Remembering Hunter

We lost a great friend this past week. Hunter was a great friend who was a huge light for anyone he interacted with. I was lucky enough to know him for the past year and a half. 

One of my first experiences with Hunter was getting the chance to interview him and his teammates last year for a journalism article that I wrote on the team. 

It's a long story, but it's worth the read. This article shows a lot of how much Hunter loved the game, and this article means a lot to me. This experience is something I'll always cherish. 

-Cody

It’s Not Just a Game

Baylor Men’s Volleyball breaks stereotype

By Cody Soto

December 2, 2013

We decided to do a mini photo shoot for the article, and Hunter couldn't be serious for one moment. It was so entertaining to see his teammates get so upset because they wanted a good photo.

Chris Dyer, an Aliso Viejo, Calif., junior, stands behind the service line to send the ball he has in his hands over the net. He bounces the ball three times on the ground, ensuring he is ready. His opponents anxiously await on the other side of the court. With a deep breath and concentration on where he is sending it, he tosses up the ball to the ceiling and slams it over the net on its way down. Boom. Let the game of volleyball begin.

Dyer, along with 19 other students, represents Baylor as part of the men’s club volleyball team. As members of the Southern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association conference, they compete against Texas A&M, TCU, SMU, Texas, and nine other competitive teams.

These 20 players are a rare display of men competing in the game of volleyball, both for Baylor and the United States as a whole.

The team has been a club sport of the Baylor Campus Recreation program for about 10 years, according to head coach Melanie Power.

“The last three years that I have been at Baylor, men’s volleyball has been average at best,” she said. “We always have guys eager to play, but the lack of fundamental work and skills have been nonexistent or very scarce. The past few years though, they have gotten progressively better and have shaped themselves into a very competitive team that can hold up against anyone in our conference.”

In her second year as head coach, Power has been able to give the players fundamental skills and strategic ideas. Prior to her current position, she had been around volleyball since the age of 10 and played at the high school, club, and NCAA level. She led her team to finish as one of the top five schools in the nation as a college freshman at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Power’s current players have different degrees of experience and come from all over the nation. Colin McGuire, a Chicago sophomore setter, partially made his decision on attending Baylor because they had a club team.

“One of the first things I did was email the president and told him I was interested in playing volleyball,” he said.

The men’s volleyball team practices Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the school year in Marrs McLean Gymnasium. Practice helps challenge each individual player with blocking and passing exercises, hitting accuracy drills, and working on transitioning from offense to defense.

We finally got Hunter to act serious for one shot. ONE shot. 

“The guys are amazing to coach because they are willing to learn and get better,” Power said. “I have earned their respect and can relate with them. I have a blast at every practice and tournament.”

Freshmen Daniel Goyco and Hunter Noon are new additions to this year’s team, and they have both come from volleyball backgrounds. Goyco, a Ponce, Puerto Rico libero and defensive specialist, only played in high school while Noon, a Denver outside hitter, played “pretty much all [his] life.”

“Volleyball is a lot of fun for me to play personally,” Noon said. “It gives me a way to get away from everything and get my mind off of school and work.”

Unfortunately, Noon and the rest of the team will not know what it feels like to play for Baylor University as an official NCAA volleyball team. Because they are a club team, they do not receive scholarships for playing nor the “coaching, time, and resources that a Division I team would have.”

“It’s tough being compared to a ‘scholar athlete,’” Noon said. “We work just as hard as an athlete would, but Baylor doesn’t regard you as athletes because you’re just playing for a club team and not on scholarship.”

The team members paid $600 this year for gear, tournaments, and gas to travel to their tournaments. Like all club sports, they have to drive themselves to every competition, regardless of distance.

“It would be nice if Baylor could acquire a bus for transportation to the other universities for tournaments,” Goyco said. “We put a lot of effort into it, so we should get a little more credit. A little more love.”

However, McGuire, Dyer, and Houston middle blocker Joshua Baguley don’t mind paying what they consider a “cheap club sport.”

