Karly the Adventurer

Most people here at Liberty know me as Karly the basketball player, so the aim of this blog post will be to fill you all in on my life as an adventurer.  I absolutely love exploring God’s creation and soaking up all that the outdoors has to offer.  On an off day from basketball you can find me hiking in the mountains, camping in the woods, kayaking on the lake, or checking out new trails on my bike.  Some of my favorite past adventures include riding a mule to the bottom of the Grand Canyon; surfing, whitewater rafting, zip-lining through the rainforest, and hiking up a volcano in Costa Rica; snorkeling with sharks and alligators in Mexico; skiing, snowboarding, skibobbing and rock climbing in Colorado; canyoneering and cliff jumping in Utah; scuba diving in the Ozarks; and bungee jumping into the Nile River in Uganda.

Because of this passion of mine, I now hold a bachelors degree in Recreation, Sport, & Park Administration with an emphasis in Outdoor Recreation from Missouri State University and I am currently pursuing a Masters degree in Sports Management within the Outdoor Adventure cognate.  If you are like every other person I know then you are currently asking yourself this question:  “What in the heck is she going to do with a degree in Outdoor Adventures?”  To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t quite know.  However, I do know that I feel the closest to the Lord when I am taking in nature’s beauty and reveling in the power and splendor of His handiwork.  If God allows, I would love to be an adventure therapist.  A quick Google search can provide you with in-depth info on my dream profession but in brief, adventure therapy is a relatively new and emerging field that utilizes nature in the betterment of clients both physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and spiritually.  My vision within this field would be to disciple others through backpacking in the forest or climbing a mountain with the objective being to help others experience God’s presence and power.

As Mr. John Muir famously said, “Wherever we go in the mountains, or indeed in any of God’s wild fields, we find more than we seek.”

Go Flames!

-Karly Buer #14

Thoughts on the Start of the Season

Hi Everyone,

My name is Candice Leatherwood and I am a freshman point guard this year for the Lady Flames.  Coming to Liberty from Detroit, Michigan was an adjustment because I had to adapt to a new things and not being able to see my family and friends every day, but my teammates made it easier because they were so welcoming. 

I’m excited the season is finally here! My teammates have been really patient with me in practice by teaching me the drills and the plays that we run.  When I played in the first game I was so nervous that all I could think about was not messing up and remembering what plays to call, but they helped me by calling out what we were in and telling me to relax.

I’m blessed to be a part of this program with a great group of girls who love to play basketball and have fun. 

Aside from playing basketball, one thing we do on our free time is play spades. Spades is a game that four people can play with two people to a team. Usually, Jaymee and I are on the same team running the table.  Since you are not supposed to talk across the table during the game we look at each other and laugh because we always seem to have a good hand and win the game. I enjoy playing cards because it a chance for us to laugh, joke around, and bond off the court. 

This upcoming Tuesday is our first away game at Elon. This will be another adjustment for me playing in a different atmosphere and I think it will be a great experience.  From Elon we will be traveling to Georgia for a Thanksgiving tournament and I am excited because my parents will be there. We have a long season ahead of us and we are looking forward to having a lot of success!

Go Flames!!

-Candice Leatherwood #2

Recipes!

Just so everyone knows, there are only 43 days until Christmas. Everyone knows how much I LOVE Christmas, so I just had to start my blog out with my countdown! And yes, I have already decorated my room for Christmas, and have been listening to Christmas music for a while!

Most people also know how much I love to bake! Sometimes I bake for birthdays, to cheer someone up, when I’m stressed, or even just because. Christmas also gives me even more excuses to bake! Pinterest is where I find most of my inspiration, so I wanted to share some of my (and the team’s) favorite recipes.

One of the things I know I can always make and the whole team will be happy are my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites. These are by far Sid’s favorites, and I can always count on her to help me finish them off!

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites

Another team favorite are Banana Bread Brownies. This is not typical banana bread, because it has a sugary butter glaze on top. Recently, I think I have inspired Ashley to bake, because every time we have an off day I can always count on her to make some Banana Bread Brownies. It is such a good way to save bad bananas!

Recipe for Banana Bread Brownies

Since fall is in full swing, it always gives me a craving for anything pumpkin flavored! One of the fall favorites are Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Godiva chocolate chips! I would have to say these are one of Jessi’s favorites. It always works out as the perfect birthday treat since her birthday is in September.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Going along with the pumpkin theme, I tried a new recipe this year, and I think it is a new favorite! They were Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies. I made a pretty big batch at first, and they were gone by the next morning so I’m guessing most people liked them!

Recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I think one of the reasons I love to bake so much, is because I love to share it with people. Thankfully I have a lot of people in my life I can share it with. Jessi (my roommate for the past three years) jokes that I’m just trying to make her fat! I think the next thing I am going to make are my Christmas sugar cookies!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Although I do love to bake, I make sure not to fatten my teammates up too much! With season in full swing, and our first game this week, the baking has been limited to just for special occasions!

Hope to see you all Friday!

-Catherine #44

Getting to Know Sheana

Hi Everyone!

My name is Sheana Vega, pronounced like (Shayna). I usually just go by Shea since it is easier. Coming to Liberty ten days after I graduated high school was a little overwhelming for me because I was nervous and had to adapt to something new. It was difficult to not see my family every day, but it became easier with the love and encouragement from my teammates and the new friends that I made. I am a shooting guard for the Lady Flames and I am a new addition to the team this year.

Here are some fun facts about me…

• I am a very outgoing person and I love encouraging others.
•  I am Puerto Rican and my favorite food is arroz con gandules (rice and beans), and platanos (plaintains), and basically anything that is Spanish.
• I love watching Criminal Minds, and Law and Order. My future goal is to work in law enforcement as a crime scene investigator.
• I love listening to music, mainly Christian and R&B.
• I have several bible verses that I like but my favorite verse is James 1:3, “Because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

Our first game is 11 days away and I am so excited for that. Something that sets us apart from any other team and university is we begin and end with prayer no matter what, before a practice or game. We know that we cannot accomplish anything without God and we play the game for His glory! Our team has been working so hard and preparing for a successful season. We had our first scrimmage yesterday. It was a nerve-racking experience as a freshman but amazing to finally be able to fulfill my dreams of playing college basketball.  

One of my favorite memories so far was the summer bridge program. Summer bridge is a program for incoming athletes. We are able to complete two classes to get a head start, and make so many new friends. Despite staying up late for homework and studying, then waking up early for weights, it was a life changing experience. We were also able to do Christian Service hours. We went to the Daily Bread Organization in Downtown, Lynchburg and gave clothes and food to the people that were in need. It really touched my heart because I realized how blessed I am and how just a few hours can make someone else’s week.

In conclusion, I am excited to see what God has in store for our team this year. We do great things here at Liberty and it is all for God’s Glory. I hope you enjoyed reading! Until next time!

Go Flames!

-Sheana Vega #22