This Week in Chronicle History: Coach K becomes a Dukie

17 Nov 2011, Posted by Hong Zhu in News, 0 Comments

Chelsea Pieroni/The Chronicle

According to the profile, “A major factor in [Duke Athletic Director Tom] Butters’ decision to hire Krzyzewski was the recommendation of [Coach Bobby] Knight, for whom Butters has a tremendous amount of respect.”

It’s difficult to imagine what Duke would be like today if Butters hadn’t tapped Krzyzewski as head coach, but I think it’s safe to say that we’re all glad he did.

According to the article, “Krzyzewski laugh[s] when he is called a mere clone of Knight.”

Looking back on Coach K’s remarks on Knight with the benefits of hindsight (and the handy knowledge that Coach K would surpass his former coach to become the winningest coach in the history of Division I basketball), Krzyzewski’s quotes seem both prophetic and ironically self-descriptive.

“There is very little difference between Coach Knight’s coaching philosophy—the X’s and O’s—and my own,” said Coach K, in the article from 31 years (and many, many wins) ago. “His success has been wrought by a combination of organizational ability and sheer hard work. He believes in establishing a set of principles and standing by them.”

Commenting on his own coaching style, he went on to explain, his only rule for his players is that they don’t do anything detrimental to the college basketball program, a policy that still stands.

“I think it’s a tremendous honor to be mentioned with Coach Knight as a coach,” said Coach K. “I have a lot of respect for him, and he’s opened doors for me in the profession. But I’m not Bobby Knight, I’m Mike Krzyzewski. I just like being myself—not fitting his image, [previous coach] Bill Foster’s image, or the Duke image.”

In the article, Coach K then goes on to talk about Duke in words that make a Blue Devil feel warm and fuzzy inside.

“Sometimes you walk into a place and it just feels right,” he said in the article. “That’s the type of feeling I had about Duke. I had kind of a gut feeling that I would get the job, and I can’t envision myself leaving Duke voluntarily…. Of course there’s a lot of pressure here. The people here are fanatical about basketball, and the competition is extremely stiff. But I like the hoopla or I wouldn’t have taken the job here. There will be times where, I’m sure, it will get to be too much. Then you just have to say ‘no.’ The pressure I feel is wanting to do the best job I can. If you’re caught up in the peripheral pressure, you’re missing the boat.’

Little did readers know at the time, doing the “best job” he could would make Coach K legendary.

Fishing for Families in Need

17 Nov 2011, Posted by Katie Hillyer in News, 0 Comments

Special to The Chronicle

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat forever.

Duke freshman Lucas Metropulos founded Fishing for Families in Need, a program that teaches low-income children to fish and distributes fish to local soup kitchens and other such places that can utilize this valuable natural resource.

Metropulos started this program in his hometown of Boca Raton, Florida when he was 15, after a trip to the Bahamas where he donated all excess fish that he caught to an impoverished area of the island.

“We go out and fish a lot and the excess fish we have, we give to the poorer areas,” he said. “It’s a great thing. Kids run up to us and thank us.”

After returning from his trip, Metropulos conceptualized Fishing for Families in Need and began working to gather the resources necessary to begin such a program.  He contacted local fishing supply stores asking for donations, but they all denied his requests so he contacted his local newspaper asking for help.  The Palm Beach Post published his appeal for donations and Metropulos was soon contacted by widows who still had their late-husbands unused fishing rods.

“So it was really funny,” Metropulos says with a chuckle, “I received all my first donations from the widows.”

With these resources in hand, Metropulos partnered with the Florence Fuller Child Development Center, a center for under-privileged youth, and began teaching an after school fishing class for kids from ages eight to 12 years old.

His class was wildly popular, and Fishing for Families in Need grew by leaps and bounds.  Metropulos raised money through various grants, including a $10,000 grant which was given to him as a recipient of the National Make A Difference Day Award, to further help kids.  Fishing for Families in Need continues to teach children to fish and now takes them on field trips aimed to further their education and promote maritime conservation.

“Seeing the kids I teach grasp new skills, and the triumph they feel when they reel in their first catch are invaluable experiences that I hope will empower them in all areas of their lives,” he said.

Since coming to Duke, Metropulos has overseen the expansion of Fishing for Families in Need to Martha’s Vineyard and New Orleans.  Metropulos has also partnered with the Ronald McDonald House in Durham to help families with children in Duke Hospital and plans to work with the Durham Boys and Girls Club in the Spring.

Metropulos—a Public Policy major, Economics minor and Maritime Leadership and Conservation certificate—is not slowing down and plans to continue his philanthropy throughout his career at Duke and beyond.

Black and Asian teens report lowest drug use

15 Nov 2011, Posted by Ashley Mooney in News, 0 Comments

Courtney Douglas/The Chronicle

A recent study by members of the Duke psychiatry department found that Asian and black teenagers—ages 12 to 17—report the lowest rates of drug use when compared to teens of other races.

