Archive for May, 2011

Scott Mayfield will be headed to Toronto at the end of May to participate in the National Hockey League’s draft combine.  Mayfield is the first Phantom and one of twelve current USHL players making the trip across the border.

The trip to the combine is not Mayfield’s first trip to an NHL event held in Toronto. Last season he took part in the NHL’s Research, Development and Orientation Camp (RDO) where he had the opportunity to skate in front of both NHL scouts and general managers.

“I am very excited to head back up to Toronto,” said Mayfield. “It will be a great opportunity to work out with the players I skated with at the RDO camp. It will also be an opportunity to see how I compare off the ice with these players.”

Mayfield dressed in 52 games and tallied seven goals and nine assists (16pts) in his second season with the Phantoms. Half of his point production came when the Phantoms were on a man advantage, three goals and five assists on the power play. Mayfield also finished the season ranked twenty-fourth out of all North American skaters by NHL’s Central Scouting.

“I set a lot of goals for myself this year,” said Mayfield. “Competing at the combine was one of them and I am honored that I was able to reach my goal with this invite. I have watched the combine before and now I am excited to be a part of it.”

The NHL combine is conducted by NHL Central Scouting and it is a series of tests that will provide the NHL teams with more information on the players. There will not be any on-ice sessions, but the players will take part in intense off-ice workouts, be interviewed by NHL teams and undergo medical examinations by independent doctors. Since the end of the season, Mayfield has been back at home in St. Louis preparing for the combine both physically and mentally.

“I have been working out with my trainer Dave Reddy,” said Mayfield, “and we have been working on all of the tests that I will take at the combine. I am trying to get stronger in those specific areas so I can make sure I perform well. I think everyone is going to be nervous with all the teams and media there, but you have to be able to look at it as just another workout. Scouts watched me during my games and I had to block them out so I am going to try and do the same in Toronto.”

Phantoms head coach Curtis Carr is proud of the accomplishment made by his second year defenseman.  He was also quick to credit the hard work Mayfield put in during his two seasons in Youngstown.

“We are extremely proud of Scott,” said Carr. “This invitation is a proud moment for both Scott and the organization. Scott is a great player and an even better person who has worked hard both on and off the ice to make himself better. He deserves this opportunity.”

The Youngstown State football program will holds its second Women’s Coaching Clinic on Thursday, May 19 at Stambaugh Stadium. The cost to attend the clinic is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to the Rich Center for Autism. The clinic will run from 5:30-9 p.m. on the YSU campus.

The three-hour clinic is a great opportunity for female football fans to learn the basic concepts of every position. The members of the YSU coaching staff will provide insight into what fans will see on gameday and learn about pregame preparation and game planning. The coaches will involve the participants into all drills for even more hands-on training.

It is a great chance to meet the coaching staff and their wives as well.  A tour of Stambaugh Stadium and all football support facilities and offices will be part of the evening. A highlight of last year’s event was an equipment demonstration by YSU players.

All participants will receive a gift bag, which includes a YSU shirt and Coaches Notebook. Raffle prizes from local merchants will be awarded throughout the event.

Contact Director of Football Operations Dan Kopp at:  dmkopp@ysu.edu or call the football office at (330) 941-3478 for more information.

Parking for the event will be in the F-7 Lot north of the stadium. The clinic was previously scheduled for Friday, April 15.

The Youngstown State football coaching staff is accepting individual applications for their summer campswhich start in early June. For more information or for brochures, contact the YSU football office at (330) 941-3478. New for this summer, campers can register online at www.penguinscamps.com.

Under second-year Head Coach Eric Wolford, YSU will offer a variety of camps as a chance for area players to learn as well as showcase their talents to the new staff.

YSU will offer three specialty camps, five one-day all-position camps and one youth camp this summer.

The specialty camps are the O-Line/D-Line Skills Day on Saturday, June 4, QB/WR/TE Skills Camp on Monday, June 13 and the McFadden/Wilkins Kicking Camp on Monday, June 20. The one-day All-Position Camps will be held the afternoon’s of June 6-10 and a special all-day Youth Football Camp is set for Saturday, June 11. All camps will be held at Stambaugh Stadium on the YSU campus.

