Aug 29, 2014

TSTRATFORD HE

RACLE O

Friday, August 29, 2014

Volume 42, Issue 1

shsoracle.com

keeping SPARTAN PRIDE ALIVE pg. 2

@stratfordoracle

@spartanoracle

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Keeping Spartan Pride Alive Thoughts on how to keep this from being “just another year�

OPINION OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD Be involved.

Be passionate.

Football games, pep rallies, debate tournaments, and choir concerts are just a few examples of some of the amazing things going on in this community. You may not be interested in every event at school, but try to get involved in some way with activities that aren’t your own. It will show support for your classmates and expand your sense of community.

Join activities you’re interested in, not ones that just look good on a college application. Spreading yourself too thin is not the key to spreading Spartan pride.

High school is perfect for finding out what you really care about, and pursuing those things is far more rewarding than overinvolving yourself in things you couldn’t care less about.

Community, not competition.

Each department brings something unique and valuable to the school. Petty arguments over which sport or activity is “better� or more important than others completely contradicts what Stratford America is all about.

When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.

Be mature.

Not everything that happens this year will be great. Lost football games, forgotten homework, and fights with friends can make you lose sight of what is important.

Focusing on the negatives and the drama is immature and hurts the school as a whole.

Your teachers are Spartans too.

Teachers care about this school and community as much as you do. They dress up for pep rallies, go to school events, and work hard toward the success of every student. Get to know your teachers, and follow their lead; they know a thing or two about school spirit.

Say goodbye to your comfort zone.

Pep rallies are awesome. They’re all about supporting fellow Spartans and getting excitement levels up. Sure, walking around school all day dressed like a 1980’s rocker can be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it to be

a part of something bigger. We shouldn’t be afraid to get a little silly in the name of school pride.

Respect our opponents.

Let’s be honest, no one wins in a Twitter fight. Other schools will try to tear down our sense of pride, but we always have the opportunity to turn to the other cheek and outclass them when insults come our way. We can humiliate the other team on the field or court, instead of trying to degrade them online, which makes us look just as bad.

Have fun.

As utterly clichĂŠ as it sounds, the best way to set this year apart is to enjoy it. You can try to plan everything out and do everything perfectly, but the best way to keep this from being just another year is simply to enjoy everyday and appreciate every moment in its fullness.

EDITORS’ NOTE: Staff editorials are written by the new Editorial Board. The Board members and policy are detailed in the staff box located to the right.

Advice to Freshmen Don’t get overinvolved.

The Clash of Clans account you somehow still have needs some attention, too.

Get to know your teachers.

an opinion of

SCOTT KENNEDY It’s not easy being a freshman.

We’ve all been there— from sprinting to class to trying to find nonexistent floors, it takes some time to get used to everything. Hopefully all of you freshmen went to Link Crew, but if you didn’t, consider this a crash course on how to do freshman year without looking too terribly like a freshman. Best of luck.

Get involved.

If you can’t devote a substantial amount of time to being actively involved in multiple organizations at the beginning of the year and even more time trying to avoid them by the end of the year, then how do you ever expect to get accepted to college?

They’re actually really interesting people— Mr. Poetzl canoed the Mississippi River in near-freezing weather, Mr. Reyes almost played Major League Baseball, Mrs. Moreno was a Navy firefighter for over a decade, and Mr. Cooms takes his coffee with two sugars.

Get to know people who didn’t go to your middle school.

Former homeschoolers— this is especially important for you.

Don’t argue with a coach.

Ever.

Even if they say the grass ain’t green, if you try to argue, you’ll be at the mercy of their harshest punishments. Then something will be turning green for sure.

Start the year off strong.

After all, the final season of Parks and Recreation is approaching,

and the time to prepare for the preceding 42-hour marathon is now.

Get to know some upperclassmen.

If you aren’t sure if someone’s an upperclassman or not, here’s a hint— they aren’t the ones running to class, getting lost on the way to class, and trying to find the fourth floor.

Bring your textbooks to class every day.

You never know when you’ll need a makeshift pillow.

Be invested in your schoolwork, but not too much.

Here’s a helpful guideline— if you mainly use worksheets as napkins, doodle pads, or trash can basketballs, then you should probably get more focused. But if at any point you consider playing Puzzle Pack on your graphing calculator a “fun study break� then you might need to loosen up a bit before it’s too late.

