The Index Eutαxia Swzein Dokei
Volume LXXVIII, No. 1
September 2016
Haverford, Pennsylvania
havindex.com
Dr. Nagl Charts Character Initiative
Bill Wu ‘17
While the student body has been busy with summer reading and catching up with friends, Headmaster Dr. John Nagl began planning a character program. As a first step, he asked each member of the faculty and staff to read New York Times columnist David Brooks’ The Road to Character. When interviewed by The Index, Dr. Nagl highlighted one quotation from Brooks’ introduction that sums up the book and also his plans this year: “We have a chance to take advantage of everyday occasions to build virtue in ourselves and be of service to the world.[...] Example is the best teacher. Moral improvement occurs most reliably when the heart is warmed, when we come into contact with people we admire and love and we consciously and unconsciously bend our lives to mimic theirs.” Dr. Nagl hopes that by exposing the faculty to this book, the student body will similarly look to mimic the faculty in leading “a life that is humble and of public service.” Since its inception, Haverford has made character development one of its main goals. Dr. Nagl’s efforts seek a more intentional development of character and citizenship than ever before. According to “Progress and the Path Forward,” a report on Haverford’s strategic vision,
Dr. Nagl points out a photograph in his office
the school approaches building character and citizenship through “global education, service learning, leadership, community life, and health and wellness” that is “woven throughout a student’s experience.” Dr. Nagl affirms that only through defining moments, or moments of discomfort when we are challenged and stretched, will we learn something about ourselves and about others. This simultaneous development of character and citizenship will hopefully help transform boys into young men with “the strength [...] to make a difference.”
New Physics Curriculum: One Size Doesn’t Fit All Nick Chimicles ‘19
A familiar sight for Third Formers
Index Staff
Third Form students begin their upper school science journey with physics, which combines the conceptual aspects of science with the problem-based nature of mathematics. Finding a balance between these two and ensuring that all students are adequately challenged has been the main goal of the Third Form Physics curriculum. Beginning this year, achieving this goal will take a fresh form: Third Formers will take one of two different paths: a problem-based
path focusing on process, problems, and theory and a conceptual path emphasizing content, concepts, and application. Science Department Chair Mr. Thomas Trocano explained that by supplying students with a course that “best suits their learning styles, interests, and skill set,” students will be able to build a strong “physics foundation” for future courses and for life. During Third Form Physics, some students excel in understanding the conceptual aspects, while others perform best with the mathematical aspects. This wide range of student ability and interest makes it difficult to find one course that will engage and challenge all students. Targeting individual interests with two courses may enhance a student’s learning experience by providing appropriate challenges and teaching methods to all students. Mr. Green perceives that although the concentration and teaching style in each of these courses might be catered towards the student’s strengths, it is still important that “our weaknesses are stretched as well”; by integrating aspects of each course into the other, Third Form students will still face an appropriate amount of adversity. (Continued on Page 3)
During end-of-summer faculty meetings, small discussion groups considered how the faculty presently teaches character, and how that might be expanded. From those meetings and the further consideration of the English I team came the first step the character initiative: an English I curriculum change. Lord of Flies and the Third Form personal narrative are here to stay, but they will now be taught through a different lens. The choices of Jack, Piggy, and Simon will be examined with a focus on
Boratto Beats Personal Best at 2016 Olympic Trials P.J. Rodden ‘18
In the spring of his Third Form year, current Fifth Former Alex Boratto was just fifteen when he found out that he had qualified for the 2016 US Olympic Trials. Finishing with successful results in qualifying meets held in Texas and Maryland, Boratto had qualified for two events for the Olympic Trials; 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke. Boratto said, “In swimming it’s very black and white. You either make the cut or you don’t get to compete at the Olympic trials. Depending on the event you swam, you need a certain time to qualify.” At the time, the accomplished swimmer of Upper Dublin Aquatic Club set his sights for what he would later describe as his most memorable summer yet. This past summer, Boratto spent thirteen days in Omaha, Nebraska to compete against and with the most talented swimmers in the country. Boratto said, “I spent the beginning of my summer training for the Olympic Trials, which started June 26 and lasted until July 4.” Like any serious athlete, Boratto followed a strict training regiment preceding the Olympic Trial event. He said, “I train all year round, and during the school year I would practice
Also inside this Issue... Water Polo Season Preview pg. 8
Mr. Vanni Profile pg. 3
Index Staff
ethics, morality, and character. As for the personal narrative, Third Formers will choose from new prompts like “What kind of man do you want to be?”, forcing them to think about their understanding of their own character at the start of high school. Before even discussing The Road to Character, Dr. Nagl pointed out a few pictures hanging in his office. The first depicted Abraham Lincoln reading the Emancipation Proclamation for the first time. (Continued on Page 5)
Rio Olympics Breakdown p. 7
in the mornings from 5:30 AM to 7:00 AM during the week and then go back and train again in the afternoon for another 2.5 hours. On Saturday I usually train from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM.” Ultimately, “All these sessions are a combination of time spent in the pool and in the gym doing dry land work outside of the pool while trying to build some more muscle and get that explosiveness I need for my start and turns,” Boratto said. Heading into a major event like an Olympic Trials, Boratto would compete against ex-teammates, college athletes, and returning Olympians, but the level of competition did not faze him. “Since I had never ever experienced a swim meet like this before and since I was so young, my main goal was to just soak it all in, have fun, and get some experience at the highest possible level so that the next time everything won’t be so new.” Beginning his week at the Olympic Trials, Boratto went into each race with a positive mindset: “My attitude was just to have fun and to do my best and to make sure that when I reached the wall I had nothing left in the tank.” (Continued on Page 4) Article Letter fron the Editors Faculty Profiles Index Netflix Picks Should We Have APs? Soccer Preview XC and Golf Previews Football Preview Gary Johnson Outdex
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The Index
Editorials
The Index Kneels with Kaepernick “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. There are bodies in the street and people getting away with murder.” - Colin Kaepernick, August 20th. Call Colin Kaepernick grossly overpaid, a lousy quarterback, a mediocre version of Cam Newton, or, even worse, the backup to Blaine Gabbert. But do not call him unpatriotic. By sitting during the Star Spangled Banner, Colin Kaepernick set in motion a much-needed nationwide debate bundling together police brutality, patriotism, and military pride. Angry fans took to Twitter to criticize him in expletive-laced jersey-burning videos and vicious tweets, like Fox News’ Sean Hannity’s, which labeled him “a spoiled brat, out-of-touch, superrich athlete.” Even Donald Trump weighed in — which shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise — to suggest that Kaepernick “should find a country that works better for him.” Kaepernick — like every other American — has the right to ex-
press his opinion thanks to his first amendment right: the freedom of speech. Sitting during the anthem at any sporting event is legal. But is it also disrespectful? Absolutely. Playing the anthem before a sporting event is part national pride, part military pride. Everyone removes their hats, puts their right hand over their heart, and stands in silence out of respect for the soldiers and the country they protect. Colin Kaepernick is not anti-America, or antimilitary. But optics are everything, and while military personnel were holding up a field-sized flag and fighter jets soared overhead, Kaepernick sat hunched over, staring at the ground. And just like that, Colin Kaepernick stood trial for his assault on the military. But that was not the battle he wanted to fight. Police brutality and overall bias against minorities is not only wrong, it is illegal. When any American violates a law, he or she is guaranteed a fair trial — it is their inalienable right. But right now, America is the place where Eric Garner gets choked to death by Brooklyn po-
lice, where Ferguson police shoot an unarmed Michael Brown twelve times, and where Freddie Gray dies from a “rough ride” in a Baltimore police van. America is also the place where police can decide to kill three African-Americans without a fair trial, and somehow nobody goes to jail. Kaepernick is shedding light on the disparity between that America and the one glorified prior to sporting events. The Index does not condone sitting during the anthem,
September 2016
but the paper supports Kaepernick kneeling. Kneeling brings attention to police brutality while not openly disrespecting the troops that keep the United States safe. Kaepernick decided to kneel after meeting with military veteran and ex-NFL long snapper Nate Boyer on how to steer his message back on track. The two reached a compromise: kneeling. (Continued on Page 11)
2016-17 Editors-in-Chief (Left to Right) Samuel Turner, Connor Lees, and George Rubin celebrate the release of their first issue last June.
