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Posted by on Jan 31, 2017 in Archive

FEATURE: Kayley Holloway

FEATURE: Kayley Holloway

Kayley Holloway is a 22-year old Public Relations Major at the University of Florida. Holloway was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia, but relocated to Florida before her senior year. Being from Atlanta, Holloway supports her local Falcons, Braves and Hawks. When it comes to Hockey, Holloway’s favorite sport, she cheers on the Winnipeg Jets and the Nashville Predators. 

What to do Next?

During her her final year of high school, Holloway had to make the toughest decision any high school senior has to make. Choosing where to go to college is difficult for anyone. Holloway thought about Georgia State and Texas A&M, but ultimately decided to stay in Florida and attend UF.

Holloway wasn’t always a Pubic Relations major at UF. She started as a nursing major, but ever since high school she knew that she would eventually switch over to Public Relations. So, why PR?  Holloway fell in love with PR during her junior year of high school. She had to do a project on a career she would be interested in and after seeing she could work in sports her mind was made up. Ideally, Holloway would have wanted to work with the Atlanta Thrashers, but they relocated to Winnipeg in 2011. However, Holloway works with the Winnipeg Jets and is the Team Sweden reporter for a hockey magazine in Boston, Massachusetts. 

https://twitter.com/kayleyashlyn39/status/771782229445844992

More about Kayley

One might think, why Team Sweden? When speaking with Holloway, she prided herself on the fact that she taught herself how to speak Swedish. She started learning the language her junior year of high school and found a way to mix it into her career path. When asked about how she taught herself, Holloway said “I used a lot of movies and music to immerse myself and learn pronunciation, but all of the mechanics and whatnot I taught myself through grammar books and online study guides.”

Kayley Holloway touring Hard Rock Stadium

As I mentioned earlier, Holloway’s favorite sport is hockey. She played since she was four-years old and knew that it was hockey would be a really important part of her life. Both of Holloway’s parents played hockey, and although she no longer plays for a competitive team, she played until she started college, but occasionally plays some pick-up hockey when she can.

So the last two paragraphs you read were about how she taught herself Swedish and how her love for hockey started. Here’s where they connect. Holloway mentioned that the most memorable moment of my life was when she was 16 at an Atlanta Thrashers hockey practice. Holloway knew enough Swedish to be semi-conversational, and her favorite player, Tobias Enström, is Swedish. She didn’t just meet him, she got the chance to interview him in Swedish.

When Holloway graduates, she plans to move to Nashville in hopes of getting a job with the Predators. Her overall goal is to work in Media Relations in the NHL. Working for the magazine, she already has media credentials with the NHL that right there is a huge step in the right direction.

http://www.hookedonhockeymagazine.com/sweden-dominates-slovakia-advances-to-semis-at-the-2017-world-junior-championships/

 

 

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Posted by on Jan 24, 2017 in Articles

NASCAR Introduces Big Format Changes

NASCAR Introduces Big Format Changes

January 24, 2017

The Chase is finally over. Fans of NASCAR that have something new to look forward to in 2017. Yesterday, NASCAR announced a new enhanced racing format that will go into effect this season. The new enhanced format will be in effect for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Forget the old ways of NASCAR, and get with the new days. The executive VP of NASCAR, Steve O’Donnell says the enhanced format will reward performance and allow for less race interruptions.

What Has Changed?

Well, a lot has changed. For example, there are now three-stages to each race, the point distribution has changed, and a regular and postseason champion will be crowned. Not only that, but drivers finishing inside the top ten in the regular season will all receive more bonus points heading into the post season. O’Donnell commented on the new changes and ultimately says its for the fans.

The Three Stages

Each of the new stages is critical in every race for every driver. Seems obvious, right? Well, the first two stages reward drivers who finish inside the top ten, while the final stage determines the winner of the race.

  • Stage 1:  makes up 25-30 percent of the race, but varies depending on the size of the track and the length of the race. This Stage ends with a checkered flag, and if necessary, can end under caution.
  • Stage 2:  makes up the next 25-30 percent of the race after the caution period at the conclusion of Stage 1. This Stage also starts with the wave of a green flag and ends with a checkered flag.
  • Final Stage:  following another caution period after Stage 2, the drivers will then race for the event win.

The true difference in it all is the amount of bonus points that can be earned in each stage, which eventually accumulate into the postseason.

Bonus Points

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Under the new format, drivers have the opportunity to earn more bonus points than ever before. In the first two stages of each race, the top ten drivers are rewarded bonus points. Whoever is leading after each of these stages receives ten points, second will receive nine, all the way down to tenth place earning one point. Additionally, the leader after Stage 1 and Stage 2 will receive an additional bonus point that carries over into the postseason.

