Big Red Homecoming 2024 White

BIG RED MAYA STILLWELL OTTO STOTHART

MELISSA HEARLIHY | HOMECOMING 2024 | NIKOLAS KHAMENIA

VOLUME XVII FALL 2024

BIG RED FALL 2024 • VOLUME XVII ISSUE NO.1

the PLAYBOOK

6

Letter from the Editors

10

HOCO HYPE

HOOPS AND HEART

The Staff

Nathan Wang and Evalina Gerencher

A detailed date, time and location guide to the homecoming games.

16

A look into Coach Hearlihy's legacy.

20

PURSUITS IN PARIS

MEDAL MAYHEM

Alex Dinh and Jonah Greenfeld

Justin Tang and Kasra Maghami

Inside alumni Ben Hallock’s and Johnny Hooper’s Paris bronze run.

Nik Khamenia had a busy summer winning gold medals for team USA.

26

24

OPENING OPINIONS COACHING CREW The Staff

The Staff

Half-time shows. Debate is a sport?

Best Olympic sport. Varsity seniority.

Learn about fall’s assistant coaches and their important role on teams.

The world seemed bleak, and the school community was distraught after two years without a new print issue of Big Red Magazine; however, thanks to our incredible staff and weeks of hard work, everyone’s prayers have finally been answered. This fall issue is the first of four we will publish in Volume XVII—one for each of the three sports seasons followed by a final end-of-year issue.

This issue is jam-packed with homecoming game previews, features, photo spreads, staff opinions and assistant coach profiles. We are proud to have included every single fall sport in this issue while still bringing the most engaging and relevant stories to the community.

Our features include a tribute to legendary girls’ basketball coach Melissa Hearlihy, who announced retirement from the court earlier this summer, a spotlight on the two alumni who led Team USA to its first Olympic water polo medal since 2008 and a dive into the action-packed summer of now two-time gold medalist Nikolas Khamenia ‘25.

We are super excited about the incredible photography in this issue. Our inaugural issue includes two different covers that were both shot in our home base of Weiler Hall. We want to give a huge shoutout to our advisors Billy Montgomery and Jen Bladen for all their guidance on both photography, articles and layout. Thank you to all the athletes and coaches who helped make this issue possible. And to our lovely staff, thank you for your dedication and care.

We hope you have as much fun reading this first issue as we had putting it together.

Sincerely, your Big Reditors-in-Chief, Nathan, Justin, Alex

theSTAFF Editors-in-Chief Nathan Wang, Alex Dinh, Justin Tang

Section Editors Max Turetzky, Zoe Goor

Executive Managing Editors Jack Ryan, Everett Lakey, Saisha Kumar

Assistant Editors Evalina Gerencher, Oona Sawyer, Jonah Greenfeld, Kasra Maghami, Jackson Hubbard, Jake Yoon, Zara Groves, Riya Iyer, Chloe Kim, Jean Park

Advisors Billy Montgomery and Jen Bladen

Special Friends Alden Detmer, Connor Tang, Amelia Chiarelli

2 • BIG RED FALL 2024

BIG RED is a student-run magazine publication of Harvard-Westlake School, 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604. BIG RED is an interest magazine about athletic teams and individual pursuits of students and faculty, as well as fitness topics. BIG RED ensures coverage of all 26 athletics teams at the school through quarterly distributions. In addition to news and editorialized features, BIG RED incorporates photojournalism and artistic elements, capturing the energy and spirit of sports through powerful imagery. Copies of BIG RED are distributed free on campus and are mailed by subscription at $15 per year. Letters to the editor or requests can be sent to Nathan Wang (nwang1@hwemail.com), Alex Dinh (adinh1@hwemail. com) or Justin Tang (jtang1@hwemail.com).

theSTAFF

popCULTURE

Ben Boateng ’25 Boys’ Water Polo

Kaydence Kim ’25 Girls’ Golf

Derek Dai ’26

Football

Lauryn Lewis ’26 Girls’ volleyball

Pictured (Left to Right, Top to Down): Billy Montgomery, Zara Groves, Alex Dinh, Alden Detmer, NathanWang, Justin Tang, Jack Ryan, Oona Sawyer, Saisha Kumar, Riya Iyer, Chloe Kim, Connor Tang, Jean Park, Evalina Gerencher,

Favorite Athlete

Best Fall Drink

Favorite Lunch Spot

Favorite Teacher

Celebrity Crush

Ben Boateng ’25

Iced Vanilla Latte

Erewhon

Dr. Helston

Jason Statham’s wife

Nelly Korda

Caramel Macchiato

Mendocino Farms

Mr. Godoy

Mr. Commons

Luke Kuechly

Raw Kefir

Sweetgreen

CJ

Suni Lee

Kobe Bryant

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ted Slavin Bleachers

Ms. VanVlijmen

Michael B. Jordan BIG RED FALL 2024 • 3

HOMECOMING

4 • BIG 2024 BIGRED REDFALL WINTER 2021

Photo by

Kasra Maghami Big Red

PREVIEWS FALL 2024 • 5• 5 BIG RED WINTER 2021

FIELD HOCKEY VS. MISSION HILLS 4 P.M. TED SLAVIN FIELD

SHOOTING STICKS Kayla Graff ’26 shoots and scores past the goalie in a match against Chaminade on Sept. 13. Graff recorded a hat trick on the way to an 8-0 win.

