Volume 9 Issue 6

2015-16 YEAR in REVIEW

May 2016 Volume IX Issue 6 Mosaic courtesy of mosaically.com

541 Ramona St. Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 326-1446

Go Paly Vikes!

Congratulations to all the graduating seniors!

Have a great summer and Go Vikings!

Volume IX, Issue 6 May 2016

Staff List Editors-in-Chief Skylar Burris Steven Marinkovich

News Editors Ben Cleasby Ethan Stern

Features Editor Quinn Knoblock

Photo Editors Haley Chalmers Christian Rider

Design Editors Samantha Guillet Talia Malchin

Columnists Ben Cleasby Peter Snodgrass

Multimedia Editors Ryan Chang Peter Snodgrass

Business Manager Bryan Look

Copy Editor Jamie Cullen

Staff Advisor Brian Wilson

Staff Writers Lauren Koyama Nikki Merkle-Raymond Mara Zenger Senior Staff Writers Maddy Atwater Kylie Callan Sam Desre Daniel Douty Meredith Kinnaman Alys Olmstead

The Viking Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Advertising and Sponsorship Contact: vikingads@gmail.com The Viking, a sports magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Magazine Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Viking is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity.

Advertising in The Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com Printing Services 2,500 copies of The Viking are printed, six times a year by Fricke-Parks Press in Fremont, Calif.

MAY 2016

Dhesya Salsabila-Swezey (‘18) pitches a fastball down homeplate against Fremont. The Vikings went on to lose against Fremont 4-3.

Photo Courtesy of Bryan Look

Alec Olmstead (‘16) swings and makes contact for a single against Saratoga. Paly won the game handily 10-1.

Photo Courtesy of Sam Guillet

Alec Olmstead (‘16) swings and makes contact for a single against Saratoga. Paly won the game handily 10-1.

Photo Courtesy of Sam Guillet

LINE UP

MVP 18 PALY AWARDS 19 COACH 20 GIRLS TEAM 22 BOYS TEAM

24 GIRLS UNDERCLASSMAN 25 BOYS UNDERCLASSMAN 26

ALOK SUBBARAO

24 GIRLS UPPERCLASSMAN 25 BOYS UPPERCLASSMAN

Volume 9, Issue 6 May 2016

START 4 6 8

DEFEND PITCH SINGLE

12 EDITORIAL 13 10 QUESTIONS 14

with Catherine Yu (‘16)

SPRINT 34

44

36

BOTTOM 10 MOMENTS Unfortunately, with great moments come bad ones. The Viking reveals our Bottom 10 moment of the year.

15 INSIDE THE MIND

of Sam Craig (‘18)

38

SEASON RECAPS

OLYMPIC BOUND The Viking takes a look at all the Paly athletes that will be going to the Olympic Trials for the 2016 SummerOlympics in Rio de Janero, Brazil.

It’s been a great year for Paly Sports. The Viking counts down our Top 10 Moments of the year.

POP CULTURE

17 CATCHING UP: MRS. BOWERS

TOP 10 MOMENTS

FINISH

45 THANKING OUR SENIORS The Viking would like to take a minute to thank our graduating seniors.

46

LAST WORD

From the editors Dear readers, We’re very proud to present the sixth and final issue of The Viking for the 2015-2016 school year. As we have in the past, we chose to use this issue as an opportunity to look back on the best and worse of this year in Paly sports, highlighting the most notable coach, teams and players, as well as revisiting some of the most memorable moments teams had.

As the year comes to a close, we want to thank all of our readers, contributors and sponsors for helping us complete another won-

derful year of The Viking. We would especially like to thank our six amazing seniors who have contributed so much to the magazine. We will miss you so much next year and we wish you the best of luck in all that you do.

We would like to specifically pay gratitude to our editors-in-chief of this year Kylie Callan and Alys Olmstead for teaching us everything we need to know to continue to make this magazine great. Also, a special thanks to our advisor Mr. Wilson, who has contributed

both time and energy into helping us publish our issues.

As the editors-in-chief for the next year of The Viking, we are eager to continue and build on the foundation set by the previous nine leadership staffs as well as continue improving the magazine to the best of our capability.

Thank you so much for your continued readership and support. We hope you have a fantastic summer and we are eager to see you all again in the fall!

See you next year!

Skylar Burris Steven Marinkovich

Staff view On the new athletic conditioning class This past fall Paly introduced a new physical education (PE) class called Athletic Conditioning. This class is geared towards athletes in general, although the majority of the enrolled students this year were on the football team.

The class is mainly used as a lifting period to give extra conditioning time to athletes who want to improve their abilities. We as a staff believe that this class should be advertised to more athletes and offered multiple periods a day as it would provide a more beneficial alternative to traditional PE, would help relieve stress during the day and would lessen the time commitment athletes would have to put in outside of school hours.

A class focused mainly on conditioning gives athletes a more tailored workout for their specific sport that would benefit them more than a traditional PE class. Having these sport-specific workouts during the school day would target skills and strength training that might not get accomplished during the set practice time. This additional strength and lifting practice may also help prevent injuries that could potentially arise if athletes are not doing the proper strength training during practice.

According to the Anxiety and Depres-

12 | T H E V I K I N G |

sion Association of America, exercise is the stress-coping technique most recommended by healthcare professionals. Breaking up a stressful school day with a workout could help students relax and be more productive when they go back to their schoolwork. Exercise produces endorphins that relieve stress and help a person sleep more, which is key to enhancing performance in a student’s academic and athletic life.

Many athletic teams have times outside of their regular practice designated for lifting or conditioning. Some teams have sessions in the morning, while others simply extend their after-school practices. By having these workouts during the school day, it would give these athletes more time after school for homework or in the morning to sleep. While it may take away a prep period, it would give the athlete that same amount of time in another way.

While some may argue that this class would cause an inconvenience by taking up space that could otherwise be used for an academic class, it also has many benefits. First off, underclassmen athletes already have to take a PE class, this would simply be an alternative to the traditional class. Additionally, very few upper-

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

classmen have a full schedule. Many student athletes use their preps for homework time or getting other stuff done. If this period could be used as conditioning time, that time could be taken out of practice time after school, and they would have more free time after school instead. Taking a break in the middle of the day to exercise would be a good way to blow off steam and relieve stress before going back to academics. Additionally, for an athlete with a full schedule, the class would not be required and they could find other times to get the workout in.

Overall, having this class advertised to more athletes would allow more students to fully take advantage of their time at school. It could be offered multiple times a day to accommodate different schedules, and each sport could personalize their workouts to maximize their time. Coaches could design workouts that older students could run, while a PE teacher would supervise the entire class, ensuring that students are being safe and using proper technique. Athletic Conditioning would benefit athletes, lessen time commitments for student athletes and reduce stress, and all athletes should consider taking it.<<<

The Viking Magazine sat down with Paly hurdler Cat Yu (‘16) and asked her 10 questions. We then also asked her coach, friend and teammate. here are the results...

10 Questions with

?

Cat Yu (‘16) as told to Samuel Desré

Cat Yu (‘16) Varsity Track and Field

Questions

Kelsey Feeley Coach

Emma Sternfield (‘16) Friend

Philip Ericsson(‘18) Teammate

Salad

Pre Game Meal

Pasta

Salad

Sprout Salad

Bio

Favorite Subject

Math

Science

Psych

Emma

Sexiest Teammate

Emma

Me

Emma

Dog Me

Nickname

Cat

Dog Me

Dog Me

Rack City

Pump up song

Latch

One Dance

Watch

Most Valuable Possesion

Rack City

Phone

Watch

Phone

Sophia

Funniest teammate

Tyler

Me

Emma

Family

Hurdelers are

Awesome

The best

The best

People asking too many questions

Pet Peeve

People messing with hurdles So you think you can dance

Slow People

People asking too many questions

Grey’s Anatomy

Favorite TV Show

10%

Grey’s Anatomy

70%

The Bachelor

40% MAY 2016

Pop culture grid WHAT DO PALY ATHLETES SAY?

Michael Champagne Sophie Frick (‘18) (‘17) Softball Baseball

Eli Givens (‘16) Track and Field

Maya Lathi (‘17) Track and Field

Q Valenti (‘16) Boys Lacrosse

Best thing about summer?

Baseball

Staying up late and sleeping in

Walking my dogs

Sleep

No School

Favorite part of the year?

Summer

Whenever the Bachelor is on

Watching Justin Hull(‘16) do work on the court

Having first prep

Lacrosse Season

NBA Champion?

Golden State Warriors

Warriors all the way

Yo mama

Warriors

Golden State Warriors

Favorite Baseball team?

New York Yankees

San Francisco Giants

Baseball?

San Jose Sharks

Giants

San Francisco Giants

Sad or happy school year is over?

Happy

Sad

Sad

Happy

HOT

Happy

Paly sports teams

Steph Curry

With spring sports starting to wind down, Paly teams are getting ready to continue their great seasons into a deep post season run. Both the boys and girls lacrosse teams have reached the championship game, and baseball continues to win in the playoffs.

After winning the NBA Championship and the MVP award last season, Steph Curry has continued his hot streak into this season.

After leading his team to a record breaking 73-win season, Curry won his second consecutive MVP award, and was the first ever unanimous winner. With the Warriors already deep in the playoffs, Curry can’t be stopped.

Class attendence With the school year coming to an end and the freedom of summer in sight, Senioritis has hit Paly students hard. With the weather only getting better, students would rather be anywhere other than a desk in a dark classroom.