The winner of the Final Stage, or the racing event itself, earns an additional five bonus points that go toward the postseason. Under the old format, winners of each race would only receive three bonus points. Players will still receive postseason eligibility if they win an event. So, if a driver wins the first two stages and the race itself, that driver would receive seven bonus points that go toward the postseason.

The Postseason

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Once the postseason begins, point totals are set to 2,000. The racers who received bonus points during the season will then be added on. At the end of each postseason race, four drivers will be eliminated which will set up a final four per usual.

The bonus points earned from the regular season will transfer to each round of the postseason if the driver is still eligible. So rather than bonus points only affecting the first round, it affects the entire postseason. However, regardless of postseason points, the winner of each race will move onto the next round.

When it comes to the final race of the season in Miami, bonus points are a thing of the past. The remaining four drivers given the same amount of points. First driver to finish wins the championship.

Reactions Around NASCAR

Fans of the sport seem to have different opinions on the new changes. Although fan voice is important to any professional sports league, its not everyone’s top priority. Most people are just interested in how the athletes react to changes.

For example, seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson took to Twitter about the new changes in a way that any seven-time champion would.

The 2014 champion Kevin Harvick is more than excited about the new changes to NASCAR’s format.

Even the retired four time champion, Jeff Gordon, took to twitter about the new format changes.

 

Each of the three series will begin in mid to late February. Fans of the sport will have to follow along throughout the season to see how these new changes will impact the sport they love.

Source: WRUF

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Posted by on Jan 17, 2017 in Articles

SEC Preview: Arkansas at Texas A&M

SEC Preview: Arkansas at Texas A&M

January 17, 2017

After being on the road for three of the last four games, the Texas A&M Aggies are looking to get back on track a home win over SEC rival Arkansas.  Both teams are currently struggling in conference play.

As of now, the Aggies have won just one of their first eight of their SEC games, while Arkansas sits 2-3 in SEC play so far this season. The Aggies are playing no where close to the high level of play from last season, despite being ranked near the top of the conference in rebounds, field goal percentage, assists, and blocks per game.

Arkansas has put up solid numbers despite being under .500 in SEC play. Th Razorbacks are just one of four high-major teams in the nation to score 70 points in all 17 of their games this season. The last time the Razorbacks put up these numbers was in the 1994-1995 season. The team has won five of its last eight games away from home, including a 3-1 mark against SEC opponents. Statistically, Arkansas is the second highest scoring team in the SEC this season, and sits inside the top three in field-goals, free-throws, three-pointers, and assists.

The Previous Meeting

Mandatory Credit: Gunnar Rathbun-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas leads the series over Texas A&M 98-55, but this will only be the seventh match-up between the two school as members of the SEC. Texas A&M was ranked in the top five nationally the last time these teams faced off, but Arkansas was able to pull off the upset at home. However, A&M did pull off a win their home game against the Razorbacks.

Key Statistics Arkansas over Texas A&M

  • Moses Kingsley (ARK):  18 Points, 11 Rebounds
  • Dusty Hannahs (ARK):  17 Points, two Rebounds, three 3-pointers made
  • Tyler Davis (A&M):  14 Points, eight Rebounds

The former A&M star and current member of the Washington Wizards, Danuel House Jr., finished the game with 24 points, six rebounds while hitting 8o percent of his threes.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Who and What to Watch For

Arkansas has scored double digit points off of turnovers in all 17 games this season, and is the only school in the country to have two players ranked inside the top 30 in free throw percentage. Moses Kingsley, the preseason SEC Player of the Year, is currently averaging just over 2.7 blocks a game, making him 15th in the nation in that statistic.

Kingsley also leads all active SEC players with 20 double-doubles in his career. This means Texas A&M will need to limit the Razorbacks chances at the charity stripe (Aggies are 23rd nationally in fewest fouls per game), and Tyler Davis will need to hold Kingsley in check if the Aggies hope to win.

Tyler Davis will also need to spark some offense for the Aggies. Davis currently leads the SEC and is ranked 17th in the nation in field goal percentage (60.9). A&M leads the SEC in rebounding margin per game, averaging nearly seven more rebounds than the opposing team. However this won’t be easy against a guy like Kingsley. If Arkansas can continue to get to the line as effectively as they have been, then Arkansas should be able to outlast A&M on the road.

The game will be at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas and can be seen on SECN at 7 p.m.

Source: WRUF

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