Middle School Students Share Their Opinion On The Sports Of Today
Sports Life JR Edition
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A True Athlete
This article is about a young female athlete named Angeline Carroll. The topics are about her life style and what sports she plays, education and more. My name is Dylan Carter along with Tanoe Sumic-Liu from Sports Life Magazine, Middle School Edition. Let us dive into the Q and A of Angeline Carroll and talk about how truly remarkable a young athlete she is.
Question 1 SLJ: What are your experiences? Angeline Carroll: When I was 5 years old, I started playing Basketball. when I was 7, I started playing Softball, I played for 3 years. When I was in kindergarten, second, and third grade, I played for the YMCA basketball league. I enjoyed playing club Volleyball for fourteen Nationals, I still am on that team. I also enjoyed playing for the PDYSA softball league. I have received MVP (Most Valued player) for Basketball, Softball, and Cross Country. Question 2 SLJ: What are your goals for this year? Angeline Carroll: I want to be the best athlete possible, want to keep a growth positive mindset and want to continue to play Club Volleyball for Desert Sports Center. Of course, try out for the Junior Olympic Qualifiers for Volleyball. I competed in the State of California Track and Field Championships. Eventually, I want to make it to the first division College Basketball team. For a Scholarship. Question 3 SLJ: How can you relate to other people your age about their goals and dreams? Angeline Carroll: Start when your very young, be on a team that’s going to make you better and having a good coach. Have complete dedication. With that being said, I truly believe starting young is the best. SLJ: Most of the athletes you see today, Tennis, NFL, MLB, Swimming, Olympics and Volleyball just to name a few, how most of them have started at very young ages. It is a pleasure to see that you are on that same track. It is very inspiring. Question 4 SLJ: How many years have you been playing sports? Angeline Carroll: Ten years combined, SLJ: that is really something, Specially at a young age Question 5 SLJ: What school did you attend? Also, if you do not mind, if you could share your daily schedule Angeline Carroll: Palm Valley School Angeline Carroll: Pam Valley, I have PE every day. We get to play every sport that is in season. PE helps me develop physically and mentally. I have been participating on the Palm Valley Equestrian Team. I also ride horses at Hope Equestrian at Rancho Mirage. Question 6 SLJ: If you would..... please give our readers a little bit more about who you are Angeline Carroll: I was born on July 21st, 2003, in Palm Springs. (Mother) Her nickname is “SWEETHEART OF SPORTS” (Angeline blushes) (Mother) She is called that because she is so sweet to her competitors.
After talking with Angeline, a truly remarkable young athlete, was very inspiring, interesting and very motivating. This was my first interview under the new Sports Life magazine middle school edition. I felt this will probably be the most inspiring interview that I will do. This interview will most likely motivate kids to start up in sports at a young age and follow their dreams doing what they will soon love. For instants Angeline Carroll made it to the Junior Olympic Qualifiers for Volleyball. Accomplishment? “Yes�. This interview motivated me enough to look into more journalism and continue my goals in finding more and truly inspiring stories such as this.
Written by: Dylan Carter & Tanoe Sumic-Liu Palm Desert Middle School
Thank you Angelina
1) Angelina - Pages 3 - 6 2) Fantasy Springs Boxing - Pages 8 - 15 3) Dancing Is Not A Sports - Page 16 4) Maria Sharapova - Page 17 5) Michael Phelps & Del Worsham - Page 18 6) Bethany Hamilton - Page 19 7) Broncos Page 20 8) Danica Patrick - Pages 22 - 23 9) Warriors - Page 24 10) Gracie Gold - Page 25 11) Hope Solo - Page 26 12) Missy Franklin - Page 27 13) Dak Prescott - Pages 28 - 29 14) Fastest Women In Water - Pages 30 - 31
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sportslifemagazine.com Larry Reiche - Owner CEO Palm Desert Middle School Students Chuck Null - Photo
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760-660-1482 Congratulations to the Palm Desert Charter Middle School Students who have conducted interviews, research and fact checking on athletes, teams from around the world. Continue to strive for excellence as young Journalists. Thank you to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for allowing students to participate in the actual boxing events. Sports Life magazine would like to thank those individuals who have came out for the interviews that the students conducted.
The Face Behind Boxing Ideally we all would like to know what's going on in the boxing industry. Some say the industry has fallen. Ever since mixed martial arts have arrived it seems to be true? Or is it? Fantasy Springs Boxing match was a great experience. The first match featured Ryan Martin an American Lightweight professional boxer, and Yardley Suarez a American, Super Featherweight professional boxer. Ryan Martin started off the first round strong by backing Suarez into a corner and throwing many head shots. Round two was a replica of round one. Martin was shown to be ahead early in the match‌‌. Round three started strong by Martin throwing strong punches and midway through the round almost a knockout by Martin. Since this was the first match we have ever attended it was very exciting to see the first match. We were disappointed it ended early, because by round four Martin won by a technical knockout. We thought that match was the only match, there was going to be that night. We were wrong as you know, and we were excited to see the matches to come. As we enter to the second match, Alexis Rocha vs. Harold Calderon. Round one started off very strong with both competitors throwing very strong punches. Mid-round Rocha blocked Calderon into a corner and threw a head punch. This was the first head punch of the match. The round ended, and now we start round two. Rocha was blocked into a corner but he ca me back with a strong attempt for a knockdown. Calderon is getting hit very hard and then Calderon came back and blocked Rocha into a corner. The round ended and round three started. Calderon got blocked into a corner and it looked like he was going down soon. Multiple head shots by Rocha and Calderon is down on one knee. Rocha is CRUSHING Calderon. Almost knockout by Rocha. During the intermission between fights, we had the opportunity to interview the fighters. Though the interviews did not come out they way we would have hoped, the fighters were extremely gracious, and wonderful to talk to.
