800 News: The Wildcat Roar - November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021

STATE CHAMPS Westminster Christian Academy

1

STAFF

MANAGING EDITOR IN CHIEF MAGGIE LINDSTROM, SENIOR

Students

EDITOR: 800 SPORTING BROOKE HIGHMARK, SENIOR

CONTENT EDITOR EMMA HARRIS, SENIOR

Serving

BROADCAST LEADER IZZY TROST, SENIOR

BROADCAST LEADER ABBY JOHLERT, SENIOR

Students

BROADCAST LEADER TRISTON SCALES, SENIOR

BROADCAST LEADER ANNA FREGENE, SENIOR

2 STAFF

FEATURE EDITOR

PAWPRINT LIAISON

ELLIE JONES, SENIOR

HOPE LINAM, SENIOR

Staff Writers STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

EVAN KOHN, SENIOR

SAYVA PHILIPS , SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

RILEY HEIRONIMUS, SENIOR

ALEX WITTENAUER, SENIOR

NOLAN JONES, SENIOR

JACOB BROWN, SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

JACKSON LOEHR, SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

JACOB HANSON, SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

ANNA GRACE LIKES, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

LUCY KNERR, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

ALLI BISHOP, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

WILL DANA, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

POPPY MCCAULEY, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

MEGAN MOREY, SENIOR

MIA SCHEULEN, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

AMILA PIERIS, SOPHOMORE

MADDOX ROSENBERG, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

SYDNEY BRADLEY, JUNIOR

WILLIAM JINKINS, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

ELIJAH SCHMIDT, FRESHMAN

COLE STEPHENS, JUNIOR

LUKE RYAN, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

CHRISTINA ENGLISH, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

DREW CAHILL, SOPHOMORE

3

CONTENTS

FEATURE

MEET THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS PG. 7

A NEW ARRIVAL PG. 8

BLANKING ON TESTS PG. 9

A PASSION WITH PURPOSE PG. 11

EIGHTH GRADERS TAKE INITIATIVE WITH SANFAN PG. 12

4 CONTENTS

OPINION

THE CALSSIC HATE FOR CLASSICS PG. 13 SUFFERING IN SILENCEMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH PG. 15 CHRISTIANITY ISN’T A POLITICAL PARTY. STOP TREATING IT LIKE ONE. PG. 16 SOCIAL MEDIA BLINDS US FROM THE TRUTH PG. 17 TAYLOR’S VERSION PG. 18 WHY THE LONG FACE? PG. 19

NEWS

ITSOG RECAP PG. 6

CONTENTS

SPORTS

ROME WASN’T BUILT IN ONE DAY AND NEITHER ARE STATE CHAMPS PG. 21

THE MISSING LINK PG. 22

THE GROWING OBSESSION WITH YOUTH SPORTS PG. 23

WHEN THE COLLISON COUNTS PG. 24

THE BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS PG. 25

STAFF ED Juniors Sent Home for Wearing Onesies *from a students prespective*

Why are these onesies such a big deal? Is there a point to sending students home for a seemingly minor violation? Well, the Dress Down Standards document, included in the morning announcements, outlines clothing that is not permitted—including crop tops, jeans with holes, and pajamas alongside onesies. The “why” from the document that best fits this scenario is “modesty/ professionalism—this is still a place of learning.” The guidelines are given so Westminster can keep a face of professionalism on out-of-uniform days. If these guidelines are not followed, then administration technically has the right to take Friday dress down days away for good.

guidelines made clear to them. “I was mad because I was wearing very modest clothing and my outfit was not inappropriate,” said Emily Griege, junior, who had to take off her onesie at school and receive a tardy. Another junior, Gabby Merrifield, had to purchase a pair of sweatpants from the bookstore because she lives too far away from school to drive all the way home and back. Many students understandably assumed that if their onesies were modest and loose-fitting, then they would be following the guidelines still.

Others were upset by this because they were forced to go home in the middle of the day to change when they had important tests. “For me that’s when I truly felt agitated. I live more than thirty minutes away from the school and I’d Thursday night, Westminster juniors encouraged their friends and peers been missing a math lesson over a onesie,” said Williams. These interruptions to wear a onesie for their Friday dress down. A message was sent out in the class GroupMe urging juniors to wear their favorite onesie instead of (or with) seemed too severe a punishment for most, disrupting their schoolwork and the flannel dress down theme. “Doing something as small as dressing alike is interfering with schedules. Juniors started complaining about this in the class something we just thought would be so cool to see. So we spread the word and group chat, and news of the mass onesie problem spread like a wildfire. came to school the next day in onesies,” said Jordan Williams, junior. But, when 11th graders showed up this morning wearing their comfy pajamas, they did not The anger, though, comes from the punishment, not the rule itself. The obtain the reaction they sought. fact that students’ busy days were so abruptly interrupted by having to drive home and come back to school, likely missing tests and quizzes, seems like an Administration shot down the onesies immediately, instructing anyone wearing one to either go home and change or take it off and change at school overbearing punishment for students wearing onesies to school. Administration but receive a tardy. Students were outraged, claiming to be unaware of the rule may have had the right intention for both the rule and the punishment, but maybe they were being punished for. The intention was simply attempting a fun class what they deserved instead was a, “hey this is against dress code, don’t wear it again,” or “this is what the handbook says, if you have something to change into bonding activity by wearing a themed outfit. please do but if not just don’t wear it next time.” Junior students did not have the The annoyance does not merely arise from the fact that they had to change, intention to break the rules—it was simply a fun way to connect to each other that was unfortunately a violation of dress code guidelines. but that most were being punished for a rule they did not know existed. If students are expected to follow the rules, they believe they should have those

From 800 news

STAFF ED

contact us at 800news@wcatsl.org, if you have any problems or concerns.

STAFF EDITORIAL 5

ITSOG IS OFFICALLY OVER! ELIJAH SCHMIDT Staff Writer

This was obviously the Juniors, who swept the week all except for one day when the sophomores won. They will be the recipient of the pizza party and have most likely drank gallons of delicious Paw-Print Coffee.

I.T.S.O.G has gone fairly well this year, although we missed our goal this week has certainly been eventful.

From a brief Volleyball interruption to a sweeping victo- Westminster would like to thank STUCO for organizing ry this will certainly be an I.T.S.O.G Week to remember. this important event. Especially Jack Wooldridge and Mrs. Brown who led this initiative. And lastly thank On Thursday Girl’s Volleyball went to the State Semi-Fi- you to the student body for donating so generously. nals. If they won we would receive the day after off school to go and cheer them on at state. In a sweeping In conclusion I.T.S.O.G definitely did not go as planned. victory these amazing girls won both games. So obviAnd yet this is a week we all will surely remember. ously Friday’s donations were pushed to Monday. Even through this distraction the Wildcats pulled through and donated generously on Monday.

