Yoga club relaxes students

Renaissance Yoga meeting in the Campus Center. Photo by Mallory Jane Hallstead (used with permission)

Yoga Club relaxes students
By Patrick Dodson

In a place far, far away from all the stress and chaos of the UAlbany academic world students gather to practice the ancient ritual of yoga.

Outside the Student Association office on the first floor of the Campus Center, student lay down their yoga mats and in turn put on hold the pressure of the outside world. The mood is light, the room quiet — as students in Renaissance Yoga meet from 7 to 9 p.m. every Monday night.

Renaissance Yoga has been included as an official student organization since 1995 when it was created as a health and wellness group, and in 2003 weekly mediation was added to their group activities.

The group is led by UAlbany student Saskia Smeele, a 20 year old Junior Psychology major from Copake, NY. “I’ve been enjoying this club for a long time, and I really like all it’s offered me,” Smelle said, referring to the impact yoga has had on her life at college. “Many people who come to our classes feel refreshed and ready to face their daily tasks once again.”

Many students are burdened with multiple classes and the work that goes along with them, as well as jobs, social life, and other student clubs.

One student, Heather Quinn, feels that pressure. To ease her mind during the academic year, Quinn goes to yoga once a week and lets go. “It makes me stop and relax my mind, I always feel lighter than air and extremely happy when I leave.”

The club operates on a drop-in basis and offers classes at no cost, a benefit that Smelle says is important to cheap college students. The club tries to educate new students as well as expand with new techniques and practices of meditation and yoga throughout the semester.

People who practice yoga attempt to reach a level of Moksha, meaning a feeling of escaping the very act of living and reaching a peaceful state of mental relaxation. Students involved with Renaissance Yoga all agree that they are there to reach that level.

“The tension I often don’t realize is in my entire body, is relieved, and there’s no feeling like it” said Quinn, who will continue to attend yoga while balancing her academic life.

Renaissance Yoga meets every Monday for yoga and Wednesday for meditation from 7 – 9 p.m. in the Campus Center.

Feelin’ Lazy? Call “The Baby”

By NICK BRUSA

It’s 4 a.m. on a Friday night, and you just got home from a long night downtown at Jillians . Like so many other students in the Albany area at the time, you and your friends are suddenly craving Taco Bell. None of you are physically able to drive. What should you do? No worries, call “The Baby”.

Baby Malcolm’s Delivery service is owned and run by Malcolm Marcoulides, 21, a senior at SUNY Albany. ” Our mission is to make money, and to provide convenience to students in the Albany area”, said Marcoulides.

Tired of going grocery shopping and sick of all the long lines? For 10 dollars, have all your groceries delivered right to your front door. How ? Call ” The Baby”. Just arrange a time that is ideal for you, and your groceries will be delivered.

To make things easier on the staff, Baby Malcolms Delivery is in partnership with Pine Hills Market, Bistro, and K2.

A customer that calls for delivery can have anything that local Albany markets and grocery stores have to offer. They “front”(or lend) you the cash to buy an item, and bring it directly to your doorstep. A delivery surcharge is then added on to the customers total. The surcharge amount depends on the size of the order.

From cigarettes, to sandwiches, to beer, a student is able to acquire almost anything without leaving their own home. All though Baby Malcolms is able to deliver beer and liquor, don’t think about using a fake I.D. to buy alcohol. “We are very strict about alcohol, and will look over your I.D hard”, said company owner Marcoulides.”Only people who are truly 21 years of age are able to get alcohol from Baby Malcolms Delivery, no exceptions”.

Students from SUNY Albany, St. Rose, and Siena are all able to enjoy this revolutionary type of convenience. It is promoted through flyers, facebook, and its webpage.

There are four different ways for students to make their order. By calling, texting, ordering online, or by instant messaging the screen name “Babymalcolms”.

Baby Malcolms Delivery also has sponsored raffles, sandwhich of the week, grocery delivery, and an online menu. (http://babymalcolm.wordpress.com/). The most recent raffle, was held on November 4th. The prizes included: 1st prize, $500 dollars towards a spring break trip of your choice, 2nd prize “The Perfect Pull-up”, and 3rd prize, 3 cases of Rockstar Energy drinks.

