Calculating the Magnitude of Force

Figure skaters have never had any real knowledge of the impact that is imposed upon their feet and ankles each time they leap into the air and land back on the ice. That is until now. Two professors from Brigham Young University (BYU) are working to find a way to accurately calculate the amount of force experienced each time a figure skater lands on the ice.

When figure skaters land, they can experience five to eight times their body weight,” said BYU exercise science professor Sarah Ridge. “And that happens within 50-125 milliseconds, which is not a lot of time for the body to absorb that magnitude of force. [1]

Ridge is collaborating with Steven Charles, BYU mechanical engineer professor, and Deb King, a professor of Ithaca College in New York, to create a device that will attach directly to the ice skater’s boots and measure the “compressive forces coming from each impact.” [1] By using strain gauges to record the compression, the researchers are able to use this new device to observe the actual impact on the ice. The data which is collected and stored on the skater’s boot is used to calculate forces.

Ridge and Charles are interested in using the data to address the issue of overuse injuries such as stress fractures in the feet and lower leg, and hip and back injuries which are common to figure skaters. Ridge stated, “Skaters do at least 50 jumps a day, every day that they’re training, and they train at least five days a week if they’re competitive skaters. They have a lot of force that they’re landing with, over and over again, and this contributes to overuse injuries.” [1]

Charles commented, “We aren’t just applying known technology to a new application, we are operating at the limit of what the technology can do.” [1] The data which is collected will be shared with coaches, physical therapists, and anyone else who works with the skaters in an effort to minimize the number of overuse injuries. Ridge and Charles are currently working with the U.S. Figure Skating Association to provide the impact data. The force measurements will be combined with high-speed video to “understand exactly how the body is absorbing the forces, how the body generates the forces, and other things—like how far into the ice a toe pick goes.” [1] The U.S. Figure Skating Association is interested in using the data to help keep their top skaters healthy, and to make figure skating a safe sport for anyone who wishes to participate.

The research project has been ongoing for the past three and a half years. Five undergraduate students have been helping with the project to include four mechanical engineers, and one exercise science student who is also a competitive figure skater.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others) revere the Sabbath day (Sunday) as a day of worship, family time, and rest from the labors of the week. The Sabbath day allows for a respite – a period of rejuvenation – and a time of reflection.

The Sanctity of the Sabbath Day

The keeping of the Sabbath day is in harmony with the scriptures which are replete with teachings pertaining to the observance of the day.  In the Old Testament Book of Exodus, for example, the Children of Israel were commanded:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it (Exodus 20:8-11).

The Savior Himself taught, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath” (Mark 2:27, 28). Even He observed the Sabbath day as a day of worship. Scriptures record that when He “came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read” (Luke 4:16).

Contained within the prophetic words of Isaiah is also found the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy:

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it (Isaiah 58:13,14).

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10).

The World View of the Sabbath Day

Whereas Christendom reveres the Sabbath day as sacred and holy, the world sees the day as another productive business day, an opportunity to increase their revenue, or as another day to partake of the things of the world in general. As a result, some who would otherwise not labor on the Sabbath day are called upon to do so in order to sustain their livelihood.

Those same types of pressures exist in the sports realm, as the biggest sports day appears to occur on the Sabbath. This leaves athletes who are Christians, such as those who are devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ, faced with the quandary of whether or not to participate in sports on the Sabbath day, and what consequences they may face for choosing not to do so.

Brigham Young University and the Big 12 Conference

In a Deseret News article dated 21 February 2013, Ryan Teeples addressed the Big 12 Conference collective, a ten-school collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, with member schools located in Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, and the concerns that some of the member schools have in accepting schools such as Brigham Young University (BYU) as part of its membership. The issue presented with the possibility of adding BYU as a member school is that the school takes a strong stance on not playing a game on Sunday, and “they won’t join a conference that doesn’t accommodate observance of Sunday as a day of worship.” [1]

Sunday may not be an issue to the Big 12 Conference as a collective. But it could be to some of the member schools who see BYU’s firm stance as an inconvenience not worth the cost of acquisition.

