14 TRINITONIAN.COM OCTOBER 04, 2019 PULSE • A very Herbie hobby: Sophomore shares his Volkswagen obsession 1969 Beetle Todd down to Florida, rented Chris Knecht discusses an apartment nearby and spent the majority of time working on Todd with his employer. his eye-catching Beetle Todd has a rare Automatic Stickshift that was CATE COE | REPORTER only made for six years from 1968–1974, and [email protected] Knecht was able to work through some of the problems he was having with his car. Whether parked in Prassel Garage or “It was a very complicated system that had zooming around campus, you have probably many issues after regular use, hence why it seen him. Herbie has become the fascination of was discontinued,” Knecht said. “I was mostly the Trinity community — but who sits behind working on the problems with the Autostick the wheel of the striped Beetle with the 53 logo? system, replacing the contact, vacuum servo Chris Knecht, sophomore communication and control valve. I also replaced the CV axles major, owns the eye-catching 2016 Volkswagen and exhaust system.” Beetle customized to look like Herbie. The first Knecht was in Orlando during spring break Herbie movie that Knecht watched was 1969’s of 2019 where he attended Herbie’s 50th “The Love Bug,” the first of six movies in the anniversary celebration. There, he was able franchise. Knecht was just three years old. His to interact with around 10 other Herbie and dad thought he would enjoy the film, and he Volkswagen enthusiasts. The community that didn’t know how right he would be. Knecht finds at these conventions is unique. “I was like, ‘Cars don’t do that. They don’t “It’s just a big community and we all love do wheelies, they don’t drive by themselves. the car, and we all love each other. It’s just Well, what’s going on here?’ So I thought it was something that I don’t see as replaceable in just Volkswagens — that all of them were alive Sophomore CHRIS KNECHT poses with his Volkswagen Beetle customized to look like Herbie. any other community. It’s something special,” — when I was six or seven,” Knecht said. Knecht has loved the Herbie movies since he was three years old, and he bought his own Beetle Knecht said. The movie Herbie not only influenced when he was 17. This past spring, Knecht attended Herbie’s 50th anniversary celebration. Knecht has found that his Herbie is a source Knecht’s life, but it also inspired his interest in photo by OLIVER CHAPIN-EISERLOH of joy and happiness to other people as they Volkswagen cars in general. Knecht’s knowledge go about their days. Knecht’s intention in of the Beetle is extensive and includes its history, a child. In the past few years, Knecht has on a 1966 beetle currently in Arizona that customizing his beetle was not to get attention aesthetics, marketing and mechanics. channeled this energy into working on Beetles remains unnamed. Knecht likes the versatility of from his car, but it is a way for him to say thank “It’s the shape of [the Beetle] that’s very and their mechanics. the bug, as the parts of the Volkswagen cars are you to Herbie and express the gratitude he has homely, and people are attracted to the shape “It was Herbie and Volkswagen that really typically the same, but they have little variations for its positive influence on his life. like they are attracted to a puppy or a baby. got me into wanting to tinker, and that put me in things like their bumpers or taillights. “It’s just me being extremely grateful. It’s They just want to take care of it,” Knecht said. through every single engineering course that my “I wouldn’t say that I branch very far out. I an homage to Disney’s character and seeing The mechanics and technical aspects of high school had to offer,” Knecht said. just like my bugs,” Knecht said. other people’s smiles because they know exactly Volkswagen cars also intrigue Knecht. With an Knecht was 17 when he had saved enough Knecht is from San Antonio, but this what the character represents and to see that acute case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity money to buy his own bug. Additionally, summer he spent a month working in Sarasota, other people feel the same way about it that I Disorder (ADHD), Knecht was always working Knecht now owns a 1969 baby blue beetle Florida, at Sunshine Air Cooled, a Volkswagen do. You can’t replicate it. It’s really amazing,” with his hands either drawing or sculpting as named Todd, and he just put a down payment restoration shop. Knecht towed his classic Knecht said. Debate team tackles research, tournaments This year, Trinity debate gained six Members spend two to first-year students in addition to numerous sophomores, making it a young team. In three hours each day total, there are five pairs who are considered preparing to compete but competitive traveling teams. Sophomore Sam Lair has enjoyed his feel the rigor is worth it time on the debate so far. He especially appreciates the resources available for the LOGAN CREWS | REPORTER team at Trinity. [email protected] “I’m coming into college debate from a Before most Trinity debate team members very small public high school in Salt Lake were even packed for the fall semester, they [City], where we were essentially funding were diligently researching this season’s everything ourselves. So, having access topic: national space policy. The team was to resources, coaching, the fact that I no preparing for the first tournament of the longer have to buy a plane ticket to go to a year at Georgia State University. tournament is revolutionary,” Lair said. After that tournament in early September, At weekly meetings, students in debate debaters got a sense of what their opponents work on arguments, watch speeches and had researched, and with a short window hold practice debates, sometimes switching of time in between to adjust and improve up partners for fun. strategies, Trinity Debate traveled to the With policy topics like national space University of Kentucky this past weekend to cooperation, Khullar said a substantial compete all over again. amount of research is needed to understand Seniors Ian Dill and Ansh Khullar the topic, let alone to argue about it with represented Trinity well, placing seventeenth nuance. Dill said often all the research and overall after going through eight preliminary FROM LEFT: Sophomore NATE GLANCY, senior IAN DILL, sophomore SAM LAIR and first-year practice will still not be enough to win rounds. According to director of Debate KENNY NELSON have a conversation before their weekly debate team meeting. The team has every debate. William Jensen, there were about 75 teams competed at two tournaments so far this semester, traveling to both Kentucky and Georgia. “That kind of thing can be demoralizing competing that weekend. photo by OLIVER CHAPIN-EISERLOH if you let it get to you,” Dill said. “It’s easy Dill and Khullar have been a team within to rationalize it like you spend so much time Trinity Debate all four years of college. setting,” Dill said. “Debate in my mind is at before a tournament. It’s rigorous, but doing all this research and then someone Their debate topics have included healthcare its best when it’s just a research game.” Khullar said it’s beneficial in the long run. comes along and makes the decision that it and climate change. This year, it’s all about As the only seniors on the squad this “It makes you a much better student,” doesn’t make sense. It can feel bad. It does national space policy. year, Dill and Khullar travel to the most Khullar said. “It’s much easier to write early on. But being able to see through that “It really activates interesting tournaments out of everyone and act as papers, research and [do] general homework and move past that is pretty helpful for controversies, and I just enjoy the academic leaders for underclassmen. On average, things because you’ve trained yourself to making debate sustainable and fun.” research component and having the reward they spend two to three hours on debate really be able to work in high pressure and for good research come in a competitive work every day and significantly more right intense situations.” continued on PAGE 16