” You have to keep changing things up in order to stay alive”, Marcoulides said. ” You have to keep customers interested and informed, as well as make money at the same time”. Baby Malcolms Delivery has been successfully working for over a year.
” At first I didn’t think the company was real”, said Jake Ristoff, 20,a student at Albany. ” It was 4am on a Saturday night and I had just ordered McDonald’s for delivery. Something is not going to work out”.

Sure enough, Ristoff got his Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Mountain Dew about 40 minutes later, for just 5 dollars more then it would of cost him to get it himself. “I even had them stop and get me a Snickers Bar”.

Baby Malcolm’s Delivery service is open every Friday and Saturday from 10pm until 5am.

Graduating in a Dismal Job Market

By BARRY SLOAN, UAlbany

There is no getting past the fact that now is not the best time to be graduating from college and searching for a job. Layoffs are ubiquitous and unemployment is high, 7.60% as of January 2009 according to economic indicators.

A sense of fear and panic can be felt around campus at the University at Albany. Students are desperate for any kind of work they can get their hands on.

Kenny Rosenstock, 21, a senior at UAlbany from Merrick, NY, is a business administration major with a concentration in marketing and management. With no job lined up for post-graduation, Kenny started applying for jobs on the Internet last month. Using job search sites MonsterTRAK and Career Builder, he applied to about 20 different places in the New York City area. Out of all these places Kenny applied, he has only been offered one interview.

Kenny hopes to land a job in sports or entertainment marketing. “It is tough to get a job right now, I will take anything I can get,” Kenny says. Kenny hopes that his high GPA and marketing experience he gained during an internship last summer at PLJ, a hit music station based in New York City, will stand out to prospective employers.

Kenny plans on living at home for a few years after graduation in May to save money for his own place. “I work at a movie theater over breaks from school and will likely work there after graduation if I do not have another job lined up. I’m keeping my hopes up, but it is a tough market, especially having to compete with experienced workers that have recently been laid off from other jobs,” Kenny said.

Kenny Rosenstock holds up a copy of his resume.

Lauren Arato, 21, a senior at UAlbany, also from Merrick, NY, is an accounting major. Lauren has an entry-level job secured at Ernst & Young, one of “The Big Four,” largest international accountancy firms.

Lauren became interested in working for Ernst & Young during the summer following her sophomore year of college when she attended an Ernst & Young externship. During the externship, she learned about the various opportunities Ernst & Young offered and got a closer look at what they do and who their clients are. The following summer Lauren landed an internship position at Ernst & Young’s Times Square office in New York City.

“Of about 20 students that were in the same internship that I was, 15 were offered jobs for post-graduation. I signed a contract and am happy that I have a job lined up with Ernst & Young, however, I don’t feel completely safe now,” Lauren said.

Lauren Arato holds up an Ernst & Young water bottle.

Like Kenny, Lauren also plans on living at home at first. “It is too expensive to live in the city for me right now. So much of my income would need to go to rent. I don’t mind commuting into the city on the train for now,” Lauren said. Kenny and Lauren both agreed that when the economy becomes a bit more stable, they would be looking to find a place away from home to live.

While some are set with a job for after graduation, and others are searching, some are in between.

Adam Girard, 21, a senior at UAlbany from Glens Falls, NY decided last year that he will be attending graduate school. Two factors led to his decision to do so; he needs to attend graduate school in order to become a college history professor, and he does not think he would be able to find a job in the market now.

Depending on the degree Adam chooses to go for, Masters or PhD, he could be in school for another 2-5 years. “With the economy the way it is right now, it makes sense to stay in school to get a better degree. Hopefully by the time I am done, the economy will have turned around,” Adam said.

Adam Girard holds up a review book for the GRE and Job Search book.

One thing is for sure; all students graduating from college this spring will be facing a dismal job market.

Tattoos

 Drawing your Heart on your Sleeve

 

Pictured is the design that Simmons has to represent her and her two sisters.