There you have it freshmen. Now go and enjoy the year.

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STRATFORD ORACLE STAFF 2014-15 Editors-in-Chief Justin Todes Scott Kennedy

*

*

Associate Editor Ashley Karolys

*

News Editors Cameron Henkel Maxine Tran Culture Editors Ashleigh Garrett Olivia Siciliano Sports Editors Brittany Fitzgerald Opinions Editors Emily Fishman Natalie Raley

*

Photo Editors Maggie Vickers Rebecca Williamson

Taylor Brittain Design Editor Victoria Shin Reporters Taylor Morris Tina Kang Noelle Flores Caroline Harger Photographers Arturo Benitez Abigail Boessling Dustin Nichols Riley Timmreck

Devin Mitchell Matthew Makowski Christi Gregory Suzy Frazelle Gabby Broussard Hannah Davis Tea Sharp Kailie Henkel Ads Editors Abbey Duke Emily Copeland Sarah Sturgis Ads Staff Rebecca Tarver Myles Marburger Kendall Marbach Phoebe Lamay Harper Jones Lindsey Jenkins Grace Heckmann Emily Brown Paige Barber Lauren Carr Kara Ferguson Matthew Chavira Staff Artists Erica Jeon Molly Richter Rachel Torres Allison Rice Claire Pena

Online Editors Jack Lin Lana Ferguson Online Asst. Editor Ezra Meyer Online Design Ed. Bronwyn Wismer Online Copy Ed. Amanda Sturm Online Photo Ed. Ben Fairchild Photographers Zoraida Gonzales Nick Latiolais Darwyn Bosco Toni Jones Jordyn Richards Annabelle Daniel Natalie Broussard Keagan Lawrence Online Marketing Chalsea Valdes Cassidy Menard Baleigh Oakley Matthew Fanning Lara Hurst Building Principal Christopher Juntti

Copy Editor

Advisor Janice Cummons

*David Humphrey

*Editorial Board Members

Cover Photo: Spartacus, temporarily played by junior Dedric Moore, joins the crowd at RUSH as he waits in line for textbooks. Photo by Arturo Benitez The Oracle newspaper is the official, school-sponsored student media of Stratford High School, 14555 Fern, Houston, Texas 77079, 713-251-3454.

The Oracle is published monthly by the Journalism Department, and is also available online at shsoracle.com.

The newspaper is a member of Columbia Scholastic Journalism Association, National Scholastic Journalism Educators and Interscholastic League Press Conference.

administration or the school district.

The Oracle serves as a public forum of student expression, and is open to contributions submitted by the readers. Readers may submit material via email to info@shsoracle.com.

*Editorial Board: The editorial board

All letters to the editor must be typed and contain the author’s full name, grade and signature. Submitted material is subject to editing based on space and/or content. The opinions expressed are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, the staff, the

The staff is responsible for the content of the publication, and strives maintain professional standards of accuracy, objectivity and fairness. The editors reserve the right to determine whether submissions will be published.

The Oracle staff strives to produce a newspaper that covers the entire Stratford community, and welcomes freelance submissions. is comprised of five senior members of the Oracle staff. The board collaborates on one staff editorial every issue, published under the name “Editorial Board� The board collaborates and forms collective opinions, though not all members of the board are required to participate in the formation of every article. Opinions pieces labeled “Editorial Board� will include the opinions of the majority of the editorial board members.

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Once a Spartan, Always a Spartan

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Former students return to Stratford as teachers WRITTEN BY CAMERON HENKEL PHOTOS BY JOSH WRIGHT AND ABBY BOESSLING From finding classrooms to learning new names, coming to a new school can be challenging for anyone. Perhaps more difficult though is returning to an old environment and having to adjust to the changes.

Three recent Stratford graduates face this challenge as they return to teach at their alma mater.

For these teachers they will not only have to integrate with the current atmosphere, but also will have to become accustomed to the differences between the Stratford they knew and the one of today.

Although much has changed since these three teachers graduated, the community and atmosphere around the school still remains much the same. These alumni will keep Spartan pride alive.

Past Alumni Return Emily Pence

The first faculty meeting of the year took place on Thursday, August 14. The teachers met in the cafeteria at 8 a.m. for a faculty breakfast and then, as is the tradition, the band marched in and played a preview of their half time show and led the crowd in some stand tunes, ending with the Alma Mater.

