Matt Diehl
For the Logos



Asked about math or science, NIACC student Kurtis Kramer typically strays away and ventures into his next video game. But asked about bows and arrows and Kramer suddenly turns into an Einstein on the subject.

But Kramer doesn't just hold an overwhelming amount of knowledge about bows and arrows; he's a master archer.

For the past six years, Kramer has triumphed in the sport of archery, which involves shooting targets with a bow and arrows in a limited amount of time.

"When Mason City High School made an archery facility available, my dad simply said that we would start going out there to shoot," Kramer said. "Although I picked up my first bow and arrow when I was only six years old, I didn't start taking it seriously until my skills starting becoming noticeable."

That appears to be Kramer's humble attitude showing. Not only were his skills noticeable, they were undeniable.

Kramer began firing arrows like a true outdoorsman, and he only grew better as time progressed.

After some time, Kramer began shooting freestyle, which means the arrow is released manually instead of automatically.

"I have always practiced hard when it's come to archery," Kramer said. "From the months, August through March, I shoot more than once a day for anywhere from one to three hours."

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Although not yet an expert, Kramer appears well on his way.

Kramer not only won two state championships in 2001, but also two championships each year for the next two years, accumulating a total of six state championships.

"The year 2002 was when I started firing consistently well," Kramer said. "After winning the state championship, I went on to a paid trip to Las Vegas and won the world championship for my age division."

As if his resume wasn't large enough, Kramer went on to win the world championship in 2002 and again in 2003, an achievement accomplished by few.

Other major competitions Kramer maintained #1 throughout include the following:

• Gold medalist at the Iowa Games in 2002
  
  
• Midwest Sections champion
  
  
• Back to back Pro-Am champion

"Every aspect of shooting archery feels so comfortable for me," Kramer said. "Holding the bow, positioning the arrow, aiming at the target and holding steady. When someone does something over and over, muscle memory comes naturally."

His achievements include two Iowa state records for high score.

"I set the state record for high score in 2002 and then beat my previous record in 2003 for indoor/outdoor freestyle," Kramer said.

Matthew's, an archery retail store, now sponsors Kramer in all of his events.

"It's cool because I get all my stuff for free, which means my bows, arrows, clothes and all of my equipment," Kramer said. But Kramer said there is a downside.

"One of the downsides now is that I have to compete against every single archer; fifty-year-olds, thirty-year-olds, you name it," Kramer said. "But on the flip side, now that I'm old enough, I get paid to go play events and sponsor Matthew's company, which is awesome."

Although Kramer's practice has developed his archery gift, he still just looks at it as a hobby.

"Aside from the rewards and all, archery is really just a hobby for me," Kramer said. "It's something I enjoy doing and I plan to continue doing so for as long as I can."

There are also other benefits from participating in the sport, according to Kramer.

"Archery hasn't just given me rewards and sponsorships," Kramer said. "I've learned the importance of focus and patience, and of course, practice. All those things simply because of a bow and arrow."

Kramer said he plans on continuing his archery career and one day hopes to be the World Champion Archer.

"I'm not done yet," Kramer said. "Now I've got a whole other league to conquer. But for me, that's just motivation."

Bethany Condon
Staff Reporter

In addition to being a standout in archery, NIACC student Kurtis Kramer has also found an outlet for another one of his skills Ð acting.

Kramer's part in the NIACC fall play, "The Shadow Box", illustrated his ability to hit the mark in an area outside of archery.

The role of Kramer's character in "The Shadow Box" is oblivious to death and the various happenings during the play. He plays the role of the guitar.

As far as comparing his efforts in acting and archery, Kramer said they both take focus and concentration.

Kramer has been acting since high school. As a student at Mason City High School, he was very involved in drama.

He had done plays and was a large help to the acting workshop at the high school.

"Just put teacher's aide to the next level," Kramer said referring to his involvement in drama at the high school.

His character in the NIACC play, Steve, is the son of Joe and Maggie of the first story line, and does not know about his father's ailing health.

"I am unaware of death in the play, I don't know what's happening, I'm just happy go jolly Steve," Kramer said about the role.

Samantha Donisi
Assistant Editor/Opinion Editor

For a lot of college students from Iowa, getting a chance to see the ocean is a rare opportunity. For 19-year old NIACC student Matt Fox, seeing the ocean was only the beginning of his summer vacation.

Fox, a certified scuba diver, spent last summer working as the first mate on several dive boats in Summerland Key, Florida.

He also spent time taking certified divers on explorations of many reefs in the Key West, Florida area.

For someone who has been diving since he was 12-years old, it was the ultimate summer job.

"It was definitely a new experience for me," Fox said.

Fox began scuba diving almost by accident. When he was younger, he used to go with his father to watch him train to become a certified diver.

"One day, the instructor grabbed me and pulled me under the water and stuck a regulator in my mouth," Fox said. "I was hooked ever since."

Fox got the job in Florida through the Boy Scouts. He worked as an adult leader for the Boy Scouts High Adventure Camp, and through that program took a course to become a certified dive master.

The catch to having the Scouts pay for the course was that Fox had to come back and work a session as a dive master in an area of their choosing.

People under the age of 15 can become certified junior open water divers, which means they have to dive with a parent or another certified diver.

There are five levels of certified diving for those ages 16 and over: open water, advanced open water, rescue diver, dive master and dive instructor.

Fox, who had become a certified junior open water diver at age 15, took the course offered by the Boy Scouts, and then spent the following May 30-August 24, 2005, in Summerland Key, Florida.

While he was there, he spent a month and half taking certified divers on dives in nearby reefs.