Back in the day when a person turned 18, they were free – free to drink legally, free to buy tobacco products, free to vote and free to enjoy all the benefits that comes along with becoming of the legal age. Yet, over time, these freedoms were taken away. Tobacco purchasers must now be at least 19 years old, alcohol can only be bought by those that over 21 and those turning 18 were left with little to look forward to as their birthday approached. However, one trend that has been growing over the years for those approaching this age has been the right to go and get a tattoo, and more people are going out and doing this everyday. Tattoos used to be a taboo thing; only motorcycle rebels and punks were the ones sporting body ink but this form of art has crossed over that line and it’s not a surprise to see soccer moms with a butterfly or rose permanently etched into their skin. The demographic most embracing this trend is young adults. Not necessarily looking to stand out in a crowd or be seen as a form of rebellion, young people nowadays are getting tattoos that mean something to them and it’s a message that will resonate with them as they grow older.

“I have two tattoos that mean the world to me,” says Christopher Mather, a 20 year old junior at the University at Albany. “My first one was on my leg and it’s the Operation Ivy logo, but it stands for more than just the band. The tattoo represents my youth and the music that helped shaped my personality. It specifically represents my main influence for writing and performing poetry and music; creativity is my stress free happy place, and this tattoo reminds me of that every time I am having a bad day.” Many other young adults feel the same way about body ink. For most young adults, getting a tattoo means loving something so much that you want to have it permanently placed on your body. It’s a means of learning a little about yourself and seeing what drives you to be who you are. Tattoos serve as an outlet for people to express to the rest of the world who they are. And despite much criticism from some older people that feel like those who get ink when they are young and are going to regret it as they get older, many young adults are proving that they aren’t getting silly tattoos.

One out of the two tattoos that Mather has.

Christine Simmons, a 20 year old native of Somers in Westchester County, has two tattoos that reflect what life and her upbringing mean to her. “The first tattoo I have is on my right shoulder. It’s three hearts linked together with the words ‘live, laugh, love’ written in script underneath. For me, it represents me and my two sisters because family is important to me. No matter what relationships go bad or what friendships disappear, your family will still always be there to make you smile and help you out.” It seems like a lot of potential tattoo candidates put a lot of thought, like Simmons, into what they want to get done. It isn’t a rash decision made while under the influence of some substance, as was a popular trend in earlier years. Young people are proving that they take the time to plan out what they want and then act upon it after much time mulling it over.

“I think I thought about getting my tattoo for at least two years, maybe even longer,” says Steve Vidal, a 21 year old currently living on Long Island. “I wanted to run out and get one the minute I turned 18, but I knew that doing that would be stupid. Instead, on my eighteenth birthday, I planned out the tattoo I wanted, put the picture on my wall and looked at it every day for two years. I figured if at any point I wanted to rip it down, then this was not the tattoo for me. Now three years later, I’ve moved the picture from the paper to my arm, and I couldn’t be any happier I did that.”

Above is the picture of Vidal’s tattoo that took him two years to decide on getting

Two years ago, Suffolk County on Long Island had proposed new legislation that would have banned the art of tattooing in the district. News quickly spread, and residents quickly got together to voice their outrage at this bill. It wasn’t passed, and those looking to the future breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief. “It would have been just plain stupid if this legislation had passed,” said Rich Galgano, a 22 year old living in the county. “The bill would have spread to all of Long Island and then maybe to the state. Tattoos are a way for people to express themselves in a healthy way. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to show the world what’s in your heart and being proud to put it on display.”

As a person gets older, there are more freedoms they are granted to symbolizing the passing from a child to an adult. More freedom means more responsibility. More responsibility means thinking about the consequences of an individuals actions, and tattoos are one outlet which allows young adults to practice exercising their new found freedoms. Rash decisions like getting a skull tattooed on your hand because it looks cool are being quickly replaced with lots of thought and background research on the person’s part. “Getting a tattoo isn’t a decision I made lightly,” says Mather. “It has to be something you think about, plan and then wait a while to see if you still like the idea of it. Yes it’s a sign of creativity, but like writing a paper or a song, you need to do a first draft, try it out for a long time, alter it and then make sure you absolutely love it before presenting it to an audience.” So when considering getting a tattoo, think about it, make sure you love the design or idea and then wait a while before acting upon the impulse. It may seem like you’re waiting forever. You wait eighteen years to turn the golden age, waiting a bit more will result in getting something you will love for the rest of your life.