At this time in the match we realized it was real, getting to go into the press room and eating mini sandwiches, getting too see and interview the boers, and most importantly getting to be a Junior. Journalist, and getting to “Cover” this boxing match. (Now back to the match) Match 4 started off normal by Padilla and Mora, then suddenly within a minute of the round, both threw head shots and hit the other's head at the same time! it was so crazy, (We didn't even think that was possible). Round two seemed to really stretch the clock they both threw many punches, but no one seemed to be going down anytime soon, and then as the clock read 00:01 the crowd screamed as Padilla won! Mira was down on the ground. Match Five: Rios vs Tapia. Both individuals started off the round by throwing multiple punches to the head of each other. It was probably the best and most stable first round we saw out of all of the matches, the rounds were so close thatI was not leaning towards either one of them in points. Round two started off with body shots, Tapia blocked into a corner, and lots of sweat flying, adrenaline, and the crowd's excitement. This round clearly was in Rios favor, and his punches were also much stronger than his punches in the first round. Round three started almost immediately with Rios blocked in the corner but he didn't seem to give, both men's threw strong head shots. Tapia threw a strong punch but missed Rios, and flung his arm to the side. Tapia threw a painful face punch and an a strong stomach shot. This round. Round four started again with Rios Cornered, but then Rios made a come back and Tapia was cornered. Round five Rios started circling his right hand like Muhammad Ali did, he looked relaxed and in control, he blocked Tapia into a corner threw a few head shots, and then a strong face punch. When the sixth round came to an end, and sweat was dripping off of the competitors necks Rios was declared the winner. Match 6 Gomez vs. Ellis Ellis started the round of strong with lots of Upper body shots then Ellis knocked him down, but Gomez got back up again, just as he stood up he knocked him down again, and Ellis was declared the winner.
Main Event, Shabranskky vs. Barrera The first round started off with strong jabs and head shots by Barrera, and knocked Shabranskyy to the ground. Round two started with sweat flying and jabs and upper body shots from both competitors, and Barrera got knocked down this time . . But he got back up! Round three, flying fists once again by both competitors. Shabranskyy stuck in headlock. Sweat flying. Huge head shot served by Shabranskky, Face shot by Barrera. Round four, started with Barrera throwing a mean body punch. Huge head shots by both. Sweat flying. In the ring, Shabranskyy told Barrera,” who's the boss” and he struck a hard face punch. The round ended with strong head shots by both Boxers. Round five, Barrera started the round by punching Shabranskyy in the stomach. Huge uppercut by Shabranskyy, lip started bleeding, and he fell to the ground, but luckily he stood back up shortly after his fall. Round six, Body shots by both boxers. Huge head shots by Barrera. Body shot by Shabranskyy. Shabranskyy hurt and almost down. Shabranskyy “SAVED BY THE BELL!” (LITERALLY). Round seven, Started by Shabranskyy cornering Barrera, it doesn't look good for him, but he comes back, with a huge headshot. Sweat was flying. Shabranskky is out! Barrera was declared the winner, and he won a title and gave a beautiful speech! Hopefully with all these young and fresh boxers stepping into the world of boxing, boxing will not fade away… But become an even better sport with even a better reputation.
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Written + Photos by: Remiana Tapleshay & Paige levitt Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Barchelta VS Vargas
Photo credit: BoxingScene.com 23/0 is the number that wowed people’s faces today, 23/0 is the number that made him a champ until today. Today January 28, 2017 the first time that Jesse Vargas lost in his 2016 to 2017 career. Even though the match was supposed to be twelve rounds, it ended up being ten rounds. Miguel Berchelt, his opponent was dominating over Vargas during the entire match. Vargas got his eyelid busted open three times during the fight. It got so bad that the referee had to stop the fight, and declare Berchelt the winner. The dedication that goes into these fights is crazy, people train for years just to possibly go in fight. The fighters will do no matter what to win. We could tell that the crowd really liked Vargas. The whole crowd would cheer his name, at the top of their lungs. During the fight I noticed Berchelt had a tattoo of an angel. We later realized that the angel remixes hope. Hope is the only thing keeping these fighters alive, but at that moment Vargas was the one who really needed hope. Fear, anxiety, and worry came to the boxers, when they heard ding, ding, ding. In the first round they were punching their hardest. We thought that they would save their punches and energy for their “last” round. We noticed that Vargas liked to use his left hand more than his right, so we wondered maybe his left is his dominate. During about round four, Berchelt started winning and the crown was in disfavor. We also noticed that Berchelt was aiming a lot for Vargas’s eyes which in our opinion was a smart strategy. In round six Vargas had a lot of trouble standing up straight, so he would lean on Berchelt and the north ropes any chance he had. At this point Vargas was losing but both sides had fought their hardest. Round eight, Vargas was still losing. At the end of round eight, Barchaelta took a huge swing and busted Vargas’s eyelid open. They took a break to sow it back up, the boxers then started fighting again. In round nine the same thing happened but it was a lot worse this time he was gushing out blood but he decided not to give up. Round ten the final round Vargas’s eye has now been busted open three times and Berchelt is causing severe damage, the referees decide to stop the fight due to serious injuries and Barchelt is declared the winner. Vargas believed he could do it but sadly he was wrong. In this match we learned something. We learned keep on trying no matter what. If someone takes a swing at you in life, don't duck it, instead take it because life is filled with surprises and you should learn to take life as it comes to you. We are so happy that we had this chance to do this, and this experience. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