6 • BIG RED FALL 2024

Photo by

Connor Tang Big Red

WATER POLO VS. OAKS CHRISTIAN 5:30 P.M. COPSES FAMILY POOL

Photo by

Justin Tang Big Red

SMOOTH OPERATOR

Taj Draper ’25 protects the ball from a Long Beach Wilson defender.

Draper has been one of the team’s best perimeter shooters this year.

BIG RED FALL 2O24 • 7

VOLLEYBALL VS. MARLBOROUGH 6 P.M. TAPER GYM

PASS, SET, KILL Outside Hitter Kylie Parker ’26 crushes the set from Grace Ge ’28 resulting in a kill during a match against Bishop Alemany.

Photo by

Darlene Bible HW Athletics

8 • BIG RED FALL 2024

FOOTBALL

VS. CANTWELL-SACRED HEART OF MARY 7:30 P.M. OPTION OFFENSE TED SLAVIN FIELD Quarterback and wide receiver Ellis Robinson ’27 runs upfield on a readoption play, leading the Wolverines to a 25-14 victory over Royal.

TAKING THE REINS Robinson has taken over as the starting quarterback after Aaryan Mehdi Williams ’27 suffered a meniscus tear in Week 1. Since Mehdi Williams’ injury, the team has relied almost exclusively on the run.

Photo by

Kasra Maghami Big Red

BIG RED FALL 2O24 • 9

The Final Whistle Girls' basketball program head Melissa Hearlihy retired Aug. 5. The legendary coach reflects on her playing and coaching career, spotlighting memorable victories.

By Nathan Wang And Evalina Gerencher The name Melissa Hearlihy is synonymous with excellence in high school sports. With 39 full seasons, 839 career victories and two girls' basketball CIF State Championship with the Wolverines under her belt, Hearlihy announced her retirement from coaching earlier this summer.

Hearlihy’s departure marks the end of an era for girls' basketball at the school, having been with the team for 24 seasons.

Hearlihy said she is grateful to have worked alongside dedicated coaches at the school.

"All of the coaches are working really hard at our school," Hearlihy said. "It's demanded of us, but it's also something they're very passionate about. I love my colleagues, and I have been so fortunate."

Hearlihy's story is not just defined by her success in her final season with the program that culminated

in the Division II CIF State championship she and the team earned in Sacramento. Her career would feel incomplete without the years of care and dedication that built the foundation for her final championship, Hearlihy said.

Hearlihy’s early days in basketball are rooted on the home court at Alvin High School in Texas. Recruited to play the sport during high school, Hearlihy said she played an older version of basketball until her senior year of high school.

“At my high school in Texas, they didn't have basketball, so I got recruited into the ninth-grade class for the very first class of basketball,” Hearlihy said. “We played six-man, which meant that you could not cross half-court. Three girls [were] on one side and three girls on the other side. One side was offensive, and the other side was defensive.

Then by my senior year, they finally went to full-court basketball. That was my first experience playing bas-

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MELISSA HEARLIHY

10 • BIG RED FALL 2024

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MELISSA HEARLIHY

ketball as you know it.”

Hearlihy played basketball and softball throughout college while attending the University of San Francisco. She got her first coaching job in 1984 as the JV head coach and varsity assistant at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills while she worked on her Master's Degree at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Hearlihy quickly rose through the ranks of the Alemany girls’ basketball program, becoming head coach and a full-time faculty member in 1985.

Hearlihy said she learned from her past teachers to create her dynamic coaching style.

“I went from being a player and then jumping the fence to a coach,” Hearlihy said. “I had a couple of really rough days. I was working on my Master's at CSUN, and one of the professors that I had said, ‘What's the matter with you today?’

And I said I'm struggling. And he said, ‘Well, are you taking notes?’

And I said, ‘What do you mean?’

He said, ‘Well, when things go well, that's easy, but when things don't,

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MELISSA HEARLIHY

'Are you taking notes? Are you learning?’

I could reflect back to all the [teachers] I had, take parts that I loved and parts that I didn't and make those work and shape me as a coach.”

Hearlihy said her commitment to leadership, collaboration and resilience led her to high school girls' basketball, where she found a deeper fulfillment of these principles.

“When you get into the real world, no matter what your line of work is going to be, you've got to learn how to work with others," Hearlihy said. " If you want to be at the highest level, you have to learn how to be a good boss, to be a good leader and to sit in an office with predominantly all men.

That's always been my journey and my purpose. If it was all about winning basketball, I would have gone to the collegiate [coaching] level had I been there. Instead, I got

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MELISSA HEARLIHY

into high school [coaching] at Alemany High School, fell in love with it and stayed at that level for the rest of my career.”

Hearlihy had a fruitful 10-year career at Alemany as she led the Warriors to three CIF Southern Section Championships, six CIF regional finals and a CIF state final appearance in 1998. Former Harvard-Westlake Head of Aquatics Rich Corso recruited Hearlihy to the school, where she became the girls' basketball program head. Reflecting on her decision to transition from Alemany to Harvard-Westlake, Hearlihy said it was a pivotal moment in both her personal life and professional career.

“Harvard-Westlake was going to be something totally different than Alemany,” Hearlihy said. “I loved Alemany.

I started there at 22 years old, and it was a Catholic school. I grew up there, and

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MELISSA HEARLIHY

BIG RED FALL 2024 • 11

I had a lot of good people around me that formed me, but I felt like it was time for me to branch out into something different. When it was time to make that transition, there were some things that I wanted differently. I had young kids. I was pregnant with my second one, and my oldest one was five. I had to look down the road at what I wanted for them from a personal standpoint.”

Hearlihy said her connection to the school deepened when her own children became students, offering her a new perspective on the rigorous academic environment she already greatly appreciated.

“My growth through the school

was going through it with the athletes,” Hearlihy said.“ Then my own children got there and I had an even different perspective because I was seeing the homework come home.

I'm hearing about their day, both being athletes and what the expectations are. And on the outside, people look at our school as an affluent school, and that's why these kids go to all of these amazing universities.

That's not why. The reason is because our teachers and our kids are very hard workers. I love that the kids are so driven.”

Hearlihy said her playing experience, particularly her early love for defense, became the foundation of her coaching philosophy.

“When I talked about the sixman game I played in high school, I was on the offensive side, so I got to score loads of points,” Hearlihy said.

“Then when we went full court, I got to experience more about who I am.

I was six feet tall, fast and a good athlete. I got excited about playing defense. When I was on teams that were very successful, it was because our defense was very successful. Defensively, that's something you could show up and do every night and do

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MELISSA HEARLIHY

it well. That spun me to the foundation of who I was going to be as a coach.”

Hearlihy entered her 2023-2024 season with the Wolverines with this philosophy more fully developed than ever before. It was much needed as the girls worked through injuries and adversity.

In preseason, they lost forward Bella Spencer ’25 to an ACL injury. For-

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DARLENE BIBLE

12 • BIG RED FALL 2024

ward and center Valentina Guerrero ’26 broke her nose mid-season and guard Angelina Habis ’27 suffered a concussion. Guard Jamie Yue ’24 suffered a knee injury during practice that would sideline her until January.

Hearlihy said she gained renown for her focus on defense and further emphasized the coaching style in order to make up for the loss of the team’s key upperclassmen and starters.

“If you play Harvard-Westlake with Melissa Hearlihy at the helm, you're going to play man-to-man defense,” Hearlihy said. “Late when we got in some trouble in the staterun [in 2024], we started playing some zone. I was steadfast in being a man-to-man coach, but I felt that zone was also really important to prepare my kids for the next level. If you can play man-to-man, you can play anything else. I always want my kids to not only be successful at my level but to be prepared for the next level. That was always really important to me."

Hearlihy coached 18 athletes to college basketball and many more to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives. She said her success as a coach came from a mutual exchange of trust.

“One of the things that I've done really well in my career is take girls who are not talented but are driven,” Hearlihy said. “ I look at players like [Jayla Ruffus-Milner ’18 and Jayda Ruffus-Milner ’18] that I had and even some of the kids that were top athletes. It's because I could find a way to get them to push beyond the box and to believe in themselves for us to beat teams that we really didn't have any business beating. They believed in the system, they believed in themselves and they believed in me. I'm just going to keep bouncing back to looking at all the young women that have played for me and

PHOTO BY KEITH BIRMINGHAM, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/ SCNG

being a part of their journey.”

Along other prestigious high school girls’ basketball awards, Hearlihy also lays claim as the second all-time leader in wins in California state history and was named the 2023 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National High School Coach of the year.

Awards like these do not define a career; rather, Hearlihy said her coaching success is rooted in upholding the core values of the game.

“What is changing about sports is that it's concerning themselves more about what coaches are going to get out of it,” Hearlihy said. “As a coach, it may be very tough to keep the team unified because we're so concerned about ourselves that we can't be concerned about others.

Sports used to be very community-based, and now it tends to be all over the place, and kids are trying to find the best fit for them. I would like to see us go back a little bit to caring about others because the more I care about you, if you're on my team, the better we're going to be. I just hope that we can hold on to personal integrity, to integrity of

the sports we're playing and to integrity of our school. If you ask people in the community and the basketball world, that's always something that's been very important to me.”

The school community, along with the 24 Wolverine teams coached by Hearlihy, would attest to her unwavering integrity. In retirement, Hearlihy will coach golf to young players and host local tournaments in her new home of local Huntington Beach harbor.

The Wolverines are forever grateful to Hearlihy, and as the team embarks on a new season, the doors to Taper Gymnasium will forever remain open to the emblematic head of the girls’ basketball program.

13 • BIG RED FALL 2024

NEED FOR SPEED Elle Kirman ’27 finished eighth at the UCSB Gaucho Cross Country Invitational, helping lead the girls’ cross country team to victory.

Photos by

Jeff Kleeman 14 • BIG RED FALL 2024

FOLLOW THE WIND Franklin Wimbish ’25 finished ninth place with a time of 16:09, leading the boys to fourth place at UCSB on Saturday, Aug. 31.

BIG RED FALL 2O24 • 15

By Alex Dinh and Jonah Greenfeld

wasn’t very nervous. I had a feeling we could slowly chip away because we had plenty of time to score two or three goals. In penalty shoot124 years to the day after Olymouts, you’re a little bit more nervous pic water polo debuted in the River if you’re the team that just gave up Seine, Team USA led Hungary 3-0 the lead. Hungarians are known in a penalty shootout during the as some of the best shooters in the bronze medal match, in the same world, and they missed three pencity where the sport first made its alties in a row, which is unheard of.”

Olympic debut. Victory seemed alBoth Hooper and Hallock most certain as Hungarian driver played pivotal roles on the road to Gergo Zalanki stepped up to take the bronze medal in Paris. Hallock his penalty. Zalanki’s shot hit the was a dominant force at center, left post, and celebration erupted drawing 45 personal fouls on himon the United States bench as they self – the most among all Olymwon their first Olympic medal in pians in the competition.. Hooper more than 15 years. Among the 13 notched six goals in the tournaTeam USA players celebrating were ment, including one to open the bronze medal match. Hallock scored two goals of his own, including one in the first quarter off an assist from Hooper.

Hallock made his Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio, while Hooper joined the team for the 2020 Games in Japan. Team USA finished sixth in Tokyo and left Japan without a medal for the third consecutive Olympic Games.

Hooper said the team grew a lot between games.

“The team we saw in Tokyo and the team that we saw in Paris were two completely different teams,” Hooper said. “When I say completely different, I don’t mean the players changed, but we matured a lot going into the Paris Olympics.

It showed in those adverse moments where we didn’t come out on top in Tokyo, but we did come out on top in Paris.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ERIC SONDHEIMER Hallock and Hooper are no NOW: Hallock and Hooper stand together in June after being selected strangers to success when playing to the 2024 USA Olympic water polo team which went on to win bronze. together. Hallock and Hooper led 16 • BIG RED FALL 2024

two old high school friends, Ben Hallock ’16 and Johnny Hooper ’15, embracing in the pool.

Going into the fourth quarter, the U.S. had a hard-fought 6-5 lead, but Hungary opened the period with three straight goals, leaving the Americans down two. After solid defense and a few clutch goals to tie it 8-8, the game culminated in three straight misses from the Hungarians in penalty shootouts.

Hooper said he was confident down the stretch despite the twogoal deficit late in the game.

“We were down by two in the fourth quarter with about three and a half minutes left,” Hooper said. “I

Johnny Hooper ’15 and Ben Hallock ’16 have been playing water polo together since they were eight years old. For their school, they won back-to-back Southern Section titles. For their country, they won a bronze medal in Paris. the boys’ water polo team to backto-back CIF Southern Section Division 1 championships in 2013 and 2014. Hooper said he and his teammates grew a lot during their time at the school amidst their success.

“We were a really young group, and there wasn’t a ton of success before we joined for a long time,” Hooper said. “It was great to cultivate these young groups of guys to become the best players that we could in high school, and there was such good chemistry between all the guys. Ben and I have been teammates since we were like eight years old. I have really fond memories of playing at Harvard-Westlake with all my teammates. We created a pretty cool culture, and we did a lot of winning.”

Hooper said his time at the school helped him get to where he is now.

“Harvard-Westlake holds a very special place in my heart,” Hooper said. “Playing water polo there throughout my entire middle and high school career helped me a ton. A lot of things I learned at Harvard-Westlake, work ethicwise, motivation-wise and IQ-wise, played into my personal growth as a water polo player. I feel very connected to Harvard-Westlake and grateful for the experience that I received there.”

During Hooper’s freshman year, Brian Flacks ’06, who had already coached Hooper’s club team LA Premier, took over as the program head. Hooper said playing for Flacks in different settings allowed them to build a stronger relationship.

“Flacks was my coach in the age group before Harvard-Westlake,

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DAVID CRANE

THEN: Hallock and Hooper pose for a photoshoot in 2014 after leading the Wolverines to two Southern Section titles, the first in over 20 years.

then became my Harvard-Westlake coach, then became my club coach and then became my junior national team coach,” Hooper said.