The 14th Annual Offensive and Defensive Linemen Camp will help teach fundamentals and is a great chance for entire units to install offensive and defensive strategies for the fall. The cost of the Skills Day is $35 per participant and is for students entering grades 9-12. Coaches who bring eight-or-more linemen will have the opportunity to be asked to help with the instruction of their campers. The camp starts at 9 a.m. with dismissal at three o’clock in the afternoon.

The Quarterback/Wide Receiver/Tight End Skills Camp is intended be a unique opportunity for those three positions to be taught by the YSU staff with the emphasis on individual improvement. The all-day camp (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) features on-field drills and film sessions with the Penguins’ staff. Quarterbacks should bring a football with the their name written on the ball. The cost of this camp is $50 and it is a great chance for grades 9-12 to enhance their skills.

The McFadden/Wilkins Kicking Camp is set for Monday, June 20. Former YSU and NFL placekickers Paul McFadden and Jeff Wilkins will work with punters, placekickers and long snappers to improve all facets of their game. The cost is $45 per camper and is open to students in grades 9-12. The camp is slated to run from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The single-day All Positions Camps are designed to offer instruction and allow the YSU coaching staff an opportunity to access your skill set. The fast-paced two-hour camp (4-6 p.m.) is being held daily from Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10 for only $30. Coaches will work closely with each participant offering them a chance to experience what a YSU practice is really like. Campers may attend more than one workout if they wish.

The Youth Football Camp is for children ages 8-13 and will be held Saturday, June 11. The all-day camp (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) is $40 and will teach young football players offensive and defensive drills and skills to go along with two 30-minute sessions of “Penguin Ball”. A video segment and lunch will also be part of the days activities. The registration deadline is June 10. No walkups will be accepted.

In July, the Penguins’ staff will hold a two-day 7-on-7 Passing Camp that will allow teams to utilize the WATTS and Stambaugh Stadium for some key preseason preparation. The camp will be on Thursday, July 21 andFriday, July 22 and run throughout the day. Each participating team is guaranteed six games during the camp. The cost is $175 for one team or a combo-package of $300 for two teams from the same school or for schools to compete on both days are also available (15 players per team are allowed, however additional players can be added for $15 each). It’s a great chance for first-team and second-team units to work on chemistry and timing just prior to beginning fall camp.

Youngstown State junior running back Jamaine Cook has been tabbed as one of the top 10 running backs in Division I (FCS) by the Sports Network.

Cook was named second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference and was selected as the team’s John Delseron MVP. He also rushed for 1,276 yards on 241 carries and scored 11 touchdown. For the season, he averaged 116.0 yards per game and 5.3 per carry.

Cook had six 100-yard rushing efforts highlighted by season-high 213-yard effort on 43 carries at Illinois State.

Craig Haley, FCS Executive Director for The Sports Network, wrote of Cook below:

Jamaine Cook, Youngstown State, Jr., 5-9, 195 – Penguins head coach Eric Wolford calls Cook the hardest worker on the team.  He rushed for 1,276 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and the Penguins had a subparoffensive line.  He should be even better as the line matures this season. He spins out of tackles and often makes something out of nothing. He’s also an excellent pass catcher, with 25 receptions a year ago.  Against Illinois State, Cook had 311 all- purpose yards and three touchdowns.

Imagine for a moment that you owned your own business.  The business never really took off but showed potential from time-to-time over a five year period.  Then one day you come to work to find out all but three of your employees quit.  That is what Jerry Slocum faced about a year ago, when he lost some guys to graduation and had a few leave the program for greener pastures.  Vytas Sulskis, Dan Boudler, and Ashen Ward were the only returning players with any real game experience.  Slocum had to scour the country just to have a full bench.

The new crop of talent, combined with the three remaining “employees”, played very respectably last season, showing steady improvement from the beginning of the season through the end.  The chemistry kicked in and suddenly there was a group of college guys thinking that on any given night, they could play with anyone.  Roll players like DuShawn Brooks, Devonte Maymon, and Josh Chojnacki playing like starters, Damian Eargle who keeps getting better, and perhaps the most talented young backcourt in the entire Horizon League, Kendrick Perry and Blake Allen. Make no mistake, this roster is oozing with talent and Slocum and staff are just the right guys I would want steering this ship.