By: Lotus Kendall and Charlotte Trudeau
DANCING IS NOT A SPORT? Article By: Lotus Kendall - Palm Desert Charter Middle School Dancing… what a wonderful thing. Now, a lot of people argue that dancing is not a sport. Well, I am here to prove you wrong and give you a couple of facts that may make you stand up and move your feet around. Jam out to some of your favorite music. Actually, that leads me to my first fact, now even though you aren’t thinking your brain is getting a workout when you are moving your feet, drops of hot and cold salty sweat are pouring down your face, and trying to make your kicks and turns on point, while jamming to your favorite tunes. Music exercises your brain. Studies have shown that people who listened to music while working out showed better “verbal fluency.” So crank up those tunes, put your dancing shoes on, and get to that dance floor. Research shows that dancing can strengthen your bones and joints, which helps prevent Osteoporosis, which is a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue. Another study found that dancing can also prevent Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly. Dancing also reduces blood pressure, and heart disease. Dancing helps relieve stress, so start dancing when you're stressed. Dance consumes a lot of energy! A three hour ballet class is equivalent to a ninety minute soccer game, or running nine-teen miles. Misty Copeland made history as the First African American Female Principal Dancer. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 10, 1882. One of Misty Copeland’s famous quotes is “ I dance because it brings me joy, strength, and life!” Misty Copeland has participated in many dance productions, such as Birthday Offering, Nutcracker, The Bright Stream, etc. Jade Chynoweth who was born on August 21, 1998, in Park City, Utah. She is now 18 years old. She was chosen to be an Elite Protege with the Pulse on Tour for the 2010-2011 season. She started dancing at the age of two. She has danced on the KIDS Choice awards, and at the 2011 MTV awards. Dance is an actual sport though dancers don’t have a separate category in the Olympics they are actual athletes because they follow hard core training to stay in top condition. Just like professional athletes, Dancers have extraordinary flexibility, balance, muscular strength, physical and mental endurance.
Maria Sharapova
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987. She is a professional Russian tennis player. A United States resident since 1994, Sharapova has competed on the WTA tour since 2001. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions, for a total of 21 weeks. She is one of ten women, and the only Russian, to hold the career Grand Slam. She is also an Olympic medalist, having earned silver for Russia in women's singles at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The age of 18, Sharapova became No. 1 in the world on August 22, 2005. Sharapova has achieved a rare level of longevity in the women's game. Maria has won at least one title a year from 2003-2015. Sharapova has been featured in many modeling assignments especially Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She also appeared in many commercials including Nike, Prince, and Canon. Since February 2007, she has been a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador, concerned specifically with the Chernobyl Recovery and Development Programme. In June 2011, Sharapova was named one of the “30 legends of Women’s Tennis: Past, Present, and Future”. In March 2016, Sharapova revealed she had failed a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open, admitting to testing positive for meldonium, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at the start of 2016. On June 8, 2016, she was suspended from playing tennis for two years by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). On October 4, 2016, the suspension was
reduced to 15 months. Sharapova first hit the tennis scene in November 2000. At the age of six, Sharapova attended a tennis clinic in Moscow the was ran by Martina Navratilova. With money tight, Yuri Sharapov borrowed the sum that would enable him and his daughter, neither of whom could speak English, to travel to the United States of America, which they finally did in 1994. Visa restrictions prevented Sharapova's mother from joining them for two years. Arriving in Florida with savings of US$700, Sharapova's father took various low-paying jobs, including dishwashing, to fund her lessons until she was old enough to be admitted to the academy. Before she entered the IMG business, she trained with Rick Macci, in the Rick Macci Tennis Academy. She then was offered a deal from IMG which forced her to change academies. Originally, she did train with Rick Macci, but after the deal with IMG, she could not see Rick Macci anymore. In 1995, she was signed by IMG, who agreed to pay the annual tuition fee of $35,000 for Sharapova to stay at the Academy, allowing her to finally enroll at the age of 9. Maria Sharapova is now fulfilling her dreams.
Article By: Paige Levitt - Palm Desert Charter Middle School
My Idol Michael Phelps Photo credit: www.flickr.com/photos/pictlux/14130431
I really have always idolized the Olympic swimmers. For example, Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, to name a couple. A year before I was born, in 2003, Phelps won his first Olympic medal. His last year in Olympic swimming was 2016. He retired that year, at the age of thirty-one. Phelps was born in June 30, 1985. I actually swam in the same pool that he swam in college. The pool is located at Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, a Southern California City. It has a list of his times, and other Olympian swimmers like Missy Franklin. Michael Phelps is a great swimmer, being decorated with twenty-three Olympic medals and all. His swimming career has been great. We will miss you in the swimming industry, Michael. Written By: Tanoe Sumic-Liu
Del Worsham - The Unborn Hero When a boy was born in Chino Hills on February 11, 1970 - no one predicted what he would become. In 1990 everyone knew he was destined to be a Nascar driver when he made his professional debut at Pomona. Many wins followed. He won in 2009, posting three wins in three final rounds, then finished 7th in NHRA full throttle funny car point standings. Winning again in Las Vegas in 2010. In 2014 , this was his first funny car victory since 2009. Winning the overall funny car championship in 2015.