 

Written By: Liz Hughes

The Dangers of Owning a Tavern in Albany

In the past two years, nine taverns in the city of Albany have been raided by local law enforcement and their licenses revoked.

Most recently, decades old staple restaurant and bar Peking, and sister lounge Alibi’s closed their doors.

Pauly’s Hotel – Times Union

Three bars have been closed in response to fatal drunk driving accidents, and accusations have flown between local law enforcement agencies with regards to who is actually working towards a solution.

In a town built on the ability to imbibe, it seems to be getting harder and harder to run a respectable establishment.

Over the next several weeks we will be sitting down with the owners of city bars to discuss the status of their liquor licenses, the current economics of owning a tavern, and the dangers of ownership.

Behind the bar at The Stone Crow - AlbanyAlive.com

We’ll also be getting input from law enforcement, university administration, and local policy makers.

Student Balances School and Career

Danzis

“I don’t live like a normal student, but at the same time, I still go through the same things every other student faces”, said Michael Danzis, as he stares his tired-blue eyes into space. Danzis (who goes by the stage name Scanz) is a 21 year old Junior in Drexel University’s Music Industry program, and is also a full-time recording artist. He signed a record deal at 18 to New York based Hip-Hop label Rawkus Records, the summer before starting his freshman semester at school. Now he holds the responsibility of staying in school and striving to start a career in music. Drexel agreed to pay half of Danzis’ tuition as part of an academic scholarship he earned, as long as he maintains a 3.4 GPA. “I need to maintain my GPA so I can keep my scholarship” says Danzis,” So it’s no joke, and I really gotta weigh my options sometimes as to which is more important; a potential career move or making sure I’m on point with due dates and school work.”

So how has school benefitted Danzis? Well one thing is that he met his present roommate and video director/producer Matt Koza. Koza has directed three of Danzis’ music videos, as well as become a good friend to him. “Mike’s work ethic is amazing. We both go through the same things as far as pursuing careers and attending school, and I can honestly say I don’t know how he works so hard.” Although it may be hard, Danzis does not deny how much school helps him. “Even though a lot of required courses can seem like a waste of time for me, going to school allows me to take the 4 years of college as a head start in the industry.” Drexel University allows students access to professional music studios, endless networking opportunities, and music seminars which has surely helped improve him as an artist.

Still, Danzis knows that going to school definitely has its setbacks . He recalls, “I remember there was a show in Brooklyn, and I drove up there from Philly, performed at the show, drove back that night, and took my final exam at 8am in Philly. I didn’t get to study like I should have, but I just didn’t sleep that night, and made sure I knew enough to get by successfully. It was really draining and stressful.” Friends of Danzis also notice the negative effects that attending a University has had on Danzis. Alex Zebede, friend/personal assistant to Danzis knows first-hand. “Being a full-time student has set him back career-wise. There are opportunities that he has to miss because he has class. It’s frustrating at times.”

Most 21 year olds are partying and living the college lifestyle, but not Danzis. His 60-80 hour work weeks between class and making music has greatly affected what activities he can partake in. “I don’t really party like a college student, I would rather be in the studio in my free time. I’ve been 21 for 3 months now, but I’ve only been to the bar 3 or 4 times. I feel like a lot of people in college are out exploring the things they were scared of in high school. I’ve already did all that.” He surely would rather be in the studio then partying. Danzis says he spends 30-40 hours a week on average in his basement studio located in his house, on top of going to class.

This music prodigy has a bright career ahead of him. His work has been featured in magazines, international press outlets, and distributed throughout the world. Danzis has worked with artists on major labels and performed among some of his child-hood heroes. At the young age of 21, he has accomplished all of this while maintaining his scholarship at a prestigious University. As he is turning on the electrical outlets for his equipment and he gets ready for a recording session, Danzis utters these final words “For me, being a student is like an occupation, but having a career as an artist and a musician is a lifestyle…really, it has to be.” It sure is.

For more information on Mike, click here

–Jared Sherman

Why are we so fat?