More importantly, it could be an issue to TV partners who would whisper such concerns in the ears of member institutions. Sure, ESPN loves BYU, but that doesn’t mean that Fox, Comcast or whoever might be at the Big 12 TV negotiating table wouldn’t want a contract that offers Sabbath programming that’s not a devotional talk from the Marriott Center. [1]

Another issue of concern that arises is the fact that the Big 12 Conference, as stated in a press release, has signed “an agreement with Walt Disney Company’s ESPN and New Corporation’s Fox Sports Media Group to televise its football and basketball games through the 2024-2025 season.” [2] The payout for this agreement equals $2.6 billion, which amounts to approximately $20 million for each presently constituted member school per year. Adding another school to the Big 12 Conference would mean further division of a rather large pot of money that the present 10 member schools now have in their coffers.

Sure, the Big 12 could go back to TV partners and try to renegotiate should it choose to add another school. But that school would have to deliver tens of millions of dollars in value annually through the TV market and a potential conference title game in football in order to make up the cost of sharing that proverbial crusted dessert. That’s a lot of filling to make up. [1]

BYUtv and Its Effect on the Big 12 Television Contracts

Another issue concerning TV contracts is what is known as tier – 3 rights. Big 12 Associate Commissioner Bob Burda explained the differences between each tier:

“Tier three rights consist of rights to television content or rights to sporting event content that has been passed over by our television partners,” Burda said. “Tier one is over-the-air broadcast rights. Tier two is considered cable television rights and tier three is member retained rights.”

“Our television partners, ABC, ESPN and FOX depending on the sport and season have rights to our content,” Burda said. “Once they make their selections, any games that are not selected by broadcast by the Conference’s television partner revert back to the host institution for exploitation in their local television markets.”

How an institution chooses to utilize its tier three rights is entirely up to the respective school. For example, The University of Texas created the Longhorn Network.

“Member schools can put together their own network where they can either sell those rights to local affiliates for broadcast, or in the case of the Longhorn Network, have their own network to air those contests,” Burda stated. [3]

Most conferences contract their tier-3 rights in order that the revenue obtained can be evenly divided amongst the member schools. Some conferences, like the Big Ten, has its own network, and is able to rapidly expand its conference into new television markets by continuously allowing new members to join its conference.  More networks equal more funds that are made readily available for each member school’s athletic department.

BYU is already monetizing its own tier-3 rights which should logically make it a perfect fit for the Big 12 conference, but it appears that for some of the member schools, particularly those who do not possess the financial means to build such networks, it presents yet another roadblock. The schools that don’t have their own tier-3 programming networks have brainstormed the idea of a collective effort to build one, but to do so, they would need lots of good programming to help supplement the already available sporting events. The goal is to at all cost avoid having to show re-runs as they do not generate as much revenue.

So some Big 12 schools look at BYU as a partner that’s another Texas (or Oklahoma) which won’t contribute to helping line their wallets with tier-3 TV programming and revenue, and they certainly won’t help provide Sunday content unless people in backwoods Big 12 outposts like Morgantown want to watch Music and the Spoken Word, which they might. [4]

Personal Dislikes of BYU and Religious Bigotry

It only takes a vote of “no” from three of the member schools of the Big 12 conference to keep BYU from joining its ranks. Besides the issues of dollars and cents and tier-3 television rights, there are just some who do not like BYU or what it stands for. There are some who for whatever reason view the school as some sort of threat against the other schools because of its assets and high standards. There are also those who do not like BYU because of the religious beliefs and practices that it upholds. All of these factors could weigh heavily in the deciding factor as to whether BYU will be allowed to become a member of the Big 12 conference or not.

Regardless of the final outcome, one fact will always ring true, and that is BYU will never compromise its stance on moral and spiritual principles and values, and it will never become a part of a conference that does not observe Sunday as a day of worship. It comes down to a matter of choosing the right, and letting the consequences follow.

Additional Resources:

What Mormons Believe

Come Visit and Worship with a Local LDS Congregation

Brigham Young University

With the vast expanse of social media technology, the ability to be included in many social circles simultaneously, and thus remaining in the know, as well as being known, has become extremely efficacious. Seth Godin, an American entrepreneur, author and public speaker has said, “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” Sandra Chami Kassis, a Lebanese author, stated, “We are the generation of Social Media, Our biggest Revolution is a Tweet of 141 Characters.” And Charles Leadbeater, a leading authority on innovation and creativity, has cautioned that “You are what you share.”

