PProduced by the Writing For Publications Class
VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1
Volume: 15 Issue: 1
November 30, 2018
Friday, January 3, 2025
Clubs help with gingerbread house making
On Dec. 13, 2024, multiple clubs from the high school decorated gingerbread houses with elementary school students.
Kaydance Selissen by
It’s that time of year again when people spend time making and doing crafts. Children love to do interactive things with the teachers, and what better way to do it by making gingerbread houses.
The teacher that had helped with this activity is first grade teacher Kelly Thrasher. Key Club also made time for the children.
“The most important reason is because it was a really fun
opportunity to involve myself in the commuity,” senior Aidan Pierstorff said.
Everyone loves to help out, and be part of the fun.
”Our first graders have been looking forward to our gingerbread house making day for a long time. It was a great day with so many family members and so many high schoolers that volunteered to help out. We are so thankful for everyone that was able to help make this another successful time”, Thrasher said.
It’s always a fun time for the younger students to interact with the older kids.
“My favorite part of decorating houses was using the sprinkles and frosting,” elementary schooler Bella said.
When children are able to build they can express their creativity and use their imagination.
“The best part of making the houses was allowing Bella to do what she wanted. We would give her ideas and if she didn’t like it then we would think of something else,” Pierstorff said.
Yearbook staff holds work day
Hill by
Sebastian
Twice a year, the Yearbook staff gathers together to record the stories and memories of everyone at school.
“I joined to capture memories, see what everybody does at the school, see how fun it is at sports, and who’s involved,” junior Becca Bartol said.
These work days are long ones, sacrificing either the majority, or the entire school day if needed to get work done.
“Some people are there the whole day, otherwise, some people go for the first four hours, and then some people go for the next four hours, and then you’re there the full time,” junior Lauren Werch said.
Even if it’s time consuming, the staff always chooses to continue working.
“It sounded like a fun thing to do. It’s fun to be involved, making the book, so people have it for later years,” Werch said.
Photo submitted by Betsy Bruce
Angel Tree gives for another year
Hailey Rodriguez by
The Angel Tree program in Green lake has been running for over 30 years. Of those 30, Berlin High School has participated for 15 years.
The Angel Tree program is where a person can adopt a person or an “angel”, and buy the person in need a gift for the holidays. In the Berlin community not only are families adopting an angel, but so are school clubs.
“The only rule we have is to buy an appropriate gift, securely attach the angel to the unwrapped gift and return it before the deadline.” Laura Sobieski, high school secretary in charge of the Angel Tree, said.
From clubs to families, many people have taken on the task of adopting an angel for this 2024 holiday season.
“We requested 25 Angels and all of them were taken,” Sobieski said.
One of these club volunteers was FFA. Although this is their first year volunteering, they intend to repeat this for the years to follow.
“I feel like it’s definitely not just going to be one time thing, like we’re definitely going to continue doing this,” FFA Reporter Keira LaSure said.
The holidays are a very emotional time for people. A time where people want to help others. The Angel Tree is a way for volunteers to fulfill this idea.
“I think it’s supporting those who need it, or giving the idea of Christmas to somebody. I really enjoy Christmas, so being able to give that to someone else is kind of important,” senior Gabriel Hill, whose family took on an angel this year, said.
Facts about the Angel Tree
What is the most asked for gift on Angel Trees? Clothing and toys.
How much money do people spend for the winter holidays? Americans spend an average of $1,477 for holiday gifts, travel, and entertainment.
How many children in America do not receive gifts for the winter holidays? On average, one in five children do not receive any gifts for the winter holidays.
the tree were claimed by club or individuals.
Sources: Salvation Army, Simplify The Holidays
Created by: Taylor Van Ornum
Q A: & with Coffee Shop Poet Becky Retzlaff
Q: Reporter Emelia Beulen
What made you decide to come to poetry night?
A: Coffee Shop Poet Becky Retzlaff
My daughter and I love poetry. We heard about it on the announcements.
Q: Reporter Emelia Beulen
What do you think is the best thing you’ve written?
