The Viking: Volume 8, Issue 3

December 2014 Volume VIII Issue 3

REPLACING PALY’S LOST SENIORS pg. 40

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by MADDY ATWATER and ALYS OLMSTEAD

DECEMBER 2014

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Volume 8 Issue 3

December 2014

SPOTTED Sabrina Hall (‘18) looks to pass the ball against Woodside. The Vikings won the game12-7.

17

GUIDE TO THE SLOPES

Learn how to manage the mountain this winter with these insider tips.

by CLARA HARRINGTON and MICHAEL PAPPAS

21

NO WATER NECESSARY

Heidi Moeser’s (‘16) transition from swimming to soccer.

by ISAAC KASEVICH and SHEILA SUBRAMANIAN

26

GREAT DEBATE

Should collegiate athletes get paid for their performance?

by GILLIAN CHRYST and ZACH LEVITAN

34

VIKING TRIES The Viking tries frisbee golf at Hellyer Park.

by HAYLEY POORE

LINE UP ZOOM

Focus Blast Stride Storm

KICKOFF Staff view Pop culture grid 10 questions

4 6 8 10 13 14 15

with Courtney Lovely (‘16)

Inside the mind

of Dami Bolarwina (‘16)

COLUMNS Great debate: pay for play The architect who built a dynasty Last word

16

26 46 47

SHORTS

24 Viking tries: Frisbee golf 34 Height in the NBA 36 The weird rules in sports 38 Winter sports injuries 39 What not to wear

FEATURES

True passion

17 21 30

Replacing Paly’s lost seniors

40

Guide to the slopes No water necessary

24

TRUE PASSION Despite the sacrifices that high level sports require, Paly athletes choose to continue to play because of their love for the game.

by KYLIE CALLAN and REUBEN KRAMER

40

REPLACING PALY’S LOST SENIORS

A look into the disappearance of the class of 2015’s varsity athletes, and the necessity of younger leadership.

by MADDY ATWATER and ALYS OLMSTEAD

Jade Schoenberger (‘15) prepares to pass the ball during the Senior Night game. The Vikings defeated the Titans in three sets. photo by 00 | TOlivia H E V IScola 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

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Winston Rosati (‘16) prepares to shoot on goal against Gunn. The Vikings lost the game 12-6.

Photo by Olivia Scola

Lucas Matison (‘15) leads during a CCS championship cross country meet at Toro Park in Salinas. Matison came in 1st in the Division I race with a personal best time of 15:40 on the 3.0 mile course. photo by Malcolm Slaney

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The varsity football team breaks through the halftime banner and runs onto the field against Archbishop Mitty.

The Vikings lost the game 55-14. photo by Olivia Scola

Editors-in-Chief Zoe Bhargava Rowan McEvoy Alex Murray Managing Editors Priscilla Bell Anna Dukovic Maddie Kinnaman Hayley Poore Sheila Subramanian Design Editor Paige Bara Photo Editors Katie Foug Olivia Scola

From the editors Dear readers,

We hope that you had a great Thanksgiving break and that you are ready to power through the remainder of the semester. With fall sports wrapping up, winter sports are now in full swing. Break out your fuzzy socks, grab a cup of hot chocolate and cozy up with the third issue of The Viking.

Our cover story this issue takes a look at the lack of senior athletes on many of the current Paly sports teams. Staff writers Maddy Atwater and Alys Olmstead present four case studies of seniors who stopped playing their sport.

In contrast, our other main feature story looks at what athletes must give up to play sports and why they choose to continue to play. Staff writers Kylie Callan and Reuben Kramer use a variety of athletes to explore

Copy Editor Clara Harrington Columnist Garrett Reynolds Multimedia Editor Gillian Chryst Business Manager Megan Valencia Staff Writers Paige Anderson Maddy Atwater Kylie Callan Bryn Carlson Daniel Douty Issac Kasevich Meredith Kinnaman Reuben Kramer Zach Levitan Alys Olmstead Michael Pappas Staff Adviser Paul Hoeprich

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

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the topic.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we inspect common winter sport injuries, take a look at the tallest and shortest NBA players of all time and examine weird rules in sports. Moreover, we profile Paly soccer player Heidi Moeser (‘16), debate the pros and cons of paying college athletes and showcase our take on skiing.

Additionally, our editorial is centered around the staff belief that construction on the new basketball gym should begin after this school year ends.

Finally, be sure to keep up with current sports on our website as well as on Twitter and Facebook. We hope you enjoy this issue and the hard work we have put into it. Have an amazing holiday season!

Sincerely, Zoe, Rowan and Alex

In the news...

NFL suspends Adrian Peterson without pay for the rest of the season In September, the National Football League (NFL) was rocked by several domestic violence cases, including that of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson, who beat his 4-year-old son with a tree branch, was charged with committing reckless, or negligent injury, to a child. After the alleged abuse, the Minnesota Vikings placed Peterson on the exempt list.

In early November, following Peterson’s no contest plea to a charge of misdemeanor assault, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) demanded that the NFL hold a hearing to reinstate him into the league. In the NFLPA’s statement, it argued that the league had made an agreement with Peterson after his placement on the exempt list, and had failed “to honor the terms of that agreement.”

In response, the NFL asserted that it had not received requested information from the NFLPA, but would “remain prepared to schedule a hearing and make a determination as quickly as possible based on as much

information as available.”

The hearing took place on Monday, Nov. 17, and on Nov. 18 the NFL announced that Peterson would be suspended without pay for the remainder of the season. The league explained that Peterson’s abuse of his son violated its personal conduct policy. The decision is consistent with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s August statement that the league would make punishments harsher for players who commit domestic violence. Goodell wrote Peterson a letter detailing the conditions of his possible return to the sport.

“The timing of your potential reinstatement will be based on the results of the counseling and treatment program set forth in this decision,” Goodell said. Peterson’s future legal conduct and treatment of his children will also factor into a subsequent decision on his reinstatement.

According to the NFLPA, Peterson intends to appeal his suspension. <<<

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.

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Staff view

Renovation of the gyms should begin over the summer Last fall, following a generous private donation, plans to reconstruct the gym and create athletic training facilities at Paly began. The much needed new facilities are to include a revamped weight room along with two new double-decker gyms to replace the current gyms, both of which are over 85-years-old.

Initially, both gyms were scheduled to be torn down before the beginning of the 20142015 school year. However, the deconstruction dates have now been pushed back several times, creating what The Viking believes to be unnecessary incertitude and disorder in the construction process.

The cost of the construction plans is more than double the $24 million gift that was given for the construction. This has necessitated the use of district funds to support the project. As a result of the district’s tedious process for approving designs, the start of building has been repeatedly delayed. If the deconstruction had ensued according to schedule, it would have prevented fall sports teams from using the gyms and the pool space during their seasons, and players and coaches alike began to plan

accordingly. The deconstruction, however, faced its first delay due to the prolonged approval process, and the gym was then planned to be torn down during winter break. Now, yet another delay has occurred because the procedure of validating the designs has again taken longer than anticipated. The present plan is to tear it down during February, following the winter sports season. The current date of deconstruction is planned to disrupt the swimming and badminton teams which use the athletic facilities during the springtime.

The Viking staff believes that the deconstruction should begin this summer, after the school year comes to a close. We recognize that it will inevitably disrupt athletes in season no matter when the process begins, but we believe that the disruption caused by the frequent changes in the timeline is avoidable. Therefore, The Viking recommends that there be a clear date set for the deconstruction. This would avoid further delays which will cause frustration and confusion for Paly athletes who are uncertain about when to expect the inability to use the gym and athletic facilities.

Athletes have been told that they will have to practice at various other locations and will not have any home games, only to discover as their season approaches that they will indeed still have access to Paly athletic facilities.

Student athletes are becoming increasingly vexed with the unclear timeframe of the process. Likewise, coaches have struggled with arranging times and places to hold practices and games, a time consuming task, which has proven to be unnecessary. Rather than spending effort on logistic matters, coaches should focus their time and energy on enhancing the performance level and well-being of their athletes. These delays, therefore, are unfair to both athletes and coaches. Paly teams deserve a specific, firm date for the construction process to commence in order to allow the tradition of athletic excellence to continue.

The Viking staff understands the process of creating any new athletic facility is complex and time consuming, but we believe that the series of delays in the deconstruction process are unreasonable and unnecessary. <<<

By the numbers: Issue 3

7 91 6 7’7’’

The age when Lucas Wolf (‘16) first joined a skiing club team (p. 19) The price of a one-day pass to the Northstar resort in Tahoe (p. 18)

The number of seniors left on the football team by the end of the season (p. 40) The official height of Manute Bol, the tallest player in NBA history (p. 36) DECEMBER 2014

P Culture Grid

The op W H A T D O P A LY AT H L E T E S S AY ?

