Big Red Winter 2011

How Harvard-Westlake became a prominent sports school

Pg. 20

Jan. 2011

bigred Winter Superstars:

Ashley Grossman ’11, Damiene Cain ’11 and Katie Speidel ’11 are the leaders of high-powered teams.

Pg. 25

The Lineup 4 Leadoff —Football’s growing pains —Health & Fitness —Winter sports roundtable

8 Players —Q&A: Charlie Porter ’12 —Wolverines in the Crowd —Outside of school sports —Basketball alumni

14 Inside Winter Sports Team features including a breakdown of boys’ and girls’ basketball strategies

Rise of Wolverine Athletics

20 Daniel kim/chronicle

20 Rise of Wolverine Athletics The story of how an athletic dynasty developed

25 Winter Superstars Profiles of Damiene Cain ’11 Katie Speidel ’11 and Ashley Grossman ’11

30 Fall Season in Photos

Inside Winter Sports

14

Daniel kim/chronicle

bigredstaff Editor-In-Chief: Alex Leichenger Managing Editors: Judd Liebman, Abbie Neufeld Associate Editors: Chelsea Khakshouri, David Gobel Senior Assistants: Austin Block, Daniel Rothberg, Alice Phillips, Shawn Ma Junior Assistants: David Kolin, Micah Sperling, Charlton Azuoma, Eli Haims, Saj Sri-Kumar, Victor Yoon, Julius Pak, Austin Lee, Daniel Kim Sophomore Assistants: Michael Aronson, Allana Rivera, Luke Holthouse Adviser: Kathleen Neumeyer

2 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Winter Superstars

25

Chelsea khakshouri/chronicle

Big Red is a publication of the Harvard-Westlake Chronicle.

Harvard-Westlake School 3700 Coldwater Canyon North Hollywood, CA 91604 Letters can be sent to chronicle@hw.com Cover photo: Alex Rand-Lewis/VOX

Race to the finish: Varsity runners Charlie Stigler ’11 (left) and David Manahan ’14 (right) run at CIF finals. Their finishes helped the boys’ cross country team to its first CIF championship.

Mary rose fissinger/chronicle

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 3

Leadoff

Growing pains

Football had a rough year, but Head Coach Vic Eumont believes his young players are capable of turning things around.

By Judd Liebman Despite his football team losing every league game this year, Head Coach Vic Eumont is optimistic that his team will be successful in the Mission League in the years to come. The team was short on experienced players this year due injuries.

“Numerous injuries, especially to seniors, depleted our starters on all of our [units],” Eumont said. “Our young players had to step up, and while it helped them for the future, [it] was hard for this year.”

The football program has gone through numerous changes in the past years. Eumont was brought in to coach the team six years ago. The program instituted tackle football at the Middle School, and this year’s seniors were the first class to play tackle football all throughout their Harvard-Westlake football career.

The varsity team moved to the Mission League from the Del Rey League this year in search of better competition. The team went 0-5 against teams in the Mission League, but last year, the team was 2-2 against teams in the Del Rey League.

Because of the number of injured players, the team was forced to start a younger, less experienced lineup which included eight sophomores, Eumont said. The experience the younger players got starting in the tougher Mission

Daniel kim/chronicle

League will help them in the future, Eumont said.

“This experience [of playing each week with the varsity team] will be valuable to our future teams,” Eumont said. “We will be able to win in our league because we have HarvardWestlake students, who, one, want to play football; two, love a challenge; and three, work through the rough edges to perfect their talents.”

Many of the uninjured upperclass-

Pop Culture Chart Michael Vick is...

Biggest fear?

Album of the year?

MVP of the fall season

Gabby Trujillo ‘12 Soccer

Horrible

Water

Recovery

by Eminem

Cami Chapus ‘12

Noor Fateh ’11 Football

Me

Not being the best

MBDTF

by Kanye West

Me

Steven Ring ’12 Wrestling

Respectable

Flushing the toilet

The Suburbs

by Arcade Fire

Charlie Nelson ’13

Birds

Speak Now

by Taylor Swift

Christina Higgins ’11

A Felon

men were selected to the Mission League first and second teams. Junior defensive backs Charlie Porter ’12 and Cameron Komisar ’12 were selected for the first and second team, respectively.

Sophomore linebacker Alex Cadiff ’13 was selected to the second team.

OVERHEARD OVERHEARD

Wolverine Athlete

Rae Wright ’11 Basketball

Mission Impossible?

Max Heltzer (#7) and the Wolverines struggled against stiffer competition in the Mission League.

“When I was 7 years old I rode my bike and saw this beautiful Swedish tennis teacher, and I ran home and told my mom I wanted to take tennis lessons.”

—Greg Hilliard Head Basketball Coach

INSPIRATION: Was Hilliard’s tennis coach as beautiful as Maria Sharapova?

Judd Liebman/chronicle

4 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Leadoff: Health & Fitness Daniel rothberg

Athletes suffer from malnutrition

In the busy Harvard-Westlake grind, eating right is easy to forget. But the consequences of poor nutrition habits are severe, especially for athletes.

By Judd Liebman

ticipating in an athletic event, she said.

A good source of protein should accomThere are 25 minutes until the open- pany the carbohydrates. ing whistle blows, the ump calls “play Eating a healthy balanced lunch is ball,” or the gun goes off. The athlete very important, but equally important has warmed up sufficiently and slept is eating a good snack two hours before well enough last night, but for some competition to ensure the best perforreason, something isn’t right. mance for the sporting event, Dopart His or her stomach felt a little funny said. earlier in the warm up, but he wrote “You want to eat two hours before it off as nervousyour event, beness. As the game cause if you approaches, the don’t, you will be pain gets worse. close to running What this person on empty,” she is feeling isn’t butsaid. terflies fluttering Snacking on in his belly due low-fiber fruits to anxiety. It’s his or vegetables body craving enin addition to a ergy in the form —Susan Dopart small amount of of food. He made c arbohydrates Exercise Physiologist keeps the body’s sure to eat enough during the day, but energy level up what he thought and the athlete was enough really alert and attenisn’t. tive.

Because students are so active and In addition, Dopart said that avoidare under a lot pressure, it is easy for ing fried foods is important in keeping a them to lose sight of little but very balanced diet. Foods fried in unhealthy important things. Some students re- oils “increase inflammation, which inplace real meals with energy bars as creases the risk of heart disease.” they rush from honors to AP classes throughout the day, Registered Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist Susan Dopart said.

The bars satiate their hunger during the class until the next passing period when they can rush to the cafeteria and retrieve yet another bar. Many fall into this eating habit only to realize the downside when they are out on the practice field with a terrible pain in the gut.

Eating healthfully improves performance on the field, court, or even in the classroom, Dopart said. Healthy eating includes eating regular meals with a Eggs, fruit, and balance of carbohydrate, protein and whole wheat toast fat and keeping oneself well-hydrated.

For athletes who have practice or competitions after school, eating right is paramount. Dopart said that athletes must eat at regular intervals throughout the day. Because carbohydrates Almonds/walnuts are the simplest form of energy in our body, one should eat a carbohydraterich meal two to four hours before par-

“You want to eat two hours before your event because if you don’t, you will be close to running on empty.”

Menu

Eating a wholesome diet can make or break a day’s worth of physical activity.

Active teenagers need a good amount of minerals and vitamins to help facilitate blood flow to their muscles. Good sources of iron and minerals are lean red meats and green, leafy vegetables.

It is challenging to eat a balanced diet, so many students lapse into the ‘energy bar for breakfast and lunch diet.’ Energy drinks and bars normally contain multiple ingredients making them processed foods, Dopart said. Eating whole real foods is the best choice with energy bars or drinks as a reserve if nothing else is available, Dopart said.

Energy drinks are an adequate replacement for water solely because of the extra carbohydrates and electrolytes; however, water should only be replaced in moderation. “[One should drink] water, or milk, or even iced-tea, and avoid sugary drinks and soda,” Dopart said. “Energy bars are not optimal due to multiple ingredients including hydrogenated oils and sugars.”

Instead of energy drinks, Dopart suggests coconut water as a source of carbohydrate. Dopart said that fruit and nuts or string cheese would be a better substitute for energy bars.

An exercise physiologist’s guide ideal menu for athletes before a game.

Breakfast

Snack

Lunch

Turkey sandwich with cheese, lettuce, tomato Romaine lettuce with chicken and nuts

Pregame snack

Cheese or fruit

Dinner

Lean meat, leafy green vegetables, yellow or red vegetables brown rice

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 5

Roundtable Wolverine

Q:

Wolverine sports aficionados discuss the most prominent themes from the year thus far.

Who do you think will be the MVP of the winter season?

Woolridge: I think there are a lot of great players this

year that will do great things this season. I know it’s going to be great seeing some four-year lettermen who have already shown a lot of strength take control like Damiene Cain ’11 for basketball, Ashley Grossman ’11 and Camille Hooks ’11 for water polo, Katie Speidel ’11 for soccer, etc. It’ll be a great culmination of their careers at Harvard-Westlake, and I’m excited to watch them succeed!

Hotchkiss:

Ashley Grossman ’11 will be MVP of this winter season. She has worked over the summer with the women’s Olympic water polo team and is ready to win a CIF championship this year. She has been getting the team pumped up and has been motivating them to their best. I have watched a couple of their games and she not only has dominated, but always is a leader. That is what an MVP should be, not only a great player, but also a leader in his/ her sport.

Liebman:

This is Damiene Cain’s ’11 year to shine. He has been hidden under the shadows of Erik Swoope ’10, Renaldo Woolridge ’08, Austin Kelly ’10, and more. He has been working hard this year, and his hard work is bound to pay off. Cain has a great supporting cast this year who will draw defenders and give Cain space.

Leichenger: Ashley Grossman ’11. If you took Gross-

man away from the girls’ water polo team, the results would simply be devastating. She is one of the top high school water polo players in the entire country, and the Wolverines’ dreams of a CIF title rest squarely on her shoulders.

Q:

Do some teams overshadow others at the school?

alex leichenger/chronicle

MVP?: Will Damiene Cain ’11 be able to lead the boys’ basketball team to a possible CIF or state title?

Woolridge:

I think that’s always been an issue at any level, from middle school to professional sports. A lot of people are just drawn to the bigger sports like football, basketball, etc. Groups on campus like the Fanatics and SAAC have been evenly promoting teams at school, but it is inevitable that there will be some overshadowing.

Ma:

Small teams, even if they are league champs etc., certainly don’t get the same amount of fans as larger teams, like football or basketball. It’ll take some time to change the tradition, but I don’t think they get overshadowed. I always somehow hear about how all the smaller teams are doing, so they do get the recognition.w

6 | BIG RED Winter 2010

ge id e, lr let r o o th be W a a ity em n s m a r Ti Va AC A S

n ma ieb L d d r e Jud Big R Edito g n i nag Ma

a Shawn M ter, Sportswri hlete varsity at

Q:

Fanaticism?

administration’s new policies regarding fan conduct Are you discouraged from going to The have drawn mixed reactions. games by the new fan conduct rules?

Ma:

The new fan conduct rules that the administration has proposed are disappointing. I’ll still support Harvard-Westlake teams as much as I can, but these rules seem like they will pretty much ruin the fun and competitive atmosphere that makes the game enjoyable for fans. I can understand limiting the negative chants, but banning chants like “airball” and “pressure” seems excessive.

Hotchkiss:

I am not discouraged at all from supporting my peers at the game. When I go to a game I always yell my heart out and am there for my friends who are playing for us to win. I know there are new rules set up, but as a Head Fanatic I am trying my best to work with the other Head Fanatics and the administration to get our cheers back. Even if this means getting kicked out of games to support my friends, I am willing to take that consequence, but we are trying to make it so that doesn’t happen.

Q:

Which team will go farthest in the winter season?

Q:

Can football be successful in the Mission League?

Liebman:

Girls’ soccer has a lot of potential this year.

With only five new players, the team has a lot of experience and players who know how to win. Offense will never be a problem for the team because they have the help from Katie Golden ’12, Katie Speidel ’11 and Daniel Duhl ’12. The team went very far last year and has even more potential this year. The team has already started of strong, and it’s doubtful that it will slow down.

Barzdukas:

Leichenger:

Leichenger:

I think that girls’ water polo has the best chance of any team of winning its last game. There are no state playoffs in water polo, and the team has an excellent shot of winning CIF. Girls’ soccer and boys’ basketball also are top contenders for CIF crowns, but they face the challenge of extra postseason competition. Girls’ soccer has won either the CIF or regional championship in each of the last two years, but not both. A state title is not of out of the question for the incredibly deep and multifaceted boys’ basketball team, but players must stay healthy, and Damiene Cain ‘11 must prove he can take over games.

Absolutely. The CIF releaguing process placed us in the Mission League because of our success the previous four years in the Del Rey League. We entered every game this past year with confidence and a plan for success. We have talented players at every level, including a record number of middle school participants. We’ve extended our strength program to the middle school. Indeed, the future for Harvard-Westlake football is bright.

Football will definitely improve on its first season in the Mission League, and the Wolverines could have some very successful seasons down the road.

But I don’t think Harvard-Westlake will ever become a perennial power in football. Consistently dominant football programs require 40 or 50 players ready to devote their lives and bodies to the sport, and so many students here have other commitments.

Q:

Do teams that win CIF and not state, like cross country deserve a parade?

Hotchkiss:

Of course they deserve a parade, even a day off if they win state. We have done this in the past, why change it? I feel after a team has worked that hard their whole season they deserve some credit from their school. They should definitely be acknowledged for how well they have done that season.

Alex Leichenger Au Big Red dri u Editor-in-Chief Hea s Bar zdu do kas fA thle A tics nd r H ew Va ead Ho rs Fa tc ity n hk at atic iss hl et , e

Barzdukas:

Harvard-Westlake has a high parade-worthiness standard. And we should! Our students routinely excel in competitions related to math, science, history, writing, foreign languages, Mock Trial, debate, film, the arts, robotics and other endeavors. We probably could have a weekly parade at Harvard-Westlake to recognized deserving achievements.

That kind of frequency, however, would make parades less special Let’s save our parades for the achievements that rise above our routine standard of excellence.

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 7

Wolverines in the Crowd

Four standout athletes from the Middle School.

Michael Sheng ’14 Basketball

Since Michael Sheng ’14 was 4, he has dreamed of being a point guard. Sheng is one of only two freshmen on this year’s varsity boys’ basketball team. After scoring 34 points in a game for the freshman squad, Sheng was promoted to varsity.

“He has demonstrated remarkable poise, quickness, and ball handling skills and he has the ability to direct an offense,” Head Coach Greg Hilliard said. “His teammates enjoy playing with him and he has been a lifesaver for our injury-riddled squad.”

Sheng was featured in both the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Daily News for his promotion to the varsity team and has also attained recognition after playing on the Cal Supreme travel team, a competitive travel basketball team.

— Michael Aronson

David Manahan ’14 Cross country, track

Though David Manahan ’14 only began running in August, he has proved to be a standout athlete. He was the only freshman on the CIF champion boys’ varsity cross country team. Manahan helped the team win its first Southern Section title. Manahan was elated to have the many hours of preparation pay off.

“We trained really hard,” he said. “It felt amazing to have all of our hard work result in winning CIF.” — Michael Aronson

Desmond Butler ’15 Football, Basketball

Desmond Butler ’15, the tight end and outside linebacker for the eighth grade football team, has around 20 catches, eight touchdowns, and around 20 tackles.

In the squad’s second game of the season, Butler intercepted a pass on the Wolverines’ own 10 yard line and ran for a 90 yard touchdown, losing his shoe on the way.

“I love the coaches and playing with my friends,” Butler said. “I plan to at least play through high school, and I will decide between basketball and football for college.”

— Michael Aronson

Sophie Gunter ’14 Tennis

Despite being a freshman, Sophie Gunter ’14 plays tennis on the girls’ varsity team.

She has played tennis for nine years, beginning at the age of six, and she currently practices five to seven days a week. This is her first year playing tennis on the school team.

For the school team, she plays doubles with Kristina Park ’13, but outside of school she plays singles.

— Ally White

8 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Q&A: Charlie Porter ’12 Football, Soccer, Volleyball

By Michael Aronson

Q A Q A Q A Q A

Q A

I understand that you played varsity soccer, volleyball, and football last year as well as this year. To what do you attribute your “multisport” talent to and which of the three sports do you feel you are best at?

I’m probably best at soccer because I have been playing it the longest, around 14 years. I love both football and volleyball and my family has always been big on volleyball because my dad played professionally. From the beginning, I have always been playing sports with my dad and brother.

How often do you train or practice soccer, football, and volleyball and do they take priority over schoolwork because you play so often?

During the fall season, I have seven practices each week and two to three games, one football and one or two soccer.

Last year I was also playing club volleyball at the time, so I was having nine practices and sometimes a volleyball tournament plus two games each week. Since I have been doing schoolwork for so long, I have just gotten used to finishing it quickly and getting it done as soon as I can.

Which of the three sports did you start first and what led you to pick up the other two?

I have played soccer since I was 2, and as I got older I messed around with AYSO. I took up football because my dad played when he was in high school and my brother also started playing it. Watching the NFL also inspired me to pick it up.

I took up volleyball because of my dad playing professionally, and my brother was always on a good volleyball team, so it just seemed like the right thing to do.

Which of the three sports do you enjoy most and if you had the choice to play any of the three in college, which one would it be?

I don’t really enjoy one the most because they are really fun and whatever I am playing at the time is the best. I don’t think I’m big enough to play volleyball in college so it would be between football and soccer, and I will take what I can get.

I also understand that you have been named captain of varsity boys’ soccer this year. What are your goals for the team in general this season as captain?

I would hope our team can make the playoffs and win as many games as possible. The problem is I am the only returning varsity starter from last year and there are only four returning varsity players, so our team is definitely not as strong, but we still have high hopes and we are still a good team. We came into the season pre-ranked as number three in Division I.

Michael Aronson/chronicle

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 9

Rowing with the crew Five students participate in the increasingly popular sport of crew.

Some started crew after injury sidelined them from other sports.

Printed with permission of Cassidy Lang

By Abbie Neufeld Every day after school, Chelsea Shannon ’11 heads over to the Marina Aquatics Center for rowing practice with aquatic center’s varsity team. Shannon started rowing three years ago after suffering multiple cross country related injuries.