A: Coffee Shop Poet Becky Retzlaff
So, normally my dark poetry is my favorite, just because it’s so expressive, even when it’s sad and depressing. It has a lot of emotion behind it. Since my husband filed for divorce, I feel like my writing has much more meaning behind it, and I love those pieces since then. It’s mentally amazing.
Q: Reporter Emelia Beulen
What’s writing like for you?
A: Coffee Shop Poet Becky Retzlaff Therapy. It’s like therapy. It’s like expressing my feelings without going to a therapist.
Q: Reporter Emelia Beulen
What inspired you to write poems?
A: Coffee Shop Poet Becky Retzlaff I guess, everyone. Feelings, hurts, randomness, I guess. Just an inner voice that wants to be heard.
Q: Reporter Emelia Beulen
What did you think of the event?
A: Coffee Shop Poet Becky Retzlaff
It’s actually a lot of fun. We should do this more often, actually.
The Angle Tree sits in the office after all the angels have been claimed. All 25 angels on
Photo: Hailey Rodriguez
Band group hosts concert
Charlotte Ars by
The concert on Dec. 9, 2024 had to be prepared and required a lot of work and patience to get the best performance.
“It starts by picking music and we go through a variety of pieces to kind of whittle it down. I try to pick things based on what they can handle but also challenge them. It’s also kind of nice to make it a complete program. We sit and read, then we start getting into nitty gritty rehearsing, practicing trying to clean things, trying to correct things and then polishing, so it’s a very time consuming process,” Band Director Ben Ruetten said.
Some people get nervous when they are about to perform. They get this wave of stress having to learn and memorize the pieces of the music and they can stress about messing up. But, otherwise if they do mess up they can keep going because they have each other to help.
“I think I could have done bet-
ter. I think nerves got the best of me, but I still think I did well,” flute player Addison Petraszak said.
Some like to play an instrument because they think they are not good at singing.
“I had to choose band or choir, and I can’t sing so I chose band
and I just stuck with that,” flute player Olivia Faulkner said. Music is important for a lot of people. Not only listening to music but also playing an instrument has a positive impact on people. Music gives people the possibility to express themselves. Playing an instrument re-
quires patience, focus and perseverance. That has an impact on adults who teach it, too.
“It’s really important what all of you (students) guys do, especially musicians, but you guys all have an impact on us as much as we have on you,” Ruetten said.
Photo Poll: Who’s your top artist, top song and how many minutes have you listened?
“My top song is ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry’ by Gracie Abrams. My top artist is Zach Bryan, and I have listened for 36,282 minutes,” freshman Penny Lane Lawler said.
“My top song is ‘The Diary of Jane’ by Breaking Benjamin. My top artist is Riley Green, and I have listened for 8,524 minutes,” sophomore Mitchell Lundt said.
“My top song is ‘Sorry’ by Halsey. My top artist is Megan Moroney, and I have 9,922 minutes.” junior Maddie Fogo said.
“My top song is ‘I Know You’ by Megan Moroney. My top artist is Noah Kahan and I have listened for 2,885 minutes,” senior Eva Fleegal said.
Text and photos by Alivia Kasubaski
The band concert was on Dec. 9, 2024 in the auditorium directed by Ben Ruetten.
Photo: Lucinda Kujawa
Staff, alumni attend live concerts together
Taylor Van Ornum by
A loud, energetic stadium, filled with large crowds chanting over live instruments and roaring vocals is where some music lovers feel happiest. Concerts, a fun and costly event, have spiked in popularity over the past few decades, introducing exclusive music festivals that music lovers can only dream of attending. Guidance counselor Ann Ragus and English teacher Erika Crowley are music enthusiasts, and each attend many concerts. In more recent years, they have gone together to see popular artists, adding a special element to an already special event.
“We’re both concert goers, we both equally love concerts, we’ve only attended a few together. We have seen Lizzo together, then, we went and saw the Goo Goo Dolls, and that should be it. It’s pricey, but we’re both such live music fans,” Ragus said.
Concerts are a fun way to express shared interests, and by being surrounded with people that enjoy similar things, the overall energy is great. Bonding over music is a great way to connect with others, and by going to a stadium filled
with people that love the same music, spirits are bound to be high.