“We stay in touch pretty often, and Brian is proud of us for taking it all the way [in Paris].”

Hooper credited his career success to the people who supported him throughout his journey.

“I’ve had a lot of good mentors and people to look up to throughout my career,” Hooper said. “It’s important when you’re a young player to have people you model your game after or have people guiding you in the right direction.”

Despite having both graduated more than eight years ago, Hooper and Hallock’s legacy still looms large at the school. Attacker Lukas Kovacevic ’27 said he looks up to Hooper and Hallock and everything they have accomplished.

“Their combined influence and legacy were one of the reasons I came to this school in the first place,” Kovacevic said. “I hope to continue their legacy of incredible Harvard-Westlake water polo.”

Center defender and Stanford commit Collin Caras ’25 said it is an honor to play at a school that produces Olympic talent.

“Johnny and Ben are among the best players in the world,” Caras said. “To see that success sprout from the pools and program at Harvard-Westlake is really inspiring. Every time our team puts on our cap, we recognize that we’re not playing just for our team, [but] we’re playing for the people who built this program. The people who built this program are doing great things with their lives. They’re winning bronze medals and inspiring the younger guys.”

BIG RED FALL 2024 • 17

EN GARDE AND UNSTOPPABLE The fencing team practices their precision and agility in the Fencing Room, perfecting their strategies and techniques as they prepare for competition.

18 • BIG RED FALL 2024

Photo by

Carina Wu ’27 HW Athletics

BIG RED FALL 2024 • 19

By Justin Tang and Kasra Maghami For Harvard-Westlake students, the summer after junior year is often known as one of the busiest. Some attend pre-college programs, others apply for internships and everyone works on their college applications. But this summer, boys’ basketball forward Nikolas Khamenia ’25 had gold medals in sight.

Khamenia first attended a five-day training camp in Colorado Springs, where he made it through two cuts to be selected for the Men's U18 National Team. The team competed in the U18 AmeriCup in Buenos Aires, Argentina from June 3- 9. Over six games in the capital, Khamenia averaged 7.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game according to fiba.basketball. The team went undefeated during the tournament and in the gold medal match against Argentina, Khamenia put up 11 points and eight rebounds to help the team win gold.

Khamenia said he enjoyed playing with other talented players nationwide, such as Derrion Reid who now plays at the University of Alabama and Darius Acuff of IMG Academy.

“It was super cool to have those kinds of guys on my team,” Khamenia said. “Going against them in practice every day, I grew as a player. I learned a lot from them.”

The senior forward took his experience from Argentina with him to the PRO16 League Finals in Indianapolis in late July.

PRO16 is a league consisting of top teams from the Puma circuit. His team, BTI, went into the tournament as the top seed and went on to win the finals. Khamenia was awarded tournament MVP for his 20 • BIG RED FALL 2024

contribution to the team.

Khamenia, who has played with BTI since eighth grade, said winning the tournament with his longtime teammates and coaches was especially meaningful.

“Robert Icart was one of the first people who believed in what I’d become,” Khamenia said. “So winning that with my teammates was a full-circle moment for me."

After winning the PRO16 league championship, Khamenia thought his business was done. While on vacation in Mexico with his family, Khamenia had started doing workouts following a two-week break from basketball. He got in the car with his dad after a lift, when he found out the news: Team USA had called again, asking for Khamenia to join the 3x3 U18 National Team.

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Khamenia said. “I was shocked, but at

the same time, it was like ‘Alright, cool. I have to do this. There's no way I'm saying no to that.’”

After returning from Mexico, Khamenia headed for Germany where he practiced twice a day at training camp for the week. The following week, the national team went to compete in the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup hosted in Debrecen, Hungary.

Khamenia would go undefeated with Team USA once again, finishing with a record of 7-0 at the tournament.

In the opening match against the host nation Hungary, Khamenia scored 14 points, assisting his team in a 2115 win. He was also vital to the team during the championship match, scoring nine points in a thrilling 21-17 win over Spain. Khamenia was the top scorer and earned himself MVP honors of the tournament.

Becoming a world champion wasn’t the only thing Khamenia experienced while in Europe. The four-star recruit said he also enjoyed his trip because he got the opportunity to learn more about his European heritage.

“That was a super cool experience being in Europe, close to where my parents are from," Khamenia said. I got to see their culture and eat the same food my mom has made me for a long time. And then the basketball part of it, winning two gold medals in one summer is not something many people can do.”

Khamenia said he noticed major differences in play styles between a threeon-three and five-on-five setting.

“Three-on-three is fast paced, and you have to play with a lot of IQ,” Khamenia said. “You can't just win based on athleticism and size, so you had to learn a lot of different roles. Going to three on three, I learned a lot about myself. It helped me play more free, and you can play without double teams so it's easier to score than in five-on-five.”