The new faculty members were then announced and brought to the front.

The new faculty members are, in no particular order, Marcie Baker, Julia Colon, Crystal Fain, Matt Boane, Bess Garison, Ryan Cozad, Sarah Hayes, Vanessa Croix, Jenni Mackey, Robert Littlefield, Lisa Stultz, Cody Schwartz, Andrew Mazarkis, Emily Pence, Mark Wallace, Illiana Espinoza, Todnesha Brown, Nadine Smith, Bridgette Azzam, and Gerald Thomas.

What the heck is T-2-4?

WRITTEN BY CAMERON HENKEL

T-2-4 is the five year academic plan put in place by the district.

Its goal is to double the number of students who go to, and finish, a technical, two year, or four year college, or military training after graduating high school. When the plan was put in place, only about 35% of seniors were pursuing some form higher education.

T-2-4 will double that percentage.

2. How long is T-2-4?

The plan is scheduled to last five years, beginning in 2012 and ending in 2017. After that time a committee will evaluate the success of the program and report their findings to the district officials.

3. Why should I care?

Whether you’re a freshmen or a senior, T-2-4 will be active through most of your high school career. Only current freshmen will be graduating after T-2-4 con-

cludes, but it will still affect how their teachers and counselors push them toward higher education.

teachers and other faculty members are most directly affected.

4. Who created this in the first place?

Marketing was a big part of the five year plan because the plan represents the goals of the district for the next five years. Because of the long duration of this program, the committee had to make sure the presence of T-2-4 was known and felt throughout schools, and that it had a positive message.

Many of the posters and promotional items throughout the school are a part of T-2-4.

A committee was put together in 2010 to start creating the next five year plan for the district. After a year and a half of discussing what goals the district should have, the committee presented ideas for a plan to the district. Once those ideas were given the green-light, the committee moved on to creating the guidelines and marketing for the plan.

5. What are the guidelines?

The guidelines that were created were designed mostly to teach schools how to raise the number of students going on to higher education, like college or technical school. These guidelines were put in to place to help students, but

Cody Schwartz

Marcie Baker is a new choir and theatre teacher.

Baker, like Pence, also studied education during college although in Baker’s case it was music focused. Baylor University was Baker’s home for the four year’s following her graduation at Stratford. Throughout the year Baker hopes to, “ inspire students through choral music and theatre performances.� Not only is Baker an alumnus, but so is her mother so two generations of Stratford education will now be teaching students.

After Cody Schwartz, a new social studies teacher, graduated in 2005, he went through a series of colleges starting at Houston Community College until getting up to Texas A&M where Schwartz graduated with a Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2013. Somewhere through this journey Schwartz started to work for Coca-Cola Enterprises, the makers of Coke, as a merchandiser. Finally the call of home was too strong and now Schwartz has returned to teach social studies and coach football and basketball.

news in brief

And why you should actually care 1. What is it, exactly?

As the freshmen get to know the building so will Emily Pence, Algebra I teacher and volleyball coach. Since Pence graduated in 2009 the school has had a few areas remodeled. The main focus of the remodelling was the cafeteria and snack bar area, but the “rubber gym has a new floor and is much nicer than when I played freshman volleyball in there.� After high school Pence went on to study math and science education at Texas A&M University leading to a one year position at Spring Forest Middle School.

Marcie Baker

6. How is marketing being conducted?

7. Aren’t the ads a bit excessive?

Although the posters flood our halls, sometimes to the point of excess, they are there to be a constant reminder of the high goals the district has for all of its students.

WRITTEN BY CAMERON HENKEL PHOTOS BY MAGGIE VICKERS AND ABBY BOESSLING August 29 A pep rally is scheduled for this afternoon, so head on over to the competition gym at 2:30 and get in the spirit.

Sept. 2 Show your Spartan pride at this year’s spirit night. Learn the school song, and have some fun.

Sept. 3 Early bird mum sales begin. Place your order in the snack bar, or call 713-465-6960. You may also place your order at Mum Central: 13634 Perthshire on Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 12-9 p.m. Money raised from mum sales supports the Marching Band and Color Guard.

Sept. 18 Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, just down the street on Dairy Ashford.

Sept. 10 Back to School Night is an opportunity for parents to go through their child’s schedule and

meet the teachers. The evening will start out with a PTSA meeting in the auditorium at 6:30.