Now here are the totals from all the days. On the first day of I.T.S.O.G a little under 3,000 items were donated. The next day over 2,000 pairs of Pajamas were donated. Once we were halfway through the week a little over 5,700 toiletries were collected. Then on the fourth day a little under 1,500 toys were collected and on the last day almost 4,500 school supplies were donated.

Now you may wonder who was the overall winner.

Sophomore girls wait to oragnize incoming items with anticipation. Photo by: Marggie Lindstrom

Cheyenne Grasmick (Freshmen) sorts through boxes of Mac N’ Cheese.

Phtot by: Lucy Knerr

Freshmen stand at their tables, smiling while serving at ITSOG. Photo by: Maggie Lindstrom

6 NEWS

MEET THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS

ELIJAH SCHMIDT Staff Writer

Crunching numbers and reading textbooks, to launching projectiles, all of it is in science class. Even impressionable middle schoolers have a passion for this one of a kind class.

When sitting down with both Mrs. DeRousse and Mrs. Thompson, two of the three middle school science teachers.

They both gave some insight on their lives at Westminster, and why they have chosen to stay at our christian school.

Mrs. DeRousse has taught 7th Grade Science ever since she started on the staff. DeRousse came to Westminster as a mom, with her kids attending when eventually she subbed for the 7th Grade Science Teacher (Mrs. Pollack) when she went on maternity leave. This was uncharted territory for her, as she had never taught a science class before. DeRousse explained to her that she would sit in on math classes to learn the material for the class, quite literally a student along with them. She told me that she fell in love with the subject, from the intimate process of mitosis to the functions of our complex body, DeRousse looking starry eyed all the while.

DeRousse said that it was not really her choice to stay at Westminster, she was called to this job by God. Frankly, she thought that Westminster was out of her league, so she really stayed because she felt that she was called to stay. The reasons she assumed this school was out of her depth was because of just how high level the education at Westminster was. And it was definitely a plus that she could freely talk about her faith, unlike the public school she had subbed at before.

In addition, the science teacher had an interesting take on how the Bible fits into science. She stated that they can enlighten each other, that God’s Word is living and that God

Mrs. DeRousse smiles while imbracing her husband. They have been happily married for a long time. Photo provided by: Anne DeRousse

Mrs. Thompson stand in her lab. She loces how spacious her room and lab are combined. Photo by: Elijah Schmidt

gave us these tools to decipher His creation. Through this, she takes the stance that the Bible is not just a book, but His living word. And that science can help us to understand His word. And in addition, the Bible can help us understand our world in tandem with science.

Mrs. Thompson started out teaching for eighteen years at a public school. She explained that while she enjoyed the experience, after a while she felt that she was not making as big of an impact. Thompson prayed on this issue, and eventually God led her to Westminster. She currently teaches 8th grade science and her sons have all gone through Westminster Thompson said that there were many reasons why she stayed at Westminster, from the incredible staff to her amazing students. Overall, Thompson seems to love Westminster,and while her journey was not out of the ordinary, she still makes an impact daily at our beloved school.

After getting Thompson’s backstory she exlpained how the Bible fit into her science class. She remarked at how people remove science content from God. Thompson explained that no matter who does this from the top of the food chain to the bottom it is still immoral. “Be comfortable in the process, because God created it anyway,” Mrs. Thompson elaborated. What she is trying to articulate is that we should not get bogged down by those who try to separate the Bible from science, because God created it all. It would seem that Thompson truly believes that the Bible is not meant to be separated from the rest of God’s creation.

Throughout the interviews with both of these incredible teachers, one can believe that they learned quite a lot, from new perspectives on the Bible to just how great Westminster is. Science class at Westminster is certainly different than it is at most schools. But one can certainly see how “out of our league” Westminster is.

FEATURE 7

A NEW ARRIVAL

ELIJAH SCHMIDT Staff Writer

Vossen’s journey to teaching was seemingly simple. It just From Jefferson City to Saint Louis, he may not have come a seemed like a logical decision for him. “Actually in high long way but he is certainly a welcome addition to the staff.

Mr. Vossen teaches high School bible and psychology, and not school I was voted most likely to be a teacher or coach.” Mr. Vossen explained. He explained even further that he did not only that, but this year is his first at Westminster. So, 800 want to be that person who fit a mold. But he ended up realNews decided to sit down with the new teacher and get a izing that teaching was where his gifts lie. Overall, becoming little bit of insight into his life. a teacher was just what he knew he was the best at.

Vossen was born and raised in Jefferson City, MO. He worked with a ministry, went to Lindenwood University, and has lived When asked about what he really enjoys about his day he an all around seemingly favorable life so far. Vossen was also quickly responded that his students are. That the relationships he can foster and the way he can help young people a star athlete, appearing on the high school basketball and grow is what makes it all worth it. He then explained that he baseball teams. I was under the impression that he lived a can easily connect with the younger generations and that it perfect life. However, this was far from the truth. comes fairly naturally for him. It is apparent that this new teacher is connecting with the Westminster Student Body.

After high school, everything had changed for Mr. Vossen.

Suddenly he was no longer the star athlete, so he did not It was certainly apparent to me that Mr. Vossen will certainly have that crutch to lean on. He endured an identity crisis change lives at Westminster. At the end of our conversation during his freshman year of college. This certainly caused he had one last thought to leave my readers. “Just try to be him to beg the questions: What was the purpose for his life without sports? Who am I? What gave him his identity. After kind to everyone you come across, because you don’t know searching, he eventually found the answer. The answer was what they are going through or what their life is like.”

God. Through the testimony of a friend, he began to walk with the Lord. Suddenly, his life was defined by what God wanted, and he began to value being a Christian. This leads one to wonder why Vossen began to teach.

Mr. Vossen poses next to some of his students. Photo by: Elijah Schmidt

8 FEATURE

A PASSION WITH PURPOSE ELLIE JONES Features Editor

pandemic in late March of 2020, she gave birth to her third and youngest son, Samuel. In the first couple of days after he was born, she and her husband learned that Samuel had only a pencil line of blood flowing through his heart.

Born in Celina, Ohio in 1987, Mrs. Butterfield grew up as a middle child with an older sister and younger brother. Growing up, her family was, and is still incredibly important to her. “We truly had to rely on the Lord as we had no strength or wisdom of our own; he was our refuge and strength. Just The relationships that she cultivated with her family were as with all hardships we have encountered, we look back on one’s that she knew would last forever. that challenging time and see the Lord’s many provisions and tenderness towards us, and how he went before us for “I have many wonderful memories of growing up with my each detail of Samuel’s procedure,” said Butterfield. family with special traditions. Church camp was a huge part of my family life and faith development; as we spent every summer there serving and growing,” said Butterfield.