Index Staff
Letter from the Student Body President Evan Scott I’m sitting here in my bed at 4:45 AM on Tuesday, September 6, and I cannot sleep. The thoughts whirring around inside my head are haphazard and most of them elude the grasp of my attentive consciousness. But I know who and what are keeping me up. I’ve been away for too long and right now I simply have too much energy. This energy of mine, however, is no ordinary sleeplessness, nor is it insomnia. It is excitement. It is taken this long for me to realize that summertime is not for me; I miss
this place too much. The sweet, tantalizing smell of Chef Henry’s ham, bacon, spinach and tomato bagel sandwiches in the early morning and the smell of freshly cut wood from the Engineering and Design Studio. The chirps of birds as excited to see this place full of bustling students as the students themselves. The sounds of printers working and shoes scraping the flooring and concrete. It’s time for you and me to meet again, Haverford, and I’m holding nothing back.
Announcing The Index’s 2016-2017 Staff
Connor Lees ‘17, Editor-in-Chief George Rubin ‘17, Editor-in-Chief Samuel Turner ‘18, Supervising Editor Bill Wu ‘17, News Editor Will Henderson ‘18, Opinions Editor P.J. Rodden ‘18, Sports Editor Grant Sterman ‘18, Politics Editor Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Faculty Advisor Ms. Alicia Evans, Faculty Advisor The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change.
Dex Frederick
The 2016-17 Student Body President is looking forward to making his impact on the Haverford community.
All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at index@haverford.org. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS 2015. Its surveys are conducted via SurveyMonkey and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index http://www.havindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXVIII, No. 1 - September 8, 2016
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The Index
News & Features
Mr. Vanni Rethinks Health
Mr. Franz Fortifies US Math
George Rubin ‘17
Mr. Vanni will join the Upper School in the fall.
Haverford is excited to welcome Mr. P.J. Vanni to the upper school community as the new upper school physical education teacher. A true DelCo resident born and raised, Mr. Vanni began his athletic career playing baseball and basketball at Cardinal O’Hara. He continued his education at Bloomsburg University, where he played baseball and received his undergraduate degree. He received his masters from California University of Pennsylvania and is now finishing up his doctoral dissertation at the United States Sports Academy. Mr. Vanni grew interested in teaching physical education while working as a representative of the Life Fitness Academy. It was while travelling the country giving seminars to fitness professionals and personal trainers that he realized that he had a passion for sports education. An educator at heart, Mr. Vanni was drawn to Haverford for its traditions and the strong reputation of its teachers. Mr. Vanni said, “I was familiar with the tradition of the school, how great it is, how it’d be an honor to go there and even more of an honor to teach there.” In previous years, Mr. Vanni has spent his time at Haverford coaching and teach-
September 2016
Kyle Wagner ‘18
Index Staff
ing lower school physical education. He has also been working with different departments to build the traditional physical education program into a health and wellness initiative. This has involved working with the dining hall to develop more healthy food choices, as well as Dr. Nagl’s initiative for character development. Specifically he has been working to create a culture of respect for everyone, including women and people of different sexual orientations. As the new Fourth Form health and physical education teacher, Mr. Vanni will be working to develop a curriculum in line with that mission. Mr. Vanni imagines the course as more student based with the opportunity for students to bring their lives to the table as opposed to a more traditional “stand and deliver” type of class. Outside of school, Mr. Vanni is a sports fanatic, geek, and family man. He spends much of his free time watching the Phillies and coaching his son’s little league team. He also describes himself as a die-hard Star Wars fan and Game of Thrones enthusiast. Aside from sports and spending time with his family, Mr. Vanni enjoys pursuing his education.
This year Mr. Andy Franz will join the Upper School Mathematics Department after nine years in Crosman Hall. Mr. Franz grew up in Delaware County and went to Monsignor Bonner High School. Early in his high school experience, he developed a love for math from Bonner’s teachers. “The school had two of the greatest math teachers around, just renowned for a high school,” said Mr. Franz. “They just lit me up to math. At that point I knew I was going to be a math major. ” Mr. Franz graduated from Ursinus College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. After college, he intended to pursue graduate study in math. Sometime during his senior year, however, Mr. Franz realized that “I didn’t want to do homework anymore, and I don’t want to go to class anymore.” He called his old grade school and was hired for a teaching position. He spent a decade as a math teacher at the Holy Child School at Rosemont. While there, he earned his master’s degree in education from Cabrini College. Mr. Franz then moved on to Haverford’s middle school for nine years, teaching Algebra and Geometry. He remarked on the extraordinary professionalism and collegiality shown by the middle school faculty through “some of the most challenging and volatile times of [the students’] lives.” This year he will teach two Algebra I classes and two sections of Geometry. Mr. Franz also holds a lifelong love for sports. He has played high school football, basketball, and baseball, and runs the clock at all the home varsity football, basketball, and lacrosse games. As the son of a coach, he has spent many years watching practices and developed a great love for athletics. “I wasn’t good enough to play when I got older, unfortunately,” said Mr Franz. “At five feet eight inches and 120 pounds, I wasn’t going to be a great football or bas-
ketball player. Once the pitches got over 85 miles an hour, I couldn’t hit anything. But I knew the game, I liked the game, and I’ve been coaching some sport somewhere since I was fourteen.” In addition to his playing career, he currently coaches the JV golf team and hopes to take care of any other of the athletic department’s needs. Mr. Franz is excited for the upcoming sports seasons and the school year, and the Haverford Upper School looks forward to welcoming him for his 26th year of teaching.
David Bunn
Mr. Franz will teach US Algebra and Geometry this fall.