Kevin Mullin (‘15) Boys’ basketball

Favorite winter sport?

Winter is...

Winter break plans?

Tess Preising (‘17) Girls’ soccer

James Giaccia (‘15) Wrestling

Year-long lax

Soccer

Wrestling

Snowboarding

Snowboarding

Skiing

Skiing

Bagel and cream cheese

Redbull

Protein shake

Soccer

Basketball

Skiing or snowboarding?

Best pre-game snack?

Cole Tierney (‘16) Boys’ soccer

Talia Malchin (‘17) Girls’ soccer

Skiing Shot Blocks

curling up with a cup of cocoa the best weather Responding to rejection letters

HOT

Going to New York

my favorite season Tahoe all day

Going to Tahoe

Spending time with the family

Winter break:

Two weeks of uninterrupted break is what’s getting most of us through the rest of the semester.

Whether you’re spending the break at the beach, in the snow or at home, be sure to make the most of 2014 before the year ends!

The Raiders:

The end of football season cannot come soon enough for the Oakland Raiders.

The team has suffered from a losing record and has not been able to recover after firing their head coach, Dennis Allen, midseason.

College football:

With the college football season coming to a close, and Bowl season approaching fast, the pressure is on for a good finish to a season full of upsets and record breakers.

Finals:

The first semester is coming to a close and that can only mean one thing: finals. They’re the bane of all students’ existences. Make sure to study hard and get enough sleep, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Images taken from

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chilly

Cheesy bagel with peanut butter lockdown season

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N OT

Q uestions 10 with

Courtney Lovely (‘16) as told to Maddie Kinnaman photos by The Viking staff

The Viking asked Paly basketball player Courtney Lovely (‘16) 10 questions about herself and then compared her responses to that of her coach Scott Peters, teammate Julie Chandler (‘16) and friend Siggi Bengston (‘16). Read on to discover who knows Courtney best!

Courtney Lovely (‘16) Varsity basketball

Watching Christmas movies Australia

Questions Favorite winter activity?

Dream vacation?

Scott Peters

Julie Chandler (‘17)

Siggi Bengston (‘16)

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

Coach

Teammate

Friend

Mexico

Australia

Greece

Teammates

Teammates

My teammates

Best friend?

Everyone

Beach

Snow or beach?

Beach

Beach

Beach

Orange

Favorite color?

Pink

Green

Blue

Ryan Sheckler

Celebrity crush?

Bruno Mars

Ryan Sheckler

Cheeseburger

Favorite food?

Anything hot

Pizza

Pasta

Film Comp

Favorite subject?

Business

Sports Med

Sports Med

Go Hard Go Home

Best pump up song?

Go Hard Go Home

Remember the Name

Remember the Name

The Office

Favorite TV show?

The Bachelor

How I Met Your Mother

Modern Family

Images taken from

20%

40%

Ryan Sheckler

30% DECEMBER 2014

Inside the mind of Dami Bolarinwa (‘16)

as told to Maddie Kinnaman

On giving soccer haircuts

“This year I will be giving soccer haircuts to certain people so you can watch out for that.

I’m gonna bring back the receding hairline, someone’s getting chunked and we’ll see what else I imagine.”

photo by Katie Foug

On his future plans “It would be great if I

could play soccer in college. I’m hoping to go to a small liberal arts college and see where things go from there.”

On junior year

“Junior year is and always has been expected to be the hardest year only because there’s a ton of work that you’re suppose to manage with all your extra-curriculars. So it’s not really hard, it’s just a lot of work.”

On his free time “I like hanging out with friends. I like taking photos. I’ve really gotten into photography and all that type of stuff. That’s kind of what my hobby is now.

I really enjoy taking photos and seeing how they come out.”

On the upcomming soccer season

“We have a promising upcoming season this year. I’m hoping that we do really well in preseason and get us as many points as we can for CCS so that during league we don’t have to fight super hard to make CCS. I just really want to make CCS. Last year we lost one game and ended up not making it. So I’m really hoping this year we change and get the “W” and make it to CCS.”

Guide to the slopes

by CLARA HARRINGTON and MICHAEL PAPPAS DECEMBER 2014

photo by John Harrington

Every winter, Paly students pack up their bags and head east to California’s Sierra Nevada. Driving up with chained tires and plenty of enthusiasm, ready-to-shred snowgoers flood Tahoe’s resorts as the weather cools down. Despite the drought keeping some away, this season shows potential for lots of snow and fun to be had. Read on for The Viking’s guide on managing the mountains this winter.

COMPARING RESORTS

The Viking looked at six of the Sierra Nevada’s top resorts and saw what draws in various Paly students.

ALPINE MEADOWS

HEAVENLY

KIRKWOOD

1-DAY PASS PRICE: $74

1-DAY PASS PRICE: $56

1-DAY PASS PRICE: $71

“[Alpine Meadows] is pretty close and with good snow.

It’s really fun skiing in the trees and finding powder.”

“I’ve been skiing at Heavenly my whole life, so I have a lot of memories and experiences there.”

– Courtney Hull (‘15)

– Sarah McDonnell (‘15)

SQUAW VALLEY

NORTHSTAR

“I like Kirkwood because I know it really well… I like that some of the slopes are longer, and that there are express lifts for harder mountains.”

– Maya Benatar (‘16)

SUGAR BOWL

1-DAY PASS PRICE: $91

1-DAY PASS PRICE: $74

1-DAY PASS PRICE: $78

“I go to Northstar because [it has] one of the best terrain parks in California, and also because the Northstar Village is great.”

“The snow [at Squaw] is really great, most of my family and family friends go there, and it’s pretty difficult but also pretty fun.”

“It’s awesome because there are different runs that work for everyone, and [it’s] not too crowded... Mount. Disney has some super fun runs.”

– Ryan Reed (‘16)

– Cezanne Lane (‘17)

– Ethan Jorasch (‘15)

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DO’s and DON’Ts On the slopes, there is an abundance of unwritten rules. Look on to further YOUR knowledge on what to strive for and avoid on the mountain this winter.

Stay on your edges. It’s important to continue executing turns as you ride down the slope, and you won’t have nearly as much fun if you’re afraid of speeding.

photo by John Harrington

Tighten the bindings of your skis or snowboard before your first run.

Getting a warm jacket, gloves or mittens, boots that fit and water-resistant pants will make the experience much more enjoyable as the day goes on.

Avoid skiing in the trees. Trees can create death traps due to deep tree wells. Since 1990, 38 people in the U.S. have died due to tree wells and other deep snow emergency accidents.

Don’t be disrespectful towards those around you; wait until you get to the trails before you decide to increase speeds.

Do not wear jeans. You won’t be happy, you’ll be freezing.

DECEMBER 2014

The lone WOLF

by CLARA HARRINGTON photo courtesy of Lukas Wolf

Many love to participate in various snow sports, but few can take their passion to the next level. Lukas Wolf (‘16) competed on a ski team in Tahoe for many years; read on to learn his story.

T

he frigid air whipping past your face, the rush of fear and excitement pulsing through your veins, the glee of making a perfect turn; the feeling you get while speeding down the mountain is like none other.

Skiing and snowboarding are popular amongst students during the winter; many Paly families rent houses or condos during the season to spend time in the mountains, while those more committed buy real estate located near their preferred resort. However, a select few decide to take their hobby to the next level and ski or snowboard for a team in Tahoe. Paly student Lukas Wolf (‘16) is one of those few.

Although Wolf began skiing from a young age, he took the uncommon next step when he joined the Alpine Meadows’ ski team.

“I started skiing when I was three years old at Alpine Meadows with the rest of my family,” Wolf said. “When my sister Remi was eight and I was five, we started going up to Tahoe every weekend so she could ski and compete on a team.”

Alpine Meadows offers a wide variety of teams for athletes of various levels. Wolf, how-

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ever, sought out more advanced coaching to improve as a skier as he became more proficient at the sport.

“I started out skiing at Alpine Meadows, but a few years later I went to a small resort called Diamond Peak because of the coaching there,” Wolf said. “When I joined ski team I was too young to really choose, but it was just something my family was doing... as I kept skiing on the team every year, I kept interest and still wanted to ski competitively.”

For any athlete, bonds are formed with teammates as they work to improve on their athletic capabilities. Skiing has a unique culture and offers an unusual adrenaline rush that causes people to join a ski team.

“My favorite part of being on the team was being able to go out and ski with all my good friends,” Wolf said. “As I got older I started to enjoy the traveling aspect just as much.”

Travel time for practices is usually a maximum of around 15 minutes for athletes. However, participating on a ski team while living in Palo Alto requires long weekly drives to the mountains in order to maintain a high skill level. For many, this distance makes it difficult to balance skiing competitively with the

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

workload of high school. In addition to the inconvenience, skiing is not an inexpensive activity; the costs add up, and many athletes find it difficult to pay for continually. Last year, Wolf stopped skiing on a ski team because all the disadvantages began to add up.

