Ryan 2021 Portfolio

Portfolio 2021

ESSAY 1 I think over the last four years, I’ve learned a lot. This semester was a sort of rebound off of a mediocre first semester and where I actually became useful to the staff again. Hopefully all of the actual time management skills can be put to good use in college. Deadlines, as always, were a struggle for the class as a whole. I met all of mine, but having those beneath me not meeting theirs is, needless to say, infuriating. A much more direct style of leadership may be required in a situation like this where high school students are always going to challenge authority figures. Teamwork I say has always been one of the greatest strengths of the paper and it’s obvious by how much we all care for each other. Everyone gets along, and when people get along, they work well together. The COVID situation along with a bunch of social justice movements didn’t exactly help ease the tension in the room when such things were brought up, but we always managed to come back together at the end. As a journalist, ethics is first, and we saw what happens when people don’t follow a proper code of ethics this semester a few times. Things like that have to be in place in order to ensure the product we are delivering is, to the best of our knowledge, truthful.

This was maybe the most dedicated I had been in a long time, since probably second semester sophomore year. The amount of actual design and page edits, things of that nature, that I ended up doing, was ungodly. And if I could have done more, I would have. It was finally enjoyable again to design and put together the paper.

The last four years of high school were certainly an experience that I will never forget. I’ve made a lot of friends and learned a lot about myself. And I’m definitely coming back for at least one or two production days next year.

ESSAY 2 My most significant work was the front page, the one I did by myself, not the one I shared with Julia. I think it was a really interesting topic to tackle, especially as someone who prides themselves on being incredibly split in the middle when it comes to politics.

The first draft was actually fairly close to the final. The article had been planned out in its entirety before I even got interviews, the interview questions were pointed to get answers that would fit into specific places in the article, and the article itself was mostly fact based statistics and polling.

Articles like that are the ones that I have always enjoyed the most, and they give me a certain satisfaction that just can’t be replicated with other stories or assignments. Things like that will give me the ability to think critically and apply good practices later in my life.

ESSAY 3 My three most significant works were the two front pages, my solo effort as well as the one I split with Julia, and the sports page in April. I already touched on the front page before, but the front page is always fun to write. Long form informational pieces are sort of where I thrive, so doing those really lets me flex my brain a bit. The sports page in April I’m only putting here because of how little hope I had going into it. There were THREE things done for my page, and not even completely.

I had one finished article, one half of an article, and an okay at best picture. The fact that I pulled that together and it managed to still be one of the best looking pages I’ve designed as an editor was just too satisfying to not list here.

THE CSPRESS

APRIL 16, 2021 ● 19

Cactus Shadows alums coach March Madness

CELEBRATE, Hayden Sheridan celebrating after Georgia Tech became champions.

Three former Falcons coached teams in the March tournament this year.

Owen Taylor staff writer

The highly anticipated NCAA March Madness Tournament has just ended with Baylor and Gonzaga coming out on top. But something less well known is how involved some Cactus Shadows alum were in the tournament. This year, three alums coached March Madness Teams: Casey Perrin, Texas Tech; Hayden Sheridan, Georgia Tech; and John Seavey, U.C. Santa Barbara.

Perrin graduated from Cactus Shadows in 2011 and played basketball all four years of high school.

Perrin’s time as a Falcon taught him a lot about the game and being a part of a team.

“As a player, I developed a skill set that helped me be able to teach through experience. I also had a work ethic that set me apart and earned the respect of both players and colleagues,” said Perrin.

Humble Beginnings Perrin’s road to becoming a coach began as a player. Originally, Perrin wanted to play Division 1 basketball. After graduation, he moved to Maine and played in the Prep League for a year before attending Campbell University.

At Campbell, he played for four years in the Big South Conference.

During his freshman year, current Georgia Southern head coach was an assistant coach at Campbell.

Even though he was only there one season, Perrin stayed in touch with him.

“After graduating from Campbell,

Coach Burg called and asked if I was interested in coming to Texas Tech as a graduate assistant,” said Perrin. “I have now been with Texas Tech Men’s Basketball for the past five years.”

Coaching at a college level is exciting and challenging, and Perrin does not take his success for granted.

“I love the game of basketball and feel very blessed to have this career opportunity. College basketball is exciting - the hours can be long, but the reward is great,” said Perrin.

Perrin was inspired along the way by coaches Chris Bears, Mark Adams, and Brian Burg. All three have acted as mentors.

“They have made huge impacts on my life personally, especially within my coaching career,” said Perrin. “Their work ethic, the way they hold others accountable, and their drive have inspired me greatly.

In addition to Perrin, Sheridan and Seavey both coached March Madness teams this year. Perrin and Sheridan are both in their fifth year of coaching with their respective schools.

“Hayden and John are my boys,” said Perrin. “We don’t talk every day due to busy schedules and distance, but our relationships are special. We will always be tied together through Cactus Shadows and that means a lot. It was pretty awesome that all three of us were able to experience the NCAA Tournament this year with our individual teams.”

Dreams realized All three consider even being able to coach a privilege, with March Madness being a long time dream for all of them.

“March Madness is an experience like none other in the world for me. I have been to three tournaments and each one is so special. It is everyone’s dream to play in March and

getting all the way to that Monday night game is a dream come true,” said Perrin. “I watch a lot of basketball, but watching March Madness is my favorite, the hype and the following behind the whole event makes it special.”

Perrin also likes to encourage high school students to push themselves to reach those dreams just as he did.

“The best advice I could give to high school athletes is never waste a day and develop relationships.

Hard work is a given in any career path and relationships are key in

this process,” said Perrin.

He is a strong believer in being the kind of athlete who is open to coaching.

“Be coachable in every situation.

Great players want to be coached hard and told the truth. That is the only way to grow and get better, making sure that includes a strong mental game plan,” said Perrin.

While coaching is an ideal career for Perrin, it comes with high pressure, which means taking the time to have a strong game plan and keeping up his own skills is important.

REUNITED, Casey Perrin and John Seavey during the tournament. While all three do not see each other as often as they would like, they still try to maintain a close bond.

February 12 2021 Volume 12, Number 2 Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

Good Sports

18 ●APRIL 16, 2021

THE CSPRESS

Trans athletes banned from competition Cait Bunkers creeker editor

M

MENDING IT

DIVE IN

Recent events have frayed the nation’s nerves.

Ryan Bartholomew sports editor

S

INCE

ELECTION

DAY,

tensions in the political world have been rising. Former President Donald Trump shouted voter fraud from the rafters, while the House rushed to impeach him. Recounts were ordered, polls investigated, and, after all of the extra searches and counting, the final results still showed Biden ahead by over seven million votes .

Elections are typically conten-

INSIDE the CSPress

February 12, 2021 Volume 12, Number 2

tious by nature, but most of the time, the losing candidate will concede and congratulate the winner shortly after Election Day is over and the votes are counted. Previously, only four times in history have the results been contested by the outgoing president, in 1876, 1888, 1960, and 2000. In each of these cases, the losing candidate and their party disputed the results.

In the year 2000, Democratic candidate Al Gore lost the state of Florida by 537 votes, which also cost him the election to George W. Bush.