Paneech: Now that Spring workouts are over and you guys are done until August, how do you feel about next season?

Slocum: This was the best Spring that we had since I got here.  There was great skill development with all of those young guys.  You have to remember that Damian, Blake, Shawn, Josh, K.P — they are all young guys.  You have so many new guys and you can’t just tell them how physical it gets.  They all got a taste of that physicality last season and have responded by hitting the weight room.  Individual efforts have been tremendous, not just average, but tremendous.  Fletcher Larson is really going to help us down low at 6’9″, he is a kid who is skilled in the post.

Paneech: What other things can we expect from new faces next season?

Slocum: All of our guys are going to be here through July 4th through first session.  All of the kids that are signed are going to be coming in the Summer too.  We have a challenge next season because we only have 13 home games and 16 on the road.  How many times has Youngstown State had a tandem where Damian [Eargle] is 6’8″ and two more guys ready to come in at 6’9″?  Cale Zuiker and Fletcher Larson add a dimension to our attack with all of that size.  Shawn Amiker is ready to contribute.  With the addition of D.J., Cale, and our two redshirts in Shawn and Fletcher, this could well be one of our best recruiting classes since we have been at Youngstown State.

Paneech: What kind of signs have you gotten from the guys that this season can be different in a better way?

Slocum: I came in here last Saturday morning to meet D.J. [Cole] and had a breakfast meeting with him.  After our meeting, I came into Beeghly for a run and I hear a ball bouncing on my way to the workout room, and when I look to the floor, there is Kendrick Perry for an hour and a half  to two hours just shooting the ball, trying to get better.  We have never had that kind of commitment here, and you get that from a freshman.  Ashen Ward has done a great job leading this team through Spring drills.  We are two years late and the program has encountered a couple of hiccups along the way, but we had a great recruiting period and didn’t bring in any junior college kids, which is where you want to be.  At our level, it is better to take a freshman, realize his potential and grow him into the system the way you want to.  This is the first year that we have not recruited a junior college kid.  Nothing against junior college kids, but it is nice to take a kid, realize his potential and work with him to be a big part of the overall system.

Paneech: Talk about the tremendous improvement, especially Damian Eargle and your guards, Blake Allen and Kendrick Perry.

Slocum: I think that K. P. and Damian can grow to be top players in the Horizon League.  We had the best backcourt in the conference with the best turnover to assist ratio with Blake and K.P. the last ten games.  Damian Eargle, over the last ten games, averaged almost a double-double with 15 points and almost ten rebounds a game.  The common factor was that as the year went on, all of our guys got better.  K.P. might be the best two-guard in the conference and Blake Allen works hard and had one of the best turnover to assist ratios in the league.  Damian led the league in blocked shots and is learning how to stay on the floor a little longer.

The third and final installment of the Jerry Slocum interview will hit the site this weekend and is titled How Winning Affects Recruiting.

In the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom took home the roses with an impressive performance at Churchill Downs. This win marks the first Kentucky Derby win for President of Phantom Fireworks Bruce Zoldan.

Zoldan and the other members of Team Valor International entered Animal Kingdom, the first horse from this group to compete in the derby since Visionaire three years ago, after a qualifying win in the Vinery Racing Spiral on March 26 at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. Animal Kingdom’s trainer, Graham Motion, has captured over 1,000 races and his most accomplished horse was Better Talk Now in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf and Shared Account in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Last week, there was speculation that Animal Kingdom would not run in the derby thanks to torrential downpours in the Louisville area. The status of Animal Kingdom was up in the air until last Saturday after trainer Graham Motion and team leader Barry Irwin determined the track conditions would not put the horse in any danger. Animal Kingdom tested at Churchill Downs and the colt ran six furlongs in 1:13.17, which was a time that surprised the clocker’s. Animal Kingdom was steady in the middle of the pack and jockey John Velazquez made his move down the home stretch. Animal Kingdom has won the first leg of horse racing’s coveted Triple Crown.