“The main reason I stopped skiing competitively was because it was super hard to balance with my school work,” Wolf said. “I would leave for a week at a time and got super behind with everything. It was also super expensive.”

Although Wolf no longer competes on a ski team, he still goes up to the mountains regularly and is now on a freeride team at Sugar Bowl.

On the team, Wolf skis and competes in big mountain races, as well as in freestyle parks.

“I still love skiing and will be going up hopefully a lot this year,” Wolf said. <<<

S(NO)W WAY! Lukas Wolf (‘16) flies through the air on his skis. Wolf began skiing for the Alpine Meadows’ ski team when he was seven.

Heidi Moeser (‘16) showed athletic promise in both swimming and soccer. She tells The Viking about her decision to solely focus on soccer and why she hasn’t looked back.

NO WATER NECESSARY

by ISAAC KASEVICH and SHEILA SUBRAMANIAN DECEMBER 2014

photo by Al Chang

T

he Palo Alto High School girls’ soccer season will officially begin on Dec. 3rd, but for most of its players, the season has already begun.

With the huge popularity of club sports in today’s society, it’s possible for high-level players to play soccer yearround. Heidi Moeser (‘16) is no stranger to this world, having played club soccer since the age of six.

Two years after breaking into the varsity program as a freshman, Moeser is ready to put this team on her back.

Moeser grew up as an athlete, beginning with swimming in first grade.

“I started swimming just for fun in the summer,” Moeser said. “My mom put my sister and I both in swimming at a young age.”

Around the same time, Moeser asked her mother if she could do another sport as well.

Immediately, Moeser knew she wanted to start playing soccer.

“It was just a local club, and I did it with my friends so it was fun,” Moeser said.

After her family moved to Palo Alto in fifth grade, Moeser increased her involvement in both sports. She joined a year-round swim

and I got pretty good,” Moeser said.

As a seventh grader, Moeser qualified for and competed in the Junior Olympics and Far Western Championships, which allows only the fastest racers on the west coast to participate.

Around the same age, however, Moeser started focusing more on soccer.

“Once I was in middle school, things got more competitive,” Moeser said. “My friends started practicing more and started becoming more competitive with each other.”

Eventually, she knew she would have to make a choice between the two sports she had grown up playing. Moeser decided to stick with her passion for soccer.

“I chose to focus on soccer because I liked the whole team aspect of it,” Moeser said.

“On a team, if you’re having a bad day, there are other people to pick you up and help you out. Swimming is just individual, and if you do

“I chose to focus on soccer because I liked the whole team aspect of it... if you’re having a bad day, there are other people to pick you up and help you out.”

– Heidi Moeser (‘16)

photo courtesy of Heidi Moeser

club, Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (PASA), and got much better. PASA is ranked as the fourth best swim club in the nation and has been awarded Gold Medal recognition.

“I swam at PASA from fifth to eighth grade,

MEDALS ON MEDALS Heidi Moeser (‘16) smiles for the camera after winning a medal and certificate at a meet.

Moeser swam for Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (PASA) for four years before quitting to focus on soccer.

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photo courtesy of Heidi Moeser

PRETTY IN PINK Moeser dribbles the ball past a defender during a game.

In addition to playing for Paly, Moeser plays soccer for a Santa Clara Sporting club team. badly, it’s all your fault.”

Moeser knew the decision would be difficult, but she had the full support of her family and friends.

“At first it was really hard because I had a lot of friends on the swim team and I had to leave them,” Moeser said. “My family supported me, but my parents told me that if I wanted to quit swimming, then I’d have to join a more competitive soccer team.”

Moeser did just that. She searched for a competitive soccer team that would be right for her. She ended up joining Santa Clara Sporting, a high profile soccer organization.

She tried out and made 97G White, currently the fourth ranked club team in the nation and first in Northern California. For Sporting, Moeser is a wing player and, while not a regular starter, holds a large role on the team.

After performing on such a large stage consistently, Moeser was ready for high school soccer. She made the varsity team as a freshman coming into Paly.

“It really made me a feel like a part of the Paly community, and I made a lot of friends, especially upperclassmen,” Moeser said. “That was pretty neat.”

Because of the Central Coast Section (CCS) violation that stripped Paly of numerous games, Moeser was only credited with four goals for the 2012-2013 season but, unofficial-

MAN DOWN Moeser trips up an opponent as she races down the field with the ball. Moeser has been a varsity starter since freshman year.

ly, scored more.

Despite her immediate success at Paly, Moeser made the tough decision to pursue an old passion and return to swimming in the spring of her freshman year .

“My sister persuaded me to come back to swimming my freshman year and try it out to see if I liked it more,” Moeser said. “It was also good cross-training for soccer.”

She made varsity and trained under head coach Danny Dye. Moeser endured the long, intense swim season but was not among the swimmers with top times, preventing her from making the CCS team.

Moeser realized it would be best for her to finally stop swimming and focus all of her time on her real passion. One of the top scorers and assisters on the team, Moeser has started every

game since she made the varsity squad.

Even Moeser’s teammates think highly of her dedication to the sport and praise her teamwork.

“She’s super enthusiastic and motivated,” Tess Preising (‘17) said. “She’s a really nice player to have on the field...She makes us more focused.”

Moeser hasn’t spent too much time thinking about her post-high school plans, but she does know that she wants to continue playing.

“I would like to play in college. I want to focus more on academics, but if I can play Division III then I would do that,” she said. “Soccer is such a big part of my life so I don’t just want to forget it when I go to college, so if I don’t get recruited, then I’ll play on a club team.”

Regardless of future plans, Moeser’s first task will be leading the Paly team to victory. She will once again start for the Lady Vikes and holds goals for the upcoming season.

“One of our goals this year is to beat Los Gatos because they beat us in CCS [last year],” she said. “We want to go in and crush them and then win CCS, of course.”

Moeser’s commitment to the team has caught the attention of more than just her teammates. Assistant coach Eric Seedman applauses her work ethic and the strong first impression she left when initially trying out for the soccer team.

“Heidi works very diligently and is very focused,” Seedman said. “We could tell right away that she had a lot of natural ability and had been trained very well with her club team.

It stood out to us right away that she had a natural acumem for the game.”

Looking back at the decision she made to stop swimming and focus more on soccer, Moeser is happy with her choice.

“I love playing soccer, and I’m glad I made the right decision for myself,” she said. <<<

photo by Al Chang

DECEMBER 2014

What Not

The Viking’s guide to winter s

Girls

“Don’t wear sweat bands unless you’re in an 80’s workout video.”

-Holly Tumminaro (‘16)

“Don’t wear makeup, bows or your hair down. This isn’t cheerleading.”

-Livi Musil (‘15)

“Soccer players should wear soccer shorts, not running shorts.”

-Sophia Armitano (‘16)

“Spice up your uniform with something other than short socks.”

-Katie Douty (‘16)

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to Wear

by MEREDITH KINNAMAN

r sport fashion do’s and dont’s

Boys “You’ve got to wear sweat bands right.”

-Shaun Pike (‘16)

“Don’t wear short shorts. No need to see that upper thigh.”

-Kevin Mullin (‘15)

“Don’t wear tight white tank tops. It’s unattractive and unclassy.”

-Albert Han (‘16)

“Either wear shin guards with socks, or don’t wear shin guards at all.”

-Eli Friedlander (‘16)

Justin Hull (‘16) Boys’ basketball

DECEMBER 2014

THE GREAT DEBATE: PAY FOR PLAY

For the love of the game Recent controversy over money talks in the college football scene has led to student-athletes forgetting why they love playing the game in the first place. Read more to find out why.

W

by GILLIAN CHRYST

e have seen our fair share of Johnny Manziels, Jameis Winstons and AJ Macaroons thrust themselves into the fast-track spotlight of fame on Saturdays.

Their excessive touchdown celebrations, incoherent trash talking and “money making” talents make quite the story. In addition, the thousands to millions of dollars spent for the franchise and brand name trademarks have become an empire for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), colleges, and others making a profit off of the game. College athletes should not get paid for their earnings on the football field no matter how great of an athlete they may be, or how much attention they receive.

First of all, athletes are already getting paid, just not with money. Their talents and hard work have earned them spots at the top schools in the nation. The form of payment they get is through scholarships and benefits given to college athletes which let them attend that university or college. Advantages such as picking courses first, selecting housing before other students and getting unlimited meals are all perks that an average student does not receive. The added benefits that student-athletes gain is a major push for young athletes to follow the path of education rather than taking their talents straight to a professional league.