“To me, volleyball is always worth it,” Baguley said. “I am more than willing to pay money to build friendships, play a sport I love, and get an escape from daily activities.”

Baylor Athletics has no plans of implementing a men’s team because of the “lack of intercollegiate men’s’ volleyball programs within this region,” according to Callie Schrank, Director of Baylor Athletics Personnel and Administration. If they did include men’s volleyball in their funding, they would be joining only 30 other schools that support Division I men’s volleyball in the U.S.

“Baylor is not in a place where we are considering adding additional intercollegiate sports at this time,” Schrank said. “No other Big 12 institution has men’s volleyball.”

The decision that many schools make to exclude men’s volleyball is not a violation of Title IX, the education amendment that states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal or financial assistance.” Instead, it’s due to the lack of participation by men in the U.S.

Of the 30 Division I men’s teams, not one Texas school sponsors this program.

“I think that being in Texas makes it hard for men’s volleyball to take off like it does in other states,” Power said. “Sand volleyball is a good platform for guys to enter the sport, but in Texas, quality sand is difficult to have mainly due to heat conditions.”

In the United States, emphasis is placed on football, basketball, and baseball, so there is no room for a national men’s volleyball league, according to Goyco.

I love this photo of Hunter and his teammates. Those smiles say a lot.

“It’s the culture of the United States,” he said. “Back home in Puerto Rico, they give a lot of emphasis on high school volleyball. If the U.S. would put more focus on volleyball like they do in Puerto Rico, I would think it would be a growing sport and a lot more schools would be joining the program.”

Also, some Baylor team members said that volleyball is not seen as a “manly sport.” In fact, Noon was even ridiculed for playing volleyball in his younger years.

“I didn’t tell people I played a lot, but I also played football as a kid,” Noon said. “I was even ridiculed if I even brought volleyball up.”

McGuire also caught some grief when he quit football his sophomore year of high school.

“I know a lot of people were confused when I chose volleyball over football,” McGuire said. “It’s stereotypically a female sport, but when they see that the men’s sport is such a power game, they usually change their mind pretty quick.”

However, this club team is demonstrating that a game of volleyball is more than just hitting the ball as hard as you can. It’s a game of teamwork and athleticism, according to Noon.

“The lessons you learn on a volleyball court you can apply to real life that help you in the long run,” he said. “It teaches you confidence, how to work to get better for something, how to persevere, and how to achieve a task.”

According to the players, without teamwork, you cannot play the game of volleyball. It comes down to a combination of everything to succeed in each game. It’s the team that makes the difference.

“I love my teammates,” Dyer said. “Some of my best friends are on this team. We are our own little fraternity and definitely a family.”

Even though they will not be playing under the NCAA, this club team will continue to work hard at this “unique sport.”

“At the end of the day, we still get to represent Baylor as a club, which is the most important thing,” Goyco said. “It’s really an honor.”

My Fitness Journey

One year ago, I would have never imagined talking about this subject. Fitness was not really a part of my life until this year, and that’s because I let it be that way.

I played a couple of sports in high school, and I thought I was in decent shape back then. I played tennis and ran track, and I was the film tech and trainer for the football team as well as the manager of the boys’ basketball team. I was also in a plethora of extracurricular activities, so I was always on the go.

I’ve always been a “husky” kid, or as my family says it “gordito.” I weighed over 100 pounds by the time I reached 4th grade, and in a way I’ve always felt the effect of my weight. Over the years, I grew to not like my body because I was heavier than most of my friends. By the time I graduated high school, I weighed about 195 pounds, but it didn’t show too much until I was in summer attire. I would have been in better shape if I had stayed in the athletic period, but my decision to join the yearbook staff left me choosing between them.