Her grandfather had rowed at the University California, Berkeley and had always wanted her to try the sport, and this presented the perfect opportunity. Shannon has since come to love the sport.

“The setting is beautiful and my teammates are some of my best friends,” she said.

Shannon rows two and a half hours a day, six days a week.

The rowing season goes from September to May and extends into June if her team qualifies for nationals.

Last year, Shannon’s sister, Sidney Shannon ’14, followed in her footsteps and began to row.

Sidney Shannon’s favorite things about rowing are the regattas, also known as races, and being with her team.

Though they both row for the Marina Aquatics Center Team, they row in different boats.

“I love being able to watch her improve and cheer her on,” Chelsea said.

“It gives us something to talk about,” adds her sister.

Though the Shannon sisters used to be the only rowers at Harvard-Westlake, three sophomores have started rowing this year.

Ally White ’13 started rowing two months ago after recovering from a shoulder injury that left her sidelined from playing field hockey and soccer for the past two years.

By the time White was able to compete again, she felt she would no longer be competitive at the level she wanted to play. White thought crew would be a perfect sport to take up, as kids don’t usually start rowing until around high

school and because it could DOWNSTREAM: allow her to avoid another Chelsea Shannon ’11, shoulder injury. second in the boat, practices “Despite common mis- rowing for two and a half conception, crew doesn’t in- hours six days a week. volve very much arm work, so I thought it would be a good sport to do because I wouldn’t be likely to re-injure my shoulder,” White said.

Catherine Duval ’13 also started rowing this year. Duval’s cousin, also a rower, had been raving to her about crew. After Duval injured her shoulder playing softball, she finally decided to give the sport a try. Duval, who describes herself as spotlight-shy, likes the team aspect of rowing.

“Rowing really is the epitome of a team sport. You literally are only as strong as your weakest teammate, considering you all need to go the same pace in order to efficiently row,” Duval said.

“I like that about it; I feel a real sense of togetherness.

Rather than the spotlight being on just one person, I feel like we all are in it together,” she said.

Martin Riu ’13, also began rowing this year after a friend recommended he try the sport.

Riu likes the physical intensity of the sport. He thinks that crew is “much more athletic than any other Harvard-Westlake sport,” and it is therefore unfair that PE credit is not awarded for participation.

Though all Harvard-Westlake students seem to love the sport of rowing, this is their only qualm.

“Because crew is so time-consuming, and the school doesn’t offer it we are really trying to get credit for it,” White said. “We are now talking to [Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts] about it, because almost every other school gets credit.”

“Rowing really is the epitome of a team sport. You literally are only as strong as your weakest teammate, considering you all need to go the same pace in order to efficiently row.”

— Catherine Duval ’13

10 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Roughing

it up

Charlie Nelson ’13 and Andrew Green ’12 are both football players, but in the offseason they devote themselves to a similar sport, rugby.

By David Gobel Charlie Nelson ’13 and Andrew Green ’12 are rugby players. They compete in a fast, exciting, and hard-hitting game similar to football. Rugby is already a popular sport in England, Australia, South Africa and other countries and has the potential to expand in America as well, especially since it will be featured in the 2016 Olympics for the first time since 1930.

“Rugby may be gradually catching on in America, but there is rugby in every area of this country, although it may be small and tucked away,” Green said.

Both Green and Nelson started playing rugby partly because their fathers played the sport.

However, Green was inspired to start playing rugby after he saw a flyer advertising for a club team at a Jamba Juice store.

“I started playing rugby because my dad played at Stanford, and he would have probably played for the Old Blues Rugby Football Club [a professional rugby team from New York] if he hadn’t blown out his knee,” Nelson said. “Also my friend Andrew Green convinced me to play. He also plays with me. Green’s dad and my dad played together at Harvard and Stanford.”

Green and Nelson both play for the Santa Monica Dolphins, which managed to get to the semifinals in the state club rugby championships last year. The Dolphins, along with

printed with permission of Andrew Green

their youth teams, also have ROUGH AND TUMBLE: professional women’s and Andrew Green ’11, right, esmen’s teams. Nelson and capes a tackle and runs with Green play varsity football the ball. in the fall and then play rugby in the spring.

“I play rugby about once a month in the offseason, but in season I play about three times a week,” Nelson said.

For Green and Nelson, rugby is not as big a part of their lives as football; however, playing rugby provides them with extra strength and toughness that helps their football game.

Rules of Rugby Object of the game:

To gain points either by scoring a “try”, similar to a touchdown except the ball must be touched to the ground (5 points), or by kicking it through goalposts (3 points).

The Scrum

Tackles must be made below the neck on the ball carrier. Unlike in football, no blocking is allowed.

Tackling

A scrum restarts play after an accidental infringement, analagous to a penalty in football

The Ball

The rugby ball is similar to a football, but is more round on the ends and has no laces.

graphic by eli haims and saj sri-kumar

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 11

HOOP DREAMS While three former Wolverine basketball stars play for professional teams, another energizes the Tennessee Volunteers and moonlights as a rapper.

The Collins twins Nearly 15 years after graduating from Harvard-Westlake, the Jason Collins ’96 and Jarron Collins ’96 are veteran role players for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers.

By David Burton The Collins twins are all about goals.

At 6’11 and 7’0, Jason and Jarron Collins ’97 were standout high school basketball players, played for the Cardinal and upon Stanford graduation were drafted into the NBA where both have been a presence for the past decade.

“I have always tried to set goals for achieving things I have a passion for,” said Jarron Collins.

“My short term goals eventually open up the doors for my long term goals.”

In his senior year of high school Jarron set the California varsity rebounding record with 1,500 rebounds in a single season, and averaged 13.8 www.life.com www.life.com points and 9.2 rebounds per game. The “Twin Towers” helped lead Harvard-Westlake to a 66-4 DOUBLE TROUBLE: record, a pair of state titles and a No. 1 ranking Jason Collins ’97 (left) plays center for the Atlanta Hawks and in the state of California. Both Jarron and Jason Jarron Collins ’97 plays the same position for the LA Clippers. were Parade Magazine All-Americans and played in the McDonald’s All-Star Game. Both had their “Basketball is like life. There are times where you will high school jerseys retired. have your ups and downs,” said Jason, “ Coach (Hilliard) reIn college, Jason was named to the All Pac-10 First Team ally showed me how to deal with the different situations life in 2001 while Jarron finished his college career in the top throws at you by maintaining a calm, humble, and diligent 10 all time in rebounds, blocked shots, field-goal percentage, demeanor.” and games played.

Starting with AAU basketball in their teens, they trav“It has been a blessing to play basketball this long. It is eled across the country for basketball tournaments. Both something we both love,,“ Jarron said. have gone overseas to play basketball in high school, college Still strong, physical, and tall, at 32, Jason is signed with and professionally. the Atlanta Hawks, Jarron with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“It is an eye-opening experience to travel throughout Although retirement may be creeping up,, they expect to the country and overseas,” said Jarron, “The exposure to so remain affiliated with the NBA. Jason has a bachelor’s de- many different cultures of people is so valuable because it gree in communications, and both twins worked a broadcast allows you to broaden your horizons and constantly meet journalism internship for ABC 7 news while college. new people.”

“I have always been interested in television broadcasting, From the time they were small, the boys took trips with and in college I really got a chance to explore that field,” said their parents. While most of these trips were for basketball, Jason, “I am looking to become a basketball analyst and do their mother, Portia Collins, made sure that her sons experisome courtside reporting, or be involved in the studio.” enced the history, culture, and attractions of every city they Jarron hopes to become involved in the front office of an traveled to.

NBA franchise, or become an assistant or head coach of a “You really do not appreciate traveling until it becomes team. part of your job. I traveled the country when younger, and “Both my brother and I have had the opportunity to because of that I feel comfortable in new places,” said Jason, pick up skills and knowledge about the game of basketball “I am able to adapt to any situation I am thrown in.” throughout our time in the league, college, and high school,” Both twins note that they are grateful to have the opporsaid Jason. “We can combine this knowledge with our indi- tunity to play basketball in the NBA. vidual interests and apply it to a variety of roles in regards “I don’t know what to expect in the future,” said Jarron, to professional basketball.” who recently celebrated the birth of his second daughter. “If They said they learned from Head Basketball Coach Greg we (Jason included) keep setting goals for the things we are Hilliard how to maintain a calm and collected demeanor. interested in, I know it will all work out.”

12 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Renaldo ‘Swiperboy’ Woolridge ’08 When he’s not grinding for Bruce Pearl and Tennessee as a backup forward, Woolridge is making waves as a hip hop star on campus.

Govolsxtra.com

By Evan Brown Renaldo Woolridge ’08 is a 6’9” 212 pound junior at the University of Tennessee. Not only is he a star basketball player, but a rapper as well. His music fans know him by the name of Swiperboy, but his basketball fans know him as #0.

His daily routine of waking up at 6 a.m., going to class from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., heading to practice with his Tennessee teammates, and then attending study hall is unrelenting. He then has “night shooting” practice for basketball, and finally ends his day with working on some of his music in the studio set up in his room.

“Sports take up a lot of time, and being a student-athlete is different from being a regular student...but I like the social scene,” he said.