Furthermore, rather than focusing on the game itself, fictional personas and characters are created for the role of television broadcasts and storylines. Instead of concentrating on talent, the media often blows up stories about

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professional athletes’ personal lives. If money were involved, then college athletes would be exploited for stories about their personal lives on the same level as professional athletes.

Overall, this would elevate a once-ordinary college athlete’s day-to-day life and transform them into an overnight celebrity. Cough cough … Johnny Manziel.

College athletes are too young to handle enormous sums of money that they would to receive if they got paid. Throughout our society, large sums of money have played a harsh role with adolescents. If athletes were paid, then more scandals would occur. Additionally, the pressure of fame could negatively affect their career. One major difficulty of fame is the constant coverage from the media, which includes unnecessary attention that college athletes receive. This continual spotlight can potentially damage their image and in doing so harm their career for good … Manti Teo anyone?

In addition, let’s not forget about other athletes on campus. What about basketball?

Volleyball? Or lacrosse and water polo? All student-athletes should be treated equally no matter what sport they play. If volleyball players don’t get paid, then football athletes shouldn’t either and so on. This would lead to a Title 9 debate, and what athletes in one sport get paid compared to athletes of another sport.

The added attention toward the all-mighty dollar would distract student-athletes from performing for the right reason and focusing their motives solely on getting paid. If you could get paid for playing sports in college, you would join just about any team offering a spot, right? Football is no exception, and everyone

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on a Division I football team would put their egos first to fight for the money and their passion for the game second. The true intents of playing football for the game itself are lost and starstruck student-athletes lose their motives to perform for the right reason.

So, next time you watch college football, rather than thinking that the NCAA is some horrible organization taking away money away from its rightful earner, remember that those athletes are still young, sometimes naive and that they are receiving added benefits from their college while getting a world class education and playing the sport they love. Shouldn’t that be enough? I think so. <<<

DYNASTY Nick Saben (bottom) and Johnny Manziel (top) have created an empire for their schools from their vast performances on and off the field.

Show me the money Debates in college football pertaining to student-athletes getting paid have led to heated discussions around college football. See an argument for the payment of college athletes.

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by ZACH LEVITAN ake-up at 6 a.m. and head straight to the locker room. Team lift and condition from 6:30-7:00. You may have a chance to grab breakfast before your classes start. After a long day at school, you prepare for practice.

You practice until coach is satisfied, and finally get to go home and sleep. Oh wait! You’ve still got to study for that midterm you have to take early because you’re on the road next Thursday. This is the life of the average Division I college athlete. Student-athletes, while “student” comes first, spend on average 43.3 hours a week perfecting their craft. This is longer than the average American work week.

These athletes can then be considered fullAll images taken from

time workers and deserve to be treated as such.

Collegiate sports are a big business. Everyone involved makes millions of dollars except the players. How is this fair? The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) produces an annual revenue of almost 11 billion dollars; thats more than the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) combined. When the NCAA was first founded, the reason players didn’t get paid was because coaches didn’t either, but that has definitely changed. In 40 of the 50 U.S. states, the highest paid public official is currently the head coach of a state university’s football or men’s basketball team. Last year, the average salary for a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) eligible football coach was $2.05 million. University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s new contract will pay him more than seven million dollars a year. Everyone involved in popular college athletics is making big money, but the players themselves are prohibited from profiting. Many may argue that the athletes are paid through their scholarships. People believe that this mere 25,000 dollars a year, and the free education it provides, is compensation for these athletes work. This scholarship may cover the price of an education, but nothing else. The NCAA admitted the limitations of its scholarships leave the players with about 3,000 to 5,000 dollars out-of-pocket-expenses each year. This scholarship may also be redacted if a player is injured, quits or is kicked off the team.

While everyone makes money off of the amazing talents of these athletes, they receive little to no compensation.

Big college athletes should be paid by either the NCAA or their schools. The University

of Alabama reports 143.3 million dollars in athletic revenue, more than all 30 NFL teams and 25 of the 30 NBA teams. Without the players, these profits wouldn’t be possible, yet the players don’t see a penny. If athletes were paid, it would solve a multitude of problems.

Many athletes leave their university without earning a degree in order to go to professional leagues. If they were paid by their university they would be more likely to stay and graduate.

We have all seen the scandals over the years; an athlete selling something or making a deal in order to profit from their fame. These scandals include some of the biggest players in the games; including Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston. These scandals have always been a problem and will continue to be. These players are some of the most famous young adults in the world. They’re just kids trying to make a quick buck. Many athletes need to make money while they can. Especially in football, a professional career at best may last around 10 years. That’s not taking into account the likelihood of injury. After their sports career, many athletes will not have a backup plan. This is why athletes should be paid throughout their careers, starting in college.

Division I student-athletes endure some of the most stressful and taxing schedules of any American in order to play their sports for our entertainment. The college sports empire, including the universities and the NCAA, takes advantage of these athletes and profit off of their hard work. College sports are a multi-billion dollar market, yet none of the players see any of it. The athletes deserve to be compensated for the work they do on behalf of their universities. <<<

DECEMBER 2014

tries

FRISBEE GOLF

TEEING OFF The Viking’s Features Editor, Hayley Poore, throws a frisbee towards the basket of the fifth hole while attempting frisbee golf at the local Hellyer Disc Golf Course in San Jose.

A

by HAYLEY POORE fter hearing about the success of Paly’s girls’ golf team, The Viking decided to explore a similar sport, but one that is a lot less common. I took fellow Viking member Megan Valencia with me and we decided to try frisbee golf, also known as disk golf. The concept is simple and very similar to golf. However, instead of hitting a small, white ball with a club, you throw a frisbee or disk.

The goal is to get the frisbee to land in the basket in as few shots as possible. The player with the lowest score at the end wins. After doing

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some research, we found several locations near Palo Alto, and decided to go to Hellyer Park.

The course is located in San Jose, right off of Highway 101, and is easy to get to.

The course is found inside the park, so there is no fee to play and it is first come first serve.

There are two courses, one easy and one hard, and we decided to play on the easier course since neither of us had ever played before.

After showing up, it was obvious that the two frisbees we brought were inadequate. One of the other players on the course had a backpack full of about 20 disks, many of which were different sizes.

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Unlike normal golf, frisbee golf is a lot more relaxed. We arrived in athletic clothes instead of nice collared shirts. Also, we showed up when we wanted, instead of arranging a tee time. We found the closest hole to where we had parked that was empty and started playing. It was a bit confusing at first, but we got a better understanding of how it worked after playing a few holes. Each hole had several different places to start from and a few different baskets, depending on how hard you want to make the hole. As beginners, we decided to start at the nearest whole and shoot for the closest basket.

SCORE Poore tosses a frisbee towards the metal basket of the fourth hole on the disc golf course.

I took the first shot and the frisbee went high into the air and landed about 20 feet away. It was obvious that it was going to take me many shots before I got the frisbee to land in the basket. The wind was definitely a factor in where the frisbee moved, but it was not a good enough excuse to explain our bad shots.

We ended up walking around the course after each hole to try and find a new hole that was not near any of the more experienced players. I did not want to accidentally hit them with my frisbee. At one point, we were wandering around trying to find a new hole, when a man told us to get out of the way in a rather unpleasant tone.

But after playing a few holes, I was getting

DIRECTIONS This sign at the entrance of the Hellyer Disc Golf Course shows the location of each hole.

a little bit better. It was easier to understand how hard I needed to throw the disk, and in what direction I needed to aim, for it to land somewhat near the basket. It was still challenging, but it was taking me a lot fewer turns to get the disk in the basket than it did when we first began.

Being outside, however, did add some obstacles. There were a few times when I had to throw the disk lower to the ground than I would have liked because a tree branch was in the way. Other times, usually following a bad shot, I had to stand in the middle of some bushes while throwing the frisbee. After finishing the course, it was a relief to get back into the air conditioned car and out of the heat.

Overall, I enjoyed trying frisbee golf. It is unlike any sport I had ever played before, and it was fun even though I was not very good.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to spend an afternoon outside with friends. It is easy to socialize while playing, and players of all skill levels can play together.

There are several different locations with frisbee golf courses around the Bay Area, but I would also encourage people who want to try it to go to any park or open area and make their own course. That way the holes can be as challenging or as easy as you want, and it can be as convenient as just walking down the street to the local park. <<<

Course courtesy

1) Allow faster groups to play first when possible.

2) Do not alter the course in any way.

3) Remain quiet while others throw.

4) Help new players learn the rules!

DECEMBER 2014

The

WEIRDEST rules in sports

by PRISCILLA BELL

Polo

Polo, played on horses with a long mallet used to hit a white ball, can only be played right handed. This rule was relaxed after WWII, but officially reinstated in 1974.

NBA

If a player breaks the 1/2-inch tempered glass backboard on a dunk, a technical foul is called.

