Osprey Magazine

Hazing Kills a Soccer Season

How the HSU soccer teams were punished for rookie parties  

Written by Colleen Chalmers
Additional reporting by David Broome Jr.
Photographed by Colleen Chalmers, Kristina Naderi & Jeremy Smith-Danford

Editor’s note: Osprey chose to keep the names of the rookies private.

It was Saturday, Aug. 4 and the Humboldt State men’s soccer team held its annual initiation for nine new players. The rookies wore nothing but adult diapers and were forced to take turns holding a dildo at a house party in Arcata. The teammates played drinking games together, but none of them would go on to play a soccer game this season.

The Knife Sharpener

Written by Margaret Budd
Photographed by Margaret Budd & Colleen Chalmers

Little dots of oil drip onto the sharpening rock before Dan Brewer starts to scrape the knife back and forth over the stone. His rough, aging hands are strong and precise with each stroke. The frayed ends of his long, gray beard are looped and tucked back into a braid, hiding behind his blue and purple tie-dyed apron.

School, Smoke and Fire

The Life of a College Volunteer Firefighter

Written by Bianca Boykin
Photographed by Kristina Naderi

Ryan Wimmer remembers the crackling flames of the first fire he ever fought — it was in his freshman year of college. It was a trailer fire in McKinleyville and he could not see anything through the smoke. “It’s hard battling something that you can’t see when all you really want to do is know what you’re up against,” he said.

Strong at the Broken Places

A Young Woman’s Experience With Her Abortion

Written & Photographed by Misha Burke

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break, it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”

                                          – Ernest Hemingway, Farewell to Arms

It was the day before her regional softball tournament, and Mary Flora told her parents she was going to the mall with a friend. She lied. Sitting in the passenger seat of her best friend’s car, her hands shook. She popped her knuckles. Her cheeks were flushed red. As the car approached the abortion clinic, she took a deep breath.

For The Love of Dogs

Written & Photographed by Kristina Naderi

Amber Heidinger sits at the front counter of the North Bank Kennel when the doorbell rings. A muffled roar comes from outside. She opens the door, and lets in a customer who is there to pick up her dog.

“You’re Trudy’s mom? I’ll go get her,” Heidinger grabs a pair of sturdy, red headphones and goes to the back door. “Sometimes you need it,” she said.

Fifty dogs bark, play and scurry around in the backyard. Heidinger walks to the play area. Three dogs jump onto her as she makes her way through the maze of wagging tails to pull out a German Shepherd.