During the first semester of college, I managed to gain over 20 pounds. It was awful; I was looking bloated all the time. I had like 3 necks, and everything was fitting me tighter. By Christmas, I had weighed over 220 pounds. It became real to me that this was a problem when my jeans that I was always wearing in high school no longer fit, and when I say they didn’t fit, they could barely button.

I made a new year’s resolution to make a change about this problem, and with the help of some of my roommates, I was able to get back in the gym and truly start working out again. It was difficult at first, and eating healthy became a challenge. I soon began loving going to work out, and I was constantly playing games of racquetball, indoor and outdoor volleyball, and some Frisbee. I was finally active again, no longer being lazy when I had free time, but rather doing some exercise, and that was a serious difference in my first and second semesters.

By the time I finished my first year, the 20+ pounds that I had gained were gone, and now I am working on developing my body even more. I am more self-motivated to be in the best shape of my life, and I am feeling more confident each and every time I hit the gym or do some physical activity. I love the phrase “you look good,” and thanks to my dedication and plan to stick with fitness, I’ve been hearing that more and more recently.

Getting in shape was a decision that saved my health. I am so happy with my results, and with more dedication and determination, I will continue to shape my body like no other. I may not look like some of those fitness models on the magazines, but step-by-step I am improving my body which in the end will look better than that “husky” kid a few years ago who did nothing.

In Christ,

Cody

Slip on your jersey, you're on God's team!

We live in a society that is often dominated by the sports industry. Am I right? We spend so much consuming ourselves in all levels of competition, from little league, to middle school, to high school, to college, and then professional leagues. As much as I love sports, there are a few things that bother me that people do.

Above all, I hate when people bash other teams and players just because they don't like them or because their team is playing that specific team. I constantly see arguments over who's the best in a specific sport, and since we're in the NBA finals, I am seeing people fight over who deserves to win. I don't understand; sports is something that is a leisure activity that we should all enjoy together. We shouldn't be divided over something we have no control over.

In fact, we all play for one team: God's team. We all have jerseys, and we all have our time to shine. Instead of dividing ourselves, we need to unite and play our hearts out against the only team in existence that should be hated: Satan's team. We can sometimes cheer for the other team, particularly when we sin. Just like every sports team stands for something, so does God's team as well as Satan's.

Satan's team stands for hatred, lust, envy, pride, and all things evil. He wants you to pull others in his fan base, and he will do anything and everything to get you to suit up and never come back. This happens to all of us; we are all sinners, each and every one of us. However, it's the people who are strong enough to take off that hell-condemning jersey and run back to ask God for a spot back on the bench.

We all think He won't let us come back after we quit His team, but God is a coach that always invites us back. His values of love, mercy, understanding, and worship triumphs over all other teams, and it's our job as people to help him win each and every game every day.

We need to unite together and fight against the one who doesn't want us to go to Heaven. If we can do this, Satan's team will crumble and he will no longer have a team to compete against God. Give God the W and be on His team, because he has a jersey with your name on it ready for you to step in for that game-winning touchdown, basket, or life decision. We are all teammates and God is our coach, and together we can be an unstoppable team who will triumph over all foes.

In Christ,

Cody

A Family Dynasty Complete: Poth student joins sisters by achieving valedictorian

by Cody Soto

John Spencer Flieller
Poth High School Class of 2014 Valedictorian

      John Spencer Flieller has always looked up to his sisters, Lauren and Emily, ever since he was young. Even at the age of 2, Spencer was determined to outdo them and learn how to swim without a life jacket because his sisters were already without one. Three weeks later, a 2-year-old Spencer was swimming with his sisters free of any flotation device, satisfied that he had pushed his limits.

      Years later, Lauren Flieller, Poth High School Class of 2010, and Emily Flieller, Class of 2011, were both named the valedictorians of their senior classes. Now, Spencer joins his sisters’ success as he too was named valedictorian of the Poth Class of 2014 this past May, becoming the first family in school history to have all three siblings awarded this prestigious honor.

       “I’ve always used my sisters to push myself,” Spencer said. “I would find something just to motivate me better than what I think I can be.”