The player can also be faced with a fine. All-star Gus Johnson broke three in his career.

NHL

A team can hire a temporary player, as long as that player plays for free. The Minnesota Wild almost had 51-year-old Paul Deutsch play goalie in a game in 2011.

MLB

When a player hits a home run, he must finish running the bases and cannot pass anyone in front of him, or else the home run does not count. If the home run hitter gets injured while running the bases, another player must come out to finish running the bases for him.

SCVAL/CCS

In our local Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL), teams are not allowed to play warm-up music with lyrics, and the Central Coast Section (CCS) does not allow lyrics in playoff games, except for the National Anthem.

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Images taken from

Photo by Katie Foug

True passion

by KYLIE CALLAN and REUBEN KRAMER

SPIKE IT Jade Schoenberger (‘15) looks to hit the ball in a Paly girls’ volleyball match this past fall. Schoenberger plays volleyball year-round, which can affect other aspects of her life.

DECEMBER 2014

S

hawn Johnson began gymnastics at the age of three. Ryan Lochte first learned to swim at age five. Abby Wambach dribbled her first soccer ball at the age of four. Since then, they have spent innumerable hours working towards greatness. Their efforts have earned them a place in history. Their names have become recognized internationally, making them role models for young athletes.

Despite the fact that starting at a young age has gotten famous athletes to where they are today, recently, there have been many pediatric studies that show children are choosing to narrow their activities down to a single, yearround sport from younger and younger ages.

One such study was conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It stated that early specialization tends to be done in hopes of excelling and eventually reaching college or even professional levels, and also raised concerns about the possible negative effects of such intensity and pressure.

Researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics have also found that playing a single sport year after year without any other sports to provide cross-training can increase injury rates, especially among younger children who are still growing. The study was written by Neeru Jayanthi, MD. “The young athletes who more intensely specialized in a single sport were more likely to have an injury and a serious overuse injury,” Jayanthi said.

In addition, the lack of any other activities can cause burnout in athletes who might otherwise have thrived and succeeded.

A common misconception with focusing on a single sport is that in order to make it to the highest levels of competition, one must dedicate their life to the sport from as early an age as possible. Instead, studies have shown that participating in multiple activities can promote overall athleticism and increase an athlete’s performance in all of their sports.

The greatest difference with playing multiple sports as opposed to just one is that the training for each sport entails learning varied technical skills. General athleticism helps with the rest.

Regardless of whether or not athletes choose to specialize at an early age, sports provide exercise and other vital elements of a healthy childhood. These benefits can extend to the high school years for the individuals who choose to continue with sports.

At the high school level there are generally four main types of athletes: those who specialized in their sport early, those who played multiple sports until they reached high school and were forced to narrow their activities, those who choose to pick up a new sport and those who have managed to continue playing

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Photo courtesy of Lena Chang

DRIVE Lena Chang (‘15) edges past an opponent in a Paly soccer game.

Now a senior, Chang has played on varsity since her freshman year. multiple sports.

Regardless of what category an individual falls under, each athlete has a story as to why they chose to play the sport(s) they play.

Halle Biorn (‘16) has played tennis competitively since her freshman year, and exclusively since her sophomore year.

“I chose to play tennis because I love it,” Biorn said. “It’s kind of my escape from everything. When I step on the court, nothing else matters.”

Many athletes feel this way about their

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sport. Athletics can provide a way to combat the stresses of high school life. They also provide a setting in which one can learn in order to improve and eventually compete at the top levels. An athlete must sometimes narrow their interests down and dedicate all of their efforts to a single sport in order to learn and improve as much as they can. Claire Dennis (‘16) has played volleyball for seven years and quit playing basketball after her freshman year in order to only play volleyball.

“I chose volleyball because I felt like I had

Photo courtesy of Andrew Cho

VICTORY Andrew Cho (‘16), front row, second from the left, and Alex Liang (‘17), back row, far right, smile after placing first at a swim meet. better skills [in it] than in basketball and I enjoyed playing with my teammates,” Dennis said. “Also, since [I made] varsity as a freshman, I wanted to continue to improve by committing more time so that I could play more the following season.”

Jade Schoenberger (‘15) has been playing volleyball since sixth grade and currently plays for Paly. Unlike Dennis, she chose to continue with the sport because of the nature of the game.

“I chose to stick with volleyball because I love how quick the game is,” Schoenberger said. “It’s a fast scoring game [and you get] more touches on the ball as well as more opportunities to score.”

There is something about a certain sport that draws an athlete in and keeps them interested over the years. For Schoenberger, volleyball held her attention because of the constant action. For Preston Kuppe (‘15), soccer was what he enjoyed most. Kuppe has played soccer nearly his whole life and although he has tried other sports such as baseball, basketball and lacrosse, soccer has remained his favorite.

“I decided to continue soccer the whole time because it’s the most fun,” Kuppe said.

“I would rather go play soccer for three hours than any other sport.”

Lena Chang (‘15) also attempted other sports when she was younger but had a similar experience as Kuppe.

“I personally never really enjoyed any other sport as much as soccer so I just stuck with what I liked,” Chang said.

Most athletes are influenced by their family members and friends in terms of what they choose to play. Livi Musil (‘15) followed in her sister’s footsteps.

“My older sister started playing [soccer] and I wanted to be athletic like her,” Musil said. “I was best at soccer and really liked my team-

mates and coaches.”

Adrianna Rositas (‘15) was also impacted by her family. She played a variety of sports when she was younger, including cheerleading, boxing and motocross. Now she plays softball for Paly.

“I chose to continue [with softball] because as I grew older motocross involved [fewer and fewer] girls, so my father and I came to an agreement that I should continue in a more [feminine] sport,” Rositas said. “That is when I chose softball because it was also extremely competitive in my eyes.”

Along with gender stereotypes related to sports, as athletes get older, the requirements of school and other activities can force them to make decisions about how to spend their time. Once students get to high school, the competitive academic environment at Paly

can highlight the need to limit extracurricular activities.

Maya Benatar (‘16) has played multiple sports since she was little, and eventually narrowed them down to two: lacrosse and soccer.

She reached a point where she had to decide which she wanted to continue in high school.

Her freshman year, she quit soccer and chose to pursue lacrosse year-round.

“I ended up deciding the sport that I picked up quicker and the sport that I felt I was naturally better at was lacrosse and so I felt like...I would stand out more playing lacrosse than playing soccer,” Benatar said.

There is also the college recruitment element when deciding whether to continue with athletics, and which sport to choose. Many athletes choose to pursue the sport that they feel gives them the best opportunity to play in college. John Carter (‘15) has rowed for five years, the last two being more competitive. Although he also played football and ran track, Carter chose to only focus on crew.

“I decided to stick with [rowing] because I was good at it and enjoyed it,” Carter said.

“Also, rowers are highly recruited by colleges.”

Part of what helps a student athlete decide which sport(s) to continue with is the amount of sacrifices asked of them and how many they are willing to make. Sports consume a significant amount of time, both during the week and over the weekend. It becomes a question of how kids want to spend their time, and what is truly important to them.

Trisha Wittenbrink (‘17) currently plays volleyball and soccer and runs track in the spring. She enjoys all of her sports; however, she does find it overwhelming at times.

“In order to play sports and balance school, I don’t have much social time,” Wittenbrink

KEEP PUSHING John Carter (‘15), right, works with Jaisel Sandhu (‘15) at a rowing meet. Carter routinely has early morning practice sessions.

Photo courtesy of John Carter

DECEMBER 2014

said. “But [that’s] more of a lifestyle that I’m used to, rather than a sacrifice. I’ve been busy since middle school, [which doesn’t leave] me much time to hang out with friends after school. I consider my teammates my best friends and make time for the most important people in my life. Student athletes have a constant balancing act of school, sports and social life. You have to have priorities and know what you have time for and what you don’t. Time is precious.”

Biorn agreed that sports require giving up certain aspects of one’s social life, and friends are a lower priority.

“There [are] times where I can’t go out because I have a match early the next morning,” Biorn said. “[Sometimes] I miss events [or] hanging with friends because I have a tournament.”

There is also the sometimes inevitable requirement of giving up other activities in order to pursue one more competitively. Benatar reflected on having to choose lacrosse over soccer.

“Giving up soccer was hard,” Benatar said.

“I loved playing soccer and I could’ve played for Paly, which would have been a lot of fun, but honestly I think it was worth it [to stop]

because I think you just have to choose what you’re better at and what you like doing more.”

Once an athlete has chosen which sport(s) they want to focus on, their life transitions from a variety of activities to a seemingly simpler balancing act between sports, school and friends and family. However, as one gets older, each aspect of this balancing act seems to require more and more commitment. For most high school athletes, sports have a large im-

had to make sacrifices because of tournaments and games on the weekends. I have to give up my Thanksgiving break and the first week of summer every year for soccer, which sucks.”