The dive groups were usually kids ages 15-18, with two accompanying adults. These groups would be limited in experience, some only becoming certified within the last month.

Because of this, Fox would teach them the basic principles of scuba safety, to avoid dangerous diving hazards.

"The whole time there was only one problem," Fox said. "A group of kids were inflating each other's air valves, which could have made them to shoot up to the top, which could have caused an air embolism. They were caught in time, though."

An air embolism is the technical term for air bubbles in a diver's blood stream, which can cause the lungs to explode.

The rest of the time he was in Florida, Fox worked as the first mate on two dive boats, the Tarpan Scout and the Scout Master.

His responsibilities there included helping divers do a "buddy check," to make sure all equipment was on and fastened properly. He also helped divers in and out of the water, and watched for air bubbles on the surface that would indicate a diver in distress.

During his stay in Florida, Fox experienced things that most college students aren't able to.

He saw a 12-foot nurse shark during a dive, and had three bull sharks swim right by his head.

Fox also accomplished his deepest dive to date: a 150-foot dive to a wrecked military boat, the U.S.S Speaglegrove, which was pre-sunk five to ten years earlier.

He also saw many "waterspouts," or tornadoes that form over the water.

During his trip, Fox had one major scare in the form of Hurricane Dennis.

He was evacuated for three days, but was allowed back to work after that with no problems.

Overall, Fox said the experience was terrific.

"It was definitely new for me," Fox said. "I would like to go back eventually."

Monica Kiley
Staff Reporter

Whether exploring the big blue oceans or just the quarry pond down the road, the sport of scuba diving can provide a relaxing, but challenging adventure. It requires a lot of time, effort, intelligence and of course money, to do.

Some might think that scuba diving would be restricted to places like Hawaii or the Cayman Islands or a spring break trip. However, divers can practice their sport in the Upper Midwest too.

"It's exploration. It's like space where there is no gravity. Underwater is a totally different world," Jason Skarpness, a Master Diver and NIACC graduate, said.

Participating can be expensive if the diver is buying all the gear. Costs for equipment can range between $3,000 - $4,000.

In order to do so, even with just a snorkel, a diver first has to obtain a "C" card, also known as "Open Water One".

This entry-level card is good for a lifetime.

Two and half to three months of course work, pool dives and local dives are required to earn the card.

These dives may include local ponds or lakes, at day or night. Sixty to sixty-five foot depths are the maximum allowed with a "C" card. This also allows the person to dive without an instructor on trips.

There are many different types of scuba diving, each with its own set of rules and qualifications. More densely populated areas offer several of these types, but in Mason City and surrounding areas, only Naui is offered.

Naui is probably the most extensively used type in the scuba world. It covers the most areas of safety and requires better qualifications to be certified.

An instructor has to be present during all the qualifications for each level for an individual to be successfully qualified.

There are only three levels for divers, but each level requires more and more knowledge to meet the qualifications.

The first level is the "C" card.

The next level is called the Advanced Diver level. Along with the learning, this level allows dives to go down a max of 100 feet.

The third and final level is called the Master Diver level. Here a diver is considered an expert, and is allowed to dive up to the maximum of 130 feet.

For extreme safety reasons, dives beyond 130 feet are not recommended unless the diver has the proper schooling and qualifications to do so.

Aside from the usual equipment a diver would use, there are several other things needed.

Knives that have blunt tips are especially made for scuba diving so that a diver doesn't cut his hoses or self.

A weight system that consists of a belt with either external weights that just attach to the outside of the belt, or ones that are part of the belt, change for each diver's body size.

Weights are needed because everyone's height, weight and body density are different. These work together with the BC or the buoyancy compensator.

Divers also have several gauges. Compass and depth gauges are needed for obvious reasons. A pressure gauge is needed for the air tank and a temperature gauge for the water temperature. A timing device is also a necessity for a diver to know how much air is left in their tank.

There are three hoses that run from the air tank. The first one runs to the BC so that the diver can put in or let out air as needed to maintain depth.

The second one runs to the mouthpiece, which is attached to a regulator to monitor the air pressure coming from the tank, and the last hose goes to the computer that runs the compass and pressure gauges.

Coming up out of the water is no easy task either. A diver is not attached to a rope or some other surface support like a person would be in a public safety dive. The diver must know what he is doing or it can be fatal.

Air embolisms are a fatal condition that can happen to a diver who rises too quickly. To describe an air embolism to someone who has no medical knowledge, consider a bottle of carbonated soda. There is nothing but liquid in the bottle, but when it's opened, it fizzes and bubbles everywhere.

That is what blood does in an air embolism. Blood basically boils. This allows air to get into the capillaries of the brain, and it causes a stroke.

Lungs can also explode from the pressure of rising too quickly, which obviously is fatal.

Locally, a group of advanced and higher qualified divers got together to form the Iowa Underwater Search and Rescue (IUSR) team.

"We realized there was a need in this part of the state," said NIACC graduate and advanced diver Michelle Skarpness. "Before IUSR was formed, public safety divers from all over the state were called in to help."

This need was realized after 32-year-old Jodene Broderick of Mason City drowned saving her son who had fallen out of the family boat on Mother's Day 2000 in Clear Lake, Iowa.

"There were divers from all over the state that were called, but only a few could actually come to help. Luckily, with the divers who were able to come, we found her on Wednesday," Skarpness said.

Scuba diving can be a relaxing experience or a challenging adventure. Either way, it is something that requires skill, knowledge and effort to be a success.

Those seeking more information on scuba diving, or looking to get started should contact Al Winsor in Clear Lake, Iowa, or go on the Internet to the IUSR's website at www.iusr.org.