Now a two-time gold medalist for Team USA, Khamenia said it was an honor to represent the United States.

“It’s something not a lot of people have a chance to do,” Khamenia said.

“You have to wear it with pride, and you have to also represent the country that you play for, so you have to do it with class. But it's a super cool experience to

wear the same jersey as guys like LeBron players transferring into powerhouses Siand Anthony Davis.” erra Canyon and Notre Dame.

Khamenia’s stock as a recruit grew “I really can't wait,” Khamenia said. significantly this summer, as he rose “I think a lot of people are downgrading in the national rankings to 35th in the team we have this year. Being in practhe class of 2025, according to ESPN. tice with those guys already, I can just tell Khamenia received several Division 1 how good we are going to be, and there offers from top schools in the country, isn't one mindset on the team besides notably Duke, Texas, winning a third champiPurdue and the Univeronship. We have to be foIt goes to show sity of North Carolina cused on work every day, that if you put the like we're playing tomor(UNC). Recently, he work in for the things row, we're playing today has narrowed his list down to five schools: you dream about, they for a third championship.

Duke, UNC, Arizona, Khamenia’s resume is are going to end up Gonzaga and UCLA. undoubtedly one of the working out for you."

Khamenia said he anbest in the country.

It’s — Nikolas ticipated the recent atKhamenia '25 hard to find a two-time tention he has received state champion and twoas a recruit. time gold medalist any“I wasn't surprised,” Khamenia said. where else. These goals were once a “I knew there was going to be a time dream for Khamenia, but he worked to when that happened. I feel like going to make them a reality.

Team USA, there were a lot of coaches “It goes to show that if you put the and NBA scouts that have been in our work in for the things you dream about, practices, so it gave me the platform to they are going to end up working out be in front of those kinds of people. And for you,” Khamenia said. “I have a list at I feel like that's how it really happened home, and I write goals down that I want for me.” to achieve. Sometimes you don't even The boys’ basketball team will begin think those might be attainable, but you their season this winter as reigning back- just work for them, not even really caring to-back state champions, with Khame- about how long it's going to take or how nia as one of two returning starters. hard you have to work. You do it for the The Wolverines will compete in a newly love of basketball. You do it because you transformed Mission League, with many want to be great at something.”

“

all photos printed with permission of nikolas khamenia and fiba.basketball

BIG RED FALL 2024 • 21

FOR THE ACE Mimi Rhee ’25 loads up for a serve in a doubles match against Calabasas High School on Monday, Sept. 17.

Photos by

22 • BIG RED FALL 2024

Nathan Wang Big Red

AIM FOR VICTORY Emily Stutsman ’26 eyes down the ball as she steadies to hit a forehand in a singles match.

BIG RED FALL 2O24 • 23

SENIORITY OVER MERIT HURTS PERFORMANCE ations and sense of team communication is essential for a team's success younger athletes may not reach their full potential under an undeserved varsity cut. When coaches prioritize seniors, underclassmen lose the motivation to work harder and deprive the chance to better themselves.

It's a thrilling experience for underclassmen to compete at the highest level and learn from older players.

Competing at the highest level is an exhilarating experience for underclassmen, as it offers them a unique opportunity to challenge themselves and grow in ways they might not have imagined.

For younger athletes who

may normally thrive with more practice and exposure, this can result in a lack of development due to the deficiency of more intensive varsity practices and games.

Everyone takes part in a team that aims for merit in a fair and open system that recognizes skill and effort rather than just seniority.

The main thing to consider while selecting players for varsity teams is their proven dedication.

Players with the diligence should be rewarded a sport on varsity. We should all get rid of the hierarchical mindset for each grade in terms of sports and be able to make the team by your

DEBATE SHOULD COUNT AS A SPORT

encouraged to attend practice three times a week. But, the debate activity can entail spending a significant amount of time outside of practice developing cases, mock debating or running speech drills.

Often with a full schedule, students interested in an activity such as debate feel like they do not have enough time to pursue the activity. If debate were able to fulfill the sports requirement, it would open up time during the day, giving students the ability to dedicate their time to

By Jean Park You finally come home from varsity tryouts feeling confident that your hard work will get you a position on the team. Remembering all the work that's been put in over the summer, you feel proud until you hear that you’ve been cut. You're confused to see that most of the roster is made of seniors who haven't even played since the previous season. "How could this happen?" Although leadership and experience are important, relying too much on seniority sets back the development of younger players on the team.

While senior's comprehension of pressure situ-

By Riya Iyer

As you choose your classes for the year, everything seems perfect. You have found the right balance between rigor, meeting all the requirements, and ample free time to pursue debate.

However, you forget about one thing: the sports requirement. With the addition of robotics under Harvard-Westlake’s list of sports in the 2023-2024 school year, other time-consuming extracurricular activities —like debate—should be considered for sports credit. Between rigorous coursework

24 • BIG RED FALL 2024

and a demanding activity like debate, the sports requirement simply adds more stress to students' already busy schedule.