Matt Cain and Jake Peavy San Francisco Giants starting pitchers Matt Cain and Jake Peavy are usually quality performers in the middle of the rotation, but with a rough start to the year it appears that age has finally started to catch up with them.

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w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

NOT

Inside the Mind of

SAM CRAIG

as told to Samuel Desré

ON GETTING INJURED

ON WARMING UP

Empirical evidence suggests warming up slows me down by about five seconds.

ON PRO SPORTS McAdoo is the best player on the Warriors. His handles are so good. He

I use to roll and ice and stuff, and then I realized that I just wasn’t into that injury kind of life.

So I just kind of ignore any pain and it just goes

ON RUNNING HILLS

Hills are like being whipped by a string of porcupine quills swimming in boiling salt water. Unless I am winning.

Then they are pretty good.

ON RUNNING RELAYS

Running relays is fun because I can blame someone else if we don’t win.

Also the distance I run is hella chill because it is short but people don’t run it fast.

CATCHING UP WITH

KATHI

BOWERS As told to BRYAN LOOK and ALYS OLMSTEAD VIKING MAGAZINE: What has been the biggest difference between being a teacher and Athletic Director (AD)?

KATHI BOWERS: The biggest challenge has been the lack of opportunities get to know kids.

I just don’t see kids as much as I’d like to on a daily basis. Maybe a handful but not the 120 I saw every single day.

VM: Can you give us an update on the gym construction?

KB: It’s gonna be great. I think that we have a top notch contractor and they’re absolutely working, you have zero complaints about their work schedule. You’re here on a Saturday, they’re working, you’re here first thing in the morning, they’re working, you’re here in

the afternoon, they’re working. I think it’s progressing on schedule, I think it’s gonna be great, but it’s still obviously very inconvenient that we have no gym and no pool. Kids have to be relocated and so that has been a challenge.

VM: What have been some of your favorite Paly sports moments this year?

KB: The girls’ winning the Central Coast Section (CCS) in basketball was pretty cool. I think that I also really enjoyed the first Gunn Quad Night, when the kids all showed up wearing the old jerseys. I thought the school spirit associated with that was really cool. I think when football won the first round of CCS, that was pretty

exciting. Also, volleyball, when they won the first round of CCS or the first volleyball Gunn-Paly game that was packed. Girls’ water polo when they beat Gunn in the first round of CCS over at Menlo Atherton. So there’s been a lot.

VM: What do you hope to accomplish in the coming years?

KB: I’d like the get the athletes more involved in making decisions about policies, procedures, and buying into the program a little bit more, rather than it being ‘this is the way it is.’I still want to start the Athletic Advisory Council. We hope to have our first meeting at the end of May. We have one or two representatives from each program, who are not necessarily the captains. Just kind of a group that’s going to come together and help set policy, and explain procedure. Also, I would like every team to do a community service activity. I’d like to see us get more involved in community outreach. Athletics is more than just something you do, it’s kind of your place on campus. Get kids involved in more things. I’m trying to get student announcers. I think once we open the gym I’d like to see some more things come together.

MAY 2016

P A

aly thletic wards

2015-2016

COACH OF THE YEAR

Recognizing the figures that sacrifice themselves for the Vikings, this award goes out to the coach who made a significant contribution to the Palo Alto High School athletics team that he or she is involved in. Coaches are such a vital component in the athletic realm, not only for their teams, but for the Paly community as a whole. It is important to give one Paly coach the proper recognition for his or her hard work: a ‘thank you’ for their dedicatation and focus to better the team and individual players.

TEAMS OF THE YEAR

Paly’s high caliber athletic program holsters some of the most competitive teams in the Bay Area. The Team of the Year Award recognizes one male and one female team for exhibiting their hard work, dedication and outstanding performance throughout their season. These two teams are the teams that have competed at the top level and that have had success doing so, bringing impressive

UNDERCLASSMEN OF THE YEAR

Given to one male and one female freshman or sophomore, the Underclassmen of the Year is presented to the players who have demonstrated athletic excellence in their sport(s) despite their young age. These athletes exhibit outstanding performances given their short time and lack of experience with Paly athletics, and are projected to dominate throughout the years to come.

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Granted to one male and one female athlete who stand out as the leading force behind his or her team’s success, the Athletes of the Year Awards are given to the impact players who demonstrate undeniable skill and who shine on their respective teams. The athletes chosen are those who have proved to be the core of their team and are always reliable in the clutch.

ALOK SUBBARAO

The Alok Subbarao Award is given to the player whose greatest impact on his or her team is not necessarily printed in the newspaper or visible at the top of every statistics category. The Viking grants this award to the player who carries his or her team with great leadership and acts as the glue that keeps the team working as one cohesive unit. The value of this athlete cannot necessarily be measured by points scored or shots made, but rather by the motivation he or she brings to the team.

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w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

6

COACH of the year

by QUINN KNOBLOCK

T

h he Viking takes pleasure in

awarding Doyle Knight with the Coach of the Year Award for his dual coaching in both Boys’ and Girls’ Golf.

After great performances by both the Paly Girls’ and Boys’ Golf teams, both have the leadership of Coach Doyle Knight to thank. The boys went 12-0 in league and 14-0 overall, while the girls trailed just behind, earning themselves second place in the SCVAL Tournament. Both of course, under the instruction of Coach Knight.

Since beginning his Paly golf career in 2007, and after 10 years of experience coaching Paly golf under his belt, Coach Knight knows the ropes.

“The first year after I started playing, the golf coach position became available and I told Coach Hansen, the [Athletic Director] AD at the time, I wanted to be the coach. So the following season, 2007, I took over as the golf

DOYLE KNIGHT

coach,” Coach Knight said.

Just like that, Coach Knight’s coaching career was born. However, he had been at Paly long before he began coaching. As of now, Coach, or Mr. Knight to many students, has been teaching at Paly for 24 years. Knight teaches both Auto and PE and is adored by his students.

“Mr Knight is just a really fun and happy PE teacher to have,” Kate DeAndre (‘17)said. “He makes sure we’re actually getting exercise, but also makes it fun.”

Despite his passion for golf now, basketball was actually Coach Knight’s first love. However, after an ACL tear, surgery, and more chronic pain following his surgery, Coach Knight was advised to stop playing basketball after he was warned he would need a knee replacement if he kept up at the pace he was going. Instead of quitting sports altogether, Knight did what any athlete would, he found a new sport: golf.

“So I took up golf. Loved it, got addicted to

HOLE IN ONE Coach Knight has led his teams to amazing seasons.

it and have been playing ever since,” Coach Knight said. “Usually 75 to 100 rounds a year.”

Coach Knight’s passion for golf and attitude towards his players is essential to his teams.

As of this year, during their weekly meetings, Coach Knight has his players sit in a circle and reminds them that even though some players may be better than others, as a team, each person is equally important to the person sitting next to them. Coach Knight embodies the positivity of the Paly golf program. As an early coach for the boys team, and the founder of the girls team, Coach Knight is a fundamental part of Paly Golf.

“Knight is the one who started the girls’ golf team and drives both the girls’ and boys’ teams.

He is integral to the golf program here at Paly.

You can’t think of Paly golf without thinking of him,” varsity player Emily Hwang (‘17) said.

The players understand just how important Knight is to the success of the team.

“He’s revolutionized it, all I need to say about that is that we’re 48-0 in 4 years, along with 4 league tournament championships,” Matthew Lewis (‘16) said.

Regardless of the credit he receives, Coach Knight remains humble.

“You have named me coach of the year, yet I know I am getting that honor because of what my players have done. And I am thankful to all the players I have had during my time as a coach.

They are the ones who have made it fun to coach,” Knight said about of his players.

Coach Knight’s persona exemplifies what it truly means to be a dedicated coach and his legacy will long last in the Paly Sports Community. <<<

HONORABLE MENTION PETE FUKAHARA BASEBALL

GIRLS’ TEAM OF THE YEAR

LACROSSE

A

by HALEY CHALMERS

lthough after the 2015 season they graduated ten seniors, the girls lacrosse team has played their hardest, and remained at the top of their league.

The team has adjusted and embraced that they have a young squad, and has used it to their advantage. The girls have continued to grow individually and as a team, resulting in a near perfect season. With a record of 14-1 in the league season, the team has proved they deserve to be top of their league despite losing a handful of their more experienced players.

Being nearly undefeated in the SCVAL league

20 | T H E V I K I N G |

isn’t something new for the girls lacrosse team.

The SCVAL league is known to be one of the most competitive leagues in the Bay Area. The girls lost their first league game in two years

“We’ve had more competition from other teams in our league because other programs are starting to get stronger,” Maya Benatar (‘16) said.

“Throughout the season, we were constantly learning things from our teammates and helping eachother grow” – Emily Wood (‘19) to Mountain View, however, they haven’t let this loss stop them leading into the end of the season.

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

The team has embraced the three freshmen and four sophomores, making them fairly younger and less experienced than past years.

Yet, the new players on the roster this year are adding more depth to the team. Two of the team’s top scorers are some of the youngest on the team, Abby Ramsey (‘19) and Emily Wood (‘19).

“Throughout the season we were constantly learning things from our teammates and helping each other grow in our own game, but also in our team as a whole,” Emily Wood (‘19) said.

As a new member of the team, Wood appreciated the leadership from the older players on the team. The combination of older experienced players and new younger players has made it a different type of team than the Lady Vikes have normally had in the past.

“We’ve done a lot growing together as a team and learning to play with new people,” Benatar said. “We have lots of great energy from the younger half of the team and great experience from the older half.”