“I just love it. There’s something so special about being in one area with all of the people loving the same music that you do,” Ragus said.
Loving music is something with no age restrictions, as a passion can start at any time. A love for live music has been something that Crowley has always had, starting in her teen years.
“I think I was 13 years old, and I went to Daughtry and Buckcherry at Rock USA,” Crowley said.
Many lucky music fans are able to get tickets to see their favorite artists, but the luckiest are just able to afford the costs. While famous stadiums and venues factor into the cost of a seat, the popularity of an artist makes a large difference in ticket sales overall. The more popular the artist, the higher demand to attend their concerts, the more expensive tickets sold.
Money.usnews.com states that, according to Seat Geek, the average music festival ticket ranges between $200-$600, not counting the additional costs of food and drink or merchandise.
Though the high cost can make most not purchase tickets, concerts are a unique experience and can make memories to last a lifetime.
“I love live music. It’s fun, there’s good energy, and good friends,” Crowley said.
Students, teachers prep for finals
Emelia Beulen by
Finals are coming up, and everyone is busy preparing. Students are going over notes and teachers are making sure their students are ready.
Senior Aaron Bartol tries to keep up and understand his homework throughout the term to avoid having to go over everything again.
“I’m basically just trying to keep up with all my homework throughout the year, so when it comes to the finals I
understand everything better and I don’t really have to relearn anything, ” Bartol said. Many teachers come up with different ways to help their students pass.
“We review a few days beforehand. I tend to let them know exactly what the test looks like, so no surprises on the test,” math teacher Roberto Lara said.
Students themselves have different study habits to memorize the material. Some people use flashcards, write down important facts repeatedly, quiz themselves, and
some look over their notes.
“I just preview my notes and stuff,” sophomore Weston Sawallish said.
Students often struggle with only certain subjects.
“Mainly math class was the biggest struggle. There was just a lot of extensive work that just kept piling up, and you tend to forget certain things and have to go back and relearn them,” Bartol said.
Teachers like to look over the finals and change things to fit what they teach often. Lara changes his finals to make it easier for his students
to pass.
“We start with a mixture of a variety of math problems that they’ve seen. They don’t know this, but a lot of the questions on the test, I literally pull exactly from the notes,” Lara said.
Lara’s finals depend on students understanding what they’ve been taught. Students who study harder generally are more confident about their scores.
“I think I’m prepared, especially for this year. I don’t have as many final tests, but it should be easier,” Bartol said.
Science teacher Ben Sanderfoot, school board member Nick Bartol, Becca Wenig ‘13, former English teacher Amy Wenig, guidance counselor Ann Ragus, and English teacher Erika Crowley.
Photo: Ann Ragus
Photo Poll: What is your favorite holiday tradition, and why is it so special to you?
“Going to church with my family on Christmas Eve. I enjoy this tradition, because the church we go to makes the experience so fun by making games and other activities for us,” freshman Derek Tetting said.
“When my parents were still together, going to my grandma’s house to watch football games and open presents. It was special to me because I got to hang out with family and see my cousins,” sophomore Bryce Toney said.
“Driving around town at night to look at everyone’s Christmas lights on their houses, while listening to Christmas music with my family. It’s very heartwarming and relaxing to see all the lights,” junior Taylor Helmuth said.
“Opening our gifts on Christmas Eve, then we open our stockings on Christmas morning. I like that because I get to have two different experiences with my family, and it’s more bonding time,” senior Bella Manders said.
Text and photos by Camila Villalobos
Families travel for holidays
Camila Villalobos by
Every year, the magic of Christmas brings families together, creating special and unique memories. For this holiday season, the Bending family flew out to sunny Florida to spend quality time together relaxing and getting away from Wisconsin’s cold weather.
Sophomore Kennedy Bending went on this trip with her mother, father, and her older brother, senior Kale Bending, including some of their family friends. The Bending family collectively made the decision of where they were going to go, then got together with their family friends so they could make plans to go together at the same time for a better experience.