Using Social Media to Analyze “Ziggy” Ansah and the NFL Draft

Sports fans followed the recent NFL draft picks with great anticipation to see who would be added to the roster of their favorite teams. One of the people who captured the attention of the sports world was Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah who was selected fifth overall in the NFL draft. Ansah, who was born and raised in Ghana, is a BYU graduate and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others). He will be playing for the Detroit Lions.

In his May 15^th article for the Deseret News titled Dick Harmon: Utah Analytics Company Breaks Down BYU’s Ziggy Ansah and the NFL Draft, the author, Dick Harmon noted “In all aspects of media, especially sports, it has become a force of nature — breaking news, engaging fans and delivering people directly to everyone.” [1] He further noted that “there were more than 30,000 tweets on Twitter about Ziggy Ansah before and after Detroit drafted him. And, connections to those who tweeted about him represented a potential audience of 53 million.” [1]

Ansah, as it seems, became one of the prominent topics of discussion in the realm of social media during the NFL draft picks. Harmon, in his Deseret News article, points out that by carefully analyzing the social media activity surrounding Ansah and the NFL draft, it could easily be determined not only what types of things were being discussed when the Detroit Lions picked Ansah in the first round, but also who was making the comments and their locale. He also mentions:

Social media traffic about Ansah around the Detroit area was neutral or negative before the draft, but on draft day [it] turned positive. And the second-most interesting thing about Ansah on the Internet wasn’t his speed, size or his unique story of having never played football until a few years prior to the draft. It was his glasses.

That’s right, the lensless, black-rimmed glasses Ziggy wore on draft day drew so much attention around the world, they became one of the biggest features about him. And the attention led to free admission for Ansah to 3D IMAX movie theaters for one year. [1]

Gauging and Measuring Social Media Traffic

A startup business out of Sandy, Utah, called NUVI, is a real-time analytics platform for social media called “visual intelligence.” Visual intelligence is also called “visual processing” ability. It is the ability to generate, store, retrieve and transform visual images and sensations. It helps to make social conversations on the web “actionable” and “insightful.” According to Harmon’s Deseret News article, the data that is used in the analytics is retrieved from social media platforms to include: Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, YouTube, Delicious, Reddit, Flickr, Vimeo and more than 3 million RSS feeds.

One of the vice presidents of the company is former BYU linebacker and defensive captain Cameron Jensen. Jensen has stated,

[The analytics gathered by NUVI] can tell you that top draftees Eric Fisher (Kansas City) and Luke Joeckel (Jacksonville) may have been judged by NFL gurus to be similar at the top of the college heap, but Fisher is by far more popular, more well-known and has more positive vibes in cyberspace. And much of that is because Fisher tweets more on Twitter, has more followers and engages with them in a back-and-forth discussion. [1]

Conversely, Notre Dame Linebacker Manti Te’o’s negatives were high before, during and after the NFL draft. He had similar negatives as West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith. Both slipped down the ladder on draft day. [1]

The tools used by NUVI can break a subject down by topic, by source, by geography, by intensity and by time. Jensen said, “People are talking about your brand, whether you are listening or whether you care about it or not. They are talking about you and discussing you.” [1]

Additional Resource:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

For the past two years the Lone Peak Knights have worked hard to gain recognition as being not only the best high school basketball team in the state of Utah, but as many consider them, the best high school basketball team in the nation. At first glance, the young men who make up the team may not seem to be much of a basketball team at all, but once they are on the court, playing the game that they love, it becomes quite evident that they are very much a team to be reckoned with as they dominate the court with one goal in mind – to win the game.

The Lone Peak Knights have only lost three in-state games in the past three years. The last game which they lost to in-state opponents was on 10 February 2012, and this season they have won by an average of 28 points with victories over such top ranked teams as Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. To what do they credit such prodigious success? They are able to relish their triumphs because of hard work, perspiration, camaraderie, and a coach who is dedicated to honing the talents and skills of each of his individual players.

“There was one team we played that was literally laughing when we were warming up,” the senior center Eric Mika said with a chuckle. “And we beat them by 50.” [1]

“We know we’re different whenever we walk into a gym,” said coach Quincy Lewis, who has a 206-35 record over the past decade. “But our guys walk in there with a chip on their shoulder. We know we have something to prove because, honestly, the other teams don’t have a great deal of respect for us.” [1]

But there is something else that sets the Lone Peak Knights uniquely apart from most other teams. This team consists of young men who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (mistakenly referred to by the media and others as the Mormon Church.) And, what makes this team even more unique is that they are not afraid to discuss their faith openly. They attribute their faith as a huge part of the success that they have obtained, and the glue which bonds them together as a team. When they are on the road they will very often call the Bishop of the local LDS congregation to gain permission to use the small gym in the building for their practice sessions.