The main difference Woolridge finds between playing basketball in high school and college, is the intensity level.

“At Tennessee, we have like 22,000 people at our games…it’s the energy,” he said.

Although Tennessee lost four starters from last year’s Elite Eight team, Woolridge still thinks this year’s team will be great.

“Not only are we one of the top recruited classes in the country, we have a big team…a lot of our guys are 6’6”, 6’7”,” he said.

Woolridge fills numerous different roles for the Volunteers.

“I’ll play small forward and a 3-point shooter. [My job will be to be] an energy guy, rebounder, and defender,” he said.

Woolridge’s explanation on how he balances his interests is that “[basketball and music] are similar…they both take hard work and a competitive mindset. If something happens in basketball, I can write a song about it. And, the fans I have in basketball are the same fans I have in my music.”

Woolridge is able to seamlessly combine his love of rapping with the business and management aspects of music.

“I have an independent major, so I created it myself. It’s called Entertainment Arts Production, which incorporates music with business and communications. [It teaches me] techniques with recording and songwriting, while also handling a business,” he

Jon Jaques ’06 A March Madness darling last year at Cornell, Jaques is now a member of an Israeli professional basketball team.

By Abbie Neufeld Jon Jaques ’06 had not planned on playing professional basketball because he had not played very much until his senior year at Cornell, but after an outstanding senior season his coaches told him he had a good opportunity to play in Israel because of his Jewish background.

Soon after Jaques hired an agent and found a team, Ironi Ashkelon, to play for. Though Jaques is loving every minute of his new career, he eventually plans to find a different job.

“I don’t see this as a career for me and I’d like to come home and find a real job eventually, but I felt like this

was a chance I couldn’t really pass up,” said Jaques.

Before beginning his professional basketball career this year, Jaques won three Ivy League titles at Cornell. This past year he was also part of the first Ivy League team to make it to the Sweet 16. “[At] Cornell I played against top competition and in some of the hardest arenas in the country like at Duke, Kansas, Syracuse, Indiana. It gives you confidence knowing if you can play in those types of environments, you can play anywhere,” said Jaques.

JewishJournal.com

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 13

Inside Winter sports

GUARD-ORIENTED: Due to its lack of size, the girls’ basketball team has to focus on guard play. The team pressures on defense and scores most off three pointers and fast breaks.

14 | BIG RED Winter 2010

TEAM ANTHEM: The girls’ water polo team’s is addicted to Ke$ha. Players also dress up in matching outfits on game days to promote team unity.

pg.16-17

Boys’ and girls’ basketball: Coaches Greg Hilliard and Melissa Hearlihy explain their teams’ strategies for this winter season.

pg.18

Girls’ water polo: Listening to Ke$ha isn’t the expected way for a team to get pumped up, but it seems to work for the girls’ water polo team.

Wrestling: Wrestlers’ practices involve drilling and match simulations.

DEPLETED: Three seniors have chosen to play Academy level club soccer instead of high school soccer, leaving the Wolverines with only a few returning varsity players.

pg.19

Boys’ and girls’ soccer: The girls’ team is defending its CIF Championship. The team’s chemistry contributes to its success. The boys’ varsity team is shorthanded due to an increase of athletes playing for Academy club teams.

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 15 photos by daniel kim/chronicle

Inside

Coaches’ Playbooks Melissa Hearlihy

Boys’ and Girls’ Hilary King ’11 is the fastest varsity player. She plays forward and is the primary perimeter defender. King attacks the rim constantly and is not afraid to get fouled.

Melissa Hearlihy has coached girls’ basketball since the 2000-2001 season. In 2010, she coached the team to CIF and state championships.

Q A Q A Q A Q A

By Chelsea Khakshouri

As a third year varsity Esther Lee ’11 is one captains. She plays and brings the ball relaying her coach’s p

DAvid Siegel

Responding to the team’s lack of size, how has the offense developed into an unique offense?

Our offense is centered around guards because we have guard play, we don’t really have big strong forwards, so we do more of what’s called a penetrate and kick. It’s a free flowing offense. It’s not set plays, so the girls have to make reads. We don’t really have someone to go to in [the] paint. We don’t have a big man per se down low, everything is geared off screens, catch and shoot.

Skylar Tsutsui ’11 is a third year returning varsity player. Her experience has earned her a captain position on the team. As shooting guard, she both shoots threes and drives to the basket.

How have you tried to develop the specific offense throughout the year?

The second thing that’s important about this offense is that the girls learn how to read back cuts and front cuts, which means how their defenders are playing them. So we spend all of fall and summer working on these specific reads. And then we put it all together and go five-on-five. We do watch a lot of film, we watch game film of other teams, we watch game film of ourselves, learning how to improve on the reads in our offense and what we can do to improve it.

Lewis Dix ’11 is a shooting guard for the basketball team. This is Dix’s second year lettering for the team.

On the court, he is known as the team’s primary perimeter defender.

What does the team’s defense look like?

Defensively this year, because we are very guard-oriented, we have to play what’s called pressure man defense, and that means that wherever the ball is, there is always somebody on it. And typically we like to trap, which means that you bring a second person to try to steal the ball. So we play a lot of pressure man defense and even out of our zone defenses, we trap a lot, which means there’ll always be two people on the ball.

Jordan Butler ’11 is a th point guard. He gain last year when the team playoffs. Butler is embr role as a distributer on

Where is the team’s best chance of scoring?

The best chance of scoring for us is at the threepoint line and also off transition, which means that we pressure the ball, go steal it, and we go lay it up.

The offense for us is not very big, so everything that we do we have to do from the perimeter of the basket, which means further from the basket. So the more that we pressure and get lay ups, we are taking shots closer and closer, called high percentage shots.

16 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Zena Edosomwan ’12 is one of the team’s two threats inside. Standing tall at 6 foot 8 inches, Edosomwan is the main defender inside, as he is a big-time shot blocker.

Girls’ Basketball Rae Wright ’11 is the tallest varsity player. She plays center and is a big target inside. Wright is a primary interior defender and can rebound both on the offensive and defensive end.

d year varsity player, Lee ’11 is one of the team . She plays point guard gs the ball up the court her coach’s play calls.

Inside Greg Hilliard Greg Hilliard has coached the boys’ basketball team for 19 seasons. He has led his team to 17 winning seasons and numerous CIF championships.

By Judd Liebman

Q Natalie Florescu ’13 is a shooting guard. She is not afraid to attack the basket and is a key component in both the man and zone defense.

Josh Hearlihy ’12 is a multifaceted small forward. Hearlihy can drive to the basket as well as shoot the three ball. His all-around game makes him the team’s main perimeter threat.

tler ’11 is a third year varsity rd. He gained experience hen the team went far in the utler is embracing his main stributer on the floor.

Damiene Cain ’11 is a main target in the paint. In addition to his inside game, Cain has been working on his midrange shot. In the paint, he is the main rebounder.

Graphic by Judd Liebman, Julius Pak and Victor Yoon

A Q A Q A Q A

judd Liebman/chronicle

The team is centered on big men, while the rest of the Mission League teams’ strengths are quick guards.

How has the team continued to be centered on Damiene Cain ’11 and other big men down low?

We have been able to take advantage of our superior strength inside with three or four big guys. We have worked really hard to get our younger and less experienced guys to figure out a way to get as deep as possible penetration so we can initiate our offense through our big men in our post. We would like every possession, or most every possession, to get guards [as] deep as they possibly can, get the ball into the post, get cutters away from the post, and create opportunities. We let our post players go one on one, and usually that is successful.

Is there any specific offense that is different from other teams?

We have always run the motion offense, which probably more than half of the teams at all levels of basketball run.

The motion offense, rather than a set series of plays, is a set series of rules. Every time you get the ball [or] pass the ball you have four things that you can do that depend on what the defense does to you. It is a reading offense. It requires a lot more focus, awareness, basketball IQ than a set play does.

Where is the team’s best chance of scoring?

The paint is the 70 percent area because when we get the ball in there people shoot about 70 percent, and those are good players in the paint. And from the three-point line you shoot slightly below 40 percent, like 39 or 38, but it is a three-point shot. And in between, you get closer to 45 to 50 percent.

Are you going to use your more versatile players at the guard positions or more down low?

We are not afraid of playing a tall lineup as a versatile lineup where we would have guards that are 6 foot 5 or 6 foot 7 that are very good basketball players, but what we really need and we have been using lately is Michael Sheng ’14, our freshman kid, because he is super quick and is a little lightning bug: he can get in and out. He is a lot quicker than a lot of people realize. He has been able to give us that penetration. The big guys have to rely on something other than [those] bursts of quickness, and they rely on their ball handling and versatile skills.

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 17

Inside Girls’ Water Polo

Getting pumped

to Ke$ha

By David Kolin Over the past summer, the girls’ water polo team developed some unique rituals. These rituals have a productive purpose, to foster team spirit, but they are also enjoyable.

“Before practice and before games Ke$ha [CDs are] our favorite,” Ashley Grossman ’11 said. “Everyone on our team loves Ke$ha. We’re not joking. You know how some people say ‘Ke$ha is the worst.’ We’re not joking. We love Ke$ha.

[That’s how] we get pumped up before games and practices.”