THE TEAM

#1 Mikayla Spaizman (‘16) #2 Kaitlin Chiu (‘17) #3 Quinn Knoblock (‘17) #4 Chelsea McIntosh (‘16) #6 Reid Walters (‘16) #7 Mattie Orloff (‘18) #8 Maya Benatar (‘16) #9 Holly Tumminaro (‘16) #10 Sydney Schwan (‘19) SPRINT Maya Benatar (‘16) (above) sprints down the field with possesion of the ball. Benatar is a mid-fielder and one of the top scorers on the team.

DRAW Emma Staiger (‘18) (bottem left) jousts for the ball against an opponent on Los Gato. Staiger is one of six sophmores on the varsity roster this season.

The beginning of the season was going strong, but the Saratoga game at home is where the team really began to gel. With a score of 166, the Lady Vikes pulled out a strong win and a realization that they could go all the way as one of the best teams in the league.

“It was the first time we really felt like a team.

It’s like everything clicked all of a sudden.” Katie Cox (‘17) said.

While the majority of the 2015 starting lineup graduated last year, many younger, newer players had to step in and take the open spots.

Coach Jamie Nesbitt has focused on training the newer players to carry the team’s success for years to come.

The newer players are building a strong foundation going into next season, but the team once again will be losing key members to next year’s team. Two vital losses to the team are defender Reid Walters (‘16) and Benatar who are large contributors to the team’s success on the field.

“I think we’ve had a fantastic season and have some incredible players on our team,” Benatar said. “I’m excited for playoffs and for Paly’s team in years to come,”

After a rough loss to Mountain View, the team has recovered and continued to win all their following games leading into SCVAL finals.

“It was tough losing our two year winning streak,” Cox said. “We weren’t feeling as pumped up as usual, so we definitely weren’t in the right mindset to play our best game.”

Going into the SCVAL finals, the girls have been training their individual and team skills to make sure they play a cohesive game to end their season on a high note.

Coach Nesbitt has stressed the importance of playing with good communication. Being the top seeded team going into SCVAL Playoffs, the Vikes have good mojo going. With a semifinal playoff win against Mountain View, the only team Paly had lost to in its league season, the girls will advance to the SCVAL Championship game against crosstown rival, Gunn High School.

With a near perfect record, a young team, and strong leadership, The Viking congratulates the Paly girls lacrosse team on winning Girls Team of the Year.

#11 Abigail Ramsey (‘19) #12 Katie Cox (‘17) #13 Kylie Callan (‘16) #14 Anna Seligson (‘18) #15 Maddie Hare (‘18) #16 Emma Staiger (‘18) #20 Emily Wood (‘19) #23 Charlotte Cheng (‘18) #25 Ellen Goncher (‘18) #28 Meredith Kinnaman (‘16)

HONORABLE MENTION: SOCCER

BOYS’ TEAM OF THE YEAR

SOCCER

W

by ALYS OLMSTEAD

hether you know them from their eccentric haircuts, their games, or the long list of highlights reported the day after a win, it is hard to miss the boys soccer team’s presence on campus. A mix of group charisma and talent on the field, made their 2015-16 season one to remember, and for that reason The Viking is proud to name them the Boys’ Team of the Year.

The team ended their season with a final record of 16-1-3. Their one loss being against Wat-

22 | T H E V I K I N G |

sonville in the Quarterfinals of the Open Division of Central Coast Section (CCS).

The game that tainted an otherwise undefeated record, and ended the boys season reflects the passion and camaraderie the group played with.

The first goal was scored by Watsonville and was quickly retaliated by the Vikings Ariya Momeny (‘16).

It took a turn when Roberto Sotelo (‘16) got a hand ball in the box, and was red carded, which put the Vikings down a man the rest of the match. Paly came together, despite the loss, and scored off of a penalty kick to tie the game 2-2.

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

Then the versatility and well-roundedness of the team was displayed when goalkeeper Eli Friedlander (‘16) was yellow carded and had to be replaced by field player Michel Ange Dudesert (‘17), who proceeded to save a penalty kick and keep the team in the game.

While the season ended on a devastating note, with a Watsonville goal in overtime, the players went out fighting. The group showed an immense amount of brotherhood throughout the entirety of their season which is clear from their winning record, and final game.

“We were a bunch of guys that had been playing together for a while so we had fun with it, and were serious when we needed to be and that was clearly reflected by the success of the season,” co-captain Friedlander (‘16) said.

Fellow co-captain Cole Tierney (‘16) reiterated Friedlander’s statements. The team’s success was not only clear in their winning record, but in the sheer number of goals scored in their games.

“This year we had higher scoring games because our team was full of guys who had been playing together for year,s” Tierney said. “We had good chemistry and benefited on the offensive and defensive ends.”

The group’s chemistry, which was displayed on game day, can be attributed to strong personalities meshing well.

The groups playful characters were seen both on the field and off the field, co-captain Neil Verwillow (‘17) agrees with Friedlander that once game time rolled around they were able to get the job done.

“We screwed around so much, but when

THE TEAM

#2 Cameron Huard (‘16) #3 Roberto Sotelo (‘16) #4 Xander Sherer (‘18)

#5 Matthew Knowles (‘18) #6 Neil Verwillow (‘17) #8 Siddharth Srinivasan (‘16) #9 Dami Bolarinwa (‘16) #11 Max Hallberg (‘16) #12 Declan Cassini (‘16) WIND UP Cameron Huard (‘16) (above) winds up to kick the ball up the field and start a counter attack against the Vikings opponent. Huard was one of eleven seniors playing on the varsity team this season.

#13 Reuben Kramer (‘16) #14 Jack Stoksik (‘17) #18 Alessandro Reale (‘16)

DRIBBLE Jack Stoksik (‘17) (bottom left) controls and dribbles a ball across the midfield. Stoksik scored five goals for the team this season. #16 Brian Tracy (‘17) the whistle was blown we were serious and we worked our butts off to get to where we did,” Verwillow said.

The group was kept in check by Coach Don Briggs, a veteran to the boys’ soccer program.

Joined by eleven senior players, the team had the maturity and experience to win.

Although, the older players contributed greatly, Friedlander notes the skill across the entire bench as being a key factor to their wins.

“I think the main difference between this team and the teams we have had in the past is we had a very well rounded team and we had a lot of guys coming off of the bench and making a difference,” Friedlander said. “This years group dynamic was great.”

Some of the team’s strongest attributes as a group can be seen as their previously mentioned ability to execute scoring opportunities and their speed.

“We were a very fast team,” Tierney said.

“Our defense could handle any threat and we were quick on transition and through balls. We could always rely on the midfield and forwards to make a play on the ball when it was on the offensive half.”

Having the ability to rely on each others abilities on the field, could be seen as the result of

close relationships off the field. Similar to other teams on campus, the boys’ soccer team participated in various bonding activities. The previously mentioned haircuts were a more public example, but the hangouts ranged off the field, and added to the growing bond and mutual respect between players.

“My favorite memory of my senior year on the soccer team had to be our trips to Mongolian Barbeque,” Dami Bolarinwa (‘16) said. “It was a team tradition, just being able to keep it alive was amazing. These guys are some truly amazing kids and I loved being able to play with them.”

The team hopes to continue these traditions and the precedent of success in upcoming years.

Many of the younger players will be returning, bringing both their talent and determination.

“I think the team has been getting better since my freshman year,” Dudesert said. “We seem to always be improving. I think the younger players are very promising and I just hope that we’ll be able to keep the steady incline of improvement we are on.”

So, whether you will be admiring their stylish haircuts in the winter, are a fair weather fan, or trek out to every game, be sure to be there for the exciting future the boys’ soccer team has in store.<<<

#17 Ariya Momeny (‘16) #20 Marcel Colchen (‘17) #21 Michel Siaba (‘17) #22 Cole Tierney (‘16) #24 Leyton Ho (‘19) #26 Derek Schoenberger (‘17) GK Eli Friedlander (‘16)

HONORABLE MENTION: BASEBALL

MAY 2016

UNDERCLASSMAN of the year

T

EMILY TOMZ

by NIKKI MERKLE-RAYMOND

his year, The Viking staff is pleased to award Emily Tomz (‘18) with the Female Underclassmen of the Year award. She has been selected based on her commitment, skill and leadership both on and off the soccer field. Tomz has shown exceptional skill and passion as revealed through her statistics as well as her enthusiastic attitude towards the game every day. But what makes Tomz stand out among the other incredible candidates, is her selflessness on the field.

Tomz first picked up a soccer ball when she was just five years old and hasn’t stopped since.

“I love the team aspect of the sport,” Tomz said. “It’s the best feeling in the world when you hear your teammates cheering you on and motivating you, and I like [cheering] for them, too.”

Tomz started for Paly’s Varsity soccer team both her freshman year and yet again sophomore year. She also plays for her club soccer team, MVLA (Mountain View Los Altos) Monsoon which has consistently placed in the top three or above in recent showcases.

Tomz was named All-League Varsity Freshman and Sophomore of the Year for 2015 and 2016, respectively, on her club team.

“Emily is everything you look for in a teammate,” teammate Reilly Filter (‘17) said. “She is incredibly hard working both on and off the field.”

Tomz thinks of herself as a leader on the team because she likes to bond with and encourage her teammates. She is known for being a team player and to value the team’s success rather than her individual success.

Tomz plays center midfield, an im-

portant position on the team because she covers all parts of the field.