“A couple of summers ago, we were in Boston,” Mika said. “Someone was like: ‘Oh, you guys are all Mormon. How many moms do you have? You guys all brothers?’ We just laugh.” [1]

One of the most valuable players on the team is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Nick Emery. Nick is a senior and plays the position of point guard. He averages 19 points per game and is a three-time Utah state champion and two-time state high school player of the year. His older brother, Jackson Emery, who graduated from Lone Peak High School in 2005, was named the Deseret News Mr. Basketball recipient, and was a co-captain at Brigham Young University with Jimmer Fredette. Nick has also been blessed with the honor of being named the Deseret News 27th Mr. Basketball recipient.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to get this, and this was definitely the year to get it,” said Emery, who said seeing his brother’s Mr. Basketball banner hanging in the rafters at Lone Peak the past four years was a constant source of motivation. [2]

Nick was recruited by such colleges as UCLA, Kansas City and North Carolina. He made the decision to play for BYU on 30 August 2011. However, following a church wide announcement made during the opening session of the 182nd Semmiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ in October 2012 by President and Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, that eligible young men may now serve a full-time mission starting at the age of 18, Nick has decided to put his basketball career on hold for the next two years and answer the call to serve. He will enter the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah on 1 May 2013, and will leave to serve his mission in Frankfurt, Germany shortly thereafter. That would mean that he will not return home until May 2015, six months prior to the start of basketball season.

As he concludes his senior year at Lone peak and prepares to leave for his mission, he finishes his high school career as the eighth-leading scorer in state history with 1,953 points. He also set a new state record with 269 career 3-pointers. [2]

Nick averaged 18.5 points his freshman year and was named a 5A second-team all-stater. During his sophomore and junior seasons he was named 5A MVP by averaging 21.7 and 21.6 points respectively. This season he averaged 17.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.9 steals, but he did it all with a much more advanced basketball IQ. [2]

Nick strongly believes that by serving his mission first, he will return as a more mature player and he will be equipped with better leadership skills.

“Two years is a long time to mature and really figure out who I am,” said the 18-year-old Emery. “This is a big bonus. You can go straight out and get those two years done and then you have four straight years in college.” [3]

Joe Nilson, Emery’s Mormon Stake President in Alpine, Utah, said Nick wouldn’t have been scorned had he chosen to skip a mission and play college basketball, serving the church as a role model in a high-profile position.”Here’s a young man who is literally at the top of his game and he could go to a lot of different colleges to play ball,” Nilson said. “And he’s made the decision that he wants to be a missionary for the church. That says a lot about the young man.” [3]

“I feel like going on a mission I’ll get blessed more – not only in basketball but for life as well,” he [Nick] said. [3]

Additional Resource:

Lone Peak High School – Home of the Lone Peak Knights

Mark Joseph Bellini was born 19 January 1964 in San Leandro, California to parents Mike and Joy Bellini. He has a younger brother, Matt. He was an college football All-American player at Brigham Young University (BYU). He played wide receiver for the Cougars from 1982 through 1986. As a student at BYU he majored in Zoology.

Bellini has always been a sportsman. During his high school days he lettered twice in football, once in baseball, and once in basketball. He was an outstanding offensive back and defensive back, and was voted team MVP. He was also an all-conference running back and defensive back, and an all-county defensive back. He was named Italian athlete of the year in the San Leandro area.

He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 7th round (170th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played two full Seasons of NFL Football with the Indianapolis Colts, from 1987 to 1988, as a wide receiver.

Bellini is also a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly referred to as the Mormon Church), having been born and raised Catholic. He earned a Master’s degree from BYU in Environmental Engineering. He lives in Midway, Utah and is a biologist and environmental consultant. He is currently self-employed and works out of his home on environmental impact projects. He is married with six children (5 daughters and a son who has Down Syndrome ) ranging from age 25 to age 9.

He says that he had wanted to play football since he was a small boy. Despite being told that he was too small and not fast enough, he never lost sight of his goal, and in 1982 his hard work and perseverance paid off when as a freshman, he became a walk-on at BYU and earned a spot on the varsity. He was in fact, one of only a few freshman to walk-on and travel with the varsity, and the only freshman to make the trip to Georgia. His playing time with the varsity was cut short when he was injured in a jayvee game.