The Bending family and friends stayed in a house with a pool and hot tub, offering a beach front view in Anna Maria Island in Manatee County, Florida for a week. This island
is greatly known as a vacation favorite among local, national, and international travelers.
The group participated in various fun activities, such as snorkeling with marine animals at Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida. They also relaxed at beaches, and enjoyed time in the pools.
“I was most excited about getting to spend quality time with my family and friends that I haven’t seen in a long time,” Kennedy said.
Traveling at this time was convenient since it wasn’t too busy at the airport, allowing the Bending family to fully enjoy their vacation. Undoubtedly this trip created lasting memories for Kennedy, making Christmas break one to remember.
Senior Taylor Scharschmidt also got to travel to sunny Florida for Christmas break. Scharschmidt and her mother flew out to Clearwater, Florida for five days. This destination is known for its beautiful beaches, and vibrant atmosphere.
Their little getaway started off with a smooth flight. They stayed in a cozy condo right on the beach, with an amazing view.
“My most memorable activity I did on my trip was getting matching butterfly tattoos with my mom. It was a very cute mother-daughter moment for us,” Scharschmidt said. This
was also Scharschmidt’s very first tattoo, so it was very special to her.
Scharschmidt and her mother also got to visit some of their family they have in down there. She said it was It was very nice to see her family she hadn’t seen in a while, and that she cherished this family quality time.
Sunset at Anna Maria Island, in Manatee County. Sophomore Kennedy Bending’s front beach view from her condo she was staying at during her trip. “It was very relaxing to relax at the beach,” Bending said.
Photo: Kennedy Bending
Movie Review: ‘Rudolph’ beloved for good reason
by
Abi Klotz
Out of all Christmas movies “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is by far one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. There are many versions of this film, but out of all the remakes, the claymatic 1964 film is by far the best created.
Due to the claymation, the movie gives off a magical feel and shows the true emotion of Christmas. For generations of children, this movie gives large amounts of nostalgic feeling due to the timeless story that celebrates uniqueness and acceptance. Others would say they distinctly remember being so excited as a little kid when the film would air on the NBC channel.
In the movie, the famous reindeer Rudolph is criticized by other deer and Santa because he was born with a shiny, glowing red nose. Rudolph runs away from home and meets “misfits” just like him. They include Hermey, an elf that wants to become a
dentist, Yukon Cornelius the prospector, a snow monster, and an island filled with “misfit” toys, which Rudolph helps rescue before he arrives back at home. To complete this remarkable movie, Santa asks Rudolph to guide his sleigh through a terrible storm, which saves Christmas and makes Rudolph a hero.
Although “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” has been a great hit for many years, this movie does have its faults. Some critics would say that the stop motion is awful because it makes the picture look twitchy, cheap, and lazy.
Additional comments are that Santa Claus is a complete jerk because he acts like a buffoon when he first meets baby Rudolph, and Santa freaks out when he sees his big red nose. In the film, it’s also shown that Santa treats the elves like garbage when they work hard to please him.
Multiple people have claimed that Sam the Snowman is a great narrator throughout the movie, but it is shown that he gives off the jolly, fatherly fig-
Recommended Music For Studying
ure that Santa is supposed to be seen as.
Strengths in this movie are the message about accepting people for who they are and the power of teamwork. Perseverance and courage is shown throughout the movie from Rudolph to his friends, show-
ing them that their differences become assets. Lastly, the film has become popular with both adults and children and is watched religiously by families across the country every winter for 60 years. Overall, this movie is a solid 5/5.
Best Holiday Movie
“With Glowing Hearts” - Kontakte
“Photo With Grey Sky, White Clouds”Jonny Nash
“Funky Bird” - Galactic
“‘Round Midnight” - Thelonious Monk
“Moonlight in Vermont” - Johnny Smith
Created by: Sebastian Hill
45 students surveyed Created by: Hailey Rodriguez
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer shows Hermey the elf his glowing red nose.
What Are Some Of Your New Year’s Resolutions?
“My New Year’s resolution is to procrastinate less. I have a really bad habit of doing that. I am also going to try and get my homework done before I make any plans,” senior Kaylee Vergin said.