“Center midfielders should be communicators on the field and [they] play a big role in how the ball moves which really affects the outcome of the game,” Tomz said.

Center midfielders are responsible for distributing and passing the ball to teammates, but do not score many goals themselves. Instead of wanting recognition for her personal accomplishments and plays on the field, Tomz prefers to share her successes and praise with her teammates.

Regardless of her talent and skill, Tomz is always looking to make the pass to a teammate.

“I love being the person who helps my teammates score the goal,” Tomz said.

“Soccer is not just about one person, but about everyone working together to win the game.”

Tomz’s love for the game does not go unnoticed. Tomz is well-known for her hard work, passion for the game, and supportive attitude towards everyone.

“Emily is a great soccer player, but an even better person,” teammate Filter said.

For Tomz, soccer isn’t about scoring the winning shot or winning the championship game, but about striving to do well everyday.

“You don’t have to have the best skills, but if you work hard, are kind to your teammates, and are passionate about the game, you’ll be a great player,” Tomz said. <<<

HONORABLE MENTION ABBY RAMSEY (‘19) LACROSSE

FIGHT Emily Tomz (‘18) battles aganst her defender to earn the posession of the ball.

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UNDERCLASSMAN of the year

V

MAX DORWARD

by PETER SNODGRASS and ETHAN STERN ersatile is not an adjective thrown around lightly when describing an athlete, but with sophomore phenom Max Dorward (‘18), versatile is the perfect way to describe his explosive style of play stretching across numerous sports. Dorward played key roles in both varsity football and basketball this past year for the Vikings. Being a wide receiver in football and a small forward/power forward in basketball, height is key, and Dorward was gifted with plenty of height.

Dorward could have coasted on his natural height and ability, but instead decided to hone his craft and obtain the quickness and agility of a running back or guard. With these two favorable traits on his side, the ceiling is limitless when it comes to Dorward’s athletic future at Palo Alto High School.

Though Dorward excels in both football and basketball, his favorite sport and the one that he plans to pursue in his future is basketball. Coming from playing football in the fall, Dorward started his basketball season later than he had in years past. This was not the only first for Dorward during the basketball season. This past season marked the first season back for Coach Peter Diepenbrock after taking a hiatus from high school sports to give collegiate and youth sports a try. Diepenbrock and Dorward had chemistry going into the season though, due to Dorward attending Diepenbrock’s renowned summer basketball camps in his youth along with him being a student in Diepenbrock’s physical education class. Throughout the year Dorward’s greatest impression on Diepenbrock came from his intense work ethic in practice which allowed him to excel in the games. “[Dorward] is a very coachable, hardworking, disciplined player that has a lot of natural ability … very mature for his age,” Diepenbrock said.

The transition from football to basketball started out a bit shaky for Dorward. He struggled to find his shot and finishing ability until a couple games into the regular league season, but when he did, he was a force to be reckoned with. With an ability to finish at the basket up there with the best in the league, as

AUTOMATIC One of Max Dorward’s (‘18) go to moves on the basketball court is his automatic mid-range jump shot. well as a potent mid range jumper to compliment his shooting, it is an understatement to say that Dorward caused defensive distress for opposing teams. Dorward was not only an offensive threat on the court, but did just as much damage on the defensive end. Dorward was given the responsibility to “lock down” the opposing team’s star players and executed effectively in most cases. With his lanky reach and great reactions, Dorward created a lot of offense with his defense causing countless turnovers that led to fast break scores throughout the year. To show such maturity and well-roundedness as a sophomore was fun to watch for countless Paly basketball fans, and to know that he will only grow as a player in these next two years is a scary thought.

Although Dorward’s athletic focus is on basketball, his first year on the varsity football team was a success. Dorward was

able to make a big impact at the wide receiver position, utilizing his height to complete the tough catches. Along with his role as a wide receiver, Dorward was also the kicker for all special teams. To have the luxury of an automatic field goal and a deep kick off is something that a lot of football teams do not have. Dorward also stepped up taking on a heavy defensive load, while also taking over as safety when starters were hurt. As a sophomore, Dorward did not flinch when given the opportunity to step up late in games. He was able to conquer the pressure of the game to such an extent that they decided to create an offensive package just for him called “Vulture” to implement late in games.

“When you think about a vulture it doesn’t really fit his personality traits … except when the games on the line he’s a killer,” Coach Jake Halas said.

Off both the basketball court and the football field Dorward fit into the varsity team chemistry very smoothly. He was welcomed by the upperclassmen from both respective sports. Many upper classmen such as Riley Schoeben (‘16) and Justin Hull (‘16) gave Dorward guidance as he took on his first year on the varsity football team. Through sports Dorward was able to create lasting friends that he will be able to keep with him throughout his high school career and possibly into his adulthood.

“I see a lot of Justin [Hull] in him … He’s a laid back guy and just fun to have around. I think the Paly community is privileged to be able to call him one of ours.” Schoeben said.

The future looks very bright for Dorward and The Viking staff is excited to keep an eye out for him as he progresses as an athlete.

Dorward eventually hopes to be given a chance to play basketball at the collegiate level. For a player that has the potential to grow so much, Max Dorward could be top name when it comes to high school sports in the Bay Area.<<<

HONORABLE MENTION: SAM CRAIG (‘18) CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK MAY 2016

ALOK SUBBARAO I

ALEC OLMSTEAD

by MADDY ATWATER

t may seem as though the Viking’s first basemen always exudes leadership, skill and excitement during the game. Nick Beeson (‘15) was the recipient of this award last year, and this year a player in the same position has received the same award.

Each year, members of The Viking staff choose a Paly athlete to receive the Alok Subbarao award. The recipient of this award demonstrates the character, spirit, attitude and commitment shown by Alok Subbarao, a former Paly track and cross-country runner who, among other accomplishments, ran four events for a total of almost four miles while setting three personal records in the final track meet of his career.

The athlete chosen for this award is not necessarily the star player of their respective team, but rather a solid contributor on and off the field through their spirit and commitment.

What distinguishes these chosen athletes from their peers are

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their unquantifiable contributions and their impacts on their team that exceed beyond their play. As one of four captains of the Paly baseball team, The Viking is pleased to announce Alec Olmstead (‘16) as this year’s Alok Subbarao award winner.

“Alec doesn’t just add to our team dynamic I believe he is the one who creates it. He is our Draymond Green,” teammate and fellow captain Riley Schoeben (‘16) said. “He is the perfect balance between having fun, making everyone feel welcomed and knowing when to turn on the switch and get serious.”

Despite contributing tremendously and hitting .500 in the postseason, Olmstead’s contributions on the mound outweigh his batting. Olmstead has been the starting pitcher seven games for the Vikings, but has pitched a total of nine games. With six wins under his belt, Olmstead has pitched a total of 35 innings with 43 strikeouts, with only 11 runs allowed and ten of those being earned. When you can’t see Olmstead on the mound, he can be found starting at first base.

“Beyond his obvious talent, Alec’s natural leadership and drive were paramount in maintaining the team’s positive energy,” former teammate Isaac Kasevich (‘15) said. “He always had something positive to say with a big smile on his face. He’s one of the guys I miss most from the team last year.”

Aside from his strong pitching influence, perhaps Olmstead’s greatest impact extends from his leadership. Olmstead is always

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

leading stretches before practices and games and works very hard in the dugout to keep everyone energized and focused on the game.

He can be heard leading cheers and encouraging his teammates at the plate.

“Alec’s a great leader and a great mentor especially to the young guys on the team,” teammate Ole Erickson (‘18) said. “He brings a lot of fire and energy to the team everyday of the week and leads by example.”

Maybe this all seems normal from a leader, but from Olmstead, this behavior is exemplary. This is his first season at full health, which helped him commit to play division three baseball at Wesleyan University next year.

During his freshman year, Olmstead pitched almost a complete season with an inflamed growth plate. With his skills increasing, the next year Olmstead was plagued with a stress fracture in his lower back. Causing pain and noticeable impact on his game, he battled through to play his favorite sport all season.

Excited to be back to full health, Olmstead was once again struck with injury. During his junior year, Olmstead partially tore his Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) in his elbow, commonly known as the ligament involved in Tommy John’s. He underwent preventive Tommy John’s surgery and was only able to hit his entire junior year. Now a senior, the 6’4” and growing athlete is back to full health and leading the Vikings to a very successful season.

“Through a couple years of injuries, [Olmstead] never once faltered and remained a positive happy kid who looked forward to when he could play, but always supported

those who were on the field,” teammate and fellow captain Owen Plambeck (‘16) said.

“Alec is our spark plug and the heartbeat of our team dynamic.”

Olmstead’s passion and love for this sport is uncomparable. Through injuries and setback, Olmstead has persevered through to become the athlete he is today. When he was unable to throw, he worked even harder on his hitting and stayed positive and focused everyday.

“Alec keeps it light. He never takes himself or anybody else too seriously,” coach Pete Fukuhara said. “I think he really enjoys being on the baseball field with his friends and this group seems to be pretty close.”

His efforts exceed trying to make himself better. Olmstead strives to improve the whole team dynamic and skill level. To his teammates, Alec is the most vocal leader on the team. He is always picking his teammates up and cheering them on. He exceeds the word teammate, and becomes friends with each player on the team.

“All the younger players know they can go to him for anything whether it’s baseball related or not,” Schoeben said. “Of course he has all the other characteristics of a good leader, but what sets him apart is his ability to be anyone’s friend and instill comfort and confidence in anyone.”