       Spencer always felt the pressure of achieving valedictorian like his sisters, whether it was from others or even himself.

       “I didn’t have to live up to them but I pressured myself because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone even though I was always told just be yourself and do what you want to do, but I felt that pressure,” he said.

       During high school, Spencer was involved in a plethora of activities, ranging from clubs and organizations to several sports, all while he competed for the top spot in his class.

Spencer and his sisters Lauren (left) and Emily (right)

       “Initially, our entire family was concerned that he may be spreading himself a bit thin,” sister Emily Flieller said. “However, Spencer rose to the challenge of being such an involved student-athlete by excelling both in the classroom and on the various playing fields.”

       Mother Linda Flieller said she had high expectations and stayed involved in her children’s education, both as a helping hand and a support system.

     "I expected him to always do his best so there were no unanswered questions at the end of the day,” Mrs. Flieller said. “In our family, it’s always been ‘do the best you can and as long as you feel like you’ve done that, then that’s all we ask.’ I could live with whatever place he ended up with as long as he could tell me that was his best.”

       Emily said their parents pushed them to succeed academically, but that wasn’t ultimately the end goal.

       “Our parents tried to depressurize the whole situation by encouraging us to do our best and learn the skills that we would need in the future rather than striving to simply end up on top,” she said. “Our family always put emphasis on doing your very best at all things.”

       Spencer’s competitive spirit kept him going throughout high school, whether it was on the field, on the court, or in the classroom. However, one could say that having two sisters achieve valedictorian is a huge reason as well.

       “I think Spencer has always known that dedication and hard work go a long way in life,” his oldest sister, Lauren, said. “He has always been a big competitor and always motivated, especially after he saw both of his sisters could do it.”

       During this thrilling experience, Spencer was able to earn multiple scholarships, including one from Executive Women’s International, and he said the people he met through the scholarship “helped (him) appreciate life so much more.”

The Flieller family are all smiles after Spencer's graduation

       He explained how he met a woman from Jamaica who moved to America to “try and have a better life for her family” and rode a bus for four days to attend Alamo Colleges in San Antonio for college with only a Sunny D and a granola bar.

       “The strength that she possessed and everything she went through to achieve her goals just inspired me,” Spencer said. “It let me know that nothing is impossible if you’re willing to work for it and give it everything you’ve got. I look up to her for that so much.”

       Ultimately, Spencer believes that the title of valedictorian alone will not make him successful. Instead, it’s his internal worth that will help him stand out.

       “It’s not going to make me the CEO of a great company,” he said. “It’s my values and my beliefs that are going to help me get through the challenges and struggles in life and eventually get me to where I want to be in life.”

       According to Spencer, success doesn’t always mean coming out on top.

       “Success is what you take away from what you’ve been through,” he said. “Even if I wouldn’t have been valedictorian, I would have learned what it’s like to not hold anything back and I would know how to do the same thing later on in life when I felt like I just needed to give up. I’d know that I could be successful no matter if I was first place or not.”

       Spencer will attend Texas A&M University in the fall pursing animal science in hopes of attending veterinary school and opening his own practice. Although his mother will miss the exciting and thrilling times of driving across the state during the long summer months, his independence will take him far.

       “I’m really proud of the person Spencer is because he is honest with himself and others,” Mrs. Flieller said. “He’s a good young man with a big heart and I hope other people see him like that too.”

       On June 6, Spencer received his high school diploma on Jack Lane Field, the same place his sisters walked before. With the turn of the tassel, as described by Spencer, “the trifecta was complete.”

       “I’ve never known a family that’s had all of their children be valedictorians of their classes,” Spencer said. “I wanted that to be us.”

          

My Faith Journey: 2013 to Now

During my final years in high school, ACTS and all things that had to do with my faith were strong and healthy and I felt like I was on top of the world and I was ready for anything that came my way when I went to college.