As an extracurricular, debate is extremely competitive and requires students looking to succeed in the activity to invest their time in learning different arguments and strategies.

After a novice year, students move up to the varsity level and are

true skill. Coaches should not have to run their minds back and forth because of seniority and just be able to focus on the ability of the players trying out. On campus, seniors may have priority seating on the Quad, but ultimately, a tennis court is not the same as a shady table, and the competitive pool is not the same as off-campus lunch privileges.

Let's continue to reserve varsity athletics for merit - not for seniority.

something that better interests them. Further, making debate a sport would reduce the stress caused by yet another requirement in an already busy schedule. Instead, students could dedicate their time to something that they are passionate about while simultaneously being able to complete the school's athletics requirement.

Additionally, if the school were to designate debate as a sport starting in seventh grade, it could attract more interested students to the program. Debate's principal foundations – competitive landscape, mastery of a skill and practice demands – are the same as other sports, and it should be accredited as such.

GYMNASTICS IS THE BEST SPORT AT THE OLYMPICS event in every Summer Games . The sport's popularity is shared amongst all ages of Olympics fans, and the excitement for its return every four years is always prominent. When polled on what Olympic sport they were most anticipating watching, the respondents revealed that gymnastics was the most popular among all generations other than Gen Z. While we often joke about competing in the Games ourselves, few of us can truly imagine the extraordinary demands of being an Olympic gymnast. Starting as young as

five years old and eventually training for up to 40 hours a week, gymnastics requires immense dedication. The bravery and strength that it calls for are simply unfathomable for most, which is what makes it the most exciting event to watch. Seeing stars like Simone Biles or Jade Carey fly across our screens feels like watching a superhero movie. Gymnastics pushes the limits of what we believe is possible, reminding us that even the most astonishing achievements are within reach.

The world of the Olympics extends far beyond the

televised events. Across social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok, a fan base has emerged among younger audiences. This Online focus on gymnastics has brought fans together into a community that sees these people not only as athletes, but as heroes and role models.

Among the array of sports featured each year in the Olympics, gymnastics continues to stand as the best for its popularity, its viewership and ultimate requirement for skillful performance. From the sport’s outstanding performances to the impact of athletes on young and older viewers, gymnastics has truly solidified its key role among viewers, and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics can expect nothing less from them.

FANS, WAKE UP FOR HALFTIME

time, and the strides to increase involvement in halftime entertainment still need adequate work. The student section was not as lively near the beginning of the Fall season at the school's weekly football games, but things changed when the Harvard-Westlake Dad’s Club decided to bring more energy onto the field. The Dad’s Club hosted a 3v3 pie-eating contest during half-time for the Burroughs High School football game Sept. 6. The performance grasped fanatics and the crowd as Physical Education (P.E.) Freddy Arroyo ate most of his pie in one minute. The student section wants even more though.

Even though there are certain restrictions such as

amplified sound and a time limit of around 13 minutes, according to Head of Athletics Terry Barnum, more clubs, student groups and parent organizations should join and host events during the half-time slots in games. These events should also extend out to other sports that have halftime such as basketball, soccer and field hockey to truly fulfill a supportive athletic community.

The possibilities are endless – speed painting, halfcourt shot challenges and races led by the fanatics can come with prizes. With this steady source of diverse entertainment, attendance at our home sports games will increase, and our collective community can begin to truly enjoy games from head-to toe.

By Oona Sawyer With the excitement of this year’s Summer Olympics, we have all witnessed the competition take over our lives. Our social media feeds, morning television and daily conversations were dominated by the games’ immense popularity. One sport in particular, however, outshines the rest with its unparalleled blend of strength and great artistry: gymnastics.

Since its debut as one of the original disciplines in the first modern Olympics in 1896, gymnastics has remained a leading

By Chloe Kim

For years, the bleachers at Ted Slavin Field have never reached full capacity. In the past, the school and its fanatics have continuously made an effort to entertain

the student section with irregular half-time performances, cheer routines from the Spirit Squad and a performance from the Drumline. We cannot solely rely on the good work of the Spirit Squad during half-

ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMELIA CHIARELLI

BIG RED FALL 2024 • 25

SUPPORT

Defensive Coordinator Brock Baldwin has been one of the most important pieces of the football team since he joined the program in 2021 as an assistant coach.

Baldwin is an integral part of the defense, shaping the players through direct coaching.

Baldwin said he has been obsessed with football since he was a toddler.

“I started playing tackle football at the age of six,” Baldwin said. "But when I was around three years old, I started wearing my older brother’s football uniforms and shoulder pads. As long as I have been free-willed and able to move around, I have tried to be a football player.”

Baldwin's goal of playing in college was derailed when an injury ended his playing career, but the setback, combined with encouragement from a former coach, led him to pursue a career in coaching.

Baldwin said his favorite part of coaching is helping develop competitive players.