During the 1983 season he was red-shirted. In 1984 he was worked into the receiving rotation and started the latter part of the season. He became the receiver of the week against Tulsa (6 catches for 141 yards), Air Force and UTEP (4 catches, 50 yards, 1 touchdown). He caught three passes for 48 yards in the Holiday Bowl vs. Michigan, and his total of 35 catches was one of the highest ever by a sophomore. He was also an All-American wide receiver on the 1984 national champion team.

In 1985, during his junior year at BYU, Bellini was named second team United Press All-American, third team Associated Press All-American, and first team All-WAC selection. He finished 10th nationally in receiving with an average of 5.7 catches per game, and was third in WAC scoring (7.6) and receiving.  He missed the New Mexico and UTEP games because of a shoulder separation. He caught 5 passes for 87 yards vs. Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl, and had 9 catches for 179 yards and 3 touchdowns vs. Temple.

Bellini finished his career at BYU following the 1986 season with 146 receptions for 2,429 yards and 23 touchdowns, earning all kinds of individual honors and accolades in the process. (His little brother Matt Bellini followed in his footsteps to BYU to play football and later joined the LDS Church, as well.)

When he attended BYU he wasn’t a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon), but one of the classes that he was required to take for graduation was a Book of Mormon class. The class ended becoming one of his favorites and he developed a warm friendship with his teacher, John P. Fugal, who would later baptize him.

“When I went to BYU, I wasn’t a Mormon,” Bellini said. “But while taking a Book of Mormon class, I had a good feeling about the book. A few months later, my teacher baptized me, and I’m very happy for that decision.” [1]

“Although parts of me fought it, in my heart I just knew it was true. I couldn’t deny it,” Bellini said. “The Book of Mormon became the foundation of my testimony.” [2]

Barely a month after BYU won the 1984 college football national championship, on a frigid February morning, Cougar wide receiver Mark Bellini and his old religion professor, John P. Fugal, had a chance encounter on campus as Bellini was hustling to class. Their encounter, as it turned out, occurred near an enormous banner that read, “BYU National Champions.” They both stopped momentarily to admire the sign and then the following conversation took place:

“You guys must be very proud of what you were able to accomplish,” Fugal said.

“Oh yes,” Bellini replied, “definitely.”

Fugal then uttered words the football player would never forget.

“He looked me in the eye and said, ‘I know something that will make you feel higher than that. When you are ready, give me a call,’” Bellini recently related, his voice choking up. “He was talking about me joining the church. Three weeks later I asked him to baptize me.” [2]

The baptismal service took place on 16 March 1985. It was a low-key event attended by several of his team members. Fugal performed the baptism and Mike Young, a quarterback and close friend, confirmed Bellini a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Fugal said the service was both emotional and memorable.

The memories of his career as a Cougar are still meaningful, but more than 25 years later, Bellini is most grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the effect and impact that it has had on his life.

“The national championship was a highlight of my life. But such accomplishments are temporary and in time, no one remembers or cares,” Bellini said. “The gospel is truth, something that never fades.” [2]

“I’ve gone through periods where I’ve been close to the Spirit and others where I’ve been distant … I got to the point when I realized it wasn’t working for me on my own. I needed the blessings of God in my life,” Bellini said. “When you are engaged in seeking the Spirit and trying to follow the teachings of Christ, your life is truly blessed.”

“Live the teachings. It leads to happiness.” [2]

Additional Resources:

The Lord Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Request a free copy of The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

Mark Joseph Bellini – Mormon,org Profile

Many Jabari Parker fans waited in great anticipation for the big announcement as to which school Jabari would be playing for in 2013. There were some who believed that Brigham Young University would be the school that he would choose, especially considering that he is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly referred to as the Mormon Church.) However, much to their surprise, of all the major universities that were vying for his outstanding athlectic prowess for their team, on Thursday afternoon, 20 December 2012, he announced in a nationally televised press conference held at Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, that he will be attending school at Duke University. His official decision brings to a three year recruiting process to an end.