Although Grossman is not exactly sure how the Ke$ha ritual began, she thinks it started when she played one of Ke$ha’s CDs in her car during the summer. Since the team spends time together during summer practices, the CD caught on and became a tradition ingrained in girls’ water polo culture.

“Now, we can pretty much recite any song from Ke$ha at any time,” Grossman said. “We love her. I’m sure our coaches could sing along too. We just blast her on the pool deck, and we have our own speaker. It’s just a fun thing we do now.”

The team also has another ritual. On game days, the girls wear identical outfits.

“We all match. We all match pretty much down to every item that we wear. We have team shoes which are red Vans,” Grossman said. “We also have a team shirt. At our first

Daniel Kim/chronicle

game day, we all ordered Tradition: custom tank tops from Bella Gonzalez ’12 and the girls’ CustomInk that have water polo team have a variety our names and numbers of pregame traditions that have on the back. Then, we brought them closer as a team. all wore blazers and our team shoes and jeans together. We always all match. We feel like a team when we do stuff like that.”

The team practices about six times a week with about four two-a-day practices during those six days. Since the team is together so often, it is only natural that they develop strong bonds.

Wrestling How ‘junkyard dogs’ stay strong

By Luke Holthouse

Photos by Judd Liebman/chronicle

18 | BIG RED Winter 2010

With his headgear strapped on, Jordan Bryan ’11 grabs hold of the back of Brandon Chen’s ’12 legs before driving Chen’s torso down onto the mat with a large thud.

Moments later, Chen takes his shots at his partner, wrapping his arms around Bryan’s hips and flinging him down to the ground like a rag doll.

And that’s just Tough group: Jordan Bryan ’11 their warm up.

Members of the and Brandon Chen ’12 train year-round wrestling team “drill” with the wrestling for about 45 minutes team.

Teammates during each practice, exchanging act like crash-test freely dummies so their take downs and pin partners can per- maneuvers with a partner. Partners act fect moves. more like crash-test dummies than opponents and offer minimal resistance to each blow so that their partner can practice their moves and perfect their form.

“We usually go pretty intense when we drill, but not all out,” Jake Sonnenberg ’11 said. “[We] just give everyone a chance to work on their moves. But when we go live, we go 100 percent.”

After drilling, each set of partners tries to simulate a match situation for the remainder of the two hour practice and wrestle live against each other. Between these mock matches, upperclassmen on the team give their younger teammates advice on positioning and strategy before going back into battle.

“We’re a really close group,” Head Coach Gary Bairos said. “We all work really hard.”

The varsity team practices five days a week in the wrestling room inside Hamilton Pavilion, tucked behind the senior parking lot. The team also enters wrestling meets about every weekend during the four month season and trains year-round.

“We all lift outside of practice every day,” Sonnenberg said, “and we all have to do a good job of staying in shape and maintaining a healthy diet all year.”

Inside Girls’ and Boys’ Soccer All in this together The defending CIF champs’ closeness has helped them as a team

By Charlton Azuoma Daniel Kim/chronicle

Judd Liebman/chronicle

The girls’ soccer team, known for having some of the best chemistry of all the athletic teams, appears to be very closeknit, and on campus they form their own clique. Many of the girls on the team say they weren’t that good of friends before playing on the team together.

“We are family like a giant tree,” defender Briana Nesbit ’12 said. “I don’t know why we click so well. We spend a lot of time with each other and I think it definitely shows when we play on the field.”

“The girls we have on the team have grown to be like a family,” Head Coach Richard Simms said. “If you want to have success as a team, players need to care about one another and be accountable to one another. I think our players understand this and are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.”

Team members say they often hang out with each other outside of school and that everyone is friends on the team.

“Everyone gets along really well off the field and we’re really not that cliquey within our team,” Hannah Lichtenstein

Boys’ team loses out to Academy

By David Gobel Already hurt by several injuries, the boys’ soccer team will be even more depleted due to seniors choosing Academy level soccer clubs over the school team.

Due to Academy league rules, players are not allowed to play both Academy and high school soccer.

“We knew that this year we would have a team with some good experience and great players,” varsity head coach Freddy Arroyo said. “However, the loss of seniors to Academy has affected us.

It’s unfortunate that players are forced to choose between playing high school and Academy.”

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy League is the most competitive club soccer league in the United States and features 78 different teams from around the entire nation. Defenders Ethan Mark ’11 and Alex Markes ’11 both play for the club team Real So Cal, based in the San Fernando Valley. Forward Advai Pathak ’11 also chose Academy over playing at Harvard-Westlake.

The U-18 Real So Cal team practices

’13 said.

Their chemistry was an important factor in their success last year, as they tallied an impressive overall record of 22-23. The team hopes to improve on last season’s record.

“We’re probably going to go all the way this year,” Nesbit said. “We came really close last year and if we can all play for each other and not for ourselves, I say we’re definitely ready to take the [regional] title this year.”

The team has four captains this year, Katie Spiedel ’11, Christine Kanoff ’11, KC Cord ’11, and Katy Park ’11.

“We have never had this many captains on our team but we feel that all four of these girls are deserving and each can add something a little bit different than the others,” Simms said.

The team also gets a chance to bond during their meals before the game. Before every home game, the cafeteria provides them with a school-funded meal for nourishment before playing. For them however, this is just another chance to get together and share laughs and good times.

three times a week and usually plays a scrimmage on the weekend. Recently, they have played teams from Texas and Florida in a tournament in Arizona.

Markes, who recently committed to Brown, had played on varsity soccer since he was a freshman but has chosen Academy over school soccer.

“I feel that Academy unfairly took over,” Markes said. “High school soccer was one [of] the best experiences I have had in soccer, and I hated to give it up.

However, Academy is a more competitive league and you have a higher chance of being recruited to college if you play on an Academy team.”

Academy does not have the same sense of camaraderie that high school soccer does, but it helps athletes improve their skills and become overall better players.

“I don’t think Academy will be terrible, as it will definitely make me a better soccer player,” Markes said. “I don’t want to downplay high school soccer. It has made me a better player and improved my confidence with the ball, which was something I greatly lacked a few years ago.”

Going Academy: Alex Markes ’11 is one of three seniors who opted to play for an Academy club team instead of the school team.

Printed with permission of Alex Markes

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 19

Rise of a Powerhouse People wouldn’t have known about Harvard-Westlake for its athletics 15 years ago. Now, with multiple teams winning league, CIF and state titles and numerous athletes committing to colleges, Wolverine sports are on the map.

By Alex Leichenger

I

Photo by Alec Caso

t is past 7 p.m. on a Thursday night in late October, but the south side of the Harvard-Westlake campus is still bubbling with energy.

Lights shine down on Ted Slavin Field as the football team takes up half of the field for a no-pads practice, while field hockey players drill on the other half.

Ahmanson lecture hall is filled with parents attending the introduction of new lacrosse head coach and program head Matt Lewis.

In Taper Gymnasium, girls’ volleyball is in the process of dismissing league rival Notre Dame for its seventh straight win.

Volleyball had its season cut short in the second round of CIF playoffs in a disappointing loss to Lakewood High. But the fact that anything short of a state title was considered a disappointment is a harbinger for the expectations facing arguably the school’s most dominant team of the last decade.

Girls’ volleyball has already raised three state title banners in Taper Gymnasium, in 1999, 2001 and 2007.

Two more Wolverine teams earned their permanent places on the coveted “home” wall of Taper last year by winning state titles, girls’ cross country and girls’ basketball. Run-

20 | BIG RED Winter 2010

ners Cami Chapus ’12 and Amy Weissenbach ’12 earned individual banners, and Chapus will soon have a another to her name after winning her second consecutive cross country state championship.

The walls perpendicular to the “home” wall are covered with even more league and CIF championship banners. In recent years, girls’ soccer and boys’ basketball are responsible for much of the decoration.

Whether it is to the chagrin or pleasure of those at the school, sports are now as much part of Harvard-Westlake’s complexion as standout academics and performing arts.

In 1992 when Harvard and Westlake merged, this was the precise intention of new Headmaster Tom Hudnut.

Hudnut teamed with then-Chairman of the Board of Trustees Cynthia Baise (Brian ’91, Chris ’93 and Susan ’98) to develop the vision for an all-around school, as much an athletic powerhouse as an academic powerhouse. A Stanford alumna whose children went to Princeton, Baise sought to model Harvard-Westlake after these academically elite schools where sports also play a significant role.

“Why not see how good you can be in as many things as possible? That was our attitude,” said Hudnut, whose son Peter ’99 was a star water polo player at Harvard-Westlake

and Stanford and a member of the 2008 United States Olympic team.

“We were both very strong believers that sport can be good not only for morale in a school but good for the people who participate in it, that it’s important in a school like ours for there to be as many opportunities to find excellence in as possible.”

Early on, Hudnut recognized the gulf separating a decent athletic school from an elite one.

“In both the predecessor schools, [athletic success] was more or less happenstance. When there was a good team, it was because there was a conspicuously good player, a swimmer like Dara Torres ’85 at Westlake or a baseball player like Wes Parker ’58 at Harvard.

“What Mrs. Baise and I wanted to guard against was the accidental nature of excellence, and we much preferred the idea that it be systemic and we be excellent in a variety of sports and not just a few showcase sports,” Hudnut said.