New Physics Curriculum (Continued from Front Page) In order to ensure an equal level of difficulty in each course, the mathematical and conceptual courses are being “designed to be comparatively challenging,” Mr. Trocano said. While some might view the mathematical course as an honors level variation of Third Form Physics, each course will equally challenge students’ weaknesses and stretch their strengths. Mr. Trocano explains that these two courses will simply be “two different means to build a strong physics foundation.” Teachers will employ disparate teaching methods and focuses, but the end goal of learning conceptual physics is the same. The conceptual Physics students will begin with the ideas and then support them with mathematical evidence, while the mathematical physics students will begin with the math and then support that with conceptual evidence. Both of the new courses will also be project based, much like the current Physics course. Mr. Trocano also revealed that the problembased Physics course will not share many similarities with the Advanced Physics elective available to upperclassmen. Since the same conceptual topics are being covered in both courses, the problembased course will not be able to delve into the more complex problems of advanced physics nor will the conceptual course be able to explore more abstract and complex concepts. This level playing field will give
all the students a better learning experience in covering the same material. In response to questions about correlation of each course with Fourth Form Chemistry*, Mr. Trocano stresses that the course taken does not better prepare one for Chemistry* nor does it affect the possibility of his placement into the class. Even though one course focuses on mathematics, both courses will provide the mathematical foundations required for Chemistry*. The most important prerequisite for Chemistry* is a student’s proficiency in their mathematics class as well as in either of these physics courses. In order to determine the best fit for every student, the Science Department is working closely with the Math Department to create
an assessment to help both the teachers and students make informed decisions. Both departments recommend that if a student wishes to be in the problem-based physics course then he should be enrolled in Algebra II; however, students who display having the “appropriate skill set” may also be admitted. In an unofficial consensus, the Third Formers currently enrolled in Physics questioned the new approach. Some worry that there will be too much focus on a single aspect of physics, which could be detrimental and leave students lacking a well-rounded physics foundation. To combat this, the Science Department is looking for a balance between the mathematical and conceptual aspects of
Physics teachers will consult this textbook, among others.
physics. Some students might think that those in the problem-based Physics course will be given an unfair advantage by covering more advanced topics that might better prepare them for future classes. In order to avoid this, the courses are planned to be equal in terms of content covered, just with different focuses and teaching approaches. The Science and the Math Departments feel that this new system will achieve the desired goal of having two personalized course options, both equally challenging and both resulting in a concrete understanding of conceptual physics.
Index Staff
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The Index
News & Features
September 2016
Olympic Prodigy Alex Boratto (Continued from Front Page)
Boratto achieved astounding results in his 100m and 200m backstroke events. In the 100m backstroke, Boratto finished with a personal best time time of 55.96 seconds, placing 31st overall. Followed up by the 200m backstroke event, Boratto achieved another personal best time of 2:01.79 minutes and finished 23rd overall. “I was more than satisfied with my results because not only did I achieve my best times in both my events but I placed higher than I ever thought.” He added, “I also found out after the meet that only 20% of all participants at Olympic Trials achieve a personal best time, so for me to do it in both of my events was really something special.” At the trials, Boratto came into contact with some of the country’s most talented swimmers: “In my events just a couple
of heats removed from mine swam Ryan Murphy, David Plummer, and Jacob Pebley.” The three swimmers later went on to represent the US Olympic team for the backstroke events, which they ultimately ended up winning gold and silver in their respective events. Boratto said, “In the warm down pool while I was talking to an ex- teammate of mine who now swims for [University of California] Berkeley, I ran into Tom Shields, a gold medalist, who informed me that I was dripping water all over his bag.” Having the exposure to Olympic Trials, Boratto reflected, “Now that I proved to myself that I belong out there I will be able to go into similar events and hopefully achieve similar if not better results.”
Fifth Former Alex Boratto preparing for his swim
Ms. Evans Enlivens English Department José Martinez ‘17
When not teaching, Ms. Evans can be found reading
David Bunn
Among the newest members of The Haverford School’s community is Ms. Alicia Evans. An excited, intelligent English teacher, Ms. Evans no doubt will make Haverford’s campus brighter. After teaching English for six years at one of Haverford’s partner schools, Esperanza Academy, Ms. Evans is ready for new beginnings and new experiences. She has prepared well for her new start as an American Literature teacher at Haverford. This past summer, Ms. Evans continued her graduate study at Columbia University. There she learned lessons that she hopes to apply in the classroom, the most important being that students should understand why teachers teach the material they do. Ms. Evans is passionate about teaching, especially for teaching literature. She believes that teaching is a social art. Literature, she believes, allows a person to learn not only about a particular text but also about him or herself. Ms. Evans contends that the most important aspect of analyzing texts is questioning why the author wrote something, and questioning what it meant to the author. Another crucial aspect of analyzing a text is for the reader to understand what that text means to him or her. Ms. Evans enjoys teaching because it provides the luxury of being able to do the right thing every day — inspiring youth, and having a positive impact on all those
Mr. Alfredo Boratto
who come in contact with her. Ms. Evans said that she had heard great things about Haverford, but she was unsure as to whether she wanted to leave Esperanza or not. When she first saw Haverford’s campus, though, she knew it was the right place for her. Everything about it — the professionalism in the air, the approachability of all the students and staff, the fact that her two children would be a short walk away at The Haverford Center, the opportunity to finally coach soccer — confirmed her belief that Haverford was where she belonged. Although Esperanza and Haverford seem to be two completely different schools on the outside, Ms. Evans believes that internally they are very similar: all of the things she loved about Esperanza can be found at Haverford. More specifically, she realized that the students at both schools are honest and eager to learn, and that the faculty at both schools are caring, not only about their profession but also for the impact they have on their students. Ms. Evans values being around people who care about the art of teaching and the impact of education. The only difference will be that at Esperanza she had a reputation; at Haverford, she will spend a year introducing herself. She will provide a new teaching style, one that will force the Haverford boys to think critically about all texts.
Mr. Raeder Takes A Turn Behind the Wheel Eusha Hasan ‘18
This year Mr. Jacob Raeder will be teaching art at Haverford, offering his wide skill set and passion for teaching. Ever since he was a child, Mr. Raeder knew he had an affinity for hands-on work, whether it be landscaping or making the dishware he used at home. His family consisted of many tradesman, exposing him to “the virtue of acquiring technical skill in the pursuit of a deeper intellectual engagement with the world.” These signs all signalled that he would one day become the spirited artist he is today. Mr. Raeder has traveled around the world seeking enlightenment in the fine arts. After graduating from Alfred University with a B.F.A in Ceramics and a B.A. in Philosophy, Mr. Raeder received a Fulbright Fellowship to research design in the Netherlands at The Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. Mr. Raeder then returned to the United States, where he studied at the School of the Art Institute
of Chicago, receiving his M.F.A. With teaching experience at the university level in both the United States and Europe, Mr. Raeder cannot wait to to gain experience in a single-sex independent school environment. Mr. Raeder considers himself to be an “artist-educator,” and being invited to Haverford marks an “exciting opportunity to be a part of a challenge.” In the beginning of the school year, Mr. Raeder expects what he likes to call “structured chaos,” as the students transition from summer vacation back to a controlled environment of study. His biggest challenge will be learning student’s names, but after he wishes to “get to know them both in out of the Studio,” hoping to build long-lasting friendships with his students over a common love for ceramic artwork. Mr. Raeder said he “looks forward to shaking up the status quo by offering a fresh perspective of what it means to work with clay.” He promises to not only be the
fun-loving teacher who enjoys his work, but also to instill motivation in students
to do great things with their technical knowledge and creativity.
Mr. Raeder whips the studio into shape.
