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Nate Gyore:
Welcome back to the podcast! This week, we explore the connection between the heavy workload of being a student and caffeine consumption.
Abby Bessinger:
We also tee-off with a profile on ASU golfer Josele Ballester.
Nate Gyore:
I’m Nate Gyore.
Abby Bessinger:
I’m Abby Bessinger, and this is State Press Play.
Nate Gyore:
Also, this week, we answer the question: Does ASU need more parking?
Abby Bessinger:
But first, State Press podcast reporter Tyler Abrams tells us more about the ASU golfer making big strides in his career.
Tyler Abrams:
ASU golfer Josele Ballester has built up quite a reputation with his time at ASU. Hailing from Castellón, Spain, the golfer has a 70.3 stroke average this season. I’m here with State Press senior reporter Jack Barron to tell us more. Thanks for coming on the podcast, Jack.
Jack Barron:
Thank you.
Tyler Abrams:
So, before coming to the U.S. to pursue his golf career, Josele Ballester had great success back home in Spain?
Jack Barron:
He did. Josele won the 2023 European amateur last July with a 10 under 62 in the first round. He's also been shooting very well recently and finished top 14 at the Amer Ari Invitational in Hawaii and his last outing. He's even recorded a 70.3 stroke average that's the third best on the team.
Tyler Abrams:
And you also mentioned in your article that Josele's parents are also former Olympians, which I'm sure with that kind of background it contributes to a great athletic career. Tell us about how that upbringing shaped his family dynamic and his decision to come to the States to pursue his golfing career.
Jack Barron:
Yeah, his family has always been athletic-focused. His father José Luis Ballester was a swimmer, he went to three Olympic Games. His mom Sonia, also played on Spain's field hockey team, she went to three Olympic Games and even won a gold medal in 1992 at Barcelona. His sister, Julia, is even a golfer at K State. He's always been into sports as a kid and you know, loved golf, even though neither of his parents played it professionally or for Spain. So golf has always been a big part of his life. But it was hard for Josele and his family to adjust and playing golf in America.
To hear more from Barron, please tune in to State Press Play.
READ MORE: JOSELE BALLESTER'S JOURNEY FROM AN OLYMPIAN UPBRINGING TO ASU GOLF
Abby Bessinger:
Energy drink culture is a popular scene on college campuses. Caffeine can have its positive and negative effects when trying to battle sleep. I sat down with State Press community reporter Anthony Vejar to explain its impact on students. Hi Anthony!
Anthony Vejar:
Hi, Abby.
Abby Bessinger:
So, can you share a little bit about what the energy drink scene looks like at ASU?
Anthony Vejar:
Yeah, so I'm sure as you've seen, and most people have seen on a college campus energy drinks are littered around in people's hands, whether it's coffee cups, or energy drinks, there's always some form of caffeine that students are using to keep themselves alert for a morning class and keep themselves awake for a late night study session. As you may have seen kids in the library students in the study rooms they're all about, I think the scene here there's more of a culture when you start digging a little deeper into it. And one aspect that really made me want to write this article was seeing the brand ambassadors that drive around and the Red Bull cars and you know hand out these energy drinks to students for free. And in talking to a lot of students this seems to be a perk that is taken without question. And then you know, maybe later down the line so many students are having a little bit of reservations about it. The caffeine are consuming and what those ingredients are. And what that looks like, for them long term health impacts.
Abby Bessinger:
I totally see that all the time when I'm on the campuses. Trucks are giving students so much caffeine. So, is there a correlation between the pressure of college and caffeine intake for students?
Anthony Vejar:
I think it's a big one. And in speaking to multiple students on this, there was a recurring theme of that pressure to fight sleep. To stay awake long nights to write the paper that they need to get done to study for the midterms or study for the finals. And a lot of people have part time jobs and full time jobs on top of that.
To hear more from Vejar, please tune in to State Press Play.
READ MORE: DIVING INTO THE LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP ASU STUDENTS SHARE WITH CAFFEINE
Nate Gyore:
Parking at ASU always stirs some arguments about whether the university should increase the amount of parking or lower its prices. I’m here with State Press editor-in-chief Shane Brennan to explain how much ASU has put into parking across campuses. Thanks for coming on the podcast, Shane!
Shane Brennan:
Yeah, thanks for having me, guys. It's really nice to be on the podcast again.
Nate Gyore:
So, Shane, answer the question: Does ASU need more parking?
Shane Brennan:
No, it really doesn't. And according to an expert that I talked to at ASU, it really doesn't have the space. Not just ASU, itself as a campus, but the entire City of Tempe is so built up at this point, and so dense, there's really no room for it unless you build a parking structure up or down, which is incredibly expensive, and not exactly the best use of land.
Nate Gyore:
So, elaborate on that a little bit, if you don't mind. Is it ASU that pays for the parking, or is it the state?
Shane Brennan:
So, actually, ASU, whenever they build a new project, whether it's in whether it's on any of the four campuses, so they have two in Phoenix: West and Downtown, they have one in Mesa, and they have one here in Tempe, the mainland. Whenever they build a new project, they have to go through the city codes and the city parking requirements, which according to Tempe spokesperson, varies by their project size by what it is, by the scale. And that all kind of changes through the projects. Now an expert that I talked to said that Tempe has been working hard to lower these parking requirements to the minimum that they can get, Phoenix is doing the same thing. And Tempe has made it abundantly clear that while they are building some new parking here and there, they have invested into many other alternative forms of transportation. So unless you're coming in from out of the city, there's really no reason to drive around.
To hear more from Brennan, please tune in to State Press Play.
READ MORE: OPINION: STOP ASKING FOR MORE AND CHEAPER PARKING AT ASU
Nate Gyore:
And that’s all for this week’s State Press Play. I’m Nate Gyore.
Abby Bessinger:
And I’m Abby Bessinger. State Press Play is produced by our podcast desk editor, Gabriella Fernbaugh. Original music by Ellie Willard and Jake LeRoux.
Nate Gyore:
Special thanks to our managing team, Alexis Heichman and Morgan Kubasko.
Abby Bessinger:
You can check out all these stories and more on statepress.com. See you next week, Devils!
