Skip to main content

Hurricanes begin Peters’ 1st training camp

By WTOP Staff

JOEDY McCREARY
AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — It didn’t take long during Carolina’s first practice of training camp for the Hurricanes to figure out what new coach Bill Peters wants.

The pace was faster than under previous regimes. There was more attention to detail, an almost rigid adherence to a plan.

“He comes in with a presence, a plan and an idea, and that’s what you want,” captain Eric Staal said after Friday’s workout. “You want to follow someone who shows that confidence and exudes that confidence. He’s done that.”

Peters was mostly pleased with both of the split practice sessions that marked the opening day of camp, and praised his players’ conditioning.

“I thought we got some things done,” Peters said.

Of course, there’s still plenty to do for Carolina, where the biggest offseason changes came not on the roster but in the front office and behind the bench.

Ron Francis was promoted to general manager in the spring and his first major moves were firing third-year coach Kirk Muller and plucking Peters from Detroit’s staff to replace him.

Forward Jeff Skinner quipped that the new coach “treats guys like they’re smart, even if they aren’t.”

Added Staal: “He came in with a plan, an idea and it was very strict and very detailed in what he was trying to accomplish. That was the biggest key, having a plan and being detailed and executing it.”

The Hurricanes know they’ll have to take care of all those little things — and, for that matter, all the big things, too — if they’re going to contend in a tough Metropolitan Division and claim their first playoff berth since 2009.

“It’s been talked about a lot around here, since everyone’s got sort of a fresh start and a clean slate,” Skinner said. “It’s a new season, I think everybody knows where they stand and it’s exciting to get off to that fresh start.”

Perhaps nobody more than Staal, who is coming off sports hernia surgery after slogging through a season in which he had just 21 goals — his fewest in an 82-game season since he scored 11 as a rookie a decade ago. Almost incomprehensibly, only one of them came on the power play.

“I think every player here is trying to be better than last year,” Staal said. “I think if everyone elevates, obviously, we’ll all be in better position.”

Peters says he’ll sit down with Staal and the rest of the team’s leadership core “when the time’s right” to discuss his expectations for them.

“Today’s the first official day of camp. I didn’t want to be all over these guys,” Peters said. “They don’t need the coach in their face prior to training camp even starting.”

Friday also marked the beginning of the competition in goal between Anton Khudobin and former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Cam Ward.

Khudobin beat out Ward down the stretch last season, and Ward was the subject of intense trade speculation during the offseason before Francis opted to keep the MVP of the Hurricanes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run and allowed free-agent Justin Peters to sign with Washington.

“The first year or the eighth year, it doesn’t matter,” Khudobin said. “Competition counts from the first practice. You have to compete with everybody, and you have to just stop pucks.”

___

Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joedyap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote