The Viking: Volume 8, Issue 5

March 2015 Volume VIII Issue 5

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Volume 8 Issue 5 photo by Olivia Scola

March 2015

SWING Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) swings at a pitch against Carlmont while his teammates watch from the dugout. The team went on to lose the game 5-4, giving them its first defeat of the season.

15

GUIDE TO HEALTHY LIVING

The Viking staff have compiled a set of guidelines to help athletes lead a healthy lifestyle.

23

NEXT UP Paly baseball has a strong crop of underclassmen who play important roles.

by DANIEL DOUTY and ROWAN MCEVOY

32

THE ULTIMATE RIVALRY The Viking takes a look at the fierce rivalry between Paly and Los Gatos.

LINE UP ZOOM

Look Drive Stride

KICKOFF Staff view Pop culture grid 10 questions with Ellis Obrien (‘15)

Inside the mind

of Alec Sullivan (‘15)

4 6 8

11 12 13 14

35

VIKING TRIES

Join The Viking as we try out racquetball.

by PAIGE ANDERSON and REUBEN KRAMER

Viking Tries: Racquetball

FEATURES Next up

The ultimate rivalry

by MADDY ATWATER

From the shadows

COLUMNS

Around the bend

The Viking guide to #SSS athletics

28

Last word

46

37

FROM THE SHORTS SHADOWS The Viking guide to 15 While people often overhealthy living look the importance of the How to ask an athlete to 26 non-starters on a team, prom many of them actually play Ice, ice baby!

30 key roles.

35

23 32 37 41

by ISAAC KASEVICH and HAYLEY POORE

41 AROUND THE BEND Paly’s own Brett McBride (‘17) is making a name for himself in the sport of downhill longboarding: getting sponsored and winning races.

by PRISCILLA BELL and SAMUEL DESRÉ

Natalie Maloney (‘17) looks up as she dribbles down the field.

Maloney had one goal in the Vikings’ 5-0 win over Santa Teresa in the CCS semi-final on March 7.

Photo by Alys Olmstead

Matthew Seligson (‘16) drives up the field against a Sacred Heart defender. Seligson had two goals in the match, but the Vikings lost 12-6.

Photo by Alys Olmstead

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MARCH 2015

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Eli Givens (‘16) leads the 200-meter race against Milpitas. He won the event with a time of 22.6 seconds.

Photo by Olivia Scola

MARCH 2015

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 are getting ready for the upcoming spring break and preparing yourself for the fun-in-thesun that is sure to happen over the break. Also, good luck to the class of 2015 as they decide where they want to go to college. Everyone at The Viking is wishing you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

Our cover story this issue follows Brett McBride (‘17), a sponsored longboarder. Feature Editor Priscilla Bell and Staff Writer Samuel Desré take us through the journey of McBride, from McBride’s first experience with the sport to what it is like being a sponsored athlete in high school.

The other main feature focuses on the unsung heroes of Paly teams, those that don’t start but come on late

Copy Editor Clara Harrington Multimedia Editor Gillian Chryst Columnist Garrett Reynolds Business Manager Megan Valencia Staff Writers Paige Anderson Maddy Atwater Kylie Callan Bryn Carlson Samuel Desré 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

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

in games to make an impact for the team. The story, brought to you by Features Editor Hayley Poore and Staff Writer Isaac Kasevich, follows numerous athletes across spring sports who tell of their stories, waiting for their opportunity to shine.

The staff view this issue centers around the selection process potential Paly coaches must go through in order to represent the green and white. The Viking believes that players need to be more involved in the process and that doing so would lead to more victories, better team morale and longer stays for coaches.

Finally, we hope that you enjoyed reading this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it for you!

Sincerely, Zoe, Rowan and Alex

BY THE NUMBERS: ISSUE 5

8 12 6

Number of pages this issue dedicated to getting healthy Age Brett McBride (‘17) started longboarding Number of ideas for how to ask an athlete to prom

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.

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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 Folger Graphics in Hayward, Calif.

L

T

Staff view Athletes should have a say in hiring Paly coaches Over the years, Paly coaches have come and gone. Whether these coaches move onto a higher level, retire or are let go, the administration must find someone to replace them.

In order to find a new head coach, the athletic director goes through a hiring process that includes finding and interviewing applicants.

However, The Viking thinks that this process is missing something: input from Paly athletes.

The Viking believes that Paly players should be involved in the hiring process, as Paly athletes are most affected by the administration’s coaching choices.

There are multiple reasons why The Viking believes that Paly athletes should be involved in the hiring processes of new coaches.

Firstly, Paly athletes, especially upperclassmen, know firsthand the strengths and weaknesses of their past coach. This knowledge allows students to find a coach with strengths

in important areas who could work with the student-athletes to foster a more successful athletic environment.

Secondly, some coaches have coaching philosophies that are not suited for high school sports. While sports at Paly are and always will be competitive and intense, Paly coaches must have a balance between their love for winning and their respect for their players. The Viking believes that Paly athletes are the best judges of appropriate coaching philosophies, and should therefore be allowed to take part in coaching choices.

Some people may argue that hiring a new coach is just like hiring a new teacher, and that student-athletes should have no more of a say in the hiring of coaches than they have in the hiring of teachers. Though the administration has department heads and fellow subject teachers who are experienced in their fields

Become a Palo Alto

LIFEGUARD

TODAY! Why join? You can develop skills in leadership, decision-making, customer service and public relations, problem solving, time management, and team building, all while working with a winning team. Our schedules are flexible and you’ll be able to make good money while having fun! Interested?

1 2 3

GET CERTIFIED.

See the Lifeguard Training class schedule on the back side of this flyer to become lifeguard certified by the Red Cross.

DO YOU WANT TO BE A LIFEGUARD? Make a difference in your community. Enjoy a summer by the pool. Build lifelong relationships. Hone invaluable lifesaving skills.

Palo Alto Aquatics Swim Instructor/Lifeguard interviews begin April 14 for a summer start date. Applicants must be 15 years old and obtain American Red Cross Lifeguard certification by June 7. The City of Palo Alto offers three certification courses each spring. Courses are listed in the Enjoy! catalogue. Visit the Aquatics website for more information: cityofpaloalto.org/lifeguarding

LIFEGUARD TRAINING American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course including First Aid, CPR and AED. Students must: BE 15 YEARS OF AGE by end of course. Must show proof of age, which can be a driver’s license, state identification, birth certificate or passport.

SWIM 300 YARDS (12 LAPS) continuously using a combination of both freestyle and breaststroke.

TREAD WATER FOR 2 MINUTES using only the legs.

COMPLETE A TIMED EVENT (10-pound brick retrieval) within 1 minute, 40 seconds.

Attendance is REQUIRED at all classes. Students will be dropped from the course if they do not show up on time for all classes. Please note the courses were planned out to not interfere with any holidays (Easter Sunday and Memorial Day) or Paly & Gunn Prom and ACT testing!

PRICE: $189R/$219NR LOCATION: Lucie Stern and Rinconada Pool (we will contact participants with first day’s location) MAXIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 18

APPLY.

to aid them in the hiring process, the athletic director does not have this help. The athletic director only has his or her own knowledge about the sport, however extensive or minimal that may be, and experiences with past coaches off of which to base their hires. During this whole process the input of student-athletes is overlooked. The Viking believes that student-athletes can take the place of the experienced teachers in this scenario, and can help guide and support the athletic director to hire the best possible coach for the Paly sports program.

Whether it be through athlete surveys at the end of the season, student suggestions for possible coaches, or even student-athletes helping to interview the coaches, The Viking thinks that athletes should most definitely be involved in finding a new coach for their Paly sport. <<<

MINIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 10

CLASS CODES: (see right next to each course)

SPRING BREAK

5555

F 4/3 S 4/4 M 4/6 Tu 4/7 Th 4/9

9am-5pm 9am-5pm 9am-5pm 9am-5pm 9am-5pm

MID-APRIL

5556

F 4/11 Su 4/12 Tu 4/14 W 4/15 W 4/15 Su 4/19

9am-5pm 9am-5pm 5pm-9:30pm 5pm-9:30pm 5pm-9:30pm 8am-6pm

LAST CHANCE

5557

Th 5/14 F 5/15 Sa 5/16

5pm-9:30pm 5pm-9:30pm 9am-5:30pm

Su 5/17 Tu 5/ 19 W 5/20 Th 5/ 21

9am-5:30pm 5pm-9:30pm 5pm-9:30pm 5pm-9:30pm

Make sure you meet program commitments then fill out an employment application.

INTERVIEW.

Sign up for an interview online and bring your application.

Get started at: cityofpaloalto.org/lifeguarding

MARCH 2015 QUESTIONS? Contact Tyler Stetson at: Tyler.Stetson@cityofpaloalto.org or call 650.463.4929.

1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto CA 94301

P Culture Grid

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

Nick Beeson (‘15) Baseball

Casey Glassford (‘15) Softball

Trisha Wittenbrink (‘17) Track

Christian Rider (‘17) Lacrosse

Maya Benatar (‘16) Lacrosse

Beach

Beach

Beach

Beach

Beach

Favorite spring sport to watch?

Baseball

Girls trying to get hot so boys ask them to prom

Track relays

College lacrosse

Badminton

Favorite Kardashian?

I don’t know

Norman Jenner

Beach or pool?

I know one of their Kim when she’s

They are all lame names is Khloè so in a competitive let’s go with that

House of Cards or Scandal?

House of Cards

House of Cards

I dont watch any of these

Favorite sports scandal?

Black Sox Scandal

1972: Uruguay rugby team became cannibals

All of them

HOT Prom

OJ Simpson

House of Cards Deflate-gate

Spring training

With every new year, baseball fans get a look into just how good or bad their teams will be in the upcoming season. With trades and new prospects cycling around the league throughout the off season, spring training is an outstanding way to get a look into just how well new pick-ups will fit in to the clubhouse.

As in years past, spring is particularly tedious for most in the Paly community.

There is competition for who is getting what dress and in addition to dress-stress Selix is now out of business. That means tuxedo wearing prom goers will need to find a new haberdashery.

Hunter Pence

After being plunked in the sixth inning of a spring training game by a Cubs propect, Pence will be out for six to eight weeks. He suffered a fractured left ulna (forearm).

Images taken from

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House of Cards

mood

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McFarland USA When McFarland USA hit the theaters, there was much anticipation from the Paly communiy. As it turns out, the Paly cross-country team was portrayed as snobby and rude cheaters. In oppostion to the movie ,The Viking believes that Paly athletes are very fair competitors.

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Q uestions 10 with

Ellis Obrien (‘15)

as told to Micahel Pappas

The Viking asked Paly baseball player Ellis Obrien (‘15) 10 questions about himself and then compared his responses to that of his coach Dave Goldman, friend Jasper McEvoy and girlfriend Yasmeen Arami (‘15). Read on to discover who knows Ellis best!

Ellis Obrien (‘15)

Varsity baseball player

Questions

Dave Goldman

Jasper McEvoy (‘15)

Coach

Friend

Yasmeen Arami (‘15) Girlfriend

McChicken or protein shake

Favorite pre-game snack?

Raw meat

Taquitos

RG3

Favorite athlete?

Joc Pederson (‘10)

RG3

RG3

Borat

Favorite movie?

Unbroken

Norbit

Borat

Any Eminem song

Favorite pump-up song?

I Won’t Back Down

Take Me to Church

Sing for the Moment

Spring

Fall or spring?

Spring

Fall

Spring

March Madness

March Madness or Fantasy Baseball?

March Madness

March Madness

Fantasy baseball

Dodgers

Favorite baseball team?

Paly Vikings

Dodgers

Dodgers

Pink or camo Sperrys

Favorite pair of shoes?

Green high top Converse

NFL draft

Favorite annual sporting event?

The Masters

Superbowl

Ferrari 458

Favorite car?

Mustang

Maserati

20%

40%

Images taken from

Sperrys

Protein shake

Pink Sperrys Superbowl Ferrari

80% MARCH 2015

Inside the mind of Alec Sullivan (‘15)

as told to Michael Pappas

photo by Katie Foug

On track “Track is brutal in many regards but at the same time I really do like it. I’ve been doing it since freshman year and I’ve grown to really like it.”

On the brother

“My brother inspired me to start track. Love my brother, he has inspired me a lot in terms of athletically and what to strive for. He has been a really good role model for me.”

On senior year

“Best year of high school bar none, year where most memories have been made.”

On the JCC “I have a workout partner, his name is Charlie. We keep each other motivated, we don’t let each other slack off, he will send me threatening texts if I take a day off. We get hyped on supplements.”

On “the boys” “This year I have realized that I love my boys more than ever. We are all going off to college soon and I have stopped taking it for granted.

I don’t think anyone has the bond that we have and that’s something I really appreciate about us.”

On future

“T.B.D. I don’t know what I am going to do yet. I can tell you it’s very bright.”

The Viking’s

Guide to:

TAKE A HIKE pg. 18

by CLARA HARRINGTON and MADDIE KINNAMAN

NO PAIN, YES GAIN pg. 20

by KYLIE CALLAN

SURVIVAL OF THE FRESHEST pg. 22

by MEREDITH KINNAMAN

SPRING SMOOTHIES pg. 24

by ANNA DUKOVIC

In the next six pages, The Viking staff dives into ways to help you take a scenic hike, stay in shape despite an injury and make a healthy snack in five minutes. Enjoy these tips and remember that a healthy you is a happy you.

MARCH 2015

TAKE A

Hiking is a great way to stay in shape while getting in touch with nature, spending time with friends and seeing new sights. With unique and beautiful areas so close-by, Paly students have the ability to easily explore many different hiking trails. The Viking has sought out the best spots to hit in the Bay Area. Read on to find your next weekend hike destination!

by CLARA HARRINGTON and MADDIE KINNAMAN

1. Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve Driving time: 20-25 min.

Benefits: Working farm with animals & lots of trail options Easy trail: Chamise Trail (2.1 mi.)

Hard trail: Black Mountain Trail (4 mi.)

Rating:

photo by Clara Harrington

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve is a large space located in Los Altos. The area has roughly 24 miles of trails to hike on, as well as a running farm that is easily accessible for visitors.

Located off of Highway 280, the preserve is a relatively short drive from Palo Alto and has enticing features that make it a worthwhile visit.

2. Foothills Park photo by Clara Harrington

Available only to Palo Alto residents, Foothills Park in Los Altos offers easy access to great views and adventuring opportunities. With plenty of trails to try varying in length and difficulty, Foothills is definitely a go-to spot for Paly students interested in hitting the trails.

Driving time: 15-20 min.

Benefits: Dog friendly on weekdays & fishing Easy trail: Panorama Trail (1.47 mi.)

Hard trail: Los Trancos Trail (7.39 mi.)

Rating:

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H KE

3. Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

Located in Portola Valley, Windy Hill Open Air Preserve offers 12.2 miles of trails. The area also has hiking, biking and equestrian trails, along with certain dog-friendly trails. The preserve has many breathtaking views that are great places to snap some pictures!

photo by Maddie Kinnaman

Driving time: 25-30 min.

Benefits: Dog friendly & great views Easy trail: Sequioas Trail (1.47 mi.)

Hard trail: Lost Trail (8 mi.)

Rating:

4. Muir Woods

Located across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin, the Muir Woods National Monument is a beautiful national park. Historic redwood trees provide ample shade for the six miles of trails. Because Muir Woods is a national park, there is a $7 fee for visitors over the age of 15, but the park is open yearround. Muir Woods is definitely worth the trip across the Bay!

Images taken from

Driving time: 60+ min.

Benefits: National park & paved trails Easy trail: 1/2 Mile Trail (2.1 mi.)

Hard trail: Ocean View Trail (3 mi.)

Rating:

Remember: Not everyone can be a star athlete, but almost anyone can become a great hiker!

MARCH 2015

No pain, yes gain

Have you ever been frustrated by an injury that kept you from practicing? Has it been difficult to return to your previous performance level without exercising while you were hurt? Read on for ways to keep in shape if you are ever sidelined by an injury.

by KYLIE CALLAN

Cardio Options: Rowing:

Most gyms have rowing machines available for use. Set the machine to desired resistance, and either row for time (recommended time is 25-30 minutes) or do interval training. For interval training, warm up for five minutes before increasing the resistance for periods of 30 seconds for 10 minutes. Finish with a five minute cool down.

1

Legs:

Swimming:

Stationary Biking:

Swim a few laps of freestyle to warm up. Then, move into intervals, switching between more intense and less intense swimming every lap. Finish with a cool down of a few laps. Aim for a workout of 25-30 minutes. If needed, substitute the interval workout with laps of kicking or just using your arms, based on your injury.

Stationary bikes can be found in the Paly weight room or at a local gym. Bike workouts are similar to rowing in that you can either bike at a set resistance for time (again, recommended time is 25-30 minutes) or you can do interval training by increasing the resistance for 30 second periods out of every minute. Make sure to warm up and cool down.

Leg Lifts

With your legs perpendicular to your torso, raise your top leg. Do both sides.

2

Quads:

Starting in a lunge, jump up and switch front legs.

Jumping Lunges

S d t M y

s

3

Glutes:

Fire Hydrants

On your hands and knees, raise your leg to the side.

4

Triceps:

Tricep Dips

Start on your hands and feet. Dip down until you just barely brush the ground and push back up.

Make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re only moving your arms, not your hips.

5

Core:

Crunches

With your legs lifted and at a right angle, raise your head and shoulders up.

Cross one leg over the other and bring the opposite elbow across.

6

Obliques:

On either your toes or knees, go down until your elbows are at a right angle and push back up.

Put all your weight on one arm and the side of one foot. Hold with your body in a straight line.

Planks & Push Ups

Survival of

One of the most important components of being an athlete is what you eat and refuel practice meals that won’t leave you feeling weighed down, and will

Asian Quinoa Salad Steps 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped red cabbage 1 cup shelled and cooked edamame 1 red bell pepper, chopped ½ cup shredded carrots 1 cup diced cucumber

1. Add water, quinoa and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

2. Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add the cabbage, edamame, red pepper, carrots and cucumber. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

4. Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine.

Cinnamon Oatmeal Steps

1. Soak oats for 12 - 24 hours in 2 cups of water.

Keep container covered to keep dust and flies out.

The oats will absorb most of the water.

2. When oats are done soaking, bring an additional 3 cups of water to a boil. Lower the heat and add the soaked oats with any remaining water.

3. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until the oats are hot and have absorbed all the water, about 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Stir constantly as the oatmeal gets thicker to prevent it from burning. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

1 cup steel-cut oats 5 cups water Sea salt to taste 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

the freshest

el with. Here are a few fast and healthy recipes that are perfect for post-workout and ll give you the energy you need to be the best athlete out there. by MEREDITH KINNAMAN

Chicken and Avocado Burrito Steps 2 cups cooked shredded chicken ½ cup Mexican cheese blend (or mozzarella) 1 avocado diced 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped 4 large tortillas 1 tablespoon oil

1. Mix the shredded chicken, cheese, cilantro, and the diced avocados.

2. Lay a tortilla flat on a plate and add ¼ of the mixture, form a roll. repeat the process for all four tortillas.

3. Pour 1 tablespoon oil into a heated pan or griddle.

4. Place all 4 tortillas on the pan and cook for 2 minutes on medium - high heat. Flip on the other side and cook for another minute or until the burritos are golden in color. Serve warm.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine the mashed bananas and sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the applesauce, vanilla and egg. Stir to combine.

4. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the chocolate chips and pour into the prepared baking pan.

5. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the top and bake for 25-30 minutes.

3 medium ripe bananas ¾ cup brown sugar ½ cup applesauce 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 cup flour ½ cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips Mini chocolate chips for topping - optional

Spring Smoothies

Have a blender and not sure what to do with it? Throw some fruit together to whip up a delicious spring smoothie. Follow these five quick recipes to quench your thirst.

Each smoothie below serves one person. Try them out and enjoy!

by ANNA DUKOVIC

Berry Sweet

½ cup blueberries 5 sliced/cut strawberries ½ cup of blackberries 5.3 oz. greek vanilla yogurt 2 teaspoons honey ⅛ cup raw oats ½ cup orange juice 4 ice cubes

Feeling Peachy

½ of a mango ¼ of a peach 5.3 oz. of greek peach yogurt 6 oz of pineapple juice 4 ice cubes

Viking Green

1 cup spinach ½ cup kale ½ cup cucumber 1 kiwi ½ of a green apple, diced ¼ cup water 3 ice cubes

Peelin’ Good

½ cup plain yogurt 10 sliced strawberries 1 small banana 1 tablespoon flaxseed ½ cup limeade 4 ice cubes

Totally Nutty

½ cup peanut butter 2 small bananas ½ cup almond milk 4 ice cubes

*Tip: Add protein powder to any of the smoothies to get extra nourishment.

Protein is especially beneficial right after exercising. Also, drinking a smoothie right after getting home from a workout is a good way to cool down!

Next up

by DANIEL DOUTY and ROWAN McEVOY

I

t’s the eighth inning and the Paly baseball team is tied with Willow Glen as the sun begins to set in the late afternoon on a cold March day. With runners on second and third, Riley Schoeben (‘16) comes up to bat, only to be intentionally walked. As the fans cheer on, Paly’s ninth place hitter steps up to the plate with the bases loaded. With the ping of an aluminum bat, he sends a looping line drive over the first baseman’s head, bringing home the winning run and sending the stands into a frenzy. His teammates mob him around first base, swallowing up the hero in a crowd of jumping bodies.

This hero, however, is no veteran leader.

Sophomore second baseman Ethan Stern (‘17) is an underclassmen, one of many on the varsity baseball team this year. Despite their inexperience, these younger players are stepping up to the plate as key members of the team.

MARCH 2015

T

he Paly baseball team has started the fledgling season with much success and the results, up to this point, give the team a lot of confidence and hope for the rest of the season. This recent winning trend, however, is not the only thing that has the baseball team excited. While the Vikings have many great upperclassmen to lead the team, the team also sports several promising underclassmen whom the coaches envision leading the team to greatness over the next few years. There are currently six underclassmen on the roster: three sophomores and three freshmen. As the next couple of years unfold, the current sophomores and freshmen are expected to become the leaders of the team. For the time being though, they will all have to continue to build on their current abilities as players and reach their full potentials.

This young team has the beginnings of one that could repeat the successes displayed by Paly teams of the past decade.

Paly baseball has enjoyed success in the past, highlighted by routine trips deep into the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs. Over the past five years, Paly teams made the CCS semifinals four times, including two trips to the championship game, one of which the Vikings won. Current players believe that these accomplishments have come from a variety of positive attributes.

“Our practice compared to that of other teams is very uptempo and hardworking so that really pays off in the game,” Stern said.

Starting pitcher Ellis Obrien (‘15) echoes the praise of work that past players and coaches put in.

“We’ve had a lot of guys who want to win,” Obrien (‘15) said. “We’ve had good coaching and a lot of talent. We’re hungry for it.”

As far as talent goes, Paly has been nowhere short of it in recent memory. Viking alum Joc Pederson (‘10) made his major league debut last fall with the Los Angeles Dodgers and BJ Boyd (‘12) is currently in the Oakland A’s minor league system. Furthermore, numerous others are playing at the collegiate level.

This year, however, things are a little different. To start with, the team welcomed former Paly baseball player Pete Fukuhara as its new coach. Previous coach Erick Raich left to coach at De Anza College after coaching the Vikings for five years. This opened the door for Fukuhara to transfer from his former position as an assistant coach at St. Francis High School. The coaching change seems to have been received well by the players as many have shared positive comments on their new coach. “[Fukuhara is] pretty supportive and he’s not going to get in your face about anything,” center fielder Phil Lewis (‘15) said. “He’s a pickyou-up guy.”

Freshman Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) has voiced his approval of his first high school coach.

“There’s no one I would rather play for right now.” Jung-Goldberg said. “He’s really positive around us and it’s really easy to play for him.”

Fukuhara brings experience from a higher level of baseball with him to the team. After graduating Paly, he played for both Cañada College and California State University, Fullerton before joining the minor league system of the Chicago Cubs for three years.

In addition to the change of coach, unlike

recent years, Paly is utilizing many underclassmen in key roles on the team. The underclassmen presence, however, is not so much a product of a weak senior class as it is of the abundance of exceptional young players. Three underclassmen are currently in the starting lineup. Stern plays second base, Jung-Goldberg mans third base and Ben Cleasby (‘17) occupies left field. In addition, Niko Lillios (‘18) and Ryan Chang (‘17) frequently pitch in relief while Jonathan Gottlieb (‘18) is available off of the bench.

“I think these kids are doing really well,” Fukuhara said. “I’m not really looking at faces or names; I’m just looking at the best nine and trying to put them in the best position to succeed.”

This infusion of younger players, however, is not a knock on the job that the seniors are doing. Seniors account for 10 of 23 spots on the roster and play an active role on the team.

Paly’s top two starting pitchers, Isaac Kasevich (‘15) and Obrien, are seniors and so is Lewis, who is arguably the team’s best hitter as he leads the team in on-base percentage. Furthermore, the seniors play roles in relief pitching and outfield work.

That being said, more underclassmen start in a typical game than do seniors. Despite this fact, however, Fukuhara is happy with the job they have done not only performance-wise but also as far as mentoring the team.

“The seniors have been great,” Fukuhara said. “We even have a couple guys that are banged up and they’ve been great team leaders and supported the young guys. They’ve welcomed them in.”

Jung-Goldberg agrees with Fukuhara in the

PLAY AT THIRD Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) prepares to field a throw at third base while Niko Lillios (‘18) runs to back him up.

Both freshmen play important roles on the team.

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importance of what the seniors are doing. He cites infrequently-mentioned Nick Beeson (‘15) as an important personal mentor and role model. “[Beeson] is always doing something for the greater good of the team and he’s an awesome teammate,” Jung-Goldberg said. “He is always someone I can go to. I hope I can be someone like that because that helps us as younger guys fit in with the team and build the chemistry that we have.”

When underclassmen start on a varsity team, they are usually well beyond their years in terms of ability and maturity. This group is no exception.

“I remember when I was a freshman, I was struggling,” Lewis said. “I was afraid, but these guys are confident and ready to go.”

Lillios exudes the poise that Lewis speaks of.

When prompted about the benefits of exposure at the varsity level for the underclassmen on the team, he has much to say.

“Seeing that the younger players are getting some playing time means that they’re going to develop more,” Lillios said. “Throughout the year it’s just going to get better.”

Not only do the current underclassmen have this year to develop, they have the next few years as well. While many players spend only a couple seasons on varsity together, this group will have ample time to develop chemistry as they play together throughout their respective high school careers. Fukuhara believes that the group of underclassmen is a very strong one and that the future of Paly baseball looks bright.

Despite the ease with which one might look eagerly to the coming year, the underclassmen do have a part in the success of the team this season too. For the team to make a playoff push, all hands need to be on deck. Young players have already made great contributions to the team. They are not only starting in the lineup, they are excelling. Lillios has appeared in several games in a closer-type role. Stern has been lauded by teammates as one of the best fielders on the team, and he is prone to making a couple diving plays a game. Jung-Goldberg is already one of the most consistent hitters on the team and he usually bats fifth in the batting order. Cleasby is also making a definite impact on the team by hitting in the second spot in the batting order.

“A team only goes as far as its bench and we have so much depth,” Lewis said. “I feel no shame putting any of these underclassmen in to replace any of the upperclassmen. They are so talented.”

After the mob of players finishes celebrating Stern’s walk-off hit, they return to the dugout.

The team heads out the equipment shed to grab rakes. They groom and water the field as they talk and laugh together. While they may be different ages, they share a love for the game. At the end of the day, the collective group is what matters the most. “[The team] is something more; it’s way bigger than a family,” Jung-Goldberg said. “We all bond together, we all think the same and we’re all playing for the same thing.” <<<

LOCK AND LOAD Ethan Stern (‘17) waits in the batter’s box for a pitch against Carlmont. Stern starts for the team as a sophomore.

Get to know your underclassmen Ben Cleasby (‘17)

Position: Left Field Fun Fact: Takes green tea caffeine pills to get hyped for games Ryan Chang (‘17)

Position: Relief Pitcher Fun Fact: Went to Taipei with his travel baseball team Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18)

Position: Third Base Fun Fact: Goes by the nickname “June-Bug”

Position: Infield Fun Fact: Nickname “Jonny True” was given after he was seen wearing True Religion® jeans on game day.

Jonathan Gottlieb (‘18)

Niko Lillios (‘18)

Position: Relief Pitcher Fun Fact: Goes by the nickname “Lilly Pad” Ethan Stern (‘17)

Position: Second Base Fun Fact: Is regarded as the best fielder on the team

MARCH 2015

How To: Ask an Athlete to Prom Every year at paly we see some extravagant prom askings. From chariots to dog shows, the paly campus has seen it all, but what truly makes a good prom asking is when it is personalized for the POTENTIAL DATE. here we look at some ways to ask your athlete crush to prom.

by ALYS OLMSTEAD

The Score asking a soccer player? lacrosse player? set up a goal saying “yes” and one saying “no”. when you ask them, have them score in whichever their answer is. if they miss, don’t take it personally; maybe they’re just having an off day. if YOU do this, make it obvious that they have to score as their answer.

Make sure to write it on the sign so they know.

The imposter nothing is funnier than seeing guys in LACROSSE SKIRTS or cheer uniforms to ask their athlete dates. for the confident brave soul who can work their date’s uniform, this is the way to go. come out sporting a sassy outfit and a sign, maybe throw in some dance moves or an imitation of that player, and you’re good to go.

The Coach

Food > Flowers

this asking is for the more secure yes. if you are ambitious and feel confident a loving “absolutely” will be said to you in the future, go for it. talk to his/her coach beforehand and arrange a scare. have the coach ask to meet privately with the athlete before (make it sound serious), and just when they are terrified of getting cut... bam! you come out and ask.

As much as everybody loves a bouquet, nothing can cover up the scent of worn-in cleats, so don’t even try. instead, come bEaring the gift of baked goods, an edible arrangement, or the fan favorite, chipotle. get their order and Write “PROM?” In black sharpie on that tinfoil covering. Also, make it double chicken; they need the protein.

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The Magic Mike photo courtesy of Jackie Seymour

you know your athlete is out there for two hours working out everyday. show them that you’ve been putting in work too with this classic body-baring asking.

Have some of your friends spell out “P-RO-M-?” on their stomachs using body paint (Swimmers tend to sport a speedo too).

Make it obvious you’re the one asking, BEcause you don’t want her saying yes to the wrong hottie.

The Classic The go-to athlete asking is to take the ball of his or her sport and write “PROM” all over it and toss it to them. Although this may sound boring, iT Can be clever and Include other materials (ex. their favorite candy). Remember when asking to throw the ball at an appropriate timE. no one wants a broken nose before prom!

Top right: Five Paly alumni implEment the magic mike method for prom last year. clearly it was successful by the smiles.

Bottom left: various sports balls are lined up spelling prom. this demonstrates the classic method of asking an athlete.

If you need help being punny...

“Wanna kick it with me at prom?”

“The only thing better than my stick skills are my dance moves, prom?”

“Want to run to Prom with me?”

“If you wanna freestyle outside of the pool at Prom with me, you know what to say...”

MARCH 2015

The Viking Guide to

#SSS Athletics Second semester senior year is a time of extravagance, relaxation and great temptation especially for athletes. The Viking hopes this will help you navigate these trying times, while still having the best of times.

by ZACH LEVITAN

S

econd semester senior year: we’ve finally made it. We’ve dealt with everything high school can throw at us and we came out on top. Second semester is our time to enjoy it. We get to sit back and soak it all in. That being said, we can’t completely give up on everything. Many of us still have a grueling season ahead of us.

Being a second semester athlete can be tough. It’s all about balance. We must find healthy doses of both serious commitment and good times. It can be hard to go to practice every day while your friends are out and about doing questionable things. If you feel that you’d rather be doing that than playing your sport, then you don’t deserve to be on the team anyways. I know it can be rough, but you’ve got to learn to love the grind. Our lacrosse team has Friday night games starting at seven. Yeah!

That kind of sucks. But get over it. I’m still pumped for every game we play this season even if I will be missing some time hanging out with my friends. There will always be more

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time for that later. DJ Shelton, head coach of the varsity lacrosse team has first hand experience dealing with senioritis on the field.

“The hardest part is keeping them motivated because their whole life seems to take a back see to social life,” Shelton said.

Motivation can dwindle as seniors begin to dream of things beyond Paly. Once we start focusing on our plans after high school, school and athletes seem to become less important but there is one mindset that can keep your head in the game.

“Being a spring sport [athlete], it’s definitely the last chapter of their high school experience so they care about it to some extent because they want to go out with a bang,” Shelton said.

“When it really comes down to it it’s about making them care about their legacy and the community they’re leaving behind.”

The dream of any athlete is to go out on top, leading your team to the championships where you beat the number one team in the state within the last few seconds of the game. Every

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

athlete dreams of their legacy leaving a mark for years after they have moved on. Every time you wish you were out with friends instead of at practice, dream of that final win, of leaving a legacy, of going out as a legend. Track star Alec Sullivan (‘15) knows first hand the effects of senioritis in sports.

“Considering I ran a time in my last meet slower than anything I ran freshman year, I would say that the second semester senior lifestyle takes a toll on athletics,” Sullivan said. “It has been hard to keep myself motivated but now I’ve focused up. That’s not how I want to be remembered.”

I know that with every passing day it gets harder and harder to stay involved in the Paly community. We begin to dream about the next chapter in our lives, but it is important to finish this chapter strong.

A true athlete is always committed and fully invested in their sport, but it is important to remember why you play your sport. Sports are supposed to be fun. <<<

Tips Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your final year of Paly athletics.

1 Senior Authority

2 Experience

Team bonding is important for making a cohesive team, but can also be used as an excuse to mess around with the guys. Bro nights are where memories are made and forgotten.

We all know that as a second semester senior, you are required to not do homework. Use this “free” time for your shenanigans and be somewhat serious at practice.

One of the best parts of being a senior on a team sport is that you have all the power (other than the coach).

Even a scrubby senior has more authority than a underclassman. Take advantage of this and have a little fun with it.

3

Team Bonding

By this time you know your coach pretty well. Have some fun at their expense sometimes. Push his or her buttons a bit, just don’t cross the line. Also, be sure to take advantage of when your coach is in a good mood.

Trust me, you can get away with much more.

4 “Free” Time MARCH 2015

ICE, ICE BABY!

In the athletic world, controversy has risen over the effectiveness of the use of ice baths as a means of therapy for athletes hoping to maximize training efforts.

by BRYN CARLSON photos by Bryn Carlson

BRUTE FORCE Takeru Nishi (‘16) powers through the pain while sitting in an ice bath. Nishi typically spends 10 minutes icing after a tough track workout.

W

ithin the past couple of decades, significant advances have been made towards understanding the human body and how athletic performance is impacted by the way one cares for one’s body. As a result, the sports technology industry has boomed and many athletes have turned to a variety of energy drinks, nutrition bars, protein powders, as well as high-end training equipment in hopes of enhancing performance.

Along with such technologies, a notion has been birthed that therapeutic exercises can affect the intensity at which an athlete is able to train. For example, cryotherapy—or the ther-

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apeutic practice of using low temperatures— has gained popularity as athletes across every performance level plunge themselves into ice baths in hopes of preventing or healing injuries. The effectiveness of ice baths as a preventive measure against injury and muscle soreness, however, is widely disputed within the athletic world.

Many athletes choose to use cold therapy by taking ice baths due to the self-reported benefits which include injury prevention, speeded recovery, and less muscle soreness, stiffness and pain. The water’s low temperature is thought to shock the body and cause vasoconstriction, or the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, therefore reducing swelling

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and leading to the breakdown of tissues.

Football and track athlete Takeru Nishi (‘16) periodically uses ice baths to speed his recovery.

“Usually I do ice baths after a hard workout to help my muscles because it gets lactic acid out and my legs just feel a lot better,” Nishi said. “My muscles feel a lot more relaxed the next day, so I can run better without being sore.”

While certain studies suggest that ice baths can positively affect an athlete’s body, others indicate that there is no benefit for an athlete who chooses to ice. In 2012, the journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise published a study based on nine athletes who ran for 30 minutes at a quick, yet steady pace and

then completed an interval workout. Following this exercise, they each immersed one leg in an ice bath for 15 minutes, while keeping the other leg out. The results showed lowered hemoglobin levels and elevated tissue oxygenation in the leg that had been placed in the ice.

The researchers concluded, therefore that ice baths “decreased microvascular perfusion and muscle metabolic activity,” meaning that they proved effective in reducing swelling in muscle tissues.

An alternate study, however, evinced an opposite claim. According to the European Journal of Applied Physiology, ice baths do not relieve muscle soreness nor do they lead to increased strength in athletes. In this experiment, 20 college-level male athletes were asked to run downhill for a 40 minute duration. Following the run, half of them spent 20 minutes submerged in ice water at 5° C which went up to their thighs. Meanwhile, the other men served as the control group and did not participate in the ice-bathing. The researchers measured the differences in the athletes’ perception of soreness while walking down stairs, strength of quadriceps while on a resistance

machine as well as the thigh circumference at one hour, six hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours post-run. The results did not reveal any stark contrasts between those who had iced and those who had not, suggesting that ice baths provide no advantages to athletes.

Discrepancies like these in findings regarding the use of icing and cryotherapy in the athletic

and field, basketball, soccer, lacrosse and other sports where you are doing the same thing over and over.”

Icing, however, can be extremely uncomfortable for certain athletes especially in the first several minutes before the body has been numbed. Some feel that the possible muscle relief is not worth the intense pain that may come with icing.

Still others believe that icing does not have a great affect on their body after a workout and choose not to waste time taking an ice bath.

“People either like [ice baths] or don’t like [ice baths],” Coach V said.

While the controversy over the effectiveness of ice baths persists, some may choose to take the “polar plunge” while others may use foam-rolling, stretching, or other techniques to aid recovery. Since studies on cryotherapy in athletics do not clearly support either the claim that ice baths are beneficial or the claim that ice baths are harmful, athletes would be wise to make the choice to ice or not to ice based upon how their body responds. <<<

“From a physiological standpoint, ice baths are absolutely beneficial.”

-Jason Visintainer world are common, and research while extensive has been overwhelmingly inconclusive.

So, the question remains for many conflicted athletes—to ice or not to ice?

Paly’s athletic trainer, Jason Visintainer (Coach V), believes that athletes who choose to ice will experience positive effects.

“In my opinion, ice, if used properly can be an extremely effective modality. From a physiological standpoint, ice baths are absolutely beneficial,” Coach V said. “Ice baths can arrest swelling that often occurs as a result of repetitive activities that are seen in sports like track

FILLIN’ UP Athletes from amatuer to professional levels use ice baths as a method of recovery. At Paly, some athletes sit in empty trash cans full of ice water to aid their muscles after a tough practice.

MARCH 2015

T H E U LT I M AT E R I VA L R Y

THROWN OUT The Viking’s first-baseman catches a throw for a close play against Los Gatos High School in an away game. With a new season around the corner, the Vikings look to defeat Gatos twice in revenge of a heartbreaking loss last year.

With Gunn out of the picture, Paly has found a new rival with a bit more spunk: the Los Gatos Wildcats. Staff Writer Maddy Atwater travels deep into the thick rivalry between the schools and reveals what the athletes have to say.

by MADDY ATWATER

H

igh school sports have been an uplifting pastime for not only schools themselves, but for their surrounding communities as well. They bring people together for one collective cause: the unification of fans in one common arena. The only thing that makes the game better is an old fashioned rivalry. Palo Alto High School and cross-town rival Gunn High School have always battled on the athletic fields, but in recent years a new rival has sprung between Paly and Los Gatos High School. To tie in all aspects of pride, camraderie and of course, rivalry, Phil Lewis (‘15) shared an intimate story from his baseball experience where a rising fire of hatred towards Los Gatos formed.

As the yellow school bus pulls up, the green

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and white uniforms load into seats in a sloppy single-file line. It’s a long drive, but no one sleeps; nerves are running high. Game one of the series against Los Gatos: you’ve got to prove yourself, represent your school and impress your coaches.

You pull up to Helm Field and see black and orange uniforms enveloping the grass, but you’re confident. There is no doubt in your mind that through it all, your team will have your back and give their all to every moment of that baseball game. There isn’t a team out there who wants to win this game more than the Paly Vikes. It’s a deadlock in the first game of the series against the Wildcats, but Paly makes a break and is up by one in the sixth inning. The ball is hit and a throw is made, he is out by a long shot and you start running off the field, but the runner is called safe. The tension builds; one warning but he doesn’t back down. More and more screams

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of fury; second warning. Boom, your coach has been thrown out. The first base runner goes on to score, tying the game and earning his team a second chance in extra innings. After some calls that were a little too close, it’s now the ninth inning. You watch the runner travel from base to base with ease and somehow end up on third. The pressure is on and you can’t stop thinking that the batter will hit the ball right to you, you’ll make some miraculous throw to first, and save the game. Typically so, Gatos bunts and it slips right past the pitcher to score the winning run. That’s it. In the blink of an eye, the Wildcats win after nine hard innings of pure work and dedication. As your team solemnly walks to the dugout with blood boiling revenge stirring, Gatos players triumphantly dog pile on the field.

So, now, why does it seem that almost every

athletic team at Paly just does not like Los Gatos? I’ve asked other athletes, I’ve experienced the game and I’ve got it figured out. Gatos is a rival, and a one that comes with a little more than just being a “good team.” It’s more than playing Gunn, just a mere cross-town rival: it’s playing for pride.

Athletes as a whole don’t like players that do some sneaky trash-talking, walk onto the field like they own the place, or play a little dirty for the fun of it. It’s even worse when these athletes are all on one team.

Well, in the mind of many Paly athletes, that is the typical makeup of a Los Gatos sports team. A lot of people will think that this column is purely opinion, but it is undeniably evident that nine different Paly sports team share the same opinion of the Wildcats. Yes, that is nine: both boys and girls lacrosse, basketball and soccer, along with volleyball, baseball and football. To provide more staggering evidence, of the 20-or-so interviews I conducted, I received negative feedback from all but two athletes. Still don’t believe me? Just watch as you’re dazzled with the overwhelming fact that Los Gatos is simply the team to despise in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).

It’s almost as though the moment your name is put on an SCVAL roster, in specific at Paly, you are programmed not to like Los Gatos

High School. If the influence isn’t ingrained via your coaching staff, then your upperclassmen role models on the team press it into your brain.

“It’s kind of instilled in every Paly athlete to dislike gatos,” Will Snodgrass (‘15) said. “Even during freshman football our coaches hyped up Gatos to be the game that they most wanted to win, so basically from the very start of high school it became clear to everyone that Gatos

Above all, the Wildcats have a dirty reputation. Like the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys of the late 80s and early 90s, these athletes are widely known for dirty play on the field and court.

Yes, these athletes play hard in every sporting event against Paly, but where is the line drawn?

Paly athletes have witnessed over-aggressive hits when the referee isn’t watching, almost in an unfair and unprofessional manner.

“They’re a good team but at the same time they are just bad people I guess,” Jayshawn Puckett (‘15) said.

“They play so unfair.”

Secondly, the Wildcats seem to stir up a lot of emotions on the playing field through instigative words. Richard Sherman, who has only been in the league for five seasons, has made a huge statement both on and off the field. He is a vocal leader of the National Football League (NFL), even talking up a game to Tom Brady by asking, “You mad, bro?”. Well, ask yourself if you would like to compete in a sport against someone who talked like Sherman, and I believe the answer is a very firm no. This is how many athletes see Los Gatos. From derogatory terms, swear words and challenging your ability, the Wildcats seem to ignite flames in the eyes of Paly athletes.

I just don’t really like them,” Jacey Pederson (‘16) said. “Last year when we played them, one of them flipped me off while her teammate

“My coaches hate Gatos, my teammates hate Gatos, so both sides are programmed to hate each other.”

- Eli Friedlander (‘16) is an important rivalry.”

Beyond this, you begin to learn why athletes and teams do not enjoy playing Gatos. Obviously, I personally dislike playing against the Wildcats in both softball and basketball, and I had always heard other kids complain about them, too. It became clear that besides being another athletically dominant school in the SCVAL, Gatos has some traits and characteristics that are deemed “unsportsmanlike”.

“After my first football game against Gatos I understood the rivalry, they play hard and dirty,” Eli Friedlander (‘16) said. “My coaches hate Gatos, my teammates hate Gatos, so both sides are programmed to hate each other.”

COMPETE A Los Gatos soccer player tries to catch up to Paly offenseman in a soccer game. Both teams have a competitive will to beat each other.

MAN DOWN A member of the Paly football team tackles an opponent carrying the ball. In previous years, Gatos has been a solid football competitor.

MARCH 2015

yelled, ‘F*** you,’ so there’s that.”

Besides players trash-talking, it seems as though the Los Gatos fan base takes this measure a step further, with even parents saying things to opponent school athletes. Paly students talked about “outrageous fans in the crowd” yelling, “Don’t miss,” as they went to hit the volleyball, parents unsure of what they are talking about, and ridiculous coaching staffs.

“Their coach wears cleats, a backwards hat and sunglasses.... That’s just the type of people they are,” Cole Tierney (‘16) said. “What middle aged man walks around in cleats, a backwards hat, and sunglasses clapping at his team.”

Beyond the instilled dislike towards Los Gatos athletes for claimed reasons of being unsportsmanlike and unprofessional, when it comes down to it, the Wildcats tend to offer a solid competition no matter the sport. It seems as though even if they may struggle athletically for a particular sport during that season, they will always give Paly a good game. For example, the boys varsity basketball at Los gatos finished with an overall record of 14-13, while the Vikings finished 17-8. Despite Paly’s top-notch record, they lost twice to the Wildcats.

“It’s always a tough, hard-fought game when we play them. Even if their record isn’t that great, they always seem to play really well against us,” Jonathan Rojahn (‘15) said. “They also usually have a big and loud fan base whenever we play at their place that likes to yell stuff

HISTORY Even when Jeremy Lin (‘06) played, games with Los Gatos have been competitive. at us so it’s a tough place to play.”

High schools tend to have up and down years for different sports, but there are always a few high schools that are athletically dominant, or basically have a pretty solid athletic program every year. Next to Paly, the other public school would arguably be Los Gatos.

This in itself creates a rivalry which is surrounded by more politics than many. But what it comes down to is a battle for pride of yourself, your school and your community. Paly and Los Gatos will continue to battle as long as the athletic competitiveness is still around. <<<

FAST FACTS OF THE 20 ATHLETE INTERVIEWS

responded with positive or neutral 1/10 comments reported instances of hearing deraga1/2 tory comments from athletes or fans used personal stories when asked 2/5 about Los Gatos 34 | T H E V I K I N G |

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tries

photo by Dami Bolarinwa

RACQUETBALL

BEHIND THE BACK The Viking’s Staff Writer, Reuben Kramer, concentrates on returning a tricky serve. The fastpaced game requires a lot of running and it’s a good idea to stretch before playing to reduce injury.

by PAIGE ANDERSON and REUBEN KRAMER

A

mix between tennis and squash, racquetball is one of the fastest-paced sports out there. The innovative sport was invented in 1950 by Joseph Sobek on a handball court in Connecticut and even after over 60 years, it continues to gain popularity in the United States.

Given people’s increasing interest among young adults and college students, The Viking decided to give it a try. Lucky for us, there’s racquetball courts located right in our backyard. We headed down to the Stanford courts, which are located next to the Ford Center and are open for the public. You can bring your own equipment or rent equipment for a small

price from the Arrillaga center.

The game is not too complicated and beginners can pick it up after a few minutes of instruction. Since neither of us had played before, we were worried about the intensity and skill level required for the sport, but right when we got to the courts a few Stanford students were quick to show us the way and play a few rounds with us. After learning the rules and getting the hang of the sport for a few minutes, we began getting competitive and having some fun.

The play is pretty straight forward: the serving player bounces the ball and hits the front wall. Simple, right? Here’s where it gets fun:in raquetball the ball can be played off of every

surface within the court. This means that six surfaces are fair game counting the front and back walls, two side walls, the floor and lastly, the ceiling. A serve is good if, after hitting the front wall, the ball either bounces behind the short line or passes the receiving line. It is not a good serve if the ball hits the back wall before bouncing, but it can hit either side wall before bouncing. Sounds complicated but it makes sense when you’re on the court. All the lines are marked so it’s readily apparent to both players when plays are good. The receiving player has to return the ball to the front wall either before a bounce or after one bounce and can use any surface to do so. Points are scored when the opposing player can’t return the ball

MARCH 2015

Arillaga Center Hours Monday through Thursday 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Friday 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. photo by Dami Bolarinwa

after one bounce. Play is to 15 points but only servers get points.

We started off slowly but soon developed our own strategies for scoring points against our opponent. We kept trying trick shots off the ceiling and using the lowest point on the wall to make shots. Anyone watching our game would see multiple shots ricocheting off every possible surface. We did learn to settle down a bit and just try to win a point using a solid basic shot to the front wall, but we both agreed that the devious plays were more fun.

Players must constantly circle and move out of each other’s way during play and given how often just the two of us collided, we wondered how a doubles game with four players chasing a hard rubber ball and swinging racquets in a 20 by 40 foot court managed to escape injury.

Most players wear protective eye goggles because a direct shot to the eye can be a devastating injury. Although we were close to injury on many occasions, somehow we escaped without even a bruise. A couple of our Stanford instructors showed us their injuries marked as perfect black and blue circles on their body.

Most people wouldn’t expect racquetball to be such an injury prone sport so they would be surprised to hear about all the injuries the Stanford students suffered while playing.

Overall, our experience playing raquetball was very positive and encouraging. It’s an easy sport to pick up and doesn’t require much skill for beginners, so it’s great if you’re looking for a fun way to get some exercise and socialize with friends. We would highly recommend giving it a try in the near future! <<<

SMASH IT Roberto Sotelo (‘16) hits the ball back to his opponent. He smashes it against a side wall in an effort to win a point in the match.

TIME TO TORCH THE CALORIES If you’re

If you’re

125 pounds you’ll burn

397 calories

after an hour of casual racquetball

567 calories

after an hour of competitive racquetball

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If you’re

150 pounds

175 pounds

476 calories

556 calories

you’ll burn

you’ll burn

after an hour of casual racquetball

after an hour of casual racquetball

after an hour of competitive racquetball

after an hour of competitive racquetball

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680 calories

794 calories

From the shadows Although most people think of the star player as carrying the team, there are many athletes on all teams that contribute to its success. These players are often overlooked by many fans, but are just as important as the stars.

by ISAAC KASEVICH and HAYLEY POORE

MARCH 2015

photo by Katie Foug SHADOWS Athletes stand together after practice. Many non-starters on Paly teams have big impacts in their games. Players and coaches from many teams appreciate every player on the roster.

E

verybody loves a superstar.

They’re flashy, they thrive under pressure and they seem to single-handedly win games. No matter what the sport is, every championship team seems to have at least one superstar. However, behind every superstar is their support staff - the players who get the job done, but don’t have the same flare as the star. In baseball, this could be the centerfielder who hits eighth but plays great defense. In basketball, it could be the point guard who thinks to assist their teammates before shooting. In lacrosse, it could be the defenseman who has never scored a goal in their career but nonetheless is an integral part of their team’s success.

The common thread between these players, though, is that they start. They may not be the first name that shows up when a team is mentioned, but they go to their games knowing that they will be trotting out onto the field or court at the start of the game.

But what about a third group of players, those who spend the first part of the game cheering from the sidelines? What about those who wait patiently for almost the entirety of the contest for their chance to make an impact? What about the second string?

Oftentimes the difference between an average team and a good team can be measured in star-power or in the number of solid starters

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a team can roll out each day. The difference between a good team and a great team or a great team and a championship team, though, is more often than not how good a team’s substitutes are. Amongst Paly’s spring sports, baseball, softball and boys’ and girls’ lacrosse rely the most heavily on their late game substitutes – either to relieve the starters in a long game or to provide one or two specific skills that help their teams succeed.

A Baseball

high school baseball game lasts seven innings, plus potential extra innings if the game is tied at the end of regulation. In a perfect world, every time a starting pitcher took the mound he would be expected to pitch the whole game. Of course, unless said pitcher has college or professional level talent, this is an unrealistic expectation. In most games the starting pitcher will make it through four or five innings before tiring, losing command and movement on his pitches and starting to get hit harder. At this point, it is vital that a team has quality arms to bring out of its

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bullpen.

“I think the bullpen is really important. You get into the fifth, sixth, seventh innings you get the most pressure-filled situations, and that’s when you need the most mentally-tough guys to be in the bullpen,” Ellis Obrien (‘15) said.

Obrien knows first-hand what it’s like to enter from the bullpen late in the game, having served as late-inning relief his freshman and sophomore years.

Now a senior and a starting pitcher, he can compare his experiences.

“I’d say that being a bullpen pitcher is even more stressful than being a starter,” Obrien said. “All the big bucks [in professional baseball], all the glory goes to the starters.

Coming out of the bullpen, it’s tough; it’s a lot of mental preparation.”

This year the bullpen will be staffed by pitchers of all grades, where in the past it has been primarily juniors, Obrien explained.

Walker Ritchie (‘15) and Corey Bicknell (‘15) will represent the senior class

Dave Goldman said. “We have guys that don’t start that come in at the end of the game because they’re better fielders [or hitters].

Everybody has a role.”

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Softball t is easy to overlook players on a softball team if they are not one of the pitchers or the one getting the big hits.

However, there is a lot more to softball than just pitching and hitting. A softball lineup consists of nine players, all of whom play a key role in the team’s success.

In addition to helping the team in the field, there are also other ways that a player can help their team without being the best hitter.

According to Casey Glassford (‘15), outfielder Kabria Dame (‘15) is one of those players.

“Kabria Dame is definitely one of our most underrated players,” Glassford said. “She is the leadoff hitter so she really sets the tone at the beginning of the game. What she does starts the momentum. She gets on base a lot and even when she doesn’t she’s seeing the pitcher and telling the rest of the team what the pitcher is throwing, and then also she is a leader in the outfield. She makes a lot of great plays.”

Most good teams also have good second string players, and this is true for the Paly softball team as well. Although not all players are good at the same things, all players bring some important skills to the team.

“I think that [the non-starters] do have an impact because everyone pitches in to help bring the team together,” Jesse Kim (‘16) said.

“Some people are really fast and we use that to our strengths, because nobody’s really perfect, so everyone kind of just pitches in with their best.”

Even though many of the fans might not understand the importance of all the players on the team, the players on the team do. They know that each player is important and they help shape the team dynamic.

“I feel like everyone’s appreciated, especially on the team, everybody knows each other and they all believe that everyone’s important, but I feel like some people just might get shouted out more or be recognized more for certain things by the people who are just watching,” Kim said. “They do serve a purpose and they help in bonding together the teammates as well.”

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Girls’ lacrosse t’s no secret that a key to doing well in many sports is always having new players on the field that are rested and ready to go. In lacrosse, this is especially important because the sport involves a lot of running up and down the field. In order to have the option of cycling through players the whole game, the non-starters need to be able to stop the other team from scoring just as much as the starters.

photo by Olivia Scola

in the ‘pen, while Justin Hull (‘16) will be the lone junior. Ryan Chang (‘17), Niko Lillios (‘18) and Jonathan Gottleib (‘18) are the underclassmen. Hull will also start Saturday non-league games.

Lillios, just a freshman, has already seen a fair number of innings.

“I’m probably going to be one of the first guys out of the ‘pen this year,” Lillios said.

In order for the team as a whole to have success there needs to be considerable depth in the pitching staff. “[People] say that your team is only as good as your last guy, so I think it’s extremely important to have a lot of depth in your pitching staff,” Lillios said. “Our job as a bullpen is to support the starters, and we need to come into the late innings and get the job done.”

Outside of the bullpen, there are two other main ways that non-starters can make big contributions to the team on a day-to-day basis: pinch-hitting and entering as a defensive replacement. These substitutions often happen sequentially, where a player enters the game as a pinch-hitter, takes his at-bat and then is replaced by a defensive sub. Additionally, in high-school baseball, a starting position player can be pinch-hit or pinch-run for and then can re-enter the game to play defense.

These management tactics can make a tremendous impact in the game – capitalizing on just one more opportunity can give a team the one or two more runs it needs to win the game.

The varsity baseball coaching staff agrees.

“Non-starters play a lot,” assistant coach

BENCH The Paly boys’ baseball team cheers on a teammate as he gets ready to bat. The non-starters all have a role and contribute to the success of the team.

MARCH 2015

“In several sports, especially lacrosse, it is difficult and tiring for the first-string players to play an entire game,” Amalia Roth (‘15) said. “Second string players need to be skilled, motivated, and ready to play. They may not be the ones scoring all of the goals, but scoring is not [sic] the only aspect of lacrosse.”

The Paly girls’ lacrosse team is strong enough that the second string players are able to substitute in for the starters, while keeping the level of play the same.

“I think for us we’re very fortunate in that we have a very deep team so those non-starters are basically coming right off the bench right away and able to plug in and sort of keep the starting group’s legs fresh,” coach Jamie Nesbitt said.

Even though it is important to have substitutes in games, it is just as critical for the lacrosse team to have these non-starters in practices.

“I think people forget that most of your time is spent practicing, and you can’t play each other in a game-like way without having those extra players, obviously, so they’re crucial to actually having a team and practicing,” Nesbitt said.

Although Roth and Nesbitt both see the importance of second string players, they believe that these non-starters are often overlooked.

“In lacrosse, many people view the stars of the team as the people who score the most goals,” Roth said. “Of course, scoring goals in lacrosse is very important. However, scoring goals is not the only thing that needs to be done to win a game.”

Nesbitt believes that it is hard to not be recognized and still give 100% all of the time, and those that are able to do that are just as important.

“I think people forget that [getting recognition as a star is not] possible really without those other people,” Nesbitt said. “The mental energy and just motivation and self-discipline it takes to actually show up everyday when you’re not the one getting the praise and work hard and support those around you that are getting it is, I think, speaks way more to anyone’s character. It’s very easy to be the star.

I think it’s hard not to be.”

team is in possession of the ball, where they can be seen dodging and sprinting, making passes and trying to score. If attackmen get tired, however, the entire offensive structure breaks down.

“When you get tired on attack you start making bad passes. The possession is lost and then the whole team has to sprint back on defense,” Owen Dulik (‘16) said. “Attack needs to stay fresh so that they can keep control of the ball.”

In addition to providing much-needed relief for exhausted starters, non-starters also can play key specific roles, one of which is the “F.O.G.O.,” standing for “Face-off, get off.” Not all highschool teams have such a player, but Paly does.

This year, the F.O.G.O is Charlie Stephenson (‘16).

“I’m the F.O.G.O. on the lacrosse team [this year], which means I take the faceoffs after every goal and after every quarter and then once I do that I just get off the field,” Stephenson said.

Despite this somewhat limited role, Stephenson believes that he can have an impact on the game at his position.

“It’s a very specific role,” Stephenson said. “[But] if I do my job then we can get some momentum. I think it can impact the rest of the game.”

Whether they are coming off the bench to relieve starters or to play a specific role, the second-string in lacrosse should be appreciated for what they do to help their team win, and their teammates recognize their value.

“I think that it’s easy to downplay certain players who people might not think are as good, but I think everyone is just as crucial to the team,” Tierney said.

Star players can only take a team so far. It is up to the rest of the players to contribute their skills to get the win. Every Paly sports team has non-starters, and many times theses players help the team out more than they get credit from the fans for. However, the coaches and starters do see the role the players on the team play and they appreciate all the players.

While star players are the ones who are recognized in the newspaper and are the first ones to come up when the team is mentioned, it is evident that teams would not be able to succeed without all the players on the team, including the non-starters. <<<

“The mental energy and motivation and self-discipline it takes to actually show up every day when you’re not the one getting the praise and support those around you that are getting it... speaks way more to anyone’s character. It’s very easy to be the star. I think it’s hard not to be.”

-Jamie Nesbitt

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Boys’ lacrosse ike in girl’s lacrosse, in high school boy’s lacrosse second-string players play a pivotal role in the success of the team.

With rosters that often push up against or surpass 30 players and only 10 starters, it is easy to imagine that a deep bench is crucial to a team’s success. “[Second string players are] extremely important, especially in the midfield because you have a lot of subs flying [on and] off so you’ve got to make sure that the people who come in second are just as good if not better than the first-string players,” starting attackman Cole Tierney (‘16) said.

Throughout the course of a 48-minute game, a lacrosse player who never comes off the field can run between 2 and 5 miles, depending on his position. He runs this distance in full padding and oftentimes at a dead sprint, all the while needing to stay focused on scoring goals or stopping goals from being scored. It’s nearly impossible to find players who are able to do all this and, therefore, teams rely heavily on substitutes to help win games.

In lacrosse, attackmen must stay on the offensive side of the field at all times. This means that they only really play when their

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photo courtesy of Brett McBride

Brett McBride (‘17) began longboarding when he was 12 years old and hasn’t looked back, gaining sponsors, competition wins and a new crew.

by PRISCILLA BELL and SAMUEL DESRÉ

MARCH 2015

photo courtesy of Brett McBride

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s he leans into a turn the road blurs beneath him. Suddenly his wheels slip, and he’s thrown onto the asphalt.

But this isn’t an uncommon occurrence for downhill longboarder Brett McBride (‘17). Far from the relaxing longboarding one may see in beach towns, McBride races down steep hills in this extreme sport.

“My most memorable fall was probably hitting the tires of a truck,” McBride said. “When I opened my eyes I thought I wasn’t going to be able to walk anymore; luckily I was just badly bruised and had road rash.”

Longboarding originated in Hawaii, but has gained major popularity across the rest of the United States. The sport developed when surfers wanted something to do on the days when the surf was too rough.

While the first longboards were made in the 1960s, it wasn’t until the 90s when skateboards and longboards became part of popular culture. As Tony Hawk increased the popularity of skateboarding, longboarding gained a separate fan base and also became more popular.

McBride started longboarding in seventh grade when he was 12 years old, after attending a longboarding event in his hometown.

“I went with my siblings to see what I thought was normal skateboarding, but I saw these guys bombing what looked like the scariest hill I’ve seen,” McBride said.

The uniqueness and intensity of the sport immediately captured McBride. He began entering competitions, and doing well in them.

Eventually he was picked up by a sponsor, Five Mile Skateboards.

“I met a team rider for [Five Mile] named Malachi [Greene], who later became a huge inspiration and mentor to me,” McBride said.

“I was 14 [years old] competing with people 18 [years old] and over, and I got second. He said he wanted me to try his board, [and] later I got a message saying I could be on the team. I was stoked out of my mind.”

Greene saw that McBride could succeed in the sport, and knew he would be an asset to the team because he brought something new to the sport.

“I invited Brett onto the team because [of] his positive outlook and creativity,” Greene said. “He was not afraid to be different, and he was proud to be different. He’s that kid that has all the potential to be great in whatever he

SO CLOSE McBride (left) comes in second in a competition and celebrates on the podium with the first and third place conestants. He started longboarding in the seventh grade. wants to do and I saw that in him.”

That was only the start for McBride. Soon after, Five Mile led him to other sponsors, like Black Diamond Sports in Palo Alto, which often give McBride fresh decks, wheels and

Sponsors pay for travel expenses and for entry fees in competitions, which can be up to $250, according to McBride. Winning or placing at events can get longboarders anywhere from money and new gear to recognition.

“The best feeling is being rewarded for being the best at the event,” McBride said. “Bigger companies will now start to recognize you too.”

McBride strives for success in every competition, and his drive didn’t go unnoticed by Greene.

“His strengths are he skates fast, has character, [and] he’s progressing always,” Greene said.

On Oct. 30, 2014, Five Mile announced on its website that after ten years of business, it was shutting down. However, McBride was already in the process of moving to a different

“He was not afraid to be different, and he was proud to be different. He’s that kid that has all the potential to be great in whatever he wants to do and I saw that in him.”

- Malachi Greene

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clothing. Once Malachi put McBride’s name out in the downhill scene, more doors opened.

“Sponsors give you the gear you need, and keep you riding the freshest new stuff to make sure you’re looking good and doing [well],” McBride said.

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sponsor, the name of which he has not been able to disclose until it’s official.

“Leaving Five Mile was a tough decision,” McBride said. “I never thought I would. I was offered a spot on a team at a larger company, later to find out that I wouldn’t be added for about another year.”

Despite being in between companies, McBride still rides frequently in various cities around the Bay Area, mainly with his group of friends from the Peninsula Downhill Crew (PDHC).

“We always have a great time, and we get better,” McBride said. “It’s an unspoken competition between you and your friends to be the best. “ McBride enjoys the intensity of longboarding, as well as the longboarding community

that has introduced him to many new people: from PDHC to people at competitions.

“My favorite part is just making so many awesome friends,” McBride said. “I experienced some pretty odd things and have mem-

and ran a personal best of 2:04 in the varsity 800 meters against Milpitas this season.

“Track and soccer keep me in shape which really does help skating,” McBride said. “I’m able to last longer than a lot of other skaters.”

Finding a place to longboard is one of the main problems for McBride and PDHC, since they are often trying to practice in unwelcoming neighborhoods.

“Some angry people take it pretty far,” McBride said.

“Some people come and take pictures of us and say they will give it to the police. One guy made us delete the footage of him pushing my friend with the camera.”

Despite the complications than can arise when trying to ride, McBride is still able to find places to go.

“I experienced some pretty odd things and have memories that a lot of kids won’t have.”

-Brett McBride (‘17)

photo by Malcolm Slaney

photo courtesy of Brett McBride

ories that a lot of kids won’t have.”

Unlike other longboarders, McBride also runs track and field and plays soccer competitively. McBride was a wing player on the Palo Alto High School JV soccer team last winter and finished fifth at De Anza League finals for the Frosh-Soph 800 meters with a time of 2:07

CROSS TRAINING McBride leads the mile in a meet for Paly track during the 2014 season. During the current season, McBride was moved up to the varsity mid-distance team from frosh-soph.

SHERIFF PROBLEMS The police often get called when residents complain about McBride and fellow longboarders. Despite getting in trouble, they always find other places to ride.

MARCH 2015

photo courtesy of Brett McBride

WHAT A VIEW McBride finds large hills in the Bay Area to ride down, often offering great views from up high.

He often reaches speeds of 45 miles per hour while on slopes of up to 25 percent grade.

“The Bay Area has the best spots, so [California] is a dream to be in,” McBride said.

McBride spends most of his time practicing so that he can compete. Longboarding competitions have two types: skate jams and races.

“A skate jam is like a freestyle competition: best tricks, style and fastest down the hill [are] usually on top,” McBride said. “Lately people have been going off 6-foot wood jumps downhill, and it’s just getting harder. Races are the most stressful. Up to four man heats, [and] top two advance. Four people around a hairpin turn at around 45 [miles per hour] can get hectic.”

The frenzy makes for a competitive environment during races.

“Competing is funny,” McBride said. “Everybody wants to compete, and they want to become the next big thing, so its pretty stressful having all those kids against you.”

Longboarding at high speeds down a slope that can reach up to 25 percent grade does not

come without risks. All of the longboarders of PDHC, including McBride, are aware of the dangers they face. However, even with adequate protection, crashing at such a high speed leaves marks. During his longboarding career, McBride has had his share of injuries including a cracked rib, broken fingers, a fractured wrist and a minor concussion.

All of the scars on his body attest to the dangerous side of longboarding, but to him it’s all

enced the worst … [but] we all still enjoy skating.”

McBride hopes to continue his success in downhill longboarding. With a new sponsor, he is ready to keep practicing and competing.

“I do see [longboarding] in my future,” McBride said. “We are all the next generation [of longboarders], and we are only 15 and 16-yearolds, so we have time to get better.”

This summer McBride will travel to some of the biggest longboarding competitions in the world, like the Maryhill Festival of Speed in Goldendale, Wash. and Giants Head Freeride in Canada.

He will be racing in the Under 17-yearold category against some of the best longboarders in the world. The prizes can be up to $600 for the juniors and $3,000 for the pros.

McBride will also use those festivals as an opportunity to learn from the best pro longboarders and meet some of those idols like

“Falling is how you get better. It shows you’re breaking mental and physical boundaries ... [my friends and I] have all experienced the worst … [but] we all still enjoy skating.”

-Brett McBride (‘17)

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part of the experience.

“Falling is how you get better,” McBride said.

“It shows you’re breaking mental and physical boundaries. Slamming is a normal thing at a session, and [my friends and I] have all experi-

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photo courtesy of Brett McBride

CREW McBride (far right) poses with PDHC after a race in Navato, Calif. He will travel to Washington and Canada this summer to compete on some of the biggest stages in the world of longboarding.

James Kelly, who is also from Northern California.

“I hope to learn from the pros because they were able to get to be where they are [now], and I would want to be there someday too,” McBride said.

Maryhill Festival of Speed had an estimated attendance of 3,000 last year and is one of the World Cup events. McBride will compete around the same 22 corners of the 2.2 mile course as Abdil Mahdzan, a multiple World Cup champion.

Brett’s top

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1 Page Mill Road Palo Alto

The event is known to have revealed some of the best longboarders in North America.

For example Zak Maytum won the 2008 junior before turning pro and getting multiple World Cup wins. McBride is hoping to use Maryhill as a ramp to the professional world even if his first goal is to enjoy the experience.

“Some people stay flow for the longest time and don’t go pro,” McBride said. “I mean being pro would be great, but I’m skating because I like it, not because I want to become a pro.”

This attitude is something that is central

to McBride’s personality, whether he is longboarding or doing any other activity.

“He’s positive and stays focused on having fun,” Greene said. “People could learn from him.”

Ultimately, McBride is another athlete pursuing the sport he’s passionate about, all the way from the Bay Area to Canada. Despite the dangers and unconventional practices, McBride does not see his future without longboarding. <<<

Bay Area longboarding spots:

2 Cowtown Vacaville

3 Melendy Drive San Carlos

4 Mt. Hamilton Road 5 Mt. Eden Road San Jose

Saratoga

MARCH 2015

The Last Word

Has football surpassed baseball?

Until recently, if you said baseball was America’s sport no one would have batted an eye. However, with the recent surge in football, people are questioning if baseball is still America’s sport.

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by GARRETT REYNOLDS ince May 4, 1871, baseball has been America’s pastime, and still is to this day. Baseball is America’s sport for many reasons, but above all because it teaches us to never give up. The Chicago Cubs, for example, have not won the World Series in over 100 years. In what other sport are you going to find a fan base so loyal for a team that hasn’t won a championship in over a century?

Baseball isn’t America’s sport just at the professional level. Little league participation is increasing in record numbers and kids are starting baseball at younger ages. When you compare youth participation of baseball to football, the numbers are whopping. Due to the increasing number of studies about the dangers of football, parents are being more cautious with the health of their kids and are having them play other sports such as baseball and soccer.

In the new technological age, teenagers are watching more TV, spending less time outside and are constantly on their phones. With such an emphasis on technology and the constant need to be entertained, football’s five-month season doesn’t cut it for the youth. With baseball, on the other hand, you can watch games every day for almost the whole year and can follow stats about anything you can imagine.

Every year records are broken and new milestones are set. No other sport gives us milestones as often as baseball does.

Enjoying a sport is not all about the strategy of the game, but its also about the experience and the cost of attending a game. The football season takes place during the cold months, and most stadiums are outdoors. The baseball season is completely different, with the majority of the season taking place during the warm months of the summer. After factoring in the weather, you have to think about price.

In all professional sports you are going to have the outlier box seats and the field passes, but calculated altogether the average seat price for a National Football League (NFL) game is $81.54 compared to the $27.93 for a Major League Baseball game (MLB). Most MLB teams you can decide the day of you want to go to a game and purchase a ticket online. However thats not the case for most NFL teams.

Tickets need to be purchased well in advance.

Image taken from

TIMELESS Ty Cobb is one of the best baseball players of all time and has served as an icon for the game. Baseball has stood the test of time and to this day remains America’s sport.

When you put the two together you see how much easier and more affordable it is to attend a baseball game.

The bottom line is that the atmosphere of a baseball game will put baseball ahead of football any day. Atmosphere is something that takes time to build. Baseball has a huge following, but more importantly, it has that intangible atmosphere that has taken over a century to develop. Football is a growing sport that is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, but as a country we are still deeply root-

ed in the pastime of baseball.

Baseball is a game that teaches you how to make mistakes and get back up from them. It instills good life values and prepares you well for the reality of every day life.

“Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer,” one of baseball’s all time greats, Ted Williams, said.

Baseball is America’s pastime and will remain so for a very long time. <<<

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