“For me it’s take better care of myself, dress and and eat healthy. I also want to exercise more. I will keep this resolution by getting more sleep and setting alarms,” senior David Fuentes said.
“My New Year’s resolution is to hang out with friends more, and family. I also would like to study more. It will be easy for me because I have a good mentality and I enjoy learning subjects,” senior Abraham Monarrez said.
“Being able to get through junior year and do well on my ACT. Along with having a good relationship with family and friends. Being out going and everything like that,” junior Dahlia Vera said.
Text and photos by Kaydance
Selissen
Winter Break Playlist
“Fade Into You” - Mazzy Star
“Dark Red” - Steve Lacy
“First Love/Late Spring” - Mitski
“champagne problems” - Taylor Swift
“Heather” - Conan Gray
“Space Song” - Beach House
“Yellow” - Coldplay
“we fell in love in october” - girl in red
“505” - Arctic Monkeys
“Glimpse of Us” - Joji
“Sparks” - Coldplay
“Where’d All the Time Go” - Dr. Dog
“Cinnamon Girl” - Lana Del Rey
“Evergreen” - Omar Apollo
“Heart To Heart” - Mac DeMarco
“Art Deco” - Lana Del Rey
“Moral of the Story” - Ashe
“Another Love” - Tom Odell
“Sweater Weather” - The Neighbourhood
“ocean eyes” - Billie Eilish
Created by: Charlotte Ars
Local Holiday Activities
• Becket’s Holiday Music Series December 20 Becket’s, Oshkosh 8 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Holiday Lights Festival Downtown Milwaukee, November 21-January 1
• The Nutcracker Paine Art Center, Oshkosh, November 22- January 6
• Celebration of Lights daily until December 31, Oshkosh EAA Grounds
• Nutcracker The Grand Oshkosh, December 20-21, 7 p.m, December 22, 2 p.m., December 27-28, 7 p.m. December 29, 2 p.m.
• “Krampus” Time Community Theater, Oshkosh, December 20 6:30 p.m.
• “A Christmas Story” Time Community Theater, Oshkosh, December 21 7 p.m.
• Cookie Decorating Class The Frosted Bee, Oshkosh, December 21 12 p.m.
• Christmas Eve Brunch Gabe’s Kitchen And Tavern, Oshkosh, December 22 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Kiwanis Free Christmas Dinner Berlin High School, December 25, 12 p.m.
• New Years Bingo Green Lake Town Square, December 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Created by: Emileena Neconish
Christmas
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SWISS MISS HOT CHOCOLATE MIX
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RANKED OUT OF FIVE
GREAT VALUE HOT CHOCOLATE MIX
The taste of creamy milk chocolate was not there The flavor was almost identical to watered-down chocolate milk. Each sip felt almost as if the power of the flavor was disappearing
KWIK TRIP HOT CHOCOLATE
The flavor of that classic milk chocolate was lacking a little bit. The taste was not powerful, but still quite noticeable The creamy consistency and subtle milk chocolate flavor were delicious
Boys basketball season off to strong start
Alivia Kasubaski by
The boys basketball team has been doing pretty well. They are growing as a team and are looking forward to the rest of the season.
“The season has gone well so far. We’re continuing to get better and grow as a team. Happy to pick up some wins along the way!” Head Coach Jeremy Mercer said.
Players say they have been doing their best, and that they want to do better the rest of this season.
“I feel like I have been performing to the best of my ability, and I’ve been trying my best,” forward Zeath Hoinack-Lowe said.
In basketball, the players say they like the environment of being on the basketball team.
“I like the energy and the atmosphere,” shooting guard Isaiah Scott said.
The coaches for the basketball team also have some goals for their team.
“Our guys have set a few goals for the team, but ultimately the goal is to compete for a conference championship and make a deep playoff run,” Coach Mercer said.
Some of the players have a deep passion for basketball because they have been playing for a long time and they gain a lot of skills from playing with their team.
“It’s just been a sport that I’ve grown up with. I have played basketball ever since I was a kid and it’s just a passion that I have. I like playing it because it’s a team sport, and I build a lot of social and life skills with it. It teaches you discipline,” Hoinack-Lowe said.