In the past year, Native American teens reported the highest percentage of drug and alcohol use—47 percent—of the racial groups surveyed. Blacks and Asian and Pacific Islanders reported the lowest drug use—24 and 32 percent, respectively—Dr. Dan Blazer, vice chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, wrote in an email Tuesday.

“The lower use by Blacks will be found surprising in part due to the negative stereotypes of Black drug use—often associated with crime,” Blazer said. “I am not certain

the findings about Asian teens will be that surprising for those who know Asian culture.”

Blacks and Asian and Pacific Islander teens also reported the lowest percentage of alcohol use—25 percent and 19 percent respectively, Li-Tzy Wu, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, wrote in an email Tuesday. The other racial groups surveyed reported percentages between 30 and 40 percent. Wu also contributed all statistics regarding multi-racial adolescents.

“Those who had used alcohol reported during the past year [reported] that they used on average 36 days,” Blazer said.

Native Americans, multi-race adolescents and whites had a higher rate of marijuana use than other groups—at 24 percent, 16 percent and 14 percent respectively, Wu said. Only six percent of Asian and Pacific Islander teens and 12 percent of blacks reported use.

Blazer noted that those who reported using marijuana used it, on average, 79 days during the past year.

Cocaine usage was much lower, he said. Native Americans again reported the highest use at approximately four percent, whites at two percent, multi-racial teens and Hispanics tying at 1.6 percent, Asian and Pacific Islanders at 0.6 percent and blacks with the lowest reported use at 0.2 percent.

Although researchers did not analyze social or economic factors that affect teenage use of drugs and alcohol, Blazer noted the importance of intervening during adolescence.

“The main issue for us is that use is high and our opportunity for preventing use over a lifetime probably is greatest if we can intervene early,” Blazer said. “Namely during the teen years before the pattern of use and abuse has persisted for many years.”

The Afghan Blue Devil

15 Nov 2011, Posted by Dylan Peterson in News, 0 Comments

Special to The Chronicle

Ahmad Shoaib, a 2010-2011 Fulbright Scholar from Afghanistan, could not have his picture taken for this blog for his own safety.

He has had to withhold telling people he went to Duke so that he does not become a target for kidnappers, or worse—however unlikely—the Taliban.

The Fulbright Program—an international educational exchange organization—was closed in 1979 when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and reinstated in 2003. Shoaib, who has recently obtained a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management, applied for the program after an encouraging comment from his friend.

In Shoaib’s year, about 800 people applied for 36 spots. He said he chose Duke for the flexibility of scheduling, in terms of being able to choose courses from within Fuqua, Sanford and Trinity. But more importantly, he chose Duke for its excellent academic reputation and to obtain the tools necessary to make a name for himself in aiding the rebuilding of his country.

“I like to think of myself as person who has very high hopes and dreams for myself, my family and my country,” he said. “I have always these visions of doing great things with my life.”

He also expressed how his expectations were drastically different from his ultimate experience being here.

“Coming to Duke, I thought, would bring me one step closer to these dreams,” he said. “After finishing the program, I am actually two steps closer to these dreams.”

Afghanistan is in the midst of rebuilding what was lost during the recent Middle-Eastern wars and is becoming increasingly progressive. Shoaib hopes to institute desperately needed reforms.

“My country of Afghanistan has been a victim of history in terms of not just all these wars coming and going but people have never had the chance to breathe,” he noted. “What I hope to offer in my own little way is perhaps a glimmer of hope, telling people there is a better life waiting if you choose to live that way.”

He and a few of his relatives are developing social initiatives focusing on education, women’s rights and progressive ideas within his community. He currently holds a position as project manager at an engineering company in Kabul. He avoids politics, however, as a means of change because of the nature of the Afghan government.

“Unfortunately, the [political scene] in my country is extremely damaged, so entering it would inhibit my ability to serve my people,” he explained. “I am trying to stay away from politics for as long as I can or until change can be brought through politics. I think I can bring more change to empowering people financially, through education, through letting them know of their rights, and defending their rights.”

As for the students currently at Duke, Shoaib had advice to offer.

“Go to 2-3 less parties a week and a few more productive things that might last a few years,” he said. “Although I am all for having fun, but Duke has so much more to offer, it will be a shame if people don’t use it.”

Shoaib’s bravery in studying at an American university reveals what many students may take for granted. At our very fingertips, we have a world-class university where we have all the resources necessary to achieve success. Also, Duke offers a superbly strong and friendly alumni base, so if you’re ever in a mix-up in Kabul, just know that we have a fellow Dukie there.

“I’m going to be a bit selfish here and claim that I’m the only Afghan Blue Devil in Kabul or maybe the only Afghan Blue Devil on this planet perhaps,” Shoaib said.

Pop Culture Grid: Fellin vs. Paredes

15 Nov 2011, Posted by Minshu Deng in News, 0 Comments

What is the Director of the Italian Language Program’s favorite Italian meal? What was the Director of the Spanish Language Program’s worst experience abroad? The Chronicle’s Minshu Deng brings you the answers to all these questions that plague us students. 

Sophia Palenberg/The Chronicle