,” Arnold said. “But what we did was keep our mental fortitude and our focus between teammates and ourselves.”

Gulf Breeze may now have a road playoff game under its belt for the 2025 season, but that doesn’t mean the Dolphins have been afraid of traveling throughout the year. The squad had already been to the Jacksonville area during the season, plus played at a tournament in the Orlando area against some tough competition.

After beating Nease earlier in the week, Gulf Breeze opted to stay on the road and travel directly to Winter Haven, where the state Final Four is slated to be held on May 16-17.

Arnold said it just “logistically” didn’t make sense to drive back to Gulf Breeze from Jacksonville, then have to turn right back around and head to Winter Haven the next day. Instead, they’ll find a place to practice down south before the semifinals against top-seeded Reagan on May 16.

The winner of that semifinal game, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Polk State College, will face the winner of No. 2 Suncoast and No. 3 Lake Howell for the championship on May 17.

“We’ve been in this situation before throughout the season just traveling to larger games, traveling to bigger tournaments. I feel like the boys are mentally prepared as they can be and they’ve seen every kind of level of talent throughout the season that they can possibly see,” Arnold said. “So there shouldn’t be any surprises. You’re always going to have some issues here and there, but that’s my job as a coach to minimize the risk.”

That’s not to say Gulf Breeze isn’t enjoying the journey to the destination at the same time. Since the Dolphins’ team is made up of athletes not just from Gulf Breeze, but from Navarre, Milton and Central, the extended road trips allow for more team bonding.

Especially since teammates might only see each other during practice or game days, and not throughout the day at school like most other programs.

“It’s really really good for the boys to be able to have some quality time together, especially leading into these larger games where they can really learn about each other’s personalities and build a good cohesive bond that would contribute positively on the court,” Arnold said.

With Gulf Breeze now in the Final Four, that means all three of Gulf Breeze’s volleyball teams – including girls indoor and girls beach – have made it to the state’s biggest stage. The girls indoor team fell in a five-set match in the championship game in the fall, while the beach team just successfully defended its state crown.

Now, the boys team will look to make some noise.

“I mean, I just it says a lot about the Panhandle and its drive for excellence in sport. … It Just shows that our our community is ready to rally upon these new programs and can give their full support,” Arnold said. “Encouraging is the best word I can say when you have the support of a community behind you. It takes a village not an individual, so I’m so really thankful for that and I don’t know it would not be possible without the community that we have.”

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VOIT AND WISSBROECKER EARN USTFCCCA ALL-REGION HONORS

Story Links NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two Warriors were named to the 2025 NCAA Division II USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region team. Freshmen Ella Voit and MacKenzie Wissbroecker each earned the honor after impressive seasons. Voit, a freshman from Sauk Rapids, Minn., won the 2025 NSIC Outdoor […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two Warriors were named to the 2025 NCAA Division II USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region team. Freshmen Ella Voit and MacKenzie Wissbroecker each earned the honor after impressive seasons.

Voit, a freshman from Sauk Rapids, Minn., won the 2025 NSIC Outdoor 3000m Steeplechase championships after turning in a time of 10:48.26 last weekend. Voit has been a key component of the distance team during her first year at Winona State.

Wissbroecker, a freshman from Antigo, Wis., has rewritten the WSU record books in the long jump during her first season as a Warrior. Wissbroecker set the new Winona State outdoor long jump record twice with the best being a jump of 6.31 meters.

All Region honors for the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the regular season. Top-5 individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region honors, in addition to each of the members of a top-3 ranked relay team.

For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit: www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH.

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