Unfortunately, this sense of cockiness quickly made me fall face first into the real world, and everything in the real world isn’t so welcoming and easy, especially to a college freshman.

I thought I did everything right. I was attending a Christian university that required us to take religion classes our first year, and I found a church to attend every Sunday. The first few weeks I was proud of myself for going to mass and saying my daily prayers and living a good Christian life. However, that enthusiasm quickly faded.

As the semester went on, my motivation to be active in my faith beca

me less and less. I stopped going to church on Sundays, I stopped reading my bible for class, and I pretty much stopped praying altogether. I didn’t do it intentionally; I wasn’t trying to put my faith on standby, but I kept giving myself excuses not to go to mass and not pray when I was supposed to. My laziness and forgetfulness got the best of me, and just as quick as the Holy Spirit lit the fire in my heart, I felt it leave me and I wasn’t interested in growing in my faith any longer. I didn’t know anyone at my new church, and that happened because I refused to try to get out of my comfort zone and make new friends. So, because there was no one I knew at church, I didn’t bother going because I thought, “No one will notice I’m not there.”

I would go to bed so late that I would forget to pray, and I would brush it off like no big deal. Being a part of the Knights of Columbus with my church was the only thing that kept me coming back to the church for biweekly meetings. Also, I was in a bible study and I attended it every week, which I would say it was my “church” for the week since I didn’t go.

It wasn’t until the end of my freshman year that something changed this. My bible study leader, Brock, invited me to meet up with him for some grub at Raising Cane’s a few weeks before I was coming home for the Christmas holidays. We got dinner and he sat me down and asked me if I wanted to go on a conference put on by the organization he works for. He described some of the activities we would be doing and it sounded pretty fun. He even told me that out of everyone in his multiple bible studies, I was one of the few he saw potential in, and he could see me doing great things. I was baffled. With the way I was neglecting my faith, he still saw some of the fire left in my heart and knew that I wanted to reestablish my relationship with God.

A few weeks later, I surrendered myself to God once again and my faith was finally my top priority in my life again. I felt His love and His mercy at the conference, and I learned so much about leading bible studies and growing in a personal relationship with God throughout the weekend. I also met so many people that went to my church because we all traveled and accompanied each other everywhere. If it weren’t for this conference, I wouldn't have the strong friendships I have with my church friends right now.

On fire for the Lord, I quickly got involved with the mass and signed up to serve. I also got more active in the Knights of Columbus as well as had one-on-one discipleship meetings with Brock, and I was happier than ever. I was then lucky enough to attend Bear Awakening 12, a weekend retreat put on by my church. It was just what I needed as the semester turned down. It gave me the joy I had on my ACTS retreats, and it strengthened my love for God even more.

This past year has taught me so many things. You have to try to pursue your faith all the time because no one else can do it except for you. I’ve never felt more accomplished in rebuilding my faith until now, and I now have my eyes opened to continue chasing after God because I’ll never know all the answers, but there’s so much to learn. I am excited to return back to campus and continue my faith journey over there, but in the meantime, it’s time to test myself once again this summer and grow while I’m back home. May the Lord always be my side because I know I will steer off the road, but it will be Him and in Him alone that I will come back.

In Christ,

Cody

My Faith Journey: 1995-2013

Good afternoon everyone,

I wanted to take the time today to go through and talk about my faith journey and just how many twists and turns it has taken within the past few years, and how it has made me a better person.

I've gone to church my entire life and attended weekly faith formation classes all the way until I was a senior in high school. To me, church was boring and I really just went through the motions of everything. I guess you could say I was a Sunday Catholic, where I would go to church on Sundays and that was it. I didn't really pray or have any relationship with God, and nothing really interested me about faith until my sophomore year in high school.