CONTACT TRACING

Find out about the schools efforts with contact tracing. See on page 3

This caused states to switch completely off of punch card ballots, due to a history of machine malfunctions.

When the results came through on Election Day, Trump immediately turned around and began a huge push into his ongoing fraud narrative, focusing particularly on mail-in ballots. This sparked weeks of investigations into polling places, practices, and whether the poll workers were doing their jobs properly. Votes were recounted in a number of states over the coming

days and well into December.

On January 6, the results of two runoff elections were brought to the Senate in order to finally confirm them and end the weeks of questioning. That same day, thenpresident Trump gathered supporters on the Mall, continuing his claim that the election was stolen from him. As the scene in D.C. unfolded, smaller demonstrations across the country flared, forcing officials in multiple statehouses to evacuate.

Shortly after the rally ended, violence broke out as an armed mob

JACOB HARRIS

Young soccer star is making waves.

See soccer on page 19

forced its way into the Capitol building. They broke windows and doors, and forced Congress to evacuate and take shelter from the attack. At the same time, riots broke out across the country.

Suspicious packages, later confirmed to be pipe bombs, were found around the RNC and DNC headquarters in Washington.

The attack of the Capitol will go down as one of the darkest days in American history. It was the first

see Transition on page 3

PUSH OFF, Mady Bochmeier, junior, leaps off the board to start her race. Mady has been a top performer since joining Cactus Shadows swim team. 4David Levy

Sarah Love guest writer

Mady Bachmeier is a junior who ranks sixth in Arizona swimming. She participates in both school and club teams, and her favorite events are the 200 backstroke, which is eight laps, and 100 backstroke, which is four.

While recruiters look at swim rankings, they are not as popular as in other sports.

Nonetheless, ranking sixth in the state is a huge accomplishment.

“It feels good that my hard work paid off,” said Bachmeier.

Bachmeier began swimming as a kid, and has been competing for around six years. She hopes to get an Olympic trial cut, a qualifier to make the U.S. swim team. Getting into the Olympics is more difficult.

“You have to be one of the top two people

in the cut when you go to the Olympics,” said Bachmaier.

Bachmeier trains for two to two and a half hours every day. In addition to swimming, her daily workouts include weight training twice a week, and something called “dryland,” which is working out without the weights, using bodyweight instead.

“It helps you to work out different muscles,” said Bachmeier. “When you’re always swimming, you’re always using the same muscles. So these help round out the different muscles.”

The most challenging thing about being a swimmer is the time commitment and time management skills. It can be hard to say no to activities with friends. But the experience has definitely been worth it.

“The best thing about swimming is the

relationships that I build,” said Bachmeier.

Over the years, Bachmeier has been inspired by a variety of swimmers, including five-time Olympic gold medalist Melissa “Missy” Franklin. Franklin has held world records in the 200-meter backstroke, as well at the 4x100-meter relay.

Bachmeier plans to swim in a D1 college program. She is not sure which college yet, but will decide soon. She currently does not have plans to swim competitively after college.

“I may swim in a master program, but wouldn’t necessarily compete after college,” said Bachmaeier.

Bachmeier believes that self discipline plays a huge role in reaching personal goals, and staying focused is key.

Junior tennis player displays talents Justin Wong staff writer

Not many people have the drive to stay committed to a sport they start when they are young. But star tennis player Nathan Miota has been on the grind since he could hold a racket.

“I was five years old when I started playing,” said Miota. “I practice around 4-5 days a week, for 1-2 hours each practice.”

Having practice this much every week can be taxing on the body, and to keep doing this every week shows his love for the sport. This much practice is to prepare him for all different situations he may encounter during a match, and is crucial to his development as a tennis player.

“When I was younger, I won a few big tournaments in the tennis league USTA,” said Miota.

Not many people can accomplish something like this, and this just shows how all his hours and hours of practice paid off for him.

“I like the one on one aspect, because it’s just me versus the other person,” said Miota.

This is a crucial part of the sports success, and the reason many people love to play it. If he messes up, then he only has himself to rely on to get better, and when he succeeds it was all of that work that won him the match.

“I would recommend tennis to others, it’s

a great sport. If you are going to play, get lessons because there’s a lot to learn,” said Miota.

Even though tennis seems like quite a simple sport to a newcomer, there are also many intricacies that must be learned in order to truly get better at the game.

“My inspirations are my brother because he’s really good, and Federer because he’s my favorite tennis player,” said Miota.

Having an inspiration is crucial to becoming successful in anything, because without an inspiration, Miota may never have fallen in love with the sport the way he has.

Tennis is a great sport that many others like Nathan Miota love to play, and wouldn’t give up the sport for anything.

ULTIPLE STATES HAVE either passed or are working on legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that align with their gender.

“Online an athlete will come out as transgender… and there will be a lot of people who say ‘hey, you can’t do this anymore,’” said Zoe Kupersmith, a freshman.

According to huffpost.com, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi passed bills that prohibit transgender athletes from joining sports teams that align with their gender. In at least 20 other states, similar legislation has advanced.

In Arizona, representative Nancy Barto introduced a bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in school sports. The bill is called the “Save Women’s Sports Act” and would require schools to designate teams as being for males, females, or co-educational. Transgender girls would not be allowed to play on sports teams designated for girls, because biological sex is the criteria for participation on teams.

Those who back these bills argue that transgender girls are naturally stronger and faster because they were assigned male at birth, and therefore have a competitive advantage over cisgender women. However, according to espn.com, none of the supporters of Tennessee’s bill could cite an instance of a transgender athlete causing a problem.

“I think it depends… in sports like boxing, strength could definitely be a factor in that… but other things like participating in teams events, they should still be allowed to do,” said Ally Clow, a sophomore.

Additionally, many lawmakers, such as Mississippi governor Tate Reeves, cite President Joe Biden’s transgender-inclusive legislation as the reason for new anti-trans legislation.

“I think the laws are being based on kneejerk reactions about the science… I think the science is showing that transitioning is something that’s not taken lightly, a lot of the arguments are that anyone can do it… [but] professionals take their time and make sure it’s right for that person,” said Scott LaVigne, an English teacher.

Many people also argue that higher levels of testosterone in biologically male athletes causes transgender female athletes to have an advantage over cisgender female athletes.

This is because testosterone increases athletic performance. According to npr.com, though, higher levels of testosterone are only associated with better performance in a very small number of athletic disciplines, such as the pole vault, hammer throw, and 800 meters.

Some student athletes oppose the ban.

According to nytimes.com, over 500 student-athletes have signed a letter to the NCAA to urge the organization to stop holding championship events in states that restrict transgender athletes.

18 ● FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Tear Sheets February

THE CSPRESS

Summer Olympic plans move forward Ever since COVID-19 hit, one of the questions people have had isif the Olympics are still going to happen.

Moving Forward As of now the date set for the Olympics to begin is July 23, 2020. They will be taking place in Tokyo, Japan for the fourth time in history. The event will continue all the way up until August 8th. This has been confirmed by the Prime Minister of Japan, who has said that he is confident going forward with the Olympics this year.