The team does have some competition against other schools. They say that they could have done better against them, but they just weren’t ready and focused.
“Waupaca and Wautoma because we started the game off bad. We weren’t locked in and we weren’t focused,” Hoinack-Lowe said.
The coach says he really enjoys coaching the team as he has always had a passion for basketball and he also just really likes making an impact on the program.
“Basketball has been a lifelong passion of mine. Coaching at Berlin has given me the opportunity to make an impact on the program that gave so much to me as a student-athlete,” Coach Mercer said.
Wrestling team receives $3,000 donation
man said.
by said.
Emileena Neconish
The family of alumnus Brooks Schultz, ‘23 recently donated $3,000 to the wrestling team.
“It helps our team a lot, and we really appreciate the donation that they gave. The kids have been asking for new warm-ups since last year. I am now in the process of ordering those for the kids,” Head Coach Beau Yine -
The money will also be used to feed the athletes.
“The money would be used for providing food for the athletes on competition days. The money is going back to the wrestling program, and to all the athletes that participate,” Yineman said.
The Brooks Schultz Foundation was developed in honor of Schultz.
“He liked to wrestle, play sports, and work,” Brodie Schultz, brother of Brooks,
With the donation, the wrestling program will see big improvements.
“It means a lot to me because we don’t really get a lot of money that goes toward wrestling, and it gives us more options to get into bigger and better tournaments,” sophomore Ben Green said.
Wrestling can improve an athlete’s mental strength, and improve an athlete’s endurance.
“I hope to continue to help student-athletes grow as individuals through wrestling. Even though it’s a hard sport, it helps people grow and become great people,” Yineman said.
With the donation, the team will be able to see more tournaments and compete against teams outside of their conference.
“We’ll probably be able to see better competition, and I’ll be able to grow as a wrestler,” Green said.
Shooting guard Isaiah Scott sprints down the court in the home game againts North Fond du Lac on Dec. 17. Berlin won 85-61.
Photo: Charlotte Ars
Kurczek close to 1,000 points
Abi Klotz by
This season is shaped a little differently compared to other years. This year is outlined for senior Callie Kurczek, as she is continuing her basketball career in college at Judson University.
“I am playing basketball in college, so my goal is to continue getting better at shooting and my defense,” Kurczek said.
Despite the fact that Kurczek is very close to scoring 1,000 points, in her multiple years of basketball, her favorite moment was when she added multiple points to the board
and defeated Kewaskum in the end.
“My favorite moment is my highest scoring game because I scored 27 points and it was also the first time we beat Kewaskum in my high school career,” Kurczek said.
The girls basketball team has been working to achieve their goals throughout this season.
“The season so far has been going well, we have been winning a few games and we are tied first in our conference,” Kurczek said.
Head Coach Ray Mlada has been coaching girls and boys basketball for 41 years.
Over the years Mlada has become very experienced
and says he loves the environment.
“I started coaching because I have always enjoyed the sport and found pleasure in watching kids grow to their full potential,” Mlada said.
Although the girls have lost a few games this season, they choose to stay confident and buckle down for their next opponent. Coach Ray Mlada states that he enjoys spending time with players beyond just coaching.
“There are definitely goods and bads that we need to work on, but besides that the girls are a good group of kids and I love spending time with them,” Mlada said.
Photo: Abi Klotz
Student-athletes improve through lifting
by tin said.
Aubrey Kurczek
Many student-athletes train during practice, but some prefer to train on their own time. Some student-athletes choose to better themselves by lifting weights. Lifting weights improves not only sports performance but also physical and mental strength.
Many student-athletes were inspired to lift weights by family members. Three-sport varsity athlete Jakob Martin and varsity track and trap athlete Addison Dominick were inspired by their families to improve their physical fitness and sports abilities.
“My brother inspired me because I also looked up to my brother. It was a competition to be bigger than him,” Mar-
Dominick shares a similar experience with Martin when it comes to inspiration.
“My dad and my brother inspired me. They piggybacked off each other with weight lifting and showed me how to diet and improve different muscle groups,” Dominick said.