I was friends with a couple of people who said they were putting on an ACTS retreat in the summer, and they told me that I would be the perfect candidate to go because they knew I would love it. Blindsided, I said yes and they gave me the paperwork. I was excited to go until I realized that I probably couldn't pay for it. I gave back the forms to my friends and explained to them the financial situation that my family was going through. My friends quickly told me that money shouldn't keep me from attending this retreat, so they worked their magic and I was able to attend the retreat on a scholarship. They did that for me, and that opened up the door to a new level of my faith.

That weekend 3 years ago changed my life. It changed my outlook on life, my faith, and all the people I love. I've never felt more loved than when I did on that retreat. I made so many new friends from other towns and friendships that I still have to do this day. I found God that weekend. I found Him in my heart, in the smiles I saw, in the love that was shared, in every hug, and in every song of praise and worship. I came back with a fire in my soul, and it was just the most amazing feeling.

My ACTS family soon became some of the most important people in my life, and they still are. The friendships I've made by allowing Christ to be at the center of it are truly the ones I treasure the most.

I was able to attend 2 more retreats after that, but this time on the team that put on everything. Those two summers was amazing to see us bring Jesus into the hearts of others, and it is one of my greatest memories of high school. I was even lucky enough to attend last year's retreat with my little brother, it was so special to have him there with me. ACTS changed my life, and it helped me create a relationship with God in a way I couldn't have imagined.

I've learned of how merciful He is, because nothing could be bad enough to separate you from Him. I learned that He's loving, and all your flaws don't matter to Him because He made you perfectly. I learned how wonderful He is, because He is the creator of all things on this earth, and that just makes me smile.

After my last ACTS retreat last summer, my heart was so happy and filled with the Holy Spirit, and I was prepared to take that with me to college in the fall. I was confident that I was going to be able to keep my faith going strong and grow even more, something I didn't even think was possible. However, it wasn't an easy road. The first 18 years of my life, I found my faith. And in the past year, I was tested.

To be continued...

Be Active This Summer!

Good evening everyone,

Summer's here, and for me this year, it means something completely different for me as a college student. No longer does it just mean no school for 3 months, going to the beach every weekend, hanging out all the time with friends, and sleeping in until I can't sleep any longer. It now means very different things for me.

First, it looks like I'm taking summer classes this summer at a local community college to keep up with my academics and continue working towards my degree. Summer doesn't mean you have to take it easy; it's actually an easy way to get ahead in your degree plan. Fingers crossed, but if I take 2 classes this summer, I will be considered a college junior by the time I return to campus in the fall. I would already be a year ahead!

Second, I have a job. And yes, I have to wake up early for it. As much as I don't like getting up, a nice paycheck at the end of the week motivates me to be active and build character and get something on my resume.

Third, it is putting me to the test with my new fitness lifestyle! I will publish a separate post about my fitness journey, but this summer is the real test for me because I have to push myself even harder because no one else is here with me to do that.

Finally, it is helping me grow my faith out on my own. This past year, I had a wonderful year growing deeper in my faith with some amazing people. I learned so many new things, and I enjoyed every second of it. The true test is when I'm alone, so now I am developing my personal relationship with God even more and I am able to see how far I've come within this past year.

So, I encourage you to stay active this summer. Of course we all deserve our lazy days because we all know we deserve it. But don't forget that time is precious, so don't just waste it away. Be productive!

In Christ,

Cody

Welcome to my new blog!

Hi everyone!

My name is Cody Soto, and I am a current college student at Baylor University studying journalism and public relations. I am an army brat and have been to 6 different schools while I was growing up. I am a devoted Catholic man and have recently started devoting myself to a fitness lifestyle as well.

I wanted to start this blog for a few reasons. First, I want to grow in my faith by sharing with you some everyday things that cross my mind and how our faith is involved in it. Second, I want to encourage others to work out and live a healthy lifestyle by sharing my thoughts on the gym, working out, and eating healthy. And finally, there are just topics that I think would be great to share my opinions on.

I look forward to interacting with y'all, and if you have any suggestions for a blog post, do not hesitate to let me know!



In Christ,
Cody