David Bunn
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The Index
News & Features
September 2016
Mr. Jobs Complements History Department Samuel R. Turner ‘18
New Jersey native Mr. Brendon Jobs will join The Haverford School this year as a Modern World History teacher, Community Relations contributor, and tennis coach. Growing up in the Atlantic City area during the 1970s casino boom, Mr. Jobs attended Absegami High School, known for its marching band and wrestling team. He then threw himself into academics, majoring in political science at Columbia, earning a Master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania, and receiving a graduate certificate in Constitutional Studies from Georgetown University. As an undergraduate at Columbia, Mr. Jobs initially flirted with the idea of majoring in economics and working on Wall Street. But after the September 11th attacks, Mr. Jobs “became really curious about the world and how it moves,” he noted. These experiences pushed him into history, but it was “the hunger for getting people to engage with perspectives that are different than their own” that pointed Mr. Jobs, then actively engaged in student protests, in the direction of teaching. Contemplating law was easily overcome by Mr. Jobs’ realization that “as a lawyer, you either win or lose an argument, but as a history teacher, you get to see how the world moves.” His sole regret is being unable to study abroad because he believes that “those types of changes in spaces impact you, and so I think it would have been a really powerful experience.” Since his college years, Mr. Jobs has certainly traversed the world and studied its movements, most recently through his on-site consulting work for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. This past summer, Mr. Jobs “consulted with the Gates Foundation in their K-12 program about focusing on teacher preparation how we train teachers to be effective in classrooms across the country. The Gates Foundation is investing in five transformation centers around the country that train teachers in five different ways to see which one will work best.” In addition to reporting on teacher preparation techniques, Mr. jobs also studied “how the centers are recruiting a more diverse workforce since the current workforce is mostly women, with only [a] 2% black male, 2% Latino, and .5% Asian [composition]. We need to make the workforce more diverse so that there are more examples of what leaders look like in
front of classrooms.” His summer project started with a memo to Bill and Melinda Gates on the scope of the project and concluded with a presentation on “how people are talking about [workplace diversity] in the field, what the transformation centers were having a problem with in recruiting, and what is happening in the field that is really great.” Though he appreciates the quiet nature of Seattle, Mr. Jobs harbors a genuine love for Philadelphia. “The way the city has changed me I couldn’t predict. One word I have come to really appreciate here is ‘serendipity’; Philadelphia has gotten off the track that you need to have everything planned out,” said Mr. Jobs. He comes to Haverford after teaching for six years at the Philadelphia High School for Girls and then at the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) in South Philadelphia. With experience in an all-girl, coed, and now all-boys educational environments, he may also contribute to the Human Relations course this year. The raw edge to the city, while often downside for newcomers, complements Mr. Jobs’ penchant for calm: “Philadelphia has pushed me to cultivate a sense of mindfulness, quietness, and pause,” commented Mr. Jobs. An impassioned advocate of yoga, healthful diets, and John Coltrane’s jazz, Mr. Jobs has found the perfect recipe for relaxation amongst a lively city. In fact, his favorite restaurant, a little Trinidadian shop called Brown Sugar, is located in West Philadelphia. There, Mr. Jobs always orders roti, a chickpea-filled pita with curried meat in between, complemented by a sweet tamari sauce. The son of Trinidad and Tobago residents, Mr. Jobs adores this “beautiful Caribbean-Indian fusion,” as he described it. Also from the Caribbean Islands is one of Mr. Jobs’ favorite poets: Claude McKay. Eating dinner with Mr. McKay at a Harlem Renaissance rent party would be Mr. Jobs’ time-travel-mediated way of spending a Saturday night. His most beloved historical period, the Harlem Renaissance was “such a bright spot for the black community and for city living, it was in the middle of the roaring twenties with so much energy and life, and there were all these great people migrating from the South into such a powerful community,” Mr. Jobs stated. In addition, joining them all at this hypothetical party would
be, as Mr. Jobs described, “an old Columbia professor and sociologist named Elijah Anderson. He actually wrote a fascinating book about Philadelphia called Code of the Street, [in which] someone travels from Chestnut Hill to Nicetown along Germantown Avenue.” Mr. Jobs is looking forward to discussing the nature and extent of such socioeconomic disparities this year in the Fourth Form Modern World History class. Although teaching has become his destiny, Mr. Jobs “never thought [he] would teach for more than a couple years. [He] thought it would get boring teaching the same thing every era, but it is never the same
because the kids in front of you are always different. The curriculum you teach, the way you present it, and the dialogues that happen are all different based on the community you’re in front of.” At Girls’ High, he weaved a theme of feminism through the curriculum and at GAMP, a theme of historical empathy. We will have to wait to see how he will challenge Haverford students to better understand the world.
Mr. Jobs will teach Modern World History this year.
David Bunn
Dr. Nagl’s Character Initiative (Continued from Front Page) The second was taken aboard a battleship in Pearl Harbor, showing Admiral Chester W. Nimitz awarding Dorie Miller a Navy Cross. The final picture showed Dr. Nagl’s tank platoon in action in Iraq. These pictures, Dr. Nagl explained, were all reflections of character. Abraham Lincoln, realizing the evils of slavery, showed his leadership and courage by standing up to tackle the issue head-on and eradicating slavery from the United States. Admiral Nimitz presented the Navy Cross, one of the highest honors in the Navy, to Dorie Miller, an African American cook that shot down a Japanese Zero in Pearl Harbor, saving his captain’s life. African Americans at the time could only serve in the kitchens in the navy. Nimitz, looking beyond the color of Dorie’s skin, com-
mended Dorie’s courage and valor regardless, in the public eye. Finally, Dr. Nagl’s service in the army in his tank platoon showed his citizenship and his responsi-
bility of service to the country. By modelling his every-day decisions on the character reflected in these three paintings, Dr. Nagl hopes to ultimately direct the school
Character inscription on Haverford’s Walk of Virtues
in a direction of a renewed vigor for character growth.