Starting the journey of physical self-improvement can be difficult; however, finding the right motivation can be the key to success. Martin seeks motivation in many different parts of his life.
“I was motivated by sports, especially to be on the varsity team for football as a freshman, and I was very family-motivated, especially by my dad and older brother,” Martin said.
Many people are driven to continue improving their physical and mental strength by staying true to their goals. Dominick persistently focuses on her goals to improve herself.
“The number one goal was to get physically fit and lose weight, and to also better isolate my muscle groups to get better for track,” Dominick said.
With significant hard work and consistency, studentathletes begin to see a change in their physical and mental wellness and strength. High school football player Jaxson Fischer has noticed the benefits weightlifting has given him.
“I am seeing my size increase, and I am getting stronger. I have noticed that I have a quiet mind and am
able to focus,” Fischer said.
Apart from the school weight room, there’s one prominent place to see student-athletes lifting, and that’s Grizzly Fitness.
“I started lifting at home, but now at the Grizzly Fitness Gym,” Martin said.
Not only does Martin lift at Grizzly Fitness, but Fischer also does.
“I started at Omro Iron and now I lift at Grizzly Fitness,” Fischer said.
Weightlifting can be a strenuous ordeal, but Dominick has stayed motivated and consistent throughout the process.
“It’s hard in the beginning, but as long as you have someone to support you, starting to lift is very important in your journey,” Dominick said.
Callie Kurczek sprints down the court.The girls next game is tonight at home against Winneconne.
Barracudas boosts HS swim
High school athletes often get their start in the Barracudas. Blake Mertens and Toby miller, fourth and seventh in the top row have been on the Barracudas for over five years. “I’ve been on the team since 2018 so thats eight or nine seasons now and I’ve done it every season,” Mertens said.
by
Thomas McCarthy
A wide-eyed 8-year-old eagerly watches a junior as they demonstrate a flip turn. That same kid grows up and teaches his skills to the next generation of swimmers. This is the norm on the Berlin Barracudas, a club swimming team that coaches athletes from six years old through high school.
“The interactions between older and younger swimmers really build team cohesion and gives the younger swimmers someone to look up to. It also emphasizes the importance of being a positive role model to our older swimmers,” Barracudas Head Coach Kimberly Neubauer said.
Being on the Barracudas early helps children fall in love
with the sport and builds a strong swimming foundation. This foundation is critical in high school swimming; if they can master the fundamentals, it’s much easier to improve.
“It gets your endurance up, it gets you faster, being able to do more strokes. When you can do more strokes, you can get more points and just get better and better,” Barracudas and high school swim team member Blake Mertens said.
Learning the techniques isn’t the only important thing the Barracudas teaches; getting used to the unique atmosphere of swim meets can make swimmers feel more confident and ready for high school swimming.
“Swimming is different than any other sport, just because indoors, it’s loud, they use a horn now instead of a
gun, but just learning what the difference is between swimming a 50, which is two lengths, to a 500, which is 20 it’s a lot different than anything else,” high school Head Coach Amy Slonecker said.
Unlike high school sports, the Barracudas is flexible with athletes who have other sports and school activities. Based on their schedule, swimmers can put in as much or as little time as they want.
“Several of our swimmers are in dance, choir, play an instrument, act in plays, participate in different school clubs, play softball/baseball and/or run track. We only ask that while the swimmers are at swim practice, they try their best and pay attention to the coaches,” Neubauer said.
Another difference between swimming and most
sports is the connectedness of high school and club. Due to seasons overlapping, those in the Barracudas get additional chances to compete and sharpen their skills.
“Right now, I’m in both, and this weekend, I’ll be swimming in Barracudas, last weekend I swam high school. High schoolers can swim two meets a season in a club team, so we’re limited on what we can do, but it’s still fun,” Mertens said.
But for many, the best part of the Barracudas goes beyond simply swimming. The connections, experiences, and friendships made on the Barracudas last a lifetime.
“I have seen several friendships grow from making friends from other teams during the HS season and watching them continue during the club seasons,” Neubauer said.
Photo submitted by Sabrina Pierstorff