During the offseason, Olmstead played for Trosky Baseball, which is an elite showcase, camp and travel baseball organization. On top of the games he played for the team, he also participated in three camps over the summer.

If this effort doesn’t show enough, Olmstead lifted, ran and hit almost every day of the offseason.

“Baseball is my favorite because it’s mental and physical,” Olmstead said. “I put so much work into it because I love it. I work so hard because I enjoy it and since it’s the only sport I play, it deserves most of my time.”

This dedication has helped Olmstead secure his starting spot and lead the team to a very successful season. In this current 26 game season, Olmstead has 19 runs batted in (RBI) off of 22 hits, and even scored 13 runs himself.

His impact has allowed the team to compete in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) championship once again, as they have done for the past four years as well. Last season, the Vikings defeated the Los Gatos Wildcats (who they are competing against this year as well) in a three game series to earn the title of league champions. In the final game of the series, Olmstead contributed one hit and two RBIs to help the team land a 6-4 victory.

“I have a lot of great memories, but as of now it is most likely beating Los Gatos last year to win the league playoffs,” Olmstead said. “It’s [baseball] a challenge which I enjoy working on and I just have the most fun playing it.”

Coach Fukuhara also echoed Olmstead’s perseverance, leadership and contributions to the team. Although he was not around for Olmstead’s first two years of injury, he did watch him battle through his arm injuries when Olmstead was unable to pitch.

“This year he’s pitching and has done an amazing job,” Fukuhara said. “I think it took some time for him to trust that he wasn’t going to re-injure his arm, and in his last start against Los Altos, he let it go and threw his best game of the year.”

In this game against Los Altos, Olmstead put a win under his belt with only three earned runs and eight strikeouts. To see him finally let go of his inhibitions and worries was really nice for the team and coaches to watch, but also helped the team throughout the entire game. This win over Los Altos helped the team earn its top spot in league.

“Alec is a great leader. He stays positive and picks up his teammates,” Fukuhara said. “He works hard every day.”

Olmstead will be attending and playing baseball at Wesleyan University in Connecticut next year. He will be entering as one of the biggest guys on the roster and continuing to play both first base and pitcher. Wesleyan came and saw Olmstead at a camp in Long Island and invited him out for a visit. From there, Olmstead knew it was the right choice, not only for their baseball program, but also their highly acclaimed academics.

“It’s hard to find a greater teammate,” teammate Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) said. “He treats everybody with respect and is focused on helping the younger guys mature and improve their baseball skills.”>>>

PITCH Alec Olmstead (‘16) throws a pitch with intensity in his eyes.

MAY 2016

photo courtesy of Michael Olmstead

UPPERCLASSMAN athlete of the year

BY SAMANTHA GUILLET

MIMI LIN

Mimi Lin (‘16) has been on the varsity diving team for all four of her years at Paly and will continue her diving carrer at Princeton University.

I

nstead of doing cannonballs into the pool, Mimi Lin (‘16) has been competitively diving since she was 12 years old. She has racked up awards in her years at Paly by scoring over 500 points at CCS and being a Palo Alto Weekly Online Athlete

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of the Week. After securing three state titles, ranking second in school history and committing to dive competitively at Princeton University, Lin has proven that her accomplishments make her the perfect match for the Female Upperclassman Athlete of the Year.

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Lin has proven to be athletic since day one. She first started gymnastics when she was four years old and started diving in seventh grade. “I tried to do badminton freshman year; so I was doing gymnastics, badminton and diving all in the spring,” Lin said. “In the end, I thought I had the most potential success with diving, so I chose that.”

During Lin’s freshman year, she scored a total of 462.2 points at SCVALs to secure the team’s first place finish in the De Anza league. When Lin was a junior, she made her personal best at the Palo Alto Invita-

tional Diving Meet in the girls division by scoring 515.8 points. This score moved her to number two all time in school history and was rewarded with being the Palo Alto Weekly athlete of the week. During her interview for athlete of the week, she stated, “doing a bunch of drills all day is not going to do anything, but it’s how much you strive for that excellence is what’s going to make you a better diver.” Last year, she placed third at the California Interscholastic Federation meet with a total of 489.85 points.

Lin has been on the varsity diving team for all of her four years at Paly. Currently, she’s practicing around 12 hours a week.

She is a co-captain of the team with fellow diver Reed Merritt (‘16). “I definitely think she is the leader [of the team],” Merritt said.

“She does a fantastic job with coordinating events, meet times, and bringing the team together. I think she is going to kill it at college. Easily one of the best freshman divers entering the NCAA.” Emma van der Veen (‘17) has been a teammate of Lin for three years. “Mimi is a great role model to have on the team because she is so humble and encouraging,” van der Veen said. “She’s always on top of her stuff during meets and knows what she needs to do to dive well. In the past three years, she has been incredibly consistent, something that I admire a lot as an athlete and as a person. Also, she’s really funny and

lighthearted… which is a really great aspect of the team dynamic that she influences a lot.”

In addition to representing Paly, Lin has been diving for the Stanford Diving Club for five and a half years. “I mostly [dive for Paly] to help the swimmers do well in meets and achieve their goals, and being a part of that team is something else,” Lin said. Paly’s final score of a meet is the aggregate of the divers’ and swimmers’ placings in each event. If a diver gets first place, 20 points are added to swimming’s score.

“High school diving is a

I’m just a regular student presented with this incredible opportunity, and for that I’m incredibly grateful.” Lin says she is ready to work hard to be the best student-athlete she can be and contribute whatever skills she has to the team.

Diving has been a big part of Lin’s life. “The diving community is composed of some of the

really different system from club, and it’s nice to experience both types of competition.”

Lin’s college search process happened faster than most people. During the summer of junior year, she started talking to the diving coach at Princeton University.

“I went on a recruitment trip in September and a week after I committed and got my letter by October 1st,” Lin said.

Princeton is a school that is academically demanding with a diving program that is slightly more competitive than Lin had hoped for, however the time commitment is not much more than what she does now. “I feel extremely honored to dive for Princeton, yet it still seems a little unreal,” Lin said. “It’s such a big name to represent.

nicest athletes I know,” Lin said, “and everyone is so supportive of each other regardless of event, age group or team. Everyone has friends all around the country and even internationally, and that’s motivation to qualify to zones and nationals so you can see them again.” Lin gets a thrill from diving because she learned to love doing flips from high heights coming from a background in gymnastics. “Falling off the ten meter tower hurts a bit upon impact, but those few seconds flipping through the air are exhilarating.”

Lin’s four years at Paly are coming to an end. It’s a place where she’ll be remembered for making a big splash: actually no splash at all. <<<

THREE STATE TITLES FRESHMAN YEAR 462.20 SOPHOMORE YEAR 481.45 JUNIOR YEAR 479.50 PERSONAL BEST

DIVE Mimi Lin (‘16) dives into the pool with almost no splash at the Palo Alto Diving Invitational meet.

505.00

HONORABLE MENTION: MAYA BENATAR (‘16) LACROSSE MAY 2016

UPPERCLASSMAN

JUSTIN HULL

athlete of the year

by RYAN CHANG

Justin Hull (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;16) has been a three varsity sport athlete for his entire career at Paly, but his senior season was definitely one to remember.

CELEBRATE Hull celebrates a touchdown.

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LAYUP Hull drives towards the bas- PITCH Hull winds up for a pitch. ket.

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get his work done, but also understands that high school sports needs to be fun and laid back. This is a really important balance to maintain and I think it is a major reason why he is so successful on and off the field.”

On top of his tremendous success, Hull plays a crucial role as a leader on all three sports.

“He isn’t the most vocal leader but he leads ex-

by

VISION Hull surveys the court.

J

ustin Hull does it all. This three sport athlete demonstrates everything it means to be a Viking athlete. This season Hull was the ace of the pitching staff, captain of the basketball team, and quarterback of the football team. He has been starting in these sports for the past three years. Hull’s crucial role in all of these sports has earned him The Viking’s Male Upperclassmen of the Year award. Hull had a stellar career in all three sports, but will pursue baseball at Claremont Mckenna College next year.

Hull’s teammates were not surprised by his amazing season.

“This season has been the culmination of so many years of hard work” Riley Schoeben (‘16) said. “He knows the playbook like the back of his hand, a testament to his knowledge and ability to learn and retain information. At practice he knows when he needs to

ample and the younger look up as an of how to go about the right Schoeben think a lot success this baseball field the fact that like a family. back attitude personality is reason our team able to create that Hull was the back of the year Anza league. for 2,005 passing 25 touchdowns

players to him example play and the game way” said. “I of our year on the is due to our team is Justin’s laid and affable a major has been dynamic”.

Co-quarterfor the De Hull threw yards and to only 12

interceptions. Hull had a 96.1 quarterback rating, 5 rushing touchdowns, a receiving touchdown along with an extra point. He ended the year with 31 total touchdowns. When Hull was done throwing touchdowns on the football field he started dishing dimes on the basketball court. Hull won second team all league. He had 7.2 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 21 assists, and had 24 steals. Hull then put on his spikes and dominated on the baseball field. On the mound Hull threw 52.1 innings, put up an amazing 0.80 ERA (Earned Run Average), 52 strikeouts, and had a record of five wins to one loss. Hull also had an amazing year at the plate.

He had a team leading .359 batting average, along with 13 RBIs (Runs Batted In), and 13 steals.

As Hull is graduating this year, he will continue to play baseball at the Division III level with Claremont Mckenna College. But before he leaves for college Hull will leave with many memories from Paly.