She also recalls numerous camping trips along with other family vacations that she enjoyed. She specifically valued the relationships she had with her grandparents in a special way. One of her four grandparents had sadly passed away when she was at a young age. However, she was extremely close with her other three grandparents. She spent a bulk of her childhood life with her dad’s parents as well as all of the cousins on that side of the family. They all lived in close proximity to each other, which made family gatherings more convenient.

“A special tradition we had on that side of the family was a Thanksgiving log cut each year the Friday after Thanksgiving.

All of the families would come out to grandpa’s woods, and the dads and children would go to the woods to cut firewood for everyone for the winter ahead,” said Butterfield.

Fast forward a couple of years. She landed at Taylor University studying Biology for her bachelor’s, and minoring in Christian education. Her faith was an important part of her life ever since she was young. The minor in Christian education was for the purpose of youth ministry. She then stayed at Taylor for a master’s in environmental science. However, she moved to Saint Louis and then decided to complete her masters in secondary education.

Mrs. Butterfield, her husband, Ben, and their 3 sons (from left to right): Josiah, Elias, and Samuel.

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Butterfield.

This was one of the greatest challenges the Butterfield family ever had to overcome. However, it was because of the Lord’s graciousness and support that they made it through. Along with her youngest, Samuel, she and her husband of 11 years, Ben, also share two other sons: Elias (6) and Josiah (4).

She first realized her passion for teaching during her classes in environmental science as she was culminating her master’s “I grew up in a family of Christ-followers, so learning about degree. She was teaching chemistry lab courses in order to the Lord has been a part of my life since I was born. Spending accumulate a stipend, and she figured out her love for teachmy summers at church camp also reinforced my learning and ing. gave me other role models to learn from. As a fifth grader, a high school girl from church mentored me, and that had a “I really enjoyed teaching and the process of seeing students profound impact on my personal walk with the Lord as we understand what was once unclear to them. That started met weekly to study God’s word,” recalls Butterfield. the process of me pursuing a career in education,” explained Butterfield.

Butterfield felt the sense of encouragement and challenge as she and the girl from camp continued to study his word. She In total, she has been teaching for 11 years, with 9 of those believes that it was because of this experience that she was years being at Westminster. The fascination she experienced able to grow her relationship with the Lord. This relationship during her AP Biology course is responsible for her choosing with the Lord shone through her newborn son’s heart defect to teach Biology. She absolutely loves connecting with students every single day of her job at Westminster. shortly after he was born. Towards the beginning of the

FEATURE 9

BLANKING ON TESTS IS A SCIENTIFIC PHENONOMON. HERE ARE SIX WAYS TO COUNTER IT. EMMA HARRIS

CONTENT EDITOR You’ve studied countless nights, poured over the material. You’re ready. You look at the first question, and nothing. No answer comes to your mind. You skip to the next question, hoping that the answer will come to you later, only to find that you’re drawing another blank.

You start to panic.

A while back, somebody told me that blanking on tests isn’t a real thing, and that if you blank, it’s because you didn’t know the information well enough. As someone who consistently studies with diligence, quizzes myself on the information until I have gotten it right multiple times, then goes in to take the test and draws complete blanks on numerous questions, I was internally very taken aback by this statement. Apparently, with good reason too: saying you blanked on a test with information you know isn’t just an excuse for not studying well enough. It’s an actual, scientific phenomenon.

The main reason to blame for this blanking is test anxiety. When you’re anxious, your recall memory atually suffers, unable to function to way it was functioning before you became anxious. So it’s actually your high expectations of yourself and the anxiety of living up to them that causes you to underperform on tests. The vicious cycle, according to MentalHelp.net, is that the more anxious you are, the more likely you are to forget.

The more you forget, the more anxious you become.

mended by MIT that you study for fifty minutes, then take a ten minute break.

3. Quiz Yourself Not only does quizzing yourself help prepare for the test in terms of quelling anxiety, but it’s an incredibly effective way to study. The questions will be more familiar this way, and you know for sure that you’re familiar with the material. Perhaps try filling out the study guide without any of your notes handy, whether after you did it once with your notes or not at all. You can also prepare yourself for the test by taking your practice test in a similar environment to that of the one you’ll be tested in.

4. Visualize Yourself Taking the Test This unique method of memorization helps with both the memory aspect and the mental preparation, helping you stay calm when taking the test and providing a visual reference in your mind. In order to better prepare your mind, imagine yourself writing down all of the answers to the questions you make up and what those answers would be. Be detailed.

5. Stay Calm

If you find yourself blanking on a test, don’t panic- I know it’s easier said than done. But the more you panic, the more you will blank. You can try to stay calm by not asking yourself what if questions. Don’t ask 1. Tell Yourself It’s Okay To Fail “what if I blank on the whole test?”, don’t ask “what if I fail?” Simply move on to the next question if you can’t You aren’t defined by your grade, your worth does not remember and circle back to it later. If you still can’t depend on A, and your value is independent from a good remember, tell yourself you’ll do better next time. Plan test score. It’s been proven time and time again that out how you’ll study for the upcoming test. intelligence does not necessarily correlate with grades-- a bad grade doesn’t say anything bad about you as a per6. Get plenty of sleep the night before son. Failure is how we learn best. Failure is something everyone faces. Make sure you tell yourself that.

I know, I know- it’s probably not like you haven’t tried to. But if you can, you should take some melatonin 2. Study Smarter, Not Longer an hour before you intend to fall asleep. When you’re tired, listen to your body and take advantage of that.

It isn’t actually recommended to study for long periods Getting enough sleep impacts your memory in a large of time- the brain needs a break. Instead, it’s recomway, so resting enough will likely prevent test blanking.

10 FEATURE

Studies have shown that all six of these things will help students improve their recall memory and thus

improve their test scores and reduce blanking. So next time you have a test, try out any or all of these six tips.

Here are six ways to counter blanking on tests Illustration by: Emma Harris

FEATURE 11

IS IT A CLASSIC IF I’D RATHER NOT READ IT? ANNA GRACE LIKES STAFF WRITER

European and American literature seems to be a common theme from middle school all the way through college level English classes. Read it.

Write about it. Simple as that. But what, many students ask, makes the required reading in most classrooms special?

in the past; that which we read today would be simplistic and incomprehensible to those from the past. Really, it comes down to the willingness of the scholar to encounter and seek understanding in a piece of literature that is unfamiliar,” said Ken Wolfe, 8th grade English teacher.