PATCHED UP, NAME

NAME recieving attention for his injury. The Sports Medicine class 4 Gianna Lazzaro

Sports Medicine class offers hands-on learning Max Hancock

global news editor

On campus, the Sports Medicine class has been making a name for themselves with a unique learning curriculum and experienced teacher.

“I really like sports med just because of the way our small class is comfortable with each other and the way our environment works together to understand stuff,” said Sydney Shmidt, a senior.

Sports Med introduces students to a curriculum that is more hands

on and allows them to get a headstart with a possible career in sports medicine. Students enrolled learn about physical therapy, treatment of various injuries, and other important medical criteria.

Also provided by the class are internships where students can see various athletes and help them with their rehabilitation process. If an athlete on campus gets injured, internship students evaluate their injuries and begin their rehab plan.

“The biggest thing for me is the

“why” behind what we do. It’s cool if a student can memorize information on a PowerPoint slide, but it doesn’t mean much if they don’t know the ‘why’ behind it. Being able to take the information learned in class and applying it to real-world scenarios is crucial,” said Harvey.

Beginning in sophmore year, students can first take the class where they can take it through senior year.

Students who graduate not only have the experience of hands-on sports medical training, but essential skills

in physical therapy and other fields.

Hundreds of possible careers can be the result of a sports medicine class.

“Mr. Harvey is really cool and he’s the best part about Sports Med,” said Dylan Iserhott, a student of the class.

Harvey has a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Pre-Physical Therapy” and a Master’s degree in “Athletic Training”.

staff writer

J

ACOB HARRIS, A 16-year-old soccer

player, who has neared a professional level of play and has been on the Phoenix Rising top team for the past couple of weeks, is set to debut his professional career in late January. Harris has been playing soccer for ten years and before being brought up to the top team, was previously playing on the phoenix rising ‘04 boys MLS team.

He has been playing soccer for 10 years and currently plays as a center attacking midfielder. Harris also played varsity soccer in the same position for the past two years.

The skill level required to make it up to this level of play is very intense and requires a lot of training as a player. He practices with his current team five times a week and typically has games or tournaments every weekend. Harris must stay active throughout the season to keep his stamina up. He does various exercises or practices in his free time to ensure that he will continue to play his best in games.

“I usually like to go for runs or go to the field to practice shooting and skill moves during my free time”, said Jacob Harris.

It is important to know your strengths and weaknesses as a player in order to improve.

There are many different assets that come with a soccer player and his or her ability to play at a skillful level.

“I feel my strongest asset is my first touch as I am good at controlling the ball and keeping it close to me, making it difficult for defenders to get the ball from me”, said Harris.

16-year-old soccer star Jacob Harris is turning heads with his skill GOAL! Jacob Harris has

been playing soccer for more than ten years. His professional career outlook is promising so far. 4 Miah THirion

Changing Plans

However, nothing is set in stone. Because COVID-19 cases have been on the rise for quite some time now, if it is still bad in the summer of 2021, then the Olympics will most likely be postponed, or even canceled.

3Justin Wong

Jaden Lea

Star soccer player slides into pro league

This would be devastating to the athletes who have been training for years to have a chance at competing in the Olympics. If they are canceled completely, there will likely be much backlash from all of the competing athletes that were affected by this.

Not only does his physical skills keep him at peak performance, but so does his mentality and effort towards his team.

“I think Jacob’s best asset as a player is definitely his mentality towards the game.

He always gives 100 percent when he plays and is a team player”, said Zach Akin, a former varsity soccer teammate.

Although Harris is dedicated and spends most of his time at the field or at practice working hard to improve his skill level, he enjoys hanging out with his friends and relaxing when he has time to.

Before games, it is important to prepare mentally and physically to make sure a player is going to maximize their playing ability. Different athletes have different pregame routines in order to get ready for a game, big or small.

“I make sure that I’m hydrated before my games and prepare mentally to stay calm and collected on the field”, said Harris.

With all of Harris’s skills brought into consideration, a valid question is “What is his limit, and how far will he make it in soccer?”. “ Jacob Harris has a lot of potential, he has a love for the game, he understands the game, and he works hard in practice and in games. Not only does he play hard on the field, but he does well academically and has lots of respect for people, so I see the sky as the limit for him”, said Tony Voss, the boys varsity soccer coach.

There is a lot behind reaching a professional level of play when it comes to soccer and Jacob Harris has reached that level, taking the time to improve his physical ability on the ball and on the field.

Good Sports

THE CSPRESS

FEBRUARY 12, 2021 ● 19

SENIOR SIGNING

Senior athletes discuss the troubles of signing for college during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coaches

couldn’t

come out to tournaments to watch us, so it was all just what I had on film. I got my dream school; I’m

Elizabeth Bennett guest writer

The prospects for high school seniors looking to earn college sports scholarships have been seriously impacted by COVID-19.

For football athletes, National Signing Day on February 3 produced far fewer opportunities to sign with a college. This was because of several COVID-related factors.

“COVID has put a lot of strain on the 2020-2021 recruiting season,” said Michael Hudnutt, Varsity football coach. “Schools did not come out and visit the school like they normally do.

It has put a lot more on us as coaches to reach out to schools on behalf of the players to gain interest from schools.”

According to a recent story in the Arizona Republic, one of the main issues is that college coaches were not able to see recruits in person last year because the NCAA shut down in-person recruiting.

Also complicating matters, the NCAA has given players currently on college teams an extra year of eligibility, which means incoming freshmen may have less opportunity to play. Both of these mean less room for incoming high school prospects.

“Coaches weren’t allowed to come watch us as they normally do,” said Cole Caruso, senior baseball player. “Usually, they fly out and watch you play. Instead, we had to send videos.”

According to the NCAA, over 180,000 students rely on sports scholarships to help pay for their college education every year. Without the ability for college coaches to meet athletes and par-

ents, there is concern that many of this year’s senior athletes will not get the needed scholarships.

“As of today, CSHS football has three players that have committed to play at the next level, but none were offered a scholarship,” said Hudnutt. “One would have been given a full-ride, but since the NCAA is allowing seniors another year of eligibility, he will have to wait at least a semester to get one.”

CNBC reported that many students are getting creative with ways to get noticed. Across the country, high school seniors are setting up Zoom meetings with college recruiters, attending livestream camps and also uploading their own skills videos online.

“This is a situation that has affected the entire country, and it will take a couple years to get back to normal,” said Hudnutt. “I do think that some kids will lose out on the opportunity to play at the next level due to the pandemic.”

In the same CNBC report, Pete Najarian, a former NFL linebacker turned options trader and CNBC contributor who regularly appears on CNBC’s “Fast Money Halftime Report,” had this advice for student athletes.

“Be ready for the moment. Because you might not get another moment like it. If you can perform at a high level, because you prepared. You did everything you needed to do to be ready for that moment,” Najarian said.

College recruiting had to change in this pandemic year. It remains to be seen whether or not these changes will remain permanent.

going to Northern Michigan University.