Star basketball players Jason and Jarron Collins ’97 were largely responsible for putting the school on the athletic map.

“We got a lot of publicity, and once a school establishes itself as a regular feature in the sports pages, kids who are interested in pursuing sport at the high school level find out about it, and we now play in leagues that receive much more exposure,” Hudnut said.

The athletic revitalization project was picking up speed, but it took several more years before the crucial boost arrived.

A

udrius Barzdukas is the school’s Head of Athletics, but he could easily be confused for a philosophy professor. During a Big Red interview about multisport athletes, he referenced author Malcolm Gladwell. So it’s no surprise that Barzdukas was, in fact, a philosophy major at the University of Virginia in the early 1980s.

Also a varsity swimmer at Virginia, Barzdukas nonetheless feels that he came up short as an athlete.

“I started working in sports because I didn’t achieve all my goals in swimming,” he said. “I started working in sports as a sports researcher because I was curious about why I wasn’t better.”

Barzdukas stayed at Virginia to get his master’s degree in sports psychology. Soon after, he landed an internship at the USA Swimming headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., as a sports psychology intern.

Barzdukas eventually became a fulltime employee there, studying the mechanics and physiology of swimming to boost the performance of Olympians.

Terms like “oxygen intake” and “swimming economy” became common vocabulary for him and his colleagues as they created physiological profiles for each swimmer. After collecting scientific data, they traveled the world to present their findings at conferences.

As Barzdukas put it, “We were total swim science geeks.”

Barzdukas worked in Colorado Springs from 1989-1993 before taking a job with the United States Olympic Committee. There, he says, “I became good at turning science language into

coach language.” Barzdukas then spent seven years at the USOC, working his way up from the sports science program to associate director of coaching.

In July 2004, he moved to Los Angeles to face a whole new challenge, as head of athletics at Harvard-Westlake.

Although two boys’ basketball state titles with the Collins twins, the dominance of boys’ water polo under coach Rich Corso and two state championships in girls’ volleyball had kick-started the athletic renaissance envisioned

by Hudnut and Baise, the school realized that the real battle would be sustaining that success for the long haul and extending it to other sports.

The first step for Barzdukas was eliminating perceived “redundancies” in the athletic department. At the time, there were four athletic directors—one for middle school girls’ sports, one for middle school boys’ sports, one for upper school girls’ sports and one for upper school boys’ sports. Now three athletic directors, Terry Barnum, Darlene Bible and Terry Elledge, each have responsibilities on both campuses for sports of both genders.

Barnum was hired by Barzdukas in 2004 to be in charge of communication for and between the middle school and upper school campuses, which includes dealing with faculty, the administration, parents, the media and updating the athletic department’s website.

Longtime swim coach Bible arranges transportation for the school’s teams, oversees payroll for 160 coaches and makes sure that 1,400 athletes have uniforms.

Former softball coach Elledge is in

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 21

The Architects: Head of Athletics Audrius Barzdukas (left) and President Tom Hudnut played leading roles in the development of the sports program.

Printed with permission of ROGER ON

Alexia Boyarsky/chronicle Archives

“Why not see how good you can be in as many things as possible? That was our attitude.”

—President Tom Hudnut charge of compliance with the leagues and associations to which the school belongs, including the CIF Southern Section. He also makes arrangements for out-of-town competitions and is dubbed by Barzdukas the school’s CIF “rules guru.”

This “triumvirate” of athletic directors does the department’s “heavy lifting,” Barzdukas said.

The second problem Barzdukas identified was an often startling disconnect between coaches at different levels of the same sport. To Barzdukas, the worst example of this lack of communication came when an eighth grade coach had to introduce himself to a varsity coach for the same sport.

Both were veteran coaches at Harvard-Westlake, but they had never even met.

Barzdukas realized that the lack of communication would be a precursor to a long-term hindrance in player development. If some coaches had never so much as introduced themselves to each other, then their philosophies and strate-

gies could be completely different. A seventh grade athlete might have to start from day one in eighth grade, learning new schemes and a new style of play. Coaches at the lower levels were not laying the proper groundwork from which young athletes could grow.

“In seventh grade basketball, what do you do to win?

You give the ball to your [best player], and he scores all the points,” Barzdukas said. “And on defense, you play zone because seventh graders can’t shoot. But that doesn’t make everyone better. What makes them better is learning the fundamentals of [man-to-man defense] and developing and offense and teaching that kid how to make his teammates better, to get everyone involved.”

While winning is the main goal for varsity teams, the means to that end is often sacrificing wins at lower levels for the sake of player improvement. Barzdukas and Barnum agree that this has been one of the toughest challenges of a vertically integrated athletic department.

Meet them at the club

Numerous Wolverine athletes hone their skills playing for club teams in addition to their school teams.

By Robbie Loeb During water polo’s offseason, Cesar Velazquez ’12 is in the pool continuing to work hard. The competitive atmosphere of club sports “helps you maintain your level of play year-round,” Velazquez said. Velazquez is one of many Harvard-Westlake athletes who participate in sports outside of school.

“I think there are clearly some programs that benefit from our kids playing club sports,” Athletic Director Terry Barnum said. “Look at our girls’ soccer program, our girls’ volleyball program, our water polo program, those are three sports where a high number of our kids play club outside of

22 | BIG RED Winter 2010

school, and we benefit from them. Our girls volleyball program is as good as it is, in large part, because our girls play year round, and play competitively.”

Many athletes use the club season to hone their skills and stay sharp for the school season.

“Club sports keep me conditioned throughout the year and make me better for the school season,” volleyball player Nicole Gould ’13 said. “The competition is greater, and that drives me to work harder and really improve.”

“Playing club sports helps you get recruited for colleges,” volleyball player Chase Klein ’13 said. “It’s hard to do, but if you’re passionate you just have to get it done.”

“Any time that you can continue to play the sport, and compete at it, the odds of you getting better go up,” Barnum said. “For a younger athlete, if they aspire to get better, I think playing club can help them.”

Club sports, although beneficial, in some cases are disadvantageous for Harvard-Westlake.

CIF rules state that “A student on a high school team becomes ineligible if the student competes in a contest on an ‘outside’ team, in the same sport, during the student’s high school season of sports.”

“We let our coaches handle that on a case-by-case basis,” Barnum said. “For girls’ soccer, some of the higher level

“It’s difficult because every coach we have is competitive and wants to win, and every kid we have is competitive and wants to win,” Barnum said.

To find a model for successful vertical integration, Barzdukas didn’t have to search far.

“When I first started working at Harvard-Westlake,” Barzdukas said, “Mr. Hudnut gave me some advice. He said, ‘at first, just show up and keep your mouth shut. Just be quiet, just pay attention,’ and I did that. And one of the things I saw was how well our school worked, how good the teachers were.

“And what I saw on the academic side was that our program is coherent. You take Algebra, you take Geometry, you take Algebra II, but Algebra gets you ready for Geometry.

You don’t spend that whole year doing Algebra again.”

Barzdukas set out to make sure the same kind of clear developmental pathways were developed for each sport. Now each sport has a program head (mostly varsity coaches) responsible for overseeing teams for all six grades 7-12.

Barnum became the point person for the process of vertical integration, his job being to ensure that increased communication between campuses is leading to better results.

He spends at least one or two days a week on the middle school campus, and along with the other athletic directors, “covers” games after school. The first and foremost duty of the athletic directors at these games is to make sure everything runs smoothly, but Barnum unequivocally affirmed that they are also observing coaches and the quality of teams’ play. He makes sure that coaches are meeting frequently in the offseason to “build and tweak” their methods and keeping in contact as much as possible during the busy school year.

Coaches judge the development of each athlete over the course of extra the season, with criteria varying effort: based on the nature of the sport.

Lucy Tilton ’12 “You can look at the things is one of many you’re asking them to do at the begirls’ volleyball ginning of the year, and then as you players who ask them to do those same things plays on nonat the end of the year, is it easier school teams. for them to do?” Barnum said.

One of the beneficiaries of vertical integration has been the girls’ basketball program. In 2006, the

clubs conflict with the beginning of our school season, so they miss the first couple games of the season.”

However, CIF rules allow inseason athletes to play an outside sport, if they are different sports.

During the club season, some athletes have training for their sports and have club practices on the same day.

“Double practice is hard,” Christine Sasaki ’13 said. “I end up practicing soccer for four and a half hours.”

“We don’t want kids to overtrain, so parents and students really need to monitor themselves and make sure that they’re not over exerting themselves, or not giving their body enough time to rest and recover,” Barnum said. “If you’re just going from season to season

varsity team had a 3-7 league record. Four years later, it was a state champion.

Like Barzdukas, Head Coach Melissa Hearlihy brought up the Algebra I-to-Geometry analogy to explain the benefits of vertical integration. Girls’ basketball players who reach the varsity level, are “system kids” who are already well-versed in Hearlihy’s preferred style of play.

“We are seeing that they’re already fundamentally sound the way that we want them to be,” she said.

Volleyball, basketball, soccer, cross country and track have already reaped the benefits of vertical integration, but even less successful teams like baseball and football seem to be laying the groundwork for improvement down the road.

Baseball has a deep collection of talented freshmen, and football has younger players more prepared than ever to make the jump to varsity after tackle football was instituted at the middle school level in 2005.