Any book which is considered a classic is something that has been passed through numerous hands throughout many generations. Classics often gain their true success long after initially being published. Even The Great Gatsby, which is often considered one of the greatest American novels, did not become popular until 25 years after it was first introduced. “A book that has become a classic has gained merit over the years because it is the peak of the craft of writing, and universal to all people at all times. It is able to fully capture the human experience,” said Kyle Roff, 11th grade English teacher.

These books are also often used as references in culture, such as movies, songs, etc. The children’s movie Gnomeo and Juliet was created as a parody to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Popular singer-songwriter Taylor Swift also often references classic literature—in her song “Love Story,” she says, “cause you were Romeo, I was a Scarlet Letter and my daddy said stay away from Juliet,” referencing both The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawathorne and Romeo and Juliet.

“‘Boring’ doesn’t really enter into it. That which scholars may find boring today was cutting edge

“Part of what makes a classic, a classic is that nothing has replaced them—they have been rele-

Still, many claim that these books simply do not interest them, which is an understandably common thought. “I actually didn’t enjoy reading the The themes which are portrayed in these novels classics in high school at all, but as an adult and are especially easy for teachers to connect to teacher I can now see why they are important to teenagers. Often in high school, books in which have read. They give the opportunity to engage the main character discovers their true identity the world and offer a Christian worldview on are seen as the most important to teach. topics that are so relevant in our culture,” said Heather Marsee, Middle School Principal and 7th “I love teaching Jane Eyre because Jane is at a grade English teacher. Being able to understand pivotal time in her life where she is choosing her references today’s culture makes to these books identity, making dreams for herself, and forming gives Christians especially the opportunity to life goals—much like a typical 10th grade student share their worldview on academic subjects. today,” said Sara LaBarre, 10th grade English Literacy is important in American society, which teacher and English Department Chair. is why the majority of schools choose to include Many students ask, “why do we read such boring the classics in their curriculum. Many students, books?” Oftentimes classic literature is considered though, also beg the question of why there is not to be difficult to understand and not worth read- as much modern literature in most middle and ing. high school English classes.

12 FEATURE

vant to people even after hundreds of years,” said books help them to read what interests them and prepares kids to explore more challenging books Roff. Also, modern literature tends lean on the in the future. more inappropriate side for a school setting.

Because of this, teachers find other ways to incorporate fun books into their classrooms. Mrs. LaBarre recommends choice-books based on what they are reading in class. Over in the middle school hallway, Ms. Marsee has found a creative way to get kids interested in reading. “I started something this year called ‘Quest for the Best’ where my students share their favorite books at the beginning of the year. Then, throughout the year, they are on a ‘quest’ to find their next best book and have a new favorite,” said Marsee.

These exciting ways to get students interested in

Classics may not be the most exciting (even for some English teachers), but they do incorporate valuable messages regarding the complexities of human experience. No matter an individual’s opinion on these books, their ability to endure throughout time is a testament to their superior level of writing. The classics will not be departing anytime soon, but there is a benefit in both learning about human identity and connecting them with cultural references today. And who knows— maybe today’s modern favorites will become the next generation’s classic literature.

All of these classic books are part of Westminster’s English curriculum. Image by: Anna Grace Likes

FEATURE 13

EIGHTH GRADERS TAKE INITIATIVE WITH SAN-FAN EMMA HARRIS Content Editor

Led by eighth grade English teacher Ken Wolfe, WCA’s 202122 school year brings a year-long organization named SANFAN. Previously known as the 8th grade leadership team, but now an abbreviation of “see a need, fill a need” this is a group filled with enthusiastic eighth grade scholars who want to give back to their community and “practice the ‘see a need, fill a need’ ideal.”

this, including giving up an occasional Friday night or Saturday morning. SAN-FAN is filled with dedicated scholars who “are willing to commit their time, attention, and energy as needed.”

This organization is also a strategizing session meant to brainstorm ways in which the middle school experience can be improved, which these willing and able eighth graders will then initiate and enact. Eventually, Wolfe would like to “innovate and develop SANFAN to be better, ‘funner’, and natural culture at WCA” too, this natural culture extending to those According to a poster. Wolfe, members are expected to “find who aren’t members of SAN-FAN as well. This club is meant areas or situations of need both at WCA and in their personal to “conceive, promote, and implement random acts of kindlives. Then, rather than ignoring or waiting for someone else ness and spontaneous care” for everyone, member or not. to help, they will do what they can to resolve the need.”

Their last goal is to create a tradition of helping serve their communities and foster camaraderie.

SAN-FAN has many goals in mind (seven, to be exact). The obvious goal would be to practice that ‘see a need, fill a need’ ideal. The second of these goals is to “change the way” students- or “scholars,” as Mr. Wolfe would correct- “think about and exercise ‘service’ and ‘leadership’”. Mr. Wolfe would like to see students exercise service outside of dedicated SAN-FAN time, whether that be taking care of the campus by picking up trash, helping a student carry a project across the campus, or helping a parent cook dinner at home. It’s his hope that this club will help facilitate and normalize this attitude.

SAN-FAN is a way for many students to “see that we’re all in the same boat” and create a tight knit community, full of fellow scholars who are practising service in order to help others and honor God. Eighth graders have an opportunity to make both a difference and some friends along the way with SAN-FAN, and this organization is filled with scholars who are ready to jump into action.

SAN-FAN eight graders can also be spotted working at events, as well as helping around the campus. their third goal is to “facilitate the middle school events, roles of WCA,” which would include helping with the carnival, ITSOG, and Spirit Week. Members should expect to put their time into

Mr. Wolfe speaks to his SAN-FAN kids- they love his way of leading them.

Image by: Elijah Schmidt

jacob Pederson raises his hand while Mr. Wolfe explains the SAN FAN point system. Image by: Elijah Schmidt

14 FEATURE

“See A Need, Fill A Need,”

SUFFERING IN SILENCE - MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH MADDOX ROSENBERG Staff Writer

Many people have been taught about depression in a health class, but they might not have known that many of their classmates are likely struggling/struggled with it. Depression is a detrimental mental illness that, if not treated, is very destructive. The numbers of suicides and depression sadly prove this to be true, with men being the majority.

There is an issue with men’s mental health in America.

There has been a stigma surrounding men’s emotions for decades. “Be a man” is a very common saying, and the sentiment behind it can be helpful to an extent.

“Manning up” can help people push through hard situations and put them on top. It can help with mental fortitude for many things, but it is not helpful when it leads to suffering and suicide.

According to an article written by John Hawkins Jr. released in 2017 on gatewaycounseling.com, 60% of depressed men will seek help and a whopping 5% will take advantage of outpatient mental health services. This article also states that men are less likely to participate in the use of prescription medication-- only 9% of men that seek help will use prescription medication to improve their mental health.

There are not enough men in recovery or seeking help to battle their mental health together. That 9% is sad to see, because more should know and want to seek having a healthy mind.