Even regular practice can take a toll on schoolwork, as it limits the after school time an athlete has. Casey Glassford (‘15) plays softball for the Vikings as well as for a club. She has been on varsity since she was a freshman, and the high level of play requires her to make decisions about how she wants to spend her time.

“The biggest sacrifice I’ve made to play is giving up time with my friends and family,” Glassford said.

“Softball season also affects my grades, especially school season.”

Time in school itself can also be limited when an athlete has to travel to play in tournaments or games. Dennis describes the commitment required to play on a traveling volleyball team.

“There are a lot of sacrifices, especially missing school for far away tournaments,” Dennis said. “Last year I missed school when we went to Reno, Spokane and Denver for qualifying tournaments. Also, you miss out on a lot of

“Student athletes have a constant balancing act of school, sports and social life. You have to have priorities and know what you have time for and what you don’t. Time is precious.”

- Trisha Wittenbrink (‘17) pact on other areas of their lives. Kuppe stated that playing Paly soccer can interfere both with schoolwork as well as with vacation time.

The team practices over the Thanksgiving long weekend and games start over winter break.

“On the days that I have practice I usually don’t get my homework done [until] very late into the night,” Kuppe said. “Socially I have

BATTER UP Casey Glassford (‘15) gets ready to hit in a Paly softball game. Glassford plays club softball along with playing for Paly, and has played softball exclusively since she was 10 years old.

Photo courtesy of Casey Glassford

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social opportunities with practice daily during school season and tournaments every other weekend in the club season. The worst is definitely that for the past two years, our league championship in Reno falls on my birthday.”

Other extracurricular activities can also be impacted by athletics. Rositas, who has a job, has to schedule her work shifts around softball commitments.

“Some sacrifices I’ve made for playing my sport is taking time off work in order to make practices and games,” Rositas said.

Many sports have morning practices in order to maximize the amount of practice without cutting too much into after school time or having insanely long workouts. Swimming is one such sport, and Andrew Cho (‘16) described the influence early practices have had on his life.

“I sacrifice a fair amount of things for swimming but the main thing is sleep,” Cho said.

“We have three morning practices every week that start at 5 a.m. and we have to be at the pool by 4:45 [a.m.] So balancing school and swimming is extremely challenging because if you have a test or a project the next day and you go to bed at 11 [p.m.] you get five and a half hours of sleep. I have also sacrificed giving up playing [water] polo for swimming, which was a huge and very hard decision that I had to make.”

Alex Liang (‘17) agrees that his focus on swimming has impacted both his sleep schedule and his academics.

“I have to train [more than 20 hours] a week, and wake up at 4:30 in the morning,” Liang said. “I have to sacrifice social life, sleep

Photo courtesy of Albert Han

MAN OF THE FIELD Albert Han (‘16) gets ready to catch any ball that comes his way in a club baseball game. Han plays baseball year-round. and academic time [for homework].”

Rowing also has morning practices, which Carter says can cut evening plans short. Crew can also force a rower to prioritize nothing else, as practices takes up most of one’s free time.

“We have a lot of morning practices so [there are] a lot of weekend nights where I won’t go out so I can get some sleep,” Carter said. “The practices are six days a week so it’s hard to make time to do anything else.”

Despite the fact that most sports at the high school level can require a lot of dedication and

Photo courtesy of Shelley Chryst

TRIUMPH Claire Dennis (‘16), number 11, and her teammates celebrate after scoring a point. Dennis has played volleyball for seven years.

drive on the part of an athlete, most cannot picture giving their sport up. At this point an athlete has spent possibly over a decade working towards perfecting their abilities, and quitting now would seem like a waste of all their efforts.

Albert Han (‘16) has played baseball for the majority of his life and although tournaments can take up weekends and practice cuts into schoolwork and social time, he has never considered quitting.

“Quitting has just never been an option for me,” Han said. “I love it too much.”

Even if they think about quitting, most are glad that they do not once they make it through the stressful situation that they might have been in. Cho is one such athlete.

“I actually have considered quitting,” Cho said. “Before coming to Paly, I really wanted to quit swimming because I wasn’t very good.

I really loved water polo, and I just got really bored with the sport. But I am glad that I did not quit. I really enjoy the sport and it has given me many benefits.”

Glassford is an example of someone who originally wanted to get recruited for her sport, but then decided against it. Although many athletes may get sidetracked and see a scholarship as the only reason to keep playing, Glassford realized that there was a reason she had started playing and chose to continue despite not looking to play beyond high school.

“I have definitely considered quitting, especially after I decided I didn’t want to try to get recruited for softball,” Glassford said. “However, I realized that the reason I had been playing for so long was for the love of the game and not for a scholarship, so I decided to stick with it.”

DECEMBER 2014

Chang is another athlete who thought that continuing soccer might be too much at times, but is glad she kept at it.

“I have considered quitting soccer before but only under extremely stressful situations due to influences outside of soccer,” Chang said. “Once the situations passed, I remembered how much I love soccer and how much I would have missed it if I quit. I’m glad I stuck with it.”

Injuries can often make sports seem less fun and even bring some athletes to quit. Musil took a season off from soccer to heal and has since come back to the sport she loves.

“I considered quitting after high school season last year,” Musil said. “I had been injured for so long and that season really took a turn for the worse. I was tired of trying so hard and only getting more hurt. I decided to take a season off instead and only do physical therapy: no running, no soccer. That’s helped me a lot and I’m currently playing again.”

As a sophomore, Wittenbrink is coming up to a point where she may have to decide between sports.

“This year has probably been the first year

I’ve been thinking about quitting a sport,” Wittenbrink said. “I’m not ready to make any final decisions, but I’ve definitely been thinking about what I have to do. I’m not really planning everything out, I’m taking the seasons as they come and dealing with it then.”

Despite not always having the most excitement about being at practice all the time, Dennis believes that no matter how you are personally feeling on any given day, you owe it

become your whole life. Although it sometimes means giving up other aspects of your life, you play because you love the game. Not playing anymore would eliminate the disadvantages of playing so intensely, but it would also get rid of all the benefits.

“There have been moments when I think maybe I’ve had enough [or I should] give my body a break,” Schoenberger said. “At the end of the day, volleyball is [my] life. I didn’t put in all the extra hours in the gym [and] watch hours of film just to quit. I love the game and love improving my knowledge about volleyball. If I were to quit, I’d be nothing.”

Although starting to play a sport yearround at a young age can be detrimental in some cases, everyone has their own reasons for how they became involved in their sport or sports and why they chose to continue. Regardless of how they began their athletic careers, Paly athletes continue to push themselves throughout high school. They recognize the sacrifices required of them but they stick with their sports anyway because of the love they have for the game. Their passion allows them to strive and succeed, while still having fun. <<<

“There are definitely days when I don’t want to go to practice, but I know that being part of a team means showing up consistently and giving it your all no matter how you are feeling.”

- Claire Dennis (‘16) to your teammates to give practice or a game 100 percent of your effort.

“I have not seriously considered quitting,” Dennis said. “There are definitely days when I don’t want to go to practice, but I know that being part of a team means showing up consistently and giving it your all no matter how you are feeling.”

Schoenberger states that as an athlete, sports

FOCUS Halle Biorn (‘16) serves the ball in one of her matches this past fall season. Biorn plays doubles for the Vikings, as well as playing for a club team over the summer.

Photo by Katie Foug

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COMMON WINTER

SPORTS INJURIES

by KATIE FOUG

CONCUSSION: soccer

A concussion results from a blow to the head that bruises the brain, resulting in a short loss of normal brain function.

HAMSTRING/ QUADRICEPS STRAIN:

soccer & basketball

A strain is caused by a stretch or tear in the muscle. The hamstring is a collection of three muscles located on the back of the thigh bone, while the quadriceps are a group of four muscles on the front of the thigh.

CAULIFLOWER EAR: wrestling

Cauliflower ear is caused by a hit or repeated hits to the ear. This leads to a blockage that prevents blood flow in the ear, resulting in a bumpy and lumpy appearance similar to a cauliflower.

ACL INJURY:

soccer & basketball

ANKLE SPRAIN:

soccer & basketball

Sprains are caused when the joint is forced to move in an unnatural position like twisting or rolling. A sprained ankle is caused by a stretch or tear in the ligaments surrounding the ankle joint.

This is the tearing or over-stretching of the anterior cruciate ligament located in the middle of the knee, holding the shin bone from sliding out in front of the thigh bone.

Common causes are getting hit on the side of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knee, overextending the knee joint or stopping quickly and changing directions.

