KRISTINA SEWELL
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Sisterhood of the derby girls

Cal Skate Roller Derby straps on the skates for another season in Santa Maria
by KRISTINA SEWELL

I’m standing at the Santa Maria Fairpark at one of the covered outdoor buildings. The cold has rendered my hands useless, but the biting weather doesn’t seem to bother the object of my attention: the Cal Skate Derby girls. Let me start by saying that watching roller derby is more like watching a cross between […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

The ‘roid less traveled

Keep the dope fiends out of sports
by KRISTINA SEWELL

Remember when we were kids? We would all be playing a game with our friends, and suddenly we would bust one of them trying to cheat his or her way to victory? We would say things like, “No one likes a cheater!” and “Cheater-cheater pumpkin eater!” and “Cheaters never prosper!” From the time we’re sprouts […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Breathe, stretch, let it go

Whatever brings you to yoga, you’re sure to find what you seek
by KRISTINA SEWELL

I’ll admit it. I missed the whole yoga craze. I never thought it was a valid form of fitness—not enough of an adrenaline rush for an active person like me. However, yoga’s continued popularity piqued my curiosity, enough to convince me to try some yoga classes. So there I was, sitting in the darkened studio […]

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Local job market still struggling

by KRISTINA SEWELL

The economy is turning around—or is it? A recent press release from the State Employment Development Department (EDD) showed the Santa Barbara County unemployment rate at 7.6 percent as of December 2012. According to the EDD, this is a slight increase from the November 2012 unemployment rate of 7.3 percent. Although the county has made […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

New league lineup

Local athletic directors discuss possible changes in the Pac 7 and Los Padres Leagues
by KRISTINA SEWELL

There are 16 high schools that comprise the current Pac 7 and Los Padres athletic leagues. From Paso to Cabrillo, from Morro Bay to Santa Ynez, there’s a wide range of athletic talent and school size that keeps competition unpredictable and exciting. The current leagues have seven teams in each: St. Joseph, Arroyo Grande, San […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

On his way

Just seven months out of high school, Ryan McNeil is well on his way to the big leagues
by KRISTINA SEWELL

Longtime baseball studs Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones are on their way to leaving the game forever, making room for the next generation of stars. The future looks bright for major league baseball, with the growing amount of baby-faced talent like Mike Trout, Buster Posey, and Clayton Kershaw taking over the league. Greener than the […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

On his way

Just seven months out of high school, Ryan McNeil is well on his way to the big leagues
by KRISTINA SEWELL

Longtime baseball studs Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones are on their way to leaving the game forever, making room for the next generation of stars. The future looks bright for major league baseball, with the growing amount of baby-faced talent like Mike Trout, Buster Posey, and Clayton Kershaw taking over the league. Greener than the […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Bulldog basketball’s back on track

Men’s basketball returns to the competitive circle
by KRISTINA SEWELL

The Joe White Memorial gymnasium at Allan Hancock College has seen its share of good basketball and talented athletes. During the glory days of the program, it racked up 15 Western State Conference (WSC) titles, and one state championship title. But the last 30 years have been more quiet and less competitive—until recently. This season, […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

The Benchwarmer

Women in sports reporting are more than pretty puppets
by KRISTINA SEWELL

Pinch me, I must be having a nightmare. In my nightmare, sports journalism for females is an ongoing joke, men reign over the sports booths, and women are objectified for their looks. Oh wait. The nightmare is real. Watching football this last season has made it abundantly clear to me that there’s a serious underrepresentation […]

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