<img src=”http://bm126128.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fat-cartoon.jpg” alt=”fat-cartoon” title=”fat-cartoon” width=”300″ height=”400″ class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-130″ />The majority of students perceive college as the gateway to freedom. College is the opportunity to get away from home and be free of the hassle and nagging of parents. This freedom comes with no bed times, no chores, and gaining the freshman fifteen. This may be the result of no one making you those nice sit down dinners every weekday night, parties until 3am, and pure laziness. Students tend to lose control of their eating habits when in college. Students eat and drink whatever, whenever they want and make less and less trips to the gym. So why and how do college students win this struggle of weight gain?
 In a study done by Dr. Mary Cluskey “students described struggles in adapting healthful eating and exercise behaviors to college life.” In the article College Students Gain Weight published on beautyfest.com stated “college students are well-known for crashing their metabolism by managing their diets poorly and that the classic metabolism destroyer of college students is eating late at night.” The answer seems simple to avoid weight gain, eat a healthy diet and carry out a regular exercise routine.

 College is a time to be social, making new friends. Going to the gym is the last place to be social in both male and female student’s minds. Students want to go out to parties to mingle with fellow classmates and the fattening beer, alcohol, and late night pizza runs. “When you wake up hung over in the morning from a kegger, the last thing on your mind is running a couple miles at the gym,” says Senior UAlbany student Danielle Rizzo.
So is drinking and partying the problem for weight gain? Rizzo states the reason is “stress because a lot of girls get stressed over school and they eat…they are stressed out they eat, but because they are stressed they also have less time to go to the gym.” Females have little time if any to expend in the kitchen to make themselves a healthy meal, and when you live in the dorms female students don’t even have the advantage of their own kitchens. But they do have the privilege of a dining hall, which is a buffet, and this buffet witnesses second and third helpings daily.
 What has changed students mind set about staying healthy and fit from when they left home to college? A main reason is because now students live on their own and have nothing to motivate them. “All we do is hang out with our friends and watch T.V, we don’t go outside, just the thought makes me even more lazy,” says Junior UAlbany student Ashley Gudowitz.  “Girls are defiantly a lot lazier when going to the gym then boys are.”  But when asking Junior UAlbany student Stephen Cella, “guys are lazier in going to the gym because girls like to make a schedule for the day and will organize their day better so they can make time for the gym.”

  A study done by Dr. Mary Cluskey in December 2005 concluded that “25% both college men and females gained 2.3kg over an 8-week period.” But when following out the study for several more weeks it concluded “weight gains to be greater incidence and magnitude among college males [for the reasoning that] male students were less concerned about weight and used fewer strategies to control weight gain than females.” 
Yet, about eighty-five percent of college females believe that they are either slightly or seriously overweight according to Journal of Mental Health Counseling. Because body image is a socially constructed belief, the society that surrounds female students constructs and distorts the way they see their own bodies.  This may be the reason why men and women have different perspectives on working out at the gym while in college. “Guys don’t always have to go to the gym to feel good about ourselves,” says Junior UAlbany student Josh Roberts. “But with women I feel they always want to look good, they are more self-conscious about their bodies.”  Yet, some females like Rizzo “don’t use the gym as a way to feel better about themselves, girls can wear makeup and clothes that flatter their bodies if they feel insecure about them. Guys go to the gym to lift weights and they can’t put makeup on if they feel ugly that day.” 
College is the time for students to be freed of the rules and restrictions of home. College is the time for students to meet new people. College is the time for students to learn how to live on their own and have control over their new lifestyle. Whether the student is a male or female they need to have self control to manage the freshman fifteen weight gain problem.
<img src=”http://bm126128.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fat-boy.jpg” alt=”fat-boy” title=”fat-boy” width=”135″ height=”98″ class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-131″ />
“Of course everyone understands what they are doing that is making them gain weight, but when it comes down to it your in college and your only here for four years so have fun. You’re supposed to be going out drinking until 4am, eating pizza late night with your friends,” says Rizzo.
-Brianna McHugh

A star waiting to shine

By DAMORE RAMWA, UAlbany

We all dream of being in the spotlight every now and then, but for Chinedu Ekwuyasi, it’s more than just a dream. Ekwuyasi, an international student from Lagos, Nigeria, has been performing his blend of hip-hop, dancehall, jazz and soul, and something he calls “afro-centric techno” since 2004. He describes afro-centric techno as modern techno incorporated with African instruments like African drums and shakers.