Index Staff
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The Index
September 2016
Arts & Opinions
Index Netflix Picks Connor Lees ‘17
Stranger Things
Please do not turn off Stranger Things the second you see four boys playing Dungeons and Dragons in a basement. Trust me: The show only goes better from here. Set in the 1980’s, Stranger Things is the story of three preteen boys and a mysterious, mutant girl who search for an invisible monster that abducted their friend. The leader of their group is Mike, a black haired shy boy who after each episode gets more and more charismatic. Second in command is Lucas, the energetic hothead
who plays the role of realist for the group. Then there is my favorite, Dustin. Dustin is the only student at Hawkins Middle School still without a full set of grown teeth, yet he embraces his toothlessness and just exudes self-confidence. Finally, there is Will Bryers, the runt of the group. The girl with superpowers is named Eleven, the name given to her by the scientists who performed tests on her. Do not get attached to Will, as he will be gone before you know it. No, that was not a spoiler because the first episode is titled “The Vanishing of Will Bryers.” Behind the middle school monster Narcos official wallpaper
search party, there are subplots galore. Will’s worried-sick mother launches insane investigations to find her boy, the scientists at the scary government building in town search for Eleven, multiple teenage love triangles pop up, and the fight against the supernatural does not stay between the boys and the monster. These subplots are not the filler material that fills up season after season of popular cable shows. The suspense builds after each episode, with fight scenes every once in awhile in case any action movie lovers tune in. Netflix’s newest original scratches two itches at the same time: horror and drama. If you are a horror connoisseur, do not expect to lose sleep over Stranger Things. If you are not, the subplots and intriguing characters will offset the occasional scare. Also, if you ever rode bikes with friends around town as a kid, prepare to be hit with nostalgia early and often. Equally mysterious and quaint, the town of Hawkins, Indiana, complements the plot. Everyone knows each other, which heightens the suspense when strange things start happening. The secret government building towering over the small town is an ominous symbol of the supernatural threatening to engulf the suburbs below. At eight episodes strong, Stranger Things matches the story perfectly. One warning before you start: You may not be able to stop watching. I finished the show in less than 24 hours. Quote: “Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?” -Dustin Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Fresh Stranger Things official poster
Netflix
Netflix
Narcos: Season 1 When I saw that Narcos Season 2 was coming out September 2nd, I decided to get a jump start on my summer reading, because I knew the second I saw Narcos on my Netflix home page, I would be roped in. Narcos is the story of the Medellín drug cartel in Colombia, and it centers around notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar. The story is told from the perspectives of Escobar and DEA agent Steve Murphy. Narcos follows Escobar’s fight against the DEA until it turns into an all-out war. And the craziest part is that it’s all based off a true story. Game of Thrones fans might recognize a familiar face: Pedro Pascal who played Oberyn Martell in Season 4 plays a Mexican DEA agent. Chances are, Season 2 will be a common topic of conversation in September. If you want to fit in with the cool kids, watch both seasons to know what is up with this Pablo guy. Another reason to watch is to get ready for Spanish class. Nothing kick starts rusty Spanish like Colombian drug dealers shooting rapid fire at one another. America loves TV shows about dealing drugs. It’s a fact. Just ask the Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad, one of the most popular shows this decade. Hand-in-hand with drug dealing comes America’s second favorite TV shows hook, guns. In Escobar’s all-out war, guns and violence are commonplace. For being about a drug kingpin, there’s also quite a few political scenes to satisfy history buffs. Think Breaking Bad meets House of Cards in Colombia. (Continued on Page 7)
Fitness Should Not Be A Sport Harrison Fellheimer ’18
The Haverford School’s fitness program has molded some of our school’s top athletes. The training provides studentathletes with the opportunity to prepare both mentally and physically for their respective sports. Additionally, the fitness program encourages students to have healthier lives. In the past, fitness has counted as a sports credit, filling one of the two required credits. For one-sport athletes, this was ideal; athletes would train for a couple of months before beginning their sports season. The Athletic Department has decided, however, that the fitness program should not count as a credit, effective this school year. The motive is to stretch students’ comfort zones and expand their interests into other sports and extracurricular activities. Fitness should not be accepted as a credit. By participating in other activities, it
broadens students’ view on our community. The benefits are endless: friendships, interests in new subjects, camaraderie, leadership roles, etc. It is important that students broaden what they do in their high school careers to give them the best chance to succeed in their future pursuits. Most students within the school, however, feel as though the fitness program should count as a credit. In a poll posted on the student fan section Facebook page taken by 80 members of the Haverford community, 65 people voted that fitness should be a sports credit. After several interviews, the most common answer was that they felt the fitness program would be the best way to prepare for their “main” sport. While many believe this is the case and think that they cannot participate in other activities because “they do not know how,” it will teach athletes new
skills that they can incorporate into their times were the ones where they forced primary sport. Such skills include patience, themselves to do new things. Whether leadership, composure, competitive you disagree with this decision or not, you instinct; the list goes on and on. should at least open up your mind to the The other fifteen people voted that it idea of diversifying your extracurricular should not count as a credit (eight of those participation. members are seniors). Do the seniors have insight that underclassman do not? Do they know how to make the most of everyone’s short careers at Haverford? According to the class of 2016, the most Brian Denoncour A busy afternoon in the weight room. memorable
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The Index
Opinions
September 2016
Rio 2016: Better Than We Expected? Grant Sterman ‘18
The biannual gathering of the world’s most elite athletes, the Olympics, just concluded in Brazil. The sixteen-day event contained many dramatic moments, from breathtaking firsts to shocking scandals. But considering the expectation that many viewers and experts had for Brazil, the Olympics was a success... or at least a success for Brazil. In the months prior to the opening ceremony, experts shared endless speculation over the disastrous expectations for the Rio Olympics. Brazil was in the midst of the impeachment of their first female president, the arrival and spread of the Zika virus, and the collapse of their economy. Many media sources from Brazil and major news outlets such as CNN and BBC were reporting terrorists threats, unfinished stadiums, and polluted waters -- the problems seemed to never end. As the Olympics began, these rumors looked to be just that, rumors. The well-run, simple, yet extravagant opening ceremony told a different story of how the Olympics would go. For one night, it looked as if the Olympics might run smoothly, despite all of the criticism. However, when the events began, it became evident that the reports of the media were valid. There were robberies of athletes, unfinished rooms in the Olympic village, piles of trash covering Guanabara Bay, and even a green diving pool. The media claimed the Rio Olympics were falling apart and there was evidence
to prove it. But were these problems just a result of first-day jitters? Despite critiques guaranteeing Brazil would be the problem, a group of other countries, led by the United States, would end up being the root of most of the turmoil. It was clear that there would be other problems in Rio that did not involve Brazil months before the Olympics started. Prior to Rio, news of the Russian doping scandal hit the world by storm. With time, the scandal grew bigger and bigger, encompassing more athletes and more events than anyone had previously thought. While the Olympic committee was deciding whether to allow some Russian athletes to compete, the news broke that athletes, mainly golfers and tennis players, were choosing to pass on competing in Rio de Janeiro over fears of the Zika virus. To make matters worse, many athletes made some shocking remarks. Rory McIlroy, for example, was quoted saying that the Olympics were not the pinnacle of his sport, so it was easy for him to pass on competing. This came as a shock and insult to athletes whose sports were excluded from the Olympics, athletes who had waited their entire lives for a spot at the Olympics, and the organizers of the games. These two instances were the first of many problems that athletes from countries other than Brazil would cause over those sixteen days. With sports, there will always be drama and unsportsmanlike conduct, whether from the players themselves or the
commentators. Often it is easy for people to forget that just because they are athletes does not mean they are role models or great examples of conduct. This was evident several times in Brazil. In Judo, Egyptian Islam El Shehaby caused controversy when he refused to shake the hand of his Israeli opponent Os Sasson after a loss. El Shehaby was roundly booed by the crowd and was later sent home from Rio. In soccer, Hope Solo, the renowned goalie of the women’s national team, created uproar for making heated comments about the Swedish team after a crushing loss, calling the Swedish players “cowards,” among other things. And of course the already
Many people do not think APs should be offered here for several reasons: there are not enough teachers, it may be more difficult for students to absorb the material, and if a student really does want to take an AP class, he can always do so on the weekend at several other area schools. History Department Chair Ms. Hannah Turlish emphasizes the logistical problems Haverford would face if it chose to reenact AP courses in saying, “The College Board offers History AP exams in U.S., Modern European, and World History, as well as U.S. Government, Comparative Government, and Economics. It would take a much larger school than Haverford to sustain all of these courses and also offer the other electives that our students are eager to take year after year.” Ms. Turlish also believes it necessary to take into account the fact that AP courses do not allow as much freedom in teaching —
something very important to educators at independent schools. Throughout the community, however, there are a wide range of opinions regarding AP classes. Fifth Former Satch Baker said, “AP courses require much more work both inside and outside of class, and Haverford’s honors courses are generally the same level of difficulty as AP classes. The only difference is that, at Haverford, we don’t need to overwhelm ourselves with studying for several AP tests throughout the year.” Although Baker does not believe in Advanced Placement courses, other members of the community feel differently. Fifth Former Gaspard Vadot said, “AP classes would be beneficial for many Haverford students who are looking to prepare for collegelevel courses by challenging themselves. Students could take advantage of these classes to prepare for AP exams and subsequently for college.” The dichotomy of opinions about AP classes varies greatly among students, but what does the faculty think? Science Department Chair Mr. Tom Trocano said, “The decision to discontinue AP Courses has clearly not adversely affected college admissions, which was a concern during the decision-making process. The development of engaging, challenging, and fascinating electives that have been developed and implemented since the discontinuation of AP’s has allowed for a richer experience across all disciplines.” Ms. Turlish added, “Until we get some real evidence that our students are losing out in some way, either in academic
richness or in external evaluation, I don’t think we should ‘go AP.’” With all of this said, I believe the full-on implementation of dozens of AP classes would be both impractical and unnecessary. Although it might be nice to have a college credit, Haverford is unable to create more classes — let alone AP courses — because it is not large enough. If Haverford adopted AP courses, students would also have to spend time studying and taking standardized tests throughout the year. Even without AP classes, Haverford students still generally learn the same amount of material, they have a better experience in the classroom and at home, and they do not have to bother taking standardized tests. But, if a student is so determined to have a college credit, several local schools offer AP classes on weekends. In this situation, and as a consolation for not offering its own AP classes, Haverford could perhaps reimburse students who take such courses outside of school. Even so, students in honors-level classes are usually prepared to take an AP test without having taken an official AP course. In U.S. History*, for example, Ms. Turlish explains that, “The honors class at Haverford is already ‘AP level,’ in that the materials used and assessments given are consistent with the AP-prescribed course outline.” Above all, the idea of reimplementing AP courses at Haverford is unlikely and unneeded; the current system has proved to be sufficient.