Michigan State will kick off the 2011 football season against Youngstown State on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. EDT in Spartan Stadium. The 2011 season and home opener will be televised nationally by the Big Ten Network. Michigan State’s first-ever meeting against the Penguins was originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3.

It marks just the 10th night game in the 88-year history of Spartan Stadium.

“We’re extremely excited about this special opportunity to kick off the 2011 season with a nationally televised game against Youngstown State,” MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis said.  “Over the years, fans have expressed increased interest in kicking off our home football schedule with a Friday night game on Labor Day weekend. We believe it will be a positive experience for our entire fan base, including the student body, and we couldn’t pull something like this off without campus-wide cooperation.

“Since Michigan (K-12) schools don’t begin fall classes until after Labor Day, the vast majority of high school teams will play their football games on Thursday that week, making this a great way for our fans to kick off the holiday weekend. By moving the Youngstown State game to Friday night, it’s also our hope that the state tourism industry will receive a positive bump since most fans will now have the opportunity to make plans to enjoy the entire Labor Day weekend.”

“We applaud Michigan State’s decision to move its game and clear the Labor Day weekend to promote holiday travel in Pure Michigan,” Vice President for Travel Michigan George Zimmermann said. “Now, Michigan State fans will be able to enjoy both a great football game and a great Pure Michigan holiday weekend in our spectacular state.”

Jerry Slocum is a winner.  His record speaks for itself and he is one of just 17 active NCAA men’s basketball coaches to have reached the 600 win mark.  The 12th head coach in Youngstown State Men’s basketball history had a lot of success at Gannon and Geneva, which prompts his critics to point to school size and unknown opponents.  Slocum wears his heart on his sleeve and coaches with aggression and passion that would make Bobby Knight jealous.

I sat down to interview Slocum, and for a guy who takes so much criticism for his 17 second press conferences and cold personality, the 28 minutes he spent talking with me cannot be covered in a single story.  The interview will be broken into three parts.  Media Treatment, 2011-2012, and How Winning Affects Recruiting.

Paneech: First of all, congratulations on the marked improvement that the team showed this year.

Slocum: I appreciate that.  Obviously, I was excited about this class and I am very excited about our future here.  I thought that the improvement was more noticeable as the year went on.  Damian Eargle and Kendrick Perry got better.  Blake Allen and Ashen Ward got better.  As things moved along, all of our guys just got better as the year went on.  The thing that is obviously the most disheartening to me is that we are not winning enough games.  It is not acceptable, but in the same breath, the growth and competitiveness were both there.  I appreciate you saying that because I do take a lot of criticism.  I know that the criticism is a part of the job, it is what happens to coaches.

Paneech: Please expand on the growth you saw this season.

Slocum: When you beat the team that was in the final game played in college basketball this season, you lose to Valpo in overtime, you have a shot to tie or win the game against Detroit, you should have, could have, beaten Akron.  When you look at the entire body of work, you were extremely competitive, and it gives you hope for where you are going in the future.  I think with our new recruits combined with who we are getting back, we have good Horizon League talent.  Do I think we are the cream of the crop?  I don’t think so, not yet, but I think our guys can grow into that.

Paneech: You have the reputation for being someone who is really tough to handle at a post game interview.

Slocum: You can take your shots, and say the negative things that you want to say at me, but at least report the facts also.  Report the facts, for example, the questions being asked at the press conferences are things like, “Everyone thought you were going to get blown out by 20 tonight, are you happy that you didn’t get blown out?” or “Do you feel that this was a wasted effort tonight?”  Take your shots at me, that’s part of the job, but in the same breath, at least report the facts.  We had the best backcourt in the conference with the turnover to assist ratio, Damian Eargle averaged 15 points and almost ten rebounds a game while leading the conference in blocked shots.  Report the fact that this team is growing and improving.  They are losing games, but for the first time in probably ten years, you are looking at a core group of kids who are coming in from the bottom up as Freshmen and Sophomores who have a chance to be the best Division-I team put on the court here at Youngstown State.

Paneech: Even reporting the facts, there has to be some quote to describe them.