Another aspect of vertical integration has been the physical education tracks created at the middle school, which divide all students into classes based on talent level. Barzdukas insisted, however, that the track system was created not only to accelerate the development of talented student-athletes but to make sure all kids “enjoy PE.” The school also has state-of-the-art weight rooms at both the middle school and high school for athletes. Girls’ teams especially have benefitted from strength and conditioning programs above the level of programs for female athletes at other schools, Barzdukas said.

Harvard-Westlake was awarded last year’s CIF Commissioner’s Cup for best girls’ athletic program in the Southern Section.

The philosophy of having a dominant girls’ program extends to the philosophy of being successful in every single sport.

“We don’t have any sports that are afterthoughts,” Barzdukas said.

Barnum cited four main reasons for the rise of Wolverine athletics, the first being “tremendous support from the administration and faculty.”

“When Mr. Barzdukas was hired seven years ago, it was a real change for everyone, but I think that

their schoolwork.

“During spring training for volleyball, I also have club,” Caitie Benell ’13 said. “I have to sacrifice putting 100 percent into my homework to manage it. Sometimes I don’t get home until 11 at night.”

Some Harvard-Westlake coaches also coach club, including boys’ water polo coach Robert Lynn.

“He knows me better as a player because he coaches me year-round,” PRINTED WITH PERMISSION of lUCY TILTON water polo player Sacha Best ’13 to season, without ever allowing your said. body to recover, you’re going to be more Harvard-Westlake has no official afsusceptible to injury, you’re going to be filiation with any club team, but several more susceptible to burn-out, whether teams use the school’s facilities. Santa it’s physical burn-out or mental burn- Monica Beach Club, a volleyball club, out.” uses Hamilton and Taper Gymnasiums.

Athletes are constantly trying to Los Angeles Water Polo Club uses the juggle school sports, club sports, and Zanuck Swim Stadium.

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 23

upward bound: The 2010 state champion girls’ basketball team, coached by Melissa Hearlihy, benefitted from vertical integration.

CandIce Navi/chronicle Archives

“We are seeing that [players] are fundamentally sound the way we want them to be.”

—Melissa Hearlihy, girls’ basketball head coach has been embraced in the community, and that’s been a real help for us having better results on the athletic field,” Barnum said.

The next factor is outstanding coaches, who keep tabs on all their players and the newest trends and techniques in their sports.

“Gradually under Mr. Barzdukas, we have hired more expert coaches, coaches with higher levels of proficiency,” Hudnut said. “He has been able to tap into circles of coaches we were previously unaware of. All this caused an effect on both the people who want to work here and the people who want to come here.”

Hudnut referred to the school’s teachers as a reference points for effective coaches.

“We want Harvard-Westlake students’ teachers after 3 o’clock to be as good as their teachers before 3 o’clock,” he said.

Next on Barnum’s list is the substantial time commitment student-athletes dedicate to varsity sports.

Of course, for all the talk of time commitment and vertical integration, the school could simply be attracting better athletes than in the past.

“Yes, we have brought in more talented student-athletes over the past couple of years, and that’s helped us,” Barnum said. “But that only helps if the first three things are going on.”

24 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Barnum said that the athletic department identifies standout athletes from its feeder schools and encourages them to apply, but it is up to the Admissions Department who gets accepted and who doesn’t.

“We get the kids that we get, and then we have to coach them to the best of our ability,” Barnum said.

The results have been obvious. Over the past two years, upwards of 45 Wolverine athletes have committed to colleges for sports, including around 30 to Division I schools.

W

hat makes the emergence of Harvard-Westlake as an athletic powerhouse so unique is that often, schools with superior athletics are not superior in academics. Athletic higher-ups and academic higher-ups operate in completely separate bubbles, and it is probably safe to say that not many other athletic department heads spontaneously quote Malcolm Gladwell, much less model their athletics after the academic sides of their schools.

“I certainly do think it’s unusual, if not absolutely unique,” Hudnut said.

“I also think that as a result our athletic programs are respected and the people who work in them are respected in a degree that’s unusual in schools…

After all, in our administrative hierarchy, Mr. Barzdukas’ position as Head of

Athletics is on the same level as [Ronnie] Cazeau as Head of Middle School and [Harry] Salamandra as Head of Upper School. It’s a recognition of the fact that we run three schools.”

Hudnut believes that there has not been substantial opposition to the process of building elite athletics because the process has been “evolutionary” rather than “revolutionary.” And he believes that the benefits to students of an outstanding athletic school are numerous.

Unprompted, Hudnut launched into a discussion of a girls’ volleyball game against Redondo Union Sept. 16.

“It was terrific—playoff intensity in the gym, and everybody was really into the game, and it was high quality volleyball,” he said. “And I love stuff like that. I looked at the girls on the floor and some of them have contributed so much athletically, and it’s been such a help to them in terms of where they’re going to be going to college and the opportunities that they now have—I think sports is a tremendous adjunct.”

“It’s rare to find an institution, an organization, a place, an enterprise, that consistently strives for excellence and is willing to do the things it takes to be excellent,” Barzdukas said. “And Harvard-Westlake is that kind of a place.”

For the school’s athletics, that excellence has arrived.

Next in line?

Standout seniors Damiene Cain, Ashley Grossman and Katie Speidel have their sights on the Wolverine history books this winter.

>>

Alex Rand-Lewis/VOX

profiles inside

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 25

E

ver since he picked up a basketball, the gym He may not throw down with bleacher-rattling has been a second home to Damiene Cain ’11. power like Swoope did, but while Swoope was filling Cain has been playing basketball almost non- the highlight reels, Cain was taking care of the dirty stop since the age of 4, and his time commitments to work. He led the Wolverines in blocks per game (2.7) school and club teams have prevented him from any and rebounds per game (9.4), and he expects to pull sort of travelling that is not basketball-related. down as many as 15 boards per contest this year.

When he arrived at Harvard-Westlake nine Coming into this year, he worked on extended his years later as a 6’4” eighth grader, Cain was quickly offensive range all the way to the three-point line. anointed the next Chosen One in a vaunted line of Cain said that observers have compared his playWolverine big men that included Jarron and Jason ing style and cool demeanor to that of San Antonio Collins ’97 and Alex Stepheson ’06.

Spurs star Tim Duncan, another post player whose But for his first three years on varsity, Cain took a finesse game belies a knack for owning the statisbackseat. In his freshman year, he watched Renaldo tical categories that indicate physicality, namely Woolridge ’08 star. In his sophomore year, he was blocks and rebounds. merely one component of a fearsome foursome that No one dares use the word “soft” to describe included then-juniors Erik Swoope, Nate Bulluck Duncan, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and and Austin Kelly. four-time league champion.

In Cain’s junior year, it was Swoope who seized Hilliard also likened Cain to Duncan in that neithe spotlight. Cain never complained; he just did the ther aggressively seeks the limelight, but both are work the team needed. As Head Coach Greg Hilliard more than comfortable with it. In fact, Hilliard said said, it’s not in his DNA to be a glory-hog. But now that Cain’s strongest asset could be the consistency that his senior season has arrived, the soft-spoken and steely mental fortitude he brings to the floor.

Cain is hungry for his own big year.

Hilliard believes that “now it is only natural for “Damiene Cain has been the most talented player him to step into the role of veteran” among a corps every single year he’s been at Harvard-Westlake, of teammates that is supremely talented but inexeven when he was a perienced and injuryfreshman,” Cali High riddled.

Sports founder and “They’re all going to CEO Jack Davis ’10 said. look at him and see how “He’s been the glue to he’s reacting to situathe team every single tions like when we’re “[Damiene is] a leader year, and don’t mistake playing a very, very him willingly taking a strong team,” Hilliard who leads on and off the back seat with him not said. And some of them court. Overall [he is] being able to dominate are going to be a little just a great teammate games.” intimidated and scared, With his college comand they’re going to look and person. mitment announcement over in his eyes and see to the University of that he’s just his usual— —Zena Edosomwam ’12 Colorado on CaliHighjust as always, it doesn’t Sports.com attracting phase him.”

Starting Center Alex NATHANSON’S Leichenger/ 9,305 viewers in seven “People have faith in chronicle different countries, Cain me—they think I can do certainly is carrying it,” Cain said. “I’ve never some extra pressure on his shoulders as the Wolver- heard anyone say, ‘oh, you’re not as good as Swoope, ines head into Mission League play. you can’t do what Swoope did.”

Although Cain announced that he would be taking Besides, the dunking won’t evaporate just because his talents to Boulder, Colo., not to South Beach, the Swoope is gone, with center Zena Edosomwan ’12 comparisons between his commitment announce- likely to take the high-flyer mantle. And though Cain ment and LeBron James’ one-hour ESPN free agen- doesn’t play his game above the rim, he does plan to cy special, “ The Decision,” were flying. throw down the hammer more often this year.

“I kind of like it,” Cain said. “I mean, hey, if I’m “He understands the effect that one of those being similar to LeBron, that’s a good thing, right?”