I got four offers -Kauai, USC Upstate, Long

Emily R adke

Island. I ended up

lacrosse player

Sienna going

and with

USC

Upstate. I wish other schools were able to come to see me, but I’m happy with what

I got a scholarship

happened.

with Augustana college.

C ole Caruso

COVID definitely limited

baseball player

but Augustana’s going to

the viewings that I got, be good for me. I do feel like I got the best option.

Nate Williams basketball player

It was weird where I had to do a virtual tour instead of an official tour of the campus, and most of

my

communication

with my coach has been through email and text.

It’s been kind of hard not

It was definitely a lot

being able to see her or

harder for coaches to

meet the team.

come out and watch but

R iley Hearn volleyball player

I committed junior year so it didn’t affect me as much.

K ylee Lowe golf player

a MIAH THIRION

AIA releases preliminary statements on spring sports

While the winter season closes out, the AIA prepares schools across the state to handle the spring season Grace Carey editor in chief

I

N THE BEGINNING of the Spring season, Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA), ruled in a 5-4 vote that all spring high school sports were to be cancelled.

Since that time, with immense pressure from parents and students, the ruling has been overturned. Now, with new precautions in place, the season has resumed.

“I’m really happy that we got our season back because it’s my senior season and it’s something that I’ve been looking forward to since I was a freshman,” said Kristin Jacobsen, a varsity team player.

While athletes are grateful to have their season back, this season

February 12 2021 Volume 12, Number 2 Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

MENDING IT Recent events have frayed the nation’s nerves.

Ryan Bartholomew sports editor

S

INCE

ELECTION DAY, tensions in the political world have been rising. Former President Donald Trump shouted voter fraud from the rafters, while the House rushed to impeach him. Recounts were ordered, polls investigated, and, after all of the extra searches and counting, the final results still showed Biden ahead by over seven million votes .

Elections are typically conten-

INSIDE the CSPress

February 12, 2021 Volume 12, Number 2

tious by nature, but most of the time, the losing candidate will concede and congratulate the winner shortly after Election Day is over and the votes are counted. Previously, only four times in history have the results been contested by the outgoing president, in 1876, 1888, 1960, and 2000. In each of these cases, the losing candidate and their party disputed the results.

In the year 2000, Democratic candidate Al Gore lost the state of Florida by 537 votes, which also cost him the election to George W. Bush.

CONTACT TRACING

Find out about the schools efforts with contact tracing. See on page 3

This caused states to switch completely off of punch card ballots, due to a history of machine malfunctions.

When the results came through on Election Day, Trump immediately turned around and began a huge push into his ongoing fraud narrative, focusing particularly on mail-in ballots. This sparked weeks of investigations into polling places, practices, and whether the poll workers were doing their jobs properly. Votes were recounted in a number of states over the coming

days and well into December.

On January 6, the results of two runoff elections were brought to the Senate in order to finally confirm them and end the weeks of questioning. That same day, thenpresident Trump gathered supporters on the Mall, continuing his claim that the election was stolen from him. As the scene in D.C. unfolded, smaller demonstrations across the country flared, forcing officials in multiple statehouses to evacuate.

Shortly after the rally ended, violence broke out as an armed mob

JACOB HARRIS

Young soccer star is making waves.

See soccer on page 19

forced its way into the Capitol building. They broke windows and doors, and forced Congress to evacuate and take shelter from the attack. At the same time, riots broke out across the country.

Suspicious packages, later confirmed to be pipe bombs, were found around the RNC and DNC headquarters in Washington.

The attack of the Capitol will go down as one of the darkest days in American history. It was the first

see Transition on page 3

is one that people have never seen before. Because of COVID-19, masks are to be worn throughout the duration of the game. If a player is seen not wearing a mask properly, a warning is given, if it happens again, the team must forfeit the rest of the match.

The situation, although not ideal, is something that athletes and coaches have to work with. As of right now, this is the only alternative to not having a season at all.

“Wearing a mask sucks because it gets really hot, especially during an intense game, but we all know we have to do it. It’s definitely a better alternative than not having a season all together and we’re all good about keeping it on,” said Gabe Diaz, a senior captain on the boys varsity

soccer team.

Parents have regulations that they must follow as well. In most seasons there is not a limit on how many people can come per family to support a player, however, this season is very different. Only two supporters are allowed per player and they have to be parents.

If, let’s say, someone’s mom wanted to bring a little sister to watch her older brother, it would not be permitted. The spectators must be either parents or legal guardians.

Due to the fact that only two guardians are allowed per player, the games are live streamed and all on demand. All people have to do is buy an online streaming service for ten dollars a month, and they

are given access to all high school games around the country. The games are on demand and can be watched at any time. his gives other supporters of the player a chance to watch their games, even if they live out of state.

“I’m really glad that my family is able to stream my games because a lot of them live in New York and before this, they had never been able to see me play,” said Jacobsen.

Many coaches that coach high school sports also coach club sports. Between the two seasons, COVID-19 precautions have changed drastically, making the switch back to club sports a gray area. It has not been decided what measures will be taken for club teams thus far.

“We will obviously have to work with whatever cards we’re dealt, but I know that no matter what, we’ll still play to our fullest potential. I’m not sure whether or not masks will be mandatory during our games, but if they are the girls will be well prepared,” said Tim Jones, a club soccer coach for Phoenix Rising.

The winter season has made a comeback in a tremendous way.

Athletes are proud that all of their hard work throughout the year is able to be showcased on the field, even if they have to wear masks during the game.

What the spring season holds is still unknown, but players have shown the ability to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances.

Tear Sheets March Good Sports

THE CSPRESS

MARCH 19, 2021 ● 19

March Madness kicks off during pandemic Justin Wong staff writer

SLAM DUNK, Connor

College basketball reaches an apex every year in March, when the NCAA hosts a 64 team tournament known as March Madness. The event is always popular with basketball fans but, since it was cancelled last year due to COVID-19, fans are even more enthusiastic for its return.

“This year should be interesting because we should see some teams making it further and see some big upsets and underdog stories,” said Max Andersen, a varsity basketball player.

Another factor affecting this year’s tourney is the complexity of the regular season due to COVID-19.

Usually, each team plays around 32 games and the top 64 teams make the tournament, traditionally the top teams, such as Duke, Michigan state, Kentucky, and North Carolina are some of the favorites to win every year.

These top teams thrive off of the top NCAA players and recruits.

However, according to a story written by Ricky

Benson, senior, going for the dunk. Benson has been playing for Cactus Shadows since freshman year.

4Aubrie Gilling

Athletic performance Winter sports make playoffs as season ends

O’Donnell on the SBNation website hosted by VOX media, several top teams were ejected from tournaments due to positive COVID-19 tests.

On Thursday, Duke was forced to forfeit in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament because of a positive test from Tier 1 personnel, meaning either a player or a coach. On Friday, a positive test kicked defending national champion Virginia out of the ACC tournament, and the Kansas Jayhawks out of the Big 12 tournament. North Carolina A&T, the No. 1 seed in the MEAC tournament, also had to take itself out of the postseason after a positive COVID test. Northern Iowa also took itself out of the Missouri Valley semifinals last week minutes before tip-off because of a positive test.