Many men believe their success depends on their independence and perceived strength, which leads to too many men not reaching out for help.

Reaching out for help does not make someone a failure. Humans are designed to be social creatures, so it does not make sense to go through this battle alone. Men’s mental health is flying under the radar, and there needs to be easier outreach programs for men that are suffering.

In an article released in 2019 by the Mayo Clinic Staff on mayoclinic.org, they state that male depression often goes undiagnosed due to either a failure to recognize depression, downplaying The weak thing to do is let a signs or symptoms, reluccurrent mental state control tance to discuss depression and become an identity. Do symptoms, and resisting not submit to mental illness, mental health treatment. Unbecause it will never end diagnosed depression is danwell. The strongest thing is to gerous, it’s very hard to open Here’s some statistics for men’s mental health.

Image by: Maddox seek help and overcome this. up and seek help because it Rosenberg It’s okay that people cannot do it is deemed as weak. When battling themselves. depression, the strongest thing to do is seek help and get better.

Unfortunately, in 2019, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in America, according to the previous article. It was the 2nd leading cause in 15-24 year olds, with 5,954 recorded suicides. For men overall, we make up 3.7 times more suicides than women. Many believe this stems from the small percentage of men actually seeking help.

OPINION 15

CHRISTIANITY ISN’T A POLITICAL PARTY LUCY KNERR Staff Writer

For hundreds of years, the church and state have been tied at the hip to some degree. Spiritual organizations were able to influence certain political decisions and vice versa. There has been a natural balance between the two parties for centuries, with neither church or state overpowering the other. However, a recent imbalance has occurred. Instead of being two separate cooperating entities, churches are increasingly taking political sides on topics which are not necessarily politically oriented.

This disconnect between the evangelical church has never been more evident, and it is mostly due to the current political culture. As more and more churches are siding with different political parties and worldviews, the cracks between the church denominations and society as a whole grow even deeper. If not addressed, these cracks can eventually turn into complete disconnect and resentment.

With socio-political conflict becoming one of the most prominent topics of conversation, many churches began to speak on the topics in hopes of bringing a biblical perspective of these issues to their audiences. In direct correlation to this, different groups in these spiritual spaces revolted against those speaking, saying that their church leaders were pushing a certain agenda for the political party they may be affiliated with.

Many pastors and other church officials were driven out of their workplaces through what Peter Wehner, an author from The Atlantic, quoted: “spiritual abuse and a toxic culture”.

After the presidential election of 2020 and the storming of the capital, this spiritual divide became even worse. Multiple churches began to preach to appease certain political parties while using the bible to validify their messages. Churches began to take the forms of cliques for each political party, with many only going to certain churches because they aligned with their own political beliefs. Unfortunately, political standing has become one of if not the defining factor christians use to choose their church, bible studies, and so on.

A pastor at Riverside Church, Dr. Zach Eswine, said as such in a sermon a couple months back. He explained that those he interviewed who wished to enter the church had not asked him questions on spiritual beliefs, but rather political standing on different social conflicts that were the most relevant at the times of the interviews. This politics oriented approach on spirituality can not only harm those within the church, but also those not connected to the church but still connected to certain political parties or social groups. Like the attempted coup at the capital, many church goers took to the streets to protest against certain poitical conflicts from a “

16 OPINION

biblical perspective” in order to create “positive change”. This continues to grow worse as more socio-political issues are brought to the forefront of political discussion.

Politicised churches and the topics they choose to promote or tear down are doing nothing to encourage spiritual understanding and unity, but rather they are pushing society away and gatekeeping the faith for certain political parties. Unless this political take over can be slowed and stopped, the evangelical church may remain divided forever.

Instead of advancing this spiritually toxic culture, there must be a reckoning within the church to bring awareness to the danger within the current spiritual culture. However, even if each denomination becomes aware of the issue at hand, change will require a change of mindset for all those involved with the church.

Overall, it will require a drastic change in mentality towards spirituality and the teachings that most have become indoctrinated by. Unfortunately, there is not much hope for this to occur. Between raging political debates and immoral preaching, many are much too attached to this “spiritual” lifestyle.

However, even if those within these communities refuse to change it, there will be people within the church who do wish to change the issue. It is the responsibility of the church to bolster these voices and make sure they are recognised, heard, and acted upon. Only then will there be opportunity for change, and only then will the church have a chance of being reunited for the church’s original means for existence, which is to gather a community of like minded believers to worship, pray, and learn about the true biblical truths of the christian faith.

“Evangelical Church of the 21st Century” Image by: Lucy Knerr

SOCIAL MEDIA BLINDS US FROM THE TRUTH CHRISTINA ENGLISH Staff Writer

Social media is a way to connect with people all around the world; whether you have met the person face-to-face or not.

It is also a place where you can follow different celebrities and see what is happening in their busy lives. There are multiple ways to do this through social media: pictures, live streams, charity work, separate chat rooms where you can talk with the celebrity in question, and many more.

While it is fun to see what celebrities do on a day-to-daybasis, it is also incredibly important to keep one thing in mind. Everything seen on either social media or through the paparazzi is not always completely trustworthy, or worth relying on.

A prime example of this is the situation concerning Britney Spears and her suffering she went through under her father.

In 2007, Britney Spears had a very public mental breakdown, and her father, Jamie Spears, put her under a temporary conservatorship, which is a guardianship that the court allows for those who have a mental illness. This meant that he had full control of Britney’s professional and personal life. “...the conservatorship restricted aspects of her life, ranging from who she dated to the colour of her kitchen cabinets,” wrote BBC News.

To people outside of Britney’s fan base, everything seemed to be alright with her. Throughout the conservatorship, all of her posts on social media showed her as being a happy, bubbly person. She released lots more iconic albums and went on numerous tours to promote her music. Because of all of this, people trusted that she was doing ok under the conservatorship.

by the name of William “Rick” Singer, a college admissions consultant.

Specifically, the parents paid Singer to either help their children cheat on their ACT or SAT exams, assist them in sending fake athletic applications, or both.

“The parents had to send $200,000 to Singer through the Key Worldwide Foundation, a non-profit he controlled, for each daughter, plus $50,000 per kid to USC senior associate athletic director Donna Heinel,” explained Tyler Kingkade, a writer at Town & Country Magazine.

Lori Loughlin was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and paid a $150,000 fine. Loughlin’s husband, Mossimo Giannulli, was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and paid a $250,000 fine.

The news about the bribery shocked the world. People could not believe that the Full House star had been caught in such a scandal. The whole situation brought hate towards her and her family, and they could not be considered trustworthy people by others.

Olivia Jade, through social media, was able to make it seem as though she had gotten into USC because of her athletic abilities. However, this was far from the truth, and her family faced the consequences for their actions.