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Just the Right Timing Educational trip to Israel ends just before conflict intensifies

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WRITTEN BY JUSTIN TODES PHOTOS BY JODY GOLDSTEIN

Hump Day — Seniors Sarah Nash and Claire Pena buddy up on a camel and

ride through the Negev Desert, while learning about the Bedouin culture.

Israel has been all over the news this summer — rockets flying, bombs bursting, and ceasefires not obeyed by the extremists who created them.

But one week before turmoil let loose, senior Sarah Nash was having a great time in the country with her youth group from

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. “I felt very safe the entire time,� Nash said. “There weren’t any signs of dispute or tension when we were there, so it was kind of crazy to hear about the conflict when we got back.�

Nash and her group did ob-

serve a heavy presence of Israeli Nash said. guards and soldiers, but that is The Western Wall, the Dome typical. Her group even visited of the Rock and the Holocaust a portion of the Palestinian West Museum were great learning exBank, and never felt unsafe. periences.

In Nash’s group were four “They were all really cool other Stratford students— senior places to visit,� Nash said.

Jenny Fox, senior Claire Pena, Nash also found a bullet musenior Sarah Sturgis and sophoseum particularly interesting, more Jacob Sloan. and learned about a secret, un“I was surprised by how modern Israel was,� Nash said. “There was a lot of Western influence there.

And I was surprised by how green it was — I was picturing all desert.�

The group mostly stayed in Jerusalem, visiting a wide variety of sites ranging from religious to historical to the beach, and also took trips to Bethlehem and the Dead Sea. Soaking it In — Students lather on the mineral“It was really neat to see rich mud along the beach of the Dead Sea. the ancient history, and to derground bullet making factory see the Muslim, Christian and Jewish religions all in one place,� where the Jewish soldiers used to

make their ammunition. “We learned a lot about recent history as well,� Nash said.

But the trip wasn’t all history and museums. The group had plenty of fun during their weeklong stay.

Camel riding was one activity, in which group members buddied up, got on camels and took a ride through the Negev Desert. “It was interesting,� Nash said. “We went with Bedouin guides, so they didn’t speak any English, but we learned about their culture and lifestyle.�

They also spent time covering themselves in the mineral-rich mud along the beach of the Dead Sea. Visiting Israel was an experience that Nash described as both fun and educational. “I know it is dangerous right now,� Nash said. “But once everything clears up, I would definitely recommend taking a trip to Israel.�

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Plugging Back Into School

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Students reflect on their summer and getting back in the swing of things

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA SICILIANO GRAPHIC BY VICTORIA SHIN

Hands smudged with pencil lead from the endless bubbling of scantrons during final exam week as exhaustion set in for many students as they worked to finish the busy school year.

After many days of relentless studying and completing final reviews, for some, the beloved and well-anticipated summertime provided the perfect opportunity to disconnect completely from their school-oriented mind-set. However, as August slowly approached and commercials for school supplies came on TV, students had to find a way to get themselves back into gear for the year ahead. Hoping to start the year off on the right foot, they aimed to reconnect themselves back into the academic mind-set. Students shared the experiences of their summer and offered tips on how they plan to dive back into the school year.

How I will “plug back in� this year: How I “unplugged� this summer: “During the summer, I go on a lot of vacations. It’s a great time to get my mind off things and catch up with the family.�

Courtney Stark, 12th

“To relax, I sleep in and turn off my alarm, as well as hang out with my friends and go on vacation with my friends and family.�

Julia Cortugera, 11th

“To disconnect myself from the hectic school environment, I usually sleep in until 9 or 10, and I also get rid of all my papers that I had collected over the year. Some things that I did this summer that helped me relax were watching a lot of Netflix and getting together with friends and playing sports. I also took a vacation to Europe which took my mind off of everything that was stressing me out.�

Carson Allred, 10th

“Reconnecting myself back into school is difficult, but one way that helps me get back in the school mode is I purposefully read my summer reading book towards the end of the summer. It helps keep the information fresh for school as well as helps me get back into a studious mindset.�

Julia Cortugera, 11th “As school approaches I start to get into my school routine. Before school starts, I go to bed earlier and wake up earlier than usual.�

Courtney Stark, 12th

“To prepare myself for the new school year I go out and buy all of the school supplies that I will be needing. This reminds myself that school is approaching and I need to start thinking about my priorities.�

Carson Allred, 10th

Broadway Hits Houston

Professional dancer comes down from New York to teach in H-Town

WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC BY ASHLEY KAROLYS PHOTOS BY HOWARD BROWN

On the outside, Suzanne Semans been lost over the years because of Studio is just a normal concrete many generations coming through building with red and white cur- and wanting to add their own flair tains hiding the creative work that to the Fosse world. occurs within. On the inside, dancBecause of this, it’s very difficult ers work their hardest to achieve to find people who really know the their goals and to get a little taste of original Fosse style. Knowing this what really happens when you are and knowing Stratford students working in show biz. were going to be auditioning for Semans, the studio’s head dance instructor, does everything she can to make sure her students get the best chance to see what it is like in the real world, as well as to give them more opportunities for them to experience different dance styles.

A dance style that has been recently focused on at the studio is the style known as Fosse.

Fosse was created by The dancers of Suzanne Semans Studio dancer/choreographer rehearse as Broadway performer, David Kent Bob Fosse. The unusual looks over them to correct errors and to help movements of Fosse have improve their performance.

the musical “Chicago� soon (which Fosse had choreographed), Semans contacted Stratford alum Erica Mansfield to see if she could coordinate a dance class with the dance captain of “Chicago� on Broadway, David Kent, who is one of very few people who truly stick to the original Fosse style. “I worked with David Kent for six weeks this summer to dissect Bob Fosse’s choreography,� said senior Caitlin Ehlinger. “He not only taught me the choreography for ‘Chicago’, but also the history and motivation behind Fosse’s unique style.�

Normally, a group of Semans’s students go to New York for the summer to take classes from Broadway choreographers. It is very rare that they are able to bring those instructors down to Houston because of the cost of bringing them from New York.

After the students had very successful classes in New York earlier

this summer, Semans invited Kent specific notes as to what to do and to come to Houston for a week- how to make the dance their own. end to teach a handful of students “He went into a lot of detail in a number for the studio’s recital teaching us how to tell a story rathcoming up this May. Kent gladly ac- er than just do a dance,� said junior cepted, taught private lessons with Noelle Flores. some of the dancers, gave a master Kent also created a nice enviclass, and choronment in the reographed for room, making Semans’s recital. it easy to let “He was able go and to lose to teach it to us yourself in the in a fun environdance. “He crement that was ated such a safe encouraging environment to everyone no to take risks matter what your and really push dance ability yourself,� said was,� said junior Ehlinger.

Kent helps out senior Caitlin EhDani Greene.

L a t e r T h r o u g h o u t linger and juniors Kirby Morris and in the year, Sethe entire dance Marlina Brown with the choreomans will be workshop, Kent graphed dance for the recital. trying to bring would pay attenmore Broadway tion to every person, not just focus performers and choreographers to on the people he had worked with teach right here in Houston just like before. He gave some people very she did with Kent.

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New District, New Competition A look at this year’s opponents

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GRAPHICS BY VICTORIA SHIN

With the shift of Stratford from UIL District 22-4A to District 19-5A comes changes to competition. The map to the right shows this year’s district opponents in sports, and the information below includes the dates of the in-district football match ups.

MAGNOLIA BULLDOGS

9/26 @ Tully, 7 p.m.

TOMBALL COUGARS

10/3 @ Tomball, 7 p.m.

BRENHAM CUBS

10/10 @ Tully, 7 p.m.

SPRING WOODS TIGERS 10/17 @ Tully, 7 p.m.

TOMBALL MEMORIAL WILDCATS

10/25 @ Tully, 1 p.m.

MAGNOLIA WEST MUSTANGS

10/31 @ Magnolia West, 7 p.m.

WALLER BOBCATS

11/7 @ Tully, 7 p.m.

GRAPHICS AND STORY BY SCOTT KENNEDY

Position:

Right Tackle

Favorite TV Show:

GRACE WHITMIRE

Psych

Position:

Favorite Food:

Setter/Libero

“CHOCOLATE!�

(Spongebob Reference)

Best Memory:

Graphic by Scott KenWin-

ning the Dawson game last year

Pump-Up Song:

“Let’s Go� by Trick Daddy

Childhood Dream Job: “Astronaut or Princess, duh�

JACK WHITAKER

Number: 9 Favorite Movie:

A

Knight’s Tale

Favorite Restaurant: Agora Hero:

Brother

Most Excited:

Hanging out with team and winning

Toughest Match: Brenham

0.625

The varsity volleyball team, prior to the district tournament, had a win percentage of 0.625, with 5 wins and 3 losses.