The word “docudrama” even sounds boring. But Narcos is an addictive, exciting docudrama that sits with Stranger Things, House of Cards, and Orange is the New Black atop the Mount Rushmore of Netflix originals.
Quote: In the United States, the Mafia makes witnesses disappear so they can’t testify in court. In Colombia, Pablo Escobar made the whole court disappear.”— Steve Murphy Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89% Fresh
Should We Bring Back APs? Will Henderson ‘18
Haverford School officially got rid of AP classes in 2006. Because of the rigor and fast pace, combined with Haverford’s comparatively low number of teachers and the limited flexibility to stray from “AP material,” these courses were deemed an unnecessary aspect of the school’s curriculum. Today, Haverford offers several honors-level classes in each department. The difference, however, between an AP and honors class is that in an AP class, teachers must instruct specific material according to AP regulation; there are several standardized AP tests that all students must take, and these courses can also count as a college credit. Whereas some support the reintroduction of AP’s to become better prepared for college, others believe these courses do not allow enough time for quality learning — not to mention how logistically difficult it would be to implement such courses at Haverford.
Index Staff
Netflix Picks cont. The acting, for the most part, is exceptional. Wagner Moura does an excellent job playing Pablo Escobar, effortlessly shifting from merciless drug lord to caring father. Moura shows off the human side to a character glorified in legend. To prepare for his role, Moura lived
in Medellín to understand how that place shaped Escobar. DEA agent Murphy is not nearly as impressive, but his partner, the Mexican DEA agent Javier Peña, delivers a solid performance. He is likable, and stands in stark contrast to the sometimes boring Murphy.
infamous, still-unfolding “Lochte-gate” only added to the negative image some of our athletes. How ironic it is that the media predicted that Brazil would be a mess, when in reality it was the drama provided by non-Brazilian athletes that engulfed the news. Even though Brazil still had some problems running this Olympics, it was by far better than any experts had predicted. So, yes, we should consider this Olympics a triumph for Brazil, which was able to make a pleasant experience out of a difficult situation, and a lesson of sportsmanship for those athletes and countries who behaved poorly this summer.
The opening ceremony at Rio, 2016 Getty Images
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The Index
Sports
September 2016
Water Polo Team Pulls Together Matt LaRocca ‘18
Ross Harryhill goes up for a pass. Haverford vs. Hill, 2016.
Ms. Dawn Blake
Last season, Haverford Water Polo finished with an overall record of 10-11, culminating with a disappointing 14-5 EA Day loss. Even though the Fords lost many key Sixth Form leaders, this year’s team has high expectations. The Fords return many key players from last season, including Sixth Form captains M.J. Tricolli, Ross Harryhill, and Charlie Ryan. Alongside the three Sixth Formers, returning Fifth Formers John Nelligan, Alex Boratto, Matt LaRocca, and T.J. Brooks were significant contributors to the team last season. This year’s Third Formers have talent and a lot of potential, and they will absolutely help the Fords put wins on the board this season. “We have some solid new players joining the team who are really making a difference on offense and defense, like Third Formers Matej Sekulić and Ryan LaRocca,” said Tricolli. The key for the Fords are both games against Malvern and Penn Charter. Malvern is the defending Inter-Ac champ and narrowly beat the Fords last year in both season games. Even though Malvern is the defending champion, the Fords know that they can win. “I believe that we are fully capable of beating them soundly, as long as we come together and work as a unit,” Harryhill said. While the games against Malvern and Penn Charter are the most key games of the year, the team stresses the importance of not overlooking all of the other Inter-Ac teams. Tricoli added, “We can’t let our guard down with GA or EA because both are always solid teams.” In light of key players returning from last season’s team and a talented Third
Form class, the Fords have big goals. “Our main goal is to win the Inter-Ac,” Harryhill said. Haverford Water Polo has not won an Inter-Ac championship since 2009, and this season the Inter-Ac field is loaded with water polo talent. The four other teams — Episcopal, Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, and Malvern — are exceptionally strong and will pose significant threats to a Haverford run for an Inter-Ac Championship. To reach the goal of an Inter-Ac championship for the Fords, each member of the team recognizes that it all starts with preparation during pre-season. The captains are keeping everyone committed to their own development as water polo players. Tricolli highlighted that, as one of the team captains, he will set the tone so each member of the team is encouraging each other during practice to improve: “We will remind each other of those expectations every practice, which helps push us to work harder.” Captain Ross Harryhill also emphasized the importance of teamwork in order to win the Inter-Ac. “We have to figure out how to work together,” Harryhill said. “That’s our biggest obstacle. Once we can put together our plays, have each other’s backs, and play with our hearts, we will achieve our goal.”
unfortunately they could not seem to find the back of the net. Gilman was a strong opponent, but the Fords have a few even greater challenges in their schedule. The Fords’ toughest challenge, according to Coach Brady, will be the invitational at the Hill School, which will feature a “huge test against South Kent, defending National Champs, and Kiski, a very strong team.” He also believes that Conestoga,
the top-ranked team in the state, will be a challenging matchup. In terms of the InterAc, Brady said that the league will be “very even this year, but EA and Penn Charter are the favorites.” Despite this, Coach Brady remains optimistic, and ready to prove the doubters wrong. “My boys and I think we will be in the hunt for our fifth straight.”
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Soccer Rebuilds After Epic Season Devin Weikert ‘17
Led by the Class of 2016, last year’s soccer team won both the Inter-Ac and PAISAA championships. Last year’s Sixth Formers left a substantial opening to fill, but this year’s team is optimistic about the coming season. “Coming off a season with such strong leadership from the Sixth Formers, I think the team is focused on retaining the InterAc title for a fifth season and hoping to do our share in early November as we try to keep the sweater,” said Sixth Former Dean Manko, one of the team’s four captains. So far the Fords have had a strong preseason with a 3-0 win against Washington Township High School, and a 2-0 win against Germantown Friends. The depth of this year’s team is arguably its most formidable strength. The team has many new members, and every player is anxiously waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. Although the starting lineup is still in flux, the Fords have shown a strong defense led by captains Josh Ridenhour and Manko. Fourth Former Griffin Wada has quickly adapted to his position as starting center back alongside Ridenhour. Wada said that the transition from junior varsity to varsity “has been easy because of the high level club soccer I am playing right now. I still have to get used to the physicality of varsity, but playing junior varsity last year helped prepare me for this year of school soccer.” Caleb Clothier and Evan Scott, the other two captains, will lead the team from the midfield, controlling the pace of the game. The Fords are likely to use their defensive strength to attack, using a high press to win the ball in dangerous areas. The team’s
ability to score has been a weakness so far this season, but the team has been training hard under Head Coach Mr. Bill Brady to learn how to attack effectively. The first game of the regular season was against The Gilman School. The match ended in a scoreless draw, but the two sides were not as evenly matched as the score portrayed. The Fords had three times as many opportunities as their opponent, but
Josh Ridenhour steps out against EA last year.