Swoope dunks had on the fans and then the team Long before his college commitment came into the and how it picked the energy level up,” Hilliard said. fray, there was already pressure on Cain to live up “And I’ve noticed in practice that he’ll occasionally to the standards set by another Miami resident, for- just throw down a dunk, and it really does charge up mer Wolverine superstar Swoope. However, though his teammates. He can do it, and I think he’ll pick the Wolverine faithful will inevitably draw compari- his moments.” sons between the two big men, Cain politely requests Winning matters most to Cain, and he will do that he be viewed as his own player. whatever it takes for the Wolverines to come out on “People always say ‘how come you don’t dunk the top. Without hesitation, he declared that he expects ball? How come you don’t play like Erik Swoope?” another undefeated season in the Mission League, Cain said. “I say that’s not my type of game.” plus a CIF championship. He wouldn’t set expectaThe styles of Swoope and Cain are distinctly dif- tions for state playoffs yet, but that is also undoubtferent beyond just the dunking. While Swoope of- edly on his team’s radar. ten dominated with pure brute force, Cain’s game In the year that all eyes are finally on him, Cain’s is predicated on footwork, fluidity and finesse. In legacy will be made or broken in the next couple of basketball-speak, those terms are often code for months. After that, the Wolverine faithful will be the most damning label that can be slapped on a big able to make their own Decision about his place in man: “soft.” This theory does not apply to Cain. the pantheon of Taper hardwood legends.

Word from a teammate:

26 | BIG RED Winter 2010

His time to shine Damiene Cain ’11 has spent the past three years in the shadow of his teammates. This year he finally steps out as the star.

By Alex Leichenger

Alex Leichenger/chronicle

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 27

Making a splash Ashley Grossman ’11 spent her summer winning water polo tournanaments and now hopes to win a CIF championship.

By Catherine Wang

Daniel Kim/chroniCLe

Like many of her classmates, Ashley Grossman ’11 was not home during July.

She traveled, lived in hotels and spent a lot of time in the pool. Unlike many of her classmates, Grossman was not on vacation. She was at work. Grossman competed in five back-to-back water polo tournaments.

She competed for her club team, Los Angeles Water Polo Club, in the U.S. Club Championship, the 20 & under National Championships, the Open National Championships, and the S&R Sport Junior Olympics. She also represented the Junior National Water Polo Team in the 4 Nations Tournament against teams from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

Grossman ended the summer with four gold medals, and was also named the Most Valuable Player of the S&R

Sport Junior Olympics tournament. “[This summer] helped me recognize myself as a player,” she said. “I realized how much I love being a leader and that this is what I want to do with my life.”

Right now, Grossman’s focus has shifted from club water polo to school water polo. Training with her club team and the Junior National team has halted, since she trains with the school team 10 times a week.

“We want to win CIF,” she said. “I think we could have won it last year and we know exactly what we need to do to win it this year. As a senior, it would be the best thing.”

Grossman feels that she and fellow senior Camille Hooks ’11 have filled the role of team leaders.

“I think I orchestrate the offense by scoring goals for the team,” she said.

Grossman credits both her position as a center and her personality as “Ashley is a great individual reasons for taking leaderplayer, but she understands ship roles on her teams. that water polo is the ultimate “I like to bring the team up,” Grossman said. team sport. Ashley would be “I pride myself in that the first one to tell you that when we are down I try we are all looking forward to to score a goal. I always a great season, and winning like to carry the team on a CIF championship. ” my shoulders.”

After high school season, Grossman will re—Bella Gonzalez ’12 sume training with her Driver club team and the Junior National Team. She

Word from a teammate:

28 | BIG RED Winter 2010

hopes to compete at the Junior World Championships this summer with the Junior National team.

“I’m in the pipeline,” she said of joining the Senior National Team.

This spring, Grossman traveled with the team to Puerto Rico. She may compete with the team at the European World Championships this summer.

Looking forward, Grossman hopes to compete in the Olympics. She committed to Stanford University Nov. 7 and believes it will help her achieve her goal.

Grossman thinks the 2016 Olympics are more realistic that 2012, since there are two girls with her position ranked ahead of her.

“I’m going to work hard and push harder,” Grossman said. “2012 is not out of sight.”

Grossman was also recruited by University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Berkeley.

“Ultimately it came down to Stanford and USC,” she said. “How could I pass up the opportunity to go to Stanford and get an amazing education and play for the second best water polo team in the country?”

Grossman hopes to win a national championship all four of her years at Stanford.

“We have a great incoming class, and we are probably favored to win all four years,” she said.

“I hope to, from the start, be a very important part of the team. I know I’ll be put in front of the goal.”

Forward Motion Going for goal: Katie Speidel ’11 fights off a defender for possession of the ball.

By Austin Block High-scoring forward and team captain Katie Speidel ’11 seeks to lead the Wolverines, now in Division I, to its second straight CIF championship.

Star soccer forward Katie Speidel ’11 knows how much it hurts to lose in the finals. Three years ago, her Premier level Real So Cal club team advanced to the regional finals in Hawaii before falling one game short. Two years ago, the Wolverines reached the Division II CIF Finals but couldn’t finish off Saugus to take the title. But two losses were enough, and Speidel and her teams were determined that they would never let it happen again. When everything fell into place last season, therefore, the victories were especially sweet.

First came Harvard-Westlake’s dominating season. The Wolverines went 16-1-3 in the regular season and captured the league title. Their only loss was to Mission League rival Flintridge Sacred Heart. In CIF playoffs, the team reached the finals without giving up a goal and then eked out a narrow 2-1 win over Beckman to win the championship.

“It was unbelievable. It was great. And it was my birthday, so it was even better. We worked so hard to get to that point and we got to that point two years ago and we sort of let it go,” Speidel said. “We did not want that to happen again, and we knew who we were playing, we knew what we had to do, and we sort of just got it done and everyone stepped up … it was [an] unbelievable feeling at the end.”

Then it was her club team’s turn for success. After winning the Cal South National Cup, Real So Cal finally won the regional title. From there, the team, which she has been on for almost 11 years, went on to the national tournament and finished third.

Speidel said the run was especially fulfilling as it was the last time she and some of her closest friends, who are now in college, were able to play club together.

“It was one of those CIF moments again where you can’t let that happen again so we pulled that off,” Speidel said.

“We just didn’t want it to end. At the end of that season they were leaving for college, so we made it to the national tournament and we ended up third in the nation.”

This year, Speidel, finally healthy after missing signifi-

cant chunks of time each of the past three seasons due to two knee surgeries and a hip problem, is ready to lead her team to its second straight CIF title. She is one of the four team captains for the Wolverines, who moved up to Division I this year. Standing in their way of the league title is Flintridge, who the Wolverines were unable to defeat in their two matchups last season.

“They’re going to be our biggest challenge this year. It’s going to be a really tough game,” Speidel said. “Everyone has to be on their A game and we have to just play fast and tackle hard and just kick butt. We just have to do everything we can.”

In addition to playing for her club and for Harvard-Westlake, Speidel has played in a number of camps for the United States Olympic Development Program. She is currently a part of the national pool and has attended national soccer camps.

“They select, 25, 30 girls from the country, it’s like a U-17 national team,” Speidel said. “They’re scouting almost, they eliminate everyone else and they bring in this pool and then they watch you there. Then they narrow it down even more and they sent the team last year to the [U-17] World Cup.” Though she didn’t get to go to the U-17 World Cup, she said she enjoys attending ODP camps and hopes she will get a chance to play for the U-18 national team.

“I get to just travel with a lot of my friends, and a lot of people from my club team go and older people like Haley Boysen ’10 ... so it was always so much fun to be there with people that I knew,” she said.

Speidel committed to play for Santa Clara in April of her sophomore year.

“When I walked on the campus I knew, I know it sounds cliche, but I really did love it,” she said.

In the meantime, Speidel is focused on helping her team recapture the CIF championship.

“To get that feeling again would be amazing,” she said.

reprinted with permission of katie speidel

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 29

fall 2010: the season in photos

CELEBRATION: The water polo team celebrates after a thrilling quadruple overtime 12-11 Homecoming win against Cathedral.

Daniel Kim/chronicle

2ND IN THE STATE: The boys’ cross-country team jubilantly receives the second-place trophy at state finals.

Mary rose Fissinger/chronicle

BITTER DEFEAT: Football players mourn their Homecoming loss after the kicker missed a field goal to tie the game as time expired.

RUNNING WILD: Cami Chapus ’12 races to a first-place finish in the CIF meet at Mt. SAC. Daniel Kim/chronicle

30 | BIG RED Winter 2010

Mary rose Fissinger/chronicle

High Jump: Tiana Woolridge ’11 leaps for the ball during the team’s Homecoming win against Dos Pueblos.

STICK IT OUT: Rachel Hall ’11 maneuvers the ball down the field against Bonita.

Daniel Kim/chronicle

Daniel Kim/chronicle

UNDER PAR: Amanda Aizuss ’13, one of the golf team’s rising young stars, prepares to putt.

UNSTOPPABLE: Noor Fateh ’11 breaks a tackle.

Daniel Kim/chronicle

Chelsey Khakshouri/chronicle

SWING AND A HIT: After finishing second in the Mission League singles individuals, Kristina Park ’13 lost in the first round of CIF Individual Playoffs.

SLAMMA JAMMA: Josh Hearlihy ’12 dunks over the Wolverine at the Spirit Day slam dunk competition.

David Kolin/chronicle

Daniel Kim/chronicle

BIG RED Winter 2010 I 31

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