From the editors Dear readers,
We hope you are all enjoying your second semesters! This semester we have welcomed seven new staff writers to Viking, from seniors to sophomores, and are incredibly excited to see what they will contribute in upcoming issues. Each new member brings with them a unique point of view as well as a creative eye and is ready to learn. As winter sports get closer to playoffs and spring sports get started, we can’t wait to showcase the boundless athleticism that runs rampant through Palo Alto High School. Turn to page 44 for an insight into the future of all 12 spring teams. As we kick off 2018, we as a staff hope
to improve the quality of Viking with every issue that is published. With the publication of issue four, we have strived to include a varying array of eye-catching designs as well as enriching content. Our cover story this issue profiles an icon in the world of Palo Alto soccer coaching. From having his dreams of playing professionally dashed early on in his career, working in the movie industry, Jim Mackay has turned his struggle into a passionate drive to instill a love of the game of soccer in the youth of Palo Alto. The second feature in this issue looks into how female sportscasters are treated in the male-dominated field of sports reporting. The women discussed in this
piece struggle to be taken seriously, and hope that sharing their stories will illicit change. On a more lighthearted note, turn to page 21 to get a closer look at the athletes, both at Paly and in the pros, who are expressing their more creative side through the creation of original music. We have also included a spread detailing the history of #BillsMafia as well as descriptions of the Bills’ fans general delinquency. In addition, in honor of college football season coming to a close, we have taken a look at Nick Saban’s coaching legacy as well as the athletic dynasties that he has helped spawn.
Sko Vikes!
Sabrina Hall Bryan Look
Staff view
On morning practice
Morning workouts have become a recent issue that needs to be resolved. The required start time of 7:00 am from CCS has caused several concerns. Practices are being too short to get anything out of them, and stress athletes. The main solution to make a morning workouts better, is to fix the set start time and extend them to solve the numerous conflicts created by the current start time. These workouts benefit players by offering them a chance to get an early kickstart to their day which allows for their muscles to get going and their brain power to get boosted. When you warm up your muscles they work more effectively and efficiently. Getting in a work out in the morning is a great way to clear up the afternoon to create the opportunity to improve game mechanics. The brain is most productive when it is dealing with completing a task and an early workout can provide a perfect way to wake up the mind. Overall, an energetic start to the day can make a good day into a great day. Some sports like Water Polo and Swim-
ming get huge benefits from morning practices. They allow their athletes to get a solid workout in the morning and the afternoon. Having a practice start at 7 am does not give athletes enough time to get in a meaningful amount of work. If there were no restrictions, the teams could get a full practice in the morning and afternoon. This could put them ahead of their competition, and possibly give them more championships. The main argument to morning practice is sleep management. A student should get at least eight hours of sleep per night. If a student has to stay up late doing schoolwork, waking up early to do an exercise which will require a lot of physical effort. With not enough sleep a student will not be able to perform to their full potential. Morning practices could make this not possible for unprepared students, and it could set them behind. Athletes need to make sleep a priority in order for them to be able to get a useful morning workout. Despite creating some conflict, morning workouts can provide even more
than athletic fitness. Morning workouts are a great way to improve team chemistry. With better team chemistry, teams will be able to perform better in game and increase the chances of getting a win. Without good team chemistry, a team achieving a victory is nearly impossible. Therefore the best way to improve team chemistry is to spend time together as a team and with the help of extended time workouts this goal is very possible. Even though there are several cons to a morning workout, they offer more good than harm. Morning workouts provide a space where athletes can improve on their game along with creating a productive and generally safe environment which boosts team morale. However, in order to achieve this it is critical that morning workouts should be unrestricted and not limited to the set start time at 7:00 am. With the current limited slot in place it will be difficult to make a quality workout possible. Only when the time limit is changed will a morning practice be able to benefit athletes inside and outside their respected sport.
@ v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g | FEBRUARY 2018