Along with performing, he is also a music producer, putting together pieces for his label mates. Ekwuyasi is a member of Syndik8 Records, an up-and-coming record label with both music groups and individual artists. What started out as after school ciphers with a few friends soon began to grow and eventually gained notoriety in Nigeria. Today, Syndik8 Records owns a professional studio that welcomes fellow Nigerian artists, designs a clothing line, and even dabbles in filmmaking as its newest venture.

Ekwuyasi, currently a sophomore, wants to pursue a career in the music industry, but has found it hard to get his foot in the door. One might wonder why someone with such aspirations would come to the University at Albany, and Ekwuyasi’s reasons are practical. “It was my first time in the U.S. and I have family here,” he says. With finding difficulty and seemingly going nowhere with his craft, Ekwuyasi decided to put his dreams in his own hands.

Only into his second semester at UAlbany, Ekwuyasi began talks with ATV producers to develop a show introducing new musical talent in the Capital Region to a broader audience. “We’re trying to get upcoming artists, especially in the UAlbany community,” he says, “even if they’re doing it for fun.” With the show under production in the near future, Ekwuyasi has something to look forward to. This wasn’t always the case.

Ekwuyasi was under the impression that UAlbany offered a Music major more fitted to his liking. According to UAlbany’s Web site, the school’s music department offers degrees in Music, Electronic Music and Media, Performance, Composition, Conducting, Musicology, and Theory. With the university’s Performance program catering strictly to Orchestra, Band, and Chorale, there was nothing to help Ekwuyasi progress as an artist. Plagued with regret, Ekwuyasi considered transferring to another school.

The school of choice was Columbia College Chicago. With bachelor programs in Contemporary, Urban & Popular Music, Instrumental Performance, and Vocal Performance, according to the school’s Web site, Ekwuyasi was almost swayed. It didn’t help that some of his label mates were also in Chicago for their studies.

Ekwuyasi made the decision to stay after recognizing that he would be leaving his only family in the states. “Albany, after all, isn’t so bad,” Ekwuyasi says. Since making his decision final, Ekwuyasi has found a studio in downtown Albany where he continues to make music with his cousin who resides here. His drive has never diminished and he still yearns for his chance to shine, but Ekwuyasi knows that in order for his dreams to become reality, he must make the most of his stay in Albany.

Syndik8 tracks produced by Ekwuyasi:

Move by Syndik8 artists E-Jay, Young Maxy, & Xena

What U Need, produced by Chinedu Ekwuyasi

Raffa runs wild in first season

By TED BEAN, UAlbany

UAlbany guard Anthony Raffa's play has impressed fans and teammates in his first season.

Anthony Raffa has a habit of chasing every loose ball — no matter where it’s headed. In his first year at the University at Albany, the former Wildwood Catholic standout has led the Great Danes basketball team in diving onto the court, flying into the stands and jumping over the scorer’s table in pursuit of the ball.

“It’s just a natural habit. I mean 50-50 ball, that’s a hustle play,” Raffa said. “I want to get all the hustle plays I can during the game – if the ball’s going out of bounds or anything.”

Against Bryant on Dec. 1, Raffa left the court and went over the scorer’s table twice while tracking loose balls. The second time he ended up with a concussion, and was forced to leave the game.  Raffa plays with the motto, “go hard, or go home,” so the injury had no effect on his highly aggressive style of play. .

“It’s only a head, you get hit in the head whatever, get back up and play,” Raffa said. “Unfortunately I couldn’t do it that game.”

After collapsing to lose seven out of eight games to end the regular season, the UAlbany basketball team needs to make changes. Moving Raffa to shooting guard next season is one shake up the team expects to make.

“To benefit him and benefit us we probably need to let him focus on scoring the ball a little more, not put all the pressure on him to run the team,” UAlbany coach Will Brown said.

Raffa, from Strathmere, N.J., has shown his toughness throughout a season in which he was asked to step into the starting point guard position on a team that went to the NCAA tournament two of the last three years. Despite his scorer’s mentality, Raffa has dished out 49 assists this season, good for third on the team.

Even with his new position, Raffa will likely still see some time at the point. Brown wants Raffa this offseason to continue to work on his understanding of the point guard position, and to work to improve his assist-to-turnover ratio.