“A lot of kids are first-year players, and they bring a nuance to the game that I have never experienced be-

fore,” Baldwin said. “They are all so dedicated, and it’s very inspiring to me.”

Outside linebacker Princeton Dai ’27 said Baldwin is one of the team's most effective coaches and his feedback is a key factor in the players’ consistent i mprovement during practice.

“My favorite part about [Baldwin]'s coaching is J AC ED KS ON GR how he’s able to relate HU BB AR D/BI to all of us even while being a coach,” Dai said. “He’s done the exact same things as us,and his experiences are a really valuable aspect of the way he coaches.”

By Jake Yoon and Jackson Hubbard

Assistant Girls' Golf James Platt excelled on the golf team at Crespi Carmelite High School here in Los Angeles.

He then graduated from Marquette University in Wisconsin and worked a corporate job for a couD C HLO E K IM/BIG RE ple of years. Still, Platt decided to turn his passion into a career in coaching golf.

He first decided to get back into golf by working at golf courses and at TaylorMade Golf as a custom club fitter.

Platt has been the varsity assistant coach and the head coach for the middle school and JV girls golf teams for four years. JV golf captain Hailey Cho '25 said Platt has made a positive impact on the team.

“Coach James’ role to the team has been of great importance for the past few years,” Cho said. “He helped us all improve our golf games greatly. He is always motivating and uplifting the players. This helps us feel less under pressure during matches and improves our team.”

Platt said that he enjoys watching the players' progress over the years.

“What I enjoy the most is the journey, the process and seeing players from middle school and junior varsity become top varsity players,” Platt said. “Even the little things, like watching a player execute a golf shot we worked on in practice, are special too."

Platt said he is grateful for his co-workers.

"I am very grateful to work with the program head Branden Augustus, the varsity assistant Tina Nagaiand the JV golf coach and middle school assistant Alison Howard-Smith," Platt said. "We all push each other as coaches and feel more motivated than ever to help the program grow.”

By Chloe Kim

26 • BIG RED FALL 2024





SQUAD

Assistant coaches bring valuable insight, inspiring players to thrive

Assistant Girls' Tennis Coach Zahara Martin was a multi-sport athlete as a child. After many injuries in a short-lived basketball career, she ultimately started tennis when she was 12 and got into competitive tennis at 13.

Martin began her N AT H ED A N WA N G/B I G R coaching career at 18 when she first received a job offer from Marlborough High School to coach the girls’ varsity team. Following three years at Marlborough, she began coaching at Harvard-Westlake with the Club Tennis, the JV boys' tennis team and the varsity girls' team. In addition, she offers private coaching lessons to young players.

Martin said her favorite part of the girls' tennis team is

the camaraderie of the players. “[My favorite part] has to be the girls,” Martin said.

"Girls are awesome. Everyone here is so team-oriented and so polite. It's just a different feeling here.”

Working on a player’s mentality is Martin’s favorite aspect of developing an athlete’s game, she said.

Martin said if she could change one thing about high school tennis, she would bring back umpires.

“Today there was already a dispute about line calling because there's only so much you can do,” Martin said.

“You can see the line for what it is but, sometimes, you're wrong. Other times, you're right. Often, there's a fight that ensues.”

Varsity doubles player Mimi Rhee ’25 said Martin has always brought a strong and lively energy to the team.

“Sahara brings a fun and contagious energy to every practice,” Rhee said. “To me, she is secure before our match against some really tough opponents. I [can get] a bit nervous and unsure about how to beat them, but Sahara reassured me and my partner that when we play well.”

By Jean Park

Fencing Assistant Coach James Beihold has dedicated his life to the sport. With 40 years of competitive experience, Beihold became a nationally ranked fencer and even founded a fencing club in college. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Program Head Erika Velarde invited him to join the team, prompting his transition from athlete to coach.

Before Beihold's arrival, Velarde was responsible for coaching all three styles of fencing — épée, saber, and foil — while also handling her duties as program head. Now, with Beihold coaching the épée fencers, athletes benefit from more individualized attention.

Beihold said the fictional vigilante Zorro inspired his love of fencing.

“When I was six, I'd watch Zorro,” Beihold said. “I knew Zorro was fake, but I was curious about what part of it was real. I knew fencing was real, and I've had this curiosity my whole life.”

Beihold said the highlight of coaching is the attitude of the fencers.

“The students are spectacular,” Beihold said. “They are very optimistic, talented and hardworking, and it's a pleasure.”

Épée fencer Edward Ward ’25 said Beihold, because of his long history with the sport, brings valuable insight to both new and experienced fencers.

“Coach James has brought a more N AT H ED A N WA N G/B I G R focused, tactical, lens to the épée team that we didn’t have before,” Ward said.

“His years of experience are a real gift to both beginner and veteran fencers, as he has pointers for anyone at any level of development.”

By Abby Ryan





BIG RED FALL 2024 • 27