Del Worsham left his championship-caliber team Kalitta Motorsports to rejoin his family owned team. Worsham caught everyone by surprise. Del is the third ever driver in NHRA history to win both Top Fuel and Funny Car championships. He is 5 foot 10 and 175 pounds. His best speed for a quarter mile is 331.36 mph. This career wins/final rounds are 33/50. Del has an amazing family. His wife Connie Worsham, and his twin daughters Katelyn and Madelyn Worsham. Del’s hobbies are golfing, reading, bowling and playing with his children. The Unborn Hero Written by: Katie Segerson and Drew Sickenberger. Del Worsham is Drew’s uncle.
Photos By: Chuck null - Sports Life Magazine
Bethany Hamilton a “Soul Surfer” “I don’t really want people to look at me for inspiration. I want to be a sign along the way that points toward Heaven.” -Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Meilani Hamilton was an amazing surfer whose arm was bitten off by a 14 foot long tiger shark, but that didn’t stop her. Bethany was born in Lihue, Kauai on February 8, 1990. Bethany started to surf at age 8. In 2010 she had won her first age group division. She was married on August 13, 2003. She gave birth to a baby boy named Tobias on June 1, 2015. Bethany was a inspiring person she showed that having one arm wasn’t an obstacle. Bethany is very brave, strong, and inspiring person. Bethany Hamilton was a brave person, because during the shark attack she remained calm. She did feel pain, but not as much as you think it would. Bethany described it as biting on a piece of steak. "I was holding onto my board, with my thumb, because I probably didn't want to get pulled under. It was like pulling me back and forth, not like pulling me underwater. Just like, you know how you eat a piece of steak? It was kind of like that.” She was with her best friend Alana, Alana dad and Alana’s brother. Alana’s father swam to Bethany as fast as he possibly could. He put his shirt around Bethany’s arm and paddled her to shore. They rushed to Wilson Memorial hospital, with recovery time taking one month to return to surfing.
She spoke about how girls could stay fit. Bethany showed that her lost arm was no obstacle for her. Bethany still surfed and still did her everyday routine. After the attach It took Bethany a while to return to the normal routine she would do, but it's inspiring how fast she adapted to one arm. It only took her about a month! That's what makes her really inspiring. Bethany is a brave, strong, and inspiring. If I could spend a day with Bethany I would ask her “How did it feel to get back in the water after the attack?” And if I were to spend a day with her I would have her give me a surfing lesson.
Written By: Armani Curry and Karla Alba Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Bethany was a strong person because even with one arm she would still surf. Bethany never wanted someone to help her. If someone offered her help she would say “no thank you”. At one of Bethany's surf competitions they offered her a 10 second head start because of her arm, she said she didn't want it. So she went at the same time as everyone because Bethany wanted it to be fair. She would surf every day which for me would be hard even with two arms. Bethany showed her strength at all of her competitions. She may have not won then, but she won a lot of them with 3rd, 2nd, or 1st place. Bethany was a inspiring person because she made books to inspire young girls to follow there dreams and stay fit. Just like how Bethany did with her surfing career. One of the books was called “BODY AND SOUL”.
Photo By: Ravepad.com
Von Miller: Is He Really An All Around Great Player? When you think Von Miller, you think sacks.You also think real tough and strong.Von Miller’s real name is Vonnie B’Vsean Miller Jr. Von Miller is 27 years old, he was born March 26, 1989 in Dallas, Texas. He is about 6’3” and 249 pounds. He went to Texas A&M University and graduated with a degree in Poultry Science. He can run the 40 yard dash in about 4.49 seconds.He has and arm length of 33.5 inches. Von’s Vision is his charity and he gives the earned money to underprivileged kids who need eye care. This was his first charity. He was featured in season 22 of Dancing with the stars. Miller is believed to have a great sense of humor. Von Miller’s parents are Von and Gloria Miller and both played high school and college sports. Von Miller has a younger brother named Vinsynzie. Von majored in Poultry science. The only reason he took Poultry Science is because it was an easy class but ended up loving it. Miller has his own chicken farm and he even names some of the chickens after his teammates. Miller went to DeSoto High School in Texas. Miller also did track and field in high school. At first Von skipped class and didn’t do much in practice until he was suspended from football for skipping class. Being suspended made Miller try hard on and off the field. Then Von Miller was drafted in 2011. He started off as number 40 and later became number 58. Miller is the outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos, wearing number 58. He has about 72.5 career sacks. He has a six year contract worth about 114.5 million and he is guaranteed 70 million. Miller’s net worth is about 9,754,000. Von Miller loves giving back to his community and the people who have served us.The Denver Broncos just released an exclusive franchise tag on Miller. He has played for 6 seasons now and was named the MVP of Superbowl 50. Miller is ranked third in the county for sacks per game. He became the 2nd player in the Broncos history to be selected as a Pro Bowl Rookie. Von Miller has over 800 pairs of shoes and over 150 pairs of glasses. He collects cowboy hats too. He has a gold and diamond chain. He has over 5 gold chains. He has a cologne collection. He has 3 different cars all costing over 100,000. One car is even becoming a replica of the Bat Mobile. He has a 300 gallon fish tank. He has a Vegas bar with pool tables, a lounge and some arcade games. He has a 300 gallon fish tank. He has a Vegas bar with pool tables, a lounge and some arcade games. Von miller has a record of 11.15 seconds on the 60 yard shuttle. This broke the linebacker record. Miller is expected to break the Broncos all time sack record before his new contract expires. Von Miller is expected to still do good with his head coach Gary Kubiak retiring and his new coach Vance Joseph. This season was not the best for the broncos because of Peyton Manning leaving but Von MIller still tried his hardest.