There were fans that were disappointed with the decision that Jabari made, but it should come as no surprise to anyone that the top high school basketball player in the country would want to play for the top coach, Mike Krzyzewski, who is considered by many to be second only to the late John Wooden on the short list of all-time greatest college coaches. Krzyzewski also coaches the U.S. Olympic team, and Olympians LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have both said that if they had gone to college they would have gone to Duke University. That speaks a myriad of words in and of itself.

From a basketball standpoint, Jabari Parker and Mike Krzyzewski are a match made in hoops heaven. But their relationship already runs deeper than the hardwood. For starters, Krzyzewski understands and respects Jabari’s faith. Jabari will not be the first Mormon to play for Duke. More importantly, Krzyzewski has a philosophy and lifestyle that is ideally tailored to accommodate Jabari’s personal goals and priorities. [1]

Coah Krzyzewski is more than just a basketball coah. He has a genuine concern for all of his players and stresses the importance of academic excellence, holds each player to the highest standards, and helps to prepare them to be successful in life long after their baskeball playing days are over. With that type of profile, it can safely be said that Jabari is in good hands not only to achieve success in his basketball career, but in being prepared for life beyond the basketball court as well. Any of the schools that recruited him may have been a good fit for him, a few may have been better than the others, but it appears that Duke was the best choice.

“I decided I wanted to play for someone I admired, someone that could help me reach my basketball goals and my long-term goals,” Parker said. “I was looking for someone I could look up to, someone that could teach me the game, as well as what’s most important in life.” [2]

During his visit to the Parker home on 21 September 2012, it was something that Krzyzewski said at the end of his visit that impacted Parker the most. “Jabari, a good name is better than anything you can achieve in this life,” he told him. [2]

As the final days of making the decision of which school to play for drew near, Krzyzewski visited the Parker home once again on the evening of Tuesday, 18 December 2012. The last thing he said to Jabari was, “I believe in you, Jabari.” [2]

The decision on which school to attend was by no means an easy one for Jabari to make. He felt a strong connection to all five of his final schools and didn’t want to disappoint four of the coaches. After Krzyzewski left his house that Tuesday evening in December, Jabari and his brother, Christian, had a heart-to-heart talk. Christian then quoted a verse from Matthew 7:16: “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Jabari paused and felt at peace with his decision when Christian said, “Coach K can show you the fruit.” [2]

Additional Resources:

The Official Website of Coach Mike Kryzewski

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Mormon Families

http://youtu.be/b8qKIkhyRHU

http://youtu.be/bos8QfIoz5E

Jordan Bachynski is fast becoming a household name in the Pac-12 conference and for very good reasons. He has become well known as the best shot-blocker in the Pac-12 and one of the best in the nation.

The 23 year old (6 September 1989), 7-foot-2, 250 pound, center for the Arizona State Sun Devils hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Research has found no Sun Devil taller in ASU basketball history. His specialty is defense, and in the 18 Pac-12 games in 2011 and 2012, he averaged 1.67 blocks per game. He blocked 30 shots in the 18 league games, and posted 26 blocks in the final 13 games of the season.

“Anytime you have a shot blocker like that, it’s not just the ones he gets, the opponent can’t help but start thinking about it a little bit,” ASU coach Herb Sendek said. “He’s also changing some other shots as well.”

On 8 December 2012 in a game against Cal State-Northridge, he recorded ASU’s first-ever triple-double — a feat not achieved by former Sun Devil greats such as Fat Lever, Byron Scott and Joe Caldwell. Bachynski posted 13 points, 12 rebounds and a school-record 12 blocked shots to lead ASU to an 87-76 win at Wells Fargo Arena.

Bachynski was originally a 2008 graduate, but he put two years on hold to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly referred to as the Mormon Church) in Miami, Florida. He returned from his mission in May 2010. Prior to leaving for his mission, he had committed to University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) but re- opened his recruitment as major schools such as the University of Connecticut, Brigham Young University (BYU), Oregon State, and San Diego kept tabs on this promising prospect. He gave a verbal commitment to play for Arizona State on Tuesday, 22 September 2009.

While serving his mission he had been given the opportunity to shoot baskets maybe once a week, but that was not his purpose. Austin Ainge and other Mormon friends advised him that it would take at least a year for him to regain the form that made him one of the top recruits in the nation in 2007, when UConn was among the suitors who came to Calgary, Alberta, to check on him. At the time he did not want to hear any of what his friends were telling him. He believed that he would be back in the gane in no time at all. However, in hindsight, it turns out that his friends were correct in their assesmernt. It has taken even more time than anticipated because he not only missed court time while on his mission, but he also missed out on his final high school season at Henderson (Nevada) Findlay Prep because of ankle surgery. The surgery involved removing a bone spur and a pinched ligament and repairing other ligaments, followed by four months of rehab before getting back on the court briefly for the All-Canada Classic. Between times he worked at Joey Tomato’s Kitchen.