Mr. Jim Roese
Page 9
The Index
Sports
September 2016
XC Team Carries Momentum Towards Another EA Day Win Anthony Calvelli ‘17
Returning five runners from last year’s top seven, the Cross Country team is poised for a successful season and will look to continue its two-year streak of EA Day victories. The team will run under the leadership of coaches Mr. Tim Lengel and Mr. Brian Long. There is a solid group of returning Sixth Formers, five of whom ran varsity last year. With the loss of last year’s number-one runner, Charlie Scales, these Sixth Formers are looking to step up and fill the void. On the loss of Scales, Sixth Former Nick Magnani said, “Charlie was an excellent number-one runner, [but] one guy does not make a cross country team. Last year when we took second at states, Anthony Calvelli, Aditya Bhise, and Taj Bland all finished within seconds of each other. We hope to have that pack running faster with new runners joining us.” The coaches agree that this pack mentality will prove important again this year. Last year, the team placed second in the state because of the large group of guys running together and pushing each other. Coach Lengel said that “what ultimately proved to be our greatest strength was the fact that [the team] ran together. We talked a lot last year [about] packing up, running together, and turning what can be an individual sport into what it should be, a team sport.” Many returning runners have gotten in quality running over the summer, which has helped some move up the ranks. “The coaches made a summer training plan to get us in shape, and a guy who really stepped up and has shown a lot of improvement is Fifth Former Will Merhige,” Magnani said. “He has gone from a middle junior varsity runner last year into a varsity runner, and he is sure to make an impact
on our season.” The team is already starting off in much better shape than last year. Part of this can be attributed to the fact that Coach Lengel and Coach Long are no longer new faces. This year the team was able to meet with both coaches before school ended to talk about expectations and summer training, which was impossible last year. As the distance coach for the spring Track and Field team, Coach Long has transformed the team into a year-long program. He said that the team is “carrying momentum that didn’t exist last year.” The team attracted a much larger group of Third Formers this year, which is a positive sign for the future. Last year, the Cross Country team only had one Third Former, George Maguire. On the increased number of Third Formers this year, Maguire says, “I think it’s pretty amazing that there are this many Third Formers willing to try a sport where all you do is run.” The coaches are “super pumped” that we have a number of guys who are up to the task. Key races this season include the George School Invitational, the Paul Short Run, the Inter-Ac Championships, PAISAA State Championships, and EA Day. Episcopal returns many of their top runners this year, including their two best. The team is excited that EA Day is at Haverford this year. When asked about this home-course advantage, Coach Lengel said that “there’s nothing like starting on this track with hundreds of people cheering you on and finishing in front of the entire school.” That atmosphere will push the team to have the race of their lives come November. If the team can manage to get its pack of four in front of Episcopal third runner, there is a good chance of EA Day victory.
Five Fourth Formers Lead Golf
Mark Gregory (left) and Harper Weigle (right) run against EA last year.
Mr. Jim Roese
Xavi Seigel ‘17
This year’s golf team possesses vast talent from the top of varsity to the bottom of JV. The team consists of seventeen varsity players and ten JV players. This year’s team was selected in a much different fashion than prior years. Instead of the usual three-day, eighteenhole tryouts at Downingtown Country Club, players participated in local golf tournaments and submitted their scores for review by the coaches. This removed the stress of having a single bad day during tryouts that failed to represent the level of play throughout the entire summer. “This is the first team that we’ve ever had in the history of Haverford School golf in which all eight players are tournament golfers,” Coach Gui Costin ‘85 said. In their first match, the varsity golf team emerged victorious, defeating St. Joseph’s Prep 231-234. The starting eight — A.J. Aivazoglou, Cal Buonocore, Mac
Peter Garno drives ball for Haverford
Mr. Jim Roese
Costin, Peter Garno, Fred Hammer, David Hurly, Davis Rosato, and Sam Walker — delivered strong performances. Joining Coach Costin, Coach Cloran, and Coach Upton this year is Coach Andy Franz. “The team has many talented golfers who have worked hard to improve their game and to represent Haverford well,” Coach Franz said. “Haverford golf has a long tradition of excellence and I am thrilled to be a part of team.” Although the top-eight golfers are all close in scores, a core group of five Fourth Formers are shooting the lowest scores. “What we really need is we need six players shooting in the 35-37 range if we want to win the Inter-Ac championship,” Coach Costin said of the team’s Inter-Ac hopes. With these guys stepping up, the Fords will be in contention for an Inter-Ac title.
Davis Rosato
Mr. Jim Roese
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The Index
Sports
September 2016
Fords Rebuild on the Gridiron Connor Lees ‘17
A 211-pound human wrecking ball lines up beside Sixth Form quarterback Tom Toal. Toal receives the snap, pivots right, and plants the ball on the maroon eight of Sixth Former Mallik Twyman’s jersey. He cuts to the left, letting one Episcopal defender slide past him. Two EA defenders latch on, but as he lunges across the ten; he shakes them off. Passing the five, he holds the football in one hand. Extending that arm towards the end zone, he carries it for a touchdown. That was EA Day 2015. Behind Toal, Twyman, and a star-laden Class of 2016, Haverford blew out Episcopal, finishing with a perfect 10-0 record and a third straight Inter-Ac crown. “We will carry on everything the past teams have taught us,” Twyman said. “We’ve learned how to win, and now that’s the only thing we expect as a unit.” Preparation for this season began on June 13th for the Fords, a mere three days after graduation, with scheduled lifts. Since then, the team has grinded through lifts three days a week and long, hot practices. This summer, though, hot air has not been the only thing hanging over Sabol Field. “I think that the guys would be lying if [the 19 game win streak] wasn’t on their mind,” admitted Head Coach Michael Murphy. “My message hasn’t been ‘we’re on a win streak, we have to keep that going.’ We want to emulate the things that made those [past] teams successful: practice hard, work harder than our opponents. We need to be focused on figuring out who we are as the 2016 football team.” “We are still trying to figure out who we are offensively and defensively in terms of scheme. But the traits that we have established in the program have carried through, which is good. Now it’s kind of honing down ‘are we going to run the ball more?’ ‘throw the ball more?’ ‘or are we more balanced?’” Coach Murphy said. Whichever route Coach Murphy chooses, he has the weapons to succeed. Toal, who was named to the All Inter-Ac team at quarterback, posted 1,627 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing 68 percent of his throws last season. On the ground, Twyman ran for 896 yards and 14 scores. But last season Toal had the luxury of targeting then-Sixth Formers Dox Aitken and Keyveat Postell. “As a quarterback he was pretty spoiled,” Murphy said. “Some of the throws that were recorded as sixty-
Mallik Twyman in action against EA.