“I’m going to miss all my crazy friends and their ridiculous ways in supporting our team and the fans that come out and support us in the football games and basketball games. Especially Gunn basketball games. Those are always really fun,” Hull said.

During his high school career Hull was seen as many things. Off the field, Hull was seen as a laid back guy, but on the field, Hull will forever be remembered as a freak of nature. <<<

HONORABLE MENTION ELI GIVENS (‘16) FOOTBALL AND TRACK

By The Numbers

31

52

Total Touchdowns Strikeouts

4.2

Rebounds Per Game MAY 2016

Class of

By Sport:

1

2

Basketball Golf Lacrosse Rowing Softball Track Volleyball

2016 Whitman College, Bryn Carlson (cross country and track)

San Jose State Univ., Mikey Grandy (football), Alexis Harris (basketball)

Southern Utah Univ., Eli Givens (football)

Colorado College, An

Cross Country Diving Football

Santa Clara Univ., Katie Francis (water polo) UC Los Angeles, Jacey Pederson (soccer) Claremont McKenna College, Justin Hull (baseball) Chapman Univ., Natalie Snyder (softball)

3 5

Baseball Swimming Water Polo Soccer

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Occidental College, Alex Bonomi (soccer), Kevin Bowers (water polo), Henry Gordon (golf)

College Recruiting Map See where the athletes of the class of 2016 will continue their athletic careers next year.

by KYLIE CALLAN and MEREDITH KINNAMAN

McGill Univ., Maximilien Hallberg (soccer)

Middlebury College, Robert Cheng (swimming) Wellesley College, Kayleigh Svensson (swimming)

Williams College, Alison Lu (soccer), Matthew Seligson (lacrosse)

Mount Holyoke College., Emma Raney (cross country)

Amherst College, Claire Dennis (volleyball)

Bucknell Univ., Gigi Rojahn (water polo)

Wesleyan Univ., Alec Olmstead (baseball) Princeton Univ., Mimi Lin (diving) Haverford College, Owen Plambeck (baseball) George Washington Univ., Andrew Cho (swimming)

ege, Ansley Queen (soccer)

Georgetown Univ., Anna Kemmerer (rowing)

By Division:

Univ. of Texas at Austin, Reed Merritt (diving)

D3 54%

D1 42%

CIS 4% MAY 2016

10

TOP

MOMENTS

by MADDY ATWATER and SAMUEL DESRÉ

10

#COLLEGEBOUND

The class of 2016 is graduating 27 athletes who will continue their career in college. Of the 27, there are 11 division one athletes competing in seven different sports.

The universities of these athletes include the University of Texas at Austin, Princeton University, San Jose State, and a few others. The division three athletes are competing in nine different sports next year at schools like Williams College, Occidental College, and Wesleyan university, among others. Congratulations to our athletes continuing their sport in college!

USA! USA! USA!

9 8 7

Three Paly Athletes qualified to USA Olympics Trials. Alex Liang (‘17) and Grace Zhao (‘17) both got the very difficult time standards in swimming events. Despite knowing that there chances of making to the Olympics are very slim they hope that it will be a good learning experience. The last Paly athlete who will attempt to qualify to the Olympics is Bennett Huang (‘17). Huang has been part of the Junior National team for the past two years and hopes that his experience in international competi-

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Girls’ lacrosse defeated the Gunn Titans twice this season, one securing their number one spot in league, and the other for bragging rights. After being down 6-1 at the half, the team expected to come out hot in the second half. The Titans scored early extending the lead to 7-1, but with 15 minutes left to play the Vikings went on a 7-0 scoring run. They ended up sealing the victory with this and winning 8-7.

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SWOOP TEAMS

Playing across-town at Gunn High School’s Titan Gym, the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams swept the Titans for an action-packed quad night. With wins from both junior-varsity teams, girls’ basketball won 49-34 while the boys were ahead by two points at the half and went on to defeat Gunn 79-46. w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

3,200 METERS

6

RUN FOREST, RUN

5

The Vikings were able to have five runners finish in the top 10 of the 3200 meters race of their league meet. Kent Slaney (‘17) won the race in a time of 9:42, while Naveen Pai (‘17) came in fourth with a time of 9:49. Freshman rising star Henri Saul (‘19) came in fifth with a time of 9:56. Sam Craig (‘18) and Reed Foster (‘18) were the other two Palo Alto High School runners who placed in the top ten.

Julia Doubson (‘18) qualified to the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) for the second time in a row after a strong showing at the JWOC trials in West Point, New York. Doubson surprisingly won the middle orienteering course considering the sprint is her best event. Later that day she finished with a strong 5th place in the sprint. Despite a sickness during the long course, her results were enough to secure her a spot on the JWOC USA team.

THE MIGHTY VIKES

4

In the first round of Open Division 1 football playoffs, the Vikings were set to play and lose to Salinas High School. With all odds against them, the team battled to get a 42-38 win and advance to the next round of CCS. With 27 seconds left and a fourth down, Salinas had the ball on the ten yard line. Paly defense came out strong with a stop to seal the win for the Vikes.

UNMATCHED AND UNDEFEATED

3

For the first time in Paly boys’ soccer history, the 2015-2016 Vikings went undefeated with a record of six wins, zero losses, and three ties. The Vikings were SCVAL championships and went on to place in the Open Division for CCS playoffs. This team will graduate 11 seniors including two of their captains. Congratulations to boys’ soccer on an amazing season!

WHO RUNS THE WORLD? CROSS COUNTRY

The boys cross country team finished second in the CCS Division One race for the second time in a row after also becoming SCVAL champions for the second year in a row. The boys’ performance is even more impressive knowing that only one senior was on the varsity team. Kent Slaney (‘17) lead the team by winning the individual division one title, making it the second year in a row where a Viking has won this race, as Lucas Matison (‘15) won the year before.

ALL WE DO IS WIN, WIN, WIN

After battling through a tough league, the girls’ basketbal team plowed through the Central Coast Section (CCS) Division One playoffs all the way to the championship game against North Salinas. The girls had lost to North Salinas in the 2013-2014 playoffs, so the team came out to the battle with a chip on its shoulder. The girls claimed the crown with a 59-44 win over the North Salinas Vikings led by Alexis Harris (‘16) with 15 rebounds and Carly Leong (‘18) with 18 points.

2 1

MAY 2016

10

MOMENTS

BOTTOM

by LAUREN KOYAMA

10

NOT ON TRACK Both the boys’ and girls’ track teams lost in the Los Gatos meet. Though the boys got first in eight events, Los Gatos was able to tally more overall points. The girls suffered a tough loss, only winning two of the 15 races. However, Eli Givens (‘16) and Kent Slaney (‘17) both set a new personal record: Givens in the 100 meter and Slaney in the 800 meter race.

SPIKED DOWN

9 8 7

The varsity girls’ volleyball team ended its chance to advance after losing in the second round of Central Coast Section playoffs to San Benito. The Vikings improved its season record from 19-12 last season, to 24-13 this season. Yet, it was not able to continue its progress further into playoffs.

SENIOR FRIGHT

The varsity boys’ water polo team could not supply its eight seniors with a victory on senior night against Monta Vista. The tough loss of 11-10 was a very disappointing way to end the season for its eight seniors: Kevin Bowers, Justyn Cheung, Winston Rosati, Luke Coleman, Ryan Reed, Cameron Khan, Christian Laurence, and Samir Kothari.

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UNDEFEATED UPSET The varsity girls’ soccer team ended its chance at an undefeated season losing to Mountain View 2-0. Jacey Pederson (‘16) and Alison Lu (‘16) were both out due to injury, causing the team to lose two offensive threats. The Vikings ended its regular season 10-1-1. w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

d

SOCCER? MORE LIKE SUCKER! The varsity boys’ soccer team’s season-long undefeated streak was abruptly ended during the CCS quarterfinals in a chilling loss to Watsonville. The second half ended tied 2-2, and the Wildcatz scored the only goal in the two overtime periods. The Viking’s almost perfect season ended and graduated 11 seniors, including two captains.

SENIOR NIGHT(MARE) The varsity girls’ and boys’ basketball teams were not able to pull out a win during the Los Gatos quad night. Despite the spirited crowd, the girls’ lost 43-36 and the boys’ lost 53-50. The teams are graduating a combined four seniors this year, but remain hopeful to redeem themselves next year.

5 4

HOMECOMING HUMILIATION

Due to a slow start, the Vikings were not able to secure the football Homecoming game against Los Gatos. Despite the hope provided by Eli Givens’ (‘16) touchdown off a kickoff return, the Vikings were not able to comeback. However, the large score margin of 42-20 did not reflect the thriving atmosphere of the special occasion.

LIVE. LOVE. LAX. LOSE.

3

For the first time in three seasons, the varsity girls’ lacrosse team lost during regular season. The Vikings previously beat Mountain View 13-4, but lost to them the second game 4-3. During this tough loss, Palo Alto had a hard time on offense, scoring ten less goals than its previous game.

ENDING A SEVEN YEAR STREAK

In the student-packed gym, the varsity boys’ basketball team fell to Gunn during a quad night. Despite the energetic fan section, the Vikings lost to the Titans 72-59. This was the first time the boys’ basketball team has lost to Gunn since 2009. Returning coach Peter Diepenbrock could not be too upset since his former player, Brandynn Williams, lead the Titans to this comeback season.

NO GYM, MO PROBLEMS

6

Due to the reconstruction of the Paly gym, all pool and court sports had to switch home gyms and were forced to play across town at Gunn High School. Losing the home-court advantage hurt Paly athletics, and forced them to practice elsewhere.

