It is the duty of a school newspaper to bring the news to the students, but when it comes to Webster Basketball, why is the news so often negative?
As an athlete at Webster University, I appreciate the coverage The Journal gives as each team undergoes their long seasons. As most Webster athletes know, when interviewed by Journal staff, we must be careful with our words, for they can and likely will be used against us. In the 2011-2012 school year I have seen some, disrespectful, and quite frankly, unprofessional articles published about the basketball teams at Webster University.
I held my tongue when, for many weeks, the old talents of a past player slighted the current men’s team that maintain grades and work hard every day at practice. I did not say a word when my own teammate was publicly humiliated by a story that should have never been published. I even let it go when my own words meant for a team article, or so I was told, were used in an article unrelated to the women’s basketball team’s season.
After reading “The Katy Meyer Effect,” I have had enough. No team should be subjected to such insult and disrespect. The women’s basketball team is more than aware that this season has not been the most successful, and we do not need sports writers for a student journal rubbing salt on our wounds.
It was stated that when Katy Meyer, who this team loves and respects, had an off game, others picked up her slack. I would like to point out to The Journal staff that the same thing occurs regularly this year. The difference is, this year we have multiple scorers, which I suppose makes it hard for sports writers at this publication to understand, seeing that they lack the ability to write about the current players on both the women’s and men’s basketball teams.
Insulting our athletic talent in an opinion piece is part of the game. However, when it comes to our character, no one has any right to insult us. Josh Sellmeyer, the author of “The Katy Meyer Effect” discusses Katy’s leadership ability and her ability to lead through times of turmoil and followed that with “[Katy Meyer] possessed intangibles the Gorloks could surely use now.”
I would like to know how anyone, outside of my team, knows what “intangibles” this team does or does not possess. Intangibles cannot be determined by outsiders. Do The Journal writers observe every game? Do they see what happens in practice? Of course not. The 2011- 2012 women’s basketball team consists of many strong leaders with heart and talent and it is unacceptable for an outsider to publish anything that states otherwise.
I request a formal apology to my teammates from the sports writers of The Journal for their poorly formed opinions that have repeatedly led to a lack of respect and professionalism regarding Webster basketball’s hard work and dedication to the sport and to the school. The bottom line is, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
— Maggie Zehner, women’s basketball point guard and junior at Webster University
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