yard touchdowns because somebody made an incredible play or catch.” This year’s receiving core is talented, but they lack game experience. “Experience plays a lot in what we are trying to do at that position,” said Murphy. “The good news is that we have a lot of guys in those receiver positions that are competing hard. But we lost a ton of experience with the three starters. It also flips to the other side of the ball because these guys are your defensive backs.” Do not fret, Fords fans. Sixth Former Aaron Hudson, speaking for the receiving core, wants fans to know they are ready for the challenge. “I, along with fellow Sixth Formers Connor Mosebrook, Will Towle, Zakee Hawkins and Ish Morrison, will make the transition as smooth as possible,” Hudson promised. “But we will also look upon young guys, such as Sam Lindner and newcomer Isaiah Winikur, to step up.” Unlike last year, some underclassmen will have a chance to be featured on this team. Alongside receivers Lindner and Winikur will be 6’5” tight end Asim Richards. Richards earned playing time last year, and worked his way to earn All Inter-Ac recognition as a Third Former. At this pace, Coach Murphy sees Richards recruited by major Division I schools. In
Visit havindex.com to see videos like Mallik Twyman’s highlight reel.
Mr. Jim Roese
year two, expect Richards to be targeted early and often as Toal builds up chemistry with his other receivers. The offensive line was the other position group to lose three Sixth Form starters. But unlike the receiving core, this group has had more playing experience. Linemen Peter Solomon and Richie Souders will be tasked with leading this group to protect Toal and open running lanes for Twyman. Once preseason winds up, the Fords face a tough schedule. In Week 3, the Fords will travel up to Collegeville to battle Perkiomen Valley High School, a team that made a run in the state playoffs last year. In Week 5, the team faces off against a fellow undefeated team in John Carroll from Bel Air, Maryland. The Inter-Ac slate opens against Penn Charter on October 15th, and on October 22nd archrival Malvern comes to Sabol Field. “The days of sneaking up on people are over. Everybody has us circled” Murphy said. “We laid a few smackdowns on some teams last year so they will be looking for revenge.” To navigate the treacherous schedule, the Fords will have to rely on their veteran leaders, the Sixth Formers. “How your seniors play and perform is usually directly correlated to the type of season the team has,” Murphy said. “For us to be
successful, they are going to have to be a little more forceful. They need to step up more and take some ownership of this.” While they may not yet be as forceful as the coach wants them to be, the Class of 2017 has been leading by example on the field. “I would say we lead more by example rather than words. As a group, we feel like our best chance to earn our respect is by showing the reason why we deserve it,” said Twyman. Expectations are high this year: Coach Murphy wants to keep the InterAc title on Lancaster Avenue. “Our ultimate goal is to win every week. But our underlying goal is to win the Inter-Ac,” Murphy said. On offense, expect Twyman to get more touches this season. There remain question marks with this receiving core, but with an experienced signal caller in Toal behind center, do not be surprised to see a wideout have a breakout season. On defense, watch out for Sixth Former Chris Kober. At linebacker, Kober’s athleticism poses a threat to every InterAc quarterback. With Twyman in the backfield, and Toal under center, the Fords are in prime condition to compete for a fourth consecutive Inter-Ac and extend their 19-game winning streak.
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Editorial continued When a player is carted off the field after an injury in football, the players kneel out of respect. To help show that Kaepernick respects the military, Boyer stood beside Kaepernick when he kneeled for the first time. He is still taking a stance, but now on one knee, with a veteran behind him. Headmaster and retired Lieutenant Colonel Dr. John Nagl is “okay with him kneeling during the national anthem.” His rationale is that the military fights for the Kaepernick’s right to protest. “The United States is far from perfect,” said Dr. Nagl. “What I believe Colin is doing is calling attention to parts of America that need to be improved, and I respect him for that.” For anyone still hankering to burn a Kaepernick jersey, The Index will leave you with the third verse of the Star Spangled Banner, the one you don’t know. Why?
The Index
Sports
September 2016
Because it glorifies the killing of AfricanAmericans. “Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the [...] slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” And Francis Scott Key, the wealthy American who wrote the Star Spangled Banner? He believed African-Americans were “a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community.” - Connor ‘17, George ‘17, Sam ‘18
Colin Kaepernick kneels for National Anthem in Chicago last Sunday.
espn.com
Give Gary A Chance Xavi Seigel ‘17
Gary Johnson embodies the American Dream. He knows what it is like to turn nothing into something. He started a handyman business with nothing more than a shovel, an old pickup and a dream. He turned that dream into a thousandemployee reality. He didn’t have to game the system or receive a quarter billion dollar inheritance from his father. Once his first dream was fulfilled, he found another, and ran for governor of New Mexico. When people saw a Republican running in one of the most heavily Democratic states, they laughed. They weren’t laughing when he won by ten points. He balanced the budget, cut taxes fourteen times and built brand new infrastructure, schools and hospitals. After handily winning reelection and wrapping up his second term, he yearned for even more of a challenge. In 2003, he proceeded to summit Mount
Everest and the tallest peaks on all seven continents (including Antarctica). He also completed Ironman Hawaii four times and finished 20 marathons. When he wasn’t almost dying in air-balloon adventures, he was running a multi-million dollar medical marijuana company. In 2012 he decided to jump back into the political fray - this time as a Libertarian. After winning the Libertarian ticket, he embraced a socially liberal/fiscally conservative based campaign similar to the one he ran as governor. He did quite well for a third party, receiving 1.3 million votes (twice as much as the 2008 ticket). Now Johnson is going at it again, but this time he is polling at 10% and has generated bipartisan support. With this year’s choices between corrupt and crazy, calm, balanced Johnson looks quite appealing.
Welcome back to the 2016/2017 school year! Make sure to look out for our election issue next month.
Anyone who will be 18 or older by Election Day: register to vote by October 11th.
Page 12
The Index
The Outdex
September 2016
During the summer....
Andrew Lengel ‘17, Mohid Khan ‘17, Peter Solomon ‘17, Nick Magnani ‘17, Henry Scarlato ‘17, Satch Baker ‘18, Tucker Matus ‘17 Haverford’s administration has decided to bite the bullet and simply host Third Form orientation at the Made in America music festival, seeing as a majority of the school is already in attendance. Now that they are finally seniors and all their friends have graduated, Andrew Lengel and Max Brooks have both come to the realization that they must make friends in the class of 2017 to make their last year of high school bearable. This school year, members of the administration have already hired a team of FBI agents to ensure that the EA day t-shirt stays politically correct. Cal Williams has created yet another organization. This one is intended to organize all of his other organizations. With two librarians leaving, a turf war has broken out between the Sixth Formers and the librarians as Ms. Snyder feels now is her chance to take the library back for its original purpose. BREAKING NEWS, Sixth Former Cyrus Rostami has organized a protest after recently learning that Coach Rosko’s weightlifting will no longer count for a sports credit. Mark Fifer spent his summer impersonating Arnold Schwarzenegger in the mirror. Mr. Ressler spent his summer working at an independently sourced free trade vegan coffee shop. Mr. Trocano spent his summer deciding on whether he should switch his allegiance to the Tennessee Titans or the Detroit Lions so his honors chemistry
students would have more quizzes, before finally deciding that the Browns were once again his best bet.
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When QB1 is trying to teach the playbook to the next Haverford prodigy, but this guy keeps playing with the Xs and Os.