WrittenBy: Marissa Raabe Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Photo Credit: Sports Glory
Extreme Sports For A Younger Generation Article By: Uesili Kuli - Palm Desert Charter Middle School Dominick Raizin is a twelve year old already racing AMA pro-that should say a lot. At just five years old, he had a quad bike to ride around on. You can see the passion in his eyes when he got asked the question “What’s so great about motocross?” He just smiled and replied, “It’s a way of life.”While juggling baseball, Dirt-bike Racing, and his beloved Motocross, Dominick just says the practice times don’t interfere, which make it great for his schedule. He is more than happy at this point, even racing with older kids at 14 or even 16. These are referred to as “sandbaggers” and ride in lower divisions so they don’t have to compete at the level they are expected to. Most would think this would bother Dominick, but he laughs and says that he’s still faster than them so it’s okay. After all, it’s just more training to make his skills better to achieve his biggest dream-to race with the pros. Competition is fierce, but Dominick definitely has it handled. Here at SportsLife, we were told an interesting story about one of his races. Altogether, there were 27 racers lined up. When the race started, Dominick crushed his clutch hand, a factor important to the task at hand. The last one to take off, Dominick races as hard as he could and finished a surprising 7th place. He beat 20 other people with a crushed hand controlling his bike-how about you? Motocross, while just a sport to others, is Dominick’s passion. He says it’s all about enjoyment, and not necessarily winning. Although he does enjoy the competition quite a bit. The jumps throughout, and how fast he goes are overall the most stimulating part of his experience. In all Dominick will definitely go far. If Dominick’s starting off right, the future is bright.
“Nascars Racing Model” Article By: Remiana Tapleshay & Paige Levett - Palm Desert charter Middle School
Danica Sue Patrick, or the first woman to win NASCAR Sprint Car Series in 2013, was born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin. Patrick or the woman who won her first pole position, leading a 1-2-3 sweep racing at Kansas Speedway, also became the fourth woman to complete the Indycar series Indianapolis 500. Her fourth-place finish was the highest ever for a female driver. She led 19 laps of the race, becoming the first woman ever to have lead that series. Patrick burst into the scene 2005, when she stunned the world by leading 19 laps and finishing 4th in her first Indianapolis 500. Danica Patrick, in April 2008, became the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American. Patrick continued to stun the crowd in the Toyota Atlantic Series in 2003, and became the first woman in the series history to finish with a third place. She dropped out of high school to pursue her career as a race car driver in England. Danica Patrick started by driving go-karts at age 10. Danica Patrick’s achievements landed herself a spot in Bobby Rahal’s, team to drive for the United States. Patrick Went on to win the Kansas Speedway, with a practice lap of 229.800mph, she also became the woman to make history that day with her practice lap. Danica’s latest race was Nascar Sprint Cup Series at Miami on November 20th in 19th place with a total of 22 points she started at 30th place. In 2002, Patrick signed with Rahal Letterman Racing, then co-owned by former driver Bobby Rahal and talk show host David Letterman. During the next two years, Patrick achieved moderate success and was a consistent finisher on the podium, but never won a race. This racer's worst nightmare is “split ends, and failing at everything” she told USA Today Sports, Danica also stated in her interview, “the weirdest thing a fans ever said to me was, I'm going to name a baby after her. Patrick is already one of the biggest stars in motor sports. Her 12 Super Bowl commercials are a celebrity record. Patrick was the most-searched athlete, male or female, on Yahoo in 2011 and ranked fourth a couple years ago. Danica Patrick is only “1 of 43 drivers lined up to race on Sunday”. It is not easy for Danica Patrick, the men try and run her off the road because they think that women are not capable of doing it. She is treated unfairly based on the circumstances. She has had 6 accidents in the past 2 years, while the average amount of accidents a year is 2. 28 drivers have been killed in Nascar. Is Danica’s attitude changing because of the way she is treated by the men? In March of 2016 Danica Patrick was fined $20,000 for her actions after a crash caused by Kyle Busch. She ran out into the track and made gestures at Kasey Kahne. Both Kyle and Danika were put on probation for the next four events. Kyle was fined $10,000 for denying the media. Danica next race is the Triple A Auto Club Speedway in March. Danica is trying to create healthier ways of eating for her fan. She posted a photo of her eating a gluten-free fig bar for a snack. Last year Danica and Stewart Haas Racing signed a deal with Nature’s Bakery as Patrick’s primary sponsor. Danica Patrick is a true role model and inspiration for young girls. She continues to prove her place in the racing sport. And she will be known forever as a true inspiration!