Smaller schools have found some success this year due to the chemistry the players on the team had from years prior. Illinois and Loyola Chicago as well as Baylor were teams that were not expected to be great but are now ranked in the top 25.

“This year has been wild

Scan this QR code for a video about March Madness produced by Patrick Geary and Trent Peterson, Digital Journalism students.

because a lot of the teams we’re used to seeing at the top of the rankings haven’t been there and we’re seeing new faces which will set up for a crazy March Madness,” said Andersen.

The First Four games started yesterday on March 18, with the opening round and round of 32 games happening at arenas around Indy. The NCAA is using a ‘bubble” format. Team must have seven days of negative test results in order to play in Indianapolis and San Antonio. They have also built out a 48-hour window for replacement teams, should a program get removed from the field for having a positive test.

According to O’Donnell, even though the vaccine is here, the pandemic is still very real. “It isn’t over just because we’re all sick of a year of lockdowns.

Everyone wants March Madness to happen. Players worked their whole lives to have a shot at playing in it, and fans look forward to it all year. It just seems foolish to expect the NCAA tournament to go off with a hitch as currently planned.”

Cactus Shadows sports fees high for valley schools The cost of sports at Cactus Shadows High school is more than most schools in Arizona. The athletic fee at Cactus Shadows is $310 per sport, and that is the fee just to play.

It is the only thing not needed to complete to be eligible for tryouts. It doesn’t even include all the money you have to spend on equipment and clothes.

In comparison, here are the costs associated with other schools in Arizona.

Winter sports at the school have made an impressive showing this year, with every one of them reaching high milestones, both in the regular and post-season.

Basketball Both boys and girls basketball teams are Region 2 Champions and headed to playoffs this week. Girls hosted the first round Tuesday and the boys travelled to Williams Field on Thursday.

Soccer Boys soccer had a 5-0 shutout senior night to end their season while girls soccer went to Cienega High Wednesday for Round 1 of State playoffs.

Pom/Cheer The spiritline ended their season competing at AIA state last week on Saturday. Pom placed fourth, and the Varsity Cheer team won state, becoming 12 time state Champions.

WZach Valentine

20 ● MARCH 19, 2021

GOOD SPORTS

Sophomore basketball player tells of making varsity Sierra LaBuwi talks about how her hard work landed her a spot on the varsity team Cait Bunkers spotlight editor

Sierra LaBuwi is a sophomore Varsity basketball player.

“I usually pick up a basketball every single day…

[I became serious about basketball] in 5th or 6th grade, when I started playing club,” said Sierra LaBuwi, a basketball player.

Practices Most of LaBuwi’s practices and training sessions are in the afternoon. She practices with her team from 6 pm to 8 pm every day, with games on some evenings. “[On game days] around 5th or 6th block, depending on if I don’t have anything going on in my classes, I’ll go home and do a little pre-game workout… I take a 45 minute to an hour nap, and then I come back to school,” LaBuwi said.

Before games, the team eats a meal and goes into the grey gym to warm up.

Then, they go into the blue gym to watch the JV team play.

Training outside of practices is also important to an athlete’s success. LaBuwi trains almost

every day, even when she is not with her team.

“At my house I’ll do a workout, or I’ll go to the gym, like, the Y or something, and then on the weekends I usually go to do basketball training with my trainer,” LaBuwi said.

Injury Prevention It is important for athletes to build injury prevention methods into their schedule. This can usually be done by making sure to warm up, cool down, and stretch properly before and after a workout or game. An injury would be a devastating blow to the career of an athlete, especially depending on the severity of the injury. It could also shake up the athlete’s schedule. “[If I were to get hurt] I wouldn’t have anything to do... because my whole schedule revolves around basketball,” LaBuwi said.

homework and studying built in.

Having a bond with teammates is important to success as a whole team. LaBuwi is friends with her teammates and they hang out during their free time from school and basketball.

“My basketball and social life are kind of the same thing, because all of my friends that do basketball are my friends, so I usually just hang out before… or after practice, or before a game,” LaBuwi said.

Goals During this season, LaBuwi wants to maintain an average of scoring at least 10 points per game.

She also wants her team to be the first in their division.

In the future, LaBuwi aspires to get a scholarship to play college basketball.

A Delicate Balance It is also important for student athletes to balance school with their sport. LaBuwi strives to manage her time wisely by having a set schedule for basketball and time for

LAY-UP, Sierra LaBuwi, sophomore, practices every day in the gym. She puts a lot of effort into her preparation for games by training even outside of practices. 4Cait Bunkers

Continuing Sports in College Sports are an important part of a student’s high school career. Many join as a way to make life long friends, while some have much higher aspirations for the sport.

7% 2%

Only 7 percent of all high school athletes go on to play at a varsity level in college, with only 2 percent going to NCAA Division I schools. The other 91 percent either stop altogether or only play outside of school.

Taken from a poll of 100 students

WOwen Taylor

THE CSPRESS

Fans return to games

The AIA has begun opening events to

spectators Jaden Lea staff writer

A

T THE START of the 2021 sports season, all fall sports were cancelled, however, the decision was overturned. In a 5-4 revote, the AIA voted to reinstate all fall and winter sports, but with new precautions in place.

Instead of the traditional unlimited number of fans allowed per player, only two parents were allowed at home games.

Additionally, all athletes had to wear masks for the entire duration of the game.

“It was really annoying when we had to wear masks when we were playing because it was so hot and if we took them off, we would get yellow carded,” said Camryn Capuzzo, a senior on the varsity girls soccer team.

Recently, as of March 3, athletes no longer need to wear masks during their playing time.

Masks are only required when players are on the sidelines, sitting next to their teammates. In addition to the mask modification requirements, the number of fans allotted per player for away games has also changed. Now, players are able to purchase two tickets for games not held at home, however, the fans can still only be parents or guardians of the player.

“It’s my senior year so being able to have my parents watch means a lot. Some of our most competitive games are away and I’m glad that they get to see me play there too,” said Sam Rojo, a senior on the boys varsity soccer team.

Because of the fact that COVID-19 is still a threat, the AIA continues to take precautions, but since the beginning of the season, the rules have loosened. Athletes understand that everything that has been put into place has been to protect their safety.

“I feel that the precautions are necessary and they are important in keeping the players safe, and I’m glad that there was still a season this year as it almost got cancelled completely,” said Jake Seaton, the boys soccer junior varsity coach.

Although the season is not what was envisioned for some, the fact that parents of players are able to attend has certainly helped boost morale on the field, both at and away from home.

Comment

6 ● APRIL 16, 2021

THE CSPRESS

Cutting budgets, cutting programs

Online Editor in Chief Opinion Editor News Editor Sports Editor Food Editor Creeker Editor Spotlight Editor Photo Editor Travel Editor Style Editor Global News Editor Technology Editor Health Editor

THE EDITORIAL: As We See It

D

The school

UE TO A projected $4.1 million shortfall for next year, the District is looking at cutting programs to save money.

While no specific programs are targeted for cuts at the high school next year, the reality is that nothing is safe when faxing the budget ax.