DECEMBER 2014

HEIGHT IN

The Viking takes a look into the history of basketball players to

Tallest Manute Bol Height: 7 feet 7 inches Position: Center College: Bridgeport Teams: Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Washington Bullets Years Played: 1985-1996 Fun Facts: 1) He had 10 kids 2) He was very involved in charitable causes, especially in Sudan

7’7’’

Yao Ming Height: 7 feet 6 inches Position: Center Teams: Shanghai Sharks and Houston Rockets Years Played: 1997-2011 Fun Facts: 1)He was the first round, first pick in the 2002 NBA draft

2) When he broke his foot, it decreased his jumping ability by about 6 inches

7’6’’

THE NBA

to compare the tallest and the shortest players in NBA history.

by PAIGE ANDERSON and PAIGE BARA

Shortest Earl Boykins

Height: 5 feet 5 inches Position: Point guard College: Eastern Michigan Teams: Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistens and Washington Wizards Years Played: 1998-2012 Fun Facts: 1) He benches 315 lbs 2) He is the shortest player in NBA to ever score over 30 points in one game

Muggsy Bogues Height: 5 feet 3 inches Position: Point guard College: Wake Forest Teams: Charlotte Hornets, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors Years Played: 1987-2001 Fun Facts: 1) He has a 44-inch vertical jump 2) His hands are too small to do a one-handed dunk

5’3’’ 5’5’’

Replacing

our lost se

niors

By MADDY ATWATER and ALYS OLM STEAD

Where did the seniors go?

Aside from the homeco ming game ing events a , the most m t Paly are te eaningful s ams’ senior honor playe portnights. This rs who hav is a time to e been cruc but more im ial to the te portantly, t am’s perfor o the chemis on a team n mance, try of the te ot only lead a m b . y The seniors majority of example an the time as d experienc captains an e , but also th d vocal lead e e r s .

Recently, th ere has bee n an absenc sports team e in senior s. The reaso presence on ns vary fro commitmen Paly m excessiv t to just los e in in ju g r lete choosin y to time interest. So g not to pla me may thin y k s hould not b a greater eff that an ath e a big deal, ect than ma b ny realize. ut it has ha letes, the siz W d ith the loss e and age o of senior at f our teams derclassme hhas diminis n, many ha h ed greatly. ving never level, have Unplayed at th had to step e intense va up and assu typically ca rsity me leaders rry out trad h ip r it o io les. Seniors are helpful ns set by th for nervous e class befo u r e them, and nderclassm school vars en players. ity athletic N t ormally, hig eams are gr classmen, t h eatly compr ending to b is e mostly se e d o f upperniors.

Lately, Paly ’s athletic c ulture has p popular stig roved quite ma revolvin contrary to g around va older athlet this rsity high s es at Paly s chool sport eem to have sports team s. The had less of s, leaving a a showing o lot of us wit seniors? n our h the quest ion, where are our 40 | T H E V I K I N G |

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Name: “Johnny” Sport: Football Last Played: 10/24/14

Class: 2015 Reason: Injury

ll this changed, quit footba en be s ha e m na e os hnny, wh Similar to many Information: Jo rly on in the season. ea n sio us nc co us rio and moved past year due to a se since freshman year m ra og pr ll ba ot fo e rsity for in th rsity, and finally to va seniors, he had been va or ni ju to , am te freshman le concussions in his way up from the hnny suffered multip Jo . ar ye or ni se ed ct e it challenging his junior and expe senior year. This mad s hi e on us rio se e on d his football career an ll. participate in footba to ue in nt for him to co d hurt,” Johnny get hit my head woul I’d er ev en wh d an d “It just kind of lingere said. workload. Along erwhelmed with his ov s wa ny hn Jo s, or ent (AP) Like many other seni d by Advanced Placem ne sig as k or ew m ho nt of are due with the usual amou tions, some of which ica pl ap ge lle co on s to focu hnny also particiclasses, seniors have e of the fall season. Jo dl id m e th in ht rig how much of a Nov. 1, which falls good perspective on a m hi g in giv g, rin sp pates in track in the ball really is. ot fo t en time commitm rder,” Johnny e workload a little ha th e ad m ll ba ot fo lly Paly sports “I think that specifica big, but out of all the as ’t isn t en itm m m co time said. “With track the e commitment.” ball is the biggest tim ot fo k in I’ve played I th itment, Johnwhelming time comm er ov an d an n sio us conc Between his serious became clear. ng his football career di en r fo ny’s reasons

Concussions and Footba

ll

more likely to suffer concussed are three times n bee e hav o wh s lete ath “High school Play Inc. same season.”-Cleared to another concussion in the DECEMBER 2014

Names: Courtne y

Hartwell & Abb

y Strong

Sport: Volleyball Last Played: M

2014

ay

Class: 2015 Reason: Time

Commitment

Information: Co

urtney Hartwel volleyball since l (‘15) and Abby their freshman Strong (‘15) ha year at Paly, bu ve played both decided no t come their fin t to play. Althoug al season, the gi h they both love connected to th rls the game and w e sport, it was di anted to stay fficult to find a letics and college balance betwee preparation. n school-work, athTo still have volle yball as part of their lives, they School as coache now volunteer at s for the volleyb Jordan Middle al l teams there. W their love for th ith this, they ca e game and man n age their time be still share tter.

“I don’t think I was really able to have that leve school and colle l of commitmen ge apps,” Strong t and do well in said. “This is ki nd of a better ba lance.”

Hartwell and St rong were unde r heavy pressure only to be at ev from their volle ery practice an yball coaches no d game, but also t to play well. “[The coach] ex pected a lot from us,” Hartwell sa and a half hour id. “Last year pr s, but then we ha actices were tw d to get there 30 stretch.” o minutes early an d stay after to Despite quitting , the girls decide d to coach instea a great way to st d and realized th ay involved wit at coaching was h the sport they loved.

“We decided it w ould be a better way to still be co be more relaxed nnected to the sp and get a new ex ort, but have it perience,” Strong ball in our lives said. “We still w , we just didn’t want to play an anted volleyymore.”

Hartwell and St rong shared sim ilar experience sports. The wor s with many athl kload, pressure etes in high scho an d time commitm a high school ca ol ent are hard to reer, despite th balance during eir love for the game.

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Name: Oliver Rowles Sport: Football Last Played: 10/17/14

Class: 2015 Reason:

Time Commitment

football for the s school year playing hi off d te ar st 5) (‘1 his unier Rowles ber 17th, he turned in to Oc on Information: Olivpe a st Vi ta on M m ting against llege apps and the Vikings, but after co ced with countless co fa , es wl Ro e. tic ac pr ze his time and ek of ely decided to prioriti form the following we at tim ul , or ni se r te first semes pressures of being a k over football. or focus on his schoolw actices after was like three hour pr “It . id sa es wl Ro g,” much time onsumin worth it to spend that t no “It was way too time-c t os m al t fel it r s not a starte school and since I wa and college apps.” not doing school work ysical and ke into account the ph ta to y ar ss ce ne is it e to tice hours, very busy schedule du a ve ha Along with long prac es et hl at of ing a sport. A lot ting habits. mental strain of play althy sleeping and ea he ng ni ai nt ai m th wi ong school and practice al tle time otball] left me very lit [fo , ns tio ica pl ap ge es said. ework and colle to do any of it,” Rowl nt wa ’t “Along with the hom dn di st ju d s really tired an after practice and I wa e for school, mself with more tim hi ds fin w no es wl Ro sleep been made, health, getting enough es on r fo Since the change has od go is t ou though working family and friends. Al portant. out school are also im and not stressing ab ne early and , getting my work do ily m fa d an ds en fri more time with “Now I am spending er,” Rowles said. getting to sleep earli had a positive made sense and has rly ea on as se ll ba ot e to end his fo Altogether, the choic cts of his life. result on other aspe

DECEMBER 2014

Witnesses: G irls’ varsity basketball Current Senio r Total: 0 2014 Leagu e Information Record: 5-7 : The Palo Alto Girls ball team pro

’ varsity bask ved to be a co etmpetitive forc League last y e in the De A ear, and are nza anticipated to ing season. W do well this u here did the pcomsuccess of th A starting ro e team come ster of three from? sophomores and two fres hman.

With no junio rs on the rost er last year an injured, und erclassmen w d both senio rs ere called up includes now on to compet juniors Alex e.

This is Harris (‘16) Lovely (‘16). and Courtney Along with th e juniors, the team is comp men were fr rised of a maj eshman on v arsity last yea ority of soph court with th omores. Man r, and have n em. y of these un ever known derclasswhat it is lik e to have a senio “Since I have r on the never had a senior prese to step up an nce on the co d start to lead urt with us, ourselves,” L someone ther it has made auren Koyam e to teach by us underclas a (‘17) said. ex our team.” perience, bu smen have “Personally, t has made m it is hard to e realize that not have without them , I have to hel Follow the gi p lead rls this season to see how th e underclassm en step up an d fill in the ro les that are la cking.