Humble Shooter Written By: Uesili Kuli
Palm Desert Charter Middle School
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There’s plenty of talent on the Golden State Warriors. One that deserves attention is Klay Thompson. He might be overlooked because of all the attention the media puts on a certain Stephen Curry. But if you think Curry deserves all the spotlight, let’s review what Klay Thompson has accomplished, for himself and the team. Drafted in 2011, he was the eleventh pick overall for Golden State. Little did Mark Jackson know what a gem he picked up. In just his first season, he averaged 12.5 points a game. This is quite measly and didn’t showcase most of his talents. However the next year fans were shocked by his performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored a season high of 32, and the current coach Mark Jackson said that “Thompson and Stephen Curry formed the best shooting duo in NBA history.” In fact, that season, the two scored 483 three-pointers, the most ever by an NBA duo. Keep in mind this was only Klay’s second year, and he was really beginning to click with the Warriors’ soon to be star. Stephen Curry had just recently recovered from his injuries, and was ready to play again, this time with a helping hand. The season of 2013-2014 was just, if not more spectacular. With Curry at his side, they blew up the Golden State Warriors’ fame altogether, with their rounded skills. They bested their record by one more shot, totaling 484. Don’t get me wrong, Thompson works just fine on his own. Besting his personal record with a season high of 38, he was starting to get the recognition he deserved. At this point, Thompson was averaging 21.7 points a game-a major upgrade from 2011. To top it off, Steve Kerr was named head coach May 14, nearing the end of the season. The following season is what most would say was the beginning of Thompson’s peak. This year held many new accomplishments for the 24 year old. Signing a four year extension contract with the Warriors sealed his prosperity. He yet again broke his personal best with 41 points only to break it again later that season with 52 points. Thompson also surpassed his coach, Steve Kerr, who had made 726 threepointers in his career, which was a HUGE milestone to break down. This season also yielded his first All-Star reserve, and his first championship. Curry also having a peak in scoring, contributed to the 525 three-pointers made by him and Thompson, blowing their old record out of the water by 41. To top it off, he scored a playoff career high of 34 against the Cavaliers. Thanks to his, and the team’s marveling efforts, Golden State defeated Cleveland in 6 games. This would be Thompson’s first, but definitely not last ring. Moving onto 2016, the Warriors’ starter lineup was solid-Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut, and a varying Andre Iguodala. This was easily one of the most potent lineups in the league, at the time. Although during the first 21 games, Thompson was unable to break the 30 point barrier, until a match up against the Indiana Pacers. That night, he scored 39 points, and landed another tally for the Warriors’ 23-0 winning streak. This season’s high would be 45 points, scores against the Dallas Mavericks. Thompson also received his second straight All-Star reserve the night after that game. Later in February he competed in the All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest, and caused a major upset by winning over his teammate, Stephen Curry. He also defeated Devin Booker, of the Phoenix Suns. Again making it to the finals, Golden State drew up a 3-1 lead in the series, but robbed by Cleveland in 7 games. The current season is a little underwhelming than the few years back, but the team is definitely doing well. In fact, they’ve acquired a key player for this season-Kevin Durant. Now Golden State has THE killer lineup that it needs to kick start a revolution. Thompson’s most memorable feat so far, happened on December 5th, 2016. While playing the Pacers, he scored 60 points in under 30 minutes of playing time. He was the first to do so, and joined 3 other historic Warriors who’ve scored 60 points. All the talents Thompson has can be recognized, and are appreciated. For example, he could easily hog the ball but chooses to pass to willing teammates. I would say his talent was activated when Steve Kerr became coach, due to the fact that Kerr always the shooters to do as they please. Hate or love the Warriors, there’s no denying this blatant talent. I cannot express the amount of recognition Thompson needs. People say he's over hyped say it's for a reason.
GRACIE GOLD This is Gracie Gold, she’s a famous ice skater. Gracie Gold is an American figure skater who competes in ladies' singles. She is the 2012 World Junior silver medalist and a two-time U.S. national champion 2014-2016. At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Gold received a bronze medal in the team event and placed fourth in the ladies' single skating competition. Her highest place at a World Championship is fourth, achieved consecutively in 2015 and 2016. Grace Elizabeth Gold was born in Newton, Massachusetts, the daughter of Denise, an ER nurse, and Carl Gold, anaesthesiologist. Grace’s fraternal twin sister Carly Gold, is younger by 40 minutes. Carly is also a competitive figure skater. Gold was raised in Springfield, Missouri, before moving to Springfield, Illinois. She attended ninth grade at Glenwood Senior High School in Chatham, Illinois, before switching to online education. She has taken ballet lessons. Gold started skating at age 8. She began training with Amy Vorhaben and Max Liu before switching to work with Alexia Griffin. Later she joined Susan Liss and then switched to Toni Hickey in Springfield, Illinois. Her next coach was Alex Ouriashev, who worked with her at two rinks in the Chicago area. Her future events are going to be starting with the where she is now, where her next competition is, Grace has won many medals and her future is going to be great. Writing by Valorie Arnoldussen Nellie Coffman Middle School
What’s Up With Hope Solo Hope Solo was born on July 30th, 1981 in Richland, Washington. She is married to Jerramy Stevens (Former NFL player). Hope Solo began her career as a goalie in soccer during her college years at the University of Washington. She is now known as a gold-winning goalie, she started out at Richland High School Soccer Team as a forward. Even Though Hope Solo started out as a forward in High School, she became a goalie in college when she played for the Washington Huskies. During college, she earned NSCAA All-American honors in her last three years and took home a Hermann Award as a senior. Later, she was selected as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2004, but never made it to the field in Athens. In 2008, Solo helped U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team bring home the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing and again four years later in London. Hope Solo got suspended for six months by the U.S. Soccer because of the comment she made against Sweden in the 2016 Olympics. During the penalty shootout, Solo made the comment, “A Bunch of Cowards,” to Sweden. U.S. Soccer called that comment, “unacceptable.” Hope Solo is not just a goalie, but a participant on Dancing with the Stars. In 2011, Solo competed and danced with Maksim Chmerkovskiy to make it to the show’s semifinals. Hope Solo doesn’t have a clean record and she has problems with some of the members of her family. She has been arrested twice for domestic violence. She was accused of hitting her sister and hitting her 17 year old nephew. In hopes of a successful future for Hope Solo, I will always be a fan. Article By: Kyla Manning - Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Mystifying Missy Franklin
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Missy Franklin is a USA swim team member. She started swimming at age 5. Her full name is Melissa Janette Franklin. Her nick name is ¨Missy the Missile¨. Her events are 200m back, 4 times 200 freestyle, 200m freestyle. She has 17 world championship medals, 3 silver, 3 bronze, and 11 gold. Her swimming performance at the 2010 National Championships gave her the opportunity to swim in the Pan Pacific Championships in 2010. She came in fourth in the 100 meter backstroke. At the Short Course World Championships in Dubai, she got second in the 200 meter backstroke. Missy got breakout performer of the year at the golden goggle awards. At the 2012 OLYMPICS, Missy swam 7 events, Swimming the 100 and 200 backstroke, She won gold In competitions. She swam in the 400 medley and the 800 freestyle, the team won gold. She also swam in the 400 freestyle relay and won bronze. She swam in the 100 free style and, placed fifth as well as in the 200 free, placed fourth.