Social media, while being a way to connect with those around us, can also be very deceiving. Individuals need to be careful with the news that is seen on social media and what is trustworthy or not.

Another example of social media not being trustworthy is the situation regarding Lori Laughlin and her daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli.

In August of 2018, Olivia Jade posted a video on her YouTube channel of her getting her dorm set up at the University of Southern California. She expressed that she was not excited about going to college, but other than that, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and people believed that she was accepted by USC. However, in March of 2019, it was revealed that Olivia Jade’s parents, among 33 other parents, had been caught sending bribes and racketeering in order to get their children into college. The person that was behind all of this was a man

What information on social media is true, and what information on social media is all a lie? Image by: Christina English

OPINION 17

REWRITING THE PAST WHY IS TAYLOR SWIFT RE-RECORDING HER 2012 ALBUM , RED?

(including a TEN MINUTE version of her song “All Too Well”). Many of these newer songs feature artists such as Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton, and Phoebe Bridgers.

ANNA GRACE LIKES Staff Writer

Taylor Swift’s talent for songwriting has dazzled the music industry over 15 years, and she has not stopped Taylor Swift is a hallmark of any Gen-Z or millenial’s childhood. From the country accent in her debut album now. Many say that she is not merely in the music industry, but she IS the music industry. Conquering counTaylor Swift, to the rebellious stage of Reputation, to the calm, indie vibes of Folklore, Swift has captured the try, pop, indie-pop, and everything in between, Swift is one of the most prominent singer-songwriters of this hearts of teens worldwide since 2006. generation. On day one of the album release, Swift was Now Taylor is re-recording her first six albums, releas- able to gain over 90.8 million streams of Red (Taylor’s Version), which made it the most streamed album in ing Red (Taylor’s Version) Friday, November 12th and one day by a female artist.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in February of 2021. Why, one might ask, would she record these massively popuOn the day of the release, Swift said in an instagram lar albums again? caption, “Just a friendly reminder that I would never have thought it was possible to go back and remake my In 2005, 15-year-old Taylor signed a contract with Big Machine Records. This contract has since expired, end- previous work, uncovering lost gems along the way[…] ing in 2018, and she then went on to sign with Republic Red is about to be mine again, but it has always been Records for any future albums produced. This meant Big ours.”

Machine still owned her first 6 albums when the compaRed (Taylor’s Version) is not only a beautiful album ny was sold to Ithaca Holdings, run by Scooter Braun.

He then sold these masters for $300 million, profiting which showcases Swift’s artistry, but also a bold exposition of her strength to regain her own music. From the off of Swift’s initial success of her immensely popular albums. Braun then intentionally prevented Taylor from 10-minute “All Too Well” short film to classics like “We gaining control of those masters, which meant she could Are Never Getting Back Together,” every moment of not use that music in performances and documentaries this album proves that Taylor Swift’s music stands the test of time. she made—it was all controlled by Scooter. He then manipulated her, saying that if she wanted them back, she would have to sign back with Big Machine and “earn” the rights to her own music.

Swift wanted to change this and put herself in control of her original albums. That’s why she is now in the process of re-recording all of her old albums from when she was under Big Machine’s contract. She can now take control of and make money from her own work.

When Swift released Fearless (Taylor’s Version) back in February of 2021, she wrote on her Instagram, “Artists should own their own work for so many reasons, but the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work.”

Now, Red (Taylor’s Version) is out, and it is everything Taylor’s fans dreamed it would be. The album includes 30 songs, a huge increase from the original 2012 album’s 19 songs. These extras are unreleased music from Red which she calls her “from the vault” songs

18 OPINION

Red (Taylor’s Version) has a discography of 30 songs and was released on November 12th, 2021.

Image by: Anna Grace Likes

WHY THE LONG FACE?

SAYVA PHILLIPS Staff Writer

also help with a positive impact being sad, anxiety and a lot more issues. Physical exercise helps blood flow, functional This time of the year can be exciting and heart warming or and structural connection and with new neurons being born depressing and dull. Truly there is no in between. Either you according to The Distracted Mind, by Adam Gazzaley and are excited for Christmas and you are already in the holiday Larry D. Rosen. Being physical in general gives the mind and spirit starting November 1st or you are down in the dumps body to loosen up making lower fit children at a lower capaand Christmas coming around is the only thing that is keeping bility than higher fit children. More aerobic exercises improve you going...but barely. The cold dark mornings, the handful the ability to finish tasks. So in other words, not that you of homework because teachers are trying to get all the work have to stay fit to not be depressed but stay moving to ease in before finals, the feeling of 2019 pre covid when life was your depression and anxiety. Hints the title of the book, havbearable. Espeically now that it gets dark at 4pm and the ing a distracted mind as in being active, doing yoga, making whole mood is dragged down. Trust me, that feeling is coma workout routine, doing some walking is better for your mon during these times. So here, little lads, are four tips and mental and physical health. tricks of not falling into what we know as winter depression or just hvaing a long face 4. Express yourself 1. Making a Routine Writing out your day could help your momentum going.

Making our routine will be helpful in your times of uncertainty, unpredictability and stress. It gives you some control and helps with your organization. When events in our lives begin to go out of our control we tend to let it happen because we do not kow to get them back in order. This causes a wave of sadness like we dwell on for a long time due to our unorganized lives. It is proven by healthline that if we write down our routine and make a plan of our day we are more able to do it. This is your sign to pick up a today list, pick up a routine and try your best to follow it through.

Not assuming, but taking a guess when you get sad, you cannot express yourself. That may be only for a few of you.

You are trapped within your emotions and are not able to build down that wall that you are hiding behind. Here’s a hallenge for you, no matter where you go or what you do or what the rules are, to in some way express your creativity.

Or not expressing yourself enough could be the cause of why you feel trapped and blocked off. Don’t be afraid of being judged, because you merely cannot be judged by others and only by God. God has made you in his image in which you are to be, act and feel.

Remember, you are not alone.

2. Notice the good things When this season comes around it may be hard to look at the bright side of things. Yes, been there and cried about that. Not going to sit here and tell you, “Think of all the happy things that happened for you today.” It has become a bit cliche.

Instead lets reword that, how about, looking for the good moments in your day. How is that making you feel in that moment? If it has a good effect, stay in that moment. If it has a bad effect, move to a different moment. It is really about taking your day moment by moment. Instead of thinking, “Wow that really did not make my day” think about “Hm, what really helped get me through this day.” Sometimes the good thing that happens on that day is you making it safely to the end.