Information

:Peter Snodgr during his fr ass (‘17) was eshman year on junior var at Paly, and was placed on sity in his second varsity. Desp year of footba ite being an filled very bi ll u nderclassmen g shoes for th e Vikings this , Snodgrass lb, tight end past season. and defensiv As a 5’11, 18 e end, Snodgr and averaged 5 ass started se 3.3 tackles p ven of ten ga er game this mes season.

Snodgrass be lieved that w ith seniors qu develop mor itting, the te e chemistry. am was able Snodgrass h year on varsi ad a lot to learn ty and relied during his fi heavily on le the older ath rst arning from letes. the experien ce of “The juniors have definitel y really step Snodgrass sa ped up in a le id. “We have adership role become a mor people quitti ,” e close-knit te ng because w am with all th e have to stic k e to gether.”

Snodgrass The absence of seniors caused the se around to st nior athletes and out as le that did stick aders on the importance team. Snodgr of the senior ass notes the leaders and team’s chem what they co istry. ntributed to the “I would say 7 there was a lack in some nitely had so senior leader me senior le ship, but we aders,” Snod who were ver defigr ass said. “We y big leaders had individu on our team als .”

er Witness: Pet all Sport: Footb Class: 2017 ts: Varsity Star 44 | T H E V I K I N G |

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d links aders, role models an le of ss lo a es m co s and With a loss of senior side from experience A s. am te ts or sp c ifi ec ing to the traditions of sp t it means to be a Vik ha w es et hl at r ge un e yo a skill, seniors teach th te. It is possible that ua ad gr ey th ce on team me, and if this is the and how to carry the co to s ar ye in rm no come a orts may go down. lack of seniors will be sp ly Pa ld ho e w ch rds to whi case, the high standa the physical ability of on d se ba ly on t no is ort , The excellence of a sp erclassmen athletes pp U . th ng re st l ta en the m more time to adjust the players, but also d ha ly al rm no ve ha seniors, making them more and more specifically e, et hl at y it rs va a quired by years of playing h it to the level of play re w , se ur co Of . ld er on the fie u than just another play jury, and the older yo in of ce an ch r te ea gr a a specific sport comes eater your workload. gr e th es m ti n te of are, oided? cases? Or can it be av e m so in le ab it ev in moment, but the e th Is a loss of seniors at ed er sw an be e that can This question is not on unt the number of se co t, en ev ic et hl at ly a Pa be next time you attend this is something to if lf se ur yo r fo de ci d de niors on the squad, an concerned about. <<< DECEMBER 2014

The architect who built a dynasty Many San Francisco Giants fans have enjoyed plenty of recent success. Despite the odds stacked against them, the orange and black won their third World Series in the past five seasons. This is why it happened, and how they can continue the trend.

by DANIEL DOUTY The San Francisco Giants have officially left their mark in baseball history. They have brought home three of the past five world series trophies, something no National League team has done in nearly 70 years. How did the Giants franchise emerge to become the best team of this decade? How can they continue their success? The answers are ones that every Major League Baseball team strives to achieve .

Come October and November, The San Francisco Giants have grown quite accustomed to champagne celebrations, championship rings and coveted trophies. They have never been regarded as the frontrunner, yet every year they seem to pull off miracles.

“MADBUM” Pitcher Madison Bumgarner winds up for a strike on the mound. This October, “MadBum” won his third World Series ring, and earned the Comissioner’s Trophy as the Most All images Valuable Player. taken from 46 | T H E V I K I N G |

SWEET VICTORY Third baseman Pablo Sandoval falls after making the final out of the 2014 World Series. The Giants defeated the Kanas City Royals in seven games to win their third World Series in five years.

Why are they a dynasty?

Many argue that the Giants should not be considered a dynasty because that classification requires success each and every season. It is true that the Giants have missed the playoffs twice between their championship campaigns.

However, it is important to consider this: over the past five seasons, the Giants have won more championships than every other team combined. The Cardinals and Red Sox each earned a championship, but there are 27 other teams that haven’t won any. The Giants have three trophies in their trophy case, and that is all that matters. Perhaps they are not as dominant as the Yankees in the 1930’s, 50’s, and 90’s, but they are easily the best team of this decade, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Who is responsible?

While the games are played by the players, the management of the team deserves the most credit for building the franchise. The Giants had fallen into the category of mediocre teams following a World Series loss in 2002 and defeat in the NLDS in 2003 after a 100-win season. They put together four consecutive losing seasons, watching other teams celebrate at the end while they sat on the couch.

While the team failed to perform on the field, the front office was tasked with putting

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together the pieces to bring the franchise back to the Fall Classic. That’s where General Manager (GM) Brian Sabean comes in. While he has not garnered much respect as one of the top GMs in baseball, he has made a strong case for himself in the past five years. He built this dynasty in three different ways, quality drafting, small free agent signings and smart trades. Possibly the most important move he made was hiring former catcher and established coach Bruce Bochy to manage the team in 2007.

Since taking the reigns of the club, Bochy has served as the teams true leader. He is truly the spiritual leader of the team, and he brings out the best in all of his players. He has consistently made game winning decisions and is in the running for manager of the year nearly every year. He has also guided his team through extreme adversity, like when the team won six straight elimination games in 2012 or when they won the 2014 World Series without catalyst Angel Pagan or workhorse Matt Cain.

Each World Series team had missed out on the playoffs the previous year, yet Bochy not only remained confident himself, but he implanted the same confidence in all of his players. That is why the players always give credit to Bochy, and he has been every bit as important to the franchise as Sabean. Even when the Giants...

Read on at www.vikingsportsmag.com

The Last Word

Is the risk really worth it?

I recently read an online article by Time that argued for participation in youth flag football and couldn’t agree more with the viewpoint presented. Given my experience in both tackle and flag football, I decided to voice my own opinion on the issue.

Image taken from

T

by GARRETT REYNOLDS

he game of football has skyrocketed in popularity over the past 25 years. More fans watch it on TV, more players aspire to play professionally and more children participate in youth leagues. At the same time, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that tackle football comes with great injury risks at all ages.

These hazards leave many parents in a predicament over whether or not to let their kids play football at all.

Some people argue that in Pop Warner football, a youth tackle football organization, kids do not hit as hard, making it less dangerous than high school football. While young kids may not hit as hard as high school players, the argument that weaker tackles are not as dangerous could not be more wrong.

Kid-on-kid collisions are much less violent than those of high school players but, at the same time, younger kids are much more fragile because they are still developing physically.

Kids have a higher risk of brain damage than teens, and the head injuries take much longer to heal for kids.

More and more parents are realizing the dangers of football and are taking action. According to an article by Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN), the participation in Pop Warner football dropped by 9.5% between 2010 and 2012. Instead of turning away from football, children and their parents have looked for alternatives to the dangerous sport. One of these is flag football. Flag football allows kids to continue with the game they love, but it limits the contact tremendously. The kids wear two to three flags and are “down” when one of their flags gets pulled, instead of when they are tackled. Another major difference is the number of players on the field.

The fewer number of players further reduces the risk of injury.

I personally love the idea of more and more kids playing flag football and protecting themselves for the future. Flag football requires similar skills to football and may in fact enhance

STARTING EARLY Elementary school kids practice handoffs at flag football practice. Gyms such as the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) have started flag football programs. The goals of these programs are to encourage youth to play football and to minimize the risk of injury. some skills in ways that tackle football cannot.

In tackle football the bigger kids rely on their size to shake tacklers. Flag football forces you to juke tacklers and become quicker on your feet.

I have first hand experience coaching flag football, as I coached a team at Jordan Middle School last year. I also had the experience of playing youth tackle football when I was in fourth and seventh grade. I can say without batting an eye that both flag and tackle are equally fun. At the fundamental level, kids are not losing anything by not playing tackle football. I am confident in saying this for two reasons. The first reason is that the two games are essentially the same, but flag football minimizes injury. I can personally tell you that getting a concussion at the age of ten is not fun.

The second reason is that flag football players

can successfully transfer over to tackle football later in their lives if they so desire. Some professional football players actually only played tackle football in high school. A great example of this is New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady, whose parents did not allow him to play football until he was a freshman in high school because his father believed the game was too dangerous. Tom Brady is an all-pro quarterback who will likely end up in the Hall of Fame. This further proves my point that kids should play flag football until high school.

If a kid starts playing flag football instead of tackle football, he or she will not lose football experience or enjoyment of the game, and can avoid injury. Despite the recent spike in popularity of the game, I believe parents should make the best choice for their kids and let them play flag football rather than tackle.<<<

DECEMBER 2014

PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO ROAD PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94301

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