Stratford varsity football is currently ranked as the 488th best team in the nation (according to MaxPreps)

19

488

Rakeem Boyd is ranked as the 19th highest running back recruit in the nation (according to 247 Sports)

5 STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL

Five new coaches have been hired this year.

Coach Boane, Fain, Pence, Schwartz, and Wallace coach a total of five sports, as well.

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ONE ON ONE

with... Co a ch B oa n e

Practice Makes Perfect A visual look at summer sports

SERVING IT UP

Q: What characteristics do you like to see in your players?

A: Good students, model citizens, dedicated players.

Q: What made you want to get in to coaching?

A: Coaching gives me the opportunity to impact the student athletes in a positive way beyond the classroom. Plus, I’m a sports nut.

Q: Do you have any goals for the team this year, and if so what are they?

A: Win District in a very competetive group of teams.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: Working with the student athletes in my role as teacher, coach, counselor and dad on a daily basis.

Then watching them go on to bigger and better things.

Q: What drew you towards Stratford and made you want to come coach here?

A: The culture of excellence definitely drew me to Stratford.

Q: What’s the most crucial advice you could give to any player having a great season?

A: Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

GETTING READY

Senior Dominique Thai prepares for a wicked serve during the tennis teams varsity tryouts for the 2014- 2015 season.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR BRITTAIN

Q: With this being your first year at Stratford, how do you plan on gaining players’ trust and developing a good relationship with them?

A: I try to lead by example.

I never ask my players to do something I wouldn’t do or haven’t tried in the past. I consider myself to be a “players’ coach� which means I look out for their best interests in the classroom, on the field, and in the community.

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PHOTOS BY MAGGIE VICKERS, ABBY BOESSLING, TAYLOR BRITTAIN

TALKING IT OUT

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FISHIES START FRESH

Freshman football prepares for the upcoming season with summer practice in August.

Varsity tennis coach Tom Courson gives the players tips during practice. This is his first year to be head coach.

During the last few weeks of summer the varsity, junior varsity, and sophomore teams practice twice everyday. With the football teams first game just days away the players on the sophomore, Jr. varsity, and varsity teams head to the fields for summer practice.

TWO-A-DAYS

In Case You Missed It — Sports

Helpful headlines to make you look smart WRITTEN BY SCOTT KENNEDY

Soccer Germany wins the World Cup After beating Brazil 7-1 in the semifinals, Germany beat Argentina with Mario GÜtze’s goal in extra time.

It was the country’s fourth win in history, the first since 1990. The US team lost in the round of 16 to Belgium.

Golf Rory McIlroy wins Open and PGA The 25 year old Irish golfer won the Open Championship and the PGA Championship this summer, which are two of the four major titles in professional golf.

Similar accomplishments have been made at such a young age only by Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, two of golf’s greats. In

between the two majors he won the WGA Bridgestone, which boosted him to number one golfer in the world currently.

CEO Steve Ballmer was able to purchase the team for a record $2 billion.

Basketball

Rob Manfred new MLB Commissioner

Lebron James returns home to Cavaliers Lebron James “took his talents to South Beach� to play for the Miami Heat in 2010.

Four Finals visits and two championships later, James decided that he belonged back home in Cleveland.

Steve Balmer new Clippers owner After Clippers owner Donald Sterling was recorded making racist remarks back in April, a long battle was waged between Sterling, his wife, and the NBA over ownership of the team.

Finally, former Microsoft

Baseball

Manfred was elected unanimously after nine hours of deliberation by MLB

owners to replace formerComissioner Bud Selig.

Manfred, who was previously Selig’s COO, will work to modernize the game and revamp sales. Manfred will take over on Jan. 25, 2015.

Football NCAA playoff system begins this year

While college football’s BCS (Bowl Championship Series) has been the postseason system for years, many believed it was too subjective. Beginning this season is a new playoff system, where four teams meet in the semifinal games, and the winners play for the National Championship. Six bowl games will rotate hosting the semifinal games.

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