The CS Press conducted a poll of the student body to determine which programs students care the most about. The results showed that 76 percent of students choose the AP and foreign language programs, while IB is, across the board, the least favored program, with almost 80 percent of students placing it the lowest rank in terms of importance.

Enrollment in the IB program is low, and it always has been. It is designed to be the pinnacle of achievement at our school, the hardest program you can take, and more often than not, the valedictorian as well as many of the top ten come from IB. Now compare those outcomes to the rest of Several the school. How expensive is it per student?

What is enrollment in the program compared programs to others? Also consider this like a balancing being talked act, where removing one thing allows you to about by add to another. How worth is it to keep a program with that low of enrollment compared to students on bolstering other, more accessible, more popular programs? campus as Another example would be the Pre-AP curriculum the school adopted candidates last year. Essentially a way to raise the baseline of education on campus by introducing students who do not take higher level classes to honors and AP for review style learning. While the immediate backlash from students was fairly harsh, are Pre-AP, it is worth asking if the higher baseline has actually helped students acaAP, Foreign demically or if it was a waste?

The Foreign Language programs are also a point of contention, given that Language, and they were mentioned by name in Superintendent Cort Monroe’s letter to IB. the community. There are also other costs that many do not consider with language The EDITORIAL represents the programs, like a visa for each of the teachers. consensus view of the members of This is where balancing the budget can become so the Editorial Board. complicated, which is why most high level decisions also have The Editorial Board members are to go through the district office and a host of other important Julia Knies, Grace Carey, Max persons with stake in the programs being discussed.

Sotelo, Miah Thirion, Jo Breese, Making the decision about what to cut from the budget is Ryan Bartholomew, Cait Bunkers, Claire Geare, Max Hancock, Michael challenging. Our hope is that the school will take the students’ Kaegi, Philip Tate, Emma Weaver, desires into consideration when making those choices about Mikki Warriner, and Paul Wernes. which programs to keep, and which to cut.

district must

consider care-

Grace Carey Julia Knies Max Sotelo Claire Geare Michael Kaegi Ryan Bartholomew Emma Weaver Cait Bunkers Jo Breese Miah Thirion Paul Wernes Mikki Warriner Max Hancock Philip Tate Julia Knies

of dropping

Cait Bunkers creeker editor

DIVE IN

Advisers Lori Hart, Robert Adamson

courses on the reputation of

Editorial Policy: The CSPress is published by the Journalism class of Cactus Shadows High School.

The newspaper serves the students and staff of Cactus Shadows High School and as a connection to the surrounding community.

the school

POLL: Which of these programs should the school keep?

40%

PUSH OFF, Mady Bochmeier, junior, leaps off the board to start her race. Mady has been a top performer since joining Cactus Shadows swim team. 4David Levy

The objective of the CSPress is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining NEWSpaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints.

The Comments and views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, the adviser, or all CSPress staff members.

Sarah Love guest writer

Mady Bachmeier is a junior who ranks sixth in Arizona swimming. She participates in both school and club teams, and her favorite events are the 200 backstroke, which is eight laps, and 100 backstroke, which is four.

While recruiters look at swim rankings, they are not as popular as in other sports.

Nonetheless, ranking sixth in the state is a huge accomplishment.

“It feels good that my hard work paid off,” said Bachmeier.

Bachmeier began swimming as a kid, and has been competing for around six years. She hopes to get an Olympic trial cut, a qualifier to make the U.S. swim team. Getting into the Olympics is more difficult.

“You have to be one of the top two people

The CSPress is also published online, at cactusshadowscspress.com.

The editors reserve the right to reject any material that is libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate and material disruption to the educational environment.

WE VALUE YOUR Comment. EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO CSPRESS. CSPRESS@gmail.COM The CSPress values Comments from its readers.

If you have something to say about anything you have read, please write a letter to the editor and send it to cspress.Comment@gmail.com. Letters must be typed, less than 100 words in length and signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. The CSPress will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or that target an individual.

Advertisements that are obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors will not be printed. The CSPress reserves the right to reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the Advertising Manager at (480) 575-2493.

38%

26% 20%

24%

10%

12%

Based on a poll of 100 Cactus Shadows students on April 12.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

AP

PRE-AP

IB

Justin Wong staff writer

Not many people have the drive to stay committed to a sport they start when they are young. But star tennis player Nathan Miota has been on the grind since he could hold a racket.

“I was five years old when I started playing,” said Miota. “I practice around 4-5 days a week, for 1-2 hours each practice.”

Having practice this much every week can be taxing on the body, and to keep doing this every week shows his love for the sport. This much practice is to prepare him for all different situations he may encounter during a match, and is crucial to his development as a tennis player.

The CSPress Cactus Shadows High School 5802 East Dove Valley Road , Scottsdale, Arizona 85266 tel. 480-575-2400 April 16. 2021 Volume 12: Issue 4 School enrollment: 1822 Number of copies printed: 1100

THE CSPRESS

Cactus Shadows alums coach March Madness

in the cut when you go to the Olympics,” said Bachmaier.

Bachmeier trains for two to two and a half hours every day. In addition to swimming, her daily workouts include weight training twice a week, and something called “dryland,” which is working out without the weights, using bodyweight instead.

“It helps you to work out different muscles,” said Bachmeier. “When you’re always swimming, you’re always using the same muscles. So these help round out the different muscles.”

The most challenging thing about being a swimmer is the time commitment and time management skills. It can be hard to say no to activities with friends. But the experience has definitely been worth it.

“The best thing about swimming is the

relationships that I build,” said Bachmeier.

Over the years, Bachmeier has been inspired by a variety of swimmers, including five-time Olympic gold medalist Melissa “Missy” Franklin. Franklin has held world records in the 200-meter backstroke, as well at the 4x100-meter relay.

Bachmeier plans to swim in a D1 college program. She is not sure which college yet, but will decide soon. She currently does not have plans to swim competitively after college.

“I may swim in a master program, but wouldn’t necessarily compete after college,” said Bachmaeier.

Bachmeier believes that self discipline plays a huge role in reaching personal goals, and staying focused is key.

Junior tennis player displays talents

The CSPress is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association, and the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association.

30%

THE CSPRESS

Trans athletes banned from competition

M

Staff Solei Geist, David Lane, Jaden Lea, Livia Lowe, Peyton Marinelli, Kolton O’Connor, Katelyn Pinkham, Erika Potter, Ava Rhodes, Judith Silva, Delaynee Smith, Owen Taylor, Justin Wong

fully the impact

“

Good Sports

18 ●APRIL 16, 2021 Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

Editors in Chief

“When I was younger, I won a few big tournaments in the tennis league USTA,” said Miota.

Not many people can accomplish something like this, and this just shows how all his hours and hours of practice paid off for him.

“I like the one on one aspect, because it’s just me versus the other person,” said Miota.

This is a crucial part of the sports success, and the reason many people love to play it. If he messes up, then he only has himself to rely on to get better, and when he succeeds it was all of that work that won him the match.

“I would recommend tennis to others, it’s

a great sport. If you are going to play, get lessons because there’s a lot to learn,” said Miota.