Once the elaborate gym is completed, the Vikings will regain a sense of Paly pride.

2 1

MAY 2016

SEASON

by QUINN KNOBLOCK, TALIA MALCHIN, and MARA ZENGER

FOOTBALL

Coached by Jake Hallas, Paly’s Football team went 5-7 this year, and won their first CCS playoff game against Salinas. The team captains were Eli Givens (‘16), Justin Hull (‘16), Riley Schoeben (‘16), and Peter Snodgrass (‘17). The team’s standouts were Justin Hull (‘16), Eli Givens (‘16), and Paul Jackson III (‘18).

RECAPS

“The football season was another challenging one as we lost more than we won. A lot of lessons were learned from a season like that though. We still came to practice everyday with the intentions to make a run in playoffs and we were able to win a CCS playoff game which was huge for our program.”

-Riley Schoeben (‘16)

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY The Boys’ Cross Country team was captained by Samuel Desre (‘16), Naveen Pai (‘17), and Kent Slaney (‘17), and they were coached

by Kelsey Feeley. The team won SCVAL, got second in CCS, and 15th in the States meet. The teams’ standouts were Kent Slaney and Henry Saul (‘19).

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY

The Girls’ Cross Country team was captained by Portia Barrientos (‘16), and they finished seventh this year, making it to CCS. The team was coached by Paul Jones, and their standout was Julia Doubson (‘18), who placed 12th overall.

“We’re really like a family, our team is really huge ... so sometimes it’s hard to get to know everyone on the team, but we all share a mutual understanding and respect because we’re all suffering through the same thing every time we compete and the atmosphere is super positive. I honestly can’t recall a time where there’s been a teammate that’s had an attitude issue or a time when there’s been ill will within the team.”

-Portia Barrientos (‘16)

“One thing I want everyone to know is that we made it to states the last two years and that in the words of DJ Khaled: we the best. They didn’t want us to succeed, but we did.”

-Naveen Pai (‘17)

BOYS’ TENNIS

“The team learned to compete and work together and support each other. Technically I’d say everyone got better … guys worked hard and battled hard to fill the gaps” -Shiv Matta (‘16)

The team went 6-12 under Coach Andy Harader, with team captains Noah Galper (‘17) and Shiv Matta (‘16). The boys had an especially large amount of injuries this season.

Despite that, the team came togegether to overcome the setback and still improved as the season progressed.

BOYS’ WATER POLO

“We learned that disadvantages are often solely in the mind ...

Captained by it was once said that every disadvantage has a corresponding Kevin Bowers advantage, and in this case, it couldn’t be more applicable to (‘16), the Boys’ our mindset ... a lot of people stepped up this season, and our Water Polo team biggest standout was our athletic department ... we are very went 10-4, and thankful to have the support we do and wish the best of luck were coached by to any teams that will have a similar situation in the coming Aaron Johnson. year. We compete in 100% less clothing than pretty much every sport here and look fantastic doing it.”

GIRLS’ WATER POLO With a league record of 7-5, the Girls’ Water Polo team made it to CCS Semi-Finals this year. Their coach was Aileen Delaney, and they were captained by Alina Drebin (‘16), Claire Drebin (‘16), Katie Francis (‘16), and Gigi Rojahn (‘16).

VOLLEYBALL

-Kevin Bowers (‘16)

“What really helped us have a successful season was our team chemistry. We had a great group of hardworking girls and I think that really helped us through the toughest parts of the season and kept us focused even with late practice times and weird schedules due to construction.”

-Claire Drebin (‘16) “People gained more and more confidence, the seniors were able to step back and let the younger girls show their improvements.”

-Alina Drebin (‘16)

“The team really learned perseverance ... we had highs and lows ... but what stayed consistent was our focus, energy, and shared love for the game.”

Clara Chiu (‘16), Claire Dennis -Claire Dennis (‘16) (‘16), and Claire Krugler (‘16) “A lot of times we struggled with bringing each captained the Girls’ Volleyball other up ... but throughout the season I think we team to the CCS Quarterfinals, definitely improved on that.” and finished 7-5 in league. Their -Claire Krugler (‘16) coach was Jekara Wilson, and the “I would want people to know how resilient our standouts were Jessica Lee (‘17), team is ... our team is super goofy and quirky Chelsea Fan (‘18), Claire Dennis and we have lots of fun together.” (‘16), and Cassandra Fong (‘17).

-Clara Chiu (‘16)

GIRLS’ TENNIS

“I think the team learned to use dynamic strategy against tough opponents. We became better at focusing on playing point by point, instead of becoming fixated on winning. And the one thing about our team is that grapes and bagels are snacks that we eat before every match.”

-Kelsey Wang (‘16)

Coached by Andy Harader, the Girls’ Tennis team finished 2-10 in league. The team captains were Halle Biorn (‘16) and Kelsey Wang (‘16), and their standout was Avanika Narayan (‘17).

BOYS’ BASKETBALL The Boys’ Basketball Team was coached by Peter Diepenbrock and captained by solo senior Justin Hull (‘16). The team went 7-5 in league and had one great win agaist Gunn on their Quad Nights before losing in their first game of CCS.

“My favorite part was all of the car rides and bus rides to practice and to games becuase they brought us all closer together and I think that helped us play better as a team.”

-Justin Hull (‘16)

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Coach Scott Peters led the Girls’ Basketball team to State Quarterfinals against Dublin, where they ended their season with a19-8 record. Their captains were Courtney Lovely (‘16), Alexis Harris (‘16) and Maddy Atwater (‘16)

BOYS’ SOCCER

The Boys’ Soccer team finished their “As far as a team goes, I think we season in quarter finals of CCS Open really learned to play for each other Division, having an undefeated record ... as we progressed and got better prior. Eli Friedlander (‘16), Cole Tier- we worked together more. And you would put in the work for the guy ney (‘16), and Neil Verwillow (‘17) next to you cause he would do the led the team as captains. same.”

-Neil Verwillow (‘17) 40 | T H E V I K I N G |

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

“One lesson our team learned this season was that we can never underestimate our opponent… We figured out towards the end that we have to play every opponent like they are the best team around and to never let up no matter what the scoreboard says.”

-Courtney Lovely (‘16)

GIRLS’ SOCCER

“Something just clicked this season. Advancing very far in CCS ... proved to ourselves as well as everyone else that our program deserves the best recognition it can get.”

-Jacey Pederson (‘16)

Under coach Kurt Devlin, the Girls’ Soccer team finished with a record of 16-2-2 for both league and CCS. They finished second in league and reached the quarter finals of Open Diviision CCS with standout captains and players, Jacey Pederson (‘16), Alison Lu (‘16).

WRESTLING

The Wrestling team held a 15-16 record throughout their season, led by captains Seth Goyal (‘17), and Sara Aguilar (‘17).

“A lesson would be to be more mentally tough and more resilient … but watch out next year because we have a strong lineup.”

-Seth Goyal (‘17)

BADMINTON Coach Justin Halas leads the Badminton team into SCVALS this spring with a 5-7 record.

Team captains are Josh Ng (‘16), Ally Chu (‘16), Eric Chiang (‘16), and Samarth Venkatasubramanian (‘17).

“The most important thing we learned was that even though badminton is played individually, it’s still a team sport in many ways. Once we realized that, the team was a lot more cohesive as a whole.”

-Josh Ng (‘16)

)

BOYS’ GOLF

The Boys’ Golf Team has gone undefeated so far this season, despite coming as close as one stroke to keep their record. With coach Doyle Knight and captains Timothy Liu (‘17) and Henry Gordon (‘16), they continue their season with hopes of winning the first place title.

“We’ve been on an pretty extended run of success … but it’s always important for us to stay on our toes no matter who we play … every one of us understands that the team is one of the most important aspects of every one of our matches.”

-Timothy Liu (‘17) MAY 2016

GIRLS’ GOLF

“Throughout the season we learned the importance of mental preparation. Even if we were playing a good team we couldn’t go in thinking bad thoughts. I would want people to know that we are a competitive team and we don’t drive around in golf carts.”

-Emily Hwang (‘17)

The Girls’ Golf team was captained by Emily Hwang (‘17) this year. The team was coached by Doyle Knight, and they made it to CCS. The teams’ standout was Stephanie Yu (‘18).

GIRLS’ LACROSSE The Girls’ Lacrosse team is coached by Jamie Nesbitt and captained by Maya Benatar (‘16), Meredith Kinnaman (‘16), and Reid Walters (‘16). The girls lost only one game during the season and made it to SCVAL finals.

“The greatest lesson the team learned was the importance of starting off games strong and maintaining that effort and enthusiasm.”

-Reid Walters (‘16) “Getting the team motivated before games emotionally is key and we play much better when we’re all pumped up ... we have 30 minute dance parties before games.”

-Maya Benatar (‘16)

BOYS’ LACROSSE

“The highlight of our season was our first game against Los Gatos early this season. We played an overall outstanding team game and ended up winning 11-7. They were the next best team in the league and to go out there and completely shut them down was amazing.”

-Louie Marzano (‘17)

The Boys’ Lacrosse team was captained by Quintin Valenti (‘16), Cole Tierney (‘16), Griffin Carlson (‘16), Chuck Stephenson (‘16), and Matthew Seligsion (‘16). The team was led to the SCVAL finals with the leadership of Coach D.J. Shelton.