3. Exercise Execise is not always the first thing that comes to peopes mindt. Shockingly, it helps. And it is proven that it benefits human health. These benefits

Falling into the causes the depression. Image by Sayva Phillips

OPINION 19

Westminster Christian Academy

20 800 SPORTING

ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY AND NEITHER ARE STATE CHAMPS BROOKE HIGHMARK SPORTING EDITOR

took three consecutive sets to win the game in less than an hour and a half: 25-18, 25-23, 25-17.

“The fans were incredible. Obviously other teams had fans, but it seemed like a home match for us, which made the players feel a lot more comfortable,” said Coach Ben Briney, head coach.

With most of the team being returners from previous years, many attribute the team’s success to their new head coach.

Coach Briney spent fifteen years at Truman State University, four as an assistant and eleven as head coach of the women’s volleyball team. Interestingly enough, his original plan was to come to Westminster to be the assistant athletic director, but after former coach Bryndyn Crutcher stepped down, he was asked to fill the position due to his experience.

The volleyball team lines up for the national anthem at the state championship game.

Photo by: Hope LInam

On Friday, November 5th, 2021, the girls volleyball team made a monumental accomplishment. After a twelve year drought, the program not only won districts, but also took first in the Class 4 state championship.

Throughout the postseason, the Westminster community showed their support like never before. For every game except the blowout against McCluer North, the stands were packed with blue and white, and the atmosphere was filled with energy.

When the team traveled to Cape Girardeau to compete against Nerinx Hall in the final four on November 4th, almost every Westminster teacher and student back at the campus skipped class to watch a livestream of the game in the hub or the arena. Every Wildcat point caused an eruption of cheers that could be heard throughout the school. When Hailey Pritchett, senior, made the winning play, students in the gym stormed the court, and the remaining spectators rushed down the grand entry stairs to cheer and celebrate.

The Westminster volleyball team was already stacked with talent, but Briney knew that if they simply worked hard and bought into the vision, they had the opportunity to go far.

This vision, centered around family, set them apart from other programs and became a catalyst for their post season success, a time when many teams fall apart. In moments like these, where players and coaches are running on an empty tank, it is known that the team with more heart always wins, and anyone in the arena could tell that the Cats simply wanted it more.

Due to the team’s prior chemistry, experience, and skill, Coach Briney had high expectations for the girls from day one.

“On the first day of practice, we sat down and had every team write their goals on the board. Then, I said to forget about them because they are not our focus. We had to come in every day in practice to be better than we were the day before. Everyone says they want to win state, but we needed to reach higher,” said Briney.

The importance of practice can be easy to overlook, but championship coaches and teams understand that the daily mental and physical commitment is crucial to success.

As a result, school on Friday was declared cancelled. Students packed in cars and buses to make the two hour drive to SEMO University, some even traveling down the night before “There are no big moments. How hard you work in practice and staying in hotels. is how hard you will work on the court. You don’t just turn it on at game time.”

At 10 AM the next morning, the Wildcat spirit was at an all time high, clearly outnumbering the opposing fan base of While every player contributed to the team’s success, some Logan Rogersville. Although the girls were likely filled with nervous energy, they performed as if they competed in state consistent standouts have been Avery Stanfill, junior libero, Shelby Truitt, junior, outside hitter, Emma Fairchild, junior championships every day. The unity, passion, and talent of the team was on full display, not being fazed by slow starts, outside hitter, Abby Siess, junior outside hitter, Alli Bishop, common errors, or pressure situations. As a result, the Cats junior opposite hitter, and Hailey Pritchett, senior setter.

800 SPORTING 21

THE MISSING LINK

Fueling for peak performance gives athletes a competitive edge.

HOPE LINAM Staff Writer, Pawprint Liaison

Student athletes naturally expend more energy than the average student and therefore need more nutrition to fuel them on and off the field. Moreover, specifically for student athletes, schedules become extremely busy, and the time for fitting in a healthy, nutritious meal is difficult and causes their performance to suffer. Just as a pre-game meal is important, post game meals are just as vital in order for athletes to recover properly.

The missing link for most athletes surprisingly comes from their nutritional habits, as it has been proven that athletic success and nutrition go hand-in-hand. Stricker mentions that “Your optimal performance requires your best health {regardless of how good of an athlete you are, coaches you have, or your genes] if you’re not in your own personal best health, then you can’t possibly perform at your best. And one of the biggest pieces of that entire puzzle, is the nutritional component of that.” Moreover, many collegiate and professional athletes have dieticians working with them to perfect their diet, a testament to its importance.

Every type of athlete is going to need different meal plans based on a variety of different variables. However, the common thread between them all is the need for an appropriate amount of calories, carbohydrates, protein, fluids, vitamins and minerals, depending on their body type.

“Athletes may have different dietary requirements depending on the type and intensity of their chosen form of exercise.

Often, they will need more calories and macronutrients than Healthy food choices directly correlate to positive sports performance. Image other people to maintain their energy levels. Some athletes by: Emma Harris may require additional vitamins and minerals for optimal health and performance,” said Louisa Richards of Medical News Today.

Athletes need nutrient-dense foods (food that is high in nutrients but relatively low in calories), but because they are usually pressed for time, they tend to snack on unhealthy Additionally, athletes need to be conscious of the possible alternatives. Oftentimes, unbeknownst to them, what they consequences that could arise if they do not follow proper perceive to be healthy choices, such as granola bars or fruit guidelines when it comes to their eating habits. When nutrijuice, do not provide the nutrients they need because they are tion is not prioritized, athletes may be more susceptible to high in sugar. weakened immune systems, longer recovery from workouts, decreased mental focus, injury, and many more.

Although it may not be the first choice of a student athlete, they should “stack up on healthy snacks [such as] fruit, precut carrot and celery sticks, hummus and pita bread strips, cherry tomatoes and cheese squares, hard-boiled eggs, or Greek yogurt,” said The Juice Plus Company.

Basketball Pregame Meal

These foods are highly nutrient-dense and will nutritionally sustain an athlete better than goldfish, cheez-its, chips, or any other quick grab-and-go items found at most cafeterias or gas stations. The body needs vitamins and minerals, also known as micronutrients, that are found in these nutrient-dense foods in order to produce a physical advantage.

“If you’re eating [and adding] more fruits and vegetables to your daily nutrition it assures you that you get multiple different beneficial compounds and nutrients in your body every day,” said Dr. Paul Stricker of Scripps Clinic a leading doctor in the field of sports medicine.

22 800 SPORTING

-Pasta -Fruit -Vegetable

Swimming Pregame Meal -Fruit Salad -Yogurt and Nuts -English Muffin Different sports will vary in their nutritional needs and are tailored to their personal success. Image by: Hope Linam

THE GROWING OBSESSION WITH YOUTH SPORTS Alex Wittenauer Staff Writer

Pressure from parents and the strive for a college scholarship has driven youth sports to become more competitive than ever before. Parents have been willing to spend any amount of money to get their son or daughter into a college athletic program because they see it as a worthy investment. If they spend the money now, they believe that they will see that money back in a future athletic scholarship. However, according to NCAA recruiting, only 2% of all high school athletes receive the college scholarship that everyone shoots for, leaving 98% of parents disappointed in their children and frustrated in their fruitless spending.