tremendous love and excitement for swimming and for racing.” Schmitz says. At the 2016 Olympics Missy won one gold medal . I honestly think she has a good attitude and good effort. She has good sportsmanship. Missy keeps fighting and she gives it her best. Missy’s advice “Never set limits on your dreams”. Don’t let pressure or expectations get to you.” “Have fun and pour your heart into whatever you do.” I know she only one Gold Olympic medal. Not even in individual. Missy in 2016 Olympic Trials and after she won she said to the reporter, “That even when you don’t win to keep on fighting”.
Written By: Samantha Schuessler Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Missy Franklin's Favorites are: Fuzzy Socks, Hot Tea, Movies, And Bubble Baths. In 2013 she competed at the World championships she swam in the 200 backstroke, the 200 free, 100 backstroke, 800 freestyle relay, 400 medley and 400 free Relay. She won gold and fourth in the 100 free. Missy went to the golden goggle awards of 2013 and got performance of the year Over a decade ago Todd Schmitz saw her potential in the 8-10 group at the Colorado stars. She always had a
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The 23 year old quarterback Article By: Paige Levitt - Palm Desert Middle School Dak Prescott is the son of Nathaniel and Peggy Prescott and has two older brothers, Tad and Jace, and an older sister Natalie Prescott-Smith and older brother Elliott Prescott from his father's previous marriage. Jace was an offensive lineman at Northwestern State. His mother died of colon cancer in November 2013. His father is an African American and his late mother White American. On March 12, 2016, Prescott was arrested for driving under the influence in Starkville, Mississippi. Prescott took two breathalyzer tests, neither of which yielded a valid result. The first result was an "invalid sample" and the second was an "insufficient sample."[58][59] On July 27, 2016, he appeared in Starkville Municipal Court and was found not guilty on all charges. Several sources have indicated that the DUI arrest caused Prescott to fall lower in the draft. In 2012 Dak Prescott was a backup quarterback for Tyler Russell. Dak completed 18 out of the 29 passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also scored four rushing touchdowns with 110 yards on 32 carries. Prescott began as the backup to Russell again in the 2013 season, but took over as the starter when Russell suffered a concussion. He played in 11 games. He was the MVP of the 2013 Liberty Bowl after leading the Bulldogs to a 44–7 win over the Rice Owls. His 2013 season performance ranks seventh in passing yards (1,940), tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns, and fourth in total yards (2,769) and total touchdowns. Following the season he was named to the 2013 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. In his first season as a full-time starter in 2014 Prescott led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 regular season record, its first #1 ranking in program history, and led them to the Orange Bowl. Prescott also garnered several accolades throughout and following the season. He was named a 2014 Honorable Mention All-American by SI.com, was named to the 2014 First-Team All-SEC team by the AP, Coaches, and ESPN.com and was on the 2014 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. Dak was selected to two Preseason All-american Teams. Dak ranks 4th in SEC history with 107 total touchdowns responsible for (passing, rushing, and receiving). His streak of 288 consecutive pass attempts without an interception is the longest in school history. In Bulldogs' 2015 game against Arkansas Dak set the school single game record. Dak was named the Auto Nation National Offensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America, The six touchdowns in a single contest tied the school record set by Jackie Parker in 1952 and Prescott became the first player in school history to throw for over 300 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game. This was the fourth time that he has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, the most in program history. Prescott received further national recognition by being placed on several national award watch lists including being named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, a semifinalist for both the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award, placed on the watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Manning Award, the Wuerffel Trophy, and the Senior Bowl, and won the Senior CLASS Award as well as being awarded the 2017 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award. For the season he passed for 3,793 yards, 29 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns. After Moore's injury, Prescott competed with second-year quarterback Jameill Showers for the backup job to established starter Tony Romo. Several reports from August training camp indicated that Showers outperformed Prescott, showing greater accuracy and a quicker release. However, the Cowboys coaching staff made the decision to start Prescott in the team's preseason opener at the Los Angeles Rams. Working with the Cowboys' first-team offense, Prescott completed 10 of 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in one half of action, though Dallas would have lost the game 28-24. Prescott continued his hot streak throughout the rest of the preseason, impressing all with his veteran-like pocket poise and decision making. Prescott's first regular-season start came on September 11 at home versus the New York Giants, becoming the fourth rookie quarterback to open the season as a starter in franchise history, and the first rookie to start at quarterback for the Cowboys since Quincy Carter in 2001. He totaled 227 passing yards, as the Cowboys lost, 20–19. During Week 2 against the Washington Redskins, Prescott had 292 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. The Cowboys won, 27–23. Prescott threw his first NFL touchdown, Dak through a 17-yarder to Dez Bryant, during the Cowboys' Week 3 match up against the Chicago Bears. In total, he threw for 248 yards, and also had a rushing score. The Cowboys won 31–17. In Week 4 at the San Francisco 49ers, Prescott passed for two touchdowns and 245 yards as the Cowboys won, 24–17. Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5, Prescott threw for 227 yards and a touchdown while running for another in a 28–14 Cowboys victory. Week 6 the Cowboys faced the Green Bay Packers. Prescott had three touchdowns and 247 passing yards as the Cowboys won 30–16. After the Week 7 bye, the Cowboys faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles and fellow rookie quarterback Carson Wentz for their first career match up. The Cowboys prevailed in overtime 29–23, with Prescott totaling three touchdowns (two passing and one rushing) and 287 passing yards. Week 9 the Cowboys beat the Cleveland Browns 35-10, Prescott provided 247 passing yards and three touchdowns. In Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cowboys won 35–30. The Cowboys continued their winning streak in Week 11 by beating the Baltimore Ravens 27–17 with Prescott throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Week 12's annual Thanksgiving game provided a 31–26 win over the Washington Redskins. Prescott had two touchdowns (one rushing and one passing) and 195 passing yards. His outstanding performance in November earned him Offensive Rookie of the Month. Week 13 the Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15, with Prescott passing for 139 yards and one touchdown. The next week the Cowboys had their second loss in the season, by a score of 7-10, from division rival New York Giants, with Prescott passing for 169 yards and one touchdown in the contest. In Week 15 the Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-20, with Prescott providing 279 passing yards and one rushing touchdown. Against the Detroit Lions in Week 16, the Cowboys won 42-21. Prescott passed for 212 yards and three touchdowns. In the Week 17 regular season finale, with the top playoff seed in the NFC clinched, the Cowboys decided to rest several starters. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 13-27, with Prescott only attempting eight passes for a total of 37 yards before being sent to the bench. In the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, the Cowboys drew the Green Bay Packers as their opponent. Prescott completed 24 of 38 for 302 yards, with a quarterback rating 103.2, and three touchdowns and an interception. The Packers won the game 34–31, ending Prescott's rookie season.
Katie Ledecky: “Fastest Women in Water” Article By: Remiana Tapleshay - Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Katie ledecky was born March 17, 1997 in Washington D.C., she is a Gold Medalist Swimmer, and is a five-time Olympic Gold Medalist, nine-time world champion. Katie is the current world-record holder in the women's 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle (long course). She also holds the fastest-ever times in the women's 500-, 1000-, and 1,650-yard freestyle events.” In her international debut at the 2012 London Olympic Games as a 15-year-old, Ledecky unexpectedly won the gold medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle. “Four years later, she left Rio de Janeiro as the most decorated female athlete of the 2016 Olympic Games with four gold medals, one silver medal, and two world records.” She has won 20 medals (19 golds and one silver). During her swimming career, she has broken thirteen world records.“Ledecky's success has earned her Swimming World's World Swimmer of the Year and the American Swimmer of the Year awards in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Ledecky was also named the international female Champion of Champions by L'Équipe in 2014 and the Female Athlete of the year.” Mrs. Ledecky began swimming at the age of six, due to her older brother. Her mom was a swimmer as well, she swam for the University of New Mexico. During her time swimming in highschool she swam twice for the Us open record in the 500-yard freestyle. And she set the national high school record in the 200yard freestyle. In 2013 she attended the world championships. She won gold in 400-, 800-, and 1500meter freestyle. She also set two world records. “In winning the 400 through 1500-meter titles, she became the second woman to ever win the event in a World Championship since German Hannah Stockbauer in 2003.” In 2014 she began the year breaking her own world records. She was able to break the world record in the 1500-freestyle with a time of 15:34.23, beating her previous time of 15:36.53.The she broke the 800meter freestyle time of 8:11.00, beating her previous time of 8:13.86. In the Pan Pacific championships, she won gold in the 200-, 400-, 800-, 1500-, 4 times 200-, meter freestyle. “Mrs.Ledecky began the World Championships by winning gold in the 400-meter freestyle in a time of 3:59.13, a new championship record and almost four seconds ahead of her closest competitor.” On The day three of competition, during the morning session, Ledecky swam the 200-meter freestyle, and qualified first with a time or 1:55.82. During the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil Ledecky won 4 gold medals for, 200-, 400-, and 800-meter freestyle, and the 2 times 400-meter freestyle relay, and received a silver medal for her 4 times 100-meter freestyle relay. Overall Ledecky has won 20 medals, 19 of them were gold, and 1 silver. She has proven herself to be a major competitor in the swimming world. She is an inspiration to everyone, especially young girls. As katie lecky says “I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they're impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.” -Ledecky