BASEBALL

The Boys’ Baseball team is coached by Pete Fukuhara and captained by Riley Shoeben (‘16), Owen Plambeck (‘16), Justin Hull (‘16), and Alec Olmstead (‘16).

The team went 12-2 in league and advanced to the League Championship Tournament.

“Offensively we pride ourselves in having everyone contribute throughout the lineup ... one interesting thing about our time is how few players we have. We like having a small team so everyone is involved and our practices are much more efficient.”

-Riley Schoeben (‘16)

SOFTBALL

“We learned that when we have confidence in ourselves and in each other, we are able to keep our cool and play our best.”

-Maggie Renteria (‘17) “I’ve never met a team that I know can come back as well as this team ... We can hit, we can rally, and I love all the support on this team.”

-Jessie Kim (‘16)

The Girls’ Softball team went 5-7 in league, lead by Coach Brooke Binkley. The captains of the team were senior Jessie Kim (‘16) and junior Maggie Renteria (‘17).

BOYS’ SWIMMING/DIVING The Boys’ Swimming team had a solid season, finshing with one loss in the regular season and getting second place at the SCVAL league meet. Standouts on the team were Andrew Cho (‘16) and Alex Liang (‘17). Diving finished solid too with UT-Austin bound Reed Merritt (‘16) leading the way.

“I’m really proud of what the team accomplished this year. Individually and as a team we grew as the season progressed and I think that’s really important.”

-Alex Liang (‘17)

GIRLS’ SWIMMING/DIVING The Girls’ Swimming and Diving team is coached by Danny Dye, and the team is captained by Katie Francis (‘16), Kayleigh Svenson (‘16), and Emily Zhang (‘16). Diving was led to a solid season by Mimi Lin (‘16) who will be continuing her diving career at Princeton University.

TRACK & FIELD

The track and field team had an up and down season in terms of team results, but a few individuals, Eli Givens (‘16) and Kent Slaney (‘17) specifically, stood out among the rest and rank near the top in their respective events.

“The team learned to take the change of location well. We put in a lot of work despite the fact that we did not have a home pool.”

-Katie Francis (‘16)

“A highlight of this season would be racing against Gunn because we just always see such good sportsmanship with them. Many of our athletes are really good friends with Gunn track and field athletes so it’s always really fun friendly competition.”

-Nicole Chen (‘16)

Paly Olympic Bound Athletes

by SAM GUILLET and CHRISTIAN RIDER The athlete approaches their starting point. Hours worth of training has brought them to this point. As they wait for their time, nothing is in their mind, but the race, routine, or event. They wait for their time to come so they can show why they are the best and deserve to represent their country. The Olympics are the highest level of competitions in which an elite athlete can compete. For an athlete, to be able to compete in the Games and represent their country is one of the highest honors they can receive. To qualify for the Olympics one needs to exemplify what it means to be an athlete of Olympic capacity by showing that they are the best of the best. For many athletes, Olympic gold is a dream that will never be reality. However, for a few Paly alumni and students, that dream might not be too far off.

As of now, Paly has only ever had one student participate in the Olympics. In the summer of 2012, Lily Zhang represented the United States in ping pong and placed 49th in singles and ninth in the team event. She has also participated in the Youth Olympics where she won a bronze medal. In addition, Zhang

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participated in the 2012 North American Cwhampionships where she got first place in women’s singles.

However, this year, Paly has three athletes competing in the Olympic trials, two of which are swimmers, and one competing for a spot on the USA gymnastics team. Alex Liang (‘17) and Grace Zhao (‘17) are both going to compete in the Olympic trials for the USA swim team. An athlete who is able to compete for the Olympics must be dedicated to the sport, have the ability to stand out, and have a strict practice schedule.

Liang begun his swimming career at the age of five. He uses his 21 hours of practice per week to improve his skills. “I think utilizing every practice is a way to get better and faster; others just [try to] ‘get through’ [the practice]” Liang said. “Training is relatively the same, but you have that determined mindset. In the back of your head you remember what you’re doing and it helps motivate you.” Liang does not expect to head to the Olympic games this year, however, he will continue to train so that one day his dream of winning a medal will come true.

Zhao has a very similar practice regimen, but she is using the olympics trials to help train her for other swimming events. “I know a lot of people who are just as dedicated as me and I think it’s just about putting in the work and staying committed to what you are working for. You have to make a conscious decision to work hard and do the best you can every practice,” Zhao said. “I don’t think I’ll be making the team this year, although I am aiming to make the US National Junior Team and the Junior Pan Pacs. But it’s super exciting, and as I’m getting closer and closer to the meet, everything is building to a climax. I’m really excited to go to Omaha and race.”

Both athletes expect that they will only go to the trails, but not to the actual Olympics Games. One athlete, however, is hopeful to compete for the USA Olympic gymnastics

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

team. (‘17) has since and competage of five.

Bennett Huang been training he was three, been competing itively since the To rise to the top,

Huang’s training regimen consists of 1823 hours of practice per week.

“I have ranked in the top ten in Junior Nationals for the last two years” Huang said. “I’ve also been on the junior national team three times and have competed at international competitions in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Texas for Team USA.” However, if Huang hopes to win a medal in the Olympics, everything in his routine has to be perfect. “I really have to practice until every small detail is perfect because within the top ranked gymnasts, it is really the little things that separate yourself from the others.”

Huang said.

Out of all the athletes at Paly, three have been able to execute their talents to the best of the ability to qualify them for the Olympic trials and to represent the US. >>>

957 swimmers and 331 gymnasts are qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials

We honor our graduating staff members as well as our teacher for the amazing work they have done for The Viking. We wish them the best!

Maddy ATWATER Kylie CALLAN Sam DESRE Daniel DOUTY Meredith KINNAMAN Alys OLMSTEAD and wonderful teacher Brian Wilson MOST OPINIONATED

MOST LIKELY TO CORRECT YOUR GRAMMAR

NEVER SEEN IN CLASS

BEST POKER FACE

MOST LIKELY TO BAKE YOU COOKIES

BEST FLOW

MOST LIKELY TO DROP A FIRE MIXTAPE (AND DESIGN THE ALBUM COVER)

THANK YOU SENIORS! AND MR. WILSON FOR ALL OF YOUR CARE AND HARD WORK!

MAY 2016

The Last Word

“Doin’ It in the Park”

by BEN CLEASBY and PETER SNODGRASS

In a reinvigorated Last Word, Saucy and Juicy will explore both controversial and hot topics. Both have prestigious backgrounds in sports, journalism, and ping pong games. However, what sets them apart from the rest of the supposed “Paly Columnists” is their ability to cut through the haystack and find the needle.

A

s Paly students, we (Ben Cleasby and Peter Snodgrass) have experienced and endured the “Paly culture”.

However, instead of writing about the atrocities such as the end of streak week, the keying of South Gate, and the termination of powder puff, we will write about a more politically correct topic, pickup basketball.

The Rise of Pickup Basketball

Life is a game… sports are serious, but sometimes it’s better to play at a less competitive level where laughter and good vibes are welcomed. Some coaches can be too harsh and brutal, ultimately causing you to play games in fear. Casual pickup games serve as a much more relaxed environment where one can get their “thang” on and play a game without getting yelled at. In this column, your two favorite columnists will describe the perfect pickup scenario.

Attire

Like any sporting event, correct attire is always a necessity. For example, a baseImage taken from Creative Commons

ball player must wear cleats, a hat, and pants. A football player must wear pads, a jersey, and a helmet. Like so, a pickup basketball player must wear a silver or gold chain (gold is preferred), two arm sleeves (to minimize scratches from opponents, of course), a $200 pair of Lebron’s (anything less then you should go back to your safe space), and finally, a throwback jersey from before Lebron entered the league.

Etiquette

Quite possibly the most important factor to a pickup basketball game, etiquette dictates the intensity and competitiveness of the game. It is essential that a pickup basketball game mirrors the intensity of Ron Artest fight scene.

To begin, during the pregame and shootaround it is crucial to instigate the trash talking. Once the game begins you need to figure a way into your opponent’s head. Our go-to is talking about their love life, but sometimes it is much more simple than that. Peter’s favorite is yelling, “I own you”, while simultaneously flexing his traps, lats, and quads to show off his physical superiority. Finally, after the game is finished, win or lose, walk up to shake their hands, but when they reach out, make sure to pull your hand away (and pretend to fix your hair) as if you really don’t care. Why? Because at the end of the day these hooligans you are battling against don’t deserve a single breath of existence.

Physique

Quite possibly the most important

aspect of a pickup game, physique defines each person’s athletic prowess. It’s all in the legs, glorious glutes and powerful calves that causes opponents to feel weakness in the knees. Triceps and biceps only help as factors to create more fear.

What really makes the opponents gulp, are the traps. The trapezius dorsi is the scariest muscle anybody could posses in the game. These passive lumps on top of shoulders only make others bend at the knees and glorify you.

How to choose the other members

Choosing other teammates in pickup basketball is no ordinary task. Separating the posers from the True Champions who bleed tears of talent, can be a hard ordeal to handle. Take a gander at his shoes, are they well preserved Kobe 10’s, or are they shredded up Oasic’s? Obviously, the kid with the Kobe’s is a superstar. Howev-

er, deciphering shoes for some can be another complicated situation itself. Take a peek at the shirt he or she is showcasing. Those who still wear Just Do It shirts should not be welcomed on the court in general, a jersey from a different era would be more preferable.

If your game cannot live up to these standards, then please go back to your safe space.<<<

O G !

Y L A P

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Contact us by May 31st for reduced class pricing.

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