This concept has put an immense amount of pressure on young athletes, pushing them to work far beyond their limits. With this, both the rate of injury and burnout in athletes has increased immensely in the past twenty years, resulting in an average of seven in ten kids quitting their sport by the age of thirteen. Most of

This has driven parents to spend thousands of dollars and expect enormous results out of their children because of it.

In 2014, viewers of the show “Friday Night Tykes” raised concerning questions after watching nine year old boys play violent football. Intense coaches are seen screaming things at the kids such as, “Rip their f****** heads off and let them bleed.” Questions like, “How hard is too hard? How much is too much?” and, “Is youth sports truly about the kids, or is it about the parents?” caused a lot of viewers to rethink if what they were watching was truly healthy for the children.

Nonetheless, some parents would argue that competitive sports teach young adolescents quality skills of hard work and determination, and that through sports, they learn the value of using teamwork through winning and losing. As a collegiate athlete, I can somewhat agree with this statement, as I have learned very valuable lessons throughout my athletic career that will become useful later in my life. But, this raises a major question: at what cost are these lessons worth?

The middle school football team practices tackling during practice.

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

these kids started off playing their sport simply because of their friends or their love for the game; there was no stress or external pressure to perform. As the kids began to play for more competitive teams, however, they lost these fundamental values and no longer had fun playing the sport.

On the financial side of things, youth sports have graduated from the traditional neighborhood league that it used to be to club teams with year round training facilities, international tournaments, and experienced coaching.

8th grader Owen Liengang rolls out of the pocket during the middle school football game.

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

800 SPORTING 23

WHEN THE COLLISION COUNTS Concerned parents are working towards the downfall of contact sports.

Nolan Jones Staff Writer The times, they are a changin’. Even in my own lifetime, people’s view on contact sports has changed. In some areas, parents are not letting their kids play contact sports, and schools are moving toward safer options for younger kids.

Westminster’s seventh grade football team is no longer a contact team. They play modified flag football then move onto normal tackle football in their next year as eighth graders.

While we might be saving some kids from concussions and worse injuries, we are changing and taking away opportunities that form kids into productive citizens. Injuries happen in contact sports and rather frequently. I would have loved to have never gotten the injuries I have had through sports, but that’s life.

Fighting the mental and physical battles of a sports related injury is not something that anyone wants to go through.

Going through situations like these prepare you for the difficult times in life that are bound to happen. Suffering is a part of life, and protecting our youth too much only makes it harder for them in the future.

Before I go any further, let me explain my terminology.

People define contact sports differently. When I say contact Playing a contact sport forces kids into mental challenges sports, I’m talking about the sports where a fundamental part of the game is collision with the opponents like football, that you just can’t replicate with non-contact sports. I believe that contact sports shape your character more, partly hockey, wrestling, and rugby. because of the risks you’re taking.

Sports teach discipline, toughness, humility, and perseverance. People need these types of characteristics to make it in this world. It’s hard for anyone to learn and obtain these qualities in general, but it’s especially hard for people who have never played a sport. Non-contact sports teach these qualities, but I would argue that it is not to the same extent that contact sports do.

Image by: Mia Scheulen

24 800 SPORTING

Personally, I play contact sports, but I’ve also played baseball since I was little. Baseball has taught me some of the same qualities that I learned in football and wrestling. So, why is playing contact sports worth the risks?

Football instilled in me a different type of toughness than baseball did, and wrestling taught me a different type of toughness that football did. All sports produce mental challenges. Physical toughness is something that some will never obtain and some don’t even need.

However, mental toughness is not the same. Mental toughness is something every individual needs no matter what they do in life. In my experiences, the physical struggles in contact sports are what created the greatest mental struggles.

I am biased to the sport of wrestling, but Dan Gable puts it like this, “Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.” Essentially, Gable argues, everything you have to go through in the sport of wrestling prepares you for the real world. Once you have been through the mental challenges on the wrestling mat, you are better equipped for the mental challenges that arise from your occupation, relationships, and more.

Wrestling puts you in situations that you will never be in any other high school sport. It’s you versus the other guy. There’s nobody to blame and nobody to lean on. Everything is on you, and you have to deal with that, along with the physical stress that it takes to control another athlete.

The combination of physical and mental strength that a contact sport demands puts pressure on the athlete that strengthens their character like no other activity.

In Teddy Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” speech, he emphasises this concept: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again.”

Roosevelt’s speech is special because it is about the connection between life and sports. The “doer” in life is like the man in the arena, and sports are essentially a stripped down version of life. Life is going to have you down by a takedown with thirty seconds left, in the penalty box, third and goal, and so on.

Contact sports are important to our society and the growth of our youth. We can already see the effects of kids not playing contact sports; they are growing into adults that aren’t as tough, aren’t as disciplined, and aren’t as prepared for life’s challenges as the kids that played a contact sport.

Image by: Nolan Jones

800 SPORTING 25

BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS DREW CAHILL Staff Writer To many people, professional sports are very important and reap various benefits. Entertainment, community, and economic influence are a few of the great assets that come with these sports teams.

sports stadium in which the game is played creates numerous different jobs, provides business to local bars and restaurants, and allows merchandise to be sold to attending fans.

Furthermore, the money that television companies make Entertainment has proven to be a major draw for viewers. For from sports is astonishing. For example, the average advertising revenue is 22 million dollars per NFL game. example, around 17.3 million people watch the average NFL game.

Lastly, sports bring community to a city. Fans are able to come together and rally around their love for a team, often Fans tend to feel a sense of belonging to their sports team and are therefore compelled to watch. Their emotional attach- coming from all over the nation to watch the game in person. ment to the team causes them to watch every game, win or St. Louis experienced this community after the Blues won the Stanley Cup. Over 500,000 people came to the victory lose. parade, and everyone seemed to become friends. People that had never even watched a game of hockey posted about this Many baseball fans were devastated during the 2020 MLB season when it was shortened. After waiting for the season historic win. to start for a little over three months, fans were overjoyed The community of sports has the ability to temporarily elimwhen it started up again. inate political or social controversy. An entire city can put The economic impact of professional sports on a city is mas- their differences aside to root for a professional sports team. sive. Not only does it create jobs for people, but it also brings a substantial profit to the city itself. Some MLB stadiums make more than four million dollars per game. Even the

Fans reach to touch the historic Stanley Cup.. Image by: Drew Cahill

26 800 SPORTING

27