“Just try not working out for three weeks,” said ASU coach Herb Sendek, explaining Bachynski’s gradual progression. “Then you try to come back and you are not in the same shape as you were. Now let’s go to three months. It puts in perspective what he went through. Three years without playing basketball, without training.

“We knew coming in there was going to be a pretty steep learning curve, but that doesn’t cure the impatience that we all seem to have as human beings. But the more experience he gets, the more things are coming together for him.” [2]

Bachynski has not allowed any minor setbacks to slow him down. When he arrived at Arizona State in the fall of 2010, he was raring to help a team that had made postseason appearances in each of the previous three seasons. But his body had other ideas.

“The muscles in my legs weren’t strong enough to maintain the whole time,” Bachynski said. “So I’d be good for the first five minutes, then feel my legs go to spaghetti. It was crazy. I tried to do too much too quickly coming off my mission, and I struggled with injuries because I was pushing it a little too hard. I pulled everything in my legs. Once I got to play, the whole first year was just spent sucking air. It was bad.

“I just kept pushing, and my body kept pushing back. Finally came to accord with it. ‘You know what, we might have to take this year to get back into it.’” [2]

Determined to continue to go full speed ahead and be the best at his game, it has all started coming together for him this season, his third at ASU. He is averaging 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots a game in 25 minutes of action and has set a school and Pac-12 record with nine blocked shots in a 65-56 victory over Colorado. He also leads the Pac-12 with a .656 field goal percentage.

“Defensively, he’s been a monster protecting the paint,” said Utah coach Larry Krystowiak, who coaches Jordan’s younger brother, Dallin. “He can clean up a lot of mistakes back there. It seems like he seems like he is playing with a little bit more swagger. Offensively, he’s a load as well. He is a legitimate post player. They have enough talent around him that he isn’t asked to do too much.

“He’s an example of kid who stuck with it. It is not always going to be easy.” [2]

Off the court, Bachynski leads an intriguing life. He is fluent in Spanish, is a huge soccer fan, and is an avid reader of Gandhi. His spare time consists of following the exploits of fellow Canadian Hooper Steve Nash of the Los Angeles Lakers and watching UFC bouts. He also enjoys eating baliadas (Honduran tortillas with cream, cheese, beef and beans).

His wife, Malia, whose encouragement he credits as the main source of his success, played volleyball at ASU where the two met. “She’s everything that I’ve ever wanted,” Jordan has said. He describes her as “as close to perfection as you can get,” believing that he would not be half the player that he is on the court without her. They were married on 13 May 2011.

“Whether it’s making sure I’m on time for games or making it so I can get to everything I need to, she does everything for me,” Jordan said. “She’s the boss. Whatever she says, goes.” [3]

“Any bit of motivation that I can give him or support, I want to put it out there,” Malia said. “He’s been taking advantage of it. He’s been coming in and shooting and watching film. He shoots every day on his own.” [3]

In regards to the turn around he has made in his game, Bachynski commented:

“When you have your legs under you, it is a lot easier to be aggressive,” Bachynski said.

“My goal is to play professionally, and I know if I want to do that, I have to work hard and I have to perform. I feel like the coaches have been patient with me, and I’ve been patient with myself, and it is starting to pay off. And I’m in the right program with the right guys around me. My teammates are incredible with their support.” [2]

Bachynski’s mother, Yolanda was also a solid Hooper. His younger brother Dallin ( (2009 PHASE 1 All Canada Select) played for Southern Utah in 2009-2010, went on an LDS mission in Croatia and will suit up for Utah. His sister Jessica is also a very good player and played at the 2010 Canada Basketball National Championships in Toronto.

Although Malia believes he should receive the credit for taking action, Jordan unselfishly gives credit to everyone around him for the turnaround he has made. Whether it is his coaches, his wife, his mission president, his family, or God, he doesn’t want to attribute all the success to himself.

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Read another article about a Mormon athlete – Mitch Smith – An Unlikely Mormon