Even though tennis seems like quite a simple sport to a newcomer, there are also many intricacies that must be learned in order to truly get better at the game.

“My inspirations are my brother because he’s really good, and Federer because he’s my favorite tennis player,” said Miota.

Having an inspiration is crucial to becoming successful in anything, because without an inspiration, Miota may never have fallen in love with the sport the way he has.

Tennis is a great sport that many others like Nathan Miota love to play, and wouldn’t give up the sport for anything.

ULTIPLE STATES HAVE either passed or are working on legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that align with their gender.

“Online an athlete will come out as transgender… and there will be a lot of people who say ‘hey, you can’t do this anymore,’” said Zoe Kupersmith, a freshman.

According to huffpost.com, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi passed bills that prohibit transgender athletes from joining sports teams that align with their gender. In at least 20 other states, similar legislation has advanced.

In Arizona, representative Nancy Barto introduced a bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in school sports. The bill is called the “Save Women’s Sports Act” and would require schools to designate teams as being for males, females, or co-educational. Transgender girls would not be allowed to play on sports teams designated for girls, because biological sex is the criteria for participation on teams.

Those who back these bills argue that transgender girls are naturally stronger and faster because they were assigned male at birth, and therefore have a competitive advantage over cisgender women. However, according to espn.com, none of the supporters of Tennessee’s bill could cite an instance of a transgender athlete causing a problem.

“I think it depends… in sports like boxing, strength could definitely be a factor in that… but other things like participating in teams events, they should still be allowed to do,” said Ally Clow, a sophomore.

Additionally, many lawmakers, such as Mississippi governor Tate Reeves, cite President Joe Biden’s transgender-inclusive legislation as the reason for new anti-trans legislation.

“I think the laws are being based on kneejerk reactions about the science… I think the science is showing that transitioning is something that’s not taken lightly, a lot of the arguments are that anyone can do it… [but] professionals take their time and make sure it’s right for that person,” said Scott LaVigne, an English teacher.

Many people also argue that higher levels of testosterone in biologically male athletes causes transgender female athletes to have an advantage over cisgender female athletes.

This is because testosterone increases athletic performance. According to npr.com, though, higher levels of testosterone are only associated with better performance in a very small number of athletic disciplines, such as the pole vault, hammer throw, and 800 meters.

Some student athletes oppose the ban.

According to nytimes.com, over 500 student-athletes have signed a letter to the NCAA to urge the organization to stop holding championship events in states that restrict transgender athletes.

APRIL 16, 2021 ● 19

CELEBRATE, Hayden

Sheridan celebrating after Georgia Tech became champions.

Three former Falcons coached teams in the March tournament this year.

Owen Taylor staff writer

The highly anticipated NCAA March Madness Tournament has just ended with Baylor and Gonzaga coming out on top. But something less well known is how involved some Cactus Shadows alum were in the tournament. This year, three alums coached March Madness Teams: Casey Perrin, Texas Tech; Hayden Sheridan, Georgia Tech; and John Seavey, U.C. Santa Barbara.

Perrin graduated from Cactus Shadows in 2011 and played basketball all four years of high school.

Perrin’s time as a Falcon taught him a lot about the game and being a part of a team.

“As a player, I developed a skill set that helped me be able to teach through experience. I also had a work ethic that set me apart and earned the respect of both players and colleagues,” said Perrin.

Humble Beginnings Perrin’s road to becoming a coach began as a player. Originally, Perrin wanted to play Division 1 basketball. After graduation, he moved to Maine and played in the Prep League for a year before attending Campbell University.

At Campbell, he played for four years in the Big South Conference.

During his freshman year, current Georgia Southern head coach was an assistant coach at Campbell.

Even though he was only there one season, Perrin stayed in touch with him.

“After graduating from Campbell,

Coach Burg called and asked if I was interested in coming to Texas Tech as a graduate assistant,” said Perrin. “I have now been with Texas Tech Men’s Basketball for the past five years.”

Coaching at a college level is exciting and challenging, and Perrin does not take his success for granted.

“I love the game of basketball and feel very blessed to have this career opportunity. College basketball is exciting - the hours can be long, but the reward is great,” said Perrin.

Perrin was inspired along the way by coaches Chris Bears, Mark Adams, and Brian Burg. All three have acted as mentors.

“They have made huge impacts on my life personally, especially within my coaching career,” said Perrin. “Their work ethic, the way they hold others accountable, and their drive have inspired me greatly.

In addition to Perrin, Sheridan and Seavey both coached March Madness teams this year. Perrin and Sheridan are both in their fifth year of coaching with their respective schools.

“Hayden and John are my boys,” said Perrin. “We don’t talk every day due to busy schedules and distance, but our relationships are special. We will always be tied together through Cactus Shadows and that means a lot. It was pretty awesome that all three of us were able to experience the NCAA Tournament this year with our individual teams.”

Dreams realized All three consider even being able to coach a privilege, with March Madness being a long time dream for all of them.

“March Madness is an experience like none other in the world for me. I have been to three tournaments and each one is so special. It is everyone’s dream to play in March and

getting all the way to that Monday night game is a dream come true,” said Perrin. “I watch a lot of basketball, but watching March Madness is my favorite, the hype and the following behind the whole event makes it special.”

Perrin also likes to encourage high school students to push themselves to reach those dreams just as he did.

“The best advice I could give to high school athletes is never waste a day and develop relationships.

Hard work is a given in any career path and relationships are key in

this process,” said Perrin.

He is a strong believer in being the kind of athlete who is open to coaching.

“Be coachable in every situation.

Great players want to be coached hard and told the truth. That is the only way to grow and get better, making sure that includes a strong mental game plan,” said Perrin.

While coaching is an ideal career for Perrin, it comes with high pressure, which means taking the time to have a strong game plan and keeping up his own skills is important.

REUNITED, Casey Perrin and John Seavey during the tournament. While all three do not see each other as often as they would like, they still try to maintain a close bond.

Tear Sheets April

22 ● MAY 14, 2021

Euro Super League disappoints fans

Good Sports

GOOD SPORTS

THE CSPRESS

Teams face backlash after signing with league Justin Wong staff writer

The Super League appeared out of nowhere, and left just as fast.

Its creation caused a massive uproar, and many fans of the sport were upset about its formation. The league itself did not take into consideration the fans, and that ended up being the cause of its downfall.

The Super League consisted of six teams from England, three teams from Spain, three teams from Italy, and three other teams from around the world. These teams would be excluded from the possibility of relegation, since they are the founding clubs of the league. Five other teams would be allowed in based on achievements their team made in the previous year.

“If the Super League had been brought up in a more gradual way, I think that it could have been very successful, but since it popped up so suddenly the fans as well as myself were infuriated by it,” said Jake Seaton, the JV soccer coach.

Many people like Seaton disagreed with the way this league popped up out of thin air, and tried to take all of the biggest teams out of their normal competitions. The owners of each respective club decided to join without any input from the players or the managers.

“No, I do not think the European Super League is a good idea, because it was formed for money,” said Kal Goff, a junior.