Slocum: My point is that I have been doing this for a really long time.  I thought I was being a professional by keeping my answers short and quiet and not exploding on a question, I would just be quick.  If you lose a game, for example, the Milwaukee game, why not say, “Coach, that was a great basketball game tonight, you hit a five minute stretch where you didn’t score, can you comment on that”.  That is the way a question should be asked by somebody who understands basketball.  My reaction would be, here is an intelligent question, and I would do all I could to answer it.  I have never, no matter how tough the losses have been, not answered a question put to me that was a well-phrased question.  When you sit down in there and your heart is broken, you have never lost in your career, and now all of a sudden you are into your sixth year of misery  because you can’t get this thing where you want it to be, it weighs on you every moment that you are awake, and you come so close… and the first thing you get is a guy saying to you, “Do you think tonight was a wasted effort”.  I have never said,  “this is the end of the press conference”, but there is silence.

Paneech: I have been there for some of those moments, and have seen silence.

Slocum: The reason why there is silence is because most of the people who criticize me do not have enough confidence that they can ask me a legitimate or intelligent basketball question.  Any media guy can say, “your back court was 5-19 and had nine turnovers, did you think that affected your chances to win tonight?”, and that is the most disappointing thing.  Some guys can’t even see the game to know the right question to ask, and then when they report on it, they can’t even report the facts.  How can you not write or report on the last month of the season with all of those big games we were in and how close we were.  Some reporters just don’t get it.  Their basketball IQ is not to the point where they can effectively ask a question.  Whether or not they are good people is not for me to judge.  I get paid to win basketball games, and I think we are on our way to doing that.  Have some knowledge of what you are reporting on instead of asking some of the most ridiculous questions I have ever heard.

Early next week, Part II, 2011-2012, will be up.

Sophomore Vicky Rumph was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Softball First-Team and junior Jordan Ingalls was a third-team selection, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced on Thursday.

Rumph is the first softball player in school history to earn first-team honors, and 2011 is the first time in school history more than one softball player received academic all-district laurels.

Rumph, a who carries a 4.0 grade-point average in exercise science, is batting .314 with three doubles, a triple, four home runs and 25 runs batted in this season.

In her career, Rumph owns a career average of .321 with 12 home runs, 51 runs batted in and 48 runs scored in 93 games.

Ingalls, who leads the team with a .376 batting average, carries a 3.59 grade-point average in physical education. This season, Ingalls leads the team with nine doubles, four doubles and 38 runs batted in, which is the third most in a single-season.

A career .346 hitter, Ingalls has played in 143 straight games and has belted 11 career home runs.

The last softball player to earn all-district honors was McKenzie Bedra, who made third-team in 2008. Kelly Murphy was the first softball player to garner academic all-district honors with a second-team selection in 2004.

The Youngstown State softball program will celebrate Senior Day as the Penguins host Green Bay in the 2011regular-season series finale, May 7-8, at McCune Park in Canfield, Ohio. The seniors will be honored prior to the 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, May 7.

The Guins will honor seniors Erin Gilmour, Kim Klonowski and Kristina Rendle prior to Saturday’s first game. Gilmour joined the program in 2010 and has served as one of the Guins’ top pinch-runners. Klonowski is a four-year letterwinner and ranks tied for third all-time with 18 career home runs. Rendle joined the Guins in 2009 and is batting a career-best .336 in 2011.

** Photo Courtesy of Ron Stevens.

Several Youngstown State University student athletes have recently been recognized nationally for their excellence in the classroom.

The Youngstown State football team had four former student-athletes named to the 2011 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, the organization announced on Wednesday. Stephen Blose (Erie, Pa.), Kyle Banna (Canfield, Ohio), Luke Matelan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Eric Rodemoyer (Sharon, Pa.) were YSU’s selections.  Blose, Banna, and Erik Johnson received the Missouri Valley Football Conference President’s Council Academic Excellence Award, the league announced on Tuesday.

Being selected to receive the Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award, which requires a minimum GPA of 3.2 for the previous two semesters, were Blose, Bobby Coates, Tyler Figueroa, Chris Gammon, Johnson, Marc Kanetsky, D.J. Moss, Dom Rich and Nate Schkurko. A total of 104 student-athletes received the league’s Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.