Raffa’s move to shooting guard means the team will likely play much of next season with a three-guard lineup. The team’s leading scorer, Tim Ambrose, also plays shooting guard. UAlbany is expected to return Ambrose, who averaged 14.0 points per game, and junior forward Will Harris, who averaged 12.7 points per game. Harris may also see a switch in position, moving from small forward to power forward.

Raffa has wowed his teammates and coaches this with what UAlbany captain Brian Connelly refers to as, “the move you see on TV” because of its tendency to make the 10 p.m. news:  a spinning layup that finishes on the other side of the basket which he uses on fast breaks to beat defenders.

“Anytime he’s on the left side of the floor in transition, and he’s pushing the ball 100 mph and it looks like a defender is going to cut him off, you’re going to see the old patented Raffa spin,” Brown said.

Playing defending national champion Kansas at famous Allen Fieldhouse was one of this season’s biggest thrills for Raffa.

“We walk out to warm up before the game and the place is soldout, 16,500 [people]. Right on top of you too,” Raffa said. “I was getting guarded by Sherron Collins. He’s going to be a pro next year.”

Raffa was the only Dane to hit double figures that night, scoring 11 points, as UAlbany lost 73-49. His ever-present confidence helps Raffa stay cool in big games, teammate Tim Ambrose said.

“He doesn’t play like a freshman at all, he’s not nervous, he always wants the ball in his hands,” Ambrose said. “He’s willing to take any shot. He likes the pressure.”

In addition to his concussion, Raffa has had to deal with high ankle sprains, a groin injury and turf toe. The turf toe forced him to miss the last three regular season games, and as off press time, his return for the America East Conference Tournament was considered unlikely. Even though he’s had to fight through injuries, when on the court no situation seems too physical for 19-year-old Raffa, Brian Connelly said.

“He’s not a very big guy, he’s skinny and I think he only weighs like 170 (Raffa is listed at 6′0” 175 lbs.). He goes in amongst the trees and he’s fearless when he gets in the paint,” Connelly said. “He throws his body around.”

Raffa, the team’s third leading scorer at 10.3 points per game, backs his talent with a mouth that never stops moving.

“He’ll talk to anybody at any time, whether it’s the crowd, or our opponent. I have no idea what he’s telling them,” Brown said. “He’s probably going to tell them, ‘The next time I get the ball, I’m going to score on you.’ Anybody that’s from New Jersey he’s having conversations with.”

At Wildwood Catholic, Raffa led the team to back-to-back New Jersey Non-Public B South and CAL National titles, and scored over 30 points per game his senior season. His jersey was retired last in a ceremony last year.

“That was basically my biggest highlight,” Raffa said of having his number retired. “I still hang out with my friends from high school today. If it wasn’t for them helping us to win those championships, I would have never got my number retired.”

Raffa spent last year at The Winchendon School, a prep school in Massachusetts, where he played with and against some of the country’s best prospects and raised his SAT score to meet NCAA eligibility standards. The high-level competition at prep school helped Raffa make the transition from high school to college basketball.

“In prep school I had a 7′2” kid on my team that entered the NBA draft last year but withdrew his name. That was the competition I was playing against,” Raffa said. “We had nine Division I players last year [at Winchendon], some teams had twelve.”

Raffa is currently undecided on his major and is taking his general education requirements this year.  He has gotten strong support from his family, he said. His parents, Andrew and Sallee Raffa who run Mildred’s Strathmere Restaurant, attended every game this season, Anthony said.

With his first season nearly behind him, Raffa’s development has pleased the coaching staff.

“I’ve been tough on him. Having to play the point guard position from day one at the division one level, you have to mature and mature quickly,” Brown said. “It’s tough to be a freshman point guard.”

Next season, Raffa is likely to see more time off the ball where he would be in a better position to score, Brown said. Brown wants Raffa to continue to work on his understanding of the point guard position, and to improve his assist-to-turnover ratio in the offseason. If he continues to develop, there is no limit to Raffa’s ceiling as a player.

“Right now, sky’s the limit for Raffa,” Connelly said. “Once he learns to be more of a point guard or more of a scorer, one of the two, he’s going to be an incredible player.”

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