Many people like Goff believed that this league was created for the sole purpose of making money. Although the views this league would get would be far greater than most of the available games to watch, it would destroy the sport most people know and love.

“Negative, because the same super teams would play each other week in and week out causing it to become stale. Big clubs from other countries playing each other are supposed to be a rare occurrence that they earn a spot for,” said Jacob Harris, a junior.

To simply put it, the excitement of two big teams from different countries playing in huge games would be taken away by the creation of the Super League. It would become a normal occurrence, and would not have the same hype that these types of games have now.

In retaliation to the creation of the super league, FIFA and UEFA proposed that all players who were on teams that joined the league would be banned from international and regular league play. If the Super League would have gone through, then many top tier players would be forced to play exclusively in the super league.

Its greatest downfall was lack of consideration of the fans.

They took action and spoke out against it in order to get the teams that joined to drop out. The Super League was a good idea in theory, but in practice was not handled in a way that would be beneficial to the fans or the players of this great sport.

SUPER GREED, FC Barcelona, along with other mainstay UEFA

teams Juventus and Real Madrid, excluded themselves from the reintegration deal put forward on May 8. 4Getty Images

Senior athletes commit to colleges With next year fast approaching, graduates sign their deals Peyton Marinelli staff writer

With the school year coming to an end, many athletes from Cactus Shadows have committed to colleges to continue their athletic education.

“I play baseball and I’ve been playing since kindergarten,” said Trace Laudenschlager, a senior committed to Mary Hardin Baylor.

To get recognized by different colleges, coaches recommend players to area scouts for specific schools. Individual videos can also be sent out of the athletes in action.

The other option athletes sometimes

opt for is to register for recruiting services that coaches can view.

“There really is not a common school that our players commit to.

We basically had players go to school in many different states. The main thing is finding the right fit academically, financially, and athletically for all the players who would like to play in college,” said Gaetano Gianni, a baseball coach.

For athletes, playing a sport in college comes with benefits. Being able to juggle school along with a sport demonstrates a strong work ethic to any potential future employ-

ers. Another benefit is strong relationship building. Relationships with a team and coaches can go well past high school, and having connections with people in the same field of interest is good.

“It’s exciting just being on a team of a bunch of like minded athletes that all have a common interest with running,” said Merit Thompson, a senior committed to Arizona State University.

Cactus Shadows athletes have been committed to many different schools, for many different sports with the help of their coaches.

RUN IT, Merit Thompson, a senior, has committed to ASU to continue her running career in college. 4Gianna Lazzaro

THE CSPRESS

GOOD SPORTS

MAY 14, 2021 ● 23

AIA rules for 2020-21

Were the guidelines set by the AIA enough?

Cactus Shadows athletics final results: How did we do?

Football

5A North East Valley Region Player of the Year: Hafeez Ahmed-Momoh

Cross Country

Boys team qualified for State and placed 8th Merit Thompson individually qualified and won 5th place in the Division 2 State Meet

Swim and Dive

Girls Swim team took 3rd at state. Madelyn Bachmeier is 200 IM state champion and 100m Backstroke state champion

Ryan Bartholomew sports editor

The 2020-21 school year was certainly different from years prior.

As the first year back with COVID-19, there were many things people were uncertain of, especially with regard to athletics programs. And while the AIA handled it well, it was not their rules that caused major problems.

Initially, AIA guidelines for sports were thought to be incredibly strict. In September, they had begun with the obvious things; mask mandates, limiting spectators, anything that could be done to limit numbers and risk of contamination.

By early winter, tickets were available to a limited group of people who wanted to spectate, and once that step had been taken, it opened the door to being more relaxed with the rules.

As an athlete, I feel like many others will agree that there was not exactly a perfect enforcement of those rules across the board, and that makes sense. Trying to ensure thousands of high school students are following these new, unfamiliar and often confusing rules is not easy.

Masks would come off once during an event or game or a race and after, would never go back on.

Social distancing, at least by the spring, had all but stopped, and concessions stands were set up once more.

This is not to fault administrators and coaches, but it was the reality of sports this season. Rules were observed well before the game or event, but after and especially during, most of that went out the window.

And I am not saying I was completely against how everything went. That sense of almost normalcy was really nice, especially after a year of being forced into a mask for upwards of 8-12 hours a day.

A lot of this responsibility falls to the coaches, of course. They should always be looking to enforce those rules whenever possible. But there also needs to be a higher standard that athletes hold themselves to and follow those rules.

Moving into the next year is sure to be full of challenges. I just hope that people make more of an effort to follow those rules on the field.

State Champions of the 200 Free Relay and the 400 Free Relay with Katherine Rink, Jenna Moore, Sera Hanagan, and Madelyn Bachmeier

Volleyball

Division 2 State Runner-Up

Girls Golf

Division 2 Team State Runner-Up Calynne Rosholt is Division 2 Team Individual State Champion

Boys Golf

Division 2 Team State Champions Jacob Tarkany is Division 2 Team Individual State Champion

Boys Basketball

5A North East Region Conference Champions Cole Caruso named 5A North East Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year

Girls Basketball

5A North East Region Conference Champions 5A North East Region Coach of the Year: Richie Willis

Girls Soccer

Emily O’Neil named All Region Offensive Player of the Year

Boys Soccer

Sam Rojo named All Conference 2nd team

Wrestling

Brayden Hasher placed 3rd at state Brandon Herzog places 2nd at state (first time since 1993 that CSHS had a wrestler in the state finals match)

FINISHING UP the season, baseball joins other successfull Cactus Shadows teams.

4Aubrey Gilling

Sophia Barnedo hits a bullseye with Junior Olympic archery Cait Bunkers creeker editor

S

HE MAY NOT be a song by Taylor Swift, but Cactus Shadows has its own Archer, Sophia Barnedo.

“I picked up a bow, obviously, just to play around with it, and I realized, oh, I can kind of do this,” said Barnedo, a junior.

Barnedo began competing in the sport at eight years old in the Junior Olympic Archery Division, but did it as a hobby even earlier.

From there, she began to practice more reg-

Tear Sheets May

ularly.

Barnedo practices two to three times a week when in competition. A typical practice begins with a warm up, then focuses on form and ways to earn more points in competitions.

“There’s bales, it’s a long hallway usually, sometimes we’re outside, kind of like a gym, but there’s just a shooting area,” Barnedo said.

Due to COVID-19, she has not been able to practice with her usual coach. However,

she still works out at home to stay in her best archery shape.

In competitions, archers are lined up, then given a specific amount of time during which they can shoot their arrows.

Since competitions can be stressful events, it is important to be relaxed and confident beforehand.

One of Barnedo’s favorite things to do before competitions is deep breathing.

“I always have to get out of my head, otherwise you overthink it, and you just let your

body take over; it’s kind of subconscious at that point,” Barnedo said.

Although she does not have specific goals in the sport just yet, Barnedo still practices at home frequently. She uses the sport as a way to relieve stress.

When she is not busy aiming for targets, Barnedo is getting involved in her life at Cactus Shadows.

She is the president of both the Cultural Students Union and the Chinese Club.